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Monday, August 22, 2011

Ka`u News Briefs August 22, 2011

More events and facilities at Kahuku are in the option plans for Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Photo by Kenji Kuroshima
OPTIONAL PLANS for the future of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park go to public meetings tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday. Possible plans include more infrastructure, like a restaurant and other facilities at the Kahuku section above South Point, restricting the private vehicle and rental car use of Chain of Craters Road, more trails, and more interpretation throughout the park.
     Talk story sessions will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight at Kilauea Visitor Center, then tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 23 at Pahoa Community Center, and finally on Wednesday, Aug. 24, at Na`alehu Community Center. Options include more recycling and self-sustaining, enhancing communication with the community to tackle issues, preserving Kahuku, high-level trails linking upper slopes of Kahuku on Mauna Loa with the Mauna Loa Wilderness, and more money for restoration.
Volunteers will continue to play a major role in the
conservation of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Photo by Dave Boyle
     The current General Management Plan was adopted over 30 years ago. Since then, the park has more than doubled in size, and visitation has grown, with Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park becoming one of the most visited places in all of Hawai`i.
     The park asks for comments to be sent by Sept. 30 online by going to http://parkplanning.nps.gov/havo or by mail to Cindy Orlando, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Box 52, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, HI 96718.

THE FIRE COMMISSION will host two public hearings this week to determine who will succeed Darryl Oliveira as fire chief. The names of five candidates ware: Aaron Arbles, Glen Honda, Gerald Kosaki, Paul Paiva and Darren Rosario. The hearings allow public input on the candidates. The first will be tomorrow at 9 a.m. at the Department of Liquor Control Conference Room and the second at the same time this Thursday at West Hawai`i Civic Center. Those interested may submit testimony by mail to the Fire Commission, Corporation Counsel, 333 Kilauea Ave., 2nd Floor, Hilo, HI 96720, or by email to the Commission secretary at jkualii@co.hawaii.hi.us. Testimony must be submitted by this Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

SECOND ANNUAL RAIN FOREST RUNS winners are in. Jason Braswell won the half marathon, and Rani Tanimoto came out as the fastest woman. Mark Noetzel won the 10K race, and close behind him at third was the top woman, Serena Chamberlain. Scott Hunter won the 5K race, with the fastest woman Karina Lawrence at ninth place. The event held at Volcano Village promotes fitness, the natural environment and is a fundraiser to support community art programs by Volcano Art Center.

Volcano Skate Park may re-open in October.
VOLCANO SKATE PARK may re-open in October, said county Department of Parks and Recreation and Cooper Center staff. County inspectors determined damage to ramps was repaired, but the park needed further minor improvements. Parks and Recreation closed the park in January due to maintenance and safety concerns. The facility was transported from Hilo to Volcano in 2003 and 2004 and rebuilt without building permits, as there are no standards for skate parks.

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON REAPPORTIONMENT will be held next month to receive public input on proposed plans. One plan would divide Ka`u’s Congressional district in two. Longtime representative for Ka`u, Bob Herkes, would have to campaign to represent a district that would run from Punalu`u to Pahala, Volcano, and subdivisions in Puna. Another candidate would run for a district that would represent Na`alehu, Discovery Harbour, Green Sands, Kalae, Ocean View, and Miloli`i, which would be thrown in with people living in Kona all the way to Kahalu`u.
Hearings are scheduled for Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. in the Hilo Council chamber and Sept. 14 at 5 p.m. in the Kona Council chamber.

BLUEGRASS MUSICIANS return to Pahala Plantation House tomorrow at 6 p.m. with the same group of musicians who brought down the house in March when they performed in Ka`u. Tyson Alteri sings and plays lead mandolin. Katy Rexford sings and plays lead fiddle. Rion Schmidt sings and plays lead banjo. The stand-up bass player will be Shea McKusic, who is also famous for her Johnny Cash and June Carter duets. Also joining in will be Keoki Kahumoku and friends.
The concert is free, but donations are accepted for the musicians. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House.

Kamoamoa Eruption.  Photo from USGS
GEOPHYSICIST MIKE POLAND is the featured speaker tomorrow at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s After Dark in the Park. He will review Kilauea’s March Kamoamoa fissure eruption and discuss Pu`u `O`o’s current activity. The floor of the Pu`u `O`o vent on Kilauea’s east rift zone collapsed in March. Lava erupted between Napau and Pu`u `O`o, beginning the Kamoamoa fissure eruption that reached over a mile long. The event begins at 7 p.m.

COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER BRITTANY SMART, state Office of Aging executive director Wes Lum and Hawai`i County Office of Aging executive Alan Parker are hosting meetings on needs of senior citizens. The first will be this Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. with South Kona Seniors Club at St. Benedict’s “The Painted” Church. They will hold two meetings this Thursday, the first at 10:30 a.m. at Na`alehu Community Center and the second at 2 p.m. at Pahala Senior Center. A meeting in Mt. View is scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m. Smart will continue to tour the district next month and join the Volcano Seniors Club at Cooper Center on Sept. 29 at 9:45 a.m. Call 961-8536 for more information.

KILOHANA DOMINGO AND HIS MOTHER LEHUA share the skills and arts of lei hulu, or feather lei making, and papale lauhala, or lauhala weaving, from 10 a.m. to noon this Wednesday on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.