Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 1, 2012

Ka`u Trojans girls volleyball team beat Waimea yesterday at the Division II State Championships and plays in the Semi-Finals tonight. Photos by Andrew Lee, @HISportsPics.

THE PUBLIC LAND DEVELOPMENT CORP. has become an election issue with the Sierra Club, which has provided a list of state House of Representatives and state Senate candidates with their points of view. The PLDC has been heavily criticized in public hearings around the state and by candidates for its mission to use state lands for economic development through partnerships with private enterprise. 

      The Sierra Club website grandtheftaina.com explains its opposition to the PLDC and provides the following candidate comments:

Russell Ruderman

Daryl Lee Smith

VIEWS OF SENATE CANDIDATES FOR DISTRICT 2, from Punalu`u through Puna:
      Democratic Candidate Russell Ruderman says, “Yes, I support repealing the Public Lands Development Corp. Public distrust is too great to try to salvage it.”
      Republican Candidate Daryl Lee Smith (not shown on the Sierra Club website) told The Ka`u Calendar that he supports repealing the PLDC. “It is probably the worst legislation that has ever been crammed down our throats. It sets back home rule 20 to 30 years.” He said it “takes away the local people from making decisions about our own neighborhood. It gives O`ahu the right to decide for us.”

Jeff LaFrance

Josh Green

VIEWS OF SENATE CANDIDATES FOR DISTRICT 3 from Honu`apo into Kona:
      Democratic candidate Josh Green says, “Regarding the PLDC issue, the intent of this bill was to bring resources to maintain and improve public lands, and although the Sierra Club and other environmental groups did not strongly oppose the bill at first, some concerns have now been raised and we are shining sunlight on the process.
      “I held a personal meeting with the Governor to discuss this issue, during which I requested a full review of the policy.
      “If we as a community detect any abuses, I will make sure it stops and I will support a repeal of the bill.”
      Republican Candidate for District 3, Jeff LaFrance says: "This bill is ripe for abuse. Letting the government bypass all the rules we all must live by is a blatant power grab that must be stopped. No one is above the law, and certainly not our servant government. If the government is allowed to use no bid contracts, eminent domain to take one property to give to a more deserving person, project, or cause of their choosing, then land ownership, law of the land, and all our basic rights are in serious jeopardy, because there is no end to their ability to take."

Dave Bateman

Denny Coffman

VIEWS OF HOUSE CANDIDATES FOR DISTRICT 5 from Honu`apo into Kona:

      Republican Dave Bateman: “Yes, I support repealing the Public Lands Development Corp.”

      Democrat Denny Coffman, who chairs the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, says: “I do not believe that the government should be in the development business to make money. One purpose of government is to regulate development to insure that community planning, zoning and infrastructure requirements are satisfied by developers; government's role is to be the organization with the legal standing to enforce the regulations. To be in the development business creates a conflict of interest against the citizens of the state.”

Marlene Hapai

Fred Fogel

VIEWS OF HOUSE CANDIDATES for District 3, from Punalu`u into Puna:
      Fred Fogel, a Libertarian, says “The basic idea is good - partner with private enterprise whenever possible to improve public lands. However the PLDC concept is poorly conceived, duplicates existing governmental responsibilities, increases the size (and expense) of government, waives too many checks and balances, and was passed with little public or governmental committee input (very unusual) at the end of the 2011 session. Seems the poi is more than a few days old..."
      Marlene Hapai, the Republican candidate, supports repealing the PLDC. “"This is a good example of why the Sunshine Law should be applied to the Legislature as well," writes Hapai.

Richard Onishi

     Richard Onishi, the Democratic candidate, says: "I would like to first review attempts to make corrections to the flaws with the current Act 55, because I believe that it might take much longer to repeal the law and pass another law that has the same intent but includes the needed protections of community input, adherence to state status, compliance with County ordinances and building codes, meeting environmental review requirements and addresses cultural concerns. If these issues cannot be addressed and amended into the current Act 55, I would support repeal of Act 55."
      See more at grandtheftaina.com.

THE GENERAL ELECTION IS TUESDAY, NOV. 6. According to the Hawai`i County Elections Division, 104,323 Big Island residents are registered to vote. As of Oct. 31, the county had received 17,305 voted absentee mail ballots.

Image from calyouth.org

      A statement from the Hawai`i County Elections office says: “Voters are reminded that the deadline to submit an absentee mail ballot for the General Election is 6 p.m. on Nov. 6…Voters are further reminded that absentee mail ballots may be submitted for the General Election by: (1) mailing their ballot to the Hawai`i County Elections Division, (2) hand delivering their ballot to the Hawai`i County Elections Division office in Hilo, (3) hand delivering their ballot to any absentee/early walk-in voting location in Hilo, Waimea and in Kona, (4) hand delivering their ballot to any precinct on election day, Nov. 6 no later than 6 p.m.”
      On Oct. 23, Hawai`i County opened absentee/early walk-in voting precincts in Hilo, Waimea and in Kona where registered voters from districts islandwide can cast their votes. (The Pahala walk-in-voting is not in operation this election.) Absentee/early walk-in voting continues until Nov. 3, 2012, with Photo ID required.
      As of Oct. 31, the county reports, 6,308 Hawai`i County voters had voted absentee/early walk-in voting. For further information, contact Lehua Iopa, Acting Elections Program Administrator, at 961-8277 or by email at eiopa@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Geri Cuddihy of Louisiana.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U COFFEE FARMS ARE SECURE, said Chris Manfredi, of Ka`u Farm & Ranch, which manages most of the land where farmers grow their award-winning Ka`u Coffee. He took exception to testimony given by Geri Cuddihy on the `Aina Koa Pono case Tuesday night before the state Public Utilities Commission. She described Pahala as impoverished and the farmers’ success as tentative. Louisiana resident Cuddihy, whose husband works with `Aina Koa Pono, has been helping to drum up support for building a refinery and biofuel farm in Ka`u and sell diesel to Hawaiian Electric Light Co. The contract is up for consideration before the PUC. Geri Cuddihy testified during the hearing on Tuesday that the farmers are on month-to-month leases and their land is up for sale.
      Said Manfredi: "The farmers are not on month-to-month leases. The land is not for sale at this time and the Ka`u Coffee industry has never been stronger and more secure than it is today. When the farms are eventually offered for sale, I would like to see all farmers be able to buy their farms. Nothing would make me happier," he said.
      Farmers confirmed that their leases are paid in annual increments.
      The price of Ka`u Coffee green bean has reached $9 a pound, the highest ever, and many of the coffee farmers are seeking additional land in Ka`u to expand their operations. According to farmers, both Ka`u Farm & Ranch and Olson Trust have a long list of farmers waiting for more land to grow Ka`u Coffee.

Kaila Oslon brought Ka`u 8 kills, 3 aces and one block.

STATE IDENTIFICATION CARDS will be issued at drivers’ license office locations in Hilo and Kona starting Jan. 2, 2013. The Governor’s Offices in Kona and Hilo will stop processing them Monday, Dec. 17.
      A release from the state says. “This change is the result of a state law that transfers the responsibility for the State ID program from the Department of the Attorney General to the Department of Transportation...(It) will also help Hawai`i meet federal requirements under the REAL ID Act of 2005, which sets forth the documentation required and procedures to be followed in issuing drivers’ licenses and non-driver identification or State ID cards.
      “Cards that do not meet these requirements will not be recognized by federal agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration. To comply with federal law, state IDs are being issued as temporary cards, whether obtained now, or obtained from a drivers’ license location after Jan. 2. These temporary cards are valid for one month from issuance until the permanent ID card is subsequently sent in the mail.”

Marley Strand-Nicolaison came up with 26 kills for Ka`u.

KA`U DEFEATED WAIMEA 3-1 at the Division II Girls Volleyball State Championships at Kalani Gym on O`ahu yesterday. Marley Strand-Nicolaison came up with 26 kills, Kamalani Fujikawa made 10 kills and Kaila Olson brought Ka`u 8 kills, 3 aces and one block. Ka`u lost the first game 21-25, but won the next three with 25-23, 25-15 and 25-22. Tonight, Ka`u goes to the semi-finals, taking on St. Francis at 5 p.m. in the Kalani Gym, while Farrington takes on Seabury Hall at 7 p.m. If Ka`u beats St. Francis, the Trojans will play tomorrow at 5 p.m. for the State Championship at the Blaisdell Arena.
Coach Joshua Ortega said this morning: "It was great waking up knowing that our Trojan wahine are playing as a winning team and believing that Ka`u can take the state championship." The team is accepting donations to help cover the expense of flying to O`ahu and staying there during the championship series. To donate, call 756-3601.

KEIKI GRADES K-8 ARE WELCOME TO REGISTER TODAY through Friday, Nov. 9, for a Thanksgiving Craft program scheduled for Wednesday, Nov 14, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. For more information, call Nona at 928-3102.

TINY TREASURES, a free invitational jewelry exhibition featuring the designs of 12 artists from Hawai`i, opens daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park through Sunday, Nov. 11. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets tonight at 7 p.m. at the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

MAILE YAMANAKA PRESENTS her monthly program at Volcano Art Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow. This month's subject is Hamakua in Myth, Chant, Dance & Song, with a presentation from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Hula, the Art of Hawaiian Dance begins at 1 p.m., and Keiki Hula, is from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more call, 937-4249.

James Hill is one of the instructors for the Kahumoku
Workshop that starts this Saturday.  

THE 7TH ANNUAL KAHUMOKU `OHANA HAWAIIAN MUSIC AND LIFESTYLE WORKSHOP begins Saturday, Nov. 3 in Pahala and continues through Sunday Nov. 11 with scholarships for local students Visit konaweb.com/keioki or call Tiffany Crosson at 938-6582.

A FREE CONCERT HONORING VETERANS is offered by students and teachers of the Kahumoku Workshop on Saturday, Nov. 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of Pahala Plantation House. The concert features John Keawe, Moses Kahumoku, Diana Aki, Sonny Lim, Keoki Kahumoku, James Hill, Bolo, Andy Andrews, Darci Baker, Hope Keawe, Anne Davison, Lopaka Naihe, Robert Kennedy, Peter DeAquino, and Andy Rising. Water and plate lunches will be available for purchase as a fundraiser. For more, call 938-6582.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS NOW OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.