Mahalo Kai Nashiki & Angie Hoffman: We need more people like you in public service!!!

I wanted to mention Kai and Angie and everyone helping to save Makena Beach and the area from development. I heard a radio message by Kai and it was truly awesome. She stated the obvious and was basically sending a message for everyone who loves Makena to go and testify this week on Tuesday Dec. 9th at the county building. The way that she presented the facts and message was straight forward and to the point. You can tell that she really cares for the area and will do everything in her power to protect the future of Makena. I will certainly vote for her next term and I will tell the council member that also. I hope that voters make better choices next time and vote for people that stand up for the aina and culture. Like Michlael Howden, Kai Nashiki, Summer Starr, and Lucianne DeNai

I commend Kai and Angie for the efforts to help and save the beach that I grew up on every summer for 15 years of my childhood. I wish that everyone in public office had the intelligence of these women, and not to forget JoAnn Johnson and Michelle Anderson who both voted "NO" on the rezoning. The yes vote that the other council members gave is a complete disgrace to our people, our aina, our native species and our island way of life. I am going to testify on Tuesday and let Gladys Baisa and the other council members know how I feel about their poor decision to vote yes on rezoning. Why people vote the same kooks back into office and expect change? I just do not understand!! Also if they wanted to create jobs why not make the area a protected place, including the cultural and archaeological sites creating a sustainable and beautiful area to visit for generations to come. Make it a place where tourists could come and walk about, enjoy, learn and preserve all the area. Make a park/native garden/wet land and habitat area and cultural learning center that would Cherish the special place of Makena???? Why not??? you could generate long term sustainability and jobs in maintaining and education relating to the area. I know that in the long run tourist and local people alike would rather have an option like this instead of ruining the area for one more huge development and destroying it forever!!!!

Please go and testify if you can because together we can save Makena Beach for our children to enjoy. Go get the facts if you are unsure about the issue http://www.savemakena.org/

Here is another letter to the editor from the Maui News: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/512145.html?nav=18

Makena Resort plans can be viewed online
POSTED: December 7, 2008

Email: "Makena Resort plans can be viewed online"
I recommend everyone look at Dowling's plans for Makena Resort online at petersoneconomics.com /recent/makena. Plans call for demolishing the Maui Prince and repositioning the entire 1,800 acres of Makena Resort as a second-home, ultra-luxury condo community with prices averaging more than $2,100 per square foot. Heights will reach four stories if they get their rezoning. This level of development will overwhelm already limited public parking and beach access for local people all over Makena.
Based on what I have seen at the first phase "Maluaka" site by the Maui Prince, I think we can expect large scale bulldozing and earthmoving to create scenes of total destruction and runoff throughout Makena. There are YouTube videos showing the runoff from Maluaka.
This is definitely a "You don't know what you've got till it's gone" situation. The community needs to pull together now and get involved at SaveMakena.org.
Ernest Hilberg
Kihei

There are so many letters in support of saving Makena but if we do not go and testify the politicians will have their way and ruin the aina forever. Please help out and do whatever you can to save the last big public beach without developement on it. Please write letters, testify and become an activist for the good of Maui and the aina. Malama Makena because the Maui County Council members do not give a rip about Makena,native Hawaiian or not!!!

ps: I read a letter to the editor from Angie about Wayne Nashiki and the loan from Dowling. It was in last weeks Maui News and I thought it was really well said and related to the issues not the drama.