Ka`u News Briefs Feb. 1, 2011

Volcano community leader Betsy Mitchell is working with the county and youth
to re-open Volcano Skate Park. She is seen here in a parade with Mayor Billy Kenoi.

A VOLCANO SKATE PARK meeting last night drew skateboarders, Cooper Center park caretakers, farmers market-goers, and the county to talk about the problems of safety, noise and uncivilized behavior. The park is closed until issues can be resolved. According to Volcano community leader Betsy Mitchell, the county and Cooper Center Council agreed last night to keep the skate park open if a volunteer committee could be formed to oversee safety, conduct and maintenance. A hui of young people formed immediately and will make a presentation to Cooper Center and the county. “It was very inspiring to see the young people organize themselves and agree to make a plan to keep the skate park safe and secure,” Mitchell said.
     There are petition drives and images posted on the Internet by Damir A. Kouliev in support of re-opening Volcano Skate Park.

THE MILITARY IS A POTENTIAL CUSTOMER for biofuels planned for production in such places as Ka`u, where `Aina Koa Pono is planning to grow feedstock for a biofuels refinery it plans to build in Pahala. According to Pacific Business News, the Marine Corps Base in Kaneohe plans to be off the state electric grid by 2015, with all vehicles at base facilities becoming gasoline-free. Vehicles run on biofuel are also expected at the Pohakuloa Training area on the Big Island, as the Department of Defense is a leader in developing renewable energy.

     `Aina Koa Pono has a contract to sell biofuels from its proposed factory in Pahala to Hawaiian Electric but is also interested in the possibility of selling fuel to run vehicles and for other applications.
     `Aina Koa Pono will make a presentation on Monday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. The company promises 300 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs in the field and factory. The public meeting is sponsored by the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce.

HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT company workers will stay on the job, as a tentative labor agreement was reached late last night. Parent company HECO, which owns the electric company on this island, as well as Maui, Lana`i, Moloka`i and O`ahu, averted a strike deadline last night, and the agreement will be sent for a vote by the membership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260. The union represents more than half of HECO’s employees.

THE STATE SENATE yesterday approved procedures that would allow the governor to make appointments to the school board without an advisory panel to make recommendations. The state House is considering a measure that would require an advisory board to choose and interview candidates to pass on to the governor for his final selection. This moves closer to the public mandate approved by the electorate last year, setting up a governor-appointed school board to replace the elected school board.

THE U.S. ARMY may be paring back its plans to expand its in-flight training area at Pohakuloa Training Area along Saddle Road. According to a Jason Armstrong story in the Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, both the Mauna Kea Management Board and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park are concerned about multiple landing zones for helicopters planned for 8,000- to 12,000-feet elevation on both Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. His story says the park is worried about upsetting wildlife and creating noise that would disturb nature and visitors. The Mauna Kea board wrote that the military was planning to expand the Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area by 44,000 acres and would be impacting state land. A military spokesman said the Army’s Environmental Assessment, released in December, poorly portrayed what the Army intends to do. The Army is preparing a full Programic Environmental Impact Statement.
     The EIS will cover an Infantry Platoon Battle Course and an Infantry Platoon Battle area, with Shoothouse and Military Operations on Urban Terrain facility. The modernized Pohakuloa Training Area would be used by three active Army brigades – U.S. Army Reserve, National Guard and Marine Corps – as military units deployed to combat operations overseas redeploy back to their home station in Hawai`i. The military EA states that training has changed over the last decade, and infrastructure at Pohakuloa must accommodate the new doctrine standards.
     Comments are being accepted through Feb. 7 and can be mailed to PTA PEAS, P.O. Box 514, Honolulu, HI 96809.

GRANTS TO SHARE 50 PERCENT of the cost of irrigation and water projects are available from the federal Bureau of Reclamation. County and state agencies and other water delivery authorities are eligible. Projects should seek to conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy, protect endangered species, or facilitate water markets. Projects are selected through a competitive process, and the focus is on projects that can be completed within 24 months that will help sustainable water supplies in the western United States. See usbr.gov/watersmart/grants.html or call Tim McConnell at the Rural Development office in Hilo at 933-8313.

Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 31, 2011

Biofuel is being tested at HECO's Kahe power plant near Kapolei on O`ahu
in preparation for use of biofuel that could be manufactured in Pahala
from feedstock from Ka`u.

TESTING OF BIOFUELS, which Hawaiian Electric Company plans to buy from factories that would be built in Pahala and on Kaua`i, has begun. HECO is testing biofuel in a petroleum oil-fired steam turbine generator at its Kahe power plant near Kapolei on O ‘ahu.
     “We believe this is the first time a utility-scale steam unit has fired on 100 percent biofuel at 100 percent capacity,” said Hawaiian Electric Executive Vice President Robbie Alm. “This successful test confirms that biofuels — locally grown to the greatest extent possible — can be an important part of Hawai`i’s clean energy future, along with energy from the sun, wind, ocean, waste-to-energy, hydro and geothermal,” he said.
     The fuel came from Sime Darby, a Malaysian multi-national corporation for which approval was given by the Public Utilities Commission to ship 1.6 million gallons of biofuel to Hawai`i for the test. The state Department of Health also approved the test. “The test uses sustainably produced crude palm oil blended with palm stearin, an inedible by-product of palm oil refining usually used to make candles and soap,” says a statement from HECO.
     According to the electric company, emissions from the power plant using biofuel were less than emissions from corresponding operations with fossil fuel. The tests found that using biofuel reduced opacity – visibility of emissions – and emissions of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide compared to using low sulfur fuel oil.
     HECO continues to look for biofuels that are locally manufactured from local biomass, such as the `Aina Koa Pono project planned for Pahala and the lands between Pahala and Na`alehu.
     `Aina Koa Pono will make a presentation on Monday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center at the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce meeting. The public is invited to attend.

Richard Ha, state Board of Agriculture member
and proponent of geothermal over biofuels.

KUOKOA INC., a newly formed hui including Big Island farmer Richard Ha, would use geothermal, instead of biofuels, to meet the state’s electrical needs. Ha and his partners intend to call on Hawai`i residents and other investors to purchase the stock of Hawaiian Electric Industries and phase out oil burning power plants. They told Pacific Business News last week that they would keep the day-to-day staff and operations in place should they succeed in a company takeover. 

THE COUNTY COUNCIL takes up redistricting – which will change the boundaries of voting precincts on the island – taking into consideration new population data from the 2010 census that will be release in the next few months. A redistricting commission, to be confirmed by the council by March 31 after being nominated by Mayor Billy Kenoi, is scheduled to submit its plan to the county clerk by the end of the year. A proposal by Kona council member Brenda Ford would require the commission to be trained and establish more rules for the redistricting.

THE HAWAI`I METH PROJECT has formed a Teen Advisory Council to promote and facilitate peer outreach. The council encourages teen volunteerism and identifying peer outreach opportunities at schools and in the community to raise awareness about the dangers and risks of methamphetamine use. Teens interested in applying for the 2011-2012 Teen Advisory Council should contact Hawai`i Meth Project Program Manager, Jennifer Phakoom at (808) 529-6254 or jphakoom@hawaiimethproject.org.

This recent photo shows activity in the lava lake at Halema`uma`u.
Photo courtesy of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY of Volcano Awareness Month. A hike at 10 a.m. begins at Mauna Ulu parking lot on Chain of Craters Road in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

THE OCEAN VIEW TEEN CLUB meets tomorrow and every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Kahuku Park and Ocean View Community Center. It is for ages 13 to 18. Call 937-3335 for more information.

Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 30, 2011

Fifteen hundred pounds of net were pulled off Kamilo Beach near South Point
on just one workday in January by volunteers for the Hawai`i Wildlife Fund.

CONGRESSWOMAN MAZIE HIRONO says that jobs and education are two of her highest priorities. In a statement announcing the committees on which she is serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Hirono said she particularly feels fortunate to retain membership on the Education and Workforce committee and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “Education is critical to developing the workforce Hawai’i needs to create a more diversified and resilient economy. Investments in transportation and infrastructure provide good jobs, improve the quality of life for our citizens and strengthen our economy,” said the congresswoman. 

Mazie Hirono

     She also serves on the Subcommittee on early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, which includes Native Hawaiian education, Head Start, school nutrition, alcohol and drug abuse prevention and vocational education. 

     Hirono serves on the Subcommittee on Workforce Protection, which covers wages and hours of workers, workers’ compensation and family and medical leave.
     One of her subcommittees covers the Federal Aid Highway program, public transit, highway safety and commercial motor carriers. Another covers aviation, airports, aviation noise and airline safety. The Coast Guard and Marine Transportation Committee covers ports, passenger vessels and international maritime activities.

NEED HELP WITH TAXES? The Ka`u Federal Credit Union is hosting the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Volunteer tax preparers are Rollie, Lali and Cherish Jara and Catherine Sy. Call the credit union at 929-7334, extension 205 for an appointment. 

FIFTEEN HUNDRED pounds of net were pulled off Kamilo Beach near South Point on just one workday in January by volunteers for the Hawai`i Wildlife Fund. In addition to nets, volunteers found computer circuit boards, a scuba cylinder, motorcycle helmet, liquor bottles from Japan and Scotland, an old tube television and car tires. The 33 volunteers also pulled out 66 large garbage bags of debris from the beach. The next Ka`u Coast cleanup days are April 2 and June 4. The Wildlife Fund is also starting an anchialine pond restoration project. To help out, call Megan McWhite Lamson at 769-7629 or email kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

FOUR MEMBERS OF OCEAN VIEW BOXING Club were victorious last night in a Boxing Smoker Tourney. Female boxer Staysha Ault defeated Jaime Pagan of AP Boxing. Keliʻi Ka-Ne beat Andy Marzon, as did Justin Wirtz over Jessie Lorenzo, of Galiza Boxing Club. Thor Soder defeated Galiza Boxing Club's Frank Lorenzo. Saul Fukunaga, of Yashua Boxing Club, beat OV Boxing Club's Kainakoa Broadfoot.

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL battled for a berth to the state competition Friday and Saturday. On Friday, against number one seed HPA, the Trojans lost. The Ka Makani pulled ahead quickly in the first half. In the second half Ka`u picked up steam to close the point gap, but it was not enough. Final score was 50-40, HPA. The Trojans moved on to fight for the second state tourney spot yesterday versus Honoka`a. The Trojans struggled with their shooting, making just 13 of 60 attempts, while the Dragons were on fire, spreading their scoring among 11 of 12 players. Finals score 59-42, Honoka`a. For the Trojans, sophomore Janessa Jara led the scoring with nine points. Seniors Jaeneise Cuison and Amery Silva each scored eight.

THE KAʻŪ TROJANS BOYS soccer team will be going to the BIIF playoffs on Feb. 8. following their win over Hawai`i Academy of Arts and Science last Thursday.

TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY of Volcano Awareness Month. Hikes begin today at 1 p.m. at the Kilauea Iki Overlook parking lot on Crater Rim Drive, and tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Mauna Ulu parking lot on Chain of Craters Road in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.