The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is seeking public comment on its Mission Critical Administrative Aviation Plan and Environmental Assessment. Photo from Jesse Tunison and HVNP

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK IS SEEKING public comment on its Mission Critical Administrative Aviation Plan and Environmental Assessment for managing the use of administrative aviation over the park. Comments online or via mail are due March 7.

The park and cooperating agencies use helicopters over the 333,086-acre park to respond to eruption activity, monitor and study Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, control invasive species, recover rare species, restore degraded ecosystems, protect cultural resources and conduct wildland fire, search and rescue and law enforcement operations.
The plan/EA outlines project alternatives, including a no-action alternative and a preferred alternative. Under the no-action alternative, park staff and cooperating agencies would continue to use aviation as needed. Under the preferred alternative, aviation would be used for the health and safety of visitors, employees and island residents and for park resource protection and restoration activities. Under this plan, formal best-management practices, area closures and flight restrictions would be instituted to minimize impacts to park resources, soundscapes, wilderness, visitors and adjoining landowners.
Commercial air tours over the park are being addressed through a separate planning process to develop an Air Tour Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. The lead agency for the ATMP/EIS is the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Park Service is a cooperator.

Longs Pharmacy in Ka`u has not sold tobacco products since its blessing and
opening July 15, 2013. Photo by Julia Neal

To review the plan/EA and provide comments online, see parkplanning.nps.gov/havo. Comments can also be mailed to Superintendent, Re: Admin Aviation Mgmt Plan/EA, PO Box 52, Hawai`i National Park, HI 96718-0052.

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LONGS PHARMACY IN KA`U is ahead of the trend. It has never sold tobacco products, which are now being dropped from all Longs and its CVS parent company’s stores nationwide. CVS announced yesterday that, as of Oct. 1, its more than 7,600 stores will no longer sell tobacco products.

“Ending the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products at CVS/pharmacy is the right thing for us to do for our customers and our company to help people on their path to better health,” said president and CEO Larry J. Merlo. “Put simply, the sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose.”
Merlo also said the company is also beginning a national smoking cessation program this spring.

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State Rep. Richard Onishi

BOTH HOUSES OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE have rejected measures that would have jeopardized laws recently passed by Hawai`i and Kaua`i Counties restricting crops with genetically modified organisms.

East Ka`u’s state Rep. Richard Onishi, who is vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee, introduced HB2506 which states that no law shall be passed by a local government that would restrict farming practices “not prohibited by federal or state law….”
According to Tom Callis of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, House Agriculture Committee chair Jessica Wooley doesn’t expect the bill to be heard this session. Wooley’s statement follows the Senate’s rejection of a companion bill on Tuesday. “I think what happened in the Senate made it clear that we just need to let things settle,” Wooley told Callis. “Maybe we can determine next session if there’s any need for this legislation.”
Onishi said he was disappointed the bill would not be heard but added it wouldn’t go far without the Senate’s support. “I think unless we were in some kind of agreement with both houses hearing the bill, I think it kind of doesn’t make sense,” he said. “We had a strong majority of members who signed the bill. … I think it’s disappointing we are not going to have it heard.”
According to the story, Margaret Wille, Hawai`i County Council member who introduced the law banning GMOs, said she was glad the Legislature stopped the amendments. “I am hopeful the state pre-emption bills are done,” she said. However, “it doesn’t mean there won’t be another chess move.”

Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation and its president, Na`alehu resident Chris Manfredi, supported he bill. The statewide Farm Bureau has advocated at the state and county level against controlling GMOs, labeling of GMOs and laws that would further restrict pesticide use for farmers.

See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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A BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE ALL agricultural products sold at farmers markets to be displayed with a label or sign declaring the product’s geographic origin is being voted on at the state Legislature today. The Senate Committee on Agriculture will consider SB2433, relating to truth-in-advertising.
In written testimony, Na`alehu resident Chris Manfredi, president of Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation, supported the intent of the bill but brought up a several concerns. “Hawai`i Farm Bureau supports ... local farmers’ markets both to showcase and promote local farms and their products and to provide consumers a fun and friendly venue to purchase local foods,” Manfredi wrote. “In fact, the Farm Bureau itself sponsors farmers’ markets, and it is our policy to sell local-only produce.

“We understand the concern that because vendors are not currently required to disclose a product’s geographic origin, some consumers might be misled into assuming that the products they buy at farmers’ markets are all locally grown or produced.

HFUU member Simon Russell testified in favor of SB2433.

“Although we agree with the intent, HFBF is concerned that this may place an unreasonable burden on vendors who sell multiple products and whose produce and other products vary according to crop and season.”
Manfredi also expressed concerns about record-keeping requirements, broadness of the terms “Agricultural product” and “farmers markets” and lack of funding for implementation and enforcement of the proposal.
Simon Russell, of the Hawai`i Farmers Union United, testified, “Thank you for introducing this essential protection to promote local agriculture through farmer markets. Abuse of the popular venue is rampant; I see produce from out of state all the time at farmer markets.”

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DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IN MISS KA`U COFFEE Pageant is tomorrow. Those interested in participating can call chair Gloria Camba at 928-8558 or director Nalani Parlin at 217-6893.
To donate scholarship money for the pageant, call Julia Neal at 928-9811. To reserve a vendor or educational booth for the Ho`olaule`a, call Brenda Iokepa Moses at 928-0550. To become a sponsor, call Chris Manfredi at 929-9550.
See kaucoffeefest.com for more on the festival.

TUTU & ME AND PATCH, Parents Attentive to Children, hold a training session tomorrow in Na`alehu at the back pavilion of Punalu`u Bake Shop from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The class is the first in a series of free community-based classes for parents and others who care for or work with young children to be offered in the Na`alehu/Pahala area. To register in advance, call 322-3500.

Last February, this quilt by Jose Oaks sold to raise funds for Ka`u Hospital's emergency room. The tenth annual Bake, Craft & Quilt Sale by Ka`u Red Hat Ladies and Ka Lae Quilters takes place tomorrow and Saturday at Punalu`u Beach Park. Photo by Helen Anderson

KA`U RED HAT LADIES AND KA LAE QUILTERS hold their annual Bake, Craft & Quilt Sale tomorrow and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach. This is the tenth year that the groups have raised funds for Ka`u Hospital emergency room.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND sponsors a Ka`u Coast cleanup at Kamilo Saturday. Volunteers meet at Wai`ohinu Park at 7:45 a.m. Bring sturdy shoes, bag lunch, sun and wind protection, plenty to drink and four-wheel drive vehicles. Those without 4WD can pool with other volunteers. Call 769-7629 or email kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

POTTERS SHOW AND SELL their functional and sculptural work Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. The show features works by TR Andrews, Ron Hanatani and Carol Yamashita. Email ron@ryhpottery.com for more information.

LOVE THE ARTS, the annual fundraiser and gala for Volcano Art Center, takes place Saturday at the Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. The event features champagne and wine and a gourmet dinner to honor Volcano Art Center's 40th Year in its Hawaiian Home, Hawaiian-Style. There will be a live and silent auction. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door, which includes a $10 credit toward an auction item. Call 967-8222.

SEE FEBRUARY’S ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SEE THE DIRECTORY 2014 ONLINE. For a page-turning version, see kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf. For a pdf version, see kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.pdf.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Gilligan's Cafe in Discovery Harbour is operating as a nonprofit to raise funds for Ka`u Learning Academy.
Photo from bigislandgilligans.com

“AFTER FIVE YEARS OF DECLINING REVENUES, we are finally witnessing a modest, measured recovery in property values,” Mayor Billy Kenoi said yesterday in his budget message to Hawai`i County Council. “This will gradually translate into a stronger economy and a brighter budget picture.”

The number of county employees has declined since 2008, but costs have increased.
Graph from Office of the Mayor

According to the budget, real property tax revenues are expected to increase by 5.9 percent, or $13 million, due to new construction and an increase in taxable value. No tax rate increases are called for.
The budget of $412.6 million is a 4.6 percent increase over last year’s.
While the size of the county workforce declined by more than 150 employees over the last five years, “the new negotiated collective bargaining agreements will significantly increase our employee costs in the year ahead,” Kenoi reported. Wages, salaries and fringe benefits including health care and retirement for all employees will increase in all departments by a total of $18.4 million in Fiscal Year 2014-2015, with almost all of that increase attributable to these new agreements.
Kenoi mentioned the Ka`u District Gym & Shelter as one of several investments “where our families can engage in positive activities, and where our coaches can teach our youth respect, discipline and teamwork.” Maintenance and recreation positions for the gym are included in the budget.
Also included is preservation of funding for additional police officers in Ka`u.

More on the budget is available at hawaiicounty.gov.

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Joe Iacuzzo presents science programs for children at local libraries
and raises funds for Ka`u Learning Academy by cooking Italian
food at Gilligan's Cafe in Discovery Harbour. Photo by Julia Neal

Kathryn Tydlacka

GILLIGAN’S CAFE IN DISCOVERY HARBOUR is operating as a nonprofit to raise money to establish the Ka`u Learning Academy and plans to extend hours to include a Sunday brunch starting March 24. “One hundred percent of our profits go toward the development of a new school that will provide education to the children and families of Ka`u,” says the website at bigislandgilligans.com. Food and drink are served Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Sunday brunch will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The website kaulearning.com says that “Ka`u Learning Academy will be an innovative school that holds high social and academic expectations for the children of Ka`u despite the socioeconomic challenges that exist in our community, because we believe that all students can and will learn given the right educational environment. Ka`u Learning Academy recognizes that each child is an individual with unique educational needs, and we will develop and implement individual education plans that stimulate each child at his/her zone of proximal development, so that every child is engaged in learning in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment.”
Ka`u Learning Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its director is Kathryn Tydlacka, who has taught at Na`alehu School and holds a masters degree in education. “She has had great success in educating students who struggle under the one-size-fits-all approach to education that has, unfortunately, become systemic nationwide,” the website says.

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Accommodating growing energy generation from residential and business customers is
the subject of a bill passed by Hawai`i House of Representatives. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES has passed a measure intended to help resolve the inability for thousands of Hawai`i families to install photovoltaic solar panels while being left in limbo by electric utilities. The measure directs the Public Utilities Commission to establish new guidelines and rules that will support the upgrade and modernization of Hawai`i’s electric grid and accommodate growing energy generation from residential and business customers.

“We cannot let families make an investment to save on their electric bills but then be left waiting months or years for utilities to finally connect them to the grid,” said Rep. Chris Lee, who introduced the bill. “They should be able to connect to the grid in a reasonable time and at a reasonable cost, and know what to expect before they put their money down.”
HB1943 HD2 asks the commission to address technical, policy and economic issues associated with modernizing the state’s electric grid and include policies that would support a diverse portfolio of renewable energy resources and expand options for customers to manage their own energy use. The measure also directs the PUC to begin proceedings to discuss upgrades to the grid no later than July 14, 2014. The bill was drafted in response to the inability of the current grid system to accommodate all of the individuals and businesses interested in purchasing their own photovoltaic system and hooking it up to the grid.
The bill now goes to the Senate for its review.

This and other bills can be tracked at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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Sen. David Ige

THE SENATE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE has advanced an amended version of Senate Bill 2609, which would incrementally increase Hawai`i’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 by 2017.

The changes to the measure reflect the committees desire to strike a balance between concerns from advocates on both sides of the issue to ensure lawmakers craft a responsible bill that boosts the minimum wage while not hampering small entrepreneurs.
“Since last session, I have been in support of a minimum wage increase and have been working toward an accord. We’re at the midpoint of the legislative session, and there are several moving vehicles and ideas for lawmakers to consider,” said Sen. David Ige, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “I’m committed to ironing out the differences in opinion on this very important policy issue and am hopeful that we can strike a balance between all stakeholders so that we can come to an agreement by the end of the session.”
Ige, with prior concurrence from Sen. Clayton Hee, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, recommended the following amendments to the measure: delete the provision for authorizing the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to adjust the minimum hourly wage to the nearest five cents based on the Honolulu region consumer price index; delete the repeal of the tip credit; and add a blank amount tip credit.
These amendments will allow lawmakers to further the discussion, consider new proposals such as a “poverty threshold” to help protect low-income workers and work out specifics on the amount of the tip credit.
The measure now goes to the Senate floor for third reading where, if approved, it will then move to the House of Representatives for consideration. Senators are expected to take the bill up during a full floor session on Tuesday, March 4.

This and other bills can be tracked at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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Gov. Neil Abercrombie joined counterparts to address potential National Guard cuts.
Photo from Office of the Governor

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS REAPPOINTED Gov. Neil Abercrombie to the Council of Governors, the White House announced this week. The council consists of 10 governors appointed by the President to focus on matters of national security, homeland defense, synchronization and integration of state and military activities in the United States and matters of mutual interest pertaining to the National Guard.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to continue serving on the Council of Governors, which gives Hawai`i a strong voice, together with our congressional delegation, in future decisions regarding the protection of our state and nation,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “During a productive and successful trip this month to the National Governors Association Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., I attended a Council of Governors meeting that addressed the Pentagon’s recently proposed cuts to the Army and Air National Guard. During the meeting, I was able to help formulate and sign a bipartisan letter from 50 governors, urging further discussion on budget and policy issues involving the National Guard.”
While in Washington, Abercrombie also participated in NGA sessions focusing on education, job training, homeland security and public safety, as well as attended four meetings/events at the White House.
The Council of Governors was established by Section 1822 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 and implemented by Presidential Executive Order 13528. In addition to the 10 council members (five from each political party), charter federal participants include the secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security, presidential homeland security and counterterrorism advisors, the commander of U.S. Northern Command, the commandant of the Coast Guard and the chief of the National Guard Bureau.

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MYDOCK: VISIONARY WOOD LATHE ART opens today at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, with a reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Award-winning wood lathe artist John Mydock displays his newest body of work, which represents his creative passion for turning and embellishing Hawaiian tropical hardwoods, through Sunday, March 30.

HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE is available Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Na`alehu United Methodist Church. Kamehameha Schools representatives meet with students who want to pursue education beyond high school and families who want help with summer program applications and more information about resources. Call 935-0116.

See the March issue of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Volcanic landscapes created by Mauna Loa and Hualalai are topics at After Dark in the Park Tuesday. Photo from USDA Forest Service

AFTER NEARLY THREE DECADES, South Point homesteaders who received 99-year leases from Department Of Hawaiian Home Lands are still waiting to be able to use their lands and build homes. DHHL told Honolulu Star-Advertiser delays revolve around lack of funds, lack of water and subdivision of the land.
“It will cost a lot to serve relatively few” at South Point, according to reporter Rob Perez. To make more homes available to more beneficiaries, DHHL has focused most of its resources on residential lots. “And with more than 26,000 beneficiaries on wait lists for residential, farming and pastoral homestead lots around the state, DHHL said it has had to set priorities for spending its limited funding.

Thomas Kaniho, one of the few DHHL homesteaders with water at South Point, spoke
on the issue at a DHHL meeting in Pahala in Sept. 2012. Photo by Julia Neal

“In recent years this has meant focusing on housing subdivisions, given that the greatest demand by far is for residential lots and that developing trust property for housing tracts will get more beneficiaries onto the land.”

The Star-Advertiser quotes Ka`u lessee Mel Davis, who transferred his South Point agriculture lease to his 20-year-old son in 2005 without ever using the land: “We’re always getting bypassed. It’s always the same story: ‘when funds are available.’ But the funds are never available.” Davis, 58, is president of Ha`ao Springs & Mountain House Agricultural Water Cooperative.
Thomas Kaniho, 85, a lifelong rancher who signed a lease for a 25-acre South Point pastoral lot in 1986, told Perez, “Hawaiian Homes helps us with nothing only giving us the land.” Kaniho was able to connect to county water and built a home.
According to DHHL spokesman Puni Chee, DHHL cannot complete the subdivision process until water service and roads are in place.
DHHL is considering relocating the lessees to land in Wai`ohinu that is closer to a water source and is considered more suitable for farming.
See staradvertiser.com.
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The 2014 state Legislature is reaching its halfway point, with bills approved by
each chamber crossing over to the other for further consideration.

THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES has approved more than 200 bills this session that have crossed over to the Senate for its consideration.

HB 1671 HD1 would remove the $93 million cap on the Transient Accommodations Tax allocation to the counties and, instead, establish distribution of these revenues as a percentage of the TAT collected. The measure is expected to produce additional funds for the counties.
The following bills were part of the joint Senate-House majority package focusing on seniors and the environment. The significance of the joint package is that the bills are considered to have statewide importance and the commitment of the majorities of both chambers.
HB1713 would provide ongoing financial support to healthy aging programs and services, and require the Executive Office on Aging to conduct a public education and awareness campaign on long-term care.
HB1715 HD1 would appropriate funds for educational outreach targeted to protect seniors from financial fraud, based on Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ existing investor education programs.
HB1714 HD1 addresses climate changes and calls for the Interagency Climate Adaptation Committee under the Department of Land and Natural Resources to create sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation reports. It would task the Office of Planning with establishing and implementing strategic climate adaptation plans and policy recommendations based on that report.
Other notable bills also passed include:

HB2478 HD1, which would provides a taxpayer who hires an individual with a disability a nonrefundable tax credit for the six-month period after the individual is initially hired by the taxpayer; and
HB1934 HD1, which would appropriate funds to various programs that provide housing, housing assistance and supportive services to individuals at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Progress of these and other bills can be tracked at capitol.hawaii.gov.
The body will reconvene to take action on additional measures up for third reading on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

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Hawai`i Island security and civil defense relies on high-speed, fiber-optic
communication lines. Image from DCCA

A 22-MILE GAP IN FIBER-OPTIC CABLE from Volcano to Pahala contributed to a 20-hour-long communication outage last September, according to a story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. The outage highlighted how the island’s security and civil defense depends on fast, reliable communication. Nancy Cook Lauer reports that the problem, according to a Dec. 20 report by the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, is “the Big Island’s fiber ‘ring’ isn’t actually a ring.”

When a tree branch in Waikoloa rubbing through a fiber-optic cable caused an outage from there through Kona to Pahala, transmission was unavailable because information was unable to travel the opposite direction to get to its destination.
Because of the outage, cell phones and landlines wouldn’t work in Pahala. Fire Department employees had to use Ka`u Hospital and Ka`u Police Station radio systems. Fire Department volunteers patrolled the area, and every school in Ka`u had officers stationed to provide radio contact in case of emergency.
According to Cook Lauer, there hasn’t been enough demand for broadband and high-speed Internet in many remote areas of the county to incentivize private-sector service providers to install cable.
The report recommends a collaboration of state and county government, along with private-sector providers, to complete the system with fiber-optic cable. Along with providing communication security, the report says building capacity would benefit underserved communities near the gap, such as Volcano Village, Pahala, Na`alehu and the area between Kea`au and Pahoa.
According to Cook Lauer, Hawaiian Telcom previously sought federal grants to run cable through the area to close the gap, but its request was not approved. Ann Nishida Fry, speaking for the company, told Cook Lauer “one of the biggest problems would be the environmental challenge of installing utility poles in the lava rock terrain in an area spanning Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
“The report contains a number of proposed solutions, each with its own unique challenges,” Fry said. “A long-term solution is estimated to cost millions and requires collaboration among multiple government, state and private entities. … We look forward to working with all parties on a solution.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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A rummage sale March 21 - 23 supports Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Department,
which is looking for one more member. Photo from DHVFD Co. 11C Capt. TJ James

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT rummage sale fundraiser takes place Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale at Discovery Harbour Community Clubhouse and Volunteer Fire Department also features hot dog lunches for $5 on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Five new volunteers have joined the department, led by Captain TJ James, to bring the crew up to nine members. The department is searching for one more member to make a complete crew.
The sale brings in much needed funds to equip new squad members with brush pants and boots, as well as other supplies not provided by the county, such as flashlight batteries and bottled water.
Discovery Harbour volunteers are excited to welcome a used fire truck from the U.S. Forestry Service. After years of using their faithful yellow 1968 vehicle, this newer truck will help volunteers in their service to the community.
Items for the rummage sale may be dropped off at the Discovery Harbour Community Clubhouse Wednesday and Thursday, March 19 and 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, call Captain James at 895-8133.

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HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE is available Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Na`alehu United Methodist Church. Kamehameha Schools representatives meet with students who want to pursue education beyond high school and families who want help with summer program applications and more information about resources. Call 935-0116.

KA`U TO KONA: STORIES OF LAVA FLOWS AND VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES is the topic at After Dark in the Park Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists Jim Kauahikaua and Janet Babb offer a virtual road trip, during which they talk about the origin and history of lava flows along Highways 11 and 190, and recount the stories of people impacted by the eruptions that created the volcanic landscape seen today.
$2 donations support park programs; park entrance fees apply.

See the March issue of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

A new National Park Service report shows the economic impact of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park in communities near the park. NPS photo by Michael Szoenyi

A NEW NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REPORT for 2012 shows that the 1,483,928 visitors to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park spent $113,376,400 in communities near the park. That spending supported 1,353 jobs in the local area.

“It’s always exciting to share how much of a positive impact our national and international visitors have on the economic viability of our island community,” said park superintendent Cindy Orlando. “On the same note, it’s also worth contemplating what the park means to our Hawai`i Island residents. That’s difficult to define with a dollar amount,” she said.
Ross Birch, executive director for the Big Island Visitors Bureau, acknowledged the park’s impact on the island economy.
“Hawai`i Island has been on an upward trend in arrivals and spending over the past few years, and a major contributor driving this demand is Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. As the number one attraction for the island, and sometimes the state, it is not a surprise to see the economic impact the park has on our community,” said Birch. “Big Island Visitors Bureau is very grateful to have such an asset, and we appreciate the excellent working relationship with Cindy Orlando and her team to perpetuate these great results,” he said.
U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz conducted the peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis for the National Park Service. The report shows $14.7 billion of direct spending by 283 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 243,000 jobs nationally, with 201,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.75 billion.
According to the report, most visitor spending supports jobs in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores (39 percent), hotels, motels and B&Bs (27 percent), and other amusement and recreation (20 percent).
The report, available at nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm, includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state.
To learn more about nation parks in Hawai`i and how the National Park Service works with Hawai`i communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment and provide outdoor recreation, see nps.gov/hawaii.

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Sen. Brian Schatz

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa

THE RACE FOR U.S. SENATE between U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa is analyzed in a Roll Call story today. According to the story, the election “is being waged over who can a carry on a legacy of securing crucial federal funding.”

Reporter Kyle Trygstad said Schatz has increased his name recognition across the state and is working to build a legislative resume. “Schatz is shining a spotlight on the relationships he’s fostered with Capitol Hill power brokers a little more than a year into his tenure, including a recent tour of O`ahu’s military facilities with Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin,” Trygstad said.
“Everybody in Hawai`i was thrilled that the lead appropriator on defense was able to visit Hawai`i,” Schatz told Roll Call. “He certainly understands how important the military presence is to the Hawai`i economy.”
Hanabusa told reporter Kyle Trygstad she’s not approaching the race as the challenger. “I’ve always said that this is an election that’s the first time the people of the state of Hawai`i are going to have an opportunity to determine who should fill the remaining term of Sen. Inouye’s seat,” Hanabusa said.
Trygstad reports that Schatz has raised $2.4 million for his campaign, while Hanabusa has $900,000. Schatz is expected to have more of a media presence than Hanabusa, but Hanabusa does not consider media to be a major way to get her message out. “We’ll hold our own, but I really do believe Hawai`i has been and always will be a field operation and ground game,” she said. “Each island is very different, and that’s why the ground game matters.”
Both candidates have received important endorsements. Former Sen. Daniel Akaka has endorsed Hanabusa, saying “she has made a great impression in the Congress of the United States. … Colleen has been a proven leader.” Former Hawai`i governors George Ariyoshi and Ben Cayetano also support Hanabusa.
Endorsements for Schatz have come from the progressive group Democracy for America, MoveOn.org, the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

See rollcall.com.

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Justin Kripps plans to return to Ka`u after participating in the winter
Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

JUSTIN KRIPPS, WHO SUFFERED A WIPEOUT when his four-man bobsled rolled over in the Olympics last month, told media he plans to recover by coming home to Ka`u. The bobsled pilot and team captain was born here and attended Na`alehu School. His parents still live in Ka`u, and Kripps said he plans to bring teammates here to hunt pig.

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NA`ALEHU SCHOOL TRACK TEAM, led by Bob Martin and Ame Long, cleaned up last month at the P&R age-group track meet, heading home with dozens of medals.
Fifth-grader Vivianne Long reclaimed her place as a Triple Jump champ, winning the event twice in the last three years. She jumped a distance of 17’ 3” for ages 9-10. Long also claimed a silver medal, running the girls 200-meter in 34 seconds. Chauna Velez, of Ka`u All-Stars team, also repeated as champion of the girls running long jump.
Here are the results:

Girls 6-8 Softball Throw: Chelsea Velez gold (73-01);
Boys 6-8 4x50m Relay bronze: Derek Lang, Myles Long, Christian Ogle, Owen Flores;
Girls ages 9-10 4x50m Relay silver: Vivianne Long, Kaialani Okamura, Roselintha Ken, Linna Ading;
Girls 9-10 Long Jump silver: Amber Sugrue (6-0);
Girls 11-12 4x50m Relay silver: Jayme Kaneshiro, Sepe Levi, Destinie Alani-Horan, Maliah Ababa;
Girls 11-12 4x50m Relay Bronze: Caitlin Long, Jahlysha Gouveia, Chesatie Kai, Faith Johnson;
Boys 11-12 4x50m Relay Gold: Rio Chopot, Anthony Ysawa, Daniel Ahuna, Takios Paul;
Boys 11-12 4x50m Relay Silver: Cecilio Jelke, Henry Miranda, Joe Riklon, Nelson Boaz; and
Gold Boys 11-12 400m & Gold Boys 11-12 Running Long Jump: Kainakoa Kane-Broadfoot, of Ka`u Middle School (1:09.00 & 14-01).

Other track team members include Ariel Cohen, Candace Keohuloa, Leahi Ka`awa, Chloe Velez, Shaun Galarse, Rolinda Bunglick, Amber Sugrue, Nelson Johnson, William Tabios, Angel Dahlstedt, Kiani Perry, Jahlaysha Gouveia, Dylan Satkofsky, Irata Kelen, Chesatie Kai and Faith Johnson.

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Famous rodeo clown JJ Harrison joined Ka`u paniolo
at the rodeo in Pana`ewa.
Photo from JJ Harrison

KA`U COWBOYS HEADED TO PANA`EWA Feb. 15 and 16 to compete in the 21st annual Hawai`i Horse Owners Panaewa Stampede Rodeo.

In Double Po`o Wai U, Rigan Kaapana came in third, Evan Manoha fifth and Boots Kaapana sixth.
In Ranch Mugging, Justin Amaral and Boots Kaapana came in fourth.
Boots Kaapana and Rigan Kaapana came in 19th out of 30 in open team roping. Justin Amaral and Denicia DeRasin came in 29th.
In Double Mugging, Alan Hanoa came in 11th with team member Michael Thorton. Boots Kaapana and Troy Manaloniz came in 17th, and Kapapana came in 29th with partner Kawehi Garo.
Alan and Warren Hanoa came in seventh in Open Team Roping.
The rodeo featured nationally known rodeo clown JJ Harrison.
The weekend event was held at the Panaewa Equestrian Center.

The next rodeo in Ka`u is planned for Fourth of July weekend at the Nā‘ālehu rodeo arena.

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HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE is available tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Na`alehu United Methodist Church. Kamehameha Schools representatives meet with students who want to pursue education beyond high school and families who want help with summer program applications and more information about resources. Call 935-0116.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists Jim Kauahikaua and Janet Babb discuss the origin and history of lava flows along Highways 11 and 190, and recount the stories of people impacted by the eruptions that created the volcanic landscape at After Dark in the Park tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
$2 donations support park programs; park entrance fees apply.

See the March issue of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Economic impacts of the shutdown of national parks, including Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, on surrounding communities are documented in a new report. Photo by Julia Neal

THIS IS HAWAI`I INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK, promoting information sharing and public engagement in what the Hawai`i State Legislature has declared “the single greatest threat to Hawai`i’s economy and natural environment and to the health and lifestyle of Hawai`i’s people.” Several bills regarding invasive species are still alive at the state Legislature.

Bills to battle the coffee berry borer and other invasive species
are still alive at the state Legislature.
Photo by Peggy Greb/USDA Ag Research Service

House Bill 1514 would appropriate moneys for mitigation of, and education relating to, the coffee berry borer. It would establish a pesticide subsidy program for the purchase of pesticides containing Beauvaria bassiana to combat the borer.

Senate Bill 2343 would appropriate $5 million to Hawai`i Invasive Species Council for invasive species prevention, control, outreach, research and planning.
Senate Bill 2920 would allocate an as-yet unspecified appropriation for a pilot program in Hawai`i County to research solutions for addressing the little fire ant threat in the state.
Senate Bill 2347 would require nursery stock that is infested with certain pests to be treated for eradication of pests before sale or transport of nursery stock from one island to another island within the state or intraisland.
House Bill 1994 which would regulate the movement of nursery materials and establish civil fines for those transporting coqui or little fire ants to other counties.

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HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK experienced a 35 percent decrease in visitation in Oct. 2013, compared to an average of visitation in the previous three Octobers, due to the 16-day federal government shutdown that closed the park. The decrease resulted in a $2.9 million loss in visitor spending in surrounding communities, according to a recently released report.

Visitors had to bypass Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park
during October's federal government shutdown.
Photo by Julia Neal

Gateway communities near forty-five national parks experienced a loss of more than $2 million in NPS-related October visitor spending, and a 7.88 million decline in overall NPS October visitation resulted in a loss of $414 million NPS visitor spending within gateway communities across the country.
The report is available at nature.nps.gov/socialscience-/docs/Economic2013Shutdown-Report_Final_nrss_VSE.pdf.

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NEW RULES REGARDING PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS may help more homeowners connect to the grid and lower their utility bills, as well as increase the number of solar installations.
Hawaiian Electric Co. changed the way it allows solar energy to connect to the electrical grid in September, preventing many homeowners who had installed PV systems from connecting to the grid.
The utility said the changes were necessary to ensure the safety and reliability of rooftop solar, into the grid.
Pacific Business News reports that HECO has issued new rules that address safety and reliability concerns on circuits with high amounts of PV.
The rules call for PV projects to include mitigation for “transient overvoltage,” or a voltage spike, which could lead to a power surge.
“Existing inverter functionality” and installation of an electronic transfer switch can mitigate spikes, according to the story.
“For circuits on which back flow is monitored, interconnections will be allowed to happen above 120 percent as long as transient overvoltage mitigation is included, but on unmonitored circuits, it stays at 120 percent until monitoring is installed and potentially reveals that there is more space,” reports Duane Shimogawa.
See bizjournals.com/pacific.

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THE CURRENT ISSUE OF VOLCANO WATCH discusses the inner workings of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s seismic lab:

“When a large earthquake occurs, HVO staff members do what everyone should do — drop, cover, and hold on! As the shaking occurs, we can see the earthquake waves ring through the seismic network. The data are automatically collected and processed within seconds of the earthquake, and the first automatic earthquake location and magnitude are available about three minutes after the event. About a minute later, our automated earthquake location and magnitude are posted on the HVO website and transferred to the National Earthquake Information Center.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's seismic lab has seen many changes since
the days of the Whitney Vault, seen here with Ka`u resident Dick Hershberger
as founder Thomas Jaggar. Photo from KDEN

“Prior to the first release of earthquake information, the HVO seismic team assembles to wait for the results, after which they must follow up on several tasks, depending on the location of the earthquake and the size (magnitude) of the event.
“By about the three-minute mark, our partners at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center have also calculated a location and magnitude, which assist them in assessing the tsunami hazard from the earthquake. Because PTWC operates on a 24/7 schedule, the calculations can be quickly reviewed by a seismologist prior to public release. They are then plotted on our website if our automatic solution has not already been posted.
“HVO’s automatic processing can be quite good, especially if an earthquake occurs in a densely instrumented area of the seismic network, such as the south flank of Kilauea. The automated processing is not as good, however, in areas where seismometers are sparse, such as in off-shore locations. In any case, however, an analyst must review the event and refine the location and magnitude to correct any errors made by the computer when the event was first recorded. The result is a ‘reviewed solution,’ which is always more precise than the initial automatic location and magnitude.
“During regular business hours, when the HVO staff are on hand, a reviewed solution for a large earthquake can be completed in as little as 20 minutes. But after business hours and during weekends and holidays, the ‘duty seismologist’ might take far longer to analyze an earthquake due to a slower internet connection at home or, especially, the need to find one if that person is not at home.
“With more time for analysis following the initial quick assessment of an earthquake, more sophisticated (and time-consuming) calculations become possible. Since many stations around Hawai`i send data only when they detect a large event, data arrival time may be several minutes. The additional information generated is then included on a ‘Shakemap,’ a map of instrument-measured shaking. Using the additional data, we might also recalculate the location and magnitude of the earthquake and release an update. Each update in earthquake location or magnitude is reflected on the HVO and NEIC websites within minutes of being released and may result in a small shift in either location or magnitude or both.
“Once the seismological calculations are completed, HVO issues a news release that includes information about what happened, how the event compares to other earthquakes in history, what caused it, and what people can expect going forward. We have found this process to be the best way to convey the correct information to the media, which, in turn, is disseminated to the public. Once the release goes public, we stand by to answer questions from the media. Then we wait for the next ‘big one.’”

See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.

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USGS HVO scientist-in-charge Jim Kauahikaua

HIGHER EDUCATION ASSISTANCE is available tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Na`alehu United Methodist Church when Kamehameha Schools representatives meet with students who want to pursue education beyond high school and families who want help with summer program applications and more information about resources. Call 935-0116.

USGS HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY scientists Jim Kauahikaua and Janet Babb discuss the origin and history of lava flows along Highways 11 and 190, and recount the stories of people impacted by the eruptions that created the volcanic landscape at After Dark in the Park tonight at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
$2 donations support park programs; park entrance fees apply.

WANT TO LEARN JAPANESE? Class is held Wednesday at 4 p.m., at Na`alehu Hongwanji. Space is limited. Contact Maiki at 989- 4259 or hawaiiislandlife@gmail.com.

See the March issue of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Kamehameha Schools invites Ka`u students to register for Kamehameha Scholars, leading to college scholarships.
Photo from Kamehameha Schools

`AINA KOA PONO made a Honolulu Star Advertiser editorial page yesterday when its editors praised the Public Utilities Commission stating that the PUC, “always in a position to affect consumers, has in recent years seemed more attuned to the first word of its name. The public interest in proposals for utility initiatives and rates has figured prominently in some of its recent decisions.”
The editorial noted that the three members of the PUC turned down the AKP proposal for the biofuel operation that was planned in Ka`u and gave credit to PUC chair Mina Morita who is possibly at risk of losing her job. The Star Advertiser stated that “former lawmaker Hermina Morita has chaired the commission since her appointment in 2011, so much of the credit for a clearer consumer focus should go to her.
“This, as well as the fact that Hawai`i is in the midst of several complex developments, makes this an awkward time to replace Morita on the panel, absent a compelling reason from Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

AKP would have displaced cattle and cleared land of trees and brush to use for a
microwave biofuel factory on the edge of Wood Valley. Photo by Julia Neal

“The governor is on the verge of deciding whether Morita, a 14-year veteran of the state House of Representatives, should be reappointed to the commission once her term expires at the end of June. Reports have swirled that she won't be tapped for another term, spurring a number of lawmakers to offer testimonials in her favor. The state Senate must confirm whoever is named.”
The Star Advertiser editors noted that “Abercrombie himself appointed Morita in 2011 to fill out the last three years of the former chairman, Carlito Caliboso. Appointment to a full term means another six years on the commission.
“Many of her backers point out that the team now in place offers a range of skills that support strong decision-making. Morita would rejoin the other two commissioners: attorney Lorraine Akiba, with a background in environmental law and business litigation; and Michael Champley, a former Maui-based energy consultant and utility executive."

Mina Morita, praised by the governor
when he named her to the PUC.
Photo from hawaii.gov

The editors quoted Life of the Land executive director Henry Curtis who described the three PUC members as “a great balance between legislative, utility and legal backgrounds. It seems to me the three commissioners work well together."

According to the Star Advertiser, however, “Morita has been in the crosshairs for decisions affecting `Aina Koa Pono, the biofuels company whose proposal for a contract with the Hawaiian Electric Light Co. on Hawai`i island has been turned down twice. AKP has some highly placed supporters that made this a particularly sticky decision to make, politically. For example, the biofuel company was represented by William Kaneko, Abercrombie's campaign manager.
“But the PUC's decisions on this cited concern that costs would drive up rates for consumers — and that principle should prevail.”
The editors further praised Morita, quoting the governor: "’Hawai`i has made good progress addressing energy issues, and Rep. Morita has been instrumental as one of the key lawmakers in making that happen,’ Abercrombie said upon appointing her three years ago. ‘She is clearly committed to advancing clean energy, and she will bring credibility, knowledge and leadership to improve the Public Utilities Commission.’"
The Advertiser also pointed out that the governor said, “The PUC is the key to Hawai`i's energy future and connecting our islands so we can build a sustainable economy."
The Advertiser editorial board concluded: “That was the correct assessment at the time, and it's still correct. If the governor believes another person would be better suited to the post, he'll owe an explanation to the public on why that is.” See more at www.staradvertiser.com.

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CLEAN, MODERN AND EFFICIENT WASTE REDUCTION TECHNOLOGY are the words Mayor Billy Kenoi’s administration uses to describe the planned waste-to-energy plant with the release this week of Stage 1 of the county’s request for proposals.
“The RFP process will allow the county to select a proven, economically viable and environmentally friendly process for managing solid waste from East Hawai‘i for at least the next 20 to 30 years,” according to the statement from the county administration.
The mayor said that “For the past two decades this county engaged in study after study to determine the best way to cope with the required closure of the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill. It is now time to act. We are inviting the best and brightest in the industry to submit their proposals for a state-of-the-art facility that will benefit our community, and allow us to transform our solid waste from a liability into an asset.”

The county promises to continue green waste and
composting programs, after its builds a waste-to energy
plant to take the place of Hilo landfill.
Image from County of Hawai`i

Kenoi promised that the county will also continue its commitment to recycling, including a program to provide mulch made from green waste for agricultural and other uses. In 2013 the county recycled more than 217 tons of materials per day, including metals, glass, plastics and green waste. The waste reduction project will not affect those efforts, said the mayor.
The design-build-operate RFP calls for a facility that can accommodate about 300 tons of solid waste per day. The facility will be built near the existing county Sort Station, and will be privately financed. Stage 1 of the RFP will identify the most qualified teams and technologies for the project.
Kenoi briefed the Hawai`i County Council Committee on Environmental Management on the county plan on Feb. 4, and briefed the county Environmental Management Commission on the project and process on Feb. 26.
Communications from potential vendors regarding the project must be directed to county Purchasing Agent Jeffrey Dansdill at jdansdill@hawaiicounty.gov. Responses to Stage 1 of the RFP are due on April 15.

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DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER fire department is searching for one more member to make a complete crew. Anyone interested in joining or wanting more information can call Captain TJ James at 895-8133.The organization will hold a rummage sale fundraiser Friday and Saturday, March 21-22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Clubhouse and volunteer fire department. The fundraiser will raise money for brush pants and boots, flashlight batteries, water and other supplies. Discovery Harbour volunteers also welcome a fire truck, courtesy of the U.S. Forestry Service, an upgrade from “their faithful yellow vehicle,” a statement from the volunteers says.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE CLASSES are each Wednesday at 4 p.m., at Na`alehu Hongwanji. Space is limited. Contact Maiki at 989- 4259 or hawaiiislandlife@gmail.com.

THE KAMEHAMEHA SCHOLARS PROGRAM is open for enrollment for students entering grades 9 through 12 in Fall 2014 who are not currently enrolled full-time at one of Kamehameha Schools’ three campuses, and who live in Ka`u.
Kamehameha Scholars is a year-round supplementary educational enrichment program with a focus on college and career guidance. The mission of the Kamehameha Scholars program is to support Native Hawaiian students in achieving a higher education degree, entering the career of their choosing and cultivating their ability to be servant leaders.

Students who complete the program will earn a college scholarship.

Applications are must be postmarked by March 31 and can be downloaded at www.ksbe.edu/admissions. Families may also call the Admissions Office at 808-842-8800 or toll free at 800-842-4682 ext. 8800 to have an application mailed to them. Kamehameha Schools’ policy on admissions is to give preference to children of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law.
Additional program information is available at http://apps.ksbe.edu/kscholars or by calling 808-534-8355 or toll free at 800-842-4682. Information and help with the application process is also available at the Kamehameha Schools Resource Centers. Visit their website at http://apps.ksbe.edu/ksrc/ for hours and contact information of the KSRC nearest you.

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Tutu & Me Traveling Preschool is expanding its services in Pahala by offering a home visiting option in addition to meeting at Pahala and Na`alehu Community Centers. Photo from Tutu & Me

RESULTS OF A YEARLONG STUDY of issues and challenges faced by Hawai`i’s organic food industry are available in Growing Organics: Moving Hawai`i’s Organic Industry Forward. The report by The Kohala Center puts forth 58 recommendations to increase organic food production and distribution, improve access to technical assistance, promote producer and consumer education, reduce costs and foster greater advocacy for certified organic food production in Hawai`i, among others.

A new report discusses the issues and challenges facing Hawai`i's organic
food industry. Photo from The Kohala Center

The Kohala Center conducted an analysis of barriers inhibiting the availability of certified-organic food produced in Hawai`i, facilitated the project and convened a statewide Organic Industry Advisory Group comprised of specialty crop producers and other industry representatives and affiliates from across the state to guide research, data collection, public input and analysis.
“With Hawai`i’s organic stakeholders lacking a centralized program office, this project set out to determine not only what such an office might do, but to define the critical issues and barriers constraining Hawai`i’s organic industry from producing and offering more food at more reasonable prices,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cole, chief operating officer of The Kohala Center and former Ka`u resident. “By identifying issues most important to the state’s organic stakeholders and soliciting additional public input, the OIAG was able to recommend ways in which existing organizations, including the newly reorganized Hawai`i Organic Farming Association, could adapt to best serve the needs of the state’s certified organic growers, producers, distributors, and consumers.”
A series of public surveys conducted last summer as part of the project made clear that the demand for locally grown, certified-organic produce is high among Hawai`i consumers, as well as producers of value-added products. Primary barriers to the availability of fresh, locally grown, certified-organic produce included insufficient transportation infrastructure; availability of affordable, organic-certifiable farmland; high costs of energy and imported agricultural inputs; and scarcity of suitable processing and packaging facilities.
The recommendations contained in the final report span 10 subject areas including representation, processing, farmland, distribution, education and enforcement, and marketing. Existing public and private entities such as government agencies, educational institutions and inter-island transport companies were identified and correlated with each recommendation based on their potential to create or update programs and services to better support the production and availability of locally grown, certified organic foods in Hawai`i.
The final report and additional information about the study are available online at kohalacenter.org/laulima/organic_group.html or by calling The Kohala Center at 887-6411.

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Sen. Mazie Hirono

U.S. SENATOR MAZIE HIRONO JOINED religious leaders, women’s advocates and minimum wage workers at a press conference to urge Republicans to support raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, which would lift the wages of 15 million American women.

Nearly two-thirds of those earning the minimum wage are women, and a single mother working full-time in a minimum wage job to support her children earns $15,000 per year, which is below the poverty line for a single parent. Ahead of International Women’s Day, which is this Saturday, March 8, Sen. Hirono discussed the importance of passing the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour by 2016, and raise the tipped minimum wage from $2.13 to $7.07 per hour. Both minimum wages would be automatically indexed to inflation afterward.
Hirono was joined at the press conference by Nyah Potts, a restaurant worker who shared her story about struggling to make ends meet while earning the tipped minimum wage and by leaders from Faith in Public Life, the National Women’s Law Center, Interfaith Worker Justice and NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby. One of the speakers, Sister Simone Campbell, was also instrumental in organizing the “Nuns on the Bus” tour of nine states to oppose the “Ryan Budget” approved by the House of Representatives.
“People of all faiths are joining together to answer the call to fight poverty and advocate for the dignity of a living wage. As someone who was raised by a single mother and knows what it is like to live in a minimum wage household, I’m proud to join workers like Nyah who are speaking up about their challenges. We must raise the minimum wage so hardworking families have a chance at building a better life for themselves and their children,” said Hirono.
At the state level, measures to raise the minimum wage are progressing through the Legislature, with both the Senate and House approving bills and sending them to the other chamber for consideration.

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Hawai`i Wildlife Fund will use its new donated boat, Seaque, in conservation work.
Photo from HWF

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND HAS RECEIVED the donation of a Bayliner 222 from Charles Bittenbring of Captain Cook for use in conservation work on Hawai`i Island and Maui. Last week, Young Brothers provided free shipment of the boat to Maui, where HWF will use the boat in sea turtle habitat studies, marine debris recovery and marine conservation education work. HWF president Hannah Bernard said the boat, named Seaque, “will indeed help us as we ‘seek’ to better understand our nearshore ecosystems and protect them from the damages of marine debris.”

Megan Lamson, coordinator of HWF Ka`u Coast Cleanups, said the boat will be used here when Maui has completed its work.
For more about Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, see wildhawaii.org.

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TUTU AND ME TRAVELING PRESCHOOL is expanding its services in Pahala by offering a home visiting option so they can share a glimpse of what their program has to offer. Tutu and Me is an early education program for keiki and their caregivers who meet at the Pāhala Community Center every Tuesday and Thursday.
The program brings a high quality, early education program to each participating keiki and caregiver. There is no cost and Tutu & Me brings all materials.
Activities that help prepare your keiki for school include puzzles, age-appropriate toys, journal-writing, art, math, science, stories and puppets. Staff works to individualize visits.
Call or visit the office to learn more about Tūtū and Me and to enroll in the program. Address is 95-1163 Ka`alaiki Road Building B Na`alehu. Phone number is 929-8571.

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VOLUNTEERS MEET AT KILAUEA VISITOR CENTER in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from park trails during Stewardship at the Summit tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Other dates scheduled are Friday, March 14; Saturday, March 22; and Wednesday, March 26. Free; park entrance fees apply.

THE FIRST IN AN EXPERIMENTAL SERIES of Flash Exhibits at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village runs from tomorrow, March 7 through Tuesday, March 11. This exhibit features paintings by Margaret and sculpture by Randy.

In this special exhibit, Margaret Stanton and Randy Takaki share their visions in painting and sculpture. Both artists’ work begins in the forests of Hawai`i Island near its active volcanoes.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.   The opening reception is tomorrow at 5 p.m. Music starts at 6 p.m. with The Elementalz – Sherri Thal (vocals/violin/percussion) and Brent Magstadt (vocals/guitar) – who combine broad horizons of musical experience for a unique blend of original alt-elemental acoustic grooves, from centered Americana to free-form fusion instrumentals.  
On Saturday, Steve Fundy, Margaret Stanton and Maj Balej offer original guitar bass and drums grooves from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

VOLUNTEERS FOR KA`U BEACH CLEANUPS are headed to Hilo this Sunday for Ocean Day, with Malama Kanaloa Festival held at Hilo Bayfront Beach Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free and open to public, the event provides hands-on activities for keiki and their families to learn about and celebrate the importance of protecting our coastal and ocean ecosystems. This annual event features information on marine and coastal research, on how to get involved with `aina and kai stewardship and initiatives, and engaging presentations for community members to reconnect to our island resources.
Also on hand are live music, face painting, food, door prizes and more.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Ka`u residents in need of owning a home can sign up for a yurt through Habitat for Humanity. With volunteers and the new homeowner's
labor, the yurt will be erected on a lot in Ocean View. The yurt owner will be provided with a mortgage. Photo from Jen McGeehan

THE YURT PROJECT OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY is open for applications from Ka`u residents. Interested parties will soon be able complete the Habitat For Humanity Application For Housing. A Family Selection Committee will review all applications and select ideal candidates. The recipient agrees to give “500 sweat hours” of building with a team of volunteers. Upon completion of the yurt, the recipient will enjoy a 15 or 30-year, interest-free mortgage held by Habitat for Humanity with a mortgage lower than that of most other Habitat homes.

The first yurt sponsored by Habitat for Humanity will be a 30 feet-in-diameter and “706 not-so-square feet,” says a statement from Habitat. The yurt will include a wrap-around lana`i, full bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, potential fireplace, loft, and water catchment, all on a one-acre ocean view lot in Ocean View. With cooperation from Yurts of Hawai`i and Habitat, the recipient will own a yurt designed to last a lifetime, completed at approximately 25 – 40 percent below the typical cost of a yurt dwelling. “In essence, our first HFH yurt partner will receive their final mortgage at a substantial reduction,” said Pat Hurney, Director of Habitat for Humanity – West Hawai`i.

A kick off meeting regarding the project was held last week in Volcano at the home of Yurts of Hawai`i. Attending was Ka`u's member to the Hawai`i County Council, Brenda Ford.Those interested in partnering with The Yurt Project can assist: Volunteer to help construct the yurt; donate money through www.habitatwesthawaii.org/yurtproject or www.yurtsofhawaii.com; donate new construction materials or new interior elements– contact for a list of needed items; or apply to become Habitat For Humanity’s first Yurt Partner through www.habitatwesthawaii.org.

Yurts could become an affordable housing option, with the first Habitat for Humanity
Yurt Project planned for Ocean View. Photo from Jen McGehan

Also available is the book My Year in Yurt, written by Big Island resident Jen McGeehan who is offering 15 percent of net proceeds to be donated to The Yurt Project: www.tatepublishing.

com/bookstore/book.

php?w=9781628548808 Contact McGeehan at 747-2365 or jenmcgeehan1@gmail.com. Yurts of Hawai`i in Volcano is run by Melissa Fletcher. Call 968-1483 or see www.yurtsofhawaii.com.

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KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE will hold a public meeting next Tuesday, March 11, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Community Center. Public comment on agenda items is welcome.

Leina`ala Enos chairs the
Ka`u Community Development
Plan Steering Committee

“A preliminary set of CDP strategies is nearly complete, so the meeting will focus on plans for discussing them with various stakeholders,” said county planner Ron Whitmore who is heading up the creation of the Ka`u Community Development Plan. The agenda includes Steering Committee Chair Leina`ala Enos providing an explanation of the purpose and scope of the Ka`u CDP and roles of the Steering Committee. She and Whitmore are scheduled to provide an update on the status of the CDP project, including progress on its draft and next steps toward completion. The CDP Planning team is identifying strategies to achieve community objectives in order to “make up the policies, advocacy, and community-based, collaborative actions at the core of the CDP,” says the agenda for the meting. “While crafting those strategies, the Planning Team will likely find it useful to discuss them with Steering Committee members and other key stakeholders, including residents, business owners, landowners, community leaders, agency representatives and others.” Whitmore plans to provide an overview of this phase of the CDP.
For more information about the Ka‘ū CDP and the Steering Committee, see www.kaucdp.info. Steering Committee members, Community Planning Assistant Nalani Parlin are available to answer any questions. Contact information is available at the project website.

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KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE will hold its next meeting on Thursday, March 20 at 4 p.m. at the Royal Hawaiian Macadamia Field Office Conference Room. The February meeting included discussion on membership to the Ha`ao Springs/Mountain House Agricultural Water

Old plantation water systems will be restored.
This flume from Naguchi tunnel.
Photo from Olson Trust

Cooperative and whether membership votes should be according to acres farmed, acres owned or another way of calculating the number of voted per members. “We were assured that the working group was in favor of the bylaws as written, that there wer sufficient checks and balances in the document to protect the rights of small farmers while also giving sufficient voice to large landowners to protect their interest,” said the minutes from the meeting.

Melanie Bondera, whose expertise is provided to the farmers and ranchers to help them set up the entities to manage water, said she is available to discuss the possibilities with the agriculturalists and land owners.
It was also reported that a team would be on the ground surveying old plantation water sources and tunnels in the area of Moa`ula, Wood Valley and Ha`ao. The state legislature has approved millions of dollars for the surveying and improvements to the old water system for farming and ranching. A crew from Sam Hirota surveyors in Honolulu worked this week on the project.

Areas where water is to be improved include Kapapala, Wood Valley, Mountain House, Ha`ao Springs, Alili, Hilea, Keaiwa and Moa`ula.
Hawaiian Home Lands representatives said at earlier meetings that they are interested in developing water for homesteaders on the Na`alehu/Waiohinu end of the old plantation water system. To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Randy Takake's sculptures are in
the Flash Exhibit at Nia`ulani
Campus through Tuesday

THE FIRST FLASH EXHIBITS at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village is today through Tuesday, March 1, featuring paintings by Margaret Stanton and sculpture by Randy Takake. Both artists’ work begins in the forests of Hawai`i Island near its active volcanoes. Opening reception is 5 p.m. Music starts at 6 p.m. with The Elementalz – Sherri Thal (vocals/violin/percussion) and Brent Magstadt (vocals/guitar). Saturday, Steve Fundy, Margaret Stanton and Maj Balej offer original guitar bass and drums grooves from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

VOLUNTEERS FOR KA`U BEACH CLEANUPS are headed to Hilo on Sunday for Ocean Day, with Malama Kanaloa Festival at Hilo Bayfront Beach Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This annual event features information on marine and coastal research, on how to get involved with `aina and kai stewardship and initiatives, and engaging presentations for community members to reconnect to island resources.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

The permitting process for restoration of fishponds such as at Honu`apo may be streamlined under a
Department of Land & Natural Resources proposal. Photo from The Nature Conservancy

OCEAN VIEW IS GETTING A NEW MEDICAL CLINIC. Mango Medical, a primary care medical group based in Waimea, is opening the Ka`u clinic at 92-8691 Lotus Blossom Lane, Nos. 6 and 7 on Monday, March 17. Dr. Doede Donaugh and APRN Cindy Cohen are now taking appointments for new and existing patients, and all insurances are accepted.

Dr. Doede Donaugh

An explanation of the clinic’s name is on the website mangomed.org. “Well, you may have heard of the proverb ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away,’ and science is confirming the truth of this statement more and more. The little tropical Hawaiian mango, like the apple, is packed with nutraceuticals and probably even more health benefits.
“We chose to name our practice Mango Medical because in addition to being a full-service primary care medical office that happily sees your colds, aches and pains, bruises, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and lists of other ailments, we want to keep you healthy and well even more. We’ll show you how eating more mangoes, apples, exercise, laughing more and other simple measures can all keep you healthy and perhaps even prevent some of those ailments listed.”

APRN Cindy Cohen

Donaugh earned her bachelor of science in pre-med and math from Ohio Northern University in 1993, and obtained her doctor of osteopathy from NOVA Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Florida in 2004. She did an undergraduate fellowship in osteopathic manipulative medicine while in medical school because of her passion for the art of osteopathy. She completed her combined internship and residency in Osteopathic Family Practice at Broward General Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in 2007. She practiced in various locations in Wyoming and Las Vegas as a primary care physician and served the last three years at Bay Clinic in Na`alehu. She is a member of the National Health Service Corp as a loan-repayment participant, and is also practicing part-time at Ka`u Rural Health Clinic in Pahala.

Cohen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Utah in 1987 and completed her Family Nurse Practitioner degree at Westminster College in 1998. She has practiced in a variety of settings from providing on scene emergency medical treatment as an AirMed Flight Nurse at the University of Utah Hospital to a nurse practitioner mainly in the rural setting at community health centers and in private practice.
Cohen practices family medicine and pursued it because she enjoys the variety of providing care to the whole family. She has a special interest in women’s health, pediatrics and hormonal imbalances. She believes that the provider/patient relationship is a collaborative one through determining what best fits the patients needs then discussing various treatment options and education to maximize their health by making dietary and lifestyle changes.

According to the website, Mango Medical also plans to open facilities in Hilo and Kona.
Call 939-8100 or fax 939-8102 for more information.

Margery Bronster

A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER that halts Hawai`i County’s registration of farmers growing crops with genetically modified organisms crops is in effect. The TRO also prevents the county from releasing information about the 210 farmers who have registered.

Hawai`i Tribune-Herald reports that Third Circuit Court Judge Greg Nakamura granted the order when an unnamed plaintiff requested it two days after the Wednesday deadline for farmers to comply with the program.
The county’s recently enacted law banning GMO crops, with exemptions for farmers already growing them, calls for those farmers to register with the county Department of Research and Development and provide information such as types of crops grown, tax map keys of their farms and locations of GMO crops. The law calls for the information to be kept confidential if releasing it would impede the county’s ability to gather accurate information.
According to reporter Tom Callis, Margery Bronster, attorney for the plaintiff, said, “These are farmers who really fear for their plants, for their farms and for their livelihoods.”
Bronster said the law fails to provide criteria for the release of information the farmers provide or means for them to keep it confidential if they believe its release would cause them harm.
Deputy Corporation Counsel Michael Udovic told Callis the law is valid and within the power of the “county’s concern for the public good.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

Ka`u is the site of several fishponds. Map from DLNR

STREAMLINING THE PERMITTING PROCESS to restore fishponds in Ka`u and throughout the state is the purpose of proposal by Hawai`i Department of Land & Natural Resources. DLNR seeks public input through Monday.

The program covers five permits or authorizations and compliance with seventeen different state and federal laws that currently govern an element of fishpond restoration. The permits are the coastal zone management consistency statement from the state Office of Planning, environment assessment from the Office of Environmental Quality and Control, general permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, water quality certification from the Department of Health’s Clean Water Branch and Conservation District Use Application from DLNR’s Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands.
Persons wanting to restore a fishpond would have to submit a Conservation District Use application.
DLNR would create a three-tier review process based of scope of proposed work. Tier I includes minor repair, restoration, maintenance and operation of existing fishponds, construction or placement of minor structures, stocking and harvesting with traditional methods and removal of alien species. Tier II is for emergency repairs or fishpond repair, restoration, maintenance and operation involving work that is in excess of 10 percent but less than 50 percent of the original fishpond structure. Tier III is for repair, restoration, maintenance, and operation involving work that is in excess of 50 percent of the original fishpond structure, and DLNR would have discretion to exclude major projects from the Programmatic Permit due to potential for significant environmental impacts. Tier III also covers dredging involving the use of mechanized equipment and any activity that may moderately affect/alter sandy beaches or sediment deposition.
Tier II and III proposals would be subject to agency and community review prior to DLNR approval.
Written comments can be mailed to OCCL, PO Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809 or emailed to michael.cain@hawaii.gov.
For more information, visit honuaconsulting.com/lokoia or dlnr.hawaii.gov/occl/current-applications.

Hawai`i State Rep. Jessica Wooley

GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE HAS APPOINTED JESSICA WOOLEY to serve as the state’s director of Environmental Control, subject to her confirmation by the state Senate. In addition to serving as head of the Office of Environmental Quality Control, Wooley will serve the governor in an advisory capacity on all matters relating to environmental quality control.

“Jessica is knowledgeable and experienced in issues pertaining to the environment, water resources, agriculture and land use,” said Abercrombie. “Her legal and public service background will be a great asset in protecting Hawai`i’s fragile environment. Her energy and commitment to the issues involved with the OEQC is a big plus for Hawai`i.”
Wooley said, “As a public servant, I see this as a tremendous opportunity to have a greater impact. I will be honored to work with the governor and his administration as we continually work to make sure our environment is resilient and able to support the public interest and all of Hawai`i’s policy goals. We must always keep in mind that our very economy, our health and our safety depend on our ability to care for our environmental resources.”
Elected in 2008, Wooley serves as chair of the House Agriculture Committee. Previously, she was an attorney at Legal Aid, an economist at University of Hawai`i-Manoa and deputy attorney general under Governors Ben Cayetano and Linda Lingle.
Wooley earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of California, Santa Cruz, along with a master’s degree in agricultural and resource economics and a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley.

Participants in FHVNP's Sunday Walk in the Park view
Hawai`i's largest petroglyph field.

PEOPLE & LANDS OF KAHUKU is a guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain that focuses on the area’s human history. The hike takes place tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

POHAI MONTAGUE-MULLINS LEADS A GUIDED HIKE, 1.5 miles roundtrip to the largest petroglyph field in Hawai`i, tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. during Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s monthly Sunday Walk in the Park. Participants view hundreds of ancient symbols carved into lava over countless generations. Free for Friends members; non-members can join the organization in order to attend.
Register for the walk at 985-7373 or email admin@fhvnp.org.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Trini and Francis Marques, two of the former sugar workers who have helped to build Ka`u Coffee over the last 18 years,
now fearing the land will be sold out from under them. Photo from Ali`i Hula Hands Coffee

THE INSECURITY OF KA`U COFFEE FARMERS' land situation is making headlines beyond Ka`u. Hawai`i Tribune Herald and West Hawai`i Today ran stories this morning reporting that Moa`ula and Pear Tree farms where displaced sugar workers have built the Ka`u Coffee industry could lose their orchards. The 5,850 acres, which includes about 400 acres of coffee lands, could sell to buyers who don't want the farmers to stay there, the coffee growers worry.

The story by Tom Callis features a photo of Lorie Obra at her coffee shack and farm at Moa`ula. Entitled Uncertainty Brews: Pending land sale has Ka`u coffee farmers unsure about future, the story says that the farmers "think their years of hard work is in jeopardy." It quotes Obra saying, "To be honest with you, I have no idea what's going to happen to the land." The story also quotes coffee farmers Trinidad and Francis Marques, former sugar workers who built the Ali`i Hawaiian Hula Hands coffee business when Ka`u Sugar shut down in 1996. The story quotes Trini saying, "We took out another ten acres some place else to be proactive. I know the quality of the coffee isn't going to b as great in that other area."

Lorie Obra, Trini Marques and Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative President
Gloria Cambra. All three have award-winning coffee farms on land on
land put up for sale by Lehman Brothers. Photo by Julia Neal

The story also quotes Joel La Pinta, whose company Kennedy Wilson represents Lehman Brothers who took over the land in a foreclosure auction after lending and not being paid $105 million loaned to WWK Holdings against the land.

La Pinta said that in selling the property, "the coffee farms create a lot of value," according to the Tribune Herald. The story also refers to Pacific Business News article, reporting that WWK "planned to use the properties for sale for high-end homes on large lots, but it's not clear if they planned to continue the leases." See more at hawaiitribune-herald.com.

WWK's land manager Chris Manfredi and the company's consultants and attorneys were able to win acceptance for a Project Unit Development at Moa`ula and Pear Tree, which would have allowed smaller than 20-acre lots at the coffee farms and beyond. At the time, Manfredi described the subdivision as creating an "agricultural community." The subdivision was approved with various infrastructure conditions but has not received any final approvals.

Mayor Billy Kenoi told The Ka`u Calendar and the farmers at several meetings in Ka`u that he is willing to help raise funds for an agricultural park for the coffee farmers should the land become available as a separate parcel from the 5,850 acres held by Lehman. He also said he wrote a letter to Lehman saying the county wants to protect the farmers. Lehman, however, wants to sell all the land at one time to one entity, according to La Pinta. Others interested in the overall parcels include The Nature Conservancy, which wants to preserve some of the coastal lands, and area ranchers who are using thousands of acres owned by Lehman for pastures. Edmund C. Olson, who owns some 8,000 acres in Ka`u and founded Ka`u Coffee Mill bid more than $12 million for the 5,850 acres at the foreclosure auction in Honolulu but was turned down when Lehman decided to take over the land and sell it on its own.

To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

A CORAL REEF RESTORATION AND MARINE CONSERVATION BILL passed the state House of Representatives this session and is up for consideration by the sate Senate during the second half of the Hawai`i State Legislature. Reefs in Hawai`i were decimated at places like Honu`apo on the Ka`u Coast where the sugar factories unloaded its waste into the ocean and at Punalu`u where development led to filling natural estuaries with runoff and soil moved for constructing the Sea Mountain resort and golf course.
At Honu`apo, now a preserve, coral and fish populations are recovering decades after sugar shut down and following an oil spill created by a an oil storage taken out on the shoreline by a tidal wave. For transporting sugar on ships to the mainland, Honu`apo was dredged in the 1870s to create the harbor and landing.
The bill’s authors contend that the new law and funding would be an effort toward more policing and management of the coral reefs to prevent such impacts in the future.

Honu`apo in 1880 before the bay was dredged to bring in ships to pick up sugar from
the mill that sent runoff and waste into the ocean. Photo from www.soest.hawaii.edu

Justification for HB 2622 states that “The broad range of documented anthropogenic impacts on coral reef health, including impacts from groundings, diving activities, poaching, anchoring and mooring, land and water-based pollutant discharges, and other direct and indirect uses of the State’s coral reefs, indicate that the Department of Land & Natural Resources may need a more consistent and reliable source of funding to maintain these unique areas and to conserve and protect coral reef resources throughout the State.
The purpose of this Act is to provide for a special fund allowing for the collection and use of moneys for the conservation, supplementation, and enhancement of the State’s coral reefs and other marine resources.”
The fund would come from fines, attorneys fees, awards, settlements and administrative costs for violations of laws protecting the marine environment. It would also come from “compensatory mitigatation” money collected from federal and state permitted impacts to the marine environment and other grants, awards, donations, gifts from the public and private sector.
The money would be used for monitoring marine life conservation districts, research, enforcement, education. It would help support management of community-based subsistence fishing areas, fisheries management areas. It would carry out compensatory mitigation measures for impacts to the marine environment. The law would enable the marine life conservation money to be held separately form other state and DLNR funds to focus it on the ocean and nearshore waters.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs submitted testimony in favor of the spceali funds, stating,

The DLNR would use funding to further protect reefs and the
marine environment, according to HB2622.
Photo from U.S. Geological Survey

“Hawai‘i’s ocean resources form the bedrock of our islands. Hawai‘i’s marine environment and natural resources serve as a cultural, economic, social, scientific and recreational foundation for these islands. OHA notes that economic studies in 2002 and 2003 found an overall contribution of $800 million in revenue generated from our coral reefs and coastal resources, with an added recreational, amenity, fishery, biodiversity and educational value of $364 million per year. A more recent report released in 2011 utilizing ‘innovative economic survey techniques’ found that across U.S. households, the economic value of protecting Hawai’i’s nearshore environment could be estimated at $34 billion a year. While our ocean waters clearly hold cultural, spiritual and biological significance beyond any monetary value, these economic analyses clearly reflect the critical nature of our marine environment to Hawai‘i nei.
“This measure provides an opportunity to better ensure that planned and unplanned impacts to Hawai‘i’s fragile ocean environment result in appropriate compensation, dedicated to the rehabilitation of our marine resources. Over the last few decades, it has become abundantly clear that Hawai‘i’s ocean environment is subject to constant and ever-growing threats from a variety of sources, ranging from human overuse, to land- and water-based pollution, to climate change, to development projects and vessels groundings.”
OHA urges the legislature to also allow user fees for non-residents, who use marine life conservation districts where visitation tops a half-million people a year.
In his testimony to the House, DLNR chief William Aila recommended that the legislature direct his department to prepare a statewide coral reef mitigation plan, and to consider how to address planned and unplanned coral loss; how the value of coral and ecosystem service losses may be calculated and consulting with others to devise the program. He suggested that the DLNR be required to submit a report on findings and plans by Dec. 31, 2015.

There was little public testimony. A public school student wrote in with support, as did an organization called Ocean Tourism Coalition.
Teresa L. Nakama, of Big Island Fisheries Alliance, which also asked for the humpback whale to be removed fro the federal endangered species list, wrote in opposition, saying that “This bill is a complete waste of our hard earn taxpayers' money. DLNR and DAR division already has zone protected areas, contracts with conservationists, and college students from all over the United States that come here for their research papers and the list goes on. Do not waste our hard earn taxpayers money on repetitive projects that already is being done by many others. We already have more rules and regulations and revised HAR and revised HRS that covers these areas of concern. Please oppose this bill and send the funds to serve the overall general public with vital concerns of public education, health and welfare, housing, and elderly care.”
Nani Polgline wrote in that “The conservation efforts have reached an imbalance in Hawai`i. Public access and usage of coastal areas have become too restricted and locked up with 'conservation' agendas." To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Miss Ka`u Coffee Tiare-Lee Shibuyu and escort Bradley Llanes at
this weekend's Youth of the Year banquet for Boys & Girls Club.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U’S BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS have received a $10,000 donation from the Edmund C. Olson Trust, II, which was a major sponsor of the islandwide organization’s Youth of the Year Banquet & Awards this weekend. Attending from Ka`u were Miss Ka`u Coffee Tiare-Lee Shibuya and her escort, musician Bradley Llanes. Representing Olson Trust were Kea Keolanui, of the trust's new ecotourism division and Kimberly Ciez, manager of Big Island Trading Co., which sells and serves Ka`u coffee and macadamia at its new location in Hilo. Also on hand was Boys & Girls Club Pahala director Dolly Kailiawa and Na`alehu – Ocean View director Lyonna Medeck-Starks, as well as Boys & Girls Club Ka`u board member Julia Neal.
Winner of the Youth of the Year award for the Boys & Girls Club of the Big island is Benjamin Cortez, Jr. who has been a Boys & Girls Club member for seven years. He gave a passionate speech about winning a battle against cancer as a infant and the appreciation for all those who helped with his survival, leading him into community service. He will represent the Big Island at the state finals for Youth of the Year. The Hawai`i winner will compete in Washington, D.C. and meet the President of the United States.

For more on the Boys & Girls Clubs, see www.bgcbi.com.

A flash exhibit at Nia`ulani through late Tuesday afternoon.
Photo by Julia Neal

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO THE ANNUAL KA`U FARM BUREAU meeting this Friday, March 14 at Pahala Community Center at 6 p.m. Keynote speaker will be state Board of Agriculure chair Scott Enright and County Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth. The event is potluck. There will also be an election of officers. For more call Hawai`i Farm Bureau President Christ Manfredi at 929-9550.

A FLASH EXHIBIT AT VOLCANO ART CENTER’S Niaulani Campus runs through Tuesday evening. The five day show, with artists and Margaret Stanton and Randy Takake on site to meet with visitors, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Access to Kawa is open to foot and vehicular traffic daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Photo by Julia Neal

PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS IS WELCOME at Ka`u Community Development Plan Steering Committee meeting tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

Chair Leina`ala Enos and planner Ron Whitmore will provide an update on the status of the CDP project, including progress made on the draft CDP and next steps in the process.
Whitmore will provide an overview of plans to identify vilable strategies for achieving Ka`u’s community objectives.
The committee will also discuss recent correspondence between Ocean View Community Development Corporation and the county Planning director which raised questions and concerns related to project administration, draft CDP appendices and CDP’s purpose, process and roles.
For more information about the Ka`u CDP and the Steering Committee, see kaucdp.info. Steering Committee members and Community Planning assistant Nalani Parlin are available to answer any questions. Contact information is available at kaucdp.info.

To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Hawai`i County Director of Finance is authorized to negotiate to acquire all, a portion of,
or a conservation easement for 16,000 acres around Pohue Bay.

HAWAI`I COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT has issued updates on several projects of interest to Ka`u residents.

Na`alehu Wastewater Facility: There is no final decision on the location of the wastewater treatment and disposal facility. The Wastewater Division plans to hold a community meeting in the near future to discuss the project, but the date of this meeting has not yet been established.
Sale of Lehman Brothers Land: Lehman Brothers Holdings is selling the 5,800 acres that includes prime coffee land as well as ranch land mauka of Honu`apo and Waikapuna. The onsite representative for Lehman Brothers is Hayden Akamu, and Joel LaPinta (lapinta.com) is the local representative of Kennedy Wilson, which is marketing the parcels.
`Aina Koa Pono Biofuels Facility: The Public Utilities Commission (puc.hawaii.gov) did not approve the revised contract submitted by `Aina Koa Pono (ainakoapono.com) and HELCO to produce biofuel at a new facility near Pahala.
Kawa Stewardship Plan: The Mayor’s office is working with local families and community members to draft a stewardship plan. An inventory of archaeological resources is completed and is being used to inform planning. Access to the bay is open to foot and vehicular traffic daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Solar Farms in Ocean View: In 2012, building permits were issued to install commercial solar photovoltaic systems on various lots in Ocean View makai. Solar energy facilities are permitted in the state land use agricultural district with soil classified by the land study bureau’s detailed land classification as overall (master) productivity rating class B, C, D or E. All of Ocean View makai is in the SLU agricultural district, and the LSB in this area is E, so solar energy facilities are a permitted use.
Lehua Court: A state land use boundary amendment and change of zone application has been submitted for a 54,000-square-foot commercial center on four lots between Lehua Lane and Mamalahoa Highway in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. The application may come to the Windward Planning Commission soon for review and recommendations.
Kahuku Village and Pohue Bay: The owner is exploring alternative proposals for the parcel where Kahuku Village was proposed. The County Council authorized the Director of Finance to enter into negotiations to acquire all, a portion of, or a conservation easement for the 16,000 acres around Pohue Bay.
Road to the Sea: The County Council authorized the mayor to enter into an agreement with the state of Hawai`i for the acquisition of the parcel at the end of the Road to the Sea adjacent to Manuka Natural Area Reserve.
Ocean View Transfer Station: The land allocation process is complete, and right-of-way access is being secured through the state Department of Transportation. Work is expected to begin after several other solid waste facilities island wide are completed.

These items are not on the agenda of tomorrow’s Ka`u CDP Steering Committee meeting and will not be discussed. Planner Ron Whitmore suggests discussing the topics with Steering Committee members during meeting breaks, before or after the meeting or at another time by phone or email. Steering Committee contact is available at the registration table or at kaucdp.info under the Steering Committee link.

To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING VOTES TODAY until approximately 9 a.m. EDT tomorrow, senators from the U.S. Senate Climate Action Task Force will be holding the Senate floor to urge action on climate change. A significant number of senators are expected to participate throughout the night, including Sen. Brian Schatz.
“Climate change is real, it is caused by humans, and it is solvable,” said Schatz. “Congress must act. On Monday night we’re going to show the growing number of senators who are committed to working together to confront climate change.”
Senators will be actively participating on social media as well throughout the night, using the hashtag #Up4Climate.

To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Residents in China saw these lights in the sky 30 minutes before an earthquake.
Image from YouTube

HISTORIC AND LEGENDARY REPORTS OF LIGHTNING before earthquakes, which are usually dismissed as hearsay or fodder for UFO enthusiasts, are now being confirmed by scientists, according to a report by BBC News.

Professor Troy Shinbrot, of Rutgers University, reported findings at a recent American Physical Society meeting in Denver. Shinbrot and other scientists experimented with containers of flour and other granular materials, tipping them back and forth until cracks appeared. They found that the action produced volts of charge. Shinbrot speculates that sliding and cracking of soil grains along geological faultlines could generate millions of volts of electrostatic charge and seed lightning in the air above, creating what he calls a natural early-warning system for impending earthquakes.
With the advent of YouTube and other similar websites, videos of luminous orbs seen during the Fukushima and other earthquakes have been widely shared online and studied by scientists.
According to Shinbrot, not every major earthquake is preceded by lightning, and not all clear-sky lightning is followed by earthquakes.
Scientists in Turkey who have erected towers to measure voltage fields in the air over earthquake-prone regions found that there seem to be precursors for some large earthquakes of magnitude five or higher. “But the voltage signal is not always the same; sometimes it’s high, and sometimes it’s low,” Shinbrot said.
See bbc.com/news/science-environment-26462348.

To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Many of Hawai`i's papaya crops are genetically engineered to battle
ringspot virus. Photo from UH-CTAHR

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I COLLEGE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE and Human Resources has developed a website with information about Agricultural Biotechnology. The stated goal of the site is “to provide an unbiased source of information” so that the public can make informed decisions about biotechnology.

The website defines biotechnology as “the application of scientific techniques to modify plants, animals and microorganisms. Agricultural biotechnology applies genetic engineering methods to agricultural products. These procedures directly change the DNA of the plant, usually by inserting genetic material from another organism.”
Topics covered on the website include a comparison of classical breeding to genetic engineering, genetically engineered crops in Hawai`i and their economic impact, issues including benefits and risks, labeling, culture, co-existence and regulation.
The website also offers resources for education of students and a game that presents some of the opinions about genetically engineered crops.
“The use of biotechnology in food production, specifically the use of genetically engineered crops, is a controversial topic, with equally vocal advocates and opponents,” the website states. “Perceptions about foods from transgenic crops range from the belief that they have potential to eradicate world hunger to the perception that they are ‘unnatural’ products that may be hazardous to humans and the environment.”
The college also produces a newsletter entitled Biotech in Focus.
See ctahr.hawaii.edu/biotech and ctahr.hawaii.edu/biotechinfocus.

To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

`Ohe kapala, or bamboo stamps are used to make designs on fabric.
Photo from NPS

A FLASH EXHIBIT AT VOLCANO ART CENTER’S Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village continues through tomorrow, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with art by Margaret Stanton and Randy Takake.

KEIKO MERCADO DEMONSTRATES HOW `OHE (bamboo) are carved and used to make designs on fabric Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Samples and hands-on learning opportunities will be available. Free; park entrance fees apply.

A STAFF MEMBER FROM U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s office meets with constituents and assists with casework and other issues Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 987-5698 for more information.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Three years ago today, tsunami waves washed across Punalu`u Black Sand Beach following a major earthquake in Japan.
Photo by Julia Neal

THIS IS THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY of the tsunami hitting Ka`u, Kona and other areas of Hawai`i following an 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan. The tsunami ran up onto shore at Punalu`u before dawn, filling the black sand beach pond with seawater. The waves sucked out, leaving the Punalu`u shoreline covered in debris. The small shops next to the ocean were spared as was the pole house owned by the Dahlbergs, though the yards were full of rubbish.

Volunteers helped salvage this Okoe Bay beach house destroyed by
tsunami waves. Photo by Kaiali`i Kahele

Campers at Punalu`u Beach Park and visitors and residents at Punalu`u condominiums were evacuated. Evacuees stayed overnight at Civil Defense shelters at Pahala and Na`alehu Community Centers. As the tsunami waves failed to reach the resort, inland from the beach, there was no damage.
Campers, condo evacuees and motorists along Hwy 11, who were stopped at inundation zones, added up to some 55 people staying in Na`alehu and 20 in Pahala shelters overnight.
At Honu`apo, rocks were thrown about and tsunami waves nearly reached pavilions but, like Punalu`u, there was no major damage. Seven groups of campers were evacuated from Honu`apo.
Ka`u Hospital went into its disaster mode with the health care association’s emergency management network. Some hospital staff living at Punalu`u took shelter at Pahala Plantation Cottages.
At Honomolino, Sen. Gil Kahele reported the tsunami “crunching” two buildings owned by the Carlsmith family. Many coconut trees came down, exposing their roots, and half the beach was eroded. Waves carried a boathouse out to sea, where it sank, with one wall being carried to the shore at Miloli`i.

At Okoe, Nicole Skilling’s house, which was built back from the beach in the kiawe trees, seemed to have been lifted off its foundation, sucked out to the shore and thrown back inland by another tsunami wave.

Tsunami waves from Japan lifted Woody Child's Kapua Bay house of its
foundation and twisted its roof. Photo by Kaiali`i Kahele

At Kapua, the family retreat of Woody Childs was lifted off its foundation, and the stone wall was pushed back.

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A BILL TO MONITOR RADIATION IN HAWAI`I from a nuclear power plant damaged by the March 2011 quake in Fukushima, Japan has been passed by the state Senate and is now being considered by the House of Representatives. Proposed and sponsored by Pahala resident Sara Witt, the citizen-initiated bill was introduced by Ka`u’s state Senators Josh Green and Russell Ruderman.

The bill would fund monitoring around the state to determine radiation levels while the nuclear power plant continues to leak radiation into the ocean, where it can be lifted into the air and re-deposited here.
The monitoring would be in food, dairy products, rainwater, aquifers and drainage ditches. The state Department of Health would report radiation levels on a website. The program would start July 1 and run through June 30, 2019.
The status of this and other bills being considered at the state Legislature is available at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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Exploring Kilauea Iki is popular with visitors to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE VISITATION FIGURES released yesterday show that 1,583,209 people visited Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park in 2013 – an increase of 6.7 percent from 2012 visitation statistics.

“We are pleased to again report an increase of visitors eager to enjoy Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site,” said park superintendent Cindy Orlando. “The dual eruptions from Kilauea, the numerous cultural and scientific programs offered, and the incredibly diverse, protected ecosystem of native plants and animals continue to attract people from the mainland, around the world and locally.”

The new visitation figures come one week after NPS released its economic impact report from 2012, which revealed that 1,483,928 visitors to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park that year spent $113,376,400 in communities near the park. That spending supported 1,353 jobs in the local area.
To download the report, visit nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm.

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After PUC rejection of two `Aina Koa Pono-HELCO contracts, another company is
making plans to import biofuel to Hawai`i Island. Photo by Julia Neal

FOLLOWING THE STATE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION’S second rejection of two proposed contracts for `Aina Koa Pono to produce biofuel for Hawai`i Electric Light Co. at a refinery near Pahala from feedstock grown in Ka`u, another company is making plans to import biofuel to Hawai`i Island that would be sourced worldwide, according to a story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald.

Chuck Barker, of Hilo-based Hoku Kai Biofuels, told reporter Tom Callis that the company “has had some initial conversations with HELCO about buying the fuel” and that the company is seeking other customers.
The company would offload fuel from ships docked in Hilo Harbor using a pipeline that was originally used to transport asphalt products to storage tanks at the harbor.
Callis reports that Hawai`i Board of Land & Natural Resources “will consider whether to grant in concept a 65-year easement for the pipeline. Final approval is contingent on a finding of no significant impact from an environmental assessment.”
In a memo to the board, DLNR says the biofuels would be “distributed to various power producers as an alternative to fossil fuels.”
Barker told Callis, “Our objectives are straightforward: achieve statistically significant progress towards the objectives of the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative and reducing Hawai`i’s grossly disproportionate dependence on fossil fuels, substantively improve the air emissions profiles from electrical power plants, truck and bus and marine fuels exhausts, and do so in a context of less expensive and less volatile pricing to homes and businesses.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC CO. HOPES TO EXPAND its smart-grid program to Hawai`i Island. The utility plans to submit an application to the state Public Utilities Commission by the end of the year and have development of smart grids here by 2018.

“We’re continuing to modernize the electric system to provide a solid foundation for our community’s energy future. Our state needs modern electric grids to further improve service, provide customers with more choices and integrate more low-cost renewable energy to reduce Hawai`i’s dependency on expensive imported oil,” said Dan Giovanni, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president for operations.   Smart grid technology helps improve service by providing the capability for remote troubleshooting and faster response times during power outages.  
Customers will also have access to a customized online Web portal, which will provide frequent updates about their energy usage to help them make informed decisions about better managing energy use and their electric bills.  
HECO’s smart grid program calls for integrating a modern wireless communications network into the existing electric grid. The components will include wireless communications relays, sensors to improve outage detection, automated system controls to improve outage restoration and advanced meters.

See hawaiianelectric.com.

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A rummage sale to support Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Department
is coming up later this month. Photo from DHVFD

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN BEGIN GATHERING items to donate to a rummage sale being held to raise funds for Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Department. The rummage sale takes place Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale at Discovery Harbour Community Clubhouse and Volunteer Fire Department also features hot dog lunches for $5 on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Items for the rummage sale may be dropped off at Discovery Harbour Community Clubhouse Wednesday and Thursday, March 19 and 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Proceed go toward the purchase of supplies not provided the the county.
For more information, call Captain James at 895-8133.

ALOHA BLUEGRASS BAND RETURNS TO KA`U this month. They will be in residence at Pahala Plantation House March 23 - 27. Keoki Kahumoku joins the band for a concert at Pahala Plantation House Wednesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. Members of the band include Katy Rexford, Rion Schmidt, Annie Carlson, Tyson James, Steve Roy, Kate Hamre, K.C. Groves and David Richey. Donations for the concert are welcome.

The band is also holding workshops around the island before their Ka`u visit. For more information, see alohabluegrassband.com.

KA`U CDP STEERING COMMITTEE meets today at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The public is invited and welcome to testify on agenda items. For more information, see kaucdp.info.

KEIKO MERCADO DEMONSTRATES HOW `OHE (bamboo) are carved and used to make designs on fabric tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Samples and hands-on learning opportunities will be available. Free; park entrance fees apply.

A STAFF MEMBER FROM U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s office meets with constituents and assists with casework and other issues tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 987-5698 for more information.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Bills to strengthen and improve hunting in the state are moving through the Legislature. Parts of Ka`u Forest Reserve are popular with hunters. Photo by Rob Shallenberger

HAWAI`I HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS PASSED four bills aimed at strengthening and improving hunting activities in the state. The Senate is now considering the measures.

Hunters compare their catches at tournaments in Ka`u. Photo by Julia Neal

Hawai`i Island Representative Cindy Evans, who chairs the House Committee on Water and Land, said, “These measures will help us to manage and keep our forests healthy, not only for hunting but as a way to strengthen our conservation efforts.”
HB1902 HD2 would require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to make reasonable efforts to prevent and mitigate the loss, destruction, or degradation of public hunting areas. It would establish a hunting advisory commission and require DLNR to report to the Legislature regarding public hunting lands.
HB1901 HD2 would establish a task force in DLNR to make recommendations regarding participation in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.
HB1907 HD1 would authorize DLNR to offer lifetime hunting licenses at a steeply discounted rate to qualified disabled veterans and recipients of the Purple Heart.
HB1903 HD1 would designate June as Outdoor Heritage Month to celebrate Hawai`i’s natural environment and recreational activities. This bill has been assigned to Senate committees on Energy and Environment, Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing, and Technology and the Arts.

Progress of these and other bills can be tracked at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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Ocean View Community Development Corp. seeks
more input into the Ka`u CDP.

KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN Steering Committee met last night with members of the public attending at Na`alehu Community Center. County Planner Ron Whitmore said that planners will meet with area stakeholders through summer. Stakeholders include the Steering Committee itself, community groups, landowners and representatives of government agencies.

Representatives of Ocean View Community Development Corp. met recently with Whitmore and Bobby Command, of the Planning Department, and Steering Committee members Loren Heck and Patti Barry on the OVCDC desire to have more input into the CDP and for the plan to treat each community more independently. Barry and Heck reported that the meeting went well and promised continued communication between planners, the Steering Committee and the community group.
Several advocates for the Hawaiian Kingdom expressed their desire for Native Hawaiian kuleana owners and others with deeds going back to Hawaiian Kingdom to be represented in the planning process. Some challenged the county's right to plan for land they claim to belong to the Hawaiian Kingdom. Shelly Mahi questioned the right of lessees of old sugar land and The Nature Conservancy to use the land. Abel Simeona Louis spoke his refrain, “Ka`u has never been conquered by man,” and described himself as houseless and homeless since his eviction from Kawa, which is now owned by the county with plans being made for a park. “God gave this land to Kamehameha and to the people,” Louis proclaimed, contending that one third of the land should go to the “maka`ainana,” the people who live here.
Regarding interviews with stakeholders, Steering Committee members Michelle Galimba and Barry, as well as OVCDC representative Paula Donovan and others, called for a synopsis written on each meeting with stakeholders. Whitmore said he would check with the Planning director.
Whitmore encouraged the public to read the wealth of information about Ka`u that is available at hawaiicountycdp.info/kau. History, geography, natural resource, population, current land use and planning tools are available for review and study along with maps and illustrations. Whitmore promised that the draft of the Ka`u Community Development Plan will be the subject of much public review.
The next meeting was set for July 8 at Ocean View Community Center at 5:30 p.m.

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Ka`u's Sen. Josh Green chairs the state
Senate Health Committee.

USE OF THE CHEMICAL HERBICIDE ROUNDUP by state, county and city departments and agencies is the subject of an informational briefing to be held by the state Senate Committee on Health this Friday, March 14 at 1:30 p.m. in Room 229 of the state Capitol.

“We have been receiving reports from around the state from people disturbed by the use of Roundup or glyphosate by local and state road crews,” said Ka`u’s Sen. Josh Green, who chairs the committee. “People are expressing concern that this chemical is being used in an excessive and unnecessary way, and may be hazardous to human health and to the environment. The goal of this informational briefing is to determine if the use of Roundup by state and local agencies is safe and necessary, and if everything possible is being done to reduce potentially harmful exposure to our land, water and people.”
Roundup is one of the trade names for the chemical herbicide glyphosate, developed by Monsanto and manufactured and sold under various names by Monsanto and other agrochemical companies.
The purposes of the informational briefing are to:

Receive a full and comprehensive report on all use of Roundup/glyphosate statewide by state, county and city departments and agencies to determine whether all appropriate regulations, codes, safety measures and guidelines are being fully observed in its use;
Receive information from environmental and health experts on any potential hazardous effects of Roundup/glyphosate use on the environment and human health; and
Explore possible alternatives to the use of chemical herbicides such as Roundup/glyphosate by state, county and city departments and agencies.

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Scott Enright, center, who was recently confirmed by the state Senate as chair of the
Department of Agriculture, will speak at Ka`u Farm Bureau's annual meeting Friday.
Photo from Hawai`i Department of Agriculture

FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND THE PUBLIC with interest in Ka`u’s agricultural future are invited to attend the annual meeting of Ka`u Farm Bureau on Friday, March 14 at Pahala Community Center, 6 p.m. Membership in the Farm Bureau is not required. The meeting is a potluck event.

Scott Enright, newly confirmed by the state Senate as Agriculture Department chief, and county Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth will speak at the event.
The meeting will also include election of officers for the rest of the 2014 term, which ends on Aug. 31. Those eligible to vote for Ka`u Farm Bureau officers and board members must have been in good standing as members of the Ka`u Farm Bureau as of Sept. 1, 2013. Those who want to join the Ka`u Farm Bureau in March can pay prorated dues of $50 to cover membership through August. Full membership for Sept. 1, 2014 through Aug. 31, 2015 is $95. A Friend of Farmers membership is available for an annual $65 rate.
For more information, call current Ka`u Farm Bureau president Chris Manfredi at 929-9550.

Cloud Pond, by Faye Soli, was one of two People's Choice
winners at Hawai`i Photo Expo 2013.

DIGITAL SUBMISSIONS FOR HAWAI`I PHOTO EXPO 2014 are due this Sunday, March 16. The goal of Hawai`i Photo Expo, Inc. is to promote interest in the art of photography by offering Big Island photographers a venue to share their work with the community and by sponsoring educational programs to help photographers refine their craft. The expo takes place at Wailoa Center in Hilo from June 7 to June 25.

Categories are:

Master: For photographers or other visual artists who work with images in their professions; photographers who have been published regionally or nationally; photographers who have won previous awards; or photographers who feel comfortable competing at this level;
Enthusiast: For photographers who love photography or pursue it as a serious hobby and have not yet won an award. Photographers who have exhibited before in any juried show must enter in this category unless otherwise required to enter in the Masters division;
Beginner: For students up to high school and adults who have never before submitted to Hawai`i Photo Expo or other juried show.

See hawaiiphotoexpo.com for fees, prizes, rules and entry forms.

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HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL HOLD a community meeting at noon on Tuesday, March 18, at Na`alehu Community Center. The purpose of the meeting is to allow the public to meet the Police Department’s command staff and to discuss concerns with the police chief and commanders who oversee police operations in Ka`u.
The event continues the district community meetings, which are rotated throughout the eight police districts on Hawai`i Island.
Those interested in participating but unable to attend may call Captain Burt Shimabukuro at 939-2520, stop by the Ka`u Police Station in Na`alehu or e-mail their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com.

A community meeting about little fire ants takes place a week from today in
Na`alehu. Photo from Hawai`i Department of Agriculture

LITTLE FIRE ANTS ARE THE SUBJECT of a community meeting a week from today on Wednesday, March 19. Hawai`i Ant Lab recently confirmed an LFA infestation in Na`alehu. Lab personnel will provide information about the ants, which are considered to be a major threat to agriculture, and discuss methods of control. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Members of the public interested in Ka`u's agricultural future are invited to Ka`u Farm Bureau's annual meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center.

“WE SHOULD NOT REGULATE THE CONTENT OF SPEECH, but we may regulate the manner of speech,” is the guideline Hawai`i County clerk Stewart Maeda and corporation counsel Lincoln Ashida gave County Council members in a memo after vice chair Karen Eoff stopped two testifiers short of their allotted time during a council meeting last month.

Karen Eoff

Nancy Cook Lauer, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, reports that when the testifiers mentioned specific council members, Eoff asked them to address their comments to her as council chair.

“This is a reminder that the public has a right to criticize specific council member(s), so long as the public testimony is related to an agenda item,” the memo says.
Cook Lauer reports that Eoff, who requested the advice, was bowing to pressure from other council members when she cut Jim Albertini off. Albertini was testifying in regards to genetically modified organisms and presented council member Dennis “Fresh” Onishi with a T-shirt saying, “M&M – Monsanto & Me.”
After interrupting another testifier who mentioned specific council members, Eoff called for a recess, consulted with Ashida and then let the testifier continue.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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THERE WERE NO FISHING OR HUNTING VIOLATIONS on state land, said Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman Deborah Ward regarding American Jungle, a TV series that was partly shot in Ka`u and aired eight episodes filmed on Hawai`i Island.

Jonathan Roddy, Eric DePeralta and Kalei Fernandez in American Jungle.
Photo from The History Channel

Ward’s comments, reported in Honolulu Star-Advertiser, are based on a preliminary investigation conducted after DLNR issued a statement saying the show misrepresents  hunting in Hawai`i. The statement said DLNR finds the series’ depiction of hunting activities “to be inaccurate, offensive, and in some cases, potentially illegal.” Activities such as night hunting depicted in the show, both on public and private land, are illegal.

Ward said she was still checking on allegations of hunting taking place at night.
Gary T. Kubota reports Ward saying that no hunting was involved in capturing pigs used in the show because, according to American Jungle, the pigs were purchased.
State Film Commissioner Donne Dawson told Kubota that if American Jungle continues filming more episodes, the state plans to have “productive conversations” with History Channel producers and that officials with the show and the History Channel “have been put on notice about playing by the rules and following protocols for filming in Hawai`i.”
See staradvertiser.com.

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Hawai`i State Sen. Will Espero

THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY will be represented by state Sen. Will Espero at three Washington, D.C. events this week. Espero will be guest panelist in a Filipino Town Hall, attend a White House briefing on Asia Pacific issues and join other Filipino leaders at a reception in their honor.

“As a Filipino American, I am proud to be able to continue to represent my heritage and advocate for the Filipino community in Hawai`i. National events such as these ensure that we continue to address the needs of minority communities, including Filipino Americans, as they evolve,” said Espero.
Invited by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the White House Office of Public Engagement, the senator and other Filipino American leaders will receive updates on Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts, immigration reform, implementation of the Affordable Care Act and small business resources, while discussing community plans of action, said a statement from his office.
Filipino Americans for Progress will host Espero as a panelist at the Filipino American Nation Town Hall. He will also attend the Filipino American Community Reception in honor of Filipino American elected officials. He and other U.S. elected officials will be recognized for being champions for the needs of Filipino American, Asian American and minority communities. Espero will be honored for his leadership in the Hawai`i state Senate.

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KA`U SCENIC BYWAY COMMITTEE met Monday and announced that it supports the goals and missions of Ho`omalu Ka`u, which is planning to build the Heritage Center of Ka`u on a lot near Manuka State Reserve. “There are strong links with the Byway program,” said committee chair Dennis Elwell.
The committee also decided to focus on placement of kiosks to provide information to travelers on their visits to Ka`u. Each kiosk would cost about $5,000, and the committee hopes to receive some funding through the County Council.
An upcoming article in AAA Magazine on Hawai`i’s Byways will feature photos by Ka`u photographer Peter Anderson.
Richard Morrow is taking over as chair of the committee, allowing Elwell to care for his ailing wife, Marge.
The Byway Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 7 at 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church Hall.

For information about Ka`u Scenic Byway, see hawaiiscenicbyways.org and click on Slopes of Mauna Loa.

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Ka`u science teachers can learn from Dr. Marv Lang how to create fun with science.
Photo from Shaun Chillingworth

KA`U SCIENCE TEACHERS ARE INVITED to a hands-on chemical demonstration workshop at Kamehameha Schools Hawai`i campus in Kea`au, when two nationally recognized professors from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point show how teachers can create fun with science.

Dr. Marv Lang and Dr. Donald Showalter have both been awarded the American Chemical Society Helen M. Free award for public education. They have been featured on television programs like Newton’s Apple and the World of Chemistry.
The workshop is a fun, engaging professional development opportunity and a chance for teachers to network with one another, said teacher Joel Truesdell. “Our goal is to create a larger network of science teachers here on Hawai`i island so that we can continue to collaborate and idea share throughout the year.”
The workshop takes place Saturday, March 29 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Keawe Dining Hall. All attendees receive a handbook of demonstrations that are good for all ages.
Interested teachers should email jotruesd@ksbe.edu or call 808-220-9539 to register. The workshop is limited to 30 participants.

State Ag Department chief
Scott Enright

FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND THE PUBLIC with interest in Ka`u’s agricultural future are invited to attend Ka`u Farm Bureau’s annual meeting tomorrow at Pahala Community Center at 6 p.m. Membership in the Farm Bureau is not required. The meeting is a potluck event.

State Agriculture Department chief Scott Enright and county Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth will speak at the event.

Election of officers for the rest of the 2014 term, which ends Aug. 31, will also take place.
For more information, call current Ka`u Farm Bureau president Chris Manfredi at 929-9550.

AKAUNU HULA ENSEMBLE with Kumu Hula Manaiakalani Kalua presents a hula kahiko informance Saturday at 10:30 a.m. on the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Shadow Man, by Greg Ruhland, won first place in the Beginners'
Division at last year's Hawai`i Photo Expo.

DIGITAL SUBMISSIONS FOR HAWAI`I PHOTO EXPO 2014 are due this Sunday, March 16. The expo takes place at Wailoa Center in Hilo from June 7 to June 25.

See hawaiiphotoexpo.com for fees, prizes, rules and entry forms.

HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL HOLD a community meeting at noon on Tuesday, March 18, at Na`alehu Community Center. Ka`u residents are invited to meet the Police Department’s command staff and to discuss concerns with the police chief and commanders who oversee police operations in Ka`u.
Those interested in participating but unable to attend may call Captain Burt Shimabukuro at 939-2520, stop by the Ka`u Police Station in Na`alehu or e-mail their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com.

LITTLE FIRE ANTS ARE THE SUBJECT of a community meeting a week from today on Wednesday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Hawai`i Ant Lab personnel will provide information about the ants and discuss methods of control.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

All supporters of Ka`u agriculture are invited to Ka`u Farm Bureau's annual potluck meeting today at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

THE GREAT CRACK is listed as an item in the Green Book, the federal budget for 2015 proposed by Pres. Barack Obama and the administration. The 1,900-acre purchase by the National Park System would include the Great Crack lands between Pahala and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The acquisition effort is supported by a national organization called the Partnership for the National Trail System, which is comprised of numerous nonprofit groups. The trail advocates have made the Great Crack purchase one of their priorities, and Ala Kahakai Trail Association board member Kalani Souza and Ala Kahakai archaeologist Rick Gmirkin attended the Partnership for the National Trail System and American Hiking Society’s annual Washington, D.C. event in February called Hike the Hill.

The Great Crack Photo courtesy of NASA

The Great Crack and other such purchases are often made through a federal land and water conservation fund. The Great Crack is described as up to 17 miles long, up to 60 feet deep and 50 feet wide with caves up to 600 feet deep.
Negotiations have been on and off for more than 15 years between Ken Fujiyama, who owns the parcel under his Hawai`i Outdoor Tours company, and the National Park Service.

Ala Kahakai Trail near Punalu`u.
Photo by Barbara A. Schaefer

Approximately half of Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is located in Ka`u and lands extending to the east border of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Ala Kahakai is a trail network of cultural and historical significance, traversing through hundreds of ancient Hawaiian settlement sites and more than 200 ahupua`a. Aric Arakaki is the superintendent of Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, which was established by Congress in 2000. The system’s mission is to work with landowners and communities to conserve surviving elements of the ancient ala loa, historic trails that developed on or parallel to the traditional routes post-contact (1778). It also includes more recent pathways and roads that created links between these ancient and historic segments. Trails run lateral to the shoreline within the trail corridor and mauka-makai. Ala Kahakai runs from Puna side of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park into Ka`u, along the coast, across the Great Crack, continuing below Pahala and Na`alehu and around Ka Lae, South Point, and up the west coast of Ka`u, through South Kona, Kona, North Kona and Kohala to Upolu Point. The comprehensive management plan can be read online at nps.gov/alka/parkmgmt/upload/ALKA_CMP_low-resolution.pdf.

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LAWMAKERS FROM HAWAI`I ARE GETTING SUPPORT from those in Alaska and U.S. territories in asking the U.S. government for relief from the Jones Act, which allows only ships made in the United States and flying the country’s flags to deliver goods between U.S. ports.
Because of the act, ships carrying goods from China, for example, are not permitted to stop in Hawai`i on their way to mainland ports. After being unloaded there, the goods must then be shipped to Hawai`i, driving up costs.
“All of our areas are specifically impacted by the Jones Act,” said Hawai`i state Sen. Sam Slom in an Associated Press story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. “It is now known that the Hawaiian cost of living, primarily because of our additional shipping cost and because of the Jones Act, are now 49 percent higher than the U.S. mainland. And this is becoming unbearable. It’s difficult for individuals. It’s difficult for families. It’s difficult for small businesses as well.”

Rep. Richard Creagan

The Puerto Rico Senate passed a resolution calling for an investigation of the economic impact of the Jones Act, Puerto Rico Sen. Rossana Lopez Leon said.
Alaska state Sen. Fred Dyson said, “The general population is utterly ignorant of either the Jones Act or its implications for us. We have a job to do to explain what the savings would be.”
Both houses of the Hawai`i Legislature have introduced resolutions calling for limited exemption from the Jones Act by the U.S. Congress. Along with Sen. Slom’s resolutions, Ka`u’s Rep. Richard Creagan was among a group who introduced HR 113 and HCR 153, which note that the Act “disproportionately imposes an economic burden on and adversely affects Hawai`i.”
The resolutions also refute the claim that the Jones Act is necessary to national defense or effective in protecting the U.S. shipbuilding industry. According to the AP story, the American Maritime Partnership, a coalition that represents vessel owners and operators, unions, equipment yards and vendors, says the Jones Act is critical for economic and security reasons. It says the domestic maritime industry is responsible for nearly 500,000 jobs and more than $100 billion in annual economic output.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I PUBLIC ACCESS, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission invites Ka`u residents to propose properties that should be purchased and preserved for open space.

Hawai`i County used PONC funds, among others, to purchase Kawa.
Photo by Julia Neal

Suggestions are due by June 30 and may be included in the commission’s annual prioritized list and report to the mayor.
Commissioners review suggestions and consider the significant factors of each property, such as historic and culturally important features; opportunities for outdoor recreation and education; public access to beaches or mountains; preservation of forests, beaches, coastal areas and natural beauty; protection of natural resources and watershed lands; potential partners for management; and the general benefits to the public.
Potential acquisitions are then prioritized and listed in a report that is sent to the mayor at the end of each year. The mayor then forwards his recommendations to Hawai`i County Council, which adopts resolutions to authorize property purchases.
Past open space purchases total 1,249 acres, including Kawa oceanfront parcels. PONC funds are derived from two percent of Hawai`i County’s annual real property tax revenues. The county has also been able to obtain more than $7.5 million in matching funds and donations from other sources to help purchase open space properties. A maintenance fund has also been established to maintain properties that are acquired with PONC funds.
Forms to suggest properties can be downloaded from the County of Hawai`i website, hawaiicounty.gov/boards-and-commissions, or obtained at 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1101 in Hilo.
For further information, contact Alexandra Kelepolo, of County of Hawai`i Property Management Division, at 961-8069.

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KA`U FARM BUREAU’S ANNUAL MEETING takes place today at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. The public is invited to the potluck event. Membership in the Farm Bureau is not required.

Speakers are state Agriculture Department chief Scott Enright and county Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth.

For more information, call current Ka`u Farm Bureau president Chris Manfredi at 929-9550.

KA`U GROWN COFFEE AND MACADAMIA NUTS will be celebrated at the grand opening of Big Island Trading Company tomorrow in Hilo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is located at 1672 Kamehameha Ave., just around the corner from Hwy 11 and Ken’s House of Pancakes. The location is a former Volvo dealership with two buildings, one for retail and one with a coffee shop and lots of outdoor seating. Owned by a hui led by Ed Olson, the business features products from Ka`u Coffee Mill, Hamakua Macadamia Nut Co., which sources much of its macadamia from Ka`u, OK Farms and other local sources. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

The company logo was designed here in Ka`u by Local Productions and Tanya Ibarra.

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Kumu hula Manaiakalani Kalua
Photo from geocities.ws

AKAUNU HULA ENSEMBLE with kumu hula Manaiakalani Kalua presents a hula kahiko informance tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. on the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

DIGITAL SUBMISSIONS FOR HAWAI`I PHOTO EXPO 2014 are due this Sunday, March 16. The expo takes place at Wailoa Center in Hilo from June 7 to June 25.
See hawaiiphotoexpo.com for fees, prizes, rules and entry forms.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK celebrate their first annual St. Patrick’s Day Eve BBQ Fundraiser at the Hilo Coffee Mill in Mountain View Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tickets are $45 for BBQ and entertainment, or $50 for the above and one beer or wine.
For tickets, call 985-7373, see fhvnp.org or purchase at the door.

IN SPORTS, KA`U HIGH BOYS basketball players made the all-league team for Division II. Players nominated were Larry-Dan Al-Navarro, Alexis Alejo, Kehei Serrao and Brian Gascon.
Ka`u High boys volleyball teams won their matches playing Hawai`i Preparatory Academy Thursday night at home. Junior Varsity scores were 25-21, 14-25, 15-9. The Varsity team won in three straight sets, with scores 25-22, 25-15, 25-21. The next games for the Trojans will be at home Monday, Mar. 17, facing Pahoa. Junior Varsity game starts at 6 p.m.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park are ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a fundraiser BBQ tomorrow, on the eve of the holiday. Photo by Elizabeth Fien

KA`U HOSPITAL IS RECEIVING STATE FUNDS for several projects.

$201,000 goes toward repairs to address items discovered during renovations of the roof, doors, windows and air filtration and cooling systems. Also covered are hazardous material abatement and repairs before additional renovations begin.

Improvement projects at Ka`u Hospital are receiving state funding.
Photo by Julia Neal

$199,000 is for plumbing upgrades. Most of the hospital's pipes are more than 40 years old and require frequent repairs. In June, the hospital septic tanks were found to be corroding and posing a potential hazard to the integrity of the wastewater system. Funds are needed to finance the engineering assessment and repair the system; the remainder of the funds will be used to design the plumbing upgrade.
A $75,000 energy audit will determine cost-efficient ways to reduce energy usage and install energy-saving equipment such as variable frequency drives, controlling devices or programs, or modifying existing systems.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced release of the funds as more than $19.1 million for various capital improvement projects to upgrade and improve eight Hawai`i Health Systems Corporation facilities. “In addition to increasing safety and functionality, these projects ... will further stimulate our economy and generate more local jobs,” Abercrombie said.

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Ralph Gaston is the new Ka`u Farm Bureau president.

COFFEE MARKETER RALPH GASTON was voted president of Ka`u Farm Bureau last night. Gaston lives at Punalu`u mauka and works with award-winning Rusty’s Hawaiian 100 Percent Ka`u Coffee with famed Ka`u Coffee farmer Lorie Obra and partners Joan Obra and Miguel Meza.

The new Ka`u Farm Bureau board is comprised of four in the coffee industry, two ranchers and one small farmer.

Vice president is Brenda Iokepa Moses, who works in administration at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Treasurer is Lorie Obra, and secretary is Corrine Nelson, who has a farm with bananas and avocados off Lorenzo Road. Also a director is award-winning coffee farmer Willie Tabios, Kapapala rancher Lani Petrie and Kuahiwi rancher Michelle Galimba.

The board will serve through Aug. 31, 2014, the remainder of the Hawai`i Farm Bureau fiscal year. Statewide president of Hawai`i Farm Bureau is Chris Manfredi. Manfredi is a Ka`u Coffee marketer who has served as Ka`u Farm Bureau president since the local bureau’s inception when he was land manager of the approximately 400 acres where most of the award-winning Ka`u Coffee growers leased land after Ka`u sugar company closed in 1996.

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State Ag chief Scott Enright spoke at yesterday's
Ka`u Farm Bureau meeting.

STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE CHAIR SCOTT ENRIGHT addressed Ka`u Farm Bureau and the public last night, asking for those interested in agriculture to become more involved in the political system to garner support. He said the state Department of Agriculture budget is only “point four-four percent,” less than one percent of the state budget. He noted, however, that Ka`u is represented in government and in agricultural organizations, with rancher Michelle Galimba, a Farm Bureau board member, about to begin a second four-year term on the state Board of Agriculture. He also noted that Chris Manfredi is the new president of the statewide Hawai`i Farm Bureau and urged Ka`u residents to address Manfredi or Galimba with concerns and ideas about agriculture.

Sara Witt asked Enright about the policy of the state Department of Agriculture toward the `Aina Koa Pono biofuels and refinery project that was planned for Ka`u and turned down twice by the state Public Utilities Commission. Enright said that “none of the biofuels projects have gotten any traction.” He said, however, that the specific AKP project is something that the Department of Agriculture would probably not weigh in on.
Regarding invasive species, Enright said that the Department of Agriculture is sorely lacking in funding to fight the pests that can destroy crops in Hawai`i. He said a study said it would take $50 million a year to make a big impact on the invasive species that have come into Hawai`i. However, he noted that the Ag Department is “in there for the long term” to fight the coffee berry borer that has already damaged Kona and Ka`u farms.

Enright vowed to fight the coffee berry borer.

Malian Lahey, who owns a farm in Wood Valley, advocated for permission from government for coffee farmers to grow their own Beauveria fungus strains to fight the coffee berry borer. Currently, federal regulations prevent the sale of the homegrown fungus. Manfredi said the Farm Bureau will look into the possibility of growing the fungus, manufacturing it and selling it to raise money to fight the berry borer.
Manfredi also said that the Farm Bureau will look into certification of organic produce.
Rick Warshauer asked whether Enright thought he could attract a bigger budget for the Department of Agriculture. Enright said that ag is “warm and fuzzy,” but not too many people press for more funding. However, he described Gov. Neil Abercrombie as supporting ag more than any governor he has known.” Nevertheless, he described his department as having a “beggar’s budget.”
Rep. Richard Creagan said there aren’t many members of the state House of Representatives who are into ag. “They just don’t get it. … Most of the juice over there is O`ahu-centric.”
Enright said that most people don’t understand ag. “They don’t know our narrative.” He said he wants to do a public campaign to educate the public on all that is grown in Hawai`i.
See more in tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs.

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Patricia McManaman

PATRICIA MCMANAMAN IS RETURNING AS DIRECTOR of the state Department of Human Services following a short leave of absence. “I’m happy to see Pat back in a position to build on the solid foundation she has built in the department,” Abercrombie said.

McManaman has served under the Abercrombie Administration since its inception in December 2010. A statement from the governor said McManaman “led the department during a difficult time due to the economic recession, when programs and funding were scaled down. Her leadership and innovation helped drive through these difficult times, and her passion and commitment moved the department forward as it improved services and expanded programs.”
Prior to her directorship position, McManaman practiced law in Hawai`i for more than 30 years, holding a variety of public interest legal positions.
She also served as a per diem judge in District Court and Family Court of the First Circuit for 17 years.
McManaman has received a variety of awards and recognition for her leadership in social and public health issues.

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DIGITAL SUBMISSIONS FOR HAWAI`I PHOTO EXPO 2014 are due Thursday, March 20. The juried exhibition and largest photography contest in the state offers an opportunity for students and novices as well as established professionals to showcase their best images. It takes place at Wailoa Center in Hilo from June 9 to June 25.

See hawaiiphotoexpo.com for fees, prizes, rules and entry forms.

Participants in tomorrow's Palm Trail Hike will enjoy one of the best
panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Photo from NPS

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK presents its Palm Trail Hike tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop trail traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone with one of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Participants discover how various plant and animal introductions altered this diverse ecosystem. See nps.gov/havo.

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR A FUNDRAISING DINNER to help keiki pay registration fees for Na`alehu and Pahala Summer Fun programs. The dinner takes place Friday, March 21 at Na`alehu Community Center and features teri-beef, rice, corn and bread for $7. Pick-up is from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The county planned to disband the programs in both locations until Nona Makuakane, of Pahala Community Center, suggested fundraising awards to help families pay for high registration fees. She enlisted Kathy Hashimoto and Leonora Hu, of Na`alehu Summer Fun, and Leina`ala Enos, of Queen Lili`uokalani Children’s Center, to see how they could solve the problem.
Interested parents or anyone who would like to help with the fundraiser by making a donation, selling tickets or helping prepare or serve are urged to call Pahala Community Center at 928-3102. Parents who help with the fundraiser will be guaranteed an award for their child to attend Summer Fun. The amount awarded will depend on the total received from the fundraisers.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK celebrate their first annual St. Patrick’s Day Eve BBQ Fundraiser at the Hilo Coffee Mill in Mountain View tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event will feature a BBQ ribs and chicken lunch, live music and other surprise entertainment. Door prizes include an overnight stay at the historic Volcano House, Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Circle of Fire & Waterfall tour for two, Body Glove Cruise for two, Umauma Zipline adventure for two, jewelry, art and much more.
Tickets are $45 for BBQ and entertainment, or $50 for the above and one beer or wine.
For tickets, call 985-7373, see fhvnp.org or purchase at the door.

HAWAII WILDLIFE FUND AND NATURAL AREA RESERVES teams invite volunteers to their annual Manuka Natural Area Reserve shoreline hiking cleanup in South Kona two weeks from today on Saturday, March 29. The region includes anchialine pools, rugged beaches and a couple of embayments.

“Every year, we are able to cover more ground and move further north along this rocky, remote shoreline,” said HWF coordinator Megan Lamson.
Space is limited. RSVP to Lamson at 769-7629 or kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Bis Island Dairy plans to milk 2,000 cows, and other dairies are expected to be opened on the island to replace those that shut down, like Na`alehu Dairy. Photo from Big Island Dairy

HAWAI`I STATE SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE held an informational briefing on Roundup, or glyphosate, Friday. Ka`u Sens. Josh Green, who chairs the committee, and Russell Ruderman called for the briefing because of growing concerns throughout the state about possible health impacts of the herbicide.

Sen. Josh Green

Testifiers reported that some county workers seen spraying the chemical along roadways were not wearing protective clothing and that the chemical drifted onto adjoining properties.
West Hawai`i Today reports a nutrition researcher saying a number of assumptions long held about glyphosate are now being questioned and that El Salvador and Sri Lanka, where the herbicide has been heavily used, have recently banned it.
According to reporter Erin Miller, Ruderman said the chemical has been largely used because of its reputation for safety, but science is now showing it may not be that safe. He cited some recent studies that possibly link increase in autism rates with increase in use of glyphosate.
See westhawaiitoday.com.

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Gloria Camba, on the right, is a board member
of Ka`u Farm Bureau. Photo by Julia Neal

FIVE COFFEE INDUSTRY representatives, one operator of a small diversified farm and one rancher are the new directors of Ka`u Farm Bureau. According to rancher and Ka`u Farm Bureau director Michelle Galimba, rancher Lani Petrie declined to become a board member, and Gloria Camba, co-owner of Ka`u Royal Coffee and president of the Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, was voted onto the board.

The other board members are president Ralph Gaston and treasurer Lorie Obra, both of Rusty’s Hawaiian 100 Percent Ka`u Coffee; Willie Tabios, of Rising Sun Coffee; Brenda Iokepa Moses, of Ka`u Coffee Mill; and small farmer Corrine Nelson. Farmer and rancher Phil Becker, who has served as vice president of Ka`u Farm Bureau, as well as agriculturalist and land manager John Cross, both were unable to attend the annual meeting and did not receive nominations to be directors from those who attended. However, Becker was nominated for president and came in second after Gaston. Obra and Gaston, who were also unable to attend the annual meeting, were nominated and voted into the president and treasurer positions.

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Hawai`i could become milk self-sufficient with new dairies like this one built
by Vance Construction in O`okala. Photo from Vance Construction

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY in Hawai`i will be revitalized, state Department of Agriculture chief Scott Enright said on Friday at the annual Ka`u Farm Bureau meeting. Enright predicted that Hawai`i will be “dairy self-sufficient” in five to ten years. He said that dairies will be viable in Hawai`i through growing feed locally, pointing to Big Island Dairy at O`okala on the Hamakua Coast. Big Island Dairy, owned by an Idaho dairyman, has been constructing an addition to its facility to create the largest commercial milk diary in Hawai`i, with production of 15,000 gallons a day by milking 2,000 cows. The number of dairies in Hawai`i dropped from about 40, including Na`alehu Dairy, to only two in recent years, with the cost of importing feed driving the operations out of business. Farms like Big Island Dairy would grow much of their own corn and other feed. According to Big Island Dairy, it has the potential of raising 63 percent of the feed locally.

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THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN ROLL COMMISSION reopens registration tomorrow, allowing more people to sign up by May 1 and participate in forming a Native Hawaiian government.
The move came in response to a request from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which announced last week that it will act as a neutral party and help facilitate election of delegates and staging of a Native Hawaiian convention after the roll is certified.

A preliminary list of registrants will be available for review from March 24 to April 4 at public libraries and Office of Hawaiian Affairs offices across the state, as well as other Hawaiian organizations.

People on the registry will then form a governing entity that could be recognized by the state and begin a government-to-government relationship.
According to the 2010 census, more than 527,000 people in the United States reported Native Hawaiian ancestry, including 290,000 living in Hawai`i.
People can register online or check their status at kanaiolowalu.org and hawaiianroll.org.

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AN OCEAN VIEW RESIDENT who was shot twice in the back last week remains hospitalized in critical condition, according to a story in West Hawai`i Today. The 37-year-old single father of three was shot by a 48-year-old man who then killed himself.
The victim’s mother told reporter Chelsea Jensen that her son is expected to undergo surgery tomorrow to relieve pressure on his lungs. He currently needs a ventilator to breathe.

See westhawaiitoday.com.

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Dr. Jill Murray

DR. JILL MURRAY, ONE OF THE NATION’S leading experts on teen dating abuse, will speak to Ka`u High School students on April 22. A representative from the Commission on the Status of Women stated that, because of Ka`u County Council member Brenda Ford’s awareness of the challenges facing teens, “she’s made a commitment to bring one of the nation’s finest speakers to her district in hopes to educate, strengthen, empower and provide insight and solutions regarding intimate partner violence.”

Murray has appeared on more than 350 television shows, including Oprah, 20/20, Montel, Dr. Phil, Good Morning America and several CNN Shows, speaking as the guest expert in the field of teen dating abuse. She has also appeared on more than 300 radio talk shows and has been interviewed by more than 250 newspapers and national magazines. Murray is the author of best-selling books, But I Love Him: Protecting Your Teen Daughter from Controlling, Abusive, Dating Relationships and Destructive Relationships: A Guide to Changing the Unhealthy Relationships in Your Life. Her newest book, But He Never Hit Me: The Devastating Cost of Non-Physical Abuse to Girls and Women, is on Amazon’s best-seller lists and won the prestigious Publisher’s Choice award.
Murray is expected to be on other school campuses during her week’s visit to the Big Island.
For more information, contact Ka`u High School counselor Laura Walker at 928-2088.
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KA`U JUNIOR TROJANS did excellent work at the recent county Parks & Recreation and Hershey’s track and field meets, according to coach Angie Miyashiro. “We brought home in total 12 medals and 18 ribbons. The athletes trained very hard and are still motivated to keep training. I am so very proud of them,” she said.

Ka`u track and field traveled to Kona for the first meet of the season, where Esteve Salmo took first place in boys long jump.

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ST. PATRICK’S DAY BUFFET IS AVAILABLE TOMORROW from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, lamb stew, chunky red potatoes, Irish green beans, steamed rice, tossed salad, ice cream sundae bar, brownies and a beverage cost $18 for adults and $9 for children six to 11 years old. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests; park entrance fees apply. 967-8356.

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. offers career programs Tuesday at Ka`u Resource and Distance Learning Center, 96-3126 Puahala Street in Pahala.
An informational meeting about Individualized Career Achievement Network, called iCAN, which is designed to help students improve in reading, writing, math and computer skills in preparation for new careers in the areas of agriculture, energy and healthcare, begins at 9 a.m.
Licensed Practical Nurse program prerequisites informational meeting takes place at 1 p.m. Those interested in applying for training must be at least 18 years of age.
Call 928-0101 to register.

HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT HOLDS a community meeting at noon Tuesday at Na`alehu Community Center.
Those interested in participating but unable to attend may call Captain Burt Shimabukuro at 939-2520, stop by the Ka`u Police Station in Na`alehu or e-mail their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com.

LITTLE FIRE ANTS ARE THE SUBJECT of a community meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Hawai`i Ant Lab personnel will provide information about the ants and discuss methods of control.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Brenda Iokepa-Moses and Lou Daniele represented Ka`u Coffee Mill at the grand opening of Big Island Trading Co. in Hilo.
Photo by Tammy Spaar

THE STATE HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES Agriculture Committee is today holding a hearing on several bills that have passed in the Senate. Ka`u’s Rep. Richard Onishi is vice chair of the committee.

SB2913 SD1 specifies false labeling restrictions for the offense of false labeling of Hawai`i-grown coffee. It also applies the labeling of natural, roasted and instant coffees to the offense and defines natural coffee, roasted coffee and instant coffee.
SB2920 SD2 would establish a little fire ant pilot project in Hawai`i County to research solutions for addressing threats from the invasive species in the state.

Rep. Richard Onishi

SB2343 would appropriate funds to the Hawai`i Invasive Species Council for invasive species prevention, control, outreach, research and planning.
SB 2293 SD1 would appropriate funds to reimburse qualified producers for a percentage of each farm’s feed expenses. It would also provide moneys for the administrative costs of the livestock revitalization program.

SB2775 SD1 would permit solar energy facilities on class A agricultural lands if the solar energy facilities are located on a paved or unpaved road that is established by December 31, 2013, and the road allows for vehicular traffic.
SB2296 SD2 would authorize the Department of Agriculture to select qualified applicants as back-up lessees when disposing of certain agricultural or non-agricultural park lands through the sealed bidding process. It also would authorize the department to negotiate with a back-up lessee if the highest offering bidder or lessee fails to finalize a lease with the department for any reason. It conforms eligibility criteria for lessees of agricultural parks lands with that of lessees of non-agricultural park lands.

These and other bills an be tracked at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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Richard Ha

HAWAI`I STATE SENATE is considering the gubernatorial nomination of Richard Ha to the Board of Agriculture for a term to expire June 30, 2018.

Ha is owner of Hamakua Springs County Farms. He supports food and energy self-sufficiency on Hawai`i Island, advocating for geothermal energy to reduce the cost of electricity and the use of genetically modified organisms as a valuable tool for farmers.

Public testimony is welcomed at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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NEW KA`U FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT Ralph Gaston, who has helped bring Rusty’s Hawaiian Coffee to the international market, said last night that he is “honored to be chosen as president of the Ka`u Farm Bureau by my fellow members. For the past five years, the Ka`u Farm Bureau has grown into a strong voice for agriculture in the Ka`u District, and I plan to do my part to carry on that tradition. I look forward to working with the board members, directors, and all members to help support and grow the agricultural community here in Ka`u.”

Gaston was born in Syracuse, NY and received a master’s in journalism from University of California. He began a career in TV sports broadcasting, starting in Clarksburg, WV and moving to Fresno, CA where he worked at the NBC affiliate for almost seven year. In late 2010, he and his wife Joan decided to make their career change, moving to the Big Island in March 2011 to assist their mother, Lorie Obra, with operations at Rusty’s Hawaiian Coffee. They teamed up with Miguel Meza to form a new company, Island Custom Coffees, which has been in operation for nearly three years. Gaston handles finance and logistics for Island Custom Coffees and helps with shipping, logistics and processing for Rusty’s Hawaiian. Gaston can be reached at 519-395-5838.

Brenda Iokepa-Moses

The new vice president for Ka`u Farm Bureau is Brenda Iokepa-Moses. Iokepa-Moses grew up in Leavenworth, Kansas. She started her career in land management with C. Brewer as the Ka`u sugar company shut down in 1996. Along with John Cross, she helped to organize the Brewer long-term leases for displaced sugar workers who were to become the Ka`u Coffee farmers. She later worked for the management company for the new owners of the coffee lands, under Chris Manfredi, and transferred to the Olson Trust to work again with John Cross for Ka`u Farms Management. Her work includes helping to lease Olson lands to small coffee and diversified farmers. Iokepa-Moses said she also works in the back house of Ka`u Coffee Mill with the international sales of green beans. She has lived in Pahala for more than 20 years and retired from the U.S. Army Reserves “with 21 years of honorable service to my country,” she said.

A volunteer for many ag-related organizations over the years, she is chair of the Ka`u Soil & Water Conservation District, president of the Hawai`i Association of Conservation Districts and serves on the Water Board for County of Hawai`i, District 6, which covers the south end of the island from Volcano through Pahala, Na`alehu, Ocean View and Miloli`i, north past Kona Hospital, Keopuka Kai and Hokulia Golf Course. Iokepa-Moses also helps to raise money for local youth volleyball competition and has volunteered for the Ka`u Coffee Festival since its inception. Iokepa-Moses can be reached at 928-0550.

John Masters won in the Most Patriotic category in last year's Na`alehu
Independence Day Parade. Sign-ups for this year have already begun.
Photo by Julia Neal

See tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs covering comments by Hawai`i County Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth and Ka`u Police Captain Burt Shimabukuro who both spoke at the Ka`u Farm Bureau annual meeting last Friday. Shimabukuro will meet the public at tomorrow’s Police Department community meeting at noon at Na`alehu Community Center.

THE NA`ALEHU INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE is organizing for Saturday, June 28 at 11 a.m. Under the sponsorship of `O Ka`u Kakou, organizer Debra McIntosh is calling for participants, volunteers and donations. She can be reached at 929-9872. Lee McIntosh, chair of the Parade Committee, said that prizes will be awarded for the most colorful entry and the most patriotic entry. For more information see okaukakou.org.

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KA`U COFFEE was featured at the grand opening of Big Island Trading Co. last weekend. The establishment near Ken’s House of Pancakes in Hilo drew several hundred people to the coffee house where pure, blended, hot and iced local coffee drinks are offered, and the store featuring coffee, macadamia and other local products.

Breaching Teaching won a prize at an Alaska ice-carving
contest. Photo from Larry and Janet Johnson

Edmund C. Olson Trust opened the facility. Ed Olson said he looks forward to the community coming to Big Island Trading to meet friends and business associates and to enjoy Hilo and Ka`u coffee as well as to purchase gifts and local food products from Hamakua Macadamia Nut Co., which processes Ka`u macadamia; Olson & Keolanui – OK Farms; Ka`u Coffee Mill and others.

Representing Ka`u Coffee Mill at the grand opening were Brenda Iokepa-Moses, Louis Danielle, Kalikoweo Keolanui-Daniele and John Cross.

The location features wi-fi and covered outdoor seating. General manager is Kim Ciez. Hours for the coffee house are 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily. Hours for the store are 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily.

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A DIFFERENT TAKE ON WHALES is captured by part-time Ka`u residents Larry and Janet Johnson. They often volunteer to count whales along the Ka`u coast and recently returned to their other home in Alaska and came across these whales. Wrote Larry Johnson: “We may be hundreds of miles from the ocean, but we still have winter whales. Every year in late February and early March we have a world-renowned ice-carving festival where carvers from much of the world, including Thailand as well as Russia, China, Japan and Mongolia, come to do amazing things with our unusually thick and clear ice. This is one of the prize winners, called Breaching Teaching. Enjoy a taste of the Subarctic.”

The final humpback whale count for Ka`u this year, sponsored by National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, is on Saturday, March 29.
Volunteers can sign up to participate at sanctuaryoceancount.org.

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Controlling little fire ants is the topic of a meeting Wednesday.

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. offers career programs tomorow at Ka`u Resource and Distance Learning Center, 96-3126 Puahala Street in Pahala.

An informational meeting about Individualized Career Achievement Network, called iCAN, begins at 9 a.m.
Licensed Practical Nurse program prerequisites informational meeting takes place at 1 p.m. Those interested in applying for training must be at least 18 years of age.
Call 928-0101 to register.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT’S community meeting at noon tomorrow at Na`alehu Community Center. Those interested in participating but unable to attend may call Captain Burt Shimabukuro at 939-2520, stop by the Ka`u Police Station in Na`alehu or e-mail their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com.

HAWAI`I ANT LAB PERSONNEL PROVIDE information about little fire ants and discuss methods of control during a community meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

Ben Ka`ili performs Wednesday. NPS photo by Jay Robinson

HAWAIIAN MUSICIAN BEN KA`ILI performs Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

Ka`ili has dedicated his life to playing and promoting Hawaiian music. He has shared Hawaiian music at festivals, including the park’s 33rd annual cultural festival last July, and through concerts and performances for more than 20 years. Born on the Island of Hawai`i, Ka`ili started playing Hawaiian music at eight years old with his `ohana, including his uncle, George Lanakilakeikiahiali`i Na`ope. This free concert is part of Hawai`i Volcanoes’ ongoing Na Leo Manu: Heavenly Voices presentations. Park entrance fees apply.

Nape Above Silver, by Bradley Westervelt, won third place in the enthusiast division at last year's Hawai`i Photo Expo. The deadline to enter this year's expo is Thursday, March 20. Photo from Hawai`i Photo Expo

STOLEN AND FALSELY LABELED coffee that comes from Ka`u damages the industry, said County of Hawai`i Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth. He told the public attending the Ka`u Farm Bureau annual meeting last Friday that “every coffee that gets sold but not as Ka`u coffee takes away” from the Ka`u economy and the building of the coffee’s reputation. Regarding ag programs and policing to defend and grow Ka`u coffee, Roth said, “We are unique. We need to be funded. We have only one product left that we compete with internationally at the top level. We have the top-tasting coffee in the world. We used to have sugar and pineapple,” he recalled.

Mitch Roth

When only five people in the state House say they are affected by agriculture, “Ask them, ‘Do your kids drink milk? How many eat salad? How many people drink coffee?’”

“Why do state schools not use lettuce or other food grown here?” Roth asked.

Roth said the state needs to provide more funding to fight coffee counterfeiting, since some Ka`u coffee is being sold under other names and some other coffees may be sold as Ka`u, illegally. Coffee counterfeiting is a felony, Roth said. The county prosecutor would like to have an investigator for ag theft. The police department wants to help more, he said. The state Department of Agriculture is underfunded to police coffee, he noted.
He said such improvements need voices of support. At the state Legislature, “If everybody in this room sent in support, the bill would move,” said Roth.
Community policing can also help, he noted, telling the story of rambutan farmers reporting stolen rambutan at a farmers market. “How did the farmers know? Because the rambutan was being sold at a price lower than cost of production,” said Roth.

He reminded farmers that the law requires those selling produce to document where it comes from.
He also talked about the overall need for more police officers. On O`ahu, there are 2,000 police officers for a territory the same size as Ka`u. On any one shift, Ka`u has two police officers.
Coffee farmer Trinidad Marques said, “It is the root of the problem that causes all the theft.” Roth talked about the need for more youth and family support programs to bring people out of poverty and abuse.

KA`U POLICE CAPTAIN Capt. Shimabukuro told Ka`u Farm Bureau members that he grew up on farm. “I would hate to see you work so hard and have crops stolen,” he said.
He encouraged the farmers to report crimes, saying “We need witnesses.”

Brenda Iokepa-Moses, the new vice president of Ka`u Farm Bureau, said that communication between police and the community is not good. She said that documenting farm theft, knowing the identity of thieves and reporting, even with video, have put her at risk. She said the thieves “laugh at me.” She encouraged the police force to talk to suspects and let them know they are being watched and that one day they will be caught with the evidence that will put them away.
Rancher Lani Petrie asked for a workshop “so we who work the land can learn how to gather evidence.” Shimabukuro said he would work on it.

Crews cleared lava rock and debris created by a landslide on Chain of Craters Road.
NPS Photo by Jessica Ferracane

County Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth said police officers are a lot better in this arena than they were a few years ago.
Statewide Hawai`i Farm Bureau president Chris Manfredi asked, “How do you prevent fear of people reporting and fear of retribution?” Shimabukuro said, “We have to work together.”
Famed coffee grower Willie Tabios, of Rising Sun Coffee, said he has been a victim. Ka`u Royal Coffee farmer Gloria Camba said she has been a victim. She said she heard that stolen Ka`u Coffee was sold in Ocean View.
Miles Mayne, the new owner of McCall’s Flower Farm and now coffee farm in Wood Valley, asked, “Who is buying from these people?”
John Replogle, of The Nature Conservancy, said that camera technology has improved with night vision cameras that are used by hunters. He said they are affordable and can send images to the owner and perhaps even to police.

A LANDSLIDE CLOSED A SECTION of Chain of Craters Road in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park below Kealakomo on Sunday. Road crews used a backhoe and dump truck to clear large boulders and slabs of lava. Heavy equipment operator Herbert Botelho removed approximately 100 cubic yards of lava rock and debris from the roadway, and the road reopened at 3 p.m. Monday.
No one was hurt in the incident.

An owners' representative reports that the Nani Kahuku `Aina project is on hold.

THE NANI KAHUKU AINA DEVELOPMENT on 16,000 acres along the coast west of South Point is on hold but not withdrawn, according to a statement from the owners’ representative Michael Reyes. He responded to an email request from The Ka`u Calendar on whether there is any news on conservation efforts to preserve the Ka`u Coast land.

“There really isn’t anything material to report ever since the Draft EIS was filed with the county a couple of years ago,” Reyes wrote. “While we have not taken any affirmative steps to move this forward, we have not officially withdrawn the application, either. There are also no pending discussions with any federal or local government agency regarding the disposition of the property at this time. So basically, we are in a holding pattern and are treating the asset as a longer-term investment.”

Reyes was referred to the newspaper by Tom Schnell, AICP, senior associate with PBR Hawai`i, the planning firm in Honolulu that handled the Environmental Impact Statement for Nani Kahuku `Aina.

Apparently, some of the ownership has changed since the EIS was written. The plan was for hotels, golf courses and condominiums along the shoreline.

PROPOSED SUBDIVISION DETAILS would be confirmed by the county Planning director or representative if a bill passes the County Council requiring visitation to each proposed subdivision site. Bill 182 would require “a site visit of property (ies) affected by a proposed subdivision action to verify accuracy of information shown on the preliminary plat map or any omissions required by the Subdivision Code, and the site conditions that could result in deleterious effects to general welfare and health of the community,” states the agenda for the Leeward Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, April 3 at 9 a.m. at the Aupuni Center Conference Room in Hilo. The measure is proposed by the County Council.

Halau Leionalani's participation in last year's Lana`i cultural festival is airing
on Channel 54 this month.

HULA HALAU O LEIONALANI FROM KA`U is featured in a film about a cultural festival on Lana`i, which will air starting today on Channel 54. The film Lana`i will likely also be seen on Kaua`i, Lana`i and Maui, said the film’s producer and editor Wendell Kaehuaea. Since the festival, Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder and her husband Kawehi have moved to Pahala, where their family has purchased a home.

Air dates and times are Tuesday, March 18, 3 p.m.; Friday, March 21, 1 p.m.; Saturday, March 22, 8 p.m.; Monday, March 24, 9 p.m.; Friday, March 28, 10 p.m.; and Saturday, March 29, 10:30 p.m.
The halau meets on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Old Pahala Clubhouse on Maile Street.

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VOLCANO ART CENTER IS OFFERING free Spring Break Art classes for keiki in grades 2 – 5 this week at its Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Sessions take place from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. today through Thursday. The program is made possible through a grant from the Hawai`i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.
For more information, call 967-8222.

Items are being accepted tomorrow and Thursday for a rummage sale benefiting
Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Department. Photo from DHCA

DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION is accepting items for a rummage sale to support its volunteer fire department tomorrow and Thursday, March 19 and 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The rummage sale takes place Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale also features hot dog lunches for $5 on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Proceeds go toward the purchase of supplies not provided by the county.

HAWAI`I ANT LAB PERSONNEL PROVIDE information about little fire ants and discuss methods of control during a community meeting tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

HAWAIIAN MUSICIAN BEN KA`ILI offers a free concert tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Park entrance fees apply.

THURSDAY IS THE DEADLINE TO ENTER the 2014 Hawai`i Photo Expo, the state's premier photo contest, with categories for beginners, enthusiasts and masters. For more information, see hawaiiphotoexpo.com.

Ka`u Red Hat Ladies and Ka Lae Quilters celebrated ten years of fundraising for Ka`u Hospital yesterday, with the latest effort providing $12,500 for the emergency room. Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS BEWARE of another pest from Kona. The latest is the emaravirus that turned some Kona Coffee berries into raisins and made them unmarketable. In January, a coffee farmer in the Captain Cook area of South Kona sent Coffea arabica leaf samples to Dr. Scot Nelson, plant pathologist with UH-CTAHR.

Emaravirus on coffee leaves. Photo by Scot Nelson

Andrea Kawabata, Hawai`i County agent, UH-CTAHR, and Dr. Michael Melzer, a plant pathologist, UH-CTAHR, visited the farm in February and learned that the grower first noticed that no cherries could be harvested from these plants and that leaves were covered with circular lesions about five millimeters in diameter. Berries had turned to “raisins,” but Melzer and Kawabata surmised that coffee pickers did not harvest the berries because the berries were small or deformed. The coffee farmer had two locations at the farm with affected plants, and Melzer and Kawabata could see some symptomatic plants across a fence at the neighboring coffee farm.

Emaraviruses are transmitted by eriophyid mites, which can disperse on wind currents. If this virus is the causal agent, it has the potential to move through a field rather quickly. A statement from Meltzer and Kawabata says, “We doubt the disease will kill any coffee trees, but if it makes the berries unmarketable, the tree essentially becomes an ornamental plant only.”
Citizen scientists are encouraged to help determine the geographic range of the symptoms. Contact Nelson at snelson@hawaii.edu. The farmer has destroyed the symptomatic trees at the reporting farm. Neem oil may be the most effective miticide registered for application to coffee in Hawai`i, according to CTAHR.
The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture has been contacted and expressed interest in survey, risk assessment and eradication of diseased plants, the CTAHR statement said.

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Dennis Kamakahi shares his music with a free concert each November as part of the
annual Kahumoku workshop at Pahala Plantation House. Photo by Julia Neal

DENNIS KAMAKAHI’S SPIRITUALITY and faith are front and center as he shares his journey through lung cancer treatment with the community on Facebook. Within two hours of Kamakahi giving this morning’s update on Facebook from his room in Queen’s Hospital, almost 300 people sent him uplifting messages. Kamakahi is a Christian minister.

Kamakahi, the composer of more than 500 songs and master of slack key guitar, music composition and harmonica, spends a week each November in Pahala, where he teaches local youth on scholarships and adults from around the world and provides the community with a free concert with his friends George and Keoki Kahumoku, Sonny Lim, John and Hope Keawe and many more. He says each year when he is here that his long-term plan is to move to Ka`u, where his wife grew up, and that he plans to set up a recording studio.
Many of Kamakahi’s songs are standards of Hawaiian music. He composed Wahine `Ilikea, Pua Hone and Koke`e. He earns Na Hoku Hanohano Awards and brought home three Grammy awards. Formerly one of The Sons of Hawai`i, Kamakahi has a Hawai`i Music Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame. Kamakahi is the first modern Hawaiian music composer with his six-string slack key guitar, albums, sheet music and personal photographs welcomed into the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s permanent collection.   His music is featured in films, including Lilo & Stitch 2 and the Oscar-nominated soundtrack from The Descendants.

Ka`u Police Captain Burt Shimabukuro
Photo by Ron Johnson

Friends and family will host a benefit concert, dinner and silent auction on the 60-year-old Kamakahi’s birthday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m. at Willows Restaurant in Honolulu. Pakele Live! will stream the celebration at new.livestream.com/pakele. Admission to the event is free. Musicians will include Ledward Ka`apana and Mike Kaawa, Keawe Ohana, Herb Ohta, Jr., Danny Carvalho, Maunalua, Stephen Inglis, Waipuna, Na Hoa, Kupaoa, Raiatea Helm, Bryan Tolentino, Nathan Aweau and special guests. Ben Gutierrez, of Hawai`i News Now, will host. To donate, see teamdenniskamakahi.com.

Kamahaki’s son David said,   “Our dad is a man of tremendous faith. We continue to pray for his full recovery and ask others to do the same. We are daily witnesses to how the kindness and concern of friends, family and fans give him strength in his battle. We are humbled and endlessly grateful by the outpouring of support from fans around the world.
Kamakahi announced his diagnosis last week on Facebook. George Kahumoku, Jr. has organized a five-day prayer vigil and fast.
Robin Gomes, son of musicians Phoebe and Bobby Gomes in Pahala, posted: “God gave us all talents and purpose, not for us to keep, but to share and help others. There’s a purpose in this journey you’ve been called upon. You are touching many lives. Continue to inspire us, Hawaiian.”

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HAWAI`I COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT met with approximately 30 Ka`u residents yesterday. Deputy Police Chief Paul Ferreira led the meeting, with Ka`u Captain Burt Shimabukuro, Ka`u police and other officers from Area II Operations Bureau on hand to answer questions from the public.

Many residents thanked the small Ka`u Police Department staff for the good work they do. “They are always there when I ask for help,” said one resident.
Ferreira and other officers stressed the importance of community policing, acknowledging that “we need the community’s help.” He said he wants to prevent crime by working together as a group, being proactive and having officers out in the field.
See more on the meeting in tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs.

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Toni Beck, seated, with Ka`u High A.D. Kalei Namohala;
Sharon, Jami and James Beck; and Pilipa`a coach
Chris Leonard. Photo from KHPES

A $12,500 CHECK TO KA`U HOSPITAL came from the Red Hat Ladies of Ka`u and Ka Lae Quilters at a presentation yesterday to Ka`u Hospital. Over the past decade the two community groups have raised over $100,000 for the hospital, in particular for equipment for the emergency room. “Anyone looking at the technology in the ER can see the work of these volunteers,” said Ka`u Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris.

Queen Bee of the Hatters, Barbara Beatty, said the group plans to take a break from the fundraising after many years of work and invites new volunteers to help out with the work of supporting the local hospital. Her phone number is 929-9072.
Ron Ebert, of `O Ka`u Kakou, said that OKK is willing to take over for the Red Hats and Ka Lae Quilters. Also raising money for the ER is a group of golfers who presented a check for $1,400 and has raised over $50,000 in the last six years.
Ka`u Hospital medical director and ER physician Cliff Fields also thanked the volunteers.

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KA`U HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL STANDOUT Toni Beck has accepted a scholarship offer to play volleyball at Briar Cliff University. Beck signed a letter of intent and will join head coach Trevor Schirman’s Chargers in Iowa next fall, where she plans to pursue a nursing degree.

Pilipa`a 18 Club coach Chris Leonard was instrumental in helping Toni receive a scholarship. Leonard played with Schirman while at Punahou and coaches Beck with Pilipa`a 18.
“We congratulate Toni on her scholarship,” said Ka`u High athletic director Kalei Namohala. “We know she will be a valuable asset to her new team. She will become a Charger, but her roots will always be with our Ka`u Trojans. We wish her well with her future endeavors.”

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Curious Colt, by Christina Shirley, won a People's
Choice award last year's Hawai`i Photo Expo.
Photo from Hawai`i Photo Expo

KA`U VARSITY WAHINE SOFTBALL fell to the Kohala Cowgirls yesterday at Pahala ball field. Score was 2-24. Next game for the Wahine Trojans is on Friday, Mar. 21 at Pahoa at 3:30 p.m.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION is accepting items for a rummage sale to benefit its volunteer fire department today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The rummage sale takes place Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale also features hot dog lunches for $5 on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Proceeds go toward the purchase of supplies not provided by the county.

HAWAI`I ANT LAB PERSONNEL PROVIDE information about little fire ants and discuss methods of control during a community meeting today at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

TOMORROW AT 9 A.M. IS THE DEADLINE TO ENTER the 2014 Hawai`i Photo Expo, the state’s premier photo contest, with categories for beginners, enthusiasts and masters. See hawaiiphotoexpo.com.

KA`U AG WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meets tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Orchards field office in Pahala. For information, call Jeff McCall at 928-6456.

SUMMER FUN FUNDRAISING DINNER pick-up is Friday from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Dinners include teri-beef, rice, corn and bread for $7. Call 928-3102.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

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