IN THE HUNT

IN THE HUNT: As we sit back in our rose pink Cadillac and make our bet on this Kentucky Derby Day we noticed that the number of horses is expanding so fast that they may have to use those auxiliary gates to get them all into the race.

As of yesterday, 27 people have “pulled paper” for the council race although only 10 have bellied up to the pre-race mint julep bar.

And, although the mayor’s race is still only a potential three way affair so far, candidate Mel Rapozo has still not filed his papers although he has withdrawn the council papers that he filed last Feb. 22. JoAnn Yukimura also pulled papers for council but has filed for mayor.

That leaves 15 people who have until Tuesday at 4:30 to find a gate and get ready for the announcer to yell “and they’re off.”

Those definitely in the race include a name new to the list but certainly not new to running for office on Kaua`i, John Hoff who made it official on Wed. He joins the following who are going to be on the ballot unless they withdraw.

Asing, William (Kaipo) U
Bartolo, Robert A
Bynum, Tim L
Cariffe, Bob A
Furfaro, Joseph J
Kawakami, Derek S K
Kealoha, Christobel K
Kualii, Kipukai Les
Kouchi, Ronald D
Kualii, Kipukai Les P

So far hacks, apparently ass-sordid good old boys, incumbents and nut cases dominate. But in a promising development a lot of new names and faces have appeared on the list this week and are pondering spending at least their Wednesday’s in county government hell.

Going down the list the first name that stands out is Kekaha’s Bruce Pleas. He has finally decided to avoid the three ring circus of the mayoral race and will try this time again to seek the council spot that’s eluded him in the past. Getting Bruce on the county council would shake up this county something fierce. We’ve known Bruce for years and Bruce knows county government, unlike many of the “elect me even though I don’t know an ordinance from an administrative rule and wouldn’t know the Charter from the County code.” crowd.

The newcomers who are ready to brave the battle to come include Ken Taylor who has spent most of the last few years actually in the council chambers and probably knows more about how the county does and doesn’t work than anyone. Ken would be a tenacious reformer no doubt and his demands for open and transparent government may be something that strikes fear in the secretive and complacent incumbents' black little hearts.

Also new to office seeking but not new to politics is Lani Kawahara who has worked a few campaigns and political battles and from our contact with her would provide a breath of fresh air and make a welcome addition to the Council table

Then there’s Mr. Superferry Boycott, John Cragg, also known as John Tyler to those who relied on his skills in organizing the movement. We don’t know much about his other politics yet but his energy and push for accountability and transparency put him a lot closer to the pole position than many of the wishy-washies.

Another Superferry organizer is Scott Mijares. Mijares is a community radio KKCR programmer who, despite his generally conservative views is pretty thoughtful and independent and from our conversations, seems to be someone who would hold fellow legislators to a high standard of governance.

And there’s our old pal Wala`au TV star Dickie Chang who once again will seek the council seat he came close to about a decade back. If it’s a popularity contest Dickie could be a shoo-in although we’re not too sure what his politics are

There’s also perennial candidate Rhoda Libre who has been active in the Westside watershed organization.

And Officer Joe Kaauwai who came up with the Hanama`ulu traffic fix a few years back will try again.

With any of them you could do worse.

But there are definitely some real dreary wanna-be’s starting off with Republican Party hack and DLNR appointee Ron Agor, although he has also taken out papers to bang his head against the wall by running against wildly popular State Representative Mina Morita.

The rest are assorted good old boys, hacks and unknowns- at least to us- but there may be a diamond in there somewhere- we’ll be working to find out as the election draws nearer. They are:

Carvalho, Manuel
Defries, Arthur K
Kaneakua, Harry K
Leighton, Thomas C
Mcmahon, Nancy A
Thronas, George S

For anyone seeking to find out more about anyone running we list the all the Kaua`i County candidates and their contact info below. You can keep up with the latest filings at http://hawaii.gov/elections/candidates/

(We’re not sure how this list will format but the information after each name correlates to the “field” described in caps above the list)


KAUA`I COUNTY COUNCIL

NAME- MAILING ADDRESS- CITY- ZIP- CONTACT- PHONE- DATE ISSUED-DATE FILED

AGOR, RONALD 3728 Nawiliwili Rd. Lihue 96766 (808) 651-5764 7/17/2008
ASING, WILLIAM U 4113 Palau Mahu St. Lihue 96766 (808) 245-4555 6/30/2008 7/1/2008
BARTOLO, ROBERT A 5060 Nonou Rd. Kapaa 96746 (808) 639-8080 7/11/2008 7/17/2008
BYNUM, TIM L 5935 Kololia Pl. Kapaa 96746 (808) 822-1652 2/1/2008 5/30/2008
CARIFFE, BOB A 4279 Kailewa St. Lihue 96766 (808) 635-3398 2/6/2008 4/8/2008
CARVALHO, MANUEL L 6393A Ahele Dr. Kapaa 96746 (808) 823-9103 7/15/2008
CHANG, DICK S P.O. Box 3944 Lihue 96766 (808) 635-8800 7/14/2008
CRAGG, JOHN T P.O. Box 76 Anahol 96703 (808) 635-7062 7/17/2008
DEFRIES, ARTHUR K P.O. Box 42 Anahola 96703 (808) 822-5868 6/23/2008 FURFARO, JOSEPH J P.O. Box 223224 Princeville 96720 (808) 652-1550 6/25/2008 6/26/2008
HOFF, JOHN R P.O. Box 547 Lawai 96765 (332) 974-9745 6/3/2008 7/16/2008
KAAUWAI, JOSEPH H P.O. Box 623 Anahola 96703 (808) 652-0732 4/29/2008
KANEAKUA, HARRY K P.O. Box 3066 Lihue 96766 (808) 647-0172 7/7/2008 KAWAHARA, LANI T P.O. Box 1565 Kapaa 96746 (808) 652-6741 7/11/2008 KAWAKAMI, DEREK S K 5077 Kawaihau Rd. Kapaa 96746 (808) 822-7489 2/1/2008 5/2/2008
KEALOHA, CHRISTOBEL K P.O. Box 3942 Lihue 96766 (808) 245-9944 4/3/2008 4/21/2008
KOUCHI, RONALD D 3391 Eono St. Lihue 96766 (808) 639-2724 6/26/2008 7/15/2008
KUALII, KIPUKAI LES P 4210 Rice St., #A2 Lihue 96766 (808) 212-9192 2/1/2008 2/8/2008
LEIGHTON, THOMAS C 6664 Kuamoo Rd. Kapaa 96746 (808) 639-6552 3/10/2008
LIBRE, RHODA L P.O. Box 246 Kaumakani 96747 (808) 645-1210 7/14/2008 MCMAHON, NANCY A 5532 Tapa St. Koloa 96756 (808) 639-6695 7/17/2008
MIJARES, SCOTT F P.O. Box 1222 Kilauea 96754 (808) 652-7113 7/17/2008
PLEAS, BRUCE J P.O. Box 721 Waimea 96752 (808) 639-2850 7/14/2008
TAYLOR, KENNETH R 1720A Makaleha (NS) Pl. Kapaa 96746 (808) 823-8527 7/15/2008
THRONAS, GEORGE S P.O. Box 246 Kapaa 96746 (808) 651-6419 7/14/2008

KAUAI SPECIAL MAYORAL VACANCY

CARVALHO, BERNARD P 4650 Mailihuna Rd. Kapaa 96746 (808) 635-7489 7/8/2008 7/8/2008
RAPOZO, MELVIN F 3236 Inouye St. Lihue 96766 (808) 245-3539 7/7/2008
YUKIMURA, JOANN A 2749 Kapena St. Lihue 96766 (808) 245-2617 7/11/2008 7/14/2008

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

ISERI-CARVALHO, SHAYLENE C 6539 Kawaihau Rd. Kapaa 96746 (808) 651-8134 2/5/2008 5/16/2008