Membership Meeting Wednesday October 27th 8AM Haleiwa Joe's

Aloha Members,

Just a reminder that we will be having a meeting Wednesday the 27th 8AM at Haleiwa Joe's.  A continental breakfast will be served for $5.  Andy Anderson will be the key note speaker presenting his conceptual plan for a replica Haleiwa Hotel adjacent to Jameson's restaurant.  Sign-in and networking are from 8:00 to 8:30a.m.  Meetings usually end around 10:00AM.  A continental breakfast will be served and is $5. 

This meeting will be a members only meeting to ensure there is adequate seating and because we think our members have a right to hear the proposal and ask questions in a calm, civil atmosphere.
Call 637-4558 for more information.  RSVP by October 24th if you plan to attend so that we can give Joe an accurate headcount and ensure there is enough food.   

Mahalo,
Antya

Proposed Haleiwa Hotel Project

Dear North Shore Chamber Members and Friends,

We are inviting you to see a presentation of the proposed replica Haleiwa  Hotel (see attached conceptual rendering) at the North Shore Neighborhood Board meeting next Tuesday.   Andy Anderson and his designer/architect Joesph Lancor will be presenting the project concept.

When: Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010
Where: Alii Beach Park 's Surf Center
Time: 7pm

The boutique hotel will be 80 units in all and comply with the North Shore Sustainable Community Plan, the Haleiwa Town Plan and the Haleiwa Special District.  See link to article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39320535

The North Shore Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors voted "to support the project in concept as presented by Andy Anderson and his architect."

If you have any questions, please call me at 637-4558.

Mahalo,
Antya

Chamber Seeks Volunteers

Alice Rogers, Volunteer

Are you interested in spending a couple of hours each week staffing the Visitor Center at our new building or helping with our special events?  If you're available for a shift lasting at least two hours weekly, we'd appreciate hearing from you. Training will be provided.  Interest in the history of the area is very helpful.  Stop by our new office across from the Haleiwa Post Office or give us a
call at 637-4558. 

Refer to the Volunteer Application.

New North Shore Chamber of Commerce map distributed beginning August 27th

The new North Shore Chamber of Commerce map #7 was released August 27. Anyone who would like maps for distribution should contact Darlani Young at (808) 638-8011 or send an email to hmslnd@yahoo.com.  Eight new hotel distribution sites have been added.  They are: Hotel Renew, Park Shore Hotel, New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel, Trump International Hotel, Hawaii Prince Hotel, Waikiki Park Hotel, and Ocean Resort Hotel.

Deadlines to submit advertisement and information for the next map, #8, will be January 11, 2011.

HTA Focus - Brand Management and Enhancement of Visitor Experience

Mike McCartney, Chief Executive Officer of Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), was the keynote speaker at the August North Shore Chamber  membership meeting. The HTA Board of Directors has 12 members.  The Governor appoints six, Senate President three and Speaker of House three.  The board sets policy for marketing Hawaii, and HTA is funded through the  7.25%  Transient Accommodation Tax (TAT).

Mr. McCartney reviewed recent statistics which are available on the HTA website at: http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org. Hawaii had 7 million visitors at the height of the visitor industry in 2005.  Now the target is 6.7 million.  There has been a decrease of 22% in visitor spending, and, according to Mr. McCartney, it won't ever be the same as it was before.  However, Hawaii is doing well.  We have the second highest room rates and income per room second only to New York. The average visitor spends $161 per day with Japanese spending $260 and Americans $130.

Mr. McCartney said that we will need to focus on brand management.  People want to experience the culture and people of Hawaii when they come here.  They want to experience the aloha spirit.  Therefore, a large part of the  new HTA strategy is to develop the brand and support communities to make the visitor experience authentic and interesting. 

Business After Hours Set for Thursday September 30th

Susan Matsushima (center) & Ed D'Ascoli (right),
admire new walkway.

The next Business After Hours sponsored by the North Shore Chamber of Commerce will be 6 p.m. Thursday, September 30th at the new chamber office and visitor center  across from the Haleiwa Post Office.  This is an opportunity to network , see old friends, and experience how our community effort has transformed the  historic  Mutual Telephone Company Building into our beautiful new home. 

Festivities include pupus, drinks, and door prizes.  (Bring your business card.)  Cost is $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers.  Become a member at the event, and your entrance fee is waived!

Sunset Homes' owner going ahead with North Shore project

Juliana Simone, owner of Sunset Homes, is moving ahead with plans to develop Anahulu Centre, a three-story commercial building along Kamehameha Highway on Oahu’s North Shore.
The Haleiwa landowner bought the 7,299-square-foot lot at 66-030 Kamehameha Highway seven years ago to build the Anahulu Centre. The parcel is behind an existing single-story building that houses her real estate firm.

The tiny structure was built in 1932 and once was the site of a First Hawaiian Bank branch

Read more at Pacific Business News

Bucks for Bricks

If you haven't taken advantage of this opportunity yet, we hope that you, your family and/or friends, will want to be a part of something special that will last a lifetime by purchasing special bricks.  We are continuing to gather donations for these bricks, which will be used to make a walkway from the parking lot to the front door of our new office, formerly the historic  Mutual Telephone  Company Building.  The funds will be used for paying off the building renovation, maintenance of the building, and for programs of the Chamber.

The bricks, which cost $100 each, are 4"x 8"x 2 ¼ and are engraved using state of the art laser technology. In addition, we offer you the opportunity to purchase a miniature replica of the original for $15 which may be used as a paperweight, remembrance, or just as an every day reminder!  Logos are $75.

Corporate Sponsors may buy four, 8" X 8" bricks, which can include a company logo for $2500. There will only be 14 corporate sponsorships sold for the walkway.  The four 8x8's will be placed together to form a larger image.  Click here for donation form: Bucks for Bricks

New North Shore Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

NORTH SHORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2010-2011

Susan Matsushima
Chair
Alluvion

Bill Martin
Vice Chair & Membership Chair
Island X Hawaii

Carolyne Lazar
Recording Secretary
Visitor Center Chair
Coffee Gallery

Marianne Abrigo
Corresponding Secretary
Marianne Abrigo Properties

Susan Lau
Treasurer
First Hawaiian Bank

Josh Heimowitz
Past Chair
YMCA Camp Erdman

Bob Boyle
Events
Turtle Bay Resort

Karen Campbell
Events
Waialua Soda Works

Ed D’Ascoli,
Ocean Recreation Chair
Xcel Wetsuits

Jane Duncan
Membership
Patagonia

Kalani Fronda
Haleiwa Main Street Program Chair
Kamehameha Schools

John E. Moore
Infrastructure Chair
Strong Current & Grass Skirt Grill

Chet Naylor
Fundraising Advisor
Waimea Falls Grill & Sharks Cove Grill

Paul Saccoccio
Legal Advisor
Saccoccio & Lopez

Will Schoettle
Public Relations Chair
Haleiwa Town Center

STAFF
Antya Miller, Executive Director
Wendy Wingate, Bookkeeper
Trish Coder, Photographer
August 4, 2010

Laura Figueira Appointed to fill Senator Bunda's Position

Aloha Members,

I am forwarding a press release from Gov. Lingle's office announcing Laura Figueira's appointment to fill Senate District 22's vacant position. Laura has been a member of the North Shore Chamber for many years and we would like to offer our congratulations on her appointment.

Mahalo,
Antya


GOVERNOR LINGLE APPOINTS FIGUEIRA AND KOUCHI TO FILL O'AHU NORTH SHORE AND KAUA'I SENATE SEATS

HONOLULU - Governor Linda Lingle today appointed Laura Figueira to fill the vacant O'ahu North Shore Senate seat and Ronald Kouchi to fill the vacant Kaua'i Senate seat. They will serve on a temporary basis until new Senators are elected in the upcoming General Election and take the oath of office. The two vacancies were created by the resignation of Robert Bunda and Gary Hooser in July.

"I have known Laura and Ron for many years, and I look forward to working with them," Governor Lingle said. "I appreciate their willingness to represent their respective districts and serve our state on an interim basis," she added.

Laura Figueira

Figueira, who will represent Senate District 22 (Mililani Mauka, Wahiawa, Hale'iwa, Mokule'ia, North Shore), worked for former Senator Bunda for 14 years, including six years as chief of staff while Bunda was Senate President. She continued to serve as community liaison during Bunda's tenure as Senate President Emeritus. In addition to overseeing the administrative and legislative affairs of the office, she represented the former Senator at neighborhood board and community association meetings, as well as served as his delegate on various ad hoc committees. Although Bunda resigned on July 16, Figueira has remained on staff while the office has continued to serve the district.

Figueira previously worked as the district director of the Honolulu office of the late Congressman Cec Heftel, as well as for the state Departments of Health and Labor and Industrial Relations.

She is a member of the Sunset Beach Community Association and the North Shore Chamber of Commerce. She is a past president of the Hale'iwa Arts Festival; past president and current vice president of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i; and past president and current treasurer of the Hawai'i Council on Portuguese Heritage.

Figueira attended University of Hawai'i Hilo when it was a two-year school and transferred to the University of Hawai'i at Manoa where she graduated with a degree in psychology.

Ronald Kouchi

Kouchi, who will represent District 7 (Kaua'i and Ni'ihau), served for 22 years (11 terms) as a Kaua'i County Councilman, including 12 years as Council Chair. Currently, he is a registered representative of LPL Insurance Brokerage Company and is also the director of community relations for Showe Land and Marine LLC.

Kouchi was a member of the Legislative Committee of the Kaua'i Chamber of Commerce and previously served as a lobbyist for the County of Kaua'i at the Hawai'i State Legislature.

He is a former director of the Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative and the Kaua'i Visitors Bureau, served on the boards of the Kaua'i Veterans Memorial Hospital and YMCA, and chaired the Wilcox Health Foundation's capital campaign. He also worked as a legislative analyst for former Rep. Dennis Yamada in 1982. Kouchi attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Governor Lingle selected Figueira and Kouchi from two lists that were provided to her by the Democratic Party of Hawai'i. The Governor was required under a law passed by the Legislature in 2006 to select a replacement for each vacant seat from separate lists of three prospective candidates submitted by the same political party as the prior incumbent. The Democratic Party submitted the two lists of names to the Governor on August 16, 2010 and the Governor sought public comments on the individuals.

####


For more information, contact:
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor - Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708

Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043

Membership Meeting August 25th, 8AM at Haleiwa Joe's - HTA Mike McCartney is Guest Speaker

Aloha Members,

Mike McCartney, CEO for Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), will be the key note speaker at the North Shore Chamber's Membership meeting on August 25th at Haleiwa Joe's, 8:00 am. He received his bachelor's degree from Pacific University in Oregon and has held many leadership positions in Hawaii. He joined the HTA early last year. He will speak on the "North Shore's Role in Tourism." Sign-in and networking are from 8:00 to 8:30a.m. A continental breakfast will be served: members $5, non-members $10. The public is invited. Call 637-4558 for more information. Please RSVP by August 23rd.

Also, mark your calendars! Candidate Forum for House, Senate, and City Council races will be held at the Haleiwa Gym on Wednesday September 8, 2010 at 7PM.

MAYORAL DEBATES at CHAMBER OF HAWAII:

When: August 10, 2010, 5:30pm - 8:30pm

The Plaza Club

Join the members of the Main Chamber for a lively discussion of the 2010 Mayoral Special Election. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the leading candidates and hear them debate issues impacting the business community in Hawaii.

Moderator: Bruce Coppa, President, Coppa Consulting, Inc.

Candidates: Kirk Caldwell, Peter Carlisle, and Panos Prevedouros

Cost: $30 per person (Heavy Pupus, Free parking, NO host bar) Includes Q&A and a Full Hour of Networking.

To register: http://cochawaii.com/event-registration.asp

For more information: http://cochawaii.com/

Mahalo,
Antya

Kahuku wind farm lands $117M loan guarantee

First Wind Holdings LLC has closed on a $117 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Energy Department to build a wind farm in Kahuku, the federal agency said yesterday.

The 30-megawatt project is being built by Kahuku Wind Power LLC, a unit of Newton, Mass.-based First Wind. The project is expected to create more than 200 jobs, the Department of Energy said in a news release.

The power will be sold to Hawaiian Electric Co., Oahu's only electric utility, under a 20-year contract. First Wind broke ground on the project this month and plans to complete it by early 2011.

More at the Star Advertiser

Last Chance to Sign Up for North Shore Map. Deadline Friday the 30th

Dear Members,

One of the benefits of being a member of the Chamber is that you get first priority in advertising in the Chamber's map. The 7th edition still has a few spots left, so if you've missed the opportunity before, sign up now! We will be printing 70,000 for this next issue. Call Sharon at 220-1382 or Antya at 637-4558 to sign up or if you have questions.

People who are planning a trip to Oahu or North Shore call us daily to get information and a map of the area. The map is what we send them along with rack cards geared toward their request. This is the only publication that we have as a Chamber to send to them. Other visitor publications do not have much information on the North Shore. The map is completely about and for the North Shore businesses.

In addition to the printed map, the North Shore map is on line giving you additional web presence. http://www.oahunorthshoremap.com/ Check it out.

Our new Visitor Center provides a centrally located, visible, and highly attractive place for visitors as well as residents from the whole state to get information about our North Shore businesses, events, history and more. This map is central to supporting you, our member businesses.

Speaking of the Visitor Center, if you have not already done so, please bring some of your rack cards to us so that we may display them for walk-ins. We also mail them out when visitors are planning their trip.

Lastly, please spread the word that we need volunteers to help staff the Visitor & Business Services Center. (We are providing printing, faxing and other services to anyone needing them). Retired neighbors and friends would be ideal. Of course, we would love to have you volunteer, but we know you're busy running your business. Please have potential volunteers contact me at the office.

Mahalo,
Antya

Oahu wind project selects contractor

RMT Inc., an energy and environmental company, has been selected by First Wind to construct its wind-energy facility near Kahuku on Oahu’s North Shore.

Read more: Oahu wind project selects contractor - Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

30-megawatt wind farm breaks ground in Kahuku hills

Oahu is on its way to joining Maui and the Big Island in the effort to harness the state's famous tradewinds.

Today developers will break ground on a wind farm in the hills near Kahuku.

The 30-megawatt project on the North Shore is the first large-scale commercial wind farm on the island and includes several technological advances, such as a battery system that will help smooth out the stability of the electrical load.

The project is being built by Kahuku Wind Power LLC, a unit of Newton, Mass.-based First Wind. The wind farm will feature a dozen state-of-the-art Clipper Liberty wind turbines with a maximum output of 2.5 megawatts each. Based on expected wind speeds at the site, the system will generate an estimated 83 million kilowatt-hours annually, the equivalent of 139,500 barrels of oil.

More at the Star Advertiser

Questions for Elected Officials at Membership Meeting on July 8th Pikake Pavilion

Aloha Members,

Please send us questions (by return email) that you would like asked of our elected officials by noon July 6th for the membership meeting next Thursday. We will compile all questions submitted and ask the most frequently submitted ones.

Senator Bunda, Rep. Magaoay and Councilman Dela Cruz will be present at this next membership meeting Thursday, July 8th 7pm at Waimea Valley Pikake Pavilion. Light refreshments will be served. $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers.

Also, please plan on attending and testifying at the Public Hearing regarding school consolidation (possible closing of one of the elementary schools) next Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at Haleiwa Elementary School Cafeteria. More information will be forthcoming. The Chamber Board of Directors voted to support the Waialua Complex's recommendation to keep all schools (Waialua High, Waialua Elem., and Haleiwa Elem.) open.

Mahalo nui,
Antya

Membership Meeting Rescheduled to July 8th in evening @ Pikaki Pavilion

Aloha Members,

The meeting for tomorrow morning has been rescheduled for Thursday the 8th at 7PM in the evening at Waimea Valley Pikaki Pavilion. We needed to reschedule to accommodate the schedules of our elected officials. Please mark your calendars now.

The agenda will be forthcoming.

Mahalo,

Antya

North Shore Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 2010-2011

Susan Matsushima
Chair, Alluvion

Bill Martin
Vice Chair, Island X Hawaii

Karen Campbell
Recording Secretary, Waialua Soda Works

Marianne Abrigo
Corresponding Secretary, Marianne Abrigo Properties

Susan Lau
Treasurer, First Hawaiian Bank

Josh Heimowitz
Past Chair, YMCA Camp Erdman

Kalani Fronda
Haleiwa Main Street Program Chair, Kamehameha Schools

Ed D’Ascoli
Executive Committee Member, Xcel Wetsuits

Paul Saccoccio
Legal Affairs, Saccoccio & Lopez

Chet Naylor
Fundraising Committee Advisor, Waimea Falls Grill & Sharks Cove Grill

Bob Boyle
Director, Turtle Bay Resort

Jane Duncan
Director, Patagonia

Carolyne Lazar
Visitor Center Chair, Coffee Gallery

John E. Moore
Infrastructure Chair, Strong Current & Grass Skirt Grill

Will Schoettle
Public Relations Chair, Haleiwa Town Center


STAFF
Antya Miller
Executive Director

Wendy Wingate
Bookkeeper

Trish Coder
Photographer

Old Haleiwa building gets new life

Historic Haleiwa town serves as a link to the past and a bridge to the future.

And the North Shore Chamber of Commerce is giving an old building new life.

Today the Chamber of Commerce opened its new office and visitor center in Haleiwa.

And while many of the businesses in Haleiwa have changed over the decades, much of the overall look has remained the same.

More at KHON2

Grand Opening & Installation Dinner

Aloha Members and Business Owners,

The Chamber's Grand Opening celebraion will be next Friday, June 18th. This is a MAJOR accomplishment for our community. It has been a goal of ours to have a visitor center for at least 25 years. Thank you ALL for your wonderful support in getting this project completed.

The June 18th Grand Opening celebration is next Friday. This will be great fun as well as an opportunity to thank all the donors and volunteers who made this happen. You'll also be able to see our new office and Visitor and Business Resource Center, as well as the newly restored Mutual Telephone Company (now Hawaiian Tel) built in 1924. This historical building has many elements of classic plantation architecture. We will also have a special guest performer, Owana Salazar!

The RSVP's are due this Thursday the 10th. Please send it in along with your payment today.

If you are unable to attend on the 18th, please stop by and visit us in our new digs! It's so comfortable, you may never leave!

Mahalo nui,
Antya

Grand Opening - Chamber Office Moving Next Week!

Aloha Members,

The Chamber's new building and Visitor Center is FINALLY nearing completion. There are a lot of small tasks to complete, but the major stuff will be completed by Monday. This is a MAJOR accomplishment for our community. It has been a goal of our town to have a visitor center for at least 25 years. Thank you ALL for your wonderful support in getting this project completed.

The June 18th Grand Opening celebration is in just three weeks. This will be great fun as well as an opportunity to thank all the donors and volunteers who made this happen. Also, every member helped make this happen through their on-going support which allowed us to have an office and paid staff which, in turn, allowed us to accomplish this project.

So.... please get those RSVP's in now so we're not overloaded at the last minute. With the move and everything, I'd really appreciate your help in this matter.

Secondly, we are moving the first week of June. On June 4th the office will be closed and telephone service will be switched over. We need a few guys with muscle to move the heavy items on Thursday. Please call 637-4558 and leave your name and number or email me back if you are able to help. Johnny Moore has volunteered. Who will help Johnny?

Mahalo nui,
Antya

Need People This Saturday 8-12 AM

Aloha Members,

I want to thank the following volunteers for making last Saturday such a successful workday: Lee Bryant, Bob & Trish Coder, Bob Leinau, Jon Marr, Joe Pavsek and Richard of Grafitti Busters, Kaiki Ragragola, Boyd Ready, Iopu & Nicole Sivatia and their two nephews, Nahe Webster, and Linda Yadao. We grassed the front of the building, cleaned up the white birds around the gym, and spread dirt to level the yard after building the new septic system. The grounds look great!!

I also want to thank our landlord, neighbor, and partner, the Waialua Community Association, and especially Nicole, their new Office Manager, for all their help in coordinating and getting volunteers to help make the workday successful.

We are in the home stretch on the building restoration, but we need to have one more morning workday to finish grassing the back of the building, planting more hedge plants, finish painting, scrape and wash windows, and move furniture for the flooring guys on Monday!

Please email or call me if you can help. I will be forever grateful if you can help even a couple of hours.

Mahalo nui,
Antya

Hawaii PUC approves HECO deal with Kahuku wind farm

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission yesterday approved a power purchase agreement between Hawaiian Electric Company and Kahuku Wind Power, HECO said today.

Kahuku Wind Power, a subsidiary of Massachusetts-based First Wind, is scheduled to begin construction of a 12-turbine farm in the hills west of Kahuku later this year.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Updated North Shore Map Now Being Distributed!

It's colorful, appealing and informative. Visitors and residents regularly ask us for a map of our area. We have something to give them that not only helps them find their way, but it also tells them what activities are available and how to get to businesses advertising on the map. It helps visitors plan their trip to the North Shore, and brings more business to our area because visitors can plan better instead of just driving through not knowing what's available.

The map is distributed to the airport, major hotels, car rental agencies, local businesses, gas stations, the library and of course the Chamber's visitor center. The airport approved the map for distribution in the brochure racks as well as at the information counters as a map.

Thank you to Green Turtle Publications (Bob and JoJean Schieve) their great staff and you, our members for ongoing support of this important project.

Chamber of Commerce Announces Grand Opening!

North Shore Chamber of Commerce's Grand Opening and Installation Dinner is set for June 18th at the new Chamber building located at 66-434 Kamehameha Highway, across from the Haleiwa Post Office. The program will be from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm beginning with pupus and no-host cocktails. A dinner and program will follow at 6:30 p.m.

Please join us in honoring all tradesmen, volunteers and donors who made our new home, visitor and resource center possible and install the new Board of Directors. The cost will be $25 for chamber members, $30 for non members, $250 for corporate table, and $500 for sponsor table.

Donations for this very worthwhile building project are still being accepted and are completely tax deductible. If you are interested in supporting the preservation of this historic building, please make checks payable to "NSCOC" and mail them to P.O. Box 878, Haleiwa, HI 96712. You may also visit the Chamber's website at www.GoNorthShore.org for more information or call the Chamber's office at 637-4558.

Volunteer to Finish Painting and Landscaping

Aloha Members,

We will be having another painting workday this Saturday (8th) from 8am to 12noon. We are almost half done and the building is beginning to look really sharp. Lots of compliments on how it's shaping up. Please email me back if you can volunteer, even if it is a couple of hours. "Many hands make light work!" A big mahalo goes out to Matt Eagle (Aloha Surf Guide), Joe Lazar (Haleiwa Joe's), Johnny Moore (Grass Skirt Grill) for volunteering this past Saturday. We got a lot done.

The following Saturday, the 15th, we will be having a joint Chamber and Waialua Community Assoc. landscaping workday. We will be trimming the white birds, replanting the ground cover, fixing the borders, planting shrubs, weeding and cleaning up along the hibiscus hedge, etc. Work gloves, sun screen and covered shoes are recommended. Trucks that can make dump runs will be appreciated. A potluck will follow the workday.

We hope you will join us for some work and fellowship in making our community a better place to live and moving us closer to having a presence on main street with a visitor center.

Mahalo,
Antya

Please Help Gather Signatures on Petition for Funding of Walkways!

Aloha Members,

Attached is a petition to support funding for walkways and other improvements in Haleiwa Town. When we did our last survey of merchants in Haleiwa Town, 92% supported building walkways. We are now pursuing funding for the design and planning for them. Your help in gathering signatures on the attached petition would be most helpful. Please have everyone sign it: residents, Oahu visitors, and off island visitors. We need a ton of them. You do not need to have a business in Haleiwa to sign or help gather signatures.

Please feel free to make as many copies of petition as you need/want. If you have any questions, please call me.

Mahalo,
Antya

Annual Membership Meeting

Aloha Members,

The Annual Membership meeting will be Wednesday, April 28th 8AM at Haleiwa Joe's. The agenda will be forthcoming, but please mark your calendars now. Current members will vote for the new Board of Directors.

Revised Chamber Calendar

Secondly, the Grand Opening has been moved to Friday, June 18th, 5:30 pm so that we can hopefully have the brick walkway with all our supporters' bricks installed. Please mark this important date on your calendar. It will be an opportunity for our community to celebrate having a central information and gathering place for residents and the over 2 million visitors who come to the North Shore. More information will be forthcoming on this event.

Hope to see you on Wednesday the 28th!

Antya Miller,
Executive Director

North Shore Businesses Promote Buying Local

When people think of the North Shore, they think big surf, shave ice and plenty of sunshine. But when the surf drops, so does business.

Business owners hope the third annual "Taste of Waialua" on Saturday encourages people to keep coming back all year long. Once the home of an old sugar mill plantation, this small town of Waialua is making a comeback.

More at KHON2

SAVE THE DATE! FRIDAY, MAY 14TH 5:30pm

Aloha Members,

Please mark your calendars now for the Grand Opening and Board Installation on Friday May 14th at 5:30PM. More information will be forthcoming, but it will be a FUN evening. It will be held at our new home and Haleiwa Gym.

Mahalo,
Antya

Wind farm developer gets loan guarantee

A Mainland wind farm developer has received a $117 million federal loan guarantee to pay for construction of its planned Kahuku project on Oahu.

First Wind, based in Boston, announced the award Friday from the U.S. Department of Energy. It will use the financing to install 12 wind turbines that will generate a total of 30 megawatts of electricity — enough to power approximately 7,700 Oahu homes. The power will be sold to Hawaiian Electric Co.

More at Pacific Business News

Oahu’s Turtle Bay Resort has new owners

The Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore is officially under new ownership.

A consortium of international investment management firms took back the property from Oaktree Capital Management in a deed in lieu of foreclosure transaction that closed on Tuesday.

The 858-acre resort includes a 443-room hotel, two golf courses and a spa.

The consortium, which has managed the resort for nearly two years, already has spent $6 million to upgrade its infrastructure and hotel, including expanding Kuilima Drive from two to four lanes and upgrading the well, according to developer Stanford Carr, the resort’s interim property manager...

There are no immediate plans to build any additional hotels or condominiums at the resort.

More at Pacific Business News

North Shore wetland refuge getting seven times bigger

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Staff Writer

KAHUKU — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is acquiring one of the last remaining wild coastlines on O'ahu, increasing a wetland refuge sevenfold since it was established 34 years ago.

The purchase will also provide another flood control measure to the community, thanks to a $22 million federal appropriation.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Membership Meeting February 25th

As previously announced in January, there will be a Membership Meeting Thursday, February 25th, 8am at the Haleiwa Gym. Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz will be giving a short presentation on Transit Oriented Development and the Governor's Office (Linda Smith and Pearl Iboshi) will be there to address issues affecting business and our community. A full agenda will be forthcoming.

Please put this important meeting on your calendar now. Also forthcoming will be the Chamber's calendar of meetings.

Mahalo,
Antya

Chamber Building Work Day This Saturday the 13th

The Chamber's new home is coming along really well! Residents and visitors stop by especially on Saturday workdays to admire the building, the new cedar siding, and ask about what the building will be used for when it's done. One board member who helped out at a recent workday was totally thrilled with what she saw. We're getting excited at the thought of moving in, hopefully by the end of March.

Come be a part of this exciting project. We need carpenters and people to caulk, do dump runs, and various other tasks.


What: Workday Saturday the 13th 8:00am - 1:00pm 

Where: At the Chamber's new home across from the post office

Thank you to all the volunteers, especially Lee Bryant, Mike Stacey, Gary Anderson, John Otholt and Willy Strydonk who have been working on the project almost every week for months. We really apprciate all your hard work and your craftmanship.

Donate for a Brick Today

We still need to raise more money to finish this project, so if you've been putting off donating for that special brick, please send your donation in now. The form is attached. Just mail it in with your check! We appreiate your support.

Below: Gosha and Gary taking off the old siding; Robert, Matt, Gary, and Willy putting up new siding on the back; Willy putting lock on closet door inside; Mike Stacy, luna, happy that they've finished siding the back wall.




















Mahalo,
Antya

Hawaii's unusual big-surf season a wave of money for North Shore

An unusual season of giant waves on the North Shore has resulted in a healthy — if not epic — boost for businesses from Sunset Beach to Hale'iwa.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Testimony Needed by Monday to Support Legislation Mitigating Unemployment Insurance Increase

Aloha Members, Businesses, and Friends,

As most of you know, the unemployement insurance rates will be skyrocketing this year and have a huge impact on business if something is not done. The new rates will start in April without action by the legislature. Per Sept. 18, 2009 Star Bulletin article: "Employers, who are paying an average of $90 per employee a year in unemployment insurance taxes, can expect to pay an average of $1,040 to $1,250 per employee - 1,055 to 1,289 percent increases - depending on how low the state coffers drop."

The main Chamber is working hard to put forth legislation to help businesses, but we need to send in testimony to help the effort. Please see below.

Mahalo,
Antya Miller, Executive Director
North Shore Chamber of Commerce
Phone: 808-637-4558 Fax: 808-637-4556
www.GoNorthShore.org



ACTION ALERT!

Dear Chamber Members:

As you are aware, the Chamber has been actively advocating on behalf of its Chamber members and pushing for a bill that mitigates the huge increase in the unemployment insurance tax. We have been meeting regularly with legislators and stakeholders to ensure that information is shared and our position is effectively communicated.

A hearing (Hearing Notice) has been scheduled on two unemployment insurance bills for this Tuesday, January 26 at 9:00 a.m. at the State Capitol in Room 309.

Although the bills provide some tax relief, the Chamber believes they do not provide enough assistance to help reduce the "tax shock" and safeguard the statewide unemployment rate. Therefore, we are asking the committees to amend the bills. The attached handout provides a more detailed explanation.

We urge you to submit testimony and testify at the hearing so that a strong statement can be made to the committee. Our united efforts could result in a UI bill passing the Legislature before March.

For your convenience, attached is a talking points handout. Feel free to cut and paste the template below and some of the talking points.

DIRECTIONS ON SUBMITTING TESTIMONY

Testimony will NOT be accepted via e-mail. Members can submit testimony via:

1. On-line at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/emailtestimony/

OR

2. Faxed to (808) 586-6331 or 1-800-535-3859 (neighbor islands)

Try to submit testimony 24 hours prior to the hearing. This allows the chair and committee members enough time to thoroughly review the testimonies. HOWEVER, if you are unable to submit testimony by this deadline, please proceed to submit. It will still be considered.

DIRECTIONS ON ORAL TESTIMONY

The following provides some information for those attending the hearing:

* A two-minute oral testimony limit will probably take place.
* The UI bills are the first two on the agenda., so contingent on the number of testifiers, the hearing should end by noon.
* You are not required to stay for the entire hearing and may leave after you provide testimony. The order of testifiers is based on the order the committee receives written testimonies.
* Metered parking is available at the Capitol. Discounted parking is available at Alii Place on Alakea or at any downtown municipal parking lots.
* Tell your "story" however, please be courteous and professional.

If possible, please e-mail me a copy of your testimony and let me know if you plan to attend the hearing. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time and support. Together we can make a difference. Below is a template for testimony:

"Testimony to the House Committee on Labor & Public Employment

Tuesday, January 26, 2010; 9:00 a.m.

Conference Room 309

RE: HOUSE BILL 2169 and 2207 RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT SECURITY

Chair Rhoads, Vice Chair Yamashita and Members of the Committee:

My name is [FULL NAME] and my company is [NAME AND DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY INCLUDING # OF EMPLOYEES]. I appreciate the efforts made by the chair and the committee in addressing the unemployment insurance tax increase. I support HB 2169 and 2207 with amendments.

[STATE HOW THE INCREASE WILL IMPACT YOUR BUSINESS INCLUDING POTENTIAL JOB LOSSES, BENEFITS, AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS COST PER EMPLOYEE, IF POSSIBLE].

To help reduce the "tax shock" and safeguard the statewide unemployment rate, please amend the bill by holding the tax rate schedule to D in 2010 and F in 2011, permanently set the taxable wage base at 90% and maintain the adequate reserve multiplier at 1.0.

This will reduce the impact of the tax increase on the average and small businesses. Extending the tax assistance beyond 2010 will save jobs, preserve businesses and spur the economy by keeping more dollars flowing into the economy through wages and purchases. This will help businesses plan expenses over a longer period of time.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony. If you have any questions, please contact me at [FULL CONTACT INFORMATION]."

Sincerely,

Sherry Menor-McNamara
Vice President, Business Advocacy & Gov't. Affairs
1132 Bishop Street, Suite 402
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Ph. 808-545-4300 x 394
Fax 808-545-4369
www.cochawaii.org
smenor@cochawaii.org

White to run for Council's North Shore/Central Oahu seat

John White, former chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, announced Tuesday he is running for the City Council's 2nd District seat.

The area encompasses Mililani Mauka, Wahiawa, the North Shore, Kahalu'u and 'Ahuimanu. It is currently held by Donovan Dela Cruz, who is completing his eighth straight year on the council and therefore cannot seek a third consecutive term.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Farm reaps holiday bonanza

One beneficiary of this year's shortage of imported Christmas trees was Helemano Farms, which saw a surge in sales of the Norfolk Island pines grown at its Central O'ahu plantation.

Owner Aaron O'Brien said yesterday he had sold about 2,000 trees so far this season, a 30 percent to 40 percent increase from the same time last year. Many buyers made the drive out to the tree farm in Whitmore Village after coming up empty at tree lots in town that carried firs and pines shipped in from the Mainland, he said.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Californian Long wins 'Eddie'

When it comes to winning big-wave surfing contests, Greg Long is no longer a long shot. A victory in the world's most revered big-wave contest proved it yesterday. Long capped a near-perfect day with a perfect ride that led him to victory in the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave surfing contest.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Pipeline Masters on today; wave-face heights 10-18 feet

The opening day of the Billabong Pipeline Masters is on today at the Banzai Pipeline off Ehukai Beach.

Wave-face heights are in the 10- to 18-foot range.

Surfers expected to compete today include Andy Irons, Bruce Irons, Sunny Garcia, Shane Dorian, Jamie O'Brien and Dusty Payne.

The Pipeline Masters is the final event of both the 2009 ASP World Tour and the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Both titles will be decided at the Pipeline Masters.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Lighting Up Haleiwa for Christmas and Parade this Friday 6 PM

Aloha Members and Businesses,

The North Shore Chamber of Commerce's annual "Christmas in Historic Haleiwa" event is on Friday, December 11th. It will consist of the Christmas parade starting at 6 PM, Photos with Santa at the North Shore Marketplace from 4:00 to 5:30 PM and after the parade until 8 PM. The parade will include up to 40 units. We also encourage the merchants to offer specials, sidewalk sales/events and demonstrations and stay open until 9:00 PM especially that night.

· Participate in the Parade. It's not too late to enter the parade. Go to www.GoNorthShore.org for more information and to apply to be in the parade by tomorrow noon. We still need at least two convertibles to carry VIP's! If you have one or know someone who has a convertible, please call me at 637-4558 or cell 342-8557.

* Be a donor. We need monetary donations of any size to help defray the costs of insurance, printing, and candy for Santa to give out, etc. Donations to the Chamber are completely tax deductible and are much needed to support our many efforts. Make your check out to the "NSCOC" and mail to the above address.

· Advise customers to arrive and park in Haleiwa by 5:30 pm and that the parade will be over around 7:15 pm to avoid not being able to get to or from your place of business due to the street closure for the parade.

For more information or to participate, call the Chamber at 637-4558 or contact the following coordinators:

Parade: Antya Miller 342-8557

Town Lighting & Contest: Layne Larson 637-1780

Visit with Santa: Marianne Abrigo 637-3511

Eddie Aikau big-wave contest on alert

The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave surfing contest is on alert for a possible day of competition tomorrow or Tuesday at Waimea Bay. Wave-face heights are projected to be in the 40- to 50-foot range, which would meet the requirement to run the prestigious contest.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

98 acres of Hawaii's North Shore is headed for a sealed-bid sale

Nearly 100 acres of agricultural land next to the Turtle Bay Resort on O'ahu's North Shore are headed for a sealed-bid sale, four years after a Florida-based investment firm bought the oceanfront property for $2 million with plans to subdivide it for potential residential use.

The property on Marconi Road includes an old home and a commercial building that once housed Hawai'i's first wireless telegraph station, established in 1901 under a contract with a company set up by the Italian inventor of the technology, Guglielmo Marconi.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Don't Forget Special Meeting with Our Representatives

Aloha Members, 
We are pleased to have our state and city representatives meet together to work with our Chamber members in developing ideas and solutions to issues pertaining to the North Shore . Please come with your ideas for solutions.


The format for Friday's meeting will be for each representative to talk for 8 minutes about the main issues, listed below, facing the North Shore . After each speaks, then Josh will preside over a Question and Answer period for the rest of the time, as our members always have tons of questions for our representatives.



State:
1. Laniakea/Chun's traffic bottle neck and what can be done in the short term
2. Where you stand on small business taxes and how to reduce them (unemployment, etc.)
3. Pot holes on state Kamehameha Hwy.

City:

1. Walkways in Haleiwa Town

2. Pot holes in Haleiwa, Waialua, and other City roads

3. Surf Contest Rules and Permits 



This will be the only agenda item except for announcements. Sign-in, networking and Continental Breakfast at 8:00 AM. Meeting starts at 8:30AM. Members $5.00. Adjourn no later than 10:00 AM.

Look forward to seeing you there!
Mahalo, 
Antya

North Shore woman chosen Miss Hawaii USA

Renee Mokihana Nobriga, from Oahu's North Shore was crowned the 2010 Miss Hawaii USA last night at LEVEL4 in the Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki.

Nobriga, 25, is a model and works in sales. She is the daughter of Kealoha and Iwalani Nobriga, lives in Pupukea and graduated from Kahuku High School in 2002. Nobriga has an associate's degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in liberal arts.

More at the Honolulu Star Bulletin

25-foot waves hit North Shore

EHUKAI BEACH — As the big surf crested, curled, rolled and roared at Pipeline yesterday, one intrepid surfer raced across the face of a foaming wave, realized things were definitely not going as planned, kicked his board away and dived out of sight as the next wave in the set crashed down on him like a landslide, like an avalanche, like a cattle stampede.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Business Expo schedule

Whether an existing business or startup company, get in touch with professional resources available to imporve business practices and increase profitability.

Keynote Speakers:
Jim Tollefson, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii "Preparing Your (North Shore) Business to Face the Challenges Ahead"
Howard Dicus, Business Commentator

Topics for Breakout Sessions:
1. Toastmasters
2. Ecommerce/Website
3. SBA
4. Marketing/Branding
5. History of District
6. Patents and Trademark Law
7. Going Green
8. Retirement Planning
9. tax Tips for 2009 & Financial Planning

* There will be three rooms available for breakout sessions and each topic will be run once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

Schedule:
8:00 am to 6:30 pm

8:00-8:45 am
Sign up, meet and greet, vendor setup (cont. breakfast)

9:00-9:45 am
Keynote address


Breakout Sessions
10:00-10:45 am
Better Public Speaking with Toastmasters, Ecommerce/Website, Small Business Administration
11:00 - 11:45 am
Retirement Planning, Marketing/Branding, History of District
12:00 - 12:45 pm
Patents & Trademark Law, Going Green, Tax Tips/Financial Planning

12:45 - 2:00 pm
Lunch

Breakout Sessions
2:00 - 2:45 pm
Patents & Trademark Law, Going Green, Toastmasters
3:00 - 3:45 pm
Retirement Planning, Marketing/Branding, Small Business Administration
4:00 - 4:45 pm
Tax Tips/Financial Planning, Ecommerce/Website, History of District

5:00 - 6:30 pm
Vendor and cocktail reception

Vendor booths on display throughout day of expo.
All activities at the Turtle Bay Resort.

Seminar Descriptions

Going Green
Katie Pere, Kokua Hawaii Foundation
The Kokua Hawaii Foundation will discuss the environmental, health benefits, and cost savings of going plastic free

Toastmasters
Ellyn Sollars, Toastmasters North Shore
Pathway to enhanced public speaking, writing and organization skills, professional contacts, and leadership experience.

Website Development/Ecommerce
Veronica and Jacob Peterson, Aloha Computers
Today's internet has re-written the business world and is an integral part of daily business operations. Find out how small businesses have been give the same level in the playing field when it comes to competing with the larger corporations.

Retirement Planning for Self-Employed and Samll Business Owner
Glennel Warren and Elsa Agdinaoay, John Hancock Financial Network
Explore and compare the retirement options available to the self-employed and small business owner.

Patents and Trademark Law
Martin Hsia, Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright
Protecting your name and your product: What every business in hawaii should know about patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.

What is Historic About Waialua District?
Boyd Ready and Francis Forsythe
A detailed discussion of what is historic in Haleiwa and Waialua - key points in history worth passing along to your customers.

Marketing/Branding
Noelle Baker, Marketing Consultant
Resources to teach you how to build a "value-added" brand in today's competitive global marketplace by creating an effective integrated strategy involving advertising, marketing, publicity, and research.

Small Business Administration
Mary Dale, SBA
Learn how the SBA helps start, build and grow businesses through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.

"Hot" Tax tips for 2009 and Financial Planning and Why it is Essential
Amber Doig, Financial Management Solutions
Hear discussion and new tax laws in effect for 2009 and why it is important that individuals accept responsibility for financial security.

Waimea Valley presents "Arbor Day"

Waimea Valley, located at 59-864 Kamehameha Highway (across from Waimea Bay) is proud to present its 2nd Annual “ARBOR DAY” Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm.

The plant sale and tree give-away will take place in front of Parking Lot 2 (before security guard shack). Participants are encouraged to bring an extra bucket or two to take free mulch home for their yards.

HECO will once again participate by providing the trees for plant give away. Each household will be allowed one free tree and will be asked to complete a short survey before leaving. The survey will help HECO to determine what kind of plants to prepare for the next year.

Waimea Valley will have native and non-native plants for sale and several vendors from across O`ahu will also be selling a wide variety of plants:

• Olomana Tropicals –heliconias, gingers and bromeliads
• Jill Coryell, the Hibiscus Lady – original cultivated varieties of hibiscus
• Alvin Tsuruda of Waihale Products – a very wide variety of exotics, good named Anthuriums
• Ed Miyashita of Growing Creations – herbs, orchids and vegetable starters
• Kay Lynch of La`au Hawai`i– native Ferns

Admission to the Arbor Day Event is free; however, there will be a
parking fee of $5.00 per car.

The Second Annual Business Expo

Aloha Members and Friends,

The Second Annual Business Expo is presented by First Hawaiian Bank. Early Bird Discounts are available until October 10th. So, sign up today!! Download the application on the North Shore Chamber of Commerce website.

Our Luncheon Speaker is Howard Dicus and we hope to have a very exciting keynote speaker as well. The seminars that our Education Chair, Karen Campbell from Waialua Soda Works, has put together are excellent. Bob Boyle of Turtle Bay Resort, the Event Chair, will be hosting us in their beautiful hotel and serving their wonderful food.

Are you looking to expand your business in the North Shore area? Sign up as an exhibitor by October 10th and get the Eartly Bird Discount.

Attendees: If you sign up for this great event, the Continental Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Reception AND six seminars are all included in your registration fee. It's a great bargain, educational and fun.

Mahalo to our Title Sponsor, First Hawaiian Bank, and sponsors Kamehameha Schools, North Shore News and Turtle Bay Resort.

Hope to see you there this year and remember to sign up before October 10th!

Aloha,
Antya Miller, Executive Director
North Shore Chamber of Commerce

North Shore Yoga Festival

True Union presents the North Shore Yoga Festival, an event designed to celebrate the many styles and philosophies that form the ancient practice of yoga. The North Shore Yoga Festival is the first of its kind in Hawaii, bringing together more than a dozen well-known yogis from the Islands and continental U.S. to lead innovate workshops and classes in order to promote yoga awareness. There will be four workshop sessions throughout the day, a keiki yoga class for children, as well as an evening concert by internationally acclaimed musician Ty Burhoe.

Surfers Yoga: Alignment and Fast Flexibility Techniques; Exploring the Parallels of Pilates and Yoga; Yoga Thai Massage Partner Class; Keiki Yoga; Free Your Hips, Free Your Mind; and much more.

Festival fee ranges from $20 for the music concert to $150 for a full day festival pass (four workshops, festival t-shirt, and Ty Burhoe concert). Visit True Union’s website at http://www.trueunion.org to register for festival events.

Contact Kate Baldwin at 757.651.0953 for more information on becoming an exhibitor or sponsor at the North Shore Yoga Festival.

Turtle Bay Resort will be offering a select number of rooms at a discounted rate for those attending the North Shore Yoga Festival. Contact Turtle Bay Resort 808.293.6000 for more information.

Phone: 757.651.0953; email: kate@trueunion.org; Web: www.trueunion.org.

True Union is owned and operated by Kate Baldwin. Kate is a renowned teacher and practitioner of Hatha, Raja and Bhakti Yoga. Kate is a Karma Yogi as well, and has been incredibly active in her community through organizations such as Team in Training, Make A Wish Foundation, Whitman Walker Clinic, Volunteers for the Visually Handicapped, and a number of others. Kate teaches yoga on Oahu at Turtle Bay Resort, North Shore Yoga Co-op, and Open Space Yoga. She was recently selected as one of lululemon athletica’s ambassadors to join efforts in spreading yoga awareness throughout the community.

2nd Annual Business Expo - October 28th

Aloha Members,

Hold the Date!! The Second Annual Business Expo Presented by First Hawaiian Bank and hosted by the North Shore Chamber of Commerce will be held at Turtle Bay Resort on Wednesday, October 28th. Howard Dicus will be the keynote speaker at lunch. Karen Campbell from Waialua Soda Works has done a great job again of lining up a variety of wonderful speakers and Bob Boyle of Turtle Bay Resort will provide us with scruptious food at breakfast lunch and dinner in a beautiful and comfortable conference setting.

This is an all-day affair, so be sure to mark your calendars now! More information will be provided soon.

Mahalo,

Antya

The Voice of Business in Hawaii - Be prepared

- From Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii President Jim Tollefson -

We all agree that our employees are our most valuable asset. Having a healthy and productive staff is critical to our continued success. Anytime an employee is out sick it affects the entire team and the productivity of the office.

Now, more than ever, when many businesses are functioning with smaller staffs or dealing with employee furloughs, any employee illness can have a major impact on a company's ability to perform. As we approach what the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said may be one of our most challenging flu seasons through this fall and winter, it is very important for every business to plan and prepare their company. Along with increasingly stronger flu strains, the CDC has stated they expect the H1N1 influenza to increase and they believe more people and communities will be affected.

Currently, I am serving on the Advisory Council for the Department of Health Pandemic Influenza Public Engagement Demonstration Project. The council recognizes that for Hawaii to be prepared and respond effectively to an influenza outbreak it involves everyone: individuals, communities, businesses, States, Federal agencies, international countries and organizations. Creating public awareness and involvement is important to reducing the impact or spread of severe influenza.

The CDC is asking employers to plan to be able to respond in a flexible way to varying levels of the severity of an outbreak. They have created the "CDC Guidance for Businesses and Employers To Plan and Respond to the 2009-2010 Influenza Season". The new guide recommends actions that non-healthcare employers should take now to decrease the spread of seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu in the workplace. The guide also includes additional strategies to use if flu conditions become more severe and there are new recommendations regarding when a worker who is ill with influenza may return to work. It can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/guidance/. We will also be placing this guide and additional links on the Chamber website.

With the potential of increased illnesses within our staffs, or having an employee out who is a primary caretaker, or even more challenging, an outbreak that causes any type of temporary closure, employers must be prepared to respond in order to limit interruptions to their business.
As a small organization, your Chamber recognizes how important it is to plan for flu season. As a team, we will be reviewing an influenza pandemic plan, posting the key health and safety preventative measures, and have options such as the ability for an employee to work from home to continue business. The business community plays an important role in limiting the negative impact of the H1N1 influenza and seasonal flu outbreaks. I want to urge every Chamber member and business to incorporate the CDC's guidance plan and be proactive.

Additional tools and guidance documents have been developed by the federal government to assist employers in their planning. These resources are available online at: www.flu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/index.html

One-Stop www.flu.gov

2009 H1N1 Influenza Information http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

2009 H1N1 Influenza Resources for Businesses and Employers http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/

Worker Safety and Health Guidance for a Pandemic www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/pandemicflu/index.html

OSHA's Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic http://www.osha.gov/Publications/influenza_pandemic.html

CDC/NIOSH Occupational Health Issues Associated with 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/h1n1flu/

Jim Tollefson
President & CEO
The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
The Voice of Business in Hawaii
1132 Bishop Street, Suite 402
Honolulu, Hi. 96813
Ph: 808-545-4300 ext 388
Fax 808-545-4369
www.cochawaii.org

Honolulu Council bill bans shark tours

The Honolulu City Council on Friday introduced a bill to ban shark tour operations.

Bill 67 calls for penalizing violators up to $1,000, up to one year in jail, or both.

...Currently, at least two shark tour operations — North Shore Shark Adventures and Hawaii Shark Encounters — operate on Oahu’s North Shore, where customers view sharks from a submerged cage.

More information at Pacific Business News

More jobs, growth of BYUH behind plan for La'ie's future

Opponents of revised design cite expected large influx of people

The plan by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to build 1,200 homes, a shopping center, churches, parks and light industrial complex at Malaekahana may succeed where earlier plans have failed, officials say.

Just a year ago, a proposal to build 550 homes was scrapped when the economy tanked and local support seemed weak.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Membership Meeting at Waimea Valley Pikake Pavillion

Aloha Members and Businesses,

Just a reminder that there is a membership meeting tomorrow at Waimea Valley, Pikake Pavilion at 8AM. The guest speaker will be Katie Kastner from Historic Hawaii Foundation on "Why Heritage Tourism is Good for a Destination like the North Shore." Please see attached agenda.

A delicious Continental Breakfast will be served by Thomas and Brigitte of Waimea Valley Grill.
Members are $5 and non-members are $10.

A big mahalo goes to Waimea Valley Grill for sponsoring this meeting!

See you there!
Antya

Update on Chamber's New Home and Cancellation of Installation Dinner

Aloha Members,

We announced at our April 30, 2009 meeting that the permit to finish the Telephone Exchange Building (TEB) project is ready to be issued. We are excited that we can now move this much-anticipated project forward to create a home for the Chamber as well as a visitor center for the North Shore. The board of directors wants to move this project along as quickly as possible and we expect that it will take significant efforts from us over the next several months.

In order to focus on the completion of the TEB we decided to cancel the Installation dinner, tentatively scheduled for the beginning of June. Once we are at or near completion, we are planning to have a blessing of the Chamber’s new home and welcome all of you to celebrate your efforts to save a Haleiwa landmark. We are excited about putting the building to many more years of service to the community and historic Haleiwa.

Many members have been very generous with their support in purchasing corporate sponsorships and bricks honoring their friends and family. Thank you very much. However, we need to raise more money and would really appreciate your support to help complete the TEB project by purchasing a brick or corporate sponsorship if you have not done so already. Please fill out the attached form and mail it in with your donation.

In regards to the bricks that have already been ordered, the landscaping and walkway will be the last items to be constructed. We will work as fast as we can to get the project completed so that you may come and admire your brick(s)!

Mahalo,
Antya

Testimony Needed to Address Assault on Business!

Aloha Members,

Please see the email from Sherry below and click on the link to send testimony. We need to redouble our efforts in stopping this "assault on business." See Star Bulletin's editorial calling this legislation that:

http://www.starbulletin.com/editorials/Legislators_should_stop_their_assault_on_Hawaii_business.html

I know you're busy, but providing testimony to stop this assault is very much more important in the long-run than are the fires you're putting out today.

Mahalo,
Antya


The following bills have been scheduled for hearing and decision-making for Thursday, April 2:

SB 62 - Workers' Compensation: Independent Medical Examination
(Hearing Notice)

HB 952 - Card Check (Decision-making)
(Hearing Notice)

For SB 62, please submit testimony. For HB 952, we are asking our members to contact their senators rather than submitting comments.

Please feel free to use http://www.cocaction.com/mx/hm.asp?id=LAC to submit testimony and letters.

Thank you for your support.

Sherry R. Menor-McNamara
Vice President, Business Advocacy & Gov't. Affairs

Department of the Interior Business Opportunities Conference

The most important conference helping businesses take advantage of exciting opportunities
in the U.S. territories and in nations in "free association" with the United States, is back in Honolulu!

REGISTER TODAY!
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s
Fifth Conference on Business Opportunities in the Islands
April 6-8 2009
Sheraton Waikiki

Among the Featured Speakers
Lee Webber, President and Publisher, Honolulu Advertiser, and Chamber Board Member
Dr. Richard Kelley, Chairman of the Board, Outrigger Enterprises

The agenda is set,
Lt. General Wallace "Chip" Gregson, USMC (Ret)., Former Commander, Marine Forces Pacific,
Dr. Stephen Schneider of Stanford University, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore and a team of climatologists in 2007.

Also Confirmed
President Manny Mori of the Federated States of Micronesia ,
President Litokwa Tomeing of the Republic of the Marshall Islands
Governor Felix Camacho of Guam
Governor Benigno Fitial of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Governor Togiola Tulafono of American Samoa

Our agenda will also feature David Bice, Director of the Joint Guam Program Office; Tony Neil, Director of the Pacific Power Association; and Theodore Peck, Energy Administrator, Strategic Industries Division, Hawai’i DBEDT. We also expect U.S. Congressional representatives, senior U.S. military officials, and hundreds of business people from the insular areas, the freely associated states, the United States mainland, and around the Pacific Rim.

This year's agenda will feature discussions of opportunities across three major areas:

* Renewable Energy: Increasing energy efficiency and decreasing dependence on expensive imported oil represent major business opportunities. For the first time, a full track of four breakout sessions will be devoted to these projects. Over $45 billion was appropriated nationwide as part of the recent stimulus legislation for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
* Large-scale public infrastructure work, especially construction projects associated with the military construction on Guam: As part of the historic realignment of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, 8,000 Marines will be relocated from Okinawa to Guam. This will require over US$14 billion in new construction and procurement for infrastructure, as well as services to support the enlarged base. Construction is slated to begin in 2010.
* Tourism of all kinds: These areas are among the most pristine and beautiful islands in the Pacific, if not the world. They offer a wealth of opportunities for small and large-scale hotel/resort development aimed at a wide range of clientele. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is helping plan the tourism track at the conference with the goal of increasing tourism opportunities on the islands and attracting more visitors.

On-line registration is open at www.IslandBusinessOpportunities.com

The conference will also include evening receptions, networking events and, most importantly, prearranged one-on-one meetings, offering participants an opportunity to meet directly to discuss joint ventures. For more information or to register, go to www.IslandBusinessOpportunities.com. For any questions, please contact Angie Williams at Angela_Williams@ios.doi.gov or at (202) 208-3003.

Membership Meeting

Aloha Members,

Our next membership meeting will be this coming Thursday, March 26, 2009 at Waimea Valley.

Our guest speaker will be Sherry Menor-McNamara, Vice President for Business Advocacy & Government Affairs at the main Chamber. She will be reviewing the legislative process and current bills in the legislature that will affect business. This is really important. As you know the Card Check bill is back again this year and could really hurt small business. Come and get informed!

A continental breakfast will be served by Waimea Valley Grill: $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers.

Thank you to our sponsor Chet Naylor of Shark’s Cove Grill for this meeting.

Mahalo,

Antya

Work Comp Bills Hearing on Tuesday

Aloha!

The House Labor Committee has already scheduled two workers' compensation bills that crossed over from the Senate. These bills are moving fast! If they pass the Labor Committee and the Finance Committee schedules them right away, the bills could be sent up to the Governor's office during session, meaning if the Governor vetoes the bills, the Legislature could still override the bills during session. The bills are:

SB 62 Workers' Comp (IME)

SB 695 Workers' Comp (Uninterrupted Medical Treatment)

These bills will be heard on Tuesday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 309. Please encourage your members to submit testimony. Please feel free to use the Legislative Action Center website (http://www.cocaction.com/mx/hm.asp?id=LAC), which will enable your members to submit testimony instantly.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your support.

Sherry Menor-McNamara

State Legislature is Increasing Taxes!

Dear Businesses and Members: I am forwarding main Chamber's email alert for your action.

"Hello all, Just wanted to give you a heads up on two tax-related bills scheduled for hearing on Thursday at 3 p.m. in the House Finance Committee. HB 1742 is a bill that will repeal certain general excise and use tax excise exemptions and exclusions. It also reduces the tax rate on sales to the final consumer from 4% to 3.5%. The bill would impose GET on wages, which are currently exempt. This would be imposed on gross wages, without any offset for deductions. It would therefore amount to the equivalent of a huge income tax increase.

My guess is that the tax burden of the imposition of GET on wages would be greater than the benefit of a reduced rate on retail purchases. Moreover, this increased tax burden would fall entirely on Hawaii residents, while visitors would just enjoy the benefit of the lower GET on retail purchases. Many of our organizations as well will be affected because this bill will remove the GET exemption from non-profit organizations.

Additionally, the bill eliminates the exemptions for non-profit hospitals, cemeteries, sale of prescription drugs and many other exemptions. Real property sales and sales of stocks and other securities which are now exempt, would become taxable for any business entity or individual engaged in a trade or business.

Finally this bill will impose the GET on export sales. HB 1548 is an omnibus tax bill to provide tax equity and stimulate the economy by increasing general excise tax rates, reducing the income tax rate and establishing a hotel and renovation tax credit. This bill increases the GE Tax by ½ %. We will not support the bill, however we will note that if it passes, then we will provide input as to what would be workable and fair.

I do not have a sample testimony to provide you as I am currently working on it, but if you can, please submit testimony regardless if it's a short letter. Here is a link to the hearing notice for HB 1742: http://capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/hearingnotices/HEARING_FIN_02-26-09_6_.HTM and HB 1548: http://capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/hearingnotices/HEARING_FIN_02-26-09_4_.HTM.

Thanks.
Sherry R. Menor-McNamara
Vice President, Business Advocacy & Gov't. Affairs
1132 Bishop Street, Suite 402
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Ph. 808-545-4300 x 394
www.cochawaii.org
Fax 808-545-4369
smenor@cochawaii.org

The Voice of Business in Hawaii

Siren test

Aloha Members,

We need “spotters” (actually “listeners”) to help determine where the new localized sirens can be heard. The Dept of Emergency Mgmt is setting up a warning system that can be given to localized regions, as opposed to the whole island. This will help if Waialua and Haleiwa need to be warned about flooding or Wilson Dam breaking.

Please complete and send the form back to Alenka for Thursday morning’s test. If the dam were to break, it is predicted that both Haleiwa and Waialua would be severely compromised/ damaged.

Mahalo,
Antya

Pipeline Pro hoping to run today with 18-foot surf expected

The North Shore surfing scene was relatively quiet throughout the month of January, so several events are hoping for a rise in February.

Among the contests that could run this month:

• The HIC Pipeline Pro Trials men's surfing contest is expected to run at the Banzai Pipeline today, organizers announced late yesterday.

• The Turbo Pipeline Pro bodyboarding contest has a holding period of Feb. 16 to 27 at the Banzai Pipeline.

• The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational and the Bank of Hawaii North Shore Tow-In Championship are still awaiting for a giant swell to hit O'ahu.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser

Come to Membership Meeting this Thursday, Jan. 29th 8:00 AM at Haleiwa Joe's

Aloha Members and Friends,

Our regular membership meeting will be Thursday the 29^th 8 am at Haleiwa Joe’s.

The guest speaker will be Steve Abdalla of VR Business Brokers: “Recession Proofing Your Business.” Steve has a MBA from Stanford University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Director of the Honolulu Executives Association and a member of the International Association of Business Brokers, Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, and Entrepreneurs Organization Hawaii. He has written numerous articles on business acquisitions and strategy that have been published in the Pacific Business News.

Haleiwa Joe’s will provide a continental breakfast. $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers. Remember to use the guest passes we send out in your welcome/thank you packets when you renew.

Hope to see you on Thursday!

Aloha,
Antya

Hidden gem on North Shore worth the effort

One of the island's most unique hikes, Kealia Trail and Access Road is also one of the most overlooked and unappreciated.

Sure, it's something of an acquired taste, but while its profile may not sound particularly attractive — a seemingly endless series of switchbacks at the start; steep climbs up a broad dirt trail; and close proximity to a popular hunting area — it does offer a great, elevated perspective of the activity around the bordering glider port, a safe but worthy challenge for trailrunners and other fitness buffs, and stunning views of Makua Valley and the Wai'anae Mountain range for hikers who don't mind also glancing at wire fences, shot-riddled hunting signs and an occasional water tank.

More at the Honolulu Advertiser