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Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reaches out to Ka`u tomorrow with a Volcano Awareness Month program at Ocean View Community Center.
Photo from USGS/HVO
KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL AND HO`OMALU KA`U are two of 138 programs chosen to receive funding and other resources from Hawai`i Tourism Authority through its Product Enrichment Programs for 2014.
      The PEP consists of three HTA programs: County Product Enrichment Program, Kukulu Ola: Living Hawaiian Culture Program and Natural Resources Community-Based Program in partnership with Hawai`i Community Foundation. There were 91 CPEP programs, 22 LHCP programs and 25 NRCBP programs that were selected in 2014.
Preliminary work on the site of the Ka`u Heritage Center can begin with funding
from Hawai`i Tourism Authority. Photo by Shalan Crysdale
      Ka`u Coffee Festival is receiving funding through the County Product Enrichment Program, while Ho`omalu Ka`u's funds come from the Natural Resources Community-Based Program. Ho`omalu Ka`u’s Manuka Land Protection Project will complete a biological survey, an archaeological survey and fencing to keep out ungulates on 15 acres on Mamalahoa Hwy in Manuka, where the nonprofit organization is planning the Heritage Center of Ka`u.
      “Our Product Enrichment Programs provide us with the unique opportunity to support community events and programs that our residents are able to enjoy, while also drawing visitors to experience our host and multi-cultures and vast natural resources,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of HTA. “Through our collective efforts with the four counties and the Hawai`i Community Foundation, we are able to provide unique experiences that highlight our greatest assets – our people, place and culture.”
      In line with HTA’s Strategic Plan to support Hawai`i’s community programs and events, the goal of PEP is to support community-based programs that enhance visitor experiences, as well as create opportunities for economic development, natural resources management and perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture. HTA, together with the four counties, their visitors’ bureaus, HTA’s marketing partners and Hawai`i Community Foundation, is working with the recipients to align with the branding of their respective island, set forth by HTA.
      Other local programs chosen for CPEP funding are Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Hawai`i Volcanoes Institute program called Inspirational Experiences in the Great Outdoors and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Hula Arts at Kilauea.
      Big Island Invasive Species Committee’s program called Healing the Land; Awakening the People, which BIISC said enhances the visitor experience by controlling and preventing the spread of invasive species through tourism activities on Hawai`i Island, also was chosen for funding through NRCBP.
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KA`U’S COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER BRENDA FORD is bringing her bill that would ban all genetically modified crops back for discussion, according to a story in today’s Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. It had been on the agenda of today’s Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee meeting, but Ford, who chairs the committee, is ill and has postponed the discussion.
      The County Council originally voted down Ford’s bill last September, but a Council rule kept the bill alive after the vote, according to the Tribune-Herald story. Because it involved the county’s Environmental Management Department, the bill was sent to the Environmental Management Commission for review. The commission gave it a negative recommendation on Oct. 30.
      The Council approved a different GMO bill by Kohala Council member Margaret Wille, and Mayor Billy Kenoi signed Bill 113 into law on Dec. 5 of last year.
      While Bill 113 allows exemptions for some GMO crops already being grown, Ford’s Bill 109 would ban all GMO crops and require their removal within 30 months.
Ka`u residents can meet Sen. Josh Green
and other Hawai`i Island legislators
at a forum in Kona next Tuesday.
      Ford told reporter Tom Callis that she doesn’t expect it to pass and defended bringing her bill back while the county is beginning implementation of Bill 113. “I don’t think it’s a waste of time,” she said, adding the Council needs to have a discussion about “where we go from here.”
      According to Callis, Wille said she supports having Ford’s bill discussed again. “I just see it as an opportunity to look ahead,” Wille said.
      Council Chair J Yoshimoto told Callis, “I think we’re done. We spent a lot of time on testimony.”
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THE MILITARY IS HIRING CULTURAL EXPERTS in their management of Mauna Loa And Mauna Kea lands where it conducts exercises and war games.
      The job description states that cultural resources technicians provide day-to-day support in implementing the Island of Hawai`i Cultural Resource Program Scope of Work.
      The technicians perform assigned tasks to implement programs developed by the Cultural Resources Program Manager for U.S. Army Hawai`i and supports all fieldwork, including accompanying cultural accesses, monitoring, pedestrian survey, data collection and input and coordination of assigned tasks/projects. They also become familiar with installation plans, undertakings and cultural studies and inventories.
      For more information, see rcuh.com or contact Ana Tejeda at 969-3340 or atejeda@hawaii.edu.
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A COMMUNITY FORUM WITH Hawai`i Island state legislators is set for next Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Old Kona Airport Park’s Maka`eo Pavilion. West Ka`u Sen. Josh Green and others will discuss what they will be working on during the upcoming legislative session. The forum begins at 6 p.m.
      The new, but yet unnamed, state representative replacing Denny Coffman from District V will be invited and is expected to participate. Members of the County Council have also been invited to report and discuss County activities.
      Following their presentations, the legislators will participate in a panel discussion moderated by Sherry Bracken and will answer written questions from the audience.
      Pupus and beverages will be served. For more information, call John Buckstead at 326-9779 or email jbuckstead@hawaii.rr.com.
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Little League is coming to Ocean View.
LITTLE LEAGUE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED in Ocean View for boys between the ages of nine and 12. The team, the Ocean View Islanders, is coached by Guy Delumeau with assistance from Rod Ducosin, both Ocean View residents. The team practices every Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Ocean View field at Kahuku County Park. Ducosin said approximately ten players are coming to practice. The team needs more players. All players’ parents or guardians must sign registration papers and pay a $35 fee to join Little League. He said that fundraisers are planned for the youth who cannot afford the equipment and fees and that donations are greatly welcomed. The team is holding raffles, with the current item a 32-inch screen television. More raffles are planned in the future. In Ka`u, both Pahala and Na`alehu have teams. The season begins in March. For more information, call Delumau at 345-0332 or Ducosin at 808-445-6818.
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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL HOLDS ITS first regular meeting of the New Year tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Council Chambers in Hilo. Ka`u residents are urged to participate via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center.

THE ART OF LEI MAKING IS THE TOPIC tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, with Ab Kawainohoikala`i Valencia and Puamae`ole O’Mahoney.

BLAISE DE LIMA, A STAFF MEMBER from U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s office, meets with constituents and assists with casework and other issues tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 541-1986 for more information.

AS PART OF VOLCANO AWARENESS MONTH, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory volcanologist Frank Trusdell discusses Mauna Loa’s eruptive history and current status tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center.

KA`U HOSPITAL URGES RESIDENTS to complete its Community Health Needs Assessment at surveymonkey.com/s/93HQ5MX. The deadline has been extended to Jan. 31.

SEE THE DIRECTORY from the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce at http://snack.to/fzpfg59c.

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