Musings: Questions

Have you noticed? The days are getting longer on each end now. Every day we're picking up more minutes of light. And in between, there's been that brilliant, marvelous moon, with the wild pigs returning nightly to browse in my backyard on camphor berries. A lot of animals like those plump black berries, including Koko, doves and especially rats, which munch them beneath my car hood, leaving the skins scattered on top of the engine.

Did you know that 663,032 people were arrested for marijuana possession in 2011? That's 128,328 more than were arrested for all violent crimes combined. Crazy. But we have a chance to change that travesty, one state at a time. House Bill 699, which would legalize marijuana in Hawaii, is up for a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1. You can submit testimony via email to JUDtestimony@capitol.hawaii.gov. It's best to get it in 24 hours in advance. 

You can track the various cannabis bills moving through the Lege at Fresh Approach Hawaii, a coalition that includes the Drug Policy Alliance and ACLU. This is the year we can make changes in the state's cannabis laws, folks, so stand up and speak up.

So whattta ya think? Is the county gonna stand firm and actually revoke Coco Palms' oft-extended permits? I mean, who can disagree with Planning Director Mike Dahilig's bold pronouncement that “[t]wenty years of blight and inaction must stop now?”

Except former Mayor Maryanne Kusaka, who is still clinging to the dream that the property will be restored to its “full glory.” Sorry, Maryanne, but Elvis is dead, and so is that project. I think most of us would be happy to see that rottting eyesore bulldozed so the land can breathe again. Talk about bad feng shui.

I found it kinda creepy/scary to learn that Kusaka has been busy trying to work a deal for that property. Geez, Maryanne, didn't you do enough damage at Kealia Kai and Kaloko?

I also had to wonder just what the mayor and Council Chair Jay Furfaro had in mind when they issued their joint statement:

“It’s time to move forward and look to other options that will address the future of this historic site. Once the permit issue is resolved, we will be in a better position to discuss what those options might be.”

What options do you suppose they're already considering, and when will the public be included? Now that the county has warmed up by seizing Mike Sheehan's boatyard, hopefully the plans will include acquiring Coco Palms through eminent domain so it can be turned into something other than an unneeded resort in an already overused and overcrowded area.

And finally, wouldn't it be great to clean up aina naturally? The state House Committee on Agriculture is having a hearing on HB154, which authorizes a pilot project to see if hemp can remove toxins from soil. Go here to submit testimony.