About The Kaʻū Calendar

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Ka‘ū News Briefs Thursday, October 12, 2017

Bush Tucker refers to food native to Australia, like macadamia. Peter Salleras, of Queensland, will talk about Bush
Tucker Fruits at the next Hawai‘i Tropical Fruit Growers and Hawai‘i Farmers United joint meeting on Thursday,
Oct. 19. See story below. Photo from Tourism NT
GOOD TREATMENT OF KŪPUNA has led Hawai‘i to a ranking of third in the country when it comes to states that are best at serving their older population. U.S. News and World Report based its rankings, released yesterday, on the cost of care, nursing home quality, primary care and life expectancy.
One of Ka‘ū's most active seniors,
Jeannette Howard, of Punalu‘u, is well
into her 90s. She is a Native Hawaiian
speaker and teacher. She takes classes
 and travels and has operated a beach
 concession for more than 60 years.
Photo by Julia Neal
   The publication says that Hawai‘i’s residents have the longest life expectancy in the U.S., with its 65-and-older population expected to live 20 years longer than in other states. U.S. News has also found that Hawai‘i has the best nursing home quality in the country.
    “It’s part of our culture in Hawai‘i to respect and honor our kūpuna or elders. Our programs reflect these values and aim to keep our older population active and contributing members of society,” said Gov. David Ige.
     Colorado ranked first, with one of the healthiest and most physically active older populations in the country. Maine is second, where a fifth of the population consists of residents 65 and older, a higher percentage than in any other state. Rounding out the top ten are: Iowa, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vermont, New Hampshire and Florida.
     In 2016, Americans 65 and older accounted for 15.2 percent of the total population, an increase of 2.8 percent from 2000. Not only are baby boomers aging, but advances in medicine and technology are resulting in a longer life expectancy. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that one in five Americans will be 65 years and older by 2030.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

STOPPING MISUSE OF FOREIGN WORKER VISAS is a new campaign of Pres. Donald Trump’s administration. The Department of State and Department of Justice announced yesterday they will share information. “Employers that discriminate against qualified U.S. workers by favoring foreign visa workers will be held accountable,” said John M. Core, of the DOJ civil rights division. He said the commitment is to “use all available tools, including collaboration with other federal agencies, to protect U.S. workers from discrimination.” The memorandum of understanding calls for increased scrutiny to H-1B, H-2A and H-2B visas.
     DOJ already filed a suit against against Crop Production, on the mainland, claiming the company required tougher standards for American workers, including drug tests and background checks. Foreign workers started without the requirements, and in some the tests and checks were never done, DOJ claimed.
     Farms on the mainland and even in Ka‘ū rely on foreign workers for processing and picking.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

A native plum of Australia is among the Bush Tucker fruits
to be discussed at the Hawai‘i Tropical Fruit Growers
and Hawai‘i Farmers United meeting.
Photo by John Moss
HAWAI‘I TROPICAL FRUIT GROWERS will team up with Hawai‘i Farmers Union United to discuss tropical fruit yields. The meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Tropical Fruit Growers facility at 81-6393 Mamalahoa Hwy, Captain Cook. Guest speaker will be Peter Salleras, of Queensland, Australia, who will talk about Tatura trellis in Hawai‘i and Bush Tucker fruits, the native fruits of Australia.
     Also on hand will be Hawai‘i Farmers United state President Vince Mina who will give a report on the recent state convention and legislative outlook. This will be a pot luck dinner meeting starting at 5 p.m. Members and guests are encouraged to bring a dish for sharing. For more information, contact: Brian Lievens, President West Hawai‘i Chapter, 808895 -8753greenwizard@hawaii.rr.com or Ken Love, Executive Director, 808-323-2417kenlove@hawaiiantel.net. Learn more about Hawai‘i Tropical Fruit Growers at: facebook.com/group.php?gid=127197321932&ref=mfhawaiitropicalfruitgrowers.org and hawaiifruit.net.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Hep. C, which can be spread through tatoo and other
needles, often has no symptoms. Free testing will
be at Volcano Farmers Market on Sunday, Nov. 5.
Image from Google
HEPATITIS C TESTING IS FREE at Volcano Farmers Market on Sunday, Nov. 5, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. According to the Volcano Community Association, which is sponsoring the event, one in 30 Baby Boomers (born between 1945 and 1965) have Hepatitis C and most don't even know it.
    Hepattisis C is distinct from other forms of the disease. There are vaccines for Hep A and B but not for C. 
    The test for C is a simple finger prick blood test and the results are ready in 20 minutes. The disease can be treated and cured. The only required information from people being tested is a consent form which the testers will provide.
     Volunteers Paul Takehiro and Jewel Castro are the Hep. C testers from Hawai‘i Island HIV/Aids Foundation, and organizer Danielle Flannery is a Hep. C educator from Gilead Sciences. Sponsors are Volcano Community Association, Cooper Center Council, Gilead Sciences and the Hawai‘i Island HIV/Aids Foundation.
     For more information about Hep. C visit the website hepchelp.com or contact Volcano Community Association at vcainfo@yahoo.com regarding this event. Volcano Farmers Market is located on Wright Road in Volcano.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY is accepting reservations for its next volunteer day at its Ka‘ū Preserve for Saturday, Oct. 28, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reserving a spot in advance to go to the remote location in The Nature Conservancy's trucks is a must. Anyone interested in more information, and/or to reserve a spot can contact Linda Schubert at lschubert@tnc.org, or call 443-5401.    
     Volunteers will meet at 7 a.m. at The Nature Conservancy's Ka‘ū office, located at next to the entrance of Whittington and Honu‘apo Parks, between Punalu‘u and Nā‘ālehu. There is ample parking for volunteers' vehicles. Volunteers will be returned to the office by 2 p.m.
     Participants will need: long pants, protective shoes (boots preferred), a lunch and water. Everyone should be ready for a variety of weather conditions, from sun, rain, to cool temperatures.
     The following volunteer workday will be Saturday, Nov. 18. Details to come.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

NĀ‘ĀLEHU PUBLIC LIBRARY HOSTS A FALL COSTUME PIZZA PARTY on Halloween Day, Tuesday, Oct. 31, starting at 3 p.m.
     "Fun, food and prizes at our annual Fall Costume Party - and this year it's a pizza party!" says a statement from the libaray. Those wearing costumes have an extra chance to win a prize.  The drawing will be at  at 4 p.m.
    The event is free and open to all, though young children should be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver.
    For more details, call 939-2442.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.


Pick up the October edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online now at kaucalendar.com 

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball 
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka‘ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka‘ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka‘ū vs. BIIF, away.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

MOLD CERAMICS REGISTRATION ENDS tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 13. Classes will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays, Oct. 16 through Dec. 4. at Pāhala Community Center. For more, call 928-3102.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TOMORROW TO HELP REMOVE INVASIVES that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Stewardship at the Summit will take place three more times in October - Fridays, Oct. 13 & 27, and Saturday, Oct. 21, at 9 a.m.
      Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Volunteers  wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants and bring a hat, rain-gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools will be provided. No advance registration is required, and there is no cost to participate, but park entrance fees apply. Visit the park website for additional planning details: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit
stewardship.htm.


Collaborative art at the Far from the Tree show
opening this Saturday at Volcano Art Center Gallery.
Photo from VAC

FAR FROM THE TREE, featuring Linda Peterson and Gregg Smith, opens Saturday, Oct. 14, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. A reception with both artists will be Saturday, Oct. 14, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
      The mixed media exhibition showcases Petersons detailed acrylic paintings and Smiths segmented, wood turned vessels made mostly of Hawaiian hardwoods. The exhibit also features hand painted wooden bowls that combine both artists talents.
      Volcano Art Center invites all to come view this collection of two and three dimensional works. For more information, visit volcanoartcenter.org or contact VAC Gallery Manager Emily C. Weiss by calling (808) 967-8222 or emailing gallery@volcanoartcenter.org.

THE HISTORY OF DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT will be presented at a dinner this Saturday, Oct. 14, at Discovery Harbour Community Center at 5 p.m. Veteran and current volunteer firefighters will be honored.
A vintage Discovery Harbour fire truck.
Photo from Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept.
     A wall of photos, with two original helmets used in 1988, and an album with facts and photos from past to present will be unveiled. For more information call Dina Shisler at 410-935-8087 or email dinashisler24@yahoo.com. Read the Ka‘ū News Briefs from Tuesday, Oct. 10, for more details.

ATLAS RECYCLING ACCEPTS RECYCLABLES AT SOUTH POINT U-CART again on Saturday, Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

TWO EVENTS WILL BE HOSTED BY KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Oct. 14.
     From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.,  Crater Rim Café offers a Mongolian BBQ. Call 967-8356 for more details.
    At 8 p.m.: Kīlauea Military Camp’s Lava Lounge offers Comedy Night with Tom Clark. Call 967-8371 for more.
     Both are open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

KANIKAPILA welcomes acoustic instrumentalists, drummers, singers and dancers on Saturdays, Oct. 14 and 28, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Nā‘ālehu Methodist Church Hall. For more, call Desmond at 937-6305.

EXPLORE THE HUMAN HISTORY OF KAHUKU, on a three-hour guided moderate two-mile hike, People and Land of Kahuku, that loops through varied landscapes in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Sunday, Oct. 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Emerging native forests, pastures, lava fields, and other sites hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands– from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about the powerful natural forces at work here and how people have adapted to, shaped, and restored this land. The guided hike is also offered on Nov. 19 and Dec. 17.

Ka‘ū Desert footprints will be explained Tuesday
at After Dark in the Park. Photo by Ann Bosted
LEARN ABOUT KA‘Ū DESERT’S FOOTPRINTS IN THE ASH with Park Ranger Jay Robinson during Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium.
     Hawaiians once traversed Kīlauea on foot to travel between Puna and Ka‘ū, and during the 18th century, explosions from the volcano rained volcanic ash down on the people, preserving their footprints in the sands of “Keonehelelei.” Robinson will discuss new interpretive displays in the Ka‘ū Desert and explain what is known today about the impact of these explosive eruptions on native society. The event is free, park entrance fees apply.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR PAPER PLATE SILHOUETTE CRAFT, until Tuesday, Oct. 17, for the class that takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pāhala Community Center. For more, call 928-3102.

Mark Yamanaka with Ka‘ū fans. Photo by Julia Neal
A FREE CONCERT FEATURING LOCAL RECORDING ARTIST MARK YAMANAKA will be hosted in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
     Yamanaka has been awarded multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards since the debut of his first album, Lei Puakenikeni. His album, Lei Maile also received critical acclaim.  “Mark’s crisp, clear falsetto and rich baritone voice will mesmerize you,” says a statement from the park.
     This event is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing Nā Leo Manu “Heavenly Voices” presentations. Park entrance fees may apply.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD meets Wednesday, Oct. 18, starting at noon, in the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

REGISTER KEIKI AGES 5-12 FOR A HALLOWEEN MASK MAKING CLASS that takes place Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Nā‘ālehu Community Center. Register through Friday, Oct. 20. For more, call 939-2510.

CU HAWAI‘I FEDERAL CREDIT UNION IS OFFERING EMPLOYMENT as a Member Service Representative in Nā‘ālehu. CU Hawai‘i seeks energetic individuals for full time positions who enjoy working with people and can provide professional, courteous and efficient service to valued members.
     The ideal candidate must be service oriented and possess good communication and computer skills. Cash handling and customer service experience is preferred. Must be able to work Saturdays. CU Hawai‘i offers medical, drug, dental, vision and retirement benefits.
     Email, mail or fax application to: Attn: Human Resources, 476 Hinano Street Hilo, HI 96720, Fax: (808) 935-7793. Applications can be found online at cuhawaii.com/careers.html.