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| CNN says Hawai`i has the lowest turnout in the nation and launched a program to help out by carrying the stories of people's reasons for not voting in the Islands. See http://cnn.com/2012/10/21/opinion/change-the-list-convince-me-to-vote/index.html. |
TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY. Candidates are for U.S. President, a Hawai`i U.S. senator, the representative to Congress for Ka`u, Volcano and beyond, two state senators covering from Kona through Ka`u and Volcano and Puna, two members of the state House of Representatives from South Kona through Ka`u into Puna, mayor for the Big Island, a County Council member, County Prosecuting Attorney and trustees for the Office of Hawaiian affairs.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for registered voters. Polling places from Volcano into South Kona are at Cooper Center in Volcano, Ka`u High School Cafeteria, Na`alehu School Cafeteria, Ocean View Community Center, Miloli`i Halau, Ho`okena Elementary School and St. Benedict Catholic Church. REDISTRICTING BASED ON THE 2010 CENSUS created new state Senate and House of Representative Districts in Ka`u. Here are short profiles of the candidates vying for those offices, with names listed as they appear on the ballots for the General Election:
State Senator District 2: Punalu`u - Puna
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| Russell E. Ruderman |
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| Daryl Lee Smith |
RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN (D) says he considers crucial issues to be education, transportation, renewable energy and agriculture. The founder of Island Naturals markets has served on Hawai`i County’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee and Agricultural Committee and is a member of the county Environmental Commission. See russellruderman.com.
DARYL LEE SMITH (R) says he considers the main issue to be the Department of Education, where he said 40 to 45 percent of the budget goes to administration in a system that has “270 schools and 2,000 administrators.” He also saysd he wants to improve access to resources for hunting and fishing. No website found.
State Senator District 3: Honu`apo - Kona
DARYL LEE SMITH (R) says he considers the main issue to be the Department of Education, where he said 40 to 45 percent of the budget goes to administration in a system that has “270 schools and 2,000 administrators.” He also saysd he wants to improve access to resources for hunting and fishing. No website found.
State Senator District 3: Honu`apo - Kona
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| Josh Green |
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| Jeff R. LaFrance |
JOSH GREEN (D), the incumbent state senator and a former doctor at Ka`u Hospital, says he has worked to bring over $45 million in appropriations to roads, schools and hospitals. “These projects will continue to create jobs, stimulate our economy and strengthen our civic life for years to come,” his website states. See joshgreen.org.
JEFF R. LAFRANCE (R) is founder and board president of two nonprofits focusing on education, sustainable farming, local economic development, alternative energy and housing, health and assisted living for older persons. “We export our children, and our money. This needs to change,” states his website. See jefflafrance.com.
State Representative District 3: Punalu`u – Waiakea Uka
State Representative District 3: Punalu`u – Waiakea Uka
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| Frederick F. Fogel |
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| Marlene (Nachbar) Hapai |
FREDERICK F. FOGEL (L) says he wants to “protect the Ka`u Coffee name” and make ag land the cheapest tax rate. He proposes creating a flat state income tax with no exemptions and eliminating taxes on food and medicine. Fogel says he supports Hawaiian sovereignty, legalization of cannabis, elimination of building codes for private residences, implementation of full-service recycling stations and control of invasive species. No website found.
MARLENE (NACHBAR) HAPAI (R) says she plans to engage the community in determining its wants and needs regarding jobs. The retired college professor says she wants to make higher education more affordable by “bringing the campus to the people.” Greater collaboration of various agricultural groups could lead to an increase in federal dollars for state ag programs, she says. Improving highway safety and vog monitoring are also on her agenda. See marlenehapai.com.
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| Richard H.K. Onishi |
RICHARD H.K. ONISHI (D), on his website, states: “I will ensure that our communities are a safe place to live, play, work and do business; our children receive high quality education, our seniors (kupuna) are cared for, our economy supports local businesses and products, our individual rights are protected; our environment is preserved; and our people have access to first-rate medical services. See friendsforrichardonish.com.
State Representative District 5: Honu`apo - Keauhou
DENNY COFFMAN (D), currently Representative for House District 6, is chair of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and a member of the House Committee on Water, Land and Ocean Resources. He says he opposes the `Aina Koa Pono project for Ka`u. He says he supports efforts to protect Ka`u’s coastline, provide water to homeowners and small farmers and increase renewable energy. See dennycoffman.org.
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| Dave Batemen |
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| Denny Coffman |
DAVE BATEMAN (R), owner of Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farms, began working with the state Legislature as a member of coffee boards and gave ideas, advice and testimony on a number of bills to help farmers and veterans. “I believe that together we can move the Big Island forward and make a better West Hawai‘i for our children,” his website states. See bateman2012.com.
CANDIDATE PROFILES FOR MORE LOCAL OFFICES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
County of Hawai`i Mayor
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| Harry Kim |
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| Billy Kenoi |
BILLY KENOI is the incumbent mayor. He campaigns on his record of bringing Hawai`i County through the recession by cutting back the government budget without reducing police, fire senior citizen services. He also declares he opposes the `Aina Koa Pono proposal for Ka`u to build a refinery and establish a large biofuel farm if it means raising electric rates. Kenoi also says he brings government to the people when he and county department heads held talk story meetings around the island. See billykenoi.com.
HARRY KIM was the mayor before Kenoi who could not run during the last election because of term limitations. He is running on his contention that individual citizens and small groups should have the ear of government, and he pledges to take no more than $10 in campaign donations from any person or interest group, though various people made signs for him with a value of greater than $20. Kim is former Civil Defense director for Hawai`i County before becoming a two-term mayor. See harrykimhawaii.org.
County of Hawai`i Prosecuting Attorney
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| Mitch Roth |
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| Lincoln Ashida |
LINCOLN ASHIDA, County Corporation Counsel, says he wants to look at “getting back to the basics.” He said he would start by building a team of prosecutors and support staff that understands the stress that crime creates for individuals and communities. He says he also wants to focus on training of prosecutors. “Our community demands and expects the best attorneys,” he said. See ashidaforprosecutor.com.
MITCH ROTH, a deputy prosecuting attorney, says he wants to make neighborhoods safe by closing drug houses, recording drug forfeitures so that drug money fights crime, performing nuisance abatement and doing hands-on community training. Roth says he wants to change the culture of the Prosecuting Attorney's office. Roth, who has helped with Neighborhood Watch and other community crime-solving training sessions in Ka`u, says prosecutors should be more than case processors. "The should be problem solver." See mitchroth.org.
County of Hawai`i Councilmember District 6
MITCH ROTH, a deputy prosecuting attorney, says he wants to make neighborhoods safe by closing drug houses, recording drug forfeitures so that drug money fights crime, performing nuisance abatement and doing hands-on community training. Roth says he wants to change the culture of the Prosecuting Attorney's office. Roth, who has helped with Neighborhood Watch and other community crime-solving training sessions in Ka`u, says prosecutors should be more than case processors. "The should be problem solver." See mitchroth.org.
County of Hawai`i Councilmember District 6
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| Maile David |
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| Brenda Ford |
MAILE (MEDEIROS) DAVID says she advocates and supports cultural sustainability and economic self-sufficiency; sustainable diversified agriculture; programs that use natural cultural resources as learning classrooms; energy sustainability programs; product branding and truth in labeling; aggressive federal, state and county collaboration to address and minimize the impact of invasive species; watershed protection; preservation of natural and cultural resources; safe routes to school programs; and planned growth consistent with Community Development Plans. David stresses her heritage and connection with Hawai`i. See mailedavid.com.
BRENDA FORD is an incumbent County Council member. She lists her top priorities as construction of Ocean View Transfer Station; creation of a teleconferencing site in Ka`u so residents can conveniently testify before governmental agencies; completion of construction of Ka`u District Shelter & Gym; completion of Mamalahoa Bypass Road to Napo`opo`o Junction; passage of Volcano Village Community Plan; support of truth in labeling and country of origin labeling for any agricultural products with a Hawaiian regional name; starting of partnership with county, state, UH and private enterprise to build West Hawai`i University campus. See brendaford.org.
See tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs for more candidate profiles.
THE NUMBER OF GROUND TOURS by ship passengers coming this way may increase over the next year as more cruise ships ask to stop in Hilo and the passenger counts go up.
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| Zaandam is one of the ships that comes into Hilo's port where passengers can disembark for Volcano and Ka`u. Photo from Holland America Line |
Ka`u is one of the farthest destinations visited by cruise ship passengers touring by bus, van and car from Hilo port to Volcano and sometimes on to Punalu`u Beach Park before heading back to the ship.
Hilo Bay Tours and Big Island Eco Tours managing director Farzin Faridi said he is putting together packages for the company’s tour vans that will take passengers as far as Punalu`u Beach Park, with visits to Ka`u Coffee Mill and Volcano. He said he is also working to bring passengers to both Volcano Art Center galleries. One tour is as long as six and a half hours, he said.
According to a press release from Hawai`i Tourism Authority, cruise visitor days statewide increased 24.4 percent in September over the same month last year.
Six out-of-state cruise ships came with 11,656 visitors on board, compared to four ships with 7,643 visitors in September 2011. In addition, five Saturdays in September 2012 allowed for five tours of the Hawai`i home-ported cruise ship compared to four tours last September.
For the first nine months of 2012, a total of 195,728 visitors came by cruise ship or by air to board cruise ships, an increase of 22.3 percent from the same period last year. Visitor days for all cruise visitors rose 13.3 percent.
Hilo Bay Tours and Big Island Eco Tours managing director Farzin Faridi said he is putting together packages for the company’s tour vans that will take passengers as far as Punalu`u Beach Park, with visits to Ka`u Coffee Mill and Volcano. He said he is also working to bring passengers to both Volcano Art Center galleries. One tour is as long as six and a half hours, he said.
According to a press release from Hawai`i Tourism Authority, cruise visitor days statewide increased 24.4 percent in September over the same month last year.
Six out-of-state cruise ships came with 11,656 visitors on board, compared to four ships with 7,643 visitors in September 2011. In addition, five Saturdays in September 2012 allowed for five tours of the Hawai`i home-ported cruise ship compared to four tours last September.
For the first nine months of 2012, a total of 195,728 visitors came by cruise ship or by air to board cruise ships, an increase of 22.3 percent from the same period last year. Visitor days for all cruise visitors rose 13.3 percent.
In the first nine months of 2012, a total of 102,257 visitors came to Hawai`i aboard 55 out-of-state cruise ships. This is 42.5 percent higher compared to the 71,780 visitors that boarded the 43 cruise ships during the same period in 2011.
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| Punalu`u attracts visitors, but the law keeps them at least 15 feet away from both the green sea turtles and endangered nesting hawksbills. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie |
Hawai`i Tourism Authority president and CEO Mike McCartney reported on overall tourism, saying that double-digit increases in visitor expenditures for September contributed to an increase of $1.7 billion, to $10.7 billion, in year-to-date spending over 2011.
“As we head into the fourth quarter, we anticipate the momentum to continue with increases in airlift thanks to new routes by Hawaiian Airlines from Sapporo and Brisbane, Allegiant Airlines from the West Coast, and Jetstar from Melbourne. These new routes are all servicing secondary cities, which will provide greater ease of access for visitors to come to the Hawaiian Islands.
“We are encouraged by the growth we have seen in expenditures and arrivals for the year so far and remain committed to working with the industry and our global marketing partners to achieve our overall targets of $13.9 billion in expenditures and 7.9 million visitor arrivals by the end of 2012,” the HTA chief said.
“As we head into the fourth quarter, we anticipate the momentum to continue with increases in airlift thanks to new routes by Hawaiian Airlines from Sapporo and Brisbane, Allegiant Airlines from the West Coast, and Jetstar from Melbourne. These new routes are all servicing secondary cities, which will provide greater ease of access for visitors to come to the Hawaiian Islands.
“We are encouraged by the growth we have seen in expenditures and arrivals for the year so far and remain committed to working with the industry and our global marketing partners to achieve our overall targets of $13.9 billion in expenditures and 7.9 million visitor arrivals by the end of 2012,” the HTA chief said.
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