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| While limited food service is now being offered, Volcano House restaurant, with the view of Halema`uma`u, will be renovated and employees hired under the new concessioner's contract. Photo from hawaiivolcanohouse.com |
Hawai`i Volcanoes Lodge Company, the partnership between Aqua Resorts, LLC and Ortega National Parks, LLC, has a website at hawaiivolcanohouse.com. It offers the following links for contact and employment opportunities: managementjobs@hawaiivolcanohouse.com; retailjobs@hawaiivolcanohouse.com; restaurantjobs@hawaiivolcanohouse.com and maintenance jobs@hawaiivolcanohouse.com.
The website also sends out a call to local artists and craftspersons who may want their work considered for Volcano House retail or display, asking artists for website, resume, biography and wholesale price list to be sent to retail@hawaiivolcanohouse.com.
For those interested in offering cultural activities and entertainment, Tanya Ortega, of Ortega Family Enterprises, asks that website, resume and biography be sent to culture@hawaiivolcanohouse.com. For local farmers, ranchers and food suppliers, she says on the website that “our goal is to source as locally and as organic as possible. If this is your Kuleana, please contact us at: food@hawaiivolcanohouse.com.”
Licensed contractors can be considered for Volcano House historic renovations by emailing information to contractors@hawaiivolcanohouse.com, the website says.
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| Namakanipaio is open for overnight stays under management of the new concessioner for Volcano House. Photo from hawaiivolcanohouse.com |
Hours for Volcano House are daily from 7:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The ten A-frame cabins at Namakanipaio will open gradually. Registration for a cabin can be made by calling 756-9625. Reservations are being taken by the centralized reservation service of Aqua Resorts in Honolulu. According to reservations, six cabins are currently available. Each has one double bed and a bunk bed, and maximum occupancy is four people. While there are no bathrooms or electric outlets in the cabin, there is one light in each cabin and outside opportunities for barbecuing and building fires in a firepit. There are separate men and women’s community bathrooms and shower stalls on the grounds. Linens and towels are provided. The cost per cabin is $55 per night plus tax.
THE INTERAGENCY HAWAI`I INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL has approved a $1.8 million annual budget for fiscal year 2013 to support statewide programs promoting invasive species prevention, control and outreach. HISC also provided two awards this year relating to axis deer. The first was to the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, a partnership working with Department of Land and Natural Resources to eradicate axis deer from Hawai`i Island. A BIISC hunter killed its first axis deer on the Big Island last April, above South Point. The second award will help Maui reduce the number of axis deer.
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| In April, A BIISC hunter killed its first axis deer on the Big Island above South Point. Photo from BIISC |
“Invasive species pose real threats to our agriculture, environment, economy and public health,” said state Department of Agriculture chair and Volcano resident Russell Kokubun. “We need to make sure that we spend the available funds on programs that have the greatest impact on the most serious threats to our community.”
DLNR chair William Aila, Jr., also HISC co-chair, said, “Hawai`i’s environment is the backbone of our visitor industry and way of life. The recipients of this year’s HISC funds are experts in assessing and managing environmental threats. We will continue to look for ways to support their critical efforts.”
Funding awarded for fiscal year 2013 includes support for Hawai`i Ant Lab for research and response to infestations of aggressive fire ant species, research on biological control methods for the highly destructive Miconia and Christmas berry, a statewide coordinator to monitor for aquatic invasive species that may arrive in ballast water and the island-based Invasive Species Committees, which monitor and control a variety of harmful species.
HISC was created in 2003, when the Hawai`i State Legislature declared invasive species “the single greatest threat to Hawai`i’s economy and natural environment and to the health and lifestyle of Hawai`i’s people.”
Since 2009, however, a reduction in general fund appropriations has decreased the total funds available annually from $4 million to $1.8 million.
“Council members agree that more funds are needed to protect Hawai`i from the impacts of invasive species. As an interagency initiative, the HISC seeks to fill gaps between agencies and respond to annual priorities, but with limited funding, it will become more difficult to get the job done,” Aila said.
ALL INTERESTED KA`U ORGANIZATIONS are welcome to attend East Hawai`i Chapter of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster’s quarterly general meeting tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the county Civil Defense, 920 Ululani Street.
Members of VOAD form a coalition of nonprofit organizations that respond to disasters as part of their overall mission.
For more information, call Suzi Bond at 982-7344 or Bill Hanson, of Hawai`i County Civil Defense, at 935-0031.
HAWAI`I POLICE CHIEF HARRY KUBOJIRI and commanders who oversee police operations in Ka`u invite the public to a community meeting tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center to discuss police-related concerns. Those interested in participating but unable to attend may email their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com. For more information, call Captain Andrew Burian at 939-2520.
AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT workshop about the coffee berry borer takes place Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kona Hongwanji in Kealakekua, with classroom and field lectures covering effective control of CBB. Dr. Luis Aristizabal, from Colombia and currently with University of Florida, discusses topics including what has been successful internationally, what is different in Hawai`i, when CBB swarms, when it moves into trees, proper times to spray and trap as well as effective harvest techniques. Two days of
Aristizabal has spent his career focusing on control of pests in coffee and has done participatory research with farmers on CBB management for many years. While with the coffee research organization Cenicafe, he taught farmer workshops on IPM for CBB, as well as published a number of studies on biological control.
$25 registration fee includes lunch on Friday. Register online at kohalacenter.org/cbbworkshop/registration.html or contact Cortney Hoffman at 887-6411 or choffman@kohalacenter.org.
DLNR chair William Aila, Jr., also HISC co-chair, said, “Hawai`i’s environment is the backbone of our visitor industry and way of life. The recipients of this year’s HISC funds are experts in assessing and managing environmental threats. We will continue to look for ways to support their critical efforts.”
Funding awarded for fiscal year 2013 includes support for Hawai`i Ant Lab for research and response to infestations of aggressive fire ant species, research on biological control methods for the highly destructive Miconia and Christmas berry, a statewide coordinator to monitor for aquatic invasive species that may arrive in ballast water and the island-based Invasive Species Committees, which monitor and control a variety of harmful species.
HISC was created in 2003, when the Hawai`i State Legislature declared invasive species “the single greatest threat to Hawai`i’s economy and natural environment and to the health and lifestyle of Hawai`i’s people.”
Since 2009, however, a reduction in general fund appropriations has decreased the total funds available annually from $4 million to $1.8 million.
“Council members agree that more funds are needed to protect Hawai`i from the impacts of invasive species. As an interagency initiative, the HISC seeks to fill gaps between agencies and respond to annual priorities, but with limited funding, it will become more difficult to get the job done,” Aila said.
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| Latte is missing from her home on South Point Road. |
LATTE, A THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY, has been reported as missing from her pasture on South Point Road near the satellite tower. Owner Susan Watson described her as very friendly, all black with a white star on her forehead, one white hoof and an outer piko. A reward is being offered with no questions asked. Call Watson at 936-9791 or Robyn Baglow at 929-7541.
ALL INTERESTED KA`U ORGANIZATIONS are welcome to attend East Hawai`i Chapter of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster’s quarterly general meeting tomorrow at 10 a.m. at the county Civil Defense, 920 Ululani Street.
Members of VOAD form a coalition of nonprofit organizations that respond to disasters as part of their overall mission.
For more information, call Suzi Bond at 982-7344 or Bill Hanson, of Hawai`i County Civil Defense, at 935-0031.
HAWAI`I POLICE CHIEF HARRY KUBOJIRI and commanders who oversee police operations in Ka`u invite the public to a community meeting tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center to discuss police-related concerns. Those interested in participating but unable to attend may email their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com. For more information, call Captain Andrew Burian at 939-2520.
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF PAHALA holds a community stakeholders event at Pahala Community Center Wednesday at 6 p.m. All interested parties are invited to talk about problems facing youth and how to share resources and create partnerships to better serve youth. “This event will help us to create a plan for the future that is sensitive to community concerns,” said Dolly Kailiawa. RSVP by calling Kailiawa at 756-5285.
AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT workshop about the coffee berry borer takes place Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kona Hongwanji in Kealakekua, with classroom and field lectures covering effective control of CBB. Dr. Luis Aristizabal, from Colombia and currently with University of Florida, discusses topics including what has been successful internationally, what is different in Hawai`i, when CBB swarms, when it moves into trees, proper times to spray and trap as well as effective harvest techniques. Two days of
Aristizabal has spent his career focusing on control of pests in coffee and has done participatory research with farmers on CBB management for many years. While with the coffee research organization Cenicafe, he taught farmer workshops on IPM for CBB, as well as published a number of studies on biological control.
$25 registration fee includes lunch on Friday. Register online at kohalacenter.org/cbbworkshop/registration.html or contact Cortney Hoffman at 887-6411 or choffman@kohalacenter.org.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.
ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM/KAUNEWS.