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Kim fi nalizing committee
pursuit of
knowledge
and the
Hawaiian
people,
Kim said
Thursday
he is close
to selecting a committee
By TOM CALLIS KIM
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
to help him
make that a reality.
He declined to name
the six people chosen
so far since the process
See KIM Page A6
Photo courtesy of Island Media Solutions LLC
An aerial view shows the construction progress of Lau Ola’s facility in Pepeekeo.
Summer pot sales?
approvals. Regulatory
departments are
“overwhelmed during
HA
a time of increased
construction in Hawaii County”
and are taking longer to approve
Ethos’ construction permits.
However, Keolanui said Ethos
will open a second dispensary
in Hilo shortly after its Kona
location begins operations.
Index
Mission statement emphasizes
Native Hawaiians’ connection
to Maunakea, exploration
not being the only one.
More than three
months after Gov. David
Ige gave him the green
light to pursue his
vision of the mountain
as a symbol of international
cooperation, the
Keolanui, the delay
primarily is due to
longer-than-expected
building permit
Meanwhile, another medical
marijuana company,
Lau Ola, plans to open its
Hilo dispensary in July.
Lau Ola Chief Executive
Officer Richard Ha said
Big Isle History C3
Classified C7
Commentary A8
Crossword C6
UH renewing pursuit of
master lease for Maunakea
By TOM CALLIS
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
The University of
Hawaii is restarting
its effort to gain a
new master lease for
Maunakea that would
allow observatories to
continue beyond 2033.
That process was
put on hold twice,
first in 2013 to allow
for an environmental
impact statement
and two years later
because of controversy
See LEASE Page A6
Councilwoman
questioned on
vacation rental
Eoff condo might be exempt
from measure she sponsored
By NANCY COOK LAUER
West Hawaii Today
North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff,
the primary sponsor of a bill limiting vacation
rentals on the island, has come under fire
for her ownership of a vacation
rental condo in Kailua-Kona.
Eoff is the only council
member who owns a short-term
vacation rental, according to
financial disclosure reports filed
by Jan. 31 with the county clerk.
She’s also the council member
who co-sponsored a bill to
EOFF
regulate short-term rentals that
the Hawaii County Council will consider.
Eoff lists her ownership of the condo
in the real estate section of the financial
disclosure, but doesn’t list income
received from the rental with her other
sources of income as required by law for
any income received of $1,000 or more.
The 372-square-foot condo at the Islander
Inn on Kuakini Highway is valued for tax
purposes at $89,800, according to the county
Real Property Tax Office website.
Eoff’s condo ownership came to the
attention of Rob Guzman, who owns the
vacation rental Bananarama Cottage in
Kalapana Seaview. Guzman accuses Eoff
of writing the bill in a way to exempt
her own condo from the regulations.
“She has a conflict of interest in this
legislation,” Guzman said Friday. “Barring
people in other areas, especially areas
with high numbers of poorer people and
people of color, they will be prohibited
from doing what she is doing herself.”
An email conversation Thursday between
Eoff and Guzman, copied to newspaper
reporters, showed Eoff first denied she had a
vacation rental. Guzman was pressing Eoff
to explain why she shouldn’t recuse herself
Issue No. 42
26 Pages in
3 Sections
Today’s
weather
Page A2
Dear Abby C6
Horoscope C6
Nation A4
Obituaries A2
isn’t complete, but
Kim said each has to
share his passion for
resolving the conflict
surrounding the mountain
astronomy, with Hawaii
Island’s heritage.
to feel, this mission here,
is right from the bottom
construction on Lau Ola’s growing
facility in Pepeekeo continues,
with the structure to be completed
and growing to begin in April.
“The shell of the structure
is up now,” Ha said.
Last year, the opening of the
Lau Ola dispensary was delayed
when the company scrapped
plans to convert Ha’s former
banana packing location into
the growing facility, he said.
Lau Ola also has leased a
site on Leilani Street in Hilo
for the company’s dispensary
retail location, which also
will open in July, Ha said.
In the meantime, Lau Ola and
Hawaiian Ethos are supporting
Spending Well C4
Sports B1
Surf report A2
Travel C1
and better connecting
its uses, including
“I told them you got
See POT Page A6
Tropical
Gardening C3
Volcano Watch C2
World A10
When it comes to
Maunakea, Mayor
Harry Kim might
seem like a dreamer.
But he’s counting on
Permit holdups
delay Hawaiian Ethos
opening as Lau Ola
plans for July launch
By MICHAEL BRESTOVANSKY
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
The opening of a Big Island
medical marijuana dispensary
has been delayed.
Hawaiian Ethos postponed
the opening of its Kailua-Kona
dispensary from February to an
undetermined date this summer,
said Zachary Taffany, Hawaiian
Ethos’ chief operating officer.
According to Ethos’ community
relations director Kea
Internet
Visit us on the Web at:
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See RENTAL Page A7
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