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Karin Stanton | Hawaii 24/7 Editor

* Kailua Pier was declared structurally sound, after state divers completed an inspection Tuesday.

“Thanks to the divers at DLNR, we know that the pier at Kailua-Kona is sufficiently solid, so we can bring the cruise ship in next week,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie, after visiting West Hawaii.

The governor hopes to get the federal funds to start necessary repairs to a large crack on the pier.

* Damage is still only estimated ‘in tens of millions of dollars’ and that figure includes homes and condo, businesses, hotels, boats and infrastructure.

* Volunteers needed for Kealakekua Bay clean up:

Join a clean-up day at Kealakekua Bay with a dive team and boat. Meet at the north end of the bay at the seawall about 8am Wed. March 16. Divers, snorkelers, kayakers and land lubbers are needed to retrieve debris. Call Star 989-7827 or Sandy 217-2938 for info.

* Volunteers needed for Kahaluu Beach Park clean up:

Friends of The Kohala Center, ReefTeachers, and the public are invited to help the County of Hawai’i clean up tsunami damage and do prep work at Kahalu’u Beach Park and pavilion starting at 8 a.m. Thursday. The County will provide all the supplies; bring gloves and ladders, if you have them. Breakfast, lunch, and drinks will be provided to volunteers. Please contact Caroline, 345-0238, or Cindi, 895-1010, if you can help.

* KVBID:

Gov. Abercrombie, Adjutant General Wong and DLNR Director Aila joined Mayor Kenoi in an early morning inspection of Kailua Pier and damaged sections of Alii Drive Tuesday.

A structural engineer completed his underwater assessment and all reports indicate the pier will be certified as structurally sound. Very good news indeed. Expect to see the NCL cruise ship in Kailua Bay next Wednesday.

More on Kailua Bay: the county positioned a big green roll off (dumpster) near the head of the pier to collect ocean debris. Mahalo to the many volunteers who are out scouring the ocean floor in order to return the bay to its pristine condition. We really appreciate it! For your convenience, please deposit any ocean debris in this container.

Thumbs down to whoever felt the need to add graffiti to the makai side of the seawall. Just one more task for overburdened workers to handle.

Hulihee Palace’s Hawaiian music concert is on for Sunday as is Kokua Kailua stroll.

At 8:30 a.m. Thursday, a brief ceremony to commemorate the designation of Alii Drive as a Hawaii Scenic Byway will go on as planned under the banyan tree near Kailua Pier.

* Keauhou Bay: The boat ramp is operational. The yacht club building is a total loss.

* Fair Wind Big Island Ocean Guides:

We are touched by the outpouring of concern for our staff and facilities following the tsunami of early Friday morning. As a result of the massive earthquake in Japan, many locations along the west coast of Hawaii Island were damaged by a tsunami, including Keauhou Bay.

The good news is that our two vessels, Fair Wind II and Hula Kai, were safely out at sea and were not damaged in any way. However, buildings at Keauhou Bay (our check-in facility, another ocean adventure operator’s building and the Keauhou Yacht Club) sustained significant damage requiring extensive repairs.

Immediately following the event Fair Wind began cleanup efforts in around the Bay. Fair Wind operations will resume on a regular basis beginning Wednesday, March 16. Fortunately, the Kealakekua Bay area near the Captain Cook Monument shows minimal signs of the Tsunami.

We have setup a temporary satellite office at a separate location from our check-in building at the Bay while repairs are being made. Additionally, we will have a modified check-in location outside of our office at Keauhou Bay during normal check-in times for both Fair Wind and Hula Kai cruises.

We invite guests to join us on a cruise soon to scenic, pristine Kealakekua Bay and other locales along the rugged Kona coast. Fair Wind has shared ocean wonders with visitors for the past 40 years and looks forward to another 40 years and more of offering our award-winning tradition of excellence and aloha that has earned the company a reputation as the first choice among residents and visitors for ocean adventure. Mahalo. www.Fair-Wind.com

* Kona Village Resort: We appreciate all of your thoughts and warm wishes for everyone at Kona Village. We are busy surveying and evaluating the property and hope to have some updates soon. If you have reservations, you may email monica@hotelvrm.com to inquire to their status. Thank you again for your support. Mahalo, the KVR Team.

* King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel damages estimated at $7 million.

* Kohala Coast Resorts Association: Mahalo to everyone who has had Hawaii and the Kohala Coast in their thoughts during and after the tsunami we experienced on March 11. On the Kohala Coast, the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai anticipates being re-opened on March 21; at this time there is not an announced date for the re-opening of Kona Village Resort. The six other Kohala Coast properties – Waikoloa Beach Marriott, Hilton Waikoloa Village, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, The Fairmont Orchid, Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel – are open and welcoming guests.

* Punaluu Black Sand Beach:

Punaluu beach was cleaned up with help from O Ka‘u Kakou. Founder Guy Enriques said the most obvious change at Punaluu is the disappearance and distribution of sand. Sand washed deeper into private properties. Without permission from private property owners, however, it is unrecoverable. Much of the Pahala side of the pond at Punaluu has been filled with sand. www.kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com

* Hawaiian Airlines is transporting specialized teams of disaster response personnel from the mainland to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport this week.

Monday, Hawaiian flew seven members of the Eagles’ Wings Foundation from Seattle to Haneda via Honolulu. The Florida-based foundation is dedicated to providing trained emergency responders to disaster response efforts worldwide.

This team’s mission is to assess areas of damage in Japan and to improve coordination in the distribution of supplies and aid from other organizations and individuals.

Hawaiian is providing the air transportation to Japan at no cost in coordination with AirLink, a nonprofit organization devoted to working with air carriers on providing emergency travel in response to disasters worldwide.

Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian’s president and CEO, is a board member of AirLink.Hawaiian expects to transport two more teams of emergency responders to Japan this week and plans to accommodate additional AirLink missions.

* Hawaiian policy update for tsunami

Customers ticketed for travel on Hawaiian wholly within the State of Hawaii on March 11, 2011 will be allowed to change travel date or flight without fee or charge for any difference in fare for same class of service, provided travel is completed by March 18, 2011.

Hawaiian is allowing customers who are ticketed to travel on its flights between Hawaii or the Mainland U.S. and Haneda International Airport on or before March 18, 2011 to change their date of travel to any date through April 30, 2011 without any change fee or charge for difference in fare for same class of service.

Hawaiian is allowing for cancellation with no penalty for refundable and non-refundable flights to/from Haneda International Airport issued on or before March 11, 2011 with original travel dates between March 11, 2011 and April 10,2011. Changes must be made on or before March 31, 2011 to qualify for this waiver.

* The Kohala Center has announced Mike Matsukawa’s free talk on “Judicial Imprints in Hawaiian History” has been rescheduled for 5:30–7 p.m. on Friday, May 13, at the Kalanikai Bar & Grill at the Keauhou Beach Resort in Kona. www.kohalacenter.org

* Keehi Boat Harbor, Maui:

Preliminary damage at Keehi Boat Harbor already has topped $3 million and is expected to increase.

On Tuesday, 67 boats that usually are docked at Keehi Boat Harbor are unaccounted for.

Laysan albatross stuck in the debris - three were rescued. (Photo courtesy Pete Leary | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

* Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge:

A tsunami generated by a powerful earthquake off the coast of Japan struck Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge at 11:36 PM on Thursday, March 10th and continued for the next few hours. Fortunately, Midway residents received approximately 4 hours of advanced warning and successfully implemented its tsunami emergency plan. All essential infrastructure and equipment were secured and all staff, contractors, and visitors evacuated to the third floor of the Charlie Hotel. Fortunately, no one was injured and no major damage occurred to the island’s infrastructure. Debris washed onto the airfield which caused its temporary closure for less than 24 hours.

The Short-tailed albatross nest was washed over again, but the chick was found unharmed about 35 m away and returned unharmed to its nest area. A minimum of 1,000 adult/subadult and tens of thousands of Laysan Albatross chicks were lost. Thousands of Bonin petrels were buried alive. Spit Island completely washed over. Eastern and Sand Island were 60% and 20% washed over, respectively. Thousands of dead fish were found in the interior of Eastern. Two live green turtles were rescued from the middle of Eastern. The impacts on Laysan ducks and monk seals are unknown.

* From Irene Hirano Inouye, U.S.-Japan Council President

The U.S.-Japan Council extends its most sincere sympathies for the losses suffered by the people of Japan. We share the deep world-wide concern over the mounting devastation from the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis as the heartbreaking losses continue to grow.

When the earthquake struck on March 11th, I was in Japan along with the 2011 Japanese American Leadership Delegation. Friday was the final day in our successful week-long trip, when the tremors began.

Our experience in Tokyo was frightening, however despite travel delays, we were able to return to the United States over the weekend. Recurring after-shocks and reports of nuclear exposure and the growing threat from damaged nuclear plants continue to make it unsettling for all residents of Japan.

The U.S.-Japan Council is committed to ensuring strong U.S.-Japan relations through people-to-people connections. We are mobilizing support for both the immediate relief and long-term rebuilding of Tohoku, Japan in partnership and collaboration with others. The U.S.-Japan Council Board, Council members, and staff stand united in our efforts to support Japan.

When the last major earthquake in Japan devastated the city of Kobe in 1995, the Japanese American and Japanese communities in the U.S. joined with U.S. friends and allies and responded quickly by raising significant funds to support relief and recovery efforts. We are again inspired by the immediate outpouring of support and generosity of many organizations and individuals, especially in the Japanese American and Japanese communities.

The U.S.-Japan Council will focus its earthquake and tsunami relief and rebuilding efforts in two ways:

1) The Council will raise funds to support Japanese non-profit organizations and non-governmental organizations through the establishment of U.S.-Japan Council Earthquake Relief Fund (www.usjapancouncil.org/fund). 100% of donations will be directed to relief and rebuilding efforts in Japan. This inclusive Fund will serve a vehicle for other organizations wishing to fundraise by allowing them to partner with the Council. The Council’s website will host a page to collect contributions and provide information. Donors from participating organizations can specify their organizational affiliation and those gifts will be acknowledged and reported to the partner organization.

2) There are many excellent relief efforts already underway. The Council believes it is important to share information amongst the various organizations raising funds to ensure maximum visibility and impact of local, regional and national efforts. We have established the U.S.-Japan Relief Network, which will be accessed through the www.usjapancouncilorg website. Here, the Council will promote the efforts of a coalition of organizations raising funds for relief.

Please join us in mobilizing the U.S.-Japan Council Earthquake Relief Fund by visiting www.usjapancouncil.org/fund or mail checks to:

The U.S.-Japan Council
2207 Colby Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Kind regards,
Irene Hirano Inouye

* Fundraiser for Gordon Leslie
9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 26
Kona Adult Day Center

We are selling Almond Cookies, Banana Bread Muffins and Mochi provided by Tiki Treats (Sherilyn Tiqui), in hopes of raising money to help rebuild the home of Papa Gordon Leslie.

Our Papa is currently on Oahu, receiving chemotherapy for Leukemia. With his recent lay-off and current health condition, we greatly appreciate all the help that our friends, family and volunteers had provided at the hale clean-up.

The Leslie Ohana is humbly accepting donations via cash or check to the Bank of Hawaii “Leslie Relief Fund” (account# 0007661215). Or through Paypal (email: leslie.relief2011@yahoo.com).