MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2018 WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM 75¢
PRIMARY ELECTION 2018 — COUNTY COUNCIL
Richards has one challenger up north
POLITICAL NEWCOMER PARISH LOOKS TO TAKE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 9 SEAT
Incumbent South Kona/Ka‘u
Councilwoman Maile David faces not
one, but two, challengers to the seat
she’s held on the council for the past
four years.
Her two opponents, Richard Abbett
and Yumi Kawano, offer novel solutions
to the county’s crippling budget
crisis and continual homelessness.
Abbett seeks a legal cannabis economy,
where the tax revenues would pay
for needed services. Kawano pitches
Richards Parish
a public work program that would
employ homeless individuals to care
for the island.
District 6 includes Volcano Village,
Hawaiian Orchid Island Estates,
Pahala, Punaluu, Naalehu, South
Point, Ocean View, Milolii, Hookena,
Honaunau, Keei, Napoopoo, Captain
Cook, part of Kealakekua, Keopuka
Heights, Kona Hospital and Keopuka
Kai.
To win in the Aug. 11 primary,
the top vote-getter must win more
BY NANCY COOK LAUER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
Incumbent Kohala Councilman Tim
Richards is finishing his first term while
facing a challenge for his second from
Hawi resident Maya Parish.
Both Richards and Parish are focused
on county budget needs and raising more
different.
Waikoloa Village, Puako, Waikii, parts
P F I
PFI
Rubbish Service
Residential Curbside Service
Honaunau to Kohala
Let us make your
rubbish disappear!
PFIrubbish.com 808-329-3440
Locally Owned
since 1979
of Waimea, Puukapu Farms, Puukapu
Homesteads, Puukapu Village House
Lots, Lualai, Puuopelu, Lalamilo, Waiaka,
Kawaihae, Kohala Ranch, Mahukona,
Hawi, Kapaau and Halaula.
The winner in the Aug. 11 primary takes
the nonpartisan seat.
Richards, 59, of Waimea, is staff veterinarian
at Veterinary Associates Inc. and
SEE DISTRICT 7 PAGE 6A SEE DISTRICT 6 PAGE 6A
INDEX Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . 4B Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . 10B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9B Nation & World . . . . . . . . .3A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B
STONE TILE, STONE SLABS, PORCELAIN TILE, POOL TILE, LATICRETE MATERIALS, GLASS TILE, MOSAICS, AND MORE
2865 Koapaka Street
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 840-8855 tel
(808) 840-8858 fax
www.tilewarehousehawaii.com
73-4076 Hulikoa Drive
Kailua Kona, HI 96740
(808) 329-8855 tel
(808) 329-5585 fax
Featuring: Cambria Quartz
INSIDE
TEENS
TACKLE
TECH
Kids become
entrepreneurs at
Startup Camp
PAGE 5B
▼
OPENING
CEREMONIES
HIBT kicks
off with meet
and greet at
Hale Halawai
SPORTS, 1B
▼
HI 87 LO 76 WEATHER, PAGE 4A
VOL. 50, NO. 218 20 PAGES
revenue, but their approaches are very
District 9 includes Mauna Lani Resort,
3 go for South Kona’s
County Council District 6
BY NANCY COOK LAUER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
New face
will grace
Kona
council
post
FOUR CANDIDATES
CAMPAIGN TO FILL
VACANT SEAT 7
BY NANCY COOK LAUER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
No matter who wins, there’s going
to be a new face at the dais in the
County Council District 7 spot.
That’s because Dru Kanuha, who’s
represented the Kailua-Kona district
for six years, is vacating the seat to
run for state Senate.
The district includes part of
Kealakekua, Kona Scenic Subdivision,
Kainaliu, Honalo, Keauhou, Kahaluu,
Holualoa, Kona Hillcrest, Pualani
Estates, Sunset View, Kuakini
Heights, Kona Vistas, Alii Heights,
Kona Industrial and Lono Kona.
Four candidates have been making
the rounds of the forums and trying to
get their message out. Homelessness,
parks and environmental concerns
top the
candidates’
priority lists.
To win outright in the
Aug. 11 primary, a candidate
must take more than 50 percent
of the votes cast in the nonpartisan
contest. If not, the top two candidates
move on to the general election.
Kelly Drysdale, 59, of Kailua-Kona,
moved to the area to help her parents
manage their restaurants, Don
Drysdale’s Club 53 and Drysdale’s
Two in the Keauhou Shopping
Center. She holds a degree in radio
and TV communications from San
a rancher. He has an advanced degree
in veterinary medicine from Washington
State University in Pullman, Washington.
Richards reflected on his accomplishments
during his first two years, naming
one of his top successes inserting language
in a polystyrene foam food container
ban that requires the county also comply
with the ban. The original language
had exempted the county, while requiring
businesses to quit using the containers.
“I believe my greatest accomplishment
is giving District 9 a credible and trusted
voice in our county government that is
collaborative, cooperative, but stands very
firm on principle and accountability,”
Richards said. “I have been able
to do this by building
bridges of communication
with the
directors of the county departments
and other elected officials at our local,
state and federal levels. I have met
with, sat and listened to all constituents
on any problem they might bring
to me.”
He’s had his share of frustrations
as well, frequently surrounding the
county budget process. The budget
process, Richards believes, should
be more carefully thought out with
all options on the table at the same
time, compared to what he calls “silo
legislation.”
But fellow council members balked
at forming an ad hoc committee that
would have taken budget negotiations
behind closed doors, with the
final proposed budget brought out in
public for County Council vote only
after the nitty-gritty details had been
worked out.
Richards said the county’s economic
crisis caused by the volcano
emergency has changed some of his
priorities, but he still wants to focus
on workforce housing and affordable
housing. One initiative he’s working
on would bring more than 1,000
workforce housing units to market,
he said.
“In order to address the needs
of our community and society we
must have the financial resources.
Those resources come from a
SEE DISTRICT 9 PAGE 5A
Drysdale Kossow Nazara Villegas Abbett David Kawano
link
/www.tilewarehousehawaii.com
link
link