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| Forecasters so far are confident that Hurricane Olaf will stay east of Hawai`i as it travels north. Map from NOAA |
EAST HAWAI`I REGIONAL BOARD of Hawai`i Health Systems Corp., which manages Ka`u Hospital, has signed a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement with Adventist Health. “We are in the very early stages of exchanging information in terms of finance and operations,” Board Chair Kurt Corbin told members of the state House of Representatives’ Committee on Finance yesterday, Colin M. Stewart reported in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald.
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| Richard Creagan |
HHSC’s East Hawai`i administrators in June began talks with the California-based company that operates Castle Medical Center on O`ahu. East Hawai`i Region laid off 87 employees this year to eliminate a $7 million budget deficit, and Regional CEO Dan Brinkman told the committee that it could face another $7 million shortfall and more budget cuts.
Ka`u’s state Rep. Richard Creagan attended the meeting and told The Ka`u Calendar that he was happy to learn that Dan Brinkman has moved from acting CEO to permanent CEO for the East Hawai`i region. “He is doing a great job supporting hospital workers and doesn’t demonize the unions. The hospital system is faced with funding union-negotiated employee raises approved by the Legislature,” Creagan said. The Legislature will be called on to help fund the raises.
Creagan said, “East Hawai`i is doing a good job of cutting costs while maintaining quality patient care.” He also suggested that any private-public partnerships between East Hawai`i hospitals and private or nonprofit health care entities be delayed at least a year, until “we see how the new partnership on Maui (with Kaiser Permanente) works out.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
Ka`u’s state Rep. Richard Creagan attended the meeting and told The Ka`u Calendar that he was happy to learn that Dan Brinkman has moved from acting CEO to permanent CEO for the East Hawai`i region. “He is doing a great job supporting hospital workers and doesn’t demonize the unions. The hospital system is faced with funding union-negotiated employee raises approved by the Legislature,” Creagan said. The Legislature will be called on to help fund the raises.
Creagan said, “East Hawai`i is doing a good job of cutting costs while maintaining quality patient care.” He also suggested that any private-public partnerships between East Hawai`i hospitals and private or nonprofit health care entities be delayed at least a year, until “we see how the new partnership on Maui (with Kaiser Permanente) works out.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
COUNTY ACQUISITION OF KAHUA `OLOHU Makahiki Grounds in Na`alehu is on hold. Hawai`i County Council considered Ka`u council member Maile David’s Resolution 287-15 this morning. According to the resolution, the property is listed as a key priority for purchase in Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Committee’s 2014 Annual Report for its historical significance and cultural importance.
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| Maile David |
Jerry Warren, of Na`alehu, testified that the site is actually low on PONC’s priority list; it was listed as number 11. He said the PONC process has become “a welfare program for grant seekers,” who apply for stewardships of preserved land. He also referred to the property as “an albatross” that the owners want to get rid of.
Property owner James Weatherford said he bought the 13-acre parcel in 2008 for agriculture and learned of its “great historic significance” in 2011, when Hawai`i County surveyed the property as a possible site for a sewage treatment plant.
He praised the PONC staff for their quality help. He said he is willing to sell at an appraised value or his original purchase price, whichever is less, and that he is not interested in making money.
Weatherford also said he has another interested, unnamed buyer who would use the site for ecotourism, but he prefers to sell to the county.
After hearing Warren’s testimony, council member Danny Paleka asked Weatherford to respond to Warren’s statements. Weatherford told the council, “Everything Warren said is false.”
Council member Aaron Chung asked David to investigate Warren’s statements further, “for the sake of transparency.” He asked if Weatherford has a vested interest in the property and if Weatherford was involved in creating the PONC process during his time working for former Ka`u Council member Bob Jacobson. He also questioned nonprofits’ use of county funds for stewardship “to generate money.”
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
Property owner James Weatherford said he bought the 13-acre parcel in 2008 for agriculture and learned of its “great historic significance” in 2011, when Hawai`i County surveyed the property as a possible site for a sewage treatment plant.
He praised the PONC staff for their quality help. He said he is willing to sell at an appraised value or his original purchase price, whichever is less, and that he is not interested in making money.
Weatherford also said he has another interested, unnamed buyer who would use the site for ecotourism, but he prefers to sell to the county.
After hearing Warren’s testimony, council member Danny Paleka asked Weatherford to respond to Warren’s statements. Weatherford told the council, “Everything Warren said is false.”
Council member Aaron Chung asked David to investigate Warren’s statements further, “for the sake of transparency.” He asked if Weatherford has a vested interest in the property and if Weatherford was involved in creating the PONC process during his time working for former Ka`u Council member Bob Jacobson. He also questioned nonprofits’ use of county funds for stewardship “to generate money.”
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
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| Improvement to The Cooper Center are on the way. Photo from Volcano Community Associaton |
THE COOPER CENTER in Volcano Village will make improvements with $15,000 appropriated by Hawai`i County Council. Council member Maile David’s Resolution 308-15 passed unanimously this morning. Funds will be used to purchase building materials.
The center is the hub of the Volcano community and used by hundreds of people weekly. In her testimony, the organization’s president Linda Ugalde said the funds go toward a new roof and a new water tank “to support all of the activities” at the center.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
FORECASTERS ARE CONFIDENT that Hurricane Olaf will stay well east of Hawai`i as it travels north. The category-four storm was 1,065 miles east-southeast of South Point at 11 a.m.
High surf is expected on east-facing shores, intensifying over the next several days until the storm passes beyond Hawai`i Island on Saturday morning.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
FORECASTERS ARE CONFIDENT that Hurricane Olaf will stay well east of Hawai`i as it travels north. The category-four storm was 1,065 miles east-southeast of South Point at 11 a.m.
High surf is expected on east-facing shores, intensifying over the next several days until the storm passes beyond Hawai`i Island on Saturday morning.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
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| Sean "Olanui" Robbins Photo from NPS |
SEAN “OLANUI” ROBBINS PRESENTS a free Hawaiian music concert tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Robbins is quickly earning a reputation as a ki ho`alu (slack-key) rising star and a haku mele (Hawaiian songwriter). The 21-year old local boy is often described as an old soul contained in a young body, and the protégé of slack key master and legendary musician Cyril Pahinui.
With a great respect for the “old style” of Hawaiian music playing taught by kupuna, Robbins was also taken under the wings of the famous musical Keli`iho`omalu `ohana in Kaimu, Kalapana. Robbins’ first CD, Olanui, is a Hoku award winner and a taste of what is to come.
Olanui will be available for purchase.
Park entrance fees apply.
Call 985-6011 for more information.
Park entrance fees apply.
Call 985-6011 for more information.
RESIDENTS CAN LEARN about Social Security this week. Workshops take place tomorrow at Na`alehu Community Center, Thursday at The Cooper Center in Volcano Village and Friday at Ocean View Community Center. All sessions are from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. See ad below for topics covered. Reserve at 327-5410.
WRITTEN TESTIMONY: THE BARE BASICS is one of the topics at free workshops in Ka`u on Friday about the state Legislature. Keanu Young, of the state Legislature’s Public Access Room, will explain how to properly submit testimony for consideration.
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| Keanu Young |
According to the Public Access Room, testimony should be addressed to the appropriate committee and chair. It needs to include the bill number and the hearing date, time and place. After introducing yourself, state the measure you are testifying on and whether you support or oppose it. Explain the reasons for your positions, including facts or experiences. In closing, clearly re-state your position. Also, include name and contact information.
Friday’s workshops are at 11 a.m. at Ocean View Community Center and 2:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center.
See par@capitol.hawaii.gov or 974-4000 x7-0478 for more information.
KEAHI CONJUGACION and Volcano Art Center’s Jazz Ensemble present Jazz in the Forest Saturday.
Two shows are offered, with a matinee at 4:30 p.m. and an evening performance at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the matinee are $15 for VAC members ($20 non-members) and for the evening show are $20 for VAC members ($25 non-members).
Tickets are available at VAC’s Administration Office in Volcano Village, VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and online at volcanoartcenter.org through Friday. After that, tickets will be sold at the door if not sold out.
KEAHI CONJUGACION and Volcano Art Center’s Jazz Ensemble present Jazz in the Forest Saturday.
Two shows are offered, with a matinee at 4:30 p.m. and an evening performance at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the matinee are $15 for VAC members ($20 non-members) and for the evening show are $20 for VAC members ($25 non-members).
Tickets are available at VAC’s Administration Office in Volcano Village, VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and online at volcanoartcenter.org through Friday. After that, tickets will be sold at the door if not sold out.
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| Ka`u Coffee growers can learn how to operate more efficiently from Fernando Augusto Vicentini next month. Photos from UH-CTAHR |
IMPROVEMENT OF COFFEE FARM and Mill Efficiency is the topic at Ka`u Coffee Cooperative’s meeting two weeks from today, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. UH-CTAH’s Cooperative Extension Service, in cooperation with USDA and the Hawai`i Coffee Growers Association, is bringing Fernando Augusto Vicentini, a mechanical engineer from Brazil, to provide information for better efficiency of coffee cultural control and production.
Vicentini has expertise in field and mill equipment modifications that potentially reduce costs, improve efficiency and assist with CBB control and management of other coffee pests and diseases. All growers and processors are welcome.
Seating is limited. Call 808-322-4892 to RSVP or email ginab@hawaii.edu at least one day before the event.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
FOR AFFORDABLE COMPUTER HELP, call John Derry at 936-1872.
Seating is limited. Call 808-322-4892 to RSVP or email ginab@hawaii.edu at least one day before the event.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
FOR AFFORDABLE COMPUTER HELP, call John Derry at 936-1872.
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| See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_October2015.pdf. |
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| See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf. |
