Ka`u News Briefs Friday, March 21, 2014

Matthew Koi and Samson Iona learn the craft at the `ukulele building workshop sponsored by Keoki Kahumoku and KuAloha `Ukulele
 this morning at Pahala Plantaation House. The workshop is followed by a concert next Wednesday evening. Photo by Julia Neal

MORE POLICE OFFICERS FOR KA`U were announced at the police meeting in Na`alehu this week. Representatives of the Hawai`i Police Department met with Ka`u residents. Deputy Police Chief Paul Ferreira, Ka`u Captain Burt Shimabukuro, Ka`u police and other officers from Area II Operations Bureau answered questions.
      Ferreira reported that staffing of additional Ka`u police officer positions approved by the County Council is expected to take place by the beginning of next year. Two classes of recruits will be graduating, and a second class starts, in July. The time period from recruiting to hiring is 18 months, Ferreira said. That includes six months of classroom training, three months in the field, written tests, physical tests and background screening. To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar

Ka Lae is usually known for its beauty, fishing and archaeology, but Department of
Hawaiian Home Lands is asking for help to stop rave parties there.
Photo by Peter Anderson

RAVE PARTIES AT SOUTH POINT were brought up by representatives from Department of Hawaiian Home Lands who asked for help to squelch them. During a meeting between police and the public this week in Ka`u, DHHL representatives said they are concerned about liability, health, sanitation, drug use and damage to archaeological and cultural sites.
     Capt. Burt Shimabukuro suggested notifying the police ahead of time, as well as perhaps placing signs, fences and gates at the site. When asked if the police have authority there, they said they already have permission.
     Reports are that hundreds of people, including high school and college age youth are attending and that the rave parties include drinking and other possibly illegal activities.
 To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar

THE OCEAN VIEW POLICE SUBSTATION was discussed this week at the police meeting in Ka`u. An Ocean View resident asked about manning a substation there. Deputy Police Chief Paul Ferreira said that although the public has an expectation that substations are to be manned, they are actually places where officers who are out in the field can go to file paperwork rather than go to the main office. Another officer said that with technology such as laptop computers, “officers are now mobile, roaming substations” which reduces the need for actual substations.
      The public can call Ka`u Police Station at 939-2520 with questions and concerns. See hawaiipolice.com. To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar

MALIAN LAHEY IS DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRESIDENT FOR DISTRICT THREE. She is precinct leader for Pahala. District elections were held in early March. District Three includes precincts with voting at Ka'u High School in Pahala, Cooper Center in Volcano, Mountain View Elementary School, and AJA Memorial Hall in Hilo.
     Lahey owns a Wood Valley home and farm and is working to found a Ka`u chapter of Hawai`i Farmers Union United. She advocates for the Ka`u Coffee trade name to be held by the state Department of Agriculture “in order to

Malian Lahey, new Democratic
 Party President for District Three

protect our international reputation in the coffee industry,” she said. Through her nonprofit, I Ola Nā ʻĀina Momona, she articulates “a vision for Ka`u's future in which farmers will stay on their land with long term leases and reasonable terms.”
     Lahey owns the brokerage Ka`u Specialty, LLC, which works with local coffee farmers to deliver 100% Ka`u coffee to market “while upholding principles of fairness, transparency, and sustainability,” she said. She sells Ka`u Coffee wholesale and said that she will soon be launching online retail at kauspecialtycoffee.com.
    Lahey said that Saturday, April 5 is the deadline for Democratic Party Draft Resolutions and Rules, or Platform revisions. April 12 is the meeting to elect delegates to the County Convention and May 3 is the County Convention.
      She encouraged all Democrats to “Submit your ideas and comments, or volunteer as a Democratic Party delegate by emailing HawaiiCountyDistrict3@gmail.com.”
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GMO FOOD LABELING died in the state House of Representatives yesterday. Agriculture Committee Chair Jessica Wooley added the labeling requirement to Senate Bill 2435, an existing bill to, bring the effort back to life but she deferred it after a contentious discussion among committee members. Common Cause and League of Women Voters opposed the process - not necessarily the content - for the measure being revived through a “gut and replace”  procedure that gives the public little notice to weigh in on the measure.

Chris Manfredi, President of the
Hawai`i Farm Bureau

     GMO labeling is supported by Ka`u’s state Senators Russell Ruderman and Josh Green, as well as Ka`u's County Council member Brenda Ford. The state Department of Health, state Department of Agriculture, the Times Supermarkets and Big Save grocery store chain, the Hawai`i Food Industry Association, and statewide Hawa`i Farm Bureau oppose the labeling. The majority of individual testimonies support the labeling.
      Hawai`i Farm Bureau’s president Chris Manfredi, who lives in Na`alehu, testified against a state requirement for GMO labeling, saying: “we strongly believe that food labeling should be regulated at a federal level. Because the proposed draft bill has no basis in science and does not apply equitably to all foods, the passage and implementation of this bill will result in Hawai`i consumers being less informed than they are currently.”
     He further stated that “We oppose false, misleading, negative or deceptive labeling. We support voluntary labeling using statements that are truthful and not misleading.” He contended that there “are not credible studies, much less a consensus among researchers and the medical community, that crops produced with GMO technology are unsafe. In fact the opposite is true. Independent reviews of thousands of studies have to come to the consensus conclusion that GMO crops are safe,” Manfredi claimed.

Mitsoku Hayakawa supports
GMO labeling

     Michael Klungness, of Mountain View, testified: “The State could have made an effort to simplify the whole controversy, by agreeing to mandate that products containing GMO's be so labeled. I think the Industry is shooting itself in the foot by fighting so hard to keep the public from knowing what products are genetically engineered. The net result is that there is a lot of fear generated, that might otherwise not be the case. We consume foods all the time that we know have been tested to have legally allowable quantities of pesticides, herbicides, drugs, etc. But the people buy them because the government says they are safe. GMO on the other hand, has seemed to have been slipped in under the radar, so to speak. That makes the public nervous, and enhances the controversy.”
     He also wrote about heavier pesticide use associated with GMO use. “My greatest fear is that there is too little regulation in the field of bioengineering. Who approved the idea of breeding a herbicide resistant crop just so more herbicides could be used to kill weeds? Scientists already know that the net effect will be to select for resistant weeds. Thus the herbicide application will have to increase, and the health risks along with it. We learned this with insecticides. Plants mutate more slowly than insects, but they have mechanisms, other than genetic selection, to adapt. Just because a particular strategy is lucrative, does not mean that it has no long term consequences. We need to be more about studying the long term effects and less about the short term profits.”
      Mitsuko Hayakawa, of Food Sovereignty Now, testified that “GMOs have never been proven safe for long term consumption and many independent studies indicate cause for concern for our health and environment. I believe it is only fair and just that consumers be given the right to know and the right to choose for themselves whether they would like to put their hard earned money into a patented technology that may be detrimental to our health. I also strongly support the contingency clause that would allow this bill to take effect after three other states pass similar legislation.”
     Pamela Burrell testified that “We as consumers of food have a right to know what we are eating! There is no reason for this to increase the price of food. None. Think about it. If you had a peanut allergy, you would want to know. If you were avoiding too much salt or the quality of fats or if you were avoiding gluten, you would want to know. It is simple. Just label it. Be bold Hawaiians. Listen to the people that live here, not the corporations who are worried about their bottom line...they aren't worried about food prices...just their profits.”

Bruce Tagama of KuAloha `Ukulele teaches Ka`u
students how to build an `ukulele. Photo by Julia Neal

     University of Hawai`i Professor Steven Businger, of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, testified in support o the bill. He said it “maintains the proper balance between FDA regulations and allowed state labeling, respect First Amendment rights, and is now consistent with the commerce Clause.” He stated that “Other states have passed such a law and it is only a matter of time before states like California passes GMO labeling. Presently, Hawai`i sources most of its food via distribution from California, so the GMO Labeling requirement should not add new cost to that distribution channel…. Give the people of Hawai`i the informed choice of knowing what they are teaching, that three quarters of Hawai`i residents have indicated they want.”
     Hawai`i Department of Agriculture Chair Scott Enright, who recently spoke on other subjects at the Ka`u Farm Bureau annual meeting, testified against the labeling requirement, saying that the United States Food & Drug Administration “rigorously tests all the foods that are grown for human consumption and have not found any difference between the safety of genetically engineered foods and other foods. The HDOA works closely with its federal partners and relies on their science-based conclusions to guide policy decisions.” He said any labeling for GMO should be handled at the federal level.
    State Department of Health Director Linda Rosen, M.D, M.P.H., submitted testimony saying the DOH “does not object in principle to a labeling policy to enhance public awareness of the absence or presence of genetically engineered food or food ingredients in Hawai`i markets.” However, she said her department is not in a position to enforce such legislation and that “testing for common markers could easily be evaded.” She said the state lacks the scientific expertise, capacity, equipment and experience” for the testing. She also contended that “there is no conclusive scientific evidence of negative health effects associated with the consumption of genetically engineered food….”
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar

AN `UKULELE BUILDING WORKSHOP, student music retreat and concert next week kicked off at Pahala Plantation House today, directed by Keoki Kahumoku and his Center for Hawaiian Music Studies, with assistance from Bruce Tagama of KuAloha `Ukulele, based on O`ahu.  In residence, teaching are Tagama, Kahumoku and members of the Aloha Bluegrass Band who will host a concert this coming Wednesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Donations are welcome.

Discover Harbour Volunteer Fire Department is raising money today, tomorrow
and Sunday. Photo by Christine Kaehuaea

DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION’S rummage sale to benefit its volunteer fire department goes until 4 p.m. today, Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot dog lunches are $5 on Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proceeds go toward the purchase of supplies not provided by the county.

PICK-UP OF DINNERS TO RAISE FUNDS for Ka`u Summer Fun programs is today from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

HALAU HULA Kalehuaki`eki 'eika`iu holds its garage sale tomorrow, Saturday, March 22, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 99-2035 Pukeawe Circle, in the Volcano Golf Course Subdivision. There will be a hālau "Bake Sale" of home-baked goodies by hālau members, including nā mea ono from "Aunty Pua". Treasures and trinkets, clothing, books, magazines, household items.

CHARLENE ASATO TEACHES traditional styles of Japanese Book Binding, including Tortoise Shell and Noble Binding, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration is required. Fees are $36 or $32 for VAC members, plus a $10 materials fee. Call 967-8222 or see volcanoartcenter.org.

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

                

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, March 20, 2014

Vigilance is key to keeping little fire ants out of Ka`u, according to representatives of Hawai`i Ant Lab and The Nature Conservancy.
Photo from Hawai`i State Department of Agriculture

A PROPOSAL FOR LIQUID NATURAL GAS to be used in power plants on Hawai`i Island and elsewhere in this state could go to the state Public Utilities Commission for approval by as early as August, according to a statement from Hawaiian Electric Co. LNG would be trucked to power plants around the island from maritime facilities. At some locations, most likely O`ahu, storage could be on an offshore barge with the LNG piped to shore. 

     Earlier this month, HECO issued a request for proposals for a contractor to deliver up to 800,000 tons of LNG per year. The RFP notes that 70 percent of the income from HECO bills currently goes to buying fuel. LNG is expected to be less expensive and cleaner, according to HECO. The RFP also states that use of LNG “is not intended to displace renewable energy.”
    It states that “high oil prices and more stringent air regulations (Environmental Protection Agency’s Mercury Air Toxic Standards) and National Ambient Air Quality Standards increase the urgency to reduce Hawai`i’s dependence on oil. While the majority of Hawaiian Electric’s current generation portfolio utilizes oil, liquefied natural gas has emerged as a viable alternative fuel that may substantially lower fuel costs while helping to comply with more stringent environmental regulations.

      The RFP is available for review on the company’s website at hawaiianelectric.com/LNG.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Renewable Watch tracks solar and wind generation on Hawai`i Island.
Image from HELCO

HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. announced yesterday an online daily report of renewable energy use. Renewable Watch can be viewed at www.hawaiielectriclight.com under Clean Energy Future and shows daily contribution of solar and wind generation and how energy from these resources changes throughout the day. The display shows the measured output from large wind and solar facilities combined with the estimated output from residential rooftop photovoltaic systems. It graphically displays how renewable energy resources can vary significantly by day and time of day due to changes in weather, such as wind strength and cloud cover. Non-variable renewable energy generation, such as geothermal, is not shown. 

      “Hawai`i is blessed with abundant sunshine and strong winds. With the Renewable Watch displays, anyone can see at a glance that these are extremely productive resources with output that varies throughout the day,” said Scott Seu, Hawaiian Electric vice president for energy resources and operations.
      The Solar Electric Power Association ranks Hawai`i number one in the nation for solar watts per customer. At the end of 2013, over 40,000 solar installations across the HECO service territories in this state recorded a combined capacity of about 300 megawatts.
      A press release from HECO says, “To maintain reliable electric service for all customers, utility engineers must adjust the output of firm sources of generation up or down as the output from variable sources like solar and wind rises and falls throughout the day. The Hawaiian Electric Companies developed Renewable Watch to help system operators and engineers obtain information about the contribution of energy from the variable solar and wind resources.
      “This information can help us integrate higher levels of renewable energy more effectively. Solar and wind power are increasingly important to our energy mix, so we need to understand when and how these resources affect our system,” Seu said.
      Data from wind facilities and utility-scale solar facilities for Renewable Watch comes from utility system-monitoring equipment. Data for customer-sited solar power comes from regional estimates using solar sensors strategically placed throughout the islands and other sources. Solar sensors monitor irradiance (the rate at which solar energy falls onto a surface) to help estimate the energy generated by thousands of PV systems across the island.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Respresentatives of Hawai`i County Police Department answered questions
from Ka`u residents Tuesday. Photo by Ron Johnson

HAWAI`I COUNTY DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF Paul Ferreira, Ka`u Captain Burt Shimabukuro, Ka`u police and other officers from Area II Operations Bureau answered questions from the public at a community meeting in Na`alehu Tuesday. 

      Property manager Patty Barry brought up concerns about homeowners being burglarized when they are on the mainland. Ferreira suggested that homeowners identify valuables with markings and document what is in their homes before leaving Ka`u for the mainland.
      Rancher Lani Petrie asked for information about motion sensitive cameras. “Can they be used as evidence? Do they need GPS for identification of locations?” she asked. Ferreira and other officers said that any kind of camera can be used for gathering evidence. He suggested that security companies can be helpful in setting up these systems.
      A Discovery Harbour resident asked if the department had plans to use cameras mounted on officers’ eyeglasses. Ferreira said there were no immediate plans, citing issues of cost and possible concerns by the police union.
      “Do thieves have to be caught in the act?” asked one resident. “No,” Ferreira answered and explained that police must have “a reason to believe” a suspect was involved in order to make an arrest. He said that anyone in possession of stolen property can be arrested.
      “Is the meth problem getting worse?” asked another resident. One officer replied, “Same; same guys using.” He said there is a correlation between drug use and crime. “When drug use is on the rise, property crime is on the rise.”
      Regarding some residents reporting a lack of communication between the police and victims, Shimabukuro said, “The victim should always be contacted with follow-up information.” He vowed to get back with them about their individual cases.
      Raylene Moses asked when it is appropriate to call 911. Ferreira said to call 911 in case of emergencies, including serious medical problems, any life-threatening situations, fires or crimes in progress. He also said to call in cases where a situation could become an emergency, such as a cow on a road.
      Ferreira encouraged residents to call Ka`u Police Station at 939-2520 with any questions or concerns. He also suggested visiting the Police Department website at hawaiipolice.com.
      See more in tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Small compared to the tropical fire ant, the little fire ant packs a mighty sting.
Photo from Hawai`i Ant Lab

KA`U CAN CONTROL LITTLE FIRE ANTS if residents are vigilant. This was the message at an informational meeting held by Hawai`i Ant Lab and The Nature Conservancy yesterday. The meeting follows identification of an LFA infestation in Na`alehu ball park and surrounding areas. 

      Cas Vanderwoude, of Hawai`i Ant Lab, explained that the best way to limit LFA populations, whose natural spread is very slow, is to check items brought in from other locations. Items include plants, gardening materials and anything that might harbor the invasive species, such as a car or containers that have been left outside.
      Vanderwoude showed a film about the devastating effects of LFA on communities from Puna and Hamakua to Maui and Tahiti. In Tahiti, some people have abandoned land that has been in families for generations.
      In the film, John Cross, manager of Olson Trust Land in Ka`u who has a farm in Hamakua, said the ants cause crops to become unharvestable. In his lychee orchard, he said, “it was raining ants” onto pickers. If the LFA is not controlled, “ag as we know it will not be here,” he said.
      The ants’ stings cause itchy and burning rashes which can become infected if scratched. They also cause blurred corneas and blindness in pets and other animals.
      Vanderwoude said controlling LFA includes surveying the area to know where they are, developing a management plan, eradicating known populations, preventing re-entry of LFA and ongoing monitoring and vigilence.
      Excerpts from the film, as well as information about identification and control of the pest, is available at littlefireants.com. The Nature Conservancy is also helping. Call TNC’s Ka`u representative John Replogle at 443-5401.

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Discovery Harbour Community Association's rummage sale to benefit its
volunteer fire department begins tomorrow.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION’S rummage sale to benefit its volunteer fire department takes place tomorrow and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale also features hot dog lunches for $5 on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

      DHCA is accepting items for the sale today until 4 p.m.
      Proceeds go toward the purchase of supplies not provided by the county.

PICK-UP OF DINNERS TO RAISE FUNDS for Ka`u Summer Fun programs is tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Dinners include teri-beef, rice, corn and bread for $7. Call 928-3102.

CHARLENE ASATO TEACHES traditional styles of Japanese Book Binding, including Tortoise Shell and Noble Binding, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration is required. Fees are $36 or $32 for VAC members, plus a $10 materials fee. Call 967-8222 or see volcanoartcenter.org.

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

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Ka`u Red Hat Ladies and Ka Lae Quilters celebrated ten years of fundraising for Ka`u Hospital yesterday, with the latest effort providing $12,500 for the emergency room. Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS BEWARE of another pest from Kona. The latest is the emaravirus that turned some Kona Coffee berries into raisins and made them unmarketable. In January, a coffee farmer in the Captain Cook area of South Kona sent Coffea arabica leaf samples to Dr. Scot Nelson, plant pathologist with UH-CTAHR.

Emaravirus on coffee leaves. Photo by Scot Nelson

      Andrea Kawabata, Hawai`i County agent, UH-CTAHR, and Dr. Michael Melzer, a plant pathologist, UH-CTAHR, visited the farm in February and learned that the grower first noticed that no cherries could be harvested from these plants and that leaves were covered with circular lesions about five millimeters in diameter. Berries had turned to “raisins,” but Melzer and Kawabata surmised that coffee pickers did not harvest the berries because the berries were small or deformed. The coffee farmer had two locations at the farm with affected plants, and Melzer and Kawabata could see some symptomatic plants across a fence at the neighboring coffee farm. 

      Emaraviruses are transmitted by eriophyid mites, which can disperse on wind currents. If this virus is the causal agent, it has the potential to move through a field rather quickly. A statement from Meltzer and Kawabata says, “We doubt the disease will kill any coffee trees, but if it makes the berries unmarketable, the tree essentially becomes an ornamental plant only.”
      Citizen scientists are encouraged to help determine the geographic range of the symptoms. Contact Nelson at snelson@hawaii.edu. The farmer has destroyed the symptomatic trees at the reporting farm. Neem oil may be the most effective miticide registered for application to coffee in Hawai`i, according to CTAHR.
      The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture has been contacted and expressed interest in survey, risk assessment and eradication of diseased plants, the CTAHR statement said.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Dennis Kamakahi shares his music with a free concert each November as part of the
annual Kahumoku workshop at Pahala Plantation House. Photo by Julia Neal

DENNIS KAMAKAHI’S SPIRITUALITY and faith are front and center as he shares his journey through lung cancer treatment with the community on Facebook. Within two hours of Kamakahi giving this morning’s update on Facebook from his room in Queen’s Hospital, almost 300 people liked and sent him uplifting messages. Kamakahi is a Christian minister. 

      Kamakahi, the composer of more than 500 songs and master of slack key guitar, music composition and harmonica, spends a week each November in Pahala, where he teaches local youth on scholarships and adults from around the world and provides the community with a free concert with his friends George and Keoki Kahumoku, Sonny Lim, John and Hope Keawe and many more. He says each year when he is here that his long-term plan is to move to Ka`u, where his wife grew up, and that he plans to set up a recording studio.
      Many of Kamakahi’s songs are standards of Hawaiian music. He composed Wahine `Ilikea, Pua Hone and Koke`e. He earns Na Hoku Hanohano Awards and brought home three Grammy awards. Formerly one of The Sons of Hawai`i, Kamakahi has a Hawai`i Music Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame. Kamakahi is the first modern Hawaiian music composer with his six-string slack key guitar, albums, sheet music and personal photographs welcomed into the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s permanent collection.

 His music is featured in films, including Lilo & Stitch 2 and the Oscar-nominated soundtrack from The Descendants.

After a teaching session at the Kahumoku workshop,
Dennis Kamakahi shares his guitar signatures at
Pahala Plantation House. Photo by Julia Neal

    Friends and family will host a benefit concert, dinner and silent auction on the 60-year-old Kamakahi’s birthday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m. at Willows Restaurant in Honolulu. Pakele Live! will stream the celebration at new.livestream.com/pakele. Admission to the event is free. Musicians will include Ledward Ka`apana and Mike Kaawa, Keawe Ohana, Herb Ohta, Jr., Danny Carvalho, Maunalua, Stephen Inglis, Waipuna, Na Hoa, Kupaoa, Raiatea Helm, Bryan Tolentino, Nathan Aweau and special guests. Ben Gutierrez, of Hawai`i News Now, will host. To donate, see teamdenniskamakahi.com.

   Kamahaki’s son David said, 

“Our dad is a man of tremendous faith. We continue to pray for his full recovery and ask others to do the same. We are daily witnesses to how the kindness and concern of friends, family and fans give him strength in his battle. We are humbled and endlessly grateful by the outpouring of support from fans around the world."
      Kamakahi announced his diagnosis last week on Facebook. George Kahumoku, Jr. has organized a five-day prayer vigil and fast.
      Robin Gomes, son of musicians Phoebe and Bobby Gomes in Pahala, posted: “God gave us all talents and purpose, not for us to keep, but to share and help others. There’s a purpose in this journey you’ve been called upon. You are touching many lives. Continue to inspire us, Hawaiian.”

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT met with approximately 30 Ka`u residents yesterday. Deputy Police Chief Paul Ferreira led the meeting, with Ka`u Captain Burt Shimabukuro, Ka`u police and other officers from Area II Operations Bureau on hand to answer questions from the public. 

Ka`u Police Captain Burt Shimabukuro
Photo by Ron Johnson

      Many residents thanked the small Ka`u Police Department staff for the good work they do. “They are always there when I ask for help,” said one resident.
      Ferreira and other officers stressed the importance of community policing, acknowledging that “we need the community’s help.” He said he wants to prevent crime by working together as a group, being proactive and having officers out in the field.
      See more on the meeting in tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar. 

A $12,500 CHECK TO KA`U HOSPITAL came from the Red Hat Ladies of Ka`u and Ka Lae Quilters at a presentation yesterday to Ka`u Hospital. Over the past decade the two community groups have raised over $100,000 for the hospital, in particular for equipment for the emergency room. “Anyone looking at the technology in the ER can see the work of these volunteers,” said Ka`u Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris. 

      Queen Bee of the Hatters, Barbara Beatty, said the group plans to take a break from the fundraising after many years of work and invites new volunteers to help out with the work of supporting the local hospital. Her phone number is 929-9072.
      Ron Ebert, of `O Ka`u Kakou, said that OKK is willing to take over for the Red Hats and Ka Lae Quilters. Also raising money for the ER is a group of golfers who presented a check for $1,400 and has raised over $50,000 in the last six years.
      Ka`u Hospital medical director and ER physician Cliff Fields also thanked the volunteers.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL STANDOUT Toni Beck has accepted a scholarship offer to play volleyball at Briar Cliff University. Beck signed a letter of intent and will join head coach Trevor Schirman’s Chargers in Iowa next fall, where she plans to pursue a nursing degree. 

      Pilipa`a 18 Club coach Chris Leonard was instrumental in helping Toni receive a scholarship. Leonard played with Schirman while at Punahou and coaches Beck with Pilipa`a 18.

Toni Beck, seated, with Ka`u High A.D. Kalei
Namohala;Sharon, Jami and James Beck; and
Pilipa`a coachChris Leonard. Photo from KHPES

      “We congratulate Toni on her scholarship,” said Ka`u High athletic director Kalei Namohala. “We know she will be a valuable asset to her new team. She will become a Charger, but her roots will always be with our Ka`u Trojans. We wish her well with her future endeavors.”

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.  

Curious Colt, by Christina Shirley, won a People's
Choice award last year's Hawai`i Photo Expo.
Photo from Hawai`i Photo Expo

KA`U VARSITY WAHINE SOFTBALL fell to the Kohala Cowgirls yesterday at Pahala ball field. Score was 2-24. Next game for the Wahine Trojans is on Friday, Mar. 21 at Pahoa at 3:30 p.m.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION is accepting items for a rummage sale to benefit its volunteer fire department today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
      The rummage sale takes place Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale also features hot dog lunches for $5 on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
      Proceeds go toward the purchase of supplies not provided by the county.

HAWAI`I ANT LAB PERSONNEL PROVIDE information about little fire ants and discuss methods of control during a community meeting today at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

TOMORROW AT 9 A.M. IS THE DEADLINE TO ENTER the 2014 Hawai`i Photo Expo, the state’s premier photo contest, with categories for beginners, enthusiasts and masters. See hawaiiphotoexpo.com. 

KA`U AG WATER COOPERATIVE DISTRICT meets tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Royal Hawaiian Orchards field office in Pahala. For information, call Jeff McCall at 928-6456.

SUMMER FUN FUNDRAISING DINNER pick-up is Friday from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Dinners include teri-beef, rice, corn and bread for $7. Call 928-3102.

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