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