Ka`u News Briefs May 7, 2012

Aia Ke Ola i Malama Wao Kele o Ka`u - Life is in Caring for the Wilderness of Ka`u - is the new Kathleen Kam mural
unveiled at the grand opening of the Ka`u Coffee Mill yesterday, which has set hours for its visitor center from 8 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal

THE STATE’S HAWAI`I OCEAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN goes to public meetings this month in Hilo and Kona. The plan directs the state’s Coastal Zone Management Program, adopted in 1994 and updated in 1998 and 2006. The plan covers shoreline and ocean resource protection, management and economic development. It not only involves keeping water clean and protection of endangered species and cultural sites, but also recreational use of the shoreline as well as coastal development.

      The responsible entity is the state Office of Planning’s Coastal Zone Management Program, which is taking public input with a 5:30 p.m. open house and 6:30 p.m. presentation on Wednesday, May 16 at West Hawai`i Civic Center and Thursday, May 17 at Hilo High School cafeteria. While no meetings are planned in Ka`u, residents from this part of the island are invited to give their input in person or by mail and online. Ka`u has the longest uninhabited coastline in Hawai`i, and planners say they are looking for increased community and government agency collaboration. For more see www.state.hi.us/dbedt/czm/ormp/ormp.php. Email ORMP_Update@dbedt.hawaii.gov. Send hard copies to Office of Planning, Coastal Zone Management Program, PO Box 2359, Honolulu, HI 96804. For more information, call 808-587-2846.

Carl Okuyama, of Island Market and Wiki-Wiki Mart in
Na`alehu, judges Cookies, Candies and Crackers in the
Triple C Recipe Contest during the first weekend of the
Ka`u Coffee Festival. Photo by Rachael Sauerman

HISTORIC PRESERVATION efforts by the state of Hawai`i are underfunded and could lose another big chunk of money if the state Office of Historic Preservation fails to retain its federal certification, a story in the Honolulu Star Advertiser reports this morning. Hawai`i could become the first state to lose its certification, says University of Hawai`i-Hilo professor of archaeology Peter Mills, and that would lead to a pullback in federal funding. 

       The story by Rob Perez says the federal government put the agency on a high risk status, pointing to lack of state funding and sufficient staff to do the job, failure to produce an adequate, searchable data base on historic and cultural sites, and failure to update the statewide historic preservation plan.

       The agency has unfilled positions for lead archaeologist on this island, Maui and O`ahu; three deputy archaeologists; a specialist on geographic information systems; and three other workers. The shortages have led to backlogs in reviewing proposed development plans and lack of an overall state plan to protect resources into the future. 

      According to the Honolulu Star Advertiser report, state Department of Land and Natural Resources chair William Aila, whose agency oversees the State Historic Preservation Division, said the DLNR plans to fill the positions and work toward federal requirements by next February, when the federal government plans to review progress in preserving historic sites in Hawai`i.
      Ka`u, with its vast open landscape, larger than any of the other islands and lacking intensive agriculture or development on its coastal lands, is considered to have the most number of archaeological and cultural sites in the state, with most of them unprotected.

EXEMPTION FROM COUNTY oversight for State of Hawai`i construction and development projects failed to pass the 2012 Legislature, which came to an end last week. Touted as an economic stimulus to fast-track and provide jobs for the construction industry, the initiative was met with opposition by agencies and community groups with long-term environmental, health and historic preservation concerns. 

CREATING A STATE BANK OF HAWAI`I also failed to make it through this year’s Legislature. The idea, based on the state bank of North Dakota formed in 1919 by farmers to help them with agricultural and home financing, was considered a threat to private institutions. The state bank legislation was co-introduced by Ka`u’s state Rep. Bob Herkes. Herkes joined four other state House of Representatives members to introduce House Bill 2103 to establish the state bank. Herkes said that the mission is to work with other banks, not against them. Its profits in North Dakota help fund the state budget and guarantee student loans.

      Herkes supported the idea particularly to help people who are facing foreclosure. The state bank would offer lower interest rates and monthly payments than original mortgages. He proposed the state bank purchasing troubled loans from Bank of America and other mortgage holders, whom Herkes claims conducted unfair mortgage practices.

Ka`u music ambassadors Kona Bob Stouffer, Keoki Kahumoku and students Derek Valez, Alysha Gustaffson-Sciivella,
Jamal Buyuon, Trevor Taylor, Altthea Ramones, Gabriel Santos and Kun Mongkya.

WAIKOLOA BOWL was the stage for Ka`u students on Saturday who performed for a huge audience during the annual hula and cultural celebration that attracts halau and Hawaiian musicians from around the world. They were led by Keoki Kahumoku with the help of Kona Bob Stouffer. The Ka`u students performing were Derek Valez, Alysha Gustaffson-Sciivella, Jamal Buyuon, Trevor Taylor, Altthea Ramones, Gabriel Santos and Kun Mongkya.

Ed Olson congratulates Triple C Recipe Contest Grand
Prize winner Chelsea Lynn Kauionalani Rosario with
a $500 check. Photo by Julia Neal

THIS IS KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL WEEK, and it began yesterday with the Triple C Recipe Contest for Cookies, Candies & Crackers during the Grand Opening of the Ka`u Coffee Mill on Wood Valley Road. Grand Prize winner, taking home $500, was Chelsea Lynn Kauionalani Rosario, of Ocean View, with her Biscotti, which took first in the Amateur Cracker category. Ka`u Coffee farmer Trinidad Marques, of Pahala, took first in the Professional Cookie competition, using her coffee that ranked in the top ten in the world during the recent Specialty Coffee Association of America competition. The name of her entry? Ka`u Kope Mocha Cookies. First in the Amateur Cookie category with her Ka`u John Bull Cookies was Ka`u Coffee farmer Lisa Dacalio, of Pahala. First in Amateur Candy was Gwen Edwards, of Kona, with her Ka`u Coffee Brigadeiros. 

      Malie Ibarra, of Pahala, won first in the student division with her Ka`u Coffee Toffee. All first place winners took home $150. Second place winners took home $100, and third place winners earned $50.
      Local chef Brad Hirata, of Ka`u Hospital; foodie Carl Okuyama, owner of Wiki-Wiki Mart and Island Market in Na`alehu; and Ka`u Coffee Mill founder Ed Olson served as judges. For more about the Ka`u Coffee Festival, see kaucoffeefest.com.

Ka`u Coffee farmer Trini Marques took first in the
Professional Cookie Competition, flanked by judge
Brat Hirata and Ka`u Coffee Mill manager
John Cross. Photo by Julia Neal

      The grand opening included entertainment with slack key and vocals by Moses and Keoki Kahumoku, cello and guitar by Andy Rising and Stephen Cline, the Ka`u `Ukulele Kids, and Ka`u School of the Arts’ Ka`u `Ohana Band and Ka`u Community Chorus. During the opening, Kathleen Kam’s new mural at Ka`u Coffee Mill was unveiled and named Aia Ke Ola I Malama Wao Kele o Ka`u, which translates to “Life is in Caring for the Wilderness of Ka`u.” The Ka`u Coffee Mill Visitor Center is now open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. View the milling, drying and roasting operations and visit the retail store. See kaucoffeemill.com.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK tomorrow features UH-Hilo’s vocal ensemble, Kapili Choir, performing an eclectic blend of gospel, early American and contemporary Hawaiian choral arrangements. The concert begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Two-dollar donations support park programs. Park entrance fees apply.

ORAL ABIHAI shares his passion for creating `ukulele from discarded or naturally fallen pieces of wood Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The event is free, and park entrance fees apply.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT WWW.PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND WWW.KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.