About Town | 6-18-14

USPS contract station opens Friday

USPS contract station opens Friday

A new community U.S. Postal Service Village Post Office will open for service Friday on Alii Drive. The contract station will be located in the Kona Pony Coffee Shops at Alii Gardens Marketplace, 75-6129 Alii Drive in Kailua Kona.

Designed as a convenient way for residents and visitors to handle mailing of flat rate USPS Priority Mail packages, purchase postage stamps and pick up USPS flat rate boxes and envelopes, residents may also drop of packages with Click and Ship postage they have printed out on their home computers.

Hours will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Concert seeks to register voters

Hawane Rios and Hawaii Center for Food Safety are teaming up to present a free concert event to celebrate and save home rule and to register voters for the primary election. The event, free to registered voters, includes performances by The Steppas, Hawane Rios, Firewoman and Sonny Lim. The event is also free to those 18 and younger.

The concert is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Thelma Parker Gym at Waimea Middle School, 67-1209 Mamalahoa Highway, Waimea. Community groups will be set up to educate about related issues and to register voters. Local artisans and crafts will also be on sale.

For more information, visit Facebook.com/events/411804638958393, call Hawaii Center for Food Safety at 681-7688 or contact Kasha Ho at kho@centerforfoodsafety.org.

League sponsors candidate forum

The League of Women Voters of Hawaii County will host a forum for candidates running for County Council District 6 and state representative District 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Christ Church Episcopal on Konawaena School Road, Kealakekua.

Sherry Bracken will moderate. Written questions will be solicited from the audience.

Council candidates will be on from 1 to 1:45 p.m., followed by state represenative candidates at 2 p.m. Candidates have been encouraged to attend both forums and to talk with attendees after each forum.

All three Council District 6 candidates will be present. Richard E. (Ric) Abbett, Maile David-Medeiros and Jim D. Wilson are vying for the seat now held by Brenda Ford who faces term limits. District 6 encompasses a portion of North Kona, South Kona, Ka‘u and the Greater Volcano Area.

There are five candidates for state House District 5: Dave Bateman (R), Richard Creagan (D), Jon LaLanne (L), Gene “Bucky” Leslie (D) and Randy Ruis (N). At this time, LaLanne and Ruis have scheduling conflicts and will not appear. House District 5 includes Ka‘u (Naalehu, Kahuku,, South Kona (Milolii, Ocean View, Captain Cook, Kealakekua) and parts of North Kona (Kainaliu, Keauhou, Alii Drive to Royal Poinciana and the Kona Vista/Sunset area below Lako).

The public is invited. Contact Donna at 884-5299 or donnaoba@gmail.com for more information.

Camp Tarawa Detachment plans barbecue luncheon

The Camp Tarawa Detachment 1255 of the Marine Corps League invites members of the military past and present and their guests to its annual barbecue potluck luncheon to be held Saturday at Spencer Beach Park. The gathering from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will provide an opportunity for the community to learn about the detachment’s mission to keep alive the history of Camp Tarawa.

Membership in the Detachment is open to active, reserve or retired Marines and Navy corpsmen. Associate membership is available for any individual who has an interest in military history, especially that of Hawaii Island during World War II.

The detachment will provide hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, condiments, water and paper products. Those attending should bring their own beverage and an appetizer, salad, side dish or dessert to share.

Contact Dale Ross at daleross@hawaiiantel.net or Kathy Painton at 880-9880 for a reservation.

Natural hazards prep workshop set

A free workshop about protecting family and property from natural hazards will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the North Hawaii Education and Research Center conference room in Honokaa.

NOAA is forecating severe weather so conversation will address emergency supplies and evacuation planning, earthquake retrofits, hurricane clips, window protection, roofing and solar.

This workshop is sponsored by Rep. Mark Nakashima, Sen. Malama Solomon and Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter. It is supported by Hawaii County Civil Defense, National Weather Service, NOAA, University of Hawaii Sea Grant and University of Hawaii at Hilo. Refreshments will be served.

Call 974-4000, ext. 66680, for more information.

VFW Auxiliary meets Saturday

The Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12122 will meet at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Veterans Center.

For more information, contact Beverly Skarnes at 329-6261.

AARP driver safety class offered

An AARP Smart Driver class will be held at 1 p.m. June 23 at the Palisades Recreation Center on lower Kaiminani Drive.

This class is geared toward the older driver. It does not include driving or written tests. It covers subjects that may affect drivers as they age such as hearing, eye sight and reflexes. Participants may receive a discount on their car insurance.

For more information or to register, call Reni and Roy Damron at 325-5422. Class size is limited so please register early.