Ka`u News Briefs May 31, 2011

Rep. Clift Tsuji (l), LTC Rolland Niles, emcee Frank Box, Col. Randy Hart and Rep. Jerry Chang took part in
Kilauea Military Camp's Memorial Day Ceremony yesterday.  Photo by David Donald

MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE attended Kilauea Military Camp’s Memorial Day Ceremony yesterday. Lt. Col. Rolland Niles, Commander of Pohakuloa Training Area, gave the keynote address, and Rep. Clift Tsuji also spoke. Tsuji talked about the Hawai`i Medal of Honor, which is presented to the loved ones of military members with Hawai`i ties who died in service to their country. Since 2006, a special joint House and Senate presentation ceremony has been held each year at the State Capitol. “On this Memorial Day, I honor not only the five Big Island recipients of the Hawai`i Medal of Honor, but all veterans. I pray that very soon our Hawai`i State Legislature shall not have to convene annually in joint session to honor any more fallen heroes,” Tsuji said. 

An artist's rendering of the Wall of Faces at the education
center to be built near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
in Washington, D.C.

PHOTOS OF KA`U MILITARY PERSONNEL who died or went missing in action in the Vietnam War are being collected to display at a new $85 million underground educational center to be built near The Wall in Washington D.C. The photos will be mounted on a Wall of Faces on their birthdays. More than 58,000 American service members were killed in Vietnam, with Hawai`i losing a higher percentage of residents than most other states. Retired Gen. Colin Powell is honorary chairman of the project, which has already raised $31 million. See vvmf.org/hawaii_cfp, or call 703-927-8150. 

THE CHALLENGE TO RAISE $15,000 for the Bay Clinic’s construction fund is still ongoing. To date, $10,500 has been raised. An anonymous donor will match donations up to $15,000 made by June 11, the date of the Ka`u Family Fun Fest. Donations can be made at all offices of the Ka`u Federal Credit Union or online at okaukakou.com.

THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS will provide $4.3 million to organizations that include some programs here in Ka`u. The money is directed toward education, health and income of Native Hawaiians, and OHA said that about 13,000 Native Hawaiians will directly benefit. The purpose is to help troubled teens, increase access to early childhood education and provide financial advice on money management, wealth building and credit counseling. Recipients include the Partners in Development Foundation, Mana Maoli, Koa Ike, Hawaiian Community Assets, Pacific American Foundation, Hui Malama I Ke Kai Foundation, Family Nurturing Center of Hawai`i, Inc. and Hale Kipa, Inc. 

Ocean View had Ka`u's lowest-priced
gas this morning.

GASOLINE PRICES across Hawai`i are 50 cents a gallon lower than a month ago but still 57.2 cents higher than a year ago, according to HawaiiGasPrices.com. Retail gasoline prices have fallen 13.3 cents per gallon during the last week, with the average price at $4.04 per gallon. Nationally, gas fell 3.2 cents during the past week to $3.77 per gallon. In Ocean View this morning, prices were $4.23 at Kahuku Country Market, $4.28 at Kahala Gas and $4.29 at Ocean View Market. At the 76 Station in Na`alehu, gas was going for $4.29 a gallon, and at Ka`u Gas in Pahala, it was $4.36 per gallon.

A FIELD DEMONSTRATION about coffee berry borers takes place tomorrow morning. Participants meet at Pahala Community Center at 8 a.m. before going to a local coffee farm. Dr. Elsie Burbano, a researcher at UH-Manoa, and Pat Conant, an entomologist with the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture, show how to identify, monitor, trap and perform sanitation to manage the borers. Kyle Onuma, of the Ag Department’s Plant Pest Control Branch, shows how to spray to control the pests. Burbano urges timely action to minimize economic losses and distribution of the borers.

THE FIRST WEEKLY GREEN MARKET at Ocean View Community Center is this Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Some of the items for sale include fresh produce, herbs, flowers, plants and honey. Call 939-7033 for more information.

ALSO IN OCEAN VIEW, A DINNER at Kahuku Park on Paradise Circle in Ocean View on Saturday, June 4 will raise funds to support the Summer Fun program. Dinner is served at 5 p.m. and includes Chef John Repogle’s BBQ pork along with rice, corn and watermelon all for just $5. Beverages are $1, with desserts and other baked good also on sale. Activities before dinner include a slip and slide, face painting and games. Karaoke is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pre-sale dinner tickets are available. Call Robin at 939-8491 or Genny at 217-5593.

Ka`u News Briefs May 30, 2011

The Cloud Rest area will be the site of a field demonstration on the coffee berry borer this Wednesday morning.

REP. MAZIE K. HIRONO urged Hawai`i residents to refrain from taking for granted “the freedoms we enjoy by the grace of being Americans. It is important to remind ourselves that our freedom sometimes comes at a heavy price, paid in the lives of men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice defending this great nation.” She said that this Memorial Day, people gather in Hawai`i “to honor our fallen heroes, military service members, veterans and their families. Today, our troops are engaged in conflicts around the globe. So as we honor our country’s fallen, let us also remember those courageous men and women in uniform still in harm’s way.”

SEN. DANIEL INOUYE is in Japan to tour the tsunami-damaged towns and to talk about relocating American troops from Okinawa go Guam. He also plans to meet with leaders of the business community and stated that the relationship between the U.S. and Japan is very important in maintaining regional peace.

Skylark Lindsey

SKYLARK Lindsey, the emcee of the recent Ka`u Coffee Festival, won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Na Hoku Hanohano ceremonies Saturday in Honolulu. At the Association of Hawaiian Recording Artists event, Dennis Kamakahi and Cyril Pahinui played Ipo Lei Manu and Koke`e in her honor. Leslie Wilcox, of PBS, who produced a Long Story Short television show on Skylark, describes her warm voice and warm personality as well as her 

knowledge and understanding of Hawai`i people, music, history and values. Skylark lives here on the Big Island.

THE KA`U GONZO MUSIC SOCIETY is sponsoring a music festival today at Punalu`u from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The group covers rock ‘n’ roll, R & B and reggae, and also plays original songs. Other entertainers include Gary Cole (aka Foggy), the Mile 25 Band and an Elvis impersonator.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP HOSTS A TRIBUTE to those who made the ultimate Sacrifice for Freedom’s Sake in a ceremony today from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the KMC front lawn. Lt. Col. Rolland Niles, Commander of Pohakuloa Training Area, will deliver the keynote address.

A MEMORIAL DAY BUFFET at the Crater Rim Café follows the ceremony from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 967-8371.

Controlling the coffee berry borer
is the topic Wednesday morning.

A FIELD DEMONSTRATION about coffee berry borers takes place this Wednesday morning. Participants meet at Pahala Community Center at 8 a.m. before going to a local coffee farm. Dr. Elsie Burbano, a researcher at UH-Manoa, and Pat Conant, an entomologist with the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture, show how to identify, monitor, trap and perform sanitation to manage the borers. Kyle Onuma, of the Ag Department’s Plant Pest Control Branch, shows how to spray to control the pests. Burbano urges timely action to minimize economic losses and distribution of the borers. 

A DINNER AT KAHUKU PARK on Paradise Circle in Ocean View on Saturday, June 4 will raise funds to support the Summer Fun program there. Dinner, served at 5 p.m., includes Chef John Repogle’s BBQ pork along with rice, corn and watermelon all for just $5. Beverages are $1, with desserts and other baked good also on sale. Activities before dinner include a slip and slide, face painting and games. Karaoke is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pre-sale dinner tickets are available. Call Robin at 939-8491 or Genny at 217-5593.

Ka`u News Briefs May 29, 2011

The new concrete tank to hold water from the Ocean View well is nearly complete.  Photo by Al Sherman

FORESTRY CONSERVATION will be more likely on private and government properties in Ka`u with a new agreement between the state, U.S. government and local Water & Soil Conservation districts. A recently signed agreement stems from the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 and focuses on the need to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s private working lands. This will help “build a partnership of trust and collaboration critical in sustaining the health of our unique forest lands and watersheds,” said state Department of Land and Natural Resources chairperson William Aila, Jr. 

     “This is a renewed commitment for collaboration among natural resource agencies in Hawai`i,” said Randy Moore, U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Regional Forester. “This strengthens our ability to address issues across boundaries in an all-lands approach.”
     Wesley Nohara, president of the Hawai`i Association of Conservation Districts, said, “We are excited about the opportunity to work with our partners at the local level to promote forestry and watershed protection. Each of our partners will provide unique expertise and resources. HACD will provide locally based knowledge and community support to enhance this statewide program.” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said he welcomes the cooperation and hosted a signing of the agreement.

Richard Ha with his family at
Hamakua Springs Country Farms.

STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE MEMBER Richard Ha is taking on the Hawaiian Electric - `Aina Koa Pono proposal to build a refinery up Wood Valley Road and biofuel farm between Pahala and Na`alehu. In his independent Hamakua Springs Country Farms blog called Ha Ha Ha, he objects to Hawaiian Electric’s attempt to block the county’s participation in the discussion before the Public Utilities Commission regarding the biofuel issue. Ha claims that HECO wanted to keep the details of their plan to raise customer rates to pay for the `Aina Koa Pono project secret. When the county wanted to participate, HECO said the county was too late. “What about the County’s responsibility to look after the best interests of the people?” asks Ha. He also points to HECO’s contention that the county has not stated the specific type of expertise, knowledge or experience it holds, nor how it relates to the issues. “How about common sense?” asks Ha. Ha claims that HECO is allowing `Aina Koa Pono to pass on its costs to the ratepayer, over and above the oil cost it replaces. 

     Ha also contends that other experts in energy view that the biofuel plant won’t work and gives the example of Sun Fuels, which operated successfully in Europe but calculated that growing crops and cutting trees to make liquid fuels to run electric plants would be uneconomical in Hawai`i.
     `Aina Koa Pono disagrees, contending it has new technology and that its refinery will bring 300 construction jobs and a hundred permanent jobs to Pahala. The PUC has asked `Aina Koa Pono to provide more proof of its viability and of its cutting edge microwave processing technology to the PUC by the end of this month.

THE OCEAN VIEW WATER PROJECT is nearing completion. The walls of the 300,000- gallon water tank, just above Kahuku County Park on Paradise Circle, were poured in four sections, and Bolton Construction is working on the roof. Construction is also nearly complete at the fill station on Hwy 11, reports Loren Heck, of Ocean View. 

NOT ONLY ARE THERE NURSING assistant training programs in Pahala and a nursing school in Hilo, the University of Hawai`i will offer a doctoral program in nursing beginning in the fall of 2012. The degree is called a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. The graduates will be trained to handle many of the same responsibilities as physicians in diagnosis and the planning of patient treatment. The inaugural class will accept only 10 students, who will spend three years earning their doctorate, and a shorter time if they already have a master’s degree in nursing. The average pay of a nurse is $84,000 a year.

Lt. Col. Rolland Niles will give the keynote address at KMC's
  Memorial Day ceremony. Photo by Howard Sugai

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP HOSTS A TRIBUTE to those who made the ultimate Sacrifice for Freedom’s Sake in a Memorial Day ceremony tomorrow from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the KMC front lawn. Lt. Col. Rolland Niles, Commander of Pohakuloa Training Area, will deliver the keynote address. 

A MEMORIAL DAY BUFFET at the Crater Rim Café follows the ceremony from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information, call 967-8371.

A DINNER AT KAHUKU PARK on Paradise Circle in Ocean View on Saturday, June 4 will raise funds to support the Summer Fun program. Dinner is served at 5 p.m. and includes Chef John Repogle’s BBQ pork, along with rice, corn and watermelon all for just $5. Beverages are $1, with desserts and other baked good also on sale. Activities before dinner include a slip and slide, face painting and games. Karaoke is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pre-sale dinner tickets are available. Call Robin at 939-8491 or Genny at 217-5593.

Ka`u News Briefs May 28, 2011

Axis deer hunted on Lana`i by Darrel Colburn, an active duty U.S. military soldier.

AXIS DEER, seen as a major threat to the native environment and to farmers, have been seen in Ka`u, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Working with a coalition of resource managers on Hawai`i Island, the staff has confirmed recent sightings of what it calls “an introduced, damaging large mammal.” They have also been seen in areas from Kohala to Kona and Mauna Kea. “We consider this a serious problem with far-reaching economic and environmental impacts to the agriculture industry and native ecosystems on the island,” said DLNR chief William Aila, Jr. He said the search is being expanded and a removal plan developed by DLNR, the state Department of Agriculture, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee, federal natural resource management agencies, ranchers, farmers, private landowners and concerned citizens. “Strong, swift action is needed to protect this island from newly introduced damaging ungulates that threaten the environmental character of the Big Island, he said.

DLNR chief William Aila, Jr.

     Jan Schipper, BIISC program manager, said that “ranchers and farmers have already expressed their concerns to me that deer and other species that are suspected to have been illicitly introduced on the Big Island would destroy their crops and possibly introduce new diseases to our island, as has happened on other islands.”
     Besides agriculture and public safety concerns, conservation agencies are particularly concerned about the impact to forest and native ecosystems and threatened and endangered species. There are no fences on Hawai`i Island that are tall enough to keep deer out. If deer become established, conservation and deer exclosure fences on the island will have to be raised to eight feet. Retrofitting the more than 300 miles of fences could cost tens of millions of dollars. Farmers, ranchers and public safety officials would also need to install fences to protect crops and to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
     “DLNR’s mission is to preserve and protect our natural resources, paramount of which are our watersheds and native ecosystems. We will need to take quick and effective action to prevent costly and destructive impacts on the Big Island that will last for generations, perhaps forever,” said Aila.
     DLNR asks the Big Island residents to report any sightings of deer or any other unusual new or introduced mammal anywhere to call the BIISC Hotline at 808-961-3299 or email Jan Schipper at gjs@hawaii.edu. Provide your name, contact information, an estimate of how many deer, and the location where you saw the deer. Anyone with information relating to the unauthorized introduction of these or any other restricted or prohibitive animals is urged to also contact BIISC.

Hurricane Jimena brushed against Ka`u in 2003.
Doppler image courtesy of NOAA

CIVIL DEFENSE AGENCIES around the state have been working on a mock hurricane exercise during the last week, just days before the beginning of hurricane season, which starts June 1. The exercise, called Makani Paihi, has come up with all the statistics of the fake hurricane happening, with appropriate notification of the public and coordination of emergency services. The Civil Defense exercise orchestrated Makani brushing Ka`u and described it as “an extremely dangerous category four storm packing winds of 150 miles per hour, with higher gusts when the center makes landfall on O`ahu. The mock message described many gauges no longer reporting across “the extreme southern portion of the Big Island. While a spotter in Na`alehu reports he could make out the South Point radar during breaks in the heavy rain, we are no longer receiving data,” the make-believe hurricane discussion stated. 

     In 2003, Hurricane Jimena brushed up against the Big Island and sat just offshore of Ka`u until it dissipated. The eye passed some 110 miles below South Point. The Ka`u Doppler radar was able to record its wind and rainfall. It was the closest that a hurricane or tropical storm had come to the Doppler radar system, which was installed across the state in the 1990s.

THE KA`U GONZO MUSIC SOCIETY is sponsoring a music festival on Memorial Day at Punalu`u from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The group members are Bill Filbey on piano, guitar, and harmonica; Tom Pasquale on drums; Tom Favarra on bass; and Rich Zazzi and Dan Corippo on guitar. The group covers rock ‘n’ roll, R & B and reggae, and also plays original songs. Other entertainers include Foggy (aka Gary Cole), the Mile 25 Band and an Elvis impersonator. 

Kara Adanalian           Photos by Geneveve Fyvie

Adanalian's winning
Ka`u Coffee & Spice
Shortbread Cookies

KARA ADANALIAN WON FIRST in the Amateur Dessert I category at the Ka`u Coffee Festival Recipe Contest with her Ka`u Coffee & Spice Shortbread Cookies. Adanalian said she has competed in recipe contests for about 20 years now. In 2004, she was named America’s Best Home Cook by Fine Cooking magazine. Adanalian revamped a shortbread cookie recipe to use Ka`u Coffee and other Ka`u ingredients, including ginger and honey from the Ka`u Farmers Market in Na`alehu. Contact Adanalian at kara@acmegraphics.net. 

Ka`u News Briefs May 27, 2011

A temporary transfer station in Ocean View accepts trash, and the county is trying to decide where Ka`u's trash will go in the future, as much of it, from Na`alehu through Volcano, is trucked to a landfill in Hilo. Photo by Al Sherman

A SPECIAL SESSION of the state Legislature to change the budget will not be necessary, according to Gov. Neil Abercrombie. It was feared that the Council on Revenues update might predict less income, leading to more cutbacks. The Council released its estimates yesterday, however, with no change predicted. The governor said the state is also being helped by private foundations, such as Conservation International, which is providing $2 million for the state to enforce fisheries laws, and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, which is giving $10 million toward education. The Council predicts a negative 1.6 percent growth this year and an 11.6 percent growth next year. The Japanese tourism market is starting to reverse its decline that followed the tsunami, and oil prices are dropping, leading to a better economic forecast. 

DURING FISCAL YEAR 2010, state departments reduced their total electric consumption by 2.8 percent from 2009 and saved more than $20 million in energy costs statewide, according to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
     The 2010 decline in the state’s energy consumption is the third consecutive year agencies have managed to cut energy use. 2010 also marked the first time state agencies were able to decrease costs from the previous year. Director Richard Lim said that “this promising turnaround reflects the state’s ongoing commitment to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy development to protect against escalating energy costs, expedite energy security and mitigate negative impacts on our economy due to volatile world oil markets.”

Moi is also being grown in aquaculture
farms.  Photo courtesy of NOAA

Two moi, for which the state has placed
a kapu on fishing. Photo courtesy of
U.S. Department of Agriculture

NO FISHING FOR MOI THIS SUMMER, says the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, which has closed the season through June, July and August. The DLNR ban makes it unlawful to take, possess or sell any moi during this time. DLNR chair William Aila, Jr. said that moi was carefully managed during Hawaiian kingdom days. As there was only a small population of the fish, it was reserved for the ali`i. Hawaiians placed kapu on many kinds of fish during the seasons to protect them from overfishing and to allow reproduction. From September through May, moi may be taken only if they are at least 11 inches long, and the limit is a total of 15. Commercial fish dealers are allowed to sell more than 15, but only by showing receipts verifying that fishermen take no more than the 15-moi limit. 

THE COUNTY MAY use a 20,000 square foot facility built for the failed waste to energy station near Hilo as a place to take out paper and organic garbage from trash going into the Hilo landfill. The process would lengthen the life of the landfill, where much of Ka`u’s garbage is taken from transfer stations. The county is also studying whether to expand the landfill or carry Hilo’s garbage to Pu`uanahulu on the other side of the island. 

The Southside Volleyball Club raised funds at a car wash
last Saturday.  Photo by Katherine Okamura

THE SOUTHSIDE VOLLEYBALL CLUB is looking for any jobs they could do to earn money for a trip to the mainland to participate in the nationals. They have been busy, selling Easter goodies, flower arrangements for Mother’s Day and snacks and drinks at a booth at the Ka`u Coffee Festival. They also held a car wash at Ka`u Federal Credit Union in Na`alehu last weekend. Contact Brenda at 928-8007. 

THE KA`U GONZO MUSIC SOCIETY is sponsoring a music festival on Memorial Day at Punalu`u from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Along with rock ‘n’ roll by the Ka`u Gonzo Music Society, other entertainers include Foggy, the Mile 25 Band and an Elvis impersonator. 

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP HOSTS A TRIBUTE to those who made the ultimate Sacrifice for Freedom’s Sake in a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the KMC front lawn. Lt. Col. Rolland Niles, Commander of Pohakuloa Training Area, will deliver the keynote address.

A MEMORIAL DAY BUFFET at the Crater Rim Café follows the ceremony from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. It features beef pot roast, mahi mahi, clam chowder, salads, and more. The cost is $13.75 for adults and $7.75 for children 6 to 11 years old.
     KMC invites the public to attend. For more information, call 967-8371. Park entrance fees apply.

Mark Joseph Libunao
Photos by Geneveve Fyvie

Libunao's winning Chicken Breast
with Ka`u Coffee Rub

MARK JOSEPH LIBUNAO, OF PAHALA, won first in the Professional Entrée category at the Ka`u Coffee Festival Recipe Contest for his Chicken Breast with Ka`u Coffee Rub. He also took second in the Dessert I category for his Ka`u Coffee Lava Flow. He said he wanted a simple recipe that would allow the strong flavors of Ka`u Coffee to flourish. Libunao praised the help of others and said, “My family, friends and mentors inspired me to do this recipe. ” 

     Although it is only Libunao’s first year as a Culinary Arts Student at Hawai`i Community College, he took Culinary I at Ka`u High School and was hired as a chef at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Libunao said he pursued a culinary career because of his love for cooking and learning and because “it allows me to utilize my skills and senses of smell and taste.” He dreams of traveling around the world and learning about the great recipes that other cultures have to offer. Contact Libunao at mjil@hawaii.edu.

Ka`u News Briefs May 26, 2011

Hawai`i County's first double-decker bus is now in service after traveling through Ka`u on a trip around the island.

FORMER HAWAI`I COUNTY MAYOR and attorney Stephen Yamashiro passed away Tuesday night after suffering from pneumonia. He served on the Hawai`i County Council from 1976 to 1990, as its chair for more than a decade, and was mayor from 1992 until 2000. He was born in Honolulu and schooled at University School, Punahou and University of Hawai`i at Manoa. He became a U.S. Army officer after graduating from Officers Candidate School. He graduated from law school at Willamette University. 

Stephen Yamashiro

     Mayor Billy Kenoi released a statement saying, “Mayor Yamashiro loved this community, and was a loyal friend and mentor to many. He was always ready with advice and suggestions, sharing generously of his many years of experience as a community leader. He will be missed, and I want to offer my condolences to his wife Della.
     “As Hawai`i County Council chairman and mayor, Mayor Yamashiro led our community through a very difficult transition period. As the last of the plantations closed in the 1990s, the Big Island was searching for new directions, and Mayor Yamashiro helped steer our island community into the future. His support and advocacy of sectors such as diversified agriculture, forestry and geothermal power are still paying dividends for our residents today. He knew where we needed to go, and he led the way. We are grateful for Mayor Yamashiro’s many contributions to our community,” said Kenoi. Funeral services are pending.

THIRTEEN MILLION DOLLARS in federal funds to support Hawai`i small businesses are expected to be matched 10-to-1 by private investors over the next seven years. This could lead to $130 million in new funding for small businesses in Hawai`i, Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced yesterday. “Now is the time for us to invest in industries that will move Hawai`i’s economy forward,” he said. “We have tremendous opportunities and potential in our clean energy, film, high-tech and other innovative industries. We must take advantage of these opportunities that will create good paying jobs for our local families, lead our drive toward self-sufficiency and bring dollars into our economy.”
     The funding comes as the result of the U.S. Department of the Treasury approving Hawai`i’s application to the State Small Business Credit Initiative, which was established by the Federal Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. The Hawai`i Strategic Development Corporation will use the funds for its venture capital investment program. HSDC is an attached agency of the state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism that supports economic development in Hawai`i by investing in local business ventures in partnership with private funds. 

     “We need to create an environment in Hawai`i for innovative industries to thrive. This investment will raise productivity and create good jobs in all areas of the economy and for all people,” said Richard Lim, DBEDT Director.

Michael Soto. Photos by Geneveve Fyvie

Soto's winning Tiramisu with
Raspberry Coffee Sauce

MICHAEL SOTO, OF PAHALA, WON FIRST in the Dessert I category of the Ka`u Coffee Festival Recipe Contest for his Tiramisu with Raspberry Coffee Sauce, second in the Pupu category for a Rosemary & Garlic Sautéed Shrimp with Spicy Lilikoi Coffee Sauce and third for his Braised Beef with a Cinnamon Coffee Sauce. 

     Soto just graduated from Hawai`i Community College and plans to be a chef. “There’s always an art when you put something on a plate. There’s no such thing as secret ingredients,” he said. “You have to believe in what you’re doing.” Contact Soto about his recipes at 333-2960.

THE FIRST DOUBLE-DECKER BUS in Hawai`i County stopped at Malama Market in Ocean View last week on its first trip around the island. It also stopped at Cooper Center in Volcano Village, and passengers, comprised of county officials and kupuna, collected food for the Hawai`i Island Food Basket. The new Hele-On bus seats 89 passengers. It is 14 feet in height and cost under $900,000. Just like other buses in the county transportation system, the fare will be zero until July 1. The County Council is still deciding whether to charge for the ride. The mayor proposes that $1 be charged for all Hele-On buses, with students, the elderly and disabled riding for free. If no decision is made, fares would go up to as high as $6 per ride. Council member Brittany Smart asked that the council take another vote on the issue, which will come up soon before the County Council. 

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF CLASSES at Ka`u’s public schools. Students will have more than two months before returning to school on Monday, August 1.

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono and State Rep. Bob Herkes
joined KMC's Memorial Day ceremony last year.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP HOSTS A TRIBUTE to those who made the ultimate Sacrifice for Freedom’s Sake in a special Memorial Day Ceremony to be held on Monday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the KMC front lawn. LTC Rolland Niles, Commander of Pohakuloa Training Area, will deliver the keynote address. Representative Clift Tsuji of House District 3 will also be a guest speaker. Other participants include Pastor Bob Bruzelius, Erin Gallagher, Josh Timmons, Brianne Schlegelmilch, and the Waiakea High School Naval JROTC. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Koa Room inside the lobby. 

A SPECIAL MEMORIAL DAY BUFFET following the ceremony features beef pot roast, mahi mahi, clam chowder, salads, and more. The buffet will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Crater Rim Café. Cost is $13.75 for adults and $7.75 for children 6 to 11 years old.
     KMC invites the public to attend. For more information, call 967-8371. Park entrance fees apply.

Ka`u News Briefs May 25, 2011

This holua slide would be preserved by the South Kona Wilderness Area. Photo by Kaiali`i Kahele

SUPPORTERS OF THE SOUTH KONA WILDERNESS AREA, championed by Sen. Gil Kahele and Rep. Bob Herkes, are awaiting the signature of Gov. Neil Abercrombie. The measure passed both the House and Senate in the 2011 Legislature. The land includes the only holua slide going all the way to the ocean remaining in the state, as well as ancient homesites, a heiau and burial caves. 

The ancient Hawaiian trail, paved with stones, in the
South Kona Wilderness Area. Photo by Kaiali`i Kahele

     The area includes approximately 1,458 acres in Honomalino and Okoe that extend from the shoreline to 6,000 feet inland as well as land in Kaulanamauna and Manuka that extends from the shoreline to the Manuka Natural Area Reserve boundary.

THE COUNTY COUNCIL is looking for office space in Ka`u, where it could install video conferencing so the public could more easily give testimony and witness County Council meetings. The office was a campaign promise of Brittany Smart, who ran on a platform of more transparency and a better flow of information and ideas between the county council member and the public. Having an office in Ka`u would also give her more time with the public, since she spends a lot of time each workday driving to her council office and council chambers in Hilo or to Kona for some council meetings. 

Na`alehu Civic Center

     Offices that have been considered include one in Ocean View that was scrapped after improvements were estimated to be too costly. The annex of the Na`alehu Community Center was also considered, but there was concern that it would preclude community activities from taking place there. Currently under consideration is the state-owned courtroom facility in the Na`alehu Civic Center near the post office on the makai side of Hwy 11. The courtroom is vacant, as all court proceedings have been moved to Hilo and Kona.
     Other suggestions have included offices in Pahala to make the County Council proceedings and the council member more available to nearby high school teachers, students, the regional hospital, and such employment hubs as the macadamia and coffee farms.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie promotes energy and food security.
Photo by Julia Neal

RENEWABLE ENERGY is at the forefront of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s priorities, he said at the Democratic Convention in Kona last weekend. “This is a matter of our survivability. This is a matter of keeping us from being inundated by international global forces that are going to be working against us when carbon and energy is concerned. We’ve got to do this. We are not going to have sustainable agriculture; we are not going to have food security unless we get the energy question underway, and the Big Island is a key to that,” he proclaimed. The governor said, “We’re running out of time. I want to get past arguments about biofuels vs. geothermal, versus solar, versus wind. We’re going to have to do everything we can, just to survive,” he said. On his desk is legislation that would help win approval of a contract between Hawaiian Electric Industries and `Aina Koa Pono, the company planning an alternative energy refinery and biofuels farm near Pahala. 

THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION and efficiency program today ends its $1,000 solar water heating incentive for systems purchased with cash, as funds are exhausted. Hawai`i Energy increased the solar water heating incentive to $1,500 in March with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. Within a month, funds were depleted, and program officials reallocated additional ARRA funds to continue the incentive at $1,000 per system.
     “The use of solar water heaters is one of the most effective ways of reducing the residential electricity consumption,” said Estrella Seese, Energy Program Administrator.
     After today’s deadline, residents wishing to finance their solar water heating systems may sign up for the Hot Water, Cool Rates (solar loan interest buy down) offering. For more information, visit hawaiienergy.com/94/hot-water-cool-rates. Hawai`i Energy will also make a waitlist for its next program-year beginning July 1 upon approval of program funding by the Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission. State and federal tax credits are still available.
     Typical single-family households installing solar water heating systems will save between $587 to $849 per year in electricity costs, and the equivalent to 150 gallons of fossil fuel per year. The savings with solar water heating systems will continue to rise as oil prices increase, said a statement from Hawai`i Energy.

Maria Zamudio

First in the Student Dessert I category
was Black Bottoms by Maria Zamudio.
Photos by Geneveve Fyvie

MARIA ZAMUDIO, OF OCEAN VIEW, won first in the Student Division Dessert category for cakes, cookies and pies at the Ka`u Coffee Festival Recipe Contest with her Black Bottoms recipe. Zamudio just graduated from Ka`u High and will be attending Hawai`i Community College in Kona this coming fall. She said she learned a lot through Culinary I and gained a lot of cooking confidence from the course. Her advice to those entering the contest in the future is, “Just give it a try, even if you don’t feel confident. It can’t hurt.” Contact Zamudio at mariazamudio_kau@yahoo.com. 

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK Ranger Jason Zimmerman demonstrates how to make poi this morning from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai at Kilauea Visitor Center. Zimmerman's grandfather taught him to make poi more than 10 years ago.

HAWAI`I COUNTY TRANSIT DIRECTOR Tom Brown discusses the Hele-On bus system and other mass transit issues at Yano Hall in Captain Cook tonight at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is one of County Council member Brittany Smart’s District 6 Matters meetings.

Ka`u News Briefs May 24, 2011

More than 500 acres around Kawa and its estuaries are held up from becoming public lands by a lawsuit by
Abel Simeona Lui, who claims his family lost the land illegally generations ago.  Photo by Julia Neal

MOST OF THE LAND WOULD BE PUBLIC ALONG THE COAST from Punalu`u to Honu`apo if the sale of a 363 acre parcel with more than a mile of undulating coastline is finalized by the end of June. The parcel lies between state land next to Punalu`u and 100 acres owned by the Apiki/Omerod heirs just north of Kawa Bay. The purchase could be scuttled by a lawsuit brought by Abel Simeona Lui, who claims ownership to another parcel in the land sale – this one south of the Kawa lands recently purchased by Hawai`i County. The parcel at the south end of Kawa and the one closer to Punalu`u are under contract for the county to buy them from the Edmund C. Olson Trust. If the Kawa land is not cleared by the courts by June 30, the county will lose government money to buy the coastal lands. The purchase of the two parcels is part of the campaign to preserve the Ka`u Coast from Honu`apo to Punalu`u.

Kawa during a surf meet. These lands were purchased by the county for a
park over the objections of Abel Simeona Lui, who claims
title to them.  Photo by Julia Neal

THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I, PUBLIC ACCESS, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission is currently accepting suggestions for properties to be considered this year. The deadline to submit is next Tuesday, May 31. Kawa was listed as the commission’s number one priority in 2006, 2008 and 2009, and part of the land has already been purchased. The Kahuku Coastal Property makai of Ocean View, which the county is currently negotiating to purchase, was number five on the commission’s priority list in 2009. For more information, visit hawaii-county.com/finance/ponc.htm or contact Alexandra Kelepolo at 961-8069. 

Hawaiian Electric Light Co. Pres. Jay Ignacio spoke to
Ka`u residents aboutht the `Aina Koa Pono plan
in January.  Photo by Julia Neal

THE STATE CONSUMER ADVOCATE is asking Hawaiian Electric Company for more information regarding its proposed contract to buy biodiesel from a proposed refinery and farm near Pahala. The requests are posted on the Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission website. The Consumer Advocate asks HECO how it plans to use biofuel from the `Aina Koa Pono project to meet Renewable Portfolio Standards for electrical energy, which are included in Act 155 that was passed by the state Legislature and signed by the governor. It asks HECO to estimate the contribution that biofuel from `Aina Koa Pono would have on the Renewable Portfolio. 

     Concerning the biofuel `Aina Koa Pono plans to ship to O`ahu and Maui counties, the advocate asks about the cost of shipping the biofuel to the other islands. The consumer advocate also asks about other suppliers of biofuel and how they could impact the use of biofuel from `Aina Koa Pono and when their biofuel becomes available for use.
     `Aina Koa Pono is planning to build a $350 million refinery on Meyer Camp Road between Pahala and Wood Valley and to employ 300 workers for construction and 100 workers to run the farm and the refinery. It plans to use industrial-size microwave processors to vaporize feedstock from Christmas berry to eucalyptus and napier grass to run the factory and produce a diesel it would truck to the power plant in Kona. The PUC has asked Hawaiian Electric to offer proof by the end of May that the microwave processors will work on an industrial scale, noting that it is not being used on such a commercial scale anywhere else in the world.

Butch Light and students at the Ka`u Coffee Festival
Recipe Contest. Photos by Geneveve Fyvie

BUTCH LIGHT WON FIRST in the Pupu category of the Amateur Division of the Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest for his Coffee Smoked Chicken, second in the Dessert I category for his Flourless Mochamac Cake with Cafebar Glaze, tied for second in the Dessert II category with his Coffee Soufflé recipe and third in the Entrée category for his MacCoffee Chicken. 

     Light is the cooking teacher at Ka`u High School. He encourages his students to enter the festival recipe contest every year. The timing of this year’s event only allowed for two teams to enter. Students in the class are encouraged to use their imaginations when cooking. 

Butch Light won first for his
Coffee Smoked Chicken.

     Light said the school is adopting the national safety standard set by the American Culinary Federation and used by chefs across the nation. Using these standards sets Ka‘ū High above most U.S. public schools offering cooking classes. Contact Light at 928-2011 or nlight16@yahoo.com. PAHALA POOL has new hours. On Monday and Tuesday it is open 10 a.m. until noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday it stays open until 5:30 p.m. On Saturday the pool is open from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Sunday the hours are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The hours may expand later in the summer, according to the county lifeguard posted there.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK Ranger Jason Zimmerman demonstrates how to make poi tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai at Kilauea Visitor Center in. Zimmerman learned the skill from his grandfather.

THE OCEAN VIEW TEEN CLUB meets tonight and every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Teens from 13 to 18 years old are invited to gather at Kahuku Park and Ocean View Community Center. Call 937-3335 for more information.

Ka`u News Briefs May 23, 2011

Ka`u surfers and fishermen went to court in the 1970s to open up access to the beach at Kawa,
where the county wants to establish a park.  Photos by Julia Neal

THE FUTURE OF KAWA LANDS, where the County of Hawai`i wants to begin its stewardship managing a coastal park, is expected to be determined by a ruling soon by the courts. The county purchased more than 200 acres at Kawa to preserve the land after it was put on the market in real estate publications and advertised as the last available bay for sale on the island. However, Abel Simeona Lui, who built a house at Kawa about 20 years ago, claims the land is his family’s dating back to ancient Hawaiian times and was illegally taken from them.
     Previous owner Thomas Okuna asked Lui and his family and friends who put up temporary tents and dwellings there to leave many times after being warned by health officials about unsanitary conditions on the land. Okuna went to court, and the court authorized an eviction, which was never carried out. The county contends that the eviction still stands and the purchase of Kawa by the county is legal. 

The county plans to purchase the adjacent land south of
the surfing beach to manage the wetlands,
public health and parking.

     Lui still lives on the land and objects to the county conserving it as a park. In the 1970s young surfers in Ka`u went to court to secure a right of way to the beach for the public. The county plans to maintain the right of way and possibly add restroom facilities and some parking for surfers and other beachgoers to the ponds, springs, estuaries and surfing beach at Kawa.
     A separate case involves the adjacent land, also more than 200 acres, which is also planned for purchase by the county. It was sold by Okuna to the Edmund C. Olson Trust, which bought it for the purpose of holding onto it until the county could make it into a park. That land too had been advertised for sale in real estate magazines. The county has until June 30 to close on the Olson property or lose $2.5 million in state and federal funds that would be used to purchase the land. The county is waiting for the court to clear the title, and Judge Joseph P. Florindo said he will hand down decisions on the ownership of the two adjacent properties soon.
     In the meantime, Lui and his hui remain on the land and post sovereignty signs along Hwy 11 near their encampment, where they speak to passersby about their plight. They also monitor who comes in and out of the public right of way to the beach.

Dr. Brian Panik

DR. BRIAN PANIK, Ka`u Hospital’s chief of staff, has started a new community-based website designed to help distribute health information and encourage healthy diets and exercise, particularly on the Hawaiian Islands. Visitors to the website can ask questions about health, medicine or fitness through community forums and get answers from knowledgeable community physicians, pharmacists, dentists, nurses and other professionals. The website also offers programs for those looking to lose, gain or maintain weight. Visit www.tofindhealth.com. 

GASOLINE PRICES HAVE BEEN GOING UP AND DOWN in Ka`u and around the state. The cheapest gas this morning was at Kahuku Country market at $4.30 a gallon, followed by Kahala Gas in Ocean View at $4.35 and Ocean View Market at $4.36. In Na`alehu the 76 is selling for $4.35, and in Pahala, Ka`u Gas is selling for $4.40. 

KUMU MAILE YAMANAKA shares the Arts and Traditions of Hula at Kilauea on Tuesday at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. One-hour long sessions include Hula at 10:30 a.m., Lei Making at noon and `Ukulele and Hawaiian Music at 1:30 p.m.

ALSO AT HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Ranger Jason Zimmerman demonstrates how to make and play an `ohe hano ihu, or bamboo nose flute, on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai at Kilauea Visitor Center.

Foggy will play at the Memorial Day
Music Festival at Punalu`u.

THE MEMORIAL DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL at Punalu`u next Monday promises to be a day full of entertainment. The line-up includes rock ‘n’ roll by the Ka`u Gonzo Music Society, Foggy, the Mile 25 Band and an Elvis impersonator.

Ka`u News Briefs May 22, 2011

A monk seal sunning at Honu`apo.  Photo by Julia Neal

MORE MONK SEALS could be seen in Ka`u if a federal program to relocate pups to the main Hawaiian islands is approved to help save them from extinction. Only one in five monk seals are making it to adulthood in the northern, uninhabited Hawaiian atolls, and scientists believe it may be from competition for food from sharks. Such places as the Ka`u Coast do not have such high concentrations of sharks and may be a better nursery for the seal pups. Wildlife scientists say that there were 15,000 monk seals in Hawai`i in the past and that the population is crashing, with only about 1,500 remaining, according to a story by the Associated Press. Monk seals have hauled out in recent years near South Point and at Honu`apo and its estuary. 

Old Bay Clinic building to be preserved.

A CHALLENGE TO RAISE $15,000 to support the construction of the new Bay Clinic just off Hwy 11 in Na`alehu has been issued by an anonymous donor. The donations are due by June 11, the day of the Ka`u Family Fun Fest, which is also raising money for the project. The donor will match every dollar given for improvements of the Bay Clinic up to the $15,000. Bay Clinic is raising more than $3 million to build the new facility and restore the old plantation home that now serves as its Ka`u home.

Half-marathon will go along the old sugar cane haul road.

     In addition to the fundraising challenge, the Ka`u Family Fun Fest, based at Na`alehu Park, will include a half marathon on the old plantation road above Na`alehu, headed toward Pahala. It will put on a fishing tournament, archery, basketball, Jan Ken Po, Portuguese horseshoe tournaments and a hunter’s obstacle course. Mayor Billy Kenoi will conduct an auction. The event is sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou. Anyone wanting to donate money to the Bay Clinic restoration and new building fund can drop off checks at the Pahala, Na`alehu or Ocean View offices of the Ka`u Federal Credit Union, with the checks made payable to `O Ka`u Kakou. Please note that the funds are for Bay Clinic. Donations can also be made through an online form at okaukakou.com. 

CROWN CASTLE, which owns communications towers in Ka`u, has given permission for KAHU Radio to place a transmitter on one of its towers above Na`alehu on the mauka road to Pahala, according to Wendell Ka`ehu`ae`a, of KAHU Radio. The tower would help boost the signal to reach South Point and Ocean View and even toward Mountain View to complete the radio station’s coverage of the district. 

Del Mar's winning Ka`u Coffee BBQ
Chicken Summer Roll Wrap.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Deanna Del Mar with her
father. Photo by Julia Neal

DEANNA DEL MAR, of Wai`ohinu, won three Professional Division awards at the Ka`u Coffee Festival Recipe Contest last weekend. She took first in the Pupu category for her Ka`u Coffee BBQ Chicken Summer Roll Wrap with a Coffee BBQ Sauce; first in the Dessert II category (Candies, Drinks and other Desserts) for her Ka`u Cherry Spiced Coffee; and second in the Entrée category for her Ka`u Coffee Braised Kahuku Beef Tenderloin. Del Mar also won in 2009. Del Mar said she expected to win something but was shocked to win two firsts and a second. She works as a professional chef at Okolemaluna Tiki Lounge in Kailua-Kona and said she grew up around cooking and learned most of her skills from her father, a retired professional chef who specialized in ice carving and garnishing. Anyone interested in asking Del Mar for advice on cooking or about her recipes can call 929-7293. 

KUMU MAILE YAMANAKA shares the Arts and Traditions of Hula at Kilauea on Tuesday at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. One-hour long sessions include Hula at 10:30 a.m., Lei Making at noon and `Ukulele and Hawaiian Music at 1:30 p.m.

Danny Akaka, Jr. plays for the life of
Buddy Fo.  Photos by Julia Neal

Bruddah Walter said
he grew up wanting
to be like Buddy Fo.

MUSICIANS FROM NEAR AND FAR celebrated the 60-year career of Buddy Fo yesterday at Ocean View Community Center. Veteran Hawaiian singer Bruddah Walter, famous for selling more 45-rpm Hawaiian records than any other musician, said he wanted to be just like Buddy Fo and his band, the Invitations, when he was growing up. Danny Akaka, Jr. said he always appreciated how Buddy Fo took Hawaiian music on the road and helped make it more famous. Bolo, Tony Salvage, Moon Brown, Chris Yeaton and many others performed. 

Sammi Fo (center) will continue to
teach hula in Ocean View.

     At the end, Sammi Fo offered a feisty dance to celebrate the partying spirit of Buddy Fo. 

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP hosts Sacrifice for Freedom’s Sake in a special Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the KMC front lawn. Lt. Col. Rolland Niles, Commander of Pohakuloa Training Area, will deliver the keynote address. Representative Clift Tsuji, of House District 3, will be a guest speaker. Other participants include Pastor Bob Bruzelius, Erin Gallagher, Josh Timmons, Brianne Schlegelmilch, and the Waiakea High School Naval Junior ROTC. A buffet following the ceremony features pot roast, mahi mahi, clam chowder and salads in the Crater Rim Café from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The buffet is $13.75 for adults and $7.75 for children 6 – 11 years old.

Ka`u News Briefs May 21, 2011

Senior Class President Daryn Galigo.  Photos by Julia Neal

SIXTY-TWO STUDENTS make up the 2011 graduating class of Ka`u High School, and most of them made the walk to receive their diplomas last night at Ka`u High School Gym. Principal Sharon Beck bragged that graduates received $250,000 in scholarships, and 47 of them are going on to higher education, a growing percentage over years past. She noted that girls volleyball and wrestling went to state finals, and the musical group One Journey won the statewide Brown Bags to Stardom competition, a David over Goliath achievement from one of the smallest schools in the state.
     Beck said the class of 2011 has brought “leadership, energy, a great deal of laughter and yes - some stress, to the school. Parents, you have much to be proud of,” she proclaimed. 

     Senior Class President Daryn Galigo said, “We have learned to endure and overcome whatever tribulations come our way. It is time to show the world what we are capable of and give back to those who sacrificed to get us here.” 

Valedictorian Dakota Walker
and his grandmother.

Salutatorian Jaeneise Cuison.

     Salutatorian Jaeneise Cuison thanked teachers, coaches and family members for helping her overcome the fear of being a freshman and to become an adult. She said all the seniors contributed “blood, sweat and energy.”
     Sen. Daniel Akaka sent a letter saying “graduation is a milestone that allows us to reflect on past achievement and contemplate the future.” He urged students to “take an active part to make this a better Hawai`i.” 

     Valedictorian Dakota Walker won a full scholarship to Johns Hopkins University. He gave credit to his family and to teachers and coaches who, despite pay cuts and poor access to resources, “managed to make four years at Ka`u High School anything but a waste of time.” He said that no expensive private school provides the kind of love, understanding “and sheer effectiveness that you find at our school.”

Keynote speaker Kurt Dela Cruz.

     Keynote speaker Kurt Dela Cruz talked about his kid days in Ka`u when he was known as “Swingy,” living behind Matsumoto store in Na`alehu. He now works as a freshman counselor at University of Hawai`i in Hilo but still thinks of Ka`u as home. He urged the graduates not to “be shame” of their accomplishments. “Shame is when you steal,” he said, “not when you achieve. Shame is when you get your name in the paper – abuse of household member,” he joked. He urged students to always be proud of being from Ka`u and said that there is a glow, something special about everyone from this place. It can be seen in everyone from Navy commanders to attorneys and others who graduate from Ka`u High. He encouraged everyone to always remember where they come from.

THE SOUTHSIDE VOLLEYBALL CLUB is having a car wash today until noon at Ka`u Federal Credit Union in Na`alehu to raise funds to go the Nationals in Minnesota this summer. Baked good and desktop plants such as anthuriums rooted on lava rocks are also available for purchase.

Bo Lozoff performs
tonight in Volcano.

BO LOZOFF CELEBRATES the 70th birthday of Bob Dylan tonight at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Long hair and peace signs are encouraged. Tickets are $15 for this evening of great music and fun. 

FREE ART DEMONSTRATIONS and hands-on activities are featured at the annual Artists in Action event at Volcano Garden Arts in Volcano Village today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Activities include book making, jewelry making, relief printmaking, glass blowing, pottery making and metal tooling.

A GATHERING HONORING THE LIFE of legendary Hawaiian composer, musician and entertainer Buddy Fo will be held today at 4 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. He lived in Ocean View with his wife, Sammi. They were very active in the Hawaiian music scene in Ka`u, and Sammi plans to continue to teach hula.