Back in early August, I noted the Attorney General’s request for a procurement exemption to cover a $100,000 contract with an attorney to step in at the last minute as lead counsel in a trial of a involving allegations that the Department of Education failed to provide reasonable access to educational services for special needs students. The move was necessary after attorney John Komeiji, who had been contracted to defend the state, left his firm to take a position with Hawaiian Telcom.
Now the AG is seeking to triple the contract amount to $300,000 so that the attorney, Kenneth Robbins, can continue to trial (or settlement) with several similar cases involving the same issues. This request for exemption is awaiting a ruling by the Chief Procurement Officer.
The new committee and leadership lineup has been announced by House Speaker Calvin Say.
It’s interesting to see who is left out. A quick scan turned up this list of those who came away empty handed.
Della Au Bellati
Mark Takai
Sylvia Luke
Scott Saiki
Joe Bertram
Kyle Yamashita
It looks like “let bygones be bygones” still isn’t the operating theme in the House, as least as far as Takai, Luke, and Saiki, perceived ringleaders of the revolt against the speaker.
I initially thought this might apply to the whole group. However, there appear to be different factors involved for the others who were left without committees. Yamashita gave up his committee in order to be a member of the Finance Committee, because you can’t be a committee chair at the same time. I’m told Shimabukuro stepped aside because she’s now a mother and wanted to avoid the extra time demands that go with being chair. Bellati was offered one committee but declined, hoping for a preferred assignment.
Newspapers aren’t the publications ones facing layoffs. Check these layoff memos from Time Inc-owned magazines.
And I notice that UH is cutting its alumni magazine, Malamalama, from three issues per year to just two, while beefing up its online presence. An online version of Malamalama will replace an existing online newsletter.
I’m sure there’s more to this story. The e-newsletter, which is being discontinued, was produced by the UH Foundation Office of Alumni Relations, while the UH System Office of External Affairs and University Relations produces M?lamalama. Got all that straight? I have to wonder what kind of internal UH politics is behind this consolidation.
Over here in Missouri, the flap over public access to the governor’s email continues, with new disclosures coming as part of a lawsuit over the issue.
In case you missed it, check out the NY Times take on the traditional Hawaii plate lunch.
Finally, for this Feline Friday, helpful (and somewhat surprising) hints for determining whether your cat is plotting to kill you.
Discover more from i L i n d
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Re: your contemplation of “what kind of internal UH politics is behind this consolidation” (Malamalama) the answer is, the best kind — collaboration.
With circulation that jumps some 4,000 alumni per year, rising paper and postage costs and increasingly Web-saavy audience, the mixed print and online package was easily the recommendation of a task force of alumni association, university staff and community representatives even before the recent rounds of budget restrictions.
Nothing sinister here — if you look back through the mastheads, you’ll find a UH Foundation/Alumni Relations staffer or two consistently listed as alumni editor. The new arrangement builds on that partnership. Malamalama’s longevity makes it familiar to alumni. Expanding its online presence lets us include more and more timely alumni news. Bring the content of Ka Nupepa under the Malamalama banner reduces duplication of efforts, allowing us to expand coverage with limited staff.