Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 3, 2011

Tissy Kaniho says she wants the road to be private to protect her cattle and horses.
Others fear it will set a precedent blocking public access around the island.

THE KAMAOA ROAD ISSUE comes up before the County Council Finance Committee today at its meeting in Keauhou. Ka`u’s council member Brittany Smart said that she has not changed her position on refraining from selling publicly owned roads and was looking forward to any additional testimony on the matter. Former council member Guy Enriques had proposed that the county sell the 1.5-mile remnant at the end of Kamaoa Road on the South Point bluff to private landowners there. Other council members, including council chair Dominic Yagong, said it could set a poor precedent around the island for selling public access to the coast, graveyards and recreation areas.

Plan released in 2007 for the new Wai`ohinu Recycling Station

THE $8.8 MILLION WAI`OHINU reload facility and transfer station also comes up before the County Council Finance Committee today. Brittany Smart chairs the Environmental Management committee, which oversees the collection, recycling and disposal of rubbish. She explained this morning that the final cost was not yet fixed but the project would include a central location where trucks would come from Pahala, Ocean View, Miloli`i and Waiea. Garbage would be sorted and reloaded onto larger trucks to send to the appropriate facility. This would end the practice of partially filled rubbish trucks traveling on the highway. It would also provide for a commercial rubbish drop-off site. Right now, many businesses are illegally taking their waste to residential rubbish transfer stations.

Existing Wai`ohinu Transfer Station

     Construction expenses would include building the reload facility, upgrading retaining walls and chutes and constructing the recycling facility. The new facility in Wai`ohinu would also create new jobs.

THE OCEAN VIEW TRANSFER station is not ignored in favor of Wai`ohinu, said Smart. She reported that it is funded, and once the land purchase is finalized, the county is ready to get the permits to begin construction.

VOG, HOW DANGEROUS IS IT? is the title of a PBS show on Thursday, January 6 at 7:30 p.m. The live broadcast will feature Lani Petrie, of Kapapala Ranch, one of local businesses hardest hit by emissions blowing from the volcano straight over to its pastures between Pahala and Volcano. Also on the panel is state Rep. Bob Herkes, who has championed help for people affected in their business and their health by the emissions, particularly in 2008 and early 2009. Dr. Elizabeth Tam, of the U.H. Medical School, who is studying the effects of emissions on health, and Jeff Sutton, with the U.S. Geological Survey, are also on the panel. 

THE BAY CLINIC Mobile Dental Van visits Ka`u Family Health Center this week. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Call 965-3073 for an appointment. The van is in Ka`u the first week of each month.