Hawaii Political Blogwire

updated at 18:25

• Superferry Makeover

  —Disappeared News

  by Larry Geller The news is all over the place: Superferries could be back in Hawaii, either as military transport or as the state’s subsidized interisland ferry system. The first was expected, the two ferries should be great as military transports, as long as they don’t encounter combat. The speculation [...]
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  Posted: February 09, 2010, 4:59pm EST
  by Larry

• Puna News — Motown Revue Dinner Show And Dance Is At The Akebono Saturday

  —Big Island Chronicle

  

  [...]
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  Posted: February 09, 2010, 4:14pm EST
  by Tiffany Edwards Hunt

• Evaluating Hawaii's No Fossil Fuel Generator Bills

  —Aloha Analytics

  Number of comments: 0
  Tomorrow there are 3 bills being considered regarding banning utility scale fossil fuel generators. Our brief evaluation of each follows:
  
  
  

  SB 2670

  Testimony

  [...]

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  Posted: February 09, 2010, 3:27pm EST
  by Brad Parsons

• Mamalahoa (Hokulia) Bypass Condemnation Appeal Update

  —The Kona Blog

  The Coupes will be filing their reply briefs in response to 1250 Oceanside Partners and Hawaii County opening answering briefs by February 14th 2010. Hawaii County has also filed a motion to expedite the Coupes latest Mamalahoa (Hokulia) bypass appeal. Deceased John Kobayashi’s appeal of Judge Stance’s Lako Street extension ruling [...]
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  Posted: February 09, 2010, 3:17pm EST
  by Aaron Stene

• Some things noticed in HB2667, the "Ferry Bill"

  —Hawaii Superferry

  Quoting in order from the measure at [www.capitol.hawaii.gov]:
  
  "While the Hawaii superferry operation had its shortcomings, rocky start, and questionable financial forecast, it proved to be a very successful mode of transportation of both persons and property between the islands of Maui and Oahu."
  
  Actually, it did [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 1:14pm EST
  

• Bills of interest for Tuesday, February 9, 2010

  —Hawaii House Blog

  COMMITTEE ON HEALTH9:30 A.M. – ROOM 329HB2394 RELATING TO TAXATIONProvides a refundable tax credit for purchase of respiratory equipment to protect against the effects of vog to persons whose primary care physician recommends that they create a "safe room" in their homes with the assistance of that respiratory equipment. Amends [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 1:03pm EST
  

• Helene Hale to Receive Zonta Rose Award

  —Damon Tucker's Weblog

  Media Release: In recognition of United Nations International Woman’s Day, the Zonta Club of Hilo will present its Rose Award to Helene Hale for her lifetime of service as an elected official representing Hawaii County. Ms. Hale, 91, will receive the award at a dinner sponsored by the Zontians March 8 at [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 12:30pm EST
  by Damon

• Ha ha ha ha ha ha, almost no lessons learned...back from the dead?

  —Hawaii Superferry

  Will write more on this soon, meanwhile check out the links:
  
  Hawaii State Legislature
  2010 Regular Session
  HB2667
  
  View all versions of this measure Show Hearing Notices Show Committee Reports Show Testimony View PDF of [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 12:21pm EST
  

• FIND THE PEA

  —Got Windmills?

  FIND THE PEA: A slew of emails over the past two days have come in from activists on Maui, the Big Island and Kaua`i with a subject line of “Bad Bill Alert” regarding a hearing for HB2433, scheduled for tomorrow at 9 a.m..
  
  Simply put, according to it’s purpose [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 11:26am EST
  

• How Hawaii's Congressional Delegation Voted: February 8, 2010

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 10:33am EST
  

• Quote of the Day

  —Kona - a pedestrian view

  "Public-sector unionism is a very different animal from private-sector unionism. It is not adversarial but collusive. Public-sector unions strive to elect their management, which in turn can extract money from taxpayers to increase wages and benefits -- and can promise pensions that future taxpayers will have to fund."
  Michael Barone [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 9:16am EST
  

• Honolulu Gas Price Update from HonoluluGasPrices.com - February 8, 2010

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 8:28am EST
  

• Governor's Cabinet Testifies Against Bill to Curtail Budgetary Authority of Executive Branch

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 8:28am EST
  

• Veteran Angry About Flagpole Bill Deferral

  —Hawaii Reporter

  Rep. Cabanilla defers bill to allow flagpoles in housing developments. [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 8:28am EST
  

• Hawaii Civilian Details Deployment with the Corps

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 8:28am EST
  

• Adventurer Sets Sea Trial for World Record Human-Powered Ocean Crossing from Canada to Hawaii

  —Hawaii Reporter

  To Inspire Youth to Be Active, Greg Kolodziejzyk Will Pedal Small Vessel to Become First Person to Travel from Canada to Hawaii Under His Own Power [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 8:27am EST
  

• Akaka Bill debate

  —Planet Kaua`i

  Number of comments: 2
  This sounds pretty good. According to the Advertiser -
  Ilya Shapiro, editor-in-chief of the Cato Supreme Court Review, and University of Hawaii-Manoa law professor Jon Van Dyke will debate the Akaka bill Wednesday at the UH law school. [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 7:46am EST
  by charley foster

• KIUC moves to increase already high debt level

  —Aloha Analytics

  Number of comments: 0
  From: [thegardenisland.com]
  
  "KIUC moves to increase its debt limit"
  Sullivan: Long-term plan doesn’t account enough for efficiency
  by Coco Zickos - The Garden Island | February 8, 2010
  
  LIHU‘E — Consumers are changing the way they utilize energy, says Brad Parsons of Kauaians for a Bright Energy [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 6:48am EST
  by Brad Parsons

• Furlough Day Stalemate

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 6:35am EST
  

• Yes, Hawaii Does Need an Initiative Right

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 6:34am EST
  

• Global Wind Installation Stats

  —Aloha Analytics

  Number of comments: 0
  From: [www.environmentalleader.com]
  
  February 4, 2010
  "China Edges U.S. in 2009 Wind Installations"
  
  At 13,000 megawatts of new wind energy installed, China led all nations in adding wind turbines in 2009, according to the Global Wind Energy Council.
  
  The U.S. installed 9,922 MW worth, followed by Spain [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 5:28am EST
  by Brad Parsons

• Effort Seeks Cap and Trade for non-CO2 Emissions

  —Aloha Analytics

  Number of comments: 0
  From: [www.environmentalleader.com]
  
  February 5, 2010
  "Bipartisan Senatorial Effort Seeks Cap and Trade for non-CO2 Emissions"
  
  A bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation that would limit emissions of sulfur dioxide, mercury and nitrogen oxide, but not carbon dioxide.
  
  The bill also would set up a cap [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 5:16am EST
  by Brad Parsons

• Zealous Hawaii Lawmakers Just May Raise Your Taxes

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 5:14am EST
  

• Airline Bomber Suspects Should Face Military Tribunals

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 5:12am EST
  

• The Road to Health-Care Serfdom

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 5:12am EST
  

• Pentagon Pipe Dreams

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 5:11am EST
  

• Obama and Democratic Congress Underfund America's Health

  —Hawaii Reporter

  [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 5:11am EST
  

• Musings: Monday Mix

  —KauaiEclectic

  The stars were thickly sprinkled across a clear sky they shared with a sliver of white moon when Koko and I went walking this morning. We didn’t know that within 45 minutes the clouds would stage a take-over and a light rain would fall just as the sun was rising, [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 4:50am EST
  

• Education Chair to appear at Shiro Amioka Lecture series

  —Hawaii House Blog

  WHAT: Representative Roy Takumi, Chairman of the House Education Committee, will appear on a panel on Hawaii's public school system, sponsored by the UH College of Education's annual Shiro Amioka lecture series.Specifically, law professor Randall Roth will start with a presentation critiquing the Hawaii school system. Chair Takumi will then [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 4:47am EST
  

• Waimea HIHS Bark Park Yard Sale… Saturday 2/20/10

  —Damon Tucker's Weblog

  Number of comments: 1
  Got stuff? Want stuff? Either way, mark your calendar for Saturday, February 20 from 8:00 a.m. to noon for the Hawaii Island Humane Society’s Yard Sale to be held in Waimea at the shelter’s Bark Park. Donations are being accepted so it’s an excellent time for some early spring cleaning. And for [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 4:42am EST
  by Damon

• Fraud Besets E.U. Carbon Trade System

  —Aloha Analytics

  Number of comments: 0
  From: [www.nytimes.com]
  
  "Fraud Besets E.U. Carbon Trade System"
  By JAMES KANTER February 8, 2010
  
  BRUSSELS — Carbon markets have had a rocky ride since trading began five years ago in the European Union.
  
  The latest bump came last month, when swindlers used faked e-mail messages to [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 4:33am EST
  by Brad Parsons

• Bookmarks for February 8th

  —Hawaii Blog

  When I’m not blogging, I’m browsing. Here are sites and pages that I bookmarked on February 8th:

  $700K Mobile Command Sits For Years: A high-tech, state-of-the-art emergency mobile command unit that cost $700,000 has sat idle for 2 1/2 years after it arrived in Hawaii.
  KITV found out that most [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 4:31am EST
  by Ryan

• On shoreline protection and the right to public access

  —Hawaii State Senator Gary L. Hooser

  Protecting and preserving our shorelines requires effective and strict integrated shoreline management policies that reach all islands statewide. Presently, Kaua‘i proudly holds the strongest and most prudent shoreline setback for structures, 110 feet from the watermark during a full moon high tide. DLNR officials, working in coordination with the UH [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 3:14am EST
  

• Lawmakers target taxes, hospitals, restaurants and drunk drivers, Census seeks better representation, Chinatown and cherry blossoms celebrated, more

  —All Hawaii News

  Number of comments: 0
  The state Senate is set to discuss a bill Monday to privatize Hawaii Health Systems Corp. as a nonprofit organization.
  
  For some legislative observers, the very idea that lawmakers will raise your taxes had become more of a "fait accompli" even before the starting [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 1:18am EST
  by Nancy Cook Lauer

• 2010 HEPA Distribution List Available at OEQC Website

  —Hawaii Land Use Law

  Under HAR § 11-200-21,
  The [Office of Environmental Quality Control] shall be responsible for the publication of the notice of availability of the EIS in its bulletin. The office shall develop a distribution list of reviewers (i.e., persons and agencies with jurisdiction or expertise in certain areas relevant to [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 12:46am EST
  

• Misleading rail headline, Murdock interview, bills of concern

  —i L i n d . n e t

  Number of comments: 3
  

  Here’s one I noticed yesterday while taking a stack of newspapers for recycling. It was a front page, above the fold story in the February 3 Honolulu Advertiser.

  The headline: “City receives first FTA rail payment”

  But, according to the story, the payment has not been received. It will only [...]

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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 12:37am EST
  by Ian Lind

• The morning dogs are overdue

  —i L i n d . n e t

  Number of comments: 1
  

  Yes, our Kaaawa morning dogs are definitely overdue! I was surprised to see that it’s been almost a month since the last gallery of dogs was posted.

  So here’s the solution to that problem–More dogs!

  This is Ms. Hina. She’s one of those sentinels along the route [...]

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  Posted: February 08, 2010, 12:37am EST
  by Ian Lind