Ka`u News Briefs April 14, 2013

Hawai`i's 2013 state Legislature is moving into its final weeks.

HAWAI`I’S 2013 STATE LEGISLATURE is moving into its closing weeks. On April 25 and 26, bills must be in their final forms and made available to members of the Legislature for 48 hours prior to being voted on for passage. Adjournment day is May 2.

Rep. Richard Onishi

A GMO LABELING RESOLUTION introduced by several lawmakers including East Ka`u Rep. Richard Onishi was unanimously approved by the state House of Representatives yesterday. The resolution requests the U.S. Congress to support legislation requiring the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration to come up with a nationwide system for monitoring, labeling and enforcing the labeling of all whole and processed genetically engineered foods. 

      According to the resolution, polls have indicated that ninety percent of Americans favor labeling genetically engineered foods in order to make informed choices about whether or not to purchase or eat these foods. It also says that, as of this year, twenty-five states have introduced legislation to require the labeling of genetically modified or engineered foods.

Russell Kokubun 

      The resolution states that transparency and accuracy regarding the genetic and nutritional composition of food we eat is a right that should be protected by law.
      Testimony from Russell Kokubun, chair of the state Board of Agriculture, said the Department supports this measure. Kokubun said that while, in recent years, there has been a push to mandate the labeling of genetically engineered foods at the state level, “the enormity of such a task is beyond the scope and expertise of the various state agencies and would be better served if done at a national level. Furthermore, a national standard for labeling would provide consistent application across the states, making it easier to monitor and enforce and creating a level playing field for all food producers from farmers to processors.

THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES yesterday also approved SB858 with an amendment to add a gender equity section introduced by Rep. Cindy Evans that asks appointing authorities for boards and commissions to strive to achieve the goal of equal gender representation. The bill was originally written to clarify that members of boards and commissions whose reappointment to a second consecutive term has failed to receive the consent of the Senate are prohibited from serving as holdovers. 

Rep. Cindy Evans

      The section on gender equality reads: “The governor or relevant appointing authority, as far as practicable, shall strive for the goal of equal gender representation when appointing members to boards and commissions and shall give priority to achieving the goal of gender equity when appointing members to vacancies, at-large positions, and as alternates.”
      Evans said the amendment is a “policy statement requesting the appointing authority to strive to achieve gender equality; it is not a mandate. While I realize that qualified individuals need to sit on boards and commissions, the glaring discrepancies in the makeup of these boards and commissions need to also be recognized and addressed.”
      “Half of our state’s population is female and working. Yet there exists great disparities on several boards and commissions responsible for overseeing our industries and institutions that play significant roles in Hawai`i.”
      Evans cited examples: University of Hawai`i Board of Regents has 12 male members and three females; Hawai`i Tourism Authority has 10 males and two females; and the Land Use Commission has eight males and one female.
      “We need to be mindful of under representation and strive to correct it where it occurs,” Evans said.

Brenda Ford

IN COUNTY BUDGET DISCUSSIONS regarding mass transit, Ka`u’s Council member Brenda Ford suggested dedicating money to the agency from an increase in highway taxes. 

      Can we do that?” Ford asked deputy Finance director Deanna Sako. Sako said the county could do that, and gave, as an example, the Department of Public Works considering making a request to increase the fuel tax to increase the pool of funds for highway and road repair around the island.
      Erin Miller, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, reports that, according to Tiffany Kai, Mass Transit Agency acting administrator, it currently costs $5.87 per passenger to run the county public transportation system, and, because of added costs, that number is expected to rise to about $7 per passenger in the fiscal year beginning July 1. Passengers pay $1 per ride, with students, seniors and people with disabilities riding free.
      A County Council public hearing on the budget will be held in Kona at West Hawai`i Civic Center this Tuesday.
      The entire county budget for 2013-2014 proposed by the mayor would be $370.8 million.

Dogs and other pets are not allowed in many areas of Hawai`i Volcanoes
National Park, remind park managers. Photo from NPS

MANAGERS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK remind the public that dogs and other pets are not allowed in many areas of the park for safety reasons and for the protection of threatened and endangered species.
      “During my career in national parks, I have witnessed dogs go over the sides of cliffs chasing birds, and in the past year at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, we have had incidents of dogs off leash in nene areas, and most recently, falling into steam cracks, all while seemingly under control of their owners,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “Pets are like our family, and the best way to protect them is to not expose them to the unnecessary hazards and risks prevalent in a national park,” she said.
      Pets are prohibited in the following areas of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park:

• All undeveloped areas of the park, including designated wilderness areas; 
 
• All trails, including backcountry trails; 
 
• All backcountry campgrounds, including Kulanaokuaiki;
 
• `Ainahou, Kipuka Nene and all of Hilina Pali Road. 

      Authorized service animals are permitted, but may be prohibited from certain areas if their presence is detrimental to park management programs, such as nene recovery.
      All pets and service dogs in the park must be leashed at all times. Recently, hikers have reported being bitten by dogs off leash on park trails. In 2012, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park law enforcement officers cited, warned and responded to 24 dog incidents in the park.
      Dogs are used by the park to support ungulate control programs and by law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties, in accordance with federal and state laws.

Ka`u resident Dick Hershberger portrays Thomas Jaggar
this Tuesday and every other Tuesday. Photo from NPS

ON TUESDAY, A WALK INTO THE PAST features living history presenter Dick Hershberger, dressed in period costume, bringing back to life Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, founder of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and a prominent figure in the history of volcanology, the study of volcanoes. 

      The program takes place in the Whitney Vault, a 16’ x 12’ underground laboratory that still has original equipment, and is located under a mound in front of the Volcano House.
      Performances are every other Tuesday at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Participants meet at Kilauea Visitor Center.

ARTIST AND HAWAIIAN CULTURAL practitioner Greg West teaches different Hawaiian cultural art techniques and offers insight into the deeper meaning of Hawaiian arts and crafts Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. The program is free. Call 967-8222 for more information.

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.

Ka`u News Briefs April 13, 2013

Top Ten coffees in the Roasters Choice Competition at SCAA include Rusty's 100 Percent Hawaiian Ka`u Coffee,
grown, processed and roasted by Lorie Obra, above, and Ka`u Coffee Mill. Photo from rustyshawaiian.com

KA`U COFFEE MILL AND RUSTY’S 100 PERCENT HAWAIIAN KA`U COFFEE are two of the Top 10 coffees in the Roasters Choice Competition being held in Boston in conjunction with the Specialty Coffee Association of America event.

Lee Segawa is chief roaster at Ka`u Coffee Mill.

      The annual competition is designed to highlight the art and craft of coffee roasting. To compete in the challenge, members of the Roasters Guild must submit roasted coffee that they have chosen to represent and highlight their roasting skills. Selected before the exposition opens, the top 10 coffees are showcased at the annual event, being served to attendees at the brew bar in the Activities Hall of the event.
      Other  Top 10 coffees came from Rwanda, El Salvador, Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador and Ethiopia.
      Joan Obra, representing Rusty’s 100 Percent Hawaiian Ka`u Coffee, said, “These awards help all Ka`u Coffee growers, and the awards further strengthen the region’s reputation.”
      Ka`u Coffee Mill owner Ed Olson said he too celebrates the excellent farming practices of Ka`u Coffee growers. “It is very fulfilling to me to have brought Ka`u Coffee Mill to the community to help the farmers and now to have our roasters Lee Segawa and Kalikoweo Daniele prove that they are becoming highly skilled roasters.”
      The Roasters Guild is an official trade guild of the Specialty Coffee Association of America that consists of specialty roasters dedicated to the craft of roasting quality coffee and promotes quality as the principle standard for success. To be a member of the Guild, roasting must be an integral part of one’s profession. The Guild furthers roasters’ knowledge of and skills in the history, fundamentals, art and science of coffee roasting through an international community and year-round events.

Thirty Meter Telescope Image from tmt.org

CONSTRUCTION OF THE THIRTY METER TELESCOPE on Mauna Kea is slated to begin next April, according to a press release from TMT Observatory Corp. The company plans to being preparing the ground for construction before the end of this year. The announcement follows yesterday’s approval of the project by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources. 

      “With this approval, the BLNR has recognized TMT’s goal of responsible development and environmental stewardship of Mauna Kea in close partnership with local interests,” the press release states. “The carefully considered conditions in the permit help ensure the protection of sensitive environments in Hawai`i.”
      In Feb. 2011, the BLNR issued a preliminary decision conditioned on the successful conclusion of a contested case. The contested hearings began later that year. The final approval followed a hearing held Feb. 12 of this year in Hilo.
      “We are delighted that the TMT project has now been granted a Conservation District Use Permit,” said Edward Stone, professor of physics at California Institute of Technology and vice chair of the TMT board. “The BLNR’s decision is a vote of confidence for TMT advancing science while benefiting the greater Hawaiian community.”

Henry Yang

      TMT Board chair Henry Yang said the Board “expresses our strong commitment to respect the long history and cultural significance of Mauna Kea to the Hawaiian people, and has committed annual funding for local community benefits and education in Hawai`i.
      “We also want to reaffirm that we appreciate what we have learned about the cultural and religious significance of this sacred mountain, as well as the vital ecosystems it supports. It is extremely important to all of us that the Thirty Meter Telescope will be able to make a contribution not only to the exploration of science, but also to the connection of science with humanities, culture, language, religion, environmental sustainability, and education, especially the education of future generations of children in Hawai`i.”
      The world’s largest telescope is scheduled to begin operating in 2021. According to the company’s website at tmt.org, TMT will reach further and see more clearly than previous telescopes by a factor of 10 to 100, depending on the observation.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

CONGRESSWOMAN TULSI GABBARD has delivered remarks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives highlighting the need to take the threat from North Korea seriously. 

      “Along with Guam and Alaska, Hawai`i has been placed in the crosshairs of this intensifying threat,” Gabbard said. “It is crucial for the United States, and Hawai`i in particular, to take threats from North Korea seriously. We cannot be complacent. We cannot afford a mistake that puts the lives of our families at risk.
      “The United States has an important interest in maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula as well as in the Asia-Pacific region. We must stand together with our allies in the region, ready to respond to any contingency.
      “And we must take a forward-leaning approach to address this imminent threat to prevent further provocations, and to protect our families and our national assets.
      “I commend our military commanders for the firm and confident resolve that they have shown in response to the endless posturing and provocative behavior of North Korea. However, from a U.S. policy standpoint, it is time to make a serious change. Such a change must be comprehensive, carving a new path forward using diplomatic and military means in order to break the cycle of threats that has existed for far too long.
      “Considering the serious threats we face today, and the fact that the threat of missile attacks on the U.S. is likely to grow, I am deeply concerned about the President’s proposed cuts to the missile defense budget in FY 2014. This is a portion of the budget that should be increased, not decreased, to ensure the safety and security of our people.

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. “cannot endorse the `Aina Koa Pono Project at this time,” states a resolution drafted and approved by the organization’s board of directors. According to KRHCAI executive director Jessie Marques, the resolution has been sent to state Rep. Richard Onishi and Public Utilities Commission chair Mina Morita. The resolution lists several reasons why it cannot endorse the project, which would produce annually and sell to Hawaiian Electric Co. 16 million gallons of biofuel refined in Ka`u from plants grown between Na`alehu and Pahala:

      “AKP has not completely addressed the affect of their bio-refinery processing on the health of the residents of Pahala;
      “AKP has not divulged the agent it will use to be the catalyst to “break down long carbon molecules into shorter ones,” or the short-term or long-term health affects of this catalyst while in process, or should there be an exposure to the residents of Pahala;
      “AKP has not given information explaining contingency measures should there be a “crude oil or biofuel oil” spill and the health affects of such a spill;
      “AKP describes a “sealed system” that does not generate air pollution, but does not address a contingency plan should the closed system become damaged, and what this kind of exposure would mean to the health of the residents of Pahala;
      “AKP explains that ‘biochar’ (the remaining material following the clean energy process), is 80 percent carbon which would promote healthy plant growth, but has not explained what is in the remaining 20 percent of ‘biochar;’
      “AKP has explained the success of this process on a very small scale in North Carolina, admitting that a process of the magnitude that they project be replicated in Pahala has not been tested;
      “AKP projects 16 million gallons of renewable diesel fuel to be used at HELCO’s plant on the Big Island, and another eight million gallons will be distributed by Mansfield Oil Co. annually, projecting approximately three tanker trucks a day into Pahala to carry such fuel;
      “AKP has not divulged the chemicals used in the fertilizer or insecticide it intends to use on the crops it will grow, and the affect of any runoff of such chemicals on the health of the residents of Pahala or the ocean.”

Participants can use their artistic skills at Spring Fling today.

SPRING FLING IS HAPPENING NOW. The third annual celebration of the cultural diversity of Ka`u continues until 4 p.m. at Punalu`u Bake Shop in Na`alehu. The event features arts, crafts, a creativity corner and entertainment throughout the day.

JUNIOR CLASS RODEO, sponsored by Ka`u Roping & Riding Association, is set for two weeks from today on Saturday, April 27 at Na`alehu Rodeo Arena behind Na`alehu Park.
      Tickets are $7, and keiki ages 12 and under get in free. Slack roping starts at 8 a.m., with the show starting at noon.
      During the rodeo, students will be selling special event shirts and have a concession stand to raise money for their upcoming graduation expenses and senior class activities. Shirt prices are $18 for long-sleeve, $15 for adult sizes and $10 for kids.
      In addition, junior class members will be selling Krispy Kreme prior to the rodeo.
      See a junior to purchase, or call Ka`u High at 928-2088. To sign up for the rodeo, contact Tammy Ka`apana, of KRRA, at 929-8079.

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.

Ka`u News Briefs April 12, 2013

Ka`u Hospital and grounds become tobacco-free beginning May 1.

KA`U HOSPITAL WILL BE TOBACCO-FREE beginning May 1, reports administrator Merilyn Harris. The East Hawai`i Region of Hawai`i Health Systems Corporation has adopted a tobacco-free policy for all its facilities. The use of tobacco products will be prohibited on these campuses, including the parking lots. Howard Ainsley, CEO of East Hawai`i Region of HHSC, said, “We’re asking our community and hospital staff to help foster a healthy environment for patients and visitors. This new tobacco-free policy makes good public health sense for our hospitals.”

Howard Ainsley

      The East Hawai`i Region will provide support to patients, staff and the community in their efforts to quit using tobacco products. Patients are currently offered tobacco cessation information and tobacco abatement products such as nicotine patches. Tobacco cessation classes are being organized for staff and community members.
     According to the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai`i:

• Smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death and disability in the United States and Hawai`i;
• Hawai`i’s annual healthcare costs directly caused by smoking is $336 million and smoking-caused productivity loss is $308 million; 
• The annual cost of tobacco use is about $3,400 per smoker or about $7.18 for each pack of cigarettes sold; 
• Smokers have a higher risk of stroke and coronary heart disease than non-smokers; 
• Smokers also have excess risk of pneumonia. The risk for ex-smokers declines over time and reaches the same level as for never-smokers after 10 years; 
• Research shows that creating a tobacco-free workplace is one of the most effective means of helping employees quit smoking; 

      For more information, contact Elena Cabatu at 932-3160 or ecabatu@hhsc.org.

THE PUMP AND MOTOR AT OCEAN VIEW WELL need to be replaced, reports Kanani Aton, of the county Department of Water Supply. When the repairs can be completed depends on availability of materials needed. Hawai`i-based contractor Beylik Drilling and Pump Service is handling the repairs. 

      Until the fill station can be re-opened, residents can use alternate spigot sites ate Wai`ohinu and Ho`okena.

FIVE MORE POLICE OFFICERS FOR KA`U have been requested by Police Chief Harry Kubojiri. He asked the County Council for this and other staffing increases at budget discussions yesterday.
      “We have the same number of officers we have had for awhile,” he said, according to Tom Callis of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. “It’s just that the number of calls are increasing.”
      Kubojiri’s supplemental request totals $2.24 million.

COUNTY PROSECUTOR MITCH ROTH also asked County Council to appropriate funds for staffing increases. Callis reported that Roth wants to add two clerical positions and three deputy prosecutors “to handle the continued rise in criminal cases.” His request comes to $327,000.
      Budget discussions continue today, and a public hearing on the budget is scheduled next Tuesday at 5 p.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona.

      See hawaiitribune-herald.com.

“THERE WOULD BE A COST to the community in Ka`u,” wrote Pahala resident Lynn Hamilton in response to state Consumer Advocate Jeffrey Ono’s claim that “ratepayers do not pay for anything until `Aina Koa Pono actually delivers biodiesel to Hawai`i Electric Light Co.” In testimony to the Public Utilities Commission regarding the proposed contract between AKP and HELCO for 16 million gallons of biofuel refined in Ka`u from plants grown between Na`alehu and Pahala, Ono said that he “discounts statements” from Hawai`i Island residents that “ratepayers are being asked to fund this unproven technology and the risk of failure falls on consumers” because they are “factually incorrect.”

      Hamilton replied to Ono: “Maybe people in Honolulu wouldn’t be affected; maybe it wouldn’t cost them, but there will be a cost to include, but not limited to, the cost of 200 (the number has fluctuated) workers coming into the town of 1,479 residents, housing established for workers, displaced workers, clearing the land preparing for planting, the planting of plants – undetermined plants – plants referred to as ‘sterile grasses’, the cutting of non-native trees, the trucking in all the supplies — fertilizers, poisons, needed minerals for the microwave catalytic depolymerization process, the structure itself, the placement of storage units, water sources as well as other negative externalities.
      “This Island/community would be entering into an undertaking with a company which states they might do an EA or EIS if there are concerns after the plant is in operation. As AKP stated in its eNews Jan. 2013: ‘Once the unit is operational, we will better determine if an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement is required.’
      “If the refinery isn’t productive and AKP cannot deliver the product, will the structures, storage tanks, chemicals, etc. be removed? If `Aina Koa Pono builds a refinery 1.5 miles from the center of Pahala and it does not produce useful fuel for HELCO, there will still be a cost (to) this community.
     “I sincerely hope you will continue to study this proposed project and hopefully recognize the cost.”
      Hamilton’s comments, along with other documents regarding the proposed AKP/HELCO contract, are available at puc.hawaii.gov.

ARMY OFFICIALS AT POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA are opening several conservation areas for bow hunting tomorrow and Sunday to support ongoing protection efforts for threatened and endangered species. Training Areas 17, 19 and 20 will be open for bow hunting of mammals, only, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. These fenced areas are home to various protected plants and animals, and animal control is important to ensuring their survival, said a statement from PTA.
      For more information, call PTA Hunter’s Hotline at 969-3474, visit www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/pta and click on the “Hunting” tab, or refer to instructions on the hunting pass.

Artists and crafters display their creations tomorrow at Spring Fling.

SPRING FLING, KA`U SCHOOL OF THE ARTS’ third annual creativity fair, takes place tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Punalu`u Bake Shop in Na`alehu. Entertainment throughout the day includes Ka`u `Ohana Band, Sonny Ramos, a taiko drum group, Hannah’s Makana `Ohana Hula Halau, Full Tilt Band, `ukulele students from the Center for Hawaiian Music Studies and Keoki Kahumoku.

A HIKE AT KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Sunday focuses on the area’s human history. The guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain begins at 9:30 a.m. and lasts three hours.

PAHALA PUBLIC & SCHOOL LIBRARY holds its 50th anniversary celebration a week from today on Friday, April 19. The event features performances by local hula halau and school students, craft demonstrations, contests, door prizes and refreshments. Winners of the library’s recent haiku poetry writing contest will also be announced. For more information, call 928-2015.

A new Miss Ka`u Coffee will be crowned two weeks from today.

TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY is the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant. Four contestants – Kawailani Houvener, Seneca Lee Oleyte, Rachel Ornelas and Tiare-Lee Shibuya – compete in talent, gown and interview categories beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 26 at Ka`u Coffee Mill, where a stage and runway will be built along with seating for approximately 300 people. Tickets are $10 each and available through the contestants. 

      To volunteer to help at the event, call pageant chair Gloria Camba at 928-8155. To donate to the scholarship fund and to support the event program, call scholarship chair Julia Neal at 928-9811. Pageant director is Nalani Parlin.
      Ka`u Coffee Mill will be open before the pageant.

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.