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| Ka`u's current and former Hawai`i County Council members, Maile Medeiros David and Brenda Ford, team up and share a shovel at groundbreaking for Volcano transfer station's expansion and structural repairs. Photo from Hawai`i County |
According to the county Department of Environmental Management, a wooden retaining wall at the facility has deteriorated and is no longer is structurally sound.
Green `Aina Engineering designed the project using a design-build approach that allows the contractor, William C. Loeffler Construction, Inc., to use lower-cost construction techniques.
The new transfer station’s design will encourage recycling and be able to provide green waste recycling, a HI-5 redemption site and reuse operations as the county adds those services in rural communities.
It should be completed by early summer of 2015.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
CHEVALIER OF THE LEGION OF HONOR is the title bestowed on Ka`u residents Tokuichi Nakano and Iwao Yonemitsu by the French Republic. The Counsul General representing France wrote to them saying, “I avail myself of this opportunity to reaffirm France’s gratitude for the contribution in the liberation of our country.” An awards ceremony is expected in January. Both Nakano and Yonemitsu previously received Congressional Gold Medals for their volunteer service in World War II in the famed 442nd Batallion, comprised of Japanese American soldiers.
In his collection of photos and documents on his military career, Nakano displays a quote from former Pres. Bill Clinton saying, “We are diminished when any American is targeted unfairly because of his or her heritage.”
While Nakano and Yonemitsu joined the U.S. military and were sent to Europe while the U.S. was at war with Japan, many others of Japanese heritage were sent to internment camps. Nakano, who is now 95, signed up when he was 23. Yonemitsu, who is now 92, signed up when he was 20. They both live with their wives in Na`alehu and had long careers in the sugar industry.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
KA`U HAS A TRADITIONAL AND FUTURE PLACE in agriculture, according to Weston Yap, who spoke this week at the Ka`u Farm Bureau meeting. Yap said he became fascinated with Ka`u in the writings of Mary Kawena Pukui, who wrote The Polynesian Family System in Ka`u. He said that “something about this place” motivated her to go to Honolulu, Bishop Museum, and research and write about Ka`u.
Yap said, “We wouldn’t have a lot of the Hawaiian renaissance” without her research and writing about Ka`u. He talked about the reputation of Ka`u people and Ka`u Makaha – “Fierce, savage, ferocious ... to seize property.”
He said he has been involved with protecting many varieties of taro, including creation of the website Kupunakala.com. Yap said there used to be 300 varieties of taro.
Yap said he applauds expansion of the Ka`u Coffee industry and noted that the statewide harvest of 1957-1958 netted 18 million pounds of coffee, most of it from the Big Island. The 2013-2014 harvest brought in 7.5 million pounds. There is much opportunity for growth in the industry, he said.
Yap has worked on many environmental and youth service projects, and his professional life has taken him toward helping farmers learn about federally subsidized crop protection programs. He said that fewer than half of farmers have crop insurance in Hawai`i even though there is government assistance.
He can be reached at Gold State Crop Insurance Services at 808-252-9797 or westony@goldenstatecrop.com.
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| The country of France has named Ka`u 442nd veterans Iwao Yonemitsu, 92, and Tokuich Nakano, 95 Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. Photo by Julia Neal |
The new transfer station’s design will encourage recycling and be able to provide green waste recycling, a HI-5 redemption site and reuse operations as the county adds those services in rural communities.
It should be completed by early summer of 2015.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
CHEVALIER OF THE LEGION OF HONOR is the title bestowed on Ka`u residents Tokuichi Nakano and Iwao Yonemitsu by the French Republic. The Counsul General representing France wrote to them saying, “I avail myself of this opportunity to reaffirm France’s gratitude for the contribution in the liberation of our country.” An awards ceremony is expected in January. Both Nakano and Yonemitsu previously received Congressional Gold Medals for their volunteer service in World War II in the famed 442nd Batallion, comprised of Japanese American soldiers.
In his collection of photos and documents on his military career, Nakano displays a quote from former Pres. Bill Clinton saying, “We are diminished when any American is targeted unfairly because of his or her heritage.”
While Nakano and Yonemitsu joined the U.S. military and were sent to Europe while the U.S. was at war with Japan, many others of Japanese heritage were sent to internment camps. Nakano, who is now 95, signed up when he was 23. Yonemitsu, who is now 92, signed up when he was 20. They both live with their wives in Na`alehu and had long careers in the sugar industry.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
KA`U HAS A TRADITIONAL AND FUTURE PLACE in agriculture, according to Weston Yap, who spoke this week at the Ka`u Farm Bureau meeting. Yap said he became fascinated with Ka`u in the writings of Mary Kawena Pukui, who wrote The Polynesian Family System in Ka`u. He said that “something about this place” motivated her to go to Honolulu, Bishop Museum, and research and write about Ka`u.
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| Weston Yap |
He said he has been involved with protecting many varieties of taro, including creation of the website Kupunakala.com. Yap said there used to be 300 varieties of taro.
Yap said he applauds expansion of the Ka`u Coffee industry and noted that the statewide harvest of 1957-1958 netted 18 million pounds of coffee, most of it from the Big Island. The 2013-2014 harvest brought in 7.5 million pounds. There is much opportunity for growth in the industry, he said.
Yap has worked on many environmental and youth service projects, and his professional life has taken him toward helping farmers learn about federally subsidized crop protection programs. He said that fewer than half of farmers have crop insurance in Hawai`i even though there is government assistance.
He can be reached at Gold State Crop Insurance Services at 808-252-9797 or westony@goldenstatecrop.com.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HAWAI`I COFFEE GROWERS ASSOCIATION met yesterday on Maui. John Cross, of Olson Trust, represented Ka`u and said the group discussed expansion of the coffee berry borer pest to O`ahu at a farm near Dole Plantation.
The technique for fighting the borer there may differ. On O`ahu, coffee is mechanically harvested. After the harvest is pau, the presence of the borer would necessitate sending in a crew of pickers to make sure all leftover beans are stripped from branches and disposed of. On the Big Island, coffee is one hundred percent picked by hand, and farmers strip the branches at the end of the season to keep down the borer and disease.
Hawai`i Coffee Growers Association plans to send a team to Brazil to study methodology dealing with the borer there and also mechanical harvesting.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED to Ka`u Scenic Byway Committee Meeting tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church. For more information, email richmorrow@alohabroadband.net.
FIFTH- AND SIXTH-GRADERS PRESENT FREE performances during Volcano Middle School Theater Night tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com for more information.
KA`U CHAPTER OF HAWAI`I FARMERS UNION UNITED holds a holiday party and meeting Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.
“It’s been a lot of hard work this year with everyone pulling together toward our goals, and we have accomplished a lot,” Ka`u chapter President Malian Lahey said. “We started our chapter and have made good progress towards some significant goals.”
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
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HAWAI`I COFFEE GROWERS ASSOCIATION met yesterday on Maui. John Cross, of Olson Trust, represented Ka`u and said the group discussed expansion of the coffee berry borer pest to O`ahu at a farm near Dole Plantation.
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| Coffee berry borers have been found on O`ahu |
Hawai`i Coffee Growers Association plans to send a team to Brazil to study methodology dealing with the borer there and also mechanical harvesting.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE is asking Ka`u farmers to be on the lookout for a new detrimental pest to crops. Bagrada hilaris is a small stink bug with piercing needle-like mouthparts which they insert into and feed on host plants. Females lay oval, cream-colored eggs, which mature to become more of an orange-red color, on the undersides of leaves, on stems and in soil around plants. Eggs laid in soil are camouflaged and very easily transported to uninfested areas.
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Preferred hosts are cruciferous vegetable crops including broccoli, tatsoi, cabbages, cauliflower, kale, radish, turnip, mustards, brussels sprouts, sweet alyssum, collards and arugula. The bagrada bug can also feed on corn, cucumbers, okra, sugarcane, papaya, potato, cotton, figs and some legumes. In the absence of preferred host crops, the pest will feed on a variety of weeds, also in the Brassicaceae plant family, which may serve as a reservoir for the population.
In California, the bagrada bug has been very expensive for Brassica crop growers to control with conventional insecticides, and organic farmers have taken severe losses due to lack of control measures acceptable to organic certifiers.
DOA asks farmers who suspect an infestation of bagrada bugs to call 974-4146.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
In California, the bagrada bug has been very expensive for Brassica crop growers to control with conventional insecticides, and organic farmers have taken severe losses due to lack of control measures acceptable to organic certifiers.
DOA asks farmers who suspect an infestation of bagrada bugs to call 974-4146.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Darren Goodman demonstrates glass art today through Saturday. Photo from Volcano Art Center |
LIVE HOT GLASS DEMONSTRATIONS with Darren Goodman take place today through Saturday at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Goodman uses a portable furnace to create works inspired by the 1877 Volcano House and droplet-shaped, glassy bits of lava rock known as Pele’s tears. An exhibit of his works continues at the gallery through Saturday, Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free; park entrance fees apply.
HANA HOU RESTAURANT’S KEIKI Christmas party today at 5 p.m. in Na`alehu features gifts for keiki, food for everyone and a visit from Santa.
PETE LICATA TEACHES HOST MIKE ROWE about coffee cupping in a segment on CNN’s Somebody’s Gotta Do It today at 4 p.m. Licata helped put Rusty’s 100 Percent Hawaiian Ka`u Coffee on the international barista stage.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED to Ka`u Scenic Byway Committee Meeting tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church. For more information, email richmorrow@alohabroadband.net.
FIFTH- AND SIXTH-GRADERS PRESENT FREE performances during Volcano Middle School Theater Night tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com for more information.
KA`U CHAPTER OF HAWAI`I FARMERS UNION UNITED holds a holiday party and meeting Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.
“It’s been a lot of hard work this year with everyone pulling together toward our goals, and we have accomplished a lot,” Ka`u chapter President Malian Lahey said. “We started our chapter and have made good progress towards some significant goals.”
The potluck party features a drawing for prizes, including a Christmas turkey, heirloom tomato and squash seeds, a 12-pack of mason jars for canning and more.
For more information, email malian@kauspecialtycoffee.com.
For more information, email malian@kauspecialtycoffee.com.
INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS can still sign up to be in Pahala Christmas Parade on Sunday at 1 p.m. The parade travels through Pahala from the armory to the hospital and to Holy Rosary Church for refreshments. Everyone is welcome. Call 928-0808.
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| Pahala Filipino Community Association holds its Christmas party Sunday, Dec. 20. Photo by Julia Neal |
KA`U SCHOOL OF THE ARTS OFFERS a free Christmas Concert after Pahala Christmas Parade. The concert begins at 3 p.m. Sunday at Pahala Plantation House, featuring Ka`u `Ohana Band, Halau Hula O Ka `Imina Na`auao Kahiko and a sing-along with Ka`u Community Chorus. Potluck refreshments are welcome.
PAHALA FILIPINO COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION holds its annual Christmas party Sunday, Dec. 21 at Pahala Community Center. Gifts from Santa, wrapped by parents, will be distributed to children. Everyone is encouraged to prepare a number for entertainment. Desserts are welcomed. The association provides all other food and utensils.
PAHALA FILIPINO COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION holds its annual Christmas party Sunday, Dec. 21 at Pahala Community Center. Gifts from Santa, wrapped by parents, will be distributed to children. Everyone is encouraged to prepare a number for entertainment. Desserts are welcomed. The association provides all other food and utensils.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
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| See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf. |
