The following two articles were contributed by Chris Loos, Public Relations Specialist for the Hawai`i County Police Department.

Hilo High School’s quarterback, Vance Louie, was one of three Viking athletes who gave out rewards at a DUI checkpoint over the Memorial Day weekend.

Louie, Cade Uyetake and Zack Tomlinson joined the Hawaii Police Department’s traffic enforcement unit at a roadblock on Banyan Drive for an hour and a half on Saturday, May 27.

At the checkpoint, which started at 3 p.m., police stopped a cross-section of drivers which included tourists, beach goers and taxi drivers, said Jackie Murai, traffic safety coordinator in the Police Department’s Traffic Services section. "Every vehicle that came through was stopped," she said.

Students Observe DUI Screening, Seatbelt Use

As the students watched, police did their standard drunken driving screening and, fortunately, found no one driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They did cite some of the drivers for other violations, such as driving without a seatbelt.

After the police finished their screening, the students’ work began.

"They rewarded the sober drivers with a bottle of Evian water, which was donated by Southern Wine and Spirits," Murai said. "The drivers were very appreciative."

Pilot Project for the Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Awareness Program

The three athletes participated as a pilot project for the DAT (drug, alcohol, tobacco) awareness program, which is in 10 high schools on the island in collaboration with the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, better known as BIIF.

The program consists of DAT students giving talks to children in feeder elementary schools about alcohol, drugs and tobacco and warning them about the consequences of abuse, underage use and impaired driving.

The Department of Liquor Control, which coordinated the Memorial Day weekend exercise, hopes to expand the program into other schools.

The Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco program is a partnership between the County’s Department of Liquor control and the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, and involves public high school athletes teaching elementary school students about making the right choices to avoid the tragic consequences of underage alcohol and drug use, including impaired driving.

"I think it worked out really well because it really raised awareness," Murai said. "I think it also educated the athletes in understanding the police officers’ important role in preventing impaired driving."

For further information, please contact the Police Department at 961-8875 or the Department of Liquor Control at 961-8218.

The Hawaii Police Department sponsored the annual Police Blood Drive on May 24, 2006 at the department’s training room in South Hilo.

Donors from Adult Probation, Family Court Probation, Kulani Correctional Facility, Hawaii Intake Service Center, Hawaii Community Correctional Center, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Office of the Corporation Counsel, Civil Defense Agency, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Public works and Fire Department participated in this year’s drive, which was also open to the public.

The Blood Bank of Hawaii was delighted to announce that it drew 117 pints of blood, exceeding its 100-pint goal.

Bloodmobile staff members were thankful for the Department’s cooperation and willingness to host the Blood Drive. They were pleased at how smoothly the event went and appreciated the donated refreshments.

Best Tasting Food Contest

Once again, the Best Tasting Food Contest, efficiently coordinated by Elena Kawazoe and Joyce Unoki, made the drive fun. The judges this year were Pudding Lassiter, chairwoman of the Police Commission; Officer John "Masa" Pagay, community police officer; retired police Captain Francis "Rico" Rodillas; retired police Major Roland "Ochi" Pacheco; Dixie Kaetsu, Managing Director and retired Police Major David Kawauchi. Assistant Chief Elroy Osorio awarded the prizes. Kudos to the judges for taking time out of their busy schedules.

Look forward to a recipe book from the event

Due to the number of requests for recipes, the committee plans to produce a recipe book with prize-winning recipes from donated refreshments from this and previous Blood Drives.

Mahalo to the donors and organizers

The Police Department and Blood Drive Committee extend their appreciation to the blood donors for giving the "gift of life" and to all participants who contributed in any way to make this Blood Drive a success.

The Blood Drive Committee consisted of Elena Kawazoe of South Hilo Patrol; Joyce Unoki of Finance; Detective Melvin Yamamoto of Criminal Intelligence Unit/Internal Affairs; Arlene Young of Records and Identification, Sandra Tokeshi of the Computer Center and Amy Miyao, Captain Jay Enanoria, Acting Sergeant Michael Riviera, Officer Alan Kimura, Nancy Martinez and Joy Hatayama of the Administrative services Division.

Special mahalo to our senior volunteers

Volunteers from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), who are always eager to offer their services, were again present to help the committee replenish and provide donors with food. Volunteering this year were Helen Matsui, Lei Tsuji, Emma Souza, Norma Samson, Arlene Yonamine and Rudy Serain.

(To view a PDF version of the Draft Environmental Assessment, go to www.co.hawaii.hi.us  , click on Departments, then click on Environmental Management and scroll down to the link to Miloli`i Transfer Station Environmental Assessment Draft.)

The Hawaii County Department of Environmental Management anticipates a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) determination for the Draft Environmental Assessment regarding the Miloli`i Transfer Station.

The Miloli`i transfer station consists of a single 20-foot drop box with a wood-frame stair and deck. It was put into service to mitigate open dumping in the area and to provide a convenient and healthful service to local residents. It has been in operation for over 20 years, though without all the necessary permits or land-use authorization.

Miloli`i Transfer Station – the facility itself

The facility is operated by the County through a private contract to serve the disposal needs of the roughly 700 residents of the community of Miloli`i.

The transfer station property is owned by the State and located in a Conservation District and the Special Management Area. This after-the-fact Environmental Assessment (EA) is prepared for the purpose of obtaining permits to bring the facility into compliance with existing State and County of Hawai`i regulations.

Proposal is to continue operations in situ until replacement is made available by the County

The proposed action is to continue to operate the facility in its current location until a replacement facility can be made available. Alternatives to the proposed action are the No Action alternative, which would be to immediately close the transfer station, or to move the existing facility to an alternate location.

The No Action alternative is rejected because of probable environmental impacts.

No solid waste disposal alternatives would be available within 15 miles if the Miloli`i transfer station were closed immediately.

Few alternative sites in the area

An alternate location would not be ready for operation during the period before selection of a mauka site that would replace Miloli`i altogether. There are few alternative locations in the community and those may create additional impacts that are not currently associated with the existing location.

Addressing compliance issues

Land-use restrictions on the existing location require that Conservation District Use Permit (CDUP) and a Special Management Area Permit be obtained.

For this reason the location is not in compliance with State of Hawai`i land-use plans or County zoning ordinances. A Solid waste management permit will also be required.

Weighing the pros and cons of existing facility

Despite these restrictions the existing facility is found to have only minor and temporary impacts to the environment and quality of life in Miloli`i. These impacts are far outweighed by the opportunity to dispose of residential waste in a safe, convenient and environmentally sound manner.

For further information, please contact the Department of Environmental Management at 961-8083.

The biennial household hazardous waste collection drives for Kona is scheduled as follows:

Saturday June 10: in Kona at the Kailua-Kona (Kealakehe) Transfer Station.

Hours of collection are from 7:30 am - 2:30 pm.

Residents can drop off used motor oil, all types of batteries, corrosives, mercury thermometers, paints and stains, garden supplies, poisons, outdated or unused medications (no controlled substances, please) and miscellaneous household products.

Not accepted are: industrial waste, explosives, biological or infectious waste, radioactive materials (including smoke alarms), fire extinguishers, detergents and non-hazardous materials.

For more information, please contact your County Recycling Specialist at 961-8554.

Please join Hawai`i County Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira for a community update on the Fire Department’s activities and projects in West Hawai`i on:

Wednesday, June 14, 2006, 9:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Liquor Control Conference Room, Kona Center Building

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

The public is also welcome to attend the Hawai`i County Fire Commission meeting beginning at 10:00 at the same venue.

The "How Do We Grow?" Part 2 Charrette marks the third phase of the Hawaii County Planning Department’s efforts to involve the community in building a vision for the future of Kona. The results of this input will be used in the creation of the Kona Community Development Plan.

The first phase consisted of more than 100 small community meetings held from October through January, serving to get input from residents regarding their priorities for the future of Kona.

The second phase was a public workshop held on February 18^th at the Sheraton Keauhou Resort and Spa titled: "Mapping the Future". Over three hundred people participated in this event.

The "How Do We Grow?" Part II Charrette is a three-day session to be held at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort, Kahaluu Ballroom on June 20 – 22, 2006.

On the first day (Tuesday, June 20, 2006) there will be an evening public meeting from 6:00 – 9:00 pm, consisting of a summary of How Do We Grow Part 1 Charrette, followed by an interactive session. The presentation will introduce growth scenarios and preferred development patterns derived from the "Mapping the Future" Workshop held in February and How Do We Grow Part 1 Charrette in March.

On the second day (Wednesday, June 21), there will be an "Open House" 6:00 – 8:00 pm for the public to see how the consultants have integrated the ideas from the evening before and to articulate their preferences. The charrette process will continue through day three as the consultants review and refine the alternative development scenarios based on what they heard from the community.

The community is encouraged to attend and provide feed back into the process.

The Kona Community Development Plan is a pilot project made possible by the adoption of the County General Plan in February 2005.

For the 6/20 public meeting and/or the 6/22 public meeting, please RSVP by phoning (808) 326-7269 or by emailing: tfukuda@wilsonokamoto.com . No RSVP is needed for the "Open House" on 6/21.

If you have any questions, please call the Kona CDP Hotline at 808-326-7269 or email kona@hawaiiislandplan.com . More information about the plan can be found online at http://www.hawaiiislandplan.com .

Due to the scheduled repair of the Olaa #3 Well in Keaau from June 19 through June 30, the following areas will experience a water shortage, and water conservation is requested of all residents in the following towns in Upper Puna: Kea`au, Kurtistown, and Mountain View.

The affected area extends from Shipman Industrial Park, along Highway 11 (Volcano Highway), including all side streets and subdivisions, to Glenwood Subdivision. The Keaau-Pahoa affected area extends from Keaau, along Highway 130 (Keaau-Pahoa Road) including all side streets and subdivisions, to Makuu Farm Lots.

The Department of Water Supply is asking the Upper Puna community to conserve water, and reduce your daily consumption by 10%. Here are some of the ways to conserve water:

• 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.

• Stop lawn sprinkling.

• Stop car and boat washing.

• Use drinking water wisely.

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

For further information, please contact Clyde Young of the Department of Water Supply at 961-8790.

The Hawaii County Resource Center would like to inform our community that the center is now accepting applications for Healing Our Island grants.

The Healing Our Island Community Fund is a mini-grant program that awards grants of up to $2,000 to community groups and grassroots organizations within Hawaii County for projects and events that address drug awareness and education, and drug prevention.

You may download the application by visiting the Healing Our Island website at www.healingourisland.com 

For further information about Healing Our Island or other community grant programs, please contact the Hawaii County Resource Center, Department of Research & Development at 25 Aupuni Street, Room 109, Hilo, HI 96720. Phone: 961-8366. Email: hcrc@co.hawaii.hi.us  .

Thank you for helping to Heal Our Island!

The Environmental Management Commission has a vacancy for a commissioner to represent District 2 in Hilo (Council member Donald Ikeda's district).

Community-minded residents are encouraged to apply for this vacancy.

Members of the Environmental Management Commission advise the Department of Environmental Management on waste reduction strategies, recycling, litter control, community involvement, and other issues related to the functions of the department.

Under the Hawaii County Charter, appointments to the commission are made by the Mayor with Council approval. Commissioners serve 5-year staggered terms.

The commission is made up of nine members, each representing one of the nine Council districts.

To obtain an application, please contact the Office of Information and Complaints, Mayor's Office, Room 217, 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo. Phone: 961-8223 or at the Kona Mayor's Office, Hanama Place, 75-5706 Kuakini Hwy, Kailua-Kona. Phone: 329-5226.

For further information about the Environmental Management Commission, please contact the Department of Environmental Management at 961-8083.

Hawai`i County is currently recruiting a citizen volunteer to serve as commissioner to represent District 8 (Council member Angel Pilago's district) on the Cost of Government Commission.

The Commission serves for a period of 11 months only, and is empaneled one year after the Mayor is elected into office.

Their mission is to study and investigate present operations within the County of Hawai`i, and make recommendations to the Mayor and Hawai`i County Council on how improvements in County government may be made.

For further information, please contact Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida at 961-8251. Completed applications can be dropped off or mailed to Lincoln Ashida at the Office of the Corporation Counsel at the Hilo Lagoon Centre, 101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Hilo, HI 96720.

Application forms may be picked up in Hilo at the Office of Information and Complaints at Room 217, 25 Aupuni Street and in Kona at the Kona Mayor's Office at Hanama Place, Kailua-Kona. You may also find an application form on line at www.co.hawaii.hi.us .

The following is a primer on the State of Hawai`i's beverage container redemption program works, and the location of the County of Hawai’i’s beverage container redemption sites:

Qualifying Beverage Containers:

What’s IN: Eligible (redeemable) beverage containers include: soft drinks, soda, water, juice, tea and coffee drinks, and low alcohol content drinks (beer, malt beverages, wine coolers, mixed spirits) in metal, glass or #1&#2 plastic, 64 oz. or less.

What’s OUT: Ineligible (unredeemable) containers include: milk, wine and liquor containers.

Reminder: ONLY eligible HI5¢ labeled containers can be redeemed.

Please contact Atlas Recycling LLC 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.

Certified redemption centers are now accepting flattened aluminum and plastic HI5¢ beverage containers.

Flattened containers are weighed at redemption sites to determine deposit payment. The public is reminded that reverse vending machines will not accept flattened or crushed containers.

DID YOU KNOW….that the Department of Environmental Management has an information line? Call 961-5044 for HI5¢ redemption, recycling, and other solid waste information. Or visit:

The HI5 legislation, also known as the bottle bill began on January 1, 2005. It is working in many ways big and small. Here’s an example.

From May, 2006 conscientious recyclers can feel twice as good about keeping beverage containers out of the landfill, by taking advantage of a new fundraising program that directs the redemption money to the Hawaii Island United Way.

Through an agreement between Hawaii Island United Way and The Arc of Hilo, which operates nine out of 11 HI-5 redemption centers on the Big Island, residents can now direct their nickel-per-container proceeds to Hawaii Island United Way.

"Every nickel counts, and we are thrilled that The Arc of Hilo has generously agreed to direct HI-5 funds to us from people who want to support the programs and partner agencies of HIUW," said Darla DeVille, president and CPO of the island-wide charitable agency.

The Arc of Hilo Redemption Centers located at the transfer stations in Hilo, Keaau, Waimea, and Kealakehe are open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekends from 8am-4:30pm. Additional sites are open weekends only at the Pahoa, Waiohinu, Puako, Hawi and Keauhou transfer stations.

When dropping off your HI-5 containers, please state that you would like the nickels to benefit Hawaii Island United Way. The Arc of Hilo will issue a check to Hawaii Island United Way once a month.

The Arc of Hilo is a non-profit organization that improves the quality of life for Big Island residents with developmental and other disabilities by providing recreational, vocational and skill training, as well as employment and residential opportunities.

Funds contributed to HIUW help to achieve its mission, which is to unite people, organizations, and resources to build a healthier community. Funds are directed to 39 programs of 30 partner agencies—including The Arc of Hilo--as well as to donor-choice agencies.

For more information, please call 935-6393 or 326-7400 or go to www.HawaiiUnitedWay.org .

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.

By popular demand, the weekly Kuakini Update talk story sessions have resumed.

Join the project engineers and your neighbors at these talk story sessions, which will take place every Tuesday morning at 7:30 at the Mayor's Kona Conference Room at Hanama Place... Coffee and doughnuts provided.

• Various utility relocation work continues.
• Catch basin/drywell, curb ramp and sidewalk construction completed at the Kuakini/Sarona intersection.
• Permanent striping on Kuakini Highway from Palani Road to vicinity of Hanama Place is on-going.
• Utility installation work near the Kuakini end of Sarona Road continues.

Information on project status will be provided via this newsletter, the County website at www.co.hawaii.hi.us and the Mayor's West Hawaii Office at 329-5226.

Mahalo nui loa for your support of this community improvement project.

Hawai`i County … a nice place to live. County of Hawai`i … a great place to work.

Consider employment with the County of Hawai`i because it offers: numerous jobs, great benefits, provides valuable services, diverse culture, a beautiful island – not to mention warm and friendly residents.

Call the County of Hawai`i’s job hotline (808) 961-8618 or visit www.co.hawaii.hi.us  to download an application packet.

Click on employment opportunities to download all of the forms.