Ka`u Calendar News Briefs, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016

     The marine biologist predicted that transitioning container use away from foam will bring some opponents to cite hardships for the county-sponsored Meals on Wheels Program. She suggested turning this concern into an opportunity to support one of three local on-island vendors who sell compostable to-go ware. She suggested applying for “funds outside the county to help subsidize this transition,” including grants to the county for marine debris and solid waste prevention projects from federal government agencies NOAA and EPA, and mini-grants for local teachers through Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, for bringing such programs into the schools.

Lamson wants the county to join school students in protecting natural resources by changing from foam to compostable containers. Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

     Lamson praised council member Margaret Wille for including an education component in the Bill 248. Wille said this morning that the County Council referred the measure to the county Department of Environmental Management and the Environmental Management Commission for review. The commission meets on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 9 a.m, at the West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona.
AN OCEAN VIEW WOMAN DIED after her 2006 Nissan pickup truck struck a tree south of the 102 mile marker on Mamalaoha highway late Tuesday night. She was pronounced dead at 2:20 a.m. yesterday at Kona Community Hospital.
     Denise Scott grew up on this island and longed to return from the mainland. She bought a fixer-upper Ocean View cabin and moved here this summer. She was renovating and preparing for a house warming party, said friend Elaine Meier. Scott was returning from shopping and visiting her aunt in Kona when her truck ran off the road and hit the large tree.   

     Meier described Scott as,  “so happy to be home. She couldn’t wait to get her hair in the ocean. She was beautiful, really funny and a very good person.” Meier recalled that Scott adopted two puppies from Kohala Animal Rescue Society. They will now be taken care of by her aunties, Meier said.
     Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at 326-4646, ext. 229. Anonymous calls may be made to Crime Stoppers at 961-8300. This is the twenty-fifth traffic fatality in 2016. There were 16 by this time in 2015.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View offers free showers and free food on Saturdays, a Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 19.  Photo from St. Jude's

POLICE REACTED QUICKLY when another break-in was reported at St. Judes Episcopal Church in Ocean View on Monday night. Member Elaine Meier said that nothing was taken and the police "are fantastic. They are on it." 

     She theorized that theives may have refrained from taking St. Jude's hot water heater – they have already stolen two water heaters there – "because now we have our name all over it.” 

     Meier said that St. Jude's "water heater is used for one thing and one thing only –  free Saturday showers. Stealing the hot water heater only hurts those who need it the most.”
     Free showers and free food are offered every Saturday at St. Jude’s from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 19 will be offered until food runs out.
     Any leads on theft or attempted theft at St. Judes can be called anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

IMPROVING FOOD POLICY earned Tulsi Gabbard a perfect score on the recent National Food Policy Scorecard . The award goes to Gabbard, a member of the U.S. House of Reprsentative, for leadership in advancing good food policy in the 114th Congress.
     “Fighting for sensible, transparent food policies and supporting local and domestic agriculture has been among my key priorities," said Gabbard. In this Congress, "we’ve unfortunately seen numerous attempts to roll back progress on good food policy, like undermining common sense food labeling standards across the country, fast-tracking the destructive Trans-Pacific Partnership, and lifting restrictions on the use of harmful pesticides near our vital water resources.” 

     Gabbard, who represents Ka`u and other rural Hawaiian communities,  said,  “Food security is a critical issue for people in Hawaiʻi and across the U.S. and I will continue to work hard toward creating a more secure, safe, and healthy future for our people and our environment.”

Ka`u photographer Peter Anderson made a Ring of Fire film on the active lava at Volcano.

     Tom Colicchio, Food Policy Action co-founder, chef and food advocate, said that “Tulsi Gabbard is a strong food champion who has been a steadfast advocate for measures to fix our food system, voting to protect clean water, transparency in food labeling, workers' rights, and the long-term viability of our food supply.”

EARLY VOTING WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LATE REGISTRATION is available at Pahala Community Center.  Hours are Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Citizens can also register late and vote early at Aupuni Center Conference Room in Hilo, Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; West Hawai`i Civic Center Community Room, Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Waimea Community Center, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon.

   Voting locations for the Tuesday, Nov. 8 General Election, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., are: Cooper Center in Volcano at 19-4030 Wright Rd; Ka`u High School Cafeteria at 96-3150 Pikake St. - turn into the school grounds; Na`alehu Elementary School Cafeteria at 95-5545 Hwy 11; Ocean View Community Center at 92-5545 Mamalahoa Hwy; and Miloli`i Halau.