Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, July 25, 2013

Students and teachers of the Miloli`ihipu`u Virtual Academy meet the crew members of the Hokule`a and Hikianali`a Polynesian Voyaging
Society Canoes at Miloli`i during a stop at the remote Hawaiian coastal village this week. Photo from Polynesian Voyaging Society

HOKULE`A IS AT MILOLI`I TODAY. She and her sister Polynesian sailing canoe Hikianalia arrived in Miloli`i on Tuesday at dawn and these wa`a kaulua are expected to continue their 1,000-mile voyage around the Hawaiian Islands by week’s end. When the two doulbe-hulled canoes sailed into waters off Miloli`i, pilot whales welcomed them and the crews chanted the Hokule`a Ha`a to awaiting villagers. On shore and on the canoes, the crews are teaching and interacting with students of the Miloli`ihipu`u Virtual Academy, a satellite of the Kua O Ka La Public New Century Charter School.
     For Miloli`ihipu`u, students meet at the Miloli`i Pavillion on the shoreline and take classes online and with their mentors. They learn without a school building, gym or cafeteria, getting much of their exercise in the ocean, on hikes, and field trips, and learning Hawaiian language and arts along the way.

Polynesian Voyaging Society canoe at Milloli`i this week.
Photo by Peter Anderson

    According to its facebook page, the word Hipu`u within the name Miloli`ihipu`u "refers to the knots that bind the strands of a fishing net. This program aims to bind students to knowledge, their families, and a supportive network of communities."
      "The program goal is to meet kids where they are and provide remediation if needed." The program promises to provide opportunities for face to face instruction and social interaction; engage and connect students at camp and with their broader community; and provide parents with quarterly workshops on "how to help their keiki."
     "In the Miloli`i site the staff and volunteer community provide project hands on activities for the kids. We have a school garden, we do multi media classes, Hawaiian culture with Hula, oli and olelo. We also provide the kids physical opportunities like volleyball and basketball. We take the kids on field trips around the island and provide snacks and support in Miloli`i," the facebook page says.
     The voyage of the Hokule`a and Hikianalia through the Hawaiian Islands is called Malama Hawai`i and is the beginning of a worldwide voyage called Malama Honua. The worldwide voyage begins with sailing to Tahiti in May of 2014.
     According to the Polynesian Voyaging Society, "The mission of Hōkūle‘a’s Worldwide Voyage is to navigate toward a healthy and sustainable future for ourselves, our home – the Hawaiian Islands – and our Island Earth through voyaging and new ways of learning. Our core message is to mālama (care for) Island Earth – our natural environment, children and all humankind."
    Maps and the sailing plan for the Malama Hawai`i and Malama Honua voyages, along with video, photographs and reporting on the sailing in the ocean and the interacting with communities can be viewed at the Polynesian Voyaging Society's website http://hokulea.org.
To comment on this story go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar
   
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS receiving money directly from County Council members’ contingency funds was defended yesterday by Ka`u council member Brenda Ford. She was arguing against a measure before the council that would bar council members from providing direct funding to non-profits in their district. Each council member currently receives $98,877 a year and can spend that money to help their districts through county agencies or direct funding of non-profit organizations.

Crew chants Hokuli`a Ha`a coming into Miloli`i this week.
Photo from Polynesian Voyaging Society

      According to a story by Nancy Cook Lauer in this morning’s Hawai`i Tribune Herald, Hilo council member Dennis Onishi argued for the ban, noting that nonprofits can apply to agencies for grants, rather than to council members.
      The story reports Ford saying “We have been given a certain amount of money for our district to help the people in our district. This bill prevents me from helping the most needy in my district.”
      Margaret Wille, the attorney and council member from Kohala, defended the council members providing money to their district nonprofits and said the council members do provide the oversight for expenditures of the funds.
      Contingency funds are far less than they were last year. In his budget, Mayor Billy Kenoi reduced them from $300,000 a year to $100,000 year. They were reduced a few thousand more to provide funding to continue the Ocean View interactive center where Ka`u people can watch council and commission proceedings and testify during county council and other meetings, the Tribune Herald story noted. The issue involved many hours of debate and decision-making was delayed, the newspaper reported. See more at http://hawaiitribune-herald.com.

KA`U CHAMBER OF COMMERCE scholarships are announced. The winner is Tyler Amaral, with his essay entitled A World Without Computers? Not in My Community. Amaral receives a $350 scholarship and the other winners receive $250 each. "They are all winning essays," said Ka`u Chamber president Dallas Decker. Ka`u Chamber first vice president and scholarship chair Lee McIntosh reports the following winning students: Tyler Amaral of Na`alehu, a Ka`u High School graduate who will attend Hawai`i Community College in Hilo this fall; Kayla Andrade, of Na`alehu, a sophmore at University of Hawai`i at Manoa; Leah Velasco Cariaga, of Na`alehu, a Ka`u High 

Ka`u Chamber Scholarship Winner
Tyler Amaral

graduate who will begin University of Hawai`i-Hilo studies this fall;  Radhika Dockstader, of Na`alehu, a sophmore at  UH-Hilo; Donald Garo Jr., of Pahala, a Ka`u High graduate who will be a freshman at HCC-Hilo this fall;  Amber Leigh V. Hondonero, of Na`alehu, a graduate of Ka`u High who will begin studies at HCC and UH-Hilo this fall; Benjamin Houghton, of Ocean View, a Ka`u High graduate who will attend HCC this fall; Gregory Kirk Javar, Jr., of Pahala, a Ka`u High graduate who will attend UH-Hilo this fall; Marley Strand-Nicolaisen, of Na`alehu, a graduate of Ka`u High who will attend UH-Hilo this fall; Tiana Pascubillo, of Na`alehu, a graduate of Ka`u High who will attend HCC-Hilo this fall; and Louise Vivien B. Santos, of Pahala, a graduate of Ka`u High who will attend UH-Hilo this fall.

     Here is the winning essay by Tyler Amaral: 

     A World Without Computers? Not in My Community

      Imagine a world where there are no computers, television, smart-phones, or anything electrical. Think about it, there would be no way to do the things people love to do, there would be no email, no YouTube, nothing to do with the Internet. How would people react? Thankfully, there are electronic devices, for now. But, what happens when they break? Who will be able to fix them? This is where my plan comes in. My plan will definitely help the town of Kau, by going to college to study computer and fix computers. With this information, I would love to teach people in my community how to use computers successfully and hopefully they will learn to love using computers. I would also like to offer a free or really cheap computer workshop so I can fix computers for everyone. I know that some may not be able to fix their computers because most of the stores charge a very high price. Hopefully this business will also make money as well.
     The reason why I chose computers as a passion is because a lot of things are becoming computerized and if you don't know how to use computers, then it will be very difficult to find a job. Another thing is that computers can be used for a variety of different purposes from doing research to writing a report to watching a movie. Keeping in touch with people all over the world using email and "skype."

Ka`u residents can take their computers almost everywhere.

    Since I like computers a lot, I decided to focus on that as a senior project. For my senior project, I needed to spend a minimum of 40 hours on something, and I figured that I could spend that much time fixing computers. So, after that I decided that, I had to figure out a good project so I would get approved. After thinking, I saw that a lot of people did not own computers in my community, so I decided that I would donate computers to the needy families of Kau. As of February 25, 2013, I was able to donate five computers, free of cost, to families that need them. These families vary in ethnicity, age, and yet, they all still need computers, because computers are universal. I donated a tower to the local youth group, and four complete systems (tower, monitor, cables, keyboard, mice) to four local families in Hawaii. One of those families is living in a bus. Another family is living with a grandmother in a foster home situation.
     Other than that, I also plan to help set up weekly programs to help teach people about computers. I would generally like to teach a class of intermediate/high school age students and the senior citizens. I chose those two groups because the students are the right age to learn and retain information regarding computers. I chose the elderly because they might like to use their computers to keep in touch with their families via email and videoconferencing. I would like to teach the intermediate/high school age students basic computer skills such as maintenance, fixing, and maybe even simple web design. I would like to teach the elderly basic things such as running programs, email, and maybe even basic computer maintenance.
     I will also continue to donate regularly to the needy families of Hawaii. I will also love to work at the local elementary or high school as a computer technician, which I believe I am able to handle since I have completed my senior project.

     See other winning student essays in upcoming news briefs and in The Ka`u Calendar newspaper. ‎To comment on this story go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar

KAHUKU PALM TRAIL BY GPS & COMPASS is the program for keiki of all ages at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At least one adult family member or adult group leader must accompany the children. Enjoy a free lunch and participate in cultural craft demonstrations. Bring a refillable water bottle and sturdy hiking shoes. Registration is required for this free event. Call 985-6019.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. 

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR. 

                                                       PUBLIC NOTICES

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, July 24, 2013

County of Hawai`i plans to expand installation of solar to fire and police stations around the island, following the success of the
solar installed in parking areas and rooftops at the West Hawai`i Civic Center. Photo from Hawai`i County

COUNTY ENERGY COORDINATOR Will Rolston and county Department of Research & Development chief Laverne Omori provided a presentation on the County of Hawai`i – Energy Program to the County Council Committee on Agriculture, Water and Energy Sustainability yesterday.
      Council member Brenda Ford pointed out that the plan describes 19 locations, most of them police and fire stations that are open 24/7 where the Energy Program proposes installing photovoltaic equipment to not only produce electricity for the sites but also to generate revenue for the county by selling electricity to Hawaiian Electric Light Co.  “The challenge is that the county has to work with HELCO to make sure that PV will not overload the grid at various locations,” Ford said.

  An Energy Transformation chart was presented, showing that now there is work on Energy Efficiency and on-Site Renewables. Over the next year will be continued work on On-Site Renewables and Transportation projects which will continue into the next two years along with Utility Grid Initiatives. The long-term plan is to work on Energy Demonstration Sites as well as Economic, Efficiency & Education, the chart shows.
      The presentation offered an Energy Project Portfolio, including efficiency retrofits, using 1,000 LED lamps, a PHEV fleet, Waste-2-Energy and H2 Buses.
      The West Hawai`i Civic Center solar system was given as an example of not only powering the building (100% renewable power until 3 a.m. most days) that garners $100,000 in savings per year. It also noted six electrical vehicle chargers for five plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and said the county plans to install more chargers and a possible additional storage system for the solar energy.
      The plan also calls for windmills to help reduce the electric bills for pumping county water. These would be the power bills included in water bills sent out by the county.
      The document is available to read on Ka`u County Council member Brenda Ford’s website at also at www.hawaiicounty.gov/district6.

THE PROPOSED HAWAI`I ACADEMY OF ARTS & SCIENCE satellite in Pahala Hongwanji made the headlines in West Hawai`i Today and Hawai`i Tribune Herald this morning. The Colin M. Stewart story quotes HAAS Principal Steve Hirakami saying, “We have had a lot of recent demand for our online program, especially in rural areas.”
     “We’re looking for temporary, or part-time, office space out there (in Pahala). This would be our only site outside of Pahoa, although we’ve got students taking the classes all over the place, in Kona, Ka`u, Honoka`a,” he told the Tribune Herald reporter.

     The story reports that the state Public Charter School Commission’s Performance & Accountability Committee will meet on Thursday. The proposal for adding the satellite location is on the agenda. The commission is expected to take up the matter at its next meeting in August, the story reports.      

HAAS Principal Steve Hirakami

     Hirakami told the Tribune Herald reporter the HAAS home base in Pahoa means that students from far away places must travel long distances for face-time sessions at the school. The satellite location in Pahala would save students the trouble. “We’re wanting to provide our students in one area with a place, rather than taking that long drive,” he told the newspaper.
      Stewart writes that “According to the request submitted to the Charter School Commission, the HAAS site addition would be effective no sooner than Aug. 1, and could serve up to 35 students during the coming school year.
      “In light of some concerns within the Pahala community about traffic and safety issues that could arise, Hirakami was careful to note that the program does not currently have 35 Pahala-area students signed up, nor would the building normally see that many students on any given day,” the Tribune Herald story reports.
      The story quotes Hirakami saying that “This is all in an exploratory phase at this point. No commitments have been made, no teachers have been hired. A lot of that is depending on demand. We just have a handful of students in the area at the moment. … Even if we had 35, you’d be lucky to have five out of the 35 at the facility on a given day. It’s all virtual; this is not a traditional brick-and-mortar school.”  See more at www.hawaiittribune-herald.com
      Ocean View resident and parent Hunter Bedgood sent in testimony o the State Public Charter School Commission supporting the Pahala Hongwanji location, stating: “I urge all concerned in this matter with regard to your authority, to please see through the smoke and mirrors. I speak to you regarding the proposed meeting place where parents and students in Ka`u can excersize their Constitutional right to free assembly. There is some static regarding this right. This location will serve as a meet and greet for students, parents and teachers. The curriculum is online and state approved. Having a location for where everyone can mingle is critical in socialization as well as additional clarity to where the students progress is. Letting a few biased individuals with their own agenda derail an incredible opportunity for our children is wrong. 

Pahala Hongwanji School after re-roofing with funding from Olson Trust in 2012 is proposed site for Pahala Learning Academy.
 Photo by Julia Neal

     “The Hawai`i Academy of Arts& Science Charter School has state approved curriculum that has incredible success to reach and equip students. This and other alternative schools have a much better success rate than the standard public school system here in Hawai`i as well as the mainland. The fact that this available in our district should be seen as a blessing. The possibilities for our children to get the best education possible is the number one priority. In my opinion allowing anyone or anything to prevent this should be stopped and scrutinized in order to uncover their true motives.”
      Green Sands resident Jendayi Miller wrote: “Please consider tabling any action on the expansion of HAAS into Ka`u until a use permit is issued by The County of Hawai`i Planning Commission/Department.”
      Kaaren Sue Hughes wrote, “We feel it is very important to have a charter school at Pahala, Hi. We feel there will be more guidance, structure, teaching ability and in general the children will be able to learn in a more positive environment. If the charter school does not materialize we will have no other option but to home school our child. The curriculum in the charter school is much tougher and more challenging than in the Pahala school.” 

      Ross Rammelmyer, of Volcano, who supports a charter school at Pahala Hongwanji and the concept of the Pahala Learning Academy, added to his testimony (which was reported on this website yesterday). He wrote: “Please add to my recent written testimony that for the foreseeable future all activities that we propose for the Pahala focus will be conducted from the facility in the Hongwanji building itself for which there has been a certificate of occupancy encompassing the activities we contemplate. The often confused about pre existing larger school building will only come into play if and when all necessary procedures and certificates have been obtained and all agree to its use in any way in pursuit of resumed educational activities.”
          Reba Galea, of Na`alehu, wrote: I am writing in support of the Pahala Learning Academy. I request that the Commission’s Performance and Accountability Committee approve the request for this new charter school.
     "Last year, after retiring from the military I purchased a home and settled with my children (ages 11 and 13) in Na`alehu, Hawai`i. I gave the public school system a chance, and I am appalled on so many levels.
     "It is every child's right to have free quality public education in a safe environment where they can reach their full potential. After recognizing that the Ka`u Public School District is not providing this basic right to my children, it is my obligation as a parent to make an informed decision on what is best for them and their futures. The Pahala Learning Academy offers my family another choice other than home schooling or the failing public school system. As a 100% disabled veteran, homeschooling is too difficult for me. The Pahala Learning Academy is the perfect option.
     "The Ka'u District public schools are failing and have been for years. Even with all of the federal money that has been poured into the system, there has been little or no change. Discipline and racial issues are also unresolved issues. The curriculum of the public schools is below national standards and the teachers seem to have given up.

Hawai`i Academy of Arts & Science proposed to offer a digital option for Ka`u.

    "The Pahala Learning Academy is going to raise the bar on public education. It is going to prove that higher standards are possible. It is going to teach at national standards and instead of keeping the local community oppressed, the students will be empowered. It is going to offer a unique opportunity for students to develop their abilities to embrace learning as a lifelong process, to be responsible for their own learning, to understand what it means to be a human being and to work together with others regardless of race, to engage in complex thinking and problem solving, to recognize and produce quality performance and results, and to take pride in their school and become contributors to their community and to the world. This school is also going to have family involvement and support which is something that the public schools have been unable to conjure up. Most importantly, my children will be assured that the education that they receive at the Pahala Learning Academy will not only support their dreams of going to college, but will prepare them to be successful.
     "The Pahala Learning Academy is needed and wanted in this community by parents and community members who care about the education of our children! Ms. Kathryn Tydlacka, the founder of this school is one of the most dedicated and passionate teachers I have ever met. I trust that under her leadership and direction, my children's education is in the best hands. Please approve the request for the Pahala Learning Academy," Galea wrote to the State Public Charter School Commission.

The Palm Trail can be explored by GPS this Saturday. Photo by Dave Boyle

     Parents desiring to apply for enrollment for their children for the HAAS satellite in Pahala can call 640-8077.
     According to Kathryn Tydlacka, the lead person in organizing the charter school satellite option at Pahala Hongwanji for Ka`u students, 

the program will accept seventh and eighth graders who score 300 or higher on math and reading HAS testing. “This is because of the strenuous reading requirements for the online curriculum,” she wrote in an email to The Ka`u Calendar.
     Local organizers of the initiative for a Pahala Learning Academy to be the satellite under HAAS announced a meeting for parents and prospective students for this Saturday, July 27 at 4 p.m. at Pahala Hongwanji. The meeting also includes a spaghetti dinner. For more, call Tydlacka at 918-640-1267 or kathryntydlacka@hotmail.com. As the Pahala Learning Academy website is down, prospective parents can review the HAAS program at http://haaspcs.org/

EXPLORE THE PALM TRAIL BY GPS & COMPASS is the program for keiki of all ages at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At least one adult family member or adult group leader must accompany the children. Enjoy a free lunch and participate in cultural craft demonstrations. Bring a refillable water bottle and sturdy hiking shoes. Registration is required for this free event. Call 985-6019. 

KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meets today at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Orchards Field Office in Pahala. For more information, call Jeff McCall at 928-6456. 

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

                                                                                         PUBLIC NOTICES

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Mike Durminsky and Wayne Kawachi re-roofing restrooms at Pahala Hongwanji school building in May 2012, saving
both buildings from further rain damage and helping make the facility ready for community use. Photo by Julia Neal

TESTIMONY ON THE CHARTER SCHOOL SATELLITE proposed by Hawai`i Academy of Arts & Science for Ka`u has been sent to the State Charter School Commission from several area residents. The commission is scheduled to meet on the matter this Thursday.
      Karen Wallis, a teacher at Na`alehu Elementary School, wrote that over the past few months there has been a lot of talk about a charter school that would be located at Pahala Hongwanji. She said the most frequent questions include: “Are renovations being done with the proper permits in place? This is a very old building; was it cleared of asbestos and lead paint? What happened to letting Boys and Girls Club use it?” She wrote that Boys & Girls Club helped work on the building.
      “What about a bus for student transportation?”

AmeriCorps volunteers clean and organize the school office years ago.
Olson Trust promised money for re-roofing, which was recently completed
with volunteers from `O Ka`u Kakou and Pahala Hongwanji.
Photo by Julia Neal

      Wallis contended that “Pahala doesn’t have the population to support another middle school, so how will students from other areas get there? Has food service been contracted, or is there a cafeteria in place with appropriate staff to man it? Are those jobs posted? How do they plan to service special education students? What about English language learners?”
      Wallis wrote that “there have been community meetings to discuss plans and answer questions, but the first one held was on May 25th when Kua O Ka La Charter School was considering the site and, for whatever reason, they chose not to proceed. The following month HAAS picked up the project, and they plan to open in less than three months. The consideration and time being put into this new school is disappointing.” Wallis said the information given out “is not consistent,” and “the question of which grades will be serviced has been frequently brought up at meetings.
      “I believe Ka`u needs more choices, but do it right. What happens to students who sign up for this rush job and it fails? DOE starts their schools on Aug. 6, and according to their website, this school plans to open on the 16th. What if they don’t have the turnout needed to open? Will they just drop those students back into public schools two weeks behind their class? What is the contingency plan?” asked Wallis.
      Wallis wrote that “Ka`u parents need choices, but they need good choices. Potential students deserve more due diligence on HAAS’s part. Hawai`i has some excellent charter schools, but they didn’t magically come together, community members planned and prepared for them. I support many of the concepts being proposed, but the way this school is coming into being raises too many concerns,” Wallis wrote.

Steve Hirakami, of HAAS, which proposes
a satellite for Ka`u.
Photo from www.stevehirakami.com

       Steve Hirakami, who heads Hawai`i Academy of Arts & Science, wrote to The Ka`u Calendar newspaper with some history about HAAS and the plan for Ka`u: “Hawai`i Academy of Arts & Science is a well established charter school in Pahoa. In September 2005, HAAS was the first non-virtual school (at that time there was only Myron B. Thompson Academy in operation) to present a virtual component of its school to the Board of Education. We were approved, and we found a nice spot at the Kurtistown Hongwanji. It was our on-line center of operations for two years and when the program expanded, we moved the operations back to Pahoa. We currently service every corner of the Big Island with our two virtual programs one for K-6 and the other Grades 7-12. With the incredible need for educational options in Ka`u, and the expansion of our virtual program, we were seeking commercial space or a church organization to house our program. This is not a new charter school. This should not be compared to a ‘brick and mortar’ school, where all of the students are required to attend every day with provision of food and transportation. Instead, this program is to facilitate learning for self-directed learners who can work at their own pace and involve them in a specific career path.”
      Ross Rammelmeyer, of Volcano, is one of the site organizers for the Pahala Learning Academy. He submitted testimony to the State Public Charter School Commission: “The program will initially serve about 35 students from Pahala all the way to Ocean View (one of the most educationally underserved in the state) in grades six and seven using a combination of on line instructional programs as well as attendance at the Pahala site for the vital interaction with fully accredited, skilled and highly motivated instructors.

AmeriCorps volunteers worked on cleaning up the schoolhouse and
removing broken glass several years ago. Photo by Julia Neal

      “The plot’s zoning, unchanged since plantation days, remains agricultural, and later residential. We are aware of no State/County Plans affecting this request, nor Zoning, Special Management Area or the status of the Community Development Plan affecting the area of the plot. The surrounding area is residential and mostly fallow agricultural land.
      “School traffic on days which the institution operates will be increased by at most two trips (one coming and one going) by a single 14-passenger van and a trip each way by all or some of the few faculty members.
      “The school’s plot is accessed by a single … public residential road in excellent condition. There are no residences fronting on that road. The nearest intersection on the road provides access to two dead-end streets, neither which, logically, will bear traffic to or from the school. Use of the road to gain access to the subject property has never been contested.
      “All utilities to the school building pre-exist. There will be negligible, but as yet unmeasured, increases during school days due to the use of existing drinking water and a concomitant urine production, impacting on sewer usage.
      “To the best of our knowledge, the requested use will be consistent with the general purpose of the zoned district, the intent and purpose of the zoned district, the intent and purpose of the zoning code and the County General Plan.
      “We have no reason to believe that the resumption of use of the school building to educate our children will not unreasonably burden public agencies in providing roads and street, sewers, water, drainage, or police and school services fire protection. We will increase the provision of community education services.
      “We further believe that the requested future use of the existing facilities will not be detrimental to the public welfare nor cause substantial adverse impact on the community character or to the surrounding properties. Quite the converse, our use of the school building will have substantial positive impact on the community and its most precious asset, our children.”
      Rammelmeyer also wrote about the infrastructure: “The building is located on generally flat land. It is served with an on-site driveway leading to a concrete parking area accommodating 24 parking spaces adjacent to the school building (which should be more than adequate as none of the students will be old enough to be licensed drivers). Other structures on the plot include the church structure of the Hongwanji Mission itself which will be used as the hub of an on line virtual campus and the residence of the mission’s former resident priest, now occupied by the prospective headmistress of the State Public Charter School.”

Sen. Mazie Hirono seated next to Rep. Doris Matsui during a meeting
between President Obama and the Congressional Asian Pacific American
Caucus at the White House. Photo from Office of Sen. Mazie Hirono

SEN. MAZIE K. HIRONO MET WITH President Barack Obama at the White House during a meeting with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. According to a statement from her office, Hirono specifically spoke up in support of initiatives that help Native Hawaiians. Other issues addressed by CAPAC included issues like education and immigration reform that impact Hawai`i and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across the country. 

      “I was pleased to have this opportunity to speak with President Obama about critical issues that are facing Hawai`i, our country and Asian American and Pacific Islander community,” Hirono said. “During our group’s discussion, I asked the President to support Native Hawaiians, who are often overlooked when we talk about the AAPI community. The President committed to continue working closely with me and the rest of our Hawai`i delegation on issues important to Native Hawaiians. He also committed to continue pushing for immigration reform – a mobilizing issue for the AAPI community.”
      Hirono seated next to Rep. Doris Matsui during a meeting between President Obama and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus at the White House.

HAWAI`I COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT reports a double-digit decrease in the number of DUI arrests. So far this year, there have been 678 DUI arrests compared with 762 during the same period last year, a decrease of 11 percent. 

      Decreases in major accidents and traffic fatalities also occurred. There have been 760 major accidents so far this year compared with 813 during the same period last year, a decrease of 6.5 percent. There have been 19 traffic fatalities on Hawai`i Island compared with 20 during the same period last year, a decrease of five percent.

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS TOMORROW at 9 a.m. in Kona. Ka`u residents can participate from Ocean View Community Center’s remote videoconferencing site.
      Agendas are available at hawaiicounty.gov.

KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meets tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Orchards Field Office in Pahala. For more information, call Jeff McCall at 928-6456.

KEIKI OF ALL AGES ARE INVITED to join park rangers and explore Palm Trail by GPS and compass at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At least one adult family member or adult group leader must accompany the children. Enjoy a free lunch and participate in cultural craft demonstrations. Bring a refillable water bottle and sturdy hiking shoes. Registration is required for this free event. Call 985-6019. 

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

                                                PUBLIC NOTICES