February 25, 2006 - Saturday

It's cold this morning. Literally about freezing.

That's to say that we've missed most of this week's rain in Kaaawa by making a quick trip to the mainland. Our whereabouts? Think salmon, public market, Microsoft. Here's a 30-second video clue, if needed after those giveaways--just click on the photo. But it's a large file, about 2 MB.

In any case, we head for home after Meda makes a final presentation this afternoon. It's nice to visit cold weather, but it's also nice for these visits to end.

An Advertiser story this morning managed to capture the dilemma behind the controversial development plan for the Turtle Bay Resort and Kawela Bay without commenting on it directly:

Author John Clark, an authority on Hawai'i beaches, described Kawela Bay as "one of the best beaches and ocean recreation sites on O'ahu."

It's the last undeveloped bay on the North Shore and the safest bay in the area all year long, he said. It's ideal for kids and families. Trouble is, it's next to impossible to get there. Because the project never happened, easy public access to the bay didn't, either.

But it's the lack of access that has kept the bay nearly pristine. Creating easy public access could make it as popular and overused as Hanauma Bay.

With time on my hands while Meda was conferencing, I gathered up photos which appeared on these daily pages last year (rather than in the photo galleries) and combined them into a quick "year in review" collection. You can browse these by just clicking this photo, or return later via the "2005 in review" button added at the top left.

And if you still have some time on your hands this morning, Doug Thompson, the founder of Capitol Hill Blue, discusses his personal background in response to a reader's question. Interesting.

February 24, 2006 - Friday

I was an investigative reporter for the Star-Bulletin for eight years, although it seems like a lot longer. But, with my earlier experience as an independent journalist, it was plenty long enough to pick up the investigative mind set. Jobs come and go, but that mind set lingers, an affliction that can make daily life difficult outside the Green Zone of daily journalism. I'm learning that again while making my way as a House staffer during this year's legislative session.

How to describe the investigative viewpoint? I've heard many versions of "rules" for investigative reporters. Here are some that come to mind:

Take nothing at face value.
"Your mother says she loves you? Check it out."
Avoid entanglements, so no one expects a free ride.
Question authority.
On politicians: "If his lips move, he's lying."
Follow the story. The political fallout is someone else's worry.
No permanent friends and no permanent enemies.
Speak truth to power.
And the corollary: Turn "Truths" into half-truths by digging deeper.
A simple story can always be told in all its complexity.
Understatement is always better than over reaching.
There are no coincidences.
The best stories are those someone wants to avoid telling.
Get the documents.
Follow the paper trail.
Follow the money.
And always ask to see a copy of that policy.

These and similar "rules" have helped me to do some pretty good reporting. But like rules that allow soldiers to survive combat, these are not necessarily good preparation for life outside the war zone. They set you apart from normal "civilians". Meda's shorthand description: "Felony bad attitude".

I sometimes wonder if there's a recovery program for former investigative reporters? But luckily those moments tend to pass.

Koa, an 8-year old golden Lab who lives on the other end of Kaaawa (beyond the range of our early morning walks) is the latest addition to the new readers' gallery of favorite pets.

February 23, 2006 - Thursday

The blog known as the Supreme Court of Hawaii Blog (Unofficial) added to Tuesday's comments on Hokulia with a lesson on legal fundamentals.

A hallmark of municipal law is that private parties can't hold the government responsible for assurances if those assurances aren't supported by the written law.

The explanation casts an interesting light on the legislative "fix" still moving ahead at the capitol.

Hawaii Mayor Harry Kim is quoted in today's Star-Bulletin repeating the mantra: "This is not about Hokulia".

It still seems to me that its time to call the "not about Hokulia" bluff with a clause to exempt the development from whatever bill moves (if any). Then we can see if it's really "not about Hokulia".

Former Senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole made the news this week as part of the lobbying team for the United Arab Emirates and its deal to buy the company controlling major U.S. ports. I've heard that Dole's name is also among those being talked about as the first person to fill the Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals at the University of Hawaii.

The Contra Costa Times reported yesterday that the home of Francis "Bill" Reimers, owner of the bankrupt Plan Compliance Group, sold his Northern California home for over $1 million, but it remains unclear whether the long list of creditors will share in those proceeds. Creditors, of course, include the Department of Education and University of Hawaii, which lost millions in retirement monies which PCG was supposed to invest on behalf of Hawaii teachers and professors.

As an aside, I'm still now sure whether the DOE and UH have included a request to replace the missing funds in their current supplemental budget requests.

Scott Ishikawa at DOT notified Koolauloa Neighborhood Board chair Dee Dee Letts that work will start this weekend on the repaving of Kamehameha Highway from Waiahole to Kahana. This will impact all of us in Kaaawa, but it means the end of this long process is in sight. Work will run from 8:30 to 3:30. Letts says she was told the finished grade will not be higher then the current grade.

February 22, 2006 - Wednesday

Sorry for today's late post. My schedule may be a bit "off" for a few days. Patience is a virtue.

This week's wet weather is displaying Kaaawa's waterfalls, including these two in the valley above our house as well as others that rarely appear. The unfortunate thing is that the ridge in the foreground of this photo blocks our view of the waterfalls. But they are easily visible from the next two streets, Huamalani (behind the Kaaawa Fire Station) and Kaaawa Park Lane, just on the other side of Makaua Stream, which offer a slightly different angle. Luckily, a friend shared a couple of photos.

Kaaawa falls click for more

With our current schedule, which has us walking before dawn, we've noticed an interesting difference between cats and dogs: Dogs are much more likely--much, much more likely--to be asleep 30 minutes before dawn.

I can attest that cats wake up and are active beginning two or three hours before the sun appears. This is, in the cat world, prime time. And they aren't just sitting around preening, they are on the hunt.

Well, for some well fed domesticated cats, the functional equivalent of the hunt is pouncing on the person or biting parts of their body in order to get the food dish filled. That's Leo's job as early waker. But once he gets going, others follow, among them the ladies (Kili & Annie) who immediately head outside to begin the day's hunt. Many a fresh and tender morsel is brought back to our living room in those early morning hours.

Briefly put--I can't imagine a day when we would be up before any of our cats. I'm sure other cat owners could offer up their own descriptions of the morning action.

But dogs! Oh, dogs have apparently been part of the human pack for so long that they don't seem to worry about the pre-dawn hunt. Our slight schedule change has disclosed this basic fact. Now we're able to sneak up on dogs who, just a half-hour later, will be on full alert waiting for their morning handout. Until our shift to the earlier walking time, I had gotten the impression that these dogs were constantly on guard. Now I know the hidden truth. Dogs like to sleep in. They know food comes from people, so why should they be up and working before the people are? And, being outside animals (at least in Kaaawa), dogs are less successful in jump-starting the day with playful bite to the person's exposed parts.

In any case, we now have to decide whether to let sleeping dogs lie or signal them as we approach. It's a new dimension of moral decision making for the walk. In any case, here are a few more of our morning dogs. Just click on Ms. Precious for more.

February 21, 2006 - Tuesday

Reader Aaron Stene of Kailua-Kona had this response to my Hokulia comments:

I strongly believe that you really don't get the huge statewide impact of Judge Ibarra's 2003 decision enjoining Hokulia.I don't agree with the narrow attempts to solve the problem. It requires a comprehensive solution. As like I said this is not just a Hokulia bailout.

Short term, the county of Hawaii might have to file bankruptcy if the lot owners are successful with their lawsuit. Why should my parents have to pay more in property taxes due to the malfeasance of the County of Hawaii.

Here's a link to Stene's blog for his ongoing comments.

Actually, there are several different viewpoints reflected in the testimony offered on HB 1368 HD1, what I refer to as the Hokulia bail-out bill. Most referred to the potential spill-over impact of the court ruling in the Hokulia case on other older subdivisions on designated Agricultural land. Kona residents seem most concerned about the infrastructure improvements promised by the Hokulia developers, including the new highway. Others, like Aaron, seem most concerned about possible liability on the part of Hawaii County. And some are really simply pro-development and want to promote future Hokulia-type luxury projects. The most potential votes lie with the first group, perhaps the most money (and hence political clout) with the last.

A modest suggestion...If I were in a position to do so, I would suggest an approach that would address the fears of residents in existing subdivisions while waiting for a decision of the Hawaii Supreme Court in the Hokulia case.

This could be done by amending HB 1368 HD1 with something like the following paragraph 2(C):

"Provided that this section shall not apply to the Hokulia project which straddles the boundaries of North and South Kona, formerly known as the Villages at Hokukano."

This would address the problem of existing subdivisions while refusing to reward what have so far been found to be illegal and bad faith actions associated with Hokulia. If the Supreme Court overturns part of the Judge Ibarra's decision and finds liability on the part of the state or county, there will be plenty of time for legislative action at that point as part of an overall settlement of the case. And that is a big "IF".

Just a thought.

I was also interested in these comments by Hawaii Mayor Harry Kim in a 2004 interview with Building Industry Magazine and the linked editorial comments:

“Hokulia ties in with lifestyle; it's a complex issue. The developers need to understand why there is so much hostility. Hokulia is a development of 750 one-acre lots in South Kona. We told the developers, only 750 millionaires can afford to buy these lots and that this was a pristine area with only 10,000 to 12,000 people. Unfortunately, the developers were caught in an issue that had been simmering for years — involving Mauna Kea, Alii Highway and so on. Where are we now? We have done everything we can to mitigate and are at a Supreme Court appeal level now." (Editor's note: The lawsuit results from a September 2003 ruling in Third Circuit Court that the 750-lot subdivision with its golf course, tennis courts, beach house and club, is an illegal use of land classified for agriculture and that the 1250 Oceanside Partners had to seek urbanization or a declaratory ruling from the State of Hawaii Land Use Commission. All construction was ordered to cease until then. In March of this year, Mayor Kim, in speaking to the Senate Committee on Water, Land and Agriculture, said, "We do not believe that resort-type residential communities based on golf courses and other recreational facilities should be developed in the agricultural district in the future. But we ask that any such law respect the reasonable expectations that people had because of prior laws. Whether we think these projects were good or bad, the county government made commitments that have to be honored.")

February 20, 2006 - Monday

It was a flashback to an earlier time, an old fashioned ice cream truck driving slowly up the street that runs just below our house, its amplified ditty drawing up memories. The result was my favorite image of the weekend. I call it "Sundae Communion". I was in our yard some distance away with a telephoto lens while our neighbor ordered up her fantasy from the truck which parked on the street below under our big banyan tree, and I just happened to capture the magic moment as that dish of ice cream and toppings changed hands.

Click for larger image

I was intrigued by the Star-Bulletin's report that a wireless network is being installed in the state capitol, but can't help wondering whether the public will really be allowed access to it. Right now, there are strict internal rules against accessing the legislative computer system from personal computers, or against installing any "unauthorized" software on state-owned computers at the capitol. Given the overriding concern for digital security, I wonder whether the network will actually be designed to serve the public as well as members of the House and Senate.

And from a reader:

Helene Hale and her "two-week men" ...

Does this resonate with a certain developer's proclaimed commitment to create and build a 'world-class aquarium' by 2005, in exchange for BIG tax credits?

And many thanks for these newest contributions to the new Readers' Gallery of pets, Trip and Beau. Just click here for the current photos.

February 19, 2006 - Sunday

The deluge started just before 5 a.m. after hours of lightening somewhere off to the northwest. There's a solid sheet of water pouring over the side of the gutter above our front deck which had Leo mesmerized until I took advantage of a momentary lull to haul him inside. I like to think that the gutters are just overwhelmed by the heavy rain. I would rather not think about all the curd that's collected up to effectively render the gutters useless. A quick check reveals a flood warning posted just over an hour ago:

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 AM HST SUN FEB 19 2006

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED AN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR THE ISLAND OF OAHU IN HONOLULU COUNTY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 645 AM HST...

THE ADVISORY INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITIES...PUNALUU...KANEOHE...WAIAHOLE...LAIE AND KAHUKU. [Note: Kaaawa is tucked right there between Waiahole/Waikane and Punaluu.]

AT 359 AM HST...RADAR SHOWED HEAVY RAIN NEAR KANEOHE...OR ABOUT 9 MILES NORTH OF HONOLULU. THE AREA OF HEAVY RAIN WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.

The rain has apparently taken its toll already. The Sunday Advertiser has not been delivered as of 6:51 a.m., probably victim of a weather caused delay, while the Star-Bulletin did arrive tied up in a plastic bag but thoroughly wet inside. Only the inner sections are readable. So it goes on a wet Sunday. [Update: The Advertiser was hand-carried to our door at 7:25 with an apology from the carrier, who said they had gotten delayed by flood waters flowing over the highway in Waikane.]

And it's bounty time in Kaaawa. The Kaaawa Community Association is offering a $100 reward for the return of the highway sign that has marked the entry to Kaaawa for several years. The sign was recently reported stolen and we want it back. For more info, check the latest Kaaawa News.

Where does the time go? I noticed this factoid tucked into story this morning from the Advertiser's Washington Bureau.

Akaka, 81, seeking his third full six-year term in the Senate, is being challenged by 43-year-old Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawai'i, serving his second two-year term in the House.

Of course, Case is actually a decade older at 53, but the mistake may indicate that his "I'm younger than the other guy" campaign theme creates a certain aura where such errors are encouraged.

A reader added this comment about the Advertiser yesterday: