Register to VOTE NOW! Tomorrow, Thursday, July 10, is the deadline for voter registration IF you are a first time voter, have moved, or had a name change. It is so easy to register and update your information if you need to, so do it. You should have received an informational mailer. Next, attend candidate forums, watch debates on TV, and ASK anyone who comes to your door where they stand on issues important to you. Vote for the BEST candidate, not someone’s relative or friend. Registering is only the first step; don’t forget to VOTE this year. Your vote is important. The Hawaii Primary Election is looming: Saturday, August 9. You do have real choices.
Veto Deadline. Today is the deadline for the Governor to actually veto the last remaining bills from the 2014 Legislative Session. On June 23, Abercrombie originally announced a list of 10 bills he was considering to veto. Subsequently, after a storm of citizen protest, he removed, SB 2682, the Financial Disclosure Transparency bill and will let it become law without his signature. The other bills are less controversial.
Yesterday he indicated he was going to veto 7 bills:
GM1304
HB1288
RELATING TO ORDER OF SUCCESSION
GM1305
HB2163
RELATING TO PARENTAL PARITY
GM1306
HB2427
RELATING TO THE REPEAL OF NON-GENERAL FUNDS
GM1307
SB60
RELATING TO VICTIMS OF CRIMES
GM1308
SB2431
RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY
GM1309
SB2589
RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
GM1310
SB2874
RELATING TO THE BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
In any event, the Democrat Legislature is unlikely to meet to override the Democrat Governor.
Guv Says This Is The Best Ever. On the Hawaii PBS “Insights” TV program last Thursday night, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and his Democrat challenger, State Senator David Ige, fielded a wide range of questions. Many had to do with the state budget and economy. At one point, Abercrombie, taking credit for the economic “recovery” he sees, made the following stunning statement: “Hawaii is now better off than its ever been before” What? Is Neil back on weed? Are you, your family, and your small business better off today in Hawaii then you were four years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago? Maybe some people are, but the vast number of families and small businesses are struggling like never before. Thank God for free speech; anyone can say anything. (Except conservatives).
Winners at Camp. July 20-26 is the next Winners’ Camp Hawaii event for teenagers. The dynamic Delorese Gregoire heads up this wonderful organization and proven change for young adults. Delorese is the battery power for every successful event. Still time to get information and to sign up your teen or tween ages 12 to 15. Call 306-8008 or go to www.winnerscamp.com
Obama the “Worst?” Assume your saw the story by Jim Malone, widely reprinted last week, that said, a new U.S. poll shows Americans think President Barack Obama is the country’s worst president since World War II.
The independent Quinnipiac University poll said its survey of more than 1,400 U.S. voters showed that 33 percent put Obama at the bottom of the list of 12 presidents who have served since 1945, with 28 percent naming his immediate predecessor, George W. Bush.
Ronald Reagan, the U.S. president through most of the 1980s, was picked by 35 percent as the best president since World War II. He was followed by Bill Clinton, who served in the 1990s, who was preferred by 18 percent.
The Quinnipiac survey showed voters now think, by a 45 to 38 percent margin, the country would have been better off if GOP Candidate Mitt Romney had won the election.
In the survey, Obama got negative grades for his handling of the economy, foreign policy, health care and terrorism, with those polled only giving him a favorable rating on environmental issues.
Obama continues to try to rally supporters in the wake of weak poll numbers and some recent political setbacks. And, he is still beloved by more than 60% of Hawaii voters.
State Hospital Investigation. After the Senate Special Investigating Committee took a day to visit with state hospital employees behind closed doors in Kaneohe, the Committee will resume its hearings on employee abuse at the Capitol. The next hearing, open to the public, and televised on O’lelo, will resume at 11 am, Wednesday, July 19, in room 016 in the State Capitol.
Drones Over Hawaii. The first of two scheduled deployments of unmanned aircraft systems over the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands showed they can be used to conduct research without harming the region’s fragile ecosystem, federal scientists said yesterday.
From June 16-23, scientists conducted research in the islands using an unmanned aircraft system deployed from NOAA Ship Hi’ialakai. Researchers from NOAA and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service used the Puma system to perform surveys of monk seals, sea turtles, sea birds and vegetation and to look for marine debris in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
A second deployment of a longer range system is scheduled for next week. The aircraft completed seven flights: one over Trig Island and four over Tern Island, both at French Frigate Shoals; and two at Nihoa. Researchers said they were pleased with the results.
Hawea Volunteers Needed Saturday. Volunteers are needed this Saturday, July 12, 8:30 – 11:30 am, at the Hawea/Keawawa wetland in Hawaii Kai (6864 Hawaii Kai Drive next to Oahu Club, by Keahole Street) to clean up and beautify the property on Wetland Work Day. All community volunteers welcome. The project is ably managed by the Livable Hawaii Kai Hui.
WalMart Open. The new downtown (Fort Street Mall) WalMart retail store is open on the former site of Liberty House and Macy’s. More than 100 employees were hired.
UH Community Campuses Recognized. Three University of Hawai’i community college campuses have made a national list of low-cost public two-year institutions. The U.S. Department of Education listed Leeward Community College, Kapi’olani Community College and Honolulu Community College among 95 public two-year institutions with the lowest net price. Link here>
The national average cost of attending a public two-year institution in academic year 2011-12 was $7,163. The U.S. DOE lists Leeward CC’s net price at $1,745; Kapi’olani CC at $3,752; and Honolulu CC at $3,882 for academic year 2011-12.
This year’s U.S. DOE data also lists institutions with the highest change in net price. The University of Hawai’i is not listed among them.
Paving, Paving. Two major highway rebuilding and repaving projects are now underway: Kamehameha Highway and Kalanianaole Highway from Aina Haina to Hanauma Bay (Eastbound at first). These projects, with lane closures, will continue through February 2016.
Gas Prices Steady. Despite regular fluctuations in oil trading prices because of international unrest, gasoline prices in Hawaii have remained relatively steady – and high – during the past month. COSTCO still remains the best bet for saving at $4.029 (regular) compared to an average of $4.359 and above elsewhere.
Home Prices Top $700k. According to the Honolulu Board of Realtors® the new median price of a single family home on O’ahu has climbed to $700,000 in June. The median for a condominium is $360,000. Aaah, affordable housing lives.
Business Leadership Conference Next Week. Next Tuesday, July 15, Hawaii Business Magazine will host the first annual Leadership Development Conference dedicated to the advancement of emerging leaders and young professionals. SBH is a co-partner for the event.
The aim is to cultivate a community rich in innovation and success by focusing on the development of Hawaii’s ambitious and up-and-coming leaders. The event will be held in the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, 10:00am – 5:30pm.
The featured keynote is Dusty Baker, former Manager with the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants.
Other Featured Speakers:
* Duane Kurisu, AIO Hawaii
* Keith Amemiya, Island Insurance
* Rick Blangiardi, Hawaii News Now
* Gordon Bruce, Pacxa
* Eddie Flores, Jr., L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
* Sarah Guay, ProService Hawaii
* Allan Ikawa, Big Island Candies
* John Komeiji, Hawaiian Telcom
* Micah Kane, Pacific Links
* Kathryn Matayoshi, Hawaii DOE
* Sherry Menor-McNamara, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
* Jayson Miller, ProService Hawaii
* Scott Simon, Simon Leadership Group
* Kent Untermann, Pictures Plus
Hosted Lunch. All day Expo for networking and sponsor/partner display tables. Contact Courtney Wagner at Hawaii Business, by phone at 808.534.7164 or by email at admin@hawaiibusiness.com
Next SBH SUNRISE Coming. The next SBH SUNRISE Networking Breakfast will be held Thursday, July 31, 7 – 8:30 am, in the Pineapple Room, Macy’s Ala Moana Center.
It is a great place to meet new people and do business. Good for those running for office to talk to real small business owners! Networking, full buffet breakfast and interesting and informative speaker. All participants introduced and permitted to promote their business. Advance reservations required. Call me at SBH, 396-1724 (or cell 349-5438) for info and to make reservations.
Newly formed Maui Chamber Orchestra has exclusive arrangements penned for them. Paul Janes-Brown reports, when Robert E. Wills, the conductor and music director of the newly formed Maui Chamber Orchestra, selected Gabriel Faure’s Cantique de Jean Racine for the inaugural upcoming concerts on Aug 8 and 10 at the Iao Theater, he looked high and low for an arrangement of the piece for chamber orchestra. He searched in all of the major publishing houses and even approached other orchestras, all he could find was work that was available for rental, which would stretch the limited budget of the fledgling organization. The other arrangements did not have the instrumentation required by the Maui Chamber Orchestra.
Wills, who spent many years in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area had a friend, Layton “Skip” James, the long-time, retired principal keyboardist for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. James had done many orchestrations and arrangements over the years, many for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
“Cantique de Jean Racine is a composition that won first prize at the Paris Conservatoire for its young composer, Gabriel Fauré, in 1865, who was 19 at the time. Originally for SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) chorus and piano/organ, it was orchestrated perhaps by the composer in 1906, and arranged by many others during the 20th century to fit various sized performing groups.”
Tickets for the inaugural concerts of the Maui Chamber Orchestra featuring the Maui Masterworks Choir on August 8 and 10 at the Iao Theater are available at www.mauichamberorchestra.org/home or by calling 242-6969 Monday, Wednesday and Friday 11 am to 3 pm.
Want More Business? JOIN SBH! Is YOUR business a member of SBH? No? Lots of benefits. Strong networking organization. Call 396-1724 or go online to smartbusinesshawaii.com.
Hawaii Reporter.com, Hawaii’s first electronic daily newspaper launched in 2002, has all the breaking news and unlike other publications in town, is still free. Award winning Hawaii Reporter and Malia Zimmerman report daily (M-F) on the Rick Hamada Show heard on KHVH radio on 830 AM at 7:05 am. Malia will share the news behind the news.
Tune in to Panos Prevedouros. SBH Director and UH Engineering Professor Dr. Panos Prevedouros is a weekly guest on Rick Hamada’s morning radio show every Tuesday from 7:05 a.m. to 8 am. Tune in!