6:02 PM – Civil Defense updates Saddle Road brush fire:

This is a brush fire update for Tuesday evening October 4th.The Pohakuloa and Hawaii Fire departments are currently fighting a large brushfire between the Kilohana Girl Scout Camp and Waikii ranch. The fire is currently out of control. Due to the brush fire Saddle Rd. is closed at the Saddle Rd and Highway 190 Junction through the 8 mile marker near Kaumana City in Hilo. It is anticipated that Saddle Road will remain closed through tomorrow. Again, the Pohakuloa and Hawaii Fire departments are currently fighting a large brushfire off Saddle Rd. The fire is currently out of control and it is anticipated that Saddle Rd will remain closed through tomorrow.We will continue to provide updates as conditions change.Have a safe evening.This is your Hawaii County Civil Defense

5:13 PM – Pohakuloa Training Area / Saddle Road brushfire update

The U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii’s Public Affairs Office has issued this media release about the ongoing brushfire that has closed Saddle Road:

A wildfire at the Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area is spreading northeast from the Keamuku Maneuver Area (KMA) towards Saddle Road and has engulfed approximately 700 acres. It remains uncontained and Saddle Road is closed in the vicinity.

Currently, three helicopters equipped with water buckets are being used; 1 Evergreen, and 2 Hawaii County along with equipment and crews from the PTA Fire Department, and the state’s Division of Forestry.

The fire began sometime approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

3:00 PM – 5 injured in Papaikou motor vehicle accident

The Hawaii County Fire Department reports that 5 people were injured in a crash on the 7 mile marker of Highway 19 in Papaikou.

Fire crews responded to the scene of a reported 4 vehicle collision on the highway shortly after 7:30 a.m.

2 sedans, 1 pickup truck, and 1 18wheel cargo semi were involved, fire officials say.

1 male reportedly refused treatment or transport. 2 females and 2 males transported to Hilo Medical Center with non-life threatening trauma injuries.

Highway 19 closed for approximately 1 hour for clean-up and vehicle removal.

2:00 PM – Brushfire closes Saddle Road

From Hawaii County Civil Defense:

AVOID Saddle Road for the next 4 hours due to brush fire incident. Hawaii Police Department advises you to AVOID use of the Saddle Road from the intersection with Route 190 on the west side and from about the 8 milemarker on the east or Hilo side due to a brush fire incident as Sadlle Road is closed at these points to through traffic. A brush fire near the 45 milemarker has closed Saddle Road to traffic for the next 4 hours. It’s recommended that traffic use Route 19 along the hamakua coast to get to Hilo.

1:15 PM – Public invited to geothermal summit on Oahu

From the Hawaii State Senate:

The public is invited to a Geothermal Summit that will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2011, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It will take place at the Hawaii National Training Center Auditorium and Dining Center, located in Bellows Air Force Station.

Three geothermal companies will be participating in the Summit, which is being coordinated and hosted by Sen. Pohai Ryan, who represents District 25, encompassing Hawaii Kai, Waimanalo, Keolu Hills, Lanikai and Kailua.

“The decision to organize the summit was prompted by my constituents who wanted to learn more about geothermal energy and its role in Hawaii’s future,” said Senator Ryan. “It will be an excellent opportunity for people to gain insight on how it would impact their families and their livelihood.”

“It’s time we start looking into sources of renewable energy, such as geothermal,” she added.

Along with the geothermal companies presenting, Scott Seu, Vice President of Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO), will be talking about HECO’s energy initiatives; Richard Ha, a Big Island farmer/businessman and Ku‘oko‘a board chairman will do the opening remarks and Sen. Mike Gabbard, Senate Committee on Energy and Environment Chair will provide the closing remarks.

Geothermal companies presenting:

Mililani Trask, Innovations Development Group: Established in 1998, is a strategic planning and

development company that conducts business in a socially responsible, globally green manner that is respectful of Native cultures. The company has earned a solid reputation for planning and building highly collaborative projects that span the globe, but with an emphasis across the Asia-Pacific region, from Hawai’i to New Zealand. IDG incorporates a development blueprint that promotes Native-to-Native relationships within the context of a traditional-practice business model. http://idghawaii.com/?page_id=11Ted Peck, Ku‘oko‘a: The company has a plan to free Hawaii’s economy from fossil fuel within a

decade by using renewable energy sources, such as geothermal, wind, solar, biofuels, and ocean thermal conversion. http://kuokoa.com/pages/the-kuokoa-plan

Mike Kaleikini, Puna Geothermal Venture: A partnership between two mainland power companies,

received a permit to produce renewable geothermal energy at a site in Puna in the East Rift Zone in 1990. The facility went online in 1993. Under a Power Purchase Agreement with Hawaii Electric Light Company, it delivers 25-30 megawatts of firm renewable energy on a continuous basis. The facility could provide much more. http://www.punageothermalventure.com/

Informational exhibits by the presenting geothermal companies will be available for the public to view.

11:15 AM – Hawaii launches anti-bullying campaign

From the Hawaii State Department of Education:

HONOLULU – A series of student-produced public service announcements promoting safe schools will be hitting the airwaves in a statewide video campaign announced today by Governor Neil Abercrombie, the Hawaii State Board and Department of Education, University of Hawaii athletes and supporters.

Governor Abercrombie, BOE Chairman Don Hornerand member Keith Amemiya, and Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi joined star UH athletes and students from Waianae High School’s award-winning Searider Productions today in announcing the six video PSAs at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The PSA spots, which were funded by First Hawaiian Bank, will air on numerous TV outlets, including KGMB, KHNL, and Oceanic Time Warner telecasts of UH and high school sports throughout the school year. UH also will showcase the PSAs on the scoreboard during games at Aloha Stadium and the Stan Sheriff Center.

The segments feature BOE member Amemiya, Superintendent Matayoshi, and UH’s Kanani Danielson (Wahine Volleyball), Richard Torres (Football), Jessica Iwata (Wahine Softball) and Miah Ostrowski (Football and Men’s Basketball) explaining the dangers of bullying and encouraging students and communities to help promote campus safety.

“We will make our schools safe for our children so they can concentrate on learning,” Governor Abercrombie said. “We are addressing bullying in all forms and are committed to working together so that every school has an antibullying plan.”

“Our students and educators deserve a safe and peaceful academic/school environment where they can maximize learning,” said Superintendent Matayoshi. “We are moving forward on a comprehensive systemic approach to address bullying through improved data gathering and analysis, professional development and training, and the proactive involvement of community and students. As citizens of Hawaii, we must all do our part to prevent and eliminate bullying. Improving the schools and communities in which we live is a shared responsibility.”

The PSAs come as the DOE and BOE are working on a comprehensive “peaceful schools” program that will employ best practices to combat bullying and ensure every student is respected, honored and valued. Annual training will be provided to faculty, staff and students, families and the community. Student behavior data will be routinely monitored, a confidential reporting system will be developed, and schools will adopt a program to prevent and respond to bullying promptly.

“Although the schools are fully committed to curbing bullying, they can’t do it alone,” said BOE member Amemiya. “Bullying isn’t just a school problem. Everyone, from family members to friends and the entire community at large needs to work together to curb bullying.”

To view the PSAs, please visit: http://doe.k12.hi.us/harassment/Anti-Bullying-PSAs/index.htm

The BOE and DOE will continue to discuss the implementation of the “peaceful schools” program today during the Board’s General Business Meeting at 2:15 p.m. at the Queen Liliuokalani Building.

11:00 AM – The 9th Annual Kona Chocolate Festival to return to Keauhou Beach Resort

Public relations for Outrigger Enterprises Group forwards this media release:

The ninth annual Kona Chocolate Festival is back to sweeten your day on October 15, 2011, from 6 p.m. to10 p.m. at the Keauhou Beach Resort. Be prepared to enter a chocolate lover’s dream with 15 to 25 of Hawaii Island’s top chefs creating innovative chocolate creations, along with champagne, wine, and chocolate beer. Melodious Hawaiian music serenades the crowd and sweetens the mood as guests sink their teeth into their favorite chocolate concoctions.

The evening features a variety of exciting events including a cook-off competition with participating regional chefs, chocolate body art, a life size chocolate fondue fountain provided by The Chocolate Guy Hawaii, and complimentary Artisan Micro Brew by Kona Brewing Company.

The crowd will be delighted with non-stop entertainment including the musical styling of one of Hawaii’s most noted, award-winning slack key guitarists, Cyril Pahinui, and dance the night away with live salsa music by Salsa Latinos.

In addition, a silent auction offering a wide variety of exciting items donated by local businesses will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds to benefit Kona’s local chapter of The American Culinary Federation’s Chef and Child Program as well as the West Hawaii Community College Culinary School in Kealakekua. For more information or general admission tickets, please call (808) 987-8722 or email konachocolatefest@gmail.com.

“The purpose and goal of this event is to highlight and showcase Hawaii’s unique regional products, with an emphasis on chocolate,” said Jim Heather, general manager of Keauhou Beach Resort. “Keauhou Beach Resort is proud to be a part of this event that not only supports culinary education opportunities, but also enriches our guests’ vacation experience by showing the diversified agriculture of Hawaii.”

Keauhou Beach Resort is an oceanfront hotel on the sunny Kona Coast of Hawaii Island. Ocean tide pools with gentle sea turtles and gardens with native Hawaiian flowers and trees are part of the resort’s beautiful natural surroundings. Special room rates are available starting from $99 per night. For more information or reservations, please call (808) 324-2515, Monday-Friday, 7AM-3PM, Hawaii Standard Time, and ask for the Kona Chocolate Festival rate.

 

10:50 AM – Urgemn health care issues on tap for meeting in Waimea

Patti Cook and the Waimea Community Association pass this news along, concerning an important meeting to be held on October 6th:

Dr. Bruce S. Anderson, President/CEO of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC), will lead a discussion – and “listening session” — on urgent health care issues for North Hawai’i at the 5:15-7 p.m., Thurs., Oct. 6, 2011 Waimea Community Association Town Meeting in Waimea School Cafeteria.   

The discussion will cover a wide range of hot topics and critical community concerns, from the impact of new federal legislation and reduced reimbursements that directly impact individual coverage and costs, to concerns about long term care and assisted living options, to the cost and future of urgent, critical care and long term care services in rural neighbor island communities and how this will impact North Hawai’i Community Hospital, Hale Ho’ola Hamakua and Kohala Hospital.   

Speakers joining Dr. Anderson for the discussion include Jay Kreuzer, CEO, HHSC West Hawai’i Region (Kona Community Medical Center and Kohala Community Hospital), Dr. Bill Park, CMO for NHCH, and Cathy Meyer-Uehara, Administrator of Hale Ho’ola Hamakua.  

“Healthcare is one of the fastest areas of rising cost and need; residents are urged to attend and participate in this discussion about what’s happening locally and nationally, how they will be impacted, and what they can do and be heard in terms of concerns and priorities,” said Sen. Malama Solomon, who is helping Waimea Community Association with coordinating this healthcare discussion.   

There will be time for questions and answers.   

Also on the agenda will be a brief update on the proposed County Impact Fee ordinance by Councilman Pete Hoffmann, a briefing on a Health Literacy Fair Nov. 12, 2011 in Waikoloa by Rep. Cindy Evans, and an update on Waimea’s coqui location and eradication efforts.   

WAIMEA FOOD PANTRY

As always, all who attend WCA monthly Town Meetings are asked to help support local food pantries by bringing a donation – preferably cash, a check, KTA Sav-A-Tapes and/or Foodland Maka’i My Rewards – or non-perishable food items.  Cash or checks are given to Waimea’s Annunciation Catholic Church food pantry to purchase vegetables, fruit and milk as well as other essentials.  Checks may be payable directly to a food pantry so the donation is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.  

Also, as always, Starbucks Waimea will provide hot coffee for which the association suggests a small donation be made, again to support local food pantries.   

For more information about Waimea Community Association, call President Sherman Warner (885-1725) or go to www.WaimeaTown.org.