Thursday, October 29, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Who Is responsible for your child's Education?
The Parents are 100% responsible for their child's education. It is the parent that should be up to date on the assignments and work flow. It is the parents that should be asking questions and helping their child to be the best they can be. Those parent that don't put the time and energy into their child end up with that child living at home unitl they are 30 or 40 years of age.
Some years you have great teachers that are motivating and creative, and some years you have teachers that are dragging a ball and chain to work like they are doing time in a prison. The parents need to balance it out and give your child the best foot forward.
We always did flash cards for multiplications tables, addition and subtraction the summer before the infomation was presented in school. Helping the child to be familular with the work coming in the next school year. All three of my children did well in school because we set the bar high.
My youngest child is a Senior in College on the deans list every semester. And we are proud if it!
Some years you have great teachers that are motivating and creative, and some years you have teachers that are dragging a ball and chain to work like they are doing time in a prison. The parents need to balance it out and give your child the best foot forward.
We always did flash cards for multiplications tables, addition and subtraction the summer before the infomation was presented in school. Helping the child to be familular with the work coming in the next school year. All three of my children did well in school because we set the bar high.
My youngest child is a Senior in College on the deans list every semester. And we are proud if it!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Doctor Josh Green on Health Care
Now is the Time to Reform Healthcare
Dear Friends,
For the past ten years I have worked as a doctor in Hawaii, first as a family physician in a rural clinic and then as an emergency room doctor full time while serving in the State Legislature.
For ten years I have witnessed the flaws and risks of our healthcare system from the perspective of a doctor, a State Legislator, and for the past three years as a husband and father.
Over 45 million Americans are excluded from our healthcare system. We pay more for healthcare than any other country in the world, and get less for our money than any other developed country. Costs continue to soar, threatening to bankrupt our economy and millions of American families along with it.
Why?
Because healthcare in America is dominated by a private insurance industry whose profits depend on excluding people from the system.
These profits come from denying coverage to the most vulnerable patients--the chronically ill and the working poor--and by denying "unnecessary" procedures or treatment for "pre-existing conditions" to those who can afford coverage.
And who ends up paying for the the people who are excluded?
We do. The taxpayers.
We pay for their care in state hospitals and publicly funded emergency rooms that take patients who may not have seen a doctor in years because they are excluded from the private insurance system. The taxpayers end up paying for healthcare in the least efficient, most expensive settings, for problems that might have been prevented years earlier.
When I recently received the honor of being named Hawaii Physician of the Year, I was moved to speak out more strongly on healthcare reform.
These are five specific actions that should be a part of the President's 2009 landmark efforts:
1. Prevent insurers from denying anyone insurance based on pre-existing conditions
2. Pass the Public Insurance Option
3. Make healthcare more efficient through the comprehensive implementation of new technology, such as electronic medical records
4. Review medical liability rules in our country to eliminate defensive medicine
5. Pay all of our physicians' and nurses' school loans over 5 years if they commit to caring for our most vulnerable people, in a greatly expanded National Health Corps
Finally, the White House should use its substantial influence to usher in a new era of personal responsibility for our own health. Specifically, smoking cessation, obesity prevention and substance abuse treatment must become national health priorities. This will contribute greatly to making healthcare affordable in America.
In my work as an emergency room doctor, not a single shift goes by where I don't see a family without private insurance forced to make the impossible decision of choosing between getting care for their child and paying their mortgage. No one in our country should ever face this decision. We can do better than that.
Reforming our system might seem daunting, but it's nothing compared to a trip to the emergency room with a child who can't breath, knowing the bill could bankrupt your family. Or imagine having a heart attack but choosing to stay home because you don't want to spend you daughter's entire college savings account in three days.
We must reform our healthcare system now, and that reform must include fundamental changes in the private insurance system.
The future of America's healthcare system and our country's economic survival depend on it.
Sincerely,
Josh Green, M.D.
Dear Friends,
For the past ten years I have worked as a doctor in Hawaii, first as a family physician in a rural clinic and then as an emergency room doctor full time while serving in the State Legislature.
For ten years I have witnessed the flaws and risks of our healthcare system from the perspective of a doctor, a State Legislator, and for the past three years as a husband and father.
Over 45 million Americans are excluded from our healthcare system. We pay more for healthcare than any other country in the world, and get less for our money than any other developed country. Costs continue to soar, threatening to bankrupt our economy and millions of American families along with it.
Why?
Because healthcare in America is dominated by a private insurance industry whose profits depend on excluding people from the system.
These profits come from denying coverage to the most vulnerable patients--the chronically ill and the working poor--and by denying "unnecessary" procedures or treatment for "pre-existing conditions" to those who can afford coverage.
And who ends up paying for the the people who are excluded?
We do. The taxpayers.
We pay for their care in state hospitals and publicly funded emergency rooms that take patients who may not have seen a doctor in years because they are excluded from the private insurance system. The taxpayers end up paying for healthcare in the least efficient, most expensive settings, for problems that might have been prevented years earlier.
When I recently received the honor of being named Hawaii Physician of the Year, I was moved to speak out more strongly on healthcare reform.
These are five specific actions that should be a part of the President's 2009 landmark efforts:
1. Prevent insurers from denying anyone insurance based on pre-existing conditions
2. Pass the Public Insurance Option
3. Make healthcare more efficient through the comprehensive implementation of new technology, such as electronic medical records
4. Review medical liability rules in our country to eliminate defensive medicine
5. Pay all of our physicians' and nurses' school loans over 5 years if they commit to caring for our most vulnerable people, in a greatly expanded National Health Corps
Finally, the White House should use its substantial influence to usher in a new era of personal responsibility for our own health. Specifically, smoking cessation, obesity prevention and substance abuse treatment must become national health priorities. This will contribute greatly to making healthcare affordable in America.
In my work as an emergency room doctor, not a single shift goes by where I don't see a family without private insurance forced to make the impossible decision of choosing between getting care for their child and paying their mortgage. No one in our country should ever face this decision. We can do better than that.
Reforming our system might seem daunting, but it's nothing compared to a trip to the emergency room with a child who can't breath, knowing the bill could bankrupt your family. Or imagine having a heart attack but choosing to stay home because you don't want to spend you daughter's entire college savings account in three days.
We must reform our healthcare system now, and that reform must include fundamental changes in the private insurance system.
The future of America's healthcare system and our country's economic survival depend on it.
Sincerely,
Josh Green, M.D.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
West Hawaii Today - Local > Kenoi's ethical conflict
West Hawaii Today - Local > Kenoi's ethical conflict
Posted using ShareThis
After reading the article on Mayor Kenoi’s consideration of a proposal to tighten the ethics code.
My goodness what a novel idea. Yes, we do need to set standards for hiring family members of County Employee’s and getting contracts. Most call this “Conflict of Interest”. November 18th in Hilo or via the Mayor’s office you can testify. This is your opportunity to step forward and stand up for fair and equitable government.
I would like to know where else in the Nation would you find Police or (former Police Officer) moonlighting in the police uniform? Why are the Police directing traffic at construction sites anyway? This job can be done with a simple traffic training film and hiring our unemployed at a cheaper rate.
Marilyn Nicholson must live in Hilo. This Island is not “small”. As usual the West side has been left in the dark. I see Marilyn was the only one defending vote for Emily Naoele’s temper tantrum. Is this lady on the Board of Ethics? What are her standards? Is she going to call Emily out of her constant Church/ Jesus talk? Or does she know there is ethics to separate Church from State/County. Now let’s move forward and start being fair to all that live on this island, not just your friends and relatives.
Ann Lum said “we are tromping individual rights here”, that’s right you are tromping on every contractor to have an equal opportunity to bid and secure contracts from the County.
I have to take my hat off the Mayor Kenoi for pulling the contract from Kamaaina Pumping. It was a direct conflict of interest. Now what is Mayor Kenoi going to do about his cousin Emily Naoele and her antics?
Susan McGeachy
Posted using ShareThis
After reading the article on Mayor Kenoi’s consideration of a proposal to tighten the ethics code.
My goodness what a novel idea. Yes, we do need to set standards for hiring family members of County Employee’s and getting contracts. Most call this “Conflict of Interest”. November 18th in Hilo or via the Mayor’s office you can testify. This is your opportunity to step forward and stand up for fair and equitable government.
I would like to know where else in the Nation would you find Police or (former Police Officer) moonlighting in the police uniform? Why are the Police directing traffic at construction sites anyway? This job can be done with a simple traffic training film and hiring our unemployed at a cheaper rate.
Marilyn Nicholson must live in Hilo. This Island is not “small”. As usual the West side has been left in the dark. I see Marilyn was the only one defending vote for Emily Naoele’s temper tantrum. Is this lady on the Board of Ethics? What are her standards? Is she going to call Emily out of her constant Church/ Jesus talk? Or does she know there is ethics to separate Church from State/County. Now let’s move forward and start being fair to all that live on this island, not just your friends and relatives.
Ann Lum said “we are tromping individual rights here”, that’s right you are tromping on every contractor to have an equal opportunity to bid and secure contracts from the County.
I have to take my hat off the Mayor Kenoi for pulling the contract from Kamaaina Pumping. It was a direct conflict of interest. Now what is Mayor Kenoi going to do about his cousin Emily Naoele and her antics?
Susan McGeachy
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Emily Tanks her Cousin Billy on da tent bill Veto
Feed: Big Island Chronicle
Posted on: Sunday, October 04, 2009 12:19 AM
Author: Tiffany Edwards Hunt
Subject: Letters — Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole Reflects On The Tent Bill Veto
Image courtesy of John U. Rees
(Following is a statement Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole released this week in response to Mayor Billy Kenoi’s veto of Bill 73, dubbed the tent ordinance, which she put forth earlier this year after it failed to win over the Council majority last term. Email your letters to newswoman@mac.com.)
From the very beginning, I wanted Bill 73, the tent ordinance, to be island wide. In the spirit of compromise with fellow council members, Brenda Ford and Dominic Yagong, who had objections about this ordinance being in their district and for fear of, according to Yagong, ‘tent cities springing up in my district’ I agreed to make Bill 73 district specific. It is this very compromise that our Mayor takes issue with and I respect the Mayor for that thought because my intention from the very beginning was to write an amendment to the building code not just for Puna but for everyone on the island who is serious about building their dwelling.The Mayor has made it very clear that he considers this island as one and to sign this bill would be to set precedence that could give an opening for the County Council to design district specific legislation to suit their specific needs. The Mayor indicated to me that he is in agreement with the intention of Bill 73 in that it solves a challenge to home building and ownership and yet he must veto it anyway because it is not for the whole island.
Will there be another attempt to bring the matter before the people? As for the future, will I try again? It is too soon to say.
I would like to thank those who worked with my office on this issue and you know who you are.
Our island community is a unique place. As for bill 73, it is an attempt on my part to put mercy compassion and understanding into a portion of our code.
Again, I want to thank my cousin, our Mayor, for watching over the interest of the entire island.
Lau Lima,
Emily I. Naeole
Council Member 5th District
View article...
Posted on: Sunday, October 04, 2009 12:19 AM
Author: Tiffany Edwards Hunt
Subject: Letters — Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole Reflects On The Tent Bill Veto
Image courtesy of John U. Rees
(Following is a statement Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole released this week in response to Mayor Billy Kenoi’s veto of Bill 73, dubbed the tent ordinance, which she put forth earlier this year after it failed to win over the Council majority last term. Email your letters to newswoman@mac.com.)
From the very beginning, I wanted Bill 73, the tent ordinance, to be island wide. In the spirit of compromise with fellow council members, Brenda Ford and Dominic Yagong, who had objections about this ordinance being in their district and for fear of, according to Yagong, ‘tent cities springing up in my district’ I agreed to make Bill 73 district specific. It is this very compromise that our Mayor takes issue with and I respect the Mayor for that thought because my intention from the very beginning was to write an amendment to the building code not just for Puna but for everyone on the island who is serious about building their dwelling.The Mayor has made it very clear that he considers this island as one and to sign this bill would be to set precedence that could give an opening for the County Council to design district specific legislation to suit their specific needs. The Mayor indicated to me that he is in agreement with the intention of Bill 73 in that it solves a challenge to home building and ownership and yet he must veto it anyway because it is not for the whole island.
Will there be another attempt to bring the matter before the people? As for the future, will I try again? It is too soon to say.
I would like to thank those who worked with my office on this issue and you know who you are.
Our island community is a unique place. As for bill 73, it is an attempt on my part to put mercy compassion and understanding into a portion of our code.
Again, I want to thank my cousin, our Mayor, for watching over the interest of the entire island.
Lau Lima,
Emily I. Naeole
Council Member 5th District
View article...
Friday, October 09, 2009
Thursday, October 08, 2009
My sister testifies to Congress-Marjorie Cohn
Watch Tortured Law My oldest sister Marjorie Cohn- President of the National Lawyers Guild, she testified to Congress.
I am proud to announce the release of Alliance for Justice's latest documentary film, Tortured Law. This short film examines the role lawyers played in authorizing torture under the Bush Administration.
The legal architecture for torture was originally outlined and sanctioned in 2002 by a series of memos drafted by lawyers in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel. Were these lawyers simply giving the President their best legal advice? Or was their work part of a larger criminal conspiracy to distort the law and authorize torture?
Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced an investigation of low-level CIA operatives who exceeded the grisly authority provided by the "torture memos." But the superiors who ordered these actions, and the lawyers who provided the legal cover have not been held accountable. Will there be an investigation of torture to the full extent of the law?
I am proud to announce the release of Alliance for Justice's latest documentary film, Tortured Law. This short film examines the role lawyers played in authorizing torture under the Bush Administration.
The legal architecture for torture was originally outlined and sanctioned in 2002 by a series of memos drafted by lawyers in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel. Were these lawyers simply giving the President their best legal advice? Or was their work part of a larger criminal conspiracy to distort the law and authorize torture?
Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced an investigation of low-level CIA operatives who exceeded the grisly authority provided by the "torture memos." But the superiors who ordered these actions, and the lawyers who provided the legal cover have not been held accountable. Will there be an investigation of torture to the full extent of the law?
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Neil Ambercrombie on College funding
Dear Friends:
The surest path to a bright and prosperous future leads through a college classroom. As the U.S. economy and our industrial environment continue to evolve, tomorrow's jobs and careers are becoming more education-enabled than ever before. That's why I've done everything I could in Congress to open the doors of higher education a little wider for everyone. This includes the Post 9/11 GI Bill of Rights, which is making it possible for new generations of active duty military, Reserves and National Guard veterans to go to school. In August, we expanded it to cover tuition at any of the ten private schools in Hawaii. We haven't found the silver bullet to make college cost less, so we've expanded financial resources so more people can afford it. That financial assistance is critical for many in Hawaii. At UH- Manoa, 53% of the students receive some form of financial aid: 19% qualify for federal grants, 13% obtain school-based grants and about 29% of the students take out student loans. In fact, 91,937 Hawaii students haven taken out federal loans in the last ten years alone (Financial aid statistics from the University of Hawaii-Manoa). Cathy Bio, College Financial Aid Administrator at Maui Community and former president of the Pacific Financial Aid Association, said, "The federal student loan program is critical for today's student - the student who works while going to school; the student in a two-income family that returns to school for re-training purposes. The program provides students with the opportunity to get loans without existing or good credit, and offers manageable repayment options. It makes higher education more affordable and viable for today's students." Yet, the terrible economic straits our country is in have made paying for college even more of a struggle for working families. So the House took another important step, changing the way college loans are made to bring down interest rates and, at the same time, make more funds available for Pell Grants. You and I have been paying billions of dollars in subsidies to banks to make student loans, which are guaranteed by the federal government and pose no risk at all for the lender. I cosponsored the Student Aid and Financial Responsibility Act to cut these subsidies and move the savings into direct loans from the U. S. Department of Education, which are cheaper, and into expanding the Pell Grant program for low income students. About 14,000 Hawaii students received Pell Grants this year. The legislation would make more than 24 thousand eligible in the 2010 academic year. And, the maximum grant will increase from $5350 this year to $5,550 in 2010, and to $6,900 by 2019. We did it with by cutting unnecessary subsidies to banks, and with no increase in federal spending. It will really pay off for college students and their families.
Sincerely,
Neil AbercrombieMember of Congress
The surest path to a bright and prosperous future leads through a college classroom. As the U.S. economy and our industrial environment continue to evolve, tomorrow's jobs and careers are becoming more education-enabled than ever before. That's why I've done everything I could in Congress to open the doors of higher education a little wider for everyone. This includes the Post 9/11 GI Bill of Rights, which is making it possible for new generations of active duty military, Reserves and National Guard veterans to go to school. In August, we expanded it to cover tuition at any of the ten private schools in Hawaii. We haven't found the silver bullet to make college cost less, so we've expanded financial resources so more people can afford it. That financial assistance is critical for many in Hawaii. At UH- Manoa, 53% of the students receive some form of financial aid: 19% qualify for federal grants, 13% obtain school-based grants and about 29% of the students take out student loans. In fact, 91,937 Hawaii students haven taken out federal loans in the last ten years alone (Financial aid statistics from the University of Hawaii-Manoa). Cathy Bio, College Financial Aid Administrator at Maui Community and former president of the Pacific Financial Aid Association, said, "The federal student loan program is critical for today's student - the student who works while going to school; the student in a two-income family that returns to school for re-training purposes. The program provides students with the opportunity to get loans without existing or good credit, and offers manageable repayment options. It makes higher education more affordable and viable for today's students." Yet, the terrible economic straits our country is in have made paying for college even more of a struggle for working families. So the House took another important step, changing the way college loans are made to bring down interest rates and, at the same time, make more funds available for Pell Grants. You and I have been paying billions of dollars in subsidies to banks to make student loans, which are guaranteed by the federal government and pose no risk at all for the lender. I cosponsored the Student Aid and Financial Responsibility Act to cut these subsidies and move the savings into direct loans from the U. S. Department of Education, which are cheaper, and into expanding the Pell Grant program for low income students. About 14,000 Hawaii students received Pell Grants this year. The legislation would make more than 24 thousand eligible in the 2010 academic year. And, the maximum grant will increase from $5350 this year to $5,550 in 2010, and to $6,900 by 2019. We did it with by cutting unnecessary subsidies to banks, and with no increase in federal spending. It will really pay off for college students and their families.
Sincerely,
Neil AbercrombieMember of Congress
Counil proposed legislation
Aloha e,
Tomorrow morning, Wednesday, October 7th, there are three pieces of proposed legislation will be coming before the county council.
The first is Resolution 218-09 to reorganize the county council by replacing Pete Hoffmann with Emily Naeole as vice-chair of the county council, Dominic Yagong with Fresh Onishi as chair of the Finance Committee, and Brenda Ford with Guy Enriques as chair of the Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations Committee.
Resolution 218-09 is bad legislation because:
It is illegal. This reorganization was first attempted by the current county council majority on June 16th. This attempt resulted in the well-known and on-going Sunshine Law lawsuit against the county council. The court ordered the council to undo the reorganization and revote on all subsequent legislation. The court then was a Sunshine violation was moot After Brenda Ford led an effort follow the court’s orders and undo the reorganization, the court found that the issue was moot. However, the court is allowing the June 16th reorganization resolutions to remain in evidence because it is relevant to West Hawai’i Today’s legal the complaint that there is a pattern-and-practice of Sunshine Law violations by certain members of the county council.
The current Sunshine Law litigation has not been resolved. All actions of the current county council since April of this year are at risk until this litigation has been resolved. Pressing forward with a resolution that is in substantially the same form as two resolutions that the court will be considering as evidence of a pattern-and-practice of Sunshine Law violations is not in the best interests of the people who voted for the county council representatives.
Fresh Onishi is not yet qualified to be chairman of the Finance Committee. Current chairman Dominic Yagong is the District Manager of 12 successful stores located around the island of Hawai’i and has served on the county council for almost 9 years, almost 3 years as head of the Finance Committee. He has an expert level of knowledge about the county budget, budget process, and finances. Fresh Onishi was the head of the Elderly Services Division of the county Department of Parks and Recreation and has limited budget and financial experience. He has served on the county council for less than one year and his actions are at the core of the current Sunshine Law litigation.
Guy Enriques is not yet qualified to be chairman of the Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Brenda Ford has been chairwoman of the PWIRC for almost three years and led efforts to revise the county’s flood control and soil erosion control ordinances and managerial audits of the Department of Public Works. As a result, she has an expert knowledge of county, state, and federal laws and has working relationships with experts within the state and around the country as she continues to halt practices that are endangering the public’s health, safety, and welfare. Mr. Enriques is an extremely gifted and successful volleyball coach and leads one of the largest volleyball camps in the country. However, Mr. Enriques has served on the county council for less than one year and has publically admitted that he is feels overwhelmed by what he still has yet to learn. He has little experience with the Department of Public Works or the numerous associated county, state, and federal laws, yet he feels that he and Mr. Onishi “should be given a chance to play”. Mr. Enriques actions are also at the core of the current Sunshine Law complaint.
Bill 136 is bad legislation because it is illegal. Bill 136 is a proposed conventional rezoning to removes 29 acres from Palamanui’s special project district zoning. Land Use Policy 2.8.2.b. of the Kona Community Development Plan states ” rezoning anywhere within the Kona Urban Area … shall require an amendment to the Kona Community Development Plan that triggers Hawaii Revised Statute Chapter 343 Environmental Review Process “ Bill 136 is not described as an amendment to the Kona Community Development Plan nor has the Planning Department required Environmental Review.
Bill 137 is bad legislation because:
It provides the same loopholes and gray areas that have allowed past developers to ignore promises of public and community benefit while pocketing massive profits. All areas of our island are suffering the consequences of past rezonings that favored private and other special interests over the public’s. The last county council had begun to turn that tide until a tsunami of off-island contributions to the campaigns of Billy Kenoi and Guy Enriques wiped out local community political power. While it is good to have a Planning Director, it is unfortunate that Ms. Leithead-Todd has not learned from past mistakes and is supporting business-as-usual.
It does not provide for the construction of a new West Hawai’i campus university building. The estimated cost of the new campus building is $8 million. Palamanui has only committed $5 million. The state is facing additional budget shortfalls and cutbacks and there is no written agreement that from the state or private sources to provide the additional $3 million. However, Palamanui can begin to allow commercial and residential occupancy within its project by issuing a construction bond for the $5 million commitment instead of actually constructing the building.
The new West Hawai’i campus building does not provide room for expansion of existing Kealakekua college programs and services. The Kealakekua campus has 8 classrooms and the new building will have 8 classrooms. Sources within the university have told me that the plan is to basically take everything at the existing campus and “plop it in the new building”.
It contains no county-mandated measures to mitigate unlawful pollution of the fresh water lens located beneath the property which flows out onto our Class AA pristine nearshore marine waters and coral reef. Palamanui has stated that its wastewater treatment plant will process sewage to an R-1 standard and that the wastewater will be used for irrigation. Bill 137 does not require the developer to build this irrigation system, but state law requires two wells to inject the wastewater underground. If and when this is done, wastewater will flow quickly to the coastline and into our nearshore Class AA pristine waters. R-1 water contains nitrates and phosphates. Studies have proven that underground wastewater injection wells are the cause of the algae blooms and cloudy water plaguing West Maui. Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that the county has “an affirmative duty” to protect our ocean waters and the impact of underground injection well on West Hawaii’s Class AA “not influenced by humans” nearshore marine waters, Bill 137 does not yet include county affirmative duty protections, such as a requirement for Palamanui to participate in the county’s planned water quality monitoring program.
It does not contain county-mandated measures to mitigate unlawful damage to on-site and nearby essential cultural sites and resources. There are numerous burial lava tubes and other important Native Hawaiian cultural sites within and around the planned university and planned road right-of-ways south of Palamanui to Palani Road. Even though these sites are protected by the state constitution, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, there has been no transparency about how government agencies, large private landowners and their planning consultants are addressing these cultural resources.
If you find the above reasons sufficient to oppose Resolution 218-09 and Bills 136 and 137, please provide testimony to the following e-mail addresses:
counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us, bford@co.hawaii.hi.us, genriques@co.hawaii.hi.us, kgreenwell@co.hawai.hi.us, phoffmann@co.hawaii.hi.us, dikeda@co.hawaii.hi.us, enaeole@co.hawaii.hi.us, donishi@co.hawaii.hi.us, dyagong@co.hawaii.hi.us, jyoshimoto@co.hawaii.hi.us'
Mahalo! Chuck Flaherty
Tomorrow morning, Wednesday, October 7th, there are three pieces of proposed legislation will be coming before the county council.
The first is Resolution 218-09 to reorganize the county council by replacing Pete Hoffmann with Emily Naeole as vice-chair of the county council, Dominic Yagong with Fresh Onishi as chair of the Finance Committee, and Brenda Ford with Guy Enriques as chair of the Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations Committee.
Resolution 218-09 is bad legislation because:
It is illegal. This reorganization was first attempted by the current county council majority on June 16th. This attempt resulted in the well-known and on-going Sunshine Law lawsuit against the county council. The court ordered the council to undo the reorganization and revote on all subsequent legislation. The court then was a Sunshine violation was moot After Brenda Ford led an effort follow the court’s orders and undo the reorganization, the court found that the issue was moot. However, the court is allowing the June 16th reorganization resolutions to remain in evidence because it is relevant to West Hawai’i Today’s legal the complaint that there is a pattern-and-practice of Sunshine Law violations by certain members of the county council.
The current Sunshine Law litigation has not been resolved. All actions of the current county council since April of this year are at risk until this litigation has been resolved. Pressing forward with a resolution that is in substantially the same form as two resolutions that the court will be considering as evidence of a pattern-and-practice of Sunshine Law violations is not in the best interests of the people who voted for the county council representatives.
Fresh Onishi is not yet qualified to be chairman of the Finance Committee. Current chairman Dominic Yagong is the District Manager of 12 successful stores located around the island of Hawai’i and has served on the county council for almost 9 years, almost 3 years as head of the Finance Committee. He has an expert level of knowledge about the county budget, budget process, and finances. Fresh Onishi was the head of the Elderly Services Division of the county Department of Parks and Recreation and has limited budget and financial experience. He has served on the county council for less than one year and his actions are at the core of the current Sunshine Law litigation.
Guy Enriques is not yet qualified to be chairman of the Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Brenda Ford has been chairwoman of the PWIRC for almost three years and led efforts to revise the county’s flood control and soil erosion control ordinances and managerial audits of the Department of Public Works. As a result, she has an expert knowledge of county, state, and federal laws and has working relationships with experts within the state and around the country as she continues to halt practices that are endangering the public’s health, safety, and welfare. Mr. Enriques is an extremely gifted and successful volleyball coach and leads one of the largest volleyball camps in the country. However, Mr. Enriques has served on the county council for less than one year and has publically admitted that he is feels overwhelmed by what he still has yet to learn. He has little experience with the Department of Public Works or the numerous associated county, state, and federal laws, yet he feels that he and Mr. Onishi “should be given a chance to play”. Mr. Enriques actions are also at the core of the current Sunshine Law complaint.
Bill 136 is bad legislation because it is illegal. Bill 136 is a proposed conventional rezoning to removes 29 acres from Palamanui’s special project district zoning. Land Use Policy 2.8.2.b. of the Kona Community Development Plan states ” rezoning anywhere within the Kona Urban Area … shall require an amendment to the Kona Community Development Plan that triggers Hawaii Revised Statute Chapter 343 Environmental Review Process “ Bill 136 is not described as an amendment to the Kona Community Development Plan nor has the Planning Department required Environmental Review.
Bill 137 is bad legislation because:
It provides the same loopholes and gray areas that have allowed past developers to ignore promises of public and community benefit while pocketing massive profits. All areas of our island are suffering the consequences of past rezonings that favored private and other special interests over the public’s. The last county council had begun to turn that tide until a tsunami of off-island contributions to the campaigns of Billy Kenoi and Guy Enriques wiped out local community political power. While it is good to have a Planning Director, it is unfortunate that Ms. Leithead-Todd has not learned from past mistakes and is supporting business-as-usual.
It does not provide for the construction of a new West Hawai’i campus university building. The estimated cost of the new campus building is $8 million. Palamanui has only committed $5 million. The state is facing additional budget shortfalls and cutbacks and there is no written agreement that from the state or private sources to provide the additional $3 million. However, Palamanui can begin to allow commercial and residential occupancy within its project by issuing a construction bond for the $5 million commitment instead of actually constructing the building.
The new West Hawai’i campus building does not provide room for expansion of existing Kealakekua college programs and services. The Kealakekua campus has 8 classrooms and the new building will have 8 classrooms. Sources within the university have told me that the plan is to basically take everything at the existing campus and “plop it in the new building”.
It contains no county-mandated measures to mitigate unlawful pollution of the fresh water lens located beneath the property which flows out onto our Class AA pristine nearshore marine waters and coral reef. Palamanui has stated that its wastewater treatment plant will process sewage to an R-1 standard and that the wastewater will be used for irrigation. Bill 137 does not require the developer to build this irrigation system, but state law requires two wells to inject the wastewater underground. If and when this is done, wastewater will flow quickly to the coastline and into our nearshore Class AA pristine waters. R-1 water contains nitrates and phosphates. Studies have proven that underground wastewater injection wells are the cause of the algae blooms and cloudy water plaguing West Maui. Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that the county has “an affirmative duty” to protect our ocean waters and the impact of underground injection well on West Hawaii’s Class AA “not influenced by humans” nearshore marine waters, Bill 137 does not yet include county affirmative duty protections, such as a requirement for Palamanui to participate in the county’s planned water quality monitoring program.
It does not contain county-mandated measures to mitigate unlawful damage to on-site and nearby essential cultural sites and resources. There are numerous burial lava tubes and other important Native Hawaiian cultural sites within and around the planned university and planned road right-of-ways south of Palamanui to Palani Road. Even though these sites are protected by the state constitution, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, there has been no transparency about how government agencies, large private landowners and their planning consultants are addressing these cultural resources.
If you find the above reasons sufficient to oppose Resolution 218-09 and Bills 136 and 137, please provide testimony to the following e-mail addresses:
counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us, bford@co.hawaii.hi.us, genriques@co.hawaii.hi.us, kgreenwell@co.hawai.hi.us, phoffmann@co.hawaii.hi.us, dikeda@co.hawaii.hi.us, enaeole@co.hawaii.hi.us, donishi@co.hawaii.hi.us, dyagong@co.hawaii.hi.us, jyoshimoto@co.hawaii.hi.us'
Mahalo! Chuck Flaherty
Monday, October 05, 2009
Cousin Billy votes against Cousin Emily's Tent Bill
Kenoi vetoes Puna tent bill
by Nancy Cook LauerWest Hawaii Todayncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 8:20 AM HSTHILO --
Saying a bill allowing people to live in tents while their homes are under construction stigmatizes Puna, Mayor Billy Kenoi on Monday wielded his veto pen for the first time.In a veto message to the Hawaii County Council, Kenoi said he objected to the bill because it does not apply equal protection of the law to all county residents, it fails to state why it applies to only one district, it unfairly stigmatizes the District of Puna, it could have adverse effects on neighboring properties and it sets precedent for more laws written only for certain districts of the county."Over the years I have been to Puna many times to speak at schools. In those visits I try to instill in our young people a sense of pride in their community," Kenoi said in a statement. "This bill would counter that positive message by suggesting that a lower standard is OK for Puna."
The bill, sponsored by Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole, was applied only to her district in a three-year pilot project that was a compromise after other County Council members opposed tents in their districts. The compromise version passed 8-0 on Sept. 2."From the very beginning, I wanted (the tent ordinance) to be islandwide. In the spirit of compromise with fellow council members, (South Kona Councilwoman) Brenda Ford and (Hamakua Councilman) Dominic Yagong, who had objections about this ordinance being in their district and for fear of, according to Yagong, 'tent cities springing up in my district' I agreed to make (it) district specific," Naeole said in a statement."It is this very compromise that our mayor takes issue with," she added, "and I respect the mayor for that thought because my intention from the very beginning was to write an amendment to the building code not just for Puna but for everyone on the island who is serious about building their dwelling."The stated aim of the bill was to reduce theft of building supplies and help people transition to permanent housing while building a home of their own.Naeole also addressed health and safety concerns in her compromise bill.The changes from the proposal Naeole introduced last year and a follow-up version in April include requiring the landowner to maintain an access route for emergency vehicles, have a buffer zone between the tent and building site, and indemnify the county against injury claims and other liabilities.Naeole said it's too soon to tell if she'll try again.The council has 30 days to vote on a veto override. Because of public notice laws, that means the veto could come up at the Oct. 21 council meeting.To override the veto, there must be six votes -- two-thirds of the membership -- in favor. Council Chairman J Yoshimoto said any council member can bring up the veto override. He hadn't seen the mayor's veto message but he said he also is concerned about equal protection issues.
--------------------
Thank goodness Billy voted it down. We are NOT a third world country.
I guess blood isn't thicker then water.
by Nancy Cook LauerWest Hawaii Todayncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 8:20 AM HSTHILO --
Saying a bill allowing people to live in tents while their homes are under construction stigmatizes Puna, Mayor Billy Kenoi on Monday wielded his veto pen for the first time.In a veto message to the Hawaii County Council, Kenoi said he objected to the bill because it does not apply equal protection of the law to all county residents, it fails to state why it applies to only one district, it unfairly stigmatizes the District of Puna, it could have adverse effects on neighboring properties and it sets precedent for more laws written only for certain districts of the county."Over the years I have been to Puna many times to speak at schools. In those visits I try to instill in our young people a sense of pride in their community," Kenoi said in a statement. "This bill would counter that positive message by suggesting that a lower standard is OK for Puna."
The bill, sponsored by Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole, was applied only to her district in a three-year pilot project that was a compromise after other County Council members opposed tents in their districts. The compromise version passed 8-0 on Sept. 2."From the very beginning, I wanted (the tent ordinance) to be islandwide. In the spirit of compromise with fellow council members, (South Kona Councilwoman) Brenda Ford and (Hamakua Councilman) Dominic Yagong, who had objections about this ordinance being in their district and for fear of, according to Yagong, 'tent cities springing up in my district' I agreed to make (it) district specific," Naeole said in a statement."It is this very compromise that our mayor takes issue with," she added, "and I respect the mayor for that thought because my intention from the very beginning was to write an amendment to the building code not just for Puna but for everyone on the island who is serious about building their dwelling."The stated aim of the bill was to reduce theft of building supplies and help people transition to permanent housing while building a home of their own.Naeole also addressed health and safety concerns in her compromise bill.The changes from the proposal Naeole introduced last year and a follow-up version in April include requiring the landowner to maintain an access route for emergency vehicles, have a buffer zone between the tent and building site, and indemnify the county against injury claims and other liabilities.Naeole said it's too soon to tell if she'll try again.The council has 30 days to vote on a veto override. Because of public notice laws, that means the veto could come up at the Oct. 21 council meeting.To override the veto, there must be six votes -- two-thirds of the membership -- in favor. Council Chairman J Yoshimoto said any council member can bring up the veto override. He hadn't seen the mayor's veto message but he said he also is concerned about equal protection issues.
--------------------
Thank goodness Billy voted it down. We are NOT a third world country.
I guess blood isn't thicker then water.
China's 60th
The following appeared on Boston.com:Headline: China celebrates 60 yearsDate: Oct 2, 2009 "China formally kicked off its mass celebrations of 60 years of communist rule with a 60-gun salute that rung out across Beijing's historic Tiananmen Square earlier today. Hundreds of thousands of participants marched past Tiananmen Square in costume or uniform, with floats and dancers mingling with soldiers and military hardware. Collected here are photographs of the once-in-a-decade National Day parade in Beijing, and of others commemorating the anniversary elsewhere."
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/10/china_celebrates_60_years.html?s_campaign=8315
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/10/china_celebrates_60_years.html?s_campaign=8315
Friday, October 02, 2009
Shannon's letter to Congressional Delegation
An open letter to my Congressional delegation
Aloha Dan, Dan, Mazie, and Neil,
I saw this tiny correction in WHT on 9/24, it said, "Environet Inc. is being paid to remove World War II military ordnance from 2,950 acres near Waimea." The previous article on 9/23 stated, "The total cleanup of the former Waikoloa Maneuver Area to remove what the military calls Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC) is expected to cost $680 million more". (Not including the $152 million already spent, for a total of $832 million to clean up Waikoloa)
"Because of the size, complexity and cost of the Waikoloa response, it should be considered a long-term action, potentially spanning more than 50 years," states an April 2008 "information paper" the Corps' Honolulu office supplied.
$70 million to clean up 3,000 acres comes to $23,000 an acre. With $832 million to spend on Waikoloa's 123,000 acres at $6,500 per acre, would total 2.3 billion. The Kaho'olawe per acre price was $18,000, so the clean up costs keeps rising.
Up the mountain, at Pohakuloa, we have potentially 100,000 acres that may be contaminated with conventional weapons, not including the 33,000 acre Parker Ranch acquisition. At that price the possible total to clean up PTA could be well over 2 billion dollars, not counting the extremely expensive, additional costs of radiation clean up - if that's actually possible. I have been told the old Waikoloa training area was only used for three years and the Pohakuloa Training Area has been used for sixty years, which will dramatically increase the final cost.
Dan Inouye said, "I look forward to more announcements of additional cleanup efforts on the Big Island." Mayor Kenoi said, “I am extremely pleased to see this important work move ahead under this contract. It represents a significant investment that will make our island safer for residents and visitors, and will provide good jobs for County of Hawai’i residents who will be employed on the project.”While it would seem more rational to not make such a humongous mess in the first place and save ourselves a bundle, there is opportunity in conflict. I see a win-win here, with a new "clean up" industry being born on Hawaii Island to cash in on some of this free money. Many residents could be trained for long term jobs at a good wage, plus health care benefits, and also sent out to work on other Hawaiian Islands, not to mention good jobs for the folks at the Environmental Protection Agency; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the Center for Disease Control, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; the Justice Dept.; the Dept. of Interior; and related services or agencies. That's a lot of hotel rooms to fill up and would be a boon to our economy.
We can learn a lot from our sister island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. All it would take to jump start this new industry is for our congressional delegation to ask President Obama to decommission Pohakuloa rather than having the NRC waste their time and budget on giving the Army a "license to posses" a nuclear waste dump on our island, they could get ahead of the game by decommissioning PTA now. And by the way, you can let the NRC know your thoughts on this if you comment by Oct. 13th, to: john.hayes@nrc.gov Ask for an E.I.S. for Pohakuloa. According to a recent West Hawaii Today poll, 76% of the voters said they wanted independent testing of Pohakuloa, rather than the army doing the radiation monitoring. 58% said they don't believe a word the army says. Since few residents believe them, let's just forget about the Army testing their own hen house and just start cleaning it up; Lord knows we need these new employment opportunities. Our Representatives in D.C. have been strangely silent on the clean up of Pohakuloa, this would be their chance to be heroes, save our economy, and clean up all contamination on our training ranges. This could happen fairly quickly if our Congressional delegation put their powerful heads together to get the ball rolling and called in some favors to make this happen; this is a fantastic, long term employment project and its certainly "shovel ready".
Besides the 25 residents already trained in ammo retrieval, we can begin this fledgling island industry now if our D.C. reps could put up $100,000 for equipment, and begin the training and certification process of residents for radiation monitoring; we would more easily trust our own residents to give us the truth.This is a formal petition and plea to Senators Dan Inouye and Dan Akaka, to Reps. Mazie Hirono, and governor hopeful, Neil Abercrombie, let's decommission, clean up Pohakuloa, and make some big money on this gravy train; its the "sustainable" and "green" solution to our problems.
Shannon Rudolph - Kona
Aloha Dan, Dan, Mazie, and Neil,
I saw this tiny correction in WHT on 9/24, it said, "Environet Inc. is being paid to remove World War II military ordnance from 2,950 acres near Waimea." The previous article on 9/23 stated, "The total cleanup of the former Waikoloa Maneuver Area to remove what the military calls Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC) is expected to cost $680 million more". (Not including the $152 million already spent, for a total of $832 million to clean up Waikoloa)
"Because of the size, complexity and cost of the Waikoloa response, it should be considered a long-term action, potentially spanning more than 50 years," states an April 2008 "information paper" the Corps' Honolulu office supplied.
$70 million to clean up 3,000 acres comes to $23,000 an acre. With $832 million to spend on Waikoloa's 123,000 acres at $6,500 per acre, would total 2.3 billion. The Kaho'olawe per acre price was $18,000, so the clean up costs keeps rising.
Up the mountain, at Pohakuloa, we have potentially 100,000 acres that may be contaminated with conventional weapons, not including the 33,000 acre Parker Ranch acquisition. At that price the possible total to clean up PTA could be well over 2 billion dollars, not counting the extremely expensive, additional costs of radiation clean up - if that's actually possible. I have been told the old Waikoloa training area was only used for three years and the Pohakuloa Training Area has been used for sixty years, which will dramatically increase the final cost.
Dan Inouye said, "I look forward to more announcements of additional cleanup efforts on the Big Island." Mayor Kenoi said, “I am extremely pleased to see this important work move ahead under this contract. It represents a significant investment that will make our island safer for residents and visitors, and will provide good jobs for County of Hawai’i residents who will be employed on the project.”While it would seem more rational to not make such a humongous mess in the first place and save ourselves a bundle, there is opportunity in conflict. I see a win-win here, with a new "clean up" industry being born on Hawaii Island to cash in on some of this free money. Many residents could be trained for long term jobs at a good wage, plus health care benefits, and also sent out to work on other Hawaiian Islands, not to mention good jobs for the folks at the Environmental Protection Agency; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the Center for Disease Control, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; the Justice Dept.; the Dept. of Interior; and related services or agencies. That's a lot of hotel rooms to fill up and would be a boon to our economy.
We can learn a lot from our sister island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. All it would take to jump start this new industry is for our congressional delegation to ask President Obama to decommission Pohakuloa rather than having the NRC waste their time and budget on giving the Army a "license to posses" a nuclear waste dump on our island, they could get ahead of the game by decommissioning PTA now. And by the way, you can let the NRC know your thoughts on this if you comment by Oct. 13th, to: john.hayes@nrc.gov Ask for an E.I.S. for Pohakuloa. According to a recent West Hawaii Today poll, 76% of the voters said they wanted independent testing of Pohakuloa, rather than the army doing the radiation monitoring. 58% said they don't believe a word the army says. Since few residents believe them, let's just forget about the Army testing their own hen house and just start cleaning it up; Lord knows we need these new employment opportunities. Our Representatives in D.C. have been strangely silent on the clean up of Pohakuloa, this would be their chance to be heroes, save our economy, and clean up all contamination on our training ranges. This could happen fairly quickly if our Congressional delegation put their powerful heads together to get the ball rolling and called in some favors to make this happen; this is a fantastic, long term employment project and its certainly "shovel ready".
Besides the 25 residents already trained in ammo retrieval, we can begin this fledgling island industry now if our D.C. reps could put up $100,000 for equipment, and begin the training and certification process of residents for radiation monitoring; we would more easily trust our own residents to give us the truth.This is a formal petition and plea to Senators Dan Inouye and Dan Akaka, to Reps. Mazie Hirono, and governor hopeful, Neil Abercrombie, let's decommission, clean up Pohakuloa, and make some big money on this gravy train; its the "sustainable" and "green" solution to our problems.
Shannon Rudolph - Kona
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Samoan People Need Our Help!
They Need Our Help
October 1, 2009
Dear Friends,
The Samoan people are an important part of Hawaii's multicultural tapestry, and most of us here have close friends or family who are Samoan.
Less than 48 hours ago a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Samoa, leaving over a hundred people dead and thousands more homeless.
Samoa's recovery from this disaster will be long and difficult, but we in Hawaii can help bring needed relief now.
Please join me and my wife Jaime in contributing to the relief effort today.
The Samoan people truly need our help.
Donations may be sent to:
American Red Cross -
American Samoa
P.O. Box 2635
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
or
American Red Cross - Disaster Relief FundHawaii State Chapter
4155 Diamond Head RoadHonolulu, HI 96816
or call 1-800-REDCROSS and donate either to their national or international relief fund. Sincerely,Josh Green M.D.State SenateDistrict 3, West Hawaii
October 1, 2009
Dear Friends,
The Samoan people are an important part of Hawaii's multicultural tapestry, and most of us here have close friends or family who are Samoan.
Less than 48 hours ago a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Samoa, leaving over a hundred people dead and thousands more homeless.
Samoa's recovery from this disaster will be long and difficult, but we in Hawaii can help bring needed relief now.
Please join me and my wife Jaime in contributing to the relief effort today.
The Samoan people truly need our help.
Donations may be sent to:
American Red Cross -
American Samoa
P.O. Box 2635
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
or
American Red Cross - Disaster Relief FundHawaii State Chapter
4155 Diamond Head RoadHonolulu, HI 96816
or call 1-800-REDCROSS and donate either to their national or international relief fund. Sincerely,Josh Green M.D.State SenateDistrict 3, West Hawaii
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