Ka'u News Briefs Nov. 18, 2011

Kamilo Beach cleanup netted tons of trash over Veterans Day weekend. Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

KAMILO BEACH CLEANUP STATISTICS are in from Veterans Day weekend. Megan Lamson, of Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, reports that 66 volunteers picked up 72 extra large bags of rubbish, 27 burlap bags of trash and eight re-used Dacalio Coffee bags to haul away nearly 3,000 pounds of rubbish in seven pickup trucks. A thousand pounds of derelict fishing nets were removed. Some of the other junk that could hurt wildlife include more than 8,000 plastic caps and lids, black tubing, all kinds of bottles, plastic crates, plastic bags and food wrappers, plastic straws and coffee stirrers, rubber slippers, light bulbs and tubes and cigarette lighters. Volunteers even removed micropalstic confetti from the beach at Kamilo. 

     The next beach cleanup is Dec. 10 at Hon`onoua, the southernmost anchialine pond. Another scouring of a Ka`u Coast beach will is set for Jan. 14. 

JESSANIE L. MARQUES, of Pahala, is a new county police commissioner. She was nominated to the County Police Commission by Mayor Billy Kenoi on Nov. 1 and confirmed by the County Council Nov. 16. 

Jesse Marques (r) with her husband
Raymond Marques and County
Council member Brittany Smart.

     The mayor’s nomination papers say that Marques is an “independent consultant with the Hawai`i County Office of Aging, assisting with establishing the Chronic Disease Health Management Program and is the current president of the Hawai`i Island Rural Health Association and Ka`u Rural Health Community Association.” In 2003, Marques was employed by University of Hawai`i John A. Burns School of Medicine as a vog research assistant and 2006 by Hawai`i Community College as Ka`u Emergency Response Academy Program Coordinator.
     From 2001 to 2010, she volunteered at the Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc. as executive director. She is completing two years of a term from which a commissioner retired and will be eligible to serve another five years as on the Hawai`i County Police Commission.

Mitch Roth

MITCH ROTH, CANDIDATE FOR THE TOP COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S JOB, has been doing some work in Ka`u as a Community Oriented Prosecutor. He said he helped to conduct community problem-solving trainings with mainland leaders on site in Ka`u. He helped with the Ocean View Kahuku community park, working with Robin Lamson, Bob and Mardie Nitche, Bob and Patti Barry and others. He conducted an illegal dumping training session with Mike Dubois for Ocean View volunteers that was followed by community cleanup effort. 

     Roth has also worked with Ka`u High School and Ka`u Community Rural Health Association. He assisted with negotiations when Native Hawaiians moved cattle onto land, believing the land is theirs. He assisted Queen Liliu`okalani Childrens Center and local kupuna with negotiations. He has also helped with Neighborhood Watch and training for preventing and addressing domestic violence.
     Roth faces county corporate counsel Lincoln Ashida in the election next August.

SOLAR FOR THE NEW GYM AND SHELTER in Pahala was one of the many ideas brought up at the public meeting on the Ka`u gymnasium and shelter that has been funded by state government. As the only regional, certified Federal Emergency Management Agency shelter, the facility will be tasked with providing a place for the community to go during hurricane warnings and after such disasters as earthquakes, lava flows, floods, fires and hurricanes. Several speakers at the meeting said that solar could help produce electricity after a disaster event, should the electric company’s transmission be unavailable. 

Rep. Bob Herkes talked about the gym and shelter at a
recent community forum sponsored by Sen. Gil Kahele.
Photo by Julia Neal

     The West Hawai`i Civic Center recently received solar from a company that made the investment and sells the excess electricity to the utility.
     Public comments are due for the shelter and gym by Dec. 6 by emailing project manager David Yamamoto at dpwnews@co.hawaii.hi.us or sending mail to the Department of Public Works, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7, Hilo, HI 96720.  Department of Public Works representatives said notes from this week’s public meeting would be posted at www.co.hawaii.hi.us. 

     A draft plan is expected in December, an Environmental Assessment will be conducted, and the bids could go out for construction by March.

KAHU RADIO IS EXPECTED back on the air by the end of the weekend. An engineer is flying in this morning to replace parts that experienced a meltdown almost two weeks ago at the tower site between Na`alehu and Pahala. The radio station has been limited in its local broadcast during the downtime but is always available at KAHUFM.COM. In addition to the repairs, the radios station is planning over the next few months to install a booster at South Point to send the signal to Ocean View.

MANAGING NON-NATIVE UNGULATES in order to protect and restore native ecosystems is the topic of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s draft plan and EIS now available for public review and comment. The park’s current EIS addressing ungulate control is more than 30 years old. The new plan/EIS will provide a park-wide framework to guide non-native ungulate management activities over the next decades that considers the recently acquired Kahuku unit, new invasive species challenges, and current NPS policy and guidance.
     The draft plan and EIS is online at http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/havo_ecosystem_deis. Comments can also be submitted there or to Cindy Orlando, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, PO Box 52, Hawai`i National Park, HI 96718. All written responses must be postmarked or transmitted no later than 8 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2012.
     Hard copies of the draft plan and EIS are also available for review at Kilauea Visitor Center and public libraries in Na`alehu and Pahala.
     Public meetings on the draft plan/EIS are scheduled for Monday, Dec. 5 at the park’s Kilauea Visitor Center and Tuesday, Dec. 6 at Na`alehu Community Center. Both meeting are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

KA`U FOREST RESERVE is the topic at the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce meeting today at 3:30 p.m. at Punalu`u Bake Shop. The speaker is Ron Terry, of Geometricians Associates, which is conducting an Environmental Assessment for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources management plan. Topics include access for hunters and hikers, ridding the forest of ungulates and invasive plants, and re-introducing `alala, endangered Hawaiian crows, which have been raised in captivity.

The cast of The Hurricane, a mystery play sponsored by Na`alehu Main
Street, performs tomorrow night.

A MYSTERY PLAY CALLED THE HURRICANE will be performed tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church social hall. Tickets are $30 in advance and available at the Ka`u Farmers Market or by calling 929-7236. 

TWO CHURCH BAZAARS are set for tomorrow. St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View holds its annual holiday bazaar and plant sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Items include soup and bread, homemade baked goods, jams, jellies, candies, plants and crafts. Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church in Wai`ohinu has a fundraising bazaar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a flea market, food and entertainment. 

Ka'u News Briefs Nov. 17, 2011

Boys and Girls Club of Hawai`i Youth Center
  Photos from mitsunagaassociates.com

THE NEW GYM & DISASTER SHELTER to be built in Pahala will be the first Federal Emergency Management Agency-certified shelter constructed in Ka`u. According to an Associated Press report, “Mayor Billy Kenoi says Ka`u is vulnerable to natural disasters ranging from lava flows to tsunamis, yet there are not FEMA-approved shelters in the district.” 

     The AP reports that Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office says the FEMA-certified “facility will include a specially designed air filtration system to protect residents when emissions from Kilauea volcano reach high levels.” 

     Whether the entire gym will be equipped to clean the air during vog alerts so that athletic events and practices could continue despite bad air is one of the planning decisions to be made. Full-time air conditioning and air treatment could be cost-prohibitive due to the high cost of electricity, planners told community members at a public meeting on Tuesday. They said they plan for the gym to be ventilated with natural air as much as possible. 

Kapolei Middle School

     Another decision is the site on which the gym would be located. Principal Sharon Beck and county planners have said the likely site is the open field between the tennis and basketball courts and the gym, as it would have easy access directly to the shelter from public roads and have a large open space on which to build the facility.

     The selected architecture and engineering firm is Mitsunaga & Associates of Honolulu, which has designed many Hawai`i buildings, including those shown here. County Department of Public Works chief Warren Lee told Ka`u community members Tuesday that the designers would attempt to design the building with LEED sustainability standards in mind.  

John A. Burns School of Medicine is a LEED certified
complex designed by Mitsunaga.

     County planners said that $16.9 million has been released by the state for design and construction. The money must be encumbered by next June, setting a tight deadline for planning.
     Public comments on design and function of the gym are being taken through Dec. 6 by emailing project manager David Yamamoto at dpwnews@co.hawaii.hi.us. or sending mail to the Department of Public Works, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7, Hilo, HI 96720. Notes from this week’s public meeting are on the Department of Public Works link at www.co.hawaii.hi.us.

     A draft plan is expected in December, an Environmental Assessment will be conducted, and the bids could go out for construction by March.

MITCH ROTH will run for Hawai`i County prosecutor, he announced yesterday. Roth, 47, served as a deputy prosecutor on O`ahu for five years before signing onto the Big Island prosecutor’s team 15 years ago. He will face county corporate counsel Lincoln Ashida.
     He is a board member of the Big Island Boys & Girls Club. He describes himself as a “community oriented prosecutor,” which he says is necessary to help with the rehabilitation of people who have fallen into drugs and crime.
     According to a Stephens Media story this morning, Roth said he creates partnerships to address social problems and solve crimes. “My passion for the last 15 years has been to improve the quality of life for the community and my family,” he told reporter Nancy Cook Lauer.
     Lauer reports that “in 2003, Roth used a civil action, the first successful attempt at drug-nuisance abatement, to rid drug dealers from a downtown Hilo building. He later employed the same strategy successfully in Pahoa, which received a federal Weed and Seed designation in 2005 due to the efforts of Roth and others.
     Roth said he wants more treatment programs for drug users and more jail time for drug dealers. He said he worries about driving under the influence of marijuana, the Stephens Media story says.

Current Hawai`i County Council Districts

WILL A COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER MOVE ASIDE? That could be the question in next year’s County Council race for District 6 in Ka`u. Brenda Ford and Brittany Smart, both Democrats, could face one another, as both have residences in the proposed new District 6, and Ford has said she will not move. Freshman council member Smart declined to comment on her plans yesterday when questioned by Stephens Media. She said she would wait until the final redistricting lines are drawn. 

     Ford owns her home in South Kona, and Smart rents in Discovery Harbour, having moved to Ka`u several years ago. Whether Smart would move to a Puna or Hilo council district and leave Ka`u open for Ford to seek her fourth and final term as a council member is a question that remains open.
     Other changes in the council voter maps put council members J. Yoshimoto and Dennis Onishi running against each other for the same district. Before finalizing the maps, as early as Nov. 30, public hearings will be held on Monday in the West Hawai`i Civic Center at 6 p.m. and on Tuesday at the Hilo Council Chambers, both at 6 p.m. See the proposed redistricting map at co.hawaii.hi.us/council/reapp/index.htm.

Proposed Hawai`i County Council Districts

IT’S A LONG DRIVE BETWEEN COUNCIL MEETINGS in Kona and Hilo, and County Council members voted yesterday to eliminate their $600 a month gas allowance. Instead, they will turn in their miles. Previously, they were allowed to turn in mileage or take the flat fee.

DRUG TESTING FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS is another issue before the County Council, which will discuss the matter on Dec. 7. The proposal is to send a charter amendment to the voters next year that would require the mayor, prosecuting attorney and council members to be tested twice a year. They would lose their jobs if testing positive twice within 90 days. The council met privately with a county attorney, however, who told them that there are questions of constitutionality.

VOLCANO ART CENTER GALLERY’S annual Christmas in the Country celebration begins Saturday. Special holiday celebrations include the annual invitational wreath exhibit, art demonstrations and print and book signings by gallery artists, plus handcrafted decorations and gifts offered only during the holiday season. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park entrance fees apply.

THE KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is the site of a ranger-led hike on Sunday  from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants explore Kipuka`akihi, an isolated refuge of rare plants in a remnant old-growth forest. Pre-registration is required; call 985-6011.

Ka'u News Briefs Nov. 16, 2011

Mitsunaga & Associates designed Manoa Valley Field
House on O`ahu and other projects shown here.
Photos from mitsunagaassociates.com

THE NEW KA`U DISASTER SHELTER AND GYMNASIUM has an architectural and design firm, chosen by the county. Mitsunaga & Associates representatives from O`ahu joined county officials in Pahala last night to gather public input on design and function.

     County Public Works chief Warren Lee said his agency, the county Department of Parks & Recreation, and consultants from Mitsunaga will take into consideration community desires. He also said the goal is to use the national Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building standards. He said they plan to design a topnotch gymnasium and community recreation center and shelter to fit in with the architecture of the town and campus as much as possible. Public input is being taken through Dec. 6 and can be provided by writing to project manager David Yamamoto at dpwnews@co.hawaii.hi or mailing to Department of Public Works, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7, Hilo, HI 96720. Notes from last night’s meeting are on the Department of Public Works link at www.co.hawaii.hi.us.

     A draft plan is expected in December, an Environmental Assessment will be conducted and the bids could go out for construction by March.
     Concerning design of the building, Aaron Fujii, chief operating officer of Mitsunaga, said, “We will try to make it match the community, but it is going to have to be a hardened building,” referring to the likelihood that it will be concrete to provide protection from hurricanes and to make it as earthquake-proof as possible. 

Kihei Police Department

     He said Mitsunaga is sensitive to neighborhood concerns and talked about setbacks from houses, designing the building to prevent noise from bothering neighbors, and designing parking lots where lighting could be screened from shining into bedroom windows of adjacent homes and from disturbing night skies in Ka`u, which are famous for stargazing.
     Fujii said the roofline is yet to be designed.
     Volleyball coach and former County Council member Guy Enriques said that he hopes the gym floor will be wood rather than concrete or another material. He said he wants the focus of design to be the needs of the youth of Ka`u.
     Lee said the building will be designed for the school and also for the entire community, including recreation for older people, as it will be operated as a county parks facility.
     Pahala resident Dorothy Kalua, a member of the Plantation Days Committee, said she hopes for the building “to fit in with the community.”

Maryknoll gym and community center

     Retired sugar union leader Franco Longakit talked about designing the shelter aspect for as many people as possible and said “we can’t turn away people from Na`alehu,” should they show up during a disaster.
     While the shelter in Pahala will be for everyone, the distances in Ka`u are far, and the county is also working on a shelter for Ocean View, said park planner James Komatsu. It was also discussed that classrooms on the Pahala campus could provide additional space for the shelter.
     Concerning construction, Jay Failing, of Wood Valley, urged that the county and contractor hire skilled local workers to help build the gym. Fujii said there are incentives to hire local when building with state money.
     Vog was discussed, and Lee said that the cost of electricity would probably make it too expensive to operate a gym that would be air-treated and air-conditioned at all times. Fujii talked about the Maryknoll gym on O`ahu costing $24,000 a month to air-condition. The new Ka`u gym will have natural air circulation but could be sealed during an air alert.
     A large room where sensitive people could gather during alerts could have equipment to treat air for vog, planners said.

This Kaua`i school building is in hurricane country.

     A certified kitchen, available to community groups to make food for fundraisers, was also suggested, along with a stage for community events, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a gym floor large enough for one regulation basketball court and three volleyball courts. The gym could be a regulation gym, a “gym and a half” or a “two-times gym,” designers said.
     Gary Domondon noted that the 2000 flood created a torrent coming from the school grounds where the gym is planned onto his and other residential properties. While improvements have been made, Domondon suggested that engineers look closely at the land there, particularly since it is likely that it will be paved for parking, and pavement does not absorb water the way earth does. Project designers said they appreciated the local knowledge.
     Fujii said the Mitsunaga company has worked with residents of Manoa on O`ahu to meet design and recreational needs for the new Manoa Valley District Park Field House. Among its many buildings, Mitsunaga has designed the Maryknoll school gym on O`ahu, the Kihei Police Department on Maui, and Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School on Kaua`i, which can be seen on the company’s website at www.mitsunagaassociates.com. 

Makakupu Bridge was built after the 2000 flood.

     After the November 2000 disastrous flood that took out Hwy 11 bridges around Pahala, Mitsunaga designed the new Makakupu Bridge crossing the ford on the Volcano side of town. Mitsunaga is also designing and engineering renovations at Ka`u Hospital.
     The public works chief said that he expects the project to be “on time and on budget” and urged community ideas to be provided now, as there will be little chance for more money flowing into Ka`u for additions once the project is completed.

A one-mile stretch of Ka`u coast accessed by Road to the
Sea and 3,000 adjoining acres are preserved with
 Open Space funds. Photo from Triplecee

OPEN SPACE MAINTENANCE FUNDING moved closer to being sent to the voters for approval yesterday as the County Council’s Finance Committee voted 6-2 to send Brenda Ford’s bill to the full council.
     The Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Maintenance Fund would acquire about $500,000 from .25 percent of property tax revenues collected by the county. The money could be used for research, stewardship, maintenance and some improvements like fencing, but not for construction of visitor centers or other capital improvements, Ford said. It would be reserved for lands acquired by the county using its open space funding. In Ka`u, that land includes thousands of acres at Kawa, Honu`apo and Road to the Sea.
     Community groups, such as Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo, could apply for grants for programs related to the land that has been protected.
     Any time the fund would exceed $3 million, the excess would be given back to the Open Space Land Fund.
      Council members Donald Ikeda and Dennis Onishi voted against the measure during yesterday’s council meeting, and Pete Hoffmann was away.

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES has announced daily flights from JFK airport on Long Island, New York to Honolulu. The introductory flight discount rate will be $212 one-way. Hawaiian Airlines Five-O flight will depart Honolulu at 3 p.m. in the afternoon and arrive the next morning. Hawaiian Flight 51 will leave New York early in the morning and reach Honolulu in the afternoon, in time for Neighbor Island connections. Both flights will be daily. The new Hawaiian Airlines flight will compete with Continental’s direct flight from Newark Airport in New Jersey.

THE KA`U FOREST RESERVE is the topic at this Friday’s Ka`u Chamber of Commerce meeting at 3:30 p.m. at Punalu`u Bake Shop. Ron Terry, of Geometricians Associates, which is conducting an Environmental Assessment for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources management plan, discusses access for hunters and hikers, ridding the forest of ungulates and invasive plants, and re-introducing `alala, endangered Hawaiian crows, which have been raised in captivity.

TWO CHURCH BAZAARS are set for Saturday. St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View holds its annual holiday bazaar and plant sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Items include soup and bread, homemade baked goods, jams, jellies, candies, plants and crafts. Kauaha`ao Congregational Church in Wai`ohinu has a fundraising bazaar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a flea market, food and entertainment

KA`U `OHANA DAY TAKES PLACE Saturday at Na`alehu Park from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Competition in free Makahiki games is open to children in grades 6 to 12, but the entire `ohana is welcome. The event was initiated by Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and involves many community organizations. Pre-registration is required; call 985-6019.