#Ashley Kierkiewicz

The two parcels of land known as Honolulu Landing features 4,000 feet of shoreline and contains archaeological resources, including ancient burial sites of lineal descendants, village complexes, heiau, house platforms, rock walls, ahu and planting areas.

The proposed legislative package builds on existing community-driven plans, including the Puna Community Development Plan, Kīlauea Recovery & Resilience Plan, and Eruption Economic Recovery Plan, and Revitalize Puna, to provide an option for property owners and small businesses to expand permitted uses in the Pāhoa area.

The 8-0 passage of the resolution comes after the State of Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources rejected the U.S. Army’s final Environmental Impact Statement to extend its 65-year lease for the Pōhakuloa Training Area.

Following successful completion of the training, certified participants will be eligible to join the production crew for Nā Leo TV’s new weekly sports program.

Councilmember Rebecca Villegas introduced Resolution 234-25, which was discussed Tuesday during the Policy Committee on Environmental and Natural Resource Management.

Hale Hālāwai O Puna Cultural Mākeke and Hub opens for the first time with a free celebration followed by an Activate Puna Town Party to mark the 7th anniversary of the 2018 Kīlauea eruption this Saturday.

Hale Hālāwai o Puna aims to deepen community connection and cultural engagement by offering demonstrations and promoting sustainable tourism that values the land and its traditions.

Hawai‘i County Council initially failed to pass the original funding bill for the study in January 2024, which would have accepted the state’s $1 million and a $500,000 county match. The council ultimately passed its own bill in March 2024, with a $1 million county match, that expanded the scope of the study months before state funding lapsed on June 30, 2024.

The Hawaiʻi County Council confirmed eight of new Mayor Kimo Alameda’s selections to lead departments, but the appointment for director of Environmental Management was held up over concerns involving potential conflicts of interest.

The state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation awarded a $9.2 million contract to dredge Pohoiki Bay to Goodfellows Bros., the lowest bidder on the project.

With about 131,358 registered voters in Hawai‘i County, less than half, 44,382, cast ballots.

On Wednesday, community leaders, students elected officials and local residents held a blessing for Waiakahi‘ula Beach Park, formerly known as Kahakai Park.

The initiative drew more than 250 Big Island youths between 11 and 24 years old and participation from 24 schools.

The Hawai‘i County Council on Wednesday adopted Resolution 487, which grants $65,000 to the Pāhoa Lava Zone Museum for the purchase, installation and maintenance of 25 new surveillance systems, each consisting of 8 cameras, meant to enhance public safety in the Big Island community.

The quarterly meeting will also feature information about the latest developments at the plant, which has been producing electricity from geothermal resources since 1993 on the Big Island.

The measure, introduced by Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz, would establish apiary management practices for sound and sustainable beekeeping and add apiaries to the list of allowable uses in all zoning districts on the Big Island.

Revitalize Puna activations, a joint effort between Hawai‘i County’s Disaster Recovery Division and Council District 4, have become a space for showcasing and nurturing Puna’s resilience, spirit of collaboration and deep sense of aloha.

The goal of the study is to determine where other routes could be placed to help alleviate the district’s longstanding issues of traffic congestion and need for another evacuation route when natural disasters strike, such as eruptions and lava flows, and better access for emergency response.

The initiative is aimed at amplifying the voices and perspectives of Hawai‘i Island youth, offering a platform to showcase their creativity and contribute to community dialogues.

The goal of the study and any future infrastructure, which is not a part of the proposed funding measure, is to find where other roadways could be placed in the district to help alleviate the longstanding issue of traffic congestion and increase capacity for evacuation in the event of a natural disaster and emergency response.