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| The new concrete tank to hold water from the Ocean View well is nearly complete. Photo by Al Sherman |
FORESTRY CONSERVATION will be more likely on private and government properties in Ka`u with a new agreement between the state, U.S. government and local Water & Soil Conservation districts. A recently signed agreement stems from the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 and focuses on the need to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s private working lands. This will help “build a partnership of trust and collaboration critical in sustaining the health of our unique forest lands and watersheds,” said state Department of Land and Natural Resources chairperson William Aila, Jr.
“This is a renewed commitment for collaboration among natural resource agencies in Hawai`i,” said Randy Moore, U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Regional Forester. “This strengthens our ability to address issues across boundaries in an all-lands approach.”
Wesley Nohara, president of the Hawai`i Association of Conservation Districts, said, “We are excited about the opportunity to work with our partners at the local level to promote forestry and watershed protection. Each of our partners will provide unique expertise and resources. HACD will provide locally based knowledge and community support to enhance this statewide program.” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said he welcomes the cooperation and hosted a signing of the agreement.
Wesley Nohara, president of the Hawai`i Association of Conservation Districts, said, “We are excited about the opportunity to work with our partners at the local level to promote forestry and watershed protection. Each of our partners will provide unique expertise and resources. HACD will provide locally based knowledge and community support to enhance this statewide program.” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said he welcomes the cooperation and hosted a signing of the agreement.
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| Richard Ha with his family at Hamakua Springs Country Farms. |
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE MEMBER Richard Ha is taking on the Hawaiian Electric - `Aina Koa Pono proposal to build a refinery up Wood Valley Road and biofuel farm between Pahala and Na`alehu. In his independent Hamakua Springs Country Farms blog called Ha Ha Ha, he objects to Hawaiian Electric’s attempt to block the county’s participation in the discussion before the Public Utilities Commission regarding the biofuel issue. Ha claims that HECO wanted to keep the details of their plan to raise customer rates to pay for the `Aina Koa Pono project secret. When the county wanted to participate, HECO said the county was too late. “What about the County’s responsibility to look after the best interests of the people?” asks Ha. He also points to HECO’s contention that the county has not stated the specific type of expertise, knowledge or experience it holds, nor how it relates to the issues. “How about common sense?” asks Ha. Ha claims that HECO is allowing `Aina Koa Pono to pass on its costs to the ratepayer, over and above the oil cost it replaces.
Ha also contends that other experts in energy view that the biofuel plant won’t work and gives the example of Sun Fuels, which operated successfully in Europe but calculated that growing crops and cutting trees to make liquid fuels to run electric plants would be uneconomical in Hawai`i.
`Aina Koa Pono disagrees, contending it has new technology and that its refinery will bring 300 construction jobs and a hundred permanent jobs to Pahala. The PUC has asked `Aina Koa Pono to provide more proof of its viability and of its cutting edge microwave processing technology to the PUC by the end of this month.
THE OCEAN VIEW WATER PROJECT is nearing completion. The walls of the 300,000- gallon water tank, just above Kahuku County Park on Paradise Circle, were poured in four sections, and Bolton Construction is working on the roof. Construction is also nearly complete at the fill station on Hwy 11, reports Loren Heck, of Ocean View.
`Aina Koa Pono disagrees, contending it has new technology and that its refinery will bring 300 construction jobs and a hundred permanent jobs to Pahala. The PUC has asked `Aina Koa Pono to provide more proof of its viability and of its cutting edge microwave processing technology to the PUC by the end of this month.
THE OCEAN VIEW WATER PROJECT is nearing completion. The walls of the 300,000- gallon water tank, just above Kahuku County Park on Paradise Circle, were poured in four sections, and Bolton Construction is working on the roof. Construction is also nearly complete at the fill station on Hwy 11, reports Loren Heck, of Ocean View.
NOT ONLY ARE THERE NURSING assistant training programs in Pahala and a nursing school in Hilo, the University of Hawai`i will offer a doctoral program in nursing beginning in the fall of 2012. The degree is called a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. The graduates will be trained to handle many of the same responsibilities as physicians in diagnosis and the planning of patient treatment. The inaugural class will accept only 10 students, who will spend three years earning their doctorate, and a shorter time if they already have a master’s degree in nursing. The average pay of a nurse is $84,000 a year.
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| Lt. Col. Rolland Niles will give the keynote address at KMC's Memorial Day ceremony. Photo by Howard Sugai |
KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP HOSTS A TRIBUTE to those who made the ultimate Sacrifice for Freedom’s Sake in a Memorial Day ceremony tomorrow from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the KMC front lawn. Lt. Col. Rolland Niles, Commander of Pohakuloa Training Area, will deliver the keynote address.
A MEMORIAL DAY BUFFET at the Crater Rim Café follows the ceremony from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information, call 967-8371.
A DINNER AT KAHUKU PARK on Paradise Circle in Ocean View on Saturday, June 4 will raise funds to support the Summer Fun program. Dinner is served at 5 p.m. and includes Chef John Repogle’s BBQ pork, along with rice, corn and watermelon all for just $5. Beverages are $1, with desserts and other baked good also on sale. Activities before dinner include a slip and slide, face painting and games. Karaoke is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pre-sale dinner tickets are available. Call Robin at 939-8491 or Genny at 217-5593.