Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Thursday, March 10, 2016

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.

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

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

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.