Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Saturday, April 30, 2016

Meet artist Marian Berger, creator of `I`iwi and other bird portraits on display at Volcano Art Center Gallery, at a reception this afternoon. See more below. Image from VAC

RICHARD HA, WHO RECENTLY STOPPED growing bananas and tomatoes, will grow marijuana at his farm in Hamakua. Ha is known as a state Department of Agriculture board member and as a proponent of both geothermal energy and a cooperative to provide electricity in Hawai`i. The state State Department of Health announced yesterday that Ha, who applied as Lau Ola, LLC, will be issued a license to grow medical marijuana.

Richard Ha

DOH selected eight applicants to receive Medical Marijuana Dispensary Licenses. Ha is one of two on Hawai`i Island. The other is Hawaiian Ethos, LLC.

A licensed dispensary may begin dispensing marijuana no sooner than July 15, 2016 with approval of DOH. Each dispensary licensee may operate up to two production centers and two retail dispensing locations within the county they are licensed to serve. “There are many steps the dispensaries will need to take in order to actually start production and dispensing, so we can’t say exactly when the dispensing will begin,” said Margaret Leong, Supervisor for the Medical Marijuana Dispensary Licensing Program. “But we are excited to start working with the selected licensees on the next steps.”

Selected applicants are required to pay a licensing fee of $75,000 to DOH within seven days of receiving their written notice of selection to be awarded a dispensary license. If the fee is not timely paid by close of business on the seventh day, the selected applicant will be disqualified, and the department will select the next highest scoring applicant for the county.
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DO YOU KNOW OF A SPECIAL PROPERTY in Hawai`i County that should be permanently preserved? The Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission encourages the public to propose properties that should be purchased. Forms to suggest properties can be downloaded from the at http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/Browse.aspx?startid=13770&dbid=1 or by obtaining a form at the address below. Suggestion forms are due by June 30.

Commissioners review the suggestion forms and consider significant factors of each property such as historic and culturally important features; opportunities for outdoor recreation and education; public access to beaches or mountains; preservation of forests, beaches, coastal areas, and natural beauty; protection of natural resources and watershed lands; potential partners for management; and general benefits to the public. Potential acquisitions are then prioritized and listed in a report sent to the mayor at the end of each year. The mayor then forwards his recommendations to Hawai`i County Council, which adopts resolutions to authorize property purchases.

For more information on the process, see http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/WebLink8/DocView.aspx?id=71938&dbid=1.
Past open space purchases total 1,287 acres and include Kawa oceanfront parcels.
PONC funds are derived from two percent of Hawai`i County’s annual real property tax revenues. The county has also been able to obtain more than $7.5 million in matching funds and donations from other sources to help purchase open space properties. A Maintenance Fund has also been established to provide stewardship assistance to community organizations to maintain properties that are acquired with PONC funds.
The nine PONC commissioners represent each of the nine County Council districts. The commission meets every other month, and public testimony is welcome.
For further information, contact Alexandra Kelepolo of the County of Hawai`i Property Management Division, 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1101 at 961-8069, or see http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/browse.aspx?dbid=1&startid=13770.
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Human Resources Manager Renae Akau came from Hilo to help
Operations Supervisor Erin Santos and Branch Manager Mako
Okazaki hand out goodies and gifts during CU Hawai`i's
Member Appreciation Day. Photo by Ron Johnson

YESTERDAY WAS MEMBER APPRECIATION DAY at CU Hawai`i Credit Union. Members enjoyed bentos and cake at the Na`alehu branch, and cupcakes at the Pahala branch. Branch Manager Mako Okazaki handed out LED flashlights at both branches. Members also entered to win a grand prize of $200 at each branch. Winners will be announced on Monday.

Chartered in 1955, CU Hawai`i has been serving its membership for over 60 years.

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PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA recognized Ka`u’s state Sen. Josh Green for his work to expand free community college programs.

Since the beginning of his Administration, Obama has vowed to make working families a priority and create ladders of opportunity, including an affordable education. During his 2015 State of the Union address, Obama unveiled the America’s College Promise, a proposal to make two years of community college free for responsible students. In his announcement, the President laid out a vision for free community college that can be achieved through shared responsibility from states, schools, employers, nonprofits, students and families.

Sen. Josh Green

At least 27 new free community college programs have launched in states, local communities, and individual community colleges since the President’s 2015 State of the Union address. Collectively, these new programs add over $70 million in new public and private investments to serve nearly 40,000 students at community colleges. Seventeen other states have introduced legislation to make community college free nation-wide.

“Universal access to higher education for Americans will provide a true way for us to improve our country,” Green said. “Free tuition for community college in America is a necessary first step that can help us to defeat chronic cycles of poverty, and in many cases defeat hopelessness, for vast numbers of our people. I'm honored to be a part of this movement with the President.”
Green said he is “honored to be recognized by the White House but mostly proud to stand with the American people on this very important issue. Access to higher education should be available to all those with a desire to learn, not restricted to those who can afford it.”
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Chris Kanazawa

USDA SEEKS GRANT APPLICATIONS to help agricultural producers increase product value. Up to $44 million is available to farmers, ranchers and businesses looking to develop new bio-based products and expand markets through the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant program.

“The uniqueness of island life requires items not produced locally to be shipped to the region,” said Chris Kanazawa, USDA Rural Development State Director for Hawai`i and the Western Pacific. “The Value-Added Producer Grant program is a great resource for our local agricultural producers looking to generate new products, increase product values and grow markets and customer bases. In addition to diversifying locally produced and grown products, economic opportunities for producers, their families and local communities increase.”
Value-Added Producer Grants may be used to develop new products and create additional uses for existing ones. Priority is given to veterans, members of socially disadvantaged groups, beginning farmers and ranchers, and operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches. Additional priority is given to applicants who seek funding for projects that will create or increase marketing opportunities for these types of operators.
More information on how to apply is on page 20607 of the April 8 Federal Register. The deadline to submit paper applications is July 1, 2016. Electronic applications submitted through grants.gov are due June 24, 2016. Additional information and assistance is available through local offices.
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GET UP CLOSE TO HAWAI`I’S endemic birds. In Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, Volcano Art Center Gallery’s new exhibition opening today features Marian Berger’s dramatic, close-up watercolor portraits of native birds.

The exhibit runs through June 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is open to the public and free of charge; park entrance fees apply.
Meet the artist at an opening reception today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, see volcanoartcenter.org.

THE BIRTH OF KAHUKU is a free program at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow. From 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., participants explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku. Traverse the vast 1868 lava flow, see different volcanic features and formations and identify many parts of the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku.
See nps.gov/havo.

MAY DAY IS LEI DAY at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The gallery holds its festive May Day program tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the gallery porch. Participants learn tips to sewing the perfect lei, proper protocol of giving and receiving a lei and more.
Join the Lono Kanaka`ole Trio featuring Christy Lassiter with impromptu hula by Noe Noe Kekaualua and lei making with Desiree Moana Cruz.
Free; park entrance fees apply.

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