Ka`u News Briefs May 1, 2013

View from Volcano House, where management asks the public to name the restaurant which is scheduled to reopen in June. Photos from Volcano House

VOLCANO HOUSE, NOW A MEMBER OF THE MONOGRAM HOTEL COLLECTION, asks the public to help name its new restaurant. A press release sent out today from Aqua Hospitality, which manages Monogram and Volcano House, reaches out to the kama`aina community to help “name the new restaurant that opens in June at historic Volcano House on Hawai`i Island.”
       Elizabeth Churchill, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Aqua Hospitality, said that “opening the new restaurant and lounge is one of the highlights of this exciting multi-million dollar renovation, and providing an opportunity for people to help name the restaurant will be great fun.

Newly refurbished Crater View rooms at Volcano House are now available for nightly rental.

       “Guests are already enjoying their stays in the newly renovated Crater View rooms, so the restaurant and lounge opening will be a wonderful amenity that everyone visiting Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will definitely enjoy.”
      The statement says that “offering diners maximum panoramic views of steaming Halema`uma`u Crater is a priority, and guests will not be disappointed. The new traditional Hawaiian menu will utilize Hawai`i Island farmers for 95 percent of its protein, fruit and vegetable needs.”
       The restaurant-naming contest launched today, May 1. Deadline to submit entries is May 15. Entries must be submitted online at http://www.hawaiivolcanohouse.com/contest/. There is no limit to the number of names submitted. Those entering must be 18 years and older with a valid Hawai`i I.D. One winner will be selected by a team from Volcano House, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and the park’s cultural advisory group. If a name is chosen that has been submitted by more than one individual, the first person to submit the name is the winner.
      The winner receives a two-night stay in a Crater View room with breakfast for two daily and one dinner for two with a glass of wine.
      For more information on the company, individual hotels and its three divisions of hotels – Monogram Hotel Collection, Aqua Hotels and Resorts and Lite Hotels – visit www.aquahospitality.com or call 1-808-943-9291.

Brenda Iokepa-Moses Photo by Julia Neal

BRENDA IOKEPA-MOSES WAS SWORN IN as a member of the Hawai`i County Board of Water Supply today. An appointee of Mayor Billy Kenoi, she was confirmed with a unanimous vote. She is an employee of Ka`u Farm Management, LCC, a subsidiary of the Edmund C. Olson Trust. She previously worked with Chris Manfredi at Ka`u Farm & Ranch and previously for C. Brewer in the land management division in Ka`u, from the time that Ka`u Sugar Co. was shutting down to the selling off of its lands.
      Iokepa-Moses served 21 years in the U.S. Army Reserves. She has also served for 20 years on the Ka`u Soil & Water Conservation Board and is currently its chair. She is secretary for the Ka`u Farm Bureau and co-chair of Ka`u Coffee Festival. She is a member of `O Ka`u Kakou community group.
      When asked by County Council member Brenda Ford why she wanted to serve on the water board and whether she saw any conflict of interest in being on the other community boards at the same time, Iokepa-Moses said she volunteers on all of them without compensation and that the main goal is to assist the farming community. She said the goal of the Soil and Water Conservation District is taking care of the land with soil conservation plans so that erosion doesn’t happen. She said she is committed to providing water for both agriculture and people.
      Ford said in an interview today that she asks questions about conflict of interest because, "Sometimes people are working for a company that has plans for the area. I always ask about potential conflicts because the question is ‘Are they volunteering to advance the interest of the employer rather than the interest of the community? If they are serving on one or more boards, will any of those boards be advancing their agenda versus the interests of, for example, the water board, which represents the overall community?"
      Ford said that everyone in District 6, from South Kona through Ka`u, “has the same water issues, insufficient or inadequate water systems. Many residents don’t have potable wells, reservoirs and water mains.” Ford said she also questions nominees in particular when they will represent the district where she serves as Council member. “I want to see if they have knowledge of the district.” Ford said that “Iokepa-Moses does. She seems to have a good working knowledge of the old sugar company water distribution system. She explained that she wants to serve on the water board because she has been working with farmers and on water issues for 20 years and wants to see if she can provide further assistance in this area.” Ford joined the other council members in voting to confirm Iokepa-Moses’ appointment.

Tomorrow is the last day of the 2013 Hawai`i State Legislature which began on Jan. 16 at the State Capitol.

THE HAWAI`I STATE LEGISLATURE has voted unanimously in both the House and Senate to approve the state budget for the upcoming Fiscal 2013-2015 biennium.
      HB200 CD1 appropriates funds for operating and capital improvement costs of the Executive Branch for the biennium fiscal years FY2013-2014 and FY2014-2015.
      For FY2013-2014, the bill offers $6 billion in general funds and $11.8 billion in all other means of financing. For FY2014-2015, it appropriates $6.1 billion in general funds and $12 billion in all additional financing means. It also provides over $3 billion in funding for capital improvement projects and $30 million Grants-In-Aid for nonprofit organizations.

A BILL AUTHORIZING PHASED REVIEW of certain projects by the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ State Historic Preservation Division passed the Senate in a floor vote yesterday. The bill would allow projects to be approved before complete archaeological surveys are done for the entire project area. Numerous historians and most professional and academic archaeologists working in Hawai`i have opposed it. Ka`u’s state senators Russell Ruderman and Josh Green voted against it.

FRIDAY, MAY 3 IS CINCO DE MAYO at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner served at 6:30 p.m. There will be live music, and the menu includes enchiladas, rice, beans, salad, dessert and beverage. Tickets are $12 or two for $20. Call 939-7555.