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THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2018 WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM 75¢
Homeless village moves forward
COUNTY COULD BEGIN CONSTRUCTION BY YEAR’S END
‘IT REALLY STARTS WITH US’
Kaanoi Rivera-
Kelekolio adds
a message
to a board
KAILUA-KONA — In
during a rally
the wake of a shooting
at Konawaena
that killed 17 people at a
High School
Florida high school — and
on Wednesday.
later threats to their own
CAMERON
school — a handful of students
MICULKA/WEST
at Konawaena High
HAWAII TODAY SEE WALKOUT PAGE 4A
School looked to their own
73-4076 Hulikoa Drive
Kailua Kona, HI
(808) 329-8855
campus for an opportunity
to ensure students feel
safe in their classrooms.
“It was really scary,”
said Jaelyn Libarios, 17, of
recent threats to Hawaii
Island schools, including
Konawaena High School.
“And I noticed a lot of
HILO — An infusion of state money is helping
kickstart the transformation of a vacant lot
at the corner of Kealakehe Parkway and Ane
Keohokalole Highway into a homeless village.
Village 9, as it has been named, will share
space on the 35.7-acre lot with an affordable
housing development operated by the state.
Planning expenses to be funded by the
Hawaii Housing Finance and Development
Corporation include the cost to develop a master
plan and environmental assessment for both
the homeless facility and the affordable rental
project to ensure an integrated planning and
assessment of the two interrelated projects.
The County Council approved a resolution
Wednesday allowing the mayor to enter into an
agreement with the state that brings $184,000
to county coffers to pay for planning expenses.
The HHFDC board on Jan. 11 agreed to pay
the expenses and to lease 15-20 acres to the
county for Village 9.
Roy Takemoto, an executive assistant to
Mayor Harry Kim, estimated the process would
take about seven months, enabling the county
to begin construction by the end of the year.
The county’s plan for Village 9 was developed
after Kim ordered police to evict dozens of
homeless illegally residing at Old Kona Airport
Park. Initial plans called for permanent housing
for at least 100 of West Hawaii’s homeless
residents. Roughly 30 of those homeless residents
live at Camp Kikaha in the Old Kona
Industrial Area, adjacent to HOPE Services
Hawaii.
“I know Camp Kikaha can’t stay there for
that much longer,” said Kona Councilman Dru
Kanuha. “I’m glad to see (Village 9) finally come
up and hopefully it won’t take a really long time.
… But we have a starting point.”
Council members sought assurance that the
public will have the chance to comment on the
project before it’s constructed.
Takemoto said there will be community outreach
in conjunction with the environmental
assessment process. After that, there will be
more public input as a master plan is developed,
he said.
Lance Niimi, Kim’s executive assistant, specializing
in homelessness, on Tuesday presented
a 52-page homeless plan to the council
Committee on Human Services and Social
Services.
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2865 Koapaka Street
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 840-8855 tel
(808) 840-8858 fax
73-4076 Hulikoa Drive
Kailua Kona, HI 96740
(808) 329-8855 tel
(808) 329-8858 fax
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Nelson
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INSIDE
FOODSTUFF
APLENTY
Ono Food Court’s
many options
broke da mouth
ONO, 9A
▼
A COLORFUL
FARCE
’Rumors’ takes
the stage in
Waimea
PAGE 6A
▼
HI 84 LO 73 WEATHER, PAGE 5A
VOL. 50, NO. 74 20 PAGES
BY NANCY COOK LAUER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
Village 9, as it’s been named, will share space on the 35.7-acre
lot (colored green) with an affordable housing development
SEE VILLAGE 9 PAGE 4A operated by the state. MAP ILLUSTRATION/WEST HAWAII TODAY
Hilo High School students raise their hands against gun violence as they participate in National Walkout Day
Wednesday on their campus in Hilo. HOLLYN JOHNSON/TRIBUNE-HERALD
KONA STUDENTS JOIN NATIONWIDE
SAFETY DEMONSTRATIONS
BY CAMERON MICULKA
WEST HAWAII TODAY
cmiculka@westhawaiitoday.com
Bail increased
in reported
domestic attack
ALASKA WOMAN REMAINS
HOSPITALIZED ON OAHU,
VINCENT NELSON TO
ENTER PLEA ON MARCH 26
BY TIFFANY DEMASTERS
WEST HAWAII TODAY
tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com
KAILUA-KONA – A District Court
judge increased bail to $200,000 for
an Ocean View man accused of injuring
an Alaska woman during an alleged
domestic attack last week in Ka’u.
The court addressed the matter of bail
for Vincent Nelson, 40,
after the preliminary
hearing Wednesday
afternoon. Deputy
Prosecutor Annaliese
H. Wolf said her concern
was the defendant
was a flight risk.
Wolf ’s motion, filed
about an hour before
the hearing, also indicates Nelson is
a danger to the community and the
“injury to the victim may terminate in
death.”
Public defender Rick Macapinlac
objected to the motion because of its
late filing.
“We’d object on due process,” he said.
District Court Judge Margaret
Masunaga ruled to increase Nelson’s
bail from $27,000 to $200,000.
Nelson has been charged with abuse
of a family or household member and
first-degree assault in connection to an
SEE ATTACK PAGE 3A
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