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Photography by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

The majority of humpback in the North Pacific migrate to the main Hawaiian islands each year between November through May.

The round-trip distance they travel during this annual migration from their feeding grounds in Alaskan waters is approximately 4,000 miles, one of the longest migration distances of any animal species. And, considering a humpback in the wild lives between 30 and 40 years, that’s a lot of commuting!

During their stay in Hawaii, they do not feed, but rely on energy stored in their blubber. Near the islands, the whales devote most of their time to mating and giving birth to calves.

A mature humpback whale measures about 45 feet in length and can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Their calves weigh around 3,000 pounds at birth and nourish off their mother’s high-fat milk for six to eight months, consuming 100 to 130 gallons per day.

Studies indicate whale-watching tours attract about 1 million passengers each year, contributing more than $80 million to the state’s coffers.

— Find out more:
hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov

A humpback whale shows off March 14, 2010 in Hilo Bay. (Photography special to Hawaii 24/7 by Brad Ballesteros)

A free concert at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa featuring: Halau O Kekuhi, Holunape, traditional Hawaiian Music under the stars, Amy Hanaili’i Gilliom and Mana’o Company!

4:30 Halau O Kekuhi
5:30 p.m. Holunape
6:30 p.m. Traditional Hawaiian music under the stars
8 p.m. Amy Hanaialii Gillion
9 p.m. Manao Company

MEDIA RELEASE

The South Kona Green Market will host Dr. William Shock, Lisa Shock, and Gene Nolin for an informative community education event 10 am.-2 p.m. Sunday, March 14 at the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook.

Centered on Biodynamic Agricultural Practices, the workshop will feature a scientific approach to sustainable soil enrichment. Learn how to cut your fertilizer costs while increasing your crop yields. By building soil, the land benefits year after year. There will be demonstrations, talks, and question and answer periods with the opportunity to develop your own plan.

Shock is a retired large animal veterinarian who grows berries and medicinal herbs biodynamiclally with his wife Lisa. Their current focus is sustainable agricultural and etheric formative forces. Gene Nolin is a West Hawaii resident and nationally known soil and crop consultant (www.livingsoils.com) specializing in biological practices designed to maximize soil nutrition and crop yield.

“This is a terrific opportunity for our community,” SKGM manager Tim Bruno said. “Utilizing natural, biological processes to improve soil health and create a sustainable method for feeding our crops is squarely within our Market’s mission. We had to jump at the chance to get such knowledgeable experts to speak with us.”

The South Kona Green Market is 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Sunday at the Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook. The SKGM provides a place to educate, connect, and support a sustainable island community through locally produced agricultural and hand-crafted products.

— Find out more:
www.skgm.org

MEDIA RELEASE

Alaska Airlines inaugural Oakland-Kona flight arrives Tuesday at Kona International Airport. (Photo courtesy BIVB)

Alaska Airlines today will inaugurate thrice-weekly service between San Jose, Calif., and Kahului, Maui, and four-times-weekly service between San Jose and Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii starting March 12, 2010.

The airline is offering introductory one-way fares of $179 between San Jose-Maui and San Jose-Kona for tickets purchased by March 18, 2010. Additionally, travelers can save up to $550 on Hawaii Vacation Packages purchased by April 4, 2010. The new flights are available for purchase online at alaskaair.com or by calling (800) ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522 or TTY/TDD line 800-392-0228).

“Known for their beautiful beaches and stunning sunsets, the Hawaiian Islands are among our most popular leisure vacation destinations,” said Steve Jarvis, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of marketing, sales and customer experience. “In just two years, Hawaii has become a major part of our route network, and we’re pleased to expand our Bay Area service.”

Alaska began service to Hawaii in October 2007. With the new service from San Jose and flights between Sacramento, Calif., and Maui starting March 26, the airline offers 73 flights a week to four Hawaiian Islands.

Summary of new service:

Start date City pair        Departure     Arrival	Day of week
Mar 11	   San Jose-Maui     7:30 a.m.    11:05 a.m.*	Tues, Thur, Sun
Mar 11	   Maui-San Jose    12:05 p.m.*    7:15 p.m.	Tues, Thur, Sun
Mar 12	   San Jose-Kona     7:30 a.m.    11:20 a.m.*	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
Mar 12     Kona-San Jose    12:20 p.m.*    7:35 p.m.	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
Mar 26	   Sacramento-Maui   8:15 a.m.    10:50 a.m.	Daily
Mar 26	   Maui-Sacramento  11:50 a.m.+	  8 p.m.+	Daily

Times are based on local time zones

*Beginning March 14, time of flight will be one hour earlier due to Daylight Savings Time, which is not observed in Hawaii.
+Schedule changes April 11, 2010. See alaskaair.com for details.

“Travelers in our community have been asking for Maui and Kona flights for a long time, and we’re delighted that Alaska Airlines now will begin service in response to that interest,” said Bill Sherry, Mineta San Jose International Airport director of aviation. “We’re looking forward to working with Alaska to make their new Hawaii service a great success.”

Alaska will operate the new flights with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, accommodating 16 passengers in first class and 141 in the main cabin. All flights will offer Hawaiian-themed beverages and meal service. Customers in the main cabin will be offered complimentary Mauna Loa macadamia nuts and a complimentary Mai Tai or POG juice, as well as a Hawaiian-themed meal-for-purchase option for $6.

Inflight service also will include Alaska Airlines’ digEplayer, a personal entertainment system offering a variety of movies, television shows, music and other features.

Alaska Airlines Vacations offers a full line of vacation packages for travel to the islands of Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii. Packages include air transportation, hotel accommodations, ground transportation and tours. For more information about Alaska Airlines Vacations, visit alaskaair.com/vacations

Kealakekua brush fire, Tuesday, Dec. 29 (Photo courtesty The Mayor's Office)

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday, March 11th, 6:30 PM at the Konawaena Elementary School

In the wake the forest fire of last month which devastated over 1,800 acres of land in Kealakekua, the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) is preparing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for South Kona.

The Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization is a non-profit which was founded in 2002 by a diverse group of stakeholders, who came together to develop simple, effective strategies to mitigate wildfire threats in Hawaii.

To protect the community from the threat of future fires, HWMO is collaborating with the Hawaii County Fire Department, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Department, and the State Department of Land and Natural Resources to draft a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

The CWPP will be a collaborative plan to address wildfire threats in the South Kona community. The process involves gathering community input, and developing solutions to mitigate wildfires. HWMO encourages residents to learn more, and is hosting a meeting March 11 at the Konawaena Elementary School beginning at 6:30 PM.

For more information on how to get involved, contact Gail Byrne, Executive Director of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, at (808) 938-8880

MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of March 1, 2010, through March 7, 2010, Big Island police arrested 23 motorists for drunk driving. Seven of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. Five were under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 294 DUI arrests compared with 235 during the same period last year, an increase of 25.1 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

DUI Arrests by District
District	Weekly Total	Year to Date

Hāmākua 	0		3
North Hilo	0		1
South Hilo	6		88
Puna    	2		31
Ka'ū    	0		11
Kona    	14		128
South Kohala	1		30
North Kohala	0		2

Island Total	23		294

There have been 247 major accidents so far this year compared with 313 during the same period last year, a decrease of 21.1 percent.

So far this year, there were eight traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with four during the same period last year, an increase of 100 percent.

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

UPDATED MEDIA RELEASE (3/4/10)

Kory Une

Kory S. Une, 27, was charged at 4 p.m. Wednesday (March 3) with unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and third-degree theft.

On Tuesday (March 2) Kona patrol officers responded to an 1:11 p.m. report of a man entering a sedan near the Lyman’s surf area on Ali’i Drive. A witness reported that the man removed a fanny pack and baseball cap from the car and then left the area in a green sports-utility vehicle. Police obtained a license plate number of the SUV and a description of the suspect.

A half-hour later, officers located the SUV at the Kahalu’u state housing complex and arrested Une.

Police recovered the baseball cap and the fanny pack but not all of its contents.

Une remains in the Kona police cell block in lieu of $1,500 bail pending his initial court appearance Thursday (March 4).

MEDIA RELEASE (3/3/10)

A Hilo man was arrested Tuesday (March 2) in connection with an unlawful entry into a motor vehicle in Kona.

Kona patrol officers responded to an 1:11 p.m. report of a man entering a sedan near the Lyman’s surf area on Ali’i Drive. A witness reported that the man removed a fanny pack and baseball cap from the car and then left the area in a green sports-utility vehicle. Police obtained a license plate number of the SUV and a description of the suspect.

A half-hour later, officers located the SUV at the Kahalu’u state housing complex and arrested 27-year-old Kory S. Une of Hilo. He is being held at the Kona police cellblock while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.

MEDIA RELEASE

A Kona man is in police custody after allegedly threatening three people with a pipe early Wednesday (March 3).

Kona patrol officers responded to a 1:45 a.m. report that a man had entered a home in the Kalaoa subdivision in Kona armed with a metal pipe-like object and threatened to harm three residents—a 20-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old man.

Officers obtained the suspect’s identify. At 3:30 p.m. police arrested him outside his Kalaoa home on suspicion of burglary and three counts of terroristic threatening.

The suspect, Sonny Cabuag, is being held at the Kona police cellblock while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.

URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
332 AM HST WED MAR 3 2010

…RED FLAG WARNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR LEEWARD SECTIONS OF ALL HAWAIIAN ISLANDS…

.STRONG AND GUSTY TRADE WINDS COMBINED WITH DRY AND STABLE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH TODAY…CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

KAUAI LEEWARD-OAHU SOUTH SHORE-WAIANAE COAST-OAHU NORTH SHORE- OLOMANA-CENTRAL OAHU-WAIANAE MOUNTAINS-MOLOKAI LEEWARD- LANAI MAKAI-LANAI MAUKA-KAHOOLAWE-MAUI LEEWARD WEST- MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-LEEWARD HALEAKALA-KONA-SOUTH BIG ISLAND- KOHALA-
332 AM HST WED MAR 3 2010

…RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS EVENING…

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE RAPID FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. A RED FLAG WARNING DOES NOT PREDICT NEW FIRE STARTS.

URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
528 AM HST TUE MAR 2 2010

…RED FLAG WARNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR LEEWARD PORTIONS OF ALL ISLANDS…

.STRONG AND GUSTY TRADE WINDS AND A DRY AND STABLE ATMOSPHERE WILL PERSIST INTO TUESDAY…CREATING CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

KAUAI LEEWARD-OAHU SOUTH SHORE-WAIANAE COAST-OAHU NORTH SHORE- OLOMANA-CENTRAL OAHU-WAIANAE MOUNTAINS-MOLOKAI LEEWARD- LANAI MAKAI-LANAI MAUKA-KAHOOLAWE-MAUI LEEWARD WEST- MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-LEEWARD HALEAKALA-KONA-SOUTH BIG ISLAND- KOHALA-
528 AM HST TUE MAR 2 2010

…RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS EVENING…

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE RAPID FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. A RED FLAG WARNING DOES NOT PREDICT NEW FIRE STARTS.

URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE…CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1048 AM HST MON MAR 1 2010

KAUAI LEEWARD-OAHU SOUTH SHORE-WAIANAE COAST-OAHU NORTH SHORE- OLOMANA-CENTRAL OAHU-WAIANAE MOUNTAINS-MOLOKAI LEEWARD- MAUI LEEWARD WEST-MAUI CENTRAL VALLEY-LEEWARD HALEAKALA-KONA- SOUTH BIG ISLAND-KOHALA-
1048 AM HST MON MAR 1 2010

…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST TUESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST TUESDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE RAPID FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. A RED FLAG WARNING DOES NOT PREDICT NEW FIRE STARTS.

UPDATED MEDIA RELEASE (2/23/10)

We apologize but have to CANCEL our camp in Kona on March 12-14th. The fields were double-booked with AYSO and obviously we do not want to interfere with already scheduled games or leagues.

Brian Suskiewicz
516-404-4475

MEDIA RELEASE (2/8/10)

University of Hawaii Hilo
2010 Spring Soccer Camp
Ages 5 and up
Staffed by UH-Hilo Soccer Coaches as well as current and former men’s and women’s collegiate soccer players.

Kona Spring Soccer Camp
March 12-14, 2010 (Fri, Sat and Sun)
Old Airport Soccer Fields
9:00 am – 3:00 pm (All Three Days)

Old Airport Soccer Fields

Sample Daily Schedule

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
9:00 am – Individual/Technical work
10:00 am – Small group tactics
10:45 am – Snack break (bring your own)
11:00 am – Large group tactics
12:00 pm – Lunch (bring your own)
1:00 pm – Team Tactics
2:00 pm – Scrimmages and Games

Topics will vary throughout the camp and will include dribbling, passing, defending, shooting, and group tactics.

Costs:
$95.00 for the three-day weekend. Non-refundable $25.00 deposit is due upon registration to hold your place in the camp. Please register early so we can order t-shirts!

Discounts:
There is a $10.00 discount for any registration received/postmarked before February 21, 2010. Applications can also be dropped off at the UHH Soccer Office in Hilo.

STAFF

Brian Suskiewicz
USSF “A” License
Asst Coach, UHH Men’s and Women’s Soccer
Hawaii ODP Staff Coach

Marc Miranda
Head Coach, UHH Women’s Soccer
Former Boys Soccer Coach, Mid-Pacific Institute, HI State Champs 2008

Terry Yamane and Carlos Lopez
Assistant Coaches, UHH Soccer
UHH GK Trainer
USSF “D” License and NSCAA National GK Levels I and II

Current UHH and other collegiate men’s and women’s soccer players

* All listed staff members may not work all sessions.

To register or if you have any questions please contact Brian at 516-404-4475 or Terry at 808-640-0694. Early registration discount by 2/21/10.