Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, April 11, 2019

Youth organizers and their mentors, including Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School Principal Sharon Beck, 

manned educational displays like the one for Big Island Substance Abuse Council at the Kaʻū Unity Celebration. 

The third annual event happens Saturday, April 13, at Kaʻū District Gym. See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAIʻI COUNTY WILL SUE BIG PHARMA, joining a class-action lawsuit with plaintiffs nationwide. The suit, similar to the one that ended in a large settlement with Big Tobacco, demands that drug companies and drug distributors pay damages for their role in opioid addictions and overdoses. Plaintiffs include states, counties, cities, and many others.

     The resolution by the County Council says that distributors "spent millions of dollars developing deceptive materials and advertising, deploying sales representatives, and recruiting physicians to encourage increased prescription rates, which in turn led to increased addiction, loss of life, and costs." It points out that 66.4 out of every 100 persons are prescribed opioids in Hawaiʻi County within a year, more than prescribed in other counties in Hawaiʻi. The opioid prescription rate here is double the rate on Oʻahu, says the resolution.

     Hawaiʻi County Council member Maile David said that effects of opioid use are easy to find on this island and that settlement money, which would go directly to the county, would be well used for programs to help solve the problem. David voted with five other council members to approve the lawsuit, which directs county attorneys to sign on with a New York law firm that is handling the case nationwide, in exchange for a percentage of the income, should it win the case. The NYC law firm is partnering with Honolulu-based Hawaiʻi Accident Law Center.

     The two council members who voted "no" said they are concerned about holding manufacturers instead of people accountable for selecting a product and using it inappropriately. Kohala council member Tim Richards urged a solution by tackling "the root of the problem," which involves physicians and dentists prescribing the drugs.

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THE ARREST OF WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE today at the Ecuadorean Embassy in in London, sparked a response from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: "Today's arrest and indictment of Julian Assange undermines freedom of the press, and seeks to silence whistleblowers and the journalists who publish their information."

WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange
Photo from irishtimes.com

     The U.S. Department of Justice is asking England for extradition of Assange. He faces charges of soliciting, receiving, and disseminating classified, censored, and other restricted U.S. national defense records.
     The case involves accusations that Assange assisted and encouraged Chelsea aka Bradley Manning, an intelligence analyst of the U.S. Army, to provide classified information to WikiLeaks agents. Assange is also accused of advising Manning in methods of breaking codes and hiding her illegal activities.

    Gabbard said she is concerned with the journalistic aspects of the case. She said that prosecuting the distributor of information sets  "a dangerous precedent of criminal prosecution of journalists or news organizations who publish information the government doesn't like, while also opening the door for other countries to extradite U.S. journalists who publish their country's secrets. We must protect whistleblowers and freedom of the press, and exercise oversight over our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to ensure our Constitutional rights are upheld."
      On Wikipedia, Manning is considered a whistleblower who released classified data in her opposition to aspects of the Iraq and Afghanistan war. She was tried and imprisoned between 2010 and 2017 and sent back to jail this March for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating Wikileaks. She remains in prison until she testifies or until the grand jury is finished with its work.

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Sen. Brian Schatz

SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ TOOK ON ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR yesterday.  During a hearing before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Schatz told Barr, "I think it's necessary for you to be precise with your language." Schatz was responding to Barr saying that during Donald Trump's Presidential campaign, government "spying did occur."  Barr was attempting to explain his ordering of a review of the origin of the Mueller report - the the Trump-Russia collusion investigation was initiated by the Department of Justice.

     Said Schatz to Barr, "When the attorney General of the United States uses the word 'spying,' it's rather provocative and, in my view, unnecessarily inflammatory… Do you want to rephrase?... because I think the word 'spying' could cause everybody in the cable news ecosystem to freak out."

     Barr replied that "unauthorized surveillance" might be the better term, and that he wants to make sure that, if it did occur,  it was warranted.
   
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JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM BILLS passed the state Senate this week, to be considered for final approval in the House of Representatives. House Bill 217 HD1 SD1 requires that, when an officer has custody of a child under the age of 16, the child shall consult with legal counsel before waiving any constitutional rights and before any custodial interrogation. House Bill 218 HD1 SD2 grants the Circuit Court, when sentencing a minor for a nonviolent criminal offense, the discretion to impose a sentence that includes a period of incarceration as much as 50 percent shorter than any mandatory minimum and, in certain cases, decline to impose a mandatory enhanced sentence.
     Rep. John Mizuno, introducer of both measures, said, "Too little attention has been paid to the most vulnerable casualties of mass incarceration in America — our children. From the point of entry and arrest, to sentencing and incarceration, our treatment of children in the justice system is long overdue for re-examination and reform."
     Mizuno said that, according to juvenile brain and behavioral development science, children's brains are not fully developed, and they are therefore more immature and impulsive than adults, more susceptible to peer pressure, more likely to engage in risky behavior, and less likely to think through long-term consequences of their actions.

Infographic from kidsinthesystem.com

     Said Mizuno, "We do not allow children to vote, enter into contracts, work in certain industries, get married, join the military, or use alcohol or tobacco products. These policies recognize that children lack solid decision-making abilities. But one area where we don't treat children differently than adults is in our criminal justice system where we have been too quick to discard child-status and throw children to the mercy of a system that was never designed with them in mind."
     Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, Chair of the House Human Services & Homelessness Committee, said the Legislature is giving judges a discretionary tool for when they pass sentence on juvenile offenders. "This goes toward justice reform. We want to make sure that those incarcerated, need to be incarcerated and that judges take into account their age."
     Sen. Karl Rhoads, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that these bills are critical for protecting the rights of children and ensuring a long incarceration does not make matters worse. "Everyone deserves constitutional rights regardless of their age."
     James Dold, founder and president of Human Rights for Kids, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the human rights of children in the U.S. and around the world, said the younger a child is, the more likely they are to give a false confession. "According to the National Registry of Exonerations, in 2017, 38 percent of all persons under the age of 18 gave a false confession: 30 percent of those aged 16-17 falsely confessed, 58 percent of those aged 14-15 falsely confessed, and 86 percent of children under 14 years of age falsely confessed," said Dold.
     The Supreme Court found that that "only a relatively small proportion of adolescents" who engage in illegal activity "develop entrenched patterns of problem behavior."
     Representative Chris Lee, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said lengthy periods of incarceration expose minors to significant negative influences and can severely interfere with their ability to learn from their misdeeds and develop into lawful members of society.
     Said Lee, "Children and adolescents are generally more easily influenced by peers, less able to fully understand the consequences of their actions, and more responsive to rehabilitation than fully mature adults."

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HAWAIʻI AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE 2019 – AGdaptation: Hawaiʻi's Growing Opportunity – happens Oct. 15 and 16 at Hawaiʻi Convention Center in Honolulu. Proposals for oral presentations, poster presentations, symposiums, forums, and workshops that embrace the Conference theme are due soon. Proposal must be submitted online at hiagconference.org/proposals.

     Successful proposals will demonstrate proven or potential opportunities for AGdaptation in management practices, cultivation, conservation, innovation, technology, system design, collaboration, community engagement, or economic sustainability.

     From hiagconference.org: "In an ever-changing world, Hawai‘i agriculture must adapt to become a viable, sustainable resource that provides rewarding careers, enriches lifestyles, and stewards our ʻāina for future generations. AGdaptation means agriculture in Hawai‘i doesn’t just survive, it thrives.
     "ALFH envisions AG2019 participants and attendees will connect with industry leaders who are developing cutting-edge ideas and techniques; learn about new and innovative ways of shaping businesses for positive long-term impacts; identify brand development opportunities within the value chain; shape strategies for industry resiliency; explore how to maximize future markets in the context of national and state regulations; build relationships within the value chain to amplify individual businesses and the entire industry; and hear from Hawaii’s next generation of potential farmers, ranchers, and growers."

     Hosted by the Agriculture Leadership Foundation of Hawai‘i, this event is Hawai‘i's premiere, all-sector agriculture conference. Since the inaugural event in 2002, these conferences have pushed, expanded, and challenged private and public sector decision-makers to shape a vibrant agriculture industry in Hawai‘i. Past topics and content ranged from agritourism to internet sales; entrepreneurial business skills and the power of local markets to agricultural theft and biofuels; and the continuing evolution of the sector to make commitments that further agriculture’s viability in Hawai‘i. The last conference, AG2017, brought together nearly 600 attendees, including practitioners, resource stewards, local and national speakers, regulators, youth leaders, and educators.

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HIGH SURF ADVISORY for east-facing Kaʻū shores through Sunday. The National Weather Service states there is a threat to life and property from surf.  The most dangerous times will coincide with high tides on Friday and Saturday evenings. Beach-goers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by ocean safety officials and exercise caution. "If in doubt, get out." There are no beach park closures at this time.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

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

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Sat., April 13, 3 p.m., @Kamehameha

Fri., April 19, BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Semi-Finals

Fri., April 26, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 27, BIIF Finals

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

Softball:

Fri., April 12, BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 13, BIIF Semi-Finals

Fri., April 19, BIIF Finals

Sat., April 20, BIIF Finals

Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA

Boys Volleyball:

Fri., April 12, 6 p.m., @Keaʻau

Wed., April 17, 6 p.m., Kamehameha

Fri., April 19, 6 p.m., host Honokaʻa

Mon. April 22, BIIF First Round

Wed., April 24, BIIF Semi-Finals

Thu., April 25, BIIF Finals

Thu.-Sat., May 2-4, HHSAA

Track:

Sat., April 13, 9 a.m., @HPA

Sat., April 20, 9 a.m., @Kamehameha

Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals

Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals

JUST ANNOUNCED

Kaʻū Coffee Pageant 2019 contestant 

Helena Sesson shares hula at the 

Kaʻū Unity Celebration in 2017. 

Photo by Julia Neal

YOUTH NIGHT at River of Life Pāhala happens Friday, April 12, at 6 p.m. 96-2345 Paʻauau St. Contact 443-9294 or see rolhawaii.com for more.

KAʻŪ UNITY CELEBRATION happens Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the multi-purpose room at Kaʻū District Gym. The third annual event features talented youth of Kaʻū, information and resource booths – including Keiki I.D. – and food concessions. Korean Chicken Plates, presale tickets on sale now for pick-up at the event, benefit the Kaʻū Culinary Club, which is fundraising for a trip to Japan in June.

     Entrance is free, and prizes will be given away. Drug, tobacco/e-cigs, and alcohol-free event. Organized by The Collective: County of Hawaiʻi Department of Park & Recreation-Pāhala, Hawaiʻi County Police Department, Pāhala Boys & Girls Club, Kamehameha Schools-East Hawaiʻi Region, adult mentors, and the youth of Kaʻū; in partnership with ʻO Kaʻū Kākou.
     Contact Nona at 928-3102 for more info. hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

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UPCOMING

FRIDAY, APRIL 12
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, April 12, 9 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

Community Dance, Friday, April 12, 7 p.m – 10 p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Minors allowed with supervision only. Alcohol-free event. Variety of music. Snacks provided; additional pūpū welcome. Free. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

SATURDAY, APRIL 13
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Annual Manuka/NARS Cleanup, Saturday, April 13. Free; donations appreciated. RSVP: kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Parenting Class & Saturday School, Saturday, April 13, 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center, downstairs. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, April 13, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033. ovcahi.org

Soft Pastel Still Life with Patti Pease Johnson, Saturday, April 13, 9 a.m. – noon, Volcano Art Center. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Nā Mamo O Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Saturday, April 13, meet 9:30 a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP: James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Ka‘u Unity Celebration, Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. All ages. Free. Register same day. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Zentangle: Celtic-Inspired Knotwork with Ellen O'Dunn, Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Bring drawing supplies; loaner supplies available. Bring snack to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Hula Kahiko - Kumu Kini Ka‘awa with Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School, Saturday, April 13, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula with Loke Kamanu & ‘Ohana, Saturday, April 13, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Jazz in the Forest: Jazz Goes to the Movies, Saturday, April 13, 5:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Watch Jean Pierre Thoma and the Jazztones play along with a collection of tunes alongside a silver screen. $20/VAC member, $25/non-member. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Lava Lounge Entertainment, Saturday, April 13, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp. Soul Town performs. $5 cover per person. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

SUNDAY, APRIL 14
Palm Sunday Services, April 14, 9:30 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. 939-7000

Ocean View Easter Egg Hunt at Kahuku Park happens Sunday, April 14, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sponsored by D-Tech solutions, Robert Unger, 238-8441, is accepting donations of plastic eggs and individually wrapped candy.

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, April 14, 2nd Sunday monthly, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

MONDAY, APRIL 15
Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Monday, April 16, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church,
Ocean View. Low income pet parents and those with limited transportation qualify for mobile spay/neuter service. Free. Surgery by appointment only. Hawai‘i Island Humane Society, hihs.org, 796-0107

Discovery Harbour Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Monday, April 15, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

Hypertension Management, Monday, April 15 and 22, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym, with Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16
Walk for Fitness, Tuesday, April 16-June 25, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. 18+. Registration ongoing. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: Spring Collage, Tuesday, April 16, 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 8-12. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Hula Hoop Challenge, Tuesday, April 16, 2:45 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 April 8-12. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Tuesday, April 16, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

Walk & Fit, Tuesday and Thursday, April 16-May 23, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. 18+. Register April 3-15. Shoes required. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

After Dark in the Park: The Amazing, Almost Unbelievable, Story of the Coconut Palm, Tuesday, April 16, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. John Stallman of the Friends Institute of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, guides attendees on the epic journey of the modern palm, what has been called, "the most useful tree on Earth." Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
Early Head Start, Wednesday, April 17, 10 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Social get together for keiki and parents; open to public. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Easter Craft Day, Wednesday, April 17, 11 a.m. – pau, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; all ages. 939-2442

Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, April 17, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Arts and Crafts Activity: Spring Basket, Wednesday, April 17, 3:30-5p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki grades K-6 April 8-16. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, APRIL 18
Family Reading Night, Thursday, April 18, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Slide Show Presentation: On Sacred Ground, Thursday, April 18, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Dino Morrow, documentary and portrait photographer, shares an intimate collection of hula images. Free; $5 donations accepted. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

Beginning Farmer Institute Cohort Applications open through Monday, April 15. Free training program which "prepares new producers of any age or operation type for a successful future in agriculture." Applications at nfu.org/education/beginning-farmer-institute.

Kaʻū Coffee Fest invites non-profits, clubs, cooperatives, and businesses to sign up for booths 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. See KauCoffeeFestival.com.

     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. No campaign and other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208, Pāhala, HI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Exhibit: On Sacred Ground by Dino Morrow is open daily through Sunday, May 5 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to see documentary and protrait photography of Hula Arts at the Kīlauea Program. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.