Once a week, Big Island Video News creates a hyper-local digest of various Hamakua news stories, including a round-up of recent video stories, either previously published or unpublished.

HONOLII: Beack Park To Close For Lifeguard Stand Delivery

• Honoli’i Beach Park will be closed on Wednesday from 7 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in order to fly over a new lifeguard tower.

The Hawaii Fire Department has scheduled the transportation of a new lifeguard tower from the Bayfront beach area closest to the Wailoa river entrance to the Honoli’i Beach Park on Wednesday December 17, 2014. The work will be done using a helicopter beginning at 7:30 am. The existing old tower currently located at the Honoli’i Beach Park will be removed, also using this helicopter, and taken to the Bayfront beach area where it will be dismantled. We request the public’s assistance by staying away from these locations during the hours of 7:00 am until 12:30 pm. Both beaches will be closed to the public during this time, and no one will beallowed in or around the flying zone area. The Hawaii Fire Department would like to thank you for your cooperation.Hawaii County Fire Department on Dec. 14

ON THE AGENDA: Hawaii County Council on December 17, 2014

• West Hawai‘i Civic Center on December 17, 2014 at 9 am.

Res. 552-14 GRANTS A VARIANCE FROM CHAPTER 3, SECTION 3-12(A), HAWAI‘I (Draft 2): COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION, AS AMENDED), TO ALLOW ONE GROUND SIGN ON 48-5370 HONOKA‘A/WAIPI‘O ROAD, TAX MAP KEY: 4-8-006:043 {ZONED “A” AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT – The applicant, Colleen Gold, requests a sign variance for one sign to beplaced at the Waipi‘o Cookhouse location on Honoka‘a / Waipi‘o Road in Honoka‘a

Reference: Comm. 1081.3
Intr. by: Mr. Kanuha (B/R)
Approve: PWPRC-92

Bill 321: AMENDS ORDINANCE NO. 14-81, AS AMENDED, THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30 2015 – Appropriates revenues in the Federal Grants – Broadband Capacity Building Pilot Program account ($188,500); and appropriates the same to the Broadband Capacity Building Pilot Program account. Funds would be used to conduct pilot projects to expand broadband Internet services to unserved and underserved areas in Hawai‘i County.

Reference: Comm. 115]
Intr. by: Ms. Poindexter
First Reading: November 19, 2014

Bill 322: AMENDS ORDINANCE NO. 14-81, AS AMENDED, THE OPERATING (2012-2014) BUDGET FOR THE COUNTY OF HAWAI‘I FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2015 – Appropriates revenues in the Federal Grants – Hamakua Broadband Assessment Program account ($40,000); and appropriates the same to the Hamakua Broadband Assessment Program account. Funds would be used to conduct a community assessment of the broadband probability in the Hamakua District.

Reference: Comm. 1152
Intr. by: Ms. Poindexter
First Reading: November 19, 2014

LINK: Other Items on Dec. 17 Council Agenda via Big Island Video News

LINK: Full Agenda via Hawaii County

HONOKAA: Harry Manx coming to the Honoka’a Peoples Theater, Jan. 17

Event organzers are spreading the word:

We are pleased to announce the upcoming concert tour with Harry Manx happening at the Honoka’a Peoples Theater, Jan. 17 on Big Island, MACC’s McCoy Studio Theater, Jan. 16 on Maui and Kauai Community College Performing Arts Center on Friday, January 16… Harry Manx blends Indian folk melodies with slide guitar blues, a sprinkle of gospel and some compelling grooves, creating a unique “mysticssippi” flavor. Playing the Mohan Veena (a 20-stringed sitar/guitar hybrid), lap steel, harmonica, stomp box, and banjo, Manx quickly envelops the audience into what has been dubbed “the Harry Zone” with his warm vocals and the hauntingly beautiful melodies of his original songs.High Tide Entertainment Ltd.

OOKALA: Crowdfunding Campaign to Help Hawaii’s Forests Underway

• The O’okala-based Hawai‘i Forest Institute is promoting a new fundraising campaign that “saves Hawai‘i forests the new fashioned way”.
• The goal of the non-profit is to plant 4,000 seedlings “while providing forest stewardship learning experiences for 2,000 youth at forest restoration and demonstration sites throughout Hawai‘i”.
• So far, the “Mahalo ‘āina” crowdfunding effort has reached 38% of its goal. The campaign closes on December 25.

Hawai‘i Forest Institute’s “Mahalo ‘āina: 40 Days for Hawaii’s Forests” Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign will help HFI reach its annual goal of planting 4,000 seedlings while providing forest stewardship learning experiences for 2,000 youth at forest restoration and demonstration sites throughout Hawai‘i.

The “Mahalo ‘āina: 40 Days for Hawaii’s Forests” Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign is seeking to raise $10,000 over a 40-day time span to protect and perpetuate Hawaii’s forest resources.

Crowdfunding is the process of pooling money from many different people to make an idea happen. The Indiegogo online crowdfunding platform welcomes donors at all levels to play an active role in helping to reach project funding goals. The crowdfunding campaign to help Hawaii’s forests launches on November 15.

“Over 95% of Hawaii’s dry forests have disappeared and over 25% of Hawaii’s endangered species in the Hawaiian flora are from dry forests. This fundraising campaign will help Hawai‘i Forest Institute (HFI) to protect these rare and very special places, as well as support Hawaii’s forest industry,” said HFI Executive Director Heather Simmons. “Our “40 Days for Hawaii’s Forests” campaign is a project of Mahalo ‘āina: Give Back to the Forest, our organization’s larger effort to expand partnerships to protect and perpetuate Hawaii’s forests.”

Contributions starting at $5 and continuing to the $1,500 level will earn perks for their donors including Mahalo ‘āina canvas bag, t-shirt, baseball cap, Hawaiian wood pen, a Forest Yoga experience, Koa bracelet, Koa hoop earrings, Plant Walk and Lunch, Hawaii’s Woodshow Opening Night Reception, ‘āina Mauna Christmas Tree Planting Experience and a Kanakaleonui Bird Corridor Tour.

Mahalo ‘āina: Give Back to the Forest

Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association is partnering with the Hawai‘i Forest Institute to launch its Mahalo ‘āina: Give Back to the Forest program. The program seeks to expand public and private partnerships to gain support for the protection and perpetuation of Hawaii’s forest resources.

Protection and perpetuation of Hawaii’s forest ecosystems is everyone’s responsibility. Today’s ecosystem management and stewardship will ensure our forests for the next seven generations.

The Mahalo ‘āina: Give Back to the Forest Program will be the initial launch of Hawai‘i Forest Institute’s first, long-term, self-sustaining, outreach program. During the first year of the campaign, HFI is seeking to raise $75,000 for its forest restoration and demonstration projects.

Funds raised will help support seed collection and storage, propagation, planting and long-term care of seedlings, site maintenance, and educational programs. In addition to planting trees, the program will help to support total ecosystem management, provide forest stewardship opportunities and environmental and cultural education.

The Mahalo ‘āina: Give Back to the Forest program will initially benefit these projects on Hawai‘i Island, O‘ahu, Maui, and Kaua‘i: Hawai‘i Island Native Seed Bank Cooperative, Honolulu Zoo Children’s Discovery Forest, ‘āina Mauna Christmas Tree Demonstration Project, Kaloko Makai Dryland Forest Preserve, Kapāpala Canoe Forest, Ka‘ūpūlehu Dryland Forest, Keauhou Bird Conservation Center Discovery Forest, Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School, La‘i ‘Ōpua Dryland Habitat Preserve, Pālamanui Dry Forest Preserve, Honokohau National Historical Park & Pu‘uhonua O‘ Honaunau Restoration, Pana‘ewa Zoo Discovery Forest, Kōkeʻe Forest Reserve and Maui Bird Conservation Center Discovery Forest.

The Mahalo ‘āina: Give Back to the Forest program’s educational component will provide volunteer opportunities for visitors and kama‘aina to help everyone learn about Hawaii’s heritage of sustainable forestry and gain a greater appreciation for Hawaii’s forest ecosystems and the many threats they face.

To contribute to the “Mahalo ‘āina: 40 Days for Hawaii’s Forests” Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign log on to: https://www.indiegogo.com.

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MahaloAina, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mahaloaina or visit us online at http://www.mahaloaina.org.

For more information contact HFI Executive Director Heather Simmons at 808-933-9411 or email: heather.hfia@hawaiiforest.org.Hawai‘i Forest Institute on Dec. 15