Ka'u News Briefs Feb. 6, 2012

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary in the South Hawaiian Islands. Map from NOAA

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC CO. will raise rates on homes that don’t have solar panels in order to make up for lost revenue for those who have installed solar, according to stories in today’s Pacific Business News and Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Big Island rates could go up an average of $10 a month, or 1.7 cents per kilowatt-hour. According to the stories, customers statewide installed so many photovoltaic panels connecting to HECO’s grids that they provided up to 30 megawatts of electricity, the same capacity as a big wind farm on O`ahu. This led to savings for those owning photovoltaic systems but a loss to HECO of $7.4 million. HECO claims it needs to raise rates so it can pay for meter readers, distribution lines and other costs. The Star-Advertiser reports Public Utilities Commission chair Mina Morita saying that raising rates with this argument is “not equitable. It’s something the Commission will have to look at closely.” 

HECO plans to raise rates to make up for losses caused by
solar panels. Photo from airbnb.com

      To remove HECO from its obligation to move into alternative energy while still providing profits to shareholders, a bill in the state Legislature would take the utility out of the energy production business and leave it with its power distribution network, for which electric users would pay. 

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS HUMPBACK WHALE SANCTUARY could be expanded to include not only protection of humpback whales but the entire ecosystem. The recommendation comes from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

      The recommendation is part of the sanctuary’s proposed management plan and comes out of reports presented to the council from working groups that have been considering new strategies to better inform sanctuary management. The sanctuary is engaged in a process to review, evaluate, and update its management plan and will release a draft management plan for public comment in 2013. The sanctuary is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Hawai`i state Department of Land & Natural Resources.
      Recommendations for management include consideration of special management areas and vessel speed limits, as well as increased collaboration with communities and state and federal agencies. The proposed management approach would consider the whole ecosystem, including humans and the environment, rather than managing one resource or issue in isolation. “These management recommendations are a monumental achievement and a first for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council,” said Dr. Adam Pack, council chair and an associate professor at University of Hawai`i-Hilo.

Humpback whales migrate to Hawaiian waters each winter to breed.
Photo from fish-journal.com

      Gov. Neil Abercrombie said he supports “a management plan review process that takes into account our need to assess the biocultural resources of Hawai`i so that we can ensure use and enjoyment by residents and visitors now and into the future. As co-manager of the sanctuary, the State of Hawai`i is committed to an open, public process that fully considers the uniqueness of Hawai`i’s people, culture and environment, including the needs and perspectives of different islands and communities,” said the governor. 

      Dr. Malia Chow, sanctuary superintendent, said, “We encourage the public to stay involved and continue to participate in shaping the future direction of the sanctuary.”
      “An ecosystem-based approach would allow the sanctuary to better support community efforts to protect and sustainably use their natural, cultural, and historic resources, and would also complement the current efforts of the DLNR that are aimed at the holistic management of our watersheds,” said Elia Herman, state co-manager of the sanctuary.

A STUDY GROUP THAT IS TOUGH ON most schools around the country has given the Hawai`i public school system poor marks in teaching science. The Fordham Institute is a conservative think tank that graded Hawai`i and 16 other states with a D for “content, rigor, clarity and specificity in their science standards,” according to a story in this morning’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser by Mary Vorsino. The report was particularly negative about high school science classes, saying the study found “only rare islands of content floating in a sea of omission, confusion and plain inaccuracy.”
      Fordham gave ten other states an F in science, while 11 states scored C’s. Thirteen states, along with the District of Columbia, earned A’s or B’s in teaching science.
      The Star-Advertiser story quotes Derrick Tsuruda, science educational specialist at the Hawai`i state Department of Education, as saying, “Anybody getting a D on a report card for anything would be disappointed.” He told the Star-Advertiser, “I think we’re going to have to look at, based on this report, a review of the (science) standards.”
      The report gave better marks for elementary school science classes than high school science classes in Hawai`i. See www.edexcellence.net for the complete State of the State Science Standards report by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, with it mission of “Advancing Educational Science.”

THE COAST GUARD AND HAWAI`I COUNTY, along with Maui County, will coordinate more closely during search and rescue missions. The mayors of the counties and Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray signed an agreement last week. The agreement sets up coordination between local fire departments, Ocean Safety, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu, and the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu for civil and military search and rescue missions. 

      A statement from the Coast Guard said it helps responders to “fully leverage each organization’s unique assets, capabilities, and local knowledge while conducting SAR missions.”
      “This agreement offers benefits to both local and federal responders,” said Lt. Cmdr. Matt Derrenbacher of Sector Honolulu. “But the real benefits go to the citizens who live in and visit the Hawaiian Islands. We’re here to serve the public by providing them the best rescue, response capabilities and coordination possible to save lives.”

MOMI SUBIONO, a native Hawaiian practitioner of lomilomi, Hawaiian massage, kapa making and la`au lapa`au, teaches traditional uses of Hawaiian plants on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The event is free, and park entrance fees apply.

THE KA`U RED HATTERS’ annual bake and craft sale to benefit Ka`u Hospital takes place this Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Punalu`u Beach Park. For more information, call Barbara Beatty at 929-9072.

Ka'u News Briefs Feb. 5, 2012

The Directory 2012 cover detail from the Ka`u Coffee Mill mural Akebono Ka`u by Kathleen Kam.

DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AT SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS and other state buildings, as well as upgrading facilities with alternative energy capabilities, are targeted with $500 million in funds from floating state bonds. The entire effort is promoted by Gov. Neil Abercrombie and his administration as an economic stimulus package. 

Calvin Say

      To make these projects go faster, the 2012 Legislature is considering a measure to allow fast-tracking permits and procurements, exempting these projects from county permits when construction meets county, state and federal codes. The Senate Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing this coming Friday on the legislation, called Bill 2012.
      According to a story in this morning’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “The dash toward streamlining has given some regulators and environmentalists pause, however, since permitting and procurement requirements are safeguards against substandard work and favoritism.”
      However, “senators have described the procurement process as lengthy and complicated, which can add considerable time to completing state construction. Their objective is to address smaller repairs and upgrades, such as painting a school or rewiring the electricity in a hospital wing, rather than build a new highway or public housing complex, – projects that would demand greater regulatory scrutiny,” the story by Derrick DePledge points out.

Robert Harris

       Robert Harris, director of the Sierra Club Hawai`i chapter, told the Star-Advertiser that he “recognizes that the Senate is targeting relatively minor construction projects but believes the exemptions may be too broad.” Harris told DePledge that “governmental oversight is intended to try and prevent bad projects from occurring. This may be too big of a blanket sweep, with a massive amount of money potentially,” Harris said.

Gary Hooser

      According to the Star-Advertiser, House Speaker Calvin Say proposed exempting some state and county projects from the state environmental review law. Gary Hooser, director of the Office of Environmental Quality Control, told the Star-Advertiser that the proposal is “ill-advised and unnecessary.”

BANK OF HAWAI`I IN KA`U is not scheduled to close. The rumor was fueled by the bank’s planned closure of Kohala – not Pahala, as Bankoh will shut down three community banks in April, in Kohala on the Big Island and Laie and Aikahi on O`ahu. The bank has been shifting to more online and mobile phone transactions and instore branches, such as those in KTA and Safeway.

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, and visitors are advised to drive with caution and anticipate road closures and delays up to 15 minutes in construction areas.
      Intermittent closures of the entrance station lanes can be expected as crews repave the area. Visitors can also expect parking lot and partial road closures along Chain of Craters Road and along Crater Rim Drive between Kilauea Military Camp and Hwy 11. The west half of the steam vents parking lot is closed, but should re-open next week. Expect some delays on Mauna Loa Road.
      On Feb.13 and 14, Mauna Loa Road will be closed during the day. Hilina Pali Road from Kulanaokuaiki campground to the lower end near Hilina Pali Overlook will be closed between Feb. 13 and 17. All planned construction projects are dependent on weather conditions.
      Park superintendent Cindy Orlando said, “Please continue to pardon our dust as we make these necessary improvements to your National Park.” For updates, check www.nps.gov/havo.
      The improvements serve an increasing number of visitors to the park. Orlando reports that visitations have increased 8.8 percent since 2009, with a 3.6 percent rise in the last year.

CARNEVALE DI VENEZIA: Under a Hawaiian Moon is the theme of Volcano Art Center’s eighth annual Love the Arts benefit gala next Saturday, Feb. 11, with tickets available for purchase online at www.volcanolovethearts.org. For one memorable evening, guests will be transported to Venice, Italy, through food, artwork and installations by some of Hawai`i’s most gifted artisans. Each year the Love the Arts silent and live auctions grow in size and reputation through the generosity of local artists and community sponsors. Fine arts, goods and services will be among the auctioned items. Auction proceeds benefit arts, cultural and environmental programs in and around the Volcano community. Tickets are $50 and are available at VAC Gallery, the Niaulani Campus, www.volcanoartcenter.org and 967-8222. At the door, tickets are $60.

THE DIRECTORY, the annual publication of the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce, is being circulated throughout the district. The 80-page guide to businesses, services and community activities in Ka`u features an essay by one of Ka`u’s top students, now studying engineering at University of Hawai`i, feature photos of the beauty and community life in Ka`u, and listings and phone numbers of Chamber members, along with details about businesses in Ka`u to help the community buy local. 

Ka'u News Briefs Feb. 4, 2012

While mauka rains have greened up the tabletop mountains of Ka`u, makai ranches still suffer from drought.
Photo by Julia Neal

THE KA`U IRRIGATION SYSTEM has received $500,000 in funding, released this week by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Russell Kokubun, who chairs the Hawai`i Board of Agriculture, which will oversee the expenditures through the state Department of Agriculture, applauded the funding. “Much of the state’s agricultural infrastructure is decades old, and it is important to maintain and upgrade them and keep them in service to Hawai`i’s farmers, growers and ranchers, now and for the future,” Kokubun said. The water system to be upgraded and repaired includes tunnels dug into the side of Mauna Loa to collect water for sugar plantations in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Russell Kokubun

      Cooperatives are being formed to determine how the funds will be used to install and manage the irrigation systems. Anyone interested in irrigation water or joining one of the co-ops can call Jeff McCall at 928-6456 or Malian Lahey at 808-280-2851.

KA`U ATTORNEY RON SELF will appeal the decision by Judge Greg Nakamura to deny compensation to Ocean View residents Leiloni O’Grady and Michael Patrick O’Grady for injuries suffered when a 160-ton boulder fell from the side of Hwy 11 and crushed their car. Since the accident on March 8, 2007, Leiloni O’Grady has been unable to return to work at the state Department of Education. According to a story in this morning’s Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, the judge concluded the non-jury trial by writing that “plaintiffs failed to prove ... that any breach of duty on the part of the state was a proximate cause of the harm suffered by plaintiffs.” However, the judge also wrote that the state “owes a duty to maintain its highways so they are reasonably safe for their intended uses,” and that the state is bound to “exercise ordinary care to maintain the areas adjacent to the highways and shoulders so they are reasonably safe from rockfalls.
      Self described the O’Grady’s as “devastated” following the judge’s decision and said he and his co-counsel, Peter Bersin were “shocked and stunned.” Self told The Ka`u Calendar that the state knew about the potential for the rockfall for years and that the condition was obvious following a separate rockfall there during a 1999 earthquake and by a 2004 study that specified the site as a dangerous rockfall condition. “This accident could have happened to any innocent driver or school bus,” Self said, noting that after the O’Grady’s accident, the state removed the other dangerous rocks for $1,500 paid to a consultant and using state maintenance workers to remove them.
      The state argued that there are more than 100 such rockfall sites along state highways on the Big Island and that the one that hit the O’Grady’s car was not one of the top ten most dangerous.
      O’Grady’s are seeking millions of dollars in medical expenses, wages and future lost wages. She is a speech pathologist, and he is a social worker.
      They claim the state Department of Transportation was negligent when it cut the road through the mountain, leaving rocks and a giant boulder with no place to fall but the highway.

Most Ka`u Coffee farms have been free
of the coffee borer. Photo by Julia Neal

COFFEE FARMERS ARE PROPOSING a tax of a penny a pound on green coffee beans to create a fund to fight the coffee berry borer. The plan would include ridding the island of feral coffee where the borer population could grow untreated. Farmers said they need funding to strip trees, sanitize the farms and apply the fungicide that kills the borers. However, the state Department of Agriculture has warned that the bill could be unconstitutional and could be unenforceable, given lack of funding for policing the situation. The proposal for the tax is coming out of Kona, where farms are hard-hit by the borer.

KA`U, ALONG WITH THE REST of Hawai`i County, has been designated as a primary natural disaster area by the U.S. Department of Agriculture due to ongoing drought conditions, Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced. Last month, Abercrombie applied for the designation, which sets the path for Hawai`i Island ranchers and farmers to apply for available federal relief. 

      Abercrombie said, “by designating Hawai`i County a natural disaster area, President Barack Obama and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack have recognized that the island’s farmers and ranchers have endured enough. Even today, Big Island residents continue to experience drought conditions ranging from severe to extreme. The USDA’s assistance will help hard working families recover losses and see it through until conditions improve.”
      Russell Kokubun, chairperson of the Hawai`i Board of Agriculture, said, “a drought can be as catastrophic as a hurricane or flood to a farmer or rancher. This disaster assistance is a lifeline for many of our agriculture producers who have been dealing with severe drought conditions for over six years. We truly appreciate this support from the USDA.”

Recent rains in Ka`u are helpful, but drought
remains. Photo by Julia Neal

      The formal designation was made on Jan. 18. Qualified farm operators in Ka`u and other parts of Hawai`i County can apply for low interest emergency loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency to cover losses due to the drought. Eligible individuals must apply within eight months from the date of the declaration. FSA considers each loan application on its own merits. Additional information is available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.
      According to the National Weather Service, Ka`u remains within severe drought parameters, while parts of South Kona District remain within moderate drought conditions.

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village hosts two public events tomorrow. From 10 a.m. to noon, VAC holds a reception for the exhibit Masquerade: The Art of Illusion, available to the public by appointment from today through Feb. 11. For more information or to make an appointment, call 967-8222 or email community@volcanoartcenter.org.
      Tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., VAC invites everyone to join Patty Johnson’s free lesson, Medicine for the Mind, on Buddhist healing meditation. For more information, call 985-7470.

A SUPERBOWL TAILGATE PARTY is set for tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The event is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests, and park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8351.

DUI CHECKPOINTS will be conducted this weekend by Hawai`i Police Department. The movement is part of a national campaign, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”