Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014

Miss Ka`u Coffee Amery Silva and Fourth of July Rodeo Queen Caliya Silva Kamei ride in the pa`u parade at Ka`u Plantation Days.
Photo by Julia Neal

CHAIN OF CRATERS ROAD WILL BE REBUILT WITH TWO LANES. After weeks of collaboration between county, state and federal officials, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Mayor Billy Kenoi announced that the National Parks Service intends to reestablish the Kalapana-Ka`u route to its original alignment width of 22 feet with a gravel surface, which will be consistent with the width of the existing park roadway segment and will accommodate two-way traffic along its entire length. This announcement comes at a critical time, as the tip of the lava flow is less than a mile from Pahoa.

Horses and riders are bedecked with colorful lei. Photo by Julia Neal

Schatz and Gabbard have been working with Kenoi to persuade federal officials to rebuild lava-covered portions of the road as a two-lane route out of Hawai`i Island’s lower Puna District in anticipation of the Kilauea lava flow cutting off access to major roadways this month.

Schatz visited Chain of Craters Road to meet with NPS Superintendent Cindy Orlando and saw first-hand the bulldozer work being done to clear the access road. Gabbard went on a helicopter with Hawai`i County officials and got a close look at the Kilauea lava vent, the path toward Pahoa that the lava has flowed, all access roads in and out of Puna, to include the active bulldoze clearing ongoing on the county’s portion of Chain of Craters Road.

“This is a win for Puna residents who need access to the rest of the Big Island, and it was a great team effort,” Schatz said. “I want to thank Mayor Kenoi, Rep. Gabbard and all of the federal, state and county agencies for completing a difficult negotiation. Our work isn’t done, but this is an important first step.

Pa`u riders honored ancestors. Photo by Julia Neal

“The people of Puna have faced great uncertainty and difficulty over the last several weeks, first with back to back hurricanes and tropical storms, followed by Kilauea’s lava flow. Ensuring that Chain of Craters Road is rebuilt as soon as possible and that two-way access is available to the people of Puna now and in the future is absolutely critical,” said Gabbard. “Mayor Kenoi’s strong leadership, collaboration with Sen. Schatz and quick action by the community and local leaders proved essential to bringing about this outcome, to enable Puna residents to make their own plans accordingly.”
“We are all very grateful to Sen. Schatz, Rep. Gabbard and the entire Hawai`i delegation for their efforts on behalf of Lower Puna,” Kenoi said. “The two-lane, reconstructed Chain of Craters Road will be a lifeline for thousands of our residents, and is essential for the safety and well-being of our working families and our entire community.”
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported this morning that the leading edge of the flow has advanced 65 yards per day to the northeast over the past two days. Active breakouts were observed at the flow front and continue along the tube system upslope from the leading edge of the flow.

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KA`U RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO QUICKLY GAIN specialized education and increase their employability are invited to attend informational events hosted by Hawai`i Community College. Hawai`i CC cafeteria at 200 West Kawili Street in Hilo is the site of one event on Thursday, Oct. 23 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Another takes place at West Hawai`i Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Bldg A in Kona on Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Keiki, horses and handlers march in Ka`u Plantation Days pa`u parade.
Photo by Julia Neal

The events will highlight Hawai`i CC’s new online, accelerated certificate programs designed to increase students’ skills while accommodating their schedules and locations. The classes are conducted using an online format or a mix of online classes with hands-on fieldwork.
The new certificate programs being offered include business certificates in Business Foundations, Business Essentials, Retail Foundations, Entrepreneurship and Virtual Office Assistant.
Sustainable construction certificates are being offered in Sustainable Construction Technologies as well as Sustainable Lot Design, Preparation & Development.
Students will also receive support services that include tutoring, academic counseling, internships and job development and transcript evaluation/Prior Learning Assessment, which allows adults to earn credit for work knowledge and experience.

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FRED FOGEL, LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE for state House District Three, gave his views on issues and answered questions posed by Civil Beat.
The first question was, “Why are you running for the Hawai`i Legislature?”

Pa`u riders honor Ka`u history. Photo by Julia Neal

“Incumbent politicians need challengers,” Fogel answered. “Voters need a choice at the polls — someone without political career ambition. Someone who is willing to make the necessary, systemic governmental changes to better serve the people. Government is like a pyramid with the small federal oversight at the top, larger state government below, county governments beneath that, and the people as the broad foundation. Today that pyramid is upside down, with an overreaching federal government at the top and correspondingly less power until you reach the people at the tip. We must right this pyramid before it collapses. To continue the analogy, the trees of freedom planted by our forefathers are losing their leaves. The fruit from these trees must be replanted in the still fertile ground before the trees whither and die. Hopefully through careful attention and nurturing over the decades to come, the fruit from these trees will once again feed the hopes and dreams of all who desire to improve their lives.”

Fogel answered questions regarding the state’s unfunded liabilities, homelessness, genetically modified food and pesticides, Hawai`i’s cost of living, energy, public records, the public school system, the economy and environmental resources.

Pa`u riders represent various Hawaiian islands. Photo by Julia Neal

Fogel said his “primary goal in representing the people is to implement fundamental changes to they way government operates — the result being government that serves the people better at the lower cost of the taxpayer. In simple terms the people will get more bang for their buck. This can be done by creating an environment where the people have more freedom to pursue their dreams and enjoy the benefits of their efforts. The resulting growth in the economy and business environment will support generations to come through better job opportunities. This can only be achieved with a coalition of like-minded politicians working together. It will not be easy, given the pressures of special interests (internal and external) and procedural rules allowing committee chairs to table proposals without hearing, gut bills to change original intent or insert items that do not pertain to the purpose of the bill. However, persistence will prevail. Eventually lawmakers will come around to doing the right thing.”
See civilbeat.com.

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KA`U PLANTATION DAYS CELEBRATED Sweet Memories in Pahala today, with a pa`u parade on Maile and Pikake Streets and entertainment, ethnic food, dance and history displays at Pahala Plantation House.

PATTY JOHNSON PRESENTS MEDICINE FOR THE MIND tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The free Buddhist healing meditation for beginners through advanced takes place the second Sunday of each month.
For more information, call 985-7470.

A decorated cane truck leads the Ka`u Plantation Days parade.
Photo by Julia Neal

A WEEK FROM TODAY, FAMILIES ARE INVITED to celebrate International Archaeology Day with Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park archaeologists and cultural practitioners who will share Hawaiian culture through its cultural treasures. Fun, hands-on, keiki-friendly activities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. include shoebox excavations (dig in and excavate your own archaeological site with a friend); a stone tool-making demonstration with master stone-tool artist Tom Pico; pono petroglyph rubbings (without damaging real-life petroglyphs) and Lapita pottery impressions, where keiki can trace the Polynesian migration through pottery shards the ancients left behind and create their own ceramic tile to take home. In addition, the short film Pacific Clues: Footprints in Lava, hosted by park archaeologist Dr. Jadelyn Moniz-Nakamura, reveals the story of ancient footprints in the Ka`u Desert and will be shown in Kilauea Visitor Center throughout the day.
At the end of the day, visit the future home of the park’s new cultural museum at the 1932 Administration Building. At this final station, keiki can take the pledge and earn their Junior Archaeology Ranger patch. Each junior ranger will receive the new Archeology in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park children’s booklet.
The 1932 Administration Building, also known as the `Ohi`a Wing, is between Kilauea Visitor Center and Volcano House.

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