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| Neighborhood fireworks are popular in Ka‘ū. Photo by Julia Neal |
our country truly great. But before the year ends, I want to make sure I get the chance to hear where you stand. Will you take a moment to share what’s on your mind right now?" The link is: surveys.signforgood.com/hirono-prioritiessurveyTo read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
OPPOSITION TO THE NEW TAX BILL that recently passed Congress is the subject of a message from Ka‘ū's Representative in the U.S. House. Tulsi Gabbard wrote, "The corporate and elite donor class' influence over the tax scam that the G.O.P. passed and signed into law could not have been made any more apparent. Many Republicans in Congress made their donors' ultimatums public—to either pass a bill that directly benefits them or lose their donations. While many wealthy legislators personally benefited from this bill, others dragged their feet until they couldn't hold out any longer, knowing that a 'Yes' vote was the only way, in their minds, to keep their political coffers full and their political careers intact.
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| Citizens United allows corporations to donate to campaigns as if they were individual citizens. Image from Bill Moyers.com |
According to Gabbard, "There is plenty of misinformation being spread by those who are simply working to bolster their bottom line with no regard for the consequences. The pharmaceutical, health insurance, fossil fuel, private prison, defense, and other industries all lobby for policies that benefit themselves, levying a heavy toll of consequences on the people and our communities. Government's role is to serve the people—not these special interests. We need to get their outsized influence out of the political process.
"I believe it is the power of the people, coming together in the spirit of aloha, that will give us the strength, courage, and inspiration to put our democracy back where it belongs—in the hands of the people," she concluded.
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| Professional Artist Samantha daSilva teaches an acrylic painting workshop on Saturday, Jan 6, in Volcano. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org |
SAMANTHA DASILVA, born in Brazil but living and working on Hawai‘i Island, shares her unique method of painting using rollers rather than brushes, tables instead of easels, lots of paint and water, canvas manipulation and plaster, sand and wood shavings to create "ethereal" textured abstracts.
The workshop, Fearless Abstract Painting, covers a basic overview of acrylic paints and mediums, the "emotional language" of color and more and takes place at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No artistic experience is required. The class fee is $90 for non-members and $85 for VAC members plus a $15 supply fee per person. Additional materials are required. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222. See samathadasilva.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
The workshop, Fearless Abstract Painting, covers a basic overview of acrylic paints and mediums, the "emotional language" of color and more and takes place at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No artistic experience is required. The class fee is $90 for non-members and $85 for VAC members plus a $15 supply fee per person. Additional materials are required. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222. See samathadasilva.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNOUNCES a new volunteer opportunity entitled Stewardship of Kīpukapuaulu which begins at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy. 11 in Volcano. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants like morning glory from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." The event will take place again Jan. 11, 18, and 25. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.
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NEW YEAR'S EVE is when tens of thousands of residents all over the islands celebrate by setting off fireworks. Hawaiian Electric Light Co. urges following these safety tips: Keep tools, ladders, fireworks effects, etc., away from power lines; do not use utility poles for fireworks setups.
KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S CRATER RIM CAFÉ hosts a New Year's Day Brunch to take place from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1. Celebrate the new year over Roast Pork, Chicken Picata, Omelet Station, Pancakes, Breakfast Potatoes, Rice, Patties, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, Brownies and Beverage. Attendees pay an entry fee of $16.95 per adult and $9.50 per child (6-11 yrs). KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more details.
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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at December print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com. |
KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE
Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 30, @ Kamehameha.
Saturday, Jan. 6, @Kamehameha.
Boys Basketball: Saturday, Dec. 30, Konawaena.
Tuesday, Jan. 2, @ Kea‘au.
Saturday, Jan. 6, Laupahoehoe @ Ka‘ū.
Girls Basketball: Friday, Jan. 5, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Boys Soccer: Saturday, Jan. 6, Konawaena @ Ka‘ū.
Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 6, @ Kea‘au.
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A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.
EXPLORE THE RICH GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF KAHUKU on a easy-to-moderate guided hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, displaying different volcano features and formations in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Dec. 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The hike, titled Birth of Kahuku, also offers hikers the opportunity to learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku.
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| Volunteers remove invasive plant species to help native plants grow in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo by Janice Wei/NPS |
HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ASKS VOLUNTEERS to help remove invasive non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing at a Stewardship at the Park event Saturday, Dec. 30. Volunteers should meet leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. Fore more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.
CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY, FEATURING THE ANNUAL INVITATIONAL WREATH EXHIBITION, continues through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Christmas in the Country features a fresh lineup of artists hosting special events throughout each weekend.
The concurrent Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional. “Those looking for truly original wreaths as well as one-of-a-kind, handmade gift items will not be disappointed by the selection created by our local artistic community, ” states gallery manager Emily C. Weiss. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-7565.
A NEW YEAR'S EVEN TOAST is hosted by Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details call 967-8356 or 967-8371.
REGISTER BY SUNDAY, DEC. 31, FOR THE 2018 MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM which begins Saturday, Jan. 23 and continues for 13 weeks. The program is open to Ka‘ū applicants through the UH Cooperative Extension Office.
Each person enrolling in the Master Gardener Program commits to completing 39 hours of instruction plus nine field trip hours, an open-book Midterm and Final Exam, plus 40 hours of volunteer service within 12 months of completing the Master Gardener instruction. To continue being Certified as a Master Gardener, on-going service of 30 hours of volunteer time is required every year.
Classes are held at The Kona Cooperative Extension Service office in Kainaliu, with field trips and workshops in the area. The next program will be held for three hours every Tuesday morning through April 17. Classes will be involved with current Master Gardener projects and will include hands-on orientation to the Helpline and Outreach programs.
Apply online by googling West Hawai‘i Master Gardeners. For more information, call the UH Cooperative Ext. Office at 322-4884.
GET FIREWORKS AND A FIREWORKS PERMITS now until midnight on Sunday, Dec. 31.
Setting off of Fireworks for the New Year celebrations are allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, and 1 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Permits should be visibly displayed at the site of use, during the time of the firing.
Each permit costs $25.00 and will entitle the holder to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers - multiple permit purchases are authorized. Permits will only be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable.
For more information on the purchasing of Fireworks permits, or the use of Fireworks, please call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911 (Hilo) or 323-4760 (Kona). For a list of places to purchase fireworks permits visit Dec. 23 Ka‘ū News Briefs.
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| Fireworks permits are required for use of fireworks in Hawai‘i - see story above for guidelines. |
NEW YEAR'S EVE is when tens of thousands of residents all over the islands celebrate by setting off fireworks. Hawaiian Electric Light Co. urges following these safety tips: Keep tools, ladders, fireworks effects, etc., away from power lines; do not use utility poles for fireworks setups.
Should an object become entangled in an overhead power line, do not try to get it free; instead, call the local electric company for assistance: 969-6666.
KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S CRATER RIM CAFÉ hosts a New Year's Day Brunch to take place from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1. Celebrate the new year over Roast Pork, Chicken Picata, Omelet Station, Pancakes, Breakfast Potatoes, Rice, Patties, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, Brownies and Beverage. Attendees pay an entry fee of $16.95 per adult and $9.50 per child (6-11 yrs). KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more details.
OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Monday, Jan. 1, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. For more details, call 939-7033, or ovcahi.org.
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| Visit the decorated cottages at Kīlauea Military Camp until Jan. 1. Photo from kilaueamilitarycamp.com |
LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS BEDECK THE STONE AND WOODEN COTTAGES at Kīlauea Military Camp. They are open for outdoor strolling within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park through Friday, Jan. 1.Vote on the best decorated cottage. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8371 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.
KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.
‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU WALK FOR SENIOR HOUSING IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU begins Tuesday, Jan. 2, in Nā‘ālehu and continues through Friday, Jan. 5, to Honoka‘a. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou President Wayne Kawachi will walk 100 miles to raise $250,000 in an effort to purchase 1.9 acres in Nā‘ālehu for future senior housing. Make a donation to support his quest at okaukakou.org. For more call Karachi at 937-4773.
DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Jan. 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more call 929-9576, or visit discoveryharbour.net.
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| Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Department meets Tuesday, Jan. 2. Photo from discoveryharbour.net |
OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S LAVA LOUNGE is Wednesday, Jan. 3, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. welcoming singers, bands, comedians and other performers to take the stand. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years and older. The lounge is inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.
HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL committees meet Wednesday, Jan. 3, with a full council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4. Both meeting days take place in Hilo. The committees will meet again on Wednesday, Jan. 23, and a full Council meets Thursday, Jan. 24, both in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.
OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Thursday, Jan. 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.
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