April 1, 2005

Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease

There are approximately 27,000 seniors in Hawaii who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and there are about 4.5 million Alzheimer’s patients in the United States.

It is heartbreaking to watch a loved one battle Alzheimer’s disease. It is hard to accept that an otherwise healthy-looking individual can no longer perform even the most routine daily activities, such as feeding themselves, bathing, grooming and using the toilet.

The enormous job of caregiving for an Alzheimer’s patient often falls to family members, and so it is important to have some basic information on this disease.

Dementia is a loss of mental function in two or more areas such as language, memory, visual and spatial abilities, or loss of judgment severe enough to interfere with daily life. Dementia itself is not a disease but a set of symptoms that accompanies certain diseases or physical conditions.

There are two types of dementia. They are:

• Reversible
• Irreversible

1. Depression
2. Medication interactions
3. Normal-Pressure hydrocephalus
4. Vitamin B-2 deficiency
5. Infections
6. Hormonal imbalance
7. Malnutrition

Causes of Irreversible Dementia

1. Multi-Infarct Dementia
2. Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease
3. Pick’s Disease
4. Parkinson’s Disease
5. Lewy body disease
6. Huntington’s disease
7. Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is named after German neurologist Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who identified it. In 1907, he examined the brain of a 51-year-old woman who died after years of progressive dementia. Her brain tissue showed abnormal clumps (known as plaques) and irregular knots(known as tangles) of brain cells.

Today, these plaques and tangles are considered the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. In the years since Dr. Alzheimer’s discovery, researchers have learned much more about how these structures form. However, they do not know exactly what role each structure plays in the loss of brain cells.

Alzheimer’s disease is a disorder that destroys cells in the brain. The disease is a leading cause of dementia, a condition that involves gradual memory loss, decline in the ability to perform routine tasks, disorientation, difficulty in learning, loss of language skills, impairment of judgment and personality changes.

As the disease progresses, people with Alzheimer’s become unable to care for themselves.

The loss of brain cells eventually leads to the failure of other systems in the body. The rate of progression of Alzheimer’s varies from person to person.

The time from the onset of symptoms until death ranges from three years to 20 years. The average duration is about 8 years. Chemicals called neurotransmitters help these signals flow seamlessly between neurons. Initially in people with Alzheimer’s, neurons in certain locations of the brain begin to die. As they die, lower levels of neurotransmitters are produced, creating signaling problems in the brain.

The causes of Alzheimer’s aren’t well understood. Researchers have found that people with Alzheimer’s disease have brain cells that become damaged and die for unknown reasons.

A healthy brain has about 100 billion nerve cells known as neurons. Neurons generate electrical and chemical signals that area relayed from neuron to neuron to help you think, remember, and feel. Researchers continue to study these abnormal structures "plaques" and "tangles" to better understand why brain cells slowly die in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Plaques are made up of a normally harmless protein called "beta amyloid" or "amyloid beta". It is believed that deposits of plaque form between neurons early on in the Alzheimer’s disease process, before neurons begin to die and symptoms develop.

Although the actual cause of neuron death in Alzheimer’s is not known, there is increasing evidence to suggest that a form of beta amyloid protein may be the culprit. There are 3 genetic mutations of amyloid protein. These mutations result in the production of "amyloid plaques".

The internal support structure for brain neurons depends on the normal functioning of protein called tau. Researchers found that in people with Alzheimer’s, threads of tau protein undergo alterations that cause them to be twisted, thus the name "tangles." Many researchers believe this may seriously damage neurons, causing them to die.

Many areas of the brain deteriorate as Alzheimer’s disease progresses. As brain cells die, connections between cells are destroyed, and symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, and problems with thinking and reasoning appear and get worse.

There are only two conclusive ways to diagnose the disease. One is through biopsy, the removal of a piece of the patient’s brain which is then analyzed. This is invasive and dangerous.

The other way to diagnose Alzheimer’s is by performing an autopsy after a patient has died.

Doctors have to play "detective" to determine if an individual has Alzheimer’s disease or not. Here are some of the tools doctors use:

• Medical and psychiatric history
• Neurological and physical exam, which may include brain-imaging techniques such as CT scan, MRI, or PET scan
• Laboratory tests (of blood and urine)
• Evaluation of the patient’s ability to perform common daily activities, such as balancing a checkbook or taking medications
• Mental status examination to measure the patient’s thinking and memory
• A family caregiver interview regarding past and current symptoms
• Cataloguing of all medications being used

Alzheimer’s patients go through several stages of the disease. There are three major stages.

A person can be in this stage for 2 to 4 years, or longer.

• Has problems remembering recent events. Forgets location of keys, coats or putting objects in weird places. (Example: a hot iron in the refrigerator).
• Begins having trouble concentrating. Takes longer with routine chores.
• Has trouble finding and thinking of the right word for common items such as phone.
• Begins to exhibit new behavior patterns.
• Has difficulty learning new activities

A person can be in this stage for approximately 2 to 12 years.

• Short-term memory loss becomes more severe. Forgets more quickly than during Stage 1.
• Has trouble thinking clearly. Cannot understand, concentrate or make plans.
• Has confusion about time and place. Patient cannot remember where he/she is. Confuses day and night, or gets up at night thinking it is morning.
• May wander outside and gets lost quickly.
• Has problems with speaking. Cannot put words together in a complete sentence. Poor judgment.

A person can be in this stage for one or more years.

• The ability to speak clearly and make verbal sense is gone. May be completely unable to talk.
• Caregiving may be needed all the time, 24-hours a day.
• May put things into his/her mouth and want to touch everything.
• May groan, yell, or make grunting sounds.
• The condition eventuates in death, generally brought about by an illness such as pneumonia, heart attack or stroke.

Alzheimer’s is a complex disease that is probably caused by a variety of factors. Although these factors may never be completely known, scientists have identified several risk factors that may increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

The risk factors include:

1. Age: Alzheimer’s usually affects people older than 65, but can, rarely, affect those younger than 40. The average age at diagnosis is about 80. Only 1-2 people in 100 have Alzheimer’s at 65, but that risk increases to about one in five by 80. By age 90, half of all people have symptoms. Women are more likely than men to develop the disease, in part because they live longer.
2. Heredity: A person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s appears to be slightly higher if a first-degree relative such as a parent, sister or brother has the disease.
3. Environment: Researchers are studying environmental factors to discover both the possible causes and the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
4. Degree of mental ability: Some studies have suggested that low educational level may increase a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Other studies have shown that remaining mentally active throughout your life, especially in your later years, reduces risk.
5. Head injury: The observation that some ex-boxers eventually develop dementia leads to the question of whether serious traumatic injury to the head may be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s.
6. Others: A number of studies suggest a positive correlation between Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Depression also has been identified as a possible risk factor.
7. Hormone replacement therapy: Findings published in the May 23, 2003 Journal of the American Medical Association indicate that women using combination hormone therapy-estrogen plus progesterone double their risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, irreversible neurological disorder that affects approximately 4.5 million adults in the United States.

A Gallup poll commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Association found that 1 in 10 Americans said that they had a family member with Alzheimer’s disease and 1 in 3 knew someone with the disease.

One in 10 individuals over 65 and nearly half over 85 suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

Rare inherited forms of Alzheimer’s disease can strike individuals as early as their 30s and 40s.

A person with Alzheimer’s disease will live an average of 8 years and up to as many as 20 years from the onset of symptoms.

The average lifetime cost of care per patient with Alzheimer’s disease is conservatively estimated at $170,000. It is considered as the third most expensive disease in America, after heart disease and cancer.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to providing information and support for both families/caregivers and patients. For more information, contact the Island of Hawaii Alzheimer’s Association office: c/o Life Care Center, 944 W. Kawailani St., Hilo. Phone: 981-2111.

The Alzheimer’s Association’s toll-free number is 1-800-272-3900. The main office of the Alzheimer’s Association, Aloha Chapter is located at Ward Warehouse, 1050 Ala Moana Blvd. D15, Honolulu, HI. 96814.

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The Office of Housing and Community Development announces that its Existing Housing Division, which administers the Section 8 Program, will be relocating to its new office at 1990 Kino`ole Street (formerly the Kino`ole Food Fair).

The division will be closed from March 16 to March 18, 2005 during the move, and will reopen for business at its Kino`ole location on Monday, March 21, 2005.

The new location will be a one-stop center for an array of social services. The Existing Housing Division will join State of Hawai`i Workforce Development Division, the Unemployment Insurance Division, and the Department of Human Services Central and South Units under one roof.

Please update your records to note the new mailing address and contact information:

For further information, call 959-4642.

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The Office of Housing and Community Development announces training sessions on Fair Housing practices. These training sessions are designed to increase knowledge of

General Federal & State Fair Housing Law

Advanced Fair Housing

Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2005
Location: King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel
Kamakahonu Ballroom, Room ‘Elua (2)

Times: General Training
8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
(8:00 a.m. – Registration)

Advanced Training
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
(12:30 p.m. – Registration)

$2 for validated parking. Reservations required, as seating is limited. Registration form for Kona session due March 30, 2005.

Date: Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Location: Hawai`i Naniloa Resort, Crown Room

Times: General Training
8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
(8:00 a.m. – Registration)

Advanced Training
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
(12:30 p.m. – Registration)

No Charge. Reservations required, as seating is limited. Registration form for Hilo session due March 30, 2005.

Training sponsored and provided by:

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Hawai`i Civil Rights Commission
• State's Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawai`i
• County of Hawai`i Office of Housing and Community Development

To register, please contact Jeremy McComber at the Office of Housing and Community Development at 961-8379.

This workshop is accessible for persons with disabilities. To request an auxiliary aid or service (e.g. sign language interpreter), contact Jeremy McComber (County of Hawai`i Fair Housing Officer) at 961-8379 (V/TT) no later than March 24, 2005.

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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.**

1^st Saturday: Hawi, Kohala High School; Waikoloa, Waikoloa Elem. School

2^nd Saturday: Pahala, Ka’u High & Elementary School;
Na’alehu, Na’alehu Elem. & Inter. School;
Ocean View, South Point U-Cart.

3^rd Saturday: Honoka’a, Honoka’a High School.

4^th Saturday: New Pahoa Market Place (Pahoa Hardware)

Please contact Atlas at 935-9328 or 329-6868 for further information.

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 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 is commenced during the 3^rd week in January of 2005 and will last approximately five (5) months. Work will take 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%. 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 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.

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 at www.co.hawaii.hi.us.

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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COMMUNITIES IN ACTION

Transportation in Puna – Puna Regional Circulation Plan Meetings

The County Planning Department will be holding subregional meetings on the Puna Regional Circulation Plan.

The primary purpose of the meetings is to receive comments on the Draft Report. Topics of discussion will include community values, traffic congestion, Hele-On bus route expansion, implementation of bikeways and pedestrian paths, new roads, and connectivity and expansion of existing roads.

We welcome your participation in this process and look forward to working together to develop transportation solutions for the Puna area.

The Draft Report will be available for review after March 25th at the public libraries in Pahoa, Kea’au, Mountain View and Hilo. A limited number of hard copies will be available and may be reserved on a first-come-first served basis by contacting either Larry or Hilarie (see contact information below).

The report will also be posted on the County's website at: http://co.hawaii.hi.us/info/projects.htm .

The following subregional meetings will be held at a location near you:

Puna/Hilo Commuters
WHEN: Tuesday, April 5th, 2005 at 1 p.m.
WHERE: Aupuni Center (Old Firestone Tire Center on Pauahi Street, Hilo)

Pahoa/Nanawale/Hawaiian Beaches/Leilani Estates
WHEN: Tuesday, April 5th, 2005 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: Nanawale Longhouse, 14-855 Kehau Street

Volcano/Glenwood/Mountain View
WHEN: Wednesday, April 6th, 2005 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: Cooper Center, Wright Road, Volcano

Kea’au/Hawaiian Paradise Park/Kurtistown/Ainaloa
WHEN: Thursday, April 7th, 2005 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: Kea’au Community Center

For more information, contact Hilarie Keehne, Project Manager at Townscape, Inc., the County’s consultant for this project. Phone: (808) 536-6999, ext. 103, email: mail@townscapeinc.com

For special accommodation (sign language, foreign language translation, or accessible parking) contact with at least 3 days notice: Larry Brown, Project Coordinator at County Planning Department at 961-8288 or email lbrown@co.hawaii.hi.us .

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Two Solutions Task Force meetings are scheduled for Monday, April 11, 2005.

At 11a.m. on April 11 the Solutions Traffic Task Force will have a videoconference between the Kona Mayor's Office and the Hilo Prosecutor's Office. The focus is to continuing work on "Speeding" in our Neighborhoods. For additional information contact Lil Beaufrere at 325-0039 or konalil@hawaii.rr.com

At 7 p.m. on April 11 Solutions Animal Control Task Force will be having a working meeting at the Keaau Community Center, 16-186 Pilimua Road. The objective of this meeting will be to work on the Animal Control Ordinance Bill 4 Draft 5 Section 4-12: Fees, Section 4-24: Noisy Dogs and Section 4-30: Stray Dogs.

All community members, hunters, breeders, dog kennel owners are encouraged to bring solutions for a workable ordinance. To view or copy this ordinance go to website www.solutionsislandhawaii.com . For additional information contact Nancy Zorn at 328-9931 or nzzorn2@kona.net .

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The Hawai`i County Resource Center is administering funds appropriated by the State Legislature for community anti-drug initiatives. These funds were established to address the drug and substance abuse problems affecting our youth, our families and our neighborhoods.

The funds are to be made available to non-501(c)(3) organizations and community-based initiatives that traditionally do not have access to other sources of funding.

Application forms are available at www.healingourisland.com and the County’s Research and Development Office in the County Building at 25 Aupuni Street, Room 109.

For further information, please call Debbie Chang of the Hawai`i County Resource Center at 961-8085. Deadlines for submitting applications are March 15, April 15 and May 15.

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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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Throughout the month of March and until mid-April, the Friends of Downtown Hilo will be conducting a "Road Show" with multiple opportunities for the community to provide feedback.

The Road Show will consist of group presentations and displays set up in public areas with a questionnaire listing the vision ideas that have received the most support to date.

The questionnaire will be inserted in the April 7, 2005 edition of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald and will be an opportunity for the public to pick their favorite vision ideas. The website www.hilo2025.org features these documents and more information.

The public is encouraged to attend presentations and to look for, fill out and return the questionnaire.

An implementation team will be developed to assure that the vision ideas selected by the community are put into action. The goal is to begin the implementation process by early fall this year.

For more information contact Susan Gagorik at 961-8288 or Alice Moon at 933-9772.

EnVision Downtown Hilo 2025 – `Ike ia Hilo is the theme for this visioning project. Started about a year ago, the Friends of Downtown Hilo’s visioning project aims to facilitate the building of a community-based vision and living plan for Downtown Hilo, whose boundaries are defined as Hilo Bay, Ponahawai Street, Kapiolani/Kaiulani Street and the Wailuku River.

The Friends of Downtown Hilo is an all-volunteer steering committee that believes that collaboration, building leadership capacity, and providing numerous creative opportunities for community participation and stakeholder involvement are at the heart of building a vision and living plan for Downtown Hilo.

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Have you ever wished that you could pass on just one special lesson to Hawaii’s youth? Or, maybe you already are doing just that, and now you can share your mana’o with others who work with youth in Hawaii.

Mayor Harry Kim will convene a new workshop, "Facilitating Extraordinary Accomplishments in Hawaii’s Youth," on Friday, April 8, 2005, at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.

The character and values education workshop is organized by Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Big Island and the Volunteer Resource Center of Hawaii with support from Shinnyo-En Foundation, Na Lei Aloha Foundation, and the County of Hawaii.

The purpose of the workshop is to create and facilitate a broad and excellent opportunity for leaders who make funding, personnel, and program decisions in education and youth activities to come together to hear success stories and to design their own enhancing plans to facilitate extraordinary accomplishments in Hawaii’s youth.

A number of outstanding individuals will offer excellent examples from which we can build our own models for strong community citizenship. They include Jim Thompson, founder and executive director of Positive Coaching Alliance, along with Dr. Earl Bakken, co-founder and chairman emeritus of Medtronic, Inc. and president of Five Mountains Hawaii; Dr. Harumitsu Inouye, executive director of Shinnyo-En Foundation; Dr. Art-Ong Jumsai, director of the Institute for Sathya Sai Education; and Dr. Rose Tseng, chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo. They will be sharing their life stories.

Please mail your reservation form to:
County Recreation Division
799 Piilani Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Include a check made payable to "PCA Big Island" for the $10.00 per person conference fee.

PCA Big Island offers research-based training workshops for youth sports organization leaders, coaches, officials, parents and families. The workshops educate adults about positive coaching tools that help them coach for wins and for positive life lessons at the same time.

The PCA Big Island believes that all children on the Big Island of Hawaii deserve to play in an environment where they look forward to practices and game as times when they will have fun, and where the joy they find in playing will last a lifetime.

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The Kona Outdoor Circle, a local non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of our natural resources and active in Kona since1948, is offering a $1,000 scholarship for the 2005–2006 academic year.

Applicants must be residents of West Hawaii (North Kohala to Ka`u) who are full-time students attending an accredited two- or four-year college or university anywhere in the United States.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate academic achievement (with at least 2.7 GPA) and financial need.

Applicants must plan to enroll or be enrolled in a program in horticulture, landscaping, environmental studies, forestry, agriculture or other fields directly related to the goals of the Kona Outdoor Circle, to keep Kona clean, green and beautiful.

Kona Outdoor Circle accomplishes these goals through public area plantings, education programs and public advocacy.

The application deadline is April 30, 2005. Applicants must complete a written application, submit their most recent high school or college transcript, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Student Aid Report, and two letters of recommendation.

Applications are available at all high schools in West Hawaii; University of Hawaii Financial Aid Offices; the Educational Talent Search Program at the University of Hawaii Center, West Hawaii; the Kona Outdoor Circle office at the intersection of Kuakini and Queen Ka`ahumanu Highways. Applications are also available on-line at the KOC website, www.konaoutdoorcircle.org , click on Education.

For more information, call the Kona Outdoor Circle at 329-7286 or Maiden Temple at 325-6775.

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Kona Outdoor Circle is offering a full scholarship for its Master Gardener Certification Program, in cooperation with the University of Hawaii.

The scholarship is for $225, which enables the recipient to complete the three series of classes offered annually. Participation in the three series of classes and passing the tests at the end of each series is required, along with volunteer hours, to complete the requirements for certification as a Master Gardener.

The application deadline is April 8, 2005.

The scholarship commemorates the late Julie Ellison, whose great love was landscape design which she taught herself while working at nurseries and on grounds crews.

She owned and operated her own landscape design business, The Art of Gardens, and was a two-time winner of Kona Outdoor Circle’s Beautification Awards. Sunset Magazine also featured her design work.

Following her death in 2002, donations were made in Julie’s memory to the Kona Outdoor Circle and the Julie M. Ellison Fund was established. This Fund is used to provide scholarships for individuals participating in the Master Gardener Certification Program.

To be eligible for the scholarship, the applicant must be accepted into the Master Gardener Certification Program and state his or her intention to complete the certification process. Students who have already completed one or two series of classes are eligible, as well as new students in the program. The application form for the Spring 2005 scholarship is available online at konaoutdoorcircle.org.

For further information or to request an application form, call Kona Outdoor Circle at 329-7286.

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A free public lecture is scheduled for both Kona and Hilo and sponsored by Hawaii Community College and its UH Center, West Hawai'i. The HAWAI'I NOW Lecture series presents the topic Eruptions and Earthquakes in Hawai'i nei. Jim Kauahikaua, Scientist-in-Charge at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory will be the featured speaker.

The focus of the talk will be volcano hazards with a discussion of earthquakes and tsunamis. The Hawaiian islands are volcanoes, nice enough to stick out of the ocean so we can live on them. Many are still active - on Hawai'i island, Kilauea volcano is currently erupting and Mauna Loa is growing restless. There are natural hazards associated with this island lifestyle and residents should be aware of them. We have frequent eruption, earthquakes, and even some tsunamis.

In Hilo the seminar will be at Hawaii Community College Cafeteria on the Manono Campus, Thursday April 21, 2005 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Seating is limited to 125.

In Kona, the seminar will be at the Kealakehe High School Cafeteria, Wednesday, April 27, 2005 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

For more information, please contact UH Center, West Hawai`i at 322-4850.

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(All project schedules based on weather permitting.)

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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