Ka`u News Briefs April 9, 2012

The fingers do the talking with the art of ancient Hawaiian string figures illustrating the history of the islands at
the opening of Merrie Monarch. Photo from Unukupukupu/Hawai`i Community College

MERRIE MONARCH WEEK kicked off yesterday with Lori Lei Shirakawa and her Wai`ohinu Hula Studio representing Ka`u at the opening celebration. Merrie Monarch, the world’s most prestigious hula event, continues all week with cultural displays and hula competition in Hilo. Lori Lei’s keiki and kupuna performed Kona Kai`opua, Holoholo Ka`a, Noho Nani Mai, Lil`u e, Hiliawe and Sophisticated Hula. After their final song, Majesty, they offered blessings and aloha to the audience by giving out leis. Lori Lei’s students perform every year at Merrie Monarch.

Kupuna and keiki from Lori Lei's Wai`ohinu Hula Studio open up the
Merrie Monarch Festival yesterday.

      The Hawai`i Community College halau, Unukupukupu, led by Kekuhi Kanahele, Taupouri Tangaroa and Manalakalani Kalua, opened the celebration. The group chanted, moving their hands and fingers to create string figures to illustrate creation of the islands and Kanaloa, the god of the ocean. After opening rituals they shared hula, including Ka Uluwehi O Kei Kai, by the late Edith Kanaka`ole. The dancers distributed salt and awa to the audience. The group from HCC comes to Pahala several times a year to retreat and prepare for their outreach. Halau from Japan will stay in Pahala during Merrie Monarch Week.

Kupuna from Ka`u ready to perform.
Photos by Johnny Waller

MERRIE MONARCH CONTINUES today with performances at noon at Hawai`i Naniloa Volcanoes Resort and at 1 p.m. at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. The Arts and Crafts Fair opens Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium and features numerous Ka`u artists and crafters Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 4 p.m. Wednesday is the free Ho`ike at Edith Kanaka`ole beginning at 6 p.m., an international event with hula. The competitive events are sold out but televised each evening on KFVE television and live-streamed on www.kfve.com.
       Thursday is Miss Aloha, Friday is the Group Hula Kahiko for ancient dance and Saturday is the Group Hula `Auana for modern dance, followed by awards ceremonies.
      From Ka`u, Thy Word Ministries and the Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, along with KAHU Radio, will participate with floats and marching groups in the annual Merrie Monarch parade this Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in Hilo.

Lori Lei keiki yesterday at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.

CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER PAUL DOLAN will run for Hawai`i County prosecuting attorney in the primary election in August. Dolan is an Ocean View resident, with decades of experience as a defense trial lawyer in Hawai`i. After serving as a public defender in Los Angeles County, he passed the Hawai`i Bar exam and moved to Maui in 1984. He also lived and practiced law in Honolulu. 

      Dolan said he wants to serve as prosecuting attorney to bring justice to the court system. He said he is the best candidate because of his vast experience in court, as opposed to candidates that may have spent most of their careers in more administrative matters. As county prosecuting attorney it would be his duty to make sure the agency and prosecutors act within the values of “beyond a reasonable doubt” and “presumption of innocence.” He said the courts are clogged with too many cases where people are assumed guilty before trial. He also called for more preventive work by prosecutors and police.

Paul Dolan

      However, he said he has no tolerance for drug pushers and would want them sentenced to permanent ban from this island for the rest of their lives, in and out of jail. Dolan, himself, lost a daughter to the Hollywood club and drug scene that exploits innocent young women, he said.

      Dolan is married to Kahea Aipia, of the Mokuhali`i family, with roots as traditional canoe builders in Ka`u. They have six children who all attend school in Ka`u. Kahea is an announcer at KAHU Radio. Both Kaeha and Paul Dolan work on the community campaign for public access to Pohue Bay.
      Before becoming an attorney, Dolan earned a degree in criminal justice administration, which, he said, makes him most qualified to run the prosecuting attorney’s office. He said he would lobby the state to reopen the courthouse in Na`alehu. It is poor planning to make people drive all the way to Kona from Ka`u when modern technology allows interactive courtrooms, said Dolan.
      Dolan is running against Lincoln Ashida and Mitch Roth, who both work at the county prosecutor’s office.

Volunteers celebrate the cleaning of invasive plants from
 the pond at Punalu`u.      Photo by Katherine Okamura

MORE THAN 80 NON-NATIVE SPECIES, previously unrecorded, have been identified by the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, which traveled along 3,000 miles of Hawai`i Island roadways, collecting samples. A report in West Hawai`i Today quotes botanist Jimmy Parker as saying, “The invasive plants, which push out native species, have long been considered a detriment to the state’s ecosystem.” About a dozen of the newly discovered non-natives have been identified as invasive, he said. After gathering data for four years, the committee plans to target those plants considered most potentially damaging to the island. Program manager Jan Schipper told West Hawai`i Today reporter Tom Callis, “We need every property owner on board.” Permission is needed from owners to allow the removal of invasive species.

SIXTY VOLUNTEERS AT PUNALU`U on Saturday helped clean invasive species from the pond at Black Sand Beach. `O Ka`u Kakou, Pacific Quest and Southside Volleyball joined in to corral the floating plants and drag them on to shore for removal. About half of the pond was cleared.

KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN’S Steering Committee meets tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Planner Ron Whitmore gives a project update. Contact him at 961-8137 or rwhitmore@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Rupert Tripp, Jr.

TOMORROW’S AFTER DARK IN THE PARK topic is Eruption Cycles at Kilauea. Geologist Don Swanson explains how Kilauea’s eruptive cycles were recently recognized, what they mean in terms of how the volcano works and hazards implied by long explosive periods. The program begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Two-dollar donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply. 

`IKE HANA NO`EAU cultural programs are scheduled Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center. Sam and Edna Baldado discuss the cultural uses of the kalo, the taro plant. Ka`ohu Monfort teaches how plants and Hawaiian culture are used to heal and nourish. Ranger Adrian Boone and volunteer Ed Shiinoki demonstrate and make traditional three-holed bamboo nose flutes, and praise and worship leader Rupert Tripp, Jr. shares his love for music. The programs are free, and park entrance fees apply.

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AND WWW.KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.

Ka`u News Briefs April 8, 2012

Volcanologist Don Swanson presents his Big Island research Tuesday at After Dark in the Park. Photo from Geo M I

ON-THE-JOB TRAINING could be the way to fill vacant teaching jobs and build a teacher corps for Hawai`i schools, particularly in such remote places as Ka`u. Both University of Hawai`i and Teach America are planning to provide more teachers throughout the statewide school system this fall. The program, funded by more than $2 million from the federal Race to the Top Initiative, allows educators to earn their Hawai`i teaching credentials through working in the schools.
      Another incentive under consideration would waive course requirements for longtime private school teachers who want to move into the public school system. According to a story in this morning’s Honolulu Star Advertiser, this plan could be approved by the state school board this fall. Reporter Mary Vorsino wrote that Teach for America will provide Hawai`i schools with about 100 unlicensed teachers this fall, and University of Hawai`i will provide about 80. Many are recent college graduates, but some are mid-career professionals seeking to move into teaching, the story says.

Donald Ikeda Photo from
Big Island Video News

Gil Kahele Photo
by Julia Neal

DONALD IKEDA CHALLENGES GIL KAHELE in the race for the newly created District 1 seat in the state Senate. Ikeda, a four-time County Council member, is restricted from running for Council again under term limitations. He was first elected to public office in 2004 and has served as the South Hilo councilman for four consecutive terms. He also served as county clerk and as an administrative assistant with the County Council. The Kaumana resident grew up in Hilo, earned a degree in accounting from University of California and returned to start a business in Hilo. Ikeda is considered a member of the minority in the Council, which includes J Yoshimoto and Dennis “Fresh” Onishi.
       Kahele currently serves Ka`u as state senator, but the recent reapportionment puts his Hilo residence in the District 1. Ka`u will be divided. District 2 which runs from Punalu`u into Puna, is sought by Rep. Bob Herkes, Wendell Ka`ehu`ae`a, Russell Ruderman, Gary Safarik and Steve Hirakami. Herke’s House seat is sought by current Ka`u Council member Brittany Smart, Marlene Hapai and Fred Fogel.
      Ka`u’s District 3, running from Honu`apo to Kona airport, is sought by incumbent senator Josh Green, a physician who worked at Ka`u Hospital and lived at Punalu`u during his early years on the island. Others running for the seat are Michael Last and John Totten.

Volcano Farmers Market promotes a farm-to-table
lifestyle. Photo by Julia Neal

FARMERS MARKETS can apply for new grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The 2012 Farmers Market Promotion Program is offering a total of $10 million nationwide to popularize community-supported agriculture, roadside stands, farmers markets and similar operations. The grants aim to increase the availability of local agricultural products in communities throughout the country and with farmer-to-consumer marketing efforts.
      “These grants will put resources into rural and urban economies and help strengthen efforts to provide access to nutritious and affordable foods,” said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan. “This program not only supports the health and well-being of local communities but also the economic health of their farms and businesses.”
      Projects that expand healthy food choices in what are called “food deserts” or low-income areas (where the percentage of the population living in poverty is 20 percent or above) will receive additional consideration.
      See the application and rules to apply at www.ams.usda.gov/FMPP. Applications are due May 21.

Brad Hirata has been a judge at Ka`u Coffee Festival Recipe
Contest each year since it began. Photo by Julia Neal 

CHEF BRAD HIRATA will be a judge at the Ka`u Coffee Festival’s recipe contest. Hirata, once a chef at the Mauna Lani Hotel on the Kohala Coast, now runs the food service for Ka`u Hospital and lives in Volcano. He has been a judge for the Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest since its inception. This year the recipe contest is sponsored by and will be held at Ka`u Coffee Mill Sunday afternoon, May 6. It is called the Triple C Recipe Contest for Cookies, Candies and Crackers. For an entry form see kaucoffeefest.com or kaucoffeemill.com. The event, which is free to enter and free to attend, also features coffee tasting, music and tours of the mill and farms at its grand opening.

KALAEKILOHANA Bed & Breakfast on South Point Road presents Ka`u Farmers’ Table: A Feast for the Senses on Saturday, May 5. The Ka`u Coffee Festival event features dinner by Chef Morgan Starr of Mi’s Italian Bistro and an evening of music with Robert Cazimero. Tickets are $100 and call be purchased by calling 939-8052.

KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN’S Steering Committee meets on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Planner Ron Whitmore will give a project update. Contact him at 961-8137 or rwhitmore@co.hawaii.hi.us.

DON SWANSON, A GEOLOGIST with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, is the speaker at After Dark in the Park this Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Swanson explains how Kilauea’s eruptive cycles were recently recognized, what they mean in terms of how the volcano works and hazards implied by long explosive periods. Two-dollar donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.

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

Ka`u News Briefs April 7, 2012

The first internship program, shown here in 2010, has grown to accommodate 52 students this year at
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from NPS

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK’S SCHOOL INTERNSHIP program began with Ka`u High and is growing to serve 52 students this summer from late May into August. The training started three years ago after visiting professor Joan Rubin and The Ka`u Calendar’s editor Julia Neal got together with Ka`u High School principal Sharon Beck and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park staff. They said the National Park and other natural resource conservation and wilderness activities organizations are a growing economic engine in Ka`u - a source of employment for youth and an inspiration for higher education in many fields, from geology and biology to ecotourism design and management, from trail building to accounting and customer service.

Students represent the park in their uniforms during
Na`alehu's Fourth of July parade. Photo by Julia Neal

      The committee successfully wrote a $60,000 grant, and Edmund Olson offered up classroom space in the Olson Trust Building in Pahala and a van to transport students. National Park staff led by ranger Kupono McDaniel provided training along with help from such organizations as The Nature Conservancy. A number of youth landed uniforms. Not only did they learn about the natural history and resources of their homeland, they learned to teach it to others and found that visitors really appreciate the knowledge coming from the locals.
      Ka`u High School graduate Moses Espaniola III took the training and landed a job in the park, which he continues as he attends college in Hilo. He said that after learning about the unique qualities of Ka`u that are famous worldwide, local students witness the visitors being amazed by the volcano, the forest, the wildlife and the ocean here. Espaniola said it makes the kids proud to be from Ka`u. Another Ka`u High School graduate, Jorge Zamudio, became an intern, landed a job in the park, and the hospitality training led him to a position with a resort.

Moses Espaniola III started as an intern
and landed a job at the National Park.

      The $60,000 grant has grown this year to $320,000, and the training will include students from communities on the other side of the National Park – from high schools in Puna and the community college in Hilo. Olson Trust is contributing transportation again, and professor Rubin said she is proud to see a program that started in Ka`u help so many other people. Ranger McDaniel said he thanks the Ka`u community for getting it started.

NEW STATE SENATE AND HOUSE of Representatives district boundary lines are subject to a suit filed yesterday in Honolulu. Plaintiffs want the reapportionment commission to include non-resident military, out-of-state college students and other non-residents in the population count which would give more representation to O`ahu. The state Supreme Court, earlier this year, ordered non-residents removed from the population count to give fair representation to those who live here, particularly on the Big Island, where population grew more than elsewhere in the state. The court decision gave Hawai`i County an additional seat in the state Senate. The new suit threatens the timeliness of campaigning for the Aug. 11 primary election, as candidates are off and running with the deadline to sign up on June 5.

Wendell Ka`ehu`ae`a

WENDELL KA`EHU`AE`A, founder of KAHU, the community radio station in Ka`u, announced yesterday he will run for state Senate in District 2. Ka`ehu`ae`a said he wants to protect public radio and TV, which are losing channels to commercial stations. He said that his own experience covering community affairs for Na Leo O Hawai`i Community Access Television on the Big Island and at KAHU radio in Ka`u has given him a unique understanding of community issues and needs. Ka`ehu`ae`a, a Navy veteran, said that after his radio program this morning, he would be off the air until after the election. Ka`ehu`ae`a takes on veteran legislator Bob Herkes, an incumbent state House of Representatives member, who announced he will run for the Senate seat. Other candidates are Hawai`i Natural Foods president Russell Ruderman, former County Councilman Gary Safarik and school administrator Steve Hirakami. 

THE STATE LAND USE COMMISSION is looking for a new executive director. Dan Davidson retires May 1. The LUC is in charge of deciding land use classifications as Urban, Rural Agriculture or Conservation, and changes in these classifications must go before the LUC before local zoning changes can be made.

Map shows land use classifications in Ka`u.

      The LUC also has a new nomination for the commission itself. Ralph S. Inouye, a general contractor based on O`ahu, has been nominated by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. His website says his company was founded in 1962, and “for decades we have played an integral role in the growth and development of Hawai`i, having worked on a diverse range of commercial building, renovation and engineering projects for federal, state and city agencies, and many prestigious private entities.” The company can handle projects valued at more than $100 million. Among its completions are Shriners’ Hospital, shopping centers, apartment buildings and U.H. School of Architecture.

KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN’S Steering Committee meets Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Planner Ron Whitmore said the sole business item is a CDP project update and that the draft CDP is still in progress and not on the agenda for discussion. “Initial drafts of several parts of the Natural and Cultural Resources section of the CDP have been completed, but more work remains before that section is complete,” Whitmore said. For more information, call Whitmore at 961-8137.

NA`ALEHU ASSEMBLY OF GOD hosts an Easter Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow. Call 929-7278 for more information. 

OCEAN VIEW EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY CHURCH presents The King is Coming, a free musical drama, tomorrow at 10 a.m. Call 939-9089 for more information.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP celebrates Easter with brunch from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Starting at 9 a.m. KMC, in partnership with Rotary Club of Volcano, hosts an Easter Egg Hunt for keiki 10 years old and younger in KMC’s Ohia Room. To pre-register call 967-8352. Tomorrow evening, KMC offers an Easter dinner special from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Crater Rim Café. For more, call 967-8366.

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