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September 25, 2014

Brighamia insignis

Brighamia insignis (Campanulaceae family) is one of the rare and unique endemic plants native to Kauai. Today I had an opportunity to assist pollinating some specimens at the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Mature plants look a little like cabbage growing at the top of a long branchless trunk that's fat at the bottom and tapering up.

We began by inventorying the plants they have in the nursery which is fewer than a hundred and of these perhaps two or three dozen were flowering. Of those flowering, we only had a few distinct genetic lines to work with, of which only one type was from the wild. The flowers function as male or female at different times and manage not to self-pollinate.

The idea was to cross the plants as much as possible in hopes of getting more viable offspring. Only a few plants were providing pollen so that was the limiting factor. This closeup of the process (remarkably clear for a cell phone shot) shows the pollen being applied to the sticky center of the flower. We managed to do five different crosses to a couple of specimens each. All the plants we were working with came from the Napali coast.

This will be an ongoing process as there are lots more flowering specimens still developing. We also need to learn what time of day (and other factors) will be most conducive for success.

It will be interesting to see if these attempts produce seed and then how those plantings do. If we are lucky perhaps these unusual plants can be grown out and reintroduced in the wild.


September 6, 2014

Nualolo hike

Saturday I hiked the Nualolo Trail which I have written about here before several times. If you forced me to name my choice for best hike in Kokeʻe this would be it. Instead of yet another detailed hiking guide, I wanted to write about the day a little differently.

Heading up to Kokeʻe on Highway 550 (turn mauka on the west end of Waimea town, right where the big sign points you out to Kekaha to take Kokeʻe Road for reasons I cannot understand) you get some great views of Niʻihau Island. The best views are usually from the lower elevations (below 1000 feet) which means the first few turn outs once you get up past the last houses and water tank. (Photo at left looking back toward Waimea of the road where best views can be had.) Repeatedly I have put off stopping to see Niʻihau Island until the return trip and almost always the view is much hazier in the afternoon so I recommend taking a few minutes to stop on the way up if it is clear.

The photo above was from a pretty clear day (click to see larger size): look closely. On the right is Lehua, the uninhabited small island north of Niʻihau. Note the other two arrows that show you the full extent of the island. Unless it is very clear it's easy to think just the taller middle part of the island, shown in the center here, is the whole island but actually very flat and low land extends a few miles in both directions. To the left in this photo what looks like another small island is actually the south end of Niʻihau: in between is connected but so low usually you can't see it.

I went hiking with a guy recently who says everyone going up the mountain should take a few minutes to see the canyon and I think that is a good idea so I make it a habit to stop at the Waimea Canyon Lookout (well marked first major turnoff on the right). Every time the light is different and I have never been disappointed. From here you can look across and up side canyons, or further up the Waimea River with a major waterfall (Waipoʻo Falls) on the far side of the canyon, or downriver and out over Waimea town to sea.

The Nualolo Trail starts close enough to the Kokeʻe Lodge and museum that I just part there. Just as I was getting set to go a woman asked about the Nualolo Trail being closed? I knew exactly what the confusion was: the Nualolo Cliff Trail that contacts the Nualolo to the Awaawapuhi Trail has been closed for some time I explained, but the Nualolo was definitely open and a great hike. We ended up hiking together, doing a brisk hike out since she had an early afternoon flight to catch. I played tour guide a little and we had a good conversation and when we got out to where the great views are she wanted me to take a photo featuring her special pose (a break dance move called "Baby Freeze"), and that's Niʻihau island again in the background on horizon visible on the right.

After a short time out at the trail end enjoying the spectacular views - it was an ideal day for this hike - she high tailed it back but I spent more time out there and then leisurely (it is uphill almost all the way) headed back up. On the right that's Nualolo Aina valley and the Na Pali coast stretches toward Kalalau on the left.

Back at the car as I was heading back home I noticed something on the car windshield - a note from Nina noting the time she made it back, in plenty of time to make her flight and whatever adventures awaited here on Oahu for the rest of her trip.



August 17, 2014

Summertime

It's summer on Kauai: mostly sunny days and a little warmer than usual. We are in the middle of hurricane season and had a recent scare - although the Big Island was serious hit in places - and possibly more storms are brewing. Follow the latest here.

On a recent walk after a couple miles I was coming in to town, the sun was overhead, and I was quite thirsty … What more could one ask for than a homemade lemonade stand right there by the road: they even wrote the "D" backwards. If you look carefully at the sign you can see their business strategy is to sell to the high end customer (the price is 25 50 c). They didn't have change so I gave them a dollar. Good to see that some things like this that I remember from childhood have staying power.

Summer also means bon dance at the local Buddhist temples. Originating with the Japanese community here, bon dances are popular with locals of all backgrounds, inundating one of the temples every weekend through much of the summer. Bon dance is loosely based on Japanese bon odori where the dancers proceed with proscribed steps, circling a raised dais in the center of a circle. There are organized groups of dancers as well as lots of audience participation. Serious dancers go to practice sessions to learn the numerous varieties of dance but most people just watch the people near them and follow along.

Lots of people are at the beach and in the water. A friend who recently visited made a short video featuring lots of water sports.

Summer also means an extra plentiful supply of local fruit. The mango trees are starting to ripen - I just peeled several pounds for freezing and will back mango bread (with mac nuts). Soursop is also coming.

August 10, 2014

Primary election results

The election results from yesterday's primary are in (not official final yet but the writing is on the wall).
Here's my analysis of the local races for mayor and county council.
  • Incumbent Mayor Carvalho looks on track to re-election.
  • Most of the incumbent county council members are leading the pack, with newcomer Arryl Kaneshiro placing an impressive third.
Overall, the prospects for any kind of change seem small to none.

Mayor

Mayor Carvalho did well against a well organized challenge from Dustin Barca (former pro surfer and mixed martial arts fighter). Clearly the incumbent mayor was expected to do well but I saw a lot more Barca signs and he made news with his run around the island. By percentage you can see (below) that The Mayor is weakest on the north shore which is where Barca's strength is. Barca's won't have a chance in the general general election unless he can compete with The Mayor in Lihue, south side, or (where I expect his best chances would be) west side.

NOTE: The precincts numbers below from Hanalei 14-01 working around the highway (clockwise) toward the west side winding up Niihau 16-06. 
BARCACARVALHO
14-0125.94%12.63%
14-0229.47%14.85%
14-0319.22%22.80%
14-0415.52%25.47%
14-0511.95%28.04%
15-0117.11%24.58%
15-027.93%30.92%
15-038.49%34.56%
15-049.79%33.71%
15-0514.73%26.24%
16-0114.19%24.16%
16-0214.18%29.59%
16-037.55%32.44%
16-0410.88%35.11%
16-058.13%33.04%
16-062.08%40.63%

County Council

For all the talk out there about dissatisfaction with county government, I was a little surprised to see the very same names leading the pack. 
  • Only Arryl Kaneshiro beat any elected incumbent. As an employee of Grove Farm, one of the biggest land holders on the island, I wonder how he will be an independent voice of the people.
  • Incumbent Mason Chock, Sr. (who I think is one of our best council members) was appointed, not elected, and has the farthest to come to get re-elected.
  • Kualiʻi who finished eighth (just below getting on the council) is poised in that position again.
  • Police Chief Perry is also close to getting in (impressive since I can't recall seeing a Perry sign).
  • Billy DeCosta ("Don't be silly, vote for Billy.") made a stronger showing than I expected.
The results are shown below (based on latest official results as of 08/10/2014 at 03:16:25 am) with candidates in the top seven (who would be elected if this were the general election) in bold, and below the cutoff (14) to get into the general election shown grayed out in italics.

CandidateVotes
RAPOZO9,592
KAGAWA9,387
KANESHIRO8,173
YUKIMURA7,252
FURFARO6,868
HOOSER6,642
BYNUM5,839
KUALIʻI5,525
PERRY4,902
CHOCK4,672
BRUN4,577
COWDEN4,524
DeCOSTA4,243
LARANIO3,754
KATO-KLUTKE3,409
KANEKOA3,056
KAAUWAI2,243
GEORGI2,102
LEONG1,816
HOROSHKO801

Finally, I would like to thank all the candidates, including Ron Horoshko who runs Birdie's restaurant at the Kukuiolono golf course, for participating in our democracy.

July 30, 2014

Kauaʻi County annual report

Kauaʻi county publishes an annual report summarizing the activities of each department for the past fiscal year. The 2012-2013 report is just out and can be found here.

The county fiscal year is from July to June, so that means it took nearly 13 months to get the report out this year. I wrote to the mayor's office asking why the delay and with persistence heard this year they took extra time without an explanation of why. Normally the report is out by late fall they said.

A few highlights from reading a few sections:

  • County Auditor
    • The review of county take-home car policy (notably including the gas the county pays for that allegedly went to personal use) is still in progress.
    • County Auditor returned 36% of the budget unused
  • County Attorney
    • almost $500,000 over budget (apparently unplanned high cost of litigation)
    • the county is embroiled in lawsuits against it: well over 100 cases were pending at the start of the fiscal year (two years ago, July 1, 2012) and just over 100 were filed during FY2012-2013; since only 50-some cases closed that means the county had nearly 200 cases pending as of June 30, 2013.
  • Mayor
    • a collection of reports from a number of boards and projects under the mayor's office
There are a total of 19 department sections in the county annual report. I will update with highlights from a few more at a time.

Fiscal Year 2012 - 2013 Annual Report by Department

Message from the Mayor
Table of Contents
Section I: Office of the County Attorney
Section II: Civil Defense Agency
Section III: Department of Personnel Services
Section IV: Office of Economic Development
Section V: Agency on Elderly Affairs
Section VI: Department of Finance
Section VII: Kauai Fire Department
Section VIII: Kauai County Housing Agency
Section IX: Department of Liquor Control
Section X: Office of the Mayor
Section XI: Department of Parks & Recreation
Section XII: Planning Department
Section XIII: Kauai Police Department
Section XIV: Office of the Prosecuting Attorney
Section XV: Department of Public Works
Section XVI: Transportation Agency
Section XVII: Department of Water
Section XVIII: Office of the County Clerk
Section XIX: Office of the County Auditor

July 16, 2014

Healthcare in Kauaʻi

We visited West Kauai Medical Center recently and this post is a small thank you for excellent medical
service. Everything went smoothly and the staff was uniformly friendly and competent.

While visitors don't think about this when considering the trip, we do read in the papers about visitors needing medical care unexpectedly while here. No Kauaʻi facility does complex major surgery (airlift to Honolulu for that) but the capabilities for here are hardly primitive either. Visitors with serious emergencies can get support from Visitor Aloha Society of Kauai - one of those things nobody wants to ever need, but nonetheless it's good to know it's there.

Living in Kauaʻi one often hears complaints about the level of medical care available. Many times I have heard this as the stated reason people move to the mainland or to Honolulu which has comparable facilities. No doubt regional healthcare is a major challenge in this country and being on an island makes it even harder. Certainly anyone with chronic health issues requiring specialized or intensive treatment will find it difficult if not impossible to live here.

Locally people are worried about plans to possibly close the Kalaheo Clinic and are taking action to keep the doors open. With a small population and everything being expensive here there are a number of clinics that rely on government grant subsidies, and this year money is tight.

UPDATE: The Kalaheo Clinic has just gotten a six-month extension to stay open but the battle for survival is far from over.

Healthcare is not a hypothetical issue for any of is. Coincidentally while writing this for the first time in this neighborhood we heard sirens and fire department and later ambulance arrived at a house a block away where they seem to be taking someone to the hospital. Annually 911 gets over 2000 calls for medical emergencies.

June 23, 2014

Markʻs Place

Recently I discovered perhaps the best plate lunch on Kauaʻi at Mark's Place, located west of the Lihue shopping mall in Puhi. Food is always well prepared and fresh, portions are plentiful, and service is friendly. They take orders at the register and food is prepared to go but there are a few picnic benches outside if you want to eat there. This place is clearly a favorite with the locals and it is so popular you should expect it to be crowded so parking is tight and you will have to wait a few minutes in line to order but it works out just fine - you might meet someone while everyone is standing around and waiting. If you are in a hurry check out the menu as well as daily specials first, then call to place your order in advance.

In addition to the regular menu they have daily specials as well as a selection of baked goods. Today I had the Furikake crusted ahi, wasabi butter sauce ($10.75) - it was well prepared, generous portion, and quite tasty. I you like spicy food I recommend adding (to taste) some Sriracha sauce (available there) to the mac salad to give it a little kick.

Getting there: Mark's Place is tucked away in an industrial area a ways from the main highway so it's a little tricky to find the first time. From Highway 50 at the Puhi intersection (opposite Kauaʻi Community College) go makai (South) a half mile; turn right at Hanalima Street; turn right at Haleukana Street and immediately turn right into the parking lot.

Details: (for latest see the web site)
  • 1610 Haleukana Street  Lihue, HI 96766
  • (808) 245-2522
  • Monday thru Friday:  10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, closed weekends and holidays
  • June 6, 2014

    Kauai County election filings closed

    In 2014 Kauai elects the mayor and county council. Here is a summary of candidates who have filed nomination papers - to appear on the ballot the signatures they have collected still need to be verified. This year we elect the mayor and the full council; the prosecuting attorney is not up for election until 2016. State office holders are also on the ballot, but not mentioned in this piece.


    Mayor

    There are four mayoral candidates with the top two vote-getters from the primary going on to the general election. Incumbent mayor is widely expected to win but there is a lot of buzz about former pro surfer Dustin Barca challenging in his first election for public office.
    1. Dustin Barca - Kilauea
    2. Bernhard Carvalho, Jr. (i) - Kapaa, wikipediaFacebook (not updated since 2010)
    3. Debralynn M. Desilva-Carveiro - Eleele
    4. Curtis H. Lake - Kapaa

    County Council

    All seven council positions are up for election this year. The top 14 vote-getters in the primary will be on the General Election ballot for the seven at-large positions. Vote for the best candidates of your choice, not necessary to vote for seven. I recommend against the strategy one sometimes hears of not voting for good candidates considered "sure to win" - obviously if everyone did that it doesn't work. Over-voting (voting for more than seven) is not allowed an nullifies your vote so count carefully.
    1. Arthur Brun - Kekaha, works for Syngenta (biotechnology corporation)
    2. Tim L. Bynum (i) - Kapaʻa, recently won settlement to lawsuit against the county in court
    3. Mason K. Chock, Sr. (i) - Kapaʻa
    4. Felicia E. Cowden - Kilauea, prominent local radio personality
    5. J. Furfaro (i) - Princeville, current chair of the council
    6. Joanne Georgi - Eleele, ran for state senate unsuccessfully in 2010
    7. Gary L. Hooser (i) - Kapaʻa
    8. Ronald J. Horoshko - Kalaheo, operates the golf course cafe Birdie's
    9. Joseph H. Kaauwai, Jr. - Anahola, ran and lost in 2012
    10. Ross K. Kagawa (i) - Lihue
    11. Ernest L. Kanekoa, Jr. - Kalaheo, police commission member
    12. Arryl J. Kaneshiro - Lihue
    13. Sandra I. Klutke - Kapaʻa, on the Agribusiness Development Council (source)
    14. Kipukai L.P. Kuaalii - Anahola, ran and narrowly lost in 2012
    15. Tiana K. Laranio - Kapaʻa
    16. Arnold W. F. Leong - Hanapepe
    17. Darryl D. Perry - Lihue, chief of police
    18. Melvin F. Rapozo (i) - Kapaʻa
    19. JoAnn A. Yukimura (i) - Lihue, former mayor
    My predictions for the primary election, not that it matters:
    • Mayor: Carvalho (over 50%) and a strong showing from Barca for mayor
    • Council: all incumbents plus Brun, Cowden, Georgi, Kanekoa, Kaneshiro, Kuaalii, Perry