Ka'u News Briefs Jan. 1, 2012

Without aerial fireworks, Ka`u residents enjoy firecrackers at home to bring in the New Year. Photo by Julia Neal

COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATE for South Kona, Ka`u and Volcano, Brenda Ford, started off the New Year by releasing a list of accomplishments in her three terms in office serving Kona. Ford’s home was placed in this District 6 with the recent Council district map changes.
     Said Ford, “The rural and agricultural areas of Ka`u, North & South Kona, and Volcano lend themselves to having one representative who understands rural and agricultural areas. Since I have always held an islandwide view in getting projects completed and providing residents and businesses in the more remote areas with better access to government services, I know that I will be able to represent these areas well.”
     She said that being a Council member is not a part-time job. “I am a Council member who works more than full-time to serve the residents and businesses of my district and all other districts as well. I will continue to work in that manner during the next term if I am elected. This is not a part-time job, and the people need and expect a full-time advocate and Council member.”
     IN LISTING FORD’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS, Ford said she worked to accomplish the Two- Percent Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Fund and also for a Maintenance Fund for public safety of these lands. Ka`u has been the beneficiary of large tracts of coastal land put into public hands through these funds.
     Ford noted that she worked toward fair and equitable redistricting for elections. She helped set up a Budget Stabilization Fund and county Disaster and Emergency Fund with a minimum of $250,000 in each, as well as a DUI Towing fund to help drunken drivers get a tow home. The South Kona Council member worked on state legislation to use the liquor tax for DUI programs.
     BANNING AQUARIUM FISH COLLECTION from Hawai`i reefs is also one of her campaigns.

Ford promises to protect local ag. products from
unfair labeling. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

     PROTECTING HAWAI`I PRODUCTS from unfair labeling where foreign coffee or macadamia or other inputs are presented as if they are from Hawai`i is another issue tackled by Ford. She said she has worked to establish agricultural product branding to protect each Hawaiian region’s identity and products and by establishing truth in labeling for product content by listing the percent of the ingredient in the total product. She also worked to establish country of origin labeling. 

     ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO VOTE BY MAIL is another Ford initiative for both state and county elections.
     FORD SAID SHE WANTS EXEMPTION FROM PAYING SEWER fees for a decade when a gang cesspool converts to septic. Ford worked with Administration to develop and advocated for federal funds for 26 sewer projects, which she said were desperately needed in seven districts around the island.
     CONCERNING PUBLIC SAFETY, Ford said she has advocated for a police take-home radio policy and funding for radios to enhance officer and resident protection. She helped establish the South Kona Police 24/7 Station.
     Ford praised outgoing District 6 member Brittany Smart, who announced that she will not run again. “I commend Ms. Smart for her work in representing her district and working with the Council to advance legislation to help all of our residents. She is highly intelligent, easy to work with, and committed to serving her constituents. I will miss her on the Council next term,” Ford said.

Kilauea's ongoing east rift zone eruption is the topic at After Dark in the
Park Tuesday at 7 p.m.  Photo from USGS/HVO

THE 29TH ANNIVERSARY of Kilauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption is on Tuesday, Jan. 3, Geologist Tim Orr reviews highlights and talks about recent developments on Kilauea’s east rift zone during After Dark in the Park at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. $2 donation supports park programs, and park entrance fees apply. 

JANUARY IS VOLCANO AWARENESS MONTH. Along with After Dark in the Park programs each Tuesday evening, many guided hikes are scheduled in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park throughout the month. On Wednesdays at 1 p.m., hikers discover the hidden world of lava tubes on a 1.5-mile, one-hour hike to Thurston Lava Tube. Flashlights recommended. Meet at Kilauea Iki Overlook on Crater Rim Drive.
     The Pu`uloa Hike, on Thursdays at 1 p.m., visits one of Hawai`i’s most extensive petroglyph fields on a two-mile, 1.5-hour hike along one of Kilauea’s coastal trails. Meet at the parking lot on the Chain of Craters Road.
     Hiking along Devastation Trail on Fridays at 1 p.m., participants learn about the 1959 Kilauea Iki eruption and how the devastated forest has recovered in the years since during this 1.5-hour hike. Meet at Pu`u Paui parking lot on Crater Rim Drive.
     A 2.7-mile, two- or three-hour hike into the Volcano on Saturdays at 1 p.m. goes down to the floor of Kilauea caldera and back up to explore Kilauea’s rain forest and volcanic landscape. Meet at Kilauea Visitor Center.

Ka'u News Briefs Dec. 31, 2011

Green jobs for the New Year are available on the state Department of Labor website. Photos from DLIR

BRITTANY SMART will not run in the 2012 election for the District 6 County Council seat that serves Ka`u. In the middle of her first term in office, she made the announcement yesterday, saying it was for personal reasons, but she would not rule out running for public office in the future. 

Brittany Smart

     Smart defeated Council member Guy Enriques to take her first elected position last year. This followed graduating from University of Hawai`i – Hilo with a degree in political science. Smart is 28, married this past June and lives in Discovery Harbour. Her husband works in the composting and recycling business. 

     BRENDA FORD issued her own statement saying she will run for County Council District 6. She said, “New Council District 6 is a very large area and needs a person who understands agriculture, business, infrastructure and the need for jobs and services. I have always worked diligently to provide for rural areas throughout the island.” Her home became part of District 6 with the recent redistricting, which added Napo`opo`o and Captain Cook. Should she win in Ka`u – South Kona, she would serve for the fourth and last time, given term limits. Ford said has been working more than full-time on the part-time Council position after a career in business management.
     Ford said she would champion completion of projects supported by Smart, including the Ka`u High School shelter and gym, the Ocean View Well, Ocean View Transfer Station and the Ka`u satellite County Council office where constituents could testify and attend Council meetings remotely. Ford said she plans a series of “listening” meetings for District 6. She said she lives in a rural area in South Kona and appreciates the issues of Ka`u. 

Brenda Ford

     During her three terms as a Council member, Ford has championed the Two Percent Land Fund that has contributed to the preservation of Honu`apo and Kawa and the pending purchase of 3,000 acres at Road to the Sea near Manuka.
     Smart endorsed Ford, saying Ford is “completely dedicated to this job and has my utmost confidence in accurately representing the district. Ford is very knowledgeable in issues that face rural areas, such as lack of government access and infrastructure, agricultural issues, and sufficient police presence.” Smart said Ford “has promised to follow through on any projects that may remain at the end of my term.”
     THE OTHER ANNOUNCED CANDIDATE for the County Council race is Lee McIntosh, 30, of Discovery Harbour.
     Candidates can pull nomination papers beginning Feb. 1. The primary election is Aug. 11 and decides the winner, unless a runoff is required in the general election. The Council members take their seats in December. 

THE GREEN JOBS INITIATIVE has a boost from the state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations, which has launched a web-based directory of Green Employers. Green employers in renewable energy, natural resource conservation and other green enterprises post profiles to describe operations, core occupations, and skills and education they want in employees. 

     The Hawai`i Directory of Green Employers includes results from a 2010 survey. The online directory allows employers to update their information and new employers to add themselves to the directory.
     “Hawai`i has hundreds of Green Employers operating thousands of work sites — and through our Hawai`i Green Jobs Initiative we are investing in the state’s workforce by providing training needed to work with green companies,” state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations director Dwight Takamine said. “Now we have developed a comprehensive, centralized tool for matching existing employers with potential employees. This is an important step forward as we continue to build a sustainable economy.” To access the directory, visit lmi.ehawaii.gov/green.

    

DRINKING AND DRIVING is a major target of the Hawai`i Police Department through the weekend. New Year’s revelers are warned to take along a sober designated driver. AAA has also offered free tows and rides home for up to five miles. For longer distances the partier can pay the difference to the tow service. 

PROTECTION OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES is the New Year’s Eve aim of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Consumption of alcohol and fireworks are prohibited in all state parks, forests, and small boat harbors, said William J. Aila, Jr., the DLNR chairman.

FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE IN NA`ALEHU, Hana Hou will offer special New Year’s Furikaki Ahi, crab cakes, pork roast and prime rib dinners during normal hours. Shaka’s will be open until midnight with specials. 

Gingerbread House Hawaiian Style is one of the KMC cottages
decorated for the holiday. Photo by Leyna Rego/KMC

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP is offering up New Year’s Eve and New Year's Day activities. Vote for the best decorated KMC cottage and receive a Holiday Dollar to redeem at KMC venues. Tonight’s New Year’s Eve party features music by the Edge starting at 9:30 p.m. inside the Lava Lounge, with no cover charge. Tomorrow, KMC’S Crater Rim Café will serve up a New Year’s Day brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Park entrance fees may apply.

TUESDAY, JAN. 3 MARKS the 29th anniversary of Kilauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption. Geologist Tim Orr reviews highlights and talks about recent developments on Kilauea’s east rift zone during After Dark in the Park at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. $2 donation supports park programs, and park entrance fees apply.

Ka'u News Briefs Dec. 30, 2011

Ka`u High and Pahala Intermediate Schools provide less than 5.5 hours of classroom teaching each day but more than
many other Hawai`i schools. Photo by Julia Neal

CLASSROOM TIME at Ka`u High and Intermediate Schools must increase to at least 5.5 hours a day to meet a state mandate, according to a new report to the state Legislature.
     Ka`u has fewer classroom hours than Farrington, Castle, McKinley and Campbell, which have more than 1,600 minutes of class time a week. However, Ka`u has more class time than Kaua`i, Maui, Olomana and Waiakea High Schools, which have under 1,300 minutes of class time a week.
     Ka`u is in the middle of the pack with 1,495 minutes a week, according to the state Department of Education report. Meeting the mandate for more class time for students in all public schools is expected to be a major issue at the state Legislature when it opens in January.

COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER Brittany Smart has listed priorities for 2012 in an article in the Hawai`i Tribune Herald this morning. The Nancy Cook Lauer story said “Smart lists waste issues, increased communication with the public and completing a reasonable county building code as her top priorities for 2012.” 

Na`alehu Civic Center with its unused courtroom is
considered a possible location for a County Council
satellite office with videoconferencing.

     “Smart, who is finishing her first year on the Council, introduced very little legislation this year, but said she and her staff have been doing the research on several issues to be introduced next year,” the story says. It also states that her first priority will be “a plan to use discarded tires in rubber asphalt for road repaving. That requires coordination with the state Department of Health, as well as the county administration.” It also says another Smart priority is “reducing waste going into the Hilo landfill through the tire program.”
     Smart also told the newspaper that she still hopes to establish a place in Ka`u district where members of the public can participate in meetings through videoconferencing. Establishing a Ka`u office was one of Smart’s campaign promises. Cook Lauer’s story says Smart mentioned “using social media such as Facebook and creating a way for the public to share documents and agendas” as one of her top priorities. “We have to be able to go where the communication is taking place and not expect it to come to us,” Smart told Hawai`i Tribune-Herald.

Guy Kaulukukui, of Volcano, talks about the ahupua`a
management system. Photo from The Kohala Center

THE DIVISIONS OF AQUATIC RESOURCES AND FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE may merge under the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Deputy DLNR director Guy Kaulukukui, of Volcano, told West Hawai`i Today that putting them together would help manage resources from the mountain to the coastal regions, much like the traditional Hawaiian ahupua`a management system. “The department’s realigning its mission around the primacy of the watershed,” he told reporter Erin Miller. 

     Ka`u is the site of the most DLNR management acreage in the state, including the largest pristine native forests and the longest uninhabited coastline.

TODAY IS THE DEADLINE to send in comments on the cellular tower proposed for land in Pahala across Maile Street from the Old Pahala Clubhouse. A legal notice from Crown Castle says the company would install a 130-foot-tall structure and requests “comments from any interested party on the impact of the proposed tower.” Comments should be addressed to Monica Gambino at 2000 Corporate Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317 or monica.gambino@crowncastle.com or by phone at 724-416-2516. The company’s regulatory advisor for the project is Janice Merritts, who can be reached at 480-735-6931 or janice.merritts@crowncastle.com. 

Plantation era cottage under restoration in Pahala. Photo by Julia Neal

ANOTHER HISTORIC COTTAGE is being restored in Pahala. The small plantation home on Huapala Street was purchased through a foreclosure for a total of around $21,000. The new owner is using sweat equity, putting in new house posts and doing other improvements with his own labor. The yard was previously overgrown and looked abandoned. 

IN TWO MORE DAYS, voting closes on competition for best decorated cottage at Kilauea Military Camp inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The KMC staff strung lights and created Christmas scenery. Vote on the best display and receive a Holiday Dollar redeemable at KMC venues. 

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY offers up music by the group Edge beginning at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lava Lounge. No cover charge. For more information, call 967-8365.

ON SUNDAY, KMC’S Crater Rim Café offers New Year’s Day brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Park entrance fees may apply.

THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION reminds drivers that even one drink can reduce mental and physical skills, affecting vision, steering, braking, judgment and reaction time. AAA will offer free tow services and a ride home for drunken drivers over this New Year’s holiday weekend. It’s called the Tipsy Tow service and is available from 6 p.m. tonight to 6 a.m. on Sunday for towing cars home no farther than five miles. If the distance is farther, the drinker will have to pay the difference to the tow company. The number to call is 800-222-4357.