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Sunday, April 14, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, April 14, 2019

Boys & Girls Club members of Kaʻū collaborated with this art presented at Kaʻū Unity Celebration at Kaʻū District Gym
 on Saturday. See photos and story below. Photos by Julia Neal
UNITY IS THE THEME of the celebration and educational event on Saturday at the Kaʻū District Gym. The Collective, a group of students aided by nonprofit and government agency representatives, as well as local businesses, brought together health, social service and youth opportunity organizations, accompanied by hula, music and food from the culinary class of Kaʻū High School.
     Mayor Harry Kim and major sponsor Ed Olson attended the third annual Kaʻū Unity Celebration. Outreach included opportunities to apply to attend Kamehameha School programs, sign up for Summer Fun, and to become a Youth Ranger with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.           
     Kaʻū's community police officer Shawn Ibarra and retired community police officer Bill Doar photographed children and issued their free keiki id's. Kaʻū High's culinary class, led by ʻĀina Akamu, cooked for the crowd to raise funds for a trip to Japan in June. Kumu hula Debbie Ryder presented her Pāhala students' dancing.
Keiki dancers taught in the Pāhala school by Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder.
     Health organizations provided free blood pressure tests, new opportunities to receive medical care, family and veterans assistance and counseling.
Aukai and Kamele McDaniel promote the Junior
Ranger program for high school students.
     Family therapist Joe Soong from Child & Family Services answered questions about families and the courts, foster homes and treatment services.
     Dr. Gaku Yamaguchi and Bernie Freitas talked about the new Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi physician services with expectations of bringing doctors to patients' homes. The Hui Malama crew promoted transportation services, classes in Kaʻū on diabetes management, hypertension, nutrition, and one called Healthy at Any Size. They shared information on health education and screenings, pregnancy, immunizations, exercise and fitness, support groups, and traditional Hawaiian health practices.
     Ulu Makuakane introduced the Pain Injury and Brain Centers of America's Myoneurovascular Therapy, with treatments previously used mostly by professional athletes.
Students from the Pāhala campus
entertained for Unity Day.
     Maricar Souza, BSB, a Veteran Outreach Specialist, shared a vast array of veterans programs from health care initiatives, golf, tai chi, yoga, art, poetry and equine therapy to paddle boarding and veteran fishing groups, with the next outing June 22 and a tournament Aug. 3.
     Kupono McDaniel, Youth and Volunteer Programs Coordinator at Hawai Volcanoes National Park, presented the history of the Youth Ranger Program, in its tenth year providing training and work for Kaʻū High School students.
Ulu Makuakane introduced
Myoneurovascular Therapy.
     Dolly Kailiawa presented art from the Boys & Girls Club members, inspired by diversity of the community and Kaʻū's Special Places.
     Nona Makuakane, of the county Parks & Recreation, helped to sign up keiki for this year's Summer Fun program,
     PARENTS, Inc. presented Restoring Hope programs with group meeting for children and teens and their caregivers.
     Bay Clinic presented its many medical and dental services and handed out educational materials along with free pedometers, to help keep track of the number of steps taken for exercise.
     Tūtū & Me explained its mobile classroom for preschool children and their families.
     See more photos below.

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Bay Clinic staff presented educational
materials and gave away pedometers.
NET NEUTRALITY may be closer to reinstatement. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard voted this week to pass H.R.1644, the Save the Internet Act. She is an original cosponsor of the bill. The Act would undo the FCC's repeal of net neutrality, and includes enhanced transparency protections, restoring specific rules against blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization. It would empower the FCC to investigate consumer and business complaints, and, when necessary, fine internet service providers for violations of the Communications Act.
     The legislation passed the House on nearly partisan lines by a vote of 232-190. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Kamehameha Schools reaches out to Kaʻū keiki.
     Said Gabbard, "Today's vote and passage of the Save the Internet Act is a stand against the pervasive influence of corporate interests in our democracy and the FCC's repeal of net neutrality. It will help to provide fair and open access to the Internet, ensure the free flow of information, and prevent big companies from stifling competition online. This bill also restores vital FCC authority to bring broadband—especially the educational and economic opportunities it provides—to rural and tribal communities to address the fact that nearly a quarter of the people in these communities do not have access to broadband internet services at home."

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NEW HAWAIʻI DEMOCRATIC OFFICERS FOR HAWAIʻI ISLAND won election at the county convention in Honokaʻa yesterday. Heather Kimball, from Hamakua, a graduate in environmental sciences from University of Hawaiʻi - Hilo, is the new Hawaiʻi County Chair for the Democratic Party. She takes the place of former County Council member Margarette Wille, who stepped down after completing her term.
Tūtū & Me tells family members of all ages about
its preschool work in Kaʻū.
      Rep. Richard Creagan is the west Kaʻū member of the Democratic Central Committee representing Honuʻapo up the Ka`u Coast. Lennart Lundstrom is the east Kaʻū member of the Democratic Central Committee representing Honuʻapo into Puna.
     Countywide, Gerri Carvalho Kahili is east side vice chair; Zahava Zaidoff is westside vice chair. Jeff McKnight is secretary. Colleen Kelly is assistant secretary. Chuck Grigsby is treasurer. Amy Miwa is assistant Treasurer. Luella Nohea Crutcher is the non-male kānaka ʻōiwi, and Devin Ali’i Keanaaina is the non-female kānaka ʻōiwi.
      The outgoing chair encouraged Democrats to stick together and to come together to support whomever becomes the Democrat's nominee to run for President. She called the candidates "an exceptional array." She said the presidential race "is likely the most important political fight in our life time: taking back the presidency and if possible also taking back the Senate."

A keiki signs up for an ID card with Officers
Shawn Ibarra and Bill Doar.
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HAWAIʻI'S BEST CHEAP CAR INSURANCE COMPANIES are ranked by personal finance website WalletHub. Researchers recently obtained 432 quotes for drivers across the state, and found Pacific Indemnity, Federal Insurance Company, Travelers, Phoenix Insurance Company, and Metropolitan to provide the least expensive coverage.
     Key findings in WalletHub's recent report state that 54 million Americans say they don't understand their car insurance. The report found that 75 percent of drivers – 125 million people – say they want the best car insurance, not the cheapest coverage; 14 percent of people say they would not buy car insurance if not legally required, with millennials being two times more likely than boomers to agree; 71 percent of people say it's unfair for gender to be a factor in car insurance pricing, with 65 percent saying they feel the same way about credit scores affecting car insurance costs.
     The average adult in the U.S. spends roughly $1,000 per year on coverage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – more than is spent on fruits and vegetables, alcoholic beverages, or pets, for example. 64 million people, or 26 percent, say they want the cheapest car insurance rather than the best coverage.
Kaʻū's Special Places inspire keiki paintings from the Boys & Girls Club.
     WalletHub reports that a lack of financial literacy also plays a major role in consumers' attitudes toward car insurance. Roughly 54 million people – 22 percent of U.S. adults – say they do not understand their car insurance, WalletHub found. In other words, as invested as Americans are in protecting their vehicles, "millions of drivers still need a learner's permit when it comes to their car insurance policy."
Bernie Freitas and Dr. Gaku Yamaguchi
talk about more outreach with physicians
coming to homes in the future.
     Part of the reason for consumers' uncertainty is the selection of insurance companies and regulations. Douglas Heller, an insurance expert with the Consumer Federation of America, told WalletHub, "There are at least three areas in which the state in which you live will affect how much you pay for coverage." Minimum coverage levels vary by state. "Each state monitors, or regulates, the insurance industry in different ways," Heller said. "In some states, such as California, before raising or changing rates and pricing practices, insurance companies must go through a strict review by government actuaries, lawyers, and other experts to ensure that rates are not inadequate, excessive, or unfairly discriminatory." The third reason, according to Heller, is that "states may have different risk profiles related to things like traffic density, road conditions and maintenance, weather, and the cost of injury care and car repair."
     This, along with a general lack of subject-matter understanding among consumers, may also help explain why 63 million people, or 25 percent of U.S. adults, have never switched car insurance policies. Picking a policy the first time may have been hard enough, and no one wants to trade down by mistake.
     There are also some trends in car insurance pricing that many consumers do not agree with on the basis of fairness, reports WalletHub. For example, people with no credit pay an average of 67 percent more for car insurance than people with excellent credit. Two-thirds of WalletHub survey respondents believe it's unfair for credit scores to affect car insurance costs, yet most drivers don't realize just how much of an impact their credit actually has.
Event sponsor Ed Olson and Mayor Harry Kim.
     Hawaiʻi is one of only three states that ban the use of credit data in car insurance pricing, but "all should," said J. Robert Hunter, director of insurance with the Consumer Federation of America. "It is a proxy for prohibited classes of income and race." In other words, credit data could be a seemingly palatable way for car insurance companies to discriminate against certain groups, reports WalletHub.
     Car insurance companies also factor gender and geography into policy pricing. More than 70 percent of surveyed people said it's unfair to include gender in car insurance pricing. In contrast, 50 percent think zip codes should factor in. WalletHub reports that it may be that gender and geography have a legitimate role in insurance pricing given their impact on risk.
     Robert L. Rabin, the A. Calder Mackay Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, said a "combination of road design, speed limits, enforcement and driving culture," make it more risky to drive in some cities and states than others.
Nona Makuakane signs up kids for Summer Fun.
     Susan A. Shaheen, co-director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley, said, "Differences in weather patterns, traffic congestion and crime are key underlying factors, too. Often variations in rates are impacted by geography, and more specifically, weather." Other important considerations include "city size and traffic congestion – which can contribute to higher accident rates – demographic variations in the average age of a metro area – younger drivers and older adults can be associated with higher levels of risk – and crime – both vehicle theft and vandalism."
     New tools are making it easier than ever to find the best car insurance at the lowest price, reports WalletHub. There are several steps in particular that cost-conscious drivers can take to save on car insurance:
     Take advantage of discounts: Being a veteran or student, signing up for paperless statements, having a good driving record, bundling policies, and anti-theft systems are all possible ways to get discounts.
Family therapist Joe Soon explains programs of Child & Family Services.
Photos by Julia Neal
     Build good credit: People with no credit pay 67% more than people with excellent credit on average.
     Drive safely: Safe drivers with no history of accidents, tickets, or arrests can look forward to cheaper rates than people who haven't been as responsible.
     Look locally: Plenty of car insurance companies only cater to customers in certain regions or states. These local insurers may provide lower rates but are often overlooked. Make sure to include them in insurance comparisons.
     Choose a higher deductible: An insurer may lower monthly rates in return for a lower deductible. This approach makes the most sense for infrequent drivers.
     Consider pay-per-mile plans: The insurance company will place a device in the insured vehicle that tracks mileage, and may also track speed and braking, all of which would influence rates.
     There are also things state and local governments can do to improve the car insurance landscape for their constituents. Douglas Heller of the Consumer Federation of America said, "The most significant thing a state can do to promote inexpensive car insurance is require insurance companies to justify their rates and practices before they can raise prices on drivers. Since governments require that drivers purchase auto insurance, the government has a special obligation to ensure that prices are fair and affordable."

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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 Trojans Spring Sports Schedule
Baseball:
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 19, BIIF Finals
Sat., April 20, BIIF Finals
Wed., May 1-4, HHSAA
Boys Volleyball:
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 20, 9 a.m., @Kamehameha
Fri., April 26, 2 p.m., BIIF Semi-Finals
Sat., April 27, 3 p.m., BIIF Finals
Fri.-Sat., May 3-4, HHSAA

JUST ANNOUNCED
KDENte FUNDRAISING DINNER at Amalfatano's Italian Restaurant in Hilo happens Friday, May 3, at 6 p.m. Proceeds help with Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network's upcoming productions, including the 2019 summer musical, Flower Drum Song - see audition details, below. Buffet dinner includes pizza, a pasta dish, lasagna, and a salad. Iced tea and water aree provided; otherwise BYOB. Tickets are $20 per person, cash or check, at the door. Reservations at 982-7344 or kden73@aol.com.

AUDITIONS FOR FLOWER DRUM SONG, Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network's summer musical, happen Tuesday and Wednesday, May 20 and 21, 6:30 p.m. at Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical has parts for all ages and abilities. Auditioneers should prepare to sing a song that best shows their vocal range and dress comfortably to move on the stage. There will be cold readings as well.
     Flower Drum Song is set in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1958. The plot revolves around contract marriages, unrequited love, a night club, and the changing times. Songs include A Hundred Million Miracles, I Enjoy Being a Girl, Love Look Away, and Chop Suey.
     Principal characters include: Wang Ta, a young Chinese-American man; Mei-Li, the innocent picture bride; Sammy Fong, the nightclub owner; Linda Low, the entertainer at Sammy's nightclub; Wang Chi-Yang, elder in the community and father of Wang Ta; a college student; Madame Liang, Wang Ta's aunt; Helen Chao, seamstress; Frankie Wing, the comedian; and Wang San, Ta's little brother. There are numerous other roles, children's parts, and a dance ensemble.
     The show will run July 12 through 28, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.

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REMINDER
Beginning Farmer Institute Cohort Applications are 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.

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UPCOMING
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

FRIDAY, APRIL 19
Keiki Jiggle Bums, Friday, April 19, 3rd Friday monthly, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. Discover the joy of early learning through song and musical instruments. For keiki 0-4 years. Nicola, 238-8544

SATURDAY, APRIL 20
Fee-Free Day at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Saturday, April 20. Park entrance fees waived in celebration of National Park week. nps.gov/HAVO

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Earth Day Community Cleanup, Saturday, April 20. Free; donations appreciated. BYO-4WD welcome. RSVP: kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest Application Deadline, Saturday, April 20. sales@kaucoffeemill.com, kaucoffeemill.comkaucoffeefestival.com

Annual Wellness Fair and Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Kaʻū District Gym. Easter Egg Hunt begins at 10 a.m. Educators encouraged to participate. Volunteers welcome. Free.

Junior Ranger Day at Kahuku, Saturday, April 20, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Program debut. Keiki who complete the junior ranger handbook (illustrated by Hawai‘i artists) earn a wooden junior ranger badge, junior ranger certificate, and will be sworn in by a National Park Service ranger. Free. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

SUNDAY, APRIL 21
Easter Brunch, Sunday, April 21, 7 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café. Menu includes Honey Glazed Ham, Beef Pot Roast with Gravy, Omelet Station, Waffle Bar with Sauce and Toppings, and more. No reservations required. $17.95/adult, $10.95/ages 6-11. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, April 21, 9 a.m. in the ‘Ōhi‘a Room, Kīlauea Military Camp. Open to keiki 10 years and under; bring Easter basket. Register: 967-8352 before 8:45 a.m. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Easter Sunday Services, April 21, 9:30 a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. 939-7000

ONGOING
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 208PāhalaHI 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.

Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade happens Saturday, June 29 at 11 a.m. The parade route begins at the Nāʻālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nāʻālehu Hongwanji Mission. To participate, call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872.

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