Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 17, 2010

Programs to help make Hawai`i less food-dependent on the mainland were chopped
from the federal budget yesterday. This taro, beef and papaya was all grown on the Big Island.

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDING for this island went on the chopping block yesterday as the U.S. Senate failed to pass a $1.3 trillion appropriations bill, with a call from Republicans to delete all earmarks. Among the earmarks affecting us locally are:

SIX MILLION DOLLARS to the University of Hawai`i for the Development of High Yield Tropical Feedstocks and Biomass Conversion Technology for Renewable Energy Production, and $6 million for Hawai`i Renewable Energy Development Venture at the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research.
     These relate to Ka`u since a biofuels venture, reportedly funded with private money, is planned for thousands of acres between Pahala and Na`alehu, with a refinery to make oil from plants and trees, designed for industrial sites in either Pahala or Na`alehu.

ALSO LOST WAS $250,000 for the Kohala Center’s Food Self-Reliance program. The money, requested by Senator Daniel Inouye, was for equipment purchases to increase economic development opportunities for low and moderate income farmers. The Kohala Center has stated it wants to focus on Ka`u for agricultural sustainability.

MONEY CUT FOR PROJECTS close to home also included $250,000 for partnership between U.H. and the U.S. Geological Survey here at Hawai`i Volcano; $500,000 for Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Programs through the National Park Service; $2 million for Hawai`i endangered bird species recovery; $1 million for Hawai`i invasive species partnerships; $2.7 million for animal and plant health inspection; and $2.6 million for an agricultural pest facility.

HAWAI`I-DESIGNATED money cut from the federal budget included $2 million dollars for Saddle Road Improvements proposed by Representative Mazie Hirono, money to improve federal highways on the island, new weather cameras for the Federal Aviation Administration, $1.6 million for the new pharmacy school at UH-Hilo, $350,000 for U.H. Hilo Nursing School to expand training for rural nursing, $100,000 for another UH–Hilo program for occupational safety and health research, sponsored by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
     Also being cut is $400,000 for Hawai`i Community College programs to promote Native Hawaiian and other secondary education programs, $300,000 for technology for rural schools, and $300,000 for educational programs for the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
     Also, $500,000 for well monitoring around the state was cut.

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS for projects to protect coral reefs and manage seafood in Hawai`i went on the chopping block.

MONEY DELETED from the federal budget also included funds for the Hawai`i County Police Department and the YWCA, $2.5 million for `Imiloa Astronomy Center, $284,000 for Hilo Harbor Modifications, $5 million for a National Disaster Preparedness Training Center at U.H., $587,000 for a General Flood Control Plan Update for Hawai`i and Pacific Territories and $300,000 for Hurricane Evacuation Studies.
     Since the massive bill helps fund the federal government itself, the Senate is expected to come up with a continuing resolution to fund the basics of government while it finalizes the budget. Whether any of the money for local projects will be approved is yet to be seen.

Mazie Hirono

OVER IN THE HOUSE of Representatives, Mazie Hirono voted against the compromise tax bill worked out between President Barack Obama, Republicans and some Democrats. She said “Hawai`i needs jobs. This bill does not create jobs, and it adds to our country’s deficit. What kind of compromise is that? I voted no because it doesn’t provide a fair deal to the middle class and the unemployed. It does, however, provide generous tax cuts to the wealthiest families, and it raids Social Security to provide a payroll tax holiday. We needed to fight for a better deal,” said the Congresswoman. 

Ocean View Community Association holds its annual Keiki Christmas Party tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 16, 2010

Ka`u Coffee Mill's Pahala Christmas Parade float
included a live donkey carrying Ka`u Coffee.

A MAN WHO once proposed to build a eucalyptus processing plant in Pahala has gone into foreclosure in a similar venture on the Hamakua Coast. Bob Marr, who worked on planting eucalyptus here in Ka`u and decided to get into the tree cutting, sawing and chipping side of the business on the Hamakua coast, owed lenders more than $6.2 million, according to court documents. Judge Glenn Hara recently ordered liquidation of Marr’s company, Haina Properties, LLC. Marr had purchased the old 49-acre sugar mill yard in Haina, according to a story in West Hawai`i Today. He had also considered buying the 60–acre mill yard here in Pahala, he told The Ka`u Calendar.

OUR REPRESENATIVE IN CONGRESS, Mazie Hirono, voted yesterday to repeal the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law that allows gays and lesbians to serve in the military as long as they keep their sexual preferences a secret. The Secretary of Defense has asked Congress to repeal the law so that people can serve in the Armed Forces without discrimination and without hiding the fact that they are lesbian or gay. The bill passed the House and was sent to the Senate. Republican Charles Djou, who is serving in Neil Abercrombie’s old House seat until Democrat Colleen Hanabusa takes over in January, also voted to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

IF GOVERNOR NEIL ABERCROMBIE has his way, all prisoners sent to jail by Hawai`i courts will stay in Hawai`i, ending a practice of sending many of them to out-of-state privately run prisons with names like Corrections Corp. of America. He said that sending prisoners away is “dysfunctional,” costing money, lives and communities. He said it destroys families and is wrong - socially economically, and morally.”

MAJOR GENERAL DARRYLL WONG has been named adjutant general for the state Department of Defense by Governor Neil Abercrombie. Wong has been the chief of staff and commander of the Hawai`i Air National Guard.

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES has announced non-stop daily flights to Hilo from Los Angeles and weekly flights from San Francisco to Hilo beginning June 9 next year. The flights could bring an additional 40,000 visitors to the island and generate $50.6 million in spending and $5.52 million in tax revenues, according the Hawai`i Tourism Authority.

A PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETE who lives in Kona is gathering Christmas gifts for Marshallese children in Ocean View. Bree Wee is asking people to fill shoeboxes full of toys, clothes, shoes and other items, and to also contribute grocery store gift certificates. She is working on the project with her four-year-old son, Kainoa, and is hoping to wrap up all the presents for the Marshallese children and deliver them on December 23. To contact her see breeweehawaii.blogspot.com. She estimates there are about 150 Marshallese children and 100 adults in Ocean View.

Santa and his helpers entertain the crowd.

Pahala Filipino Community Association

SPEAKING OF CHRISTMAS, the organizers of the Pahala Christmas Parade had a banner year with many people – including Governor Neil Abercrombie – enjoying the event last Sunday. Council member Brittany Smart and Council Chair Dominic Yagong

Dominic Yagong and wife
with Pahala Preschoolers

Miss Ka`u Coffee, Ulu Makakuakane
waves to the crowd.

participated. A live donkey on top of a float, the Boys and Girls Club, Tutu and Me, with Miss Peaberry Karlee Fukunaga Camba and Miss Ka`u Coffee Ulu Makuakane, the new Ka`u 

Coffee Mill float, Pahala Preschool, the Catholic Church choir, Grand Marshall Dora Andrade, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus and numerous humorous characters participated. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park 

HVNP Fire Dept. truck

also joined in, sending one of its fire trucks to delight the keiki. It was the 32nd Pahala Christmas Parade. Organizer Eddie Andrade said it was the longest parade with the most spectators ever. Five students from U.H. Hilo helped with security. 

GET READY TO RECYCLE at Na`alehu School this Saturday, December 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Receive 5 cents per container and 20 cents a pound for all aluminum. Call 939-2413, Extension 230. 

NA MEA HAWAI`I HULA KAHIKO is the ceremony this Saturday, December 18 at 10:30 a.m. at the hula platform overlooking Kilauea Crater inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The halau is Kahula ‘O Nawahine Noho Pu`ukapu.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 15, 2010

The majority of Pahala houses are owner-occupied, and the majority
of people are of Asian and Hawaiian descent.

THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY was released yesterday. The ACS survey is a new program with population estimates that will be released each year. They are separate from the census numbers that will be released starting next week. ACS figures are for small communities to keep up with changes. The survey gives the populations of each Ka`u town. Throughout Ka`u, the bulk of the population is between 18 and 65, a statistic that has not changes since the 2000 survey.

PAHALA’S POPULATION, in 2000, was estimated to be 1,466 with about half male and half female. Now the estimated population is 1,373, with the majority being female.  In 2000, the majority of people were of Asian extraction, followed by two or more races, then Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders. Now the majority is of two or more races, followed by Asian, then by Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders. 166 Caucasians lived in the town in 2000, compared to 81 now. 362 of the 543 houses were owner-occupied in 2000, compared to 242 of 478 now.

     

Statistics for Na`alehu and its surrounding Discovery Harbour, Green Sands
and South Point Road neighborhoods show it is a multi-ethnic community.

NA`ALEHU’S POPULATION in 2000 was estimated to be 1,930 with more male than female. Now it is 1,271 with more female than male. The majority of the people in 2000 were of two or more races, followed by Asian, then Caucasian, with a smaller number of Native Hawaiians. According to the survey, now the majority consists of two or more races, followed by Asian, Native Hawaiian, then white. 479 of the 802 occupied housing units were owner-occupied in 2000. Current statistics show 197 of 423 housing units being owner-occupied. There were about 125 houses unoccupied year-round in 2000, compared to 55 in the most recent survey. 

Ocean View has the highest number of Caucasian residents
and the longest commute to work.

OCEAN VIEW’S POPULATION was estimated to be 2,112 in 2000, with more males than females. Now, the estimate is 2,699 with more females than males. In 2000, the majority of the people were Caucasian, followed by two or more races, then Native Hawaiian, Asian, then some other race. About half of the 1,273 housing units were owner-occupied in 2000, compared to 957 of 1,529 currently. More than 300 housing units were unoccupied year-round, the data puts forth in 2000 and 2010.

     Ocean View residents who drive to town to work have the longest commute time in the state – about 61.7 minutes, The second and third longest in the state are also on the Big Island. They are Kukuihaele and Paauhau-Paauilo, with about 50 minutes. 

VOLCANO’S POPULATION was estimated to be 2,855 with more males than females in 2000. Today's figures are 2,231 with about half male and half female. The bulk of the population is between 18 and 65. In 2000, nearly half the population was Caucasian, followed by two or more races, Asian and Native Hawaiian. Now the majority is Caucasian, followed by two or more races, Native Hawaiian, then Asian. 805 of the 1,546 housing units were owner-occupied in 2000, compared to 632 of 1,229 now. About 400 were unoccupied year-round in 2000, compared to 333 now.

THE KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN Steering Committee held its first meeting in many months last night and voted for the county to distribute a draft plan written by the Placemaker consultants to the committee. The county is planning to build on portions of the plan and seek further community input before finalizing the plan with county planners doing the final draft, which will go to the public before approval.

SENIOR CITIZENS from around the Ka`u District are enjoying a big Christmas celebration at Pahala Community Center today with entertainment, showing off their own talent and ample feasting. That was set from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.