Jury duty complaint
Jury duty complaint
Judiciary responds
Joseph Maria is right when, in his Oct. 29, letter to the editor, he wrote about the lack of parking spaces available for people summoned for jury service and that the designated parking area is unpaved.
We are acutely aware that the Halekii Street facility, as well as the other court facilities in West Hawaii, are problematic in many ways — not the least of which is a lack of public parking — and that a new courthouse is sorely needed.
A new court complex designed to meet the anticipated needs of West Hawaii’s growing population through 2030 and beyond is a priority for Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald and Chief Judge Ronald Ibarra.
Earlier this year, after an extensive environmental review of seven candidate sites, a 10-acre parcel at the intersection of Kealakehe Parkway and Ane Keohokalole Highway was selected by the Chief Justice as the site for a new judiciary complex. Preliminary plans call for the construction of a 142,000 square-foot facility with ample parking to be completed in 2017.
Marsha E. Kitagawa
Communications & Community Relations Office
Hawaii State Judiciary
Keauhou Beach Hotel
Respecting the aina is a great thing to do
Returning the aina to the original past is really a great thing to do for the crown lands of Keauhou. Restoring the heiau to their originality shows great respect, as well.
I’ve been in Kona for some time and here are some fun memories: I used to work banquets at Keauhou Beach Hotel and sometimes we would do a function at the “Tiki Longhouse,” an outbuilding just mauka of the entrance to Kona Lagoon Hotel, which was next to Keauhou Beach Hotel in the past. We did this one function where the roof was leaking, I mean leaking all over the place, yet the function or concert went on. No one complained and the show went on. The roof was an old wood shake roof and it was in need of a new one. I also remember going to a few bars in Kona at that time on weekends and then ending up at CJs out on the oceanside of Kona Lagoon Hotel because it would stay open until 4 a.m.
First we would go to “Ah Dunno” bar in the old industrial area, then to “Jolly Roger,” (where Bubba Gump’s is now) then we would walk to “Huggos” inside restaurant for dancing, since the outside bar was not open yet. It was nice since there was nothing yet built across the street where Lulu’s, Bongo Ben’s, Humpy’s and Outback are now.
I am also thankful to have been able to have surfed over at Drainpipe for five years on the Puna side of the island before Pele ate up six surf spots over there. I’ll never forget surfing one morning at drains and watching the volcano erupting from the original cone at the same time, which it does not do anymore.
Long Live Keauhou Beach Hotel memories and God bless the Big Isle.
Henry Scroggin
Kailua-Kona