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| Paul Neves, seated, provided rhythm for his halau at the annual Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Cultural Festival yesterday. Photo by William Neal |
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| Mayor Billy Kenoi with county workers and friends in a Fourth of July Parade. Photo by Julia Neal |
MAYOR BILLY KENOI raised $97,630 for his re-election campaign during the first six months of the year, according to his report filed with the Hawai`i Campaign Spending Commission. His opponents raised relatively little but claim their campaigns do not rely on money. Former two-term mayor Harry Kim wants his old job back but says he will accept no more than $10 per person from any campaign donor. His campaign spending commission report shows him raising $1,420 during the first six months of this year. County Council chair Dominic Yagong, who is also running for mayor, reports $15,060 in contributions for the first half of 2012.
All three are Democrats in the primary election Aug. 11. The last day to register to vote was July 12. Last day to register for the general election is Oct. 8. There could be a run-off if no candidate receives 50 percent plus one vote in the primary.
Stephens Media reported this morning that most Kenoi contributions, during both his mayoral campaigns, have come from people living off island, while contributions for Kim are more than 98 percent local. Yagong contributions are more than 93 percent local.
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| County Council chair Dominic Yagong, running for mayor, in the recent Na`alehu Independence Day Parade. Photo by William Neal |
The Nancy Cook Lauer story in West Hawai`i Today and Hawai`i Tribune-Herald reports that 53.9 percent of Kenoi’s contributions of more than $100 each were from off island. “If the $11,271 in contributions of $100 or less, which don’t have to be identified by donor names and addresses, are all assumed to be from the Big Island, the island’s share rises to 49.3 percent,” Cook Lauer reports.
The news service also analyzed donations to Kenoi of $100 or more by ZIP code. Cook Lauer writes: “The most, $85,502, came from Hilo’s 96720, with 225 people giving an average of $380 each. Second and third were the Honolulu ZIP codes 96813 and 96814, giving a total of $44,000, followed by Kailua-Kona’s 96740, giving $18,417.”
The newspaper calls the mayoral campaigns “a lopsided money race.”
According to the campaign spending reports, Kenoi’s biggest contributions for the first six months of this year included two from entities with connections in Ka`u, Pacific Quest, which operates an outdoor program for troubled youth, and Edmund C. Olson, who owns macadamia and coffee farms, mills and thousands of acres in Ka`u. They each gave $2,000 to the Kenoi campaign.
Operating Engineers Local Union Number 3, of Honolulu, gave Kenoi the maximum allowed, $4,000. Frank E. Lyon, of the Honolulu engineering, planning and construction management company, gave $3,000. Hawai`i Laborers and Employers Cooperation and Education Trust Fund – a partnership between 5,000 union laborers and 250 union contractors, gave $3,000. Goodfellow Bros, Inc., the construction and heavy equipment company, gave $3,000. The complete list of donors of $100 or more for all candidates is on the State of Hawai`i Campaign Commission’s website.
The news service also analyzed donations to Kenoi of $100 or more by ZIP code. Cook Lauer writes: “The most, $85,502, came from Hilo’s 96720, with 225 people giving an average of $380 each. Second and third were the Honolulu ZIP codes 96813 and 96814, giving a total of $44,000, followed by Kailua-Kona’s 96740, giving $18,417.”
The newspaper calls the mayoral campaigns “a lopsided money race.”
According to the campaign spending reports, Kenoi’s biggest contributions for the first six months of this year included two from entities with connections in Ka`u, Pacific Quest, which operates an outdoor program for troubled youth, and Edmund C. Olson, who owns macadamia and coffee farms, mills and thousands of acres in Ka`u. They each gave $2,000 to the Kenoi campaign.
Operating Engineers Local Union Number 3, of Honolulu, gave Kenoi the maximum allowed, $4,000. Frank E. Lyon, of the Honolulu engineering, planning and construction management company, gave $3,000. Hawai`i Laborers and Employers Cooperation and Education Trust Fund – a partnership between 5,000 union laborers and 250 union contractors, gave $3,000. Goodfellow Bros, Inc., the construction and heavy equipment company, gave $3,000. The complete list of donors of $100 or more for all candidates is on the State of Hawai`i Campaign Commission’s website.
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| Former Mayor Harry Kim walks during his campaign for mayor in the recent Na`alehu Independence Day Parade. Photo by William Neal |
Cook Lauer reported that Kenoi said Friday that, during the first six months of 2012, he received contributions from 122 Big Islanders and 24 from off the island. The story quotes the mayor saying: “It’s significant that 70 percent of the contributions (for the first half of 2012) come from the Big Island…. We are humbled by all the support we receive. We’re very thankful that people recognize our hard work and our accomplishments.”
According to the Stephens Media report, Kenoi’s campaign held two $1,000-per-plate fundraisers in Honolulu, something the other two major candidates say they refuse to do. The story reports Yagong saying he “turned down invitations to hold fundraisers in Honolulu because he believes the race can be won without a lot of money. In the past four years, Yagong has accepted only one off-island contribution, according to the West Hawai`i Today analysis.
According to his most recent campaign spending report, Yagong took in a $2,000 contribution from Kailua-Kona fish collector James Lovell. He also received $1,000 each from Nadao Honda, a Honoka`a farmer; Larry Ford, an accountant, farmer and husband of County Council member Brenda Ford; and Peter Vanna, a Hilo business executive.
According to the Yagong report analyzed by Stephens Media, 46 percent of his contributions are $10 or less, 92 percent gave $100 or less while 70 percent gave $50 or less. Yagong told West Hawai`i Today: “The people who donate to my campaign are everyday people, they’re not corporations or PACs or anything like that…. Big Island voters and Big Island people have never been a county that can be bought with big money.”
The newspaper also reported that Harry Kim’s wife Bobby said that his smallest contribution was 20 cents and that his campaign contributions came from Big Islanders, plus $10 from a California nephew and another $10 from a part-time neighbor in Kapoho, making his contributions 98.6 percent local. See more at westhawaiitoday.com, hawaiitribuneherald.com and on the Hawai`i campaign commission website.
MORE TRAFFIC TRAGEDY YESTERDAY: Hawai`i 24/7 reports that a man was hit by a vehicle and suffered injury to his arm before 1 p.m. near the 85-mile marker north of Manuka State Park. Fire/Rescue crews found the man on the roadside with a companion. The victim was airlifted to Kona Community Hospital, and police are investigating. See more news at hawaii247.com.
According to his most recent campaign spending report, Yagong took in a $2,000 contribution from Kailua-Kona fish collector James Lovell. He also received $1,000 each from Nadao Honda, a Honoka`a farmer; Larry Ford, an accountant, farmer and husband of County Council member Brenda Ford; and Peter Vanna, a Hilo business executive.
According to the Yagong report analyzed by Stephens Media, 46 percent of his contributions are $10 or less, 92 percent gave $100 or less while 70 percent gave $50 or less. Yagong told West Hawai`i Today: “The people who donate to my campaign are everyday people, they’re not corporations or PACs or anything like that…. Big Island voters and Big Island people have never been a county that can be bought with big money.”
The newspaper also reported that Harry Kim’s wife Bobby said that his smallest contribution was 20 cents and that his campaign contributions came from Big Islanders, plus $10 from a California nephew and another $10 from a part-time neighbor in Kapoho, making his contributions 98.6 percent local. See more at westhawaiitoday.com, hawaiitribuneherald.com and on the Hawai`i campaign commission website.
MORE TRAFFIC TRAGEDY YESTERDAY: Hawai`i 24/7 reports that a man was hit by a vehicle and suffered injury to his arm before 1 p.m. near the 85-mile marker north of Manuka State Park. Fire/Rescue crews found the man on the roadside with a companion. The victim was airlifted to Kona Community Hospital, and police are investigating. See more news at hawaii247.com.
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| Kane and wahine with Paul Neves' halau danced on the hula platform at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park yesterday. Photo by William Neal |
NA`OHULELUA HISTORICAL CHURCH AND GARDEN holds its monthly talk story and plant and seed exchange today from noon to 3 p.m. The garden is on Kama`oa Road between Wai`ohinu and Discovery Harbour. For more information, call 929-8164.
A CONCERT on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. features Hilo One, with R. Likeke Teanio on lead guitar and `ukulele, Aaron Agres on electric upright bass and Kahele Miura on electric 12-string rhythm guitar. The concert takes place at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Five-dollar donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.