Starting tomorrow, one lane of Hauaala Road in Kapaa near the Kuhio Highway intersection will be closed for two days to allow for improvements to be made to the roadway. Traffic will be contra-flowed on Haua‘ala Road while the work is underway. Work hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The roadwork is part of the $2.5 million Eastside collector road project involving improvements to Hauaala, Mailihuna and Oloh?na roads. Portions of the roadways are being reconstructed and resurfaced, along with ancillary work including improvements to the shoulders, road striping, as well as the installation of traffic signs and pavement markings.

Funding for the project is provided through an 80/20 matching grant from the Federal Highways Administration with FHWA providing $2 million and the county’s share being $500,000.

(Source: The Garden Island)

The Kapaa Neighborhood Center will be hosting a book release party for “Images of America: Kapaa,” which details the history of Kapaa, from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. “We’ve shared the stories with some of the seniors that have lived in Kapaa their entire lives, and some of them hadn’t heard them,” Hulsman said. “We got some great information.” Hulsman said the team also shared information with the Kauai Historical Society and is donating photos the society doesn’t have for its collection.

The book release event will kick off with a proclamation from Mayor Bernard Carvalho and a PowerPoint presentation put together by Judie Fernandez, one of the book’s authors. After the presentation, there will be entertainment and a chance to buy a copy of the book. The book was written by local author Marta Hulsman (manager of the Kapaa Neigborhood Center) amongst others. Hulsman saw the book as an opportunity to create a fundraiser from the book. The book was published on Aug 17 and has already sold 60 copies at $22 a piece.

Book Summary:

Kapaa, like most rural towns on Kauai and many in Hawaii, got its start in the 19th century as a sugar town. But, within five years, Kapaas sugar mill was gone; the little village almost disappeared. By the early 20th century, Kapaa was once again a thriving community. Self-reliant merchants and shopkeepers, first mostly Chinese and then Japanese, competed with the neighboring plantation store. Homesteaders populated the hills behind Kapaa, and two pineapple canneries offered employment. Several movie theaters provided alternatives to the bars and taxi-dance halls. By the 1970s, pineapple, too, was gone, and Kapaa faced new challenges. Today, new entrepreneurs working alongside the old provide entertainment for a new clientele of pleasure-seekers, tourists.

(Source: Weather.com)

We're in the midst of hurricane season in Hawaii, but something very rare just happened this weekend. On Saturday, and into Sunday morning, there were three Category 4 hurricanes ongoing simultaneously in the Pacific Ocean. 

At 11 p.m. EDT Saturday, Hurricane Kilo (135 mph) was located well southwest of the Hawaiian Islands followed by Hurricane Ignacio (140 mph) to the east of Hawaii and Hurricane Jimena (140 mph) in the eastern Pacific. Kilo was the last of the trio to reach Category 4 status, doing so on Saturday evening. For reference, hurricanes with maximum sustained winds of 130-156 mph are classified as Category 4, which is the second highest category on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. 

However, by 5 p.m. EDT Sunday both Kilo and Ignacio had begun to weaken and were classified as Category 3 hurricanes, while Jimena maintained its Category 4 status. This is the first recorded occurrence of three Category 4 hurricanes in the central and eastern Pacific basins at the same time.

Current Storm Update:

With winds of 105 mph this week, Ignacio has moved north and lost some of its power, with an official downgrade to a tropical storm today. It appears it is now well north of Hawaii and is no longer a direct threat to the islands. However, dangerous surf and rip currents from Ignacio will continue to affect the east-facing shores of Hawaii. Hurricane Jimena is making its way behind Ignacio and currently a Category 2 hurricane with winds greater than 110 mph. Forecasts show Jimena slowing as it reaches the Central Pacific and is expected to weaken this week. Forecasts so far estimate it is not a threat to land but high surf warnings have been issued until Thursday evening. 

(Source: Hawaii Tourism Authority)

The Hawaii Tourism Authority, the state’s tourism agency, honored the unique tradition of paniolo, Hawaiian cowboys, at its Tourism Legacy Awards Luncheon Thursday during the 2015 Hawaii Tourism Conference at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Kauai's Kipu Ranch was honored for their contributions to the community and promoting paniolo traditions and Hawaiian culture.  Stretching from the Huleia River to the summit of Mount Haupu spanning a total of 3,000 acres. Originally used as a sugar plantation, the area has transformed to a working cattle ranch and is home to both beautiful scenery and remarkable wildlife. Its unique landscapes, which include mountains, pastures, forests and rivers make it a popular site for movie directors and families looking to experience Hawaii's great outdoors.

Honolulu-based Pelatron Q is focusing its waste-to-energy efforts on the island of Kauai, mainly because of the urgent issue of municipal waste on Kauai.

The plan includes working with private waste haulers and private landowners to secure a municipal solid waste stream and green waste stream for a private partnership to develop a 2.4-megawatt waste-to-energy project. The effects of this are pretty dramatic and will reduce the amount of trash being deposited at the  by up to 50 percent.

According to Pelatron Q's CEO, Kekoa McClellan, “We are in various stages of negotiations with feedstock providers and negotiating our lease agreements in West Kauai. Once those are complete, we will take our case to the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative."

Pelatron Q utilizes the “Solena plasma gasification and vitrification” technology, which generates synthetic gas that can be used to generate electricity and/or biofuels, according to its website.

Funding for the county project would come from private capital and a state special purpose revenue bonds.

Street Burger, a new burger chain, is expected to open the first week of September in a 2,500 square foot facility in Kapaa across from the Kintaro Japanese Restaurant. The husband and wife pair are seasoned chefs (no pun intended) looking to offer an exciting new food option to the Kauai community. Aaron Leikam has worked at Hukilau Lanai and 22 North and his wife Kristin Leikam has wedding cakes business called 'Cakes by Kristin'.

The decor will be rustic with reclaimed wood and corrugated metal and will seat 70 people. The menu will include house made ketchup and mayonnaise and local meat, lamb & eland (a type of antelope) from Niihau. There will be over 20 different types of burgers, 10 different salads and an assortment of interesting pupus. And with any good burger, there is good beer - with 26 beers being offered on tap. Yum!

(Source: Pacific Business News)

The rebirth of the Coco Palms Resort came one step closer to becoming a reality after Kauai County officials on Wednesday released the first set of permits needed to begin demolition. The $135 million dollar project will renovate the infamous hotel, adding 277 hotel rooms and 77 suites.

The state Historic Preservation Division this week officially verified that the Honolulu-based group of investors who will purchase and redevelop the Coco Palms Resort, Coco Palms Hui LLC, satisfied all of their requirements, paving the way for building and demolition permits to be released to the group. The demolition is expected to last between 4-6 months. 

In the market to sell or buy in South Shore? Here is the lowdown on current inventory:

Our very own Lori Finch, was the winner of the Finance Factors 'Date Night' Giveaway at the Kauai Board of Realtors General Membership Meeting. Her 'Date Night' included: 2 tickets to the movies at Kukui Grove, $100 gift certificate for Gaylords & a bottle of Etoile Pinot Noir. Congratulations Lori!!

Anyone who owns a home on Kauai knows that home decor options are limited so when a new shop opens it’s big news here. SoHa Living has opened its first Neighbor Island store at The Shops at Kukuiula on Kauai and is slated to open another in the Queens' MarketPlace on the Big Island within the next month.

"It's exciting and we're excited that our Koloa store is doing great," said Brooke Watson (source: Pacific Business News), who along with her sister, Shyrah Maurer, founded SoHa Living 13 years ago and currently operate two Oahu stores, at Kahala Mall and in Kailua. "We're very happy with it, so it's all good."

Watson said her company's 1,300-square-feet Kauai store has been in the works for the past few months and officially held a soft opening on Saturday in The Shops at Kukuiula. That store, she said, currently employs about 10 full and part-time workers.