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KAUAI News

Landfill compensation talk tomorrow in Kekaha
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by Dennis Fujimoto - The Garden Island

KEKAHA — The Department of Public Works will hold a series of meetings to discuss host community benefits offered to the Kekaha community as compensation for the upcoming expansion of the Kekaha Landfill.

The first meeting will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. tomorrow at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center.

Topics that will be covered include the formation of a Citizens Advisory Committee, a volunteer group that will help develop a compensation package for the Kekaha community utilizing county funds.

Nominations will be accepted for consideration and appointment to the committee at the meeting.

Future meetings in this series will be coordinated by the advisory committee.

Kekaha residents who are interested in serving on the CAC but are unable to attend the first meeting can call the county Solid Waste Program Coordinator Allison Fraley at 241-4837. For more information or to request an auxiliary aid, contact Fraley.

Lihu‘e airport to harness sun
http://kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/10/04/news/news01.txt

KIUC could lose substantial revenue

by Michael Levine - The Garden Island

The Hawai‘i State Department of Transportation yesterday entered a series of agreements with Hoku Solar Inc. in which the DOT will purchase solar electricity from photovoltaic systems to be installed at airports statewide, according to a joint press release.

“This is an exemplary public-private partnership that will bring clean, solar power to many of our state’s public facilities, with minimal up-front investment,” Brennon Morioka, director of the Hawaii State Department of Transportation, said in the release. “Now, more than ever before, the state must seek every opportunity to integrate renewable power and energy conservation into public operations. Power purchase agreements like these not only represent thoughtful stewardship of taxpayer dollars, but they provide important, incremental relief to the very real dangers of global climate change.”

Under the terms of the agreements, the state will not need to lay out for upfront costs of the installation of the PV panels on the rooftops of various state-owned buildings. Hoku Solar will own and operate each system, and sell the energy gleaned from the panels to the state at a predetermined rate for 20 years.

Tuesday, October 14, the North Shore Council (a group comprising the heads of the community associations from Kilauea to Ha'ena) is sponsoring a forum for the candidates for the Kauai County Council.

The forum will take place from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm at the Hanalei School Cafetorium. Most of the 14 candidates have indicated that they plan to participate.

We have prepared questions that we believe will address the issues of greatest interest to north shore residents. We will ask the candidates to give answers that are as specific and informative as possible. The topics will include public services to the north shore, the proposed property tax legislation, enforcement of county ordinances, drug problems, open government, and (if time allows) agricultural and rural land preservation, and tourist development and commercialization.
As you can imagine, with so many candidates, the forum will need to be tightly structured. (Even limiting each candidate to a 2-minute answer to a question, it will take close to 30 minutes for all of the candidates to respond to a question.) So there may not be much opportunity for direct questions from the audience. But we nonetheless believe that the forum will be well worth your time, as the prepared questions will address topics that are of high importance to our north shore communities.

Carl Imparato, President
Hanalei-Ha'ena Community Association
826-1856

http://www.starbulletin.com/business/businessnews/20081002_Kauais_econom...

"Kauai's economy seen stalling;
Kauai's economy to see little growth"

By Jennifer Sudick
Oct 02, 2008

"Kauai's economy may see little or no growth this year after 11 years of statewide expansion, First Hawaiian Bank economic adviser Leroy Laney said yesterday during an annual overview of the island's economy.

Laney cited a weaker tourism industry, Gay & Robinson's announcement last month that it will shut down its commodity sugar production, and a drop in job growth, retailing and housing sales.

"There seems to be greater acceptance of the downturn this time than in the 1990s when there was greater denial of the downturn's existence or its length," he said in remarks released before the conference.

"That alone is comforting because it will foster more realistic decisions."

Kauai's economy has decelerated along with the rest of the state, Laney said at the 34th annual forum at the Grand Hyatt Kauai resort.

Job growth is estimated at 1 percent for 2008 - a drop from nearly 3 percent last year - slowing along with construction, retailing and tourism.

"Tourism, of course, is still Kauai's big economic engine," Laney said. "In 2007, the island's visitor industry had a very good year, leading the state in total arrivals and total spending. However, 2008 hasn't been so kind; Kauai lags other islands in both arrivals and spending."

Growing Food Organically
Growing Food Organically

In the face of rising food costs and tumbling financial markets, some people are looking for a safe haven or at least for a sensible answer regarding “what to do?”. One answer that is emerging from several corners of Kauai is “learn how to grow our own food!”. It is not a new answer but it is a response to the current times in which we are all facing one more crisis after another.

For those persons who are looking to take control of at least one such crisis, like the threat of food shortages and spiraling shipping costs, a new program is being offered at Kauai Community College entitled “Growing Food: Principles and Methods of Organic Horticulture.” It is designed for home gardeners and those seeking to establish community gardens in their neighborhood. It is a 10 session program that will be held Thursdays from 4:00 till 6:00 pm beginning October 16. Tuition is $120 and a limited number of partial scholarships are available.

The principal instructor will be Katherine Doherty who is experienced in organic horticulture and permaculture systems of food production. She holds a bachelors degree from University of Hawaii in ethnobotany and has taught courses in various related fields in Hawaii and New Zealand. She worked with a National Science Foundation funded program at Bishop Museum and has authored several studies in the fields of horticulture and ecology.

Growing Food Organically

In the face of rising food costs and tumbling financial markets, some people are looking for a safe haven or at least for a sensible answer regarding “what to do?”. One answer that is emerging from several corners of Kauai is “learn how to grow our own food!”. It is not a new answer but it is a response to the current times in which we are all facing one more crisis after another.

For those persons who are looking to take control of at least one such crisis, like the threat of food shortages and spiraling shipping costs, a new program is being offered at Kauai Community College entitled “Growing Food: Principles and Methods of Organic Horticulture.” It is designed for home gardeners and those seeking to establish community gardens in their neighborhood. It is a 10 session program that will be held Thursdays from 4:00 till 6:00 pm beginning October 16. Tuition is $120 and a limited number of partial scholarships are available.

The principal instructor will be Katherine Doherty who is experienced in organic horticulture and permaculture systems of food production. She holds a bachelors degree from University of Hawaii in ethnobotany and has taught courses in various related fields in Hawaii and New Zealand. She worked with a National Science Foundation funded program at Bishop Museum and has authored several studies in the fields of horticulture and ecology.

5pm, Blossoming Lotus (upstairs room)

Politicos stump Westside concerns
http://kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/10/02/news/news01.txt

by Blake Jones - The Garden Island

WAIMEA — In the first regional Kaua‘i political debate, council and mayoral candidates discussed Westside issues at the Historic Waimea Theater Tuesday night.

About 200 residents showed up to hear the candidates answer on economic stimulus, visitor growth, agriculture, infrastructure and permitting on their home turf.

All candidates with ties to West Kaua‘i made note of it in their answers. The group seemed to acknowledge that “Westside” is more than a location — it’s a lifestyle and identity for many.

Council candidate Christobel Kealoha, born and raised in Kekaha, summed up the reigning sentiment

“Westside isn’t just directional,” she said. “It means, I know your family and your family knows me. I remember your grandmother and grandfather. I remember what happened.”

Councilman Ron Kouchi and candidates Bruce Pleas and Rhoda Libre are also from or currently living on the Westside. Councilman Daryl Kaneshiro, of Koloa, said he considers himself a “Westsider.”

Both mayoral candidates, Bernard Carvalho and JoAnn Yukimura, and 12 of the 14 vying for a council seat in the general election participated. Council candidates George Thronas and KipuKai Kuali‘i were not in attendance.

The mayoral and council candidates fielded separate questions before collectively taking on three from the audience during the nearly three-hour debate.

Main Street support

Join hosts Andrea Brower and Keone Kealoha this Friday, October 3rd, noon - 1pm on KKCR (91.9FM or online at kkcr.org) when we talk RE:Localization with Relocalization Network Manager Asher Miller. The Relocalization Network was created in 2003 as one of the first initiatives of Post Carbon Institute. It developed as a response to individuals' questions about how they could take action to address the implications of peak oil. They found that the most effective strategies are initiated at the community level. For this reason, Post Carbon Institute decided that establishing a network of Local Post Carbon Groups was the best way to provide concerned individuals with the support and resources necessary to coordinate effective action.

The Relocalization Network is now composed of nearly 150 Local Post Carbon Groups from all over the world that are working to prepare their communities for an energy constrained future. These groups operate autonomously, while receiving guidance, educational resources, project and technical support and electronic infrastructure from Post Carbon Institute.

More on Post Carbon Institute
More on Relocalization Network

Aloha Sandsifters, and Lovers of Nature!
This Saturday Oct 4 at 9am
Please join in the Sierra Club Beach Clean Up in Kapaa
just north of Pono Kai Beach!

Where: Meet at the beach south of the Police Station shack (portable).

This is Across from the Deja Vu store and the Bank of Hawaii.
(North of Nui street)

See the Sierra Club banner at beach and our bags and sandsifters and us...

When: 9am start to 10:30 am!

East side/Easy/ .5 mile or less.

Try out our awesome SandSifters and rakes. Bags and gloves provided also.
Bring your own rakes too if you can.

Why: The beautiful beach is a wreck with lots of flotsam and Jetsam to bag and needs our attention.
Plus: We can discuss the dirty sand dredged up from the river, full of silt, and now placed on our pristine golden sand. (One day soon, do swing by the Boat Harbor across from Burger King to check out the enormous pile of sand full of silt and who knows what.)

If can come, come!

On this short and sweet Beach Clean Up, Dogs are welcome if tied up.

for more details, please call Karen at 821-8008

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