Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 24, 2010

A new post office for Ocean View
is under construction.

A NEW POST OFFICE FOR OCEAN VIEW is well under construction by the Kamagaki family who operate the new Ocean View Market. The Kamagakis have contracted to operate the new station for the U.S. Postal Service at their shopping center mauka of Hwy 11 and will hire all the employees. The U.S. government workers now operating the old post office next to Malama Market will go back to jobs in Captain Cook. The new post office will offer the same services, with over fifteen hundred postal boxes to serve the Ocean View area.

The new building at Na`alehu School
is nearing completion.

MUCH OF THE WORK ON THE NEW building on the Na`alehu School grounds is expected to be completed in December. The new building is being built by GW Construction.

A quarantine will prevent Kona Coffee
beans from being shipped
through Ka`u.

GREEN COFFEE BEANS out of farms from Manuka Park north to Koloko will soon be banned from shipments into Ka`u and the rest of the island unaffected by the coffee berry borer. The quarantine also includes coffee plants and used coffee bags in order to prevent the spread of the pest that has already been found on more than 20 Kona farms. The state Board of Agriculture passed the emergency regulations yesterday, and the rules should go into effect in a few days. As part of the overall quarantine, green coffee beans from the entire island will have to be treated before being shipped to other Hawaiian islands. 

Duke Aiona talks to Kapapala
ranchers about the drought that
devastated the cattle industry.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DUKE AIONA, who leaves office soon without moving into the Governor’s Mansion, held his first press interviews yesterday and said he would consider running for governor again in four years. He said the Republican Party needs to grow its base and that his campaign was hurt, perhaps, by being linked to school furloughs and other cutbacks to balance the state budget. He said he has no interest in running for congress. He plans to take a job in the private sector and keep his eye on the governor’s race for 2014. Aiona is particularly noted in Ka`u for helping start the Uplink afterschool program for youth. 

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR Hawai’i Island remains just below the national rate. According to state statistics just released, Hawai’i County posted a rate of 9.3 percent while the national rate is 9.6 percent for September. The other island rates were 5.5 percent for O’ahu, 7.8 percent for Maui and 8.5 percent for Kaua`i. 

THE VISITOR COUNT ON THIS ISLAND increased during the third quarter of this year, the largest number since early 2008. Visitors totaled 341,058, continuing a trend of growing tourism over the last three quarters. New flights expected to increase tourism include those operated by Alaska Air to Kona, which adds 25,000 seats during the next six months.


THANKSGIVING DINNER will be served at Ocean View Community Center tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 25 at noon.

THE DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION hosts its third annual Thanksgiving feast tomorrow at 3 p.m. $10 includes turkey, trimmings, dessert and beverage. Children under 12 are free. All proceeds go to the Family Support Services of West Hawai`i Emergency Food Pantry in Na`alehu. The seating is limited to 70 diners. Please RSVP today at 929-9576.

THE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, prosecutor, liquor department and office of the mayor are hosting a conference today to launch programs to reduce drunken driving. One program offers shared-ride coupons for taxi service and distributes them to bars and restaurants to give drunken customers an alternative to driving themselves home. “The holidays are a critical time for thinking about and implementing drunk-driving prevention programs,” said Mayor Billy Kenoi. “Everyone should have a joyous holiday season, so let’s celebrate safely and make this the best holiday season ever.”