Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Tuesday, May 31, 2016

      Morita suggests that interested residents watch an online presentation by PUC Commissioner Mike Champley at March’s Maui Energy Conference where, as a panelist on “The Hawai`i Renewable Energy Experience – What Can Be Replicated Nationally and Internationally,” he asked, “What metric do we look at?”

      According to Morita, “Champley said it was important to understand two competing metrics, renewable capacity versus energy penetration, or capacity factor, and walked the audience through each of his slides depicting our renewable progress, current challenges, future challenges and new considerations that come into play regarding key technical and economic tradeoffs. …

      “For example, if we make further investments in increasing wind and solar capacity, corresponding investments will need to be made in grid modernization, renewable integration and bulk storage. Therefore, will new investments be made in nascent storage technology or pump storage to store and dispatch solar at evening peak? Or will it be made in smaller and flexible fossil generators with the ability to ramp up and down with the variability of wind and solar during the day and be available to address system peak? Which solution will be less risky? Or do we do both? What solution can we afford and have the greatest system and customer benefits? Can we move forward with a no-regret solution/strategy?

      “The logical, economic solutions are there, but it will take the goring of some sacred cows to lay a solid foundation and cost-effective strategy to get to 100 percent.

      See Champley’s presentation at vimeo.com/163314542.

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MARK YAMANAKA TOOK HOME his tenth Na Hoku Hanohano award last weekend. Yamanaka, known for his falsetto voice and guitar skills, frequently shares his music at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and has accompanied halau at Pahala Plantation Cottages, fundraising for the Uhane Na Moku O Hawai`i nonprofit group.

MEMBERS OF HAWAI`I’S CONGRESSIONAL delegation representing Ka`u honored members of the military over Memorial Day weekend.

      On Sunday, Sen. Brian Schatz spoke at the Pacific American Foundation Annual Roll Call of Honor Ceremony to honor the sacrifice of Pacific American soldiers.
      “Together, we remember with deep appreciation our Pacific Veterans and all of America’s men and women who answered the call to protect liberty,” Schatz said.
      Yesterday, Schatz joined Gov. and Mrs. Ige at a Memorial Day ceremony on O`ahu.
      Sen. Mazie Hirono paid tribute to service members, veterans and their families on Memorial Day.

      “Hawai`i is the home to generations of service members, from the Civil War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Hirono said. “Memorial Day is an opportunity to celebrate these service members, remember those who gave their life in service to our country, and reflect on legacy they left behind. On this solemn day, we not only honor the sacrifices made by our service members and veterans, but also reaffirm our lifelong commitment to support them and their families.”

      Hirono spent Memorial Day on Hawai`i Island, attending a remembrance ceremony hosted by the West Hawai`i Veterans of Foreign Wars post at West Hawai`i Veterans Cemetery. Hirono paid tribute to Waimea native Lance Corporal Christopher Camero, who was killed in Afghanistan, and other Hawai`i service members.

      Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, at Makawao Veterans Cemetery, delivered remarks to honor America’s fallen heroes at an observance hosted by Maui Veterans Council. She joined fellow veterans, their friends, families and the community in honoring heroes from Hawai`i and across the nation who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. In her remarks, Gabbard documented the lives lost in recent conflicts. She implored they be honored by ensuring our troops are not sent into harm’s way unnecessarily and that missions be worthy of their great sacrifice.

      “We have lost too many of our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters in these counterproductive interventionist wars,” said Gabbard, a twice-deployed Major in the Hawai`i Army National Guard. We owe it to those we’ve lost, and those who have followed in their footsteps, to learn from the mistakes of the past and not repeat them in the future. Let us remember our friends, our family, our nation’s heroes, by being grateful for all that we have, honoring their memory, and by taking action. Forging ahead, making them proud, making sure that their sacrifice was not in vain. Let us be inspired by their example and show through our actions, every day, that they will never be forgotten.”
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TROPIC CARE 2016 BEGINS today and continues through Saturday at Ka`u High School and Ocean View Community Center with free medical screenings, school sports physicals, dental services, eye exams, hearing screenings, nutritional services, veteran services, prescription eyeglasses and more.

      Bring water, snacks and current glasses and medications.

      Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily except Saturday, when closing is at 12 p.m.

      Bus transportation is available daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to and from Ocean View Community Center at Princess Kailulani at Lotus Blossom, Kahuku Park and Hele-on Park & Ride.
      For more information about Tropic Care, call 808-874-6035.

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in Hawai`i County Council meetings this week. The council holds a special meeting tomorrow at 9 a.m. for the second and final readings of operating and capital improvement budgets.
      Committees meet Thursday. Governmental Relations & Economic Development’s meeting is at 9 a.m.; Human Services & Social Services, 10 a.m.; Planning, 11 a.m.; and Finance, 1:30 p.m.
      The full council meets Friday at 9 a.m.

      All meetings take place at Council Chambers in Hilo. Videoconferencing is available at Na`alehu State Office Building. Meetings are streamed live, and agendas are available, at hawaiicounty.gov.
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A FREE CLASS ON FREEDOM Release Technique takes place at Margo’s Corner on Wakea Street in Discovery Harbour on Sunday, June 5 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.​

      Megan Tardif-Woolgar is a certified Freedom Release Technique Practitioner and a registered Medical Herbalist from Nova Scotia, Canada. She helps facilitate healing by connecting to an individual’s higher self and releasing past traumas and negative experiences stored within the cellular memory. She also helps facilitate the connection between the human and plant world, allowing plant allies to come forward and offer their healing and support.
      For more information, see sacredspiralherbals.com.
      RSVP to 929-9614 or 1-902-824-0547 or sacred.spiral.herbals@gmail.com.

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