Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015

Ka`u High School graduate Marley Strand-Nicolaisen shows her focus playing volleyball for UH-Hilo, as UH President David Lassner, in yellow shirt, watches the Vulcans win their match with Chaminade University. See more below. Photo by Tim Wright

HAWAI`I’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION today praised the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service’s announcement that it will provide a green bean pricing valuation for Hawai`i-grown coffee starting in January 2016. Currently, Hawai`i coffee “farm gate value” is based on parchment rather than green bean. Green bean coffee valuation will more accurately reflect market values and make reporting easier for growers.

A new pricing valuation for Ka`u and all Hawai`i coffees goes into effect
in January 2016. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

      “Despite achieving global recognition, Hawai`i-grown coffee has long been valued differently than most of the global coffee market,” Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said. “This announcement by the USDA to value Hawai`i coffee in the same way as the global coffee marketplace will better align with global valuation standards, increase the value of Hawai`i-grown coffee and help attract additional research and development funds to support our local coffee farmers and industry. Hawai`i is our nation’s only domestic coffee producer, and this change will help strengthen our coffee industry and increase its potential for growth.”

      Sen. Brian Schatz said, “The USDA currently understates the value of Hawai`i’s coffee crops, which impacts the availability of financing and the importance of coffee to the U.S. economy. This action by the USDA will make it easier for Hawai`i farmers to get loans and to secure federal funding for research and pest control.”

      Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “This is a big win for our coffee farmers and was made possible thanks to members of the Hawai`i agriculture community, who have been working with me on this issue for years, and our ongoing collaboration with the USDA.”

Sens. Schatz and Hirono and Rep. Gabbard
represent Ka`u in U.S. Congress.

      The plan calls for Hawai`i coffee to be valued under a “non-citrus fruits and nuts” model from its current “field crop” model. This shift will allow for a more timely publication of data, with preliminary data published in January and final data published in July. Hawai`i’s coffee stakeholders will be provided with valuable data including bearing acreage, yield, total production, utilized production, average price and value of production on a cherry basis.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO, A MEMBER of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, voted to support the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The legislation overwhelmingly passed the Senate 74-21.
      “Embracing the promise and vulnerabilities of the Internet age requires a delicate balance between promoting security online and protecting users’ privacy and Constitutional rights, Hirono said. “The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act strikes that balance in a number of important ways.
      “This legislation will help prevent cyber attacks by facilitating a common awareness in the cyber realm. When the private sector has a common view of cyber threats and shares cybersecurity information, companies can more effectively defend their networks.
      “And although the privacy provisions should be strengthened further, the voluntary nature of the bill and the cyber threat awareness it would promote are worthy of support. Consumers deserve to know how their information is used, and maintaining Americans’ privacy remains a key priority as we finalize this legislation.”

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

A HUI THAT SUPPORTS CREATING an energy cooperative on Hawai`i Island on Tuesday defended itself against allegations by Hawaiian Electric Co. and Next Era Energy. In a motion to Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission, the merger applicants stated, “Intervenor Party Hawai`i Island Electric Cooperative has sought to introduce into the record evidence concerning plans or proposals for future electric cooperatives in Hawai`i.” The applicants consider such information to be outside the scope of the PUC’s current investigation.

Marco Mangelsdorf

      HIEC responded that it “has not sought to introduce any such proposal that the commission adopt or approve a cooperative model for electric utility service. Further, HIEC is not aware of any cooperative or municipal ownership proposals introduced by other intervenors in this docket.”

      HIEC said, “It is both unnecessary and premature to insist that the commission address the hypothetical introduction of a plan or proposal for cooperative or municipal ownership at this time.”

      In earlier testimony, HIEC Director Marco Mangelsdorf explained the purpose and relevance of HIEC’s evidence regarding the cooperative ownership model. “Given the critical importance of these issues, and the potential long-term, nearly statewide impact of the proposed merger, HIEC believes that, in order to properly and effectively determine the likely impact of the transaction on the public interest and cost to the consumer, the merits of the proposed merger should be examined and evaluated in relation to potential alternatives, including the alternative of a cooperative ownership model,” he said.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

VISITOR ARRIVALS CONTINUE TO REACH record highs, Hawai`i Tourism Authority President and CEO George D. Szigeti reported.

      Visitor arrivals have remained strong for the first nine months of the year, reaching 6.5 million visitors and pacing just slightly above projections. However, growth in spending is beginning to plateau; currently only 2.6 percent ahead of last year, reaching $11.3 billion.

George D. Szigeti

      According to Szigeti, Hawai`i will see a boost in air seats during the fourth quarter. Three new flights from two new carriers begin, pushing total air seats to the state to a record 11.8 million for 2015. Virgin America will begin flying from San Francisco to Honolulu in November and to Kahului in December, and Jin Air, a low-cost carrier from South Korea, will begin service from Seoul to Honolulu in December.

      “It is important for us to collaborate with our marketing and industry partners to ensure there is sufficient demand to support these new flights and all of our existing routes,” Szigeti said.

      HTA expects to see continued growth from core U.S. markets due to lower domestic fuel prices. However, it continues to monitor unstable economic conditions in Canada, Japan and China.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE Marley Strand-Nicolaisen, now an outside-hitter for UH-Hilo, led the Lady Vulcans on Wednesday, Oct. 28 to a victory over Chaminade University in five sets. Enjoying the game was UH President Dr. David Lassner. With over 200 kills and over 20 aces so far this season, Stand-Nicolaisen is on Lady Vulcan’s Leader Board.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

KA`U STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in Hawai`i Community College’s first-ever Express Admissions Day on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Manono campus in Hilo and the Palamanui campus in Kona.

Express Admissions Day is Saturday, Nov. 14 at Hawai`i Community
College campuses in Hilo and Kona. Photo from Hawai`i CC

      Express Admissions Day is the fast way to apply for the Spring 2016 semester. Prospective students can complete an application; receive their MyUH Student Number; schedule the next steps in the enrollment process, such as academic advising, orientation and placement testing; and have their questions answered by Hawai`i CC representatives.
      “Express Admissions Day is designed to make enrollment as easy as possible,” said Jason Cifra, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at Hawai`i CC.
      The deadline to apply for the Spring 2016 semester is Dec. 1, and classes start on Jan. 11.
      Attendees of Express Admissions Day can enter to win a scholarship, and current Hawai`i CC students who bring a friend can also enter to win a scholarship.
      For more information, call 934-2800 (East Hawai`i) or 969-8816 (West Hawai`i), or see hawaii.hawaii.edu.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

TODAY AT 3:30 P.M. IS THE DEADLINE to enter fruit and vegetable creations in Pahala Library’s food decorating contest. Winners will be announced during the library’s Halloween Bash tomorrow from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event also features two Halloween movies, games and a snack-making demonstration.
      For more information, call 928-2015.

NA`ALEHU LIBRARY HOLDS ITS Halloween party tomorrow from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. with goodies, crafts, activities and a costume contest.
      Call 939-2442 for more information. 

KA`U ARTISTS CAN DROP OFF THEIR Beauty of Ka`u entries tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the Monday, Nov. 2 through Thursday, Nov. 5 show at CU Hawai`i in Na`alehu.

      See more in ad at right, at kauchamber.org, or call Donna Masaniai at 238-0505.

SOUTH SIDE SHAKA'S Restaurant in Na`alehu celebrates Halloween tomorrow. Call 929-7404 for more information.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S Halloween Party is tomorrow from 7 p.m. to 12 p.m. DJ Thomas Ramirez keeps the music going in the Lava Lounge in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Entry is $3 for partiers in costume; $5 without. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.
      Call 967-8371 for more information.

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

FOR AFFORDABLE COMPUTER HELP, call John Derry at 936-1872.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for Retail Sales Associate: Full-Time, Competitive Wages, Medical & Dental Plans. Apply at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Call 928-0550 for an appointment.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_October2015.pdf.

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

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park warns motorists that nene, which are at their most vulnerable now, during breeding and nesting season, blend in with their natural environment and hard to spot. See more below. NPS Photo by Kathleen Misajon

A NEW ERA FOR MANAGEMENT of 5,800 coastal, ranch and coffee farm acres in Ka`u is expected to begin with Colorado-based company Resource Land Holdings, LLC closing on the purchase from Lehman Brothers Holdings in early November.

Resource Land Holdings is expected to close next month on 5,800 acres of Ka`u
coastal, coffee and ranch lands. Photo by Julia Neal

      The land, once the property of C. Brewer and its sugar company in Ka`u, is coveted by preservation groups involved in conserving the Ka`u Coast, ranchers who have cattle high above the shore of Waikapuna and coffee farmers who have developed small businesses and a new industry in Ka`u during the last two decades. All three groups are hoping that the land can be acquired from Resource Land Holdings for protection of natural resources, ranching and coffee and other agriculture.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

BRENDA IOKEPA-MOSES IS EXPECTED to assume the position of Ka`u land manager when Resource Land Holdings, LLC closes on the purchase of 5,800 acres in coffee, coastal and ranch properties from Lehman Brothers Holdings in November. She said she is serving as an interim consultant for RLH until the land transfer closes. Iokepa-Moses, a Pahala resident for more than 20 years, has a long history of working with farmers and ranchers on the land formerly owned by C. Brewer sugar company. “I started my career in Ka`u with C. Brewer and was part of the team that helped the displaced sugar workers retain a license for five acres free of rent for five years,” she said. “After the close of the plantation, I worked for WWK Holdings, which purchased some 2,000 acres that these very same farmers occupied.” She praised the famers who became successful with their award-winning Ka`u Coffee “despite the uncertainty of their future.”

Brenda Iokepa-Moses

      After working with WWK, Iokepa-Moses transferred to a job with Olson Trust under the land division, working with John Cross on land leasing to open up property to more coffee farmers as well as other diversified agriculture ventures. She worked in many different capacities for the Trust, the latest position at Ka`u Coffee Mill Visitors Center on Wood Valley Road in Pahala.
      Iokepa-Moses said, “I am really excited to work with new landowners in securing long-term licenses for our hard-working coffee farmers who have been tossed around since the close of the plantation. Over the last 20 years, I have built relationships with the Ka`u farmers. I know them personally and understand their hardships.
      “I will work hard to help them secure a future not only for themselves but also the next generation of Ka`u coffee farmers,” she promised.
      Iokepa-Moses also serves as President of the Hawai`i Agricultural Conservation District, President of Ka`u Farm Bureau, Chair of Ka`u Soil and Water Conservation Board, and is a member of the Hawai`i County Board of Water Supply, `O Ka`u Kakou and the Ka`u Coffee Festival Committee. She is a retired member of the U.S. Army Reserves.
      John Cross, of Olson Trust, who is another Brewer veteran, is also signed up as a consultant with Resource Land Holdings.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Ka`u CDP staff and Steering Committee members are all smiles after voting to send the final document to the county. From left to right: Leina`ala Enos, Ron Whitmore, Simon Torres, Ron Ebert and Isobel Donovan, Michelle Galimba, Loren Heck, Patti Barry, Nalani Parlin, John Cross and Bob DaMate. Photo by Ron Johnson

ALMOST PAU WAS THE MESSAGE on the celebratory cake at yesterday’s meeting of the Ka`u Community Development Plan Steering Committee. The committee approved final revisions to the draft Ka`u CDP and voted to send the document to the county.
      After seven years of work, Project Manager Ron Whitmore thanked committee members for their service to the county and community. He noted the “thoughtful, diverse and productive conversations” that led to the final document. He said the committee “kept the county’s feet to the fire” as the project progressed to this “major milestone” in the process. 

      The majority of committee members voted to forward the document to the county. No one voted not to forward it, and Ron Ebert, of Punalu`u, was the only member to abstain.
      Committee member Michelle Galimba, representing Ka`alaiki and Honu`apo, said, “It is a good document.”
      Loren Heck, of Ocean View, said of last night’s meeting, “It’s easy to have a good, positive meeting when there’s so much good, positive preparation.”
      Non-voting member John Cross said, “We have agreed to disagree, and that’s good” and said some of the policies in the document “will raise eyebrows.” 

      The committee enjoyed a dinner of roast pork, rice, sushi and salad after adjourning.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

A trio of nene enjoy the view at Jaggar Museum.
NPS Photo by Michael Szoenyi

IT’S BREEDING AND NESTING SEASON for nene, and park visitors are urged to drive with caution and to give the endangered Hawaiian goose space.
       Nene, the largest native land animal in Hawai`i, are present in the park and other locations on Hawai`i Island year-round, but this seasonal window is vital for their survival, and it’s also when they are the most vulnerable to being run over by drivers. While getting ready to nest, the geese are focused on eating and often forage from dawn to dusk. They blend in with their surroundings, and in low-light periods, they are especially hard for motorists to spot.
      “One of the most important things people can do is give nene space,” said Kathleen Misajon, Nene Recovery Program manager at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. “This means not approaching them and never feeding them. Nene are easily habituated to food hand-outs from people and vehicles, and these birds often fall victim to vehicle strikes.”
       Nene crossing signs posted throughout the park call attention to roadside areas frequented by nene. These include sections of Hwy 11, Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road. Motorists are urged to use extra caution in signed nene crossing areas and to obey posted speed limits.
       Most nene fly between nighttime roosts and diurnal feeding grounds. The female builds a simple ground nest and incubates one to four eggs for a full month while her devoted mate acts as a sentry. Shortly after they hatch, goslings leave the nest and follow their parents to their traditional foraging grounds, which can be more than a mile away. At 14 weeks, nene can fly, and along with their parents, they join large flocks where they meet their relatives and potential mates. They usually mate for life.
      See nps.gov/havo/photosmultimedia/nene_psa.htm for more information. To report nene on the road in the park, call 985-6001. Outside the park, call 974-4221.
       For more information on nene and other endangered species the park works to protect, see the new On the Brink of Extinction brochure posted at nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/onthebrink.htm.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

KAUAHA`AO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH in Wai`ohinu will be having a fundraising bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and invites individuals, school/athletic groups, clubs and churches to be vendors at the flea market. The church is located on the corner of Hwy11, Kamaoa Road and Pinao Street, just above Wong Yuen Store and Gas Station.
      The charge for a 10’x10’ vendor space is $10. Vendors need to bring their own 10’x10’ tent, tables, chairs and, if needed, a generator. Vendors can sell anything except hot food and plate lunches.
      The church will be selling Kalau Pig plate lunches and containers of Kalua Pig plus hot dogs, baked goods and more. There will be entertainment throughout the day.
      For more information and to reserve a vendor space, call Walter Wong Yuen at 928-8039 after 7 p.m.

Overall winner will grace the cover
of next year's Directory.

LEGAL AID IS AVAILABLE TOMORROW from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Call 939-7033 for more information.

BEAUTY OF KA`U ENTRY DROP-OFF is Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the Monday, Nov. 2 through Thursday, Nov. 5 art show at CU Hawai`i in Na`alehu.

      See kauchamber.org or call Donna Masaniai at 238-0505 for more information.

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN HELP Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and the `aina by cutting invasive himalayan ginger on park trails Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Loppers and gloves are provided. Participants are encouraged to wear long sleeve shirts, long pants and close-toed shoes.
      Work is often in the shade of the forest with sweet sounds of native honeycreepers like `apapane, `amakihi and a`ma`o above. Water, snacks, rain gear and sun protection are recommended.
      This project is open to the public, and no reservations are required. Interested people can stop by Kilauea Visitor Center to get directions and more information. The hike is around a one mile, moderate round trip into Kilauea caldera down Halem`auma`u Trail. The hike involves walking over rough, uneven terrain on a dirt and rock path, with up to a 400' elevation change.

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

FOR AFFORDABLE COMPUTER HELP, call John Derry at 936-1872.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for Retail Sales Associate: Full-Time, Competitive Wages, Medical & Dental Plans. Apply at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Call 928-0550 for an appointment.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_October2015.pdf.

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

 

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015

Ka`u Libraries offer safe ways to celebrate Halloween, with parties on Friday afternoon. Na`alehu Library staff members Jennifer Losalio and Sara Kamibayashi invite the public to participate in a costume contest. See more below.

NA`ALEHU’S WASTEWATER TREATMENT plant is planned for state land east of town, makai of Hwy 11. Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, reported that the preferred site selected by the Environmental Management Department borders Kahua `Olohu, the 13-acre Makahiki Grounds being considered for acquisition and preservation by the county.
      Twelve other sites were considered, but Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd told Callis that issues with them included being too small, having archaeological features and lava tubes and requiring pumping sewage uphill.
      According to Todd, the department will hold a public meeting before the end of the year and then draft an environmental assessment.
      See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Anna-Lisa Okoye gave a class for Ka`u Coffee growers Sunday.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS took a four-hour workshop on financing their businesses and land on Sunday. Anna-Lisa Okoye, a Rural Business Development Specialist, gave the class and encouraged farmers to further educate themselves in the creation of business plans, cash flow projections, tax returns, record keeping and financial statements. She also displayed various financing options available to farmers, including operating and ownership loans. One from the state Department of Agriculture offers loans of up to $800,000 each. A 40-year loan for buying property has a current interest rate of 3.75 percent. A similar federal loan has an interest rate of four percent for buying land. 

     Farmers said they are learning more about financing as they seek land security for their Ka`u Coffee farms that created a new industry after sugar shut down almost 20 years ago. The land where most of them grow coffee at Moa`ula and Pear Tree is being sold to Resource Land Holdings, LLC, of Denver, and the property could eventually be subdivided and sold. The farmers are currently negotiating for licenses from Resource Land Holdings, which is proposing 15-year rental terms, as the growers attempt to find a longer-term, more secure solution. The workshop for the farmers was sponsored by The Kohala Center.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Image from wikipedia

TWO PEOPLE ON HAWAI`I ISLAND are being tested for dengue fever, chikungunya and zika. Rosemarie Bernardo reported in Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Infected mosquitoes can spread the diseases through their bites. So far this year, 13 cases have been confirmed statewide. There were 14 cases last year.
      “We hope to receive the (test) results sometime next week,” state Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo told Bernardo.
      Characteristic symptoms of dengue are sudden-onset fever, headache (typically located behind the eyes), muscle and joint pains and a rash that blanches when pressed. The alternative name for dengue, breakbone fever, comes from associated muscle and joint pains.
      As there is no commercially available vaccine, prevention is sought by reducing the habitat and number of mosquitoes and limiting exposure to bites.
      DOH recommends bed rest and acetaminophen to treat fever and pain.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

EIGHT OF 22 KA`U YOUTH SWIMMERS earned ribbons at the novice swim team championships held Saturday, Oct. 24 at Kawamoto Swim Stadium in Hilo. The county Parks & Recreation event followed an islandwide meet at Pahala Pool on Oct. 10 with more than 200 swimmers.

      Ka`u swimmers who placed in the Kawamoto championship are:
      In the boys 25-yard races, Diesel Kaleohana took fifth in freestyle with 21.49 seconds. He also took fourth in breaststroke with 29.53 seconds and third in butterfly with 26.56.
      In the girls 25 yard races, Kawena Brown took sixth in breaststroke with 25.06.
      In the boys 50-yard races, Justin Denny took first in freestyle with 27.25, second in butterfly with 16.34 and first in the individual medley with one minute, 18.72 seconds.
      Ryder Brown took third in freestyle with 30.64, first in backstroke with 38.58 and first in breaststroke with 40.15.
      In girls 50-yard races, Olivia Kanahele took second in freestyle with 32.41. Tiare Wong Yuen took third in freestyle with 34.44, fourth in breaststroke at 47.09 and third in butterfly in 18.34.
      In the 100-yard races, Weston Davis took first in freestyle with one minute, 07.30 seconds, third in breaststroke at one minute, 32.47 seconds and first in butterfly with one minute, 35.13 seconds. Zachary Blanco-Louis took fifth in freestyle with one minute and 17.50 seconds, fourth in backstroke with one minute, 45.32 seconds and fourth in butterfly with one minute, 42.07 seconds.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Is this trick or treater safe? Photo from wikipedia

HAWAI`I COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT shares information to keep children safe to enjoy the festivities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly four times as many children ages 5-14 are killed while walking on Halloween evening than other time of the year. Here are some tips for staying safe while having fun:
      Trick or Treaters should plan routes and share them with family. If possible, have an adult go along. Carry flashlights to see and be seen. Use reflective tape or stickers on bags or costumes. Cross the street only at corners, using crosswalks when available. Walk on sidewalks. If no sidewalks are available, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Look both ways before crossing the street. Use face paint or makeup instead of masks, which can obstruct vision. Avoid costumes that are so long that they become tripping hazards. Only visit homes that have porch lights on. Accept treats at the door, and never go into a stranger’s house. Be cautious of strangers and animals. Have a grown-up inspect treats before eating.
      Motorists need to be especially careful in residential areas by slowing down and looking for keiki on roadways, medians and curbs. Watch for keiki darting out from between parked cars. Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully. Don’t drink and drive; make sure to have a reliable, licensed designated driver before starting to drink.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

KA`U LIBRARIES OFFER SAFE WAYS to celebrate Halloween on Friday afternoon.
      Na`alehu Library holds a party from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. with goodies, crafts, activities and a costume contest. Call 939-2442 for more information.
      Pahala Library’s Halloween Bash begins at 2:15 p.m. and continues to closing at 5 p.m. Manager Debbie Wong Yuen invites residents to be creative in a food decorating contest. Entries are due by 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. “No need to go out and buy things; use household items,” she said. The winner will be announced at the party Friday afternoon.
      For the movie matinee on Friday, the Pahala Library features two Halloween movies. There will also be games and a snack-making demonstration. For more information, call 928-2015.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

At the first of many upcoming community forums, Gov. Ige said he supports
the TMT project. Photo from Office of the Governor

GOV. DAVID IGE REAFFIRMED his support of the Thirty Meter Telescope planned to be built at the summit of Mauna Kea. At the first of several community forums to be scheduled, Ige said, “When I became governor on Dec. 1, the courts had already made a decision to approve the TMT project. As governor, I must support that decision.
      “On a personal note, I support the Thirty Meter Telescope as it is an opportunity for Hawai`i to become a leader in astronomy, but the state must do a better job of managing Mauna Kea.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED to Ka`u Community Development Plan Steering Committee meeting today at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The committee will make final CDP recommendations to the county.
      Testimony on agenda items is welcomed.
      See kaucdp.info for more.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK presents a program about The Last Volcano this evening at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

`Ulana lauhala is the topic tomorrow at Kilauea Visitor Center. Photo from NPS

      Author John Dvorak, a former staff member of HVO, discusses and signs his book that tells how Thomas Jaggar and his wife Isabel Maydwell solved the mystery of why volcanoes erupt and found something else – enduring love.

PARK RANGERS AND CULTURAL practitioners share the art of pandanus weaving tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.    Call 985-6011 for more information.

KA`U HIGH SWIM TRYOUTS AND PRACTICE start early in November under coach Bruce Simmerman. The girls and boys Trojan swim teams will travel to schools around the island into February. Swim tryouts and practice are from 2:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays at Pahala Pool. This is the first year for coaching for Simmerman, who teaches pre-algebra, `ukulele and art at the school. He swam competitively as a student.

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

FOR AFFORDABLE COMPUTER HELP, call John Derry at 936-1872.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for Retail Sales Associate: Full-Time, Competitive Wages, Medical & Dental Plans. Apply at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Call 928-0550 for an appointment.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_October2015.pdf.

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