Friday, November 12, 2010

Friday, Nov. 12 News Briefs

Famed falsetto singer Richard Ho`opi`i (right) and George Kahumoku, Jr. played
at a Veterans Day Concert at Punalu`u Beach yesterday. They will also perform
tomorrow at Pahala Plantation House from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
WITH THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA of veterans in any state except Alaska, Hawai`i celebrated Veterans Day around the Islands yesterday. Major General Robert Lee, whose Hawai`i National Guard recently managed a program to employ more than one hundred Ka`u young people, thanked the community for allowing him to serve as the state adjunct general. He retires in December. During services at the Hawai`i State Veterans Cemetery, General Lee was joined by outgoing Governor Linda Lingle. The governor also serves as commander in chief of the Hawai`i National Guard Services. Kilauea Military Camp celebrated Veterans Day yesterday with a free dinner for active duty military and veterans following a ceremony on the front lawn.

THE PRESERVATION OF EIGHT THOUSAND acres in Ka`u for agriculture and nature will be the subject of a public meeting sponsored by the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce this coming Monday at 6 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House on Monday. John Henshaw, of The Nature Conservancy, and representatives of the Hawai`i Land Trust will be speaking. Establishing easements on such lands has made it possible for ranchers, farmers and other landowners to prevent subdivision of their properties for generations to come.

THE SCENIC BYWAYS Initiative, sponsored by state and federal programs, is being planned for Ka`u, and a theme is being considered - The Southernmost Scenic Byway in the U.S. More about the program will be explained this Monday, at 6 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House as part of the public Ka`u Chamber of Commerce meeting. The program is supported by state Senator Russell Kokubun, and the community is required to put together a scenic byways committee to work on the theme and educational signage.

THE KA`U MAIN STREET ORGANIZATION has held its annual meeting and re-elected officers. They are President Marge Elwell, Vice President Teresa Alderdyce, Secretary Jean Shibuya and Treasurer Eleanor Powell. Projects for the upcoming year include producing the play Death of a Coffee Baron, completing a book on the history of Pahala, meetings on the third Sunday of each month at the historic garden on Kamaoa Road, cultural and educational events in the garden's new pavilion, and celebrating the ninth anniversary of the Ka`u Farmers Market in Na`alehu on the first Saturday of December.
 
John Keawe and his family perform tomorrow at
Pahala Plantation House at the Kahumoku free concert.
A HAWAIIAN MUSIC MASTERS CONCERT will be held at Pahala Plantation House tomorrow, Saturday, November 13 from 1p.m. to 5 p.m. The lineup includes Ledward Kaapana, George Kahumoku Jr., James Hill, Herb Ota Jr., David Kamakahi, Uncle Richard Hoopii, Keoki Kahumoku, Tony Selvage and Konabob. Also performing will be students of the annual Keoki Kahumoku music workshop, including many local children who attended the workshop on scholarship.
 
Volunteers remove a mass of rope during a recent Ka`u
beach clean-up sponsored by Hawai`i Wildlife Fund
HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND SPONSORS a clean-up at Ka`alu`alu Bay tomorrow. The last clean-up hauled in one thousand nets and more than three thousand pounds of rubbish that washed up on our southern shoreline. To help out, meet at Kaulana Boat Ramp at 9 a.m. or call Meghan Lamson at 769-7629. 

THE POHUE PLAZA FUN FESTIVAL happens in Ocean View tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Spirit Gas celebrates its new look and twenty-fifth anniversary with live entertainment, food vendors, arts and crafts and a raffle giveaway.