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| On this Veterans Day, Ka`u veteran Peter Anderson shared memories of his service in Korea. |
KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S Veterans Day Ceremony begins at 3 p.m. today. Keynote speaker is retired Col. Debra Lewis, and guest speaker is William Tehero. The event is open to the public. Call 967-8371 for more information. A Veterans Day Buffet begins at 4 p.m. today at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café. Menu includes prime rib, baked ono and spinach and mushroom Alfredo. $26.95 adults; $13.50 children six to 11 years old. Call 967-8371 for more information.
Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “Today, we take the time to express our appreciation to the men, women and families who have so honorably served our nation. Every time our country considers military engagement around the world, we must be prepared to keep our promise to these service members by providing them with the care that they need and the benefits that they have earned when they return home as veterans.” See more on protecting communities from dengue fever at http://health.hawaii.gov/docd.
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AS THE NUMBER OF DENGUE FEVER CASES climbs to 33 recently confirmed on the Big Island as of yesterday and the state Department of Health conducts its Don't Get It, Don't Spread It and Fight the Bite campaigns, a volcano resident awaits results of tests. Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that Melissa Fletcher said she was “eaten alive” on Monday, Oct. 26 by mosquitoes at a Honaunau property and at a roadside fruit stand in Ho`okena. The areas of South Kona are hot spots for dengue fever exposure. Fletcher told reporter Leila Fujimori that she developed a high fever, rash and back pain after visiting South Kona.
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| Dr. Christian Whelen |
According to Fujimori, Fletcher had blood drawn at a hospital on Thursday, and results take two or three business days. State Department of Health Laboratory director Dr. Christian Whelen told Fujimori cases are expedited if the specimen is from an early-onset case and the person might still be infectious.
See staradvertiser.com.
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| TMT sanctioned a survey 93 Hawai`i Island residents and 613 statewide for their thoughts about the project. Image from TMT |
FIFTY-NINE PERCENT OF 93 HAWAI`I Island residents support the Thirty Meter Telescope project on Mauna Kea, according to a survey sanctioned by TMT International Observatory. Thirty-nine percent oppose the project, and two percent don’t know or did not provide and answer.
Ward Research, Inc., an independent research firm based in Honolulu, conducted the survey in October.
Statewide, 88 percent of 613 respondents agreed with the survey statement, “There should be a way for sciene and Hawaiian culture both to exist on Mauna Kea.”
The poll quota sampled for key demographic characteristics such as age, ethnicity, gender and island of residence. The demographics of the sample match the demographics of Hawai`i based on Census data.
According to the survey, 74 percent of state residents agree that TMT will help create good paying jobs and economic benefits for those living on Hawai`i Island.
Sixty-two percent of state residents support moving ahead with construction.
Support for TMT’s construction is split among Hawaiians/part Hawaiians, with 49 percent of those polled opposing the project and 44 percent supporting the project.
The poll quota sampled for key demographic characteristics such as age, ethnicity, gender and island of residence. The demographics of the sample match the demographics of Hawai`i based on Census data.
According to the survey, 74 percent of state residents agree that TMT will help create good paying jobs and economic benefits for those living on Hawai`i Island.
Sixty-two percent of state residents support moving ahead with construction.
Support for TMT’s construction is split among Hawaiians/part Hawaiians, with 49 percent of those polled opposing the project and 44 percent supporting the project.
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| Mina Morita |
FORMER PUBLIC UTILITIES CHAIR Mina Morita discussed her views of rooftop solar on her Energy Dynamics blog.
“The ongoing electric utility versus solar debate puts forth a false argument and a premise that one must choose sides,” Morita wrote. “Renewable energy advocates have been very successful in promoting and gathering support for and addressing mainly one side of the electric system equation, the supply side.
“Buzzwords like ‘100 percent renewable’ and aspirational concepts like ‘energy democracy’ may prompt near-term savings for some individuals but often lack detail to achieve an advanced electric system that is accessible and affordable for all electricity users. Even with Hawai`i’s high penetration of rooftop solar installations, over 80 percent of electric customers still lack access or funding, or have no desire to install a distributed generation system and must rely on the electric utility while shouldering more of the fixed-cost burden of the electric system with incorrect pricing signals like net energy metering.
“We have finite island grids which have been filled with low capacity, high priced solar which may limit our future options making the Public Utilities Commission’s Phase Two investigation on distributed energy resources even more important to make the necessary market corrections.
“While economists and others who study game theory may understand the strategic and methodical decision-making process that Hawai`i must employ to achieve optimal results in the design of an advanced electric system, the significance of this transformation and paradigm shift has not been adequately explained to the electricity customer, who must, inevitably, pay for all costs.
“I fear that if rooftop solar continues to dominate the course of our energy decisions, Hawai`i will be focused on two superpowers duking it out, monolithic vertically integrated electric utilities versus monolithic vertically integrated solar companies vying for market share using political power to affect regulatory authority. I don’t foresee a promising future in that scenario.
“Too much money, time and energy will be spent on politically charged decisions with nothing but uncertainty and unknown outcomes just to address what I call the tangible balancing act, issues that are more familiar to us in this discussion.”
“Buzzwords like ‘100 percent renewable’ and aspirational concepts like ‘energy democracy’ may prompt near-term savings for some individuals but often lack detail to achieve an advanced electric system that is accessible and affordable for all electricity users. Even with Hawai`i’s high penetration of rooftop solar installations, over 80 percent of electric customers still lack access or funding, or have no desire to install a distributed generation system and must rely on the electric utility while shouldering more of the fixed-cost burden of the electric system with incorrect pricing signals like net energy metering.
“We have finite island grids which have been filled with low capacity, high priced solar which may limit our future options making the Public Utilities Commission’s Phase Two investigation on distributed energy resources even more important to make the necessary market corrections.
“While economists and others who study game theory may understand the strategic and methodical decision-making process that Hawai`i must employ to achieve optimal results in the design of an advanced electric system, the significance of this transformation and paradigm shift has not been adequately explained to the electricity customer, who must, inevitably, pay for all costs.
“I fear that if rooftop solar continues to dominate the course of our energy decisions, Hawai`i will be focused on two superpowers duking it out, monolithic vertically integrated electric utilities versus monolithic vertically integrated solar companies vying for market share using political power to affect regulatory authority. I don’t foresee a promising future in that scenario.
“Too much money, time and energy will be spent on politically charged decisions with nothing but uncertainty and unknown outcomes just to address what I call the tangible balancing act, issues that are more familiar to us in this discussion.”
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| Pahala Dojo members participated in the Kona Tournament of Champions. Left to right, first row: Cheydon, Kaiden and Kailen Kaluahine-Salmo, Alajshae Barrios and Emerald Aurelio. Second row: Josiah Barrios, Ethan Biason, Maria Aurelio, Nishioka Shihan, Cheska Aurelio, Kailee Kuhaulua-Stacy, Maiki Cofer and Jake Villa. Third row: Jack Minassian, Cliff Field, Susan Field, John Poetzel and Franciso Villa. Photo from Cliff Field |
PAHALA KARATE DOJO PARTICIPATED in the 11th annual Kona Tournament of Champions held at Kekuaokalani Gym on Saturday, Nov. 7. Everyone in the dojo attended the tournament and either participated or helped with judging and refereeing.
Pahala Dojo is part of the International Karate League and is one of 28 dojos in the organizations. The tournament included dojos from Hawai`i Island, O`ahu and California, with 15 dojos represented and over 120 participants. The founder of IKL, Walter Nishioka, was present at the tournament and afterwards came to Pahala to conduct training with Pahala Dojo.
Pahala Dojo placed third in the Most Outstanding Dojo category, which is determined by a point system based on the number of wins dojo participants attain.
Jake Francisco (junior black belt) placed second in junior black belt division and second in junior advanced kobudo (weapons) division.
Kailee Kuhaulua-Stacy (junior brown belt) placed first in advanced junior kumite (sparring) and third in intermediate junior kata.
Maiki Cofer (blue belt) placed first in Kata open blue belt, second in kobudo open colored belt and third in women’s kumite colored belt.
Josiah Barrios (junior blue belt) placed second in junior kubudo intermediate.
Cheydon Kaluahine-Salmo (junior green belt) placed first in junior kumite novice and first in junior beginner kata.
Etan Biason (junior green belt) placed second in junior beginner kata.
Pahala Dojo trains every Tuesday and Friday at Pahala Community Center beginning at 5 p.m. There is a Keiki karate conditioning class for new students between the ages of five and 10, a beginner’s class and advanced class. The class is open year-round to new students.
Pahala Dojo is part of the International Karate League and is one of 28 dojos in the organizations. The tournament included dojos from Hawai`i Island, O`ahu and California, with 15 dojos represented and over 120 participants. The founder of IKL, Walter Nishioka, was present at the tournament and afterwards came to Pahala to conduct training with Pahala Dojo.
Pahala Dojo placed third in the Most Outstanding Dojo category, which is determined by a point system based on the number of wins dojo participants attain.
Jake Francisco (junior black belt) placed second in junior black belt division and second in junior advanced kobudo (weapons) division.
Kailee Kuhaulua-Stacy (junior brown belt) placed first in advanced junior kumite (sparring) and third in intermediate junior kata.
Maiki Cofer (blue belt) placed first in Kata open blue belt, second in kobudo open colored belt and third in women’s kumite colored belt.
Josiah Barrios (junior blue belt) placed second in junior kubudo intermediate.
Cheydon Kaluahine-Salmo (junior green belt) placed first in junior kumite novice and first in junior beginner kata.
Etan Biason (junior green belt) placed second in junior beginner kata.
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| Thursday Nights at the Center features a new book by a local artist. Image from VAC |
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HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK recognizes Veterans Day by waiving entry fees today.
THURSDAY NIGHTS AT THE CENTER this month features local author Kahikahealani Wight and her Rainforest Pu`uhonua. The book is Wight’s memoir of her awakening in the 1980s when she bought a cottage near the erupting summit of Kilauea and lived there for five years. She found pu`uhonua – sanctuary, refuge – in the endangered Hawaiian rainforest ecosystem, and she shares the feeling of being in a landscape alive with ancestral voices singing through mist and fire, native birds and insects, plants and ferns.
The event on Nov. 12 begins at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village.
Call 967-8222 for more information.
KA`U INSPIRED IS SATURDAY from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Proceeds from this show/fair featuring Ka`u artists benefit OVCA.
There will be a silent auction of artworks donated by participating artists.
For more information, email suzanne@dixstudios.com, or call 929-7113.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
The event on Nov. 12 begins at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village.
Call 967-8222 for more information.
KA`U INSPIRED IS SATURDAY from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Proceeds from this show/fair featuring Ka`u artists benefit OVCA.
There will be a silent auction of artworks donated by participating artists.
For more information, email suzanne@dixstudios.com, or call 929-7113.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
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| See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_November2015.pdf. |
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| See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf and kaucalendar.com/Director2015.pdf. |
