Most people who voted in the pool — 757 or 28% — thought the solution was a parking garage, built and run by Hawai‘i County.

“Build a nearby parking garage, run a shuttle service to and from the facility every 15 minutes,” commented J. Hine. “Charge a reasonable fee to visitors, but it should be free for residents.”

Hine also said evacuation access and road safety must be prioritized over profits.

Another 484 votes (17%) were for the county to buy land for a parking lot.

The current patchwork of parking lots stretching from King Kamehameha Beach Resort to the Coconut Grove shopping center on Ali‘i Drive are private and charge fees, except for the county-owned lot off Kuakini Highway that provides about 100 free stalls.

To many residents and visitors, the fees are exorbitant, ranging from $12 to $21 an hour. These private lots are operated by either Parklinq or Diamond Parking.

The countyʻs trial of the one-way traffic pattern, from the hotel to the Hualālai Road intersection, added 46 free stalls. However, since the trial began on May 1, new issues have arisen, including reports of reduced foot traffic on the downtown touristy street, a decline in business, and people parking for more than two hours in the newly created stalls.

The one-way also has led to traffic slowdowns on northbound Ali‘i Drive for motorists turning onto Hualālai Road.

Another issue relates to safety, as cyclists sharing the roadway are harder to see when they come onto the roadway from behind parked vehicles and side streets.

Only 173 votes (6%) were for keeping the one-way road, indicating it solves the problem.

Mayor Kimo Alameda, when told about the number of voters and the results on Friday, said: “This [one-way] experiment has created more sympathizers for this issue.”

Thirty days into the trial run, Alameda said he is leaning toward returning Ali‘i Drive to a two-way street and continuing to research alternative solutions.

Alameda said he is looking at some properties in town that could potentially be used for free parking, but he wasn’t ready to make those sites public in the midst of ongoing discussions.

He said he also is going to push for more answers as to why the county can’t open the parking lot for regular use at the county-run pavilion, Hale Halawai, located on Ali‘i Drive.

Many commenters on the poll felt the answer to the parking woes was addressing the privately owned lots. Tim Dalhouse said instead of building a garage, the county could lease the paid parking lots from the current owners and turn them into free parking.

“It will cost a ton less to lease lots rather than build a garage and can be done immediately to eliminate the paid parking problem,” Dalhouse stated. “The lot owners get paid. The county immediately solves the problem for a lot less than building a garage. And, the public immediately gets free parking (well, not really free because your tax dollars to the county would pay the lease).”

The poll received 691 votes (25%) for the county to work with private parking lot owners to cap hourly fees.

Commenters elaborated on ways to work with these parking lot owners. Lori Seaman said the county could take over the existing parking lots through eminent domain, which is when governments take over private property for a public use but also pay the property owner fair market value.

“Current owners are paid a fair price, parking lots already exist, so no new construction would be necessary, at least not immediately (though improvements would be great),” Seaman wrote. “Charge reasonable parking fees for non-residents, and tax property owners an amount dependent on costs, expenses and revenues from parking fees. We’d need to see a projected cost analysis to determine if this is feasible.”

Jake Hill wrote that the fix would be to rezone the lots.

“In 2020, we rezoned them to commercial, raising their property taxes by tens of thousands annually,” Hill stated. “Offer to rezone them back under the condition that they can’t charge for parking.”

Lisa Diaz offered two solutions. The first requires parking lot owners to allot 10% of spaces for resident parking use.

“Residents who can prove they have a job or are retired from a job in West Hawai‘i could pay a small annual fee for a local parking sticker – fee could be waived for low-income kūpuna,” Diaz stated.

The second solution Diaz presented was to increase Hele-On bus routes and offer free Ali‘i Drive Kailua-Kona shuttle buses that pick up in Kona’s free parking lots near downtown.

And 411 voters, or 14%, thought Aliʻi Drive should return to a two-way street and let drivers fend for themselves.

For now, the trial one-way test on Aliʻi Drive will run until at least July. Click here to check out all the comments on the poll.

Here are the full poll results:

• County builds and runs a parking garage: 757 (28%)
• County works with private parking lot owners to cap hourly fees: 691 (25%)
• County buys land for a parking lot: 484 (17%)
• Go back to a two-way street and let drivers fend for themselves: 411 (14%)
• Solution found! Keep the one-way traffic pattern. 173 (6%)
• Other ideas? Please leave them in the comments. 228 (8%)

Total Votes: 2,744

It’s been 18 days since the start of a 90-day trial run that turned a portion of touristy Ali‘i Drive in Kailua-Kona into a one-way street to create more free parking spaces.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda implemented the trial, in which a new traffic pattern has created 46 parking spots but also traffic issues with a bottleneck occurring at the intersection of Hualālai Road and Kuakini Highway.

Cyclists have taken to social media saying the one-way pattern doesn’t consider their safety. Businesses operating on the new one-way stretch also are claiming to see less foot traffic.

Alameda is trying to address the concerns of locals and tourists that parking in the Historic District of Kailua Village has become obscenely expensive, with hourly rates ranging from $10 to $21.

He recently told Big Island Now he is a man of action and he wants to fix the problem, but his hands are tied to a degree because the paid parking lots are owned by private land owners. However, the mayor said he is determined to find a solution that doesn’t result in unintended consequences.

Big Island Now wants your opinion on the best solution. And if you have an idea that hasn’t been brought up publicly, let us know.

The deadline to complete the poll is May 29. Results will be published on June 1.

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa death began devastating the native tree when it was first detected in 2010 in Puna. In 2014, the fungus was initially identified as Ceratocystis fimbriata by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Daniel K. Inouye Agricultural Research Service. However, recent research has reclassified Ceratocystis fimbriata into two distinct species that are new to science: Ceratocystis lukuohia and Ceratocystis huliohia.

Since it was first detected, rapid ʻŌhiʻa death has led to the destruction of at least 1 million ʻŌhiʻa trees on Hawaiʻi Island alone. To help combat the spread to other islands, the Hawaiʻi Board of Agriculture issued an emergency quarantine in August 2015, with a permanent quarantine put in place by 2016.

The quarantine restricts the movement of ʻŌhiʻa plants and plant parts, including flowers, leaves, seeds, stems, twigs, cuttings, untreated wood, logs, mulch, green waste, frass (sawdust from boring insects), and any soil from Hawaiʻi Island. Even if the ʻōhiʻa originated from another island, it may not be transported off the island.

Quarantine inspectors will be stationed at airports in Hilo and Kona on Sunday and Monday, April 27-28, to collect any ʻŌhiʻa material, which will be returned to the native forests on Hawaiʻi Island. During last year’s Merrie Monarch travel period, Hilo inspectors intercepted 27 lei poʻo (head leis).

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience will provide hoʻihoʻi baskets to collect any ʻŌhiʻa. Baskets will also be stationed at the Hilo and Kona airport Plant Quarantine Branch offices.

The Merrie Monarch Festival draws dozens of hula hālau and hundreds of spectators to Hawaiʻi Island. It is important to note that the act of harvesting ʻŌhiʻa may spread the disease, as spores may be carried in soil and by harvesting tools, vehicles, shoes, and clothing to uninfected areas.

The disease was detected on Kauaʻi in 2018 and on Oʻahu in 2019. Also in 2019, one ʻŌhiʻa tree on Maui was infected and destroyed, and ROD has not been detected on the island since. It is not known how or where the disease entered the state.

Any person who violates the quarantine rule may be charged with a misdemeanor and fined not less than $100, with a maximum fine of $10,000. For a second offense committed within five years of a prior conviction under this rule, the person or organization shall be fined not less than $500 and not more than $25,000.

Travelers seeking more inspection information may contact the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine offices:

• Hilo – 808-961-9393
• Kona – 808-326-1077
• Kauaʻi – 808-241-7135
• Honolulu – 808-837-8413
• Maui – 808-872-3848

The Merrie Monarch Festival is next week from Aprili 20 to 26. Check for a travel alert flyer that has been posted on the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture website.

Big Island Now asked readers what they thought was the top story for 2024, and it was the new developments in a case that happened in 1991.

Of the 1,118 votes that were cast, the story about the Dana Ireland murder garnered 387.

 Thirty-three years ago, Ireland was raped and murdered in Puna. In July, Hawai‘i Island police announced that new DNA evidence identified a new suspect. But court documents said that suspect is “presumably dead by suicide,” after giving police a sample of his DNA.

The new evidence, identified in 2017, excluded Albert “Ian” Schweitzer who spent more than two decades in prison after being convicted in 2000 for Ireland’s murder. He was exonerated on Jan. 24, 2023, by Hilo Circuit Court Judge Peter Kubota.

On Instagram, a user called 1andonlysun wrote: “I say definitely the Dana Ireland case. Those turn of events was a huge shocker to anybody who remembers that story. Those three young boys went to prison for nothing for over half of their lives. Hilo HPD detectives really screwed up on that one.”

In the poll, there was a near-tie for second. Kimo Alameda defeating incumbent Mitch Roth in the Hawai‘i County mayoral race captured 143 votes, while news about the county’s short-term rental regulations came in third with 129.

The Hawai‘i County Council made changes to the short-term rental regulations that allows for more ʻohana housing on the Big Island. Bill 123 allows for up to three ʻohana units to be built on a single lot as long as it’s within a zoning district that allows those structures.

Alameda campaigned on issues that included public safety, mental health and affordable housing. When he took his oath as the new mayor on Dec. 2, hundreds cheered and gave him a standing ovation at the Outrigger Resort’s Kaleiopapa Convention Center in Keauhou.

“Because of you today, I’m your mayor of Moku o Keawe (traditional name of the Big Island),” said Alameda.

A commenter online indicated that Donald Trump’s win in the presidential election was the top story of 2024. “It is a great thing!”

The poll results:

• Suspect identified by DNA evidence in Dana Ireland murder case: 387 (34%)
• Kimo Alameda defeats incumbent Mitch Roth for Hawai‘i County mayor: 143 (12%)
• Changes in short-term rental regulations: 129 (11%)
• Jaggar Museum torn down in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: 115 (10%)
• Merger between Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines: 109 (9%)
• Ka‘ū community bands together to rally against proposed resort in Punalu‘u: 86 (7%)
• Passage of stiffer criminal penalties in vicious dog cases: 46 (4%)
• Traveling Vietnam Wall comes to Big Island for the first time: 41 (3%)
• Other. What was the top story in your opinion? 37 (3%)
• Long-time Big Island politician Rep. Mark Nakashima dies: 25 (2%)

The program allows the power company to preemptively shut off power for approximately 19,300 customers in high-wind areas on the Big Island that are at risk of wildfire during dry conditions.

PSPS was being considered last month amid high winds and dry conditions, which dissipated with Hurricane Hone. The power company decided not to initiate the program.

This program will impact customers on the Big Island located between Kohala and Waikōloa in North Hawai‘i, between Kalaoa and Hōlualoa in West Hawai‘i and between Mauna Kea Access Road and Waiki‘i Ranch.

With this new program, Big Island Now wanted to know how the public felt about it. More than 900 people voted in the August poll that asked readers: “What are your thoughts on the Public Safety Power Shutoff program?”

Thirty-four percent of voters felt PSPS put people at risk as losing power would mean losing the ability to power medical supplies.

Social media commenter Silva0072 wrote: “It’s ridiculous. They never had to do this in the past because the infrastructure and vegetation was maintained regularly.”

Nineteen percent of voters sided with there is no simple answer to protecting against wildfires but they were open to the program.

Social media commenter Susan A Regeimbal wrote: “I would think losing power would be preferable to losing you home, life, or livelihood! I am sure Lahaina would have gladly sacrificed power to prevent the tragedy that occurred.”

Social media commenter Scooter wrote: “Transition to underground wires in windy areas.”

Theron Dauchy commented: I’m concerned about the water for firefighting being turned off as the pumps are electric.”

Chaunceymcfeeters8 wrote: “They have been doing it in California for years and it is just another scam. Yes get generators, it’s really expensive to lose all the food in your freezer.”

See full results below:

• I think it puts people at risk. Losing power means losing ability to power medical supplies. 318 (34%)
• There is no simple answer to protecting against wildfires. But I’m open to the program. 181 (19%)
• I think it’s a great idea. It will save lives. 101 (10%)
• I don’t know enough about the program to say if it’s helpful or not. 81 (8%)
• Not sure about the program, but I like the weather camera stations. 73 (7%)
• It’s hard to say. The program hasn’t been engaged at this point. 69 (7%)
• None of the above. Leave a comment below. 102 (11%)
• Total Votes: 925

Following a recent report, conducted by ECG Management Consultants, it assessed the current and future healthcare needs of West Hawai‘i. The report also included recommendations for potentially building a new Kona hospital in a more central location.

The report also identified two locations where the 50-year-old hospital, currently located in Kealakekua, could move. The first is the old Kmart site, located off Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway and up from Makala Boulevard, or the Queen’s site in the West Hawai‘i business park next to Costco as options for a new hospital location. Both properties are owned privately.

Click here to read the full report.

In the latest Big Island Now poll that ran throughout July, accumulating 1,128 votes, we wanted to know the public’s opinion on the most important aspect when considering a new hospital.

While all options listed were considered important, with 603 votes, the next choice was services provided at the facility, receiving 258 votes.

One comment from Anonymous wrote: “I think it is sad that they are moving the hospital even further north. This is leaving those in Kau further for necessary care. The Ka‘ū hospital does not cover all ER or regular health care needs. What about us in the South? Why is it always about Kona and Hilo?”

Another comment from Fast Freddie provided an answer: population centers. “The price one pays to live away from the rat race.”

See below for the full results:

• Services provided 258 (22%)
• Time to complete construction 53 (4%)
• Proximity to highways 50 (4%)
• Close to existing infrastructure 48 (4%)
• If non of the above, leave a comment. 37 (3%)
• Accessible to public transit 34 (3%)
• Parking 24 (2%)
• Near existing homes 20 (1%)
• All of the above 604 (53%)

A recent report – conducted by ECG Management Consultants – looked at the current and future healthcare needs of West Hawai‘i and identified two sites in Kailua-Kona where the 50-year-old hospital could move. Public informational meetings about the report brought out community members who questioned everything from the location to funding to expanding health care resources.

Click here to read the full report.

The report identifies the old Kmart site, located off Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway and up from Makala Boulevard, or the Queen’s site in the West Hawai‘i business park next to Costco as options for a new hospital location. Both properties are owned privately.

Aside from the location, Big Island now wants to hear from the public about other elements that are important when considering where to build a hospital.

A proposed $350 million residential and commercial community development next to a famous and sacred black sand beach at Punalu‘u is now the subject of a contested case hearing.

A yearslong ‘nightmare’ fight against black slime continues for Kauaʻi homeowners at the 151-home Ho‘oluana at Kohea Lea development in Hanamāʻulu.

The developer rebuilding the Coco Palms Resort on Kaua’i, which was destroyed in 1992 by Hurricane Iniki, is experiencing pushback because of several issues, and the list goes on, extending to nearly every other island of the state.

Controversy about shady practices even found its way to survivors of the deadly Maui wildfires. Some said they were getting calls from real estate investors wanting to buy what remained of their homes and property.

So it begs the question: Is there such a thing as a responsible developer?

If you ask reader Joe Sixpac, the answer would probably be no: “Responsible Developer – oxymoron,” he commented on Big Island Now’s most recent poll.

The poll asked, “What is the most important trait of a responsible developer?”

There were several options to select from: providing sustainable and well-paying employment opportunities, paying attention to the land and being a good steward of it, understanding the needs of the community, being a part of or respecting the host culture, fitting the development into the community’s way of life, actively listening to concerns of the community and compromising when needed, protecting endangered plants and animals and knowing when to stop a project.

After all, not all developers and developments are bad, right?

They can help improve infrastructure such as water and electrical services, roads and fire protection and mitigation or even other amenities including beaches or farmers markets.

“Without developers, everyone would be living in caves,” commented reader Don Baker. “Not my idea of ‘living.'”

A majority of those who voted in the poll, 62%, or 574 votes, said all of the above. They don’t think it’s just one of those qualities that is the most important for a responsible developer to have, but all of them combined.

On the flip side, 5%, or 48 votes, went to none of the above.

Reader anika loki offered a block of text as to how developments should be approached.

“Fight, oppose, present archeological & environmental restrictions, adverse pollution per golf course using non-native turf, ornamental non-native decorative foliage for resorts (not drought resistant) abuse of infrastructure by tourists on roads local residents pay for, overuse of the water resource for pools, golf course, pesticides resorts use leeching into pristine waters, hotel lighting adverse effects on protected migratory wildlife, issue with natural disaster possibilities must cause unaffordable insurance costs to fully cover/protect should a disaster occur,” commented loki. “Create lawsuits asap to put a halt to any grading pre-development until a full halt is reached. Appleseed for Economic Justice, the pro-bono firm contacted in the 4yr fight=success per Front St. Apts., Lahaina/Maui vs unscrupulous quid pro quo developers (Weinberg), main office Honolulu. Form a resident Committee, protest at all civic meetings, appear continuously in the press and do not roll over. Hana hou.”

Here are the full results of the poll:

• All of the above: 574 (62%).
• Providing employment opportunities that are sustainable and pay well: 71 (7%).
• Paying attention to the ʻāina (land) and being a good steward of it: 49 (5%).
• None of the above. I have a different idea: 48 (5%).
• Understanding the needs of the community where the development will be located: 40 (4%).
• Being a part of or at least respecting the host culture, including burial sites, traditions and heritage: 38 (4%).
• Fitting the development into the community’s way of life rather than the way of life being lost because of it: 37 (4%).
• The ability to actively listen to concerns and compromise when needed: 32 (3%).
• Protecting endangered plants and animals: 20 (2%).
• Knowing when to stop a project when they must: 14 (1%).

Total votes: 923.

Watch for a new Big Island Now poll coming July 1.

The controversy surrounding the Punalu‘u Village project and pushback from the Ka‘ū community, elsewhere in Hawai‘i and even on the mainland have been swift. Intense at times.

It’s also just one recent example of Hawai‘i residents, including Native Hawaiians, as well as environmental organizations, homeowners associations and others clashing with developers and real estate investors.

In the Punalu‘u project, the developer says she wants to build 225 residential and short-stay units, a village and wellness center, rehabilitate an existing golf course and tennis facilities, as well as extensive infrastructure work to bring jobs to the area and make improvements to attract tourists and others, growing the economy.

The development would be constructed on the site of the former Sea Mountain at Punalu‘u resort near Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park. Black Sand Beach LLC, the developer, owns the 147 acres on which the new community would sit.

The community, however, says the development would threaten the area’s environment, including loss of the pristine Punalu’u coastline and further straining the threatened nēnē (Hawaiian goose) that hang out on the golf course as well as endangered green sea turtles and critically endangered hawksbill turtles that nest at Punalu‘u.

It would also desecrate cultural sites and change the way of life in the rural village forever while wiping away historical and generational knowledge.

There are other concerns about the cost of living increasing, outside influence in the community, threat of wildfire because of the state of the former resort buildings and larger numbers of people in the area that would impact the already aging and suffering infrastructure, among others.

Both sides have dug in, especially the community.

“When it comes to Ka‘ū, we are fierce,” said Donna Pabre of Ocean View during testimony at the May 6 meeting of the Hawai’i County Windward Planning Commission. “We will fight you every legal way we can. We will make this another Mauna Kea. I promise you.”

A petition against the development had more than 18,000 signatures by mid-morning Sunday.

After two daylong meetings and hours of testimony from hundreds of people, the commission earlier this month granted standing for two petitions in a contested case involving the proposed development’s special management area use permit, necessary to move forward with the project.

What the future will hold for the development now will be determined by that contested case hearing.

Another testifier during the May 6 commission meeting said history has shown that these types of developments will hike the cost of living and force the community out, including Native Hawaiians, and only further exploit resources, people, culture and the area’s way of life.

It’s already been happening on O‘ahu, Lānaʻi and Maui. This isn’t just a Ka’u issue, she said, it’s an islandwide red flag.

The Punaluʻu controversy has even made it into national headlines. USA Today published a story about it 3 weeks ago.

There are other examples throughout the state where communities say developers have gone wrong or acted badly.

A yearslong ‘nightmare’ fight against black slime continues for Kauaʻi homeowners at the 151-home Ho‘oluana at Kohea Lea development in Hanamāʻulu.

Dozens of households have reported the persistent black slime throughout the past 6 years on interior plumbing fixtures. The gunk rapidly clots to shower heads, faucets and toilet bowls as well.

The developer rebuilding the Coco Palms Resort on Kaua’i, which was destroyed in 1992 by Hurricane Iniki, is experiencing pushback because of unsubtantiated reports of disturbing Native Hawaiian burials, wastewater spills and allegations of unpermitted clearing being investigated by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The developer and property owners at Marconi Point in Kahuku, a controversial luxury development on Oʻahu’s North Shore, face more than an unprecedented $3 million in state fines after being accused of killing protected native wildlife.

A court battle continues in another Big Island developer fiasco that involves a $500,000 house being built on the wrong property in Hawaiian Paradise Park.

The Hawaiʻi County Council in March 2023, amid an expanding corruption scandal involving a former county housing specialist and thee alleged co-conspirators, called for an audit of affordable housing credits that never resulted in new units.

Even survivors of the Maui wildfires last August, including the one that destroyed historic Lahaina and killed more than 100 people, were not spared from development controversy. Some said they were getting calls from real estate investors wanting to buy what remained of their homes and property.

“This is disgusting,” Maui resident Tiare Lawrence told MSNBC about a week after the blaze. “Lahaina is not for sale.”

Many would likely agree that development and stewardship of land and infrastructure are necessary components for a community’s future economic success, but not at the expense of that community, its heritage and culture or people.

Not all developments and developers are bad, either. But what does it take to be a good developer? What do you think?

Leave a comment here or on social media to tell us why you voted the way you did, especially if it was non of the above.

The monthly poll ends at midnight June 28. Poll results will be published June 30.

There also were inroads made this year on several other important issues, including coffee labeling regulations, dangerous dogs and marriage equality, among others.

However, several issues came up during the past 2 years that lawmakers decided to pass on or simply were unable to fully consider.

So we asked readers in our most recent monthly Big Island Now poll which of several bills the Hawai‘i Legislature should have passed in 2024 but didn’t, ranging from public funding for political candidates and a climate-impact fee for visitors to free school breakfast and lunch and the threat of the invasive rhinoceros coconut beetle.

The issue receiving the most individual votes has been perhaps one of the most talked about and debated of the year. One that still comes up in conversation.

The further relaxation of Hawai‘i marijuana laws.

Senate Bills 3335 and 2487, relating to the legalization of recreational marijuana and expanding marijuana decriminalization, respectively, received 537 votes, or 43% of the total 1,236 cast.

While not a majority — with a combined 662 votes, or 54%, going to the other eight options to choose from — there was still a wide margin between the top two individual vote-getters and below.

Senate Bill 471, which would prohibit camping in public areas not designated for camping and require the state or counties to establish safe zones for homeless people, got 163 votes, or 13%. That’s a 374-vote gap between first and second place.

There were also 37 votes, or just 3%, for other measures not listed as choices; however, no comments were left as to what bills.

Senate Bill 3335 took the question of cannabis legalization to its furthest level yet in the Legislature, making it through the full Hawai‘i Senate and to the Finance Committee of the state House of Representatives, where it stalled and died after the panel’s chairman said it would not deliberate the measure.

Another cannabis-related measure, Senate Bill 2487, that would have expanded decriminalization of the drug almost made it, but failed to pass on final reading.

“Come on with the weed legalization already people, it’s 2024!” said Big Island Now user oceanviewcrazy in a comment on the poll story. “Then at least people will stop getting messed by fentanyl-laced street weed. Maybe legalization might reduce the severity of the hard drug problem too, if people could just smoke a freaking joint legally!”

That was the only comment Big Island Now received on the poll throughout all platforms. However, it’s not the only opinion that’s been expressed about the topic since it returned to the state Legislature’s docket this year.

One commenter on an April 2 Big Island Now post on Instagram called it complete bull crap, only using a stronger expletive for bovine excrement, after Rep. Kyle Yamashita killed SB3335 by deciding not to bring it before the House Finance Committee, which he chairs, for further deliberation.

Yamashita, who represents Upcountry Maui, which was also affected by last year’s wildfires on the Valley Isle, said his decision was based on numerous concerns expressed about the bill’s implementation, especially its cost.

He said now is just not the right time, especially as the state navigates the challenges of managing the largest wildfire recovery efforts in Hawai‘i’s history and must safeguard critical services for residents such as education, infrastructure and roads, among others.

“I’m pro-legalization but I didn’t support this bill,” commented shaughnessywill on the April 2 Instagram post. “I hate the fact that all the effort and money put into this bill is just instantly rendered moot because 1 person decides it doesn’t even deserve consideration. It’s shameful.”

House Speaker Scott Saiki agreed with Yamashita.

“In hearing the overwhelming testimony and serious concerns from members of Hawai‘i’s law enforcement industry, this bill requires further consideration of the impact legislation will have on our children, economy and overall well-being,” said Saiki at the time.

Another commenter on the April 2 Instagram post asked how long it would be before the state puts the issue of legalization into the hands of voters.

Big Island Now asked readers in January if they support the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state and 66% said cannabis should have been legalized years ago.

A survey in October 2022 by the Pew Research Center found an overwhelming 88% of U.S. adults think marijuana should be legal either for recreational and medicinal use or medicinal use only.

The survey followed President Joe Biden pardoning people convicted of federal marijuana possession crimes and telling his administration to review the classification of cannabis under federal law.

The U.S. Department of Justice on May 16 officially proposed reclassifying the drug from its current Schedule I status to a Schedule III drug, easing federal restrictions on cannabis if approved.

An August 2022 report from the Permitted Interaction Group Tax Working Group for the state Dual Use of Cannabis Task Force, which is under the Hawai‘i Department of Health Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation, says the Hawai‘i cannabis market operates in a gray space.

A gray market is different from a black market because of higher levels of social acceptance and ambiguous legal treatment.

Certain sectors of Hawai‘i’s cannabis market, such as medical marijuana, are legal and highly regulated. Others are still illegal but tolerated and subject to little or no regulation.

“This has created a two-tiered market, where prices in the legal market are much higher than in the gray market,” says the report. “This incentivizes users to make their purchase in the illicit gray market. Hawai‘i currently tolerates a gray market worth hundreds of millions of dollars.”

The working group says in the same study that legalizing marijuana would generate between $34 million and $53 million in annual state tax revenue.

An economic assessment by the Hawai‘i Cannabis Industry Association estimated in February 2023 that legalization would add nearly $82 million a year to the state’s coffers.

Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green supports full legalization for adult recreational use.

He said after the legalization measure failed this year that a possible solution to the issue would be to expand Hawai‘i’s existing medical cannabis system to allow people to register for any health concern instead of only specific conditions.

While the debate goes on, it doesn’t matter to some residents if marijuana is legal or not.

“We smokin either way,” commented brothernatureman in a reply to another comment on Big Island Now’s April 2 Instagram post, adding at the end an emoji of a person shrugging their shoulders.

Here are the full results from our most recent poll:

• Senate Bills 3335 and 2487, relating to the legalization of recreation marijuana and expanding marijuana decriminalization, respectively: 537 (43%).
• Senate Bill 471, which would prohibit camping in public areas not designated for camping and require the state or counties establish safe zones for homeless people: 163 (13%).
• House Bill 540, relating to free breakfast and lunch for all enrolled students of the Hawai‘i Department of Education and public charter schools: 128 (10%).
• Senate Bill 587, relating to the installation of noisy exhaust pipes and mufflers on a vehicle: 98 (7%).
• House Bill 2406, which would have imposed a climate-impact fee for visitors staying in hotels or other transient vacation accommodations: 93 (7%).
• House Bill 1149, relating to infestation control of coconut rhinoceros beetles: 80 (6%).
• Senate Bill 2381, relating to public financing for candidates seeking election to state and county public offices: 39 (3%).
• There is a different bill I was watching that should have passed instead: 37 (2%).
• House Bill 79, relating to media literacy in schools and negative impacts of of misinformation, disinformation, digital discrimination and online hate speech: 31 (2%).
• Senate Bill 281, which would have established a state income tax deduction for eligible contributions made to the state’s college savings program: 30 (2%).

Total votes: 1,236.

Watch for a new Big Island Now monthly poll starting May 27.

There have been inroads made this year on some issues important to the state and Big Island.

After more than a decade of pushing for stricter coffee labeling regulations, Big Island state Rep. Nicole Lowen will get a win with legislators poised to pass House Bill 2298, which would require roasted coffee, instant coffee and ready-to-drink coffee drinks containing coffee grown and processed in the islands blended with coffee from another region to have at least 51% coffee, by weight, from its area of origin in Hawai‘i.

The measure would make it a violation of state law to use a geographic origin, such as “Kona,” Kaʻū” or Kauaʻi,” in labeling or advertising coffee drinks that contain less than the 51% threshold.

Another House measure that deals with vicious dogs, co-introduced by Big Island state Reps. Greggor Ilagan and David Tarnas along with O‘ahu Rep. Scott Nishimoto, also look to be approved this year.

House Bill 2058 would establish an offense of negligent failure to control a dangerous dog and lay out provisions regarding how dangerous dogs are designated, requirements for owners of said dogs and their impoundment.

The bill’s Senate companion, Senate Bill 2692, stalled after passing first reading in March.

The Legislature also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting marriage equality this legislative session.

Legislators approved House Bill 2802, which proposes an amendment to the Hawai‘i Constitution that would repeal the state Legislature’s authority to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples.

“This measure seeks to safeguard marriage equality by removing the Legislature’s authority to restrict marriage, allowing the voters of Hawai‘i to determine the future of marriage rights for our state,” said House Speaker Scott K. Saiki, who introduced the bill, in March.

The bill was sent to Gov. Josh Green for his signature.

Those are just a few examples of measures that made the cut this session. But there are several others that were being watched closely and didn’t.

That includes Senate Bill 3126 relating to emergency aeromedical services.

The measure, which stalled after senators disagreed with amendments made in the House, would have funded a statewide air ambulance program, bringing twin-engine helicopters to Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i and Maui Counties.

A bill that would have lowered the state’s blood alcohol content threshold from 0.08% to 0.05% also won’t be passed this year. House Bill 1935, which was introduced by Big Island state Rep. Chris Todd, stalled after passing second reading in February.

Other measures, including bills that would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults in the state, created a public funding system for Hawai‘i elections and charged a fee to visitors who stay in hotels or other transient vacation rentals, also failed to make it to the end of this session.

There also were bills carried over from the 2023 session that never saw the light of day again this year.

So we’re asking in our monthly poll what you think about some of the measures — and the issues they tackle — that state legislators put on the back burner.

Leave a comment here or on social media to tell us why you voted the way you did, especially if it was a different measure you hoped to pass this year or if you think several of the bills above should have passed.

The poll ends at midnight May 24. Results will be published May 26.

No one choice received a majority of votes in our most recent monthly poll, but the option garnering the most was “All or a combination,” with 337, or 29% of the total vote.

Other options ranged from aloha and volcanic and astronomical research to hula, musical talent, food and a few others. Adding up the votes, all of the choices garnered a total of 707 votes or 63%.

Combining them with the “All or a combination” option, 1,044 votes were cast, or 92%.

Some voters think Hawai‘i’s most important contribution to the world wasn’t on the list of choices, with 86 votes, or 7%, for “I think there’s something else that’s more important.”

“Yet to be determined,” commented Chucky Ventura on Facebook.

Art Injeyan, commenting in the same thread, added surfing to the mix.

“Our son grew up in Kona and now goes to Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., and is a kayak guide in the San Juan Islands,” wrote Mark Barville in an email. “He meets new people all the time, all kinds of people! People from every culture, every part of the world.”

Barville said his son works comfortably with Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest on replenishing watersheds and streams and embraces and enjoys people, never thinking about the superficial differences people sometimes make between each other.

“I think he got that from growing up in Hawai‘i,” the proud father wrote, adding the social aspect of the islands is one of their greatest contributions. “Everything you mentioned is important, but I feel like that is the most important! Hawai‘i is a microcosm of the world, and we make it work together out of aloha.”

Here are the full poll results.

• All or a combination: 337 (29%)
• Aloha. No explanation necessary: 299 (26%)
• Volcanic and astronomical research. We got plenty volcanoes and it’s really dark way out here in the Pacific. Prime for both: 176 (15%)
• I think there’s something else that’s more important: 86 (7%)
• Hands down, hula. The Big Island hosts the world’s “Super Bowl of Hula” every year, it’s a no-brainer: 75 (6%)
• Musical talent. We got Iam Tongi now, but who can forget Bruddah Iz, Bruno Mars, Jake Shimabukuro and all the other top-notch musicians from the islands? 51 (4%)
• The shaka. And yes, 2024 should be “The Year of the Shaka” and state legislators should make it the official hand gesture of Hawai‘i: 36 (3%)
• Island food. Who doesn’t love kalua pig, lilikoi butter, poke and loco moco? 33 (2%)
• The people. Hawai‘i has a skilled force of construction workers, chefs, business owners and more. Heck, we even have world-class keiki bakers: 21 (1%)
• The places. “Jurassic Park” wouldn’t be as good if it wasn’t filmed in Hawai‘i. We also have some pretty awesome national parks: 16 (1%)

Total votes: 1,130.

The festival, hosted in Hilo on the Big Island, was recently picked as the No. 1 cultural festival in the United States by online voters in USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

“The Merrie Monarch Festival … is dedicated to the memory of King David Kalākaua, who was known as the ‘Merrie Monarch,’ thanks to his fun-loving ways and personal panache,” says USA Today 10Best. “King David was a dedicated patron of the arts, and this festival applauds the arts of Hawai’i, particularly hula, with a hula competition and hula shows taking center stage.”

The festival steadfastly works to maintain the teachings of kūpuna and strives to perpetuate the history and culture of the Hawaiian people in a manner that respects those teachings.

“Through our efforts, along with those of other organizations, we seek to ensure that the unique traditions of Hawaiian people will continue to flourish,” it said in a Facebook post after the results of the vote were announced last week. “Mahalo for your votes and mahalo nui for sharing your aloha for hula and the Hawaiian culture.”

Many people on social media offered congratulations to the festival for the honor.

“I’m so looking forward to seeing the best cultural festival in our nation in person this year, after trying to get tickets for the last 7 years,” commented Tilisa Kautai de Martinez on Facebook. “Mahalo to all the organizers.”

Karen Wells Leitner simply exclaimed, “Outstanding!!”

Others had no doubt it would be voted to the top of the list: “As it should have!!” commented Pam Homberoff-Trout on Facebook.

“Congrats to Luana and the team,” commented Jason Hagiwara on Facebook, naming Merrie Monarch Festival President Luana Kawelu. “The vote verifies what we all already knew.”

Merrie Monarch also gave a shoutout in its Facebook post to the Aloha Festivals, a now statewide celebration of the music, dance, food and cultural traditions of the Hawaiian archipelago, which placed No. 9 in the USA Today 10Best poll.

Click here to find the full results of the online readers’ choice poll.

The festival’s recognition is just one of the latest examples of the culture, people, places and things of Hawai‘i, including the Big Island, being nationally awarded or featured nationwide in the past couple of years.

Two weeks ago, Darby — the miniature horse with a big heart that serves as a pet therapy animal at Queen’s North Hawai‘i Community Hospital in Waimea — was named the 2024 Pet of the Year by Pet Partners, a nonprofit based in Washington state that is the world leader in pet-assisted therapy training and evaluation.

The horse, owned by Lynn and Rick Scully of Waimea, beat out more than 100 other pet nominees from throughout the United States and Canada, raising nearly $17,000 for Pet Partners’ therapy animal program with the support of people in Hawai‘i and on the mainland.

Darby was the first animal from Hawai‘i ever nominated for the title and the only miniature horse in the state visiting hospital patients.

“This six-week campaign was busy, but now the real work starts,” said Darby (most likely through his owners) in a press release. “I want to keep spreading the word about pet therapy and hopefully recruit more furry four-legged friends like me to join the team and help cheer people up!”

Tasi Savage, a 13-year-old from Kona, was featured on the most recent season of Food Network’s “Kids Baking Championship.” She baked her way to be one of the season’s top three keiki and competed in the show’s finale.

She didn’t take the title, but she definitely represented the Big Island and flavors from the islands.

Big Island native Jessika Asai, who grew up in Kea’au, didn’t win any prizes and wasn’t one of the guests, but she was a featured member of the 180-foot luxury yacht Mustique on the latest season of Bravo TV’s “Below Deck Mediterranean.”

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park also is getting some extra hype right now, advancing to the second round of the Parks Channel’s 2024 Parks Madness competition. The park beat out Katmai National Park in Alaska, famous for its fat bears, to move on in the contest.

Voting in round two runs through midnight April 2, so don’t fret if you missed the first round. There’s still time to vote. Click here for more information.

Big Island native Ilima Shim placed sixth last year on the fourth season of the CBS reality show “Tough As Nails.”

Elsewhere from throughout the state, chef Zach Laidlaw of Hua Momona Farms on Maui is a contestant on the current season of Gordon Ramsay’s cooking competition show “Next Level Chef” on Fox. Maui’s Madame Donut, owner and baker of Donut Dynamite in Wailuku, finished ninth in season 13 of Fox’s “MasterChef,” another cooking competition show featuring Ramsay.

Kaua‘i native Dillon Ancheta, whose drag persona is Mallibu Del Rey, was voted to be the opener for “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 15 winner Sasha Colby, also a Hawai‘i native, during her Stripped tour stop in Honolulu later this month.

A new HGTV show airing now called “Renovation Aloha” follows husband and wife Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama as they take on house-flipping projects around O‘ahu. “NCIS: Hawai‘i” is now in its third season on CBS.

And who can forget the rise of Kahuku, O‘ahu, native Iam Tongi in 2023 to become the most recent winner of “American Idol”?

Those are just several examples of how Hawai‘i has been in the spotlight during recent history.

The islands have produced other stars, winners, cultural icons and more for much longer, but it seems that the rest of the country — and people around the globe — are taking note now more than ever of the things that make Hawai‘i special and unique.

So we want to know what you think.

Leave a comment here or on social media to tell us why you voted the way you did, especially if you think there’s something else more important.

The monthly poll ends at midnight April 26. Poll results will be published April 28.

Humpback whales had been extinct for a few hundred years by the 23rd century, so the fugitive Enterprise crew time traveled back to 1986 San Francisco with plans for bringing two of the animals into the future to stop an alien probe from destroying Earth.

The only beings that could communicate with the probe were humpbacks.

The whales saved the day in the end, talking to the probe once they were released from the cargo bay following the Klingon ship crash landing in the Pacific Ocean near 23rd century San Francisco upon the Enterprise crew’s return from 1986.

The female, named Gracie, also gave birth following their voyage home, perhaps beginning the future repopulation of the species.

Fortunately in our timeline, koholā were removed from the federal Endangered Species Conservation Act in 2016, nearly 50 years after being listed.

Their populations — including those that migrate 3,000 miles every year during the winter to the waters of Hawai’i to mate, calve and nurse their young — have continued to recover during the past 40 years since the whaling era ended.

Despite a decline in 2015 and 2016, numbers of whales seen during humpback season in Hawai’i from November through May have rebounded as well. Some estimate about 10,000 to 12,000 koholā pass through the Hawaiian Islands every year.

Scotty’s excitement seeing the majestic animals for the first time in his life is understandable. The glee of people witnessing humpbacks in Hawai’i waters from the first sighting of the season to the last is more than apparent, especially during its peak from January through March.

Post after post on social media can be found as people in the islands take pictures of the whales swimming, breaching, tail slapping and more while they’re here.

With more whales in the water, there’s that many more chances to spot them — not just from a boat but also from land. So Big Island Now asked in its most recent poll where readers think is the best locale to see the whales from the island’s shores.

The results were pretty evenly spread across the board.

Kapa‘a Beach Park received the most votes with 158. It was followed by Hualālai (Four Seasons Resort) with 142, Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park with 123 votes, Hawaiian Paradise Park with 115 and Old Coast Guard Road rounded out the top 5 with 110 votes.

Here are the full results.

• Kapa‘a Beach Park: 158 (14%).
• Hualālai (Four Seasons Resort): 142 (13%).
• Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park: 123 (11%).
• Hawaiian Paradise Park: 115 (10%).
• Old Coast Guard Road: 110 (10%).
• Onekahakaha Beach Park: 109 (10%).
• Keahole Point (OTEC): 107 (9%).
• Hōnaunau: 80 (7%).
• Kumukahi Lighthouse: 77 (7%).
• Ho‘okena Beach Park: 67 (6%).

Total votes: 1,088.

Some voters also offered their own spots as the best to watch the whales.

“By the Buddha statue at the Hilton Waikōloa Resort,” said Laura Page Mills in a Facebook comment.

Lynne Stanker said in another Facebook comment that she mostly saw them with their babies in the shallower areas off the island’s Kohala Coast.

“We just came back from the Big Island. We stayed at the Fairmont Orchid Hotel,” said Vivian Schuler in a Facebook comment. “Every morning between 8:00 am and noon, these magnificent creatures would put on a world class show.”

Schuler counted a total of 50 sightings during the 9 days she was visiting the island. She took a whale watching tour while she was here and only saw 7.

“We would sit at the Coconut Grove area of the beach and watch the whales breech,” she said. “The Fairmont was the best sighting hands down.”

Humpback whales were listed in 1970 as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Conservation Act.

It would be nearly 50 years, in 2016, before populations rebounded enough for koholā — including those that migrate 3,000 miles every year during the winter to the waters of Hawai’i to mate, calve and nurse their young — to be removed from the list.

The most read story on Big Island Now in January was about the thousands of humpbacks volunteers spotted from several locations throughout the state, including 10 active sites on the Big Island, during 4 hours the morning of Jan. 27 as part of the Sanctuary Ocean Count by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and the Great Whale Count by Pacific Whale Foundation.

With more whales in the water, that means more chances to spot them while they’re here, especially during the peak humpback season from January through March.

Social media has been flush recently with photos and posts from people who have watched the whales playing and swimming in waters around the Big Island.

A photo and video in a public Facebook post from Feb. 20 by Timothy Preap show a humpback saying hello as it surfaces while he was working out at sea: “Insaneee!! What a day,” he said.

“Whales!” exclaimed Steven Groce in a Feb. 16 post in the Hawai’i Tracker Facebook group with three photos showing one koholā breaching and others flapping their tails. “Blessed yesterday … with quite a show from the Humpback Whales, right from the Lanai. East Coast, Big Island. Whale season would normally be winding down; but it seems to be in full force, with more Whales this week, than I have seen in 8 years!”

Nancy Cook Lauer said in a Feb. 15 public Facebook post that she’s observed more humpbacks in waters outside her condo this year than usual.

“I love it! A wonderful assortment of humpback tail slapping and vocalizations keeping me awake last night,” said Cook Lauer. “I think the true songs can be heard only underwater — I’ve heard them while I’m snorkeling — but these above-water chirpy moans are something else.”

Sanctuary Ocean Count volunteer Suzy Lauer, who is site leader at the Onekahakaha Beach Park count location in Hilo, said her team during the second count day of the year Feb. 24 even spotted one koholā that put on a show with 30-some tail slaps.

It seems you can observe the marine mammals from just about any of the island’s shorelines if you’re patient enough, but we want to know what you think is the most prime humpback viewing spot on land.

Leave a comment here or on social media to tell us why you voted the way you did or if you have another location you think is the best. If you have photos of humpbacks you’d like to share with your comments, attach them and we will include them with the poll results.

Big Island Now is restructuring its polls, moving from weekly to monthly, so this poll ends at midnight March 29. Poll results will be published March 31.

Protecting this natural resource is a priority for communities, the state and a variety of nonprofit groups. One of those groups, The Nature Conservancy, recently upped its coral reef insurance policy, which encompasses 344,950 square miles of coral reef in the Hawaiian Islands.

Two years ago, the nonprofit was the first to take out coral reef insurance in United States history. The policy’s minimum payout doubled to $200,000, while the maximum payout total of $2 million over the year-long policy period and $1 million per storm.

Our latest poll asks, “Is an insurance policy for Hawai‘i’s coral reef worth it?” Out of 197 votes, 64 voted “You can’t put a price on the health of the reef.”

Twenty-four people voted that if we clean up our water we’ll save our reefs.

Twenty-one people voted that the policy should include anchor drops, not just storm damage.

See full results below:

• Absolutely! You can’t put a price on the health of the reef. 64 (32%)
• If we clean up our water, we’ll save our reefs. 24 (12%)
• I think continued restoration projects will pay off in the long run. 20 (10%)
• Other. Please leave a comment. 20 (10%)
• The policy should include damage caused by anchor drops. 21 (10%)
• I haven’t really thought about the reef. They seem healthy to me. 12 (6%)
• The policy does seem a bit pricey. But I could see its value. 7 (3%)
• I guess it depends on how often our reef gets damaged by storms. 5 (2%)
• All of the above. 24 (12%)
• Total Votes: 197

On Sunday, the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources took part in a second collaborative coral restoration project with Hawaiian cultural practices and protocols in the waters of Kealakekua Bay where project partners planted ko‘a [coral].

Lineal descendants of Kealakekua along with The Nature Conservancy and DLNR/DAR divers and other nonprofit organizations collected pieces of ko‘a that had broken off during recent high swells and would otherwise have died.

The Nature Conservancy also upped its coral reef insurance policy this month. Encompassing 344,950 square miles of coral reef in the Hawaiian Islands, the policy’s minimum payout doubled to $200,000, while the maximum payout total of $2 million over the year-long policy period and $1 million per storm.

The policy is triggered when tropical storm winds of 50 knots or greater occur in the core of the coverage area. Payout rates are calculated based on storms’ wind speeds and proximity to the core.

About 25% of all marine species are found in, on and around coral reefs, rivaling the biodiversity of tropical rainforests, according to the NOAA Office for Coastal Management. However, the importance of coral reefs extends beyond their vital role in ocean ecosystems: Healthy coral reefs can absorb up to 97% of a wave’s energy, helping to prevent shoreline erosion, loss of life and billions in annual property damage throughout the United States.

In this week’s poll, Big Island Now wanted your thoughts on how best to protect the state’s asset and treasure.

One commenter on the poll stated: “It’s Thursday. A regular work day. No big deal.”

According to the latest Big Island Now poll asking: How do you plan to spend Leap Day, 81 people out of 184 voted it’s a workday and an extra day of pay.

Thirty-seven people voted they’d be getting outside to enjoy nature.

Check out the full poll results below:

• It is a workday, so that’s where I’ll be. But, hey, it’s an extra day of pay. 81 (43%)
• Getting outside and enjoying nature, i.e. the beach, park, etc. 37 (20%)
• I’m going to learn something new. 13 (7%)
• Pampering myself. 8 (4%)
• Spending time with a friend or loved one I haven’t seen or hung out with for a while. 7 (3%)
• It’s my actual birthday! I’m partying it up. 7 (3%)
• I’m taking the day off from school or work for a much-needed break. 4 (2%)
• I’ll check something off my bucket list. 2 (1%)
• Don’t say anything, but I’m going to pop the big question to my partner. 2 (1%)
• Other (please explain with a comment). 24 (12%)
• Total Votes: 184

Many of us have probably uttered, “I just didn’t have time” or “If only I had an extra day” at least once in our lifetimes when we missed out on an opportunity, fumbled a deadline or even miffed on a special occasion.

But every 4 years, we get a chance to make up for it — at least a little — with an extra 24 hours.

This year is a leap year, and Thursday, Feb. 29, or Leap Day, is right around the corner. While it’s not an official holiday, it’s still a relatively rare bonus day on the calendar.

Are you one of the about 5 million “leaplings” or “leapers” around the world who were born on Feb. 29 or do you know one? If so, you’ll get to celebrate on the actual day for the first time since 2020.

There are also some quirky traditions and superstitions from around the world that go along with the extra day.

According to an article by Salon, Bachelor’s Day, a Leap Day tradition that originated in 5th century Ireland, was reserved for women to defy gender roles and be the ones to make marriage proposals.

The day was common by the 1800s, with similar traditions popping up in Finland, Scotland and parts of the United Kingdom. It even reached the United States by the early 20th century.

In Taiwan, married daughters are obligated to go home during leap year to bring a dish called pig trotter noodles to their parents to promote their longevity. The Salon article says the noodles dish is so tasty it’s believed to bring aging moms and dads good health and fortune.

There’s even a special cocktail for leap year.

Invented in 1928 by Harry Craddock, a London bartender at the Savoy Hotel, the “colorful cousin of the Martini” commemorated the hotel’s Leap Day celebrations. Check out how to make it in “The Savoy Cocktail Book.”

We all get that extra 24 hours this year, so maybe a cocktail is on the agenda Feb. 29. But what else could you use Leap Day to do?

Leave a comment here or on social media to tell us why you voted the way you did. The poll ends at midnight Feb. 23. Poll results will be published Feb. 25.

While top gift choices this year to celebrate the lovers’ holiday were classics such as candy and chocolate, greeting cards, flowers, clothing and gift cards, according to the National Retail Foundation, more people are turning to giving the gift of making memories.

“While shoppers may be spending the most on jewelry, overall, the most popular gifts are the classics — candy and greeting cards,” said Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist. “We’re also seeing continued interest in gifts of experience, with about one-third of consumers planning to give a gift of experience this year.”

So we asked readers last week if they could choose what kind of experience to give or get for Valentine’s Day what they would want.

Here are the results:

• Other: 42 (19%).
• We are totally going to the beach for a sunset picnic: 39 (18%).
• Let’s go whale watching!: 30 (14%).
• We’re definitely the outdoorsy type. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park for the win: 22 (10%).
• We love the ocean, so a diving or snorkeling trip/tour would be the bomb: 18 (8%).
• My sweetheart and I both have a sweet tooth, so it’s a chocolate farm tour all the way: 17 (7%).
• It would be awesome to head to the summit of Mauna Kea: 18 (8%).
• A Hawaiian lūʻau sounds like a spectacular plan: 15 (7%).
• Who needs to dine when you can enjoy wine on a vineyard tour?: 8 (3%).
• Getting a little scared just brings you closer together, so how about a ghost tour?: 5 (2%).

Total votes: 214.

Despite the other category getting the most votes with 42, or 19%, no one commented about what other options they would like to give or receive.

The only comment the poll received was from Panchos Tacos on Facebook. The food truck had a special Valentine’s Day Cupid Shuffle on Feb. 13 to accompany its mini Taco Tuesday market experience in Pāhoa.

If you missed out and still want to treat your sweetie to some Mexican delights, the food truck is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 15-2942 Pāhoa Village Road, Thursdays at HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts in Hilo and Fridays at Kai Store, located at 2010 Kīlauea Ave. in Hilo.

Holiday spending is also expected to hit a record $142 billion in 2024.

Top gift choices include candy, which would encompass everyone’s favorite chocolate, with 57% of Americans planning to sweeten up their loved ones, as well as greeting cards, flowers, jewelry, clothing and gift cards.

Spending records are expected to be broken on jewelry, with $6.4 billion estimated; flowers at $2.6 billion; clothing at $3 billion; and another top gift choice, an evening out, anticipated to come in at $4.9 billion.

While date night is an experience of its own, giving other trips or adventures to enjoy with your loved ones is also gaining in popularity.

“While shoppers may be spending the most on jewelry, overall, the most popular gifts are the classics — candy and greeting cards,” said Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist. “We’re also seeing continued interest in gifts of experience, with about one-third of consumers planning to give a gift of experience this year.”

If you’re looking for a memorable experience to share with your sweetie, the Big Island has a multitude of options from which to choose, it just depends on the kind of adventure you’re seeking. But how would you choose to spend the day with the one you love?

Leave a comment here or on social media to tell us why you voted the way you did. The poll ends at midnight Feb. 16. Poll results will be published Feb. 18.

As previously reported, a Puna-based nonprofit hopes to break ground on a medical campus within the next year. During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers passed bills to fund projects at Hilo Medical Center and Kona Community Hospital that provided funding for infrastructure upgrades. The legislature has also discussed how to expand internet services to rural parts of the island to ensure telehealth is available for everyone.

But we wanted to know what Big Island residents thought were the top healthcare needs of the island. Out of 708 votes, voters noted all the options presented in the poll as important with 340 votes. The demand for on-island specialists came in second with 160 votes.

Dana Carpenter Adams commented on Instagram saying: “We don’t even have a urologist on the island. My father-in-law almost died because the Kona hospital missed a kidney stone….”

Bett Bidleman said: “One word says it all: more. More home health care aides, more physicians, nurses, specialists, mental health and drug treatment, and more affordable housing.”

Another social media comment indicated Hawai‘i Island needed a heart Cath lab on the west side for treating heart issues “instead of being told you have to wait to fly to O‘ahu because Hilo is full.”

See the full poll results below:

• We need more on-island specialists rather than having them travel from O‘ahu 160 (22%)
• We need a hospital in West Hawai‘i 89 (12%)
• There is a lack of mental health care professionals 40 (5%)
• Something else 30 (4%)
• We need affordable housing for traveling doctors and nurses 19 (2%)
• We need mental health services for teenagers 15 (2%)
• We need more blood drives to build up local supply 9 (1%)
• All of the above 340 (48%)
• Total Votes: 708

With a price tag of $160 million, the Puna Community Medical Campus would include a two-story 25-bed facility will be part of a 5-acre campus on land leased from the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, about three-quarters of a mile north of Pāhoa town near the 9-mile marker on Highway 130.

It will house an emergency department, radiology department, surgical department and behavioral health services.

A lack of healthcare resources is a common issue for the state’s neighbor islands. This includes not enough doctors and nurses to take care of patients on Hawai‘i Island. With the goal to break ground on the Puna facility, however, there is hope for expanded services.

During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers passed bills to fund projects at Hilo Medical Center and Kona Community Hospital that provided funding for infrastructure upgrades. The legislature has also discussed how to expand internet services to rural parts of the island to ensure telehealth is available for everyone.

Big Island Now asked readers in its most recent poll what goals in the proposed three-bill short-term rental bill package they think are most important, if any.

While 30%, or 126 votes, chose it doesn’t matter what the goals are, the proposed new regulations should not be adopted because they will only hurt those with short-term rentals now and the Big Island economy, another 67%, or 274 votes, selected one of seven of the benchmarks the bills want to meet or that it’s not just one of the goals that is most important but a combination of them that will make a difference.

The bill package is aimed at registering and ensuring all of the island’s transient accommodation rentals, also called short-term rentals, are operating safely, legally and under the same standards.

The proposed legislation seeks to preserve the character of the island’s residential and agricultural areas while reducing speculative property investment in those markets. It’s also hoped the changes would relieve some of the inflationary pressure transient accommodations have on long-term rental rates.

One of the bills would remove most restrictions for building ‘ohana dwellings, which would be called accessory dwelling units.

The opposition is concerned about the economic impact of the proposed new rules, including pushing short-term rentals out of markets where resorts do not exist such as Puna and especially the Volcano area. Other concerns range from infringing on private property owner rights, higher fees and taxes, damage that could be done to the agricultural tourism industry and more focus being needed on unhosted transient accommodations that are often owned by entities off-island, among many more.

But others say short-term rental regulations need to be more strict to address issues some cause for community members living nearby, such as noise, parking and safety complaints. One person, who said her home is surrounded by short-term rentals, said they are ruining her community.

Hawai‘i County Council Chairwoman Heather Kimball, who co-introduced the three bills, said she had two people in her community who moved because they couldn’t tolerate the activity that was going on at short-term rentals next door.

Greg Kirkpatrick, who thinks the proposed new regulations should not be adopted, claimed the poll was heavily skewed toward the passage of “some restrictive rules” regarding transient accommodation rentals and said the proposed bills are an attempt by hotels to push competition away.

“Your one-sided ‘poll’ will only enflame opposition to people who are trying to make ends meet by renting space to tourists,” commented Kirkpatrick on the poll.

User SA SASSER commented that It seems like the people the proposed new regulations hurt the most are “mom and pop types” and everyone else will be fine.

“Step one, sell properties. Step two, lay off the aunties and maintenance staff we employ,” added Shane Robbins.

User tom jones said any new rules should not include blanket coverage and each of the island’s districts should have a say and agreed that some areas where resorts do not exist could be harmed if the new regulations become law.

“Bring back the VACATION NODES option as was promised by Kimball in the beginning,” commented jones. “This is nothing more than a political move to further her personal political career without thought to the general good.”

Steve DeMeritt spoke to the need for residents with “smallish houses” around the island to have places for family and friends to stay nearby.

“If the Council wants to limit short-term rentals to only ‘approved zones,’ then we need approved zones all over the island, not just Waikōloa and Hilo,” commented DeMeritt. “People in lower Puna have friends and families, too. Legalized [accessory dwelling units] on ALL Agricultural lands would go a long way in helping accommodate friends and family. If you can farm fighting chickens, then you should be able to host friends and family in [accessory dwelling units] and tents.”

Here are the full poll results:

• It doesn’t matter what the proposed regulations aim to do, they should not be adopted because they will only hurt those with short-term rentals now and the Big Island economy: 126 (30%)
• Making it easier to build ‘ohana units for family or long-term rentals: 60 (14%)
• Reducing speculative investment of properties in residential and agricultural markets: 54 (13%)
• It’s not just one, but a combination of those that will help: 41 (9%)
• Retaining more housing in the long-term rental market: 34 (8%)
• Preserving the character of residential and agricultural areas: 33 (8%)
• Registering all short-term rentals in Hawai‘i County: 27 (6%)
• Safe, legal and standard operations: 13 (3%)
• Reducing inflationary pressure of transient accommodations on long-term rental rates: 12 (2%)
• None of the above/Other: 12 (2%)

Total votes: 412

The three-bill package is aimed at registering and ensuring all of the island’s transient accommodation rentals, also called short-term rentals, are operating safely, legally and under the same standards.

The legislation seeks to preserve the character of the island’s residential and agricultural areas while reducing speculative property investment in those markets. It’s also hoped the changes would relieve some of the inflationary pressure transient accommodations have on long-term rental rates.

One of the bills would remove most restrictions for building ‘ohana dwellings.

The main objective is to find a balance between secondary owners’ investment and speculation in property and Big Island families, people who live in their primary residences, trying to make ends meet.

Short-term rental regulation was one of the top three issues for people in Hawai‘i County Council Chairwoman Heather Kimball’s district as she knocked door-to-door during her first campaign.

“It was around issues like … parking being taken up on their street by a vacation rental, noise at all hours of the day and night,” said Kimball. “I had two folks in my community who decided to move because they couldn’t tolerate the activity that was going on next door.”

The proposed new regulations were introduced by Kimball and Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz.

Waikōloa condo owner Connie Holz wants short-term rental regulations to be more strict.

“Please make our community safer, cleaner, quieter and community-minded by not allowing transient rentals,” wrote Holz. “There is not enough affordable housing and this is the major reason. Please look after our community and not those profiting off this.”

Trish Sierer of Kailua-Kona wrote that her home is surrounded by vacation rentals that are ruining the community: “Stay strong and continue pushing this bill through on Hawai‘i Island. It is great news!”

But the overwhelming opposition doesn’t see it that way. Some of them think the number of complaints the county receives about problems with short-term rentals isn’t enough to warrant a problem.

They are concerned about the economic impact the proposed new regulations would have if they were to become law, saying property management companies, homeowners and farmers who offer short-term rentals would face having to scale down or even stop renting altogether. That not only their income and livelihood but also those of people employed to clean and care for those rentals.

Other concerns ranged from infringing on the rights of private property owners and homeowners, higher fees and taxes and how the new rules would be enforced to needing more focus on unhosted transient accommodations often owned by entities off-island, damaging the agriculture tourism industry and putting more responsibility on the Hawai‘i County Planning Department, which can’t handle its current workload.

Several said the proposed rules would force short-term rentals out of markets where resorts do not exist, including in Puna, especially in the Volcano area.

“I am sorry that the folks in Kona and Honolulu have such big problems with the short-term vacation rentals, but this is not the case in Puna,” said Paul Crawford in written testimony. “All we have is our natural splendors and the people who want to come see them. There are no big hotels here, and nobody is going to build any in a volcanic zone.”

He added the new regulations would further harm Puna’s economy, which is still trying to recover from the 2018 Lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea volcano and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Stop scapegoating [transient accommodation rentals] for all the bigger problems out there and do something real to increase the housing supply,” Crawford wrote.

The county’s first attempt to regulate short-term rentals was in November 2018 with the passage of Bill 108, but it only addressed unhosted rentals.

No matter on which side of the issue you stand, the goals the proposed legislation hopes to achieve have merit, but is one more important than the other?

Leave a comment here or on social media to tell us why you voted the way you did. The poll ends at midnight Feb. 2. Poll results will be published Feb. 4.