Education K-12

  Senator Dick Durbin Visits Mosque Foundation

CD1(Blue): 47.6% Kerry 16/9/53/20 W/H/A/O
Most of Oahu, particularly the more Republican parts.

CD2(Green): 58.4% Kerry 29/9/42/20 W/H/A/O
South-eastern Oahu and all of the other Hawaiian islands.

Philadelphia Inquirer expose on the same Gulen Cult which is now attempting to win favor in the Hawaii Legislature via HR30 and the nearly identical HCR37 and is attempting convert Mokapu Elementary School into a Gulen-controlled Charter School.

In the current Libya crisis...leadership has come from the president… of France.

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Full Tilt Poker, one of the world’s top Internet poker sites—and potentially a key beneficiary of SB755--is now under Federal investigation for money laundering.

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SB1078: Specifies that the benefits of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund are subject to negotiation. Clarifies that a decision of an arbitration panel shall be final.

The Hawaiian Homes Commission gave final approval to a general lease agreement allowing Hawaii DeBartolo LLC to develop 67 acres for the Ka Makana Ali‘i Center in East Kapolei. Under the agreed upon terms, Hawaii DeBartolo will pay more than $140 million in rent, over the course of 65 years, to DHHL for use of the land.

This legislation appears unlikely to make it out of committee. There is, however, an effort by a dedicated few to attempt to have the bill waived out of committee and put to a floor vote, so we must remain vigilant....

A long list of bad bills that will take away more of your liberty, freedom and money crossed from both houses of the State Legislature as crossover voting commenced on March 8 and 10.

• Senate: Additional Continuing Appropriations, 2011
• House: Additional Continuing Appropriations, 2011
  House: NSP Termination Act
  House: NPR Federal Funding Ban
  House: Afghanistan Withdrawal resolution

Rep Tom Brower (D-Waikiki) says Hawaii is an “intolerant place” which needs to “create a market to attract progressive, educated individuals..."

NotHaus is co-founder of the Royal Hawaiian Mint and creator of the Free Marijuana Church of Honolulu.  NotHaus also produced the Ron Paul Dollar. 

While she is not a household name, Kim's interest in the race illustrates how a Democratic primary that already promises to be crowded could grow, in time, to become even more jam-packed.

Will the Legislature bow to pro-abortion extremists and risk closure of two hospitals, loss of medical personnel, and possible statewide loss of millions of dollars of federal health funds? 

$120M COFA, Japan Tourism dropoff, CoR revision, 13 Hospitals bleeding 25-30M a year…

• Tuesday, March 22 at 7:00PM
• Ewa Makai Middle School cafeteria, 91-6291 Kapolei Parkway, Ewa Beach

one of my concerns with this bill as currently drafted is that, while the threshold is now higher, $100,000, it opens the door to taxing the pensions of those with a lower AGI in the future.  It could slip down to $75,000 or lower before the end of session or in future sessions.

Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald announced today that he is seeking written comment on judicial nominees for three vacancies at the District Court of the First Circuit and one vacancy at the District Family Court of the First Circuit (Oahu).

HB1101: Allows for increase in the State motor vehicle registration fee

HB1097: Extends the $3 per day surcharge on rental motor vehicles

...at the end Yoshioka accused Slater of lying and mentioned the 20 misrepresentations by Slater that he had presented to the City Council. At this point Slater was on his feet demanding to answer this slander but with Council Chair Garcia screaming that he was out of order, Slater stood down....

“I’m relieved that HECO and IBEW leaders have put the people of Hawaii first today."

Workers are exhausted from working very long shifts.  Some told me they worked 17 hours yesterday and are back on the scene again today to work the same number of hours or more.

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“In times of disaster we must come together, put aside our differences and help people first." 

The power outage has also affected traffic signals which impact the ability of emergency medical personnel, police, fire, civil defense and other emergency services. We are also concerned that hospitals and care facilities may not be able to run the equipment necessary to maintain the health and welfare of their patients.

Party leaders at all levels made a strong push to recruit candidates for Oahu’s neighborhood boards and now that most of the applications are in, there are over 60 Republicans who are running for the boards. 

“I think she would make an outstanding United States senator,” Djou says. “The best illustration of Governor Lingle’s abilities is 2006. In 2006, it was a highly toxic environment for the GOP nationally, but she managed to win reelection not only by a large landslide but by the largest margin in the history of the state.”

Speaking to KHON yesterday, Caldwell said not a word about Akaka.  Instead he tractors both Mazie Hirono and Colleen Hanabusa into the Senate race, and then transports himself into Congress--CD1 or CD2 no matter—all in one sentence....

One day, the mother of a 12 year-old girl I mentored called me asking for help after they had become homeless....

I worked closely with the Senator to gain support for the Akaka Bill and I still have hopes that this important legislation will come to fruition during the remainder of his term. -- Gov Linda Lingle

While some may be curious, there will be plenty of time to discuss my own personal plans in light of his announcement.

An email sent in June 2008 with regard to teachers who were late in making the paybacks reads: "Brother Veli wants to have all the “salary returns."  And he says to withhold future salaries from those who have not made them."

More incriminating still is an email dated June 13, 2007...which recommends "increasing the number of teachers from Turkey ... to acquire more money."

Kick-Off Rally on Sunday, March 6 @ State Capitol from 4:00PM - 5:30PM

Being Human Documentary to Air March 8-11 on KALO-TV

Slom: Legislators, Governor will turn to GE Tax in the waning days of this session….

... the House Finance Committee heard bills that would tell a business how much it can pay its executives, prohibit a deduction of business travel expenses, impose fees on repeat visitor accommodations, tax creative entrepreneurs who write music or movies, tax their death benefits when a key employee dies; and reverse the state’s long standing position of encouraging investment in high technology firms.

“This State run bank would be governed by persons without a banking background including Governor Abercrombie and the State Director of Labor. I cannot see how Governor Abercrombie, who would be designated as Chairman of the Bank, and three of his political appointees could operate this bank while also managing the entire State, ” noted Rep. Gene Ward, House Republican Leader.

Sadly, the most widely exploited document used by perpetrators of elderly abuse is the Power of Attorney because it can give the perpetrator immediate access to the victim’s bank accounts, real estate, and other valuable property unlike a will, trust, or estate planning document that may not take effect for many years.

According to an analysis of the 111th US Congress published Friday by the National Journal, among Republicans Hawaii Representative Charles Djou was out-moderated only by Rep Joseph Cao of New Orleans. 

We'd have to check the archives to see if the Honolulu City Council ever did issue a condemnation of Mao Tse-tung for the genocide of Chinese people back when the cultural revolution, the great leap forward and all that stuff took place. 

 The word change can simply mean, “something becomes different.”  Like a car tire that runs over a large pothole, and becomes flat.  But change can also mean “something is transformed.”  Transformation is an evolutionary process.  Like a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.  “Transformation” is a concept that will be discussed several times today as we review the challenges facing our city.

"That’s why it is egregious for you to indicate that what I’m saying is that somebody with a sole total income of $37,500—that that is their sole income—that they would be asked under those circumstances to pay that.  But if anybody wants to try and manipulate the numbers for a personal political agenda in order to  try and score political points, let me tell you—this is one Governor that’s not going to put up with it." -- Abercrombie

Hawaii’s elected officials are ready to tackle every issue - except job creation and the deficit.  The first major action taken by the Hawaii State Senate was to become the only legislative chamber in the United States to eliminate the invocation.  The legislature has confronted issues ranging from decriminalization of marijuana, civil unions, bingo on Hawaiian Homelands and banning the sale of toy guns. 

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will be headlining the Hawaii GOP’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner.  The Party fundraising event will be held tonight at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Judge Browning’s assignment is effective March 4, 2011. He will succeed Judge Sabrina McKenna, who will be sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court on March 3 at 4:15 p.m. in the Supreme Court Courtroom.

Just two months into his term, Neil Abercrombie has led Hawaii politics into chaos.  From the White House to Honolulu Hale, progressive Democrats are duking it out with the old boys. 

Hundreds of community activists and aspiring political leaders across Oahu are preparing for Neighborhood Board Elections in April and May to fill 439 seats on 33 Neighborhood Boards.  February 18 is the last day to register to vote in the election and the last day for candidates to file nomination papers.  But NCO Executive Assistant Bryan Mick and the Neighborhood Commission (NCO) have a surprise in store.  On February 17, 2011 the Commission will be holding a “Special Meeting” to vote on a motion to cancel the election ....