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| Randy Cabral, who owns a ranch in Kaʻū and formerly managed a large portion of the macadamia orchards in this district, is state President of the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau. He and Kaʻū President Phil Becker announced today that the Farm Bureau has funds to buy locally produced fruit, vegetables and meat to distribute through the Food Basket and other channels. See story below. Photo from Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau |
MAYOR HARRY KIM ANNOUNCED TODAY that he will run for a fourth term. He served two terms, couldn't run again under term limits, and waited until Mayor Billy Kenoi, who succeeded him, to complete his two terms. Kim ran again in 2016, returned to the mayor's post for another four years, and is eligible to run for the fourth term.
Kim, 80, said he would like to finish the business of settling the Mauna Kea issue, where a worldwide astronomy community wants to build the Thirty Meter Telescope and Native Hawaiian groups, and some environmentalists and their supporters oppose it. He said he has understanding of all sides of the issue and would be able to bring people together.
He also pointed to his experience in leading the community through disasters, including volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he is deeply involved in helping to solve the homeless crisis. He was Hawaiʻi County's Civil Defense Director for many years. He also served as a teacher and coach in the public school system, and as a medic in the U.S. Army.
During his recent term, and previously, Kim tackled several health events, including heart attacks and cardiovascular surgeries, for which he checked into hospitals, received treatments, returned to work right away, and resumed very long days of exercise and work.
He said that during this campaign, he will continue his tradition of accepting donations of no more than $10 per person.
The Mayor told Hawaiʻi News Now: "This is something I feel I should do. This is something I feel, truthfully, I want to do. I will carry my campaign in the same way that I always have done in all my years working for the county. It'll be no politics in regards to decision making and I think my work shows that."
Others who announced they will run include County Prosecutor Mitch Roth, Nā Leo TV CEO and former County Council member Stacy Higa, Public Works Highways Division Chief Neil Azevedo, former County Council member Kelly Greenwell, first term County Council member Kanealiʻi Kleinfelder, former county Director of Parks & Recreation Bob Fitzgerald, Puna community organizer Ikaika Marzo, former community radio and television news producer Wendell Kaehuaea, and medical cannabis advocate Mike Ruggles. Also expressing interest are Daniel H. Cunningham, Harvey W. Eli, Michael Glendon, Grayden Haʻi-Kelly, W. Yumi Kawano, Abolghassem A. Sadegh, Ted (Toku San) Shaneyfelt, Tante Urban, and James M. (Jiro) Yuda.
The deadline to file papers to run for Mayor is June 2. The primary election, by mail, is Aug. 8. If one of the top two candidates receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the mayorship is decided. If not, the top two square off in the general election on Nov. 3.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
HAWAIʻI FARM BUREAU HAS MONEY TO BUY FOOD FROM FARMERS AND RANCHERS. Statewide President Randy Cabral and Kaʻū President Phil Becker are passing the word around Kaʻū. Cabral owns a ranch and is a former macadamia company manager in Kaʻū. Becker and his wife Merle own a Kaʻū Coffee orchard, the Aikane Plantation Kaʻū Coffee brand, and a cattle and horse operation in Kaʻū.
Kim, 80, said he would like to finish the business of settling the Mauna Kea issue, where a worldwide astronomy community wants to build the Thirty Meter Telescope and Native Hawaiian groups, and some environmentalists and their supporters oppose it. He said he has understanding of all sides of the issue and would be able to bring people together.
He also pointed to his experience in leading the community through disasters, including volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he is deeply involved in helping to solve the homeless crisis. He was Hawaiʻi County's Civil Defense Director for many years. He also served as a teacher and coach in the public school system, and as a medic in the U.S. Army.
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| Mayor Harry Kim and his granddaughter in the 2016 Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade during his last election campaign. Photo by Ron Johnson |
He said that during this campaign, he will continue his tradition of accepting donations of no more than $10 per person.
The Mayor told Hawaiʻi News Now: "This is something I feel I should do. This is something I feel, truthfully, I want to do. I will carry my campaign in the same way that I always have done in all my years working for the county. It'll be no politics in regards to decision making and I think my work shows that."
Others who announced they will run include County Prosecutor Mitch Roth, Nā Leo TV CEO and former County Council member Stacy Higa, Public Works Highways Division Chief Neil Azevedo, former County Council member Kelly Greenwell, first term County Council member Kanealiʻi Kleinfelder, former county Director of Parks & Recreation Bob Fitzgerald, Puna community organizer Ikaika Marzo, former community radio and television news producer Wendell Kaehuaea, and medical cannabis advocate Mike Ruggles. Also expressing interest are Daniel H. Cunningham, Harvey W. Eli, Michael Glendon, Grayden Haʻi-Kelly, W. Yumi Kawano, Abolghassem A. Sadegh, Ted (Toku San) Shaneyfelt, Tante Urban, and James M. (Jiro) Yuda.
The deadline to file papers to run for Mayor is June 2. The primary election, by mail, is Aug. 8. If one of the top two candidates receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the mayorship is decided. If not, the top two square off in the general election on Nov. 3.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
HAWAIʻI FARM BUREAU HAS MONEY TO BUY FOOD FROM FARMERS AND RANCHERS. Statewide President Randy Cabral and Kaʻū President Phil Becker are passing the word around Kaʻū. Cabral owns a ranch and is a former macadamia company manager in Kaʻū. Becker and his wife Merle own a Kaʻū Coffee orchard, the Aikane Plantation Kaʻū Coffee brand, and a cattle and horse operation in Kaʻū.
Cabral said: "Knowing that our farmers are being hurt by reduced sales and loss of markets during the COVID-19 crisis, the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, in partnership with the County of Hawaiʻi and generous non-profit entities, have developed a program to purchase produce and meats from commercial farmers and livestock producers on Hawaiʻi Island, for distribution to families in need. The Food Basket and other channels will distribute the products."
Here are the rules: The program is intended for commercial farmers in active agricultural production on Hawaiʻi Island. Membership in HFB is not required. Applicants will provide their G.E.T. number along with their application, demonstrating their commercial producer status. The program is for locally-grown produce and meat products only. Value-added products are not eligible.
Vegetables and fruits must be fresh, clean, and of good quality. All meat must have been processed within a USDA facility. Produce must be packaged as directed, using proper sanitation and food safety protocols. After an order is placed and delivered, the Producer must provide an invoice made out to Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau Foundation, indicating the agreed-upon price and quantity delivered.Invoice must include a 1 percent G.E.T. tax. Invoice and produce delivered will be verified and signed by the receiving person/entity, having two invoice copies signed; one for the farm or ranch records and one to submit to HFB for payment. Submit via email to kaiwiki.1970@gmail.com.
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| Kaʻū Farm Bureau President Phil Becker, along with Merle Becker at their Aikane Plantation farm and ranch above Pāhala. Photo from Aikane Plantation |
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Call CU Hawaiʻi at 933-6700 or toll free 1-800-933-6706 for more information.
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EDVANCE IS LOOKING FOR ONLINE TEACHERS, with training provided. EDvance, formerly the Office of Continuing Education & Training at Hawaiʻi Community College, is diversifying and updating course offerings in response to the impact of COVID-19. Those with skills that could be taught to help the community can make suggestions for online classes.
"The massive lifestyle and workplace disruptions experienced over the last month... accelerated the shift to the new economy," writes Jim Fong, Director of Research and Strategy at UPCEA, a national association for professional, continuing, and online education. "Society has suddenly become more accepting of not only online learning, but the delivery of prepared meals, contactless retail, remote meetings, flexible schedules, home-life balance and mental health, data-driven health prevention, remote workforce collaboration, and digital currency."
EDvance is preparing for wide-ranging change with educational programming that is immediately applicable and locally relevant. To respond accordingly, EDvance aims to leverage existing talent and expertise in the community, making it accessible to everyone. A statement from Hawaiʻi Community College says, "With the right people teaching the right courses the right way, EDvance can safely and effectively address the issues facing our community. Opportunities and needs abound: Parents need educational activities for keiki. Kūpuna need vital connections to the community. Unemployed workers need training and development. Businesses need assistance to adapt and adjust. Non-profits and government need to be informed and responsive.
"Our community has needs and EDvance has bold goals to meet them, but requires passionate people to be successful. No previous teaching experience is required."
Interim Dean of the College of Continuing Education, Jessica Yamamoto, said, "We want to invest in you, from on-going coaching and training to networking and relationship-building. Join the EDvance instructor pool and share your skills or expertise with the community in a new or existing course today."
EDvance's instructor pay starts at over $30 an hour. To find out more or to begin the recruitment process, go to the EDvance website at edvance.hawaii.hawaii.edu/teach-for-us, call (808) 934-2700, or send an email to edvance@hawaii.edu.
EDvance at Hawaiʻi Community College is the non-credit arm of the college, offering programs that include non-credit courses, workshops, customized training for businesses and industries, amd workforce training and other activities to enhance local economic development efforts. Contact at 1175 Manono St, Bldg 379A, Rm 3; (808) 934-2700; edvance@hawaii.edu; or edvance.hawaii.hawaii.edu.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
NEW EXECUTIVE OF THE HAWAIʻI COUNTY OFFICE OF AGING is veteran County worker William Horace Farr. The office is responsible for addressing needs of the County's older adult population and people with disabilities. Farr's promotion to the Civil Service position is effective May 1.
Farr, 62, has served with the County nearly 30 years, beginning in 1991. He is a graduate of Hilo High School, holds a degree in Machine Technology and Data Processing from Hawai‘i Community College, and attended the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. He has long experience in Information Management, serving as the Office of Aging's System Administrator before becoming the Acting Executive of the department in October 2019. Farr and his wife are lifelong residents of Hilo.
Mayor Harry Kim said, "Horace has been our go-to guy at Aging for so many years, and it's great that he is now taking this very important position. He is deeply caring and compassionate, and the County is lucky to have him."
FREE DRIVE-THRU COVID-19 SCREENING will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, April 29 at Nāʻālehu Community Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Screening will be carried out by Aliʻi Health, with support from County of Hawai
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HAWAIʻI ISLAND REPORTED NO NEW CASES OF COVID-19 today. Two new cases were reported statewide by Department of Health, bringing the state's case count to 606, with the island remaining at 70.
Since the pandemic began, 51 have been cleared as recovered, and the remainder are quarantined at home and monitored by DOH. No one on Hawaiʻi Island is hospitalized or dead from the virus as of today. The state death toll is 16.
The daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno says, "For your information, there is no drive through testing today. The next scheduled testing is tomorrow (Wednesday) April 29th in Kaʻū, at the Nāʻālehu Community Center.
"As keeping within the policies of prevention, do maintain the best physical and emotional health that you can be. It is known that your overall health is so very important to your resiliency to this virus.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
"The massive lifestyle and workplace disruptions experienced over the last month... accelerated the shift to the new economy," writes Jim Fong, Director of Research and Strategy at UPCEA, a national association for professional, continuing, and online education. "Society has suddenly become more accepting of not only online learning, but the delivery of prepared meals, contactless retail, remote meetings, flexible schedules, home-life balance and mental health, data-driven health prevention, remote workforce collaboration, and digital currency."
"Our community has needs and EDvance has bold goals to meet them, but requires passionate people to be successful. No previous teaching experience is required."
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| Jessica Yamamoto |
EDvance's instructor pay starts at over $30 an hour. To find out more or to begin the recruitment process, go to the EDvance website at edvance.hawaii.hawaii.edu/teach-for-us, call (808) 934-2700, or send an email to edvance@hawaii.edu.
EDvance at Hawaiʻi Community College is the non-credit arm of the college, offering programs that include non-credit courses, workshops, customized training for businesses and industries, amd workforce training and other activities to enhance local economic development efforts. Contact at 1175 Manono St, Bldg 379A, Rm 3; (808) 934-2700; edvance@hawaii.edu; or edvance.hawaii.hawaii.edu.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
NEW EXECUTIVE OF THE HAWAIʻI COUNTY OFFICE OF AGING is veteran County worker William Horace Farr. The office is responsible for addressing needs of the County's older adult population and people with disabilities. Farr's promotion to the Civil Service position is effective May 1.
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| Horace Farr |
Mayor Harry Kim said, "Horace has been our go-to guy at Aging for so many years, and it's great that he is now taking this very important position. He is deeply caring and compassionate, and the County is lucky to have him."
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
FREE DRIVE-THRU COVID-19 SCREENING will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, April 29 at Nāʻālehu Community Center from
To bypass the screening queue, patients can call ahead to Pathways Telehealth, option 5 at 808-747-8321. The free clinic will also offer on-site screening to meet testing criteria. Physicians qualify those for testing, under the guidance of Center for Disease Control and Hawaiʻi's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
Those visiting the screening clinic will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pen to fill in forms.
For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.
Those visiting the screening clinic will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pen to fill in forms.
For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.
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No COVID-19 cases so far in the zip code areas of Volcano,
Pāhala, and Ocean View. White indicates zero cases, light
yellow indicates one to five cases. The 96772 area in
Kaʻū has one case recorded. Map from DOH |
Since the pandemic began, 51 have been cleared as recovered, and the remainder are quarantined at home and monitored by DOH. No one on Hawaiʻi Island is hospitalized or dead from the virus as of today. The state death toll is 16.
The daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno says, "For your information, there is no drive through testing today. The next scheduled testing is tomorrow (Wednesday) April 29th in Kaʻū, at the Nāʻālehu Community Center.
"As keeping within the policies of prevention, do maintain the best physical and emotional health that you can be. It is known that your overall health is so very important to your resiliency to this virus.
 |
Civil Defense Director
|
"In addition, we need to ensure that our Kūpuna are taken care of and they have opportunities to have social connections within the policies of distancing and groupings. Know that these policies all have one goal in common, and that is to help stop the spreading of the Coronavirus to those that have it, to those who do not, this is why you are asked to wear a mask. Thank you very much for listening and please have a safe day. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense."
In theUnited States , more than 1.03 million cases have been confirmed. Recovery is about 118,000. The death toll is over 59,000.
In the
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
"The Building Division is looking for ways to help our customers stay safe during this pandemic," says DPW's Acting Building Division Chief Robyn Matsumoto. "We recognize this is a challenging time for all, and we remain deeply committed to the safety of our customers, staff, and Hawaiʻi Island communities.
Accepting digital signatures will add an extra layer of convenience to the building permit process, adds Matsumoto, noting that a lot of architects are not based on-island.
By signing and stamping the letter sized form, the design professional is authorizing the use of their digital signature on construction plans and submittals for the initial intake of an application. The form will need to accompany the plans and submittal. Wet stamped plans with original signature will still be required prior to issuance of the permit. All letters, forms, and other submittals requiring certification will still require original certifications and signatures. The form can be downloaded from the County of Hawaiʻi websiteat records.co.hawaii.hi.us/weblink/1/Doc/104026/
Electronic.aspx.
For instance: a design professional is on Oʻahu and working from home on a Hawaiʻi Island project, but does not have a large format printer/plotter at home. The design professional signs and stamps this form and mails it to a courier on Hawaiʻi Island, providing them with an electronic set of plans that includes the design professional's digital signature and application/worksheet. The courier then prints the necessary number of sets of the plans on Hawai'i Island, delivering the plans, the form, and application/worksheet to the document submittal stations outside Building Division permit offices where staff can start the plan review process. Please do not email or send electronic copies plans directly to the Building Division.
From Marilou Mae
Manantan, "Shoutout to my boys and family for always supporting me through
it all, love you guys, be safe!"
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.
MOST EVENTS ARE CANCELLED for the month of April, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state is under a stay-at-home order, with l4 days of quarantine required for anyone coming into the state. Interisland travel is restricted. Those in Hawaiʻi should stay at home unless needing to obtain food or medical care.
The Food Basket Food Pantries Distribution, where families can receive 14 days of food per family:
On Call Emergency Food Pantry is open at Cooper Center
The Next Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students will be Monday, May 11. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved. Please note the grade of each child. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies will be given out simultaneously.
Distribution at Ocean View Mālama Market has pick-up from 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.
Half Marathon registration is $70 through May 24, $80 May 25 through July 22, and $90 for late registration. Registration for the 10K is $50 through May 24, $55 May 25 through Jul 22, and $60 for late registration. Registration for the 5K is $35 through May 24, $40 May 25 through July 22, and $45 for late registration. Keiki Dash registration is $10. All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 inHilo ; Friday, July 26 in Volcano; and Saturday, July 27, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. at the race start.
Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.
THE FATE OF THE 6.75 MEGAWATT INDUSTRIAL SCALE SOLAR
INSTALLATION, slated for construction among homes in Ocean View, may soon be
decided by the Public Utilities Commission.
What could be the
final filings in the case were made mid-April by the parties to the prolonged
case. Judging by directives given to the parties, the PUC may make its decision
based on whether the 26 sites where solar is planned by one company on Ocean
lands are considered one aggregated project, or 26 separate projects.
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Photo of solar installation at Miloliʻi. In Ocean View, the
three-acre lots
would be graded edge to edge and surrounded by a chain link
fence carrying signs like "Danger," "Keep Out," and
"High Voltage." Photo by Peter and Annie Bosted
|
One project or
many, the installations have been heavily opposed by local residents, including
their state and county representatives. Those opposed testified that if allowed
to be built on three-acre housing lots, the solar installations will have the effect
of industrializing a rural residential community and will lead to depressed
property values, increased crime, and eyesores in place of wide open spaces.
The project has
its origins in the Feed-In Tariff Program, which was conceived in about 2008 as
an incentive for the rapid introduction of renewable energy to Hawaiʻi.
Lucrative rates of 26.8 cents per kilowatt hour were offered, and the "FIT
Queue" was established for applicants willing to construct solar
installations no larger than 250 kW (or a quarter megawatt). This size was
chosen to facilitate quick and easy construction, or "plug and play."
Claiming there
was no FIT rule to stop them, two developers acquired sites in Ocean View and
sought to further capitalize further on the already generous FIT rates by
acquiring multiple places on the FIT Queue.
One developer,
Solar Hub, acquired 19 sites in the Ranchos subdivision and one in the Kula Kai
subdivision, both in Ocean View. All the sites were adjacent to three-phase
power lines, which, if used, will save the developer substantial costs in
transferring power to the grid.
A second
developer, a hui of principals from RevoluSun, acquired the rights to lease 22
sites in the South Kona subdivision and one in Ranchos.
If they had been able to acquire all the applications they sought, Solar Hub
would have built a five MW project, and RevoluSun would have built a 5.75 MW
project. However, the constraints of the FIT Queue in 2011 limited Solar Hub to
4.5 MW, and RevoluSun to 2.25 MW, for a total of 6.75 MW.
Solar Hub,
lacking capital to build out its applications statewide, sold its 68 places in
the FIT Queue to SPI Solar, a company based in Shanghai .
This caused quite a ruckus in Honolulu ,
as Solar Hub did not get permission from any of the then-separate companies of
Hawaiian Electric for the sale, as required by the FIT rules. Also, the PUC's
"Plug and Play" standard only allows "shovel ready"
projects in the Queue.
Solar Hub and SPI
Solar back-tracked and legally "restated" their sales agreement,
reclassifying it as a loan. SPI, Solar Hub, and Hawaiʻi Electric Company all
assured the PUC that Solar Hub would not sell its applications until after the
FIT contracts had been executed. Those assurances were ignored when, on March 12, 2013 , Solar Hub sold the 68
places in the FIT Queues on Hawaiʻi Island, Oʻahu, and Maui ,
including the 20 in Ocean View, to SPI. Solar Hub had paid $1,000 for each
place in the Queue, and sold each place to SPI for an estimated $350,000.
According to filings made by SPI, that company spent over $6 million for Solar
Hub's sites and applications in Ocean View.
Meanwhile, HELCO
ordered studies of what engineering would be needed to connect 6.5 MW of output
to the grid. The upshot was that a new substation and high voltage overhead
line should be built. The FIT rules state that the developers must pay for
interconnection costs. HELCO prorated the $3 million price tag among the
developers. RevoluSun declined to pay and, in a deal which included a
confidentiality clause, SPI Solar acquired RevoluSun's applications and sites.
SPI took 18 months to pay the $3 million non-refundable deposit to HELCO, in
spite of FIT rules stating this must be done in two weeks.
In 2015, HELCO
announced the project to the Ocean View community at a meeting. Many in the
audience expressed anger. Threats against the project were leveled, including
panel theft and the use of installations as targets for shooting guns. The
spirited resistance was reported in the press. Magazine articles, video
reports, blogs, and radio shows questioned the rationale of generating
industrial-scale power in a residential area.
In August 2015,
HELCO applied to the PUC for permission to construct the high voltage line,
which led to a PUC-chaired community hearing in February 2016. This was attended
by about 80 residents, all of whom spoke against the project. A petition
against the project, signed by 650 residents, was presented. The PUC Chairman,
Randy Iwase, heard criticisms of the way the project had exploited loopholes in
laws and the FIT program, by aggregating what should be 26 stand-alone projects
into a single utility-scale project. West Kaʻū 's state
Rep. Richard Creagan told Iwase that he would introduce legislation banning the
construction of energy plants in residential areas.
In August 2016,
two Ranchos residents, Peter and Annie Bosted, filed a formal complaint with
the PUC against HECO and HELCO for mismanaging the FIT in allowing the giant
project to proceed. They asked the Commission to remove the projects from the
FIT Active Queue.
In filings, HECO
claimed that under the FIT Program, the 26 projects in question are all
stand-alone projects. They stated that they followed all applicable rules,
orders and laws. They took the position that the FIT Program does not contain a
prohibition against different developers clustering separate projects in
proximity to each other as long as each site has its own TMK number.
Since 2016, the
Bosteds have filed numerous briefs, including scores of attached documents, to
back up their claim that the utility companies mismanaged the FIT Program by
allowing a program with a primary goal of speed and simplicity to be
compromised by the Ocean View project that is under-funded, complex, and uses
out of date technology to produce energy that will be expensive and not in the
interests of ratepayers.
Last year, SPI
filed a Motion to Dismiss, asking the PUC to dismiss the Bosteds' complaint.
The Bosteds opposed the motion as the motion would leave questions regarding
the proper administration of the FIT Program unresolved.
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| Fences and warning signs in residential areas concern Ocean View residents. Photo from Kauaʻi Solar |
In December 2019, the PUC asked the parties to discuss
whether the projects should be considered one aggregated project or many
projects. The PUC asked the parties to take into account the Competitive
Bidding Framework and "The Monet Case" dating back to 2011.
Since 2006, the
PUC's Competitive Bidding Framework references, by size, which projects should
be bid. On the Big Island
In 2011, Sam
Monet asked for a ruling on a proposed project. He intended to divide a
500-acre parcel into small parcels, each with its own TMK, in order to create
sites for multiple FIT projects. The PUC ruled that although his proposal would
satisfy the one-facility-one-TMK rule, the aggregation of 25 FIT projects was
"closer in concept" to a single large project as it would be
organized, maintained, and managed as one project and it would be operated and
managed by a single entity.
A third case,
which the PUC may consider relevant, is the Castle and Cooke solar park on Oʻahu.
In that case, the developers asked the PUC for permission to develop four solar
farms on contiguous sites, claiming that the economies of scale could be passed
through to the consumer. The PUC was assured that each farm would be
independently owned and managed by four separate entities. However, when the
PUC learned that the whole project would be managed by one entity, it reversed
its earlier decision and denied the permissions that it had previously given.
In filings since
January 2020, the parties – including the Bosteds and the utility companies –
have, at the behest of the PUC, filed numerous arguments debating whether the
Ocean View project is one or many. The last filing was mid-April. It will be up
to the PUC to decide when its decision should be made. The PUC will also decide
if the project gets a stop or a go.
 |
| Concern over property values, increased crime, and eyesores instead of open spaces are some of the objections to industrial-level solar projects in Ocean View. Photo by Annie Bosted |
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THE COUNTY WILL ACCEPT DIGITAL SIGNATURES FOR INITIAL BUILDING PERMIT AND PLAN APPLICATIONS. The county issued a statement today, saying, "Continuing to improve the building permit process amidst these uncertain times, the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Public Works Building Division announces that it is launching a digital signature process. Since March 24, 2020, the Hilo and Kona offices of DPW Engineering, Building, and Administration divisions have been closed to walk-in inquiries and submittals due to COVID-19 concerns. However, the Building Division, like the rest of DPW, remains fully operational, processing building permit applications.
Accepting digital signatures will add an extra layer of convenience to the building permit process, adds Matsumoto, noting that a lot of architects are not based on-island.
Electronic.aspx.
For instance: a design professional is on Oʻahu and working from home on a Hawaiʻi Island project, but does not have a large format printer/plotter at home. The design professional signs and stamps this form and mails it to a courier on Hawaiʻi Island, providing them with an electronic set of plans that includes the design professional's digital signature and application/worksheet. The courier then prints the necessary number of sets of the plans on Hawai'i Island, delivering the plans, the form, and application/worksheet to the document submittal stations outside Building Division permit offices where staff can start the plan review process. Please do not email or send electronic copies plans directly to the Building Division.
"Please do not email or send electronic copies plans directly to the Building Division, " the statement concludes.
For more information, contact the Building Division via email: cohbuild@hawaiicounty.gov, or call the Hilo office, (808) 961-8331 or Kona office, (808) 323-4720.
For more information, contact the Building Division via email: cohbuild@hawaiicounty.gov, or call the Hilo office, (808) 961-8331 or Kona office, (808) 323-4720.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
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| Marilou Mae Manantan and other Kaʻū High student-athlete Seniors are welcome to give a Senior Shoutout on ScoringLive.com. Read the first two messages from Kaʻū High, below. Photo from ScoringLive.com |
KAʻŪ HIGH SPORTS COMPETITORS are leading their school in the
Senior Shoutout on ScoringLive.com.
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| Kyson Toriano. Photo from ScoringLive.com |
From Kyson
Toriano, "I would like to thank all my coaches through my high school
career. I would also like to thank my friends and family for supporting me in
every sport that I played. You guys mean so much to team and forever will have
a place in my heart. I'll never ever forget all the memories that we've had on
bus rides, practices, and in the locker rooms. I love all you guys so much and
I'll miss playing high school sports so much. MUAHHH!"
ScoringLive.com,
where interscholastic sports scores and stats of players are recorded for schools
all over the nation, created the platform to honor Hawaiʻi student-athletes in
the Class of 2020: the Senior Shoutout.
A message on the
website says, "ScoringLive sends congratulations and best of luck to all
the graduating seniors this year, but in particular to the hundreds of
student-athletes that we've had the privilege of covering during their high
school athletic careers."
Filtering by
school using the navigation panel, anyone can read these messages and see the
photos.
All graduating
seniors who participated in any sport during the 2019-2020 school year are
encouraged to submit the following: name, school, a brief written message of
aloha, and a photo the student has permission to use. The student can then send
to scoringlive@gmail.com, using the subject ScoringLive Shoutout.
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Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms,
ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com. |
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.
MOST EVENTS ARE CANCELLED for the month of April, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state is under a stay-at-home order, with l4 days of quarantine required for anyone coming into the state. Interisland travel is restricted. Those in Hawaiʻi should stay at home unless needing to obtain food or medical care.
ONGOING
Free COVID-19 Screenings are at Bay Clinic during business hours, with appointment. Call 333-3600.
Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and at Nāʻālehu Elementary weekdays through at least the end of April. Each youth must be present to receive a meal. Service is drive-up or walk-up, and social distancing rules (at least six feet away) are observed. Breakfast is served 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Food is being delivered to Ocean View.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.
The next drive-thru screening will be Wednesday, April 29 at Nāʻālehu Community Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Screening will be carried out by Aliʻi Health, with support from County of Hawai
Beginning Wednesday, May 6, a testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday.
Wearing masks is required for everyone.
To bypass the screening queue at community test sites, patients can call ahead to Pathways Telehealth, option 5 at 808-747-8321. The free clinic will also offer on-site screening to meet testing criteria. Physicians qualify those for testing, under the guidance of Center for Disease Control and Hawaiʻi's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
Those visiting screening clinics will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pens to fill in forms.
For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.Beginning Wednesday, May 6, a testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday.
Wearing masks is required for everyone.
Those visiting screening clinics will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pens to fill in forms.
Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and at Nāʻālehu Elementary weekdays through at least the end of April. Each youth must be present to receive a meal. Service is drive-up or walk-up, and social distancing rules (at least six feet away) are observed. Breakfast is served 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Food is being delivered to Ocean View.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.
The Food Basket Food Pantries Distribution, where families can receive 14 days of food per family:
The Ocean View location for May is to be announced .
The Nāʻālehu location is Sacred Heart Church 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy , under their Loaves and Fishes program, on Thursday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Call 928-8208.
The Pāhala location is Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street , distributed by the ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Pantry, on Thursday, April 30 at 11:30 a.m. Call 933-6030.
The Volcano location is Cooper Center 19-4030 Wright Road Wednesday, April 29 from 11 a.m. until food runs out. Call Kehau at 443-4130.
Everyone is asked to observe social distancing rules, staying 6 feet away from others during pick-up. See the school website, naalehuel.hidoe.us, for more information and updates.
Distribution at Nāʻālehu Elementary has pick-up from 8 a.m - 8:20 a.m. for A-H; 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.
Distribution at Discovery Harbour Community Center 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.
Distribution at Ocean View Community Center 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.
Those who come to campus to pick up free student breakfasts are encouraged to also pick up their packets at the same time.
Register for Volcano's ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Keiki Dash by Wednesday, July 22. The second annual event will be held on Saturday, July 25. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to University of Hawaiʻi for furthering research of Rapid ‘Ōhiʻa Death and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. See webscorer.com to register.
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in
Half Marathon will start at 7 a.m. Other distances follow shortly after. Keiki Dash will begin at 10 a.m. on VSAS grounds, with the option of one or two laps – about 300 meters or 600 meters. Race cut-off time for the Half Marathon is four hours. The races will begin and end in Volcano Village
See ohialehuahalf.com.
See ohialehuahalf.com.
Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
