Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, May 4, 2014

KAMEHAMEHA BUTTERFLIES enjoy living in mamaki tea plants, and area residents are on the lookout for these endangered native butterflies. While exact locations of the rare Kamehameha are not being revealed by those documenting their whereabouts, some photos of the caterpillars and emerging young Kamehameha butterflies are being taken by photographer Bill Doar in Volcano. Doar recently recorded the caterpillar and its complete transformation into a butterfly. 

      Doar said there are additional Kamehameha caterpillars that he is documenting, including those living inside a rolled up mamaki leaf. He also reported a Kamehameha butterfly on a lemon tree. University of Hawai`i scientists are studying how temperature affects development time of the chrysalis for such insects, hoping to establish a lab colony of Kamehameha for research. It may be that it takes longer in colder elevations for the caterpillar to become a butterfly. Those seeing the Kamehameha butterfly are asked to send photos and reports to pulelehua@ctahr.hawaii.edu.

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SEVEN DISTINGUISHED JUDGES MAKE THEIR CHOICES for Miss Ka`u Coffee and Miss Ka`u Peaberry this evening at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Doors open at 6 p.m.

      Rachelle Agrigado was the choreographer of the Junior Miss Hawai`i Filipina pageant opening number and a trainer for Miss Hawai`i Island Filipina. She is currently director of Lihu`e Hawai`i Productions that produces the Young Miss Lihu`e Hawai`i and Miss Teen Lihu`e Hawai`i pageants, a preliminary to the state Miss Hawai`i Junior High and Miss Hawai`i High School pageants. She is an accomplished hula dancer, formerly with Ray Fonseca’s Halau Hula `O Kahikilaulani.
      Janine Balsis is student activities and testing coordinator at Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School. After spending a few years on the East Coast and O`ahu, Balsis is enjoying reconnecting with her home on the Big Island. She will be re-igniting her own educational goals at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa this summer as she works toward earning her master’s degree in Educational Foundations with a focus on Educational Leadership in the Asia-Pacific region.

      Jennifer Ka`aihue was 1992 Miss Hawai‘i Island Filipina. She was a co-coordinator for the 2011 Miss Hawai‘i Island Filipina pageant. She has been involved as a pageant judge in previous pageants such as Young Miss Hawai`i Filipina, Miss Hawai`i Island Filipina and Miss Ka`u Coffee. She is currently a director of Lehua Hawai`i Productions that produces the Young Miss Lehua Hawai`i and Miss Teen Lehua Hawai`i pageants, a preliminary to the state Miss Hawai`i Junior High and Miss Hawai`i High School pageants.
      Ulu Makuakane was born and raised in Ka`u and now resides in Makakilo, O`ahu. She is a 2010 Ka`u High School alumna who after graduation moved to O`ahu to further her college education and gain more opportunity. She works at the Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, as a performer and hula dancer, performing for multiple family programs including the Aulani Starlit Hui. For work, she has recently been offered the title as a Hui trainer, and this position will allow her to train new cast members the hula choreography for a weekly show. Since her reign as Miss Ka`u Coffee 2010, Makuakane has entered two other pageants. She said, “After gaining the Miss Hawaiian Islands title, I was fortunate enough to compete for Miss South Pacific in December hosted in the Solomon Islands. As a former Miss Ka`u Coffee, I know what it feels like to be in these young ladies’ shoes. They have all worked very hard, and I know they will do their best to represent Ka`u, Ka`u Coffee, their families and their community. I wish them all the best of luck. Laki Maika`i!”

      Bruce Mathews is a professor of soil science and agronomy at the University of Hawai`i at Hilo and has worked there since 1993. Mathews currently serves as interim dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management. He has traveled to the Philippines on several projects related to his work and did a sabbatical leave there during 2001-2002.
      Mitch Roth came to Hawai`i in 1983 to attend the University of Hawai`i at Manoa and then received a Jurist Doctorate at Whittier Law School in Los Angeles. After graduating, he returned to Hawai`i as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Honolulu. In 1998, he left Honolulu to become a Deputy Prosecutor and Community Oriented Prosecutor in Hawai`i County. Since coming to the Big Island, Roth has held key positions in numerous government and community organizations and he has been involved with a number of activities in the community.

      Fred Tomas is an event consultant and designer. In 2003 he founded and owns Tomas International, which specializes in full-service event planning, design and management for social celebrations, corporate events and nonprofit and community festivals. He is also the chief floral stylist for Kammy’s Flower Garden in Hilo. Currently he serves as Board of Governor for the United Filipino Council of Hawai`i and Director for the Big Island Filipino Community Council. Tomas also volunteers for nonprofit organizations such as Junior Achievement.

      Pageant auditor is Dr. Kevin D. Hopkins, an internationally known scientist who has managed aquaculture and fisheries development projects throughout the world for more than 35 years. Hopkins is currently a professor in the College of Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resources Management at University of Hawai`i at Hilo. He has served as auditor in previous Miss Hawai`i Island Filipina pageants and in numerous Filipino cultural fashion shows.

      For more information about the pageant, call Gloria Camba at 928-8558.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

THE INN AT KALAEKILOHANA hosted its third annual Farmers’ Table event last night for the Ka`u Coffee Festival with dozens enjoying fresh food from Ka`u. Organically grown vegetables came from the new Earth Matters Farm at the corner of South Point and Kama`oa Roads. Grass-fed beef came from the Galimba ranch, and fish from the sea. 

      Host and chef Kenny Joyce noticed that there was record attendance of farmers at the annual dinner, among them Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative President Gloria Camba and Rogelio Aquino, famed coffee farmers Lorie Obra and Lisa Dacalio and Greg Smith from Earth Matters. Music was by `Eke Kekauoka Trio. Ka`u Coffee ice cream and pastries by Chef Janel Panek were featured. Host Kilohana Domingo also expressed his appreciation of the agricultural community and bounty of Ka`u.

      For more on Kalaekilohana, see kau-hawaii.com.

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THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO THE Triple C Recipe Contest today at noon at Ka`u Coffee Mill. The event includes free coffee and recipe tastings, along with entertainment by Keoki Kahumoku and the `Ukulele Kids.
      Participants earn up to $500 in prizes for the best recipes in adult and student categories.

KA `OHANA O HONU`APO INVITES KA`U RESIDENTS to Sunday in the Park, today from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The event features La`au Lapa`au, Hawaiian Healing, with Momi Subiano. For more information, email kaohanaohonuapo@gmail.com.

 
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.