Monthly Archives: August 2009

August 31, 2009

Sandwich Isles Communications Facing Questions About Their Ownership And Affiliates Using The New Inter-Island Fiber-Optic Network

By Aaron Stene

I’m very happy to see that the NECA has raised the same concerns as I have regarding SIC’s ownership and affiliates using their new inter island fiber-optic network (the NECA’s full comments are available here, Sandwich Isles comments are available here).

I previously blogged about the ownership of this new inter-island submarine fiber-optic network here.It seemed at the time the new ownership of this network, Blue Ivory Hawaii Corporation, was simply a shell company for Sandwich Isles Communications.

The latter assertion gained more credence today when I read this part of the NECA’s comments.

“Notwithstanding, NECA has raised concerns on this issue with Sandwich Isles, based on the fact that the Paniolo Cable Company (owner of the leased cable) is now owned in its entirety by Blue Ivory, LLC. Blue Ivory, which is held by the children of Albert S.N. Hee, President of Sandwich Isles, in “three private trusts, the Adrianne H.R. Hee Irrevocable Trust, the Breanne E.R. Hee Irrevocable Trust, and the Charlton E.R. Hee Irrevocable Trust. Each trust holds shares of Blue Ivory Hawaii for the benefit of the named beneficiary.”

The NECA also raised another significant concern regarding Sandwich Isles Communications affiliate company ClearCom use of this new fiber-optic network.

“Sandwich Isles asserted that the cable would only carry regulated traffic and services for the first 5 years of operation. Notwithstanding Sandwich Isles’ position, a 2002 Forbes profile on Albert Hee (President of Sandwich Isles) indicates that Sandwich Isles may have plans to allow ClearCom, its sister company and a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC), to use the Sandwich Isles network.”

2 comments | posted in Hawaii Politics, Hawaii Technology

August 31, 2009

Hawaii County Fire Department Applied For Federal Stimulus Funding (And Awaiting Response) To Build The Makalei Fire Station

By Aaron Stene

I inquired with Hawaii County Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira today regarding why they haven’t sought federal stimulus money to build the future Makalei fire station. This is the response I received from Mr. Oliveira below :

Good afternoon Aaron,

We have applied for approx. $5million for Makalei and are currently awaiting approval/award via the Fire Station Construction Grant under a FEMA program which is stimulus funds. I am hopeful and will keep you and everyone else posted once we hear of our award status.

Thanks,
Darryl

It boggles my mind why didn’t Susan McGeachy just ask directly Mr. Oliveira before ranting about the county’s apparent failure to seek federal funding in this recent letter to the editor.

Brennon Morioka informed me today why the oral arguments has been delayed for the HDOT’s Queen Kaahumanu highway widening appeal.The judge handling this case extremely busy and declined to hear HDOT’s new evidence (the favorable July OAH decision) until November.

I found out today that since Hawaiian Telcom’s dry DSL service is a de-regulated service the only additional tax is the State of Hawaii’s GET.

Richard Ha had a interesting blog entry here regarding why local produce costs more than imported produce.

Hat tip to Andrew Cooper for blogging about the upcoming open house meetings for the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Plan four subset plans that will complete this document.

Happy birthday to Robert Thomas’s inversecondemnation.com blog. I’m quite surprised that he’s only been blogging for three years. That being said, congratulations Robert for reaching the three year blogging milestone.

Lastly, mahalo to Robert Thomas for pointing out this excellent article about Hawaii’s hidden racism problems.

2 comments | posted in Hawaii Development, Hawaii Economy, Hawaii Planning, Hawaii Politics, Hawaii Technology, Hawaii Transportation

August 30, 2009

Oral Arguments For The Hawaii DOT’s Appeal Of The Office Of Administrative Hearings First Queen Kaahumanu Highway Widening Bid Award Decision Has Been Rescheduled

By Aaron Stene

I checked Ho’ohiki today to see the status of the HDOT’s appeal of the first Office of Administrative Hearings decision in favor of Hawaii Dredging.The judiciary has rescheduled the start of oral arguments from September 9 to November 18,2009.

HDCC successfully convinced the OAH to invalidate the HDOT’s bid award to Goodfellow Brothers to widen Queen Kaahumanu highway in April.However they failed in their second bid protest in July. Hawaiian Dredging tried to have the OAH award the contract to them and have the HDOT pay HDCC’s damages and costs resulting from that bid award.

The latter decision has paved the way for the HDOT advertise this project for bidding for third time in September. But this latest bid solicitation will have give the HDOT the option to reject the latest bids if the HDOT correctly awarded the project to Goodfellow Brothers in the first place.

Nonetheless, this 2 month delay in starting oral arguments for the HDOT’s appeal (#1CC0910832) is definitely bad news.

Leave a comment | posted in Hawaii Politics, Hawaii Transportation

August 30, 2009

Pacific LightNet Looks Like They’ll Be Starting Construction Soon On A New Fiber-Optic Link Connecting Their Kawaihae Central Office To Hawaiian Telcom’s

By Aaron Stene

I noticed some white markings on the shoulder of Queen Kaahumanu highway when I was driving past Hawaiian Telcom and Pacific LightNet’s Kawaihae Central Offices by the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel last weekend. It is my understanding this is going to be fiber-optic link between these two central offices. This is being done as a part of the Honotua submarine fiber optic cable project between French Polynesia and Kawaihae.

Pacific LightNet will be providing the co-location space at their Kawaihae facility and connectivity to the US Mainland and the Asia/Pacific region for this new fiber optic link.

I’ve made some inquires when PLNI’s contractor for this project will be starting construction linking these central offices.When I know more I’ll post it here.

Lastly,it really really irritates me when I see these letters to the editor by Susan McGeachy. She has a tendency to spin things in a way to make them look worse than they really are. I really wonder if she has bothered to take the time to actually talk to the county or the state about these issues.

Leave a comment | posted in Hawaii Politics, Hawaii Technology

August 29, 2009

A Big Mahalo To Eric Jackal At Kona Keys For Quickly Fixing My Girlfriend’s 2001 Ford Focus Ignition Problem This Morning

By Aaron Stene

I’ve always wondered how Sandwich Isles Communications has linked up their Hilo and Kona fiber networks. They’ve spent a substantial sum of money to build these networks linking Kona & Waimea DHHL homesteads with Kawaihae and interconnecting the assorted Hilo DHHL homesteads. But neither the Hilo and Kona networks are connected. Thus I’m curious how they handle cross island data transport. I can only surmise that they are leasing bandwidth from Hawaiian Telcom to provide this link.

A big mahalo to Eric Jackal at Kona Keys @ 329-8816 for quickly fixing my girlfriend’s 2001 Ford Focus ignition problem this morning. When she tried starting her car  the ignition froze up and refused to budge. Thus she called me up at 5:30am to come down to her workplace and rescue her.Eric came and promptly saved the day and replaced the ignition for a very reasonable cost of $ 172.00 later in the morning.

It seems this problem is a pretty standard one for model year 2000-2003 Ford Focuses.My good friend Damon Tucker had a similar experience with his Ford Focus also.

Kona & Back… 4 Hours: Warning to Ford Focus Owners

Mahalo to Pacific Locksmith

To the Assholes at the Ford Dealership on the Other Side

My Wife is On the Road! I Need to File a Claim

I really like Fords alot.However in this case this federal government should’ve forced Ford to do a recall to fix this problem.

1 comment | posted in General, Hawaii Technology

August 29, 2009

Local Racist Attitudes Is Not A Export From The Mainland

By Aaron Stene

This is a bit disconcerting  that  there is reports that Mokulele may cease to operate in 90 days.I’m planning on  flying to Molokai  in October for a vacation with my girlfriend.We were planning on using Mokulele to fly to Molokai.Thus this closure possibility may force us to re-evaluate who we’ll  fly over there.

I can’t believe this decision by the Leeward Planning Commission giving a favorable recommendation for yet another subdivision to be a gated community.  Kona Country Club Inc is proposing to build this project above the Mamalahoa highway bypass and Kona Country Club’s mauka golf course.

Lastly, this person who wrote this letter to the editor saying racism is export from the mainland is not living in reality. This is a utterly false assertion. There is most certainly racism here, like it or not. I’ve faced a lot of  it living here because I’m haole (despite being born and raised in Kona). On top of that,some locals have very racist attitudes.Especially they tell haoles if they don’t like how things are done here they should move back to the mainland. I’ve been told that in the past and it infuriates me to no end.

Leave a comment | posted in Hawaii Development, Hawaii Economy, Hawaii Planning, Hawaii Politics

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