Saturday Nov 21

Hanzawa's Store owners applied for 800-foot expansion and additional three small commercial buildings which require rezoning and state land-use district boundary amendment. Because opponents petitioned against the project, it will require 7 out of 9 votes to pass the zoning change at Monday's County Council meeting.

Long-time neighbor and leader of the opposition, Leina Shirota-Purdy,  fears it will change the rural character of Kaupakalua/Haiku area, increase traffic and open the door for A&B to develop their nearby 250 acres.

Owner Matt Daniels says that only one family is organizing the opposition to rezoning. Not mentioned in the article which devotes a significant portion to the anti-zone change family's statements is that most neighbors favor the zoning change as it will make their lives easier.  Few Haiku and Paia residents want to travel to Kahului to shop as traffic is exasperating.  Paia, although it has Mana Foods, generally has no available parking.

Kudos to Ilima Loomis for an informative article that delved deeper into the issues than most.

---

Cecilio & Kapono will be at the MAC tonight 7:30pm.  Tickets are still available.

---

Accused Maui spy, Noshir Gowadia, was alleged to have narcissitic personality disorder but competent to stand trial.  He is alleged to have designed stealth technology for China, offered to sell the technology to other countries, and is accused of money laundering and falsifying tax returns.

---

Kodah Kalawe-English, 21, and Kevin Lifoifoi, 26, are standing trial for a Nov. 6 Haycraft Park beating of Jerome Metcalfe which caused  broken ribs and a broken right finger. They face charges of robbery and assault. Judge Simone C. Polak reduced bail to $20,000 each.

---

Photo of Pohakuloa Kahue, 14, of Paukukalo at the Keopuolani Skate Park

---

Dean Rickard, a 22-year Maui Police Department veteran, has been promoted to captain of the Molokai Patrol District starting Dec. 1.

---

Maui Community Work Day Program is looking for beach cleanuup volunteers.  call 877-2524 or e-mail info@cdwhawaii.org.  (incorrectly listed as infor in the news)

---

Good Shepherd Episcopal Church  rummage sale today 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2140 Main St. to benefit  Kau Kau Kitchen

---

Today's editorial says, "That a health care union would dare to ask for such an increase [10%]  in this economy is outrageous."  Talk about being out of touch.  We regularly lose our techs (ultrasound and radiation), nurses and physicians to the mainland where cost of living is less, salaries are higher and hours are less oppressive.  Then we have to pay a huge premium to get Traveling Nurses to take their places.

Paying our health care workers salaries commesurate with the mainland would go a long way to reducing costs by eliminating these expensive temporary workers, mandatory overtime and training that is wasted on people who leave after months.

In a completelly illogical mish-mash of GOP talking points the editorial goes on to say, "Normally, we are strong believers in free-market principles. But, it is simply not working in health care" and then "Health care reform should be stopped in its tracks unless it contains real oversight of the spiraling inflation in the industry."

The editorial completely mixes up payments to insurance companies with salaries of health care workers.  No one (except the Maui News) has accused health care workers of driving up the cost of medicine.  It is the healthcare insurance corporations who rake off in excess of 30% of every healthcare dollar into executive bonuses, lobbying and obscene profits that cause the problem.

Why did the Maui News go after the healthcare employees?  Is it just knee-jerk anti-worker GOP talking points?

---

Today's Letters to the Editor.

The Viewpoint by "4 Ag Hawaii" exhorts us to buy local, pointing out that if we replaced just 10% of our food exports with locally grown, it would mean $94 million for local farmers, generate $188 million in local sales, create $47 million in earnings, $6 million in state taxes, and 2,300 jobs.

What the Viewpoint did not say (possibly due to space limitations) is that vibrant local food production adds to our security, gives us better quality and reduces our impact on global warming. Look for Maui and Hawaii grown lettuce, tomatoes, fruits, nuts and herbs at your grocery store. If they don't carry these items, ask if they'll carry them. Even if the price is slightly higher, you're supporting the local economy and helping establish a strong local food base.

Hans Riecke wants the new parking structure in Wailuku to be put underground and the ground level to be a new town center. Sounds like a good idea but how much will it cost?

Marion Francois points out that Belgium, Japan, Germany, Taiwan, Switzerland have cradle to grave health care coverage for all their citizens at a much lower cost than we pay here.

Too bad the Healthcare Insurance Corporations have a stranglehold on our Senators and Representatives, Marion, or we could have the same thing instead of paying an extra 30% surcharge to these leach-like corporations who provide nothing except roadblocks to getting treated.

Sally Raisbeck suggests we read Levi Johnson's Vanity Fair article about Sarah Palin.

Thursday Nov. 19

Lead story: Hawaii Canines for Independence is training dogs to respond to Japanese commands. Dogs will go to Shizuoka Children's Hospital in Japan.  The Tyler Foundation is helping fund the training.

---

At a meeting of the Kihei Community Association, Senator Roz Baker said the state Legislature is likely to return for a special session to address the issue of school furloughs in early December.

Budget cuts so severe that they leave holes in the public safety net (schools, mental health services, agricultural inspectors) "result in an unhealthy community," according to Sen. Baker.

Yvonne Biegel, Gene Zarro and Marc Hodges advocated for local control of schools. Mary Cochran, of the School Board is opposed to local control. Not mentioned are Mary Cochran's hints that she may run for County Council in the West Maui District.

Predictably Marc Hodges of the Maui TEA Party said they should, "cut waste". What waste? Easy to say but these guys haven't come up with details of what they consider waste and how much they can cut. That is the problem with so-called Teabaggers - they criticize but they aren't willing to do the labor of examining the budgets and coming up with a workable plan. Not to say that we aren't spending too much on administration and too little on teaching, but just mindlessly repeating "cut waste" and "get the government out of our lives" is not helpful.

---

Looks like Hanzawa's plan to build a second building containing 3 stores on Kaupakalua Road in Haiku may be scrapped for a compromise plan to double the size of the existing store.  The plan has split the community and apparently there were some fireworks with Attorney Isaac Hall siding with those opposed to the Land Use change.

---

KP2, the monk seal who played at Kaunakakai Harbor on Moloka‘i is being sent to California for cataract surgery. The friendly seal bit people and held them under water (apparently playfulness in the seal world) and was named Ho‘ailona (Hawaiian for a meaningful sign). His removal by NOAA upset people. It appears that Ho‘ailona will not be released back into the wild. Walter Ritte did the blessing to speed Ho‘ailona on his way.

---

They're trying to catch up on Kihei's trash pick up which got behind due to staff shortages and mechanical problems.

---

Today's editorial was a defensive reaction to a letter-writer's accusation that the Maui News "flip-flopped" on the General Plan and its affect on Tourism.  Apparently the editor didn't really read Stan Franco's thoughtful letter on Tuesday or they wouldn't have ended the editorial with the implication that the new General Plan is tougher on tourism than the old. 

But then again, its hard to be objective when your publisher is chair of the Chamber of Commerce whose position is that any restriction (like zoning and smart planning) on the ability of developers to come over here from the mainland and extract money from Maui regardless of its effect on our quality of life has to be fought.

---

In Letters to the Editor:

Fred Losano objects to U.H funding to study obesity

It's a little hard to tell, but it appears that Walter Chihara wants more MIL football games to be played here on Maui.

Sky Schual thanks the people who stopped to help after a hit and run truck hit her car on Haiku Road.

---

News that didn't make the paper:

The film "Pidgin: The Voice of Hawai'i" will be broadcast this evening, Thursday, November 19th at 8:30 pm on PBS/HI and repeated later tonight at 11 pm.  "Pidgin..." won the Audience Award for documentary at the Hawai'i International Film Festival

It will be preceded at 7:30 pm by "Insights" hosted by Dan Boylan and featuring a panel discussion about Pidgin with guests the former governor Ben Cayetano, Mari Matsuda (Professor of Law, William S. Richardson School of Law specializing in critical race theory, civil rights law-accent discrimination), Laiana Wong (Assistant Professor, Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language), and  Kent Sakoda...this is a live program and the audience may call in with questions and comments.

Wednesday

Lead article is full of tears for the naupaka hedges beachside of Kihei's Mana Kai Resort and Hale Hui Kai Condominium.  One is left with the lingering impression that DLNR are the bad guys here.

On the contrary, naupaka hedges have long been used by the wealthy owners of ocean-front mansions and resorts to illegally extend their properties and block the riff-raff (that's you and me) from our constitutionally guaranteed right to ocean access.

Buried deep in the article:  "DLNR also determined that the spread of the naupaka was artificially induced by irrigation, not only creating barriers but giving the impression that the area is privately owned."  Hale Hui Kai is also being required to remove their irrigation, stepping stones and artificial hardening from the State beach.

---

Much finger pointing asking Where's the Stimulus Money for Maui County.  The Administration says it's the long and laborious application process.  Mayor Tavares applied for 26 projects and  $33.4 million and so far is confirmed to recieve $11,300,000.

Unbelievably, the Feds rejected a request to put solar hot water heaters on county swimming pools as frivilous.

But they did give the county $600,000 to hire a team to audit the county building's energy use - something a private company selling the actual energy-savings material would have done for free.

I love Mike Molina's comment:  "I understand people are frustrated because the money has been a little slow to arrive,  But we are talking about the federal government."

---

There will be a rally along Kaahumanu Avenue to mark National Homeless Awareness Week followed by Stomp Out Hunger at the War Memorial Soccer Field. The goal is to raise $100,000 for "Feed My Sheep".  The number of homeless on Maui is unknown but 1,115 of them are housed in Hale Makana, Ka Hale A Ke Ola and other shelters.  For more info contact Pastor Jonavan Asato, the Stomp Out Hunger coordinator, at 276-2398

Feed My Sheep says:

"For far too long, the public's image of homelessness is that of the 'chronic' homeless individual who panhandles for money, is possibly a substance abuser, and who seems unmotivated to work toward self-sufficiency... this image, while accurate for some, is not the true face of homelessness.

"We know of many working families who earn minimum wages and who cannot afford to pay rent and utilities, and thus are compelled to live in their vehicles or in the backyards of family members, or who are forced to seek help in homeless shelters.

Which seems to bring up the point - why is it no longer politically correct to differentiate between the deserving poor and the substance abusers and criminals?

---

In another puff piece for one of their big advertisers, Maui News lauds Times Supermarket and its take-over of the Kihei Star Market.  Ironically, the last line of this slobbering tribute is:

The two Maui stores will employ approximately 150 people, including many former Star Market employees.

"We have not hired any new people and kept a lot of positions at Times open to preserve as many jobs for the former Star employees as possible," Stout said.

What is not mentioned is the years-long union-busting that Times Supermarket has been engaged in and the pay and benefit cuts it imposed on employees.

Times removed jobs of long-time employees, many of them female, drastically reduced healthcare for injured workers and their families, took away the guarantee of a 40-hour workweek for full-time workers, eliminated the employee annuity (retirement) plan and lied when it said it would recall union workers by seniority.  See more about the Boycott of Time Supermarket at www.boycottTimes.com

---

In crime news, Judge Cardoza sententenced Georgette Stevens of Molokai to a five-year prison term for stealing an iPod, wallet and checkbook from a vehicle in a Kaunakakai. She was already convicted of four counts each of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and possessing drug paraphernalia.

She apologized to the victim.  What baloney!  Of course they always apologize.  Their lawyer tells them the judge will go softer on them.  But their apology is worthless because it does not come with a commitment not to repeat the act.  Why even include this in the story?

In another druggie case Keoki "Kahi" Cabebe was sentenced for criminal tresspass and attempted assault.  He was already on probation for second-degree robbery, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle.

---

Roadwork Advisories

• On Lower Honoapiilani Highway, the right-turn lane onto Honoapiilani Highway in the Lahaina-bound direction will be closed through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to build a curb island.
• Lahainaluna Road from Kelawea Street to Ikena Avenue will be closed through Sunday for work related to the Honoapiilani Highway Realignment project. Detours will be in effect; there will be no access between Kelawaea Street and Ikena Avenue.
• Shoulder-lane excavations are planned for Hana Highway from Hansen Road to Haleakala Highway through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The right lane of Hana Highway will be closed intermittently during the work.

---

Trash wasn't picked up Tuesday in Kula due to staff shortages

---

Today's editorial is a pitch to donate to the Maui Food Bank

---

In today's Letters to the Editor Warren Watanabe writes a long viewpoint extolling Maui agriculture with his informational nuggets buried towards the end.

"our costs of doing business are much higher than those of our global competitors and local products are often undercut at the market by cheaper imports....Enhance public policies to support agriculture's needs. Understand that dust, smoke and dirt are all part of farming. Buy local."

Then he says,

"Some think we should only have small family farms... Larger companies are able to invest in infrastructure and research that benefit others growers."

I guess Warren has to dance to Monsanto's tune here since they are the 800 pound gorilla in the Farm Bureau.  But a lot of us think very poorly of the "research" that Monsanto is conducting with Maui residents as guinea pigs.

"The state Legislature passed the Important Agricultural Lands bill to encourage businesses to dedicate their land to agriculture."

This was actually a give-away to big land owners like A&B, allowing them to turn a significant portion of their land into Rural designation (which means they can develop it for gentleman's estates, golf courses, etc) while at the same time giving no real requirement that they keep the remaining land in agriculture.

"We need water. The state Commission on Water Resource Management will soon be making decisions about our stream waters that could dramatically impact all water users on Maui. It's critical that all of us - residents, businesses, farmers and ranchers - share our thoughts on this critical issue with our government leaders and the water commissioners."

Ah ha!  Now we get to the nitty gritty.  Warren wants the Water Commission to keep stealing from the taro farmers and the public by getting us to pressure for water to go to HC&S.

Next Steve Alumbaugh writes that the Federal government should get out of telling us how to run our schools.

Carol Pratt is irate (as most women are) that the Stupak (Stupid) amendment is restricting contraception and abortion in the Health Care Reform bill.  Some information that wasn't in her letter:  The amendment goes far beyond the current Hatch Act which prohibits Federal funds for abortion and would most likely have the effect of removing abortion coverage from all health insurance.

Stupak, a Democrat, resides at the notorious C-Street religious cult run by Hilter-worshipping Doug Coe.  Proving that religious cult members dedicated to turning back Medicare, Social Security and fighting unions come in all political stripes - not just Republican.

You may recall that C-Streeters while professing piety and living in a tax-exempt "church" have been caught paying off mistresses, etc.  Read more about this powerful cult at Jesus Plus Nothing: Undercover among America's secret theocrats by Jeff Sharlet

Bill Blietz is unhappy that AARP supports Health Care Reform.

Bill Pietsch feels that the Afghan government is corrupt and we should get out now.  (I think most of America agrees with you, Bill).  And he wants an intelligible announcer at MIL football games.

Tuesday's Maui News

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter made an emergency landing near the airport.  No one was injured.

---

Shawn Kalani Brown of Kahului and Kawika Franco of Kihei were both found guilty of assaulting Jamie Alexander last year outside of Oceans Beach Bar and Gril last June. Alexander's injuries included facial fracture,  broken right sinus and nose, head laceration,  and he had surgery to implant a  metal plate in his face. Prosecuters want a 10 year sentence for Brown who was on parole for robbery.  Franco has been released but Brown remains in jail.

Hopefully Judge Bissen who doesn't get conned the way others do, will keep at least Brown off the streets for many years.

In other criminal news, Jason Stevens was convicted of growing 47 marijuana plants and Judge Cardoza allowed him to keep the conviction off his record if he goes 5 years without any more arrests. Chantell Stevens has been in jail for 81 days and awaits sentencing.

Our jails are full.  We have dangerous, violent criminals who are released after days.  And we put these young people in jail for almost three months?!  Time to legalize marijuana and restrict it as we do alcohol.  As they say:  Thanks to Green Harvest, Our Island is on Ice.

More drugs: Bail was set at $150,000 for a homeless man who was arrested with morphine and needles while caught sleeping in a preschool playground last week.

Is there any truth to the rumors that mainland towns give their homeless, crazy and substance abusing citizens one way tickets to Maui?  How else are these people getting here?

---

In another rah, rah Chamber of Commerce piece, Chamber chairman and Maui News Publisher, Joe Bradley, writes that Terryl Vencl, executive director of the Maui Visitors Bureau, and Gregg Nelson, chairman of the board of the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association predicted that the decline in tourism will stablize in 2010.

The Maui News won't print any letters critical of the Chamber of Commerce but here is why any responsible business should resign their membership:

Top companies including Apple, Exelon Energy, Pacific Gas & Electric, Nike, and Public Service Company of New Mexico have all quit the Chamber of Commerce because it is lobbying against climate change legislation and against healthcare reform.

The Maui Chamber of Commerce is lobbying to continue using Styrofoam, continue stealing water from the taro farmers, and change the law to force Upcountry to drink from the polluted Hamakuapoko wells.

If you don't want your money to work against health care reform and climate change control - not to mention common sense local environmental rules, you might want to avoid buying from any company that is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and let them know why.

---

Kaiser Permanente gave  $50,000 to the Maui Food Bank to be used to purchase fresh, locally grown food.   This will not only benefit the hungry on Maui but also our local produce farmers.

It is so important that we restore our food growing capacity.  It is estimated that prior to the arrival of Europeans, Hawai'i supported a population of about a million people in relative plenty without depleting fishing stocks or the land.  It is a matter of security that we can feed ourselves if were were to be cut off from the mainland.

---

Today's editorial, Punishing public school students, makes the point that the Governor should get her ass in gear and fix the low priority she's put on education. Only, of course, since the Maui News publisher is a staunch Republican, the point was made with considerably more tact.

---

In letters to the editor we have:

Nadine Newlight asking Maui Community College's Culinary Academy not to serve Fois Gras.  She has a point.  There is no need to torture animals.  But take a look at some videos on feedlots and slaughter houses by going to YouTube.com and searching slaughterhouse.  You'll never buy beef from anyone except Maui Cattle Company after viewing the cruelty and unsanitary conditions of mainland slaughterhouses and feedlots.

Stan Franco responds to the Maui News Editorial (aka Chamber of Commerce propaganda) which claimed that the new General Plan was hostile to Tourism with a point by point rebuttle.  Franco is a knowlegable and logical balance to the Chamber's "let business run wild without any controls" position.

Rod Kunishige wrote another Libertarian talking point letter saying states should refuse to implement Health Care Reform should it pass and also refuse to enforce federal marijuana laws and gun control laws.

Tony Morales dissed Lahaina and boasted about Pa'ia.  Get your ha'aha'a back, Tony.

Jean Keating and Steve Slater had fun attending "Mama Mia"  Sounds like a less edgy version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show audience participation.

In a stunning ignorance of history, James P. Shenfield, formerly of Washington and a prolific GOP talking points distributer, writes that Muslims are the only ones we have to worry about "terrorism" in the military.  Way to perpetuate bigotry, James.

Val Ogata -Maui Island Manager of Hawaiian Telcom clarified something about the service interruption during the fire near Lahaina in response to one of Shenfield's previous compliaining letters (see above).  Zzzzzzzzz.....

Ramon K. Madden wants us to audit DOE.  Which might be interesting given the unflinching job the State Auditor did on Lingle's Superferry fiasco (a huge indictment of the whole process).  You folks may remember that Ramon ran on the Republican ticket for the West Maui County Council seat last election.

Ramon says, "The DOE always complains about lack of funds and, because the DOE has not been audited, neither it nor taxpayers know where the DOE's $2 billion budget gets spent."

He might have a point since teachers and parents have long said that too much money gets spent on administration compared to actual teaching.

But I think the problem is a lot deeper than this.  Hopefully our next Governor will create local school boards and mandate that his administrators abide by their decsions.  Lingle talks a lot about local control but avoided taking this easy step to make it a reality.