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| Kaʻū Valley Farms offers a few more spaces for its farm tour this Thursday above Nāʻālehu. See more below. Photo by Lee Neal |
AIRBNB AND OTHER VACATION RENTAL MARKETING AGENCIES will have to pay Transient Accommodation taxes directly to the state, on behalf of owners, unless Gov. David Ige vetoes the bill. A last minute floor vote at the Hawaiʻi Legislature today passed the measure 13-12. Last week, the bill failed 12 to 12, essentially killing Senate Bill 1292. In both votes, west Kaʻū Sen. Dru Kanuha voted "aye," and east Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman and Hilo Sen. Kai Kahele voted "no."
The approved version of SB1292 allows the online marketing firms hosting rentals to keep information collected about home-rental operations confidential, instead of sharing it with the state. It will pay the TAT on behalf of the owners of the properties. In the past, owners have been responsible for paying, and state representatives lobbied the legislature saying many were avoiding paying the tax, which could generate millions of dollars for state government.
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| Coffee College will be this Sunday at Pāhala Community Center. Photo by Julia Neal |
KAʻŪ COFFEE COLLEGE OFFERS PROCESSING AND GROWING EXPERTISE at the free event Sunday, May 5. Starting at 9 a.m. at Pāhala Community Center
Admission to the Kaʻū Coffee College is free, though donations are appreciated. Refreshments will be served.
Learn how to process distinctive coffee with added yeast strains during a presentation by Brittany Horn, owner and founder of Pacific Coffee Research. Located in Kealakekua, PCR is a specialty coffee education center and the Specialty Coffee Association's premier training campus in Hawaiʻi. It is home to a Coffee Quality Institute-certified cupping lab. PCR has partnered with Lallemand, a global leader in the development and production of yeasts, to introduce its line of Lalcafe coffee yeasts. PCR provides support for producers wanting to add yeast strains to their fermentation process by assisting in designing trials and providing cupping feedback.
KAʻŪ COFFEE FEST IS UNDERWAY and all activities are open to the general public; some require a fee. The Festival started Friday with a Paʻina at Pāhala Plantation House and the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant on Saturday – see the new Miss Kaʻū Coffee court on Kaʻū News Briefs from April 27, 28, and 29.
The festival continues this week with a variety of fun and interactive activities at different venues:
Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch, tomorrow, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. Reservations required; $45 per person. Call 928-0550.
Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Above Nāʻālehu, visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley. $40 per person, reservations required. Meet Miss Kaʻū Coffee, who will be there with her songs and ʻukulele. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.
Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.
Kaʻū Stargazing on Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., takes guests to the top of sacred Makanau during a new-moon. Learn about the ancient Hawaiian temple and see the Hawaiian night sky and stars. Reservations required; $45 per person, includes refreshments. Call 938-0550.
Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa, Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games. Free entry. Vendor deadline is Friday, April 26. Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign or other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Space for booths and presentations are limited, reservations required. Vendor applications at KauCoffeeFest.com.
Kaʻū Coffee College closes out the Kaʻū Coffee Festival at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. It features education and demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.
Kaʻū Coffee Festival is founded in coffee traditions hailing to the 1800s. With the hard work of former sugar plantation workers, Kaʻū coffee burst onto the specialty coffee scene by winning numerous coffee quality awards. These accolades highlight the unique combination of people and place that makes Kaʻū coffee a favorite across the globe.
The festival's mission is to raise awareness of Kaʻū as a world-class, coffee-growing origin. Support for Kaʻū Coffee Festival is provided by the Edmund C. Olson Trust and Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through its Community Enrichment Program.
Visit kaucoffeefestival.com, follow Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Facebook and @kaucoffeefest on Twitter, or call 808-929-9550.
Leaders in the specialty coffee industry and orchard research will present a host of educational opportunities for island coffee farmers. Coffee College
Long-time Festival organizer Chris Manfredi said, "This year's college focuses on needs expressed by local growers. In particular, we've found that estimating the harvest can be elusive and challenging and has caused some issues, particularly in the wake of last year's volcanic eruption. Being better able to accurately predict yields helps bolster good business practices."
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| Demonstrations for coffee farmers will bring the coffee community to Pāhala Sunday. Photo by Julia Neal |
The following are offered during Coffee College
Increasing Coffee Production in Kaʻū. Based in Kona, Andrea Kawabata is an assistant agent for coffee and orchard crops with UH's CTAHR cooperative extension service. Since 2011, she has been on the forefront of coordinating and providing coffee berry borer integrated pest management recommendations to growers throughout the state and beyond. She also conducts research applicable to farmers.
A Rapid Visual Estimation of Coffee Yield in Hawaiʻi is explored by Dr. Adel Youkhana, a Ph.D. researcher and lecturer in the Natural Resources and Environmental Management department at UH-Mānoa. With his colleagues, Youkhana has published numerous research papers and his efforts have delved into shade coffee agroecosystems, biofuel feedstock production, and silviculture of coffee hybrid Leucaena.
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| Coffee College at Pāhala Community Center on Sunday offers innovations and education. Photo by Julia Neal |
Pesticide Safety Training. Cal Westergard, an environmental health specialist with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Branch, offers a talk on safely mixing and applying pesticides in the coffee orchard. He is an expert on the updated federal Worker Protection Standards regarding proper pesticide use and safety, and can share what the standards are, to whom they apply, and what is needed to be compliant. Westergard previously worked in pesticide enforcement in Saipan prior to moving back to Hilo in 2015.
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.
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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| Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch is tomorrow, Wednesday. Photo by Lee Neal |
The festival continues this week with a variety of fun and interactive activities at different venues:
Kaʻū Mountain Hike and Lunch, tomorrow, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Ride through the coffee plantation, up the mountains, and into the rainforest to walk along waterways from sugar days of old. Reservations required; $45 per person. Call 928-0550.
Kaʻū Valley Farms Tour and Lunch, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. to noon. Above Nāʻālehu, visit a plant nursery, food farm, coffee and tea plantings, native forest, and hidden valley. $40 per person, reservations required. Meet Miss Kaʻū Coffee, who will be there with her songs and ʻukulele. Call 987-4229 or 731-5409.
Kaʻū Coffee and Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Includes farm tours, BBQ buffet, and hayride. Visit this historic Ka‘ū Coffee farm and ranch. $25, reservations required. Call 927-2252.
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| John Cross, of Kaʻū Valley Farms, will explain the nursery development above Nāʻālehu. Photo by Lee Neal |
Kaʻū Coffee Festival Hoʻolauleʻa, Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Full day of music, dance, coffee tasting, demonstrations, food, snacks, educational booths, and games. Free entry. Vendor deadline is Friday, April 26. Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign or other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Space for booths and presentations are limited, reservations required. Vendor applications at KauCoffeeFest.com.
Kaʻū Coffee College closes out the Kaʻū Coffee Festival at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 5. It features education and demonstrations for coffee farmers and Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts.
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| Lee Segawa is farm manager at Kaʻū Valley Farms. Photo by Lee Neal |
The festival's mission is to raise awareness of Kaʻū as a world-class, coffee-growing origin. Support for Kaʻū Coffee Festival is provided by the Edmund C. Olson Trust and Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through its Community Enrichment Program.
Visit kaucoffeefestival.com, follow Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Facebook and @kaucoffeefest on Twitter, or call 808-929-9550.
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| A hayride is part of Coffee & Cattle Day this Friday. Photo by Lee Neal |
FLIGHT PLANS in May for Hawai‘i
May 1, 9:30 a.m. to noon – Transport fence material and field equipment and supplies to the Ka‘ū desert boundary between sea level and 3,000 ft. elevation.
May 3, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Conduct a firefighting operations training at the Mauna Loa quarry.
May 13 and 17, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. – Fly camp supplies and equipment from Chain of Craters Road near Hōlei Pali to ‘Āpua Point, Keauhou, and Halapē campsites for annual monitoring of hawksbill turtle nesting season.
May 14, 6:15 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. – Ungulate surveys and control work in Kahuku Unit, between 4,000 ft. and 6,500 ft. elevation.
Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather. Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities.
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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| Join Rick Hazlett on a journey through last year's eruption. Photo by Annie Bosted |
The hour-long talk will be followed by questions from the audience. Hazlett, a geologist and faculty member at the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo , was one of the many scientists monitoring and observing the three month long eruption. From his vantage point, Hazlett was able to photograph the fast moving event, and in the past year has been able to learn from the immense pool of knowledge that the eruption afforded. He will share that knowledge with his audience, as well as talk about the future faced by residents on an island that was built by eruptions.
Ocean View audiences have long enjoyed talks and presentations by volcanologists each January, a month dubbed Volcano Awareness Month. However, due to the government shut-down for much of January 2019, those annual talks were never scheduled.
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.
HAWAIʻI SOUTH TŪTŪ & ME HOME VISITING PROGRAM FUNDRAISER features dōTERRA Oils Travel Kits. The therapeutic-grade oil kit comes with a set of three 5ml rollers for $35. The oils are Hauʻoli – tangerine and lemon; Lōkahi – "Blends of Balance and Serenity;" and Mana – peppermint and wild orange.
Available while supplies last, email orders to avitorino@pidfoundation.org. Funds raised help support Tūtū & Me's parent organization, Partners in Development Foundation. Copies of the PIDF Annual Report are available for review at the Tūtū & Me office in Nāʻālehu.
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 |
Baseball:
Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA
Softball:
Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA
Boys Volleyball:
Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA
Track:
Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA
UPCOMING
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Mountain Hike & Lunch, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., meet at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, Wood Valley. $45; includes lunch. Reservations required. Limited to 30 people. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Mountain Hike & Lunch, Wednesday, May 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., meet at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, Wood Valley. $45; includes lunch. Reservations required. Limited to 30 people. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com
Early Head Start, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Hula Voices with Musician Christy Leina‘ala Lassiter, Wednesday, May 1 – 1st Wednesday, monthly – 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org
Open Mic Night, Wednesday, May 1, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m., Lava Lounge, Kīlauea Military Camp. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up and for more details. Park entrance fees may apply. Open to KMC patrons and sponsored guests, 21+. kilaueamilitarycamp.com
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Thursday, May 2. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Valley Farms Tour, Thursday, May 2, 9 a.m. – noon, Ka‘alaiki Rd., Nā‘ālehu. $40; includes lunch and transportation from meeting site. Reservations required. 987-4229/731-5409, kauvalley.com, kaucoffeefestival.com
Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, May 2 and 16 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 17 – 3rd Friday monthly – 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. Discover the joy of early learning through song and musical instruments. For keiki 0-4 years. Nicola, 238-8544
Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, May 2, 6:30 p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee & Cattle Day, Friday, May 3, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Aikane Plantation Coffee Company. $25; includes BBQ buffet and hayrides. Reservations required. 927-2252, aikaneplantation.com, kaucoffeefestival.com
Cinco de Mayo Fundraiser, Friday, May 3, doors open 5:30 p.m., dinner served 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Enchiladas, Tamales, Charro Borracho Beans (Mexican Cowboy Drunken Beans), Drinks and Dessert. $8/person, $15 for two, $20/family. stjudeshawaii.org
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Star Gazing, Friday, May 3, 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., Makanau summit. $45, includes refreshments and shuttle ride. Reservation required. 928-0550, kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeefestival.com
KDENte Fundraising Dinner for Kilauea Drama Entertainment Network, Friday, May 3, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Amalfatano's Italian Restaurant, Hilo. Italian food buffet, $20 cash or check at door. 984-7344The Great Kīlauea Eruption of 2018 and What May Soon Follow, Friday, May 3, 6:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. Presented by Geologist Dr. Richard "Rick" Hazlett, Free. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
SATURDAY, MAY 4
Parenting Class & Saturday School, May 4 and 18, 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center, Downstairs. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Stewardship at the Summit, May 4, 9, 17, 25, and 31, 8:45 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center. Volunteers remove invasive, non-native plants. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves/tools provided. Parental/guardian accompaniment or written consent required for those under 18. Free; park entrance fees apply. Paul and Jane Field, field@hawaii.edu, nps.gov/havo
Abstract Painting Workshop with Darcy Gray, Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Basic painting backgroup suggested. Tools provided, can bring own supplies. $85/VAC member, $90/non-member, plus $20 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 8 adults. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org
Keiki Science Class, Saturday, May 4 – 1st Saturday, monthly – 11 a.m. – noon, Ace Hardware Stores islandwide; Nā‘ālehu, 929-9030 and Ocean View, 929-7315. Free. acehardware.com
SUNDAY, MAY 5
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee College, Sunday, May 5, 9 a.m. – noon, Pāhala Community Center. Coffee industry professionals come to Ka‘ū to share their knowledge with coffee growers and enthusiasts. Free; donations welcome. kaucoffeefestival.com
Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, May 5 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon – 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058
Summer Fun Registration, Monday-Thursday, May 6-9, 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., at Nā‘ālehu Community Center and at Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Program, for keiki completing grade K-6, runs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., June 12-July 19. $40 fee. $50 portion of registration fee funded by Councilwoman Maile David. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation
MONDAY, MAY 6
Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, May 6, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
TUESDAY, MAY 7
Family Engagement Night, Tuesday, May 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
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Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, May 7 (Committees), Wednesday, May 8 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.
ONGOING
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Hi-Employment Seeks Student Employees to work in a macadamia nut orchard on weekends and holidays. Duties include hand-harvesting macadamia nuts, filling and transporting nut bag and buckets, loading 25-plus pound bags into truck beds, and possible clearing of brush and branches. Applicants must be at least 15 years old, have a work permit, two forms of ID, and transportation to "Panaʻewa Stretch." Call for more details, 238-3741, hi-employment.com.
Exhibit: On Sacred Ground by Dino Morrow is open daily through Sunday, May 5 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to see documentary and protrait photography of Hula Arts at the Kīlauea Program. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.
TUESDAY, MAY 7
Family Engagement Night, Tuesday, May 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, May 7 (Committees), Wednesday, May 8 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.
ONGOING
Full-Time Teaching Assistant Sought by Tūtū & Me to implement curriculum for caregivers and keiki in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool in Kaʻū. Competitive salary and benefits package, including medical, dental, drug, and vision; flexible spending plan; 403b retirement plan; vacation, sick days, and 14 paid days off; and more.
Minimum requirement is a high school diploma. Early Childhood Education, related coursework, and/or experience working children preferred. For more, visit pidf.org/about/careers. Apply by emailing resume and cover letter to hr@pidfoundation.org or fax to 808-440-6619.
Exhibit: On Sacred Ground by Dino Morrow is open daily through Sunday, May 5 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to see documentary and protrait photography of Hula Arts at the Kīlauea Program. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.
Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade happens Saturday, June 29 at 11 a.m. The parade route begins at the Nāʻālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nāʻālehu Hongwanji Mission. To participate, call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872.
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.
