‘No obvious signs’ point to cause of calf’s death
Marine specialist says tissue analysis could take months

By EDWIN TANJI, City Editor
POSTED: February 27, 2008
rom:


Article Photos
A medical examination found no obvious signs pointing to a cause of death of the baby whale that came ashore at Puamana Beach Park. This picture was taken Monday afternoon as crews patrolled the shore because of reports that sharks had attacked the whale.

The Maui News / AMANDA COWAN photo

KAHULUI — A medical examination of a young humpback whale that died after washing onto the shoreline at Puamana on Monday found no obvious injuries or factors that might have caused the whale’s death, a federal marine resources specialist said Tuesday.

“There were no obvious signs of the cause of death,” said Nicole Davis, Marine Mammal Response Program coordinator on Maui. “She had injuries, but they did not appear to be fatal injuries.”

While witnesses reported the young whale was attacked by sharks as it was swimming just outside the surf break off Puamana, Davis said the whale already was on the beach when she was able to get to the scene and she did not observe any sharks in the shallows.

Anyone who may have observed the calf before it approached the outer reef off Puamana on Monday morning or who may have information on the calf’s condition as it was being attacked by the sharks can write to Davis by e-mail at nicole.davis@noaa.gov or call (808) 292-2372.

She said the whale was a young calf estimated to be no more than a few weeks old, “born sometime in 2008, but not a newborn.”

“It was very young, definitely a new calf, and it appeared it was a female.”

It will take some time for laboratories on the Mainland to complete their analysis of the tissue samples taken from the whale in the effort to determine what caused its death.

“It can take several months, maybe longer and it may be close to a year before we get all of the results. And we may never know for sure what happened,” she said.

After surfers and others on the beach at Puamana called police about the sharks attacking the whale, Maui police were the first to arrive at the beach where a number of beachgoers were attempting to keep the whale calf in the water despite the threat of sharks in the shallow water.

Davis said specialists with state and federal agencies responded to the emergency, but they could not get to the site quickly enough to attempt to save the calf.

“There really was little anyone could do. If there were sharks attacking the whale, nobody could pull the sharks off the whale. If the sharks were attacking the whale and it could not get away, there was something wrong with the calf,” she said.

When police arrived, they ordered the people holding onto the whale to clear the water because of the threat of sharks. County and state water safety officials also closed the shoreline for a mile on each side of the scene, but reopened the beaches Tuesday morning after determining the sharks were no longer present in the nearshore waters.

“It was for the health and safety of the public that they had to move everyone back from the beach,” Davis said.

The response team included Maui County ocean safety officers who assisted in monitoring the sharks and warned surfers and others along the coastline of the presence of sharks, specialists with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, state conservation enforcement officers and aquatics biologists, and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Davis said the recovery team consulted with Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners on proper handling of the dead calf as part of the protocol for handling a marine mammal that dies in island waters.

“All of the people involved are feeling saddened at the loss of this calf. Even if the humpback whale population is recovering, the death of a young female is a real loss,” she said.

• Edwin Tanji can be reached at citydesk@mauinews.com'>citydesk@mauinews.com.

John McShane of Veolia Environmental Services discusses recycling compact fluorescent lamps as well as proper management of other hazardous materials inside a traditional household

www.youtube.com/watch

The pros and cons of Compact Fluorescent (CF) light bulbs, with specific regard to recycling. While Compact Fluorescents last a long time and save lots of electricity, the CF bulbs contain mercury and must be disposed of properly.

I have found the claim they last so long not to be that accurate. You can drive your gas guzzling car to your local IKEA store for recycling and while you are at it buy some more stuff! It bothers me that so many green solutions require you to buy more stuff! Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) contain mercury and are hard to recycle, i have a whole bunch of them collecting dust in my closet because you must drive to a toxic cleanup day to recycled them, wasting gas, and think about it 6.5 billion people using them is just going to contribute to another pollution problem.

Check out Neo Bulbs and CCFL bulbs . They give the same light quality, but with a lot less mercury in them. Not the perfect bulb, but better then normal CFL's.

Natureboy says, "What about LED's? They're expensive but last forever, and have no mercury... I just blew a bundle on those dimmable compact fluorescents, but was horrified they had mercury on the label! Especially as the plow just ran over one... thankfully one of the few incandescent I hadn't changed."

Light Bulb Comparison Spreadsheet

Of course we could just use less lights, but then how would we fuel the economy if we did not spend a lot of money continuing to consume? Of course people do not realize that before electricity we actually went to bed when the sun went down, what about using less lights and mess with Mother Nature less?

All through the night they sought the light that would guide them for they were lost in the deep dark forest surrounded by snow. They only knew that it was imperative that they keep moving as it was getting colder now and soon it wouldn't matter because they had lost hope of ever finding shelter. So cold and tired they knew they were soon to die without the guidance of something greater than you and I.

Having no choice exhausted and scared they continued forward shivering as they walked side-by-side. All at once in the distance they saw something glowing in the cold brisk air. At first they thought it was a light but then to their despair it was Sister Aurora.

Little did they know, Aurora was showing them the way to the cabin not so far away. Their spirits uplifted they quickened the pace. Now their faces turned upward in praise seeing at once the face of an angel with rainbows, stars, and planets in her hair. She was gliding beside beloved Aurora both guiding them there to safety, a fire, and some company with plenty of everything they needed and would share.

Fear not please do not despair there is always hope when you thought no one was there. Just open your eyes and hearts and you will hear the sound of love forever it is always there its in the air and everywhere.

copyrighted 2007 Loving Dancer, Carmie Raven

Connecting I make love with the energy of day. Several clouds floating by different places kissing us as they sway. I lie here thinking "good bye" or some times a delightful kiss of surprise prompts a "hi". Brother Moon, Sister Aurora and Stars, we all spoon Predictably there goes the satellite again gracing us with its passing kiss blinking eye floating fast through the dark night sky. Indubitably an invasion of privacy crummy disguise yet it passes over our heads not to my surprise. Oh my, I wonder how I look on camera naked exposed to that robot in the sky or is it a naked eye?

A natural barrier of ten foot grass is surrounding and framing my intimate circle an invisible sacred place it's my space so please pass. I feel the vibration and hear the sound moving sinuously gyrating around; good bye shut your eye you prying bastard in the sky. Rainbow circles flying slow and some fast I'm captivated oh how long does this last?

Spiraling slowly towards my circular driveway passing through requires a special pass. Don't need the confusion when there's no fusion. Elements, lover sun pass reaching for night fall as the time is past. I am blind at night so hurriedly I take flight to the safety of my nest and some candle light also I need rest. Feeling safe here I can hear earth sounds much to my delight someone's making love near by oh why isn't it I?



Raven Woman © 2007

Feral Cat Program of Maui
Current mood: happy


An alternative program now in place rather than slaughtering, trapping, running over these cats or allowing the ongoing proliferation is being used here in Maui Hawaii it is called the Feral Cat Program of Maui is also in conjunction with the Human Society. For the ease my readers I will put the short article here with a link. I have been traveling to Maui for 36 years. Three years ago after moving here I couldn't understand what was going on with all the cats they were lined up everywhere looking for handouts dead everyone on the one road around the island it was sad.


In the past 3 years I have seen a significant decrease in feral cats and that is a blessing because they are carrying a weird virus that is killing domesticated cats. Additionally, these feral cast kill many rare birds that are practically extinct. Our approach is so much more humane and makes a lot of sense and isn't decimating the population only controlling it and keeping other cats and species alive. Here is the article:


Feral Cat Program

The following represents our philosophy regarding the TTAR (trap, test, alter, and release) method of feral cat colony maintenance.

We recognize that a feral cat population exists on the island of Maui. Feral cats are defined as felines, which, for the most part, are not socialized and disdain human contact. Feral cat populations begin with free roaming, unaltered and abandoned cats and will continue to draw new members from these ranks until cat owners come to accept responsibility for their companions.
In addition to the TTAR program the Maui Humane Society believes in establishing both legislative and educational programs aimed at limiting the indiscriminate breeding of cats. As well, we promote responsible pet ownership and discourage the widespread myth that "cats are free spirits and can fend for themselves."

Experience has shown that cats are somewhat territorial and will establish and protect colonies. Left to breed uncontrolled, these colonies compound the pet overpopulation program and pose a potential health risk to wildlife, domestic pets, and humans.

Continual trapping and euthanasia has been ineffective, in that other feral cats repopulate the territorial niches left void by those previously removed. The TTAR method is only recommended for colonies of feral cats that can be returned to supervised sites where long term care can be assured. Stray, tame cats need to be placed in homes. Spaying/neutering colonies of cats:

Stabilizes the population at manageable levels
Eliminates annoying behaviors associated with mating (fighting, yowling, and spraying)
Helps make the animals easier to deal with
Has been proven more effective and less costly than repeated attempts at eradication
Is humane to the animals and fosters compassion in the community

The Maui Humane Society works in partnership with the Feline Foundation of Maui to provide spay/neuters and other types of support for feral cats in colony situations.
For more information on establishing a colony of feral cats please contact the Feline Foundation of Maui at (808) 891-1181 or email: felinefoundation@yahoo.com


Let us all be humane and find creative solutions to controlling species.


May the Great Spirit guide us all.

Blessings,
Dancing Raven

Who is Kimberly-Clark?


Kimberly-Clark is the largest tissue product company in the world. It manufactures the popular Kleenex brand of tissue products, which is sold in several formats – toilet paper, facial tissue and napkins. Kimberly-Clark produces 3.7 million tonnes (4 million tons) of tissue products annually and generates net sales of $14.3 billion US. The company has offices, factories and mills in 38 countries and its products are sold in 150 countries. Kimberly-Clark also produces an extensive line of commercial toilet paper and paper towels that are sold to institutions like universities, high schools, governments and businesses.


“Kimberly-Clark uses “virgin” fiber from clearcut ancient forests.”

In North America, less than 19% of the pulp that Kimberly-Clark uses for its disposable tissue products comes from recycled sources. The rest comes directly from forests like Canada’s Boreal. Most of the recycled fibre that Kimberly-Clark does use goes directly into tissue products sold to institutions like theatre chains, hotels and sports stadiums. Most of the consumer products sold in local grocery stores, including Kleenex brand products, contain no recycled fiber whatsoever. Despite the fact that it has the capacity to make a much higher percentage of its products from post-consumer recycled fiber, Kimberly-Clark chose, in 2004, to use 3 million metric tonnes (3.3 million tons) of virgin fiber to produce its tissue paper products globally.

Check out the forest destruction that goes into these tissue products



A Quick Look at Kimberly-Clark Products:

Type of products:

facial tissue, napkins, toilet paper, paper towels

Brands:

Canada: Kleenex
United States: Kleenex, Scott, Viva, Cottonelle
Global: Kleenex, Cottonelle, Cottonelle Puppy, Andrex, Scottbrand, Hakle, Scottex

Made from:

Ancient forests like North Amerca’s Boreal forest

Source of pulp:

Unsustainable forest operations in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia; clearcuts

Product durability:

Used once then thrown away or flushed down the toilet

Number of sheets of facial tissue produced by Kimberly-Clark for consumers each year:

Over 190 billion.

Amount of virgin (tree) fibre used in 2004:

3 million metric tonnes (3.3 million tons)

Impact on ancient forests:

Devastating




» Read an ancient forest crimes case study




» Check out the Kimberly-Clark Forest Destruction Photo Gallery

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6960612.stm


Out-of-body experience recreated
Experts have found a way to trigger an out-of-body experience in volunteers.
The experiments, described in the Science journal, offer a scientific explanation for a phenomenon experienced by one in 10 people.

Two teams used virtual reality goggles to con the brain into thinking the body was located elsewhere.

The visual illusion plus the feel of their real bodies being touched made volunteers sense that they had moved outside of their physical bodies.

The researchers say their findings could have practical applications, such as helping take video games to the next level of virtuality so the players feel as if they are actually inside the game.

Clinically, surgeons might also be able to perform operations on patients thousands of miles away by controlling a robotic virtual self.

Teleported

For some, out-of-body experiences or OBEs occurs spontaneously, while for others it is linked to dangerous circumstances, a near-death experience, a dream-like state or use of alcohol or drugs.


We feel that our self is located where the eyes are
UCL researcher Dr Henrik Ehrsson

One theory is that it is down to how people perceive their own body - those unhappy or less in touch with their body are more likely to have an OBE.

But the two teams, from University College London, UK, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, believe there is a neurological explanation.

Their work suggests a disconnection between the brain circuits that process visual and touch sensory information may thus be responsible for some OBEs.

In the Swiss experiments, the researchers asked volunteers to stand in front of a camera while wearing video-display goggles.


Through these goggles, the volunteers could see a camera view of their own back - a three-dimensional "virtual own body" that appeared to be standing in front of them.

When the researchers stroked the back of the volunteer with a pen, the volunteer could see their virtual back being stroked either simultaneously or with a time lag.

The volunteers reported that the sensation seemed to be caused by the pen on their virtual back, rather than their real back, making them feel as if the virtual body was their own rather than a hologram.

Volunteers

Even when the camera was switched to film the back of a mannequin being stroked rather than their own back, the volunteers still reported feeling as if the virtual mannequin body was their own.

And when the researchers switched off the goggles, guided the volunteers back a few paces, and then asked them to walk back to where they had been standing, the volunteers overshot the target, returning nearer to the position of their "virtual self".

Dr Henrik Ehrsson, who led the UCL research, used a similar set-up in his tests and found volunteers had a physiological response - increased skin sweating - when they felt their virtual self was being threatened - appearing to be hit with a hammer.

Dr Ehrsson said: "This experiment suggests that the first-person visual perspective is critically important for the in-body experience. In other words, we feel that our self is located where the eyes are."

Dr Susan Blackmore, psychologist and visiting lecturer at the University of the West of England, said: "This has at last brought OBEs into the lab and tested one of the main theories of how they occur.

"Scientists have long suspected that the clue to these extraordinary, and sometimes life-changing, experiences lies in disrupting our normal illusion of being a self behind our eyes, and replacing it with a new viewpoint from above or behind."


Story from BBC NEWS:
news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-...6960612.stm

Published: 2007/08/24 13:55:48 GMT

© BBC MMVII

www.mauitime.com/PrintVersion.aspx

HO’ALA
As the massive Wailea 670 project moves through the County Land UseCommittee, we talk with three local activists about how they’ve awakened to the danger sposed by over-development
By Rob Parsons


Activists, left to right: Kenneth “Braddah” Ho`opai, Walter Tau`a, Chisa-Lee Dizon, Carlo Elaban, David K. Ho`opai, Samson Harp, Koko, and Ilona Rahn. In Front: Kamanalani Geddes and Jonah K. Ho`opai PHOTO: Pietro Ortiz

Cultural sites preserved as landscape features in the yards of multi-million dollar condominiums and homes. Photo: SaveMakena.org

Looking mauka with Maiapilo bush in foreground. Inset: Close up of Maiapilo flower. Photos: Rob Parsons

This mauka-makai trail may once have connected Hawaiian fishing villages with upslope habitations.This mauka-makai trail may once have connected Hawaiian fishing villages with upslope habitations. Photo: SaveMakena.org

Grandfather Wiliwili tree. Inset: An Awikiwiki blossom. Photos: Dr. Lee Altenber

The sun-baked slopes and shoreline of what is now known as the Wailea and Makena areas was once home to a number of fishing villages. The old Makena Road was part of the Pi‘ilani trail built in the 1500’s, linking coastal villages from Kaupo to Keawakapu. Archeological studies indicate that many of these sites had continuous habitation from the 15th to the 20th century.
Charles Pili Keau, born in Wailuku in 1927, had a keen interest in these ancient sites. He accompanied the Bishop Museum’s Dr. Kenneth Emory during the latter’s review of Maui cultural sites in the 1970’s.
At a 1985 Planning Commission hearing on the abandonment and closing of a section of the old Makena Road, Keau described what he and Emory found.
“Many fishing villages are connected by the ancient road,” Keau said. “Starting from Keoneoio, the road runs along Kalihi, Paalua, Maonakala and Kanahena villages. Each village has a heiau located near the road. From Kanahena, the road goes to Pa‘ako, then past another village near Pu‘u Olai—I don’t know the name of that village, but it’s a village with a three-sided heiau, one side open to the sea—and on to a large village complex which is on the site of Seibu’s golf course. I think it was a large village because there are three heiau and numerous terraces.”
Other than historical records, very little evidence remains of these sites. A few structures have been preserved, but are grossly out of context. Some even sit as landscape features in the yards of multi-million dollar condominiums or homes. The relevance of these sites to the Hawaiian history of the region has largely been cut off.
Recent development proposals of large tracts of land in South Maui have created another rift in the community. Those supporting construction jobs, real estate inventory and affordable housing possibilities have heard strong opposition from others favoring conservation of dwindling water resources, improvements to infrastructure, protection of reefs and preservation of cultural and botanical sites.
At recent Council Land Use Committee hearings on the rezoning of the Wailea 670/Honua‘ula project, which calls for 1,400 homes and a private golf course, the standing-room-only audience included dozens of young Hawaiians. While some merely listened, others spoke up, lending their passionate voices to the debate. Outside in the hallway, some talked story with friends or relatives who were told to be there and support the project by their construction bosses.
Inspired by what they’d heard about archeological sites and a vital remnant dryland forest habitat on the Honu‘ula property, some of the Hawaiians chose to exercise their native rights to access the property.
In 1995, a landmark Hawai‘i Supreme Court ruling affirmed that Hawaiians retain cultural rights on private land that is undeveloped. Kona activist Jerry Rothstein founded the group Public Access Shoreline Hawai‘i (PASSH), which challenged the Kohanaiki project that was originally proposed in the early 1990’s to develop a hotel and golf course. The court’s decision over “PASH rights” ensured that Native Hawaiians have a say in what happens to land they need for religious uses and “gathering rights” such as the traditional collection of plants, wood and natural resources that supported their ancestors.

On a recent Sunday morning, Samson Harp, Ilona Rahn and Chisa Dizon stood at a gate marked “No Trespassing—Wailea Resort.” They were part of a group that came to hike the lands once accessed by their Hawaiian ancestors. The three have experienced ho‘ala–an awakening–and proceeded to explore lands proposed for development by Honua‘ula and Makena Resort investors.
Just returned to Maui after two years in Alaska, Samson Harp is an artist and owner of the Island Rootz tattoo shop in Kihei. He wears the image of the Hawaiian Islands, stretching from his left temple over his eyebrow. Harp says he got involved in activism “because it’s the right thing to do.” A father of five, ranging in age from 10 months to 10 years old, he says he’s trying hard to be a good role model.
“I’m going to classes, studying Hawaiian mythology, history, language,” he says. “I want my kids to be raised more culturally aware. Lack of cultural respect is a big problem. We’re trying to get our identity back.”
Harp says he “felt happy” being on the undeveloped land above the Wailea golf course. “I felt good—better than sleeping or walking at the mall,” he says. “I want to bring my kids. I seen plants I never have seen before. The maiapilo, it has an unreal smell.”
At a Wailea 670 hearing a few weeks earlier, he just listened the first day, and was glad to have an extra day to listen and learn. Speaking at the next meeting, he told the council members he’s concerned about water and “sugar-coated” affordable housing and that he doesn’t want to see more building on these places. “Isn’t it worth fighting for?” he asked.
“Everything’s so Western now,” he says. “If you wanna go kanekapila (Hawaiian slang for backyard talk-story and playing music), you gotta go to Moloka‘i. Everybody like make this their place. That’s why people stay snappin’. When I grew up, it was always about who could kick whose ass. Our success rate was low. You feel lost if you leave your homeland, but you feel displaced here, too.”
Harp grew up in a variety of places, often in government housing. But he says Wailuku is home. He says places he once enjoyed, like “Ponds” in Happy Valley, are now gone, due to the water diversion of ‘Iao Stream. Areas where they once gathered opihi and pipihi are also now gone. “I can’t give that to my kids now,” he says.
“I’m proud to represent Hawai‘i,” he says. “I’m fortunate to own a business, and I’ve worked really hard to be a good artist. Hopefully we can be inspirational for more people. The key is to give more than you take. That’s real aloha.”
Samson’s father, Isaac Harp, is the current president of PASH. A former commercial fisherman and project director with KAHEA (The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance), he continues to call for the protection of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands through the ‘Ilio‘ulaokalani Coalition.
Isaac Harp is “the hardest working, most self-educated guy I know,” Samson says. “He looks at the big picture, and fights for people he doesn’t even know. He’s like my hero.”

Samson’s cousin, Ilona Rahn, is the granddaughter of Charlie Keau. Born and raised on Maui, she rattled off the names of a dozen towns she lived in while growing up all over the island.
At 18, she moved to Moloka‘i for two years. “That’s when I really got a feel for the islands,” she says. “They still fish, still hunt, still throw net. Nobody does that over here. When I moved back, I missed all that. And there are hardly any places left to do that here.”
She stopped by Samson’s tattoo shop the day after the first Wailea 670 hearing, and he urged her to come to the next meeting. “I just listened to the testimony,” she says. “But on break, I talked with a friend, then went back in and signed up to speak. I felt like we got one responsibility to this place because I’m Hawaiian. The land is part of us, and we need to save whatever we got left. Our land and the Hawaiian people is what makes this paradise.”
Rahn says her grandfather told her that all South Maui was once fishing villages, and asked her and her siblings to picture that in their minds. “So, walking around that day on the land was kind of trippy,” she says. “When I saw the mauka-makai trail, I was trying to envision what used to be there. I cannot imagine in 20 years from now how this place gonna be. I was thinking about moving away, but now I cannot. I know development gonna happen, but they gotta keep it to a minimum.
“If those wiliwili trees go, you’re not gonna get more, brah,” she continues. “We get strong ties to what’s around us—the ‘aina, the ocean, the sky. That’s what takes care of us.”
Like Samson, Ilona sports a large number of elaborate, Polynesian-style tattoos. She says she got a pu‘eo (owl) on her leg to remind her of when her grandfather took her to Keoneo‘io, and they would always see owls flying there. The mo‘o (lizard) on her arm is her aumakua, or family protective deity.
The many tribal designs, she says, are “for certain times in my life. It reminds me of where I come from, and where my ancestors come from.”
Rahn told me how she saw Uncle Ed Lindsey and his wife Puanani at the council meeting, and recalled dancing hula and paddling with their daughter while growing up. Lindsey later told her, “Girl, it’s so good to see you guys come out here.”
“That felt good inside,” Rahn says. “We look up to them growing up, and now we standing next to them. That’s one privilege to me. I don’t see any good that can come from this [development]. Money is the root of all evil, right?
“It goes back to my grandfather,” she continues. “He fought to save Ma‘alaea, but they built it anyway. He was raised up in ‘Iao, but his ashes are spread in Nu‘u. They once had family land across from Big Beach, and he talked about preserving and stabilizing it. If I don’t do something now, then everything he did was for nothing.”

Chisa Dizon was born and raised on Kauai, and went to Waimea Elementary School and High School with several Ni‘ihau kids. “I learned the Hawaiian language, and picked up the Ni‘ihau dialect,” she says. “I learned to play the ukulele. I’m not Hawaiian, but I’ve grown up with it.”
At the Wailea 670 hearing, she told council members, “I’m a haole-pino,” with a haole mom and Filipino dad. But she’s a fourth generation Hawai‘i resident.
Dizon grew up with a subsistence culture of crabbing and fishing, and visited Ni‘ihau where, she says, “they do fishing the old way.” The hike through Makena reminded her of Ni‘ihau, with the land dry and relatively barren.
Dizon has also studied Hawaiian plants and medicine. “The wiliwili trees looked like the last standing Hawaiian warriors out there, standing tall even in the harsh surroundings”, she says. She noted the wiliwili trees are very important in Hawaiian culture—both the wood, and the flowers, which can be used to brew a tea “stronger than kava.” Traditionally, the wood was used for fishing floats, to craft the ama (outrigger float) for canoes, and even to make surfboards. She says the maiapilo plant has leaves that can be used like eucalyptus, as a remedy for sprains.
“Now the land up there is littered with golf balls and rubbish,” she says. “It should be protected. It’s all about aloha ‘aina, taking care of the land.”
Dizon said she heard about the Wailea 670 hearing “through the coconut wireless” and took a whole day off from work to attend and testify. She works as a radio station DJ and as a nail technician at a Kihei salon.
“I’m going to be doing a whole lot of networking,” she says. “We need to get people to educate themselves. I’m going to be rallying a lot of people. Mom always told me if I feel passionate about something, to speak up.”

Recognizing the strong community sentiment running against the proposed project, three council members—Mike Victorino, Jo Anne Johnson and Michelle Anderson—cited a County Charter provision to ask for a meeting in the community plan area potentially affected by a proposed development. This is why the county will soon schedule at least one evening meeting on Wailea 670, to accommodate those unable to attend the daytime hearings in Wailuku. This will likely shift the momentum of the present discussions in the council chambers.
Since the two hearings which allowed public testimony in late July, the Council Land Use Committee has met six more times, attempting to craft rezoning conditions to make the Wailea 670/Honua‘ula proposal workable. Initially, Land Use Chair Mike Molina urged the committee members to hurry up, declaring that “It’s time to make a decision, one way or another.”
But South Maui Council Member Michelle Anderson has strongly disagreed with that line. Instead, she’s methodically expressed inconsistencies and omissions in information provided to the committee. Anderson has called for the developer to build any “affordable housing” mandated by the council within the project area and not—as Charlie Jencks, the developer’s representative, has proposed—in a North Kihei light industrial site “by the Pi‘ilani Highway, and with no amenities, such as parks.”
Anderson promised to help craft a number of strong conditions, insisted on a review of groundwater studies and for ocean water quality monitoring and has proposed that the county set aside all 110 acres of an a‘a lava flow supporting a remnant dryland forest habitat as a botanical and cultural preserve.
Dr. Lee Altenberg’s botanical study of the Wailea 670 area lists 20 species of Hawaiian plants present on the rocky area at the Southern end of the land. Among those species, awikiwiki and a variety of nehe are among the rarest, though neither has been listed on the federal list of endangered plants. Still, the Hawaiian dryland forest is listed as one of the top 10 most endangered ecosystems in the U.S., since just five percent of its former range throughout the islands remains today.
But when pressed by testifiers and council members to preserve more than a tiny portion of this habitat, Jencks described the area as “not a contiguous area, but fragmented.” He said the topography is “more severe” and thus better for golf.
But Anderson, looking at her copy of the project map, disagreed. “It’s single-family and multi-family, and the wastewater treatment facility taking up 90 percent of the area, so what you just said is not even true,” she said during the hearing. “The Forestry & Wildlife survey is outdated and wholly inadequate. It’s a crucial and vital ecosystem.”
Later, Council Chair Riki Hokama became particularly incensed over discussion of a private golf course as an exclusive perk to homeowners. “Who are we building for?” he demanded. “I’m tired of restrictions for our people of where they can’t go.”
Now it appears the Land Use Committee will be accepting more public testimony at one or possibly more evening meetings in Kihei and again when the matter returns to the County Council itself for deliberation.
When that happens, our decision makers will undoubtedly hear from a number of passionate born-and-raised local residents, awakened to action to protect what remains of their ancestral culture. “Whatever we have left is not too much, and they like take that away, too,” says Ilona Rahn. “It’s gonna change everything what Hawai‘i is and stands for.” MTW

You know it is inevitable but there is never the right time for someone or something to die. Luna was like my daughter and now she is gone after 17 years of experiences. I loved her more than life itself.

Yet, I have another bird named "Magic" who needs me and she is a character. I caught her with my bare hands up in Haiku, Hawaii on the Island of Maui. Luna moved here with me from Alaska.

Together Magic and I mourn Luna's death. We both miss Luna so very, very much.

A lesson here for us all is to love each other every day to the maximum because someone you love might just slip away. Luna waited for me in order to die in my hands while I stroked her and I must tell you it was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. She even managed to kiss me goodbye albeit weakly .

Loving Dancer,
Carmie