Hawaii House Panel to Review Cost, Impact, Obligation to Micronesian Migrants
The House Committee on Human Resources assembled an informational briefing today to discuss issues relating to impact of Micronesians migrating here to Hawaii without restrictions.
That includes the fact that Hawaii does not have enough funding from the federal government to cover Micronesians’ medical, social services and other costs now incurred by the state.
The cost to the state is around $110 million and though it is a federal obligation, the federal government pays Hawaii back just a fraction of that, somewhere around $11 million. Guam is in a similar situation.
Retired University of Hawaii Professor Beverly Keever wrote a book on the subject and has submitted testimony for today’s hearing suggesting the House consider six findings revealed in her book, News Zero: The New York Times and the Bomb.
In this award -winning book, Keever researched the “U.S. Pacific nuclear weapons tests, based on the reporting of the then-renowned newspaper-of-record, the release of declassified government documents and the writings of scholars in many disciplines over decades.”
Keever suggests said Hawaii officials should use November’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference to remind President Obama and Hawaii’s Congressional delegation to fulfill federal obligations to Micronesians.
Former Gov. Linda Lingle and current Gov. Neil Abercrombie as well as former Congressman Charles Djou have cited this as a financial burden that the state cannot afford at this time and should be reimbursed for.
U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye also is looking into the problem, he said.
Keever adds: “The House Committee meeting could well serve to make the federal government and Americans generally more aware of the sacrifices of Micronesians and to insist that those sacrifices be adequately funded.”
We’ll have more on this hearing later today.
Hawaii Man Sentenced for Sending Obscene Material to 14 Year Old Australian Girl, Parents Warned
A 22-year-old man who sent obscene material to an underage girl in Australia will spend nine months in federal prison and the rest of his life as a registered sex offender.
Kyle K. Saito “admitted in court that he engaged in sexually explicit communications with a 14 year-old girl over the Internet and used a webcam to broadcast live images of his genitalia to the girl,” the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a news release.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Australian authorities and was prosecuted by Asst. U.S. Attorney Amy Olson. U.S. District Judge sentenced Saito today.
FBI Special Agent Tom Simon said, “Parents should keep an eye on the people their kids communicate with on the internet. There is a world of creeps out there.”
Maui Resident is Recipient of Cutting Edge Heart Procedure – in Phoenix
There is some good news for Maui artist Leslie Granat.
She is one of the first patients in the nation to successfully undergo a cutting-edge procedure that involves freezing part of the heart.
That procedure, which she had done at Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, can cure a potentially life-threatening cardiac rhythm disorder.
Granat, who is 68, suffered for two years from an irregular heartbeat – a condition that affects nearly 3 million Americans.
She tried to get help in the islands, but there is no such treatment in Hawaii.
Steve Jobs: His Genius Will Be Missed
And finally, a personal note about Apple founder Steve Jobs.
As many media reports have noted, Jobs changed the world in so many positive ways and is one of the most innovative people of our time. They compare him to such American innovators as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.
Part of Jobs’ genius is he made technology friendly and easy to use. My niece, who is 2 years old, and my nephew, who is 4, already know how to use an i-Phone, i-Pad and I-Mac (yes I admit, probably better than me.)
Hawaii Reporter has been powered for 10 years on Apple products – we do everything from film interviews, record radio podcasts, take photos, write notes and use the Internet to present the news just on the i-Phone.
His genius will be missed and look forward to the book on his life to be released October 24.
“Keever suggests said Hawaii officials should use November’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference to remind President Obama and Hawaii’s Congressional delegation to fulfill federal obligations to Micronesians.”
Another do-gooder who has absolutely no idea on the micronesian’s financial impact on our state. Or simply chooses to ignore the reality in the throes of her mission. It was the micronesian gov’t that agreed to allow the US to test nuclear weapons on their aina. What kind of gov’t officials would allow this? The micronesian citizens should sue the miconesian gov’t instead. At the very least, Keever should direct the onus where it belongs. Also, the majority of micronesians aren’t in Hawaii for health care reasons. In micronesia the gov’t gives you a spear gun instead of food stamps and I guess they don’t sell SUV’s over there.
You have some very valid points. What kind of government would allow that?
Even if the federal gov’t decides to reimburse Hawaii millions of dollars more, we already have a problem with the costs of supporting the micronesian kids who through no fault of their own were born here. That’s for the next 18-years per child. Imagine the total financial impact when their kids start having kids. And of course the costs to fund the progeny’s nuclear testing related illnesses inheritance.
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