UPDATE Ten Bold and Not So Bold Predictions for Kona, Hawaii

I reviewed a blog I had written at the beginning of the year—four months ago.Watch movie online The Transporter Refueled (2015)
Here is an update on my ten predictions for Kona, Hawaii 2016.

  1. Undersupply of affordable home: No progress
  2. Homelessness an issue with no progress: No progress
  3. Marijuana use with increase significantly: No licenses for dispensaries have been issued, so no change in availability. Sales will start in mid-to-late July.
  4. NextEra purchase of Hawaiian Electric will not go through Uncertain at this time
  5. The TMT will find a new home: They are looking elsewhere and the longer the State and DLNR drag their heels, the more likely we’ll see the TMT leave. Sad.
  6. High technology and innovative business will not see Hawaii as a place to invest: Unknown
  7. Mayor Kenoi will face criminal charges and no government ethics movement: Yes, filed in March; no change in ethics laws.
  8. New Ironman owner will test Kona’s commitment: Wrong, so far. The Ironman Foundation graciously gave $25,000 to the Queen’s Lei hiking/walking trail. Way to go Ironman!
  9. Queen K widening will continue: Yes! No major stoppages so far!
  10. County, State, and Federal agencies will offer poor solutions and responses to outbreaks and pests. I certainly got this wrong about the State’s response to the Dengue fever outbreak. While slow to get going, I was impressed by the door-to-door response. A response team visited my office (in an area with no mosquitoes) and my home (where there are mosquitoes). Well done!

I was wrong about a few things—Dengue fever response by the State, and, perhaps Ironman. I was right about our mayor’s indictment, and the Queen K widening (so far) and I suspect that I will be right about Hawaiian Electric and the TMT, though in my heart I believe both these can be good for Hawaii.
The big issues moving into summer and fall will, of course, be the elections. We’ll have a new major and a new U.S. president, with most of the other offices seeing no change. Would I like to predict the outcome of these? Nope!