 |
| Plan 10 |
 |
| Plan 28 |
The county has experienced a population growth rate of almost 25 percent in a decade. This means district lines will change, as required by law, to ensure that each County Council member represents approximately the same number of people all around the island.
Ka`u residents have been lobbying to prevent the Ka`u district from being split in half in the state redistricting for the House of Representatives. Testimony will be taken at the Reapportionment Commission's meeting at the state Capitol this Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTANY SMART reports that Pahala will soon receive a new fire truck. She also said she may be working with county Department of Public Works on the proposed new county building code. The County Council is attempting to keep housing affordable while meeting new state building code standards.
GEOTHERMAL IS GAINING STEAM, according to this morning’s Honolulu Star Advertiser. It reports on findings by the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, predicting that “geothermal resources on Hawai`i Island and Maui are sufficient to create more than 1,500 megawatts of electrical generating capacity, an amount roughly equivalent to the peak electrical load of the entire state.” A geothermal resources map shows that the South Point area and Ka`u Desert are possible geothermal sites. However, these resources are located a long way from major population areas. Ormat Technologies, Inc. is already planning to add another eight megawatts by early next year, bringing production of its Puna Geothermal Plant to 20 percent of the electricity used on this island. The Honolulu Star Advertiser story says that “Ormat’s Puna facility, the state’s only operational geothermal plant, sits on one of the best geothermal resources in the world. Underground temperatures in the Kilauea East Rift Zone can exceed 650 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant captures steam from mile-deep geothermal wells and uses it to turn turbines that in turn run electrical generators. Puna Geothermal Venture has been in operation since 1993.
According to the Star Advertiser, “One of the main advantages of geothermal compared with solar- and wind-generated energy is that the steam from the geothermal wells produces firm power similar to that of a traditional oil-fired power plant. Solar power is available only during daylight hours, and even then the electrical output of photovoltaic panels can spike up and down depending on cloud cover. Similarly, the energy produced by a wind turbine can vary depending on wind speed.”
THE KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE will meet, and the public is invited, this Tuesday, Oct. 11 at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View at 92-1572 Keaka Parkway at the corner of Paradise Circle. The public is encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for Ka`u’s Emergency Food Pantry.
The agenda says members of the public are invited to speak for up to three minutes on any items on the agenda. Project manager Ron Whitmore will update the status of the CDP and will also provide an update on the CDP elements related to Nani Kahuku `Aina’s proposed Kahuku Village resort.
THE KA`U COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE starts today, with collection beginning at Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View and continuing at many locations tomorrow throughout the district.
People needing food can stop by the Ka`u Family Center in Na`alehu with a photo I.D. Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and receive emergency supplies for their family once a month. The policy has been to provide a two-day supply, but only a one-day supply is available until the Food Drive can bring in more donations.
Food drive collection sites are Pahala Community Center, Monday to Friday, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; Na`alehu Island Market, Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Ka`u Family Center, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Discovery Harbour Community Association, Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and Kahuku Country Market, daily 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call Teresa Alderdyce at 929-9611, ext. 10.
HONU`APO PARK is the site of an Acoustic Hawaiian Jam today from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate the restoration of the wetlands and the improvement of the gathering place at Whittington Beach Park and Honu`apo estuary. The free event will feature slack key and `ukulele master and teacher Keoki Kahumoku, who encourages everyone to bring along instruments. The event is free. Honu`apo is managed by Hawai`i County and the community group Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo. Most of the land was purchased by the county with public and private funding after it was put on the market as a place to buy land for houses on stilts overlooking the fishponds.
THE ANNUAL MONGOLIAN BARBECUE is set for Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano next Saturday, Oct. 15 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The fundraiser for Cooper Center features 14 masters of the wok preparing each diner’s desired stir-fry combination. This will be the 42nd Mongolian Barbecue held at Cooper Center. Volunteers can show up this Friday at 8 a.m. at Cooper Center to help with the Chop-Chop chopping of the ingredients.
COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTANY SMART reports that Pahala will soon receive a new fire truck. She also said she may be working with county Department of Public Works on the proposed new county building code. The County Council is attempting to keep housing affordable while meeting new state building code standards.
 |
| Plan 17 |
 |
| Plan 30 |
According to the Star Advertiser, “One of the main advantages of geothermal compared with solar- and wind-generated energy is that the steam from the geothermal wells produces firm power similar to that of a traditional oil-fired power plant. Solar power is available only during daylight hours, and even then the electrical output of photovoltaic panels can spike up and down depending on cloud cover. Similarly, the energy produced by a wind turbine can vary depending on wind speed.”
 |
| Plan 23 |
 |
| Plan 40 |
The agenda says members of the public are invited to speak for up to three minutes on any items on the agenda. Project manager Ron Whitmore will update the status of the CDP and will also provide an update on the CDP elements related to Nani Kahuku `Aina’s proposed Kahuku Village resort.
THE KA`U COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE starts today, with collection beginning at Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View and continuing at many locations tomorrow throughout the district.
People needing food can stop by the Ka`u Family Center in Na`alehu with a photo I.D. Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and receive emergency supplies for their family once a month. The policy has been to provide a two-day supply, but only a one-day supply is available until the Food Drive can bring in more donations.
Food drive collection sites are Pahala Community Center, Monday to Friday, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; Na`alehu Island Market, Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Ka`u Family Center, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Discovery Harbour Community Association, Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and Kahuku Country Market, daily 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call Teresa Alderdyce at 929-9611, ext. 10.
HONU`APO PARK is the site of an Acoustic Hawaiian Jam today from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate the restoration of the wetlands and the improvement of the gathering place at Whittington Beach Park and Honu`apo estuary. The free event will feature slack key and `ukulele master and teacher Keoki Kahumoku, who encourages everyone to bring along instruments. The event is free. Honu`apo is managed by Hawai`i County and the community group Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo. Most of the land was purchased by the county with public and private funding after it was put on the market as a place to buy land for houses on stilts overlooking the fishponds.
THE ANNUAL MONGOLIAN BARBECUE is set for Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano next Saturday, Oct. 15 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The fundraiser for Cooper Center features 14 masters of the wok preparing each diner’s desired stir-fry combination. This will be the 42nd Mongolian Barbecue held at Cooper Center. Volunteers can show up this Friday at 8 a.m. at Cooper Center to help with the Chop-Chop chopping of the ingredients.
