President’s sister to talk about mother

President Barack Obama’s sister Maya Soetoro-Ng will share memories of their mother in an informal talk today at the East-West Center.

Soetoro-Ng is expected to recount memories of traveling with her mother, Ann Dunham, on anthropological research visits to Indonesian villages. She’s scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. at the East-West Center Gallery, which is featuring an exhibit of Dunham’s field work.

Dunham was an East-West Center graduate student fellow in the 1970s. She is recognized for her exceptional anthropology work, which focused on small-craft industries in the villages of Java.

Nature Conservancy has a new chairman

The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii says Kenton Eldridge has been elected chairman of its Board of Trustees.

The nonprofit organization said Thursday that Eldridge succeeds Duncan MacNaughton, who led the board for three years.

Eldridge is co-founder and partner of Aina Koa Pono, a Hawaii-based company geared to develop energy technology for alternatives to fossil fuels. He is also co-founder and managing director of Sennet Capital, a merchant bank.

Eldridge has served as a conservancy trustee for 11 years.

The Nature Conservancy has helped protect 200,000 acres in Hawaii, including 10 preserves that provide vital habitat for threatened native species.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Beachgoers save swimmer at Pololu Valley

Hawaii island firefighters helped a 59-year-old man after he nearly drowned Friday at a beach in North Kohala.

The man was unfamiliar with the ocean currents at Pololu Valley Beach, and friends and bystanders had to pull him out of the water at about 1:15 p.m., firefighters said.

Firefighters treated him at the scene and a fire helicopter flew the man in serious condition to North Hawaii Community Hospital.

Friendly Island residents resist pricier power

A public hearing before the Public Utilities Commission drew an outcry last week from Molokai residents who said the island can’t afford the 6.7 percent rate increase requested by Maui Electric Co.

The Molokai Dispatch reported that about 10 people spoke against the proposal Thursday in a hearing at Mitchell Pauole Center. The increase, which would result in an additional $13 per month per residential customer, on average, would be unbearable, they insisted.

"We can’t support this," said resident Kimo McPherson. "We gotta eat. We gotta pay our bills."

Resident Patrick Jones said he has taken steps in recent years to reduce his energy bill — including installing an energy-saving air conditioner, refrigerator, gas stove and more — and still his bill goes up.

"When is this gonna end?" he asked.

MECO filed the request with the PUC in July to "cover the cost of improvements to integrate additional renewable energy and improve the reliability of service to its Maui, Lanai and Molokai customers," according to a news release.

The PUC held a hearing on the proposal Wednesday on Lanai.