New A-3D Skywarrior Makes Final Landing at Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor

An A-3D Skywarrior, also called the “Whale” because of its immense size, arrived at Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. It became the 30^th aircraft to join the Museum’s growing collection. It will be restored and put on display in Hangar 79. VIP guests will view it at a special “Whale of an Evening” reception at the Museum tonight, Friday, March 8.

A-3D Skywarrior makes it's final landing

On June 21, 2011, Raytheon flew Skywarrior #144867 from Van Nuys Airport, Van Nuys, California to the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego, California. On February 3, 2012, the Whale started its journey to its next place in history at Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, Ford Island, Hawaii. The USS Midway Museum assisted.

A-3D Skywarrior moved into place

The Skywarriors were first used as tactical nuclear bombers and were the heaviest aircraft ever to be operational on the Navy’s aircraft carriers.

A-3D Skywarrior on an aircraft carrier deck

“This Skywarrior was removed from active Navy service in October 1968 and was on loan to Hughes Aircraft, now Raytheon, for radar and avionics testing for the Grumman F-14 program and as a B-2A Spirit Stealth Bomber avionics test bed,” said Museum Executive Director Kenneth DeHoff. “It has quite a history and we’re pleased to give it a new home.”

Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Its mission is to develop and maintain an internationally recognized aviation museum on historic Ford Island that educates young and old alike, honors aviators and their support personnel who defended freedom in The Pacific Region, and to preserve Pacific aviation history.

The Museum, located at 319 Lexington Boulevard in Hangars 37 and 79 on Historic Ford Island at Pearl Harbor, recently, was ranked one of the “top ten aviation attractions” nationally by TripAdvisor. The Museum is accessed by air-conditioned shuttle buses from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Phone (808) 441-1000 or visit www.PacificAviationMuseum.org for tickets and more information.

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Hawaii House Finance Budgets $12 Million to Assist with Kaua’i Flood Damages

Following several days of heavy rains, flooding and sewage spills on the island of Kaua’i, the House Finance Committee today set aside $12 million for the state to repair and rebuild harbors, highways, and restore public lands that were damaged by the storms.

Governor Abercrombie declared an emergency for Kaua’i and Oahu yesterday.  The budget appropriation is essentially a placeholder to prepare for funding requests once a damage assessment is completed.  At this time, the $12 million includes $5 million for public highways, $5 million for state harbors, and $2 million for state land and natural resources.

“Chair Marcus Oshiro and the House Finance committee responded immediately to the heavy damage that our island took during the recent storms,” said Rep. Derek Kawakami (District 14 –   Hanalei, Princeville, Kilauea, Anahola, Kapaa, Wailua).

“We have been working closely with Senator Ronald Kouchi (District 7-Kaua’i, Ni’ihau) and Mayor Bernard Carvalho (County of Kaua’i) to help repair the damage and bring some normalcy back to our island,” Rep. James Tokioka said, “and we are grateful to House Speaker Calvin Say, the House Leadership team and our Finance colleagues for their support.”  Rep. James Kunane Tokioka (District 15- Lihue, Koloa) and Rep. Dee Morikawa (District 16 – Niihau, Lehua, Koloa, Waimea) serve on the House Finance Committee with Rep. Kawakami.

“The amount of heartfelt concern echoed through the hallways of the State Capitol and in the Finance Committee conference room, as fellow colleagues from across the state expressed their care and concern for the well-being and safety of the Kauai community,” added Rep. Kawakami.

Big Island Police Searching for a Missing 28-Year-Old Hilo Woman

Big Island police are searching for a 28-year-old Hilo woman who was reported missing.

Kimberly Leinaala Mattos, also known as Kimberly Aki

Kimberly Leinaala Mattos, also known as Kimberly Aki, was last seen at her Hoʻohua Street home around 10 a.m. Wednesday (March 7). She was last seen wearing blue denim jeans, brown sandals and a faded salmon top with floral designs.

She has a medical condition that requires medication.

She is described as Hawaiian, 5-foot-4, 150 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

She has a large tattoo on her lower left leg, a tattoo on the top of her right foot, a tattoo of a strand of leaves around her right bicep, a tattoo of a flower on her left chest area, a tattoo with the name “Eric” on her upper back, a tattoo of a single rose on the back of each shoulder, and a tattoo of colorful flower on her upper right outer thigh.

She was last seen operating a cream-colored 2005 Nissan Altima 4-door sedan with license plate HFE 225. The driver’s side front headlight lens is cracked and partially secured with transparent tape.

Police ask that anyone with information on her whereabouts contact Detective Joel Field at 961-2381 or by email at jfield@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential

Kona Community Hospital to Roll Out New Mobile Medical Van

An effort to bring health care to Big Island communities with limited resources is growing larger by the day.  Rep. Robert Herkes has enlisted the help of Ka‘u community leader Auntie Jessie Marques and the Ka‘u Rural Health Community Association (KRHCAI) as he and the Kona Community Hospital get ready to roll out a new mobile medical van.

“The van will provide physical, mobile access to care,” said Herkes. “Auntie Jessie and her team will supplement those efforts through virtual care.”

The 32 ½ foot van is being blessed this Saturday in a noon ceremony at the Kona Community Hospital. Appropriately named Ka‘a Ho‘ōla, the van will focus on “growing rural health care” in South Kona. Initially, it will target school-age children by offering vaccinations, immunizations, and school physicals. Eventually, the van will reach out to other residents to provide urgent care services, health education, and disaster relief during an emergency.

Kona Community Hospital will own and operate the van, which, thanks to the efforts of Rep. Herkes and the Legislature, is equipped with wireless tele-health capabilities. Using HMSA’s Online Care, staff will be able to provide patients with access to medical specialists when needed. KRHCAI will enhance those efforts by welcoming residents to its resource center in Pahala and offering guidance in using Online Care.

Off Shore Wind Power in Hawaii a Possibilty in the Near Future

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held its first offshore renewable energy task force meeting with the state of Hawaii yesterday.

This inter-governmental task force was established to facilitate communication between BOEM and state, local, Native Hawaiian and federal stakeholders concerning renewable energy leasing for research activities and commercial development on federal submerged lands, known as the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), offshore Hawaii.

The task force includes state government officials designated by the governor and officials from relevant federal agencies, as well as local government officials.

“BOEM created this task force at Governor Abercrombie’s request to coordinate and consult with the State of Hawaii and others on potential renewable energy activities on the OCS offshore Hawaii,” said BOEM Director Tommy P. Beaudreau. “Working closely with stakeholders will allow us to identify and address issues relating to future offshore renewable energy leasing and development in a way that is smart from the start and supports Hawaii’s clean energy goals.”

“Hawaii is home to a wide range of natural energy resources and is fast becoming a major test bed for innovative alternative and renewable energy projects,” said Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie. “This inter-governmental task force will encourage development of Hawaii’s offshore alternative energy options to lessen our islands’ dependence on foreign oil, provide a bridge to a fully realized renewable energy future, and allow more clean energy projects – and the quality jobs that come with them – to come to fruition.”

The task force meeting included an overview of existing regulatory processes and discussions on how best to complement Hawaii’s Clean Energy Initiative when considering renewable energy development on the OCS, which starts three-miles from the coast. The initiative established the goal of transforming Hawaii’s energy supply to 70 percent clean energy by 2030.

In April 2009, President Barack Obama and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the final framework for renewable energy development on the OCS. This framework establishes the process BOEM uses for granting leases, easements and rights-of-way for offshore renewable energy development activities, such as the siting and construction of renewable energy facilities on the OCS. The framework also allows for BOEM to use task forces in carrying out its responsibilities for authorizing OCS renewable energy activities in partnership with state, local and federal agencies and tribal governments.

Elsewhere, BOEM has established renewable energy task forces with Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.