01-02-2011, 06:42 AM
Speaking from experience I would say Orchidland gets more minutes of rain than almost any other place in Puna. Not more inches, but more minutes. When we lived there I would leave for work in a misty drizzle every morning, drive up through Hawaiian Acres to Kurtistown for work, and then back down in the afternoon. It would generally clear off during the day up on the mountain, with alternating sun and showers, but when I got home my husband would have experienced non stop drizzle all day. We had terrible problems with mold and mildew on everything there too, stuff would mold overnight, even with fans running all the time. That was the only place in Puna we have had such horrible mold problems.
If roosters are an issue for you, don't buy anywhere zoned AG. We bought a place in HPP with no roosters in earshot, after two years a new neighbor moved in on the next block with nocturnal roosters and I haven't gotten a decent night's sleep since. If you are zoned AG, and there are no CCRs prohibiting them, you can end up with roosters for neighbors at any time.
Carol
edited to add: The DOE is reducing teachers statewide and even math, science and sped teachers have been laid off from Pahoa, Kea'au, and Hilo schools in the last 2 years. Next year looks even worse, and every teacher I know is hanging onto their jobs, even if they want to leave, because nationally the job market for teachers is so tight. You should also know that the teacher pays a very big chunk for their insurance (unlike most mainland school districts) and it takes 5 years to be vested in the retirement system (most places it is 2). I was only able to get a job here because we moved here first and I had multiple endorsements on my license. Even then I was unable to get any traction with the DOE hiring process, instead I was hired at a charter school. Because of how they are funded charter schools are experiencing even greater budget cuts than DOE schools, and judging from the meeting of charter schools I just attended there will be very little hiring done this year. Christian Liberty and St. Josephs are the only private schools in commuting distance to Puna, both pay a fraction of what public school teachers earn. Kamehameha schools pay better, but rarely hire people who have not taught in Hawaii before.
If roosters are an issue for you, don't buy anywhere zoned AG. We bought a place in HPP with no roosters in earshot, after two years a new neighbor moved in on the next block with nocturnal roosters and I haven't gotten a decent night's sleep since. If you are zoned AG, and there are no CCRs prohibiting them, you can end up with roosters for neighbors at any time.
Carol
edited to add: The DOE is reducing teachers statewide and even math, science and sped teachers have been laid off from Pahoa, Kea'au, and Hilo schools in the last 2 years. Next year looks even worse, and every teacher I know is hanging onto their jobs, even if they want to leave, because nationally the job market for teachers is so tight. You should also know that the teacher pays a very big chunk for their insurance (unlike most mainland school districts) and it takes 5 years to be vested in the retirement system (most places it is 2). I was only able to get a job here because we moved here first and I had multiple endorsements on my license. Even then I was unable to get any traction with the DOE hiring process, instead I was hired at a charter school. Because of how they are funded charter schools are experiencing even greater budget cuts than DOE schools, and judging from the meeting of charter schools I just attended there will be very little hiring done this year. Christian Liberty and St. Josephs are the only private schools in commuting distance to Puna, both pay a fraction of what public school teachers earn. Kamehameha schools pay better, but rarely hire people who have not taught in Hawaii before.
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb