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Learn how to give input to the Environmental Protection Agency on the impact of plastic debris on which is being considered for special status for cleanup. Read details below. Photo from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund |
EXTENDED PAYMENT PLANS WITHOUT PENALTIES are offered to Hawaiian Electric customers, to assist residents and businesses dealing with the financial toll of the coronavirus pandemic. Hawaiian Electric suspended disconnections and collections in March. In accordance with Public Utilities Commission direction, Hawaiian Electric extends its moratorium through Sept. 1. Late fees resume after Sept. 15.
By contacting Hawaiian Electric now and signing up for a payment plan, customers can avoid the inconvenience of an electric service interruption, says an announcement from the utility.
Shelee Kimura, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president of customer service, says, "We know that many of our customers continue to experience financial strain, and our special payment plans are set up to provide customers with extended payment options with no penalty or financing fees during this unprecedented time. For us to help, we need to hear from you."
Special payment plans are offered for a limited time. For residential customers, equal installment plans of over four, six, or 12 months, or a two-month delayed start for a four or six-month equal installment plan, are offered. For commercial customers, equal installment plans of over four or six months are offered. Late fees are waived on all plans. Customers notified their accounts are past due are urged to contact the company well before Sept. 1 to set up a payment plan. View plans at hawaiianelectric.com/paymentarrangement and to fill out a payment arrangement request form that can be submitted via email -- the quickest way to start the process.
The company's walk-in payment centers remain closed until further notice, but there are several payment methods available to customers. Visit hawaiianelectric.com/paymentoptions for payment methods. Customers who prefer to pay in person may do so at no charge at Western Union payment locations.
For assistance managing energy costs, Hawaiʻi Energy is a trusted resource for tips and rebates to help offset the costs of energy-saving equipment and services. Visit hawaiienergy.com/tips for more information.To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
LIHEAP COVID-19 DISASTER ENERGY CRISIS INTERVENTION ASSISTANCE can help with electric bills for those who qualify. Hawaiian Electric customers with difficulty paying electric bills may apply for assistance from Hawaiʻi County, which is setting up CARES funding to distribute to eligible households. Households that meet the 60 percent state median gross annual income limit (individual, $30,767, and for a family of four, $59,167) may be eligible for up to $1,000 in LIHEAP COVID-19 Disaster Energy Crisis Intervention Assistance. Visit Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council at hceoc.net.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
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| A dense carpet of debris, much of it plastics of all sizes, covers Kamilo Beach. HWF photo |
GIVE INPUT ON THE IMPACT OF PLASTICS POLLUTION AT KAMILO BEACH to the Environmental Protection Agency. EPA is soliciting public comments on adding Kamilo Beach and its coastal waters to its Impaired Waters list. In February, Surfrider Foundation, Center for Biological Diversity, and Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi sued EPA to address plastic pollution under the Clean Water Act. According to Surfrider, the lawsuit challenges EPA's "failure to examine studies showing widespread plastic pollution in Hawaiʻi's coastal waters and declare the waters 'impaired' under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act."
The plaintiffs say 17 coastal water bodies around the Hawaiian Islands suffer from "widescale plastic pollution that covers beaches, pollutes our waves, degrades coral reefs, and threatens wildlife. Plastic pollution in Hawaiʻi ranges from microplastics that contaminate coastal waters and harm marine life to massive piles of plastic waste along Kamilo Beach Plastic Beach Hawaiian islands are impaired by plastic pollution."
EPA's response to the lawsuit includes charging the State of Hawaiʻi with failing "to take into account water quality impairment due to plastic pollution," says the Surfrider website. EPA ordered the State to again examine the impact of plastic pollution on its ocean, beaches, and wildlife. EPA identified Kamilo Beach and three miles out to sea in Kamilo Beach and its nearshore waters
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Volunteers and HWF staff hauled more than two tons of debris off Kamilo Beach in Kaʻū in one weekend in early 2020. Beach cleanups have been postponed due to the COVID-19 threat. Photo from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund |
Beyond Kamilo, the EPA could add additional beaches around the state to its list and advise the State of Hawaiʻi to give them attention. See EPA's action to add waters to Hawaii's 2018 List of Impaired Waters under Clean Water Act, Section 303(d). Written comments, accepted through Wednesday, Aug. 19 can be sent to Eric Dubinsky at dubinsky.eric@epa.gov or mailed to Applicant or Respondent, Hawaiʻi Dept. of Health, Clean Water Branch, 1250 Punchbowl St. , Honolulu , HI 96813
Maxx Phillips, the Center for Biological Diversity's Hawaiʻi director, said, "This is great news for Hawaiʻi, which has been hit hard by plastic pollution. The ocean plastic pollution crisis is a public health crisis. Plastic permeates our waters, chokes wildlife , and carries toxins onto our beaches, through our food web, and eventually onto our tables. It's time for Hawaiʻi to finally address this threat."
Angela Howe, Esq., Surfrider Foundation's Legal Director, said, "Our plastic pollution activists in Hawaiʻi and around the nation are pleased to see this decision. This is a critical first step to address marine plastic pollution through our nation's water quality protection laws and to help prevent future degradation of beaches, coral and marine life."
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Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund staff and volunteers, including two young keiki, cleaned up 886 pounds of debris at Kamilo on Dec. 22. Photo from HWF |
At the end of 2019, Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund announced that staff and volunteers removed over 81,150 lbs of marine debris during 79 cleanups on 3 islands – Hawaiʻi Island, Maui , and Lānaʻi – with the help of 1,758 volunteers (total volunteer workday count).
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
To make an appointment, call Customer Service: Hilo , (808) 961-8060 or Kona, (808) 322-0600. Call Engineering Division at (808) 961-8070.
Anyone feeling ill or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms on the day of their appointment will be asked to reschedule in the interest of public safety. To maintain social distancing, visitors should limit their companions to essential attendees only.
The Water Department continues to accept only telephone, online, auto-payment, mail, or non-cash payments left in a secured DWS payment dropbox. To pay a water bill online, visit hawaiidws.org. Pay by phone at 844-216-1994 anytime. For more information about no-charge payment options, call Customer Service or email dws@hawaiidws.org.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
The Kaʻū Coffees scored close to the statewide winners. First was Greenwell Farms, of Kona, with its fully washed Geisha beans and a score of 85.280. In second statewide was Kona Rainforest LLC, with its naturally processed Typica beans, scoring 85.177. In third was Hula Daddy, of Kona, with its naturally processed Mokka variety and a score of 84.787.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.
EIGHTY-SEVEN NEW COVID-19 CASES in Hawaiʻi are reported by Department of Health for Saturday, none of them on this island.
In the United States , more than 4,608,206 cases have been confirmed. The death toll is over 154,145. The worldwide COVID-19 case count is more than 17.7 million. The death toll is more than 681,580.
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Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. White is zero cases. Yellow is one to five cases. Light orange (not pictured) is six to ten cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 11 to 20 cases. Red (not pictured) is 21 to 50 cases. Hawaiʻi Department of Health map |
This is the tenth day in a row of no new cases for Hawaiʻi Island. All 115 victims, since the pandemic began, are recovered. There have been no deaths on this island. One case was reported in Volcano, zip code 96785, in the last 28 days. More than 28 days passed since a case was recorded for a Kaʻū zip code.
In the daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director, Talmadge Magno said, "For your information COVID Free Hawaiʻi will be providing testing every Saturday at Kona Target from 9 to 11 in the morning. Thank you S&G Labs Hawaiʻi and COVID Free Hawaiʻi for providing this service.
"Do understand that many states are continuing to experience increased numbers of Coronavirus cases and the threat is still out there. Hawaiʻi County continues to do very well. The citizens of Hawaiʻi County should be congratulated but know the importance of following the preventive measures of face coverings, distancing, gatherings, cleanliness, and keeping yourself healthy and of staying at home when sick. Thank you for making the effort to keep our neighbors, friends, family, and community safe. We must all continue to get better to keep us safe. The County Task Force Island of Hawaiʻi. Thank you for listening and have a safe day. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency."
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
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Jose and Berta Miranda win top coffee for Kaʻū, with Gloria Camba (r) taking second for her R&G Coffee grown with Rogelio Aquino. Photo by Maria Miranda |
Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year
This time last year, Miranda's Farms took Top Kaʻū Coffee at Hawaiʻi Coffee Association's Statewide Cupping Contest. Jose, Berta, and Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2015 Maria Miranda accepted the award on July 28, 2019 , at the annual HCA Convention, held on Oʻahu. Miranda Farms also took fifth statewide, while R&G Farms, owned by Gloria Camba and Rogelio Aquino, took ninth statewide.
In the scoring for the Kaʻū Coffee Region, Miranda's Farms placed first, with 84.753 for its naturally processed Yellow Caturra. R&G took second, with its fully washed Typica variety and a score of 84.213. In third for Kaʻū was H&H Farm, LLC, with its pulped natural Bourbon variety, and a score of 83.910.
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Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2015 Maria Miranda (r) at the old Miranda's Farms Coffee outlet. Photo from Miranda's Farms |
Numerous Kaʻū Coffee farms scored more than 80 points, considered the standard for highly prized specialty coffee. In addition to the winning Kaʻū entry, Miranda's submitted a pulped natural Typica that scored 83.785. In addition to the second-place winner in the Kaʻū category, R&G submitted a fully washed Typica for a score of 83.375. In addition to its third-place win, H&H Coffee Farm LLC submitted a pulped natural Typica variety for a score of 83.815 and a pulped natural Bourbon/Typica mix for a score of 83.470.
Kaʻū Mountain Farm, owned by Dennis Albert and managed by Ruslan Kuznetsov and Alla Kostenko, submitted a fully washed Typica that earned a score of 83.69; a pulped, natural Catuai with a score of 83.530; and a fully washed Typica, scoring 83.125. Willie and Grace Tabios submitted their Rising Sun entry of fully washed Bourbon/Typica mix to score 83.440. Leo Norberte's JN Farms submitted a fully washed Typica for a score of 83.035. FL Farm, founded by the late Fanny Lilly, submitted a fully washed Typica/Caturra for a score of 83.00.
Silver Cloud Coffee Farm, owned by Myles Mayne, submitted a fully washed Catuai for a score of 82.880 and a fully washed Caturra/Typica for a score of 82.750. Kaʻū Valley Farms entered a pulped natural Red Bourbon for a score of 82.810. Aroma Coffee Farm, owned by Amelia Biason, submitted a fully washed mixed variety for a score of 82.690. Ed Olson's Kaʻū Coffee Mill, LLC, entered a fully washed Typica for a score of 82.560. Manuel Marques' Hokulele Coffee Co. submitted a fully washed Typica/Caturra/Catuai for a score of 82.250.
See all the coffee entries statewide that scored 80 and over at hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/resources/Cupping/2019/Results/2019-HCA-Cupping-Results-80Plus.pdf.
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Miranda's Farms Coffee Shop, between at brewed Kaʻū Coffee and pastries from Also available for pick-up is packaged whole and ground Miranda's Farms Kaʻū Coffee beans. Their coffee is also sold online at mirandasfarms.com. |
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Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com. |
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.
EVENTS
Ocean View Community Center
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Eco-Tour at Shaka Forest Volcano Village 10am . Interact firsthand with an innovative rainforest farming operation, agroforestry. Pre-registration required.
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Apply for Grants, through 6 p.m. on Aug. 10 at grants.gov, to Help Socially Disadvantaged Groups develop business and strategic plans in rural areas through USDA Rural Development. Eligible applicants include cooperatives, groups of cooperatives, and cooperative development centers. Key strategies include e-connectivity for rural America
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The Food Basket, last Tuesday of the month, Aug. 25, provides food at St. Jude's to those in need. See hawaiifoodbasket.org.
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Receive Help Over the Phone with Critical Financial Issues, through Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund Financial Navigators from County of Hawaiʻi
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Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. U.S. Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs is developing a list of Native Hawaiian farmers willing to sell direct to consumers through the On-Farm Market Directory. On-farm markets are managed by a single farm operator that sells products on their farm, or on a property next to their farm. Some on-farm markets may also deliver or ship their goods directly to consumers. Visit the program website for more information and to register: ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/onfarm.
Volcano Art Center Volcano Village 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. , closed Saturday and Sunday. The Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. , closed Monday and Tuesday. Virtual Shopping Appointments are offered at Volcano Art Center
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Guided Nature Walks through Nature Trail & Sculpture Garden 9:30 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Volcano Village 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Free.
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Submit Grants, by 6 p.m. HST Monday, Aug. 3 to Start, Expand, or Improve Rural Cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses in rural America
Ocean View Community Center Library, open Friday mornings beginning Aug. 7.
From Plant to Pigment Workshop with Puakea Forester, Saturday, Aug. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn how to create colorfast dyes, inks, and paints from common and invasive locally sourced plants. This workshop is good for painters and kapa enthusiasts alike who are interested in expanding their knowledge about natural dyes.
Exhibition Mixed Flock: Prints by Margaret Barnaby and Pottery by Emily Herb, held over through Aug. 8. Also available to view online, view the exhibition in person the Gallery in the Park during normal gallery hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. , Wednesday through Sunday. Free. The exhibition features two prominent female artists from Volcano Village
Exhibition Hawaiʻi Nei Invitational: Nā ʻAumākua, Saturday, Aug. 8 through Saturday, Sept. 12. Also available to view online, view the exhibition in person the Gallery in the Park during normal gallery hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. , Wednesday through Sunday. Free. The exhibition is a group exhibition will present works focusing on the theme of Nā ʻAumākua, family gods. VAC will not hold an opening reception on August 8th.
AdvoCATS, at OV Community Center all day Tuesday, Aug. 11 – see advocatshawaii.org.
Writing for Inner Exploration and Life Reflection Workshop with author Tom Peek, Saturday, Aug. 15, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. "Have you ever wondered how the place you come from influenced who you are? Or what memories you carry from your ancestors? Or how your personal history impacts your view of the world? Take a day out of your busy life to explore your deeper self and ponder the life you’ve lived so far."
ONGOING
ONGOING
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen, open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. , with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services and worship are posted online at stjudeshawaii.org. Join the Aloha Hour via Zoom at 11 a.m. on Sundays, us02web.zoom.us/j/6843449828?pwd=YW94djVvU0szOGNKaFZ1V0pUL1owUT09, Meeting ID: 684 344 9828, Password: Aloha.
Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, last Thursday of the month, Aug. 27, Cooper Center
On-Call Emergency Box Food Pantry, Cooper Center 8 a.m. to noon . Eligible one time every three months. Call Kehau, 443-4130.
Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries, open for pick-up services. Nāʻālehu is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Library patrons schedule Library Take Out appointment times to pick up their hold item(s) at their favorite libraries by going to HSPLS Library Catalog and placing a hold on any item(s) they want to borrow, or they may call their favorite library branch to place a hold with the library staff. After receiving a notice that item(s) are ready for pick up, patrons schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. For patrons who placed holds during the closure, their item(s) are ready for pickup after the patron schedules a Library Take Out appointment. For more information, visit librarieshawaii.org.
Free Book Exchanges, at the laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu, provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Everyone is invited to take books they want to read. They may keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them to the Book Exchange to make them available to others in the community. The selection of books is replenished weekly at both sites.
Avocado Growers Survey Open. Help identify opportunities for expanding the local avocado industry, to assist local farmers, buyers, and agencies develop strategies to bolster Hawaiʻi's avocado industry, says Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United. Farmers and farm names kept anonymous, results shared publicly. Survey completion gives option to register to win a $200 gift certificate to Home Depot. For a hard copy of the survey, email: info@growfruithawaii.com. Take the survey: surveymonkey.com/r/Hawaiiavosurvey2020.
Find Resources for LGBTQ+, Loved Ones, and Allies at Sexual and Gender Minority online resource hub. Hawaiʻi Department of Health's first website dedicated to LGBTQ+ resources. Developed by the Sexual and Gender Minority Workgroup in partnership with the DOH Harm Reduction Services Branch. Resources: Understanding the Pacific's alternative genders; Pronoun guide; Book lists for children and teens; ʻOhana support; and DOH data. For more information on joining the SGM Workgroup, email Thaddeus Pham at thaddeus.pham@doh.hawaii.gov. See health.hawaii.gov/harmreduction/sexual-gender-minority/sexual-and-gender-minorities-sgm-in-hawaii/.
Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through the Papakilo Database, a resource developed by The Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The Kahalo Center
Receive Free Marketing Assistance, for small businesses affected by COVID-19. Owners can receive free marketing assistance from Univeristy of Hawaiʻi-Hilo faculty and their senior class. They offer help with moving a business online, finding out more about the businesses' customers, analyzing marketing effectiveness, and providing customer service or website feedback. Visit https://bit.ly/2YvFxsl.
Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature to help find information that applies to the searcher.
Begin Learning Basics of Organic Farming, from two free modules of a virtual training program by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, and California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. See https://kohalacenter.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=54bdd67c601f0c0d3ea430053&id=9e1691c22d&e=0e3fe20c1f
Apply for Internships with Sen. Brian Schatz's office. Internships for undergrad, graduate, and law students are offered in the Honolulu Washington D.C.
Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Volcano Village
Ocean View Community Market, open Fridays, Saturday, and Sundays, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. , on the corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. New market location for vendors of the recently closed Ocean View Swap Meet. Managed by Mark Cocucci. Masks are mandatory. Limit of people is 100. Social distancing is required. Gate will be unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m. Vendors can show up without a reservation for now, with $15 dollars. Parking is in the upper lot; parking on the side of the road is prohibited. A bathroom may not be at the location this weekend, so attendees and vendors are advised to "plan on taking a trip to the nearest restroom you know of." All vendors must provide their own sanitizer. All food vendors must have the permits required for the items that you are selling. Vendors and attendees are encouraged to carpool.
Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center Volcano Village 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. , with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.
ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market, in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday,8 a.m. to noon . The goal is no more than 50 customers on the grounds at a time. Vendor booths per day are limited to 25, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required to attend the market. Social distancing will be enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.
ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market, in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday,
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