June 10, 2005

Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

The long-awaited groundbreaking of the Upper Lako Street extension took place Thursday, June 2.

The hope is that the Lako Street mauka-makai road, once completed, will relieve traffic congestion on nearby mauka-makai connector Hualalai Road.

This important project is being undertaken by private developer Faulkner USA Hawai`i, which has hired Isemoto Contracting Co. to do the work.

The Lako Street extension is slated for completion by around March 2006.

The project will connect the mauka portion of Lako Street which is in the Iolani subdivision with the makai portion of Lako Street, which runs through the Kona Vistas subdivision.

The extension work will take place as developer Faulkner USA Hawai`i begins work on Kona Vistas II. The Lako Street extension was required by the County before any new homes were built in Kona Vistas.

The County of Hawai`i’s Department of Public Works will be providing updates on this project as it progresses. For further information contact Bob Yanabu at the Department of Public Works at 961-8576.

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With the Pacific hurricane season now upon us, it is very important for all of our Hawai`i residents to be familiar with hurricane preparedness measures.

The County of Hawai`i’s Civil Defense Agency reminds the community that all areas of our Island of Hawai`i can be prone to hurricane hazards.

Residents must be aware that all parts of Hawai`i Island could be exposed to hurricane hazards, despite a common belief that our mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa shield parts of the island from hurricane winds.

We hope our residents will take the time to familiarize themselves with hurricane preparedness measures by reading the County of Hawai`i’s Hurricane Preparedness Guide.

The Hurricane Preparedness Guide is now available on the County’s website . To access the Hurricane Preparedness Guide, click on http://co.hawaii.hi.us/cd/hpg/main.html . There is also a link to the Civil Defense page http://co.hawaii.hi.us/directory/dir_defense.htm .

If you’d like a hard copy of the Hurricane Preparedness Guide, copies will be available from the Civil Defense Agency after July 1.

For further information, contact the Civil Defense Agency at 935-0031.

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The County of Hawai`i will be conducting recruitment information sessions in various districts of the Island of Hawai`i and we’re encouraging everyone to attend.

Come learn about available County jobs and valuable test-taking tips. Job application forms will be available.

• HiloAupuni Center Conference Rm, June 14, 5-7 pm
• WaimeaWaimea Civic Center Conference Rm, June 15, 5-7 pm
• KohalaKamehameha Gym Park, June 16, 5-7 pm
• Ka`uKa’u High School Band Rm, June 21, 5-7pm
• Kailua-KonaLiquor Control Conference Rm, June 22, 10-2:00 pm
• CaptainCookYano Hall, June 22, 5-7 pm

Meet with personnel from the Departments of Civil Service, Fire, Police, Parks & Recreation, Public Works, Environmental Management, and Water Supply.

For further information, contact Gabriella Cabanas of the Department of Civil Service at 961-8361.

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The County of Hawai`i’s household hazardous waste collection days will take place again in Hilo and Kailua-Kona.

Don’t miss this opportunity to clean your garage of unwanted and dangerous items. Sponsored by the County of Hawai`i’s Department of Environmental Management, the collection is a twice-yearly amnesty program to dispose of household hazardous waste products.

The collections will take place:

• Saturday, June 4, 2005, at the Hilo Transfer Station, 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
• Saturday, June 11, 2005, at the Kealakehe (Kailua-Kona) Transfer Station, 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

These Household Hazardous Waste collections are scheduled annually for the first Saturdays of June and December in Hilo and the second Saturdays of June and December in Kona.

Dumping household hazardous waste in your trash, which will go to the landfill, can cause groundwater contamination. Household hazardous waste that is collected on these dates is shipped to the mainland for lawful and safe disposal.

Among the hazardous waste materials being accepted include automotive fluids, all types of batteries, corrosives, mercury thermometers, oil-based paints and stains, solvents and thinners, garden supplies, poisons, and miscellaneous hazardous household chemicals. In addition, clean and/or contaminated used motor oil will be accepted.

Materials that WILL NOT be accepted include waste from a business, explosives, pyrophoric, water-reactive, biological, infectious, radioactive, and shock sensitive materials, as well as, latex paint and base, compressed gas cylinders, flares, fire extinguishers, detergents, non-hazardous items, and non-household generated waste.

Questions regarding this program call the County’s Recycling Coordinator at 961-8942.

Recycle Hawai`i is a non-profit educational membership organization serving the Big Island of Hawai`i. Recycle Hawai`i currently offers free recycling education services on behalf of the County of Hawai`i, the State Department of Health and Recycle Hawai`i supporting members. For more information, call Recycle Hawai`i at 329-2886 or 961-2676, or visit www.recyclehawaii.org.

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What’s IN: Eligible (redeemable) beverage containers include:

Soft drinks, soda, water, juice, tea and coffee drinks, and certain alcoholic drinks (beer, malt beverages, wine coolers, mixed spirits) in metal, glass, or plastic, 64 oz. or less.

What’s OUT: Ineligible (unredeemable) containers include:

Milk, wine, and hard liquor containers.

Qualified beverage containers may be redeemed for cash at the following locations:

** Transfer Station centers closed daily from 1-2pm for lunch.**

Please contact Atlas at 935-9328 (Hilo) or 329-6868 (Kona) for further information about additional scrap value paid on aluminum cans and their mobile redemption sites in rural communities.

Please call the Recycling Specialists with the Department of Environmental Management, County of Hawai’i, at 961-8527 or 961-8549 for information about the HI 5¢ program or visit:

www.hi5deposit.com | http://co.hawaii.hi.us/directory/dir_envmng.htm

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The County of Hawai’i Department of Environmental Management, Wastewater Division will be renovating the Kailua Harbor Sewage Pump Station (formerly known as the King Kamehameha Sewage Pump Station) located at the corner of Ali’i Drive and the Kailua-Kona Harbor Access Road fronting the King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.

This work commenced in January 2005 and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2005. Work is taking place between the hours of 8 am and 5:30 pm during week days and possibly Saturdays.

This renovation project will add capacity to the pump station resulting in better ability to accommodate the increasing number of future developments in Kailua-Kona. As an added benefit, renovation of the King Kamehameha Sewage Pump Station helps with preparing for future abandonment of the Queen Emma Sewage Pump Station located at Emma Square. This should enhance the area for nearby businesses as maintenance activities by Wastewater Division personnel will no longer be required in Emma Square.

During the construction period of the renovation project, businesses along Ali’i Drive can anticipate uninterrupted sewer service and conduct their business in a normal fashion.

Pedestrian traffic will be safely re-routed around the construction area at the King Kamehameha. There will be very little impact to vehicular traffic.

Some construction work will take place at the Emma Square location while giving consideration to pedestrian traffic. This work may include minor improvements to the rock wall and concrete walkways with the intent of making the area safer for pedestrians.

The public is welcome to direct any questions or concerns during construction to the Construction Manager, SSFM International, Inc. at 933-2727. General questions may be directed to the Wastewater Division at 961-8338.

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The Department of Water Supply is experiencing drought conditions around the island and is requesting our customers to conserve drinking water. Due to continuing dry weather conditions, water consumption in the affected areas has increased to a point where water sources and water distribution systems are strained. Drought conditions may last for some time, and the Department is requesting all our customers around the island to use water wisely.

This Water Conservation Notice is a request to reduce your daily water usage by 10%.

The following areas are under WATER CONSERVATION:

1. SOUTH KOHALA - Waimea Town.
2. HAMAKUA - Ahualoa, along Kahaua Drive, Kalopa State Park, Kapahu, Paauilo Mauka, and Pohakea.

Listed are some ways to conserve water to reach the 10% goal:

• 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 shall irrigate only at night from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This measure will reduce water loss due to evaporation and minimize water system drain during peak demand.

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

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Due to ongoing dry weather conditions, exceptionally large water consumption, and repairs being done at the Hualalai and Kalaoa Wells, the Department of Water Supply would like to remind customer in North Kona that they are under Water Conservation.

The Water Conservation Notice is a request to reduce your daily water usage by 10%. (See above article which lists some ways to conserve water to reach the 10% goal.)

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

If this trend of large consumption continues, the next water conservation action will be mandatory reduction. Please conserve water.

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

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Construction work to widen Kuakini Highway, from Palani Road to Hualalai Road, commenced on November 8, 2004.

Kuakini Highway will be widened to four lanes for automobiles, including two through-lanes in each direction, and a pocket lane for left turns where appropriate. In addition, there will bicycle lanes on both sides throughout most of the project. The construction will last 18-24 months.

One lane will be open at all times from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. while construction is in progress. Outside of these hours, one lane in each direction will be open.

The contractor, Hawaiian Dredging, will work with the adjacent businesses and residences to assure that a reasonable access to the businesses and residences will be maintained throughout the construction period. However, motorists traveling in the area should drive with caution.

We are most grateful for the public’s patience and apologize for any inconvenience caused.

The public is invited to a weekly update on the Kuakini Highway, Palani Road to Hualalai project every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. at the Kona Mayor’s West Hawai`i Office conference room at Hanama Place. Light refreshments will be served.

Representatives from the contractor, Hawaiian Dredging, and the County, Public Works Department are available at the meetings. Everyone is welcome at these informal "talk story" sessions.

A large project map and a complete set of plans are available for reference at the Kona Mayor's office.

The Tuesday morning updates will continue, and information will also be available via the County website.

For more detailed information on the construction, please contact Hawaiian Dredging Contracting Co., Inc. at (808) 483-4270. You can also call Pete Hendricks, Deputy Managing Director at 329-5226.

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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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Recycle Hawai`i will be hosting back-to-back workshops on Saturday, June 11, at La`akea Community near Pahoa. The workshops are:

• Intermediate/Advanced composting from noon–3 p.m. led by Piper Selden, Master Composter/Recycler of Hawaii Rainbow Worms. Backyard composting, basic biology and fundamentals of compost, compost critters, control factors, compost and compost "tea," and troubleshooting common problems will be the focus of the first part of Piper’s workshop. A "How To" demonstration on home worm-composting bin management and troubleshooting, basic worm biology, reproduction and harvesting tips will highlight the second half. 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.

• Building Raised Bench Gardens from 3:00–4:30 p.m. led by Tim Lloyd. Tim Lloyd will show how lined raised-bench gardens (no bending, no weeds, no bugs) can be easily fabricated by recycling wooden pallets.

Workshops cost $10 each, includes free composting unit.

Directions to La`akea Community: Going south on Highway 130 past Pahoa and Leilani Estates, turn right on Ala`ili, go one mile to driveway on the right with the "La`akea" sign. If you’re coming from Kalapana, make a left off Highway 130 onto Ala`ili just past the Steam Vent Inn.

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With the theme "Land of the Free...Home of the Brave", the 10^th Annual Kailua-Kona Independence Day Parade on July 4 in Kailua-Kona will follow the same route as last year, but will be held in the early evening, for coordination with other community activities scheduled immediately after the parade.

The parade will start at 5:30 pm from Kona's Gymnasium parking lot and take the traditional Kuakini-Palani-Ali`i route to the Coconut Grove Marketplace, where a short awards ceremony will be held at the conclusion of the parade.

That will be followed by free family concert/entertainment and fireworks in the same area.

A color guard, at least one band, marching units, floats, decorated vehicles and other varied entries are expected from the armed forces, schools, churches, businesses, service clubs, and other community organizations and individuals.

Awards will be given in the four categories of floats, keiki, marching and most patriotic, plus possibly others.

There will be no charge for entries from non-profit groups. The entry fee for commercial participants will be $25 each and political entries will be charged a fee of $50 each. No more than five vehicles or eight motorcycles are to be included in any one entry, and each entrant is to display at least one U.S. flag. Air horns are not to be used.

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The Foundations of Jack Gifford and Betty Kanuha, in cooperation with the County of Hawaii Parks & Recreation Department, will sponsor the Kalae Iki Youth Baseball Clinic July 24-26 at the Kailua-Kona Regulation Baseball Diamond and adjoining playing fields.

This three-day clinic is free of charge and is open to boys & girls ages 7-17.

Several outstanding collegiate coaches have been lined up for the camp:

Present NCAA Division I head coaches Mark Marques (Stanford), Sam Piraro (San Jose State), Ed Sprague (Pacific), Mark O’Brien (Santa Clara), Ritchie Price (Kansas), Lindsey Meggs (Chico State), and Joey Estrella (UH Hilo), along with assistants Tom Kunis (Stanford), Chad Konishi (UH Manoa), Tom Myers (UC Santa Barbara), and former UCLA head coach, Gary Adams, and assistants, Glenn Mickins, Jason Green, and former major league pitcher Tim Leary.

The clinic will feature two sessions daily:

• 8:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. for the 7-11 year-olds
• 1 p.m.–4 p.m. for the 12-17 year-olds

Each participant should bring his/her own glove, batting helmet, bat, shoes, and appropriate baseball protective supports (as required by all youth leagues for participation) and water bottles.

Registration will be handled at the Parks & Recreation offices at the Kailua-Kona Permits Office (located by the Aquatics Center), Waimea Community Center at Parker Gym, Waikoloa Elementary, School F Bldg, and Parks & Recreation Division Office located at Aunty Sally’s Luau Hale in Hilo and at Sports Line in Hilo.

Each session will be limited to the first 200 applicants in their respective age group.

A Coaches Clinic for all youth and high school coaches will be held on Saturday, July 23 at 10 a.m. at the Hapuna Prince Hotel (Hau Lehua Room).

The clinic staff welcomes volunteer help for all drill stations. For more information, call coach Joey Estrella at 974-7700.

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The Free Mulch Giveaway at the Hilo Transfer Station has been such a success that they have run out of mulch at this site. Mulch will again be available at the Hilo Transfer Station Green Waste Area sometime in July. Many thanks to all residents for their participation in this project.

Free mulch is still available at the Kealakehe /Kona Transfer Station’s Green Waste Area.

Large loads (30 cubic yards or more) are being delivered FREE to certain areas: from Kawaihae to Ho’okena and from Palani Road to the Saddle Road Junction. To schedule a delivery, call 808-306-1876.

For small loads, residents can visit the pick-up area at the Kealakehe/Kona Transfer Station’s Green Waste area.

Loading assistance is free from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday-Saturday.

People may also bring a pitchfork to self-load a vehicle from 6:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., 7 days a week.

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The premier season of the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, the new classical music event coming to Waimea, will start on June 20. Festival organizers announced details of four concert events open to the public.

The festival's featured concert is An Evening with Ricky Ian Gordon, to be held Tuesday, July 5 at 7:00 pm at the Peoples Theater in Honokaa. There is a $10 admission charge at the door.

Festival guest composer Ricky Ian Gordon has been compared to a young Leonard Bernstein and is a rising young star on the American music scene. His lyrical and innovative songs have been performed by world famous diva Renee Fleming, Broadway music legend Betty Buckley and the Tony-award winning Audra McDonald.

An American Music Gala will be held in the Mauna Lani Bay Resort on Sunday, July 3 at 5:00 pm. Brass concert will be free to the public at the resort's new Hale Hoaloha outdoor pavilion. Audiences can expect to hear stirring traditional favorites as well as new American contemporary music in a fun and festive evening.

On Thursday, June 30 at 2:00 pm, island youth over age 10 and opera lovers of all ages are invited to a dress rehearsal for An Evening at the Opera, to be held at Gates Performing Arts Center at HPA. The dress rehearsal will be narrated especially for youth.

An Evening at the Opera, with favorite opera scenes performed by HPAF faculty and students, will then be performed the following Friday, July 1 at 7:30 pm at Gates Performing Arts Center at HPA. Both the dress rehearsal and the concert are free and open to the public.

A program geared toward island residents has also been created by the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. Local singers and instrumentalists are welcome to attend the festival as day students to take lessons, classes and coaching in the instrumental and vocal arts.

Carol Prentice, an experienced Alexander Technique teacher from northern California will offer coaching in Alexander Technique, a body work technique that changes movement habits in order to maximize musical performance and prevent repetitive injuries.

Interested musicians over age 13 and of any skill level can choose sessions geared to their area of music. Applications are taken at the festival website at www.hawaiiperformingartsfestival.org .

"Response to the news that we are coming to Waimea this June has been very gratifying," Artistic Director Val Underwood said. "We are pleased with the interest from the local community in classical music and invite everyone who loves to play or sing classical music to come and immerse themselves in an intensive educational program of private lessons, classes, rehearsals and concerts."

Details about the entire festival and concert series can be found at www.hawaiiperformingartsfestival.org .

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The West Hawai’i Fisheries Council, a community-based marine advisory organization, will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday, June 16, 2005 at 6:30 pm at the Hawai`i Big Game Fishing Club at Honokohau Marina in Kailua Kona.

The Council will be discussing the new programs of the WHFC Youth Council, the draft DLNR Coastal Policies, the summer hearings by the Hawaii State Senate on community-based fishery management and the latest report by their User Conflict Committee.

The mission of the West Hawai`i Fisheries Council is to manage fishery activities to ensure sustainability, enhance near-shore resources, minimize resource depletion and manage conflicts of use.

The West Hawai’i Fisheries Council was set up as a community resource for recommending West Hawai’i fisheries management actions to enhance the marine environment to the Division of Aquatic Resources and the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

All of the community is cordially invited to the Council meetings on the third Thursday of every month.

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The Hawaiian monk seals are the most endangered seal species in the U.S, with only an estimated 1,300 seals remaining. Some of these rare mammals are right in our own back yard here on the Big Island.

The Hawai`ian monk seal is the subject of our latest in a series of free ReefTalks:

WHEN: Tuesday, July 19th, 6:30-8:30pm

WHERE: Thelma Parker Memorial Library, Waimea Elementary School

Justin Viezbicke of the DAR/HIHWNMS will be discussing the basic biology of the monk seal, recent pupping events and sightings on the Big Island, threats that are currently affecting the population and how we as community members can get involved in the conservation of this endangered seal.

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The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), a program of UH Hilo’s College of Continuing Education and Community Service, offers noncredit classes to diverse communities of lifelong learners throughout the Big Island, focusing on those 45 and over. There are no tests, grades, or papers – just learning for enjoyment, personal growth and intellectual stimulation.

OLLI, funded in 2004 by a grant from the Bernard Osher Foundation of San Francisco, California, is one of more than 60 such programs based at universities across the United States, from Maine to Hawaii, from Harvard to UH Manoa. Lectures, short courses, educational activities and events are planned by community members in collaboration with OLLI coordinators.

Classes and programs are taught by a wide range of talented community members in the arts, sciences, humanities, recreation and health, with a goal of using regional resources and topics of interest. OLLI also seeks to partner and collaborate with art centers, theatres, libraries, schools, clubs, businesses, and community organizations.

The first series of North Hawaii OLLI classes are taking place from May through August. They are:

• Sustainable Landscaping and Gardening: May 21 and June 25, 9-11:30 am, Waimea Outdoor Circle, Ulu La’au Park, Waimea, $25/class
• Play the Ukulele with Grammy-Winner Keoki Kahumoku: May 23, 1-4 pm, Hotel Honoka’a Club, Honoka’a, $25
• Mixed Level Watercolor Painting: June 17 and August 19, 9-11:30 am, Hale Kukui Orchard Retreat, Kukuihaele, $40/class
• Introduction to Organic Agribusiness: June 17, 1–3:30 pm, Volcano Island Honey Co., Ahualoa, $25.

For more information on these and OLLI classes taking place in other regions of the Big Island, to register for classes, or to connect with your area coordinator to discuss future program opportunities, call UH Hilo’s College of Continuing Education and Community Service at 974-7664.

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A conference on E ‘Imi Pono (best practices) in substance abuse treatment will be held at Hawai`i Community College July 17-21, 2005.

This conference is sponsored by Hawai'i Community College Substance Abuse Counseling and Administration of Justice Programs and the Office of Continuing Education and Training.

Among the internationally renowned presenters will be Terence Gorski, Stephanie Covington, Dennis Daley and Pualani Kanaka’ole Kanahele.

Topics of the conference will include:

• Adolescent and Adult Relapse Prevention
• Girls and Women in the Criminal Justice System
• Adolescents and Adults with Co-occurring Disorders
• Native Hawaiian Approaches to Substance Abuse

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(All project schedules based on weather permitting.)

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The County of Hawai’i Department of Public Works advises the public that on December 21, 2004 four temporary loading zones went into effect along Ali’i Drive as follows:

• 30-minute freight loading zone on mauka side of Ali’i Drive north of the Ocean View Restaurant
• 30-minute freight loading zone on the mauka side of Ali’i Drive south of the Ocean View Restaurant
• Three-minute passenger loading zone on mauka side of Ali’i Drive south of the Ocean View Restaurant
• 30-minute freight loading zone on the makai side of Ali’i Drive across from Uncle Billy’s Kona Bay Hotel

This change was to remain in effect for a 90-day trial period until 12 noon on March 18, 2005.

Field adjustments were made and it was determined that further evaluation was necessary. The Department of Public Works has extended this trial for an additional 90 days, to end at 12:00 Noon on June 15, 2005.

No parking will be allowed in these zones, and the no-parking rule will be enforced.

The Department of Public Works asks for your patience and cooperation during this trial period.

For further information, please contact the Department of Public Works, Traffic Division at 961-8341.

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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.

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Hawai‘i County ... a nice place to live.