Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015

Runners head through coffee tree fields and into the forest during this morning's Ka`u Coffee Trail Run.
Image from video by Vernon Harvey

KA`U COFFEE TRAIL RUN saw worldwide competition today with Half Marathon winner Kevin Stover finishing in 1 hour, 37 minutes and 44 seconds. Half Marathon women’s winner is Elda Carreon, who finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 41 seconds.

Miss Ka`u Coffee Maria Miranda, with former Queen Amery Silva and
current First Princess Joyce Ibasan, reigned over the Ka`u Coffee Trail Run.
Photo by Kalikoweo

After a week of heavy rains with road closures, waterfalls pumping and streams overrunning their banks in Wood Valley and all around race headquarters at Ka`u Coffee Mill, event emcee Guy Enriques said, “We were blessed today. We had the right amount of clouds, right amount of sun, right temperature.”
Enriques said that many of the runners in the inaugural event last year, who returned, were very impressed with improvements, calling courses “more fun and more challenging.” He said the Ka`u Coffee Trail Run is one of the more challenging half marathons in the state. “The 5 and 10 Ks are also tough.”
He said that despite the downpours earlier this week, “we were able to send the runners into the rainforest. The good weather yesterday, overnight and this morning dried things out. It was just a perfect day.”
With a break in the weather, a slew of people of all ages showed up early this morning to expand the number of racers from the 137 who pre-registered. Racers came from as far away as Austria, Germany, France, Japan and Alabama.

Ed Olson

Ka`u Coffee Mill founder Ed Olson said, “We had a very good crowd and happy everyone turned out. Mr. Weatherman cooperated with us 100 percent, A very successful day.”
Ka`u Coffee Trail Run raises money for the community group `O Ka`u Kakou. Entertaining were local hula groups and musicians. Miss Ka`u Coffee Maria Miranda started the race and was accompanied by First Princess Joyce Ibasan and 2014 Miss Ka`u Coffee Amery Silva.
See a Phantom Drone Helicopter video of the race by Vernon Harvey, of Ocean View, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXqHWIHqwFM.
Here are the times for the winners in the adult divisions.
Half Marathon winner is Kevin Stover in 1 hour 37 minutes, 44 seconds. Second is Topher Fast, 1 hour 57 minutes, 24 seconds. Third is Mike Sibalsky in 2 hours, 29 seconds.
Winner of the Men’s 10K is Michael Webster in 52 minutes, 59 seconds. Second is John Swanson in 54 minutes, 56 seconds. Third is Kyle Sullivan in 57 minutes, 20 seconds.
Winner of Men’s 5K is Danilo Padilla, 23 minutes 39 seconds. Second-place finisher is TJ Kuhn in 25 minutes 46 seconds. Third is Mark Wasser, 26 minutes, 45 sec.
Winner of the Women’s Half Marathon is Elda Carreon, 2 hours, 10 minutes, 25 seconds. Second is Vicki Daniel, who won last year. She came in this year in 2 hours, 18 minutes, 38 seconds. Third is Sally Marrack in 2 hours, 21 minutes, 37 seconds.
Winner of the Women’s 10K is Meggie Olson in 1 hour, 2 minutes, 48 seconds. Second is Abigail Rotholz, 1 hour, 4 minutes, 43 seconds. Third is Mona Lichtblau in 1 hour, 5 minutes and 2 seconds.
The Women’s 5K winner is Hope Saxtun who finished in 26 minutes and 41 seconds. Second is Megan Denny, 27 minutes, 32 seconds. Third is Jesse Gunnels in 28 minutes, 19 seconds. There were other age divisions. See more in tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs.

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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL VOTED not to reprimand Mayor Billy Kenoi for inappropriate use of his county-issued purchasing card. Kenoi’s use of his pCard for personal purchase came to light through an investigation by West Hawai`i Today reporter Nancy Cook Lauer.

In her testimony on a resolution introduced by Kohala Council member Margaret Wille, Jesse Marques, of Pahala, said, “I understand and respect the difficult task that the County Council members have regarding Mayor Kenoi’s inappropriate use of the pCard. I also understand and respect the law and due process relative to the circumstances.

Maile David

“What I don’t understand is that in spite of this matter being turned over to the Department of the Attorney General, which is an enforcement agency, to conduct its investigations, make a determination of any violations of the law, holding Mayor Kenoi legally and also publicly accountable for inappropriate use of the pCard, why is the County Council ignoring the law and due process and prematurely introducing this resolution? By introducing this resolution, it bypasses the due process for which the Department of the Attorney General investigation and determination has not been rendered. …
“To me this resolution raises more questions about the council’s understanding and respect of the law and due process and the purpose of this resolution.”
Ka`u’s County Council member Maile David agreed with testifiers who said it is not the council’s role to reprimand the mayor. “From the beginning my position has always been this is a jurisdictional matter,” David said, “and I respect the law, and I respect that our job, as legislators, is to uphold that process. …

“I feel (the resolution) affects the due process that the mayor - regardless if he’s the mayor or a regular citizen - he’s entitled to due process. So, just discussing all of these issues and all of these matters today, I’m really concerned about the harm to due process that he’s entitled to.
David said the council should focus on its role of “creating laws to benefit our community.”

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KA`U HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAMS continued their winning ways yesterday in Honoka`a. Junior varsity scores were 26-24 and 25-13. Varsity won in three games, 25-22, 15-25 and 25-14.
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KA`U HIGH’S EIGHT-MAN football team hosts Kohala today at 2 p.m. The game, originally set for Na`alehu Park, has been moved to Pahala Field. It will also be the Senior Game.
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DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE about your `ohana as you were growing up in Hawai`i? Write an essay in a letter format and enter to win in the third annual Letter to My Parents Contest.

The contest is open to Hawai`i residents ages 15 to 22 years who would like to express their experiences and feelings towards their parents or legal guardians. Participants are encouraged to submit work illustrating examples from personal life, reflecting family relationships and interactions. Suggested topics include:

What do my parent(s)or guardian(s) mean to me?
What would I like to do for my parent(s)?
How have my parents’ experiences and influence affected or shaped the person I am today?
How can I improve relationships in my `ohana?

Submit entries to www.LetterToMyParents.com by Oct. 23. Entries can be in any language used in the state, but an English translation is required. Contestants 17 years old and under must submit a parental/guardian consent form.
Finalists will be selected and will be invited to present their letters during the final presentation to judges scheduled on Sunday, Nov. 22.
For more information, contact Rose Churma or Toshiro Obara at 808-358-2868 or info@lettertomyparents.com.
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HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND HOLDS a Ka`u Coast Cleanup tomorrow. Volunteers meet HWF staff at Wai`ohinu Park at 7:45 a.m. to carpool to Kamilo for this event, part of the international Get the Drift & Bag It.

JAZZ IN THE FOREST: Evening of the Jazz Divas offers two shows tomorrow at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. If not sold out, tickets will be available at the door. Tickets for the 4:30 p.m. matinee are $15 for VAC members ($20 non-members) and for the 7:30 p.m. evening show are $20 for VAC members ($25 non-members).
For more information, see volcanoartcenter.org.

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