I'm
not sure why the county and The Garden Island continue to refer to
Hanamaulu Beach Park as that community's “jewel.”
Surfrider's monthly water report consistently identifies
Hanamaulu Stream as one of the most polluted on the island. The
August report shows it with an annual geomean enterococcus bacterial
concentration of 949.4 — it should be less than 35. Yet that
dirty little secret is never ever mentioned in all the talk about
cleaning up the park.
It'll
be fascinating to see how the cops plan to keep a lid on
Hanamaulu Park, considering their total inability to keep derelicts,
druggies and drunks out of the pavilion adjacent to both their Kapaa
substation and the mayor's shining Path.
And
seeing the picture of deputy parks director Ian Costa in today's
paper caused me to wonder — again — how is it that he still has a
high-paying management job with the county when as planning director
he totally blew off implementating the vacation
rental bill?
I
was interviewed about the TVR mess on Hawaii Public Radio's “The Conversation” last Friday, where I identified a lack of political
will as the primary reason why there's been no enforcement. The fact
that Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. pawned Ian off on his campaign manager, Lenny Rapozo, in Parks & Rec seems to underscore that.
Because if Ian hadn't been doing the mayor's bidding, don't you think he'd be gone?
Imai
Aiu, the former deputy planning director who actually approved most
of the improper TVR certificates before being reassigned to Housing,
soon will be gone. His last day with the county is Wednesday, which
means the County Council lost its chance to ask him what
went awry, unless it issues a subpoena.
Speaking
of legal stuff, attorney Peter Schey, director of the Center
for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, has generously offered pro bono legal services to “vigorously defend” Bill 2491, the pesticide/GMO
ordinance, against challenges brought by the chemical companies.
See, that way the county can save its money for the really important legal issues, like defending former Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho and planning inspector Sheilah Miyake against Councilman Tim Bynum's civil rights claim. How much do you suppose Tim would've settled for? Subtract that from the half-million spent to date on legal fees, and the difference is what we're paying to spare Shay's ego.
Getting back to 2491, I've
heard people say it's so great we're having this debate about
chemicals and GMOs on our island. While it doesn't feel like a
debate, since neither side is actually talking to the other, there is
a discussion of sorts going on. And that is definitely good. It's an important
issue, and it needs to be addressed.
But
it felt really creepy to read this in a recent letter to the editor:
When
in the presence of field workers, I start having breathing problems —
couldn’t understand why until I noticed it happening while in the
Waimea Library and grocery stores and seeing these men in there when
looking to see what could be causing the sudden breathing problems.
We
need to hold the chemical/seed companies accountable. They should tell us
what they're spaying, and ensure that it's not drifting into homes,
hospitals and schools, contaminating the environment.
But
when people start treating field workers like lepers whose mere
presence in a store is making them sick, well, that's something
entirely different, something really, really ugly that needs to be
nipped in the bud.
Because
yes, pesticides are poison, and they can do and do make people ill.
But so do anxiety and stress. So let's not compound the pesticide problem by preying on people's fears and relegating our neighbors to a class of untouchables.
Posts
28 comments:
Well said....Amen!
i know the woman who wrote about having problems when close to seed company workers wearing their work clothes. This woman is extemely sensitive to pollutants---that's how her body works. She's not making up stories, she really does suffer from being exposed---she's not fortunate to be like most people. I think chidren's young bodies also suffer much like this woman's body.
Hopefully the council will defer this bill, forever.
No vote, no action at county level. Get the state and EPA
To do the job. Gary could ask for money to hire some county water, dust and air testing techs, this is easy to do.
Tim probably just wants a million bucks. A council guy who sues the county and wants his own voters to give him dough is beyond words, he got re-elected, where's the damage. Be a man Tim , drop the suit.
It sounded to me as if the author of that letter might have an allergy to certain types of pollen. Sometimes asthma attacks can be triggered by a pollen allergy also. I know someone who reacts to cottonwood tree pollen this way. There doesn't have to be anything unusual about pollen for a person to react to it. Just as some people react to peanut protein - it doesn't mean that peanuts are somehow alien, or harmful to those who don't have the allergy.
A doctor can do a skin-prick test to identify the allergen, if any, and can prescribe therapies to help. Anyone who feels symptoms that could be related to asthma or allergy should see a board-certified allergist. Appropriate treatment can be life-saving.
It must mean something when workers are told to wash their work clothes separately from their family's laundry. Also, if that is so, the workers should have the courtesy to keep away from the general public until they change their work clothing. Aloha . . . . . .
Hello! Not every field worker works with pesticides. PARANOID!!!
Once there a time, not so long ago when field work was the norm. Everyone understood and neighbors were neighbors, kids played and we all lived under the same sun. And then a flurry of highly educated, high nosed and community involved people appeared, as if from nowhere. Well these educated and refined new comers were so kind that they had to let these unfortunate people know how terrible and dangerous things really are.
Now many of these retired field workers were surprised to hear how unhealthy they are, they thought that being spry, active and busy when you are in the 80s and 90s was just fine.
They are now wondering, where did it go wrong, why do all these new people hate us so much?
The old plantations sprayed sabedong like crazy, cane burned, dust flew.... Life on a big farm
The Shayme cabal goes after Tim for retaliation and you blame Tim for filing a lawsuit against the evil doers.
Shayme and the rest of the dirty birds has cost the county tax payers hundred of thousands of dollars. We are talking about 4 EEOC lawsuits but the real question is how many more weren't reported.
What's most frustrating is the apathy of most Kauai residents re: the corruption, incompetence, unethical, etc. activity by county officials. Either they truly don't care or they've come to accept that's simply the way things are done here. Most voters choose based on last name. I don't think that's unique to Kauai. Too many vote what's best for their wallet and only their wallet. Screw the average taxpayer trying to do what's right. Give me mine at any cost even if I have to vote in a liar, cheat, thief, unethical, unqualified moron. About the man shot over the weekend: when asked how many shots were fired, KPD didn't know. Don't you mark out shell casings? Is it too much for TGI to ask a simple follow up questions? More regurgitation of press releases with little or inaccurate information.
I totally agree with you. The next election will be more of the same. This past PA election gave us a glimmer of hope but then again business as usual continues to rest in the minds and hearts of the faithful. I do believe that with all the storms that are brewing out there in the Pacific is due to Karma coming to terms. Kauai's people have become robotic with regards to pollution, poverty, societal collapse, political repression, and totalitarianism.
Anonymous at 11:57 said, "It must mean something when workers are told to wash their work clothes separately from their family's laundry."
What it means, Anon 11:57, is that the employer is following the requirements of federal law in training their workers. An organic farmer who's using pesticides covered under the Worker Protection Standard has to provide that same training. Oh, maybe you didn't think that organic farmers could use pesticides? Check out the OMRI listings: yes, certified organic farmers can and often do use pesticides.
2:26 and 3:11 If things are so bad here on Kauai, go back to from whence you came.
Kauai's officials care about Kauai, there may be disagreement, but to a person they care about Kauai.
4:59 pm-People like you folks have ruined Kauai for far too long.
Kauai officials only care about themselves and their families. They do not CARE about anyone or anything else.
Nepotism in our county and state departments is one of our biggest problems. These under/unqualified druggies/incompetents do not deserve a single cent from Kauai's tax dollars.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
If there really were no nepotism here - then Guyot's wife would not have been hired by the County to work in the personnel office.
"Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... Perhaps the fear of a loss of power." -John Steinbeck
"I will not anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet." -Mahatma Gandhi
Fight against Corruption Quotes
I wonder if the young man that got shot to death by KPD fired a shot. If he didnt then why weren't there any negotiations done before deadly force was applied.
Is this going to be another Dickie, Nola Thompson, or Lauren Kagawa murder cover up?
In fairness to KPD: they encountered a known felon in a known crime-activity area with two firearms. Oh, he had TWO guns. Oh, ONE gun was in his possession. I'm sure he was troubled but that makes the situation even more dangerous. If you don't want to get shot, don't carry two firearms especially if you're a felon awaiting trial for a burglary. Gotta love the memorial of beer bottles. Very sad all around. Mayor, how about a drug treatment center? Rather than shoot these 'kids' when they reach rock bottom, how about giving them a chance to get on the right track? Nah, that would cause you to lose a few votes from the neighborhood that houses the center. Just keep doing absolutely nothing but ensuring a reelection. Despicable You.
That neighborhood already has drug treatment houses that house many recovering addicts so having a drug treatment center is a no brainer.
The admin proposal of building a 150 million dollar rec center in Waimea is bike path nuts. This admin does not know what is a luxury item and what is a necessity.
A adult drug treatment center would better serve the west side community. Oh yeah girls/ladies on Kauai are as drugged out as the boys/men on island.
For the KPD situation it's just a sad unaccredited fact that the police department leadership is just as bad or worse than county government.
11:29, you're not seriously suggesting that a KPD officer should have waited to get shot, after the guy pointed his gun at the officer, before you'd support the officer's shot as self-defense? Really?
I thought it was common knowledge that police officers are trained to shoot, immediately, if someone points a gun at them. That person has become a lethal threat, and the officer's job is to neutralize the threat, both in self-defense and in defense of the community, which is also at risk if the officer goes down and the shooter is then at large.
So if you didn't know, now you know. Please also warn everyone else who might not know, that pointing a gun at a police officer is not an action you're likely to survive. And for good reason.
We have learned that KpD officers are not so truthful in their reports ie: taser incident at the Wilcox ER and during the Dickie situation. Slowly trickling in are witness reports that might contradict TGI regurgitation of the incident. Don't be so naive to believe the first report that goes out.
To 8/19, 12:21--i have common sense, i know not all workers are exposed to pesticides, but they are exposed to pollen, dust! I not stupid or paranoid, just using common sense! Aloha.
Guyot's wife does not work in the Personnel Dept.
Sorry, forgot to reference who the last comment was for...
@8:25 pm - I am in no way denying the fact that nepotism runs rampant within County government, however, I would like to point out that Guyot's wife does not work for the Personnel Dept. I actually found that supposition quite hilarious. This just shows me how much most people really DON'T know about any given situation. But, misinformation has always been a great way to rile people up...
Nice of Peter Schey to offer his services for free. Who will pay the court costs, attorney's fees from Bronster, Hoshibata and Alston and seed company losses if the court rules against the county?
that's right, she works for the police department -try to get your County paid employee departments straight.
Question: IF Peter Schey was on the winning side (and remember, in the courtroom the winning side is not always the right side) - how would any judgement/settlement/etc money be apportioned? Personal experience suggests 60% plus. In lawyer circles that's a Lotto payout when multi-nationals are involved. I know Peter personally and like him but with sums like that ALL of us can rationalize our belief in almost anything. Its clear the bill is unconstitutional, enuf said!
If one listens at all I believe we can hear the clarion "goldmine" call for lawyers whichever side they are on...
11:08 PM - Nope, she doesn't work for Police either. This particular argument is manini, but it makes me worry about how much misinformation is being dispersed on much bigger, more important issues.
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