9/12/08 Weekly Report: County Public Works to Add More Parking in Downtown Hilo

Public Works is adding 13 parking stalls in downtown Hilo on Sunday, September 14, in response to requests from business owners who stressed a need to increase parking for customers and merchants.

Public Works has removed the traffic circle near Shipman Street on Kamehameha Avenue to increase the number of parking stalls in the area from 19 to 32 stalls.

Improvements will include:

Three active loading and unloading parking stalls for businesses, limited to five minutes.
Nine diagonal parking stalls for 8-hour parking and,
One, two-hour diagonal parking stall.

The road work is expected to last seven hours, beginning at 8:00 a.m. with completion scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

Kamehameha Avenue, Waianuenue Avenue and Shipman Street will be affected during the road work:

The in-bound lane to Kamehameha at Waianuenue Avenue will be closed.
Only right turns on to Kamehameha Avenue at Shipman Street will be allowed.
On street parking near Koehnen’s Interiors will be allowed.

For further information please call Bruce McClure, Department of Public Works at 961-8321 Monday - Friday 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After hours please call 557-6437.

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COUNTY BULLETIN BOARD

Hawai`i County Unveils Prescription Drug Discount Card

The following information is courtesy of the Hawai`i County Council, which helped arrange for this program through the National Association of Counties (NACo).

The Hawai`i County Council has announced the introduction of a discount card program to help Hawai`i County residents cope with the high cost of prescription drugs. The program began September 1, 2008.

The County is making free prescription drug discount cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo) that offers average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.

Who is eligible to use the discount card?

It’s one card per person.

The cards may be used by all Hawai`i County residents, regardless of age, income, or existing health coverage, and are accepted by nearly all the island’s pharmacies.

In addition, a national network of more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies, including many Neighbor Island pharmacies, will honor the NACo prescription discount card.

Best of all, there is no cost to our taxpayers for NACo and the County to make these money-saving cards available to residents.

Who may benefit from using this card?

The prescription drug discount card can be used anytime a prescription is not covered by insurance.

Those who may benefit include the uninsured, underinsured, and Medicare Plan D participants for non-covered drugs.

The discount card can be used to pay for meds not covered by your insurance plan (i.e. prescription meds you would have to pay out of pocket.)

Can I use my insurance and the discount card on the same purchase?

You cannot use your insurance and the discount card on the same purchase. However, you can choose whichever gives you the better price.

Call CVS-Caremark at 1-877-321-2652 to get an estimated price using the discount card on a particular prescription. Then you can compare prices before going to the pharmacy.

The prescription card is activated the first time it’s used at the pharmacy. The person’s name and ID number are joined for the first time, for ease in processing thereafter.

Pet prescriptions may also be covered

Residents may also save on prescriptions for their pets. If a pet is prescribed a medicine that is also used to treat human conditions (such as antibiotics), the pet owner may save by using the prescription discount card. Simply ask the veterinarian to write a prescription and present it at a participating pharmacy, along with the prescription discount card.

The pet owner will pay either a discount price or the retail pharmacy’s regular retail price, whichever is lower.

How do I get a discount card?

Cards will be available at the County Clerk’s’ Office, the Mayor’s Office in Hilo and Kona and at all County Council Offices.

Cards are also available at the RSVP desk in the lobby of the County building at 101 Pauahi Street, in Hilo, the Office of Aging at Hilo Lagoon building and Coordinated Services for the Elderly in Hilo and Kona.

What pharmacies are participating in the program so far?

The following Big Island pharmacies are currently participating in this program:

Costco Pharmacy
Foodland Medicine Cabinet
Hilo Pharmacy
K Mart Pharmacy
Kamehameha Pharmacy
KTA Pharmacy
Longs Drug
Malama Compounding Pharmacy
Mina Pharmacy
Oshima Drug
Pahoa RX Pharmacy
Pharmerica 4237
Puna Pharmacy
Safeway
Shiigi Drug Company
Ululani Pharmacy
Village Pharmacy-Waimea, LLC
Waikoloa Pharmacy
Wal Mart Pharmacy
Windward Pharmacy

**The above is a preliminary list; pharmacies not listed here may subsequently opt to participate.

The discount card program is administered by Caremark Rx, Inc. Big Island residents can get more information about the program by:

Calling Caremark toll free at 1-877-321-2652
Going online at www.caremark.com/naco .

NACo is a national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,600 counties.

NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public’s understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers’ money.

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Laupahoehoe Transfer Station to be Gated Beginning Sept 14

The County of Hawai’i Solid Waste Division’s Laupahoehoe Transfer Station will be gated beginning Sunday September 14, 2008, and manned with security to ensure compliance with operating regulations. The hours of operation will be from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm daily.

Please note that all Big Island transfer stations are permitted for collection of household refuse only. Commercial haulers and large loads need to take their refuse to the South Hilo or West Hawai’i Sanitary Landfills.

We appreciate your cooperation.

For more information call Bobby Gonsalves, Solid Waste Operations Superintendent at 961-8514.

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Hawai`i Farmers Urged to Apply for 2008 Crop Year Disaster Assistance

The following information is courtesy of the Hilo branch of the Farm Service Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This program is geared to help farmers who have sustained crop losses during the 2008 crop year.

Overview of the Buy-In for Disaster Assistance Programs

On June 18, 2008, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) was enacted into Public Law 110-246. This Act amended the Trade Act of 1974 to create five new disaster programs, collectively referred to as Supplemental Agriculture Disaster Assistance programs. Those programs include:

Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP)
Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)
Livestock Indemnity Program* (LIP)
Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program
Tree Assistance Program (TAP)

To be eligible for these programs, producers must purchase at least catastrophic risk protection (CAT) level of crop insurance for all insurable crops and/or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for non-insurable crops.

For the 2008 crop year only -- how the Buy-In works

For the 2008 crop year only, producers who were eligible to obtain at least CAT level crop insurance or NAP, but did not, can “buy-in” to be eligible to participate in the applicable Supplemental Agriculture Disaster Assistance programs by paying the administrative fee that would have been applicable if the producer had timely applied for CAT or NAP.

Deadline to pay Buy-In fee is September 16, 2008

The 2008 Act allows producers to pay a “buy-in fee” at their administrative county Farm Service Agency office by the deadline date of Sept. 16, 2008.

The buy-in fees do not provide any CAT crop insurance coverage or NAP coverage but do allow producers to gain eligibility to participate in the applicable Supplemental Agriculture Disaster Assistance programs.

How to “Buy-In”

All producers who wish to become eligible in 2008 for the Supplemental Agriculture Disaster Assistance programs must visit their administrative county FSA office and fill out form CCC-752 and/or form CCC-753. The county offices will determine the appropriate buy-in fee required.

The deadline for the buy-in is Sept. 16, 2008.

Call your Farm Service Agency office in Hilo at 933-8340, 933-8341 or 933-8335 for more information.

How much is the Buy-in Fee?

The 2008 Buy-in Fees for CAT and NAP Covered Crops are as follows:

$100 per crop, but not more than $300 per producer per county, or $900 total per producer, for all counties, less any previously paid fees for CAT and/or NAP.

These fees and limits apply separately to both CAT and NAP covered crops.

Therefore, producers may be required to pay buy-in fees under both CAT and NAP to meet whole farm eligibility requirements for the new disaster programs of SURE, ELAP and TAP.

For more information, please call the Farm Service Agency at 933-8340, 933-8341 or 933-8335.

What are the Eligibility Requirements for Supplemental Agriculture Disaster Assistance Programs?

Eligibility for the SURE, (Supplemental Revenue Assistance Programs), TAP (Tree Assistance Programs) and ELAP (Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-Raised Fish):

Producers must obtain a crop insurance policy for each insurable commodity, and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for each non-insurable commodity on the farm to be eligible for assistance under SURE, TAP, and ELAP.

What qualifies as a farm under these assistance programs?

In the 2008 Farm Bill; in general, the term “farm” means the sum of all crop acreage in all counties that is planted or intended to be planted for harvest by the eligible producer.

In the case of aquaculture, the term “farm” means all fish being produced in all counties that are intended to be harvested for sale by the eligible producer.

In the case of honey, the term “farm” means all bees and beehives in all counties that are intended to be harvested for a honey crop by the eligible producer.

Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)

Producers must timely obtain a crop insurance policy for insured crops or timely file the required paperwork for NAP for the grazed land.

Any insurance already purchased to meet the eligibility requirements for these programs must be at a minimum level of 50 percent yield coverage and at 55 percent of the insurable price.

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) is exempt from the risk management purchase requirement and therefore, does not require a waiver.

The background of the Buy-In program

For the 2008 crop year, the deadline to apply for crop insurance and NAP passed prior to enactment of the 2008 Farm Bill. As a result, when the requirement to obtain insurance or NAP as a condition of eligibility for SURE, TAP, ELAP and LFP was enacted, many producers would have been excluded from eligibility.

Therefore, for the 2008 crop year only, producers who do not have all crops on the farm covered with the risk management protection programs of crop insurance and/or NAP and wish to be eligible for the SURE, TAP, and ELAP in 2008, or wish to have grazing acres eligible for LFP in 2008, can do so by paying the applicable buy-in fee by Sept. 16, 2008.

Note: Payment of the fees will NOT provide crop insurance coverage or NAP eligibility.

How the program works and what is covered

The Supplemental AG Disaster Program supplements our NAP (Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program). For the NAP program, crop damage from natural disasters such as the vog (sulfur dioxide emissions), heavy rains, flooding, drought, high winds, earthquake or frost triggers the claim process. The loss threshold that makes a farmer or rancher eligible for payment is 50 percent. The NAP works on what is planted in the ground as of the disaster. It is yield-based.

The SURE program is revenue-based and is calculated over the entire year for all crops. Any crop damaged by a natural event such as vog is eligible.

For example, Protea are badly affected by the vog from Kilauea Volcano.

Other examples include:

Fruits damaged by high winds.
Vegetables damaged by flooding.
Forage damaged by drought.
Virtually any vegetable, flower, foliage, fruit is eligible for coverage.

Important note:

Farmers and ranchers need to purchase the NAP insurance for the year 2009 to be eligible for the supplemental programs next year.

Waivers of the Buy-In fee for some producers

Producers who meet the definition of a Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource Producer, or Beginning Farmer or Rancher as defined in section 2501 (e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(e)), do not have to meet this risk management purchase requirement and, therefore, are not required to pay the buy-in fee.

Definitions

A Socially Disadvantaged farmer or rancher is a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group. For entity applicants, all members of the entity must be socially disadvantaged. A Socially Disadvantaged Group is a group whose members have been subject to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities.

On Hawai`i Island, a majority of our farmers are social disadvantaged, so farmers are urged to call the Farm Service Agency at 933-8340, 933-8341 and 933-8335 to find out if their fee will be waived for the buy-in.

A Limited Resource Producer is a producer with both of the following:

Direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than $100,000 in both of the previous 2 years (as adjusted for inflation using Price Paid by Farmer Index as compiled by NASS); and
Total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of 4, or less than 50 percent of county median household income in both of the previous 2 years (to be determined annually using Commerce Department Data).

Limited Resource Producer status can be determined in an automated system using the Web site for USDA Limited Resource Farmer and Rancher Online Self Determination Tool at http://www.lrftool.sc.egov.usda.gov/tool.asp . The automated system calculates and displays the adjusted gross farm sales per year and the higher of the national poverty level or county median household income.

A Beginning Farmer or Rancher is an individual or entity who: (1) has not operated a farm or ranch for more than 10 years, AND (2) substantially participates in the operation. If the applicant is an entity, all members must be eligible beginning farmers or ranchers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of Discrimination, please write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Training on Immigrant Victims of Violence/Human Trafficking Sept 19

A training session will be held on immigrant victims of violence and human trafficking on Friday, September 19 in Kona, sponsored by the County of Hawai’i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and Hawai’i County Immigration Information Office.

Presenters include:

Jennifer Rose, J.D., UH-Manoa Gender Equity Office
Calleen Ching, Staff Attorney, Na Loio
Frank Kalepa, US Immigration Customs Enforcement
Laura Brucia Hamm, M.ED, Hale Kipa
Dew Kaneshiro, J.D.
Rose Bautista, J.D., Hawai`i County Immigration Information

This training is open to all working with immigrant populations and or Domestic/Family Violence. Topics will include: Challenges in Assisting Immigrant Survivors of Abuse, Cultural & Organizational Barriers, Visas, Working with Interpreters and Translators, Sexual Exploitation Prevention & Human Trafficking.

WHEN: Friday, September 19, 2008, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

WHERE: Hale Halawai, Kailua-Kona

Please RSVP by September 12. Limited Seating.

Cost: FREE.

Continental Breakfast & Bento Lunch Provided. Limited parking at Hale Halewai Center; please carpool if possible.

Please RSVP by providing the information below and faxing it to (808)961-8908

Attn: Claudia Wilcox-Boucher or by email: cwb96720@yahoo.com .

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Deadline is September 18 for Affordable Housing Interest Forms

Housing interest forms for Kamakoa at Waikoloa, the new affordable workforce housing project in West Hawai`i, will be accepted until September 18.

These forms must be filled out before an island resident will be prioritized for one of the 125 units now being developed.

Housing interest forms for Kamakoa are available at the Waikoloa Workforce Housing office in Hilo at 56 Kamehameha Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720. Please call 935-7755 or visit online at www.Kamakoa.com .

Initiated by the County of Hawai`i, Kamakoa at Waikoloa is being developed by Waikoloa Workforce Housing (WWH), LLC. WWH is a non-profit organization established by the Hawai`i Island Housing Trust for the planning, financing, development, and management of the Kamakoa project. WWH is being assisted in the development of Kamakoa by UniDev Hawaii, LLC, a company that has assisted other states, counties, and universities in meeting their workforce housing needs through the development of exemplary communities.

Isemoto Contracting began work on June 13 at the housing site which is located north of and adjacent to Waikoloa Village in South Kohala. Phase 1A of Kamakoa is expected to include a mix of single family homes, townhouses and bungalows and a community center. Models of the homes are expected to be ready in early 2009.

WHH’s mission for Kamakoa is to create a sustainable community that responds to the affordable housing needs of the West Hawai`i workforce community. Its goal is to provide a varied selection of housing at below market prices, while maintaining the highest quality of design and construction.

Resort employees in the Waikoloa and Kohala Coast area and public sector workers will be given highest consideration for this housing.

Housing interest forms for Kamakoa are available through September 18 at the Waikoloa Workforce Housing office in Hilo – 56 Kamehameha Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, Ph. 935-7755 or online at www.Kamakoa.com .

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Hawai`i County Solid Waste Advisory Committee Meets Sept 22

The next meeting of the Hawai`i County Solid Waste Advisory Committee will be held on Monday, September 22 at 11:00 am at the Hawai`i County Council Room in the Ben Franklin Building at 333 Kilauea Avenue in Hilo.

AGENDA

A. Call to order and announcements

B. Statements from the public on agenda items

C. Approval of minutes – August 25, 2008

D. Unfinished business

Comments, questions by SWAC members

E. New business

1. Discussion of Recycling, Bioconversion, and Marketing section of ISWMP Update

2. Observations from the Zero Waste Conference and public meetings for Zero Waste study.

3. 2009 SWAC meeting schedule

F. Meeting announcements

October 20, 2008 Department of Liquor Control Room,

75-5722 Hanama Place, Suite 1107, Kailua-Kona

G. Adjournment

The meeting place is accessible to persons with disabilities. To request an Auxiliary Aid or language translation, please call 961-8270 five days prior to the meeting date. Comments may be sent to Department of Environmental Management, 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, HI 96720 or e-mailed to sandrade@co.hawaii.hi.us .

The public is invited to follow along the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan as it progresses. The website address is http://co.hawaii.hi.us/env_mng/iswmp.htm .

Notice to Lobbyists: If you are a lobbyist, you must register with the Hawai`i County Clerk within five days of becoming a lobbyist. {Article 15, Section 2-91.3(b), Hawai`i County Code} A lobbyist means “any individual engaged for pay or other consideration who spends more than five hours in any month or $275 in any six-month period for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action by communicating or urging others to communicate with public officials.” {Article 15, Section 2-91.3(a)(6), Hawai`i County Code}. Registration forms and expenditure report documents are available at the Office of the County Clerk-Council, 333 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, Hawai`i 96720.

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Kokua Kailua – Enjoy Concerts and Shop, Dine, Buy Local in Kailua Village

A resourceful Kokua Kailua campaign has been created to encourage residents to enjoy the offerings found within Kailua Village. Sponsored by the Kailua Village Business Improvement District, the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, Destination Kona Coast and the Kailua Village Merchants Association, Kokua Kailua is designed to rally support for merchants and restaurants affected by the economic downturn and to remind residents to shop, dine and buy local.

Offering a series of monthly celebrations with musicians, artists and merchants, Kokua Kailua is working in conjunction with the successful Hulihee Palace concerts. For each monthly Hulihee Palace Concert & Village Stroll event, Ali`i Drive will be turned into a pedestrian mall from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Concert attendees are encouraged to stay for an after-concert Village Stroll. Musicians and artists will take to the street in a fun, festive, family event where residents can listen to music, experience creativity at art demonstrations, shop for special items and dine at nearby restaurants.

While you’re in Kailua Village, come to the Hulihe`e Palace Sunday Concert Series, featuring free Hawaiian music concerts featuring local musicians and artists on the Hulihe`e Palace south lawn at 4:00 p.m. the following Sundays:

September 21
October 19
November 16
December 21

For your comfort, bring your own beach mat or chair.

After the concert, take a stroll through Kailua Village and enjoy our outdoor cafés and restaurants, with special kama`aina pricing at participating restaurants and merchants.

For more information contact Marie Aguilar at 334-0562 or Inde Coggin at 329-9694.

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County Info Meetings on Housing Programs to Boost Home Ownership

The County of Hawaii – Office of Housing and Community Development will be holding informational meetings for the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program and Homeownership Option Program (HOP).

The FSS program is a voluntary, employment based program which helps Section 8 families obtain the skills they need to achieve financial independence. Support is offered to participating families through local agencies, case management, education, job training, newsletters, workshops, support meetings and other appropriate services.

A key benefit is that an escrow savings account may be established for the family.

The HOP allows first time homeowners to use their Section 8 rental subsidy to meet their monthly homeownership expenses. Participants must meet certain eligibility requirements.

You must call 959-7476 (Glen Shigehara) to reserve a space.

If there is insufficient participation, times may be cancelled or combined.

The meetings are scheduled for:

WHEN: Tuesday, October 7, 2008. Sessions are at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Pahoa Community Center.

WHEN: Thursday, October 16, 2008. Sessions are at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: 1990 Kinoole Street, Ste. 104, Hilo.

WHEN: Monday, October 20, 2008. Sessions are at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: 1990 Kinoole Street, Ste. 104, Hilo.

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County Seeks Applicants for Two Vacancies on Ethics Board

The County of Hawai`i is seeking applicants for two immediate vacancies on the Board of Ethics. The Board has a total of five at-large members (not pegged to Council districts), so anyone can apply.

The Board of Ethics is one of the major boards in our County, vested with tremendous responsibility.

Interested applicants can complete and submit the "Application for Hawai`i County Boards and Commissions" found at the following web site: http://co.hawaii.hi.us/mayor/boards_&_commissions.htm

You may also pick up an application at the Mayor’s Office at 891 Ululani Street, Hilo 96720 or the Kona mayor’s office at Hanama Place, 75-5706 Kuakini Hwy, Suite 103, Kailua-Kona 96750. Applications may also be found on line at www.hawaii-county.com , after clicking on the board/commission link.

Upon completing the application, you may drop off or mail the application to either of the above addresses or to Lincoln Ashida, Corporation Counsel at Hilo Lagoon Centre, 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Hilo 96720. Phone: (808) 961-8304, extension 118, or via email at Lashida@co.hawaii.hi.us .

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Brochure on Emissions from Kilauea Volcano Available Online

An updated version of the County’s brochure on Emissions from Kilauea Volcano, dated April 2008, is now available online. It was emailed to all County Newsletter subscribers earlier this week.

The link to the brochure, which gives a brief summary of hazards and protective measures regarding sulfur dioxide (SO2) and volcanic ash emissions can be found on the lava information webpage at www.lavainfo.us . Scroll down and click on Emissions from Kilauea Volcano Brochure.

The brochure gives color-coded levels of sulfur dioxide conditions, ranging from green (trace) to purple (extreme), with recommended responses accordingly.

The volcanic conditions are being closely monitored and if any changes occur that might affect your safety, you will be informed. For further information, please call Hawai`i County Civil Defense at 935-0031 or visit the Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory’s eruption updates online, please click on http://lavainfo.us/ .

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Kalapana Safe Viewing Program Has Daily Telephone Hotline Updates

Hawai`i County Civil Defense has set up a new telephone hotline to provide daily updates on viewing at the Kalapana Safe Viewing site.

The lava hotline phone number is 961-8093, which lets you know the lava viewing hours for the day ahead. The lava hotline automated message is updated every day at 10 a.m.

The Kalapana Safe Viewing program at the volcanic eruption site is a wonderful natural attraction, and the County Civil Defense Agency wants all visitors to enjoy the experience in safety and comfort.

With that in mind, we encourage visitors to prepare not only for sunny days at the lava viewing sight but also for rain. Please note that there are no shelters at the site in case of rain.

For your comfort and convenience, please prepare for rain keeping in mind any trip hazard:

· An umbrella and/or

· Windbreaker or raincoat

Visitors are also strongly advised to take the following gear for both safety and comfort:

· Bottled water (2-3 quarts or liters per person)

· Sturdy closed boots or shoes and socks

· Flashlight (1 per person) and fresh batteries

· Long pants

· Sun hat and sunscreen

· Binoculars (optional)

Visitors are allowed entry to the viewing area every day from 2 p.m., with the last vehicles admitted at 8:00 p.m. This will allow officials to ensure that everybody is out of the area by 10 p.m. The viewing area is closed between 10 pm and 2 pm. This schedule is subject to change; hazardous conditions may require changes to the schedule or closure.

Visitors are reminded to obey all the warning signs and stay within the allowed areas to ensure their safety. The newly formed lava and black sand beach are extremely unstable, and can collapse into the ocean at any time. Visitors must stay well away from the volcanic steam clouds which contain hydrochloric acid and glass particles.

Please note: There is no cell phone coverage in the viewing area.

We ask that visitors show the greatest courtesy and respect to the local residents and property owners. Please remember never to go off the road or trail, and please dispose of all trash in the garbage cans provided. Guide/interpreters will be on hand in the viewing area to provide information and assistance. For more information, please call Civil Defense at 935-0031.

For the Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory’s eruption updates online, please click on http://lavainfo.us/ .

The Big Island Visitors Bureau has created a new section of its website with all of the information we've been trying to get out to the public. Click on http://www.bigisland.org/parks/939/volcano-eruption-update .

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Talk Story Meetings on Queen Ka`ahumanu Hwy Project - Update

The public is cordially invited to a twice-monthly update on the Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway widening project every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 7:30 a.m. at the Kona Mayor’s West Hawai`i Office conference room at Hanama Place. Light refreshments will be served.

WHEN: 7:30 a.m. Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.

WHERE: Kona Mayor’s West Hawai`i Office conference room, Hanama Place.

Phase 1 of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway Widening involves widening the existing two-lane highway to four-lanes with a median divider from Henry Street to Kealakehe Parkway. The widened highway will alleviate traffic congestion and improve traffic circulation through Kona. The project started July 2005 and is planned for completion in December 2008.

Here's the latest schedule through September 2008:

· Opening of Makala Boulevard Right Turn Lane Into Kona Commons Direction - by Sept. 1, 2008.

· Opening of Eho Street Intersection (Right In Only) - by Sept. 1, 2008.

· Completion of Kealakehe Parkway Intersection - by Sept. 10, 2008.

· Completion of Police Station Intersection - by Sept. 15, 2008.

· Completion of Makala Boulevard Intersection - by Sept. 24, 2008.

· Temporary Closure of Kaiwi Street Intersection - Two-week temporary closure for completion of this intersection to start at the end of September 2008.

The meeting place is accessible for persons with disabilities. Persons who need special accommodations for this meeting should call 329-5226.

For more information, please contact Mr. Sterling Chow, HDOT Construction Engineer, at 933-8866 or Mr. Dennis Lee, M&E Pacific Resident Engineer, at 326-2035.

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Water Conservation Notice in Hakalau, Wailea Areas

Due to repairs of the Hakalau Iki Spring Source, the Department of Water Supply urges consumers entire Hakalau and Wailea Areas of South Hilo to conserve water while the repairs are being made. Water Conservation Notice is a voluntary action to reduce water usage by 10%.

For customers in the affected area of the Water Conservation Notice, a list of ways to reach the 10% reduction goal is provided:

· 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.

Should you have questions or concerns, please contact Elaine Chiu of the Department of Water Supply at 961-8790.

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Federal Govt Assistance for Consumers to Convert to Digital TV

The following information comes from Mary Lou Kenny, the Partnership Manager for the TV Converter Box Coupon Program being managed by the US Department of Commerce/National Telecommunications & Information Administration.

After February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations will broadcast only in digital. More than 20 million households have a television set receiving over-the-air (analog) signals. About 13.5 million of these households rely on over-the-air broadcast to receive their TV programs while another 9 million households have cable and satellite service but also have at least one broadcast-only television set in the house.

Why is the digital transition happening?