The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Preserving Ka`u's agricultural lands was the topic of a Ka`u Community Development Plan focused discussion yesterday.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

STRATEGIES FOR PRESERVING KA`U’S AGRICULTURAL AND COASTAL LANDS for this and future generations were center stage at public meetings on the Ka`u Community Development Plan yesterday at Na`alehu Community Center.

One objective of the CDP is to preserve prime and other viable ag lands and enhance viewscapes that exemplify Ka`u’s rural character. The CDP identifies urban areas that preserve surrounding ag lands and establishes firm urban growth boundaries. It prohibits rezones that would increase residential density in agricultural areas. It also guides expansion of lands held in public trust, including ag conservation easements.
One of the challenges identified for farmers and ranchers is limited land tenure. County planner Ron Whitmore reviewed planning tools designed to help farmers come up with leases or ownership strategies for land security. Included were strategies to put farmers in a position that would be secure enough to allow banks to lend money for farming enterprises.

Ka`u CDP calls for using ag lands for ag.

Several members of the coffee industry were present, including growers who built Ka`u Coffee farms at Moa`ula and Pear Tree over the last two decades but find themselves with no long-term leases where their coffee is grown. The land is currently for sale. Should the land be sold and subdivided with housing allowed, high prices could preclude most Ka`u Coffee farmers from buying their plots though some have said they would like to buy their farms.
Hawai`i Farm Bureau President Chris Manfredi brought up the idea that Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions on farm property could preserve substantial acreage for agriculture with houses built by new owners on only a small area of the land.
Whitmore mentioned a possible planning tool where ag properties could accommodate small farms, with parcels leased out, without the possibility of building houses on them. This could keep farmland out of the speculative housing market with leases secure enough to allow financing for ag.
Another option would be to seek private and public funding to buy ag land to preserve it under some kind of ag park or cooperative arrangement.
Whitmore explained that any existing agricultural lot of record is already zoned for a farm dwelling, farm labor housing, farm buildings and such structures as mills and commercial kitchens for manufacturing of farm products. Ag parcels are also available for alternative energy projects, ag tourism and open area recreational use.
He said oversight for tax breaks aimed at keeping land in agriculture needs to be improved as does the method by which the county ensures that farm dwellings on farmlands are being used by farmers rather than gentleman estates.
Regarding proposed land use changes on ag properties coming before government decision makers, Whitmore said that the “decision is based on what the current owner pitches” and that it is very difficult to hold them to it once permission to subdivide or otherwise allow additional housing on the land is granted.
Another idea put forth was to look closely at state-owned parcels to establish ag parks.
Ralph Lowell brought up the idea of issuing temporary dwelling permits, when needed, for farm labor.
Whitmore noted that there is a large excess of buildable lots for housing in Ka`u, including the Pahala area. He said the reason to plan for concentrating housing in existing settlement areas includes affordability – infrastructure such as water and electricity are already developed there.
Manfredi asked why more land was not planned for urban use in Pahala in the proposed CDP draft. Whitmore said planners did not see a demand for more and said that planners’ studies show that infilling could accommodate future needs. Manfredi said he could envision more land needed for housing in the long term and noted that it was recommended in the CDP draft to delete land along Hwy 11 on the Volcano side of Pahala from the General Plan for urban expansion.
Whitmore presented maps showing existing agriculture in Ka`u. The entire draft Community Development Plan is available at libraries, community centers and online at kaucdp.info. Public comment online and by mail is welcomed.
At another Ka`u CDP Focused Discussion this Tuesday at Discovery Harbour Community Center at 10 a.m., the topic is a proposed development there.
See more on the Ka`u CDP draft meetings on ag and the coastline in tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs.
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DO YOU OWN NON-INDUSTRIAL PRIVATE forest land and want to restore on it to native forest habitat for threatened and endangered species? The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has federal funds to help landowners do this, and they are encouraged to apply.

NRCS partners with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to engage local and regional stakeholders in science-based collaborative, community-driven land management activities. Specifically, the partnership will focus on planning, prioritization, implementation and monitoring of non-industrial private forest lands. Funds are now available, as DLNR was Hawai`i’s first recipient of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
“We are very excited to partner with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to protect Hawai`i’s native forests,” said Suzanne Case, DLNR Chairperson. “These forests are critical to Hawai`i’s economy because they capture and supply our fresh water. Forests prevent erosion that muddies our coral reefs and fisheries and protect the native plants and animals unique to our islands.”
“Now that the watershed boundaries have been identified, we look forward to this partnership in protecting and improving healthy forests across the islands,” said Bruce Petersen, NRCS Director for the Pacific Islands Area.
Through the Farm Bill, funds are being provided from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Through EQIP, there will be an application, evaluation and ranking process to address resource concerns such as improving surface water, improving ground water quality, reducing soil erosion and increasing native forest habitat for threatened and endangered species.
The deadline to apply for the RCPP Healthy Forest initiative is June 5. Only agricultural producers in the watershed partnership areas may apply for this RCPP Healthy Forest Initiative. Land enrolled in this initiative must meet EQIP eligibility.
For more information, see www.pia.nrcs.usda.gov.
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Sen. Brian Schatz

A BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING contributions of tourism to the United States passed the Senate. Introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz and others, the resolution supports goals of National Travel and Tourism Week and acknowledges the important role travel and tourism play in boosting the U.S. economy. One out of every nine jobs in the U.S. depends on travel and tourism, and the industry supports 15 million jobs across the country. Schatz is a co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Tourism Caucus.

“Tourism and travel gives us the chance to share Hawai`i’s natural beauty and culture with the rest of the world,” Schatz said. “It’s not only a great way to share Hawai`i’s vibrant culture, it’s one of the most important sectors of our local economy, creating good jobs and supporting thousands of small businesses. I’m proud to join my colleagues to recognize the important role our visitor industry plays, and I look forward to continue working on policies that promote travel to Hawai`i and boost our local economy.”
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SENIOR ID CARDS ARE AVAILABLE tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Pahala Housing Center and 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Nā‘ālehu Community Center. For ages 60 and over. Call 928-3100 for more information.

KA`U RESIDENT DICK HERSHBERGER brings Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas Jaggar to life every this and every other Tuesday during A Walk into the Past at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Participants meet at Kilauea Visitor Center for a short walk to the Whitney Vault in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Ka`u photographer Peter Anderson took this photo of Kilauea's lava lake last Thursday, prior to the lake beginning to slowly recede during a deflationary cycle.

PRESERVING THE KA`U COAST was a major topic at the Ka`u Community Development Plan meeting on Saturday at Na`alehu Community Center.

County Planner Ron Whitmore said that the Ka`u community has made it “clear that Ka`u doesn’t want coastal development.” He said the community supports human activities on the coast related to education, research and recreation, including fishing.
Challenges addressed in the CDP regarding coastal management include development entitled in flood-prone Punalu`u areas, residential allowed in Conservation District, no local hearings by the state Land Use Commission, shoreline setbacks established without site-specific considerations and Special Management Areas inconsistent with other zone boundaries.
The CDP advocates for restrictive subzone designations and local LUC hearings. It also can provide shoreline setback options, guide public ownership of coastal lands and priortize SMA boundaries review.
Several community members said they were very protective of the coast.
Aric Arakaki of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail system said he was there to support the community and its effort to maintain an “ancestral connection.” The National Trail runs along the coast of Ka`u with feeder trails running mauka-makai through the traditional ahupua`a from the mountains to the sea. Arakaki works with landowners and community members to protect the trail and provide maintenance and public access, without taking them out of private ownership.

Management of the Ka`u Coast was the topic of a focused discussion Saturday.

Ralph Roland said he worries that the traditional Hawaiian ahupua`a system for managing land is being ignored.
John Replogle, who has testified in public forums that lighting from housing and other buildings should be shielded from reaching the coast and to protect the night skies for stargazing, said he favors a coastal setback and keeping the Ka`u Coast in conservation. He said a quarter mile setback would keep development away from coastal resources.
Shaylan Crysdale said that he supports a policy of holding public hearings in Ka`u for any proposed developments in Ka`u.
There was discussion about the public desire for access to the coast in numerous places and the responsibility of taking care of the coastline. Bill Gilmartin, of Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, talked about public access with responsibility, “instead of tearing up the coast.” Richard Taylor, of Ka Lae, talked about the balance of economic opportunity for local tour guides for Green Sand Beach versus the impact on the landscape from four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Earl Louis talked about proposed coastal setbacks, including one that would be 1.5 miles from the shore. He said a half-mile option “is not that much.”
He also talked about Punalu`u and asked why the owner is not required to clean up the abandoned and falling-down restaurant and museum area, which is next to the large pond mauka of Punalu`u Black Sand Beach.
County planner Ron Whitmore said this is an enforcement matter rather than a planning matter and suggested calling the county Department of Public Works.
Punalu`u was discussed as a place where there is already zoning for resort and multifamily housing. Whitmore said such entitlements are difficult to remove once they are granted. He said there is a possibility that landowners, including Robert Iwamoto and partners who own the resort property and golf course, could work with the community and surrounding landowners, including the state and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, to come up with a viable plan for Punalu`u that would protect the shore but also have an economic development and local housing component.

Whitmore discussed the frequent challenges of attempting to develop along the coast, including requirements for Environmental Impact Statements, Special Management Area permits, archaeological surveys and complying with any proposed setback. He noted that a 1,000-foot setback was established for an area along the Kona Coast. He said that county ordinance allows for setbacks and that they have not been interpreted as a taking of property rights if the land is conservation and ag, since those uses would not be denied by a setback.

Concerning protecting the coast from sewage, the county planner noted that 50 units of development requires a sewage treatment plan. He also reported that the location of a treatment plant for Na`alehu has not yet been determined.

Mahealani Taganas, left, and Lono Grace

The draft Ka`u CDP is available for public review at local libraries and community centers and online at kaucdp.info.

Another focused discussion is set for tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Center about a proposed development there.
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KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY Association, Inc. recently presented two nursing scholarships at its annual Rural Health and Membership Conference. Luzviminda Miguel, Chair of KRHCAI’s scholarship committee, presented awards to Mahealani Taganas and Lono Grace. Both attend University of Hawai`i/Hawai`i Community College Allied Health & Practical Nursing Program.
Ms. Mahealani is the daugher of Jay Taganas, who is employed at Ka`u Hospital. Ms. Grace is the daughter of Pahala coffee farmers Roland and Rayven Grace.
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A SLOW DEFLATIONARY TREND CONTINUES at the summit of Kilauea, where the lava lake within the Overlook Crater is receding. When measured yesterday afternoon, the lava lake surface was about 10 yards below the Overlook crater rim and two to three yards below the original floor of Halema`uma`u Crater.

Awili Hala Kai, by Alan Stafford, took first in its category.
Photo by Nancy Stafford

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HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA`U TOOK a first place in the recent Kauluwehi lei contest, a juried contest and exhibition in Hilo celebrating native species. Entitled Awili Hala Kai, the lei was designed and made by Alan Stafford. Made of lauhala and opihi shell, it won in the lei `a`i style, `auana category, lau sub-category. The lei is currently on display at Wailoa Center.

Second-place winner for lei po`o, kahiko category, pua sub-category was created by Liz Kuluwaimaka and also entered by Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u. It was made with a`ali`i, pukeawe, `ohi`a lehua and raffia.

Lei were judged on craftsmanship, creativeness of design, uniqueness of material and complexity or effort put into them. Amateur and professional lei artist of all ages were invited to enter.
The contest and exhibition was sponsored by Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Hawai`i Island Natural Area Reserves, Three Mountain Alliance and Wailoa Arts and Cultural Center.

Liz Kuluwaimaka's lei won second in its category.

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MAY MARKS ASTRONOMER LEW COOK’S 108th contribution – nine years’ worth – to The Ka`u Calendar. “It is a continuing pleasure to write these articles,” Cook said. In the current issue of Stars Over Ka`u, Cook discusses interstellar space.

“What is in interstellar space – the area between the stars?” Cook asked. “If you answered, ‘Nothing,’ then in some ways you are right. In other ways you are wrong. At its least dense areas, those where it is very hot and atoms are split into two or more parts – the proton and an electron in the case of hydrogen. In the case of some warm areas, there may be less than one atom per cubic centimeter. Now that is what I call a real vacuum! In denser areas, the interstellar medium can exceed a million molecules per cubic centimeter. That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it?

Barnard 68 Photo from Wikipedia Commons

“The interstellar medium is a better vacuum than we can produce in a lab. Even the dustier regions in interstellar space contain a million molecules per cubic centimeter. A person could be excused for thinking, 'A million! That’s a lot!' and you’d be right. But a high performance lab vacuum chamber at its best will have over a billion molecules in the same volume. Interstellar space will occasionally have dust clouds where there are large volumes of very thin dust.

The dust particles are about the size of that in cigarette smoke. What the dust lacks in density, it makes up for in volume – so much so that that it blocks out optical light from the stars behind it. It has two times the mass of the sun spread over a volume that has half a light year in diameter.

“Pictured here is one of these dark blobs – Barnard 68. The dust in Barnard 68 isn’t very thick, but there’s lots of it! Deep infrared studies have shown that the apparent lack of stars is only an optical illusion. It only looks like there are fewer stars in the area, but these studies have shown there are a similar number behind it as surrounding it. Barnard 68 is about 500 light-years distant.”
The Ka`u Calendar sends out a stellar Mahalo to Cook for encouraging Ka`u residents to appreciate their dark night skies.

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KA`U RESIDENT DICK HERSHBERGER brings Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas Jaggar to life tomorrow and every other Tuesday during A Walk into the Past at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Participants meet at Kilauea Visitor Center for a short walk to the Whitney Vault in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

Students and public can join in BioBlitz species count in Hawai`i
Volcanoes National Park this Friday and Saturday.
Photo from National Geographic

HAWAI`I PACIFIC PARKS ASSOCIATION staff members share their knowledge and love of Hu: Kukui Nut Tops Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Hu is one of Hawai`i’s popular traditional arts.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK CULTURAL FESTIVAL has moved from July to this Friday and Saturday, May 15 & 16. This year, the festival is part of the BioBlitz and Biodiversity & Cultural Festival, hosted by National Geographic and the Park Service. Entrance is free both days. Join scientists, keiki, and Hawaiian practitioners for the two-day BioBlitz species count and celebration of culture, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m on Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. No registration is required for the festival, but to guarantee a spot on an inventory team, sign up at nationalgeographic.com/bioblitz.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Direectory2015.swf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Helicopters joined ground crews to battle yesterday's fire at Green Sands subdivision. Photo by Pamela Taylor

A BRUSHFIRE DESTROYED ONE HOME in Green Sands subdivision yesterday. Residents of that home and several more had evacuated after Hawai`i County Civil Defense warned of danger due to high winds and heavy smoke. The Red Cross opened a shelter an Na`alehu Community Center.

Winds move clouds and smoke from the Green Sands fire west.
Photo by Shalan Crysdale

At 9 p.m., Civil Defense reported the fire 50 percent contained and allowed evacuated residents to return home.
Fire and emergency personnel were on scene all night working to contain the fire.
As of 5 p.m. yesterday, 15 acres of dry brush had burned, which according to resident Bob Martin on his Facebook page, is the equivalent of 60 lots on Pele, Mark Twain and Mauka Streets. Wind and rough terrain made the fire difficult to control.
According to Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, Assistant Chief Gantry Andrade said a caller to Hawai`i Fire Department said he “had started a controlled burn, but the fire got away from them.”
Firefighters worked on the ground and in the air to stop the blaze. A fire department helicopter and another private one made water drops.
Andrade said two bulldozers, one county and one private, cut firebreaks.
Martin thanked Hawai`i County Police and Fire Departments, volunteers and neighbors for a job well done. “I’ll be sleeping in my bed tonight, after all,” he said.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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Keawe Lanakila Liu

KEAWE LANAKILA LIU IS VICE PRESIDENT of advancement and innovation at The Kohala Center. Liu assumes the newly created role on July 1.

Over the course of his 20-year career, Liu has established a successful track record in advancement, educational leadership, small business administration and developing innovative partnerships and collaboration strategies to build collective support for community-based programs. He joins The Center from his current role as the executive director of the Pauahi Foundation, where he is responsible for developing strategic initiatives for the advancement of Native Hawaiian education. While at Pauahi, he co-founded Mahi`ai Matchup, a program that provides local farmers with access to agricultural lands held by Kamehameha Schools, and started the Paka Ua Movement, which leveraged community and corporate partnerships to increase scholarships for Native Hawaiians in schools across the islands and continental United States.
“Hawai`i Island is a special place for me, and I’ve long admired The Kohala Center’s efforts to uphold it as an example of sustainable living – for Hawai`i and the world,” Liu said. “I’m thrilled and honored to be part of the momentum The Kohala Center has already created and to play a role in developing new and innovative ways to further its progress, especially through the development of its spectacular new campus on Kohala Mountain. This opportunity to join The Center and contribute to expanding its community of support for resource management, education and sustainability in agriculture and energy is one I simply could not pass up.”
Dr. Kamanamaikalani Beamer, The Kohala Center’s president and chief executive officer, said, “Given his dedication to expanding educational opportunities for Hawai`i’s youth and his work to move our islands toward greater food and energy independence, Keawe’s interests and accomplishments are in perfect alignment with The Kohala Center’s values.”

The Kohala Center’s connections to Ka`u include annual Mellon Fellowship retreats, advising residents on formation and operation of cooperatives and school garden programs.
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Judy Mohr Peterson

JUDY MOHR PETERSON, PH.D. is the state Department of Human Services’ new Med-QUEST Division Administrator. Mohr Peterson, who is a nationally recognized leader in Medicaid, health care transformation and Affordable Care Act implementation, begins work on July 1 and brings 18 years of public health care experience to Hawai`i. She has served as Oregon’s State Medicaid Director since September 2009 and in that role was an architect of Oregon’s successful health system transformation and coverage expansion. During her tenure, local community and primary care increased through coordinated care organizations, which reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations for chronic conditions for Medicaid clients. Oregon also began publicly reporting on health disparities, believing that is the first step to reducing those disparities and improving health for everyone.

“Dr. Peterson’s leadership as Medicaid director in Oregon is ideal for Hawai`i as we consider innovations within our own Medicaid programs,” said Gov. David Y. Ige. “I expect she will work closely with DHS Director Rachael Wong to reshape the culture of government and improve services for our keiki, kupuna and all Hawai`i people.”
Throughout her career, Mohr Peterson’s work has focused on improving care for people who need it the most. Using the tools available as a major health care purchaser in Oregon, she brought physical, mental and dental services together in a way that puts patients at the center of care.
“Health care services work best when they are focused on the people we serve,” Mohr Peterson said. “I look forward to working with Hawai`i communities to help bring new innovations for better health, better care and lower costs for everyone.”
Mohr Peterson currently sits on the board of the National Association of Medicaid Directors and serves as an advisor to the National Organization for State and Local Officials. She also is a contributor to multiple organizations focused on health care delivery system and payment reform. In 2010, Mohr Peterson was named one of six Medicaid Director Fellows in the Robert Wood Johnson’s Medicaid Leadership Institute.
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Last week was National Small Business Week. Image from SBA

DURING NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK, Sen. Mazie Hirono, a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, introduced two pieces of legislation to help small businesses in Hawai`i and across the country grow and succeed.

“All small businesses in Hawai`i and across the country deserve a fair shot to succeed, and National Small Business Week serves as a reminder that small businesses create 90 percent of Hawai`i’s jobs, and entrepreneurs are at the forefront of building a more sustainable economy that creates opportunity and prosperity for all,” Hirono said. “The bills I’ve introduced this week focus on two things: helping make it easier for entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground and making it easier for clean energy entrepreneurs and manufacturers to access new markets and opportunities. As a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, I’ll continue fighting to make sure that anyone with ingenuity and commitment to working hard has the resources and support to start, build, and grow their business.”
The Small Business Start-Up Savings Account Act would allow entrepreneurs to contribute up to $10,000 a year into an account that could be used for purchasing equipment or facilities, marketing, training or paying incorporation and accounting fees for starting a new business. Similar to an individual retirement account, spending from the account would not be included in gross income. Over a lifetime, entrepreneurs could accumulate $150,000 in their accounts, which could be taken out tax free.
The Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing And Export Assistance Act will help small and medium-sized clean technology businesses find new markets in the United States and around the world by creating a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund administered by the International Trade Administration. The fund would assist clean technology firms with export assistance, including finding and navigating foreign markets to export their goods and services abroad. The bill would expand domestic clean technology manufacturing industry by promoting policies that reduce production costs and encourage innovation, investment and productivity in the domestic clean energy technology industry, which would help domestic companies increase demand and create jobs.
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Hu, or kukui nut top Photo from NPS

HAWAI`I PACIFIC PARKS ASSOCIATION staff members share their knowledge and love of Hu: Kukui Nut Tops tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Hu is one of Hawai`i’s popular traditional arts.

BIOBLITZ AND BIODIVERSITY & Annual Cultural Festival are coming up on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. For BioBlitz, Hawaiian cultural practitioners, students and the public join forces to discover and inventory as many living plants and creatures as possible in the park. The Biodiversity & Cultural Festival offer hands-on science and cultural exhibits, food, art and entertainment, plus the opportunity to meet individuals and organizations at the forefront of conservation, science and traditional Hawaiian culture – and learn how to join their efforts. Park entry fees are waived.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

The one home destroyed by fire Monday in Green Sands subdivision was vacant at the time. Photo by Daryl Lee

GREEN SANDS SUBDIVISION RESIDENTS are back in their homes and the fire that burned through the area is now 80 percent controlled, according to the county fire department. The fire burned more than 15 acres, destroyed one vacant home and came close to burning other homes. At one house, flames reportedly spread under the floors and singed the house posts. A number of residents are without water after the fire melted surface pipes that run along Ka`alu`alu Road from county meters near Hwy 11.
The fire was apparently started by someone attempting to burn rubbish, who called the fire department to say the fire had raged out of control. Volunteer, county and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park firefighters as well as private contractors with heavy equipment and water tankers helped to quiet the runaway fire, which was driven by strong winds. Helicopters were employed to drop water onto the fire.

Aftermath of the fire that destroyed this vacant home. Photo by Daryl Lee

According to a county civil defense statement issued this morning, emergency personnel are working to extinguish the fire and will remain on scene throughout the day. All highways and major roadways remain open. However, some roads within the subdivision are closed and limited to local traffic only.
Due to the damage to residential water systems in the Green Sands Subdivision, a water tanker will be available at the Green Sands Park until 1 p.m. this afternoon for potable water needs. The Wai`ohinu water spigot is also open and operational for water needs. "With the improvement in fire conditions along the Ka`alu`alu Road residents who would like to repair their water lines and systems are approved and encouraged to do so," said the statement from Civil Defense.
The Red Cross has closed its shelter at Na`alehu Community Center with about two dozen people having reported there early Monday evening but leaving once roads were re-opened.
Hawai`i County Red Cross Disaster Manager Barney Sheffield was quoted in the Hawai`i Tribune Herald saying, “the fire department did an amazing job. It’s really incredible we didn’t lose more houses with all the wind we had out there.” See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES shareholders failed to approve the company’s proposed merger with Florida-based NextEra Energy at a meeting yesterday. While approval requires 75 percent of shares, only 70 percent voted in favor of the merger.

Connie Lau

Shareholders authorized the company to seek additional votes and reconvene on June 10 for another approval attempt. HEI President and CEO Connie Lau said 90 percent of votes received favored the merger, but the number of voters did not meet the minimum required by state law.
The company is trying to reach out to investors who hold shares through mutual funds, pension plans and banks to gain additional favorable votes.
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MARCO MANGELSDORF, DIRECTOR of Hawai`i Island Energy Cooperative and president of ProVision Solar, explains why an energy co-op may be better than a private utility company on Hawai`i Island.
“Imagine an electric utility company that’s not beholden to far-flung shareholders and instead is directly responsible to its local customers,” Mangelsdorf says. “Imagine that utility company being owned and controlled by the ratepayers, with its board of directors democratically elected from the community. Think one electric meter, one vote. Finally, imagine an electric company that actually sends its customers a check from time to time once certain financial objectives are reached.
“Hard to imagine? It shouldn’t be because this has been the experience of residents of Kaua`i for more than 10 years since Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative came into existence and purchased that island’s electric utility from Connecticut-based Citizens Communications Company in 2002.
“Such a cooperative could be the future for Big Island residents as well, if we were to have the opportunity to convert Hawai`i Electric Light Co. to a member-owned and member-controlled co-op.
“The Hawai`i Island Energy Cooperative came into existence earlier this year in response to the proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries by Florida-based NextEra Energy. HIEC, along with 28 others, is an intervenor on the HEI-NextEra merger docket before the Public Utilities Commission.
“Now that the procedural schedule was decided, information requests and testimony will be flying as the commissioners, the consumer advocate and their staffs put together a body of knowledge and evidence that will allow a determination to be made on the fundamental question before them: Will NextEra’s proposed acquisition of the largest corporation in the state be in the public’s best interest?

Marco Mangelsdorf

“While HIEC has taken the position of being neither for or against the purchase, there is the case to be made that it’s in the best interest of Big Island residents to consider the establishment of an energy cooperative. The goals and potential benefits include:

Local, democratic control of one of the most critical infrastructures and public institutions on the island, providing for direct ownership by the customers it serves, and direct election of the board of directors that governs the utility;
Community-based and community-chosen priorities would serve as the basis for the co-op to work for the sustainable development of the island through policies accepted and supported by its members;
Potentially lower electricity costs through tax-exempt status, access to lower cost financing, elimination of a return-on-equity component in electric rate structures, promotion of education, markedly improved energy efficiency programs and the accelerated adoption of appropriate alternative technologies;
Greater energy independence and sustainability through a comprehensive and integrated approach to all energy-consuming sectors on the island.

“The fate of the merger will be determined in the months to come as the record is filled with facts, figures and testimony as the applicants and intervenors play out their strategies. The public and pundits also will weigh in at PUC-organized meetings across the islands. If the commissioners ultimately determine the transaction to be in the public’s best interests, approval of the deal very likely will be subject to stipulations and agreements that act as conditions to modify the purchase as proposed.
“Whether the required changes and regulatory conditions will be acceptable to the HEI and NextEra boards will depend on how substantively and materially the proposed deal would be altered.
“If and when the circumstances warrant the consideration of an energy cooperative taking root on Hawai`i Island, HIEC will be there at the table, raising our hand, ready to make a serious and credible pitch to allow us the extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate what can be done on our island on many different and innovative levels.”
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Sens. Schatz and Hirono and Rep. Gabbard
represent Ka`u in the U.S. Congress

HAWAI`I’S U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION introduced legislation to reinstate Medicaid eligibility for Compact of Free Association migrants, which represents Ka`u’s large Marshallese population.

In 1996, Congress passed a law that made migrants from Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands ineligible for federal Medicaid dollars. Each year, the state spends an estimated $30 to $40 million to provide health care to these families. By making all COFA migrants eligible for Medicaid, the Restore Medicaid to Compact of Free Association Migrants Act requires the federal government to honor Compacts of Free Association and share the cost of providing health care. Restoring Medicaid eligibility for these compact migrants has been a priority of Hawai`i leaders for more than a decade.
“In the history of our country, many migrant groups have had growing pains, and it is our duty as a nation of migrants and immigrants to welcome new people and their families to our communities,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono. “We must live up to the promise we made, and the federal government should pay its fair share to meet those commitments. Both Republicans and Democrats supported legislation to restore Medicaid eligibility to COFA migrants in the 2013 comprehensive immigration reform legislation that passed the U.S. Senate but died in the House. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pursue this goal and uphold the promises we made in these Compacts.”
Sen. Brian Schatz said, “Providing health care to compact migrants is not only a legal obligation, it is a moral obligation. Hawai`i has spent millions on health care for migrants to comply with the Compacts of Free Association. Our legislation will restore federal Medicaid funding so that the costs of providing critical health care to migrants is shared by the state and the federal government.”
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, “This bill will right a wrong that has gone on for far too long. The federal government made a promise to these individuals, and it must uphold that commitment and provide Medicaid to COFA migrants from Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands.”

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which passed the Senate earlier this year and was signed into law, continued Medicaid eligibility for COFA children and pregnant women.

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Nene feeds on naupaka kahakai. NPS photo by Janice Wei

A MEETING FOR Red Cross volunteers and those interested in becoming volunteers takes place tomorrow at 7 p.m. at HOVE Road Maintenance Corp. office. For more information, call 929-9953.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK is expanding its 35th annual Cultural Festival to include biodiversity this year. At this free two-day festival, visitors of all ages will discover how native Hawaiians, as keen observers, lived closely to the land by embodying I ka nana no a iike principles that continue today. The Biodiversity and Cultural Festival will offer hands-on science and cultural exhibits, food, art and entertainment, plus the opportunity to meet individuals and organizations at the forefront of conservation, science and traditional Hawaiian culture. Explorers of all ages can enjoy the festival and “graduate” from Biodiversity University by participating in a variety of activities. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. No advance registration is required for the festival.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

A $2500 reward is offered for finding anyone who shot and killed three endangered nene goose and seriously injured another.
Photo from Ka`u Coffee Mill

WHO SHOT THE NENE? A $2500 reward is being offered by the Edmund C. Olson Trust II for information on identifying who shot and killed three native Nene (Hawaiian geese) and seriously injured another on lands near Ka'u Coffee Mill. The state bird, the Nene, is on the endangered species list. Federal fines can be as high as $100,000 with a year in prison.

A poster circulating around Ka`u says, "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, is investigating the shooting of several endangered Nene, the Hawaiian Goose. Four Nene were shot on or about January 30, 2015 in the area of the Ka‘u Coffee Mill on Wood Valley Road in Pahala. Three of the four Nene died as a result of their injuries; the fourth is currently under veterinary treatment and monitoring.
"The Edmund C. Olson Trust II, which owns and operates the Ka‘u Coffee Mill, is cooperating with the FWS investigation and is offering up to a $2,500 reward for information leading to the locating and apprehending of those responsible for the shootings." U.S. Fish & Wildlife officer Paul Chang said informants can call 933-6964 to provide information confidentially. "Individuals who provide key information resulting in a conviction of those involved will be considered to receive the reward," the poster says.

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THE COUNTY ETHICS COMMISSION yesterday deferred a hearing on Mayor Billy Kenoi's use of the county credit card for personal expenses. Kapa`au citizen Lanric Hyland called for the hearing, asking that Kenoi be ousted for misuse of the card. The ethics commission deferred the hearing until the state Attorney General's office comes up with its findings. The county ethics commission was appointed by Kenoi and Hyland told media after the meeting that the commission's ruling helps delay any decision until Kenoi's term as mayor is over. Kenoi has apologized for his use of the card and stated that he always intended to repay the county. He has been making payments to clear the expenses. To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

SAVING THE HAWAI`I HEALTH CONNECTOR is a priority for Gov. David Ige, according to a press release from the governor's office issued yesterday. A billion dollars in federal funding for Medicaid are at stake, should the state be unable to fix Hawai`i Health Connector to meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services standards. The agency found the Hawai’i Health Connector to be non-compliant with the Affordable Care Act earlier this year. "The non-compliance included unresolved IT issues, a non-integrated eligibility enrollment system and lack of financial sustainability," the governor's press release noted. It states that representatives of Ige’s administration have been meeting, since February, with Hawai`i Health Connector staff members, to determine how to address non-compliance.

The federal government has restricted grant funding to Hawai`i Health Connector and is providing limited funding pending approval of a draft plan being developed by the state. "If Hawai’i’s plan is not acceptable to CMS, Hawai’i risks losing $1 billion in matching federal Medicaid funds," the governor's message states.
“Governor Ige and his administration will negotiate the release of federal grant funds to ensure compliance with the ACA in time for the Fall 2015 open enrollment,” said Deputy Chief of Staff Laurel Johnston.
“Our first priority is to ensure the continuity of coverage for the 37,000 to 40,000 Hawai’i residents who are receiving health insurance coverage through HHC,” said Hawai`i Health Connector Executive Director Jeff Kissel. To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

A BUSY WEEKEND AT HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK is expected as the Park welcomes hundreds of scientists, students and Hawaiian cultural practitioners to the National Geographic sponsored BioBlitz and Biodiversity & Cultural Festival.

Opportunities remain to participate in the BioBlitz and Biodiversity & Cultural Festival, and new registrations are welcome to sign up for a program that will join scientists and the community together to count species within the park on Friday and Saturday. The BioBlitz will host hundreds of Hawai`i school children. One aim is to show youth how using mobile technology can impact education and help get kids out of the classroom and into the world to learn from experience.

National Geographic and its BioBlitz activities tomorrow and Saturday aim to
show youth that mobile technology can lead keiki outdoors for a
learning experience. Photo from National Geographic

To learn more and to register, visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com

/explorers/projects/bioblitz/volcanoes-hawaii-2015/

Entrance fees will be waived on both days of the BioBlitz and festival, tomorrow, Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16.
“This weekend will showcase the very best of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and we welcome everyone to enjoy and find their national park,” said Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “Following our ‘insider tips’ will help everyone make the most of their park visit.”
To best enjoy the park, visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and prepare for their visit. Insider tips include:
• Expect heavy traffic before 5 p.m., when BioBlitz and cultural festival activities will be taking place. Be prepared for long waits and follow the directions of park rangers and parking attendants.
• Consider exploring Chain of Craters Road during the day and leave Crater Rim Drive for after 6 p.m.
• Use the free shuttle buses for traveling Crater Rim Drive, or travel by foot along Crater Rim Trail.
• If planning to view the glow from Halema‘uma‘u Crater after dark, wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and bring a flashlight – walking is required to reach the viewpoint at the Jaggar Museum observation deck. Parking is limited at Kīlauea summit and you may need to walk up to a mile one way along an unlit path.

Halemau`umau, though in a deflation phase, still puts on a show for
BioBlitz. Photo from National Park Service

• Before leaving home, check the weather forecast. Prepare for cold, wet and windy conditions. The temperature at the summit is often more than 20 degrees lower than along the coast.
• Check volcano visibility at USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcams.
• The use of unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in all national parks without a special use permit.
While the lava lake within Halema‘ma‘u Crater at Kīlauea volcano’s summit has continued to drop and lava is no longer visible from the Jaggar Museum observation deck, volcanic activity is still very visible. Particularly after dark, a spectacular orange glow reflects off the crater walls with a plume of gas, particulates and vapor.
Because of an increase in seismic activity along the east and southwest rift zones, all backcountry trails between Crater Rim Drive and the coast, as well as Kulanaokuaiki campground, are closed to overnight use. They remain open for day use.
For the most current volcano status report, check hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php

For more on BioBlitz, see www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/projects/bioblitz

For more information about visiting Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, visit http://www.nps.gov/havo.

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INTRODUCING NEW WILDLIFE to Hawaiian islands will net law breakers heavy fines, says new Department of Land & Natural Rescources chief Suzanne Case. She recently left her longtime mission, as head of The Nature Conservancy in Hawai`i, to run DLNR and chair the state Board of Land & Natural Resources, after her appointment by Gov. David Ige.

The first axis deer, after illegal introduction to the Big Island, was killed
in Ka`u in 2012. Photo from Big Island Invasive Species Committee

Case issued a statement pointing to new state law that provides for fines of up to $25,000 and allows the state to seize aircraft, vehicles, boats and any other equipment used to illegally transport wildlife into the state or from one island to another. The new fines went into effect in late February and were prompted by a Maui helicopter pilot and a hunting enthusiast lifting axis deer from Maui, where they are a scourge on native forests, farms and ranches, to the Big Island where the lawbreakers hoped that herds of deer would become established and would expand for hunting.

Deer were spotted in Ka`u, one killed in 2012, and the two men prosecuted.
Case noted that, “The movement of live, introduced wildlife such as was experienced in (2009) with discovery of deer on Hawai`i Island, poses direct threats to our native ecosystems." She said the new level of enforcement and punishment "will help prevent harm to our natural resources and economy.”
Under new rules, DLNR will also have more power to eliminate invasive animals. They state that invasive species "found harmful or destructive to agriculture or aquaculture, native plants or wildlife, or constituting a threat to human health or safety," can be the subject to board approval for programs to control or eliminate the species "in any area for a specified time period without requiring permits or reports.” The new rules can be viewed at dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/rules.

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RED CROSS VOLUNTEER MEETING is tonight at the HOVE Road Maintenance Corp. office at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer may attend. Call Hannah Uribes at 929-9953.

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

G. Brad Lewis, whose fine art photographs of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park are shown daily at Volcano Art Center, will offer
his own show in June. This image is called Lava River. Photo by G. Brad Lewis

BIOBLITZ AND BIODIVERSITY & CULTURAL FESTIVAL are in full swing as Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park welcomes hundreds of scientists, citizen scientists, Hawaiian cultural practitioners, 850 Hawai`i school students and the public. The Friday and Saturday events are sponsored in part by National Geographic, which is covering BioBlitz in detail on its blog BioBlitz 2015: Where Hawaiian Culture Meets Science.

Amy and her hula sisters made their garments to

celebrate biodiversity at BioBlitz today.

Photo by Jessica Ferracane

‘Olapa (dancers) of Hālau Hula Ulumamo o Hilo Palikū opened BioBlitz this morning. To celebrate biodiversity, the hula sisters made their hula skirts, or pā‘ū, from native wauke (paper mulberry) tree bark, which they pounded into kapa cloth, and dyed a brilliant orange-red using introduced achiote seeds – giving the pā‘ū the same color as the glowing lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u – the home of Pelehonuamea. It took one year to make these pā‘ū. The skirt is adorned with native tī leaf, and the ‘ohe kapala (bamboo stamp) design depicts lightning (the roundish shape) and Pele’s movement (the flowing line).

Last night, park superintendent Cindy Orlando addressed a welcome dinner for scientists and BioBlitz leaders saying: “I mahalo all that you do to protect our parks and protected areas around the globe and all that you do to connect with and create the next generation of park stewards.” In addition to students, citizen scientists and scientists, representatives from South Korea, China and the island of Reunion, a department of France in the Indian Ocean are participating in BioBlitz. All have sister park relationships with Volcano.

Keki pound poi at the Cultural Festival today and
tomorrow at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park
Photo by Jessica Ferracane

National Geographic blog editor David Maxwell Braun reported on an address given last night by Michael Stebbins, assistant director for biotechnology in the science division of the White House Office of Science Policy. Stebbins "told the dinner audience that the Obama Administration was committed to exploring the expansion of citizen science to better understand how the federal government could involve non-trained people in doing science." Braun quoted Stebbins saying, “One of the first examples that came up when we started to look at how the U.S. federal government is engaging in citizen science was the BioBlitz. One of the things that would be an extraordinary step forward would be to really expand the BioBlitz to a lot of other areas.…we are searching for ideas for how to expand citizen science and really engage folks.”

Braun also reported on comments from Elaine Leslie, chief of biological resources for the National Park Service. Leslie told the group, "Your efforts this weekend will aid the parks in planning, preserving and conserving natural resources connected to our cultural resources.”

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent
Cindy Orlando opens BioBlitz last night..
Photo by David Maxwell Braun
National Geographic

The National Geographic blog carried comments from John Francis, National Geographic’s vice president of Research, Conservation and Exploration: “BioBlitz has to do with connecting scientists to people, people to the parks, and most importantly, connecting everyone to nature." The blog talks about his reference to Polynesian stewardship. "Francis said the islands had a community deeply wedded to the land, to the Earth, to nature. 'There was song and dance, and a celebration every day of our connection to this delicate fabric of nature around the planet. In the process of coming closer to this BioBlitz at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park we realized that there is a model here that the world has to see, and that is about people every day doing this celebration, doing this dance. I came to thinking about this Polynesian way, not 'Blitzing' but 'being' - an interesting concept we need to take and spread about the planet.”
A core program for BioBlitz is the activity of volunteers counting as many species as possible in a 24 hour period within the 333,086 acres that make up Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. New registrations are welcome to sign up at
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/projects/bioblitz/volcanoes-hawaii-2015/.
Entrance fees are waived during the BioBlitz and Cultural Festival, today and tomorrow.

The 35th Annual Cultural Festival at the park today and tomorrow, was moved from its traditional date in July to become a part of the BioBlitz celebration.

TILTMETERS AT KILAUEA’S SUMMIT continue to record tilt in a different direction than is usually associated with summit inflation and deflation, and seismicity rates in the southern part of the summit area remain elevated, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists reported this morning. The new tilt direction and elevated seismicity are suggestive of magma accumulation in an area just south of the summit caldera. The summit lava lake level continues to lower and is currently at 100-115 feet below the original crater floor. With a high rate of seismic activity south of Kilauea caldera, backcountry trails in the area are closed at night.
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U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD TODAY included a bipartisan amendment into the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 to reverse a decision by the Pentagon that broke the promise of accessible and affordable health care benefits to many veterans. The amendment provides military retirees living outside of 100 miles from a military treatment facility the option to re-enroll in TRICARE Prime after they had lost access due to a 2013 policy change by Department of Defense.
“All our veterans, no matter where they live, deserve to receive the benefits they have earned,” said Gabbard. “I appreciate working with Congressman John Kline in passing this amendment to the Defense bill, which will finally restore access to affordable healthcare for all military retirees who lost eligibility for TRICARE Prime through no fault of their own. The Department of Defense’s 2013 policy change that limited the TRICARE Prime service areas had a disproportionate negative impact on our neighbor island residents, who already face unique challenges to accessing healthcare because of our island state. This amendment will allow them an opportunity to reenroll and receive their benefits.”
The amendment passed unanimously by a voice vote and is included in the House version of NDAA.
Across the country, more than 170,000 veterans who live outside 100 miles of a military treatment facility lost access to TRICARE Prime at the end of 2013 due to a DOD policy change. This policy impacted over 1,000 people in Hawai`i and left many retirees struggling to cover the increased costs due to their fixed incomes. The amendment would provide a one-time election for all affected retirees to have access to TRICARE Prime.

High school students can sign up for a summer intern program
in agriculture. Photo from Kohala Center

The Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act serves as the budgetary blueprint for the Pentagon and is being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, in which the `aina is the classroom, still has spaces available this summer for high school students. The program is open to any Hawai`i Island high school students or recent graduates who’d like to spend a couple of weeks learning how to grow their own food, taking field trips to local farms and ranches, experiencing traditional Hawaiian land management systems and getting paid for it.
Over the course of our two-week program, interns will: Visit and work on local, sustainable, and organic farms; harvest and make their own `ono grinds; take home plants to start their own gardens; tour an ahupua`a from mauka to makai; take field trips to wahi pana (sacred places) like Waipi`o Valley; explore careers in sustainable agriculture; meet students from other schools; and earn a $250 stipend for successfully completing the program.
Interns can choose from two sessions: June 8-19 and July 13-24. Internships run weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with each day starting and ending at the Demonstration Farm in Honoka`a. Deadlines to apply are today for June session and June 15 for July session.
The Sustainable Agriculture Internship Program is co-sponsored by The Kohala Center and Kamehameha Schools’ `Aina Ulu Program. For more information, se koha.la/farminterns or contact Derrick Kiyabu at 808-220-2312 or dkiyabu@kohalacenter.org.

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BIG ISLAND MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS is seeking Ka`u recruits. Natural disasters, disease pandemics, large-scale accidents, bioterrorism events or a major public health emergency may overwhelm local hospitals and healthcare professionals. Government agencies that would lead a disaster response and recovery may ask citizens to help with relief efforts.
The mission of MRC is to establish a local team of medical and non-medical volunteers who can contribute their skills and expertise in these circumstances. Many MRC members are working or retired healthcare professionals. However, a medical background is not necessary to join. The organization is looking for individuals who want to serve their community in emerging disasters, public health emergencies and preparedness activities.
Volunteers are asked to attend periodic meetings, participate in disaster preparedness exercises and assist with non-emergency community health activities. MRC volunteers will have access to a wide range of valuable disaster related trainings for free.
There are two upcoming orientation meetings for existing and prospective volunteers: Hilo MRC 101,  May 30,  9 a.m. – 11 a.m. and Kona MRC 101,  June 6,  10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 
RSVP to Jason Dela Cruz, MRC coordinator, at 808-974-6010 or via email atjason.delacruz@doh.hawaii.gov for more details.
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As Above So Below is the title of this G. Brad Lewis
photo in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

VOLCANO ART CENTER GALLERY will be displaying the fine art photographs of G. Brad Lewis in the Quest For Liquid Light: Going with the flow in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. This exhibition showcases the ongoing explorations of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park by Hawai`i’s leading volcano and nature photographer.
G. Brad Lewis is internationally recognized and his photographs have appeared on the covers of a number of magazines, including Life, Natural History, Photographer's Forum, and Geo, and within the pages of Time, Outside, Fortune, Newsweek, Stern, National Geographic, and many other publications. Additionally, Lewis’ photographs have received numerous awards and been widely exhibited. Interviews and features with Lewis have been broadcast on NBC’s Today Show, CBS Evening News and Disney and Discovery Channels. Print interviews and photo essays of his work have been featured in many magazines, including Photo District News, DigitalFoto, Studio Photography & Design and Outdoor Photographer. His photographs are found in numerous private, corporate, and public collections around the world, as well as in fine galleries and through major stock agencies.
Lewis has been capturing the eruption of Kilauea since it began in 1983. The goal of his photography is to “connect the viewer to a deep understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Nowhere else is creation happening so dramatically.” Inspired by beauty and variety, Lewis is based out of Hawai`i, Utah and Alaska, traveling several months each year to pursue his art.
A reprint of Lewis’ Volcano - Creation in Motion is due out in early July. The book, which already offered a sublime glimpse into the heart of creation, includes a new format, cover and updated images of Halema`uma`u and recent flows near Pahoa. A book-signing event will be scheduled as the publication becomes available. See volcanoartcenter.org for information.
The Quest For Liquid Light: Going with the flow in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will be on display June 6 through July 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The exhibition is free to the public though park entrance fees apply. A gallery reception will be held on Saturday, June 6 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, see www.volcanoartcenter.org or contact VAC Gallery Manager Emily C. Weiss at 808-967-7565 or gallery@volcanoartcenter.org.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2105.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

The Southwest Rift Zone erupted on Sept. 24, 1971 for the first time in more than a half century. Spectators hiked into the Ka`u Desert and were kept back from spattering lava by rangers on horseback. A possibility, according to a report from scientists yesterday is that eruptions could be seen again in the Southwest Rift Zone. Photo from NPS

POSSIBLE SOUTHWEST RIFT ZONE eruption in Ka`u is one of three scenarios offered yesterday by Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists. These follow an abrupt lowering of the lava lake level in Halema`uma`u and increased activity in the southern Kilauea summit caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone. The Southwest Rift Zone last erupted in 1971. The eruption before that was in 1919-1920 when Mauna Iki erupted on the Southwest Rift Zone.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory released a statement yesterday that “the overall evolution of unrest in Kilauea’s summit area and upper rift zones in the coming weeks to months is uncertain. The magma storage system within Kilauea is highly pressurized at this time, and future changes in the location of unrest – and the potential for eruption – could unfold quickly (in days to hours).”

The National Park of Reunion Island is taking part in Hawai`i Volcanoes National
Park's Biodiversity & Cultural Festival today. Photos by Ron Johnson

Scientists reported that “these recent changes at the summit of Kilauea suggest that magma has moved into a shallow area beneath the southern part of the caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone. It is not possible to predict the exact outcome of this activity, but we identify three possible scenarios that could play out in the coming days to weeks:

Magma continues to accumulate in the southern part of Kilauea’s summit caldera and upper SWRZ at shallow depths, but then stops with no eruption;
Magma continues to accumulate in the southern part of the caldera at shallow depths and leads to a rapid intrusion into the Southwest Rift Zone. Such an intrusion could remain within the rift zone or erupt along the rift zone. A rift zone intrusion would be indicated by a swarm of shallow earthquakes, seismic tremor, and large, rapid changes in the deformation of the ground surface;
Magma continues to accumulate in the southern part of the caldera, rises toward the surface and erupts in the upper SWRZ and/or in the caldera. With this scenario, we would expect to see even stronger earthquake activity and/or seismic tremor in the southern part of the caldera, as well as ground cracks.

A group of BioBlizters prepares to inventory plant species along a trail
in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

Reviewing recent history, HVO reports: “The lava lake in the Overlook crater (summit vent) overflowed its rim beginning April 28, sending many short flows across the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater. By May 8, these overflows and spatter from the rising lava lake had built a ridge (or levee) of solidified lava around the vent rim to a height of about eight meters (26 feet) above the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater, creating a ‘perched lava lake.’ On May 9, the lava lake level began to drop, and, as of Friday, May 15, the lake surface was about 50 m (165 ft) lower than the newly created vent rim.

“The abrupt lowering of the lava lake level was accompanied by changes in summit deformation and seismicity. As the lava lake dropped, the inflationary trend previously observed in the summit area changed to a deflationary trend centered near Halema`uma`u Crater. On May 13, the focus of deformation changed to the southern part of Kilauea’s summit caldera and upper Southwest Rift Zone, where rapid and localized inflationary tilt was recorded.
“This change in deformation was accompanied by a shift in the focus of earthquake activity from Kilauea’s summit, upper East Rift Zone (ERZ), and upper Southwest Rift Zone (SWRZ) to the southern part of Kilauea’s caldera and Upper SWRZ. Of the many hundreds of earthquakes that have occurred in the SWRZ over the past two days, most have been small (less than magnitude-two) and shallow (less than four km [2.5 mi] deep). As of noon on May 15, earthquakes over the past 12 hours were occurring every couple of minutes, the highest rate recorded thus far, including this morning’s magnitude-3.2 quake at 8:37 a.m., HST, and magnitude-3.0 quake at 10:52 a.m., HST.
“During this period of elevated summit activity, there has been no obvious change in the eruption rate of lava from the Pu`u `O`o vent on Kilauea’s East Rift Zone. Few earthquakes have occurred in the upper ERZ over the past few days.”
HVO scientists report that they continue to closely monitor Kilauea Volcano, watching for any signs of unrest that may precede a new outbreak of lava or changes in activity at Pu`u `O`o or the summit. HVO is in frequent communication with Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai`i County Civil Defense to keep them apprised of the activity.
HVO posts daily eruption updates its website, along with photos, videos and maps as they are available at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php.
Interested persons can receive daily Kilauea eruption updates via email by subscribing to the Volcano Notification System at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns/.
HVO contact information: askHVO@usgs.gov.
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Many species in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park are counted today as
National Geographic Bioblitz 2015 concludes. Painting by
John Dawson for the National Geographic Society

HOW MANY SPECIES CAN BE COUNTED inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is the question of the day as BioBlitz 2015 continues. Schoolchildren, scientists and other citizen volunteers are making the count over a 24-hour period ending today. This is the ninth annual BioBlitz, each in different parks, sponsored by the National Geographic Society and the National Park Service, leading up to one hundredth anniversary of the National Park Service next year.

A post on National Geographic’s BioBlitz blog says that Bioblitz in Hawai`i “celebrates biodiversity and Polynesian culture, a spiritual and scientific look at nature” and calls it a “teaching moment for all that there is time to repair and appreciate our bonds with the Earth.”
BioBlitz is being held simultaneously with the 35th Annual Cultural Festival in the park, with hula, cultural demonstrations and more until 4 p.m. today. Admission is free.
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Featherwork is one of many Hawaiian cultural activities available today
at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

THROWING FISH SCRAPS OVERBOARD is illegal, the states is reminding boaters.

Such activity can lead to Hawaiian monk seals hanging out around fishing boats, ramps and harbors where they can be struck by boat propellers. A year old monk seal was found dead on Anini Beach on Kaua`i this week and may have been hit by a boat. The fine is $1,000 and 30 days in jail plus possible civil penalties for just throwing fish scraps overboard.
Department of Land and Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case issued a statement saying: “Seals that are fed, even unintentionally by discarded fish scraps, can quickly become ‘problem seals’ that associate people with food and seek out human interactions that are dangerous for seals and people. They are wild creatures, and we want to keep them wild.”
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KA`U’S STATE SENATOR RUSSELL RUDERMAN earlier this week returned from Washington, D.C. where he was honored by the U.S. Small Business Association as Business Person of the Year by the Hawai`i Region of the Small Business Association.

Sen. Russell Ruderman receives Business Person of the Year
award from SBA Adminstrator Maria Contreras-Sweet.
Photo from Sen. Ruderman

“I’m truly humbled by this honor,” Ruderman said. “I feel lucky to be able to combine my passion to support local people and local products with my love for business and entrepreneurship.”
The award was given to Ruderman as President and Founder of Island Naturals, a group of natural and organic food stores on Hawai`i Island. Established in 1997, Island Naturals now employs 150 people at three locations in Kona, Hilo and Pahoa. Those who nominated Ruderman for the Business Person of the Year award described him as someone “willing to listen to people with different worldviews,” and “very humble and unassuming.”

The SBA awards recognize the special impact made by outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners. Criteria for the Business Person of the Year award includes number of years in business, growth in number of employees and increase in sales and/or unit volume, innovativeness of product or service offered and contributions to community-oriented projects.
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JUNE 1 IS THE DEADLINE FOR FEEDBACK on the draft Ka`u Community Development Plan.

When adopted and implemented, the CDP will become a county policy document, guide federal and state agencies and guide community-based action to direct conservation and settlement patterns; protect and enhance natural and cultural resources; strengthen infrastructure, facilities and services; and build a resilient, sustainable local economy.

Hawai`i Island students take the Biodiversity Challenge at Hawai`i Volcanoes
National Park.

Ka`u residents can review the document at local libraries and community centers, at Planning offices in Hilo and Kona and online at kaucdp.info.
Comments may be made online or sent to Hawai`i County Planning Department, Attn: Ka`u CDP, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo HI 96720.
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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL CONSIDERS county operating and capital improvement budgets Monday at 9 a.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona. Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center. The meeting is also streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings.

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

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Poi pounding was popular with all ages at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park's Bioblitz and Biodiversity & Cultural Festival Friday and Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal

WHAT’S NEXT AT KILAUEA VOLCANO? Associated Press reports: “A series of earthquakes and shifting ground on the slopes of Kilauea has scientists wondering what will happen next at one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
“A lake of lava near the summit of Kilauea on Hawai`i island had risen to a record-high level after a recent explosion. But in the past few days, the pool of molten rock began sinking, and the surface of the lava lake fell nearly 500 feet.
“Meanwhile, a rash of earthquakes rattled the volcano with as many as 25 quakes per hour, and scientists’ tiltmeters detected that the ground was deforming.”
Steven Brantley, deputy scientist in charge of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, told AP: “Clearly the lava, by dropping out of sight, it has to be going somewhere.”
AP reports that Brantley said that an eruption could possibly break through the side of the mountain.

This morning, HVO reported that seismic activity, while still elevated, has been decreasing.
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BioBlitz and festival participants learned about environmental needs of `i`iwi.
Photo by Julia Neal

AFTER TWO INTENSIVE DAYS OF EXPLORATION and documentation, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s BioBlitz held on May 15 and 16 captured a vivid snapshot of the park’s unique plant and animal biodiversity. The event , sponsored by the National Geographic Society, brought together more than 170 leading scientists and traditional Hawaiian cultural practitioners, more than 850 students and thousands from the general public. Together they conducted a comprehensive inventory of the plants, insects, mammals, birds and other species that inhabit the 333,086-acre island park. Under the theme of I ka nana no a `ike (By observing, one learns), alakai`i were integrated into the survey teams for a more holistic approach to the research and exploration endeavor.

More than 6,000 people participated in the BioBlitz and concurrent Biodiversity & Cultural Festival, which brought together modern scientific investigation and ancient cultural practices.
With a scientist-to-student ratio of one to five, students were able to truly work side-by-side with top scientists.

A festival-goer learns what is necessary to prevent plants from becoming extinct.
Photo by Julia Neal

Twenty-two new species were added to the park’s species list, and sightings of 73 threatened species, including nene and Kamehameha butterfly, were documented.
The BioBlitz survey more than doubled the number of fungi species on the park’s list with 17 new fungi documented at the close of the event. Many more will be added in coming days and weeks.
The initial scientific species count as of the afternoon BioBlitz closing ceremony on Saturday was 416, with 1,535 observations recorded over the course of the two-day event. Organizers expect this number to increase significantly over the next several months as cutting-edge testing of the collected samples continues.
The 35th annual Cultural Festival was moved from July to this weekend and expanded to include biodiversity booths and activities. The festival showcased how Hawaiians are true ecological experts and I ka nana no a `ike principles continue today. The Biodiversity & Cultural Festival included hands-on science and cultural exhibits, food, art and top Hawaiian music and dance performances.

Keiki connect with the natural world and Hawaiian culture using bamboo
to stamp designs. Photo by Julia Neal

The BioBlitz was part scientific endeavor, part outdoor classroom excursion and part celebration of biodiversity and culture. Participants combed the park, observing and recording as many plant and animal species as possible in 24 hours. Activities included catching insects, spotting birds, observing plants and fungi, and using technology to better understand the diverse ecosystems across the park.
“The BioBlitz and Biodiversity & Cultural Festival presented an incredible opportunity to connect the community with leading scientists, international sister parks and cultural practitioners this weekend,” said park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “This event embodies our National Park Service centennial mission to encourage everyone to Find Your Park – literally – by exploring and understanding our vital connection to our natural world.”
“The BioBlitz was a wonderful combination of past, present and future,” said John Francis, National Geographic’s vice president for research, conservation and exploration. “It was so exciting to bring together western science and traditional Hawaiian culture and pair it with the great iNaturalist app, smartphones and pumped-up cell service courtesy of Verizon. I hope this holistic approach serves as a model for other BioBlitzes and scientific endeavors.”

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A bone fishhook from Wai`ahukini cultural site
in Ka`u. Photo from Bishop Museum

KA`U IS THE SOURCE of the world’s largest collection of Hawaiian fishhooks. Images and descriptions of the more than 4,000 fishhooks are now online, with funding from Hawai`i Council for the Humanities. The address is http://data.bishopmuseum.org/archaeology/index.php?b=iartifacts.

The artifacts, including fishhook making tools, were excavated in 1953 and 1959, kept at Bishop Museum and photographed, with their images recently uploaded to the Bishop Museum online data base for study and public view.
Archaeologists William Bonk, Kenneth P. Emory and Yoshiko Sinoto collected the fishhooks in Ka`u at Makalei Rockshelter, Pu`u Ali`i and Wai`ahukini Rockshelter. According to Bishop Museum, they date from A.D. 1300 to the 1800s.
Fishhook-making styles have linked early Polynesians landing in Ka`u to islands in the Marquesas. Fish bones, also found in the archaeological sites in Ka`u, show what residents were eating and how their diets varied over time.
A message on the Bishop Museum website cautions: “Please remember that these and other cultural sites are wahi pana, or culturally significant places. If you visit these places, please show respect for them. Do not touch or remove anything that belongs near or around these areas.”
The website includes an interactive game called the Ho`omaka Hou Research Initiative Fishhook Memory Game. There is a link to a database for each of the three cultural sites Ka`u from which fishhooks were excavated. There are links to archaeological and history reports on places in Ka`u.
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MAY IS ASIAN-PACIFIC AMERICAN Heritage Month. recognizing the history, contributions and achievements of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities.
“During the month of May, we celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, recognizing the lasting contributions to our nation made by the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities,” Sen. Brian Schatz said. “We also commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States more than 170 years ago. The Asian-Pacific American influence is a part of our daily lives in Hawai`i where its traditions and customs are woven into our culture, cuisine and commerce. The Hawai`i that we proudly call our home today owes a great legacy to the Ancient Hawaiians who established a vibrant and self-sustaining society in one of the most isolated places in the world. The strong values and numerous accomplishments of Asian-Pacific Americans highlight strength in diversity and inspire community-building throughout our nation.”

Natural Area Reserves System promoted awareness of the environment
at the Biodiversity & Cultural Festival. Photo by Julia Neal

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CQ-ROLL CALL’S NEW BOOK, Powerful Women: The 25 Most Influential Women in Congress, listed Hawai`i Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard in the ranks of the most accomplished and influential female leaders in Congress.
The book discusses that despite just two years in Congress, Gabbard has been able to work with Democrats and Republicans and become a leading voice on military and foreign affairs on both the House Armed Services and House Foreign Affairs Committees. Additionally, the book discusses her status as a young veteran in Congress with her co-founding of the Post 9/11 Veterans Caucus.
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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL holds meetings this week. Tomorrow, the council considers county operating and capital improvement budgets.
Council holds its regular meeting Tuesday. Both meetings begin at 9 a.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona.
Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center. Agendas are available, and the meetings are also streamed live, at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings.

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

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See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaualendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Walter Nishioka, founder of International Karate League, conducted classes at Pahala Dojo recently. Photo from Cliff Field

HAWAI`I STATE LEGISLATURE HAS APPROVED a bill that would broaden an individual’s significant privacy interest under the Uniform Information Practices Act to include records that if disclosed would create a substantial and demonstrable risk of physical harm to that individual.

HB 287 is intended to protect judges who could be placed at risk after sentencing criminals. “I don't think it’s appropriate for people to know where judges live,” Judiciary Committee Chair Karl Rhoads told Kevin Dayton, of Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “I think there is a legitimate concern that they could be harmed if we’re not protective of their personal information.”

Karl Rhoads

Susan Pang Gochros, chief staff attorney and head of the Judiciary's Department of International and Community Relations told Dayton that “judges have endured threats and security concerns that serve as constant reminders of our need to promote security and safety.”
Gerald Kato, associate professor of journalism at University of Hawai`i School of Communications, said the law is not needed because personal information about public workers, including home addresses of judges, is already withheld from the public because it is private information under the public records law.
Kato told Dayton he is concerned about the possibility of a “slippery slope” argument that would lead to restrictions by other branches of government on the release of other kinds of information that should be public.
“We should be very careful about making these sort of changes in the freedom of information law," he said.
The law already denies release of information relating to medical, psychiatric or psychological history, diagnosis, condition, treatment or evaluation, other than directory information while an individual is present at such facility; information identifiable as part of an investigation into a possible violation of criminal law, except to the extent that disclosure is necessary to prosecute the violation or to continue the investigation; information relating to eligibility for social services or welfare benefits or to the determination of benefit levels; information in an agency’s personnel file, or applications, nominations, recommendations or proposals for public employment or appointment to a governmental position; information relating to an individual’s nongovernmental employment history except as necessary to demonstrate compliance with requirements for a particular government position; information describing an individual’s finances, income, assets, liabilities, net worth, bank balances, financial history or activities or creditworthiness; information compiled as part of an inquiry into an individual’s fitness to be granted or to retain a license; Information comprising a personal recommendation or evaluation; and Social Security numbers.
The bill is now being considered by Gov. David Ige.

See star-advertiser.com.
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Richard Abbett

KA`U RESIDENTS GAVE IMPASSIONED testimony to Hawai`i County Council today regarding an entry in the county budget that provides for purchase of the herbicide glyphosate to spray along highways and at other locations. The council is holding a special meeting to consider the proposed budget.

Green Sands subdivision Olivia Ling said her first experience with Roundup was an asthma attack after following sprayers on the highway. When she saw county workers spraying along Ka`alu`alu Road as schoolchildren were walking, she gave a fact sheet to their supervisor about problems with glyphosate exposure, including reductions of spider populations and alterations in frogs. “We don’t need poisons; there are plenty alternatives,” Ling said.
Samantha Shurline said, “Monsanto is evil all over the world.” She said she has seen bees lying on sidewalks after weeds were sprayed.
“We have a paradise here that Monsanto is killing,” she said. “We need to take care of our `aina. There are alternatives that are not more expensive.”

Michael Shurline said, “It’s not just Roundup; its not just Monsanto; it’s all poisons.” He suggested using manual labor to control weeds where mowers cannot.

Another resident from Green Sands said the people have spoken, “We are against this.”

Richard Abbett said that at some point, “we will be required to stop spraying. We can either do it now or later.” He said that he has gone through similar situations when he was working with fishing and similar environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest.

The meeting is streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings.
Testimony can be provided via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center during the meeting.
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Ka`u High boys volleyball team went to states and placed fifth.
Photo by Taylor Sport Photography

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL TEAM became statewide HHSSA Division II tournament consolation winners, finishing in fifth place at Neal Blaisdell Arena on O`ahu Saturday. They won the Battle of the Big Island consolation game against Hawai`i Preparatory Academy 25-22 and 25-19. HPA previously overpowered Ka`u to take Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II champions.

At states, Ka`u went against Hana, ultimately losing after five sets. Scores were 25-15, 23-25, 25-20, 22-25 and 8-15. Cameron Enriques had 41 kills and 25 digs.
Following their loss to Hana, Ka`u played a consolation game against Castle, winning both sets 25-17 and 25-10.
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WALTER NISHIOKA, FOUNDER of International Karate League, visited Pahala Dojo this week and conducted two nights of classes. While here, he presented Francisco Villa his Shodan (first degree) black belt certificate. Francisco successfully passed his exam in February after many years of hard work.

Francisco Villa receives a black belt certificate from IKL founder
Walter Nishioka. Photo from Cliff Field

Nishioka is referred to as Shihan (Master) and continues to actively visit IKL dojos throughout Hawai`i and the mainland. Nishioka Shihan trained with many famous martial artists as a young man when he frequently visited Japan and was on active military duty with the Strategic Air Command during the Korean War. He was encouraged by these teachers to develop his own school, which eventually resulted in the International Karate League. IKL is registered in Japan and was one of the first karate schools in the United States. Many attribute Nishioka Shihan with being one of the first to introduce karate to the United States. The mainstay philosophy of IKL is to build character and good citizenship in its students and to operate as a not for profit organization.
Pahala Dojo was started in 2009, and the Sensei is Cliff Field. The dojo is open to new students from age five through adult throughout the year. Classes are every Tuesday and Friday at 5:30 at Pahala Community Center.
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KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN Steering Committee seeks public feedback on the draft Ka`u CDP. Comments are due by June 1. The CDP Steering Committee will review all of the feedback and make final decisions about CDP revisions before recommending that the county adopt the CDP. A series of Steering Committee meetings is scheduled to start on June 9 at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The meetings will be open to the community, with public testimony welcome.
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STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT continues Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers meet at Kilauea Visitor Center to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from park trails. Free; park entrance fees apply.

KAI HO`OPI`I RETURNS TO SHARE music of his `ohana from Maui Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

Stained glass is the topic at an upcoming Volcano Art Center workshop.
Photo from VAC

VOLCANO ART CENTER PRESENTS A Stained Glass Workshop May 21, 23 and 24. Before spending a fortune on tools, participants can try making stained glass art in this workshop for beginners. All of the basic techniques will be covered, from glass cutting, foiling, soldering and completing with patina and polishing compound.

Glass artist Claudia McCall will share her expertise and knowledge, teaching students skills involved in working safely with stained glass and creating a beautiful, sturdy piece of art.
Hours are 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday evening and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Saturday and Sunday.   Class fee is $150 or $135 for VAC members.   Attendees are asked to wear long pants, covered shoes and safety glasses. Advance registration is required and limited to six adults.

See volcanoartcenter.org for more information and to register.

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

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See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf
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A proposed development at Discovery Harbour includes a small hotel, condominiums and shopping center
. Map from South Point Investment Group

DISCOVERY HARBOUR RESORT DEVELOPMENT PLANS are part of the discussion surrounding the Ka`u Community Development Plan. Deadline for community comments for the entire draft Ka`u plan is June 1. See kaucdp.info.
Last week, Discovery Harbour community members studied a plan presented by South Point Investment Group that would add a small hotel, condominiums and shopping center to Discovery Harbour, as well as renovate its golf course.
About 75 attended the meeting run by the county Planning Department with planner Ron Whitmore, who is in charge of the Ka`u Community Development Plan.

Discovery Harbour and its golf course would benefit from small-scale lodging, like
Ko`ele Lodge on Lana`i, says South Point Investment Group.

Gary McMickle, managing partner for South Point Investment Group, presented the idea of a small resort development with a 40-room lodge at Discovery Harbour, away from the uninhabited Ka`u coastline. He and his partners propose their development to be located at the entrance to Discovery Harbour off of Wakea Avenue with a total of 225 resort units, including hotel rooms, cottages and low-rise condos. McMickle showed photos of resort developments as examples of what could be done there. He showed Ko`ele Lodge on Lana`i as a hotel. He showed Po`ipu Shopping Village on Kaua`i, the Kukui`ula shopping center, also on Kaua`i, and the Shops at Mauna Lani. He showed footprints of these buildings superimposed on a Discovery Harbour plan.
Among enterprise examples listed as possibilities for the proposed Discovery Harbour commercial center are a gourmet food store, snack shop, gift shop, tourist activity business, seven clothing stores, three art galleries and five restaurants.

According to Gary McMickle, only about 25 percent of Discovery
Harbour's lots have homes on them.

McMickle said that the golf course will be improved and stressed that visitor accommodations are needed to support the cost of maintaining the golf course. He said that the golf course failed years ago when owners were spending $50,000 a month to maintain it with little income.
Calling Discovery Harbour “a diamond in the rough,” McMickle said that one reason his group thinks their plan will put Discovery Harbour into recovery is because so much infrastructure, including water lines for the commercial center and the roads, were installed in the past for unbuilt development.
The plan suggests that Discovery Harbour could not only be reached from Kama`oa Road and Wakea Avenue but also Ka`alu`alu-Wai`ohinu Road.
The plans were drawn by RTKL, an ARCADIS Company, which McMickle described as one the top visitor accommodation designers in the world. He promised that the buildings would be very Hawaiian with a lot of vegetation.
The parcels where the development would go are currently classified Agriculture by the state and Open by the county. For the parcels, the draft Ka`u Community Development Plan suggests: “Explore with the community the possibility of establishing a ‘Low Density Urban’ or ‘Retreat Resort Area.’”
During the public meeting, county planner Whitmore put forth options landowners could choose to gain approvals for their project at Discovery Harbour.
One option is to apply for a Special Permit. The Windward Planning Commission would review and make recommendations, but the State Land Use Commission would make the final decision. Public hearings would be held at both steps, and the permit can be specific to particular uses and be conditioned.

A second option is Rezone, in which the State Land Use Commission would have to change the property from Ag to Urban, and the county would have to approve a General Plan amendment and change of zoning. This process would likely have three steps: Windward Planning Commission, County Council and State Land Use Commission. Public hearings would be held at each step, and the permits can be conditioned.
Both routes for the development would include environmental review, including historic preservation, water, wastewater and traffic. Whitmore explained that permits would very likely include conditions to mitigate impacts and require infrastructure improvements, such as water system improvements and a wastewater treatment system.

Ka`u Learning Academy, currently at Discovery Harbour Clubhouse, would move
to a new building on five acres donated by the developer.

McMickle said in an interview that a permit for a project on the land was approved by the county in the early 1970s and that he has proposed sitting down with representatives of the county to update that permit, adjusting the permit for the smaller resort development planned by his group.
Community members supportive of the plan said that it would be a way to put Discovery Harbour and its golf course not only into recovery but also provide economic development. Only about 25 percent of the lots have houses on them, the golf course clubhouse is now used by a school, its pool abandoned, and the golf course is largely cared for by volunteers. There are currently no neighborhood stores for food and other items. A petition with 134 signatures supporting the project was presented to the county during the meeting.
Local business owners Wally Young and Wally Andrade both offered their support for the project, talking about the need for jobs for young people.
More than 520 acres owned by McMickle are makai of the Discovery Harbour houses and golf course and could be used to expand the community in the distant future, McMickle said. He also noted that he will to donate five acres at a place called the Bunker, where he had planned to build a house with a spectacular view of the coast toward Volcano, to the new charter school located at the old golf clubhouse.
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American Red Cross volunteers respond to the brushfire at Green Sands.
Photo by Yukie Ohashi

AMERICAN RED CROSS’ RESPONSE to the May 11 Green Sands brushfire underscored the urgent need for disaster volunteers who reside in the Ka`u District, said spokesperson Yukie Ohashi. While firefighters battled the blaze that burned one home and threatened many others, Red Cross was called into action by Civil Defense to open up an evacuation shelter at Na`alehu Community Center. Shelter workers from Ocean View quickly mobilized and housed 23 residents until the blaze was under control and roadways re-opened.

In the days following the outbreak, volunteers from Hilo, Kea`au, Volcano and Kona provided community outreach and individual assistance to affected families. Ongoing support is being provided to the homeowner whose home burned to the ground.
“Our volunteers are ready to respond islandwide, but ideally, we would like to have disaster responders in each community,” says Barney Sheffield, Hawai`i Red Cross Disaster Coordinator for Hawai`i County. “The unfortunate Green Sands fire highlights the need for Red Cross to recruit volunteers in Ka`u. This is especially crucial as we head into hurricane season.”
Red Cross has scheduled disaster training classes for new volunteers on July 11 and 18 at Pahala Hongwanji Mission. Interested persons can call or email Ohashi at 990-4777 or yohashi@hawaiiantel.net for online application instructions. Use of computers at Pahala Public Library can be arranged for individuals needing computer and Internet access.
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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard asks her Ka`u constituents to Say No to GMOs.

U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD IS CALLING for constituents to voice their opposition to the DARK Act, or Deny Americans the Right to Know Act. According to signforgood.com, the act “would not only block all states from labeling genetically engineered foods but also make it much harder for the Food & Drug Administration to ever mandate national labeling.”

“Hawai`i is such a beautiful place, and we have many resources right at our fingertips,” Gabbard said. “One of the best is our ability to grow our own food, and to do it in a way that’s sustainable. But our farmers and our communities are dealing with huge multi-national agribusiness corporations that keep their use of GMOs secret from consumers. That’s just plain wrong. Each of us has a basic right to know what’s in our food.
“Congress is on the verge of passing the DARK Act – a bill that would ban states from requiring GMO labeling. If all of us speak up together, we can stop this disastrous bill from becoming law.
“Hawai`i is a leader on this issue and one of 20 states seeking laws to require GMO labeling. But we also have to think of our brothers and sisters elsewhere, and fight to require GMO labeling across the country.
“For more than a decade, federal GMO labeling legislation has been introduced, but has failed to pass. With everyone speaking out, I know we can stop the DARK Act from becoming law.”
See http://signforgood.com/noGMOs/?code=tulsigabbard.
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Kai Ho`opi`i

NELSON DOI, one of the pioneers of Japanese Americans serving in government, passed away yesterday at 93 years of age. A Big Island native, Doi was one of the authors of the State of Hawai`i Constitution. He served as lieutenant governor, as a territorial and state senator and judge. He grew up in a family that founded T.W. Doi Store in Kawaihae. Doi advocated for statehood and education and prison reform. He retired to Kamuela and helped establish the North Hawai`i Community Hospital.
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KAI HO`OPI`I RETURNS TO SHARE music of his `ohana from Maui tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND HOLDS an estuary restoration workday Thursday. Volunteers meet staff at 7:45 a.m. at Wai`ohinu Park. Potluck-style lunch. RSVP at kahakai.cleaups@gmail.com.

KA`U AG WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meeting is Thursday at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Macnut Office in Pahala. Call Jeffrey McCall at 937-1056 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/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Hawai`i Health Systems Corp. East Hawai`i Region Board of Directors held a public meeting at Ka`u Hospital 10 months ago. The board recently announced that Ka`u Hospital is one of three facilities in the region to face layoffs and service cutbacks. Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U HOSPITAL IS FACING LAYOFFS and reductions in services despite success in controlling costs while growing and improving. Hawai`i Health Systems Corp. announced that its East Hawai`i Region, which includes Ka`u Hospital, Hale Ho`ola Hamakua and Hilo Medical Center, must deal with a $50 million budget shortfall.

Ka`u Hospital Adminstrator
Merilyn Harris

Following HHSC’s previous request to the state Legislature for emergency funding, Administrator Merilyn Harris said, “We cannot exist without some funding from the state as over 76 percent of our patients are covered by either Medicare or Medicaid, neither of which covers the full cost of care. We’re very proud of the fact that we are safety net facilities because we believe that care should be available for everyone, but it sure is challenging.”
The state-funded hospital system is cutting almost 90 jobs at the facilities, according to Pacific Business News.
Increased costs and low rates of reimbursement from a growing, rural population have contributed to the reductions. About 75 percent of hospital payments are from Medicare and Medicaid and don’t cover the cost of care.
East Hawai`i Regional Board Chair Gary Yoshiyama said cutbacks and layoffs are the last option to cover the deficit. “Our budget shortfall will have considerable impact on health care facilities in East Hawai`i,” Yoshiyama said. “Regionwide cost-cutting measures have already been implemented, and service cutbacks and layoffs are the only remaining option for our financial viability. Many scenarios were carefully weighed in our preparations to maintain essential health care services and minimize any potential harm to patients.”

According to HHSC, the East Hawai`i Region is the Big Island’s second-largest employer with an operating budget of $160 million and a payroll exceeding $100 million.

See bizjournals.com/pacific.
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KA`U DRAFT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, for which feedback is due by June 1, discusses zoning changes.
“It is important that future rezones in Ka`u be consistent with the objectives and policies of the CDP,” the document states. “When considering a proposed amendment to the zoning code, the Planning Director shall recommend a change in a district boundary only where it would, among other things, be consistent with the goals, policies and standards of the General Plan. The Director shall recommend either the approval or denial of the proposed amendment to the Planning Commission subject to conditions which would further the intent of the Zoning Code and the General Plan and other related ordinances (e.g., Community Development Plans). Though it appears that ‘other related ordinances’ would naturally include CDPs, this policy ensures that the Planning Director’s recommendations on future rezones will be consistent with the Ka`u CDP.
According to the draft, the Planning Director can approve variances from provisions of the zoning and subdivision codes to accommodate special circumstances, where no alternatives exist, and “if they are consistent with the General Plan and are not detrimental to the public welfare or cause substantial adverse impact to the area’s character or adjoining properties. The Director may also impose conditions on variances.
“This policy simply requires that the Director consider and approve variances in a manner consistent with the Ka`u CDP.”

See the draft and provide feedback at kaucdp.info.
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Mauna Loa is the topic of the current issue of Volcano Watch.
Photo from USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY SCIENTISTS turn their attention from Kilauea Volcano to Mauna Loa, on whose slopes Ka`u sits, in the current issue of Volcano Watch.

“Ongoing inflation in the upper Southwest Rift Zone and summit areas of Mauna Loa suggests that magma continues to rise into the volcano,” the article states. “The current rate and pattern of deformation are similar to the most recent episode of rapid inflation on Mauna Loa in 2004-2005. Earthquakes have also been occurring at elevated rates, particularly around the areas of inflation in the upper Southwest Rift Zone and summit.
“Throughout its history, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has taken advantage of advances in technology to better monitor volcanoes and earthquakes. Computers have become faster, methods of transmitting information have improved and instrumentation has become smaller and more energy efficient. All these advances have been utilized to create an improved geophysical network that better supports HVO’s monitoring and science efforts.
“In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enabled a major upgrade to HVO’s monitoring networks on Mauna Loa and Kilauea, including a conversion to digital telemetry, additional monitoring sites and improved instrumentation. These enhanced networks can now detect earlier stages of unrest, and the resulting data enables more sophisticated analyses of volcanic processes than were previously possible.
“Since the two most recent eruptions of Mauna Loa in 1975 and 1984, HVO started using GPS, broadband seismometers and several types of analyses that were not possible with previous geophysical networks and computers. Certainly, these new data streams and analysis techniques have led to an improved understanding of Mauna Loa and its magma storage system.

Locations of earthquakes in Mauna Loa's summit area within
the past two weeks are yellow, and those within the past
two days are blue. Map from USGS/HVO

“Scientists often try to compare previous periods of unrest, such as those in 1975 and 1984, to current unrest to gain perspective on and understanding of what might happen next. With our improved ability to detect smaller and smaller earthquakes and deformation, it is important to keep in mind that signals being recorded now might not have been detectable in past years. This leads to some interesting questions that we’re trying to answer.
“Were the small earthquakes that we can now record present during previous periods of unrest on Mauna Loa? If so, what was their pattern?
“With entirely new techniques available, such as GPS and interferometric radar (InSAR), we can measure the deformation of wide areas on the volcano, which allows us to detect a large, inflating magma reservoir beneath Mauna Loa that previously could not have been detected. But, was this same reservoir active before previous eruptions?
“Continuously recording GPS receivers measure episodes of hugely varying rates of inflation interspersed with times of no inflation, which might indicate fluctuations in magma supply to Mauna Loa’s shallow storage system. Did these fluctuations occur in the past? The comparison of current and past activity is not as trivial as one might think.
“And finally, what will be the outcome of Mauna Loa”s current unrest? Scientists cannot be sure at this point.

“Seismic unrest is currently much less energetic than it was before the 1975 and 1984 eruptions. Several episodes of increased inflation since 1984 slowed and stopped without eruption. Each of these episodes, however, resulted in greater pressurization of the shallow storage system within Mauna Loa. “Unfortunately, we do not yet completely understand exactly how much pressure is involved, or how much internal pressure the overlying rock can bear before it breaks and allows magma to move toward the surface.

“Our knowledge and characterization of volcanic systems constantly evolves as improved geophysical networks lead to new scientific discoveries. But before scientists can clearly distinguish between episodes of inflation and elevated earthquake activity that accompany only the intrusion of magma (with no eruption) and those that actually lead to an eruption, there is still much work to be done.

“So, HVO scientists continue their diligent efforts to fully understand the processes at work beneath Mauna Loa and to monitor the volcano’s restless activity. If any significant changes are observed, HVO will issue public notifications through media releases and our website updates (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/maunaloastatus.php).
See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
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EARTH MATTERS FARM invites Ka`u residents to join the monthly Ka`u Farmers Union United meeting Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The farm is at the corner of South Point and Kama`oa Roads.
Bob Shaffer, a soil consultant, will speak about composting in Ka`u, and Gabriel Howearth, founder of Seeds of Change, will talk about seed saving and GMO issues with seeds. Anna Lisa Okoye, from The Kohala Center, will discuss the Farm-to-School Program.
A potluck follows the meeting. “Bring a dish of local food and join in the fun,” said HFUU Ka`u Chapter President Greg Smith.
For more information, call 443-3300.
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HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA`U meets tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. Call 929-9731 or 936-7262 for location and more information.

KA`U AG WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meeting is tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Macnut Office in Pahala. Call Jeffrey McCall at 937-1056 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/Directory2015.swf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

Visitors to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park gather after dark at Jaggar Museum observation deck to observe the glow from a lava lake within Halema`uma`u Crater. Photo courtesy of Alex Werjefelt

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL’S first June meeting will be broadcast from the old state courthouse in Na`alehu following a move of the teleconferencing facility from Ocean View Community Center. Ka`u’s Council member Maile David said this morning she is happy that the facility on Hwy 11 will have a new purpose and provide a centralized location for the community to witness and provide testimony at council committee and regular council meetings. She said the state has agreed to allow the county to use it rent-free and that it may become available for other community meetings.

David researched use of courthouse when she worked for the Legislative Research branch of the county and recently looked back at the records to restart the conversation with the state to reopen it.

Services at Ka`u Hospital will continue as HHSC East Hawai`i Region facilities
face layoffs and cutbacks. Photo by Julia Neal

David also noted that for Na`alehu ballpark, she purchased a scoreboard with her contingency funds, approved last month.
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KA`U HOSPITAL’S emergency department, acute care, clinic, X-ray and other services will continue as before, Administrator Merilyn Harris said in response to Hawai`i Health Systems Corp.’s announcement of impending layoffs and cuts in services in its East Hawai`i Region.
According to Harris, the main impact will be having to limit the number of long-term care residents at the facility to 13 instead of 16. “That is because we will only have staff enough to safely care for that number,” Harris said.
Currently, the hospital houses 14 long-term residents. “The hospital won’t be asking anyone to leave who resides with us now,” Harris said. “Reducing our long-term care beds has been a terribly difficult decision for us to take, but we cannot continue to ignore the reality of insufficient funding.”
Harris also confirmed that none of the hospital’s permanent staff will be losing their jobs as a result of this service cut, but some temporary positions will not be extended.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE TOPIC of a Ka`u Community Development Plan focused discussion Tuesday, May 26, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

The purpose of focused discussions, which have so far been held about agriculture, coastal management and proposed development at Discovery Harbour, is to explore specific topics of interest in-depth. They are opportunities for community members to expand their understanding of the CDP and the rationale behind particular strategies. It is also an opportunity to provide new information, suggest alternative CDP strategies and propose additional areas of analysis.
During the economic development discussion, anticipated topics include the role of government in a market economy; foundations for opportunity (resource protection, public infrastructure and services); room for growth (residential, commercial, industrial and resort); regional coordination; and sector-specific innovation and initiatives (agriculture, renewable energy, health, education, community tourism, retail).
County planners familiar with these issues will be on hand and equipped with background material to support the discussion.
Participants’ questions, comments and suggestions will be documented. As appropriate, the CDP Planning Team will use outputs of the discussion to do additional analysis, refine the CDP rationale and/or recommend CDP revisions.
Public input on the draft Ka`u CDP is due June 1. The CDP is available at local libraries and community centers and online at kaucdp.info.
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Camping fees at Hawai`i Volcanoes National park will increase.
Photo from NPS

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK will incrementally increase entrance and camping fees over the next three years in order to fund deferred maintenance and improvement projects within the park, and to meet national standards for parks with similar visitor amenities. Entrance fees for recreational use have not increased since 1997.

Beginning June 1, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will increase its per-vehicle entrance fee in $5 increments from the current price of $10 per vehicle to $15 per-vehicle this year, $20 in 2016, and $25 in 2017. The vehicle pass is valid for seven days. The per-person entrance fee (the rate bicyclists and pedestrians pay) will increase from the current rate of $5 to $8 on June 1, $10 in 2016, and to $12 in 2017. The motorcycle fee will go up from $5 to $10 on June 1, $15 in 2016, and to $20 in 2017.
One significant modification to the new fee structure was based on public input. The annual Tri-Park Pass, considered by many as the kama`aina, or residents pass, will remain at the current rate of $25 for 2015 and 2016 and will increase to $30 in 2017. Based on public input, the park proposed a $30 fee for the Tri-Park Pass, instead of the national standard of $50. The annual Tri-Park Pass is available to all visitors and allows unlimited entry for one year to three national parks: Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park and Haleakala National Park.
New fees are also slated for all backcountry and front-country campsites, including Kulanaokuaiki Campground, and will be $10 per site per night. Backcountry campsites will have a stay limit of three consecutive nights, while the front-country campsites will have a stay limit of seven consecutive nights. Currently, camping is free, except at Namakanipaio Campground, which is managed by Hawai`i Volcanoes Lodge Company, LLC. The new camping permit fees are similar to other public camping fees statewide.
“The increases over the next few years will enable us to continue to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors, while upgrading some basic services like our campgrounds,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “We reached out to our community for their feedback on the new fees, and many comments were supportive of the increase as long as the Tri-Park Pass continued to be offered,” she said.

Recreational entrance fees are not charged to persons under 16 years old or holders of the Tri-Park, America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Senior, Access or Military passes. These passes may be obtained at the park or online.

Richard Wallsgrove

The current National Park Service fee program began in 1997 and allows parks to retain 80 percent of monies collected. Projects funded by entrance fees at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park include ongoing trail maintenance, cabin repairs, hike pamphlets, restrooms, picnic tables and more. The transformation of the 1932 Administration Building (`Ohi`a Wing) into a cultural museum that visitors will soon enjoy is also a fee-funded project. Entrance fees also protect the Hawaiian ecosystem by funding fencing projects that prevent non-native ungulates like pigs and goats from devouring rare native plants.
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ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS IN HAWAI`I are questioning the state Legislature’s approval of a tax break on coal while expanding taxes on oil, propane and liquefied natural gas.

AES Hawai`i, Inc, which uses coal to produce 20 percent of O`ahu’s electricity, lobbied for the tax break, according to a story in Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Jeff Walsh, the company’s president and general manager, said AES sells power to Hawaiian Electric Co. by contract at a fixed price, and the company would have no way to pass the cost of a new tax on to HECO or the utility’s customers.
Walsh claimed in the article that power the company produces with coal is “by far” the cheapest electricity being produced in the state. He described AES as “the bridge and the backbone of the grid.”
Life Of The Land Executive Director Henry Curtis said, “Fossil fuel is fossil fuel. Coal, oil and natural gas should all have the same tax rate imposed on them.”
Richard Wallsgrove, program director for Blue Planet Foundation, said, “It seems pretty nonsensical to me.” Blue Planet is a nonprofit organization that promotes use of clean energy.
See staradvertiser.com.
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KA`U AG WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meets today at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Macnut Office in Pahala. Call Jeffrey McCall at 937-1056 for more information.

KAHO`OKAHI KANUHA and Lanakila Mangauil present information about the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea today at 6 p.m. at Wai`ohinu Park. For more information, call Nohea at 808-205-9843.

EARTH MATTERS FARM invites Ka`u residents to share their garden eats at the monthly Ka`u Farmers Union United meeting and potluck Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The farm is at the corner of South Point and Kama`oa Roads.
Speakers include Bob Shaffer, a soil consultant; Gabriel Howearth, founder of Seeds of Change; and Anna Lisa Okoye, from The Kohala Center.
For more information, call HFUU Ka`u Chapter President Greg Smith at 443-3300.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Piton de la Fournaise volcano of La Reunion Island erupted as ambassadors for the park attended Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park's BioBlitz and Biodiversity & Cultural Festival and signed a sister park agreement. Photo from La Reunion National Park

NEWS AND EVENTS OF THE KA`U agricultural community were shared yesterday at the meeting of the Ka`u Agricultural Water Cooperative District in Pahala.

Members discussed the new mobile slaughter unit that will allow residents who raise even only a few cattle, goats, pigs and sheep to have them legally processed. The mobile slaughter unit will move from place to place around the island to service small producers. A meeting on the plan and on joining the cooperative that will operate the mobile slaughter unit will be held Sunday, June 14 at 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center.

Mobile slaughter services are coming to Ka`u. Photo from Hawai`i Island Meat

See www.HawaiiIslandMeat.com. Contact HawaiiIslandMeat@gmail.com. The project is funded by the state Department of Agriculture with help from Big Island Resource Conservation & Development, Hawai`i Small Business Development Center and The Kohala Center.
Members discussed an upcoming training on water conflict mediation, open to the Ka`u agricultural community, on Saturday, June 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ka`u Coffee Mill. It is sponsored by The Kohala Center and organized by the center's Rural Cooperative Development Specialist Melanie Bondera. To sign up, contact mbondera@kohalacenter.org.
The recent Green Sand community runaway fire that burned a house and destroyed waterlines was discussed in terms of the planning for future water service for agriculture in the community. Better pipes and funding for water storage for ag and firefighting were mentioned by Jeremy Buhr, who represents that community.
John Cross, of Olson Trust, announced that the hydroelectric plant above Ka`u Coffee Mill is moving forward with Taylor Construction Co., Inc. getting ready to build the building to house the hydroelectric plant itself. The hydro plant at Keaiwa could be operational by early next year, he said.
Members of the cooperative also discussed various ways of designing the sub-organizations that will manage water from various sources. Some organizational templates favor landowners, according to the amount of land owned, in decision making while others favor the user farmers and ranchers in the structure of the organizations.
The next Ka`u Agricultural Water Cooperative District meeting will be held on Saturday, June 27 at 8 a.m. at Ka`u Coffee Mill. For more information, call Jeff McCall at 937-1056.
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Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando and Daniel Gonthier,
President of La Reunion National Park, sign the sister park agreement at Kilauea
Visitor Center headquarters on May 20. NPS photo

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK and La Réunion National Park, located on a French volcanic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, signed a sister park agreement May 20 to fortify mutual collaboration and cooperation between them.

Both Hawai`i Volcanoes and La Réunion National Parks feature active volcanoes and are celebrated throughout the world for their geological, biological and cultural attributes. Both islands are located in the middle of vast oceans and are situated over volcanic hot spots. La Réunion’s Piton de la Fournaise (Peak of the Furnace) is listed among Earth’s most active volcanoes and stands 8,632 feet above sea level. Like Kilauea, it is a shield volcano and currently erupting.
La Reunion island is about the size of Kaua`i and has many landscapes similar to Kaua‘i and the Big Island.
Both parks are designated as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which seeks to encourage identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
“La Réunion is a wonderful ambassador on behalf of the precious world heritage of France. Our resources join us together – shield volcanoes and endemic and endangered species. We are proud to share with the community the joining of two of the wonders of the world,” said Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. She and President of La Reunion National Park, Daniel Gonthier, signed the agreement in Volcano.
The sister park relationship enables both parks to enrich their personnel through projects of international cooperation, accomplished primarily through exchange of managerial, technical and professional knowledge, information and data technology.
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park also has sister park agreements with Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes in South Korea and with Wudalianchi National Park in China. Like Hawai`i Volcanoes and La Réunion, Jeju is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Representatives from all three sister parks participated in the BioBlitz and Biodiversity & Cultural Festival held May 15-16 at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
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Keiki explore Kilauea Iki and other Hawai`i Island national parks during Hawai`i
Volcanoes National Park's summer junior ranger program.
NPS Photo from Jessica Ferracane

KEIKI EIGHT TO 13 YEARS OLD are invited to “Find Your Park” and become junior rangers through Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Keiki o Hawai`i Nei summer program. The fun-filled, three-day program begins Wednesday, June 24 and ends Friday, June 26. The program is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Keiki o Hawai`i Nei is designed to encourage a child’s enthusiasm for discovery by connecting them with the park’s resources and staff, and to inspire their appreciation of what is uniquely Hawaiian by exploring the natural and cultural heritage of Hawai`i.
Participants must bring and be able to carry their own day pack with water, snacks, lunch and raingear, and hike up to three miles over uneven terrain at a leisurely pace.
Children will explore Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and visit national parks on the west side of Hawai`i Island. Transportation is provided, and there is no cost to enroll.
The program is co-sponsored by Hawai`i Pacific Parks Association and Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
To reserve a space, call Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park at 985-7373 or email institute@fhvnp.org. The deadline to register is Friday, June 19.
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APPLICATIONS CAN NOW BE MADE for annual grants from the State Land Conservation Fund to protect Hawai`i lands having valuable cultural, natural or agricultural resources. Grants from the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Legacy Land Conservation Program can be used for acquisition and conservation of watersheds, coastal areas, beaches, ocean access, habitat protection, cultural and historic sites, recreational and public hunting areas, parks, natural areas, agricultural production, open spaces and scenic resources.

State agencies, county agencies and nonprofit land conservation organizations may apply. Proposed projects may include acquisition of fee title or conservation easements. County agencies and nonprofit project applicants must be able to provide at least 25 percent of the total project costs.
“Legacy Land grants help local agencies and organizations protect the lands and resources that improve the health and quality of life for Hawai`i’s residents and visitors – parks for outdoor recreation, forested watersheds for clean drinking water, cultural landscapes for preservation of heritage and agricultural lands for fresh local food,” DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said. “Through Legacy Land, the Department forms partnerships to share the costs and responsibilities of purchasing and protecting these lands for the public, allowing the state to secure more of these resources for the public with a smaller portion of funding,” Case said.
Project applications will be reviewed by the Legacy Land Conservation Commission, which will nominate projects for funding. Projects are subject to the approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, consultation with the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, review by the Department of the Attorney General and the approval of the Governor. Final awards are subject to the availability of funds.

Starting June 1, forms and instructions for the 2015-2016 grant cycle will be available at dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/llcp/apply/. In order to be considered for funding, applicants must submit Agency Consultation Forms by July 1. Grant applications must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 15.

Earth Matters Farm and Hawai`i Farmers Union United Ka`u Chapter President
Greg Smith host tomorrow's meeting and potluck. Photo by Ron Johnson

For more information, see  http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/llcp/ or call 808-586-0921.
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KA`U FARMERS UNION UNITED MEETING begins at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Earth Matters Farm invites Ka`u residents to the meeting and to share their garden eats afterward until 1 p.m. The farm is at the corner of South Point and Kama`oa Roads.
Speakers include Bob Shaffer, a soil consultant; Gabriel Howearth, founder of Seeds of Change; and Anna Lisa Okoye, from The Kohala Center.
For more information, call HFUU Ka`u Chapter President Greg Smith at 443-3300.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Gov. David Ige has signed a bill creating an annual Sakada Day, Dec. 20. Pahala Filipino Club carries on ethnic traditions in Ka`u.
Photo by Julia Neal

HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS JUNE 1. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center is currently watching activity in the East Pacific, where tropical storms often develop and move toward the Central Pacific.

Central Pacific Hurricane Center is keeping an eye on two
disturbances in the Eastern Pacific. Map from CPHC

Shower activity associated with an area of low pressure located  about 1,650 miles southeast of the Big Island has  become better organized over the past 24 hours. Some additional  development is possible during the next day or two, and a tropical  depression could form. After that time,  development is not expected due to the proximity of a disturbance  to its northeast and north.
An area of low pressure may form early next week several hundred  miles south of the coast of Mexico. Environmental conditions are  expected to be conducive for subsequent slow development of the  system.
Hurricane preparedness information is available on Hawai`i State Civil Defense’s website at scd.hawaii.gov.
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FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO FARMERS, ranchers and food entrepreneurs to develop new product lines through USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grant program.

“The Value Added Producers Grant program not only enables farmers and ranchers with opportunities to increase their income from their farming activities, it also increases jobs and expands the food choices for Hawaii’s families” said Chris Kanazawa, state Director for USDA Rural Development. “Hawai`i’s agriculture community has demonstrated a long history of innovation, and the VAPG program provides an excellent resource to perpetuate this tradition.”

USDA plans to make approximately $30 million in grants available. Applications will be accepted through July 8. More information on how to apply can be found on page 26528 of the May 8 Federal Register (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-05-08/pdf/2015-10440.pdf).
VAPG grants can be used to develop new product lines from raw agricultural products or additional uses for already developed product lines. Military veteran, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers; operators of small and medium-sized family farms and ranches; farmer and rancher cooperatives; and applicants that propose mid-tier value chain projects are given special priority in applying for VAPGs. Additional priority is given to group applicants who seek funding for projects that “best contribute” to creating or increasing marketing opportunities for these type of operators.
For more information, contact Business Programs Specialist Lori Nekoba at 933-8312 or lori.nekoba@hi.usda.gov.
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One of Pahala Filipino Club's many activities is caroling during Christmas.
Photo by Julia Neal

SAKADA DAY IN HAWAI`I IS DEC. 20 of each year. Gov. David Ige yesterday held a signing ceremony for HB604, recognizing the Filipino community’s contribution to the history, economy, culture and heritage of Hawai`i.

The sakadas, or Filipino plantation workers, were the first Filipinos to arrive in Honolulu aboard the S.S. Doric more than 100 years ago on December 20, 1906, to work as contract laborers in the plantation industry. About 120,000 sakadas arrived in Hawai`i between 1906 and 1934. These sakadas paved the way for the legacy that would be built by the Filipino community in Hawai`i and worldwide.

“Like many moments in history, the arrival of the first 15 sakadas in Hawai`i occurred little noticed by most in Hawai`i at the time,” said Rep. John Mizuno. “However, after viewing their struggles and sacrifices, we are honored to recognize the first migration of Filipinos in Hawai`i and the sakadas that followed as we appreciate their historic importance and significance to shaping Hawai`i. Today, Filipinos have achieved significant success worldwide, however, in moving forward it is important to remember the great pioneers who paved the way which allowed for such success to occur. After reviewing the legacy of the sakada we truly begin to understand all that it represents and means to all of us in the state.”
Today, Filipinos make up the second largest ethnic group in the state, with Filipinos in leadership positions in business, government, community service organizations and the professions.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono

U.S. SEN. MAZIE HIRONO, THE FIRST Asian American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Sen. Brian Schatz is one of several co-sponsors.

“Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a celebration of the contributions and progress made by the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in Hawai`i and across the country. The AAPI community is the fastest growing minority population in the United States and will have an increasing presence and stronger voice in national debates for years to come,” Hirono said. “As an immigrant who came to the United States from Japan with my mother at a young age, it’s an honor to lead a bipartisan group of my colleagues in recognizing and celebrating the culture and stories of AAPI families that have enriched our nation.”
May is officially designated as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by section 102 of title 36, United States Code. The observance originally began as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, which was established through a joint Congressional resolution in 1978. The month of May was chosen due to two important milestones in AAPI history: May 7, 1843, when the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States, and May 10, 1869, when the first transcontinental railroad was completed with substantial contributions from Chinese immigrant workers.

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Chris Jacobsen, at right teaches non-credit ag classes this summer. Photo from HCC

HAWAI`I COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS OFFERING a series of non-credit agriculture classes this summer that cover topics like sustainable farming practices, pest and disease control, nursery management, irrigation, how to manage a farm business and more.

The classes will be held at the Hawai`i CC campus in Hilo, in Captain Cook and at the University of Hawai`i experimental agriculture farm in Pana`ewa. Hawai`i CC Agriculture instructor Chris Jacobsen will teach the courses.
The following are class subjects, times and fees:

Sustainable Production Practices, Thursday, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., May 21-June 6. Cost: $59;
Home and Community Food Security, Friday, June 5 and Friday, July 24. Cost for each one-day class is $59;
Farm Management, Thursday, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., June 11-27. Cost: $59;
Integrated Pest Management, Tuesday, 6-8 p.m. and Thursday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., June 30–July 16. Cost: $59;
Irrigation Repair and Theory, Thursday, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., July 23-Aug.8. Cost: $59;
Horticultural Operations, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., July 27–Aug. 13. Cost: $67.

The classes are part of the C3T-1 program that Hawai`i CC and other University of Hawai`i Community Colleges are participating in.
C3T Hawai`i is a $24.6 million grant awarded to the University of Hawai`i Community Colleges through the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. The grant will fuel the development of education and training curriculum and student academic/career coaching, which targets certificate and degree programs specific to the needs of agriculture, energy and health industries. These industry-focused, employer-driven programs are designed to increase college completion rates and provide job opportunities to the C3T participants.
The non-credit courses funded by the grant aim to provide training leading to jobs in agriculture for the unemployed, professional improvement for those already employed in agriculture, and instruction for those who want to work in the agriculture field.
For more information on how to register for these classes and about the course contents, call Linda Burnham Larish, C3T-1 Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator at Hawai`i CC, 934-2687 or email llarish@hawaii.edu.

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KA`U HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI & FRIENDS 2010 Potluck Reunion and a concurrent gathering at the old Sasaki Store in Pahala are topics of a video being shown on Na Leo O Hawai`i Community Television. Carese Galiza, formerly of Pahala and now living in Pensacola, FL, produced the video that showcases Ka`u’s talented musicians, including Ernest Kalani’s Back to the Fifties group, Calvin Ponce’s Hands of Time and senior hula dancers from the former Mahealani Halau under the direction of the late Kumu Hula Edna Aguil. The video was dedicated to Aguil for her more than 50 years of community service.

Air times are today at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 7 p.m.

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KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S Memorial Day Ceremony is Monday at 3 p.m. on KMC’s Front Lawn in Hawai‘`i Volcanoes National Park. Keynote speaker is Rod Sueoka, of the Office of Veterans’ Services.

KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8371 for additional information.

MEMORIAL DAY BUFFET IS AVAILABLE from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Menu includes Hawaiian kalua pork sandwich, local-style fried chicken, chili con carne, biscuits and honey, buttered corn, steamed rice, dessert and a beverage. Adult $18; child $9.
Call 967-8356 for more information. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Ka`u Roping & Riding Association has announced plans for its 38th annual Fourth of July weekend rodeo. Photo by Julia Neal

EARTH MATTERS FARM HOSTED more than 50 people yesterday at the monthly meeting of the Ka`u chapter of Hawai`i Farmers Union United. The farm, owned by Greg Smith, president of the Ka`u chapter, is near the corner of South Point and Kama`oa Roads and produces organic vegetables for a community-assisted agriculture program.

The Kohala Center encourages Ka`u farmers to participate in the Farm
to School movement.

Anna Lisa Okoye, of The Kohala Center, talked about building relationships between farms and schools and how farmers can sell to distributors to place their produce in the state Department of Education schools. Charter schools have more flexibility in buying directly from farmers. Some charter schools choose to buy as local as they can. She gave the example of a school on the Hamakua Coast that attempts to buy the most food it can from producers located within 40 miles of the school itself.
Okoye encouraged farmers to be a part of the Farm to School movement that teaches youth where food comes from and how to eat a healthy diet. She said that part of the problem is that menus in public schools can be dictated for the entire state school system, limiting the opportunity to include food grown near or on the campus.
A Farm to School connection event will be held on Tuesday, June 30 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Hawai`i Academy of Arts and Science at 15-1397 Homestead Road in Pahoa. Farmers can bring samples of produce or locally produced value-added products and meet school food buyers who want to buy for school food programs, including the USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program. Those without crops ready for harvest can bring photos of produce and farms.
Farmers can reserve tables to exhibit produce and information about farms and businesses. Registration deadline is June 25 at koha.la/f2smixer or by calling 887-6411.
Gabriel Howearth talked about the importance of keeping a local seed bank for food crops that grow well here.
Bob Shaffer, a soil consultant, talked about soil kept healthy with cover crops, microorganisms, compost and mulch, along with tillage and mineral management.
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Ledward Ka`apana

LEDWARD KA`APANA’S JUS’ CRUZIN’ won in the Instrumental Album category at last night’s Na Hoku Hanohano awards. The Big Island native and master of `ukulele and slack key guitar has taught visitors and local students during past Hawaiian Music & Lifestyle workshops in Pahala sponsored by the Center for Hawaiian Music Studies.

Other nominations in the same category included more Pahala workshop teachers, Bolo, with his ‘ekahi, and Jeff Peterson with Island Breeze.
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HAWAI`I’S U.S. SENATORS OPPOSE trade promotion authority legislation, also known as “fast track” authority, which was passed by the U.S. Senate 62-37.
Fast track bills give the President authority to negotiate trade deals on the condition that Congress will vote to accept or reject the deal without making changes, as long as the deal meets the objectives set by Congress.
“That’s a lot of authority to grant without knowing what a final agreement will look like,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono. “For example, the Administration has been negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would represent 40 percent of the world’s economy, and very few people, including members of Congress and the public, know what is in the agreement. Past fast track bills have not put strong enough standards in place and we’ve seen whole communities and industries hurt as a result.
“Trade deals should help, not hurt, middle class families and workers. I voted against this bill because it does not go far enough to ensure future trade deals will include fair wages, a decent standard of living and a clean environment for all.”
Sen. Brian Schatz said, “I oppose the procedures contained in this bill, and I am seriously concerned about using fast-track to pass trade agreements that do not reflect the best interests of the American people and undermine the prerogatives of the Congress. Corporate interests should not be the driving force for public policy decisions on public health, consumer safety and the environment.”
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HI`ILEI ALOHA LLC, A NONPROFIT SUBSIDIARY of Office of Hawaiian Affairs, holds a grant-writing workshop and leadership development on Wednesday, June 10 from 9 a.m. to noon at Ka`u Rural Health Community Center in Pahala. This free workshop will help nonprofit organizations, leaders and individuals interested in improving their communities by teaching them how to write a grant application.

Participants will learn basic techniques and strategies of grant writing and become familiar with key parts of grant applications and terms such as needs assessment, budgets and work plans. The class will also teach the difference between government, foundation and corporate grants. Participants will also continue to receive notification of upcoming grant opportunities.
The class will also be held in Hilo on Wednesday, July 15 and in Kona on Friday, July 17.
To register or for information, contact Jennifer at 596-8990 ext.1013 or jenniferc@hiilei.org.
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Paniolo wrangles a cow during a KRRA rodeo at Na`alehu Arena.
Photo by Julia Neal

THE PANIOLO TRADITION OF RANCHERS and other rodeo riders gathering together with families will fill the Na`alehu Arena grounds over the July 4 weekend with events designed for keiki, wahine and kane. The 38th Annual Fourth of July Rodeo is sponsored by Ka`u Roping & Riding Association on Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5.

Slack Roping begins Saturday at 8 a.m. Cowboy Church is on Sunday at 10 a.m. with Thy Word Ministries-Ka`u Pastor Bob Tominaga. Rodeo Shows start at 12 p.m. both days.
Rodeo Queen contestants are Ku`ukamali`i Bishop of Na`alehu, Arena Jospeh of Kea`au and Chrissy Perez of Honoka`a. Residents can support the young ladies by buying rodeo tickets for $6. Tickets are $7 at the gate.
All spectators, guests and contestants can buy $1 raffle tickets and win prizes. Prizes will be advertised at the rodeo. All proceeds from the raffle drawing will be donated to American Cancer Society’s Hilo Relay for Life by KRRA.
Special guests are Miss Rodeo Hawai`i 2015 and Nebraska Queen, who will be signing autographs.
Events scheduled at the rodeo include Open Team Roping, Kane/Wahine Dally Team Roping, Team 90s, Double Mugging, Kane/Wahine Ribbon Mugging, Wahine Mugging, Tie Down Roping, Wahine Break Away, Po‘o Wai U and Bull Riding.
Dummy Roping, Goat Undecorating, Calf Riding and Youth Barrel Racing events are set for youngsters.
For more information, call Tammy Kaapana at 929-8079.
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KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S Memorial Day Ceremony is tomorrow at 3 p.m. on KMC’s Front Lawn in Hawai‘`i Volcanoes National Park. Keynote speaker is Rod Sueoka, of the Office of Veterans’ Services.
Memorial Day Buffet follows the ceremony from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at KMC’s Crater Rim Café. Menu includes Hawaiian kalua pork sandwich, local-style fried chicken, chili con carne, biscuits and honey, buttered corn, steamed rice, dessert and a beverage. Adult $18; child $9.

Economic development is the topic of a Ka`u CDP discussion Tuesday.

Call 967-8356 for more information. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8371 for additional information.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE TOPIC of a Ka`u Community Development Plan focused discussion Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Participants’ questions, comments and suggestions will be documented. As appropriate, the CDP Planning Team will use outputs of the discussion to do additional analysis, refine the CDP rationale and/or recommend CDP revisions.
Public input on the draft Ka`u CDP is due a week from tomorrow on Monday, June 1. The CDP is available at local libraries and community centers and online at kaucdp.info.

MONDAY, JUNE 1 – ONE WEEK from tomorrow – is the deadline to sign up to be in this year’s annual Fourth of July parade in Na`alehu. Contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 to register floats or parade walkers.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Residents and groups have one more week to sign up to participate in Na`alehu's Fourth of July parade. Photo by Julia Neal

UNITED STATES AND HAWAI`I STATE FLAGS were flown at half-staff from sunrise to 12 p.m. today by order of Gov. David Ige in memory of the brave Americans who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and security of our nation.

“We pause on this Memorial Day to remember and honor those who answered the call to serve our country and paid the ultimate price to preserve and protect our freedom,” Ige said. “I encourage everyone in Hawai`i to take some time this holiday weekend to show your appreciation and gratitude to those who have fought and who continue to fight for our freedom.”
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Today, the country honors those who died in America's wars.

THE FIRST NATIONAL CELEBRATION of Memorial Day on May 30, 1868 to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers.

“We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens,” said former Union General and sitting Ohio Congressman James Garfield at Arlington National Cemetery on that date. “For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.”
After Garfield’s speech, 5,000 participants helped decorate graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
The event was inspired by local observances of the day that had taken place in several towns throughout America in the three years after the Civil War. In 1873, New York was the first state to designate Memorial Day as a legal holiday. By the late 1800s, many more cities and communities observed Memorial Day, and several states had declared it a legal holiday. After World War I, it became an occasion for honoring those who died in all of America’s wars and was then more widely established as a national holiday throughout the United States.

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Pres. Obama at Arlington National Cemetery today.
Photo from Office of the President

PRES. BARACK OBAMA SPENT the first Memorial Day since the end of the war in Afghanistan at Arlington National Cemetery, remembering the more than 2,200 American patriots who gave their lives in that conflict, as well as all of America’s fallen soldiers. The President asked that all Americans spend the day honoring the memory and sacrifice of those heroes and “remain committed to the cause of freedom and the country for which they fought.”

“This weekend is Memorial Day – a time to pay tribute to all our men and women in uniform who’ve ever given their lives so that we can live in freedom and security,” Pres. Obama said in his weekly address. “These Americans gave everything they had – not for glory, not even for gratitude, but for something greater than themselves.”
In closing his remarks at Arlington, Pres. Obama said, “The Americans who rest beneath these beautiful hills, and in sacred ground across our country and around the world, they are why our nation endures. Each simple stone marker, arranged in perfect military precision, signifies the cost of our blessings. It is a debt we can never fully repay, but it is a debt we will never stop trying to fully repay. By remaining a nation worthy of their sacrifice. By living our own lives the way the fallen lived theirs – a testament that ‘Greater love has no other than this, than to lay down your life for your friends.’
“We are so grateful for them. We are so grateful for the families of our fallen. May God bless our fallen heroes and their families, and all who serve. And may He continue to bless the United States of America.”

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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard honors her fallen comrades.
Photo from Office of the Representative

“MEMORIAL DAY IS A TIME TO REFLECT and honor our fallen heroes,” U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said. “When I came home from my deployment to Iraq, I stepped off the plane and into the warm embrace of my family. I felt an indescribable joy, but at the same time I felt a sad and deep sense of loss for my brothers and sisters in uniform who would never have the chance to come home. Today, we remember these great Americans and show our gratitude for their sacrifice and service.”

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NEXTERA ENERGY AND HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES are questioning the motives of several of the 29 intervenors in Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission’s examination of the proposed merger of the two utilities.
The utilities are concerned about sharing vital information with organizations that may be considering alternatives to the merger.
“This restricted information will be only authorized to those parties for which applicants have reasonable assurance that they are not engaged in and do not plan to engage in a competing acquisition of HEI or of a controlling interest in one or more of the Hawaiian Electric companies,” NextEra and HECO told the PUC in its filing. “Applicants have and will be designating various due diligence, projections and other commercially sensitive and competitive information as ‘restricted information.’”
Entities questioned by the companies are KULOLO, AES Hawai`i Inc., The Gas Co., Hawai`i PV Coalition, Hawai`i Renewable Energy Alliance, Hina Power Corp., Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative, Paniolo Power Co., Renewable Energy Action Coalition of Hawai`i Inc., SunEdison and SunPower Corp.
Robert Harris, of KULOLO, or Keep our Utilities Locally Owned and Locally Operated, told Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the organization was created to raise awareness about a public acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Light Co. “It’s not designed to buy HECO,” he said.
See staradvertiser.com.
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Lava continues to change the landscape in Kahauale`a Natural Area Reserve.
Photos from USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

KAHAUALE`A NATURAL AREA RESERVE remains closed following Friday’s decision by the state Board of Land & Natural Resources to keep the area off limits for another two years. The area has been closed since July 2007 due to volcanic activity.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists reported that Pu`u Kahauale`a, which has been buried slowly by the Pu`u `O`o eruption over the years, is now nearly covered by the June 27th lava flow. The image on the left shows Pu`u Kahauale`a on June 30, 2014, a few days after the June 27th flow started (the `a`a flow just behind the cone is from the early stages of that flow); the image on the right shows Pu`u Kahauale`a on May 21 from nearly the same perspective. Only the highest parts of Pu`u Kahauale`a’s twin craters remain.
According to Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, Hawai`i Fire Department has responded to 22 incidents involving lost hikers in the area since May 2008.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE TOPIC of a Ka`u Community Development Plan focused discussion tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Participants’ questions, comments and suggestions will be documented. As appropriate, the CDP Planning Team will use outputs of the discussion to do additional analysis, refine the CDP rationale and/or recommend CDP revisions.

Hawaiian implements by Rick Lamontagne are on display Wednesday.
Photo from NPS

Public input on the draft Ka`u CDP is due a week from today on Monday, June 1. The CDP is available at local libraries and community centers and online at kaucdp.info.

PARK VOLUNTEER RICK LAMONTAGNE displays Hawaiian implements that he has replicated Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Part of the `Ike Hana No`eau: Experience the Skillful Work program. Free; park entrance fees apply.

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY is the deadline to sign up to participate in this year’s annual Fourth of July parade in Na`alehu. Contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 to register floats or parade walkers.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Ka`u Community Development Plan discusses ways to strengthen agriculture. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE TOPIC of a Ka`u Community Development Plan focused discussion today at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

The draft Ka`u CDP calls for building a resilient, sustainable local economy. It identifies a community objective as increasing the number and diversity of income sources for residents, including jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities that complement Ka`u’s ecology, culture and evolving demographics.

The public is invited to a discussion about Ka`u's economic development
today at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

The draft guides implementation of regional economic development strategies, including an education, enterprise development and research network and regional strategies to increase buying local. Possible actions by the county include collaborating with the private sector to identify business needs, strengthen existing industries and diversify the economy by attracting new endeavors; advancing economic development that enhances and is balanced with the county’s natural, cultural and social environments; promoting a distinctive identity for Ka`u; and commissioning a study of Economic and Financial Impact Reviews and proposing recommendations for their integration into the regulatory review and approval process.

Community-based, collaborative actions listed toward this goal include coordinating regional, cross-sectoral economic development strategies; developing a high-tech, high-touch regional education, enterprise development and research network; and coordinating regional strategies to increase buying local.
The CDP discusses ways to strengthen local agriculture, including agricultural land acquisition, agricultural parks and water systems, diversification of agriculture-based businesses on agricultural land and agricultural tourism.
The CDP also suggests that developing community renewable energy would enhance Ka`u’s economy. It guides development of local, renewable, distributed energy networks while prioritizing greater public review of commercial renewable energy projects. It states that the county could encourage development of alternate energy resources, providing they complement existing agricultural uses and preserve ecologically significant areas and amend the Zoning Code to require Use Permits for commercial renewable energy projects in the County Agricultural District.
At today’s meeting, participants’ questions, comments and suggestions will be documented. As appropriate, the CDP Planning Team will use outputs of the discussion to do additional analysis, refine the CDP rationale and/or recommend CDP revisions.
Public input on the draft Ka`u CDP is due Monday, June 1. The document is available at local libraries and community centers and online at kaucdp.info.
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A new document describes opportunities for discoveries by TMT.

THIRTY METER TELESCOPE ORGANIZATION has released a new document that it says describes “the transformational science the Thirty Meter Telescope will enable.” The key TMT document, known as the Detailed Science Case, explains that TMT would open up opportunities for revolutionary discoveries in essentially every field of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology.

According to TMT, the telescope will see much fainter objects much more clearly than existing telescopes, enabled by a giant mirror and advanced adaptive optics system. “With these capabilities, TMT’s science agenda fills all of space and time, from nearby comets and asteroids, to exoplanets, to the most distant galaxies and back to the very first sources of light in the Universe,” TMT stated.
“There is virtually no cosmic stone that TMT will leave unturned,” said Warren Skidmore, editor-in-chief of the document and Telescope Research Scientist for TMT International Observatory. “We at TMT, our international partners and the broader astronomical community are all eagerly looking forward to the scientific breakthroughs that TMT will help deliver.”
More than 150 astronomers from within the TMT partnership and beyond offered input in compiling the new 2015 Detailed Science Case.
In preparing the document, members of TMT’s International Science Development Teams composed sections describing some of the highest profile questions in their respective fields that TMT can help answer.
The 2015 Detailed Science Case has been updated from its original 2007 version to reflect how its first featured suite of instruments and future upgrades will achieve TMT’s envisioned science goals. The science case will be used to define the scientific priorities of TMT during the period when evaluation of second-generation instruments begins. The document will also aid in defining operational modes for the observatory as its science mission gets underway.

See tmt.org.
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The U.S. Senate has honored Hui Panala`au colonists who helped secure
and establish jurisdiction of the U.S. over remote Pacific islands.
Photo from UH-Manoa

THE U.S. SENATE HAS UNANIMOUSLY passed a resolution acknowledging and honoring the young men from Hawai`i, the majority of whom were Native Hawaiian, who ensured the success of the Equatorial Pacific colonization project. This once-secret initiative began in the 1930s to enable the United States to claim jurisdiction over this hotly disputed area of the Pacific in the years leading up to World War II. The earliest colonists were new Kamehameha Schools graduates who were dispatched to the remote islands of Howland, Baker and Jarvis. These young men had been carefully selected to ensure that they could survive in the isolated, barren and inhospitable environment with little support from outside. The colonization ended abruptly when Imperial Japan attacked these islands and Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Sen. Brian Schatz, who introduced the resolution, commended the Hui Panala`au in this, the 80th anniversary of the first landing of Native Hawaiian colonists. “This is a remarkable story of humble valor, when 130 sons of Hawai`i made use of their island spirit and resourcefulness to make a very big difference for America and ultimately the free world,” Schatz said. “It is my sincere hope that the deeds of the Hui Panala`au colonists will be more broadly shared, understood and appreciated by the people of Hawai`i and by Americans who treasure our rich history.”  

Throughout the seven years of colonization of the islands (1935-1942), 130 young men in small groups joined the effort and risked their lives on remote islands far from the safety and security of their homes and family. The mission was led by the Department of the Interior to establish American possession at first because the islands were seen as potential stopovers for a newly budding commercial air travel industry. As World War II intensified and the Japanese empire advanced across the Pacific, control of the islands became important militarily. In their service, three young men lost their lives, one from a ruptured appendix and two following a Japanese air attack in 1941. Others sustained permanent injuries during their service. Today, there are three known surviving colonists in Hawai`i.
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Deadline to sign up to participate in Na`alehu's Fourth of July parade is Monday.
Photo by Julia Neal

PARK VOLUNTEER RICK LAMONTAGNE displays Hawaiian implements that he has replicated tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Part of the `Ike Hana No`eau: Experience the Skillful Work program. Free; park entrance fees apply.

ATTENTION PA`U RIDERS, classic car owners and others wanting to participate in Na`alehu’s Fourth of July parade, Monday is the deadline to sign up. Contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 to register.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

According to NOAA, this hurricane season that begins June 1 is expected to be busier than last year, when Tropical Storm Iselle made Wood Valley fields look like rice paddies, according to photographer Anne Celeste.

HAWAI`I COUNTY PLANNER RON WHITMORE encouraged residents to use the Ka`u Community Development Plan as a reference in their economic endeavors. “Take your economic future into your own hands,” Whitmore’s said at a draft Ka`u Community Development plan discussion about economic development yesterday. He said the CDP identifies methods residents can use to help them create a strong economy, but “the government can only do so much; your economic future is in your hands.”

Ka`u residents discussed economic development with Ka`u residents yesterday.
Photos by Richard Taylor

Economic sectors identified in the draft CDP that have growth potential in Ka`u include agriculture, renewable energy, health and wellness services, education and research, and tourism. For each of these sectors, the CDP outlines actions that can help achieve growth, including ways to advocate for support from county, state and federal channels. While some actions can be taken by the county, such as improving infrastructure and providing services and support, most endeavors depend on community-based, collaborative actions to make them successful.

Opportunities brought up by residents at yesterday’s meeting included retirement communities, which Ron Self, of Wood Valley, said are one of the most powerful economic engines that exist.
Tyler Johansen, representing Ka`u Royal Hawaiian Coffee & Tea Co., said the company is interested in diversified ag and is open to community input on the operation being developed in Na`alehu.

Steering Committee members will consider
residents' comments for inclusion
in the Ka`u CDP.

Loren Heck, of Ocean View, suggested development of cinder pits, which he called “our one real natural resource.”
Regarding Punalu`u, Whitmore said it is a “natural place for resort development.” He said all interested parties need to come together. He suggested keeping development safely back from the shoreline and at an appropriate scale for Ka`u.
Many residents wanted to know more about a proposed development at Discovery Harbour. A resident who recently moved there was concerned about the area losing its quiet ambience, the reason he moved here. Another asked, “What does it offer us as a community? We don’t want Ali`i Drive, Kona here.”
Other comments included, “We need more amenities,” and, “We would like to see reasonable development.”

Sustained, measured and sensible growth was mentioned by several Ka`u residents, while others called for limited, and extremely limited, growth.
Julie Enriques, of Punalu`u, said she wants to see diversification of economy to strengthen family in Ka`u. She said family members joke that her children in college will be the smartest fishermen in Ka`u. “We love Ka`u and don’t want to see Kona here,” she said.
Daneille Eggleston, of Ocean View, was concerned about zoning to accommodate economic growth and regulation of businesses such as restaurants that make it cost-prohibitive to operate. Whitmore said government tries to find a balance between business operations and public health needs.
Joe Iacuzzo, of Discovery Harbour, asked if the CDP could recognize Ka`u’s rural nature and if there is “any way to assist small business in jumping through hoops (of government regulations)?”
Iacuzzo, a founder of Ka`u Learning Academy, also said that he is in favor of responsible growth. “We are seeing wonderful things,” he said.
Richard Taylor, of South Point, said, “Development is inevitable; we really don’t have much to say about it. We’re at kind of a cusp; we are part of the development of Ka`u.”
One resident suggested that the CDP include information about enterprise zones that are mandated by the state to help businesses grow.
Public comment on the draft CDP is due this Monday, June 1. Copies are available at local libraries, community centers and online at kaucdp.info.

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Gov. David Ige yesterday announced plans for Mauna Kea
stewardship. Image from Office of the Governor

CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE THIRTY METER TELESCOPE continues after Gov. David Ige yesterday announced plans on how to move forward with the project while “respecting our host culture.” Protesters, who refer to themselves as protectors, say they will not be satisfied until plans to go ahead with construction of TMT are reversed.

Ige said the state has in many ways failed the mountain and called for action to right past wrongs. “Whether you see it from a cultural perspective or from a natural resource perspective, we have not done right by a very special place, and we must act immediately to change that,” he said.
“The activities of Native Hawaiians and scientists can and should coexist,” Ige said, while acknowledging that “science has gotten way ahead of culture on the mountain.”
Ige called for changes in management of the entire summit to include cultural voices by creating the Mauna Kea Cultural Council to work with Department of Land & Natural Resources in advising and reviewing all leases and renewals.
Ige asked the University of Hawai`i, which leases summit lands from the state, to take actions related to enhanced stewardship at the summit. Actions include UH honoring a commitment that this be the last area on the mountain where a telescope project will be contemplated or sought, decommissioning – beginning this year – as many telescopes as possible with at least 25 percent of all of them gone by the time TMT is ready for operation, restarting the EIS process for the university’s lease extension and conducting a full cultural impact assessment as part of that process, substantially reducing the length of its request for a lease extension, voluntarily returning to full DLNR jurisdiction lands not specifically needed for astronomy and making a good faith effort to revisit the issue of payments by existing telescopes now as well as requiring it in the new lease.
Kealoha Pisciotta, of Mauna Kea Hui, told Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, that while Ige “said a lot, he didn’t address anything relevant to what’s happening on the ground. The thing that I think the governor is missing is the realization that astronomy is a privilege, not a right, and desecration is against the law in Hawai`i.”
Kumu Hula Paul Neves told Callis that while Ige is “the first one to say decommission some of it … it’s too late; it’s way too late.” Neves also objected to Ige allowing construction while a legal appeal is in process. “I don’t think he’s being advised properly,” Neves said.
Henry Yang, chair of the TMT International Observatory board, said, “We will work with the framework he has put forth. We know we have a lot of work ahead of us. We appreciate that there are still people who are opposed to the project, and we will continue to respectfully listen and work with them to seek solutions.”

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NOAA is expecting a busy hurricane season in the Central Pacific.

CLIMATE CONDITIONS POINT to an above-normal hurricane season in the Central Pacific Basin this year, according to NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Hurricane season begins June 1 and runs until Nov. 30.

The outlook calls for a 70 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 25 percent chance of a near-normal season, and a five percent chance of a below-normal season. NOAA expects five to eight tropical cyclones to affect the central Pacific this season. An average season has four to five tropical cyclones, which include tropical depressions with winds of up to 38 miles per hour, tropical storms with maximum winds up to 73 mph and hurricanes of higher wind speeds.
The outlook is based on El Nino continuing and possibly strengthening as the hurricane season progresses. El Nino decreases vertical wind shear over the tropical central Pacific, favoring development of more and stronger tropical cyclones. It also favors more westward-tracking storms from the eastern Pacific. This combination typically leads to an above-normal Central Pacific hurricane season, according to NOAA.
NOAA urged Hawai`i residents to be fully prepared before the hurricane season. “I encourage everyone to become weather-ready by signing up for weather alerts, developing and practicing a family emergency plan and building an emergency kit before hurricane season begins,” said Tom Evans, acting director of NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center. “Now is the time to make sure that you and your family are ready and prepared for the 2015 hurricane season.”
Last year, NOAA predicted between four and seven cyclones, and August’s Tropical Storm Iselle and October’s Hurricane Ana wreaked havoc in Ka`u and Puna.
See weather.gov.

Ka`u Moku meets tomorrow to discuss issues pertaining to Ka`u.
Map from Aha Moku Advisory Committee

KA`U MOKU, PART OF AHA MOKU Advisory Committee, holds a community and informational meeting tomorrow from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Youth Center behind the community center.
Issues and concerns on the agenda include discussions about the status of organization of moku and ahupua`a in Ka`u Moku, Ka`u Community Development Plan, proposed Humpback Whale Sanctuary Draft Management Plan, use of Na`alehu Courthouse by the community and the proposed Na`alehu Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Contact Darlyne Vierra at 640-8740 or Elizabeth Kuluwaimaka at 339-0289 with questions or concerns.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Ka`u High School Trojan Kai Enriques is BIIF Volleyball Player if the Year. Photo from Taylor Sport Photography

KA`U’S FORMER COUNTY COUNCIL member Brenda Ford has lost her lawsuit claiming that Bobby Jean Leithead Todd is not qualified to be director of Department of Environmental Management. Ford filed the lawsuit in 2013, citing the county charter’s requirement that the director hold “an engineering degree or a degree in a related field.” Leithead Todd has a bachelor of arts degree in English.

Bobby Jean Leithead Todd

In his ruling, Third Circuit Judge Ronald Ibarra said Ford “has not raised or presented any evidence that there exists a genuine issue of material fact relating to whether the County Council or the mayor abused their discretion in interpreting the charter.” Ibarra also noted that both sides agreed that language in the charter is ambiguous.
Ford voted against Mayor Billy Kenoi’s appointment of Leithead Todd. It passed 6-3.
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Tom Hutton

KA`U LEARNING ACADEMY is asking the state Public Charter School Commission to accept revisions to pre-opening assurances. KLA originally had a target enrollment of 111 students but is now expecting 85. According to a statement from commission Executive Director Tom Hutton, KLA requested the reduction “because the school believes it is important to complete its pre-opening criteria as soon as possible.”

KLA also provided a revised budget for years one through three. Year One provides for a revised enrollment of 85 students, 105 students in Year Two and 125 in Year Three.
“KLA’s revised budget appears to be reasonable,” Hutton stated. “The school expects to end each year with a surplus, and even without any grants in Year One, the year would end at break-even. Further, all positions in the revised staffing plan are accounted for, although … there are some questions surrounding the pay for some of the positions.”

According to Hutton, the most significant cost saving comes from cutting clerical salaries, a technology services position and an instructional leadership position.
The revised staffing plan includes four teachers (three of whom will be contracted through Teach For America), two Education Assistants, an Executive Director, a Managing Director, a part-time office assistant, a bus driver/lunch program person, a meals program/office assistant person and a custodian/driver/maintenance person.
To demonstrate that the revised staffing plan is sufficient to deliver the academic plan, KLA also provided a school schedule.
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Gregory Javar, Jr. accepts Ken Wicks scholarship
from chair Lee McIntosh.

GREGORY K. JAVAR, JR. wrote the winning essay for 2015 Ken Wicks Ka`u Chamber of Commerce Scholarship. Javar graduated from Ka`u High School and attended University of Hawai`i as a freshman. He was an exchange student at University of Alaska during his sophomore year and returns to UH-Manoa this fall.

Entitled Local Lands in Local Hands, Javar’s essay considers the current controversy regarding stewardship of Mauna Kea and construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope there.
“A`ole TMT! A`ole TMT!” These are the chants of Native Hawaiians speaking from their hearts to stop production on our sacred Mauna Kea,” Javar wrote. “The preservation of our Hawaiian lands plays such an important role in the Hawaiian culture, while advancing technology plays an important role in the science world. There seems to be no peaceful solution to these rising conflicts. Why can’t the native people and the scientists find peace? Different mindsets. In the Hawaiian culture, the people know the significance in the Mauna and see it as a sacred and holy place. While on the scientific end, the Mauna is just as equally significant, only for a different reason, scientific discovery. The mountain reveals that there are two different sides, the cultural and the scientific. Although there are many scientists who try to preserve the Hawaiian culture, I believe there is not enough. This is part of the reason why I am pursuing my goal in becoming a civil engineer.
Pursuing my engineering career would not only benefit the technological world, it would also benefit my Hawaiian culture. My future plan is to move back to Ka`u and work as an engineer on the Big Island. If I am back on the Big Island, I’d be able to be a bridge or a mediator between conflicting sides. I would be able to tailor the projects so that they would be advanced in a modern way without interfering with Hawaiian culture. I feel like that is very important in this day and age because of the rapid growth of industry and modernization. With the current issue of Mauna Kea going on, I feel like Hawaiian engineers should work on ways to prevent future conflicts. As a native of Ka`u, I feel like it is my Kuleana to “keep country, country” and at the same time keep us intact with the modern world.

Ka`u Chamber of Commerce presented its 2015 Ken Wicks scholarships Tuesday.

Growing up in Ka`u, kids learn many values that many other kids do not have the privilege to learn. I’ve been to a lot of places and have seen the lifestyle and can honestly say that Ka`u is one of a kind. Our keiki learn respect, values, and learn that if you take care of the land, the land will take care of you. That’s what’s special about our district, we all are one with our land, and as locals we do what we can to protect it. As a future engineer, I see this as a great opportunity to make a long-lasting impression. For our people, for Ka`u.

Other Ken Wicks Ka`u Chamber of Commerce Scholarship recipients for 2015 are Layla Abellera, Tyler Amaral, Evan Enriques, Annie Mae Flores, Kaweni Ibarra, Nysa M. Kaniho, Kamrie Koi, Jennifer Kau`i Losalio, Crystal McIntosh, Denisha Navarro, Siena Okimoto, Tiare-Lee Shibuya, Jennifer Flores Tabios and Jenisha Young.
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Ka`u High named Athletes and Scholar Athletes
of the Year Tuesday. Photo from KHPES

TUESDAY AT ITS ATHLETIC ASSEMBLY, Ka`u High School congratulated Athletes of the Year. Female Athlete of the Year is Kerrilynn Domondon, and Male Athlete of the Year is Cameron “Kai” Enriques.

Principal’s Female Scholar Athlete of the Year is Jennifer Tabios and Principal’s Male Scholar Athlete of the Year is Mike Tamayo.
Councilwoman Maile Mederios David was on hand and presented Ka`u High School, its Athletic Program and eight-man football team with a Certificate of Recognition for winning the first BIIF eight-man championship.
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BIG ISLAND INTERSCHOLASTIC FEDERATION Volleyball Player of the Year is Ka`u High School’s Kai Enriques, and Coach of the Year is Joshua Ortega. Other Trojans also have received BIIF accolades. Outside hitter Enriques and middle blocker Brian Gascon are on Division II’s first team. Outside hitter Damon Hertz made second team. Honorable mention went to outside hitter Anthony Emmsley-Ah Yee and middle blocker Mike Tamayo.
According to Kevin Jakahi, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, Enriques performance at states, with 41 kills on 100 swings, was “one of the most dominant performances by a Trojan in the school’s history.”
“I never realized how many kills I had. I was enjoying the game so much,” Enriques told Jakahi. “When I heard, I was pretty excited.”
Enriques will play for Briar Cliff College’s new men’s volleyball program this fall.

See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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PAHALA PUBLIC & SCHOOL LIBRARY on the campus of Ka`u High and Pahala Elementary School currently has open recruitment for Student Helper II positions to fill any future vacancies.
This is a part-time position. Requirements include being a full-time college student taking online classes or classroom classes, being able to work in the mornings Mondays through Thursdays and Friday afternoons, and having computer skills.
For more information, call Debbie Wong Yuen at 928-2015.

KA`U’S STATE SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN hosts a talk story at Cooper Center in Volcano Village a week from today on Thursday, June 4 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Ruderman will discuss newly passed legislation and seek input on bills to be introduced next year.

For more info, call 586-6890 or email senruderman@capitol.hawaii.gov.

KA`U MOKU, PART OF AHA MOKU Advisory Committee, holds a community and informational meeting today from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Youth Center behind the community center to discuss local issues and concerns.

For more information, call Darlyne Vierra at 640-8740 or Elizabeth Kuluwaimaka at 339-0289.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY Development Corp. meets tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Hawaiian Ranchos offices.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Direectory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Ka`u residents can apply for seats on Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's advisory board. Map from HIHWNMS

HAWAI`I COUNTY PROSECUTOR MITCH ROTH is dropping trespassing charges against some of the 31 protestors arrested on Mauna Kea. The arrests occurred on April 2 after access was blocked to construction workers who were en route to the summit to begin work on the Thirty Meter Telescope.

Mitch Roth Photo by Chuck Green

Roth’s action affects about 10 of those arrested. According to Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, of Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the charges may be re-filed based on the Prosecuting Attorney’s continued review of police reports and video taken at the site.
Kealoha Pisciotta, a leader of the effort to stop construction of telescope, told Sinco Kelleher she’s happy to hear Roth’s decision. “Fundamentally and morally, how can it be trespassing in our house of worship and prayer?” she said.
See staradvertiser.com.
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HEP-FREE HAWAI`I RECENTLY RE-LAUNCHED the Micronesian Education Liver Wellness Program to raise awareness about hepatitis B among Micronesian communities living in Hawai`i.

Hawai`i has the highest rate of liver cancer in the U.S., and the leading cause of liver cancer in Hawai`i is hepatitis B. According to Hawai`i Department of Health, about 40,000 people in Hawai`i may be living with hepatitis B, and most are unaware of their infection. The people most at risk for hepatitis B are those born in Asia and the Pacific, including Republic of Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia. Unfortunately, most of these people, including those in Ka`u’s large Marshallese community, do not get tested or do not get medical care to manage hepatitis B.

MELWP provides free educational “talk story” sessions for Micronesian community members to increase conversation and reduce stigma around this deadly disease. “We don’t have to let hepatitis take our communities. We can take action,” said Kenson Alik, MELWP Director and a hepatitis B survivor. “We hope that MELWP will empower local Micronesian communities to fight back against hepatitis. As someone who has been through it, I know that this is important for the health of our community!”

According to Alik, community members can take action against hepatitis B by getting educated about hepatitis B, getting tested, getting vaccinated and getting treated.
Alik was one of five people from Hawai`i selected for a Caring Ambassadors scholarship to advocate for hepatitis B prevention in Washington, D.C. With the support of Hep-Free Hawai`i, he met with Hawai`i legislators to share the importance of increased hepatitis B services for all Asians and Pacific Islanders, especially communities born in Micronesia.
“I have experienced many difficulties due to hepatitis B,” stated Alik. “I want to ensure that no one else from my Micronesian community has to deal with liver cancer or liver transplant. Together, we can talk about this disease, and we can prevent it!”
For more information on how to participate in MELWP, contact Alik at 808-783-9756 or kenalik04@yahoo.com.
Also see hepfreehawaii.org or follow @hepfreehawaii on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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EXPENDITURES FOR HAWAI`I’S VISITOR INDUSTRY have started to stabilize with a boost in spending in March and April (up three percent and 5.4 percent respectively), Hawai`i Tourism Authority reported. This has helped to bring year-to-date spending on par with last year, reaching nearly $5 billion in total expenditures through April 2015 (+0.2 percent). As a result, Hawai`i’s visitor industry’s contribution in state tax revenue is also comparable to last year, up 0.2 percent to $532 million.
“Visitor arrivals and spending from the core U.S. West market have continued to increase, and we anticipate that it will remain strong through the first half of the year,” said Ronald Williams, HTA’s Chief Executive Officer. While arrivals from Japan for April 2015 were up slightly, expenditures for the month and year-to-date remain down by double-digits, as the dollar continues to strengthen against the yen.

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KA`U RESIDENTS HAVE FOUR MORE DAYS to provide feedback about the draft Ka`u Community Development Plan that was released in March. The deadline is Monday.

“Mahalo to the hundreds of people who have attended one of the recent CDP events or sent in written comment!” said planner Ron Whitmore. “Your questions and suggestions are extremely helpful to Steering Committee members and the CDP Planning Team. They will use your feedback to make improvements to the Draft CDP.”
Comments are accepted:

Through the CDP feedback portal at hawaiicountycdp.info/kau-cdp/feedback-form;
Using the fillable form at hawaiicountycdp.info/kaucdp/docu-ments/CommentForm.Mar15.pdf;
By email to planning@co.hawaii.hi.us;
By fax to 808-961-8742;
By mail to Attn: Ka`u CDP, Hawai`i County Planning Department, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, HI 96720.

Copies of the draft Ka`u CDP are available at local libraries and community centers and online at kaucdp.info.
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Humpback whale sings in sanctuary waters.
Photo from HIHWNMS

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS HUMPBACK WHALE National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill seven alternate and one primary seat on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary matters and provides advice to sanctuary management.

“The members of our advisory council represent an extremely important element of our community,” said Malia Chow, sanctuary superintendent. “Their input, experience and expertise assist sanctuary managers in making informed and timely decisions on how best to protect and conserve our important cultural and natural resources.”

The sanctuary is accepting applications for seats in commercial shipping, Hawai`i County, citizen-at-large, education, tourism and whale watching.
Candidates are selected based on their expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying, community and professional affiliations and views regarding protection and management of marine resources. Applicants who are chosen as members or alternates should expect to serve a two-year term.
Applications are due June 30. To receive an application kit or for further information, contact council coordinator Shannon Lyday at Shannon.Lyday@noaa.gov or 808-725-5905 or see hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/council/council_app_accepting.html.
Completed applications should be submitted to Inouye Regional Center, ATTN: NOS/HIHWNMS/Shannon Lyday, 1845 Wasp Blvd, Building 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.
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Emmett Enriques is BIIF Player of the
Year. Photo from Julie Enriques

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS’ EMMETT ENRIQUES, of Punalu`u, is Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I Volleyball Player of the Year. In his junior and senior years, Enriques led the Warriors to become BIIF Division I champions and state runners-up. The senior, who is also on the division’s first team, has signed to play for Cal Baptist.

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PARTICIPANTS 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 on an easy one-mile walk Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free.

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, Inc. provides information about its pilot Community Health Worker Program at a meeting Friday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center in Pahala. Registration is required. Call 928-0101 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

LOCAL PAPER MAKER AND ARTIST Susan O’Malley is offering four sessions of Japanese stab bookbinding. Times are 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 27 and Monday, July 13. All sessions are held at Ocean View Community Center.

Ka`u residents can learn Japanese stab bookbinding this summer.
Photo from Susan O`Malley

Participants create a traditional Japanese stab binding book featuring handmade paper. O’Malley teaches basic techniques of bookbinding, including tearing paper by hand, making covers, preparing the text block, working with stitch templates and sewing with waxed linen thread. Each participant leaves with a soft-bound book and skills to create more hand-bound books. The workshop also includes an introduction to the world of handmade books and an opportunity to view and handle a collection of professionally made examples.
$20 includes kit instructions and all supplies to make one book. Each kit contains two cover sheets, 10 text pages, needle, linen thread, printed directions and three templates of traditional binding stitches.
Enrollment is limited to six participants each session, and beginners are welcome. Register at ovcahawaii@gmail.com.

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