“Big Island of Hawaii News” is tracking these Hawaii Island stories through Wednesday, 11 July 2012:
1. Mayoral debates heat up.
2. Shooting suspect appears in court.
3. New UH-Hilo bookstore will open in the fal semester.
4. New firefighting building planned for the Kona International Airport.
5. Search ends for missing New York state boy.
Those are the headlines. Here are the details with sources cited:
MAYORAL DEBATES HEAT UP RACE
(Stephens Media). Five mayoral hopefuls showed up Monday night at a public forum held at Kealakehe High School. The open meeting was sponsored by the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, the Hawaii Board of Realtors, The Kohala Coast Resort Association, Rotary of Kona, “West Hawaii Today”, and by the highschool. The questions were selected by the sponsors and moderated by radio personality Sherry Bracken. Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi, former Mayor Harry Kim, and Hawaii County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong were given full time to explain their positions on a variety of local issues, while candidates Share Christie–the wife of imprisoned marijuana advocate Roger Christie–and Daniel Cunningham were given three minutes to address the audience. Mayoral candidate Rand “Baker Tom” Walls was not present. Among the topics getting the most exposure was the deferral of payments for future health care costs for retirees, known as the GASB-45. Incumbent Mayor Billy Kenoi told reporter Chelsea Jensen that “we pay for retirement and health care–it’s a pay as you go policy–it’s all paid up.” Dominic Yagong disagreed saying, “my father always told me, ‘never leave the problem to the next man. You do what you can today even if it’s only a portion.'” Yagong added that “making some kind of payment is something we should be doing as a government.” Former Mayor Harry Kim said he does not agree with deferred payments, noting “it should be paid.”
SHOOTING SUSPECT APPEARS IN COURT
(Hawaii Tribune-Herald). District Court Judge Harry Freitas has found probable cause to send a Hawaiian Beaches man arrested in a Mother’s Day shooting in Panaewa to Circuit Court. According to reporter Peter Sur, Judge Freitas agreed with a deputy prosecuting attorney that Joseph Amormino, Sr., a retired corrections officer for the Hawaii Community Correctional Center, should be sent to the higher court. His next appearance is set for 8:30 a.m., 19 July before Judge Glen Hara. Amormino is accused of first-degree attemped murder, two counts of second-degree attempted murder, burlary, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, three other firearms violations, and three counts of terroristic threatening.
NEW BUILDING PLANNED FOR THE KONA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
(Stephens Media). On Monday, state and federal officials annouonced the release of $17.01 million in Federal Aviation Administration grant funding to build a new aircraft rescue and firefighting building at the Kona International Airport. State Department of Transportation Public Information Officer Caroline Sluyter tells reporter Chelsea Jensen that the money will cover construction of the building which will be located on the Keahole Point airport’s north end, next to the nearly finished FAA-funded air traffic control tower. Sluyter said the facility will include five bays for the fire station’s apparatus, which includes three high-tech aircraft rescue and fire fighting Oshkosh Striker vehicles. The new building wil also provide private sleeping quarters and a new work-out area for the station’s fire rescue personnel. A meeting room and storage space for records are also included in the building’s plans.
NEW UH-HILO BOOKSTORE WILL OPEN THIS FALL
(Hawaii Tribune-Herald). The University of Hawaii at Hilo plans to open a new $4 million dollar campus store. Project manager Michael Murakami tells reporter Colin Stewart that “construction is about 90 percent complete…we’ve still got some painting to do and furniture to install, but that should wrap up in August.” Murakami adds “we won’t be ready to handle the fall rush in the new building, so we’ll wait to do a grand opening until some time in October.” According the a university press release, the single-story addition to the UH-Hilo Campus Center comprises 8,500 square feet, with a layout that includes textbook, computer, apparel, and cafe areas. The facility will replace the existing UH-Hilo Bookstore, which is located near the old gym, as the school’s primary outlet for the sale of books, materials, school supplies, and various other materials including Vulcan logo clothing, sundries, snacks, computers and computer accessories.
SEARCH FOR TEEN CALLED OFF
(Stephens Media). On Monday, fire and rescue crews ended their search for a 15-year-old New York State boy who was reportedly swept from the shoreline last week near Kealakekua Bay. Kailua Fire Station Captain Todd Vincent told reporter Chelsea Jensen that divers spent Monday searching for Tyler Madoff in the bay as well as numerous underwater lava tubes, inlets, and features. The extensive search was called off late Monday afternoon, pending any new developments. On Sunday, Madoff’s parent Michael and Marianne thanked Hawaii Island residents for their “unrelenting support during thsi time of sadness” and for efforts to locate their missing son. A second boy involved in the tragic accident was taken to the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu for further treatment.
WAIAKEA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES NAMED 2012 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS
(Hawaii Tribune-Herald). Two Waiakea High School valedictorians have been named 2012 National Merit Scholars. Mark Seu and Katherine Torigoe joined 2,500 scholarship winners and eight other state seniors in receiving a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. Seu, the son of Dr. Michael and Claire Seu, will attend Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Torigoe, the daughter of Ivan and Helen Torigoe, will attend Stanford University in California.
HAWAII ISLAND WEATHER THROUGH WEDNESDAY, 11 July 2012:
Hilo and vicinity–Partially sunny with a few windward showers. Rain at night.
Kailua-Kona and vicinty–Partly cloudy with a chance of early morning and late evening showers.
Highs near 82. Lows near 69. Winds shifting to the east northeast, 7 to 14 mph, by Wednesday. Sunrise Wednesday–5:49 a.m. Sunset Wednesday–7:03 p.m. Total hours of daylight on Wednesday–13 hours, 14 minutes, and 08 seconds.
HAWAII ISLAND TIDES FOR WEDNESDAY, 11 July 2012:
Hilo High Tide–10:40 a.m./8:24 p.m. Hilo Low Tide–3:02 a.m./4:18 p.m.
Kailua-Kona High Tide–11:18 a.m./9:02 p.m. Kailua-Kona Low Tide–3:39 a.m./4:55 p.m.
HAWAII ISLAND SURF FORECAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY, 11 July 2012:
Hapuna Beach breaks–flat. Kona and Banyans–flat to 1 foot. Ka’u and Pohoiki–4 to 5 feet. Hamakua–4 to 5 feet. Hilo and Honolii–2 to 3 feet.
For the latest in state news, visit the right hand side bar under “Hawaii News Now.”
A readers’ poll can also be found in the sidebar.
OTHER HAWAII NEWS BLOG WORTH READING:
Big Island Now; Big Island Chronicle; and Big Island Video News.
Your comments are alway welcome.
Have an excellent day!
Russ Roberts, administrator
PRG HAWAII NEWS WITH RUSS ROBERTS
Laupahoehoe, Hawaii–along the beautiful Hamakua Coast