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2008-11-13  News | | | | by Jacob Shafer | | |
November 13, 2008
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Not sure if you heard, but we had a little election last night. I took in the returns at Akaku's outdoor party, where it was tough to tell if the crowd was more psyched about Obama's victory or the free food. Seriously though, kudos once again to Maui's community station for providing freewheeling-but-solid coverage throughout the evening (and, again, free food!). I watched the President-elect's speech with my son in my arms and, while I know it was just rhetoric and that he's not going to change the world overnight (or maybe at all), it was a nice moment. It's been a while since national politics and nice moments have occupied the same zip code. So let's enjoy it. At the local level, the results were less encouraging. We get into this in the feature so I'll just say—really, Maui? A spirit of change so thick you could slather it on your forearms to prevent melanoma, and this is what we wind up with? Even those members of the newly elected County Council who arguably stand for change or at least provide a dissenting voice, like Wayne Nishiki, are old hands. Not saying experience is bad per se, but a little fresh blood would have been welcome. Disappointing. And, even worse, predictable.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6
The last time I was out socially lubricating, I struck up a conversation with a guy who turned out to be a self-professed economic expert. (He was also three or four mai tais into his evening, so take his word for what it's worth.) Anyway, he did offer an instructive metaphor for the current economic crisis: a forest fire. Forest fires come in and burn off all the dead brush and some of the live brush too, but when they're finally extinguished, the stuff that's left behind is actually stronger and healthier. That's one of the first bits of (sort of) hopeful economic analysis I've heard that actually rang true. On the opposite end of the ringing true spectrum: a luncheon was convened recently in Lahaina where, The Maui News reports, State Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert gave a talk to local business owners titled "The Up Side of the Downturn." That might be the most depressing catchy slogan I've ever heard… In other news: Rekindling our hard-hitting, Pulitzer-nominated series Victorino Watch 2008: Mike wins uncontested reelection to a County Council that's likely to approve big fat developments; Shane wins a Gold Glove for defensive excellence and further improves his chances of landing a big fat contract.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Lucienne de Naie swung by the office today for an interview, fresh off a meeting concerning the development venture at Makena, which is being vocally supported by hotel and construction workers but has raised all kinds of hackles in the enviro community. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19 at 8:30am in the County Council chambers. Prior to that, Save Makena will hold an informational session on Saturday, November 16 from 6-8pm at the Kalama Heights senior center in Kihei. Call 357-3134 for more info or visit savemakena.org (where you can find interesting tidbits like which councilmembers took campaign contributions from developer Dowling. Hint: the same ones who are trying to help railroad through the rezoning request). This is a biggie folks; don't sit on the sidelines… In other news: While his across-the-aisle buddy Ted Stevens deals with a felony conviction and a tenuous hold on his Alaska seat, our own Dan Inouye is enjoying the spoils of his party's big victory: Hawaii's senior Senator has been named chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, replacing 90-year-old Robert Byrd of West Virginia. Basically, Inouye now has his hand on the federal money faucet—that's power.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Took a trip out to Hana with some visiting family for the weekend, so I'm logging this entry as I swat mosquitoes, almost totally cut off from the rumblings of civilization. Yeah, pretty awesome.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9
Top cops on the Big Island say they plan to bust people for marijuana infractions just like they did before November 4, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports. In case you were too busy cleaning your bong to get the news, Hawaii County passed by almost 10,000 votes a ballot initiative that calls for pot busts to be the lowest law enforcement priority (essentially one step away from outright decriminalization). But, as usual, state and federal agents say they're going to keep right on arresting folks for growing and smoking a relatively mild, naturally occurring substance whose main side effects are sleepiness, snack attacks and the giggles. I don't know about you, but I feel safer.
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| | | This bird wants you to buy an HDTV. | |
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10
Maui, and most of the rest of the state, will make the much-ballyhooed mandatory conversion from analogue to digital television a month before the rest of the country. The reason? A bird. Yep, you read that right. Environmental officials are concerned that the dismantling of old transmission towers could disrupt the nesting season of the endangered Hawaiian petrel, which does its courtship thing along the slopes of Haleakala. So: the TV watching habits of hundreds of thousands of people are going to be altered because of an avian mating preference. That is so cool.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Hawaii's official state quarter was released yesterday, finally completing the set that the U.S. Mint launched nearly a decade ago. (Interesting coincidental factoid: the quarter that started the series was from Delaware, meaning that the first and final coins represent the home states of our new Vice President and President, respectively.) The Aloha State's 25-cent piece features King Kamehameha I waving his royal hand over the islands; it's simple and striking and one of the better entries. It kinda makes me want to start a collection. Hey, in these crazy times, a commemorative case might be the best place to stash your money. MTW
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