Aloha mai kākou, Happy Holidays! We wish peace to all in our community in the coming year! As many of you know, the recent storm caused some damage to the Waipiʻo Valley Beach Access Road. Thanks to many members of the community the roadway is now clear, although there is still cleanup to be done … Read More
By John Burnett. Hundreds showed up Saturday at the Waipi‘o Valley Lookout in the name of ocean access. Malama I Ke Kai ‘O Waipi‘o, MaKa for short, organized the rally, asking attendees to wear blue. The group, comprised of surfers, anglers and other ocean users, sued the county after Mayor Mitch Roth closed Waipi‘o Valley … Read More
Mayor Mitch Roth has signed emergency rules creating more access for residents to Waipio Valley Road. The rules, which don’t go into effect until Monday, allow all Hawaii Island residents, county-permitted tour company operators, and those seeking to practice their Native Hawaiian traditional and/or customary rights to access the WaipiʻoWaipioValley Road in covered 4-wheel drive … Read More
By John Burnett. A spokeswoman for a group that’s reached a tentative settlement in its lawsuit the Hawaii County, the mayor and former public works director over the closure of Waipi‘o Valley Road to all but a handful of people called the mediated agreement “a temporary solution.” “We’re really looking forward to long-term management with … Read More
Aloha mai kākou, We want to bring everyone up to speed since our last email. As a recap, Mayor Rothʻs request to dismiss our suit was denied by Judge Kubota. While we feel that our case is strong, we requested that the County enter into mediation with us. MaKa is pleased to announce that the … Read More
By John Burnett. Waipi‘o Valley Road remains closed to all but a handful of people, but on Tuesday, a judge ruled a civil case to reopen the road which was closed in February via an emergency declaration by Mayor Mitch Roth can proceed. Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota denied a motion by Hawaii County to … Read More
By John Burnett. A county attorney told a judge Tuesday that “it’s not the court’s place and it’s not the plaintiffs’ place” to decide whether Mayor Mitch Roth exercised his emergency powers in a lawful manner when he closed Waipi‘o Valley Road to all but residents, tenant farmers and emergency responders. Deputy Corporation Counsel Steven … Read More
By Chris Yuen. Should the government care about facts? Hawaii County doesn’t think so. On Feb. 25, Mayor Mitch Roth closed the Waipi‘o Valley Road to the general public. The decision came with no prior public notice or input. Mayor Roth claimed emergency powers, but no recent or imminent storm, earthquake, landslide, change in the … Read More
By John Burnett. A community group suing the county, Mayor Mitch Roth and Public Works Director Ikaika Rodenhurst over the closure of Waipi‘o Valley Road to all but a handful of people accuses the defendants in a legal document of trying “to pull a fast one on the court.” Malama I Ke Kai ‘O Waipi‘o, … Read More
By Mindy Penneybacker. Waimea, Big Island resident Roland Shackelford grew up surfing in majestic Waipio Valley, where as a boy he’d get dropped off with his surfboard at the top of the cliff and run down the steep, narrow nearly a mile-long public road to the black sand beach, “after which his legs would be … Read More
