Sunday, September 25, 2011

Ka`u News Briefs September 25, 2011

The documentary film Mana I Ka Leo: The Power of the Voice will be shown at After Dark in the Park 7 p.m. Tuesday.
NANI KAHUKU `AINA’S DRAFT Environmental Impact Statement for its Kahuku Village resort development has been republished online, this time including comments from the public that had been inadvertently omitted. The deadline for additional public comment has been extended to Nov. 6.
     The Draft EIS can be seen on the state Department of Health website under the Office of Environmental Quality Control. It is titled Kahuku Village DEIS. 
     The plan calls for state Land Use Commission reclassification of Conservation land near the ocean to Urban for hotel, condominium, estate, housing, golf course and commercial development. The resort would be set on the coastal section of 16,000 acres between the Kalae South Point bluff and Ocean View Ranchos, makai of the Kahuku section of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. It would be constructed on the coastal plain below Kahuku Ranch. The developers have promised Hawaiian and wildlife educational centers and protection of the turtle nesting grounds at Pohue Bay. They have offered land for community buildings, including a veterans center. 
     According to the EIS, the development has the following triggers for an EIS: reclassification of approximately 1,600 acres from the State Land Use Conservation District to the State Land Use Urban and Rural Districts; development of a Hawaiian Heritage Center, roadway, infrastructure, and ancillary improvements within the State Land Use Conservation District; possible use of the shoreline area as defined in Section 205A-41, HRS, for trails, signage, resource management, and recreational and cultural purposes; proposed highway intersection improvements on Mamalahoa Highway (a state highway facility); amendment of the County of Hawai`i General Plan to recognize Kahuku Village and allow for its development; development of a helicopter facility; development of a wastewater treatment plant; and possible development of a biofuel power generating facility.

THE NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LAB and Hawaiian Electric Co. are working on a solar integration study to determine how much solar energy could be used on its grid while maintaining reliability.
     The study goes beyond the smaller customer-owned sites for which electric bills are offset by the solar power they are providing to the utility. The study is to plan for the eventuality of large solar farms, the largest solar facility in the world being planned for Pearl Harbor on O`ahu and others being considered across the state.
     The study will gather data about the operating characteristics of a system with high penetrations of solar power. The state Public Utilities Commission also opened a study on reliability standards for HECO Maui Electric Co. and Hawai`i Electric Light Co. Relying totally on solar power is considered risky since the sun doesn’t always shine and the power is difficult to store. HELCO president Jay Ignacio said recently during a public `Aina Koa Pono meeting in Pahala that his company is looking toward many different ways of providing alternative energy, including biofuel, which it plans to purchase from the refinery planned for a site between Pahala and Wood Valley.

Art show coordinator Wanda
Aus encourages everyone to
vote for their favorite piece.
Photo by Michael Neal 
JUDGING FOR THE ARTWORK for the cover of The Directory 2012, Ka`u’s annual phone book and information guide, begins tomorrow at Ka`u Federal Credit Union in Na`alehu during business hours. The annual contest drew some top artists who brought in their submissions yesterday, creations in many different media that exude the feeling of this place called Ka`u. The public is invited to choose the next Directory cover by casting votes all this week. The Directory 2012 is expected to be distributed throughout Ka`u in January. 
     The deadline to renew or place an ad or listing in The Directory 2012 is Oct. 31. Applications are available online at kauchamber.org or by calling 928-6471.

KA`U FEDERAL CREDIT UNION has brought its Ocean View branch back to Na`alehu, where the hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
     General manager Cheryl Weaver said that phone lines will be open to help members with everything from balances, transfers and check requests to loans. Direct deposits are available through employers, the Social Security Administration and other income sources. Automatic loan payments can be organized. Automatic bill pay can also be set up through the credit union’s online banking at kfcu.org. Call 929-7334.
     The Pahala office is available to assist members on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

MANA I KA LEO: THE POWER OF THE VOICE will be shown at After Dark in the Park on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The documentary film examines the cultural importance of oli, the Hawaiian tradition of chant. It won the Audience Award for Favorite Short Film at the 2010 Hawai`i International Film Festival.

Kehaulani Ke jumps for the kill while Denisha Navarro, Kerrilynn Domondon
and Shyann Flores-Carvalho provide support.  Photo by Nalani Parlin
YESTERDAY BOTH JV AND VARSITY GIRLS volleyball faced off against the Kohala Cowgirls in the Ka`u High gym. Ka`u High JV won both sets 25-22, 25-15. Freshman Aysha Kaupu served well, while setter Kerrilynn Domondon, also a freshman, turned wild balls into strong plays. Classmate and teammate Kehaulani Ke lent her strong arm for several points. 
     Kohala Varsity, whose team sports several seniors, was determined to best the young Trojan team, who beat the Cowgirls on home turf earlier in the season. The Trojans have just four seniors, with one of them totally new to the sport. After a rocky start, Kohala won the first set, but Ka`u powered up to win the second. The Trojans easily took the third set on the back of a 12-point service streak by junior Marley Nicolaisen. However, errors by the Trojans gave Kohala the edge to win the fourth set, and an exciting battle in the tie-breaking set ultimately led to the Trojans’ loss. Set scores were 22-25, 25-21, 25-9, 14-25 and 16-18. Marley Nicolaisen led the Trojans in kills.