Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, April 5, 2017

     

KA`U`S COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER MAILE DAVID stood up for Equal Pay Day on Tuesday, which was proclaimed by Mayor Harry Kim for the County of Hawai`i. American Association of University Women members brought the proclamation to the council. Women are paid 84 percent of pay provided to men in Hawai`i. On the mainland, women are paid 80 percent of the pay that goes to men.

   The Mayor's proclamation points out that "More than 50 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women, especially minority women, continue to suffer the consequences of unequal pay." It notes that "women working full time in Hawai`i year round in 2017 will typically earn 84 percent of what men earn, indicating little change or progress in pay equality." The resolution says the gender pay gap is evident one year after college graduation, even after controlling for occupation, hours worked and college major.
     "We must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act" to close loopholes in the  the Lilly Lebetter (equal pay) law's effectiveness. "A lifetime of lower pay means women have less income to save for retirement and less income counted in the social security or pension benefit formula," states Kim's proclamation.

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK has announced free guided hikes, Coffee Talks and 'Ike Hana No`eau Hawaiian cultural programs for April through June. Visitors can also explore Kahuku on their own on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.    

       'Ike Hana No'eau (Experience the Skillful Work) is a new program of Hawaiian cultural demonstrations at Kahuku on the third Friday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon. On April 21 learn how to make tī leaf lei; on May 19, learn to make a miniature kāhili (feather standard); and come weave a small decorative fish out of niu (coconut fronds) on June 23. Programs are free.
     Coffee Talk offers conversations on a wide variety of topics at Kahuku the last Friday of the month. Ka'ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Coffee Talks are offered free on April 28, May 26, and June 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
     Palm Trail is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, sections of remnant native forest and amazing volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. A guided hike of Palm Trail is offered April 23, May 28, and June 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Salmon colored ohia lehua at Kahuku. NPS photo

   Pu'u o Lokuana is a short 0.4-mile hike to the top of the grassy cinder cone, Pu'u o Lokuana. Learn about the formation and various uses of this hill over time and enjoy a breathtaking view of lower Ka'ū. This hike is offered May 20 and June 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
     Hi'iaka & Pele. Discover two fascinating Hawaiian goddesses, sisters Pelehonuamea (Pele) and Hi'iaka, and the natural phenomena they represent. Visitors will experience the sisters coming alive through the epic stories depicted in the natural landscape of Kahuku on this easy 1.7-mile walk on the main road in Kahuku. The Hi'iaka and Pele program is offered April 8, May 7 and June 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
     People and Land of Kahuku is a moderate two-mile, three-hour guided hike that loops through varied landscapes to explore the human history of Kahuku. Emerging native forests, pastures, lava fields, and other sites hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands –from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about the powerful natural forces at work here and how people have adapted to, shaped, and restored this land. The guided hike is offered April 9, May 21 and June 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  

     Realms and Divisions of Kahuku. Experience the sense of place that evolves at the intersection of nature and culture on this moderately difficult two-mile, two-hour guided hike on the Kahuku Unit's newest trail, Pu'u Kahuku. Explore the realms and divisions of the traditional Hawaiian classification system at Kahuku. Bring a snack for the "talk story" segment of this hike. Offered April 15 and May 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
     'Ōhi'a Lehua. Learn about the vital role of 'ōhi'a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the 'ōhi'a tree, and the new disease of Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death. Visitors will be able to identify the many differences of the most prominent native tree in Kahuku on this program, which is an easy, one-mile (or less) walk. The 'Ōhi'a Lehua program is offered April 16, May 14 and June 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.    

     Birth of Kahuku. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku. Traverse the vast 1868 lava flow, see different volcano 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. This guided easy-to-moderate hike is offered April 22, May 27 and June 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
     Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship (He Pilina Wehena 'Ole). Hike the Palm Trail and be inspired by a place where hulihia (catastrophic change) and kulia (restoration) can be observed as

Inside Pu`u o Lokuana. NPS photo

the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow and its pioneer plants, to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants and their significance in Hawaiian culture. This moderate hike is about two miles and takes two hours. The Nature & Culture program is offered April 29, May 13 and June 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Hawai‘i Wildlife Center Presentation, Thu, April 6, from 9 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. HWC representatives focus on the center’s history, mission and vision. Free; donations accepted.

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch meeting, Thu, April 6, at 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-2442 & 928-2015