Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Sunday, July 17, 2016

Visitors enjoy a close-up view of slow-moving lava on the coastal flow field in Hawai`i
Volcanoes National Park. Photo from NPS

FOOD SUSTAINABILITY and tourism were on the agenda at Friday’s forum featuring Hawai`i County Council District VI member Maile David and Raina Whiting, David's challenger in the primary election on Aug. 11.

      “What if a natural disaster happens” and trucks stop delivering food to markets in Ocean View?” moderator Mike DuBois asked.

      David said she hopes Ocean View residents begin growing more food using technology like aquaculture. She said there in a person growing “beautiful lettuce” even though soil there is limited.

Maile David and Raina Whiting listen as Greg Smith, at right,
discusses farming in Ka`u. Photo by Ron Johnson

      Whiting said it’s also possible for local farms to grow food for sale. A teacher at Na`alehu School, she wants see vocational education programs to teach how to grow food as well as train students in trades.

      Greg Smith, owner of Earth Matters Farm and president of Hawai`i Farmers Union United Ka`u Chapter, said, “You can make money farming. There should be massive support for education about farming.” Smith also expressed his support for growing industrial hemp, which he said has many uses and revitalizes soil.
      “A lot of our families were sustained by ag,” said David, who grew up in a family that purchased only what they could not grow. “We’ve done it; we got out of it; we need to get back in.”
      Whiting said she also supports local food and hemp production.
      “What can we do to attract tourist dollars?” DuBois asked. David suggested placing signs on the highway for more destinations than only Kona and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park “to make people aware of what we have here.” She also praised information kiosks developed by Ka`u Scenic Byway Committee.
      Whiting said, “We do have a lot to offer visitors.” She said it is important to create infrastructure for visitors and residents alike, citing the lack of restrooms at areas such as South Point.
      Patti Barry, a member of the Ka`u Community Development Plan, said all of these ideas are in the CDP and asked about the status of it. David said the CDP is being reviewed by the Planning Department.
      “It’s there; it just needs to be done,” Barry said.

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KA`U COFFEES SHINED at Hawai`i Coffee Association’s eighth annual Cupping Competition. Ka`u District’s top coffees were Will Tabios’ The Rising Sun washed, wet and fermented Bourbon, Red Caturra and Guatemalan varietals; Ed Olson’s Ka`u Coffee Mill natural Typica and Caturra peaberry; and Manuel Marques’ Hokulele Coffee Co. wet, sundried Brazilian Typica and Caturra.

      In the Commercial Division, Ed Olson’s Ka`u Coffee Mill brand also tied for third place at 83.3 points. Leo Norberte’s JN Coffee Farm brand scored 82.4 points to tie for seventh with wet, demucilaged Typica varietal.

Of 16 Ka`u entries, Will Tabios' The Rising Sun
placed first. Photo by Julia Neal

      In the Creative Division, 12 Ka`u Coffees received scores higher than 80 points. The Rising Sun placed fifth with 84.2 points. Hokulele tied for 12th with 83.2 points. Efren Abellera’s Hokuloa Farm wet, demucilaged Typica and Bourbon varietals scored 82.9 points to tie for 15th place. Robert and April Jung’s Big Ka`u Farms wet, fermented Typica tied for 18th with 82.7 points. Alex and Alan Calumpit’s AC Farm wet, fermented mix tied and JN Coffee Farm tied for 33rd place with 81.9 points each. Lorie Obra, with Rusty’s Hawaiian wet, fermented Typica earned 81.7 points for a tie for 39th place. Thadeus Lilly’s FL Farm wet, demucilaged mix of Caturra and Typica tied for 44th at 81.3 points. Amelia Biason’s Aroma Coffee Farm wet, fermented Guatemalan earned 46th place with 81.2 points. Lorie Obra’s Rusty’s Hawaiian wet, fermented Bourbon tied for 47th at 80.9 points. Gloria Camba’s R&G Farm wet, fermented Typica scored 80.6 points to place 51st, and Leo Norberte’s JN Farm pulped, natural yellow Typica and Bourbon tied for 53rd with 80.3 points.
      There were no entries scoring 80 or more points from Hamakua, Moloka`i or O`ahu.
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HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK OFFERS route and tips for viewing lava flows.
      Visitors may hike and bicycle along the gravel emergency access route at the end of Chain of Craters Road to view and access lava as it flows down the Pulama Pali and spreads out onto the coastal lava plain in the national park, and towards the ocean.
      From the park, the easiest vantage point to view this current eruptive activity is from a distance at the end of Chain of Craters Road. Visitors are encouraged to stop at the Coastal Ranger Station to talk with park rangers, view eruption and hiking tip exhibits and watch a four-minute lava safety video. A public spotting scope is available to view the eruptive activity from a distance, as staffing allows. The park is open 24 hours a day.

      Hiking to the lava from the park is allowed, but it’s not for everyone. From the CRS, it’s a long, hot and grueling 10- to 12-mile roundtrip hike. Hikers can walk along the gravel emergency access route for about 3.8 miles, and then turn inland at a light beacon which marks the closest point to the active flow front, currently about a half mile from the route. The flow field is a rough hike with deep earth cracks, uneven terrain and razor-sharp lava from older flows.

What not to wear: rubber slippers. Closed-toe shoes or boots
are necessary on the lava field. Photo from NPS

      Rangers placed another light beacon 4.8 miles down the emergency access route, about 50 yards inland from the road, as a suggested starting point for hikers from the Kalapana side. The county Kalapana Lava Viewing Area near the park’s eastern boundary also offers a vantage point of the current eruption and is open daily from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.​

      Hikers are urged to be prepared and to head out in daylight. There is no trail or marked route to the lava, which continues to flow and change daily. It is easy to become disoriented after dark. Each person needs about a gallon of water, sturdy closed-toe hiking shoes or boots, gloves to protect hands and long pants to protect against lava rock abrasions. Wear sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Each person needs a flashlight and/or headlight with extra batteries.

      “If you’re planning an excursion to the lava flows, go during daylight hours,” advised Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando, who hiked out across the lava plain earlier this week. “It’s still a long, tough hike, but the viewing has been excellent by day,” she said.
      Experienced bicyclists can also use the emergency access route, but the loose gravel makes it a challenging ride for inexperienced riders. Cyclists are urged to ride during daylight hours only. Motorized vehicles are prohibited.
      Orlando also reminds hikers to respect Hawaiian culture. Many native Hawaiians believe that lava is the kinolau, or physical embodiment, of volcano goddess Pele. Poking lava with sticks and other objects is disrespectful. It’s also illegal in national parks. Federal law prohibits “possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging or disturbing” natural and cultural resources. Pets and unmanned aerial systems, or drones, are also prohibited on the flow field in the national park.
      Volcanic gas is another hazard, particularly to people with heart or respiratory problems, and infants, young children and pregnant women. If air irritates, smells bad or makes breathing difficult, visitors should leave the area.
      Volcanoes are dynamic and ever-changing natural phenomena. The information provided can change at any time.
      For hiking tips, see https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/upload/Hiking-Tips.pdf. For the latest eruption updates, see http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php. Monitor air quality at http://www.hawaiiso2network.com/.
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This week's Hawai`i County Council meetings take place
in Kona. Photo from Hawai`i County

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in Hawai`i County Council meetings at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona this week. Committees meet tomorrow, with Governmental Relations & Economic Development Committee at 1 p.m.; Human Services & Social Services, 1:15 p.m.; and Finance, 1:45 p.m.

      The full council meets Tuesday at 9 a.m.
      Videoconferencing is available for each meeting at Na`alehu State Office Building. Meetings are also streamed live, and agendas are available, at hawaiicounty.gov.

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

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Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Saturday, July 16, 2016

Learn about the People & Lands of Kahuku tomorrow. See more below. NPS Photo by Julia Espaniola

LACK OF POLICE SERVICE to Ocean View was a major topic at a forum with candidates for Hawai`i County Council District VI yesterday. Incumbent Maile David, of Captain Cook, and challenger Raina Whiting, of Ocean View, spoke with about 45 constituents at Ocean View Community Center. 

      Moderator Mike DuBois asked, “How can we get police to spend more time here?”
      Whiting said the issue is “at the heartbeat of Ocean View’s problems. We need that support here.”

Moderator Mike Dubois poses a question to County Council District VI

incumbent Maile David and challenger Raina Whiting, at tables.

Photo by Ron Johnson

      David said she has spoken with the Police Department and that lack of secure communication equipment is part of the problem. She said that while the county-owned fire station has such equipment that safeguards personal information, Ocean View’s police substation is rented, and the county doesn’t want to install the equipment there. She said the county is looking for a facility to accommodate that need. “We need more money to fund these services,” she said.

      Whiting suggested that more transient accommodations tax funds from the state would help, but David pointed out that when mayors ask for more, “the state shuts them down.”
      One resident, a former police officer, said, he “couldn’t believe the absence of police” when he moved here. “The criminal mind knows that we’re in an area where they know they can get away with (crime).”
      Whiting said, “The police don’t serve us. We need to keep the Police Department accountable.”
      One resident cited police officers’ inaction regarding filing reports. He said burglary victims, for example, need reports when filing claims, but police hesitate to make reports.
      Another said the problem is larger than the Police of Prosecutor Departments. She said meth is a major contributor to crime and that it’s the same people committing multiple burglaries. “We know who they are,” she said.
      “Meth needs to be dealt with medically, not judicially,” she said. She suggested the need to bring agencies together to solve the problem. “Politicians need to learn about addiction and how to deal with it.”
      David said the council “can encourage the state but can’t make the state do anything,” as far as increasing funding for more police service.
      Whiting said, “I don’t believe in obstacles” and looks for ways to move forward. 

      See more on the forum in future Ka`u Calendar News Briefs.
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Chris Manfredi spoke on coffee quality at Ka`u Coffee College
in May. Photo by Julia Neal

CHRIS MANFREDI IS THE NEW president of Hawai`i Coffee Association. Members voted for officers Thursday during HCA’s 21st annual conference at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel. Manfredi is a Ka`u Coffee broker and organizes the annual Ka`u Coffee Festival. At the conference, he offered a presentation on Hawai`i Quality Ag.

      Manfredi and his daughter Ashley were volunteers at Hawai`i Coffee Association’s booth at April’s Specialty Coffee Association of America convention. Hawai`i was promoted as The Coffee State, and they helped to promote May’s Ka`u Coffee Festival and Ka`u Coffees.
      See results of HCA’s cupping competition in tomorrow’s Ka`u Calendar News Briefs.
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HAWAI`I PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION yesterday rejected Hawaiian Electric Companies’ and NextEra Energy’s proposed merger.

Randy Iwase Photos from Hawai`i PUC

      Commissioners Randy Iwase and Lorraine Akiba concluded that while the applicants demonstrated that NextEra is fit, willing and able to perform the services currently offered by HECO Companies, they failed to demonstrate that the application is reasonable and in the public interest. Thomas Gorak, who took office on July 1, abstained. The commissioners concluded that benefits offered by applicants are both inadequate and uncertain. The applicants proposed a combination of rate credits, investment funds and a rate case moratorium, but the commission concluded that each of these lacked sufficient assurances that they would translate into tangible, enforceable benefits to ratepayers. The commission concluded that applicants’ calculations were based on “assumptions and/or unrealistic expectations about the future that were vigorously challenged in the proceeding. Additionally, applicants had not offered any reliable means to track these estimated benefits to determine whether or not they actually occurred, nor did they propose an enforcement or penalty mechanism, in the event that such benefits did not result.”

      The commission also concluded that applicants had not offered sufficient protection to HECO Companies and their ratepayers to offset risks presented by NextEra’s complex corporate structure. NextEra is a large corporate family, with hundreds of affiliates and subsidiaries. It expressed serious concern over risk posed by potential bankruptcy of NextEra and/or one of its many subsidiaries or affiliates.

Lorraine Akiba

      With respect to the state’s clean energy goals, the commission concluded that applicants failed to put forth near-term commitments for specific action tailored to Hawai`i’s circumstances and goals. “Applicants’ commitments were in the nature of providing ‘best efforts’ and maintaining existing practices and standards,” they said. Also, the commission noted applicants’ lack of specific commitments relating to Distributed Energy Resources, “which runs contrary to Hawai`i’s status as a national leader in integrating high levels of distributed solar photovoltaic systems.”

      The commission concluded that applicants’ proposed commitments the state’s clean energy goals were too broad and vague to be consistent with the public interest.
      While local regulatory control would not be diminished, the commission concluded that applicants had failed to adequately demonstrate how the proposed Change of Control would affect local governance. “In particular, applicants failed to provide corporate governance documents that would allow the commission to sufficiently analyze the roles, function and limitations of NextEra’s proposed local intermediary holding companies,” the PUC stated. “Consequently, applicants did not provide any details to reassure the Commission that the local interests of Hawai`i would not suffer as a result of this change in corporate structure.”

Thomas Gorak

      The commission also concluded that applicants had not adequately demonstrated that competition would be preserved if the Change of Control were approved. Given the increased complexity that would result from the HECO Companies joining a large corporate family with extensive affiliates and subsidiaries, of which many are involved in the same energy markets, the commission concluded that additional safeguards would be necessary. “In this regard, the vommission concluded that applicants had failed to meet their burden, as they did not provide for an immediate revision to the competitive rules governing solicitation of projects, nor did they sufficiently take into account the commercial appetites of many of the companies with whom the HECO Companies would now be affiliated,” commissioners said.

      The PUC emphasized that it is not precluding HECO from seeking another partner or from renewing discussions with NextEra. As part of its decision, the commission included a section that provides guidance on key elements that should serve as a foundation for any future applications seeking a change of control of the HECO Companies.
      The complete Decision and Order, as well as links to the docket record, may be found at http://puc.hawaii.gov/.
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PEOPLE AND LANDS OF KAHUKU is a moderate two-mile, three-hour guided hike that loops through varied landscapes to explore the human history of the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The hike begins tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

Palila by Marian Berger

      Emerging native forest, pastures, lava fields and other sites hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands – from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of the park. Learn about the powerful natural forces at work here and how people have adapted to, shaped and restored this land.

      Enter on the mauka side of Hwy 11 near mile marker 70.5, and meet near the parking area. Sturdy footwear, water, rain gear, sun protection and snacks are recommended.

      See nps.gov/havo.

UP CLOSE CLOSES tomorrow. Marian Berger’s exhibit at Volcano Art Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park features ten dramatic watercolor portraits of Hawai`i’s native birds in double-elephant folio size.
      A significant percentage of sales of the limited edition giclées of both Up Close and Berger’s Living Endemic Birds of Hawai`i supports endangered bird recovery programs on Hawai`i. One hundred percent of sales of the originals of the Up Close collection supports San Diego Zoo Global’s roll in the re-introduction of the Hawaiian `Alala this fall, as well as the Volcano Art Center’s public programs.
      See volcanoartcenter.org.

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

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
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See kaucalendar.com/news/news.html.

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Friday, July 15, 2016

Fishers of bigeye tuna in the Central and Western Pacific are close to their quota, and the fisheries
will close a week from today. Photo from NOAA

EXPANDING ACCESS TO RURAL telehealth services is the subject of legislation co-introduced by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. The bipartisan measure would allow non-rural hospitals and health care providers that service rural areas to make better use of the Federal Communications Commission’s Healthcare Connect Fund.

Expanding access to rural telehealth services such as planned
for Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc. is
the topic of Sen. Brian Schatz's legislation.
Photo from KRHCAI

      The Reaching Underserved Rural Areas to Lead on Telehealth Act would allow these non-rural providers to qualify for the 65 percent health care provider discount under the HCF as long as the majority of the locations serving patients are in rural areas.

      “Telehealth is expanding access to health care in Hawai`i and across the country, and we should be doing everything we can to support it,” Schatz said. “Our bill updates current laws to expand access to federal telehealth funding and help more people get the health care they need.”
      Large organizations designated as non-rural are often the lead center for telehealth, providing services to rural health care providers throughout a given state. Because the administrative responsibility and expertise required for these efforts is often challenging, larger organizations typically serve as the consortium lead.
      In 1996, Congress mandated that the FCC use the Universal Service Fund to provide support for telecommunications, advanced telecommunications and information services for eligible health care providers. Providers use these services to deliver telemedicine, transmit health records and conduct other telehealth activities for improving patient care and reducing health-care costs.
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Celia's northwest movement is expected to continue.
Map from NOAA

CELIA IS IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC and headed west. At 5 a.m., the tropical storm had crossed longitude 140 west and was 950 miles east-northeast of South Point. The forecast shows it tracking north of the state Monday, after weakening to depression status today and to a remnant low in 24 hours.

      Following Celia is Hurricane Darby, which is forecast to maintain its intensity or only gradually weaken during the next day or two. After 48 hours, more marked weakening should occur. It is expected to cross into the Central Pacific on Wednesday morning.
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ABOUT A DOZEN SUPPORTERS of Raina Whiting, a Na`alehu teacher and President of the Democratic party in Ocean View, gathered in Na`alehu yesterday to wave signs and promote their candidate for the County Council primary election on Aug. 13. 

      Whiting is running against incumbent Maile David. They hold a forum today at 5:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center.

County Council candidate Raina Whiting and supporters waved signs
in Na`alehu yesterday. Photo from Friends of Raina Whiting

      Whiting has stated that she considers herself to be a grassroots organizer with support from individuals and families who support a progressive platform. She said she eschews endorsements from organizations whose interests are not aligned with hers, because, if elected, she would then be beholden to them. 

      “I am priding myself in having this election remain at the grassroots level,” Whiting said. “This campaign is not about me. It is about individuals and families, the community and its interests. This campaign is for the people who want an elected official who will listen to their concerns and advocate for them.”
      According to Whiting’s campaign manager Bob Martin, who has been studying results of the 2014 primary election, there were 10,818 registered voters in the eight precincts in County Council District Six. South Kona had the largest number of registered voters (2,900), followed by Ocean View (1,888) and Volcano (1,815).
      “When it came to voting, 44 percent of Volcano voters cast their ballot, while only 29 percent of Ocean View voters actually voted,” Martin said. “This was the lowest percentage turnout of any precinct. I sincerely hope that Raina will change that by offering Ocean View a candidate that lives in the town and cares deeply about the community and the issues it faces. I hope that all District Six voters will relate to her and come to the polls and vote.
      “Ocean View has been sadly neglected by the county and state. The number and quality of services provided to District Six, the largest precinct geographically, is abysmal. If Ocean View voters can reverse their poor turnout, politicians on all levels will pay more attention to the town and the district. It’s not enough to simply have lots of land or residents. Active voters are the currency that elected officials deal in.”
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BIGEYE TUNA FISHERIES in the Western and Central Pacific will close a week from today, on July 22, according to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association Fisheries’ July 12 update of fish catches in the Pacific Islands region. As of that date, the fleet had caught at least 3,473 metric tons of bigeye in the Western and Central Pacific. Which is 98 percent of its quota of 3,554 metric tons set by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.

      In April, NOAA reported that fishing industry experts speculated the Hawai`i longline fleet might reach its annual catch quota for bigeye tuna in the Western and Central Pacific as early as June. Then, as reported in July, the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, which continually revises its forecasts, estimated that the quota would probably not be hit until August but could be reached as early as July 22 in a “worst-case scenario.”
      Once the quota is reached, vessels shorter than 24 meters – which make up the majority of the Hawai`i longline fleet – may continue fishing in the Eastern Pacific. “Whether they feel comfortable fishing there is another question,” said Chris Boggs, director of the science center’s Fisheries Research and Monitoring Division.
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Beginning next month, Ka`u women can receive free prenatal
wellness services. Image from U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

FREE PRENATAL WELLNESS SERVICES are coming to Ka`u. Pregnant women can receive hands-on support and learn basic prenatal self-care on Wednesdays in Pahala.

      The Office on Women’s Health emphasizes the benefit of prenatal care as well as education and counseling. This is pregnancy support that the women of Ka`u otherwise would not get. Mothers have to travel an hour and a half to either Hilo or Kona in order to get their prenatal check-ups. Due to the distances involved and transportation difficulties, many women are not able to access care. Statistically, this is especially true for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders.
      “Women are intelligent, and we want what’s best for our babies. Given the tools and the opportunity, we will always prioritize our children’s health,” said Tara Compehos, who is offering these services in partnership with Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i, Inc. Compehos served childbearing families on O`ahu for 10 years before moving to Ka`u in 2015. She apprenticed under master midwife Medrakanoeonapua and holds a Full Midwifery Arts degree from the Matrona school of midwifery. She was educated in Lomilomi by Auntie Margaret and is a DONA-educated doula. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University.

      Pregnancy wellness and self-care open houses will be held at Ohi`a Hale, 96-1186 Ohi`a Street every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Aug. 3. 

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Kumu Hula Kaho`okele Crabbe Photo from Volcano Art Center

KUMU HULA KAHO`OKELE CRABBE and Halau Ola o Ka Lani present hula kahiko tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. on the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

      After graduating in 1995 at Pu`upueokapu, Waikane, O`ahu with traditional `uniki ceremonies under his teacher kumu hula Robert Uluwehiokalanionapuaikawekiu Cazimero, Crabbe founded Halauolaokalani in 1999. He is an educator and advocate for keiki. His motto is, “Aloha trumps everything in man’s world because God is love.”
      Loke Kamanu and `ohana present Na Mea Hula from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
      See volcanoartcenter.org.

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

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See http://kaucalendar.com/news/news.html.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.