March 5, 2004

TRAFFIC ALERT

The County administration is proposing to increase the existing 8.8 cent per gallon fuel tax by 6.0 cents per gallon, for a total of 14.8 cents per gallon.

• Kauai County’s existing fuel tax is 13.0 cents per gallon for 220 miles of road and 70 employees. (3.1 miles per employee)

• Maui County’s existing fuel tax is 18.0 cents per gallon with 607 miles of road and 130 employees. (4.7 miles per employee)

• Honolulu’s existing fuel tax is 16.5 cents per gallon with 1,156 miles of road and 400 employees. (2.9 miles per employee)

• Hawai`i County’s existing fuel tax is 8.8 cents per gallon for 904 miles of road and 136 employees (6.6 miles per employee).

The proposal asks that 4.0 cents of the total increase be used to increase the resources and spending of the Highway Fund, to catch up with the backlog of road maintenance work and keep current in the future.

The proposal is asking that 2.0 cents of the total increase be used to improve the County’s Mass Transit system. Access to transportation is critical to the quality of life in many ways: to help people get to jobs or school, alleviate traffic problems by decreasing the number of private vehicles on the road, as well as allow children and youth to participate in community and after-school activities.

Based on the average gas tank capacity of 20 gallons, assuming the motorist fills up twice a month, the fuel tax increase translates into $2.40 a month or $28.80 a year.

• The County has additional roads added to its inventory every year. Currently, County roads account for more than 900 miles.

• Hawai`i County is the only county in the state that resurfaces its roads in-house. We save money by doing this.

• However, we are unable to keep up with our regular maintenance and operational responsibilities. These include pot-hole patching, grass cutting, litter cleanup, herbiciding, overhang cutting, culvert and ditch maintenance, road restriping, installation and repair of street lights and traffic signals.

The amount of fuel tax increase was determined after looking at what it would cost to have adequate staff and equipment to maintain our road system.

• The County would be able to resurface roads on a 20-year cycle.

• By lessening the ratio of number of miles per employee, the County would be able to keep up with regular responsibilities.

• The County would be able to better address traffic flow problems.

• The County would have more Traffic Division staff in North and South Kona, and North and South Kohala districts to improve maintenance and response times.

• New or expanded bus routes are proposed for Waikoloa, Pahoa and intra-Kona, aimed at alleviating traffic congestion.

• Handivan services in Hamakua and Ocean View/Pahala to alleviate traffic congestion.

• Expansion of boat day shuttle service to help visitors and local businesses.

• Increased funding for shared ride taxi subsidy.

The administration’s formal proposal for a fuel tax increase will be presented to the County Council for consideration by the end of April.

The proposal is a part of the County of Hawai`i’s proposed operating budget for fiscal 2004-2005, submitted to the County Council on March 1, 2004.

The County Department of Public Works and the Mass Transit Agency will be holding a series of public meetings to further explain the proposal, to take public comment and to answer questions.

The meetings will be held as follows:

If you have any questions, please contact Bruce McClure, Director of Public Works at 961-8324.

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People often shake their heads at the length of time it takes government to construct a major project. A good example is building a new road. Once a decision has been made that a new road is needed, the County begins a long process that is largely defined by fiscal and legal requirements.

A new road is expensive. A major two-lane road will cost the County between $7 million and $10 million per mile to build, based on recent actual construction bids. Getting the money to pay for a road is the first step in the process. (How the County pays for roads will be the subject of another article.)

Once money is found, the steps involved are:

• Planning – takes at least one year
• Design and land acquisition – takes at least one and a half years
• Construction – takes at least one year, depending on the length and complexity of the road

As you can see, if all goes very well, a new road takes at least three and a half years from the start of formal planning to end of construction.

Planning - How can this take a whole year? Depending on the size of the project, state law (and federal law if federal money is used) requires that either an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) be prepared. This document must include:

• Traffic study to determine the capacity and design elements such as the number of lanes necessary to take care of the traffic now and in the future
• Corridor alternatives for the road, which are the general routes the road can take; and for each route:
• The natural environment in the area, how the project will affect it, and how any negative impact will be minimized. This includes whether any endangered species will be affected and similar concerns.
• The historical and archaeological significance of the area, how the project will impact this, and again how any negative impact will be minimized. This must include a survey of archaeological features such as Hawaiian burials and heiaus. If Hawaiian burials are affected, a plan of how these burials will be treated must be approved by the island’s Burial Council, which comes under the administrative control of the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
• Any socio-economic impacts that will occur as a result of the project.

After a draft of the EA or EIS is completed, it is sent to various government agencies for comment and also made available to the public for comment. All written comments received are used to help select a preferred route for the road, and are included in the final EA or EIS document.

After the EA or EIS is completed and the road corridor has been chosen, a preliminary engineering report must be prepared. This report includes:

• Design elements (number of lanes, shoulders, bikeways, pedestrian paths, etc.)
• Right-of-way needs (the land that needs to be obtained from other parties to build the road)
• Estimates of how much it will cost to build the road

Both the preparation of the EA or EIS and the preliminary design work is usually done by private companies specializing in such work. The County enters into a contract with the private companies because with its limited staff, it does not have the time or specialized knowledge necessary to prepare these complex documents. It would take even longer if County staff tried to do this in-house.

Design and Land Acquisition – Why does it take at least eighteen months for this?

This step includes:

• Development by an engineering firm of the actual design documents, specifications, and contract documents based on the preliminary engineering report. These documents are necessary to present to contractors so they can bid on the job.
• Obtaining the necessary permits and authorizations. This includes Special Management Area permits (this is required if the road will be located in an area near the coast, this can take from three to six months if not contested); National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES), Underground Injection Control (UIC) and Conditional Letters of Map Revisions (CLOMRs).
• The entire route of the road must be surveyed before the County can begin to buy the land for the road. Often, the roadway needs to be subdivided out from larger parcels of land so the County can obtain only the land needed for the road. The subdivision process can take six months.
• When the construction design documents are 90% completed, the County can begin to acquire the land it needs for the road. Appraisals must be done to determine the fair value of the land the County must obtain. The County must pay owners the fair value of any land it needs for the road.
• Negotiations with the owners of land, and purchase of the land needed can take quite a while. If owners do not want to sell their land, the County must go to Court to condemn the land, which again is a lengthy process requiring County Council approval for condemnation, then action in Circuit Court. If the owner does not agree with the value of land based on the appraisal the County had done, another appraisal will be necessary.

Construction – Does it really take at least a year to build a road? Yes, depending on the complexity and length of the road, at least one year is necessary for construction to be completed. Weather can be a factor in the construction time. Also, if an unanticipated Hawaiian burial, for example, is found during construction, that can cause further delays while the State is consulted on how to properly treat it.

Additional factors. Please note that the time estimates given above are optimistic, meaning that the time could be much longer depending on what is found during the first phases of work. Especially in West Hawai‘i, archaeological issues are of significance and can make it difficult to estimate the time required to build a road, from planning to completion.

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The plans and specifications for the water system improvements of the Kona Coastview and Kona Wonderview Subdivision will be advertised for bidding on March 7, 2004.

Bid opening is scheduled for Wednesday, April 7, 2004. Funding for the preliminary estimate is secured with the USDA Rural Development Loan/Grant Program.

A public hearing will be held after the bid opening and prior to the bid award to inform residents of the subdivisions as to their final costs of the improvements.

For further information, please call the Department of Water Supply at 961-8050.

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The Notice of availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the East Hawai`i Regional Sort Station was published in the OEQC Bulletin on February 23, 2004. The complete document is now available on the Department website:

http://co.hawaii.hi.us/directory/dir_envmng.htm.

Printed copies are available for review at all public libraries throughout the State. Both the electronic and the physical locations will be permanent sites for access to the document.

The proposed action is to construct and operate a solid waste processing, recycling, and transfer facility near the existing South Hilo Landfill, called the East Hawai`i Regional Sort Station. This action is proposed because the South Hilo Landfill, which now serves East Hawai`i, may fill to capacity in 2006.

The proposed action is intended as an interim solution that will operate as described in the Final EIS until a responsible alternative is available to serve the East Hawai`i waste stream.

The Sort Station will accept County commercial and residential waste from all areas of South and East Hawai`i. The waste will be reduced to the maximum practical amount through available recycling and resource recovery approaches.

County waste hauling trucks from the East Hawai`i rural transfer stations will bring loads to the Sort Station for reloading.

In the short term the residual waste that is not recycled will be placed into large transfer trailers and hauled to the Pu`uanahulu Landfill in North Kona. Initially, six trucks will make up to 12 round- trips per day to the Pu`uanahulu Landfill. As recycling infrastructure improves, the amount of waste requiring transportation is expected to decrease.

The proposed action serves two primary functions:

• The first is to provide continuous, convenient and cost effective solid waste management services for the County on an interim basis.
• The second is to provide a central processing facility for the County’s island-wide recycling efforts.

The County intends to increase waste diversion from the current level of 15% to 45% using available recycling and resource recovery. To achieve the overall goal of 80% diversion from landfill by 2014, the County has begun a process to identify cost-effective and environmentally responsible high-tech solutions that could substantially replace waste hauling.

Temporary impacts associated with the proposed action include noise, traffic and potential air and water quality impacts during construction of the facility. Traffic impacts of long-haul of waste are expected to be minimal based on a study of existing and proposed traffic levels.

The proposed action and alternatives that are considered in the Environmental Impact Statement include:

1. Construct and operate the East Hawai`i Regional Sort Station,
2. No Action,
3. Construct a new South Hilo Landfill and modified Sort Station adjacent to the existing landfill,
4. Construct a new landfill elsewhere in proximity to Hilo,
5. Construct a new landfill in a dry area to service East-side waste, and
6. Immediate implementation of a waste reduction technology, including Waste-to-energy combustion, gasification, and anaerobic digestion.

As a result of this Environmental Impact Statement and full consideration of the public and agency comments, the Department of Environmental Management recommends that the proposed action be implemented. The recommendation is based on judgment that the proposed action has the least environmental and social impacts, the least cost, and is most consistent with the County’s policy on integrated solid waste management and its objectives for solid waste diversion.

For further information, call the Department of Environmental Management at 961-8083.

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The Department of Environmental Management will be holding a series of follow-up and brainstorming meetings regarding the County’s solid waste management plan. Barbara Bell, Department Director, and Lono Tyson, Solid Waste Division Chief, will be available to bring you up-to-date on what’s happening and discuss how you can get involved by helping to educate your community.

Please join us at one of the following meetings:

For further information, call the Dept of Environmental Management at 961-8083.

If you require an accommodation or auxiliary aid and/or services to participate in this meeting (i.e. sign language interpreter, large print), please call 961-8083.

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The Department of Environmental Management would like to invite all building contractors and real estate developers doing business in East Hawai`i and all interested parties to a meeting March 18 to discuss commercial construction and demolition (C&D) waste disposal at the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill.

On hand will be Barbara Bell, Department of Environmental Management Director, and Lono Tyson, Solid Waste Division Chief. Joining them will be Mr. Patrick Felling, M.S., M.P.A., Honolulu Environmental Ombudsman, Compliance Assistance Office of the Hawai`i Department of Health, who will explain why C&D is a regulated waste stream.

For more information, please call us at 961-8083.

If you require an accommodation or auxiliary aid and/or services to participate in this meeting (i.e. Sign language interpreter, large print), please call 961-8083.

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Hawaii County Resource Center is administering a $100,000 fund issued by the State Legislature. In response to recommendations from the community at our island-wide Meth Summit, the Mayor’s Office, County Council and State legislators worked together to make these funds available.

Grants are to be used on our island at the neighborhood and community level with a focus on drug use prevention and education.

Proposals may include community event(s), public awareness projects, mentoring, youth/family recreation, and renovation/beautification projects. Organizations do not need non-profit status to qualify. Neighborhood groups, community associations and faith-based organizations are encouraged to apply.

Proposals should reflect the basic goal of drug use prevention and education whether it is a one-time event or an ongoing project. It is expected that these drug- and alcohol- free projects will strengthen partnerships within the community. Preference will be given to projects which promote collaboration of two or more groups.

Maximum grant awards are $2,000.

The application process is simple and straightforward, with proposals being considered over the course of a three-month period spanning March through May, 2004.

Groups need to get their proposals in before the 15th of those three months to be considered for that month’s batching and review. Proposals are due March 15, April 15, or May 15.

Application forms are available online at www.healingourisland.com under the "What’s New" category, or at the Hawai'i County Resource Center, 25 Aupuni Street, Room 114, Hilo, telephone 961-8085.

For more information, call Louise Winn at 961-8035 or Shana Ross at 961-8085

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Or call our 24/7 Job Hotline: 961-8618

Click on employment opportunities to download all of the forms.

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Come and join the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce to clean up the County Municipal Parking Lot.

Bring shovels, rakes, paint brushes and gloves and help us clean up Kailua Village. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

WHEN: Saturday, March 6th, 2004, 7:00 am to 12:00 Noon

WHERE: Located on Kuakini Highway between Bougainvillea Plaza and Kona West Condominiums.

For more information, call the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce at 329-1758.

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The Peace Corps, whose mission is to promote international development and understanding, is holding general information meetings in Hilo to familiarize potential recruits with the benefits of international service for the individual and the communities to which they return.

The Peace Corps has a mandate from the White House to double the number of volunteers over the next five years. The Peace Corps is actively recruiting mid-career professionals and retirees who are hoping to put their years of experience to work helping a community overseas.

General information meetings will be held:

Monday, March 8 at UHH Campus, UCB 112 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 9 at UHH Campus, UCB 112 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Tuesday, March 9 at Hilo Public Library from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

For further information, call John Ruiz, Regional Recruiter at 1-800-424-8580, option 1, ext. 8798 or email at jruiz@peacecorps.gov or www.peacecorps.gov .

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Mayor Harry Kim has declared Saturday, March 13, 2004 Malama ’Aina Community Cleanup Day. Join in this island-wide effort to make our island more beautiful by weeding, picking up litter, painting, sprucing up our Hawai`i Island.

For trash bags and more information, contact:

Kona Outdoor Circle (Joan Lamont) 329-7286

Waimea Outdoor Circle (Carol Hendricks) 885-5210

Waikoloa Village Outdoor Circle (Colette Cobb) 883-8009

Malama ‘O Puna (Rene Siracusa) 965-9254

Ocean View Chamber (Bob Zeller) 939-9282

Hilo Downtown Improvement Association 935-8850

After the cleanup, you can take your trash to the transfer station or in Kailua-Kona area, contact KOC at 329-7286 for pickup locations.

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The Rotary Club of Hilo Bay is currently accepting applications for its Teen Parent Scholarship. The scholarship awards a Hawaii Island teen parent with up to $1,000.00 to be used to continue his or her adult education.

The simple two-page application is available at the Hawaii Community College and the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Prince Kuhio Plaza customer service counter as well as at the Community Technology Center Hawaii at 200 Kanoelehua Avenue Suite 105. Completed applications are due no later than May 31, 2004.

"We are extremely pleased to once again be able to award a deserving teen parent with this scholarship," said Mike Gleason, President of the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay. "Faced with the additional responsibility of raising a child of their own, it is often difficult for teen parents to continue their adult education.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Were 19 years old or younger at the time they first became a parent

• Are currently a parent and primary caregiver of at least one living child under 18 years of age

• Are a current resident of the Big Island of Hawaii

• Will have received a high school diploma or equivalent by September 1, 2004

• Are currently attending or planning on attending an accredited institution of learning including but not limited to Hawaii Community College or the University of Hawaii at Hilo

Applicants can be either male or female. Applicants do not need to have just graduated from high school; parents who have stayed home to care for their child and now want to return to school are eligible.

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A public forum titled "Cruise Ships in Hawaii: Let's Do it Right!" will take place on Thursday, March 11 from 6-8 p.m. at Kona Outdoor Circle (at the south end of Kuakini Hwy just before Lako St.).

Special guest speaker is Gershon Cohen, project director of the "Campaign to Safeguard America's Waters," an Alaska resident with degrees in molecular biology and environmental policy.

In addition, the evening will include Nita Isherwood, speaking on Tourist and Resident Concerns; Lei Kihoi-Dunne on Legislation in Hawaii, and Jerry Rothstein about the Mayor’s Advisory Task Force and its findings.

This forum is co-sponsored by Clean Cruising Coalition and the Hawaii County Department of Research and Development. For more information call Jerry Rothstein at 329-1568

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"Full Speed Ahead?" a public forum on the benefits and drawbacks of cruise ships, will take place on Friday, March 12, 6:30 to 8:30 PM at Keaau Community Center.

Speakers include: Gershon Cohen, project director of the Campaign to Safeguard America’s Waters, an Alaska resident with degrees in molecular biology and environmental policy; Sarah Moon from the Sierra Club; Kale Gumapac, former cruise ship employee; Terry Miura, aquatics program assistant at Richardson’s Beach; Ian Birnie, Hilo harbormaster; Richard Nelson from the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce and Paula Helfrich from Hawaii Island Economic Development Board.

The forum is co-sponsored by Clean Cruising Hawaii and the Hawaii County Department of Research and Development. For further information call Cory Harden at 968-8965.

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Solutions: Neighborhoods In Action's Traffic Task Force has scheduled two meetings in West Hawai`i:

The Traffic Task Force continues its work on the key islandwide safety issue identified at the Solutions 2003 Seminar held last year: Speeding through Neighborhoods.

Other agenda items: review Bill HB 2290 - Graduating License. Also, a report on the recent Traffic Conference held on Oahu. Continue work on the Pace Car Program.

To review articles and results of an islandwide survey, go to www.solutionsislandhawaii.com. Click on Traffic. For further information, contact Laura Ward 331-1422 or email whde@verizon.net

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There is a bumper crop of free mulch currently available at the Hilo Transfer Station, which is open seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The County of Hawai`i’s Department of Environmental Management sponsors the mulch program.

Residents may self-load the mulch for free or receive loading assistance from the site operator for a fee ranging from $10 - $40 depending on vehicle size.

Thanks to the participation of all the island’s residents and businesses, nearly 18,000 tons of greenwaste were diverted from landfills in 2003 under the County’s diversion program and processed into high quality mulch for the public.

In Kailua-Kona, the Kealakehe Transfer Station base yard is still accepting drop-offs of greenwaste, while a new public pickup area is being prepared for the processed mulch. The free mulch program will resume at Kealakehe sometime in March or April once the site modifications are completed.

For more information, please contact the County’s Recycling Coordinator at 961-8942.

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Please join us for a fun, interactive and informative 2-part workshop on intermediate and advanced composting.

WHERE: Kea`au Recycling & Reuse Center (Kea`au Transfer Station)

• The first half of our workshop will focus on backyard composting, basic biology and fundamentals of compost, compost critters, control factors, compost and compost "tea," troubleshooting common problems, and a Q&A session.

Take a tour of our compost demonstration site and see working bins in action. All are welcome to join the fun.

• The second half of this interactive workshop, entitled "Worms Worms Worms!", will explore intermediate and more advanced vermi-composting in Hawaii.

Composting with worms is an easy and fun way to save money and turn your kitchen scraps into garden "gold" or free fishing bait.

Highlights include a "How To" demonstration on home worm bins, management and troubleshooting, basic worm biology, reproduction, compost and harvesting tips. A few worm bins (and worms) will be given away to lucky workshop participants as "door prizes," so come join us to learn about composting and worms in Hawaii.

A free compost hoop will be given to each family participating. This project is funded by the County of Hawaii to satisfy county obligations under a consent agreement with the State Department of Health for past solid waste violations.

The two-part Compost Happens workshops will also be held at the Kalani Honua Oceanside Retreat and Resort on the following dates:

Directions to Kalani Honua Oceanside Retreat and Resort : Hwy 130, Pahoa-bound. Take Hwy 130 about 8 miles past Pahoa, turn left towards Kalapana (Coastal Highway 137 Kalapana-Kapoho). Follow the bend in the road to the right. After 1/3 of a mile you will reach a T-junction. Turn left at the T-junction (towards Kapoho). After about 5 miles, Kalani will be on your left, between the 17 and 18 mile-marker. Workshop will be in the compost demonstration area near the cafeteria/kitchen.

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The Nai‘a Project Presentation on Spinner Dolphins March 6

The Nai‘a Project: 2004, a series of events centered around dolphin education, will kick off with a free slide show and photographic presentation at the Kahilu Theatre on March 6 at 7 p.m.

The presenters include: Dr. Marc Lammers, President, co-founder, and research program director for Oceanwide Science Institute (OSI), who will discuss the behavior and sounds of Oahu’s spinner dolphins; Dr. Jan Ostman-Lind, co-founder and President of the Kula Nai‘a Wild Dolphin Research Foundation, Inc., who will talk about the history of spinner dolphin research on Hawai‘i; and well-known Hawaiian wildlife photographer Victoria McCormick, who will present remarkable images that honor the endangered Hawaiian monk seal.

Nocturnal spinner dolphins are particularly vulnerable to human disturbance, since they rest close to shore at mid-day, at the height of human activity, in shallow bays such as Kealakekua.

Boats, kayakers and swimmers disturb their critical rest period, leaving the sleep-deprived dolphins open to a host of possible health issues. The number of days that dolphins are using key resting areas, such as Kealakekua Bay, has dropped twenty-five percent in the past thirteen years, coinciding with an increase of people to the Bay. The school sizes of spinner dolphins along the Kona Coast also appear to have decreased in the last ten years, in conjunction with the rapid expansion of the swim-with-dolphin industry.

The Nai‘a Project features educational presentations on dolphins and other marine-protected species.

County Agent/Community Educator Nancy Honda is the featured speaker at a workshop entitled

"Fruit Flies-Having Fruit Fly Problems in your Yard, or Is it your Neighbors?". If you’re interested in protecting your peaches and many other fruits, come to this workshop and we’ll partner and solve this problem. Come and learn how to make your own fruit fly traps.

Where: Waimea Civic Center(back of courthouse)

When: 3/10, 4/14, 5/12, 6/9, 2004. Time: 4-5:30 P.M.

Supplies: Free

For further information, call Nancy Honda at UH Cooperative Extension Service at 959-9155.

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The Hilo Downtown Improvement Association & County of Hawaii Planning Department are co-sponsoring a community planning workshop entitled "Downtown Hilo:Our Past, Present and Future".

WHEN: Monday, March 22, 2004, Two Sessions:2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

OR 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m

WHERE: Central Christian Church Meeting Hall, 109 Haili Street, Hilo

The Community Planning Workshop will feature Cherie Enns, planning consultant and university professor from British Columbia.

The workshop will address your dreams and visions for Downtown Hilo, as well as Smart growth.

Come and hear about exciting trends occurring in small towns across North America and how other towns have revitalized themselves. Participate in a hands-on community mapping experience. School-aged children are welcome to participate.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information, please call Mary Ann Wanush @ 935-8850 or Susan Gagorik @ 961-8288.

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Attention all Youth Sports Parents, Coaches, and Leaders. Please plan to attend one, two or three of the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) workshops set for the evenings of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday on March 23, 24, and 25, 2004 at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Pre-registration and a materials fee of $5 per workshop per person are required. The public is invited to attend.

Three separate workshops—one each for parents, coaches, and leaders—will be presented by the PCA manager of trainer development, Ruben Nieves.

From 1986 to 2001, Nieves coached volleyball at Stanford, serving as Men’s Head Coach for the last 11 of those years. Nieves was twice named NCAA Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year, in 1992 and 1997. In 1997, he guided the Cardinals to the NCAA title. Nieves spent the summer of 2001 as Head Coach of the USA Men's Volleyball World University Games Team, which captured the Gold Medal in Beijing, China. It was the first American squad in history to win a gold medal.

Please contact Kathy McNally at UHH Athletic Department (974-7621) for registration form and Jeanne Yagi (959-8154) for additional information.

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Dr. Paul E. Nachtigall returns to West Hawaii ReefTalk to answer these questions: How can you test the hearing of dolphins and whales? What sort of science is being done to provide information to establish limits for sound in the sea? Dr. Nachtigall is Director, Marine Mammal Research Program, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, U. of Hawaii.

Kona: Tuesday, March 12, 6:30pm 8:30pm

Kealakehe High School Library, mauka of Honokohau Harbor

Winter Quarter ‘04 REEFTALKS are co-sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. ReefTalks are free public service presentations, held monthly, alternating between the Waimea/Kamuela and Kona areas. For more information, call UH Sea Grant Extension Service at 329-2861.

Call Sara Peck, UH SeaGrant 329-2861 if you wish to join or have questions about ReefWatchers.

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The 3rd Annual AstrDay 2K4 will be back at the Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo on Saturday Apr 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The event will feature Mauna Kea Observatory exhibits, demonstrations and presentations, Hawaiian Culture displays, student science fair projects, IR cameras, StarLab Planetarium shows, telescopes, comet making and expanding universe for the kids.

After dark, there will be star-gazing at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station. Admission is free.

For more information, contact Gary Fujihara at 969-9101 or email him at fujmon@mac.com .

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Signs and Markings Projects

Where/Location: Puna District; Pahoa Village Road.

What: Restripe edge-of-pavement lines, stoplines, crosswalks and islands.

Where/Location: Puna District; Pahoa Village Road.

What: Continue with striping work.

Where/Location: Puna District; Kamaili Road.

What: Restripe centerline and stopline markings at various locations from State highway to the Kalapana-Kapoho Road intersection.

Where/Location: Puna District; Nanawale Estates subdivision.

What: Restripe Centerlines, edge-of-pavement lines, crosswalks & stoplines, on County roads only.

Where/Location: Puna District; Nanawale Estates subdivision.

What: Continue with striping work.

Where/Location: Puna District; HWY 11 and Keaau Town intersection.

What: Install underground circuit work and concrete foundation for flashing amber light and yield signage.

Where/Location: Kamehameha Avenue; Haili Street to Mamo Street (Makai side).

What: Continue the installation of underground street light circuit work and concrete foundations.

Flashing warning lights, whether embedded or on the side of a road, are installed for the purpose of warning motorists that pedestrians may be in or near the crosswalk. Motorists are reminded that they must slow down, or come to a stop, for pedestrians crossing in a crosswalk; regardless of whether there are flashing lights or not.

Pedestrians should insure that the vehicle is slowing down or stopping, before they proceed to cross the street.

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Preliminary sewer repairs are currently underway and will continue for the next several weeks at Kea’a Street, off Kalaniana’ole Street in Keaukaha.

We apologize for any temporary traffic delays or inconvenience caused during the work.

For further information, please call Peter Boucher at Waste Water Division, County of Hawai`i at 961-8338.

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Island Mechanical – Hawai’i is installing a fiber optic cable system in the Hilo area. The route will extend from the vicinity of Richardson Beach Park (Nene Street) in the Keaukaha area to the vicinity of Kawailani Street/Kanoelehua Avenue from Kalanianaole Street to Leilani Street.. We expect the project to take about seven months to complete (March 2004).

We apologize in advance for the temporary inconvenience you might experience during the project. Our standard working hours will be between the hours of 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday. In certain areas, we are using advanced construction techniques (horizontal directional drilling) to minimize pavement disturbance and traffic disruption.

Please direct any questions or concerns regarding this project to: Chuck Eckman, Resident Engineer, Mid-State Consultants, Inc. at (808)640-9509 (new, Hawaii Island number)

Mahalo for your patience and understanding.

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We encourage everyone to use web-based calendar links. Please add your own events to the respective calendars so others can get the word and not conflict with your plans.

County of Hawaii: http://co.hawaii.hi.us/cgi-bin/webcal/webcal.pl
State of Hawaii: http://www.state.hi.us/calendars.htm
Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau: http://calendar.gohawaii.com/
Hawaii.com: http://www.hawaii.com/live/
Alternative-Hawaii: http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/calendar.htm
Kamuela.com: http://kamuela.com/calendar/default.asp
Hawaii Public Radio: http://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/psa.htm
Hawaii Theatre Network: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hawaiitheatre
UH at Hilo Theatre Events: http://performingarts.net/Theatre/seasoncalendar/calendar.pl
Waikoloa Village: http://www.waikoloa.org/WVCalendar.html
Public School (click on your school): http://doe.k12.hi.us/calendars0203/index.htm

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