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| Yellow cylinder at Waikapuna has not yet been confirmed as tsunami debris. |
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| Mazie Hirono |
“The differences between Democrat Mazie Hirono and Republican Linda Lingle were crystal clear. Hirono laid out specifics demonstrating her commitment to Hawai`i’s values and priorities, while Lingle continued to push her out-of-touch agenda, which would threaten Obamacare, Medicare and economic growth for the people of Hawai`i.
About 90 minutes later, Lingle campaign manager Bob Lee said the debate “highlighted the clear choice in this important election. The voters of Hawai`i saw again that Linda Lingle has a clear understanding of the important issues facing our state and has a proven record of accomplishment as an effective, independent leader.”
Both candidates went after each other, with Hirono saying Lingle proposes a voucher system for health care while Lingle said it is not a voucher but providing a choice between government and private health care plans.
About 90 minutes later, Lingle campaign manager Bob Lee said the debate “highlighted the clear choice in this important election. The voters of Hawai`i saw again that Linda Lingle has a clear understanding of the important issues facing our state and has a proven record of accomplishment as an effective, independent leader.”
Both candidates went after each other, with Hirono saying Lingle proposes a voucher system for health care while Lingle said it is not a voucher but providing a choice between government and private health care plans.
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| Linda Lingle |
Hirono said that the nation’s $16 trillion deficit came from two wars and Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent. Lingle’s statement said tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent amounted to $830 billion and that the Iraq war cost $1.2 billion, “a far cry from $16 trillion.”
Hirono campaign manager Betsy Lin said that during the debate Lingle “continued advancing her narrow agenda, which mirrors the agenda of the national Republican Party. Like Mitt Romney, Lingle made clear that she would vote to repeal Obamacare, undo Medicare by turning it into an unreliable voucher system and even give more tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.”
The next debate between the two will be Tuesday, Oct. 16 on KITV Channel 4 at 8 p.m.
Hirono campaign manager Betsy Lin said that during the debate Lingle “continued advancing her narrow agenda, which mirrors the agenda of the national Republican Party. Like Mitt Romney, Lingle made clear that she would vote to repeal Obamacare, undo Medicare by turning it into an unreliable voucher system and even give more tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.”
The next debate between the two will be Tuesday, Oct. 16 on KITV Channel 4 at 8 p.m.
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| Esther Kia`aina |
ESTHER PUAKELA KIA`AINA will become the new deputy director at the state Department of Land & Natural Resources on Oct. 15. Gov. Neil Abercrombie made the announcement yesterday, saying Kia`aina’s “breadth of experience in policy and land management complements what we are doing in our New Day plans.” Kia`aina, who holds a law degree from George Washington University, served as advocate for Office of Hawaiian Affairs and as manager of Kamehameha Schools’ Land Assets Division. She worked for Sen. Dan Akaka, Congressman Robert Underwood and Congressman Ed Case.
She recently ran for Congress and lost in the Democratic primary to Tulsi Gabbard.
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| Guy Kaulukukui |
GUY KAULUKUKUI, of Volcano, resigned as deputy director of the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and has become senior vice president and chief of Hawai`i operations for Bio-Logical Capital. The company’s tag line is “Stewardship Development: Investments that heal land, help people and generate revenue in sustainable and impactful ways.”
The company website says: “We are committed to helping Hawai`i grow healthy food, produce clean energy and find new solutions to sustainable water and land management. Despite its favorable climate and strong natural resources, Hawai`i currently imports roughly 85 percent of its food and 90 percent of its energy (oil). Bio-Logical Capital would like to use Stewardship Development to help reverse these trends.
In August, the company signed a purchase and sale agreement to buy Hana Ranch. “Bio-Logical Capital plans to continue sustainable cattle ranching and expand organic farming, as well as other stewardship activities.”
In August, the company signed a purchase and sale agreement to buy Hana Ranch. “Bio-Logical Capital plans to continue sustainable cattle ranching and expand organic farming, as well as other stewardship activities.”
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| The cylinder sits in the tidal zone south of Na`alehu. |
THE LARGE YELLOW CYLINDER, possibly part of the debris from the 2011 Japan tsunami, is the target of removal by the state Department of Land & Natural Resources on the coast below Na`alehu. Since the Oct. 3 discovery by a youth group hiking along the coast, another caller said he had seen the giant metal object at Waikapuna on Sept. 27. The object is sitting on a lava shelf and is approximately 12 feet high and 20 feet in diameter. The location is about four miles south of Na`alehu, according to a DLNR statement issued yesterday. “A DLNR Big Island staff member was able to locate the object on Friday at the end of a fishing trail on private land. There were no signs of any identification marks, so its origin at this time is unknown. There were also no signs of marine life growing on the container, which appeared clean except for minimal algal growth,” said the press release.
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| Japanese writing on 1 inch thick foam, about a foot and a half tall and a foot wide, found mauka of the big yellow container. |
Photos taken on Oct. 3 clearly show shellfish attached to the metal object, and marine scientists are concerned that the scraping on the reef could distribute marine organisms and that it could refloat during high surf and distribute marine organisms to other parts of the reef. However, the shellfish seen in the photos are apparently gooseneck barnacles, which are not considered invasive. Mauka of the metal object were pieces of one inch thick foam, some with Japanese writing. They may or may not be related to the yellow object.
DLNR has asked various local marine agencies for assistance to identify this type of large object. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency is also checking its database of reported tsunami debris objects.
The public may report findings of possible Japan tsunami marine debris to the Department of Land and Natural Resources at dlnr@hawaii.gov, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at disasterdebris@noaa.gov. Both agencies are asking for photos, date, detailed description of the item and if there are any living organisms other than gooseneck barnacles, location and finder’s contact information. Reports may be made by phone to DLNR at 808-587-0400.
DLNR has asked various local marine agencies for assistance to identify this type of large object. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency is also checking its database of reported tsunami debris objects.
The public may report findings of possible Japan tsunami marine debris to the Department of Land and Natural Resources at dlnr@hawaii.gov, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at disasterdebris@noaa.gov. Both agencies are asking for photos, date, detailed description of the item and if there are any living organisms other than gooseneck barnacles, location and finder’s contact information. Reports may be made by phone to DLNR at 808-587-0400.
MORE `AINA KOA PONO TESTIMONY has been posted on the state Public Utilities Commission website. Ka`u small business owner and farmer Tami Patton said she is “writing in behalf of my family and my concerns regarding `Aina Koa Pono’s unproven microwave technology. We have gone to the meetings and were alarmed to hear so many unanswered questions with no intentions of having an EIS done, when obviously it does affect many people as well as the land.”
She writes that the “windward side Ka`u can experience high winds, be prone to drought-like conditions and fires. We are concerned that clearcutting our valuable trees and shrubs would leave the land vulnerable to climate changes and erosion problems. In the Kohalas, the sandalwood was taken, and still today they are left with desert-like conditions unable to replant…. Without having an EIS, this could have been an erosion disaster with `Aina Koa Pono’s mono planting project and stripping of the land. In addition, `Aina Koa Pono is requesting others to be contributors in the clearcutting of surrounding lands. Additional eradication of our so called nuisance trees could prove to be even more fatal to our area.” See more testimony at puc.hawaii/gov.
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| Wendell Ka`ehu`ae`a (r) is helping to organize small meetings with `Aina Koa Pono, inviting selected members of the community. While last year's meetings were public and drew many questions, the meetings this year are closed to the general public. Here, Ka`ehu`ae`a talks with `Aina Koa Pono chairman Kenton Eldridge (l) and `Aina Koa Pono partner Chris Eldridge at the groundbreaking of theshelter and gym on the Pahala school campus. At least one of the private `Aina Koa Pono meetings was planned for the publicly licensed KAHU radio station, co-founded by Ka`ehu`ae`a, but was moved. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie |
`AINA KOA PONO is holding private meetings with community members it selects to explain its project, its offering of $250,000 to community groups and to answer questions. `Aina Koa Pono’s public relations firm has engaged KAHU radio co-founder Wendell Ka`ehu`ae`a to work on organizing the meetings, he said. A meeting this Wednesday is being held at KAHU public radio station. It will not be broadcast, “no media. It’s a private thing,” Ka`ehu`ae`a said this morning. `Aina Koa Pono is planning a refinery off Wood Valley road which it says will employ 400 construction workers for three years. It would harvest brush and trees on leased land between Pahala and Na`alehu, followed by planting crops to use to make pellets to place into its microwave refinery. The resulting diesel would be trucked up Hwy 11 to the Hawai`i Electric Light Co. power plant near Keahole Airport.
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| Nona Beamer |
TONIGHT’S SPECIAL SCREENING of Nona Beamer: A Legacy of Aloha begins at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Beamer was a major force behind the Cultural Renaissance of the 1970s that helped restore dignity and pride to Hawaiian children.
$2 donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.