Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 9, 2012

Firefighting and rescue family Team Kanahele, comprised of Matt Hoeflinger, Cody Kanahele, Baba Manoha and Jim Manoha, hauled in the first-place boar yesterday at Mauka Legend Hunting Tournament to honor the life of fellow hunter Chaz Moses. Photo by Julia Neal

MAUKA LEGEND HUNTING TOURNAMENT yesterday honored the late Chaz Moses, whose favorite pastime was combing the Ka`u wilderness to bring home the bacon for his family. The event drew more than 40 entries and featured education about hunter and ocean safety, food, music by the bands Lava Boys, Keaiwa, Friends & Neighbors, and Wesley Martinez and friends. The venue and weigh-in station was Old Pahala Clubhouse.

Dogs found the winning boar at 6:50 a.m. at Christmas Trees in Ola`a
Forest Reserve. Photo by Julia Neal

    Hunting began for many teams before dawn yesterday, with weigh-in between 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The team led by Cody Kanahele, son of firefighter Ash Kanahele, brought down the first-place boar, a 177.3-pound dozer. The team also included firefighter Jim Manoha and his daughter Baba along with firefighter Matt Hoeflinger. Members of the Moses `ohana said it was amazing that the firefighters won, since these same firefighters worked so hard to find Chaz Moses when he was lost at sea while throwing net at Ka Lae on June 4.

      Team Kanahele found the boar in the Ola`a Forest Reserve between Volcano and Hilo. Local hunters call the place Christmas Trees. The hunters started walking into the rainforest about 6 a.m., and the dogs started barking at 6:50 a.m. “We were back to the truck by 9:30 a.m.,” said Jim Manoha. The Kanahele team was the first to the weigh-in station. Manoha said, “We are honored to be a part of it.” Second place in the boar competition went to Team Devin and Noland Kokobun, with a 165.1-pound monster. Third went to Ryan Sullivan with a 148.8-pound catch. 

      In the Longest Tusk category, first went to Barry Gouveia, with a 5-9/16 inch ivory. Second went to Kamuela Tavares with a 5-3/16 inch rake. Third went to Maka Blur with a 5-2/16 inch sickle.
      First Place sow weighed in at 126.3 pounds, brought down by a team led by Boots Kaapana. Second weighed in at 120.1 pounds, taken down by Richard Kaiawe, and third weighed 115.5 pounds, brought in by Lucas Pua.

Chaz Moses hunting buddies, Kalapo Polido and Ty Chun,
 with Chaz's mother Jovena Moses at right. Photo by Julia Neal

      Glenn Moses, the uncle of Chaz Moses, led a family team including Chaz’s cousins Makoa and Makela Moses.
      Mauka Legends Tournament organizers Ty Chun and Kalapo Polido were Chaz Moses' hunting buddies. Chun emceed the weigh-in and celebration and thanked many sponsors. After the event, he said “The outpouring of support for the Moses `Ohana is overwhelming. We can’t thank everybody enough. We are happy to honor Chaz the Ka`u way. We felt his spirit throughout the day.”
      A memorial tee shirt can be ordered by calling 557-8594.

Escapee Ryan Jeffries-Hamar
is still at large.

POLICE APPREHENDED JARVIS HIGA, one of two inmates who escaped from Hilo Community Correctional Center on Wednesday, in Ocean View after he attempted to flee a residence on foot. Higa was charged with escape in the first degree, kidnapping, second-degree assault, second-degree robbery, third-degree criminal property damage and unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle. He is presently being held without bail at East Hawai`i Detention Facility at Hilo Police Station and will likely be arraigned on his charges tomorrow at Hilo District Court, according the Police Department.
      Ryan Jeffries-Hamar, the second escapee, is still at large.

BIG ISLAND COMMUNITY COALITION submitted testimony to the Public Utilities Commission regarding the proposed contract between Hawai`i Electric Light Co. and `Aina Koa Pono to purchase biofuel from feedstock grown and refined in Ka`u. The hui’s mission, as stated on its website, is to “work together as an island community for the greater good of Hawai`i Island and its people,” and its number one priority is to “make Big Island electricity rates the lowest in the state by emphasizing the use of local resources.” 

      “The Big Island Community Coalition does not believe utility customers should be required to provide financial assurances for indigenous biofuel development,” the hui writes. “Government has the role of enacting and implementing policies to encourage and/or incentivize indigenous biofuel development. If utility customers are to be required to provide financial assurances for indigenous biofuel development, however, there should be specific requirements that the technology is proven at the projected scale. At a minimum, terms and conditions should be that cost for indigenous biofuel development on the Big Island cannot result In electricity rates higher than $.40/kWh, including HELCO’s transmission and distribution costs.
      “The need to maintain the viability of the Keahole facility and any other oil-fired generation facilities should not be a priority for the ratepayer or the PUC. The viability of these facilities should be evaluated based on economics as they exist at any given period of time. If these facilities become obsolete or cease to be viable, those risks should be taken by utility’s shareholders, not by the ratepayers. These are the principles that apply to all other businesses; the utility should not be an exception.

State Rep. Richard Onishi

      “The utility should not be allowed to agree to a purchase price based on a hedge and be able to pass the cost-differential on the hedge to the ratepayer as long as the purchase price is higher than the price of oil. The ratepayer, in this scenario, pays the biofuel surcharge AND pays again if the purchased biodiesel is more than imported oil through the Energy Cost Adjustment Clause. This is unconscionable and is why we formed the Big Island Community Coalition. Impact to the ratepayer must be as much of a priority in the PUC’s analysis as the financial well-being of the utility. The utility should assume the risk for the price differential since it had all of the discretion in negotiating the Biodiesel Supply Contract.
      Big Island Community Coalition’s entire letter, as well as other testimony and documents regarding the proposed contract, can be read at puc.hawaii.gov/dockets. Docket number is 2012-0185.

STATE REP. RICHARD ONISHI holds a public meeting today at 7 p.m. at Pahala Community Center from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Onishi is gathering information to take with him to the state Legislature in January. Call him at 586-6120 for more information. 

SANTA IS TRAVELING THROUGH KA`U THIS WEEK. He spreads holiday cheer through Pahala during the Christmas Parade today starting at 1 p.m. Many church groups, businesses, government officials and others are slated to participate.

Santa travels through Ka`u this week, with an appearance in Pahala
Christmas Parade today.

SANTA ALSO PARTICIPATES in Hana Hou Restaurant’s Keiki Christmas Party Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Na`alehu. The event includes buffet dinner, lucky number prizes, keiki ID and photos with Santa. 

ON SATURDAY, SANTA arrives at Ocean View Community Center at noon for the annual Keiki Christmas Party. Doors open at 11 a.m. Those who come early can register keiki to see Santa. The event features food, face painting, storytelling and games including a mac nut toss and a fishing pond with prizes. Each child receives a photo with Santa, a gift and one ticket for a drawing for six bicycles.

KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN Steering Committee holds a business meeting Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The agenda and other information is available online at kaucdp.info. For more, contact planner Ron Whitmore at 961-8137 or rwhitmore@co.hawaii.hi.us.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

FIND MORE OF OUR DECEMBER 2012 EVENT PHOTOS ON OUR FLICKR ACCOUNT.