Governor’s Emergency on Homelessness; Malama Kauai Community Garden Certificate Training; Rail Tax Extension; Berlin & Beyond Honolulu Film Festival
Governor’s Emergency on Homelessness: Mike Victorino
Last week, Maui's mayor called a special meeting of the County Council. Mayor Alan Arakawa presented his plan to take advantage of the Governor’s emergency proclamations on homelessness and promised bills to follow this week. That leaves the County Council left to shape the Mayor’s Homelessness Initiative. Mike Victorino represents the Wailuku District on the Maui County Council and he joined The Conversation with his take on the Mayors plan.
- Intro Music: Green Onions by Booker T. & The MG's
- Outro Music: A Three-Legged Workhorse by This Will Destroy You
Malama Kauai Community Garden Certificate Training: Keone Kealoha
Community gardens are springing up in schools and communities across the country - a trend that is applauded by virtually everyone - but too often, good intentions fade with time and the garden doesn’t get maintained. Keone Kealoha is the Executive Director of Malama Kauai, which offers a five week course in creating and maintaining community gardens. We talked with him about the reasons the program was created. The five week course begins November 7th and covers such topics as planning and design, composting, plant selection, and maintenance.
- Intro Music: Beautiful Kaua‘i by Bryan Tolentino and Herb Ohta, Jr.
- Outro Music: Nani Kaua‘i by Jim Kimo West
Rail Tax Extension: Tom Yamachika
It’s not about whether rail is good or bad. For Oahu residents who regularly pay the rail surcharge tacked onto their purchases, what isn’t so good is how the State’s cost to administrate that surcharge has been escalating. According to the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, the State’s take is now greater than the department of taxation budget. The group is suing the state over what it says is the state’s practice of skimming tens of millions of dollars annually from the rail surcharge pot. Tax Foundation of Hawaii president Tom Yamachika joined the show to share his thoughts on the issue.
- Intro Music: On the Ropes by Said the Whale
- Outro Music: The Railroad Blues by The Hapa Hillbillies
Berlin & Beyond Honolulu Film Festival: Sophoan Sorn

Film festivals devoted to a single nation can tell us much about what’s going on within and short of traveling there, a well-organized festival can be a look inside that offers personal perspectives on the history that is being made every day. SophoanSorn is bringing Hawaii audiences a look inside today’s Germany as the Festival Director of the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, coming to UH this weekend. The festival runs Friday through Sunday at the UH-Manoa Art Auditorium.
- Intro Music: I've Got You Under My Skin by Dennis Solee
- Outro Music: Abspann (Die Entdeckung der Currywurst ) by Christine Aufderhaar, Berlin Film Ensemble