Ka`u News Briefs March 31, 2011

Think Local First is a new campaign to encourage everyone to by local beef and other ag products.  Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I COUNTY RESIDENTS can do a lot to improve health through healthy eating and healthy living, according to a national study called County Health Rankings. The county ranks Hawai`i County higher than the other islands in premature deaths, and these can be correlated with more people smoking, more obesity, more drinking and less access to health care than the other islands. 

Smoking is one if the major health risks on the Big Island.
Image by David Hegarty

     The violent crime rate is lower than the other islands. However, deaths from traffic accidents on this island are the highest in the state. One thing better about the island is more access to recreational areas. Also, the state has a higher rate of residents covered by health insurance than the rest of the country. All of this data can be seen at countyhealthrankings.org. 

SPEAKING OF HEALTH, economic health was the target of a group of economists, business representatives and county and nonprofit organization representatives who met yesterday at the county building in Hilo. They want to come up with strategies on how to encourage residents and visitors to purchase local food and locally made products to help rev up the engine of the island’s economy. Some of the suggestions included promotions and tax incentives to buy local first, creating a sense of mission and pride for food sovereignty for the island, and incentivizing schools, hospitals and other organizations to serve food grown by local farmers. A Think Local First Action Committee was organized and will come up with a plan for the island. The project is sponsored by the Hawai`i Alliance for a Local Economy. See bigisle.sustainhawaii.org. 

Logo for Ka`u School of the Arts

KA`U SCHOOL OF THE ARTS has come up with a website at kauarts.org. On the website are sections on events, classes, gallery and projects, and the front page feature is the school's Spring Fling coming up on April 30 at Punalu`u Bake Shop. See kauarts.org. 

THE KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL can also be followed on the Internet, on its blog, twitter, Facebook, Flickr and at kaucoffeefest.org. See photos of all the Miss Ka`u Coffee candidates and updates on both the pageant to be held Saturday, April 23 at Ka`u High School Gym and the Ka`u Coffee Festival on the weekend of May 14 and 15.

THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS Administration is offering low interest rate loans to victims of the March 11 tsumani. An SBA office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until April 26 in Kona.

Brian DeLima represents the Big Island
on the new Board of Education.

BRIAN DELIMA is the new Board of Education member for the Big Island, appointed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. He is an attorney and former member of the Hawai`i County Council. He is appointed for two years. The chair of the new statewide school board is Don Horner, the chair and CEO of First Hawaiian Bank. The Department of Education has an operating budget of $1.7 billion. The electorate voted last November to allow the governor to name the school board members rather than to elect them. Hawai`i has the only statewide school board in the country. 

THE KA`U VARSITY VOLLEYBALL boys have defeated Christian Liberty Academy in a three-game sweep at the Ka`u High gym. Set scores were 25-14, 25-16 and 25-19. Senior Tyler Navarro-Villa slammed six kills. Freshman Larry Al-Navarro, sophomore Donald Garo Jr., and senior Marcus Grace all put in four kills each.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND holds a Ka`u beach cleanup this Saturday. The volunteers meets at Wai`ohinu park at 7:45 a.m. to caravan to the site. Sign up at kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or call 769-7629.

Ka`u News Briefs March 30, 2011

Voting for One Journey, which made the finals to Brown Bags to Stardom, begins tonight.  Photo by Julia Neal

Sen. Dan Akaka reintroduces
the Akaka Bill to the Senate.
Photo by Julia Neal

Rep. Mazie Hirono will
reintroduce the Akaka Bill.
Photo by Julia Neal

SENATOR DAN AKAKA is reintroducing the Akaka Bill today on the U.S. Senate floor, and Rep. Mazie Hirono plans to reintroduce it in the House later this week to give federal recognition to Native Hawaiians. The measure is deemed important now since Akaka, the champion of the bill, plans to retire after his current term. The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act would give Hawaiians many of the same privileges as Native American Indians. Many Hawaiian groups, including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, supports the bill, while most Republicans oppose it, and some sovereignty activists think it would block their efforts to restore the Hawaiian Kingdom. When Gov. Neil Abercrombie served in Congress he helped build support for the Akaka Bill. 

EMERGENCY RELIEF for people whose property and businesses were damaged by the tsunami from Japan will be offered at the Old Kona Airport Pavilion again today between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. with state, county and private agencies on hand. You can also call 211 or contact Civil Defense. Civil Defense Director Ed Texeira said that so much has already been done with people helping people. 

     Both Rep. Bob Herkes and Sen. Gil Kahele have introduced a tsunami emergency bill in the state Legislature asking for funds as well as fast tracking permits to make repairs. The resolution also asks Congress to refrain from cutting money for the tsunami Pacific System.
     Councilwoman Brittany Smart asked the governor to help Ka`u prepare for any future disaster by providing funds to build a $20 million shelter and gym in Pahala next to the school grounds.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS introduced by Sen. Gil Kahele and Rep. Bob Herkes that are still alive at the Legislature include $2.5 million for the Ka`u irrigation system, $6.7 million for buildings at Volcano School of Arts and Sciences, $10 million for the Na`alehu School Administration and Library and $250 million for a U.H. Ag Research station in Volcano.

THE STATE COUNCIL ON REVENUES met yesterday and said that the possible reduction in tax revenues from Japanese canceling vacations to Hawai`i because of the tsunami is unknown since it is unclear when they will start traveling again or how much they will continue to travel. However, the council is worried because state tax revenues collected in February were down, even before the tsunami. As a result the Council on Revenues has readjusted its prediction of state income downward, making an even more difficult challenge for the state Legislature. Ideas to raise money to balance the budget range from gambling, to establishing a lottery, to ending Hawaiian Air’s tax relief and to raising the four percent excise tax. 

THE HAWAI`I 2050 Sustainability plan may get more teeth from the state Legislature if SB 283 passes. The bill incorporates definitions, guiding principles and goals of the 2050 Sustainability Plan into the Hawai`i state planning act. Department of Agriculture Chair Russell Kokubun, who helped craft the plan when he was a state senator, submitted testimony. He said the Department of Ag is “committed to the re-establishment of agriculture as essential to the well being of our island society by rejuvenating the economy, protecting important resources and gaining greater self-sufficiency in food production and alternative energy development.”
     The Nature Conservancy also testified in support of the 2050 legislation, saying “the health of Hawai`i’s unique but threatened natural resources directly affects our economy and quality of life. Residents and visitors alike are awed and inspired by the Hawaiian Islands natural wonders. Beyond breathtaking beauty, these resources provide essential natural benefits that make life possible in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean. From native forests that give us fresh water, erosion control and cultural treasures to abundant coral reefs that provide food, recreation and protection from storms, we all depend daily on nature to sustain us,” The Nature Conservancy testified.

A mobile care van similar to the one that will come here.

A HEALTH BILL championed by Rep. Bob Herkes supports tele-health services coverage for Medicaid and Quest patients through a new mobile health van that will come to Ka`u from Kona Hospital. The measure passed the state Senate and is in the House of Representatives. The Hawai`i Association of Health Plans testified that the Big Island of Hawai`i’s geography and sparsely distributed population may translate into barriers to care for some. Bringing access to medical care to the neediest of populations via a mobile medical van makes sense to improve health of rural underserved populations. It was noted that the Big Island of Hawai`i represents over 65 percent of all the landmass in the state and also has lowest population density. 

     The purchase of the van is funded by $350,000 appropriated previously by the Legislature.

VOTE FOR ONE JOURNEY tonight, if you like, as Brown Bags to Stardom music video competition among the finalists kicks off at 7:30 p.m. The Ka`u High School music group One Journey has made the top six, and their music video is being shown on OC16 television. Anyone with an email address or access to the Internet can vote. Log onto brownbagstostardom.com to see the video Lover’s Dream, written by Eunice Longakit and James Tyson. You can also vote through watching OC16 and using your interactive remote control. The band, under the direction of Ka`u High School teacher Laura Saijo, has been raising money to fund its trip to the Brown Bags to Stardom talent contest on O`ahu on April 23. The band also hopes to print more copies of the CD, which sold out at its recent fundraiser at KAHU-FM 91.7 radio.

Ka`u News Briefs March 29, 2011

Nearly 300 million tires are thrown out each year in the U.S. Some of them
could be used to make more flexible pavement here.  Photo by Scott Williams

COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTANY SMART is planning to testify before the Senate Ways and Means committee in Honolulu to support a bill that would allow taxes at the gas station to be used to maintain roads in private subdivisions like Ocean View. She said that Ocean View residents are paying taxes along with the high price of gas at the pump. Since these fuel taxes are used for fixing roads, some of that money should be used for Ocean View roads, she said. The county, long ago, allowed the massive Ocean View subdivision to be developed without roads that meet public standards, and the county has not made the roads public, so Ocean View residents have to pay for them. If the bill passes the Legislature, a committee would review proposals from community road associations to help fund specific projects.

Brittany Smart wants public opinion
on keeping or ending furlough days.

ANOTHER ROAD ITEM on Council member Smart’s agenda is looking into the possibility of using crumbled tires as an additive to asphalt for paving roads. She said putting the bits of tires into the pavement makes it more flexible and able to absorb earthquakes without cracking. She said she is looking into the cost of shredding tires and the machinery that would be needed to add tires to pavement. 

WHETHER TO END COUNTY WORKER furloughs is a big issue in budget discussions at the County Council finance meetings this week. Mayor Billy Kenoi wants to end them. Council Chair Dominic Yagong and Brenda Ford said that furloughs may be needed for another year to help balance the county budget. When asked whether the mayor would represent the council’s view, should the council pass a resolution for another year of furloughs, the mayor could not commit. He said the issue is a collective bargaining negotiation and that Hawai`i County has only one vote, while the governor has four, and the governor wants to end furloughs. Ka`u County Council member Brittany Smart said this morning that she sees mixed opinions among county workers. Some would prefer to have a few days off a month rather than cut their pay and work full-time. Once the economic crisis is over, it would be hard to get the pay raised back up.

     Smart said she invites the public to call her office and give an opinion on the issue. Her office phone number is 961-8536, or email hccdistrict6@gmail.com.

Barcode software could make
county permit processing faster.

TRACKING PERMITS through the county planning process could become easier with barcodes, like FEDEX tracking packages, if new software proposed in Mayor Billy Kenoi’s budget makes it through the County Council. Ka`u council member Brittany Smart says she supports the measure to save time at the county and make permit processing faster for home builders and businesses. 

    

Coffee farmers can learn how to use fungus to battle borers.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

PACIFIC BASIN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER has arranged for Dr. Stefan Jaronski, a USDA entomologist, to speak to coffee farmers on the use of the fungal solution to combat the devastating effects of the Coffee Berry Borer. Jaronski will be in Hawai`i as part of the annual Entomological Symposium titled "Invasive Species of the Pacific Region” at the Hilton Waikoloa Beach Resort. The farmers’ meeting will be at the Old Airport Pavilion in Kona at 9 a.m. this Thursday, March 31. 

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