Ka`u News Briefs March 11, 2012

Okoe Bay house was moved during last year's tsunami toward the ocean from its original perch. Photo by Kai`ali`i Kahele

THE JAPAN TSUNAMI on this day last year that reached South Kona and Ka`u left evidence that can still be seen, including beaches that were shifted, bones of fish thrown up into palm groves and sands and rocks along the coast. The tsunami washed a boathouse from Honomalino Bay out to sea, leaving one wall to float to Miloli`i. The tsunami severely damaged and lifted houses off their foundations in Kapua and Okoe Bays, reported Sen. Gil Kahele, who hiked along the coast from Miloli`i.
      At Punalu`u, volunteers for `O Ka`u Kakou hauled away floating plants sucked from the fishpond onto the beach. The tsunami changed the look of Punalu`u and other shorelines, leaving roots of palm trees exposed. Sand covered pools and rocky areas. Rocks and reefs were exposed at places where they were covered before the tsunami. Fish were found out of water on the rocks and in the sand.
      After the tsunami, Rep. Bob Herkes held fundraisers for victims of the tsunami, and all the funding went to those affected on the Big Island.

HAWAI`I CIVIL DEFENSE, which has been working on new tsunami inundation maps based on a 9.0-magnitude quake in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, is considering planning for even a larger quake – one of 9.2-magnitude. The Aleutians generated the most devastating tsunami to hit Hawai`i, with a 7.8-magnitude quake in April of 1946. Kwok Fai Cheung, a University of Hawai`i Sea Grant researcher, said that a major lesson learned from the tsunami one year ago in Japan was that the Japanese were unprepared for such a big event, according to a Jim Borg report in this morning’s Honolulu Star Advertiser. 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE LAW signed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie yesterday not only prevents the rates from rising this year, it maintains a Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount at 75 percent of the Average Weekly Wage, rather than 70 percent, which would have been the payout without the new legislation. He said the law saves employers an additional $550 per year for each employee. Chamber of Commerce Hawai`i Chief Operating Officer Sherry Menor-McNamara said, “The mitigation of burdensome tax increases for Hawai`i’s businesses will directly aid in the revitalization of our state’s economy by spurring the creation of new jobs and promoting increased productivity.” 


THE KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL is holding a meeting every Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center leading up the festival on May 12 and 13. Members of the public who would like to help the farmers promote their award-winning coffee and thank the community for their support can join in.

Lorie Obra with her Grand Champion
award. Photo by Ralph Gaston

HAWAI`I COFFEE ASSOCIATION is accepting entries into its Fourth Annual Cupping Competition to be held July 19 – 21 during its Annual Conference & Coffee Fest Trade Show at Maui Tropical Plantation. The deadline to enter the cupping event has been extended until March 31. The competition compares coffees from different regions of the state, teaches the process of cupping and rating cup qualities and promotes better understanding of cupping qualities of Hawaiian-grown coffee. Each entrant receives a descriptive analysis from professional and certified cuppers to use in describing and promoting their individual coffees.
      Farmers can enter three samples per TMK number in Commercial and Creative Divisions. In the Commercial Division, the farmer must have for sale a minimum of 300 pounds of coffee from which the sample is taken. In the Creative Division, less that 300 pounds from which the sample was taken can be available for sale.
      To enter a Ka`u Coffee, take three-pound green samples along with the farm’s TMK number to Chris Manfredi at Ka`u Farm & Ranch after calling 929-9550.
      Rusty’s Hawaiian 100 Percent Ka`u Coffee took the statewide grand prize at last year’s competition. For the Ka`u District, Lorie Obra took first, and Leo Norberte with his JN Coffee took second, while Trini and Frances Marques took third with their Ali`i Hawaiian Hula Hands Coffee.

Aku Hauanio

KAU LA`AU, or Traditional Hawaiian Ulua Fishing, is the topic at After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Aku Hauanio, a Hawaiian kau la`au fisherman, offers a look at cliff-top fishing, or hang baiting. Two-dollar donations support park programs. Park entrance fees apply. 

KA`U `OHANA DAY takes place next Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Activities include `oli, mo`olelo, GPS, compass and pacing. Sign up by Wednesday, March 14 at 985-6019.

WANT TO START A BUSINESS IN KA`U? Hazel Beck, from the Hawai`i Small Business Development Center, discusses what it takes to get a business started at a workshop on Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon at Na`alehu Community Center. To register, contact Jane Horike at 961-8496 or jhorike@co.hawaii.hi.us.

KC Groves, of Aloha
Bluegrass, plays mandolin.

AN EVENING OF GREEN, Hawaiian Style is the theme of a concert at 7 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, next Saturday at Kilauea Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Aloha Bluegrass performs, along with Keoki Kahumoku and Brittni Paiva. Aloha Bluegrass, with fiddle, guitar and mandolin players, performed at Ka`u High School last week. Tickets are $22 and available by calling 967-8222. Park entrance fees apply.

VISIT OUR SPONSORS AT WWW.PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND WWW.KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.

Ka`u News Briefs March 10, 2012

Basking sharks are the second largest fish on the planet, after whale sharks. One was tracked by satellite in
Hawaiian waters in February. Photo by Dr. Greg Skomal

AN UNDERSEA CABLE to move electricity between the islands is being debated in the state House of Representatives after approval by the Senate this week. The measure is supported by Ka`u Sen. Gil Kahele as well as Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Sen. Bill 2785 passed 23 - 1, with eight senators saying aye, with reservations. Geothermal and wind from Hawai`i Island and Maui are considered the potential sources for the energy to be shipped around the state.
      Lawmakers, including representatives of Hawai`i County, are set to visit Ormac in the Philippines this year. Its geothermal plant has been sending electricity between islands for years. According to a Sophie Cocke story in Civil Beat, Sen. Kalani English testified on the Senate floor: “In the larger scheme of things, this cable is one of the keys to our renewable future… without this, our renewable energy future does not exist.” A similar bill garnered opposition last year when it was tied to establishing windmills on Lana`i and Moloka`i, largely for electricity on O`ahu.

      According to Civil Beat, Hawaiian Electric Co. has backed off the idea of a cable to Lana`i, which was specifically for wind and excluded solar and geothermal. According to Civil Beat, “Language in the bill says wind farms would only proceed on those islands if there was “community support for them.”
      Some citizen groups, such as I Aloha Moloka`i and Friends of Lana`i, however, said they want more assurance that their islands won’t be forced to host windmills to serve the urban areas of Hawai`i.
      Undersea cables are not new to Hawai`i. Pacific Missile Range Facility has underwater cables to track war games off Kaua`i. A fiber-optic submarine telecommunications cable system between the islands was put into operation by the telephone company in 1994. A legend has it that King Kalakaua suggested laying underwater cables to bring geothermal electricity to O`ahu from the Big Island back in 1881 when he visited Thomas Edison in New York.

BASKING SHARKS are traveling between California and Hawai`i, if one of the giant fish picked up by satellite last month is any evidence of a trend. The shark was tagged near San Diego last year, and the ping from the transmitter was picked up by satellite when the basking shark surfaced near Hawai`i in February.
      According to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration biologist Heidi Dewar, this is the first time “that anyone has demonstrated a direct connection between basking sharks in the eastern Pacific and the central Pacific.” The more than 2,000 miles from California to Hawai`i is the farthest basking shark trek recorded in the Pacific. Basking sharks only swim about three miles per hour, usually with their giant mouths hanging open as they filter in plankton soup – their main food. They are the second largest fish in the sea, second only to whale sharks.

To qualify for LEED Silver certification, the Ka`u Gym & Shelter Draft EA suggests minimizing parking lot size by
 sharing spaces at other buildings & using shielded outdoor light fixtures like those at Pahala Public & School Library.

A GOAL IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION of the Ka`u District Gym & Shelter is to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver Certification, according to the Draft Environmental Assessment, for which comments are due March 23. The LEED Green Building Rating System promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. The intent is to promote healthful, durable, affordable, and environmentally sound practices in building and design and construction. LEED for new construction and major renovations is based on a system of 100 base points, with six possible points for innovation in design and four regional priority points. The four levels are Certified, 40-49 points; Silver, 50-59 points; Gold, 60-79 points; and Platinum, 80-100 points.
      Ka`u gym and disaster shelter designers Mitsunaga & Associates are considering a broad range of measures from the various LEED strategies available, including:

· Create and implement an erosion and sedimentation control plan for all construction activities associated with the project.
· Minimize parking lot size. Consider sharing parking facilities with adjacent buildings and grass parking.
· Divert demolition and new construction waste by 50 percent that would normally go to landfill. Use materials that are re-used, rapidly renewable, of recycled content and of certified manufacturers.
· Reduce the heat island effect of roof and non-roof components by selecting reflective or low-heat gain materials.

· Reduce light pollution by providing shields and reflectors on exterior light fixtures. 

· Utilize native and/or water efficient landscaping.
· Optimize energy performance through design of AC and lighting systems.
· Improve indoor environmental quality by providing a construction management plan, specifying low emitting materials, providing daylight for 75 percent of spaces and views of 90 percent of spaces.
      The Draft Environment Assessment is available at Pahala and Na`alehu Public Libraries and hawaii.gov/health/environmental/oeqc/index.html.
      Comments, due by March 23, can be sent to Tammy Kapali, Planner, PBR Hawai`i & Associates, Inc., 1001 Bishop Street, Suite 650 Honolulu, HI 96813 or faxed to 808-523-1402. Comments can also be sent to County of Hawai`i Department of Public Works, Attn: David Yamamoto, Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7, Hilo, HI 96720 or faxed to 808-961-8630.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE rate hikes that were scheduled this month were delayed yesterday by the state Legislature until at least the end of this year. According to legislators, the delay could save businesses in Hawai`i a total of $107 million.

A GUIDED HIKE in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. explores the area’s human history. The 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike crosses rugged terrain. Call 985-6011 for more information.

KA`U `OHANA DAY takes place next Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the Kahuku Unit. Activities include `oli, mo`olelo, GPS, compass and pacing. Sign up by Wednesday, March 14 at 985-6019.

VISIT OUR SPONSORS AT WWW.PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND WWW.KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.

Ka`u News Briefs March 9, 2012

One down, 36 to go in tearing down the old windmills at South Point. Photo by Peter Anderson

THE MOBILE MEDICAL VAN will be blessed tomorrow, March 10 at Kona Community Hospital before taking the road to serve Ka`u and later South Kona. It will be open to the general public on Friday, March 30 at Pahala Community Center.
      The van has been given the name Ka`a Ho`ola, which means a vehicle of revitalization and well-being. It is a longtime project of Rep. Bob Herkes, who will give the opening remarks at noon at Kona Community Hospital, along with program manager Debra Barra. Danny Akaka, Jr. will give the blessing tomorrow. The public is invited.
      The 32.5-foot van is the culmination of nearly ten years of research, work and cooperation by Herkes, the state Legislature, Kona Community Hospital, and Hawai`i Medical Service Association.
      Providing health care to Hawai`i Island residents, particularly school-aged children in rural areas, is a persistent challenge with the island’s size and low population density. Ka`a Ho`ola is intended to remedy that problem. The theme is Growing Rural Healthcare. “This mobile medical van will greatly improve access to medical care for people in rural areas of the Big Island,” Herkes said. “When needed, the mobile medical van will be able to reach people in remote areas, provide care, and indeed, save lives.”

      The program manager said the van and staff will first work with public schools. The mobile medical facility has a spacious exam room, indoor and outdoor reception, a lab, and refrigerated storage. Students can receive vaccinations, immunizations and school physicals, and staff members will be able to offer screenings and health education. Wireless tele-health capabilities will enable attention from specialists.
      Ka`a Ho`ola was built using $350,000 in state funds approved by the 2009 Legislature. Kona Community Hospital will use its medical expertise and staff, and own and operate the van. For the first two years, HMSA will provide nearly a half million dollars in funding.
      During that time, Kona Community Hospital will work with the Department of Health and the Department of Education to serve public schools. The goal is to achieve a sustainability model within two years, meaning that it will eventually pay for itself through health insurance and other programs as HMSA direct funding ends.
      Jennifer Diesman, vice president of Government Relations for HMSA, said that “HMSA is committed to providing access to quality, affordable care, and we’re confident that this effort, coupled with our online care program, will help.”

Candidates can now sign up to run for Ka`u's two state Senate
and two House Districts.

CANDIDATES FOR STATE HOUSE AND SENATE can make it official. The state Reapportionment Commission voted 8-0 last night to approve the new maps laying out the voting districts. Those maps cut Ka`u in two, giving it two Senate and House Districts starting at Punalu`u. One Senate District, now held by Josh Green, will go from Honu`apo to Kona Airport. The other, being sought by Rep. Bob Herkes, will extend from Punalu`u to Kea`au and include most of Puna. The House District, with no announced candidate, will run from Punalu`u to Kea`au,  excluding Puna makai. The other House District will go from Honu`apo to Kona, and incumbent Denny Coffman said he will run to represent west Ka`u. 

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSIONER Michael Champley won state Senate confirmation yesterday to become a member of the Public Utilities Commission after being appointed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “Champley’s extensive professional experience in the energy industry, commitment to public service and proven leadership throughout his career are all important characteristics that make him an asset to the PUC,” said Sen. Roz Baker, who chairs the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee that recommended Champley’s confirmation. 

Michael Champley

      Champley worked as a Maui-based senior energy consultant focused on clean energy resource integration in Hawai`i. He has over 40 years of experience analyzing, integrating and managing complex economic, public policy and technical issues confronting an evolving regulated energy utility industry. 

      Champley holds both electrical engineering and MBA degrees with emphasis in finance and public utility economics and regulation. He was earlier appointed temporarily to the PUC and was a decision-maker in the recent `Aina Koa Pono case, which would have established a biofuel refinery and plantation in Ka`u.

A DEADLY CAR CRASH on Kama`oa Road in 2008 that left a 12-year-old boy dead and two others injured is going to a June trial in Third Circuit Court. Judge Ronald Ibarra has set the date, according to a report in West Hawai`i Today. The 21-year-old driver, who was 17 when the crash occurred, pleaded not guilty to negligent homicide and injury charges after being indicted by a grand jury in February. During the accident, the driver lost control of the car and crashed into a utility pole, before the vehicle flipped. No one wore seatbelts, according to police reports. A negligent homicide conviction carries a fine of up to $25,000 and prison for up to five years.

WITH BOOKS BEING SHIPPED from all over the state to Ka`u libraries, patrons may want to keep them a little longer than usual before they go back off island. Readers can renew online from their own computers their books and other materials except for Hot Picks, DVDS, and videotapes. 

      One renewal per item is allowed and may be declined if another person is waiting in line for it. Renewals are available by going to www.librarieshawaii.org and clicking on My Account. Enter the library card number and PIN. Access your Items Out list. Select item to renew; click on box on left side; click on the “Renew” box. A new due date appears, or a prompt explains why item could not be renewed.
      Write new due date on the actual book’s due date slip as a reminder. Renewals can be also done at the library in person.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND’S Ka`u Beach Cleanup takes place tomorrow. Volunteers meet at Wai`ohinu Park and carpool to the site. Call 769-7629 or email kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

THE FIVE TIBETAN RITES are the topics at a workshop tomorrow from 10 a.m. to noon at the Old Pahala Clubhouse. Certified Kripalu Yoga teacher Jo Caron explains the background of the Rites and their effects on health, as well as postures. Tea and fruit will be served after the workshop. All levels, including beginners, are welcome. Pre-registration is $25, or $35 at the door. Call 443-6993 or email jocaron7@mac.com.

A GUIDED HIKE in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. explores the area’s human history. The 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike crosses rugged terrain. Call 985-6011 for more information.

VISIT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.