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Saturday, February 02, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, February 2, 2019

Kaʻū's Representative in the U.S. Congress officially announced her bid for the U.S. Presidency today. "We must stand
 up," was her most spoken phrase, taking on war, big pharma, Wall Street, polluters, and much more. 
Photo from live stream of  Gabbard's speech
U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED HER CANDIDACY FOR U.S. PRESIDENT TODAY in Honolulu. The 37-year old Democrat represents Kaʻū and all of rural Hawaiʻi in the U.S. House of Representatives. "We must stand up," was the most spoken phrase in her speech.
     "We must stand up against bought and paid for politicians who kowtow to special interests selling their votes to the highest bidder. Instead of draining the swamp, our president has turned it into a cesspool of corruption," she said.
     "We must stand up against big pharma and insurance companies who extort those who are sick, who put their profits above the health and wellbeing of our people." She advocated for Medicare for All.
     "We must stand up against the big Wall Street banks who gamble with our money and our future.
Gabbard promised to reject any donations from PACS and corporations.
Photo from live stream of Gabbard speech
     "Stand up against overreaching intelligence agencies and big tech companies who take away our civil liberties, privacy, and freedoms in the name of national security and corporate greed.
     "We must stand up against those who pollute our land, our water, and our air.
     "We must stand up against private prisons who are profiting off the backs of those who are caught up in a broken criminal justice system, a system that puts people in prison for smoking marijuana, while allowing corporations like Purdue Pharma, who are responsible for the opioid related deaths of thousands of people, to walk away scot-free with their coffer full. This so called criminal justice system, which favors the rich and powerful and punishes the poor, can not stand.
     "We must join hands and stand up against those who perpetuate bigotry, hatred, and violence against our brothers and sisters because of their race, religion, or sexual orientation.
     "We must stand up against this administration that claims to believe in America First but who sells our troops, our weapons, and our interest to whichever foreign country is the highest bidder.
     "We must stand up to those who dishonor our troops, treating them as political pawns and mercenaries for hire in wars around the world.
     "We must stand up against powerful politicians from both parties, who sit in their ivory towers thinking up new wars to wage, new places for people to die, wasting trillions of our taxpayer dollars, hundreds of thousands of lives, and undermining our economy and our security, and destroying our middle class."
Aloha was a theme of Gabbard's Presidential campaign launch today, particularly in reference to fighting religious,
racial, sexual, and political party discrimination. Photo from live stream of Gabbard's speech
     Gabbard said Trump campaigned against regime change wars, "but now he bows to the wishes of the neocons who surround him, clamoring for regime change wars that he claimed to oppose - this time in Venezuela and in Iran. These powerful politicians dishonor the sacrifices made by every one of my brothers and sisters in uniform, their families, as they are the ones who pay the price for these wars. In fact, every American pays the price for these wars that have cost us trillions of dollars since 9/11. Every dollar that we spend on regime change wars, or on the new cold war and this nuclear arms race, is a dollar coming out of our pocket; dollars that should be used to address the very real, urgent needs of our people and our community right here at home."
     She said there are more than 14,000 nuclear weapons in the world, some more powerful than those dropped on Hiroshima in World War II.
     "We must stand united, and stand strong against those in both parties who never tire of war - Neocons and Neolibs, who drag us from one regime change war to the next, and who are exacerbating the new cold war, pushing us to the brink of nuclear war. We deserve better. Our country deserves better."
     She said the nation was founded on the principle that "our government should be of the people, by the people, and for the people, where all people are treated equally and with respect in these United States of America." Today, however, she said, "that vision seems like a far off dream, while hatred
and divisiveness have cast a dark shadow across our country. We're being torn apart by powerful self-serving politicians and greedy corporations; people fomenting hatred, bigotry, and fear, inciting conflict between us because of the color of our skin, the way that we worship, or the political party that we might belong to. This corruption of spirit is driven by greed and selfishness, and its eroding the very fabric of our society and Democracy itself. This is not who we are, America...."
During the ocean front kickoff of Gabbard's Presidential campaign, she talked about standing up to polluters 
of the ocean and land. Photo from livestream of Gabbard's speech
     Gabbard, a Major in the Hawaiʻi National Guard, promised to "bring a soldier's principles to the White House, restoring the values of dignity and honor and respect to the Presidency, and above all, love for our people and love for our country." She said the road will not be easy, the battles tough, obstacles great, "but there is no obstacle we can't overcome."
     During her speech, Gabbard stayed away from responding to criticism regarding her meeting with Syrian's dictator, considered an enemy of the U.S. She refrained from mentioning criticism of her meeting with Pres. Donald Trump, who invited her to Trump Tower when he interviewed candidates for his cabinet. During the speech, Gabbard said, "I will have the courage to meet with both friends and adversaries in the pursuit of peace and our national security... If we lack the courage to meet with those we disagree with, the only alternative is war."
   
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HAWAIʻI STATE IS SUBPOENAING AIRBNB for ten year's worth of invoices, receipts, and other records from 16,000 Hawaiʻi hosts. The home sharing and rental arrangement company is fighting the subpoena, reports Honolulu Civil Beat, with AirBnB saying the demand is a "massive intrusion" that "invades the privacy rights of Airbnb and its users on (a) massive scale."
     The reasoning behind the subpoena is to verify that those who rent space are paying Transient Accommodations and General Excise taxes. Attorneys for AirBnB, reports Civil Beat, say in Hawaiʻi's case this is tantamount to "authorizing the state to go door-to-door in search of people violating the law — something that is unconstitutional."

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Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com
Kaʻū High Winter Sports Schedule
Girls Basketball:
Feb. 6-9, Wed.-Sat., HHSAA
Boys Basketball:
Feb. 5, Tue., BIIF Div. II Semi-Finals
Feb. 6, Wed., BIIF Div. II Finals
Feb. 21-23, Thu.-Sat., HHSAA
Wrestling:
Feb. 9, Sat., @BIIF @Keaʻau
Feb. 20-21, Wed.-Thu., HHSAA
Soccer:
Feb. 7-9, Thu.-Sat., Boys HHSAA
Swimming:
Feb. 8-9, Fri.-Sat., HHSAA
Feb. 9, Sat., Oʻahu

NEW and UPCOMING
FREE SOGETSU IKEBANA DEMONSTARTION by Victoria Croft happens at Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
     Ikebana is Japanese Flower Arranging. The event description says the first school was Ikenobo, where Buddhist monks and later samurai warriors used it as a form of meditation bringing nature indoors and enhancing the natural world.
     Today, there are over 2000 schools. Sogetsu school, which Croft teaches and practices, was created in 1926 by Sofu Tashikahara and is one of the "modern" schools of thought. The schools philosophy comes from the belief that arrangements could and should be made from whatever materials are available around the world.
An example of Sogetsu Ikebana. Photo from VAC
     Sogetsu Ikebana is learned by completing lessons in five different books, observing other students and teachers, and attending flower shows and workshops. "One does not become an expert overnight but by steady practice, observation and patience," says the description.
     Arrangements are mostly created either by using a Suiban (shallow dish) or Nageire (upright container or vase). Advanced students learn to use all kinds of different containers, including creating the container. Only fresh or dried flowers and leaves are used.
     Croft studied Ikebana for over 12 years before starting her work on getting her teacher's certificate. She was awarded her 4th teachers' certificate in December, 2017. 

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Mon., Feb. 4 (Committees), Kona and Tue., Feb. 5, (Council), Hilo. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Mon., Feb. 4, 1pm, Ocean View Community Center. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Confirm location in case of field trip. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Mon., Feb. 4, 4-6pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5
AdvoCATS, Tue., Feb. 5, 7-5pm, Ocean View Community Center. Free Cat Spay & Neuter Clinic. 895-9283. advocatshawaii.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tue., Feb. 5, 6-8pm, Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6
Arts & Crafts Activity: Mardi Gras, Wed., Feb. 6, 3:30-5pm, multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 through Feb. 5. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Hula Voices, Wed., Feb. 6, 5:30-6:30pm, 1st Wed. monthly, Volcano Art Center Gallery. Desiree Moana Cruz moderates the talk story session. Free, 967-7565

Open Mic Night, Wed., Feb. 6, 6-10pm, Lava Lounge, Kīlauea Military Camp. Call 967-8365 after 4pm to sign-up and for more details. Park entrance fees may apply. Open to KMC patrons and sponsored guests, 21+. 967-8371, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7
Women's Support Group, Thu., Feb. 7 and 21, 3-4:30pm, 1st and 3rd Thursday monthly. PARENTS Inc. office, Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in anytime. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org.

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thu., Feb. 7, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thu., Feb. 7, 6:30pm, Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8
Free Community Dance, Fri., Feb. 8, 7-10pm, Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Minors allowed with supervision only. Alcohol-free event. Variety of music. Snacks provided; additional pupus welcome. Free admission; donations appreciated. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Sat., Feb. 9, 8-11am, Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

 Nā Mamo O Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Sat., Feb. 9, meet 9:30am, Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. nmok.org, facebook.com/namamo.kawa

1st Annual Acton Children's Business Fair, Sat., Feb. 9, 10-1pm, River of Life Assembly of God, 96-2345 Paauau St., Pāhala. Support young on-island entrepreneurs in this one day marketplace for keiki ages 7 to 18 and their personal businesses selling their own brands, products, or services. childrensbusinessfair.org

15th Annual Love the Arts Fundraiser, 50th Anniversary of Woodstock, Sat., Feb. 9, 5-9pm, Volcano Art Center. Funds raised support classes, exhibits, workshops, and programs at Volcano Art Center. Music, gourmet buffet, and fine wines and brews. Live and silent auctions. $55/VAC member, $65/non-member. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING
A Lifeguard Training Course is offered at Pāhala Pool Feb. 4 through 8 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sponsored by the county Department of Parks and Recreation, Aquatics Section, and the American Red Cross, the course fee is $75.
     Participants are required to pass a prerequisite test at Pāhala Pool, scheduled by contacting 928-8177. The course fee and registration forms, available at Pāhala Pool, are due immediately following completion of the test. Participants are responsible for providing their own supplies, including CPR mask, swim suit, goggles, towel, American Red Cross Lifeguard Manual, etc. The manual can be downloaded for free at redcross.org/take-a-class/lifeguarding/lifeguard-preparation/lifeguard-manual.
     For more info, contact the nearest county swimming pool, or the Parks and Recreation Aquatics Specialist at 961-8694.

Money is Needed to Travel to State Championships for Kaʻū Trojans Girls Basketball Team. To donate, call Kaʻū High Athletic Director Kalei Namohala at 808-313-4100 or send a check to Kaʻū High School at 96-3150 Pikake St, Pāhala, HI, 96777, with the notation "Girls Basketball."
     The Trojans Girls basketball team will fly to Honolulu for the tournament, Feb. 6-9.

Harry McKee Foundation Scholarships for Kaʻū Students are open through Feb. 15. College bound high school seniors and current college students encouraged to apply for a $1,000 scholarship. Students must be residents of Kaʻū District and plan to attend any accredited college, university, technical institute, or vocational school, anywhere in the U.S. Students must enroll full time in the fall of 2019.
     The application and more information are at mckeescholarshipfoundation.weebly.com. Applications must be mailed to the foundation office in Ocean View by February 15.

 Panaʻewa Stampede takes place this year just outside of Hilo, the weekend of Feb. 16-18, with rodeo competitors from Kaʻū and around the island joined by rodeo clowns and other entertainers. See HawaiiRodeoStampede.com.

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi classes offered in Ka‘ū include: Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) on Wednesdays through Feb. 19. See more at hmono.org; Diabetes Management Classes on Mondays in February. Sign up by calling 969-9220 or online at hmono.org/classes.

Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant will accept applicants through Feb. 28. The pageant will be held again at the Ka‘ū District Gym on Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m. Miss Kaʻū Coffee and her court will represent the Kaʻū Coffee industry throughout the year at events in the community and beyond, her appearances sponsored by the Edmund C. Olson Trust, II. Pageant Director is Trinidad Marques. Scholarship Committee Directors are Julia Neal and Gloria Camba.
     The community can support the pageant through purchasing tickets, volunteering, and providing scholarships.
     Girls three to 24 years of age are encouraged to enter the pageant. Talents often include hula and singing. Competitive categories include Talent, Gown, Photogenic, Career-Interview, Characters Outfit, and Swimsuit for Miss Kaʻū Coffee. Pageant hopefuls contend for titles of Miss Ka‘ū Coffee, Jr. Miss Kaʻū Coffee, Miss Kaʻū Peaberry, and Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower.
      Email tmarques@yahoo.com.

Volunteer on Midway Atoll for Six Months. The volunteer will serve as a communication assistant out on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, on or about March 12 through August. Applications are due by Feb. 28. Potential to be extended to a full year. Get more info and instructions on how to apply.

A Job to Help Kids with Healthy Eating and Living in Kaʻū is available through FoodCorps. Applications are open through March 15 to work for a year at Pāhala Elementary School. The position is a full-time 11.5-month commitment from August 1, 2019 through July 15, 2020.
     In exchange for service, members receive: $22,000 living stipend paid bi-weekly over the 11.5-month term; $6,095 AmeriCorps Segal education award upon successful completion of service; Student loan deferral or forbearance, if eligible; partial childcare reimbursement, if eligible; Health insurance; Ongoing training, mentorship, and professional development.
     Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.org, Facebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

 Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool. Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.

Kaʻū Coffee Fest invites non-profits, clubs, cooperatives, and businesses to sign up for booths to serve the public at the 11th annual Kaʻū Coffee Fest Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday, May 4 at Pāhala Community Center. The all-day event comes with music, hula, coffee tasting, and meeting the famous Kaʻū Coffee farmers.
     Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. Campaign and other political displays are not invited. Fifty percent discounts are provided to bona fide non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Each vendor is responsible for a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each, to be displayed at each booth.
     Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777, email biokepamoses@gmail.com, or call 808-731-5409.

Applications for a Paid Internship in Kaʻū for Kupu Hawai‘i and The Nature Conservancy are being accepted. The year-long, full-time position is in TNC's Hawai‘i Island Terrestrial Program, which stewards native forest preserves in Ka‘ū and South Kona. Benefits offered include: a $1,600 monthly living allowance, before taxes; a $5,920 education award towards higher education; health care and childcare benefit, if eligible; and receiving an entry-level conservation career experience.
     Application at kupuhawaii.org/conservation. For more, call The Nature Conservancy at 443-5401 or call Kupu Hawai‘i at 808-735-1221.

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