Ka`u News Briefs Feb. 25, 2012

The second of three 2012 whale counts takes place today at Kalae, Punalu`u and locations in Hawai`i Volcanoes
National Park. Photo from NOAA

RED LIGHT CAMERAS that could detect drivers passing through stop lights and cameras that could detect speeding vehicles could be in the future for Hawai`i. Bills in the state Legislature are getting some traction for the photo red light detector systems that have already been adopted in such places as Los Angeles. Proponents note that such cameras could help do the work of police officers who otherwise have to sit by the side of the road and wait for the violators. It could free them up for investigating other crimes, said testimony submitted to the Legislature. Other testimony noted that knowing cameras are on the highway could deter people from speeding and going through red lights. The legislation would leave it up to each county to decide whether to adopt the program, and each county would keep fines it collects. Opposition has included a statement that a police officer can chase down a speeding car and get it off the highway and check the driver for alcohol and drugs, while a camera has no such ability. A police officer can also respond to medical emergencies on the roads. Another limitation is that the camera would have to capture a clear photo of the driver to prove who is breaking the law. 

Bills in the state Legislature call for installation of red
light cameras. Photo from autoblog.com

      Opposition testimony says that there is collection of too much personal information by filming everyone driving along the highway, and the American Civil Liberties Union has posted concerns. The legislation is House Bill 2790 and can be read, along with pro and con testimony, at www.capitol.hawaii.gov.

THE BABY BOY WHO DIED when a van flipped on Highway 11 at 5 p.m. on Thursday was breast-feeding at the time of the accident. The family was driving from Volcano toward Pahala and on to accommodations at Waikoloa, according to reports from Hawai`i News Now. While there was an infant car seat in the van, the mother had taken the baby into her lap for feeding. The father was driving when the van veered off the road and turned over. He told police he was tired after a long day of touring and may have dozed off. The family, all visitors from Japan, suffered injuries, with three women remaining in serious condition. 

      The Pahala Community Center was used as a staging area for lifting victims by helicopter to Hilo Medical Center where the infant died. “From this tragic incident you can see what happens when you take the child out of the car seat. The child probably would have survived if he was in the car seat,” said Sgt. Christopher Gali, of Hawai`i Police Department. Police are investigating the crash as a negligent homicide, but since drugs or alcohol are unlikely, they will probably refrain from filing charges against the father, even though it is law that children three years and under be in a car seat, with four to seven-year-olds strapped into a booster seat. There are many incentives for using infant and booster seats, including tax deductions and the grim statistics of injuries and deaths during accidents when they are not used.

Invasive mongoose may be targeted with irradication.
Photo from Wildcare, akyinthedoor.com

MONGOOSE ERADICATION is the aim of the state Board of Land & Natural Resources. The land board, which met this week, discussed working with the state and federal government, along with the counties, to come up with a program to rid the islands of these invasive species. Along with feral cats, mongoose are considered one of the main reasons that ground nesting birds are in decline in Hawai`i. Some concern has come from the Humane Society on whether poison would be used and whether that could kill pets and wildlife. Another concern is whether wild chickens will replace mongoose and compete with wildlife as happened on Kaua`i where there are no mongoose. 

HUMPBACK WHALE COUNT is on the agenda for today at Kalae, Punalu`u and sites within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The annual 2012 Sanctuary Ocean Count is held until noon, as volunteers record the behavior of the whales over the four-hour period. More than 60 sites along the shores of the Big Island, O`ahu and Kaua`i have been selected for the count. To learn more, visit http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov. The final 2012 whale count is scheduled for Saturday, March 31. Register online or call 1-888-55-WHALE, ext. 253.

DONATIONS FOR A RUMMAGE SALE to benefit Ka`u Hospital Charitable Foundation’s scholarship fund are being accepted today. The scholarship fund assists any Ka`u student enrolled in any medical training program. Items can be dropped off at Kama`aina Kuts behind Na`alehu Ace Hardware through Saturday. The rummage sale takes place next Saturday, March 3. Call Ursula at 896-2624. 

A SPAGHETTI DINNER to benefit Ka`u Hospital is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Na`alehu Community Center. The dinner is sponsored by the Ka`u Red Hat Ladies and Kalae Quilters. Tickets are $9.99 and can be purchased at the door.

KIPUKA`AKIHI HIKE, a ranger-guided hike into the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, takes place tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants explore an isolated refuge of rare plants in a remnant old-growth forest. Pre-registration is required. Call 985-6011.

HAWAIIAN CRAFTS, GAMES, AND HULA are are on the schedule at Honu`apo Park tomorrow from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. `O Ka`u Kakou will sell shave ice and hot dogs, the Hawaiian Civic Club will sell their hand-made Hawaiian items, and Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo will sell T-shirts, water and juice.

SEE OUR SPONSORS ONLINE AT KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM AND PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM.

Ka`u News Briefs Feb. 24, 2012

Picking opihi could have further restrictions according to Senate Bill 2923. Photo from aceuhmanoa.wordpress.com

OPIHI PICKING MAY BE RESTRICTED, putting moratoriums on some popular places for gathering the limpets along rocky shorelines around the Hawaiian Islands.

Photo from hawaiianforest.com

Senate Bill 2923 “Establishes a ban on taking or harvesting opihi statewide, subject to open and closed seasons and traditional gathering rights and practices.” It would prohibit the taking or harvesting of opihi, even for non-commercial purposes, in an amount greater than one quart with shells attached or one half pint without shells per day. The new law would require the Department of Land & Natural Resources to submit an annual report regarding effectiveness and enforcement. It could start with a five-year opihi picking ban on O`ahu, which has drawn concern that a rush to pick opihi on the Big Island would be driven by a ban in Honolulu.
      The DLNR testified that native gathering rights for opihi would need to be defined and pointed out that all marine conservation districts already ban opihi picking.
      The state Department of Hawaiian Homelands testified to the legislature that it supports the bill but suggested a resource study on opihi. University of Hawai`i marine scientists also gave supportive testimony, saying “Opihi is a delicacy that is part of Hawai`i’s culture, and, as such, there is universal agreement that the resource must be preserved for future generations to enjoy.” Some testimony calls for different recreational and home use bag limits. Opihi sell for large amounts of money and are popular at lu`au’s and other Hawaiian celebrations. Ophihi picking is often referred to as the most dangerous job in Hawai`i.

AN INFANT NOT IN A CAR SEAT died yesterday following an accident on Hwy 11 about five miles toward Volcano from Pahala. Members of the public attempted CPR on the infant but the baby died. All seven people were from Japan and were traveling in a van when the driver veered off the highway and the van flipped. One woman was lifted by helicopter from Pahala Community Center in critical condition. All of those injured were taken to Hilo Medical Center. The baby was six months old and police have opened a negligent homicide investigation, as the baby was unsecured in the van.

LINDA LINGLE, THE FORMER HAWAI`I GOVERNOR, now candidate for U.S. Senate has announced she will establish advisory boards on the Big Island and the other Neighbor Islands to give people a voice at the federal level, if she is elected.

Lingle with Ebesugawa sisters in Hilo.  
Photo from lingle2012.com

     She established similar county boards during her eight years as governor, comprised of volunteer community leaders. On this island there were East and West Hawai`i members. “Having worked and lived on both Moloka`i and Maui, I know how important it is for residents on every island to know their concerns are being heard by their U.S. Senator and that their opinions are important at a national level,” Lingle said. “While other candidates have pledged to be available via a toll free number or through their websites, I believe it is critical for constituents to be able to interact face-to-face with a member of my team when I am in D.C.,” Lingle said.

EARTHQUAKES and swarms of small temblors continued yesterday into today with a 4.3 registering at 3:52 this morning and a 4.1 on Thursday at 9:02  p.m. By mid-morning today there were 75 recent earthquakes on the U.S.G.S. map of the Big Island. Many of them are near Kilauea Crater where Mauna Loa and Kilauea plates meet. Such swarms at the same location have been recorded in the past. The biggest earthquake near the same site was a 6.6 in 1983, leaving more than $7 million in damages between Ka`u and Hilo and cracking roads and destroying trails in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. See tux.wr.usgs.gov for the latest maps and information on earthquakes.

KIPUKA`AKIHI HIKE, a ranger guided hike into the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, takes place, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday. The entrance to Kahuku Unit is between mile markers 70 and 71 on Hwy 11. Participants explore an isolated refuge of rare plants in a remnant old-growth forest. Pre-registration required. 985-6011

LA `ELIMA CELEBRATION, hosted by Hauoli Kamana`o Church, will be held tomorrow, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Miloli`i Village Park Pavilion. The church invites the public to talk story, enjoy live music, fire dancing and lu`au style food. Walter Kahiwa, Jr. will give a detailed history of La `Elima, which translates to February 5th the day the event occurred.

MIloli`i residents have been gathering to remember
the tsunami and taking care of victims for generations.
Photo by Julia Neal

      Long ago, the little yellow church was lifted up and deposited inland by a massive earth shift and subsequent kaiko`o, or big seas, said Angie Bowman, one of the event's key coordinators. The original location is now submerged 300 yards out to sea. Villagers used palm trunks to move the church to its current location. She summarized the story saying that the school children were thought to be lost to sea. However, five days later they were rescued from caves above the fishing village. "Although many died along the coast, no lives were lost in Miloli`i."

THE KA`U RED HAT LADIES and Kalae Quilters sponsor a spaghetti dinner to benefit Ka`u Hospital tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Tickets are $9.99 and can be purchased at the door.

 KA `OHANA O HONU`APO and Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u showcase Hawaiian crafts, games, and hula, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday at Honu`apo Park. `O Ka`u Kakou will sell shave ice and hot dogs, the Civic Club will sell their hand-made Hawaiian items, and Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo will sell T-shirts, water and juice.

KA`U FARMERS, along with those from Kona and Kohala, are invited to attend a new forum, West Hawai`i Sustainable Agriculture Skills Panel – created by the Workforce Development Council, to voice their concerns and solutions to help develop agriculture. The forum, hosted by Hawai`i Department of Ag and Department of Labor, is set to meet on Tuesday, March 6, in Kailua-Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participation is free. The forum has five focus areas: ag innovation and sustainability, education, infrastructure, recruiting, and food system. Guests are asked to RSVP to standford.j.fichtman@hawaii.gov. Call 808-586-8672 for more.

Ka`u News Briefs Feb. 23, 2012

The Draft Environmental Assessment for the new Ka`u District Gym & Shelter is now available for public comment.
Drawing from PBR Hawai`i

THE NEW KA`U DISTRICT GYM AND SHELTER plans have been released to the public in a Draft Environmental Assessment. The complex is expected to cost more than $17 million. 

      Copies of the document have been mailed to community members who requested them along with community associations and some people living near the site. They should also be available at Na`alehu and Pahala Public Libraries. The EA also is posted for review on the state Department of Health’s Office of Environmental Quality Control website. The public has a month to comment.
      The Draft EA shows cinder block buildings, with plantation style rooflines, constructed on the open grassy field next to Ka`u High School between the tennis court and the current gym and surrounded by parking lots that could be paved, partially paved, or remain grassy.

      “The Ka`u District Gym & Shelter will be noticeable from Kamani Street and will change the visual character of the Site from an open grass field to a landscaped parking lot and approximately 40,000 square feet building. However, the structure will be visibly compatible with the adjacent historic school buildings with the proposed plantation-style roofline and complementary paint color. The placement and height of the building will not obstruct any view planes toward the pu`u nor obstruct any existing views of the ocean,” the EA says. It does note, however, that the project building “at about 48 feet will exceed the zoning height limit of 35 feet. The tallest existing school building is approximately 40 feet. A height variance is being sought,” the EA states.
       The buildings would be made of cement to harden them against hurricanes and for sheltering people during and after natural disasters. At least one 2,000 square-foot-room, which could shelter 120 people during a short-term hurricane or air quality emergency, would be equipped to clean the air from vog. However, the main gym, with the ability to shelter 1,500 people for a short-term disaster and 560 people for temporary housing after a disaster, would be without the air cleaning equipment, according to the proposal. The EA states that Civil Defense is comfortable with providing clean air for 120 people.
      Public Works director Warren Lee wrote to the Office of Environmental Quality Control saying that his agency reviewed the Draft EA and anticipates a Finding of No Significant Impact.
      See more at http://oeqc.doh.hawaii.gov/Shared%20Documents/Environmental_Notice/current_issue.pdf.

Pahala Library reopens today. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

PAHALA LIBRARY REOPENS TODAY after being closed for a month with hours Monday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library is closed on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and all state holidays. It is recommended that patrons call before going there since there have been staff shortages that can sometimes close it down. Call 928-2015. 

AN EARTHQUAKE SWARM continued this morning at the place where Kilauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes meet. The location is close to the border of Ka`u and Puna, about three miles west of Kilauea Crater. It is near the epicenter of the Kaoiki Earthquake that severely rocked Kapapala and Pahala. That 6.6 temblor, on the morning of Nov. 16, 1983, knocked the top off the chimney at the old Ka`u Hospital doctor’s residence and inflicted more than $7 million in damages from Ka`u to Hilo. The smaller earthquakes, yesterday and today, numbering more than 60, were no larger than a 3.2 magnitude and were mostly small, including one at 4:19 this morning at 1.9 magnitude - unfelt by most people in Ka`u.
      Stronger swarms of earthquakes happened at the same place in 1993, 1997, 2000 and 2006, according to Janet Babb, of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. “It’s a site of episodic seismicity,” she said. The Kaoiki fault system relates to the subsidence of the southeast flank of Mauna Loa.

Sen. Gil Kahele presented a message from the
state Senate at La `Elima last year.
Photo by Julia Neal

LA `ELIMA, hosted by Hauoli Kamana`o Church, will be held at Miloli`i Village Park Pavilion this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church asks the public to talk story and enjoy live music, fire dancing and lu`au-style food. Walter Kahiwa, Jr., will give a detailed history of La `Elima. The gathering is in memory of events following a 7.0 earthquake in 1868 that took other fishing villages such as Kalapana underwater but spared Milloli`i. Miloli`i people took in the survivors from subsided villages and held a traditional gathering each year to honor their relationship.

THE KA`U RED HAT LADIES and Kalae Quilters sponsor a spaghetti dinner to benefit Ka`u Hospital this Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Tickets are $9.99 and can be purchased at the door.

KA `OHANA O HONU`APO and Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u showcase demonstrations in Hawaiian crafts, games, and hula this Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Honu`apo Park. `O Ka`u Kakou will be selling shave ice and hot dogs, the Civic Club will be selling their hand-made Hawaiian items, and Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo will be selling T-shirts, water bottles and juice cans.

THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL has formed a West Hawai`i Sustainable Agriculture Skills Panel and is asking Kona, Kohala and Ka`u farmers to voice their concerns and solutions to help develop agriculture in the area. The forum is set to meet on Tuesday, March 6 in Kailua-Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is no cost to participate in this forum. The forum has five focus areas: ag innovation and sustainability, education, infrastructure, recruiting, and food system. The forum is hosted by Hawai`i Department of Ag and Department of Labor. Guests are asked to RSVP to standford.j.fichtman@hawaii.gov. Call 808-586-8672 for more.

SEE OUR SPONSORS AT WWW.PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND WWW.KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.