Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 26, 2013

A bill introduced by Rep. Denny Coffman focuses on beach access and protection from encroachement.

BUDDY SOARES, the father of Ka`u rancher Kyle Soares, is honored with state and U.S. flags flying at half-mast throughout Hawai`i today. In addition to a career with Pan American and Aloha Airlines, Amfac, Hawaiian Electric and University of Hawai`i, Wilfred Clinton “Buddy” Soares won election to the state House of Representatives in 1966 and joined the state Senate in 1975, serving through 1986. A Republican, he was known for his feisty style and humor, handed down to his son, who speaks on Ka`u issues at many public meetings. Soares was 83 when he passed away late last year. Services are today on O`ahu.
      Gov. Neil Abercrombie, in ordering the flags to be flown at half-mast, said, “Buddy Soares was what every legislator should aspire to be – knowledgeable, open to all, a friend to everyone, a master of relationships, and able to close on any contentious issue leaving everyone content that they were treated fairly. It was a genuine pleasure to serve with Buddy. Just seeing him put a smile on your face. If aloha can be said to describe anyone, that person was Buddy Soares.”

Rep. Denny Coffman

BEACH ACCESS & PROTECTION FROM ENCROACHMENT is the focus of one of West Ka`u state Rep. Denny Coffman’s bills introduced to the 2013 Hawai`i State Legislature. Coffman’s House Bill 17 would require maintenance of public beach access by adjacent landowners and imposes penalties for noncompliance. It would establish shoreline access as an objective of the coastal zone management program. It would require the state Department of Land & Natural Resources to provide written notice to affected property owners. The bill was heard yesterday at the state Capitol by the Committee on Water & Land. It passed the committee unanimously. 

      One testifier called the measure “a valuable tool to protect the public’s right to beach access. He said his own neighborhood experienced homeowners decreasing the size of the beach by introducing plantings in the sand. “We have also found, in some cases, that the plantings cause beach erosion similar to seawalls.”
      Other testimony came from James E. Coon, a member of Ke Kahu O Na Kumu Wai, the Marine and Coastal Zone Advocacy Council. “Establishing public access to the shoreline is one of the important objectives of the Coastal Zone Management Program,” wrote Coons.
      Another testifier focused on the intrusion onto public beaches by private landowners. “Pristine, world class sandy beaches are now lush, private, vegetative oases. This measure can provide the tools needed to stop the premature loss of highly valued public trust lands, the beach,” wrote Caren Diamond. She pointed to irrigation and fertilizer being used to establish “thick unnatural strands of vegetation on the beach.”

SOBER UP BEFORE BEING RELEASED is the plan for people arrested for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol and illegal drugs. House Bill 66, introduced by West Ka`u state Rep. Denny Coffman, would clarify the imposition of conditions to ensure that persons arrested for DUI are sober prior to being released from custody. The bill passed first reading on Jan. 17 and has been referred to the Judiciary Committee.

REPEALING THE PUBLIC LAND DEVELOPMENT CORP. LAW is a Coffman bill. Coffman said he made a mistake earlier, voting for the legislation that gives private developers the opportunity to use state-owned land without the oversight of the county. House Bill 1133 would repeal it, and it passed first reading.

A bill by Rep. Denny Coffman would make feed-in-tariff systems more
available. Image from thinkprogress.org

SUPPORT FOR LOCALLY GENERATED ELECTRICITY and more efficient use of energy by consumers drives a Coffman bill that would make the feed-in-tariff system more available to independent energy producers. The bill would incentivize “a class of, or classes of, eligible customer-generators who generate electricity and upon meeting utility requirements are compensated at current Public Utility Commission established tariff rates for electricity fed back to the electric grid.” 

      The legislation says that increased use of renewable sources to generate electricity “would increase Hawai`i’s energy self-sufficiency and achieve broad societal benefits, including increased energy security, diminished vulnerability to oil price increase, enhanced sustainability, economic development and job creation.” It says, however that the “current net-metering system does not encourage energy efficient behaviors and does not incorporate recovery for costs for transmission and distribution infrastructure, grid reliability and other costs that are typically included in usage rates.” In addition to more net metering, the bill seeks to encourage people to use “solar or heat pump hot water, energy star appliances, lower power consumption in lighting and other energy efficient behaviors.”

FOOD SAFETY is another Coffman bill. House Bill 279 would establish a Food Safety Task Force within the Department of Agriculture to study and recommend methods to prepare for compliance with the federal Food Safety Modernization Act and food safety management practices within the state. On Jan. 22, the bill passed first reading and has been referred to the Agriculture and Finance Committees.

A MONEY BILL for drought mitigation has also been introduced by Coffman. House Bill 281 passed first reading and was sent to the Agriculture, Water & Land and Finance Committees of the state House of Representatives. The bill says, “The legislature finds that a viable agriculture industry requires a steady, reliable supply of water. However, drought conditions continue to adversely affect Hawai`i’s farms and ranches, hampering the state’s ability to produce quality products on a consistent bases throughout the year.” The justification for the bill says that drought committees were formed at the county level and that funding for the drought mitigation projects would be provided to the local government in each county.

Rep. Denny Coffman is seeking funding for coffee berry
borer research.

COFFEE BERRY BORER research would be funded under another Coffman Bill that would underwrite a program at the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center to develop methods for the prevention and treatment of coffee berry borer infestation. Grants in aid would come from the state agriculture development and food security special fund.

VIDEOCONFERENCING to allow Ka`u and other rural communities to testify via video camera is supported by Coffman, who introduced Bill 358. It would require both chambers of the Legislature to implement rules to permit residents to present testimony through audiovisual technology. It would provide funding to establish audiovisual systems throughout the state.

KA`U HOSPITAL would benefit from another Coffman bill. House Bill 417 would provide $2.8 million to the Hawai`i Health Systems Corporation to implement and sustain its primary care training program at the Hilo Medical Center. This program is expected to also provide physicians in Ka`u. The bill passed first reading and was sent to the Health and Finance Committees.

HELPING THE HOMELESS GO HOME is a bill introduced by Coffman. House Bill 533 would establish a return-to-home program to assist eligible homeless individuals to return to their home states when there is a support network able to receive them and care for them. The bill would help finance the logistics and transportation.

STOP SMOKING, LIVE HEALTHY is a message imbedded in a Coffman bill in the state House of Representatives. House Bill 540 requires the state employer-union health benefits trust fund to require all the health plans to give a break on co-payments to those employees and retirees who do not smoke. It also considers deductions for other risk lowering behavior.

Possible geothermal sites, in red stripes, include hot spots near South
Point and between Pahala and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park
in the Ka`u Desert.

HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. has filed a proposed final Geothermal Request for Proposals with the Public Utilities Commission. The company is seeking approval to issue the 50-megawatt Geothermal RFP and begin the bidding process for potential geothermal resource developers.
      “This is a significant next step toward adding more renewable energy and lowering costs for our customers,” said HELCO president Jay Ignacio. “As an important part of the process, we must ensure any project thoroughly addresses environmental and cultural concerns from our community.”
      In a statement, HELCO said it is seeking to add up to 50 megawatts of geothermal power at prices not tied to the cost of oil “to help lower electricity costs for customers. The added power must also blend operationally with other resources, including renewable energy from wind, solar, biomass and hydro.”
      The Geothermal RFP pursues technologies that provide renewable, dispatchable energy and firm capacity, to allow the utility to schedule and control output from the geothermal plant. “This will support HELCO’s integration of intermittent renewable resources such as wind or solar while maintaining reliable service for Hawai`i Island customers,” the statement says.
      Once a final RFP is approved by the PUC and opened to bids, bidders have 60 days to respond. HELCO expects to make a selection 120 days after bids are due.
      Additional information, including the complete proposed schedule, may be found at geothermalrfp.helcohi.com.

TOMORROW IS A SIZZLIN’ SUNDAY at Kilauea Military Camp in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Bowling is $1 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Crater Rim Café has specials from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with short ribs and lu`au-style ono for $13.50 or teri chicken meal deal for $8.95 including dessert and beverage. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 

 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 Jan. 25, 2013

Families took part in last year's annual `O Ka`u Kakou Keiki Fishing Tournament at Punalu`u. This year's tournament takes place tomorrow. Photo by Julia Neal

VICTIMS OF THE FIVE-FATALITY CAR CRASH Wednesday on Hwy 11 at Punalu`u Bridge, between Pahala and Punalu`u, have been all identified. Their deaths leave many questions as to what caused the horrific accident – an unfathomable suffering loss to local and visiting families.
      Was it the old and narrow bridge on state Hwy 11 that gives many people pause whenever they cross it - two vehicles at a time? Did the visitor who was driving steer to the right to hug the side of the bridge when he saw the wide truck coming, then over-adjust when the concrete wall of the bridge seemed too close? Did the driver, who was reported to have some heart problems, experience a heart attack or stroke? These are some of the questions circulating in Ka`u.
       No one may ever know the answers, but dead are Richard Taylor, 65, and Trini Evengelista Ballesteros, 56, of Na`alehu. Dead are a grandfather, son, and grandson, leaving two grieving women who lost three generations of men in their family in one horrible accident.
      The visitors were identified yesterday as Donald Ingoglia, a 73-year-old attorney from Sacramento, CA; his son, 39-year-old Philip A. Ingoglia, of Costa Rica; and the nine-year-old grandson, Isidora I. Ingogila, of Costa Rica.
      The grandfather and his wife were regular visitors to the Big Island, and the family was staying in Keauhou at a condominium.
      County Council member Brenda Ford said she will look into the accident and the safety of the bridge and that concerned citizens could contact the state Department of Transportation and their state legislators.
      Police said speed was not a factor in the crash.

Sen. Russell Ruderman

SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN announced his program for the 2013 state Legislature yesterday, the last day for bills to be introduced. 

      Proposals help to foster renewable energy, including Senate Bill 368, called the Solar Loan Guarantee Program & Revolving Fund. It would allow homeowners to secure a loan guarantee from the state for loans made for solar energy devices, including photovoltaic and solar water heating. The measure would also make solar investments available to lower- and middle-income households, lowering their energy costs.
      Senate Bill 379, called Virtual Net Metering, would allow renters and property owners to purchase solar electricity at an offsite location and receive credit to their meter and utility bill for the renewable energy produced at the remote location. “This would expand access to solar power and extend this opportunity to those who currently can’t take advantage of it,” says a statement from Ruderman.
      Senate Bill 366, called Utility Interconnection & Grid Saturation Cap, would remove barriers to photovoltaics by requiring the utility – not homeowners – to pay for any interconnection study for 10 kilowatt or smaller systems to hook up to the grid.
      Senate Bill 372, called Biodiesel-Blended Fuel, would require increasing levels of biodiesel in all on-road diesel sold in Hawai`i starting from a B5 blend in 2015 to a B20 blend in 2025. Unlike ethanol, said Ruderman, “biodiesel is being produced in Hawai`i, and these blended rates do not harm engines.”
      Senate Bill 371 would repeal Act 97 to “return control to the county and community and strengthen home rule,” Ruderman writes. He said that Act 97 passed in 2012 “as a way to fast-track geothermal development in Hawai`i. It stripped the counties of land use control and opened all lands in the state to geothermal development.”
     Senate Bill 375, called a Fracking Prohibition, would ban any hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in Hawai`i “until proper oversight and permitting are established. Fracking can inject harmful chemicals into the earth and has been linked to earthquakes, groundwater pollution, and other impacts,” said Ruderman.

Sen. Russell Ruderman promotes advancement of agriculture in Ka`u
and Puna. Image from The Kohala Center

ADVANCEMENT OF AGRICULTURE in Puna and Ka`u would be the result of state Senate Bill 380, proposed by Sen. Russell Ruderman. It calls for a learning center assessment by the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management at University of Hawai`i-Hilo for a higher-education learning center in Puna. “This effort will advance development of agriculture production and processing businesses in the district and support entrepreneurs and new job creation in Puna and Ka`u,” he said. 

SENATE BILL 363 is called the Family Farm Income Tax Break. It would exempt the first $50,000 in annual income to individuals earning their primary income from farming.

SENATE BILLS 373 AND 367 involve Direct Farm to Consumer Food Sales and Home-based Food Production and Sales. They would exempt producers of unprocessed Hawai`i-grown agricultural products from state Department of Health rules when selling directly to the consumer and allow home-based baking businesses to sell food items directly to consumers provided certain conditions are met.

TAXING GMO SEED SALES is another Ruderman initiative. SB 365 would eliminate the exemption to the state’s General Excise Tax currently extended to GMO seed export crops grown in Hawai`i on an estimated $225 million in gross income per year.

SENATE BILL 370 attempts to gain more protection of agriculture products against invasive species. It would require a permit from the state Department of Agriculture to import, introduce or develop any new species of genetically engineered organism. The department would conduct a public hearing to determine whether to grant a permit.

BANNING ALL AQUARIUM FISH COLLECTING is another proposal from Ruderman. SB 374 would prohibit the taking of reef fish for sale for aquarium purposes.

A bill proposed by Sen. Russell Ruderman would require
both chambers of the Legislature to provide opportunities
for video testimony from neighbor islands.

NEIGHBOR ISLAND VIDEO TESTIMONY, proposed by Ruderman as SB369, would require both chambers of the Legislature to implement rules to permit residents to present testimony through audiovisual technology. 

      Ruderman said he encourages everyone to get involved by following legislation and providing testimony on these and other bills by registering at www.capitol.hawaii.gov/login/register.aspx; by subscribing to hearing notices and by providing testimony. He said the public can contact him by phone, email or mail to voice concerns about District 2, Puna through Ka`u, and also about state-wide legislation.
      His email is senruderman@capitol.hawaii.gov. His phone numbers are 808-974-4000, ext. 6-6890 and 808-586-6890. His mailing address is State Capitol, 415 S. Beretania St., Room 217, Honolulu, HI 96813.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB supporters can cheer on the Youth of the Year winners and raise money for the club through the purchase of tickets to the Youth of the Year banquet which will be held on Friday, Feb. 8, 5:30 p.m. at `Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo. The dinner will feature inspirational speakers, awards, food and auction items. Individual tickets are $70 each. To purchase tickets in Ka`u, call Boys & Girls Club board member Julia Neal at 928-9811.

THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE today released its Final Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Protecting and Restoring Native Ecosystems by Managing Non-Native Ungulates in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. 

      The plan provides a park-wide framework to systematically guide non-native ungulate management activities in a manner that supports long-term ecosystem protection, supports natural ecosystem recovery and provides desirable conditions for active ecosystem restoration. It also supports protection and preservation of cultural resources.

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park plans to manage non-
native ungulates with complete boundary fencing of
Kahuku and `Ola`a rainforest. Image from NPS

      The plan says the preferred alternative to manage ungulates includes a progression of management phases, monitoring and considerations for the use of management tools; a population objective of zero non-native ungulates, or as low as practicable, in managed areas; complete boundary fencing for Kahuku and `Ola`a rainforest; and potential use of localized internal fencing to assist in the control of non-native ungulates. “Control techniques would be primarily lethal, but non-lethal techniques could also be considered,” the report says. Volunteer programs would continue, but modifications would be required for lethal removal programs to meet current NPS practices.
      The plan/EIS is available online at http://park-planning.nps.gov/havo_ecosystem_feis. After a required 30-day waiting period following release of the plan/EIS, the National Park Service will finalize its choice of alternative in a record of decision.

`O KA`U KAKOU’S 5th annual Keiki Fishing Tournament and Canned Food Drive takes place Saturday, with check-in from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Punalu`u Beach Park. Fishing begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m. Free lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and awards and prizes are handed out at 1 p.m.
      Registration forms are available in Pahala at Pahala Elementary School, Mizuno Superette and Pahala Gas Station; in Na`alehu at Na`alehu Elementary School, 76 Gas Station and Ace Hardware; in Wai`ohinu at Wong Yuen Gas Station; and in Ocean View at Ace Hardware and Kwik Mart.

Patti Pease-Johnson offers a workshop on experimental watercolor.
Image from volcanoartcenter.org

EXPERIMENTAL WATERCOLOR is the topic of a workshop tomorrow from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Patti Pease-Johnson offers this new, innovative class where intuition and a playful attitude are part of the creative journey. Each student creates three to five separate 8”X8” watercolor paintings on hot press paper using broken glass as a catalyst. $40/$36 VAC members plus $10 supply fee. Call 967-8222 to sign up. 

A HULA KAHIKO INFORMANCE takes place tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Kumu Leilehua Yuen and Manu Josiah present a 50-minute narrated demonstration of preparation, protocol and offering of traditional hula and chant at the hula platform. Hands-on cultural demonstrations are available from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Donations are welcome, and park entrance fees apply.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 24, 2013

More than 600 people took part in `O Ka`u Kakou's annual Keiki Fishing Tournament last year. This year's event takes place Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal

TRAGEDY TOOK THE LIVES of two Ka`u residents at 10:15 a.m. yesterday, when a car with three tourists apparently crossed the center line on state Hwy 11 and slammed head-on into a pickup truck killing Trini Evangelista Ballesteros, who grew up in Pahala, and her companion Richard Taylor, both of Na`alehu. The local victims died instantly as the crash obliterated the truck, flipping it onto its side as it burst into flames. The visiting family suffered an equal loss with grandfather and son killed in the accident and the seven-year old grandson dying after being airlifted from Ka`u Hospital to Kona Community Hospital. 

      The accident took place near the spot on Mamalahoa Hwy, south of Pahala, where the highway narrows and crosses an old bridge near milepost 54. Taylor, 65, owned the F-350 Ford pickup and was headed toward Hilo with Ballesteros, 56. The 2012 Nissan Altima, headed toward Kona, apparently was a rental car for a family who had stayed overnight on the east side of the island to take a lava boat tour and was returning to a Keauhou condo in the morning.
      The accident shut down Hwy 11 for nearly six hours, and residents and visitors were sent up the old cane haul road between Pahala and Na`alehu as the detour. According to police, a witness driving behind the visitors’ Nissan said the car crossed the center line. Police also said that speeding appeared to be a factor, but were also looking at the possibility of the rental car driver having a heart attack or stroke that led to the accident.
      Hawai`i Island has the smallest population per square mile but the highest per capita in traffic fatalities in the state. Without state sheriffs or state highway patrol watching state roads, and only the federal rangers patrolling the stretch of Hwy 11 inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, it remains difficult for the two county police officers on duty in vast Ka`u to enforce traffic safety everywhere. The long drive by those visitors who drive back and forth from Kona and the Kohala Coast resorts to Volcano can be very tiring. In another recent tragic accident near Pahala, a Japanese visitor fell asleep, his rental van veering off Hwy 11 into the lava and killing his infant son.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a member of Hawai`i
National Guard. Photo from votetulsi.com

WOMEN ALLOWED TO SERVE IN ACTIVE COMBAT became official U.S. military policy yesterday. Ka`u’s U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and U.S. House of Representatives member Tulsi Gabbard applauded the change announced by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. 

      Hirono, a member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, called it “a great step toward equality. These restrictions that block women from serving in active combat roles make no sense in today’s modern military. All Americans deserve the opportunity to defend our nation regardless of gender, and I know that the women who currently serve in the military think they should be treated the same as any other service member. Women serving in combat roles will strengthen our national security, and as a member of the Armed Services Committee, I will work closely with military and administration officials to see this change through.”
      Gabbard, who remains a Military Police Captain in the Hawai`i National Guard, said, “As a twice-deployed combat veteran, I have a firsthand appreciation and understanding of the contributions women in uniform make every single day, all around the world. I have had the honor of serving with incredibly talented female soldiers who, if given the opportunity, would serve as great assets in our ground combat units. It is crucial that we shed light on the great value and opportunities that these women bring. She noted that “female service members have contributed on the battlefield as far back as the Civil War, when some disguised themselves as men just to have the opportunity to serve their nation. This decision by the Department of Defense is an overdue, yet welcome, change.”
      Gabbard is one of the first female combat veterans ever to serve in the U.S Congress. In 2004, she voluntarily deployed to Iraq with the 29th Brigade Combat Team, serving two tours in the Middle East. She was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal during Operation Iraqi Freedom, was the first female Distinguished Honor Graduate at Fort McClellan’s Officer Candidate School, and was the first woman to ever receive an award of appreciation from the Kuwaiti military on her second overseas tour.

Abel Simeona Lui plans to attend a community meeting about Kawa
next week.

ABEL SIMEONA LUI, who lived at Kawa for about 20 years, is telling the media that he plans to participate in a community meeting next week about the future of 784 of acres of coastal land next to Ka`u's best surfing beach and several estuaries with endangered wildlife. Lui, who claimed ownership of the land, lived on the property in a solar-powered house for years when it was owned by several different landowners who attempted to evict him to no avail. Lui cited Hawaiian sovereignty and his family lineage, but courts turned away his claims and the County of Hawai`i, which has purchased the land for preservation of resources and to become a park, evicted him last October. Lui recently returned and flew his flag and posted signs about his cause. In this morning’s West Hawai`i Today, Nancy Cook Lauer reported that Lui said he will fly his flag whenever he is visiting Kawa and plans to attend the meeting to which, he claims, he wasn’t invited . 

      “Now that they removed Abel from the land, now they gotta put somebody on the land and they gotta pay them, when Abel do it for free,” Lui told West Hawai`i Today. “They come and say they own Kawa and they locked it down and now they don’t know what to do with it.”
      According to the news story, the county has been meeting with Hawaiian families with ties to Kawa to come up with a plan to manage the property. Both the county and the state Department of Land & Natural Resources are scheduled to have representatives on hand for more community input at the public session Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. See more at www.westhawaiitoday.com.

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY brought the first of what could be several programs down the mountain yesterday evening. Approximately 40 people attended geologist Tim Orr’s presentation of The 30th Anniversary of Kilauea Volcano’s East Rift Eruption at Pahala Plantation House. Orr reviewed the history of the eruption from the fissure that occurred on Jan. 3, 1983 to current ocean entries with dramatic photos and videos. Several attendees gave suggestions for future programs. Another is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Pahala Community Center, when geochemists Jeff Sutton and Tamar Elias discuss volcanic gases and their environmental impact.

Ka`u public schools' calendar is a feature in The Directory 2013.

HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT holds a community meeting tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. at Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano Village. To help police commanders focus on specific community concerns, participation is limited to persons who live or work in the immediate area. 

      Those interested in participating but unable to attend may e-mail their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com. For more information, call Acting Captain Reed Mahuna at 965-2716.

KA`U CHAMBER OF COMMERCE’S general membership meeting takes place tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The Chamber asks members to bring food to share at the potluck. The Directory 2013 will be distributed. See kauchamber.org.

`O KA`U KAKOU’S 5th annual Keiki Fishing Tournament and Canned Food Drive takes place Saturday, with check-in from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Punalu`u Beach Park. Fishing begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m. Free lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and awards and prizes are handed out at 1 p.m. 

      Registration forms are available in Pahala at Pahala Elementary School, Mizuno Superette and Pahala Gas Station; in Na`alehu at Na`alehu Elementary School, 76 Gas Station and Ace Hardware; in Wai`ohinu at Wong Yuen Gas Station; and in Ocean View at Ace Hardware and Kwik Mart.

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.