Big Island NewsWell November is here and the election dust is starting to settle. Big Island News is mirroring national news, as we have seen the effects of a recession that hasn't shown signs of changing. If you are looking for results of the recent elections,
click here
. We will have the full roster of all your representatives, in all offices, with contact info, on its own page soon.
Gas prices have plummeted back to what seems like normal, and boy was I relieved. I paid $2.76 at Costco last week, and I felt like dancing for joy. The military is pushing to take more and more of our precious Aina. So what is important to you? Education and information are the weapons of the righteous. Tourists please educate yourselves also, it will make us welcome you more. Below you will also find today's Big Island News articles from the Kona Newspaper, the West Hawaii Today, and listings from the Hilo Newspaper, the Tribune Herald. We also have a interactive section where you can post news, or read news posted by other people who have visited our site.The interactive portion is at the bottom of this page. So click here to go to the interactive portion of this Big Island News page. Housing and the EconomyHouse prices have fallen, especially in areas like Ocean View, and Puna, and we see our friends and families facing foreclosures just like the rest of the nation. Rent is still high as people struggle to pay their ridiculous mortgages.The median house prices are down a little over $30,000 while condo prices are actually holding pretty steady. Should have bought a condo when they were $100,000 huh? The Hawaii real estate market has been down in general for over a year, and some Realtors are even considering changing professions. State and County Legislature Has Important Bills Coming Up
After passing through three County Council Hearings with over a hundred different testimonies, and over 1200 written letters of support from residents, a Bill to ban GMO's on the Big Island was passed unanimously on October 9th 2008. Among the supporters of the Bill were Taro Farmers, most Kona Coffee Farmers, and some Scientists from UH Hilo.Although this Bill passed unanimously, Mayor Harry Kim saw fit to go against public and council opinion and vetoed the Bill on October 30th, 2008. On November 13th the County Council overrode Kim's veto with a vote of 7 for the bill and 2 votes against it. This bill will protect Taro and Coffee from being genetically engineered, with fines up to $1000 dollars for anyone involved in doing so. There are many reasons why GMOS's are frowned upon by local farmers. The Coffee Farmers and the Taro Farmers have been the most outspoken. The Coffee Farmers see a serious threat to our heritage varieties of coffee, such as Kona Coffee, that have become world renowned. If a GMO was to cross pollinate with heritage varieties then the seed stock would be forever altered. Along the same lines, if a decaffeinated GMO strain of Coffee was to cross pollinate with a caffeinated variety, it is hard to say what the outcome would be. Taro farmers are more upset about the threat of genetic weaknesses being introduced into the DNA of Taro varieties that have been handed down for countless generations. Papayas have been susceptible to disease since the introduction, and cross pollination of GMO Papayas on the islands. Basically what it comes down to is that farmers and scientists on the Big Island have weighed the benefits and drawbacks of GMO's and the majority of them agree that we don't need to take the risk. Our crops have supported humans here for countless generations, and it is not worth the chance of losing our heritage varieties.If you want to read a little more about this issue, check out this page posted by one of our visitors, just before Kim vetoed the Bill. Mauna Kea ObservatoriesWe all know that the world community loves the mountain for its prime conditions for viewing the Heavens, but there is a new proposal that is a little much.The University of Hawai`i Institute for Astronomy (“UH/IFA”)and University of California are moving to build the world’s largest telescope, known as the TMT atop Mauna Kea. The TMT is so big nearly every telescope on the summit could fit inside its dome. The TMT’s stadium size dome cannot fit on the summit, so the UH/IFA is proposing to build it on the north summit plateau, that is the last undeveloped view plane, comprised of pristine land, sacred landscape and one of the largest burial complexes. Serious opposition to this proposal is being met, especially from Kanaka Maoli, who have special ties to the area in question. The construction timeline for the TMT is set to begin in 2009.
Pohakuloa and the Military
I've hears rumors that there are plans to change Pohakuloa into a Fort, that would have 50,000 troops stationed at it. This would make it its own city! The plan to reroute saddle road onto the old military training road, would give them more acreage to use for this purpose.Already there are those days when you hear the rumble of the explosions in the existing training areas, it is hard to imagine what would be if there was a fort on the mountain. The Stryker Brigade (shown in the picture) has also been a point of controversy. Hawaiian SovereigntyAlways a important issue in Big Island News, Hawaiian Sovereignty has even been getting world coverage lately. To go to our page on what happened at the `Iolani Palace on April 30th 2008, follow this link.All kinds of issues concerning Hawaiian Sovereignty have been dominating the news lately. We have a Water Crisis on Molokai, on Kauai, protesters have been having many run ins with the police over burial issues, and here on the Big Island, Kau has been the focal point. The County of Hawaii is currently trying to acquire a stretch of coastline, that has belonged to local Hawaiian families for countless generations. For more on this go to our page about Kawa`a on August 26th 2008. Big Island Vog IndexThe Big Island has been experiencing unhealthy air quality, since Halemaumau Crater started erupting in March of 2008.For more information on the Big Island Vog Index, and how to get up to date info on it, follow this link
Other Big Island News PagesThe Big Island has a lot of ground to cover, and we have two major newspapers that do their best to cover all the Big Island News.Below is a RSS feed with all the current articles from the Hilo Newspaper and the Kona Newspaper. Also you can find a link to our current E-zine, and a subscription form so you can receive it every month. To check out our current issue of our E-zine: Whats Happening on the Big Island, or some of our back issues Big Island News, What Issues are Important to You?Do you have a issue you want to discuss? As long as it is Big Island news, and doesn't contain foul language we will post it, and other visitors can respond with comments, another way we hope to bridge gaps on the Big Island. What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Big Island News: GMO bill still has hurdles in order to become law, Mayor Kim may veto the County Council's vote.
2008 Kona Ironman Results
House Bill 2972: Proposed Consolidation of Big Island Schools
Aspartame and Artificial Sweetners in Hawaii
Big Island Alert: Department of Agriculture Plans to Introduce New Insect Species to Big Island Forests
Proposed site for initial release of Tectococcus ovatus in the Ola`a Forest Reserve on the island of Hawai`i
Molokai Ranch has created a water crises on Molokai
Big Island News: Depleted Uranium: To Test or not to Test, that is the Question.
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Big Island News: Humpback Whales, Dolphins, Other Marine Mammals are Less Important Then Naval Training Exercises, Rules the Supreme Court
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Big Island News: Water Conservation in Rural South Hilo Amid Dry Weather
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2008 County of Hawaii Election Results
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2008 Big island Election Debates presented by UHH Poli-Sci Club @ UHH Campus Center Plaza 12Noon-2PM
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OHA Responds to U.S. Supreme Court
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Kauai, Naue a developer is trying to build a 7000 sf vacation home on an ancient Hawaiian burial site
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Internet Scam
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Press Release: Jasper Moore for Mayor
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