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| Keiki got to have pictures taken with the friendly Thanksgiving scarecrow during Friday's Ho`olaule`a sponsored by Tutu & Me Traveling Preschool at Pahala Community Center. Photo by Julia Neal |
ALLOWING MODULAR AND MOBILE HOMES could help with a predicted housing shortage should lava cut off roads into lower Puna, according to some real estate professionals. Currently, mobile homes are illegal.
One option, Day-Lum Properties’ Nancy Cabral told Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, is to change regulations that prevent use of modular homes, which could be set up quickly during an emergency. She said group of real estate professionals and housing advocates is trying to offer solutions to the county and state.
“We’re just trying to get the ball rolling and start the thinking process,” she said. “If we start now, maybe we’ll have something in six months.”
In Hilo, the rental market remains “very, very tight,” Cabral told Callis. Even in Pahoa, rentals continue to be occupied, though there is turnover, she said. She said people may not be able to find rentals in Hilo because they are limited, and some people are willing to stay in their Puna rentals and see what happens with the lava flow.
“We didn’t expect that,” Cabral told Callis. “We were anticipating people moving out and having long-standing vacant units.
“There’s not enough (housing) period,” Cabral said. “That’s just the fact; there’s not enough.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
“We’re just trying to get the ball rolling and start the thinking process,” she said. “If we start now, maybe we’ll have something in six months.”
In Hilo, the rental market remains “very, very tight,” Cabral told Callis. Even in Pahoa, rentals continue to be occupied, though there is turnover, she said. She said people may not be able to find rentals in Hilo because they are limited, and some people are willing to stay in their Puna rentals and see what happens with the lava flow.
“We didn’t expect that,” Cabral told Callis. “We were anticipating people moving out and having long-standing vacant units.
“There’s not enough (housing) period,” Cabral said. “That’s just the fact; there’s not enough.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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| With no lava flowing within a few miles of Pahoa Village Road, officials plan to reopen it this week. Map from county Civil Defense |
ALONG WITH THE LAVA FLOW FRONT that threatened their town remaining stalled, Pahoa residents may have something else to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Reopening of Pahoa Village Road will be initiated starting tomorrow and may take a few days to complete, reported county Civil Defense. Utility crews will begin removing protection placed around utility poles, and this work will require the road to remain closed while equipment is operating in the area.
The road was closed to non-residents between Apa`a Street and Post Office Road on Oct. 26 as the lava flow approached it but has remained stalled 480 feet from the road since Oct. 30. It could be closed again if flows return to Pahoa.
Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, reported that while access to Apa`a Street, which lava crossed on its way toward Pahoa, will remain restricted, Civil Defense Chief Darryl Oliveira said the county is considering establishing a lava viewing area at Pahoa’s transfer station, where lava entered the property but then stalled.
While the June 27 lava flow does not pose an immediate threat to Puna communities, it is still active 3.6 and further upslope of Apa`a Street.
Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, reported that while access to Apa`a Street, which lava crossed on its way toward Pahoa, will remain restricted, Civil Defense Chief Darryl Oliveira said the county is considering establishing a lava viewing area at Pahoa’s transfer station, where lava entered the property but then stalled.
While the June 27 lava flow does not pose an immediate threat to Puna communities, it is still active 3.6 and further upslope of Apa`a Street.
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| A toddler enjoys shave ice while decorating paper bags for the holiday season. Photo by Julia Neal |
TUTU & ME TRAVELING PRESCHOOL held its annual Keiki Ho`olaule`a at Pahala Community Center on Friday. The purpose of the event was to demonstrate the unique, high-quality early childhood educational program Tutu & Me provides for free and to invite eligible families to enroll. “We serve families with keiki from birth to five years of age and their caregivers – whether that be mom, dad, Tutu, aunty, uncle or a friend,” said site manager Betty Clark. “An integral part of our program is a cultural component; Hawaiian language and Native Hawaiian values are incorporated into our curriculum on a daily basis.
Tutu & Me offers classes from 8:30 am. to 10:30 a.m. Monday and Wednesday at Na`alehu Community Center and Tuesday and Thursday at Pahala Community Center.
Funding for the program administered by Partners in Development Foundation in part comes from Native Hawaiian support organizations.
For more information, see pidf.org or call 929-8571.
For more information, see pidf.org or call 929-8571.
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HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE ARE WARNING the public about IRS scams designed to obtain personal and financial information or to persuade the recipient to wire money to the impostors.
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| Face painting and crafts keep keiki entertained at Tutu & Me's ho`olaule`a. Photo by Julia Neal |
A Kona man reported that he received a call on his cell phone from a man claiming to work for the Internal Revenue Service. The caller told the victim that he owed back taxes and instructed him to go to a specific drug store and purchase four Western Union vouchers for $500 each and then provide the caller with the voucher numbers. He told the victim to stay on the line with him until he bought the vouchers.
When the victim became suspicious and said he was going to call the police, he was told he would be arrested if he hung up. The victim hung up anyway and immediately received another call. His caller ID showed the incoming phone number as 326-4646, which is the number of the Kona police station. When the victim answered his phone, the caller told him the police were on their way to arrest him.
The victim drove to the Kona police station to determine if the call was legitimate and learned that it was a scam. Criminals can purchase an app for their cell phone that sends a false caller ID number.
A second victim reported that he received a similar call from someone claiming to be from the IRS. The victim suspected the call was bogus and hung up the phone. The IRS imposter called back and told the victim that he didn’t appear to be taking the problem seriously, and that he needed to confirm that he was the right person. The caller then asked the victim for his name, date of birth, Social Security number and bank account number.
Police urge the public not to comply with instructions or divulge any information if they receive a call from someone claiming to represent the IRS.
When the victim became suspicious and said he was going to call the police, he was told he would be arrested if he hung up. The victim hung up anyway and immediately received another call. His caller ID showed the incoming phone number as 326-4646, which is the number of the Kona police station. When the victim answered his phone, the caller told him the police were on their way to arrest him.
The victim drove to the Kona police station to determine if the call was legitimate and learned that it was a scam. Criminals can purchase an app for their cell phone that sends a false caller ID number.
A second victim reported that he received a similar call from someone claiming to be from the IRS. The victim suspected the call was bogus and hung up the phone. The IRS imposter called back and told the victim that he didn’t appear to be taking the problem seriously, and that he needed to confirm that he was the right person. The caller then asked the victim for his name, date of birth, Social Security number and bank account number.
Police urge the public not to comply with instructions or divulge any information if they receive a call from someone claiming to represent the IRS.
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| U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard |
CONGRESSWOMAN TULSI GABBARD is sponsoring bipartisan legislation to give the President temporary authority to directly arm the Kurdish Peshmerga in the fight against ISIL and other Islamic extremists. Currently, U.S. military aid is being dispersed solely through the Iraqi central government, which so far has not supplied the Kurds with the equipment they need.
“The Kurdish Peshmerga are courageously fighting to destroy ISIL. They are the primary offensive force fighting against ISIL on the ground and are doing so with inadequate weapons and resources. We should be doing everything we can to get them the heavy weapons and equipment they need to support their fight to eliminate our common enemy,” Gabbard said. “This bipartisan legislation will help level the playing field for this fighting force, which is vastly outgunned and mostly using outdated light weapons. Systemic changes need to occur within the structure of the Iraqi government, but we cannot wait; we must stop routing these weapons through a still dysfunctional Shiite-led central Iraqi government, which has thus far withheld necessary support to the Peshmerga, and provide equipment and heavy weapons directly to the Kurds. Their needs are urgent. We cannot waste any more time, as ISIL continues to grow, increasing the threat to the United States and our partners.”
Gabbard has consistently and strongly supported arming the Kurdish Peshmerga with heavy weapons and armored vehicles, and met yesterday with the Kurdish Regional Government Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa and Dr. Fuad Hussein, President Barzani’s Chief of Staff, expressing her full support and commitment to increasing direct U.S. military aid to the KRG.
The legislation establishes as the policy of the United States to provide direct assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government to combat ISIL, identifies Iraqi Kurds as a reliable and stable partner of the United States, recognizes that the Peshmerga are the official security force of the Kurdistan Regional Government, organized in accordance with the Iraqi Constitution, emphasizes that ISIL is a significant terrorist threat which may employ more than 4,000 captured heavy weapons, 1,500 armored vehicles, and 50 long-range artillery pieces and aintains existing Congressional oversight of significant arms transfers.
The legislation sunsets after three years, in recognition of the emergency nature of this authority.
The legislation establishes as the policy of the United States to provide direct assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government to combat ISIL, identifies Iraqi Kurds as a reliable and stable partner of the United States, recognizes that the Peshmerga are the official security force of the Kurdistan Regional Government, organized in accordance with the Iraqi Constitution, emphasizes that ISIL is a significant terrorist threat which may employ more than 4,000 captured heavy weapons, 1,500 armored vehicles, and 50 long-range artillery pieces and aintains existing Congressional oversight of significant arms transfers.
The legislation sunsets after three years, in recognition of the emergency nature of this authority.
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| Tutu & Me prepares for last year's Pahala Christmas Parade. Organizing for this year's parade in the works. Photo by Julia Neal |
KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PLAN to participate in outdoor activities a week from today on Sunday, Nov. 30.
Kahuku Palm Trail Hike, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit, is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop trail that provides one of best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer.
A Forest Work Day is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village with botanist Tim Tunison. Call 967-8222 for more information.
PAHALA CHRISTMAS PARADE is organizing for Sunday, Dec. 14 at 1 p.m., winding its way around Pahala town from the old armory to the hospital and back to Holy Rosary Catholic Church for refreshments. Organized for some 35 years by Eddie Andrade, the parade features, floats, walking groups, tractors and classic cars, choirs, Filipino community groups, public officials, churches, schools, members of Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, Santa giving out candy and much more. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Andrade at 928-0808.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
A Forest Work Day is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village with botanist Tim Tunison. Call 967-8222 for more information.
PAHALA CHRISTMAS PARADE is organizing for Sunday, Dec. 14 at 1 p.m., winding its way around Pahala town from the old armory to the hospital and back to Holy Rosary Catholic Church for refreshments. Organized for some 35 years by Eddie Andrade, the parade features, floats, walking groups, tractors and classic cars, choirs, Filipino community groups, public officials, churches, schools, members of Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, Santa giving out candy and much more. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Andrade at 928-0808.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
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| See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf |