Big Island Circus Fined $50,000 by DLNR

[Guest]

punalvr quote:"He blew up the most exclusive club in Colombia. My brother was there.."

punalvr I just want you to know that you brought tears to my eyes cause that is what it is about. And the fact that some here don't believe justice should be served now because Graham may have taught their "girls" something is just too over the top!

[missydog1]

quote:

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Originally posted by kalakoa

Is it anything like the lessons taught by County's failure to enforce? (Or, as suggested, the creation of illegal subdivisions to begin with ... or perhaps the later refusal to allow any "neighborhood commercial" as suggested by the PCDP ... otherwise assuming that all those keiki live in fully-permitted dwellings ...)

Seems like all these problems are eventually related to Hawaii's "unique" system of land-use regulations. Rezoning the high-density ag subdivisions to match their actual residential use would fix many of these issues.

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kalakoa, the same response to every single thing under discussion on this forum is wearing thin. Could you not start an "illegal subdivision" topic and put it in one place, and let other discussions address ... other topics?

Your premise seems to be that as long as local government is not a perfect system for the people, that there should not be law enforcement. Government's imperfection is a fair topic for discussion, but it's not relevant to everything, and it's not an excuse for individuals and non-profit organizations to become scofflaws. (At least there are quite a lot of citizens who don't buy into that excuse, even though you might.)

Kathy

[punalvr]

Sativa, I do not know you.
But two things have been bothering me.
First, our beloved moderator seems to be biased, and I would expect him to behave as such.
Second, exposing users, and abusers of the system is more than expected. Kudos to the ones that exposed this guy.
If he was "innocent" of all charges, he would have not been fined over 50,000 dollars.
I am glad the "Old Puna Way" of doing things has been exposed.
Thanks for your efforts. Even though I do not know the gritty details.

punalvr

[Guest]

Mahalo ('[]')and yet punalvr I would just like you to know that it was a community effort. The only reason we are here today is because many people did their homework/research.

Give thanks to google earth maps they are what showed the damage of what had been done.

[terry.way]

False equivalency: Pablo Escobar planted a bomb in a club, therefore Graham Ellis is evil.

Screw it, in for a penny, in for a pound!

Everyone knows I'm a supporter of HVC.

But I'm going to go out and make a stand for Graham and his "cohorts."

Whoever said "These folks wouldn't know sustainability if it jumped up and bit them square in the ass." - you're wrong.

Belly Acres has had houses on solar power for twenty years. I'm glad to see the proliferation of solar panels on rooftops all over the Big Island - now. Current state of the art: $100 billion invested in solar will produce more energy than $100 billion invested in fossil fuel.
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/09/19/100-...nergy-oil/

Recycling? Belly Acres has a member, I've heard her referred to as "the re-psycho," who has been an advocate for recycling /all her life/. Pacific Garbage Patch? She anticipated it. Manufacturing using recycled plastic? She's doing it.

Buying local really does help the local economy: http://content.time.com/time/business/ar...32,00.html Are we having a discussion about liquidity, diversification of the local economy, or are you merely repeating the same tired talking points issued by regressive business interests?

On the subject of the local economy, the USDA grant got EBT at the SPACE market off the ground. That EBT pumped $50,000/year into the local economy. I've heard someone say that Graham Ellis got $50,000/year personally from this program. That may have been the dumbest thing I heard all year. This money went to local farmers and businesses, the vendors at SPACE, YOUR NEIGHBORS. Without this program, this money may have gone to Walmart instead, then off to the mainland, never to be seen again.

We're living on the slopes of an active volcano. We need lightweight infrastructure to support local businesses, and Graham has been talking about that for YEARS. He also wants a marketplace, a school, and yes, a place for performances, fighting with a "drive to Hilo" mentality at the planning department. And now that the lava is threatening to cross the highway, everyone is suddenly concerned that we may not be able to drive to Hilo!

Even the marijuana: I don't care where you stand on the issue of legalization, current events in Colorado and other states show that pot growers may be on the right side of history.

OBVIOUSLY Graham and the Belly Acres members that built weird things on state land need to clean that mess up. But don't exaggerate: they aren't protected trees. I love 'Ohi'a, but they aren't protected trees! It was state land, not a state tree sanctuary or a protected forest. It wasn't the kids' circus, give me a break. Stick to the facts, and your credibility won't be strained.

[kalakoa]

Your premise seems to be that as long as local government is not a perfect system for the people, that there should not be law enforcement.

No. Government needs to adapt to the reality in which the people actually exist. Failure to enforce is tacit approval. If this is intentional, expose it as such. Stop pretending the ag subdivisions aren't really "residential".

Fixing some of the structural problems would allow everyone to get on with creating an economy that doesn't revolve around tourism and public benefit checks.

The only reason we are here today is because many people did their homework/research.

Yes, and apparently these "many people" speak for the majority of Red Road residents, who have all collectively decided how things should be, and everyone is happy with the various outcomes. Democracy at its finest.

[missydog1]

terry, even invasive trees like ironwoods are protected on conservation land. It's not like this is an isolated thing to fine people for cutting them. Conservation land is supposed to be left alone, even when it is held fee simple by a landowner, that landowner still cannot cut down the trees.

Was this not conservation land?

Kathy

[JohnDW]

Graham, Tiffany; unfortunately Zendo and Russell too, this is a time for reflection. Despite myriad accomplishments ...

Thank you R.J. and Sativa for taking action and reminding us all about public figures' code of conduct. Who's next? Go get 'um.

Oh and, where is that EBT machine anyway?

[missydog1]

quote:

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Originally posted by kalakoa

Your premise seems to be that as long as local government is not a perfect system for the people, that there should not be law enforcement.

No. Government needs to adapt to the reality in which the people actually exist. Failure to enforce is tacit approval. If this is intentional, expose it as such. Stop pretending the ag subdivisions aren't really "residential".

Fixing some of the structural problems would allow everyone to get on with creating an economy that doesn't revolve around tourism and public benefit checks.

The only reason we are here today is because many people did their homework/research.

Yes, and apparently these "many people" speak for the majority of Red Road residents, who have all collectively decided how things should be, and everyone is happy with the various outcomes. Democracy at its finest.

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If you want to start a topic about this, I'd be interested. I'm objecting to every topic becoming about the same thing, the creation of the subdivisions and aftermath.

Kathy

[Guest]

Terry, you can go off on the wonders of Graham Ellis and yet none of what you have just described has to do with your mission statement for the Hawaii's Volcano Circus. Had everything been kept separate then there would be no problem. They would have paid the tax on the unrelated business interest instead of involving the nonprofit and funneling the money thru the Hawaii's Volcano Circus 501©3 .

Remember Terry it is Hawaii's Volcano Circus that holds the 501©3 status.

HVC's mission statement is... "for the purpose of maintaining performing circus artists for educational cultural and entertainment purposes as well as developing an educational center for performing circus artists."

Terry, I would agree with you that all that may have been done and all the people involved are wonderful people and yet I will never over look the abuse that Graham Ellis did and subjected the nonprofit to.