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Sunday, August 18, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, August 18, 2019

Berkeley Yoshida, President of Kaʻū Hawaiian Civic Club, with his home grown floral display to welcome everyone 
to the 50th anniversary celebration on Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal
THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KAʻŪ HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB on Saturday in Pāhala experienced a song sung for the first time in public from Hawaiian songwriter, producer, and performer, Kenneth Makuakane. The words reflect on the history of Hawaiian activists as they gave their lives to stop military weapons testing on the island of Kahoʻolawe. The song also refers to the positive influences of such people as Israel Kamakawiwoʻole and his inspirational version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Its contemporary topic is the future of Maunakea, as protests continue regarding expansion of the telescope campus there, with the song acknowledging the reverence for the mauna that is felt by Hawaiian people. Makuakane, whose family is from Nāʻālehu, said he hopes to record the song very soon.
Kenneth Makuakane introduced a new song about Hawaiian
activism in the past and present. Photo by Julia Neal
     The Hawaiian Civic Club anniversary drew members from other civic clubs and many of the founders of the Kaʻū organization. Its president, Berkeley Yoshida, introduced one of the founders, and former Hawaiʻi Island mayor and state senator, Dante Carpenter, who described Kaʻū people as strong and independent. He worked for the old sugar plantation and told many stories of his life here.
     The chef for the evening was ʻĀina Akamu, who instructs future chefs at Kaʻū High School.

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U.S. CENSUS WORKERS ARE CANVASSING in the first major field operation of the 2020 Census. Address canvassing "improves and refines the Census Bureau's address list" of households nationwide, which is necessary to deliver invitations to respond to the census, explains a release from the bureau. The release states this step plays "a vital role in ensuring a complete and accurate count of everyone living in the United States." In-field address canvassing will continue through mid-October.
Keiki hula performers from Lori Lei's Hula Studio. Photo by Julia Neal
     Bureau Director Steven Dillingham said, "The Census Bureau is dedicated to ensuring that we are on track, and ready to accomplish the mission of the 2020 Census. We have made many improvements and innovations over the past decade, including better technologies for canvassing neighborhoods and developing complete and updated address listings and maps."
     The bureau created new software called the Block Assessment, Research, and Classification Application (BARCA). It compares satellite images of the United States over time, allowing Census Bureau employees to spot new housing developments, changes in existing homes and other housing units that did not previously exist. Reviewers also use BARCA to compare the number of housing units in current imagery with the number of addresses on file for each block.
     Bureau Geography Division Chief Deirdre Bishop said, "We were able to verify 65 percent of addresses using satellite imagery — a massive accomplishment for us. In 2010, we had to hire 150,000 people to verify 100 percent of the addresses in the field, this decade we will only have to hire about 40,000 employees around the nation to verify the remaining 35 percent of addresses." Find out how to get hired.
Dante Carpenter, one of the founders of the Kaʻū Hawaiian Civic Club,
spoke to the crowd at the club's 50th anniversary celebration.
Photo by Julia Neal
     To help identify address listers, employees will have badges and briefcases indicating their affiliation with the Census Bureau. They will introduce themselves as a Census Bureau employee, show their official government ID badge, and explain the purpose of the visit. People may also ask them for a picture ID from another source to confirm their identity. They will ask a few simple questions to verify the address and any additional living quarters on the property for inclusion in the census. The 2020 Census: In-Field Address Canvassing (IFAC) Viewer provides county information on areas that listers will visit.
     Said Marilyn Sanders, Chicago regional director, said, "Ultimately, the success of the census depends on everyone's participation. And it's important to remember, when you respond to the census you shape your future and the future of your community."
Kūpuna hula dancers performed at the Kaʻū Hawaiian Civic Club's
50th anniversary celebration. Photo by Julia Neal
     The 2020 Census officially starts counting people in January 2020 in Toksook BayAlaska. Most households in the country will start receiving invitations to respond online, by phone, or by mail, in March 2020. The U.S. Constitution mandates that a census of the population be conducted once every 10 years. Census data is used to determine the number of seats each state holds in Congress, and how more than $675 billion in federal funds are distributed for services and infrastructure, including health care, jobs, schools, roads, and businesses. 
     For more information on address canvassing, visit the Census Bureau website.

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MAHI‘AI A OLA FOOD GROWING PROGRAM is a joint effort by Kamehameha Schools (KS) and The Kohala Center (TKC). Nearly 90 percent of Hawaiʻi's food is imported, states a release from the groups, so the school and center are engaged in an ongoing effort to "find and partner with farmers to increase local food production." KS and TKC launched Mahi‘ai a Ola, a campaign to support local farmers, agricultural education, and innovative solutions to improve food security this week.
     Mahiʻai a Ola is "an ʻāina-based lifestyle concept that is not about living to eat but rather eating to live. In the larger food system, farmers don’t just cultivate food, they cultivate minds, families, and communities," states the release.
     Mahiʻai a Ola is an initiative that evolved from the Mahiʻai Match-Up program, which began in 2013, as an "opportunity to increase agricultural awareness in support of the farming industry, while reinvigorating innovation, community connections, and a commitment to future generations." Mahiʻai a Ola is made up of three programs:
     Mahiʻai Match-Up is an agricultural business plan competition. The winner is awarded a five-year land agreement with KS and a $10,000 cash prize, donated by Ulupono Initiative. The winner will have the support of KS land asset managers, with wrap-around business services and financial guidance from The Kohala Center. Applications for the contest are due by September 20.
     Mahiʻai a Ao is a scholarship awards program for various agriculture-related educational programs, in partnership with GoFarm Hawaiʻi
     MahiX is an open innovation challenge, seeking cooperative solutions to Hawaiʻi's most pressing agricultural issues.
     Funds raised on behalf of Mahiʻai a Ola will provide scholarships and funding for new and innovative ideas and initiatives that support agriculture and food security.
     Marissa Harman, KS Asset Management Director on Hawai’i Island, said, "When you break down the concept of mahiʻai – it's about the energy and the vigor of working with the land. It's also part of the word ʻāina. Together, it's about sustaining oneself, one's community – feeding the mind, body, and spirit. Because farmers, like students, thrive in a healthy environment, Mahiʻai a Ola is about more than land and money; it is about honoring our mahiʻai as exemplars in our community, true lāhui lifters, who not only grow food but provide sustenance for all."
Food farms on Kamehameha Schools lands. Photo from Kamehameha Schools
     Cheryl Ka‘uhane Lupenui, president and chief executive officer of The Kohala Center, said, "The Mahi‘ai a Ola initiative is truly a unique opportunity for our Hawaiʻi Island farmers. Not only will we be able to grow more local food, but we can grow more viable mahi‘ai working with ‘āina as a meaningful way of life in Hawai‘i. It takes hard work, resources, innovation, and a love for the land to feed our families, neighbors, and communities. This is mahi‘ai a ola. The Mahi‘ai a Ola campaign unites friends and farmers to strengthen our relationship with food for the greater health and well-being of our communities and ‘āina."
     KS stewards more than 160,000 acres of agricultural land on Hawaiʻi Island. Farmers on KS land raise a variety of crops such as papaya, bananas, vegetables, ʻulu, Kona coffee, macadamia nuts, and cacao, and livestock such as pigs and cattle.
     TKC has worked to support the Hawaiʻi island food system with farmer training programs, youth education initiatives, and rural and cooperative business development services "to inspire future generations of food producers and help them succeed."
     To learn more about Mahi‘ai a Ola, or to enter the Mahi‘ai Match-up competition, visit ksbe.edu/mahiai.

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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
2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through August
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates; Bowling TBA.

Football, Division II:
Sat., Aug. 24, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Tue., Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Hilo
Fri., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts St. Joseph
Wed., Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kohala

Cross Country:
Sat., Aug. 31, 10 a.m., @Christian Liberty

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UPCOMING
MONDAY, AUG. 19
Forest Restoration Project: Faya Tree Removal (12+), register by Monday, Aug. 19 for Friday, Aug. 23 event from 8:30a.m.-1p.m., HVNP. Organized by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Park entrance fees may apply. Space limited. R.S.V.P. to Patty Kupchak, 352-1402, forest@fhvnp.orgfhvnp.org

Empower Girls Mtg., Monday, Aug. 19, from 3-4:30p.m., PARENTS, Inc. office, Nā‘ālehu. Registration required. Diana, 935-4805

TUESDAY, AUG. 20
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, Aug. 20 (Committees), Wednesday, Aug. 21, (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Concert with Artist-in-Residence Andy Jarema, After Dark in the Park, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 7p.m.Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. The Detroit-based musician and composer uses a mixture of sound-collage techniques, his trumpet, and traditional scoring to make site-specific work. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 21
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, Aug. 21, 12:30-1:30p.m.Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Registration Open: Kickball Instruction, Wednesday, Aug. 21-28, Kahuku Park. Program on Fridays, 2-3:30p.m, from Aug. 30-Sept. 27, for ages 6-12. Athletic shoes required. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, AUG. 22
Registration Open: Handprint Trees, Thursday, Aug. 22-Sept. 3, Ka‘ū District Gym multipurpose room. Program for grades K-8 takes place Wednesday, Sept. 4, 3:30-5p.m. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, Aug. 22, 3-4p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 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, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

SATURDAY, AUG. 24
Pickleball at KMC, Saturday, Aug. 24, and Sunday, Aug. 25, Kīlauea Military Camp Tennis Courts, HVNP. $10 in advance. Registration forms at KMC recreation Lodge. 967-8352 or Jim Buck, kilaueajimmy@gmail.com. KMC open to all patrons, and has certain Terms of Service. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com 

Kapapala Ranch Tour by Volcano Community Foundation, Saturday, Aug. 24, time TBA, Volcano Art Center. Travel along the Peter Lee Road that runs between Pāhala and Volcano, built in 1988. See Volcano Art Center's partner event listed for Aug. 8. $50/person includes lunch. Reserve a space, 895-1011, volcanocommunity@gmail.com

Realms and Divisions, Sat., Aug. 24, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, moderately difficult, two-mile, hike. Bring snack. nps.gov/havo

Dances of Universal Peace, Saturday, Aug. 24, 6-7:30p.m., Methodist Church hall, across from Nā‘ālehu post office. Fun, easy to learn dances from many traditions evoking peace. Donations welcome. No registration necessary. 939-9461

SUNDAY, AUG. 25
Free Entry to all National Parks - NP Service 103rd Anniversary, Sunday, Aug. 25. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

Give Input on the Draft General Plan for Hawaiʻi County on Sunday, Aug. 25, at Nāʻālehu Community Center from 9 a.m. to 2p.m. Drop in anytime to talk with planners. Download the Draft General Plan.

Palm Trail, Sun., Aug. 25, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, moderately difficult hike - 2.6-mile loop. nps.gov/havo

A Taste of Tea & Pottery 2019, Saturday, Aug. 25, noon-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. Annual fundraiser for VAC's Fire Arts Programs. $30/VAC members, $35/non-member, includes choice of one handmade tea cup or bowl, tasting of several freshly brewed Hawai‘i grown teas, and option to participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Door prizes, silent auction, and cookies, packaged tea, and tea cups available for purchase. Vote for favorite Hawai‘i grown tea through Taster's Choice Award. Hands-on experiences with clay and demonstrations. Eva Lee speaks. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING
Applications for Grants to Steward PONC Protected Lands on Hawaiʻi Island are open through Friday, Aug. 31. In Kaʻū, areas of the Kahuku Coast, Kahua Olohu, and Kāwā Bay are eligible. Only 501(c)3 non-profits or organizations that operate under the umbrella of a 501(c)3 non-profit should apply.
     Applications are available at records.hawaiicounty.gov/weblink/1/edoc/95324/2018-19%20PONC%20Stewardship%20Grant%20Request.pdf. Information and applications are also available at the P&R office, Aupuni Center101 Pauahi Street, Suite 6Hilo. Completed applications must be submitted or postmarked by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 31, 2018. Questions? Contact Reid Sewake at 961-8311.

Volcano Winery's Annual Fundraising Harvest Festival Tickets are on sale at volcanowinery.com or (808) 967-7772. Proceeds benefit Volcano School of Arts & Sciences; last year's event sold out. This sixth festive evening of live music, food, wines and craft beers under the stars happens Sunday, Sept. 84-7p.m. The $50 per person tickets include live music entertainment by Young Brothers; delicious food and drink from local restaurants; award-winning wines and teas from the Volcano Winery; tours of the vineyards and a huge raffle.

Exhibit - Nani Ka ‘Ikena by Volcano local photographer Jesse Tunison, daily through Sept. 15, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Nani Ka ʻIkena, that which is seen is beautiful, features vibrant colors and crisp, wide vistas which highlight the character and drama of Hawaiʻi Island’s landscape. The collection of ten photographs were captured over the past decade by Tunison and also document the dynamic changes which have occurred in such a short period of time. "While the landscape has changed the beauty has endured." Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.orgkaucoffeemill.com

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