The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Basking and resting sea turtles, like these at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach, are protected and must be viewed from a distance of six to 10 feet, according to the Department of Land & Natural Resources. Photo by William Neal

PUBLIC INPUT FROM KA`U RESIDENTS is welcome on recommendations by Hawai`i State Ethics Commission regarding state legislators’ use of annual legislative allowances. The commission drafted recommendations in response to complaints from legislators regarding expenditures made by other legislators using state funds from their annual allowance accounts. Based on information provided by the Senate and House clerks, the commission concluded that “the majority of disbursements from the legislative allowance accounts appeared to be for expenses reasonably related to a legislator’s official duties. However, some disbursements, on their face, appeared to be personal in nature and unrelated to a legislator’s official duties.”

State Ethics Commission members are, from left, Ruth Tschumy, David O'Neal,
Susan DeGuzman, Cassandra Leolani Abdul and Edward Broglio.

In a letter to Senate Pres. Donna Mercado Kim and the House Speaker Joseph Souki, the commission’s staff identified several types of disbursements that appeared to raise concerns under the State Ethics Code and invited Senate and House leadership to provide input and comments to assist the commission in its review of the matter. Staff also conveyed the commission’s preference to offer general guidance to legislators regarding their use of the legislative allowance.
According to the commission, Kim and Souki replied to the commission that, “while they appreciated the commission’s concerns, the responsibility for monitoring the use of the legislative allowance, or sanctioning any misuse of the legislative allowance, rests with the Legislature.” Kim and Souki also wrote that the Legislature “would be reviewing its current guidelines to see if further clarification was needed on use of the allowance.”

State Sen. Pres. Donna
Mercado Kim

State House Speaker
Joseph Souki

The commission also said Kim and Souki have stated in letters that because the legislative allowance is established by the state Constitution, the Legislature is solely responsible for monitoring its usage and providing sanctions, if any, with regard to misuse.
“Consequently, the Legislature’s position appears to be that the Fair Treatment law does not apply to the use of the allowance; its use is solely within the discretion of the Legislature,” the commission stated.
The commission disagreed with this interpretation. It said, “Neither the constitutional provision nor the statutes establishing the legislative allowance contains any language stating that the Legislature is solely responsible for monitoring the use and sanctioning the misuse of the legislative allowance.”
According to the commission, the Fair Treatment law allows for expenses including office supplies, some parking and mileage, some membership dues and ceremonial lei.
Expenditures which do not appear to be reasonably related to a legislator’s official duties, and therefore not allowable, include political or charitable contributions, dry cleaning and many gifts.
The commission’s recommendations are posted on its website at ethics.hawaii.gov.
Testimony can be submitted by email to ethics@hawaiiethics.org or mailed to State Ethics Commission, Suite 970, American Savings Bank Tower, 1001 Bishop Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.
The recommendations and all public testimony will be considered by the commission at its Wednesday, June 18 meeting.

DLNR Chair William Aila, Jr.

HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES reminds the public to respect Hawai`i’s sea turtles by viewing these protected animals responsibly.
The two types of sea turtles most frequently observed in nearshore waters in Hawai`i are green sea turtles, or honu, and hawksbill sea turtles, or honu`ea.
“We ask for people’s help to ensure turtles are not disturbed, which is especially a concern at high-visitor use beaches,” said DLNR Chair William J. Aila, Jr. “We want to remind the community that all sea turtles are protected, and that both state and federal consequences apply to anyone harming green sea turtles.”
DLNR urges people to give honu basking on beaches space to allow them to rest undisturbed and suggests keeping a six- to 10-foot buffer as a best practice for sea turtle viewing.
The public is advised to not touch, pick up, restrain, jump over, straddle, pursue, ride, harass, harm or otherwise disturb these animals.
“In the water, turtles may appear friendly or curious; however, for your safety and theirs, please view them from a distance, act responsibly and never feed turtles,” Aila said. “A turtle that associates people with food can act aggressively and may bite.”
The green sea turtle is listed as threatened, and the hawksbill sea turtle is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Although green sea turtle populations are recovering, they still face threats, including destruction and alteration of nesting and feeding areas, incidental capture in commercial and recreational fisheries, entanglement in and ingestion of marine debris, poaching, disease, vessel strikes and climate change.
In Hawai`i, sea turtles are protected by the Hawai`i Revised Statutes (Chapter 195D) and Hawai`i Administrative Rules (13-124). Although federal and state wildlife conservation laws differ in some respects, all prohibit actions that can harm, injure, kill or otherwise disturb sea turtles without a permit. Feeding or touching turtles in any way is considered a disturbance and therefore illegal.
For more information, see hawaii.gov/dlnr and view a public service announcement at http://vimeo.com/63933154.
To report suspected violations, call the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement at 808-587-0077 or 643-DLNR.

Ka`u residents can take a course in Medical Terminology this summer.

SUMMER ONLINE AND HILO CLASSES ARE AVAILABLE for Ka`u residents. Professional development workshops are sponsored by University of Hawai`i at Hilo’s College of Continuing Education & Community Service.

CCECS and University of California-San Diego offer Medical Terminology workshops that cover terminology of health care delivery and medical record-keeping, medical research and other related topics. Classes are Mondays and Thursdays, June 16 – 26 at Hilo.
Introduction to Pharmacy College Admission Test is conducted online via Laulima through Aug. 15. It is available 24/7 after registration. The course is for pre-pharmacy students.
Certified Interpretive Host training June 26 – 27 in Hilo is a 16-hour course for receptionists, security officers, sales clerks, waiters and others. Training combines customer service with informal interpretation to help improve interaction with guests while achieving stewardship goals.
Participants are eligible for a 50 percent subsidy through the Employment and Training Funds must register in advance. To register and for more information, call CCECS at 974-7664. For class details and online registration, see hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/ccecs/courses.php.

SUNDAY IN THE PARK takes place this afternoon at Honu`apo. Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo’s event from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. features Darlyne Vierra discussing the history of Honu`apo Park and Ka`u and a hike led by John Replogle.

PEGGY STANTON TEACHES ACRYLIC PAINTING to all levels tomorrow and Monday, June 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Free for VAC members; $20 for nonmembers.
Email peggystanton007@yahoo.com for more information.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO Ka`u Scenic Byway Committee’s meeting tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church.
Email richmorrow@alohabroadband.net for more information.

A WALK INTO THE PAST presents Ka`u resident Dick Hershberger portraying Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas Jaggar. Performances take place Tuesday at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Participants meet at Kilauea Visitor Center. Free; park entrance fees apply.

KAPO`ENO`ONO`O: EARLY NATIVE HAWAIIAN SCHOLARS 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. Former park archivist Helen Wong Smith specializes in Hawaiian archival material. She explains how Native Hawaiian scholars straddled two cultures, how their efforts provide unadulterated knowledge of wa kaiko (ancient times) and how to access their publications online. Free; park entrance fees apply. $2 donations support After Dark programs.

THE SIXTH ANNUAL VOLCANO POTTERY SALE is coming up this Friday and Saturday. Fifteen Hawai`i Island potters participate on Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
For more information, see ryhpottery.com/volcano_pottery_sale or call Ron Hanatani at 985-8530.

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

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Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo founder John Replogle led a hike during yesterday's Sunday at the Park. Photo from Megan Lamson

PINK AND BABY BLUE BEACHES in the future? Beach pebbles and sand made from pieces of plastic – garbage in the ocean, ground down by wave after wave on the coastline? It is easy to imagine when visiting the Ka`u Coast for Hawai`i Wildlife Fund volunteer cleanups of Kamilo Beach where colorful plastics, from dish racks to fishing floats, wash ashore like confetti.

Plastic at Kamilo is becoming part of the geological record,
according to researchers. Photo from GSA Today

Scientists are documenting the possibility of plastic beaches, having found plasticized beach components at Kamilo on the Ka`u Coast. The plastics melt in the sun and in campfires, melding with beach sediment, fragments of lava, organic matter and other debris, then harden, the plastic becoming part of the geological record. The scientists call the new beach component, the new “stone,” a “plastiglomerate.”
The Algalita Marine Research Institute of California, led by Capt. Charles J. Moore, who discovered and publicized the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and has presented his book Plastic Ocean at Volcano Art Center, joined scientists at University of Western Ontario to publish their report in the Geological Society of America’s GSA Today journal this month. The article is entitled An Anthropogenic Marker Horizon in the Future Rock Record and notes that plastics can last hundreds of thousands of years and even longer if they wash back into the cool ocean or wind up buried in the sand, below the sunlight.
The scientists are Moore, Patricia Corcoran and Kelly Jazvac.

They concluded, “Our results indicate that this anthropogenically influenced material has great potential to form a marker horizon of human pollution, signaling the occurrence of the informal Anthropocene epoch,” which refers to the time period in which humans have had great impact on the environment.

See geosociety.org/gsatoday/archive/24/6/article/i1052-5173-24-6-4.htm.

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Ka`u artist Don Elwing created Peace at the Temple Bell from marine debris
collected at Kamilo Beach on the Ka`u Coast.

KA`U ECO-ARTIST DON ELWING, who raises awareness of plastic marine debris on Ka`u Coast by using it to create art, will display over 40 works on Saturday, June 28 in Na`alehu on the lawn at Ace Hardware, including his latest piece entitled Peace at the Temple Bell. Elwing plans to donate 30 percent of sales to Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, which sponsors Ka`u Coast Cleanups.

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MORE THAN $87.1 MILLION FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS is on its way to improve various schools across the state after Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s release of the funding. “In addition to investing in our educational infrastructure and the welfare of our keiki, these projects will create jobs in our growing construction industry,” Abercrombie said. “This is a wise investment of state funds.”
Design and construction funds to improve and maintain facilities and infrastructure amount to $36,461,000. DOE’s estimated backlog for repair and maintenance is now down to $265 million. These projects include general school building improvements, electrical upgrades, playground equipment repair and maintenance, and other school repairs and renovations.
$15,070,000 is earmarked for planning, design, construction and equipment funds for program support, including new/temporary facilities, improvements to existing facilities, ground and site improvements, equipment and appurtenances to schools, and for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and gender equity.

$14,900,000 goes to design, construction and equipment funds to improve instructional spaces such as science labs, special education classroom renovations and classrooms for classroom/learning environment parity. Projects also include energy improvements relating to heat abatement in classrooms.
$10,950,000 is for construction and equipment funds for projects at schools nearing their enrollment capacity or are short of classroom space.

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Darlyne Vierra shared photos and artifacts from Ka`u's and Honu`apo's past.
Photo from Megan Lamson

KA `OHANA O HONU`APO reached out to the public yesterday, which showed up about 50 strong. John Replogle, a founder of the organization who recently returned, led a hike and shared the history of the acquisition of more than 400 acres along the shore, creating a park from the old Whittington Pier to the lava flow east of Honu`apo.
During the event, Darlyne Vierra gave a presentation, sharing photos and artifacts from Ka`u’s and Honu`apo's past.
Among those attending were Hawai`i County Council District Six candidates Maile David and Richard Abbett.

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ENSURING THE SURVIVAL OF ONE OF THREE remaining native waterfowl species in Hawai`i is the goal of The Koloa Project, a joint effort of Department of Land & Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and University of Hawai`i Pacific Studies Cooperative Unit.

Crossbreeding or hybridization between Koloa maoli, Hawaiian duck, and the common mallard is the primary reason the endemic koloa is endangered, according to DLNR.

“The problem becomes distinguishing between koloa, feral mallards and hybrids in the field,” said Stephen Turnbull, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife koloa communications and outreach coordinator. “Though they look very similar to female mallards, with a trained eye you can detect some of their unique characteristics, and we’re working toward an identification key based upon genetic markers to further our conservation efforts.”

The Koloa Project's goal is to ensure the survival of one of Hawai`i's three
remaining waterfowl species. The others are the nene and Laysan duck.
Photo from DLNR

The koloa is small and similar in appearance to the mallard but more secretive and behaving differently. Present in the Hawaiian Islands for at least 100,000 years, the koloa is found from sea level to as high as 10,000 feet.
Crossbreeding with mallards began sometime in the late 1800s when the more common mallard was imported to Hawai`i for ornamental ponds, hunting and farming. USFWS has recommended removing feral mallard ducks as a critical step toward saving the Koloa from extinction.
“It is especially important to remind people who have ‘barnyard’ ducks not to release them into the wild,” said DLNR Chair William Aila, Jr. “This is the biggest factor affecting the decline of the koloa.”
One component of DLNR’s program to save the koloa is research to better identify the extent of the duck’s range on individual islands and determine how many native ducks remain versus hybridized ones. It’s believed fewer than 3,000 true koloa remain in the wild.
The mallard is on Hawai`i’s List of Restricted Animals for importation. It and all birds continue to be under a shipping embargo instituted in 2002 due to the threat of West Nile Virus. Despite these controls, mallards continue to reproduce and be sold in Hawai`i.
USFWS believes the combination of research and public education will give the koloa a high potential of recovery. Once feral mallards are removed, there is every chance the endemic Hawaiian duck will once again be a familiar sight throughout Hawai`i.
Advertisements to educate people about koloa will appear in newspapers across the state over the next year. In addition, DLNR is conducting an online survey to gauge public awareness of the koloa. The survey is available at surveymonkey.com/s/koloa or DLNR’s Facebook page, facebook.com/HawaiiDLNR. The first 200 people to complete the survey receive a custom-designed koloa T-shirt.

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Helen Wong Smith

KA`U RESIDENT DICK HERSHBERGER PORTRAYS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas Jaggar in A Walk into the Past. Held every other Tuesday, performances take place tomorrow at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Participants meet at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

FORMER HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK archivist Helen Wong Smith explains how Native Hawaiian scholars straddled two cultures, how their efforts provide unadulterated knowledge of wa kaiko (ancient times) and how to access their publications online tomorrow at After Dark in the Park. The free program begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park entrance fees apply. $2 donations support After Dark programs.

KUMU HULA MAMO BROWN DEMONSTRATES three different lei styles: wili, hipu`u, and hilo, using backyard foliage Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Memorial services are scheduled for the late Dennis Kamakahi.
Photo by Julia Neal

MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR DENNIS KAMAKAHI have been scheduled for Saturday, July 5 on O`ahu. A service will be held at 10 a.m. at Bernice Pauahi Bishop Memorial Chapel at Kamehameha Schools, with visitation starting at 8:30 a.m. A celebration of life will be held at noon on the Great Lawn at Bishop Museum.
The renowned slack-key guitar player and songwriter died of lung cancer April 28. He said he planned to retire to Ka`u, create a music studio and teach local youth and people from afar his skills in slack key, `ukulele, harmonica, singing and songwriting.
Kamakahi earned Na Hoku Hanohano Awards and brought home three Grammy awards. Formerly one of the Sons of Hawai`i, Kamakahi earned a Hawai`i Music Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame. Kamakahi was 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.

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

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A state climate adaptation committee will develop a sea-level rise vulnerability and adaptation report.
Sunset at South Point photo by Peter Anderson

HAWAI`I COUNTY IS ENFORCING AGRICULTURAL TAX EXEMPTIONS, sending letters to property owners getting tax breaks with no evidence of farming taking place, reports Nancy Cook Lauer in West Hawai`i Today. She attended yesterday’s meeting of the Real Property Tax Stakeholders Task Force, which is also making changes to how ag exemptions are implemented.

Property owners have until Dec. 31 to submit a new application for an ag exemption or lose the tax break for the tax year starting July 1, 2015.
Ag property owners must reapply for exemptions every three years and commit to the three-year period in order to receive tax breaks. Previously, the exemptions renewed automatically. Property owners must also present proof that the land is in agriculture.
According to Cook Lauer, the process has a long way to go before it is implemented. Real Property Tax Administrator Stan Sitko said at the meeting, “Switching the automatic process to an entire new certification would probably take the tax office three years to implement.”
Cook Lauer said the task force is “trying to strike a balance between ensuring the county has enough revenues and making it fair for all property owners, without unduly discouraging people who want to make a living farming.”
Jeff Melrose, of the county Department of Research and Development, said, “It’s important that the land is used to keep it from being overgrown with invasive plants. … The farms go a long way toward helping the county become more self-sufficient and sustainable.”
Task force member Stewart Hussey said, “We need to have a tax policy that ensures revenue generation for the county is productive. ... We need to support economic and beneficial use of the land. There’s got to be a balance between those opposing forces.”
According to Task Force Co-Chair Margaret Wille, the exemptions account for $28 million in lost property tax revenues.
See westhawaiitoday.com.

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Richard Abbett, of Ocean View, is a candidate for
County Council District Six.

A BILL CALLING FOR A CHANGE IN THE LENGTH of Hawai`i County Clerk’s term has passed its first of three required readings at County Council. Bill 253 initiates an amendment to Hawai`i County Charter to change the term from two to six years. Ka`u’s Council member Brenda Ford was one of three voting against the measure.
Candidate for County Council District Six Richard Abbett, of Ocean View, offered testimony on the measure. While the County Clerk is an appointed by the County Council, Abbett’s testimony calls for it to become an elected position.
“It has been widely acknowledged that the County of Hawai`i needed stability and experience to improve the workings of the Clerk’s office that could extend to an efficiently run election,” Abbett said. “However, as indicated by the studies of the prestigious Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and the Pew Charitable Trusts, ‘elected officials are more in favor of policies that are thought to promote turnout.’ Municipalities that have appointed officials have lower voter turnout and have lower purge rates. This phenomenon is seen nationwide, but here in Hawai`i we have now sunk to the very bottom nationally of voter turnout. …
“Citizen concern and involvement of an informed electorate is the keystone of a fair and functioning democracy. This legislative body assures the county provides the opportunity to witness and participate yet has to scrap to find funds for video feeds of meetings as if it is an afterthought or leftover from the budget process. Even what is provided is nearly every meeting interrupted by loss of signal or audio, and turned off if there is no direct testimony. Citizens have to drive many miles, taking time out of their busy schedules to view the public’s business.
“This bill offers an opportunity to reverse direction and begin the climb back to respectability and public trust if it is amended to make the position elected and eliminate the appointment. I thereby implore this body to improve this proposal by making that change. Send to the public for vote the opportunity for a change in our County Charter to restore faith in our democratic process.”
If the measure passed County Council, it will be on the November’s general election ballot.

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Gov. Neil Abercrombie signt a measure establishing an interagency climate
adaptation committee. Photo from Office of the Governor

A MEASURE THAT ESTABLISHES AN INTERAGENCY climate adaptation committee under the Department of Land and Natural Resources received Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s approval yesterday. The committee is charged with developing a sea-level rise vulnerability and adaptation report addressing statewide impacts to 2050.

Act 83 also authorizes the Office of Planning to coordinate development of climate adaptation plans and policy recommendations and to use the committee’s report as framework for addressing other climate threats and climate change adaptation priorities.
“This measure builds on Hawai`i’s leadership in addressing climate change,” Abercrombie said. “Being the only island state in the country, we are especially vulnerable to climate change and are on the frontlines of impacts like sea level rise. I applaud the Legislature for passing this bill and recognizing that Hawai`i is ideal as a learning laboratory to continue to contribute and shape our nation’s response to climate change adaptation.
“We look forward to showcasing our leadership when Hawai`i hosts the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress.”
Act 83, which takes effect immediately, states that coordination of the committee will be headed jointly by the DLNR chair and the OP director or their designees. It requires that the committee’s report be made public no later than Dec. 31, 2017.
For more information on Hawai`i’s climate change initiative, see governor.hawaii.gov/blog/navigating-climate-change,  planning.hawaii.gov/czm/ocean-resources-management-plan-orm and dlnr.hawaii.gov/rain/fact-sheet.

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Tydlacka and Iacuzzo examine fossil vertebrae from a marine reptile
known as a plesiosuar. Photo from Joe Iacuzzo

IN EARLY MAY, JOE IACUZZO, FOUNDER of the Hawai`i Science Festival, and Kathryn Tydlacka, founder of Ka`u Learning Academy, traveled to Philadelphia on a grant that Iacuzzo won from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to advance science education in Hawai`i through the festival. Iacuzzo, who develops educational programs and museum exhibits featuring dinosaurs, took the opportunity to meet with colleagues at the Drexel Academy of Science in Philadelphia, a museum founded by Benjamin Franklin. He and Tydlacka got to go behind the scenes and visit parts of the museum’s collections not open to the public. This included Thomas Jefferson’s personal collection of fossils of prehistoric mammals, such as giant sloths and mammoths. Also included in his collection is the only fossil found during Lewis & Clark’s 1804 expedition to explore the American West.

While there, Iacuzzo and Tydlacka attended educator workshops at Temple University and the Franklin Institute. The workshops focused on STEM education for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. “These workshops,” said Ka`u Learning Academy executive director Tydlacka, “will assist us in developing programs for our teachers and our students.”
The Hawai`i Science Festival is planned for late 2014. Ka’u Learning Academy will open in August 2015.

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LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE is available in Ocean View and Pahala today, Tuesday, June 10, Thursday, June 11 and Friday, June 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sign-up location has been changed from Na`alehu to Ocean View Community Center and will continue at Old Pahala Clubhouse.

For more information for Pahala, call 936-8396. For Ocean View, call 936-9296. Na`alehu and other Ka`u residents can go to either location.

Kumu hula Mamo Brown NPS Photo by Jay Robinson

Those wanting help with electric and gas bills must bring photo ID for all adults, Social Security cards for all house residents, citizenship verification, birth certificate or state ID or passport, HELCO or gas bill, income verification, pay stubs, affidavit, proof of physical residence, tax bill or other bill with street address.

KUMU HULA MAMO BROWN DEMONSTRATES three different lei styles: wili, hipu`u, and hilo, using backyard foliage tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

THE SIXTH ANNUAL VOLCANO POTTERY SALE takes place this Friday and Saturday. Fifteen Hawai`i Island potters participate on Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
For more information, see ryhpottery.com/volcano_pottery_sale or call Ron Hanatani at 985-8530.

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

Hawai`i County's law banning open-air cultivation of GMOs is being challenged in federal court. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I COUNTY’S LAW RESTRICTING THE USE of genetically modified crops is the subject of a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court. According to Tom Callis, of West Hawai`i Today, plaintiffs include organizations representing Big Island nurseries, papaya and banana growers and cattle ranchers. They argue that the ban on most modified crops “puts the county in conflict with federal and state laws in addition to the science of biotechnology.”

State Ag Board member Richard Ha is one of several plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit
challenging Hawai`i County's ban on GMOs.

The lawsuit says the county’s ban is “backed by no findings or evidence that (genetically engineered) crops are in any way harmful, or in any way endanger the local environment.”
The plaintiffs, including Hawai`i Agriculture Board member and farmer Richard Ha, say the county’s Bill 113 prevents them from using modified crops approved by the federal government and disease-resistant crops now under development, according to Callis.

Regarding the county law’s use of the precautionary principle, in which “the burden of proof is on the promoter of the technology to prove that the technology is safe,” the lawsuit argues those burdens are already met through the federal regulatory process, including oversight by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.
“In short, using the ‘precautionary principle’ as its purported predicate, Bill 113 puts the county in direct conflict with determinations made after careful consideration by expert federal agencies, and purports to outlaw agricultural activities that the federal government has specially authorized after performing a thorough scientific review,” the lawsuit says.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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Mayor Billy Kenoi says he will not accept a raise.

HAWAI`I COUNTY SALARY COMMISSION IS PLANNING to raise salaries of several county officials, including the mayor and County Council members. Although he has said he does not want a raise, Mayor Billy Kenoi’s salary would increase 20.9 percent. Kenoi told Nancy Cook Lauer, of West Hawai`i Today, that he “would work with the Finance Department and the Human Resources Department to ensure the money is donated to the United Way.”

Under the plan, County Council members’ salaries would increase by 8.3 percent raise, and the council chair would get an 11.5 percent raise.
While the raises are not in the budget recently approved by County Council, Finance Director Nancy Crawford said an account for compensation adjustment could cover the increases, according to Cook Lauer.
Hawai`i County Council has the lowest paid council members in the state, according to findings of a three-member Salary Commission subcommittee that reviewed the county budget and salaries in other counties.
The county officials have not had salary adjustments in almost a decade, Cook Lauer reports, and the commission “would be derelict in its duties if it didn’t give them now,” commission members told her.
The raises would go into effect July 1 after being approved by the Salary Commission at its meeting on July 8.
See westhawaiitoday.com.

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GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE, ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVID LOUIE and Finance Director Kalbert Young have announced a plan to address an inconsistency in the amount of approximately $444 million between the budget bill and the bond authorization bill passed by the Legislature that is preventing each bill from being signed into law.

Hawai`i Attorney General David Louie

The Department of the Attorney General and the Department of Budget and Finance advised the governor that the projects authorized in the Budget Bill exceed the amount certified in the Bond Declaration Bill.
“Due to legal issues, I have advised the governor that he would not be able to sign the executive supplemental budget bill for fiscal year 2015 in its current form,” Louie said. “In addition, once the budget bill is reconciled, the Bond Declaration Bill could be signed no earlier than July 1, 2014.”
The Department of Budget and Finance reviewed the appropriations and declaration bills and identified discrepancies in the areas of state educational facilities improvement authorizations, the Judiciary budget, stand-alone appropriation bills and lapsed projects.
Abercrombie’s proposed solution would temporarily reduce the general obligation bond appropriation of SEFI projects through a line-item reduction in the budget bill. This would be predicated on the need that the Legislature make whole the amount reduced from the SEFI authorization when it reconvenes in regular session in January 2015.

The DOE confirmed that it will plan to minimize impacts on projects already in the queue.

“The proposed solution is the most efficient path to resolving this situation without the need for any additional costs to the taxpayer,” Abercrombie said. “I have consulted with the Speaker of the House, Senate President and the Department of Education. Working together, we believe we can enter the new fiscal year with a functional budget.”

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HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM has filed applications with the state Public Utilities Commission seeking approval to move forward with the Abercrombie Administration’s Green Energy Market Securitization program, which will make solar panels and other clean energy improvements more accessible and affordable to Hawai`i consumers.

The state wants to make solar panels more accessible and affordable
to Hawai`i consumers. Photo from Revolusun

GEMS is designed to help meet the state’s renewable energy and energy efficiency goals by using public dollars to mobilize private-sector capital in a way that stimulates the growth of Hawai`i’s clean energy economy. It represents a market-based approach to bringing clean energy into reach for more utility ratepayers, with focus on underserved markets such as low- and moderate-income homeowners, renters and nonprofits.
“While solar PV has grown exponentially, there is a market gap of consumers who cannot afford the high upfront costs or cannot qualify for loans. The GEMS program will open up access to solar PV for these market segments,” DBEDT Director Richard Lim said. “This innovative financing approach leverages public dollars to achieve a long-term, sustainable financing solution to support clean energy project development.”
Mark Glick, administrator of the state Energy Office, said the GEMS program is a powerful tool in the state’s push to meet its clean energy goals. “GEMS is an example of the state Energy Office focus on high-impact, creative solutions in affordable financing that have the flexibility for broad application in Hawai`i’s growing clean energy sector,” Glick said.
The first filing is for a financing order to issue up to $150 million in Green Infrastructure Bonds and to authorize a Green Infrastructure Fee to secure the bonds. The second filing is for an order to create a Green Infrastructure Loan Program that would use the bond proceeds to provide alternative low-cost financing for solar photovoltaic systems and other eligible clean energy technologies. GEMS will be administered at little or no cost to ratepayers.

Pottery by Chiu Leong is included in
this year's Volcano Pottery Sale.
Image from teahawaii.com

Proceeds from the bond issuance will be placed in a Green Infrastructure Special Fund that can be used alone or in combination with private capital to provide financing to consumers through “deployment partners,” such as local financial institutions, solar financiers and energy lenders. Consumers will be able to repay the loans over time with the savings on their electric bills. The fund initially will be used to support the installation of solar PV systems and will later be expanded to cover a variety of eligible clean energy technologies, energy storage, smart modules, monitoring devices and other technology to support the interconnection of PV systems to the grid.
The GEMS bonds will be secured by a Green Infrastructure Fee. The fee will be assessed on all electric utility ratepayer bills to ensure the bonds achieve the highest possible credit ratings, and thus lowering the amount of the fee, which is expected to be less than $2 a month for residential customers. As proposed in the financing order application, the Public Benefits Fee that is currently on electric utility customer bills will be reduced to offset the cost of the Green Infrastructure Fee, resulting in little or no impact to ratepayers.
The PUC’s issuance of financing and program orders will allow the program to finalize guidelines relating to targeted customers, qualifying technologies, qualifying deployment partners and other program details. Financing products are expected to be available to customers by this November.

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THE SIXTH ANNUAL VOLCANO POTTERY SALE takes place this Friday and Saturday. Fifteen Hawai`i Island potters participate on Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
For more information, see ryhpottery.com/volcano_pottery_sale or call Ron Hanatani at 985-8530.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S LAVA LOUNGE in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park hosts a “Like Totally 80s Party” Friday at 7 p.m. Participants put on their best “Totally Awesome” costume and dance to the tunes of DJ Tiki. No cover charge. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.
Call 967-8371 for more information.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Kealia Galimba, whose Blueberry (above) won Grand Champion in the Market Beef category last year, will show a hog at this year's 4-H Livestock Show & Sale this weekend. Photo by Becky Settlage

PREPARING FOR AN INVASION OF COFFEE RUST that is devastating Latin American coffee plantations and could make its way to Hawaiian Coffee farms? Long-term solutions could include creation of shade-grown coffee orchard environments, according to a story published in Audubon this week, saying that “the scientists worry that current solutions, such as fungicide application and developing resistant plants, focus too much on coffee alone – not on the health of the entire ecosystem.”

The article quotes University of Michigan ecologist Ivette Perfecto saying, “Those narrow approaches tend to work in the very short term; they’re not part of a more sustainable approach to the management of coffee.” Perfecto and colleagues contend that shade-grown practices “promote a healthy web of interactions that, ideally, would naturally keep coffee rust in check,” says the story by Clara Chaisson.

A more ecological approach to growing coffee could control rust,
researchers suggest. Photo from Smartse

Chaisson writes in Audubon that “traditional shade-grown coffee farms preserve the existing canopy layers of the forest. In addition to fostering biodiversity and maintaining complex ecological relationships between plants, fungi, insects and bats, shade-grown coffee provides critical winter habitat for migratory bird species. ...
“But sun-grown farms have their own appeal: they can produce higher yields and bring in more money. This approach has taken off in recent years; a study published in April found that the proportion of land dedicated to shade-grown coffee has declined almost 20 percent since 1996. That switch may have unintentionally exacerbated the spread of the fungus and the scope of the problem.
“On sun-grown coffee farms, the plants are spaced very close together, making it easier for coffee rust to spread from one to the next. Fungal spores travel unimpeded in the open air surrounding the farms. The heavy use of fungicide to combat rust also kills beneficial species like white halo fungus, which naturally attacks the coffee rust fungus.
“The Michigan researchers suspect that the breakdown of biodiversity in coffee farming has contributed to the coffee rust epidemic, worsening its impact on sun- and shade-grown plantations alike. While cultivating plants that are resistant to the fungus is certainly a positive step, it represents only one piece of what should be a multi-pronged solution.”

Ka`u's U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard served two tours
of duty in the Middle East.

“We need a more ecological approach,” Perfecto told Audubon. “We’ll drink (a cup of coffee) to that.” See more at audubonmagazine.org/articles/conservation/shady-endeavor-could-help-combat-coffee-rust.
A report in Bioscience last year by Perfecto and colleagues said, “It is reasonable to suggest that the situation calls for a revitalization of what pest control specialists have come to call autonomous pest control.”

See bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/content/64/3/210.

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KA`U’S U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD, a veteran who has served two tours of duty in the Middle East, discussed the crisis in Iraq on CNN this morning. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is expanding its hold on Iraq, having gained control of Iraq’s second-largest city, Mosul, and threatening to invade others, including Baghdad.

Gabbard expressed concern about getting involved in civil wars that are complex and difficult to sort out. “Who are the bad guys?” Gabbard repeatedly asked. “You’ve got to be able to define who were helping and who were fighting for.” She suggested that, if the U.S. is concerned about ISIS, “We should focus our resources on specific threats and take them out where they are.”

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Kamrie Koi has received a Dorrance Scholarship.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL 2014 GRADUATE KAMRIE KOI is one of nine Hawai`i Island students who will begin their studies at the University of Hawai`i at Hilo this fall with Dorrance Scholarships.

The Dorrance Scholarship is a four-year award designed to benefit local students who are the first in their family to attend college. Each year, the program awards up to 10 students need-based scholarships of $8,000 per year to attend UH-Hilo.
This year’s awardees are the third cohort to receive the scholarship.
Prior to the start of fall classes, the students will take part in a custom-designed summer bridge program to help them transition from high school. They will also participate in international travel and employment preparation in subsequent summers.
“The Dorrance family has become a valuable partner in UH-Hilo’s effort to help more students shatter that proverbial ‘glass ceiling’ by becoming the first member of their family to obtain a college education,” said Chancellor Donald Straney. “Their gift to the past, present and future cohorts will have a profound impact on the lives of those students.”
UH-Hilo’s program is an extension of the highly successful Dorrance Scholarship Programs that have operated in Arizona for the past 14 years.
The program is credited with opening the doors of higher education while boosting graduation rates for more than 600 first-generation college students.
For more information about the Dorrance Scholarship Programs, contact Maria Martin at 808-557-6268 or email mmartin@azfoundation.org.

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HAWAI`I COMMUNITY COLLEGE WILL OFFER A NEW SET of accelerated, online, for-credit classes leading to credential certificates beginning this August. Students will be able to study a variety of topics, including Business Foundations, Retail Foundations, Business Essentials, Entrepreneurship and Geographic Information Systems. Classes are accelerated eight-week sessions. Students will receive support services that include tutoring, academic counseling, internships and job development.

HCC Chancellor Noreen Yamane

Hawai`i CC was one of four University of Hawai`i campuses to receive a Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant to develop the classes. The grant aims to align academic programs with industry needs and increase the number of adults who attain certificates, degrees and other industry-recognized certificates.
Grant director Jessica Yamamoto is spearheading this program and has been meeting with business leaders and Hawai`i CC faculty. “We have joined forces with industry to put in place a series of classes that will result in work-ready individuals,” said Yamamoto. “We have a great team of faculty and instructional designers, and all of their hard work will soon come to fruition. These courses have the potential to change lives on our island.”
“This grant provides a tremendous win-win opportunity,” said Hawai`i CC Chancellor Noreen Yamane. “These new programs will provide valuable skills and college credentials to community members while giving the business community access to a more skilled workforce.”

In addition, the grant has also accelerated Hawai`i CC’s Prior Leaning Assessment program, and adults can now earn credit for work experience. If awarded credit, students will shorten their time in school as they get on the fast track to degree completion.
Application deadline is Aug. 1. Those interested should apply soon because classes may fill quickly.

For more information, contact Business Program Coordinator William Tehero, Jr. at myfuture@hawaii.edu or call 808-934-2688.

THE SIXTH ANNUAL VOLCANO POTTERY SALE takes place tomorrow and Saturday, when fifteen Hawai`i Island potters display their creations. Hours tomorrow are from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
For more information, see ryhpottery.com/volcano_pottery_sale or call Ron Hanatani at 985-8530.

KA`U YOUTH ARE PARTICIPATING IN Hawai`i County’s 4-H Livestock Show & Sale tomorrow and Saturday. Grant and Gavin Galimba each are showing a steer, a lamb and a hog; Kealia Galimba, a steer and a hog; Kailee Aicken, a hog; and Ua Alencastre-Galimba, a steer, a heifer and a lamb.

Tomorrow’s schedule features the rabbit and poultry shows. Other shows are Saturday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Mealani Research Station in Kamuela.

Photo from Boone Morrison's Dance of life series. Morrison discusses the beginnings of
Volcano Art Center's dance program Saturday.

“LIKE TOTALLY ’80s” IS THE THEME at Kilauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow at 7 p.m. Party-goers put on their best “Totally Awesome” costume and dance to the tunes of DJ Tiki. No cover charge. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

Call 967-8371 for more information.

KA`U FARMERS UNION UNITED meets Saturday at 5 p.m. at Ka`u Coffeehouse and Guesthouse next to the 76 gas station in Na`alehu. Malian Lahey will discuss the Economics of Value-Added Products.

DANCING AT THE SOURCE, DANCING ON THE EDGE: THE BIRTH on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village celebrates VAC’s 40th anniversary. At this talk-story event, architect, photographer and VAC founder Boone Morrison shares history of the center and beginnings of the dance program with Earnest Morgan. Members of the original dance company, Trina Nahm-Mijo and Richard Koob, as well as Morgan’s protégé, Kea Kapahua, share dance excerpts from Morgan’s choreography, which mixed modern dance and hula movement.

Fees are $10 for VAC members and $12 for non-members.
For more information, call 967-8222.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Participants learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native forests during a program at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park's Kahuku Unit Sunday. NPS Photo by Dave Boyle

HAWAI`I NATIONAL GUARD WILL PARTICIPATE in an Engineering Civic Action Project to rebuild a school in the Philippines damaged by Typhoon Haiyan, announced Gov. Neil Abercrombie and State Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Darryll Wong.

“The people of Hawai`i stand with our Filipino brothers and sisters who are still suffering from the after-effects of one of the worst tropical cyclones ever recorded,” Abercrombie said. “We’re very grateful to our Guardsmen and women who will be sharing our aloha and kokua with the people of the Philippines.”

Gloria Camba, of Pahala, accepted donations and
sent them to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan,
or Yolanda, hit her homeland. Photo by Julia Neal

By the end of June, soldiers from the Hawai`i Army National Guard, along with soldiers and airmen from the Guam National Guard, will begin deploying to Tacloban City to rebuild the Marasbaras National High School. Personnel will rotate in teams of about 15 to 20 at a time.
“Shortly after Typhoon Haiyan, Abercrombie directed Hawai`i National Guard to develop a recovery mission in the Philippines to help those who had been impacted by the storm,” Wong said. “The governor’s concern was that often recovery efforts lose momentum once activities no longer make the headline news. Based on that guidance, we sought out an engineering project that would help with the long-term recovery, while providing realistic training for our personnel as well as the armed forces of the Philippines.”
The scope of work includes demolishing and replacing existing roofing panels and damaged structures, constructing new roofs, upgrading electrical systems, installing light fixtures and ceiling fans and replacing classroom windows and doors. The project is expected to be completed in September.
Pay and allowances for the Hawai`i and Guam National Guardsmen will be funded by the federal government. Most of the materials have been funded through private donations and are being sourced locally, in the Philippines, to help spur economic activity there.
Acting Consul General Roberto Bernardo said, “On behalf of the Philippine government, we thank you very much for the tremendous outpouring of support from the U.S. government, Hawai`i and all over the world. Mabuhay.”
Ka`u’s Filipino community raised funds and sent donations to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan devastated parts of the Philippines in Nov. 2013, killing more than 6,000 people and displacing several million.
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KA`U’S U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD WANTS new leadership in Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System. Following reports that veterans in Hawai`i have the nation’s longest wait times to receive health care, Gabbard is calling for Director Wayne Pfeffer to be fired. She also wants “a thorough review of the cause for the excessive 145-day wait times.” 
In a letter to Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson, Gabbard said Pfeffer lied about and misrepresented “the dire situation our veterans are facing in Hawai‘i.” According to Gabbard, Pfeffer told one of her staff members that veterans wait from 30 to 50 days to see a physician. According to Gabbard, Pfeffer later “denied ever discussing wait times … with congressional staff.”

Wayne Pfeffer

Gabbard also said Pfeffer was not able to provide adequate answers to questions regarding implementation of the Accelerating Access to Care Initiative, the exact number of new enrollees awaiting care at VA PIHCS, the longest waiting time for a new enrollee, the total number of veterans waiting for care and the measures taken to expedite the pre-approval process for maximizing non-VA care.
“These responses that my staff and I have received from the office of Director Pfeffer, and Mr. Pfeffer himself, are reprehensible,” Gabbard wrote. ”I have zero confidence or trust in Mr. Pfeffer’s ability to oversee the Pacific Island Health Care System, and I do not believe he deserves to be entrusted with the sacred privilege of caring for our veterans and their wellbeing.”
Gabbard has advocated for immediate action to allow veterans to seek care outside the VA system. Last week, she wrote to President Obama urging him to use his executive power to take this action immediately.
The full text of Gabbard’s letter is available at gabbard.house.gov.

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DISCREPANCIES IN REPORTED WAIT TIMES AT HAWAI`I Veterans Affairs facilities is also a concern of Sen. Mazie Hirono. According to a response to her request for information about wait times, the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System responded that for over 91 percent of established patients requesting primary, specialty and mental health care, the wait time was 14 days.
“I recognize and commend the hard work by the majority of VA employees and the care given our veterans at VA facilities,” Hirono wrote in a letter to VA’s Acting Inspector General Richard Griffin requesting that he verify the data. “However, the information provided to me by the VA is inconsistent with what veterans share with me and my staff regarding wait times. Veterans claim much longer wait times.”

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SIERRA CLUB OF HAWAI`I HAS ANNOUNCED several endorsements of candidates on primary election ballots in Ka`u Saturday, Aug. 9. In federal seats, Sierra Club chooses Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

Endorsements for Ka`u's state legislators are District Three Sen. Josh Green, of Kona, and District Five Rep. Richard Creagan, of Na`alehu. Endorsement of a candidate for House District Three is still being considered.

For Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ at-large seat, Sierra Club backs Hina Wong-Kalu, of Honolulu.

Richard Abbett, of Ocean View, is Sierra Club’s choice for Hawai`i County Council District Six.

“Candidates endorsed by the Sierra Club understand that a healthy environment is the foundation of a strong economy,” said Vice Chair Roberta Brashear-Kaulfers. “We are particularly interested in candidates who will fight to make sure our utility allows greater levels of rooftop solar onto the grid. We’ve helped pass programs which will enable residents of all income levels, including renters, to install rooftop solar. Now we need to make sure the utility does its part to let working families participate in the savings and simultaneously help Hawai`i achieve energy independence by transitioning off of dirty fossil fuels.”

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KA`U CHILDREN IN PRE-SCHOOL TO 12TH GRADE are invited to bring their parents, tutus or guardians to receive free basic school supplies at the 10th annual School Supplies Distribution on June 28, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Maku`u Farmers Market in Puna and St. Theresa Parish Hall in Mountain View. Adults need to be accompanied by a child. School supplies are given on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.
Light refreshments will be provided at both sites. Keiki ID will be available at Maku`u Farmers Market.
The event is presented by the Neighborhood Place of Puna in an effort to help Big Island families ensure that their keiki begin the school year Ready to Learn.
For more information, contact Jay at Neighborhood Place of Puna, 965-5550 or jihara@neighborhoodplace.org.

Ron Hanatani is one of 15 artists participating in the sixth annual
Volcano Pottery Sale. Photo from Ron Hanatani

FIFTEEN HAWAI`I ISLAND POTTERS PARTICIPATE in the sixth annual Volcano Pottery Sale today from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

For more information, see ryhpottery.com/volcano_pottery_sale or call Ron Hanatani at 985-8530.

KA`U FARMERS UNION UNITED meets tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Ka`u Coffeehouse and Guesthouse next to the 76 gas station in Na`alehu. Election of officers will take place, and Malian Lahey will discuss the Economics of Value-Added Products.

For more information, contact Lahey at malian@kauspecialtycoffee.com.

TO CELEBRATE ITS 40TH ANNIVERSAY, Volcano Art Center presents Dancing at the Source, Dancing on the Edge: The Birth tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at its Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Architect, photographer and VAC founder Boone Morrison shares history of the center and beginnings of the dance program with Earnest Morgan. Members of the original dance company, Trina Nahm-Mijo and Richard Koob, as well as Morgan’s protégé, Kea Kapahua, share dance excerpts from Morgan’s choreography, which mixed modern dance and hula movement.
Fees are $10 for VAC members and $12 for non-members.
For more information, call 967-8222.

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK invites Ka`u residents to its free `Ohi`a Lehua program Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Participants bring lunch and learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the `ohi`a lehua tree and its flower.

Call 985-6011 for more information.

FATHER’S DAY BRUNCH IS AVAILABLE SUNDAY from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Buffet features prime rib, shrimp alfredo with mushrooms, Asian-infused Hawaiian ono and more. $27 adults, $14.50 children 6 – 11.
Call 967-8356 for more information.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Hula Halau Ulumamo o Hilo Paliku, performing at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park's Cultural Festival last year, returns next month for the festival at the park's Kahuku Unit. NPS Photo by Jay Robinson

ELECTRICAL REPAIR WORK AT OCEAN VIEW WELL is scheduled Monday, June 23 through Wednesday, July 2, the county Department of Water Supply has announced. As a result, standpipe service for water haulers at the fill station facility will be stopped beginning June 20 until repairs are complete.
Drinking water spigots will remain open to public access until the minimum water storage required for fire flow is left in the reservoir.
DWS reminds all drinking water spigot customers to take water for potable water needs only. Cooperation by all users extends water availability in the reservoir for as many customers as possible.
DWS asks for customer patience and understanding during this repair period.
For more information, call 961-8790 or email dws@hawaiidws.org.

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Dr./Sen. Josh Green

KA`U’S STATE SEN. JOSH GREEN PLANS to make overuse and over-prescribing of painkillers a priority during the next legislative session. Green, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, told Colin M. Stewart, of West Hawai`i Today, that while the U.S. makes up three percent of the world’s population, “we use 80 percent of the world’s narcotics. That’s a problem.”

One of Green’s top recommendations is creating a drug registry that doctors must check before prescribing narcotics to avoid duplications.
Patients could also be required to take random drug tests to check for proper doses and correct medications. “Each physician already has the latitude to set down office standards,” Green told Stewart. “This is done particularly by people who run pain management practices. One method is drug testing for those who are prescribed narcotics. Another is having a drug contract with their patient to monitor that they are taking the correct medications. We’re looking at adopting national best practices.”
Green told Stewart he has also asked the public safety department and the Regulated Industries Complaints Office to be more proactive in checking on physicians who have had a pattern of extremely high prescribing.

See westhawaiitoday.com.

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AFTER KA`U’S U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD called for him to be fired, Hawai`i’s Veterans Affairs Director Wayne Pfeffer said he will not resign. Gabbard said she has no confidence in Pfeffer’s abilities after receiving what she called “reprehensible” responses to her and her staff members’ questions regarding wait times for patients to see physicians at Hawai`i’s VA facilities.
Pfeffer told Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he apologized to congressional staffers for any misunderstanding, saying he thinks they misinterpreted his responses.
According to the Star-Advertiser story, Sen. Mazie Hirono doesn’t support Gabbard’s approach. “There are procedures in place at the VA to review his performance so that disciplinary action can be taken if appropriate,” Hirono said. She also wants to wait for results of an independent investigation of VA wait times.
See staradvertiser.com.

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A major decision regarding the Thirty Meter Telescope is on hold.
Image from tmt.org

THIRTY METER TELESCOPE’S LAST MAJOR bureaucratic hurdle is on hold after the state Board of Land & Natural Resources yesterday deferred a decision on a sublease for the $1.3 billion project. The University of Hawai`i, which leases state land on Mauna Kea where the telescope would be built, plans to sublease the land to the Thirty Meter Telescope group. UH Board of Regents unanimously voted to support the project several years ago.

Partners in the group wanting to complete the world’s largest optical telescope by 2021 include University of California, California Institute of Technology, Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy and universities and institutions in China, India and Japan.
According to a story in Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the board said it needs more time to explore legal issues. Some Native Hawaiians oppose the project, believing it would defile a summit they consider sacred. Environmentalists who oppose the project believe it could harm the rare wekiu bug.
See staradvertiser.com.

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Youth rangers share Hawaiian foods during the cultural festival.
NPS Photo by Jay Robinson

KA`U HIEHIE I KA MAKANI, which means Ka`u regal in the gales, referring to the multi-directional winds that cool the land in Kahuku, is the theme of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s 34th annual Cultural Festival. This year’s free event takes place Saturday, July 12 at the park’s Kahuku Unit from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Participants enjoy hula kahiko and music, watch skilled practitioners demonstrate their art, try their hand at Hawaiian crafts and taste traditional Hawaiian foods. Performers this year include Na Hoku Hanohano award-winning singer and `ukulele artist Diana Aki, known as the Songbird of Miloli`i, Kumu Hula Mamo Brown and Halau Ulumamo o Hilo Paliku, falsetto singer Kai Ho`opi`i, kupuna hula by Haunani Medeiros and more.
“The park’s annual cultural festival brings our communities together and offers a wide range of authentic Hawaiian experiences for residents and visitors,” said HVNP Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “Our park staff also look forward to this yearly opportunity to connect with our communities and share their aloha for the `aina,” she said.
Call 985-6011 or email havo_interpretation@nps.gov for more information.

Participants in Science Camp explore Ka`u's potential for hydroelectric power.
Photo from Science Camps of America

WITH BASE CAMP AT PAHALA PLANTATION COTTAGES, Science Camps of America soon begins its second summer of providing opportunities for teenagers to get out and “do” science rather than just reading about it in a textbook. The organization holds two separate camp sessions on the Big Island for local teens entering grades eight through 12 who have a passion for science.

“It’s really exciting that Science Camps of America is starting to take off, and this is only our second summer,” said Michael Richards, camp founder and executive director. “We have teens registered for camp from O`ahu, Big Island, Maui, Kaua`i and the mainland. We have a few spots open in both sessions and want to make sure local teens who love science know that Science Camps is out there if they are interested in attending.”
Campers get the chance to explore the environmental diversity that the Big Island has to offer from beaches to rainforests and mountaintops. Some of the destinations include Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, `Imiloa Planetarium, Mauna Kea Visitor Center, USGS Mauna Loa Climate Observatory, Punalu`u Black Sand Beach and many more.
The first camp session, Land and Sea, is held June 29 to July 8 and focuses on volcanology, geology and oceanography. Campers explore Hawai`i’s unique flora and fauna and learn how events in the natural world affect every living creature, including humans.
The second session, Air and Space, is held July 8 to 17 and focuses on astronomy, climate and alternative energy. Campers gain a better understanding of climate change and the creation and use of alternative energy to help curb global warming.

Dr. Floyd McCoy, the nonprofit’s director of education, grew up on the Big Island and is a professor of geology, geoscience and oceanography at Windward Community College. McCoy is a highly regarded scientist and educator and has appeared on specials for National Geographic, BBC, TLC, NBC and Discovery.

Late registrations are accepted until one week before each session begins. To extend this experience to more local teens, the nonprofit offers a limited amount of financial aid and also welcomes contributions from the public to the Science Camp Scholarship Fund.
To help out or learn more about and register, see ScienceCampsAmerica.com.

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THE SIXTH ANNUAL VOLCANO POTTERY SALE continues today until 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Fifteen Big Island artists display their artworks.
For more information, seeryhpottery.com/volcano_pottery_saleor call Ron Hanatani at 985-8530.

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK invites Ka`u residents to its free `Ohi`a Lehua program tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Participants bring lunch and learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the `ohi`a lehua tree and its flower.
Call 985-6011 for more information.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S CRATER RIM CAFE in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers Father’s Day Brunch tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Buffet features prime rib, shrimp alfredo with mushrooms, Asian-infused Hawaiian ono and more. $27 adults, $14.50 children 6 – 11.
Call 967-8356 for more information.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Mauna Loa Volcano may be stirring to life after a 30-year repose, reports Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Photo from HVO

MAUNA LOA MAY BE SLOWLY STIRRING TO LIFE after a 30-year repose, reports Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in the current issue of Volcano Watch. While there are no signs of impending eruption, HVO has recorded an increased level of seismic activity on the flanks and summit of Mauna Loa over the past 13 months.

The issue compares recent seismic activity with activity prior to the mountain’s 1984 eruption.

“Four distinct earthquake swarms — clusters of earthquakes occurring closely in time and location — have occurred since March 2013. Each swarm began with earthquakes northwest of the summit (Moku`aweoweo Crater) at 2.5 – nine miles deep, followed by shallow earthquakes at the summit from several days to one month later,” according to HVO.

HVO maps compare recent earthquake swarms with those
prior to Mauna Loa's 1984 eruption.

“The recent swarms have not been associated with deformation of the ground surface we would expect from intrusion of significant amounts of magma into shallow levels beneath Mauna Loa. However, ground deformation indicating shallow magma accumulation has been measured during many of the past 30 years, including two episodes of very rapid inflation immediately following the most recent eruption in 1984.
“Prior to the 1984 eruption, seismicity was elevated for at least three years, with 28 earthquakes greater than magnitude three, and two earthquakes greater than magnitude four. The magnitude-6.7 earthquake on Nov. 16, 1983 may also have been triggered by the pressurizing magma system of Mauna Loa. Earthquakes prior to the 1984 eruption were typically located northwest of the summit at depths greater than three miles and on the upper Southwest Rift Zone at depths less than three miles.
“Though the size and number of earthquakes observed over the past 13 months have been significantly smaller than those observed in the three years prior to the 1984 eruption, they have been occurring in the same general areas of the volcano. The swarm in Sept. – Oct. 2013 occurred on the northwest flank, the same location as one of the swarms that occurred prior to the 1984 eruption. The May 9, 2014 magnitude-3.5 earthquake occurred in the same area of the upper Southwest Rift Zone as many magnitude three or greater earthquakes prior to the 1984 eruption.
“The likelihood of detecting a short-term change in activity that would lead to a successful eruption forecast is enhanced with a quality geophysical network that can monitor changes in earthquake occurrence, ground deformation and gas chemistry both in the summit and rift zones of Mauna Loa.”
For more information, see hvo.wr.usgs.gov.
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Ka`u's public school teachers will see changes to the state's Educator
Effectiveness System beginning in August. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS REDUCING the requirements in its teacher evaluation system. Based on feedback from five working groups and lessons learned during the previous school year, the department is implementing 18 changes for the school year beginning in August. According to DOE, these changes are designed to simplify the system to make it clearer and easier to understand, streamline its components to eliminate redundancies and differentiate the approach for teachers based on performance and need to ensure administrators can spend more time with teachers who need and want it most.

“These changes will serve to improve the quality of the feedback and coaching teachers receive and reduce burden on teachers and administrators,” says a DOE statement.

The DOE states that teachers at different performance levels “deserve and require different types of feedback, support and opportunities to grow as professionals. The Educator Effectiveness System implemented in SY 2013-14 is too complicated in some areas and too one-size-fits-all in others. Certain components need to be adjusted to provide more flexibility and options to reflect different teachers’ job duties. And the system of support for all educators needs to be improved.”

Kathryn Matayoshi

Among the changes for SY2014-15 are:

Differentiating the number of required classroom observations based on need from twice annually to zero for highly effective teachers; one or more for effective teachers; and two or more for marginal, unsatisfactory or beginning teachers.
Overall this amounts to about 9,000 fewer classroom observations, reducing observation workload by almost 50 percent.
Providing the approximately 1,800 teachers rated highly effective in SY13-14 the option to carryover their rating.
Reducing administration of student surveys from twice to once annually, eliminating the survey for grades K-2, and eliminating the demographic questions from the survey. Overall this means approximately 11,700 fewer surveys, a 63 percent reduction.
Reducing, for most teachers, the number of required Student Learning Objectives from two to one annually. Overall, this means approximately 12,400 fewer required SLOs.
Removing the student survey as an independent component with a stand-alone rating and embedding it as subcomponent under Core Professionalism.
Providing flexibility within Working Portfolio and SLOs, particularly for non-classroom teachers, to reflect job duties.
Improving Student Growth Percentiles to replace a percentile ranking of teachers with anchors in criterion and building in a margin of error.

“These changes are just the beginning to refining this system and ultimately, elevating student achievement,” Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said. Providing support to teachers who fared poorly on the rating system is the next step, she said.

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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO, A MEMBER of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has co-introduced the Veterans Emergency Health Safety Net Expansion Act of 2014. This legislation expands access to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs emergency safety net to all VA-enrolled veterans who rely solely on the VA for their medical care. The bill cuts red tape and eliminates the 24-month rule that can prevent veterans from being reimbursed for emergency medical expenses.

  “The recent scandal at the VA has shown that we must do all we can to help our veterans, even after the spotlight on this issue has faded,” said Hirono. “Sen. (Jerry) Moran and I are joining together again to push a permanent fix to the VA system that helps make sure our veterans can access the care that they need.”
Raymond C. Kelley, Director of National Legislative Service at Veterans of Foreign Wars, said, “This important legislation would ensure that veterans who seek emergency care will no longer be responsible for financially devastating medical bills, simply because they have not received VA care in the previous 24 months. It would also close a loophole that allows veterans’ insurance companies to withhold reimbursements from VA.”
The Veterans Emergency Health Safety Net Expansion Act is fully paid for and includes a provision that prevents insurance companies from denying or limiting reimbursements to the VA for medical care provided to insured veterans on the basis that the VA is not an in-network provider.

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Miss Ka`u Coffee 2013 Tiare-Lee Shibuya greeted last year's
half marathon winner Billy Barnett at the finish line.
Photo from Sharron Faff

VOLCANO ART CENTER PRESENTS Dancing at the Source, Dancing on the Edge: Branching Out, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at its Niaulani campus in Volcano Village. This event addresses the evolution of dance as a social justice and social change tool through the choreography of Trina Nahm-Mijo, former co-coordinator of Volcano Dance Retreats. Nahm-Mijo is collaborating with Eric Kupers, a Bay Area dancer and director of Dandelion Dance Theater. Collaborators on dance performances in Hawai`i and the Bay Area for 15 years, Nahm-Mijo and Kupers share excerpts of a new work entitled Lele/Tongues/Gather, which explores themes of birth, death and spirit.
Fees are $10 for VAC members and $12 for non-members. See volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

KA`U RESIDENTS AND ATHLETES can register for Volcano Rain Forest Runs coming up in two months on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Entry fee for the 5K is $30 or $20 for ages 19 and under; 10K, $45; half marathon, $75; Keiki Fun Run; free.
All runs start and finish at Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano Village. The Half Marathon begins at 7 a.m. followed by the 10K at 7:45 a.m. and the 5K at 8 a.m.
10K and 5K participants can also register race morning at Cooper Center Start Line from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. There is no race day registration for the Half Marathon.
Keiki ages one to seven can register for the free 100- or 200-yard dashes on race morning until 9:30 a.m. The Keiki runs begin at 10 a.m. All entrants receive a ribbon and other goodies after coming through the finish line.
For more information, maps, FAQs and registration information, see volcanorainforestruns.com or call race director Sharron Faff at 967-8240.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Roofing and siding for the new Kau Gym & Disaster Shelter are in progress on the Pahala school campus. An annual Southside Volleyball Camp to send local youth to a national tournament where they are seen by college recruiters is all week at the old gym, led by Kamehameha Schools volleyball coach Guy Enriques. Photo by Julia Neal

SOUTHSIDE VOLLEYBALL CAMP takes place this week and last at the old Ka`u High Gym, with coach Guy Enriques preparing local youth for Junior Boys National Championship at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston, June 28 – July 5. The team of 17-year-olds comprised of nine players is coached by Enriques. The team of 15-year-olds, with 11 players and coached by Enriques and Sam Thomas, will defend its national championship from last year. Enriques is also head coach for Kamehameha Schools, and Thomas is assistant coach.

Home of the Trojans since the 1930s, the old gym serves as a base for volleyball
camp this week to send Southside Volleyball teams to a national competition. The
new gym is scheduled to be available for next summer, creating two practice and
tournament locations on the campus. Photo by Julia Neal

Families of the teams are still raising funds for the event. Call Guy Enriques at 217-2253. Accommodations for the camp are provided by Pahala Plantation Cottages. Enriques said he hopes that by next summer the camp and volleyball tournaments in Ka`u can be held in the new $18 million gym being built on the school campus, as well as the old gym.

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KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in this week’s Hawai`i County Council committee and regular meeting via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center. Committee meetings tomorrow are Public Works and Parks & Recreation at 9 a.m.; Finance Committee, 9:15 a.m.; Planning Committee, 9:45 a.m.; and Agriculture, Water & Energy Sustainability, 10:15 a.m.
The council’s regular meeting is Wednesday at 9 a.m. All meetings take place at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona.
On the County Council meeting agenda is the second of three required readings of a bill calling for the term of the County Clerk to be extended to six years. If the measure passes County Council, it will be on November’s general election ballot as a charter amendment.
Agendas of all meetings are available at hawaiicounty.gov.

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AFTER ANALYZING BILLS PASSED BY THE U.S. SENATE and House of Representatives last week in response to reports of long wait times for appointments with Veterans Affairs physicians and possible related deaths, the Congressional Budget Office says federal government spending on veterans’ health care could double, reports Matthew Dal for Associated Press.
Dal said that, according to the budget office, the Senate bill would open up VA health care to as many as eight million veterans who now qualify for VA health care but have not enrolled. By making it easier to get outside care, the Senate bill and a companion measure in the House also would encourage veterans to seek VA coverage for a bigger portion of their health care, the report says.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee of which Ka`u’s U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono is a member, told Dal the bill was expensive, but so were the wars that veterans have served in. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone will have cost at least $3 trillion, he said.
“If we can spend that kind of money to go to war … surely we can spend (less than) one percent of that amount to take care of the men and women who fought those wars,” Sanders said.
The Center for a Responsible Federal Budget, a bipartisan policy group devoted to cutting federal deficits, raises concerns about the legislation, saying it “includes an unprecedented open-ended mandatory appropriation that basically gives the VA a blank check to spend as it wishes. Given recent reports, one would think Congress would want more accountability at the VA, not less.”
The two chambers now work toward reconciling differences in their bills.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com and crfb.org.

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Hawai`i Ag Board member Richard Ha

HAWAI`I AGRICULTURAL BOARD MEMBER RICHARD HA explains the rationale behind a lawsuit brought against Hawai`i County on his blog hahaha.hamakuasprings.com. Ha is one of several plaintiffs suing the county over its ban on open-air use of genetically modified crops.
Ha says the lawsuit seeks clarity and equal treatment for farmers. “Farmers are law-abiding citizens, and we play by the rules. We thought that the Feds and the state had jurisdiction. We want clarity about the rules of the game.
Ha also says, “Only Big Island farmers are prohibited from using biotech solutions that all our competitors can use. How is that equal? It’s discriminatory against local farmers.
“Like almost all the farmers, (I) have never sued anyone. But there comes a time when you have to stand up for what is right.
“The group we formed, Hawai`i Farmers and Ranchers United, grows more than 90 percent of the farm value on the Big Island.
“This is about food security. The GMO portion of food security is small. This is not about large corporations. It is about local farmers. It is not about organics; we need everybody. But organics only supply four percent of the national food supply and maybe one percent of Hawai`i’s. Our organic farmers are not threatened by modern farming. Hawai`i organic farmers are threatened by mainland, industrial-scale organic farms. That is why there are hardly any locally grown organics in the retail stores. It’s about cost of production. Also, on the mainland winter kills off the bad bugs and weeds, and the organic farmers can outrun the bugs through the early part of summer. Hawai`i farmers don’t have winter to help us.
“Most importantly, this is about pro-science and anti-science. That is why farmers are stepping up. We know that science is self-correcting. It gives us a solid frame of reference. You don’t end up fooling yourself. In all of Hawai`i’s history, now is no time to be fooling ourselves.”

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Pahala Senior Center sponsored an outing to see Ka`u resident Dick Hershberger
portray Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas Jaggar in A Walk into
the Past. Photo from Julie Pasquale

LOOKING FOR A FUN VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY that can include a healthy meal? The Pahala Senior Nutrition Center provides recreation, education and on-site lunches for independent seniors aged 60 and beyond. Age is the only qualification to join, and a healthy lunch is served daily.

While the center is affiliated with Hawai`i County Parks & Recreation Department and has a part-time staff person who coordinates the meals and activities, it is primarily run by a group of senior volunteers who help with set-up and clean-up, lunch service, activities and transportation.

“Volunteers can help as much or as little as they want, so this is a great opportunity for those looking to have fun while doing good,” said coordinator Julie Pasquale.

Pahala Senior Center is located at the Senior Housing complex on Holei Street. Hours are weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with lunch service at 10:30 a.m. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to stop by or call Pasquale at 928-3101 for more information.

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VOLUNTEERS CAN SIGN UP THROUGH TODAY for Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Forest Restoration Project on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants cut invasive Kahili ginger in an area of `ohi`a forest in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park that recovers well once the ginger is removed.
Call 352-1402 or email forest@fhvnp.org.

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EVOLUTION OF DANCE AS A SOCIAL JUSTICE and social change tool is the topic at Volcano Art Center’s Dancing at the Source, Dancing on the Edge: Branching Out tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at its Niaulani campus in Volcano Village.

For more information, call 967-8222 or see volcanoartcenter.org.

Ka`u Auto Repair won Most Patriotic at last year's Na`alehu Independence Day
Parade. Photo by Julia Neal

HALAU ULUMAMO O HILO PALIKU under the direction of kumu hula Mamo Brown presents a hula performance Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

NA`ALEHU INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou is less than two weeks away on Saturday, June 28, starting at 11 a.m. Businesses, organizations and individuals who wish to participate, volunteer or donate should call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 or see okaukakou.org/4th-of-july-parade and click on the volunteer button.
Prizes are awarded for the most colorful entry and the most patriotic entry. The parade route begins at Na`alehu Elementary School and ends at Na`alehu Hongwanji Mission.
After the parade, OKK provides fun times at the park for all ages with free shaved ice, hot dogs, games for keiki and Bingo for seniors.
“Let’s meet, after the parade, at 12 noontime at Na`alehu Park to celebrate our nation’s birth with family and friends,” said organizer Lee McIntosh.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Volunteers from Southside Volleyball team, Pacific Quest and `O Ka`u Kakou removed invasive plants from the pond at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach Sunday. Photo by Katherine Okamura

BAY CLINIC’S KA`U FAMILY HEALTH & DENTAL CENTER will benefit from a grant of $4,000 from the Friends of Hawai`i Charities, Inc. Funds will be used for preventive health care outreach and education activities. Bay Clinic’s Pediatric Care Management Program provides childhood immunizations, developmental screening, preventive dental care, as well as non-emergency primary medical care for all children regardless of insurance status living in East and South Hawai`i Island.

According to Bay Clinic CEO Harold Wallace, poor nutrition and limited access to health care are known to cause mental and other developmental delays that affect a child’s ability to learn and develop good social skills, and untreated medical and dental diseases are major factors in excessive absences from school.
“As a patient-centered medical home, our services are designed to provide coordinated and comprehensive primary medical and dental care for our patients from birth and throughout their lives,” Wallace said.

The goal of the Pediatric Care Management Program is to increase access to primary medical and dental health prevention, screening, treatment and education services for all children, and most especially the children who would otherwise not have timely access to healthcare.
To make an appointment for keiki, call the Bay Clinic’s Ka`u Family Health & Dental Center at 929-7311.

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THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ORGANIZATION, which lobbies at the national level, is joining the lawsuit to overturn Bill 113, Hawai`i Island’s ban on genetically modified crops. Anita Hofschneider reports in Civil Beat that the global trade group spent almost $8 million lobbying federal officials last year.
Karen Batra, of BIO, told Hofschneider the group joined the lawsuit “to show its support for local farmers, including one of its members, the Hawai`i Papaya Industry Association,” also a plaintiff in the case. “Bill 113 is a direct assault on the technology and on the local farmers and growers that utilize that technology to increase their productivity,” she said. “Biology is something that evolves, so you’re going to have evolving pests and evolving plant diseases. You shouldn’t prevent the use of science and technology coming to the aid of this industry.”

Here the giant camera is carried out to sea from New Bedford, Mass. on the
Kathie Marie, also transporting the Hawaiians to document the scallop
population on the floor of the Atlantic. Photo by Richard Taylor

Hawai`i County Council member Margaret Wille, who introduced Bill 113, said BIO’s decision to join in the lawsuit is a sign of the industry’s influence on local farmers. “It’s just another indication of how these multinationals are sort of using the local organizations,” she said.
Hawai`i Agriculture Board member Richard Ha, one if the plaintiffs in the suit, told Hofschneider, “It’s good that they’re involved and we have a common interest. But they’re not running us by any stretch of the imagination.”
See civilbeat.com.

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TWO YOUNG KA`U MEN are in New England this summer, doing what Hawaiians often did in the late 1700s and 1800s, join a ship from New England to explore and work at sea. Isaac Davis and Preston Kana`i Tamura Kuahiwinui are working with Ka Lae resident Richard Taylor, photographing the sea floor to document scallop beds from the boat the Kathie Marie.

Recording of scallop bed locations and estimation of the population helps regulate the industry. Davis also worked in New England last summer with Portuguese fishing crews and with Taylor’s scallop project. The crew operates a large camera with a joystick, guiding it along the ocean floor with its ups and downs. The documentation is funded by the scallop industry and helps determine how many and from where scallops are to be harvested each season.

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Volunteers move from a cleared area of Punalu`u pond to continue removing
invasive plants. Photo by Katherine Okamura

`O KA`U KAKOU SPONSORED A CLEANUP at Punalu`u Pond cleanup Sunday. Participating were volunteers from OKK, Southside Volleyball Club and Pacific Quest.

Southside boys are staying at Pahala Plantation Cottages while they train for the Boys Junior Nationals Championship being held in Houston, Texas from June 28 through July 5. Players from Ka`u are Emmett Enriques, Kai Enriques, Brian Gascon, Addie Enriques, Avery Enriques, Nai`a Makuakane and Kameron Moses.

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UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I IS RECEIVING A $3 MILLION grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for energy research. This grant comes as part of the DOE’s nationwide initiative to advance hydrogen production and delivery technologies to produce, deliver and dispense hydrogen at a cost equivalent of less than $4 per gallon. Expanding use of hydrogen in transportation can help to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, save drivers and families money over the long-run and reduce carbon emissions.  
“This federal investment recognizes Hawai`i’s continued leadership in the field of renewable energy research,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono. “As part of the DOE’s initiative to advance cost-competitive hydrogen-based energy, the University of Hawai`i is contributing to efforts that could lead to significant advances in renewable technologies and create a stronger, more sustainable Hawai`i.” 
This grant will fund ongoing research at the University of Hawai`i that examines use of specialized cells, known as photoelectrodes, to harness solar radiation and use it as an energy source to split water molecules into their original building blocks of hydrogen and oxygen. Once separated from the oxygen, the hydrogen will then be utilized for fuel purposes.

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Ka`u residents can help The Nature Conservancy identify weed locations in
Hawaiian rainforests by studying high-resolution images online.
Photo from The Nature Conservancy

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IS LAUNCHING the Hawai`i Challenge, a crowdsourcing campaign to help save the islands’ remaining native forests, including, in the future, those in Ka`u.

Less than 50 percent of Hawai`i’s native forests still thrive in high-elevation, remote areas of the islands, but they are threatened by invasive weeds and other human impacts. The Hawai`i Challenge targets two plants that started as ornamentals, but have become invasive: the Australian tree fern and the African tulip tree.
Through DigitalGlobe’s online crowdsourcing platform, Tomnod, anyone can contribute to saving native Hawai`i’s forests by tagging the locations of invasive weeds in high-resolution aerial images. Visit nature.ly/1vw5voZ to start.
“Crowd participation to identify weed locations in remote, dense Hawaiian rainforest will help us do our job to protect perhaps the most precious resource the forest provides – our fresh water,” said Jason Sumiye, director of Landscape Science for the Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i.
By crowdsourcing the project, staff in Hawai`i are hoping to identify the number and location of these invasive plants much more quickly than they could on their own, as well as provide a quality check to the individual currently during the image analysis.
“The crowd can take our analysis ability from one person to thousands of people by sharing the images online through DigitalGlobe’s Tomnod platform,” Sumiye said. “We look forward to the help of armchair conservationists everywhere.”
DigitalGlobe is best known for its work with rescue and response crises like the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. They have never worked on an environmental project before.
“DigitalGlobe’s purpose is “Seeing a Better World™. Using all of our tools to make the world better lines up with the Nature Conservancy’s goal to protect nature and preserve life,” explained Luke Barrington, senior manager of Geospatial Big Data with DigitalGlobe. “We’ve had a huge response to global problems in the past, and we’re eager to engage our volunteers to solve new types of problems,” he said.
This project is beginning with Conservancy-provided high-resolution aerial photography of Kaua`i’s remote rainforests. If it is successful, the Conservancy has thousands more acres – and images – to analyze from across the state.

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Ka`u residents can meet County Council District Six
candidate Jim Wilson Sunday.

HALAU ULUMAMO O HILO PALIKU under the direction of kumu hula Mamo Brown presents a hula performance tomorrow from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SPONSORS a Candidate Forum  this Saturday, June 21. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. at Christ Church,  81-1004 Konawaena School Road  in Kealakekua.
County Council District 6 candidates are featured from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. State Representative District 5 candidates meet the public from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization established to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government.
For more information, call 933-VOTE (933-8683).

JIM WILSON, HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL District Six candidate, offers a talk story this Sunday, June 22 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, email jimwilsoncouncil@gmail.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Ka`u chapter of Hawai`i Farmers Union United plans to have a booth at Ka`u Farmers Market in Na`alehu where farmers can offer there products to the public. Photo from Earth Matters Farm

KA`U HAWAI`I FARMERS UNION UNITED NOMINATED a provisional board at its meeting Saturday. “We are still looking to fill the position of secretary, so please consider stepping up to the plate because not only is our HFUU chapter shaping up to be a responsible, effective bunch of people, but they are all really fun to be around and make great food, said President Malian Lahey. Other officers are Vice President Richard Creagan and Treasurer Richard Abbett.

Malian Lahey, President, Ka`u chapter
of Hawai`i Farmers Union United

The group is planning to have a booth at Na`alehu Farmers Market. “We would like the farmers to bring produce when in season or as available, Lahey said. Farmers will quote their wholesale price and get a receipt when dropping off items at the booth. Ka`u HFUU will mark up the produce 20 percent, then half of the proceeds will go to the person at the booth, and half will go to Ka`u HFUU.
Items that will go to the booth include truck crops from Gail and Greg Smith, bamboo starts and oranges from Richard Creagan, native plant starts and trees from Thomas King, herbs from Olivia Ling, coffee seedlings from David Kaawa, roasted coffee from Manuel Marques, mangoes from Marla Hunter and redworms from Marilyn Creagan.
Ka`u HFUU’s next meeting is on Saturday, July 12. For more information, email malian@kauspecialtycoffee.com.

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Duane Kanuha

SOUTH POINT RESIDENTS REPORT that another fire that broke out yesterday was a continuation of the fire that began on Sunday, June 1. Yesterday’s fire was put out quickly. Rancher Tissy Kaniho reminded everyone that campfires are especially dangerous in summer, when the area is extremely dry.

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MORE COMMUNITY INPUT is requested by county Planning Director Duane Kanuha regarding a proposed addition to the zoning code. The measure comes up at 10 a.m. at the Windward Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, July 3 at Aupuni Center’s Conference Room on Hilo. It would “require the planning director to review and consult with a local design review committee for certain land use permit applications situated within a special district to promote consistency with applicable adopted design guidelines and/or standards,” says the agenda.

ALLOWING MULTIPLE FAMILY residential units on land zoned Industrial-Commercial Mixed is also on the Planning Commission agenda for July 3, also proposed by the county Planning Director.
Agenda is available at hawaiicounty.gov.

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Dave Bateman, candidate for Ka`u's state
Rep. District Five

DAVE BATEMAN IS RUNNING FOR STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES District Five, representing Kona to Na`alehu. Bateman owns Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farms, which he and his wife have operated for the past nine years. He is also a retired U.S. Air Force Reserve Colonel, former Assistant Attorney General for Washington state and attorney in private practice for over 30 years.

“With the exception of tourism, our island economy is in worse shape now than two years ago. Living costs continue to spiral upward. And our elected leaders continually disrespect the voters by passing laws that the people have clearly said they do not want,” Bateman said, explaining his desire to listen to voices of the local community. He indicated he will push to add employment on Hawai`i Island by increasing agricultural jobs and farming opportunities, and also fight to reduce the high cost of living. Bateman also said he will work to improve education.
Bateman said he wants to help local families and farmers and promised to be a clear voice for the needs of the “mostly agricultural Kona and Ka`u districts.”
Bateman is past President of Kona Sunrise Rotary Club and a board member of Kona Coffee Council, Hawai`i Coffee Association and the Coffee Berry Borer Task Force. He and his wife Trudy live in Keauhou Mauka and have two grown children and three grandchildren.
See bateman2014.com.

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KA`U’S WASTE COULD BE BURNED TO CREATE electricity if Hawai`i County chooses one of three finalists who submitted alternatives to burying trash in landfills. The county has announced that Covanta Energy Corp., Green Conversion Systems, Inc. and Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc. made the short list out of eight vendors who submitted bids for the project, according to Nancy Cook Lauer, of West Hawai`i Today.
Cook Lauer reports that “it’s possible, though not likely, that the three companies are offering some other solution to the county’s waste reduction request for proposals,” since all three companies specialize in waste-to-energy systems.
According to the county, Hilo landfill will be full in approximately two years. Cook Lauer said ash from combustion of waste would probably be trucked to Pu`uanahulu landfill in West Hawai`i as it is the county’s only lined landfill.
A final decision is expected in January 2015.

Covanta Energy Corp. is one of three finalists in the county's search
to find an alternative to landfills.

At yesterday’s meeting of the county Committee on Agriculture, Water and Energy Sustainability, more than thirty residents testified on a resolution to stop the project and issue new requests for proposals.
Kohala Council member Margaret Wille author the resolution, saying the RFP “was flawed because the specifications in the solicitation didn’t align with what Kenoi said his intentions were when he met with the County Council in January to explain the project,” according to Cook Lauer.
Cook Lauer reports former Ka`u Council member Bob Jacobson telling the council that “it is the policymaking body, not the mayor, and it should stick to the policies it laid out in its zero-waste initiatives instead of falling back to the ‘old polluting technologies.’ Instead of doing the right thing, (Kenoi) put forth this perverted RFP.”
Cory Harden, representing the Sierra Club’s Moku Loa group, said, “Instead of committing taxpayer dollars to a big silver bullet that ties us to off-island interests for decades, we should first try multiple small-scale local operations that allow us to change course as needed.”
According to Cook Lauer, only one testifier approved of the incineration plan, saying she thought waste-to-energy is a good idea, “provided there is upstream segregation to remove the valuable components.”
Most testifiers said burning trash would reduce the county’s incentive to reach its zero-waste goal, and some expressed concern about cost and the environmental risk, Cook Lauer said.
See westhawaiitoday.com.

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Owners of Hilo Coffee Mill are selling the business they started in 2001.
Photo from Hilo Brokers

ONE OF THE PROCESSORS AND BUYERS OF KA`U COFFEE is up for sale. The Hilo Brokers real estate listing for Hilo Coffee Mill says, “With excellent retail frontage along Hwy 11, this business is in a prime position to take advantage of the up to 1.6 million visitors who use the roadway each year to access the nearby Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
“Over 6,000 actively producing coffee trees supply a well established retail and wholesale business with more than 2,500 square feet of production and showroom space.
“This environmentally friendly operation comes equipped with a large solar array providing substantial cost savings on utility bills. There are many options for the use of space under the solar array, and currently provides cover for a weekly farmers market.”
Listing details and images are available at hilobrokers.com.

For more information, call 938-5757 or email HiloBrokers@gmail.com.

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League of Women Voters sponsors a Candidate Forum Saturday.

AT STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT FRIDAY from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., volunteers meet at Kilauea Visitor Center to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park trails. Free; park entrance fees apply.

CATHY AND TYSON BLACK SHARE THE ART of coconut leaf weaving Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

JIM WILSON, HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL District Six candidate, offers a talk story this Sunday, June 22 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, email jimwilsoncouncil@gmail.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Private and public funds are helping research options to aerial spraying to control damaging macadamia felted coccids.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U MACADAMIA ORCHARDS, the hardest hit by the macadamia felted coccid, is receiving help through a private and state funding partnership and University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources program. An entomologist has been hired, said John Cross, land manager for Olson Trust, which owns thousands of acres in macadamia in Ka`u. Olson Trust donated $25,000, and Royal Hawaiian Orchards donated $65,000, toward the research. The state put in the rest, with $360,000 released today by Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

Macadamia felted coccids cover macadamia nut husks.
Photo from state Department of Agriculture.

Edmund C. Olson said this morning that he is making the donation “for the future of agriculture in Ka`u.”
Cross, who is also treasurer of Hawai`i Macadamia Nut Association, said this morning, “We intend to be proactive. We are not going to sit back. We need to be very aggressive in controlling this insect.”
The macadamias now managed by Royal Hawaiian Orchards in Ka`u have been subject to the scale since 2009. According to the state Department of Agriculture, the pest Eriococcus ironsidei Williams was found in South Kona in February of 2005. The insects feed by inserting their needle-like mouthparts into plant tissue and removing sap. The pests can infest all above-ground parts of the macadamia tree, distorting and stunting new growth and causing yellow spotting on older leaves. Severe infestation can cause dieback, reduction of yields, delay of ripe nuts falling to the ground and death of trees.

The macadamia pest has already killed some producing trees around Pahala, and others can be seen with dead branches and the coccid damaging the trunks. Macadamia trees take nearly a decade to reach fully productivity after planting. The macadamia industry is a major employer of Ka`u residents at Olson, Royal Hawaiian Orchards, MacFarms of Hawai`i and other smaller orchards.

Department of Ag chief Scott Enright, at center of photo, and state legislators
watch as Gov. Abercrombie signs bills relating to agriculture into law.

Aerial test sprayings of insecticides have been carried out under special permit by Royal Hawaiian Orchards. The spraying was found to reduce infestation but lacked the ability to rid the trees from young, crawling insects. Other methods are in research, including introduction of biological agents, such as a natural predator insect from Australia.

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COFFEE BERRY BORERS ARE ALSO BEING ATTACKED by the state, with $500,000 allocated to subsidize purchase of fungal sprays to fight the pest. Gov. Neil Abercrombie today signed the legislation along with several other bills related to agriculture.
“Agriculture is a crucial component of our state’s sustainability, essential to keeping our dollars here in Hawai`i and supporting thriving rural communities,” Abercrombie said. “These bills are important for the defense of our unique ecosystem, natural resources and economy. It is also our duty to care and protect the land beneath our feet, which gives us life and defines our culture.”

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State Rep. Richard Creagan

REP. RICHARD CREAGAN, who is running as the incumbent to represent west Ka`u in the state House of Representatives, said he hopes to craft some land-use measures in the 2015 Legislature that would help farmers and ranchers provide more housing for their families, workers, farm stays and people who want to live in an agricultural environment. He said allowing additional dwellings on farms could be done without fueling land speculation and the subdividing of farmlands. It could provide housing for farm labor and additional income through visitor accommodations on farms, he said.

Creagan, a physician, said he also wants to work on “expansion of medical marijuana dispensaries” and to craft and pass legislation to allow medical marijuana pharmacies. He said the University of Hawai`i College of Pharmacy “is willing to work with us.” Creagan said, “Given how many people are in prison and how much it is costing the state, we should consider decriminalization.” He said the state should “commute sentences of people in prison for possession of marijuana.”
Regarding genetically modified crops, the Ka`u state representative said, “the GMO issue not going away. People of Hawai`i support labeling. We should lead on this as a state and pass labeling, not follow on this issue. This will help lead to federal labeling of GMOs.”

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Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR IS TAKING its first step to consider reestablishing a government-to-government relationship between the United States and the Native Hawaiian community. The Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking provides for an extensive series of public meetings and consultations in Hawai`i and Indian Country to solicit comments that could help determine whether the Department develops a formal, administrative procedure for reestablishing such a relationship and if so, what that procedure should be.

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said, “Through the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making, the department is responding to requests from not only the Native Hawaiian community but also state and local leaders and interested parties who recognize that we need to begin a conversation of diverse voices to help determine the best path forward for honoring the trust relationship that Congress has created specifically to benefit Native Hawaiians.”
The department will solicit comments and feedback on whether and how the process should move forward. Meetings on Hawai`i Island are at Keaukaha Elementary School, Wednesday, July 2 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Waimea Community Center, Thursday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Kealakehe High School, Thursday, July 3 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
In addition to the public meetings, comments can be submitted online through the Federal eRulemaking portal at regulations.gov beginning later this week or via U.S. mail to Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior, Room 7329, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240. Include Regulation Identifier Number 1090-AB05 on comments.
The public will has 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register to provide comments.
For more information, see doi.gov.

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GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE SAID OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR’S announcment, “We look forward to welcoming representatives of the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Justice to discuss ideas for updating federal policy on Native Hawaiian self-determination. I commend the Obama Administration for recognizing and supporting Native Hawaiians as it works to reconcile its relationship with Native Hawaiians at the federal level.”

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Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz and Rep.s Colleen Hanabusa and Tulsi Gabbard issued a joint statement regarding Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell's announcement of considering a government-to-government relationship.

HAWAI`I’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, made up of Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, Sen. Brian Schatz, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, issued the following statement on the action regarding government-to-government relations:   “We applaud the Administration's commitment to an open dialogue, starting with listening sessions in Hawai`i to provide ample opportunity for Native Hawaiians and the general public to contribute their comments and concerns. This notice represents an historic opportunity to address years of injustice and marks a positive step forward in the push for Native Hawaiian self-determination.”

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VOLUNTEERS MEET AT KILAUEA VISITOR CENTER to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park trails tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free; park entrance fees apply.

A workshop called Zentangle: Zendala takes place Saturday,
sponsored by Volcano Art Center.

COCONUT LEAF WEAVING IS THE TOPIC tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

JOE LACEBY DEMONSTRATES CYANOTYPE PRINTING Saturday at 10 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

JULIE EVANS AND LOIS AND EARL STOKES teach Zentangle: Zendala Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Sign up at 967-8222.

A FREE LA`AU LAPA`AU WORKSHOP takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Old Pahala Clubhouse on Maile Street. Participants bring lunch.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SPONSORS a Candidate Forum  Saturday. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. at Christ Church,  81-1004 Konawaena School Road  in Kealakekua.
Hawai`i County Council District Six candidates are featured from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. State Representative District Five candidates meet the public from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
County Council District Six candidate Richard Abbett encouraged the public to attend, saying on Facebook, “Debates like this are happening less and less as voter apathy increases. Show up and be counted.”
For more information, call 933-VOTE (933-8683).

JIM WILSON, HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL District Six candidate, offers a talk story Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, email jimwilsoncouncil@gmail.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Maintaining healthy reefs is the goal of Hawai`i Island resident Shawn Verne, who has an alternative to saltwater aquariums.
Photo from UNtanked.com

KA`U WILL HAVE TWO RADIO STATIONS by next year, according to Hawai`i Public Radio chief Michael Titterton. He said yesterday that new permits from the Federal Communications Commission and a tower at Kulani will allow broadcast throughout Ka`u for both HPR-One and HPR-Two.

Michael Titterton, of Hawai`i Public Radio

Currently, the broadcast of HPR-Two, which focuses on news and information, is limited to the Pahala area. Programs include BBC World Service, The Takeaway, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. It also offers some music programming, including Kanikapila Sunday.
HPR-One’s programming features many classical music offerings, including Morning Concert, Performance Today, Masterworks Hour and Evening Concert.
See hawaiipublicradio.org.

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A BIG ISLAND RESIDENT IS HOPING TO REPLACE aquarium tanks with digital displays and aims to influence the County Council to ban aquarium fish collecting. Shawn Verne founded UNtanked when living in Florida and moved back to the Big island where he continues the cause.

The UNtanked.com website says: “The Stunning High Definition Quality will Relax, Entertain and Educate!
“UNtanked is your portal to viewing the coral reefs and the tropical fish that live on them without impacting the environment.
“100 percent real and wild, no aquarium tanks. All UNtanked aquariums are created underwater in the beautiful waters of the Hawaiian Islands. Instantly turn any monitor into a beautiful saltwater aquarium, featuring 100 percent local Hawaiian tropical fishes and corals. No maintenance needed and 100 percent Environmentally Friendly. Adds beauty and ambiance to any setting.

UNtaned.com shows this as an example of a reef without tropical fish.

“Just plug in an UNtanked system to any monitor and enjoy the benefits of nature’s saltwater aquarium.”
The website says that “conserving the coral reefs and tropical fish for future generations is everyone’s responsibility. It all starts with public awareness. Decline of corals and tropical fish is not limited to only the aquarium industry, but is also caused by pollution run-off, diver damage, tsunami damage, boat groundings and anchoring on coral, invasive species and other natural and manmade causes. It is going to take effort to minimize the decline already done.
“The good news is that studies have shown that it is very possible to even reverse the damage already done, so you can make a difference.”
An UNtanked display has been installed in the West Hawai`i Civic Center, sponsored by the Snorkel Bob Foundation, which has also provided more than $30,000 to the Humane Society of the United States specifically for a campaign to end aquarium fish collecting in Big Island waters.

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Hawai`i County Fire Chief Darren Rosario

FIREWORKS PERMITS WILL BE ISSUED beginning Sunday, June 29 at Hawai`i Fire Administration Office at 25 Aupuni Street in Hilo. Hours are Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Each permit costs $25 and entitles the holder to purchase up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. Permits are issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Setting off of fireworks is allowed only between the hours of 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. on July 4. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use on July 4 at the time of the firing.
Permits are not required for novelties and paperless firecrackers.
Fireworks sales begin on June 29 and end at 8 p.m. on July 4.
It is unlawful to buy, sell, possess, or set off any aerial luminary device such as Sky Lanterns and Hawai`i Lanterns. Any person in possession of these who would like to dispose of them with amnesty can contact the Fire Department at 932-2912.
Fire Chief Darren Rosario reminds the public that it is illegal for anyone to remove the powder or pyrotechnic contents from any fireworks; throw fireworks from a vehicle; set off any fireworks at any time not within the time period allowed, within 1,000 feet of any operating hospital, nursing home, home for the elderly or animal hospital, in or on any school building or property, on any highway, alley, street, sidewalk or other public way, in any park or within 1,000 feet of a church during the periods when services are held.

It is also illegal for any person to offer for sale, sell, or give any fireworks to minors, and for any minor to possess, sell, set off, ignite or otherwise cause to explode any fireworks, except under the immediate supervision of an adult.
See future Ka`u News Briefs for more on safe use of fireworks.

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HAWAI`I GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION has endorsed state Rep. Richard Creagan’s candidacy for the House of Representatives, District Five.
HGEA said to Creagan, “Thank you for your dedication to improving the lives of working families in Hawai`i and for your commitment to supporting our organization’s mission.”
Creagan has been previously endorsed by United Public Workers, ILWU, AFL-CIO as well as the Sierra Club.
“Unions have brought millions into the middle class and kept them there,” Creagan said. “It is therefore imperative that strong unions be part of the fabric of our Hawai’i Culture.”

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HAWAI`I BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS APPROVED increases in state Department of Education management salaries, including the salaries of Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, Deputy Superintendent Ronn Nozoe, assistant superintendents and complex area superintendents.

Kathryn Matayoshi

Beginning July 1, the base salary for DOE Superintendent will be $200,000. Matayoshi was approved for a three-year term at the last BOE meeting on Tuesday, June 3. Nozoe’s salary will move from $140,000 to $160,000, while assistant superintendents and complex area superintendents will see four percent increases.
The superintendent’s salary was capped in 2000 by the Legislature at $150,000. In the recently completed 2014 legislative session, lawmakers passed HB 2257, which increases the cap to $250,000. Yesterday, Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed the bill into law.
Following the BOE executive session, Chair Don Horner said, “The superintendent’s base salary adjustment reflects several factors. First, the position had not received any increase in 14 years and was well below national comparables. Second, the adjustment reflects the solid performance over the last three years in student achievement, significant improvements in fiscal management and accountability as well as the reorganization of the department in alignment with our strategic plan. Lastly, the adjustment reflects the increased annual plan performance objectives and expectations."
For more information, see HawaiiPublicSchools.org or contact BOE Executive Director Liann Ebesugawa at 808-586-3334.

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JOE LACEBY DEMONSTRATES CYANOTYPE PRINTING tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

JULIE EVANS AND LOIS AND EARL STOKES teach Zentangle: Zendala tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Sign up at 967-8222.

HUI MALAMA OLA NA `OIWI, the Native Hawaiian Health Care System, offers a free workshop tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Old Pahala Clubhouse on Maile Street. The event features la`au lapa`au (Native Hawaiian herbs) with Kahuna Ikaika Dombrigues, ho`oponopono (spiritual healing) and lomilomi ha ha (massage).
Light refreshments will be served; participants bring their own lunch.
The workshop is free, and advance registration is not required.

For more information, call Julie at 969-9220.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SPONSORS a Candidate Forum  tomorrow. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. at Christ Church,  81-1004 Konawaena School Road  in Kealakekua.
Hawai`i County Council District Six candidates are featured from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. State Representative District Five candidates meet the public from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
For more information, call 933-VOTE (933-8683).

JIM WILSON, HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL District Six candidate, offers a talk story Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, email jimwilsoncouncil@gmail.com.

PEOPLE AND LANDS OF KAHUKU, a guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain, takes place Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. Free.

KA`U FARM BUREAU HOLDS A MEETING Monday at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. For more information, email President Ralph Gaston at ralph@rustyshawaiian.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Bradley Westervelt's Navel of Ka`u - Lua O Palahemo II is one of 120 photographs on display at Wailoa Center in Hilo as part of the 15th Annual Hawai`i Photo Expo.

`OHANA HO`OPAKELE PLANS TO REQUEST a preliminary injunction against the scheduled July 1 reopening of Kulani Prison “until such time as the trial on the merits shall be heard on this case,” said attorney Georgette Yaindl after Third Circuit Judge Glenn Hara ruled against the group’s motion for summary judgment against the state. The group, whose name means “To Rescue the Family,” wants the facility to become a pu`uhonua, or place of refuge. Its website describes pu`uhonua as “places open to all, not just Kanaka Maoli, where the traditional ho`opono`pono process of making right will be used to help heal individuals, families, and communities. We believe pu`uhonua centers are for the good of all Hawai`i’s people and can provide real hope in saving money, reducing recidivism, crime prevention, and long-term positive change.”

`Ohana Ho`opakele calls for a therapeutic environment as part of a successful
rehabilitation plan for those in prison. Photo from ohanahoopakele.org

According to `Ohana Hoopakele, an environmental assessment that cleared the way for the prison to reopen was inadequate. The group had requested a more comprehensive environmental impact study.
According to Colin M. Stewart, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, Hara said `Ohana Ho`opakele “had failed to highlight any irregularities or insufficiencies in relation to the final environmental assessment.”
The judge set a hearing regarding the preliminary injunction for 2 p.m. on Monday, June 30.

See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE HAS SIGNED INTO LAW energy-related measures that address solar energy device warranties or guarantees, the energy systems development fund, the Public Utilities Commission and modernization of the electric grid.
“We spend billions of dollars a year on imported oil,” Abercrombie said. “Let’s keep our money within the state by investing in clean, renewable energy development that will reduce carbon emissions in the process, helping to mitigate climate change. These bills are critical to Hawai`i’s future and demonstrate our commitment to a more sustainable state for our residents.”

New regulations increase protection of consumers who install rooftop
solar systems. Photo by Julia Neal

Senate Bill 2657 requires contractors installing solar energy devices to notify private entities that installation may void roofing warranties or guarantees and to obtain written approval and follow written instructions for waterproofing roof penetrations from the roof manufacturer, unless the private entity forgoes the roofing warranty or guarantee. The measure also requires a roofing contractor that waterproofs roof penetrations related to the installation of a solar energy device to honor the roof warranty or guarantee.
Senate Bill 2196 reestablishes the energy systems development special fund that was repealed on June 30, 2013. The measure also extends the allocation of revenues collected from the environmental response, energy and food security tax, also known as the “barrel tax,” to various special funds from 2015 to 2030.
Senate Bill 2948 transfers administrative placement of the Public Utilities Commission from the Department of Budget and Finance to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and clarifies its authority concerning standard administrative practices, including operational expenditures and hiring personnel. The measure also enables the commission chair to appoint, employ and dismiss an executive, fiscal and personnel officer.

House Bill 1943 amends the Public Utilities Commission principles regarding the modernization of the electric grid. It calls for the PUC to balance technical, economic, environmental, and cultural considerations associated with modernization of the electric grid, based on principles that include enabling a diverse portfolio of renewable energy resources, expanding options for customers to manage their energy use, maximizing interconnection of distributed generation to the state’s electric grids on a cost-effective basis at non-discriminatory terms and at just and reasonable rates, determining fair compensation for electric grid services and other benefits provided to customers and maintaining or enhancing grid reliability and safety through modernization of the state’s electric grids.

Sen. Brian Schatz

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THE U.S. SENATE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE has advanced the SECURE Water Amendments Act, legislation introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz and co-sponsored by Sen. Mazie Hirono. The act would increase grant funding for water conservation and drought projects, provide resources for better data collection and analysis of water supply and use and make Hawai`i water conservation projects eligible for WaterSMART grants from the Bureau of Reclamation.
“Recent droughts in Hawai`i and across the country show that we need a better approach to water efficiency and conservation,” Schatz said. “The SECURE Water Amendments Act will give local water authorities the resources to conserve and use water more efficiently.”

To conserve water and promote sustainability, the bill increases funding for WaterSMART grants, which support local water management projects that conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy, protect endangered species and facilitate water markets.

The bill would also provide resources to plan for and combat drought by making projects that prepare for and respond to droughts eligible for funding under the WaterSMART grant program.

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa

Schatz’s bill would also provide resources for states to gather and analyze water supply and use information to help develop a uniform national assessment of water availability.

The bill is supported by numerous groups including the Alliance for Water Efficiency, the American Planning Association, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the Western States Water Council, the Global Water Policy Project, the National Association of Water Companies and the Center for Water-Efficient Landscaping.

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KA`U RESIDENTS CAN MEET U.S. SENATE candidates Brian Schatz and Colleen Hanabusa at a forum in Hilo on Wednesday, July 2, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sangha Hall, 424 Kilauea Ave. Hawai`i Public Radio reporter Sherry Bracken will pose questions to each candidate.

Punalu`u Black Sand Beach is cleaner thanks to the efforts
of thirty Ocean View Summer Fun participants.
Photo from Megan Lamson

For more information for Pahala, call 936-8396. For Ocean View, call 936-9296. Na`alehu and other Ka`u residents can go to either location.

NOHEA KA`AWA, WITH THREE MOUNTAIN ALLLIANCE and the state Department of Forestry and Wildlife, and Megan Lamson, with Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, lead a Mauka-to-Makai talk story and mini beach cleanup yesterday at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach with keiki from the county’s Summer Fun Program in Ocean View. Kahuku Park Recreation Technician Teresa Anderson led the excursion. In total, 30 youth and five adults cleaned up over 465 pieces of rubbish including a fishing net, hair clip, balloon, a snorkel and hundreds of cigarette butts.

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THE 15TH ANNUAL HAWAI`I PHOTO EXPO continues weekdays through Wednesday, June 25. Ka`u resident Peter Anderson had a wide landscape image entitled Red Caldera – Halema`uma`u selected for the show. Bradley Westervelt shared a view from Ka Lae to Mauna Loa with his image Navel of Ka`u - Lua O Palahemo II. In all, 120 images selected by master photographer juror John Upton are on display.

JIM WILSON, HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL District Six candidate, offers a talk story tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, email jimwilsoncouncil@gmail.com.

PEOPLE AND LANDS OF KAHUKU, a guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain, takes place tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. Free.

KA`U FARM BUREAU HOLDS A MEETING Monday at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. For more information, email President Ralph Gaston at ralph@rustyshawaiian.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

La`au lapa`au, native Hawaiian healing, was presented at Olson Trust's Old Pahala Clubhouse yesterday. Photo by Julia Neal

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS DREW KA`U political candidates to Kona yesterday for a pleasant exchange of ideas in a forum moderated by Sherry Bracken, of Hawai`i Public Radio.

Rep. Richard Creagan

STATE REP. RICHARD CREAGAN SAID, “Without these forums, we don’t get to hear the candidates talk about these issues at the same time. Because each candidate has to answer the same questions, you get to hear their views and how they may differ.”
The session was filmed by Big Island Video News, Olelo and others.

Creagan, the incumbent for House District Five, said he talked about his goals for the next legislative session, should he be elected. They include working on health care, integrating affordable health care with prepaid health care and getting a new hospital for Kona. He said later that one issue is the possible privatization of the Ka`u, Hilo and Kona Hospitals. Creagan said he and others support privatization but only if the company is Hawai`i-based and unionized. He said that the private, mainland company that proposed taking over the system of Hawai`i Health Systems Corp. clinics and hospitals statewide is non-union and its “anti-union rhetoric can be found on its website.”

He said that another concern is that an outside hospital corporation could close Ka`u Hospital. “The safety net hospitals such as Ka`u and Kohala have to be preserved. One of the fears of bringing in the outside organizations is that they might want to shut them down.”
Creagan said that a more agreeable merger would be with a hospital like Queens Medical System, based on O`ahu. Queens is already unionized and would not have a problem preserving the union jobs at Ka`u, Hilo and Kona, he said.
During the forum, Creagan, a physician, brought up the medical marijuana issue, saying he supports the expansion of indications for medical marijuana. He said later that he sees it as important especially in the case of veterans with post traumatic stress disorder. “Marijuana can be very helpful. It is approved for PTSD in five or six other states,” he told The Ka`u Calendar newspaper. Creagan is on the House task force to study setting up dispensaries for medical marijuana.

A topic with consensus of apparently all the candidates is labeling of GMO foods. Creagan said that among the candidates, there are some differences, such as whether the federal government should take the lead on the issue – with federal proposals initiated by Ka`u’s U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Creagan said that in addition to federal measures, Hawai`i should lead and establish a state requirement. “Hawai`i should lead, not follow, but in the future the federal government should do it, too.”

Keeping Ka`u Hospital open is a priority for Rep. Richard Creagan.
Photo by Julia Neal

Creagan said after the forum that it is important for Ka`u and the rest of the district to elect a Democrat because Democrats can bring home the funding, with 44 of the 51 legislators members of the Democratic Party. He pointed to Capital Improvement Projects and grants-in-aid for local infrastructure and programs. He also noted after the forum that he is a member of the House majority group, led by Joe Souki, and that Souki is likely to be the House leader once again in 2015.
Creagan said after the forum that one important issue not discussed was public funding for elections. He said that he supports public funding, but it is hard to pass at the Legislature because it does not favor incumbents. He said he will continue to push for it. “Our experience on the Big Island showed the power of public funding, brought more candidates out, allowed them to really compete with the big money interests. That is why Brittany Smart was able to win against candidates supported by big money. Brittany (Smart), Maile (Medeiros David) and Brenda (Ford) were able to get over $30,000 in funding.” Their campaigns for County Council brought out local issues and built awareness in the public, with Maile Medeiros David well recognized as she competes for County Council this year following two races with public funding. There is no public funding for any political positions in Hawai`i this year, he noted.

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Maile Medeiros David

MAILE MEDEIROS DAVID, COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX CANDIDATE, described the forum questions as general and said she brought up several points on her own. She said her talking notes included proposing an agricultural park for Ka`u. She said, “There are no ag parks in our district. The ag parks are at Pahoa, Pana`ewa, Keahole and Hamakua and total 1,800 acres.” She said an ag park in Ka`u could benefit not only Ka`u Coffee growers, many of them with expired leases on land now owned by Lehman Brothers, but also other farming interest such as food crops.

Medeiros David also said she supports continued funding to fight the coffee berry borer. Existing grants “will last for just a little while. It is cost prohibitive to keep the farms at a minimum of coffee berry borers” infestation with income from the farms. She said that government will have to continue its support to battle the pest.
Regarding jobs, she said that completion of the Ka`u Community Development Plan is necessary because it “determines the vision and long-range development – determined by the community. At least it opens the door for the community’s vision of where development should happen, and that would generate the jobs.”
Regarding services needed in Ka`u, she said after the forum that she would like to see an increase in police services in South Kona and Ka`u and an upgrade to county recreational and community facilities. She said she would like to coordinate with county, state and federal agencies to “bring services out to the rural communities on a monthly basis. She gave the example of the Social Security agency sending representatives to Kona once a month for Social Security cards. She said she would like to see the same for Ka`u.

“Bringing workforce training for our young people,” is another goal.

Maile Medeiros David wants to improve bus service in Ka`u.

Regarding transportation, she said after the forum that roads are a multi-agency effort. “I am traveling on roads that I traveled as a kid, and I am 60.” She said that not only roads have to be improved but also mass transit. She said she wants to study possible improvements in connectivity between the working-class people taking the bus from Ka`u to outlying jobs and the bus schedules. She also wants to see if schedules can be expanded or adjusted for students, the elderly and others dependent on the bus.

Medeiros-David noted her background as a County Council staff member for a decade, a paralegal and Deputy County Clerk and her family background of working in ranching and coffee. She said she has an “upfront personal touch with community and understanding what their issues are.” Regarding genetically modified crops, Medeiros-David said after the forum, “We need to protect our ag lands for food.” She said she supports home rule on the issue and the intent of the bill that was passed by the County Council to limit GMOs in the county but noted the court case against it. She said she also supports GMO food labeling.

See more from other candidates who attended the forum in future Ka`u News Briefs.

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HUI MALAMA OLA NA `OIWI, the Native Hawaiian Health Care System, hosted more than 60 members of the public at its health workshop yesterday at Olson Trust's Old Pahala Clubhouse. Keamalu Waltjen, CNA, CHW, Outreach Case Manager and Site Supervisor who runs the Ka`u offices for the Native Hawaiian healthcare organization, said she was pleased with the turnout of every kind of person to listen to health education and presentations. Included were traditional Native Hawaiian treatments and health care practices. Lomi lomi and other practices were demonstrated along with a display of healthful foods and herbs used for healthy eating and for treatment of ailments. Ka Leo O Na Kahuna Lapa`au O Mu Heiau O Lona presented Native Hawaiian health care history and displays.

The clubhouse is available for free for public education and classes for which there is no fee. The fee is 15 percent or a flat fee for activities that charge participants. There is also a fee for private and family parties. Call 928-9811 to reserve. Hui Malama is federally funded by the Health Resourses Services Administration.

For more information, call Julie at 969-9220. See huimalamaolanaoiwi.org or visit offices in Na`alehu.

Na`alehu Theater is on Historic Hawai`i Foundation's list of Most
Endangered Historic Sites.

HISTORIC HAWAI`I FOUNDATION IS NOW ACCEPTING nominations for the 2014 Most Endangered Historic Sites. Nominations are sought for threatened historic resources across the state. Historic resources are often threatened by demolition, neglect, ignorance and apathy. Historic resources can include buildings, objects, landscapes and communities.
Na`alehu Theater was placed on the list of Hawai`i’s Most Endangered Historic Sites in 2010. At that time Marge Elwell, who was president of Na`alehu Main Street, had applied to lease the theater from 300 Corp., an affiliate of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. NMS hoped to lease the building for five years, rent-free “while we’re rebuilding the theater and, after three years, we would lease to buy the theater,” Elwell told Historic Hawai`i Foundation.
The Most Endangered Historic Sites list is developed in cooperation with Honolulu Magazine and the Hawai‘i State Historic Preservation Division.
Nominations are to be submitted prior to 5 p.m. on July 31. Forms are available at historichawaii.org.

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THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO KA`U FARM BUREAU meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. For more information, email President Ralph Gaston at ralph@rustyshawaiian.com.

CARL RAY VILLAVERDE PERFORMS Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. After spending more than a decade on the mainland teaching `ukulele and guitar at Santa Barbara City College and performing throughout California, Villaverde returns to the islands with his new CD, Hawaiian Magic, on sale at the show. Free; park entrance fees apply. $2 donations support After Dark programs.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Na`alehu Independence Day Parade rolls through town this Saturday, followed by a celebration at Na`alehu Park. Events are sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou. Photo by Julia Neal

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF HAWAI`I COUNTY yesterday held its first Ka`u islandwide meeting in its history, according to Democratic Party island chair David Tarnas, who traveled to Pahala Plantation House from Waimea. Other precinct and district officers traveled from Hilo, Kona and other distant locales. Representing Ka`u were precinct presidents Malian Lahey, of Pahala, Barbara Lewis, of Ocean View and state Rep. Richard Creagan. Sen. Malama Solomon, Barbara Dalton and other Democratic Party Leaders conferenced into the meeting by phone.

Hawai`i County Democratic Party held its first Ka`u islandwide meeting
at Pahala Plantation House yesterday. Photo by Julia Neal

Tarnas encouraged all Democratic Party members to help register voters, support their favorite Democratic candidates in the primary election coming up Aug. 9 and support all Democrats who win in the primary. Upcoming events include the Fourth of July parade in Kona, followed by a luncheon and candidates event at Kona Outdoor Circle.

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COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATE JIM WILSON presented his views over the weekend at the League of Women Voters forum on Saturday and a coffee hour in Volcano on Sunday.
Wilson called the League forum very pleasant and well run and said that people at his coffee hour are hoping the League will hold another forum on this side of the island.
He said GMO was discussed at both events and said his view is that GMO foods should be labeled. He said he has not carved out a stand on restricting growing GMO foods here but that there should be complete transparency with the public. “Food manufacturers are going to have to tell us what is in their products.”
Regarding new businesses, Wilson told The Ka`u Calendar that the permitting process should be streamlined. “Businesses should not have to have such a hard time to open. There has to be some kind of expedited procedure.”

He said more potable water for the Ocean View community came up at the forum and that he supports it. “They need more water,” he said.

Jim Wilson

Transportation was another topic at both the forum and coffee hour. “Lack of adequate bus service – particularly down in the Ka`u area, must be addressed. Plus, bus service to the airport is practically nonexistent.” He also said parking fees are too high for local people traveling and suggested that the state might work out a fee package for weekly and monthly parking. Wilson said the County Council needs to work on bus service. “It needs a lot of help, needs to be expanded – of course, this all relates to cost.”
Another need, Wilson said, is trash-to-energy to get rid of garbage. “Putting trash in a hole is not going to work forever,” he said regarding the county’s landfills. “We live on an island.” He said he is concerned about whether enough research has been done worldwide to find other communities on islands that have successfully dealt with trash, turning it into energy “to find the proper one for our island.” He said he supports continued education about recycling, reusing and reducing trash.
Term limits came up at his coffee hour, and Wilson said that the County Council term is too short. “The first year, you learn about the position, and the second year, you worry about campaigning.” He said the council job should be a minimum of three to four years.
Wilson, retired publisher of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, stressed a no-nonsense, common sense, practical approach to government.
The council election is non-partisan. If no one receives a majority of the vote on Aug. 9, there will be a runoff in November at the general election.
Wilson can be reached at 985-7191.

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HAWAI`I RANKED AS THE FIFTH-WORST PLACE to retire, according to a recent report by Bankrate.com, the New York Times and other publications are reporting. “Bankrate said that if it weren’t for the sky-high cost of living, Hawai`i would be one of the best states in the country for retirees,” according to a story by Kerry Hannon, of The New York Times. The writer reports Bankrate stating that Hawai`i’s “remoteness, popular beaches, wildlife and culture make America’s 50th state a top tourism destination.”

The story says “Bankrate.com cautioned Hawai`i is also tough to afford, especially for anyone on a fixed income” and noted that “the Council for Community and Economic Research, which tracks consumer prices around the country, found Hawai`i to be the most expensive state in the country for retirees.”

The New York Times story points out that “a loaf of bread, for example, costs an average of $2.80 in Honolulu, according to the council’s 2013 analysis. That’s $1.30 higher than the national average. The city’s gas stations charged an average of $4.19 a gallon last year, compared with a national average of $3.44. And a trip to the beauty parlor costs an average of $52 in Honolulu, about $18 higher than the national average.”
The story reports that “the five best states for retirement were South Dakota, Colorado, Utah, North Dakota and Wyoming. Popular retiree spots like Florida and Arizona don’t even make the top 10. The five worst states for retirement, according to the report, were New York, West Virginia, Alaska, Arkansas and Hawai`i.”
The Hannon story also points to a Better Homes and Gardens real estate report saying that “57 percent of baby boomers say they plan to move to a new home in retirement” and that 39 percent look forward to living in a small town or rural community.
See more at newyorktimes.com.

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KA`U LITTLE LEAGUE LOST TO HILO in the Major Division of 11- to 12-year-olds at the District Tournament in Honoka`a yesterday. Hilo’s 15-6 win advanced the team to today’s championship game.
Pitchers for Ka`u were Kainalu Satkofsky, Andre Carvalho and Jeremiah Nurial-Dacalio. Nurial-Dacalio also had three RBIs, a team high.
Hilo coach Earl Moses praised Ka`u’s efforts, saying, “For a team that has never had Little League before, they did real good. Real tough.”

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Lane Ueda signs residents up for electric bill assistance.
Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I COUNTY’S HI-5 REDEMPTION CENTER is changing hours. As of July 1, the center will still open Saturdays and Sundays at 8 a.m. but close at 3:30 p.m. instead of 4:30 p.m. For the convenience of the public, it will remain open throughout the day rather than close for lunch.

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Carl Ray Villaverde Photo from NPS

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO KA`U FARM BUREAU meeting this evening at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center.

For more information, email President Ralph Gaston at ralph@rustyshawaiian.com.

CARL RAY VILLAVERDE PERFORMS tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. After spending more than a decade on the mainland teaching `ukulele and guitar at Santa Barbara City College and performing throughout California, Villaverde returns to the islands with his new CD, Hawaiian Magic, on sale at the show. Free; park entrance fees apply. $2 donations support After Dark programs.

ORAL ABIHAI SHARES HIS PASSION for making `ukulele from discarded or naturally fallen pieces of wood Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

NA`ALEHU INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE, sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou, is Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. Businesses, organizations and individuals who wish to participate, volunteer or donate should call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 or see okaukakou.org/4th-of-july-parade and click on the volunteer button.
Prizes are awarded for the most colorful entry and the most patriotic entry. The parade route begins at Na`alehu Elementary School and ends at Na`alehu Hongwanji Mission.
After the parade, OKK provides fun times at the Na`alehu Park for all ages with free shaved ice, hot dogs, games for keiki and Bingo for seniors.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

State House of Representatives District Five candidate Dave Bateman wants to increase food production in Ka`u and other parts of his district. Photo by Julia Neal

DAVE BATEMAN, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE for state House District Five, presented his views at League of Women Voters’ forum Saturday. He later told The Ka`u Calendar that his campaign is about `ohana and improving quality of life. To do this in District Five, he said, “The first thing that we need is a government that is supportive, that helps and says ‘yes’ more than ‘no.’”
He said he supports increasing agricultural production on “Hualalai, Mauna Loa and into Ka`u. We have some of the best growing area in the world right here, and we are not taking advantage of it. We import 85 percent of our food at a statewide cost of about $3 billion a year,” even when underestimating food costs per person as low as $10 day for a million Hawai`i residents.
“Food comes in, money goes offshore to mainland U.S. interests and such places as Mexico,” Bateman said. “My plan calls for the money to stay here. Why are we importing this food when we can grow locally veggies, fruits, nuts, cattle, chicken, eggs?” asked the candidate, who is also a coffee farmer.

Candidate Dave Bateman grows coffee in Kona.

Bateman said his plan is to “educate our keiki and high school graduates in agriculture. There would be two-year degrees in ag, ag business, farming and mahi`ai, Hawaiian traditional farming. Young people educated in ag would qualify for low-cost, long-term leases on farmland from the state, county, Kamehameha Schools and other private landowners to get their production going. They would also qualify for matching loans from the state at three percent interest for 30 years.” He said similar loans are already available from the state Department of Agriculture. However, these would be for newly qualified farmers.
He said that about 15,000 acres would be needed to make a significant contribution to food production and employment. He suggested that the state employment retirement system use part of its $12 billion retirement fund to finance new agriculture. He said that even with a three percent return from the farm loans, the income would be better than Wall Street investments, which provided heavy losses to the retirement system when the economy crashed.
He said it’s also important to continue growing export crops like coffee and macadamia nuts.
Regarding the future of energy, Bateman pointed to local residents paying four times the cost of electricity on the mainland. He said he supports geothermal, wind and solar and wants to incentive the electric company to upgrade transmission lines. He contended that changing electric current from alternating to direct for distribution along the power lines would save much of the line loss. The electricity would be reverted back to AC at different substations around the island.
He said he would lobby to cut state income taxes by 20 percent. He would also reduce vehicle licensing costs and said many farmers have to pay a high rate that presents a burden to agriculture.
Bateman wants to eliminate local taxes on food, medical care and medicine and reduce general excise taxes on “farm-direct sales.”
He said he wants to raise `ohana out of poverty, saying that 17 percent of families of four earn less than $27,000 a year and that 40 percent of students need a free meal when they come to school.

Diagram depicts hydrogen fuel cell use in vehicles.

“THIS NEW FUEL CELL ELECTRIC BUS IS THE FIRST tangible step in realizing our vision of transforming the County of Hawai`i public bus system into one that is powered by our island’s incredible renewable energy resources,” Mayor Billy Kenoi said regarding the county getting the state’s first hydrogen fuel cell and battery-powered bus. The 25-passenger bus should be ready early next year, according to manufacturer U.S. Hybrid.
The bus uses a 30-kilowatt fuel cell fueled by a 20-kilogram hydrogen storage and delivery system. The fuel cell and 28-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery power the vehicle’s 200-kilowatt power train, air conditioning and auxiliary systems. Onboard batteries are recharged by regenerative braking.
Funding comes from the state of Hawai`i and Office of Naval Research via the Hawai`i Natural Energy Institute. Hawai`i Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies Director Stan Osserman said the contract includes the vehicle, conversion from internal combustion to a hydrogen fuel cell, a limited warranty and support equipment.
Kenoi said the bus is the first step in transforming Hawai`i County’s Hele-On bus system into one that “is powered by our island’s incredible renewable energy resources. Instead of exporting our citizen’s hard-earned dollars offshore, we will be able to keep this money in our local economy creating new jobs and protecting us from the swings of the fossil fuel markets,” he said.

Hawai`i Civil Defense is now Hawai`i Emergency
Management Agency.

HAWAI`I EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY is the new name of state Civil Defense, following Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s signing of House Bill 849 (Act 111). Hawai`i was the last state to retain the use of civil defense in reference to its emergency management agency. This change brings Hawai`i in line with modern best practices and updates language and references used in prior statutes.

Act 111 also establishes an Emergency Reserve Corps and authorizes the 24/7 State Warning Point, both critical increases in the state’s readiness to respond to hazards. It does not significantly change the governor’s emergency powers, but it does vest county mayors with emergency authorities independent of the state emergency management structure.
The measure updates the state’s emergency management statutes, including clarification of the relationship between state and county emergency management agencies and the emergency management functions and powers of the governor and mayors.
“This measure will ensure that the state is better prepared for all catastrophic events, both natural and manmade, in safeguarding the people of Hawai`i,” Abercrombie said. “In addition, this act will better integrate state and county disaster response planning and reorganizes the authorities and responsibilities of government leaders, providing the public with increased clarity during difficult and uncertain circumstances.”

AFTER REVIEWING 245 MEASURES PASSED by the 2014 Hawai`i State Legislature, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has notified legislators of his intent to veto 10 bills, in addition to the notification on June 9 of his intent to line-item veto House Bill 1700 relating to the state budget.
“I commend legislators for passing many important and relevant measures this session that will benefit Hawai`i’s residents, like higher minimum wage and land preservation,” Abercrombie said. “However, there are a few bills I am considering vetoing because of input I have received from concerned individuals. Other bills, despite their good intentions, will not work as they are written.”
The state of Hawai`i Constitution requires the governor to provide 10 working days’ notice for any measures that he may veto by July 8.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie

Abercrombie said most of the bills are potentially objectionable because of concerns raised by state department or agencies, reflected in testimonies provided during the hearing process. The purpose of the notice is to allow sufficient time for the governor to give additional consideration, have further discussions and inquiries and conduct deeper analysis before final decisions are made.

ONE BILL THAT IS NOT ON GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE’S veto list is House Bill 1671, which increases the amount of transient accommodation tax revenues available to the counties. The tax is collected on hotel rooms and rentals of less than 180 consecutive days. “All of the mayors and the county councils worked together this year to make a strong and compelling case for lifting the cap,” a spokesman for Mayor Billy Kenoi told Nancy Cook Lauer, of West Hawai`i Today. “We appreciate the decision by the state Legislature and the governor to increase the counties’ share … and we look forward to continuing this discussion next year.”
The county plans to apply the entire amount of the extra transient accommodations tax, $1.86 million, to the county’s account for future health benefits for retirees.

See westhawaiitoday.com.

ORAL ABIHAI SHARES HIS PASSION for making `ukulele from discarded or naturally fallen pieces of wood tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

NA`ALEHU INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE starts at 11 a.m. Saturday. To participate, volunteer or donate, call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 or see okaukakou.org/4th-of-july-parade and click on the volunteer button.
After the parade, `O Ka`u Kakou provides fun times at Na`alehu Park for all ages with free shaved ice, hot dogs, games for keiki and Bingo for seniors.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Researchers arrive off the Ka`u Coast today to map and study the base of Loihi Seamount. Image from Schmidt Ocean Institute

COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATE RICHARD ABBETT, who presented his views at last weekend’s League of Women Voters forum, has been talking to people daily at gathering places in Ka`u and has been attending and participating in County Council meetings remotely from Ocean View Community Center since last October.

He told The Ka`u Calendar that one of his most important issues is the Transient Accommodations Tax, the tax levied on hotel rooms, bed and breakfast establishments and vacation rentals by the state. The county receives only a portion back from the state, and the counties lobby each year to receive a greater share to take care of county roads, parks, police, fire, lifeguards, visitor information centers, public transportation and other services and infrastructure funded by the county. Abbett said the income is needed not only to pay for direct impact of visitors and services provided for tourism, but to also help pay for county workers in terms of their union wages and benefits, as well as retirement. The counties lost a lot of TAT income during the recent financial crisis when the state decided to hold onto more of the transient tax revenue to pay for its services and overhead. Abbett said Hawai`i County is producing the highest per day spending by visitors and could put an increased share of the TAT to good use.

Richard Abbett, candidate for Hawai`i County Council District Six

Abbett said that if elected to the County Council, he wants to serve on the Finance, Water and Environment Committees.
He said he is also interested in more transparency and accountability of public officials to the citizenry. He said he would support a County Charter resolution to make the county clerk a four-year elected term. He said he disagrees with a current County Charter proposal to make the County Clerk a six-year political appointment and said he plans to testify against it at a County Council meeting.He said the county clerk, the chief elections officer who serves the administration, and legislative auditor, who serves the County Council, should both be elected by the public rather than be political appointments of the mayor and the County Council, which has put them add odds with one another.

Abbett also talked about the state of Hawai`i ranking lowest in the nation for voter turnout and about lack of public participation in government. Abbett attends council meetings usually at the Ocean View Community Center, where residents can watch the meetings and participate, giving testimony through an audio-visual feed. He said he also talks story with people around Ka`u each morning at different cafes and other locales, speaking with business owners and the general public. He said he is forming his platform and policies based on these direct interactions with people and through attending the council meetings to keep up to date on the issues.
He said that when people say, “Why bother?” he encourages them “to not give up and to vote and participate.” He said there was some improvement in citizen participation for a while. However, he contends that after the public will was made into a law to restrict GMOs and to reduce police effort in charging people with cannabis use, the new laws have not been carried out. “It was like throwing cold water in our face - disagreeing with the will of the people.”
He also mentioned that he has received endorsement from the statewide Sierra Club.
Abbett can be reached on email at reabbett@gmail.com or on the Richard Abbett for County Council Facebook page.

See more about candidates on local ballots at the primary election on Saturday, Aug. 9 in future Ka`u News Briefs.

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RESEARCHERS ARRIVE OFF THE KA`U COAST today to explore Loihi Seamount. Brian Glazer, an oceanographer at University of Hawai`i-Manoa, leads the expedition, along with colleagues from University of Minnesota, IFREMER Centre de Brest and Woods Hole Oceanographic. They will map the seamount’s base using Woods Hole Oceanographic’s Sentry autonomous underwater vehicle and collect water samples to better understand the processes impacting delivery and dispersion of hydrothermal fluids from Loihi to the Pacific Ocean.
Called The Iron Eaters of Loihi Seamount, the expedition will study bacteria that are oxidizing iron from hydrothermal fluids and seafloor rocks. Results could contribute to understanding the ocean’s iron and carbon cycling, a critical driver in ocean balance. They could also answer questions about how reddish geological formations on land and on the seafloor, called umbers, are formed and whether they formed biologically or geologically and chemically.
The research also has implications regarding extraterrestrial life. “If, for example, researchers can identify a definitive chemical signature for geological features formed by microbes like those around Loihi, it could ultimately allow scientists to decipher whether similar geological features on places like Mars were biologically produced — a potentially simpler task than finding living cells with limited exploration,” said Mark Schrope, of Schmidt Ocean Institute.
For more information and to follow the expedition that continues through Monday, July 7, see schmidtocean.org/story/show/2225.

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Hawai`i County Council joined New York City in banning sales of tobacco products to those under 21 years of age. The law goes into effect Tuesday, July 1. Image from tobaccofreekids.org

NO BUYING CIGARETTES IF UNDER 21 years of age. The new law going into effect Tuesday, July 1, will make Hawai`i the first county in the state and one of the few communities in the nation to enact the law. New York City is one of the other leaders. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids notes on its website that tobacco companies have long been well aware that if kids are hooked early they have a good chance of acquiring lifelong customers. The campaign website at tobaccofreekids.org quotes them:

“Raising the legal minimum age for cigarette purchasers to 21 could gut our key young adult market (17-20) . …”   – Philip Morris report, Jan. 21, 1986.
“If a man has never smoked by age 18, the odds are three-to-one he never will. By age 21, the odds are twenty-to-one.” — RJ Reynolds, Sept. 10, 1982.
The campaign literature says, “Nearly all smokers start as kids or young adults, and these age groups are heavily targeted by the tobacco industry. Increasing the sale age to 21 will help to prevent young people from ever starting to smoke and to reduce the deaths, disease and health care costs caused by tobacco use.
“Increasing the sale age will complement other strategies to reduce tobacco use, including higher tobacco taxes, strong smoke-free laws that apply to all workplaces and public places and well funded, sustained tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

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Prof. Gilles-Eric Seralini's study finding major problems with GMOs and
glyphosate has been republished.

A CHRONIC TOXICITY STUDY ON THE GLYPHOSATE-BASED herbicide Roundup and a commercialized genetically modified corn has been republished, restoring it to the peer-reviewed literature so that it can be consulted and built upon by other scientists.
Led by Prof. Gilles-Eric Seralini, the study found severe liver and kidney damage and hormonal disturbances in rats fed GM corn and low levels of Roundup that are below those permitted in drinking water in the European Union. Toxic effects were found from the GM corn tested alone, as well as from Roundup tested alone and together with the corn. Additional unexpected findings were higher rates of large tumors and mortality in most treatment groups.
The study was first published in Food and Chemical Toxicology in Sept. 2012 but was retracted by the editor-in-chief in Nov. 2013 after what Seralini called “a sustained campaign of criticism and defamation by pro-GMO scientists.”
Republished by Environmental Sciences Europe, the new version contains extra material addressing criticisms of the original publication. Raw data underlying the study’s findings are also published. According to Seralini, raw data for industry studies that underlie regulatory approvals of Roundup are kept secret. However, the new paper presents the same results as before, and the conclusions are unchanged.
See gmoseralini.org.

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Ka`u residents can sign up for help with electric bills at Old Pahala Clubhouse
tomorrow and Friday. Photo by Julia Neal

NA`ALEHU INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE starts at 11 a.m. Saturday. To participate, volunteer or donate, call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 or see okaukakou.org/4th-of-july-parade and click on the volunteer button.
After the parade, `O Ka`u Kakou provides fun times at Na`alehu Park for all ages with free shaved ice, hot dogs, games for keiki and Bingo for seniors.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

The state Board of Land & Natural Resources will consider the project to elevate Hwy 11 at Kawa during its meeting tomorrow.
Photo from Final Environmental Assessment

ELEVATING HWY 11 AT KAWA is on tomorrow’s meeting agenda of the state Board of Land & Natural Resources. The state Department of Transportation seeks a Conservation District Use Permit for its plan to raise the highway along some 3,000 feet of road to alleviate flooding risks. When Kawa floods, access is cut off to Ka`u Hospital in Pahala from Na`alehu. Emergency vehicles, school buses and around-the-island traffic are blocked along the coastal road and must take the old sugar cane haul road in the mountains.

Officials explained the Hwy 11 Kawa project at a public meeting
in Ka`u in Dec. 2011. Photo by Julia Neal

For travel during construction of the raised road, a bypass would be built makai of Hwy 11, starting about 100 yards south of the main entrance into Kawa’s surfing beach. The secondary entrance to Kawa would also remain during and after construction.
The Kawa Drainage Project Environmental Assessment, available at hawaii.gov/oeqc, explains that Hwy 11 would be raised some 10 feet above grade to 46 feet above sea level. An 84-foot-wide culvert, eight feet high, would be placed beneath the highway.
During a public meeting held in Dec. 2011, planners said that the wetlands, springs and other features would not be disturbed at Kawa by the new flood project.
The $3.8 million project is 80 percent funded by the Federal Highway Administration and 20 percent by the state of Hawai`i. The improvements would be along approximately 3,700 feet of Hwy 11.
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SANJEEV “SONNY” BHAGOWALIA, Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s chief advisor for technology and cybersecurity, has received the 2014 Government Technology Research Alliance’s Government Innovator of the Year award. Bhagowalia received the award for facilitating Hawai`i’s business and technology transformation, launched in 2011 under the Abercrombie Administration.

Sanjeev "Sonny" Bhagowalia receives his Innovator of the Year award.

“This prestigious award recognizes the finest leaders and innovators in government,” Abercrombie said. “Under Sonny’s innovative leadership, Hawai`i has developed an ambitious business and technology plan, established a stable technology foundation, launched key programs to transform delivery of online services and significantly improved transparency and accountability. Our state government is now being recognized as a leader in the nation for our steady and incremental transformation gains.”
Bhagowalia received the honor amid a field of nominees from federal, state, local and tribal governments. Hawai`i was the sole state recipient in the Government Innovator of the Year category, beating out two federal finalists from the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The award was one of 24 handed out at this week’s GTRA GOVTek Executive Government Technology Awards Gala, which celebrates and recognizes government and industry information technology leaders whose vision, innovation and accomplishments have improved efficiency, the delivery of government services, citizen engagement, information sharing and national security.
Bhagowalia was nominated for his accomplishments as the first leader of state Office of Information Management Technology and his achievements over the past year in transforming business and technology in the state through the innovative use of enterprise architectures, strategic planning, program management, transparency and personal transformation.

After being appointed by Abercrombie as the state’s first chief information officer and serving in that capacity for three years, Bhagowalia was promoted to governor’s chief advisor for technology and cybersecurity in February 2014. The new executive leadership position was created to establish Hawai`i as a premier technology and cybersecurity hub in the Asia-Pacific region and to strengthen ties between Hawai`i and Washington, D.C. in support of the state’s business and technology transformation.
Bhagowalia is working with the new state CIO, Keone Kali, and other stakeholders to publish a cybersecurity report on Hawai`i’s next steps to align with the National Cybersecurity Framework and establish itself as a world-class cybersecurity center of excellence for the emerging 21st Century Asia-Pacific region.
“Hawai`i is on track and being recognized at the national level for making steady progress in modernizing and securing our technology infrastructure and reengineering the way government does business – online versus waiting in line,” Bhagowalia said. “A cybersecurity framework of cooperation and investment will be required by government, industry and academia with local, national and international representation to help Hawai`i realize its promise as a crossroads of the Pacific in the Information Age.”
For more information on GTRA Awards, see june2014.gtra.org/awards.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono addresses the Veterans' Affairs
Conference Committee.

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO, A MEMBER of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Conference Committee, gave an opening statement on Hawai`i veterans’ wait times for health care at VA facilities during the committee’s first meeting. The committee is working on a compromise version of the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act, which was recently passed by the House and Senate. The meeting is the first Veterans’ Affairs conference committee since 1990.
“This Conference Committee has an important task in the coming days and weeks,” Hirono said. “That is to finalize legislation that does three important things:

Directly address the emergency circumstances that have been uncovered at the Veterans’ Administration;
Ensure all of our veterans receive access to the care that they deserve; and
Begin the longer-term work of restoring veterans’ trust not only in the VA, but in Congress’s ability to effectively oversee the VA and provide the resources needed to care for our veterans.

“Investing in the VA is an essential step towards building back the trust of our veterans.   I recognize that expanding access to non-VA providers is needed to immediately address this emergency.   With this expansion, we must ensure every veteran in our country, whether rural or urban, can easily get the care they need if the VA is not available.   For Hawai`i veterans, that should include being able to get care from community health centers, Department of Defense facilities or from the Native Hawaiian Health Care System.   But that doesn’t mean that getting care outside of the system is the long-term solution.
“I do not support an approach that will lead to atrophy of the VA.   I do not support voucherizing VA.   I do support Congressional leadership and action that addresses the current emergency, ensures our veterans’ can access the care that they deserve and lays the groundwork so that the VA can effectively address long-term needs.”
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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard speaking to a Hawai`i Island veteran.

KA`U’S U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD encourages veterans to contact her if they need assistance with the Veterans’ Affairs or Pacific Islands Health Care System. “My team and I can help local veterans who feel they have been treated unfairly by the VA or who have not received a timely response for care or benefits.” See gabbard.house.gov or call 808-541-1986.
Gabbard has called for Pres. Barack Obama to use his executive power to alleviate the crisis of long wait times for veterans to receive health care. She also wants new leadership in Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System, saying Director Wayne Pfeffer should be fired, following reports that veterans in Hawai`i have the nation’s longest wait times. She also wants “a thorough review of the cause for the excessive 145-day wait times.” 
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Na`alehu's Independence Day Celebration
is two days away. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I COUNTY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL continues its help with electric bills through the end of the month. The Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program is available at Ocean View Community Center today, tomorrow and Monday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Low-income families can sign up in Pahala today and tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For information for Pahala, call 936-8396. For Ocean View, call 936-9296. Na`alehu and other Ka`u residents can go to either location.

VOLUNTEERS MEET AT KILAUEA VISITOR CENTER to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park trails tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free; park entrance fees apply.

STORYTELLING WITH DOODIE DOWNS takes place tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Aloha Friday programs are supported in part by a grant from the County of Hawai`i Department of Research and Development and Hawai`i Tourism Authority. Free; park entrance fees apply.

NA`ALEHU INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE starts at 11 a.m. Saturday. To participate, volunteer or donate, call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 or see okaukakou.org/4th-of-july-parade and click on the volunteer button.
After the parade, `O Ka`u Kakou provides fun times at Na`alehu Park for all ages with free shaved ice, hot dogs, games for keiki and Bingo for seniors.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

Hui Okinawa Kobodu Taiko, here at a January benefit concert in Pahala, comes to Na`alehu tomorrow to participate in the Fourth of July celebration. Photo by Julia Neal

COMBINING AND RE-SUBDIVIDING AGRICULTURAL AND CONSERVATION LANDS in order to drive up the sales price of oceanfront and farm lots for expensive estates has come back to haunt the county. The state Department of Land & Natural Resources said the county needs state permission for such actions that involve conservation property and has asked the county to resolve a situation involving buyers of two oceanfront lots created by consolidation and re-subdivision that are valued at $400,000. The lots, with burials and archaeological sites, were bought by people who want them buildable, but DLNR is objecting to the county creation of the lots by a former Planning Director (not the current or previous director) without state permission.

An example of consolidation and re-subdivision in along the Ka`u Coast below Na`alehu.
Map from Hawai`i County Planning Department

Referred to in the resolution as the Gapp property, the lots are in Puna, where council members are considering resolving the situation by using money the county’s Open Space fund that comes from two percent of the county’s property tax income to buy the land. However, Ka`u’s council member Brenda Ford said that using Open Space funds would set a poor precedent since there is a public process for selecting lands to be conserved.

The resolution from Puna council member Greggor Ilagan states that “the County Charter provides that monies in the fund may be used to purchase property for the purpose of preservation of historic and culturally important land areas and sites.” He said that the Puna poperty has historic sites and that Puna needs a beach park.
Such consolidation and re-subdivision plans have been proposed in Ka`u. One would take kuleana and other lots in a 1,000-acre parcel below Na`alehu and move them to the oceanfront to create expensive lots for sale.
According to a subdivision plan at the county Planning Department, the smallest lots would be long and narrow, side-by-side and closest to the ocean, with two of them just over six acres.
The subdivision is being proposed by Waimea realtor Leslie Agorastos, of Clark Realty, and partners. The proposal involves taking existing lots within the larger parcel, some of them former family homesteads of Hawaiians, and moving them toward the coast to maximize property values. The largest lot, more than 500 acres, would be the most mauka.
The issue will be taken up by the County Council at its meeting this coming Wednesday.

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TEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE-RELATED MEASURES PASSED by the state Legislature are now law after receiving Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s signatures.
“As I said in my State of the State Address in January, ‘Crimes against our common humanity will not be tolerated in Hawai`i,’” Abercrombie said. “I commend the Legislature for addressing many areas of criminal justice as we work together to protect our citizens, especially our keiki.”

Senate Bill 2687 extends the period by an additional two years that a victim of child sexual abuse may bring an otherwise time-barred civil action against an abuser or entity with a duty or care, including the state and counties.
House Bill 2034 removes the statute of limitations for criminal actions of sexual assault in the first and second degrees, as well as the continuous sexual assault of a minor under the age of 14.
House Bill 1926 amends the offense of solicitation of a minor for prostitution and the offense of prostitution to include sadomasochistic abuse under the definition of sexual conduct, including clarification that a law enforcement officer shall not be exempt from the offense while acting in the course and scope of duties. This measure also amends the applicability of a deferred acceptance of a guilty or nolo contendere plea and clarifies sentencing of repeat offenders and enhanced sentences for repeat violent and sexual offenders.

Senate Bill 702, known as Alicia’s Law, establishes an Internet crimes against children special fund and an Internet crimes against children fee of up to $100 for each felony or misdemeanor conviction. Fees will be deposited into the special fund, which will be used by the Department of the Attorney General to combat Internet crimes against children. This measure also appropriates $62,500 into the new special fund.
House Bill 1750 expands the offense of violation of privacy in the first degree to include the disclosure of an image or video of another identifiable person either in the nude or engaging in sexual conduct without the consent of the depicted person with intent to harm substantially the depicted person.
House Bill 1993 requires a police officer to make a reasonable inquiry of witnesses or household members when physical abuse or harm is suspected and order a no-contact period of 48 hours. This measure also makes the commission of physical abuse in the presence of a family or household member under the age of 14 a class C felony.
House Bill 2205 imposes a mandatory minimum term of one year imprisonment upon conviction of habitual property crime and authorizes probation only for a first conviction.
House Bill 2038 establishes the human trafficking victims services fund to be administered by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to provide support and services to human trafficking victims. This measure also imposes human trafficking victim fees to be imposed upon persons convicted of labor trafficking and prostitution offenses.
House Bill 1706 sets a fixed fine of $200 for parking a vehicle on a bicycle lane or pathway.
Senate Bill 2591 requires additional information from county police departments in their annual report to the Legislature of misconduct incidents that resulted in the suspension or discharge of an officer. This measure also allows the disclosure of certain information regarding officer misconduct in cases that result in discharge, after 90 days have passed following the issuance of the decision.

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Sen. Mazie Hirono congratulates Esther Kia`aina on her new position as
Assistant Secretary of Insular Affairs. Photo from Office of Sen. Hirono

BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE U.S. SENATE, ESTHER KIA`AINA is U.S. Department of the Interior’s new Assistant Secretary of Insular Affairs.

The Office of Insular Affairs coordinates federal policy in the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It also administers U.S. federal assistance to the Freely Associated States of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau under the Compacts of Free Association.
“President Obama recognized a tremendous individual for this important post in Esther Kia`aina,” said Sen. Brian Schatz. “Her confirmation is a testament to her distinguished career and expertise on Native Hawaiian issues and land management. Esther is an exceptional addition to the Department of the Interior and will serve well as Assistant Secretary.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “The Senate’s overwhelming support for Esther’s nomination speaks to her strong qualifications to serve as DOI Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs. I have no doubt she will serve with distinction and make Hawai`i proud.”

Hirono had previously introduced Kia`aina’s nomination during a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing last November.  

Prior to her nomination, Kia`aina served as the First Deputy Director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources for Hawai`i, a position she has held since 2012. Previously, she served as Chief Advocate for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs from 2009 to 2011, and from 2007 to 2009, she was a Land Asset Manager for Kamehameha Schools’ Land Asset Division. Kia`aina served as Chief of Staff for Rep. Ed Case from 2003 to 2007. From 1999 to 2003, she was Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Rep. Robert Underwood. Kia`aina served as a Legislative Assistant for Sen. Daniel Akaka from 1990 to 1999.
She received a B.A. from the University of Southern California and a J.D. from George Washington University Law School.

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Today is the last day that residents can sign up for help with electricity bills
at Old Pahala Clubhouse. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I COUNTY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL continues its help with electric bills. Low-income families can sign up in Pahala today from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program is available at Ocean View Community Center today and Monday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For information for Pahala, call 936-8396. For Ocean View, call 936-9296. Na`alehu and other Ka`u residents can go to either location.

“COME ON DOWN TO KA`U AND JOIN THE FUN TOMORROW,” said Na`alehu Fourth of July celebration organizer Lee McIntosh. Na`alehu Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints offers a free pancake breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Local businesses, organizations and elected officials show their patriotism at this year’s Independence Day parade beginning at 11 a.m. The parade route begins at Na`alehu Elementary School and ends at Na`alehu Hongwanji Mission.
Starting at noon, there are free games and food for the whole family at Na`alehu Park, with shave ice, hot dogs, a climbing rock wall, water slides and bounce houses for the kids to enjoy until 3 p.m.
Entertainment will be provided by Keoki Kahumoku and the `Ukulele Kids, Keaiwa, Back to the ‘50s Trio, Hands of Time and Hui Okinawa Kobudo Taiko.

Bingo and lunch will be hosted at Na`alehu Hongwanji Mission for adults until 4 p.m.

For more information, visit okaukakou.org or call Debra at 808-929-9872.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.
Click at bottom right to turn pages.

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