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

“Plymouth Rock” Of Hawai’i Beneath Our Kailua-Kona Pier

On April 4, 1820, our first Congregational missionaries landed on lava rock that lies beneath today’s Kailua-Kona pier complex, a year after kuhina nui/highest counsel Ka’ahumanu abolished kapu [rigid class hegemony].  They were inspired by Henry Opukahaia, whose martyrdom also inspired Statesman Henry Clay, among our great abolitionists, whose greatest devotee is Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipator.   Ka’ahumanu’s brother Kuakini was Hawai’i Island governor 1820-1844, who dismantled Kamehameha the Great’s Kamakahonu royal residence/seat of government/Ahu’ena heiau & turned these sites into a fort.  Kamakahonu site is today’s King Kamehameha Hotel [first neighbor island hotel w/an elevator 1960]. Read the rest of this entry »

By Rod Thompson

  Former Honolulu broadcast journalist Linda Coble told Pahoa Rotarians Saturday afternoon how happy she was to move from television reporting to radio commentary years ago.

  ”I’ve got to put my advocacy somewhere because you can’t do it on television,” she told the Rotarians from five clubs gathered at the community park in Leilani Estates subdivision.

     The occasion was the kickoff party, known as a Charter Celebration, for the new Rotary Club of Pahoa Sunset Hawaii, which received its charter from Rotary International on April 1.

     Coble’s professional history served as an illustration of the changing role of women in broadcast journalism since the 1960s.

    After receving a degree in broadcasting from the University of Oregon, Coble discovered she couldn’t find a job in Portland. More specifically, no broadcaster was willing to give a job to a woman.

    “In those days, women were not on the air,” she said. One employer told her bluntly to come back when she had a sex change operation. Read the rest of this entry »

(Media release) — The Department of Public Works announces that police officers will divert traffic around a manhole located at the corner of Haili and Keawe Streets in Downtown Hilo from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, 2009, while Hawaiian Telcom makes repairs.  

(Media release) — Effective Monday, June 1, 2009, the Hilo Bayfront Soccer Field #7 (located above canal – next to restrooms) will be closed for improvements for approximately six weeks while volunteers from American Youth Soccer Association (AYSO) and other organizations work to repair the field. 

The staff of the Department of Parks and Recreation would like to express their appreciation to all volunteers who will assist with this community service project, and thanks to users for their patience while the repairs are being completed.

(40-year newspaper veteran Hugh Clark is a fellow Big Island Press Club member, friend and mentor to the Big Island Chronicle editor.)  

At first blush, this week’s revelation that Kealakehe High used an ineligible player in all 12 games of the 2008 football season was a forthright admission of a mistake by school officials who were voluntarily fessing up.

But in the larger context of things, you must wonder what on earth is going on at the island’s largest public high school.

Taken together with the follies of 2007 season when most felt the Wave Riders took a dive in their final game with Waiakea in order to avoid meeting a fast improving Kea’au team in the playoffs, you start sensing something is amiss.

Strange the man responsible for all this, principal Wilfred Murakami who has a peculiar history of involving himself in sports since his days at Konawaena, and football coach Gary Clark who came here from Utah to take over the program after a coach with good marks was ousted and you get a better context. Read the rest of this entry »

(Debbie Hecht is the “Save Our Lands” coordinator, community volunteer, who recently contended for a County Council seat, but lost to current Councilman Kelly Greenwell. Read up on “community information for Hawaii County” atwww.dhecht.com, call (808) 989-3222, or email Debbie Hecht at hecht.deb@gmail.com.) 

I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, the 2% Land Fund was easy pickin’, low hanging, fruit for the Hawaii County Council to meet the $34+ million “projected” budget shortfall. The mayor started the legislative process to suspend deposits to this fund for two years — which will total about $8 million — even before the budget hearings began.  Deposits to the land fund are approximately $4 million per year, which is less than one percent of the $430 million plus budget. The Hawaii County budget is written for only one fiscal year, but the county suspended the fund for 2 years. Why? Is this even legal? Big Island residents are upset.  Read the rest of this entry »

Fifth-grade through 12th-grade keiki looking for some summer fun may join island writer and photographer Bill Harby for a three-session workshop at the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday, June 22, 2009, Wednesday, June 24 ,2009 and Friday, June 26, 2009.  The “funshop” will be “devoted to creative writing experiments,” allowing young writers “to free their imaginations and play with language to express their ideas and feelings.”

The $65 cost for the funshop includes printing costs.  The class is limited to 15.  Contact Bill Harby at (808) 985-8558 or email billharby@hawaiiantel.net.

(Media release) — The waters flowing through Waimea from Kohala Mountain to the ocean are the topic of presentations at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea at 7 p.m. Monday, June 1, 2009.

The presentations are part of Kahe Mau Ka Wai A Waimea: Forever Shall the Waters of Waimea Flow, a multi-media art exhibit that reflects on the enduring waters of Waimea and cultural landscape through art and sharing. The exhibit runs through June 12, 2009.

Carolyn Stewart will talk about the Wai‘ula‘ula Watershed; Melora Purell, the Kohala Watershed Partnership and resources on Kohala mountain; and Bob Nishimoto, the native aquatic species found in the watershed. Read the rest of this entry »

"A Celebration of Hula" in the Waikoloa Bowl at Queens' MarketPlace

(Media Release) — Queens’ MarketPlace invites kama‘āina and visitors to come together and experience the art of hula under the stars during “A Celebration of Hula,” in the Waikoloa Bowl at Queens’ Gardens from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, June 6, 2009. 

This free event presents authentic mele (song) and hula (dance) as interpreted by four of the Big Island’s most enduring hālau.  Both traditional kahiko and modern ‘auana forms will be shared, with focus on the young performers who honor Hawaii’s treasured hula traditions for their generation. Read the rest of this entry »

 (Media Release) — Curb ramps in Downtown Hilo, the Kaiwiki Road repair, culvert work in Kona, and flood projects and map revisions are among the county’s Department of Public Works projects that are underway. Following is a complete list.

 Under design for Waimea are the replacement of 21 curb ramps, 12 driveways and 2,603 feet of sidewalk in Waimea Town to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall.  

As for Kona, repairs to the Nāpō‘opo‘o Road culvert (located on the mauka side of the road and marked with traffic cones) begins at the end of May. Work will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Ed Higa General Contracting was awarded the $28,000 contract.  Read the rest of this entry »

(Media release) — The Dreamers Collective and Planet Puna present “Three Amazing Artists and their Art/Music” fundraiser at The Dreamers Collective, an artist’s co-op at 301 Keawe St. in Hilo, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, June 5, 2009.  

Among the artists featured is Rolly, a painter of fine art, murals and “trompe l’oeil” (trick the eye).  Rolly has settled in Hawaii with his wife and young daughter, after traveling across America, Canada and Mexico engaged in artistry on tattoos, album covers, t-shirts, and murals along with performing one-man shows in galleries and café’s and in the theatre.  In a musical performance, Rolly will be joined by a Chilean saxophone player and a player of the “Kohala Kora,” three-string harp predating guitar. Read the rest of this entry »

Vivianna will soon begin teaching two new Beginning Classical Ballet classes at OM Studio.  But, first:  We need to get a sense of your level of interest!  One class will be for young people; another class for adults.  If you are interested in more information, please contact Vivianna directly at:  vivianac@aol.com.  These are beginning classes designed to build strength and familiarize students with the basics of Classical Ballet.  Vivianna is a highly skilled instructor who has also completed choreography.  For more information about classes held at There’s No Place Like Om Yoga Studio, visit OMHawaii.com.

(Media release) — The County of Hawaii Department of Parks and Recreation announces that the Honoka`a Park (Upper Baseball Field and Track) will be closed nightly for safety reasons until the electrical meter is repaired and power restored.

The staff of the Department of Parks and Recreation thanks all patrons for their patience during this temporary night closure. Staff will be working to have lights operating and facility available for night use as soon as possible.

The decade-old Kona Marathon has developed into quite an attraction, with its four races for the whole family — A marathon, half-marathon, and both 5-K and 10-K runs. Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort will be the host for this premiere road race. The Bubba Gump Run Forest Run Keiki Fun Runs will occur a week beforehand on June 21, 2009. For more information, call (808)325-0287, email raceinfo@konamarathon.com, or visit www.konamarathon.com.

Spend an afternoon with Keith and Carmen Haugen, musical duo that performed in Waikiki for 35 years. Hear about the Hawaiian language, history, place names, and inspiration behind Keith’s original compositions plus enjoy hula by Carmen. A musical treat! 2 p.m. Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Free. (808) 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

I’ve written about the possibility (here, here, here, here, here and here).  Puna residents are planning a formal protest of the fast food establishments that are being built at the entrance to Pahoa Town, which turns 100 this year. The protest is to occur at a time to be announced on Tuesday, June 16, 2009.

According to a mass email drumming up supporters, some of the slogans being tossed around for protest signs include: “Stop the fast food invasion;” “Go back to Kentucky!”; “Fast food is yucky;” “Kentucky Fried Crap”; “Support the local chicken union”; “Fast food = sick keiki”;  and “Take your lousy burgers back to the mainland.” A potluck planning meeting  and a sign-making party are being planned before the protest.  Those interested in participating are asked to email the Pahoa Town Chapter of the Fast Food Community Defense at stopkfc@gmail.com.