Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 23, 2010

Gail Kalani and Melani Camba operate the Ka`u branch of Bank of Hawai`i.

BANK OF HAWAI`I, WHICH OPERATES the only bank in Ka`u, has been named best bank in the country by Forbes magazine for the second year straight. Chair and CEO Peter Ho said the ranking reflects positively on the community and the people. Second was East West Bancorp, out of Pasadena, California, which focuses on the Asian-American community. Forbes noted that Bank of Hawai`i was very conservative during the housing bubble, leaving few bad loans on its books. By the way, Bank of Hawai`i here in Pahala wants to let the community know that the bank will be open through lunch on Christmas Eve but close early at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

FORMER OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS trustee Dr. Malama Solomon has been appointed to the state Senate by Governor Neil Abercrombie. She takes the place of Dwight Takamine, who was named chief of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Solomon, who is 59 years of age, spent 18 years as an OHA trustee and 16 years in the state Senate. She operates a 1,600-acre ranch in Waimea, North Kohala and Hamakua. Solomon also serves as the Kakau `Olelo (historian) to the Beamer-Solomon Halau O Po`ohalu. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from Oregon State University, a MA in Education and BA in Cultural Anthropology from UH-Manoa. She will serve as interim senator for the Hamakua side of the island until her confirmation by the state Senate.
     Abercrombie will also appoint a new senator from Ka`u within 60 days of Sen. Russell Kokubun becoming the new head of the state Department of Agriculture after Christmas. The process involves the local Democratic precinct officers interviewing more than a dozen candidates who are expected to submit their resumes. In Solomon’s case the precinct officers caucused together, each casting ballots in three rounds of voting to come up with three nominees to present to the governor. Besides Solomon, former state Rep. Kenneth Goodenow and current state Rep. Mark Nakashima were nominated.

YOUNG BROTHERS asked the Public Utilities Commission yesterday for rate hikes that could send prices for interisland shipping soaring. The cost of moving livestock, vehicles and 40-foot containers could go up by 15 percent. Building material shipment costs could rise by 35 percent. Young Brothers filed the application in response to the PUC giving permission for the San Diego-based Pasha shipping company to drop off interisland cargo on its way to and from the West Coast. Young Brothers has threatened to leave the state, saying the competition is unfair.
     Matson has already received permission to hike rates by two percent in January.

ML MACADAMIA ORCHARDS, which is one of the largest employers in Ka`u, is looking forward to a better 2011 since recent rains are likely to boost its crop next year. The company reported a net loss of $308,000 for the third quarter of this year, posting total revenues of $4.7 million dollars, $1 million less than the same quarter last year. The company explained that severe drought delayed the picking and reduced the macadamia harvest. The company also purchased the IASCO property makai of Hwy 11 in Pahala. ML says it is the world’s largest grower of premium macadamia nuts.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 22, 2010

Graph shows the rapid increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

THE CLIMATE OBSERVATORY on top of Mauna Loa is providing some of the best data on earth, backing up scientists’ fears of global warming, according to a story in this morning’s New York Times. While this Mauna Loa observatory lacks the fame of the Mauna Kea observatories, every hour, its machines churn out data showing the increasing level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. High levels

Photos courtesy of
Mauna Loa Observatory

of CO2 keep heat from escaping the atmosphere, causing the climate change. The rise in carbon dioxide, caused largely by pollution of industry and vehicles, has topped 390 parts per million and is expected to increase dramatically with further industrialization of such large populations as China, and unless clean energy is developed in the U.S. and other countries, most scientists say. 

MONEY FOR RESEARCH, education and other programs funded by special requests from Hawai`i’s congressional delegation are suspended for at least three months as the federal budget failed to pass before the Christmas holidays, and the fed is now operating under a continuing resolution that keeps the government operating until March 4. 

     On hold is funding for The Kohala Center’s Food Self-Reliance Program with a focus on Ka`u; funding for the Volcano Observatory; a Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program; an endangered species recovery program; invasive species eradication programs; animal and plant inspection operations; and an agricultural pest facility. Sen. Daniel Inouye and his colleagues vow to push again for these programs when the new House and Senate members take their seats in January.
     Another program placed on hold that could affect Ka`u is for $6 million dollars for the University of Hawai`i to develop crops that could be farmed on a large scale to refine into oil for shipment to the electric company.

IN ADDITION TO KA`U BEING A PROPOSED SITE FOR GROWING ENERGY, garbage to energy is on the table for the Big Island, with Guy Kaniho, of BioEnergy Hawai`i, proposing to build such a 60,000 square foot plant near Hawai`i Electric’s power plant in Kona. Garbage would be sorted, part of it recycled and a portion of it gasified into a fuel to be sold to HELCO, reducing the use of the landfill and dependence on foreign oil. BioEnergy also proposes an algae farm near Kona Airport, according to a report in the Hawai`i Tribune Herald. An EIS is in process for the project

SENATOR RUSSELL KOKUBUN will take his post as Director of the state Department of Agriculture and Chairman of the state Board of Agriculture next week on December 30 after resigning from his post as Senator from Ka`u, Puna and South Hilo. He said yesterday that he is particularly inspired by Governor Neil Abercrombie’s promise to work on Hawai`i’s food security by providing incentives for farming in the Islands. Kokubun will serve as interim director and chair until the state Senate confirms his new post, probably in February.

IN SPORTS, The Ka`u High boys varsity soccer team steamed over St. Joseph's yesterday to a 10-1 victory, their first win of the season. The game was called early on account of the mercy rule. The boys were on fire yesterday, with three team members each achieving a hat trick. Junior Alika Kaopua and seniors Brian Simmons and Moses Espaniola each scored three goals, with junior Patrick Garcia earning one. Kaopua and Espaniola also added two assists to their game accomplishments. Freshman Jeremiah Simmons stepped up to assist on two points also. Stellar goal keeping by Derrick Medeiros-Garo, with help from Erik Dennis late in the game, kept the St. Joe offense at bay. St. Joe only scored one point on a penalty kick late in the second half.
     "The boys are really excited. It is a great bunch of boys. They worked hard for the win. This is like their Christmas gift to themselves," said Coach Bob Martin.
     The girls Varsity team also traveled to Hilo with the boys to take on St. Joe's. Shavonne Panglao scored for the Trojans after driving the ball up the middle, juking out three defenders and forcing the goalie to come out of the goal. The goalie dove for the ball, and Panglao deftly maneuvered around her to sink the ball into the goal. Although the Trojans did not win, the girls show a lot of potential that just needs to be fine-tuned, said Coach Crystal Mandaguit. 

The Kuahiwi Family

NA LEO MANU - HEAVENLY VOICES - is the name of the concert by the Kuahiwi family tonight at the Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. They share songs from their new CD, Hawaiian Music. It starts at 6:30 p.m.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 21, 2010

Sen. Russell Kokubun, who is headed for top job at the state Department of Agriculture,
and former Sen. Dwight Takamine, who will head the state Department of Labor and
Industrial Relations join hands with Gov. Neil Abercrombie at a ceremony in Pahala.
The Democratic Party will pick three candidates for each of their senate seats, and
Abercrombie will make the final decisions on who will represent the two districts.

THE SEARCH FOR A REPLACEMENT for Senator Russell Kokubun, who will leave his seat to head the state Department of Agriculture continues, as the Democratic Party gets deep into the same process on the Hamakua side of the island, where Senator Dwight Takamine stepped down to become chief of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The Hawai`i Tribune Herald reports that the precinct officers on the Hamakua side have interviewed six candidates to take Takamine's place. They are former state Rep. Kenneth Goodenow, County Council member Donald Ikeda, former Hawai`i County Mayor and former state Senator Lorraine Inouye, Hilo attorney Bob Marx, state Rep. Mark Nakashima and former state Senator Malama Solomon. Anyone interested in Kokubun's senate seat must turn in a resume to the Democratic Party, which will select three nominees to present to Governor Neil Abercrombie, who will make his final choice, which will face confirmation by the state senate.

THE FUTURE OF GREEN JOBS is bright, according to a report released yesterday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The report predicts a 26 percent increase in green jobs, which contribute to Hawai`i's renewable energy and energy efficiency occupations. Green Jobs aim to generate clean, renewable sustainable energy; reduce pollution and waste, conserve natural resources, recycle; increase energy efficiency, educate, train or support a green workforce and increase production that is natural and environmentally friendly.

EMERGENCY HELP for farmers and ranchers will soon be available from the federal SURE program. Ka`u and the rest of the island were declared a primary disaster county due to the drought in 2010 that started years ago. The applications can be submitted starting January 15. Contact the Farm Services Agency in Hilo.

THE COUNTY OPEN SPACE Committee, which recommends properties to be purchased by the county for preservation of beaches, parks, natural resources and historic sites, is looking into buying agricultural easements to protect farmland. The committee is also looking for a new member, since Bill Gilmartin, of Volcano, has stepped down. The new member will be chosen by Mayor Billy Kenoi, and Council member Brittany Smart says she will answer any questions about the position. Call her at 961-8263.

THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I has posted a position for employment in Ka`u. The job is a recreation supervisor for a Ka`u county park facility. Applicants must have experience in organizing groups of people and in managing recreational activities. See the county employment website for more details.

Volunteers cleaning Hanalua Bay. Photo by Dr. Drew Kapp

THE HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND is giving a big mahalo to everyone who has helped clean up the Ka`u Coast over the past year. The most recent cleanup covered 2.5 miles from Kaulana Boat Ramp to Pohakuloa just south of Mahana Bay, and some participants found glass balls and were able to take them home. Some of the more than 2,000 pounds of fishing nets and other debris which can endanger dolphins, monk seals, seabirds and other wildlife will be compiled into a massive sculpture by artist Aurura Robson. It will go on display at the Waimea Ocean Film Festival in early January. The next cleanup is January 8. Call Megan Lamson at 769-7629. 

Debra Kettleson, APRN looks forward
to pulling medical records up on a
screen at Ka`u Hospital when the
electronic system is installed.

KA`U HOSPITAL has begun a six month project to upgrade to electronic medical records. This should lead to easy access to important health records in the Emergency Room, clinic and at medical facilities away from home.

THE JUDGING AT Kilauea Military Camp for the cottage decorating contest has been extended to December 26. Anyone can sign in and receive tokens to use at KMC facilities. The creators of the Christmas scenes are all employees at KMC. 

THE KUAHIWIS SHARE songs from their new CD and many more classic local favorites tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. A $5 donation is suggested.