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| Hawaiian, Mexican and Japanese dancers and musicians shared their cultures on Saturday at Ho‘okupu Hula No Ka‘ū Cultural Festival in Pāhala. Photo by Julia Neal |
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| A hālau from Mexico dances both hula and Mexican folk numbers. Photo by Julia Neal |
Famed Hawaiian high soprano Raiatea Helm, of Moloka‘i, brought back the songs of the great falsetto singers of Hawaiian music, accompanied by Wailau Ryder and Demetrius Oliveira. Helm thanked Skylark, who emceed the event with Makana Kamahele, for all she has done to help Hawaiian musicians.
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SEN. RUSSELL RUNDERMAN briefed the County Council this week on his plans for the 2018 Hawai‘i Legislature. Ruderman, who represents east Ka‘ū, Volcano and Puna, said he will push for a statewide direct citizens initiative. He acknowledged the initiative and referendum process for Hawai‘i County and hopes for one statewide. "We can have a participative democracy to address some issues that the legislature has failed to address and continues to fail to address.”
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| Goodwill from traditional Mexican dancers and singers to Hawaiian dancers and singers and a hug to Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder. Photo by Julia Neal |
Concerning jobs, Ruderman said he will advocate for a “$15 an hour minimum wage. It's important. I feel like I have a role to play on that discussion," he said, noting that he employes many Hawai‘i Island residents in his business of owning food stores. "You think I would oppose it." However, Ruderman said that he believes a $15 minimum wage "is really good for business, not bad for business. Moreover, it’s good for our society and I think its a way to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty and virtually solve our homeless problem."
The state Senator said, "When I look in our toolbox, what do we have to address poverty and homelessness?" He contended that nothing makes more of an impact than raising wages. "So, it’s something we can do... and make a dramatic difference in our society. I know that it comes with some controversy but I think the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives.”
Concerning marijuana, Ruderman said, he is “constantly trying to push on decriminalizing or making legal cannabis in our state and I will once again propose a bill to allow the counties to legalize or decriminalize cannabis. Since the state does not seem to want to do so.”
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| Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder, right, with Hālau Hula O Leionalani at Saturday's Ho‘okupu Hula No Ka‘ū Culural Festival. Photo by Julia Neal |
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| Wailau Ryder and Radiate Helm. Photo by Julia Neal |
Medical Aid and Dying is another bill Ruderman will continue to support next legislature. It is also called physician assisted suicide or death with dignity. "That's the idea that with a lot of safeguards in place, a person of sound mind facing a terminal diagnosis can have their doctor prescribe life ending drugs without their doctor getting in trouble," and without the medical professionals losing their insurance to stay in practice, said Ruderman. He pointed to the legality of physician assisted suicide in five other states, noting that "Oregon is famous for having it" for more than five years. About 20 people a year are assisted in Oregon, he said.
The Tiny House bill and other ways of helping farmers and ranchers to provide more worker and family housing is another goal of Ruderman. Last year's Tiny House bill passed the legislature but was opposed by the Hawai‘i County Planning Director and the chair of the state Department of Agriculture, who said it could become a loophole for unplanned development on agricultural lands. Gov. David Ige vetoed the Tiny House bill. Ruderman said he would work on the bill to gain county support for 2018.
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| Lori Lei Shirakawa, Demetrius Oliveira and one of her award winning Kupuna Kane dancers. Photo by Julia Neal |
“This was a collaborative effort within the Department of Health and with others in the community,” said Keith Kawaoka, DOH deputy director of environmental health. “The input we received allowed us to develop a much more robust beach monitoring and notification system that will serve as a valuable tool for the community." He called the new website, "just the beginning. In the future, we’ll be able to use the data to improve efficiency in the beach warning notification system and use the data for other purposes.”
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| The Inoue ‘Ohana from Japan reunite with Demetrius Oliveira who accompanied them on tour in Japan years ago. Photo by Julia Neal |
“The State of Hawai‘i has taken an important step to ensure public safety by promptly notifying the public about potential human health risks and improving access to beach monitoring data,” said Tomas Torres, Director of the Water Division at EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “The DOH’s partnership with Surfrider and other stakeholders exemplifies a notable bottom-up collaboration that results in tangible human health and environmental protection for residents and visitors in Hawai‘i.”
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| Japanese hula dancers shared their skills with Ka‘ū on Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal |
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| A big stage at Pāhala Community Center drew more than 1,000 people to the hula fest. Photo by Julia Neal |
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A JUMBLE & PLANT SALE is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. All you can eat pancakes will be available for $3 per person. For more details, call 939-7000 or email StJudeHawaii@bak.rr.com.
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A PAINT YOUR OWN SILK SCARF Class will be hosted Saturday, Nov. 11, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Volcano Art Center. Big Island artist Patti Pease Johnson teaches color theory and silk scarf painting techniques using three colors of each artists choosing. Beginners and intermediate artists welcome. Fees are $50 per non-member and $45 per Volcano Art Center member, plus $10 supply fee per person. For more, call 967-8222 or visit volcanoartcenter.org.
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Pick up the November edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar, free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout the district. See it online now at kaucalendar.com |
FREE HEPATITIS C TESTING IS AVAILABLE on Sunday, Nov. 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 a.m., at Volcano Farmers Market on Wright Rd in Volcano. Volcano Community Association, the organization hosting the event, says that one in 30 baby boomers have Hep. C and most don’t event know it. For more details visit Ka‘ū News Briefs from Thursday, Oct. 12, or email vcainfo@yahoo.com.
HAM RADIO OPERATORS HOST A POTLUCK PICNIC Sunday, Nov. 5, at Manukā Park. All American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families are invited to attend. For more, call Dennis Smith at 989-3028.
PU‘U O LOKUANA, a free moderately difficult 0.4-mile hike, takes visitors to the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered Sunday, Nov. 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Learn about the formation and various uses of this grassy cinder cone and enjoy a breathtaking view from the top of lower Ka‘ū.
KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET TUESDAY, Nov. 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.
RETURN TO THE WILD: AN UPDATE ON THE ‘ALALĀ RELEASE is the Tuesday, Nov. 7, After Dark in the Park topic in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, at 7 p.m. ‘Alalā Project staff Jackie Gaudiso-Levita and Rachel Kingsley present and update on the most recent reintroduction efforts to establish a wild population of ‘alalā, the endangered Hawaiian crow. Paul Banko (USGS) and Donna Ball (USFWS) will share past experiences. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.REGISTER KEIKI GRADE K-8 FOR PAPER FALL FLOWER CRAFT by Tuesday, Nov. 7, for the class which takes place Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Pāhala Community Center. For more, call 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.
DISCOVER THE SKILL OF WEAVING LAU HALA with ‘Aha Pūhala o Puna on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The event is free, though park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.
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HEALTH INSURANCE SIGN-UPS are offered at Ocean View Community Center on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event will occur again on Tuesday, Nov. 14. For more, call 939-7033.
HEALTH INSURANCE SIGN-UPS are offered at Ocean View Community Center on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event will occur again on Tuesday, Nov. 14. For more, call 939-7033.THE PUBLIC ACCESS ROOM AT THE STATE CAPITOL is offering citizens training to help them interact with government, especially leading up to the 2018 Hawai‘i Legislature.
Several opportunities to learn learn about the legislative process and how to participate will be provided at the Your Voice workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai‘i training room near the Kona Airport, and on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Hawai‘i Community College Manoa Campus Building 379, Room 1 in Hilo. Both events are free to attend.
The workshop is designed to be helpful to newcomers and seasoned advocates alike.
For additional information, contact the Public Access Room (PAR):
phone (808)587-0478, email par@capitol.hawaii.gov, or visit LRBhawaii.org/PAR. Read the Ka‘ū News Briefs for Thursday, Oct. 26 for more.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY LEGAL AID will be provided on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 1: 30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. The event offers free social security, veterans information and legal advice. For more call 939-7033.
phone (808)587-0478, email par@capitol.hawaii.gov, or visit LRBhawaii.org/PAR. Read the Ka‘ū News Briefs for Thursday, Oct. 26 for more.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY LEGAL AID will be provided on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 1: 30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. The event offers free social security, veterans information and legal advice. For more call 939-7033.
The ideal candidate must be service oriented and possess good communication and computer skills. Cash handling and customer service experience is preferred. Must be able to work Saturdays. CU Hawai‘i offers medical, drug, dental, vision and retirement benefits.
Email, mail or fax application to: Attn: Human Resources, 476 Hinano Street Hilo, HI 96720, Fax: (808) 935-7793. Applications can be found online at cuhawaii.com/careers.html.
