The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Hawa`i in 1959 and spoke at the state Legislature about Hawai`i's progress in race relations.

TODAY THE NATION HONORS THE LEGACY of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King visited the newly formed Hawai`i State Legislature on Sept. 17, 1959, where he spoke on Hawai`i’s accomplishments and the nation’s status in race relations at the time.

Marchers wore lei to symbolize their peaceful intentions
during the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery.

“I come to you with a great deal of appreciation and great feeling of appreciation, I should say, for what has been accomplished in this beautiful setting and in this beautiful state of our Union,” King said. “As I think of the struggle that we are engaged in in the South land, we look to you for inspiration and as a noble example, where you have already accomplished in the area of racial harmony and racial justice, what we are struggling to accomplish in other sections of the country, and you can never know what it means to those of us caught for the moment in the tragic and often dark midnight of man’s inhumanity to man, to come to a place where we see the glowing daybreak of freedom and dignity and racial justice.
“We have come a long, long way. We have a long, long way to go. I close, if you will permit me, by quoting the words of an old Negro slave preacher. He didn’t quite have his grammar right, but he uttered some words in the form of a prayer with great symbolic profundity and these are the words he said: ‘Lord, we ain’t what we want to be; we ain’t what we ought to be; we ain’t what we gonna be, but thank God, we ain’t what we was.’ Thank you.”

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“THIS WEEKEND, WE HONOR THE LEGACY of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights icon whose powerful voice spoke out for the oppressed and marginalized, said U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. “When faced with intolerance, injustice and hatred, Dr. King responded with compassion, hopefulness and service. His values and principles have made us a stronger people and a greater country.

“Having recently made marriage equality a reality in Hawai`i, it is fitting to recall the words of Dr. King to our state Legislature in 1959 when he described Hawai`i as ‘a place where we see the glowing daybreak of freedom and dignity and racial justice.’ We can be proud that Dr. King saw these virtues in our people, and that we are carrying on in dignity and honor the cause of equal rights for all.”

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Duke Aiona visited Ka`u during his 2010 campaign for governor.
Photo by Julia Neal

FORMER LT. GOV. JAMES “DUKE” AIONA plans to run for governor, according to Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Aiona told reporter Derrick DePledge that he would wait until he has formed campaign and fundraising organizations to make a formal announcement of his candidacy.

Aiona came to Ka`u numerous times during his tenure as lieutenant governor for the Linda Lingle administration, speaking at schools and the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce.

“I think I’ve got a better perspective right now — knowing what we went through for eight years and then seeing what this administration has done in the last three years,” Aiona told DePledge. “I know for a fact that I am qualified and I have the skills and the ability to be the next governor of the state of Hawai`i.”

Although Aiona hasn’t raised the amount of money usually needed for a gubernatorial campaign, some believe Gov. Abercrombie may be vulnerable to a “creative, low-budget campaign,” according to the story.
“I think that in the end he can overcome what would be a disadvantage when it comes to money,” said state Republican Party chair David Chang.
See staradvertiser.com.

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IN ANTICIPATION OF HIS FOURTH State of the State Address, Gov. Neil Abercrombie shared his administration’s accomplishments over the past three years with the state Legislature, news media and the general public.

One of his accomplishments Gov. Neil Abercrombie mentions is advancements
in education. Photo from Office of the Governor.

The accomplishments highlight the Abercrombie Administration’s commitment to growing a sustainable economy, investing in people, and transforming state government.
“This administration has made significant strides in restoring the state’s fiscal health, strengthening the local economy and paving the way for universal access to preschool in Hawai`i,” Abercrombie said. “Prior to my State of the State Address, I felt it important to take stock and review our progress in order to gain perspective and guide our way forward. None of these accomplishments would be possible without dedicated and creative public employees, who work tirelessly, each and every day, to make Hawai`i a better place for all of us.”
The highlighted accomplishments are available at governor.hawaii.gov.
The governor’s State of the State Address is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Hawai`i State Capitol, House Chambers.

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HAWAI`I COUNTY MAYOR BILLY KENOI travels to Washington, D.C. today to join more than 280 of the nation’s mayors as well as congressional leaders and members of President Obama’s cabinet at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 82nd Winter Meeting.

Kenoi, who is chair of the Hawai`i Conference of Mayors, will attend the meeting with Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and Kaua`i Mayor Bernard Carvalho. Mayor Kenoi is also a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors National Advisory Board.

The mayors will join President Barack Obama and members of his cabinet at the White House for a discussion of issues that affect municipalities, including trade, technology, climate change and affordable health care.
Participants at the conference will include U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors is designed to strengthen federal-city relationships, and promote effective national urban and suburban policy.
Managing director Wally Lau will be acting mayor until Mayor Kenoi returns.

HAWAI`I COUNTY OFFICE OF AGING is accepting accepting nominations for its 48th annual Outstanding Older Americans award. Any club, organization or individual nominate candidates by submitting a nomination form, which requires background information and contributions of each individual. Also required is a clear photo of each nominee. Nominees must be 65 years and older and a resident of Hawai`i County.
Nomination forms for the award can be obtained at 961-8600. The announcement of individual winners will be made at the annual Older Americans luncheon on Friday, May 2.
A panel of community judges will be selected to determine the winners. Submittal deadline for nominations is Friday, March 7.

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Miss Ka`u Coffee 2013 and attendants at Ka`u Coffee Mill. The 2014 pageant
takes place Sunday, May 4. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

CALLING ALL CONTESTANTS FOR MISS KA`U COFFEE: The Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant has been scheduled for the evening of Sunday, May 4 at Ka`u Coffee Mill, one of the opening events of the nine-day-long Ka`u Coffee Festival. Miss Peaberry contestants must be 6 to 8 years old by the date of the pageant. Miss Ka`u Coffee contenders must be 16 - 24 years of age. Contestants must have either been born, have grown up, or now live in Ka`u. Winners receive scholarships. Talent, public speaking and gown categories are included. There is no swimsuit competition. Chair of the event is Gloria Camba, assisted by Nalani Parlin and MIss Ka`u Coffee, Tiare-Lee Shibuya.

For more information, call Camba at 928-8558.

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EARTHQUAKES AND EXPLOSIONS: Shocking events at Kapoho and Halema`uma`u in 1924 is the title of tomorrow’s After Dark in the Park program at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Ben Gaddis, a long-time Hawaiian Volcano Observatory volunteer, tells the story of Kilauea Volcano’s most violent eruption of the 20th century from the perspective of the people who lived through it. Free; park entrance fees apply.

A VOLCANO AWARENESS MONTH PROGRAM on Wednesday examines the prominent lava flows and volcanic landscapes along highways from Ka`u to North Kona. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists Jim Kauahikaua and Janet Babb take attendees on a virtual road trip from Kahuku to Kapalaoa, during which they talk about the volcanic history, stories and impacts of the Mauna Loa and Hualalai lava flows visible along the highways. The program begins at 5:30 p.m. at NELHA Gateway Visitor Center in Kona.
For more information, email askHVO@usgs.gov or call 967-8844.

THIRD-GENERATION QUILTER CYNDY LEINANI MARTINEZ shares the traditional art of kapa kuiki, traditional Hawaiian quilting, Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The workshop, part of the park’s ongoing `Ike Hana No`eau: Experience the Skillful Work series, is free; park entrance fees apply.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is Jan. 31.

SEE THE DIRECTORY from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.

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

The Keanu family of Ka`u welcomes the Trust for Public Land board members to Ka`u's shoreline areas. The Trust is exploring the possibility of assisting Hawai`i County and interested people of Ka`u to acquire and protect Kaunamano, down the coast from completed projects Honu`apo and Kawa. Photo from TPL

KA`U’S REP. RICHARD CREAGAN is looking for more improvements at Ocean View water well, according to a story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. Creagan told reporter Nancy Cook Lauer that the water is saltier than it should be. He proposes a small, solar-operated desalination unit with a smaller faucet where residents could draw drinking water. He also wants to start a second well that would provide more water as the state plans a school in the area.

Ka`u's state Rep. Richard Creagan

Creagan, who has operated the 100-acre Kiolaka`a Mountain Farms for 20 years, told Cook Lauer he also wants to work on agricultural issues, making more water and land available for small farmers and reducing restrictions on the number of dwellings allowed on a farm.
Creagan is also working on a resolution asking the federal government to expedite U.S. citizenship for Marshall Islands immigrants in Hawai`i. Creagan said that will not only help the Marshallese, but it will also help the state get its share of federal dollars for their presence in the population. Creagan worked in the Marshall Islands for the Peace Corps and speaks the language fluently.
“It’s the right thing to do” for residents of an island that was subject to U.S. nuclear tests after World War II, Creagan said. “What we did to their islands … we’re asking the federal government to make up for some of the things they haven’t done for the Marshallese. Many people, they’ve been here 20 years, and they’re still not citizens.”
According to the story, five percent of Creagan’s constituents are Marshallese.
Other priorities Creagan mentions are a replacement hospital for Kona and a four-year university for West Hawai`i.
Creagan is on the Consumer Protection & Commerce, Judiciary, Health, Housing and Human Services committees.
“I’m very pleased that I was appointed, and I’m going to try to do a real good job,” Creagan told Cook Lauer.

See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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Trust for Public Land board members view Kaunamano from Honu`apo Lookout.
Photo from TPL

TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND BOARD MEMBERS VISITED Ka`u this past weekend to tour possible lands for acquisition. The group visited Kaunamano, where the county has nominated 1,363 acres for purchase and preservation. The proposed location of a sewage treatment facility is near the preservation site. Both are state property makai of Hwy 11 near mile marker 63, between Honu`apo Scenic Lookout and Na`alehu School.

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SURVEYING OF MORE WATER SOURCES FOR AG USE by Ka`u Agricultural Water Cooperative District members will occur in March, reported Olson Trust representative John Cross at the group’s meeting Thursday.
Mel Davis, representing Ha`ao Springs & Mountain House Water Co-op, reported that Paul Matsuda, of Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, is exploring possibilities of developing unused water sources mauka of Ha`ao for potable water to service Hawaiian Homes tenants.
KAWCD’s next meeting takes place Thursday, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Orchards field office in Pahala.

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Ocean View Community Center offers videoconferencing of Hawai`i County
Council meetings.

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS take place today and tomorrow. Today, Planning Committee meets at 9 a.m., and Finance Committee at 11 a.m.

On the agenda of Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee, which meets at 2 p.m., is Ka`u Council member Brenda Ford’s Bill 109, relating to restrictions of genetically modified organisms. Ford’s bill would prohibit cultivation, development, or use of any GMO, or genetic modification of any specific or non-specific parts of an organism’s genome. It would exempt state or federally licensed medical or agricultural research institutions provided all activity is located in a biosafety level three containment facility. The bill would allow those currently engaged in GMO practices to continue for a period of 30 months, provided operations are not increased or expanded, and calls for those operations to be registered with the Department of Environmental Management within 90 days of the effective date of the ordinance with a registration fee of $100 per location per year.
Ford’s bill calling for $150,000 to plan and construct a main water line from Ocean View Well to Kahuku Park is on tomorrow’s County Council meeting agenda.
Ka`u residents can participate in the meetings via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center.

Agendas are available at hawaiicounty.gov.

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NATIVE HAWAIIAN EDUCATION COUNCIL is seeking input from the Ka`u community and recently held meetings in Pahala and Na`alehu. Betty Clark, of Tutu & Me, who attended the Na`alehu meeting, said she encourages residents to fill out a survey. The survey aims to assess community needs in education by asking about ability to access native Hawaiian services and educational programs.

Tutu & Me will be distributing the surveys to all enrolled families this week. Those who want to pick up a physical copy of the survey can do so from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Na`alehu Community Center on Wednesdays and Pahala Community Center on Thursdays.

The Native Hawaiian Education Council website says NHEC is interested in applicants from all islands representing `Opio to Kupuna for membership on its council. NHEC is particularly interested in consumers of Native Hawaiian education, such as students or family members of students. The deadline to submit nominations is February 8.
The mission of the organization in Hawaiian is Ma ka `uhane aloha o ke Akua e koi `ia ka `Aha Ho`ona`auao 'Oiwi Hawai`i, e ho`olauka`i, e ana loiloi, e ho`ike mana`o, a e ho`omau i ka `ike po`okela o ka ho`ona`auao `oiwi Hawai`i. Translated to English: In the spirit of Aloha Ke Akua, the Native Hawaiian Education Council will coordinate, assess and make recommendations to perpetuate excellence in Native Hawaiian education.

See www.nhec.org, or call 808-523-6364.

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KA`U HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAMS hosted Waiakea yesterday. Scores were: Junior Varsity,  Ka`u 20, Waiakea 41  and   Varsity,  Ka`u 45 ,  Waiakea 65.

USGS volunteer Ben Gaddis, at left, presents tonight's After Dark in the Park program.
Photo from HVO

KILAUEA VOLCANO’S MOST VIOLENT ERUPTION of the 20th century is the topic at this evening’s After Dark in the Park beginning at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Ben Gaddis, a long-time volunteer at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, tell the story from the perspective of the people who lived through it. Free; park entrance fees apply.

CYNDY LEINANI MARTINEZ shares the art of kapa kuiki, traditional Hawaiian quilting, tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The workshop, part of the park’s ongoing `Ike Hana No`eau: Experience the Skillful Work series, is free; park entrance fees apply.

USGS HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY scientists Jim Kauahikaua and Janet Babb offer a virtual road trip from Kahuku in Ka`u to Kapalaoa in North Kona tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at NELHA Gateway Visitor Center in Kona. During this Volcano Awareness Month event, they talk about the volcanic history, stories and impacts of the Mauna Loa and Hualalai lava flows visible along the highways.
For more information, call 967-8844 or email askHVO@usgs.gov.

HA`AO SPRINGS & MOUNTAIN HOUSE AG WATER CO-OP meets Thursday at 4 p.m. at Wai`ohinu Park.

Advance registration is available for `O Ka`u Kakou's annual Keiki Fishing Tournament
coming up this Saturday. Photo from Fred & Mary Ramsdell

`O KA`U KAKOU HOSTS ITS ANNUAL Keiki Fishing Tournament Saturday. The event usually draws more than 600 people to Punalu`u to fish from the limu-covered rocks, measure the catch and return the small fish to the ocean. Keiki win prizes and visit educational booths. Children one to 14 can enter.

Early registration is available at Mizuno Superette, Pahala Gas Station, B&E Union 76, Ace Hardware and Kahuku Mini-Mart.
Check-in is from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and fishing begins at 10 a.m.
For more information, call Wayne Kawachi at 937-4773.

KAHUKU JUNIOR RANGER DAY IS SATURDAY from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Keiki of all ages join park rangers for a day of activities and connect the culture, people and `aina through `oli, GPS and compass while taking a short and easy walk. Ka`ohu Monfort shares her knowledge of the island’s native medicinal plants and how they are used to heal and nourish. Register at 985-6019.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is Jan. 31.

SEE THE DIRECTORY from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.

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

`O Ka`u Kakou's annual Keiki Fishing Tournaments are family affairs. This year's tournament is on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Photo by Julia Neal

IN HIS FOURTH STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS before the Hawai`i Legislature, Gov. Neil Abercrombie emphasized the state’s restored financial stability, along with his administration’s long-term plan to sustain it, as an opportunity to act with confidence on key investments in Hawai`i’s future. Areas highlighted by the governor included efforts to expand early childhood education, tax relief and support for seniors, an increase in the minimum wage and collaborative efforts to address homelessness, climate change and invasive species.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie gave his fourth State of the State address yesterday.
Photo from Office of the Governor

“I am able to report to you, our state government’s financial house now stands on solid ground,” Abercrombie said, extending his appreciation to legislators, public employees, local businesses and the people of Hawai`i for sharing in the decisions and sacrifices that made the state’s financial turnaround possible. “We are now entering a new phase. The administration’s package and supplemental budget do not rely on any new taxes or fees. On the contrary, I believe we may be able to reduce taxes in key areas. We also have the resources to deliver services to the people of Hawai`i while living within our means.”
Abercrombie concluded his address by remembering the late Loretta Fuddy, a lifelong supporter and advocate of public health measures. “Loretta Fuddy was their champion,” the governor said. “I am asking for specific attention to make funding for Early Intervention Services a priority. This will serve as a fitting tribute and appropriate legacy to honor Loretta. There will be lasting benefits for the affected families and children – the children she loved and cared for passionately to her last day.”
The entire text of the State of the State Address is posted at governor.hawaii.gov.

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West Ka`u Sen. Josh Green

East Ka`u Sen. Russell Ruderman

KA`U’S REPRESENTATION BY TWO STATE SENATORS will continue, with the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday upholding Hawai`i’s 2012 reapportionment plan.

Plaintiffs argued that reapportionment after the last U.S. Census was unconstitutional, claiming that a senatorial post was unconstitutionally removed from O`ahu to give Hawai`i Island an additional senator and leaving non-resident military and out-of-state students – most of them on O`ahu – without representation. Hawai`i Island state Sen. Malama Solomon and others argued that including the military skewed the population in favor of O`ahu, and left Hawai`i Island and its growing population underrepresented.
The O`ahu group appealed to the U.S. District Court, which rejected their argument on July 11, 2013, ruling that the state redistricting commission upheld the constitutional guarantee of one man, one vote.

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THE HAWAI`I RENTAL BY OWNER AWARENESS ASSOCIATION is watching bills in the 2014 state Legislature. Some of the bills would require owner-operators to have professional property managers operate their facilities. “If they succeed, we will no longer have the direct communication that we enjoy today with our guests. Nor the direct relationship with our housekeepers, our contractors and our neighbors. Our revenues will plummet, and a substantial portion will disappear as management fees. Many of us will be forced out of business,” according to a statement from the organization. HROAA vice-president Meera Kohler wrote that the organization seeks to retain “our ability to own and manage our Hawaiian homes and to enhance the vacation experience for visitors to Hawai`i.”

See rboaa.org.

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HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES Division of Aquatic Resources has launched a newly recast and mobile-friendly freshwater fishing license website. The online resource allows Hawai`i residents and non-residents to purchase a license required to fish in the state’s freshwater streams and waters from their computer or mobile device.
Customers may visit the website to purchase a Hawai`i freshwater fishing license directly and immediately. Upon successful purchase, licensees will receive a copy of their fishing license and any other required permits by email.
See freshwater.ehawaii.gov.

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APPLICATIONS FOR KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS’ summer programs are due by Saturday, Feb. 15. Parents and caregivers should plan now and apply their child for one of the three Explorations Series programs and/or Summer School programs.

The Explorations Series consists of three different summer boarding programs, each targeted at specific grade levels. Each program offers an opportunity for students to turn summer into an adventure, with activities and field trips designed to introduce and expand upon Hawaiian cultural traditions and knowledge. Programs take place in a variety of locations.
Summer School programs have a limited number of seats available for both current and non-Kamehameha campus students. Hawai`i Summer School courses will take place from June 12 to July 10.
For more information about Explorations Series, see apps.ksbe.edu/hcbe or call 808- 534-8272. For Hawai`i Campus Summer School, see hawaii.ksbe.edu/summer or call 808-982-0033.
Applications are available at ksbe.edu/admissions.

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THE MELLON-HAWAI`I DOCTORAL AND POSTDOCTORAL Fellowship Program is now accepting applications for the 2014-15 academic year. The application deadline is Feb. 28.
Entering its seventh year, the Mellon-Hawai`i fellowship program was established in 2008 for Native Hawaiian scholars early in their academic careers and others who are committed to the advancement of knowledge about the Hawaiian natural and cultural environment, Hawaiian history, politics, and society.

Kohala Center executive director
Matthew Hamabata
Photo from Kohala Center

The program is supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Kamehameha Schools and administered by The Kohala Center. The Kahiau Foundation joined in support in the academic years 2010-2011 and 2012-2013. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s recent award of $500,000 will enable the fellowship program to support three additional cohorts of doctoral and postdoctoral fellows in the academic years 2014–2015, 2015–2016, and 2016–2017.

Applicants accepted to the program as doctoral fellows receive $45,000 in support to complete their dissertations before accepting their first academic posts. Postdoctoral fellows receive $55,000 in support to publish original research early in their academic careers.
In addition, the program provides fellows with opportunities to prepare presentations of their research; network with community leaders, mentors, and previous fellows; and meet academic publishers who may be interested in their work.
“We are delighted and honored to support the work of Hawai`i’s finest thinkers and writers,” said Dr. Matthew Hamabata, executive director of The Kohala Center and senior support staff to the Mellon-Hawai`i Fellowship Program. “The Mellon-Hawai`i fellows have successfully established themselves as intellectual and educational leaders from Hawai`i — for Hawai`i and the world.”
Since its inception, 25 doctoral and postdoctoral scholars have been accepted to the program, with many subsequently receiving academic appointments or offers to have their manuscripts published.

Mellon fellows gather at Pahala Plantation House annually to share their research.
Award notifications will be made by April 4.
More information and application materials are available at kohalacenter.org/mellon/abot.html.
For further information, contact Cortney Hoffman at choffman@kohalacenter.org or 808- 887-6411.

IN SPORTS, KA`U HIGH SOCCER TEAMS traveled to Hilo yesterday. On the boys team, Carlos Uribe-Bounos scored a goal from a corner kick. Final score was Ka`u 1, Hilo 8. Next game is Tuesday, Feb. 4 at BIIF Division II as third seed.

Girls soccer team played the last game of their season with a loss to Hilo, 0 – 14.
In yesterday’s boys basketball games at Kohala, Junior Varsity won 68 – 43, with Trojan Joven Padrigo scoring 41 points. Varsity lost 56 – 68. Larry-Dan Al-Navarro scored 20 points.

HA`AO SPRINGS & MOUNTAIN HOUSE AG WATER CO-OP meets tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Wai`ohinu Park.

Kahuku Junior Ranger Day is Saturday.
Photo from NPS

`O KA`U KAKOU HOSTS ITS ANNUAL Keiki Fishing Tournament Saturday. Children one to 14 can enter. Early registration is available at Mizuno Superette, Pahala Gas Station, B&E Union 76, Ace Hardware and Kahuku Mini-Mart.

Check-in is from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and fishing begins at 10 a.m.
For more information, call Wayne Kawachi at 937-4773.

KAHUKU JUNIOR RANGER DAY IS SATURDAY from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Keiki of all ages join park rangers for a day of activities and connect the culture, people and `aina through `oli, GPS and compass while taking a short and easy walk. Register at 985-6019.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is Jan. 31.

SEE THE DIRECTORY from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.

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

Dramatic spattering at Halema`uma`u's lava lake is getting national attention. Photo from USGS/HVO

HALEMA`UMA`U MADE NATIONAL NEWS this morning with CBS among networks carrying the story and video showing dramatic spattering from the lava lake inside the crater. U.S. Geological Survey explained that spattering occurs at the lake margins with surface crust flowing into the spattering source. Large bubbles bursting at the surface drive the spattering activity, as shown occasionally by large, spherical bursts, said scientists at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

See youtube.com/watch?v=6FvEccaBySo where Honolulu Star-Advertiser posted the USGS video.
USGS also reported 11 earthquakes beneath Kilauea Volcano in 24 hours, with four on south flank faults, two in Kaoiki Pali, two beneath the summit caldera and three in the southwest rift zone.
Scientists at University of Miami wrote in Geology magazine last year that they located a magma reservoir five to six miles beneath Kilauea’s upper east rift zone.
Researcher Guoqing Lin and colleagues used compression and shear wave velocities from earthquakes to pinpoint the magma chamber, which they said is “similar to those widely recognized beneath mid-ocean ridge volcanoes.”
They said the reservoir could have supplied the magma that intruded into the deep section of the east rift zone and caused its rapid expansion following the 7.2-magnitude Kalapana earthquake in 1975.

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DLNR map shows hunting areas and areas to be fenced
under Ka`u Forest Reserve Management Plan.

KA`U FOREST RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN, which calls for fencing 12,000 acres or about 20 percent of the reserve to protect native plant species and watersheds, has received a favorable summary judgment from a Circuit Court judge, according to a story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald.

Pele Defense Fund and four other plaintiffs had filed a lawsuit in Nov. 2012 arguing that the state did not properly take into account the impact of fencing on hunters and cultural practices.

The fencing project, which includes gates and walk-overs, also calls for removal of ungulates by hunting and trapping.
Attorneys for plaintiffs plan to appeal. James Dombroski told reporter Tom Callis that since Judge Glenn Hara ruled that DLNR did not make any procedural violations in completing its environmental assessment on the plan, the plaintiffs could argue during an appeal that the department erred by not conducting a more extensive environmental impact statement.
Callis reported that a Department of Land & Natural Resources spokeswoman said the plan is being implemented.
William Aila, DLNR chair, said, “We believe the plan does accommodate the needs of different communities in Ka`u.” According to DLNR, the area to be fenced is remote and the least often used by hunters.

PDF president Ralph Palikapu Dedman told the Tribune-Herald that he felt the ruling dealt too much with bureaucratic procedure, and not enough with the “merits of the case.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

“THE BATTLE IS OVER; LET US MOVE FORWARD working together for all the people of Hawai`i,” said Hawai`i Island’s state Sen. Malama Solomon, who issued a public “Mahalo” on behalf of all Hawai`i Island residents to both the U.S. Supreme Court and the legal team working “to protect Hawai`i Island’s right to equal representation as guaranteed by both the U.S. and State of Hawai`i Constitutions.”

U.S. Supreme Court made Hawai`i Island's four state Senate seats
official Tuesday.

Solomon’s message of gratitude came after more than two years of intense litigation concluded Tuesday, when the U.S. Supreme Court formally resolved a case she and several Hawai`i Island residents had taken to the state Supreme Court challenging the 2011 state Reapportionment Commission’s initial plan based on the 2010 Census to count out-of-state military members and their families stationed in the islands and out-of-state students when re-drawing legislative districts.
Solomon and her legal team, working with the state attorney general, challenged the plan on the basis that it denied Hawai`i Island residents equitable representation which they believed required adding a fourth state Senate seat for Hawai`i Island because of the nearly 25 percent increase in resident population on the island between 2000 and 2010.
After an O`ahu group appealed to the U.S. District Court, the court rejected their argument and ruled that the state Redistricting Commission upheld the constitutional guarantee of one man, one vote.

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PRIVATE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS PARTNERING with Ka`u Hospital and others in the state public hospital system “will be one of the top two or three issues we’ll take up in the health care committees this year,” Ka`u’s state Sen. Josh Green, chairman of the Senate Health Committee, told Colin M. Stewart, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald.
“I’m going to float a bill which is essentially us trying to encourage local partnerships with hospitals — health care systems already in the state of Hawai`i — while also maintaining the same criteria I brought up last session, including honoring people’s history of work in our state, and the benefits that they’ve earned. … That would allow us to begin to reduce the tax burden on our people,” he said.

Ka`u's Sen. Josh Green expects partnerships between state hospitals, including Ka`u Hospital,
and private, nonprofit organizations to be a topic at the state Legislature. Photo by Julia Neal

Green said he planned to introduce a bill today that addresses nonprofits partnering with Hawai`i’s public hospitals.
“The reason for encouraging local people is that they have a full understanding of our state,” he said. “They understand the health care system and the challenges it faces. They’ve also already built up a relationship of trust.”
Green said that under his bill, companies could partner with public hospitals if they agree to certain conditions. “One, services are not to be decreased. Two, the state has to honor all of its responsibilities as far as maintaining full pensions and those accrued by employees. And the prevailing sentiment was that we want a partner we can trust, someone local, who will give us a fair shot.

Green said that while the ultimate goal is to eliminate state subsidy of hospitals, he doesn’t want “to cut off the subsidy immediately.”

See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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Ka`u's U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

KA`U’S U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD has announced the launch of her campaign for re-election this year.
“It has truly been my honor and privilege to represent Hawai`i’s 2nd Congressional District, and to do my best to be your voice in Washington,” Gabbard said. “There is still much work to be done. I know that by bringing people together in the spirit of aloha, striving to be servant leaders, we will create positive change by working to strengthen our economy, get people back to work and care for our kupuna.
“This past year, in spite of a bitterly divided Congress, we have overcome tremendous odds to deliver real results for the people of Hawai`i.”
Gabbard listed her actions in Congress:

Introduced and led the passage of the Helping Heroes Fly Act with a unanimous vote of support in both the House and Senate. This measure improves airport security screenings for severely wounded warriors and was signed into law by President Obama in August.
Led passage of a measure to reinstate the Native Hawaiian Education Act to increase student achievement and opportunity among Native Hawaiian keiki.
Successfully added a provision to the FARM bill which will help Hawai`i’s coffee farmers and work to protect them from coffee berry borers.
Fought for justice for service men and women who have been victims of sexual assault while serving within ranks, bringing about changes to increase accountability, transparency and justice.
Spoke out strongly against the overreach of the National Security Agency and its data collection, sponsoring legislation such as the USA Freedom Act to bring reforms to protect privacy and civil liberties without sacrificing national security.

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Ka`u High Trojan releases the ball for a basket at Kohala Tuesday.
Video Capture from Jay Blanco

IN SPORTS, KA`U HIGH BASKETBALL TEAMS play their next games at home, with boys hosting Hilo tomorrow at 6 p.m. and girls challenging Laupahoehoe Saturday at 6 p.m.
Kohala fan Jay Blanco posted a video of Tuesday’s Ka`u – Kohala game on youtube.com. Search Kau vs Kohala Basketball Highlight 2014.
On Saturday, swimmers travel to Hilo for a match at 9 a.m., and wrestlers have a meet in Pahoa at 10 a.m.

`O KA`U KAKOU HOSTS ITS ANNUAL Keiki Fishing Tournament Saturday. Check-in is from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and fishing begins at 10 a.m.
For more information, call Wayne Kawachi at 937-4773.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is Jan. 31.

SEE THE DIRECTORY from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.

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

Yahoo Travel has named Punalu`u Black Sand Beach, with its "Hawaiian green sea turtles napping," one of its 10 Beaches that Should Be on Your Bucket List. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

KA`U’S STATE REP. RICHARD ONISHI has introduced a bill that would amend the state’s Right to Farm Act by stating that counties cannot enact laws, ordinances or resolutions that limit the rights of farmers and ranchers to engage in modern farming and ranching practices. The amendment reads: “No law, ordinance or resolution of any unit of local government shall be enacted that abridges the right of farmers and ranchers to employ agricultural technology, modern livestock production and ranching practices not prohibited by federal or state law, rules or regulations.”

The legislation comes after Hawai`i County recently enacted a law banning crops containing genetically modified organisms, with some exceptions. Kaua`i also passed legislation relating to GMOs and pesticides.

Ka`u's state Rep. Richard Onishi

Onishi, vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee, told Hawai`i Tribune-Herald reporter Tom Callis that the same laws should apply to all farmers in the state. “It’s not about pre-empting the counties; it’s not about GMOs,” he said. “It’s about supporting farmers.”
Callis said Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation requested the legislation. Ka`u resident and acting Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation president Chris Manfredi told Callis the bill would render Hawai`i and Kaua`i Counties’ anti-GMO laws “null and void” and that farmers should face a “level playing field” across the state.
Manfredi also said the bill is not meant to benefit biotech companies. “It’s about all agriculture,” he told Callis. “Big ag, small ag all need to coexist within the community. It’s not about an ‘us versus them.’”
Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, who introduced Hawai`i County’s law restricting GMOs, told Callis she sees Onishi’s bill as an attempt to protect companies that produce GMO crops. “My thoughts are that these biotech corporations don’t like local governments to intervene in their agendas,” she said. “The county has a right to deal with issues that deal with health, well-being and property.”
Regarding her bill, Wille told Callis, “I was protecting farmers. I was responding to non-GMO farming, and there’s absolutely no debate that all crops that are pollinated by wind and insects are affected.”
Ka`u’s state Sen. Russell Ruderman, who testified before Hawai`i County Council in support of the anti-GMO bill, told Callis he stands by the county’s ability to regulate the industry. “I think it’s a cynical attempt to take away home rule,” he said. “The situation is not the same on every island. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution.”
The 35 other representatives listed in favor of the bill include Hawai`i Island Reps. Faye Hanohano, Cindy Evans, Clift Tsuji and Mark Nakashima.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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KA`U’S STATE SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN and Kona’s state Rep. Nicole Lowen have introduced companion bills in the state Legislature to reduce consumer fraud and deception caused by current state coffee labeling laws.

Ka`u's state Sen. Russell Ruderman

Both bills cite a finding from a 2007 Concurrent Resolution of the Hawai`i Legislature that “existing labeling requirements for Kona coffee causes consumer fraud and confusion and degrades the ‘Kona Coffee’ name.”
SB2354 states that “amendments to the relevant statutes are therefore necessary to prevent consumer fraud and confusion” and that the purpose of the bill is to “conform state coffee labeling laws to principles of consumer disclosure and fair marketing by requiring express label disclosure of the percent of coffee not grown in Hawai`i that is included in coffee blends that contain Hawai`i-grown coffee.”
Currently, Honolulu coffee blenders, for example, are only required to state “10 percent Kona Coffee Blend” in small print on coffee blend packages.
The Ruderman and Lowen bills would require blenders to expressly tell consumers that 90 percent of what is in the blend package is not grown in Hawai`i. Examples are: “Contains: 90 percent Panamanian Coffee; 10 percent Kona Coffee” or “Contains: 90 percent Foreign-Grown Coffee; 10 percent Maui Coffee.”

“This is a very modest step in the direction of fair marketing and consumer disclosure,” Kona Coffee Farmers Association president Cecelia B. Smith said. “Visitors from the mainland who don’t read beyond the large print – for example “Royal Kona” or “Hawaiian Gold Kona Coffee” – at the top of packages of 10 percent Kona blends will still be misled into buying what they wrongly believe to be Kona coffee. But for those buyers who carefully read the label, for the first time there will be an express indication that 90 percent of the contents is not from Kona or from any other region of Hawai`i.”
Ruderman’s bill is SB2354 “Relating to Coffee,” and Lowen’s bill is HB1515 “Relating to Agriculture.”

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HAWAI`I COUNTY’S REAL PROPERTY TAX Division is working to correct its records that show ineligible property owners claiming homeowner’s exemptions, according to a story in West Hawai`i Today.

Nancy Cook Lauer reported county Real Property Tax administrator Stan Sitko saying that a comparison of the records against vital statistics from the state Department of Health showed 1,200 deceased people benefiting from the exemption, some for as long as 10 years.
The exemption of $40,000 is deducted from a property’s assessed value, resulting in lower taxes. It increases for seniors, the disabled and veterans. A property owner older than 70 receives a $100,000 exemption, and disabled property owners get an additional $50,000.
According to the story, about 40,000 property owners in Hawai`i County claim the homeowner’s exemption. To qualify, property must be homeowners’ primary residence. The exemption automatically renews each year.
Property owners were notified last year and were required to file for exemptions or pay the higher tax bill going forward.
Sitko, addressing the Real Property Tax Stakeholder’s Task Force yesterday, said his office has been coordinating with state agencies to remove ineligible names from homeowner rolls. He plans to compare the list regularly against vital statistics and is working on a memorandum of agreement with the state Department of Taxation for that agency to check the county list against the state tax rolls.
Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille told Cook Lauer, “There hasn’t been a lot of accountability and a lot of coordination. I think the key thing is, we need to tighten up the abuses. Someone pays for this, and if it’s not done fairly, then the rest of the people are paying for it.”
Ending automatic renewal and requiring annual registration for the exemption would entail more work for the Finance Department, according to the story. “That’s 40,000 submittals coming in every year for our staff to review,” director Nancy Crawford told the task force.
Al Inoue, a Hilo Realtor and task force member, said the homeowner’s exemption needs a thorough review. “Property owners are taking advantage of the homeowner’s exemption,” Inoue said. “We think it’s quite significant.”
See westhawaiitoday.com.

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PUNALU`U BLACK SAND BEACH is one of Yahoo Travel’s 10 Beaches that Should Be on Your Bucket List. The description states:

“This famous beach on the Big Island’s southeastern Ka`u coast is one of the rare places in the world where you can squish black sand between your toes. The jet-black shoreline is unforgettable. Every inky basalt grain at Punalu`u is the result of lava from nearby Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park exploding as it hits the ocean and cools. Admittedly, this rocky beach isn’t the best place for swimming. But the tradeoffs are the unique sights of coconut palms rising up from black sand and Hawaiian green sea turtles napping on the beach.”

Punalu`u Black Sand Beach will be busy tomorrow for `O Ka`u Kakou's annual
Keiki Fishing Tournament. Photo by Julia Neal

Punalu`u is the only beach in Hawai`i on the list. Yahoo says the beaches chosen are “so impossibly picture-perfect that you have to see them in person to believe they’re not photoshopped.”

See travel.yahoo.com/photos/10-beaches-that-should-be-on-your-bucket-list.

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`O KA`U KAKOU HOSTS ITS ANNUAL Keiki Fishing Tournament tomorrow. Check-in is from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and fishing begins at 10 a.m.
For more information, call Wayne Kawachi at 937-4773.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is Jan. 31, one week from today.

SEE THE DIRECTORY from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.

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

Youngsters check out prizes at the Keiki fishing pond at Punalu`u during today's annual Keiki Fishing Tournament sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou. Photo by Nalani Parlin

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in a Senate Videoconferencing Pilot Project being conducted at the state Legislature. The project allows state and county departments, agencies and constituents to testify remotely via videoconference for measures during standing committee hearings of the Committees on Education and Technology & the Arts.
This pilot project will explore the use of videoconference technology as a way to expand opportunities for the public to actively participate in formulating new legislation. At the same time, the Senate will benefit from additional state, county and community input and discussion.

Sen. Russell Ruderman

The Senate endeavors to expand the project in the future to cover more committees, more hearings and perhaps a wider audience.
The committees participating in the SVC Pilot can only accept a limited number of videoconference testifiers for each measure, and neighbor island residents will be given priority over O`ahu residents.
The first hearing offering videoconferencing takes place Monday, when the Committee on Education meets at 1:15 p.m. One bill the committee will consider calls for installation of air conditioning at all public schools by the end of 2019. The bill appropriates $25 million during fiscal year 2014 – 2015 for installation of systems in 20 percent of schools.
Another bill being considered by the state Legislature calls for both chambers to implement rules to permit residents to present testimony via videoconferencing.
See capitol.hawaii.gov/videoconf.aspx for requirements and instructions on videoconferencing.

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KA`U’S SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN has introduced a bill at the state Legislature that would establish the Hawai`i Good Agricultural Practices program to be administered by the state Department of Agriculture. The purpose of the program is to develop and support good agricultural practices for Hawai`i farms growing agricultural food products.

The program would develop science- and risk-based good agricultural practices that reasonably reduce the potential for on-farm food-borne illness and include, as appropriate, specific considerations and methodologies for farm sizes, practices, techniques, materials, and crops.
It would also develop and implement programs to educate and train Hawai`i farmers to learn and implement good agricultural practices in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

Former HFBF president Dean Okimoto

The program would provide procedures for voluntary verification of on-farm implementation of good agricultural practices and the subsequent issuance of state compliance certification and develop a consumer information program to teach home practices for treatment and handling of fresh and processed agricultural food products.
SB2762 calls for the Ag Department to consult as necessary with the Department of Health, the University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and other state and federal agencies to develop and implement the program.
See capitol.hawaii.gov.

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KA`U RESIDENT CHRIS MANFREDI, who has been serving as Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation vice president since Dean Okimoto’s resignation, has been elected as the organization’s new president.

HFBF executive director Brian Miyamoto said, “Chris is best known for his work kick starting Ka`u coffee industry and has served as HFB vice president under two previous administrations and has chaired the Government Affairs committee for three terms.”
Myrone Murakami, a former HFB President, was elected as vice president. He has been a Farm Bureau member for over three decades and operates an O`ahu farm where he and his family have grown papaya and ti-leaf for more than 30 years.
For more information, contact call 808-848-2074 or email info@hfbf.org.

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HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC CO. ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK that while solar photovoltaic installations in Hawai`i continued growing at a strong pace in 2013, the pace of rooftop solar growth slowed in the last quarter because an increasing number of distribution level circuits have rooftop PV capacity exceeding 100 percent of the daytime minimum load. HECO said this measure is the trigger for interconnection studies and possible implementation of safety measures or upgrades before new PV systems on that circuit can be interconnected to the grid. A total of 17,609 solar installations with more than 129 megawatts capacity were added to the Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawai`i Electric Light Company grids in 2013, or 39 percent more than was added in 2012.

According to HECO, the total number of solar photovoltaic systems interconnected on the Hawaiian Electric Companies’ grids as of Dec. 31, 2013 was 40,159 with a total capacity of 300 megawatts. Of those installations, 96 percent take advantage of net energy metering, a program that began in 2001 to encourage adoption of rooftop solar. With net energy metering, customers with rooftop solar receive full retail credit for electricity they generate and send to the utility grid. They use that credit to offset the electricity they take from the grid when solar power does not meet their needs at night or on cloudy days.
“Our first priority is the safety and reliability of service to all our customers,” said Jim Alberts, HECO’s senior vice president for customer service. “At the same time, we remain committed to a strong, sustainable solar industry in Hawai`i. We continue to approve new solar systems for interconnection daily, and we are working to find ways to add more solar power, including on circuits that already have large amounts of PV installed.”

Sierra Club of Hawai`i disagrees with HECO's
statement regarding solar.

Robert Harris, director of the Sierra Club of Hawai`i, took issue with the perspective in HECO’s statement. “Ever since HECO started eliminating access to the grid, the permits for photovoltaic projects issued on O`ahu in December fell to 1,140 from 1,925 issued in the same month of 2012,” he said. “In November, 1,040 permits were issued, a 48 percent drop from the 1,996 permits one year earlier. In October, 1,246 permits were issued, down 49 percent from a high of 2,433 a year earlier. How does this constitute strong growth?”
Harris also referred to an announcement from the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism that the trend is continuing in 2014 with year‐to‐date residential rooftop solar permits down to 340 in the first three weeks of January, a “32.1 percent decrease from the previous year.”
“HECO is afraid its outdated business model and decades of comfortable state-guaranteed profits are under assault,” Harris said. “So last September it slammed the brakes with an arbitrary claim that its circuits are saturated with rooftop solar. This fact – if true – should have been foreseen and prepared for. HECO claims to support solar, but its actions do not reflect its words."
Harris referred to two bills being considered at the state Legislature that call for the utility to build a smart, modern grid capable of absorbing power that all individual homeowners and renters of all income levels can generate on their roofs. “We hope this will be an occasion where HECO’s words and actions will match. HECO should support these legislative efforts. It’s an opportunity for HECO to better service its customers as well as grow its profits,” Harris said.
On O`ahu, more than 10 percent of HECO’s customers now have rooftop solar. On Hawai`i Island, seven percent of Hawai`i Electric Light Co. customers have rooftop solar.

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KA`U HIGH BOYS JUNIOR V ARSITY basketball team won its second game in a row yesterday, beating Hilo 59  - 53. Titan Ault was high scorer with 20 points. Varsity  lost 46 – 70.  Larry-Dan Al-Navarro  scored 14 points.

The teams host Pahoa Monday.

IN OTHER KA`U HIGH SPORTS TODAY, swimmers are in Hilo and wrestlers are in Pahoa. Girls basketball teams host Laupahoehoe at 6 p.m.

A GUIDED HIKE AT KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow focuses on the area’s human history. The guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike covers rugged terrain. It begins at 9:30 a.m. and lasts three hours.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is Jan. 31.

SEE THE DIRECTORY from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.

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

Keiki and their families covered the Punalu`u shoreline for the annual Keiki Fishing Tournament sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou. Photo by Nalani Parlin

KA`U’S STATE SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN has responded to Hamakua Country Farms’ owner Richard Ha’s suggestion that the senator should recuse himself from discussions and votes regarding genetically modified organisms. Ha said there was a possible conflict of interest based on Ruderman’s ownership of the Island Naturals grocery store chain and that the senators comments about GMOs would unfairly benefit his business.

Paul Makuakane and grandson Nicolai
Photo by Nalani Parlin

“Mr. Ha is incorrect legally, ethically, and logically,” Ruderman said in Civil Beat. “According to the authority on such matters, which includes the Senate president and the Senate attorney’s office, there is no such conflict of interest, legally. Only if I were to promote a position that benefited my company to the exclusion of others would there be a concern.
“Actions that might benefit an entire industry are not conflicts of interest. Rules 81 and 85 of the Hawai`i State Senate clarify this.
“Ethically, there is no conflict in speaking out about issues of any sort, especially those in which I have expertise. Of course a legislator brings his/her background and expertise to the table. This is natural, fair, and it can be no other way.
Ruderman said he feels qualified to speak on natural food, food marketing and organic issues after 35 years in the natural food business. He said he has studied the GMO issue seriously for over 10 years, “delving deeply into the science and fictions on both sides of the issue. If anything, the obligation to speak out is greater for a legislator than for a private citizen.
“Logically, Mr. Ha has it exactly backwards, which I have explained to him several times. If my advocacy were to somehow be fully successful, GMOs would be labeled, as is desired by 90 percent of the population. When that happens, every consumer will be able to choose safe non-GMO food in every supermarket and have less need for a natural food store.
“Today, the biggest driver of organic food’s growth is the desire to avoid GMOs. Labeling GMOs, the goal of my advocacy, will harm my business rather than help it.
“Let’s consider the suggestion that one should not speak on the subjects about which he/she is most knowledgeable. According to this logic, a farmer should not speak about farming issues, which might benefit farmers. An educator should not advocate for education, as it might improve their school. An attorney should not pass laws relating to the legal field, as that might benefit lawyers. In fact, the expertise we bring to discussions and to the Legislature is desirable and necessary.
Ruderman said he is encouraged by the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Never be afraid to do what’s right, especially when the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”

Kids respond enthusiastically as Guy Enriques asks them to tell their parents thank
you for spending time with them at the tournament. Photo by Nalani Parlin

The senator concluded, “No one gives up their right to speak when they get elected to public office or to vote on issues of all sorts. There are responsibilities that come with the job, which I take seriously. Being silent is not one of them.”
See civilbeat.com.

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GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE HAS UNDUE INFLUENCE over state Public Utilities Commission officials, according to Henry Curtis, director of Life of the Land. In a story in Ililani Media, Curtis raises questions about the quasi-judicial body’s ability to act independently of gubernatorial influence. He discusses the PUC’s decisions denying two proposed 20-year contracts for `Aina Koa Pono to sell biofuel refined in Ka`u from feedstock grown between Na`alehu and Pahala to the utility companies.
Curtis says that “several independent sources within government” have asserted that Abercrombie will not re-appoint chair Hermina Morita, whose term ends in June. “This has absolutely nothing to do with whether Mina Morita is capable of overseeing the PUC or acting in the public interest,” Curtis states. “Rather, it stems from Gov. Abercrombie’s dissatisfaction with the `Aina Koa Pono decisions, his belief that the PUC is moving to slowly in approving his inter-island cable project and his belief that PUC commissioners are too independent of his control.”

PUC chair Mina Morita Photo by Julia Neal

Curtis also suggests that Abercrombie is not happy with commissioner Michael Champley’s performance. Champley was appointed in Sept. 15, 2011. After being confirmed on Sept. 22, he joined the other commissioners in denying the proposed contract between `Aina Koa Pono and the utility companies one week later. On Dec. 23, 2013 the PUC rejected a revised contract.
Curtis outlines how Abercrombie is “very connected to AKP:”

Sennet Capital is a major investor in `Aina Koa Pono. Sennet Capital was co-founded by Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism director Richard Lim and AKP executive vice president Kenton Eldridge.
Honolulu attorney Paul Alston is a lawyer for Hawaiian Electric Co. and general counsel for AKP.
Bill Kaneko is a central figure in the governor’s inner circle of advisors and was a registered lobbyist for `Aina Koa Pono. Kaneko is the founder, president and CEO of the Hawai`i Institute for Public Affairs. HIPA board members include HECO executive vice president Alan Oshima and retired HECO executive vice president Robbie Alm.
Robert Clarke is on the AKP board of advisors and is a board member of Sennet Capital. He served as chairman, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries from 1991-2006.

See ililanimedia.blogspot.com.
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Keiki flock to the croonings of Keoki Kahumoku to sing songs with him.
Photo by Nalani Parlin

VOLUNTEERS GATHERED AT PUNALU`U Black Sand Beach, Ka Lae and also at Ka`ena Point in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park during yesterday’s statewide annual Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count. While no whales were seen at Punalu`u, between two and five were counted at Ka Lae during each 15-minute time frame from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Volunteers collected data from 60 sites statewide. A total of 253 whales were seen during the 8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day’s count.

The count is a yearly shore-based census that provides snapshot data on humpback whales. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals’ surface behavior during the survey.
The sanctuary, which is administered by a partnership of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the state of Hawai`i through the Department of Land and Natural Resources, protects humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaiian waters where they migrate each winter to mate, calve and nurse their young.
Preliminary data detailing whale sightings by site location is available at sanctuaryoceancount.org/resources.
Two more Sanctuary Ocean Counts are scheduled to take place on Saturdays, Feb. 22 and March 29. For more information on becoming a Sanctuary Ocean Count volunteer, visit hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov or sanctuaryoceancount.org, or call 808-268-3087.
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DECADES OF DEGASSING AT KILAUEA: Wake Up and Smell the Coughing! is the title of Tuesday’s After Dark in the Park program.
Jeff Sutton and Tamar Elias, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geochemists, offer an update about volcanic gases, especially those related to the 2008‐2013 activity at Halema`uma`u Crater, and talk about vog – how it forms and what they’ve learned about its effects on our island environment. An optional “gas-tasting” party follow the talk that begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

KA`U GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM ended its season at home last night with a win at home over Laupahoehoe, 46 – 19.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is Jan. 31.

SEE THE DIRECTORY from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.

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

Hezekiah Baji, Aleavah Abellera and Janslae Badua won in the Largest Aholehole division at Saturday's Keiki Fishing Tournment sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou at Punalu`u. Photo by Nalani Parlin

HAWAI`I’S LONGLINE FISHING BOATS haul in nearly 90 percent of the U.S. bigeye tuna longline catch, but that will drop ten percent under the new agreement among the 27 country members of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. The reduction in the tuna quota comes with overfishing by some member countries.

The U.S. quota will shrink along with quotas for other member countries, even though the U.S. offers one of the best examples of enforcement of regulations to maintain the fishery and protect other marine life, government and industry officials said.

The reduction in the quota begins next year and lasts until 2018 and will result in a minimum $10 million in lost income to the U.S. fleet, the fishing boat owners predicted.

Joe Buyuan caught the most fish at Saturday's Keiki Fishing Tournament. He also
won last year, taking over the legacy of his brother Jamal, who won many times.
Photo by June Domondon

According to a Gary Kubota story in this morning’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Longline boats will be forced to try to make up for their reduced quota by traveling to the eastern Pacific on trips that take one to three days longer and are more costly.” Kubota also reports that Hawai`i Longline Association president Sean Martin, who was part of the U.S. delegation at Cairns where the decision was made in December, “said he was disappointed with the commission’s decision.”
Martin told Kubota that while the commission set a limit of 204 purse seine vessels for the Western Pacific in 2008, there are now more than 300, even though the U.S. has kept its fleet to the 40 in the agreement.
“In addition, Hawai`i’s longline fleet fish is thousands of miles away from where 90 percent of the bigeye fishing mortality occurs, which also makes us unique in terms of our impact on the stock,” Martin said.

Brian Holman, chief executive officer of the American Tuna Boat Association based in San Diego, told Kubota that the commission’s decision supports small island nations without reducing the regional tuna catch.
“It’s an economic decision,” Holman said. “It wasn’t based on conservation reasons.” The U.S. purse seine fishing fleet around American Samoa will also take a loss – 800 to 1,000 fewer fishing days and about $50 million annually, according to Holman’s report to Kubota.
China agreed to a 25 percent reduction to make up for earlier promised cutbacks. Other major developed countries took a 10 percent reduction in their bigeye catch, the story reported.
See more at www.staradvertiser.com.

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Aiz-n Gouveia and Anna Greeson placed in the Largest Hinale`a category.
Photo by Nalani Parlin

KEIKI FISHING TOURNAMENT RESULTS from Saturday's event at Punalu`u Beach Park are in. `O Ka`u Kakou sponsors the popular event each January as an opportunity to bring families and the community together. Largest Aholehole: 1)Janslae Badua 2) Aleavah Abellera 3)Hezekiah Baji; Largest Hinale`a: 1) Teani Keanu-Grace 2) Anna Greeson 3) Aiz-n Gouveia; Largest Kupipi: 1) Kahaku (TJ) Enriques 2) Chazlyn Mukini 3) Kaohinani Grace; Largest Po`opa`a: 1) Kaitlyn Alaoan 2) Lily Dacalio 3) Unknown; Largest Other: 1) Rylan Egusa (Panunui Fish) 2) Kaimana Kawaauhau-Young (Angel Fish) 3) Tenielle Jade Blanco (Hinale`a); Most Fish: Joe Buyuan (15 fish), Zachary Blanco-Louis (13 fish) and Kalino Judalina (13 fish).

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AN INCREASE IN CHINESE VISITORS to Ka`u is likely in the near future with Ka`u Coffee Mill owner Ed Olson and one of his partners in the Naniloa Hotel, Chinese entrepreneur Helen Koo, promoting the area. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is also seeing a rise in Chinese visitors and expects more as Hawai`i Island is the Chinese visitors’ second most visited island after O`ahu, according to Hawai`i Tourism Authority statistics.

Helen Koo, who founded the largest Chinese
travel company in North America, is expected
to help bolster Chinese travel to Hilo,
Volcano and Ka`u.

Olson said this morning that he sees Koo as key in Chinese visitation to Hilo, Ka`u Coffee mill and other destinations. “She will be a real asset,” he said.
A story in this morning’s Hawai`i Tribune Herald says that ‘in the coming years, as the gateway between China and Hawai`i continues to open up, tourism experts are expecting an enormous influx of visitors.” Writer Colin M. Stewart reports Big Island Visitors Bureau executive director Ross Birch saying, “Asian markets have all seen huge increases in the last two or three years. And I think we’re going to see 100-plus percent increases year over year for China over the next couple of years.” He noted, however, that mainland and Japan visitor numbers will still dominate.
The story reports Hawai`i Tourism Authority statistics showing that “the state brought in more than $2.7 billion from Japanese visitor expenditures in 2012, up from $2.1 billion in 2011 and $1.9 billion in 2010. By comparison, Chinese visitors accounted for just $277 million in spending last year, $178 million in 2011 and $127 million in 2010.”
Birch told the reporter that the rise in Chinese tourism is “going to start a lot like our Japanese tourism boom. It will start with group tours. There will need to be Chinese-speaking tour coordinators with them because it’s easier to package tours with them. It may be a few more years before we start to get a lot of independent Chinese travelers. … We may get up to 50 percent of the level of the Japanese market in a short period of time. … The timeline is going to be a much shorter timeline. Instead of 20 years, it’ll be only four or five years of getting the same saturation, once they’ve gotten the green light to go.”
Olson’s partner Koo, who also owns Nani Mau Gardens, America Asia Travel Center, Inc. and Super Vacations, which bills itself as the largest Chinese travel company in North America, told the Tribune-Herald that she invested over $8 million in East Hawai`i and sees it as a growing market. “Ninety percent of our clients are people from China,” with about 100,000 visitors through her travel agency coming to the U.S. from China.

Koo told the Tribune-Herald that with all of the new direct flights from China to Honolulu, including Hawaiian Airlines’ new Beijing route, “These flights will have a huge impact for us. I’m expecting my business in Hawai`i to grow by 30 percent this year.”

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The Directory 2014 is now available online.

THE KA`U DIRECTORY 2014 is available online. The 80-page Business & Community Resource Guide, sponsored by Ka`u Chamber of Commerce, includes important government and community and church phone numbers, business and nonprofit group listings and phone numbers, photos from The Ka`u Calendar newspaper, Peter Anderson and other Ka`u photographers and feature stories. Among them is the essay for the most recent Ka`u Chamber scholarship top winner and a story about the winner for the cover art of The Directory. Another feature explains the Chamber’s Ka`u Scenic Byway program. The book includes a calendar of events for this year and a calendar of weekly and daily activities in Ka`u and Volcano. Print versions will soon be distributed throughout the district. Ka`u Chamber president Dallas Decker said that this year, area organizations and businesses can join the Chamber and The Directory all year long to be included in the online version, guaranteeing a spot in the 2015 print version.

To be included, call Elijah Navarro at 928-6471.
For an online, page-turning version, see http://www.kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf. For a pdf version, see http://www.kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.pdf.

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THE DEADLINE TO FILL OUT KA`U HOSPITAL’S community health needs survey is this Friday, Jan. 31. There are many ways to participate: via the Internet at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX or by completing a paper survey being distributed by members of the hospital’s community advisory board. Surveys are also available at the hospital’s rural health clinic.
The purpose of this survey is to help the hospital understand the needs and expectations of the community with respect to health services so that it can direct efforts more effectively in planning for the future. “In particular, we want to know what additional services are needed that aren’t provided now at the hospital, what we do well, what we should be doing differently and what the barriers are to getting the care you need,” said administrator Merilyn Harris.
Those who do not wish to complete a survey but who would like to provide a comment or suggestion can contact Harris at mharris@hhsc.org.
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DECADES OF DEGASSING AT KILAUEA: Wake Up and Smell the Coughing! is the title of tomorrow’s After Dark in the Park program.
Jeff Sutton and Tamar Elias, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geochemists, offer an update about volcanic gases, especially those related to the 2008‐2013 activity at Halema`uma`u Crater, and talk about vog – how it forms and what they’ve learned about its effects on our island environment. An optional “gas-tasting” party follow the talk that begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

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

A bill being considered at the state Legislature would follow up on the GMO ban in Hawai`i County by prohibiting the planting of GMO engineered seeds or plant parts in open fields statewide. Photo by Julia Neal

GMO FOOD LABELING COULD BE THE WAY to reduce polarization in the debate over genetically modified organisms, according to west Ka`u state Rep. Richard Creagan.

Creagan, who studied agriculture at University of Hawai`i following a career as a physician, said yesterday that labeling could go a long way toward making peace. “Most of the people feel that labeling is important. Most of the people want to know what they eat.” He said that all foods, including milk from cows fed with GMO grains and grasses, should be labeled. “It is important to honor people’s concerns about what they want to eat.”

Rep. Richard Creagan

Several bills have been introduced in the state Legislature that would require labeling. Senate Bill 3084 would require all GMO food retailed in Hawai`i to be labeled starting July 1, 2015. “The label shall indicate that the genetically modified food has been genetically modified or contains genetically modified organisms or ingredients,” the bill states. It would require the state to adopt standards for labeling GMOs, with misdemeanor penalties for violations. It would also establish a subsidy program to help with GMO labeling, which would be funded by fees related to using pesticides.
A separate piece of legislation, SB2926, would require non-GMO packaged food to be labeled.
Another GMO-related measure, Senate Bill 2955, introduced by west Ka`u Sen. Josh Green, would require mandatory disclosure of pesticides and GMOs by commercial agricultural entities that purchased or used in excess of five pounds or 15 gallons of any single restricted use pesticide. It would require all commercial entities with any GMO to submit annual reports to the state. It would create pesticide buffer zones and require an environmental and public health impact study to address concerns related to large-scale commercial ag entities using pesticides and GMOs.
Senate Bill 2738 would follow up on the GMO ban in Hawai`i County by prohibiting the planting of GMO engineered seeds or plant parts in open fields statewide. The bill states that “growth in genetically engineered agricultural production has been swift and pervasive throughout the nation. The quick acceptance of the new technology by American farmers may, however, pose serious consequences for conventional agriculture – consequences that scientists do not yet fully understand. Those consequences have created doubt within the farming community and Congress about the wisdom of growing genetically engineered agricultural products.”
House Bill 2187 would provide a non-GMO tax credit for qualified agricultural costs.
To weigh in on any of these bills and to follow the Legislature, see capitol.hawaii.gov.

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THE GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES bill, introduced by east Ka`u Sen. Russell Ruderman, is up for a public hearing today at the state Capitol. Also introduced into the House of Representatives, both bills state that “Hawai`i’s farms and farmers reflect the heritage and diversity of many cultures and people. They are the cornerstones of the state’s goals for food security, sustainability and self-sufficiency and are essential for producing local food for local consumption.

Sen. Russell Ruderman

“The number of small farms in Hawai`i has grown substantially during the last ten years, reflecting agricultural landscape and model shifting from plantations to smaller farms with diverse cropping and marketing systems that create new local food sources and increased employment. There is also a renewed interest in planting school gardens and enabling children to eat and enjoy food grown on campus. This contributes to their school cafeteria system and teaches economic, science, and cultural lessons through an agriculture-based curriculum.”
The bills also refer to Good Agricultural Practices regulations and programs in other countries, including Thailand, Canada and Kenya and programs of the U.S. federal government.
According to Ruderman, Good Agricultural Practices would reduce potential for on-farm food-borne illness and include considerations and methodologies for farm sizes, practices, techniques, materials and crops.
The idea is to keep food on organic and other small farms safe without the oversight so expensive that farms are driven out of business.
The measure would launch training for Hawai`i farmers to learn and implement Good Agricultural Practices in a cost-effective and efficient manner, the bill states.
Included would be voluntary verification of on-farm implementation of Good Agricultural Practices, state certification and a consumer program to teach home practices for treatment and handling of fresh and processed agricultural food products.
Those wanting to testify on the measure from Ka`u can log into capitol.hawaii.gov and click Submit Testimony. Bill number is SB2762.
To find legislation of issue, see capitol.hawaii.gov and type in keywords to find various proposed bills in the House and Senate.

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Mayor Billy Kenoi

DIRECT INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS to Hawai`i Island from Japan and other locales may not resume soon, according to county officials who are working on federal approvals. The direct flight from Japan ended at Kona airport in 2010 when Japan Airlines cancelled its route. Since then, the customs processing facility at the airport has been largely unmanned, and tighter security requirements by the federal government are required to reopen. According to a story by Nancy Cook Lauer in this morning’s Hawai`i Tribune Herald, “state and county officials are working with the federal government to get a five-year exemption from meeting security standards at Kona International Airport in order to reopen an international inspection facility. ...”

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection currently has limited staff, screening general aviation and cruise ship arrivals and some cargo shipments to the area,” the Tribune-Herald story states. “At issue is the airport’s design, featuring iconic tiki-hut style outdoor passenger holding areas that convey a Hawaiian atmosphere, but do little to address Customs’ security concerns at the airport,” Cook Lauer writes. “The airport does not meet Customs’ airport technical design standards for passenger processing facilities, said Brian Humphrey, director of field operations for Customs San Francisco office in a Dec. 24 letter to Hawai`i County Mayor Billy Kenoi. ‘Unfortunately, I cannot approve the request for a five-year exemption,’ Humphrey said in the letter, adding he’s referred the matter to Customs headquarters.”
According to the story, Mayor Bill Kenoi “remains optimistic. He told Stephens Media Hawai`i on Monday that he met briefly last week with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who assigned the topic to an assistant secretary. He also discussed it with U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat representing Hawai`i’s 2nd District, who sits on the Homeland Security Committee, and other members of the congressional delegation. Kenoi was in Washington for the United States Conference of Mayors winter meeting.” The mayor also gave credit to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for working on the issue.
See more at hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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Geochemists gather gas samples at Halema`ma`u.
Photo from USGS/HVO

WATER HAULERS AND OCEAN VIEW RESIDENTS plan to meet at Ocean View Community center this Thursday at 7 p.m. to discuss proposed fees on water trucks serving the community.

The fees are proposed by Ocean View Road Maintenance Corp. to help take care of the Ocean View roads where the water trucks travel to service home water storage tanks. The idea is that a $1,200-per-year fee would offset wear and tear on the roads. Some Ocean View residents argue that adding the fee would make the cost of water go up and that they already pay substantial fees to take care of the roads as landowners. The Ocean View Community Association takes a neutral stand on the issue and is hosting the meeting for better understanding of the costs of maintaining the roads and the cost of water hauling, which is necessary for many Ocean View households.

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KA`U HIGH BOYS BASKETBALL TEAMS hosted Pahoa yesterday. Junior Varsity won 64 – 48, with Jovan Padrigo scoring 20 points.
Varsity lost 56 – 66. Chance Emmsley-Ah Yee scored 15 points.
Ka`u hosts Kealakehe Thursday for the Trojans’ last home game of the season.

JEFF SUTTON AND TAMAR ELIAS, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geochemists, offer an update about volcanic gases, especially those related to the 2008‐2013 activity at Halema`uma`u Crater, and talk about vog – how it forms and what they’ve learned about its effects on our island environment. An optional “gas-tasting” party follows the talk that begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is this Friday, Jan. 31.

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

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

Ocean View community members and Habitat for Humanity representatives join Jeff Helfenbein during the blessing of his home. Photos from Habitat for Humanity

RADIATION MONITORING WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED as a pilot project by the state Department of Health if Senate Bill 3049, introduced by Ka‘u Senators Josh Green and Russell Ruderman and championed by Pahala resident Sara Witt, passes the 2014 state Legislature. The program would measure and monitor radiation levels in items such as food, dairy products, rainwater, aquifers and drainage ditches that may be susceptible to increased radiation levels due to the March 11, 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The Department of Health would post periodic reports on its website of those radiation levels and their significance to the state. The project would begin July 1 and end June 30, 2019. The bill passed first reading on Jan. 23 and was referred to several committees. Witt said she is hoping that a hearing will be held on the measure.

The companion House Bill 2600 was introduced by Reps. Richard Creagan and Faye Hanohano at the request of Witt.
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President Barack Obama gave his fifth
State of the Union address yesterday.

MEMBERS OF KA`U’S U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION have responded to President Barack Obama’s call to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers. During his State of the Union address yesterday, Obama said he wants an increase to $10.10 per hour. “The President took a positive step toward addressing the vast and growing trend of (income) inequality, and I welcome his proposals that will support job creation and encourage opportunities for growth and entrepreneurship,” said Ka`u’s U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

Sen. Brian Schatz said, “Tonight, we heard a real commitment from President Obama to reversing income inequality. Helping those who are stretched thin is even more important in Hawai‘i, where so many of our families struggle with the high cost of living. People who work hard and play by the rules should be able to get ahead.
“I’ve been working with a group of my colleagues, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, to urge President Obama to use his authority to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for federal contract workers. I was glad he answered that call tonight. We need to do more on this issue and raise the minimum wage for all workers. That’s why I’m pushing legislation in the Senate to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for all workers.”

Regarding wages, Schatz added, “There is a real wage gap for too many workers. And in Hawai‘i, women still make 83 cents for every dollar a man makes. That’s unacceptable. We need to strengthen our laws to ensure equal pay for equal work.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “The executive order to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers will help families in Hawai‘i, including those who wash dishes and serve food on our military bases. However, we must not stop there. Today, the real value of the minimum wage is roughly the same as what it was in the 1950s. This is particularly tough in states like Hawai`i, where the cost of living is high.”

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“GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE also responded to President Obama’s call for an increase in the minimum wage: “As I stated in last week’s State of the State address, a hard-working sector in Hawai`i has gone seven years without seeing their wages rise. I applaud the President’s proposal to increase the minimum wage for all federal employees.”

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A mortgage deed through sweat equity and help from Habitat for Humanity gives
Ocean View resident Jeff Helfenbein a home of his own.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WEST HAWAI‘I and veteran Jeff Helfenbein worked together to make home ownership for Helfenbein a reality in Ocean View. Habitat and Helfenbein recently held a blessing of his new home and completion of Habitat’s twentieth dwelling in West Hawai‘i.

Attending were volunteers who helped work on the house and provided food during the building, along with neighbors, family, friends and Habitat staff, including executive director Pat Hurney.
Helfenbein has lived on the island for some 30 years and now has his own home. Deacon Sandy Honnold blessed the home, walking through each room with Helfenbein. The new homeowner worked alongside Habitat staff and volunteers on the construction of his home since May 2013. As part of the Habitat model, he fulfilled his required 500 sweat equity hours, highlighting the partnership.
Habitat is preparing to build in Kona, Waikoloa and Na‘po‘opo‘o and completing repair work in Waimea in 2014. Many volunteers, food donations, and helping hands will be needed.
The organization is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Its mission is to empower families and build community and hope through home ownership opportunities for low-income families. Serving the entire west side of the Big Island, Habitat works in partnership with families in need to build and repair decent, affordable housing. The houses are sold to partner families at no profit and with no interest charged.
Granted affiliation with Habitat for Humanity International in 2002, Habitat West Hawai‘i is a volunteer-driven organization with seven full-time staff members. The home-building projects are undertaken by a committed group of local community volunteers who are provided leadership by site managers experienced in construction. The board of directors, comprised of 12 members, provides overall leadership to the affiliate. Funding comes from individual, foundation, agency and corporate donations, as well as from ReStore profits.
To learn more or become involved in upcoming projects, contact Erin Stephens, Community Relations coordinator, at vista@habitatwesthawaii.org or 331-8010.
See habitatwesthawaii.org or twitter.com/habitatwestHI.

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS EAST HAWAIʻI RESOURCE CENTER will be conducting a one-stop-shop assistance in Kaʻu for students who want to pursue education beyond high school and families who want help with summer program applications and more information about resources. Center representatives will be available on Tuesdays, Feb. 11 and March 4 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Naʻalehu United Methodist Church, directly across from Naʻalehu Post Office.

Services include help with admission applications for summer programs, financial aid and scholarship services, Hoʻoulu Hawaiian Data Center forms and general information about Kamehameha Schools programs and resources.
For more information, call Nikki or Noelani at 935-0116.

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MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT APPLICATIONS are due Friday, Feb. 7. All candidates must live in the district of Ka`u. As of May 4, Miss Ka`u Coffee candidates must be 16 to 24 years old, and Miss Ka`u Peaberry candidates must be 7 – 9 years old.

Pick up and return applications at R&G Store in Pahala, Will & Grace Store in Na`alehu or Coffee Grinds in Ocean View.
A mandatory meeting for all candidates is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. at Punalu`u Bake Shop pavilion.
For more information, call Gloria Camba at 928-8558 or Nalani Parlin at 217-6893.

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Ecstatic Dance teacher Jo Caron
Photo from VAC

VOLUNTEERS MEET AT KILAUEA VISITOR CENTER in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Saturday to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from park trails between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. The Stewardships at the Summit program is ongoing, with more scheduled each Friday in February. Park entrance fees apply.

For more, call Caron at 443-6993.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is this Friday, Jan. 31.

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

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

Snows of Mauna Loa send a cool breeze through the tall palms above a Pahala home this morning. Photo by Julia Neal

A MEASURE TO FIGHT THE COFFEE BERRY BORER that has been ravaging Ka`u and other Hawai`i Island coffee farms for almost three years is expected to be passed by Congress this week. Ka`u’s Sen. Mazie Hirono worked with Senate and House Agriculture Committees to include language that lays the groundwork for a long-term federal investment to fight the borer. Hawai`i Island coffee growers praised Hirono’s work to secure an initial $1 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture last July to help set up the program, which is being managed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo.

“The inclusion of my amendment to fight the coffee berry borer in the bipartisan Farm Bill is great news for Hawai`i and our economy,” said Hirono. “I’ve spoken with farmers concerned about how this invasive species will hurt their crops and our economy – it’s crucial we mount a concerted effort to protect our coffee plants. This amendment will help USDA, the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawai`i work collectively and efficiently to help coffee farmers combat and contain the coffee berry borer.”

The war against the coffee berry borer is on, with help from federal funding.

Dr. Marisa Wall, PBARC acting director, said, “Through ARS’ Areawide Pest Management Program, scientists at the U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center and our partners have been able to develop integrated, biologically based control measures for coffee berry borer. This program enables us to optimize biological control methods, improve pest detection and mass trapping technology, manage coffee flowering and fruiting cycles and provide outreach to growers in an areawide system for CBB control.”
Hirono added, “I am also pleased that this bill helps promote sustainable, local agriculture – from investments that help family farmers sell locally to supporting beginning farmers with training and access to capital. This bill was a bipartisan compromise, and I am hopeful that my colleagues and I can continue to work together to help the people of Hawai`i and the nation.”
Additionally, the bill strengthens top priorities that help famers in Hawai`i and the nation. The bill:

reauthorizes $10 million per year through 2018 for Education Grants to Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions;
extends authorization for rural housing and general economic assistance to parts of Hawai`i;
extends the Livestock Forage Program and Livestock Indemnity Program to provide a safety net to Hawai`i farmers affected by drought or other adverse weather;
extends loan programs for sugar cane for five years;
authorizes $375 million over five years for Specialty Crop Block Grants;
continues investments to meet growing consumer demand for fresh fruits and vegetables, local foods and organics by helping family farmers sell locally, increasing support for farmers markets and connecting farmers to schools and other community-based organizations;
authorizes nearly $1.4 billion over five years for bioenergy research and development programs, including the Biorefinery Assistance Program, Bioenergy Program for Advanced Fuels, Biodiesel Fuel Education Program, and Rural Energy for America Program; and
extends the authorization for rural water programs, including Rural Water and Wastewater Circuit Rider Program, Rural Water and Waste Disposal Infrastructure program and Household Water Well Systems program.

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Acropora gemmifera Photo from biogang.net

A CORAL SPECIES NEW TO THE MAIN Hawaiian Islands has been discovered in West Hawai`i by a research team of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources divers, under the leadership of senior biologist Dr. Bill Walsh.

DLNR spokesperson Deborah Ward said that not only is this the first record of Acropora gemmifera in the main Hawaiian Islands, it’s the first record of any Acropora species occurring around the island of Hawai`i.

“The presence of these coral colonies is a significant contribution to our understanding of local reef diversity and opens up speculation about what other rare corals may be found on the reefs of Hawai`i Island,” Walsh said.
Several Acropora species have been identified in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands; previously, several small colonies of the table coral Acropora cytherea have been reported from Kaua`i, and a single colony was recently sighted off O`ahu.
According to Walsh, the discovery of this rare species in the main Hawaiian Islands emphasizes the need for local marine and land-use conservation practices. Members of this genus have a low resistance and low tolerance to bleaching and disease, which can be made worse by pollution, overfishing, and climate change. They are also a coral species preferred by Acanthaster planci, the crown-of-thorns starfish, which is a coral predator.
Acropora gemmifera is common in shallow, tropical reef environments in the Red Sea, Australia, the Indo-Pacific, and central and western Pacific, but there are few records from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It does occur at Johnston Atoll, approximately 900 miles southwest of Hawai`i.
There have been no historical reports of any Acropora species occurring around the Island of Hawai`i, nor were any observed in more than 4,500 DAR coral reef monitoring/research dives over the past 15 years, Ward said.
Typically, this species is found intertidally and subtidally from one to 15 meters. The colonies can vary in color from tan/brown to green, blues and even purples. The Kona population is located in waters four to 10 meters deep and consists of tan/brown colonies ranging from young encrusting forms to mature colonies estimated to be at least 80 years old. A total of 75 A. gemmifera colonies were found at the Kona site along a 50-meter stretch of reef.
This finding was recently published online in the journal Coral Reefs.

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Team Kripps won at the last World Cup event and is
headed to the Olympics. Photo from Charlie Booker

A BOBSLED PILOT HEADING TO THE WINTER OLYMPICS in Sochi has his roots in Ka`u. Justin Kripps, the son of Libby and Robert, is a member of Team Canada. Kripps, now 27, was born in Ka`u and attended Na`alehu School from Grade 1 to Grade 7. After attending high school in Canada, he was awarded a track and field and academic scholarship to Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.
While competing at a track meet, he was spotted by recruiters from the Canadian bobsled team in 2007. Initially, he was recruited to be a brakeman, where speed and strength are essential. Kripps rose rapidly through the ranks and was a member of the Canadian Olympic team in Vancouver in 2010, where they placed fifth in the four-man event.
He then decided to try driving the sled and proved a very quick learner. After only two seasons on the World Cup circuit, he has been named as a pilot for Team Canada. He will compete in both the two-man and four-man events.
Kripps and his teammates started the current season ranked 15th in the world in both events. They have had a standout season, finishing ranked tenth in both the four-man and the two-man. They topped the season off with a gold medal in the final World Cup event before the Olympics. Team Kripps, competing as Canada 3, beat out many more experienced teams, including the current world champions from Germany.
Honoring his home, Kripps names his bobsleds after Hawaiian goddesses. The two-man sled is Poli`ahu – the goddess of ice, and the four-man sled is Pele – the goddess of fire.
Kripps’ parents are still in Ka`u and hope to watch their son compete in Sochi via the Internet.

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KA`U HIGH BOYS BASKETBALL TEAMS host Kealakehe today at 6 p.m. for the Trojans’ last home games of the season. They travel to Waiakea and St. Joseph’s next week.

Ka`u’s wrestlers travel to Hilo Saturday for a match at 10 a.m.

JO CARON INVITES KA`U RESIDENTS TO ECSTATIC DANCE Saturday at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Participants explore the Five Rhythms – Flowing-Staccato-Chaos-Lyrical-Stillness – during a two-hour practice guided by music that ignites creativity, connection, personal awareness and healing. Fees are $25 or $10 VAC members.
For more, call Caron at 443-6993.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is this tomorrow.

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

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

Kung Hee Fat Choy. Today marks the Chinese zodiac's Year of the Horse. Photo entitled Paniolo Pride by Lorilee Lorenzo

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK RANGERS rescued a lone hiker stranded on Mauna Loa yesterday after a winter snowstorm pummeled the summit and lower elevations with heavy snow and high winds. Jessica Ferracane, Public Affairs Specialist for the park tells the story:

Rescued hiker Alex Sverdlov (middle) stands with his rescuers, park rangers John
Broward (right) and Tyler Paul (left) outside the Visitor Emergency Operations
Center yesterday. NPS Photo by Jessica Ferracane

On Sunday, Jan. 26, New York resident Alex Sverdlov, 36, began the grueling 18-mile trek from the top of Mauna Loa Road at 6,662 feet toward the summit of Mauna Loa. He reached the 13,677-foot summit on Tuesday after dropping off his heavy gear at a lower elevation. The snowstorm struck on his late-afternoon descent, creating a blinding white-out. Night fell, and after a few futile attempts to locate his pack, Sverdlov decided to hunker down in the snow until daylight. His only protection was the clothes he had on and a bottle of frozen water.

Earlier Tuesday, park management closed the mountain to visitors because of the dangerous weather. Sverdlov was the only registered hiker, and park rangers tried unsuccessfully to call his cell phone. They drove up Mauna Loa Road and confirmed his car was there. When Sverdlov’s car was still there Wednesday afternoon, park ranger John Broward decided to search for him by helicopter Thursday morning. Sverdlov was located by 9 a.m.
“I’ve done many crazy hikes, but this one pretty much tops the bill,” said Sverdlov, an experienced hiker who successfully walked up Mauna Loa last winter. After locating his pack Wednesday morning, the deep snow made it impossible to gain much ground, and he spent a second frozen night on the mountain. Sverdlov worried that he’d die on Mauna Loa and was astonished when he heard the helicopter

Snow-covered Mauna Loa with the cindercone Pohaku o Hanalei in foreground is near
where Sverdlov was spotted. Snow-covered Mauna Kea is in the distance.
Photo by search-and-rescue pilot David Okita

“Even the most experienced and prepared hikers can get into trouble in the park,” said Broward, who serves as the park’s search-and-rescue coordinator. “What saved Alex is that he had a backcountry permit so we knew he was up there, he is extremely fit, and he stayed calm. We’re all fortunate this had a happy ending.” On Thursday afternoon, his face sunburnt and wind-whipped, Sverdlov applied for another backcountry permit for the park’s remote coastal area. “This time I’m going to the sunny part of the park,” he said.

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NINETY PERCENT OF LOBBYISTS may not be reporting expenditures to influence the state Legislature, according to those who want to close the regulations gap. Lobbyists can spend up to $25 a day per person. Regular breakfasts, lunches and small gifts are allowed – up to $150 per person per reporting period under current law, notes state Sen. Les Ihara, who recently introduced new legislation.

The Associated Press reports in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser this morning that Ihara, the state Senate’s majority policy leader, also noted that “lobbyists in Hawai`i operate under a longtime interpretation of the law by the state Ethics Commission that if the money they spend comes from an organization such as a business or advocacy group, they don’t have to report it in the disclosure system. The ethics panel’s position, Ihara said, holds that requiring that level of reporting would be duplicative. But ‘the Ethics Commission has misinterpreted the law,’” he said.

“The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization, gave Hawai`i a D-minus for its lobbying disclosure practices on a 2012 report. The state’s system has not changed since that review,” reports AP. “The public should ‘know what gifts or entertainment that lobbyist provided to individual legislators,’ said Gordon Witkin, the center’s managing editor.”
Lobbyists report expenditures in January, March and May. “Critics say this reporting schedule creates another problem, one that doesn’t give taxpayers and government watchdogs timely information about the influence exerted on lawmakers,” the AP reports, quoting Ihara: “When it’s months later people are going to forget.”

See staradvertiser.com.

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Hawai`i state Senate, seen here on opening day Jan. 15, has introduced 1,127 bills.
Photo from Hawai`i state Senate

THE STATE SENATE HAS INTRODUCED 1,127 bills in this second year of the 27th Legislature. The deadline for bill introductions was Thursday, Jan. 23.

The measures are now being sent to their respective committees for consideration.
The Hawai`i Senate and House Majorities recently announced a joint majority package of priorities for the 2014 legislative session. The last time a joint majority package was unveiled was during the 2008 legislative session. Lawmakers are focusing their combined efforts on supporting seniors and protecting the environment.

Lawmakers have five weeks before First Decking deadline on Friday, Feb. 28. The wide array of bills under consideration includes everything from combating invasive species to looking at changes in minimum wage.
For more information on bills and on the Legislature, see capitol.hawaii.gov.

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A BILL THAT WOULD CREATE A TASK FORCE to study whether the state should regulate the use of genetic engineering in farming is making its way through the state Legislature, with the Senate Committees on Agriculture and Higher Education approving it yesterday.
Supporters of the proposal include the Department of Agriculture, the Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association and the Hawai`i Chamber of Commerce.
Ka`u resident Chris Manfredi, president of Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation, submitted testimony saying the task force would create “an environment in which emotion and politics can be removed from the debate and a careful and comprehensive examination of the facts, issues and law surrounding biotechnology in our world may be examined, and sensible recommendations made.”

Gary Hooser

SB2454 calls for the president of Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation, or the president’s designee, to be one of the members of the task force. Other members would be dean of University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, chair of state Department of Agriculture, director of state Department of Health and president of Hawai`i Farmers Union United or their designees. The governor would also select “four experts with scientific knowledge in the use of” GMOs in agriculture.
Critics of the measure see the composition of the task force as biased and suggest that the proposal is an attempt to bypass recently approved county regulations on Kaua`i and Hawai`i Island.
In his testimony, Jim Albertini said, “As a Big island farmer of 34 years and part of an organization that grows food to share with people in need, I oppose this bill as part of the pre-emption efforts to offset Bill 2491 passed by Kaua`i on pesticide regulation and our island Bill 113 (banning GMOs, with some exemptions).”

Kaua`i Council member Gary Hooser testified, “I support this measure in principle if representation on the task force includes members from each county and from small farmers that utilize conventional and organic methods, not just GMO technology. I believe including all affected parties is imperative and will constitute a more accurate and impartial outcome.
“In addition, any statewide regulatory scheme must represent “a floor not a ceiling,” and not pre-empt counties from enacting greater protection if circumstances specific to that county warrant such action.”

See this and other bills at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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THE HAWAI`I BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL has announced its strong endorsement of Ka`u’s U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for re-election in 2014 for Hawai`i’s Second Congressional District.

Tulsi Gabbard

“In these divisive times, it is more important than ever for Hawai`i to have a strong leader in Washington,” said Reginald Castanares, Jr., president of the council. “Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has shown she has what it takes to bring people together to deliver real results for Hawai`i’s working families. Her deep commitment to service and proven leadership make us proud to endorse her re-election.”
Gabbard said, “I am honored and so grateful to have the support of the Hawai`i Building and Construction Trades Council because they understand that to move Hawai`i forward we must focus on creating good jobs and strengthening our local economy to build a stronger future for all of Hawai`i.”

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TWO SUSPECTS IN A ROBBERY ON SOUTH POINT ROAD have been arrested. Trinety Crapser, of Ocean View, was arrested Monday after she allegedly threatened a Discovery Harbour resident with a hatchet on Sunday.
Yesterday, police arrested the male suspect, also of Ocean View, but have yet to release his name.
Police reported that a 47-year-old Discovery Harbor woman walking near her parked car on South Point Road had been threatened with a hatchet by another woman who got out of a white Toyota sedan. After a scuffle, the victim was able to take the hatchet away and throw it into brush on the side of the road. During the scuffle, the victim suffered a bite on her right forearm. A man then exited the Toyota, reached into the victim’s car and removed a bag containing a laptop, a cellular telephone and a wallet.
The male suspect fled in the Toyota after a passerby stopped to intervene. The female suspect entered the victim’s car and unsuccessfully attempted to start it. She then ran into the bushes.
Detectives have charged Crapser with first-degree robbery, third-degree assault and unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle.

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KA`U HIGH BOYS JUNIOR VARSITY basketball team won its last home game of the season yesterday. Final score was Ka`u 70, Kealakehe 41. Titan Ault was high scorer with 19 points.

Kealakehe overcame Ka`u’s varsity team, 63 – 83. Larry-Dan Al-Navarro scored 16 points.

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HUNTER EDUCATION CLASS is scheduled at Na`alehu Community Center tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Limit is 40 people on a first-come, first-served basis. Birth certificate or photo ID required both days. Participants must be at least ten years of age. No-shows may be replaced with stand-bys. Responsible adult must attend with those under 16 years of age.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT TAKES PLACE tomorrow, when volunteers meet at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from park trails between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. The Stewardship at the Summit program is ongoing, with more scheduled each Friday in February. Park entrance fees apply.

PARTICIPANTS EXPLORE THE FIVE RHYTHMS – Flowing-Staccato-Chaos-Lyrical-Stillness – during Ecstatic Dance tomorrow at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. The two-hour practice is guided by music that ignites creativity, connection, personal awareness and healing. Fees are $25 or $10 VAC members.
For more, call Jo Caron at 443-6993.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline is today.

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

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

Before the mid-morning clouding over, snow on Mauna Loa hung over the Nishimura and Panglao cottages in Pahala today.
Photo by Julia Neal

STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION officials testified before the Senate Education Committee on bills related to education. SB 2139 would require all public secondary schools to implement a school year that includes 990 hours beginning with the 2014-15 school year and repeal the requirement that by the 2016-2018 school years, all public schools implement a school year of 180 days and 1,080 student instructional hours for both elementary and secondary school grade.

Kathryn Matayoshi

The DOE supported this measure. “It’s about systems of support, contact time with students and how we collaborate when we’re not with the students that really matter,” said Mililani High School principal Fred Murphy. “To think about them in isolation is dangerous. It’s about the quality of instructional time.”

The DOE also offered comments to SB 2922, which proposes to extend the school year by 10 days from the current 180 to 190 days beginning with the 2015-16 school year. The measure also seeks to repeal the minimal instructional-hour requirements beginning with the 2014-15 school year.
In response to the question of cost that SB 2922 would create, superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said, “Our best estimate is that these additional days would cost the department close to $6 million. That figure includes salary, utility, maintenance and other operational costs.”
Since the 2011-12 school year, the school calendar has been 180 days. In previous years, it has been between 178 and 180 days, except during state-enacted furloughs in 2009-10, when the school year dipped to 163 days.
Any change, as the bill proposes, would require a change to the current collective bargaining agreement with the HSTA, which runs through 2017.
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SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED by Hawai`i Community Foundation. With the changing economic landscape, HCF has seen an increase in the number of those in Hawai`i seeking scholarships, including nontraditional students who are juggling families and jobs as they pursue their educational goals.
Seventy-five percent of today’s college students are balancing school with work and parenting responsibilities, while financial aid for college students is decreasing as the cost of education is mounting.

HCF recognizes the growing challenge of supporting students who are motivated to attain their degrees and achieve their career goals. HCF’s scholarship program consists of more than 190 different scholarship funds established by generous individuals, businesses, organizations, and private foundations. All of them are dedicated to making sure that educational opportunities are available to Hawai`i students who need and deserve them.

In 2013, the Foundation distributed $4 million to deserving students, making it the third largest private provider of post-secondary scholarships in the state. Many of the recipients are hoping to attend college or university, while some are pursuing career and technical education at a community college.
Students can apply to the scholarship program through a single, online application and, if eligible, be awarded from one or more of the funds housed at the Hawai`i Community Foundation.
See hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/scholarships.

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New state American Federation of Farm Bureau presidents were recently selected,
including Chris Manfredi, top right, who presides over Hawai`i Farm Bureau
Federation. Photo from Grassroots News on fbnews.fb.org

CHRIS MANFREDI IS ONE OF FOUR new state American Farm Bureau Federation presidents announced by the national Farm Bureau Federation on its website. The American Farm Bureau describes the backgrounds of the new presidents: Oklahoma Farm Bureau president Tom Buchanan “raises beef cattle and winter wheat on his farm near Altus, Okla. He also grows irrigated cotton when water is available.” Illinois Farm Bureau president Richard Guebert, Jr. “and his son operate a farm in Ellis Grove, Ill., where they grow corn, soybeans and wheat.” Maryland Farm Bureau president Chuck Fry “is a dairy farmer in Fredrerick County, Md.” Chris Manfredi “is a coffee grower in Ka`u County, Hawai`i,” the Farm Bureau news reports.

See fbnews.fb.org/FBNews/Grass-roots/New_state_Farm_Bureau_presidents.aspx.
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Ka`u state Rep. Richard Creagan

HAWAI`I’S HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE has approved a bill that would limit the state’s liability in the case of accidents or injuries on public lands or on voluntary trails created by hikers and climbers.

Many outdoors enthusiasts support the bill at its hearing on Thursday, according to a story in Civil Beat. “This is a good start toward preventing our natural resources from unnecessary closures,” said hiker Michael Bishop.
Gene Park reported that another woman said she would move away from Hawai`i if she had to limit her weekend rock-climbing getaways.
Mike Solis, an owner of a mountain bike company who hosts several races throughout the state, said Hawai`i’s outdoors community largely understands the risks they take. “There’s always a little bit of liability as we put these races on,” Solis testified. “We understand that our actions are our own. I don’t expect the state to be liable for my actions. I am happy to share in that liability or responsibility.”
State attorney general David Louie testified at the hearing, “We’re not asking for complete immunity. We’re asking for a reasonable protection.”
Daniel Quinn, state parks administrator, also testified in favor of the bill. “There are trails that are shut down,” he said. “Without it, we won’t have a clear definition of what is our duty to warn. ... Otherwise, we could just have signs all over the place.”
All committee members present voted in favor of the bill, including Ka`u Rep. Richard Creagan.
See civilbeat.com.

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Hawai`i Wildlife Fund continues its Ka`u Coast cleanups with its first one in 2014 next Saturday. Photo from HWF

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND INVITES KA`U RESIDENTS to join a community coastal cleanup event at Kamilo Point next Saturday, Feb. 8. Volunteers should RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com by Feb. 4 and bring sturdy footwear, sun/wind protection, a refillable water bottle, bag lunch, snacks and anything else needed for the day, including swimsuits (optional and weather/swell dependent). HWF provides trash bags, gloves, water refills, some five-gallon buckets and a toilet.

Volunteers meet at Wai`ohinu Park at 7:45 a.m. for caravan/carpooling to cleanup site. “We are limited in the number of passengers we can carry, so please RSVP early if you’d like a ride in one of our vehicles, or start arranging your own four-wheel-drive transportation,” said coordinator Megan Lamson.
The groups usually finishes by 2 p.m. and returns to the park by 3:30 p.m.
HWF and Recycle Hawai`i are teaming up again to sort collected debris for future recycling. The first 50 volunteers receive a one-of-a-kind 32- ounce HWF/Recycle HI water bottle made by Liberty Bottles. In addition, Hawai`i Kombucha will provide some of their kombucha tea for participants. Local artist Don Elwing will be showing examples of his debris art and will give away one of his pieces to a lucky volunteer. Plus, black oyster spacers and other fun debris objects will be saved for Pam Longobardi’s Drifter Project. Local jeweler and debris magician Kathleen Crabill of Nurdle in the Rough and longtime debris artist from Hilo, Beth with Seashore Collections, may also participate.

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Cast members prepare for Friday's opening of Once Upon a Mattress.
Photo from KDEN

FOR THE PAST TWO SUMMERS, Kilauea Drama & Entertainment Network has brought fairy tales to life with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. On Feb. 7, KDEN brings another fairy tale to life with Once Upon A Mattress, the musical comedy version of The Princess and the Pea, with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer. This show marked the Broadway debut of later stage and TV personality Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred.
The show will be performed Feb. 7 – 24 at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $15 general, $12 for seniors and students and $10 for children 12 and under and are available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods, the Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo and at the door.
For ticket information, call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.

See the February Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

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

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

Ka`u Coffee growers can spray Beauveria fungus as one tool in the battle against the coffee berry borer. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

SPRAYING BEAUVERIA FUNGUS TO CONTROL COFFEE BERRY BORERS definitely works and helps maintain a much lower level over time, according to Lisa Keith, a plant pathologist with the U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center based in Hilo. Keith reported results of her research at Kona Coffee Farmers Association’s annual Kona Coffee Expo and Trade Show.

In West Hawai`i Today, Chelsea Jensen reports Keith saying that by spraying three weeks in a row early in the season, growers can reduce the borer population enough to effectively control it during the rest of the season by spraying the fungus only once a month.

Beauveria fungus is effective in controlling CBB, reports a plant pathologist.
photo by Peggy Greb/USDA Ag Research Service

“The goal is to be economically viable as well,” Keith said. After the initial knock-down applications, farmers likely don’t need to spray twice a month, reducing the cost of battling the coffee berry borer. Depending on the size of the farm, Keith said it costs approximately $50 to $100 per application.

Keith’s research also indicated that farms at lower elevations have smaller infestations.

“We’re starting to see better trends that the product can be used as a general management scheme,” she said. “No matter where you are, it’s effective.”
Keith also recommended spraying after 3 p.m. because the fungus doesn’t thrive when subjected to high ultraviolet levels, heavy rain and high temperatures.
Another recommendation is for farmers to increase fungus use near harvest time to keep levels high. “When you start controlling the beetle, the size of the cherry got better,” Keith said. “We know the beetle is affecting the product (cherry), but with the spray and control it’s possible to reduce that.”
Beauveria alone cannot control the borer, Keith said. “Start with sanitation, then work in a manageable Beauveria management plan, and then we’re definitely seeing good results.”
See westhawaiitoday.com.

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A NEWLY RELEASED POLL SHOWS SHARP INCREASES in support for overhaul of Hawai`i marijuana laws. Commissioned by Hawai`i’s Drug Policy Action Group, the poll showed voter support for reform of Hawai`i’s policies on marijuana trending upward across the board. Local polling firm QMark Research conducted a statewide, statistically significant poll of 400 Hawai`i voters Jan. 17 – 23.
The poll found that 77 percent of Hawai`i voters think that jail time is inappropriate for marijuana possession, an increase of eight percent over 2012.
It also found that 66 percent of voters are in favor of outright legalization for adult use, an increase of nine percent over 2012.
A large majority, 85 percent of voters, continues to support Hawai`i’s medical marijuana program, up four percent from 2012, while support for a dispensary system so patients do not need to use the black market to find their medication increased sharply to 85 percent, a seven-percent increase over 2012.

A poll shows that 85 percent of Hawai`i voters support
Hawai`i's medical marijuana program.
Graph from mcchi.org

Pamela Lichty, president of the Drug Policy Action Group, said, “Around the country and here in Hawai`i, voters are fed up with marijuana laws that seem to have been written after watching 1930s propaganda films like Reefer Madness. Voters today want reasonable, modern policies that acknowledge marijuana’s value as a medicine, and which address public health and safety, but do not overstate marijuana’s risks as a recreational drug. In 2014, and with 85 percent of voters in support, we are hopeful Hawai`i will establish sensibly controlled dispensaries to ensure safe access to medicine for our medical marijuana patients unable to grow their own, minimizing government interference between a patient and their doctor, and assuring legal access to the most effective treatments for their condition(s).”
Vanessa Chong, executive director of ACLU of Hawai`i, said, “Hawai`i is ready to choose incremental, sensible policies like decriminalization over extremely harsh ones that add to the nationwide glut of arrests for possession of small amounts of marijuana – further taxing an over-crowded criminal justice system. The signs have never been clearer that Hawai`i’s voters want political leaders to find new ways forward on marijuana policy.”
Patients, doctors, caregivers and the public can join the confidential support network, The Medical Cannabis Coalition of Hawai`i,” founded by the Drug Policy Action Group and the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai`i.
The state Legislature is considering several bills relating to medical marijuana. SB2574, introduced by Sens. Josh Green, Russell Ruderman and others, adds “board certified pain physicians” as doctors who can recommend medical marijuana.
Sen. Ruderman also co-introduced SB2942, which would create one dispensary in each county. Patients would register with a dispensary to designate it as their caregiver.
See mcchi.org.

Bills in the state Legislature are also available at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES Division of State Parks in partnership, with PBR HAWAI`I, invites Ka`u residents to informational meetings about the 2014 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Hawai`i updates the SCORP every five years to remain eligible to receive funds for outdoor recreation projects through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a federal grants program administered by the National Park Service.

LWCF grants provide a match for state and county funds to acquire new land for outdoor recreation and develop or renovate recreational facilities. Since 1967, the state of Hawai`i and the four counties have received more than $38 million in LWCF grants for acquisition and development of outdoor recreation lands and facilities. In recent years, LWCF grants have been awarded to the County of Hawai`i to install new playground equipment at Panaewa Zoo in Hilo and comfort stations at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area.
Public participation in the meetings will help State Parks and National Park Service select projects to receive Land and Water Conservation funding that best meets Hawai`i’s recreational needs and helps resolve any recreational conflicts.
Meetings will be for two hours and will include a brief presentation near the beginning, but information will be available throughout the evening. The public can drop by for as much or as little time as they wish. Keiki are welcome, and there will be a special activity for them.
Anyone who is unable to attend any of the meetings is invited to take the SCORP survey, which is available online at surveymonkey.com/s/HISCORP2014 and will be open through Feb. 28.
Meetings take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18  in  Hilo at State Office Building  Conference Rooms A, B and C  and in Kailua-Kona  Thursday, Feb. 27  at West Hawai`i Civic Center’s Community Meeting Hale.

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in this week’s Hawai`i County Council meetings via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center. Committee meetings on Tuesday are Environmental Management at 9 a.m., Government Relations & Economic Development at 10:45 a.m., Human Services & Social Services at 1 p.m., Planning at 1:45 p.m. and Finance at 3:45 p.m.
The full Council meets Wednesday at 9 a.m., and all meetings take place at Council Chambers in Hilo.
Agendas are available at hawaiicounty.gov.

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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Mike Poland discusses what we don't
know about Hawaiian volcanoes at this week's After Dark in the Park program.
Photo from USGS HVO

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES is the topic at After Dark in the Park Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

For all that scientists have learned about Hawaiian volcanoes during the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s first 100 years, there are still questions to be answered. James Dwight Dana, one of the first geologists to study Hawaiian volcanoes, called these unknowns “points requiring elucidation” in his book, Characteristics of Volcanoes, in 1890. In the years since, many of Dana’s points have been addressed, but some have not. A number of new questions have also arisen, thanks to years of continuous observation and study of Kilauea, Mauna Loa and other Hawaiian volcanoes.
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Mike Poland discusses the big issues faced by volcanologists studying Hawai`i’s volcanoes today, from the source of magma deep within the Earth to predicting eruptions – or determining when an ongoing eruption will end.
The program is free; $2 donations support park programs. Park entrance fees apply.

See the February Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

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

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

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Mike Poland's topic at After Dark in the Park tomorrow is What We Don't Know about Hawaiian Volcanoes. Photo from USGS/HVO

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. IS CONSIDERING ways to handle more solar-generated energy, according to a story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. President Jay Ignacio told Colin M. Stewart that the utlility’s grid is reaching the limit of how much power it can accept from remote sources that use net-metering systems. Such systems send excess energy to the utility and result in lower electric bills for customers.

According to Ignacio, circuits that generate more electricity than is being used by customers can create increased voltage and damage electronic equipment, including computers and other appliances with sophisticated electronics.

“If there’s more generation than energy being used, the energy needs to go some place. … This is a difficult technical issue, and we’re not aware of another utility in the world that has addressed it,” he said. “There’s no model for us to follow, no resource for us to tap into. We’re really creating new frontiers on this.”
One system being considered involves the utility using appliances connected to the circuit to create more of a load when it encounters an over-voltage. “By transferring the excess energy into something such as a water heater, the system can balance itself out,” the story says. Many of those appliances were not designed for such a purpose, and setting them up to be used in such a way could be problematic, Ignacio told Stewart.
Another concept being explored is a large battery bank that can store excess energy, but that also has drawbacks. “The economics of such a system just may not play out,” Ignacio said.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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Ways to create economic opportunity related the Thirty Meter Telescope for Hawai`i Island
residents are being considered. Image from tmt.org

CREATING A PATH FOR HAWAI`I ISLAND RESIDENTS and students seeking careers in technology and other jobs related to the planned Thirty Meter Telescope is the goal of a proposed workforce pipeline program.

Hawai`i Tribune-Herald reports some ideas are already in the works, such as an engineering program at University of Hawai`i-Hilo, while other ideas presented to the Big Island’s legislative delegation last month include an enhanced technology program at Hawai`i Community College, internships for Hawai`i students and “incentives to attract new astronomy-related industry.”
Tribune-Herald reports TMT spokeswoman Sandra Dawson saying the plan hopes to emulate the creation of Tucson, Arizona’s optics industry that resulted from construction an observatory there.
Comparing Tucson’s situation to Hawai`i Island’s, Dawson said, “Theirs was copper; ours was sugar. When copper started dying, they needed something new. About that time, the National Science Foundation funded a telescope. That telescope is smaller than four of the telescopes we have on Mauna Kea. The people of the town saw an advantage to this. They started bringing experts in optics in, and now they’re the world center for optics. The university and government thought about this as a way to move forward.”

Ka`u will vote for a new County Council member this year,
with Brenda Ford having reached her term limit.

Jerry Chang, director of university relations at UH-Hilo, said a new engineering program being worked on at the school would develop a labor pool for projects such as TMT. “Instead of hiring people out of state, let’s use our local workforce,” he said.
Other programs being considered are new and enhanced technology programs at Hawai`i Community College, internships for Hawai`i students and incentives to attract new astronomy-related industry.
Instrument development and operational support is another possibility being considered. According to the Tribune-Herald, all contracts for those jobs currently go overseas and cost $30 million to $40 million per year.

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KA`U RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN RUNNING for office in this year’s elections can submit papers beginning today. Offices on ballots in Ka`u this year are U.S. Senator, currently held by Brian Schatz; U.S. Representative District 2, currently held by Tulsi Gabbard; Governor, currently held by Neil Abercrombie; Lieutenant Governor, currently held by Shan Tsutsui; State Senator District 3, currently held by Josh Green; State Representatives Districts 3 and 5, currently held by Richard Onishi and Richard Creagan; Office of Hawaiian Affairs Representative; and County Council Member District 6, currently held by Brenda Ford.
Candidates can file nomination papers at two locations on Hawai`i Island: in Hilo at Office of County Clerk, Elections Division, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1502, phone 961-8277, hours Monday – Friday 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; in Kona at West Hawai`i Civic Center, Kona Elections Division, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Building B, 2nd floor, phone 961-8277, hours Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 3 p.m. by appointment.

A candidate’s manual is available online at hawaii.gov/elections/candidates. The manual contains information on how to become a candidate and the applicable filing fees and nomination signature requirements.
Deadline to file is 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3.

For more information, see hawaii.gov/elections.

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`Amakihi Photo from USGS

`AMAKIHI, A SPECIES OF HAWAIIAN HONEYCREEPER, developed a tolerance for avian malaria in research by U.S. Geological Survey scientists, according to an Associated Press story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald.

Researchers published a study in the journal EcoHealth saying that birds that live at lower elevations are able to tolerate infections much better than birds from higher elevations. Microbiologist Carter Atkinson and his colleagues captured birds from higher and lower elevations, put some in a control group and exposed others to malaria. After the exposure, birds from lower elevations lost less weight and had a lower mortality rate than birds from higher elevations.
Hawaiian honeycreepers do not have a resistance to mosquito-borne diseases, and avian malaria has devastated many species.

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KA`U HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND INTERESTED residents can participate in a free one-time macroepigenetics online training course offered by the Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute, the only federally recognized nonprofit entity in the U.S. devoted entirely to food ingredient safety, education and research, starting this Thursday, Feb. 6. Professor Renee Dufault, FIHRI founder and a leading researcher in the toxicology field with a concentration in macroepigentics, leads students through a 10-week interactive online course, with bi-monthly discussions held at Hana Hou Restaurant in Na`alehu.

Coursework investigates “substances in the Standard American Diet that may modulate genes to create conditions for disease” such as type-2 diabetes, autism, ADHD and CVD,” explained Dufault, who lives in Ocean View. “The course has been used successfully in a recent clinical trial to facilitate improvements in diet to significantly reduce risk factors for type-2 diabetes,” she added.

Renee Dufault

The class is limited to 10 participants on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to health care providers. Participants who complete the training will receive five continuing education units and a certification of completion.
Dufault is a former Food and Drug Administration public health officer and has her work published in the journal Clinical Epigenetics. She gave the keynote speech at the Clinical Epigenetics Society meeting held in Germany last year and presented her research to the University of Hawai`i at Manoa’s Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. Dufault also worked with Native American communities in Montana focusing on curbing nutrition-related diseases and diabetes-managment using her online macroepigentics nutrition intervention course.
Alika Maunakea, assistant professor in the Epigenomics Research Program of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health, wrote, Dufault “has also been translating these efforts to populations in Hawai`i, where diseases of health disparaties are directly linked to environmental health; a concept that is compatible with traditional Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island views of health and wellness.”

For more information about the class or to apply, contact Dufault at 808-345-6864 or rdufault@foodingredient.info. Visit the course website at foodingredient.info/newepigeneticscourse.html.

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WHAT WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES is the topic at After Dark in the Park tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Mike Poland discusses issues faced by volcanologists studying Hawai`i’s volcanoes today, from the source of magma deep within the Earth to predicting eruptions – or determining when an ongoing eruption will end.
The program is free; $2 donations support park programs. Park entrance fees apply.

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

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

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

KRHCAI Academy interns, Kamrie Koi and Nysa Kaniho, along with Executive Director Jessie Marques and Board President Donna Kekoa, meet with Sen. Brian Schatz in Washington, D.C. Photo from Ka`u Rural Health Community Association

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC representatives met with legislators in Washington, D.C. recently. Interns of the organization’s Ka`u Health Academy, Kamrie Koi, a senior at Ka`u High School, and Nysa Kaniho, a senior at Kamehameha School, flew to Washington, D.C. with KRHCAI Executive Director Jesse Marques and Board President Donna Kekoa. The organization’s Grass Roots Update states that the delegation spent “valuable ‘talk story’ time with Senator Brian Schatz and Representative Colleen Hanabusa.” The KRHCAI team traveled to Washington for the 25th Annual Rural Health Policy Institute. The organization is also the recipient of a grant to help residents to sign up for Obamacare.

Infrastructure goes in for the new Ka`u Gym & Shelter the walls are secured
for roofing. Photo by Julia Neal

AIR CONDITIONING FOR SCHOOLS could receive some funding this year, even though a bill to require it has been dropped at the legislature. Air conditioning at Ka`u schools could not only cool classrooms on hot days, it could reduce the effects of SO2 during voggy days. A bill in the state House of Representatives would provide $25 million for air conditioning in public schools. Another possibility for air-conditioning money for schools lies in the state Department of Education budget, but legislators said they also offered a separate bill so it wouldn’t be overlooked.
Rep. Takashi Ohno, a former school teacher, sponsored the bill in the House, saying, “We need to put students in better environments to learn. After a hearing last night, the House Education Committee approved the measure with a 10-0 vote. Supporting testimony came from teachers, parents and the DOE.
The new Ka`u Gym & Disaster Shelter, with separate funding, will offer activity rooms with filtered air to harbor several hundred people during vog alerts.
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THE STATE’S COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT was recently released, showing economic recovery and Hawai`i’s net worth at $4.8 billion. This is an increase of $307.1 million over last year and drew a press conference at the state Capitol yesterday, in which Gov. Neil Abercrombie noted the administration’s fiscal restraint helped to allow tax money pile up in state coffers to create an $884 million surplus at fiscal year’s end. Abercrombie also noted that the financial statement came out on time. Some late statements in previous years drew criticism from bond investors and credit rating agencies.
A press release from the governor says that the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2013 “shows Hawai`1i’s asset growth has outpaced liability growth for the first time in seven years.”
According to the governor, “Our improving trajectory is a reflection of positive trends in our local economy and responsible management of fiscal affairs, which now includes recognized improvements in meeting our obligations for timely reporting.”
The statement also points out that for the first time in more than five years, the state received the award of Achievement of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association. The state’s annual financial report can be read at http://ags.hawaii.gov/we-content/uploades/2012/09soh-cafr-2013pdf.
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TUTU & ME AND PATCH, Parents Attentive to Children, are partnering to provide free community based trainings. A class called Fostering Resiliency is designed to help early caregivers, educators and parents of young children understand and develop strategies that help children ‘bounce back’ from stress. The first training session is this Friday in Na`alehu in the back pavilion behind Punalu`u Bakery from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. It is open to the community. As there will be no childcare provided, parents and caregivers are asked to leave their keiki at home.

Tutu & Me helps families with early education of keiki.
Photo from Tutu & Me

Interested parties are being asked to call the PATCH office to register in advance, at 322-3500. However, walk-ins are welcome, too. Those who work with young children or are parents or caregivers of young children are eligible for the free community based trainings. The sessions also aim to connect people in Ka`u who are interested in increasing the quality of childcare in Hawai`i.
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A COTTAGE FOODS BILL was introduced by east Ka`u Sen. Russell Ruderman and West Ka`u Sen. Josh Green. SB2561 would permit the cottage food industry in Hawai`i and establish requirements for cottage food operators, cottage food operations, and cottage food products. It would authorize permits for Class A cottage food operations to engage in direct sales of cottage food products and permit Class B cottage food operations to engage in direct and indirect sales of cottage food products. It would permit the cottage food industry in residential areas without use permits, variances or special exceptions.
The cottage food operation could have no more than one full-time equivalent cottage food employee with the registered or permitted area of a private home, and the the food could be produced only in the home kitchen of the cottages. Consumers could buy directly from the cottage food operation location or from such activities as holiday bazaars, bake sales, food swaps, farm stands, farmers' markets. Sales of the cottage food operation would be limited to no more than $50,000 in gross income per year.
A Class B cottage food operation would require a permit and be subject to government inspections of the food operation, as the food could be sold to a retailer for resale. A hearing on the Senate Bill is scheduled for tomorrow.
A House version of the bill , HB 1992, is scheduled to be heard on Thursday morning. Ka`u residents can submit testimony online at www.capitol.hawaii.gov.
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A HEARING ON THE RIGHT TO FARM ACT LEGISLATION, proposed by the Hawai`i Farm Bureau and opposed by some as a sneak attack against GMO and pesticide bills that were recently passed by Hawai`i and Kaua`i Counties, went to public hearing this afternoon with decision-making planned by this evening. The language inserted into Senate Bill 110 and also included in SB 3058 and House Bill 2506, proposes to add onto existing Hawi`i state law, the following wording: "The right of farmers and ranchers to engage in modern farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in this State. No law, ordinance, or resolution of any unit of local government shall be enacted that abridges the right of farmers and ranchers to employ agricultural technology, modern livestock production, and ranching practices not prohibited by federal or state law, rules, or regulations."

In a press release, East Hawai`i Rep. Richard Onishi, who introduced the House version, stated: "Like many other states, Hawai`i has had to deal with encroaching urbanization and pressure it puts on our farms and agricultural lands. Unlike most states, Hawai`i is an island with very limited space for agricultural endeavors. We’ve seen how hard it’s been to protect our ag lands and to keep them productive in the face of other pressing needs and priorities.
“But if we are interested in sustainability and moving Hawaii toward greater self-reliance, we will have to strike a better balance between our rural and urban needs. This measure is designed to do just that by protecting our local farmers and ranchers. They have a right to farm in the best way they see fit, as long as they follow legal and accepted agricultural practices, whether we’re talking about ranchers, poultry, hog, vegetable, flower and plant farmers."
However, opponents of the bill characterize it as a way to overturn Hawai`i County's recent ban on most GMO farming. Hawai`i Farm Bureau President Chris Manfredi, who supports the bill, told the Hawai`i Tribune Herald that the bill would render Hawai`i and Kaua`i Counties’ anti-GMO laws “null and void” and that farmers should face a “level playing field.”

A Kamilo coastal cleanup calls for volunteers for this Saturday.

Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

Honolulu Civil Beat ran a story yesterday explaining that the proposed right to farm language, saying that i "appears to be an attempt to exert state control over counties like Kaua`i and Hawai`i that have moved to dramatically curb the use of pesticides and GMOs.

"But the bill faced a joint referral to three committees as well as a fourth referral to a single committee - a high hurdle.

"Solution? Take the and place it into another bill related to ag - in this case Senate Bill 110, a short-form bill held over from last year. And give it a hearing at the last minute."

Civil Beat reports that "the challenge for those who wish to testify against the measure is that the notice of a hearing went out Monday afternoon and the hearing is Tuesday..."

Robert Domingos, of Discovery Harbour, submitted testimony stating: "Please think before your vote. No one should receive carted balance rights to do whatever they like in their chosen profession. Regulations and limitations are legislated to prevent that which can be avoided. We want a GMO-FREE future. GMO is not natural selection. Hawai`i must stand united against GMO. Vote no on one-ten."
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A MAJOR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER for Volcano Art Center is this Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Niauluani Campus. Called Love the Arts, it features champagne and wine and a gourmet dinner to honor Volcano Art Center's 40th Year in its Hawaiian Home, Hawaiian Style. There will be a live and silent auction. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. It includes a $10 credit toward an auction item Call 967-8222.

A Reverse Trade Mission brings international coffee experts to Ka`u each year for the Ka`u Coffee College as part of the Ka`u Coffee
Festival. Last year, the owner of Soaring Phoenix flew in from Taiwan to talk about the soaring popularity of coffee in Asia.
Photo by Julia Neal

THE RIGHT TO FARM BILL, characterized by opponents as an anti-home rule and pro GMO and pesticide bill, failed to move forward at the state Legislature yesterday. A report from Hawai`i News Now last night stated that “a House bill that would preempt Hawai`i County’s ban on new genetically modified crops has not seen any movement in the Legislature so far this year, and a similar bill today failed to gain traction in the state Senate. House Bill 2506, which was co-sponsored by 36 lawmakers — including five from the Big Island – has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing, and a Senate committee today deadlocked on that body’s version of the bill.
“Like HB2506, Senate Bill 110 states that no law shall be passed by a local government that would restrict farming “not prohibited by federal or state law….” Three members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture voted for the bill, and three voted against it.
“Those in favor were Sens. Clarence Nishihara, Donovan Dela Cruz and Sam Slom, all of whom are from O`ahu. Those voting against it were Sens. Ron Kouchi of Kaua`i, Kalani English of Maui and Lauren Thielen of O`ahu. The committee’s seventh member, Sen. Glenn Wakai, of Oahu, was absent for the vote.
“The measure was originally introduced by Senate Majority Leader Brickwood Galuteria in 2013 as a 'short-form' bill, which means it was a shell without content that was titled as 'relating to agriculture.'”

Trash from Ocean View, Waiohinu and the rest of Ka`u would be transferred to Hilo,
under the mayor's proposed waste to energy plan. Photo from Big Island Video News

The bill was supported by the Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation and its president, Na`alehu resident Chris Manfredi. The statewide Farm Bureau has advocated at the state and county level against controlling GMOs, labeling of GMOs and laws that would further restrict pesticide use for farmers.
The bill that failed in committee yesterday was the subject of a statewide email blast by anti-GMO groups, calling it a “sneak attack” as it only gave one day’s notice for its first public hearing and testimony coming in less than 24 hours before the public hearing was not included in the discussion.
See more at hawaiinewsnow.com.
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A WASTE-TO-ENERGY, TRASH-BURNING PLANT, accepting Ka`u’s garbage, could be in the future of Hilo landfill, which is filling up. Mayor Billy Kenoi presented the plan to the County Council yesterday. According to a story in this morning’s Hawai`i Tribune Herald, Kenoi told the County Council, “We want to cast a wide net and look at all options for waste-reduction technology.”
The story by Tom Callis reports that “none of the nine council members criticized Kenoi’s approach, and most praised his plan, which includes issuing a request for qualifications March 3 and signing a contract in April 2015.”
The Tribune-Herald notes that during his term, “Mayor Harry Kim had proposed a $125 million waste-to-energy facility, known as the Wheelabrator. The council killed that proposal over cost concerns.”
The story quoted the current mayor saying that the Hilo landfill could be full in four years and that the high cost of trucking waste to the landfill in West Hawai`i makes using the garbage for energy the best option and less expensive than $222 million that would be needed to expand Hilo landfill.

Hauling Ka`u's waste up the road to Kona would end as the garbage would
be used to make energy in Hilo. Photo from Big Island Video News

The story also reported the county’s Environmental Management chief Bobby Jean Leithead Todd saying that some costs could be offset by selling energy, fuel and other byproducts.
The Tribune-Herald reports Kenoi saying the facility would need to consume up to 300 tons of garbage per day. That’s where shipping all of Ka`u’s and Hamakua's garbage to Hilo and none of it to West Hawai`i comes in, helping Hilo reach that demand.
If the amount of garbage grows and reaches 500 tons per day, the energy plant could, perhaps, pay for itself, public officials stated. However, according to Kenoi, it would not consume green waste that could be used for composting and other purposes.
The mayor told the County Council that he would only consider using proven technology for the energy plant, technology that has been in operation for at least three years. “We want to see that your technology is proven,” he said, according to the Tribune-Herald story.
See more at: http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/local-news/kenoi-outlines-plan-reduce-waste#sthash.qpMYKnP9.dpuf.
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Stargazing is one of event that draws people
to ten days of the Ka`u Coffee Festival.
Photo by Andrew Richard Hara.

KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE held its first community planning meeting for the 2014 event last night and announced ten days of activities, May 2 – 11. Organizers talked about campaigns to buy local, the Miss Ka`u Coffee and Miss Peaberry Pageants and the growth of the festival to include venues at farms, ranches and Ka`u Coffee Mill.
Ka`u Coffee Mill founder Ed Olson, who has contributed more than a third to half of the annual cash budget since the festival began, attended the meeting and offered up the Ka`u Coffee Mill venue again for the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageants on Sunday evening, May 4. Other events at the mill will include the annual Ka`u Coffee recipe contest on Sunday, May 4, a hike into the rainforest along the old plantation water system trail on Wednesday, May 7 and stargazing on Friday, May 9. Aikane Plantation will host its Coffee & Cattle Day on Friday, May 9, and The Inn at Kalaekilohana will offer a Farm to Table event on Saturday, May 3. Pahala Plantation House will host a kick-off open house for volunteers, coffee farmers and Ka`u Coffee enthusiasts on Friday, May 2.

Ka`u Coffee Festival Committee chair Chris Manfredi announced that the festival has received grants from the state Department of Agriculture and the county, with help from the Hawai`i Tourism Authority. He also talked about a reverse trade mission in which coffee experts from afar come to Ka`u to meet people in the local coffee industry. They will gather on Ka`u Coffee College on Sunday, May 11 at Pahala Community Center. The Ho`olaule`a on Saturday, May 10, will include the Ka`u Coffee Experience, entertainment from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and many local Ka`u Coffee grower booths for tasting and buying, as well as fundraising for local nonprofits with food and activities, as well as education booths – all at Pahala Community Center.
Those interested in participating in the Miss Ka`u Coffee and Miss Peaberry pageants can call Pageant chair Gloria Camba at 928-8558 or Pageant director Nalani Parlin at 217-6893. Applications are due this Friday.
To donate scholarship money for the pageant, call Julia Neal at 928-9811. To reserve a vendor or educational booth for the Ho`olaule`a, call Brenda Iokepa Moses at 928-0550. To become a sponsor, call Manfredi at 929-9550.
See www.kaucoffeefest.com for more on the festival.
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TUTU & ME AND PATCH, Parents Attentive to Children, will hold a training session this Friday in Na`alehu in the back pavilion of Punalu`u Bake Shop from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The gathering for parents, grandparents, aunties and other caregivers of young children is open to the community. To register in advance, call 322-3500. Walk-ins will be welcomed.

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

LOVE THE ARTS, the annual fundraiser and gala for Volcano Art Center will be held this Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Ni`aulani Campus. The event features champagne and wine and a gourmet dinner to honor Volcano Art Center's 40th Year in its Hawaiian Home, Hawaiian Style. There will be a live and silent auction. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. It includes a $10 credit toward an auction item. Call 967-8222.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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State Rep. Richard Onishi

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

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

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

See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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

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

HFUU member Simon Russell testified in favor of SB2433.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka`u students, teachers, coaches and parents are invited to submit testimony via videoconferencing during a Senate Education Committee hearing on a bill relating to school athletics. The hearing takes place at the state Capitol Monday. Ka`u's Sen. Russell Ruderman, at left, is on the committee. Photo from Senate Communications Office

KA`U’S STATE SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN, who will hold a talk story at Pahala Plantation House Monday, Feb. 24, is a member of the Legislature’s newly formed Aerospace Caucus. At a press conference yesterday, Ruderman said he is excited about possibilities of an aerospace industry in Hawai`i, including education and jobs in technical fields. He said much of the experimentation and development would likely take place in his district, which includes Ka`u, and that he hopes that “we are proactively engaged in issues such as public safety and privacy, which are bound to arise as we go forward. I think we’ll have a more successful industry and a smoother path if we address those issues,” he said.

Rep. Gene Ward, one of the caucus’ four chairs, said, “We are a state of navigators. Ancient Hawaiians were the first navigators without instruments. He also said, “NASA’s in love with our Big Island.” He cited a lunar park, space tourism, economic development and cultural sensitivity as aspects of aerospace development. “The ancient Hawaiians started as navigators, and we’re going to end as navigators,” he said.

Bills relating do drones and other aerospace technologies are being considered
at the state Legislature.

Other co-chairs are Sens. Will Espero and Glenn Wakai and Rep. Angus McKelvey.
Membership also includes Hawai`i Island Reps. Cindy Evans, Faye Hanohano, Mark Nakashima and Clift Tsuji.
The caucus has identified many bills in the Legislature that are related to aerospace.
SB3092/HB1967 would appropriate $450,000 for a program coordinator and technical support staff member to complete planning required for an international flight training center and associated aeronautical training programs at University of Hawai`i at Hilo and Hawai`i Community College.
HB2151/SB2583 would appropriate $500,000 for an engineering assessment of a proposal to establish a laser optical communications ground station in Hawai`i.
HB2150/SB2584 would appropriate $250,000 to support planetary sustainability technology demonstrations and university-based competitions.
HB2152/SB2585 would appropriate $1,500,000 to the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems to support administrative and general tasks, strategic program initiatives and preliminary development of the PISCES Research and Development Park.
HB2614 would exempt from the general excise tax amounts received from the construction of a space launch facility in the state.
More bills being considered relate to unmanned aircraft, or drones. SB2608 would place limitations on use of the technology in information gathering. SB2582 would require consent or a search warrant to track an individual using drones. It would also prohibit weapons onboard the unmanned aicrafts.
Information on these and other bills is available at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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Sen. David Ige

KA`U STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE in the legislative process by providing testimony for a school athletics funding bill. Sen. David Ige, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committe, has introduced SB3083 that would restore many athletic programs and positions that were cut after the economic downturn.

Ige spoke with many coaches, parents and teachers about the important role athletics play in overall student development. “For many students in our public schools, the opportunity to play sports motivates and positively impacts their success in the classroom,” he said.

Ige also urges public school teachers and coaches to submit testimony. During the hearing, scheduled for this Monday, Feb. 10 at 1:15 p.m., schools across the state will be able to provide live testimony via the Hawai`i State Senate’s Statewide Videoconferencing Pilot Program. Lawmakers initiated the program last year allowing neighbor island residents the opportunity to provide testimony using technology. Many people, especially students, are unable to travel to the state Capitol to provide testimony in person.
“The advent of videoconferencing technologies within the Senate gives students easier access to the legislative process,” said Ige, “allowing them to be stewards of their own education and to voice opinions on how school sports have personally affected their lives.”
Those wishing to submit testimony or to sign up to provide testimony via teleconferencing can do so by visiting capitol.hawaii.gov.

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LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PROVIDE the Public Utilities Commission with more funding passed its first hearing yesterday. SB2924 provides for more funds, which are derived from public utility company revenues and are, thus, paid directly by utility ratepayers for the purpose of providing regulatory oversight, to remain in PUC coffers.

PUC chair Mina Morita

Most of the funding comes from an annual fee of one-half of one per cent of the gross income of the public utility's previous year’s business. Currently, over half of the revenue in this special fund is diverted to the state’s general fund, according to testimony from Blue Planet Foundation.

According to a story in Civil Beat, the Legislature usually provides the PUC with about half of money in the special fund and has used nearly $50 million from it over the past four years for unrelated programs.
“The complexity and size of the Commission’s workload has drastically increased over the last few years as advancements in state policy and utility technology has required, and is causing, a critical review for regulatory reforms,” PUC chair Mina Morita said in her testimony. “Increasing the annual carryover amount in the PUC Special Fund would support the PUC and the Consumer Advocate (as they) fulfill their respective statutory duties during these challenging times.”
Jeff Mikulina, head of the nonprofit Blue Planet Foundation, told Civil Beat, “The utility has always had the upper hand in terms of resources when they’re at the table, so they should at least have a good counterbalance on the other side. Otherwise the onus is on intervenors like us to try to bring those resources to the table.”
Information on SB2924 is available at capitol.hawaii.gov.
See more at civilbeat.com.

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Today is the deadline to enter Miss Ka`u Coffee and Miss Ka`u Peaberry Pageants.

ENTRIES FOR MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT are due today. Those interested in participating can call chair Gloria Camba at 928-8558 or director Nalani Parlin at 217-6893.

To donate scholarship money for the pageant, call Julia Neal at 928-9811. To reserve a vendor or educational booth for the Ho`olaule`a, call Brenda Iokepa Moses at 928-0550. To become a sponsor, call Chris Manfredi at 929-9550.
See kaucoffeefest.com for more on the festival.

BAKED GOODS, CRAFTS AND QUILTS are on sale today and tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach as the Ka`u Red Hat Ladies and Ka Lae Quilters hold their tenth annual fundraiser for Ka`u Hospital emergency room.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ka Lae Quilters and Ka`u Red Hat Ladies will be at Punalu`u Beach Park pavilion today until 4 p.m. or earlier if they sell out of their quilts, potholders and other creations as well as baked goods, jellies and jams. The two organizations cooperate each year to raise money for the Ka`u Hospital emergency room. The next fundraiser is the Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 22 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Photo by Julia Neal

HOME BIRTH IS THE SUBJECT of one bill that the Senate Committee on Health will hear Monday at 1:15 p.m. SB 2569 includes several proposals to improve the safety of home births in Hawai`i. The bill would establish a home birth safety board and require home birth providers to be licensed and to meet minimum educational and training requirements. It also calls for providers to follow record keeping and reporting requirements.

“Home births are an important and valuable option in maternal care and in the range of women’s reproductive choices in Hawai`i,” said Ka`u’s state Sen. Josh Green, M.D., who chairs the committee. “We must preserve and honor every woman’s right to deliver her child at home with her family and her chosen healthcare provider, while ensuring it is done as safely as possible to protect the mother’s health and the health and well-being of the newborn infant.

Quilted items, crafts and baked good are still available at a fundraiser for Ka`u Hospital
emergency room taking place at Punalu`u Beach Park pavilions. Photo by Julia Neal

“The intent of Monday’s hearing is to bring together all members of the home birth community,” Green continued, “including lay midwives and Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, certified professional midwives, certified nurse-midwives and obstetricians in order to generate a meaningful discussion about whether we are doing everything we can to protect the health and safety of mothers and newborns during home births in Hawai`i. It is not the intention of the committee to recommend any policy regarding home birth without listening carefully to the concerns of the entire home birth community and respecting every woman’s reproductive rights, cultural values and religious traditions. It is our hope that we can begin a productive dialogue in which all voices can be heard on this issue, so that we can reach a consensus within the entire home birth community to determine the best way to protect the health and safety of mothers and infants during home births, while honoring and respecting women’s reproductive rights and cultural traditions.”
Another measure under consideration will be SB 2574, relating to medical marijuana, a measure intended to expand access to the medical marijuana program for patients in Hawai`i by allowing pain specialist physicians to prescribe medical marijuana beginning January 2, 2015.
Other measures being heard Monday include SB 3064, relating to Hawai`i Health Systems Corp. The bill would allow for the transition of the state hospital system to nonprofit hospitals incorporated in Hawai`i before January 1, 2000 and would require the acquiring nonprofit hospital to maintain equivalent hospital services in acquired regions. It would also require the state to continue to meet all financial obligations to public employees, including all benefits, pensions and other financial obligations negotiated with public employees’ unions.
The Committee on Health will also hear SB 2521, which would require labeling of foods that have been genetically engineered, provide a penalty for violations and authorize private civil enforcement.

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Chocolate cake is on the menu at Punalu`u Beach Park
pavilions today. Photo by Julia Neal

A BILL THAT WOULD CREATE a task force to determine whether the state should regulate agricultural use of genetically modified organisms has passed its three Senate committees so far at the state Legislature. Senate Committees on Agriculture, Higher Education and Judiciary & Labor all approved the measure, with amendments.

Testimony in favor of the bill came from Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation, Hawai`i Department of Agriculture and University of Hawai`i. Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i and Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association also testified in favor, with amendments.
One amendment proposed by HCIA asks that “any reference to GMO be replaced with ‘genetically engineered crops’ or agricultural biotechnology’ embraced by the scientific and regulatory community.”

Another amendment asks that presidents of Hawai`i Papaya Industry Association, Hawai`i Floriculture Industry and Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association be added to the task force “to allow farmers growing GE crops the opportunity to provide perspective on the work that they do.”

In its original form, SB2454 called for members of the task force to include dean of University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, chair of state Department of Agriculture, director of state Department of Health, president of Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation and president of Hawai`i Farmers Union United or their designees. The governor would also select “four experts with scientific knowledge in the use of” GMOs in agriculture.
Critics of the measure see the composition of the task force as biased and suggest that the proposal is an attempt to bypass recently approved county regulations on Kaua`i and Hawai`i Island. One person testified, “The state has done a very poor job of taking care of our health, environment and well being on almost every level. Each county has its own challenges, and we must meet them individually.”

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THIRTY-SIX STATES DON’T TAX FOOD SALES, and Hawai`i would join them if Senate Bill 2169 passes the state Legislature. Supported by grocers and anti-poverty groups, the bill, introduced by Sen. Sam Slom, a Republican, would help reduce the high cost of living, which keeps many people here in poverty. Fourteen other states tax food at a lower rate than Hawai`i. According to an Associated Press story this morning, Kelii Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawai`i, told the Senate Committee on Human Services on Thursday that a family of four in Hawai`i spends on average $1,000 per month for groceries. The tax cut would save them $450 a year.

Patricia McManaman

Hawai`i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Jenny Lee, testified, “It’s simply counterintuitive and inefficient policy to tax households deeper into poverty and then have expensive social services provided in order to try to alleviate the impact of poverty.”
The bill would also exempt medical care from the excise tax.
In another anti-poverty measure, the state would double the tax credits for renters earning under $30,000 a year.
The Tax Foundation offered a different approach – cut the excise tax rate across the board.

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PATRICIA MCMANAMAN, DIRECTOR of state the Department of Human Services, is stepping down from her position due to personal reasons. McManaman has served under the Abercrombie Administration since its inception in December 2010. She said it has been an “incredible honor” to serve the people of Hawai`i.

“The Department of Human Services exists to improve the lives of the most vulnerable and needy in our communities,” stated McManaman. “I have worked alongside dedicated people in the department who truly believe in the work of helping others. I am extremely humbled and grateful to have served with them and know there will be a seamless transition to continue the work started under this Administration.”
Gov. Neil Abercrombie expressed his gratitude for McManaman’s service, saying, “Pat has been a leader in our community for decades and has directly and indirectly touched many lives. Her persistence in doing what’s just, and her experience and knowledge has helped to right many a ship.”
The governor is placing deputy director Barbara Yamashita as acting director. “Pat will be missed as our director, but she has laid solid foundation for moving forward,” said Yamashita.
Prior to her directorship position, McManaman practiced law in Hawai`i for more than 30 years, holding a variety of public interest legal positions. She also served as a per diem judge in the District Court and Family Court of the First Circuit, state of Hawai`i for 17 years.
McManaman has received a variety of awards and recognition for her leadership in social and public health issues.

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Nene nest is hidden in guinea grass.
Photo by Royden Okinishi

AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF NENE have been raising their family this winter at Ka`u Coffee Mill with the keiki swimming in the reservoir. The nest was hidden in guinea grass in a composting area of the farm. Nene are endangered and the state bird of Hawai`i. Generations ago, this Hawaiian goose was on the menu of Volcano House dining room.

When the nene first arrived at Ka`u Coffee Mill, employees worked to eradicate mongoose, which eat nene eggs.

A pair of nene is raising a family
at Ka`u Coffee Mill.
Photo by Royden Okinishi

BAKED GOODS, CRAFTS AND QUILTS are on sale today until 5 p.m. at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach as the Ka`u Red Hat Ladies and Ka Lae Quilters hold their tenth annual fundraiser for Ka`u Hospital emergency room.

LOVE THE ARTS, the annual fundraiser and gala for Volcano Art Center, takes place today from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. The event features champagne and wine and a gourmet dinner to honor Volcano Art Center’s 40th Year in its Hawaiian Home, Hawaiian-Style. There will be a live and silent auction. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door, which includes a $10 credit toward an auction item. Call 967-8222.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK hold their Sunday Walk in the Park tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tim Tunison leads a three-mile, round-trip walk exploring the Mauna Ulu area. Free for Friends members; non-members can join the organization in order to attend. 985-7373, admin@fhvnp.org

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

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

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

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Jan. 20, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Jan. 24, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Jan. 27, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Jan. 31, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Feb. 3, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Feb. 7, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014