Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 31, 2010

Fireworks, with permits, are legal between 9 p.m. tonight and 2 a.m. tomorrow.

NANI KAHUKU `AINA owners of 1,600 acres of land makai of Highway 11 between Ocean View and South Point Road plan to move forward on their hotel, golf course, condominium, townhome and single family residential proposal in early 2011. Spokesman Aaron Eberhardt said the hui plans to submit an Environmental Impact Statement to the state Office of Environmental Quality Control in January. He said the hotels will be low-rise, like Kona Village, and that there will be a 300-acre Heritage Village around Pohue Bay and its hawksbill turtle nesting sites. The hui also plans rodeo grounds along Hwy 11, a veterans center, civic center and retail commercial sites. 

A DOZEN new cruise ships with names like Seven Seas Voyager, Europa and Century plan to dock in Hilo in 2011, increasing passenger landings by some 15 percent and adding nearly $2 million to the economy of the east side, according to the Big Island Visitors Bureau. These visitors often come to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and as far as Punalu`u.

THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION is considering a hike in electric rates and also some incentives to drive the electric companies toward using more alternative energies. The approval also involves decoupling the rates from the amount of electricity sold, which allowed the utility to raise rates when it sold less electricity. HECO is also committed to a new goal of using 25 percent renewable energy by the year 2020 and 40 percent by the year 2030.
     “This is an important step in helping carry out our state's energy policy," said Dick Rosenblum, Hawaiian Electric Company president and CEO. "Ensuring the right regulatory model is in place will help move Hawai`i toward a clean energy future that will benefit customers and our economy, protect the environment, increase our energy security and allow the utility to better provide the services and support we need to get there." Residential customers are expected to experience a $3.57 hike in electric bills starting in January, which is going toward an energy efficiency program.

WITH DROUGHT LIFTING AND THE RAINS COMING BACK TO KA`U, the state Department of Health is asking everyone to prevent stagnant water from standing in yards, parking lots and empty containers. Standing water not only promotes mosquito breeding, mosquitoes can carry dengue fever, and the Department of Health is trying to prevent the expansion of this viral illness throughout the islands.

THE GIANT SHADE TREES AT Pahala Community Center will be spared for now, according to the staff of County Council member Brittany Smart. Jen Knippling said the Department of Parks and Recreation has determined that the remaining shade trees are well trimmed and in good health. At least eight large shade trees were cut down last spring after a church complained of the trees dropping branches and leaves on their roof and walkways of a building they constructed near the county park property line.

NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS are planned throughout Ka`u and Volcano. Kilauea Military Camp has a New Year’s Eve fish luncheon from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., a New Year's Eve party, and a New Year's Day dinner buffet. Hana Hou in Na`alehu will feature Ernie Kalani and his Back to the 50s trio and a special meal on New Year's Eve. Shaka's in Na`alehu plans food and dance music with JoJo Akamu to ring in the New Year.

THE HAWAI`I FIRE DEPARTMENT is reminding everyone that fireworks are legal only between 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve and 1 a.m. on New Year's Day. Stay 1,000 feet away from the hospital, senior housing and school grounds, as the law protects these places. Most fireworks are being banned on O`ahu, and the same could happen here if the rules are disregarded.

CHRISTMAS TREES without ornaments and flocking are being accepted for recycling daily at Wai`ohinu transfer station.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 30, 2010

Sweet sorghum requires less fertilizer, water and labor than many other energy crops
and is being considered for Ka`u.

THE NEW ENERGY FEEDSTOCK PROGRAM established by the state legislature is mandated to “promote and support worthwhile energy feedstock production activities in the state.” Energy feedstock is comprised of crops from algae to sorghum to trees that can be processed to produce energy. Russell Kokubun, Ka`u’s senator who recently stepped down to become head of the state Department of Agriculture, is tasked with working with the University of Hawai`i to help with energy feedstock production. The legislature also cautions that the use of lands for energy feedstock must be in balance with the use of lands for growing food. Hawai`i imports both 90 percent of its fuel for energy and 90 percent of its food. 

     Plans are being made to use thousands of acres between Na`alehu and Pahala to grow energy crops and to establish a refinery to produce fuel from harvesting trees and plants. The refinery could be in Na`alehu or Pahala.

THE ECONOMY IS EXPECTED TO GROW by 10 percent in 2012 and may have grown by three percent in this fiscal year, according to the state Council on Revenues, which released its report yesterday. The expected growth could reduce the state budget shortfall by $99 million, helping Governor Neil Abercrombie and the legislature in its effort to balance the budget. The projected growth is due to the recovery in the tourism industry. Abercrombie said that the estimates “do not lessen the financial hardships that our families and businesses face right now.” He said his administration will focus on creating jobs and restoring government services.

CHEF ALAN WONG, a big supporter of Ka`u Coffee and a judge in the annual Ka`u Coffee Festival recipe contest, cooked for President Barack Obama and his family yesterday on O`ahu at his own restaurant. Ka`u Coffee was the official coffee at one of President Obama’s inauguration galas in Washington, D.C. in 2009 and was also served to members of Congress when it was taken again this month to D.C. – this time by the Ka`u Farm Bureau.

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES has put a $10 fuel surcharge on each ticket sold for flights going across the Pacific. Interisland airline ticket prices remain the same. Fuel costs have reached the highest prices in two years, according to a report in Pacific Business News.

HAWAI`I PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS are fighting a change in their life and health insurance plans that will lead to a 20 to 25 percent increase in their premiums. A judge has ruled that the plans can be changed, but the teachers must receive the same benefits. The new plan, called the Employee’s Beneficiary Association Trust, was set up by the state Legislature in 2010.

OCEAN VIEW, NA`ALEHU, AND PAHALA POST OFFICES will close at noon on New Year’s Eve. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park post office will be closed for the entire day, and Volcano Village Post office will be open regular hours. All locations will be closed Saturday, January 1.

THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I’S RUBBISH drop-off site at Kahuku Park in Ocean View will be closed for New Year’s Day on Saturday, January 1. The site will be locked, and everyone is warned to refrain from illegally dumping or littering around the closed facility. The site will open the day after the holiday, Sunday, January 2 and will resume the normal Saturday operation beginning January 8.

Aerial fireworks are allowed by permit only. Consumer fireworks can be used
between 9 p.m. New Year's Eve and 2 a.m. New Year's Day.

NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS are planned throughout Ka`u and Volcano. Kilauea Military Camp has a New Year’s Eve fish luncheon from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., a New Year's Eve party, and a New Year's Day dinner buffet. Hana Hou in Na`alehu will feature Ernie Kalani and his Back to the 50s trio and a special meal on New Year's Eve. Shaka's in Na`alehu plans food and dance music to ring in the New Year. 

THE HAWAI`I FIRE DEPARTMENT is reminding everyone that fireworks are legal only between 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve and 1 a.m. on New Year's Day. Stay 1,000 feet away from the hospital, senior housing and school grounds, as the law protects these places. Most fireworks are being banned on O`ahu, and the same could happen here if the rules are disregarded.

CHRISTMAS TREES without ornaments and flocking are being accepted for recycling daily at Wai`ohinu transfer station.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 29, 2010

Back to the 50s Trio will play at Hana Hou on New Year's Eve.

REPRESENTATIVE BOB HERKES is holding a fact finding hearing at the state capitol in Honolulu on Thursday, Jan. 6 regarding progress on Ocean View’s new water system. Herkes set up an investigative committee to review the timetable, costs and design of the water system that will provide spigots so that residents can fill water tanks to take to their houses. The project includes a 300,000-gallon reinforced concrete water tank for storage of water pumped from a new well, as well as distribution lines to the new spigots at a fill station. Herkes is planning to give a report to the state Legislature when it convenes on Jan. 19. 

THE STATE’S REQUIREMENT that the electric companies in the Islands use more alternative energy has led to plans to farm large tracts of land to grow jatropha, sorghum and other plants to refine into oil. The state Department of Agriculture has released a report it will make to the 2011 Legislature detailing such plans. One finding is that meeting the electric companies’ needs for fuel would require 1.1 million acres of land, which is more than three times the acreage of cropland that exists in the Islands. On the other hand, growing algae and turning it into fuel would require only 14 percent of the state’s cropland.
     Plans are being made to use some of the cropland in Ka`u and to build a refinery in Pahala to make fuel to truck to the electric plants in Kona and Hilo.

EVERYONE CONVICTED of drunken driving, beginning this Saturday, will be required to install a device in their car that requires a breath test before driving and locks down the car and prevents you from driving if it detects alcohol in your breath. The Ignition Interlock Law goes into effect on Jan. 1 and has been successful in 39 other states. First time DUI offenders have to use the device for a year, second time offenders for 18 months, third time offenders for two years. Four time DUI offenders will have to have the breath test every time they turn on their car for five years. The Ignition Interlock device costs up to $150 to install and needs regular monitoring and calibration, which can cost hundreds of dollars a year.

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES is raising its rates for airline travel, following the lead of other carriers that swallowed huge expenses as bad weather caused many delays and thousands of cancelled flights on the mainland. The extent of the rate hikes is yet to be revealed.

WINNERS FOR THE 2010 Kilauea Military Camp Christmas decorating contest have been announced. First place went to the KMC Store and Gas Station employees. Second went to the KMC front office staff and third place went to the KMC Recreation and Bowling Center. The decorations and holiday lights will adorn the cottages at KMC through the holidays and into the first week in January.

NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS are planned throughout Ka`u and Volcano. Kilauea Military Camp has a New Year’s Eve fish luncheon from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., a New Year's Eve party, and a New Year's Day dinner buffet. Hana Hou in Na`alehu will feature Ernie Kalani and his Back to the 50s trio and a special meal on New Year's Eve. Shaka's in Na`alehu plans food and dance music to ring in the New Year. 

THE HAWAI`I FIRE DEPARTMENT is reminding everyone that fireworks are legal only between 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve and 1 a.m. on New Year's Day. Stay 1,000 feet away from the hospital, senior housing and school grounds, as the law protects these places. Most fireworks are being banned on O`ahu, and the same could happen here if the rules are disregarded. 

CHRISTMAS TREES without ornaments and flocking are being accepted for recycling daily at Wai`ohinu transfer station.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 28, 2010

Applications are being taken fro the state Senate seat of Russell Kokubun (l),
who resigns to head the Department of Agriculture. Sen. Dwight Takamine
resigned to head the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

THE SEARCH IS ON for a new senator to represent Ka`u, Volcano, Puna and South Hilo. Steven Pavao, Hawai`i County chair of the Democratic Party, announced yesterday that all members of the Democratic Party who have been members and residents of Senate District 2 for at least six months can apply to be nominated for the state Senate seat being vacated by Senator Russell Kokubun. 

     Precinct officers from Ocean View, Na`alehu, Pahala, Volcano, Mountain View, Kurtistown and into Puna and Hilo will review resumes and interview candidates. They will vote on the candidates, and three names will be presented to Governor Neil Abercrombie, who will make the final selection. Resumes must be turned into Pavao no later than midnight on Monday, January 3, with a cover letter including a summary of qualifications, activities in support of the Democratic Party over the last three years, demonstration of support for the Democratic platform, and the applicant’s top three legislative goals. These can be emailed to pavaos002@hawaii.rr.com.
     The new senator will serve for two years, as all state senators sit for a shorter term this time since reapportionment will change district boundaries for the 2012 election.

Buying locally grown food can put more money into Hawai`i's economy.

RUSSELL KOKUBUN becomes head of the state Department of Agriculture at the end of December, after resigning from his Senate seat. He is serving as Department of Ag interim chair and director until confirmation by the senate, probably in February. He said he is particularly inspired by Governor Neil Abercrombie’s New Day in Hawai`i plan for agriculture that seeks food and energy self-sufficiency, to conserve agricultural lands and to rehabilitate old plantation water systems to support agriculture. Hawai`i consumes $3 billion in imported food each year – money that could go to local farms and ranches, said the governor. 

     “Our dependency on imported food is a problem we ignore at our peril,” said Abercrombie, noting that as recent as 50 years ago, Hawai`i grew half its food. Now it is only ten to 20 percent, with a week or two of food on hand should shipping be blocked by disaster, an international crisis, or a labor dispute.

THE KEAUHOU BIRD SANCTUARY in Volcano, where young endangered birds are raised and placed back into the wild, is the topic of After Dark in the Park tonight at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center Auditorium. The presentation begins at 7 p.m.

LOOKING FOR A NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION? Kilauea Military Camp has a New Year’s Eve fish luncheon from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., a New Year's Eve party, and a New Year's Day dinner buffet. Hana Hou in Na`alehu will feature Ernie Kalani and his Back to the 50s trio and a special meal on New Year's Eve. Shaka's in Na`alehu plans food and dance music to ring in the New Year.

THE HAWAI`I FIRE DEPARTMENT is reminding everyone that fireworks are legal only between 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve and 1 a.m. on New Year's Day. Stay 1,000 feet away from the hospital, senior housing and school grounds, as the law protects these places. Most fireworks are being banned on O`ahu, and the same could happen here if the rules are disregarded.

THE OCEAN VIEW FOOD BASKET at the community center is open today from noon to 2:30 p.m.

CHRISTMAS TREES without ornaments and flocking are being accepted for recycling daily at Wai`ohinu transfer station.

December 27, 2010

The Fire Department says that Fireworks are allowed from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. New Years Eve.

HOTEL OCCUPANCY ON the Big Island remains low, with only 39 percent of the rooms having visitors for the week ending Dec. 18. O‘ahu posted the highest occupancy - 84 percent, up 16.5 percent over the same week last year. Maui’s 53.2 percent occupancy rate was 7.3 percentage points higher than last year. Kaua‘i’s occupancy rate of 37.9 percent was lowest. The average statewide room rate was $171.49, with the Big Island’s average room rate of $170.21.

PERMITS FOR FIREWORKS DISPLAYS are available at limited locations this year including TNT Fireworks Tent at Prince Kuhio Plaza on Maka`ala Street in Hilo, at Pacific Fireworks in Hilo Shopping Center, Pacific Fireworks on Kuakini Hwy in Kona and Thunder Fireworks on Henry Street in Kona.

Each permit, costing $25, entitles the holder to buy 5,000 firecrackers. Permits are for people 18 years or older. They are non-transferable and non-refundable. The legal hours for fireworks is between 9 p.m. on New Years Eve and 1 a.m. on New Years Day.

FIRE CHIEF DARRYL OLIVEIRA says he is thinking of the public’s safety when he reminds everyone that it is illegal to remove the contents from fireworks, throw them from a car or truck or set them off within 1,000 feet of a hospital, nursing home, or senior housing, and on school grounds.

THE OCEAN VIEW FOOD BASKET will be open tomorrow, Tuesday, for the needy from noon to 2:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK will focus on the Keauhou Bird Sanctuary in Volcano Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Volcano Visitor Center auditorium. The session will be on the future of Hawai`i’s endangered birds.

Miss Ka`u Coffee walks in the Pahala Christmas Parade.

REMEMBER TO DROP YOUR Christmas trees off  daily at the Wai‘ōhinu transfer station through Jan.16. Trees should be free of all decorations, lights, tinsel and ornaments – no artificial or flocked trees allowed. The County Department of Environmental Management and Department of Public Works are teaming up to support Treecycling. Public Works will provide on-site tree chipping at some locations around the island.     

      The county also reminds everyone to recycle Kadomatsu decorations, normally a combination of bamboo, pine and flowers, a tradition that began 600 years ago in Japan as a way of offering luck in the New Year.

      By chipping the trees and making the material available for use in gardens, the County can divert thousands of trees from landfills and add valuable mulch to island soils. In addition, it reduces illegal dumping of holiday trees.

THE COUNTY’S Treecycling Program and additional information are on the website at www.HawaiiZeroWaste.org. For further information, contact the County Solid Waste Division at 961-8339.

YOU CAN ALSO HEAR THE KA’U NEWS BRIEFS online and on the air at KAHU RADIO, 91.7 FM.

December 26, 2010

Today is the last day to vote on the Christmas decorations at Kilauea Military Camp.

THE STATE LEGISLATURE goes back to work in early January and Gov. Neil Abercrombie has put forth his New Years resolutions early to help Hawai`i get through tough times. He said he hopes the legislature will help him to:

Reconfigure, retool and strengthen  fractured governmental services to better serve the people of Hawaii and to become a better partner with the private sector;

Create jobs with a significant capital improvement program that improves the infrastructure and economic landscape for sustained economic and social advancement;

Pursue every available federal funding and private partnership opportunity; and to

Invest in our long-term economic and social well-being, including clean energy, food security, technology, education and health.

The biggest challenge, Abercrombie said, is that from January to June 2011. the state is facing a $71.6 million shortfall because of rising costs that have not been addressed. 
“We have hit a point where it’s almost impossible for government offices to perform its most basic functions and for people to receive government services,” he pointed out. To address immediate needs, he said, he will request emergency appropriations in January for:

 Medicaid, which has expanded over the years. The recent ruling to restore services for citizens from Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands contributes to that ongoing expansion. Additionally, the state will stop receiving federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for Medicaid next year.

Santa Came to Ocean View Community Center this Christmas season with gifts.

 The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, a time-limited welfare program for families with the goal of achieving financial self-sufficiency. Over the last several years, the program has expanded to help more Hawai`i families and as a result, program costs have increased.

 Operating requirements of the Office of the Governor and Office of the Lieutenant Governor, which have essentially no funds to operate for the next six months without an emergency appropriation.

Abercrombie said he is confident that the citizens of Hawai`i can and will do better, stimulating the economy and creating the breathing space needed to reinvest in core priorities. “Our approach will be recognizing that as island people we work together and acknowledge the contribution each of us makes. We will not look to someone else to blame for the situation we confront. We are going to face the realities of our challenges,” he declared.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to vote on the Kilauea Military Camp Christmas decoration competition and receive tokens to use at KMC facilities. The cottages were decorated by employees.

THE OCEAN VIEW FOOD BASKET will be open this coming Tuesday for the needy from noon to 2:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK will focus on the Keauhou Bird Sanctuary in Volcano this Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Volcano Visitor Center auditorium. The session will be on the future of endangered birds.

December 25, 2010

Pahala Preschool & Council Chair Dominic Yagong joined the Christmas Parade

WHILE NO TSUNAMI was expected to reach Hawai`i after a 7.3 earthquake hit Vanuatu in the South Pacific before daybreak this morning, Hawai`i Civil Defense said that some coastal areas could “experience small non-destructive sea level changes and strong and unusual currents lasting up to several hours,” beginning at 10:51 a.m. this morning. Swimmers are urged to take care. The epicenter of the quake was some 15 miles below the ocean floor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS, GOVERNOR NEIL ABERCROMBIE has given the people of Hawai`i a team to help solve the state’s problems. This new hui will oversee policy initiatives and legislative issues:     

      Wendy Clerinx is the governor’s new Policy Director. She became Abercrombie’s Legislative Director in congress and worked on many issues, including the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, and renewable energy. Clerinx grew up in Hilo and graduated from Waiakea High School. She holds a BS in economics, a BA in political science from Santa Clara University, and a law degree from George Washington University.

      Another new Abercrombie team member is Tammi Oyadomari-Chun, who served most recently Executive Director of Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education, which aims to strengthen the education pipeline from early childhood through higher education. She also worked for GEAR UP Hawai’i, a federal program at UH to increase access for low-income students to attend higher education. She worked for the RAND Corporation; the Consortium for Policy Research in Education at the University of Pennsylvania; and at Los Angeles Educational Alliance for Restructuring. She graduated from Moanalua High School, Pomona College, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and University of Southern California.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie at Pahala Plantation House for inauguration ceremonies

     Another policy and legislative advisor is Michael Ng, who worked as Budget Chief for the state House of Representative. He also served as Budget Analyst for the Senate Ways and Means Committee. An Iolani High School graduate, Ng received his Bachelor's degree in Engineering & Applied Science from California Institute of Technology. 

      Also, Debbie Shimizu - she has been Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers, Hawai’i Chapter since 1991. She graduated from Whittier College in California and earned a Master's degree in social work from University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. She worked for Easter Seal Society, Mental Health Association, Army Community Services and the UH School of Social Work.

     THE RENEWABLE ENERGY OUTLOOK FOR Hawai`i received positive news just before Christmas with renewal of a program that supports commercial alternative energy initiatives, including geothermal and solar. It was attached to a federal tax bill that passed congress last week. It covers 30 percent of costs, encouraging investment in alternative energy. The program had been set to expire on Dec. 31.

THE HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT is reminding people in Ka`u to sign up to receive HPD traffic advisories, emergency notices and police alerts by cell phone and email. Police chief Harry Kubojiri said he wants the community to receive notification as quickly as possible. Sign up by going to hawaiipolice.com.

IF YOU STILL NEED A CHRISTMAS MEAL - in Volcano – Kilauea Military Camp serves Christmas brunch until 3:30 p.m. In Na`alehu, Shaka’s is open for a Christmas buffet until 6 p.m. and Hana Hou is open until 8 p.m. with special Christmas adult and keiki menus.

December 24, 2010

Santa follows Frosty in the Pahala Christmas Parade, a tradition for more than 30 years.

IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE and financial institutions set schedules to be open in Ka`u. The Ka`u Credit Union - open until noon in Na`alehu, with its Pahala branch closed. Bank of Hawai`i in Pahala - working through the lunch hour and closing at 2 p.m.

BIG ISLAND POLICE are reminding motorists that officers will conduct DUI checkpoints throughout the island during the holiday season. The effort is part of a national and statewide campaign called Drunk Driving: Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Dieter Blattler, the Police Department's traffic safety coordinator, said officers are reminding motorists of the consequences of impaired driving. Alcohol was involved in at least 12 of the 27 traffic deaths so far this year, amounting to 45 percent of the total. By comparison 13 of the 22 fatalities recorded for all of last year, or 59 percent, involved alcohol use.

THE PUBLIC IS REMINDED to participate in an anonymous Community Satisfaction Survey for the Hawai'i Police Department through the end of the month. The internet survey, which began December 1, will be open until 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, at www.hawaiipolice.com. It takes about five minutes to complete and is limited to one survey per computer. Participants are able to enter detailed comments and suggestions at the end of the survey. The respondents' IP addresses are not stored in the survey results. The responses will be collected and compiled by an outside source. After the survey period, results will be posted on the Police Department's website.

SIXTY-TWO YEAR OLD Pahala man Ernest C. Oleyte, who was reported missing to police has been found located. He rides a red 2008 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and was found in Hilo.

GAME BIRD SEASON is open during the holidays and in January through the third Sunday of the month. Game birds include pheasants, quails, partridges, francolins, sandgrouse, doves, turkeys and peafowl. Licenses can be purchased online, at state offices in Hilo or at the Nature Conservancy office in Hilo.

AFTER CHIRSTMAS you can drop your trees at the Wai‘ōhinu transfer station from Dec. 26 through Jan.16. Trees should be free of all decorations, lights, tinsel and ornaments – no artificial or flocked trees allowed. The County of Department of Environmental Management and Department of Public Works are teaming up to support Treecycling. Public Works will provide on-site tree chipping at some locations around the island.
     The county also reminds everyone to recycle Kadomatsu decorations, normally a combination of bamboo, pine and flowers, a tradition that began 600 years ago in Japan as a way of offering luck in the newyear.
     By chipping the trees and making the material available for use in gardens, the County can divert thousands of trees from landfills and add valuable mulch to island soils. In addition, it reduce illegal dumping of holiday trees.
     The County’s Treecycling Program and additional recycling and solid waste programs are available on the website at www.HawaiiZeroWaste.org. For further information, contact the County Solid Waste Division at 961-8339.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 23, 2010

Gail Kalani and Melani Camba operate the Ka`u branch of Bank of Hawai`i.

BANK OF HAWAI`I, WHICH OPERATES the only bank in Ka`u, has been named best bank in the country by Forbes magazine for the second year straight. Chair and CEO Peter Ho said the ranking reflects positively on the community and the people. Second was East West Bancorp, out of Pasadena, California, which focuses on the Asian-American community. Forbes noted that Bank of Hawai`i was very conservative during the housing bubble, leaving few bad loans on its books. By the way, Bank of Hawai`i here in Pahala wants to let the community know that the bank will be open through lunch on Christmas Eve but close early at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

FORMER OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS trustee Dr. Malama Solomon has been appointed to the state Senate by Governor Neil Abercrombie. She takes the place of Dwight Takamine, who was named chief of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Solomon, who is 59 years of age, spent 18 years as an OHA trustee and 16 years in the state Senate. She operates a 1,600-acre ranch in Waimea, North Kohala and Hamakua. Solomon also serves as the Kakau `Olelo (historian) to the Beamer-Solomon Halau O Po`ohalu. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from Oregon State University, a MA in Education and BA in Cultural Anthropology from UH-Manoa. She will serve as interim senator for the Hamakua side of the island until her confirmation by the state Senate.
     Abercrombie will also appoint a new senator from Ka`u within 60 days of Sen. Russell Kokubun becoming the new head of the state Department of Agriculture after Christmas. The process involves the local Democratic precinct officers interviewing more than a dozen candidates who are expected to submit their resumes. In Solomon’s case the precinct officers caucused together, each casting ballots in three rounds of voting to come up with three nominees to present to the governor. Besides Solomon, former state Rep. Kenneth Goodenow and current state Rep. Mark Nakashima were nominated.

YOUNG BROTHERS asked the Public Utilities Commission yesterday for rate hikes that could send prices for interisland shipping soaring. The cost of moving livestock, vehicles and 40-foot containers could go up by 15 percent. Building material shipment costs could rise by 35 percent. Young Brothers filed the application in response to the PUC giving permission for the San Diego-based Pasha shipping company to drop off interisland cargo on its way to and from the West Coast. Young Brothers has threatened to leave the state, saying the competition is unfair.
     Matson has already received permission to hike rates by two percent in January.

ML MACADAMIA ORCHARDS, which is one of the largest employers in Ka`u, is looking forward to a better 2011 since recent rains are likely to boost its crop next year. The company reported a net loss of $308,000 for the third quarter of this year, posting total revenues of $4.7 million dollars, $1 million less than the same quarter last year. The company explained that severe drought delayed the picking and reduced the macadamia harvest. The company also purchased the IASCO property makai of Hwy 11 in Pahala. ML says it is the world’s largest grower of premium macadamia nuts.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 22, 2010

Graph shows the rapid increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

THE CLIMATE OBSERVATORY on top of Mauna Loa is providing some of the best data on earth, backing up scientists’ fears of global warming, according to a story in this morning’s New York Times. While this Mauna Loa observatory lacks the fame of the Mauna Kea observatories, every hour, its machines churn out data showing the increasing level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. High levels

Photos courtesy of
Mauna Loa Observatory

of CO2 keep heat from escaping the atmosphere, causing the climate change. The rise in carbon dioxide, caused largely by pollution of industry and vehicles, has topped 390 parts per million and is expected to increase dramatically with further industrialization of such large populations as China, and unless clean energy is developed in the U.S. and other countries, most scientists say. 

MONEY FOR RESEARCH, education and other programs funded by special requests from Hawai`i’s congressional delegation are suspended for at least three months as the federal budget failed to pass before the Christmas holidays, and the fed is now operating under a continuing resolution that keeps the government operating until March 4. 

     On hold is funding for The Kohala Center’s Food Self-Reliance Program with a focus on Ka`u; funding for the Volcano Observatory; a Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program; an endangered species recovery program; invasive species eradication programs; animal and plant inspection operations; and an agricultural pest facility. Sen. Daniel Inouye and his colleagues vow to push again for these programs when the new House and Senate members take their seats in January.
     Another program placed on hold that could affect Ka`u is for $6 million dollars for the University of Hawai`i to develop crops that could be farmed on a large scale to refine into oil for shipment to the electric company.

IN ADDITION TO KA`U BEING A PROPOSED SITE FOR GROWING ENERGY, garbage to energy is on the table for the Big Island, with Guy Kaniho, of BioEnergy Hawai`i, proposing to build such a 60,000 square foot plant near Hawai`i Electric’s power plant in Kona. Garbage would be sorted, part of it recycled and a portion of it gasified into a fuel to be sold to HELCO, reducing the use of the landfill and dependence on foreign oil. BioEnergy also proposes an algae farm near Kona Airport, according to a report in the Hawai`i Tribune Herald. An EIS is in process for the project

SENATOR RUSSELL KOKUBUN will take his post as Director of the state Department of Agriculture and Chairman of the state Board of Agriculture next week on December 30 after resigning from his post as Senator from Ka`u, Puna and South Hilo. He said yesterday that he is particularly inspired by Governor Neil Abercrombie’s promise to work on Hawai`i’s food security by providing incentives for farming in the Islands. Kokubun will serve as interim director and chair until the state Senate confirms his new post, probably in February.

IN SPORTS, The Ka`u High boys varsity soccer team steamed over St. Joseph's yesterday to a 10-1 victory, their first win of the season. The game was called early on account of the mercy rule. The boys were on fire yesterday, with three team members each achieving a hat trick. Junior Alika Kaopua and seniors Brian Simmons and Moses Espaniola each scored three goals, with junior Patrick Garcia earning one. Kaopua and Espaniola also added two assists to their game accomplishments. Freshman Jeremiah Simmons stepped up to assist on two points also. Stellar goal keeping by Derrick Medeiros-Garo, with help from Erik Dennis late in the game, kept the St. Joe offense at bay. St. Joe only scored one point on a penalty kick late in the second half.
     "The boys are really excited. It is a great bunch of boys. They worked hard for the win. This is like their Christmas gift to themselves," said Coach Bob Martin.
     The girls Varsity team also traveled to Hilo with the boys to take on St. Joe's. Shavonne Panglao scored for the Trojans after driving the ball up the middle, juking out three defenders and forcing the goalie to come out of the goal. The goalie dove for the ball, and Panglao deftly maneuvered around her to sink the ball into the goal. Although the Trojans did not win, the girls show a lot of potential that just needs to be fine-tuned, said Coach Crystal Mandaguit. 

The Kuahiwi Family

NA LEO MANU - HEAVENLY VOICES - is the name of the concert by the Kuahiwi family tonight at the Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. They share songs from their new CD, Hawaiian Music. It starts at 6:30 p.m.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 21, 2010

Sen. Russell Kokubun, who is headed for top job at the state Department of Agriculture,
and former Sen. Dwight Takamine, who will head the state Department of Labor and
Industrial Relations join hands with Gov. Neil Abercrombie at a ceremony in Pahala.
The Democratic Party will pick three candidates for each of their senate seats, and
Abercrombie will make the final decisions on who will represent the two districts.

THE SEARCH FOR A REPLACEMENT for Senator Russell Kokubun, who will leave his seat to head the state Department of Agriculture continues, as the Democratic Party gets deep into the same process on the Hamakua side of the island, where Senator Dwight Takamine stepped down to become chief of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The Hawai`i Tribune Herald reports that the precinct officers on the Hamakua side have interviewed six candidates to take Takamine's place. They are former state Rep. Kenneth Goodenow, County Council member Donald Ikeda, former Hawai`i County Mayor and former state Senator Lorraine Inouye, Hilo attorney Bob Marx, state Rep. Mark Nakashima and former state Senator Malama Solomon. Anyone interested in Kokubun's senate seat must turn in a resume to the Democratic Party, which will select three nominees to present to Governor Neil Abercrombie, who will make his final choice, which will face confirmation by the state senate.

THE FUTURE OF GREEN JOBS is bright, according to a report released yesterday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The report predicts a 26 percent increase in green jobs, which contribute to Hawai`i's renewable energy and energy efficiency occupations. Green Jobs aim to generate clean, renewable sustainable energy; reduce pollution and waste, conserve natural resources, recycle; increase energy efficiency, educate, train or support a green workforce and increase production that is natural and environmentally friendly.

EMERGENCY HELP for farmers and ranchers will soon be available from the federal SURE program. Ka`u and the rest of the island were declared a primary disaster county due to the drought in 2010 that started years ago. The applications can be submitted starting January 15. Contact the Farm Services Agency in Hilo.

THE COUNTY OPEN SPACE Committee, which recommends properties to be purchased by the county for preservation of beaches, parks, natural resources and historic sites, is looking into buying agricultural easements to protect farmland. The committee is also looking for a new member, since Bill Gilmartin, of Volcano, has stepped down. The new member will be chosen by Mayor Billy Kenoi, and Council member Brittany Smart says she will answer any questions about the position. Call her at 961-8263.

THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I has posted a position for employment in Ka`u. The job is a recreation supervisor for a Ka`u county park facility. Applicants must have experience in organizing groups of people and in managing recreational activities. See the county employment website for more details.

Volunteers cleaning Hanalua Bay. Photo by Dr. Drew Kapp

THE HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND is giving a big mahalo to everyone who has helped clean up the Ka`u Coast over the past year. The most recent cleanup covered 2.5 miles from Kaulana Boat Ramp to Pohakuloa just south of Mahana Bay, and some participants found glass balls and were able to take them home. Some of the more than 2,000 pounds of fishing nets and other debris which can endanger dolphins, monk seals, seabirds and other wildlife will be compiled into a massive sculpture by artist Aurura Robson. It will go on display at the Waimea Ocean Film Festival in early January. The next cleanup is January 8. Call Megan Lamson at 769-7629. 

Debra Kettleson, APRN looks forward
to pulling medical records up on a
screen at Ka`u Hospital when the
electronic system is installed.

KA`U HOSPITAL has begun a six month project to upgrade to electronic medical records. This should lead to easy access to important health records in the Emergency Room, clinic and at medical facilities away from home.

THE JUDGING AT Kilauea Military Camp for the cottage decorating contest has been extended to December 26. Anyone can sign in and receive tokens to use at KMC facilities. The creators of the Christmas scenes are all employees at KMC. 

THE KUAHIWIS SHARE songs from their new CD and many more classic local favorites tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. A $5 donation is suggested.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 20, 2010

Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa lent his outrigger canoes for the cleanup at Punalu`u
pond over the weekend.

O KA`U KAKOU had a successful cleanup of Punalu`u Pond over the weekend. Community police officer Dane Shibuya and youth worker Teri Lee Shibuya and a group of students who camped for the weekend at Punalu`u helped out, along with Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa and his sailing canoes and many other volunteers. 

THE FIRST TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE visible in Hawai`i since August of 2007 will begin after dark tonight and the moon will be in total eclipse at 9:42 p.m., just in time to celebrate the first day of winter. The moon will travel high over the Ka`u sky and into the earth’s shadow, then back to normal by midnight. 

David Louie

A NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL has been appointed for the state of Hawai`i and awaits confirmation by the senate. David M. Louie, 59, is a trial lawyer with the law firm of Roeca, Louie & Hiraoka. He has practiced for the past 33 years in the areas of personal injury defense, construction defect litigation and commercial litigation. He was named one of the Best Lawyers in America for the upcoming 2011 list and a Hawai`i Super Lawyer from 2008 through today. He has served as the President, Vice-President and Director of the Hawai`i State Bar Association and has been a Lawyer Representative for the United States Ninth Circuit Court and chaired the State of Hawai`i Aloha Tower Development. He graduated from Occidental College and Boalt Law School at Berkeley. He is a frequent lecturer for numerous continuing legal education seminars. 

POPULATION STATISTICS FOR KA`U and Volcano, which were released last week as part of the American Community Survey, show a relatively high rate of home ownership in Ka`u and Volcano. In Volcano there are approximately 301 rental housing units and 625 owner- occupied homes. In Pahala, where home ownership has gone up since the plantation shut down in 1996, there are 153 rental homes and 242 owner-occupied houses. In Na`alehu there are 171 renter occupied homes and 197 owner- occupied homes. In Ocean View there are 239 rental homes and 957 owner-occupied houses.

THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY also shows how many people were foreign born and speak a language other than English at home. In Ocean View 5.8 percent are foreign born, and 12.7 percent speak a foreign language at home. In Na`alehu 16.4 percent are foreign born and 19.6 percent speak a foreign language at home. In Pahala, 14.1 percent are foreign born and 22.1 percent speak a foreign language at home. The most predominant foreign languages spoken at home are dialects of Filipino, Spanish and Marshallese.

REGARDING KA`U’S POPULATION, the survey shows a small decrease in population in Pahala from 1,378 in 2000 to 1,373 in 2009. The population of Nā‘ālehu has increased. In 2000 it was estimated to be 919. By 2009, it had grown to 1,271. Ocean View’s population has also increased from 2,178 in 2000 to 2,699. Volcano’s population also decreased slightly, according to the survey. It was estimated to be 2,231. The 2009 estimate is 2,211.

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL BAND will perform at Prince Kuhio Plaza today from 4 to 6 p.m. If you are in Hilo you are invited to stop and listen to their show.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO vote on Kilauea Military Camp’s Cottage Christmas Decorations.
Name your top three favorites on an entry blank available at the KMC Front Desk, Café, General Store and Recreation Center. Each person who votes will receive a Holiday Dollar that can be used at KMC – including the bowling lanes. The lights, just up the road from the Jaggar Museum lookout at Kilauea caldera, will be up through the New Year.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 19, 2010

The Ka`u High School Band will perform on Monday, Dec. 20 from 4 to 6 p.m.
at Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo.

CONGRESSOWMAN MAZIE HIRONO and President Barack Obama vowed yesterday to continue working for the DREAM Act, which would provide opportunity for young people brought illegally into the U.S. a chance at residency if they attend college or serve in the military. The House passed the bill last week, but Senate supporters were short five votes to bring it out of debate for a vote. “The DREAM Act is important to our economic competitiveness, military readiness, and law enforcement efforts,” said Obama. Citing the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office report, the President said, “the DREAM Act would cut the deficit by $2.2 billion over the next 10 years” since these young people with college and the military experience would declare their income, pay taxes and be able to openly accept higher paying jobs. 

     Hirono voted for the DREAM Act when it passed the House. She said she knows of many young people in Hawai`i who came here as children with their parents and face the nightmare of deportation. She also stated: “Our nation was founded on the powerful ideals of freedom and tolerance. These values still elude other nations to this day, which is why the American Dream endures in the minds of so many around the world. As an immigrant to this country myself, I know the power of that dream. That I could become a member of the People’s House shows that the dream can come true.” Opponents call it a back door to illegal immigration.

IN OTHER CONGRESSIONAL ACTION, the Senate repealed the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law by a 65 to 31 vote. President Barack Obama praised the outcome, saying that no longer will many thousands of gays and lesbians serving in the military be “asked to live a lie in order to serve the country they love.” 

Young Brothers has threatened to leave the Islands.

YOUNG BROTHERS is threatening to reduce its service or leave Hawai`i altogether, according to editors of Pacific Business News who met with Young Brothers CEO Glenn Hong. Young Brothers opposes the Public Utilities Commission allowing the San Diego based shipping company Pasha Hawai`i Transport Lines to make interisland deliveries on its way to and from the mainland. Young Brothers contends that Pasha is not required to play by the same rules, giving it an unfair advantage over Young Brothers, which is forced to serve unprofitable routes. 

Dr. Kauanoe Kamana

ON HAWAI`I ISLAND, Kauanoe Kamana, who along with her husband Pila Wilson has mentored many native Hawaiian children at Punalu`u, was granted a doctorate in Hawaiian and indigenous language and culture revitalization at University of Hawai`i-Hilo. Kamana is the first native Hawaiian to be granted a doctorate in her field and is one of the Mellon fellows who gather at Pahala Plantation House annually to share their research. 

Duke Aiona visited Ka`u during his campaign
for Governor and talked to Kapapala ranchers
Lani Petrie and Jan Cran.

DUKE AIONA, who lost his bid to become governor on November 2, has taken a new job, this one as executive vice president of development and recruitment at St. Louis School. He will also be the spokesman for the all-boys Catholic school. He graduated from St. Louis in 1973 and has been a board member for nearly a decade.

Lynn Finnegan helped put together
The Ka`u Calendar newspaper
during her run for Lt. Governor.

Aiona’s running mate, Lynn Finnegan, who served in the state legislature, has taken the post of executive director of the Hawai`i Charter School Network. 

MUFI HANNEMAN, who lost his bid to become governor in the Democratic Gubernatorial Primary after stepping down as Honolulu mayor, has also accepted a new job. He will be president of the Hawai`i Hotel & Lodging Association starting Jan 1. The trade group represents 170 properties and more than 48,000 rooms.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 18, 2010

HAPA is sold out tonight at the Volcano Art Center Concert
at Kilauea Military Camp Theater.

NUMEROUS NAMES are being submitted to the Democratic Party for the replacement of Senator Russell Kokubun, who represents Ka`u, Puna and South Hilo, as he is expected to leave his post to head the Department of Agriculture at the end of the month. The nominee must be a registered Democrat for at least six months. The process to select his replacement involves submission of resumes from those interested in becoming Senator, interviews and voting by the Democratic Party officers of each precinct in the senatorial district. The precinct officers’ votes will be tabulated, and the top three vote-getters’ names will go to Governor Neil Abercrombie, and he will select the next Senator from this district. 

Senator Josh Green

JOSH GREEN will be the chair of the Senate Health Committee in the 2011 state legislature. The physician has lived at Punalu`u and practiced medicine at the Ka`u Hospital Emergency Room. Green, who now serves Kona as its Senator, will become the longest serving senator from this island when Senator Russell Kokubun resigns to head the state Department of Agriculture, with Senator Dwight Takamine leaving his seat to head up the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Green was one of the candidates considered for director of the state Department of Health but has confirmed that he wants to stay on the legislative side of government. In a letter to his constituents, Green vows to fight for tougher DUI penalties to prevent drunk driving tragedies, keep doctors and nurses in Hawai`i by helping them to repay loans for their education and to strengthen Hawai`i’s hospital system and health care safety net. 

Proceeds from whale art T-shirt sales support NOAA's
whale count. See www.hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov. 

HUMPBACK WHALES ARE BACK to winter in Hawaiian waters, and official whale counts will be held the last Saturdays of January, February and March from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. With Ka`u having the longest uninhabited coast, people are needed to make the trip down the long roads to the shoreline around the south side of the island. About 12,000 humpback whales winter in Hawai`i, the first arriving in October and the last leaving in late spring. Over the winter they have their babies before making the long swim back to Alaska, where they feed all summer. To volunteer, you can register at sanctuaryoceancount.org or call 888-559-4253. See hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov, where you can purchase a whale art T-shirt to raise money for the whale count. NOAA reminds everyone to look out for the whales, as many of them weigh 45 tons and can be dangerous when they breach and slap their giant tails and flippers. Federal regulations prohibit people and their boats, kayaks, paddleboards and surfboards from approaching within 100 yards of whales. Aircraft are prohibited from flying within 1,000 feet of them. Again, see hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov. 

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION’S Christmas Party will be held at 1 p.m. today at the community center. Santa arrives on a fire truck. Children receive gifts, and everyone enjoys music, food, games and lucky number drawings.

NA MEA HAWAI`I HULA KAHIKO brings hula and chant to the rim of Halema`uma`u Crater today at the hula platform inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park at 10:30 a.m. Cultural demonstrations will be held at Volcano Art Center Gallery from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

THERE ARE ONLY TWO MORE DAYS to vote on the Kilauea Military Camp Cottages Christmas displays. Name your top three favorites on an entry blank available at the KMC Front Desk, Café, General Store and Recreation Center. Each person who votes will receive a Holiday Dollar that can be used at KMC – including the bowling lanes. The judging for the lights takes place through December 20.

THE HAPA CONCERT IS SOLD OUT tonight at Kilauea Military Camp Theater. If you can’t find a spare ticket outside before the 7 p.m. show time, you can retreat to the Open Mike Volcano Jam Session from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Lava Lounge. 

THERE ARE TICKETS available for the upcoming Volcano Art Center concert series at KMC Theater. Honolulu Jazz quartet and Junior Choy, with Moons Landing play Jan 15. Slack Key guitarist Jeff Peterson performs Feb. 5, and the Spring Wind Quartet on March 13. Call 927-8222 or see volcanoartcenter.org.

Ka`u High School Band will perform at Prince Kuhio Plaza on Monday, Dec 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. Come out and support our local youth!

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.