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Thursday, April 12, 2018

Ka‘ū News Brief Thursday, April 12, 2018

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard visited Syria and met with women whose husbands were dead or away fighting, sometimes
on different sides of the battles. She concluded that there is no win for Syrian people through war escallation.
Photo by Abraham Williams
PEACE, NOT WAR IN SYRIA, is what Kaʻū's Representative in Congress, Tulsi Gabbard, is pushing, with a letter to Pres. Donald Trump. She asks Kaʻū residents to sign it. Gabbard visited Syria and met with religious leaders and people living in shelters, camps, and bombed out homes, in January 2017. With Trump threatening to strike Syria following apparent use of chemical weapons there, Gabbard sent out an online appeal this morning:
     "The people of Syria have suffered through years of brutal civil war, and all they want more than anything is peace. If President Trump decides to launch a U.S. military attack against Syria, it will not bring them peace - it will only bring more devastation to their war-torn country. Terrorist forces like ISIS, al-Qaeda, Jaysh al-Islam and others will be resurrected and reinvigorated, increasing suffering, death, and destruction, and causing more innocent civilians to flee the violence and seek refuge in other parts of the world.
 
Gabbard said that many children living in shelters she visited, like this
one in Allepo, have only known war in their lives. However, they
know the peace sign. Photo by Abraham Williams
   "We cannot keep repeating the same mistakes of the past and expect a different outcome. I've sent this letter to President Trump to urge him to work for peace, rather than escalating and expanding the war through a military attack against Syria. This is not a partisan issue. Will you join me in calling for peace today?
     "Launching a U.S. military attack against Syria spells further suffering for the Syrian people, prolongs and escalates the war, and continues to strip away American taxpayer dollars that are needed in our communities right here at home. If President Trump truly cares about mitigating the suffering of the Syrian people, he must work toward peace.
     "We must end our costly, counterproductive regime change wars. War, violence, chaos, and destruction is what terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda in Syria want - because it makes them stronger in their quest. Speak up now to stop the march toward war. Add your name to my letter to President Trump today."

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A MORATORIUM ON NEW ACTIVITIES ON MAUNAKEA passed the state Senate today through House Bill 1585, with a 15 to 8 vote. In the meantime, the board of directors for the planned Thirty Meter Telescope is determining whether it should take its project to the Canary Islands in Spain.
Canary Islands, with its own astronomy campus, waits for the opportunity
 to host the Thirty Meter Telescope. Photo from TMT
     Hawaiʻi Public Radio issued a news headline today, saying, "Mauna Kea Bill Could Spell the End to TMT."
     The TMT group set April as a deadline to settle the matter on whether it could situate the world's most powerful telescope on Maunakea. The board was considering extending its deadline past April to allow legal proceedings to reach completion. The addition of the new moratorium by the Hawaiʻi Legsilature, however, could seal the deal for Spain, reported HPR.
     In the House, the bill could draw opposition from both pro-TMT and anti-TMT organizations. Richard Ha, a board member of PUEO, which stands for Perpetuating Unique Educational Opportunities, supports TMT. "If we impose a moratorium so what happens to the Thirty Meter Telescope? Are we saying we're just going to kill it? I don't think that's what we want to do," said Ha.
     Kealoha Pisciotta, president of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, said she opposes the moratorium because it could wind up with the management of Maunakea "back in the hands" of the University of Hawaiʻi.
     According to the HPR report, "The board of directors for TMT is expected to announce it's decision tomorrow on whether Mauna Kea is worth a longer wait."
     The bill also calls for an audit of U.H., concerning its management of Maunakea, and a review and updating of rules on activities at the summit and its campus of telescopes.
     After passing the bill today, the Senate sends it back to the House.

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Observatories atop Maunakea. Bills passed today in the state Senate would either require auditing of University of Hawaiʻi, the current management, or hand over management to a new Authority. Photo from bigstock
A BILL TO REMOVE MAUNAKEA MANAGEMENT FROM U.H. and the state Department of Land & Natural Resources also passed the state Senate today, with a 21 to 2 vote. House Bill 1985 would give over responsibility to Maunakea Management Authority. Members would be selected by a new Mauna Kea Candidate Advisory Council and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
     The Authority would be funded by the State, with $800,000 for fiscal year 2018-2019. It would include start up costs and up to $250,000 for administration, capital improvement projects, and other purposes.
     The bill would also restrict the number of telescopes on Maunakea to 13, limit the footprint of development to no more than the land being used as of Dec. 2031, and change how the public accesses the summit. The bill would require the Management Authority to conduct a comprehensive review of all existing commercial tour permits, fees, and associated environmental impacts, and there would be the possibility of eliminating commercial tours to the summit by Jan. 1, 2020.
     After passing the bill today, the Senate sends it back to the House.

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SPINLAUNCH WILL MEET WITH THE PUBLIC, Sat, Apr 14, 10 a.m., Nā‘ālehu Community Center. SpinLaunch representatives Ryan Hampton and Raphael Feldman, who are looking for a location for a space launch facility, plan to talk with Ka‘ū community, along with Sen. Glenn Wakai of O‘ahu.
     The meeting will be hosted by the Aha Moku Advisory Committee to the state Department of Land & Natural Resources, which asked the state Senate to hold back a $25 million Special Purpose Revenue Bond until the company talks to the community about the possibility of Pohu‘e Bay becoming the location. The bond bill passed a third reading in the Senate on Tuesday.

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Allan Simeon is confirmed as new Public Works Director
for County of Hawaiʻi. Photo from DPW
NEW COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR received confirmation from the County Council on Wednesday. Allan G. Simeon, P.E., previously served as the Department's Deputy Director, and has served as the Acting Director of the Department of Public Works since October 1, 2017.
     "Each day is a blessing and each blessing is an opportunity to do something good for the people of our Hawai‘i Island Community, for our families, and for ourselves," Simeon said.
     Simeon is a licensed professional engineer and joined the county as a civil engineer in 1997. He has appointed Merrick H. Nishimoto as his Deputy Director. Nishimoto previously served as a civil engineer stationed at the West Hawai‘i office and has been with the county since 2007.

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HAWAI‘I'S TAX BURDEN IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE U.S., according to a new WalletHub study. With Tax Day fast approaching and a new tax code recently signed into law by President Trump, WalletHub has just made its 2018 Tax Burden by State report and 2018 Tax Facts infographic available. In order to determine which states tax their residents most aggressively,
WalletHub compared the 50 states based on the three components of state tax burden - property taxes, individual income taxes, and sales and excise taxes - as a share of total personal income.
     Hawai‘i is second-highest overall, second only to New York. Hawai‘i is highest in the nation in Total Sales & Excise Tax Burden at 6.52 percent, and second highest in the nation in Overall Tax Burden at 11.57 percent. The Individual Income Tax Burden is still high, ranking tenth at 2.85 percent. Property Tax Burden is fairly low, ranking 41st at 2.2 percent, but that may change if Senate Bill 2922 becomes law. It aims to raise money through taxing expensive investment properties and vacation rentals. See the full report.

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Park Ranger demonstrates Tī Leaf Sledding.
NPS Photo
RACE DOWN PU‘U O LOKUANA IN A TĪ LEAF SLED and join Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff at Kahuku in a test of courage, will, speed, and agility in a traditional Hawaiian game using he‘e hōlua kī. The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Apr. 20.
     The event is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. The Kahuku Unit is a 50-minute drive south of the park's main entrance. Enter Kahuku near mile marker 70.5 on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

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KEIKI, AGES 6 TO 12, WELCOMED TO PAINT A RAINBOW, a free Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation Arts & Crafts program, on Tuesday, April 24, at Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. The class runs from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register on Wednesday, April 18. For more, contact Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for more county park programs.

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KAʻŪ TROJANS BOYS VOLLEYBALL games on Wednesday against Keaʻau were a solid wall of victories, with both JV games and all three Varsity games being won by the Trojan boys; four of five games were won while the Trojans were 12 or 13 points ahead.
     Three Spring season games remain; see below for full schedule.

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Print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano, and free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE
Girls Softball: Saturday, Apr 14, Kea‘au @ Ka‘ū
Boys Volleyball: Friday, Apr 13, Honoka‘a @ Ka‘ū
   Monday, Apr 16, @ Hilo
   Friday, Apr 20, Parker @ Ka‘ū

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FRIDAY, APRIL 13
KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM BASKETBALL CLINIC Sat, April 14; register through Friday, April 13. 9 to 11 a.m., registered keiki in ages groups 11-12 years old, 13-14 years old and those in high school are welcome. Three on three basketball will be taught to keiki in age groups 5-6 years old, 7-8 years old, and 9-10 years old, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more, contact Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for more county park programs.

PĀHALA PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARY 55th Anniversary Celebration, Fri, Apr 13, 2 - 4 p.m. The event offers music, food, games and prizes. librarieshawaii.org/events

SATURDAY, APRIL 14
PANCAKE BREAKFAST AND RAFFLE, Sat, Apr 14, 8 - 11 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

MINI-BAZAAR FUNDRAISER, Sat, Apr 14, 9 - 2 p.m., Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church, Ka’ū. Vendor "flea market" - $10 for 10' X 10'. Vendors can sell anything except hot foods/plate lunches. For info or to reserve vendor space, call Walter or Debbie at 928-8039, in the evening.

GARDEN SUCCESS IN HAWAI‘I, Sat, Apr 14, 9 - noon, County Extension Office, across from Aloha Theater, Kainaliu. Event features plant sale, demo garden, how to grow from containers, plant questions answered, info on rat lungworm and fire ants, keiki activities, and more. Every family that attends will receive a free tomato plant. Master Gardener Helpline, 322-4895

PAINT YOU OWN SILK SCARF with Patti Pease Johnson, Sat, Apr 14, 9 - 12:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee per person. Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

BIRTH OF KAHUKU, Sat, Apr 14, 9:30 -11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Explore the rich geologic history on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow. nps.gov/HAVO

KĀWĀ VOLUNTEER DAY, Sat, Apr 14, 9:30 a.m., Kāwā. Sign up with James Akau, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, at namamookawa@gmail.com or 430-3058.

SPINLAUNCH PROPOSAL PUBLIC MEETING, Sat, Apr 14, 10 a.m., Nā‘ālehu Community Center. SpinLaunch representatives Ryan Hampton and Raphael Feldman come to talk with Ka‘ū Community, along with Sen. Glenn Wakai of O‘ahu.

ZENTANGLE: DINGBATZ, Sat, Apr 14, 10 - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee per person. Basic knowledge of Zentangle recommended by not required. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

HULA KAHILO WITH KINI KA‘AWA & Kua O Ka La Public Charter School, Sat, Apr 14, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., kahua hula (hula platform) at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. volcanoartcenter.org

NĀ MEA HULA w/ Kumu Hula Kaho‘okele Crabbe & Hālauolaokalani, Sat, Apr 14, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery lānai, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Cultural demonstration. Free. volcanoartcenter.org

JAZZ IN THE FOREST Concert, Sat, Apr 14, 4:30 p.m. & 7 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Retrospective tribute to Miles Davis - revisiting his compositions and styles of the six distinct periods of his creative output. Tickets available online, volcanoartcenter.org, $18/VAC member or $20/non-member. 967-8222

MONGOLIAN BBQ, Sat, Apr 14, 5 - 8 p.m. Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. $0.85/ounce - choice of 13 veggies, 4 meats, sauces, chow mein, and beverage. Park entrance fees apply. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 15
PEOPLE AND LAND OF KAHUKU, Sun, Apr 15, 9:30 - 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

KA‘Ū HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS compete on It's Academic - Hawai‘i, Sun, Apr 15, 7 p.m., re-air Sat, Apr 21, 6:30 p.m., Channel 5 (KFVE). Watch live stream on KFVE.comMore info.

MONDAY, APRIL 16
DISCOVERY HARBOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING, Mon, Apr 16, 5 - 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

TUESDAY, APRIL 17
HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETINGS, Tue, Wed, & Thu, Apr 17, 18, & 19, Hilo. Departmental Budget & Program Reviews. Ka’ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

PĀHALA COMMUNITY CENTER OFFERS CLOTHESPIN PLANE AND CAR, an Arts & Crafts activity for keiki, grades K through 8, on Wed, April 18, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Register until Tue, April 17. For more, contact Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for more county park programs.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18
OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION Board Meeting, Wed, Apr 18, noon - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

300 METER RACES FOR KEIKI AGES 6 TO 12 take place at Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, on Fri, April 20, from 2 to 3 p.m., hosted by Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation. Registration open through Wed, April 18. Athletic shoes required. For more, contact Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for more county park programs.

KEIKI, AGES 6 TO 12, WELCOMED TO PAINT A RAINBOW. Register by Wed, April 18. Free Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation Arts & Crafts program, Tue, April 24, Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, 2:45 to 3:30 p.m. Contact Teresa Anderson at 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for more county park programs.

THURSDAY, APRIL 19
VETERAN'S CENTER & VA MEDICAL SERVICES, Thu, Apr 19, 8:30 - noon, Ocean View Community Center. No appointment needed to visit w/ VA counselor & benefit specialist. Matthew, 329-0574, ovcahi.org

HAWAI‘I DISABILITY LEGAL SERVICES, Thu, Apr 19, 9 - 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

STORY TIME WITH AUNTIE LINDA from Tūtū & Me, Thu, Apr 19, 10:30 - noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 929-8571

FAMILY READING, Thu, Apr 19, 6 - 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū, Thu, Apr 19, 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church in Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

ONGOING
ONE COMMUNITY AND ONE PARENT REPRESENTATIVE are sought by Nāʻālehu Elementary School Community Council. Nominations will be accepted from April 2 through April 16 at 3 p.m. The community representative will serve a two-year term for school year 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. The parent representative will serve a one-year term for school year 2018-19. The parent rep cannot be a Nāʻālehu Elementary School employee.
     The campaign for the positions starts April 16. Voting is April 30 through May 11. Those interested, contact Leilani Rodrigues at 313-4020 or pcnc@naalehu.org, or name and number at the main office line, by calling 313-4000.

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.

VOLCANO ART CENTER GALLERY PRESENTS HO’OKU’I I NĀ KIKO, Connecting the Dots, by Natalie Mahina Jensen and Lucia Tarall. "A curated collection of photographs, paintings, sculptures, and feather work items deliver a sublime message, connecting the viewer artistically with the provenance of the design." Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Sunday, May 6. volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222

KAʻŪ COFFEE RECIPE CONTEST registration open through Friday, April 20, limit one entry per category, per contestant. Recipes will be judged Sunday, April 29, 11 a.m., at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Youth and adult submissions judged separately. Categories are pūpū, entrée, and dessert; all recipes must be made with (any) Ka‘ū Coffee. Entry info at kaucoffeemill.com or kaucoffeefestival.com, or call 808-928-0550. Entry forms can also be found at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill or Mizuno Market; forms below. Email for info/questions sales@kaucoffeemill.com

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