Guest Archives - Page 6 of 113

HOOSER: Intervention needed at Coco Palms

Mar. 29, 2023

Sitting in the Kapa‘a crawl, heading south, and not moving at all for what seems like a long, long time, I found myself thinking, “Can’t wait until the Coco Palms Hotel opens up.”

HOOSER: Kissing Kaua‘i Zoom testimony goodbye

Mar. 22, 2023

Kaua‘i is now the only county in Hawai‘i to prohibit remote interactive conference technology (ICT) testimony by residents. No more Zooming in from Kekaha or Ha‘ena to testify. Nope, you now have to take the day off, drive into Lihu‘e, and sit in the council chambers for who knows how long, so you can present your three minutes of testimony.

HOOSER: Dealing with the homeless on Kaua‘i

Mar. 15, 2023

An acquaintance grabbed my ear recently saying, “Gary, how can we get rid of all these homeless people?” He went on to bemoan the presence of the poor and unwashed that seem to be sleeping under every bridge and in every doorway.

HOOSER: Remembering Larry Rivera

Mar. 08, 2023

I miss Larry Rivera. He and Gloria, and his entire family hold a special place in my heart. I was traveling and off island during his recent celebration of life, but was there in spirit and share here today my own memories and deep love for this very special man.

VOICES: Affordable housing and the capital gains tax rate

Mar. 06, 2023

There are many aspects to the housing crisis on Kaua‘i, but here are two of them: First, we need more affordable housing. Not many would dispute that affordable housing must be a priority for Kaua‘i.

HOOSER: Status quo, good ole boys, will not get us there

Mar. 01, 2023

Believe it or not, it’s time for those new candidates considering a run for office in 2024 to, well, get running. The August 2024 primary election is only 17 months or so away, and anyone serious about winning best be getting real, very soon.

HOOSER: A fair and open process, or not?

Feb. 22, 2023

It seems the rush is on to fill the seat being vacated by former council member Luke Evslin, who was recently appointed to the state House of Representatives.

HOOSER: Don’t come after my chickens

Feb. 15, 2023 • Updated 7:33 p.m.

Yes, I feed them. I dump leftover rice, papaya and pumpkin seeds, and all manner of leftover food, in my backyard, and then I enjoy watching these beautiful creatures enjoy their feast. In return, they give me their chicken poop, a truly closed loop and some of the best fertilizer in the world.

HOOSER: Why should you care?

Feb. 08, 2023

Why should you care? Why should you take the time to send off some meaningless little email to some politician who’s not going to read it, and will do what they want regardless? Trust me, I feel this way more often than I’d like to admit.

HOOSER: Pulling back the curtains on Coco Palms

Feb. 03, 2023 • Updated 1:55 p.m.

Who won and who lost on Jan. 24? On the surface, as is way too often the case — the developers won. But scratch just a tiny bit and you’ll see their victory was a hollow one. They stepped in it, actually. They stepped in it big time.

HOOSER: A birthday rumination

Jan. 25, 2023

Turning 69 years old on Thursday, Jan. 19 was an exhilarating day for me, and I thank all who helped make it so.

Hooser: Muddy waters of Coco Palms

Jan. 18, 2023 • Updated 2:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 24, could be a big day for the perennially promised and never fulfilled Coco Palms development.

VOICES: An opportunity to diversify delegation

Jan. 17, 2023

So, Jimmy Tokioka has now resigned his elected position as a member of the state House of Representatives.

Dancing with the devil — a Faustian dilemma

Jan. 11, 2023

Money, elections and politics — a Faustian dilemma and an untenable reality facing every elected official.

Hooser: Legislative reform: ‘A deep moral crisis’

Jan. 04, 2023

The cynics and skeptics will say it’s just gonna be more of the same. Always the optimist, I beg to differ. There’s too much at stake.

Legislative reform: ‘A deep moral crisis’

Jan. 04, 2023

The cynics and skeptics will say it’s just gonna be more of the same. Always the optimist, I beg to differ. There’s too much at stake.

What keeps you up at night?

Dec. 28, 2022

A friend asked me recently about what keeps me up at night. What do I think about most when I lay there in bed in those final moments before drifting off?

HOOSER: What do I want for Christmas?

Dec. 21, 2022

Money, of course. Money for the houseless. Money for education. Money for I Ola Wailuanui. Money for community organizing. Money for hard core legislative advocacy work.

HOOSER: Why citizens sue government

Dec. 14, 2022 • Updated 9:18 p.m.

I was actually in the room when it happened, and could not believe what I was witnessing. In fact, I said that out loud at the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) hearing held on Oct. 28. There was a moment when I attempted to interject, saying, “I can’t believe members of the board are going to vote to renew permits allowing the use of public lands to an entity that did not exist.”

HOOSER: The fundamental political question

Dec. 07, 2022 • Updated 8:07 p.m.

Bob Dylan sang that regardless of your station in life, “You gotta serve somebody.”

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