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| Lava has increased its advance rate toward Pahoa, with Civil Defense reporting this morning that it is 0.3 miles from Apa`a Street, on which the transfer station is located. Photo from USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory |
The story says that although residents are able to dispose of their trash for free on Saturdays when the county sets up temporary containers, it can take a half hour to get through the line. On other days, residents must travel to Wai`ohinu or South Kona.
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| Illegal dumping continues to be an issue in Ocean View. This photo was posted on Ka`u News Briefs in March, 2011. Photo from Ocean View Recycling Point & Convenience Center EIS |
Ocean View Community Association President Fortune Otter told Yager, “The garbage down there has gotten incredibly bad. It’s not just refrigerators and tires and generators. It’s also bags of diapers, which means that people are definitely just not waiting for Saturday.”
Hawai`i County Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd told Yager, “We will clean it up if there is an issue.” She added that the county is dealing with issues including damage from Tropical Storm Iselle and the lava flow threatening Pahoa, its transfer station and highway access to lower Puna.
She said the county is considering expanding the temporary services.
Yager reported that Ka`u’s Council member Brenda Ford said she was disgusted by the trash and displeased the transfer station hasn’t been built.
“I’m so frustrated about this project and many other public safety projects that have not been completed in Ka`u and Kona,” she said.
Ford acknowledged that county departments are currently in crisis mode but said that doesn’t explain years of inactivity on a project that has been on the county’s capital improvement projects list since 2007.
HAWAI`I COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE reported today that, while flow activity does not pose an immediate threat to area communities, the flow is now 0.3 miles from Apa`a Street, and Apa`a Street and Cemetery Road will be closed between Pahoa Transfer Station and Kaohe Homesteads Road. Civil Defense and public safety personnel will begin conducting round-the-clock observations of the flow.
“We need to make investments in the University of Hawai`i so we can have the extension agents that can be the conduit to the farmers across the state to teach them about new technologies and ways to be more profitable. We need to start with the farmers and ask them, ‘What would it take to double your production?’”
HO`OKUPU HULA NO KA`U CULTURAL FESTIVAL takes place on the grounds of the Plantation Manager’s House in the afternoons and evenings tomorrow and Saturday.
On Saturday at the Old Pahala Clubhouse will be workshops, beginning with hula with Kumu Hula Debbie Leionalani Ryder at 8 a.m. At 9:30 a.m. will be lei-making, at 11 a.m., lauhaula weaving; at 12:30 p.m., an `ukulele workshop; and at 1:30 p.m., a slack key workshop. Some workshops have minimal fees.
All entertainment is open to the public with no fees.
For more, see www.hookupukau.com.
See more on the festival in this week’s Ka`u News Briefs and in this month’s issue of The Ka`u Calendar.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
Hawai`i County Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd told Yager, “We will clean it up if there is an issue.” She added that the county is dealing with issues including damage from Tropical Storm Iselle and the lava flow threatening Pahoa, its transfer station and highway access to lower Puna.
She said the county is considering expanding the temporary services.
Yager reported that Ka`u’s Council member Brenda Ford said she was disgusted by the trash and displeased the transfer station hasn’t been built.
“I’m so frustrated about this project and many other public safety projects that have not been completed in Ka`u and Kona,” she said.
Ford acknowledged that county departments are currently in crisis mode but said that doesn’t explain years of inactivity on a project that has been on the county’s capital improvement projects list since 2007.
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| Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists investigated the leading edges of the Puna lava flow on foot yesterday. Photo from USGS/HVO |
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY GEOLOGISTS conducted investigations of the leading edges of the Puna lava flow on foot yesterday. The flow was moving downslope in a small gully, which increased the flow’s advance rate from about 87 yards per day during the previous week to as much as 330 yards per day at times during the past two days.
See hvo.wr.usgs.gov.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HAWAI`I COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE reported today that, while flow activity does not pose an immediate threat to area communities, the flow is now 0.3 miles from Apa`a Street, and Apa`a Street and Cemetery Road will be closed between Pahoa Transfer Station and Kaohe Homesteads Road. Civil Defense and public safety personnel will begin conducting round-the-clock observations of the flow.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
LOW-INTEREST FEDERAL DISASTER LOANS are available to Ka`u residents and business owners affected by Tropical Storm Iselle. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster following the Oct. 16 denial of the state’s appeal for a major disaster declaration. The loans are available to farmers, ranchers, business owners and homeowners.
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| SBA loans are available to Ka`u farmers, ranchers, businesses and residents who suffered damage from Tropical Storm Iselle. Photo by Gloria Camba |
“The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing Hawai`i with the most effective and customer-focused response possible, and we will be there to provide access to federal disaster loans to help finance recovery for residents and businesses affected by the disaster,” said administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “Getting our businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”
Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster.
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Businesses of any size and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to homeowners and businesses to help with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.
Interest rates can be as low as 2.063 percent for homeowners and renters, 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations and four percent for businesses, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.
Interest rates can be as low as 2.063 percent for homeowners and renters, 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations and four percent for businesses, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call 800-877-8339.
Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call 800-877-8339.
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| David Alexander McFadden |
For more information about SBA’s disaster assistance programs, see www.sba.gov/disaster.
The filing deadline to return applications for property damage is Dec. 22. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 22, 2015.
The filing deadline to return applications for property damage is Dec. 22. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 22, 2015.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
DAVID ALEXANDER MCFADDEN, of Na`alehu, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly growing marijuana with intent to distribute and made his initial court appearance yesterday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled at 2 p.m. today in Kona District Court.
Documents filed by police indicate that officers found 85 marijuana plants, 52.66 pounds of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Freitas maintained McFadden’s bail at $19,000, and he remained in custody Wednesday evening at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
Freitas maintained McFadden’s bail at $19,000, and he remained in custody Wednesday evening at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
MUFI HANNEMANN, INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE for governor, mentioned Ka`u Coffee in his response to a question during a recent candidate forum in Hilo.
Moderator Sherry Bracken asked the candidates, “What steps would your administration take to increase profitable farming in Hawai`i?”
Hannemann said, “Farmers often have difficulty with long-term leases. Farmers have difficulty getting loans from the banks. We have to go back with an understanding and appreciation of agriculture. If we want food security, if we want to make sure that we grow more of our products here and be able to put out in the world products from Hawai`i that are grown here … whether it’s Kona Coffee, now Ka`u Coffee, all those things is what I want to do.
Hannemann also said his years with C. Brewer on Hawai`i Island gave him a deep appreciation for diversified ag. “Let’s begin with changing the status of the Department of Agriculture,” he said. “Currently they get only 0.7 percent of the budget of state government. How can they afford to go out and do what they need to do?”
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| Sen. David Ige, Democratic candidate for governor, met with Ka`u residents at Marion Villanueva's Pahala home in July. Photo by Julia Neal |
Hannemann concluded, “I want to bring back the agriculture industry and make them understand there’s someone in the executive office that understands the importance of agriculture.”
Democratic Sen. David Ige said that before meeting with farmers across the state during his campaign, he thought agriculture was dead in Hawai`i. “I am more bullish about agriculture now than I ever have been because of my many interactions with farmers across the state.
“We need to help and support all farmers, big and small. We need to turn the Department of Agriculture upside down so they understand that it’s also about supporting the small farmers.”“We need to make investments in the University of Hawai`i so we can have the extension agents that can be the conduit to the farmers across the state to teach them about new technologies and ways to be more profitable. We need to start with the farmers and ask them, ‘What would it take to double your production?’”
Republican Duke Aiona replied, “Agriculture is a big part, I believe, in regards to what we call our naturally competitive industries. We know that we can have diversified agriculture in this state across the board.
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| Kumu hula Debbie Ryder is director of Ho`okupu Hula No Ka`u Cultural Festival taking place tomorrow and Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal |
“I’m a proponent, and I’m a supporter of all forms of agriculture.
“I’m prepared to do what it takes. I know that the Legislature has tried to incentivize farmers to get into agribusiness by making some modifications and amendments, increasing the funding for agricultural loans.
“I know we need to do much more so that we can help our agriculture industry thrive.”
Aiona said he wants to meet with farmers and communities to identify their needs regarding agriculture.
“I’m prepared to do what it takes. I know that the Legislature has tried to incentivize farmers to get into agribusiness by making some modifications and amendments, increasing the funding for agricultural loans.
“I know we need to do much more so that we can help our agriculture industry thrive.”
Aiona said he wants to meet with farmers and communities to identify their needs regarding agriculture.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
WALK-IN VOTING IN ADVANCE OF THE NOV. 4 General Election is available at Pahala Community Center weekdays through Friday, Oct. 31. Hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
HO`OKUPU HULA NO KA`U CULTURAL FESTIVAL takes place on the grounds of the Plantation Manager’s House in the afternoons and evenings tomorrow and Saturday.
On Saturday at the Old Pahala Clubhouse will be workshops, beginning with hula with Kumu Hula Debbie Leionalani Ryder at 8 a.m. At 9:30 a.m. will be lei-making, at 11 a.m., lauhaula weaving; at 12:30 p.m., an `ukulele workshop; and at 1:30 p.m., a slack key workshop. Some workshops have minimal fees.
All entertainment is open to the public with no fees.
For more, see www.hookupukau.com.
See more on the festival in this week’s Ka`u News Briefs and in this month’s issue of The Ka`u Calendar.
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. |