Wednesday Nov 25

Ulupalakua Ranch is donating 12,000 acres for open-space easement to Maui Coastal Land Trust, reserving the right to develop renewable energy projects, and agriculturally appropriate commercial and noncommercial ventures. Sempra Energy already leases there for a wind energy farm

The two donated parcels include 6,000 acres in livestock grazing, farming and farming mauka of Kula Highway up to Polipoli Spring State Park. The second 5,328-acre parcel is the entire 'Auwahi ahupua'a,  from the ocean to the 6,000-foot elevation of Haleakala.  Part of this is where Art Medeiros has created the 'Auwahi Habitat Restoration Project  of the Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership.

Granting development rights to Coastal Land Trust organizations is a win-win for the land-owner and the public.  The land owner gets some property tax relief and the property is permently protected as a wildlife and viewplane area.  Ulapalakua Ranch has a reputation for generosity to the community and dedication to conservation and reforestation.

More EA Sports boosterism with a Matthew Thayer action shot.

Maui tourism dropped another 4% in October 40% fewer cruise ship passengers.  Not mentioni is that few businesses mourn the cruise ship drop-off since the passenger's needs are met by the ship and they are notoriously poor spenders.  Along with that go the increase in crime and drinking by the crew, with several Kahului establishments completely banning crew members due to disturbances.

Sadly, the economic decline is being used to convince people if they will just ignore zoning, the environment, infrastructure, etc and grant permits to any developer, this will bring back jobs.  We saw, with the big rush to get the Makena rezoning pushed through, that is an illusion.  Dowling did nothing with his project and then it went bankrupt - without creating a single construction job.

Meanwhile we have a contractor from Canada hiring illegals instead of our own people and Walgreens building with scab labor so they can pay their mainland-imported workers less than living wages.

At some point we have to go for quality over quantity. The County Council needs to be better at negotiating benefits for the community when they give zoning changes and other special favors.

Cirque Polynesia moved to a new theater at the Hyatt, leaving the main ballroom free for other events like....wait for it....EA Sports!  Managing Partner Doug Harris says he hopes to work out something for Lahaina Halloween to help "bring the right kind of people".

 Since yet another driver on Baldwin Ave lost control and broke through Paia's Doris Todd School fence, they've decided to build a 5' rock wall.  The county will install a flashing light and speed feedback sign.  Doris Todd has asked for more enforcements - so better slow down all you Baldwin Ave speeders.

Patrick Gonsalves who got probation and "treatment" for the last time he was convicted of sex assault  has been convicted and sentenced to 20 years. Judge Bisson said, "You should be an old man when you get out of prison so this doesn't happen again."  We need more judges like Bisson who wasn't conned by Gonsalves self-serving actions in starting "counseling immediately after the sexual assaults were reported."

Judge Bisson commented on Gonsalves previous "treatment" and discharge:

"You obviously fooled them," the judge told Gonsalves. "You were able to fool the clinicians into thinking that you had cured your predatory behavior. We know that all sex offenders who prey on young children are people who are able to gain their confidence, make them keep the secret either through threats or promises or gifts.
"I think what happened after your first offense is you improved your methods."

 Most experts agree that there is no "treatment" that will cure a pedaphile, just as there is no treatment that will cure sociopathy.  Who, I wonder, was the judge who sentenced Gonsalves to a mere 30 days for the last girl he molested?  Whoever it was has the destruction of a young girls' life on his head.

Keoki Cuelho, Noah Mariano, and Dylan Skalko of Lahaina were arrested for a  Napili home-invasion burglary and assault in Napili on the evening of Nov. 13.  Skalko is alleged to have known that the victim had marijuana.  Cuelho  is alleged to have stabbed the resident several times with a broken table leg durning the attack.  The three are charged with burglary and assault and remain in jail.

A Lahaina gallery owner and a cab driver got into an altercation over the taxi parking in a loading zone.  The gallery owner got a head laceration and said he was  punched in the back and hit over the head with an object, possibly a cellular telephone, radio or walkie-talkie.  Police have the license number but are "continuing an investigation to identify the driver in the second-degree assault investigation".  Doesn't seem like that should take more than a couple hours - but this is Maui, after all.

St. John's Episcopal Church in Kula is offering a free turkey meal 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday

Joe Bradley's editorial suggests we give Red Cross disaster preparedness kits as Christmas presents.  I can just see your 6-year old's eyes light up when she gets this gift!  They printed a disclaimer that Mr. Bradley is on the board of the Red Cross.  Why do they not print the disclaimer that he is the chair of the Maui Chamber of Commerce when (as he does so often) he prints one of the Chamber's talking points as an editorial.

Today's letters to the editor are misfiled under the editorial

Joan Pawsat, formerly of Maui and now from Waimanalo, Oahu's letter is reproduced here by permission:

Limits on visitor industry could help economy

Putting limits on the visitor industry is a way to prevent a boom and bust cycle. There should not be an assumption that visitors will be in constant supply. Right now there are record lows and many employees' shifts have been drastically reduced. If a majority works in tourism, the groundwork is laid for a devastating bust cycle and high unemployment at the whim of travelers' interests and disposable income.

There is no silver bullet to maintain the economy except diversified employment opportunities, which thwart overdependence on one industry. For instance, not replacing unsustainable large agriculture with a strong agricultural industry which increases state self-sufficiency would be foolish and unbalanced.

 Charles Hirata rebuts another letter writer's assertion that Japanese-American soldiers served only in Europe

In a GOP talking point, Jake Jacobus says that the government guideline moving the recommended start of regular mamograms 10 years later shows that healthcare reform is going to kill women.  Oh no!  First it was our grandparents and now it's our mothers and sisters!  He postulates that soon the government will limit women's childbearing years...yeah right, by funding abortions?  This GOP talking point is so self-contradictory, it doesn't even make sense.  This letter is worth reading because it is so funny.

Maury King urges Lingle not to cut Ag Inspectors.  His letter is reproduced with permission:

Don't allow agriculture inspector layoffs

Let's have an update on the layoffs of the agriculture inspectors.
I know some of the positions were restored and I'm not hearing talk about the issue, but if experts that know Hawaii and its unique problems are laid off, when we realize the mistake we made, the people that are our current experts will no longer be available.

These are very specialized positions and eliminating them is very shortsighted. I know times are tough and everybody's need for money is important, but this group inspects our food, keeps us safe from pests and also inspects outgoing shipments. The current local agriculture exporters can be crippled if they can't ship perishables quickly. We need to be supportive of local agriculture as we move toward sustainable lifestyles and this is counterproductive to that idea.

For the future of our state, fully funded and supported agriculture inspection of incoming and outgoing products and protection against invasive species is one of the best chances we have of keeping Hawaii a great place to live and visit.
Let's give the message that we value what local producers do and that we appreciate that it keeps money flowing locally. I'm told it would require $3.8 million to keep all the jobs. Maybe it can come from the tourism budget. After all, who will come here if there are biting bugs, not much fresh food and no lei to wear?
Maury King
Kihei

In a letter defending the HC&S water diversions, Kathy Morris asks, "Why is it that water that produces a useful food product such as sugar and provides some groundwater recharge is considered wasteful, yet water that runs to the open ocean is considered beneficial?"

This is called a straw man argument as she leaves out a whole slew of reasons for restoring stream flows - most importantly so that the streams can flow through successive taro fields (lohi) before flowing into the sea.  In the case of West Maui, streams recharge the Iao Aquifer which is being drawn down at almost a foot a year.

Zoe MacAlpine makes the moral argument that condemns those who object to taxes and don't want government healthcare and other social safety nets.  She points to studies in high-tax countries where the population is much happier because they have these social necessities (food, health, shelter, etc.)

Ululani Correa thanks Mark Oreck for all he gave to Maui Memorial Hospital.