January 24, 2014
Governor Appoints Richard Creagan to State House
From the office of Governor Neil Abercrombie:
Jan. 10, 2014
HONOLULU - Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Richard P. Creagan, M.D. to the state House of Representatives for Hawaii's Fifth Representative District, a seat recently left vacant by the resignation of Rep. Denny Coffman. The appointment is effective immediately and for the balance of the term.
"Richard's diverse experience as a physician, researcher, farmer, Peace Corps volunteer and educator will contribute greatly to his service to the people of Hawaii," Gov. Abercrombie said. "I look forward to working with Richard as a member of Hawaii's House of Representatives."
Dr. Creagan first came to Hawaii in 1966 and trained for the Peace Corps on Molokai for two months. He then served as a Health Care Worker in the Marshall Islands for two years. He speaks fluent Marshallese. A resident of Naalehu on Hawaii Island, Dr. Creagan is vice-president of Kiolakaa Mountain Farms, which he founded in 1994 with his wife, Marilyn, who works as a labor and delivery nurse at Kona Community Hospital.
As a residency trained and board certified emergency physician, Dr. Creagan worked for 10 years in California prior to moving to Hawaii full-time 23 years ago. Since then, he has worked in the Emergency Department and served as vice-chief of staff at Kona Community Hospital, worked as a Hawaii Department of Health bioterrorism preparedness epidemiologic investigator monitoring disease outbreaks, and helped found and run Hualalai Urgent Care.
Before his medical career, Dr. Creagan was a student and human genetics researcher at Yale University and the University of Connecticut Medical Center. He later helped found and run San Francisco-based AGRI, a firm which focused on animal vaccines and human blood products. The start-up company was eventually bought after five years, which facilitated his move to Hawaii.
As an educator, Dr. Creagan has assisted in teaching junior scientists at Yale and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He taught English as a Peace Corps volunteer, seventh and eighth grade math and science in Pittsburgh, and tutored students in English at Naalehu Elementary School.
Dr. Creagan graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's degree in biology and then with an M.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He recently returned to school and earned a Certificate in Plant Tissue Culture in 2005 and a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2009 from the University of Hawaii at Hilo.View full article
September 19, 2016
Free legal clinic in Ka'u and Na'alehu -- Saturday, Sept 24
The Senior Counsel Division of the Hawaii State Bar Association will be holding a FREE legal clinic in Na'alehu and Ka'u to provide legal information to the people of the island of Hawaii. We encourage you to take advantage of this great opportunity and resource!
Na'alehu Community Center
95-5635 Mamalahoa Highway, Na'alehu
Time: 9:00am to 1:30pm
Ka'u Rural Health Community Association, Inc.
Ka'u Resource & Distance Learning Center
96-3126 Puahala Street, Pahala
Time: 9:00am to 11:00am
May 10, 2016
Additional Moorings for Keauhou Bay No Longer Proposed
(HONOLULU) - The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and its Division of Boating and Recreation (DOBOR) announced today its decision to select the "no-action" option in a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed Keauhou Bay Offshore Moorings project.
Considerable public interest and input during the review process of the potential for adding moorings in Keauhou Bay on the Kona side of Hawaii Island informed DLNR's decision to no longer pursue additional moorings.
The proposal involved the replacement of nine (9) existing offshore moorings with up to sixteen (16) new offshore moorings. After receiving feedback at community meetings, DLNR/DOBOR concluded that adding more moorings in the bay would not provide sufficient community benefit.
"After hearing from many people about this proposal as well as personal site visits by DLNR and DOBOR leadership to review the situation, I am confident that it is in the best interest of all users of Keauhou Bay that we not add additional moorings" said DLNR Chair Suzanne Case.
While the Draft EA found that there would be no significant environmental impacts from the project or any of its proposed alternatives, DLNR decided not to pursue the project due to community concerns over public safety and congestion. These included added user traffic in the bay; impacts to cultural practices such as outrigger canoe paddling and traditional subsistence fishing; and the overall cost of the project to state taxpayers.
Charged with oversight of small boat harbors across the state, DOBOR has the responsibility of seeking to enhance existing public boating access areas, as well as establish new facilities when deemed feasible.
"We thank people for their continued engagement with this proposed project over the years. While we have decided not to pursue additional moorings, we still need to be sure that the existing moorings are compliant with all regulations. We will work with the mooring permit holders to be sure this is done" said Ed Underwood, DOBOR Administrator.
DOBOR will file the "no-action" option outlined in the Draft EA with the Hawaii Office of Environmental Quality Control this week.
To view press release, see: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2016/05/06/nr16-079/
May 10, 2016
Tropic Care 2016 to offer FREE health services
Save the date for Tropic Care 2016!
Tropic Care is a Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training operation which provides military reservists with real world rapid deployment training. In collaboration with the Department of Health and the County of Hawaii, Tropic Care will offer a number of FREE medical services on the Big Island in May and June, as follows:
May 31 - June 4: Ka'u High School, Ocean View Community Center
June 7 - June 11: Kea'au High School
Hours are 8:30am-3pm on Tuesdays thru Fridays, and 8:30am-12pm on Saturdays.
Free medical services include:
Medical Health Screenings
Schools Sports Physicals
Dental Services
Eye Exams
Hearings Screenings
Nutritional Services
Veteran Services
Prescription Eye Glasses
April 29, 2016
Funds for District 5 (FY2017) announced
Mahalo to the Finance and Ways and Means Committees for allocating much needed resources to District 5!
• Friends of Kona Pacific Public Charter School - $171,000
• Hawai'i Community College at Palamanui, Hawai'i - $300,000
• Holualoa Foundation for Art & Culture - $35,000
• Ka'u High School - $150,000
• Kona Historical Society - $150,000
• Konawaena High School - $335,000
• La'i'opua 2020 - $1,199,843
• Na'alehu Elementary School - $290,000
• University Hospital Feasibility Study - $500,000
April 25, 2016
The State Legislature is currently in its period of negotiations called "conference"
The state legislature is currently in its period of negotiations called "conference." Learn more about conference and our fast-approaching deadlines in the latest newsletter from the Public Access Room, seen here: http://lrbhawaii.org/par/pub/nl0416.pdf
Mahalo!
April 25, 2016
The Executive Office on Early Learning is accepting applications
The Executive Office on Early Learning is accepting applications for free pre-kindergarten classes for the 2016-17 school year. Eligible schools in House District 5 (and their contact number) are:
Ho'okena Elementary (808) 328-2710
Konawaena Elementary (808) 323-4555
Na'alehu Elementary (808) 939-2413
http://earlylearning.hawaii.gov/doe-eoel-prekindergarten-program/
April 25, 2016
Safeguarding Hawai'i Island School Gardens Against Rat Lungworm Disease
University of Hawai'i at Hilo graduate Kay Howe and the Hawai'i Island Rat Lungworm Working Group have collaborated with five Hawai'i Island Schools this year to implement integrated pest management plans to control invasive slugs and snails. View flyer
February 26, 2014
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Announces VA Home Loans for Hawai'i Island Residents
An updated policy will now allow veterans on the island of Hawai'i to purchase homes served by rainwater catchments. Through the combined effort of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Health (DOH), loans will now be available to Hawai'i Island veterans looking to purchase a home. The change in policy also affects the families of veterans and those looking to refinance the homes they already own. Previously, rainwater catchment systems were deemed unfit for domestic use by the DOH, which in turn kept veterans and their families from being able to access their benefits.View full article
January 30, 2014
$1.5million released for Manuka Natural Area Reserve
Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced the release $1,500,000 for the Manuka Natural Area Reserve on Hawaii Island. These funds will be used towards the construction of an ungulate-proof boundary fence aimed to protect approximately 24,000 acres of watershed, dry forest, and many critically endangered plants and animals.View full article