The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Ka`u High School students met with state Sen. Russell Ruderman last night and asked for help with school and community issues. Ruderman, who represents the district from Honu`apo through Pahala and Volcano into Puna, held a community gathering at Pahala Plantation House, and students of Ka`u High teacher Kevin Sun and Pahala Middle School teacher Sandy Tran attended. See their story in tomorrow's Ka`u Calendar News Briefs. Photo by Julia Neal

STATE SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN encouraged his Ka`u constituents to participate in the legislative process at his talk story last night at Pahala Plantation House. He said testimony provided on bills under consideration is worth 1,000 times more than comments made when the Legislature is not in session. Residents of any age can offer their views at capitol.hawaii.gov.

Sen. Russell Ruderman wants to continue funding research
of rapid `ohi`a death. Photo from UH-CTAHR

Several bills introduced by Ruderman are still alive this session and available for public comment. Many relate to environment issues. Senate Bill 2271 would continue funding research of rapid `ohi`a death, which continues to ravage Hawai`i Island’s forests.

SB 2516 funds education efforts to prevent rat lungworm disease, which Ruderman said is more dangerous than dengue fever. Slugs spread the disease when they come into contact with vegetables. Ruderman said all vegetables eaten raw need to be washed thoroughly as a preventive measure. The disease is also associated with catchment water.

Macadamia felted coccid threatens Ka`u's
orchards. Photo from Ag Department

Ka`u’s commercial macadamia nut orchards could benefit from SB2988, which would appropriate funds to research and develop methods for prevention and treatment of macadamia felted coccid, an invasive species that reduces crop production and can kill trees.

Community food forests, where residents could grow non-for-profit food crops on state land, would provide sources of low- or no-cost food to residents. SB2967 states that “food production in populated areas may contribute significantly to community sustainability by providing locally produced, healthy food to those who cannot otherwise afford it.”
SB2515 would require more electric vehicle charging stations in parking lots. Currently, only lots containing more than 100 spaces must have charging stations. Ruderman, who drives a Nissan Leaf on O`ahu, wants EV owners to be able to charge their vehicles at various locations so they can drive around each island. He said this would promote more use of EVs and less use of fossil fuels.
An industrial hemp bill, not Ruderman’s but the same as one he introduced last year, would establish a pilot program to allow cultivation of industrial hemp and distribution of its seed. Ruderman said the crop has many uses, including feed for animals and enrichment of soil. He said it is a good crop for marginal lands and is drought resistant.

Track these and other bills at capitol.hawaii.gov.
See more in tomorrow’s Ka`u Calendar News Briefs.

OCEAN VIEW RESIDENTS CONCERNED about abandoned, hungry and mistreated dogs are encouraged to voice their thoughts at a meeting on March 24 at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Iolani Hawk, a longtime Ocean View resident, is spearheading an effort to unite the Police Department and Hawai`i Humane Society to solve problems.

“Our community must hold some sort of world record for the percentage of dogs in cars and trucks,” Hawk said. “Most of us truly love our dogs and are even proud of them. Unfortunately, there are some people that do not hold these great creatures in high regard. Some poor dogs get chained to the same place for most of their lives – ignored once they’ve lost that puppy cuteness. And some dogs live out their lives as thin as skeletons, starved from lack of attention and complete irresponsibility.

“In Ocean View, too many dogs are abandoned for a variety of reasons and left to roam the neighborhoods, eating trash, howling and barking all night long, fighting or searching for pets or farm stock to kill. People are frustrated, experiencing sleepless nights and at odds with neighbors who do not control their barking animals. Police and the Humane Society are called to settle the domestic disputes.”

Hawk will have free baggies of dog food available once a month at Ka`u Food Pantry at St. Jude’s Church, as well as at the free dinner held at the community center.

Over the last few years, quite a few concerned residents have created a network of recovery and rescue operations. For instance, the organization K.A.R.E.S. (808-328-8455) provides free spay/neuter service for dogs, and Hawai`i Humane Society offers free spay/neuter coupons at the beginning of every month, but there is a cap on that amount until the next month.

On Feb. 18, a small group met with the Humane Society at Ocean View Community Center to discuss their next move. Unfortunately, the Police Department could not make this meeting, but we look forward to their future participation.
The Humane Society expressed their willingness to come to Ocean View twice a week without charging the $25 fee to pick up puppies or dogs. They will not pick up loose puppies or dogs; dogs must be tied up or contained upon the officer’s arrival. Humane Society pamphlets outlining the three-step remedy of noisy, barking dog situations are available.
Hawk and others now look forward to some real enforcement of these guidelines with help from the Police Department.
“This is the beginning of a large, conscious effort to make a significant difference in the quality of life for dogs in the home we all call Ocean View,” Hawk said.

Patsy Mink Photo from Patsy T. Mink Foundation

U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD HONORED Hawai`i trailblazer Patsy Mink as a life-long advocate for civil rights and equal opportunity during Women’s History Month.

“After graduating from Maui High in 1944 as class president and valedictorian, and attending college with dreams of becoming a doctor, Patsy Mink had over a dozen medical schools slam the door shut simply because she was a woman,” Gabbard said. “Rather than quit, she took action. She attended law school, becoming the first Japanese-American female attorney in Hawai`i and was elected as the first Asian-American woman ever to Congress in 1965.

“Through her 12 terms in the House of Representatives, serving Hawai`i’s Second District, which I’m honored to represent today, she was a true champion for equal rights and opportunity. In 1972, her landmark bill, Title IX, was signed in to law, legislation that has since allowed young women all across the country the very same opportunities to jump high, run fast, hit hard and go the extra mile, same as their male counterparts.
“As we kick off Women’s History Month, let us recognize and celebrate Patsy Mink and the countless other women throughout our nation’s history who blazed trails before us and broke down barriers for a better future for our next generation.”

Caren Loebel-Fried sketches an albatross with egg on Midway.
VAC Photo by Dan Clark

FRIENDS OF MIDWAY ATOLL National Wildlife Refuge present the Magic of Midway, a charity auction and conversation about a raucous seabird colony and World War II monument, tomorrow from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Artist Caren Loebel-Fried shares her Midway experience, and Rob Shallenberger, former Refuge Manager, presents photos of historical Midway and a year in the life of an albatross.

A limited edition print of Loebel-Fried’s Midway and other art merchandise will be available for purchase to support FOMA and wildlife on Midway Atoll.
Free; $5 donations appreciated.

Call 967-8222 for more information.

NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELING QUILT Exhibit opens Friday at Volcano House Great Room in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Quilts created by Fiber Works, a group of textile artists from the Lincoln-Omaha, Nebraska area will be on display through Sunday, March 27.
See nps.gov/havo.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March2016.pdf.

Beginning tomorrow, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will display 13 colorful art quilts created to celebrate National Park Service's centennial anniversary. See more below. Image from NPS

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS met with their state senator Tuesday night and expressed hopes and concerns for education and the community. Among issues discussed with Sen. Russell Ruderman, who represents Honu`apo through Pahala and Volcano into Puna, was shutdown of the carpentry and building program at Ka`u High School. At the meeting held at Pahala Plantation House, student Sheri Freitas said she was looking to a career in the building trades, and suddenly the program that prepared youth for jobs in this community was gone. She also talked about Advanced Placement classes being unavailable when the minimum number of students in the small high school is unavailable to take them. Ruderman commended the students for becoming vocal about such issues. Regarding AP classes, he encouraged students to organize as many students as possible to sign up for them. Regarding the building trades program, he said he wants to learn more.

Ka`u High students met with state Sen. Russell Ruderman Tuesday.
Photo by Julia Neal

The students revealed that they are well on their way to coming up with their own solutions for a number of their challenges. Chloe Gan and Tina Sanchez talked about working with the Boys & Girls Club to offer sports coach training. They are advocating for the return of music to the school, working on the soccer program and providing opportunities for art and dance.

Ruderman said, “If it was up to me, we would put twice as much money into education, and it wouldn’t go to people sitting in offices in Honolulu.” He encouraged the students to form or work with nonprofit organizations and get ready for next year’s Legislature where a grant-in-aid could be a possibility to help meet their objectives.
Regarding other topics, students weighed in on Ka`u Coffee farming and asked whether the land could be sold off, putting farmers at risk. They had questions on an initiative at the Legislature to grow hemp for livestock food, fiber, biofuel and other non-drug uses, asking whether science supports these uses.
They also talked about changing campaign spending laws. Ruderman said political action committees can put up large money and influence politicians more than constituents. He talked about the power of lobbyists at the state Legislature. “The whole game of money and politics has gone too far,” said the senator, calling for term limits like those already in place for mayor, County Council and governor.
Ruderman told the students that even if they are under the voting age, their opinions count. He urged them to use the Internet to testify on issues of their concern by logging onto capitol.hawaii.gov.

Among the other students participating were Jenny Mauricio and Kun Mongkeya. Their teacher Kevin Sun offers a participation in democracy class at the high school. Assisting in their efforts is Pahala Middle School teacher Sandy Tran.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Civil Defense Chief Darryl Oliveira updates
County Council about dengue fever.
Image from Hawai`i County

HAWAI`I COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE hopes to organize a cleanup event to remove more than 1,000 tires from an Ocean View property in order to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds. The resident told Hawai`i County Civil Defense that he is physically unable to remove the tires by himself. Chief Darryl Oliveira said the National Guard may be called in to help with the cleanup.

At a special Hawai`i County Council meeting yesterday for an update on the island’s dengue fever outbreak, Oliveira said the county has so far collected more than 9,000 tires through a program that allows residents to take tires to transfer stations.
Oliveira said that while state statutes allow tires to be landfilled as long as they’re cut up, county ordinance prohibits it. He said stockpiling tires could create a health hazard, and he wants to come up with options to prevent such a situation.
Oliveira said he is close to asking for help with projects to clean up more dump sites that could contribute to the spread of dengue fever, such as one Ka`u County Council member Maile David said she recently visited that is also on private property.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HO`OMALU KA`U’S DRYLAND PLANTS workshop held last Saturday in Discovery Harbour attracted 36 people. Lehua Lopez Mau said the audience was interested in Rapid `Ohi`a Death, which is killing thousands of trees on Hawai`i Island, and that workshop organizers were able to let people know not to do burn the wood or take to the dump.
The last dryland plants workshop is scheduled for Sunday, June 5 in Pahala.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

TUTU & ME BRINGS FREE vision screening to Ka`u this month. Keiki and adults can have their eyes checked Monday, March 14 at Na`alehu Community Center and Tuesday, March 15 at Pahala Community Center. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free sunglasses will be offered to keiki, and free reading glasses will be offered to adults if needed.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE ARE WARNING the public about an ongoing lottery scam involving a letter that claims the recipient has won a substantial amount of money but must pay a processing fee before the prize is dispersed. Included in the mailing is an authentic-looking check, which typically exceeds the stated processing fee. The letter instructs recipients to call a number on the letter and directs them to mail the sender a personal check. Victims of this scam later discover that the check they received for processing fees is bogus.
Efforts to contact the supposed lottery company usually result in discovering that the phone number has been disconnected.
The public is advised not to respond to any claim of lottery winnings in contests they never entered. Furthermore, legitimate lotteries do not ask winners to pay a processing fee before they can collect a prize.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY Association offers workshops this month. Free Grant Writing I & II workshops are filling up fast. Seats are limited for the classes on Saturday, March 12.

CPR and First Aide Certification Training is scheduled for Saturday, March 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center in Pahala. Registration is limited to eight participants on a first come, first served basis. Fee is $90, or $75 for KRHCAI members.

For more information, call 928-0101.

Midway by Caren Loebel-Fried
Image from VAC

THE MAGIC OF MIDWAY takes place today from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Artist Caren Loebel-Fried shares her Midway experience, and Rob Shallenberger, former Refuge Manager, presents photos of historical Midway and a year in the life of an albatross. Free; $5 donations are appreciated.

Loebel-Fried offers a free block printing demonstration on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery. Park entrance fees apply.
Call 967-8222 for more information.

NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELING QUILT Exhibit opens tomorrow at Volcano House Great Room in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Quilts created by Fiber Works, a group of textile artists from the Lincoln-Omaha, Nebraska area will be on display through Sunday, March 27.

One quilt celebrating Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will be gifted to park after the traveling exhibits final stop.
Free; park entrance fees apply.
See nps.gov/havo.

WES AWANA SHARES HIS LOVE of Hawaiian music by giving family-friendly `ukulele lessons tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the porch of Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Free; park entrance fees apply.

ZEKE ISRAEL DEMONSTRATES hand building with clay on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The demo is in association with the gallery’s current Sightlines exhibit of works by members of Volcano Village Artists Hui.
Free; park entrance fees apply.

PARTICIPANTS DISCOVER HAWAIIAN goddesses Hi`iaka and Pele and the natural phenomena they represent on a moderate, one-mile walk. Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers the free program Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

ALTOGETHER: WE ARE ONE holds its inaugural event on Tuesday, March 8 at Hawai`i Nature Retreat in Wood Valley. Its website describes the event as “a journey of exploration, expansion and focus of the energy that flows through us all, creating a golden grid of love and light across the island of Hawai`i to usher in a new age of civilization.”

This first event will deal with exercises, meditation, education and the clearing and opening of Root and Sacral chakras. Participants join their collective consciousness and powers of manifestation to work through their bodies’ chakras, ending in celebration with dancing and music into the night.
For more information, see altogetherweareone.com or facebook.com/events/142146472838551.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March2016.pdf.

More severe drought conditions like these in 2012 may come to Ka`u, which is currently in a moderate drought,
according to the National Weather Service, which released its report yesterday. Photo by Julia Neal

THE DROUGHT IS BACK, the National Weather Service announced yesterday, declaring a “severe drought” in some places on the Big Island and Maui and “moderate drought” in Ka`u. On grazing lands near South Point in Ka`u, ranchers “have been reporting very poor pasture conditions,” the report said. Kapapala ranchers told The Ka`u Calendar newspaper that rainfall has been low in their pastures between Pahala and Volcano.
The report mentioned that coffee farmers, mainly in the Kona area, have reported “a largely dormant crop due to the lack of rainfall.” It also noted recent brush fires on the island, which are more frequent during times of drought.

The tan area that includes Ka`u
is in moderate drought, the darker
areas in severe drought.
Map from National Weather Service

The National Weather Service stated, “residents on water catchment systems have been hauling water, either themselves or by hiring a hauling service to fill their tanks for basic needs.”
Kevin Kodama, hydrologist for the regional office of the National Weather Service, predicted that drought will spread and worsen through summer. He pointed to a strong El Nino event leading to dry weather, following a period of wet weather. A record low of rainfall was set in January, with most places experiencing less than 50 percent of the normal precipitation, some areas receiving less than 10 percent of normal. The National Weather Service is predicting lower than median rainfall through spring and above median temperatures attained this summer. Kodama said to look toward October for relief of dry and hotter weather conditions.
“El Nino will likely weaken and transition to enso-neutral conditions during the spring or early summer of 2016 with a possible transition to La Nina conditions in the fall,” the report stated. To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

THE TERM LIMIT BILL BY SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN in the state Legislature was shelved yesterday. The senator said Tuesday at a public meeting in Pahala that it could take many years for such a bill to pass, but he keeps pushing for term limits for the Legislature where career politicians accumulate a lot of favors and “walk around with votes in their pocket.” Ruderman said that he recently attended a conference on leadership on the mainland where attendees discussed the success of term limits, which are in place for most state Legislatures around the country. They also discussed referendum, which allows citizens to bring their own initiatives to the ballot box. He said that it became clear that both of these would help Hawai`i move toward a more democratic Legislature where voters, rather than lobbyists and long-term legislators have more say.

Sen. Ruseell Ruderman, who marched in Na`alehu's Independence Day Parade,
supports 12-year term limits for state legislators. Photo by Peter Anderson

The state Senator who shelved the bill in Hawai`i was Gilbert Keith-Agaran, chair of the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee. Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported this morning that Keith-Agaran said that term limits are unnecessary since “we already have term limits in the sense that we have elections every two years (for members of the state House of Representatives) and every four years (for state senators) and there’s been fair turnover… . If the public and the voters are unhappy with their representatives, they have the option of voting them out.” Ruderman’s bill would have set the term limits to 12 years, longer than in many states.
During his Ka`u meeting, Ruderman said that once legislators are in office they often hold the position for many years. He said that political action committees and lobbyists are a “severe corruption to our democracy,” in particular influencing longtime legislators. “It is sort of a rigged deal. Once you are in there, you can stay there. The situation becomes calcified, people getting their way forever.” Several members of the public attending the Ka`u meeting said they would submit online testimony in favor of the term limits. Ka`u High School students weighed in on their desire to participate in government.
Ruderman, himself a businessman with a chain of food stores, said that in states where there are term limits, they don't have legislators who are career politicians - “aside from citizens.” He said legislators should be from the community, “take a term and go back into the community." To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

FORMER MAYOR HARRY KIM will run again after sitting out for four years and then losing to his protégé and current Mayor Billy Kenoi by less than 1,500 votes. As mayor for two terms beginning the year 2000, Kim was known for his refusal to take any favors, going as far as declining to dine at a credit union dinner where he was speaking. He earned the nickname “Honest Harry.” Before

Mayoral candidate Harry Kim, again.
Photo from Harry Kim campaign

becoming mayor, Kim was Civil Defense director for Hawai`i County for 16 years. His voice was famous for his radio updates on lava flows, storms, fires, floods and other natural disaster threats.
In his 2000 run for mayor, Kim limited donations to his campaign to $10.
Kim was born in Kea`au, educated at `Ola`a and Hilo High Schools. He attended college at University of Hawai`i-Hilo and Southern Oregon University, where he graduated. He served as a medic in the U.S. Army and taught school and coached on this island.
Other candidates are Jefferson Gourley; former Council Chairman Pete Hoffmann; videographer and founder of the former KAHU community radio station in Pahala, Wendell Ka`ehu`ae`a; former County Managing Director Wally Lau; Shannon McCandless; and Eric Weinhert. To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Randy Kurohara

NEW COUNTY MANAGING DIRECTOR is Randy Kurohara, following the resignation of Wally Lau, who announced his candidacy for mayor. Kurohara, 53, served as head of the county Department of Research & Development from 2000 to 2012 when he became deputy managing directory for Hawai`i County after being appointed by Mayor Billy Kenoi who also appointed him for the new job. Yesterday, the County Council approved the new position with praise for his work.

Kurohara graduated from University of Hawai`i at Manoa with a degree in marketing. His business and community achievements are many, including owner of graphic arts and custom apparel company Creative Arts Hawai`i, and owner of Parker Ranch Store and Aloha Grown. He has served as a board member of Hilo Medical Center and East Hawai`i Regional board for Hawai`i Health System Corp., board member and past president of Rotary Club of South Hilo, director and past president of Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Hawai`i, board member of Hawai`i Island Chamber of Commerce and board member of Hawai`i Island United Way. To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELING QUILT Exhibit opens today at Volcano House Great Room in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Quilts created by Fiber Works, a group of textile artists from the Lincoln-Omaha, Nebraska area will be on display through Sunday, March 27.

One quilt celebrating Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will be gifted to park after the traveling exhibits final stop. Free; park entrance fees apply. See nps.gov/havo.

ZEKE ISRAEL DEMONSTRATES hand building with clay on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The demo is in association with the gallery’s currentSightlines exhibit of works by members of Volcano Village Artists Hui.
Free; park entrance fees apply.

PARTICIPANTS DISCOVER HAWAIIAN goddesses Hi`iaka and Pele and the natural phenomena they represent on a moderate, one-mile walk. Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers the free program Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

ALTOGETHER: WE ARE ONE will be Tuesday, March 8 at Hawai`i Nature Retreat in Wood Valley. The website describes the event as “a journey of exploration, expansion and focus of the energy that flows through us all, creating a golden grid of love and light across the island of Hawai`i to usher in a new age of civilization.” See altogetherweareone.com or facebook.com/events/142146472838551.

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

Ka`u High boys volleyball team again took first place at an annual tournament last Saturday. Assistant coach Jade and daughter Janayah Cabreros, #5 Janslae Badua, #8 Jacob Flores, #3 Jovan Padrigo, #1 Trevor Taylor, #7 Travis Taylor, #4 Pete Dacalio, #20 Jamal Buyuan, and Head Coach Joshua Oretga. See more below. Photo from Joshua Ortega

ALL ELIGIBLE HAWAI`I VOTERS IN KA`U who are interested in helping to choose the Republican Presidential candidate for Hawai`i are encouraged to attend the party’s caucus at Na`alehu Elementary School cafeteria Tuesday and vote from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Unregistered voters can register and join the party before casting ballots. “Voters do not have to be members of the Hawai`i Republican Party because they will be asked to fill out a party card before they vote,” said Lee McIntosh, chief volunteer for the Ka`u caucus. A photo ID is required to vote.

Current Republic candidates are, in alphabetical order, Texas’ U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, Ohio’s Gov. John Kasich, Florida’s U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and businessman Donald Trump.
Those who have any questions or are unable to vote in Ka`u may vote at other polling locations listed at http://gophawaii.com/?page_id=822&mc_cid=97b080d234&mc_eid=8b1aaeb543.
To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HFUU supports on-farm mentoring.

A BILL THAT WOULD ESTABLISH on-farm mentoring programs passed the state Senate Ways & Means Committee. Hawai`i Farmers Union United reported that SB2137 would appropriate $500,00 to the Department of Agriculture to support programs throughout the state.

According to the bill, “The development of a whole farm system approach to agriculture in Hawai`i that pays close attention to soil health, specifically increasing mineral availability and improving soil structure, water-holding capacity, crop health and food nutrition levels, will lower water usage through deployment of green manure, compost and cover crops; reduce crop loss from pest damage; and decrease weed pressure. This whole farm system approach to agriculture can improve food security and benefit the local economy through reducing production costs by promoting locally sourced inputs and the manufacturing thereof. Teaching a new generation of farmers to use this whole farm system approach will create an alternative method of farming that appeals to many young farmers across the state. Currently, there is a shortage of qualified teachers for these farm methods. On-farm mentoring aims to fulfill this need by bringing the students to the farm and providing qualified farm mentors with funding.”
Ka`u residents can track progress of this and other bills at capitol.hawaii.gov.
To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Colleagues joined Sen. Mazie Hirono's call for action on an
eventual nominee to the Supreme Court.
Photo from Sen. Hirono's Office

HAWAI`I’S U.S. SENATORS continue to push their colleagues to commit to taking any action on President Obama’s eventual nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy caused by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death. Republican Congress members have said they will not act on any nomination until after a new president replaces Barack Obama, who has reached his term limit. Voters will cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Several Senate colleagues and Congressional Black Caucus leaders joined Sen. Mazie Hirono, who said, “It is unprecedented to announce unilaterally that no part of advice and consent will occur until after an election. There is a law enacted nearly 150 years ago that says that the Supreme Court shall consist of nine justices, which also presumes that when a vacancy occurs, the President will nominate a replacement and the Senate will provide advice and consent. In my view, this law is violated when Senate Republicans say that it’s OK to leave a vacancy unfilled for over a year.”
Sen. Brian Schatz said, “A recent poll showed that 69 percent of Americans say that Senate Republicans should consider President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court and take an up-or-down confirmation vote on that person. The Constitution is clear on what should happen next. The American people are clear on what should happen next. Senate Republicans should simply do their job instead of playing political games and commit to considering President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court.”
To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

USGS HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY geologist Don Swanson was recently named as the recipient of two prestigious awards, HVO reported in the current issue of Volcano Watch.

“In May 2016, he will receive the U.S. Geological Survey’s Shoemaker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Communications. This annual award honors a USGS scientist who has created excitement and enthusiasm for science among non-scientists and recognizes the recipient’s lifetime contributions to science through effective communication skills.

Geologist Don Swanson is known for his passionate public
outreach. Photo from USGS/HVO

“During the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in September 2016, Don will receive the GSA Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Petrology, and Volcanology Division’s Distinguished Geologic Career Award. This annual GSA award goes to an individual who has made distinguished contributions, with emphasis on multidisciplinary and field-based approaches, in one or more geologic fields of research throughout his/her career.
“The GSA award citation states, in part, that ‘as a field-focused geologist, Dr. Swanson combines both strong disciplinary impact in igneous processes and volcanic hazards with unusually passionate public outreach.’ It goes on to say, ‘field-based researchers rarely achieve the same impact in the literature as their academic counterparts, yet Dr. Swanson's publication record is outstanding and his work has significantly directed volcanic hazards policy.’

“Don’s career as a USGS volcanologist spans more than 50 years, six states, and four countries.
“On the U.S. mainland, Don mapped and studied the Columbia River basalt, a huge lava field that erupted from 17 to six million years ago and inundated much of eastern Washington and parts of Oregon and Idaho. Don also served as lead geologist for the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington, where he played a critical role in the monitoring and documentation of the cataclysmic eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. Six years later, he became CVO’s Scientist-in-Charge.
“Don’s first stint at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory was as a staff geologist in 1968–1971, during which he documented Kilauea Volcano’s Mauna Ulu eruption. He returned to Hawai`i in 1996, and for nearly eight years, he was HVO’s Scientist-in-Charge. In 2004, Don rotated back to a research scientist position at HVO, where he continues to unravel the geologic history of Kilauea.
“Throughout his USGS career, Don has been an enthusiastic communicator of volcano science and hazards. His outreach contributions have spurred public interest in volcanoes and encouraged students to pursue earth science careers.
“As Scientist-in-Charge, Don supported CVO and HVO staff in their development of museum and visitor center displays that have been seen by hundreds of thousands of people. For example, a traveling exhibition on Cascade and Hawaiian volcanoes, created by the USGS in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, was showcased in 11 major cities.
“Early on, Don saw the potential of the Internet and made HVO’s Web presence a priority of his leadership tenure. Using the website to post daily updates about Kilauea’s eruption, Don captivated readers around the world with his observations, which were presented in a consistent style that was not overly technical but still maintained scientific rigor. The updates also conveyed his passion and curiosity as a scientist wanting to discover more about Kilauea’s history.
“Don’s prose has also graced USGS Fact sheets, USGS General Interest Products, and numerous newspaper columns, all of which have been well-received by the public.

“As a speaker, Don’s experience and eloquence has led to countless media interviews and hundreds of diverse community forums to his credit. His recent presentations have focused on his ongoing research into the serious hazard implications of Kilauea’s explosive history, as well as the links between Native Hawaiian culture and volcano science.

“Don is committed to knowledge transfer. He has trained hundreds of National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service interpreters on how to convey the geology and hazards of Hawaiian and Cascade Range volcanoes to the public. He is also a prolific field trip leader for undergraduate and graduate geology students wanting to learn about Kilauea.”
See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO KA`U HIGH School boys volleyball team that took first place for the second consecutive time in the Big Island Under 300 Boys Volleyball Invitational Tournament this passed Saturday on Saturday, Feb. 27. “Playing five games in a row with only seven players, they where tired at times, but all of them stayed strong. At the end, it was all worth it,” Coach Joshua Ortega said.

To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

See vast vistas on the Palm Trail Hike tomorrow. NPS Photo

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES National Park offers its popular Palm Trail Hike tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This free, moderately difficult, 2.6-mile, loop-trail hike provides one of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer.

See nps.gov/havo.

BEGINNING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE classes take place tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at Ka`u Youth Center near Na`alehu Community Center. Classes on the first and third Tuesday of each month are taught by kupuna Jeannette Howard. An informal kanikapila stressing songs of Ka`u follows the classes, which are free and open to everyone.

For more information, call Beverly Byouk at 936-7262.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

Guided nature walks in an intact old-growth forest are offered tomorrow and each Monday at Volcano Art Center's Nialulani Campus in Volcano Village. See more below. Photo from VAC

KA`U AND MILOLI`I ARE NO LONGER risk areas for dengue fever, Hawai`i Department of Health reported on Friday. Previously, areas of Na`alehu, Ocean View and Miloli`i were in categories ranging from some risk to high risk.

Although dengue fever risk sites continue to dwindle, Civil
Defense warns that the outbreak is far from over.
Map from Hawai`i DOH

Although the number and frequency of new confirmed cases of dengue fever appears to be on the decline, Hawai`i County Civil Defense reported that the outbreak is not anticipated to be considered over anytime in the near future. On Friday, the state reported that no new cases of dengue fever have been reported and none are infectious. The total number of confirmed cases remained at 260.

To prevent mosquito bites, wear clothing that minimizes exposed skin, use mosquito repellent on skin that cannot be covered, and avoid areas of high mosquito concentration during the early morning and late afternoon periods when mosquito activity is greatest.
Persons who suspect that they may have dengue should remain indoors to prevent the possibility of being bitten and infecting mosquitoes. They should also contact a health care provider. Community health centers are working with DOH to see patients who suspect they may have dengue regardless of ability to pay.
Residents are asked to help reduce potential mosquito breeding areas around homes and businesses. Remove all standing water, and take unused tires to county transfer stations.
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HAWAI`I ISLAND LED THE STATE with 48.7 percent of customer electricity use coming from renewable resources in 2015. Maui County, including Moloka`i and Lana`i, recorded 35.4 percent, and O`ahu achieved 17.2 percent of electricity used from renewable energy.

Hawaiian Electric Companies reported the data in the annual Renewable Portfolio Standard report filed with Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission. The consolidated RPS for Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawai`i Electric Light combined was 23.2 percent, an increase from 21.3 percent for 2014.

Alan Oshima Photo from HECO

According to HECO, the achievement far exceeded Hawai`i’s 2015 RPS goal of 15 percent and came from use of a diverse mix of renewable sources, including waste-to-energy, biomass, geothermal, hydro, wind, biofuels and solar, both utility-scale and customer-sited rooftop systems.

The RPS reported to the PUC represents the calculation for the entire year. However, Hawai`i Island hit a renewable high of 68 percent in December 2015. Maui County hit 63 percent in April 2015, and O`ahu reached 42 percent in May 2015.
“These are achievements that everyone in Hawai`i can be proud of,” said Alan Oshima, HECO president and CEO. “Integrating renewable energy resources for the benefit of all customers is a top priority, and these results highlight Hawai`i’s nation-leading commitment.
“A balanced portfolio of renewable resources is critical to our successful transition from imported oil. Energy conservation and storage, rooftop and grid solar, wind power, geothermal and demand response programs will all continue to help us reach that goal while providing value to our customers.”

HECO reported that electricity generated using renewable energy sources increased by 39,153 megawatt-hours in 2015. The total amount of electrical energy generated from customer-sited, grid-connected sources increased by an estimated 128,060 megawatt-hours, a 24.9 percent increase compared to the previous year.

HECO is preparing updated power supply improvement plans for achieving Hawai`i’s future RPS goals of 30 percent by 2020, 40 percent by 2030, 70 percent by 2040 and 100 percent by 2045.
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PUBLIC HUNTING AREAS within Kipuka `Ainahou and Mauna Kea Forest Reserve are closed, Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife reported.

The license agreement allowing DLNR to manage these lands for public hunting and wildlife management purposes has expired and has not been renewed. The lands were closed to public access as of March 1 and will remain closed until further notice. Pu`u O`o Trail within this area that is managed by DLNR’s Na Ala Hele trails and access program also remains closed until further notice.
For further information on this closure, contact DOFAW in Hilo at 974-4221.
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U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ co-introduced bipartisan legislation addressing the future impact of new technology known as the Internet of Things. The bill, known as the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things, or DIGIT Act, builds upon the senators’ resolution that called for a national strategy on the Internet of Things. This resolution passed the Senate last March, putting the U.S. Senate on record supporting a strategy to maintain U.S. global competitiveness in the digital age. It also called for a modern framework around innovation, recognizing the importance of consensus-based best practices and the need for innovators to drive the future development of the Internet of Things.

Sen. Brian Schatz calls for a national strategy on
the Internet of Things. Image from Wikipedia

According to Wikipedia, “the Internet of Things is the network of physical objects - devices, vehicles, buildings and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity - that enables these objects to collect and exchange data. The Internet of Things allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit.”

“With more and more devices connecting to the Internet every day, we have a unique opportunity to continue leading this technological revolution,” Schatz said. “Our bill recognizes the enormous potential the Internet of Things holds and will give us the tools to make sure our policies help promote its growth.”
The DIGIT Act directs the Federal Communications Commission to complete a report assessing spectrum needs required to support the Internet of Things. It also convenes a working group of both federal and private entity stakeholders that would provide recommendations to Congress. These recommendations would focus on how to plan for, and encourage, the growth of the Internet of Things in the United States.
The rapidly developing market of health wearables, connected homes and other novel solutions represents an expanding industry of consumer products.
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GUIDED NATURE WALKS through the rain forest at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village are offered tomorrow and every Monday at 9:30 a.m. The one-hour, free guided walks introduce individuals, families and groups to the most diverse, intact and accessible, old-growth `ohi`a/koa rain forest remaining in the state. No reservations are required for groups of five or less. Free; donations are appreciated.
For further information, email programs@volcanoartcenter.org.

IN SPORTS, CHLOE GAN took first place in girls 400-meter dash yesterday at Konawaena with a time of 1:05.07. She also placed fifth in 100-meter dash at 13.75 seconds. Ka`u girls 4x400-meter relay team placed fourth at 5:08.48.

Trojan boys volleyball team began regular season play on Tuesday, March 1. Kealakehe junior varsity and varsity each overcame Ka`u in two sets. On Saturday, March 5, Hilo teams also won in two sets.
The teams travel to Kamehameha on Wednesday for matches beginning at 6 p.m.

For further information, email programs@volcanoartcenter.org.

ALTOGETHER: WE ARE ONE, presented by the Sisterhood of All Women on Earth and the Brave Brothers, takes place Tuesday at Hawai`i Nature Retreat in Wood Valley. The organization's website describes the event as “a journey of exploration, expansion and focus of the energy that flows through us all, creating a golden grid of love and light across the island of Hawai`i to usher in a new age of civilization.”

The event begins at 2 p.m. and continues into the evening. Fee is $25.
See altogetherweareone.com or facebook.com/events/142146472838551.

NA`ALEHU SCHOOL CAFETERIA is the Ka`u site for Tuesday’s Republican Party caucus. Residents can vote for their presidential candidate from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Other polling locations are listed at gophawii.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

Researchers have discovered a ghost-like cephalopod in Hawaiian waters. See more below. Image from NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration & Research, Hohonu Moana 2016

KUA O KA LA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL’S online virtual academy in Miloli`i took second place in the middle/intermediate school division of the ninth annual E Ola Pono statewide initiative. The annual campaign rewards student-led efforts to increase peace, kindness and belonging. As a cultural response to bullying and other negative behaviors in schools, student groups are encouraged to actively “Grow Pono” to create a more welcoming and safe environment for everyone at their school.

In the academy’s Aloha `Aina and Kapu Aloha Project, “we wanted to show that our projects within the community showcase peace and pono at its highest, focusing on our fishing projects, `aina-based projects and projects that talk about the body, mind and spirit — pono through fishing, pono through `aina and pono through our kino (body), teacher Kaimi Kaupiko said. “We wanted our community to learn that we can return to a way of balance, peace and prosperity. Our program has eight students, however, our campaign impacts our entire school of 170 students and 20 staff, and it also impacted our community of Miloli`i with more than 300 people who live and call Miloli`i home.”

Six schools in three school divisions are receiving recognition and monetary awards for their winning student-led campaigns — $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place.
To learn more and get involved, see www.growingponoschools.com.
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Deep waters off Necker Island are home to the octopod.
Map from NOAA

AN OCTOPOD SEEN IN DEEP WATERS of the Hawaiian Archipelago “is almost certainly an undescribed species and may not belong to any described genus,” said Michael Vecchione, of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association. Vecchione reported that the sighting occurred on the first operational dive of Okeanos Explorer’s 2016 season, which explored depths of over 4,000 meters northeast of Necker Island, or Mokumanamana. At-sea and shore-based science teams are making some of the first deepwater observations in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.

According to Vecchione, “the appearance of this animal was unlike any published records and was the deepest observation ever for this type of cephalopod.” A distinctive characteristic of the cephalopod was that its suckers were in one instead of two rows on each arm. It also lacked pigment cells and it did not seem very muscular, Vecchione said. “This resulted in a ghostlike appearance, leading to a comment on social media that it should be called Casper, like the friendly cartoon ghost.”
The Okeanos Explorer mission continues through March 18. The expedition will provide a foundation of publicly accessible baseline data and information to support science and management needs in and around the monument. The effort also provides critical information about emerging regional issues like deep-sea mining and the potential U.S. Extended Continental Shelf.
See oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.
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Former PUC Chair Mina Morita
Photo from Energy Dynamics

MINA MORITA, FORMER CHAIR of Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission, defended Hawaiian Electric Company’s recent decision to pull out of large solar projects with SunEdison. On her blog at minamoritaenergydynamics.com, she cited a recent Bloomberg news article that she said “captures SunEdison’s financial situation succinctly.”

As Morita quotes Bloomberg: “The world’s biggest clean-power developer was expected to have about $1.2 billion at the start of the year, an amount that may drop to $270 million if a pending court case doesn’t go its way, according to an estimate by Patrick Jobin, an analyst at Credit Suisse Group AG. …
“SunEdison has tried to run too quickly – seeking hyper growth at the same time capital markets are challenged – constraining their balance sheet, Jobin said in a research note.”
“It appears HECO had good reasons to get out when it could,” Morita said. “SunEdison’s missing contractual milestones gave HECO solid justification to exit a situation that would be untenable in the future if it chose to overlook the situation (damned if you do, damned if you don’t). This decision gave HECO a better chance of controlling the unfinished project and unused reserved capacity rather than be tied up in bankruptcy court holding the bag with unfinished SunEdison assets.”
Morita said the purpose of her blog is to educate and share information to understand and discuss the dynamics of Hawai`i’s clean energy transformation. “I started Energy Dynamics because I am concerned that the significance of Hawai`i’s energy transformation and paradigm shift, with its challenges, have not been adequately discussed with the general public and electricity customers who must, inevitably, pay for these costs,” she said.
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TOTAL CLIMATE COVERAGE on broadcast networks decreased in 2015, according to a report by Media Matters for America.

Major networks' coverage of climate change dropped last year
after after three years of increased coverage.
Graph from Media Matters

Combined climate coverage on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox networks decreased five percent from 2014 to 2015, the report stated. In 2015, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox collectively aired approximately 146 minutes of climate change coverage on their evening and Sunday news shows, which was eight minutes less than the networks aired in 2014.
“This five percent drop occurred even though 2015 was a year full of significant actions to address climate change, including the EPA finalizing the Clean Power Plan; the first-ever federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants; President Obama rejecting the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, citing the need to fight climate change; Pope Francis releasing the first-ever papal encyclical on climate change; and leaders from 195 countries agreeing to a landmark accord to lower greenhouse gas emissions at the United Nations climate summit in Paris,” the report stated.
Researchers Kevin Kalhoefer, Denise Robbins and Andrew Seifter also reported that PBS NewsHour aired more climate coverage than all other nightly news programs combined. It aired 58 climate-related segments in 2015, while ABC aired eight and NBC and CBS each aired 20. Also, PBS NewsHour’s climate coverage increased from 2014, when it aired 45 climate-related segments.
“With the little time devoted to climate change, these Sunday shows continued to mislead their audiences by including climate denial as part of the discussion,” U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said. “The facts are clear. Scientists, governments and major corporations around the world have accepted the facts about climate change and are having real debates on solutions. In this consequential election year, it’s time for news broadcasters to do the same.”

Flags are at half-staff to honor the late Nancy Reagan.

See mediamatters.org.
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NATIONAL AND STATE FLAGS are at half-staff at the direction of the President of the United States at the State Capitol and at all state offices and agencies. President Barack Obama issued the order as a mark of respect for the memory of former first lady Nancy Reagan, who died Sunday at her home in California.

Flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of interment.
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NA`ALEHU SCHOOL CAFETERIA is the Ka`u site for tomorrow’s Republican Party caucus. Residents can vote for their presidential candidate from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Other polling locations, which do not include all standard voting sites, are listed at gophawaii.com.

The Flower of Life is a valued image
for Altogether: We Are One.

ALTOGETHER: WE ARE ONE, presented by the Sisterhood of All Women on Earth and the Brave Brothers, begins tomorrow at 2 p.m. and continues into the evening at Hawai`i Nature Retreat in Wood Valley. Fee is $25.

See altogetherweareone.com or facebook.com/events/142146472838551.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK rangers demonstrate how to make ti-leaf capes Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Free; park entrance fees apply.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_2016.pdf.

Ka`u famers and ranchers support a bill at the state Legislature that would keep state water available until long-term leases are provided. Photo from Hawai`i Department of Agriculture

KA`U FARM BUREAU MEMBERS who ranch and farm are seeking protection for their sources of water that originate on state land, testifying that they could lose their revocable leases. Kapapala ranchers Lani Cran, Jon Cran and Bill Petrie told Sen. Russell Ruderman, during his public meeting in Ka`u last week, that they should be excluded from any canceling of water permits that originated through now defunct sugar plantations across the state that took water and diverted the natural flow of streams to use for their crops.

A case on Maui involves returning water diverted by a Maui sugar company back to its natural course for wildlife and more traditional farming. The Ka`u agriculturalists say their situation is different.

Between Kapapala and Na`alehu, the old plantation water system was not a matter of diverting streams from their natural flow. It was created by workers hired by the sugar companies to dig horizontal tunnels into the volcano where large amounts of rainwater percolate through the lava and into a lens of water deep in the volcano. As the water drips down within Mauna Loa, the tunnels catch some of it. The tunnel water, which was used in the past to carry sugar cane to the mills, more recently has been used for irrigation and watering livestock.

Ka`u sources of water to flume cane are being restored
for irrigation. Photo from Olson Trust

Kapapala ranchers said they had been called by Hawai`i Farm Bureau to help with the issue by testifying before the state Legislature on House Bill 2501, which would allow for extension of revocable permits if long-term lease applications are pending. They flew to Honolulu and testified with Kuahiwi rancher Michelle Galimba; John Cross, who represents Olson Trust, which grows coffee and macadamia in Ka`u; and Randy Cabral, a retired macadamia plantation manager in Ka`u who also has a small ranch here and is state president of Hawai`i Farm Bureau. All have been working for the last decade to restore old sugar tunnels for agriculture water, and state funding has been appropriated.

In written testimony given prior to the hearing, Cabral said the Maui case “is of special interest to agriculture as many of our farms and ranches depend on diverted waters for irrigation. Without water, there can be no agriculture. The Maui case involves one of the largest contiguous active agricultural lands in the state. The farm families and organizations along with their communities are at risk if an interim solution is not identified. We believe the proposed measure provides a good option. As stated, it is clearly an interim measure and not a means to get around the law. It provides time for the law to be interpreted and implemented in the best interest of the people and environment.”

Michelle Galimba wrote, “My family operates a cattle ranch in Ka`u district on Hawai`i Island. We live and work in a remote area where there is very little public infrastructure. We have a revocable permit that allows our ranch and several other ranches in the area to use water that originates from a water tunnel dug by the sugar plantation early last century. We only use the excess water left over after the County Department of Water Supply takes water for residential use. This water would otherwise simply be dumped on the ground. This excess water is used on our ranch, and other neighboring ranches, to create food, income, and jobs for local people, in an area where jobs are scarce.
“Sometimes there is water for our ranches, and sometimes, during droughts such as we are presently experiencing, there is little to no water available from our water permit. We do not divert water from streams, as there are no permanent streams in the district of Ka`u.
“We do our best to obey the regulatory requirements as defined by the state. We would have preferred to have been allowed a long-term water lease, however we understand how complex permitting is and have patiently worked with what tenure has been available to us. Now even the short-term tenure that these water permits offered are at risk. HB2501 will allow us all to work through the complex issues of water permits and leases without causing immediate harm to our agricultural businesses and homesteads here in Ka`u. I hope that you will vote in its favor.”

See tomorrow's Ka`u Calendar News Briefs for testimony in opposition to the bill.

Donald Trump

Track progress of this and other bills at capitol.hawaii.gov.
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DONALD TRUMP, MARCO RUBIO AND JOHN KASICH all talked to local news shows this morning in advance of the Republican caucuses to be held around the state today between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Nineteen delegates are up for grabs toward selecting the Republican candidate for the U.S. Presidency.
In 2012, 10,000 Republicans voted during Republican caucuses in Hawai`i. Anyone who lives in Hawai`i and is 18 years of age can register to vote at the caucus site tonight, if not already signed up. Caucus locations in South Hawai`i are Na`alehu School cafeteria and Yano Hall in Captain Cook.

Six names are on the ballot, including Jeb Bush and Ben Carson, who have already dropped out of the race. The other four are Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump.

Sen. Marco Rubio

Trump told Hawai`i News Now this morning that Rubio has never been here and never made any jobs here. Said Trump, “I own a big hotel, Trump International Hotel.” The candidate said it might be “your most highly rated hotel” in Hawai`i. He pointed to the people he employees and said he educates them and takes care of their health care. He said his Hawai`i hotel has “very low debt and tremendous cash flow.”
News anchor Grace Lee quoted former Hawai`i congresswoman Pat Saiki, who just ended her term as chair of the Republican Party. Saiki said that “Donald Trump has made of a mockery of the presidency of the United States. I think he’s torn us apart. He really has made us seem as though we don’t care about people. ... If any of my five grandchildren used the language that he has used or shown such disrespect for not only people but for the government, I’d wash their mouths with soap.”

Trump retorted, “She is backing another candidate. ... I can understand this.”

Gov. John Kasich

The Hawai`i News Now reporter asked about Trump’s questioning of Pres. Barack Obama’s place of birth, asking whether he was really born in the U.S. Lee said that many people in Hawai`i were offended since Obama was born here and there are birth certificates to prove it. “The president has never released his records, and that's his prerogative,” said Trump. “I don’t have his records. I haven’t seen his long-form birth certificates.” The reporter stated that the state Department of Health and Obama did release Obama’s birth certificates. Trump also stated that he doesn’t talk about the birther issue anymore.
Trump said that he has helped the Republican Party. “Because of me, the primaries have received millions and millions of additional votes.”
Lee asked him, “Do you really want to be President, or is this about winning?” Trump replied, “No, I want to make America great again.”

Sen. Ted Cruz

KHON reporter Diane Ako interviewed Florida's U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. He talked about winning the Republican delegates in Puerto Rico and said he could do the same here, helping the Hawai`i Republican Party. Regarding his advertising and interviews in Hawai`i, Rubio said he is the only one campaigning here. He talked about defunding federal contributions to Planned Parenthood and giving the money to federally licensed women health care programs.
He said states should run schools without interference from the federal government. He said he also has a plan to help students with school loan debt.
Hawai`i News Now reporter Chris Tanaka interviewed Ohio Gov. John Kasich. He said, “You don’t want to take the low road to the highest office in the land,” referring to course language from other candidates. Regarding the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, Kasich said, “We’re Americans, and I don’t understand the call for a nation within a nation. It’s not something that I would look too favorably on.” Admitting that it isn’t a subject he is very familiar, Kasich said some sort of federal recognition could possibly be considered.

To read comments, add your own and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Making ahu la`i, or ti-leaf capes, is demonstrated tomorrow.
Photo from NPS

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK rangers demonstrate how to make ti-leaf capes tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

Free; park entrance fees apply.

VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES students present Dina Kageler’s original musical Archipelago! Thursday at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Free; park entrance fees may apply.

FOOTPRINTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE is the destination of a Photography Tour, Thursday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mary Goodrich leads the tour in conjunction with the current Sightlines exhibit at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Participants meet at the gallery and carpool to the site. Registration required at 967-7565.

KA`U'S COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER Maile David meets with her constituents Monday, March 28 at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. David will answer questions about local issues.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono encourages federal agencies to continue research of Rapid `Ohi`a Death, which has spread through Hawai`i Island forests faster that expected. See more below. Photo from UH-CTAHR

KA`U REPUBLICANS JOINED OTHERS throughout Hawai`i in voting for Donald Trump to be their candidate for President of the United States. Lee McIntosh, chief volunteer for yesterday’s Ka`u caucus, reported that of the 101 votes received, 61 went to Trump. Texas’ U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz came in second with 31 votes. Ohio Gov. John Kasich received five; Florida’s U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, three; and Kentucky's U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, who was not on the ballot, one, as a write-in vote.

McIntosh said voters came from Miloli`i, Ocean View, Na`alehu and Pahala and that there were definitely more voters this year than four years ago.

Islandwide, Trump won 47.7 percent of 1,997 votes cast, and Cruz took 28.07 percent. Statewide statistics show Trump with 42.4 percent of 13,377 votes and 32.74 percent for Cruz. Rubio placed third with 13.15 percent and Kasich fourth, with 10.56 percent. Ben Carson and Jeb Bush, who withdrew from the race but were still on the ballot, each received less than one percent of the votes.
See gophawaii.com for other results and more information about Hawai`i’s Republican Party.
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EDMUND C. OLSON HAS MADE a $2 million gift to The Trust for Public Land to permanently endow the position of Hawai`i State Director. “The Edmund C. Olson Trust Fellow endowment will ensure that the leadership of The Trust for Public Land in Hawaiʻi is never compromised,” said Will Rogers, President and CEO of the national organization. “This unprecedented gift is an extraordinary testament to the success of our local team in saving some of Hawai`i’s most precious and endangered places for people to enjoy – and to the skills of Lea Hong, Hawai`i’s state Director for nearly ten years.

Lea Hong and Ed Olson

“After a long and successful career in contracting and self-storage businesses, Olson became a major landowner in Hawai`i in 2000 with acquisition of former sugar lands on Hawai`i Island and later on O`ahu. Since then, he has championed stewarding land for positive change through sustainable agriculture, conservation, clean energy and community,” a TPL press release stated.

Olson was first introduced to The Trust for Public Land by Ka`u community members and former TPL project manager Josh Stanbro (now with Hawai`i Community Foundation). They convinced him to make a sizable donation to purchase and protect Honu`apo Fishpond and Estuary next to the Hawai`i County's Whittington Beach Park. Olson later joined the board of The Trust for Public Land in 2006. Since then, he has been a key supporter of the protection of Kawa, as well as Kauhola Point in North Kohala and Honouliuli Forest Reserve on O`ahu. He has donated conservation easements dedicating thousands of acres of land that he owns on Hawai`i Island and O`ahu to agriculture or conservation, ensuring these lands will never be developed. He also invested in successful campaigns to establish open space land conservation funds on Hawai`i Island and O`ahu that have generated tens of millions of dollars for land conservation.
“The Trust for Public Land has earned my support,” Olson said. “They bring national expertise to bear with dedicated local focus to deliver conservation that honors our local culture and ensures that future generations of Hawai`i’s people will always be able to connect with the land they love.”
Hong, who was recently named Islander of the Year (environment) in Honolulu Magazine, said, “Ed loves the land or `aina that sustains us. A big mahalo to Ed for this tremendous legacy. I am so pleased and humbled that I and my successor state directors will henceforth be known as the Edmund C. Olson Trust Fellow.”
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KA`U COFFEE GROWERS and residents are invited to a free coffee berry borer conference at Courtyard King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel a week from today on Wednesday, March 16. The conference brings together researchers, cooperative extension, farmers and stakeholders for a whole-day learning event. The day will be comprised of short presentations followed by Q&A panel sessions. Panels will consist of CBB scientists, educators and farmers with first-hand experiences.

Registration begins at 7:45 a.m., and doors remain open throughout the event, ending at 5:15 p.m.
See hawaiicoffee.weebly.com or call 808-322-4892 for more information and to register by Monday, March 14.
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NOMINATIONS FOR HAWAI`I’S FILIPINO Entrepreneur of the Year and Young Filipino Entrepreneur of the Year are due a week from today on Wednesday, March 16. The project of Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i honors business owners who demonstrate excellence and made meritorious contributions to Hawai`i’s community.

Presentation of nominees and awarding ceremonies will be held on O`ahu Saturday, April 16 at Ala Moana Hotel. All nominees are required to attend.
For more information, call Sam Acosta at 808-306-1428.
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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO QUESTIONED U.S. Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell on progress to combat Rapid `Ohi`a Death at a Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee hearing. Hirono also called for robust funding for the USFS as Congress reviews the President’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request. Rapid `Ohi`a Death, first observed as impacting 15,000 acres of Hawai`i Island’s `ohi`a forest in 2014, now has spread over 30,000 acres.

Sen. Mazie Hirono discussed Rapid `Ohi`a Death at a Senate
Energy & Natural Resources Committee hearing.
Photo from Office of Sen. Hirono

“We depend on the expertise and what the Forest Service brings to the table,” Hirono said. “The `ohi`a makes up 80 percent of our native forests and is ecologically and culturally the most important native plant in Hawai`i. On-the-ground personnel are trying to answer several critical questions about this disease, including transmission and resistance. We still need the resources to do the proper investigations and research.”

Tidwell acknowledged collaboration between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service and the University of Hawai`i and laid out the need to continue research into the cause of Rapid `Ohi`a Death and eradication methods. Hirono also thanked Tidwell for the Forest Service’s commitment to Hawai`i’s Collaborative Landscape Proposal, Island Forests at Risk.
The USFS Fiscal Year 2017 budget includes more than $32 million for invasive species research and continued funding for Island Forests at Risk.
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VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES students present Dina Kageler’s original musical Archipelago! tomorrow at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Free; park entrance fees may apply.

Na`alehu School hosts Math & Science Night tomorrow.
Photo from Nalani Parlin

NA`ALEHU SCHOOL HOSTS its annual Math & Science Night tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the gym. The Ka`u community is invited to see examples of student work, as well as participate in fun, hands-on activities. Make a windsock, be a soil sleuth, peruse science fair projects and more. Local artist Don Elwing will set up a gallery featuring dozens of his award-winning art pieces made from Kamilo Beach marine debris.

Kamehameha Schools Kealapono division will teach participants how to make koko, or a holder for water jugs, and Three Mountain Alliance will also share information about the Ka`u forest and watershed.
Free dinner for all will be served, including hotdogs and water. For more information, call 939-2413.

MARY GOODRICH, A MEMBER of Volcano Village Artists Hui, leads a photography tour to Footprints Archaeological Site tomorrow from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The tour is in conjunction with the hui’s current Sightlines exhibit at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Participants meet at the gallery and carpool to the site. Registration is required at 967-7565.

JAPANESE STAB BOOKBINDING is the topic of a workshop Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Susan O’Malley shares her skills. Call 939-7033 for more information.

KA`U'S COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER Maile David meets with her constituents Monday, March 28 at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. David will answer questions about local issues.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

Ka`u farmers and ranchers are concerned that their water permits could be revoked because of a case on Maui about water diverted for sugar returning to its natural courses. Photo by Julia Neal

A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW for extension of revocable water permits if long-term lease applications are pending is progressing at the state Legislature. After passing its third reading in the state House of Representatives last week, HB2501 crossed over to the Senate today and was referred to the Water, Land & Agriculture Committee. The bill responds to a case on Maui about returning water diverted by Alexander & Baldwain sugar company back to its natural course for wildlife and more traditional farming.

Water previously used for fluming cane
in Ka`u is now used for irrigation.
Photo from Olson Trust

As reported in Tuesday’s Ka`u Calendar News Briefs, Ka`u farmers and ranchers testified in favor of the bill, which they see as giving time needed for their long-term lease applications to be approved. Others, including environmental groups, opposed it. “This bill appears to be another subversive attempt by A&B to evade the law and judicial review in order to avoid stream restoration, environmental analysis and basic water stewardship,” wrote Sierra Club of Hawai`i Director Marti Townsend. “Lawmakers elected to protect the public trust must vigorously oppose HB2501 and prevent any further steps to usurp public water rights and subsidize the profits of a multi-billion dollar company receiving special status over the interests of the public trust.”

Earthjustice attorney David Lane Henkin testified, “The bill would allow the department to extend indefinitely an expired lease for use of state water resources, without ever considering or mitigating the harm such diversions can inflict on Hawai`i’s unique and fragile stream environments and on the exercise of traditional and customary rights. HB 2501 is a transparent attempt to overturn a recent circuit court decision holding that the department violated “the public interest” when it allowed, for more than thirteen years, a private corporation to divert up to 450 million gallons of water each day from over a hundred streams and tributaries on public lands in East Maui.”
Volcano resident Rick Warshauer wrote, “This bill is bad for the stream environment, bad for taro cultivation, bad economics for the state, bad because it continues bad practices instead of resolving them, bad because it continues a disincentive for Maui County to secure its water supply directly, bad because it is one more example of perpetuating old boy politics favoring the traditional powers at the expense of the people and the environment. Kill the bill.”
Track the progress of this and other bills at capitol.hawaii.gov.

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Research & Development Director Kawehi Inaba

THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I BUSINESS Resource Center, a program of the Department of Research & Development, is launching its inaugural Hawai`i County Entrepreneurship Program on April 1. This new free program is part of the county’s ongoing efforts to promote and support local economic development.

Applications will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis for up to 20 people. The deadline for applications is Friday, March 18. Anyone interested in applying can download complete application materials at hawaiicounty.gov/research-and-development or by picking up a copy in either of the department’s Hilo and Kailua-Kona offices.
Accepted applicants are expected to participate in and complete six mandatory daylong workshops, three of which are in Hilo and three in Kailua-Kona, and to develop a business plan concept during the course of the six-month program. Additional requirements can be found in program materials posted on the R&D website.
The program will link participants to leaders from Hawai`i County’s business community, financial institutions, government agencies and business development organizations to provide guidance and valuable connections to resources that will help them build their business plan. Kawehi Inaba, Director of the Department of Research & Development and herself an entrepreneur, said, “Entrepreneurs by nature are risk takers and doers ready to embrace change and discover a world of possibilities. This program will support these leaders and help strengthen their entrepreneurial skills leading to a better quality of life for the participants, their families and our communities.”
For more information, contact Beth Dykstra at Elizabeth.Dykstra@hawaiicounty.gov or 961-8035.

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SEVENTEEN HAWAI`I HUNTER EDUCATION instructors were honored by Department of Land & Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case and First Deputy Director Kekoa Kaluhiwa during a service award presentation kicking off Hawai`i’s annual instructor meeting. The volunteer instructors, responsible for training youth and adult hunters at 75 classes annually, were recognized with awards for from 50 hours of service to 4,500 hours of service. In total, the awards presented represent more than 20,000 hours of combined, total service.

DLNR First Deputy Director
Kikoa Kaluhiwa

“These volunteers are really at the intersection of the ability of people to really enjoy the outdoors in a safe and ethical way,” Case said. “Based on what I saw when I took hunter education last August, I know that these men and women give a tremendous amount of their personal time to hunter education courses because they love it and they’re passionate about it. It’s an incredible commitment and contribution to Hawai`i.”

Anyone born after December 31, 1971 or before January 1,1972 who has never possessed a Hawai`i hunting license (issued prior to July 1, 1990) or cannot show proof of having possessed a license is required to take a Hunter Education Course in order to purchase a hunting license. Hunter education classes fill fast. Nine classes scheduled statewide over the next two months are already full. Check class times, locations and sign up at http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/huntered/classes, or call toll free 1-800-353-4868.
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THE WHITE HOUSE selected Hawai`i’s High Technology Development Corporation for its TechHire program. The corporation is an attached agency to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. HTDC has led the effort to demonstrate Hawai`i’s ability to respond quickly to its growing technology workforce.
Obama launched the multi-sector TechHire initiative one year ago to empower Americans with the skills they need through universities, community colleges and nontraditional approaches that offer rapid or flexible paths to tech training.
To kick off TechHire, 21 regions, with more than 120,000 open technology jobs and more than 300 employer partners, are announcing plans to work together to find new ways to recruit and place applicants based on their actual skills and to create more fast track tech training opportunities.
“We fully support the president’s TechHire program, which will enable our residents to access accelerated job training opportunities and compete for higher wage earning jobs,” Gov. David Ige said. “The President’s selection of Hawai`i as a TechHire region is a step in the right direction and supports our 80/80 initiative to create 80,000 new technology jobs earning more than $80,000 annually by 2030.”
HTDC has created a coalition of workforce organizations, employers and state and local government to develop and align training to meet the demands of employers.

`ike is a partner in the TechHire Hawai`i Coalition.

“HTDC is committed to matchmaking employers and high-potential candidates by working with stakeholders to develop innovative training programs such as ‘coding boot camps,’ virtual classrooms and high-quality online courses to rapidly train workers for high-paying tech jobs,” said Robbie Melton, executive director and CEO at HTDC.

“TechHire is an invaluable program to the training and development of Hawai`i’s technology workforce,” said Matthew Sasaki, director of Strategic Business initiatives at `ike, a partner in the TechHire Hawai`i Coalition. “Over the next few years, the industries that we are in will see increased demand for technology trained professionals. TechHire, in partnership with HTDC, is key to meeting this demand.”

To learn more about TechHire, see www.whitehouse.gov/issues/technology/techhire.

MATH & SCIENCE NIGHT is tonight from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Na`alehu School gym. See examples of student work and participate in fun, hands-on activities. Free dinner for all will be served, including hotdogs and water.
For more information, call 939-2413.

Ocean View Community Center hosts a workshop tomorrow
and pancake breakfast Saturday.

SUSAN O’MALLEY SHARES HER SKILLS at Japanese Stab Bookbinding tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Call 939-7033 for more information.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER hosts its monthly pancake breakfast Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

VOLUNTEERS HELP CLEAR invasive ginger from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park trails tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Meet at Kilauea Visitor Center. Free; park entrance fees apply.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

Na`alehu School students shared projects with the public at their annual Math & Science Night yesterday.
See more below. Photo by Nalani Parlin

MILOLI`I BEACH PARK REOPENS TODAY. The park and surrounding area had been closed due to high risk of dengue fever. There have been no confirmed dengue fever cases associated with the Miloli`i area since Jan. 20. Civil Defense reminds everyone that ensuring the safe and enjoyable use of park facilities depends on everyone’s help and cooperation. “Please use repellent while visiting and enjoying the park and help to keep it clean,” Civil Defense said. “If feeling ill, avoid visiting parks and public areas, and remain home to prevent transmission of any communicable diseases.”

Risk for dengue fever continues to diminish, but the outbreak
is not over. Map from DOH

Yesterday, DOH reported one new confirmed case of dengue fever. “This new confirmed case helps to remind everyone that as previously stated, this outbreak remains active and is not anticipated to be considered over anytime in the near future,” Civil Defense said. “Therefore, we are asking for everyone’s help to continue to Fight the Bite.”

This new confirmed case brings the total number since the beginning of the outbreak to 261, including 236 residents and 25 visitors.
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The tsunami forced ocean water onto usually dry areas of Punalu`u.
Photo by Julia Neal

FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY, a tsunami generated by a magnitude-8.9 earthquake in Japan ran up onto shore at Punalu`u before dawn, filling the black sand beach pond with seawater. Waves left the Punalu`u shoreline covered in debris. Volunteers for `O Ka`u Kakou hauled away floating plants sucked from the fishpond onto the beach. The tsunami changed the look of Punalu`u and other shorelines, leaving roots of palm trees exposed. Sand covered pools and rocky areas. Rocks and reefs were exposed at places where they were covered before the tsunami, and fish were found out of water on the rocks and in the sand.

The night before, campers at Punalu`u Beach Park were cleared, and Punalu`u condominiums were evacuated by 2 a.m. As the tsunami waves failed to reach the resort, inland from the beach, there was no damage.

A house at Okoe Bay suffered major damage.
Photo by Kaiali`i Kahele

In South Kona, the tsunami washed a boathouse from Honomalino Bay out to sea, leaving one wall to float to Miloli`i. The tsunami severely damaged and lifted houses off their foundations in Kapua and Okoe Bays.

Water washed into the grounds of Hilo hotels and through the lobby of the King Kamehameha Hotel in Kona. Along Ali`i Drive in Kona, Hulihee Palace, just repaired from major earthquake damage, was hit by water from the tsunami filling its basement. Pavement on Ali`i Drive along the seawall buckled and broke, and restaurant furniture from establishments along Ali`i Drive floated out to sea.
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The Blancos talk with kindergarten teacher Mary
LaGrandeur, while investigating a tent daughter
Tenielle designed. Photo by Nalani Parlin

NA`ALEHU SCHOOL GYM WAS FILLED last night with thought-provoking projects and hands-on activities during the annual Math and Science Night. Teachers and staff volunteered time to work with `ohana members and the public, giving insight into their classrooms and providing a fun activity for students and families.

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DETERMINING RIGHTFUL HEIRS to 40 acres is up to families involved in a Ka`u land dispute, Nancy Cook Lauer reported in West Hawai`i Today. At a hearing yesterday, Third Circuit Court Judge Greg Nakamura decided that it is up to families involved in the case to inform their heirs and have them verify claims.

According to Cook Lauer, when Thomas Okuna sold the land to the Edmund C. Olson Trust, he tried to obtain clear title from relatives, but a public notice to identify family members brought many people forward who claimed ownership of various portions of the property.

Cook Lauer said that before the hearing began, Abel Lui, who in the past lived at Kawa and claimed ownership there, stood up and shouted, “I am the victim. I’m going to report a crime right here. All you guys are thieves.” He also called Olson “the biggest thief.”

Scientist Leimomi Viernes, a kindergartener,
examines geodes at the third-grade booth
during Math & Science Night.
Photo by Nalani Parlin

“The courts have no jurisdiction over this land,” Lui said. “You guys have no business in here.” State sheriffs escorted him out of the courtroom.

During the hearing, Attorney David Higgins told Nakamura that Olson Trust wants to identify rightful heirs, but determining validity of claims has cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation Attorney Sharla Manley, who is representing some of the family members being sued for clear title, told Cook Lauer, “In essence, the burden shifts to the family members to take care of their own family members.”
See westhawaiitoday.com.
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HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK has released its Abbreviated Final General Management Plan/Wilderness Study/Environmental Impact Statement. The plan provides long-term management guidance about preservation and use of the park, UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.
Over the past several years, many people participated in the planning process through public meetings and formal comments received via mail, comment forms and website forums. The NPS released the Draft GMP/WS/EIS in May 2015. During the 60-plus days that the document was available for review and comment, the NPS received 32 pieces of correspondence on the draft plan. Through the feedback received, it was determined that Alternative Two would remain the preferred alternative and that the management actions it proposes will best guide long-term stewardship of the park.

“It’s vital to have a comprehensive plan that guides management decisions as we enter into our next 100 years of protecting this extraordinary park for future generations,” Superintendent Cindy Orlando said. Both Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and the National Park Service commemorate their centennial anniversaries in 2016.
The Final GMP/WS/EIS is in an abbreviated form because comments received during the public review period required only minor responses and editorial changes to the draft. There are no substantial changes to the alternatives or the impact analyses presented in the draft, and Alternative Two remains the preferred alternative. This abbreviated format of the final plan has allowed the NPS to produce a simple, brief document and to avoid costly reprinting of the entire 500-plus-page document.
The public release of the Abbreviated Final GMP/WS/EIS will be followed by a 30-day no-action period, after which the NPS will prepare a record of decision to document the selected alternative. During the no-action period, the public can provide comments on the plan at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/havogmp. CDs of the documents, as well as the full, abbreviated final document, are available at Ka`u libraries.
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KA`U HIGH BOYS VOLLEYBALL TEAMS hosted Kamehameha on Wednesday. Junior varsity kept close to their adversaries, but ultimately lost 23-25 and 17-25. Varsity also lost, 7-25 and 12-25.

The teams’ next matches are on Tuesday, March 15 at 6 p.m. at Waiakea.
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OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER hosts its monthly pancake breakfast tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES National Park offers free programs this weekend. Participants learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, its many forms and flower tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. on an easy, one-mile walk.

On Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., participants explore the area’s rich geologic history in a program called the Birth of Kahuku.

HAWAI`I FARMERS UNION UNITED’ Ka`u chapter and Earth Matters Farm sponsor a sustainable workshop Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The farm is two miles down South Point Road at the corner of Kama`oa Road.

Richard Perea is a certified Korean Natural Farming instructor. He has developed a technique called Ka`u Natural Farming that is unique to our local area.
Workshop participants learn how to cultivate their own local microorganisms for sustainable gardening and farming, about the interface between soil and plants, and how to strengthen plants’ ability to receive available nutrients.
Cost is $25 and free to all HFUU members. A garden-fresh lunch is included.
For more information and to sign up, call Greg Smith at 443-3300, or email earthmatterskau@aol.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is upgrading Sulphur Banks Trail. See more below. Photo from NPS

THE NEW CHIEF FOR HAWAI`I Public Radio, which now runs KAHU 91.7 FM in Pahala, is Hispanic and moving from central Florida.

Hawai`i Public Radio announced Thursday that its Board of Directors selected José A. Fajardo, a Florida-based public media executive with more than 30 years of industry experience, as the organization’s new president and general manager. He will succeed Michael Titterton, the station’s longest-serving president and general manager, who will exit the post June 30. Fajardo will begin at HPR full-time on May 16 and make an earlier appearance during the station’s April on-air fund drive.

“It won’t be easy to follow the extraordinary tenure of Michael, but after a comprehensive search process, we are convinced that José has the right stuff to take Hawai`i’s public radio forward,” said Dr. Tyrie Jenkins, HPR Board chair. “José’s impressive experience in expanding audiences and membership, while navigating the impacts of digital listening habits, make him uniquely qualified to lead HPR into the future. His upbringing in Puerto Rico gives him a special affinity for island life, and we believe Hawai`i’s communities will embrace him.”

Jose A. Fajardo

“I am thrilled and honored to be selected as Hawai`i Public Radio’s new president and general manager,” Fajardo said. “HPR has a long, successful history of connecting communities, respected local programs and an extremely dedicated staff and board. It’s a privilege to be advancing the great work already started by Michael. I look forward to making Hawai`i my new home.”
Fajardo recently served as Executive Vice President for Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, a role he held since August 2013. Prior to his role at there, he served as President & CEO for WMFE-TV/FM, the member-supported public broadcasting stations for Central Florida. During his 16 years with WMFE, he led activations of WMFE-TV Digital Channel 24 and of 90.7 WMFE-FM’s HD Radio transmitter, which provided two full-time radio streams of programming and increased audiences for both stations. Additionally, Fajardo spearheaded two major changes at WMFE: the change of the radio programming format to an all-news format and the sale of WMFE-TV to the University of Central Florida.
Fajardo’s broadcast career started in Central Texas, where he worked for three years in commercial radio before joining KNCT-TV/FM, the public broadcasting stations in Killeen, Texas. He served at KNCT in several roles, concluding as its general manager.
In 2005, Fajardo was presented with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce & Hispanic Business Initiative Fund Don Quijote Professional of the Year Award. In 2009, Ahora Orlando magazine named Fajardo one of the 25 most influential local Hispanic community leaders.
Fajardo is a native of Puerto Rico. In May 2010, he received an MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College.
“Our board is highly focused on taking HPR to the next level,” Titterton said. “They have selected a dynamic go-getter who has solid public radio experience in a community-licensed station in America’s other great tourist destination. José is as excited about coming to work with HPR as I am at the prospect of showing him around and introducing him to the extraordinary people who have made HPR what it is today. And I’m delighted that his first appearance here will be during our spring on-air fundraiser. Now, that’s going to be fun!”
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Sulphur Banks Trail boardwalk leads hikers to an area where
volcanic gases fill the air. NPS Photo by David Boyle

A PROJECT TO IMPROVE AND REPAIR the popular Sulphur Banks Trail and boardwalk in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park has begun. Visitors can expect partial trail closures as a park trail crew widens sections for better viewing of interpretive exhibits, improves accessibility for the disabled and replaces rotting boards, among other enhancements.

The work should be complete by the end of June. Partial closures will occur weekly Monday through Thursday, but the trail will be fully open Friday through Sunday. Although the work will prevent loop hikes along Sulphur Banks (Ha`akulamanu) Crater Rim trails, a portion of the trail will remain open either from Kilauea Visitor Center or Steam Vents access points.
Sulphur Banks is a scenic and easy trail that goes to an area where volcanic gases created colorful sulfur crystals, and other minerals paint the landscape. Due to sulfur fumes, people with heart or breathing problems, pregnant women and young children should avoid this trail.
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THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I Sea Grant College Program will receive $1,317,745 in funding to protect vulnerable coasts, including $845,160 from the National Oceanic &Atmospheric Administration and $472,585 in matching funds. NOAA announced the grants as a portion of $4.5 million to help communities nationwide reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change.

“We know that climate change is taking place and having an impact on coastlines around the world,” said U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard. “As an island state, we know these threats all too well. These funds will help protect our coastal communities against the threat of climate change and natural disasters.”
The grant will fund a project to protect the state’s vulnerable coastlines against threats such as sea-level rise, flooding and erosion. The project is conducted in partnership with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, state Office of Planning, University of Hawai`i School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center and the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System.
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Jeff Peterson

JEFF PETERSON HELPS KA`U LIBRARIES celebrate National Library Week next month. Peterson is one of Hawai`i’s most versatile and respected musicians. He is at the heart of the Hawaiian music scene today. His passion for the guitar has allowed him to shine as a solo artist and has given him the opportunity to collaborate with a wide variety of artists from Hawai`i, the mainland and abroad. His focus on slack key guitar, classical and jazz music has allowed him to develop a unique and transcendent voice while being deeply rooted in the traditions of his Hawaiian heritage.

Peterson was born on Maui and introduced to the rich heritage of Hawaiian music by his father, a paniolo on Haleakala Ranch. He is well known in Ka`u for teaching visitors and locals at workshops sponsored by the Center for Hawaiian Music Studies at Pahala Plantation Cottages. Many local youth received scholarships to learn from him and other Hawaiian music masters.
Programs are on Friday, April 8 at 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Public Library and Tuesday, April 12 at 5 p.m. at Pahala Public & School Library. The 45-minute programs are suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver.

For more information, call 939-2442 or 933-8888.
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THE PUBLIC IS INVITED to Ka`u Rural Health Community Association’s 19th annual general membership meeting and conference on Friday, April 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. The theme is Rural Health at Work in our Communities.

Attendees will hear presentations from representatives of Ka`u Hospital & Rural Health Clinic, USDA Rural Business & Development Grant Programs, Commission on the Status of Women, Alu Like Employment & Training Program, Community Health Workers Pilot Program, Ka`u Intermediate & High School Health Occupation Students of America and Hawai`i County Office of Aging/Aging & Disabilities Resource Center.

Free blood pressure and vision screenings will be available. Deadline to register is April 10. For more information, call 928-0101.
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The Birth of Kahuku explores Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone.
Photo from NPS

THE BIRTH OF KAHUKU is the topic of a free program tomorrow at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. From 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., participants explore the area’s rich geologic history, traversing the vast 1868 lava flow, seeing different volcanic features and formations, identifying many parts of the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa and learning about the Hawaiian hotspot.

TUTU & ME BRINGS FREE vision screening to Ka`u next week. Keiki and adults can have their eyes checked Monday at Na`alehu Community Center and Tuesday at Pahala Community Center. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Project Vision will offer free sunglasses to keiki and free reading glasses to adults if needed.

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SENIOR IDS ARE AVAILABLE Monday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Pahala Senior Housing Center and 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. For ages 60 and over.
For more information, call 928-3100.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

A bill approved by the state House of Representatives and now being considered by the Senate would prevent large solar installations from being built in residential subdivisions. Photo from Peter and Ann Bosted

A BILL THAT WOULD BAN LARGE solar installations from being built in residential subdivisions on the island of Hawai`i has passed the state House of Representatives and is being considered by the Senate.

House Bill 2636, introduced by Ka`u’s state Rep. Richard Creagan, is designed to amend an existing state law that allows huge solar farms to be built on any land that is zoned agriculture. The intention, at the time, was to keep solar installations away from rural and urban areas where people live. However, the legislators failed to take into account the fact that many non-conforming, or old, subdivisions on the island are zoned agriculture. Thus, in those cases, a law that allows industrial-scale solar installations only on agricultural land fails to protect residential neighborhoods from being industrialized.

State Rep. Richard Creagan

In a letter to the Public Utilities Commission, Creagan wrote: “I have introduced legislation in the House, and Sen. Josh Green has introduced a similar bill in the Senate, to stop this kind of project in the future, and also to prevent this project from being expanded. When HR 205-2 was passed, the idea was that farmers and ranchers and owners of poor agricultural land could profit from generating much-needed renewable energy. Power generation was permitted only on agricultural lands, which implies, not rural or residential or towns.

“This bill, when it was introduced, looked like a very sensible plan. The state would benefit from the renewable power (solar, wind, etc.), and the struggling owners of Hawaiian land would also benefit from entering the Feed-In-Tariff program, which would help them become developers by smoothing the way for them.
“However, as shown by the Ocean View situation, the well-intentioned law had unforeseen consequences. The law was so broad and unrestricted, it was unfortunate. The devil was in the details, and we didn’t put in the details.
“It is easy for lawmakers in Honolulu to forget that there are many non-conforming subdivisions on the island of Hawai`i that are zoned agricultural in spite of their growing rural and semi-urban populations. Indeed, when my bill was before the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection on Feb. 4, Daniel E. Orodenker, Executive Officer of the Land Use Commission testified, ‘Residential subdivisions are not allowed in the state Agricultural District under Chapter 205, HRS.’
“Thus, inadvertently, loopholes in the law were created. Ocean View and other towns are located on agricultural land. Thus, the intentions of the law – to keep industrial-scale power generation installations away from homes – were confounded. It saddens me that the administrators of the FIT program were unwilling to enforce the spirit of the law and persuade the applicants to go elsewhere. At the time that the permits for this project were placed on the FIT’s Active Queue, the developers were still in escrow with the housing lots that they intended to buy in order to qualify for the permits. At that time, December of 2011, they could have changed locations with minimal loss of time and essentially no loss of funds. Ninety-five percent of the island of Hawai`i is zoned Agriculture, so they could have moved almost anywhere else.”
The Senate leadership will assign it to committee hearings, and members of the public can submit testimony to those committees.

The bill has been referred to committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental & Military Affairs and Transportation & Energy. If the bill is approved by the committees, the Senate will vote on it.

Gov. Ige has told Creagan that he will sign the bill into law if both houses approve it.

The public can track progress of this and other bills and submit testimony at capitol.hawaii.gov.
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Gov. David Ige

A BAN ON NEW CESSPOOLS statewide goes into effect in a couple of weeks, following Gov. David Ige signing new state health department rules. The rules leave the 50,000 existing cesspools on the Big Island grandfathered in, though cesspool owners are required to switch over to sewage lines should they be installed near their houses.

Ka`u state Rep. Richard Creagan was one of 11 legislators who urged the governor to hold back on the ban, saying the cost of septic systems hurts low-income people, pointing to a $2,000 to $3,000 cost per cesspool and up to $30,000 for a septic system. Hookups to new public sewage lines are expected to cost over $1,000 each.
However, legislation from 2015 allows for tax credits of up to $10,000 to build a septic system or switch to a county sewage system as long as it is within 200 feet of the shoreline, a stream or wetland, or near a well or drinking water reservoir.
Plans for new sewage lines and sewage treatment plants are being developed for Na`alehu and Pahala, where many homes remain on old plantation gang cesspools, which are illegal under federal law.
A story in yesterday’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser by Sophie Cocke described cesspools: “Essentially holes in the ground that discharge untreated sewage, cesspools can contaminate groundwater, drinking water, streams and the ocean, according to the state Department of Health.”
“Officials say the raw sewage can degrade coral reefs, harm aquatic ecosystems and make people sick. Sewage carries pathogens that cause leptospirosis, a sometimes painful and dangerous gastrointestinal illness; hepatitis A; conjunctivitis; and salmonellosis and gastroenteritis,” the article stated.
Keith Kawaoka, state Department of Health deputy director on environmental health, said the “action protects public health and is a good first step toward eliminating water pollution from cesspools.”

See staradvertiser.com.
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RESOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT UPCOMING programs in Ka`u are on Hawai`i County Council’s agenda this week. Ka`u’s Council member Maile David introduced the resolutions.

Ocean View Community Association seeks county
support for TropiCare, returning to Ka`u this year.
Photo from U.S. Army

Res. 430-16 calls for $5,500 to support TropiCare 2016 at Ocean View Community Center from May 30 to June 4. The innovative training program by the U.S. Department of Defense brings military reservists to Ka`u to provide free medical care to the public. The program is an exercise of the Innovative Readiness Training Program, which challenges reservists to plan and implement rapid mobilizations to distant and unfamiliar areas.

Other resolutions seek funding for Summer Fun programs in Pahala, Na`alehu and Ocean View. Each location would receive $2,000 for the programs that keep keiki busy when school is out of session.
Also on the agenda is Res. 423-16, calling for $5,000 to repair the Ocean View Fire Station.
The council meets at Wednesday at 1 p.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona. Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building between Shaka’s Restaurant and the post office. Other options are to email testimony to maile.david@hawaiicounty.gov or call her office at 323-4277.

The meeting is streamed live, and agenda is available, at hawaiicounty.gov.
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New Ka`u High National Honor Society members were inducted on Friday. Photo by Julia Neal

THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY at Ka`u High School inducted new members and honored current members Friday night with a candlelight service at the campus. Vice Principal Wilma Roddy complimented the students and their families for their efforts to help develop young men and women with character, community service, leadership and academic success. English teacher Brenda Neidigk talked about honor students often being the quiet ones and said the Honor Society gives high potential students the opportunity to interact with “others of like minds.” She noted Honor Society members' humble service to the community, from painting buildings to cleaning up trash and volunteering at senior centers and Ka`u Hospital.

A candlelight service welcomed new Honor Society
members. Photo by Julia Neal

The local chapter is called the Silver Oak, and its club advisor is teacher David Brooks He said the families of the Honor Society members deserve recognition and applause for their support of the new inductees and senior members.
During the gathering, honor students announced their future plans, which include studying biology and careers in nursing, marketing, the Air Force and U.S. Army. They talked about inspiration, quoting Woodrow Wilson, who said that if one thinks about what one can do for other people, character will take care of itself. John. F. Kennedy was quoted about leadership and learning being a never ending process. Another quote: “If you think you know it all, your learning has ceased.” Another: “Great leadership inspires others with confidence,” Henry David Thoreau said about following confidently in the direction of dreams. Also, Confucius say: “He who says he can, and he who says he can't, are both usually right.”
Current leaders of the Ka`u High Honor Society are President Sheilla Felipe, Maricar Manantan, J-r Abalos, Chloe Gan and Deisha Gascon. New members are Monica Lynn Covarrubio, Charlotte Faye Esquida, Aislinn Carroll, Rowlie John Flores, Hayden Hanshew, Zachary Ishii, Keosokin Kheng, Junially Manatan, Daryl Moreira, Revis Petitt, Ezra James Ramones and Daniel Savage.

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KA`U HIGH SOFTBALL TEAM hosted Kohala yesterday. The Trojans struck out, with a final score of 0-13. They travel to Waiakea for their next game on Thursday at 3 p.m.

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TUTU & ME BRINGS FREE vision screening to Ka`u next week. Keiki and adults can have their eyes checked tomorrow at Na`alehu Community Center and Tuesday at Pahala Community Center. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Project Vision will offer free sunglasses to keiki and free reading glasses to adults if needed.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

SENIOR IDS ARE AVAILABLE tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Pahala Senior Housing Center and 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. For ages 60 and over.
For more information, call 928-3100.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

A proposed Hawai`i County Department of Agriculture would support diverse ag endeavors on the island. Photo from The Kohala Center

HAWAI`I COUNTY WOULD ESTABLISH a Department of Agriculture under a bill to be considered Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. by the County Council’s Committee on Agriculture, Water & Energy Sustainability. Kohala’s council member Margaret Wille introduced Bill 163, which states that the department would consist of a director, a commission and necessary staff.

Marget Wille proposes a
county Ag Department

According to the bill, “It is declared to be the policy of the county to support policies and practices that promote agricultural self-sufficiency, protect and preserve the indigenous heritage of agricultural resources and promote family farms and community cooperatives necessary to promote food security on Hawai`i island.”

The bill calls for the department director to have a minimum of three years of experience in the fields of both conventional and organic agriculture, a degree in agriculture and a minimum of three years in an
administrative capacity.
The Agriculture Commission would consist of nine members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. Each council district would have one member. The commission would advise the department on issues related to functions of the department and exercise any other powers related to the functions of the department that may be delegated to it by ordinance.
Additional committee meetings on Wednesday are Planning, at 9 a.m.; Public Works and Parks & Recreation, 9:15 a.m.; and Finance, 10:15 a.m. The full council meets at 1 p.m.
Ka`u residents can participate in the meetings to be held at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona. Teleconferencing, whereby residents can provide testimony without traveling to Kona, is available at Na`alehu State Office Building. The meetings are also streamed live, and agendas are available, at hawaiicounty.gov.
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DURING ITS CENTENNIAL YEAR, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is showing sister park movies for free to raise awareness of the other national parks in Hawai`i and the Pacific Islands– which also marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

Kalaupapa National Historic Park is the topic of a film
to be screened this week. NPS Photo by Tylor Tanaka

The Find Your Park on the Big Screen series kicks off this Friday, March 18 with The Soul of Kalaupapa: Voices of Exile, a 52-minute film by Fred E. Woods. Viewers discover what life was like for patients and residents of Kalaupapa, removed from their families because of the fear and stigma of leprosy, also know as Hansen’s disease.

Today, Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Moloka`i shares the history and culture of the people and places of Kalaupapa’s past.

On Friday, May 20, learn the significance of the War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam, established in 1978 as a tribute to those who fought and died during the Pacific Theater of World War II. The 30-minute film, Liberating Guam: The U.S. Comes Back, reveals the aggressive Japanese expansion into the Pacific region during the war. Due to its graphic nature, the film may not be suitable for younger audiences.
Pu`uhonua o Honaunau is where ancient Hawaiian lawbreakers and defeated warriors once found sanctuary. Today, the park provides a sanctuary for Hawaiian culture. Hawai`i Volcanoes invites everyone to watch two films that highlight Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park on Friday, June 17, the eve of the park’s festival: John Grabowska’s 16-minute film Pu`uhonua o Honaunau: Place of Refuge and Brad Watanabe’s 12-minute documentary HiStory: Hawai`i Island’s National Parks.
Maui’s Haleakala, and Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes on Hawai`i Island, were once the same park - Hawai`i National Park. Discover Haleakala National Park in the 51-minute film, Haleakala: House of the Sun. Meet the dedicated rangers who share their knowledge and respect for the park (established in 1961), its natural treasures, and the deep connection to Hawaiian culture perpetuated here. Screening is on Friday, Aug. 5.
All showings begin at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park entrance fees may apply.
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Chief Harry Kubojiri

KA`U RESIDENTS ARE REMINDED that an anonymous Community Satisfaction Survey for the Hawai`i Police Department is open during the month of March. The survey includes both multiple-choice questions and an opportunity to make individual comments. Chief Harry Kubojiri reads every individual comment and encourages individuals to make their feedback as specific as possible to help the department respond to community needs.

By comparing the results of this year’s survey with those of past surveys, the department can gauge where it has improved and where it needs further improvement.
The Internet survey will be open until 4 p.m. Thursday, March 31 at www.hawaiipolice.com. It takes about five minutes to complete and is limited to one survey per computer. The respondent’s IP address will not be stored in the survey results.
The responses will be collected and compiled by an outside source. After the survey period, results will be posted on the Police Department’s website.
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Ka`u residents can help local health occupation students
compete in Nationals. Photo from Angie Miyashiro

KA`U HIGH & PAHALA ELEMENTARY School’s Health Occupations Students of America club members have set up a gofundme account, raising money to travel to Nashville, Tennessee and compete in Nationals. They competed with 32 schools at the state level on O`ahu last month, and members qualified for Nationals by taking second and third places.

HOSA is a nationwide organization that includes secondary as well as post-secondary education students. It provides students with opportunities to promote health, deliver quality care and to learn about elements that are essential for health career professionals. HOSA also provides students with the chance to compete in various health subjects individually or as a team. Club Advisor Angie Miyashiro said the advantage of HOSA is that it allows students to engage even more in critical thinking beyond the classroom as well as enhance their problem solving skills.
This is the first time that Ka`u High and Pahala had such an event. As the first year for the CTE Health career and technical program offering, there was the opportunity to create a health club. To date, the club has 24 students, with nine that chose to compete this year.

The students had their first District competition at University of Hawai`i-Hilo. Ka`u entered pathophysiology, Community Awareness and with the topic of dengue fever and a public service announcement on promoting wellness and healthy lifestyles. “Ka`u club worked hard after school and on weekends,” Miyashiro said. “We were stunned but excited that we received first in all of our categories.”

The HOSA Health Club then went to O`ahu Feb. 24-26 and competed at the state level. There were 32 schools, and Ka`u qualified for Nationals by receiving second and third places. Nationals is June 20-26 in Nashville, Tennessee. The club needs to raise $20,000 to attend and represent Ka`u High and Pahala Elementary.
“Please help us if you can by any donations and creative ways that you might be able to do so,” Miyashiro said. “We need to raise the money soon, as reservations need to be made.” Checks can be made out to HOSA Health Club Ka`u High and Pahala Elementary.
“We are very proud to represent Ka`u and what the future holds,” Miyashiro said.

To donate, see gofundme.com/cysq9wuk?utm.
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Kai Ho`opi`i performs Wednesday.
Photo from NPS

KEIKI AND ADULTS CAN HAVE their eyes checked tomorrow at Pahala Community Center. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Project Vision, in association with Tutu & Me Traveling Preschool, will offer free sunglasses to keiki and free reading glasses to adults if needed.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KAI HO`OPI`I PERFORMS Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Ho`opi`i, a winner of Aloha Festivals’ Hawaiian falsetto contest, shares music of his `ohana. Free; park entrance fees apply.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETS Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School. Residents are invited to express concerns, learn about successes and hear academic and financial plans. For more information, email Angela_Miyashiro/KAUH/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

Hawai`i Wildlife Fund celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. HWF co-founder Bill Gilmartin, credited with helping save the Hawaiian monk seal from extinction, received The Nature Conservancy's Kako`o `Aina Award, which honors individuals who provide significant and long-standing support for conservation, in 2012. TNC''s Hawai`i Director Suzanne Case, now Hawai`i Department of Land & Natural Resources Director, presented the award. See more below. Photo from HWF

ELECTRIC BILLS FOR CUSTOMERS on Hawai`i Island are the lowest in nine years, Hawai`i Electric Light Co. reported yesterday. Based on usage of 500 kilowatt-hours per month, HELCO most recently charged customers 28.5 cents per kwh.

“Our customers are continuing to receive the savings from low oil prices,” said Darren Pai, of Hawaiian Electric Co. “But for the long term, continuing to rely on oil is a bad bet, and that’s why we are committed to transitioning to low-cost renewable energy to reach our state’s energy goals and ensure sustainable savings for our customers.

“The price of oil is historically volatile, so it can go back up just as quickly as it came down. And with the heat of summer and the humidity we experience in the fall months ahead, we encourage customers to continue to focus on good energy saving habits.”
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HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND IS CELEBRATING 20 years of activities, including cleaning up the Ka`u Coast and working on preservation of endangered turtles.
“We bring a variety of experiences together to serve a common goal,” said Hawai`i Wildlife Fund co-founder and Volcano resident Bill Gilmartin. “Although we are a small organization, we combine our like-minded passions, and great things happen. Please join us to celebrate two decades of conservation work and community outreach.”
A statement from the organization, headed in Ka`u by Megan Lamson, notes that Hawai`i Wildlife is volunteer-powered. Some projects have extended statewide and into Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Outreach and education are funded through donations and competitive grants.

Megan Lamson has educated the public on marine debris in remote
Ka`u through interviews with international news reporters,
including Kyung Lah, of CNN. Image from cnn.com

Hawai`i Wildlife Fund was founded March 16, 1996, when activities focused on the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal, hawksbill turtle and outreach marine education. Today, HWF manages Honu`ea and Honu Watches and continues to expand outreach education and community-based conservation efforts.

“HWF is committed to building the next generation of marine conservationists. Since 1996, thousands of volunteers, and more than 400 students and interns from around the globe, have participated in HWF programs. Community-based programs focus on, but are not limited to, marine debris recovery and education, sea turtle conservation, environmental education and habitat restoration,” the anniversary summary reports.

Co-founder and HWF Executive Director Hannah Bernard stated, “Through our programs, and the collective efforts of students, interns and volunteers, HWF has saved thousands of endangered hawksbill (honu`ea) sea turtle hatchlings through identification of migration routes and long-term foraging habitat and protected hundreds of threatened green (honu) sea turtles.
“Teams also have recovered miles of sensitive habitat by removing 200 tons of marine debris. Celebrating 20 years of conservation work, outreach and community involvement makes me very proud.”
To celebrate 20 years of community education, activism and conservation work, HWF team members plan public events through 2016. Upcoming events in Ka`u include a Kawa Estuary Restoration Workday this Friday, March 18 and a cleanup at Kamilo on July 9. Check wildhawaii.org.
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HUD Secretary Julian Castro

DURING AN APPROPRIATIONS HEARING last week, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called on Julian Castro, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to recognize the need for resources to support homeless families in Hawai`i and address the housing shortage. Castro pledged that Hawai`i would receive its fair share of federal resources and reiterated his commitment to addressing homelessness in Hawai`i.

“Your question relates to essentially making sure that communities like those in Hawai`i get their fair share of resources,” Castro said. “I want to assure you that as we allocate these vouchers that we do so in a way that ensures that it’s not just the biggest of cities or the usual suspects, so to speak, that get these resources. They’re allocated, in fact, based on relative need.”
“We are ‘all hands on deck’ in addressing homelessness in Hawai`i, so Secretary Castro’s commitment is very valuable,” Schatz said. “I will continue to work with everyone in Hawai`i to find resources and implement solutions. The key is will and total cooperation.”
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KA`U YOUNG GIRLS’ FAIRYTALE DREAMS comes true at Splash Bash this Saturday. Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawai`i, in conjunction with Big Island Substance Abuse Council, will be distributing donated prom dresses to young ladies attending their school prom. Reservations are recommended, although walk-ins are also welcome. Call Julie Cox at 808-989-1009.
Splash Bash, a drug- and alcohol-free event, takes place at Na`alehu Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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PAHALA RESIDENT WAYNE DACALIO, JR., a junior at Kamehameha, has been invited to represent Hawai`i Football in the 28th annual Down Under Sports Tournaments this summer on the Gold Coast of Australia. This past fall, he was a linebacker on the school’s varsity team.

“I am honored to be an ambassador of not only my community and state, but also our country,” Dacalio said.
Dacalio is seeking sponsors to help cover traveling costs of competing down under and would appreciate any type of donation to help him fulfill this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Information about the program is available at DownUnderSports.com.
Donations can be mailed to PO Box 431, Pahala, HI 96777. For more information about donating, call 938-4405 or 938-0467.
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NOMINATIONS FOR HAWAI`I’S FILIPINO Entrepreneur of the Year and Young Filipino Entrepreneur of the Year are due tomorrow, Wednesday, March 16. The project of Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i honors business owners who demonstrate excellence and made meritorious contributions to Hawai`i’s community.

Presentation of nominees and awarding ceremonies will be held on O`ahu Saturday, April 16 at Ala Moana Hotel. All nominees are required to attend.

See filipinochamber.org for more information and nomination forms.
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KAI HO`OPI`I shares music of his `ohana tomorrow from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

KA`U RESIDENTS ARE INVITED to School Community Council’s meeting Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School.
For more information, email Angela_Miyashiro/KAUH/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park celebrates St. Patrick’s Day Thursday. A dinner buffet from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Crater Rim Café includes corned beef and cabbage, lamb stew, shepherd’s pie and more. Cost for adults is $18; children 6-11, $9.

Lava Lounge offers Irish cheer and green beer plus a free performance by the Whirlijigs Dance Troupe and the Stringmajigs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests Call 967-8371 for more information.
Park entrance fees apply.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

Jean Kailiawa, Myra Sumida and Wayne Kawachi hand over keys to a new van for Ka`u Hospital to Administrator Merilyn Harris.
Photo from Ka`u Hospital

KA`U HOSPITAL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION has been able to purchase a like-new 2013 Dodge van for Ka`u Hospital, reports Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris. “Thanks to some amazing donors from our community, this van will be used to transport hospital patients and long-term care residents who need to go to Hilo or Kona for diagnostic tests and specialist appointments,” she said.

Harris observed that many Ka`u patients who are admitted to Hilo Medical Center would prefer to finish out their required hospital stay closer to home. “Ka`u Hospital has been working hard to make that possible, but often those patients need to return to Hilo for follow-up appointments or tests, so transportation has been a challenge.”
While Ka`u Hospital has “a beautiful 14-seat wheelchair- and gurney-accessible bus that Ka`u Hospital Foundation provided in 2009, it is impractical to use the bus for only one person, so this van will be a tremendous help,” Harris said. The purchase has been made possible by generous donations from Pacific Quest, Myra and Cyrus Sumida, Naomi and Harold Yoshida, Ka`u Royal Hawaiian Coffee and Tea, Hawaiian Sunshine Farms and Ka`u Mahi. Harris also praised “the tremendous fundraising efforts of `O Ka`u Kakou.”
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Three panels will be installed at Na`alehu Park's
informational kiosk. Image from Ka`u
Scenic Byway Committee

KA`U SCENIC BYWAY COMMITTEE holds a blessing of a new informational kiosk sign at Na`alehu Park Monday, March 28 at 2 p.m. The kiosk is the committee’s second project. Funds to make the sign were provided by former County Council member Brenda Ford, and Hawai`i County Parks & Recreation Department installed the sign with assistance from `O Ka`u Kakou.

The three panels on the kiosk display maps and photos of the byway and the Na`alehu area; show some historical photos; give some history of Na`alehu, Wai`ohinu and Honu`apo; tell about the 1886 earthquake; discuss the agriculture of sugar and coffee; and more.
The committee’s first project was placing two interpretive signs at the scenic overlook at mile marker 75, just outside of Ocean View. This marked the first time that there have been signs explaining to the public what they are seeing as they visit Ka`u. These signs include information on the history, geography and culture of the South Point area.
The committee is a joint venture of local businesses and property owners, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai`i Department of Transportation, Hawai`i County government, Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u and various local organizations. Ka`u Scenic Byway, known as The Slopes of Mauna Kea, received designation as a Hawai`i Scenic Byway on Oct. 18, 2011. The byway covers the entire length of Hwy 11 through Ka`u.
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Jon Garcia Photo from Hawai`i
Police Department

THE MOST RECENT EDITION of the Crime Stoppers television program Hawai`i Island’s Most Wanted highlights a Na`alehu man wanted on drug and weapons offenses. In it, police ask for help in locating 35-year-old Jon Garcia, who is wanted for promoting dangerous drugs, attempted meth trafficking, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal possession of a firearm. He is also wanted for questioning in another investigation. He is described as six-feet tall, 250 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

Police ask anyone with information about him to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential. Crime Stoppers does not tape record phone calls or subscribe to caller ID.
Hawai`i Island’s Most Wanted is a project of Crime Stoppers Hilo, Inc., a partnership of the business community, media and police. The program airs on Na Leo O Hawai`i Community Television Channel 54 on Sundays at 5 p.m. and Fridays at 5:30 p.m. It also airs intermittently on Channel 53.
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NINETY-FOUR LEADERS from Hawai`i’s Filipino-American community today announced their endorsement of Hillary Clinton for president. Former Gov. Ben Cayetano, Dr. Amy Agbayani and Jeff Acido joined Filipino-American leaders from across Hawai`i who are encouraging their friends, neighbors and community members to support Clinton in advance of the March 26 Hawai`i Democratic Party Presidential Preference Poll.

Several Hawai`i Filipino-American leaders endorse
Hillary Clinton for President.

“Having access to a quality education can change a life, and Hillary Clinton is committed to making sure that every child has that chance to live up to their God-given potential,” Cayetano said. “She knows that America cannot truly succeed until every single person reaches his or her full potential, and that's why I am endorsing her for president. I urge Hawai`i to join me in supporting Hillary at the March 26 presidential preference poll so that together we can give all Hawai`i children the chance they need to succeed.”

“Hillary has spent decades fighting for full equality for Filipinos and other underrepresented groups,” said Dr. Amy Agbayani, co-founder of Operation Manong. “She is committed to tackling the barriers of bigotry and systemic racism that hold too many of our families and communities back. Hawai`i can count on Hillary to deliver real results for us as president, and I hope you will join me in supporting her for president.”
“Hillary Clinton’s life’s work has been about breaking down barriers for those who have been left out and left behind, and I am proud to endorse her for president,” said Jeff Acido, Emeritus Student Regent, University of Hawai`i. “In the United States Senate, Hillary championed efforts to reunite immigrant families and give Filipino veterans the benefits and the recognition they deserve.”
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Justice Merrick B. Garland

U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ SUPPORTS President Obama’s nomination of Merrick B. Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court. Garland would replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. The President made his choice public this morning.

“Chief Judge Merrick B. Garland has the legal expertise, independent mind, and extensive experience as a former top official in the Justice Department and as the current Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that would make him an excellent addition to the Supreme Court,” Schatz said. “Chief Judge Garland is widely respected by legal experts from across the political spectrum and has a real shot at earning bipartisan support in the Senate.
“It’s time to end the political gamesmanship and do the job that the American people elected us to do. The president has nominated a well-qualified candidate for the Supreme Court; we now must get back to the business of governing, fulfill our constitutional obligation and restore the Supreme Court to its full strength. I look forward to an in-depth review of the nominee’s qualifications and a fair hearing and vote in the Senate.”
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SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCIL holds a meeting tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. at Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School. Ka`u residents are invited to learn about successes, hear academic and financial plans and express concerns.
For more information, email Angela_Miyashiro/KAUH/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park celebrates St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow with a dinner buffet from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Crater Rim Café. Menu items include corned beef and cabbage, lamb stew, shepherd’s pie and more. Cost for adults is $18; children 6-11, $9.
Lava Lounge offers Irish cheer and green beer plus a free performance by the Whirlijigs Dance Troupe and the Stringmajigs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests Call 967-8371 for more information.
Park entrance fees apply.

A Ka`u meeting on Friday covers Rapid `Ohi`a Death.
Photo from UH_CTAHR

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER hosts a Rapid `Ohi`a Death informational meeting, Friday at 6 p.m. Dr. John Friday, PhD, of University of Hawai`i at Manoa and Komohana Research and Extension Center in Hilo, discusses the fungal disease that is devastating native forests across Hawai`i Island.

Call 939-7033 for more information.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK offers a screening of The Soul of Kalaupapa: Voices of Exile, Friday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Fred E. Woods’ 52-minute film shows what life was like for Hansen’s disease patients and residents of Kalaupapa.

Free; park entrance fees apply.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

Ka`u residents can learn how to participate in restoration of `Imakakoloa Heiau Saturday at 12 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. See more below. Image from Heiau of the Island of Hawai`i, by John F.G. Stokes

SHOULD HAWAI`I COUNTY HAVE its own Agriculture Department? The County Council’s Committee on Agriculture, Water & Energy Sustainability considered the question yesterday. Kohala Council member Margaret Wille introduced a bill calling for a charter amendment to be place on the November ballot.

Maile David Image from BIVN

Several council members had questions about the measure. How much will it cost? What will be its responsibilities? How will it work with the state Department of Agriculture?

Nancy Cook Lauer, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, reported Ka`u’s Council member Maile David saying, “We do have an overlapping jurisdictional issue (with the state). This (bill) doesn’t really say what you want this department or commission to address.”
Big Island Video News recorded David saying, “Something this huge should be a task for the Charter Commission, which will probably be coming up in a couple of years.”
According to, Cook Lauer, Wille said she introduced a similar measure during the 2010 Charter Commission, but it was not approved.
The council postponed the measure for further review by Wille.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com and bigislandvideonews.com.
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HAWAI`I COUNTY HAS THE STATE’S second-best physical environment, according to a new report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation entitled County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. The category considered air pollution, drinking water, housing and commute times.

An Action Cycle shows steps to improve
community health.

The report suggested that Hawai`i County could reduce its rates of adult smoking and excessive drinking, which are slightly higher than state averages.
It also compared county socioeconomic factors with those statewide. While the percentage of high school graduates is the same at 83 percent, only 53 percent of the county’s students go on to college, compared to 67 percent statewide. Hawai`i County also has a higher unemployment rate, more children in poverty, more income inequality and more children in single-family households.
The foundation proposes an Action Cycle to improve community health available at countyhealthrankings.org. Steps include Work Together, Assess Needs & Resources, Focus on What’s Important, Choose Effective Policies & Programs, Act on What’s Important, Evaluate Actions, and Communicate. Guides are available for businesses, community development, community members, educators, government, public and private health care professionals and advocates, nonprofits, and philanthropists.
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Certain lots of tuna are being recalled.
Image from Bumble Bee

KA`U RESIDENTS ARE ASKED to watch out for canned chunk light tuna that is being recalled. Bumble Bee Foods is recalling products with three specific UPC codes due to process deviations that were part of the commercial sterilization process and could result in contamination by spoilage organisms or pathogens, which could lead to life-threatening illness if consumed. There have been no reports of illness associated with these products to date. No other production codes or products are affected by this recall.

The products subject to this recall are marked with a can code that starts with a T and have the following UPC codes: 8660000020, 8660000021 and 8660000736.
The recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution due to possible under-processing of the affected products discovered during a routine quality audit.
Consumers are advised to throw away the recalled product. Those looking for more information on reimbursement or who have questions may contact Bumble Bee at 888-820-1947 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST seven days a week or visit www.bumblebee.com/recall-march-2016.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO VOTED against legislation that would override state laws requiring labeling of genetically modified food products. The legislation would establish a voluntary national labeling standard and would only create a mandatory disclosure program if, three years after enactment of the law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds insignificant adoption of the voluntary standard by industry. The measure failed to advance in the Senate with a vote of 48-49.

“As a longtime advocate for consumer choice, I support a mandatory federal label that will allow families in Hawai`i and across the country to make more informed decisions about the foods they choose to buy,” Hirono said. “I opposed Sen. Roberts’ proposal because it would override state labeling laws and prevent states from being able to take future action on the issue without requiring a strong federal alternative. I look forward to considering alternative proposals that empower consumers.”
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WANT TO LEARN BASIC COMPUTER and Internet skills? Want to learn more about the public libraries online resources?

Pahala Library offers basic computer classes next month.
Photo by Julia Neal

Pahala Public & School Library will be offering free computer classes on Tuesday evenings beginning Tuesday, April 5. Half-hour sessions will run from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

All that is needed is prior knowledge of the computer keyboard, how to use a mouse and a Hawai`i State Public Library card.
To get a card, take a valid photo ID and proof of current mailing address to the library and fill out an application. Cards are issued within five minutes. Lost cards cost $5 to replace.
To make an appointment for a 30-minute computer session, call Pahala Library at 928-2015, and ask for Debbie.
Pahala Library has 24 laptops and four desktops that are available anytime during open hours with a library card. Also available is free Wi-Fi connection with a library card.
While in the library, check out the books, CDs and DVD collection. DVDs are loaned for one week with a $1 charge.
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KUMU HULA MOSES Kaho`okele Crabbe, of Halau Ke Ola o Ka Lani, shares his extensive knowledge to teach the basics of hula, language and chant tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery.

Free; park entrance fees apply.

DR. JOHN FRIDAY, PhD, of University of Hawai`i at Manoa and Komohana Research and Extension Center in Hilo, discusses Rapid `Ohi`a Death tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center.
Call 939-7033 for more information.

AS PART OF ITS FIND YOUR PARK on the Big Screen series, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers a free screening of The Soul of Kalaupapa: Voices of Exile tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium.
Park entrance fees apply.

BIG ISLAND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNCIL presents Splash Bash Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Park. The drug- and alcohol-free event features music, a photo booth, water slides and games. Cotton candy, shave ice, hot dogs and water will be available for $1.

Bus transportation is available during the event. The first pick-up is at 9:30 a.m. from Pahala Community Center and the Park-&-Ride gravel lot across from Ocean View Shopping Center. The last drop-off to both locations leaves Na`alehu at 2:15 p.m. Those leaving their cars in Pahala should note that Pahala Community Center gates will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Call 969-9994 for more information.

VOLCANO ART CENTER GALLERY in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park presents hula kahiko Saturday at 10:30 a.m. on the nearby hula platform. Kumu hula Pele Kaio and students of Unulau and Papa Hu`elepo perform.
Kumu hula Ab Valencia and members of Halau Hula Kalehuaki`eki`eika`iu present Na Mea Hula at 11 a.m. on the gallery porch.

Ira Ono Photo from the Artist

IRA ONO DEMONSTRATES Japanese paste paper collage Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The demo is in association with the current Sightlines exhibit featuring works by members of Volcano Village Artists Hui. The exhibit closes on Sunday.

Free; park entrance fees apply.

`IMAKAKOLOA HEIAU RESTORATION is the topic of a meeting Saturday at 12 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation provides information and ways for residents to help.
For more information, email kalahoohie@gmail.com, or call 936-0213.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

Hawai`i House of Representives' budget included funding for walkway safety lighting at Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School and more projects at other schools. Photo by Julia Neal

PROJECTS IN KA`U ARE INCLUDED in the state House of Representative’s proposed budget that was recently passed. The projects are included in more than $389.3 million in capital improvement project funding for various projects across the island.

The budget allocates $290,000 for repairs and maintenance at Na`alehu Elementary School, $285,000 for a certified commercial kitchen for Friends of Volcano School of Arts & Sciences and $150,000 for walkway safety lighting at Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School.
Ka`u bridges would undergo rehabilitation or replacement with $8 million for Ninole Bridge and $101,000 for Hilea Stream Bridge.
Across the island, the proposed budget includes funding for various airport and highway improvements, Hawai`i Community Correctional Center, facilities for Hawai`i Army National Guard, monies for other schools and Hawai`i Community College, and regional community centers.
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NO NEW CONFIRMED CASES of dengue fever have been reported since Thursday, March 10, according to Hawai`i County Civil Defense. The total number of confirmed cases reported since onset of the outbreak remains at 261. These cases include 236 residents and 25 visitors. Hawai`i Department of Health has said the outbreak would not be considered over until no new cases have been confirmed for one month.

“Although the number and frequency of new cases appears to be on the decline, the outbreak is not expected to be considered over anytime in the near future, and we are asking for everyone’s help to continue to fight the bite,” Civil Defense Chief Darryl Oliveira said.
Civil Defense suggests that residents and visitors wear clothing that minimizes exposed skin, use mosquito repellent on skin that cannot be covered and avoid areas of high mosquito concentration during the early morning and late afternoon periods when mosquito activity is greatest. Help to reduce potential mosquito breeding areas around homes and businesses by removing standing water.
Surveying and spraying is being conducted at the residences of all suspect and confirmed cases, in addition to proactive spraying at nearby public facilities.

More information on dengue fever and mosquito control is available at health.hawaii.gov.
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DEPARTMENT OF LAND & NATURAL RESOURCES’ Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement has received grant funding to pilot an innovative Resources Enforcement Educating Fishers project starting this spring. Funding is provided by the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation.

Across the islands, the most common coastal interaction for DOCARE is with fishermen. Often this interaction is a punitive measure like a citation.
The goal of the REEF project is to provide opportunities for officers and fishers to engage in activities together, such as site visits to walk shorelines and clarify state rules and regulations.
Studies have shown that when an officer takes the time to participate in something that is important to a certain segment of the community, this shows that they really care about people, not just about writing citations.
“Many fishers have asked for trainings to understand the ‘western science’ behind rules and regulation,” said Luna Kekoa, Makai Watch coordinator for DOCARE, “but fishers feel a lot of current training lacks cultural sensitivity.”
To address this concern, a component of the REEF project will include a newly developed `Ike Kai curriculum that incorporates relevant cultural knowledge and sensitivities, while covering rules and regulations from the Division of Aquatic Resources and the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.
“Education is a critical component to help people understand why it is important to comply with the rules and regulations our officers enforce,” DOCARE Chief Tommy Friel said. “Building this relationship is the means by which education is best achieved.”

For more information on the `Ike Kai curriculum, see dlnr.hawaii.gov/makaiwatch.
APRIL WILL BE VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION Month. Ka`u Hospital will show its gratitude to volunteers who have donated so much of their time and labor over the past year. “From Alvin Kailiawa, who for at least the past dozen years has been coming every Monday to keep the grounds looking nice; to Margaret Drake, a retired occupational therapist, who continues to work with our long-term care residents; to Audrey Meyer, who applies her considerable administrative skills to help our clinic; to Jessica Garret, who works with our residents; to Jenny Mauricio, a student who has been a wonderful help in our clinic; to all the members of our Foundation and `O Ka`u Kakou, who have raised funds for us; we send a heartfelt mahalo,” Adminstrator Merilyn Harris said.

The hospital hopes to expand its volunteer program in the coming year. There are opportunities to work in most areas of the hospital from working with patients to office support. By law, hospital volunteers must undergo a criminal background check and TB clearance, both of which are going to be provided in Ka`u. Depending on the nature of the work, some additional immunizations may be required.
For more information, call Ka`u Hospital Imaging Department at 932 4392.

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Miss Ka`u Coffee Maria Miranda guides 2016 contestants
through the paces. Photo by Trinidad Marques

MISS KA`U COFFEE MARIA MIRANDA is working with Miss Peaberry, Junior Miss and Miss Ka`u Coffee candidates at Pahala Community Center as they begin practicing for the May 14 pageant at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Deadline for young ladies of all ages to sign up to compete in the three categories is March 31.

Contact Trinidad Marques at aliihhhcoffee@yahoo.com or 936-0015 to enter. Donate to the pageant scholarship fund with Julia Neal at 928-6471 or mahalo@aloha.net.

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL seniors can apply for scholarships from Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i Foundation. Applicants must be Hawai`i residents, high school seniors graduating in 2016 with a cumulative high school grade-point averages of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and accepted to a four-year college or university. Students must complete the application and provide all required documents by April 4.

For more information, call Lynne Gutierrez at 808-728-1700 or Sam Acosta at 808-306-1428.

SPLASH BASH IS TOMORROW from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Park. The drug- and alcohol-free event sponsored by Big Island Substance Abuse Council features music, a photo booth, water slides and games. Cotton candy, shave ice, hot dogs and water will be available for $1.
Bus transportation is available during the event. The first pick-up is at 9:30 a.m. from Pahala Community Center and the Park-&-Ride gravel lot across from Ocean View Shopping Center. The last drop-off to both locations leaves Na`alehu at 2:15 p.m.
Call 969-9994 for more information.

Kumu Hula Pele Kaio Photo from VAC

KUMU HULA PELE KAIO and students of Unulau and Papa Hu`elepo perform hula kahiko at Volcano Art Center Gallery hula platform in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.

Kumu hula Ab Valencia and members of Halau Hula Kalehuaki`eki`eika`iu present Na Mea Hula at 11 a.m. on the gallery porch.
Free; park entrance fees apply.

IRA ONO DEMONSTRATES Japanese paste paper collage tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Free; park entrance fees apply.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers Mongolian BBQ tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. $.85 per ounce includes protein, veggies, noodles and a beverage. Call 967-8356 for more information.
KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Call 967-8371 for more information.

Park entrance fees apply.

SPEND AN EVENING with Rebecca Folsom tomorrow from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. The award-winning singer offers an intimate acoustic concert. Cost is $20 for VAC members and $25 non-members.
Folsom teaches The Art of Vocal Freedom Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the center. Participants learn how to merge art, singing and writing prose. Fee is $50.

Call 967-8222 or see volcanoartcenter.org.

Ka`u residents may participate in restoration
of Imakakoloa Heiau. Image from Heiau of
the Island of Hawai`i, by John Stokes

`IMAKAKOLOA HEIAU RESTORATION is the topic of a meeting tomorrow at 12 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation provides information and ways for residents to help.

For more information, email kalahoohie@gmail.com, or call 936-0213.

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I Volcanoes National Park offers free programs this weekend.
Participants learn about the vital role of `ohi`a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, its many forms and flower on an easy, one-mile walk tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.
People & Lands of Kahuku on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is a guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain, focusing on the area’s human history.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

Ka`u High students participated in a forest restoration project this past Tuesday. See more below. Photos from Chayanee Brooks.

HAWAI`I HAS THE LOWEST gun death rate in the nation, Attorney General Doug Chin stated in an update on Hawai`i’s firearms background check reporting. The update occurred in conjunction with yesterday’s release by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of recent statistics on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS.

Chin said, “We support federal efforts to make Hawai`i even safer and are working collaboratively with legislators on bills that would further protect our residents from gun violence.”

Attorney General Doug Chin

The release of statistics includes descriptions of the reported categories in an attempt to explain low reporting by most states. Firearms background checks include a query into the NICS Index as well as the National Crime Information Center and criminal history information to determine if prospective applicants are disqualified from owning firearms.

Hawai`i’s criminal history information system, maintained by the Hawai`i Criminal Justice Data Center, reports all arrests and dispositions to the FBI. HCJDC is consistently one of the Top 10 in the nation for its completeness of data, ranking in the 90th percentile of all 50 states.
Additionally, Hawai`i’s mental health data reporting to NICS includes all cases resulting in an acquittal by reason of insanity and involuntary civil commitments. Qualifying temporary restraining orders and protection orders are also reported to NCIC.
“My office continues to work with county, state and federal law enforcement to keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” Chin said. “This includes our efforts to work with the county police in reporting crimes of domestic violence for purposes of firearms background checks.”

For more information, contact Joshua A. Wisch, Special Assistant to the Attorney General, at 808-586-1284 or Joshua.A.Wisch@hawaii.gov.
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U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD HAILED the Senate’s killing of a bill that would have overridden state laws that require labeling of genetically modified food products.

“The Senate’s vote against the DARK Act this week is a victory for American consumers and a significant roadblock to big food corporations who are opposed to transparency for the American people,” Gabbard said. “But make no mistake – this fight is not yet over. Until labeling of our food is mandatory, as it is in 64 other countries around the world, these companies and special interest groups will continue to try and strip away years of progress in food labeling laws made by states across the country in order to keep the American people in the dark.

“I call upon my colleagues to pass the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, and its companion bill in the Senate (S.511), to give American consumers and families the right to make transparent, informed decisions about their health and safety.”

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The students planted 200 mamane, koa and a`ali`i seedlings.

THIS PAST TUESDAY, MARCH 15, Ka`u High School students from Chayanee Brooks’ environmental science and AVID class went to Keauhou Bird Conservation Center in Volcano to do service on planting trees in order to make habitats for birds.

Students witnessed `apapane showcasing their songs and learned that everything in the ecosystem depends on each other. They planted a total of 200 plants consisting of mamane, koa and a`ali`i.

“They also learned to appreciate and contribute service to the land they live on,” Brooks said.

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TODAY IS THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY of Kilauea Volcano’s summit eruption. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists discuss it in a recent issue of Volcano Watch.
“The ongoing eruption at Kilauea Volcano's summit began on March 19, 2008. Since that time, Island of Hawai`i residents have had to cope with the challenges of increased vog and its effects,” the article states.
“On the other hand, the glowing lava lake within the summit vent provides a beautiful sight, drawing hundreds of visitors to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park nightly. When the lava lake briefly rose and spilled onto the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater in April and May 2015, it showed itself as a vivid reminder of Kilauea’s dynamic nature.
“While noting its eighth anniversary this month, it’s also worth reflecting on what Kilauea’s summit eruption has taught us. One remarkable aspect of the eruption is the lava lake. There are only a few lava lakes on Earth, and the Halema`uma`u lava lake is the second largest – only slightly smaller than that in Nyiragongo Volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“Kilauea’s lava lake is a rare opportunity to study the volcano’s dynamic magmatic system. So, what have we learned?

“Lava lakes are often called ‘windows’ into a volcano’s deep magmatic system, because they literally are part of a direct pipeline from the deep magma chamber to the surface. What happens in the deep magmatic system – like changes in magma supply rate or internal pressure – should be reflected in the lava lake at the surface. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and their collaborators have closely studied Kilauea’s summit lava lake, and now have several years of detailed observations to test this idea.

Kilauea's summit eruption began eight years ago today.
Photo from USGS/HVO

“Does the summit lava lake actually provide insights into the unseen magmatic system below? Research is still in progress, but results thus far indicate that the answer is ‘yes and no.’

“If you follow HVO’s daily eruption updates or view Kilauea’s summit webcams, you can see that the summit lava lake level changes frequently. And if you follow closely, you probably have noticed that when summit tiltmeters show deflationary tilt, the lava lake drops, while inflationary tilt corresponds to a rising lava lake. Tiltmeters essentially measure pressure within the summit magma chamber, and so, inflationary tilt means higher pressure, and deflationary tilt indicates lower pressure.
“The close relationship between the summit lava lake level and ground tilt is remarkable because it demonstrates that the lake behaves like a pressure gauge of the deeper magma chamber – akin to a giant liquid barometer. This is an important example of how the lava lake is, indeed, a window into the state of the deep magma chamber.
“Now, let’s look at an example of when this ‘window’ idea appears to break down.
“The lava lake surface constantly flows from one side of the lake, where magma rises from depth, to the opposite side of the lake, where it sinks. At first glance, this seems to directly show the process of magma circulating between the deep magma chamber and the lake surface, like an enormous lava lamp. While this may be true most of the time, observations show that the lava lake’s surface flow is often interrupted by spattering and rockfalls, which completely change the speed and direction of the lake surface circulation.
“Data show that spattering and rockfalls do not seem to have a deep trigger. Instead, they reflect shallow processes near the lava lake’s surface. These sporadic changes in the lake’s circulation are examples of how the lava lake reflects near-surface processes and do not always indicate processes in the deep magma system.
“Beyond these insights, a remaining question is how long the summit eruption will last. Unfortunately, there is no definitive data we can gather to answer this question.
“The best we can do is look at Kilauea’s recent history. A lava lake was frequently present at Kilauea’s summit for over a hundred years – from the early 1800s into the early 1900s. This persistence suggests that Kilauea’s summit lava lakes have the potential to last for decades.
“With the East Rift Zone’s Pu`u `O`o eruption reaching its 33rd anniversary in January 2016, Kilauea is remarkable among the world’s volcanoes for having two long-term, concurrent eruptions. While having such an active volcano in our backyard presents both benefits and challenges, Kilauea will likely remain one of Earth’s most outstanding teachers of volcano science for years to come.”
See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
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HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA`U invites residents to enjoy the Prince Kuhio Day celebration in Na`alehu Park a week from today, on Saturday, March 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We are very proud to sponsor the first Prince Kuhio celebration in Ka`u in over 40 years,” President Blossom DeSilva said. “This holiday is significant because Prince Kuhio founded the first Hawaiian Civic Club in 1918.”

Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u was organized in 1969 and chartered by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs in 1970. As a territorial delegate to the U. S. Congress, Kuhio was also instrumental in getting Congress to pass the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.
Opening pule is at 8:45 a.m., followed by announcements and greetings, arrival of the Royal Court and entertainment. There will be food, arts and crafts, exhibits, photos, cultural demonstrations, Hawaiian games and much more.
For more information, contact Darlyne at 640-8407 or dvierra22@gmail.com or Liz at 339-0289 or konawaileo@yahoo.com.

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

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

A magnitude-4.5 earthquake sent a sharp shake to Ka`u this morning. See more below. Map from USGS

CULTURAL EDUCATION AND PRESERVATION of the hula heiau in the mountains between Pahala and Na`alehu brought community members and the Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation together yesterday at Pahala Community Center. Foundation representatives Kala and Huihui Kanahele-Mossman said they welcome all ideas, family histories and community participation in not only the future of the physical `Imakakoloa Heiau recently rediscovered on property belonging to Edmund C. Olson Trust. They talked about the heiau becoming a focal point for community and cultural outreach, perhaps with programs in the schools.

Olson Trust has welcomed the Kanaka`ole Foundation to help steward `Imakakoloa Heiau. At yesterday’s meeting, Keoni Fox, who advocates for historic site and cultural preservation in Ka`u, asked about the timeline for involving the community. He also talked about numerous other cultural sites that would benefit from conservation easements.

Ka`u residents discuss `Imakakoloa Heiau with Edith Kanaka`ole
Foundation representatives. Photo by Julia Neal

Huihui Kanahele-Mossman explained that kupuna at the Kanaka`ole Foundation visited the hula heiau on Kaua`i, and they decided to come to `Imakakoloa to see it with their own eyes and validate its significance. The planning began last August with consultation with these kupuna, including Nalani Kanaka`ole, Pua Kanaka`ole Kanahele and Kekuhi Kanaka`ole, all experts in hula and Hawaiian culture.

On the ground has been the removal of cat’s claw and other invasive plants. The heiau location and condition is being mapped and documented ahead of any restoration and plans for ongoing stewardship. The foundation is looking at the old chants, in which lie explanations of the significance of the heiau and its relationship to the chief `Imakakoloa, who shares its name.
Nohea Ka`awa asked whether the Kanaka`ole Foundation would be willing to teach and share with the Ka`u community the protocol for going to the heiau. Representatives of the foundation agreed.
Yesterday’s gathering drew suggestions, including the Kanaka`ole Foundation offering language and cultural classes in Ka`u and drawing on local experts. It was mentioned that unlike other areas with Hawaiian populations, Ka`u is without an immersion school where the Hawaiian language is spoken. Local kupuna noted that cultural knowledge is diminishing as kupuna pass on.
Charmaine Keanu said the community would welcome more keiki learning their culture, language and the history of their home area.
Darlyne Vierra, of Ka`u Multicultural Society, said she wanted to make sure Ka`u people are involved.
The foundation asked for the community to answer four questions: What would you like to learn from a study on the heiau? What can the study do for the Ka`u community? How can you contribute to the study? Who would know old stories of this area?
Anna Cariaga, of Pahala, whose father grew dryland taro in Wood Valley, urged an agreement that would put the heiau area in conservation forever. She called for any arrangement to be in “black and white” so any future owners of the property could not take it away. “We are not going to let nobody come and take that mountain,” proclaimed Cariaga. She asked for more than an “access agreement.” Representatives of the Kanaka`ole Foundation said they are just in the beginning stages of planning and working with Olson Trust and the community. Also mentioned in the talk of preserving historic sites was Makanau, the flat-topped lookout mountain with its own heiau.
Community members pointed to Ka`u having land and cultural sites like no other place in the Hawaiian Islands. `Imakakoloa Heiau is one of them.
For more information, email huihui@edithkanakaolefoundation.org or kala@edithkanakaolefoundation.org.
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Terence Moniz Photo from
Moniz' LinkedIn page

“DOG RESCUED FROM LAVA TUBE” is the headline circulating through media following the late night search and the howling of a spaniel named Kula who fell into a 20-foot-deep shaft connected to a lava tube in Volcano. The three year old Brittany spaniel belongs to Terence Moniz, who was long a popular agriculture teacher in Ka`u, selling fresh produce alongside the road with his students.

According to a story in this morning’s Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, Kula went missing Tuesday evening, and Moniz gave up searching until dawn. At 1 a.m., Kula was able to call out. Moniz heard her from his house and found the deep hole where Kula was crying in the night. At daybreak, he called in help from the Humane Society in Kea`au. They borrowed a rappel rope from the National Park Service, fashioned a harness, and Marie Kuahiwinui Eggers scaled down the wall of the lava tube and rescued the dog. Both Kuahiwinui Eggers and Starr Yamada are employees of the Kea`au shelter.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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A large red dot locates this morning's earthquake.
Map from USGS

A MAGNITUDE-4.5 EARTHQUAKE at 6:44 a.m. sent a sharp shake to Ka`u, with its epicenter close to Waikoloa and Waiki`i ranch on the other side of Mauna Kea. It was located 3.4 miles west of Waiki`i, 8.7 miles south-southeast of Waikoloa and 12.3 miles south-southwest of Waimea. See the shake map at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earth-quakes/eventpage/hv61207881-#impact_shakemap:us_hv6120788.
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IT’S OPEN ENROLLMENT TIME to receive fresh-grown Ka`u food from from Earth Matters Farm on South Point Road. The Community Supported Agriculture program offers a $20 per week program for feeding a family of two to four persons. What comes with the weekly harvest depends on the season but includes such foods as carrots, kale, salad greens, green onions, a root crop like beets, and green beans or eggplant and herbs. Double orders, half orders and a stop when families are away are also available plans. Earth Matters is also working with other growers and plans to add in fruit.

Earth Matters Farm offers a Community Supported Agriculture
program in Ka`u. Photo from Earth Matters Farm

Joining in Community Supported Agriculture “gives families and individuals a direct connection to the farm, and you will eat the freshest, most nutritional greens and vegetables available year-round. By joining us, you will be supporting organic farming practices that are healthful to people and the environment,” said a statement from Earth Matters.
Earth Matters is one of the sponsors of the kick-off event for the Ka`u Coffee Festival on Friday, May 13 at Pahala Plantation House. It also offers on-site farming workshops. To learn more and to sign up for the CSA program, call Gail or Greg Smith at 443-8281.
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HAWAI`I FARMERS UNION UNITED asked Ka`u residents to testify on bills being heard at the state Legislature this week.

HFUU Vice President Simon Russell

“We ask you oppose HB 2501 HD2 and support farmers, fishermen and the `aina,” HFUU Vice President Simon Russell said. “This new law will have long-term effects on our watersheds statewide, and Hawai`i needs more time to make decisions about its implications. This measure creates a holdover permit process for over a year (unspecified amount of time actually) for water to be removed from the public trust without an environmental assessment. HFUU does not support this concept, and neither does the spirit of the state Constitution with regards to the ‘Public Trust’ doctrine or our Hawai`i state motto, `Ua Mau ke Ea o ka `Aina i ka Pono.’”

Several Ka`u farmers and ranchers have testified in favor of the bill, which they see as extending time on their revokable water use permits until long-term lease applications are approved.
The Senate Water, Land & Agriculture Committee considers the bill tomorrow afternoon. To be included, testimony is due today by 2:55 p.m.
SB 2659 would allow cultivation of industrial hemp and distribution of its seed throughout the state. It is scheduled for a hearing by the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, and testimony is due tomorrow at 2 p.m. “Please let House Judiciary Chairman Rhoads know you support hemp production statewide for research purposes,” Russell said.

Residents can provide testimony at capitol.hawaii.gov.
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After Dark in the Park features recovery efforts for endangered
native Hawaiian birds. Image from NPS

RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR ENDANGERED Native Birds is the topic Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The park is home to numerous endangered plants and animals. Wildlife Biologist Kathleen Misajon highlights two critically endangered bird species, the iconic nene (Hawaiian goose) and the mysterious `ua`u (Hawaiian petrel). Attendees learn about the park’s current and future monitoring programs and how these species are faring in the park and throughout Hawai`i.

$2 donations support After Dark in the Park programs.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_March_2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html.

Ka`u Coffee Pageant participants visited Francis and Trini Marques' farm this morning. They range from Peaberries to Ka`u Coffee Junior Miss to Miss Ka`u Coffee candidates. From L to R: Khloe Moses, Chazlynn Pua Queja, Jazmyn Navarro, Lyric Oliveiros, Helena Nihipali-Sesson, Shaira Panganiban, Calaysa Koi and Karlee Fukunaga-Camba. Missing from photo are Casey Koi and Jami Beck.
Photo by Trini Marques

REMAINS OF A CLAW from an extinct land crab has revealed important data on the age of a lava flow that covers much of Hawaiian Ranchos, a makai subdivision in Ocean View. The subdivision lies on two lava flow units. The older one, called Qk2 on Hawaiian geological maps, is thought to be from an eruption about 1,500 to 3,000 years ago. The newer one that thinly covers about a third of Qk2, called Qk3, is composed of `a`a lava thought to be about 750 to 1,500 years old.

Ranchos resident Ann Bosted said all known lava tubes in Ranchos are in the older flow. The younger flow contains lava caves, like the well-known Kula Kai Caverns, but they occur outside the subdivision where the flowing lava was deeper. Kula Kai is part of the Kipuka Kanohina system, which includes many caves in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates.

Steve Smith, at left, and Professor Stephan Kempe examine
a crab claw. Photo by Peter & Ann Bosted

Bosted explained that lava caves form in pahoehoe flows. Once molten lava is contained in the lava tubes (also known as pyroducts), it stays extremely hot and therefore liquid, so that it can flow for many miles without stalling, until it reaches the oceanfront. “Once the lava stops flowing, many of the lava tubes remain intact as larger or smaller caves and can become subterranean shelters for creatures as diverse as insects, crabs, birds and goats,” Bosted said. “If animals die underground, their remains are well protected from scavengers and weathering and can lie undisturbed for many thousands of years. Thus, lava tubes can preserve clues to our past, including evidence that three species of land crabs once roamed the Hawaiian Islands in large numbers. They probably became extinct when humans arrived.”

Dr. Stephan Kempe, a recently retired professor of geology in Germany, regularly visits Hawai`i and is now one of the world’s foremost authorities on pyroducts. He recently visited a Ranchos lava tube in the Qk2 flow where he spotted a number of claws from the extinct land crab. With permission from the cave’s guardian, Steve Smith, he collected a sample claw and took it back to Germany for dating.

“The results blew me away,” Smith said. “Professor Kempe established its age to be 2,400 years with only about 30 years as the possible variation. I had no idea that anything could last that long in a lava tube.”

To Kempe, the geological significance is as important. “The Qk2 flow was thought to be 1,500 to 3,000 years old,” he said. “But we know you can’t have a crab claw that is 2,400 years old in a pyroduct that is 1,500 years old. It’s not possible. This claw means that the age of the flow can now be confidently set as 2,400 to 3,000 years old, an improvement on 1,500 to 3,000 years.”

Close-up of crab claw with centimeter scale.
Photo by Peter & Ann Bosted

“It is difficult for a geologist doing field work to establish the ages of flows. The best way is to find some organic material, like the remains of trees that were burned and buried by the lava when it flowed, and date them. Sometimes one can find bits sticking out from under the flow along its edges. This is hard to do, but that is how USGS geologists like Jack Lockwood and Frank Trusdale have established the ages of the flows, as depicted on current geological maps of Hawai`i.

“Finding a crab claw in the cave, while it does not indicate the flow’s exact age, can, in this case, at least establish the minimum age of the flow. If we were to find a claw that was older than 3,000 years, we would have to adjust the maximum age of the flow, too.”
How can one date an old crab claw with such accuracy? Kempe explained: “Crab claws, burnt trees or any other organic remains contain minute amounts of the radioactive carbon isotope No. 14, which decays with a half-life of 5,730 years. Thus, it can be used to obtain dates for the last few 10,000 years and is the isotope of choice for most archeological studies.
“The data we got for the crab claw was carefully compared with data that has been gathered from tree rings all over the world. Tree rings are so well documented that we can date individual years up to 10,000 years back. The results of carbon 14 dating are reported in radiocarbon years and, ‘calibration’ is needed to convert radiocarbon years into calendar years. The date for this crab claw happens to fall on a good period and is therefore relatively exact.

“If more money were available for this sort of study, we could more accurately date the individual lava flows, but each carbon dating costs at least $300. We may need to make 10 or 20 or 30 tests, so the costs can add up fast.”
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Maile David

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL last week approved resolutions to support upcoming programs in Ka`u. Ka`u’s Council member Maile David introduced the resolutions.

Res. 430-16 provides $5,500 to support TropiCare 2016 at Ocean View Community Center from May 30 to June 4. The training program by the U.S. Department of Defense brings military reservists to Ka`u to provide free medical care to the public. The program is an exercise of the Innovative Readiness Training Program, which challenges reservists to plan and implement rapid mobilizations to distant and unfamiliar areas.
Ocean View resident Richard Abbett testified in support of the resolution. “We not only are underserved; we rarely are served in Ka`u,” he said.
Other resolutions fund up to 60 scholarships for Summer Fun programs in Pahala, Na`alehu and Ocean View. Each location will receive $2,000 to keep up to 20 keiki busy when school is out of session.
Another resolution appropriates $5,000 for repairs at Ocean View Fire Station, including to its 3,000-gallon water tank.
Abbett said he appreciates support for fire station repairs in advance of more funding that he hopes may be provided through the next county budget for equipment.
Ocean View resident Tony Columbo is a volunteer firefighter there. He said funds would go toward normal upkeep at the fire station. He asked David to remain “aggressive” in supporting the community.
David will be at Ocean View Community a week from today on Monday, March 28 at 6 p.m. to answer questions about local issues.
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Dr. Virginia Pressler

HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH is investigating its second imported case of Zika virus to be confirmed this year by the department’s State Laboratories Division. The Kaua`i resident has a history of recent travel to Latin America and may still be infectious. The individual has been advised to keep indoors and stay protected from mosquitoes.

A Vector Control team will visit the individual’s residence to survey the area for mosquitoes and determine if there is a need to treat the area to reduce any mosquito breeding sites.
“As Zika continues to spread in multiple regions across the world, we anticipate that we will experience an increase in imported cases and must take precautionary measures to reduce our risk for an outbreak in Hawai`i,” DOH Director Dr. Virginia Pressler said. “It is crucial that we keep practices (such as eliminating standing water and wearing mosquito repellent) top-of-mind as we prepare for travel in and out of the state, especially to areas that may be affected by Zika and other mosquito-borne illnesses.”
For more information on Zika, see cdc.gov.

MILOLI`I-KA`U GIRLS TRAVELING Volleyball Club has been invited to participate in the 29th annual Ho`oikaika Invitational Tournament May 27-30 on Kaua`i. Members have participated in various tournaments, including the annual Haili Tournament of Hilo, where they placed first and third in different divisions.

The club is raising funds to offset travel expenses that include flights, room and board and ground transportation.
“This will be our first off-island trip and an opportunity to compete with girls in our brackets from various neighboring islands, as well as an opportunity to expand our skills and abilities,” donations chair Starlette Freitas said. “Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.”
Players include Kyia Hashimoto, Hailey Fa`afia, Shaila Fa`afia, Honey Freitas, Lehiwa Freitas-Moses, Precious Mareko-Ke, Kaelyn Medeiros-Shibuya, Chelsea Velez, Johnette Llanes and Jaydah Pilanca-Emmsley.
Checks made payable to Starlette Freitas may be sent to her at PO Box 847, Na`alehu, HI 96772 with MK Volleyball Club noted on the check.
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After Dark in the Park focuses on nene and `ua`u recovery
efforts. Photo from NPS

WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST KATHLEEN MISAJON highlights two critically endangered bird species, the iconic nene (Hawaiian goose) and the mysterious `ua`u (Hawaiian petrel), tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Attendees learn about the park’s current and future monitoring programs and how these species are faring in the park and throughout Hawai`i.

$2 donations support After Dark in the Park programs; park entrance fees apply.

PARK RANGERS AND STAFF from Hawai`i Pacific Parks Association demonstrate various Hawaiian games Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Blacksmithing is the topic Wednesday at Na`alehu Public Library.

NA`ALEHU PUBLIC LIBRARY hosts a free, live Blacksmithing Demonstration on Wednesday at 2 p.m. Journeyman blacksmith Richard Blaine, assistant Schaunlee Blaine, apprentice Ian Bailey and knifemaker David Brunetta practice the time-honored craft and tell a bit about its history.

All ages are welcome; young children must be accompanied by an adult.

Call 939-2442 for more information.

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