Evans Admits Made-Up Story; UH’s Enrollment Record; Hirono’s Ethics’ Post, Top Dogs

BY HAWAII REPORTER

Mike Evans Says He Made up Birth Certificate Story

A former Honolulu DJ who syndicates entertainment news to radio stations around the country and Canada now says he made up a story about Gov. Neil Abercrombie being unable to find Pres. Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

Mike Evans, who is heard locally on KSSK’s morning show, told Fox News that he misspoke when he said on a Minneapolis radio station that Abercrombie had told him Obama’s birth certificate didn’t exist in Hawaii.

Evans made the comments during an on-air segment with Minnesota’s KQRS last week.

“Neil says he’s searched everywhere using his power as governor..at the Kapiolani Women and Children and Queen’s hospital…the only places kids were born in Hawaii back when Barack Obama was born. There’s no Barack Obama birth certificate in Hawaii – Absolutely no proof at all that he was born in Hawaii,” according to a recording of Evans that day.

Evans also told the radio station that Abercrombie “purposely did this to get rid of this question. Got some egg in the face. I mean now he admits publicly there is no birth certificate.”

Evans’ comments were seized upon by so-called Birthers who say Obama was not born in the United States and cannot legally occupy the White House. Former Gov. Linda Lingle tried to lay rest to the Birther Controversy by having then Health Department Director Chiyome Fukino declare she had seen Obama’s long-form birth certificate in records.

Birth announcements that appeared in Honolulu’s two daily newspapers in 1961 also are cited as evidence of Obama’s birth here. The issue re-ignited last month when Abercrombie said he was looking for ways to make the long-form birth certificate public.

In recent days Evans’ comments have been the subject of discussion on the Internet. On Wednesday Fox News said it talked with Evans, who admitted he was remorseful and embarrassed about the episode.

Evans, who has known Abercrombie for decades, told Fox News that he wasn’t correct.

“Only this I can tell you is 100 percent fact,” Fox reported, quoting Evans. “That Neil never told me there was no birth certificate. I never talked to him.”

During the KQRS segment Evans reported Abercrombie was in shock. But he told Fox that he hadn’t spoken with Abercrombie since the former Hawaii Congressman took office.

“I was on 34 radio stations that morning. That was the only station where I said, instead of saying ‘the hospital said there’s no birth certificate’ I misspoke and said Neil said that,” Evans is quoted as saying. “I misspoke and I apologize for that. I apologize to Neil.”

The question of Obama’s long-form birth certificate may be far from over, however.

This week Arizona State Rep. Judy Burges re-introduced a measure calling for presidential candidates to produce their long-form birth certificates if they wish to be on that state’s ballot.

UH Enrollment Reaches All-Time High

The University of Hawaii System said a new enrollment record has been set for the spring semester with 56,716 students registering to take classes.

It said spring enrollment rose for a fourth consecutive year in 2011, gaining 955 students compared to a year earlier.

The biggest increase came at Hawai‘i Community College, where 301 more students enrolled. UH West Oahu now has 1,403 students after its enrollment jumped 9.8 percent. UH Manoa, Honolulu and Kauai Community Colleges posted slight decreases.

Hilo’s opening spring enrollment increased to 3,961 students, a 2.5 percent gain from last spring.

UH Manoa posted a slight decrease of .2 percent, or 44 students,  for a total enrollment of 19,242 students.

Hirono Appointed to House Ethics Committee

Hawaii U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono has been appointed to the House Ethics Committee.

Hirono will serve on the committee in addition to seats she has on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Education and Workforce Committee.

The Hill newspaper reported Hirono was one of five new Democrats on the committee as California Rep. Nancy Pelosi responded to calls for new appointments to the group that polices the actions of fellow House members.

The newspaper reported Republicans had chosen to reappoint members who served on the panel previously.

Hawaii’s Favorite Pooch is Labrador Retriever

The American Kennel Club said the Labrador Retriever was the most popular AKC-registered dog breed in Hawaii last year.

The German Shepherd came in second after tying with the Labrador Retriever for the top spot in the 2009 rankings.

The Shiba Inu, Chihuahua and Golden Retriever rounded out the top five.

“Although the Lab and German Shepherd are perennial favorites in Honolulu, the city really favors some of the smaller breeds,” said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson.

“Over the past five years, the Shiba Inu, Chihuahua, Pomeranian and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel have all made an appearance in Honolulu’s top ten.”

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