Ka‘ū News Briefs Thursday, March 15, 2018

Students from Kaʻū High, and Pāhala Elementary and Middle Schools stood in solidarity with students across the nation to protest gun violence. See story, below. Photo from Kaʻū High Twitter

KAULANA BAY HAS PROVIDED ACCESS TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN from the eastern shore of South Point since ancient times. Hawaiian people have been using the entry since the first landings by Polynesians in Hawaiʻi, which, according to archaeologists, were possibly at South Point. On the Kaulana shore was the Kapalaoa Village, dating back to the days before Capt. James Cook sailed in to Hawaiʻi.

Kaulana Boat Ramp, looking out into Kaulana 
Bay. Photo from Rosa Say's flickr 

     Kaulana Bay and its boat ramp are surrounded by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which recently released its South Point Resources Management Plan. The Bay has been designated as a National Landmark by the federal government. A survey by the National park Service identified the east side of the bay as a kapu area, with numerous archaeological sites, having fishing and launching canoes in its history.
     Kaulana is on the east side of South Point, where the winds are strong, the water often rough, and entering and exiting the ocean often risky. Fishermen who launch canoes and more modern fishing boats at Kaulana often come back from fishing to shelter next to the cliffs on the western side of South Point. They can leave their boats in the calm water overnight, and guide them to Kaulana to pull them out when the water is calm again.

Fishing boats launch at Kaulana and take shelter below the eastern
South Point cliffs, as in this 2010 poto by Rosa Say.

     A 1981 description of Kaulana's connection to fishing says, "The current practice for Kaʻū fishermen is to launch their boat at Kaulana and then moor it in lee of the cliffs on the west coast of South Point. At the mooring area, they unload their catch and load fuel and ice, as long as the wind and seas permit. Fish and supplies are brought up and down the cliff face by rope and pulley. During the times of the year when fishing is exceptionally good, the boats are often moored overnight to reduce the number of hazardous launch and recover y operations. However, this practice is very risky also, particularly during the winter months when the wind and seas often change direction quickly. One boater reported having lost seven boats in the last 20 years because he could not get his boat out when the wind and seas came up unexpectedly."

     The report was tied to a proposal for the Army Corps of Engineers to build a seawall and protected ramp at Kaulana, after choosing the location over Punaluʻu, Honuʻapo, Kaʻaluʻalu and Pohuʻe Bay, which are described as being more likely to be tied up in development projects.

A 1092 plan by the Army Corps of Engineers to build a basin, breakwater, and new ramp at Kaulana Bay. Map from DHHL report

     The Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Statement for the Kaulana project said, "A protected basin would permit fishermen to return to the ramp and safely unload their catch and return to the fishing grounds.
     "The relatively small, 18 to 27 -foot fishing boats have no refrigeration or room for large amounts of ice. This limits their catch to what can be kept chilled and often necessitates frequent trips to shore to unload their catch. With safer launch and recovery conditions, several of the boaters have stated that they would purchase larger craft to increase their fishing capability."
     Just a decade earlier, a 1972 master plan of statewide boat launching facilities recommended relocating the Kaulana ramp to the Kona side of the cove, and constructing a small stub breakwater to reduce shoaling and wave action. The state concluded, however, that use of Kaulana by fishermen was not extensive enough to justify the expense.
     The 1982 Army Corps of Engineers report said, "within recent years the Kaulana ramp has been heavily used by commercial fishermen from all parts of the island." Several plans were put forth. One would dredge a 245-foot long, 80-foot wide, 8.5-foot deep entrance channel plus a 220-foot long, 80-foot wide and 6.5 foot deep turning basin. A 160-foot long breakwater, 11.5 feet tall, would have been constructed. The Environmental Statement determined a high probability of archaeological and cultural sites being destroyed during the dredging and breakwater construction. It proposed a smaller project to avoid the historic sites.

A local fishing boat at South Point in 2010. Photo by Rosa Say

     However, the plan was abandoned. For the Department of Hawaiian Homes South Point Resources Management Plan, Palikapu Dedman told interviewers: "They wanted to take 55 acres and make a public boat ramp at Kaulana. They brought all the surveyors and took surveys. We sold laulaus and made $2,500 to pay for the cost of legal fees… We filed suit and lost the lawsuit. The Feds were going to go in half-half with the State for the ramp. So, I got on a plane and went to D.C. Went to Inouye, Akaka's office."

     Dedman said he argued that Hawaiian Home Lands were "like Indian Reservations, are private lands, not intended to be opened up to the public." He said he returned to Hawai‘i Island feeling unsuccessful - but then an earthquake damaged Kawaihae Harbor, and he was notified the funds for the proposed boat ramp would be redirected there. "The Feds pulled out and South Point never got developed," Dedman concluded.

     The report notes that Kaulana Ramp is managed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and that about ten vehicles park at the ramp each day.

Drawn map of Kaulana Bay boat ramp and surrounding
evidence of historical habitation. Map from DHHL report

     The late Tommy Kaniho told interviewers: "There's nice fishing grounds at South Point and you can't stop fishing because that's people's livelihoods but the tourism, that's what needs to be managed. Recreational users need to be managed."

     A letter from the planning company Townscapes, Inc. - which worked on the plan for Hawaiian Homelands - written to Sina Pruder, P.E. Chief of the Wastewater Branch at Hawai‘i State Department of Health in October of 2017, says that DHHL plans to allow boats to travel to the ramp, even after more management of South Point is instituted, with other vehicular traffic halted and visitors required to walk to Green Sands Beach.

     "Use of motorized vehicles along existing roads, including vehicular access to the Kaulana Boat Ramp, will still be permitted."

      The plan states that DHHL seeks to: "Deter visitors from driving off-road and destroying natural and cultural resources; Encourage public safety by providing a designated area for vehicles in specific places rather than throughout the property, as well as provide opportunities for the placement of security guards in the future to reduce car theft and break-ins; Provide a mechanism for monitoring capacity to ensure that the carrying capacity of the environment is not exceeded by the number of visitors."
     See March 3, March 5, March 6, March 7, March 8, March 9, March 10, March 11, March 12, March 13, March 14, and future Ka‘ū News Briefs for more in the continuing South Point Resource Management Plan series. See the 799-page plan online.

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Students outside Kaʻū High, and Pāhala Elementary
and Middle Schools on March 14.

KA‘Ū STUDENTS MOBILIZED AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE ON WEDNESDAY when they walked out of their classes onto the Pāhala pubic school campus at 10 a.m. Elementary, middle, and Kaʻū, the southernmost high school in the nation, participated.
      Several Ka‘ū students gave speeches about gun control, the National Rifle Association's influence on Congress and state legislators, and the student goal to affect change and to keep schools safe. They displayed posters with such slogans as: No Guns in Our School, Arm Teachers with Resources Not Guns, We Stand with Parkland Florida, Have a Heart Not a Handgun, and #Enough. One student went so far as to  wear a paper target.

     Carrying signs with their messages, students supported a nationwide movement: walking out of classes for 17 minutes, one minute for each of the 17 students and faculty slaughtered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida one month ago.

     Some students pledged to attend marches on Saturday, March 24, in Hilo - on Kanoelehua Ave., from 1 to 3 p.m. - and Kona - on Kamakaeha Ave., starting at 10 a.m. - as part of the March For Our Lives movement. March For Our Lives encourages people or groups to sign up to host a march in their location, via their website, and for attendees of existing march locations to RSVP.

     Marches are scheduled throughout the states and in Washington, D.C. But while the highest concentration of marches is happening in the U.S. to change gun laws, people in countries across the world - from Hanoi, Vietnam to Reykjavik, Iceland, to Tel Aviv, Israel - are standing up and moving out to encourage the end of gun violence.

     March For Our Lives is also hosting an online petition, the goals being: ban the sale of assault weapons; prohibit the sale of high-capacity magazines; and make background checks a requirement on every gun sale, no exceptions.
               The organizers, students of the school attacked in Florida, posted a message on their website, describing what the walkout on March 14 means to them, what they went through on the day of the attack, the aftermath of the attack, and the fear that they "would be another community left to be permanently damaged.  Eventually forgotten. Afraid we would be another statistic depicting the perpetual gun violence that plagues communities across the nation." They state the movement needs to continue: "From walkouts, we march on."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, speaking
to Congress on March 14, in
support of the STOP Act. Photo
from Gabbard's Facebook video

     March 14 also saw Rep. Tulsi Gabbard stand before Congress, speaking in support of the STOP School Violence Act, which she has cosponsored. She commented on the support of school walk-outs happening all across the country, in protest of the lives lost in Florida last month, and the, "7000 children whose lives have been lost since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook." She stated the students were walking out "to demand action, that will help to prevent these horrific tragedies and improve the safety and security of our schools."

     Gabbard said the bill - or any other single bill - would not solve everything but, "it will help prevent school violence by implementing measures developed after Sandy Hook." She stated the bill supports training teachers, school personnel, and local law enforcement, to better identify early warning signs of violence, and "increases coordination between schools and local law enforcement.

     "We also need to take action on things like closing the gun show, and online loopholes, and require universal background checks for anyone seeking to purchase a gun." She stated there is "overwhelming bipartisan support" from legislators. Gabbard closed her remarks by stating: "The time for action is long overdue."

Watch Revis Petit, Ezra Ramores, and Rowlie Flores
compete on It's Academic - Hawaiʻi on KFVE, 
Sunday, April 15. Photo from khpes.org

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THREE KA‘Ū HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETED ON IT'S ACADEMIC - HAWAI‘I last week. The competition, an annual event between Hawai‘i schools that is done in a game show format, features Ka‘ū High School students Revis Petit, Ezra Ramones, and Rowlie Flores.

     Watch to see how well they did - spoiler alert, they did a great job representing Ka‘ū, according to the post on khpes.org - on Sunday, April 15, at 7 p.m., on channel 5 (KFVE), or watch the live stream on KFVE.com. The episode will be re-aired Saturday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m. See more info on the channel's website at http://www.k5thehometeam.com
/category/229108/its-academic.

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4TH ANNUAL KAʻŪ COMMUNITY EASTER EGG HUNT, hosted by Hope Dia-Mend Ministries, is announced for Sunday, Apr. 1, at Nā‘ālehu Community Park, from 1 to 3 p.m. The free event is open to all ages, from infants to adults.
     There will be "over 6,000 candy filled eggs and over 300 prizes," says Hope Dia-Mend Ministries Outreach Coordinator Henri Freitas. She adds that free chili and rice bowls will be served.
     The event flyer states the organization is actively seeking donations for plastic eggs, candy fillers, and prizes. For more, contact Pam or Lance at 929-8137, or Henri at 464-5042.

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RE-USE HAWAI‘I HAS OPENED UP JOBS ON HAWAI‘I ISLAND, disassembling buildings. The aim is to reuse materials, generate jobs, lower construction costs, and help to preserve Hawai‘i's limited natural resources.
     Compensation is $15 to $16 an hour with 35 to 40 hours a week, paid vacation and sick time, and health, dental, and vision insurance.
     To apply, fill out an online application. Required qualifications include but are not limited to: reliable transportation; professional references; ability to frequently lift up to 60+ lbs.; some background or experience in construction, with use of hand and power tools; attention to detail; excellent communication skills; enjoy physically demanding labor; and more.
     Re-use Hawai‘i started on O‘ahu in 2007, diverts tons of reusable building material from landfills each week, and makes this material available to the public "at extremely affordable prices," says its website. Check out available jobs and places to purchase the reclaimed materials at reusehawaii.org.

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VICTORY FOR KA‘Ū TROJANS BOYS VOLLEYBALL on March 14, as the three games played at Ka‘ū against Ehunui ended with Ka‘ū having nearly  double the points at the end of two out of three games. Ka‘ū scored 25 each game, calling each game to a close. Ehunui had 12, 20, and 14.

     Friday will see the Boys Volleyball team away, playing against KHS. See the full Trojans Spring sports schedule, below.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com

/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, 

weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on 

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Softball: Saturday, Mar 17 @ Konawaena

   Monday, Mar 19, KSH @ Ka‘ū
   Thursday, Mar 22, @ Hilo
   Saturday, Mar 24 @ Kealakehe

   Saturday, Mar 31 @ Honoka‘a

   Monday, Apr 2, @ Kohala

   Saturday, Apr 7, Hawai‘i Prep @ Ka‘ū

   Monday, Apr 9, @ Pāhoa

   Wednesday, Apr 11 @ KSH

   Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

Boys Volleyball: Friday, Mar 16 @ Konawaena

   Monday, Mar 19 @ KSH

   Friday, Mar 23 Pāhoa @ Ka‘ū

   Tuesday, Apr 3, @ Waiakea

   Wednesday, Apr 11, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū

   Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū

   Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo

   Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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FRIDAY, MARCH 16

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT Fri, Mar 16. Participants meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants, and bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves and tools provided. Parental or guardian accompaniment, or written consent, required for volunteers under 18. Visit park website for additional planning details: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm

PŪ‘OHE (Hawaiian Bamboo Trumpet) DEMONSTRATION, Fri, Mar 16, 10 a.m. - noon, Kahuku Unit, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Make a pū‘ohe, Hawaiian bamboo trumpet. Has a deep sound somewhat like a conch shell. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS ANNUAL HŌʻIKE rock opera Kū I Ka Mana, Fri, Mar 16, at 6 p.m., in Koaiʻa Gymnasium. Tickets are $5, available online, at the door, or from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on school days at the high school office or Student Activities Center.

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH SYMPOSIUM-EAST, Sat, Mar 17, 8:30 - noon, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, UCB 100. Register at www.RapidOhiaDeath.org

OPTIMAL NUTRITIONAL GARDENING, Sat, Mar 17, 9 - 3 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Hands-on workshop. Students depart with plant materials - seeds and/or cuttings. $30 per VAC member and $35 per non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, Sat, Mar 17, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderate guided hike along the Palm Trail, approx. 2 miles. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

ST. PATRICK'S DAY LUNCHES - ‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU, Sat, Mar 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nāʻālehu Methodist Church. $10 per plate Corned Beef & Cabbage lunches for sale - all proceeds go to senior housing project. okaukakou.org

THE ART EXPRESS, Sat, Mar 17, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Classes held once monthly. Learn something new or work on a forgotten project. Instructions on oil, acrylic, watercolor, and other mediums. Class size limited to 25. Meliha Corcoran 319-8989, himeliha@yahoo.com, discoveryharbour.net/art-express

OCEAN VIEW C.E.R.T., Sat, Mar 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting/training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

EXPERIMENTAL WATERCOLORS with Patti Pease Johnson, Sat, Mar 17, noon - 3:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Students create 3-5, 8"x8", watercolor paintings on hot press paper using pre-broken glass as a catalyst to spark creativity. Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. $45 per VAC member, $50 per non-member, plus a $10 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

ST. PATRICK'S DAY BUFFET, Sat, Mar 17, 6 - 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Corned Beef & Cabbage, Lamb Stew, Shepherd’s Pie, and Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, plus all the fixings. $20/Adult, $11/Child (6-11 years). Irish ale available. Call 967-8356 for more. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

BUNCO & POTLUCK, Sat, Mar 17, 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Popular game played with nine dice, also known as Bonko or Bunko. Bring dish to share. Margie Hack, 541-954-8297.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

PEOPLE AND LAND OF KAHUKU, Sun, Mar 18, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free, guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area's human history. nps.gov/HAVO

MONDAY, MARCH 19

DISCOVERY HARBOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING, Mon, Mar 19, 5 - 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

TUESDAY, MARCH 20

WALK INTO THE PAST WITH DR. THOMAS A. JAGGAR, Tuesdays, Mar 20 and 27, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m., at Kīlauea Visitor Center. Each performance lasts about an hour. To find out more about this living history program, visit the park website: nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/walk_into_the
_past.htm

THE WONDERFUL WORD OF WINE AND WATERCOLOR, Tue, Mar 20, 4 - 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Artist Nancy DeLucrezia shows how to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper and introduces basic techniques in watercolor painting. Sampling of several wines from wine store "Grapes" in Hilo. $30 VAC members/$35 non-members, plus $17 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT. Meeting, Tue, Mar 20, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21

OVCA BOARD MEETING, Wed, Mar 21, 12 - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

SENIOR BINGO DAY, Wed, Mar 21, free lunch 11 a.m., free bingo 1 - 2:30 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Prizes for all. ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou, okaukakou.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 22

STEWARDSHIP OF KῙPUKAPUAULU takes place every Thursday in March: 22 and 29. Participants meet at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11, at 9:30 a.m. Volunteers should bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat and water; wear closed-toe shoes. Clothing may be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com.

KA‘Ū COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S COUNCIL, Thu, Mar 22, noon - 1 p.m., Punalu‘u Bake Shop. Meeting provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

ONGOING

TĪ AND SEAS ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery, featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, is open to the public through Sun, Mar 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily - volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

KDEN HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES - March 9 through 24. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m, Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network performance. KMC open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call KDEN for ticket info, 982-7344.

TŪTŪ AND ME OFFERS HOME VISITS to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 646-9634.

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