The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island: Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015

Community feedback and potential revisions related to coastal development are on Ka`u CDP Steering Committee's agenda for a meeting today at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Image from draft Ka`u CDP documents

LEINA`ALA ENOS, CHAIR of Ka`u Community Development Plan’s Steering Committee, explains the CDP process to countywide readers in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald today. Enos told Ivy Ashe that committee members continue after nearly eight years “because many of us are very passionate about the process and what the outcomes can mean to our community. … The end result is a document that hopefully our community is going to be proud of because they had a lot of say about it.”

Leina`ala Enos

Enos told Ashe that the committee welcomes more input from the community as the process reaches its final stages. “If (people) look at the document and see something — or don’t see something — we would still like people to be part of the whole process and let us know,” Enos said.
The committee’s series of topic-focused meetings continues today at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center, focusing on community feedback and potential CDP revisions related to Coastal Development. Background information is available at http://www.hawaiicountycdp.info/kau-cdp/steering-committee/steering-commitee-meetings/august-18-2015-steering-committee-meeting/CoastalDevInfoPacket.pdf/view.
The meetings are designed to quickly bring the committee and others present up to speed and focused on key issues and decisions. Members of the public in attendance will be able to participate in a review of the trade-offs associated with alternative CDP strategies and revisions. Public comment on agenda items is welcome.
For more information, contact Steering Committee members or Community Planning Assistant Nalani Parlin. Contact information and the agenda are available at kaucdp.info.

See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Photo of burglary suspect from Hawai`i
Island Police

HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE ask for the public’s help in identifying a person wanted in connection with a burglary complaint that occurred on a property located on the 2800 block of Anuenue Drive in Ocean View.

On Friday, Aug, 14 between 1:50 p.m. and 2:05 p.m., an unidentified person entered the property without permission and removed a green acetylene torch with cylinder, a red Honda generator and a red 10-gallon metal gas container. The suspect may have been operating a lifted, older model white Toyota extra cab pickup truck with large off-road tires. Images of the suspect and the truck he was driving were captured on surveillance video.
Police ask anyone with information about this case or the identity of the person in the photo to call Officer James Lorenzo at 939-2520 or the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

A NEW PACIFIC ISLANDS CLIMATE STORYBOOK created by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other partners details community experiences in addressing impacts of a changing climate in Pacific Island countries. The storybook reflects broad community engagement over a two-year period and incorporates experiential knowledge and scientific data. With emphasis on the vital need for climate early warning, the stories highlight the use of or need for climate services to increase community resilience to a changing climate.

In American Samoa, for example, lessons learned from a devastating drought considerably lessened the impacts of a later, even more severe drought. In Vanuatu, a guidebook and innovative animation are translating science from climate early warning systems into useable strategies for farmers and others especially vulnerable to climate variability. Planting taro deeply, for instance, allows roots to better reach water reserves.
The stories are an outcome of an extensive dialog process that joined those developing climate products and services for the Pacific Islands with those who will actually use the information to plan and adapt.
The storybook incorporates technical material, process guides and activities that were used to conduct dialogues and build the stories. It conveys an approach that is easy for decision-makers to understand and apply, and may serve as a model for governments and other organizations that seek to engage communities in adapting to a changing climate.
See http://pacificislandsclimate.org/storybook/Pacific_Islands_Climate_Storybook.pdf and http://pacificislandsclimate.org/csstories/.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO, A MEMBER of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, supports the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that regulates Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Congress is currently considering the plan announced recently by Pres. Barack Obama.

“Since receiving President Obama’s proposed deal to end Iran’s nuclear program, I have attended and participated in classified briefings, meetings and hearings with national security and foreign policy experts, with supporters and critics of the deal, with military leaders, with ambassadors and representatives of the other five nations involved in the negotiations and with my constituents,” Hirono said. “After careful consideration, particularly weighing the risks involved in Congress approving or rejecting the deal, I have concluded that supporting this agreement means that Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which was on the verge of success, will be disabled for many years. The agreement requires Iran to affirm that ‘under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire nuclear weapons.’ This section of the agreement will enable the U.S. and the international community to take appropriate action, including military action, should Iran violate this unequivocal pledge.
“My support of this plan of action stems from the following points:

Iran is currently on the verge of successfully developing numerous nuclear bombs. This agreement, with its stringent inspection regime, will halt Iran’s development of nuclear weapons by requiring Iran to give up its capacity to produce nuclear weapons.
If Iran fails to meet the restrictions this agreement provides, sanctions can be put back into place or ‘snapped back.’ The U.S. and our international partners retain the ability to use military action if Iran seeks to obtain a nuclear weapon in violation of this agreement.

“A rejection by the U.S. of this deal will not bring our partners back to negotiate another deal. In fact, at a recent meeting of leaders from our partner nations, I specifically asked the Ambassadors to the U.S. from China, the United Kingdom and Russia whether their countries would come back to negotiate again should the U.S. walk away from the deal. They unanimously said, ‘No,’ that there was already a deal – the one before Congress.
“While this agreement is not perfect, it has gained broad national and international support, including 29 top American nuclear scientists, of which six are Nobel laureates. This agreement is the best option to halt Iran’s nuclear weapon program.
“At the same time, this deal does not solve all the concerns we have about Iran’s activities, particularly, Iran’s support for terrorism. I will support increased efforts, along with our allies, to counter Iran’s destabilizing and malign actions within and outside the Middle East.”
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ADVOCATS OFFERS a spay and neuter clinic tomorrow from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Call 939-7033 for more information.

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Council Chambers in Hilo. The meeting is streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings. Agenda is also available on the website.

Na`alehu State Office Building offers videoconferencing as a means for Ka`u residents to testify without traveling to Hilo.

Halau O Mailelaulani performs tomorrow. Photo from NPS

HULA AND HAWAIIAN MUSIC are featured tomorrow from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, with Hilo-based Halau O Mailelaulani under the direction of kumu hula Mailelaulani Canario.

Free; park entrance fees apply.
For more information, call 985-6011.

KA`U EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL BEGINS regular-season play on Saturday, Aug. 29 at Kohala. Due to a lack of eligible players with three days of conditioning and 10 days in pads, the team had to cancel its preseason game against Hilo Junior Varsity this Friday, according to Athletic Director Kalei Namohala.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

BUSINESS SPACE IS AVAILABLE for rent at the open location where Kama`aina Kuts and Styles by Elise are located in Na`alehu. Call Corrine at 937-1840 for more information.