Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Ka`u Coffee Festival kicks off with the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant at Ka`u Coffee Mill on May 13.
Photo by Pam Taylor

KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS have announced their ninth year of events. The 2017 calendar begins May 13 with the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant at Ka`u Coffee Mill, followed by many activities in the district, leading up to the annual all-day Ka`u Coffee Festival Ho`olaulea at Pahala Community Center on Saturday, May 27.

    Supported by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, the Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, the Edmund C. Olson Trust II, and "a bevy of sponsors and volunteers, the Ka‘u Coffee Festival is designed to celebrate Ka‘u as a premium coffee growing origin and a unique visitor destination," says a statement from organizers. "Many events are free, while others require a nominal fee and reservations. All activities feature the exceptional flavor and aroma of Ka‘u coffee and the remarkable people and special place that produces it," says organizer Chris Manfredi.
     Saturday, May 13, the annual Miss Ka‘u Coffee Pageant showcases the crowning of 2017 Miss Ka‘u Coffee and her court. 6 p.m. at the Ka‘u Coffee Mill. $10 admission. Contact 808-928-0606 or trinimarques@yahoo.com.

Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest at Ka`u Coffee Mill on May 21.
Photo by Julia Neal

     Friday, May 19, Pa‘ina & Open House at historic Pahala Plantation House features music, hula, food and house tours 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Corner of Maile and Pikake in Pahala. Hosted by Pahala Plantation Cottages, Ka‘u Chamber of Commerce and The Ka‘u Calendar newspaper. Free. Donations accepted for Miss Ka‘u Coffee Scholarship Fund. mahalo@aloha.net,  808-928-9811.
     Sunday May 21, the Ka‘u Coffee Recipe Contest offers a free, 2 p.m. cooking competition with cash prizes at Ka‘u Coffee Mill. Entries are accepted in pupu, entree and dessert categories and all recipes are made with Ka‘u coffee. Free coffee tasting and meet Miss Ka‘u Coffee. Find contest entry info at www.kaucoffeemill.com or call 808-928-0550.
     Monday, May 22, observe the heavens from the summit of Makanau at Ka‘u Star Gazing, 5:30-10 p.m. $35 with refreshments and shuttle transportation departing from Ka‘u Coffee Mill. Sign up at www.kaucoffeemill.com or call 808-928-0550. 

Ka`u Mountain Water System Hike on May 24 and 25.
Photo by Jesse Tunison

     Wednesday, May 24 and Thursday, May 25, Explore historic flume systems of the sugarcane era and development of hydroelectric power on a Ka‘u Mountain Water System Hike in the Wood Valley rainforest 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Limited to 30, $40 includes lunch. Visit www.kaucoffeemill.com or phone 808-928-0550.
     Saturday, May 27, festival fun bubbles over with the free Ka‘u Coffee Festival Ho‘olaule‘a—a full day of live music, hula, food booths, local crafts, keiki activities, educational displays, guided coffee tastings and farm/mill tours headquartered inside and out of the Pahala Community Center, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Talk story with Ka‘u coffee growers and buy their coffee. The Ka‘u Coffee Experience offers Ka‘u coffees prepared using a variety of methods by professionals from 9:30 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Farm tours with shuttle transport are 9:30 and 11 a.m., plus 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m., $20. Call 808-929-9550 or visit www.kaucoffeefest.com.

Ka`u Coffee farmers like Lorie Obra and Ralph Gaston
present their famous brew to the public.
Photo by Julia Neal

     Sunday, May 28, learn about the specialty coffee industry with presentations given by notable coffee experts at the Ka‘u Coffee College at Pahala Community Center. The Ka‘u Coffee College has become known for hosting some of the most renowned industry professionals from around the globe. Free, donations appreciated. Call 808-929-9550 or www.kaucoffeefest.com.
      The organizers are reaching beyond Ka`u to invite visitors to the festival events and to explore the district. "During the week visit Ka‘u coffee farms. Enjoy the scenic and historic beauty of Ka‘u, Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach, Honu‘apo fishponds, the cliffs of Ka Lae—the southernmost place in the U.S.—and the nearby Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Stay in one of the many accommodations in Ka‘u," says the broadly distributed festival statement. Visit www.kaucoffeefest.com for participating coffee farms and accommodations.
     "Founded in coffee traditions dating to the 1800s—Ka‘u coffee burst onto the specialty coffee scene by winning numerous coffee quality awards. These accolades highlight the unique combination of people and place that makes Ka‘u coffee a favorite across the globe. The festival’s mission is to raise awareness of Ka‘u as a world-class, coffee-growing origin," states the festival release.
    Ka‘u Coffee Festival vendor and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information and festival updates, visit www.kaucoffeefest.com, follow Ka‘u Coffee Festival on Facebook and @kaucoffeefest on Twitter, or call 808-929-9550. 

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ALLOWING IMPORTATION OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FROM CANADA is the title of a  bill in Congress. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard asks Ka`u residents to support it. A statement from her on Wednesday said, "The fight over health care right now is messy" but allowing in prescription drugs from Canada "will lower prices for prescription drugs and we can all agree that’s a good thing.

     "Big pharma has been enriching themselves on the backs of the American people for far too long. According to a former pharmaceutical company pricing official, 'The U.S. is responsible for the majority of profits for most large pharmaceutical companies.' Meanwhile, big pharma spends far more on advertising than they do on research. The Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act is an important first step in reining in this insanity," said a release from the Gabbard team.
     She provided a chart comparing drug costs in Canada and the U.S. and a link for constituents to support it. See Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act.

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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO TRIED TO DRAW out Judge Neil Gorsuch's judicial philosophy during the third day of  the Supreme Court nominee's confirmation hearings on Wednesday. Gorsuch held back and declined to opine.

    During the hearing, Hirono said that many of her colleagues across the aisle called the Gorsuch confirmation hearing an endurance test. "The real endurance test," she told Gorsuch, "is about the struggle facing working families, women, people of color, the LBGTQ community, immigrants and native peoples. It's about the struggles that everyday Americans have to face. These are the people who will be impacted by the decisions you would make on the Supreme Court. These are the people for whom the need for justice is often most urgent. These are the people I'm focused on when I consider your nomination and any nomination to the Supreme Court. It remains to be seen if you would be a justice for all or a justice for some." 

Sen. Mazie Hirono questioning Judge Neil Gorsuch during his confirmation hearing Wednesday,
alongside Sen. Richard Blumenthal

     Hirono continued to ask Gorsuch for his personal feelings about issues: "Over the last few days you have often told us about what counts and what does not in terms of what a justice should do and how we should assess your nomination. When other senators and I have asked about your opinions... "you have told us to look at your whole record. When we asked about decisions where you seemed to adopt strange interpretations that narrowed laws meant to protect worker safety, you said you are a judge and don't take sides. And that if a statute was too limited, Congress should do better."

     She gave examples of decisions for him to explain, including "a decision that left thousands of women being without health care" when a company said religious beliefs prevented it from offering family planning health services.

     Hirono also said it was particularly important to know Gorsuch's judicial philosophy since President Donald Trump said he wanted a justice who "would adhere to a broad view of the Second Amendment and would overturn Roe v Wade for him, automatically." Gorsuch refused to comment on Trump and throughout the three days of hearings, insisted he was his own man and would make decisions independent of the President.

    Hirono pressed Gorsuch, saying he knows that judicial philosophy matters. "Of course it does," she said. "That is why we are so focused on understanding your judicial philosophy and getting beyond platitudes about the judicial role. That is why this confirmation process matters. This is serious business," stated Hirono.

    She pointed out that Gorsuch asked the Senate confirmation committee over and over again to focus on his whole record as a judge and not certain cases, "or certain of your writings and books or articles and emails." She said Republican colleagues suggested that it is "unfair to look at those things to discern how you would approach cases if confirmed. Some have even gone so far as to conflate the questions we are raising about your record in the courts in our advice and consent responsibility with Donald Trump's abhorrent attacks on federal judges." She noted that Trump repeated his attack on Judge Derrick Kahala Watson - the Hawaiian judge who ruled to stop the nationwide travel ban - during a Tuesday night  $30 million fundraiser for congressional Republicans.

     Hirono said she is particularly concerned with voting rights and pointed to the landmark 2013 Shelby County case. This case eliminated a Voting Rights Act provision that required federal clearance for certain states that had practiced discrimination to change voting laws and practices. She asked for Gorsuch's opinion and he declined. He said there were other remedies, including Congressional legislation.

Judge Neil Gorsuch, responding to Hawai`i Senator Mazie Hirono's questioning during his
Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday.

     Regarding the voting rights case, Hirono contended that the Supreme Court got it wrong and Congress got it right. "The real life impact of the Shelby county decision was that 13 states passed laws that could be deemed voter suppression laws." She said "the first state was Texas, which intentionally passed a discriminatory law."   

     Said Hirono, "We learned in that decision that it matters a great deal for our rights what is the judicial philosophy or .....core beliefs of the judges to serve on the Supreme Court.  She talked about judicial philosophy being developed through life experiences and education. She said the if judges were mainly using precedent, then "why would we have so many five to four decisions in critical cases?"

     Hirono concluded her questioning by saying, "Judge Gorsuch, I wish I could say that this hearing has been illuminating by what was said by you. Instead, I'm left to judge your nomination largely by what you refused to say." 

    The testimony of Gorsuch was completed Wednesday, the Senate committee will hear statements on his behalf Thursday and his confirmation vote is expected April 3.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Exploring Tunnel Books, Sat, Mar 25, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Participants take a trip down the rabbit hole with Charlene Asato. $35/$32 VAC members plus $10 material fee. 967-8222

Ecstatic Dance, Sat, Mar 25, 2 – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Participants discover a dynamic way to work out and meditate with Jo Caron. $15 or $20 at the door. 967-8222

Mongolian BBQ, Sat, Mar 25, 5 – 8 p.m., in the Crater Rim Café, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Pick what you want for $.85 per ounce from an array of veggies and proteins. Call 967-8356 for more details. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

Coffee Talk, Fri, Mar 31, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. A monthly series of talks on various subjects. nps.gov/havo or 985-6011

www.kaucalendar.com

Kau New Briefs Tuesday, March 21, 2017

The new Ka`u District Gym hosted its first regional karate seminar last weekend, under the auspices of
Pahala Dojo and the International Karate League. See story below. Photo from Dr. Cliff Field

THE WASHINGTON POST PICKED UP ON Sen. Mazie Hirono's analysis of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. She was one of the last Senators to question him at confirmation hearings in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. Washington Post reporter Ed O`Keefe pointed out ahead of her questioning Gorsuch that Hirono "is the most-junior Democrat of the Senate Judiciary Committee, meaning she plays clean-up and goes last. But she’s been watching all day – and is frustrated by what she’s heard from Judge Neil Gorsuch."   

     After Gorsuch repeatedly declined to reveal his personal opinions on actions by President Donald Trump and on such issues as abortion and religious rights, campaign finance and the travel ban, Hirono told The Washington Post, “I think basically his position is – and it’s a safe one – that I will rely on precedent." O'Keefe quoted Hirono saying, "The Supremes can do pretty much what they want and that’s why it’s really important to figure out where his judicial philosophy is, where his values are, unless we just think that judges are just heartless automatons that just apply precedent. We could probably have an algorithm or whatever to figure out what the precedent is.”

    The Washington Post noted that "throughout the day, Democrats have failed to level any damaging blows on Gorsuch, leading Republicans to believe that the federal appellate judge will emerge from the confirmation hearing unscathed. And Hirono admitted that her party is struggling to build interest in the hearings."
     She told The Washington Post, “I don’t necessarily expect the public’s interest to be piqued by these proceedings and such. They will care when the decisions come down and affect their lives.” She said that Democrats instead are “very focused on the Russian interference in the elections or health-care. I know people are really concerned with what’s going to happen with Medicare and Medicaid. The Supreme Court seems kind of distant. But that doesn’t mean we won’t pursue the lines of questions that we’re going to pursue.”
    Hirono said she “would love for the voters back home to become engaged in the vote. Maybe they have other concerns – like they might lose their jobs if they’re a federal employee?” The Washington Post wrote that she was referring to "President Trump’s budget proposal that includes cutting tens of billions of dollars from federal agencies that would lead to job losses at places like the Environmental Protection Agency."  

Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. Image from C-Span

     After Hirono questioned Gorsuch, she tweeted: "Judge Gorsuch's actions show that he would fit right in to this Court's pattern of putting corporations before people;" and, "Without clear answers, we are left to divine what Judge Gorsuch would bring to #SCOTUS in terms of judicial philosophy." 

    The hearing continues on Wednesday. See more at www.washingtonpost.com where the tag line is "Democracy Dies in Darkness."

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DURING A 30-MINUTE QUESTIONING OF SUPREME COURT NOMINEE NEIL GORSUCH, at the end of the 11-hour hearing before the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, Sen. Mazie Hirono told him that he hadn't shared his views on issues. She told Gorsuch that his judicial record and writings, however, show a "steady march toward protecting corporate interest over individual rights. That is not protecting the rights of the minority as you told me in our meeting, which is the purpose of Article III (of the U.S. Constitution)."

    Said she hoped that during her questioning that Gorsuch would "provide some reassurances that he would be a judge or justice for all Americans."

     Hirono pressed him for his opinion on campaign finance reform and talked about "unfettered" corporate money flowing into campaigns. She posed the scenario of a Russian oligarch providing money to American companies to influence elections.           

     Gorsuch declined to give his opinion on any possible scenario, but said that Congress has a lot of latitude in legislating campaign funding law. “The Supreme Court has made clear that foreign money in particular is an area where Congress has substantial authority available to them,” Gorsuch told Hirono.

Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch during his marathon Senate hearing Tuesday.
Sen Mazie Hirono questioned him.

     When Hirono asked Gorsuch about the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which eliminated federal restrictions on political spending by organizations, leading to large contributions to Political Action Committees, Gorsuch described "ample room" for further legislation. He said that just because the Supreme Court "struck down one law - that does not mean that every law will be stricken. It does not mean that Congress has no role.”

     Hirono also brought up the case of the Japanese American Fred Korematsu, who fought against internment and other mistreatments of Japanese in this country during World War II. The Supreme Court upheld the order to intern Japanese Americans and Hirono asked Gorsuch whether the ruling back then set a precedent for the Supreme Court if it were to deal with President Donald Trump's travel ban. Gorsuch said that the World War II decision would not be a precedent for the travel ban. 

     Hirono quoted President Trump's negative comments about judges who haven't agreed with him, including Hawai`i federal judge Derrick Kahala Watson who stopped the Trump travel ban. When she asked for Gorsuch to comment, he wouldn't name Trump in particular, but said that "anyone" talking disrespectfully of judges brought him great concern. 

    Gorsuch also said, "I can't get involved in politics." He stressed the importance of the independence of the judiciary and stated, "Judges have to be tough," and "take arrows from all sides."

     The hearing continues on Wednesday.

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KEEPING OUR COMMITMENT TO DISABLED VETERANS ACT has been introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono, the Democrat from Hawai`i, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine, and Independent Sen. Angus King, of Maine.
     The legislation would extend an expiring requirement under law that the Department of Veterans Affairs provide nursing care for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. Without extension by Congress beyond Dec. 31, the VA would no longer be required to provide this coverage. Around 350 Hawai`i veterans at nine public and private facilities across the state depend on VA reimbursement for their nursing home care needs. The closest VA facility to Ka`u that would be affected is the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo.

     David R. Pettijohn, Administrator of the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, said, “Senator Hirono’s Keeping Our Commitment to Disabled Veterans Act would ensure veterans with 70 percent or greater military service related disabilities would not lose this VA benefit.
     "Loss of this VA payment source would create a devastating financial burden for residents currently being served at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. The burden for the care of these veterans would ultimately shift back to the Federal VA or the State Medicaid system. Ultimately it would put the entire State Veterans Home program at risk.”
     Hirono noted that “VA coverage of nursing home care has helped hundreds of Hawai`i veterans and their families afford comprehensive services to maintain their quality of life and care for their service-connected conditions."
     Said Collins, "We owe it to our veterans to provide them with the high-quality health care they have earned through their service to our country. By extending the authorization for nursing home coverage, our bipartisan legislation would make sure that service-disabled veterans receive the care, resources, and support that they need.”
     Dave Riley, National Commander of Disabled American Veterans, said, “Extending this provision would help to ensure continuity and stability for the tens of thousands of veterans who rely on nursing home care every day. These veterans, many who are aging and severely injured or ill, cannot afford disruptions to their established care and treatment."
    The Keeping Our Commitment to Disabled Veterans Act is also supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the National Association of State Veterans Homes.
     According to VA, around 35,000 veterans nationwide and nearly 350 Hawai`i veterans have received care through this authority in FY2016. During this time period, the total amount spent by VA in Hawai`i on this care is approximately $33 million.

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International Karate League founder Walter Nishioka and Julian Shiroma led a karate seminar at Ka`u
District Gym last weekend. Photo from Dr. Cliff Field

A REGIONAL KARATE SEMINAR graced the new Ka`u District Gymnasium last Saturday, March 18. International Karate League hosted the event along with its Pahala Dojo led by Senseis Cliff and Susan Field. Dojos from around the island participated in the daylong seminar and training. Presiding over the seminar was IKL’s founder Walter Nishioka (Shihan) and Julian Shiroma (Hanshi).

       The training covered basic techniques and katas of various difficulty. A portion was also dedicated to learning kumite (sparring) and how to judge and referee kumite matches. The event was also used as an opportunity for Jake Villa, who is a junior black belt in the Pahala Dojo, to successfully pass his test to become a full adult Black Belt.

      During and following the training, refreshments were supplied by O Ka`u Kakou and plate lunches were provided by Gary Tamondong and the members of the Pahala Dojo.

The Pahala dojo would like to thank those who provided use of the facility, OKK for providing refreshments, and individuals who donated their time and food to make the event a success.

     The Pahala Dojo trains every Tuesday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 7:30 at the Pahala Community Center and new students are welcomed.

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Vendors can sign up for the annual Ka`u Coffee
Festival Ho`olaulea to be held Saturday, May 27.
Photo by Julia Neal

VENDORS FOR THE NINTH ANNUAL KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL are invited to sign up for the Ho`olaulea to be held on the grounds of  Pahala Community Center on Saturday, May 27. Check www.kaucoffeefest.com for a vendor form and the latest information. See more on the Ka`u Coffee Festival events in Wednesday's Ka`u News Briefs.

Exploring Tunnel Books, Sat, Mar 25, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Participants take a trip down the rabbit hole with Charlene Asato. $35/$32 VAC members plus $10 material fee. 967-8222

Ecstatic Dance, Sat, Mar 25, 2 – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Participants discover a dynamic way to work out and meditate with Jo Caron. $15 or $20 at the door. 967-8222

Mongolian BBQ, Sat, Mar 25, 5 – 8 p.m., in the Crater Rim Café, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Pick what you want for $.85 per ounce from an array of veggies and proteins. Call 967-8356 for more details. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

www.kaucalendar.com

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, March 20, 2017

Sen. Mazie Hirono testified on Monday during the U.S. Senate hearing concerning the lifetime
confirmation of President Donald Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, 
Judge Neil Gorsuch. She sits next to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut. 

THE SUPREME COURT NOMINATION HEARING IN THE U.S. SENATE on Monday drew testimony from Hawai`i Sen. Mazie Hirono, a member of the Judiciary Committee. She said the hearing for President Donald Trump’s choice of Neil Gorsuch for the lifetime position “is about more than considering a nominee for the Supreme Court. It’s about the future of our country. It’s about the tens of millions of people who work hard every day, play by the rules, but don’t get ahead. It’s about the working poor who are one paycheck away from being on the street. It’s about Muslim Americans who are victims in a renewed wave of hate crimes asking for protection from the courts. It’s about women having the choice of what to do with their bodies- our bodies. It’s about LGBTQ Americans who want the same rights as everyone else.”

Supreme Court nominee Neil
Gorsuch. Photo from Wikipedia 

   Hirono said she entered "into public service to help these people. And my questions over the coming days will draw on their experience as well as my own. My story might be unique for a United States Senator, but it is a story that is similar to millions of people in our country.” She talked about the time when her mother brought Hirono and her brothers to this country as children from Japan when she was eight years of age. “There were no religious tests to determine who could immigrate to this country. There were no language requirements. You didn’t need any special skills. If President Eisenhower pursued the same policies President Trump would like to, it's very possible I would not be here today.”
     Hirono said, “I always knew I wanted to give back to my state and my country but never thought politics would be the path that I would choose. But the Vietnam War opened my eyes to how public service could create social change.” She said she joined campus protests and “questioned why we were sending so many young men to die in a far off country. A small group of us decided that in order for things to change we needed to do much more than protest. Many of us ran for office because we needed to take a seat at the table to be able to fight - help make lives better. That’s why I’m here today.”
    She said that thousands of people have contacted her in the last few months, deeply worried about their families, their kids and the future of the country under the Trump administration. Hirono said she has also received concerns about the nomination of Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
   Hirono said that during her meeting with Gorsuch, she was pleased that he said the “purpose of Article Three of the Constitution was to protect the rights of the minority through access to the courts.” She said, however, that in reviewing his decisions she found he “rarely seemed to find in favor of the little guy.” She pointed to a case in which a company fired an employee who faced the choice between operating his vehicle in an unsafe manner or freezing to death in his truck. The judge sided with the company.

     She pointed to Gorsuch decisions she interpreted as making it more difficult for families with special needs children "to get the help they needed as the law intended." She said she was troubled by seeing Gorsuch viewing corporations as people, and choosing corporations over individuals who have suffered “real life harm.”
     Testified Hirono, “President Trump made it very clear that he had a series of litmus tests for his Supreme Court nominee.” She named: overturning Rowe v Wade, denying women access to health care on the basis of religious freedom and upholding a decision on guns, “which the NRA believes prevents Congress, states or local governments from passing common sense gun safety legislation. Each of these tests would have a profound impact on the lives of every American,” said Hirono.
     She said she concludes that Gorsuch meets the Trump litmus tests. She addressed Gorsuch: “In our courtesy meeting, you said to you have a heart. So Judge Gorsuch, we need to know what’s in your heart. We need to understand how you will grapple with the number of important questions the court will be asked to consider in the years ahead. Will the court protect the rights of working people and our middle class or side with corporations who want to dismantle organized labor in America? Will the court uphold the woman’s Constitutional right to choose or upend decades of legal precedents to overturn Roe V Wade? Will the court protect free and fair elections by stopping unfettered campaign spending or allow corporations and the ultra rich to hijack our democracy with dark money? Will the court protect the right to vote for all Americans or allow states to use voter fraud as an excuse to disenfranchise vulnerable communities.? Will the court protect our lands, water, our earth or gut decades of environmental regulations? Will the court protect access to our justice system or slam the courthouse door to all but the wealthiest among us?”
     Hirono pointed out that the “Supreme Court does not just interpret our laws. The Supreme Court shapes our society. Will we be just? Will we be fair? Will America be a land of exclusivity for the few or the land of opportunity of the many? Will we be the compassionate and tolerant America that embraced my mother, my brothers and me many decades ago?”
    She said the "Supreme Court vacancy isn’t just another position we must fill in our federal judiciary. A Supreme court vacancy is a solemn obligation we must fulfill for our future generations.”

Kazu Suenobu was known for his generous
gifts of home grown food to many people.
Photo by Peter Volpe

    The hearings continue on Tuesday.

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YOSHIKAZU SUENOBU will be honored on Tuesday, March 21 at Na`alehu United Methodist Church with visitation at 9 a.m. and services at 10 a.m. with burial at noon at Hawai`i Veterans Cemetery No 2 in Hilo. He was born on April 20, 1930 in Puna.

     Suenobu died peacefully and unexpectedly at home on Feb. 21 at the age of 86.  Known as "Kazu," Suenobu was beloved by the Ka`u community as a friendly, generous gentleman and retired science teacher at Ka`u High School who shared the knowledge and abundance of his gardens with many people and volunteered for many activities. 

    He was married to Joyce, who came to Hawai`i from the mainland as a young teacher after seeing an ad in a teachers' magazine for a job here. She met Kazu and they became known for their welcoming attitudes toward strangers in the community, often inviting newcomers to their home for food and festivities, lawn games and sessions of singing and Joyce playing the piano. They joined with other school teachers in the community who helped each other construct log homes for their families in Pahala.         

     Kazu was known for accompanying Joyce to many church services of different faiths throughout Ka`u where she played the piano. He remained active through his life with church and supporting Ka`u Hospital. He was one of Pahala's regular walking seniors, waving to friends as he exercised almost daily throughout the village.

     Suenobu was a Korean War veteran and also taught at the former Waiakea Kai School. He served as a scout master. 

     Suenobu is survived by his wife Joyce Suenobu, of Pahala; son Andrew Suenobu and his wife Yumiko, of Honolulu; sister Anne Shino of Sandy, Utah and numerous nieces and nephews.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Make Hū Kukui, Wed, Mar 22, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Help revive the practice of making and playing the traditional Hawaiian top. Free; Park entrance fees apply.

Exploring Tunnel Books, Sat, Mar 25, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Participants take a trip down the rabbit hole with Charlene Asato. $35/$32 VAC members plus $10 material fee. 967-8222

Ecstatic Dance, Sat, Mar 25, 2 – 4 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Participants discover a dynamic way to work out and meditate with Jo Caron. $15 or $20 at the door. 967-8222

Mongolian BBQ, Sat, Mar 25, 5 – 8 p.m., in the Crater Rim Café, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Pick what you want for $.85 per ounce from an array of veggies and proteins. Call 967-8356 for more details. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

www.kaucalendar.com