Ka`u News Briefs September 24, 2011

Today is National Estuaries Day, and Honu`apo is one of the estuaries being protected in Ka`u.
Photo from The Trust for Public Lands

OWNERSHIP OF KAWA will not go to a contested case hearing before the state Board of Land and Natural Resources, according to a vote taken by the BLNR yesterday in Honolulu. Abel Simeona Lui asked the board for the hearing in an attempt to prevent the state from passing along funding to the county to complete the purchase of the land for an endangered species preserve and park. However, the board went along with a Department of Forestry and Wildlife recommendation to reject the contested case and to stay out of any ownership question about the land. The county is expected to soon complete the purchase of the popular surfing, fishing and beach-going property with funds from county property taxes as well as the state and federal governments. Lui has lived on the land for many years and claims ownership and rights related to the Hawaiian Kingdom. He said earlier he would sue the BLNR if it rejected his request for the contested case hearing.

KA`U WOULD BE CUT IN HALF, according to proposed state reapportionment maps. Tentative maps for redrawing the state House of Representatives districts would put the population from Na`alehu through Ocean View into a district with residents up the Kona Coast beyond Kahalu`u. The state reapportionment commission will vote on the maps this coming Monday in Honolulu.

A proposed reapportionment map splits Ka`u into
two state House of Representatives districts.

     The proposal has drawn criticism, particularly from Ocean View residents who say they want to keep their Rep. Bob Herkes, of Volcano, who would no longer be eligible to run for office to represent them. Herkes has campaigned for potable water for Ocean View, the mobile health care van and protection of the South Kona Wilderness area.
     The commission voted to pull out some of the non-resident military personnel who were counted in the census used for drawing the new voting district lines. Some critics, including Sen. Malama Solomon and the Hawai`i County branch of the Democratic Party, have threatened to sue the commission unless enough military are taken out to guarantee the Big Island a fourth state Senate seat. This county’s 25 percent population growth over the last decade requires the commission to adjust the voting district lines so that everyone is represented fairly.

REDRAWING THE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT lines will go to public hearing in Ka`u on Oct. 12 at Na`alehu Community Center at 6 p.m. The county redistricting commission held its last meeting before the public hearings yesterday. The county has experienced an almost 25 percent population growth in a decade, which means that lines must be changed to ensure that each County Council member represents approximately the same number of people all around the island. Ka`u residents have been lobbying to prevent the Ka`u district from being split in half in the state redistricting for the House of Representatives. The County Council district could also be changed, shifting toward Puna and/or Kona. Public input will be taken over the next month, with the redistricting completed by the end of the year. Three proposed maps are being considered for the redistricting for County Council.

The old Pahala gym plans show traditional architecture.
It is on the Hawai`i Register of Historic Places.

DESIGN OF THE NEW GYM and community disaster shelter in Pahala could include rooflines and other architectural elements of the surrounding school buildings and Pahala Village, according to a recommendation by the Ka`u Plantation Days Committee. The group has asked the state, which has sent more than $17 million to the county to build the facility, and the county, which is tasked with building the gym and shelter, to consider that buildings on the campus are on the Hawai`i Register of Historic Places. The new structure could be the largest in the town and be visible from many homes and other vantage points. Members of the Ka`u Plantation Days group said they sent in their suggestion before the design is made in order to offer input without any delay or extra cost for the project. They said that Pahala is becoming known for its historic buildings. 

     The old Pahala gym will be retained for sports and other activities.

NO NEW PLANNING COMMISSIONER from Ka`u for now. That is the way the County Council voted this week in turning away Mayor Billy Kenoi’s nomination of Chris Manfredi to become an at-large member. Manfredi represents a land investment company that owns some 6,000 acres in Ka`u. The hui recently received permission from the county planning department to subdivide 2,000 acres, including the farms where many of the Ka`u Coffee growers have developed a post-plantation economy for their families on leased land. Supporters noted Manfredi’s numerous volunteer positions on community boards and his work in promoting Ka`u Coffee. Ka`u’s planning commissioner is Raylene Moses, of Wai`ohinu.

The Ka`u High varsity football team looks forward to home-
coming next Saturday at 6 p.m.  Photo by Nalani Parlin

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL’s varsity football team held the undefeated Kamehameha Warriors, whose team numbers were twice that of the Trojans, to 35 points at the Pahala ball field. End of quarter scores were as follows: 1st quarter 8-0, 2nd quarter 15-0, third quarter 22-0 and fourth quarter 35-0. Next weekend is homecoming. The Trojans play Kohala on Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. 

ARTISTS ENTRIES are being accepted today for the cover art competition for the next Ka`u Directory, sponsored by the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce. Entries of art in any media are accepted until 11:30 a.m. at Ka`u Federal Credit Union in Na`alehu. Voting will be all next week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the winner will be announced at the End of Show celebration on Saturday, Oct. 1 from noon to 2 p.m.

TODAY IS NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY, and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is waiving entrance fees. Volunteers can do trail work and help remove invasive plants in the park. Call 985-6314.
     Kilauea Military Camp conducts an Open House for visitors to experience how KMC supports America’s troops. All KMC facilities and services, including guestrooms, are available to the general public. Call 967-8371 for more information.

Sen. Daniel Akaka

TODAY IS ALSO NATIONAL ESTUARIES DAY, as proclaimed by a resolution co-sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka. “Our estuaries and coastal areas provide critical habitat along with recreation, tourism, and business opportunities,” Akaka said. “In Hawai`i, we believe strongly in malama `aina and malama kai – caring for the land and caring for the ocean – and healthy estuaries are key to both. On this National Estuaries Day, we are reminded to redouble our efforts to protect these valuable natural resources.”

EMBRACING `OHI`A is a group exhibit that opens today at Volcano Art Center Gallery. Members of the Pacific Island Printmakers show their works daily through Nov. 6 at the gallery from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The opening reception is 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight.