 |
| Residents and groups have one more week to sign up to participate in Na`alehu's Fourth of July parade. Photo by Julia Neal |
UNITED STATES AND HAWAI`I STATE FLAGS were flown at half-staff from sunrise to 12 p.m. today by order of Gov. David Ige in memory of the brave Americans who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and security of our nation.
“We pause on this Memorial Day to remember and honor those who answered the call to serve our country and paid the ultimate price to preserve and protect our freedom,” Ige said. “I encourage everyone in Hawai`i to take some time this holiday weekend to show your appreciation and gratitude to those who have fought and who continue to fight for our freedom.” To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
 |
| Today, the country honors those who died in America's wars. |
THE FIRST NATIONAL CELEBRATION of Memorial Day on May 30, 1868 to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers.
“We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens,” said former Union General and sitting Ohio Congressman James Garfield at Arlington National Cemetery on that date. “For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.”
After Garfield’s speech, 5,000 participants helped decorate graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
The event was inspired by local observances of the day that had taken place in several towns throughout America in the three years after the Civil War. In 1873, New York was the first state to designate Memorial Day as a legal holiday. By the late 1800s, many more cities and communities observed Memorial Day, and several states had declared it a legal holiday. After World War I, it became an occasion for honoring those who died in all of America’s wars and was then more widely established as a national holiday throughout the United States.
ONE WEEK FROM TODAY is the deadline to sign up to participate in this year’s annual Fourth of July parade in Na`alehu. Contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 to register floats or parade walkers.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
After Garfield’s speech, 5,000 participants helped decorate graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
The event was inspired by local observances of the day that had taken place in several towns throughout America in the three years after the Civil War. In 1873, New York was the first state to designate Memorial Day as a legal holiday. By the late 1800s, many more cities and communities observed Memorial Day, and several states had declared it a legal holiday. After World War I, it became an occasion for honoring those who died in all of America’s wars and was then more widely established as a national holiday throughout the United States.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
 |
| Pres. Obama at Arlington National Cemetery today. Photo from Office of the President |
PRES. BARACK OBAMA SPENT the first Memorial Day since the end of the war in Afghanistan at Arlington National Cemetery, remembering the more than 2,200 American patriots who gave their lives in that conflict, as well as all of America’s fallen soldiers. The President asked that all Americans spend the day honoring the memory and sacrifice of those heroes and “remain committed to the cause of freedom and the country for which they fought.”
“This weekend is Memorial Day – a time to pay tribute to all our men and women in uniform who’ve ever given their lives so that we can live in freedom and security,” Pres. Obama said in his weekly address. “These Americans gave everything they had – not for glory, not even for gratitude, but for something greater than themselves.”
In closing his remarks at Arlington, Pres. Obama said, “The Americans who rest beneath these beautiful hills, and in sacred ground across our country and around the world, they are why our nation endures. Each simple stone marker, arranged in perfect military precision, signifies the cost of our blessings. It is a debt we can never fully repay, but it is a debt we will never stop trying to fully repay. By remaining a nation worthy of their sacrifice. By living our own lives the way the fallen lived theirs – a testament that ‘Greater love has no other than this, than to lay down your life for your friends.’
“We are so grateful for them. We are so grateful for the families of our fallen. May God bless our fallen heroes and their families, and all who serve. And may He continue to bless the United States of America.”
In closing his remarks at Arlington, Pres. Obama said, “The Americans who rest beneath these beautiful hills, and in sacred ground across our country and around the world, they are why our nation endures. Each simple stone marker, arranged in perfect military precision, signifies the cost of our blessings. It is a debt we can never fully repay, but it is a debt we will never stop trying to fully repay. By remaining a nation worthy of their sacrifice. By living our own lives the way the fallen lived theirs – a testament that ‘Greater love has no other than this, than to lay down your life for your friends.’
“We are so grateful for them. We are so grateful for the families of our fallen. May God bless our fallen heroes and their families, and all who serve. And may He continue to bless the United States of America.”
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
 |
| Rep. Tulsi Gabbard honors her fallen comrades. Photo from Office of the Representative |
“MEMORIAL DAY IS A TIME TO REFLECT and honor our fallen heroes,” U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said. “When I came home from my deployment to Iraq, I stepped off the plane and into the warm embrace of my family. I felt an indescribable joy, but at the same time I felt a sad and deep sense of loss for my brothers and sisters in uniform who would never have the chance to come home. Today, we remember these great Americans and show our gratitude for their sacrifice and service.”
NEXTERA ENERGY AND HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES are questioning the motives of several of the 29 intervenors in Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission’s examination of the proposed merger of the two utilities.
The utilities are concerned about sharing vital information with organizations that may be considering alternatives to the merger.
“This restricted information will be only authorized to those parties for which applicants have reasonable assurance that they are not engaged in and do not plan to engage in a competing acquisition of HEI or of a controlling interest in one or more of the Hawaiian Electric companies,” NextEra and HECO told the PUC in its filing. “Applicants have and will be designating various due diligence, projections and other commercially sensitive and competitive information as ‘restricted information.’”
Entities questioned by the companies are KULOLO, AES Hawai`i Inc., The Gas Co., Hawai`i PV Coalition, Hawai`i Renewable Energy Alliance, Hina Power Corp., Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative, Paniolo Power Co., Renewable Energy Action Coalition of Hawai`i Inc., SunEdison and SunPower Corp.
Robert Harris, of KULOLO, or Keep our Utilities Locally Owned and Locally Operated, told Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the organization was created to raise awareness about a public acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Light Co. “It’s not designed to buy HECO,” he said.
See staradvertiser.com.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
The utilities are concerned about sharing vital information with organizations that may be considering alternatives to the merger.
“This restricted information will be only authorized to those parties for which applicants have reasonable assurance that they are not engaged in and do not plan to engage in a competing acquisition of HEI or of a controlling interest in one or more of the Hawaiian Electric companies,” NextEra and HECO told the PUC in its filing. “Applicants have and will be designating various due diligence, projections and other commercially sensitive and competitive information as ‘restricted information.’”
Entities questioned by the companies are KULOLO, AES Hawai`i Inc., The Gas Co., Hawai`i PV Coalition, Hawai`i Renewable Energy Alliance, Hina Power Corp., Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative, Paniolo Power Co., Renewable Energy Action Coalition of Hawai`i Inc., SunEdison and SunPower Corp.
Robert Harris, of KULOLO, or Keep our Utilities Locally Owned and Locally Operated, told Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the organization was created to raise awareness about a public acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Light Co. “It’s not designed to buy HECO,” he said.
See staradvertiser.com.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
 |
| Lava continues to change the landscape in Kahauale`a Natural Area Reserve. Photos from USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory |
KAHAUALE`A NATURAL AREA RESERVE remains closed following Friday’s decision by the state Board of Land & Natural Resources to keep the area off limits for another two years. The area has been closed since July 2007 due to volcanic activity.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists reported that Pu`u Kahauale`a, which has been buried slowly by the Pu`u `O`o eruption over the years, is now nearly covered by the June 27th lava flow. The image on the left shows Pu`u Kahauale`a on June 30, 2014, a few days after the June 27th flow started (the `a`a flow just behind the cone is from the early stages of that flow); the image on the right shows Pu`u Kahauale`a on May 21 from nearly the same perspective. Only the highest parts of Pu`u Kahauale`a’s twin craters remain.
According to Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, Hawai`i Fire Department has responded to 22 incidents involving lost hikers in the area since May 2008.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
According to Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, Hawai`i Fire Department has responded to 22 incidents involving lost hikers in the area since May 2008.
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS THE TOPIC of a Ka`u Community Development Plan focused discussion tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Participants’ questions, comments and suggestions will be documented. As appropriate, the CDP Planning Team will use outputs of the discussion to do additional analysis, refine the CDP rationale and/or recommend CDP revisions.
 |
| Hawaiian implements by Rick Lamontagne are on display Wednesday. Photo from NPS |
Public input on the draft Ka`u CDP is due a week from today on Monday, June 1. The CDP is available at local libraries and community centers and online at kaucdp.info.
PARK VOLUNTEER RICK LAMONTAGNE displays Hawaiian implements that he has replicated Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Part of the `Ike Hana No`eau: Experience the Skillful Work program. Free; park entrance fees apply.
PARK VOLUNTEER RICK LAMONTAGNE displays Hawaiian implements that he has replicated Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Part of the `Ike Hana No`eau: Experience the Skillful Work program. Free; park entrance fees apply.
ONE WEEK FROM TODAY is the deadline to sign up to participate in this year’s annual Fourth of July parade in Na`alehu. Contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 to register floats or parade walkers.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
 |
| See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_May2015.pdf. |
 |
| See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf. |
