Lawyer β’ Maui, Hawai'i π³οΈβπ Views expressed here are my own and don't necessarily represent those of my employer, family, or cat (but he usually agrees).
Yesterday Hawaii elected its first openly trans person to the State House. In a major upset, Kim Coco Iwamoto beat the sitting State House Speaker, Scott Saiki. Absolutely amazing victory.
Getting cat called this morning by a woman at the bus stop - βOh yeah short shorts! Who wears short shorts? You do!β - might be the highlight of the weekend. Happy pride.
Some personal news ποΈ
This Friday will be my last day working for the County of Maui. Iβll be returning to private practice next week.
Advising local government officials has been an immensely rewarding experience. This was me on day 1 in Aug. 2020 when cloth masks were in.
Historic LΔhainΔ Town and the homes nearby will be rebuilt but it will never be the same. The banyan tree - which was planted in the 1800s - is circled in red. It may have survived but itβs not clear. Historic sites have been destroyed.
#MauiFires
There was a double rainbow over the West Maui Mountains yesterday and it was one of those things where everyone in the community took a photo and posted it. I love that. It really was beautiful. Hereβs my contribution.
The perfect combo of sun and clouds made this a great day to hike the Waihe'e Ridge Trail. The panoramic views are worth every step. Highly recommend this challenging but rewarding hike for any adventurous souls out there. ποΈπ΄ππ
#Maui
#Hiking
There are right-wing grifters on Maui trying to raise funds based on lies. One is a lawyer w a large social media following claiming the state govt is trying to seize land (not true) and raising money through a supposed non-profit to fund his βlegal work.β Please be carefulβ¦
Itβs crazy that Hawai'i still has not legalized recreational cannabis. In 2000 we became the 1st state to legalize medical pot through an act of the state leg. Now we are way behind. Recreational pot is legal in Guam & 19 states including red states like Montana and Alaska. π
Seeing the transphobia in my mentions reminds me why we need to keep speaking up. Our trans community deserves support, not hate. π³οΈββ§οΈ Thatβs especially true in Hawaii, which has a proud history of embracing and loving our mΔhΕ« siblings.
Happy Aloha Friday π β¨
After a very long wait, 'Δͺao Valley State Monument reopens on Monday! Visitors will need a reservation but residents wonβt. More info here:
Why is our local paper promoting a hateful letter to the editor days after a shooting at an LGBTQ bar? This take is not new, timely, or nuanced. This will fuel homophobia when we are feeling extra vulnerable. We are fighting for our lives. Hawaiiβs LGBT community deserves better
OPINION: "Since homosexuality is condemned in the Bible, it follows that homosexuals marrying is not Godβs will and would be, in fact, sinful."
Read more in a letter to the editor:
The Maui fires have been absolutely devastating especially for Lahaina and upcountry. This is what I could see from my house last night. I am safe but feel for those that have been directly affected.
Hiked Angelβs Landing and lived to tell the tale! There were moments where I was gripping a chain for dear life while slipping on sandy rocks next to a cliff. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
βAnd then when we realized that the whales were both males, we realized we had something extra special on our hands and very unique.β
π³οΈβπ π π
Once upon a time, in a land far away,
I found an Ube Malasada, fresh from the tray.
It was golden brown and oh so round,
I couldn't resist, I had to scarf it down.
Mauiβs new chemical sunscreen ban goes into effect on October 1. Itβs one of the most comprehensive chemical sunscreen bans in the world. Hereβs what you need to know. βοΈ
The early morning or late night Hawaiian Air flights are the best. All locals. We all see someone we know on the plane. Sometimes theyβre even relatives. The overhead bins full of Krispy Kreme boxes (fr Maui) or manapua (to Maui). No one jumps up immediately when the plane lands.
6 years ago I participated in Movember to raise money for charity. π¨π»
My mustache looked *so bad* that one donor offered to double what Iβve raised if I shaved it off immediately and promised not to do it again. I took the offer.
This interstate highway β which doesnβt cross any state lines β is one of the most expensive highways ever built, at a cost of $127Β million per mile in 2021 dollars.
To get a lychee tree to bear fruit it has to be trimmed and abused. βHit it with a chain at night!β I was told. Well, I trimmed it and told the tree there was more where that came from! Now, finally, after 5+ years of nada, I get some lychee. Iβm no Mr. Sun Cho Lee but almost.
The truth is adults are already using cannabis in Hawai'i for a variety of reasons and possession has been decriminalized.
But unlike other states we get no tax revenue from it and cannot regulate products sold on the black market. Itβs time to responsibly legalize.
The Honolulu Prosecutor's Office and the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana held a conference to talk about why legalizing recreational cannabis would be a bad idea. They used examples from other states where marijuana is legal to make their point.