The Barack Obama Era Begins11.05.2008
The election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America symbolizes a merging of black America and white America. As the son of a Caucasian mother from Kansas and an African father from Kenya, Barak Obama has smashed through the glass ceiling of politics and will soon become the most powerful elected official in the free world. His victory over Senator and war hero John McCain signals to all people that the words "all men are created equal" written by our forefathers over 230 years ago ring loud and true in a century that will bring great achievement and discoveries for humankind. The last six months proved to be a historical and expensive campaign ignited by candidates willing to be scrutinized by the media and public. Their desire to serve and improve the lives of all Americans is to be commended. The ugly head of prejudice and racism did appear in a microscopic vein, but the tidal wave of Obama support and energy overwhelmed an attempt to use the color of one's skin or the sound of one's name as campaign issues...................Hawaii ReporterProposed Pilot Project for Hawaii's Prisoners Could Save State $1 Million for Every 100 Inmates10.31.2008
Garry Smith's claim that I politicized the death of an Ewa Beach resident is false. I am not running for office this year, and my comments were meant to clarify what happened at the State Capitol last session. Garry Smith is running for office this year so one can claim his comments about the issue are political. How ironic, but I'll let the readers decide. Since Garry briefly mentioned my re-entry proposal for next session, I would like to further elaborate on the proposed legislation I am working on which would give some inmates early release if specific criteria are met. The proposal would be a pilot project involving 100 offenders with three years or less remaining on their sentence. Inmates convicted of violent crimes like murder, attempted murder, negligent homicide, assault, domestic violence, or home invasions would not be eligible to participate in the pilot project. Only model inmates who have good behavior in prison and who want to reform themselves would be selected..................Hawaii Reporter

Pilot project would release some prisoners early10.17.2008
A state lawmaker is proposing a pilot program that involves releasing model prisoners early to save the state millions of dollars. Only prisoners who've committed non-violent crimes would be considered for release. But Honolulu's Prosecutor feels the program is a bad idea. Hawaii's prison and jail population totals around 4,000, with an additional 2,000 Hawaii inmates in prisons on the mainland. "Right now our statewide budget is over $250M to deal with these inmates, with over $50M for those on the mainland," said Sen. Will Espero, (D) Public Safety Committee Chair..................KHON2

Many Legislators Cared About the Rape and Murder of Karen Ertell and Worked on Legislation to Ensure Justice in the Case10.17.2008
Representative Kymberly Pine, R-Ewa, and I attend the same church in Ewa Beach and often talk over a cup of coffee after mass. Even though we represent different political parties, we have a cordial and pleasant relationship. I must, however, correct her statements made on Olelo television that no one at the State Capitol cared about Karen Ertell, an Ewa Beach resident and business person who was sexually assaulted and murdered in her home. The main suspect at the time of the crime was 15 years old boy. The crime was heinous and horrific, and residents of Ewa Beach and our state were shocked and saddened by this unnecessary act of violence. .................Hawaii Reporter

Second chances: Easing inmates into society10.05.2008
Getting a job is a major factor in an ex-convict's successful return to society, but advocates say the state isn't doing enough to create and support so-called reentry programs. Kat Brady, coordinator of Community Alliance on Prisons, criticized the state for its lack of a comprehensive approach to reentry. "In order for reentry to work, there has to be a whole cadre of programs within the system to help people develop marketable job skills so they can come out to find work to support their families," Brady said. Business owners like Kevin Nip, formerly with MarbleHaus Hawaii and a co-owner of Selective Stone LLC, has hired more than a dozen former inmates over the last six years. "We as a community need to be more accepting of these individuals as being human beings just like we are. They should be given that chance to prove themselves or given that chance to at least take an opportunity to see where they can go with that," Nip said.................Star Bulletin

With palace items safe, protection issue looms08.19.2008
A brief takeover of Iolani Palace by a Hawaiian group Friday caused no major damage to the historic building, which will reopen tomorrow, a palace official said. Damage was limited to door hardware at the palace and the barracks, according to a statement by the Friends of Iolani Palace. The state and Honolulu Police Department, meanwhile, were looking into allegations that a police sergeant declined to aid a palace staffer under assault by a member of the pro-sovereignty group. The alleged assailant, appearing in District Court yesterday, was ordered to stay away from the palace grounds.................Star Bulletin

Hawaii's Aerospace Industry, The Next Frontier08.15.2008
I would like to invite the public to a very exciting one day conference sponsored by the State Senate and House Economic Development Committees. On August 21 from 9am – 5pm experts in aerospace will converge at the State Capitol auditorium for a conference titled: Hawaii's Aerospace Industry, The Next Frontier. Thirty experts from the mainland and Hawaii will share their work, accomplishments, ideas, and vision on the aerospace industry and how Hawaii can continue to position itself to become a key player in the near future................Hawaii Reporter

Stronger Legislation to Address Missing Children Cases08.13.2008
Cable news channels have been reporting on the missing 3 year old girl from Florida, Caylee Anthony, for some time. Her mother is in jail for child neglect, lying to the police, and for not reporting her child missing. Caylee's disappearance is suspicious. It appears her mother did not report her missing for a month, and only upon the insistence and questioning from Caylee's grandmother did the missing child become an issue. Caylee's mother is not saying much now and if she is not the primary suspect, she certainly is a person of interest. Caylee's grandmother did state she smelled what could be the odor of a dead person in her daughter's car. Theories about the disappearance include an accidental drowning and being kidnapped by a babysitter...............Hawaii Reporter

Oh, The Places West Can Go On Rail System08.06.2008
We have had opportunities to build a rail system, but the political will has been missing. In the 70s, Mayor Frank Fasi’s rail project would have been 90 percent funded by the federal government. With his election loss back then, the new mayor ended the project. If we had built a system in 1992, Oahu residents would be utilizing it today. It’s possible a spur to Ko Olina, Mililani and Kahala Mall would have been completed. Unfortunately, the 5-4 vote by the City Council ended the project, and traffic has gotten worse since then. Now is the time to make certain a rail transit system is built, and I fully support the City Council’s effort to build a rail system and to allow the voters to decide the issue. Other transportation alternatives such as the ZipperLane, high-occupancy vehicle lanes, contra-flow, carpooling, vanpooling, more buses, widened roads, new roads, ferries and telecommuting have been considered and tried. ...............West Oahu Islander

Honolulu Rail: A Vision for Tomorrow07.28.2008
The battle for a rail transit system for Oahu is heating up. Both opponents and proponents have formed organizations to further their causes. I have ridden many rail systems around the world, and I am a strong believer that we need to build a system for Oahu. If the City Council had not voted against rail in 1992 by a 5-4 vote, Oahu residents would be riding rail today. There is a possibility a spur to Mililani, Ko Olina or Kahala Mall would have been operating or almost complete. It is my understanding that if Mayor Fasi had not lost his election in the 70s and his rail project was built, the federal government would have paid 90% of the costs. These facts show that this issue will not go away, and the longer we wait, the more expensive the project becomes. ...............Hawaii Reporter

ZipperLane shift decried06.24.2008
Motorists will have to scramble for a third person to ride in their vehicles if they want to continue legally using the ZipperLane. Starting July 8, the minimum occupancy for the ZipperLane -- extra lanes created by contraflowing eastbound traffic in the westbound H-1 freeway lanes and Nimitz Highway from Waikele to Iwilei -- will increase to three persons from two persons, according to the state Department of Transportation. The change is to encourage carpooling and ease congestion . In 2005, the occupancy changed from the original minimum three-person occupancy to a two-person occupancy. But state transportation officials said the change resulted in increased congestion in the ZipperLane compared with the other lanes...............The Star Bulletin

Bill That Boosts Hawaii Agriculture Deserves Governor's Support05.22.2008
There has been much said and written about Senate Bill 2646 which involves important agricultural lands. I respectfully disagree with The Honolulu Advertiser editorial requesting the Governor to veto SB2646. At the very least, the measure should become law and amendments to improve the bill should be a top priority next session. Currently, there are 1.9 million acres of land zoned agriculture in our state. This is 48% of the land area in Hawaii. Just under 1 million acres are considered prime agricultural land or other important ag land. Conservation accounts for about 46% of our land. Urban zoned land is only 5% statewide. There is no shortage of agriculture land for today or the future. Sugarcane at its peak utilized 250,000 acres. Pineapple in its heyday had 86,000 acres. These two crops combined accounted for less than 400,000 acres of land. This is not even a third of the acreage we have zoned ag today. ...............Hawaii Reporter

Sharkey's Law Dies at the Legislature This Session, But Supporters Plan to Bring the Legislation Back Next Session05.22.2008
First, let me say thank you for your support. While we had some success this legislative session, ultimately Sharkey's bill and subsequent resolution did not make it through this season's legislative process. Sen. Will Espero, D-Ewa, and I plan to begin solicting feedback from opposing organizations next month to see if we can rewrite a bill and/or resolution that could make it all the way during the next legislative process. The bill was opposed this time around by the Chamber of Commerce and by several lobby groups for developers and builders...............Hawaii Reporter

West-side beach going public03.20.2008
For nearly two years, John Jacobus and his family have enjoyed living across Iroquois Avenue from Iroquois Point Beach, a beach that in recent years has been off-limits to the general public. Yesterday morning, he took his two 5-year-old twins there to build sand castles. As a resident of the Iroquois Point Island Club, Jacobus and his family are one of about 1,000 families that have had access to the spectacular sunrise coming over Diamond Head each morning and the exclusive use of the beach. That policy changes April 15 when Iroquois Point Beach will be open from sunrise to sunset daily to the public, leasing company Ford Island Housing LLC announced yesterday. Everywhere residents and their guests can go, the public will be able to go too, except only when the sun is out..............The Honolulu Advertiser

Plan will open Iroquois Point Beach to the public03.19.2008
Iroquois Point Beach will be open to the public beginning April 15, Ford Island Housing LLC announced today. The scenic beach, on the private rental Iroquois Point Island Club community, has been blocked off to the public since the former Naval housing complex was leased to private developers several years ago. The beach is on the southeastern end of 'Ewa Beach, at the western end of the mouth of Pearl Harbor. Under the plan, the public will have access to a designated area from sunrise to sunset. One-day passes will be available at the front gate. There will be 23 public parking stalls, about 20 percent of the total number of stalls on the beach. The plan permits water activities such as fishing, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking and surfing in designated areas. There will be no lifeguards on duty, so the public will be entering at their own risk, Ford Island Housing said..............The Honolulu Advertiser

Public Deserves to Know What Happened on That Go! Flight02.26.2008
Is anyone as curious as I am as to why we still do not know what happened on the recent Go! flight which overshot its destination by 15 miles? Speculation is that the pilots were fatigued and may have fallen asleep. It is also possible that there were communication or equipment failures which affected the flight. It has been over 10 days, and an investigation is on-going. I understand that what goes on in the air is the jurisdiction of the FAA, and I'm certain it will eventually get all the facts. However, I'm concerned that the situation is still a mystery because the traveling public has a right to know what happened on the flight. It is my guess that Go! officials know what transpired on the errant flight. The FAA and Go! should inform the public as soon as possible with the caveat that a more thorough investigation is currently under way. The public should not be kept in the dark when it comes to air safety..............Hawaii Reporter

First phase of rail would end in Pearl City02.25.2008
If all goes as planned, in four years an end-to-end commute via Honolulu's new elevated commuter rail system would start in Kapolei and end 12 minutes later on the 'Ewa side of Pearl City. That will leave many H-1 corridor commuters waiting much longer — until 2017 — before the train stops at major traffic centers such as Downtown Honolulu and Ala Moana Center. The city's decision to start the massive project in what today is an east Kapolei field rather than in urban Honolulu has caused some critics to dub it the train to nowhere. That's because three of the first six planned stops between Kapolei and Leeward Community College are in the middle of what are now empty fields. The plan is for those fields to turn into bustling communities by the time the train makes its first stop ..............The Honolulu Advertiser

Go! should explain why flight wandered off02.22.2008
On February 13, a Go! flight to the Big Island over-shot its destination by 15 miles. As of yesterday, the public still does not know what happened. It's been eight days, and there has been no definitive reason given by the airline for the mishap. I am appalled that there is no public explanation yet. I read there are investigations going on, but seriously, the company should have known by the next day what happened. If there were communications or equipment problems, say so. However, if pilots fell asleep or passed out, let the public know. This lack of information in a timely manner is unacceptable. The traveling public has a right to know as soon as possible why the plane missed its landing. Any further delays should not be tolerated................The Star Bulletin

Senate panel OKs transport chief02.21.2008
Highway lights along the H-1 and H-2 corridors that have become dark due to copper-wire theft will not be replaced immediately, the state's top highways official said yesterday. The issue arose yesterday during the confirmation hearing for Brennon Morioka as state transportation director. At his hearing before the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Lorraine Inouye (D, Hilo-Honokaa) asked what steps the agency was taking to combat copper theft and what its plans are regarding the light outages along H-1 west of the Kunia interchange and along H-2 from the Waiawa interchange to Mililani Mauka. Morioka noted that a bill passed by the Legislature last year to increase penalties for copper theft has helped serve as a deterrent, then added that the lights along the two highways are not scheduled to be replaced. If the roads were being built today, the lights probably would not have been erected in the first place, he said...............The Star Bulletin

QUICK FIX IS NO ANSWER FOR PRISON PROBLEM02.18.2008
The governor announced recently that the state plans to erect tent prisons to house Hawai'i's growing inmate population rather than lose a federal grant of more than $13 million originally allocated to build a new state prison. The money has been available to the state since 1996. As chairs of the House and Senate committees with oversight of the Department of Public Safety, we have serious reservations about this idea. We must address the problem of crowded prison facilities and sending our Hawai'i inmates to the Mainland, but this decision is a quick fix not a long-term solution. While the fiberglass tents cost approximately $6 million with the rest used for infrastructure, there are rumors another $5 million will be needed, but to date we've not heard exact details from the administration. The proposed locations for the tents also may be inappropriate for a variety of reasons. We all want the bare minimum for our offenders at the lowest cost to taxpayers but tents may not be efficient nor effective..............The Honolulu Advertiser

Housing, health centers near stations could get tax breaks02.17.2008
New affordable housing and healthcare facilities built near future mass-transit stations could qualify for state tax breaks. Senate Bill 3165, which passed three Senate committees last week, would create the first tax incentives for economic development around 19 stations along a planned 20-mile rail line stretching from east Kapolei to Ala Moana Center. The bill would exempt certain transit-oriented developments, including eldercare projects, from the general excise tax. "This is an opportunity for us to look at the general excise tax and how that can play a role in this whole transit system," said state Sen. Will Espero, D-20th ('Ewa Beach, Waipahu). "Hopefully the rail will be an opportunity to build housing and specifically affordable housing." The excise tax break could spur housing and healthcare projects that would prevent rail from pushing out existing residents and businesses, said Sharon Miyashiro, interim associate director for the University of Hawai'i College of Social Sciences' Public Policy Center ..............The Honolulu Advertiser

The Faces of Hawaii's Homeless02.13.2008
Attitudes that people are homeless because they lack personal responsibility hinder resolving the problem. But is this attitude accurate? Who are the homeless? ..............Hawaii Reporter

Out of tragedy comes legislation01.31.2008
The mother of a young girl who drowned in a Pearl City drainage pond nearly four years ago is pushing for a state law to limit construction of the water-catchment systems and make existing ones safer. The measure, Senate Bill 2884, would let developers dig drainage ponds only as a last resort, require ponds to have a 4-foot-high fence and a locked gate as well as warning signs, alarms, a rescue buoy and a pole. "The loss of a child is the most horrendous thing to try to live through for a family," said the bill's author, Allison Schaefers, whose 5-year-old daughter, Charlotte, died in February 2004 in an unguarded, clogged pond filled with rainwater at the Pearl City Peninsula naval housing complex. Charlotte Schaefers, nicknamed "Sharkey" for her swimming skills, had jumped into the murky water to save a boy who fell in. Her friend was pulled out, but Schaefers stayed under for about 10 minutes, until a row of adults combing the pond found her unresponsive. A permanent 6-foot vinyl fence and signs were put up at the pond after Schaefers drowned. ..............The Star Bulletin

Handgun gets past security at Kentucky prison01.26.2008
A secretary at a privately run Kentucky prison where Hawai'i women inmates are housed apparently smuggled a handgun into the facility Tuesday and shot herself in the warden's office, according to the investigator handling the case. The apparent suicide of Carla J. Meade, 43, represents a major security breach at the Otter Creek Correctional Center, and Kentucky state police detective Mike Goble said prison owner Corrections Corp. of America is investigating how Meade got the .22-caliber pistol through the facility's security screening system. Clayton Frank, director of the Hawai'i Department of Public Safety, said the shooting took place away from the portions of the prison where the 175 Hawai'i women prisoners are housed at Otter Creek, but that it does raise concerns about the CCA operation. "What I emphasized to them is what occurred is a security breach," he said. "Once I got word of the suicide and how it occurred, my initial reaction was, how did a gun get in there?" ..............The Honolulu Advertiser

Stricter juvenile law urged01.16.2008
Last year, state lawmakers wrote a $10.5 billion check to run the state for two years. This year, they are finding out they are $290 million short. How to chop the state budget will be the most controversial item before the Legislature when it starts its 2008 session Wednesday. The shortage isn't in real dollars, but in revenue estimates, but it means that money promised for programs all over the state, from $3 million for the University of Hawaii's Academy for Creative Media to $20,000 for burial grants for decreased World War II Filipino veterans has been withheld. "We have the projections for '08 and it is a scary scenario," said House Speaker Calvin Say. "I am a little concerned and worried," said the veteran Democratic leader. Already, Say is rejecting calls from Republican Gov. Linda Lingle for tax cuts. "I am going to disagree with the governor on tax cuts, she can't take care of basic services and you want to do tax cuts, come on," Say said..............The Star Bulletin

Legislature seeks shovel to dig out of $290M hole01.13.2008
Last year, state lawmakers wrote a $10.5 billion check to run the state for two years. This year, they are finding out they are $290 million short. How to chop the state budget will be the most controversial item before the Legislature when it starts its 2008 session Wednesday. The shortage isn't in real dollars, but in revenue estimates, but it means that money promised for programs all over the state, from $3 million for the University of Hawaii's Academy for Creative Media to $20,000 for burial grants for decreased World War II Filipino veterans has been withheld. "We have the projections for '08 and it is a scary scenario," said House Speaker Calvin Say. "I am a little concerned and worried," said the veteran Democratic leader. Already, Say is rejecting calls from Republican Gov. Linda Lingle for tax cuts. "I am going to disagree with the governor on tax cuts, she can't take care of basic services and you want to do tax cuts, come on," Say said..............The Star Bulletin

Arizona prisons gain favor with isle senator11.04.2007
A group of Hawaii senators ended their tour yesterday of two Arizona prisons -- home to about 1,800 Hawaii prisoners -- with one senator saying he was "pleased" by what he saw. Sen. Will Espero, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, traveled to Arizona with Sens. Clarence Nishihara and Norman Sakamoto to tour the facilities and talk with inmates, staff and administrators. "I think we are moving in the right direction," Espero (D, Waipahu-Ewa-Ewa Beach-West Loch) said by phone yesterday. Hawaii's Department of Public Safety consolidated its prisoners from three states into two prisons in Eloy, Ariz. -- Saguaro and Red Rock prisons. There are 1,374 Hawaii inmates at the recently opened Saguaro facility, a $95 million medium-security prison with 1,896 beds. At Red Rock prison, a majority of the 474 Hawaii prisoners will be transferred to Saguaro by the end of the year.............The Star Bulletin

Senate panel approves Frank for Cabinet post10.30.2007
The state Senate Public Safety Committee voted unanimously yesterday to recommend Clayton Frank as director of the state Department of Public Safety, finding that he has the experience necessary to bring stability to the department. The vote was 4 to 0. The full Senate is expected to confirm Frank tomorrow. Gov. Linda Lingle nominated Frank, a 26-year veteran of the department, after the Senate last session rejected Iwalani White after eight months as interim director. The department has had a succession of directors over the past several years. State Sen. Will Espero, D-20th ('Ewa Beach, Waipahu), the chairman of the committee, said Frank had the support of his colleagues in the department. He also said Frank had expressed regret for actions that led to a sexual discrimination lawsuit against the department in the 1990s. The state paid a nearly $2 million settlement to women at the department who claimed Frank and other high-ranking officials had discriminated against them .............The Honolulu Advertiser

Programs part of prison solution10.18.2007
As state prison officials explore the possibility of bringing Hawai'i women inmates on the Mainland back to O'ahu, a deeper issue cannot be ignored: the growing prison population. After an unsuccessful push from Gov. Linda Lingle last year to build a new prison in Hawai'i, the state opted instead to move more inmates into private Mainland prisons. But shipping inmates out of state isolates them from their families and community. Studies show that inmates released into communities where they have support are more successful at reintegration, lowering chances of recidivism. Such is the argument for bringing women inmates back home. But this case also raises another issue. Many of the women inmates were classified as community custody, as Advertiser writer Kevin Dayton reported. This means they were eligible for alternative sentences other than prison. Those in community custody and minimum custody are eligible for work furlough, residential transitional living centers, or supervised release outside the prison system .............The Honolulu Advertiser

75 Hawaii female inmates may return10.17.2007
State prison officials say it's possible all of Hawai'i's women inmates on the Mainland — 175 convicts now held in a private prison in Kentucky — could be brought back and housed at the Federal Detention Center on O'ahu. Tommy Johnson, deputy director for corrections of the state Department of Public Safety, said negotiations could begin with the federal Bureau of Prisons to house the women at the federal center near the Honolulu airport, provided state lawmakers approve extra money for their care. Housing the women in Hawai'i would double the cost of holding them in Kentucky, Johnson said. There is no room at the Women's Community Correctional Center in Kailua for the Mainland inmates, but the detention center may have room for all 175 inmates, he said .............The Honolulu Advertiser

Let’s find a compromise on Hawaii Superferry10.11.2007
The debate and discussion about the Hawaii Superferry has invigorated the public. Supporters and opponents both feel their positions are correct. If there is such a thing as compromise on this matter, I offer the following ideas for discussion in order to allow the Superferry to operate while an environmental assessment is being completed. » Much has already been done about invasive species. I would add that vehicles have their undersides washed before boarding. If a drainage and catchment system could be erected and installed without significant delays, this would help in dealing with the transport of unwanted species attached to vehicles. It is not fail-safe, but it would provide another step to stop unwanted plants and seeds. » Regarding traffic congestion around the harbor and port, the Superferry can transport up to 280 small vehicles to the neighbor islands and back. I suggest that no more than 125 vehicles be allowed to be shipped at one time. This could mean a reduction of at least 150 vehicles that would affect traffic patterns and flow.............The Star Bulletin

Special session Hawaii Superferry's only hope10.10.2007
Gov. Linda Lingle and state House and Senate leaders indicated yesterday that a special session may be the only option left to save Hawaii Superferry but put off a decision on whether lawmakers should return to the state Capitol. Lingle, state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nanakuli, Makaha), and state House Speaker Calvin Say, D-20th (St. Louis Heights, Palolo Valley, Wilhelmina Rise), met privately in the governor's office yesterday afternoon and agreed that Hanabusa and Say needed more time to discuss a special session with their caucuses. House Democrats will meet this afternoon, and Senate Democrats likely later this week, anticipating that public pressure both for and against a special session will likely build.............The Honolulu Advertiser

Neighborhood Newsmaker10.03.2007
State Sen. Will Espero has been elected chairman of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization which coordinates federally funded transportation construction and improvement projects on the island. He has also been appointed to the Workforce development council, the State Highway Fund Task Force and the Broadband Task Force. The new highway task force will oversee the maintenance of the state’s highway funds which take up a large chunk of the state budget. The Broadband Task Force is charged with overseeing the development and regulation of broadband technologies and telecommunications in Hawaii. .............West Oahu Islander

State rejects nonbid ferry study09.19.2007
The state has dropped an attempt to award a nonbid contract to do an environmental assessment for the stalled Hawaii Superferry. State transportation officials, reacting to interest from prospective bidders, figure it would take only three weeks to seek bids from companies. The study would take about eight months. A Maui Circuit Court judge is holding hearings on whether Superferry will be allowed to operate between Honolulu and Kahului pending the environmental assessment. Superferry officials have said they need "actionable information" in about six weeks to decide whether to stay in Hawaii. Big Island Mayor Harry Kim testified yesterday on Maui that the Superferry could be a valuable alternative and could help in times of emergency. Meanwhile, there has been little movement by the governor or in the state Legislature to summon a special session to allow the Superferry to operate while an environmental study is being done .............The Star Bulletin

Hawaii Superferry study to go to open bid09.19.2007
The state Department of Transportation has withdrawn a request for an exemption to state procurement law for an environmental assessment for Hawaii Superferry, opening up the process to competitive bidding. The department had applied for the exemption because it believed Belt Collins, which is doing an environmental impact statement for the state as part of a 2030 master plan for Kahului Harbor in Maui, could do the work quickly. Michael Formby, the department's deputy director for harbors, said he was contacted last week by other contractors interested in performing the review. The environmental assessment is expected to take eight months and the department wants to move quickly because delays could lead to the Superferry leaving the Islands. Formby said competitive bidding would only add a few more weeks to the selection process. He said bids are due by Tuesday .............The Honolulu Advertiser

Ferry can resume Kauai route Sept. 2609.13.2007
Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday issued a firm warning to protesters on Kaua'i, saying they would be arrested and prosecuted if they break the law and disrupt the Hawaii Superferry during its expected return to Nawiliwili Harbor in two weeks. Federal, state and local authorities have cleared the Superferry to resume service between O'ahu and Kaua'i starting Sept. 26. The Alakai will be temporarily restricted to operating during the day instead of the original evening arrival and departure schedule at Nawiliwili Harbor, until authorities decide it is safe. The daytime restriction could pose conflicts for space with other harbor users, such as cruise ships, but is intended to better protect public safety if protesters again choose to go into the water and block the ferry .............The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawaii beach could soon open to public09.10.2007
Navy officials and the management at the Iroquois Point Island Club hope to have a tentative plan in place by December to give the public access to a scenic private beach on the gated community's property. The beach has been closed to nonresidents since the Navy leased the property to a private real estate company four years ago. State law requires all beaches to remain accessible to the public, and counties must make sure the public can reach the beach where private property dominates. State and city officials had said earlier that the property is owned by the Navy, and state and city laws don't apply. But an Advertiser story in July about the closed beach led to a public outcry for its opening. "It appears that by December, the Navy and Hunt (Development, the property manager) will have a proposal," said state Sen. Will Espero, D-20th ('Ewa Beach, Waipahu). "That's very promising." .............The Honolulu Advertiser

Summer Fun Students Tour The State Capitol08.22.2007
“Did you ever ride the mono-rail at Pearlridge? How would you like to ride the monorail from Ewa all the way to downtown?” I asked the Ewa and Kapolei YMCA Summer Fun students who responded with oohs and aahs. The four dozen or so students were on an hour-long field trip to the state Capitol. “The new rail system that the city is building will make it possible for you to go to town without a car,” I explained. “It costs $120 million. That’s a lot of zeroes,” I said. “Will it be an underground train?” a boy in the back inquired. “No, it’ll be an elevated train, above ground. It will be ready in about 11 years.” Their eyes grew big and they shook their heads in disbelief. “If I’m still alive!” “I’ll be so old I’ll be dead!” came all the groans, sending the undeniably older chaperones into knee-slapping laughter. Eleven years is a lifetime if you’re 8 to 13 years old, and the youngest children, the 5- to 7-year-olds, only knew that 11 years is really long. Talking to school groups on field trips to the state Capitol is one of the nicest things about being a legislator. The students have lively questions..............West Oahu Islander

New case cited in call for Hawaii murder registry08.10.2007
The scheduled release of another killer into the community has renewed calls for an electronic registry of Hawai'i's violent criminals. The latest case involves Curtis Kealoha, 59, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 1994 death of his girlfriend. Kealoha was sent to the Hawai'i State Hospital in Kane'ohe, and Circuit Judge Glen Hara approved his release July 18 after he served 13 years. Proponents of the registry say community members have a right to know whether a neighbor has been convicted of murder. State Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-15th (Waimalu, Airport, Salt Lake), a member of the Public Safety Committee, supports the idea, first proposed by Sen. Will Espero. He said a two-year trial period and benchmarks should be established to gauge the registry's success. "Anything that would deter or reduce crime, I am in favor of," Sakamoto said. "If it doesn't work after a few years, we should move on, but anything we can do to improve safety in our community we should do." ..............The Honolulu Advertiser

What is the real value in criminal registries?08.08.2007
A manager I know at a large company that considers itself "family friendly" had to fire an employee with good job performance when it was discovered that he was listed on the local sex-offender registry. The employee hadn't disclosed his listing at the time of his hire because it had cost him jobs before. It became an issue when a new employee spotted his name on the registry while researching a home he was thinking of buying. The fired employee had committed his crime many years earlier, it wasn't one of the more egregious sex offenses and he'd maintained a clean record since. Nevertheless, his firing rendered him virtually unemployable. The case renewed my mixed feelings about sex-crime registries that often give convicted offenders no opportunity to ever get their names removed no matter what they do to reform themselves, leaving a permanent stigma that mars all aspects of their lives. Perhaps it's a fitting outcome for criminals who prey on vulnerable women and children, almost always leaving horrible physical and psychological scars on victims that stay with them forever. These are onerous crimes by any measure. ..............The Honolulu Advertiser

Murder registry won't further safety 08.07.2007
There's a fine line between providing information that the public needs about the criminal justice system and vigilantism. Regardless of its intentions and its origins because of concern about violent crime ex-convicts who reoffend upon their release, the latest proposal to create a registry of convicted murderers pushes too far over that line. Finding the balance between released convicts' rights and those of the community in which they live has been debated over the state's sex-offender registry, which went back online two years ago and now serves as a model for the murderers database. Legislators decided that because of the high rate of recidivism among sex offenders, the greatest public good was served by posting the names of offenders living in the community. The need to protect children and others from a potential crime of opportunity was given more weight than the desire of offenders who have served their time to reclaim full rights to privacy..............The Honolulu Advertiser

Registry of Hawaii murderers proposed 08.06.2007
Hawai'i would join other states with a registry of convicted murderers — similar to the state's sex-offender registry — under legislation that may be introduced next year. State Sen. Will Espero, head of the state Senate's Public Safety Committee, plans to introduce a bill that would create a registry patterned after Hawai'i's seven-year-old sex-offender registry. Among other things, the registry allows people to find out if a convicted sex offender lives in their neighborhood. Two convicted murderers were recently accused of committing violent crimes while on parole, which prompted Espero, D-20th ('Ewa Beach, Waipahu), to pursue the idea of mandatory registration. "We wouldn't be reinventing the wheel with a murder registry," Espero said. "The template's already there. People who are committing these crimes have to realize they have to be accountable. There is a price you pay for committing these crimes against society." Kansas, Montana and Oklahoma are among states that have violent-offender registries, which include names of convicted murderers. Illinois has a specific Child Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registry. "I still need to do research," Espero said, "but Hawai'i could become the first state in the country with a murder registry." .............The Honolulu Advertiser

Returning prisoners early put on hold 08.03.2007
Despite a new state law, the state attorney general's office says prisoners incarcerated on the Mainland do not have to be returned to Hawai'i a year before their release to begin their re-entry into Island society. But state Sen. Will Espero, one of the architects of the law and the head of the Senate Public Safety Committee, disagreed yesterday, saying he wants to see how the interim head of the Department of Public Safety adheres to the law in the next several months. "The AG's opinion is just an opinion," Espero said. "This is what the Legislature wants: services for the inmates so that when they are released, they are not preying on the vulnerable members of our society." It was the latest development over Senate Bill 932, which Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed and the Legislature overrode. Clayton Frank, interim director of the Department of Public Safety, yesterday announced the attorney general's interpretation of SB932, which is now known as Act 8.............The Honolulu Advertiser

Tragedy Shows Need To Re-Examine System 07.30.2007
Criminals like Peter Bailey should not get early release. I don't know all the details of his release, but the Hawai'i Paroling Authority should have had him serve at least 35 years in prison as it originally ordered for murdering a teenage girl. Now it is alleged he has committed another crime involving a sexual assault. Inmates who commit horrible, violent crimes must pay the price for their actions. Murderers, in particular, should not be given leniency. From what I have gathered, Peter Bailey should not have been out of prison. As chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, I will look at this matter to determine what allowed Bailey to receive an early release. If changes in the law are necessary, I will initiate them to stop this from happening again. Although I support re-entry programs and rehabilitation for inmates, I feel criminals who have committed violent, heinous crimes deserve their time in prison............The Honolulu Advertiser

Tally of returning prisoners increases 07.18.2007
State prison officials have sharply raised their estimate of the number of mainland prisoners who may have to return to comply with a new law. The bill, Senate Bill 932, had been vetoed by Gov. Linda Lingle, who said it was too difficult to return prisoners, as mandated, with a year or less before parole. After the Legislature overrode the veto, Lingle said Hawaii jails and prisons are already overcrowded and that is why inmates are kept in mainland institutions. State officials worry that to comply strictly with the new state law might force them to release or furlough prisoners here to make room for returning inmates now in mainland facilities. The new figures released by Clayton Frank, interim public safety director, show 582 prisoners and not the 308 that had previously been reported. Added to that, Frank said, could be an additional 179 to 185 inmates that are not, but could be, considered for parole. Further, there are 400 parole violators imprisoned on the mainland who could be up for parole within a year............The Star-Bulletin

Another inmate injured in lockdown breach 07.18.2007
For the second time in two years, improper actions by a corrections worker caused cell doors to unexpectedly open in a Mainland prison where Hawai'i inmates were supposed to be kept separated, triggering violence that injured a Hawai'i convict, prison officials said. In the first incident at a Mississippi prison in 2005, Hawai'i convict Ronnie Lonoaea, 34, was beaten so severely that he suffered brain damage and is now confined to a wheelchair. Lonoaea's family sued the Hawai'i prison system and Corrections Corp. of America last week in connection with the case. In a second incident last month at Red Rock Correctional Center in Arizona, an error by a prison staffer caused cell doors to abruptly open, prison officials said. Hawai'i inmate John Kupa, 36, was stabbed in the left lower back, according to a police report. The two incidents raise concerns about the treatment of Hawai'i inmates in Mainland prisons run by a private company, said an expert on prisons and a state legislator...........The Honolulu Advertiser

Public safety bills causing an uproar 07.12.2007
Public safety issues have Gov. Linda Lingle grappling with top Democratic legislators as millions of dollars hang in the balance. Lingle is angry that legislators overrode her veto of a bill requiring the return of inmates from mainland prisons if they have less than a year to go before their parole. The lawmakers, in return, accuse Lingle of ignoring the need for more prison facilities in the isles. Pedestrian safety is the second sore point, with Lingle saying she will not release money from the state Highway Fund for legislative-driven initiatives ..........The Star-Bulletin

State plans to build $100M new Maui jail 07.09.2007
The state may spend $100 million or more on a new 800-bed jail and transition facility that would replace the Maui Community Correctional Center. The project would be the first new jail in Hawai'i in decades and add much-needed space in a county that faces chronic jail crowding. The long-delayed project is the most ambitious effort in years to expand Hawai'i's crowded correctional system. The project would provide new minimum-security beds for inmates who are nearly ready for release after serving their prison sentences. "We've just finally made the decision that we're going to go forward with this," said Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona. State Rep. Bob Nakasone, D-9th District (Kahului, Pa'ia), said he met recently with administration officials to discuss the plan for a new jail in Pu'unene, and was told about $50 million in state and federal funds already set aside for the new Maui jail would be used to pay for the first 125 minimum-security beds on the new site ..........The Honolulu Advertiser

Lawmakers debate Iroquois beach access 07.07.2007
The private beach at Iroquois Point Island Club may soon be open to the public. The scenic beach has been closed to nonresidents since the Navy leased the property to a private real estate company four years ago. The property managers said yesterday they are considering changing their prohibition on public beach access. "We are committed to finding a way to make Iroquois Point accessible to the public," said a statement yesterday from the property managers, the Hawai'i Division of Hunt Development and Ford Island Housing LLC. The Iroquois Point Island Club had refused access to its beach, saying the land belongs to the Navy and is exempt from the state and county beach access rules. The Navy leased Iroquois Point to private developers for 65 years ..........The Honolulu Advertiser

 Legislators to start prison tour on Maui 07.04.2007
A House-Senate committee is launching a tour of all of Hawaii's overcrowded neighbor island prison facilities, starting with the Maui Community Correctional Facility on Saturday. Sen. Will Espero, chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee, said there are concerns about the Maui prison because of overcrowding. A 2005 report said the facility was designed for 209 and had a population of 370. The Legislature has appropriated nearly $40 million for a new community correctional facility on Maui, but the money has not been spent, Espero said. "We really will need to get direction from the governor," Espero said. Lingle last year announced that she was unable to gain public acceptance of any new prison sites and that the state would continue to use mainland facilities for offenders..........The Star-Bulletin

 Arizona prison will house Hawaii inmates 06.26.2007
The opening of a new private prison to house Hawai'i convicts in Eloy, Ariz., further cements the state's practice of shipping inmates to the Mainland, a key critic of the policy said yesterday. Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman Will Espero said the construction of the Saguaro Correctional Center in Arizona appears to be "a very discreet way to build a new Hawai'i prison, but on the Mainland." Espero has questioned the practice of housing inmates out of state and advanced a bill this year that would have required the state Department of Public Safety to develop a plan to return women inmates to Hawai'i. The bill failed, however, and Espero said the state has few alternatives to the Mainland prisons in the short term. "We are at the point where we are today, and I guess there's probably no other fiscally prudent options right now," he said. .........The Honolulu Advertiser

 Hawai'i launching itself into the space business 06.03.2007
Hawai'i literally plans to reach for the moon. In one small step for the state, the Legislature has passed a bill that would revitalize a state space office that hasn't had funding for more than a decade. The office doesn't have big money — just $500,000 to start with — but it does have big dreams, like helping the United States colonize the moon and Mars. Does it seem outlandish? Not to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which in March agreed to investigate opportunities for collaboration with the state. "The timing for this initiative is perfect. NASA recently rolled out its new vision for space exploration and Hawai'i has many diverse assets, resources, capabilities and advantages that can positively respond to national space priorities," Daniel Rasky, director of the Space Portal at NASA Ames Research Center, told the Legislature.........The Honolulu Advertiser

 Housing project caters to active seniors 05.31.2007
Boomers, forget the likes of the Club Med. Brookfield Homes Hawaii and Kisco Senior Living believe the next generation of adult communities will boast wellness amenities that allow aging in place while pursuing the active lifestyles that baby boomers have made commonplace. Brookfield and Kisco yesterday announced plans for Leihano Village, which the companies are calling Hawaii's first combined age-restricted adult and continuing-care community.The 40-acre Kapolei development, which will cater to those 55 and above, will offer independent living and continuing-care accommodations. The project is slated to open in 2009. A joint development between kamaaina company Brookfield Homes Hawaii and island newcomer Kisco Senior Living is taking a different approach to catering to Hawaii's senior population, which is growing at more than two times the national average.........The Star-Bulletin

 Rail is Good for Ewa 05.30.2007
Recently, letters have stated I am supporting rail because of my current employer. This is not the case. I first rode a rail system in New York City in the 1970s when I was an adolescent. I’ve visited many cities since then, and have been a supporter of rail for most of my life. I have advocated for an Oahu rail line well before being a state senator or an employee of D.R. Horton. When I worked for Mayor Fasi in the early ‘90s, I supported his vision for rail........Midweek

 Ewa Beach vexed by airplane traffic 05.28.2007
Be it more people, more jumbo jets, or maybe a combination of the two that's to blame, but an increasing number of 'Ewa Beach residents are growing frustrated about airplane noise, particularly at night. The residents and their elected state officials made their objections known to state Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration officials at an Iroquois Point Elementary School meeting last week. They complained that not only have the number of flights by jumbo jets increased, particularly at night and early-morning hours, but that they are flying lower, making them louder. Jumbo airliners flying into Honolulu International Airport can land on only two runways: Runway 4 Right, which goes entirely over water, and Runway 8 Left, which travels over Kalaeloa and lower 'Ewa Beach.......The Honolulu Advertiser

 Halawa warden to public safety post 05.22.2007
The warden of Halawa Correctional Facility was chosen yesterday by Gov. Linda Lingle as interim director of the state Department of Public Safety. Clayton Frank, who has served with the department for nearly 26 years, will start immediately and will likely be considered for confirmation by the state Senate next January. Frank replaces Iwalani White, who failed to win Senate confirmation in this year's session after eight months as interim director.......The Honolulu Advertiser

  Lingle picks prison veteran for job 05.22.2007
Gov. Linda Lingle has nominated a 26-year veteran of the prison system, Clayton Frank, as the new interim director of the Department of Public Safety. In making her announcement yesterday, Lingle noted that Frank had been involved in a discrimination case that resulted in the state paying damages. "We take this case seriously, but after weighing all the information, we still believe Clayton Frank is the right person for the job," Lingle said.In 2001 a Circuit Court jury awarded $4.1 million to four women working for the department who accused then-Director George Iranon and other supervisors of discriminating against them based on their gender.......The Star-Bulletin

  Stay Informed on the Fort Weaver Road Widening Project 05.15.2007
EWA BEACH – The long awaited transportation project intended to help accommodate for the rapidly growing community in West Oahu is underway. The Fort Weaver road project phase II is scheduled for construction this summer, expanding four lanes to six in the area reaching A'awa Drive to Geiger Road. “It’s about time that the state started phase 2 of the Ft. Weaver widening. Commuters are frustrated and angry at the slow pace of this project.” said Senator Espero. A long time advocate for the project and lobbyist for other transportation initiatives, Senator Espero's primary concern remains in the effort to relieve the daily crawl out of Ewa.......The Honolulu Advertiser

  2007 Legislative Session: Ewa/Kapolei Areas Big Winners 05.15.2007
Please allow me to share my perspective of how our 2007 legislative session ended this year. From a regional view, the Ewa/Kapolei area was the big winner with over $330 million in Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) funding. After many years of discussion and constant lobbying, the University of Hawaii, West Oahu finally received $135 million to build phase one of the campus which could open by 2010. This significant project will provide a 4 year quality, public university for Ewa, create thousands of job opportunities on campus and in the surrounding neighborhoods, and help with the traffic situation by providing a school of higher education on the west side. The Judiciary’s Kapolei courthouse received the $25 million it needed to bring the total cost of this important government building to $120 million.....The Hawaii Reporter

  Espero knows prisons need action, not talk05.13.2007
Thank goodness for Sen. Will Espero ("New legislation focuses on isle inmates, families," Gathering Place, May 3). For years we heard talk about how dire our prison system is, so bad that the federal government has to check on us to see that we get our problems fixed. Finally the Public Safety Department has a guy who knows that action is what counts. Talk doesn't help. Espero, chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee, made the effort to listen to people who know what needs to be done and work with them to reduce the overcrowding and repeat offenses and fix the mental health situation......The Star-Bulletin

 Newsmakers05.09.2007
The Campbell High School Girls Soccer Teams were recognized by Sen. Will Espero (Ewa Beach to Waipahu) last month. Espero congratulated the Sabers for “practicing long and hard, and honing their individual and team skills” resulting in an excellent season. The varsity team placed third in the national finals, and both the JV and varsity teams won their respective state Oahu Interscholastic Association and regional division championships........ Midweek

 West O‘ahu about to get a whole lot better05.08.2007
From a long-stalled university campus to several badly needed road projects, residents in rapidly growing West O'ahu will soon see big construction projects that could improve their lives. By the time the final gavel fell at the Legislature last week, the region had received commitments totaling more than $300 million in construction money over the next two years from state, federal and private sources. 'Ewa Beach resident Jim Moylan is ecstatic. The father of two school-age daughters, Moylan said he expects his younger child will attend the new 'Ewa Makai Middle School when it is completed in 2010. He's also trying to convince his older daughter of the virtues of attending the University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu campus just up the street, which is scheduled to greet its first students within two years.......The Honolulu Advertiser

  New legislation focuses on isle inmates, families  05.03.2007
RE-INTEGRATION, better mental health services and alleviating overcrowding were focus points of the Senate and House Public Safety committees this year. Re-integration prepares inmates to re-join their families and communities after serving time. Improved mental health care helps to avoid recidivism. Both are key to alleviating the costly problem of overcrowded Hawaii prisons. The Public Safety Committee continuously talked with stakeholders to support and determine the needs of the Department of Public Safety and craft workable solutions to improve the prison system and facilities. A legislative oversight committee will be formed under Senate Bill 932, the Community Safety Act, to provide guidance, direction and support for the DPS. The committee will meet regularly with the DPS and the public......The Star-Bulletin

    Artist Paints a Bright Future  05.02.2007
On April 13, Senator Will Espero provided an extraordinary opportunity for the 7th graders at St. Joseph School in Waipahu to hear an internationally recognized local artist, Aaron Martin share his success stories. Aaron Martin's talent and passion for art has drawn worldwide attention. Toyota commissioned Aaron to custom design their new FJ, and STRANGEco. will launch a vinyl toy by him. "More than just paints in his palette," Aaron's works has admirers across the globe. His works have been showcased in solo exhibits in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hawaii, New York, Japan, and Barcelona; in exhibitions alongside big name giants Andy Howell, Tado & David Choe, and Mainframe; and in Relax magazine, Vapors, Sneaker Pimps USA, Evilmonito.com and Adiktionmag.com......The Honolulu Advertiser

    UH-West Oahu optimistic about funds  04.11.2007
Going into crucial conference committee meetings on the state budget, University of Hawaii-West Oahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni says he is "concerned" that the Senate did not include any money to build a new campus in its budget passed last week. However, Awakuni said he is still optimistic that the Legislature will provide the money. The House budget includes $31 million to build roads, water, electricity, sewage and other infrastructure needed for the new campus in Kapolei. Awakuni is asking for $35 million in construction bonds. This is the second time he has lobbied the Legislature for the funds. Last year, the Senate included money for the project, while the House did not. In the last-minute shuffle on the final budget, money for the new campus did not make it through the conference committee.....The Star-Bulletin

  Lingle loses Cabinet fight  04.03.2007
After hearing nearly 10 hours of testimony over two days, a Senate panel considering Gov. Linda Lingle's nominee to head the Department of Public Safety will take another week before making its decision.The confirmation fight over Iwalani D. White comes after about a dozen current and former employees from the agency testified against her nomination, citing a management style that has led to low morale and feelings of ill will within the department. White was appointed by Lingle in July to head the department, which has been without a permanent director since November 2004. "Much of the line of questioning and the opposition had to do with decisions she has made and judgments she has made within the last seven months," said Senate Public Safety Chairman Will Espero (D, Ewa-Honouliuli-Ewa Beach). "As the interim director, she is going through on-the-job training, and how she handles that is very important because that's where much of her opposition has come from.....The Star-Bulletin

  Nominee for public safety chief in jeopardy  03.30.2007
Gov. Linda Lingle's choice to lead the state Department of Public Safety may not be confirmed after a Senate panel voted yesterday against her nomination. Iwalani White, who has served as the department's interim director since August, failed to win the recommendation of the Senate Public Safety Committee. Several senators said privately after the 3-1 vote that White's prospects in the full Senate are doubtful. Lingle, in a statement last night, said she hoped the Senate would look beyond some of White's critics and see the progress she has made at the department. "I believe that Iwalani White is the right person at the right time for this job, and therefore I believe the committee reached the wrong decision this afternoon," Lingle said. White, if not confirmed, would be the first Lingle Cabinet nominee rejected by the Senate since she took office in 2002. The Senate, which has advice and consent power over the governor's top appointments, has turned down one judicial nominee and a few University of Hawai'i Board of Regents nominees.....The Honolulu AdvertiserIwalani White

  Dispute clouds Public Safety decision  03.23.2007
Senate Democrats have handed Gov. Linda Lingle her first Cabinet nominee defeat and left the Department of Public Safety without a leader. By a 16-to-9 vote yesterday, the Senate said "no" to nominee Iwalani White's confirmation as the director of the troubled department. Democrats said that after eight months on the job as interim director, White had made too many mistakes and failed to show the judgment needed to run the department that runs the state prisons, jails and sheriff's office. "There was just a collection of testimony opposing her. The amount of decisions and judgment calls she made -- I can't say it was just this one or that one -- but there was a series of errors," Sen. Will Espero said after the vote. Republican Lingle called the vote a setback for the department, which has seen five directors in five years......The Star-Bulletin

 Senators grill public safety chief nominee 03.23.2007
Iwalani White, the nominee to head the state Department of Public Safety, tried to fend off tough questions yesterday about federal investigations, low morale and debatable decisions in the seven months she has been interim director. Senators questioned White, a former judge nicknamed "The Hammer," for about three hours over claims that she micromanages the department, doesn't communicate well and punishes employees with a heavy hand. In her defense, White explained that she is trying to bring order to a short-staffed and backlogged department. She responded to several allegations from staff members that she had retaliated against them based on frivolous complaints.......The Honolulu Advertiser

 Mentally ill at OCCC harmed, report warns 03.21.2007
Hawai'i has violated the constitutional rights of mentally ill prisoners at O'ahu Community Correctional Center by subjecting them to harmful methods of isolation and restraint and failing to adequately monitor them even while on suicide watch, the U.S. Department of Justice has concluded. The state has also failed to provide adequate treatment or staff to care for mentally ill prisoners at the facility, exposing them to the risk of serious harm. The Justice Department's findings, in a March 14 letter to Gov. Linda Lingle, were based on an on-site inspection in October 2005. The state has been aware of the preliminary findings since shortly after the inspection and learned the details of an experts' report on the situation in July 2006......The Honolulu Advertiser

 Senate subpoenas 10 for key testimony03.13.2007
The state Senate is issuing subpoenas to force witnesses to testify in two controversial appointments. Sen. Clayton Hee confirmed yesterday that the Senate has issued a subpoena for former Deputy Prosecutor Lynne McGivern to appear tomorrow before his Judiciary Committee. And Sen. Will Espero, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said nine subpoenas are to be issued to Public Safety Department employees who are expected to testify against the nomination of Iwalani White as public safety director. "Since they are current staff members, they feel a subpoena will provide them added protection if they speak out against their director," said Espero (D, Ewa-Honouliuli-Ewa Beach)......The Star-Bulletin
          
 Planning panel is next stop for debate on transit route 03.14.2007
The Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization could resurrect the debate over whether the city's rail system should run by Honolulu Airport or Salt Lake. Last month, the City Council decided that the first segment that would be built would be a 20-mile line from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center via Salt Lake instead of the airport. "We're going to have a huge fight before OMPO," said City Councilman Charles Djou, one of the 13 members of OMPO's Policy Committee. The city's rail transit route must be adopted by the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, made up of appointed and elected city and state officials, before the city can proceed with the next step of the transit project: preliminary engineering...... The Star-Bulletin

 Hawaii and NASA Launch Partnership  03.07.2007
Hawaii is at the center of NASA's latest aerospace adventure. Governor Linda Lingle announced a partnership with the space agency at the State Capitol. "I hope that this small step of paperwork leads to giant steps of progress for Hawaii and for NASA," she said. The Memorandum of Understanding signed on Wednesday means the state will work with NASA to support future missions to the moon, Mars and beyond. NASA spends more than $16 billion a year on space exploration, and officials said private sector projects that could follow may provide a big boost to the state's economy. "Both in commercial space and aerospace initiatives, and even perhaps one day in space tourism flights which might take off from Hawaii," explained Lingle......KGMB9

 Senate Set to Pass Bill for Prison Study, Inmates' Return  03.06.2007
State Senate Democrats want Hawaii's 174 female prisoners who are now jailed on the mainland returned to isle prisons by mid-2009. Senate Bill 917, which is expected to clear the Senate today, also would order the state Public Safety Department, which runs Hawaii prisons, to identify three potential sites for new prisons within the state. And state prison officials would be directed to study selling or leasing the 16-acre Oahu Community Correctional Center property along Dillingham Boulevard in Kalihi and use the money from its sale or lease to build a new facility.The bill directs the Public Safety Department to prepare a plan for returning all female prisoners by next January. Prisoners would then have to be back in Hawaii by July 1, 2009. Legislators critical of the state prison system have asked for changes in state prison policy after Gov. Linda Lingle announced last year that she would not try to build any more prisons in Hawaii.....The Star-Bulletin-Bulletin

  Legislation to Bring Inmates Home Advances  02.10.2007
State Senate Democrats want Hawaii's 174 female prisoners who are now jailed on the mainland returned to isle prisons by mid-2009. Senate Bill 917, which is expected to clear the Senate today, also would order the state Public Safety Department, which runs Hawaii prisons, to identify three potential sites for new prisons within the state. And state prison officials would be directed to study selling or leasing the 16-acre Oahu Community Correctional Center property along Dillingham Boulevard in Kalihi and use the money from its sale or lease to build a new facility. The bill directs the Public Safety Department to prepare a plan for returning all female prisoners by next January......The Honolulu Advertiser

  Legislators question withheld OCCC data  01.17.2007
The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday accused the Lingle administration of withholding from the Legislature a highly critical federal report on mental health services at the state's largest prison, indicating the lack of disclosure will become an issue at the confirmation hearings of the attorney general and possibly the prisons' chief. Not even the two leaders of the Senate and House committees that deal with the prison system had a copy of the report on O'ahu Community Correctional Center's mental health services yesterday, nor were they given one when they held a four-hour hearing earlier this month that focused on what can be done to improve the prison system, legislators said.....The Honolulu AdvertiserClayton Hee

  For A Good Neighborhood  01.10.2007
When Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, a crooner of some renown, calls Neighborhood Commission executive secretary Joan Manke to the microphone to sing a song, he knows what he’s doing. The two have even performed duets together.Manke’s main project right now is to sing loud and strong to get people to become active in the community and run for their neighborhood board. OK, the Nanakuli native doesn’t have to literally sing a song to get people to run, but she is encouraging people to be a part of the grass-roots level of government. Applications for the two-year term (June 2007 to May 2009) are due Jan. 16. “You get to be heard, and you get to hear what’s going on in your community,” says Manke, a Kailua resident, about one of the benefits of being on a neighborhood board. “You can send a message as a group to the Legislature. Of course, this is something you can do as an individual as well. The process for communication is there to help you feel empowered and get information.” .....Midweek

  Legislator to revive red-light camera bill  12.31.2006
A bill to allow the use of cameras at intersections to catch drivers who run red lights will be back in the Legislature in January. Rep. Joseph Souki, chairman of the House Transportation committee, says he will re-introduce the red-light enforcement camera bill as a means to cut down on traffic deaths. "We have to put it up in areas where there are lots of fatalities," Souki said. "We need more enforcement, but you don't have enough people to be at every place, every time." Souki (D, Waihee-Wailuku) has introduced the measure every year since 2002, when the state's infamous "van cam" program was unveiled and scrapped four months later because of public outcry. Motorists complained that the private company contracted for that project had incentives for issuing speeding tickets because it was paid for each citation, and also because vehicle owners were held responsible even if they weren't the ones driving .....The Star-Bulletin

 Residents Make Way for Mass Transit    12.23.2006
The decision is made after decades of discussion. Oahu will venture into one of the most expensive projects in history - a mass transit system which will run from Kalaeloa to Manoa. "This has been a discussion that we've had for 30 years," says Senator Will Espero, who repres