The Conversation

It’s Monday, July 1st From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

Mental health stress for patients, docs and hospitals.

Peter Sybinsky is President and CEO of Hawaii Health Information Corporation. His healthcare career spans three decades and he was once the Director of Hawaii's Department of Health. Statistics regarding HHIC.

Changing children - one horse at a time.

It’s Friday, June 28 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

Can’t afford to save energy? Look at these GEMS.

Traci Ho Kim is the Branch Chief of the Innovation, Planning & Policy Branch of the State Energy Office. It's part of the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.  She's also the board of WiRE (Women in Renewable Energy) and is a 2012 Pacific Century Fellow.  More about the GEMS program.

It’s Thursday, June 27 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

The defense of marriage act...act 2?

Jacce Mikulanec serves on Equality Hawaii’s board, is the co-chair of the organization’s Action Fund and is the Policy and Community Partnerships Director of Good Beginnings Alliance.

If you gotta believe in something-- Why not love?

Doug Fitch plays guitar, ukulele, and bass, and sings his original tunes on the CD “Believe in Love.”

It’s Wednesday, June 26 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Army Corp Killing Hanalei Reefs

Terry Lilley is a biologist, diver and videographer. Researchers from the UH, the US Geological Survey and  NOAA are working to find ways to curtail the growth of the disease. View Terry Lilley's website.

“Cat On a Hot Tin Roof"

It’s Tuesday, June 25 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

Off the rails or on track to better stations...you decide...

It’s Monday, June 24 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

Counting kids climbing into poverty

Ivette Stern is a Junior Specialist with the University of Hawaii – Center on the Family and the director of the Hawai‘i KIDS COUNT project. Her work focuses on assessing and evaluating the conditions of children and families in Hawai‘i to create or adjust public policy and programs.  The link to the 2013 Data book.

It’s the longest day of the year, the summer solstice Friday, June 21 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

The homeless teacher is nameless no more

Michael Wooten, AKA David Gardner , is a former sergeant in the U.S. Army and a University of California Berkeley graduate. He came to Hawaii with Teach For America in 2008 and earned his master's degree in education from the University of Hawaii. He still teaches English and film at James Campbell High School in Ewa Beach under his real name.

It’s Thursday, June 20 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

NSA never “Metadata” it didn’t like-- ACLU Hawaii wonders why...

It’s Wednesday, June 19 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Hey Fourth Amendment, can they do this? Search me

Ken Lawson teaches criminal justice and procedure at the Richardson law school. He has practiced civil rights and criminal defense law for 18 years. Many of his cases challenged the Government on 4th amendment claims of right to privacy, wiretapping, and illegal searches and seizures.

Endangered Language? We really need to talk

It’s Tuesday, June 18 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

The best advice for seniors:“Don’t get sick and keep working?”

Gerry Silva is the volunteer state president of AARP Hawaii. He's a retired Army colonel and was Chief-of-Staff of the Hawaii Army National Guard; he was also the COO of Olelo Community Television and Deputy Director of the Customer Services Department for the City and County of Honolulu.

Joe Moore and Anna Pearce? Heaven Allow!

It’s Monday, June 17th – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

NSA: National Snooping Association?

Dr Carlos Juarez is Chair of the Department of Social Sciences at Hawaii Pacific University. In 1998, he helped to establish the Masters degree in Diplomacy and Military Studies.  He teaches courses on comparative politics of developing nations, global governance, and peace and conflict studies, and many of his HPU students work in the intelligence community.

It’s Friday, June 14 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

Science against GMO

Travis Rice is  a dad of a 2 1/2 year old, a doctor's  husband and a social scientist focusing on quantitative and qualitative primary research methods and analysis, database design and implementation with non-profit organizations and collaboratives.

It’s Thursday, June 13 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

A visit to Maui's Don't Visit Us Bureau

Teya Penniman is a Maui based lawyer-manager-biologist-writer....protecting the island from invasive species is her ongoing project.

Why the popularity of the Pa`u Rider will never be pau

Sue Lincoln is the past pa’u committee chair for the annual Na Kamehameha Pa’u Parade and Ho’olaule’a, which will be held in Lahaina, Maui, on Saturday from 9 to 5.

It’s Wednesday, June 12 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Preventing a different KIND of Olowalu Massacre...

Cynthia Matzke is a Maui- based marine biologist, Scripps masters candidate and Director of Trilogy’s Blue ‘Aina Campaign. She has advocated for ocean wildlife for 20 years. The fight and documentary to keep Olowalu undeveloped and home only to wildlife is her ongoing project.

It’s Tuesday, June 11 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

 Where the sun comes up like new journalistic thunder

Mr. Zayar Hlaing [Ziyah Hleng] is an editor at Maw Kun magazine, which he and some of his colleagues founded in 2012 as the media began to open up. Maw Kun (The Chronicle) is a monthly news magazine that focuses mainly on in-depth, investigative stories.

Truth in art is beauty, and beauty is the layered look

It’s Monday, June 10th – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Convincing troubled teens that life IS worth living in Paradise.

Bridget Arume is the youth mentor for the Kauai Leaders Against Suicide. She's also a trainer for parenting and domestic violence programs.

Hundreds of Hawaiian Monarchs not named Kamehameha

It’s Friday, June seventh – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation.

Hepatitis A

Sarah Park is the Hawaii State Epidemiologist and Chief of the Disease Outbreak Control Division. She directs all activities  emerging infections, disease surveillance, investigations, immunizations, and public health preparedness.

Financial CPR to kickstart a film breath

It’s Thursday, June 6th – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

When Tuesday is the end of the week.

Mindy Pennybacker was the editor of Honolulu Weekly until this past Monday. She’s a contributor to the Huffington Post and The Nation and former editor at The Green Guide, This Old House, Plenty, and Glamour magazines.

It's R Day for D-Day

It’s Wednesday, June Fifth – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Natatorium or moratorium-- Against 'em or foritorium?

Jim Bickerton has been practicing law in Hawaii for more than 25 years and is a founding partner of the firm.WHAT FIRM  He has been continuously listed as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" and "Hawaii's A+ Attorneys" since 1993.

A celebration of the Lonely One

Cicely is the coordinator of Tuesday’s Kamehameha Day celebration in North Kohala.  

FCC on Hee and Hee

It’s Tuesday, June 4th – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Jonesin’ to get in on the Act

John Carroll is an attorney, a former Hawaii state legislator, and GOP party leader. For half his life the Jones Act has rankled him and for what’s left of it, he says he’ll continue his crusade to repeal it.

How the puppeteer playwright pulls the audience strings

Harry Wong is the artistic director of Kumu Kahua, which is offering a free playwriting workshop all day Saturday at its Merchant Street Theater.

It’s Monday, June 3rd – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

A 13 cent solution for a blowin' in the wind study

Robin Kaye is the spokesperson for Friends of Lāna‛i. The organization is the voice of  many Lanaians who strongly oppose the development of an industrial wind power plant that would send all its power to O’ahu--possibly destroying  cultural lands in the process. Robin Kaye's Op-Ed Piece.

It’s a Friday aloha to May – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Making the Wright decision in housing redevelopment

Drew Astolfi is a faith based community organizer with Faith Action for Community Equity. His focus continues to be affordable housing; He organized the Kukui Gardens group, is helping to complete  the sale of the city owned buildings. and is working with  Mayor Wright residents on their  preferred plan for the project’s redevelopment.

It’s Thursday, May 30 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Patient presents with classic, contagious invoice-itis

George Greene is President and CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii and represents the continuum of care in our state, from providers to hospitals. He is the former Region 9 Director of the American Hospital Association in advocacy and membership relations with hospital executives in Hawaii, California, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and Nevada.

Visualize world...music

It’s Wednesday, May 29 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

So whose Kaka’ako is it, anyway?

Carl Bonham is the executive director and co-founder of the UH Economic Research Organization and is Professor of Economics. He’s also a member of the State of Hawaii Council on Revenues.

A painter’s path to a parallel universe

It’s Tuesday, May 28 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Just how bad is Urban decay in the tropics?      

James Spencer is a  UH  Associate Professor of Urban & Regional Planning with a joint appointment in Political Science. He’s also an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East West Center. His current research focuses on urbanization in Southeast Asia and the Global South, especially in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Ethiopia and other parts of Asia and Africa.

It’s Friday, May 24 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

A .03 dunk if you drive drunk

Senator and doctor Josh Green is the Chairman of the Health Committee . He also served in the state House from 2004 to 2008. He came to Hawaii with the National Health Corps to practice in underserved areas. In 2009 he was named Hawaii Physician of the Year. The National Transportation Safety Board wants Hawaii to lower its legal blood alcohol content to .05 and Senator Green says he will introduce legislation to do that next session.

It’s Thursday, May 23 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

How ya gonna keep them down on the farm? Produce produce

Tom McDonald is the director of social ventures at Kahumana Community in Waianae. The farm offers transitional housing for 120 homeless families  and a day program for people with disabilities. It employs and provides job training for the folks in those programs. partial funding comes from its sales, cafe retreat facilities and festivals. The latest happens this Saturday.

It’s Wednesday, May 22 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Keeping up the fight to keep Ho'opili out

Robert Harris is the Director of the Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter. He grew up in Kailua, attended UH from undergraduate days through law school. He serves on several boards and commissions, including the Hawaii State Bar Association and says if necessary, his organization will take the Ho'opili Koa Ridge case all the way to the Hawaii Supreme Court.

It’s Tuesday, May 21 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

A better channel for stormwater discharge

Art Challacombe is the Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Permitting for the City and County of Honolulu. It's his job to make sure developers adhere to the City’s Land Use Ordinance, construction, development, engineering, and architectural fields.

Beauty is in the ear of the be-hearer

It’s Monday, May 20 – From HPR2, it’s The Conversation

Sustaining the sustenance of sustainability

Buffy Cushman-Patz is the leader of the School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability AKA SEEQS. In 2010, she was awarded the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. She has taught math and science in public, charter, and independent schools in Hawai'i.