Neighbor Island briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
BIG ISLAND
Hawaiian Homes settles tax rift
HILO, Hawai'i — The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands paid $506,583 this week to settle a long-standing property tax dispute with Hawai'i County.
Under a settlement reached last year, the original tax bill was cut by $608,245 after the Hawai'i County Council waived penalty and interest charges on 317 delinquent homestead lots. The agreement called for the DHHL to pay the remaining $611,564, but the amount was reduced after individual homesteaders brought their accounts up to date.
Hearings on new rules governing payment of taxes by homesteaders will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kuhio Hale in Waimea and 5:30 p.m. May 24 at the University of Hawai'i-Hilo Campus Center, Room 306.
Horse-shooting suspect sought
PAHALA, Hawai'i — Police in Ka'u are seeking the public's help in finding the person who shot a horse in a pasture above Pahala between May 4 and 5.
The horse was wounded in the neck by a .22-caliber weapon and had to be destroyed, said police officer Augustine Akiu Jr.
Anyone with information about the shooting should call Akiu at (808) 939-2520, the police nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311, or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 in Hilo or (808) 329-8181 in Kona.
KAUA'I
Hearing May 23 on habitat issue
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The public will get another chance to examine critical habitat issues in a panel discussion and public forum from 7 to 9 p.m. May 23 at the Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, acting under the prompting of a federal judge, has proposed establishing nearly 100,000 acres on Kaua'i and Ni'ihau as critical habitat for endangered plants.
Federal officials say that should not affect the lands except when federal money, agencies or permits are involved.
Panelists will include Paul Henson of the Fish and Wildlife Service, David Henkin of the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, Michael Buck of the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Chipper Wichman of Limahuli Garden, Elton Ushio of the Kaua'i Hunters Association and state Sen. Jonathan Chun, D-7th (South Kaua'i, Ni'ihau).
