Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 29, 2010

Brittany Smart, the night before being elected to the County Council.
This morning, she announced the staff members Nelson Ho and
Jen Knippling for her incoming County Council office.

Nelson Ho

NELSON HO, former Deputy Director of the county Department of Environmental Management, has been selected by incoming County Council member Brittany Smart to be her researcher and to write her legislation. Ho will take the job currently held by Bradley Westervelt, who works for outgoing councilman Guy Enriques. Smart said that Nelson Ho is the perfect person to work with her since she will chair the Environmental Management Committee on the County Council. She said that his background working for the county will give him insight into solving the needs for solid waste management in Ocean View and other sites throughout the district. Ho currently works for Recycle Hawai`i and chairs the Big Island Sierra Club group.
     Nelson Ho said this morning that he is looking forward to working with all the people of the district and tackling the ongoing needs of the community.

JEN KNIPPLING, who volunteered and worked her way up to become manager of Brittany Smart's successful County Council campaign, will become the council aide. Smart promised total transparency and frequent contact with the public during her term representing District 6 on the County Council.

TOMORROW, THE OUTGOING COUNTY COUNCIL is scheduled to take up the issue of floating a $56 million bond for capital improvements. Mayor Billy Kenoi contends that the county’s high bond rating makes good sense to finance capital improvement projects for the Big Island. Included would be an $8.8 million dollar recycling and rubbish transfer station in Wai`ohinu. Smart said that if the bond issue comes up before the new council, she would consider how much debt the county would shoulder given expected decreases in tax revenues. "I don't agree with putting us in further debt," she said.

INCOMING GOVERNOR Neil Abercrombie is asking everyone who comes to meet him on Sunday, December 12 to bring at least three cans of food or a cash donation to the Food Bank. Abercrombie will be meeting with residents after his inauguration at Pahala Plantation House from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets in Pahala as part of his round-the-state visit to meet the people.

ANYONE WHO FINDS A PEST on a Christmas tree that has been imported from the mainland should call the state Department of Agriculture's pest hotline. The ag department does not have the manpower to inspect every tree that comes onto the island but did find invasive slugs on some trees imported to O`ahu. The ag department is also worried about importing yellow jackets. People taking trees home have already found tree frogs and salamanders. If you find a pest that might have hitchhiked to Hawai`i on your Christmas tree, call the hotline at 643-PEST. That is 643-7378.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 28, 2010

Senator Russell Kokubun, speaking at a rally in Hilo, is being considered
for a position in Governor Neil Abercrombie's new administration.

RUSSELL KOKUBUN, our Senator for Ka`u, Volcano, Puna and beyond, is being considered for a position in Governor Neil Abercrombie’s new administration. Kokubun, a resident of Volcano, applied for a position and said this morning that the main issue is to serve the community and the public as he has been doing all his adult life. He said his experience is in land use, farming, natural resources and planning for sustainability. He said he respects Governor Abercrombie very much and would be honored to serve with him.
     Should Kokubun take a position with the state administration, his position as Senator would be filled by an appointment. Governor Abercrombie would appoint a new senator from a list of three nominees provided by the Democratic Party. The new Senator would serve for two years, until the next election.

ABERCROMBIE will be in Ka`u, meeting with everyone who wants to join him, at Pahala Plantation House, on Sunday, December 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kokubun said he will be there to welcome Abercrombie to his new post as governor.

Josh Green practiced at the Ka`u Hospital Emergency Room
and could become the next chief of the
state Department of Health.

ANOTHER STATE SENATOR up for a position in the Abercrombie cabinet is Dr. Josh Green, who has practiced medicine in Ka`u and represents Kona in the Senate. He is being considered for the head of the state Department of Health.

DURING THESE HOLIDAYS, not only are authorities looking out for drinking and driving, they are also looking out for illegal smoking in public places. Forty percent of children and more than 30 percent of non-smoking adults breathe in cigarette smoke on a regular basis worldwide. Children’s developing lungs can be permanently damaged, and they are more likely to have asthma and other respiratory diseases. Non-smokers of all ages die from disease caused by second-hand smoke. This new concern comes from a worldwide study of 192 countries by the World Health Organization. Here on the Big Island, smoking is banned in all public places, including Punalu`u Beach and all parks, as well as stores, restaurants and community centers. Enforcing the law is another challenge. 

Lisa Louise Adams, of the Volcano
Villages Artists Hui, which wraps up
its studio tour today.

THE VOLCANO VILLAGE ARTISTS HUI Art Studio Tour and Sale wraps up today in Volcano Village from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with quilts, paintings, pottery, photos, mixed media and other art. Visit the artist studios with discounted prices for Christmas gifts. Maps to all the studios are available by stopping in at Volcano Village businesses.

SENIORS ON MEDICARE face a December 31 deadline to change their drug and health plans. According to AARP, seniors should look at the cost of premiums, deductibles and cost sharing, coverage of drugs and seeing doctors and quality ratings. Good resources to check are www.medicare.gov and www.aarp.org. 

`O Ka`u Kakou is helping repair roads at South Point, Ka Lae,
where locals fish and visitors enjoy the view from the cliffs.

`O KA`U KAKOU spent part of Thanksgiving Week repairing a section of road to the fishing area and portable toilets at Ka Lae. Seven volunteer brought cement mixers, tractors, generators and a compactor to fill large holes. The effort is to protect the vehicles of many visitors and local residents who use the roads at South Point. The community group expects to continue with their work in the future, when they receive more donations in materials and equipment, said OKK member Fred Ramsdell. 

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 27, 2010

Monkeypod Tree, Pahala is the name of this artistic photo
by Mary Goodrich, whose work will be shown during
the Volcano Village Art Studio Tour and Sale
today and tomorrow.

MAYOR BILLY KENOI IS HOPING the county council will pass his proposal next week to float a $56 million bond. He pointed to the county’s good bond rating and said it makes good sense to finance important capital improvement projects for the Big Island to improve services and stimulate the economy. Among projects planned are an $8.8 million recycling and rubbish transfer station in Wai`ohinu. “Those who suggest we run for the bunker in tough economic times fail to see the opportunities that we have to make our island a better place to live,” the mayor said. He contended that floating the bond is based on sound economic principles. Other projects that will be funded include roads, parks and housing. The county takes up the issue on Tuesday, November 30.

THE GAS COMPANY PLANS to generate five percent of gas provided to customers through renewable bio-oil made from animal fats and other wastes. According to the Hawai`i state energy office, this will help Hawai`i reach 70 percent of energy coming from renewable sources by 2030. Ted Peck, who runs the energy office, said, “Our waste, which now costs us money to dispose, could become a revenue source.” The pilot program on O`ahu could expand to this island, where such waste as tallow from slaughter houses is buried in the ground. The bio-oil factory could also use waste from fish farms and sorghum and grasses grown here. In Ka`u, Ainakoapono hopes to farm thousands of acres and build a bio-fuel refinery in Pahala.

RECYCLING ON THE BIG ISLAND is up from 24 percent to 36 percent over the past three years. Last year more than 87 tons were diverted from landfills, said county recycling coordinator Linda Peters.

THE TEMPORARY COUNTY RUBBISH BIN will receive only plastic-bagged trash from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the county park at Kahuku in Ocean View. All other rubbish will be turned away. At the end of the day the bin is hauled away. The bin is being made available every Saturday until a permanent county recycling and transfer station is built.

A STUDENT TRACKING SYSTEM to help prevent challenged school students from falling through the cracks is coming on line with $2.6 million in new software at Hawai`i public schools. The plan is to give kids mini-tests so problems can be handled before the annual Hawai`i state assessment tests. Funding comes from a 75 million dollar federal Race to the Top grant. The tests are taken online or by filling in bubbles on written test sheets. Some educators and parents worry about too much test taking. Others agree that teachers and administrators need to understand the abilities of each student to personalize education and help those who have fallen behind.

THE ANNUAL VOLCANO VILLAGE ART STUDIO TOUR AND SALE invites everyone into Volcano Village to meet the artists today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual studio tour features eight studios with works ranging from quilts, paintings, pottery and photos to sculptures and hand-blown art glass. Many of these original creations are available for sale as Christmas gifts at affordable prices. A map for the tour is available at businesses in Volcano Village.