Ka`u News Briefs Feb. 19, 2012

Holland America Line's m.s. Rotterdam is the site of a luncheon benefitting Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

on Friday, March 9. Photo from Holland America Line

A BALANCE BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY AND COST has to be attained in the state building code, according to Rep. Bob Herkes, who is working on the issue in the 2012 state Legislature. He said this morning that there is some strong opposition from his proposal to “blow up the building code” and take it back to an earlier time when construction was more affordable. The opposition is coming from the statewide Fire Council and some civil engineers, he said. “We have to allow affordable homes to be built and to put people to work,” said Herkes. When proposing the building code changes, Herkes said he doesn’t want people living in vans, buses, tents and under tarps when they could be building their own homes – four walls and a room.

Rep. Bob Herkes, with his wife during Volcano's Fourth of July parade,
will run for state Senate. Photo by Julia Neal

THE TOUGHEST FORECLOSURE LAW in the country, which was championed by Rep. Bob Herkes and passed last year, is getting some revisions, said Herkes. About 100 pages of recommendations from a task force are being reviewed at the Legislature before passing amendments to Act 48. He said amendments will “correct some deficiencies we found after it passed.” Herkes said he wants to “make sure that the mediation program will work” between lenders and homeowners who face foreclosure.

REP. BOB HERKES confirmed this morning that he will run for the newly proposed state Senate district. “I think the significance is there is no training needed for me,” said the longtime state member of the House of Representative. Herkes took Sen. Richard Henderson’s place for one year back in the 80s. After working as a member in the state House and knowing most of the members of the Senate, “It won’t take me any time to be effective,” said Herkes, a resident of Volcano. His new Senate district would run from Punalu`u through Pahala and Volcano and into Puna.

A VOG TASK FORCE MEETING will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 29 at Pahala Community Center at 5 p.m. The task force was proposed by Rep. Bob Herkes to tackle the problems with air quality events and volcanic emissions in connection with agriculture, human health and the effects of vog on infrastructure, like metal buildings, fencing and vehicles. Herkes said he wants people to come to the meeting and share their experiences with vog so that the state government and Legislature will understand its effects on Ka`u residents and the environment.

New state Senate and House of Representative districts
will be presented at County Council chambers.

NEW STATE REAPPORTIONMENT MAPS for Hawai`i County will be presented at a public hearing on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in County Council chambers in Hilo. A fourth state Senate seat was established by the state Reapportionment Commission after the state Supreme Court ruled that the one-person, one-vote rule be followed after the 2010 census showed a 24.5 percent population growth on the Big Island. 

      Rep. Bob Herkes has announced his candidacy for the new Senate seat. His departure opens up opportunities in the state House of Representatives for candidates to fill seats in House Districts Three and Five, with the boundary between the two districts being west of Punalu`u.

INSTRUCTION TIME IN KA`U SCHOOLS will increase by one hour per day, four days per week, under a tentative agreement reached between the state and the Hawai`i State Teachers Association. Ka`u is in one of the zones targeted by Race to the Top reforms. In order for the state to hold onto federal Race to the Top grant funds, progress must be made on requirements of the program.

      The agreement also calls for 12 additional days of teacher training. Teachers would get compensation in salaries totaling 18 percent.

      The previously proposed contract had competency requirements for teachers that include tying their status to the success of students. Some teachers said this could be unfair to teachers in schools and classrooms where students have many challenges. It also called for pay increases after keeping pay cuts in place for several years. The Hawai`i State Teachers Association leadership had approved the contract and sent it to a vote, but teachers rejected it in a two-to-one vote.

      A vote on the tentative agreement by union members in the zones is scheduled for Feb. 27.

Park rangers practice a short-haul search-and-
rescue by helicopter. Photo from HVNP

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK urges hikers to plan carefully. Officials want to reduce the number of search-and-rescue operations in the park. Last year, there were 21 SARs.
      Emergency Operations coordinator John Broward said that “hikers need to be aware that SAR missions take time, and that launching a helicopter in the dark or in inclement weather is extremely dangerous. If it’s not worth the risk of flying, we have to wait for daylight, or for better weather, or try to get the injured person out on foot. Hikers should be prepared to spend the night, as it’s a very real possibility.
      “Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is an inherently wild place, and not just a walk in the park,” Broward said.
      Information on how to prepare for a backcountry adventure is available at www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/hike_bc.htm and from park rangers.

NA`OHULELUA HISTORICAL CHURCH’S monthly Plant and Seed Exchange takes place today from noon to 3 p.m. The church is 1.7 miles from Hwy 11 on Kama`oa Road.

DONATIONS FOR A RUMMAGE SALE to benefit Ka`u Hospital Charitable Foundation’s scholarship fund are being accepted this week. The scholarship fund assists any Ka`u student enrolled in any medical training program. Items can be dropped off at Kama`aina Kuts behind Na`alehu Ace Hardware through Saturday. Call Ursula at 896-2624.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK invite the public to experience the nostalgia and aloha of Hawai`i’s old-time boat days, replete with colorful flower lei, graceful hula `auana, and lively Hawaiian music. Their benefit luncheon takes place aboard Holland America Line’s m.s. Rotterdam, docked in Hilo Harbor, on Friday, March 9.
      Tickets are $65 and must be purchased by March 5. Call 985-7373 or visit www.fhvnp.org.

SEE OUR SPONSORS AT WWW.PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND WWW.KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.

Ka`u News Briefs Feb. 18, 2012

February is Humpback Whale Awareness Month. Photo from wayfaring.info

COL. BENEDICT FUATA, of Mt. View, will become the new county Civil Defense administrator. The Hawai`i Army National Guard colonel was appointed by Mayor Billy Kenoi and replaces Quince Mento, who retired in December. Fuata is a logistics director and has commanded the Army Aviation Support Facility in Hilo since 1993. Kenoi described Fuata’s “impressive credentials, both professionally and as a public servant.” 

Civil Defense headquarters during a tsunami
warning. Photo from bigislandvideonews.com

      Fuata was born and raised in Honolulu and is a 1979 graduate of Damien Memorial High School. He graduated from the University of Santa Clara in California with a degree in political science, and received his master’s degree in organizational management in 2000 from University of Phoenix. He serves as a board member for the Hawai`i Island Home for Recovery.
      The Civil Defense administrator directs and coordinates the development and administration of the county’s emergency preparedness and response program to ensure prompt and effective action when natural or man-caused disaster threaten or impact Hawai`i Island. 

Col. Benedict Fuata

     “I’m honored to take this position, and I am looking forward to the challenge,” said Fuata. “Hawai`i County Civil Defense is a first-class operation, and I hope I can do the office justice. But with 29 years of military training, I will be able to adapt.”
      Fuata is 50 and lives in Mt. View with his wife, Teresa, and two daughters.

RAPID POPULATION GROWTH on the Big Island has made plans to improve and expand the state highway system out of date, and the state Department of Transportation will come to the Big Island to give the public an update in Kona and in Hilo. The Kona meeting will be held at the Kona Outdoor Circle building just off Hwy 11on Tuesday, Feb. 28, and the Hilo meeting will be at the Pu`ueo Community Center on Wednesday, Feb. 29. Both meetings are from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The DOT plans to create a new plan for the island and return for more public comment this summer.

Lorraine Akiba

THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION has a new member. Gov. Neil Abercrombie appointed Honolulu attorney Lorraine Akiba yesterday to succeed PUC commissioner John Cole when his term ends on June 30. Akiba is a partner in the litigation firm McCorrison Miller Mukai MacKinnon in Honolulu. She handles complex commercial litigation involving environment, natural resources and health care. She co-authored the Hawai`i Chamber of Commerce publication called The Green Book: A Practical Guide to Environmental Law. The composition of the PUC is considered critical to the future of energy and transportation costs in Hawai`i and the development of alternative energies, including geothermal, wind and biofuels. 

      The appointment of Akiba requires confirmation by the state Senate.

THE STATE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Commission has a new appointment. Gov. Neil Abercrombie yesterday appointed Ted Yamamura, executive vice president and senior appraiser for ACM Consultants, Inc., a real estate valuation and advisory group.

Ted Yamamura

      The company describes itself as “one of the largest and most experienced independent real estate consulting, valuation and research companies in Hawai`i.” It provides research and evaluations to developers, lenders, government entities and private institutions. It does market studies for subdivisions, shopping centers, condominiums and other developments.

      Yamamura’s appointment requires confirmation by the state Senate. 

“RAT RACE WEARY? Could be time to move to a Fantasy Town,” and the Big Island has them, according to USA Today. A USA Today travel article says “Those seeking a tropical paradise should look to Hawai`i’s Big Island, less touristy than others in the state, and home to small, relaxed towns.” It quotes Sunset Magazine, which polled readers on their Fantasy Towns where they dream to live. The Sunset story describes some Big Island communities as sheltering “artists, surfers and disenchanted daily grinders.” Other places that made the list are Nelson, British Columbia; McMinnville, Oregon; and the Whitsunday Islands in Australia.
      An earlier article in National Geographic Traveler described the wonders of Ka`u and called Pahala “the Last Aloha Place.”

HUMPACK WHALE AWARENESS MONTH is all of February, and the declaration was made this week by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. His proclamation states that the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary was established by Congress in 1992 and is the only marine managed area in the nation. He pointed out that the humpback whale is the official state mammal and represents the diversity of ocean life that surrounds the Hawai`i Islands; and humpback whales are majestic cetaceans, known for their haunting songs, and reflect the deep connection the people of Hawai`i share with the ocean. These whales were hunted to the brink of extinction by whalers of the past, but today they are a federally protected species. The Sanctuary will hold another whale count next Saturday, Feb. 25 at Punalu`u, Kalae and inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. To volunteer, call 1-888-55WHALE, ext. 253. See hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov. 

RIVER OF LIFE Assembly of God in Pahala hosts a free mini carnival today until 2 p.m. with games, music, prizes and food, while supplies last.

Na`ohuleleua Church is the site of a plant and seed
exchange tomorrow. Photo from Na`alehu Main Street

A HULA KAHIKO PERFORMANCE BY Halau Na Pua Ha`aheo O Kona, under the direction of kumu hula Roy Palacat, takes place at the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park today at 10:30 a.m. Hands-on cultural demonstrations take place from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at VAC Gallery. Donations are welcome, and park entrance fees apply. 

NA`OHULELUA HISTORICAL CHURCH’S monthly Plant and Seed Exchange takes place tomorrow from noon to 3 p.m. The church is 1.7 miles from Hwy 11 on Kama`oa Road.

SEE OUR SPONSORS AT WWW.PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND WWW.KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.

Ka`u News Briefs Feb. 17, 2012

A fire at the old sugar mill warehouse in Pahala was quickly extinguished yesterday by firefighters. Photo by Julia Neal

REP. BOB HERKES will run for the new District Two state Senate seat that will cover Ka`u - from Punalu`u through Pahala, then into Volcano and all of Puna. The new District Two is the only new seat being added to the entire state Senate. It was established by the state Reapportionment Commission after the state Supreme Court ruled that the one-person, one-vote rule be followed after the 2010 census showed a 24.5 percent population growth on the Big Island. The first reapportionment scheme adopted by the commission was shot down by the court because it unfairly weighted the O`ahu population by including non-resident military, non-resident students and non-resident people incarcerated there.

Proposed state Senate districts

      Under the new apportionment scheme, in addition to Senate District Two, Ka`u will be served by Senate District Three, which will run from the uninhabited west side of Punalu`u through Na`alehu, Ocean View and up the coast to Kona International Airport. Sen. Josh Green, who now serves Kona but formerly lived in Ka`u and practiced medicine at Ka`u Hospital, said he will run again. Sen. Gil Kahele, who has been serving the Ka`u District since his appointment by Gov. Neil Abercrombie after Sen. Russell Kokubun stepped down to lead the state Department of Agriculture, will be eligible to run for the District One Senate seat in Hilo. Kahele said this morning he is “leaning that way,” to run for the Hilo seat. He said, however, “I won’t forget Ka`u. I enjoy working with the people of Volcano, Pahala and all the way to MiIoli`i. I will still push for restoring the irrigation system for the farmers and with helping the coffee industry and completing the new Ocean View potable water system.” 

Proposed state House districts

      In the House of Representatives, with Herkes leaving his post to run for Senate, an opportunity will open for House District Three, serving Punalu`u, through Pahala, Volcano, Mountain View, Kurtistown and Kea`au, but excluding much of Puna and its coastal communities. Another open seat will be House District Five, from west of Punalu`u into North Kona.
      A public hearing on this new reapportionment regime will be held this coming Tuesday at 6 p.m. in County Council chambers in Hilo with videoconferencing to the Council offices in Kona.

A FIRE AT THE OLD SUGAR MILL WAREHOUSE in Pahala was quickly extinguished yesterday by firefighters. The huge orange-colored building that was used for storing mill equipment parts has been abandoned and the scene of homeless camping and other fires since the mill shut down almost 16 years ago. According to the fire department, there was no damage to anything of any value. Some old abandoned papers were burned, said firefighters.

DONATIONS FOR A RUMMAGE SALE to benefit Ka`u Hospital Charitable Foundation’s scholarship fund, which assists any Ka`u student enrolled in any medical training program, are being accepted. Items can be dropped off at Kama`aina Kuts behind Na`alehu Ace Hardware through Saturday, Feb. 25. Call Ursula at 896-2624. 

ST. JUDE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH in Ocean View celebrates Mardi Gras today at 6 p.m. with Cajun food and music. Tickets are $12 per person or $20 per couple. Call 939-7000.

RIVER OF LIFE Assembly of God in Pahala hosts a free mini carnival tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with games, music, prizes and food, while supplies last.

A HULA KAHIKO PERFORMANCE BY Halau Na Pua Ha`aheo O Kona, under the direction of kumu hula Roy Palacat, takes place at the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. Hands-on cultural demonstrations take place from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at VAC Gallery. Donations are welcome, and park entrance fees apply.

VISIT OUR SPONSORS: WWW.KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM AND WWW.PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM