Tourists view Mauna Loa in March from Mauna Kea Access Road.
HOLLYN JOHNSON/
HAWAII TRIBUNE-HERALD
3A
WEST HAWAII TODAY | SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2015
equipped with the radio tags, officials
said.
While the effort to track traffic to the
summit is still new and lacks historical
data, UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl
said visitor counts at the Mauna Kea
Visitor Information Station just below
Halepohaku at 9,200 feet show that
tourism has been increasing signifi-
cantly on the mountain over the past
few years.
He said a likely factor is completion
of improvements to Saddle Road that
have allowed for easier access.
“You couldn’t take your rental car
there before,” Meisenzahl said.
Mauna Kea support services esti-
mates 300,000 people stopped at
the visitor center last year, up from
200,000 in 2010 and 100,000 in
2003.
Public access, and how that should be
managed, will be part of the discussion
at open houses the Office of Mauna
Kea Management is hosting this week
regarding new administrative rules.
A survey conducted by the UH-Hilo
Sociology Department in 2012 estimat-
ed about 20 percent of people stopping
at the visitor center were from the Big
Island. Mainland visitors accounted
for about 54 percent of those surveyed,
while about a third of participants were
international travellers.
Eight commercial tour companies
have permits to operate on the moun-
tain. Each are restricted to two 14-pas-
senger vans per day.
Meisenzahl said no more permits are
being processed until the administra-
tive rules process is complete.
Revenue from the permits helps pay
for the management office’s share of
road maintenance and visitor station
costs.
For fiscal year 2015-2016, which
starts July 1, Mauna Kea support
services has budgeted $527,919 to
maintain the 8.5 miles of road above
Halepohaku.
That includes a 4.7-mile unpaved
section that is graded twice a week.
Another $158,875 is set aside for snow
clearing.
The 13 observatories on the moun-
tain cover the snow removal budget
and about 82 percent of the road main-
tenance expenses. The Mauna Kea
management office contributes the
remaining 18 percent, or $95,025, for
road work.
While its construction remains
paused, the Thirty Meter Telescope also
is making contributions for road clear-
ing and maintenance that will total
$85,389 during the next fiscal year,
more than any of the existing telescopes.
Its contributions started last October.
Howmuch observatories pay depends
on their size and other factors. At 180
feet tall, TMT will be the largest obser-
vatory on the mountain.
The observatories also cover near-
ly all of the visitor station’s budget
shortfall, estimated at $371,500 for
this next fiscal year, and the $280,825
budget for the Mauna Kea weather sta-
tion, according to Mauna Kea support
services.
The Mauna Kea management office’s
open house meetings are scheduled for
Tuesday at West Hawaii Civic Center,
Wednesday at ‘Imiloa Astronomy
Center in Hilo, and Thursday at the
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’
West Hawaii district office in Waimea.
They each last from 5-7:30 p.m.
Email Tom Callis at
.
MAUNA KEA:
Tourism has been increasing
significantly on the mountain over the past few years.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
of the community
and I know they
will be as pleased as
we are to have him
formally recognized
as sports editor.”
De
Groote,
26, was raised in
Kailua-Kona and
joined the West
Hawaii Today team
in June of 2012 as
a summer intern.
He has served as
a reporter, page
designer and pho-
tographer over the
years.
He
holds
a
bachelor’s degree
in
journalism
from
Arizona
State’s
Walter
Cronkite
School
of
Journalism
and
Mas s
Communication.
De Groote is also
a 2007 gradu-
ate of Kealakehe
High School in
Kailua-Kona.
De Groote may
be contacted at
930-8616 or jdeg-
roote@westhawaii-
today.com.-
DE GROOTE:
Joined the
West Hawaii
Today team
in June of
2012
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
GIVE PEACE A
CHANCE:
EXHIBIT LOOKS AT REALITIES OF BOMB
LIHUE, Hawaii —
Sadoko Sasaki was in the
sixth grade when she con-
tracted leukemia.
Admitted to the hospi-
tal for treatment, Sasaki
received
multi-colored
folded paper cranes from
school friends, the cranes
representing their wish-
es for recovery from this
disease which was con-
nected to the dropping
of the atomic bomb on
Hiroshima on Aug. 6,
1945, The Garden Island
reported Tuesday.
A special free exhibit,
“Hope Riding on theWings
of Cranes,” combined with
an artistic animation piece,
was held last week at the
Kauai Veterans Center.
The exhibit was joined
by more pieces and the
showing of “Hiroshima:
A Mother’s Prayer” at the
Happiness Planting Center
from on Saturday.
The exhibit is an effort to
raise peace awareness for
the upcoming generations
by providing visitors an
opportunity to learn more
about the effects the atom-
ic bomb has on humanity.
Susan Hamada was
one of the early viewers
through the exhibit, noting
she was grateful for hav-
ing seen the play presented
earlier by the hongwanji
church.
“This was really good,”
Hamada said. “It helped
that I saw the play when
it came through because
I was able to understand
more. The video is also
very good.”
During her battle with
leukemia, Sasaki befriend-
ed her roommate who
kindled her interest in the
greater world, correspond-
ing with penpals found
through magazines and
through the paper cranes
she kept receiving.
Her cranes, which have
become symbols of forgive-
ness, strength, and hopes
for peace, have since been
distributed throughout the
world, including the World
Trade Center Tribute
Center as the ability to
shift away from hatred, to
let go of the past and move
forward.
The video, “On a Paper
Crane,” speaks on the
importance of peace, based
on Sasaki’s story.
The exhibit is spon-
sored by the El Cantare
Foundation, theHiroshima
Peace Museum, the Kauai
Veterans Museum and the
Kauai Veterans Center, and
the Happiness Planting
Center.
“When I got these piec-
es, I wasn’t sure how many
people would be interest-
ed,” Sakurai said. “But as
I researched, I discovered
there were many who want
to know about peace.”
BY DENNIS FUJIMOTO
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
6
99
COUPON
SUPER
COUPON
SUPER
Good June 21 to 23, 2015
Good June 21 to 23, 2015
Without coupon 1.27, Limit 5 per coupon.
Without coupon 7.39, Limit 2 per coupon.
2005-40
Bath Tissues
Kleenex
Cottonelle
12 Double Rolls, Gentle,
Ultra Comfort or Clean Care
6-39
Evaporated Milk
Western
Family
12 oz.
Vitamin D Added
88
¢
ea.
6
99
ea.
Unless otherwise stated, we reserve the right to limit sale items to 5 units per customer. Coupons are limited to 2 coupons per product, per visit,
per customer. Applicable beverage containers are subject to HI State Beverage Fee and deposit. Prices are subject to a 4.1666% excise tax.
Descriptive, typographical and/or photographical errors are subject to correction. Not all products may be available at KTA Downtown.
Spencer Rib
Beef Steak
Head Cabbage
Bay’s English
Muffins
1916 Pumpkin
Pie
22 oz.
USDA Grain Fed
Big Island Fresh
Frozen
Family Pack
Great for making cole slaw!
12 oz., Chilled
12
97
59
¢
4
59
2
$
6
Teriyaki
Beef Steak
USDA Grain Fed Round Tip
Boneless Family Pack
5
99
f
o
r
serving
suggestion
serving
suggestion
lb.
lb.
Prices good Sunday to Tuesday only! June 21 to 23, 2015
Deschutes Brewery
or Lost Coast Beer
6 bottles
Sauce Mix
S&B Golden
Curry
3.5 oz.
Mild, Medium or Hot
2
19
ea.
ea.
lb.
