Ka`u Calendar News Briefs, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016

Plastics and polystyrene containers cleaned up from the Ka`u Coast are not just drifting into the shore from far away.
They come from local sources too, says Megan Lamson, who provided testimony to ban county use of foam containers.
  Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

BANNING FOAM PACKAGING use by county government and its vendors is the purpose of recent testimony from Megan Lamson, local marine biologist and Vice President of Hawai`i Wildlife Fund. After backing a bill to ban all polystyrene containers on the island –  the County Council killed the measure  in June despite support from Ka`u council member Maile David – Lamson is campaigning for new Bill 248. It's a a pared down initiative. She wrote to all council members, saying  that “the best way to prevent marine debris in the first place is to stop it at the source” with reduction bans, regulations and changes in consumer and commercial behavior.
     Lamson's testimony to the council pointed to the recent Get the Drift and Bag It cleanup along coastlines around the state. She said data show that plastic and foam packaging as well as foam pieces rank within the top ten items collected. “A portion of the debris littering our shores is indeed coming from local sources, and we need to acknowledge this fact, to take responsibility for some for our behavior, and to make adjustments,” said Lamson.

Megan Lamson, interviewed on ocean pollution by CNN
correspondent Kyung Lah. Photo from CNN

     Banning foam “is nothing novel or groundbreaking. There are over 90 cities across the country that have already opted out of polystyrene food containers.” Among them is County of Kaua‘i, which passed its ordinance in 2014. “Bill 248 is merely the County of Hawai`i stepping up and moving forward along the pathway towards zero waste that we have previously established,” said Lamson.
     She noted Hawai`i Wildlife Fund’s 20-year background in Marine Debris removal, how "thousands of volunteers have collectively removed over 180 metric tons of debris from the shores of this island alone,” an effort documented by CNN correspondent Kyung Lah.
     Lamson said a 2013 published study conducted by University of Hawai`i Hilo scientists “proved outright that some of the sources of marine debris along our shores are locally sourced. If we are truly interested in protecting the health and welfare of our cultural and natural resources and our community members on this island, it would be irresponsible to not move forward on this proposal,” testified Lamson.

     The marine biologist predicted that transitioning container use away from foam will bring some opponents to cite hardships for the county-sponsored Meals on Wheels Program. She suggested turning this concern into an opportunity to support one of three local on-island vendors who sell compostable to-go ware. She suggested applying for “funds outside the county to help subsidize this transition,” including grants to the county for marine debris and solid waste prevention projects from federal government agencies NOAA and EPA, and mini-grants for local teachers through Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, for bringing such programs into the schools.

Lamson wants the county to join school students in

protecting natural resources by changing from

foam to compostable containers.

Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

     Lamson praised council member Margaret Wille for including an education component in the Bill 248. Wille said this morning that the County Council referred the measure to the county Department of Environmental Management and the Environmental Management Commission for review. The commission meets on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 9 a.m, at the West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona.

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AN OCEAN VIEW WOMAN DIED after her 2006 Nissan pickup truck struck a tree south of the 102 mile marker on Mamalaoha highway late Tuesday night. She was pronounced dead at 2:20 a.m. yesterday at Kona Community Hospital.
     Denise Scott grew up on this island and longed to return from the mainland. She bought a fixer-upper Ocean View cabin and moved here this summer. She was renovating and preparing for a house warming party, said friend Elaine Meier. Scott was returning from shopping and visiting her aunt in Kona when her truck ran off the road and hit the large tree.   

     Meier described Scott as,  “so happy to be home. She couldn’t wait to get her hair in the ocean. She was beautiful, really funny and a very good person.” Meier recalled that Scott adopted two puppies from Kohala Animal Rescue Society. They will now be taken care of by her aunties, Meier said.
     Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at 326-4646, ext. 229. Anonymous calls may be made to Crime Stoppers at 961-8300. This is the twenty-fifth traffic fatality in 2016. There were 16 by this time in 2015.

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St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View offers free showers and free food on Saturdays, a Thanksgiving
Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 19.  Photo from St. Jude's 

POLICE REACTED QUICKLY when another break-in was reported at St. Judes Episcopal Church in Ocean View on Monday night. Member Elaine Meier said that nothing was taken and the police "are fantastic. They are on it." 

     She theorized that theives may have refrained from taking St. Jude's hot water heater – they have already stolen two water heaters there – "because now we have our name all over it.” 

     Meier said that St. Jude's "water heater is used for one thing and one thing only –  free Saturday showers. Stealing the hot water heater only hurts those who need it the most.”
     Free showers and free food are offered every Saturday at St. Jude’s from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 19 will be offered until food runs out.
     Any leads on theft or attempted theft at St. Judes can be called anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

Ka`u's representative in the U.S. Congress, Tulsi Gabbard,

met with the agricultural community recently at Ka`u Coffee

Mill, including Vince Mina, President of Hawai`i Farmers 

Union United and Brenda Iokepa Moses, President of

Ka`u Farm Bureau. Photo by Ron Johnson

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IMPROVING FOOD POLICY earned Tulsi Gabbard a perfect score on the recent National Food Policy Scorecard . The award goes to Gabbard, a member of the U.S. House of Reprsentative, for leadership in advancing good food policy in the 114th Congress.
     “Fighting for sensible, transparent food policies and supporting local and domestic agriculture has been among my key priorities," said Gabbard. In this Congress, "we’ve unfortunately seen numerous attempts to roll back progress on good food policy, like undermining common sense food labeling standards across the country, fast-tracking the destructive Trans-Pacific Partnership, and lifting restrictions on the use of harmful pesticides near our vital water resources.” 

     Gabbard, who represents Ka`u and other rural Hawaiian communities,  said,  “Food security is a critical issue for people in Hawaiʻi and across the U.S. and I will continue to work hard toward creating a more secure, safe, and healthy future for our people and our environment.”

Ka`u photographer Peter Anderson made a Ring of Fire

film on the active lava at Volcano.

     Tom Colicchio, Food Policy Action co-founder, chef and food advocate, said that “Tulsi Gabbard is a strong food champion who has been a steadfast advocate for measures to fix our food system, voting to protect clean water, transparency in food labeling, workers' rights, and the long-term viability of our food supply.”

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RING OF FIRE is the song that Ka`u photographer Peter Anderson posted along with his recent minute movie of the dancing lava in Halema`uma`u Crater. Anderson is drawing much positive commentary, see https://www.facebook.com/kaupete/posts/10205553788922898?comment_id=10205593706680817

NA`ALEHU HALLOWEEN PARTY THIS FRIDAY, Oct. 28, will be celebrated at Na`alehu Pulblic Library from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Spooky games, snacks and prizes. Free for all ages. 939-2444.

VOLCANO HALLOWEEN PARTY THIS FRIDAY, Oct. 28 will be celebrated at Kilauea Military Camp's Ohia Room in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Cover charge $3 with costume; $5 without costume. Lava Lounge closed. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. meets this Friday, Oct. 28, 5 p.m. at Hawaiian Ranchos Office.

EARLY VOTING WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LATE REGISTRATION is available at Pahala Community Center.  Hours are Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Citizens can also register late and vote early at Aupuni Center Conference Room in Hilo, Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; West Hawai`i Civic Center Community Room, Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Waimea Community Center, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon.

   Voting locations for the Tuesday, Nov. 8 General Election, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., are: Cooper Center in Volcano at 19-4030 Wright Rd; Ka`u High School Cafeteria at 96-3150 Pikake St. - turn into the school grounds; Na`alehu Elementary School Cafeteria at 95-5545 Hwy 11; Ocean View Community Center at 92-5545 Mamalahoa Hwy; and Miloli`i Halau.

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ARTWORK TO BE CHOSEN FOR THE COVER of The Directory, the annual Ka`u Chamber of Commerce community resource and business guide, will be accepted at Naʻalehu Hongwanji, Monday, Nov. 14, between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The annual show entitled The Beauty of Ka`u opens with free entry to the public on Tuesday, Nov. 15 through Friday, Nov. 18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Na`alehu Hongwanji Breezeway. Popular vote picks the artwork to grace cover.

     In addition, businesses can pay for hosting a work of art. after the show ends, at their location through making a donation to the Chamber and sponsoring the artist entry fee. During the show, works of art for sale will be on a price list available from art show volunteers. 

    Registration to enter art is $5 per adult entry, $2.50 per youth entry and $1 per keiki entry. Prizes will be given for: photography, sculpture, woodworking, quilting, jewelry, lei, graphics, painting and weaving. There are separate youth and keiki categories. 

     Entry forms are available at local schools and merchants, on the Chamber website and at the door during art drop-off hours.  The Directory is published in January. 

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