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| A virtual visit to Hawai`i's famous volcanoes will soon be available online thanks to Google's Street View. Above, Chris Fiock, of Street View Operations, shows Rob Pacheco, of Hawai`i Forest & Trail, and Jaci Matsuo, of HVCB, how to use the Trekker in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from google-latlong.blogspot.com |
A VIRTUAL VISIT TO HAWAI`I’S FAMOUS VOLCANOES will soon be available online, thanks to Google’s Street View. A local trail guide company will be borrowing the Internet company’s backpack cameras in order to capture panoramic images of Hawai`i Island hiking trails.
The photos taken of Hawai`i Island will be loaded onto Google Maps as well as the Hawai`i Visitors and Convention Bureau website, gohawaii.com.
Hawai`i Forest & Trail hikers will walk along more than 20 state and national park trails by September, loading the images online by the end of the year or early 2014.
Hawai`i Visitors and Convention Bureau has already planned to expand the project to other Hawai`i islands.
Google has an open petition for explorers worldwide aiming at expanding its Street View service of unexplored areas of the Earth.
The company announced that third-party organizations can borrow its Street View Trekker backpack in an effort to contribute imagery to help Google “build the very best map of the world.”
See more at google-latlong.blogspot.com.
HELE-ON BUS FARES GO UP MONDAY. General fare is $2 per ride. Students through college with current I.D., senior citizens 60 years and above with a valid I.D. and disabled persons with disability pass I.D. or pass issued by County Mass Transit Department pay $1 per ride. Children under age 5 ride for free.
Discounts are available to general riders by buying a sheet of 10 tickets for $15 or a monthly pass for $60. Qualifying students, seniors and disabled individuals pay $7.50 for 10 tickets or $45 for monthly passes.
For more information, call 961-8744 or see heleon.org/bus-fare-information.
For more information, call 961-8744 or see heleon.org/bus-fare-information.
DUE DATE FOR COUNTY PROPERTY TAX exemption applications is Monday, July 1. Homeowners, totally disabled veterans, persons affected by Hansen’s Disease and persons who are blind, deaf and/or totally disabled are eligible.
Applications must be submitted by the deadline for the homeowner exemption to be effective Jan. 1, 2014. All other program exemptions are effective immediately.
Those already enrolled in the programs do need to re-apply. However, changes of address, personal status or other qualifying circumstances must be reported to the county’s Real Property Tax Office within 30 days after the change.
For more information, call Real Property Tax Offices in Hilo at 961-8201 or Kona at 323-4880 or see www.hawaiipropertytax.com.
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| Spearfishing with SCUBA has been banned in West Hawai`i Fisheries Management Area that extends from South Point to Upolu Point. |
SCUBA SPEARFISHING HAS BEEN BANNED in the West Hawai`i Fisheries Management Area by Hawai`i Board of Land & Natural Resources. The area extends from South Point to Upolu Point in North Kohala.
The new rule states that no person shall “engage in or attempt to engage in SCUBA spearfishing, possess both SCUBA gear and a spear at the same time, or possess SCUBA gear and any specimen of speared aquatic life at the same time.”
West Hawai`i is the only area in the state to ban the practice. Other areas where it is also banned include Australia and Palau.
The rule, along with others in the package, now goes to the state attorney general for final review, then to the governor for signature. It then go to the lieutenant governor’s office for filing and will take effect 10 days after filing.
DLNR Chairman William Aila, Jr. opposed the rule. “This has been a long process which has involved many community members,” he said. “We thank everyone who testified today and shared their opinions and positions. I was disappointed with the outcome because I believe we need more scientific data before taking a step that will affect fishers’ lives, increase fishing pressure in nearshore waters, and which may have unintended consequences.”
West Hawai`i is the only area in the state to ban the practice. Other areas where it is also banned include Australia and Palau.
The rule, along with others in the package, now goes to the state attorney general for final review, then to the governor for signature. It then go to the lieutenant governor’s office for filing and will take effect 10 days after filing.
DLNR Chairman William Aila, Jr. opposed the rule. “This has been a long process which has involved many community members,” he said. “We thank everyone who testified today and shared their opinions and positions. I was disappointed with the outcome because I believe we need more scientific data before taking a step that will affect fishers’ lives, increase fishing pressure in nearshore waters, and which may have unintended consequences.”
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands banned SCUBA-spear fishing in 2002. Its Division of Fish & Wildlife researcher Michael Trianni said that that scuba spear fishing “has probably been the single most important cause of the decline of the Napoleon wrasse worldwide.” The Mariana fishery has come back, and it is a famous place for using SCUBA to see underwater marine life, without spearguns.
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| Federal law may pre-empt Hawai`i's law forbidding possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark fins. Photo from hokulea.org |
A FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITING CUTTING the fins of a shark at sea may conflict with a Hawai`i state law. Hawai`i banned the possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark fins three years ago, but federal allows finning of sharks as long it is done on land.
The federal law also prohibits people from possessing, transferring and landing shark fins, including the tail, that are not “naturally attached to the corresponding carcass.” In addition, it prohibits any person from landing a shark carcass without its corresponding fins being “naturally attached.”
“We must preserve the strong position the Hawai`i State Legislature took in May 2010 when Hawai`i became the first state in the nation to make it illegal to possess, sell or distribute shark fins in the state,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “This model legislation symbolizes Hawai`i’s concern for the welfare of all creatures.
We oppose federal pre-emption of the Hawai`i law. Our law is working as intended. We have educated fishers and restaurants, and they are complying.”
William Aila, Jr., chair of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, also opposed federal pre-emption of the state law.
“We must preserve the strong position the Hawai`i State Legislature took in May 2010 when Hawai`i became the first state in the nation to make it illegal to possess, sell or distribute shark fins in the state,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “This model legislation symbolizes Hawai`i’s concern for the welfare of all creatures.
We oppose federal pre-emption of the Hawai`i law. Our law is working as intended. We have educated fishers and restaurants, and they are complying.”
William Aila, Jr., chair of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, also opposed federal pre-emption of the state law.
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| Joe Iacuzzo, here with a tyrannosaurus rex fossil, brings Jurassic Park to Pahala Library Monday. Photo from Joe Iacuzzo |
JURASSIC PARK COMES TO PAHALA Public & School Library Monday when Joe Iacuzzo presents a program about the dinosaur mummy, a fossil with intact body and preserved skin.
Secrets of the Dinosaur Mummy screens at noon. In the documentary film co-produced by Iacuzzo, scientists Dr. Bob Bakker, Dave Trexler and Art Andersen uncover secrets of the most complete dinosaur fossil ever discovered. The team travels from Montana to NASA, while the story journeys to the earliest days of dinosaur hunting and 75 million years into the past with computer-generated dinosaurs.
After the film, Iacuzzo discusses his latest book, The Last Day of the Dinosaur Mummy, at 1 p.m.
Iacuzzo also presents the program at Na`alehu Public Library on Wednesday, June 10.
After the film, Iacuzzo discusses his latest book, The Last Day of the Dinosaur Mummy, at 1 p.m.
Iacuzzo also presents the program at Na`alehu Public Library on Wednesday, June 10.
More information is available at dinosaurmummy.org.
KA`U SCENIC BYWAY COMMITTEE meets Monday at 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church. The public is invited to hear about topics on the agenda including installation of informational signage at Ocean View overlook, the long-term corridor management plan and Na`alehu Theater.
The committee is looking for ideas on what to do about the theater, which continues to deteriorate. According to organizer Dennis Elwell, the committee has asked elected officials for help, and Sen. Russell Ruderman is trying to contact owners and lessees of the theater to see what can be done.
For more information, contact Elwell at 929-7236 or delwell@hawaii.rr.com.
KA`U ROPING & RIDING ASSOCIATION holds its annual Fourth of July Rodeo next Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7. Tickets are $6 and are being sold by rodeo queens. The location is the rodeo arena and grounds in Na`alehu. Many traditional events popular at Hawaiian rodeos will be held, including Po Wai U.
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.
The committee is looking for ideas on what to do about the theater, which continues to deteriorate. According to organizer Dennis Elwell, the committee has asked elected officials for help, and Sen. Russell Ruderman is trying to contact owners and lessees of the theater to see what can be done.
For more information, contact Elwell at 929-7236 or delwell@hawaii.rr.com.
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| Rodeo comes to Na`alehu July 6 and 7 with wahine, kane and keiki roping and riding events. Photo by Richard Taylor |
KA`U ROPING & RIDING ASSOCIATION holds its annual Fourth of July Rodeo next Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7. Tickets are $6 and are being sold by rodeo queens. The location is the rodeo arena and grounds in Na`alehu. Many traditional events popular at Hawaiian rodeos will be held, including Po Wai U.
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.