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Thursday, June 18, 2015

HawaiiNewsNow-article

June 18, 2015

Progress being made on gravity sewer tunnel between Kailua and Kaneohe

By Ramsay Wharton
KANEOHE, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - City officials say after a month and a half of drilling, the Tunnel Boring Machine or TBM, is functioning well and on its 3-mile journey to create the underground space needed for the city to install Hawaii's first and largest gravity sewer line to run between the Kaneohe Waste Water Pre-Treatment Facility and the Kailua Regional Waste Water Treatment Plant. 
The city's Director of Environmental Services Lori Kahikina says the TBM, also named Pohakulani, is about 1,000 feet from its original starting point at the Kailua RWWTP on April 30th. The large machine is actually digging backwards on the tunnel and upwards towards the Kaneohe side that will begin at about a 35-foot depth. 
"They seem to be on target on schedule," Kahikina said. "Their rate is about 40 to 50 feet per day."
The Kaneohe-Kailua Tunnel Sewer Project is the city's second largest construction project behind rail.
It is tunneling at the Kailua RWWTP at a depth of about 65 feet below sea level and moving underground at the Aikahi Gardens residential area now, working to tunnel towards the Kaneohe WWPTF, where the incline of the gravity sewer pipe will eventually begin. 
During a 12-hour shift, the tunneling generates about 1,175 tons of rock material, said officials with Southland Contracting, who's in charge of the project. Right now that dirt is being recycled into a variety of different projects for fill, including in roadwork in residential projects in the Kaneohe and Hauula areas and in the development of a new shopping center in Kapolei, Ka Makana Alii. Various companies are interested in using the materials.
So far, officials say there's been no vibration felt by residents related to the mining. As a precaution, seismographic equipment has been monitoring the area.
"So far there hasn't been any vibration of any significant amount," said Gary Weller, a member of the Kailua Neighborhood Board. "They've been monitoring it from day one and I'm very happy."
The 10-foot wide sewer line that will placed in the tunnel will use gravity, instead of electricity, to move waste water downhill from Kaneohe to the plant in Kailua. Officials say it will help prevent sewage spills and eliminate above-ground containment systems.
The project, including station upgrades, is slated to be finished in 2018.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/29353357/progress-being-made-on-gravity-sewer-tunnel-between-kailua-and-kaneohe

StarAdvertiser-article

June 18, 2015

Residents’ frustration with Maunawili Falls hikers has grown

By Leila Fujimori

Maunawili residents are bracing for another busy summer, anticipating an onslaught of visitors by the busload along with local hikers passing through the otherwise quiet neighborhood to get to the Maunawili Falls Trail.
Frustrations have mounted since the state removed its signs a year ago and relinquished oversight of the popular hiking trail — leaving residents to deal with people wandering around looking for the trailhead.
With no government signs, one resident put up hand-painted replacements, said Maunawili Estates Community Association member Chris Nakamatsu.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources informed the community of its bowing-out in July, Nakamatsu said, adding that the gist of the notification was: “It is not our trail.” Puzzled by DLNR’s move, Nakamatsu said, “After 18 years, it is not your trail?”
The 11⁄2-mile hike starts near homes in the Maunawili Estates subdivision and runs through private land to the waterfall, which is situated on state land.
The community sees 1,000 to 2,000 hikers weekly. Yet there is no steward, no security, no parking, no bathrooms and no trash pickup.
In October, DLNR informed the community that the private land belongs to HRT Realty, a subsidiary of the Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Trust. A 1986 conditional use permit with the city allows the public to use the trail and protects public access to Maunawili Falls.
DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife Oahu Branch Manager David Smith said the state agency “decided to take the signs down because we have no agreement” with landowner HRT. Plus, Smith said, “We didn’t want the perception that the state controls the land.”
Even so, Smith said, DLNR is continuing to do some maintenance work on the trail.
The trail’s popularity comes with problems created by hikers who leave trash in the neighborhood and on the path, use residents’ bathrooms and garden hoses with or without permission, and park in front of driveways.
Smith and residents agree that social media and the Internet have caused the foot traffic on little-known trails to grow “at a rate we’ve never seen before.”
“All of a sudden, trails that were quiet little areas have become very congested and see a lot of use,” he said. Maunawili Falls, like Manoa Falls, “is very popular. … People want to go to a waterfall.” The problems occur when there is an “urban interface with these trails.”
Residents deal with problems related to that “urban interface” on a daily basis. One woman, whose house is on a corner lot, said she was surprised one day to find several tourists lined up in her yard to use her outdoor bathroom.
The trail itself, which is often muddy, has widened and is deteriorating due to overuse, residents say.
Last summer, the Hawaii Tourism Authority monitored usage for one weekend, counting 714 hikers in two days (417 on July 5 and 297 on July 6).
In addition, hikers occasionally get stranded in darkness. Nakamatsu said in August 2014 alone the city reported that the Honolulu Fire Department conducted 13 rescues on the trail.
The hiking trail was part of a deal cut with Royal Hawaiian Country Club for a golf course when the land was subdivided by former landowner H.K.L. Castle Trust Estate.
The falls area “has always been landlocked,” Smith said. “There never was an established access. People would sneak through yards, culverts and drainage ditches. That was a big problem for the community, too.”
Maunawili Falls is also accessible by way of a trail that starts at a scenic lookout near a hairpin turn on the Pali Highway, but that path increases the hike to 21⁄2 miles and the lookout is fitted with fewer than a dozen parking spaces.
A 2014 study conducted for DLNR included an analysis of possible solutions to the area’s hiking woes.
According to the report, the “alternative that best resolves community concerns is to construct a remote 85-stall parking lot and comfort station in a historic area known as the Queen’s Retreat.
“Although this is the most expensive alternative considered, it has the best opportunity for a successful fee-based parking lot. With the assistance of local historical interest groups, this area could be further developed as a first-class historic park by showcasing the historic structures and promoting the cultural significance of Queen Liliuokalani’s summer retreat,” the report said.
The estimated cost: $6.36 million. No funding source was identified in the report.
Also, even if area residents support the Queen’s Retreat idea, it would require permission and cooperation from landowner HRT.
HRT Realty’s vice president of real estate investment and community affairs, Corbett Kalama, was unavailable for comment.
Smith said HRT is trying to come up with a master plan that would link trails in Waimanalo, Maunawili, Kawainui Marsh and Olomana, which may resolve some problems tied to access points and parking.
Such a trail system would require cooperation with the state and the landowner.
“There are a bunch of pieces … we need to get the linkages put together,” Smith said.
The state has a bit of leverage it can use with the landowner in the form of House Concurrent Resolution 130, passed during the 2015 legislative session.
The resolution directs DLNR to work with Royal Hawaiian Country Club to develop a plan for the management and maintenance of state-owned Old Government Road, which once connected the Pali with Waimanalo, because portions of the road appear to be within the boundaries of the Royal Hawaiian golf course property.
DLNR has been directed to work with the club to find the ownership status of all portions of the road and whether any access easement over the road was granted to the golf club for any part of the pedestrian trail to the falls.
DLNR is tasked with submitting a report on its findings and recommendations to the Legislature before the 2016 legislative session convenes.
“We want to fix this thing,” Smith said. “We want to provide access. We’re strongly on the side of public access. We want people to go hiking. We’re committed to make that work.”

http://www.staradvertiser.com/newspremium/20150618_Residents_frustration_with_crowds_of_Maunawili_Falls_hikers_has_grown.html?id=308097031

Monday, June 15, 2015

PacificBusnessNews-article

June 15, 2015

Target in Kailua steps out of the box, joins local chamber of commerce

When Target was preparing to open one of the retail giant's newest stores in the Windward Oahu town of Kailua, one thing was clear toDrew Santos: doing so would be unlike any other in Hawaii, or on the Mainland, for that matter.
"Opening our Target store in Kailua was different than opening another Target store," said Santos, the store's team leader. "The community was more involved and aware of what we were doing, and we wanted to make sure that we don't forget about what we did prior to opening, but we continue with what we started."
It's one of the reasons why the Kailua native said he recently decided to have the Kailua Target store become a member of the Kailua Chamber of Commerce — a move that very few Target (NYSE: TGT) stores have taken, if any at all.
"Target has stores across the nation and we operate roughly 1,800 stores nationwide, and joining chambers is not the norm," Santos said. "It definitely was a decision that I made — a lot of thought went into that and I think it's a smart move for us."
Kailua Chamber of Commerce President Cynthia Manley said she hopes Santos' decision "will hopefully set the standard and pave the way for other retailers."
"This gives an opportunity for smaller businesses to talk with them and for them to be able to see and meet with people and talk about things — like what Target'scarrying that smaller businesses carry and what Target's thinking of carrying that other small businesses may have — and I think that will help the community grow well," Manley said.
Going forward, Santos said he would like Target to play a role in the discussions of Kailua's future.
"We realized that the community was so connected here in Kailua, and we wanted to make sure that we perpetuated what we started years ago," Santos said. "Joining the chamber, I think, is a clear indication of small and big businesses coming together to see what's possible for Kailua — what's fueling growth for Kailua businesses."

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/2015/06/target-in-kailua-steps-out-of-the-box-joins-local.html

PacificBusinessNews-article

June 12, 2015

PBN panel talks business on Windward Oahu: Slideshow

The panelists and crowd at PBN’s Windward Oahu Means Business event Friday in Kailua agreed that while a hotel and high-rise condominiums are unwanted in Kailua, the community needs to manage its growing popularity with visitors.
The sold-out crowd packed the main dining room at at Mid Pacific Country Club to hear the panel of experts discuss the issues facing business in Kailua and Kaneohe. Click on the photos for a slideshow.
Jon Moyerdirect of asset management at A&B Properties — a subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, which bought much of Kailua town from Kaneohe Ranch in 2013 — said the company is trying to preserve the character of Kailua, and thinks high-rises don’t fit in that picture. In regards to business, Moyer is hearing interest from businesses in other parts of Oahu and the Neighbor Islands that want to open a location in Kailua town.
On the topic of a hotel on the Windward side, the panelists and the crowd said it wouldn’t be a good idea.
Cynthia Manley, president of the Kailua Chamber of Commerce and director of public relations at Le Jardin Academy, said there’s no guarantee that a hotel would alleviate the problem.
Lindsey Dymond, owner of Kalapawai Market and Cafe, acknowledged that people want to come and stay here, so it will be up to community to figure it out.
“If we let it happen, it will manage us,” he said. “If we take a proactive stance, we can manage it.”
John Morgan, president of Kualoa Ranch, said everyone in the room knows tourism is the economic driver of Hawaii but said traffic is a problem. He said nearly half of the visitors that come to Oahu drive around the island, and of those, two-thirds go clockwise. He discussed creating a scenic corridor going the other way, which would have benefits for Windward Oahu businesses from Makapuu to the North Shore.
On the topic of doing business in Kailua, Drew Santos, store team leader atTarget’s Kailua store noted the store has created 300 jobs for people in the community who no longer have to commute into Honolulu.
Alex Harris, senior program officer for education at the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, spoke about some of the ways that has been working with local schools to increase graduation rates.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2015/06/12/pbn-panel-talks-business-on-windward-oahu.html

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

HawaiiNewsNow-article

June 10, 2015

Kailua residents complain of construction, traffic woes

By Chris Tanaka

KAILUA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) -Kulia Martinez sat on the lanai in front of Fatboy's in Kailua on Wednesday, having lunch with a friend.  Much of their conversation was drowned out by the heavy construction going on behind them at the intersection of Kailua Road and Hahani Street.

"There's just like a whole bunch of construction, it's really ugly.  It's taken forever," she said.

She's not the only customer who's been affected by it.

"They can't park in the back, hard to park in the front. They have to go somewhere else, you know," said Fatboys Manager Celeste Yoneoka.

Yoneoka says fortunately enough, business hasn't gone down.  However, she and her customers are wondering when the project will be finished. After all, the construction has been going on for weeks. 

Until this week, the right hand lane on Hahani was closed, creating a bottleneck at the intersection.  It's since been opened, but the temporary pavement is incredibly bumpy.

There is a ‘No Left Turn' sign on Kailua Road to prevent motorists from turning onto Hahani, but a Hawaii News Now crew noticed three vehicles turn left during a single light cycle. 

"It did put a stop and go to our traffic here," said Calvin Malina, who was eating his lunch outside Times Supermarket, watching the heavy traffic.

Hawaii News Now reached out to the City for answers. Turns out it is not a City project, but one for the newly opened Target.  

Delta Construction has been contracted to redo a gas line and relocate some electrical ducts. Work is estimated to be done by July 1, meaning it could be three more weeks of heavy traffic.

Monday, June 1, 2015

StarAdvertiser-article

June 1, 2015

Community unites to aid Windward homeless man

Residents in Kailua and Kaneohe joined forces to deliver urgent medical care to "Mango Man"

By Susan Essoyan

At a time when people often turn away from street dwellers, John Cruz drew people to him without a word, without even trying.
The husky 6-footer, better known as "Mango Man," has been a gentle, enigmatic presence on the streets of Kaneohe and Kailua for decades, standing silently by the roadside with a soulful look in his eyes and matted gray hair that hung past his waist.
He is intensely private and yet he chose to live his life in public, most recently on a grassy shoulder along Hamakua Marsh, where the call of ducks mixes with the woosh of passing cars.
He would ask for nothing, yet people would bring him food or drink. He'd thank them with a twinkle in his eyes or wave them off with a weathered hand.
A couple of weeks ago, on Keolu Drive near Enchanted Lake Elementary School, an unofficial street sign went up bearing his likeness, a shaggy silhouette of a large man with a walker, a symbol of the aloha the community feels for him.
In the virtual world, an outpouring of good wishes has flooded the "My Kailua" Facebook page in tribute to Cruz and to Dr. Chad Koyanagi and Waikiki Health's Care-A-Van, who recently joined forces to bring him much needed medical care. The post on the online community bulletin board quickly generated more than 2,700 "likes" and 772 "shares," and reached more than 100,000 people, according to Bill Hayes, an administrator of the site.
"He taught us to be kind, without saying a word," Debbie Silk posted. "God bless you John aka mango man."
Another contributor, Adrian Samu Kahawaii, remembered "as a little boy growing up in Kaneohe we would be afraid of him … until one day we said hello … super nice, mellow man … he is an iconic figure on the windward side aloha ‘Mango Man.'"
"Thank you so much for posting the update, we've been so worried about John," wrote Tiffany DeZee. "We had cookies in the car for several days to pass off to him. Our son was beside himself when he ‘went missing.'"
A Castle High School graduate, Cruz served in Vietnam, and he wore the same grubby camouflage jacket and blue jeans, rain or shine. At 66, he had given up his big walking stick in favor of an aluminum walker.
As his health began to fail in recent months, community members tried to reach out, even calling ambulances in hopes he would accept medical care. He would just wave them off.
"I've seen him around Kailua for 35 years, but it's just in the last year that I saw him kind of going downhill and he seemed more compromised," said Cynthia Rubinstein, a Realtor who would bring lunch and eat with him, leaning against the guardrail.
"I would talk with him what little bit I could, try to get him help. But he kept saying, ‘No, no — pau, done.' I would say, ‘No, it's not pau.'"
Each time she left, she gave him a kiss on his cheek, undeterred by curious looks from passersby.
"I wanted to give him the feeling that we really cared about him," she said.
Hayes, the website administrator, and Rubinstein were hesitant to speak to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser about Cruz out of respect for his privacy. But they agreed to an interview to set the record straight after rumors and misinformation swirled about what had happened to "Mango Man."
And they felt obliged to highlight the work of Koya­nagi and the staff of Care-a-Van, who are on the front lines daily.
Koyanagi, a community psychiatrist, offers his healing art to the growing number of people on the streets of Honolulu who would never make their way to a psychiatrist's office. "Dr. Chad," as he is affectionately known, spends one day a week alongside outreach workers from the Institute for Human Services, the homeless services provider, and also collaborates with Waikiki Health.
"The community has been trying to help John for a long time, and it wasn't till Dr. Chad got involved that it tipped," Hayes said. "It was amazing to see Dr. Chad and Waikiki Health do their things."
Rubinstein had asked Hayes to check up on Cruz, and he found him under a bridge. He alerted fellow Kailua resident Malia Espinda, who has a health care background and sent Koya­nagi a text.
"We have a well-loved individual here in Kailua who seems to be having severe health issues," Espinda told the doctor in her text on April 29. "Do you know Mango Man?"
Koyanagi's response was immediate.
"Call me," he said. "I'm not going to let anyone die out there if I can help it."
Waikiki Health's Care-A-Van, a mobile medical unit that offers care and social services to the homeless, had assisted Cruz a few years earlier, according to Jason Espero, the outreach worker on that case and now director of the program. Cruz allowed a nurse to painstakingly tend to a badly infected leg but refused the offer of a trip to the hospital. He also waved them away whenever the van came back later to follow up.
On any given day, Care-a-Van helps half a dozen to several dozen homeless people with medical care, sustenance, links to housing or social services, or a listening ear. It also operates a drop-in clinic in Kaimuki.
"We try to do what we can to make each person's quality of life a little bit better," Espero said. "Sometimes it does take multiple encounters, multiple years until you can say a success has occurred."
A desperate situation met the outreach team on April 30 when they arrived under the bridge. Cruz was suffering from a severe infection that had festered unchecked, Espero said.
"The consequences could have been catastrophic for him," Espero said. "Instead of writing a story about how we all helped him, you might be writing his eulogy."
This time, a chain of caring converged — nurses and the doctor, emergency medical workers, police officers, friends — at the spit of waterfront land, keeping a respectful distance.
The scene overwhelmed even the most seasoned of observers.
"It was so intense," said Hayes, who gently talked to Cruz, man to man, and stayed with him as a Care-A-Van nurse worked to cleanse his wounds. "It hit all my senses. There were HPD officers with tears in their eyes."
He added, "I come from a family of cops. You've got to be tough. But you could see how much the officer really cared and was deeply touched. And seeing him was enough to set me off."
Eventually, Cruz struggled to his feet and made his way to a waiting ambulance.
Asked what message he took away from the experience, Hayes said, "Don't stop trying, don't ever stop trying."
Cruz is being cared for in an undisclosed hospital and is expected to be there for some time. He seems content, according to a source who is in touch with him.
He has a public guardian. Asked how he is faring, a spokesman for the state Office of the Public Guardian said only: "We acknowledge everything the community has done for Mr. Cruz, and also appreciate the community respecting his privacy as he continues to recuperate."
In the past, people have offered shelter to "Mango Man," but he preferred to live outside, with the soaring Koolau mountain range as his backdrop.
"His heart seems to connect to nature, and I think that's why this is where he hung out," Rubinstein said at the patch of land that he called home. "He's got a real Hawaiian soul."
Koyanagi, who has made it his mission to minister to patients who are the toughest to reach, declined to discuss the situation, citing confidentiality rules. Still, the physician marveled at the heartfelt connection forged between the Windward community and this individual.
"I've never heard of anything like it happening anywhere in the country," Koyanagi said. "The case was outstanding in showing what common purpose and common caring for a person can achieve. Hopefully that spirit will translate to people who are not pleasant, who are not icons."

CALL FOR HELP
To request help for a homeless person, call Waikiki Health’s Care-A-Van at 922-4790 and leave a message.