It's Friday, which seems like a good
time to follow up on a few things.
First, Kauai County is continuing to
move forward in controlling vacation rentals.
The planning department has asked the
prosecutor's office to pursue criminal charges against several
homestay and TVR properties, with more details forthcoming as soon as
the charges are filed.
Meanwhile, the planning commission will
soon decide whether to revoke a TVR permit and levy a $25,000 fine,
as recommended by a hearings officer. The $3.7 million dwelling in
question is owned by Rene Campos Jr. of Dallas and located in
Kilauea's Seacliff Plantation.
The planning department first revoked
the nonconforming use certificate in December 2011 after determining
the property's guest house had been converted to a single family
dwelling without the proper permits. The owner asked the planning
commission to review the revocation last November, and it's finally
moving toward resolution now.
Wonder how much rent the owner brought
in during those five ensuing years? Surely far more than $25,000....
Meanwhile, a TVR owner got in a snit –
claiming he/she was being “harassed” and “picked on” because
planner Mike Laureta sent out an email informing permit-holders of
the county's new zero-tolerance policy for late and incomplete
applications. Mike wrote:
I'm giving fair warning – Ordinance
No. 950, Sec. 8-17-10 (h)(1) removed the ability to reapply for
renewal if you failed to timely renew. This means – from here going
forward, if you’re 1 day late, the Department will issue you a
forfeiture notice. If you don’t run your business in a professional
manner and forget to timely renew, no excuse will be good enough.
If the renewal packet is incomplete
beyond the renewal date, the Department will issue a Forfeiture
notice. It’s incumbent on the certificate holders to provide all
the documents listed on the renewal form – we will no longer chase
you for missing documents. At the time you submit your packet, it had
better be complete. I will be sending this email to all, in groups of
maybe 25. So if you get this more than once, you really better not
miss a renewal date……
Instead of whining, TVR owners should
be grateful for the heads-up. The crackdown is totally warranted, as
I saw a list showing some TVR owners hadn't renewed their permits for
years. Two who forgot to renew are now appealing the forfeiture,
which costs the county time and money.
TVR permits are a privilege, not an
entitlement, and if folks can't get it together to renew on time,
tough. Lawmakers promised us that the number of legal TVRs would
slowly be reduced through attrition, and failing to follow the rules
is part of that mechanism.
Meanwhile, the Council next week will
again consider the bill defining and regulating homestays. But it's
deferred until May 11 a bill that would limit homestays to the
visitor destination area.
Moving on to other news, domestic violence coordinator Gina Kaulukukui has filed a lawsuit against Kauai Police
Department and Assistant Chief Roy Asher, alleging sex discrimination
and retaliation. Or in other words, the usual....
If Councilman Mason Chock has his way,
KPD will need to enforce a new law, one that bans smoking in a motor
vehicle whenever it's occupied by someone under 18. I guess when you
can't come up with something grand in an election year, you go for
the manini.
Speaking of elections, the race for the
14th District House seat vacated by Derek Kawakami
continues to attract attention, with Kauai Sen. Ron Kouchi and Rep.
Jimmy Tokioka reportedly urging former planning commission Jan Kimura of Kilauea to run. Guess Nadine Nakamura, who is far more qualified, doesn't
meet the gender requirements for their Good Old Boys club.
And neophyte candidate Fern Rosenstiel
is all upset because her strident Facebook posts, like the one I
published Wednesday, are coming back to haunt her:
After it was reposted on the Pro GMO
Hawaii page, Fern claimed it had been "taken out of context," though
it's unclear in what context such sentiments would be acceptable. She
then went on try and talk her way out of it:
Oh, yes, Fern, you've learned your lessons well: Always blame the corporations. They're the ones pitting us against each other, not you and your misinformed fistee friends, like the one who helpfully chimed in to remind us again of the condescending attitudes toward farm workers:
Mice, eh?
Meanwhile, Joni Kamiya wrote a poignant blog post about her father's brown hands. It was prompted by a meeting of the Kahuluu Neighborhood Board, where Center for Food Safety Director Ashley Lukens came to share her outrageous propaganda about pesticides. Joni's father and brother, who grow papayas, also showed up, along with another farmer.
Joni's dad, Ken Kamiya, stood up and told of how farmers are highly regulated in their use of pesticides and must also comply with the food safety regulations:
If we continue to harass the farmers, we're gonna quit. You're not gonna have any small farmers in Hawaii. Small farmers are the guys who grow papayas and cucumbers and anything else you guys like. Be careful and check your information and make sure it's legit.
Did the JFF report mention asthma? It seems that is a good indicator if the youth of Kauai are impacted by living on the west side, what were the results?
ReplyDeleteJan Kimura is a smart clear speaking person. So is Nadine. Jan should run for Council. Nadine will win.
ReplyDeleteSo Jan run for Council. There are three spots that need to be taken.
And if Derik's Dad gets the Dope Operation and if Derik is part of it, he may not be a shoe-in. Derik may be an anti-Ag guy, as well.
Fern's comments are the basic feelings that Da Hoos and most Fistees have. That the locals, poor things, doth not know what they do, so they need shining knights to save them from themselves.
Hopefully, these poor locals will do the right thing and send JoAnn, Mason and GAry packing. No worries tho' Gary has big time jobs with the mainland groups, Mason still gets funds for that weird thing he does with kids and JoAnn can retire on her 50 years of service based at 100K per year. A pension bonanza. Of course if she gets the boot, we will still hear her inimitable voice pushing for the empty Bike Paths, the mismanaged and expensive Buses and cute little Coffee Cafes on Rice Street.
Start getting your friends and family to vote. Otherwise say Aloha to Aloha, the new breed of Felicias, Ferns, Hoos etc will squelch every football game, kill every farm and decimate Big Land.
The choice is ours. Get your Tutus and your 18 year olds out to vote. Save Kauai from mainland style.
7:42 Why not read the report yourself instead of asking others?
ReplyDeleteSeems like all our island's mischief emanates from the northshore. All the illegal rentals, bigotry, poor generalizations about brown-skin education, etc. Seems like they think that they are above the law, know what's best for the rest of the island, and are merely pandering for outside organizations who care not for the truth.
ReplyDeleteFern Rosenstiel's comments about the poor, under-education, brown-skinned people from the westside were hilarious but shows her condescending bigotry against the residents living there. She will get hers in the August primaries by the brown-skins living in the 14th district.
Would applaud the work done by the two seed companies' representations and the only neutral home-grown scientist in trying discern the facts on the impact of pesticides on human health. Two pro-GMO, one neutral, and six anti-GMO do not make a balanced group for the effort. If I were in the three shoes, I would have done so because the majority made the decision and their signatures would have given tacit approval of the "fact-findings", which amounts to bullshit. Don't believe it was the intent of the group to make any recommendations ala 2491. By calling out the governor, DOA head and various other officials make me remember my youthful days when we would call for a "beef" (fight) at the nearest dairy queen to settle our differences. That is childish behavior by the remaining six. Invoking the "precautionary principle" advanced by the six is merely an effort when no factual data can be found.
Asinine as it may sound, we should look at factual data showing higher than normal incidences of melanoma and limit the number of "fair-skinned" residents on the northshore. Additionally, we should ban sunscreens because of its impact on the reefs there.
Dinkydao
Word on the street is that Lukens totally embarrassed Kimura at the neighborhood board meeting. Kimura came across as an angry zealot, whereas Lukens appeared measured and reasonable. One needs to be careful trying to go toe-to-toe with Lukens in public. She is very good at what she does; must be all those years teaching poli sci classes at UH.
ReplyDeleteWord from the meeting is that Lukens turned tail and ran, just like on Molokai. She's great as long as she isn't challenged, and then she crumbles. And why would she want to embarrass a farmer, and her elder, who is speaking from both the heart and a place of knowing? That wouldn't be very respectful or humble.
ReplyDeleteAlso, what's with the reference to Kimura? You're all mixed up, as your report from the street indicates.
It's really too bad that farmers can't just go on strike like so many other providers.
ReplyDeleteIf they did, these anti and faux farmers would look a lot thinner than they do now.
Maybe that would make them appreciate and learn about what it takes to farm.
10:12 am - are you referring to Mr. KAMIYA? I've seen video of his remarks. He was not acting as an angry zealot. He came through with full heart and soul and a passion for farming. Lukens is clearly a paid PR hack.
ReplyDelete@10:12 said: “Word on the street is that Lukens totally embarrassed Kimura at the neighborhood board meeting.” What street might that be- Weke Street? It sounds like it might be something from a smug white skinned, sunscreen lathered, recently arrived CFS dupe who can’t be bothered keeping “brown people’s” names straight. It’s Kamiya not Kimura, asshole. And Ken Kamiya is one of the finest people it was my pleasure to know when I followed the Hawaii papaya federal marketing order. He's a phenomenal public spirited person and farmer, and a lot of people know that. Lukens doesn’t deserve to be allowed in the same room as Ken. Back to Dallas would be perfect for her.
ReplyDeleteJoan, can't open link for Ashley Lukins' "outrageous propaganda." Pray tell if FernAnuenueRosensteal's isn't outrageous enough, but alas, decorum and decency have severely eroded, and blatantt racism, couched (not, not even!) in references to "brown" and "mice" are back, as if the KKK mentality is the latest immigrant to have reached our shores, and is beginning to take hold in disguise of trying to sell itself as progressive, civil, hapa, safety, regenerative and the likes.
ReplyDeleteFernie girl, now trying extract her foot from her okole is commendable, as we have all said and done things in life which we regret, such as stealing something, cutting a silent one in public and saying, "no, not me," pulling a chicken's head off just to see if it does run around like a chicken with the head cut off.
The link is fixed, Roy. Thanks for letting me know.
ReplyDeleteThe JFFG report is something everyone should read. As a brown skinned person with minimal skills, I am totally amused and so would my third grade science teacher. Words like might, could be,"considering the clear legal warnings on pesticide labels",may, patchy and incomplete is in the report. I did not read anything linked to vog. The elderly is hardest hit by vog.
ReplyDeleteThe JFFG report is something everyone should read. As a brown skinned person with minimal skills, I am totally amused and so would my third grade science teacher. Words like might, could be,"considering the clear legal warnings on pesticide labels",may, patchy and incomplete is in the report. I did not read anything linked to vog. The elderly is hardest hit by vog.
ReplyDeleteTo 1:32 PM:
ReplyDeleteMy favorite from the JFFG report is the term "signals."
There are signals everywhere, mysterious signals signifying nothing.
My nephew works for a seed company. He is not Thai. Nor, inexplicably, his workmates. Ironically, he tells me the Mexicans were sent home for being too lazy (it is definitely, hot hard work) , while the Kauai boys and girls hung in.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately people like fern are not new to Hawaii. They've been coming since 1820. To all you missionaries out there..... We don't need our souls saved! I know native Hawaiians that work as genetic engineers for these companies as well as ones who work in the fields and none are impressed by this momona wahine with a bachelors degree. Pfft go back to school fern a b.s. Is basic
ReplyDeleteIt's no surprise on how a white person feels about brown people. Everywhere I've been in the states have the same mind frame and their trying to bring that kind of mentality here on Kauai.
ReplyDeleteFern is running for the state house? Beware of one issue candidates with tunnel vision. And I agree with 8:10 am above. Kimura should run for the Council first. He stands a better chance of getting elected and will be good to have on the now crazy Council. And we need someone from the north shore on the Council.
ReplyDeleteJan Kimua is perfect for Council or Lege.
ReplyDeleteBut Nadine has all of the County's Kings and Horses pulling her.
Ron and Jimmy will bring a great deal to help Jan, but in the end Nadine would win.
Nadine speaks softly, intelligently and is nice looking. Jan speaks intelligently, directly and may be a little too straight forward for the many many effete NS voters.
Both are good people.
If Jan Kimura ran for Council it would be better. His passion and clear ideas will benefit the group and especially the island. Jan is fearless. He can relate to all people, but liars and cheats will have a little difficulty with him. Jan has a nose for double-talkers.
Fern's comments are silently agreed to by many NS elitists, in their hearts they feel sorry for the poor locals.
As far as brown people goes...over half the population is Hapa. Which side will the Hapas choose? In the end it ain't about race, its about attitude.
But to be clear, Da Hoos slim-ball organization HAPA is not made up of Hapas, it is for the elites, by the elites and of the elites. Da Hoos was smart taking this name as his flagships moniker, but it is more sh*t from the Big Fistee.
Have you hugged your Hapa today?
Auntie Cathy always said it is rude and wrong to take words like Hapa and use them for your own, that words were not supposed to be used unless it is correct and you have Kupuna blessing.
ReplyDelete9:25, I did read lots of the report , glazed over through some of it
ReplyDeleteRon and Jimmy want Jan Kimura? Good enough for me. I'm voting for anyone else.
ReplyDeleteCome on Man! Jan Kimura? Nadine Nakamura is 1,000X more intelligent. Kauai likes to settle for the least qualified and most connected. Just like their protocol officer hahaha WTF does the county of Kauai need a protocol officer for? They can't even fix their illegal spending that has been exposed in 2 county audits. How can a county protocol officer let Illegal purchases occur on Pcard? He is a protocol officer so why didn't he suspend and fire those county employees? Least/Unqualified NEPOTISM as county employees and they want to raise the county GE Tax, vehicle weight tax, fuel tax, registration tax to support county fucktards.
ReplyDeletesomeone said it here a little while back. all you need to qualify for a cushy county job is to related to the mayor. no worries; qualifications not even considered. main ting you get the koko. no position open to suit the chana's skill set? no problem, the man will create something for you like a wtf protocol position. Take care yo own at public expense.
ReplyDeleteNatural occurrences cause asthma too. Shall we just get rid of all flowers and hedges while we are at it?
ReplyDeleteNo common sense these anti gmo anti pesticides in the islands!
Haha HAPA is full of white rich people not hapa people. Such a full of crockpot bunch.
ReplyDelete1:16, We need .25 mile barriers around all hedges and flowers, and we have to get rid on all the Guinea grass and albizia trees growing on old cane lands. NO glyphosate!!!, NO burning!!!, NO cattle!!! (they crap, you know); we'll just pass an ordinance to ban them and then grab the land and turn it over to the thousands of organic farmers on the island shepherded by Lukens, Achitoff, di Pietro, Cowden, Anuenue (huh?), Farmer Gary and the like who know all about farming. All about organic bovine fertilizer, anyway.
ReplyDeleteSame same, the new missionaries maneuvering to get the land , so much agriculture land, so little to develop.
ReplyDeleteJan Kimura would make a great council member.
ReplyDeleteNadine does have a solid game.
ReplyDeleteNadine has a real solid game, voting for Bill 2491, then leaving and getting Chock to vote for 2491 in her absence, then getting appointed by the Mayor whom she created much of the 2491 grief for. Takes a lot of talent to follow that road. To stab a person and be gifted a cushy job from the person you stabbed. Go figure.
ReplyDelete1:37pm Nadine is so intelligent that she ignored Mauna Kea Trask's 60 page County Attorney Opinion regarding Bill 2491 about it being Invalid because of course, she is "so smart and solid". She even worked with Joanne to create the Joint Fact Finding Committee even though the County has no expertise or jurisdiction because "she is so smart and solid". Sorry, I disagree. More like "stupid and wasteful"
ReplyDeleteNadine didn't create the JFF. That came up after the bill was overturned.
ReplyDeleteI think this whole GMO hitch and Bill 2491 was done in poor taste. Most sane people are okay with GMO products. The part that scares people is the induction of pesticides into food products, but not all GMO products are resilient to pesticides. Pesticides and genetically engineered products should be two separate subjects, and dealth with separately.
ReplyDelete1:08pm. Nadine and Joanne both spearheaded the amendments to Bill 2491 and the creation of the JFF. Two wahines who thought they could work out a solution instead of doing the right thing and saying "no" this is the "states responsibility". Big mistake that the "locals" should never forget when they vote next election.
ReplyDeleteNadine. The Myth
ReplyDeleteNadine. The Myth
ReplyDeleteNadine is the lesser of two evils. Jan ain't no good.
DeleteFern will try her best but Nadine will more than likely be selected. At the least she (Fern) will be relegated to contributing to the North Shore's economy. As for Jan Kimura, he is not a bad person and is full of potential. Council would be a good home for him to start at.
ReplyDelete@3:39 pm
ReplyDeleteBill 2491 whether it passed or not had numerous flaws in either direction. Till today the County and Council have no idea on how it should be dealt with. So that makes you sound like you have a chip on your shoulder, or maybe you feel threatened by Nadines running. Either way Nadine will prevail.
@12:45 pm,
ReplyDeleteYou act as though it's a crime to seek advancements in the system. And your ambiguous remark regarding getting Chock to vote on 2491, which was done by Hoosier, Yukimura and Fufaro. And as for the Mayor his veto was overridden which put him in a neutral position. He actually came out the big winner. Most Council Members that we have now are way more aggressive when it comes to vetting bills before it's passed. Hopefully we can maintain that integrity through this election. Just saying.
Bill 2491 was a "big flaw" period end of story. No both ways wtf. It was ruled "invalid". What does that mean you stupid hippie?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteToo much emotion. And yes it was ruled invalid, so the subject matter of 2491 is moot. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.
Jan Kimura is the point man for Jeff Stone on Kauai. Ron is vouching for Jan. Need more discussion about voting Kimura to the Council ?
ReplyDeleteInteresting
ReplyDelete