Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 6, 2011

Eucalyptus, Christmas berries and other invasives could be used to make biofuels in Pahala.

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANY is holding a press conference today on O`ahu concerning the future of energy in Hawai`i and the future of Ka`u. Peter Rosegg, spokesman from HECO, said this morning that HECO is signing an agreement with Aina Koa Pono to establish a biofuel farm on 13,000 acres in Ka`u on former C. Brewer sugar lands. Biomass would be processed into biofuel in Pahala town and trucked to Keahole power plant in West Hawai`i. More details will be released after the press conference this afternoon on O`ahu, he said.

YELLOW STREET LIGHTS will likely be replaced on county roads, as a measure to install LED energy efficient bulbs is going to the full county council. The replacement not only requires new bulbs, it requires new fixtures, which cost up to $1,800 each. But electricity costs would be up to 60 percent less, saving the county nearly $170,00 a year. The county traffic division has been working with Mauna Kea scientists to make sure the new lights are a type that will not interfere with astronomy. They will, however, provide better lighting for drivers.

IMPACT FEES, charged to people building houses and developers creating subdivisions, will be explained in public meetings to be held soon by County Council member Pete Hoffman, who says he plans to hold a session soon in Ka`u. Impact fees are complicated, said County Council member Brittany Smart, and the council wants to make sure the community understands them before new formulas are adopted. Some impact fees are used to pay for county parks.

VOG: HOW DANGEROUS IS IT? is the television program that airs live tonight on PBS at 7 p.m. Ka`u rancher Lani Petrie, of Kapapala; state Rep. Bob Herkes; Dr. Elizabeth Tam, of U.H. Medical School; and Jeff Sutton, of the U.S. Geological Survey, are expected to discuss the damage to health and businesses since 2008 when Halema`uma`u began spewing heavy vog toward Ka`u. The air quality has improved significantly during the past year.

AN OCEAN VIEW Neighborhood Watch meeting will be held tonight at 7 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Call 939-7033.

A volunteer hauls derelict fishing nets from the Ka`u Coast
during a past cleanup sponsored by
Hawai`i Wildlife Fund.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND starts the new year with a Ka`u beach cleanup on Saturday. Volunteers meet at Wai`ohinu Park at 7:45 a.m. and head to Kamilo Beach. Call Megan at 769-7629 or email kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 5, 2011

The air is much cleaner in recent months in Ka`u following heavy damage to agriculture and health concerns from the two plumes seen on the skyline above Honu`apo. PBS will host a live panel on vog Thursday, Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m. featuring community leaders in Ka`u.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY precinct members this Sunday will narrow the field from nine to three candidates to fill Russell Kokubun’s state Senate seat for Ka`u, Puna and part of Hilo, as Kokubun resigned to head the state Department of Agriculture.
     Nine Democrats have applied for the job. They are County Council member J Yoshimoto, an attorney and former Hawai`i County Democratic Party chair; state Rep. Faye Hanohono, a retired prison guard; Russell Ruderman, who owns Island Naturals; Gil Kahele, who is retired from Public Works at Pohakuloa Training Area and served as East Hawai`i campaign chair for Governor Abercrombie’s campaign.
     Anthony Marzi, unsuccessful candidate for 4th District House seat and a Database Administrator, also applied. So did Gary Safarik, a communications business owner and former chair of the Hawai`i County Council. Beverly Jean Withington, a former state chair of the Democratic Party, long-time nurse and attorney in Kea`au, threw her hat in the ring. So did Wai`ohinu farmer, retired physician and Na`alehu Democratic precinct officer Richard Creagan and Susan “Marie” Sanford, manager of the Abundant Life Natural Foods store in Hilo. Farmer and businessman Richard Ha, whose name was mentioned earlier, decided not to apply for the job.
     The selection process includes interviews and will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Kea`au Hongwanji. Once the slate of three is chosen, it will be confirmed by Hawai`i Democratic Chair Dante Carpenter and passed to the governor. Abercrombie is expected to select the next senator in time for the opening of the new Legislature on January 19.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING requirements of developers will be a hot topic at county council meetings this year. Council member Pete Hoffman has drafted a bill that would require developers to offer 20 percent of houses built to those with less than 80 percent of the island’s median income, 10 percent to those earning between 80 and 100 percent of median income and 10 percent to those earning up to 120 percent of median income.
     Median income is $66,700 a year for a family of four. Current law requires that developers constructing five or more homes make some of them available to lower income people. The lower the income bracket served, the fewer affordable houses the developer has to build. Developers can also exchange credits with other developers to reduce the number of affordable homes they have to build.

THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS today and takes up some final readings. One bill requires the administration to notify the council of any change orders in county contracts in an attempt for the council to oversee and help reduce overage costs for county projects.
     Another bill raises the filing fee for Use Permits from $250 to $500, and a third updates the county water code to make it consistent with the state water code.

Halema`uma`u Crater, with its S02 plume, is the subject of Vog: How Dangerous is It?
on Hawai`i PBS Thursday.

VOG: HOW DANGEROUS IS IT? is the television program that will be aired live tomorrow, Thursday, on PBS at 7:30 p.m. with Ka`u rancher Lani Petrie, of Kapapala; state Rep. Bob Herkes; Dr. Elizabeth Tam, of U.H. Medical School; and Jeff Sutton, of the U.S. Geological Survey. They are expected to discuss the damage to health and businesses since 2008, when Halema`uma`u began spewing heavy vog toward Ka`u. The air quality has improved significantly, however, during the past year. 

HUNTING LICENSES can be purchased online today at The Nature Conservancy Office on Hwy 11 in Na`alehu from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Call ahead to 443-5409.

AN OCEAN VIEW Neighborhood Watch meeting will be held tomorrow, Thursday at Ocean View Community Center at 7 p.m. Call 939-7033.

Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 4, 2011

Teri Nguyen is a property owner who fought against privatization of the Kama`oa Road remnant.

THE PROPOSAL TO SELL THE KAMA`OA ROAD remnant to private landowners failed the county council’s finance committee yesterday and will move to full County Council with a negative recommendation. Council member Brittany Smart said a handful of people testified against the proposal, saying that selling off public roads to private parties could set a precedent leading to blocking off public access to the shoreline, forests and hunting trails.

BUILDING A PERMANENT TRASH TRANSFER station for Ocean View became a major topic with the county council Finance Committee yesterday. It delayed its approval of $8.8 million for a Wai`ohinu recycling and reloading station until plans for Ocean View can be firmed up. Rell Woodward and Don Nitsche said it is unfair to put such a big capital improvements project in Wai`ohinu before providing for Ocean View, which has a temporary trash bin for residential waste, available only on Saturdays. Robin Lamson also attended. Council member Brittany Smart said she plans to meet with the Department of Environmental Management to push for a solution for Ocean View.

THE THREE-YEAR-OLD IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL LANDS LAW that allows the state Land Use Commission and property owners to preserve land for ag use is yet to be employed in Ka`u. However, it is making traction in other parts of the state. Moloka`i Ranch is asking the LUC to preserve 4,919 acres for cattle ranching. Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. has already won approval to receive Important Agricultural Land Status for 27,105 acres at Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. on Maui and 3,773 acres at Kaua`i Coffee Company.
     Incentives to put land into Important Agricultural Land status include loan guarantees, tax credits for ag facilities, ease in permits for ag processing plants, and allowing employee housing on prime ag land. It also allows owners to urbanize land equivalent to 15 percent of the acres protected. So far all the applicants have waived urbanization. The state program is separate from the agricultural easements being placed on 8,000 acres of Ka`u by Olson Trust.

THE BIG ISLAND BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION is conducting an islandwide survey throughout January. Unofficial counts show that hundreds, possibly thousands, of bee colonies died on the Big Isle during 2010, according to Cary Dizon, president of the organization. Varroa mites arrived in 2008, bringing an epidemic causing Small Hive Beetle infestation that swept the island in three months, destroying hives, Dizon said.
     The survey seeks to find the healthy, managed colonies and those colonies lost in the past year. Reports of feral honeybee colony losses are also needed, Dizon said. See zoomerang.com/Survey or call 640-0278.

THE BIG ISLAND has been selected to host the international Western Apicultural Society annual convention. It will be held in Waikoloa. Anyone interested in the business or hobby of beekeeping is invited to join the Big Island Beekeepers Association. Meetings are quarterly at Komohana Ag Extension Service in Hilo.

Avocats Hawai`i veterinarians volunteer
to spay and neuter wild cats.

TRAPPING WILD CATS TO SPAY AND NEUTER THEM is being promoted in Ka`u by Avocats Hawai`i. The nonprofit would like to organize spay and neuter clinics for which community residents use Avocats traps to catch feral cats and bring them to a central location where a volunteer veterinarian spays and neuters them, gives them inoculations and a flea treatment. After keeping them overnight the cats go back into the wild. Such programs have reduced wild cat populations significantly between Kona and Ocean View, said Avocats volunteer Joann Young. Anyone wanting to organize a spay and neuter clinic for their town in Ka`u can call her at 929-8393. This spay and neuter program also requires some fundraising, as it costs $20 per cat to support the supplies and travel for the veterinarian. 

THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I’S HI-5 Redemption Center at Wai`ohinu Transfer Station is now open on Saturdays and Sundays through March 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 pm. The center is operated by Arc of Hilo. New hours are good through March 31.

Bay Clinic's Dental Van is available to the public
in Na`alehu this week.

THE BAY CLINIC MOBILE DENTAL VAN is open today from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Na`alehu. It is closed for lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Call 965-3073 for an appointment.