Education K-12

 Recent Congressional Votes

• House: Better Use of Light Bulbs Act
• House: Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011
  • House: Energy-Water Appropriations, FY2012

A new unprecedented statewide research survey on child abuse and neglect in Hawai‘i reveals that child abuse is a pervasive and serious issue. Nearly 40% of residents know a victim of child abuse, 9% say they experienced abuse themselves, and 80% of residents think child abuse is a major problem in society. 

“Mazie Hirono and Ed Case batter each other in a contested Democratic primary, then the survivor meets and loses to Lingle in the general election."

Borreca's column today is an interesting one but we do quibble with his following conclusion:  "... the anti-rail contingent has yet to show its own alternative traffic solution. Honolulu's real traffic jam is the city's inability to move a plan that has overwhelming public support."

July 19th PUBLIC HEARING at the DHHL Hawaii Pono'i Bldg. That's Tuesday July 19, 2011, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. 91-5420 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei, Hawaii.

The White House on Wednesday declined to challenge an account in a new book that suggests that President Obama, in his campaign to overhaul American health care, mischaracterized a central anecdote about his mother’s deathbed dispute with her insurance company.

The president explained that if it were not for the scholarship he received to attend a prestigious private school in Hawaii when he was ten years old, he would not be president today. Lindsey Burke, education analyst at The Heritage Foundation, says she was astonished by the remark.

"Please know that I will pursue all available means to ensure that the Department of Environmental Services does not commence trucking raw sewage to the Kailua plant until it fulfills its comprehensive legal requirements under Chapter 343, HRS." -- Rep Thielen

Briefing on Cybercrime to be held Tuesday, July 12 at 10:00 a.m. at the Hawaii State Capitol, Conference Room 309.

Honolulu is still completing the paperwork for its heavy rail, but preparatory construction has already started. This irrational project needs to be stopped.

Back in Nairobi, says one government official, Obama Sr. would “slam his fist on the table” and claim that a rival “knows nothing about math or economics”; he would go on to describe other colleagues as “intellectual dwarfs.” As college friend and current Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie tells Jacobs, Obama Sr. could never “contain his irritation with people who were not as facile as he, and he did not hesitate to say so.”

“Subject got his USC wife ‘Hapai’ [Hawaiian for pregnant] and although they were married they do not live together and Miss Dunham is making arrangements with the Salvation Army to give the baby away,’’ according to a memo describing the conversation with Obama written by Lyle H. Dahling, an administrator in the Honolulu office of what was then called the US Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Recently, my own website and email were hacked into and meddled with. Sadly, numerous people have come to me since that incident with similar experiences. This is a widespread problem from which no one is guaranteed complete protection. 

“At first, we questioned the state’s call to relocate our services,” said Brother Sage of Ohana Family of the Living God Ministry, which is in the process of moving its services from A'ala Park to coordinate efforts with the Institute for Human Services’ shelters. “But after much thought and collaboration, we see the potential of benefits to the community that our change and transition in service will make. We are still fulfilling our mission of serving those who need our help while contributing to our collective goal of creating solutions to end homelessness.”

The start of July marks the effective date of the many bills that did become law this session. Below are some that might be of most interest to you.... 

The only question is what will that HSTA courtroom victory look like?

Hawaii citizens are faced with a $500 million increase in taxes in the next 2 years to cover the $22 billion budget for the same period. It is clear the Hawaii government desperately needs to hear from commonsense taxpayers like you. That is why I am happy to introduce the co-chairs of AFP Hawaii, Jay McWilliams and Laura Brown.

Former Council Chair Nestor Garcia is iced out of all leadership positions.

A flotilla is determined to sail to the Gaza Strip this weekend in breach of Israel's naval blockade on the Hamas-controlled territory. This decision comes in spite of growing international pressure to stop the campaign, damaged ships and fewer passengers than expected. 

Emphasizing this, Gino Antoniello, VP, Transportation Systems and Equipment for SCOA explained: "Our protest--a first for us--was prompted by the conviction that our bid was improperly passed over in favor of another vendor with less experience and a questionable track record that lacked the proper legal qualifications to undertake a project of this scope."  ...Antoniello stressed that in starting down this protest path, the company did so with a readiness to go all the way.

With fellow Rep. Mazie Hirono already in the race, it's hard to see how Hanabusa wouldn't compete for the same pile of votes and risk giving the nomination to DLCer Ed Case in the Democratic primary.

HONOLULU – Lesley Jane Seymour, Editor-in-Chief of More magazine, will address delegates at Hawai‘i’s 8th annual International Women’s Leadership Conference (IWLC), taking place on September 20, 2011 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort.

Please come and join us in Makawao on Saturday, July 2nd for the Annual Makawao Paniolo July 4th Parade. TEA Party Maui plans to enter a patriotic float in the Parade....

I have introduced resolution 11-109 to start the bidding process over again that could result in saving the taxpayers $250 million and put 150 residents here on Oahu to work building the rail cars.

The demographics for the zip codes 96821, 96822 and 96825 shows approximately 92,000 people.  "It's insane to think that Safeway and Costco can sustain a community and just Hawaii Kai...."

We were doing a cleanup of Kea`au Beach Park along the Waianae coastline when past Councilman John DeSoto of this area gave a tour of what you see in the video....

Substantial discussions took place at the marathon June 3rd Council meeting concerning the borrowing of more than a hundred million dollars (Bill 40) for the rail system due to offset cash flow problems with the rail project and sagging tax revenues. 

Our office held the meeting on rail because I believe the public has not had an adequate forum to sound off on the project’s blunders. 

There are 10 basic dimensions that account for the reasons that big projects succeed or fail.... 

Our next town hall meeting will be July 12, 2011 at Makaha Elementary School from 6-9pm.  We will discuss the one-step-up housing feature as is contained in my resolution 11-54 CD1. The Nanakuli Neighborhood Board will also discuss this resolution at their meeting next week.

Please be sure to join us for a public forum on June 23, 6 to 7:30 p.m., at Washington Middle School. In addition to words from and Q&A with the Governor and Lt. Gov., there will be brief presentations from Bruce Coppa on our efforts to improve the economy ....

The hot water backup system installation is a first step towards ensuring a permanent solution. The state budget for fiscal year 2012 includes $5.6 million in capital improvement funds for a long-term solution to the water heating system at Mayor Wright Homes.

"$36,000 for improvements of reconfiguration to the cafeteria stage at Mililani Uka Elementary School"

The ahupua'a of Honolulu and Kapalama have been proposed as a future National Heritage Area (NHA) site, a permanent federal designation which was introduced in Congress as S. 359 and H. 1297.

According to Christoph Gabler, Senior Vice-President for AEGON USA Realty Advisors, LLC, the Towers at KPT are the first phase of a 1,025 community being redeveloped by the Michaels Development Company in partnership with Vitus Group and the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

Please join me this Wednesday evening, June 15th, from 7pm to 9pm, for a very important town hall meeting at the brand new Ewa Makai Middle School in Ewa Beach....

Senator Slom addresses a luncheon at the Hawaii Venture Capitol Association – May 26, 2011 at the Plaza Club, Honolulu Hawaii. The subject: State budget, deficit, spending, taxation, economy, more.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s statements against the Pro Bowl last Thursday revealed the severity of the vision deficit facing our state.

The Naval Air Museum Barbers Point (NAMBP) will be hosting Hawaii Youth Challenge Graduating Cadets for a time of exploring real aircraft, beginning at 1300 through 1530 on Monday, June 13, 2011.  

"It's Time We Get Our Priorities Straight," a message from Governor Neil Abercrombie, June 10, 2011

Sorting through different groups and deciding who to include, or who not to include in consideration for representation, I believe should be a non-issue. All should be included.

Your bargaining committee met with representatives of management for collective bargaining talks on May 24 and May 25. Darren Carroll, of TNG-CWA, was our chief negotiator. Ron Leong, an attorney, was management’s lead negotiator....

The meeting is on Saturday, June 18th at 1:00 PM at the Kona Vistas Pavilion.

 In 2010 we garnered 19% of the vote after having a vibrant campaign with less than $100,000 for advertising. But if each of our 38,439 voters had contributed ten bucks we would have had the funds for competitive advertising ....

You irresponsibly abuse the public’s trust in your organization and their concern for the health of their loved ones by falsely claiming that USEPA has not set a standard for Cr VI in the drinking water and demanding that it do so. This is a blatant lie. ...  Any high school student with access to the internet could have determined this. Given that EWG has been working on this issue for years, I can’t believe that your staff is incompetent enough not to know this.

Arraignment and plea is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7, 2011, at 8:30 a.m., in Courtroom 7C before the Honorable Randal Shintani.

On rail, the current and previous city administration and city councils have shown anything but real leadership. Given the philosophy of government by polling at Honolulu Hale, we should get rid of the mayor's office and the city council. Instead, we could save a lot of money by just retaining a good polling company and have the polling firm lead our community.