Ka`u News Briefs Friday, July 10, 2015

Waters surrounding Hawai`i are heating up and fueling tropical storms that are churning north and south of the state.
Map from Weather Underground

STORMS CONTINUE TO CHURN in the Central Pacific north and south of Hawai`i, fueled by the oceans warm waters. To the north, Ela has weakened into a post-tropical remnant low due to strong south-southwesterly wind shear as it tracks west. Two other tropical depressions to the south are gaining strength as they move west of the state but are expected to weaken in the next few days, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

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

A SEARCH FOR A MISSING DIVER led to the discovery of his body yesterday at Punalu`u.
      At 8:15 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of a missing diver in waters off Punalu`u Boat Ramp. Fire Department personnel searched by land, air and water. At 5:22 p.m., 60-year-old Robert Furtado’s body was found floating about 300 yards offshore from Ninole Bay and Punalu`u Pavilions.
      An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Shoreline setback policy is a topic of the Ka`u Community Development Plan.

YESTERDAY’S KA`U NEWS BRIEF about the owner of property at Pohue Bay planning to build a house there generated many comments on Facebook. Here are several. 

      Saydi Llanes: “Sick I tell you, just sick.”
      Gennifer Medeiros Shibuya: “Ugh. This just makes me sick. Their sick! No build!”
      Lora Olson: “What about beach access?”
      Lisa Edwards: “Bad move. Very bad bad bad decision.”
      Larry Cush: “The owner should work with the state and/or national parks or a land trust to save this unique and irreplaceable property. The petroglyph site, aqualin ponds and undeveloped site make this area a gem worthy of National Monument status. The owner is in a position to do the right thing for Hawai`i.”
      Kapono Lena Hayden: “No build!”
      Cherub Akin: “I hope they will share their road with beach goers. It sure would be nice to have a white sand beach in Ka`u.”
      Kallie Barnes: “The very rare and endangered Hawksbill Turtle nests here! Undoubtedly the lights from a structure would interfere with this! It would be very sad to see this area developed; it’s an absolute gem.”
      Rena Higgins: “What about the turtles? Will this affect them?”
      Shoreline setback policy is a topic being given more attention by Ka`u Community Development Plan’s Steering Committee. In its draft form, the CDP says, “Site-specific shoreline setbacks shall be established at the earliest stages of the land use planning and development process either 1) at 1,320 feet (1/4-mile) or 2) as far as practicable from the shoreline using a science-based assessment and in consideration of the physical limitations of the property.” Options being considered are to eliminate this policy entirely; remove the ¼-mile setback requirement; remove “1,320 feet (1/4-mile)” and replace with “a distance to be determined with community input;” or reconsider comprehensively all sections pertaining to coastal development to determine how best to achieve the related community objectives.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

`Opihi are much more abundant on uninhabited Hawaiian islands.
NPS Photo by Larry Basch

RESEARCHERS ABOARD THE POLYNESIAN double-hulled sailing canoe Hikianalia and modern research vessel Searcher have returned from Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, where they conducted `opihi monitoring, and offered mele (chants) and ho`okupu (gifts) to honor the islands. 

       “It was amazing to have such a dedicated group of people willing to participate in all aspects of this expedition,” said Hoku Johnson, NOAA expedition coordinator. “This was the first time researchers specifically collaborated on projects that have cultural, scientific and management benefit for Papahanaumokuakea and beyond.”
      Chris Bird and Patricia Crockett, researchers with Texas A&M University, continued their years of research on `opihi, making some interesting findings.
      “It appears that Nihoa is the ‘Fort Knox’ of `opihi in terms of genetic diversity,” Bird said. “This is significant because `opihi populations in the Monument could be more resilient to human-derived effects like ocean acidification and disease outbreaks than populations in the Main Hawaiian Islands.”
      This ongoing research continues to provide managers with insights into how to make better-informed management decisions concerning `opihi harvesting in the Main Hawaiian Islands.
      “After six years of conducting research on `opihi in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, it is apparent that there are 99.9 percent more `opihi on the shorelines of the Monument than those of Oʻahu,” Bird said. “On O`ahu there is an average of one `opihi per square meter, versus an average of 100-200 `opihi per square meter in the Monument. Working in Papahanaumokuakea continues to provide insight into what a healthy shoreline should look like.”
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Dr. Jim Kauahikaua, accompanied by his wive Jeri Gertz received
his award in Washington, DC. Photo from USGS

DR. JIM KAUAHIKAUA RECENTLY RECEIVED a Citation for Meritorious Service, the second highest U.S. Department of the Interior honor award that can be granted to a career employee. The award is in recognition of his outstanding scientific contributions in the field of volcano hazards for the USGS and his leadership of U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. 

      Known to many on the Island of Hawai`i as Dr. Jim, Kauahikaua was, for many residents, the patient, calm, and steady face of HVO during last fall’s threatening lava flow in lower Puna, HVO personnel wrote in the current issue of Volcano Watch. This was acknowledged in the citation, which states that “his expertise is potentially lifesaving for residents on Hawai`i Island” and that his leadership has proven invaluable during responses to natural hazards.
      The citation further commends Kauahikaua for his work strengthening relations between HVO and other Federal, State, and County agencies, which has improved interagency coordination during periods of elevated volcano and earthquake activity… .
      When lava flows inundated the Kalapana community in 1990, he became interested in lava flow dynamics and mitigating volcanic hazards in Hawai`i. He has since developed tools for lava flow hazards assessment and methods for quantifying lava flow emplacement that have been utilized during Kilauea Volcano's ongoing East Rift Zone eruption, including the recent advance of lava toward Pahoa.
      In October 2004, Kauahikaua was named HVO’s 19th Scientist-in-Charge – the first of Hawaiian ancestry. The Meritorious Service Award citation notes that, as Scientist-in-Charge, Kauahikaua “guided HVO through significant changes in monitoring and communication technologies, volcanic and earthquake activity, staff reorganization and makeup, and scientific and public outreach activities, leaving HVO well-prepared to tackle 21st Century challenges.”
      After serving as HVO’s Scientist-in-Charge for more than 10 years – one of the longest terms in the observatory's history – Kauahikaua rotated back to his former position as an HVO research geophysicist in March 2015. He is now happily focused on scientific investigations that had to be put on hold during the past decade, when his time and attention were effectively consumed by administrative and managerial responsibilities.
      Tina Neal, who succeeds Kauahikaua as Scientist-in-Charge, notes the extremely high regard that HVO holds in the global science community, both in terms of scientific accomplishment and public service. “It is an honor to inherit leadership of such a beloved and talented organization within the Hawai`i Island community, and I give Jim much credit for that,” she said.
      In response to the award bestowed upon him, Kauahikaua said, “HVO couldn’t have accomplished so much these past 10 years without the support of the entire HVO staff, a team of highly dedicated individuals. Together, we have accomplished some amazing things, and now, with Tina’s leadership, we will do even more.”
      Congratulations, Dr. Jim! The DOI Meritorious Service Award is well-deserved recognition for your years of service to the USGS and HVO.
      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

One of Kahuku's free programs this weekend is a guided hike to Pu`u O Lokuana.
NPS Photo by Jessica Ferracane

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES National Park offers free programs this weekend. 

      Pu`u o Lokuana is a short, moderately difficult 0.4-mile hike to the top of the grassy cinder cone. Participants learn about the formation and various uses of this hill over time and enjoy a breathtaking view of lower Ka`u. Tomorrow, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
      A guided hike of Palm Trail is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, sections of remnant native forest and volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. Sunday, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
      Call 985-6011 for more information.

THIS SUNDAY’S WALK IN THE PARK is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guided by botanist Tim Tunison, this four-mile round-trip hike explores Mauna Loa Trail. Free for Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park; others may become members in order to attend. Email admin@fhvnp.org or call 985-7373 for more information.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, July 9, 2015

An owner of Ka`u Coast property at Pohue Bay plans to build a house at the district's only white sand beach.

AN OWNER OF KA`U COAST PROPERTY at Pohue Bay plans to build a house there. “Mr. Geoff Palmer is proposing to develop a single-family home for his private use on a property he owns … under a company called Nani Kahuku `Aina,” Keli`i Kapali, planner for PBR Hawai`i & Associates, wrote in a letter to Ka`u’s state Rep. Richard Creagan. The company is seeking input from Creagan “as to whether the proposed Palmer Residence may have an impact on any of your existing or proposed projects, plans, policies or programs that we should consider” as the company prepares an Environmental Assessment, Kapali said.

The Palmer Residence would be in State Land Use Conservation District.
Map from PBR Hawai`i letter to Rep. Richard Creagan

      The home site is within the State Land Use Conservation District Resource Subzone. According to Kapali, the house site will be designed in conformance with Conservation District rules related to single-family residential design standards, which limit developable area to 5,000 square feet. Design will include independent electricity, water and wastewater system.
      Kapali said the home site will be within an area of less than five acres and near the shoreline of the parcel that contains 16,500 acres. Previous plans for the property included a hotel, condominiums and a golf course in a development called Kahuku Village.
      In March 2014, owners’ representative Michael Reyes told The Ka`u Calendar, “While we have not taken any affirmative steps to move this (development) forward, we have not officially withdrawn the application, either. There are also no pending discussions with any federal or local government agency regarding the disposition of the property at this time. So basically, we are in a holding pattern and are treating the asset as a longer-term investment.”
      Also in March 2014, Hawai`i County Planning Department announced that the County Council authorized the Director of Finance to enter into negotiations to acquire all, a portion of, or a conservation easement for the 16,000 acres around Pohue Bay.
      PBR Hawai`i requested that Creagan reply by July 24.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

MAUNA KEA PHOTO GUILD has issues with state-proposed rules that would limit access to areas of the mountain. The road to the summit has been closed since June 24, when Thirty Meter Telescope opponents blocked it with strewn rocks and rock structures to prevent construction crews from reaching the summit.
      “As photographers we support open access to Mauna Kea, access that has been legally protected for the people of Hawai`i,” a statement from the group says. “We post pictures as a show of support to protect our right to perform photography on Mauna Kea.
      “Newly proposed rule changes by DLNR will prevent access to Mauna Kea at night between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., the very time that photographers visit the mountain to photograph the stars. These proposed land management practices also ban camping and the use of backpacks, which photographers use to carry their equipment.

Photographers, including Alan M. Lakritz, who took this photo, have issues
with proposed rules that would limit access to Mauna Kea.
Photo from Mauna Kea Photo Guild's Facebook page

      “Poorly written and lacking in necessary specifics, there are long-term and far reaching economic consequences to these new guidelines that have not been fully considered. While the proposed rule changes may have been aimed at one segment of society, they fail to consider the impact on a broader audience. Many Big Island photographers have spent years honing their skills and purchasing specialized equipment to photograph the night sky from atop Mauna Kea. Their work is displayed in museums and galleries all over the world and enriches the lives of millions of people who cannot travel to Mauna Kea personally.
      “In addition, organizations from across the globe use photography from atop Mauna Kea to educate and inspire young and old alike about the wonders of our Universe. These organizations hire local photographers to take these images that are then shared in a multitude of countries and viewed by millions of people.
      “To deny access to Mauna Kea at night deprives photographers from being able to do their job and earn an income. It also prevents society at large, both here in the U.S. and around the world, from appreciating the unique wonders of the nighttime sky that can only be seen from atop Mauna Kea.
      “We call upon all people who favor full access to join the our cause or create their own organization to advocate. This may include, but is not limited to recreationists, businesses, traditional worshipers, and astronomers.
      “The passage of these proposed new rules will set a precedent that is unacceptable to anyone that appreciates the art of photography and the inspiration of education.”
      Board of Land & Natural Resources will consider the rules at its regularly scheduled meeting tomorrow at 9 a.m. on O`ahu. The meeting will be streamed live at olelo.org.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ka`u's Ali`i Hawaiian Hula Hands Coffee won HCA top honors last year.
Photo from Ali`i Hawaiian Hula Hands 

THE 20TH HAWAI`I COFFEE ASSOCIATION Conference and seventh Cupping Competition is July 16-19 at Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. Offering a full lineup of informative activities, the annual event attracts statewide coffee industry growers, processors, roasters, wholesalers and retailers.
      The gathering is also open to the public.
      The conference includes workshops covering coffee quality, chemical compounds in green coffee, label compliance, quality control of roasting and packaging, cupping and eradication of the coffee berry borer. Also on tap are legislative updates and reports from a host of agencies, including Hawai`i’s Department of Agriculture, UH’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resource, Hawai`i Agricultural Research Center, Synergistic Hawai`i Agriculture Council and Hawai`i Farm Bureau.
      Other activities include an expo, silent auction, coffee farm and processing tour, plus election of HCA officers. Winners of the cupping competition are announced Saturday at a dinner headlined by TV business reporter Howard Dicus.
      The annual cupping competition is an evaluation of coffee based on flavor, aroma, mouth-feel, acidity, sweetness and aftertaste. Last year, a panel of judges, using standardized blind procedures, cupped a field of 82 Hawai`i entries hailing from eight districts. Top honors were given to Ali`i Hawaiian Hula Hands, of Ka`u, Aloha Hills Kona Coffee and Maui Grown Coffee.

Jonithen Jackson, of Ocean View, stars in The Land of Eb.

      For more information and to register, see www.hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/Events.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

JONITHEN JACKSON, OF OCEAN VIEW, stars in a fictional account about the Marshallese situation. The Land of Eb will be shown July 30 on PBS. 

      “Living in the stark volcanic landscape of one of the most remote Hawaiian communities, Jacob, an immigrant father and grandfather, struggles to provide for his large family,” reads the synopsis at thelandofeb.com.
      “When Jacob overhears a cancer diagnosis from his doctor, he keeps the news to himself, foregoing treatment in favor of working to pay off his property which he plans to pass down once he’s gone. As Jacob’s search for work becomes more desperate however, he enters into a dubious agreement with a coffee farmer who promises him the money he needs.
      “His sickness getting worse and the new job beginning to fall apart, Jacob is left with few options. Sensing his own end, Jacob turns a small video camera on himself and begins to record his story — and that of his people, the Marshallese.
      “A hauntingly beautiful affirmation of family, The Land of Eb brings full circle the consequences of man’s destructive nature and lasting effects of the nuclear age with the honor and dignity of love tinged with hope.”
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO YESTERDAY co-introduced the bipartisan All Students Count Amendment to the Every Child Achieves Act. The amendment would better highlight the needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander students by requiring school districts with more than 1,000 AAPI students to report disaggregated data by the major race categories in the Census, such as Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Native Hawaiian and Samoan.

Image from KDEN

      “The Hawai`i Department of Education is already a national leader in collecting and using detailed AAPI data to best use resources and help high-need students improve. As we’ve seen in Hawai`i, this detailed data is critical to help educators, parents, and communities ensure that each and every child receives the support they need.”
      The amendment requires school districts to collect and publicly report data on the major AAPI subgroups so that teachers, parents, principals, policymakers, and community organizations can target support to the students who need it most.

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

KDEN PRESENTS THE KING AND I beginning tomorrow. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through July 26. Tickets are $14 general admission, $12 for seniors and students and $10 for children 12 and under. Available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods, The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo and at the door.

      Call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.

KA`U SCENIC BYWAY COMMITTEE meets today at 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church. The public is invited.

      For more information, email richmorrow@alohabroadband.net.

KA`U RESIDENTS INTERESTED in becoming Red Cross volunteers can attend a meeting today at 7 p.m. at HOVE Road Maintenance Corp. office.
     For more information, call Hannah Uribes at 929-9953.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, July 8, 2015

National Park Service lead Na`alehu's Fourth of July Parade Saturday. Photo by Peter Anderson

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS came to Ka`u last weekend for the Fourth of July Parade sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou. The National Park Service, which has a large presence in Ka`u with its 117,000-acre Kahuku section rising from Ocean View above Na`alehu and Pahala to join the Volcano section, carried the flags to lead the march down Hwy 11 in Na`alehu. County Council member Maile David, East Ka`u Rep. Richard Onishi East Ka`u Sen. Russell Ruderman and West Ka`u Rep. Richard Creagan participated, along with many community groups, churches and businesses. 

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

Joe Demourelle and Walter Wong Yuen display artifacts at Pahala Public
& School Library. Photo from Joe Demourelle

“LET’S START WITH YOUR NAME, age and how long you’ve been in Ka`u.” That’s how the interview begins for the Ka`u History Collection oral video project. The project is assisted by the video apprentice program of the Center for Hawaiian Music Studies. Kyle Pitcher and Eugene Watson are apprenticing under Joe Demoruelle, a volunteer of Friend’s of the Ka`u Libraries. 

      Historical news articles and photographs will also be saved in a digital format and available for viewing and copying. The collection, available to the public, is housed at Pahala Public and School Library.
      “By sharing their Ka`u lifestyle and history, kupuna in our community will leave a legacy for our communities that will carry on for generations and will be cherished by their loved ones,” Demoruelle said. A digital CD of donated photos from a person or group will be made and given to the donor at no charge.
      Walter Wong Yuen, the History Collection director, has set up displays in the library featuring donated objects from Ka`u. These include bottles, Pahala sugar mill articles, lava tools, etc. Memorabilia can be donated or given on loan.
      For more information, contact Walter Wong Yuen at Pahala Library.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Forecasts show a tropical depression tracking
to the north of Hawai`i.

CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER has revised its forecast regarding a tropical depression that it expected to become a cyclone. “The depression has failed to organize over the past several hours, most likely due to persistent southwesterly shear,” the most recent report states. “While the forecast continues to indicate some intensification in the short term, confidence in this solution is waning due to the cyclone’s inability to consolidate overnight.” 

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

ORGANIZERS OF TMT PROTESTS consider rules proposed by state agencies to be directed toward their, what they consider to be protective, actions on Mauna Kea. The rules call for prohibiting “obvious camping paraphernalia” and limiting hours available to the public within one mile of the Mauna Kea Access Road.
      “They’re fishing for something to do, some way to get us off (the mountain) and allow TMT up,” Lanakila Mangauil, one of the organizers, told Chris D’Angelo, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. “It’s so obvious that the state is catering to a private project.”

      Mangauil also said he finds it ironic that the state is focusing on “alleged impacts of a small group of protesters when TMT is planning to construct a $1.4 billion 18-story telescope on the mountain’s summit.”  

      Kaho`okahi Kanuha, another organizer, said, “It surely seems like something that is a direct response to what we . . . have been doing on the mountain for the past 104 days,” “They are trying to make the protection efforts . . . more difficult.”
      See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ka`u's state Sen. Russell Ruderman and Rep. Richard Creagan, carrying flag,
marched in Na`alehu's Fourth of July parade. Photo by Peter Anderson

ALLIANCE FOR SOLAR CHOICE has launched a statewide radio and TV campaign focused on raising awareness of the significant tax impacts of Hawaiian Electric Company's solar proposal. “HECO’s proposal, if adopted by the Public Utilities Commission, would cripple the growth of solar and put a costly tax burden on customers,” said Robert Harris, TASC spokesperson. 

      HECO recently proposed changes for new solar customers and issued press statements that TASC found misleading. Three separate tax opinions from local and national law firms establish that HECO’s proposal would expose customers to additional federal and state income taxes, potentially subject customers to the Hawai`i general excise tax and prevent customers from obtaining the 30 percent federal residential tax credit for new solar systems.
      “HECO is suggesting taxes that no other state has imposed,” Harris said. “If Hawai`i is serious about achieving 100 percent renewable energy, we can’t start by punishing people with high taxes simply because they’re doing the right thing for Hawai`i’s environment and economy. The cumulative impact of these proposals would take thousands of dollars out of solar customer’s pockets annually.
      “Moreover, Hawai`i customers shouldn’t be denied access to a generous federal tax credit. That’s leaving federal money for our clean energy future on the table.”
      The ads can be found at the HecoSunTax.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ka`u's County Council member Maile David celebrated in red, white and blue.
Photo by Peter Anderson

STRENGTHENING THE GOOD SAMARITAN LAW and establishing Farm to School programs are subjects of bills Gov. David Ige has signed into law. 

      SB 982 (Act 217) allows limited immunity for individuals who call 911 to prevent an alcohol or drug overdose from becoming fatal. It allows individuals to come to the assistance of another without fear that calling 911 would result in their subsequent arrest.
      “This will law will encourage bystanders who may otherwise hesitate to act. Overdose deaths are preventable, and this law will save lives,” Ige said.
      SB 376 (Act 218) establishes the Hawai`i farm to school program and funds a farm to school coordinator position. Farm to school programs introduce students to healthier eating habits and help them become familiar with new vegetables and fruits that they and their families will then be more willing to incorporate into their own diets. The farm to school coordinator will negotiate the complicated process of procuring local agricultural for schools.
      Ige said he has asked Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui to spearhead this initiative.
      “For a number of years, we’ve talked about the importance of Farm to School programs, and this bill signing takes the process a giant step forward,” Tsutsui said. “This program will ensure that our kids have nutritious meals as they learn about locally grown produce and cattle. This is a tremendous opportunity, and I look forward to working with the program coordinator, various state departments and agencies and the community to make sure we continue to move forward.”
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ka`u's state Rep. Richard Onishi waves to supporters along Hwy 11.
Photo by Peter Anderson

SEN. MAZIE K. HIRONO WELCOMED Obama Cabinet members to Hawai`i on Monday. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald and Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez met with her at a Disabled Veterans Employment Roundtable at to discuss issues key to Hawai`i veterans. The two Obama administration cabinet members are visiting Hawai`i as part of their respective nationwide listening tours. 

      “VA Secretary McDonald and Labor Secretary Perez are sending a strong message throughout their visit in Hawai`i that the concerns and priorities of island veterans are important. Hawai`i’s veterans face unique challenges in accessing VA health care and other services on each island, and particularly in our rural areas,” Hirono said. “I appreciate Secretary McDonald and Secretary Perez taking the time to reach out and discuss pressing issues with veterans including homelessness, the transition to civilian life and creating a continuity of care for our veterans.
      “One in ten Hawai`i residents has served our country in the Armed Forces, and we owe it to them to provide the best resources possible when they complete their service."
      McDonald also met with Hirono, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Sen. Brian Schatz to discuss improving access to VA health care benefits and putting an end to veteran homelessness.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Services for Nelson Doi are Sunday.

SERVICES FOR NELSON DOI, a pioneer among Japanese Americans serving in government, are set for Sunday at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s Oceanside Lu`au Grounds at 4 p.m., with visitation at 3 p.m. He passes away May 6 at home in Kamuela at age 93. 

      A Big Island native, Doi was one of the authors of the State of Hawai`i Constitution. He served as lieutenant governor, a territorial and state senator and judge, a deputy county attorney for the County of Hawai`i and magistrate of the High Court of Republic of the Marshall Islands.
      Doi grew up in a family that founded T.W. Doi Store in Kawaihae. Doi advocated for statehood, education and prison reform. He retired to Kamuela and helped establish North Hawai`i Community Hospital.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED to Ka`u Scenic Byway Committee’s meeting tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church.
      For more information, email richmorrow@alohabroadband.net.

KDEN PRESENTS THE KING AND I beginning Friday. Performances of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through July 26. Tickets are $14 general admission, $12 for seniors and students and $10 for children 12 and under. Available at Kilauea General Store, Kea`au Natural Foods, The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo and at the door.
      Call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.