Each year the National Trust for Historic Preservation celebrates the best of preservation by presenting National Preservation Awards to individuals and organizations whose contributions demonstrate excellence in historic preservation.
We invite you to nominate a deserving individual, organization, agency, or project for a National Preservation Award. In 2011 we are pleased to announce that we will be selecting the first American Express Aspire awardee. This award will recognize an emerging leader in preservation. The deadline for all award nominations, including the Trustees' Awards, National Trust/Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Award, National Trust/HUD Secretary's Award, the Peter H. Brink Award for Individual Achievement, the new American Express Aspire Award and National Preservation Honor Awards, is February 17, 2011. Those nominations not selected to receive a special category award will automatically be considered for an Honor Award.
Go to http://www.preservationnation.org/awards to access the 2011 nomination information and view video highlights of last year’s award winners. The entire application must be completed online.
If you have questions or need additional information about the awards or the nomination process, please call 202.588.6315 or e-mail awards@nthp.org. We look forward to receiving your nomination. Spread the word!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
FY11 Grants for Japanese American Confinement Sites open Jan 4
Grant Applications will be available at
http://www.nps.gov/history/HPS/hpg/JACS/application.html
on Tuesday, January 4, 2011. Applications must be received by Tuesday, March 1, 2011. JACS grants will be awarded dependent on funds appropriated by Congress.
Congress established the Japanese American Confinement Sites grant program (Public Law 109-441, 16 USC 461) for the preservation and interpretation of U.S. confinement sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. The law authorized up to $38 million for the entire life of the grant program to identify, research, evaluate, interpret, protect, restore, repair, and acquire historic confinement sites in order that present and future generations may learn and gain inspiration from these sites and that these sites will demonstrate the nation’s commitment to equal justice under the law.
http://www.nps.gov/history/HPS/hpg/JACS/application.html
on Tuesday, January 4, 2011. Applications must be received by Tuesday, March 1, 2011. JACS grants will be awarded dependent on funds appropriated by Congress.
Congress established the Japanese American Confinement Sites grant program (Public Law 109-441, 16 USC 461) for the preservation and interpretation of U.S. confinement sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. The law authorized up to $38 million for the entire life of the grant program to identify, research, evaluate, interpret, protect, restore, repair, and acquire historic confinement sites in order that present and future generations may learn and gain inspiration from these sites and that these sites will demonstrate the nation’s commitment to equal justice under the law.
Kailua Village filled with holiday joy
By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi, Honolulu Star Advertiser
Historic Kailua Village really knows how to throw a Christmas party! Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, the community kicks off Kailua Kalikimaka, a monthlong celebration sponsored by the Kailua Village Business Improvement District.
Now in its third year, the event fills the seaside town with holiday cheer. Windows are festooned with tinsel and wreaths; restaurants offer ono specials; and thousands of spectators line the streets to watch a parade complete with floats, bands, choral groups and Santa.
December's Kokua Kailua Village Stroll, a much-anticipated part of Kailua Kalikimaka, will reflect the festive mood of the season. As with the other monthly strolls, a quarter-mile of Alii Drive, the town's main thoroughfare, will be closed to vehicular traffic for five hours.
Along this seaside mall, pedestrians can watch art demonstrations; enjoy Hawaiian music, a hula performance and a concert by award-winning songstress Amy Hanaialii Gilliom; take advantage of store discounts; and peruse the wares of additional merchants who set up shop on the asphalt.
The parade is led every year by a grand marshal who is recognized for his or her community service. Past honorees include Fanny Au Hoy, docent coordinator of Hulihee Palace; Gloria Juan-Tapaatoutai, a music teacher at Kealakehe Intermediate School; and the Rev. Henry Boshard, former pastor of Mokuaikaua Church, the first Christian church in Hawaii.
This year's grand marshals are 40 members of the Kanuha family, who trace their lineage to Chief Umi-a-Liloa, ruler of the Big Island from 1510 to 1525. The six siblings who are the elders of the clan grew up in a house next to Mokuaikaua Church. Like their forebears, they have volunteered countless hours to youth, educational and cultural preservation activities in the community.
The establishment of KVBID in 2007 has strengthened the town's identity, cohesiveness and vision. "KVBID's initiatives, including Kailua Kalikimaka, encourage residents and visitors to shop, dine and buy local," said Eric von Platen Luder, the organization's president. "They support our mission, which is to maintain Kailua Village as a model sustainable community to live, work and play."
According to von Platen Luder, Kailua in the District of Kona is the proper reference for the town, so its name should be spelled Kailua, Kona, not Kailua-Kona as it appears in most guidebooks. KVBID advocates the use of the moniker Historic Kailua Village for practical as well as promotional reasons.
"It helps distinguish our town from Kailua on Oahu," von Platen Luder said. "It also helps build awareness of our significant historical sites, including Mokuaikaua Church, Hulihee Palace and Ahuena Heiau."
After unifying the Hawaiian kingdom in 1810, King Kamehameha I returned to Kailua, Kona, to rule from Kamakahonu, his residence beside Ahuena Heiau. This is where he died in May 1819, where the kapu system was abolished six months later and where, in April 1820, Christian missionaries first came ashore in Hawaii.
"Historic Kailua Village is one of only a few places in the islands where visitors can find great shopping, dining, ocean activities, history and culture — all the elements of a memorable Hawaiian vacation — on a short walk," von Platen Luder said. "We like to say it's Christmas here year-round because you can experience aloha here every day, everywhere."
2011 STROLLS AND CONCERTS
The schedule of monthly Kokua Kailua Village Strolls and Hulihee Palace Concerts subject to change. The names listed after the dates are the concerts' honorees.
» Jan. 16: King Kamehameha II and Aunty Iolani Luahine
» Feb. 20: Princess Ruth Keelikolani
» March 20: Queen Kaahumanu and Prince Kuhio
» April 17: Prince Albert
» May 15: King Kamehameha IV
» June 12: King Kamehameha I
» July 17: Big Island (Governor John Adams Kuakini
» Aug. 14: King Kamehameha III
» Sept. 18: Queen Liliuokalani
» Oct. 16: Princess Kaiulani
» Nov. 20: King Kalakaua: Hulihee Palace Curator Aunty Lei Collins and Bandmaster Charles "Bud" Dant)
» Dec.18: Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop
PRESERVING HISTORY
Ahuena Heiau
Ahuena Heiau was the personal heiau of King Kamehameha I. Here, he worshiped, discussed affairs of the kingdom with his counselors and oversaw the education of his son and heir, Liholiho.
Hulihee Palace
Built in 1838, Hulihee Palace was a favorite vacation home of Hawaiian royalty, including King Kalakaua. Furniture, jewelry and weapons are among the priceless personal belongings of the alii that are on display. The palace is open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. 329-1877; www.daughtersofhawaii.org.
Mokuaikaua Church
When it was established in 1820, the church consisted of two pili grass hale (huts). Completed in 1837, the building that now stands was constructed of stones taken from heiau and ohia logs the congregation carried to the site from Mount Hualalai. The church is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday services are held at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. A 45-minute lecture on the history of the church and the work of the early missionaries in Kailua follows the 11 a.m. service. 329-0655; www.mokuaikaua.org.
Historic Kailua Village Walking Tour
Kona Historical Society's 90-minute Historic Kailua Village Walking Tour is available to groups of at least 10 people. About a dozen stops are made, including Ahuena Heiau, Hulihee Palace and Mokuaikaua Church. Reservations must be made at least two days in advance. Cost is $15 for adults and $7 for children ages 3-12, including a 24-page booklet. 938-8825; www.konahistorical.org.
Historic Kailua Village really knows how to throw a Christmas party! Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, the community kicks off Kailua Kalikimaka, a monthlong celebration sponsored by the Kailua Village Business Improvement District.
Now in its third year, the event fills the seaside town with holiday cheer. Windows are festooned with tinsel and wreaths; restaurants offer ono specials; and thousands of spectators line the streets to watch a parade complete with floats, bands, choral groups and Santa.
December's Kokua Kailua Village Stroll, a much-anticipated part of Kailua Kalikimaka, will reflect the festive mood of the season. As with the other monthly strolls, a quarter-mile of Alii Drive, the town's main thoroughfare, will be closed to vehicular traffic for five hours.
Along this seaside mall, pedestrians can watch art demonstrations; enjoy Hawaiian music, a hula performance and a concert by award-winning songstress Amy Hanaialii Gilliom; take advantage of store discounts; and peruse the wares of additional merchants who set up shop on the asphalt.
The parade is led every year by a grand marshal who is recognized for his or her community service. Past honorees include Fanny Au Hoy, docent coordinator of Hulihee Palace; Gloria Juan-Tapaatoutai, a music teacher at Kealakehe Intermediate School; and the Rev. Henry Boshard, former pastor of Mokuaikaua Church, the first Christian church in Hawaii.
This year's grand marshals are 40 members of the Kanuha family, who trace their lineage to Chief Umi-a-Liloa, ruler of the Big Island from 1510 to 1525. The six siblings who are the elders of the clan grew up in a house next to Mokuaikaua Church. Like their forebears, they have volunteered countless hours to youth, educational and cultural preservation activities in the community.
The establishment of KVBID in 2007 has strengthened the town's identity, cohesiveness and vision. "KVBID's initiatives, including Kailua Kalikimaka, encourage residents and visitors to shop, dine and buy local," said Eric von Platen Luder, the organization's president. "They support our mission, which is to maintain Kailua Village as a model sustainable community to live, work and play."
According to von Platen Luder, Kailua in the District of Kona is the proper reference for the town, so its name should be spelled Kailua, Kona, not Kailua-Kona as it appears in most guidebooks. KVBID advocates the use of the moniker Historic Kailua Village for practical as well as promotional reasons.
"It helps distinguish our town from Kailua on Oahu," von Platen Luder said. "It also helps build awareness of our significant historical sites, including Mokuaikaua Church, Hulihee Palace and Ahuena Heiau."
After unifying the Hawaiian kingdom in 1810, King Kamehameha I returned to Kailua, Kona, to rule from Kamakahonu, his residence beside Ahuena Heiau. This is where he died in May 1819, where the kapu system was abolished six months later and where, in April 1820, Christian missionaries first came ashore in Hawaii.
"Historic Kailua Village is one of only a few places in the islands where visitors can find great shopping, dining, ocean activities, history and culture — all the elements of a memorable Hawaiian vacation — on a short walk," von Platen Luder said. "We like to say it's Christmas here year-round because you can experience aloha here every day, everywhere."
2011 STROLLS AND CONCERTS
The schedule of monthly Kokua Kailua Village Strolls and Hulihee Palace Concerts subject to change. The names listed after the dates are the concerts' honorees.
» Jan. 16: King Kamehameha II and Aunty Iolani Luahine
» Feb. 20: Princess Ruth Keelikolani
» March 20: Queen Kaahumanu and Prince Kuhio
» April 17: Prince Albert
» May 15: King Kamehameha IV
» June 12: King Kamehameha I
» July 17: Big Island (Governor John Adams Kuakini
» Aug. 14: King Kamehameha III
» Sept. 18: Queen Liliuokalani
» Oct. 16: Princess Kaiulani
» Nov. 20: King Kalakaua: Hulihee Palace Curator Aunty Lei Collins and Bandmaster Charles "Bud" Dant)
» Dec.18: Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop
PRESERVING HISTORY
Ahuena Heiau
Ahuena Heiau was the personal heiau of King Kamehameha I. Here, he worshiped, discussed affairs of the kingdom with his counselors and oversaw the education of his son and heir, Liholiho.
Hulihee Palace
Built in 1838, Hulihee Palace was a favorite vacation home of Hawaiian royalty, including King Kalakaua. Furniture, jewelry and weapons are among the priceless personal belongings of the alii that are on display. The palace is open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. 329-1877; www.daughtersofhawaii.org.
Mokuaikaua Church
When it was established in 1820, the church consisted of two pili grass hale (huts). Completed in 1837, the building that now stands was constructed of stones taken from heiau and ohia logs the congregation carried to the site from Mount Hualalai. The church is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday services are held at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. A 45-minute lecture on the history of the church and the work of the early missionaries in Kailua follows the 11 a.m. service. 329-0655; www.mokuaikaua.org.
Historic Kailua Village Walking Tour
Kona Historical Society's 90-minute Historic Kailua Village Walking Tour is available to groups of at least 10 people. About a dozen stops are made, including Ahuena Heiau, Hulihee Palace and Mokuaikaua Church. Reservations must be made at least two days in advance. Cost is $15 for adults and $7 for children ages 3-12, including a 24-page booklet. 938-8825; www.konahistorical.org.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Archaeological Database Now On-line
Bishop Museum has launched its Hawaiian Archaeological Survey (HAS) on-line database. This searchable database (http://has.bishopmuseum.org/) contains information on sites in Hawai‘i excavated by Bishop Museum archaeologists.
“HAS opens up archaeological site based information and literature to the greater community, on a scale that’s never been done before,” said Bishop Museum Archaeology Collections Manager Rowan Gard. “Now people can search for information pertaining to their community, even their own backyard in the HAS and hopefully gain a greater understanding of the Hawaiian past that is manifested in the present landscape – geographic, as well as the cultural.”
Soon after its founding in 1889, Bishop Museum began to study and document the archaeological record of the Hawaiian archipelago. These endeavors resulted in the world's largest collection of Hawaiian artifacts totaling over a million and representing Native Hawaiian and historic Hawai'i immigrant life. In 2008, the Hawai'i State Legislature (HB 2955 and SB 2668) recognized the Museum's past and present actions by designating Bishop Museum as the portal for the Hawai‘i Archaeological Survey. This survey is intended to preserve cultural information and to be used as a resource for the Hawaiian community and others interested in studying the dynamic cultural history of Hawai‘i.
The HAS database currently contains over 12,800 archaeological sites. It is an ongoing project with additional research being added on a continuing basis. Bishop Museum’s Department of Anthropology staff is already working on the second version of the HAS database in hopes of offering the option of viewing over 500 downloadable archaeological research manuscripts in a searchable PDF format, as well as thousands of artifact images.
President/CEO Timothy Johns noted, “The HAS database showcases some of the work Bishop Museum has pioneered in anthropological research. Our staff continues to be at the forefront in providing seminal research and information on the ethnographic and archaeological materials of Oceania to people of the Pacific themselves and the larger international community.”
The Hawaiian Archaeological Survey database can be found http://has.bishopmuseum.org/.
Bishop Museum’s mission is to study, preserve, and tell the stories of the natural and cultural history of Hawai‘i and the Pacific. It is designated as the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History. With more than 24 million catalogued objects, Bishop Museum’s collection ranks among the top ten in the world.
Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays and Christmas Day. For more information on Bishop Museum exhibits, programs, and events, please visit http://www.bishopmuseum.org/ or call (808) 847-3511.
“HAS opens up archaeological site based information and literature to the greater community, on a scale that’s never been done before,” said Bishop Museum Archaeology Collections Manager Rowan Gard. “Now people can search for information pertaining to their community, even their own backyard in the HAS and hopefully gain a greater understanding of the Hawaiian past that is manifested in the present landscape – geographic, as well as the cultural.”
Soon after its founding in 1889, Bishop Museum began to study and document the archaeological record of the Hawaiian archipelago. These endeavors resulted in the world's largest collection of Hawaiian artifacts totaling over a million and representing Native Hawaiian and historic Hawai'i immigrant life. In 2008, the Hawai'i State Legislature (HB 2955 and SB 2668) recognized the Museum's past and present actions by designating Bishop Museum as the portal for the Hawai‘i Archaeological Survey. This survey is intended to preserve cultural information and to be used as a resource for the Hawaiian community and others interested in studying the dynamic cultural history of Hawai‘i.
The HAS database currently contains over 12,800 archaeological sites. It is an ongoing project with additional research being added on a continuing basis. Bishop Museum’s Department of Anthropology staff is already working on the second version of the HAS database in hopes of offering the option of viewing over 500 downloadable archaeological research manuscripts in a searchable PDF format, as well as thousands of artifact images.
President/CEO Timothy Johns noted, “The HAS database showcases some of the work Bishop Museum has pioneered in anthropological research. Our staff continues to be at the forefront in providing seminal research and information on the ethnographic and archaeological materials of Oceania to people of the Pacific themselves and the larger international community.”
The Hawaiian Archaeological Survey database can be found http://has.bishopmuseum.org/.
Bishop Museum’s mission is to study, preserve, and tell the stories of the natural and cultural history of Hawai‘i and the Pacific. It is designated as the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History. With more than 24 million catalogued objects, Bishop Museum’s collection ranks among the top ten in the world.
Museum hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays and Christmas Day. For more information on Bishop Museum exhibits, programs, and events, please visit http://www.bishopmuseum.org/ or call (808) 847-3511.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
ACHP Training on Section 106 Scheduled in Honolulu
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation will offer “Section 106 Essentials” July 19-20 and “Advanced Section 106 Seminar” July 21 in Honolulu.
The training is the only Section 106 course taught by the federal agency responsible for administering the National Historic Preservation Act’s Section 106 review process. The Essentials class is a two-day course designed for those who are new to federal historic preservation compliance or those who want a refresher on the Section 106 regulations and review process. This course explains the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which applies any time a federal, federally assisted, or federally approved activity might affect a property listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
The Advanced Section 106 Seminar focuses on the effective management of complex or controversial undertakings that require compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Taught in a smaller, interactive setting, this course encourages group discussion and problem solving. The seminar is designed for experienced Section 106 users who are already familiar with the regulations. The curriculum focuses on the challenges of seeking consensus and resolving adverse effects to historic properties. Class is limited to 25 participants.
Complete information as well as registration procedures can be found at www.achp.gov/106
Questions: Contact Cindy Bienvenue, Meeting and Event Manager, at cbienvenue@achp.gov or 202-606-8521.
The training is the only Section 106 course taught by the federal agency responsible for administering the National Historic Preservation Act’s Section 106 review process. The Essentials class is a two-day course designed for those who are new to federal historic preservation compliance or those who want a refresher on the Section 106 regulations and review process. This course explains the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which applies any time a federal, federally assisted, or federally approved activity might affect a property listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
The Advanced Section 106 Seminar focuses on the effective management of complex or controversial undertakings that require compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Taught in a smaller, interactive setting, this course encourages group discussion and problem solving. The seminar is designed for experienced Section 106 users who are already familiar with the regulations. The curriculum focuses on the challenges of seeking consensus and resolving adverse effects to historic properties. Class is limited to 25 participants.
Complete information as well as registration procedures can be found at www.achp.gov/106
Questions: Contact Cindy Bienvenue, Meeting and Event Manager, at cbienvenue@achp.gov or 202-606-8521.
Federal funds to fix famed Ford Isle tower
The Pearl Harbor structure stood tall and proud during the 1941 Japanese attack but has fallen into disrepair
By William Cole, Honolulu Star Advertiser
Ken DeHoff calls it the Empire State Building of Pearl Harbor.
Right now the iconic control tower on Ford Island is a beacon of rust and neglect.
But DeHoff, executive director of the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, sees beyond that to the day the eye-catching, 158-foot-tall, riveted-steel complex will be a magnet for World War II research, and could possibly offer one of the best panoramas in town.
Viewed from the crow's-nest, Pearl Harbor and Ford Island sprawl out below, with Diamond Head to the east. Even the "Mighty Mo" battleship looks small from the 150-foot-high top deck.
As far back as 2001, officials of the nonprofit Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island envisioned leasing the adjacent landmark tower. The Navy and the museum finally signed the deal on Sept. 2.
DeHoff provided last week a rare inside look ahead of what likely will be a years-long renovation that could cost $10 million.
"There's just so much history in aviation right here on Ford Island," DeHoff said.
Pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart crashed on Ford Island's Luke Field in 1937, and the Pan Am Clipper made landings nearby in the same era.
On Dec. 7, 1941, one of the first radio broadcasts of the Pearl Harbor attack was made from the tower. According to published reports, at 7:58 a.m., Vice Adm. Patrick Bellinger, the commander of Patrol Wing 2, announced, "Air raid, Pearl Harbor. This is no drill!"
"It (the control tower) has been seen by millions of people, whether it's on land looking at it from the Arizona Memorial or looking at it in the movies 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' and 'Pearl Harbor,'"
DeHoff said. "It's a landmark, and once we make a building a landmark, I think America wants us to preserve it. Not much different than the Liberty Bell, not much different than the (historic Navy ship) USS Constitution."
If this were a home, however, it would be listed as a "handyman special." The faded red and white paint is visible from a distance. Up close, rust is evident on the 17 flights of metal stairs -- 142 steps in all -- that zigzag up the mauka side.
Although the stairs are still solid enough to walk on, corrosion has eaten holes through parts of the metal walkways.
Graffiti, broken glass and beer bottles litter the adjacent operations building. Dust and grime and peeling paint are everywhere.
There is asbestos to deal with in ceiling and floor tiles in the operations building, and lead-based paint on the water tank tower, DeHoff said.
The first phase of the restoration will be to board up windows, re-roof the buildings and remove the asbestos. After that will come the tower.
"What we have so far is about $4 million to get started, and that's to take care of the steel structure and take care of the cap which sits on top of the tank," DeHoff said.
Former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie was "instrumental" in securing $3.84 million in federal funding for the project, he said.
Either a water-blasting or sandblasting process is being looked at to remove the old paint. What color goes back on the historic structure still needs to be determined. The tower early on was camouflaged, DeHoff said.
DeHoff, a Cobra helicopter pilot in Vietnam, hopes to have scaffolding and barrier fabric going up around the tower by the first of the year.
The museum will have to raise funds for the additional restoration cost, and that is being rolled into a $100 million capital campaign to further expand the museum. The museum's annual fundraising dinner will be held Dec. 2.
The control tower deck is now empty of the radios, furniture and other equipment that would have been there in the 1940s.
The tower itself was a dark color at the time of the attack, and the crow's-nest had not been completed but the rest of the complex was there, according to the Navy.
Bombs blew out low-level windows.
The naval air station was decommissioned in 1962, officials said, and from 1970 to 1999 the airfield was used for touch-and-go landings for civilian pilots.
In the early 1990s, the first floor of the operations building had a garage, kitchen, dining room, officers mess, training room, bunk room and offices. The second floor had offices and a one-time chapel that was used later for storage space.
Above the operations building, the four-story aerological tower now holds an old refrigerator, a chair and desk, and not much else.
The former chapel is a jumble of junk, including some empty filing cabinets, chairs and an electric typewriter. About the only vintage electronic device is a tall "Carillonic Bells" machine likely used in the chapel.
The museum plans to put in offices and a public research center on the first floor of the operations building.
"I want a place where people can come and sit and read about World War II, whether it's the Marines or the Army or the Air Force or the Navy, that this is a place you can comfortable sit and do research and find out what happened in the Pacific," DeHoff said.
The long-range restoration estimate of $7.5 million does not include repairs to the five-person elevator that runs up one side of the tower.
"I've still got to do the elevator because I still want to be able to take people to the top of the control tower -- 150 feet up," DeHoff said.
Last week, Fred Harris, 76, stood craning his head skyward as he took in the tower.
"I'm drawn to this because I'm amazed it's still standing after all the activity of 1941," said Harris, a Vancouver, B.C., resident who was visiting the aviation museum.
"I think it's absolutely superb. I think it's something that is history and should be maintained," Harris added. "There are too many things that are historical and just let go, and history is gone. You can't get that back."
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
The crow’s-nest of the Ford Island control tower stands at 158 feet, atop a red-and-white water tank. At the base of the water tank is a two-story operations building. The iconic tower has fallen into disrepair, covered in rust and filled with debris.
By William Cole, Honolulu Star Advertiser
Ken DeHoff calls it the Empire State Building of Pearl Harbor.
Right now the iconic control tower on Ford Island is a beacon of rust and neglect.
But DeHoff, executive director of the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, sees beyond that to the day the eye-catching, 158-foot-tall, riveted-steel complex will be a magnet for World War II research, and could possibly offer one of the best panoramas in town.
Viewed from the crow's-nest, Pearl Harbor and Ford Island sprawl out below, with Diamond Head to the east. Even the "Mighty Mo" battleship looks small from the 150-foot-high top deck.
As far back as 2001, officials of the nonprofit Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island envisioned leasing the adjacent landmark tower. The Navy and the museum finally signed the deal on Sept. 2.
DeHoff provided last week a rare inside look ahead of what likely will be a years-long renovation that could cost $10 million.
"There's just so much history in aviation right here on Ford Island," DeHoff said.
Pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart crashed on Ford Island's Luke Field in 1937, and the Pan Am Clipper made landings nearby in the same era.
On Dec. 7, 1941, one of the first radio broadcasts of the Pearl Harbor attack was made from the tower. According to published reports, at 7:58 a.m., Vice Adm. Patrick Bellinger, the commander of Patrol Wing 2, announced, "Air raid, Pearl Harbor. This is no drill!"
"It (the control tower) has been seen by millions of people, whether it's on land looking at it from the Arizona Memorial or looking at it in the movies 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' and 'Pearl Harbor,'"
DeHoff said. "It's a landmark, and once we make a building a landmark, I think America wants us to preserve it. Not much different than the Liberty Bell, not much different than the (historic Navy ship) USS Constitution."
If this were a home, however, it would be listed as a "handyman special." The faded red and white paint is visible from a distance. Up close, rust is evident on the 17 flights of metal stairs -- 142 steps in all -- that zigzag up the mauka side.
Although the stairs are still solid enough to walk on, corrosion has eaten holes through parts of the metal walkways.
Graffiti, broken glass and beer bottles litter the adjacent operations building. Dust and grime and peeling paint are everywhere.
There is asbestos to deal with in ceiling and floor tiles in the operations building, and lead-based paint on the water tank tower, DeHoff said.
The first phase of the restoration will be to board up windows, re-roof the buildings and remove the asbestos. After that will come the tower.
"What we have so far is about $4 million to get started, and that's to take care of the steel structure and take care of the cap which sits on top of the tank," DeHoff said.
Former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie was "instrumental" in securing $3.84 million in federal funding for the project, he said.
Either a water-blasting or sandblasting process is being looked at to remove the old paint. What color goes back on the historic structure still needs to be determined. The tower early on was camouflaged, DeHoff said.
DeHoff, a Cobra helicopter pilot in Vietnam, hopes to have scaffolding and barrier fabric going up around the tower by the first of the year.
The museum will have to raise funds for the additional restoration cost, and that is being rolled into a $100 million capital campaign to further expand the museum. The museum's annual fundraising dinner will be held Dec. 2.
The control tower deck is now empty of the radios, furniture and other equipment that would have been there in the 1940s.
The tower itself was a dark color at the time of the attack, and the crow's-nest had not been completed but the rest of the complex was there, according to the Navy.
Bombs blew out low-level windows.
The naval air station was decommissioned in 1962, officials said, and from 1970 to 1999 the airfield was used for touch-and-go landings for civilian pilots.
In the early 1990s, the first floor of the operations building had a garage, kitchen, dining room, officers mess, training room, bunk room and offices. The second floor had offices and a one-time chapel that was used later for storage space.
Above the operations building, the four-story aerological tower now holds an old refrigerator, a chair and desk, and not much else.
The former chapel is a jumble of junk, including some empty filing cabinets, chairs and an electric typewriter. About the only vintage electronic device is a tall "Carillonic Bells" machine likely used in the chapel.
The museum plans to put in offices and a public research center on the first floor of the operations building.
"I want a place where people can come and sit and read about World War II, whether it's the Marines or the Army or the Air Force or the Navy, that this is a place you can comfortable sit and do research and find out what happened in the Pacific," DeHoff said.
The long-range restoration estimate of $7.5 million does not include repairs to the five-person elevator that runs up one side of the tower.
"I've still got to do the elevator because I still want to be able to take people to the top of the control tower -- 150 feet up," DeHoff said.
Last week, Fred Harris, 76, stood craning his head skyward as he took in the tower.
"I'm drawn to this because I'm amazed it's still standing after all the activity of 1941," said Harris, a Vancouver, B.C., resident who was visiting the aviation museum.
"I think it's absolutely superb. I think it's something that is history and should be maintained," Harris added. "There are too many things that are historical and just let go, and history is gone. You can't get that back."
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
The crow’s-nest of the Ford Island control tower stands at 158 feet, atop a red-and-white water tank. At the base of the water tank is a two-story operations building. The iconic tower has fallen into disrepair, covered in rust and filled with debris.
College Hill has a vacancy
By Gene Park, Honolulu Star Advertiser
University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood will not be moving in to the historical College Hill home as university presidents have for decades.
Greenwood said it will instead serve as the "University's House" for the next few years, expanding its function as a venue for fundraisers and entertaining.
College Hill, built in 1902 and listed on the state Register of Historic Places, has been under renovation since Greenwood's predecessor, David McClain, moved out in 2009.
Since taking the helm of the university system in August 2009, Greenwood has been receiving a $5,000 monthly allowance because she could not live at College Hill.
The renovation's initial price tag was about $272,000. But termite damage discovered later added $100,000 to the cost. Wood flooring in the dining room and living room had to be replaced, and the lanai floor needed shoring up.
"The advantage of having the house out of commission for a year was that it allowed everyone to think about what would really be the best use of the house," Greenwood said yesterday.
The university's Board of Regents and chancellors from other campuses may use the Manoa home for events on Oahu. Proposed guidelines on the house's use are still being worked out.
Greenwood said the university is gearing up for a "substantial" fundraising campaign. No fundraising goals have been set yet.
"You need to invite donors to come and discuss different things," she said. "There is no really first-rate venue on the Manoa campus. If you've ever visited Bachman Hall, it's probably not the place where you want to take your top-rated donors."
The university will ask regents to approve continuing Greenwood's housing allowance, which totals $60,000 a year. Universities nationwide typically offer such allowances for presidents. The City University of New York's president receives about $90,000 annually.
College Hill was built by Frank Atherton, an early-day Hawaii philanthropist and business executive. His children donated the 2.6-acre property to the university in 1963. The only restriction was that no alcoholic beverages be sold at the home.
Greenwood's annual salary is $427,507, including a voluntary 10 percent reduction. She has a three-year contract with the university.
In 2001, College Hill underwent extensive renovations, which cost about $1 million.
University officials said making the home compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act would mean more costs. Instead, the university will restrict events to the building's first floor.
Greenwood said this decision does not preclude future presidents, or herself, from moving into the home eventually.
"This is a new experiment," she said. "This is something we're going to do for a few years, and we're going to re-evaluate whether we're satisfied with the outcome."
http://www.staradvertiser.com/multimedia/photo_galleries/viewer?galID=105421523
University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood will not be moving in to the historical College Hill home as university presidents have for decades.
Greenwood said it will instead serve as the "University's House" for the next few years, expanding its function as a venue for fundraisers and entertaining.
College Hill, built in 1902 and listed on the state Register of Historic Places, has been under renovation since Greenwood's predecessor, David McClain, moved out in 2009.
Since taking the helm of the university system in August 2009, Greenwood has been receiving a $5,000 monthly allowance because she could not live at College Hill.
The renovation's initial price tag was about $272,000. But termite damage discovered later added $100,000 to the cost. Wood flooring in the dining room and living room had to be replaced, and the lanai floor needed shoring up.
"The advantage of having the house out of commission for a year was that it allowed everyone to think about what would really be the best use of the house," Greenwood said yesterday.
The university's Board of Regents and chancellors from other campuses may use the Manoa home for events on Oahu. Proposed guidelines on the house's use are still being worked out.
Greenwood said the university is gearing up for a "substantial" fundraising campaign. No fundraising goals have been set yet.
"You need to invite donors to come and discuss different things," she said. "There is no really first-rate venue on the Manoa campus. If you've ever visited Bachman Hall, it's probably not the place where you want to take your top-rated donors."
The university will ask regents to approve continuing Greenwood's housing allowance, which totals $60,000 a year. Universities nationwide typically offer such allowances for presidents. The City University of New York's president receives about $90,000 annually.
College Hill was built by Frank Atherton, an early-day Hawaii philanthropist and business executive. His children donated the 2.6-acre property to the university in 1963. The only restriction was that no alcoholic beverages be sold at the home.
Greenwood's annual salary is $427,507, including a voluntary 10 percent reduction. She has a three-year contract with the university.
In 2001, College Hill underwent extensive renovations, which cost about $1 million.
University officials said making the home compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act would mean more costs. Instead, the university will restrict events to the building's first floor.
Greenwood said this decision does not preclude future presidents, or herself, from moving into the home eventually.
"This is a new experiment," she said. "This is something we're going to do for a few years, and we're going to re-evaluate whether we're satisfied with the outcome."
http://www.staradvertiser.com/multimedia/photo_galleries/viewer?galID=105421523
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Healing the Land - Kahoolawe two decades after the last bombs
By Gary T. Kubota, Honolulu Star Advertiser
ANAKANAIA » The open wounds are visible several miles from the island -- strips of red earth cut by explosives, grazing animals, wind and rain, bleeding an estimated 2 million tons of soil a year into the ocean.
Two decades after the military stopped target bombing and sheep and goats were removed, major erosion still afflicts Kahoolawe, even with some success in planting native grasses and shrubs. Live bombs and shells litter sections of the island despite the largest military ordnance removal in the United States.
But advocates for restoration of this island -- equal in size to Oahu's metropolitan area from Waikiki to Moanalua -- remain hopeful as a new generation of volunteers work to heal the land and restore fractured cultural customs.
"It's more than us returning to Kahoolawe. We're reconnecting with those ancestors and what they were able to experience on the island ... and the wisdom they derived," said Davianna McGregor, a member of the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission, the state entity managing the island.
Commission members acknowledge that to continue the work, they need to reduce the flow of red ink and find new sources of funds.
Six years after the Navy finished partial clearing of ordnance with $366 million authorized by Congress, about $13 million of the commission's $44 million budget is left to continue restoration. It's only enough to operate for two to four years, the commission said.
McGregor, who represents the Protect Kahoolawe Ohana on the commission, said the state should begin to contribute money for restoration since it accepted the responsibility of the island from the federal government.
"We're getting to a critical point. ... We do need public support. Otherwise, we're going to have to mothball everything," she said.
McGregor said the state receives millions of dollars in revenue from thousands of acres of former lands of the Hawaii monarchy managed as a trust for native Hawaiians and the general public.
"Given the benefits that the state derives from these lands, it can surely take responsibility to effectively manage Kahoolawe as a Hawaiian cultural reserve," she said.
Under a state law, Kahoolawe is to be eventually turned over to a native Hawaiian sovereign entity recognized by state and federal governments.
Historical significance
Supporters believe their prospects for more funds are good in view of the island's designation as a state cultural preserve and an archaeological district on the National Register of Historic Places with 544 archaeological and historic sites.
Kahoolawe was a place where native Hawaiians were instructed in navigation by stars, currents, wind and birds to make long ocean voyages on sailing canoes. A southern section of the island bears the name Kealaikahiki, or "Pathway to Tahiti."
A cultural survey found it to be a haven for some endangered plants and animals, including the monk seal.
McGregor, a professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, laughed when asked whether she ever imagined as an early activist that she would become one of those in charge of the island.
Unlike the early 1980s, when rebels like her were restricted to court-mandated religious visits a few days a month and had to swim ashore from a catamaran to camp on a beach, groups restoring the island now arrive on a vessel resembling a troop landing craft whose front drops to the beach, and people can stroll to dormitories, a cafeteria and other buildings the Navy once occupied.
Hundreds of volunteers go to the island annually, including a group from the University of Hawaii's Department of Ethnic Studies that last week paid for airline flights to Maui and were transported seven miles west by boat to Kahoolawe to work for a few days.
The volunteers follow a cultural protocol, delivering a Hawaiian chant upon their arrival.
To the east of the bay where they land stands a stone platform called a mua, constructed to commemorate tomorrow's 20th anniversary of the end of the military bombing.
The commission wants to develop a traditional Hawaiian path around Kahoolawe to provide access during the religious makahiki observance from November through February.
A mua has been built at Hakioawa Bay in the northeast to honor early bombing opponents, including George Helm and Kimo Mitchell, who disappeared in an ocean crossing between Kahoolawe and Molokai in 1977.
Commission Executive Director Michael Nahoopii said many of younger people are unaware of the struggle to halt the bombing. "When they come out of here, they appreciate more what people did for them," he said.
Unfinished work
Less visible, but deadly, are the bombs and shells beneath the earth that were dropped when the island was a target during a half-century of military use, including World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
At most places where the surface has been cleared of ordnance, visitors were asked to turn off their cell phones for fear a buried bomb could be triggered by an errant radio signal.
The commission staff and volunteers walked lightly and in single file across some areas uncleared of surface ordnance, where on a media tour an explosives expert pointed out a rusted live shell shot from a ship, a black plastic strip of rocket propellant and a piece of an H-6 high explosive resembling a whitish-gray rock.
"A lot of it gets sensitive over time," ordnance and safety specialist Bart Maybee said during the tour. "Remember, if you didn't drop it, don't pick it up."
McGregor said the Navy began the 10-year cleanup in 1994 with the understanding it would clear 100 percent of surface ordnance and 25 percent of the land to a depth of 5 feet.
The Navy removed more than 10 million pounds of ordnance but left 25 percent of the island with surface ordnance. Of the 75 percent cleared, 9 percent has been made safe to a depth of 4 feet.
McGregor said the commission may call the Navy for help if new explosives are found on the 75 percent.
Spiritual transformation
Helping native plants to grow on Kahoolawe is another challenge.
Normally, a half-acre roof catchment system collects rain and feeds water into three tanks for drip irrigation to thousands of native plants.
But this year has been exceptionally dry -- a total of 7 inches of rain so far this year.
Across the hardpan in central Kahoolawe, the wind blows so hard shrubs grow at a slant and a fine film of red dirt settles on the volunteers.
Veteran volunteer Kaliko Baker, pointing to the occasional surviving shrub, said that back in 1993, conditions were far worse. "There was a lot more red dirt and barren land," he said. "There's a chance to have a green island. ... What we're doing makes a difference." A look at some areas confirms his observations. Near the 1,477-foot summit at Puu Moaulanui in center of the island, a swath of native pili grass snaked along a slope where bales of its seeds were planted in 2004.
Despite a drought, native aalii shrubs grow in once-barren areas, and volunteers have planted thousands of nutrient-filled mudballs with seeds.
Baker, 38, said restoring Kahoolawe inspired him to do better in college.
He's received a master's degree in linguistics and is teaching Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaii.
"It's very uplifting. I see the progress in vegetation that Kahoolawe is making," said Baker, who is now a member of the Protect Kahoolawe Ohana.
ANAKANAIA » The open wounds are visible several miles from the island -- strips of red earth cut by explosives, grazing animals, wind and rain, bleeding an estimated 2 million tons of soil a year into the ocean.
Two decades after the military stopped target bombing and sheep and goats were removed, major erosion still afflicts Kahoolawe, even with some success in planting native grasses and shrubs. Live bombs and shells litter sections of the island despite the largest military ordnance removal in the United States.
But advocates for restoration of this island -- equal in size to Oahu's metropolitan area from Waikiki to Moanalua -- remain hopeful as a new generation of volunteers work to heal the land and restore fractured cultural customs.
"It's more than us returning to Kahoolawe. We're reconnecting with those ancestors and what they were able to experience on the island ... and the wisdom they derived," said Davianna McGregor, a member of the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission, the state entity managing the island.
Commission members acknowledge that to continue the work, they need to reduce the flow of red ink and find new sources of funds.
Six years after the Navy finished partial clearing of ordnance with $366 million authorized by Congress, about $13 million of the commission's $44 million budget is left to continue restoration. It's only enough to operate for two to four years, the commission said.
McGregor, who represents the Protect Kahoolawe Ohana on the commission, said the state should begin to contribute money for restoration since it accepted the responsibility of the island from the federal government.
"We're getting to a critical point. ... We do need public support. Otherwise, we're going to have to mothball everything," she said.
McGregor said the state receives millions of dollars in revenue from thousands of acres of former lands of the Hawaii monarchy managed as a trust for native Hawaiians and the general public.
"Given the benefits that the state derives from these lands, it can surely take responsibility to effectively manage Kahoolawe as a Hawaiian cultural reserve," she said.
Under a state law, Kahoolawe is to be eventually turned over to a native Hawaiian sovereign entity recognized by state and federal governments.
Historical significance
Supporters believe their prospects for more funds are good in view of the island's designation as a state cultural preserve and an archaeological district on the National Register of Historic Places with 544 archaeological and historic sites.
Kahoolawe was a place where native Hawaiians were instructed in navigation by stars, currents, wind and birds to make long ocean voyages on sailing canoes. A southern section of the island bears the name Kealaikahiki, or "Pathway to Tahiti."
A cultural survey found it to be a haven for some endangered plants and animals, including the monk seal.
McGregor, a professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, laughed when asked whether she ever imagined as an early activist that she would become one of those in charge of the island.
Unlike the early 1980s, when rebels like her were restricted to court-mandated religious visits a few days a month and had to swim ashore from a catamaran to camp on a beach, groups restoring the island now arrive on a vessel resembling a troop landing craft whose front drops to the beach, and people can stroll to dormitories, a cafeteria and other buildings the Navy once occupied.
Hundreds of volunteers go to the island annually, including a group from the University of Hawaii's Department of Ethnic Studies that last week paid for airline flights to Maui and were transported seven miles west by boat to Kahoolawe to work for a few days.
The volunteers follow a cultural protocol, delivering a Hawaiian chant upon their arrival.
To the east of the bay where they land stands a stone platform called a mua, constructed to commemorate tomorrow's 20th anniversary of the end of the military bombing.
The commission wants to develop a traditional Hawaiian path around Kahoolawe to provide access during the religious makahiki observance from November through February.
A mua has been built at Hakioawa Bay in the northeast to honor early bombing opponents, including George Helm and Kimo Mitchell, who disappeared in an ocean crossing between Kahoolawe and Molokai in 1977.
Commission Executive Director Michael Nahoopii said many of younger people are unaware of the struggle to halt the bombing. "When they come out of here, they appreciate more what people did for them," he said.
Unfinished work
Less visible, but deadly, are the bombs and shells beneath the earth that were dropped when the island was a target during a half-century of military use, including World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
At most places where the surface has been cleared of ordnance, visitors were asked to turn off their cell phones for fear a buried bomb could be triggered by an errant radio signal.
The commission staff and volunteers walked lightly and in single file across some areas uncleared of surface ordnance, where on a media tour an explosives expert pointed out a rusted live shell shot from a ship, a black plastic strip of rocket propellant and a piece of an H-6 high explosive resembling a whitish-gray rock.
"A lot of it gets sensitive over time," ordnance and safety specialist Bart Maybee said during the tour. "Remember, if you didn't drop it, don't pick it up."
McGregor said the Navy began the 10-year cleanup in 1994 with the understanding it would clear 100 percent of surface ordnance and 25 percent of the land to a depth of 5 feet.
The Navy removed more than 10 million pounds of ordnance but left 25 percent of the island with surface ordnance. Of the 75 percent cleared, 9 percent has been made safe to a depth of 4 feet.
McGregor said the commission may call the Navy for help if new explosives are found on the 75 percent.
Spiritual transformation
Helping native plants to grow on Kahoolawe is another challenge.
Normally, a half-acre roof catchment system collects rain and feeds water into three tanks for drip irrigation to thousands of native plants.
But this year has been exceptionally dry -- a total of 7 inches of rain so far this year.
Across the hardpan in central Kahoolawe, the wind blows so hard shrubs grow at a slant and a fine film of red dirt settles on the volunteers.
Veteran volunteer Kaliko Baker, pointing to the occasional surviving shrub, said that back in 1993, conditions were far worse. "There was a lot more red dirt and barren land," he said. "There's a chance to have a green island. ... What we're doing makes a difference." A look at some areas confirms his observations. Near the 1,477-foot summit at Puu Moaulanui in center of the island, a swath of native pili grass snaked along a slope where bales of its seeds were planted in 2004.
Despite a drought, native aalii shrubs grow in once-barren areas, and volunteers have planted thousands of nutrient-filled mudballs with seeds.
Baker, 38, said restoring Kahoolawe inspired him to do better in college.
He's received a master's degree in linguistics and is teaching Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaii.
"It's very uplifting. I see the progress in vegetation that Kahoolawe is making," said Baker, who is now a member of the Protect Kahoolawe Ohana.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Native Hawaiians and Army talk about Iwi Kupuna
DOI Secretary Pledges Support for Preservation Fund
Sept. 16, 2010: Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar attended the summer business meeting of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) where he swore in the new Chairman of the ACHP, Milford Wayne Donaldson. Secretary Salazar’s remarks are below:
Secretary Salazar and USDA Under Secretary Harris Sherman accepting the ACHP Award for Federal Preserve America Accomplishment for the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture support of the Colorado Preserve America Youth Summits provided by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. Presenting the award was ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson
Secretary Salazar and USDA Under Secretary Harris Sherman accepting the ACHP Award for Federal Preserve America Accomplishment for the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture support of the Colorado Preserve America Youth Summits provided by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. Presenting the award was ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson
Thank you, members of the Council and all of you who are here standing up for the name of historic preservation and really walking the talk.
I want to make just a few quick comments about the effort and how we might go forward.
For me, every day, almost everywhere that I go, I see something that is so important about telling America’s story and preserving America’s story. Just within the last few days I had the honor of being one of the speakers at the Flight 93 memorial in Pennsylvania where we are building a great memorial for 40 American heroes who gave their lives to basically protect the Capitol and to protect democracy here in America. And the day before with Governor Rendell and a number of other people in Philadelphia, we dedicated the beginnings of the American Revolution Center and the preservation of 78 acres of open space around Valley Forge National Historical Park that will make sure that that place and its signature moments in the Revolutionary War are preserved forever. And yesterday as I spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a group of about 2000-3000 people, I spoke to them about the importance of historic preservation within their communities.
And so, my life as Secretary of the Interior is really guided by the mission of what I consider the Department’s central mission to be and that is to serve as a custodian of America’s natural resources and also to serve as a custodian of America’s history.
On the natural resources part, we do that in our work through the preservation of lands and open spaces or management of the oceans and a whole host of other things.
On the historic preservation side, we obviously do it in partnership with the Council but with so many others at our National Parks. Our National Parks and many of our BLM lands are very special places where we can tell a great part of America’s story. Part of that is because there are so many visitors that we get to our places, some 400 million visitors a year. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re on a walk through the National Mall here in Washington, D.C. or you’re walking through one of the Japanese internment camps in Colorado or other places, or you’re walking through the place of birth of Martin Luther King in Atlanta, Georgia; you see the history of America being told by those places. So we need to work with you in partnership.
I want to make just two quick points about the challenges on the agenda ahead of us.
First, Wayne, as you assume the chairmanship of this Advisory Council, I think one of the challenges that face us as a country almost everywhere I go is the need to make sure that we are diverse in the things that we do so that we are all inclusive. That historic preservation not be seen, if you will, only as a venture and initiative that is, if you will, for those who are higher placed. It has to have a place at the table for the African American community, for the Native American community, for women and for others. I say that because, not to cast, if you will, aspersions or indictments on our past history, but there is a history which we need to recognize, and that there are histories of some people in some parts of America which simply have not been told.
I have often told my own history around the country about my family founding the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico back in 1598 and over many generations moving only about 110 miles to the north into what is now Southern Colorado in the San Luis Valley. When I walk out on the front steps of our home in the valley, my mother’s home, my father’s home, I can see the Sangre de Cristo mountains and their crimson skies in the early mornings in the San Luis Valley and know that there was a history and a legend around why that great part of the Rocky Mountains was named the Sangre de Cristo mountains and the legend of a dying priest who was involved in a battle back in the 1700’s. And you look to the West and it’s the San Juan Mountains named after St. John the Baptist, and you look to the names of the rivers, the Rio Grande, the great river, and so on and so forth.
And yet when I went to school as a young man in the San Luis Valley I was still being taught that the history of my forefathers and foremothers essentially was one that had come through Jamestown and Plymouth Rock. So it was a history which our government and our schools simply were not telling because that history was not complete.
Everybody’s history is important. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Irish-American or Dutch-American, whether you are African American or whether you’re a woman. And the greatness of this nation really is its greatness to be inclusive.
We are and have been an America in progress. As Martin Luther King used to say, the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice. Part of that arc requires us to be inclusive in the way we tell America’s story, and there is no better engine in how that American story is told than what we do through historic preservation.
So I look forward very much in my time as Secretary of the Interior to work with you, hand in hand, in making sure that the story that we tell is an inclusive story.
A few examples of some ways that that will happen here in the not too distant future: here on the National Mall, on October of next year, we will finally have the ceremonial opening of the Martin Luther King memorial on the Mall. And we in the National Park Service have been working very hard to establish a National Historic Landmark site that recognizes the history of Cesar Chavez and his contributions to the farm workers in California and the southwest.
I need your help. We need to work together in telling America’s story in that regard.
The second point that I want to leave you with here this morning, is the real need for us to figure out a way of funding historic preservation. For far too long, it has been an area which has played second fiddle to a lot of other things that are very important. The shoulder that should be placed behind historic preservation simply has not been as strong as it should have been.
When Stewart Udall, Bobby Kennedy, Henry Diamond and others sat in my office back in the 1960’s and conceived of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, they also knew that there was a piece of that which should be for historic preservation.
An initial thought was that as we take from the earth, the oil and gas resources that we take from our oceans and from our public lands, those revenues should in fact be going for land and water preservation and also, for historic preservation. Most times, people forget the Historic Preservation Fund aspect of that legislation, but it was supposed to be funded.
Now, some may argue about the amounts in the legislation, which has currently passed the House and is now pending in the Senate, but it would make permanent the $150 million for historic preservation. In my view, it is not adequate given the historic preservation needs we have all across America.
I am hopeful that as we move forward and we address that issue that we, Harris, Will, and others who are working on the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, as we prepare a report to the President and to the Congress, that there will be a chapter on historic preservation. And that chapter on historic preservation will talk about the importance of historic preservation much the way as this Council has and as Wayne has for forty years in California during his career.
Also, in that context, the chapter will talk about the importance of job creation that comes from historic preservation. It doesn’t matter whether you are looking at Independence Hall in Pennsylvania or wherever you go, you know that the communities that thrive and are stable are those communities that have encapsulated the opportunity of heritage tourism that comes along with historic preservation.
As we move forward to completing a report that will be out in a couple of months, which will move forward to the President and to the Congress, there will be a very significant chapter on historic preservation and that you, members of the Advisory Council, will be there beating a drum to make sure that it all happens.
Thank you very much.
# # #
Sept. 16, 2010: Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar attended the summer business meeting of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) where he swore in the new Chairman of the ACHP, Milford Wayne Donaldson. Secretary Salazar’s remarks are below:
Secretary Salazar and USDA Under Secretary Harris Sherman accepting the ACHP Award for Federal Preserve America Accomplishment for the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture support of the Colorado Preserve America Youth Summits provided by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. Presenting the award was ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson
Secretary Salazar and USDA Under Secretary Harris Sherman accepting the ACHP Award for Federal Preserve America Accomplishment for the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture support of the Colorado Preserve America Youth Summits provided by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. Presenting the award was ACHP Chairman Milford Wayne Donaldson
Thank you, members of the Council and all of you who are here standing up for the name of historic preservation and really walking the talk.
I want to make just a few quick comments about the effort and how we might go forward.
For me, every day, almost everywhere that I go, I see something that is so important about telling America’s story and preserving America’s story. Just within the last few days I had the honor of being one of the speakers at the Flight 93 memorial in Pennsylvania where we are building a great memorial for 40 American heroes who gave their lives to basically protect the Capitol and to protect democracy here in America. And the day before with Governor Rendell and a number of other people in Philadelphia, we dedicated the beginnings of the American Revolution Center and the preservation of 78 acres of open space around Valley Forge National Historical Park that will make sure that that place and its signature moments in the Revolutionary War are preserved forever. And yesterday as I spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a group of about 2000-3000 people, I spoke to them about the importance of historic preservation within their communities.
And so, my life as Secretary of the Interior is really guided by the mission of what I consider the Department’s central mission to be and that is to serve as a custodian of America’s natural resources and also to serve as a custodian of America’s history.
On the natural resources part, we do that in our work through the preservation of lands and open spaces or management of the oceans and a whole host of other things.
On the historic preservation side, we obviously do it in partnership with the Council but with so many others at our National Parks. Our National Parks and many of our BLM lands are very special places where we can tell a great part of America’s story. Part of that is because there are so many visitors that we get to our places, some 400 million visitors a year. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re on a walk through the National Mall here in Washington, D.C. or you’re walking through one of the Japanese internment camps in Colorado or other places, or you’re walking through the place of birth of Martin Luther King in Atlanta, Georgia; you see the history of America being told by those places. So we need to work with you in partnership.
I want to make just two quick points about the challenges on the agenda ahead of us.
First, Wayne, as you assume the chairmanship of this Advisory Council, I think one of the challenges that face us as a country almost everywhere I go is the need to make sure that we are diverse in the things that we do so that we are all inclusive. That historic preservation not be seen, if you will, only as a venture and initiative that is, if you will, for those who are higher placed. It has to have a place at the table for the African American community, for the Native American community, for women and for others. I say that because, not to cast, if you will, aspersions or indictments on our past history, but there is a history which we need to recognize, and that there are histories of some people in some parts of America which simply have not been told.
I have often told my own history around the country about my family founding the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico back in 1598 and over many generations moving only about 110 miles to the north into what is now Southern Colorado in the San Luis Valley. When I walk out on the front steps of our home in the valley, my mother’s home, my father’s home, I can see the Sangre de Cristo mountains and their crimson skies in the early mornings in the San Luis Valley and know that there was a history and a legend around why that great part of the Rocky Mountains was named the Sangre de Cristo mountains and the legend of a dying priest who was involved in a battle back in the 1700’s. And you look to the West and it’s the San Juan Mountains named after St. John the Baptist, and you look to the names of the rivers, the Rio Grande, the great river, and so on and so forth.
And yet when I went to school as a young man in the San Luis Valley I was still being taught that the history of my forefathers and foremothers essentially was one that had come through Jamestown and Plymouth Rock. So it was a history which our government and our schools simply were not telling because that history was not complete.
Everybody’s history is important. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Irish-American or Dutch-American, whether you are African American or whether you’re a woman. And the greatness of this nation really is its greatness to be inclusive.
We are and have been an America in progress. As Martin Luther King used to say, the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice. Part of that arc requires us to be inclusive in the way we tell America’s story, and there is no better engine in how that American story is told than what we do through historic preservation.
So I look forward very much in my time as Secretary of the Interior to work with you, hand in hand, in making sure that the story that we tell is an inclusive story.
A few examples of some ways that that will happen here in the not too distant future: here on the National Mall, on October of next year, we will finally have the ceremonial opening of the Martin Luther King memorial on the Mall. And we in the National Park Service have been working very hard to establish a National Historic Landmark site that recognizes the history of Cesar Chavez and his contributions to the farm workers in California and the southwest.
I need your help. We need to work together in telling America’s story in that regard.
The second point that I want to leave you with here this morning, is the real need for us to figure out a way of funding historic preservation. For far too long, it has been an area which has played second fiddle to a lot of other things that are very important. The shoulder that should be placed behind historic preservation simply has not been as strong as it should have been.
When Stewart Udall, Bobby Kennedy, Henry Diamond and others sat in my office back in the 1960’s and conceived of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, they also knew that there was a piece of that which should be for historic preservation.
An initial thought was that as we take from the earth, the oil and gas resources that we take from our oceans and from our public lands, those revenues should in fact be going for land and water preservation and also, for historic preservation. Most times, people forget the Historic Preservation Fund aspect of that legislation, but it was supposed to be funded.
Now, some may argue about the amounts in the legislation, which has currently passed the House and is now pending in the Senate, but it would make permanent the $150 million for historic preservation. In my view, it is not adequate given the historic preservation needs we have all across America.
I am hopeful that as we move forward and we address that issue that we, Harris, Will, and others who are working on the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, as we prepare a report to the President and to the Congress, that there will be a chapter on historic preservation. And that chapter on historic preservation will talk about the importance of historic preservation much the way as this Council has and as Wayne has for forty years in California during his career.
Also, in that context, the chapter will talk about the importance of job creation that comes from historic preservation. It doesn’t matter whether you are looking at Independence Hall in Pennsylvania or wherever you go, you know that the communities that thrive and are stable are those communities that have encapsulated the opportunity of heritage tourism that comes along with historic preservation.
As we move forward to completing a report that will be out in a couple of months, which will move forward to the President and to the Congress, there will be a very significant chapter on historic preservation and that you, members of the Advisory Council, will be there beating a drum to make sure that it all happens.
Thank you very much.
# # #
Monday, September 13, 2010
Cultural Landscapes Highlighted on Hawai‘i Public Radio
Cultural landscapes are areas that embody aspects of human life, history, or values. They might be a simple homestead, or an expanse, like the top of Mauna Kea. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa explores the field in advance of Hawai’i’s first professional gathering on the subject. Listen to the interview with HHF Executive Director Kiersten Faulkner and Lāna‘i Culture and Heritage Center director Kepa Maly at http://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/content/cultural-landscapes
Audio File:
http://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/sites/default/files/news_mp3/CULT0910.mp3
Audio File:
http://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/sites/default/files/news_mp3/CULT0910.mp3
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Society for American Archaeology announces its Native American Scholarship Program
These scholarships are intended for current students—high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students—and personnel of Tribal or other Native cultural preservation programs. High school students must be currently enrolled as seniors to be eligible. Undergraduates and graduate students must be enrolled in an accredited college or university. These scholarships are open to all Native peoples from anywhere in the Americas, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Islanders.
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NATIVE PEOPLES FROM THE AMERICAS AND PACIFIC ISLANDS
SAA Undergraduate and Graduate Archaeology Scholarships
SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship & NSF Scholarships for Archaeological Training
The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is pleased to announce the following 2011 scholarships opportunities:
. SAA Native American Graduate Archaeology Scholarship
To support graduate studies for Native American students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food,
housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care (up to $10,000).
. SAA Native American Undergraduate Archaeology Scholarship
To support undergraduate studies for Native American students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care (up to $5,000).
. SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship or NSF Scholarship for Archaeological Training
To support archaeological training or a research program for Native American students or employees of tribal cultural preservation programs (up to $4,000).
These scholarships are intended for current students—high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students—and personnel of Tribal or other Native cultural preservation programs. High school students must be currently enrolled as seniors to be eligible. Undergraduates and graduate students must be enrolled in an accredited college or university. These scholarships are open to all Native peoples from anywhere in the Americas, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Islanders.
The SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship is named in honor of the first SAA President, who served from 1935 to 1936. Parker was of Seneca ancestry through his father’s family, and he spent his youth on the Cattaraugus Reservation in
New York. The NSF Scholarships for Archaeological Training for Native Americans and Native Hawaiians are made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation to the SAA.
Submission and Deadline Procedures
The application form is available online at: www.saa.org/scholarships. The complete application must be received by DECEMBER 15.
If you have questions about these scholarships or you need help with locating a field school or other training
program, please contact the Society for American Archaeology at: telephone +1 (202) 789-8200; fax +1 (202) 789-0284; or email nasf@saa.org. Your questions will be relayed to someone who can assist you.
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NATIVE PEOPLES FROM THE AMERICAS AND PACIFIC ISLANDS
SAA Undergraduate and Graduate Archaeology Scholarships
SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship & NSF Scholarships for Archaeological Training
The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is pleased to announce the following 2011 scholarships opportunities:
. SAA Native American Graduate Archaeology Scholarship
To support graduate studies for Native American students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food,
housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care (up to $10,000).
. SAA Native American Undergraduate Archaeology Scholarship
To support undergraduate studies for Native American students, including but not limited to tuition, travel, food, housing, books, supplies, equipment, and child care (up to $5,000).
. SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship or NSF Scholarship for Archaeological Training
To support archaeological training or a research program for Native American students or employees of tribal cultural preservation programs (up to $4,000).
These scholarships are intended for current students—high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate students—and personnel of Tribal or other Native cultural preservation programs. High school students must be currently enrolled as seniors to be eligible. Undergraduates and graduate students must be enrolled in an accredited college or university. These scholarships are open to all Native peoples from anywhere in the Americas, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Islanders.
The SAA Arthur C. Parker Scholarship is named in honor of the first SAA President, who served from 1935 to 1936. Parker was of Seneca ancestry through his father’s family, and he spent his youth on the Cattaraugus Reservation in
New York. The NSF Scholarships for Archaeological Training for Native Americans and Native Hawaiians are made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation to the SAA.
Submission and Deadline Procedures
The application form is available online at: www.saa.org/scholarships. The complete application must be received by DECEMBER 15.
If you have questions about these scholarships or you need help with locating a field school or other training
program, please contact the Society for American Archaeology at: telephone +1 (202) 789-8200; fax +1 (202) 789-0284; or email nasf@saa.org. Your questions will be relayed to someone who can assist you.
Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism Discussion on Nā ‘Ōiwi ‘Ōlino
Ramsay Taum and Sara Collins, contributors to the recent publication,
“The Value of Hawai‘i,” spoke about tourism & historic preservation on the radio show Nā ‘Ōiwi ‘Ōlino. The audio on demand is available at http://am940hawaii.com/Player/100714591/
Historic Preservation featured on ‘Ōlelo’s “Voices for Change”
HHF First Vice President Frank Haas spoke with Representative Lyla Berg about the value of heritage and its importance in contemporary lives. See the interview on ‘Ōlelo’s Voices for Change at http://olelo.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=20&clip_id=15217
“The Value of Hawai‘i,” spoke about tourism & historic preservation on the radio show Nā ‘Ōiwi ‘Ōlino. The audio on demand is available at http://am940hawaii.com/Player/100714591/
Historic Preservation featured on ‘Ōlelo’s “Voices for Change”
HHF First Vice President Frank Haas spoke with Representative Lyla Berg about the value of heritage and its importance in contemporary lives. See the interview on ‘Ōlelo’s Voices for Change at http://olelo.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=20&clip_id=15217
Army restores termite-eaten historic Oahu building
By Associated Press
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed a $7 million, two-year-long restoration of a termite-eaten historic Fort Shafter building.
Thousands of soldiers, civilians and families newly arriving to Hawaii were introduced to Army life in the islands at the building known as the "Aloha Center."
More recently, personnel picked up travel tickets, base vehicle passes and identification cards there.
Termites ate most of the building's internal structure.
But the Army wasn't allowed to demolish the building because of historic preservation requirements.
A contractor carefully removed almost 65 percent of the original structure, restored the exterior to its original 1940s appearance and bought the building up to current building codes.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed a $7 million, two-year-long restoration of a termite-eaten historic Fort Shafter building.
Thousands of soldiers, civilians and families newly arriving to Hawaii were introduced to Army life in the islands at the building known as the "Aloha Center."
More recently, personnel picked up travel tickets, base vehicle passes and identification cards there.
Termites ate most of the building's internal structure.
But the Army wasn't allowed to demolish the building because of historic preservation requirements.
A contractor carefully removed almost 65 percent of the original structure, restored the exterior to its original 1940s appearance and bought the building up to current building codes.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
SEVEN PROJECTS APPROVED FOR LEGACY LAND
HONOLULU – The Legacy Land Conservation Program (LLCP) will convey approximately $3,267,380 from the State Land Conservation Fund for land acquisition projects to protect Hawai‘i’s unique and valuable resources.
Seven state, county, and nonprofit applicants will receive grant funds for the permanent protection of lands having cultural, archeological, and natural resource values.
“Participating as a funder in these conservation partnerships is an efficient way to protect important natural, cultural, and agricultural resources,” stated Laura H. Thielen, Board of Land and Natural Resources Chairperson. “By providing these grants as incentive, the State is utilizing mostly private and federal funds to protect these resources.”
Every State dollar spent will be matched with approximately $3 in federal, county and private funds, for a total of $9,478,312 in matching funds that will be used to acquire approximately 752 acres of threatened or unique natural, cultural, recreational, and agricultural resources. The funds will be used to protect lands and will provide benefits to Hawai‘i residents in the form of scenic open space, watershed protection, agricultural production, and preserved natural and cultural resources.
The Legacy Land Conservation Commission, a nine-member commission composed of cultural, agricultural and natural resource experts and representatives from each county, advised the Board of Land and Natural Resources on this year’s project selections. Governor Linda Lingle released funding for the Commission’s recommended projects in early June.
“Each of the recommended projects protects an important resource,” stated Commission Chair Dale Bonar. “Clean drinking water, our natural and cultural heritage, our agricultural lands – these are the resources that Hawai‘i needs to maintain a connection to its past and build a sustainable future.”
The following are summaries of the approved projects:
County of Hawai‘i and the Trust for Public Land, $945,000 for the acquisition of 10.61 acres on the island of Hawai‘i, coastline lot within Pao‘o ‘ahupua‘a, North Kohala District, to protect over 27 cultural sites from development and maintain the natural landscape and scenic views of the Kohala coastline.
Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Wildlife, $500,000 for the acquisition of a conservation easement over 614 acres on the island of Moloka‘i, East Moloka‘i, Kainalu; mauka of Kamehameha. V Highway, to protect critical watershed and prevent erosion damage to near-shore coral reef ecosystems and historic Hawaiian fishponds.
Kaua‘i Public Land Trust and the County of Kaua‘i, $800,000 for the acquisition of 0.74 acre on the island of Kaua‘i, on Hanalei Bay directly next to the Hanalei Pier, to be held by the County of Kaua‘i, to enhance and protect the heavily used Black Pot Beach Park area for Hawaii’s residents and visitors.
Kona Historical Society, $255,592 for the acquisition of 2.11 acres on the island of Hawai‘i, South Kona, makai of Mamaloahoa Highway, to provide a scenic buffer for the historic H.N. Greenwell Store and additional space for preservation of the farming and ranching heritage of Kona.
The Trust for Public Land and O‘ahu Land Trust, $500,000 for the acquisition of a conservation easement over 107.73 acres on the island of O‘ahu, ahupua‘a of Ka‘alaea, in the Ko‘olaupoko District, to be held by the O‘ahu Land Trust, to protect agricultural production and maintain a portion of the rural character of windward O‘ahu.
Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-Violent Education and Action and the Hawaii Island Land Trust (HILT), $231,788 for the acquisition of 11.14 acres on the island of Hawai‘i, Puna District; ten miles south of Hilo, makai side of Highway 11, with a conservation easement to be held by HILT, to maintain agricultural production on lands with kipuka deep soil and abundant rainfall.
HILT, $35,000 for the acquisition of conservation easements over 6 acres on the island of Hawai‘i, Puna District; in Hawaiian Orchid Island Estates adjacent to Kahauale‘a Natural Area Reserve, to preserve an intact native ‘ohi‘a forest canopy that allows native birds, insects and plants to travel and propagate.
LLCP projects are subject to a consultation process with the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the approval of the Governor. Grant funding for projects that protect lands having value as a resource to the State is awarded through the Legacy Land Conservation Program on an annual basis, subject to the availability of funds.
For more information on the Legacy Land Conservation Program please visit http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/llcp
or call (808) 586-0921.
Seven state, county, and nonprofit applicants will receive grant funds for the permanent protection of lands having cultural, archeological, and natural resource values.
“Participating as a funder in these conservation partnerships is an efficient way to protect important natural, cultural, and agricultural resources,” stated Laura H. Thielen, Board of Land and Natural Resources Chairperson. “By providing these grants as incentive, the State is utilizing mostly private and federal funds to protect these resources.”
Every State dollar spent will be matched with approximately $3 in federal, county and private funds, for a total of $9,478,312 in matching funds that will be used to acquire approximately 752 acres of threatened or unique natural, cultural, recreational, and agricultural resources. The funds will be used to protect lands and will provide benefits to Hawai‘i residents in the form of scenic open space, watershed protection, agricultural production, and preserved natural and cultural resources.
The Legacy Land Conservation Commission, a nine-member commission composed of cultural, agricultural and natural resource experts and representatives from each county, advised the Board of Land and Natural Resources on this year’s project selections. Governor Linda Lingle released funding for the Commission’s recommended projects in early June.
“Each of the recommended projects protects an important resource,” stated Commission Chair Dale Bonar. “Clean drinking water, our natural and cultural heritage, our agricultural lands – these are the resources that Hawai‘i needs to maintain a connection to its past and build a sustainable future.”
The following are summaries of the approved projects:
County of Hawai‘i and the Trust for Public Land, $945,000 for the acquisition of 10.61 acres on the island of Hawai‘i, coastline lot within Pao‘o ‘ahupua‘a, North Kohala District, to protect over 27 cultural sites from development and maintain the natural landscape and scenic views of the Kohala coastline.
Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Wildlife, $500,000 for the acquisition of a conservation easement over 614 acres on the island of Moloka‘i, East Moloka‘i, Kainalu; mauka of Kamehameha. V Highway, to protect critical watershed and prevent erosion damage to near-shore coral reef ecosystems and historic Hawaiian fishponds.
Kaua‘i Public Land Trust and the County of Kaua‘i, $800,000 for the acquisition of 0.74 acre on the island of Kaua‘i, on Hanalei Bay directly next to the Hanalei Pier, to be held by the County of Kaua‘i, to enhance and protect the heavily used Black Pot Beach Park area for Hawaii’s residents and visitors.
Kona Historical Society, $255,592 for the acquisition of 2.11 acres on the island of Hawai‘i, South Kona, makai of Mamaloahoa Highway, to provide a scenic buffer for the historic H.N. Greenwell Store and additional space for preservation of the farming and ranching heritage of Kona.
The Trust for Public Land and O‘ahu Land Trust, $500,000 for the acquisition of a conservation easement over 107.73 acres on the island of O‘ahu, ahupua‘a of Ka‘alaea, in the Ko‘olaupoko District, to be held by the O‘ahu Land Trust, to protect agricultural production and maintain a portion of the rural character of windward O‘ahu.
Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-Violent Education and Action and the Hawaii Island Land Trust (HILT), $231,788 for the acquisition of 11.14 acres on the island of Hawai‘i, Puna District; ten miles south of Hilo, makai side of Highway 11, with a conservation easement to be held by HILT, to maintain agricultural production on lands with kipuka deep soil and abundant rainfall.
HILT, $35,000 for the acquisition of conservation easements over 6 acres on the island of Hawai‘i, Puna District; in Hawaiian Orchid Island Estates adjacent to Kahauale‘a Natural Area Reserve, to preserve an intact native ‘ohi‘a forest canopy that allows native birds, insects and plants to travel and propagate.
LLCP projects are subject to a consultation process with the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the approval of the Governor. Grant funding for projects that protect lands having value as a resource to the State is awarded through the Legacy Land Conservation Program on an annual basis, subject to the availability of funds.
For more information on the Legacy Land Conservation Program please visit http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/llcp
or call (808) 586-0921.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
High court upholds burial site challenges - Justices rule that native Hawaiians can appeal plans for remains
By Ken Kobayashi, Honolulu Star Advertiser
Native Hawaiians have the right to challenge construction plans that disturb Hawaiian burial sites, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled yesterday.
The court held that native Hawaiians can turn to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to appeal decisions by the Oahu Island Burial Council that approve a developer's treatment plan for burial remains.
"We're quite pleased," Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. lawyer David Kimo Frankel said of the 59-page opinion written by Chief Justice Ronald Moon. "It reinforces that native Hawaiians have a right to a contested case hearing when their cultural practices are impacted."
The case involves General Growth's development of the Ward Villages Shops in Kakaako, although yesterday's ruling isn't expected to disrupt construction, which resumed last month.
Paulette Kaleikini, a native Hawaiian cultural practitioner, earlier settled her lawsuit challenging the construction, which had been delayed after the discovery of burial sites on the property.
But the high court ruled that the case was not "moot" because decisions relating to native Hawaiian burial sites are of "great public importance." It also said the issue will likely recur because native Hawaiian remains will probably be found in future construction projects.
Before she settled the lawsuit, Kaleikini wanted to challenge the 2006 burial council's approval of General Growth's plans for the remains.
During its hearings, Kaleikini told the Burial Council that a key aspect of native Hawaiian practice is ensuring that remains are left undisturbed and receive proper care and treatment. She said General Growth should have made a better attempt to redesign the project.
General Growth, however, said the project didn't leave much room for redesign and proposed to relocate the remains to an area where they would be safe.
Kaleikini asked the land board to hear her challenge of the Burial Council's decision, but Peter Young, chairman of the land board at the time, denied the request.
In its ruling, Moon wrote that the contested case hearing was required by state law.
"The ruling explains the law and tells the Department of Land and Natural Resources exactly what we have been telling them to do: to give native Hawaiians a contested case hearing when they are going to take burials out of the ground," Frankel said.
He said the decision explains developers can also contest the Burial Council's decisions.
But he said it underscores the value of developers conducting a "good archaeological survey" before they decide where to construct their projects.
"Unfortunately, the decision comes too late to keep the ones in the ground that should have stayed in the ground," he said. Some of the remains were moved to another location on the property.
"Hopefully, this won't ever happen again," he said.
Associate Justices Paul Nakayama and James Duffy joined Moon in the opinion. Associate Justices Mark Recktenwald and Simeon Acoba wrote separate concurring opinions.
The state Attorney General's Office did not have any immediate comment yesterday.
Native Hawaiians have the right to challenge construction plans that disturb Hawaiian burial sites, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled yesterday.
The court held that native Hawaiians can turn to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to appeal decisions by the Oahu Island Burial Council that approve a developer's treatment plan for burial remains.
"We're quite pleased," Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. lawyer David Kimo Frankel said of the 59-page opinion written by Chief Justice Ronald Moon. "It reinforces that native Hawaiians have a right to a contested case hearing when their cultural practices are impacted."
The case involves General Growth's development of the Ward Villages Shops in Kakaako, although yesterday's ruling isn't expected to disrupt construction, which resumed last month.
Paulette Kaleikini, a native Hawaiian cultural practitioner, earlier settled her lawsuit challenging the construction, which had been delayed after the discovery of burial sites on the property.
But the high court ruled that the case was not "moot" because decisions relating to native Hawaiian burial sites are of "great public importance." It also said the issue will likely recur because native Hawaiian remains will probably be found in future construction projects.
Before she settled the lawsuit, Kaleikini wanted to challenge the 2006 burial council's approval of General Growth's plans for the remains.
During its hearings, Kaleikini told the Burial Council that a key aspect of native Hawaiian practice is ensuring that remains are left undisturbed and receive proper care and treatment. She said General Growth should have made a better attempt to redesign the project.
General Growth, however, said the project didn't leave much room for redesign and proposed to relocate the remains to an area where they would be safe.
Kaleikini asked the land board to hear her challenge of the Burial Council's decision, but Peter Young, chairman of the land board at the time, denied the request.
In its ruling, Moon wrote that the contested case hearing was required by state law.
"The ruling explains the law and tells the Department of Land and Natural Resources exactly what we have been telling them to do: to give native Hawaiians a contested case hearing when they are going to take burials out of the ground," Frankel said.
He said the decision explains developers can also contest the Burial Council's decisions.
But he said it underscores the value of developers conducting a "good archaeological survey" before they decide where to construct their projects.
"Unfortunately, the decision comes too late to keep the ones in the ground that should have stayed in the ground," he said. Some of the remains were moved to another location on the property.
"Hopefully, this won't ever happen again," he said.
Associate Justices Paul Nakayama and James Duffy joined Moon in the opinion. Associate Justices Mark Recktenwald and Simeon Acoba wrote separate concurring opinions.
The state Attorney General's Office did not have any immediate comment yesterday.
Native Hawaiians have the right to challenge construction plans that disturb Hawaiian burial sites, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled yesterday.
The court held that native Hawaiians can turn to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to appeal decisions by the Oahu Island Burial Council that approve a developer's treatment plan for burial remains.
"We're quite pleased," Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. lawyer David Kimo Frankel said of the 59-page opinion written by Chief Justice Ronald Moon. "It reinforces that native Hawaiians have a right to a contested case hearing when their cultural practices are impacted."
The case involves General Growth's development of the Ward Villages Shops in Kakaako, although yesterday's ruling isn't expected to disrupt construction, which resumed last month.
Paulette Kaleikini, a native Hawaiian cultural practitioner, earlier settled her lawsuit challenging the construction, which had been delayed after the discovery of burial sites on the property.
But the high court ruled that the case was not "moot" because decisions relating to native Hawaiian burial sites are of "great public importance." It also said the issue will likely recur because native Hawaiian remains will probably be found in future construction projects.
Before she settled the lawsuit, Kaleikini wanted to challenge the 2006 burial council's approval of General Growth's plans for the remains.
During its hearings, Kaleikini told the Burial Council that a key aspect of native Hawaiian practice is ensuring that remains are left undisturbed and receive proper care and treatment. She said General Growth should have made a better attempt to redesign the project.
General Growth, however, said the project didn't leave much room for redesign and proposed to relocate the remains to an area where they would be safe.
Kaleikini asked the land board to hear her challenge of the Burial Council's decision, but Peter Young, chairman of the land board at the time, denied the request.
In its ruling, Moon wrote that the contested case hearing was required by state law.
"The ruling explains the law and tells the Department of Land and Natural Resources exactly what we have been telling them to do: to give native Hawaiians a contested case hearing when they are going to take burials out of the ground," Frankel said.
He said the decision explains developers can also contest the Burial Council's decisions.
But he said it underscores the value of developers conducting a "good archaeological survey" before they decide where to construct their projects.
"Unfortunately, the decision comes too late to keep the ones in the ground that should have stayed in the ground," he said. Some of the remains were moved to another location on the property.
"Hopefully, this won't ever happen again," he said.
Associate Justices Paul Nakayama and James Duffy joined Moon in the opinion. Associate Justices Mark Recktenwald and Simeon Acoba wrote separate concurring opinions.
The state Attorney General's Office did not have any immediate comment yesterday.
Native Hawaiians have the right to challenge construction plans that disturb Hawaiian burial sites, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled yesterday.
The court held that native Hawaiians can turn to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to appeal decisions by the Oahu Island Burial Council that approve a developer's treatment plan for burial remains.
"We're quite pleased," Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. lawyer David Kimo Frankel said of the 59-page opinion written by Chief Justice Ronald Moon. "It reinforces that native Hawaiians have a right to a contested case hearing when their cultural practices are impacted."
The case involves General Growth's development of the Ward Villages Shops in Kakaako, although yesterday's ruling isn't expected to disrupt construction, which resumed last month.
Paulette Kaleikini, a native Hawaiian cultural practitioner, earlier settled her lawsuit challenging the construction, which had been delayed after the discovery of burial sites on the property.
But the high court ruled that the case was not "moot" because decisions relating to native Hawaiian burial sites are of "great public importance." It also said the issue will likely recur because native Hawaiian remains will probably be found in future construction projects.
Before she settled the lawsuit, Kaleikini wanted to challenge the 2006 burial council's approval of General Growth's plans for the remains.
During its hearings, Kaleikini told the Burial Council that a key aspect of native Hawaiian practice is ensuring that remains are left undisturbed and receive proper care and treatment. She said General Growth should have made a better attempt to redesign the project.
General Growth, however, said the project didn't leave much room for redesign and proposed to relocate the remains to an area where they would be safe.
Kaleikini asked the land board to hear her challenge of the Burial Council's decision, but Peter Young, chairman of the land board at the time, denied the request.
In its ruling, Moon wrote that the contested case hearing was required by state law.
"The ruling explains the law and tells the Department of Land and Natural Resources exactly what we have been telling them to do: to give native Hawaiians a contested case hearing when they are going to take burials out of the ground," Frankel said.
He said the decision explains developers can also contest the Burial Council's decisions.
But he said it underscores the value of developers conducting a "good archaeological survey" before they decide where to construct their projects.
"Unfortunately, the decision comes too late to keep the ones in the ground that should have stayed in the ground," he said. Some of the remains were moved to another location on the property.
"Hopefully, this won't ever happen again," he said.
Associate Justices Paul Nakayama and James Duffy joined Moon in the opinion. Associate Justices Mark Recktenwald and Simeon Acoba wrote separate concurring opinions.
The state Attorney General's Office did not have any immediate comment yesterday.
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Value of Hawaii: Tourism
By Ramsay Remigius Mahealani Taum
The Hawaiian olelo noeau “I ka was ma mua, ka wa ma hope” speaks to the idea that the future and the past are intimately connected. This Hawaiian proverb embraces an understanding that in order to move forward it is necessary to know where one comes from.
An appropriate place to begin may be in taking a closer look at the genealogy and evolution of the prevailing “service industry” business model. A standard mantra in business is “the Customer is always right.”
A quick survey of any room would demonstrate that most people with work experience have heard this preached on more than one occasion, have read it in an employee manual, or have been reminded sharply by customers who not only believe it to be true, but expect to be treated accordingly, whether their behavior warrants it or not.
The survey would likely reveal that while most have heard the mantra, they also don’t believe it to be true. Instead, there seems to be a universal understanding and agreement that the customer is NOT always right, but regardless, the person behind the counter is expected to accommodate the customer even at the risk of suffering personal embarrassments and indignities.
Where does this attitude of entitlement come from? Consider the root word “custom” in the word “customer.” In earlier times, it was “customary” to respect and honor the “customs” of the place one was visiting as well the customs of those hosting. Over time, the customer has become accustomed to customized experiences that favor the needs and customs of the visitor over those of the place and host.
Moving away from visitor centricity
The treatment of these issues is not intended to demonize tourism or diminish the value of exceptional customer service.
There is no question that quality service and customer care reaps benefits and rewards in customer satisfaction and loyalty, which translates to a strong financial bottom line. Instead, it is an attempt to shed light on two things. The first is that it is hard to expect an unhappy host to deliver a happy experience, and second, that the prevailing customer-centric focus may be an unsustainable one. In the case of tourism, simply replace “customer” with “visitor.”
In a society where consumer choices appear to be unlimited and there are an equal number of providers ready to accommodate those choices, the modern consumer has placed greater expectations on the marketplace. In response, the industry adopts practices, policies, and procedures to deal with finicky customers.
This is particularly true for chain and brand operators who cater to preferred customers. These Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) insure the delivery and management of services while providing predictable quality experiences.
It also means that at great expense, a person can travel long distances to arrive at a destination that looks and behaves exactly like the one he just left. Too often the SOP results in the place and its host population being transformed and altered for the guest’s benefit. Hosts become servants, and unique places become no place because they look like every other place. My good friend and fellow industry advocate Peter Apo of the Peter Apo Company refers to this phenomenon as “placelessness.”
Staged vs. genuine
In an effort to better manage the experience, authenticity actually gets managed out of it, to be replaced by formulaic templates and time-sensitive programming. Staged authenticity replaces genuine experiences in pursuit of a healthy bottom line. Cultural experiences eventually become calculated and contrived.
Consider the idea of an “authentic commercial luau!” Packaged and canned, the experience that began as a gathering of friends and family celebrating one another and the milestone moments of their lives has been turned into a well-choreographed dinner show for strangers who have no connection to one another, the place, or those who feed and entertain them.
Even the act of lei giving has begun to lose meaning. Some companies actually refer to the practice as the “ring toss.”
In the absence of a genuine “host,” professional greeters can be hired to deliver lei flown in on a commercial carrier very much like the one the lei’s recipient arrived on just a few days earlier.
Could anyone have imagined fifty years ago that lei intended to express love, affection, and friendship would one day be produced by strangers in a foreign land, so they could be delivered by strangers to other strangers who flew in to visit no one?! Strange as it sounds, it has become our reality.
Scratching the surface
As harsh as these examples may be, they only scratch the surface of what the commercialized mass tourism experience has become. They are offered in the interest of raising awareness about the kinds of business practices that may be creating unwanted effects.
At a gathering of industry stakeholders and marketing partners, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) reported that its research findings of West Coast travelers revealed that “they feel that Hawaii is a been-there, done-that destination.”
At this same meeting, it was reported that while the China and Korea markets showed future promise, Japanese travelers didn’t think there was enough diversity in the cultural experience in Hawaii, and were choosing to go elsewhere. Unfortunately, those remarks were neither surprising nor unexpected.
Under new leadership and armed with a new strategic plan, the Hawaii Tourism Authority's vice president of brand management announced that the agency would renew its focus and commitment to support and promote Hawaiian culture, acknowledging that “Because we’re a mature market, we need to take advantage of some of the experiential things we have available to us, especially with culture.”
Despite the rhetoric, Hawaiian culture has continued to be treated as a “value added” — like condiments rather than the entrée. The time has come to elevate culture to a more prominent place on the menu of offerings, and in doing so strengthen the product, its identity, and the Hawaiian “sense of place” that makes our island home the unique place that it is.
This essay is part of a 14-week series of excerpts from the book, "The Value of Hawaii: Knowing the Past, Shaping the Future” excerpted in Honolulu Civil Beat.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK: The Value of Hawaii: Knowing the Past, Shaping the Future
ATTEND A FORUM WITH THE AUTHOR: We're also discussing our series on "The Value of Hawaii" in person in Beatups at Civil Beat headquarters. The next one where you'll be able to meet Ramsay Remigius Mahealani Taum and two other writers — Sumner La Croix, who wrote about the economy, and Charles Reppun, whose essay on agriculture runs 8/23/10 — will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2 at 3465 Waialae Ave., Suite 200. The sessions are free and open to the public. But please RSVP to beatup@civilbeat.com so we can plan to accommodate the number of people who'll attend. To learn about our previous Value of Hawaii Beatup with Craig Howes, Jonathan Osorio and Chad Blair, check out this summary and video.
The Hawaiian olelo noeau “I ka was ma mua, ka wa ma hope” speaks to the idea that the future and the past are intimately connected. This Hawaiian proverb embraces an understanding that in order to move forward it is necessary to know where one comes from.
An appropriate place to begin may be in taking a closer look at the genealogy and evolution of the prevailing “service industry” business model. A standard mantra in business is “the Customer is always right.”
A quick survey of any room would demonstrate that most people with work experience have heard this preached on more than one occasion, have read it in an employee manual, or have been reminded sharply by customers who not only believe it to be true, but expect to be treated accordingly, whether their behavior warrants it or not.
The survey would likely reveal that while most have heard the mantra, they also don’t believe it to be true. Instead, there seems to be a universal understanding and agreement that the customer is NOT always right, but regardless, the person behind the counter is expected to accommodate the customer even at the risk of suffering personal embarrassments and indignities.
Where does this attitude of entitlement come from? Consider the root word “custom” in the word “customer.” In earlier times, it was “customary” to respect and honor the “customs” of the place one was visiting as well the customs of those hosting. Over time, the customer has become accustomed to customized experiences that favor the needs and customs of the visitor over those of the place and host.
Moving away from visitor centricity
The treatment of these issues is not intended to demonize tourism or diminish the value of exceptional customer service.
There is no question that quality service and customer care reaps benefits and rewards in customer satisfaction and loyalty, which translates to a strong financial bottom line. Instead, it is an attempt to shed light on two things. The first is that it is hard to expect an unhappy host to deliver a happy experience, and second, that the prevailing customer-centric focus may be an unsustainable one. In the case of tourism, simply replace “customer” with “visitor.”
In a society where consumer choices appear to be unlimited and there are an equal number of providers ready to accommodate those choices, the modern consumer has placed greater expectations on the marketplace. In response, the industry adopts practices, policies, and procedures to deal with finicky customers.
This is particularly true for chain and brand operators who cater to preferred customers. These Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) insure the delivery and management of services while providing predictable quality experiences.
It also means that at great expense, a person can travel long distances to arrive at a destination that looks and behaves exactly like the one he just left. Too often the SOP results in the place and its host population being transformed and altered for the guest’s benefit. Hosts become servants, and unique places become no place because they look like every other place. My good friend and fellow industry advocate Peter Apo of the Peter Apo Company refers to this phenomenon as “placelessness.”
Staged vs. genuine
In an effort to better manage the experience, authenticity actually gets managed out of it, to be replaced by formulaic templates and time-sensitive programming. Staged authenticity replaces genuine experiences in pursuit of a healthy bottom line. Cultural experiences eventually become calculated and contrived.
Consider the idea of an “authentic commercial luau!” Packaged and canned, the experience that began as a gathering of friends and family celebrating one another and the milestone moments of their lives has been turned into a well-choreographed dinner show for strangers who have no connection to one another, the place, or those who feed and entertain them.
Even the act of lei giving has begun to lose meaning. Some companies actually refer to the practice as the “ring toss.”
In the absence of a genuine “host,” professional greeters can be hired to deliver lei flown in on a commercial carrier very much like the one the lei’s recipient arrived on just a few days earlier.
Could anyone have imagined fifty years ago that lei intended to express love, affection, and friendship would one day be produced by strangers in a foreign land, so they could be delivered by strangers to other strangers who flew in to visit no one?! Strange as it sounds, it has become our reality.
Scratching the surface
As harsh as these examples may be, they only scratch the surface of what the commercialized mass tourism experience has become. They are offered in the interest of raising awareness about the kinds of business practices that may be creating unwanted effects.
At a gathering of industry stakeholders and marketing partners, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) reported that its research findings of West Coast travelers revealed that “they feel that Hawaii is a been-there, done-that destination.”
At this same meeting, it was reported that while the China and Korea markets showed future promise, Japanese travelers didn’t think there was enough diversity in the cultural experience in Hawaii, and were choosing to go elsewhere. Unfortunately, those remarks were neither surprising nor unexpected.
Under new leadership and armed with a new strategic plan, the Hawaii Tourism Authority's vice president of brand management announced that the agency would renew its focus and commitment to support and promote Hawaiian culture, acknowledging that “Because we’re a mature market, we need to take advantage of some of the experiential things we have available to us, especially with culture.”
Despite the rhetoric, Hawaiian culture has continued to be treated as a “value added” — like condiments rather than the entrée. The time has come to elevate culture to a more prominent place on the menu of offerings, and in doing so strengthen the product, its identity, and the Hawaiian “sense of place” that makes our island home the unique place that it is.
This essay is part of a 14-week series of excerpts from the book, "The Value of Hawaii: Knowing the Past, Shaping the Future” excerpted in Honolulu Civil Beat.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK: The Value of Hawaii: Knowing the Past, Shaping the Future
ATTEND A FORUM WITH THE AUTHOR: We're also discussing our series on "The Value of Hawaii" in person in Beatups at Civil Beat headquarters. The next one where you'll be able to meet Ramsay Remigius Mahealani Taum and two other writers — Sumner La Croix, who wrote about the economy, and Charles Reppun, whose essay on agriculture runs 8/23/10 — will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2 at 3465 Waialae Ave., Suite 200. The sessions are free and open to the public. But please RSVP to beatup@civilbeat.com so we can plan to accommodate the number of people who'll attend. To learn about our previous Value of Hawaii Beatup with Craig Howes, Jonathan Osorio and Chad Blair, check out this summary and video.
Kapaia foot bridge just may be swinging again soon
By Paul C. Curtis - The Garden Island
LIHU‘E — There is hope on the horizon, and on both sides of Hanama‘ulu Stream, that a historic foot bridge separating what used to be known as upper Kapaia valley and lower Kapaia valley could be restored.
Residents in favor of restoration are encouraging people to vote for restoring the bridge online in the ongoing survey suggesting properties to be acquired by the county open-space commission.
“Four years after the Kapaia swinging bridge was closed, we are still hopeful,” said Laraine Moriguchi, who owns property on the Līhu‘e side of the bridge and has been leading a citizen push to encourage the county to refurbish and reopen the bridge.
For its part, the county this week recommitted to do a feasibility study “which will look at various factors that would be involved in any work that might be done on the bridge, including: cost of repairing/restoring, structural integrity, access and compliance,” said Beth Tokioka, executive assistant to Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr.
“Once we’ve completed the study we’ll have a better idea of the various options and their associated costs,” said Tokioka.
The deadline is Aug. 15 for suggestions for properties for the county open-space commission to consider acquiring. Funds for acquisition come from annual contributions of 0.5 percent of all county real-property-tax collections.
Grove Farm owns the property on the Hanama‘ulu side of the bridge, and the west (Lihu‘e) side approach sits on part of a CPR (condominium property regime) with six owners: Moriguchi, Cindra and Michael Manera, Catherine Caycayon, David and Nina Monasevitch, Steven Matsuda and Roy Goo, said Moriguchi.
Goo owns the CPR on which the bridge sits.
In addition, Laukini Road is a private road owned by Lihu‘e Hongwanji and Goo’s CPR, she said.
“All owners are in favor of restoring the Kapaia swinging bridge and, to my knowledge, have signed an agreement with the county to allow access for the purpose of conducting a restoration feasibility study,” said Moriguchi.
Carvalho has set up a public meeting for Sept. 23 at 3 p.m., Moriguchi said.
The county Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund Commission 2010 annual survey is online at http://www.kauaigovonline.org/Surveys/Default.aspx. Those without computer access may call 241-4922 to get a paper copy of the survey.
LIHU‘E — There is hope on the horizon, and on both sides of Hanama‘ulu Stream, that a historic foot bridge separating what used to be known as upper Kapaia valley and lower Kapaia valley could be restored.
Residents in favor of restoration are encouraging people to vote for restoring the bridge online in the ongoing survey suggesting properties to be acquired by the county open-space commission.
“Four years after the Kapaia swinging bridge was closed, we are still hopeful,” said Laraine Moriguchi, who owns property on the Līhu‘e side of the bridge and has been leading a citizen push to encourage the county to refurbish and reopen the bridge.
For its part, the county this week recommitted to do a feasibility study “which will look at various factors that would be involved in any work that might be done on the bridge, including: cost of repairing/restoring, structural integrity, access and compliance,” said Beth Tokioka, executive assistant to Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr.
“Once we’ve completed the study we’ll have a better idea of the various options and their associated costs,” said Tokioka.
The deadline is Aug. 15 for suggestions for properties for the county open-space commission to consider acquiring. Funds for acquisition come from annual contributions of 0.5 percent of all county real-property-tax collections.
Grove Farm owns the property on the Hanama‘ulu side of the bridge, and the west (Lihu‘e) side approach sits on part of a CPR (condominium property regime) with six owners: Moriguchi, Cindra and Michael Manera, Catherine Caycayon, David and Nina Monasevitch, Steven Matsuda and Roy Goo, said Moriguchi.
Goo owns the CPR on which the bridge sits.
In addition, Laukini Road is a private road owned by Lihu‘e Hongwanji and Goo’s CPR, she said.
“All owners are in favor of restoring the Kapaia swinging bridge and, to my knowledge, have signed an agreement with the county to allow access for the purpose of conducting a restoration feasibility study,” said Moriguchi.
Carvalho has set up a public meeting for Sept. 23 at 3 p.m., Moriguchi said.
The county Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund Commission 2010 annual survey is online at http://www.kauaigovonline.org/Surveys/Default.aspx. Those without computer access may call 241-4922 to get a paper copy of the survey.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Students help restore ancient settlement in Honokowai Valley
BY LOUISE ROCKETT
LahainaNews.com
HONOKOWAI - There's a wonderland of Hawaiian treasures right in our own backyard, West Maui, in a 300-acre valley above the shores of Kaanapali.
It's not a manmade spectacle like Disneyland but a cultural resource complete with 800-year-old rock walls still standing, remnants of ancient taro patches being revived and native wiliwili trees making a comeback.
Honokowai Valley was a thriving agricultural settlement dating back to 1200 AD that today is being restored by a grassroots land trust, Maui Cultural Lands, founded in 2002 by Lahaina native son Ed Lindsey II (1939-2009).
The organization's vision is to reinstate balance through education, restoration and preservation.
To this end, Maui Cultural Lands (MCL) offers guided working tours into the valley for an immersion experience like no other.
On Thursdays for six weeks this summer, MCL hosted the Kamehameha Schools Hoolauna Program for Hawaiian youth in grades six to eight.
"We're with Kamehameha Schools' Extension Education. We outreach to Native Hawaiian youth who do not go to Kamehameha Schools," one of the group leaders, Mr. Wong, explained.
"Kamehameha Schools brings them to attend these one-week summer programs each year. This one is called the Hoolauna Mauna Kahalawai, and Mauna Kahalawai is actually our whole West Maui Mountains," Wong said.
"We've been taking them to explore the West Maui Mountains in more of a cultural aspect...What the whole essential question for the students this week is where is our water resources going in Mauna Kahalawai?"
Native Hawaiian students enrolling in the 2010 program came from across the state and some from the Mainland to join the Lindseys - Aunty Puanani Lindsey (Ed's wife) and son Ed "Ekolu" Lindsey III - on Thursdays in Honokowai for a stimulating, hands-on learning adventure.
The journey began with Aunty Puanani sharing some of her knowledge about the history of the ancient valley community referred to as the breadbasket of Keka'a.
"At its peak, there were 600 Hawaiian families that lived here. They were self-sufficient. The water ran," she said.
"When sugar cane came," Aunty continued, "they built the tunnels a couple of miles up, and they took all the water for the sugar cane. So the last family that left the valley was about 1931. There was only one family down here. They could no longer live in the valley, because they had to bring their water in. It was hard for them to survive; they were getting older."
Puanani is a resourceful guide, weaving stories into a botanic tour of the native plant life growing along the valley walls and floors.
"The uhiuhi tree seeds are like gold," Aunty exclaimed. "I think there are less than ten trees in our state."
"Lama is a sacred wood," she said. Branches of the ulei plant are used to form the rim of fishnets.
"If we put this in the garden and we were to trim it down, it would make a beautiful hedge," she suggested.
Aunty added a mix of Pele into the mythology of the plant lore with a tale about the blue-flowered Pa'u O Hi'iaka vine that grows along the shoreline.
Noni is useful for its multiple medicinal purposes.
"Our native hibiscus is on the endangered list, meaning if we don't take care of our native hibiscus and plant these in our gardens, it will become not endangered anymore, it will become extinct. It will no longer be there," Puanani said.
"And it doesn't take much care," she added, "and this particular hibiscus doesn't like too much water. All we got to do is plant it, malama it and low and behold it will give us some seeds."
With part of the lesson giving back, a teaching to malama and care for the area, the students seeded and weeded before and after lunch to prepare the way for planting.
According to the organization's president, Ekolu Lindsey, similar working tours are offered every Saturday to the public individually or in a group format for residents and visitors alike.
Meet at the Pu'ukolii train station at 9 a.m.
"We mainly get our visitors to join us. Kaanapali Ocean Resort, The Westin, has been good supporters of our efforts. Their visitors walk right across the street and spend the day with us and just walk home. They have a great time up here. All the visitors who come really feel like that they did something good with their time instead of just sitting around the pool drinking mai tais all day. They came up here and gave back," Ekolu said.
Like Aunty told the Kamehameha Schools youth, "It's important that you take advantage of the opportunities that come your way, 'cause sometimes you only get one chance."
For more information e-mail MCL@hawaii.rr.com.
LahainaNews.com
HONOKOWAI - There's a wonderland of Hawaiian treasures right in our own backyard, West Maui, in a 300-acre valley above the shores of Kaanapali.
It's not a manmade spectacle like Disneyland but a cultural resource complete with 800-year-old rock walls still standing, remnants of ancient taro patches being revived and native wiliwili trees making a comeback.
Honokowai Valley was a thriving agricultural settlement dating back to 1200 AD that today is being restored by a grassroots land trust, Maui Cultural Lands, founded in 2002 by Lahaina native son Ed Lindsey II (1939-2009).
The organization's vision is to reinstate balance through education, restoration and preservation.
To this end, Maui Cultural Lands (MCL) offers guided working tours into the valley for an immersion experience like no other.
On Thursdays for six weeks this summer, MCL hosted the Kamehameha Schools Hoolauna Program for Hawaiian youth in grades six to eight.
"We're with Kamehameha Schools' Extension Education. We outreach to Native Hawaiian youth who do not go to Kamehameha Schools," one of the group leaders, Mr. Wong, explained.
"Kamehameha Schools brings them to attend these one-week summer programs each year. This one is called the Hoolauna Mauna Kahalawai, and Mauna Kahalawai is actually our whole West Maui Mountains," Wong said.
"We've been taking them to explore the West Maui Mountains in more of a cultural aspect...What the whole essential question for the students this week is where is our water resources going in Mauna Kahalawai?"
Native Hawaiian students enrolling in the 2010 program came from across the state and some from the Mainland to join the Lindseys - Aunty Puanani Lindsey (Ed's wife) and son Ed "Ekolu" Lindsey III - on Thursdays in Honokowai for a stimulating, hands-on learning adventure.
The journey began with Aunty Puanani sharing some of her knowledge about the history of the ancient valley community referred to as the breadbasket of Keka'a.
"At its peak, there were 600 Hawaiian families that lived here. They were self-sufficient. The water ran," she said.
"When sugar cane came," Aunty continued, "they built the tunnels a couple of miles up, and they took all the water for the sugar cane. So the last family that left the valley was about 1931. There was only one family down here. They could no longer live in the valley, because they had to bring their water in. It was hard for them to survive; they were getting older."
Puanani is a resourceful guide, weaving stories into a botanic tour of the native plant life growing along the valley walls and floors.
"The uhiuhi tree seeds are like gold," Aunty exclaimed. "I think there are less than ten trees in our state."
"Lama is a sacred wood," she said. Branches of the ulei plant are used to form the rim of fishnets.
"If we put this in the garden and we were to trim it down, it would make a beautiful hedge," she suggested.
Aunty added a mix of Pele into the mythology of the plant lore with a tale about the blue-flowered Pa'u O Hi'iaka vine that grows along the shoreline.
Noni is useful for its multiple medicinal purposes.
"Our native hibiscus is on the endangered list, meaning if we don't take care of our native hibiscus and plant these in our gardens, it will become not endangered anymore, it will become extinct. It will no longer be there," Puanani said.
"And it doesn't take much care," she added, "and this particular hibiscus doesn't like too much water. All we got to do is plant it, malama it and low and behold it will give us some seeds."
With part of the lesson giving back, a teaching to malama and care for the area, the students seeded and weeded before and after lunch to prepare the way for planting.
According to the organization's president, Ekolu Lindsey, similar working tours are offered every Saturday to the public individually or in a group format for residents and visitors alike.
Meet at the Pu'ukolii train station at 9 a.m.
"We mainly get our visitors to join us. Kaanapali Ocean Resort, The Westin, has been good supporters of our efforts. Their visitors walk right across the street and spend the day with us and just walk home. They have a great time up here. All the visitors who come really feel like that they did something good with their time instead of just sitting around the pool drinking mai tais all day. They came up here and gave back," Ekolu said.
Like Aunty told the Kamehameha Schools youth, "It's important that you take advantage of the opportunities that come your way, 'cause sometimes you only get one chance."
For more information e-mail MCL@hawaii.rr.com.
Native Hawaiians and Army talk about Iwi Kupuna
By Dennis Drake, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Public Affairs
HONOLULU - More than 50 people attended the first-ever Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act workshop sponsored by U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii's Native Hawaiian Liaison Office and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement at the Hale Koa Hotel, July 29.
Among those attending were representatives of Native Hawaiian organizations, community leaders, and concerned citizens.
The purpose of the workshop was to share the NAGPRA statute with the Native Hawaiian community and explain the process by which Native Hawaiian organizations and lineal descendants may claim human remains, cultural items, and items of cultural patrimony.
NAGPRA, a 1990 federal law, requires federal agencies, which include military installations, to inventory and return Native American cultural items - human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects or objects of ancestral cultural heritage - to lineal descendants and/or culturally-affiliated Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations.
In May, the Army notified the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Office and the Oahu Burial Council of the inadvertent discovery of human bone fragments by Army-contracted archaeological and cultural monitors during routine construction at Schofield Barracks.
As part of the NAGPRA process and USAG-HI's Inadvertent Discovery Plan, the Army will be querying the community to identify potential claimants. The Army will consult with the claimants on the final disposition of the remains.
"In anticipation of this action, we decided to conduct this workshop on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and to invite Native Hawaiian organization representatives to participate, to learn more about the law, and enable them to make an informed decision as to whether or not participation in this process is appropriate," said Col. Douglas Mulbury, commander, USAG-HI, in his opening remarks. "We share a common interest. We both want to do what is right and proper, we both want to act with integrity and honor, and we both take responsibility for the tasks before us."
The workshop began with an overview of NAGPRA by Kerry Abramson, USAG-HI and 8th Theater Sustainment Command attorney, followed by Dr. Laurie Lucking, USAG-HI archeologist, who covered the garrison's responsibilities under the law.
A lunch panel by June Cleghorn, U.S. Marine Corps archeologist, and Dawn Chang, a consultant on Native Hawaiian cultural issues and former Hawaii deputy attorney general who drafted a similar state law following enactment of NAGPRA, discussed the sensitive nature of these issues.
"I can't stress the importance of early consultation, working with families and other interested parties, when discoveries of cultural items are made," Chang said.
"The sharing of information is so important for many reasons," said Annelle Amaral, Native Hawaiian liaison, USAG-HI. "For the community, access to this type of information empowers Native Hawaiians to care for our kuleana. For the Army, the workshop was the opportunity to better explain these sometimes confusing laws and procedures."
The afternoon consisted of open discussion and questions between attendees and workshop presenters.
"It is hard for Hawaiians to speak of burials because these matters were always "huna" (secret). Usually, someone was designated in the family who dealt with such matters," said Phyllis Coochie Cayan, who attended the workshop on behalf of Hui Kako'o 'Aina Ho'opulapula, a Native Hawaiian organization.
Since NAGPRA's inception, 38,671 remains; 1,142,894 funerary objects; and 4,303 sacred objects have been transferred to lineal descendants, culturally-affiliated Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations throughout the United States.
HONOLULU - More than 50 people attended the first-ever Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act workshop sponsored by U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii's Native Hawaiian Liaison Office and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement at the Hale Koa Hotel, July 29.
Among those attending were representatives of Native Hawaiian organizations, community leaders, and concerned citizens.
The purpose of the workshop was to share the NAGPRA statute with the Native Hawaiian community and explain the process by which Native Hawaiian organizations and lineal descendants may claim human remains, cultural items, and items of cultural patrimony.
NAGPRA, a 1990 federal law, requires federal agencies, which include military installations, to inventory and return Native American cultural items - human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects or objects of ancestral cultural heritage - to lineal descendants and/or culturally-affiliated Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations.
In May, the Army notified the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Office and the Oahu Burial Council of the inadvertent discovery of human bone fragments by Army-contracted archaeological and cultural monitors during routine construction at Schofield Barracks.
As part of the NAGPRA process and USAG-HI's Inadvertent Discovery Plan, the Army will be querying the community to identify potential claimants. The Army will consult with the claimants on the final disposition of the remains.
"In anticipation of this action, we decided to conduct this workshop on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and to invite Native Hawaiian organization representatives to participate, to learn more about the law, and enable them to make an informed decision as to whether or not participation in this process is appropriate," said Col. Douglas Mulbury, commander, USAG-HI, in his opening remarks. "We share a common interest. We both want to do what is right and proper, we both want to act with integrity and honor, and we both take responsibility for the tasks before us."
The workshop began with an overview of NAGPRA by Kerry Abramson, USAG-HI and 8th Theater Sustainment Command attorney, followed by Dr. Laurie Lucking, USAG-HI archeologist, who covered the garrison's responsibilities under the law.
A lunch panel by June Cleghorn, U.S. Marine Corps archeologist, and Dawn Chang, a consultant on Native Hawaiian cultural issues and former Hawaii deputy attorney general who drafted a similar state law following enactment of NAGPRA, discussed the sensitive nature of these issues.
"I can't stress the importance of early consultation, working with families and other interested parties, when discoveries of cultural items are made," Chang said.
"The sharing of information is so important for many reasons," said Annelle Amaral, Native Hawaiian liaison, USAG-HI. "For the community, access to this type of information empowers Native Hawaiians to care for our kuleana. For the Army, the workshop was the opportunity to better explain these sometimes confusing laws and procedures."
The afternoon consisted of open discussion and questions between attendees and workshop presenters.
"It is hard for Hawaiians to speak of burials because these matters were always "huna" (secret). Usually, someone was designated in the family who dealt with such matters," said Phyllis Coochie Cayan, who attended the workshop on behalf of Hui Kako'o 'Aina Ho'opulapula, a Native Hawaiian organization.
Since NAGPRA's inception, 38,671 remains; 1,142,894 funerary objects; and 4,303 sacred objects have been transferred to lineal descendants, culturally-affiliated Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations throughout the United States.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Fishpond protected by law may yet be sold
The DOT might use an older law to help in auctioning the land
By Andrew Gomes
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
A community effort to preserve a small, ancient fishpond in East Honolulu won support from the Legislature, which passed a law to keep the property in state hands and away from public auction. But the state agency controlling the property is still intent on a sale.
The new law, Act 210, prohibits the sale of state-owned Hawaiian fishponds.
The law that began as House Bill 1665 targeted a 3,600-square-foot beachfront fishpond below Niu Valley shared by two long-vacant homes owned by the state Department of Transportation, which has been a reluctant owner of the site for more than a decade.
DOT acquired the property in the early 1990s as part of widening Kalanianaole Highway. And though the parcels are prime real estate, they have proved difficult for the agency to maintain, sell or transfer.
"We're not in the business of maintaining residential lots -- much less fishponds," said DOT Director Brennon Morioka.
Morioka said the agency has to deal with homeless sometimes entering the property and other maintenance issues that take resources away from DOT's mission.
"It's not a prudent use of highway funds," he said. "It's not fair to the taxpayers."
Widening Kalanianaole Highway in the early 1990s did not require DOT to condemn the two homes. The agency only needed a few feet of driveway frontage. But during construction a contractor inadvertently diverted an artesian spring that fed the pond.
One homeowner, Tad Hara, wanted DOT to repair the spring because the pond was a unique feature of his house, which was built on stilts with a glass living room floor for viewing the fishpond below.
DOT figured it would be less costly to acquire the two homes through condemnation. Hara fought the agency in court but lost. After almost 20 years, both homes still stand vacant beside the stagnant pond.
Now, one obstacle DOT cites as an impediment to getting rid of the parcels is a federal requirement to obtain fair-market compensation for the property, which could include proceeds from a sale or land swapped with another state agency. Morioka said his agency is bound by the requirement because DOT used federal highway money to acquire the parcels.
DOT previously had slated the two parcels for public auction, but past auction plans were deferred for various reasons.
Morioka said his agency's preference in recent years has been to transfer the property to another agency in a land swap, but other agencies were not willing because of liability and expense issues.
Two years ago the University of Hawaii and a cultural preservation group explored acquiring the property and restoring the fishpond and the homes.
UH's Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge in partnership with the nonprofit Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center planned to restore the spring and convert the homes into classrooms for research, education and cultural programs including near-shore land management, fishpond care, celestial navigation and Hawaiian language.
Maenette Benham, Hawaiinuiakea dean, anticipated being able to raise what she estimated would be about $2 million for the restoration and three years of educational program funding. But UH backed away from the plan after the Office of Hawaiian Affairs expressed interest in the fishpond. Benham said UH felt OHA would be in a better position to own the property.
OHA spokesman Lloyd Yonenaka said the organization preferred not to comment on what transpired.
Morioka said discussions with OHA and other entities including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration proved fruitless because of cost and liability concerns.
"Our only recourse is to go to public auction," he said.
But preservation and community groups fear a sale could lead to a new owner filling in the fishpond, which has cultural significance and is one of relatively few remaining fishponds on Oahu.
The pond known as Kalauhaehae, or Lucas Spring, is a registered Hawaiian fishpond on a site that was once a summer home and royal taro patch of King Kamehameha and Queen Kaahumanu, according to Chris Cramer, Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center president.
When Hara lived in the home, the 3-foot-deep pond was filled with koi, aawa, aholehole, mullet, tilapia, prawns and crabs.
Cramer's group, formed to preserve Honolulu's last remaining fishponds for community education, still hopes to play a role in preserving Kalau-haehae. But Morioka said DOT is moving ahead with a new plan to auction the parcels despite the new law.
Morioka said the agency will ask the Legislature next year to sell the parcels under a prior law that requires a two-thirds approval to sell state land. Such approval, if given, would trump Act 210.
Rep. Lyla Berg (D, Kuliouou-Niu Valley-Aina Haina), said it would be unfortunate if DOT, which did not testify on HB 1665, obtained the votes to sell the land HB 1665 intended to protect from being sold.
"It's an inconvenience for the DOT," she said. "I think they need to think a little bit more creatively. State government needs to open up their arms and their eyes and embrace the private resources that are out there."
Cramer believes Gov. Linda Lingle is in a position to find another agency to assume responsibility from DOT. However, Lingle let the bill become law without her signature, and she expressed concern that DOT would be required to keep maintaining the property after failed attempts to convince other agencies to take the fishpond.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, in testimony on HB 1665, raised another concern that the law might inhibit the fishpond parcels being sold or transferred to a private steward willing to restore the cultural asset.
Besides Kalauhaehae, the new law might affect a third residential property DOT owns in Kuliouou that includes a one-tenth interest in Kanewai fishpond connected to Paiko Lagoon.
Most other state-owned Hawaiian fishponds are ceded land that would require a two-thirds vote by the Legislature to sell. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said there is no intention to sell any other state-owned fishponds.
By Andrew Gomes
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
A community effort to preserve a small, ancient fishpond in East Honolulu won support from the Legislature, which passed a law to keep the property in state hands and away from public auction. But the state agency controlling the property is still intent on a sale.
The new law, Act 210, prohibits the sale of state-owned Hawaiian fishponds.
The law that began as House Bill 1665 targeted a 3,600-square-foot beachfront fishpond below Niu Valley shared by two long-vacant homes owned by the state Department of Transportation, which has been a reluctant owner of the site for more than a decade.
DOT acquired the property in the early 1990s as part of widening Kalanianaole Highway. And though the parcels are prime real estate, they have proved difficult for the agency to maintain, sell or transfer.
"We're not in the business of maintaining residential lots -- much less fishponds," said DOT Director Brennon Morioka.
Morioka said the agency has to deal with homeless sometimes entering the property and other maintenance issues that take resources away from DOT's mission.
"It's not a prudent use of highway funds," he said. "It's not fair to the taxpayers."
Widening Kalanianaole Highway in the early 1990s did not require DOT to condemn the two homes. The agency only needed a few feet of driveway frontage. But during construction a contractor inadvertently diverted an artesian spring that fed the pond.
One homeowner, Tad Hara, wanted DOT to repair the spring because the pond was a unique feature of his house, which was built on stilts with a glass living room floor for viewing the fishpond below.
DOT figured it would be less costly to acquire the two homes through condemnation. Hara fought the agency in court but lost. After almost 20 years, both homes still stand vacant beside the stagnant pond.
Now, one obstacle DOT cites as an impediment to getting rid of the parcels is a federal requirement to obtain fair-market compensation for the property, which could include proceeds from a sale or land swapped with another state agency. Morioka said his agency is bound by the requirement because DOT used federal highway money to acquire the parcels.
DOT previously had slated the two parcels for public auction, but past auction plans were deferred for various reasons.
Morioka said his agency's preference in recent years has been to transfer the property to another agency in a land swap, but other agencies were not willing because of liability and expense issues.
Two years ago the University of Hawaii and a cultural preservation group explored acquiring the property and restoring the fishpond and the homes.
UH's Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge in partnership with the nonprofit Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center planned to restore the spring and convert the homes into classrooms for research, education and cultural programs including near-shore land management, fishpond care, celestial navigation and Hawaiian language.
Maenette Benham, Hawaiinuiakea dean, anticipated being able to raise what she estimated would be about $2 million for the restoration and three years of educational program funding. But UH backed away from the plan after the Office of Hawaiian Affairs expressed interest in the fishpond. Benham said UH felt OHA would be in a better position to own the property.
OHA spokesman Lloyd Yonenaka said the organization preferred not to comment on what transpired.
Morioka said discussions with OHA and other entities including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration proved fruitless because of cost and liability concerns.
"Our only recourse is to go to public auction," he said.
But preservation and community groups fear a sale could lead to a new owner filling in the fishpond, which has cultural significance and is one of relatively few remaining fishponds on Oahu.
The pond known as Kalauhaehae, or Lucas Spring, is a registered Hawaiian fishpond on a site that was once a summer home and royal taro patch of King Kamehameha and Queen Kaahumanu, according to Chris Cramer, Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center president.
When Hara lived in the home, the 3-foot-deep pond was filled with koi, aawa, aholehole, mullet, tilapia, prawns and crabs.
Cramer's group, formed to preserve Honolulu's last remaining fishponds for community education, still hopes to play a role in preserving Kalau-haehae. But Morioka said DOT is moving ahead with a new plan to auction the parcels despite the new law.
Morioka said the agency will ask the Legislature next year to sell the parcels under a prior law that requires a two-thirds approval to sell state land. Such approval, if given, would trump Act 210.
Rep. Lyla Berg (D, Kuliouou-Niu Valley-Aina Haina), said it would be unfortunate if DOT, which did not testify on HB 1665, obtained the votes to sell the land HB 1665 intended to protect from being sold.
"It's an inconvenience for the DOT," she said. "I think they need to think a little bit more creatively. State government needs to open up their arms and their eyes and embrace the private resources that are out there."
Cramer believes Gov. Linda Lingle is in a position to find another agency to assume responsibility from DOT. However, Lingle let the bill become law without her signature, and she expressed concern that DOT would be required to keep maintaining the property after failed attempts to convince other agencies to take the fishpond.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, in testimony on HB 1665, raised another concern that the law might inhibit the fishpond parcels being sold or transferred to a private steward willing to restore the cultural asset.
Besides Kalauhaehae, the new law might affect a third residential property DOT owns in Kuliouou that includes a one-tenth interest in Kanewai fishpond connected to Paiko Lagoon.
Most other state-owned Hawaiian fishponds are ceded land that would require a two-thirds vote by the Legislature to sell. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said there is no intention to sell any other state-owned fishponds.
HAWAI‘I’S LEGACY LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM SEEKS
HONOLULU – The Department of Land and Natural Resources’(DLNR) Legacy Land Conservation Program (LLCP) is seeking applicants for grants from the State Land Conservation Fund to fund the protection, through acquisition, of lands having value as a resource to the State of Hawai‘i.
“The Legacy Land Conservation Program provides an annual source of funding for the acquisition and conservation of watersheds; coastal areas, beaches, and ocean access; habitat protection; cultural and historic sites; recreational and public hunting areas; parks; natural areas; agricultural production; and open spaces and scenic resources,” said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR Chairperson.
State agencies, county agencies, and non-profit land conservation organizations may apply for funding. Proposed projects may include acquisition of fee title or conservation easements. County agencies and non-profit project applicants must be able to provide at least 25 percent of the total project costs.
The 2010-2011 application cycle may provide approximately $4 million in grants, awarded through a competitive process and subject to any budget restrictions. Ten percent of the State’s land conveyance tax is set aside annually in the Land Conservation Fund for the purpose of protecting Hawai‘i’s unique and valuable resource lands. Project applications will be reviewed by the Legacy Land Conservation Commission, which will nominate projects for funding.
Projects are subject to the approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, consultation with the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, review by the Department of the Attorney General and the approval of the Governor. Final awards are subject to the availability of funds.
Earlier this year, the Board of Land and Natural Resources approved and Governor Lingle released approximately $3.3 million from the Land Conservation Fund for seven projects to acquire and protect properties that have value as natural or cultural resources to the State. The release of these State funds helped secure approximately $9.5 million in matching federal, county, and private funds toward the protection of these lands.
Since its inception in 2006, the Legacy Land Conservation Program has awarded an average of $3.4 million in grant funding per year, protecting a total of approximately 7,220 acres of lands having natural, cultural, and agricultural resource value, and leveraging a total of about $37.8 million in matching federal, private, and county funds.
Starting July 30, 2010 the 2010-2011 LLCP Grant Application and instructions are available at
http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/llcp
Applications must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on September 16, 2010.
For more information on the Legacy Land Conservation Program, please visit
http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/llcp or call (808) 586-0921.
# # #
30 second news in brief: State and county agencies, and non-profit land conservation organizations may now apply for grants from the State Land Conservation Fund to acquire lands for resource protection. Funding can be used for conservation of watersheds; coastal areas, beaches, and ocean access; habitat protection; cultural and historic sites and much more. For information, contact the Legacy Land Conservation Program at 586-0921.
For more information, media may contact:
Molly Schmidt
LLCP Program Coordinator
Phone: (808) 586-0921
Molly.e.schmidt@hawaii.gov
Deborah Ward
DLNR Public information specialist
Phone: (808) 587-0320
“The Legacy Land Conservation Program provides an annual source of funding for the acquisition and conservation of watersheds; coastal areas, beaches, and ocean access; habitat protection; cultural and historic sites; recreational and public hunting areas; parks; natural areas; agricultural production; and open spaces and scenic resources,” said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR Chairperson.
State agencies, county agencies, and non-profit land conservation organizations may apply for funding. Proposed projects may include acquisition of fee title or conservation easements. County agencies and non-profit project applicants must be able to provide at least 25 percent of the total project costs.
The 2010-2011 application cycle may provide approximately $4 million in grants, awarded through a competitive process and subject to any budget restrictions. Ten percent of the State’s land conveyance tax is set aside annually in the Land Conservation Fund for the purpose of protecting Hawai‘i’s unique and valuable resource lands. Project applications will be reviewed by the Legacy Land Conservation Commission, which will nominate projects for funding.
Projects are subject to the approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, consultation with the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, review by the Department of the Attorney General and the approval of the Governor. Final awards are subject to the availability of funds.
Earlier this year, the Board of Land and Natural Resources approved and Governor Lingle released approximately $3.3 million from the Land Conservation Fund for seven projects to acquire and protect properties that have value as natural or cultural resources to the State. The release of these State funds helped secure approximately $9.5 million in matching federal, county, and private funds toward the protection of these lands.
Since its inception in 2006, the Legacy Land Conservation Program has awarded an average of $3.4 million in grant funding per year, protecting a total of approximately 7,220 acres of lands having natural, cultural, and agricultural resource value, and leveraging a total of about $37.8 million in matching federal, private, and county funds.
Starting July 30, 2010 the 2010-2011 LLCP Grant Application and instructions are available at
http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/llcp
Applications must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on September 16, 2010.
For more information on the Legacy Land Conservation Program, please visit
http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/llcp or call (808) 586-0921.
# # #
30 second news in brief: State and county agencies, and non-profit land conservation organizations may now apply for grants from the State Land Conservation Fund to acquire lands for resource protection. Funding can be used for conservation of watersheds; coastal areas, beaches, and ocean access; habitat protection; cultural and historic sites and much more. For information, contact the Legacy Land Conservation Program at 586-0921.
For more information, media may contact:
Molly Schmidt
LLCP Program Coordinator
Phone: (808) 586-0921
Molly.e.schmidt@hawaii.gov
Deborah Ward
DLNR Public information specialist
Phone: (808) 587-0320
Get Your Hands on History at Mission Houses Museum!
Kama‘aina Family Days: Yankees and Europeans Make Hawai‘i Home
July 31, 2010
The theme of this month’s Kama‘aina Family Days at Mission Houses Museum is Yankees and Europeans Make Hawai‘i Home. Traders, sailors and missionaries added their own traditions to the culture of Hawai‘i. Try on their clothes, compare the food they brought with traditional Hawaiian foods. Play old fashioned games. The adult talk focuses on the food traditions they brought with them and those they adapted once in Hawai‘i. See the printing press in action. Sail a boat and more! Saturday, July 31. Schedule: Hands-on crafts and historical activities from 10 am to 3 pm; Keiki Story Time at 12:30 pm, Adult Talk at 1:30 pm, Historic House Tours at 11 am, 1 pm and 4 pm. Special discount rates: $5 adults; $4 seniors & kama‘aina; $3 students and youth; and $2 for activities only (no tour). Address: 553 S. King St. Contact: Mike Smola at 447-3914. For upcoming topics through the end of the year, visit http://www.missionhouses.org/ and click on programming.
Teach! Learn! Share!
Docent Training at Mission Houses Museum
Mission Houses is looking for volunteers who want to help visitors and kama‘aina alike develop a better understanding of Hawaiian history. Docents are especially needed to give tours of the historic Frame House, Print Shop and grounds. Choose from one of two sessions being offered:
Session 1: Two Thursdays, August 5 & 12 from 10 am to 1 pm
Session 2: Two Saturdays, August 7 & 14 from 10 am to 1 pm
Curious? Questions?
Contact Mike at 808-447-3914 or email him at msmola@missionhouses.org
MISSION HOUSES MUSEUM
553 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Ph (808) 447-3910 Fax (808) 545-2280
July 31, 2010
The theme of this month’s Kama‘aina Family Days at Mission Houses Museum is Yankees and Europeans Make Hawai‘i Home. Traders, sailors and missionaries added their own traditions to the culture of Hawai‘i. Try on their clothes, compare the food they brought with traditional Hawaiian foods. Play old fashioned games. The adult talk focuses on the food traditions they brought with them and those they adapted once in Hawai‘i. See the printing press in action. Sail a boat and more! Saturday, July 31. Schedule: Hands-on crafts and historical activities from 10 am to 3 pm; Keiki Story Time at 12:30 pm, Adult Talk at 1:30 pm, Historic House Tours at 11 am, 1 pm and 4 pm. Special discount rates: $5 adults; $4 seniors & kama‘aina; $3 students and youth; and $2 for activities only (no tour). Address: 553 S. King St. Contact: Mike Smola at 447-3914. For upcoming topics through the end of the year, visit http://www.missionhouses.org/ and click on programming.
Teach! Learn! Share!
Docent Training at Mission Houses Museum
Mission Houses is looking for volunteers who want to help visitors and kama‘aina alike develop a better understanding of Hawaiian history. Docents are especially needed to give tours of the historic Frame House, Print Shop and grounds. Choose from one of two sessions being offered:
Session 1: Two Thursdays, August 5 & 12 from 10 am to 1 pm
Session 2: Two Saturdays, August 7 & 14 from 10 am to 1 pm
Curious? Questions?
Contact Mike at 808-447-3914 or email him at msmola@missionhouses.org
MISSION HOUSES MUSEUM
553 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Ph (808) 447-3910 Fax (808) 545-2280
Monday, July 19, 2010
ARCHITECT HART WOOD SHOWCASED IN NEW BOOK
Authors to present illustrated talk on August 3
HONOLULU— A lavishly illustrated book has been released by University of Hawai‘i Press on the life and work of Hart Wood (1880–1957), from his beginnings in architectural offices in Denver and San Francisco to his arrival in Hawai‘i in 1919 as a partner of C. W. Dickey and eventual solo career in the Islands. HART WOOD: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii, written by Don Hibbard, Glenn Mason, and Karen Weitze, provides a well-deserved look at this influential architect. Two of the authors, Hibbard and Mason, will give a PowerPoint presentation and discuss their work, as part of Interisland Terminal’s Reed Space HNL events (see: www.interislandterminal.org).
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 3, 6:30 p.m.
• Place: Waikiki Parc Hotel, 2233 Helumoa Road, meeting room TBA
The talk is free and open to the public with free validated parking for attendees to Reed Space events, which includes the “pop-up bookstore” exhibition. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the presentation.
A leading advocate for the development of a Hawaiian style of architecture, Hart Wood incorporated local building traditions and materials in many of his projects and was the first in Hawai‘i to consciously blend Asian and Western architectural forms in his designs. Enchanted by Hawai‘i’s vivid beauty and its benevolent climate, exotic flora, and cosmopolitan culture, Wood sought to capture the aura of the Islands; and in ensuing years, its underlying essence of simplicity, comfort, and hospitality.
Hart Wood’s magnificent and graceful buildings remain critical to Hawai‘i’s architectural legacy more than fifty years after his death: the First Church of Christ Scientist on Punahou Street, the First Chinese Church on King Street, the S & G Gump Building on Waikīkī’s Kalākaua Avenue, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply Administration Building on Beretania Street, and the Alexander & Baldwin Building on Bishop Street, as well as numerous Wood residences throughout the city.
Don J. Hibbard administered the State of Hawai‘i’s historic preservation program in 1981–2002 and now works as a heritage specialist. He has written several books on Hawai‘i architecture, including The View from Diamond Head and Designing Paradise. Glenn E. Mason, AIA, heads Mason Architects in Honolulu and has published several articles and essays on Hawai‘i’s historic architecture. Karen J. Weitze is an architectural historian living in California.
Published by University of Hawai‘i Press, HART WOOD: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii is available in hardback and retails for $24.99. Books can be found at local book¬stores, or may be ordered directly from UH Press (phone: 956-8255; email: uhpbooks@hawaii.edu; or online: www.uhpress.hawaii.edu). For more information, including images from the book, contact Carol Abe at 956-8697, or email: abec@hawaii.edu.
HONOLULU— A lavishly illustrated book has been released by University of Hawai‘i Press on the life and work of Hart Wood (1880–1957), from his beginnings in architectural offices in Denver and San Francisco to his arrival in Hawai‘i in 1919 as a partner of C. W. Dickey and eventual solo career in the Islands. HART WOOD: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii, written by Don Hibbard, Glenn Mason, and Karen Weitze, provides a well-deserved look at this influential architect. Two of the authors, Hibbard and Mason, will give a PowerPoint presentation and discuss their work, as part of Interisland Terminal’s Reed Space HNL events (see: www.interislandterminal.org).
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 3, 6:30 p.m.
• Place: Waikiki Parc Hotel, 2233 Helumoa Road, meeting room TBA
The talk is free and open to the public with free validated parking for attendees to Reed Space events, which includes the “pop-up bookstore” exhibition. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the presentation.
A leading advocate for the development of a Hawaiian style of architecture, Hart Wood incorporated local building traditions and materials in many of his projects and was the first in Hawai‘i to consciously blend Asian and Western architectural forms in his designs. Enchanted by Hawai‘i’s vivid beauty and its benevolent climate, exotic flora, and cosmopolitan culture, Wood sought to capture the aura of the Islands; and in ensuing years, its underlying essence of simplicity, comfort, and hospitality.
Hart Wood’s magnificent and graceful buildings remain critical to Hawai‘i’s architectural legacy more than fifty years after his death: the First Church of Christ Scientist on Punahou Street, the First Chinese Church on King Street, the S & G Gump Building on Waikīkī’s Kalākaua Avenue, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply Administration Building on Beretania Street, and the Alexander & Baldwin Building on Bishop Street, as well as numerous Wood residences throughout the city.
Don J. Hibbard administered the State of Hawai‘i’s historic preservation program in 1981–2002 and now works as a heritage specialist. He has written several books on Hawai‘i architecture, including The View from Diamond Head and Designing Paradise. Glenn E. Mason, AIA, heads Mason Architects in Honolulu and has published several articles and essays on Hawai‘i’s historic architecture. Karen J. Weitze is an architectural historian living in California.
Published by University of Hawai‘i Press, HART WOOD: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii is available in hardback and retails for $24.99. Books can be found at local book¬stores, or may be ordered directly from UH Press (phone: 956-8255; email: uhpbooks@hawaii.edu; or online: www.uhpress.hawaii.edu). For more information, including images from the book, contact Carol Abe at 956-8697, or email: abec@hawaii.edu.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Job opening - Department of the Navy
The Department of the Navy is seeking a qualified preservation architect to serve as the Historic Preservation Officer for Navy Region Hawaii and NAVFAC Hawai‘i, based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam in Honolulu.
The position is a GS-14 (Salary Range = $88,695 - $115,301 per Annum; and a 20.94% COLA). The job is open to all US citizens. Applications will be accepted until 7/14/2010.
The job announcement may be found at https://chart.donhr.navy.mil/jobsearch/searchjobsE.asp
The announcement number is: NW0-0808-14-4B728564-HQ
The position is a GS-14 (Salary Range = $88,695 - $115,301 per Annum; and a 20.94% COLA). The job is open to all US citizens. Applications will be accepted until 7/14/2010.
The job announcement may be found at https://chart.donhr.navy.mil/jobsearch/searchjobsE.asp
The announcement number is: NW0-0808-14-4B728564-HQ
Friday, June 18, 2010
Signs highlight Pearl Harbor sites
By Pat Gee , Honolulu Star Advertiser
Nine new signs mark historically significant areas at the Pearl Harbor Naval Station, a national landmark indelibly linked with the Japanese attack that prompted the United States' entrance into World War II.
The signs were dedicated yesterday by Capt. Richard Kitchens, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam commander. They are described by the U.S. National Park Service as wayside exhibits which serve as "captions on the landscape."
Jim Neuman, Navy Region Hawaii historian, said, "There's a lot of history in Pearl Harbor that has never been talked about or properly marked. This is only a beginning; we're barely scratching the surface. ... This is for people who work here, to show them the history of the place, and for the education of visitors," he said.
Neuman came up with the idea a year ago to install the exhibits, which are 2 by 3 feet in size, and cost $50,000. They are similar to the ones used by the U.S. National Park Service around the country.
The ceremony was held at Hospital Point on a day that coincided with the 112th anniversary of President William McKinley's authorization of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps, a Navy release said.
Markers are located at:
Hospital Point: A hospital served the Pearl Harbor community here from 1917 until a new hospital opened in Aiea in 1942. The point is also home to a memorial for the crew of the USS Nevada, the only battleship to get underway during the Japanese bombing on Dec. 7, 1941.
Ford Island: A naval air station was established here in 1923 and functioned until 1962.
Coaling Station: The station, completed in 1918, provided fuel for the harbor vessels.
Marine Barracks: Puller Hall, built in 1913, is one of the oldest buildings through which thousands of Marines passed on their way to Pacific battlefields.
Shipyard: For more than 100 years the shipyard serviced Navy vessels, earning the motto, "We keep them fit to fight."
Hale Ali‘i: From about 1915 this has been a place of respite to high-ranking officers in peace and war.
Merry Point Landing: In 1840 Commodore Charles Wilkes conducted the first American survey of the inlet that would eventually become known as Pearl Harbor.
Submarine Base: A home to Pacific Fleet submarines since the 1920s and the Submarine Memorial Park.
Kuahua: Once an island, the area now known as Kuahua Peninsula has seen the transformation from ammunition storage to a supply center.
Nine new signs mark historically significant areas at the Pearl Harbor Naval Station, a national landmark indelibly linked with the Japanese attack that prompted the United States' entrance into World War II.
The signs were dedicated yesterday by Capt. Richard Kitchens, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam commander. They are described by the U.S. National Park Service as wayside exhibits which serve as "captions on the landscape."
Jim Neuman, Navy Region Hawaii historian, said, "There's a lot of history in Pearl Harbor that has never been talked about or properly marked. This is only a beginning; we're barely scratching the surface. ... This is for people who work here, to show them the history of the place, and for the education of visitors," he said.
Neuman came up with the idea a year ago to install the exhibits, which are 2 by 3 feet in size, and cost $50,000. They are similar to the ones used by the U.S. National Park Service around the country.
The ceremony was held at Hospital Point on a day that coincided with the 112th anniversary of President William McKinley's authorization of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps, a Navy release said.
Markers are located at:
Hospital Point: A hospital served the Pearl Harbor community here from 1917 until a new hospital opened in Aiea in 1942. The point is also home to a memorial for the crew of the USS Nevada, the only battleship to get underway during the Japanese bombing on Dec. 7, 1941.
Ford Island: A naval air station was established here in 1923 and functioned until 1962.
Coaling Station: The station, completed in 1918, provided fuel for the harbor vessels.
Marine Barracks: Puller Hall, built in 1913, is one of the oldest buildings through which thousands of Marines passed on their way to Pacific battlefields.
Shipyard: For more than 100 years the shipyard serviced Navy vessels, earning the motto, "We keep them fit to fight."
Hale Ali‘i: From about 1915 this has been a place of respite to high-ranking officers in peace and war.
Merry Point Landing: In 1840 Commodore Charles Wilkes conducted the first American survey of the inlet that would eventually become known as Pearl Harbor.
Submarine Base: A home to Pacific Fleet submarines since the 1920s and the Submarine Memorial Park.
Kuahua: Once an island, the area now known as Kuahua Peninsula has seen the transformation from ammunition storage to a supply center.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
National Trust Names New President
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has named Stephanie Meeks as President.
In an email to partner organizations on June 14, Cliff Hudson, president of the board of trustees, said, “I am very pleased to tell you that Stephanie Meeks, an experienced non-profit leader, has accepted our invitation to become the National Trust's eighth president. The board voted yesterday to approve the unanimous recommendation of the search committee, which I have been privileged to chair, and this morning I had the pleasure of introducing her to the staff here in Washington.”
“All of us who have met Stephanie believe she is the ideal person to lead the organization at this critical point in its history. Her long-time membership in the National Trust and unmistakable passion for our work, combined with impressive experience in leading large organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and most recently Counterpart International equips her superbly to take the National Trust to the next level of effectiveness,” said Hudson. “We are all enthusiastic about working with her in the years ahead, and I believe you will be too when you get to know her.” Meeks’ biography can be found on www.preservationnation.org.
Meeks, 45, lives with her husband and three children in Falls Church, Virginia but hails from Colorado. "It is with great enthusiasm and respect," she said, "that I look forward to joining the National Trust for Historic Preservation next month,” she said. “It is an important organization with an important mission, and I enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to build on the remarkable foundation laid by Richard Moe over the past seventeen years. Holding true to the values of preserving the nation's heritage, I hope to expand upon his work to broaden the reach of the National Trust to encompass the protection of consequential places at the heart of all of our communities. At this time in our history, we have an opportunity – and a need – to embrace what makes our individual communities unique and authentic and celebrate and preserve those qualities."
President Emeritus Richard Moe said he shares the excitement and enthusiasm surrounding Meeks’ election: "She has the perfect combination of talents and experiences to lead the National Trust and the preservation movement toward greater impact and relevance, particularly in areas like sustainability and economic development. She and the National Trust clearly have many shared values, and I look forward to working closely with her on the transition in the months ahead. I congratulate the search committee and the board for making such a superb choice, and I ask everyone in the National Trust family of friends to give Stephanie the same support you have given me, and even more. Believe me, the possibilities for the National Trust and for historic preservation are unlimited."
Meeks will assume office at the Trust in July.
In an email to partner organizations on June 14, Cliff Hudson, president of the board of trustees, said, “I am very pleased to tell you that Stephanie Meeks, an experienced non-profit leader, has accepted our invitation to become the National Trust's eighth president. The board voted yesterday to approve the unanimous recommendation of the search committee, which I have been privileged to chair, and this morning I had the pleasure of introducing her to the staff here in Washington.”
“All of us who have met Stephanie believe she is the ideal person to lead the organization at this critical point in its history. Her long-time membership in the National Trust and unmistakable passion for our work, combined with impressive experience in leading large organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and most recently Counterpart International equips her superbly to take the National Trust to the next level of effectiveness,” said Hudson. “We are all enthusiastic about working with her in the years ahead, and I believe you will be too when you get to know her.” Meeks’ biography can be found on www.preservationnation.org.
Meeks, 45, lives with her husband and three children in Falls Church, Virginia but hails from Colorado. "It is with great enthusiasm and respect," she said, "that I look forward to joining the National Trust for Historic Preservation next month,” she said. “It is an important organization with an important mission, and I enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to build on the remarkable foundation laid by Richard Moe over the past seventeen years. Holding true to the values of preserving the nation's heritage, I hope to expand upon his work to broaden the reach of the National Trust to encompass the protection of consequential places at the heart of all of our communities. At this time in our history, we have an opportunity – and a need – to embrace what makes our individual communities unique and authentic and celebrate and preserve those qualities."
President Emeritus Richard Moe said he shares the excitement and enthusiasm surrounding Meeks’ election: "She has the perfect combination of talents and experiences to lead the National Trust and the preservation movement toward greater impact and relevance, particularly in areas like sustainability and economic development. She and the National Trust clearly have many shared values, and I look forward to working closely with her on the transition in the months ahead. I congratulate the search committee and the board for making such a superb choice, and I ask everyone in the National Trust family of friends to give Stephanie the same support you have given me, and even more. Believe me, the possibilities for the National Trust and for historic preservation are unlimited."
Meeks will assume office at the Trust in July.
Toothman Named NPS Cultural Resources Director
The National Park Service (NPS) named Stephanie Toothman, PhD to be Associate Director for Cultural Resources. NPS director Jonathan Jarvis spoke of Toothman’s “…enviable knowledge of cultural resources, strong leadership skills, and long history of developing and maintaining successful partnerships…” As Associate Director, Toothman will be responsible for the management of all historic and cultural properties within the national park system, as well as the administration of dozens of programs including but not limited to grants, tax credit programs, outreach, documentation programs like the National Register of Historic Places and HABS, guidelines and standards, Section 106 and NAGPRA.
Toothman is a 32 year veteran of the National Park Service, serving most recently as the Chief of Cultural Resources in the Pacific West.
The position of associate director for cultural resources, previously held by Jan Matthews, has been vacant since December 2009.
Toothman is a 32 year veteran of the National Park Service, serving most recently as the Chief of Cultural Resources in the Pacific West.
The position of associate director for cultural resources, previously held by Jan Matthews, has been vacant since December 2009.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Feds to restore Midway hangar
By Audrey McAvoy
Associated Press
The federal government plans to spend several million dollars restoring a historic seaplane hangar that played a key role in the Battle of Midway during World War II.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which runs a nature reserve at the remote atoll of Midway 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu, announced the plan yesterday on the 68th anniversary of the battle.
"This is an iconic symbol of the Battle of Midway," said Barbara Maxfield, a Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman. "We have an obligation to those veterans and their families ... to save what we can."
The battle took place seven months after Japan's Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. naval forces crushed a Japanese attempt to seize the strategic island, marking a turning point in the war against Japan.
A Japanese victory would have made Hawai'i and even the U.S. West Coast vulnerable to attack. Instead, the U.S. sank four Japanese aircraft carriers.
The hangar housed amphibious planes that spotted Japanese ships nearing Midway during a scouting patrol mission before the battle. This helped the U.S. prepare for the Japanese navy's arrival.
The hangar was hit twice during the war, once on the night of the Pearl Harbor attack and then again during the June 1942 battle.
The Fish and Wildlife Service uses the hangar today to store construction materials, large vehicles and cranes it uses to offload vessels.
The building is missing windows and its roof has holes, allowing rain and saltwater to leak inside.
The agency says it needs to make the roof watertight and remove some hangar doors so a wall can be stabilized. It also must remove asbestos and lead paint.
"The time is now for this structure or we may lose it," Maxfield said.
The agency expects to complete a detailed restoration plan this year, while the repair work itself is due to start next year.
Maxfield said the agency isn't sure exactly how much the restoration will cost, but estimates the total will be several million dollars.
Associated Press
The federal government plans to spend several million dollars restoring a historic seaplane hangar that played a key role in the Battle of Midway during World War II.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which runs a nature reserve at the remote atoll of Midway 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu, announced the plan yesterday on the 68th anniversary of the battle.
"This is an iconic symbol of the Battle of Midway," said Barbara Maxfield, a Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman. "We have an obligation to those veterans and their families ... to save what we can."
The battle took place seven months after Japan's Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. naval forces crushed a Japanese attempt to seize the strategic island, marking a turning point in the war against Japan.
A Japanese victory would have made Hawai'i and even the U.S. West Coast vulnerable to attack. Instead, the U.S. sank four Japanese aircraft carriers.
The hangar housed amphibious planes that spotted Japanese ships nearing Midway during a scouting patrol mission before the battle. This helped the U.S. prepare for the Japanese navy's arrival.
The hangar was hit twice during the war, once on the night of the Pearl Harbor attack and then again during the June 1942 battle.
The Fish and Wildlife Service uses the hangar today to store construction materials, large vehicles and cranes it uses to offload vessels.
The building is missing windows and its roof has holes, allowing rain and saltwater to leak inside.
The agency says it needs to make the roof watertight and remove some hangar doors so a wall can be stabilized. It also must remove asbestos and lead paint.
"The time is now for this structure or we may lose it," Maxfield said.
The agency expects to complete a detailed restoration plan this year, while the repair work itself is due to start next year.
Maxfield said the agency isn't sure exactly how much the restoration will cost, but estimates the total will be several million dollars.
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