Ka`u News Briefs, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013

Del Bothof, of Volcano Winery, invites the public to explore the acres of vineyards and fields of tea at the fist annual Harvest Festival on Sunday, September 15, with food, wine, music and tours of the winery. Photo by Julia Neal

THE ANTENNA FOR KAHU RADIO came down yesterday from the pole behind the radio station building on Maile Street in Pahala.  Removal took place under the direction of Christine Kaehuaea, who was manager of the radio station until it shut down earlier this year and she sold off equipment, sold its license to Hawai`i Public Radio for $20,000 and promised to pay vendors and leave the antenna, transmitter and feed line for HPR to restart radio service to the community.

KAHU radio antenna came down yesterday,
delaying the broadcast of HPR2 in Ka`u.
Photo by Julia Neal

Hawai`i Public Radio CEO Michael Titterton said this morning that he had no idea the antenna was to be taken down. He said that a radio engineer came to the KAHU site over the weekend to make plans to start broadcasting HPR2 to the Pahala area.  He said that HPR planned to broadcast to the town until a space on one or more communications towers could be acquired to provide radio service across the southern part of Hawai`i Island. The owners of the radio building and site offered free rent, until the antenna could be moved.
Taking the equipment means that HPR broadcasting will be delayed until HPR can buy new equipment. “Don’t worry,” said Titterton. “We’ll get her done.”
According to O Ka`u Kakou President Wayne Kawachi, whose volunteers helped take down the antenna, he was told by Kaehuaea that Hawai`i Public Radio no longer needed the antenna. Kawachi said that she asked him for help to take it down.

ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP for School Community Council leaders for Na`alehu School. The first meeting for Na`alehu School started today at 3 p.m. in room 35 on campus. Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School’s first meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 16, 2013 at the SCC room, near the School office.

GMO HEARINGS in Hilo yestserday drew Civil Beat reporter Sophie Cocke. She writes at www.civilbeat.com about two bills before the County Council, one by Ka`u’s County Council member Brenda Ford that would ban the growing of Genetically Modified Organisms in this county, giving farmers 30 months to switch over to non-GMO crops. Her bill would also require registration of GMO crops, and violators would face penalties of $1,000 a day and possibly misdemeanor jail time. It would also ban growing of GMO animal feeds.
Council member Margaret Wille’s latest Bill “113 would ban all open air testing and cultivation of GMO crops. The measure exempts current and future genetically altered papayas, as well as the few other GMO crops already under cultivation. The bill requires farmers to register with the county if they are growing GMO crops and to pay an annual $100 fee. Registering the crops is aimed at facilitating the county's efforts to assess whether GMOs cause any harm. Violators of the law would be fined $1,000 a day and they would be liable for court and legal costs associated with any damage to non-GMO crops, neighboring properties or water sources.” says Civil Beat’s summary of her bill.
“Both bills prohibit biotech companies from operating on the Big Island and ban all new GMO crops,” the Civil Beat story says.
“There were few voices representing large biotech companies like Syngenta, Monsanto, Pioneer, Dow and BASF, despite their growing presence in the Hawaiian islands over the past decade. On O`ahu, Kaua`i and Moloka`i, the companies have been experimenting with GMO cops and growing genetically altered seed for export elsewhere. But the multinational biotech companies don’t operate on the Big Island. The proposed bills aim to keep it that way,” notes Civil Beat. See more at www.civilbeat.com.

Ag tourism could include walks to such places as the irrigation systems serving
Ka`u farms, like this one above Ka`u Coffee Mill. Photo by Andrew Richard Hara

AN AGRITOURISM BILL was heard today before the Hawai`i County Council. Bill 25, put forth by Puna council member Zendo Kern, would allow “major” and “minor” ag tourism on agriculturally zoned land, with limits on the numbers of visitors. A major ag tourism operation would need a plan approval from the county and would be allowed to entertain up to 30,000 visitors annually. A minor ag tourism operation would be exempt from the plan approval, be required to register with the county, and be limited to 5,000 visitors a year, with a maximum of 100 visitors a week. Compliance would be overseen by county Planning Department review of financial records.
Hours of operation would be allowed only from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. during winter months and 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. during summer months.
Various forms of the measure have been discussed for several years with Ka`u’s County Council member Brenda Ford saying she wants to make sure that neighbors are not bothered by the volume of tourism in agricultural communities. Other concerns have included the idea that ag operations could turn into gift, food and trinket shops, with the ag side of the business neglected.

Cultural exchange between Lana`i and Ka`u took place during Ka`u Coffee Festival
at Punalu`u and continues on Lana`i during the week of Oct. 5. Photo by Julia Neal

ON THEIR WAY TO LANA`I, Halau Lei Hula O Leinoalani dancers are raising money by teaching, feeding people. The group earned $600 from a bake sale, $500 from teaching at Science Camps of America this summer in Pahala and are raising more money from donors who are plan to match funding for the travel. The dancers going to Lana`i will fly to Maui and take a ferry from Lahaina. They will take part in a cultural exchange with Lana`i. Lana`i kumu hula Debbie Ryder  brought her dancers from Lana`i, O`ahu and Japan to Pahala for three years for the Ka`u Coffee Festival. “It is time for the dancers in Pahala to be welcomed by Lana`i,” she said. Anyone wanting to donate, can call Jamie Kailiawa at 895-6099. She said the halau also plans a rehearsal performance and dinner as a fundraiser before leaving for Lana`i on Oct. 2.

OPEN HOUSE AT VOLCANO HOUSE takes place tomorrow at the newly reopened hotel, restaurant, lounge and gift shops in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. coffee and cookies will be served in the lobby. Music will be played by Rupert Tripp, Jr. at the Pa Hula, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Hula `Auana will be presented by Kupuna at the Pa Hula, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. One-hour History of Volcano House will be shared through interpretive walks, 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.; and Guest Room Tours will be conducted 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. Parking is available on site and at Kilauea Visitor Center. Park entrance fees apply. For more information about Volcano House visit hawaiivolcanohouse.com or call 1-866-536-7972.

Japanese visitor Ko Ueno tries the new 

tea-infused wine at Volcano Winery where a 

Harvest Festival is on tap. Photo by Julia Neal

VOLCANO WINERY’s new Harvest Festival will provide the rare opportunity to tour the acres of vineyards, tea garden new fig plantings and greenhouse and vat room of Volcano Winery. The event is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 15 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pre-sale tickets are $25. The Harvest Festival includes Hawaiian and popular music with Lito Arkangel and other entertainers, heavy pupus and wine. Volcano Rotary Club will sell hulihuli chicken.
The Volcano Winery vineyard grows a variety of grapes, including Pinot Noir, Cayuga White, Symphony, Marechal Foch, Chambourcin. Tea has become an important part of Volcano Winery's business in recent years particularly with the introduction of tea-infused wine, said owners Del and Marie Bothof. The event is limited to 100 persons. Call 967-7772 or see volcanowinery.com.

EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL KICKS OFF tomorrow at Ka`u High School with Seabury Hall from Maui coming to town to play the Trojans. The first-ever eight-man football on this island gives the opportunity for the smaller school teams to score more, run faster and catch more footballs.
Head Coach is Duwayne Ke. Assistants are: Tammy Ke, Kaleo Phillips, Marcus Douglas, Eric Ervin, Donovan Emmsley and Darrel Shibuya. and are raising money for the trip. On Sept. 20, Kealakehe Waveriders come to Ka`u with a 6 p.m. kickoff. On Saturday, Sept. 28 Kamehameha Warriors host Ka`u.  On Oct. 5, the Trojans Play Moloka`i on the Friendly Island. On Friday, Oct. 25, Trojans travel to Kealakehe and on Friday, Nov. 8, Moloka`i Farmers come to Ka`u for  the Trojans' Homecoming and Senior Game night. To donate to the travel expenses for the Warriors, come to the game tomorrow night at Ka`u High School.

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, Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Ka`u's County Council member Brenda Ford chairs the committee that is considering restrictions for growing GMO crops on Hawai`i
Island, giving farmers 30 months to switch to non-GMO production.  

OPPOSING TWO GMO BILLS that are before the County Council, Ka`u Farm Bureau President Chris Manfredi wrote testimony on behalf of Ka`u Farm Bureau members, dated Sept. 3 in advance of today’s GMO session with the County Council Committee on Public Safety & Mass Transit.  The testimonies, one on Bill 113 and one on Bill 109, which call for restricting the growing of GMO’s on this island, are addressed to the committee and its chair, Ka`u’s County Council member Brenda Ford.
      In testimony referring to both GMO Bills, Manfredi contends that the Ka`u Farm Bureau has concerns that if GMO producers are required to register their produce and crops as GMO, they could become targets of eco-terrorism and enviro-terrorism. His testimony states: “Ka`u Farm Bureau also has concerns about the registry contemplated by this legislation; how the information is shared and used, and the purpose thereof. This information will be part of the public record may be used to target the registrants for eco‐ and eviro‐terrorist activity.”
      In testimony opposing Ford’s own Bill 109 to ban GMO crops on Hawai`i Island, Manfredi writes:

Ka`u Farm Bureau President Chris Manfredi writes
testimony opposing proposed GMO restrictions.
Photo by Julia Neal

     “This legislation is flawed in that it claims its purpose as to ‘Protect human, animal and plant life...’ yet exempts all ‘genetically modified organisms for human consumption...’ under the definition of ‘Use’. The exemption for human consumption invalidates the stated purpose of the legislation, invalidating it in its entirety.”  

     Ford explained this morning that the exemption is for food imported from off island and sold in stores. She said she would not want to, nor be able to, interfere with interstate commerce. “People can choose what they want to eat in our grocery stores.” She said her bill proposes to ban GMO crops on the island, giving farmers 30 months to switch over. She said that grandfathering in GMO papayas remains a question, saying that proposed GMO legislation will likely be amended.
      In testimony opposing Ford’s bill, Mainfredi also writes: “Chair Ford, since you represent the District of Ka`u on the Council, we would have appreciated some communication from you prior to introducing legislation that, if passed, will have an impact on our members. We would prefer that the Council spend its time solving genuine problems of high unemployment, the high cost of doing business in Hawai`i County, marketing, transportation, and food and energy security.”
       Manfredi’s testimony relating to both bills states: “There are numerous studies that indicate that transgenic crops are safe. These researchers include the American Medical Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, The National Academy of Sciences, Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand, the French Academy of Science, The Royal Society of Medicine, the European Commission, The Union of German Academics of Sciences and Humanities and the Academies of Science of Brazil, China, India and Mexico. This legislation implies that there is a health risk, yet no scientific information to that effect is cited.
      “In the absence of scientific data to the contrary, we are concerned that this legislation is in response to a manufactured crisis that is dividing the agricultural community, thereby weakening it.” 

     Manfredi writes that the Ka`u Farm Bureau has written to the council committee, asking that a working group be formed to include organic and conventional local farmers and ranchers, the scientific community, business leaders, state, county and federal policy makers and regulators and the Farm Bureau.

     His testimony says, “We respectfully request that you do not pass Bill 109 (and 113). Rather, take the time to examine the issues in a deliberate way with the benefit of peer reviewed studies that focus on purported health risks and benefits of transgenic crops and all the impacts this legislation represents.”
      The testimony notes that “Ka`u Farm Bureau is a member of Hawai`i Farm Bureau, with a network of more than 1,900 members statewide. We assist and advocate for agricultural producers as our community transitions from a plantation system to a more resilient and diversified one.
      “As an organization of local farmers and ranchers – we believe in supporting all forms of agriculture. As modern producers we understand that we need all available tools to grow reslient and sustainable industries in Hawai`i.”

A march against GMO crops on the Big Island in Hilo drew a number of Ka`u residents.  Photo by Julia Neal

      Most of the members of the Ka`u Farm Bureau are coffee farmers on land where Manfredi has been the land manager for years. He is also co-chair of the statewide Government Affairs Committee of the Hawai`i Farm Bureau, which has testified before various government bodies against labeling and restriction of GMO’s.

      In contrast to the Ka`u Farm Bureau, the Kona Farm Bureau refrained from taking a stand on the GMO issue, encouraging members to submit individual testimonies with their varying views. Ka`u's state Senators, Russell Ruderman and physician Josh Green, have both called for the state legislature to require GMO food labeling.

QUESTIONING PROPOSED GMO restrictions is in the commentary submitted to Ka`u News Briefs today from Gary Schauweker. The Ocean View resident responded to a Ka`u News Briefs statement on Sept. 3 from farmer Richard Ha who opposes the GMO bills before the County Council. 

Dr. Michael Domeier
Photo from MarineCSI

     Schauweker pointed out that Ha “stated that all major national and international health agencies say that there is no difference between conventional and bio-crops as far as health and safety.” Schauweker states that from all he has read, “there has been little to no studies on possible long-term effects. If these international health agencies found GMOs so safe why are they banned in most of Europe?”
     Schauweker asks: “Japan, South Korea? Why are major American companies producing food products using non-GMOs ingredients for Europe while they use them for American consumers?
     “Mr. Ha said we are showing no Aloha in this issue; well remember Aloha brought Hawai`i mongoose, rats, invasive plants, and the down fall of the Hawaiian Nation. Once GMOs are brought in there is no going back, they can possibly cross pollinate conventional crops which may become more valuable if GMOs are proven harmful.”

MARINE CSI is hoping to tag sharks in Ka`u sometime in the future, according to its President and CEO Michael Domeier. His organization recently tagged a 14-foot tiger shark with a satellite tracking device outside Honokau Harbour and expects to tag more sharks along the Kona Coast in the next month. After working along the Kona Coast, he said he would like to tag sharks to follow their movements in waters off Ka`u. To donate, offer boating services or other help, email mldomeier@gmail.com See www.marinecsi.org.

KA`U HIGH’S EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL TEAM prepares for the historic home- game opener this Friday against Seabury Hall from Maui, at 6 p.m. on the Pahala campus. The football field has been moderated to make it narrower while preserving the same length and the same goal posts. 

     The launch of eight-man football by Ka`u High School creates a faster, higher scoring game that could be adopted by other small schools on the island.
     Filling the Trojan roster this year are: Malu Aipia-Dolan, Anthony Emmsley, Chance Emmsley, Walter Espejo, Andrew Garcia, Makana Gravela, Dalton Hannahs, Kaweni Ibarra, Rigan Kaapana, Randall Kahele, John Kaawa-Kaluau, Kainalu Ke, Talai Ke, Teyden Makuakane, Carlos Ornelas, Pono Palikiko, Trieson Pascubillo, Kai Santana, Chisum Silva, Ricky Souza, Devan Smith-Myer, Cy Tamura, and Derrick Velez.
      Head coach for the Trojans is Duwayne Ke. Assistants are: Tammy Ke, Kaleo Phillips, Marcus Douglas, Donovan Emmsley and Darrel Shibuya.

A visitor to Volcano House brings back memories of
Uncle George whose image is on the wall near Volcano
 House window to the crater. Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U HIGH BOWLING results from recent games against other high 

schools include: Trojan Girls against the St. Joseph Cardinals – St. Joseph 3, Ka`u 0. Ka`u bowlers scrores were for Shylee Tamura 95-94—274; Lammi AhYee 88-93—265; and Aileen Umayas 100-101—294. Against Kamehameha, the Warriors scored 3 and Ka`u 0. Ka`u bowing scores were Lannin AhYee 132-88-303 and for Siena Okimoto 115-95-289.

VOLCANO COUNTRY CLUB is the site of the Hawai`i Government Employees Association’s golf fellowship on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Volcano Country Club. Eight tee times are available starting at 8 a.m., and members may form their own groups. A $5 jackpot will include low nets and closest-to-the pin prizes. Call Darrell Yamamoto at 938-4431.

VOLCANO HOUSE, the newly reopened hotel, restaurant, lounge and gift shops in Hawai`I Volcanoes National Park. offers a celebration and public touring this Friday, Sept. 6. From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. coffee and cookies will be served in the lobby. Music will be played by Rupert Tripp, Jr. at the Pa Hula, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Hula `Auana will be presented by Kupuna at the Pa Hula, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. One-hour History of Volcano House will be shared through interpretive walks, 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.; and Guest Room Tours will be conducted 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. Parking is available on site and at Kilauea Visitor Center. Park entrance fees apply. For more information about Volcano House visit hawaiivolcanohouse.com or call 1-866-536-7972.

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

Ka`u News Briefs, Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Dr. Michael Domeier fell in love with Hawai`i Island years ago and moved here to continue his shark tracking studies with his
non-profit organization MarineCSI. Photo from freedive.net

A SHARK SCIENTIST, who recently moved to Hawai`i Island, is tagging tiger sharks which the public will be able to track on an app. Dr. Michael Domeier began his research before the recent attacks on Poho`iki surfer Jimmy Ulu-Boy Napeahi, who was released from the hospital last Thursday, and a German tourist on Maui who lost her arm and then her life after a week of hospitalization. Domeier told Hawai`i News Now that tracking local sharks could help with understanding their behavior. He said the recent attacks could be an anomaly and not necessarily a trend toward more aggressive shark behavior.

       Domeier and his Native Hawaiian crew tagged their first tiger shark for the project in Hawaiian Island waters in late August. The tiger is 13-feet long and weighs about 1,400 lbs. The crew named her Blue Moon when catching and releasing her outside of Honokohau Harbor. With a state Department of Land & Natural Resources representative watching, the crew attached a satellite tracking device to Blue Moon's dorsal fin. See footage on Hawai`i News Now at 

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/23320937/big-island-researcher-tagging-tiger-sharks.   

Domeier tags sharks with satellite tracking devices, which can be followed by the
public using an app. Photo from MarineCSI

     Domeier is President and Executive Director of MarineCSI, which stands for Marine Conservation Science Institute. He said that the organization was “founded on the belief that focused research can make a difference on how we view and manage our marine resources.”  He is considered an expert in the development of electronic fish tagging and for his tagging and following of the great white sharks. Domieir has a doctorate in marine biology from University of Miami and worked on the California Department of Fish & Game Marine Sport Research Project. For more than a decade, before moving to Hawai`i, he worked for non-profit marine oriented organizations, including Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research, the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations and the Marine Conservation Science Institute. He is also a pilot of airplanes and boats.

Great White Honey raises money to
study sharks in local waters.

       MarineCSI recently launched its app for iPhone and iPad for tracking sharks. It helps users learn more about sharks, including the ability to track satellite-tagged tigers and great whites. The app displays a map with live tracking data for the sharks tagged with real-time tracking devices, so that users can follow them at the same time as the research scientists. It is available on ITunes for $3.99. Another fundraiser for his work is the Rare Hawaiian Honey Co., which he and his wife Amy own in Kamuela.  Ten percent of the income from sales of its Great White 100% Organic Kiawe Honey goes toward funding research. See www.rarehawaiianhoney.com and www.marineCSI.org.

FARMER RICHARD HA, known in Ka`u for his opposition to a refinery and biofuel plantation planned by `Aina Koa Pono, has come out against proposed bills before the County Council that would limit the growing of Genetically Modified Organisms across the island.
    In a statement submitted to The Ka`u Calendar newspaper, Ha writes, "If passed, Hawai‘i County Council’s Anti-GMO Bills 109 and 113, submitted by (county council members) Brenda Ford and Margaret Wille and to be heard on Sept. 4, 2013 at 1:30 p.m., will have unintended and serious consequences.
     "Both bills send the wrong message to our next generation. In their actions, they imply that conventional farming is not an honorable profession. This, in turn, threatens our goal of food self-sufficiency.
     "They threaten the livelihoods of Big Island farmers. Competitors who are not on the Big Island would be allowed to use new biotechnology, but not Big Island farmers. New technology generally results in lower costs, thus this would leave Big Island producers as high-cost producers.

Richard Ha opposes GMO restriction bills that are before the County Council.

     "We are criticizing and threatening the farmers, the very people who feed us and the ones we should be encouraging to help us achieve food self-sufficiency.
     "In the old days, farmers were held in high esteem. Criminalizing farmers is a new, and ill-advised, concept. What we need now is to slow down, take a deep breath and do things in a steady, rational manner.
     "All major health and safety agencies, nationally and internationally, say there is no difference between biotech- and conventional-developed crops in terms of our health and safety.
     "We are threatening the spirit of aloha. The last round of testimony on these bills resulted in a shameful display, lacking aloha altogether. This could have been prevented with better preparation.
     "We should kill both bills and form a group – free of politics – to advise us how to proceed. This group should set a goal of figuring out how we can all work together to achieve food self-sufficiency in a way that benefits the most people. It should study economic impacts of various alternatives. It should study and report on the safety of Rainbow papayas. This group should also study the social impact of various alternatives.
     "Instead of acting and then perhaps studying, we really must study the situation first before making decisions and acting," Ha concludes.

Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui

        Ford said this morning that both GMO bills "are in Draft one and we need to discuss the bills in committee before making comments."  Ka`u Farm Bureau president Chris Manfredi recently called a meeting to discuss GMO legislation. The statewide Hawai`i Farm Bureau opposes restricting and labeling GMO's.

THE NATIONAL LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION has appointed Hawai`i's Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui to serve on a national policy committee. NLGA is the professional association providing research and issue exchange opportunities to the officeholders first in line of succession to governor in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. Tsutsui is serving as a member of the International Committee, which provides direction on opportunities for global engagement by the states’ seconds-in-command. “This role recognizes Lt. Governor Tsutsui as a point of contact and recognized expert for NLGA and to his peers,” said NLGA Director Julia Hurst.
“It is an honor being appointed to an important committee, such as the International Committee for the NLGA. Because Hawaii serves as a gateway between Asia and the Pacific, being appointed to this committee is a natural fit,” said Tsutsui. Earlier this year Tsutsui led a trade mission to the Philippines with Philippine Consul General of Honolulu Julius Torres.
     Regarding his new appointment, Tsutsui said, “I’ll be able to share my knowledge on how Hawai`i continues to work on attracting the various visitor markets and business industries to fuel our economy.”

KA`U'S CONGRESSWOMAN TULSI GABBARD recently joined 53 other U.S. Representatives with a letter to Pres. Barack Obama urging him to turn to Congress for discussion on whether to attack Syria in the wake of its use of chemical weapons that apparently killed more than 1,000 people. On Saturday, Obama asked Congress to discuss the issue and to take a vote on whether to respond militarily, following the British Parlaiment voting to restrain from joining an attack on Syria. Gabbard, herself a veteran of Middle East conflicts, released the following statement:

     “The use of chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction is atrocious and violates international norms and basic human rights. The challenges faced by UN Weapons Inspectors as they gather evidence has only exacerbated this conflict that has gone on for too long, with countless innocent casualties.

Ka`u's congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard, is a vet who wants Congress to 

debate the issue before deciding on military action in Syria.

Photo from PBS Newshour

     “Right now, we do not have enough facts about all facets of what is occurring on the ground, the factions involved in this civil war, and what the unintended consequences would be for U.S. military involvement.
     "Congressional debate and approval must occur before any U.S. military action is taken, and through this process we need to have a clear-eyed view of our objectives and what the outcomes would be, understanding the impacts in Syria, and those that extend far beyond Syria.”
     The statement from members of Congress to Obama included the following satements: "We join you and the international community in expressing unequivocal condemnation over the news that chemical weapons were reportedly used by the government of Syria.
     "While we understand that as Commander in Chief you have a constitutional obligation to protect our national interests from direct attack, Congress has the constitutional obligation and power to approve military force if the United States or its direct interests (such as its embassies) has not been attacked or threatened with an attack. As such, we strongly urge you to seek an affirmative decision of Congress prior to committing any U.S. military engagement to this complex crisis.
     "While the ongoing human rights violations and continued loss of life is horrific, they should not draw us into an unwise war – especially without adhering to our own constitutional requirements. We strongly support the work within the United Nations Security Council to build international consensus condemning the alleged use of chemical weapons and preparing an appropriate response; we should also allow the U.N. inspectors the space and time necessary to do their jobs, which are so crucial to ensuring accountability."

Kahili ginger is an invasive pest. Volunteers
will help clear it from the park tomorrow.

KA`U GIRLS VOLLEYBALL team came up short on Friday playing Hawai`i Peparatory Academy away in Kamuela. The Trojan varsity girls lost in three sets, 25-19, 25-16 and 25-22. The Trojan junior varsity girls lost in two sets, 25-20 and 25-23.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT invites volunteers to help clear kahili ginger on Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park trails tomorrow, Wed., Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at Kilauea Visitor Center. Call 985-6172.

NA`ALEHU SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCIL meeeting takes place on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 3 p.m. in Rooom 32.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meeting is Thursday, Sept. 5 at Ocean View Community Center. 

COMPUTER BASICS will be taught this Friday, Sept. 6 and Friday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. at Pahala Public & School Library. Free. Call 939-2442.

AIKIDO CLASSES with Alan Morse begin tonight at a new location, the Old Pahala Clubhouse on the west end of Maile Street in Pahala at 6 p.m. Classes are free.

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