Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Kailua Kona has a number of wonderful organizations providing much needed programs to assist our community. Come learn how these organizations perform their invaluable tasks to help people in our community and how you can support their critical missions.

Who can provide assistance to a visitor in need?
Who provides athletes with intellectual difficulties incentives for personal growth?
Who can help provide homes for those needing shelter?

Guest Speakers

Patrick Hurney, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity West Hawaii
Dave Ross, Area Director for Special Olympics West Hawaii
Malia Louis, West Hawaii, Program Director, VASH Hawaii Island
Brandee Menino, Director, Hope Services Hawaii
Penny Brumbaugh, President, A Hui Hou Ministries

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Perspective on Hawaii County.

Billy Kenoi, Mayor, Hawaii County

Dominic Yagong, Council Chair, Hawaii County 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 (agenda-pdf)

Meeting Location was changed to the Kekuaokalani Gym

Who can the less fortunate citizens in our community turn to for help with their families and difficult living circumstances? Who takes care of abandoned animals?

Kailua Kona has a number of wonderful organizations who provide a safety net for those in need during difficult times.

Come learn how these organizations perform their invaluable tasks to help people and how you can support their critical missions.

AdvoCATS — Cathy Swedelius, President

(808) 327-3724

Mission: Dedicated to the well being of Hawaii’s homeless and abandoned cat population. Has helped Hawaii’s abandoned and homeless felines since 1999.

• Support the Trap-Neuter-Return Program as the humane way to reduce the number of unwanted cats and prevent the spread of feline diseases. The average life span of a feral cat is only 5-6 years. 11,750 cats have been spayed/neutered from 1999 to March 13, 2012
• Find loving homes for abandoned feral kittens
• Provide a no-kill sanctuary for cats on the Big Island

How you can help: Donate money, provide cat food, be a foster family

Arc of Kona—Gretchen Lawson, President/CEO

(808) 323-2626

Mission: We believe that people with disabilities are as individual in their needs, abilities and gifts as any other cross section of society. The Arc of Kona is committed to helping persons with disabilities achieve the fullest possible independence and participation in our society according to their wishes.

“believing in Potential—expanding the Possibilities”

Independent Living Services

•     Adult Day Health
•     Chore Services
•     Independent Living Units
•     Kau Activity/Service Center
•     Personal Assistance/Habilitation
•     Residential Program/Domiciliary Home
•     Training and Consultation

Vocational Services

• Arc of Kona Enterprises
• Job Placement and Retention
• Supported Employment

How you can help: Donate time, Donate money, Invite us to speak at your group

Catholic Charities—Linda Spencer, Hawaii Island Community Director

(808) 521-4357

Mission: Helping people in need to help themselves, regardless of their faith. Has served Hawai’i since 1947.

Provides help with:

• Domestic Violence
• Homeless Solutions
• Persons with Developmental Disabilities
• Senior Services
• Youth and Family Support Services

Specific Programs:

• Nā ‘Ohana Pūlama (families of light and nourishment)—Provides non-institutional therapeutic foster care through community-based foster homes, provides support and teach skills to emotionally and behaviorally challenged youth, ages 5-19.
• Counseling Services—Promotes healthy relationships and reduce individual and family distress.
• Immigrant and Refugee Services—Provides assistance to immigrants from all countries.
• Medication Management Program—Free educational presentations and medication screenings to prevent misuse or mismanagement of medication for those age 60 or older.
• Child Abuse and Neglect—Provides services to meet the needs of abused or at risk children, and their families or caregivers.

How you can help: Donate money, Donate time, Cars for Catholic Charities  808-546-CARS (2277)

Family Support Services of West Hawaii—Ray Wofford, Associate Director

(808) 326-7778

Mission: To support families and communities to provide love and care for our children.

Helping Families Grow Up Healthy

Founded in 1979, they currently provide supportive services to more than 3,500 Hawaii Island individuals and families each year.

• Preinatal Counseling—healthy pregnancy, labor and birth, infant and toddler care, women’s health, referrals to other resources.
• Fatherhood Initiative—help fathers to feel good about themselves, to have nurturing relationships with their children, to be supportive of mom.
• Home Visiting—for families with children from birth to age five.
• Youth Development—build life skills, develop leadership potential and entrepreneurial skills, increase physical and spiritual strength, enhance academic performance, assist with a safe transition to adulthood.
• Parent Education Services—for families with children from birth to age eighteen, including those with special needs.
• Family Counseling—focuses on resolving issues that prevent effective parenting: unresolved childhood hurts, substance abuse, domestic violence, severe economic stress.

How you can help: Monetary and in-kind donations

Three Ring Ranch—Ann Goody, Director/Curator

(808) 331-8778

Mission: To positively impact the environment while educating Hawaii’s children about their place in the natural world.

This is Hawaii’s only fully-accredited, USDA licensed, exotic animal sanctuary. They serve as an amnesty station where alien or exotic species can be taken—no one is ever turned in to the authorities.

Founded in 1998, the Three Ring Ranch is a private, non-profit, exotic animal sanctuary located on five acres above Kailua Kona. The Sanctuary is run entirely by a volunteer staff and no one, at any level, takes a salary. 100% of every tax-deductible donation supports the animals and educational programs.

Their goal is to assist in the development of an environmentally responsible generation of youth. They teach about the fragile ecosystem we humans impact on a daily basis, while giving visitors a rare chance to see the animals up close.

Native animals brought to them with injuries are cared for and released when able. The resident animals live out their natural lives at the facility. It is home to zebras, nene, hawks, owls, flamingos, and reptiles, as well as many other rare, endangered, and exotic creatures.

How you can help: Donate money, Donate time

County Council Update—Councilmember Brenda Ford, District 7

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 (agenda-pdf)

The North Kona district grew by 37% in the past ten years. Come, listen, and ask your questions about these important projects.

• Is our road infrastructure keeping up with North Kona’s growth?
• When will the Queen Ka’ahumanu phase two widening start and be completed?
• What County road projects are coming up?
• When will the Palamanui Campus road be finished?

Guest speakers:

• Roger Harris, Director of Government Affairs, Palamanui LLC
• Warren Lee, Director of Hawaii County Department of Public Works
• Sal Panem, State Department of Transportation Highway District Manager

Bring your questions to the Tuesday, February 14 Kona Town Meeting at the Makaeo Pavilion at the old Kona airport. It starts at 6 PM and concludes at 8 PM.

January 10, 2010

The Hawaii State Legislature begins its 2012 session on January 18, 2012.

• How will the Reapportionment plan and the pending lawsuits possibly change our Legislative representation next year?
• What are our West Hawaii Legislators planning for the upcoming Legislative session?

Michael Matsukawa—Reapportionment

Every 10 years, the State of Hawaii evaluates census data to redraw district lines for reapportionment. This task, as many of you know, has been filled with much controversy, some of which was due to the classification of military and college students as residents. The final decision had not been made as of this meeting. Possible new seats:

• 1 Senate seat — Big Island
• 1 Senate seat — Kauai
• 1 House seat — Big Island
• 1 House seat — Maui

You can keep informed of the updates in this process here.

State Representative Denny Coffman, Chair of Energy and Environmental Protection

 2012 Legislative Priorities

As Chair of Energy and Environmental Protection:

• Organization of Utilities that provide electricity: Consolidation—state-wide rates—role: transmission, distribution and reliability only.
• PUC directive to focus on replacing fossil fuel electric generation facilities with geothermal resources.
• Change laws to facilitate geothermal exploration, eliminate geothermal subzones and remove leases from EIS requirements.
• Single use bag fees to provide incentives for reusable bags.
• Transition our ethanol facility tax credit into a renewable fuels facility and agricultural bio-fuels feedstock tax credit.

As a Representative of District 6 (West Hawaii):

• Remain focused on planning and building of the West Hawaii Court House complex.
• Remain focused on supporting the building of the West Hawaii Community College.
• Remain focused on DOT projects: Airport modernization and Highway projects.
• New legislation to transfer state property in and around the Honokohau Harbor to the Hawaii Community Development Authority as a community development project.
• Obtain funding for a frontage road in NELHA to provide access to Ka’imi’nani Drive for egress into and out of the property after the widening of the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway to four lanes.

State Representative Cindy Evans, House Majority Floor Leader

Thank you for the opportunity to serve and represent you at the State Legislature. We begin this legislative session with high hopes and cautious optimism. Given the uncertainty of the global economy and cost of oil, the general feeling is the economy in 2012 will be flat.

The chairs of the House and Senate Committees have been working on legislation specific to their subject matter, such as, energy, health, and transportation. I anticipate lots of ideas to be considered and I’m hopeful that we shall make progress in economic growth, public safety, education, healthcare, government efficiency and accountability, local agriculture, renewable energy, workforce development, safe roads and infrastructure.

Having listened to concerns and ideas to improve quality of life, reduce government spending, and embrace innovation and technology, I’ve drafted legislation for consideration including, but not limited to:

• Driving under influence
• Aquarium fish
• Illegal vacation rentals
• Food safety
• Truancy
• Transitional housing
• Access to healthcare
• Outdoor recreation
• Land use

I know that our main goal is job creation and stimulating the economy. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. I hope you follow what subjects interest you and provide input.

State Senator Josh Green, Senate Health Committee Chairman

Two hospitals on Oahu closed with 900+ jobs lost.

2012 Legislative Priorities

• Strengthen Hospitals
• Doctors and RNs to rural areas via loan repayment and residency programs
• Reduce toxic contamination in tap water

1. Chromium-6.
2. Arsenic
3. Aspertane

• Clean Air by reducing toxic contamination
• Stricter DUI laws

Kona Town Meetings are held 6pm-8pm on the second Tuesday of each month, Sept through May at the Makaeo Events Pavilion at the Old Kona Airport Park (dates subject to change based on speaker availability and other scheduled events).  

Admission is free and everyone is invited to attend and participate.

Resources for the September 13, 2011 Kona Town Meeting

Article in West Hawaii Today

Honokohau Harbor and Kailua Kona Pier Projects Update

What are the DLNR’s plans to improve Honokohau Harbor?

Dan Mersburgh, agent for Honokohau and Kawaihae harbors, spoke on behalf of Department of Land and Natural Resources Chairman William Aila who was unable to attend.

Papers have been submitted to Federal Emergency Management Agency for repairs from the March 2011 tsunami:

• Kailua Pier, $1.4 million
• Keauhou Small Boat Harbor,  $550,000
• Honokohau Small Boat Harbor,  $12,000

“We will front the money to do the repairs and then be reimbursed by FEMA afterward,” Dan said.

The $591,000 project to replace the makai loading dock at Honokohau Small Boat Harbor will begin soon.

Kona Judiciary Complex Project Update

Where will the new State Courthouse be built in Kona?

Ms. Dawn West, Deputy Chief Administrator, Hawaii State Courts said there are seven possible sites located between Palani Road and Hina Lani Street. Each site is being studied for possible environmental impacts. Hawaii Supreme Court Justice Mark Recktenwald is expected to select a site in early 2012. The complex is slated to open in 2017.

West Hawaii Community College Project Update

When will the new West Hawaii Community College be ready?

Dr. John Morton, Vice President of Hawaii Community Colleges said the University of Hawaii officials remain committed to a community college at Palamanui. Work on the 78-acre Palamanui campus could begin as early as May 2012, assuming all necessary county permits are obtained. Construction is expected to take about 18 months.

Video interview of Dr. John Morton by Sherry Bracken

Resources of the September 14, 2010 Kona Town Meeting

Office of Mauna Kea Management

Stephanie Nagata, Interim Director

The Office of Mauna Kea Management (OMKM) is the primary agency responsible for the University of Hawaii (UH) management areas on Mauna Kea.

The mission of OMKM is to achieve harmony, balance and trust in the sustainable management and stewardship of Mauna Kea Science Reserve through community
involvement and programs that protect, preserve and enhance the natural, cultural and
recreational resources of Maunakea while providing a world-class center dedicated to
education, research and astronomy.

Kahu Ku Mauna Council

Ed Stevens, Chair

Kahu Ku Mauna (Guardians of the Mountain) is a nine-member council named by the Mauna Kea Management Board (MKMB). The council advises the MKMB, Office of Mauna Kea Management (OMKM) and UH Hilo Chancellor in Hawaiian cultural matters affecting the Mauna Kea Science Reserve.

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center

Ka’iu Kimura, Executive Director

Founded with the understanding of the need for a comprehensive educational facility, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i showcases the connections between the rich traditions of Hawaiian culture and the groundbreaking astronomical research conducted at the summit of Maunakea.

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i – bringing community together by weaving today’s newest astronomy findings and Hawai‘i’s cultural heritage into a compelling story of human exploration.

Thirty Meter Telescope

Sandra Dawson, Site Manager

Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), astronomy’s next-generation observatory, will be the most advanced and capable telescope on Earth. TMT will take us on an exciting journey of discovery that will explore the origin of galaxies, and uncover previously hidden details of our universe.

The Thirty Meter Telescope is committed to integrating culture, science, sustainability, and education into the project. The TMT project is an international partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and ACURA, an organization of Canadian universities. The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) began its participation in TMT in 2009.

The National Astronomical Observatory of China and the Department of Science and
Education of India has entered into TMT as Observers toward defining a future role in the
project.