Aloha,
 
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou to you and warm wishes for a 2010 filled with lots of fun, friendship, health, prosperity and much love plus some real estate - if that's in your game plan.  2009 presented many affordable buying opportunities to buyers and 2010 is sure to do the same. 
 
Hawaii has been recognized for a number of things, from being the most romantic city to being 5th in auto loan delinquencies.  Per the Dec 1st Pacific Business News article "Hawaii 5th in auto loan delinquencies"- "Hawaii is among the states with a high percentage of borrowers with auto loans 60 days or more past due in the third quarter, according to a new report by TransUnion.com.
 
The delinquency rate for Hawaii was 1.18 percent, well above the national average of 0.81 percent. Nationwide, auto delinquency was highest in Mississippi, at 1.53 percent, followed by California, at 1.33 percent Alabama, 1.27 percent; and Louisiana, at 1.21 percent. Hawaii ranked fifth behind Louisiana.  The lowest rates were in the District of Columbia (0.26 percent) and North and South Dakota (0.35 percent and 0.37 %, respectively).
 
The nation’s average auto debt in the third quarter fell to $12,542 from $12,560 in the same year-ago quarter.  Nevada had the largest auto debt burden, at $14,721, followed by Texas, at $14,425. The debt figure for Hawaii was not immediately available."  Not the type of recognition you necessarily want. 
 
Per the Dec. 2nd Garden Island Newspaper article "Lawsuit seeks environmental review before highway widening" - "a lawsuit filed in state court demands efforts to widen Kuhio Highway through Wailua be abandoned until an environmental impact statement is completed.  The suit seeks a preliminary injunction and declaratory judgment to stop any state work to either widen the highway between Wailua Beach and the Coco Palms resort property, or place underground utility wires there; until an EIS is completed and state officials get a burial treatment plan approved for known and suspected Native Hawaiian remains in the project area.
 
The suit was filed in mid-October in 1st Circuit Court in Honolulu by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation representing Wailua resident Waldeen K. Palmeira, and names as defendants the state Department of Transportation, DOT Director Brennon Morioka, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, DLNR Chair Laura Thielen, and Pua Aiu of the DLNR’s State Historic Preservation Division.  A hearing has been scheduled before 1st Circuit Judge Eden Hifo on Feb. 8 in Honolulu, said Alan Murakami, litigation director for the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation on O‘ahu."  Ok, if you've been sitting in Kapaa traffic throughout the holidays, get used to it because it doesn't sound like relief is on its way anytime soon.
 
For those of you who prefer to take your boat tours out of Hanalei instead of having to drive over to Port Allen, you had a victory last month. Per the Dec 3rd Garden Island article "Court rules in favor of Lady Ann Cruises" — "A state court judge on Wednesday ruled in favor of Lady Ann Cruises and against Kaua‘i County in a Hanalei boating case.  Fifth Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe granted the tour-boat company’s request for summary judgment, injunctive relief and declaratory relief, allowing the company to continue operating summer boat tours out of Hanalei Bay.
 
The county in June filed suit against Lady Ann Cruises, saying the company is not permitted to operate boat tours out of Michael Sheehan’s boat yard and asking Watanabe to issue a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction and/or a permanent injunction preventing the loading and unloading of passengers at the county Black Pot Park nearby.  Watanabe denied those motions and Lady Ann Cruises filed a countersuit.
 
County Planning Director Ian Costa, despite his comment in a June press release about Lady Ann Cruises’ “illegal activity,” was unable to prove the alleged illegal activity in court proceedings.  “We’re excited about the right to operate next season,” said Mary Kagawa, owner of Lady Ann Cruises. “It has been tough. We’ve been quiet and worked hard.”
 
“They’ve been vindicated,” said Richard Wilson, attorney for Lady Ann Cruises, adding that the county lawsuit was the best thing that could have happened for his clients because it allowed them to prove in court that they had been operating legally since they began the summer tours in Hanalei in 2007."  Wow, you don't see the "little guy" prevail very often against bureaucracy.. It's good to see these women score a victory. 
 
If you're here on Island or heading this way, be prepared for traffic delays on the North Shore.  "Traffic delays impact business" is the name of the article in the Jan 6th Garden Island which describes the delays those of us on the North Shore know all too well.   "Emergency rock removal on the hill leading down to Hanalei and albizia tree-trimming work on Kalihiwai Bridge has not only been a traffic congestion nightmare for travelers, but has created an economic disaster for already struggling North Shore businesses.  “The economy has been so bad, everyone is having a really hard time already,” said Papaya’s Natural Foods and Cafe in Hanalei owner Laura Wolfe.  Traffic delays have been so severe, many are opting not to travel to the North Shore anymore, she said. “It’s really affected business.”  (I can attest to this. No one comes or goes unless absolutely necessary....)  Java Kai Hanalei owner Mark Furr agreed.  “It’s the worst economy since the Great Depression and we’ve been basically shut down the entire time,” he said. “So many people are just turning around.”
 
Loose gravel and boulders becoming “dislodged” and falling onto Kuhio highway due to “heavy ground saturation” in November prompted recent road work to occur on the hill near Hanalei Bridge. The construction was scheduled to have concluded Friday, according to state Department of Transportation spokesman Derek Inoshita.
 
A similar situation prompted the tree-trimming at Kalihiwai Bridge. That work began in September after the DOT received “numerous complaints from motorists that albizia tree limbs had fallen onto their vehicles,” posing a “hazard to motorists,” Inoshita said. While the project will be postponed for the holidays from Dec. 14 to Jan. 3, it is not projected to be completed until the end of January.
 
“The DOT is very sympathetic to community concerns but the work must be completed to ensure the safety of our motorists and to prevent the possibility of complete road closures,” he said.  Although he is understanding of the emergency work which needs to take place “to make things safe,” Furr said construction on the North Shore has been ongoing since the end of May when highway repavement was initiated in Princeville.  “We haven’t had a break,” he said.
 
Next week, alternating single-lane closures are expected in the Princeville area to install guardrails and stripe repaved roads.  These capital-improvement projects have been a “major thrust of stimulating our economy” to “get dollars flowing,” Office of Economic Development Director George Costa wrote in an e-mail Thursday.  On the other hand, businesses and residents “can be impacted negatively ... in the process,” he said, adding that Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. has been responding to a “handful of inquiries,” asking the DOT and Contractor’s Association of Kaua‘i to do whatever they can to “alleviate the issues.”
 
“It’s always difficult to balance public safety and doing the critical infrastructure work that needs to be done without disrupting the public at large,” Costa said. “With large albizia trees and fragile limbs looming over our highways, along with crumbling embankments with large boulders as a result of recent rain storms, there is never the ‘right time’ to do the necessary work.”  Costa and Inoshita both have asked the public for their patience, however, business owners say they might not have much more of it left as they continue to bear the brunt of a lethargic economy.
 
So, while the cessation of tree trimming might be a light at the end of the tunnel for North Shore businesses come January, continued work near Hanalei Bridge — a CIP slope stabilization project — is scheduled to begin in May or June.  The “longer-term project” will include rock-scaling and boulder-demolition work similar to the emergency rock removal” which recently occurred, Inoshita said. “The 2010 project will go a step further, installing an anchored wire mesh to stabilize portions of the slope and a ring mesh net system to secure boulders in place.”
 
The DOT is currently in the bidding process and construction time is expected to last approximately six months, he said. Until then, motorists can expect delays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on weekdays for most road projects and until 5 p.m. between Anini Vista Road and Princeville." 
 
We've all experienced delays anywhere from a few minutes, if you're lucky enough to pull out just as they're letting your lane of traffic go through to a half hour or more.  Be prepared if you're on the North Shore and need to get to Lihue anytime between 8:30 and 3:30.  Otherwise, wait until after 3:30 when the County workers are gone.
 
Surfers were delighted to see huge surf on the North Shore as per the Dec 8th Garden Island article "Massive swells roll in." — "The northern shores of all Hawaiian islands remain under a high surf warning that has been extended through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
 
Waves with faces of 30 to 40 feet, with some sets as large as 50 feet, hit the north shores Monday, and the forecast for today is more of the same.  Surf on west-facing shores Monday was 15 to 25 feet with occasional 30-footers, with today’s forecast calling for more of the same there too.
 
Kaumuali‘i Highway was a parking lot in the vicinity of Kekaha Beach Park, as the combination of huge surf and favorable wind conditions meant the Westside had the best conditions, county Ocean Safety Bureau Supervisor Kalani Vierra said.  There was no reported surf-related property damage Monday, said Mark Marshall, county Civil Defense administrator.
 
The Norwegian Cruise Lines ship Pride of America made an unscheduled stop at Nawiliwili Sunday night. It diverted out of Honolulu Harbor from its scheduled Kahului, Maui arrival due to Monday’s expected monster surf, said Marshall.  The Pride of America is now scheduled to depart Nawiliwili at 2 p.m. today. It usually arrives on Kaua‘i each Thursday at 8 a.m., staying until 2 p.m. Friday, according to the NCL Web site.
 
The big surf arrived as projected, but did not have much of an impact on coastal areas, Marshall said.  The surf is being generated by a huge storm originating in the Northern Pacific.  As big as the waves were in Monday morning in Hanalei, they got even bigger that afternoon, said a veteran lifeguard on the scene. Mark McKamey, Kaua‘i Fire Department Ocean Safety Bureau north supervisor, said solid sets with 15- to 30-foot faces were being ridden in the bay Monday.  At King’s Reef way outside Hanalei Bay, which only breaks at all if faces are 25 feet or bigger, he estimated occasional waves with 60-foot faces.
 
Some surfers were being towed into those massive waves while others paddled in, he said.  The problem with huge surf in Hanalei Bay Monday was after a huge wave pushed through the bay, an equally wide wall of water then sucked seaward, luring unsuspecting visitors seaward as well near the pier, McKamey said early Monday afternoon.  A Jet Ski was in the water all day, mostly bringing visitors back to shore who journeyed too far out into the dangerous waves, he said.
 
While speaking with The Garden Island from Hanalei Bay, near the pier, he reported water rushing through the county Black Pot Beach Park all the way to the restrooms and shower area.  The surf, which came on a westerly storm Monday morning, turned northwesterly in the afternoon and built as the day continued on the North Shore, he said.  “It’s much larger than it was this morning,” McKamey said Monday afternoon. He had been a Hanalei lifeguard for 20 years before being promoted to supervisor around 18 months ago.  At Kekaha Beach Park, Vierra, overall OSB supervisor, was on scene Monday, reporting faces 10 feet to 15 feet, and around 50 surfers in the water shortly after the lunch hour.  Light offshore breezes provided clean conditions, he said."
 
I'm very sorry to have to pass along the news of the death of another visitor as per the Dec 7th Garden Island article "Visitor drowns at Kipu Falls." — "A 48-year-old male visitor from Apple Valley, Calif., drowned Sunday afternoon at Kipu Falls, a county news release states.  According to witnesses, the man and his son jumped off the top of the falls and into the pool at around 1:40 p.m. The two surfaced and the man escorted his son to a nearby rock.
 
The man then began swimming towards the right of the falls and about halfway there he went underwater and didn’t come back up.  Firefighters and rescue specialists from the Lihu‘e fire station responded.  Firefighters attempted to locate the missing man by jumping in from the top of the falls using fins and snorkeling gear, but were unable to locate him.  Rescue specialists approached from the other side of the river with scuba equipment and found the man at the bottom of the pool.  He was taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead."  Once again, this is a reminder to be extremely careful when in Kauai waters, or any water that is unfamiliar to you.  Please stay safe!
 
Also in the paper on Dec 7th was an article from the Pacific Business News entitled "Kauai home sales soar as prices drop" which went on to say that "Home sales on Kauai rose by more than 50 percent in November and condominium sales more than doubled, while prices dropped by almost a third.
 
The number of single-family homes sold on the Garden Isle last month rose 53 percent to 23, up from 15 sales in November 2008, according to statistics from Hawaii Information Service.  The number of condos sold more than doubled to 15, up from seven a year ago.  Prices, however, showed a reverse trend. The median price of a single-family home last month was $442,000, a 28 percent decline from $615,000 in November 2008.  The median price of a condo on Kauai was $300,000 last month, down 29 percent from November of last year.
 
Year-to-date sales were down 15 percent for single-family homes on Kauai and down 10 percent for condos.  Median prices for the first 11 months of the year also were down for both categories.  The median price of a single-family home during the first 11 months of the year was $467,500, down 25 percent from $625,000 during the same period last year. The median price of a condo for the first 11 months of the year was $335,000, down 38 percent from $542,500 in 2008."
 
A Kauai town won an unexpected honor as per the Dec 8th Pacific Business News article "TripAdvisor: Kauai town named to top 5 U.S. destinations" — "One Hawaii location was named to the top five U.S. destinations for 2010 by TripAdvisor.  The online travel guide announced the results of its 2010 annual travel trends survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travelers on Tuesday.  Waimea, on Kauai, was named No. 5 on the list of the top five U.S. destinations for 2010. The area was noted for its proximity to Waimea Canyon.
 
Seward, Alaska, topped the list, followed by Hyannis, Mass.; Hot Springs, Ark.; and Chinle, Ariz.  The survey showed that Americans expect to travel more in 2010 than they did in 2009. Forty-one percent of those surveyed said they plan to spend more on leisure travel in 2010 and 92 percent said they are planning to take two or more leisure trips in the upcoming." 
 
I'm always happy to report another first for our state and this time Hawaii is being chosen as the sexiest destination per an article in the Dec 9th Pacific Business News.  "The readers of Recommend magazine have selected Hawaii as the sexiest romance and honeymoon destination in the U.S. and Canada over the past decade.  The readers' choice selection is in the December issue of Recommend, a monthly publication for travel professionals.

According to the magazine, while Hawaii's selection is not a surprise, given its natural beauty, the destination "consistently reveals innovative ways to make itself even more intoxicating for those passionate about exotic escapes as they are about one another."  Recommend notes that the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau has long promoted Hawaii as romance destination.  In spite of a lingering downturn in Hawaii's visitor industry, Recommend reported that the honeymoon business in 2009 is up 1.6 percent over the previous year through August."
 
Apparently Pacific Missile Range Facility is going solar per a Dec 10th Pacific Business News article  "Hawaii firms get solar work for PMRF." — "Su-Mo/Nan, a Honolulu-based joint venture, has been awarded $6.6 million by the U.S. Navy for work on Kauai.  The award is under a previously awarded contract to install photovoltaic systems on Kauai. The work to be done includes the design-build of grid-tied photovoltaic power systems on the rooftops of 10 buildings and other incidental work at the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands.  The project, which is using money from The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, is expected to be completed by June 2011.

Unfortunately, there was another drowning on Kauai per a Dec 12th Garden Island article "Anini drowning victim identified." —"The Utah woman who drowned at ‘Anini Beach on Kaua‘i’s North Shore on Thursday afternoon has been identified by county officials as Kathleen Stewart, age 70, of Manti, Utah.  According to witnesses, the woman and her husband, Thell Stewart, age 73, were snorkeling in the boat channel at ‘Anini and went in search of turtles, but became caught in a rip current, which began to pull them out.   They tried to swim in together, but were unable to make much progress. Thell Stewart told his wife to hold on to a channel marker when they were about 75 yards from the shore, and then he went for help.  A bystander swam out and found the woman face down in the water. After CPR attempts, Kathleen Stewart was pronounced dead at Wilcox Hospital."  So sad.
 
If you're looking for someplace new to travel from Kauai, you may be interested to know that per the Dec 17th Pacific Business News article "Continental to start Honolulu-Fiji service" — "Continental Airlines on Friday will begin new, nonstop service between Honolulu and Nadi, Fiji.  The service is operated by Continental Micronesia, which will fly 155-seat Boeing 737s. 
 
The flights from Honolulu International Airport are Mondays and Fridays, arriving in Nadi two calendar days later after crossing the International Date Line.  Return flights operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays, arriving in Honolulu at 5:25 p.m. the previous calendar day.
 
Fiji is a group of more than 300 islands and atolls across 200,000 square miles of sea.  “Fiji attracts visitors from around the world and is a good complement to the service we currently offer throughout the Pacific,” said Jeff Moken, Continental’s general manager in Honolulu."  Maybe I'll consider Fiji for my next trip since I've already been to Tahiti by way of Bora Bora.  It was so amazingly beautiful.

Kauai's 'coconut wireless' is alive and well and has been known to pass along inaccurate information on occasion.  Per the Dec 17th Garden Island article "BLNR (Bureau of Land and Natural Resources) member ‘sets record straight’ Ron Agor set out to dispel some of the common myths.— "Did you hear the one about a hotel to be built on the picturesque meadow at Koke‘e State Park?  Right next to the helicopter landing pad?
 
Ron Agor, the Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau representative on the state Board of Land and Natural Resources, has heard them all.  The rumors are not true, he said, challenging anyone to “pick up the phone and call to meet with me and discuss your concerns with an open mind. I can be reached at 651-5764.”  He is getting tired of hearing four persistent rumors surrounding the controversial Koke‘e Draft Master Plan, he said last week.
 
In addition to the hotel and landing-pad rumors, he has also fielded many questions from Kauaians about an entry gate and four-lane, highway-like entrance at the park.  Also both false.  “There has been much said about the Koke‘e Draft Master Plan since it was approved for public hearings by the land board back in 2004,” he said.
 
“It has been my observation that most of the contempt for the proposal has been sparked by false information given to the public by those advocating to do nothing for Koke‘e, and by those who feel the mountain should be exclusively for them.  “Since 2004, I personally have been approached by many people concerned about Koke‘e. Some were cashiers at the markets, clerks at the airline counters, fellow beach-goers, passengers on the plane, and the like,” said Agor.
 
“I get questioned at least two to three times a week,” he said. “Whenever I have a chance to respond to the false assumptions, most concerned people thank me for clarifying the situation and wonder why they were informed wrongly.  “A few did not believe my clarifications and say they got their information from reliable active sources in the community,” he said.
 
“The fact of the matter is that none of the above four mentioned assumptions are true. I should know, I made the motion and amendments to the draft master plan that were approved by the board in 2004,” he said.  Regarding the meadow hotel rumor, Agor acknowledged that a lodge for overnight stays is planned, though it would be on the same footprint as the existing Koke‘e Lodge.
 
“The board heard testimony from the public (in 2004) about wanting a lodge for overnight stay. As a result of listening to the public, I made an amendment to the plan to include a lodge basically to replace the existing ‘lodge building.’ The intent was to have a restaurant with rooms above.  “This new lodge would not exceed the footprint of the existing lodge,” he said.  “The board approved this concept so that the local people, who would lose out on acquiring a cabin lease, would have equal access to the mountain in terms of overnight and weekend stays,” he said.  “There was never a proposal for a helicopter pad to accommodate tourists, and there was no motion to include one during the hearing.
 
“The above top four mentioned misconceptions about the draft master plan were done away with at the land board’s meeting on Kaua‘i in 2004,” he said.  “Yet, to get support for doing nothing for Koke‘e, activists have resorted to misinforming the public in order to get support for their agenda and incite this madness.  “At a recent informational hearing on Kaua‘i, for example, a reliable active resource of a person testified against ‘the gate’ and a four-lane highway with people cheering on. That person knew that there is no gate or four-lane highway planned,” he said.  “It is time to set the record straight on the intent of the draft master plan for Koke‘e.”  Good luck.  Like I said, the coconut wireless is alive and well. 

Per a Dec 20th KHON news article "Biologist Terry Lilley has spent the last 5 years documenting the reef around Kauai.  "Dramatic changes happening now from sediment coming out of rivers here and covering up the coral," says Lilley, Save Our Seas.  He says it got worse after November's heavy flooding through Hanalei.  "And what it did was brought all this junk from boat trailers, to a jet ski, to car body parts."
 
Straight out from the pier between 15-40 feet below the surface, he's spotted plastic pipes, carpet and tires.  "I think I counted 10 separate tires on the reef the other day."  He says it's everywhere, and the Waikoko side of the bay is suffering the same fate.  "I could film for 2 hours out there and not get all of the junk in 2 hours," he says.  "It is an emotion.  If you could cry under water I probably would."
 
Lilley has recorded hours of video and believes debris and river run-off are killing the coral reefs.  "All of this combined is just reigning havoc on our reef here," he says.  "You could actually see where this stuff rolled back and forth on the reef and knocked off a lot of the remaining corals."  He fears it's only going to get worse unless something is done soon.  "Because it's not good right now and needs to be dealt with," he says.  "It's killing corals at a phenomenal rate right now. It's very, very, very worrysome."
 
Lilley has contact local government leaders and the State Department of Land and Natural Resources for help.  "And this is only gonna get worse and in my opinion if we don't study this situation underwater and above water virtually on a weekly basis we're likely to lose a lot of our coral reefs here in Hawaii."  The DLNR says they will investigate and pin-point all the damage before determining the best agency to clean it up."  Hopefully it will not be too late by the time the decision is made.  
 
In their Dec 21st Garden Island article" Alexander & Baldwin gives $5K to Kaua‘i Community College" it was announced that "Kaua‘i Community College recently received $5,000 from Alexander & Baldwin and its Kaua‘i subsidiaries, according to a news release.  With the recent contribution, A&B Foundation has contributed $142,426 to KCC since 1993.
 
“This extremely kind, thoughtful and generous gift will directly help us to attain our goal of building Kaua‘i Community College as the intellectual center of Kaua‘i,” said Helen Cox, KCC chancellor. “We very much value working closely with the leadership of A&B subsidiaries on Kaua‘i in building and sustaining a healthy Community.”  A&B’s Kaua‘i subsidiaries include A&B Properties, Matson Navigation, Kaua‘i Commercial Co., Kaua‘i Coffee Co. and Kukui‘ula Development Co.  The gift will be used to provide professional development for KCC faculty to remain current in their areas of expertise and to provide special opportunities outside of the classroom for KCC students, Cox said.
 
Also in the Dec 21st Garden Island was the article "Residents grapple with affordable housing ‘realities" —"Housing on Kaua‘i is anything but affordable, according to Anne Punohu of the Kaua‘i Fair Housing Law Coalition.  Even though median home values on Kaua‘i have been falling from about $615,000 in November 2008 to $467,500 last month, according to Multiple Listing Services, prices remain unaffordable for a lot of the island’s working class.  Factor in sky-high rents and most people are forced to work at least two jobs just to stay afloat, Punohu said Sunday.  “It’s no way to live,” she added.
 
One would have to earn at least $29 per hour to afford the “most expensive rentals in the nation,” where a two-bedroom unit averages $1,500 a month, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said during a presentation Thursday on sustainable and affordable housing. The meeting was hosted by Kaua‘i Planning & Action Alliance and Kaua‘i Association of Architects.  No more than 30 percent of one’s income should be allotted for housing in order to be deemed affordable, he said.  And if the median income on island is around $47,000, then 30 percent of take-home pay would amount to around $1,100 a month for a mortgage or rent. In other words, one could only afford a $180,000 home, said architect and sustainability consultant Peter Arsenault.  “It is clear that there is some creative financing here,” he said, as members of Thursday’s audience chuckled.  “More work needs to be done to address this situation,” Carvalho said regarding creating more affordable housing projects to meet the rising demand.
 
Among the recently completed projects adding to the county’s affordable housing inventory are 80 units at Kalepa Village in Lihu‘e, 82 units at Courtyards at Waipouli and 18 Habitat for Humanity homes in ‘Ele‘ele.  While Carvalho did not stay for the duration of Thursday’s presentation to answer questions at the end, Grove Farm Company Senior Vice President Michael Tresler fielded inquires pertaining to the “realities” of constructing affordable housing on island.
 
To start, it can take anywhere from 10 to 20 years to be shovel ready when factoring in re-zoning and permitting processes, as well as infrastructure requirements along the way, he said.  “There is a lot that goes into those years” he said. “It’s a back and forth until you get it right and satisfy the powers to be.”  In addition, through the evolution, “conditions upon conditions” are given to the developer, he said.  “All these costs affect housing prices,” he said. “We’re not going to do a project if we’re not going to make money.”  The trouble is once the projects are completed, it can be a challenge for some kama‘aina to qualify, Punohu said Sunday.
 
“There’s nothing affordable about them,” she said. “The prices are far too high for the actual reality of what we have here.”  Hourly pay for entry-level jobs at a lot of businesses on island usually starts only slightly above the $7.25 minimum wage, she said.  When people are faced with these difficult circumstances, a slew of socioeconomic factors like homelessness, abuse and drug addiction stand at an increased likelihood of prevailing, she added.  “Housing prices need to become doable for working class families so that they can afford to have a decent home and decent home life,” Punohu said."
 
Here's one for you -Per the Dec 22nd Garden Island "Mother Monk seal attacks snorkeler" - "An adult female monk seal on Monday attacked and seriously injured a 28-year-old female visitor from Kirkland, Wash.  The incident took place at around 4:43 p.m. at Maha‘ulepu Beach on the South Shore, a county news release states.  The woman had been snorkeling with a friend when the current sent her adrift to an area where several monk seals, including an adult female and a pup, were swimming.
 
Apparently, the adult female felt threatened by the snorkeler and attacked her, the release says.  The snorkeler and her friend got out of the water and into a truck and were seeking medical assistance when they came upon lifeguards from the Po‘ipu tower in their rescue truck.  The lifeguards performed first aid on the woman until firefighters from the Kalaheo station and medics arrived and took over treating the victim for superficial injuries.  The woman was then transported via ambulance to Wilcox Memorial Hospital for further treatment. The injuries were not life-threatening, the release says."  There are always signs on the beach to keep your distance from resting seals, and the same certainly applies when in the water. Not a good experience for either the snorkeler or the monk seal. 

Believe it or not, we had a high speed chase on Kauai as per the article "High-speed chase ended by spike strip" in the Dec 22nd Garden Island. — "Timothy Geis, 37, of Kapa‘a, was arrested and charged with driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant, reckless driving, resisting an order to stop his vehicle, driving without a valid license, running a stop sign and a red light, and excessive speeding, a county news release states.
 
According to the KPD preliminary report, Officer Shane Sokei deployed the spike strip, brand name Stop Sticks, and blew out at least two tires on Geis’ vehicle.  Also damaged were tires on a KPD cruiser in pursuit and two tires of a fellow motorist, according to the anonymous Wailua driver whose vehicle was damaged.  Geis posted $1,250 bail and was released, according to the release.
 
Officer Joseph Himongala was conducting speed enforcement on Rice Street around 1:30 a.m. Monday when Geis headed westbound on Rice Street traveling at a high rate of speed, the release states.  “Himongala attempted to stop the Honda, which increased its speed and drove through the red light at the Hardy/Rice intersection,” said a release from Lt. Sherwin Kaleo Perez, Lihu‘e district commander of the Patrol Services Bureau.
 
“The operator of the Honda ignored the lights and siren of the police vehicle, made a right turn onto ‘Umi Street and sped through the ‘Umi/Hardy intersection without stopping at the stop sign, traveling northbound,” Perez said.  “The officer terminated the pursuit at that point because of the risks to the residents on ‘Umi Street,” he said.  “But the officer then saw the suspect vehicle coming back onto ‘Umi Street southbound, and then turned right on Hardy Street, and right on Kuhio Highway, northbound. The suspect vehicle ignored the police lights and siren, and continued traveling at a high rate of speed towards Hanama‘ulu,” Perez said. “Speeds were estimated in excess of 70 mph at the Kuhio/Laulima junction in Hanama‘ulu. At the Kuhio/Kapule junction, Officer Gilbert Asuncion joined the pursuit as the lead vehicle traveling northbound on Kuhio Highway,” said Perez.
 
“Officer Shane Sokei set up Stop Sticks at the north end of the Wailua (River) bridge. The suspect vehicle was successfully disabled by the Stop Sticks. There were no further damages to the suspect vehicle other than two of its tires being punctured by the Stop Sticks,” said Perez."  Gee, did he really think he could drive somewhere and get away? After all, this is an island.
 
Per a Dec 23rd  Garden Island— "Many customers of the county Department of Water will see their bimonthly bill rise 10.3 percent effective Jan. 1.  A customer using 20,000 gallons of water per month pays around $58 a month now, and with the increase will pay around $64 a month, not including the $10 monthly service charge and any cost-of-power adjustment, according to a DOW press release and the Web site, www.kauaiwater.org/RulesAndRegsPart4.pdf.
 
A public hearing on a proposal to potentially raise some rates even further had been set for mid-January by the county Board of Water Supply, but that meeting date isn’t final yet, said Faith Shiramizu, DOW spokesperson.  The Jan. 1 increase is based on a comprehensive study conducted in 2005 on DOW projected revenues and expenditures that recommended the implementation of a series of five annual 8.5-percent rate increases beginning in fiscal year 2006.  So, the 2010 increase is the fifth of five approved annual raises.
 
The water rate will increase from $2.90 to $3.20 per 1,000 gallons for the standard residential 5/8-inch meter within the first block, which covers each customer’s initial 20,000 gallons of use.  For the portion of the bimonthly consumption that is between 20,001 and 40,000 gallons, the second block rate will be assessed. The increase in this category will be from $3.70 to $4.00 per 1,000 gallons.  The highest-volume residential consumers with usage in excess of 40,000 gallons will pay a top rate of $6 per 1,000 gallons, up from $5.40.
 
The average Kaua‘i household uses around 10,000 gallons of water a month, calculated by multiplying the number of household members by average use of between 60 gallons and 100 gallons of water per person per day by 30 days in an average month, Shiramizu said.
 
More bad news came in the Dec 29th Garden Island paper "2 visitors drown. Injured hiker airlifted from Kalalau Trail." — A 20-year-old North Carolina man drowned Monday afternoon while snorkeling in waters off Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club near Po‘ipu Beach Park on the South Shore. A half hour later, rescue crews were responding to another tragedy on the North Shore. A 41-year-old man from Portland, Ore., drowned at Kauapea Beach near Kilauea, a county news release states.
 
The Portland man and his 32-year-old brother were swimming at Kauapea, commonly called Secret Beach, at around 1:28 p.m. when the strong current swept them out and around the coast toward Hanalei, the release states.  A surfer in the area swam out to assist them and brought the younger man safely to shore. The man who was rescued then grabbed a rescue tube and swam back out to help his older brother. Upon reaching him, he found his brother face down in the water, the release states.  Jet Ski 1, Truck 1, Engine 1, Rescue 3 and medics responded to the call. The man was taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. 
 
The North Carolina man was found face down about 20 feet from shore at around 1 p.m. in Po‘ipu, a county press release states.  Lifeguards from the Po‘ipu tower responded and began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Efforts to revive the man continued all the way to Wilcox Hospital, said John Blalock, KPD deputy chief.  Koloa firefighters also administered CPR on the man, the release states.
 
Blalock confirmed what American Medical Response professionals were relaying to Wilcox Emergency Room Dr. James Scamahorn at the time of the man’s transport from Po‘ipu, that “flat-line” means the man didn’t have a “shockable rhythm,” and that “Code 500” means flat-line (no pulse, no respiration) but continued CPR efforts. The man, who at press time had not been identified, was pronounced dead at the hospital, the release states.  More details on both drownings are expected today.
 
Also Monday, around 5:45 p.m., a KFD rescue crew was heading via Inter-Island Helicopters in Hanapepe to Hanakoa Valley along Na Pali Coast where an injured hiker was waiting, Blalock said. A 26-year-old woman from Enterprise, Alaska, was airlifted from Kalalau Trail due to an injured left ankle. She was taken to Wilcox Hospital for treatment.
 
Another hiker contacted Police Dispatch at around 3 p.m. and notified them about the injured person. Two rescue specialists from the Lihu‘e fire station and Air-1 flew to Na Pali Coast and spotted the woman on the trail near the eight-mile marker, a county news release says.  The injured hiker was taken to Princeville Airport, where awaiting medics then transported her to Wilcox Hospital."  I cannot say it enough, use extra caution when hiking and especially in the water while on Kauai.  Your vigilance could be what saves your life.
 
"Humpback Whale Sanctuary Looking for Volunteers” was posted: Dec 29 on the Garden Island. "The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is asking for help to count endangered whales. Volunteers would monitor the whales from shore sites around Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island during peak whale season. The three dates are January 30, February 27 and March 27.  If you'd like to help, register online as a volunteer at http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov."
 
If you are looking for land to farm or know of someone on Island who is, the Dec 30th Pacific Business News announced that "Hawaii seeks lessees for state ag land."  — The Hawaii Department of Agriculture said Wednesday it is accepting applications for lease negotiations on five parcels of Ag land.  Two parcels are located in Hanapepe, Kauai, and three are in Waimanalo, Oahu. They range in size from 1.4 to 6.7 acres.
 
Potential lessees must be U.S. citizens who have been Hawaii residents for at least three years, and bona fide farmers as defined in Hawaii Administrative Rules.  The leases are for 35-year terms and are limited to diversified agriculture use.  The deadline to submit applications for the parcels to the state’s Agricultural Resource Management Division is Jan. 14.  For more information, visit hawaii.gov/hdoa/info.
 
And on a final note, per the Dec 31st Pacific Business News "Kauai gets natural food store and cafe."  — Living Foods Market & Cafe will open Jan. 20 at Kauai’s Kukuiula Village in Poipu.  The 5,000-square-foot natural foods store and cafe originally was scheduled to open this month.

 Owner Jim Moffatt, widely known as chef and owner of the popular Bar Acuda restaurant in Hanalei, intends to sell organic and locally grown gourmet food, produce and products at the new market and cafe.  Living Foods, which will employ a staff of about 20, will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The cafe will serve European-style fare including panini sandwiches, pizzetas, crepes and salads for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It also will roast its own coffee and carry a 400-label wine selection.
 
The commercial Kukuiula Village is part of the 1,010-acre luxury Kukuiula subdivision being developed on Kauai’s South Shore by Kukuiula Development Co., a partnership between Hawaii-based A&B Properties and Scottsdale, Ariz.-based DMB Associates Inc. When completed in late 2010, it will have up to 1,500 plantation-style homes, a spa and wellness center, clubhouse and 18-hole Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course."  Now that's what I call really good news.  Finally I'll have a reason to go to the South Shore. (Just kidding...)
 
This year ended with 88 fewer transactions than in 2008 which saw 588 which is a 14% decrease.  It seems like there were more transactions this year but maybe that's because the escrows I was involved in were more difficult, more complex, often difficult to finance, and harder to close than in years past.  Ask any agent, they'll tell you the same thing.  Not a complaint, mind you, as I love the business but when you have a willing and qualified buyer and an eager seller, sometime it just seems it should go much easier than it does --  Oh well.  It's the nature of the market right now.  Here's to smooth sailing on your transaction.  Now on to your update.  Do call or email if you have any questions.
 
Aloha Elaine