Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017

HELCO has spent more than $14 million to remove and trim trees to prevent them from falling,
as they did on Wood Valley Road in 2014 during Iselle. Photo by Royden Okinishi

HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT CO., today, announced a rate increase, following the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission issuing an interim decision approving HELCO's first base-rate increase in more than six years. 

     According to HELCO, the approved interim rate will increase the typical Hawai‘i Island monthly residential bill for 500 kilowatt hours by $4.98. Over the last 12 months, the average monthly residential bill has been $162.58. The 3.4 percent increase – $9.9 million in annual revenue – will help pay for capital improvements including grid upgrades and extensive vegetation management work that is credited with reducing outages and their duration during storms, says HELCO in a statement to the public. "Since 2014, Hawai‘i Electric Light has spent more than $14 million on tree trimming and removal, concentrating on areas where non-native albizia trees threaten utility equipment and highways."

A rate increase says HELCO will help the
company to manage vegetation and make
other upgrades to avoid power outages, like
this one during Iselle in 2014 in Wood
Valley. Photo by Julia Neal

    HELCO reports that "Today’s interim decision is consistent with a settlement reached last month between Hawaiʻi Electric Light and the Hawai‘i Division of Consumer Advocacy. The settlement reduced by nearly half the original request for a 6.5 percent increase in revenue." 

     The effective date of the new rate will be determined by the PUC.

     An interim decision is one step in the ratemaking process. The PUC will continue to review the request and will later issue a final decision. If a lower final amount is approved, the difference will be refunded to customers with interest. If a higher amount is approved, the increase will only be applied going forward from the time it is approved, not retroactively. 

    "Hawai‘i Electric Light leads the state in the use of renewable resources to generate electricity, relying on a diverse portfolio of wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower," states the utility company. "Since 2010, the company has increased the use of renewables from 35 percent to 57 percent as of June 2017." 

     HELCO notes several programs available that provide financial assistance for those who are in need, including the Hawai‘i Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), Ohana Energy Gift Program, and the Special Medical Needs Program. The Time-of-Use program, which offers lower rates during the daytime hours, can help save money for those who are flexible on when they use energy. See www.hawaiielectriclight.com for more information.

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KEN WICKS KA`U CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SCHOLARSHIP recipients have been named for 2017. Tiani Castaneda-Naboa wrote the winning essay, answering the question, How Will Your Education Benefit the District of Ka`u?

Ka`u Chamber Logo by Tanya Ibarra

      The scholars with their majors, Ka`u home towns, and campuses are: Lexis L. Andrade, a Wai`ohinu resident and architecture student at Walla Walla College in Washington; Tiani L. Castaneda-Naboa, of Na`alehu, a UH Hilo pyschology major; Ty Alfred De Sa, of Pahala, a Hawai`i Community College history student; Sheilla Mae Felipe, of Na'alehu, a UH Hilo pre-nursing student; Leaokalani Hashimoto, of Wai`ohinu, a UH Hilo education major; Kaweni Christopher Ibarra, of Pahala, a Santa Clara University electronic engineering major; Kamrie Koi, of Pahala, a UH Hilo political science and administration of justice major; Rochelle Koi, of Na`alehu, a UH Hilo English and history major; Tiare-Lee Chiemi Kehaunani Shibuya, of Na`alehu, a UH Hilo student in nursing science and nursing administration; and Jennifer Flores Tabios, of Na`alehu, a St. Johns University New York City criminal justice major with a criminology minor.
     All of this year’s recipients are continuing college and are previous recipients of the annual Ken Wicks Ka`u Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, named after the late Ken Wicks, a longtime educator, who served as President of the Chamber.

     The application rules are in the process of changing for 2018 and will be made public once finalized. For an application, see www.kauchamber.org. Call 936-5288 with questions.

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MUMPS AT NA`ALEHU SCHOOL was reported by West Hawai`i Today on Tuesday. The Nancy Cook Lauer Story said that "A letter went out Aug. 15 notifying parents and staff to take extra precautions following the confirmation that an individual at Na`alehu Elementary School had mumps."
     The story reported that "Staff and teachers were told not to come in if they had been within three feet of the unnamed student. The student wasn't named in the letter because of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act requirements," wrote Cook Lauer, after receiving the information from Principal Darlene Javar. The story referred to Department of Education officials saying that only one new case is known on the island. See tips on preventing the spread of mumps in the Ka`u News Briefs, Thursday, Aug. 17.

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Photo from nps.gov/havo

MAKE THE HAWAIIAN GAME, PALA‘IE, Wednesday, August 23, from 10 am to noon on the Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Create your own traditional Hawaiian game using natural materials. Pala’ie, a ball-and-loop game rarely encountered in modern Hawai’i, is sometimes played by keiki while chanting ancient songs. The event is free, though park entrance fees apply.

REGISTER KEIKI, grades K-8, until August 29, to make a beaded key chain on Wednesday, August 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 928-3102 for more.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park posted this image to Facebook on Monday
with the caption "Teri Turner Votaw writes, 'My 17 year old son, Jared Votaw,
took this great photo of the crater and Milky Way when we were visiting last
month.' Thanks :)"

CELEBRATE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S 101ST ANNIVERSARY on Friday, August 25, and enter Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park fee-free.

TALK STORY AT THE KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on Friday, August 25, for Coffee Talk from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and join the informational conversation on a wide variety of topics. Ka’u coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Free entry.

START VIEWING LIVE LONG AND PROSPER MIGHTY ‘OHI’A, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday, August 26, through October 8, at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park with paintings and illustrations by John D. Dawson. The artworks focus on the highly variable display of ‘ohi’a lehua trees found within the park. Gallery viewings are free, though park entrance fees apply.

DISCOVER HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI’IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomenon they represent on a guided, moderate, one-mile hike through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Saturday, August 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free. Visit ups.gov/havo for more.

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, a class in which Samantha DeSilva will share her unique method of painting, takes place Saturday, August 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Volcano Art Center. $90 plus $15 supply fee per person. Call 967-8222 for more.

Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Aug. 21, 2017

Ka`u Calendar Astronomy editor Lew Cook sent these eclipse shots from the mainland today. Only a tiny
fraction of solar eclipse was visible in Hawai`i. Photo by Reed Yurman

HAWAI`I IS IN THE TOP DOZEN of community college systems according to WalletHub, which today released a report on 2017's Best Community College Systems. "With back-to-school season upon us and several states, such as New York and Rhode Island, offering free community-college education starting this month, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report. To determine where students can receive the best education at the cheapest rates, WalletHub’s analysts compared more than 700 community colleges across 14 key indicators of cost and quality. The data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to student-faculty ratio to graduation rate."
    Hawai`i ranked eleventh in the country with the top ten state community college systems ranking in the following order: South Dakota, Alaska, Washington, Florida, Wisconsin, Mississippi, North Dakota, Minnesota, New York and Montana.
     A number of top individual community colleges, reports WalletHub, are in tribal lands. They include Leech Lake Tribal College in Minesotta, Cochise County Community College in Arizona, Blackfeet Community College in Montana, Aaniih Nakoda College in Montana, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in New Mexico and Chief Dull Knife College in Montana.

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Ala Kahakai Trail in Ka`u. Photo by Barbara A. Schaefer

ALA KAHAKAI TRAIL SUPERINTENDENT ARIC ARAKAKI will be the speaker at Coffee Talk at the Visitor Contact Station of the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Friday, Aug. 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
     “He ala hele, he ala muku no Kane laua Kanaloa,” announces the poster for the event. It means Pele will follow the short trail toward Kane and Kanaloa.
     Arakaki will answer the question, "What is the Ala Kahakai?"
      Polynesians traveled on water trails to the Hawaiian Islands and then built trails on the land. Used and maintained for an estimated 1,000 years, these trails are still used today by the descendants of the original builders. Designated as a National Historic Trail in the year 2000, the Ala Kahakai protects and assures that access and cultural practices will continue into the future. Learn about the Trail and how NPS is working with descendants and communities to manage one of the oldest trails in the National Trails System.

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Coffee berry blotch is on the increase, according to
University of Hawai`i.

COFFEE BERRY BLOTCH and Cercospora Leaf Spot are two problems that University of Hawai`i is identifying in the coffee industry. Andrea Kawabata, Associate Extension Agent for Coffee and Orchard Crops, reports that she recently noticed an increase in this problem, caused by fungal pathogens. She said to look for a small, brown blemish or sunburn mark on the berry that becomes larger and sunken, and may have a reddish-purple halo. It can cause the berry skin to stick to the parchment, making pulping, fermentation and drying difficult and uneven. Young berries may ripen prematurely or become raisins and mature berries may become raisins and fall of the branch before the next harvest, she said. Kawabata recommends visiting http://hawaiicoffee.weebly.com/cercospora-leaf-spot-and-berry-blotch.html and read the publication produced on Cercospora. "Always keep coffee trees healthy. Prune and desucker your coffee trees to improve airflow through the tree and orchard," she recommends. Contact her at andreak@hawaii.edu.

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Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

Volcano 911: Protecting and Serving Visitors, Tue, Aug 22, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Chief Ranger John Broward reveals what it takes to become an National Park Service law enforcement ranger, and how the park’s protection staff works to keep visitors safe on the world’s most active volcanoes. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Make the Hawaiian Game, Pala‘ie, Wed, Aug 23, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ National Park. Create your own traditional Hawaiian game with natural materials. Pala‘ie, sometimes played by keiki while chanting ancient songs, is a ball-and-loop game rarely encountered in modern Hawai‘i. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Dream Catcher, Wed, Aug 23, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Grades K – 8 register Aug 14 – 22. 928-0312

Fee-Free Day, Fri, Aug 25, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Celebrate National Park Service’s 101st Anniversary.

Coffee Talk, Fri, Aug 25, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. An informal conversation on a wide variety of topics. Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries available for purchase. Free.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017

Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017

Bon Dance at Pahala Hongwanji this evening, with the bell at the Buddhist church overlooking the venue.
Photo by Ron Johnson

THE BON DANCE SEASON around Hawai`i Island came to a close, with a service, celebration, taiko drum playing and the traditional Japanese Bon Dance at Pahala Hongwanji on Sunday.

Part time Pahala resident Minako Yamazaki,  in kimono, greets
long time Na`alehu residents Alice and Iwao Yonemitsu, as Japanese 
traditions in Ka`u are shared. Photo by Ron Johnson

      The Bon Dance and service celebrates the end of the harvest season and brings the community together to remember ancestors. In Pahala, Sunday's was the second annual Bon Dance since the practice was stopped after 1999, just three years after the 1996 closing of Ka`u Sugar Co.
      For generations, Japanese culture has been a key component of life in Pahala, with a Japanese school house, martial arts, flower arranging, sushi making, music, and the Hongwanji with its sanctuary and church services.
     The Bon Dance in Pahala has always been a community effort with people of all faiths joining in.
      The event includes dancing in the round and food and historic displays, as well as craft making.
      The dancing circles a high wooden scaffold called a yagura. The yagura is usually also the bandstand for musicians and singers of Obon music, both live and recorded.

Takami Munnerlyn stamps a headband to wear at the bon dance.
Photo by Ron Johnson

       New Japanese residents, like part-time Pahala dweller Minako Yamazaki, joined in this year's celebration with one of her family kimonos brought from Tokyo. Her grandson Takami Munnerlyn, who was born here and has just started his first day of school, joined in the activities including putting stamps on a hachi maki.
     Pahala residents helped participants make the hachi maki, the headbands worn to celebrate Obon. Lynn Hamilton, Dorothy Kalua and friends provided long strips of cloth for people to stamp with favorite symbols before tying them on their heads.     
     The Taiko Drums, heard on Sunday, are leading to the offering of drum classes and people of all faiths are invited to learn, said the organizers.
      Pahala Hongwanji, `O Ka`u Kakou, led by Wayne Kawachi, and many other volunteers helped to put on the event.

Taiko Drumming classes will soon be offered at Pahala Hongwanji. Photo by Ron Johnson

A PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE WILL BE SEEN MONDAY AT DAWN in Hawai`i. The Ka`u Calendar astronomy columnist Lew Cook writes that "Not much of the sun will be eaten by the dragon, which was the foretelling of disasters of old."
     He warns that even though only a tiny bit if the sun will be darkened by the moon over Hawai`i, "never, ever, ever look directly at the sun without special eclipse glasses." The partial eclipse will occur in Hawaiian skies as the sun rises in the east between about 6:05 a.m. and 7:25 a.m. The more dramatic view will be available from televised accounts on the mainland as it makes a 70 mile wide path of darkness from Oregon, across the U.S. to the eastern seaboard. The next total eclipse in Hawai`i will be in the next century - 2106.

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People of all ages enjoyed Volcano Rain Forest Runs

on Saturday. Photo form Hauolikeola Pakele

VOLCANO RAIN FOREST RUNS results are posted showing the first place finisher in the Half-Marathon was Patrick Stover, of Kailua-Kona, with a time of 1:18:50, followed by a regular winner Billy Barnett, of Volcano in 1:18:58 and Alec Richardson, of Hilo in 1:22:56.
      Bree Wee, of Kailua-Kona,  was the first woman across the line in 1:29:05, followed by Marta Caproni, of Volcano in 1:36:06 and Amy Young, of Kea`au in 1:39:02.
      Runners, with a total of 253 finishing, came from as far away as Italy, Great Britain, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, California, Alaska, Australia and Japan. Ka`u competitors included Al Galiza of Pahala, Edridge Naboa, of Na`alehu and  Yuko, White, John Poetzel, Andrew White and Kathy Baxter, of Ocean View. Volcano resident competitors included Shawn Mishler, Christina Montoya-Aiona, Marvin Manuel and Leigh-Anne Manuel. Lauren Kurpita and Susanne Lyle represented Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
     Four women over 60 completed the Half-Marathon. Fourteen men between 60 and 69 and five men over 70 completed the Half Marathon.
   
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Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

Volcano 911: Protecting and Serving Visitors, Tue, Aug 22, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Chief Ranger John Broward reveals what it takes to become an National Park Service law enforcement ranger, and how the park’s Protection staff works to keep visitors safe on the world’s most active volcanoes. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Make the Hawaiian Game, Pala‘ie, Wed, Aug 23, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ National Park. Create your own traditional Hawaiian game with natural materials. Pala‘ie, sometimes played by keiki while chanting ancient songs, is a ball-and-loop game rarely encountered in modern Hawai‘i. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Dream Catcher, Wed, Aug 23, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Grades K – 8 register Aug 14 – 22. 928-0312

Fee-Free Day, Fri, Aug 25, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Celebrate National Park Service’s 101^st Anniversary.

Coffee Talk, Fri, Aug 25, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. An informal conversation on a wide variety of topics. Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries available for purchase. Free.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017