June 17, 2005

Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

The County of Hawai`i is working on plans for a one-stop venue for services to the West Hawai`i community, the future West Hawaii Civic Center.

By Governor’s Executive Order 3952, the County of Hawai`i acquired seven acres of land in the Villages of La`i`opua in Kealakehe to use as the site of the West Hawaii Civic Center.

The site is makai of the water tank at the intersection of Kealakehe Parkway and the access road to Kealakehe High School (Keohokalole Highway).

Most County agencies that now have a presence in West Hawai`i will eventually be located at the new civic center. They will include:

• Motor vehicle registration
• Driver’s licensing
• Real property tax
• Planning
• Public Works (Engineering and Building Divisions)
• Office of Aging
• Mayor’s Office
• County Council office
• Liquor Control
• Parks and Recreation

Additionally, there will be a meeting room that can be used for County Council meetings, as well as other County and community meetings.

The State of Hawaii may locate its West Hawaii Offices adjacent to the County's West Hawaii Civic Center. This will make for a single, convenient place for taking care of government business in West Hawai`i.

The facility will be constructed in phases, so the different services may be available at different times.

Currently, the project is in the preliminary stage, with community input being incorporated into the plans. The Civic Center will incorporate environmental, design, and energy components appropriate to the ahupua'a.

Construction is slated to take 18 months from groundbreaking, which is scheduled to begin in Spring of 2006.

Urban Works, Inc. (Architecture/Planning Honolulu) will be holding a Visioning Workshop to determine the direction the West Hawaii Civic Center will take as the focal point for the Kailua-Kona community.

At this time the workshop will be by invitation to community associations, County department directors/assistant directors, County Council members and supervisory personnel. The workshop will be held on June 27, 28 and 30, 2005, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on each of these days.

The first two sessions (June 27 and June 28) of the Workshop will be held at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel in Kailua-Kona. The third and final session (June 30) will be held at the Hawaiian Homes Subdivision Community Center on Kealakehe Parkway, above Honokahau Harbor.

For further information, contact Pete Hendricks, Deputy Managing Director, at 329-5682 or Brian Kajikawa of the Building Division at 961-8331.

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The Hawaii Police Department is committed to saving lives on Big Island roads and highways through a combined effort of education and law enforcement.

Speed trailers are wonderful educational tools to remind motorists that speeding is very dangerous behavior.

Speeding leaves no room for error. It takes just a second or two to take your eyes off the road, to have an accident that could cost lives. Road and driving conditions change from day to day, so give yourself enough time to drive to your destination safely.

Costing about $13,000 apiece, speed trailers are extremely mobile and can be parked wherever there is room along the shoulders of the road. They are also highly visible with an 18-inch display that can be seen as far away as 1,000 feet.

A radar unit mounted in the trailer—the same kind that officers use to catch speeders. It detects approaching vehicles and flashes the vehicle's speed in red if it exceeds the posted speed limit.

The trailers have rechargeable batteries and are also powered by a solar panel. They can run intermittently for about four days without completely charging the batteries.

The trailers are purchased with grant funding provided by State of Hawaii Safe Communities Program, which is part of the Safe Highways Project with the State Department of Transportation.

The police department currently has three speed trailers, which are located in Kona, South Kohala and Hilo. The department has received funding to purchase two more trailers, which should be here sometime during the summer. The two new trailers will supplement the west side of the Big Island.

Stopping speeders is critical to keeping our Big Island roads and highways safe.

Last year on the Big Island, there were 37 fatal crashes, resulting in 41 deaths. Twenty out of those 37 crashes involved speeding, and so far this year we’ve had four fatal crashes that were speed-related.

So far this year, Big Island police have issued nearly 4,000 speeding citations islandwide. The fine for speeding is anywhere from $72 to $297. A speeding ticket may even require a mandatory court appearance, depending on the speed and the location where the speeder is caught, such as in a school or construction zone.

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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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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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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.

Electrical box installation is being completed on Likana Lane between Kona Seaside Hotel and Bougainvillea Plaza.

Asphalt paving fronting the Kona Ranch House is planned by end of June 2005, for interim connection from Kuakini Highway to Kopiko Street up Ololi Road.

Meters are being relocated at various locations along the project corridor.

Retaining wall work fronting the old Bubba’s and fronting Kuakini Commerce building on mauka side of Kuakini Highway is underway.

Pressure test has been completed on the new 8 " waterline on the mauka side of Kuakini Highway; we are awaiting results of a chlorination test.

HELCO pole foundation holes are being drilled and foundation bases are being poured on the mauka side of Kuakini Highway. All poles will be located on the mauka side, with service to the makai side underground.

Rock facing installation continues at the County parking lot.

Driveway construction is underway at Cactus Bar and Grill south driveway.

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 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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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 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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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.