Taking an extended hiatus

aloha.

I will not be blogging for awhile.

I am in mourning for my daughter. I thank everyone for their kokua.

I will go back to blogging eventually. My heart is just not in it for now.

aloha.

Fundraiser planned for Donovan’s funeral

Fundraiser planned for Donovan’s funeral

This is my Daughter, SHanarae Kaulananapuaikaikamaolino DOnova, who passed away suddenly and tragically last week. We are desperately trying to raise the funds for her funeral, which has been schedualed for Aloha CHurch in Lihue, on this upcoming Friday from 12-5 . We are having fundraisers and asking the community for help. As you can see from this article, my daughter was an accomplished young woman, only 18 and was about to start a wonderful life.

We are humbly asking for any help you can give. Go to any bank of Hawaii to donate.

Mahalo, Anne, (mom), and her sister, Kanani (Seanne) Donovan RIchards.

Kukui‘ula Not Defferred-A Roundup Of Council Decorum

Council loosens Kukui‘ula project lease conditions

This was the Garden Island Newspapers take on the meeting yesterday. I have a completely take on the last several council meetings, and the last planning commission meeting I attended, and it has nothing to do with the issues that were being discussed. It has to do with the completely embarrassing way that commissioners and legislators have been acting lately. Especially in the Council Chambers.

Yelling, raised voices, essentially calling each other liars, whining, pompous statements, pandering, essentially acting like children, cutting off the general public when they are trying to speak,m shamelessly using public attorneys to help them as individuals to stop another councilmember from speaking, interrupting each other, making faces, walking out of the room, addressing the audience, to cut down another colleague. Its absolutely reprehensible the lack of decorum on this particular council. Yesterday was probably one of the lower points in council decorum history.

The funny thing is none of them see it. But from a general public perspective it looks terrible. I was there yesterday, and literally walked out of the room, be cause I could not stand watching them. It was an utter embarrassment. Other members of the audience were frankly shocked, embarrassed, our outright laughing at their total lack of respect for each other.

When I came back from picking up my daughter at school, guess what, they were still going at it with each other.

I testified yesterday in favor of a 2 week deferral for the Kukuiula bill. But for very different reasons that Joanne did. I feel that Council does everyone a disservice when we do not get complex issues explained in more common man terms so that we can understand the issues better. The Kukuiula situation is highly complex. Of course there is a reason for that. Its actually very simple, if you craft it simply, and state what it is for plainly. But they don't they make It so full of numbers, and other features that it actually seems a lot more complex then it actually is.

This, I have discovered after going to many of these meetings on and off throughout the years when my personal schedule allowed it, is a common maneuvering tactic to actually debase the public knowledge and awareness on issues. It is coupled with the fact that the general public was denied its rights to access from a petrified council who just didn't want to modernize enough to put documents online. That is being deferred to December. But we couldn't postpone Kukuiula 2 weeks so the general public could become aware of what the reasons were for Kukuiula wanting to move now on downgrading the buyback from 90 years to 25.

When Uncle Kaipo brought up the apples and oranges argument, frankly I was a bit disappointed. He compared the New Development in:Kalapaki by the Marriot to Kukuiula. However these units were already build out. they had a 80 year buyback and got theirs reduced. The state has much lower standards. However, Kauai is unique and Kukuiula is unique. And each development must stand on its own and has different criteria. You cannot compare the one with the other.

The issue I had yesterday with Jay Furfaros comments, were that a lot of the general public got to many meetings to fight for those conditions. He made it sound like it was just them that fought for it. Jay also called for a comprehensive housing policy. Well yeah, dud. But will poeple like myself, the meat abd bones of the general public be allowed to participate in that? Not likely. He talked alot about the general plan update. With my coalition being extremely active the last three years, think I will be invited to site at that table? not likely. In fact, they just don't give credit to any of the hard work and testimony that the general public fights for on any issue. In the end they also make it sound like it was all their idea. Sad, isn't it?

Some say I am arrogant, self serving and pretty pompous myself. Nope. I am just like the rest of the general public., We want some credit for having some good ideas. But wait....yesterday some miracles did occur.

Miraculously they did give me some credit for stuff. But it was a small gallery yesterday and they didn't have much to choose from. They needed to praise someone, and an ally somewhere. hence I got some praise on camera. It made me wonder why, since all the other times I have testified, when there were cooler people in the room I never got any. Oh well, guess I shouldn't whine about that, huh? Just be grateful,. take my pat on the head and you know the rest of it. It was a viscous hostile room yesterday, and made everyone in the audience uncomfortable. The planning commission wasn't much better. three against three, and there was some hot contention. But they act way better then the council does. They definitely have a lot more decorum. But not much.

Yesterday, when the issue of Bynums bill came up, it was blaringly apparent they needed to tweak their rules. So, I asked Peter to ask Uncle Kaipo if I could speak. TO his credit he let me. I felt like I was addressing a bunch of rowdy schoolchildren, and I very politely told them that they looked pretty bad when they acted like that., That they have to make equitable rules for doing legislation. If one document needs scrutiny before getting on the agenda, they all do. Not the ones you just don't like. I suggested that all documents should be scrutinized like the state draft bills are. I realized that if this were done, the County Attornies would have already given their approval, and then if they kept getting up and dissented, that would be on their side for not doing their job. Hence we cut the whole "County Opinion" need to essentially zero, since they already would have given it on each bill. I then told them that they need to understand that Tim was just trying to keep the ag package together and moving at the same time. There were three bills for Ag that did not move forewords with the others. Then Uncle said, ok, well I am calling a recess so that they can be read individually if any councilmembers have a problem with what you think is the illegality you can just vote no to put it on the agenda. Darryl was dead set against it and voted no. the rest, voted yes so the three bills went on the agenda. It is anyones guess if they will move through before the next council.

Another point I brought up is if the county attorney doesn't give his opinion in a certain amount of time, a bill automatically moves to the agenda. which is fair, since Tim asked a year ago for it to be scrutinized. Another thing is that at the state level, both staff and the attorneys approve and ok bills, before the Representative or Senator takes it to the floor. It seemed to rub both Tim and Lani the wrong way. You could see the mistrust of both in their opinions. I think Tim was feeling pretty beat up by the council yesterday. And that brings me to my biggest issue with running for council.

If you don't have a spine of steel, don't run. That means, be like Derek. Now Derek, through this whole thing yesterday was calm, cool and collected. But you could hear it in his voice. He was speaking slowly, clearly and politely. That was to keep himself in check. I am sure he was steaming on the inside but he kept his decorum. And I entirely applaud him for that. Dickie as well, did not engage in the hatefest that was going on there yesterday. However, having a spine of steel does not mean straight up, arguing with each other, loudly and rudely to prove how "tuff" you are, and how you can "hold your own" on the council. All that does, is show how easily ruffled you are, and you can't control your emotions. That does not make you come off as a candidate that can "hold your own" and has a "spine of steell". That just makes you looki ridiculous.

As I told Jay yesterday. "You know I miss the days when we the audience members were the rabblerousers, and you people were all calm, and professional and just let us rant. Now, its us that are calm, and you are the ranters." He got a good chuckle out of that, and agreed with me that the council had acted in an undecorous manner. Then, in his closing statements, he thanked the council, for "working together and acting in a decorous manner", Welcome to Kauai politics. Its do as I say, not as I do.

Dismantling the Mufi Hype

Breaking up the hype about Mufi. In this amazing video, Mufi claims his pride in his grandfather, who ceded two islands in Samoa to the US. So, how can Mufi Hanneman be in support of anything for Native Hawaiian Sovereignty? He can't. Because his values are to cede and deed lands to the US. That is his families heritage.

I will grant that Mufi has amazing accomplishments in his life, and I applaud him for that. However, after attending Harvard and being a Fulbright scholar, you would of thought that the man would have been more sensitive to the needs of the poor and homeless. Yet his policies have been cruel and heartless towards the homeless in his area.

You would have thought also, having attended Harvard and been a Fulbright Scholar that Mufi would have been more about the equal rights of others, such as gays. But Mufi has actively campaigned against gay rights.

Mufi is a Mormon. This religion cannot legislate fairly because of its many prejudices and personal philosophies. I know.; I am an ex-Mormon. I know what the Mormon church stands for. And it isn't equality and Justice for all.  The Mormon Church is an ultra conservative right leaning institution that only in recent history has allowed people of color to be full members of their church. That is a fact that cannot be denied. The Mormon Church has heavy influences in Samoa and Tonga, and fully most of the islands there are Mormons.

Hypocrisies about in his statements. He says that the people of Oahu gave a mandate in favor of the rail. However we know that there is large opposition to it in Honolulu and is as contentious as our own bike path has been.

In Kalihi where there has been a crack down against housing residents and curfews against other ethnicity's other then Samoans, (such as Tongans, the hereditary enemies of the Samoans, and others such as Micronesians) one can see where one sided tribal loyalties may significantly affect his ability to rule on matters regarding other Polynesian people such as Tongans, Cook Islanders and Micronesians. He has a new CD out in many languages including Hawaiian (Olelo). However, it is the University of Hawaii dialect. Something that many elderly speakers, and no Niihauans can understand well or at all.  Which shows no sensitivity to the outer Islands, especially Niihauans, who being very conservative Christians would probably like him./ If they could understand what the CD said. But his concern is not for the poeple of Niihau understanding him, obviously.

As far as Native Hawaiian rights go, Mufi has clearly stated that he is from a heritage that supported annexxation to the US. So how can Native Hawaiian rights get a fair deal under Mufi?  Since he is proud of the fact that his family ceded and happily the lands under their stewardship to the US, rather then continuing the heritage of the chiefly class. In Tonga, and in Samoa, many chiefs did not sign away the lands. That is why we have American Samoa, and Samoa, and Tonga separated. They still have their chiefly class.

Mufi claims to be  Democrat. Yet on many issues, He has sided more with Republicans then with Democrats, and has caused much division within the Democratic party because of it. His policies are not progressive, and he has proven that he legislated and makes decisions on issues based on his political and religiousbeliefs and does not accept the separation of church and state. This is  blaringly evident in his very vocal and public opposition to Bill 444. He is a vocal opponent of gay rights, and supports his religious belief's over the freedoms of others. On the environment Mufi has only done lip service to this, and was in favor of the SUperferry not doing an EIS before coming to the outer islands. This flew in the face of logic, and eventually the law. Thus the failure of the  Superferry of which he was a strong supporter. He had the audacity to make sttements here on Kauai that he would bring the Superferry back. It did not get a kind response from the audience. Which just goes to show how completely far removed he is from the feeling and sensitivities of the outer islands.

He has designed a railway system that has caused deep division among the people of Oahu. Will he want one here on Kauai" That is their biggest problem I have with Mufi. His Oahu ego centrism. Mufi, in this video says nothing about the outer islands. Not one single word. And I believe that is how he would Govern as well. From Oahu, for Oahu, by Oahu, all for Oahu. This is the single biggest issue facing outer island people today. The fact that we do not want to be ruled by Oahu any More, and are frankly sick of Oahu treating our islands like their back yards, and like second class citizens. I see nothing in Mufis record, or this video that changes my mind. Because he doesn't even talk about the other islands. Only Oahu.

Democratic leaders in name only who push a conservative Republican agenda. So, what really happens, is that Mufie and Dukie are both the same.
He stated, is that he is the first "native born" Mayor in 40 years.  That may be true, but he wouldcertainlynot be the first Native Born Governor. So that is a glass ceiling that has already been broken. I want a native born Governor that  isn't a coconut sell out. That's what I want.

What is really surprising, shocking and saddening to me, is that here we have two native sons, handsome Polynesian men with amazing educations and all of the opportunities in the world to really show how much about equality, equity, fairness and Love of land, love of people they can be. Yet, these two have chosen to both go to the conservative agendas. And the last candidate standing, although a bit shorter is a Caucasian gentlemen who has shown more understanding of what really matters to most local people then these two has. That truly makes me upset. It seems as if being a front for Conservative Christian White Jihad Domestic Terrorists in Hawaii has been the way of local politicians too long. To the point where it has become an embarrassment and a travesty.t

The election of Neil AMbercrombie would send a strong message to local politicians. The days of having to be conservative, and pander to white special interests so that they can put a local face on their prejudiced and racist agendas is no more. Those days are over. You can now really do, speak, say and be the way you really want to be. And Neil AMbercrombie not being and egocentristic person bent only on the interests of Oahu and being in favor of equal rights for all, and far more sensitive to native Hawaiian rights then Mufie or Duckie is, in my book a huge wake up call for both of them. This must transcend race, religion and familial alliances. This must be a logical decision that will not dishearten the people any more. The people can't take anymore. We need a champion that will fight for US.

And that for me is certainly not the conservative, gay bashing ego centristic all for Oahu Mayor of Honolulu.

Kuku'iula 90 year reduction -Paanau low income hostage

Kukui‘ula project redux(garden Island Newspaper)

Other potential "hostage" projects
more here:More potential "hostage" projects


My Take is here:

Well, the council gave Kuku'iula project the green light to go from a 90 year by back to a 25 year by back. Although the reasons are masterfully convoluted and brilliantly confusing as they are meant to be, and the average human cannot even begin to comprehend the rollercoaster ride of rates and incomes, and means and the market, even the council I suspect, the original bargainer is not buying it.

Joanne Yukimura, slightly a bit tarnished in my eyes due to the whole TVR issue, has gotten herself back into my good graces. We have had many discussions about housing, and she is a member of my Kaua'i Fair Housing Law Coalition. It was Joann who helped to set conditions for Kukuiula in the first place. What she has always tried to make me understand, is that we really do need all types of housing on the island at all income brackets. I will say that Joann has helped me to understand the intricacies of how that all works and makes things better for everyone.

When you are on the very bottom of the economic scale like I am, it is hard sometimes to comprehend these concepts. But Joann at least was able to shed some light on this issue for me.

That is why when I testified on this issue as late, many times representing the Coalition I have been hesitant to say no to it. Why, do you ask?

For a very simple reason. Paanau Village expansion project lies in Kukuiulas hands. If I want the low income housing finished for Kauai's neediest residents, then I can't go around jumping down their throats for anything. If I want the people to get a better living wage and nicer looking housing, I can't rock the boat. Even when the boat is questionable and has leaks in it.

Now, is this right or ethical? Have I sold out? Nope. This is politics. Plain and simple. This isn't about housing. However, for me, some players involved in Kukuiula are Friends. Would they lie to me? Well, that's up for debate. Do I have to see a conspiracy theory in everything? Contrary to popular belief, no. DO I completely understand this whole buy back option exception? Nope. But I do understand that if they are going to complete Paanau expansion, they need, in their minds to get a break somewhere in the original conditions and this is the break they want, otherwise funding for Paanau may not happen.

So what do I do? I trust Kukuiula? Not exactly. I watch, wait, see what happens. They have told me that they are ready to start hiring people. Good. I will wait, watch and see what happens. DO any of us really know how this whole buy back thing will play out? Nope, not even Kukuiula, I suspect. Do I completely understand the need to provide housing for well paid managers? Yes, and I will tell you why.

It just goes to prove that we have a housing crisis here, where even middle management needs affordable housing. that says a lot to me. Do I agree with Joann's opinions on this? One hundred percent. DO I agree with Kukuiula? I have too. They hold the keys to the doors of Paanau. Does that put me between a rock and a hardplace? Absolutely. I have already stated my opinions that I want the housing to stay in the hands of the people that need it most. That I do not like the 90 year exemption down to 25 years. However do I have a choice, and put Paanau Low Income housing in jeopardy? No choice there.

But what I am hoping for is that every one will watch this situation carefully, and a  new council can go ahead and redux this again, and try to get back some of the ground that was lost on this issue. But that would require a mandate of the people to get into the voting booth and vote in some new blood that could tackle the double speak and confusing jargon, get it into simple speak for the rest of us, and make sure that developers cannot hold housing for housing hostages again.

Princeville Ag Gated Home in 25 Acre Tree Farm

So, according to the video, the emphasis was on the "Ocean View", and also, there was absolutely nothing said about the supposed agricultural nature of the "tree Farm", which was pretty much planted all around the house, and served more as a privacy blocker, since the forest was very close to one of the windows. Will be very interesting when the supposed tree s are harvested, in oh about 10 to 15 years.

Another thing that gave me red flags, was the price, a million and a half bucks and also, the comment from the realtor which reads:



@lehuastouch Aloha - yes it is a unique opportunity!  Listed this week at $1,050,000 - it looks like they'll be receiving an offer soon. If it's of interest, time to write an offer and include time to visit and inspect! Not sure the exact kind of trees - believe they are hardwood. I took a video of the drive into the home, and can email it to you. "Princeville Ag" is a country estate subdivision with a homeowners assocation and building guidelines. Please call or email for more info. Mahalo!
Susie4Kauai 1 week ago

SO, did this give you red flags yet? This is exactly the type of thing we wish to stop here on Kaua'i If you agree with me, then please, help to vote in people that will stop this sort of blatant abuse of our ag lands. Planting a "tree farm" is a misnomer, when your trees are 10 to 15 feet away from a million dollar house. The harvesting operation for trees such as this, and also you can also see that the trees are planted more as a bush line or windbreak. As a former tree farmer on a 50 thousand acre plantation and irrigater, I can tell you that for these trees to be harvestable, in about 10-15 years, you would have to cull about 9 out of 10 sapling trees on this property, or the trees would not be able to grow properly, and they would be sucking up exceptional amounts of soil and water from the soil layer, thus denegrating the soil badly.

Further, if you take this to its more logical conclusion, I defy the millionaire that lives here to be happy when workers start cutting down the trees 10 to 15 feet from the window.

Rest assured, the clearing will begin soon with a new prospective owner. The reason? Subtle little hints throughout the video, hint at clearing out some of the trees to get a better look at that ocean, of which you can only get a peek, and the forest (Not the trees for farming, it is called a forest), is kinda in the way.

This land will get the right to clear the land of a majority of its trees, because in order to be harvestable, it will have to be.  Clever, huh? I also love how this is booked to a prospective owner. Not as a farm, with a working operation but as a " country estate subdivision with a homeowners assocation and building guidelines".

Uh huh. 

Kaua'iCounty manager proposal killed-question will not be on the ballot this election cycle

County manager proposal killed

It is a no brainer that the proponent of this ideology and bill will bring it back up to this commission until it gets on the ballot. The question for me is, everytime some group doesn't like the Mayor, or can't get their way all the time, this issue will continue to resurface. Do I think that if there was a County Manager instead of a Mayor things would change? Not likely. The Mayoral staff is actually the defacto manager now. In the current case, that would be Gary Heu.

One of the problems that I have with this, is much like our Police Chief situation, the need to hire a good head hunter, ect, and look for someone outside of our community seems to be the underlying sentiment and impetus for this bill. I however, would rather see local talent to fill the slot. Many newcomers to our island, do not yet understand that this is not the mainland, and that Kauai is very unique among our island chain. Those who argue that this island is rife with corruption, and a "local " mentality, or a "plantation mentality".

Well, if you aren't local, or have never been here when the plantations were thriving you cannot understand the meaning of those words. When people move here the first thing they want to do is change things. They think they have all the answers and they can do things better. People talk about corruption and the ineptness of our county government. Well of course.

When I see these sentiments, I just cannot help but feel that it absolutely smacks of a kind of antagonistic attitude towards local people, being essentially inept to run their own affairs, and we must need someone with "an education and experience" to run our affairs. That pompous attitude is very thinly disguised racism. I believe that we have enough intelligent and talented individuals right here3, homegrown on the Garden Island. I do not see the need to go outside to manage our system.

If people do not like the way things are being done, then make your voice heard in the voting booth, or attend meetings, make phone calls, or email testimony and write letters. Start a blog. DO something about it. But I truly see this issue as a "newcomer, locals can't govern themselves" issue. Frank,ly I find the arguments put forth as rather offensive. Now to the mainland mentality, that is those that think we fuss about nothing, and then don't fuss enough about other things they fail to understand the uniqueness of Kaua'i. It is for that exact reason that I do not feel that at this time we need a County Manager form of Government.

Outing Myself- Pumpkin Crunch and the Kauai Beer Summit:The Backstory

Yes, it is time to out myself. Wherever you see the words pumpkin crunch lately, there I am, or there I have been. Why? What is the reason for this?

Well, for one thing, pumpkin crunch as made by the one and only Suzy Tasaka of Hanalei is really the only Pumpkin Crunch I would jump of a cliff on fire for.

So what really is this whole "pumpkin crunch" thing all about?  And what in the world does it have to do with the now famous Kaua'i Beer Summit?

Well lemme tell ya........

It really all started with the Kauai Beer Summit, and not pumpkin crunch. The insinuation was that Dickie Chang, a truly sweet soul, who is really very genuine and a total innocent babe in the woods as far as the council goes was visited by three of the county attorneys who brought beer to his house and they all sat down to talk about the TVR bill. Now, at first flush I was pretty mad about that, and fired off a lot of crazy postings on my patient friend Joan's blog, who puts up with my visiting craziness on her blog whioch I think is very sweet of her.

Now it seems that we all seem to coagulate, er I mean cohabitate er, um..I mean descend upon Joans blog for some reason. So all of the good action always happens over there. Anyways, after thinking about the beer summit the night before the meeting I got this crazy idea of saying at the mike "I would only change my vote for pumpkin crunch."  So of course I said it. I am a little nuts, as everyone knows. There was a smattering of nervous laughter in the room after that.

But during the breaks, in the parking lot ect, the county attorneys and me kept joking back and forth. They would say.."Hey I will bring some pumkin crunch!", and I would answer "You better make it a big pan of it!". SO, it sort of became this joke about how I would sell my soul and change my mind for pumpkin crunch.

So, the whole "pumpkin crunch" thing, is really saying: I will only sell my soul for pumpkin crunch. Beer won't work with me. I need food to feed this big belly of mine to change my mind." Hilarious but true. However, I forgot to tell them that it has to be made by hand, by Suzy Tasaka for it to work. See I left that part out.

So what am I really saying? You can't buy me off with anything. Including pumpkin crunch.  I don't change my mind that easily.

So, as the days have worn on after the whole TVR controversy, I keep using the whole pumpkin crunch analogy in my posts, signing off with things like, "gotta go, my pumkin crunch is ready", "gotta go, I gotta wash the pumpkin crunch pan", or to my many detractors and critics,l "hands you a slice of pumpkin crunch with a smile."

It has sort of gotten a bit viral on Joan's blog. So I thought I would explain the inside joke here on my blog. Maybe it might make its way over to Joan's blog. Who knows. So that's the inside joke. I can't be bought for beer, or even pumpkin crunch.....unless Suzy Tasaka brings it to my house with a 6 pack. That's a triple threat. Might work. But probably not.

As for the Kaua'i Beer Summit, Dickie did change his vote from a "no" vote to a "yes" vote. But he did have serious reservations about doing so. I think he might be with my idea now, and ask for pumpkin crunch next time instead of beer.

And a side note for all of you who are still wondering if it is worth being an activist on Kaua'i, I will share with you the video that keeps me pumped up for the fight!

Christina Aquilera's "Fighter."

Also, don't forget to sign the petition to take to the Mayors office, to ask him to VETO the TVR bill.

Gotta go. My pumpkin crunch looks so lonely all by itself in the fridge. I am gonna go keep it company.