Vallee Johnson art

(Editor’s Note: Following are thoughts shared by Guenn Adare. She writes about life’s journey of joy and sorrow, of fulfillment and loss, of gaining wisdom out of loss and pain, of healing and transcending our suffering, and of being of service to humanity and to one’s God  — unrequited agape love for all and everything.)

By Guennigirl

Did you see the sky tonight!?   It was so beautiful.  The moon was full, and there were big expanses of cloudless sky.  The moon was shining a silvery, midnight blue path off the ocean, coming right towards me.  The air was warm, not so very cold like it was last night.  It was one of those scenes that you could look at for a long time and still not drink it all in.  I would love to have been sitting somewhere, with someone, just gazing towards the ocean at the beauty of it, and talking.  A great setting for slow talk, small talk, occasional talk, talking story.

It’s not an uncommon view on this island, but I think the people who grew up here, have seen it all their lives, and take it for granted.  When you live on the landlocked mainland, that view of the moonlight reflecting off the ocean is like a diamond glowing in the middle of a black coal mine.  You can’t take your eyes off of it. Read the rest of this entry »

By Curtis Narimatsu

Heroes

From G. Linnaeus Banks, “I live for those who love me, whose hearts are kind and true, for the heaven that smiles above me, and awaits my spirit too. I live to learn their story, who suffered for my sake, to emulate their glory, and follow in their wake — bards, martyrs, sages, patriots, the heroic of all ages, who crowd his’ry’s pages, and Time’s great volume makes. To hold communion with all that is divine, to feel there is a union, ‘twixt nature’s heart and mine.” Koji Ariyoshi (1912-1976) felt that international fascism [Hitler/Tojo] had to be defeated before civil rights in America could be addressed. Thence his advocacy for the Nisei/2nd generation Japanese Americans to serve in the military WWII, unlike the Stateside kotonk no-no boys [no to loyalty questionaire]. Abraham lied about his wife. Moses killed a man. David committed adultery. Peter denied Christ. These were some of the greatest men in the Bible, yet their failures are recorded for all the world to see. Salvation is about being human.

Henry Baldwin (1842-1911) lost his arm in a sugar mill accident. Baldwin became Paul Bunyan by one-upping his workers who feared climbing down the 450-foot sides of Maliko Gulch, the last obstacle to completing the earliest haole sugar plantation irrigation ditch. Baldwin shamed his workers by grabbing a rope and used his legs and remaining arm to shinny to the floor of the chasm, which then inspired the men to push on. Read the rest of this entry »

(Adapted media release) — Paul Santoro, charged with 16 crimes in connection with a robbery Tuesday (Feb. 23) at a Hilo pharmacy, is expected to appear in District Court in Hilo tomorrow morning, March 1, 2010.

Santoro was charged Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010 with robbery in the first degree, three counts of terroristic threatening in the first degree and one count each of assault in the second degree, assault in the third degree, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, place to keep a loaded firearm, place to keep ammunition, permit to acquire a firearm and registration mandatory.

Detectives investigating the incident say the rifle used in the robbery was taken in a home burglary on Monday, Feb. 22, 2010. Santoro was charged additionally with one count of burglary in the first degree and one count of theft in the first degree. Read the rest of this entry »

"Namaste" has dinner. Zoo photos by Tiffany Edwards Hunt

It took becoming a mother to discover one of Hilo’s treasure: The Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo! It is my new favorite place to take my toddler.  ”White tiger,” she has said repeatedly since our visit to the zoo on Tuesday afternoon.

I was dumbfounded to discover there was no admittance into the 31-year-old zoo.  Just a donation box and a hope for altruistic visitors.  Upon admittance, several plastic-car push carts are available for parents and children, again for a donation.

I found the grounds to be absolutely remarkable; botanical gardens I learned are cared for by a group of five seniors.  Among them is Joyce, whose photograph I captured during our excursion.   There were plenty of picnic benches for us to choose from to have our lunch before visiting the parrots, macaws, frogs, honu, iguana, pigs, donkeys, lemurs, cranes, and, of course, the tiger referred to as “Namaste.” There are even reindeer  and an anteater.  Sure, there aren’t hippos, giraffes, orangutans, or elephants. But the grounds are really impressive; I would argue they are more aesthetically pleasing than the Honolulu Zoo. Read the rest of this entry »

Coastal hippies evacuate to Pahoa. Photos by Tiffany Edwards Hunt

Hippies from Coastal Puna have flocked to Downtown Pahoa and are standing in front of the bank and Pahoa Cash And Carry, offering, among other things, “free tsunami soup.” The Puna Baptist Church is among the churches and businesses in Pahoa that are “open for evac.” The Pahoa Neighborhood Facility is open to evacuees. The tsunami siren in town blares every few minutes.  A tsunami generated after an 8.8 Chilean earthquake at 8:34 p.m. Hawaii time Friday is expected to hit the island in the next hour.

Pahoa Neighborhood Facility, also known as the Pahoa Community Center, is open for evacuees. Depicted is a parking lot that is quickly filling within the hour that the tsunami is expected to hit the coast of Hawaii Island.

Image courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has reportedly issued a tsunami advisory statewide, after an 8.8 earthquake struck the coast of Chile at 8:34 p.m. Hawaii time.

Forecasters say it is possible the advisory could be elevated to a watch or warning. Should a tsunami reach Hawaii, its earliest arrival time is 11:19 a.m., tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. A tsunami warning is reportedly in effect for both Chile and Peru, while a tsunami watch is in effect for Ecuador, Columbia, Antarctica, Panama, and Costa Rica.

The quake’s epicenter was located 212 miles from the capital of Santiago, near the town of Concepcion, in what the U.S. ( Geological Survey (USGC) is referring to as “offshore Maule.”  At least one person has been reported to be dead at this hour.

In 1960, after the Valdivia earthquake — also referred to as the Great Chilean Earthquake for the fact that it was said to be the most powerful earthquake ever recorded at 9.5 — a tsunami struck the Hawaiian islands, Japan, the Philippines, eastern New Zealand, southeast Australia, the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, and Southern Chile, according to Wikipedia. Waves were reported at 30 feet in Hilo, and had a devastating effect here.

Brian Jordan

Dear Tiffany,

If could you please place this message on your blog immediately, Iwould be grateful.  Apparently, I made a blanket generalization about  all reporting at the Hawaii Tribune-Herald being pathetic. Mr. Armstrong rightly took exception, as he has never personally attacked me nor have any of the support personnel.  I apologized to him and told I would be glad to apologize on the blog where the sin was committed. There are good reporters, i.e., you.  I explained how Stephens Media allowed WHT Reed Twerppinger, through Carolyn Lucas, to wrote a ficticious character assassinations of Helene Hale and attributed it to me. In my mind, Chris Loos wrote a story based on slander and made it libel. She used me as a political pin cushion. After the HTH coverage, Hunter reiterated it on his blog.  He knew he was hurting my reputation and election without proof, it just didn’t matter. He disliked my opinion. Read the rest of this entry »

By Pete Hoffmann

It’s been more than a week since the Council embarrassed itself by failing to take action on the plastic bag reduction bill.  Public disappointment with the Council is now more vocal than before and this most recent debacle increases the downward spiral of shrunken credibility with the Council that began with last summer’s re-organization fiasco.  Instead of bemoaning the obvious misfortune the County will face in the aftermath of this decision, I’d like to address an even more insidious consequence of the Council’s refusal to tackle issues of this nature.

My concern has nothing to do with the specifics of the plastic bag effort.  The issue is much more fundamental; an utter failure to take charge, to lead our County, to define policy in the best interests of the people of our island.  Consider some of the plastic bag discussion in Council.  Almost every Council member at one time or another admitted plastic bags were a “pollution problem for our island.”  Further, most admitted that the issue would “eventually have to be addressed.”  A few noted the bill’s sponsor was “on the right track” but couldn’t support the effort due to concerns regarding the cost to the consumers.   Read the rest of this entry »

Image courtesy of Faster, Maria!

When Mayor Billy Kenoi delivers his budget for the next fiscal year to the County Council on Monday, it reportedly will not include estimated $327,000 funding for the Hawaii County Band. Mayor’s executive assistant Hunter Bishop told KHBC radio today that Parks and Recreation Department will have to cut funding for the band.

Band members practicing last night at the Waiakea Recreation Center reportedly got the word from Deputy parks director Clayton Honma.  They are being “de funded” and losing their jobs as of June 30th.  Long time band member Rodney Wong wrote a nice history of the band that you can see on line at : www.northwesthawaiitimes.com/HCBand.html.  The county band is older than the county itself. Read the rest of this entry »

I contributed to a publicly funded Hawaii County Council candidate’s campaign by signing a paper and making a $5 donation to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund.
In opening my mail today, I have discovered a contribution request from another publicly funded Council candidate. I like this person, too, and think this is a worthy candidate. Can I support both publicly funded candidates? Anybody know the answer?
Speaking of publicly funded candidates, I have been told Council Chair J Yoshimoto and councilmen Dennis Onishi and Guy Enriques are planning publicly funded campaigns. When I heard that, I couldn’t help but chuckle. All three of these guys were said to have lobbied the State Legislature against legislation urging publicly funded elections (commonly referred to as clean elections.) I would love to hear their rationale for the rumored change of heart. Ah, life’s ironies! It is imperative to have a sense of humor.
Hey, everybody, it’s campaign season! Let the games begin!

I am going through papers in preparation for doing our taxes, and I came across a thank you note to me from Hilo Medical Center Foundation that I wanted to share with you.
Around Christmastime, on behalf Tiffany Edwards Communications dba Big Island Chronicle, I wrote a check to the foundation for $25.
I thought awhile before making that donation and another on behalf of the surf shop. At first, I was inclined to throw the contribution request away. I really have very little to do with the hospital. I drove from Puna to Waimea to give birth to my child at the North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea, because I wanted a midwife assisting me. Luckily, I rarely have an emergency and have a need for the hospital. But in my contemplation, I realized it is unpredictable when I might need the Hilo hospital. It is in the interest of my family and friends to support it.
Thus, I wrote the donation checks on behalf of our businesses. But in the contribution from Tiffany Edwards Communications, I jotted a note that my contribution was being made in hopes the hospital will support a midwifery program. If I have another baby, I really would like it to be a lot closer to home.
On the form letter thanking Tiffany Edwards Communications for it’s contribution, Hilo Medical Center Executive Director Lori Rogers wrote me a handwritten note:
“Hi Tiffany,
Thank you so much for your donation! I just wanted to let you know I read your notes on the pink-Sticky-hearts about HMC and a mid-wife program. I forwarded that on to our PR director. Good suggestions! Congratulations on the new baby! Take care, Lori”
Well, the baby is now a toddler, but thanks! And how heartwarming to know the executive director finds my suggestion for a midwifery program a good one. I only wonder why my Sticky notes needed to be forwarded on to the PR director. The PR director, that I am aware of, wouldn’t be the one to implement the midwifery program. I would love some enlightenment on the subject. Who decides on the development of a midwifery program? Hilo Medical Center, and Kona Community Hospital for that matter, need a women’s center. Hilo and Kona have to see all the women flocking to Waimea for the women’s center there. There is a growing contingency of women who want midwife-assisted births.
Now that I have given birth once, I understand a woman is capable of giving birth anywhere. I really like the idea of a home birth and a water birth, specifically. But living in rural Puna, where health care is quite minimal, I cannot comfortably wrap my brain around the idea. So, the next best thing is a women’s center. It would be awesome if the Hilo Medical Center Foundation made such a progressive move. Then the PR director could market the move, and more women would choose Hilo over Waimea. Hey, if I had my druthers, we would be building a women’s center in Puna. But I’m a realist. I see our only hope in the near future is for the Hilo Medical center to embrace change and allow midwives into the fold. Let it be so. I’m thinking about a sibling for my toddler already!

(Media release) — A 17-year-old Waikoloa girl died Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 from injuries she sustained in a two-vehicle crash on Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway at the 88 mile-marker in North Kona and just south of the Hualālai Resort.

The victim was identified as Angela Apostadiro of a Waikoloa address.

Responding to a 8:07 p.m. call, Kona patrol officers determined that a 21-year-old Kealakekua man was operating a 2005 Hyundai multi-purpose vehicle and traveling south on Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway when he overtook a vehicle, continued south on the northbound shoulder and passed other vehicles traveling northbound while on the shoulder lane.

The Hyundai then collided with a taxi, a 2000 GMC van traveling north and being operated by a 50-year-old Waikoloa woman.

Both drivers and an 88-year-old woman visiting from France, who may have been a fare in the taxi, were transported by Fire Rescue personnel to the Kona Community Hospital.

The 17-year-old girl was a front seat passenger in the taxi and was the daughter of the driver. She was pronounced dead at 12:05 a.m., today, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

(Media release) — Big Island Police are investigating a robbery Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 at a Hilo pharmacy.

A man armed with a rifle entered the pharmacy, located in Puainako Town Center, and demanded drugs. A struggle ensued between the man and the pharmacy employees, who disarmed the man and, with the assistance of others, held him for police.

Police arrested Paul Santoro, 28, of a Puna address. He is being held at the Hilo cellblock pending investigation. He was also arrested for an outstanding bench warrant. Read the rest of this entry »

Image courtesy of Hilo Living

(Media release) — The Kilauea Drama and Entertainment Network (KDEN) Rummage Sale is from 8 am to noon, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at the Hilo High School Cafeteria. Donations can be dropped off from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 at the HHS Cafeteria.

Volunteers are needed to help sort and price on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Volunteers are also needed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday to help with the sale. Those who can help at any of these times should stop by.

Debra Sisson art

(Media release) — Anyone for art? The Holualoa Foundation for Arts & Culture presents a spectrum of art classes for the community to participate in this spring. Ranging from painting, drawing to mixed media and graphic design, classes are offered in the daytime and evening. Share in this tremendous experience while making friendships within the arts community.

WORKSHOPS:

March 5 – March 7
Printmaking: Scratch, Burnish, Scratch: Intaglio as Creative Process

Instructor Tanja Softic

Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (with free potluck and slide presentation, March 5, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.). Cost $130 (members) $160 (non-members). Beginner to intermediate. Read the rest of this entry »