Big Island Chronicle

Curtis Narimatsu

(Curtis Narimatsu is a lifelong resident of Hilo who writes about the forgotten past such as the old plantation days & untold heroes.)

Emil Osorio, born 1898, arrived here in 1910, nephew of mogul J.A.M. Osorio.  Emil is Elroy’s father. Emil got Board of Water Supply job under GOP County Chairman Sam Mahuka Spencer. Elroy Osorio born Sept. 1924 — 84 yrs. old but looks 64 yrs. young, was inspired by GOP County Chairman Jimmy Kealoha to run for political office. 

Elroy Osorio (about a decade or so ago)

Next to GOP Bernard Akana/Wendell Kaehuaea, GOP Elroy is a perennial candidate/loser, but ever-faithful GOP loyalist.  Yet, Elroy won 90% of Keaukaha [DHHL] votes vs. Dem Shun Kimura for mayor 1964.  Elroy asked dying GOP Sen. Doc Hill to succeed Hill in 1970, but Hill picked Hill’s inhouse business “hanai” son Scotch Henderson.  Elroy’s biggest shock was when Dem Aaron Chung beat Elroy for Elroy’s incumbent County Council seat.  Like Barack Obama, Aaron crested on youth & verve.  Elroy’s other shock was when his sole identity group, his one-only GOP, picked Dem turncoat Harvey Tajiri over Elroy to tiff vs. Dems for mayor in 2000.  GOP’s Kona haole faction dismissed Elroy as an old fart has-been.  Opportunist Harry Kim then entered the fray & wiped out Tajiri in the GOP primary.   Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Aaron Chung, Andy Anderson, Ben Cayetano, Bernard Akana, Curtis Narimatsu, Dante Carpenter, Doc Hill, Eliza Kamakawiwo`ole, Elroy Osorio, Emil Osorio, Harry Kim, Harvey Tajiri, J.A.M. Osorio, Jimmy Kealoha, Jon Osorio, Linda Lingle, Lofty Cook, M.D. Vasco Osorio, Margaret Kaaua, Matt Masunaga, May Bradley Cook, Mazie Hirono, Pedro Augusto Dias, Sam Mahuka Spencer, Scotch Henderson, Scrub Tanaka, Shunichi Kimura, Ted Hong, Tristan M. Osorio, Wendell Kaehuaea

Noteworthy is a Wednesday, July 1, 2009 Washington Post article entitled, “After Call From Senator’s Office, Small Hawaii Bank Got U.S. Aid.”

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye

The ailing Central Pacific Financial, which previously had been determined not to meet the Treasury Department’s criteria, reportedly received a federal infusion after an inquiry from the office of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye.

ProPublica and Washington Post Staff Writers Paul Kiel and Binyamin Appelbaum reported that Sen. Inouye has “ownership of Central Pacific shares worth $350,000 to $700,000, some held by his wife, at the end of 2007.” Read the rest of this entry »

By Rod Thompson

      Interest paid on money borrowed to pave Hawaiian Paradise Park streets is doubling the cost of paving, property owner Bill Newman said during a general meeting of owners Sunday, June 28, 2009.

    Owners are currently making interest-only payments of $836,000 per year on money borrowed by means of a bond. Newman said he was “very upset” by the payments.

     Adding the interest to paving costs brings the nominal cost per mile of $225,000 to a true cost of $450,000, nearly a half million dollars per mile, Newman said.

    The total cost for the 20-year payback of the $12 million bond is $24 million.

     In a separate matter at the Sunday meeting, property owner Jim Brown criticized the 6-month hiring of Kaniu Kinimaka-Stocksdale as general manager of the Hawaiian Paradise Park Owners Association. Stocksdale had been on the board of directors, assigned to seek a new manager.

     “It came across as quick and slick,” Brown said. Read the rest of this entry »

A reader’s inquiry: 

“Hi. Wondered if you were going to ‘investigate’ the front page story yesterday about how the fire department is donating $18,000 to the fireworks show for the 4th July for the second year in a row?. It is not clear from my reading of it whether it is to make a total of the $28,000 they are planning to spend on fireworks or in addition to the $28,000 they already have. (A lot of money for a fifteen minute show that sometimes gets rained out)… … I have a few questions .. how is it that the Fire Department have $18,000 ‘extra’ when we are supposed to see belt tightening.. We’re told that it is the second year in a row they’ve done this so why wasn’t this money taken out of this year’s Fire Department budget? Was it ‘ear-marked’ for this

Also obviously a few questions come to mind about why the money would be channeled this way.. 
I’m emailing Dominic Yagong as well to ask for his thoughts.”

A Response From Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira: Read the rest of this entry »

(Media release) — The Rotary Club of Kona, the Kailua Village Business Improvement District, the Kailua-Kona Community Parade Association, and the County of Hawaii are sponsoring the Kailua-Kona Fireworks Celebration at 8:30 p.m., Saturday, July 4, 2009 over Kailua Bay.

Preceding the fireworks  the Fourth of July parade, starting 5:30 p.m., Saturday at Kekua’okalani Gym (Old Airport).  The parade route will take Kuakini Highway and Alii Drive via Palani Road, ending at the Coconut Grove Marketplace at 75-5809 Alii Drive.

The theme of the parade is “Celebrate Freedom.” Grand Marshal is Judge Ronald Ibarra. A Hawai‘i County float featuring Mayor Billy Kenoi also will join the parade. Read the rest of this entry »

(Media release) — For the seventh straight year, the state and County of Hawai‘i and private organizations have coordinated efforts to make 4^th of July a safe, enjoyable and fun-filled event in Downtown Hilo. 

Designated parking areas, free shuttle services and road closures are being provided for the safety and convenience of the public (see map).

Just remember:

— Bayfront Highway will be closed from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the Fourth of July for the safety of fireworks viewers in the area (see map above);

— Shuttle bus service will be available from parking lots at various locations (see map below); and

— Tents, canopies, alcohol and personal fireworks are strictly prohibited.

Keoni Alvarez

Keoni Kealoha Alvarez is reportedly the first person to invoke Hawaii’s media-shield law that took effect last year, according to a Honolulu Star-Bulletin article today.  

The Star-Bulletin report states that Kauai businessman Joseph Brescia has waged a lawsuit against 17 people he alleges trespassed and demonstrated on his property at Naue Point.  Joseph Brescia claims the delay in building his home as a result of the protest cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars. As part of his lawsuit, he has subpoenaed for Alvarez’s video on the protests.  

Alvarez  reportedly offered Joseph Brescia footage in his upcoming documentary, which he provided to one of the 17 defendants, but is unwilling to turn over additional footage he has that depicts Joseph Brescia’s property, protests on the property, Joseph Brescia’s “agents,” and some or all of the reported 30 burials on the property.   Read the rest of this entry »