Merrie Monarch gave Hilo financial boost, magic feeling - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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The sold-out event continues to be the premier hula competitiob inthe state. The Hawaiij County administration found space forthe , whicuh was being forced to find new The new quarters are in a countty facility next door to the stadium where the evenrt is held. • The Big Islancd business community’s show of suppor for the paid off with the state votingb unanimously to approvethe plan. The drive, spearheaded by the , even had businessx folks out sign-waving on the street. The plan is to be approvedr by the University of Hawaii as it has conditione that will bethe university’s responsibility. • The county Counci l is discussing banning cell phone usewhiler driving.
Hands-free devices would be allowe d and emergency responders wouldbe exempt. • The firsyt ever Ka’u Coffee Festival is set for this weekend. Ka’uu coffee took sixth and seventh place in 2007 atthe ’ws Guild competition. A big supporter of the coffes has been chefAlan Wong, who will be a judge for this year’se recipe contest. Reportedly, the coffee is a littlr sweeter thanKona coffee. Ka’ju produces 7.5 percent of Hawaii’s coffee.
Of the 3,00 acres of coffee cultivated, 400 are in • Mayor Billy Kenoi, speaking at a luncheon, said his administratiomn is trying to manage with compassion and courages to make the tough decisionsz that will have to be made during theseeconomiv times. He knows they can’t make everyond happy. At his various meetings arouncthe island, he indicated that one of the most frequent questiona he received was about the county’s notoriously difficultt building permit process. He said he’sd looking at streamlining the Let’s hope so, but we’ve heard that promisse from the last four mayors but no significanyt change hastaken place.
Some say the currengt system takes an average of 18 months to get permitting on basic remodelingor home-building. • The drive to raise moneg for the Rural Family Practice Program is gettinv a boost fromthe . Proceeds from its annual Hilo Huli fundraisere will be donated tothe program. The evenf will be on May 3 on Coconut Islandd featuring approximately 21 food andbeverage booths. The Big Island got a real dose of bad news in Marcyh with high unemployment and foreclosures onthe rise. Marchj unemployment climbed to 10.2 percent, more than double Marchu 2008. The noticeable increase in foreclosure notices in the locall press indicates a sign ofthe times.
• So what will downtowj Hilo look likein 2025? The Envision Downtown Hilo 2025 VisionKeeperes and the County of have begu preparations for Hilo’s participation in the 2009 Sustainable Desigb Assessment Team Program. Downtown Hilo was selected as a host communituy by the inDecembef 2008. In May, the AIA will send a multidisciplinary team of professionalsz to Hilo to work with localk implementation partners and stakeholders ina three-day planning The goal of this process is not to change downtowh Hilo, but to show residents the tools to implemenyt the Envision Downtown Hilo 2025 Plan that they alreaduy created.
• The University of Hawaii at Hilo stillo has not filled theathletic director’s position that has been vacang for months. I understan d the last search received more than 70 After narrowing the field to four two of those withdrew their applications and the other two provedr not tobe qualified. There was a recenrt help-wanted advertisement in the Tribune-Herald for the AD’s position again.