Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 6, 2012

Hawai`i election garb in Ka`u, one voter with paniolo jeans and boots, another with surf wear. Voting was brisk at
Pahala School Cafeteria.  Photo by Julia Neal

TODAY IS GENERAL ELECTION DAY, with polling places open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition to voting for President, Mayor, U.S. Senator, Representatives to Congress, state House and state Senate, County Prosecuting Attorney and Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustees, County Charter Amendments are on the ballot. They are:

RECORDS AND MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: 

Shall the County Charter be amended to repeal existing provisions relating to publication of notices of meetings of the council, boards or commissions to be replaced with: "The council, board or commission shall provide notice of any regular, special, rescheduled or emergency meeting according to the provisions of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes"?

PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE AND PRESERVATION FUND:
Shall the Hawai`i County Charter’s provisions relating to the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund be amended to:
• Raise the minimum required contribution into the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural resources Preservation Fund from a minimum of one percent (1%) of real property tax revenue (including penalty and interest) to two percent (2%) of real property tax revenue (including penalty and interest);
• Require a restrictive covenant be placed in the deed transferring the acquired land or easement as follows: “This (land/easement) was acquired with moneys from the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund. It shall be held in perpetuity for the use and enjoyment of the people of Hawai`i County and may not be sold, mortgaged, traded or transferred in any way;” and
• Make clear that the funds may only be used to purchase land or easements, and not for any other purpose?

PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE, AND NATURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION MAINTENANCE FUND: 

Shall the Hawai`i County Charter be amended by creating a Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Maintenance Fund, which would:

Amendments to County Charter Open Space provisions are on the ballot.
This one-mile stretch of Ka`u Coast accessed by Road to the Sea and
3,000 adjoining acres are preserved with Open Space funds.
Photo from Triplecee

• Require that one-quarter of one percent (.25%) of real property tax revenue (including penalty and interest) be deposited into this fund for the maintenance and preservation of lands acquired using the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund;
• Set a $3,000,000 cap on the accrual of deposits into this fund from real property tax revenue (including penalty and interest);
• Prohibit the use of the fund for planning, design, development, or construction of new buildings, roads, and facilities; and
• Create a stewardship grant program to allow the County Council to provide grant money from this fund to nonprofit organizations to maintain and preserve these lands?

ESTABLISHING SPECIAL FUNDS:
Shall the Hawai`i County Charter be amended to allow the County Council to create special funds without first obtaining the recommendation of the Mayor?

ELIGIBILITY FOR REDISTRICTING COMMISSIONERS to be Candidates for County Council:
Shall section 3-17, County Redistricting Commission, of the Hawai‘i County Charter be amended by adding the following, to take effect after the 2021 Redistricting Plan: “(i) No member of the redistricting commission shall be eligible to become a candidate for election to the County Council in the first election under any such redistricting plan?”

Preservation of subsistence fishing would be one topic for a Game
Management Advisory Commission. Photo from The Ka`u Calendar

ESTABLISHING A GAME MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION: 

Shall the Hawai`i County Charter be amended to create a Game Management Advisory Commission that would advise County, State, and Federal agencies on matters related to the preservation of subsistence hunting and fishing, protection of traditional and cultural gathering rights, and the taking and conservation of aquatic life and wildlife?

HERE ARE THE STATE CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT ISSUES ON THE BALLOT TODAY:

FUNDS FOR DAMS AND RESERVOIRS:
Shall the State be authorized to issue special purpose revenue bonds and use the proceeds from the bonds to assist dam and reservoir owners to make their facilities compliant with current safety standards?

WORK FOR RETIRED JUDGES:
Shall the chief justice of the state Supreme Court appoint judges who have retired upon attaining the age of seventy years as emeritus judges, permitting the appointed judges to serve as temporary judges in courts no higher than the court level they reached prior to retirement and for terms not to exceed three months per each appointment?

HAWAI`I RESIDENTS ARE ALSO VOTING for candidates for U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representative. Here are profiles of each candidate:

U.S. Senator

Mazie Hirono

Linda Lingle

MAZIE HIRONO (D), incumbent Congressional representative for Ka`u, Volcano and the rest of rural Hawai`i, says economic recovery cannot be left up to the private sector. Hirono says she wants government to help with research and development, including clean energy and food self-sufficiency. She says she fights for better education, which will lead to a stronger economy, protects Social Security and pushes for progressive health care. She says she opposes the Iraq and Afghani wars and supports taking better care of veterans. See mazieforhawaii.com. 

LINDA LINGLE (R), Hawai`i’s former governor, says her number one issue is jobs and economy. Lingle says she wants to reform the tax system and push for energy security. She says she wants to bolster Asia-Pacific economic relations and make a stronger commitment to seniors, Honolulu rail and environmental stewardship. She says she works well with Democrats and Republicans. Lingle says she wants to strengthen the visitor industry, national security and defense, health care and education. She says native Hawaiian federal recognition is on her political agenda. See lingle2012.com.

U.S. Representative District 2

Kawika Crowley

Tulsi Gabbard

KAWIKA CROWLEY (R) has given numerous Tea Party events, including a rally at the state Capitol, lobbying against higher taxes and government waste. On his website, he states, “Government, both here and in Washington, needs to go on a major diet. Bureaucracies such as the Department of Education, Department of Energy, the EPA, Department of Agriculture and so many others that siphon away taxpayer monies … must be reigned in and cut down to size.” He says he supports Hawaiian sovereignty, pro-life issues and the Defense of Marriage Act. See kawika4congress.com. 

TULSI GABBARD (D) is an Iraq war veteran and Honolulu Council member. She was the youngest person to serve in the state Legislature and worked as aide to Sen. Dan Akaka. She says she wants to create jobs through tax breaks and eliminate redundant bureaucracy while ending tax deductions for corporations operating overseas. Other issues include bringing the troops home, strengthening tourism, renewable energy and agriculture, protecting Medicare and Social Security, repairing aging infrastructure and lowering gas prices. See votetulsi.com.

Democrats, including Gov. Neil Abercrombie, gathered at Hilo Bandstand last night and encouraged everyone
 to get out the vote today to keep the U.S. Senate with a Democratic majority and to give  Pres. Barack Obama four more years.
Photo by Julia Neal

DEMOCRATS RALLIED LAST NIGHT at the Hilo Bandstand with mayoral candidates Billy Kenoi and Harry Kim taking their last stands on the podium. U.S. Congressional candidate Mazie Hirono was presented as filling the promise of the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink to become the first Asian female member of the U.S. Senate. State senatorial candidate Russell Ruderman said that he thought people might be surprised at his success in the primary and that his win showed the diversity of the Democratic Party. He also identified himself as an environmentalist and businessman. 

       Congressional candidate Tulsi Gabbard was presented as becoming the first member of Congress of Samoan descent, and many candidates urged everyone to tweet, email, facebook and call today to get out the vote in an effort to return President Barack Obama to office and to save the U.S. Senate from domination by Republicans.

Occupy Hilo holds up "Abolish PLDC" sign at last night's Democratic
Party rally. Photo from Big Island Video News

THE PUBLIC LAND DEVELOPMENT CORP. went up in lights on the mauka side of the bandstand with illuminated lettering by Occupy Hilo saying “Abolish PLDC,” the new state agency that would work with private partners for economic development on public lands. Another sign was from Aloha Uprising organization, whose leader Gene Tamashiro interrupted a speech by Gov. Neil Abercrombie saying that Hawai`i is illegally a part of the United States. Abercrombie encouraged people with concerns and objections to take part in the democratic process, to put out the effort to earn the vote of the people and to refrain from interfering with the Democratic rally. 

      According to Big Island Video News, a group called Free Hawai`i met earlier in the day at the King Kamehameha statue in Hilo and discussed the recent eviction of Abel Simeona Lui from Kawa, where the county is planning a park and wetlands preserve. Lui presented his case to supporters of Hawaiian sovereignty who met at the statue, and a number of them continued to the Democratic Rally, where one man shouted about the plight of “Uncle Abel.”

An endangered nene was killed and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park asks
 motorists to be aware of nene attracted to the sides of roadways
where food is abundant. Photo from NPS by Michael Szoenyi

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK urges motorists to slow down and watch out for endangered nene while driving on Hwy 11 and other park roadways. A female nene was killed early Friday morning along Chain of Craters Road, and her mate remains near the site. The young pair was preparing to nest.
      As nesting season begins, nene, particularly females, are focused on building up enough body fat to produce eggs and sustain them through the 30-day incubation period. As a result, females and their watchful mates are foraging not only during the day, but also at dusk and dawn and even throughout the night when the moon is bright.
      Due to recent drought conditions, the vegetation is particularly dry at many of the favored breeding sites, pushing nene to move further afield in search of adequate food. Rain runoff from pavement, combined with ground disturbance along road edges, often makes for lush grassy strips along roads, enticing birds to feed in dangerous spots. Also, nene may be difficult to see along roadsides because their coloring often blends in with surroundings.
      The park has placed nene crossing signs on roads where birds are known to congregate or cross and where vehicle kills occur most frequently.

John Keawe returns to Ka`u to perform at Pahala Plantation
House this Saturday.

      Incidents of people feeding nene also have contributed to recent vehicle kills, park wildlife biologist Kathleen Misajon said. On Oct. 1, a 16-year-old male – a father of three fledglings last season – was killed by a vehicle along Hwy 11 one mile outside of the park’s Ka`u boundary.
      “Nene have significant threats to contend with, from predation by cats, mongooses and other introduced predators, to loss of habitat made worse by drought conditions. This species is really fighting an uphill battle. We ask the public to help us rebuild nene populations by minimizing vehicle-related nenē deaths,” Misajon said.

VETERANS ARE INVITED to a free Hawaiian music concert on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of Pahala Plantation House. Musicians and students at the 7th Annual Kahumoku `Ohana Hawaiian Music and Lifestyle workshop share their talents, with water and plate lunches available for purchase. Call 938-6582 for more information. 

VISIT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 5, 2012

CNN says Hawai`i has the lowest turnout in the nation and launched a program to help out by carrying the stories of people's
reasons for not voting in the Islands. See http://cnn.com/2012/10/21/opinion/change-the-list-convince-me-to-vote/index.html.

TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY. Candidates are for U.S. President, a Hawai`i U.S. senator, the representative to Congress for Ka`u, Volcano and beyond, two state senators covering from Kona through Ka`u and Volcano and Puna, two members of the state House of Representatives from South Kona through Ka`u into Puna, mayor for the Big Island, a County Council member, County Prosecuting Attorney and trustees for the Office of Hawaiian affairs. 

      Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for registered voters. Polling places from Volcano into South Kona are at Cooper Center in Volcano, Ka`u High School Cafeteria, Na`alehu School Cafeteria, Ocean View Community Center, Miloli`i Halau, Ho`okena Elementary School and St. Benedict Catholic Church.

REDISTRICTING BASED ON THE 2010 CENSUS created new state Senate and House of Representative Districts in Ka`u. Here are short profiles of the candidates vying for those offices, with names listed as they appear on the ballots for the General Election:

State Senator District 2: Punalu`u - Puna

Russell E. Ruderman

Daryl Lee Smith

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN (D) says he considers crucial issues to be education, transportation, renewable energy and agriculture. The founder of Island Naturals markets has served on Hawai`i County’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee and Agricultural Committee and is a member of the county Environmental Commission. See russellruderman.com.

DARYL LEE SMITH (R) says he considers the main issue to be the Department of Education, where he said 40 to 45 percent of the budget goes to administration in a system that has “270 schools and 2,000 administrators.” He also saysd he wants to improve access to resources for hunting and fishing. No website found.

State Senator District 3: Honu`apo - Kona

Josh Green

Jeff R. LaFrance

JOSH GREEN (D), the incumbent state senator and a former doctor at Ka`u Hospital, says he has worked to bring over $45 million in appropriations to roads, schools and hospitals. “These projects will continue to create jobs, stimulate our economy and strengthen our civic life for years to come,” his website states. See joshgreen.org. 

JEFF R. LAFRANCE (R) is founder and board president of two nonprofits focusing on education, sustainable farming, local economic development, alternative energy and housing, health and assisted living for older persons. “We export our children, and our money. This needs to change,” states his website. See jefflafrance.com.

State Representative District 3: Punalu`u – Waiakea Uka

Frederick F. Fogel

Marlene (Nachbar) Hapai

FREDERICK F. FOGEL (L) says he wants to “protect the Ka`u Coffee name” and make ag land the cheapest tax rate. He proposes creating a flat state income tax with no exemptions and eliminating taxes on food and medicine. Fogel says he supports Hawaiian sovereignty, legalization of cannabis, elimination of building codes for private residences, implementation of full-service recycling stations and control of invasive species. No website found. 

MARLENE (NACHBAR) HAPAI (R) says she plans to engage the community in determining its wants and needs regarding jobs. The retired college professor says she wants to make higher education more affordable by “bringing the campus to the people.” Greater collaboration of various agricultural groups could lead to an increase in federal dollars for state ag programs, she says. Improving highway safety and vog monitoring are also on her agenda. See marlenehapai.com.

Richard H.K. Onishi

RICHARD H.K. ONISHI (D), on his website, states: “I will ensure that our communities are a safe place to live, play, work and do business; our children receive high quality education, our seniors (kupuna) are cared for, our economy supports local businesses and products, our individual rights are protected; our environment is preserved; and our people have access to first-rate medical services. See friendsforrichardonish.com. 

State Representative District 5: Honu`apo - Keauhou

DENNY COFFMAN (D), currently Representative for House District 6, is chair of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and a member of the House Committee on Water, Land and Ocean Resources. He says he opposes the `Aina Koa Pono project for Ka`u. He says he supports efforts to protect Ka`u’s coastline, provide water to homeowners and small farmers and increase renewable energy. See dennycoffman.org. 

Dave Batemen

Denny Coffman

DAVE BATEMAN (R), owner of Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farms, began working with the state Legislature as a member of coffee boards and gave ideas, advice and testimony on a number of bills to help farmers and veterans. “I believe that together we can move the Big Island forward and make a better West Hawai‘i for our children,” his website states. See bateman2012.com. 

CANDIDATE PROFILES FOR MORE LOCAL OFFICES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

County of Hawai`i Mayor

Harry Kim

Billy Kenoi

BILLY KENOI is the incumbent mayor. He campaigns on his record of bringing Hawai`i County through the recession by cutting back the government budget without reducing police, fire senior citizen services. He also declares he opposes the `Aina Koa Pono proposal for Ka`u to build a refinery and establish a large biofuel farm if it means raising electric rates. Kenoi also says he brings government to the people when he and county department heads held talk story meetings around the island. See billykenoi.com. 

HARRY KIM was the mayor before Kenoi who could not run during the last election because of term limitations. He is running on his contention that individual citizens and small groups should have the ear of government, and he pledges to take no more than $10 in campaign donations from any person or interest group, though various people made signs for him with a value of greater than $20. Kim is former Civil Defense director for Hawai`i County before becoming a two-term mayor. See harrykimhawaii.org.

County of Hawai`i Prosecuting Attorney

Mitch Roth

Lincoln Ashida

LINCOLN ASHIDA, County Corporation Counsel, says he wants to look at “getting back to the basics.” He said he would start by building a team of prosecutors and support staff that understands the stress that crime creates for individuals and communities. He says he also wants to focus on training of prosecutors. “Our community demands and expects the best attorneys,” he said. See ashidaforprosecutor.com.

MITCH ROTH, a deputy prosecuting attorney, says he wants to make neighborhoods safe by closing drug houses, recording drug forfeitures so that drug money fights crime, performing nuisance abatement and doing hands-on community training. Roth says he wants to change the culture of the Prosecuting Attorney's office. Roth, who has helped with Neighborhood Watch and other community crime-solving training sessions in Ka`u, says prosecutors should be more than case processors. "The should be problem solver." See mitchroth.org.

County of Hawai`i Councilmember District 6

Maile David

Brenda Ford

MAILE (MEDEIROS) DAVID says she advocates and supports cultural sustainability and economic self-sufficiency; sustainable diversified agriculture; programs that use natural cultural resources as learning classrooms; energy sustainability programs; product branding and truth in labeling; aggressive federal, state and county collaboration to address and minimize the impact of invasive species; watershed protection; preservation of natural and cultural resources; safe routes to school programs; and planned growth consistent with Community Development Plans. David stresses her heritage and connection with Hawai`i. See mailedavid.com. 

BRENDA FORD is an incumbent County Council member. She lists her top priorities as construction of Ocean View Transfer Station; creation of a teleconferencing site in Ka`u so residents can conveniently testify before governmental agencies; completion of construction of Ka`u District Shelter & Gym; completion of Mamalahoa Bypass Road to Napo`opo`o Junction; passage of Volcano Village Community Plan; support of truth in labeling and country of origin labeling for any agricultural products with a Hawaiian regional name; starting of partnership with county, state, UH and private enterprise to build West Hawai`i University campus. See brendaford.org.
      See tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs for more candidate profiles.

THE NUMBER OF GROUND TOURS by ship passengers coming this way may increase over the next year as more cruise ships ask to stop in Hilo and the passenger counts go up. 

Zaandam is one of the ships that comes into Hilo's port where passengers
can disembark for Volcano and Ka`u. Photo from Holland America Line

      Ka`u is one of the farthest destinations visited by cruise ship passengers touring by bus, van and car from Hilo port to Volcano and sometimes on to Punalu`u Beach Park before heading back to the ship.
      Hilo Bay Tours and Big Island Eco Tours managing director Farzin Faridi said he is putting together packages for the company’s tour vans that will take passengers as far as Punalu`u Beach Park, with visits to Ka`u Coffee Mill and Volcano. He said he is also working to bring passengers to both Volcano Art Center galleries. One tour is as long as six and a half hours, he said.
      According to a press release from Hawai`i Tourism Authority, cruise visitor days statewide increased 24.4 percent in September over the same month last year.
      Six out-of-state cruise ships came with 11,656 visitors on board, compared to four ships with 7,643 visitors in September 2011. In addition, five Saturdays in September 2012 allowed for five tours of the Hawai`i home-ported cruise ship compared to four tours last September.
      For the first nine months of 2012, a total of 195,728 visitors came by cruise ship or by air to board cruise ships, an increase of 22.3 percent from the same period last year. Visitor days for all cruise visitors rose 13.3 percent.

      In the first nine months of 2012, a total of 102,257 visitors came to Hawai`i aboard 55 out-of-state cruise ships. This is 42.5 percent higher compared to the 71,780 visitors that boarded the 43 cruise ships during the same period in 2011.

Punalu`u attracts visitors, but the law keeps them at least 15 feet away
from both the green sea turtles and endangered nesting hawksbills.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

      Hawai`i Tourism Authority president and CEO Mike McCartney reported on overall tourism, saying that double-digit increases in visitor expenditures for September contributed to an increase of $1.7 billion, to $10.7 billion, in year-to-date spending over 2011.
      “As we head into the fourth quarter, we anticipate the momentum to continue with increases in airlift thanks to new routes by Hawaiian Airlines from Sapporo and Brisbane, Allegiant Airlines from the West Coast, and Jetstar from Melbourne. These new routes are all servicing secondary cities, which will provide greater ease of access for visitors to come to the Hawaiian Islands.
      “We are encouraged by the growth we have seen in expenditures and arrivals for the year so far and remain committed to working with the industry and our global marketing partners to achieve our overall targets of $13.9 billion in expenditures and 7.9 million visitor arrivals by the end of 2012,” the HTA chief said.

VISIT  OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 4, 2012

Ka`u has more government-owned land than any other district in Hawai`i. The new state Public Lands Development Corp. is aiming to partner with private enterprise to use state land for economic development and to bolster state revenues. The state land is shown in light green. Federal land is in blue. Map from state Office of Planning, Hawai`i Statewide GIS Program

A PUBLIC LANDS DEVELOPMENT CORP. HEARING on new operating rules for the state agency is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 13 at the state Department of Land & Natural Resources boardroom in Honolulu. Should a large crowd be expected, the hearing may be moved to the auditorium of the state Capitol, and a video feed may be provided for neighbor island testimony.

      No hearings are set for the neighbor islands, though hearings around the state this summer drew many protests calling for abolishing the PLDC. The Hawai`i County Council, along with Maui and Kaua`i’s County Councils, recently passed ordinances opposing the PLDC. Most Volcano and Ka`u candidates running for office in the election this Tuesday, Nov. 6, have expressed opposition or deep concern about the PLDC.

Opposition at public hearings this summer led to this banner
 for a rally in October.From islandbreath.blogspot.com

The public notice for the PLDC hearing says the proposed action will establish operating procedures for the PLDC. “It contains general provisions relating to the office location and hours, board meetings, and delegation of authority to the Executive Director; and sets forth procedures for proceedings before the board, contested case hearings, declaratory rulings, and petition for amendment, adoption, or repeal of administrative rules.
      “Proposed adoption of a new Chapter 13-302, HAR, Public Land Development Program sets forth a procedure for the Corporation to initiate, by itself or with qualified persons, or enter into cooperative agreements with qualified persons for the development or financing of projects that make optimal use of public land for the economic, environmental, and social benefit of the people of Hawai`i.”

THERE ARE KA`U CONNECTIONS with the Public Land Development Corp. According to a recent Civil Beat story, Gov. Neil Abercrombie supports the PLDC, which will allow state lands to be used for economic development. The Sophie Cocke story reports the governor recently enlisting Bill Kaneko, his campaign manager for the 2010 election, to help with PLDC rulemaking and the message to the public.
       Kaneko is connected to future land use in Ka`u through `Aina Koa Pono, the company proposing to establish a biofuel farm on 13,000 acres between Pahala and Na`alehu and a refinery near Wood Valley Road. The proposal would raise electric bills on O`ahu and Hawai`i Island and is up for decision-making before the state Public Utilities Commission.

Bill Kaneko Photo from lawyers.com

      Kaneko was listed throughout 2011 and during the first quarter of this year as the registered lobbyist for `Aina Koa Pono.  Hawai`i State Ethics Commission contribution reports filed by `Aina Koa Pono chair Kenton Eldridge and former chair Melvin Chigioji show that `Aina Koa Pono paid the law firm in Honolulu where Kaneko works, Alston, Hunt, Floyd & Ing, a total of $63,373.50 during 2012 to lobby the Legislature for the `Aina Koa Pono project. The documents filed with the ethics commission define the lobbying as being related to “Ecology, Energy, Environmental Protection.”
      Kaneko recently became one of the directors of the Alston, Hunt, Floyd & Ing law firm. Another PLDC connection with Ka`u is PLDC director, Duane Kurisu, owner of Punalu`u Bakeshop and land in Wood Valley. Another PLDC director is Richard Lim, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, a founding partner and currently listed as an advisor to Sennet Capital, which lists `Aina Koa Pono as one of its Transactions on its website at http://sennetcapital.com.

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS JOINED Hawai`i County Fire Department and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park personnel on the ground and in helicopters to battle a blaze that began Friday afternoon at Keauhou ranch near Keauhou Bird Conservation Center. Hawai`i 24/7 reports that at nightfall on Friday, crews had the fire 80 percent contained and 95 percent contained by midnight with at least four acres burned. The cause has not been determined. See more at www.hawaii247.com.

Image from contractforthefuture.org

CONTRACTFORTHEFUTURE.ORG is Hawai`i State Teachers Associations new website focusing on the union’s 16-month-long labor dispute with the state. HSTA accuses Gov. Neil Abercrombie of violating collective bargaining rights when “he unilaterally imposed a new contract last year,” according to the website. The website includes a timeline of events from HSTA filing a lawsuit “to protect Constitutional rights to bargain” in July 2011 to last month, when HSTA ended what the website refers to as “meaningless mediation with the governor.” Hawai`i’s teachers are seeking the restoration of what the union calls “the status quo of salaries and health care premium costs that were in place in June 30, 2011.” 

      Another summary of events, from the state’s perspective, is available at hawaii.gov/gov/faq/our-public-school-teachers-and-hsta.html.
      On its calendar page, the website lists “Election Day Sign Waving for our Teacher Contract” to take place Tuesday, Nov. 6.
      Another page, entitled “How You Can Help,” has fields to fill out to send a message to Gov. Abercrombie.
      A meeting of the two sides on the state’s proposed two-year contract is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 14.

After a night's rest in Pahala, Nate Stanis began the next leg of her journey
 on foot at 6 a.m. Photo from runningongreens.blogspot.com.

NATE STANIS HAS COMPLETED her run around Hawai`i Island in support of People’s Advocacy for Trails Hawai`i and Hawai`i Conservation Alliance. Her stops included Kilauea Lodge, Pahala Plantation Cottages, Punalu`u Bakeshop and a friend’s house in Ocean View. She averaged 20 to 30 miles each day on public roads. “Seeing Hawai`i on foot this way has been spectacular, challenging and eye opening. I am thankful to spread love of Hawai`i lands and the importance of trails and paths,” she says on her blog, runningongreens.blogspot.com. Stanis plans to share her experiences and raise more money for PATH and Hawai`i Conservation Alliance at an event to be announced. 

      Information about PATH is available at pathhawaii.org. For Hawai`i Conservation Alliance, visit hawaiiconservation.org.

MISS ALOHA HAWAI`I 2012, Brandy Shibuya, crowned her successor at Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa yesterday. In her closing comments, she said, “To my `ohana, thank you for the love and laughter throughout the years. To my supporters, thank you for all your faith and belief in my dream. To the next Miss Aloha Hawai`i, make your dreams come true.”
      Shibuya continues her reign as Miss Ka`u Coffee until the upcoming pageant.

Brandy Shibuya danced her final hula as
Miss Aloha Hawai`i yesterday.

ELECTION DAY IS THIS TUESDAY, Nov. 6. Polling places at Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano Village, Ka`u High School Cafeteria, Na`alehu School Cafeteria and Ocean View Community Center are open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 961-8277 for more information.

A VETERANS DAY CONCERT will be held this Saturday, Nov. 10, featuring Keoki and Moses Kahumoku, John and Hope Keawe, Sonny Lim, Diana Aki, James Hill, Bolo, Andy Andrews, Darci Baker, Anne Davison, Lopaka Naihe, Robert Kennedy, Peter DeAquino and Andy Rising. The concert is free from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of Pahala Plantation House.

VISIT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.