Ka`u News Briefs March 31, 2011

Think Local First is a new campaign to encourage everyone to by local beef and other ag products.  Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I COUNTY RESIDENTS can do a lot to improve health through healthy eating and healthy living, according to a national study called County Health Rankings. The county ranks Hawai`i County higher than the other islands in premature deaths, and these can be correlated with more people smoking, more obesity, more drinking and less access to health care than the other islands. 

Smoking is one if the major health risks on the Big Island.
Image by David Hegarty

     The violent crime rate is lower than the other islands. However, deaths from traffic accidents on this island are the highest in the state. One thing better about the island is more access to recreational areas. Also, the state has a higher rate of residents covered by health insurance than the rest of the country. All of this data can be seen at countyhealthrankings.org. 

SPEAKING OF HEALTH, economic health was the target of a group of economists, business representatives and county and nonprofit organization representatives who met yesterday at the county building in Hilo. They want to come up with strategies on how to encourage residents and visitors to purchase local food and locally made products to help rev up the engine of the island’s economy. Some of the suggestions included promotions and tax incentives to buy local first, creating a sense of mission and pride for food sovereignty for the island, and incentivizing schools, hospitals and other organizations to serve food grown by local farmers. A Think Local First Action Committee was organized and will come up with a plan for the island. The project is sponsored by the Hawai`i Alliance for a Local Economy. See bigisle.sustainhawaii.org. 

Logo for Ka`u School of the Arts

KA`U SCHOOL OF THE ARTS has come up with a website at kauarts.org. On the website are sections on events, classes, gallery and projects, and the front page feature is the school's Spring Fling coming up on April 30 at Punalu`u Bake Shop. See kauarts.org. 

THE KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL can also be followed on the Internet, on its blog, twitter, Facebook, Flickr and at kaucoffeefest.org. See photos of all the Miss Ka`u Coffee candidates and updates on both the pageant to be held Saturday, April 23 at Ka`u High School Gym and the Ka`u Coffee Festival on the weekend of May 14 and 15.

THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS Administration is offering low interest rate loans to victims of the March 11 tsumani. An SBA office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until April 26 in Kona.

Brian DeLima represents the Big Island
on the new Board of Education.

BRIAN DELIMA is the new Board of Education member for the Big Island, appointed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. He is an attorney and former member of the Hawai`i County Council. He is appointed for two years. The chair of the new statewide school board is Don Horner, the chair and CEO of First Hawaiian Bank. The Department of Education has an operating budget of $1.7 billion. The electorate voted last November to allow the governor to name the school board members rather than to elect them. Hawai`i has the only statewide school board in the country. 

THE KA`U VARSITY VOLLEYBALL boys have defeated Christian Liberty Academy in a three-game sweep at the Ka`u High gym. Set scores were 25-14, 25-16 and 25-19. Senior Tyler Navarro-Villa slammed six kills. Freshman Larry Al-Navarro, sophomore Donald Garo Jr., and senior Marcus Grace all put in four kills each.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND holds a Ka`u beach cleanup this Saturday. The volunteers meets at Wai`ohinu park at 7:45 a.m. to caravan to the site. Sign up at kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or call 769-7629.

Ka`u News Briefs March 30, 2011

Voting for One Journey, which made the finals to Brown Bags to Stardom, begins tonight.  Photo by Julia Neal

Sen. Dan Akaka reintroduces
the Akaka Bill to the Senate.
Photo by Julia Neal

Rep. Mazie Hirono will
reintroduce the Akaka Bill.
Photo by Julia Neal

SENATOR DAN AKAKA is reintroducing the Akaka Bill today on the U.S. Senate floor, and Rep. Mazie Hirono plans to reintroduce it in the House later this week to give federal recognition to Native Hawaiians. The measure is deemed important now since Akaka, the champion of the bill, plans to retire after his current term. The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act would give Hawaiians many of the same privileges as Native American Indians. Many Hawaiian groups, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, supports the bill, while most Republicans oppose it, and some sovereignty activists think it would block their efforts to restore the Hawaiian Kingdom. When Gov. Neil Abercrombie served in Congress he helped build support for the Akaka Bill. 

EMERGENCY RELIEF for people whose property and businesses were damaged by the tsunami from Japan will be offered at the Old Kona Airport Pavilion again today between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. with state, county and private agencies on hand. You can also call 211 or contact Civil Defense. Civil Defense Director Ed Texeira said that so much has already been done with people helping people. 

     Both Rep. Bob Herkes and Sen. Gil Kahele have introduced a tsunami emergency bill in the state Legislature asking for funds as well as fast tracking permits to make repairs. The resolution also asks Congress to refrain from cutting money for the tsunami Pacific System.
     Councilwoman Brittany Smart asked the governor to help Ka`u prepare for any future disaster by providing funds to build a $20 million shelter and gym in Pahala next to the school grounds.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS introduced by Sen. Gil Kahele and Rep. Bob Herkes that are still alive at the Legislature include $2.5 million for the Ka`u irrigation system, $6.7 million for buildings at Volcano School of Arts and Sciences, $10 million for the Na`alehu School Administration and Library and $250 million for a U.H. Ag Research station in Volcano.

THE STATE COUNCIL ON REVENUES met yesterday and said that the possible reduction in tax revenues from Japanese canceling vacations to Hawai`i because of the tsunami is unknown since it is unclear when they will start traveling again or how much they will continue to travel. However, the council is worried because state tax revenues collected in February were down, even before the tsunami. As a result the Council on Revenues has readjusted its prediction of state income downward, making an even more difficult challenge for the state Legislature. Ideas to raise money to balance the budget range from gambling, to establishing a lottery, to ending Hawaiian Air’s tax relief and to raising the four percent excise tax. 

THE HAWAI`I 2050 Sustainability plan may get more teeth from the state Legislature if SB 283 passes. The bill incorporates definitions, guiding principles and goals of the 2050 Sustainability Plan into the Hawai`i state planning act. Department of Agriculture Chair Russell Kokubun, who helped craft the plan when he was a state senator, submitted testimony. He said the Department of Ag is “committed to the re-establishment of agriculture as essential to the well being of our island society by rejuvenating the economy, protecting important resources and gaining greater self-sufficiency in food production and alternative energy development.”
     The Nature Conservancy also testified in support of the 2050 legislation, saying “the health of Hawai`i’s unique but threatened natural resources directly affects our economy and quality of life. Residents and visitors alike are awed and inspired by the Hawaiian Islands natural wonders. Beyond breathtaking beauty, these resources provide essential natural benefits that make life possible in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean. From native forests that give us fresh water, erosion control and cultural treasures to abundant coral reefs that provide food, recreation and protection from storms, we all depend daily on nature to sustain us,” The Nature Conservancy testified.

A mobile care van similar to the one that will come here.

A HEALTH BILL championed by Rep. Bob Herkes supports tele-health services coverage for Medicaid and Quest patients through a new mobile health van that will come to Ka`u from Kona Hospital. The measure passed the state Senate and is in the House of Representatives. The Hawai`i Association of Health Plans testified that the Big Island of Hawai`i’s geography and sparsely distributed population may translate into barriers to care for some. Bringing access to medical care to the neediest of populations via a mobile medical van makes sense to improve health of rural underserved populations. It was noted that the Big Island of Hawai`i represents over 65 percent of all the landmass in the state and also has lowest population density. 

     The purchase of the van is funded by $350,000 appropriated previously by the Legislature.

VOTE FOR ONE JOURNEY tonight, if you like, as Brown Bags to Stardom music video competition among the finalists kicks off at 7:30 p.m. The Ka`u High School music group One Journey has made the top six, and their music video is being shown on OC16 television. Anyone with an email address or access to the Internet can vote. Log onto brownbagstostardom.com to see the video Lover’s Dream, written by Eunice Longakit and James Tyson. You can also vote through watching OC16 and using your interactive remote control. The band, under the direction of Ka`u High School teacher Laura Saijo, has been raising money to fund its trip to the Brown Bags to Stardom talent contest on O`ahu on April 23. The band also hopes to print more copies of the CD, which sold out at its recent fundraiser at KAHU-FM 91.7 radio.

Ka`u News Briefs March 29, 2011

Nearly 300 million tires are thrown out each year in the U.S. Some of them
could be used to make more flexible pavement here.  Photo by Scott Williams

COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTANY SMART is planning to testify before the Senate Ways and Means committee in Honolulu to support a bill that would allow taxes at the gas station to be used to maintain roads in private subdivisions like Ocean View. She said that Ocean View residents are paying taxes along with the high price of gas at the pump. Since these fuel taxes are used for fixing roads, some of that money should be used for Ocean View roads, she said. The county, long ago, allowed the massive Ocean View subdivision to be developed without roads that meet public standards, and the county has not made the roads public, so Ocean View residents have to pay for them. If the bill passes the Legislature, a committee would review proposals from community road associations to help fund specific projects.

Brittany Smart wants public opinion
on keeping or ending furlough days.

ANOTHER ROAD ITEM on Council member Smart’s agenda is looking into the possibility of using crumbled tires as an additive to asphalt for paving roads. She said putting the bits of tires into the pavement makes it more flexible and able to absorb earthquakes without cracking. She said she is looking into the cost of shredding tires and the machinery that would be needed to add tires to pavement. 

WHETHER TO END COUNTY WORKER furloughs is a big issue in budget discussions at the County Council finance meetings this week. Mayor Billy Kenoi wants to end them. Council Chair Dominic Yagong and Brenda Ford said that furloughs may be needed for another year to help balance the county budget. When asked whether the mayor would represent the council’s view, should the council pass a resolution for another year of furloughs, the mayor could not commit. He said the issue is a collective bargaining negotiation and that Hawai`i County has only one vote, while the governor has four, and the governor wants to end furloughs. Ka`u County Council member Brittany Smart said this morning that she sees mixed opinions among county workers. Some would prefer to have a few days off a month rather than cut their pay and work full-time. Once the economic crisis is over, it would be hard to get the pay raised back up.

     Smart said she invites the public to call her office and give an opinion on the issue. Her office phone number is 961-8536, or email hccdistrict6@gmail.com.

Barcode software could make
county permit processing faster.

TRACKING PERMITS through the county planning process could become easier with barcodes, like FEDEX tracking packages, if new software proposed in Mayor Billy Kenoi’s budget makes it through the County Council. Ka`u council member Brittany Smart says she supports the measure to save time at the county and make permit processing faster for home builders and businesses. 

    

Coffee farmers can learn how to use fungus to battle borers.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

PACIFIC BASIN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER has arranged for Dr. Stefan Jaronski, a USDA entomologist, to speak to coffee farmers on the use of the fungal solution to combat the devastating effects of the Coffee Berry Borer. Jaronski will be in Hawai`i as part of the annual Entomological Symposium titled "Invasive Species of the Pacific Region” at the Hilton Waikoloa Beach Resort. The farmers’ meeting will be at the Old Airport Pavilion in Kona at 9 a.m. this Thursday, March 31. 

THE OCEAN VIEW TEEN CLUB for ages 13 to 18 meets tonight and every Tuesday evening from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Kahuku Park and Ocean View Community Center. Call 937-3335 for more information.

Ka`u News Briefs March 28, 2011

Napau Fire started March 5, sparked by lava. It is more than 80 percent contained.  Photo from Napau Fire Crew

THE COUNTY COUNCIL will spend most of its time on the county budget this week with Special Finance committee meetings all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Hilo council chambers. The goal is to establish the operating budget for July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. Council chair Dominic Yagong wants to reduce the police department budget by holding back their pay increases. Mayor Billy Kenoi does not. Yagong wants to consider continuing two-day a month furloughs for county workers, while the mayor wants to end furloughs.

Gov. Abercrombie promises more ag inspectors.  Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE has released a statement regarding the upcoming state budget and state legislature decisions. He asks: “Do we want to produce our own energy instead of exporting billions of dollars to unstable oil-rich countries? Do we want to use these dollars to pay our own solar installers, biofuel farmers, geothermal engineers and wind energy technicians? If we do then we need to connect the islands, accelerate the transition to clean energy with the right incentives, and build functioning regulatory agencies so projects aren’t stuck in paper and process.” The governor also asked, “Do we want to grow our own healthy food instead of being so dependent on multi-national food conglomerates and food and fuel grown and produced in developing countries? If we do we’ll need to repair our irrigation systems and invest in agricultural research and education. Reinstating eliminated agricultural inspectors is a step in the right direction, but that step alone won’t get us there – not even close.” The governor said that in these challenging times, everyone – including the public sector – is going to do more with less. “We must commit ourselves 100 perent to solve our fiscal crisis and focus on economic growth,” he said.

THE NAPAU FIRE that burned nearly 2100 acres is more than 80 percent contained, after more than an inch of rain and heavy work on hot spots by firefighters over the weekend. The fire was ignited by the Kamoamoa Fissure Eruption that started on March 5 and has since ended. More than 50 local and mainland firefighters and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park staff worked to protect Special Ecological Areas that are home to many endangered species.

Mainland firefighters came from national parks, forests and recreational areas.  Photo from Napau Fire Crew

HAWAI`I STATE CIVIL DEFENSE opens a Community Disaster Assistance and Recovery Center tomorrow for anyone on the island with March 11 tsunami damage. Hours at the Old Kona Airport Events Pavilion are Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center will be staffed by representatives from the Office of the Mayor in Kona, the Department of Environmental Management and the Department of Public Works along with private organizations such as American Red Cross and Catholic Charities Hawai`i. Mayor Billy Kenoi said: “This cooperative government and private-sector effort will efficiently deliver the information and assistance that our residents need for the most rapid recovery possible.”
     State Civil Defense officials are contacting all of the people who called Aloha United Way’s 2-1-1 hotline for assistance in connection with the tsunami to invite them to the meeting. Kenoi and Gov. Neil Abercrombie have issued emergency proclamations in connection with the tsunami, and Abercrombie has requested that President Barack Obama issue a presidential disaster declaration.

One Journey's fundraising CD sold out, and the band is still raising money for Honolulu.  Photo by Julia Neal

ONE JOURNEY has made the finals in the Brown Bags to Stardom’s music video competition on OC16 television. A new round of voting begins this Wednesday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. on OC16. Anyone with an email address or access to the Internet can vote. Log onto brownbagtostardom.com to see the video Lover’s Dream, written by Eunice Longakit and James Tyson. The band, under the direction of Ka`u High School teacher Laura Saijo, is still raising money to fund its trip to the Brown Bags to Stardom talent contest on O`ahu on April 23. At a recent fundraiser at KAHU FM 91.7, produced by Ka`u Productions, LLC, the band raised funds and sold out its CDs but is still short about $500. Donations can be dropped by the radio station or Ka`u High School. The band also hopes to raise money to print more copies of the CD to sell as another fundraiser.

Ka`u News Briefs March 27, 2011

Ko Aloha `Ukulele were built from koa by Ka`u youth. The group visited KAHU FM 91.7                            Photo by Julia Neal 

LAVA RETURNED TO KILAUEA VOLCANO’S EAST RIFT ZONE yesterday after a 17-day pause in eruptive activity. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports the eruption began at 10:09 a.m. inside Pu‘u ‘O‘o, with lava slowly filling the deepest parts of the crater. The event was heralded by a brief seismic tremor burst, in which tremor levels doubled and tslowly decreases. Jim Kauahikaua, Scientist in Charge, said, “Lava is currently confined to the Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater and, so far, poses no threat to structures within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park or outside Park boundaries.”  

Composite photo from temporary webcam placed at Pu`O`o shows new lava.
                                                                                                     Photo from HAVO

      On March 5, Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater’s floor, on which lava accumulated to a depth of nearly 250 feet during the past year, began to collapse. A fissure opened southwest of Pu‘u ‘O‘o and fountains of lava erupted, extending to Napau Crater. Lava continued to erupt from this  Ka-moa-moa fissure until the night of March 9, when all activity on Kilauea’s east rift zone paused. Since then, no lava had erupted from east rift zone vents until yesterday. Visit the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Web site at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov and see the webcam.

Triangles show hot spot targets of firefighters who control the Napau Fire, which has burned more than 2,00 acres.
                                                                                                                                                             Map from Napau Fire Crew

 THE NAPAU FIRE containment has reached beyond 50 percent with firefighters working on hot spots throughout the 2,000 acres of burned forest. The team from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and from other national parks, national forests and recreational areas on the mainland  has protected Special Ecological Areas. The fires was ignited by lava from the eruption that began March 5.

Alan Okami, of Ko Aloha,  Keoki Kahumoku
                                        Photo by Julia Neal

MORE THAN 30 `UKULELE are going home with the youth of Ka`u this weekend after an `ukulele building workshop sponsored by Ko Aloha `Ukulele, Keioki Kahumoku, the Queen Liliu`okalani Trust, Pahala Plantation Cottages and the Edmund C. Olson Trust. Alan and Paul Okami, of Ko Aloha `Ukulele, which manufactures the musical instruments on O`ahu, brought their crew to Pahala to teach students how to build them. The `ukulele are made of koa and the workshop saw parents, grandparents, aunties, and uncles helping the younger children to construct their `ukulele. Ko Aloha has sponsored similar workshops on Moloka`i and plans to come back to Ka`u for another `ukulele build in October.

ABOUT FACE, JUMP START AND COMMUNITY ALL STARS programs, which have been helping Ka`u youth for years with after-school training, are all on the chopping block and they end in April. The reason is a cut in federal funding that comes was going to the state Department of Defense and managed by the Paxen Group. The program not only eliminates training for youth, it eliminates employment for the Ka`u residents who teach the young people. Also unlikely, this summer, is a program that hired more than 100 Ka`u youth for summer jobs at such places at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, the hospital and for community groups throughout the district.

Jump Start kids raised money to help a family whose house burned in Na`alehu. The Jump Start, All Star and About Face programs are being dropped.
                                                                                                                                                                            Photo by India Young

 THE DAMAGE FROM THE JAPAN TUSNAMI that reached our shores on March 11 totals more than $30 million to the Islands, according to state estimates. Gov. Neil Abercrombie asked for the Small Business Administration to help homeowners, businesses, nonprifits and renters with low-interest loans for repairs on the Big Island. On the southside it was homes in Honomolino, Okoe and Kapua Bays that were damaged. The governor will also ask Pres. Barack Obama for a disaster declaration which would provide some reimbursement to counties for repair of public infrastructure, like Ali`i Drive in Kona.

No dangerous radiation  here, but more evacuations possible in Japan.

RADIATION CONTINUES TO ESCAPE from the damaged nuclear reactor farm on the northern coast of Honshu Island. Nuclear expert Joe Cirincione said that he doesn’t expect any radiation problem here. 

However, the end result could be spikes of radiation in Japan and the possibility of thousands more people 

      Small amounts of radiation have reached Las Vegas, but in tiny amounts and the health departments say not to worry.

Ka`u News Briefs March 26, 2011

History of the Napua Fire, ignited by lava on March 5, was 50 percent contained by March 26,. Mainland firefighters help out.

THE NAPAU FIRE is more than 50 percent contained, following heavy rains over two days and an aggressive mop-up and fire suppression. The fire is confined to the perimeter with 50 firefighters, fire management staff and park resource advisors working to protect the Special Ecological Areas at Kealakomo and Naula. Firefighters from other national parks, national forests and recreational areas on the mainland have been helping and Chain of Craters Road is open again. The fire was sparked March 5 by the Kamoamoa Fissure Eruption. There are currently no active lava flows in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

BUILDING A NEW COMMUNITY-BASED re-entry program between Hilo and Ka`u to help bring inmates from the mainland back home to Hawai`i is the subject of resolutions introduced by Sen. Gill Kahele and Rep. Bob Herkes at the 2011 Legislature. A public hearing will be held Thursday, March 31 at the Capitol. One proposal is to build the facility on Hawaiian Homes Land and a committee to study the issue would included the chair of the Hawaiian Homes Commission as well as representatives from the Pana`ewa Community and Farmers Associations. A bill introduced by Herkes would establish a prison for 1,000 to 1,200 inmates on unoccupied Hawaiian Home Lands.

The home of the PUC in the Territorial Building in Honolulu.

THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION is expected to be revamped through legislation. A proposal would add commissioners and require more public notice and public input before decisions are made. The Keahole Defense Fund supports amendments to the PUC law, saying that current regulations do not require the PUC to hold open meetings or vote in public. The consumer advocate and utility are allowed to negotiate without much public participation, testified Keahole Defense attorney Michael Matsuaka. The PUC would receive more funding to cover its wide berth of responsibilities, from regulating interisland ocean transportation to dealing with electrical rates and the emergence of the renewable energy industry.

The Ka`u water system is over 100 years old.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE  CHAIR Russell Kokubun has been battling for money to repair water systems around the state that fell into disrepair after the sugar industry shut down. He testified to the 2011 Legislature that “irrigation systems provide an essential resource to farms. Most of the systems are over 100 years old and are in need of significant improvements to reduce water losses and maintenance costs,” he said . Kokubun said repairs are needed to move Hawai‘i toward a more sustainable future. The measure is supported by the Hawai`i Farm Bureau and other pro ag organizations. The bill, which is also being promoted by Sen. Gil Kahele and Rep. Bob Herkes would allow the state to issue bonds to fund the Ka`u Irrigation System between Pahala and Na`alehu with $500,000 in 2011 and 2012, and another $2 million in 2012 – 2013, along with other irrigation projects around the state. It passed the Senate and has gone to House Finance.

ANOTHER AG BILL that lost traction in the legislature would have allowed agricultural inspectors to be trained and hired by contract in such remote areas as Ka`u. The bill was supported by a number of Ka`u coffee farmers who say they are experiencing problems with getting their coffee inspected before shipping out. The inspectors are in Kona where Ka`u farmers do not want to take their clean coffee and vehicles since Kona is the hotbead of the coffee cherry borers, Hypothenemus hampei, which could ride back to Ka`u on vehicles. Megan Collins of Paradise Orchard and bee Farm testified for the measure as a director of the Ka`u Farm Bureau. Coffee farmer Effran Abellera testified that he doesn't want his coffee going to Kona. Coffee farmer Lorie Obra also supported the measure along with Ka`u Farm Bureau President and statewide Farm Bureau vice president Chris Manfredi who also testified on behalf of Ka`u Farm & Ranch, which manages land where many of the Ka`u farmers have their coffee.

         The Department of Agriculture and Hawai`i Government Employees union opposed the measure, saying that it would be difficult to ensure quality and consistency of an independent agent’s work performance and that the measure would privatize the inspection function of the Department of Ag. The HGEA testified that  higher costs, lower quality of services and loss of accountability are some of the common results of the privatization of government services and recommended restoring inspector jobs that were cut from the department under Gov. Linda Lingle’s administration. Coffee farmers said they are documenting added costs of transportation and time going to Kona and added risks taken that could bring coffee borers to their farms. They said they hope inspectors will come here.

DENGUE FEVER is in Pearl City on O`ahu and even though that seems far away, the state Department of Health encourages everyone to disperse standing water that hosts mosquitoes to prevent the spread of the disease across the island. Dengue is more common in more tropical places. Dengue fever is a virus and causes a sudden high fever and a flat red rash, headache, aching joints and muscles. Hydration is important during the illness. Anyone thinking they have the virus should contact a physician for treatment and so the health department can track the outbreak.

Ka`u News Briefs March 25, 2011

Plastics from around the world float onto the remote beaches of Ka`u, and young people help to clean it up
in honor of Marine Debris Awareness Week.  Photo by Megan Lamson

THE PROPOSED CIP BUDGET for Ka`u is being hashed out between the County Council and Mayor Billy Kenoi. Projects with money attached are the Na`alehu and Pahala large capacity cesspools for which $6,215,000 is listed, Ocean View recycling and transfer station with $500,000 listed and Na`alehu Police Station repairs with $75,000.
     The biggest CIP projects are with the state, including $20 million proposed for a gymnasium at the old tennis courts in Pahala on county land. The building would also serve as a disaster shelter and would be funded through bonds issued by the state through Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Both former County Council member Guy Enriques and current council member Brittany Smart worked on the proposal. The county Department of Public Works, Planning, the mayor’s office and Department of Parks and Recreation are coming up with a design-build plan for the governor. Another project in Ka`u is the long-awaited elevation of Hwy 11 near Kawa, which frequently floods, cutting off traffic and blocking access to the hospital in Pahala from Na`alehu.

NEW TRANSFER AND RECYCLING CENTERS for Volcano and Wai`ohinu are on the back burner for now. Council member Brittany Smart set up a meeting between residents and representatives of the county solid waste division in Volcano last night and Ocean View residents on Wednesday night to review plans for the area. These District 6 Matters meetings were specifically on solid waste, and Smart plans a series of such meetings on specific concerns, which she will take to each community.

Ocean View has a serious illegal dumping problem, and building a
permanent transfer and recycling station is high on the county's list.
Photo from EIS, Ocean View Recycling Point & Convenience Center

     Volcano residents talked about a big need for getting rid of green waste, and Ocean View residents were anxious to see a more permanent transfer and recycling station. County representatives said that the Ocean View station is a top priority and that plans for a brand new Wai`ohinu transfer station have been set aside.
    Terin Gloor, who has been working for the county on the Ocean View solid waste, reviewed the plans for which environmental impact statements and design have been in progress for more than five years. Residents currently have a temporary container that is hauled in and out each week. They formerly had to drive toward Kona or to Wai`ohinu to get rid of rubbish, and dumping has long been a serious problem in Ocean View. Wai`ohinu has a wall in need of repair for which the county will try to find money.

THIS IS MARINE DEBRIS AWARENESS WEEK, and the fifth annual International Marine Debris Conference is being held in Hawai`i. Conferees are developing a commitment from international representatives to reduce ocean dumping that would cut back on trash that reaches some of the most remote places in the world, including the Ka`u Coast, where volunteers routinely clean up. According to conference proceedings, marine debris results in major consequences for marine habitats, biodiversity, human health and the global economy. 

Beach debris hauled in from the Ka`u Coast includes many plastics.
Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

     At least 267 marine species are affected by entanglement in or ingestion of marine debris, including 86 percent of all sea turtles species, 44 percent of all seabird species and 43 percent of all marine mammal species.
     There is growing concern over the potential impact on human health of toxic substances released by plastic waste in the ocean. The culprits are microplastics comprised of disintegrating plastic items or lost plastic pellets used by industry, which can accumulate contaminants linked to cancer, reproductive problems and other health risks. Scientists are studying whether these contaminants can enter the food chain when microplastics are ingested by marine animals.
     Marine debris may house communities of invasive species which can disrupt marine habitats and ecosystems. Heavy items of marine debris can damage habitats such as coral reefs and affect the foraging and feeding habits of marine animals.
     The commitment that came from the conference is called the Honolulu Strategy, and one of its main goals is to reduce both land and ocean sources of marine debris, and to educate people and governments to see waste as a resource to be managed. It calls for public awareness campaigns on the negative impacts of improper waste disposal – targeting street litter, illegal dumping of rubbish and poorly managed waste dumps.
     The Republic of Korea is being held up as an example. It has a policy of Extended Producer Responsibility, enforced since 2003, targeting paper, glass, iron, aluminum and plastic as well as batteries, tires and lubricating oil. This initiative has resulted in the recycling of six million metric tons of waste in five years, increasing Korea’s recycling rate by 14 percent and creating economic benefits equivalent to $1.6 billion. Marine resources expert Megan Lamson, of Ka`u, is attending the conference, which has the theme Global Lessons to Inspire Local Action.

New concerns out of Japan for
more serious radiation leaks.

A GREATER CONCERN FOR RADIATION from the broken nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan is emerging, with the Japanese government worried that a breached reactor may be releasing radiation longer lasting and more dangerous than Iodine-131. The reactor uses MOX fuel, a combination of plutonium and uranium, which releases radiation that can make towns and agricultural areas wastelands. The Japanese government is hoping to contain the radiation but is considering expanding the restrictive zone around the nuclear plant and may ask tens of thousands of people to leave their homes. Hawai`i health officials say there is small risk of the radiation reaching Hawai`i in any dangerous doses.

Ka`u News Briefs March 24, 2011

Aesthetician Ursula D'Angelo, of Beauty Calls, visited Ka`u Coffee Pageant candidates to teach them about skin care,
including the application of masks with natural ingredients such as seaweed.  Photo by Nalani Parlin

THE HAWAI`I TOURISM AUTHORITY decided yesterday to spend $3 million to shore up the visitor industry following a drop in Japanese arrivals after the devastation of the tsunami on Honshu Island. HTA expects continued cancellation of reservations, with losses statewide through June mounting to $200 million. HTA plans to target China, Korea, Australia and the West Coast in an attempt to make up for the loss. With the state dependent on Japanese tourism tax income, the governor has asked the Council on Revenues to make a new projection for tourism, in order to project the income side of the state budget before it is finalized. More state budget cuts may be on the horizon.

This mobile weather station is designed to gather data
for fighting fires.  Photo from Napau Fire Crew

CHAIN OF CRATERS ROAD and Napau Trail were closed yesterday, about six miles from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center. Helicopters dropped water to cool hot spots and slowed the progress of the wildfire that has now burned more than 2,000 acres. Fire crews were able to fight both flanks of the fire, but there is still no containment. The Napau Fire is about seven miles southeast of Kilauea Visitor Center. Fire Incident Commander Robin Wills said that yesterday was the first day they were able to work successfully with their planning strategy - with all the firefighters’ parts and pieces. 

     The crews are particularly bent on saving the Special Ecological Area, an intact lowland rainforest which has been managed to exclude invasive species and restore native plants and animals. They include ama trees and sandalwood, the Hawaiian bat, Hawaiian hawk,  `apapane and `amakihi honeycreepers, carnivorous caterpillars, as well as the happyface spider.
     The crew numbers more than 40 and is comprised of firefighters from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, Whiskeytown National Recreation area, and other parks and national forests.
      Infrared mapping reveals that most of the fire burned single logs, standing dead trees, stumps and large areas of dead vegetation, mostly on the southeast perimeter. Remote automated weather stations are predicting weather factors related to fire. About 2,000 of these weather stations are placed around the U.S., and fire managers can bring them in from Boise, Idaho, where the National Fire Agency Office is located.

The community reefer at the old S&S Dairy for families
who raise and slaughter for home use.

SAVING THE REEFER at the old S&S Dairy just outside Na`alehu is an ongoing fundraising effort for Kaohi Mokuhali`i, the volunteer reefer keeper who keeps the cold storage locker open for local families who raise cattle, pigs and other livestock. In recent weeks she has been selling cinnamon bread from Punalu`u Bakeshop, just to help pay the electric bill, which can be almost $1,000 a month. The reefer is on land leased by Alfred Galimba and Kuahiwi Ranch, and Mokuhali‘i takes care of it, keeping the key to manage access, keeping it clean, and paying the bills. 

Reefer keeper
Kaohi Mokuhali`i

     Mokuhali‘i said that raising livestock and slaughtering for the family is a long tradition in Ka`u, and the community reefer is necessary to keep meat affordable. To buy tickets for the cinnamon bread, call 938-9040 by tomorrow. 

ONE JOURNEY, the high school band with a new CD and music video, is still raising money to fund its trip to the statewide Brown Bags to Stardom talent contest on O`ahu in April. At a recent fundraiser at this radio station, produced by Ka`u Productions, Inc., the band raised money and sold out its CDs but is still short about $500. Donations can be dropped by the radio station or Ka`u High School. One Journey, led by high school music teacher Laura Saijo, has received a lot of attention for its music video shown on OC16 television. The top song is Lovers Dream, written by singer Eunice Longakit and James Tyson. 

AESTHETICIAN Ursula D'Angelo, of Beauty Calls, has been working with Kaʻū Coffee Pageant candidates to help them care for their skin. "It's never too early to start taking care of your skin," advised D'Angelo. She brought fresh ingredients that can be found in the home - such as honey, avocado, oatmeal, green tea and yogurt - and let the girls concoct their own facial masks. The girls topped off their faces with seaweed, which is used in spa treatments to smooth and tone skin. The pageant is Saturday, April 23, and tickets can be purchased from the contenders.

YESTERDAY THE KA`U TROJAN Varsity baseball team took down Pahoa in Pahala, defeating them 7-6. Ka`u got off to a great start, scoring all of twice in the first inning, four in the second and once in the third. They held the Daggers to one run until the fourth inning. The Daggers picked up speed in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring four runs and keeping Ka`u scoreless. However, it was not enough to defeat the mighty Trojans. Callen Koi hit a triple and went three for four, and Dillin Ballo hit a double and went two for four. The big hitter of the day was James Dacalio, coming up with a home run in the third inning.

Ka`u News Briefs March 23, 2011

Olive ridley turtle.  Photo courtesy of Seaturtle.net

THE TURTLE PROJECT reports a very successful season, not only for thousands of baby hawksbills leaving their nests to reach the ocean along Ka`u’s coast, but for a rare olive ridley turtle, whose nest was found and protected at the end of Road to the Sea. The olive ridley nest was saved from the surf and protected by volunteers at `Awili Point. It was the fourth documented nesting of a ridley in Hawai`i. 

Baby olive ridley turtles.  Photo courtesy of the
Hawai`i Volcanoes Hawksbill Turtle Project

     The hawksbills did well, with 39 nests on six beaches: Apua Point and Halape inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park; Kamehame, The Nature Conservancy preserve makai of Pahala; Koloa-Ninole near Punalu`u; Pohue Bay and `Awili. No nests were found at Punalu`u this year. More than 40 volunteers helped to protect these rare turtles at the 40 nests along the Ka`u coast. Hawai`i Volcanoes Hawksbill Turtle Project leader Will Seitz said that more than 4,000 hatchlings made it safely to the ocean, where they will spend the rest of their lives. 

TRACE AMOUNTS of radiation reached Hawai`i yesterday, emanating from the Fukushima nuclear plants that were broken by the tsunami just off the coast of Japan on March 10. The state Department of Health stated that data from Hawai`i RadNet monitors showed no risk of harmful radiation to Hawai`i residents. In Japan, radiation entered the drinking water in Tokyo and into milk, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips and other fresh foods grown near the nuclear plant, but none of the affected foods are being shipped to Hawai`i. 

Older construction, like this home at Okoe Bay, was exempt from setbacks from high tide lines and
  restrictions from building on ground level within inundations zones.  Photo by Kaiali`i Kahele

TSUNAMI DAMAGE SEEN around Hawai`i Island hit many structures that would be prohibited from being constructed under today’s building code and setbacks from the ocean. Buildings are usually required to be at least 40 feet beyond the highest wash of the waves. Inside inundation and flood zones, buildings must be constructed with strong materials and high off the ground to let the ocean wash under and through them. The wrecked beach houses at Kapua, Okoe and Honomolino near Miloli`i, as well as the huts along the shore at Kona Village and restaurants hanging close to the bay on Ali`i Drive were all constructed before strict regulations were adopted. The news service Civil Beat quoted Hawai`i County Program Planning Manager Mark Bennett as saying that it might be a good idea to change state law to create a setback farther than 40 feet from the high-tide mark, particularly for properties where the shoreline is variable with a high rate or erosion. A proposal by Coastal Hazard Mitigation Specialist Dennis Hwang of University of Hawai`i Sea Grant program calls for increased setbacks, said Civil Beat. 

REP. BOB HERKES, who has championed disaster preparedness at the state Legislature, is pushing for more mapping of the islands for risk management for tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and other natural phenomena. Sophisticated mapping can layer various disaster risks to help direct planning for new development and delivery of emergency services, said Herkes. 

COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTANY SMART said that she is working hard to secure some $20 million from the state to build a new gym in Pahala that would also serve as a disaster shelter, not only for tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions but also for short-term protection from bad air during vog events. The location is by the tennis courts next to the Ka`u High School campus on land owned by the county. It would be a county facility open to the schools and public for sports and other events. A state bond would be floated to pay for it, and the county is working on a design-build proposal for Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s consideration. Sen. Gil Kahele visited the site last weekend.

Ka`u News Briefs March 22, 2011

Tutu & Me participants Lola DeMotte, Makana Toriano, Uncle Gordon Toriano,  Ian Beck, Penny Burgess,
Jayden Haina- Sesson and Uncle Jeffrey Ha`alilio shower the ohia tree they just planted with water and aloha.
Photo by Nalani Parlin

FLAMES WERE VISIBLE along the south flank of the Napau Fire in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Monday, as helicopters shuttled crews and equipment into the fire area to begin mopping up hot spots. More than 1,900 acres have burned, and there is no forecast as to when the fire could be contained. The Napau Fire is approximately seven miles southeast of Kilauea Visitor Center on the east rift of Kilauea Volcano. It is a lava-caused wildfire from the March 5, 2011 Kamoamoa Fissure Eruption. 

History of the Napau fire in
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

     As firefighters begin cooling and mop-up operations along the north flank of the fire perimeter after establishing secure safety zones, standing dead trees and snags pose high-hazard safety issues. The north flank has the greatest potential to threaten the east rift Special Ecological Area. Fire engines are patrolling the Chain of Craters Road and near the front of the fire, said Gary Wuchner, Napau Fire Information Officer. In addition to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area firefighters, others from Olympic National Park and the U.S. Forest Service in Eldorado, Sequoia, Stanislaus and Los Padres National Forests in California are helping to fight the fire. Chain of Craters Road is open after being closed for the fire, but could be closed again should conditions change. 

Meyer Camp Road, where the biofuels refinery would be located,
about 1.7 miles from Pahala.  Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

A MEASURE SUPPORTED BY `AINA KOA PONO that would allow Hawaiian Electric Industries to spread alternative energy costs among its customers across the state is headed for a hearing before the House Finance Committee. The new legislation was introduced after the Public Utilities Commission rejected a proposal from Hawaiian Electric to increase electric bills in Maui, O`ahu and Hawai`i Counties to pay for biofuel that Hawaiian Electric Light Co. plans to buy from `Aina Koa Pono’s factory and farm planned for Pahala. The PUC ruled that customers on the other islands could not be charged for the cost of electricity they do not receive. 

     In testimony before the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, `Aina Koa Pono partner Chris Eldridge asked the Legislature to pass a new law that would allow the rate increase across the islands. He said that his hui’s contract with Hawaiian Electric to purchase the biofuel is the cornerstone on which they are financing and developing the biofuel refinery and farm planned for Ka`u. He said the contract with HELCO is threatened by the PUC ruling and contended that while “biofuel will soon be cheaper than petroleum-based fuel, it will be more expensive for the first few years while the industry is developing.”
     He said the biofuel refinery will “significantly advance the statewide goal of developing clean and independent energy sources, and will insulate the state from spikes in the price of petroleum fuel. Accordingly, any short-term rate increases in utility rates as a result of this project should be allocated across the state.”
     Said Eldridge, “If the allocation of project costs is not allowed, large-scale biofuel projects like AKP will not succeed.”

New PUC director
Mina Morita

     Rep. Bob Herkes chairs the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee. The measure passed and now goes to the House Finance Committee. The only public testimony on the measure has come from `Aina Koa Pono and Hawaiian Electric. 

     If the measure passes the House and Senate, the Public Utilities Commission, now headed by Mina Morita, would reconsider the electric company’s proposed rate increase to pay for the biofuels.
     `Aina Koa Pono has promised hundreds of jobs for Pahala. The refinery would be on eight acres along Meyer Camp Road, four-tenths of a mile off Wood Valley Road. The land to be farmed to grow grasses to feed the refinery would be on some 11,000 acres between Wood Valley Road and Na`alehu, `Aina Koa Pono representatives say.

A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ACTION PLAN for all of Hawai`i County can be seen online, and comments are encouraged. The plan, sponsored by the county and the Federal Highway Administration, was written after a three-day conference on the issue, supported by People’s Advocacy for Trails Hawai`i, Island Planning and other stakeholders. It calls for communities designing safe pedestrian and vehicular traffic, from walking to bicycling, to driving cars and trucks and hauling freight. How to make the roads and highways safe involves engineering for paved shoulders, sidewalks, driveways, access, and illumination; signage and crosswalks; land use and site design; education; enforcement; data analysis; funding and involvement of the public. 

People's Advocacy for Trails Hawaii provides a simulated street for the
classroom to help teach road safety to young students in the schools.
Photo courtesy of PATH

     Such classes as Pedestrian Education teach children to walk across streets safely. Students can celebrate a Walk to School Day, learning the protocol of intersections.
     Of particular concern are the high-speed highways through rural towns like Na`alehu and Ocean View. The community could think about more ways to slow people down not only for safety but for the enjoyment of motoring through these communities. The proposed scenic byways plan for Ka`u could also include safety provisions for traffic and pedestrians, said Laura Dierenfield, executive director of PATH. 

TUTU & ME starts its preschool program that involves parents and kupuna today at Pahala Community Center from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The program is free and will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to children five years of age and under, accompanied by a parent or grandparent. Tutu & Me seeks to promote positive interaction between caregivers and keiki while teaching early education skills. Anyone is welcome to stop by this morning to check out the program or call the office at 929-8571.