Editors Note: Kohalanews asked Melora Purell of the Kohala Watershed Partnership for some background on the koaia preserve in light of an an upcoming BLNR agenda item. The Koaia preserve is the strip of koaia (small koa) on the mauka side of the Kohala Mountain Road near Pu’u Kawaiwai, Waimea side of the scenic lookout.

North Kohala has a new organization dedicated to promoting continuing education in our area. The North Kohala Community Learning Center is a sponsored project of the North Kohala Community Resource Center, and is gearing up to offer classes in early 2010.

The state Legacy Land Conservation Program (LLCP) announced today that it will convey approximately $3.3 million from the State Land Conservation Fund for land acquisition projects to protect Hawai‘i’s unique and valuable resources. Two of the five parcels selected from candidates across the state are in North Kohala. The State funds will leverage approximately $6.6 [...]

County planning officials detailed a pending comprehensive public access program yesterday at a meeting in Kohala. The program would include more coordination between the county, the State Na Ala Hele Trail System and the National Trail System’s Ala Kahakai coastal trail….

Recently there has been a lot of discussion about the reorganization of the County Council, and I thought it would be great to know a firsthand account of what happened. So over the weekend I sat down with my elected Councilmember Dominic Yagong to get a clearer picture of the controversy. Here’s what he had to say:

The Kohala Watershed Partnership has received $2.69 million in federal funds through a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) coastal restoration grant to improve the condition of the Pelekane Bay watershed on the leeward coast of Kohala Mountain, Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel K. Inouye and Senator Daniel K. Akaka announced today.

Interview with Pete Hoffman for the Kohala News. June 26, 6pm – North
Kohala. By Kanoa Withington

Distributed monthly from the office of Councilman Pete Hoffmann, Kui Ka Lono O Kohala – Spreading the News from District 9 tries to share County Council happenings. Click to read more…

The TMT will host a public meeting on Tuesday June 23 at the Kohala Cultural Center from 5-8pm to recieve comments on its recently published draft environmental impact statement. The TMT staff also hosted a public scoping meeting in Kohala last October prior to drafting the EIS. The document is available from their website: http://www.tmt-hawaiieis.org

From: James M. Komata, Park Planner, Department of Parks & Recreation, County of Hawai …Construction of the accessibility improvements for the entirety of Kamehameha Park is ongoing under the County’s General Contractor, Site Engineering.  Their original contract work is approximately 97% complete with minor items of work remaining at the pool and some minor plumbing [...]

The Department of Parks and Recreation will hold a public meeting to present conceptual plans for Keokea Beach Park’s earthquake restoration and accessibility improvements, 5-7 p.m. on Friday, June 26, at the Kohala Intergenerational Center (the facility makai of Hisaoka Gym). The department is seeking input from the public on the proposed modifications and improvements [...]

The mayor has named the appointees for the North Kohala CDP action committee. This group is tasked with monitoring and promoting the implementation of the North Kohala Community Development Plan.

On June 2, the County Council gave the administration a priority list of properties to negotiate for purchase that includes two North Kohala coastal properties in the top four picks. The passage of Resolution 105-09 could lead to the purchases of a 10.6-acre parcel at Pao’o (Secrets) and the adjoining 261 acres in Kaiholena ahupua’a.

A bunch of links and copy-n-paste articles about aquaculture in Hawaii. Not organized or verified in any way…

Two plans are afoot for open ocean fish farms in North Kohala. The proposed sites are about 3 miles north of Kawaihae at Malae Point. One is 2.6 miles offshore producing around 12 million pounds of ahi. The other is less than one mile offshore and would produce moi. The base facilities would operate out of Kawaihae Harbor. Kohala News is soliciting stories and viewpoints about the project…