Ka`u News Briefs June 25, 2011

The Two Percent fund has allowed the county to purchase such places for parks as lands surrounding
the Kawa surfing beach.  Photo by Julia Neal

THE TWO PERCENT LAND FUND is threatened by the County Council, with Ka`u’s council member Brittany Smart voting to cut it in half – down to one percent at yesterday’s council meeting. Only council member Angel Pilago voted to keep the funding intact. The two percent fund, also called the Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund, has been used to set aside coastal parklands in Ka`u and other places on the Big Island. It is generated by setting aside two percent of property tax revenues taken in by the county. 

     Mayor Billy Kenoi said that cutting the funding violates the county code. The council will vote on the matter again this coming Thursday. The council members who voted for reducing the two percent fund want to use the money to pay for retirees’ health insurance payments in advance.
     Council Chair Dominic Yagong proposed hiring an outside attorney to represent the council in this and other matters, but the measure was defeated in a 5 to 4 vote.

GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE told the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce yesterday that “the Big Island has the best possibilities in the entire world for alternative energy.” According to a report in West Hawai`i Today, the governor said he also sees the possibility of establishing a residential military base for families being relocated from the Okinawa marine base back to the U.S. He also said housing could be a possibility for the families of troops preparing for deployment at the Pohakuloa Training Area. West Hawai`i Today reported Abercrombie as saying, “PTA will be the center for training in the Pacific in the 21st Century.” 

No more mulch will be transferred from
Kona to Ka`u to help prevent further
spread of coffee borers into the famed
Ka`u Coffee farms. Photo by Julia Neal

TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD of the coffee berry borer, the Department of Environmental Management has discontinued hauling mulch from Kealakehe to Wai`ohinu transfer station. Island coffee growers recently brought to the county’s attention the possibility that hauling mulch from one coffee-growing district to another could contribute to the unwanted spread of the coffee berry borer infestation since the pests may be in the mulch. 

     “We appreciate everyone’s understanding and kokua in the effort to prevent the spread of the coffee borer pest on our island,” said Kevin Dayton, of the Office of the Mayor.
     A proposal to make compost from the county’s entire supply of green waste is currently being solicited among private vendors. Under this proposal, compost would be manufactured commercially, and the current practice of offering free mulch islandwide would end soon.
     Until then, free mulch is available at the Kealakehe and Hilo transfer stations. However, users should not transport the mulch to or near coffee-growing areas, Dayton said. 

TWELVE MORE BILLS WERE SIGNED into law by Gov. Abercrombie this week:
• Senate Bill 142 requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to consider dams and reservoirs as important water resources for the State.
• Senate Bill 14 expands the authorized uses of the Agricultural Development and Food Security Special Fund to include the improvement of dams and reservoirs, and water quality testing and improvement.
• Senate Bill 1328 increases the motor vehicle registration fee from $25 to $45 and to deposit a portion into the general fund.
• House Bill 200 appropriates funds for the operating and capital improvement budget of the Executive Branch for fiscal years 2012 and 2013.
• House Bill 1020 revises the boundaries of the Aloha Tower complex and places the Aloha Tower Development Corporation under the Department of Transportation for administrative purposes.
• House Bill 117 expedites and facilitates work on construction projects within Special Management Areas.
• House Bill 555 extends the area applicable to graffiti removal from 100 yards to 250 yards and allows the court to require 100 hours of community service in lieu of graffiti removal.
• House Bill 593 requires candidates for county elective office to submit a sworn certification that the candidate has complied with the relevant provisions of the county charter and county ordinances.
• House Bill 960 establishes a program for granting low-income housing tax credit loans in lieu of housing tax credits. There is already $7 million appropriated for this function in the state budget.
• House Bill 1368 clarifies the filing process of nomination papers and also defines a party candidate and modifies the withdrawal process for a party candidate.
• House Bill 1434 clarifies that a single violation of the prevailing wage law refers to each separate project where the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations finds a contractor in violation of Hawai`i Revised Statutes Chapter 104.
• House Bill 1447 amends provisions in the Permitted Transfers in Trust Act (Act 182, SLH 2010) to strengthen Hawai`i’s trust laws and allow Hawai`i to compete with other states in this growing industry.
     For more information on these or all measures that have been signed into law, please visit http://capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011.

This fire, started by an electric tranformer along Hwy 11, raged through
brushlands and threatened the Old Pahala Clubhouse in 2007.
Photo by Julia Neal

FIRE SEASON IS HERE, and the Hawai`i Wildfire Management Organization met with residents this week in Na`alehu to teach the strategy Ready, Set, Go! 

     READY means being prepared by taking such actions as screening vents, which could help keep houses from imploding, as it prevents embers or sparks from entering the driest part of a house, under the roof. Specialists also pointed to areas around houses. Anywhere that leaves gather is the same place that embers will gather, because they are both wind driven.
     SET – Be aware of such threats as cigarette butts and catalytic converters and throwing green waste along the road, which can increase the chance of roadside ignition.
     GO – Set up your house so that, in case of fire, you can leave for your own safety without panicking. Get fire safe to leave early and be a part of the fire solution and not the fire problem.

SQUARE DANCING TAKES PLACE TONIGHT and every Saturday night at the Ocean View Community Center from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Everyone is invited, and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Ka`u News Briefs June 24, 2011

Meleana Ulrich-Manuel and her Hula Halau ke `Olu Makani O Mauna Loa perform tonight at Kilauea Visitor Center.

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE `AINA KOA PONO project would be held in Hilo, Kona and on O`ahu, according to a sample public notice prepared by Hawaiian Electric Companies for the Public Utilities Commission.
     The sample notice also provides supportive testimony for the $350 million refinery and biofuel farm. It says the Biodiesel Supply Contract with `Aina Koa Pono-Ka`u “will provide sustainable, locally grown and processed biodiesel for electric generation in Hawai`i. With planned operation in the Ka`u region of Hawai`i Island, the project will initially supply approximately 16 million gallons of biodiesel for HELCO’s Keahole Power Plant. The AKP Biodiesel Contract is an important step in reaching Hawai`i’s goal of 70 percent of energy for electricity and transportation from clean sources by 2030, which includes the renewable portfolio standard of 40 percent of electric sales from renewable sources by 2030, as required by State law.”

Mina Morita, the new Director of the
PUC, oversees the scheduling of
public hearings on rate increases.

     The proposed notice also maintains that the AKP project “will contribute to achieving State energy policy goals such as stimulating the local agriculture industry; decreasing dependence on imported fossil fuels, primarily oil; reducing the percentage of the gross state product exported annually for energy, contributing to energy independence and security; lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and other local economic benefits.”
     Hawaiian Electric says the surcharge would add about $1.75 to $2.10 per month to a typical residential customer bill.
     The PUC will determine whether, when and where public hearings would be held.

GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE is cutting some $133 million for the 2012 and $251 million for the 2013 state budget. In a statement issued yesterday, he said:
     “The budget passed by the legislature requires our Administration to operate with hundreds of millions less than we believed necessary to restore core government functions. Despite tax increases passed by the legislature, services and programs will still have to be significantly cut. 

Gov. Neil Abercrombie

     “I have asked all departments to work together in a deliberate and thoughtful process that will identify programs that may be affected. In recent weeks, our administration began discontinuing financial support of programs that are valuable but can no longer be sustained, such as Vanpool Hawai`i and the State Pharmacy Assistance Program. These cuts and others that follow will be difficult but the financial constraints we face allow for no other course of action. 

     “This in no way alters our commitment to our three-part plan to get Hawai`i moving forward by creating good jobs; transforming government and providing taxpayers with the best value for their dollar; and investing in our priorities and future.”
     Ka`u residents are still waiting to find out if the proposed disaster shelter and new gym for Ka`u High School will be put on hold because of the state deficit.

RETIREMENT AGE FOR STATE WORKERS goes up to 65 years of age, and new workers must put more money into the retirement program to come out with the same benefits as current workers. Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed into law House Bill 1038, which begins to address the state’s unfunded liability for its retirement system. “We are addressing the very same problem that many other states are struggling with. It’s a problem which represents a growing burden on governments and taxpayers,” said Kalbert Young, Director of the state Department of Budget and Finance. “This measure will help curtail and minimize the future growth in the overall pension liability,” he said. 

     Currently, the state’s liability for the Employees Retirement System is approximately $7 billion. To address this rising cost, among other things, this Act will affect future employees by:
     • Raising the retirement age for certain new employees from 55 to 60 years old, and for most others from 62 to 65 years old
     • Increasing the number of years for state employees to be “vested” to receive retirement benefits from five years to 10 years; and
     • Raising the employee and employer contribution rates.

BUSINESSES AND WORKERS IN KA`U who expense their transportation costs on their federal taxes will get some relief for the second half of the year. The IRS has increased the expense rate to 55.5 cents per mile, raising from the 51 cents per mile that can be expensed for the first half of the year. “This year’s increased gas prices are having a major impact on individual Americans. The IRS is adjusting the standard mileage rates to better reflect the recent increase in gas prices,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “We are taking this step so the reimbursement rate will be fair to taxpayers.”
     While gasoline is a significant factor in the mileage figure, other items enter into the calculation of mileage rates, such as depreciation and insurance and other fixed and variable costs. 

Tim Tunison

A BACKYARD FOREST RESTORATION WORKSHOP takes place tomorrow at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Tim Tunison teaches step-by-step methods of ecosystem restoration from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call 967-8222 to pre-register.

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE NEXT NATURAL HAZARD? A workshop about hazard preparedness takes place tomorrow at UH-Hilo’s UCB Lecture Hall from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Topics include Emergency management and evacuation planning, tsunami warnings, hurricane forecasts, home hurricane retrofit measures and the national flood insurance program.

HULA HALAU KE `OLU MAKANI O MAUNA LOA, under the direction of Meleana Ulrich-Manuel, performs tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The performance is free, and park entrance fees apply.

Ka`u News Briefs June 23, 2011

The annual Independence Day weekend rodeo in Na`alehu will be held July 2 and 3 at the rodeo grounds. Photo by Julia Neal

WHERE SHOULD PUBLIC HEARINGS BE HELD concerning Hawaiian Electric Co.’s proposal to raise rates across its customer base to help pay for the $350 million proposed refinery and energy farm near Pahala? This is one of the questions before the state Public Utilities Commission, which is reviewing plans by Hawaiian Electric and ‘Aina Koa Pono to produce biofuel here.        

     Jeffrey T. Ono, Executive Director of the state Division of Consumer Advocacy, said hearings should be held on the Big Island, Maui, Lana`i, Moloka`i and O`ahu – all places where electric rates are likely to rise to help pay for the Ka`u project. Ono submitted testimony on June 17, saying, "The HECO Companies' proposed Biofuel Surcharge Provision intends to establish a new rate, fare or charge that will likely increase the overall amounts paid by the consumers or patrons in the HECO Companies' service territories."

         Ono wrote that his “recommendation is predicated on the belief that allowing public hearings would offer the customers likely to be impacted an opportunity to better educate themselves on the issues as well as to voice their testimonies on those issues.” HECO’s brief to the PUC argues that Hawai‘i law does not require a public hearing. However, the electric company would “agree” to have public hearings on O`ahu and the Big Island. The PUC has given HECO another deadline, which is today, for HECO to submit more information on the issue.

Information is needed regarding the deadly accident on Hwy 11.

MORE INFO ON THE FATAL ACCIDENT on June 12 on Hwy 11 is being provided by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Chief Ranger Talmadge Magno. He said that 19-year old Julien Quiocho of Hilo was apparently the driver, survived the crash, and was airlifted to Queen’s Medical Center on O`ahu. He reportedly suffered serious brain and spinal injuries and is apparently still hospitalized. Magno said that Quiocho was "in too much pain” to give a statement before being flown to O`ahu. Rangers attempted to contact Quiocho at Queen's, but doctors said he was unable to be interviewed. Several witnesses have come forward to provide information on the crash, but the full story of what happened that night is still unclear, said Magno. Anyone who may have any information about the incident is encouraged to call 985-6001.

         The passenger who died at the scene was 20-year old Bryson Areola, of Kea`au. Car racing has been suspected in connection with the accident and police and rangers are urging the community to discourage drag racing along the highway, which apparently happens most often on weekend, full-moon nights when the Hilo drag strip is closed.

“DO YOU COUGH EACH DAY?” was one of the questions Dr. Bernadette Longo asked during the Pancake Breakfast in Ocean View last weekend. She also took blood pressure and pulse readings for her research: The CARE-Vog Study: Cardiorespiratory Assessment of Residents Exposed to Vog. Longo, Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Reno, has a PhD in public health, is a Hawai’i registered nurse, and researcher on Volcano health studies. Her husband, a volcanologist, offered graphs showing evidence of particulates and sulfur dioxide in the air for Pahala, Ocean View and Kona. 

Dr. Bernadette Longs will take blood pressure and gather other data for
her vog and health study. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

         Longo hopes the study will help researchers gain an understanding of any effects of air pollution from Kilauea Volcano on the health and wellbeing of nearby residents. 

    People volunteering to participate must be over 20 years of age, and residents of Pahala, Ocean View, Honoka'a, Mountain View or on the Kona Coast for at least seven years. Participants’ identities are protected and information gathered is confidential. Participating in the study is free and those examined receive a record of their pulse and blood pressure- which, if taken to a doctor, could detect early signs of long-term illness. Anyone interested in can call 775-815-9162.

CONGRESSWOMAN MAZIE HIRONO says she supports President Barack Obama’s plan, announced yesterday, to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. “I strongly support President Obama’s decision to bring 10,000 of our brave men and women in uniform home from  Afghanistan and 30,000 by the end of 2012. The President has successfully dealt with Osama bin Laden, and this is the right time to focus on responsibly winding down our mission in Afghanistan,” said Hirono.

THE HAWAI`I WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION holds a workshop about wildfire preparedness tonight from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. It covers strategies to protect homes and families against wildfires. Call Carolyn at 885-6354.

Patriot marches in local parades. Photo by Julia Neal

COUNTY MASS TRANSIT is conducting a Community Outreach Campaign to assess the transportation needs of the community, particularly the route from Volcano into Hilo. Community members can call 961-8744 or visit heleonbus.org and click on the Volcano to Hilo Bus Service Survey.

IT’S TIME TO GET READY for the July 2 and 4^th Independence Day Parades. The Na`alehu Parade travels down Hwy 11 on July 2 beginning at 11 a.m. and is sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou.The deadline to enter is July 1 by calling 929-9872. The Volcano Parade is at 9 a.m. starting at the Volcano Post Office on Old Volcano Hwy. Participants can show up at 8 a.m. Call 967-7800.

THE ANNUAL INDEPENDENCE DAY RODEO will be held on July 2 following the parade in Na`alehu. The rodeo will take place both Saturday and Sunday, with roping, mugging, barrels and other paniolo events for men, women and children. The rodeo grounds are next to Na`alehu Community Center.