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Thursday, October 02, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park celebrates Hawaiian Archaeology Week with ranger-guided hikes to Pu`u Loa petroglyphs. NPS photo by Jay Robinson
TRUTH-IN-LABELING OF COFFEE BLENDS has gotten unanimous approval by Hawai`i County Council’s Agriculture, Water & Energy Sustainability Committee. Ka`u’s council member Brenda Ford introduced the resolution asking the state Legislature to pass a law requiring that labels on packages of Hawai`i coffee blended with foreign coffee include prominent identification stating the country or region of origin of the non-Hawai`i portion, along with percentages.
Ka`u's county council member Brenda Ford
more detailed labels on coffee blend packages.
      The resolution also calls for requiring a minimum of 51 percent Hawai`i-grown coffee in any coffee package labeled as a blend. 
       According to a story in West Hawai`i Today, Ford said tourists wouldn’t be likely to pay a premium for coffee blends that are 10 percent Hawaiian coffee and 90 percent from somewhere else. At that point, they would be more likely to turn to purchase a blend with at least 51 percent Hawai`i-grown coffee, she said.
      “Other states, other countries protect their farmers by saying if you’re going to blend, then you’ve got to disclose,” Ford said. “But not in Hawai`i. Every other agricultural crop in Hawai`i is protected in that manner, except for Hawai`i-grown coffee.” 
      See westhawaiitoday.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE HAS ISSUED an executive order that turns over 3.68 miles of the state-owned portion of Chain of Craters Road near Kalapana to Hawai`i County.
      The executive order states that the land is “hereby turned over to the County of Hawai`i, in fee simple, for use as a county highway, and the County of Hawai`i shall hereafter be responsible for its repair and maintenance as a county highway.”
      On Sept. 15, Gov. Abercrombie signed a supplemental emergency proclamation to include the repair, restorations, rebuilding, or reestablishment of Chain of Craters Road, for use as an alternate emergency route should the June 27th lava flow cross Hwy 130 near Pahoa and isolate communities in lower Puna from the rest of Hawai`i County. That proclamation, a supplement to the original emergency proclamation signed on Sept. 5, also extended the disaster emergency relief period through Dec. 1, 2014.
      The original proclamation suspended certain laws as needed for emergency purposes, including state restrictions on reestablishing abandoned roads that may be used should lava cross Hwy 130. It also activated the Major Disaster Fund set aside by the state Legislature for disaster relief and facilitates access to emergency resources at the state and federal levels.
      Big Island Video News reported Mayor Billy Kenoi saying the county is “very appreciative” of the state’s action, which will help avoid delays in creating emergency access from Puna into Ka`u. The county plans to ask for federal funds to reimburse the estimated $12 and $14 million construction cost.
      It could take anywhere from 45 to 60 days to finish Chain Of Craters at the current pace of the project. However, Kenoi said, if necessary, they could speed up the work.
      See bigislandvideonews.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD WANTS THE 5.4-MILE section of Chain of Craters Road in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park rebuilt as two lanes, rather than as one, which the National Park Service is calling for. A Honolulu Star-Advertiser story reported Gabbard saying, “I am working with Mayor Billy Kenoi, as well as Sen. Brian Schatz, to open up access for the 8,200 plus residents of lower Puna, especially after seeing what the residents of Puna have gone through with the hurricanes and tropical storms we recently had and this new situation with the lava flowing.”
      Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando told reporter Dan Nakaso, “We have emergency approval for this activity for one lane unpaved, and we have our own national policy act regulations that we have to follow, and that’s what our parameters are. The National Park’s position is that one lane meets the emergency needs.”
While currently moving slowly, lava continues to threaten to cover Hwy 130 in Puna.
Photo from USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
      According to Nakaso, Gabbard said she has not seen evidence from federal officials that two lanes of Chain of Craters Road will cause more potential damage than one lane. “I haven’t seen something that they’ve presented in terms of a documented study to back up that claim,” Gabbard said. “I do understand that’s their position.
      “We always have to be as sensitive as we can to our sacred sites and endangered species. But we have got to recognize the starkness and immediate need that this entire community of over 8,200 residents will face if there is no access whatsoever.”
      See staradvertiser.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

SLOW-MOVING SURFACE BREAKOUTS HAVE REACHED the stalled lava flow front in Puna and extended the leading edge of the flow about 30 yards, USGS scientists at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. The flow front today was 1.4 miles upslope from Apa`a Street and 2.1 miles from Pahoa Village Road.
      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ka`u's state Sen. Russell Ruderman, at left, plays guitar with the band El Leo.
Photo from Big Island Video News
KA`U’S STATE SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN hosted a Pele Party at his Island Naturals grocery store in Pahoa. Ruderman played guitar with the band El Leo, which performed last year at Ka`u Plantation Days. Big Island Video News reported Ruderman saying the store will remain open as long as it’s safe and that delivery companies will continue to supply the store via emergency access roads in the event lava covers Hwy 130.
      See bigislandvideonews.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK commemorates Hawaiian Archaeology Week Oct. 3 – 12. On ranger-guided hikes to Pu`u Loa Petroglyphs, participants visit the largest ki`i pohaku (petroglyph) field in Hawai`i and ponder the meaning behind the tens of thousands of carvings that Hawaiians etched into lava there. The hike is 0.7 miles one way and takes about 1.5 hours roundtrip.
      Meet the park ranger at 2 p.m. at the Pu`u Loa Petroglyph parking area on Chain of Craters Road, a 45-minute drive from the park entrance, on Oct. 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 16, 17 and 18.
      The hikes are free; park entrance fees apply.

KA`U HIGH GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL TEAM had another win in three straight sets at Kea`au Tuesday. Scores were 25-13, 25-18 and 25-14. Junior varsity also won with scores of 19-25, 25-22 and 15-13.
      The teams host Makua Lani Saturday at 10 a.m.
      Also on Saturday, the Trojan eight-man football team travels to Pahoa for a game at 2 p.m., and the cross country team has a 3 p.m. meet in Kea`au.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE for People’s Choice at Ka`u Chamber Of Commerce’s Art Show at CU Hawai`i Federal Credit Union in Na`alehu. People’s Choice will be on the cover of The Directory 2015. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Winners in all categories will be announced at a reception Saturday morning. 

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT CONTINUES Saturday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers meet at Kilauea Visitor Center to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from park trails. Free; park entrance fees apply.

HANDMADE BOOKS WITH COPTIC BINDING is the topic Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Lisa Louise Adams teaches how to make books styled after fourth-century copts. Call 967-8222 to register.

SWEET MEMORIES IS THE THEME of Ka`u Plantation Days coming up a week from Saturday on Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “We gather together to celebrate times of the past, to honor what we had and what we have,” says a statement from Ka`u Multicultural Society. A pa`u parade begins the festivities with horses and riders, can trucks, classic vehicles, students, musical, cultural and agricultural groups. Following the parade, enjoy the history and ethnic displays, music and Ka`u Coffee, as well as ethnic food and dances, including Japanese, Filipino and Hawaiian offerings. Historic displas from plantation days will be presented by families and heritage groups. Emcee is Clyde Silva.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.