Due to ongoing dry weather conditions and exceptionally large water consumption in both areas; and, due to repairs to the Laupahoehoe Well for Affected Area #2, the Department of Water Supply would like to notify consumers in the Affected Areas that they are under Water Conservation. Water Conservation Notice is a voluntary action to reduce water usage by 10%.

Due to ongoing dry weather conditions and exceptionally large water consumption, the Department of Water Supply would like to remind consumers in the Affected Areas that they are under Water Conservation. Water Conservation Notice is a voluntary action to reduce water usage by 10%.

To reach the 10% reduction goal, here are a few tips:

• Wash full loads of laundry only.
• Wash full loads of dishes only.
• Serve drinking water only when requested.
• Do not let the faucet run unnecessarily.
• When bathing, use water only to wet and rinse off.
• Do not fill up the bathtub.
• Use a glass to rinse when brushing your teeth.
• Do not flush toilets unnecessarily.
• Stop lawn sprinkling.
• Stop car and boat washing.
• Stop dust control watering.
• Use drinking water wisely.

Agricultural users should irrigate only at night from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This measure reduces water loss due to evaporation and minimizes water system drain during peak demand.

For more information, please contact Dennis Lee at the Department of Water Supply at 961-8790.

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To request an absentee mail-in ballot, complete an application which can be picked up at the County Building in Hilo and Kona, all U.S. Post Offices, all public libraries and all state agency offices, or by calling the County Elections Office at 961-8277.

Voters can also download from the elections web page http://co.hawaii.hi.us/elections/main.html.

Absentee Ballot requests for the General Election must be received by the County Clerk by 4:30 p.m.on Tuesday., Oct. 26, 2004.

(Election Day is November 2.) Every vote counts. Please vote.

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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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Ka’u to South Kona Water Master Plan Final Report Available for Viewing

The County of Hawaii and its consultant Townscape, Inc. have completed the Ka’u to South Kona Water Master Plan Final Report, dated September 2004.

The Master Plan was initiated to address potential water sources and water distribution systems for the southwest portion of the Big Island. The objective was to develop a long-range plan to provide water for homes, commercial businesses and farmers in the Ka’u to South Kona region.

The plan is now available on the County of Hawaii website at: http://co.hawaii.hi.us/info/k2skwmp/info.htm .

Hard copies of the report will also be available at Pahala, Naalehu, and Kealakekua Public Libraries and at the Ocean View Community Association Center.

Townscape, Inc. wishes to thank everyone who contributed to this plan. We would also like to thank those who participated in the development of this plan, attended public meetings, and/or provided suggestions and help.

If you have any questions regarding the report, please contact Hilarie Keehne at 536-6999, ext. 103 or via email at hilariekeehne@townscapeinc.com .

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Back by popular demand! High-quality free mulch is now available at the new public pick-up area adjacent to the Kealakehe Transfer Station. The access to the new mulch pick-up area is directly across the street from the transfer station chutes. Residents may self-load mulch at the site from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., seven days a week. Bring a pitchfork and help yourself.

Plenty of free mulch is also available at the Hilo Transfer Station which is open 7 days a week, 7:00am-5:00pm. The green waste pick-up and drop-off area is just past the entrance to the transfer station chutes on the right-hand side of the road.

The County of Hawai`i’s Department of Environmental Management sponsors the free mulch program. At this time, loading assistance for small vehicles is available only at the Hilo location and fees range from $10-$40 depending on vehicle size.

If you want to arrange for a large truckload to be delivered to your residence, business, or farm, from either the Hilo or Kona green waste processing sites, please call the Big Island Recycling representative at (808) 306-1876 to make those arrangements.

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

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Malama A Ho'opili Pono, a Department of Health initiative for mother and child health, will be holding the- East Side's 3rd Annual Healthy & Hapai/WIC's Breastfeeding Challenge on Saturday, October 2, 2004 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Maternal & Child Health/Family Health Agencies interested in reserving a booth, please call Haunani at 974-4291.

Malama A Ho'opili Pono will also hold a Healthy & Hapai Health Fair - Ka'u on Oct 30, 2004 (Halloween Saturday) from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Na'alehu Community Center & Park. The event will feature fun, music, costume contests and much more. Maternal Child & Health Agencies interested in reserving a booth, call 939-2437 and ask for Pat or Sandy Lei.

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New parents, caregivers and early childhood professionals are invited to attend one of a series of training workshops around the Island of Hawai`i between October 16-19.

According to Big Island early childhood expert Angela Thomas of Good Beginnings Alliance, research and experience confirm that babies strongly bonded with parents and caregivers are happier, healthier children and adults.

Strongly bonded babies grow to have better self-esteem, an eagerness to learn and are less at-risk for substance abuse and child abuse. They are also more resilient -- able to rebound from life’s troubles.

Waimea: Sat., Oct. 16 - 9 a.m. – Noon, Waimea School Cafeteria

Sponsored by the Big Island Good Beginnings Alliance Community Council (BIGBACC) and the North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition (NHDFC), the workshops will feature baby bonding researcher and author Dr. Alice Sterling Honig.

Dr. Honig is professor emerita of child development at Syracuse University and a licensed New York State psychologist. She has published hundreds of articles for professional journals, and taught courses on child care, parenting, moral development and cross-cultural child rearing.

Advance registration is required. For information and to register, call Angela Thomas at 887-1228.

The Baby Bonding workshops are the first of a year-long, three-step program on the Big Island to raise public awareness about the importance of infants’ emotional relationships and their long-term impact on whole and healthy adolescents capable of making good life choices.

Every mother giving birth at North Hawaii Community Hospital beginning in November 2004 through October 2005 will receive a personal visit by Healthy Start and "Baby Steps" Newborn Basket including:

A ‘Baby Steps’ Resource Directory: This directory, developed specifically for this program, will include all of the programs, services and professionals who work with children 0-5 years of age and their families. It will explain services available and provide contact information. Playgroup schedules and locations will be included as well as resources for special needs children.

A Front-Pack Infant Carrier: Research confirms these carriers, sometimes called Snuglis, increase the amount and quality of parent-child interaction and attachment, reduce child abuse and lessen drug and alcohol use. Studies conclude that infants carried in front-pack carriers are 83% more likely to be "bonded" to their parent or caregiver.

Baby’s First Book: "Read To Me International" is providing baby’s first book for each infant. Studies show that listening to stories, especially between 1 and 3 years of age, is significantly associated with teacher ratings of oral language skill at 5 years and reading comprehension at 7 years. This is especially true if the reading/listening interaction is between a caregiver and child.

A Child Development Book Series: "Healthy Start – Grow Smart" is a series of booklets produced by the U.S. Department of Education. It will be included in each Newborn Basket. These include basic tips about parenting and what to expect the first year.

A group will be assembled including family care providers, home visitors, preschools and social service agencies to determine the greatest needs for training. Four training workshops will be presented incorporating the most current information regarding the effects of drug use on the families served.

Hui members see first-hand the effects of ICE use and other substance abuse on the youngest of our children – from exposure in utero, to parents use, to living in houses where ICE is made or handled. Faced with a generation of children growing up in a drug culture, effective training can provide practitioners with useful information and tools to more effectively help these children.

Nearly a dozen Big Island organizations are partnering in this project with BIGBACC and NHDFC including Waimea Power of Choice, KTA SuperStores, Family Support Services of West Hawaii – Healthy Start Program, Five Mountains Hawaii, Hawaii County Prosecutor’s Office, Kamehameha Schools – Preschools Division, Ohana Keauhou Beach Resort, Read to Me International, Tutu’s House – Friends of the Future and Waimea Elementary and Middle Schools.

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If you’ve never experienced a native Hawaiian rainforest, it’s time to set aside Saturday, October 16.

Find your binoculars, get out your raingear and make your reservations for the annual Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge open house.

And if you’ve already been there, you’ll probably want to return again!

"We have folks who come every year as well as newcomers who have no idea Hawaii even has rainforests," said Refuge Manager Dick Wass. "All are welcome to join us in celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week by spending a day in Hakalau Forest."

Residents and visitors are invited to hike through the Pua ‘Akala Tract, which harbors a high-elevation rainforest, many native birds such as ‘i‘iwi and ‘elepaio, and significant numbers of endangered species including the Hawai‘i creeper and Hawai‘i ‘akepa. A historic 110-year old koa cabin also will be open for viewing.

Visitors will be met by refuge staff and tour leaders at the Pua ‘Akala Barn anytime between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. They will receive a briefing on refuge management objectives and strategies and a description of the plants and animals the Refuge protects. Rainforest hikes of varying lengths will be offered.

The hikes will be led by biologists and staff familiar with native Hawaiian flora and fauna. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the refuge greenhouse and learn about the forest restoration program. Cultural resource protection, weed control projects and the University of Hawaii’s field station will also be highlighted.

Participants must arrange their own transportation to the Refuge. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is required for the two-hour drive from Hilo, Waimea or Kona. "We don’t recommend this trip for young children or those who lack an adventurous spirit due to the long rough ride, rugged terrain, and primitive facilities," said Wass.

Visitors should come prepared for wet chilly weather and bring their own lunch, water, binoculars and rain gear.

Reservations are required and may be obtained by calling the refuge office in Hilo at 933-6915 by October 13. Directions and additional information will be mailed to all participants.

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge consists of 32,730 acres of native forest and grassland on the windward slope of Mauna Kea between the elevations of 2,500 and 6,500 feet. The Refuge was established to protect and manage endangered forest birds and their habitat, and contains some of the finest stands of koa-‘ohi‘a forest in the state.

To make reservations or for more information, contact Dick Wass or Jim Glynn at 1-808-933-6915.

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(All project schedules based on weather permitting.)

Where/Location: Pohoiki Road from junction to end of edge of pavement lines.

What: Remove and replace Type C raised pavement markers and hot tape stop lines

Where/Location: Waianuenue Avenue from Lele Street to Piihonua Camp.

What: Repaint edge of pavement lines and berms.

Where/Location: Waianuenue Avenue from Carvalho Park to Piihonua Camp.

What: Remove and replace Type D raised pavement markers.

Where/Location: Kekuanaoa Street from Kanoelehua Avenue to Kilauea Avenue.

What: Thermoplastic edge of pavement lines and white islands.

Where/ Location: Kekuanaoa Street from Kanoelehua Avenue to Kilauea Avenue.

What: Remove and replace Type D raised pavement markers.

Where/Location: No projects scheduled.

What: No projects scheduled.

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Turn on your lights in the rain or other poor weather conditions regardless of the time of day. In most states it is now the law to turn on lights whenever your windshield wipers are on. This dramatically helps other cars to see your car.

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Motorists are advised of the following lane closures and work locations as contractors continue work on installing a conduit system for Sandwich Isles Communications in the Kaumana area.

From Monday, October 4th through Friday, October 8^th, Willocks Construction will be boring and trenching in the following areas:

• Along Kaumana Drive between Chong Street and Akala Road – Lane Closures

The work will start at 8:00 am and continue until 3:30 pm, weather permitting. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes (Waianuenue Avenue/Akolea Road or Puainako Extension) to avoid traffic delays/congestion and allow for extra travel time.

Contractors are in their 14th week of work and estimate this project to be completed in November 2004.

Questions can be referred to Chuck Eckman (Resident Engineer), Mid State Consultants, at 640-9509.

Mahalo for your patience and cooperation.

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Kalaniana’ole Avenue between the Bay Clinic and Kea’a Street has returned to normal two-way traffic this week, following successful completion of much- needed rehabilitation work on the County of Hawai’i sewer line.

A temporary one-way traffic pattern had been in place in which Keaukaha-bound motorists were detoured through Kamehameha Street and Silva Street until the job’s completion as scheduled on September 17.

The County of Hawai’i Wastewater Division thanks the public for their patience and cooperation.

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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 Nonprofit Community Events (HCF): http://www.hcf-hawaii.org/hcf/hcfg/comcal.jsp
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
Hilo Downtown Improvement: Go to www.downtownhilo.com (click on Hilo Activity Guide, and follow directions on how to submit an event.) For information call Alice Moon at 933-9772.
Prince Kuhio Plaza: http://www.princekuhioplaza.com/html/Events.asp

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