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| Ka`u Learning Academy holds a fundraiser tomorrow at the charter school's location in Discovery Harbour. See more below. Photo from KLA |
It will replace an old 100-foot tower that isn’t able to handle the new technology or the number of wireless carriers who want to serve the area.
The tower is the only one serving area residents and travelers along that section of Mamalahoa Highway and into the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, William Keoni Fox, of Ali`i Wireless Specialists, said.
Fox also said there would be not any disruption of service during the transition.
See westhawaiitoday.com.
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| Dr. Virginia Pressler |
Hawai`i Department of Health Director Virginia Pressler announced that the U.S. Navy is prepared to come to Hawai`i Island to help control mosquitoes.
To date, DOH has performed more than 100 property assessments and is taking precautionary action by spraying at case residences and other areas that have been specifically identified by the investigation as potential areas of concern. More than 200 mosquito abatement sprayings have been conducted since the beginning of the outbreak.
County Parks & Recreation and Public Works, as well as state highway crews, have supplemented DOH environmental staff. Additional state staff are being trained to further supplement those crews.
Hawai`i County Civil Defense is taking complaints of possible mosquito habitats on public property or on neighboring property where contact cannot be made with property owners. Teams consisting of county, Community Emergency Response Teams and DOH personnel will investigate complaints and identify appropriate corrective action. To date, more than 50 complaints have been received and are being addressed.
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HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE ARE SEARCHING for a 34-year-old Ocean View woman who was reported missing. Shanera Echols was last seen in Ocean View at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3.
She is described as Caucasian, five-foot-five, 192 pounds with dark brown hair. She was last seen wearing black pants, a hooded camouflage khaki jacket and blue slippers. She has a medical condition that requires medication.
Police ask anyone with information on her whereabouts to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective David Matsushima at 326-4646, extension 228, or david.matsushima@hawaiicounty.gov.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300.
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| Jobie Masagatani |
“This is great news for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and especially the native Hawaiian beneficiaries we serve,” said Jobie Masagatani, Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair and DHHL Director. “With sufficient general funds paying for administrative and operating expenses, the Department can now direct its trust funds and other revenue generated on trust lands to programs and initiatives that directly impacts our beneficiaries.”
In Friday’s court ruling, First Circuit Court Judge Jeanette Castagnetti noted, “DHHL suffers from a lack of funding and staffing, which adversely affects beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust.” The 40-page decision concluded, “The Legislature has failed to appropriate sufficient sums to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for its administrative and operating budget in violation of its constitutional duty to do so. This failure includes every fiscal year since at least 1992.”
“This court ruling only validates what the DHHL has requested in recent years to cover department operating and administrative costs,” Masagatani said.
For the last three years, the Legislature has appropriated $9.6 million in general funds to the DHHL, nearly one-third the amount requested by the department to “sufficiently sum” operations. Prior to that, the Legislature provided no general funds to the department, prompting six native Hawaiian beneficiaries to file suit against the state in 2007. The Hawai`i Supreme Court ruled in favor of plaintiffs in 2012, citing the state’s failure to sufficiently fund DHHL.
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CITRONELLA CANDLES being used to keep away mosquitos to avoid dengue fever can lead to house fires when unattended. Last night, residents of a three-bedroom home escaped a fire that burned the bedroom section of a house on Ainako Street in Hilo. Everyone escaped, but the cause, according to the fire department, was an unattended citronella candle.
Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters found flames exiting the northeasts corner of back bedroom windows of a single-family dwelling. All occupants made their way out of the residence and to a neighbor’s house. Firefighters made entry into the house and contained the flames.
Mosquito repellent and netting are alternative to candles and coils while sleeping.
In Friday’s court ruling, First Circuit Court Judge Jeanette Castagnetti noted, “DHHL suffers from a lack of funding and staffing, which adversely affects beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust.” The 40-page decision concluded, “The Legislature has failed to appropriate sufficient sums to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for its administrative and operating budget in violation of its constitutional duty to do so. This failure includes every fiscal year since at least 1992.”
“This court ruling only validates what the DHHL has requested in recent years to cover department operating and administrative costs,” Masagatani said.
For the last three years, the Legislature has appropriated $9.6 million in general funds to the DHHL, nearly one-third the amount requested by the department to “sufficiently sum” operations. Prior to that, the Legislature provided no general funds to the department, prompting six native Hawaiian beneficiaries to file suit against the state in 2007. The Hawai`i Supreme Court ruled in favor of plaintiffs in 2012, citing the state’s failure to sufficiently fund DHHL.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
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| An unattended citronella candle caused a house fire last night. |
Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters found flames exiting the northeasts corner of back bedroom windows of a single-family dwelling. All occupants made their way out of the residence and to a neighbor’s house. Firefighters made entry into the house and contained the flames.
Mosquito repellent and netting are alternative to candles and coils while sleeping.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
SEN. MAZIE HIRONO VOTED to support H.R. 22, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, legislation that will fund our nation’s highways and transportation infrastructure for the next five years. The FAST Act passed the Senate 83-16 and is headed to the President’s desk for his signature.
From 2015 through 2020, Hawai`i will receive over $1.3 billion in federal transportation funds, with $261 million going toward public transit and nearly $1.1 billion allocated to improve infrastructure. The legislation also reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank, which has been in limbo since its charter expired in June.
“The FAST Act is long overdue and will provide stability for transportation agencies as we continue to search for solutions to modernize and maintain our critical infrastructure needs,” Hirono said. “While not perfect, this bill supports bus and public transit programs that many Hawai`i commuters and visitors rely on every day. In addition, this legislation finally reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank, which has helped Hawai`i businesses make more than $6 million in the past five years. This highway bill is a five-year commitment to good-paying jobs and keeping our highways, buses, bridges and other transportation projects moving forward.”
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
FOLLOWING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Ash Carter’s landmark decision that all combat position in the U.S. military will be open to female service members, without exception, starting in 2016, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, one of the first two female combat veterans ever to serve in Congress, issued the following statement:
“Over 280,000 women have deployed and served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. Many of these women have not only served effectively in combat, they have earned some of our nation’s most prestigious awards for their leadership, skill and bravery.
A FUNDRAISER FOR KA`U LEARNING ACADEMY takes place tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gilligan’s Cafe in Discovery Harbour. Dinner features Greek food, hamburgers and red and white lasagna. Entertainment lineup is Lucky Lizards 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., Tiger 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Bottle of Blue 8 p.m. until closing.
For more information, see kaulearning.com.
VOLCANO FESTIVAL CHORUS PRESENTS its 21st annual Gift to the Community tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Admission is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. Park entrance fees apply.
For more information, contact Suzi Bond at 982-7344 or kden73@aol.com.
`OHI`A LEHUA IS A FREE PROGRAM Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. Participants learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the `ohi`a lehua tree and its flower on this easy, one-mile walk.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
SEN. MAZIE HIRONO VOTED to support H.R. 22, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, legislation that will fund our nation’s highways and transportation infrastructure for the next five years. The FAST Act passed the Senate 83-16 and is headed to the President’s desk for his signature.
From 2015 through 2020, Hawai`i will receive over $1.3 billion in federal transportation funds, with $261 million going toward public transit and nearly $1.1 billion allocated to improve infrastructure. The legislation also reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank, which has been in limbo since its charter expired in June.
“The FAST Act is long overdue and will provide stability for transportation agencies as we continue to search for solutions to modernize and maintain our critical infrastructure needs,” Hirono said. “While not perfect, this bill supports bus and public transit programs that many Hawai`i commuters and visitors rely on every day. In addition, this legislation finally reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank, which has helped Hawai`i businesses make more than $6 million in the past five years. This highway bill is a five-year commitment to good-paying jobs and keeping our highways, buses, bridges and other transportation projects moving forward.”
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
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| U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a member of Hawai`i Air National Guard. |
“Over 280,000 women have deployed and served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. Many of these women have not only served effectively in combat, they have earned some of our nation’s most prestigious awards for their leadership, skill and bravery.
“This change is long overdue and will increase opportunities for women who meet the required standard to serve our nation in any job in the military. It’s encouraging to see that the Department of Defense policy is finally catching up to the reality of the ways women have been contributing and serving our country.”
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
A FUNDRAISER FOR KA`U LEARNING ACADEMY takes place tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gilligan’s Cafe in Discovery Harbour. Dinner features Greek food, hamburgers and red and white lasagna. Entertainment lineup is Lucky Lizards 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., Tiger 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Bottle of Blue 8 p.m. until closing.
For more information, see kaulearning.com.
VOLCANO FESTIVAL CHORUS PRESENTS its 21st annual Gift to the Community tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Admission is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. Park entrance fees apply.
For more information, contact Suzi Bond at 982-7344 or kden73@aol.com.
`OHI`A LEHUA IS A FREE PROGRAM Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. Participants learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the `ohi`a lehua tree and its flower on this easy, one-mile walk.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
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| See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf. |
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| See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_December2015.pdf. |
