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| ʻO Kaʻū Kākou invites local residents to attend and speak up at a meeting about the proposed senior housing project planned for the site of the former Nāʻālehu Fruit Stand, at Nāʻālehu Community Center on Sunday, Jan. 27, at 4 p.m. Photo by Nalanu Parlin |
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| Sen. Brian Schatz |
Rep Tulsi Gabbard tweeted, "Finally - this senseless shutdown is over."
After Trump announced he would sign such legislation, Hirono responded. "Today's announcement is a welcome, albeit temporary, end to this unnecessary, unconscionable Trump shutdown. Over the past 35 days, Donald Trump took hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors, and indeed the entire country, hostage – all because of his obsession with building his vanity wall. It was telling that even in announcing an end to the shutdown, Donald Trump resorted to lies and distortions to justify his vanity wall in anticipation of negotiations over the next three weeks.
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| Sen. Mazie Hirono |
"Donald Trump has proven time and again that his word is no good and he changes his mind on a whim. It's up to Congress to step up to its responsibility as a separate branch of government, do its job, and keep the government open."
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| Pres. Donald Trump |
"I'm relieved that federal workers and their families will be able to go back to work and receive back pay as soon as possible. Federal contractors will also go back to work but they will not be paid for the 35 days we were in a shutdown. We cannot allow Trump and the GOP to put these workers through uncertainty, stress, and turmoil again if the president doesn't get his wall by February 15.
"Join me in sending a message to the president and his party: we absolutely cannot have another government shutdown come February 15. By that time, Congress needs to enact and the president needs to sign a spending bill that keeps the government open through the end of the fiscal year."
Trump responded to critics on twitter tonight: "I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it's off to the races!"
Trump responded to critics on twitter tonight: "I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it's off to the races!"
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| Changes to the operating schedule of Pāhala Transfer Station, already one of the most isolated transfer stations on Hawaiʻi Island, are the subject of an informational community meeting Monday, Jan. 28. Map from Hawaiʻi Dept. of Public Works |
COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER MAILE DAVID says she will be in Pāhala Monday, Jan. 28, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center, to listen to community concerns about the transfer station. The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Environmental Management Solid Waste Division invites the Pāhala community and users of the Pāhala Transfer Station to attend the informational meeting. The transfer station on Maile Street is where people take their recyclables and other trash. The Solid Waste Division staff will join community members to discuss operating days and the possibility of modifying the current schedule.
"We welcome any input and participation from the community and users of this facility," said a statement from the county.
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.
FUNDING HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS, BY HIKING FUEL TAXES AND REGISTRATION FEES, is proposed in bills before the 2019 Hawaiʻi Legislature. Gov. David Ige introduced them on Wednesday.
House Bill 1054 would raise gasoline taxes from 16 cents to 21 cents per gallon statewide, except for the higher rate of 22 cents on Oʻahu. Hawaiʻi already pays the highest gas prices in the nation, with 44 cents per gallon going to taxes, according to gasprices.aaa.com. It would increase diesel oil taxes from 1 cent to 2 cents per gallon, and double the tax on fuel used in airplanes from 1 cent to 2 cents per gallon.
The bill would raise the annual vehicle registration fee from $45 to $50. It would also increase the annual state vehicle weight tax from $1.75 per pound to $2 per pound for vehicles 4,000 pounds and over.
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| Gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, vehicle registration, and vehicle weight taxes would all increase if recent legislation from Gov. Ige passes. Photo from gasprices.aaa.com |
Companion Senate Bill 1280 is identical, with both bills' descriptions reading: Increases the State Fuel Tax to generate additional revenues for the State Highway Fund by amending section 243-4, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes. Allows for increase in the state motor vehicle registration fee and deposits the money into the State Highway Fund by amending section 249-31, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes. Increases the state motor vehicle weight tax and deposits the money into the State Highway Fund by amending section 249-33, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the taxes are meant to collect an additional $40 million a year for road construction and maintenance.
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.
NEW VACATION RENTAL REGULATIONS WOULD ALLOW THE COUNTY TO FINE ILLEGAL OPERATORS UP TO $30,000. Proposed rules go to public hearings, the first on Thursday, Feb. 28, in Hilo and the second on Friday, March 1, in Kona. After public input, the rules and applications for vacation rental permits will be finalized and presented for a final public hearing on Tuesday, April 2. Meeting all requirements and applying for vacation rental certificates will be due on Sept. 28.
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According to the proposed rules, short-term vacation rentals are dwelling units of no more than five bedrooms being rented for 30 days or less with no owner or operator living on the property.
All owners of non-operator occupied vacation rentals outside of Resort districts will be required to apply for a nonconforming certificate, reapply annually, and pay an annual fee of $250. All non-operator occupied vacation rental operators, in or outside of the state designated Resort District, will be required to register with the county and pay a one time $500 fee.
Vacation rentals will be allowed on property zoned resort, general commercial, village commercial, residential, and commercial districts, within the general plan resort and resort node, and condominiums within the multi-family residential district.
All owners of non-operator occupied vacation rentals outside of Resort districts will be required to apply for a nonconforming certificate, reapply annually, and pay an annual fee of $250. All non-operator occupied vacation rental operators, in or outside of the state designated Resort District, will be required to register with the county and pay a one time $500 fee.
Vacation rentals will be allowed on property zoned resort, general commercial, village commercial, residential, and commercial districts, within the general plan resort and resort node, and condominiums within the multi-family residential district.
Rentals on agricultural land can be grandfathered in, if the lot was created before June 4, 1976. Rentals on residential property can be grandfathered in. Owners of both types of property will have to show that vacation rental and other property taxes have been paid before April 1 and that properties are compliant with building codes.
Read more in upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs.
Read more in upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs.
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.
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| Image from oneequalworld.com |
"When a transgender person raises their hand to put on the uniform and protect our country and its people, these are the only considerations that should matter — will they commit to uphold the Constitution? Will they defend our country? Are they capable and qualified to carry out their duties?
"That's it. To judge on any other criteria is nothing short of discrimination.
"That's it. To judge on any other criteria is nothing short of discrimination.
"When President Clinton signed Don't Ask, Don't Tell in 1993, it banned every gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer service member from serving openly. President Trump's transgender ban is just as discriminatory — we cannot go backward. It's why I was an original cosigner of the letter 140 House members sent to the White House last year urging him to reverse the ban.
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| Don't Ask, Don't Tell was in effect from 1993 through 2011. Photo from dont-ask-dont-tell-ammt.weebly.com |
"Last August the RAND Corporation released a health survey where 6.1% of people in the U.S. military self-identified as LGBTQ+. The real number is likely even higher. For these brave service members, patriotism and love for our country are stronger than the fear of discrimination.
"Our brave service members deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, not kicked out of the military because of who they are. We all owe a great debt of gratitude to the people who raise their hand to defend our country and our freedoms, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Thank you for standing with me, and with them."
A WIN FOR THE TROJANS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM this evening, as the Kaʻū ladies faced off with Honokaʻa in the BIIF Division II Semi-Finals at Konawaena Gym. The Trojans took the court by storm, winning 47 to 33 against Honokaʻa.
BIIF Division II Finals happen tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 26. The third place Trojan ladies challenge fourth place holder Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy.
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.
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See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com |
Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule
Girls Basketball:
Jan. 26, Sat., BIIF Div. II Finals
Feb. 6-9, Wed.-Sat., HHSAA
Boys Basketball:
Jan. 28, Mon. host Kanu, 6pm , Varsity
Feb. 5, Tue., BIIF Div. II Semi-Finals
Feb. 6, Wed., BIIF Div. II Finals
Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA
Wrestling:
Jan. 26, Sat., @HPA
Feb. 2, Sat., @Hilo
Feb. 9, Sat., @BIIF @Keaʻau
Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA
Soccer:
Jan. 28, Mon., Boys BIIF Div. II Semi-Finals
Jan. 30, Wed., Boys BIIF Div. II Finals
Jan. 30-Feb. 2, Wed.-Sat., Girls HHSAA
Feb. 7-9, Thu.-Sat., Boys HHSAA
Swimming:
Jan. 26, Sat., BIIF Finals @KCAC, 1pm
Feb. 8-9, Fri.-Sat., HHSAA
Feb. 9, Sat., OʻahuNEW and UPCOMING
KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM HOSTS A CHINESE NEW YEAR DRUM CRAFT EVENT, for keiki 5 to 12 years old, on Wednesday, Jan. 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the multi-purpose room. Registration is open Tuesday, Jan. 22, through Tuesday, Jan. 29. Free.
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For more, contact Recreation Director Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. Ka‘ū District Gym is located on the Ka‘ū High School campus on Kamani Street in Pāhala. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/ for hours of operation.
OPEN GYM FOR ADULTS AT KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM, Monday through Thursday, through Mar. 28, from 2:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Open registration.
OPEN GYM FOR ADULTS AT KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM, Monday through Thursday, through Mar. 28, from 2:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Open registration.
For more, contact Recreation Director Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. Ka‘ū District Gym is located on the Ka‘ū High School campus on Kamani Street in Pāhala. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/ for hours of operation.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26
Kīlauea Crisis Support Group Mtg., Sat., Jan. 26, 10-11am, Ocean View Community Center. Drinks and snacks provided. Last Saturday, monthly. Sponsored by CARE Hawai‘i, Inc. - Team Ahā, Crisis Counseling Program. 329-4817
Mixed Media Encaustic w/Mary Milelzcik, Sat. Jan. 26, 10-2:30pm, Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus. $55/VAC member, $60/non-member, plus $25 supply fee/person. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222
Mo‘olelo - Stories - of Volcano, Sat., Jan. 26, 11-2pm, Volcano Garden Arts, 19-3834 Old Volcano Rd., Volcano Village. Hawaiian historian and storyteller Kepa Maly shares traditions and history of Kīlauea and the lands upon which Pele dances in the Pu‘ulena wind. $35/person, lunch included. Limited space. Register w/Volcano Community Foundation, volcanocommunity@gmail.com, 885-1011
SUNDAY, JANUARY 27
A Special Meeting for Local Residents about Senior Housing - the Fruit Stand Project - is held by ʻO Kaʻū Kākou at Nāʻālehu Community Center Sunday, Jan. 27, at 4 p.m.
Public Meeting on Future of Pāhala Transfer Station, where people take their recyclables and other trash, happens Monday, Jan. 28, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center.
The County of Hawaiʻi Department of Environmental Management Solid Waste Division invites the Pāhala community and users of the Pāhala Transfer Station to attend the informational meeting. The Solid Waste Division will join community members to discuss operating days and the possibility of modifying the current schedule.
"We welcome any input and participation from the community and users of this facility," said a statement from the county.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue., Jan. 29, 11:30-1pm, St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wed., Jan. 30, 9-11am, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Monthly. Seniors 60 years & older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i - referral required, 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org
Free Car Seat Inspections happen in Waiʻōhinu on Wednesday, Jan. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The program is sponsored by Partners for Safe Keiki, Tūtū and Me, and Hawaiʻi County Fire Department, a coalition of Partners of Keiki, and Safe Grant Hawaiʻi.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 31
Craft Class, Thu., Jan. 31, 9:30-10:30am, PARENTS, Inc., Nā‘ālehu. For keiki 2-12 years old and caregivers. Free. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org
Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thu., Jan. 31, 4-6pm, Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Additional packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.orgFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Story Time with Lindsey Miller - PARENTS, Inc., Fri., Feb. 1, 2:30-3:15pm, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org
ONGOING
ONGOING
Harry McKee Foundation Scholarships for Kaʻū Students are open through Feb. 15. Harry McKee Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors invites college bound high school seniors and current college students to apply for a $1,000 scholarship. Students must be residents of Kaʻū District and plan to attend any accredited college, university, technical institute, or vocational school, anywhere in the U.S. Students must enroll full time in the fall of 2019.
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The application and more information are at mckeescholarshipfoundation.weebly.com. Applications must be mailed to the foundation office in Ocean View by February 15.
The website says that Harry McKee "left a legacy of commitment to the youth of Kaʻū. His foundation exists to give students an opportunity for higher education. Harry was a musician, a gardener, a WWII decorated veteran, an outdoorsman, and an active civic leader. Harry was well known for reaching out to local youth to support their education goals, and to encourage young people to share aloha and celebrate ʻohana." See more about the foundation at mckeescholarshipfoundation.weebly.com.
Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi classes include Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) in Ka‘ū on Wednesdays through Feb. 19. See more at hmono.org.
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Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool. Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.
The application and more information are at mckeescholarshipfoundation.weebly.com. Applications must be mailed to the foundation office in Ocean View by February 15.The website says that Harry McKee "left a legacy of commitment to the youth of Kaʻū. His foundation exists to give students an opportunity for higher education. Harry was a musician, a gardener, a WWII decorated veteran, an outdoorsman, and an active civic leader. Harry was well known for reaching out to local youth to support their education goals, and to encourage young people to share aloha and celebrate ʻohana." See more about the foundation at mckeescholarshipfoundation.weebly.com.
Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi classes include Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) in Ka‘ū on Wednesdays through Feb. 19. See more at hmono.org.
Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool. Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.Applications for a Paid Internship in Kaʻū for Kupu Hawai‘i and The Nature Conservancy are being accepted. The year-long, full-time position is in TNC's Hawai‘i Island Terrestrial Program, which stewards native forest preserves in Ka‘ū and South Kona.
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Benefits offered include: a $1,600 monthly living allowance (before taxes); a $5,920 education award towards higher education; health care and childcare benefits (if eligible); and receiving an entry-level conservation career experience.
Applicants must be at least 17 years old, and possess or be working towards a high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants must also have their own housing and transportation, a driver's license, and be able to pass a criminal history check.
The internship is offered through Kupu Hawai‘i. Those interested are asked to fill out an application at kupuhawaii.org/conservation under Conservation Leaders Program as soon as possible. For more, call The Nature Conservancy at 443-5401 or call Kupu Hawai‘i at 808-735-1221.
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.
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Applicants must be at least 17 years old, and possess or be working towards a high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants must also have their own housing and transportation, a driver's license, and be able to pass a criminal history check.
The internship is offered through Kupu Hawai‘i. Those interested are asked to fill out an application at kupuhawaii.org/conservation under Conservation Leaders Program as soon as possible. For more, call The Nature Conservancy at 443-5401 or call Kupu Hawai‘i at 808-735-1221.
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.
