Update on County Rules

SUBHEAD: Rule changes will be the subject of this Wednesday's County Council Meeting in Nawiliwili Harbor.By Ken Taylor and Linda Harmon in Island Breath - Image above: Public participation in "Townhall Meeting" by Norman Rockwell. From (http://www.westboylston.com/Pages/WBoylstonMA_AdminBlog/I0272F677).We think these changes will make Kauai government more democratic and encourage public

If a tyrant developed Kauai

SUBHEAD: This is the first time a developer would be granted a "Special Use Permit" to develop commercially on designated agricultural land.On 23 March 2011 by way of Keep Kauai Country - (http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=nphezafab&v=0018iMS5L3VR6N0_ig1Neau394Rw3j6Kjnm1mMEQdoLDnCG03R_eOXSZeJEZjUG9K5_O7D49MxwZ8k3LJ8nmhj_gOKSFMH-Dv1eeP1CZqtGEcfNQxcB1NVdsxxMqIvYF2HI)Image above:

Kauai Council Rule Changes

SUBHEAD: Consider the following Kauai County Council meeting rule changes.By Ken Taylor and Linda Harmon on 18 March 2011 - Image above: The seal of Kauai County hangs on the wall behinf Jay Furfaro as he chairs a County Council public meeting. From (http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_3769fc9a-04d2-11e0-b96d-001cc4c002e0.html).Consider the following Kauai County rule

Commission denies copter tours

SUBHEAD: Planning Commission overrules Department to protect the fragile ecosystem of Kauai.[Editor's Note: We applaud the Planning Commission for overriding the Planning Department Recommendation to approve landing helicopters near a secluded waterfall with a delicate ecosystem. We hope to see the Planning Commission continue to serving it's intended role: to direct the Planning Department to

An Offer You Can't Refuse

SUBHEAD: Musings on the county government rally against decriminalization of marijuana.By Andy Parx on 16 February 2011 for Parx Daily News -(http://parxnewsdaily.blogspot.com/2011/02/offer-you-cant-refuse.html)[Editor's Note: For background information, see "Kauai Officials to Rally against Pot Legislation" by Jessica Musicar on 15 February in The Garden Island - (http://thegardenisland.com/

Not Saved from Paradise Ranch

SUBHEAD: As often happens, just when you think you have secured access to a public resource, somebody thinks of another way to screw it up.By Hope Kallie on 19 January 2011 for Free Larson's Beach -(http://freelarsensbeach.com/2011/01/21/new-fenceposts-in-lepeuli-alaloa/) Image above: Fence posts installed on alaloa (traditional Hawaiian lateral bech access right of way). From original artical.We

Kauai Bus Service Expansion

SUBHEAD: Mayor Carvalho's proposal to expand Kauai Bus coming up for public hearing this Wednesday, January 12.Image above: Bus stop at the Kalaeo Community Center. One of the finest stops on the island. Photo by Juan Wilson.By Joann Yukimura on 11 January 2011 as press release - This coming Wednesday is a concrete opportunity to help make the vision come true. Mayor Carvalho has proposed an

FBI digs into planning department

SUBHEAD: Ian Costa didn’t simply resign - the measured hesitating speeches, the down-looking faces showed something big was afoot.By Andy Parx on 29 November 2010 for Parx News Network - (http://parxnewsdaily.blogspot.com/2010/11/g-men-and-two-c-men.html)Image above: Ian Costa at Planning Commission Meeting in October. From (http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_

Important Ag Land Meetings

SOURCE: Kenneth Taylor (taylork021@Hawaii.rr.com)SUBHEAD: These meetings about prime agricultural lands will affect the sustainability of Kauai.[Publisher's note: At the Eco-Roundtable LEGS Conference in November 2007 IslandBreath made a presentation titled Kauai Sustainable Land Use Plan. Currently there are four land uses designations: Conservation (55% of island); Agricultural (40%), Urban (4%

Whimper versus Bang!

SUBHEAD:In the list of those on the new council is new generation that’s all too willing to kow-tow to the mucky-mucks.Image above: Tinted still frame from "Citizen Kane". Mashup by Juan Wilson.By Andy Park on 3 November 2010 for park News Network - (http://parxnewsdaily.blogspot.com/2010/11/bang-v-whimper.html)It’s not without a wave of ambivalence that we greet the news that we won’t have

Secretive County Council

SUBHEAD: Kaipo Asing and others on the Kauai County Council are preventing us from knowing.Image above: Kaipo Asing keeps secrets and shushes dissent. Mash-up by Juan Wilson. Photo by Dennis Fufimoto for TGI.By Linda Harmon on 1 November 2010 in The Garden Island -(http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_09f3b732-e57a-11df-8965-001cc4c002e0.html)A resolution that would create easy