PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is following these Hawaii stories through Saturday evening, 15 June 2013:

HEADLINES:

Guilty as charged.

County contract raises concerns.

Murky future for the Hawaii Volcano Circus.

PTA open for bow hunting of mammals.

DETAILS (with sources cited).

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  On Thursday, 13 June 2013, a Hilo Circuit Court jury found former Hawaii Island mortician Robert Diego guilty of attempted murder and first-degree robbery for the 13 June 2011 attack on 67-year-old Donald Nigro at the victim’s Hualalai Street residence.

According to reporter John Burnett, sentencing before Judge Greg Nakamura is set for 09 August 2013 at 9:30 a.m.  The 70-year-old Diego faces a mandatory sentence of life with the possibility of  parole on the attempted murder conviction and up to 20 years for robbery.  The jury ruled that since the victim was over 60-years-old at the time of the hammer attack, Diego must serve a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years on the murder charges.

Nigro, who was in the courtroom following the trial told reporter Burnett that “I’m very happy.”  The jury  was shown police photographs of Nigro “lying in a pool of blood on the floor of his apartment, following the beating.”  Nigro spent three nights at the Hilo Medical Center recovering from a fractured skull.

(Stephens Media).  An expensive county contract given to a sole bidder has left one would-be contractor upset.  According to reporter Nancy Cook Lauer, a county project to install new air conditioning equipment for the Department of Environmental Management and Information Technology offices at the Puainako shopping center in Hilo far exceeded the original bid of $50,000.  Lauer says the eventual cost of the air conditioning work amounted to $146,913.  Lauer also adds that the sole bidder, Hawaii Sheetmetal & Mechanical Inc., contributed $500 to Mayor Billy Kenoi’s re-election campaign.

Mayor Kenoi rebuffed any idea that campaign supporters or friends of his administration “are more likely to win contracts.”  Kenoi added that he wasn’t aware of the contract details until someone pointed out the issue after the contract was granted.  Mayor Kenoi noted that “there’s no connection between contributions and contracts.”  He stated that the county has given more than $246 million in contracts in his first five years in office, remarking that “the best qualified bidders get contracts…our contracts have been issued with integrity and that’s the bottom line.”

However, contractor Rick Fuller of Pacific Air Supply, Inc. told reporter Lauer that he didn’t bid on the project because he knew his company ” couldn’t do it anywhere near the $50,000 estimate provided by a consulting engineer.”  Fuller also mentioned that several off-island contractors declined to submit bids “because of the low estimate.”

Department of Public Works Director Warren Lee said the project was put out to bid two times with only one response.  Lee also said the project estimate was off “because the consulting engineer estimated the project for equipment and materials only, and inadvertently neglected to add labor costs.”  Consultant Engineering Projects, Inc. submitted a revised cost estimate of $191.766.40 on 19 April 2013, nearly a month after Hawaii Sheetmetal’s bid was accepted.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  Time is running out for the Hawaii Volcano Circus six months after the Windward Planning Commission tabled the issue of revoking a permit for its location in Kalapana Seaview Estates.  According to reporter Tom Callis, the Hawaii County Planning Department began revocation proceedings in April 2012 after the Hawaii Volcano Circus was cited for “hosting activities that exceeded a special use permit authorizing a performing arts educational center on the 2.5-acre site.”

Responding to the revocation action, the HVC officials filed an application for an amended permit that would allow for the “expanded use of the property while agreeing to trim back its operations.”

Hawaii County planning program manager Darren Arai told reporter Callis that the first application was incomplete and that the Planning Department is waiting for additional information from the HVC.

HVC attorney Ted Hong said his client had held a community meeting on the proposed changes in May and is “working to address some of the requests from the county.”

Arai indicated that once the application is complete, it will take about three months before a hearing is held before the Planning Commission.  That gap will allow time for agency review and perhaps more community meetings.

While the permitting process is moving ahead, the HVC farmers market will be allowed to continue.  One performance by charter school students per month has been granted.  Despite the schedule cutback, some residents of the Kalapana Seaview Estates Community Association remain concerned about noise and traffic issues.  David Snover, the vice president of the Kalapana Seaview Estates Community Association, says he hopes these issues can be resolved soon, ” because residents remain concerned that the proposed amendments would allow for too many events.”

(Pohakuloa Training Area Press Release).  U.S. Army officials have opened several training area for bow hunting at the Pohakuloa Training Area on Saturday and Sunday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Training Areas 1-4 and 10-11 will be open for bow hunting of mammals only.  Hunters will be permitted to kill one sheep, one goat, and one pig per day, in keeping with state bag limits.  Shooting of sheep with blue collars will be prohibited.

For more information, call the PTA hunters hotline at 969-3474.

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH SATURDAY, 15 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinity–Mostly cloudy with a few showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly sunny near Waikoloa.  Mostly cloudy with a few showers below Captain Cook.

Highs near 80.  Lows near 68. Winds shifting to the east northeast, 12 to 25 mph.

Sunrise Saturday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Saturday–7:00 p.m.  Total hours of daylight Saturday–13 hours, 19 minutes, and 00 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR SATURDAY, 15 June 2013:

Hilo High Tide–8:16 a.m./7:53 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–2:23 a.m./1:08 p.m.

Kailua-Kona High Tide–8:54 a.m./8:31 p.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–4:00 a.m./1:45 p.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH SATURDAY, 15 June 2013:

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat.  Kona and Banyans–1 to 2 feet.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–3 to 4 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–4 to 6 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–2 to 3 feet.

OTHER:

For the latest community events, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.

For more Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, and national news headlines, check out the blog sidebars. These news feeds are updated throughout the day.  Also, look for our special “Scoop.it!” reports.  I’ve include some recent stories following this news summary.  Just scroll down past this post.

You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed.

You can leave comments and opinions on the form at the bottom of this post.

Thanks for joining us today!  Have an excellent weekend.

Aloha,

Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

Filed under: Big Island of Hawaii News, Hawaii Island News, Hawaii News, prgnewshawaii | Leave a Comment »

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is following these Hawaii stories through Friday, 14 June 2013:

HEADLINES:

Syphilis cases reported in West Hawaii.

Shoreline dispute goes to court.

Tropic Care 2013 wraps up mission to West Hawaii.

UH-Hilo computer science students prepare for international competition.

Off-duty firefighter and beach goers save family from ocean waves in Polulu Valley.

DETAILS (with sources cited).

(Stephens Media).  A disease that still kills thousands of people every year has been detected in West Hawaii.  According to reporter Nancy Cook Lauer, the state Department of Health has found five cases of syphilis in the past five months in West Hawaii.  Although the sexually transmitted disease was found mostly in men who have sex with other men, health officials are worried that the potentially deadly infection could spread to other islands because of interisland air travel.

Luke Hasty, the program coordinator for the STD/AIDS Prevention Branch of the Health Department, told reporter Lauer that “we know that there are probably more that have the infection than have been reported.”  Hasty said the disease is easy to treat with antibiotics if it’s caught early.  People who think they may have syphilis, or are concerned about what their sexual partner does, should see their health care provider for a blood test.

Left untreated, syphilis can weaken the immune system and eventually kill those infected with the disease.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  According to reporter Tom Callis, Scott Watson of Ninole is taking Hawaii County to court over a shoreline setback for homes at Pepeekeo Point.  Watson wants the setback requirement reduced, “arguing that the county erred by designating the shoreline at the top of a bluff above the waves.”  Watson filed the legal action on 02 May in Third Circuit Court after he was fined for building within the setback.

Watson told the “Hawaii Tribune-Herald” in January that he has not violated the 40-foot setback “if it is measured from the shoreline below the bluff.”  Watson believes the setback should begin there.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  This summer is becoming quite busy for UH-Hilo computer science students.  According to reporter Colin Stewart, UH-Hilo’s Team Poli’ahu is “hoping to win glory for themselves, their school, the state of Hawaii and the nation in a July contest held in Russia.”  Besides the international competition, the computer science students are “laying the groundwork for a system that could one day help to save lives in the event of a natural disaster.”

So far, Team Poli’ahu has lived up to its reputation by beating out out all competitors in the prestigious 2013 U. S. A. Imagine Cup–a student technology competition sponsored by Microsoft Corporation.

The winning project is one that could help local civil defense officials and emergency responders.  The project called “Help Me Help” features a mobile phone app that allows users to submit and track individual hazard during emergencies and natural disasters.

On Monday, team members will discuss the new app with Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira.  Oliveira told reporter Stewart that he “was greatly impressed” with the team’s software.  He said that he could see it being used by first responders in a variety of situations.

(Stephens Media).  Tropic Care 2013 came to a successful end on Wednesday, after volunteers from the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and other organizations visited sites in West Hawaii to provide basic medical and dental care to those who can’t go to a doctor or clinic.  According to reporter Carolyn Lucas-Zenk, the dental and medical work was performed by 122 military reservists, as well as the program’s many partners.  Lucas-Zenk said “together, they helped fill a gap in a district with very limited access to health care and transportation.”  Approximately 100 residents visited the two Tropic Care sites every day. The sites were located at the Ocean View Community Center and at Ka’u High and Pahala Elementary School.

(Stephens Media).  Thanks to a quick-thinking off-duty firefighter and several beach goers, a family was saved from drowning at a  beach in Polulu Valley Sunday morning.  According to reporter Chelsea Jensen, firefighter Jeff Maki and his family were hiking out of Polulu Valley when Maki heard people calling for help from the beach.  Five people, who were around 150-feet offshore, had been caught in a rip tide and were being carried away by the current.

Maki, who had experience as a lifeguard in Florida and on Oahu, grabbed two rescue tubes from beachgoers and began to work his way to the distressed swimmers.  Two  rescue tubes were installed by resident Mike Varney and two were provided by the Kohala Swim Club.  When Maki reached the first three people, he gave them the two rescue devices and helped them navigate to shallower waters where bystanders helped them to shore.  Maki then went back in the water to aid the remaining two people, a father and a daughter.  Luckily for the exhausted survivors, two doctors were hiking in the valley and were able to help the victims.

Maki climbed the train out of Polulu Valley to make sure that help was coming.   Maki and the helping bystanders told reporter Jensen that the rescue tubes “played an important role in saving the family from the rough waters of Pololu.”

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH FRIDAY, 14 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinity–Partly sunny with a few windward showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly sunny with a few upslope showers south of Captain Cook.

Highs near 81.  Lows near 68.  Winds shifting to the east northeast, 6 to 12 mph, by Friday.

Sunrise Friday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Friday–7:00 p.m.  Total hours of daylight Friday–13 hours, 18 minutes, and 52 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR FRIDAY, 14 June 2014:

Hilo High Tide–6:53 a.m./7:10 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–1:37 a.m./12:06 p.m.

Kailua-Kona High Tide–7:31 a.m./7:48 p.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–2:14 a.m./12:43 p.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH FRIDAY, 14 June 2013:

A High Surf Advisory remains in effect for east-facing shores.

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat.  Kona and Banyans–1 to 2 feet.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–3 to 5 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–4 to 7 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–3 to 5 feet.

OTHER:

For the latest community events, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.

For more Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, and national news headlines, check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated throughout the day.  Also, look for our special “Scoop.it!” reports.  I’ve included some of these reports following this news summary.  Just scroll down.

You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed.

You can submit comments on the form at the bottom of this news post.

Thanks for being with us today!

Aloha,

Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

Filed under: Big Island of Hawaii News, Hawaii Island News, Hawaii News, prgnewshawaii | Leave a Comment »

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is tracking these Hawaii stories through Thursday, 13 June 2013:

HEADLINES:

GMO hard to avoid.

GMO legislation seeks more regulation.

Kohala celebrates its native son.

Hilo‘s looking for a new coat of paint.

DETAILS (with sources cited):

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  On Wednesday, 12 June 2013, “Hawaii Tribune-Herald” reporter Tom Callis completed his four-part series on GMO or transgenic foods.

In his concluding remarks, Callis said it’s hard to avoid GMO because its “been on store shelves for 17 years in the United States.” Without uniform labeling laws, customers who wish to avoid GMO are left with two options–”not using products that contain some of the more widely altered crops, such as corn and soybeans, or by sticking to food that is certified organic.”

For those on a budget, getting certified organic food can be costly, but the market is expanding to fill demand.  Courtney Pineau, the assistant director of  the Non-GMO Project, tells reporter Callis that “non-GMO certified food products are worth about $3.5 million annually.”  Her organization’s growth rate is now 108 percent, with over 9,000 products bearing the certified organic classification.

Hawaii Island organic food sellers, such as Abundant Life and Hilo Natural Foods are carrying as much organically grown products as they can.  Those products are clearly labeled on store shelves.  Hawaii Island crop growers, such as Royal Hawaiian Orchards, are raising macadamia nuts and other products without GMO input.  Royal Hawaiian Orchards president and CEO Dennis Simonis tells reporter Callis that the organic certification helps with marketing and meeting customer demand.  Simonis adds that “it’s very important when you are selling in the natural (stores), very important in California…it’s a trend…we believe in it…a lot of customers believe in it.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  Before he wrapped up his series on transgenic foods, “Hawaii Tribune-Herald” reporter Tom Callis discussed possible regulations that could come from the state Legislature.  During the last session, legislators failed to pass a strong organic produce certification bill, but they did support a resolution to study the impact of labeling requirements.

Hilo state Representative Clift Tsuji, who serves on the state House Committee on Agriculture, introduced a bill establishing voluntary labeling of transgenic and non-transgenic food, but that measure didn’t pass this year.  Tsuji told reporter Callis that he supports some form of labeling because customers have the right to know what’s in their food.

Another bill introduced by Hawaii Island state Senator Russell Ruderman would have required the state Department of Agriculture to issue permits for the importing or introducing of a GMO crop.  Like Tsuji’s bill, this proposal didn’t make much progress.

Ruderman says he will introduce the bill again, believing the “state needs to continue pursuing labeling laws, even if they would get challenged.”

What do you think about GMO foods?  Let your state Representative or state Senator know your feelings on this issue.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  Downtown Hilo is getting ready “to paint the town.”  According to reporter Hunter Bishop, the Benjamin Moore Paint Company is conducting a contest to repaint 30 communities in the United States and Canada.  Hilo is taking the challenge as part of the paint company’s “Main Street Matters” promotional event.

According to reporter Bishop, HPM Building Supply and the Downtown Hilo Improvement Association are asking residents to cast their votes for Hilo to be selected as one of the 20 biggest vote-getters.  Lee Wilson, the HPM marketing manager, submitted the application for Hilo and got the momentum rolling with support of the DIA and the mayor’s office.  Only two state communities have been nominated–Hilo on Hawaii Island and Haleiwa on Oahu.

According to the Benjamin Moore contest website, the goal of the program is to “re-energize local communities through revitalization and restoration projects.”  Voting will continue through 30 June 2013.  Participants can vote once a day until the deadline.  To cast your vote, visit http://www.paintwhatmatters.com and click on the Hawaii Islands icon.

(Stephens Media).  Kohala residents surely know how to celebrate.  According to reporter Erin Miller, thousands of cheering people lined Akoni Pule Highway Tuesday morning to honor King Kamehameha I on the day named in his memory.  The festivities included a ceremonial presentation of gifts (hookupu) and lei at the Kamehameha Statue in front of the old Kohala courthouse in Kapaau.

Cicely Hoopai, the chairwoman of the Kamehameha Day committee, told reporter Miller that the parade and celebration are important activities in the Kohala area, adding that “we are the home of Kamehameha…this is his birthplace.”

Hoopai said this year’s parade centered on honoring the generations of Kamehameha.  Hoopai noted that “Kohala is real grass roots, community oriented.”

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH THURSDAY, 13 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinty–Some sunny periods with a few windward showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly sunny with a few upslope showers south of Captain Cook.

Highs near 82.  Lows near 68.  Winds shifting to the east, 8 to 16 mph, by Thursday.

Sunrise Thursday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Thursday–7:00 p.m.  Total hours of daylight Thursday–13 hours, 18 minutes, and 42 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR THURSDAY, 13 June 2013:

Hilo High Tide–5:47 a.m./6:32 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–12:53 a.m./11:19 p.m.

Kailua-Kona High Tide–6:25 a.m./7:10 p.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–1:30 a.m./11:56 a.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH THURSDAY, 13 June 2013:

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat.  Kona and Banyans–flat to 1 foot.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–2 to 3 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–2 to 3 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–2 to 3 feet.

OTHER:

For the latest community event, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.

For more Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, and national news headlines, check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated throughout the day.  Also, look for our special “Scoop.it!” reports.  I’ve included some of today’s top stories following this post.  Just scroll down.

You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription  or by tapping into our blog RSS feed.

You can leave comments on the form at the bottom of this news summary.

Thanks for being part of our day!

Aloha,

Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

Filed under: Big Island of Hawaii News, Hawaii Island News, Hawaii News, prgnewshawaii | Leave a Comment »

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is following these Hawaii stories through Wednesday, 12 June 2013:

HEADLINES:

GMO could benefit Hawaii’s floriculture industry.

Closing arguments made in hammer attack trial.

Gas station removed to make way for apartments.

Wille wants decision on GMO.

DETAILS (with sources cited):

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  ”Hawaii Tribune-Herald” reporter Tom Callis will finish his series on GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) on Wednesday.  In his first three installments, Callis has examined the issue from both its positive and negative aspects.  On Tuesday, Callis discussed how GMO technology could help Hawaii Island’s flower industry, which has been hard hit by bacterial diseases.

According to Callis, the next big GMO application could be used to protect the state’s valuable flower crops from disease, an especially critical issue for Hawaii Island’s anthurium growers.  Scientists believe that genetic engineering “could be used to both develop strains resistant to a bacterial blight that devastated Big Island growers in the 1990s and introduce new colors to the plant’s palette, such as blue and purple.”

For now, field trials for the proposed projects are a few years in the future, but research is producing sufficient data to give local flower farmers hope that the flower disease can be controlled.  Michael Inouye, the president of the Hawaiian Anthurium Industry Association, tells reporter Callis that scientific advances give us “something to look forward to, and this gives us something to get a grasp on.”

Jon Suzuki, a molecular biologist with the Pacific Basin Agriculture Research Center, told reporter Callis that the research is similar to what was done with papaya some twenty years ago.  Suzuki said, “essentially, a gene from the bacteria would be introduced into the plant’s DNA, allowing it to become resistant.”  That approach worked with papaya farmers, who were devastated by the ringspot virus.

The data so far indicate that such an approach would work with anthurium growers.  There’s a lot at risk—the value of the state’s anthurium industry has been placed at around $3.4 million.

(Stephens Media).  While we’re on the topic of transgenic crops, the Hawaii County Council is preparing to discuss a GMO bill introduced by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille.   Wille told reporter Erin Miller that the bill to control GMO on Hawaii Island is critical because she’s seeing “both proposed GMO projects on Hawaii Island that concern her and ways banning GMO here could provide the county with an economic boost.”  Wille contends that “we should have (a) meaningful say on this island on the food we eat.”

Bill 79 would ban genetically modified crop growth, with a few exceptions, such as one for the island’s established papaya industry.  Wille told reporter Miller that she’s heard rumors of Monsanto asking a Hawaii Island ranch for a 1,400-acre GMO corn test.  She also claims that Japanese investors discussed with her their plans to buy “noncontaminated beef.”  Wille says that there are “people…willing to put in a $40 million slaughterhouse if we can guarantee a supply of noncontaminated beef.”

The Hawaii County Council will review the GMO bill on 02 July at the West Hawaii Civic Center.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  On Monday, final arguments were made in the attempted murder trial of Robert Diego, with prosecutors telling the jury that the former mortician tried to rob and kill Hilo antique and coin dealer Donald Nigro, while the defense team called Nigro a liar and a murderer.

According to reporter John Burnett, the 70-year-old Diego is accused of striking the 67-year-old Nigro with a hammer on 13 June 2011 at Nigro’s Hualalai Street apartment.  Nigro spent three days at the Hilo Medical Center with a skull fracture and other injuries.

Deputy Prosecutor Darien Nagata called Diego’s account of the incident “an outrageous story.”  Diego claimed that Nigro tried to cheat him out of some valuable possessions, groped his  privates, and then attempted to perform a sex act on him.

Diego’s attorney William Heflin told the jury that Diego acted in self-defense and referred to Nigro’s murder conviction for a 1971 slaying.  Heflin concluded his statement by saying the state “didn’t come close” to proving its case against his client.

If the jury convicts Diego of attempted second-degree murder, Diego could face a life sentence with the possibility of parole.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  According to reporter Tom Callis, a downtown Hilo gas station at the corner of Keawe and Haili Streets “has been dismantled to make room for the property owner’s plans for a new apartment building.”

Vincent Tai, who owns the property says he wants to build a commercial and residential building about “four or five stories tall, but is waiting to see if the right zoning changes are made.”  The change would require an amendment to the County Code permitting on site parking and residential density to be increased from a limit of 1,000 square feet of land per unit to 500 square feet.

Last Thursday, the Windward Planning Commission supported the amendment, but final approval is still needed from the Hawaii County Council.  Tai contends that his proposed building would help “bring residents back to the city center” but he hasn’t provided any details on how the building will look.

The Hilo Downtown Improvement Association is supporting the proposed zoning request, with HDIA President Jeff Melrose telling reporter Tom Callis that it  ” will remove barriers for downtown housing and bring more people to Hilo’s commercial core.”

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH WEDNESDAY, 12 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinity–Mostly cloudy with a few windward showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly cloudy with a few showers south of Captain Cook.

Highs near 83.  Lows near 68.  Winds shifting to the east northeast, 6 to 12 mph, by Wednesday.

Sunrise Wednesday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Wednesday–7:00 p.m.  Total hours of daylight–13 hours, 18 minutes, and 31 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR WEDNESDAY, 12 June 2013:

Hilo High Tide–4:55 a.m./5:56 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–12:11 a.m./10:41 p.m.

Kailua-Kona High Tide–5:33 a.m./6:34 p.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–12:48 a.m./11:18 a.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY, 12 June 2013:

Hapuna Beach breaks–1 to 3 feet.  Kona and Banyans–1 to 2 feet.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–1 to 3 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–1 to 3 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–1 to 3 feet.

OTHER:

For the latest community events, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.

For more Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, and national news headlines, check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated throughout the day.  Also, look for our special “Scoop.it!” reports.

You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed.

You can leave comments on the form at the bottom of this news summary.

Thanks for being with us today!

Aloha,

Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

Filed under: Big Island of Hawaii News, Hawaii Island News, Hawaii News, prgnewshawaii | Leave a Comment »

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is tracking these Hawaii stories through Tuesday, 11 June 2013:

HEADLINES:

The GMO success story–the rebirth of the papaya industry.

Former Hawaii resident the source of NSA disclosures.

The Volcano House restored.

Zippy’s  comes to Hilo.

DETAILS (with sources cited):

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  On Monday, 10 June 2013, “Hawaii Tribune-Herald” reporter began a four-part series on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or transgenic foods.

In the first part of the series, reporter Tom Callis discussed the success story behind the virus-resistant Rainbow papaya, “credited with bringing the industry back to Hawaii.”  That program was largely the result of experiments conducted at Cornell University, where former Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center Director Dennis Gonsalves perfected a papaya plant able to fend off the devastating ringspot virus.

Gonsalves told reporter Callis that “if you were here in the 1990s, you would see nothing but dead papaya trees.”  Thanks to an aggressive research program and the adoption of the Rainbow strain of papaya, many papaya farms have returned to productivity.  For farmer Alberto Belmes of Keaau, who said his farm was “wiped out by the ringspot virus, the new Rainbow transgenic seeds have been a miracle.  Belmes added that “I still would be out of business” had it not been for the new papaya plants.

The spread of the virus- resistant Rainbow papaya hasn’t been warmly received by many farmers, including organic papaya grower Geoff Rauch.  Rauch told reporter Callis that the GMO papaya makes it difficult to ensure his crop isn’t modified or contaminated.  Rauch added that “every year, I get is sampled so I can tell customers I am growing non-transgenic papaya.”

Loren Mochida, the director of agriculture operations for W. H. Shipman, said he thinks transgenic  and non-transgenic papaya growers can exist, noting that “some commercial growers still have both varieties on their farm….actually, it (Rainbow papaya) helps the organic guys…it keeps the virus pressure down on the surrounding areas.”

You can find the full article by checking our “Hawaii Tribune-Herald” tab on the left sidebar.  The series continues through Thursday.

(Associated Press).  Hawaii has its own version of “Wiki Leaks” in the person of Edward Snowden, a former Hawaii resident who reportedly worked as a contract employee at the National Security Agency and the CIA.  According to the Associated Press, Snowden allowed himself to be identified  Sunday as the source of disclosures about the U. S. government’s secret surveillance programs.  Release of such information could lead to a lengthy prison term if Snowden surrenders to U. S. authorities.

The embarrassing leaks of classified information reopened the post 9-11 discussion “ about privacy concerns versus heightened measures to protect against terrorist attacks, and led the NSA to ask the Justice Department to conduct a criminal investigation into the leaks.”

“The Guardian”, the first mass circulated newspaper to release the classified documents, told the AP it was releasing the data at the request of Snowden.  Snowden told the UK-based paper that “my sole motive is to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them…”

Snowden told “The Guardian” that federal security is a myth, noting that “any analyst at any time can target anyone…any selector…anywhere…where those communications will be picked up depends on the range of those sensor networks and the authority that that analyst is empowered with.”  Snowden claimed he “had the authority to wiretap anyone, from you or your accountant to a federal judge, to event the president if I had a personal email.”

A Hawaii real estate agent tells the AP that Edward Snowden and his girlfriend moved out of their house on 01 May, leaving nothing behind.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  The historic Volcano House has reopened after being closed for almost three years.  According to reporter Hunter Bishop, the new Volcano House is a joint venture by the New Mexico-based Ortega Family Enterprises and Honolulu’s Aqua Hospitality, the management company awarded the contract to operate “the only hotel and restaurant inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  Reporter Bishop says until its temporary closing in 2010, the Volcano House was “the oldest continuously operated hotel in Hawaii, dating back to 1846, and has hosted such luminaries as Mark Twain and Franklin D. Roosevelt.”

The restored Volcano House offers 33 guest rooms, a dining room, snack bar, lounge, and a gift shop, along with regular cultural events and demonstrations.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  And speaking of eating, Honolulu-based Zippy’s will open its first Hawaii Island restaurant in Hilo’s Prince Kuhio Plaza on 01 August.  Jeanine Mamiya-Kalahiki, Zippy’s marketing manager, tells reporter Hunter Bishop that the restaurant will have a fast-food counter with seating in the food court and a Napoleon’s Bakery.  Hiring is ongoing for  100 positions at the Hilo restaurant.

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH TUESDAY, 11 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinity–Partly sunny with a few showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly sunny with a few upslope showers south of Captain Cook.

Highs near 82.  Lows near 68.  Winds shifting to the northeast, 10 to 20 mph, by Tuesday.

Sunrise Tuesday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Tuesday–6:59 p.m.  Total hours of daylight Tuesday–13 hours, 18 minutes, and 18 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR TUESDAY, 11 June 2013:

Hilo High Tide–4:12 a.m./5:21 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–10:06 a.m. (only one low tide on Tuesday).

Kailua-Kona High Tide–4:50 a.m./5:59 p.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–12:09 a.m./10:43 p.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH TUESDAY, 11 June 2013:

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat.  Kona and Banyans–flat to 1 foot.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–1 to 3 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–2 to 3 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–1 to 3 feet.

OTHER:

For the latest community events, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.

For more Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, and national news headlines, check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated throughout the day.  Also, look for our special “Scoop.it!” reports.

You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed.

You can leave comments on the form at the bottom of this news summary.

Thanks for joining us today!

Aloha,

Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

Filed under: Big Island of Hawaii News, Hawaii Island News, Hawaii News, prgnewshawaii | Comments Off

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is tracking these Hawaii stories through Sunday, 09 June 2013:

HEADLINES:

County furloughs are over.

Murder mystery deepens.

Fourth of July fireworks show may not happen.

Kawaihae groundbreaking for new harbor improvements.

Police investigate three home arson cases.

Skatepark dreams.

DETAILS (with sources cited):

(Stephens Media).  Hawaii County employees spent their last furlough period this past Friday.  Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi told reporter Nancy Cook Lauer that “thankfully, furloughs have come to an end…it was an unprecedented situation, unique challenges…we hope to not ever have to do that again.”

According to reporter Laurer, United Public Workers and Hawaii Government Employee Association members, as well as elected officials, appointees, and excluded managerial workers have been subject to furloughs since 2010.  On 01 July, UPW and HGEA employees will not only get that day’s back pay returned, but they’ll also see raises of  around 4 percent, under negotiated union contracts at the state level.  Mayor Kenoi said the painful furloughs “helped the county survive the Great Recession without having to resort to layoffs.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  Hilo’s traditional Fourth of July fireworks display could be cancelled if event organizers can’t find $33,000 to fund the program.

Kelton Chang, the treasurer of the Hilo Jaycees, told reporter Colin Stewart that the now disbanded Lehua Jaycees, who sponsored the show for  nearly thirty years, will be unable to carry on.  Chang added that “the county really wants to work with nonprofits on a venture like this, and it’s been a traditional thing for the Lehua Jaycees.”  Chang said the Lehua Jaycees “has struggled to  maintain its membership numbers…their chapter is winding down…membership has gone down to a point where they can’t take on such a responsibility…so they decided to bow out graciously..but the timing was difficult.”

Chang noted that county officials called the Hilo Jaycees on 15 May to see if its membership could “help out.”  Chang said “now, we only have less than a month to raised the funds.”  Even with the help of a special fund maintained by the Hawaii Fire Department, the Hilo Jaycees are still “$15,000 short of the total price tag for the show.”

If you’d like to help the Hilo Jaycees, visit http://www.hilojaycees.org.

(Stephens Media).  With a formal groundbreaking ceremony held Friday morning at Kawaihae Harbor, state officials said construction of a new floating dock with a finger pier and a gangway could begin as early as next week at the south Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor.

Department of Land and Natural Resources Chairman William Aila told political and community leaders at the gathering that “we’re not looking  back anymore..we’re moving forward.”

Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation Administrator Ed Underwood told reporter Erin Miller that the past four years have been frustrating, as the state worked to comply with regulations regarding dredging and preservation of the coral reef near the harbor.

Besides the new floating dock, the state Legislature has appropriated $2.3 million to improve the access road to the harbor and extend a water line from Kawaihae down to the harbor.  This session, legislators also dedicated $1.3 million for the boat ramp and loading docks.

Those waiting for the floating dock were glad that the long-delayed project will get underway in a few days.  Captain Steve Turner told reporter Miller that he’s been waiting over 18 years for the dock, adding “I think it’s fantastic…this to me is the finest sailing in the state of Hawaii.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  The murder of a California woman and the disappearance of her husband to be are turning into a baffling mystery for Hawaii police and the families of the victims.  According to reporter John Burnett, the family of Bo Johnson fears he may have been the victim of violence and believe he’s been unjustly portrayed by police and the media as a suspect in the murder of Brittany-Jane Royal.  The pregnant woman was found entangled in a line of a fishing boat near Kalapana.

Tom and Kathy Johnson of Petersburg, Alaska said the last contact they had with their son was on 27 May, the day before his girlfriend’s body was found off shore.  They and their son, Mark, are on Hawaii Island, hoping to find Bo alive or to get some answers about what happened to him.  Hawaii police said the couple was camping near the entry of the  lava viewing area in Kalapana, not far from where Royal’s body was found.

Lt. Greg Esteban of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section told reporter Burnett that officers are “actively pursuing leads in the case and we  have not found Mr. Johnson…as a result, he is still considered a missing person and he is not excluded as a suspect in the (homicide) case.”  Esteban said police have “executed a search warrant on the campsite and have sent the evidence collected to a forensic lab for analysis.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  According to police, a house fire that destroyed an Orchidland Estates home on 38th Avenue on 30 May was the third suspected case of home arson in the Puna District this year.

The Hawaii Fire Department said the home was a total loss, with damage estimated to be around $150,000.  Lt. Greg Esteban of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section told reporter John Burnett that “at this point in the investigation, we still have some follow ups to do, but we don’t have any suspects at this time.”

On 06 April, a house on Road 6 in Hawaiian Acres was destroyed in another fire.  Police said the blaze was set intentionally.  Twenty-six-year-old Kurtistown resident Justin James Clark was indicted on Wednesday for allegedly setting fire to the unoccupied home owned by Aezja Munson.  According to police Clark’s former girlfriend was in a relationship with Munson and that Clark “wanted to shoot” Nate Munson.  Police said witnesses picked Clark out a photographic lineup as the driver of the Jeep Cherokee that was seen in the area of Munson’s home jsut after the fire.

The other Puna house fire under investigation occurred on 20 March on 35th Avenue in the Orchidland Estates.  Fire officials believe the home was unoccupied.  The fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage.

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  Skateboard enthusiasts are getting a bit closer to having their own skatepark.  According to reporter Tom Callis, three years of effort by street surfers and skating enthusiasts “have gotten their own dream park on Hawaii County’s list of capital projects.”

Of course, nothing’s definite at this point.  The designation doesn’t secure funding “and acts as more of a placeholder for the approximate $3.5 million project.”

Organizers of the skatepark project remain optimistic, saying the designation is “a significant step in the right direction” and are continuing their talks with the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation, as well as pursuing non-profit status, “a necessary step to receive grant funding.”

Reporter Tom Callis says the county has “set aside land between the Kawamoto Swim Stadium and the  Walter Victor baseball fields for the 25,000-square-foot proposal.”

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH SUNDAY, 09 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinity–Mostly cloudy with a few passing showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly cloudy with showers possible south of Captain Cook.

Highs near 80.  Lows near 69.  Winds shifting to the northeast, 10 to 20 mph, by Sunday.

Sunrise Sunday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Sunday-6:59 p.m.  Total hours of daylight Sunday–13 hours, 17 minutes, and 48 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR SUNDAY, 09 June 2013:

Hilo High Tide–2:54 a.m./4:14 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–8:59 a.m./10:54 p.m.

Kailua-Kona High Tide–3:32 a.m./4:52 p.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–9:36 a.m./11:31 p.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH SUNDAY, 09 June 2013:

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat.  Kona and Banyans–2 to 4 feet.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–2 to 3 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–2 to 4 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–2 to 3 feet.

OTHER:

For the latest community events, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.

For more Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, and national news headlines, check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated throughout the day.  Also, look for our special “Scoop.it!” reports.  Just scroll down from this post to find additional news updates and bulletins.

You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed.

You can leave comments on the form below this news summary.

Thanks for being part of our day!

Aloha,

Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

Filed under: Big Island of Hawaii News, Hawaii Island News, Hawaii News, prgnewshawaii | Comments Off

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is covering these Hawaii stories through Saturday, 08 June 2013:

HEADLINES:

Hawaii County opposes biodiesel refinery near Pahala.

Family mourns a traffic accident victim.

Scuba spearfishing ban lifted from new rules package.

Thirty Meter Telescope gets support from Japan.

DETAILS (with sources cited):

(Stephens Media).  Although Hawaii County may not have to pay a surcharge n their bills for the proposed $450 million Aina Koa Pono biodiesel facility near Pahala, Mayor Billy Kenoi remains opposed to the refinery.  According to reporter Nancy Cook Lauer, Mayor Kenoi “has repeatedly said he’s not in favor of any more alternative energy resources for the island unless they result in a lowering of utility bills, not a raising of them.”  Earlier proposals had Hawaii Island sharing the cost of the refinery with Oahu electricity customers.

The original plan submitted late in 2012 had HECO customers paying 80 percent of the co and HELCO customers giving 20 percent to the facility.  The surcharge would not begin until the Aina Koa Pono facility began deliveries of biofuel to generating facilities in Kailua-Kona.  HECO’s manager of biofuels, Cecily Barnes, told reporter Lauer that HECO preferred “to have both island chip in for the cost…”, but now HECO “will not fight the recommendation in its rebuttal documents” submitted on Friday.

The proposed rate hike is only part of the problem.  On Thursday, Energy Coordinator Will Rolston told reporter Lauer that he wonders about what he believes “is unproven technology” and whether the refinery “will even result in a net increase in energy, after plants are grown and harvested…”  Rolston said “we’re sitting here and we’re trying to figure out how it could work…the math doesn’t add up.”

Despite this negative appraisal of the proposed biodiesel refinery, Kenton Eldridge, the cofounder and chairman of the board of Aina Koa Pono, defended the project, saying “we have technology that works.”  Eldridge added that the project “will bring in $400 million of outside investment and create 400 construction jobs, followed by 150 permanent plant/farm jobs.”

(Stephens Media).  Every traffic accident victim has a family or friend that mourns the loss of a loved one taken by a highway mishap.  Such is the case of a 45-year-old Kawaihae man killed Wednesday evening in a two-car collision in North Kona.  The mother of David Arbon, tells reporter Chelsea Jensen that her son was a loving, kind, and musically talented man.  Kapaau resident Connie Green  said her son, David, loved music and worked for the Kohala Water Company.

According to police, Arbon was a passenger in a northbound 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by a 44-year-old woman when the vehicle rear-ended a 2002 Chevrolet utility boom truck that was stopped about 300 yards north of Palani Road in the outside lane with workers changing street lights.  The crash site was located on the mauka side of the highway across from Eho Street.

At the time of the accident, the woman, identified as Daphne Reeves of Kailua-Kona, was wearing a seat belt, while Arbon was not restrained by the device.  Medics took Arbon and Reeves  to the Kona Community Hospital.  Arbon died at 9:06 p.m.

Police say alcohol and speed “appear to be contributing factors in the crash.”

(Stephens Media).  After nearly a decade of discussions and proposals, West Hawaii fishermen, divers, swimmers, and other ocean users thought they had a workable draft for the West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area rules.  Those ideas included a ban on scuba spear fishing.  Despite popular support for the spear fishing ban, Department of Land and Natural Resources Chairman William Aila cancelled the prohibition on scuba spear fishing because of there was “not enough information as to what the real impacts and unintended consequences are.”

Some West Hawaii residents, including Tina Owens of the LOST FISH Coalition, call the decision “undemocratic…the real story here is the loss of the process…it means that nobody is going to trust the process again.”

Aila acknowledged the criticism, but said that “removing the ban from the current rule package doesn’t preclude it from becoming a rule later.”  Aila added that he needs “to know how many people are scuba spear fishing in West Hawaii, how many fish they’re catching and what percentage of the overall fishing take that is.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  The Japanese parliament has decided to support the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea.  A budget proposal by parliament included about $12.2 million in design and construction funds for the project.  Japan is one of the TMT project’s five international partners.

Masahiko Hayashi, the Director General of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan said “with these funds, the TMT project will make important strides this fiscal year toward one day becoming the mot advanced and powerful optical telescope on Earth.”

Japan is expected to manufacture the main telescope structure and the mirror banks for the segmented primary mirror, and to provide a part of the polishing of the segmented mirrors and instrumentation.

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH SATURDAY,  08 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinity–Some sunny periods.  Expect a few showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly cloudy with a few upslope showers south of Captain Cook.

Highs near 82.  Lows near 68.  Winds shifting to the east,10 to 20 mph, by Saturday morning.

Sunrise Saturday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Saturday–6:58 p.m.  Total hours of daylight Saturday–13 hours, 17 minutes, and 31 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR SATURDAY, 08 June 2013:

Hilo High Tide–1:17 a.m./3:41 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–8:25 a.m./10:18 p.m.

Kailua-Kona High Tide–2:55 a.m./4:19 p.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–9:02 a.m./10:55 p.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH SATURDAY, 08 June 2013:

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat.  Kona and Banyans–1 to 3 feet.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–1 to 3 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–1 to 3 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–1 to 2 feet.

OTHER:

For the latest community events, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.

For more Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, and national news headlines, check out the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated throughout the day.  Also, look for our special “Scoop.it!” reports.  I’ve included a few of these updates below this post.  Just scroll down.

You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed.

You can leave comments on the form at the end of this news summary.

Thanks for joining us today!  Have a good weekend.

Aloha,

Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

Filed under: Big Island of Hawaii News, Hawaii Island News, Hawaii News, prgnewshawaii | Comments Off

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is following these Hawaii stories through Friday, 07 June 2014:

HEADLINES:

Hawaii County Council approves union contracts.

U.S. Army and Hawaii hunters find common ground at PTA.

Man will plead guilty in son’s death.

High surf recedes in West Hawaii.

Mayoral appointment violates County Charter.

DETAILS (with sources cited):

(Stephens Media).  After an extended discussion about contracts for county employees, Hawaii County Council members approved on Wednesday work agreements for those employees.  According to reporter Erin Miller, Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille and Kona/Ka’u Councilwoman Brenda Ford tried “to raise concerns over candidates for county offices campaigning during union meetings on county time.  Some council members, including Puna Councilman Zendo Kern helped cut off further comments, saying the remarks were off topic.

Kern told reporter Miller that “the issue at hand is to appropriate funds or not appropriate funds…we should be discussing that or not discussing that.”  Councilwoman Ford replied that she would support the contract, “if it had addressed those campaigning concerns…we’re playing with semantics here with this…if we appropriate this, the mayor’s going to sign it and it’s a done deal…you can’t negotiate a new contract after you sign a new contract.”

In her opinion as an attorney, Wille called it “ridiculous” that the county’s union contract would trump county rules.  On the other hand, Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter, who once worked in human resources for a company employing union workers, said that in her previous job, the “union’s contract on some things trumped even federal law.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  U.S. Army officials at the Pohakuloa Training Area and Hawaii County hunter have reached common ground on hunting activities at the sprawling training facility on the slopes of Mauna Kea.  According to reporter Tom Callis, PTA staff “has made its land much more available to hunters over the last year, allowing sportsmen greater access to areas not being used for military training.”

PTA commander, Lt. Colonel Eric Shwedo, told reporter Callis that he has made at least portions of the training area open for hunters about every weekend since September 2012.  Shwedo said “it did not take me long to realize that hunting is important to the community…there was no reason in my mind we couldn’t have hunting somewhere.”  Shwedo noted that as much “as about 30,000 acres may be available for hunting at a time.”  PTA is home to feral sheep, goats and pigs–animals which pose a danger to native plants and animals.  The Army spends around $5 million a year protecting endangered species between the summits of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.

Since September 2012, local hunters have helped control these animal pests.  The Army has reported 1,841 mammals taken down by hunters with 5,340 hunting trips made to PTA.  Lt. Colonel Shwedo told reporter Callis that local hunters ” can keep ungulate populations under control.”  Although Anthony Sylvester of the county’s Game Management Advisory Commission welcomes the cooperative spirit of army officials, he feels more can be done to manage animals within the training area.  He believes the example of PTA can show state officials how game management can be done without extinction, noting “it doesn’t take much…” to make hunters happy.

Lt. Colonel Shwedo adds that “being able to find that balance has been relatively easy.”

(Stephens Media).  A 38-year-old Kailua-Kona man who faced a manslaughter charge after he accidentally ran over and killed his 3-year-old son on 09 January 2013 has reached a plea bargain with county prosecutors that reduces the charge to a misdeamor.

According to reporter Chelsea Jensen, Pedro Johanes Peter will plead guilty on 18 June to third degree negligent homicide, driving with out a license, failure to have no-fault insurance, four counts of failure to have a child restraint and three counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor in connection with the accident .

Third-degree negligent homicide is a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine up to $2,000 and no more than one year in confinement.  The original charge of manslaughter is a class A felony punishable  by to $50,000 in fines and up to 20 years in prison.

(Stephens Media).  High surf along West Hawaii shores is expected to decrease overnight after two days of excellent surfing conditions and occasional waves penetrating into park areas in Kailua-Kona.  At one time, National Weather Service forecasters said waves measuring from 8 to 12 feet were seen washing into beach areas.

Hawaii Fire Department Assistant Chief Gerald Kosaki told reporter Chelsea Jensen that no beach parks were closed and that  no serious injuries were reported from the higher than normal waves.

(Stephens Media).  According to reporter Nancy Cook Lauer, Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi apparently violated the county charter when he appointed Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd to head the Department of Environmental Management.  Lauer said Hawaii County voters in 2010 approved a charter amendment that “the director shall have had a minimum of five years of administrative experience in a related field and an engineering degree or a degree in a related field.”

Despite that requirement, Mayor Kenoi appointed Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd, who once lead the Planning Department, to the DEM post she held in 2007 and 2008.  She will now face a confirmation hearing by the County Council.

Kenoi told reporter Lauer that Todd’s experience at DEM showed “she is quite capable of doing the job…an …engineering degree is important, but if you have knowledge, experience and expertise, that’s certainly comparable experience.”

South Kona/Ka’u Councilwoman Brenda Ford most likely will oppose Todd’s confirmation, noting that “while there are pros and cons to having an engineer as the director of the Department of Environmental Management, I personally believe it should be an engineer to understand the technical aspect of the position…I support the charter as it was passed by the voters of Hawaii County.”

Todd is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law.  She was deputy corporation counsel for nine years between 1987 to 1993 and from 2003 to 2007.  Todd also served as the legislative auditor for Hawaii County and as a member of the County Council from 1996 to 2003.

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH FRIDAY, 07 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinity–Partly sunny with a few brief showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly sunny with a few showers south of Captain Cook.

Highs near 83.  Lows near 67.  Winds shifting to the east northeast, 6 to 12 mph, by Friday morning.

Sunrise Friday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Friday–6:58 p.m.  Total hours of daylight Friday–13 hours, 17 minutes, and 13 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR FRIDAY, 07 June 2013:

Hilo High Tide–1:40 a.m./2:08 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–7:53 a.m./9:43 p.m.

Kailua-Kona High Tide–2:18 a.m./4:46 a.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–8:30 a.m./10:20 p.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH FRIDAY, 07 June 2013:

High surf along West Hawaii shores is expected to fall gradually through the evening.

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat.  Kona and Banyans–2 to 4 feet.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–3 to 4 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–2 to 4 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–2 to 3 feet.

OTHER:

For the latest community events, sports updates, and entertainment news, visit kbigfm.com, nativefm.com, kaparadio.com, and espnhawaii.com.

For more Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, and national news headlines, check the blog sidebars.  These news feeds are updated throughout the day.  Also, look for our special “Scoop.it!” reports.  I’ve added some of these special reports.  Just scroll down pas this post.

You can follow our blog community with a free email subscription or by tapping into the blog RSS feed.

You can leave comments on the form at the bottom of this news summary.

Thanks for being with us today!

Aloha,

Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

Filed under: Big Island of Hawaii News, Hawaii Island News, Hawaii News, prgnewshawaii | Comments Off

The views expressed in this Hawaii news summary are mine unless otherwise stated.

Big Island of Hawaii News is covering these Hawaii stories through Wednesday, 05 June 2013:

HEADLINES:

5.3 magnitude shaker rolls across Hawaii Island.

Marijuana conviction overturned.

Military exercise will provide free medical services to the Ocean View Estates area.

Waikoloa recognized on FAA maps.

Suspect in hammer attack claims self-defense.

Governor most likely will sign marijuana bills.

DETAILS ( with sources cited):

(Hawaii Police Department/U.S. Geological Survey).   A 5.3 magnitude earthquake rattled through Hawaii Island at approximately 2:40 Tuesday afternoon.  According to the U.S. Geological Survey the temblor was centered 34 miles southeast of Pahala at a depth of 25 miles.  Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said no tsunami was generated by the shaker.  As of late Tuesday afternoon, there were no reports of damage.  The earthquake was felt on Oahu and Maui.

(Stephens Media).  According to reporter Nancy Cook Lauer, the Hawaii Supreme Court has rejected the conviction of a Hookena medical marijuana patient who was arrested at the Kona International Airport when he tried to board a plane with his marijuana stash.

In its 30-page ruling issued last Friday, Hawaii Supreme Court justices ordered a lower court to reverse its decision against Geoffrey Woodhall, adding that state law, “while unclear and contradictory, nonetheless allows for the transport of marijuana by individuals carrying a state ‘blue card’ certifying they are medical marijuana patients.”

Court justices based their decision on Chapter 329, Part IX, which “does not clearly carry out its purpose, leaving qualified patients vulnerable to prosecution… it is especially unclear how medical marijuana is transported to the homes of qualified patients in the first instance, or by qualified patients anywhere outside their home.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  Thanks to a large, joint military training exercise on Hawaii Island, basic medical and dental services will be offered to resident in Ka’u and Ocean View, beginning Tuesday, 04 June 2013.  Organizers of the nine-day event tell reporter Colin Stewart that military personnel will provide basic medical services to “between 6,000 and 10,000 resident in the medically under served region of East Hawaii, saving them a combined value of between $2.5 million and $3 million.”

Air Force Reserve Colonel Jerry Arends, the mission director for Tropic Care 2013, told reporter Stewart “that’s only in billable charges…there’s other savings, including how much people save by not flying to Oahu or Maui for treatment.”

The Tropic Care 2013 exercise will operate two separate sites on Hawaii Island.  One site will be located at Ka’u High and Pahala Elementary School and the other at the Ocean View Community Center, “as part of a larger exercise that will also help communities on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).   The mapping experts at the Federal Aviation Agency have finally recognized Waikoloa on its flight maps.  Previously, the West Hawaii community was designated only as a settlement.

According to reporter Tom Callis, “the town of about 6,300 people now appears as a splotch of yellow much like Kailua-Kona, Hilo, Waimea and other populated areas.”  Callis says the new FAA designation will not put any additional restrictions on aircraft flying above or near the community.

Hawaii Island state Representative Cindy Evans says the new designation “could make it more clear to pilots that they need to be mindful of residents there.”

(Hawaii Tribune-Herald).  A former Hilo mortician accused of attacking a Hilo coin and antique dealer with a hammer took the stand in his own defense Monday in an attempted murder trial.  According to reporter John Burnett, Robert Diego admitted hitting  Donald Nigro with a hammer on 13 June 2011 in Nigro’s Hualalai Street apartment.    Diego said he was “protecting” himself from Nigro.  Diego said he felt bad about the incident and considered himself lucky that Nigro “came out of the hospital within three days.”

Despite his appearance on the witness stand, his testimony has not yet explained why he felt compelled to defend himself with a hammer.  Earlier, Diego’s attorney William Heflin  said Nigro “grabbed Diego’s crotch and was trying to assault him sexually”, a charge denied by Nigro.

(Stephens Media).  According to Hawaii Island state Senator Josh Green, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie will most likely sign two bills aimed at making marijuana a “more mainstream medicine’.  Green, a physician, has been working on changing the state’s 13-year-old medical marijuana law.

Green tells reporter Nancy Cook Lauer that “the fundamental purpose is to make medical marijuana a health issue rather than a publilc safety issue…I just really want to put it into mainstream medicine.”

One of the bills, HB 668, would transfer administration of the medical marijuana program from the Department of Public Safety tot he Department of Health by 01 January 2015.  The other measure, SB 642, would increase the amount of marijuana allowed for each patient, but “requires the patient’s primary care physician to certify the need for medical marijuana.”  Currently, any physician is permitted to certify the need for the medical marijuana “blue card.”

HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH WEDNESDAY, 05 June 2013:

Hilo and vicinity–some sunshine with a few scattered showers.

Kailua-Kona and vicinity–Partly cloudy with a few upslope showers south of Captain Cook.

Highs near 84.  Lows near 66. Winds shifting to the east northeast, 6 to 12 mph, by Wednesday morning.

Sunrise Wednesday–5:41 a.m.  Sunset Wednesday–6:57 p.m.  Total hours of daylight Wednesday–13 hours, 16 minutes, and 32 seconds.

HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR WEDNESDAY, 05 June 2013:

Hilo High Tide–12:22 a.m./2:03 p.m.  Hilo Low Tide–6:47 a.m./8:29 p.m.

Kailua-Kona High Tide–1:00 a.m./2:41 p.m.  Kailua-Kona Low Tide–7:24 a.m./9:06 p.m.

HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY, 05 June 2013:

Hapuna Beach breaks–flat.  Kona and Banyans–1 to 3 feet.  Ka’u and Pohoiki–3 to 5 feet.  Hamakua, including Kolekole Beach Park–3 to 5 feet.  Hilo and Honolii–2 to 4 feet.

OTHER:

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Russ Roberts, site administrator

PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS

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