Ka`u News Briefs March 30, 2013

Volunteers are counting whales today during this year's final Sanctuary Ocean Count. Hawai`i is one of the world's
most important humpback whale habitats, with whales migrating from as far away as Russia every winter to mate,
calve and nurse their young. Map from NOAA

PUBLIC ELECTIONS FUNDING being tested for the state through a Hawai`i County Council pilot program may not see changes during the 2013 Hawai`i Legislature. Senate Bill 381, authored by East Ka`u Senator Russell Ruderman, would equalize public funding in all districts, but was tabled this week by the House of Representatives Finance Committee, which means that unless some form of the bill can be resurrected soon,  the funding equalization won’t be in place by the 2014 elections. Ruderman said his goal is to make sure election funding is fair among the candidates.

      2012 Council candidate Bradley Westervelt disagreed with equalizing public funding for elections across all districts and wrote the only testimony opposing the measure before the Finance committee: “As one of the recipients of the Hawai`i County public funding pilot program, (B4Council District 6, 2012) I have a lot of opinions on what is and is not working.

Hawai`i County Council elections are testing public funding.

      “I strongly agree the wide differences in funding available to the various districts is unfair, and needs adjustment, but I strongly believe that making all the districts exactly the same is not the right solution!
      “The point of the public funding program is to provide an opportunity for regular citizens to participate in serving in elected office. The requirement to collect 200 valid personal checks from registered voters within the district is a very high bar, to start with.
      “Compare that to getting thousands in campaign contributions from just a few individuals or corporations, and it quickly becomes not worth the effort, especially if the public fund amount for a district is under five or ten thousand.

      “The pilot program was crafted to run for three years (elections) as a test. The changes proposed by SB381 represent major changes well beyond the intent of the County Council’s original authorship (supportive resolution). Leveling the compensation amount for every district will undermine the intent to provide equalizing funding for new candidates in a subsequent election in a district that had major spending previously. In other words, the intent was to have public funds available to compete with private sector and special interest-backed candidates.
      “I’d like to see the program amended to have a higher minimum compensation available to candidates in districts that have gone uncontested, but capping the amount to same for every district is shortsighted, and guts the original purpose.”
      On Feb. 28, after passing the Senate and the House Judiciary Committee, the bill was deferred by the House Finance Committee.
      The state Campaign Commission submitted testimony saying its members take no position on the bill and pointed out that the funding provided to each candidate on the Big Island, should the bill pass, would be $13,106.10 for the primary and $3,237.97 for the general election.
      Without a change in how public campaign funds are distributed, each of the Ka`u District County Council candidates in 2014 would receive $22,310.78 for the primary and $15,788.93 for the general election. This compares to other districts’ candidates receiving less than half of the amount that would be given out to candidates in Ka`u. Ruderman called this "a fluke," based on extraordinary contributions to the campaign of former County Council member Guy Enriques in Ka`u.

Ka`u County Council candidates received twice the public funding as those in other distictsed. The winner,
Brenda Ford, call it unfair.  Photo from Big Island Video News

      Susan Dursin testified that she has studied the issue for years, including her participation in a League of Women Voters follow-up study after the last election. “All candidates who qualified for the funding were interviewed. Without exception, they said that funding should be the same for every district,” she said in testimony supporting SB381. She said the measure “ensures equal funding. This bill also appropriates money to the Campaign Spending Commission. In order to do their very important job, they need adequate funding. Please support this bill,” she testified.
      Westervelt said this morning that he did not tell Dursin that he supported equal funding. She said in a phone interview this morning, “That was our impression, and apologize if I misrepresented Mr. Westervelt’s position.” Dursin said there are many good candidates who would prefer to spend their time talking to the people in their district rather than fundraising. Using public funding also lets the constituency know that candidates are not obligated to special interests, Dursin said.
      Westervelt said, “I am pleased the bill is dead.”

KA`U COUNCIL MEMBER BRENDA FORD said this morning that she wrote the original resolution from the County Council to the Legislature supporting the public funding and suggested funding $10,000 per candidate. The state added on a formula based on the fundraising amounts in prior elections in each Council district, and the state imposed the requirement that to qualify for public funding, each candidate collect $5 and a signature from 200 registered voters in the district. Ford described the formula as “completely unfair” and said she decried the large amount of public funding for her candidacy here compared to other districts where candidates received very little.
      Ford said that to make the funding fair, each county council candidate could receive about $24,000 with two thirds ($16,000) provided for the primary election and one third ($8,000) for each candidate in the general election. Those candidates winning outright in the primary would receive no funding for the general.  She said she continues to support public funding of elections. “The purpose of the pilot project is to find out the problems and to get the kinks out, and that is what we are doing,” she said. Ruderman said that the House finance committee may have mistakenly thought that equalization of the funding might cost the state more money. "I don't think it will cost the state more money," as the funding comes from donations made to publicly funded elections when filing state income tax forms, said the state senator.

Humpback whales have begun their migration to
northern feeding grounds. Photo from NOAA

VOLUNTEERS ARE COUNTING humpback whales and recording their behavior today during the final Sanctuary Ocean Count for 2013.
      Every winter and spring the warm and shallow waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands constitute one of the world’s most important humpback whale habitats.
      Scientists estimate that more than 50 percent of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population migrates to Hawaiian waters from their higher latitude feeding areas each winter to mate, calve and nurse their young. The first whales to arrive in Hawai`i are usually juveniles and pregnant females, followed closely by mature adult animals.
      Researchers report that the Hawai`i sub-population of humpback whales has increased at an annual rate of five to seven percent.
      A trend noted in the census summary analysis indicates consistently higher sightings in January and February than in March. According to researchers, a possible explanation for lower whale counts in March is that some whales may have begun their migration back to the feeding grounds in Alaska by the time of the March census. Over a census period from 2002 – 2010, January had the largest average amount of humpback whale sightings. In the Ka`u area, South Point consistently had the most whale sightings during those years.
      For more information, see hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.

AN EASTER EGG HUNT AND BRUNCH take place tomorrow at Kilauea Military Camp in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Registration for the 9 a.m. egg hunt for children 10 years old and under begins at 7:30 a.m. Participants should bring their own Easter baskets.
      Brunch is available from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Crater Rim Café. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests, and park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more information.

NA`ALEHU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is having a rummage sale next Saturday to raise money for a new playground set and student Incentives. Clothes, books, household items, furniture, toys, tools, and more will be on sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information and to donate, contact Denise Garcia at 939-2413 ext. 243.

SPRING FLING TAKES PLACE two weeks from today, on Saturday, April 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Punalu`u Bake Shop in Na`alehu. Ka`u School of the Arts celebrates the cultural diversity of the district with free entertainment, music, dance and a creativity corner. The line-up of entertainment includes Ka`u `Ohana Band, Sonny Ramos, a taiko drum group, Hannah’s Makana `Ohana Hula Halau, Full Tilt Band, `ukulele students from the Center for Hawaiian Music Studies and Keoki Kahumoku. 

      For more information, call Kepi Davis at 929-8215.

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 March 29, 2013

Ka`u farmers and ranchers setting up at the state Capitol for yesterday's Ag Awareness Day.

KA`U FARMERS, RANCHERS, land managers, coffee brokers and retailers met members of the state Legislature and the public yesterday with booths at the annual Agricultural Awareness Day at the state Capitol in Honolulu, sponsored by Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation. Phil Becker of Aikane Plantation Coffee, Lani and Bill Petrie of Kapapala Ranch and Chris Manfredi of Ka`u Farm Bureau joined in. Becker, who also represented the state Seal of Quality, said the presentation was very successful for Ka`u.

GMO LABELING PROPONENTS wound up in a scuffle after statewide Hawai`i Farm Bureau president Dean Okimoto covered their video camera with his hand while several Ka`u ranchers and farmers looked on. The encounter was shown on statewide television and posted on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper’s website. GMO labeling proponents said they visited legislators’ offices yesterday. Both Ka`u senators, Josh Green and Russell Ruderman, support GMO labeling, as does Rep. Denny Coffman.
      The labeling proponents were walking through the ag day display area at the state Capitol with a sign saying, “If we keep buying, they’ll keep selling,” when Okimoto told them, “We don’t appreciate being filmed.” and put his hand over the camera lens.

GMO labeling supporters' camera covered by Hawai`i Farm
Bureau president at yesterday's ag day.

      The Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation and Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association have withheld support for GMO labeling and recently held an essay contest called “Views from the Farm” to drum up support for Genetically Modified Organisms. The winning essays came from Illinois, Oregon, North Dakota and Washington State and are posted on Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association’s website at www.hciaonline.com. Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association also posts breaking news with such headlines as GMO Protestors Would Accomplish More by Talking to the Companies, Genetic Engineering ‘Monster’ Exists only in Our Minds, and The Effects of Persecuting Biotechnology.
      In February, the state House Committee on Agriculture unanimously adopted HB174 to require all GMO produce imported into the state to be labeled. The locally grown Rainbow payaya would have been exempt, although these papayas are required by the Japan government to be labeled GMO when they are shipped there. The labeling bill for Hawai`i passed the House and moved to the Senate.
      However, last week, three Senate committees heard the bill and tabled it for further study.
      Ruderman said that this was the farthest any GMO labeling bill has gone in the state Legislature and gave Sen. Josh Green credit for making sure the bill went to a public hearing in the Senate. Regarding a proposed resolution to study GMO labeling, he said, “It is better than nothing, but not much.” Ruderman predicted that GMO labeling would become an important issue in the 2014 Hawai`i Legislature.

A RESOLUTION TO STUDY GMO LABELING passed the state Senate Committee on Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection yesterday. It asks the University of Hawai`i Economic Research Organization to establish an economic model, conduct an economic impact study and submit a report on the economic impact of implementing a GMO labeling or GMO registration requirement on consumers, the local agricultural industry, and the state’s 2050 sustainability goals.
      The resolution also asks the state Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Business, Economic Development & Tourism, to research and submit a report “examining whether implementing a GMO labeling or GMO registration regimen is practicable, including issues relating to ease of enforcement and administration of a labeling or registration requirement, and whether such a program would adversely affect the Hawai`i 2050 sustainability goals and determining how the preferred program, if any, should be implemented.”

IN TESTIMONY OPPOSING THE PROPOSAL for `Aina Koa Pono to sell biofuel that would be manufactured at a refinery off Wood Valley Road from crops grown between Pahala and Na`alehu to Hawai`i Electric Light Co., Life of the Land gave answers to questions about pricing posed by the state Public Utilities Commission. 

      To the question of whether the commission should approve the contract as reasonable and consistent with the public interest and the related contract costs, including the biodiesel, transportation, and storage costs, and related taxes, Life of the Land replied: “The price is not reasonable compared with other Hawai`i biofuel supply contracts.
      “The price is not reasonable compared with other baseload renewable energy options for the Island of Hawai`i. As the commencement date envisioned in this contract and in the current geothermal Request for Proposals are far off in the future, it is not unreasonable to require that if both are acceptable, they have to offer solutions in the same general price ballpark, which they do not.
      “But there is another and more troubling problem. In most biofuel proposals submitted to the Commission, the proposers have extensive biofuel and/or utility experience. The known AKP principals lack this knowledge base. Specific details in the submittals are redacted.”

      “Furthermore, the fact that the difference between AKP-1 and AKP-2 is the $100 million price tag that was to be saddled on the backs of O`ahu ratepayers, combined with the facts that HECO has not seen AKP’s books, and AKP will make multiple products which can be cross-subsidized, means that O`ahu ratepayers may still be overpaying for something that might or might not promote sustainable bio production operations.”
      To questions of whether the commission should approve as just and reasonable the inclusion of the cost differential between the biodiesel under the Biodiesel Supply Contract and the cost of the petroleum diesel that the biodiesel is replacing, Life of the Land replied:
      “There are two separate issues here. First, the cost differential is unreasonable since the contract itself is overpriced and thus unreasonable. Second, allowing multiple cost differentials for multiple biofuel supply contracts contradicts the spirit of competitive bidding. If the Commission does want to offer a cost differential, it should make it a uniform percentage available to all biofuel suppliers.
      “If biofuels are the most cost-effective baseload renewable energy resource, then there should be a generic surcharge, modified by specific cost analysis conducted in the individual biofuel contracts. However, in the absence of any analysis on whether biofuels are the most cost-effective way of increasing renewable energy baseload, a surcharge is not the way to proceed.
      Life of the Land says “this is especially relevant in the current doctrine” which it explains as “‘O`ahu has sun, wind, waves and a deep cold ocean for tourists, but lacks the same resources for generating renewable energy).’ This doctrine supports an entrenched political decision that one particular future scenario should be pre-selected as the winner.”
      This and other testimony, both pro and con, is available at puc.hawaii.gov. Docket number is 2012-0185.

Milton Pavao

MILTON PAVAO, RETIRED MANAGER and chief engineer for Hawai`i County Department of Water Supply, has been chosen by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to serve on the state Commission of Water Resource Management. The licensed professional engineer and earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from University of Hawai`i.
      The commission consists of seven members, with five members appointed by the governor. Appointments are subject to Senate confirmation. Pavao’s four-year term would begin July 1.

THE KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park hosts Lunch with a Ranger tomorrow. Participants bring a bag lunch and join rangers for an open discussion on topics ranging from land management and conservation issues to environmental and cultural history. 

      Drive through the Kahuku gate located on the mauka side of Hwy 11 near mile marker 70.5. Park and meet at the visitor contact tent near the ranch buildings. Check the activities board for the location and topic of the day.
      No advance reservation is required.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park celebrates Easter with an Easter Egg Hunt and brunch on Sunday. The egg hunt at 9 a.m. is for children 10 years old and under. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and participants should bring their own Easter baskets.
      Brunch takes place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Crater Rim Café. Menu includes honey-glazed ham, beef pot roast, stuffed French toast with mango cream cheese filling, omelet station, breakfast meats, fresh fruit, ice cream bar and a beverage. $17.50 adults; $8.50 children 6 to 11. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests, and park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more.

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 Friday, March 28, 2013

Royal Hawaiian Orchards released its first annual report since changing its name from ML Macadamis Orchards, LP
Photo by Julia Neal

ROYAL HAWAIIAN ORCHARDS yesterday released its annual report, the first since launching its new brand and changing its name from MLMacadamia Orchards, L.P. The Ka`u branch of the company farms 3,785 acres around Pahala and employs approximately 150 people, more than half of its islandwide workforce. Other orchards are located at Kea`au and north of Hilo at Mauna Kea.
      The company report says its 2012 farming operations were profitable, generating a net income of $521,000. The total 2012 revenue was $20.1 million, an increase of 12 percent over 2011, the report says, with nut sales up 12 percent and contract farming revenues up 6 percent. The Partnership was paid an average contract price of 77.4 cents per pound for mac nuts sold, according to the annual report.
      “In late 2012, the Partnership launched its own line of all-natural, ‘better for you,’ branded macadamia products in response to historically volatile macadamia pricing and to reduce its dependence on a single customer,” the company statement reports. That single customer was Mauna Loa for which long term contracts were expiring.

Royal Hawaiian promotes health, orchard to market, aloha and no GMO's. 

    According to the report, “Branded product sales were initiated in November 2012 and amounted to $91,000 for the year. This investment seeks to enable the Partnership to generate stable and attractive margins despite commodity price swings and is intended to increase unit holder value once critical mass is achieved. Approximately 7 million nut-in-shell pounds or 1.4 million pounds of kernel will become available, from expired sales contracts, for the Partnership to sell as branded or bulk macadamia nuts in 2013 and approximately 3.0 million kernel pounds will be available for sale in 2014.”
  The new www.royalhawaiianorchards.com says the products are gluten free and made without sulfites and artificial ingredients. It also brands them as non-GMO. Various tag lines include “Live Long, Live Well, Live Aloha” and “Find Your Balance.”
      The website promotes the similarity between macadamia oil and olive oil and its health benefits, along with the high protein content of mac nut products.
      According to a story in today’s Honolulu Star Advertiser, Royal Hawaiian plans to soon gain shelf space at ABC Stores, Foodland, Food Pantry, Longs and Walgreens. “The company expects to be in approximately 5,000 stores in Hawai`i and the western U.S. by the end of 2013,” the Star Advertiser says, quoting CEO Dennis Simonis: "We're very enthusiastic about the start. It's in the early stages and we think it's well positioned. They're very good products and everybody who has tried them has really enjoyed them. We're very optimistic."
      Among the new product line offerings are Hawaiian Barbecue, Maui Onion. Salt & Black Pepper, Sea Salt and Wasabi Soy snacks. Other snacks include nuts with dried fruit and Kona Coffee.

LEGISLATION ALLOWING USE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL LANDS for private development by leasing them for housing and commercial enterprise passed state Senate and House of Representatives committees yesterday. Numerous groups, from contractors to unions, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state agencies submitted testimony supporting the measure, contending it will bring in money needed to ugrade schools. Various educational groups testified to “underutilized school lands,” aging facilities, and the need for 21st Century School design.

Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary & Intermediate School Campus will see construction starting soon, but for a gym and
 disaster shelter for students and the community. Photo by Julia Neal

      Opponents predicted that places like Waikiki where the land is the most expensive will lose school playgrounds, school gardens and precious open space.
      Liz Larson testified: “As a mother of two children who go to Jefferson Elementary School, I am deeply concerned that the land that is precious to our community and treasured by the school, parents, and children will be taken away permanently. lf a high rise structure is developed on the property of Jefferson Elementary School (in Waikiki), the land will never be reclaimed for the children.
      “You cannot put a price tag on the value of the outdoor instruction, gardening, and scientific discovery that my children experience daily because of the programs Jefferson Elementary School is able to provide because of the land. “Raising children in the city in a small one bedroom apartment, I understand first-hand how important this open space is to the children and to the community of Waikiki……One unintended consequence of the bill will be that inner city schools, such as Jefferson Elementary School, will be targeted even though land and open space is most needed by the children and citizens of those communities.
      “The lack of local community and parent involvement in the decision making of our schools comes from the centralized nature of the school system in Hawai`i. This bill only highlights the problems that already exist in a centralized school system that discourages local participation by not allowing the public to even know which two schools are being considered for redevelopment.
      She said she also opposes the measure “because revenues generated from the pilot schools will be put into a Twenty-first century schools special revolving fund. The system of dispersal of these funds is not transparent and funds can be arbitrarily dispersed at the discretion of the DOE and the school board.
     "The best investment for our future is in our children. School land should be used for the purpose of educating our children. Once the land has been developed for other purposes such as housing, it will be forever lost.”
      Sharon Wileford testified: “As a 30- year Department of Eduation/Hawai`i teacher - The Land should be kept for the children! Where will they play? Not enough exercise -they need to learn to plant gardens - use it for education not profit!”
      Jeannine Johnson testified: “As a Hawaiian I am used to this. As a parent, I am appalled at the audacity of our government officials. I know the reason is because none of you send your children to public schools and therefore don’t care that my keiki won’t have playgrounds, playing fields and room to run around. So I ask you, in all fairness, would you force this on Punahou students? If your answer to that is no, your vote must be no to SB237, SD2.”
      Some opponents compared it to the Public Lands Development Corp. which received a slew of opposition over the last year for planning to lease out state lands to developers.
      Lisa Andrews wrote: “No way. Take your hands off our public school lands. Hawai'i children need open space to roam, exercise, and grow. No more PLDCs - you don't fool us anymore. We are watching. Pay attention to the legacy you are creating.”
      Todd Andrews testified: “Kids need to learn about where their food comes from by farming the land around their schools. Exercise, skills, aina awareness, environment awareness, opportunity to grow healthy food, etc. No PLDC.”
      Janice Palama-Glenlie testified: “How can legislators -- representatives of the People -- continue to support PLDC look- alikes, which is what privatizing our schools is? please oppose bills that are good for corporations and bad for People. Mahalo.”

Pelekapu Dedman fights aerial hunting with his Pele Defense Fund.
Photo from Pele Defense Fund

AERIAL HUNTING to rid natural areas of ungulates, like sheep, goats and pigs, received strong testimony yesterday at the County Council’s committee meeting on agriculture water and energy sustainability. According to a story in this morning’s Hawai`i Tribune Herald, Palikapu Dedman, President of the Pele Defense Fund, supports a ban on aerial hunting, and pointed out that the state Department of Land & Natural Resources is filing suit to prevent the ban. The County Council passed the ban last year.
      However, aerial hunting is used by the state to reach remote areas to kill the ungulates which are considered a danger to the native forest and its rare plants and animals, as well as the watershed. Hunters have testified that they want to be the ones to hunt the animals to provide food for their families.
      Pele Defense Fund announced last November that it filed a suit against the DLNR, which fences out ungulates from protected areas. Pele Defense Fund is also attempting to prevent fencing of thousands of acres in the Ka`u Forest Reserve. Dedman said that native rights, land tenure, hunting and subsistence living should be given more weight in such decisions. See more on Erin Miller’s coverage of the council meetings at www.hawaiitribune-herald.com

REOPENING OF KULANI PRISON was taken up by the County Council’s Committee on Public Safety and Transportation, chaired by Ka`u council member Brenda Ford. According to a story in this morning’s West Hawai`i Today, Public Safety Director Ted Sakai said a Pu`uhonua program that would be low security and allow for reintegration into the community would be helpful. A man recently released from prison testified that the jails are like revolving doors and the inmates need training and rehabilitation. The committee plans to draft a resolution supporting the state plan to reopen Kulani, according to the Erin Miller report. See more at www.westhawaiitoday.com.

Last humpback whale count of the season is Saturday.
Photo from NOAA

SOUTHSIDE VOLLEYBALL BOYS won their division, 14-and under last night at the annual Haili Volleyball Tournament in Hilo. The team, coached by Guy Enriques, won all six games this week. Team members are: Nai`a Makuakane, Adison Enriques, Avery Enriques, Cameron Moses, Abi Campbell, Tristen Cross, Logan Thomas, Chase Carter and Nakana Nakana.

THE LAST HUMPBACK WHALE COUNT of the year is this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at South Point, Punalu`u Black Sand Beach and Ka`ena Point at the end of Chain of Craters Road in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Sign up at sanctuaryoceancount.org.

EASTER EGG HUNT will be held this Sunday, March 30 at Kilauea Military Camp for children ten years of age and under. Bring Easter baskets. Register at 967-8352.