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| Kamilo Beach cleanup netted tons of trash over Veterans Day weekend. Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund |
KAMILO BEACH CLEANUP STATISTICS are in from Veterans Day weekend. Megan Lamson, of Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, reports that 66 volunteers picked up 72 extra large bags of rubbish, 27 burlap bags of trash and eight re-used Dacalio Coffee bags to haul away nearly 3,000 pounds of rubbish in seven pickup trucks. A thousand pounds of derelict fishing nets were removed. Some of the other junk that could hurt wildlife include more than 8,000 plastic caps and lids, black tubing, all kinds of bottles, plastic crates, plastic bags and food wrappers, plastic straws and coffee stirrers, rubber slippers, light bulbs and tubes and cigarette lighters. Volunteers even removed micropalstic confetti from the beach at Kamilo.
The next beach cleanup is Dec. 10 at Hon`onoua, the southernmost anchialine pond. Another scouring of a Ka`u Coast beach will is set for Jan. 14.
JESSANIE L. MARQUES, of Pahala, is a new county police commissioner. She was nominated to the County Police Commission by Mayor Billy Kenoi on Nov. 1 and confirmed by the County Council Nov. 16.
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| Jesse Marques (r) with her husband Raymond Marques and County Council member Brittany Smart. |
The mayor’s nomination papers say that Marques is an “independent consultant with the Hawai`i County Office of Aging, assisting with establishing the Chronic Disease Health Management Program and is the current president of the Hawai`i Island Rural Health Association and Ka`u Rural Health Community Association.” In 2003, Marques was employed by University of Hawai`i John A. Burns School of Medicine as a vog research assistant and 2006 by Hawai`i Community College as Ka`u Emergency Response Academy Program Coordinator.
From 2001 to 2010, she volunteered at the Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc. as executive director. She is completing two years of a term from which a commissioner retired and will be eligible to serve another five years as on the Hawai`i County Police Commission.
From 2001 to 2010, she volunteered at the Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc. as executive director. She is completing two years of a term from which a commissioner retired and will be eligible to serve another five years as on the Hawai`i County Police Commission.
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| Mitch Roth |
MITCH ROTH, CANDIDATE FOR THE TOP COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S JOB, has been doing some work in Ka`u as a Community Oriented Prosecutor. He said he helped to conduct community problem-solving trainings with mainland leaders on site in Ka`u. He helped with the Ocean View Kahuku community park, working with Robin Lamson, Bob and Mardie Nitche, Bob and Patti Barry and others. He conducted an illegal dumping training session with Mike Dubois for Ocean View volunteers that was followed by community cleanup effort.
Roth has also worked with Ka`u High School and Ka`u Community Rural Health Association. He assisted with negotiations when Native Hawaiians moved cattle onto land, believing the land is theirs. He assisted Queen Liliu`okalani Childrens Center and local kupuna with negotiations. He has also helped with Neighborhood Watch and training for preventing and addressing domestic violence.
Roth faces county corporate counsel Lincoln Ashida in the election next August.
SOLAR FOR THE NEW GYM AND SHELTER in Pahala was one of the many ideas brought up at the public meeting on the Ka`u gymnasium and shelter that has been funded by state government. As the only regional, certified Federal Emergency Management Agency shelter, the facility will be tasked with providing a place for the community to go during hurricane warnings and after such disasters as earthquakes, lava flows, floods, fires and hurricanes. Several speakers at the meeting said that solar could help produce electricity after a disaster event, should the electric company’s transmission be unavailable.
Roth faces county corporate counsel Lincoln Ashida in the election next August.
SOLAR FOR THE NEW GYM AND SHELTER in Pahala was one of the many ideas brought up at the public meeting on the Ka`u gymnasium and shelter that has been funded by state government. As the only regional, certified Federal Emergency Management Agency shelter, the facility will be tasked with providing a place for the community to go during hurricane warnings and after such disasters as earthquakes, lava flows, floods, fires and hurricanes. Several speakers at the meeting said that solar could help produce electricity after a disaster event, should the electric company’s transmission be unavailable.
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| Rep. Bob Herkes talked about the gym and shelter at a recent community forum sponsored by Sen. Gil Kahele. Photo by Julia Neal |
The West Hawai`i Civic Center recently received solar from a company that made the investment and sells the excess electricity to the utility.
Public comments are due for the shelter and gym by Dec. 6 by emailing project manager David Yamamoto at dpwnews@co.hawaii.hi.us or sending mail to the Department of Public Works, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7, Hilo, HI 96720. Department of Public Works representatives said notes from this week’s public meeting would be posted at www.co.hawaii.hi.us.
Public comments are due for the shelter and gym by Dec. 6 by emailing project manager David Yamamoto at dpwnews@co.hawaii.hi.us or sending mail to the Department of Public Works, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7, Hilo, HI 96720. Department of Public Works representatives said notes from this week’s public meeting would be posted at www.co.hawaii.hi.us.
A draft plan is expected in December, an Environmental Assessment will be conducted, and the bids could go out for construction by March.
KAHU RADIO IS EXPECTED back on the air by the end of the weekend. An engineer is flying in this morning to replace parts that experienced a meltdown almost two weeks ago at the tower site between Na`alehu and Pahala. The radio station has been limited in its local broadcast during the downtime but is always available at KAHUFM.COM. In addition to the repairs, the radios station is planning over the next few months to install a booster at South Point to send the signal to Ocean View.
MANAGING NON-NATIVE UNGULATES in order to protect and restore native ecosystems is the topic of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s draft plan and EIS now available for public review and comment. The park’s current EIS addressing ungulate control is more than 30 years old. The new plan/EIS will provide a park-wide framework to guide non-native ungulate management activities over the next decades that considers the recently acquired Kahuku unit, new invasive species challenges, and current NPS policy and guidance.
The draft plan and EIS is online at http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/havo_ecosystem_deis. Comments can also be submitted there or to Cindy Orlando, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, PO Box 52, Hawai`i National Park, HI 96718. All written responses must be postmarked or transmitted no later than 8 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2012.
Hard copies of the draft plan and EIS are also available for review at Kilauea Visitor Center and public libraries in Na`alehu and Pahala.
Public meetings on the draft plan/EIS are scheduled for Monday, Dec. 5 at the park’s Kilauea Visitor Center and Tuesday, Dec. 6 at Na`alehu Community Center. Both meeting are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
KA`U FOREST RESERVE is the topic at the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce meeting today at 3:30 p.m. at Punalu`u Bake Shop. The speaker is Ron Terry, of Geometricians Associates, which is conducting an Environmental Assessment for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources management plan. Topics include access for hunters and hikers, ridding the forest of ungulates and invasive plants, and re-introducing `alala, endangered Hawaiian crows, which have been raised in captivity.
TWO CHURCH BAZAARS are set for tomorrow. St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View holds its annual holiday bazaar and plant sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Items include soup and bread, homemade baked goods, jams, jellies, candies, plants and crafts. Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church in Wai`ohinu has a fundraising bazaar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a flea market, food and entertainment.
KAHU RADIO IS EXPECTED back on the air by the end of the weekend. An engineer is flying in this morning to replace parts that experienced a meltdown almost two weeks ago at the tower site between Na`alehu and Pahala. The radio station has been limited in its local broadcast during the downtime but is always available at KAHUFM.COM. In addition to the repairs, the radios station is planning over the next few months to install a booster at South Point to send the signal to Ocean View.
MANAGING NON-NATIVE UNGULATES in order to protect and restore native ecosystems is the topic of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s draft plan and EIS now available for public review and comment. The park’s current EIS addressing ungulate control is more than 30 years old. The new plan/EIS will provide a park-wide framework to guide non-native ungulate management activities over the next decades that considers the recently acquired Kahuku unit, new invasive species challenges, and current NPS policy and guidance.
The draft plan and EIS is online at http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/havo_ecosystem_deis. Comments can also be submitted there or to Cindy Orlando, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, PO Box 52, Hawai`i National Park, HI 96718. All written responses must be postmarked or transmitted no later than 8 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2012.
Hard copies of the draft plan and EIS are also available for review at Kilauea Visitor Center and public libraries in Na`alehu and Pahala.
Public meetings on the draft plan/EIS are scheduled for Monday, Dec. 5 at the park’s Kilauea Visitor Center and Tuesday, Dec. 6 at Na`alehu Community Center. Both meeting are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
KA`U FOREST RESERVE is the topic at the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce meeting today at 3:30 p.m. at Punalu`u Bake Shop. The speaker is Ron Terry, of Geometricians Associates, which is conducting an Environmental Assessment for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources management plan. Topics include access for hunters and hikers, ridding the forest of ungulates and invasive plants, and re-introducing `alala, endangered Hawaiian crows, which have been raised in captivity.
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| The cast of The Hurricane, a mystery play sponsored by Na`alehu Main Street, performs tomorrow night. |
A MYSTERY PLAY CALLED THE HURRICANE will be performed tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church social hall. Tickets are $30 in advance and available at the Ka`u Farmers Market or by calling 929-7236.
TWO CHURCH BAZAARS are set for tomorrow. St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View holds its annual holiday bazaar and plant sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Items include soup and bread, homemade baked goods, jams, jellies, candies, plants and crafts. Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church in Wai`ohinu has a fundraising bazaar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a flea market, food and entertainment.