(Hawaii Department of Health/Courtesy graphic) County and State team up to tackle effluent issues on Big Island including Puako Road area near Mauna Lani Resort Many of my friends make a living in the dive industry and most of the great dive sites are located adjacent and just off shore of Puako Road. When they reported the beaches along Puako Road were closed by the Hawaii County Health department due to high levels of waste water bacteria, I was not surprised. Having spent time as development director at the Big Island Country Club site, where aerobic pre treatment was mandated due to the developable lots and golf course comfort stations being located in close proximity to the potable water wells, I knew the Puako area was in need of similar, advanced, waste water treatment being so close to the ocean. Many of the homes along this scenic road were built as far back as the 1930’s and modern waste water treatment was not facilitated or known. Since then the area has been regentrified where these basic homes have been replaced...

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Elite pros and qualifying age group athletes converge on our island yearly to celebrate the premier endurance athlete’s dream race-the Ironman World Championship.  This isn’t any Ironman Race…this is the world championship of this grueling distance event at one of the birthplaces of the triathlon sport. Just making it to Kona from home towns around the world once you qualify can be a challenge financially and otherwise further making participation in this elite event hard to accomplish.  This year World record holder and Olympian Tim Don from England was on a training ride Thursday before the race, near the Kmart in Kona and was hit by a car at a marked intersection.  He suffered a fractured neck vertebrae but is hopeful to continue his career in 6 weeks. The athletes started this year’s competition with somewhat calm seas as they swam away from the Kona pier toward the first buoy marked by the iconic Royal Kona Resort.  Then out to sea and back returning to the Kona pier area.  There they transitioned to their bi...

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