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Saturday, July 13, 2013

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, July 13, 2013

Longs Pharmacy opens with a blessing for the public at 8:30 a.m. Monday at Pahala Shopping Center.
Photo by Julia Neal
LONGS PHARMACY opens on Monday, becoming the first pharmacy in Ka`u outside of clinics and the small Ka`u Hospital pharmacy. It is located in Pahala Shopping Center between Bank of Hawai`i and Pahala Post Office. A pharmacist will be on duty. Other items to be offered for sale in this apothecary-style Longs will include beauty and health care products and snacks. Local contractors on the project have included Taylor Built Construction Company, Inc.
      The public is invited to a blessing Monday at 8:30 a.m.

Nurse practitioner Susan Field will move
from teaching at UH-Manoa to practicing
at Ka`u Rural Health Clinic.
FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER Susan Field will join Ka`u Hospital Rural Health Clinic’s staff on Aug. 1 to replace Debra Kettleson, who is transferring to Hilo Medical Center cardiology clinic. Ka`u Hospital administrator Merilyn Harris said, “It was really important that we find someone who was not only well qualified on paper but also somebody who would be very caring and willing to go the extra mile for her patients like Debbie did. Susan Field fits the bill.” 
      Field is a highly skilled nurse practitioner with over 12 years of experience working in clinic settings in Idaho, Hilo, Ocean View, Moloka`i and Lana`i. She is an assistant professor of nursing in the University of Hawai`i at Manoa’s Nurse Practitioner Program. Field teaches supervision for nurse practitioner students throughout the Big Island.
      Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, Field worked as a registered nurse in a variety of roles, including house supervisor in a 250-bed hospital in Idaho and director of Emergency Services in a rural community in Colorado.
      Field is a resident of Ka`u and lives within six miles of the hospital and clinic. In the community, she is a photographer, plays tennis and teaches karate. She is known to many as “Suz.”

INTERVENTION INTO HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC CO’S FIVE-YEAR ACTION PLAN is a suggestion by Life of the Land. The document was recently submitted to the state Public Utilities Commission. Life of the Land writes that the plans “call for expanded geothermal, importation of liquified natural gas, smart meters, Hu Honua and `Aina Koa Pono. The plans include virtually no community input nor any discussion on externalities. The PUC is establishing a window of opportunity for potential intervenors to enter the regulatory proceedings. Being a party means being able to file written requests for information to the HECO companies, responding to any questions asked of your group, being able to submit written testimony of witnesses, etc.”
      Life of the Land is providing a description of using the PUC website for e-filing and e-notification and a guide to creating a motion to intervene. “There is no reason that Big Island interests should have only one community group intervening,” said Life of the Land executive director Henry Curtis.
      See lifeofthelandhawaii.org.
      The five-year action plan can be read at hawaiianelectric.com/IRP.

HIKING REGISTRATION FEES for vehicles passed a final County Council vote this week with the only opponent being Ka`u’s Council member Brenda Ford. Last Wednesday, the Council passed the hikes with a vote of eight to one. Registration for cars, trucks, vans and buses will increase $5 to $12 depending on the class of vehicle. For most vehicles, the tax will go up from 75 cents per pound to $1.25 per pound.
      Ford said her objection was based partly on the additional $2.8 million expected to be generated by the hike in vehicle registration and taxes going into the county fund. “There is no way for us to know where this tax increase is going to go and what it is supposed to do,” she said, according to a Tom Callis report in the Hawai`i Tribune Herald on Wednesday. Proponents of the hike promised that it would go to improve roads. The mayor is expected to sign the bill to raise the fees and taxes.
      Another hike to raise money for transportation began Monday with higher public bus fees. The fee to ride the Hele-On Bus went from $1 to $2. Seniors, students and the disabled who previously rode the bus for free now pay $1. Keiki five and under still ride for free.

Hokule`a, sailing past Volcano in June, is expected to be at Miloli`i later this month.
Photo courtesy of Polynesian Voyaging Society
HOKULE`A IS EXPECTED back on the Big Island soon. The Polynesian Voyaging Society canoes Hokule`a and Hikianalia were last at Kalae on June 16 before sailing from South Point to Maui, Kaho`olawe, Lana`i and most recently Moloka`i. Hokule`a and Hikianalia are expected to sail into Miloli`i later this month, where a program for restoration of fishing village canoes is planned. See www.hokulea.org.
      At Miloli`i, the Lawai`a Fishing Camp for youth is being held this weekend by Pa`a Pono Miloli`i, Kua O Ka La Pubic Charter School, Hau`oli Ka Mana`o Congregational Church, Kalanihale Educational nonprofit and Ho`oulu La Hui. 

THE 33RD ANNUAL CULTURAL FESTIVAL for Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is taking place today until 3 p.m. The fee-free day is focused on interpretation at Kahua Hula at Ka`auea – the hula platform near Volcano Art Center inside the park. The theme is Ka `ike o ke keiki: i ka nana a `ike; i ka ho`olohe no a maopopo; i ka hana no a `ike, which means: The learning of the child; by observing, one learns; in listening, one commits to memory; by practice one masters the skill.
Diana Aki, here with Keoki Kahumoku at Pahala Plantation House,
performs at today's Cultural Festival at Hawai`i Volcanoes
National Park. Photo by Julia Neal
     Enjoy hula kahiko and music with Keiki o Halau o Kekuhi, Halau Ulumamo o Hilo Paliku, Hula Halau Ke `Olu Makani o Mauna Loa, Leabert Lindsey, Ben Ka`ili and Diana Aki.
      Watch skilled practitioners demonstrate art and learn to beat kapa, weave lauhala hats, sew a feather lei, create a native garden and use plants as medicine.
      Play Hawaiian games, weave a coconut basket and lauhala bracelet, make a feather kahili and traditional lei. Taste taro, sweet potato, sugar cane and breadfruit.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is live theater this weekend with shows today at 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. The show runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through July 28. The venue is Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. KDEN is the sponsor, and tickets are available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods, Paradise Plants, The Most Irresistible Shop and by calling 982-7344. Prices are $15 general, $12 students/seniors and $10 children.

BEFORE THE PLAY, Beauty and the Beast, a casual dinner is served at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8371.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP HOLDS AN OPEN HOUSE today in conjunction with the Cultural Festival. KMC invites visitors to experience how it serves our troops by enjoying all facilities and services.

Na Leo Manu presents Haunani's Aloha Expressions Wednesday.
Photo from NPS
HAUNANI’S ALOHA EXPRESSIONS, with wahine and kane kupuna from 70 to 90 years of age, will present hula Wednesday, July 17 at the Na Leo Manu Heavenly Voices presentation from 6:30 pm. to 8 p.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center. The hula group of native Hawaiians for years has shared the aloha spirit by welcoming malihini (visitors) on cruise ships arriving at the Port of Hilo and at Hilo International Airport. The kupuna also entertain for patients at Life Care Center of Hilo, Hale `Anuenue, Extended Care, Hawai`i Island Adult Day Care, Aunty Sally Kaleohano Lu`au House Senior Program and more.
      Haunani’s Aloha Expressions won overall at the Kupuna Hula Festival with the song, Tutu E. They also won the Moku o Keawe competition on numerous occasions. They make all of their own colorful costumes and lei, singing and dancing hapa-haole hula, and have performed at the park’s annual cultural festival on numerous occasions.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK host their next volunteer Forest Restoration Project on Friday, July 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This month they will be planting native trees in one- to three-gallon pots in the Kilauea section of the park. The area chosen depends on how much rain has been received by possible planting sites.
Ranger Corie Yanger helps during a forest restoration project.
Photo from FHVNP
      Volunteers should be at least 12 years old and be able to walk up to 1/2 mile over uneven terrain with a moderate slope. Sturdy walking shoes and long pants are required, along with gear for variable weather conditions (hat, raincoat, sunscreen, etc.) plus drinking water and a snack.
      In addition, it is imperative to scrub soles of shoes prior to arrival on site in order to ensure that outside dirt and invasive species seeds are not tracked in.
      “Our goal is a crew of 12 people, and pre-registration is required,” said coordinator Elizabeth Fien. All participants need to sign a Friends release form and a park volunteer form. For those under 18, an adult will need to co-sign.
      “Be aware that there can be vog or high levels of SO2 in the area. If it is too heavy or the park is closed, we will cancel the project and try to notify everyone in advance,” Fien said.
      To register, contact Friends at 985-7373 or forest@fhvnp.org by Wednesday evening, July 17. Include your first and last name, email address and a phone number.

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.