Monday, March 4, 2013

Musings: Rock Bottom

Former state Rep. Roland Sagum III is due to be arraigned Tuesday on second degree felony theft charges for allegedly stealing rocks from a preserve on A&B's Kukuiula property last year.

Sagum, a former deputy planner for Kauai County turned developer, represented the 16th District from 2007-2011, when he lost to Dee Morikawa by a nearly two-to-one margin in the Democratic primary. Sagum's contributions in the Legislature included opposing civil unions and introducing a resolution expounding on the cultural virtues of cock fighting. Ironically, he just finished a five-year stint on Juvenile Justice State Advisory Council.

Lealiki Koli, a rock wall builder, is also charged with second degree theft and criminal property damage.

It seems Prosecutor Justin Kollar has been sending an OPA representative to neighborhood meetings, where Koloa residents offered information about the alleged theft, which led to the arrests.

Speaking of rocks, and the prosecutor's office, I was fascinated to read Councilman Ross Kagawa's comments regarding the transfer of money previously allocated for Keiki POHAKU to the Teen Court instead. As The Garden Island reports:

What [Kagawa] has heard from the teens is that the consequences of Teen Court were quite easy, he said, and if the consequences are not severe enough, they look at it as joke and are not worried about going through the program again.

And that made me think of how Ross was let off so easy, as in full on free ride, back when he was managing the Convention Hall and caught doing something he shouldn't. So was this his way of saying he took it all as a joke, because he really didn't have to suffer any consequences? Or is he saying the youth should be held more accountable than he?

Or is he just pandering to a certain constituency, like when he talks stink about the endangered Newell's shearwater, blaming the birds for turning off the lights on the night games, when it was really due to the county's stumbling and bumbling? Yup, Ross made it clear in a recent ocean users meeting that he's a “buck the firds” kinda guy.

Which would be a little easier to swallow if he weren't a lawmaker, sworn to uphold the laws. Not to mention a teacher, who really should be setting a better example about respecting and protecting imperiled species that are endemic to Hawaii — as in found no where else on Earth.

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had heard about the theft of pohaku for Roland's rock wall at his home and I am beyond pleased that he is not getting away with it. Unfortunately, it is more common than we'd like to think. People actually driving to Poipu to take rock from heiau. A neighbor down the street did this and built a rock wall and started to build an extension to his house using the pohaku from a certain Poipu heiau. It sits incomplete today with two piles of pohaku in the yard, unused. The wife fell ill and died. The husband is sickly. One son got into a moped accident and another got involved with drugs. Doesn't pay to desecrate.

Anonymous said...

Kagawa...ignorant fool. Teen Court is a valuable program. For those kids who think the consequences are "easy" and offend again, the second time around they go to family court. I'm pretty sure Teen Court is a one time deal. Humiliation in front of peers is enough of a deterrent for most kids who made a one time stupid mistake. Those who continue to get into trouble, will do so regardless.

So now we see that Ross is a Mel/Shay backer huh? What happened at the Convention Hall exactly? Since he is now a public figure shouldn't his misdeeds be public as well? Voters have a right to know.

Anonymous said...

The Sagum saga continues - this is the man who proposed to make cockfight legal in the state as a culture tradition and supported the idea that the 'smart' people on Oahu should be making the decisions regarding land use for the people here on Kauai.

GET HIM Justin!

Anonymous said...

I view this as a little hypocritical for the OPA to charge Sagum with theft, when county employees and their family members STOLE GAS and werent charged with a crime.

They were able to fraudulently covered it up. They stole over 14,000 gallons of GAS in just one yr that was investigated and reported.


This is a felony GRAND THEFT, I guess the PoHAKU program was created as a immunity program for the GOBAG.

Is it acceptable to ROB the taxpayers and get away with it but when people steal from wealthy people then that's a CRIME?

Anonymous said...

Kagawa needs to educated on the rate of teen recidivism and the fact that they don't get a second chance to go through the program again.

Why was this guy even elected? We need responsible, honest people serving us - not another GOBAG who only serves his chosen people and the criminals (government employees) scamming the system.

Most of them (council) don't even recognize that there are three branches of government - their job is to create laws and not spending tax payer time and money patting themselves on the back.

If I hear ONE more time how long Jay has been in the hotel industry, I'm pretty sure I'll puke. Does he have to say it at each and EVERY meeting? Seriously get over yourself and start doing the job you were elected to do.

Anonymous said...

Yet the Waioli Corporation trustees are not prosecuted for exporting almost a year worth of truckloads of excavated rock from the stream bed of Lepeuli Stream mauka of Larsen's Beach. Without any permits. Of course, those rocks go to a State project, the rehabilitation of Upper Kapahi and Wailua Resevoirs, so no one will be prosecuted for doing the State's work. Dahilig never ordered remediation, only a Cease and Desist that was ignored for some time. I hear Dahilig is trying to get out of town and work on Oahu. Perhaps he knows people are looking into his dirty works in planning.

Anonymous said...

Most of the teens I talked to feel that Teen Court was extremely valuable.

Anonymous said...

Well, speaking of presses...hot off the press, TGI Comments Board will no longer be available. The online version of TGI is being revised, and the forum is removed.

What will become of the TGI family of "Welcome Home"... where the door screen don't hang right, and the faucets drip? Kinda sad.

Someone check on RGGJR to make sure he isn't rolled-up in a ball some where with withdrawal pain.

Anonymous said...

Iʻm still waiting to hear what happened to a recent alleged drug charge against Kagawa that got buried.

Anonymous said...

Now u getting out of hand absolutely false who are u u should be arrested. Kpd do your job and track this idiot.

Anonymous said...

Recent DRUG charges dropped against councilman Kagawa??? WTF??? It doesn't surprise me!!! Kauai is a third world kind of country-like Mexico and Cuba... Maybe he is connected to the Mexican Drug Cartels that are now on Kauai.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you are really not mentally retarded

Anonymous said...

ShayMel is that you??? ShayMel, how you like your new JOB??? LOL LOL LOL You Crazy B$&!H!!!!

Anonymous said...

Regardless of its hypocrisy, Kagawa's point is valid. The children on this island have no role models and no consequences. Nobody making them be home at a decent hour, nobody making sure they're not dressed like sluts, and nobody holding them accountable. Too many of their parents themselves still have not grown up.

Anonymous said...

Dahilig is trying to clean up planning! I hope he doesn't leave.

Anonymous said...

March 6, 2013 at 7:56 AM

You are in the minority - most of us hope he gets a fat paycheck from someone else's pocket.

Anonymous said...

7:56 AM if he's doing such a good job why are we still paying the incompetent people who still 'work' in the 'planning' department?

Anonymous said...

Civil service employees cannot just be let go.

Anonymous said...

True however - how many times do you get to be late for work and not get written up? Go grocery shopping in a county vehicle?

There is no management or discipline - the union contract does allow for that.

There are ways to get rid of employees.

Anonymous said...

Sagum belongs to the Lua group that stole Makaweli poi under nakuku

Anonymous said...

March 6, 2013 at 3:23 PM

getting paid for hours not worked is called thief - so these stellar employees of the County are thieves.

Anonymous said...

nobody stole Makaweli Poi! Makaweli Poi was turned over to another entity who was asked to turn in a business plan which must have not been something that OHA could accept as a viable plan. You need to get the information right! And maybe, Sagum didn't steal the rocks---there may be an explanation!

Anonymous said...

Adding to the post this morning, OHA was subsidizing Makaweli Poi $100,000 a year to keep the mill running. They did it for 5 years!---now is it a good idea for OHA to keep that kind of $ flowing into such a business? Waipa Poi on the other hand, does good business with grants, etc. and they keep the culture alive! All in all, we should not point fingers and accuse people without the facts being brought forward. The more accusations, the more dirt will be revealed---not nice, but falsehoods must be fought with truth!

Anonymous said...

Knowing his reputation, I won't put the theft past him.I heard from a reliable source that this indeed happened. How did his contractor get access to A&B property where preserve is? Its gated. Who's connections got him access? As someone who has dabbled in Poipu development, Roland likely the one who could get access. Royal Order of Kamehameha, caretakers of Prince Kuhio Park would have observed large scale disturbance of pohaku.

Anonymous said...

i am sure Ross Kagawa is speaking for a number of citizens who feel that our rights are being cut down because of the endangered shear waters, the monk seal, whales. Hey, he speaks what is truth to him! We may not agree, but let's not get into someone's past and put them in a stink hole because we don't agree with the person. Let's keep our eyes on the present issues. And, some kids will agree that Teen Court didn't/doesn't work for all. Let's listen and hear with our hearts and be nonjudgmental! No need agree, but disagree without talking stink! I don't think he said teen court in not a valuable program and he isn't against taking care of the birds, seals, etc. His take, i gather, is to make sure that things are done in a rational way so we can still enjoy Kauai! Oh, just because he agrees with certain principles doesn't mean he backs, for example, Mel/Shay. Maybe they (Ross, Mel, Shay) are the ones who really back the locals!!! We need people like them, people who don't forget their roots!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Where' Kipukai!!!!! The other one that doesn't forget his roots!!!!

Anonymous said...

Buck the firds. Bring back friday night KIF and weekend youth football, more fans, more money for the high school students who play other sports to pay for uniforms and equipment. Kupuna can watch games without getting heat stroke. Humans more important the Newell Sheerwaters.

Anonymous said...

Sagum will get off this is so stupid. Local people know, if u take rocks from a heiau, look out. Sleepless nights or things might start falling out or off. I would return every single rock and ask the Hawaiian Groups for forgiveness and restore the heiau better than it was. The court cannot fix this problem, the spirits will. Don't even take river rocks, some bad stuff have happened, no BS.

Anonymous said...

Last week a baby humback whale washed up in Waianae. Right away, people from NOAA and DLNR said they noticed bruising, etc. Right away, they assumed a boat had hit the whale. They said slow down and watch for whales. Next day, an autopsy was performed, they concluded that the whale had gotten separated from its mom and died of malnutrition. This shows the kind stuff that local subsistence fishermen are up against. Blamers and Environmentalists who will do anything to keep boats out of certain areas of the water because of endangered whales, monk seals, and so on. Local Kauaians its time to wake up the evil mainlanders are coming to take away your rights and they are using their skilled attorneys and government grants to do it.

Anonymous said...

10:32 What roots are you talking about? Kagawa is Japanese! The birds are way more local than he is!

11:02 That is so stupid because you make the little kids play in the heat of the day. Stop being so selfish.

2:19 Nobody is trying to take away your rights.

Anonymous said...

"Where' Kipukai!!!!!"

Ross took his seat. Get rid of Ross and bring back KipuKai!!

Anonymous said...

Kipukai was equal or worse than Ross - he never knew what was going on and followed Mel's lead - just like Kagawa.

Not an original thought in that poor man's head.

Lets elected someone with a brain, local or not instead of a simple minded follower.

Anonymous said...

Brains versus common sense---when it comes to taking care of people and the aina--i would side on common sense and a lot of aloha for all concerned! Of course one has to be smart to read and understand all the necessary information concerning the issues---and no dummy would run for office if he/she couldn't do that! Mel, Ross and Kipukai are very bright, smart men---we had them in school and know that. Besides being smart with brains, they have our best interest at heart, maybe not yours, tho! What do you want from them?

Anonymous said...

Kauai's transplant population, including Bynum and Hooser think that because they are white, they are better than the rest of us. Typical haoles, funny, last election they were on the bottom, next one they'll be out, Kualii and Chang, right back in.

Anonymous said...

post at 10:32: Don't you know what
"local" is?! Not necessary indigenous to the island, but born and raised on island. Yea, even us Japanese qualify as locals! Or a Japanese can be a banana, even if born and raised here!

Anonymous said...

Transplants have their own definitions of local, they sit behind their computer or phone and talk crap about the locals. Face to face, act nice, kiss ass. What eva.

Anonymous said...

Pa Ku imi he Lua poi stealing thugs. So sad they are supposed to protect Hawaiians. Instead they cheat and intimidate them

Anonymous said...

@1:22PM

Maybe transplants would be willing to discuss more with locals if they werent subject to verbal & physical abuse.
Manners seem to be lacking from many with opinions!

Anonymous said...

@8:42pm

When the people of Kauai vote for the most qualified candidate rather than their Uncle or Auntie's best friend, or a family member, or even just because he/she is "local" no matter how useless they may be, that is when viable change might possibly take place for the betterment of all!

Anonymous said...

Locals no like listen to transplant, because transplants no listen either. The solution, move back to where you came from. Beat it.