The Elections Division is currently seeking individuals who are interested in serving as Election Day Officials for the Primary and General Election.

However, we are experiencing difficulty in staffing precincts islandwide, especially in the districts of:

• North / South Kona
• North / South Kohala
• Ka`u
• Puna
• Hamakua

We are seeking individuals to serve as Precinct Chairpersons, Voter Assistance Officials and Precinct Officials. Please see the attached Fact Sheet on Precinct Officials for information on the qualifications, duties and stipend.

The Elections Division will provide the necessary training.

We are appealing to the citizens in the community to volunteer as Election Day Officials, so that the voters in Hawaii can have a pleasant experience at the polls.

Interested individuals may contact the Elections Division at 959-5126.

Serve as an Election Official – It’s fun and rewarding

Assisting your neighbors and fellow citizens to vote is a fun, challenging and rewarding experience. This is your opportunity to volunteer your services to the community, and at the same time gain first-hand knowledge and experience in the electoral process.

Need a fundraiser?

This is an excellent opportunity for your nonprofit organization. Not only does your organization earn money, you are getting involved and participating in the electoral process. Requirements to participate are:

• Each participant must meet the minimum qualifications.
• Each organization shall not be a political action committee or organized for a political purpose.
• A completed Tax Clearance Application for each organization.
• A signed Memorandum of Agreement for each organization.
• A completed recruitment worksheet for each organization.

When are the elections?

Primary Election: Saturday, September 23, 2006

General Election: Tuesday, November 7, 2006

How long will I be working?

The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., however precinct officials start at 5:30 a.m. and end at 7:00 p.m.

What are the Minimum Qualifications?

Each precinct official must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be 16 years old on or before June 30, 2006.
• Be a registered voter in the State of Hawaii.
• Able to read (i.e., 11 point font) and write English.
• Able to lift 25-35 pounds.
• Attend a training session and pass a certification exam.

Restrictions

No parent, spouse, reciprocal beneficiary as defined in HRS Chapter 572C, child, or sibling of a candidate may serve as a precinct official in any precinct where votes may be cast for the candidate.

No candidate for elective office may serve as a precinct official in the same election in which the person is a candidate.

No candidate who failed to be nominated in the primary or special primary election may serve as a precinct official in the following general election.

What will I be doing?

Each polling place consists of a Chairperson, Voter Assistance Official(s) (VAOs), and Precinct Officials (POs).

• Manages the polling place and is responsible for the security and integrity of ballots issued and votes cast.
• Assists voters and administers special procedures such as spoiled ballots, mail-absentee ballots, voter registration update, curbside voting, language assistance.
• Organizes and supervises precinct officials and voter activity.
• Ensures that all election procedures are correctly followed.
• Receives the Supply Box before each election.
• Maintains inventory and control of all election materials.
• Completes all Election Day documents correctly.

What are the general qualifications for a Chairperson?

The Chairperson shall be the first named precinct official on the list prepared by the chief election officer.

• May belong to any political party or be nonpartisan.
• Experience in at least two (2) elections is desirable.
• Experience as a Voter Assistance Official is desirable.
• Meets all other minimum qualifications.

• Assists the Chairperson in managing the polling place.
• Operates the Voter Assistance Station.
• Assists voters and administers special procedures such as spoiled ballots, mail-absentee ballots, voter registration update, curbside voting, language assistance.
• Assists the Chairperson in completing all Election Day documents.
• Assists the Chairperson with miscellaneous duties.

• May belong to any political party or be nonpartisan.
• Experience in at least one (1) election is desirable.
• Meets all minimum qualifications.

• Operates the following stations at the polling place:
  

  1. Information and Ballot Demonstration Station

  2. Poll Book Station

  3. Ballot Issuing Station

  4. Ballot Box Station

• Assists voters with Election Day questions.
• Assists the Chairperson and/or Voter Assistance Official (VAO) with miscellaneous duties.

• May belong to any political party or be nonpartisan.
• Meets all minimum qualifications).

• May belong to any political party or be nonpartisan.
• Reports to Election Headquarters on election morning for dispatch to a polling place that requires additional staffing.
• Personal transportation required.
• Responsible for precinct official duties.
• If polling places do not require additional staffing, the Standby Official will still be compensated the full rate.
• Meets all minimum qualifications (please see page 2).

• May belong to any political party or be nonpartisan.
• Stands-by at home on election morning for dispatch to a polling place that requires additional staffing.
• May be contacted prior to Election Day to replace a precinct official that is unable to work.
• Responsible for precinct official duties.
• If the Alternate is contacted and works in a polling place on Election Day, he/she will be compensated at the same rate as a Precinct Official.
• If polling places do not require additional staffing, the Alternate will be compensated $5.
• If the Alternate is contacted to work but declines, he/she will not be compensated.
• Must meet all minimum qualifications.

Note: Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes §11-72, all qualified political parties shall submit names to the Chief Election Officer by a statutory deadline. The recruitment deadline for the 2006 Elections was May 26, 2006, 4:30 p.m.

Precinct officials recruited by their respective political party and submitted to the Office of Elections by the statutory deadline have first priority when being assigned to a specific polling place. You are encouraged to call the political party of your choice to volunteer your services as a precinct official.

In the event that all positions are not filled by the political party recruitment deadline, HRS §11-72 gives the Chief Election Officer the authority to fill the vacancies with any qualified person, without regard to political party affiliation.

Mail outs to the past elections’ precinct officials, public service announcements, and presentations by election staff ensure the required number of precinct officials to fully staff the polling places on Election Day.

How will I know what to do on Election Day?

Everyone is required to attend at least one training session and pass a certification exam. Precinct officials will be instructed in the standard operating procedures for each station within the polling place.

The chairperson of the polling place will assign precinct officials to their workstation. Precinct officials rotate through all the stations during the course of the day and perform additional duties that may be required.

When is training?

Training sessions are held between June and November. The Precinct Operations staff will schedule you to attend a convenient training session in your area.

Where will I work?

State Law requires precinct officials to work in the precinct in which they vote. However, if no vacancy exists within your precinct, you will be placed in a precinct within your district. If no vacancy exists within your district, you will be placed in a neighboring district. The earlier you volunteer to work, the better your chances for working close to home.

Will I be paid?

Yes, the compensation rates for each election worked for the 2006 Elections are:

Chairperson – Rates are based on the unit size of the polling place. The unit size is based on the registered voter count in each precinct.

Voter Assistance Official $ 80

Precinct Official $75

Standby Precinct Official $75

Alternate $5

Every vote counts and so does your help!

Contact the Precinct Operations Section for more information at 1-800-442-VOTE (8683) or 1-800-345-5915, TTY: 808-453-6150.

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The County of Hawaii’s Department of Public Works is hosting a meeting on August 23, 2006 on a new process they will use to complete the La`aloa Extension to Kuakini Highway in Kona. This is the first of a series of meetings.

When: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 from 6 pm -8 pm

Where: Kahakai Elementary School, Royal Poinciana Drive, Kona

The meeting’s focus will be new process called Context Sensitive Solutions that will be used to complete the La'aloa Extension to Kuakini Highway.

According to the Federal Highways Administration’s website, Context Sensitive Solutions are a way of "thinking beyond the pavement" in highway design.

It is described as a "collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting and preserves scenic, aesthetic, historic, and environmental resources, while maintaining safety and mobility," according to the website.

Work with us in the facilitated Context Sensitive Solution process to ensure our communities’ goals are met for the La`aloa Avenue Extension.

For further information, please contact Cheryl Yoshida at cyoshida@ch2m.com , or Deputy Director of Public Works Jiro Sumada at 961-8321 or click on the County of Hawaii website at www.co.hawaii.hi.us . Scroll to Departments. Click on Public Works then click on Communications for a La`aloa Fact Sheet.

If you require special accommodations, auxiliary aid and/or services to participate in this meeting (i.e. sign language interpreter, large print), please call 961-8321.

Is there an old commercial site in your neighborhood that has become an eyesore? Do you know of land that may have been contaminated by commercial use but could be redeveloped and put to better use?

The County of Hawai’i is partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department of Health and the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, in an effort to stimulate redevelopment of commercial sites that are now dormant.

Public informational meetings to discuss the County’s new Brownfields program will be held on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 in the Kamakahonu Ballroom at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel and Wednesday, August 23, 2006 at the Aupuni Conference Room located at 101 Pauahi Street in Hilo. Both meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Residents of Hawai’i are invited to learn about the Brownfields program, find out about funding opportunities, and provide feedback on potential sites.

Brownfield sites are properties that may have the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant that complicates redevelopment of the site. Typical Brownfield sites are closed gas stations, former industrial sites, dry cleaners, railroad yards, or landfills.

Through grant received from the EPA, the County will be conducting environmental studies on two to five sites on Hawai’i to determine the extent of contamination. The County of Hawai’i is seeking public feedback on sites that have strong re-development potential and landowner willingness to participate in this program.

The public is welcome to attend this meeting. There will be time for questions and answers.

For further information, please contact Terin Gloor, Project Coordinator, Solid Waste Division at 961-8058.

The County of Hawai`i’s Aupuni Center has a new display featuring a 10,000-year-old wooly mammoth tusk, on loan from Japan.

The 10-foot tusk is on loan from the family of the late Toshihiko Saiga of Osaka, Japan. It was originally designed to be displayed at the Big Island Country Club golf course at Pu`uanahulu, a course that the late Mr. Saiga developed and subsequently sold.

Up to recently, the display was housed at the University of Hawai`i at Hilo’s Edward Mookini Library. However, due to the upcoming renovation of the library, there was a need for an interim home for the display.

Mayor Harry Kim agreed to display the tusk, which will return to the Saiga family at the end of September.

The display also includes a scale model of a wooly mammoth being attacked by Neanderthal hunters.

The Pleistocene-era tusk itself weighs approximately 152 pounds, and was found in Siberia in what was then the Soviet Union.

The County of Hawai`i Treasury Division’s Motor Vehicle Registration office in Kona has recently moved, effective on July 17, 2006.

Please note that the Motor Vehicle Registration office in Kona is now located at the old Territorial Savings and Loan office space on the northeast corner of Kuakini Hwy. and Hualalai Rd. The office address is 75-5751 Kuakini Hwy, Suite 107 in the Territorial Centre building.

The telephone number remains the same: 327-3543. However, the new fax number is 327-4410.

For further information, please contact Cheryl Ono of the Motor Vehicle Registration office in Kona at 327-3543 or Mike Okumoto, Treasurer at 961-8303.

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The County’s Department of Public Works is seeking comments from the public on a draft environmental assessment for a single-lane gravel road for emergency evacuations from Waikoloa Village.

The proposed road would start at the end of Hulu Street in Waikoloa Village and run makai for 2.13 miles, connecting at the 72-mile marker Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, which is mauka of the Mauna Lani Resort entrance.

The proposed emergency road would be gated and opened only during emergencies, as authorized by the County’s Civil Defense Agency.

More than 5,000 residents in addition to visitors reside in Waikoloa Village and because it is surrounded by dry grass in an area of high wind speeds, it is very vulnerable to brush fires.

In the August 2005 wildfire, 25,000 acres burned, cutting off the mauka portion of Waikoloa Road and severely congesting traffic on the makai portion of Waikoloa Road.

Copies of the Draft Environmental Assessment are available at public libraries.

For an electronic version of the Draft Environmental Assessment go to:

http://co.hawaii.hi.us/info/nh/WaikoEmergRoadDEA.pdf  

Please note: September 7, 2006 is the postmark deadline for original comments. They should be directed to:

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Willocks Construction Company informed the Department of Public Works that road work began the week of July 31, starting with survey lay-out work, mobilization of their heavy equipment, and setting-up their field offices and construction staging area. The installation of construction warning signs, orange safety fencing, and Triton barriers, along the Mamalahoa Highway, will follow later in the mid to late week.

The $2.7 million project will make improvements between Kiloa Road and Captain Cook Road over the next 12 months. These improvements include left turn lanes, sheltered left turn pocket lanes, drywells, Americans with disabilities Act-approved (ADA) ramps and new street lights between Kinue and Captain Cook Roads.

The aim is to improve the flow of traffic for residents living in North and South Kona.

We ask for your patience and that all motorists be aware, courteous, cautious and observe all construction warning signs.

A public meeting on the Captain Cook road Improvements meeting will take place:

When: Tuesday, August 22, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Where: 82-6130 Mamalahoa Highway (in the same complex as the State Office of Taxation, next door to the Police Substation in Captain Cook)

Willocks Construction has installed a 24-hour hotline, providing updates where roadwork is occurring. The hotline is 323-2930. A pre-recorded message provides information where road work is occurring on Mamalahoa Highway in Captain Cook town.

Update:

For the next two weeks, Willocks is working between Manago Hotel and Kealakekua Ranch Center on the mauka side of Mamalahoa Highway. Their work schedule is Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Two lanes remain open to traffic at this time.

For further information, you may contact Willocks Construction Company at 982-9099 or Noelani Whittington, Community Outreach Specialist with the Department of Public Works at 557-6437.

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Beginning July 1, 2006, the Hawai`i County Elections Division began accepting applications for absentee mail ballots for the 2006 Primary and General Elections. The deadline to request an absentee mail ballot for the Primary Election is 4:30 p.m. on September 16, 2006. The deadline to request an absentee mail ballot for the General Election is 4:30 p.m. on October 31, 2006.

Applications for an absentee mail ballot can be obtained from the Elections Division or by downloading it at www.co.hawaii.hi.us/elections .

Absentee Walk-in Voting:

Primary Election Absentee Walk-In Voting begins on September 11 - 21, 2006.

General Election Absentee Walk-In Voting begins on October 24 - November 4, 2006.

Please exercise your right as a U.S. citizen. Register to vote and cast your ballot in the primary and general elections. Your vote counts!

For further information, please contact the Hawai`i County Elections Office at 961-8277.

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Real property tax bills for the first-half installment of taxes due for the 2006-2007 tax year have been mailed to all property owners or their respective agents servicing their accounts. The first-half installment of taxes must be paid on or before MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 2006, or they will be delinquent and subject to penalty and interest charges.

If you are responsible for paying the real property taxes and HAVE NOT RECEIVED your real property tax bill, please call the Real Property Tax Division, County of Hawaii, at 961-8282 for a duplicate bill.

Persons who have recently paid-off their mortgages should also call to insure that tax bills are sent to their attention, rather than to the bank or financial institution.

Please note: Real property tax payments will not be accepted at any bank. For your convenience, please mail in your payment accompanied with your tax bill.

Or, if you have your tax bill, you may use the drop box located outside the Aupuni Center Building in Hilo next to the U.S. Mailbox by the Motor Vehicle Registration Office in Hilo, or the drop box located in our office at Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 4, Hilo, HI. At this time, there is no drop box at the Kona Real Property Tax Division. Your cancelled check will be your receipt.

Property owners are reminded that failure to pay your taxes by the due date because of non-receipt of any tax bill will not excuse you from being assessed a penalty of 10% plus interest of 12% a year. The postmarked date is the date of receipt.

The County of Hawai`i Departments of Planning and Research & Development will hold a public educational workshop to provide basic information about land use regulation and planning that can help citizens participate more fully and effectively in the Puna Community Development planning process. An informed citizen is a more effective citizen.

When: Saturday, August 26 from 10:00 a.m. to Noon

Where: Pahoa High School Cafeteria

The workshop will feature presentations and a question/answer session to examine:

• How is land use in our County regulated?
• What does the County zoning code say and where can I find it?
• Is there such a thing as State "zoning?"
• What is the Special Management Area and what makes it so special?
• How do the County’s General Plan and Community Development Plans shape the long-range use and development of land?
• How does land get rezoned?
• What are Special Permits? Specific examples from the Puna area will be studied.

This introduction to the complexities of the land use regulatory system is being offered to interested communities throughout the island as part of the County’s Community Development Planning initiative.

If you have questions about this workshop, please contact Deborah Chang at the Planning Department at 961-8288, Ext. 254. Email: dchang@co.hawaii.hi.us . Persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations are asked to provide their request by August 21, 2006.

The Kona Crime Prevention Committee is holding an Officer of the Year luncheon on September 13, 2006 from 11:45 a.m. at the Royal Kona Resort Ali'i Surf Room.

Cost for the luncheon is $25.00 for members and $30.00 for non-members.

For reservations please contact Liz Holey at 326-7787.

The purpose of the Kona Crime Prevention Committee is to encourage community involvement in aiding and supporting the Hawaii County Police Department, Kona District, in their efforts to prevent crime, deter potential criminals and enforce the law.

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The County of Hawaii’s Department of Environmental Management is pleased to announce that the improvement work at Waiohinu, Glenwood, Pahoa, and Waiea Transfer Stations is nearly completed.

Among the improvements that residents will notice are new fences and gates. The gates will be closed at night to help deter misuse and abuse of our transfer stations and to promote cleanliness at these facilities.

Note: The following transfer stations are already gated at night:

Hilo, Kea`au, Papaikou, Honoka`a, Puako, Waimea, Kailua-Kona, Keauhou. Hilo Transfer Station closes at 5 p.m., and all of the others close at 6:30 p.m.

Opening hours for transfer stations

The transfer stations are open from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm daily.

Nighttime gate closures will begin July 31.

We request your kokua in maintaining the cleanliness of your transfer stations. In the event that you arrive at the transfer station when the gate is closed, please come back the following day. Your cooperation will help to ensure that your local transfer station remains a practical and convenient means of disposing of your household rubbish.

One step in an overall effort to improve our transfer station operations

This project is one phase of a concerted effort to enhance and repair our transfer stations Island-wide.

The Department of Environmental Management is working with transfer station users to assure that this effort meets the needs of the community.

Please be assured that your questions and concerns are welcome. For further information, please call the Solid Waste Division at 961-8058 or 961-8514.

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The County’s Department of Public Works has announced a NEW work schedule to accommodate school traffic as resurfacing work continues along Mamalahoa Highway in Waimea.

New Work Schedule:

Weekends 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Currently, the Highway Maintenance Division workers are also planning to resurface on Thursday, August 3 and Monday, August 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Resurfacing 5.5 miles of Mamalahoa Highway in Waimea from Kamamalu to Mud Lane and Waimea Elementary School to Lalamilo Farm Lots began June 17, 2006 and was scheduled to end on July 31, 2006. The resurfacing work has been extended until further notice, depending on good weather conditions and a steady supply of asphalt.

Projections for the work figured in a number of days of anticipated rain and delays in asphalt supply. The County work schedule required 20 good working days to complete this project out of the 43 days calculated to pave the stretch of Mamalahoa Highway

By the end of July, County employees had 14 days of good working conditions and adequate supply of asphalt.

To complete the resurfacing, we now need another 14 good days or more and a predictable supply of asphalt, roughly 6,000 tons. The County is currently working to complete resurfacing the westbound lane of Mamalahoa Highway from Mud Lane to Mokuloa subdivision and the eastbound lane from Lindsay subdivision to Mud Lane.

(Resurfacing from Lalamilo Farm Lots to Waimea Elementary School and from Kamamalu Road to Mokuloa is completed.)

After resurfacing, we will re-stripe the highway. These contractors will work around motorists and will avoid peak traffic hours.

Why can’t we pave at night?

A frequently asked question is why can’t we pave at night. We can’t for two important reasons: poor visibility and damp conditions.

For updates, please call our hotline at 887-3004.

For travel time we recommend adding 45 to 60 minutes’ extra travel time to reach your destination. If you are traveling across the island, please consider the Saddle Road as an alternative route.

For more information, please contact Bruce McClure, Director of Department of Public Works at 961-8321 or Noelani Whittington, Community Outreach Specialist at 557-6437.

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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!

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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 Environmental Management Commission will have a vacancy for a commissioner to represent District 3 in Hilo (currently Council member James Arakaki’s district) from January 2007.

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.

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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:

****Check out this new Recycle Hawaii website page for "special event" disposal bins for recyclable beverage containers:

http://recyclehawaii.org/HI5PurchaseRentBin.htm

Certified HI5 Redemption Centers are required to pay out deposits by either count or weight. The program allows for these two methods of deposit redemption so that consumers have a choice on how they want to get their deposits back. There are pros and cons to both methods of calculation.

Counting:

Consumers may request that the recycler count their containers

• Recyclers must count loads of 50 or fewer containers, and many recyclers have been counting loads of up to 100 containers.
• Consumers with larger loads may ask the recycler if they are willing to count larger loads during a less busy part of the day.

Pro: Consumers get back the deposit on every container when they’re counted.

Con: Consumers spend more time in line while waiting for operators to count loads.

• Consumers may request their containers be weighed for redemption.
• A "segregated rate" is used to calculate deposits on weighed loads of containers.
• The segregated rate is the average number of containers per pound by material type (plastic, glass, aluminum) and multiplied by the deposit. The average will not convert each load's weight to a precise count.

Pro: Consumers can receive refunded deposits back quicker than by counting each container.

Con: Consumer may receive less of a refund than they expected.

For questions about the State’s HI5 weight conversions, call the State Department of Health at (808)586-4226.

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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.

• Paving is tentatively scheduled to start on Tuesday, August 29th on Kuakini Hwy from Kalani to Hualalai from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm and continue until the work is complete.
• Excavation for the catch basin continues.
• The Contractor may also do shoulder excavation work in preparation for the paving operation.

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.

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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.

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It’s time for Hawai`i to invest in our future ohana, to ensure affordable homes for the next generation.

You are cordially invited to attend a two-day workshop on Community Land Trust training.

The workshop is for anyone interested in affordable housing issues. Community Land Trusts have been established to ensure access to land and housing for low-income people and to preserve family farms. Urban Community Land Trusts deal with preserving affordable housing, increasing homeownership, as well as educating homebuyers on establishing credit, applying for a mortgage, and maintaining a home. There are also Community Land Trusts that act as developers of special needs housing, rental housing and commercial space for lower-income entrepreneurs.

WHEN: Tuesday, Aug 22 and Wednesday, Aug 23, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

WHERE: Restaurant Kaikodo, 60 Keawe Street, Hilo

Registration Fee: $150.00 for two full days, including lunch on both days.

Please make check payable to: Big Island Housing Foundation, 106 Kinoole St. Hilo, HI 96720

Registration Deadline: August 18, 2006

For more information please contact Delene Osorio, Executive Director, Big Island Housing Foundation at 969-3327 or email to bihf@bigislandhousing.com

This workshop is sponsored in part by Central Pacific Bank.

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Paniolo Day will be Saturday, August 26th at Parker Ranch Center from 11 am to 4 pm. The event will include a beef tasting by the Hawaiian Cattlemen’s Association, a Paniolo Hall of Fame Display and Paniolo Art Exhibit by local artist Marcia Ray.

Besides a sidewalk sale throughout the Shopping Center, there will also be a gift-with-purchase giveaway of cowboy hats and bandannas while supplies last.

For further information please call Parker Ranch Center at 885-7178.

The Daughters of Hawai‘i present a free concert 4 p.m. Aug. 27 at Hulihe‘e Palace to remember the late King Kamehameha III, "Kauikeaouli." Enjoy the voices of the Merrie Monarchs and Hawaiian performing arts by Kumu Hula Etua Lopes and his Halau Na Pua Ui O Hawai‘i. Seating is limited so bring a beach mat or chair.

"Born in 1813, Kauikeaouli was the second surviving son of Kamehameha the Great and he became king when he was 11 years old," says Fanny Au Hoy, palace administrator. "During his 30-year reign, he signed the Great Mahele, dividing land among his people; declared the right of religious freedom and instituted the kingdom’s first written constitution." In 1843, King Kamehameha III coined Hawai‘i’s motto that appears on the state seal and coat of arms: "`Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono-the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness."

Kauikeaouli’s birthplace is marked at Keauhou Bay and the Daughters perform a ceremony there every March 17. Stories, passed down through generations, about Kauikeaouli’s birth—plus interesting facts and photos on how the site has been preserved through the Daughters’ efforts—can be found in the fascinating new book, "Na Lani Kaumaka." It is available at the Hulihe’e Palace Gift Shop.

Hulihe‘e Palace is located at 75-5718 Ali`i Drive in the heart of Kailua. Caretakers of the historic landmark are the Daughters of Hawai`i. Founded in 1903, the organization opens its membership to any woman who is directly descended from a person who lived in Hawai`i prior to 1880. Helping the Daughters in their efforts since 1986 are the Calabash Cousins; membership is available to all, 329-1877, www.huliheepalace.org .

The Evening in Paradise benefit for the Hawai`i Island United Way will be held on Saturday Sept 16, 2006 at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

The event will be held in air conditioned comfort at the resort’s Convention Center this year.

Live entertainment will be provided by Oasys.

On hand will be more than a dozen chefs and vendors preparing their specialities for this food and beverage tasting event.

All proceeds from it go directly to Hawai`i Island United Way.

Tickets are on sale at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa, FHB, BOH, KTA, and the HIUW website. Adult tickets are $75, and children ages 6-12 are $40. Children 5 and under are free. This event is open to the public. Please make advance reservations.

For more information, please call 981-0349.

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The Kona Daifukuji Orchid Club presents its annual show and sale 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17 at the Daifukuji Mission Hall.

Featured will be a host of blooming orchids grown by club members, plus new educational exhibits on orchid culture. Interactive fun includes a guessing game and club members will demonstrate their tested techniques for maintaining healthy orchids.

Attendees are invited to bring problem plants to the show for examination by Dr. Janice Uchida, associate professor and plant pathologist at UH-Manoa. Her research program has studied diseases of orchids, foliage plants, tropical fruits and landscape plants. Dr. Uchida is in for the duration of the show.

The Daifukuji Mission Hall is on Hwy. 11 at mile marker 114, just north of Kainaliu. In its 24th year, the club meets here the second Wednesday of every month.

For further information, please call 328-8131.

The State of Hawai'i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has launched a one-stop job matching service online.

The new service, HireNet Hawai'I, provides a comprehensive job matching system for both job seekers and employers.

HireNet Hawai'i is an interactive web application that will revolutionize how Hawai'i job seekers learn about available jobs and research the Hawai'i labor market, how employers find qualified employees and how the State's staff assist users and perform case management.

Employers will be able to post their job openings, at no cost, and search for candidates to meet their employment needs. Employers can also use HireNet Hawai'i for educational services.

For more information, please visit the HireNet Hawai'I at www.Hawaii.gov/labor or contact Charlie Kunz at ckunz@dlir.state.hi.us or Lori Sasaki at lsasaki@dlir.state.hi.us .

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The County of Hawai’i has FREE MULCH at the public pick-up area of the Kailua-Kona (Kealakehe) Transfer Station available 7 days a week from 6:30 am - 6:30 pm. This mulch is being processed by EKO Composting and is a higher-quality product than previously available.

Bring a pitchfork to load your own vehicle or have EKO Composting operators load with a backhoe from 7 am to 4 pm only. No loading fees.

If you want large loads delivered to your property contact a local trucking firm to arrange for delivery of large loads of mulch. Again, no fees are charged to load any sized truck.

For inquiries, please call the County's Recycling Specialist at 961-8554.

All around the island, communities are actively engaging in a monumental planning effort that has the potential of positively affecting the future of Hawaii Island for generations to come.

Go to the website www.hawaiiislandplan.com   to see what is happening in each of our 9 judicial districts as it relates to the Community Development Plan process.

In addition to finding current information about the process, you can also find, among other things, information about past planning efforts.

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Signs and Markings Project by Traffic’s Maintenance Crews Only

Some of our streetlights are misbehaving. Please call 961-8341 and report any malfunctions.

The Traffic Division of Public Works manages 9,020 streetlights operated by individual light sensing cells.

However, due to defective sensors some streetlights remain lit all day. Please help us locate them to repair them.

Please call the Traffic Division of Public Works Monday-Friday from 7:00AM to 4:00PM at 961-8341.

In addition to your name and contact number, please provide the following information:

We need the streetlight pole number. It is easily spotted from a car. It is a large silver number located six to seven feet up on the streetlight pole. If you know the street or highway name and a well-known landmark, it is also helpful.

For additional information contact Ron Thiel, Traffic Division Chief at 961-8341. Mahalo nui loa.

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August 31 is the new start date for Isemoto Contracting Co., Ltd. to realign 2,500 lineal feet of Hwy 137, also known as the Kapoho-Kalapana Beach Road. The work will take place between mileposts 14 and15 and near milepost 17.

Sections of Highway 137 will be moved inland to avoid high surf and provide a safer route at an estimated construction cost of $1.5 million.

The project will take six months to complete, ending January 2007.

For more information contact Bruce McClure, Director of Department of Public Works at 961-8321 or Noelani Whittington, Community Outreach Specialist at 557-6437. or by e-mail to nwhittington@co.hawaii.hi.us .

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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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