#big island blog

LETTER: More Thoughts on the TMT

“Not building the TMT and sending it over to the Canary Islands does not reconcile the damage that has been done.”

LETTER: Access to Healthier Food Options Key to Ending Health Disparities

Read the latest national rankings on state health and Hawaii inevitably is listed as one of the healthiest states.

LETTER: Bill Stuffing on Hawaiian Telcom’s Part

Hawaiian Telcom recently rolled out a new $2.99 monthly add-on fee for all of their customers.

LETTER: Hawai‘i’s Submarine Fiber-Optic Cables Reaching End of Life Span

Hawaii has three main submarine fiber-optic cables that link all main islands. Two of these cables will be reaching the end of their 25 year lifespan.

LETTER: Why Are Residents Leaving Hawai‘i?

It’s too expensive.

LETTER: Kealakehe Elementary Needs Additional Parking

We received $300,000 in capital funding to provide additional parking in 2015, that we have yet to utilize.

LETTER: ‘Administration Has Done a Poor Job Interacting With Public’

Mayor Harry Kim’s administration has done a poor job interacting with the public over the first year he’s been in office.

LETTER: Final East Side Saddle Road Phase

It took about 13 years and over 300 million dollars to reconstruct and realign about 45 miles of Saddle Road, but it was totally worth all the effort and time.

LETTER: Answer to Water Woes is Up, Not Down

“If we think of our underground aquifer as a reservoir, it makes… sense to measure the input to it… providing an approximation of the allowable withdrawal.”

LETTER: Digging Deeper Into Hawai‘i Island’s Well Failures

“I’ve been following the misadventures of the DWS for some time now and became seriously concerned when I started reading statements in June that made absolutely no engineering sense.”

Hawai‘i’s Feral Goats: Cute—But Destructive

Feral goats can be found on all major Hawaiian Islands.

Crusin’ Ka Lae (South Point) with Tita Nui

Darde Gamayo takes us to Ka Lae, the southernmost point in the US and Hawai’i.

LETTER: ‘It’s Not Just Your Money They’re Taking, It’s Your Health’

“…the insurance company that controls the majority of health insurance in Hawai‘i doesn’t feel that it is important to keep the providers we have.”

Kiawe: The Tree of Life

Next time you see a kiawe tree, know that you are looking at more than just a source for firewood.

Mango is a Local Favorite—and for Good Reason

Mango is so tasty, it is sometimes viewed as a guilty indulgence, but it actually has health benefits as well.

SLIDESHOW UPDATE: Crusin’ with Tita Nui: Laupāhoehoe

Laupāhoehoe is a beautifully peaceful historical location, just waiting to be explored.

LETTER: Words Live On

There are two sayings that my pistol-of-a-Southern-Belle mother shot through my head until they stuck…

Ulu:  An Ancient Food Still Sustains Us

The early Polynesian voyagers packed ulu in coconut husk and dry leaves to keep it safe for their journey across the Pacific Ocean as they headed to Hawai‘i.

Haole: Is It a Bad Word?

It is popular belief by those who have dissected the word haole (“ha” means breath of life and “‘ole” means “without”) that it literally means “no breath.”