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Thursday, November 12, 2015

The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015

Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers free programs this weekend. NPS Photo by Julia Espaniola
“COVER YOUR WATER TANK” was Hawai`i County Civil Defense Chief Darryl Oliveira’s message at a dengue fever meeting in Na`alehu recorded by Big Island Video News. Oliveira urged Ka`u residents to cover water catchment tanks to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds. At the meeting, officials distributed information about eliminating standing water in breeding places such as birdbaths, pool covers, leaky faucets, tires, wheelbarrows and other items. The meetings are being held around the island to educate the public in hopes of reducing the spread of dengue fever.
      During the meeting’s question-and-answer session, Ka`u residents brought up the subject of water catchment systems.
Hawai`i Civil Defense Chief Darryl Oliveira urges Ka`u residents to cover
their water tanks. Video still from Big Island Video News
      One resident said she had in the past added a larvicide to her tank but hasn’t been able to find it in stores. Oliveira said the product is no longer made and that his department is researching other larvicides that may be added to potable water sources.
      According to University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, mosquitoes have been a problem with stored water in Hawai`i since their introduction in the late 1800s, and they are a particular problem when tanks are covered with sagging mesh. A very hazardous old-time method to eliminate mosquitoes was to cover the water surface with a film of kerosene, assuming that it would kill the larvae and then evaporate. Kerosene is toxic to humans and should never be used in a water catchment system. Mineral oil has also been used in the same fashion to kill mosquito larvae, but the oil residue left on the tank will support the growth of undesirable microorganisms.
      The best way to avoid mosquitoes “is to eliminate any opening large enough to admit them, filter the intake and eliminate exposed, ponded or standing water anywhere in the catchment system,” UH-CTAHR reported.
      See bigislandvideonews.com.
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Ranchos is the site of proposed solar arrays on several
three-acre lots. Photo from Preserve Hawai`i's
Rural Communities
HAWAIIAN RANCHOS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION has sent ballots to its voting members asking them to approve a measure that would limit the amount of solar power that could be produced on any three-acre lots to 25 kilowatt-hours. This would allow rooftop solar, but not 250-kwh installations currently planned for the subdivision. 
      SPI Solar, a Chinese company, has permits in the names of about 18 limited-liability companies to build 16 installations in Ranchos. If built, they will have the capacity to generate 6,750 kwh. Hawaiian Electric Light Co. would also need to build a substation and overhead high voltage line for the project, subject to state Public Utilities Commission approval.
       HRCA previously polled all property owners and received 374 responses against the solar installations, Ranchos resident Ann Bosted said. In addition, a petition against the installations, offered for signing in some Ocean View businesses, has received about 500 signatures.
      Bosted said that, in general, Ranchos property owners are not against rooftop solar but prefer that the industrial installations, which would include six-foot high security fences and bright lights, be located on true agricultural land rather than neighborhoods that are on ag-zoned land.
      According to Bosted, SPI’s property leasing partners have not yet signed a contract with HELCO.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD shared her Veterans Day thoughts with The Ka`u Calendar.
      “Today, we honor the brave men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, because it is their sacrifices that have secured the freedoms and security that we cherish,” Gabbard said. “Freedom is not free. I’ve seen first-hand the true cost of war and how that cost continues long after our veterans come home. Our troops and veterans, and their families, pay the price, and it takes a toll on the toughest among them. Coming home should offer them peace and a chance to heal.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a major in Hawai`i's Army National Guard.
Photo from Office of the Representative
      “But the reality is that our veterans often come home bearing the scars of war, dealing with wounds that are both visible and invisible, and face great difficulty in gaining access to the care and benefits they need and have earned.
      “Our country must honor our troops’ service and their willingness to sacrifice for our nation, by not sending them on missions with no clear objective, or to fight in wars that are unnecessary and counterproductive to our nation’s security. 
      “We must honor our veterans’ service by caring for them when they come home and empowering them to continue serving our community and our country.
      “The Veterans Administration must begin to rebuild veterans’ trust by holding leaders accountable for their malpractice and focusing on its mission of serving veterans. …
      “After serving and sacrificing for all of us, every single veteran should come home knowing that we are there for them and that we have their back.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Gov. David Ige speaking on Veterans Day.
Image from Office of the Governor
GOV. DAVID IGE MARKED Veterans Day with a recorded message on his Facebook page: “On this Veterans Day, let us pay tribute to the honorable men and women of our nation’s armed services, who have forsaken their own safety to ensure the safety and freedoms of all Americans. Let us always remember the ultimate sacrifices made by our service men and women and also the sacrifices made by countless military families. Our nation honors you, on this day and always.” 
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WITH WARMEST WINTER WISHES and happiest holiday greetings, Volcano Art Center welcomes Ka`u residents to the 16th annual Christmas in the Country celebration starting Saturday, Nov. 21. Featuring the annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit that continues through Jan. 3, this year’s Christmas in the Country promises an abundance of art and aloha to kickstart the holiday season. 
      VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park creates a merry scene of an old-fashioned Christmas inside its 1877 historic building. In addition to the artwork Volcano Art Center has become known for showcasing year-round, visitors find unique holiday offerings of island-inspired gifts, crafts, ornaments and decorations made by Hawai`i Island artists, including some that are VAC exclusives.
      The concurrent annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional. “You’ll be amazed at what some artists choose to include in their highly creative concepts of ‘wreath’,” Gallery Manager Emily Catey said. “Those looking for truly original wreaths will want to be among the first to see and choose from the exhibit.”
Volcano Art Center Gallery will be decorated for
Christmas in the Country. Photo from VAC
      Christmas in the Country begins with an exclusive members-only preview party and features artists hosting special events throughout each weekend.
      At the preview on Friday, Nov. 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., VAC members are invited to be the first to view the full collection of unique wreaths and handcrafted decorations and gifts offered. Enjoy complimentary gourmet pupus, mulled cider and champagne, prize drawings and membership discount.
      Joining is easy and secure at volcanoartcenter.org, or purchase a one-day membership upon arrival for $15.
      Park entrance fees may apply.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

THURSDAY NIGHTS AT THE CENTER this evening features local author Kahikahealani Wight and her new book Rainforest Pu`uhonua. The event 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.

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I Volcanoes National Park offers free programs this weekend.
      Participants learn about the formation and various uses of the grassy cinder cone Pu`u o Lokuana on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. A breathtaking view of lower Ka`u is visible on this moderately difficult 0.4-mile hike to the top.
      People & Land of Kahuku is a guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain. The program on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. focuses on the area’s human history.

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


See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_November2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.