RT @BreakingNewsUK: Essex Police say the 2 men arrested on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft are both British nationals - @itvnews h… 2 hours ago
More Photos available through the HI-SEAS website.
It will begin tomorrow following a small delay.
The HI-SEAS crew spent the last week at the Ka’ohe Restoration Area helping with reforestation efforts on Mauna Kea. This was part of the crews week long pre-mission cultural experience.
The HI-SEAS Project is a project that NASA has developed to figure out how to cook food on the Planet Mars, in a Mars like environment here on the Big Island.
The site is set up at an undisclosed location on Mauna Kea.
Today they stated that the project’s initial start was pushed back 24 hours:
One of the crew members posted the following on Facebook today:
According to spoiler alerts coming out… Big Island’s own Bryant Tadeo has made it to the top 40 in American Idol Season 12. This means we will be seeing him on national television soon.
Bryant updated his Facebook header today to reflect him moving to the top 40 (He’s the one w/ the Shaka)
From the American Idol YouTube site:
From the Big Island of Hawaii, Bryant Tadeo marks his second attempt in becoming the next American Idol. Listen to his story in his own words.
…Such is the case for Hawaii native Bryant Tadeo. He may have been cut in Hollywood last year but, but Bryant has made it all the way to the Las Vegas round, according to a recent spoiler list of the Top 40 contestants for Season 12…
Tadeo most recently sang here publicly on the Big Island at a fundraiser for Mitch Roth:
Lost Campers USA, the fast-growing company that set the standard for quality campervan rentals on the West Coast, is crossing the Pacific to open in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on January 2, 2013. Owners Nick and Emma Thomson intend to bring their unique style of ultimate customer service to one of the most incredible locations in the world, offering adventurous travelers an alternative to hotels and vacation home rentals. Nick Thomson comments, “The best way to explore the natural riches of this beautiful tropical destination is by driving and camping. Lost Campers Campervan Rental Hawaii allows vacationers the opportunity to travel all over the big island in comfort, providing great versatility for a modest price.”
Sierra Class
With offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles and over 75 campervans for hire, Lost Campers USA has, since 2008, been the top rental agency for travelers wishing to experience California and the West by campervan. The Los Angeles office has been open two years, and in that time, has proven the viability of campervan rentals as a successful travel business.
Amidst the recent economic downturn, campervans remain a popular means of travel, especially for families and those visiting the U.S. from abroad. Lost Campers’ new big island location is the perfect venue for the company’s expansion, as the island is teaming with wildlife, rainforests, waterfalls, hiking trails, pristine beaches, national parks and lava fields for travelers to explore by camping.
Sierra Class
Hawaii campervan rentals will open with ten vehicles in January, and expand as the market demands. The agency will offer Lost Campers’ Sierra class vans which feature the amenities that have made campervans so popular — full-size platform bed, inside storage, side awning, camp kitchen kit, fresh linens, stereo, storage and seating for four passengers. The Hotel Sierra campervan also features a rooftop tent. Lost Campers’ Big Island campervans start at just $75/day. Located just 10 minutes from Kona International Airport in Keahole, Lost Campers USA offers shuttle service to and from the rental facility. To learn more or to book a van, go to www.lostcampersusa.com and click on the Hawaii page or call 1-888-567-8826 (888-LOST-VAN) or 1-415-386-2693.
To expedite repairs to Civil Defense warning sirens that didn’t function properly during November’s monthly siren test, State Civil Defense technicians flew to the Big Island Friday to inspect and repair four sirens on the west side of the island (Puakō, Kamehameha Park, Kahaluʻu Beach Park and Nāpoʻopoʻo).
Meanwhile, personnel from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense and the Hawaiʻi Police Department’s Radio Shop worked through the weekend to oversee and inspect seven sirens on the east side of the island. Of those, two functioned properly (Kawailani and Paʻauilo), three were repaired over the weekend (Pāpaʻikou, ʻOʻōkala and Paradise Park and) and one (Honokaʻa) was completed Monday (November 5) by a private contractor.
State Civil Defense technicians returned to the Big Island on Monday and repaired the siren at Laupāhoehoe Point.
The two remaining sirens that are not functioning, one at Hakalau, which was knocked over in a car crash, and one at Waiaka, which has a frozen motor, require new parts and extensive work by private contractors. State Civil Defense hopes to have the Hakalau siren in operation in time for the December monthly test. A time line has not been established for the Waiaka siren.
Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Administrator Ben Fuata said he appreciates the assistance of the Police Department and State Civil Defense for working “tirelessly” through the weekend along with his staff. “We’ve made a substantial dent in improving the efficiency and enhancing the readiness of our emergency siren alerting system,” Fuata said. “For that I am grateful and indebted to them for their service.”
Police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri added that the collaboration of the three agencies and private contractors is an example of the Police Department’s partnership with the community. “The public’s safety is our number one concern,” Kubojiri said. “That cannot be compromised.”
A delegation from Hawai‘i County Sister City Oshima Island visited the office of Mayor Billy Kenoi today, delivering a gift in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Sister City relationship.
Managing Director William Takaba, Honorary Consul General of Japan Art Taniguchi, Zen Tanaka, Mayor Billy Kenoi, Dr. Masafumi Honda, and Mayumi Jinguh
In Japanese, Oshima means “big island” – so it’s fitting that Oshima Island’s only international Sister City relationship is with Hawai‘i’s biggest island. Though Oshima is much smaller than Hawai‘i Island – about 35 square miles with a population of 8,500 in 2008 – it is home to waterfalls, valleys, and Mt. Mihara, an active volcano standing at 2,507 feet. The most recent eruption was in 1990. Oshima is the largest island in the Izu group, over a dozen islands extending south from the Izu Peninsula.
“Fifty years of a special friendship tie between our islands, which our predecessors continuously built, is the pride and honor of the people of Oshima-Machi,” wrote Oshima Mayor Masafumi Kawashima in a letter to Mayor Kenoi.
Mayor Kawashima was unable to come to Hawai‘i Island for the celebration, but Mayumi Jinguh and Zen Tanaka of Oshima visited on his behalf, delivering a letter and a gift – a copper relief depicting a rainbow bridge between the Sister Cities of Hawai‘i Island and Oshima Island. Tanaka, the 19th master of a 414-year-old copper craftsmanship school, started his work with copper when he was 15 years old. The people of Oshima Island, including Mayor Masafumi Kawashima, participated in crafting the piece.
“We are very honored and very privileged to call you our friends, to call you our neighbors, and to call you family,” said Mayor Kenoi.
The County of Hawai‘i’s Sister City relationship with Oshima Island was initiated in 1962 by the Board of Supervisors, the predecessor to today’s County Council. The Chairman and Executive Officer of the Board of Supervisors, the predecessor to the office of the Mayor, was Thomas K. ‘Lofty’ Cook.
Members of the Board of Supervisors at the time were Wing Kong ‘Winkie’ Chong, Elroy Osorio, Helene Hale, Sherwood Greenwell, Ikuo Hisaoka, and Elias Yadao.
The current Mayor of Oshima-Machi, Mayor Kawashima, visited Hawai‘i Island before he was mayor – in 1996 as part of a volcano study tour to Mt. St. Helens on the Continental U.S. and three Hawaiian islands. The last visit from Oshima Island to Hawai‘i County was in 2006, when a delegation of 100 people came in celebration of Oshima’s 50th anniversary of township.
It’s been reported that Jack Osbourne will marry his fiancé Lisa Stelly this weekend at an undisclosed location on a beach here on the Big Island tomorrow… OR IS HE?
Hawaii Beef Producers Join Parker Ranch and Ulupono Initiative in Joint Development Agreement For Large-Scale Grass-Fed Beef Trials
Hawai‘i Beef Producers has joined Parker Ranch and Ulupono Initiative in an agreement to jointly fund pre-commercial trials for irrigated finish pasture beef production on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. The irrigated trials will be run on 70 acres of pasture next to the Hawai‘i Beef Producers processing facility on the Hamakua Coast and involve just under 100 head of cattle. The trials will be completed by May 2013.
“We’re pleased to be joining in these trials to help find the most cost-effective, timely method toward increasing our overall local grass-fed beef production,” said David De Luz, Jr., Hawai‘i Beef Producers. “Everyone’s collaboration on this study will help ranchers statewide determine the potential for developing commercially based grass-fed feedlots, or pasture finishing companies, to meet consumer demands for high-quality local beef that everyone can afford.”
In these pre-commercial trials, Hawai‘i Beef Producers is testing the impacts of fertilized, irrigated grass using the Hamakua Ditch Irrigation System, and Parker Ranch is studying the impact of using fertilized, non-irrigated grass. In addition, Kamehameha Schools is doing its own trial on unfertilized, irrigated pasture in Hamakua. The outcomes from all of the trials will be combined and shared with all partners as well as the Hawai‘i Cattlemen’s Association and the University of Hawai‘i’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) to help determine which combination of methods are best for lowering the production costs and improving the quality of locally produced grass-fed beef.
“These trials are integral to helping further Hawai‘i’s agricultural sector, so it’s great to have Hawai‘i Beef Producers join,” said Kyle Datta, general partner for Ulupono Initiative. “We’re so pleased to be able to help catalyze this partnership with our local ranching community to help inspire other Hawai‘i ranchers to consider grass-fed as an option. In addition, the combined trials using the Hamakua Ditch Irrigation System will help provide insights on commercially viable water rates for finish pasture operations, which will be key to the expansion of local beef production and could have statewide implications.”
Dutch Kuyper, CEO of Parker Ranch, said, “The interest and collaboration among our fellow ranchers for these trials is a sign of positive momentum. It gives us additional confidence that our research and investment in grass-fed beef is a good decision for our business model and for the scale of the Hawai‘i beef industry as a whole.”
About Hawai‘i Beef Producers
The De Luz family has been ranching for three generations on the 10,000 acre Kukai‘au Ranch located in Pa‘auilo on the Hamakua Coast of Hawai‘i Island. Hawai‘i Big Island Beef is its grass-fed beef product, which is processed at its adjoining Hawai‘i Beef Producers slaughterhouse. To learn more about Hawai‘i Big Island Beef, please visit www.hawaiibigislandbeef.com.
About Parker Ranch
Parker Ranch is one of the largest and oldest cattle ranches in the United States. Parker Ranch is beneficially owned by Parker Ranch Foundation Trust with four non-profits as beneficiaries including North Hawai‘i Community Hospital, Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy, Parker School and Hawai‘i Community Foundation. To learn more, please visit www.parkerranch.com.
About Ulupono Initiative
Ulupono Initiative is a Hawai‘i-focused impact investing firm that uses for-profit and non-profit investments to improve the quality of life for island residents in three areas – locally produced food; clean, renewable energy; and waste reduction. To learn more, please visit www.uluponoinitiative.com.
Over the course of 3 days, the U.S. Marshals Hawaii Fugitive Task Force conducted a collaborative arrest warrant sweep. Deputy U.S. Marshals, Hawaii County Police Officers, and Hawaii State Sheriffs conducted a joint fugitive round-up blanketing the island of Hawaii.
Sixty-seven wanted fugitives were arrested with 91 federal and state warrants cleared. Those who were apprehended were wanted for various violent crimes which include drug offenses, sex offenses, robbery, and probation violations. The three-day mission represents the commitment of law enforcement to reduce violent crime through a multiagency approach.
During the course of the mission, the following fugitives were apprehended, most notably 25 year-old Joseph Narzisi from Kailua-Kona. On August 29, 2012, Narzisi was apprehended for three criminal contempt of court warrants. During the arrest, law enforcement officials recovered methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia at the residence at which time a search warrant was obtained. Narzisi faces additional charges. In 2005, Narzisi was convicted of jumping bail and burglary in the first degree.
On August 27, 2012, an arrest warrant was issued for 45 year-old Charles Bruce Kanouff. Kanouff was arrested the next day and charged with one count of Sexual Assault in the 2nd degree. Bail was fixed at $15,000.
On August 8, 2012, an arrest warrant was issued for career criminal Patrick Enos. Enos, 38, was arrested on August 29, 2012, and charged with theft of credit card and unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. Bail was fixed at $6,000. Enos has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1991. He has been arrested and convicted of various crimes to include multiple robbery and felony drug charges.
Well these fishermen got the catch of the day inside of Honokohau Harbor on the Big Island the other day. A shark that looked to be about 3 to 5 feet in length latched onto their catch!
Honokohau Harbor is located on the West side of the Big Island and it kind of trips me out the shark was caught from land!
You can see from the video below that the released the shark after after they were able to cut the line… But I have to ask the question… what were they thinking even bringing the shark into shore? Cut the line already and let it go… or possibly lose a hand!
SINGAPORE-based real estate marketing firm Capital Asia Group Pte Ltd (CAG) has launched its latest land investment product, Ho’olei (Crown of Flowers), on the north-western coast of Big Island in Hawaii.
Ho’olei is a approved development land fully owned by Aina Le’a Inc, which plans to build 70 single-family luxury homes with 2,800 undivided land fractions (ULF) for sale to mostly individual investors in Asia.
CAG business development director Paul Tan said the company has been given the exclusive marketing rights to assist the land owner to market 2,800 ULF development land projects in Ho’olei.
“Each of the ULF is set affordably at US$9,600 with warranty deed and registered under the investors’ names as lawful owners to the land purchased,” he said.
He said the strategy for this land investment is known as FIFO (first-in first-out), whereby the investors will own a percentage of the entire 8.7ha, which has 1/2800 interest.
The investors will be designated a running number according to the date of their purchase.
The moment a desired builder comes along and purchases the land lots, the first num-ber in the ULF purchased will exit, Tan explained.
“This will offer the investors the possibility of an exit earlier than 36 months, while enjoying the full 36 percent returns,” the business development director said.
The investment time-frame is fixed at 36 months with an assured return of 36 percent.
Tan said the previous development land investment product, Lulana Gardens, an affordable housing project in Big Island of Hawaii, providing 30 percent returns in 30 months, have been fully taken up.
“It has provided much publicity for CAG as well as successfully syndicated over US$42 millions, and is well on its way to exiting the investors in the coming months,” he added.
The world’s longest zip line has been proposed for the Island of Hawaii.
An Australian company wants to build a zip line from the top of Mauna Kea down to Coconut Island
Mauna Kea Zip, LLC., has applied for a permit to install and operate what will be the longest zip line in the world at over 6 miles long. The proposed plan would have the platform rise 40 feet in the air from the Mauna Kea Visitors Information Center and would propel riders approximately 55 – 65 miles per hour down to Coconut Island in Hilo, Hawaii.
If approved, the zip line would start from the Mauna Kea Visitors Information Center
Company President Lipra Sloof, said that while they expect some opposition from folks that don’t want these type of activities happening on Mauna Kea… Zip Lining has proven to be an industry that does little environmental harm.
Longest zip line in the world with the most beautiful scenery planned.
If approved by the County of Hawaii, the zip line would become the longest in the world.
Marine biologists at Kampachi Farms announced today the successful final harvest from the “Velella” Research Project, which raised fish for the first time in U.S. Federal waters. This harvest completes the grow-out cycle of sashimi-grade kampachi fish from an unanchored drifter pen that has been riding eddies in the open ocean, 3 to 75 miles offshore of the Big Island of Hawaii, since last summer.
“This final harvest far surpassed our expectations,” said Neil Anthony Sims, Co-CEO of Kampachi Farms. “The fish thrived in the research net pen far from shore, with phenomenal growth rates and superb fish health… and without any negative impact on water quality, the ocean floor, wild fish or marine mammals.”
The research project raised kampachi (a tropical yellowtail) in a single unanchored, submersible net pen tethered to a manned sailing vessel, in water up to 12,000 feet deep.
“This array proved to be very robust,” said Steve Page, President of Ocean Farm Technologies, makers of the Aquapod® pen. “It withstood even extreme conditions 75 miles offshore, with winds gusting over 40 knots and swells over 20 feet.”
The kampachi were fed a sustainable commercial diet that replaced a significant amount of fishmeal and fish oil with soy and other alternative agricultural proteins. No antibiotics, hormones or pesticides were used throughout the seven-month trial.
Sims reported that the kampachi reached an average of 5.6 lbs in six months, resulting in a first harvest a full three months ahead of schedule. The final food conversion ratio (FCR) was 1.6:1 (1.6 pounds of feed to produce 1 pound of fish). In comparison, average FCR for chicken is 1.9:1, and beef is up to 6.5:1.
Sims said that fish health was superb throughout the trial, with an overall mortality rate of less than 2%, compared with a standard aquaculture mortality rate of 15%. Sample testing showed that the kampachi had a fat content of 33%, making this an extraordinarily healthful fish for human consumption, high in heart-healthy Omega-3s with no discernible mercury or other contaminants.
“It makes perfect sense to raise fish in the ocean, where they belong,” said Sims. “This was a healthy, low-stress environment for the fish, and we think that this allowed them to channel their energy into growing faster.”
These were the first farmed fish raised in U.S. federal waters and required a special research permit from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Sims indicated that this project represented a significant step forward in developing the open ocean aquaculture industry in the U.S.
The project garnered support from a wide variety of stakeholders from science, technology, and sustainable agriculture, including NOAA, the National Science Foundation, Lockheed-Martin, the International Copper Association, Ocean Farm Technologies, and the Illinois Soybean Association, which provided some funding from the Illinois soybean checkoff program.
“The success of the Velella research demonstrates that we can grow fish in the open ocean with no negative impact on pristine ocean ecosystems,” said Sims. “We must now apply ourselves to responsibly scale up this industry, to meet the growing global demand for high-quality seafood.”
The next phase of this research will test a single-point mooring 6 miles offshore in water 6,000 feet deep, where the pen can move freely in currents and still be within easy range of shore for supply delivery and crew rotation.
The Keupuka Lands in South Kona are set to be auctioned off and the starting bid is nearly 80% off what the previously traded price was on them. I saw the following online and I had to ask a realtor friend if there was some news to this that I wasn’t seeing and he said “Welcome to 2012, where reality is tough to swallow“.
These 660 acres in Kona, HI is going for 80% less than the previous trading price
If I had a lot of money… I’d try to sink my hands into a 660 acre lot for $5 million.
…While not as dramatic a decrease, a similar parcel in Hawaii is singing a similar tune—660 acres, previously at purchased for $26 million, now listed at $5 million.
That particular development parcel is in South Kona, HI—a site known as Keupuka Lands. The parcel will be auctioned by New York City-based Racebrook Marketing Concepts, and its auction affiliate Sheldon Good & Co. Racebrook tells GlobeSt.com that Pacific Star is the owner of the property. GlobeSt.com learns that in 1990, some of the principals behind Pacific Star purchased the land from a private party, however, reasons for selling at this time could not be disclosed by deadline.
Zoned for more than 100 five-acre lots, Keopuka is an opportunity for a developer, investor or private buyer seeking to acquire prime land at an incredible discount to market value, according to Racebrook Marketing. Previously traded for $26 million, Keopuka will be offered via sealed-bid auction with an opening bid set at $5 million…
On Tuesday, January 24th 2012 NFL Football Players and NFL Cheerleaders will be holding Youth Clinics for Hawai‘i Island intermediate and high school students at Kealakehe High School from 3:00–5:30 PM and Wednesday, January 25th 2012, at Kea‘au High School from 3:00–5:30 PM. Players and cheerleaders will also visit a local school for an assembly before the clinics. The NFL Pro Bowl Youth Clinics, now in its 10th year, is focused on motivating our youth to realize their dreams and to maximize their potential.
Walmart’s 2012 Acres for America program is helping conserve more than 49,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat across the United States. Acres projects connect existing lands to protect migration routes, provide access for people to enjoy the outdoors and help ensure the future of rural economies that depend on forestry, tourism and recreation.
Acres for America is a 10-year, $35 million commitment that began in 2005 between Walmart and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to purchase and preserve one acre of wildlife habitat in the U.S. for every acre of land developed by the company through 2015. To date, Acres for America has invested in projects in 24 states, protecting more than 687,000 acres.
“It is estimated that America loses nearly three million acres of open space each year,” said Jennifer May-Brust, Walmart vice president of realty supplier management and compliance. “Our strategic partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is helping save important wildlife habitats and fits perfectly with Walmart’s larger goal to bring sustainability into the communities we serve.”
In the summer of 2011, Walmart expanded its Acres investments to include urban conservation projects in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. The six awards announced today will support projects in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina and Tennessee.
“With these new projects, Acres for America extends into five additional states to protect vital areas for wildlife and people,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “These investments will not only benefit endangered species like the Florida panther – they will also expand open space near urban areas and conserve forests and streams along the Appalachian Trail, one of our most treasured natural resources.”
The 2012 Acres for America projects:
Southern Sierra Partnership: Tehachapi Linkage, California
While protecting more than 22,000 acres of rare blue oak habitat in the Sierra foothills, this project completes a key 50-mile ecological corridor linking the Sierra-Cascade ranges to the California Coast ranges and the lowlands of the Great Central Valley to the Mojave Desert.
Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge Expansion: Colorado
This project protects 1,334 acres of tallgrass prairie adjacent to the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge and connects to 70,000 acres of locally protected open space, greatly expanding recreation opportunities in metropolitan Denver.
Panther Crossing Protection Project: Florida
This 1,530-acre property protects a key migratory corridor for the endangered Florida panther, of which less than 165 exist in the wild. It connects existing panther habitat to the south with 1.5 million acres of new habitat in the Northern Everglades, and will also benefit the American black bear, red-cockaded woodpecker, swallow-tailed kite and snail kite.
Almo Tract: Fort Benning, Georgia
This 7,550-acre tract in Georgia’s Fall Line Sandhills is the eastern anchor of a larger 30,000-acre conservation corridor adjacent to Fort Benning. The project protects longleaf pine forest and provides important habitat for the gopher tortoise and red-cockaded woodpecker, among other species.
The Palila Protection Project: Hawaii
On the Big Island of Hawaii, two protected parcels (4,469 acres) provide critical habitat to the palila (Loxioides bailleui), one of the rarest birds in the world, and contribute significantly to its recovery.
Appalachian Trail Habitat Protection Project: North Carolina and Tennessee
Partners: The Conservation Fund, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Blue Ridge Forever and Conservation Trust for North Carolina
This group of seven key parcels collectively protects nearly 13,000 acres of forest and 40 miles of freshwater streams along the Appalachian Trail Corridor, which are home to the imperiled southern Appalachian brook trout, 1,000 species of plants, at least 300 species of birds and 20 species of rare and declining salamanders.
Colorful tropical fabrics, aloha for one of the world’s most popular pastimes and vast, contrasting landscapes make the Big Island Quilt Shop Hop unlike any elsewhere. During the entire month of February 2012, eight shops participate in the circle-island quilt trek, where shop-hoppers will pick-up their custom quilt block kits and have their “passport” stamped, to be eligible for the grand prize drawing. (See details below.)
A Hawaiian Quilt
Maps and passports will be available at each location. Participants can start their tour at any of the venues along the route, and/or join one of two excursions by bus. (One passport per family.) The Kona to Hilo Bus Tour takes place on Saturday, February 11 (price, time and location TBA). To sign up, contact Karen Barry at Quilt Passions, 329-7475.
The Hilo to Kona Bus Tour takes place Saturday, February 18, departing from the Hilo Bus Depot (time TBA). The cost is $50 including lunch (subject to change). To sign up for the Hilo Bus Tour, contact any of the three quilt shops in Hilo; Kilauea Kreations, 961-1100, Fabric Workshop, 933-1010, or Fabric Impressions, 961-4468.
Completed passports make shop-hoppers eligible for the prize drawings. First Place wins eight $25 gift certificates plus eight one-yard cuts of fabric; Second Place wins six $15 gift certificates plus six one-yard cuts of fabric; Third Place wins two $15 gift certificates plus two one-yard cuts of fabric. Numerous other prizes are available.
Each Big Island shop offers something special, with its own personality and unique location, from the lush greens of the Hilo, Volcano and Pahala areas to the paniolo hill country of Waimea/Kamuela and Kailua-Kona’s sunny shores. Various venues will offer refreshments, special sale items and unique handmade treasures as individual highlights of every stop.
This year’s theme is tropical flowers—so each store will have a different flower on its 10”x10” quilt block, to collect and complete the one-of-a-kind 2012 Big Island Shop Hop quilt. The quilt block patterns are free, or available with fabric as a kit for $6. (The background fabric for each block is Hoffman 1895, Seagrass.) If a customer purchases $35 or more in other merchandise, the fabric kit is free. “Finishing kits” will be available for purchase as well.
Between December 12 and December 17, the Public Access Room (the “PAR”) will conduct a series of free neighborhood workshops entitled, “We the Powerful!” These 1½-hour meetings are designed to demystify the State lawmaking process, and will demonstrate ways that people can speak out at the legislature without ever having to leave home. All are welcome. No registration or prior experience is required.
The PAR, a division of the State of Hawaii’s non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau, is the public’s office at the State Capitol and has long been devoted to assisting residents as they engage in State legislative government. There is never a fee for services.
PAR’s workshops are designed to be useful to both newcomers and veterans of the legislative process. Covered topics will include an overview of the Legislature’s newly-redesigned website, understanding the legislative process, delivering effective testimony, and making sense of the calendar and deadlines. Renewed inspiration to be part of the solution will be the overriding theme.
The schedule of PAR’s December presentations is as follows:
Monday, December 12th – 6:00 p.m. Mountain View Public Library
Tuesday, December 13th – 5:00 p.m. Hilo Public Library
Thursday, December 15th – 6:00 p.m. Naalehu School Cafeteria
Saturday, December 17th, 12:00 noon Kailua-Kona Civic Center’s Liquor Control Conference Room
For additional information, or to arrange for individual tutorials or group workshops, residents are invited to contact the Public Access Room toll free from the Big Island at 974 4000 ext.7-0478 or via email at par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Please contact PAR directly to make arrangements if special assistance or services such as sign language interpreters are needed.
Jack Osbourne 
