Ka'ū News Briefs Friday, September 22, 2017

DA BUX supports local agriculture and encourages SNAP-EBT cardholders to eat healthy. See story below. Photo from The Food Basket

BRENDA FORD WILL RUN FOR THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES representing west Ka‘ū and Kona. The District V seat, now held by Dr. Richard Creagan, serves the citizenry from Honu‘apo, through Nā‘ālehu, Discovery Harbor, Green Sands, Mark Twain, South Point, Ocean View and up through Miloli‘i and into Kona to Holualoa. In the 2018 election race, Creagan will run for the state Senate seat held by Dr. Josh Green, who is running for Lt. Governor.
    Ford made the announcement yesterday and said this morning that she is eager to work again on Ka‘ū issues. She served as a County Council member for four two-year terms, the maximum. During the last term, her territory included all of Ka‘ū, after the district lines were changed with reapportionment.
      Ford said that she is interested in working once again on infrastructure issues, including the construction of a second well for Ocean View. She said she would attempt to hold onto funding for the well that was approved during Rep. Richard Creagan's tenure in the House. Should the county move forward, she said that the National Guard may be able to volunteer to build it.

Brenda Ford said she supports truth in labeling for Ka‘ū and Kona Coffee.

   While many water issues are solved at the local level, Ford said the Hawai‘i Legislature can often help with some of the funding. When she served on the County Council, she lobbied for additional water infrastructure for homes, farms and to fight fires. She advocated for more firefighting equipment and water stations for range fires at South Point and for water lines to extend from Hwy. 11 down to beach and residential communities. She lobbied for a waterline extension from Ho‘okena to Miloli‘i and for a new well around Miloli‘i and Papa Bay Road.
     She mentioned needed improvements to situations where spaghetti lines are running alongside roads to housing areas. She said water hydrants are needed. A million gallon water tank on the makai side of Hwy. 11 near the Ka‘alu‘alu Road intersection was one of her ideas when she served on the council.
    Ford also advocated for the new permanent transfer, reuse, recycling and mulch center for Ocean View. As a councilwoman she aimed to improve the Ocean View Police Station and to keep in place the Ka‘ū interactive communication site for giving testimony and witnessing County Council and other public meetings.

     In terms of state legislation, she said she supports allowing one extra dwelling on each farm, for long-term rental income, workers or family, but opposes using farms for vacation rentals. She said the extra housing on farms could be under the same roof as the house,  or a separate ‘ohana dwelling. She said that elder farmers often need workers and extra income.

    Ford said she also advocates for truth in labeling for Ka‘ū and Kona Coffee and other local produce.

    She and her husband Larry live on a small farm in South Kona where they are retired from growing coffee but still manage their fruit trees, she said.

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Ka‘ū coastal brushfire continues to burn as fire crews battle strong trade winds and limited ground access to the scene. Photo by Ka‘ū resident and Volunteer Firefighter Lizzy Stabo

COUNTY AND VOLUNTEER FIRE CREWS CONTINUE TO FIGHT A LARGE BRUSHFIRE that started yesterday in a “remote area of Ka‘ū coastline near Waikapuna Bay,” states a Hawai‘i Fire Department press release.
     The release states that an alarm was raised at 5:17 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, with "multiple units dispatched to reported fire." However, "due to [the] location of the fire" and "limited 4x4 access roads," when the first units were eventually able to arrive at the scene, almost two hours later, "approximately 5 acres of grass and brush [was] actively burning." The release also said that "strong trade winds" caused the fire to continue spreading "throughout [the] day. Dozers were utilized to establish fire breaks and choppers carried out water drops. Much of [the] area [was unaccessible] to ground vehicles." As of 6 p.m. Thursday, 840 acres had burned. Spreading of the fire "slowed down throughout nighttime hours", though "much of [the] area [was] still actively burning" today, said the release.
     As of 4:30 p.m. today, Sept. 22, Hawai‘i Fire Department dispatch reported that firefighters were still battling the flames. Read yesterday’s Ka‘ū News Briefs for more.

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KA‘Ū TROJANS beat Pāhoa, 18-12 in Eight-Man Football, Thursday on Pāhoa's home turf. The Trojan wining touchdowns all came in the fourth quarter. Trojan Z. Kai ran a 31-yard touchdown to tie the game at 12-12. The final score came when I. Pilanca-Emmsley intercepted the ball and ran for 95-yard across the goal line.
     The second and third quarters were scoreless and halftime saw Pāhoa ahead 12-6, after the home team scored two touchdowns in the first quarter. Ka‘ū also scored in the first quarter when Pilanca-Emmsley passed to J. Badua.

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A VOLLEYBALL CLINIC for five to 14 year-old youth, co-sponsored by the Hawai'i Police Department, will be held at Ka'ū District Gym from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday Sept. 25. The instructor will be Ka'ū High School girls volleyball coach Joshua Ortega and coaching staff, assisted by the Ka'ū High School Girls Volleyball team. Gym or court shoes required. Participants must turn in a signed registration waiver form. For more information, and to register, call Ka'ū District Gym at 928-3102.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet Tuesday, Sept. 26, starting at 10 a.m. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church. For more, call 929-9910.

KA'Ū FOOD PANTRY OFFERS FREE FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

LEARN ABOUT KA‘Ū DESERT’S FOOTPRINTS IN THE ASH with Park Ranger Jay Robinson during Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium.
     Hawaiians once traversed Kīlauea on foot to travel between Puna and Ka‘ū, and during the 18th century, explosions from the volcano rained volcanic ash down on the people, preserving their footprints in the sands of “Keonehelelei.” Robinson will discuss new interpretive displays in the Ka‘ū Desert and explain what is known today about the impact of these explosive eruptions on native society. The event is free, park entrance fees apply.