Bellows – DMZ hawaiʻi

May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

Turbulence and Zombie Militarism: When a deadly aircraft crash is just a “hard landing”

Photo: Ken Quinata/KHON

Planet Earth seems to be experiencing a period of geophysical turbulence. Molten magma on the move. Earthquake clusters near the crater of Kilauea. The lava lake of Halemaʻumaʻu exploding and overflowing its banks, then subsiding. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions at tectonic hotspots around the worlds including Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Japan, and the terribly deadly swarm of quakes that killed thousands in Nepal.

The turbulence is also social and political. From #Blacklivesmatter demonstrations in Baltimore and other U.S. cities, to the worldwide #kukiaimauna #wearemaunakea protests against the Thirty Meter Telescope on sacred Mauna Kea, from kayaktivists blockading the Shell oil platform in Puget Sound, to Okinawans protesting on land and sea against the massive new reef-destroying Marine Corps base in Henoko, Okinawa, social relations are churning.

And now turbulence of the fluid dynamic sort, it seems, may have brought down a Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft in a deadly crash in Waimānalo, Hawaiʻi that killed ~~one~~ two marines and injured 20 others. Watch this cellphone video of the crash:

Hawaii News Now – KGMB and KHNL

In the video, a large cloud of dust is kicked up by the powerful rotors. You can see the Osprey descending quickly, apparently with enough speed that the cameraperson expresses alarm. The aircraft hits the ground in the dust cloud and pieces can be seen flying off. Then flames and thick black smoke envelope the airplane followed by a fireball.

The Marines called it a “hard landing” rather than a crash, and the media has continued to parrot that terminology. The spin machine kicked in to minimize the severity of the incident, then to reaffirm the safety of the aircraft. The Marine Corps has an interest minimizing the danger of the Osprey because it has been plagued by deadly accidents and ballooning costs. Despite several attempts by the Pentagon to kill the expensive program, the Marines have been able to bring it back from the dead—zombie militarism—mindless pursuit of the objective despite the costs.

But they cannot bring back the dozens of lives lost in Osprey crashes.

The thing is, the Pentagon has known about the hazards of the Osprey for more than ten years. The report V-22 Osprey: Wonder Weapon or Widow Maker? (2006) by Lee Gaillard of the Center for Defense Information states, “They warned us. But no one is listening.”

One of the main problems is what is called a “vortex ring state” (VRS), an aerodynamic conundrum inherent to its dual flight mode design:

We are not talking here about “glitches,” or subcomponent quality control issues, or assembly line carelessness problems. It is an aerodynamic enigma involving highly complex turbulence conditions beyond the analytic capabilities of our most advanced computational fluid dynamics simulations.

Given that the V-22’s dual-mode flight capability (as either helicopter or airplane) requires significant aerodynamic design compromises in its prop blades in an attempt to maximize their efficiency in both flight modes, the blades’ stiff, high-twist (47 degrees) design necessary for the higher speed horizontal flight mode poses severe danger when employed in rapid vertical descent situations likely to be faced in combat. This is, therefore, an essentially irreconcilable design conundrum that unfortunately cannot be ‘resolved.’ (14-15)

The report continues, citing an Operational Testing (OT) report:

As the OT-IIG report states, “When descending at a high rate with low forward speed, the rotor can become enveloped in its own downwash, which can result in a substantial loss of lift. … Should one rotor enter VRS and lose more lift than the other rotor, a sudden roll can result, which quickly couples into a[n inverted] nose-down pitch”17—i.e., an upsidedown nose-first crash. Such a maneuver at low altitude during high rate of descent into a hot landing zone would therefore result in catastrophic loss of the aircraft and all aboard.

This appears to describe what happened in videos of the crash.

The news of the crash has gone international. In Japan and Okinawa in particular, there is intense interest in the danger of the Osprey. A hundred thousand people protested against the stationing of 24 Ospreys in Okinawa. The crash in Hawaiʻi will surely rekindle the opposition.

Several years ago, when the stationing of Osprey in Hawaiʻi was first announced, there was opposition from Kanaka Maoli who did not want an ancient Hawaiian fishing village site to be destroyed by the expanded Osprey hangar, and from neighbors of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay who feared the noise and safety impacts of the Osprey.

This crash may spark renewed opposition to the Osprey in particular, but also to the military occupation of Hawaiian “ceded” (i.e. stolen Hawaiian Kingdom lands) in Waimānalo. In the late 1990s, the Air Force conducted a series of hearings to discuss the possible closure and transfer of the Bellows Air Force Base land that was deemed “underutilized” after the end of the Cold War. Hawaiian community members wanted that the land be returned. But the Marine Corps wanted the land for its training. And the Commander of the Pacific Command, Admiral Macke (the same person who suggested that the US Marines who raped a 12 year old Okinawan school girl in 1995 should have paid for a prostitute instead) threatened to reduce the military presence in Hawaiʻi if the military didn’t get its way. So the Marines took over most of Bellows and use it for amphibious landing training as well as Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) training in a mock Afghan village. They even hired and flew in Afghan Americans from California to play Afghan villagers.

The crash coincides with the gathering in Hawaiʻi of military leaders from around the Asia-Pacific region to discuss amphibious combat skills. It’s not clear that the Osprey flights were related to the conference.

July 10, 2011

Man dies from heart attack playing ‘paintball’ at Bellows Air Force Station

The Honolulu Star Advertiser reports:

A 25-year-old man participating in a “paintball exercise” at Bellows Air Force Station in Waimanalo collapsed in cardiac arrest Saturday afternoon and later died at a hospital, police said.

There were no apparent signs of foul play, police said.

The case is being handled by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, according to the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office.

March 14, 2011March 15, 2011

Pentagon Takes Aim at Asia-Pacific, and deploys mercenary social scientists

Recently, versions of the same op ed piece appeared in both Guam and Hawai’i newspapers by James A. Kent and and Eric Casino. Kent describes himself as “an analyst of geographic-focused social and economic development in Pacific Rim countries; he is president of the JKA Group (www.jkagroup.com).” Eric Casino is “a social anthropologist and freelance consultant on international business and development in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.”

The authors argue that Guam and Hawai’i should capitalize on the U.S. militarization of the Pacific and remake our island societies into “convergence zones” to counter China’s growing power and influence in the region. They write:

Because of their critically important geographic positions at the heart of the Pacific, Hawaii and Guam are historically poised to become beneficial centers to the nations of the Western Pacific, the way Singapore serves countries around the South China Sea. In the 19th century, Hawaii was the “gas and go” center for whalers. In the 20th century it was the mobilization center for the war in the Pacific.

The writers even invoke the uprisings in the Arab world to encourage Guam and Hawai’i citizens to step up and take the reins of history:

Citizen action has shown itself as a critical component in the amazing political transformation sweeping the Middle East. It is time to change the old world of dominance and control by the few — to the participation and freedom for the many. The people of Hawaii and Guam will need to navigate these historic shifts with bold and creative rethinking.

“Change the old world dominance and control by the few – to the participation and freedom for the many”? You would think that they were preaching revolution. But its quite the opposite. In the Guam version of the article, they attempt to repackage the subjugation of the peoples of Guam and Hawai’i as liberation, part of the neoliberal agenda of the upcoming APEC summit:

The opportunity to capitalize on these trends is aligned with the choice of Hawaii as the host of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November.

Furthermore they encourage the people of Guam and Hawai’i to partake in and feed off of the militarization of our island nations while denigrating grassroots resistance:

The planned move of a part of the Marine Corps base must take place in a manner that builds Guam into a full social and economic participant in the power realignments and not just a military outpost for repositioning of American forces. Citizen unrest in Guam would sap U.S. energy to remain strategic and undermine its forward defense security.

So, while they exhort the people of Hawai’i and Guam “to navigate these historic shifts with bold and creative rethinking,” in the end, they are just selling the same old imperial and neoliberal arrangements imposed by foreign powers that the people of Hawai’i and Guam have had to contend with for centuries.

So what is the point of the op ed? It makes more sense when you understand the history and context of the authors. Both Kent and Casino are part of James Kent Associates, a consulting firm that has worked extensively with the Bureau of Land Management to manage the community concerns regarding development of natural resources in a number of western states. In 1997, the Marine Corps hired JKA Group to help counter resistance from the Wai’anae community to proposed amphibious assault training at Makua Beach, or as they put it to help “sustain its training options at Makua Beach in a cooperative manner with the community, and to be sure that community impacts and environmental justice issues were adequately addressed. JKA engaged in informal community contact and description by entering the routines of the local communities.”

They were essentially ‘hired gun’ social scientists helping the military manipulate the community through anthropological techniques:

Prior to JKA’s involvement, the NEPA process was being “captured” by organized militants from the urban zones of Hawaii. The strategy of the militants was to disrupt NEPA by advocating for the importance of Makua as a sacred beach. As community workers identified elders in the local communities, the elders did not support the notion of a sacred beach-“What, you think we didn’t walk on our beaches?” They pointed to specific sites on the beach that were culturally important and could not be disturbed by any civilian or military activity. As this level of detail was injected into the EA process, the militants were less able to dominate the process and to bring forward their ideological agenda. They had to be more responsible or lose standing in the informal community because the latter understood: “how the training activity, through enhancements to the culture, can directly benefit community members. Therefore, the training becomes a mutual benefit, with the community networks standing between the military and the activists.”

So community members active in the Native Hawaiian, environmental and peace movements are “organized militants from urban zones of Hawaii”? The military uses similar language to describe the resistance fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a way, their methods anticipated the use of anthropologists in the battlefield in the “Human Terrain System” program.

What they don’t report on their website is that they failed to win over the community. Opposition to the Marine amphibious exercises was so strong that PACOM hosted an unprecedented meeting between Wai’anae community leaders on the one hand and CINCPAC, the Governor, and other public officials on the other. As preparations were made for nonviolent civil resistance, CINCPAC canceled the exercise in Makua and moved the amphibious landing to Waimanalo, where the community also protested.

It seems as though JKA Group has been contracted by the Marines once again to help manage the community resistance to the military invasion planned for Guam and Hawai’i. So the people of Hawai’i and Guam will have to resist this assault “with bold and creative rethinking.” One such initiative is the Moana Nui conference planned to coincide with APEC in Hawai’i in which the peoples of the Asia Pacific region can chart our own course for development, environmental protection, peace and security in a ways that “change the old world dominance and control by the few – to the participation and freedom for the many.”

On the topic of the militarization of the Asia-Pacific region, I recently spoke with Korean solidarity and human rights activist Hyun Lee and community organizer Irene Tung on their radio program Asia Pacific Forum on WBAI in New York City.

http://www.asiapacificforum.org/show-detail.php?show_id=221#610

Pentagon Takes Aim at Asia-Pacific

Listen to this segment (Download MP3)

Last month, the Pentagon unveiled the first revision of the National Military Strategy since 2004, declaring, “the Nation’s strategic priorities and interests will increasingly emanate from the Asia-Pacific region.” Join APF as we discuss the implications of the new document.

Guests

KYLE KAJIHIRO is Director of DMZ Hawaii and Program Director of the American Friends Service Committee in Hawaii.

July 12, 2009July 12, 2009

Waimanalo wants Air Force to return Bellows land

Board asked to seek Bellows land

A proposed resolution claims the Air Force no longer needs 400 acres and should give it up

By Kaylee Noborikawa

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 12, 2009

Some Waimanalo residents are calling for the U.S. Air Force to return about 400 acres from Bellows Air Force Station because the land is being used for recreation rather than critical military purposes.

“I’m asking the neighborhood board to adopt a resolution which asks for the return (of the land), and I expect the neighborhood board to transfer that resolution to Congress, our senators, and President Obama,” said Joseph Ryan, a former member of the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board and a Waimanalo resident since the 1960s.

Ryan drafted the resolution after receiving an environmental assessment in March by the U.S. Air Force which wants to construct at Bellows 48 vacation rentals, a nine-hole disc golf course, a community activity center, a car wash, a water park, a resort pool, and a nine-hole par-3 golf course.

Ryan said his action is not related to the military’s closing of Bellows to the public for a month recently. The popular beach and camping area was closed because of misuse and vandalism, military officials had said. It was reopened over the July 4th weekend.

According to Ryan, the state should get the land, which was appropriated by President Woodrow Wilson in 1917, since the military is no longer using it for its original military purpose.

A total of 1,510 acres of ceded land was appropriated in the presidential executive order, but in 1999, about 1,100 acres were transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps, according to the Corps.

“When the Air Force decided by its EA to use the base for recreational services, they made the decision that this is no longer critical defense purposes. Recreation is a collateral purpose. It doesn’t support the primary mission,” said Ryan.

The military responded by saying that although the primary mission is recreation, the Armed Forces continue to train on the land. Hickam’s 15th Security Forces Squadron, U.S. Marine Corps security forces, and the Honolulu Police Department use Bellows for training, including building clearing, hostage negotiation training, and robbery response.

“Bellows continues to fill key roles in troop recreation and training,” said Capt. Christy Stravolo of the Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs. “One of the key priorities of the Air Force Chief of Staff is airman morale and readiness. Bellows contributes to this priority every day.”

The Bellows Air Force Station offers cabins, camping sites, and other recreational activities for military retirees, soldiers in the reserve/guard, active military members, and U.S. Department of Defense civilians. According to Stravolo, 500,000 visitors use Bellows’ facilities every year.

“Troops can’t afford the expensive commercial establishments, so here’s a chance they have to relax with their families at a very reasonable price. The fees they charge are quite a bit less than Waikiki,” said Gen. Robert Lee.

Lee is in charge of the Army National Guard at Bellows and trains newly promoted sergeants on unit tactics.

“I think we can work it out with the community. We allow the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board to use our facility for their meetings; I believe we can work out a good solution,” Lee said.

MEETING

The Waimanalo Neighborhood Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Waimanalo Public Library to discuss the recreational use of land at Bellows Air Force Station. Public testimony is welcome.

Source: http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090712_Board_asked_to_seek_Bellows_land.html

July 10, 2009

Waimanalo Wants Bellows Back

I liked this post by Kehau Watson on the community struggle to reclaim Waimanalo from military control and abuse.

Waimanalo Wants Bellows Back

July 9th, 2009 by Trisha Kehaulani Watson

I’ve never written about the same topic twice, until now.

My first blog on Bellows last week provoked a number of colorful responses on the blog site, but the most interesting response I received via email, from a member of the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board.

Seems members of the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board also have questions about the military’s continued presence at Bellows. As such, they are proposing a resolution requesting the return of the lands to the State. It reads in part:

AWARE the Waimanalo Military Reservation was renamed Bellows Field in 1933 and redesignated as Bellows AFB in 1948 and ten years later re-designated as Bellows AFS and the land was used for military purposes until March 2009, and the United States Air Force continues to hold 400 acres, more or less, of the original land appropriated under the 1917 Executive Order and has publicly declared the purpose and “mission” at Bellows AFS, effective March 2009, is “enhancing combat effectiveness by delivering secure, affordable, and customer-focused recreational services” and has published its intention and proposal to construct a water park, swimming and “resort” pools, golf courses, and recreational lodgings on the 400 acres which are Category C–Revenue Generating Programs which “provide recreational activities that benefit military morale [,] foster community spirit and provide alternatives to less wholesome off-duty pursuits , [and] have the greatest capability of generating nonappropriated fund revenues and fund most of their expenses.” (Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-1022, § 3.2.3, June 29, 1994) and are not “programs required to support the basic military mission”, and

EMPHASIZING the lands held by the United States Air Force at Waimanalo, upon which a “resort” for recreational purposes is proposed, is a “Category C” use of land, approved by the Secretary of the Air Force under the authority of the Secretary of Defense, which cannot reasonably be construed as a “critical area” for defense or military purposes under the Admissions Act, and

IT IS DECLARED BY THE WAIMANALO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD that since the United States Air Force, on the remaining Crown Land under its control at Waimanalo, no longer uses or intends to use the land for the specific military purposes for which it was appropriated and because the Congress of the United States has properly exercised its Constitutional authority and enacted laws which devolved the Waimanalo Crown Land to the State of Hawaii to be used “solely for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands for educational and other purposes” pursuant to the Joint Resolution of Annexation of July 7, 1898, the President and Chief Executive or his designate must return the Waimanalo Crown Land to the State of Hawaii and the Governor and Legislature of the State of Hawaii must revoke the conditional permission allowing for occupation of the Waimanalo Crown Lands as the current use and occupation exceeds the permission given to the United States, and

THEREFORE BE IT URGENTLY, STRONGLY, AND FINALLY RESOLVED THAT THE WAIMANALO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD having given consideration to all the relevant issues, and provided opportunity for testimony by the public and United States Military Representatives, that the approximately 400 acres, more or less, of remaining land under the control of the United States Air Force must be returned to the State of Hawaii in furtherance of the legislative purposes declared by Congress in § 1, 30 Stat. 750.

You can read their entire proposal and press release below.

Bellows Presentation and Proposed Resolution

Press Release

The Waimanalo Neighborhood Board will be meeting to discuss this issue at its regularly scheduled meeting, Monday, July 13, 2009, at 7:30 at the Waimanalo Public Library.

If you do not know where the library is, I have included a map.

I hope those who commented on my last blog on this topic will make the time to go and share their comments with the neighborhood board in person.

Waimanalo has a beautiful and majestic history. It is best captured in the mele “Waimânalo `Âina Kaulana”:

Uluwehi Waimânalo `âina ho`opulapula
Ipu ia like ala ona pua like `ole

Ho`okahi pu`uwai ho`okahi mana`o
`Aina aloha o ka lehulehu

Hanohano no `oe e Kalanianaole
Ho`oko kauoha `oe na ka hana pololei

Ha`awi ka mae ma`i e ia Waimânalo
Kokua like mai na mana Kahikolu

Kû kilakila na home u`i
Me ka kokua a na mana lani

Ha`ina kêia mele no Waimânalo
`Âina ho`opulapula no Kalaniana`ole

Lush, Waimânalo, homestead land
Its fragrant flowers, incomparable

One heart, one thought
Land of love for the population

You are the glory of (Prince Jonah) Kalaniana`ole
You fulfilled the trust with righteous deeds

Waimanalo gives health
Help and power comes from Trinity

Standing strong, the stalwart homes
With help from the heavenly powers

Tell this song of Waimânalo
Homestead land of Prince Kalaniana`ole

(Traditional, from the G. Cooke Collection, translated by Kanani Mana.)

I have no doubt that if allowed to resume control of their land and space, the Waimanalo community is very capable of making the land now controlled by the military `aina aloha once again.

Source: http://hehawaiiau.honadvblogs.com/2009/07/09/waimanalo-wants-bellows-back/

June 18, 2009July 5, 2009

Demonstration against Military Occupation of Waimanalo

Please support this action by the Waimanalo residents to resist the military build up in their c0mmunity.

On 6/18/09 8:05 AM, “iwalani keliihoomalu” <keliihoomalu@hotmail.com> wrote:

Aloha,

We are organizing a peaceful demonstration of protest. We the positive re-action along with other soverign groups will be coming together to take a stand. We will be excercising our right to say enough is enough. The health center is our place that provides us and continues to service and meet our needs. We have been in discussion with them to release a portion of land that they do not need but chooses to excercise the authority of power to keep us oppressed and seperate us from the land of our inherent birth right. The choice to continue to flaunt it and continually push their military authority is a misuse of their authority antagonizes the whole situation. Which instigates a reaction. Join us in an effort to take a stand and say not in waimanalo and not at the waimanalo health center. We will be in front on Kalanianaole Hwy across from Bellow Air Force Base to hold signs and let them know we do not agree and there is something wrong in their decision. We will be parking on mauka side in Bellows and using Tinker Road as a cross walk to hold signs. We will be there from 9:00 am- 1:00pm. Bring chair, water and your message. I can be reached at 954-7124.

Aloha kakou,
Mabel Ann & Solomon C. Spencer Jr. & Kawehi Kanui Gill

Who : Waimanalo community
What: “Peaceful Demonstration of Protest”
When: June 27, 2009 Saturday
Time: 9:00 am – 1 pm
Where: In front of Bellow’s Air Force Base on Kalanianaole
Why: To support the Waimanalo Community in protest of the closing of our bellow beach and the return of our Native lands.

Join us and take a stand and add your voice in support.

—–Original Message—–
From: May Akamine
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 6:04 PM
To: All Staff
Subject: Signs in Back of Waimanalo Health Center

All Staff –

Just want you to know that a contractor from the military posted 2 “No Trespassing” signs behind our clinic- see attached photos. Please leave the signs as is; please do not deface it; do not remove it, etc. But, please feel free to continue to walk/work in our Garden.

I will be contacting the military PR liaison Major Crouch, w/ cc to our Board of Directors, our Waimanalo Neighborhood Board Chair Kekoa Ho, Representative Chris Lee, etc. to find out what is going on. I’ll get back to you all when I get more info. Mahalo for your cooperation.

Aloha –
May Akamine, RN, MS
Executive Director
Waimanalo Health Center
41-1347 Kalanianaole Hwy
Waimanalo, HI 96795
Personal Line: (808) 954-7107
Cell: (808) 225-9614
Clinic Phone: (808) 259-7948
Fax: (808) 259-6449
www.waimanalohc.org <http://www.waimanalohc.org/>

June 2, 2009

Military threatening permanent closure of Bellows

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Marines close Bellows for June

Illegal activities cited, but some say military seeks permanent ban

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Marine Corps said yesterday it is temporarily closing weekend public beach access at Bellows Air Force Station to curtail illegal activities, but residents contend the military is trying to push locals out permanently.

The public has been allowed access to the area on weekends for more than 20 years, first by the Air Force and now by the Marines.

The area will be closed all weekends in June while the Marines seek ways to better prevent activities such as drug use, fights, large campfires, trash dumping, off-roading on the beach, alcohol use and vehicle break-ins.

The goal is to have the camp and beach open again for the July 4 weekend, the Marines said in a news release.

The decision was first announced at a hastily called community meeting Friday because of events on the previous Monday, Memorial Day, at the Marine Corps Training Area, Bellows.

Wilson Ho, Waimanalo Neighborhood Board chairman, who was invited to the meeting with Marine Corps Base Commander Col. Robert Rice along with city, state and federal representatives, said the Marines demanded immediate action, including around-the-clock police presence.

“They want zero tolerance,” Ho said, adding that the decision was more like martial law, where demands were presented then the attendees were dismissed.

In their news release confirming the decision, the Marines said the training area “will remain closed to all visitors throughout the month of June due to persistent unsafe and environmentally destructive activities on the beach and in the camping area.”

Ho said the Marines talked about infractions that involved less than 1 percent of the people who were at Bellows on Memorial Day, yet they want to punish everyone.

This was the first he’s heard of any increase in problems at Bellows, he said, adding that the Marines attend every neighborhood board meeting and have never brought up the problem.

popular camping beach

Bellows is the most popular camping beach on the island and typically the city grants permits weeks in advance.

The 1%

June 2, 2009

Marines to close Bellows beach until July

Bellows beach closure plan upsets neighbors

By Gary T. Kubota

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jun 02, 2009

The Marine Corps has decided to close its beaches at Bellows Air Force Station to the public starting this weekend and through June due to what it called “persistent unsafe and environmentally destructive activities.”

But at least a couple of Waimanalo Neighborhood Board members said they feel the closure is “unfair.”

“Basically this is just a few people spoiling it for everybody,” said board member Andrew Jamila Jr. “We don’t want this to be mass punishment for people.”

Jamila said he did not know until a few days ago that the beach area was experiencing problems, including illicit drug use and drunkenness.

The Marines, which use Bellows as a training area for amphibious landings, open a portion of the beach area for public use on weekends.

The corps said the closure is due to unsafe activities, including drug use, fights, large campfires, trash dumping, off-roading on the beach, alcohol use and vehicle break-ins.

The Marines said the area would be cleaned and reopened in time for the Fourth of July weekend.

The military, retirees and guests may continue to use the Air Force cabins on the beach in a restricted area.

Board Chairman Wilson Kekoa Ho said many Waimanalo students are out of school in June and July, and the decision eliminates 50 percent of their camping time.

Ho said Bellows attracts people islandwide on weekends, and he felt thousands of residents were being punished for the conduct of a small minority.