Ka`u News Briefs Aug. 31, 2012

Early whale sightings in Miloli`i and Kona usher in an early season for the humpback whales' annual trip to winter in Hawaiian waters. Photo from NOAA

THE EARLIEST HUMPBACK WHALE SIGHTINGS recorded for the annual arrival of the giant marine mammals to Hawai`i are in. Justin Viezbicke, coordinator for the National Marine Sanctuary on this island, said an unconfirmed report came in from Miloli`i Wednesday evening followed by a confirmed report with photographs Thursday morning from Honokohau Harbor. He said the early sighting could simply mean that summer arrivals haven’t been recorded in the past, since whales spend much of their time under water.

This humpback whale was seen yesterday at Honokohau Harbor.
Photo by Deron Verbeck/iamaquatic.com

      Ocean users are reminded to keep a safe distance from these visitors to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Endangered humpback whales are protected in Hawai`i, and federal regulations prohibit approaching within 100 yards of whales when on the water. Anyone seeing a marine mammal in distress, entangled or being harassed can call Viezbicke at 987-0765.

FLAGS FLY AT HALF MAST today honoring Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, who died at the age of 82. Armstrong and other scientists and engineers studying the moon and other planets like Mars have come to the Ka`u desert to study the terrain, which in some ways is similar.

Quake near the Philippine city of Legaspi may lead to strong currents
and unusual waters off the coast of Ka`u this afternoon.
Photo by George de Jesus, Philippines Coast Guard

COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE has issued an advisory stemming from a 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck off the Philippines this morning, triggering a tsunami watch for Hawai`i and other Pacific locations. While the tsunami watch has been cancelled, county Civil Defense said there could be small changes in coastal waters and strong currents beginning around 12:30 p.m. today and lasting for several hours. 

AG TOURISM rules and regulations are drawing testimony to the County Council, which will tweak new legislation already passed by both Planning Commissions on the Island. Deborah Ward, owner of Laiku Organic Farm and Special Ti Nursery, wrote to the Council that major agri-tourism operations that would bring in up to 30,000 visitors a year should be required to submit a plan for review and approval to the County Planning Department. She also suggested that operations calling themselves agritourism should be required to prove at least 50 percent of revenue coming from the agriculture part of the business. She also suggested requiring neighbors be notified of pending agritourism operations, the site inspected, legal road access demonstrated and legal handling of solid waste confirmed for both major and minor agritourism operations. She said she is also concerned that operations defined as minor agricultural tourism “would have no oversight” and could “effectively inject into the rural agricultural setting the potential for high traffic, poor road access, no required signage, no provision for sewage disposal, no security for neighboring operations, with up to 15,000 private vehicles or 1,300 tour vans per year.”
      A public hearing on the issue will be held in County Council chambers in Hilo next Monday.

Tulsi Gabbard

TULSI GABBARD, who won the Democratic Primary to replace the vacated District 2 seat of Mazie Hirono in Congress, will be a speaker at the Democratic Party Convention to be held next week in North Carolina. She is scheduled for a presentation to be led by U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi entitled Women in Congress. She will stand beside six  Democratic Congresswomen and one other candidate. When starting her campaign, Gabbard came to Ka`u and spoke about her support for the military and such local issues as preserving agricultural land for food production. 

THE ELECTRIC BILL for Hawai`i County may be discussed during the Public Utility Commission proceedings on the `Aina Koa Pono case. Hawaiian Electric Light Co. wrote to the PUC this week saying the utility has no objection to the county participating in the case as long as the county does not delay the proceedings, sticks to the case and follows the rules. The county asked to participate, with Mayor Billy Kenoi stating that the county is looking for less expensive renewable energy rather than more renewable energy and that the county will oppose the proposal for HELCO to purchase electricity through a 20-year contract from `Aina Koa Pono if the contract will lead to increases in electrical rates. The county says it paid HELCO $30 million last year and expects to pay $40 million this year. The `Aina Koa Pono and HELCO plan would involve construction of a refinery above Pahala using trees, brush and grasses to make pellets which would be made into biofuel which would be transported to the HELCO power plant near Kona airport. See more on the PUC website at puc.hawaii.gov.

KMC Chapel will be decommissioned on Oct. 1 by
the U.S. Army. Photo from KMC

KMC’S CHAPEL will be decommissioned on Oct.1, its management to be turned over to the Hale Koa Hotel, the overseer of Kilauea Military Camp’s visitor accommodations. The chapel is used by Kilauea Drama & Entertainment Network and St. Theresa’s Catholic Church. 

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES has applied for direct flights from Haneda, near Tokyo, to Kona. The daily flights would begin next spring. The opportunity comes with the cancellation of a direct flight between Haneda and Detroit this November. Japan Airlines operated the Kona flight from 1996 until October 2010. Hawaiian is likely to compete with other airlines with proposed flights from other places to land in Haneda. Hawaiian Airline spokesman Keoni Wagner called the route an opportunity to help the Big Island economy, which was hurt by the cancellation of the JAL flights two years ago.

Free vision and other health screenings come to Ka`u tomorrow.

WE … A HUI FOR HEALTH’S mobile health van comes to Ka`u tomorrow. Health screenings include retinal, lung function, glucose, blood pressure, take-home kidney function, women’s health, hepatitis and hearing. Counseling regarding learning disabilities, smoking cessation, family caregiving, organ donating and more is also available. Screenings are on a walk-in basis. The van will be at Ocean View farmers market from 8 a.m. to noon and at Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center in Pahala from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more, contact Annie at 808-282-2265 or annie@projectvisionhawaii.com.

Ka Hula by Kathy Long

KATHY LONG TEACHES DRAWING BASICS at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Long shares techniques to bring depth and life to participants’ drawings. Participation is $60 for the general public and $54 for members. The cost includes supplies and a print from the artist. Pre-registration required. For more, call 967-8222. 

SHIZUNO NASU TEACHES CREATIVE FLOW AND DANCE to all levels tomorrow from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Nasu uses warm-up and expressive dance movements based on Hara Tanden chi energy. Advanced registration advised. General admission is $45; members pay $40. For more, call 967-8222 or email julie@volcanoartcenter.org.

KA`U TROJANS PLAY THEIR FIRST HOME GAME of the season tomorrow vs. HPA beginning at 6 p.m. Also on Saturday is volleyball at Kealakehe at 10 a.m., cross country at HPA at 10 a.m., air riflery at Kamehameha Schools at 10 a.m. and bowling at Hilo Lanes at 9 a.m. vs. Kea`au and at 1 p.m. vs. Waiakea.

Volcano Art Center presents an evening of
comedy tomorrow.

LOL, LADIES OUT LOUD, takes place tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The evening of comedy includes performances by Ki MiChele, Kathleen Butler, Shena Jungle Queen, Katie Schuerch and Karen Blue, Angie Libadisos, Jenny Chin, Jennifer Wharton, Tanya Aynessazian and Sherri Carden; $10 admission. For more information, call 967-8222 or visit volcanoartcenter.org.

THE SEPTEMBER KA`U CALENDAR is now online at www.kaucalendar.com and can be downloaded to read and print out. The print run each month is 7,500, with more than 5,300 mailed to readers. The September edition features stories on the upcoming County Council runoff, upcoming hearings on the `Aina Koa Pono proposal, thousands of acres along the Ka`u Coast slated for preservation, a call for artists to join The Directory cover contest and sports and community stories and calendars.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM/KAUNEWS.

Ka`u News Briefs Aug. 30, 2012

Sen. Dan Inouye, U.S. Mint Denver Plant Manager David Croft and Hawai`i Volcanoes Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando roll out the new quarters from ipu. Photo by Jay Robinson, National Park Service

U.S. MINT QUARTERS HONORING HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK rolled into circulation yesterday at the Kahua Hula, which looks out over Halema`uma`u Crater.

HFS Federal Credit Union exchanged about
$35,000 in cash for rolls of the new 

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park quarters. 

Photo by Jay Robinson, National Park Service

The new Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park
quarter on the ceremonial imu platter. 

Photo by Jay Robinson, National Park Service

     The ceremonial circulation began as Hawai`i Volcanoes Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando, Sen. Daniel Inouye and U.S. Mint Denver manager David Croft poured $500 in quarters from two calabashes onto a koa platter. The U.S. Mint plans to print 64 million of the Volcano quarters at its Denver and Philadelphia coin making plants. Yesterday, HFS Federal Credit Union exchanged $35,000 in quarters for cash brought to the celebration by collectors. The credit union plans to offer the quarters at all branches starting today until they run out.
     Inouye called the legendary volcano goddess Madame Pele “our mother,” and said, “This is where Hawai`i was born.” He told the large crowd the quarter will help the world know more about Hawai`i and the volcano.

United States Mint Denver Plant Manager David Croft gives island keiki a free
quarter. Photo by Jay Robinson, National Park Service

      Orlando said: “We are honored to have been selected as the park that represents the State of Hawai`i in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. It’s exciting to think that our quarter will circulate across the nation starting today, and that it will be possible for almost anyone to pull a coin from their pocket and be reminded of such an extraordinary destination and national park. This quarter could inspire more people to visit the Island of Hawai`i, and to visit and support the mission of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. This amazing quarter is worth far more than its face value of 25 cents; it is vital to the economic well-being of both our island and state economies. To the national park, and to the state, it is truly priceless.”
      She noted that Volcanoes became a national park in 1916 – the same year the National Park Service itself was founded and that Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and an UNESCO World Heritage Site in November of 1987. “How appropriate that our new park quarter, our 25 cent piece, is released the same year we celebrate our 25th anniversary of World Heritage status,” said Orlando. 

HOW BIG SHOULD AGRI-TOURISM BE? This is a discussion before the County Council as it completes rulemaking for agri-tourism businesses on agriculturally zoned lands. New rules were already passed by both county Planning Commissions. 

Under new rules, small farms could host visitors to learn about Hawaiian agriculture.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

      A public hearing is set for next Tuesday, Sept. 4, at 6 p.m. in the Hilo County Council Chambers. The public can also testify from Pahoa, Kona and Waimea council offices through videoconferencing and by writing the County Council. According to a Nancy Cook Lauer story in this morning’s Hawai`i Tribune Herald, County Council chair Dominc Yagong, who called for the hearing, said “There were some concerns about the number of vehicles that would be visiting rural areas. On the other hand, it would be a way to stimulate the economy and provide opportunities for farmers to expand their portfolios.”

      The legislation before the council would allow minor agri-tourism businesses that annually accommodate fewer than 15,000 visitors and a weekly maximum of 350 visitors, who would be limited to arriving to the site by vehicles with 15 passengers or less. A major agri-tourism business would be allowed annually to host no more than 30,000 visitors and tour buses would be allowed.
      Once the rules are in place, they will go into effect immediately. Agri-tourism businesses on ag zoned land will be required to submit a plan for approval, which will be reviewed within 30 days by the county Planning Department. 

LEASING OUT STATE LANDS for businesses and development has drawn mostly criticism at public meetings around the state in recent weeks. According to a Sophie Cocke story in Civil Beat this morning, some testifiers are asking for the new Public Land Development Corporation law to allow more aggressive development of state lands be overturned by the 2013 legislature. 

      At last night’s meeting in Honolulu, several dozen opponents belonging to the Unite Here, Local 5 hotel workers union, carried signs saying “Public Land, Public Input, Don’t Sell Off Our `Aina.” Its treasurer, Eric Gill, said, “It’s not about the rules, it’s about the legislation itself. This PLDC issue brought the union and environmentalists together because we all fear that the government is giving too much power and too much influence to banks and developer and not us,” Civil Beat reported.
      Civil Beat also reported on former Board of Land and Natural Resources chair Laura Theilen saying the new program will run counter to the Department of Land & Natural Resources mission to protect public lands and opened “the door for sweetheart deals that may generate revenue, but not for the DLNR.”
      Those testifying about the rules for the new PLDC included Robert Harris, Sierra Club Executive Director, who contended that proposed PLCC rules lacked sufficient environmental controls, Civil Beat reported.

      Mililani Trask, a native Hawaiian and attorney on a proposal for a geothermal project that could involve state lands, says she could work with the PLDC, but not for “the state practice of allowing private sector and foreign companies to develop our resources.”
      Supporting the PLDC was the General Contractors Association and the developers group Land Use Research Foundation.  See more at www.civilbeat.com.

KA`U COMMUNITY MEMBERS and others from Hawai`i Island are encouraged to join the Big Island Community Coalition. The organization states their top priority as making "Big Island electricity rates the lowest in the state by emphasizing the use of local resources.” Michelle Galimba, a member of the organizations steering committee, says "Our island community needs a voice in talking about our energy future with HECO/HELCO. The more names we have together the stronger the voice." To join or for more information, visit bigislandcommunitycoalition.com.

Hester's Farm is again selling their Pahala grown vegetables in front of
Ace Hardware on Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to noon. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

ACE HARDWARE IN NA`ALEHU is hosting local farmers and merchants again, some of whom have split from the Ka`u Farmers' Market to continue selling at their former location. The vendors at Ace include Hester's Farm (Wednesdays only, from 7 a.m. to noon) with a wide variety of locally grown vegetables; Island Valley Delights with locally made jams, jellies and breads; LeiMona with handmade body creams and soaps; and Pacific Quest with a selection of organic locally grown fruits and vegetables. These vendors and others now operate under the name Na`alehu Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. To join the market email richwitt1@hotmail.com.

KA`U FARMERS' MARKET, managed by Na`alehu Main Street, is still operating on the grounds of Shaka's Restaurant & Bar on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. For more about the Ka`u Farmers' Market call 339-1032 or 345-9374.

OCEAN VIEW DEVELOPMENT CORP. meets tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the community center.

Kathy Long teaches a drawing class in Volcano Saturday.
Image from Kathy Long

UPCOMING SPORTS lineup for this Saturday for Ka`u High includes the first home game for the Trojan football team. Trojans play HPA beginning at 6 p.m. Also on Saturday is Volleyball at Kealakehe at 10 a.m.; Cross Country at HPA at 10 a.m.; Air-Rifery at Kamehameha Schools at 10 a.m.; Bowling at Hilo Lanes at 9 a.m. vs. Kea`au and at 1 p.m. vs. Waiakea.

DRAWING BASICS, taught by Kathy Long at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village, is held this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Long shares techniques to bring depth and life to participants’ drawings. Participation is $60 for the general public and $54 for members - the cost includes supplies and a print from the artist. Pre-registration required. For more, call 967-8222.

DANCING ON THE EARTH is hosted Saturday, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Shizuno Nasu teaches creative flow and dance to all levels using warm-up and expressive dance movements based on Hara Tanden chi energy. Advanced registration advised. General admission is $45, members pay $40. For more, call 967-8222 or email julie@volcanoartcenter.org.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM/KAUNEWS.

Ka`u News Briefs Aug. 29, 2012

The new Volcano Quarter can be acquired after today's ceremonies and online.  See www.govmint.com. Image from U.S. Mint

THE U.S. MINT and Sen. Daniel Inouye come to Volcano today for the  release of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park quarter. Activities will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the park’s Kahua Hula, with a ceremony and an opportunity for the public to exchange for $10 rolls of the commemorative quarters. 

Sen. Dan Inouye.
Photo by Frank Chow

      The new quarter is part of the U.S. Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program. The coin features an engraved image of an eruption on Kilauea’s East Rift Zone on its tails side and inscriptions that read HAWAII VOLCANOES, HAWAII 2012 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.
      It was designed and sculpted by U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Charles L. Vickers.  The Hawai`i Volcanoes’ quarter is the fourth quarter to be launched in 2012, and the 14th in a series of 56 circulating America the Beautiful Quarters.
      Designs are symbolic of a national park or other national site in each state, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.

Charles Vickers, of the U.S. Mint,
designed the new quarter, honoring
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Photo from U.S. Mint

     All coins in the program feature a portrait of George Washington and the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and QUARTER DOLLAR, on the heads side.
      “This highly collectible quarter is a significant milestone for Hawai`i
 Volcanoes National Park, for the residents of Hawai`i, and for the Hawai`i Island destination. Now everyone can carry a reminder of Hawai`i’s first World Heritage Site in their pocket,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando.
      County of Hawai`i Tourism Specialist Stephanie Donoho will serve as master of ceremonies, and representatives from the U.S. Mint, the governor’s office, and the state delegation will participate.
The ceremony will take place at the park’s Kahua Hula, south of Kilauea Visitor Center, on Crater Rim Drive. The event is free, but park entrance fees apply.

SOLICITING RENEWABLE ENERGIES to power public schools is a goal of the state Department of Education, which is looking for companies to execute a plan to reach renewable energy goals of 90 percent sustainability by 2040. According to a Duane Shimogawa report in Pacific Business News, the state will issue a request for proposals by the year’s end, asking that renewable-energy developers come up with power-purchase agreements that carry no upfront costs to the DOE.

Russell Ruderman, running for state Senate to represent
residents from Punalu`u through Volcano and Puna.
Photo from Russell Ruderman

     “If successful, it would lower the state’s largest single expense – education – which accounts for roughly one-fourth of the more than $5.5 billion general fund,” says the story in PBN.

      Russell Ruderman, who won the primary election for the state Senate seat that runs from Punalu`u through Volcano and Puna, said that "now would be the time" to make sure that solar voltaics will be installed on the rooftops of the new $20 million Ka`u shelter and gym complex in Pahala that breaks ground this fall. Whether the photo voltaics are funded by private enterprise, the county or the state, “it makes sense to set up voltaics as the complex is built,” said Ruderman. He also said that photo voltaics should be designed for the shelter in order to stand alone during emergency situations when HELCO could be cut off from the community. “It is important that this renewable energy instalation will have the ability to operate independently of the grid.”
      One of Ruderman’s campaign promises is to take down barriers to solar power becoming a major contributor to creating electricity in Hawai`i.

FREE FARM AND MILL TOURS begin seven days a week, this weekend at Ka`u Coffee. The tours take visitors through the processing from pulping to drying, husking and roasting. The Ka`u Coffee Mill Visitor Center, on Wood Valley Road, also hosts a collection of original art by Kathleen Kam, including murals that depict the wildlife, volcanoes, seascape and agricultural history of Ka`u. The visitor center also provides Ka`u Coffee tasting, a Ka`u Coffee Wall of Fame, featuring Ka`u’s famed coffee farmers. and a store with coffee, macadamia, logo wear and gift sales. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

At last years event a sugar truck was decorated in flowers, ti leaves and cane to open Ka`u Plantation Days.
Photo by Michael Neal

THE KA`U PLANTATION DAYS event is set for Saturday, Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the Manager’s House, also known as Pahala Plantation House, on the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets. Hawaiian, Japanese, Portuguese, Filipino and Chinese family members will offer displays and storytelling about the multiethnic evolution of the local community. Ethnic dance and food, historic photos of ranches, villages and the sugar can era will go on display. Poi pounding and an `ukulele jam are on the schedule. A parade with pa`u riders and sugar cane trucks begins at 9 a.m. following a pule. The event was originally set for Oct. 13, but moved to Oct. 6. Entrance and activities are free. For information call 928-0303.

KA`U LADIES VARSITY VOLLEYBALL team beat the Waiakea Warriors at Ka`u High School gymnasium, 25-23, 25-12, 25-18. “The whole team worked together for a great victory last night,” head coach Joshua Ortega said. This is the first time that Ka`u Ladies have outscored Waiakea in the memory of fans who attended the game, said Ortega.

DEPT. OF WATER SUPPLY INVITES THE PUBLIC to meet with representatives tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center to discuss Ocean View’s well and distribution of water. According to DWS, the meeting is in response to “increased reports of incorrect information in the community.” A report with answers to frequently asked questions is available online at hawaii.dws.org.

OCEAN VIEW DEVELOPMENT CORP. meets Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. at the community center. 

Free health screenings, including retinal scans, are offered in Ka`u this
Saturday. Photo from projectvisionhawaii.com

FREE MOBILE HEALTH-SCREENINGS are offered this Saturday in Ka`u by WE … A Hui For Health. The mobile health van will be at Ocean View farmers market from 8 a.m. to noon and at Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center in Pahala from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Health screenings include retinal, lung function, glucose, blood pressure, take-home kidney function, women’s health, hepatitis and hearing. Counseling regarding learning disabilities, smoking cessation, family caregiving, organ donating and more is also available. Screenings are on a walk-in basis. For more, contact Annie at 808-282-2265 or annie@projectvisionhawaii.com.

AN EVENING OF COMEDY - LOL, Ladies Out Loud - is hosted Saturday at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Scheduled to perform are Ki MiChele, Kathleen Butler, Shena Jungle Queen, Katie Schuerch and Karen Blue, Angie Libadisos, Jenny Chin, Jennifer Wharton, Tanya Aynessazian and Sherri Carden; $10 admission. For more information, call 967-8222 or visit volcanoartcenter.org.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM/KAUNEWS.

Ka`u News Briefs Aug. 28, 2012

Cultural, archaeological and natural resources preservation, along with education, recreation and preserving scenic vistas are
reasons given in the nomination papers for Kaunamano. Photo from Hawai`i Pacific Brokers

INCREDIBLE VISTAS FROM HIGHWAY 11 of land visited by campers, fishermen and opihi pickers, and preservation of archaeological sites and natural resources are reasons listed in the campaign to preserve Kaunamano, the 1,363-acres up for nomination before the county Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. The proposal from Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo says another purpose would be for public outdoor recreation and education, including access to beaches.

Kaunamano extends along four miles of Ka`u Coastline from below the
 lookout over Honu`apo and south toward Kalae.
Photo from Hawai`i Pacific Brokers.

      A petition for support is being circulated by Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo. Call executive director Lehua Lopez-Mau at 929-9891.

      The property extends from the pasture below Honu`apo Lookout on Hwy 11 to the ocean and four miles down the coast. Several plans have been made to subdivide the slope below the lookout into 20-acre agricultural lots to build houses that would give buyers views of Honu`apo and the Ka`u Coast all the way to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The houses would be built on what is now in pasture and in the view plane of the lookout. However, the owner, pending purchase for the preserve, has taken the property off the market.

      The lookout, one of only two in Ka`u, offers the view of the pasture that drops off to the ocean, as well as Hawaiian fishponds, estuaries and the more than 300 acres already preserved between Hwy 11 and the ocean, from Whittington Pier to the lava flow, and another 800 acres from Kawa toward Punalu`u.

Keiki and their parents learned about testing for salinity at
Honu`apo estuary last Sunday. Photo by Sean P. King

      The proposal to the commission says Kaunamano shoreline is used by fishermen from both Ka`u and other districts and islands who camp, fish and pick opihi. “Besides shell-fish resources used for subsistence, other marine resources prized by local fishermen for their recreational as well as subsistence use include fish species like ulua and moi. Native plant species `akuikuli (sea purslane) and beach `ilima can also be found at the shoreline. Protection of the marine and shoreline natural resources are necessary to provide these resources to future generations as marine resources in other areas of Hawai`i Island become ‘fished out..’” the proposal says.

      “Because of the 4-wheel drive access and the continued use of the coastline by Ka`u residents, educational opportunities to instruct local students (and their families) in ancient and modern methods of sustainable fishing and shell-fish picking using values of kuleana (responsibility) and malama (taking care) would greatly increase the motivation and ability of future residents to preserve and protect the natural resources in this area.”
      The proposal mentions the Hwy 11 pull-out and overlook for visitors as having “incredible ocean vistas. This same overlook and area attracts dozens of kite-flyers from around the island almost every weekend of the year for recreational purposes.”

Keiki collected trash at Honu`apo estuary
on Sunday. Photo by Sean P. King

      “Because there are no trees on this land, the huge, open vistas from the top of the property down to the shoreline allow ocean views almost unparalleled from any other site in Ka`u. Kaunamano’s natural beauty is so vast that the tourist overlook at one end of the property above Honu`apo Bay, attracts scores of visitors, year-round, to park and enjoy the views that extend from Punalu`u on the north to near the south end of Kaunamano,” the nomination papers say. 

Photo by Sean P. King

      In the nominating papers, Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo notes that it sponsors Keiki and `Opio Workshops at the adjacent Honu`apo Park “teaching these same values and methods to local island children (from Ka`u and other areas of Hawai`i Island) about the marine, historical, and cultural resources of the Honu`apo area. Ka `Ohana would be pleased to expand its educational workshops to include both the mile of coastline resources now protected as a county park and these adjacent four miles of shoreline assets.” 

      An archaeological survey of the property in 2004 reported 444 sites with more than 3,900 features, including enclosures, mounds, platforms, walls, alt pans, walled terraces, trails, petroglyphs, papamu, heiau, a refuge cave and other lava tubes, ceremonial sites and burial sites.

Hawai`i Wildlife Fund marine biologists taught keiki about wetland
and marine ecology. Photo by Sean P. King

SCIENCE SUNDAY AT THE PARK brought several families with their keiki out to Honu`apo to learn more about marine ecology. 

     Representatives from Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo, Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, `Imi Pono No Ka `Aina, Three Mountain Alliance, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Hawksbill Sea Turtle Recovery Project, The Nature Conservancy, Big Island Invasive Species Council, and Department of Land & Natural Resources’ Division of Aquatic Resources provided interactive educational games and activities, including mask-coloring, spin-the-wheel trivia, trash collecting, water sampling, truck painting, mock fish transects, species identification and catch and release games. 

Photo by Sean P. King

Keiki painted sea creatures on the new
Hawai`i Wildlife Fund truck.
Photo by Sean P. King 

     Keiki were encouraged to visit each booth and learn a few facts, receiving a signature in return, in order to enter the prize raffle. Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u and Queen Lili`uokalani Children’s Center provided a free lunch to all who came. Pacific Quest volunteered, helping set up and break down the event. For more information about events at the park, visit honuapopark.org. 

THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS  will hold a community meeting at Pahala Community Center at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 17. The meeting involves the regional plan for Ka`u and organizers ask for input for the community. Hawaiian Home Lands staff and all the commissioners from around the islands are expected to attend. 

     The Ka`u Hawaiian Home Lands association urges everyone to attend. The commissioners for the island of Hawai`i are Leimana Dematte and Ian Leiloy. The President of the Ka`u Hawaiian Home Lands Association is Jeff Kekoa. Vice President is Liz Kuluwaimaka, Secretary is Darlyne Vierra and Treasurer is Stephanie Tabada. The Ka`u Regional Plan can be read at hawaiianhomelands.org.

THE NEW QUARTER, celebrating Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, is the topic of tonight’s After Dark in the Park program beginning at 7 p.m. in Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. $2 donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply. 

CEREMONIAL RELEASE of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park quarter takes place tomorrow from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the park’s Kahua Hula south of Kilauea Visitor Center on Crater Rim Drive. HFS Federal Credit Union will provide $10 rolls of the commemorative quarters for exchange. The event is free, and park entrance fees apply.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO MEET with Department of Water Supply representatives tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center to discuss Ocean View’s well and distribution of water. According to DWS, the meeting is in response to “increased reports of incorrect information in the community.” A report with answers to frequently asked questions is available online at hawaii.dws.org.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM/KAUNEWS.

Ka`u News Briefs Aug. 27, 2012

EWM Enterprises owns the slope below Honu`apo lookout, is willing to sell the 1,363 coastal acres for preservation.
Photos from Hawai`i Pacific Brokers.

KA `OHANA `O HONU`APO has nominated for county purchase the 1,363-acre Kaunamano Ranch along the Ka`u Coast. If the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission accepts the nomination, it will go to County Council and mayor for final approval. The land includes pasture below Honu`apo scenic lookout on Hwy 11 and extends south four miles along the Ka`u Coast toward Kalae. The property had been listed for $112 million. According to the owner's Realtor Charles Anderson, it was taken off the market pending its possible purchase for preservation.

The land targeted for preservation includes about 4 miles of Ka`u Coast.

      The community group, Ka `Ohana `O Honu`apo, which co-manages the existing Honu`apo preserve and park with the County of Hawai`i, has launched a petition drive to support purchase of Kaunamano, which is owned by EWM Enterprises, LP, which bought it from the old Ka`u sugar company after the plantation shut down. According to Ka `Ohana `O Honu`apo president Ken Sugai, EWM is cooperating with the nonprofit organization and willing to sell for an independent appraisal price. Ka `Ohana is looking to the Two Percent fund that comes from county property taxes for funding. Other federal and state sources may be approached, said Lehua Lopez-Mau, executive director of Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo.

Ka `Ohana hopes the 2% Fund will help pay for the land.

      Sugai said that representatives of the owner met with Lopez-Mau to visit the property and are interested in helping to conserve the view plane from the lookout, as well as the numerous cultural and natural resources on the land that stretchesd along the coastline toward South Point.
      Said Sugai, “We want to keep the rural flavor of Ka`u. This is for our kids and our grandkids. This is the last area in the state of Hawai`i with minimal development along the shore. It really is for everyone statewide and for visitors to enjoy the scenic drive through Ka`u and the rugged unspoiled coastline.”
       See more on Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo at www.honuapopark.org.

Coffee berry borer

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS have an opportunity to meet with Colombian coffee berry borer expert Dr. Luis Aristizabal tomorrow and ask him questions about controlling CBB in English or Spanish. Interested parties are asked to meet at Pahala Shopping Center Tuesday at 9 a.m. Aristizabal, who is currently with University of Florida, has spent his career focusing on control of pests in coffee and has done participatory research with farmers on CBB management for many years. He conducted an integrated pest management workshop in Kealakekua this past Friday and Saturday.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND sponsors an anchialine pool cleanup on the Ka`u Coast tomorrow. Volunteers can sign up for with Megan Lamson at 769-7629 or kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

THE NEW QUARTER celebrating Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is the topic of tomorrow’s After Dark in the Park program beginning at 7 p.m. in Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. $2 donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.

CEREMONIAL RELEASE of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park quarter takes place Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the park’s Kahua Hula south of Kilauea Visitor Center on Crater Rim Drive. HFS Federal Credit Union will provide $10 rolls of the commemorative quarters for exchange. The event is free, and park entrance fees apply.

Ocean view well and water distribution is the topic of a community
meeting Wednesday. Photo from DWS

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO MEET with Department of Water Supply representatives Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center to discuss Ocean View’s well and distribution of water. According to DWS, the meeting is in response to “increased reports of incorrect information in the community.” A report with answers to frequently asked questions is available online at hawaii.dws.org. One of the questions is, “How were the funds expended?” The DWS response is: “A total of $6.415 million was spent on this project. The State of Hawai`i, Department of Accounting and General Services, managed project funds and paid all expenses for this project. Additionally, the Mayor’s Office supplemented another $400,000.00 in County funds to upsize the reservoir from 100,000 gallons of storage capacity to 300,000 gallons. Even further, the County of Hawai`i Fire Department gave approximately $15,000.00 for the installation of a fire hydrant on Lehua Lane for use in emergencies. Lastly, in lieu of the County outsourcing the project administrative services, the DWS administered the project at no additional cost. This resulted in additional savings of approximately 5-10 percent of the total cost.”

WE … A HUI FOR HEALTH brings its health-screening van to Ka`u this Saturday. It will be at Ocean View farmers market from 8 a.m. to noon and at Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center in Pahala from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Health screenings include retinal, lung function, glucose, blood pressure, take-home kidney function, women’s health, hepatitis and hearing. Counseling regarding learning disabilities, smoking cessation, family caregiving, organ donating and more is also available. The screenings are free and on a walk-in basis. For more, contact Annie at 808-282-2265 or annie@projectvisionhawaii.com.

LOL, LADIES OUT LOUD, is an evening of comedy Saturday at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Scheduled to perform are Ki MiChele, Kathleen Butler, shena Jungle Queen, Katie Schuerch and Karen Blue, Angie Libadisos, Jenny Chin, Jennifer Wharton, Tanya Aynessazian and Sherri Carden. Admission is $10. For more information, call 967-8222 or visit volcanoartcenter.org.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM/KAUNEWS.

Ka`u News Briefs Aug. 26, 2012

Terrain around the Mars rover Opportunity created from 817 images taken by a panoramic camera. Scientists
 involved with the mission, including Dr. Ray Arvidson, come to Ka`u to study similar landscapes. Photo from NASA

Neil Armstrong trained in Hawai`i Volcanoes
National Park.

NEIL ARMSTRONG TRAINED AT HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK for his Apollo 11 mission, where he became the first human to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969, calling it “one giant leap for mankind.” On their return to Earth, Armstrong and astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins landed in Hawaiian waters.

      Armstrong, who died yesterday at the age of 82, was one of many engineers and scientists who come to the park and Ka`u Desert to become familiar with unusual landscapes before spacecrafts journey to other planets. The local volcanic landscapes show similarities to moonscapes and terrains of other planets like Mars, where scientists discovered that most Martian lava is basalt, much like Hawaiian volcanoes.

Dr. Ray Arvidson, a Mars rover scientist, brings researchers
and students to Ka`u each year to study the landscape.

      Annually, Dr. Ray Arvidson, James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University St. Louis, brings researchers and students to Ka`u, making Pahala Plantation House their base station and conducting research in the Ka`u Desert and national park.

Apollo 13 astronauts Fred Haise and Jim Lovell studied
the surface of volcanoes in Hawai`i Volcanoes National
Park.  Photo from NASA

      Arvidson was a leader in the Spirit rover mission on Mars. He currently works as mission deputy scientist for Opportunity, a Mars rover studying Martian soils and traveling far beyond its expected abilities. In its eighth year on Mars, Opportunity recently discovered minerals formed from water flowing out of volcanic rocks, the best evidence yet of liquid on the Red Planet. 

      While Opportunity lost its rover partner when Spirit quit communicating with Earth, Arvidson recently told the Associated Press, “We’re going on eight years, but we’re not done yet.”
      NASA’s newer and larger rover, Curiosity, recently traveled 352 million miles to land on Mars on Aug. 6. Along with Opportunity, it is sending amazing images and data.
      See NASA’s Curiosity mission link at http://www.nasa.gov/mis-sion_pages/msl/index.html and a You Tube video on Spirit and Opportunity at http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/24098.aspx.

THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES and Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust urge Hawai`i residents to report wildlife crimes, including illegal wild animal transport or abandonment. In January, HSUS set up a confidential, toll-free tip line for the Department of Land and Natural Resource’s Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement, 1-855-DLNR-TIP, to report information on wildlife crimes. Callers may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for these crimes.

Report illegal wild animal transport or abandonment at
1-855-DLNR-TIP. 

      In June, Gov. Neil Abercrombie enacted Senate Bill 3001; Act 144, sponsored by Sen. Gil Kahele and supported by HSUS, DLNR and others, to explicitly prohibit the possession, transport or release of wild deer. Under the new state law, first time violators face a misdemeanor charge with a mandatory fine of not less than $10,000 and payment of any costs incurred in the eradication of any deer and the deer’s progeny who has been possessed, transferred, transported, or released after transport, or by imprisonment of not more than one year, or both.
      Under the federal Lacey Act, violators can face either a misdemeanor charge with up to one year in jail and a $100,0000 fine or a felony charge with a maximum fine of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years, or both, and civil penalties of up to $10,000.
      Big Island residents are asked to report deer sightings at 443-4036.

The 3.9 quake is in blue in the ocean, between
underwater volcano Lo`ihi and Punalu`u.
Map from USGS

THREE EARTHQUAKES registered around Ka`u yesterday. The largest was a 3.9, out in the ocean between Punalu`u and the underwater volcano Lo`ihi. The quake struck about 11 miles east-southeast of Na`alehu and woke up some residents in the night at 2:55 a.m. The others were barely felt by anyone, a 2.0 at the same location as the larger one, and a 2.7 five miles northwest of Pahala. No damage reported.

THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS to install photovoltaic systems so far this year has already surpassed the total for 2011. Public Works Department has received almost 1,100 permit applications this year, compared to 972 for all of last year, reports Tom Callis in today’s Hawai`i Tribune Herald. Callis quotes director Warren Lee saying, “We expect a big surge at the end of the year for tax credits.”
      Callis reports that it is also taking longer for permits to be approved. Along with an electrical permit, Hawai`i County now requires a building permit to install solar electric and water heating systems.
      Lee says the county is working to improve the permitting process with an online tracking system as well as online submission of application available beginning next month.

VOLUNTEERS ARE INVITED to remove sediment from an anchialine pool on the Ka`u Coast Tuesday. Sign up with Megan Lamson at 769-7629 or kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park U.S. Mint quarter.

TUESDAY’S AFTER DARK IN THE PARK celebrates the release of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park quarter. The program begins at 7 p.m. in Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Two-dollar donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.

CEREMONIAL RELEASE of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park quarter takes place Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the park’s Kahua Hula south of Kilauea Visitor Center on Crater Rim Drive. HFS Federal Credit Union will provide $10 rolls of the commemorative quarters for exchange. The event is free, and park entrance fees apply.

DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY meets with the public Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center to discuss Ocean View’s well and distribution of water. According to DWS, the meeting is in response to “increased reports of incorrect information in the community.”

Vision and other screenings come to Ka`u Saturday.

MOBILE OUTREACH HEALTH SCREENINGS are available in Ka`u this coming Saturday. WE … a Hui for Health brings its van to Ocean View farmers market from 8 a.m. to noon, then to Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center in Pahala from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Health screenings include retinal, lung function, glucose, blood pressure, take-home kidney function, women’s health, hepatitis and hearing. Counseling regarding learning disabilities, smoking cessation, family caregiving, organ donating and more is also available. The screenings are free and on a walk-in basis. For more, contact Annie at 808-282-2265 or annie@projectvisionhawaii.com. 

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM/KAUNEWS.

Ka`u News Briefs Aug. 25, 2012

Hawai`i Youth ChalleNGe may have to find a new home if a prison is reinstated at Kulani between
Volcano and Hilo. Photo from Hawai`i Youth ChalleNGe Academy

REOPENING KULANI PRISON, which shut down in 2009, is under study by the state with Gov. Neil Abercrombie releasing $248,177 for environmental studies and planning on Friday. While the prison would hold only about 200 inmates and likely remain minimum security with vocational training, Kulani would be part of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative that would help bring back inmates sentenced by the Hawai`i justice system but imprisoned on the mainland. Advocates say the funding spent on housing inmates in mainland prisons would be better spent here with prisoners having a better chance of being rehabilitated in Hawai`i, closer to families and culturally appropriate social services.

The mentoring pyramid from Hawai`i
Youth ChalleNGe Academy

HAWAI`I YOUTH CHALLENGE ACADEMY may have to find a new place or share the 640-acre Kulani Prison site, should the prison reopen. Hawai`i Youth ChalleNGe Academy is run by the Hawai`i National Guard with help from volunteer mentors. The academy is an alternative school with the mission “to provide opportunities for at-risk, non-traditional students to learn life skills, to become productive, responsible and successful citizens while working toward their high school diplomas.” In addition to classroom learning, Youth ChalleNGe has helped students achieve such outside skills as lifeguard training and robotics. See more at ngycp.org/site/state/hi.

STATE CONSUMER ADVOCATE Jeffrey T. Ono has “questions and concerns regarding the reasonableness” of the proposed contract for `Aina Koa Pono to sell biodiesel at a fixed rate for 20 years to Hawai`i Electric Light Co. In his Division of Consumer Advocacy Preliminary Statement Position, Ono wrote to the PUC on Aug. 22, saying the Consumer Advocate will determine whether HELCO and `Aina Koa Pono have sufficiently addressed concerns raised by the PUC in its Decision and Order rejecting a similar HELCO/ `Aina Koa Pono biofuel contract in 2011, as well as issues put forth by the Commission on Aug. 9, 2012.

Consumer Advocate Jeffrey T. Ono

      Concerns of the PUC include tying up the cost of purchasing the biofuel for 20 years and the impact on other renewable energies. “As a result of these and other concerns, the Consumer Advocate is unable to presently state its position on the merits of the application and cannot offer its recommendation to the Commission regarding whether the application should be approved or denied,” Ono wrote. The Consumer advocate said he will soon issue information requests to further study the `Aina Koa Pono – HELCO proposal.
      Last year the Consumer Advocate took the position of opposing the intervention of consumer and environmental group Life of the Land into the proceeding. However, for this year’s proposal, Ono wrote to the PUC on Thursday, saying, “The Division of Consumer Advocacy, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (‘Consumer Advocate’) respectfully represents that the Consumer Advocate is not taking a position on the Life of the Land’s Motion to Intervene.”  The proposal involves using pasture and other lands between Na`alehu and Pahala to clear and plant biofuel crops and building a refinery off Wood Valley Road, above Pahala, providing 400 construction jobs and 200 permanent jobs, according to `Aina Koa Pono.

KA`U DIRECTORY COVER CONTEST reception to view all the winners and greet the artists will be 9 a.m. to 11a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6, with light refreshments at the CU Hawai`i credit union office in Na`alehu.
      The show will be open to the public beginning Oct. 1, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Entries will be accepted on Friday, Sept. 28, from noon until 5 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 29, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Lorilee Lorenzo won third place in last year's Directory art contest. This
year's contest features a separate Keiki Division.

      Categories are Graphic, Sculpture, Wood, Photography and Craft, and all pieces must have been completed in the last 12 months. The fee is $5 for each artwork. “We request that all pieces be for sale for the usual price, Keiki exhibits excepted,” said Ka`u Chamber of Commerce president Dallas Decker.
      The Keiki Division is for children in grades one through six, one entry per keiki. Keiki categories are graphics and photos, no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches, including frames, if any. The entry fee is $1, and these entries are not eligible for the cover of The Directory. Only the first 60 Keiki exhibits will be accepted.
      Each day during the showing, Oct. 1 - 6, the public may sign in and receive a ballot to vote for their favorite exhibit. The adult winner of the popular vote will be featured on the cover of the 2013 Ka`u Directory, with appropriate credit being given inside.
      The ballot, a numbered ticket, will also be entered into a drawing for door prizes to be held each hour, and the winner does not need to be present to win. Prizes are being donated by various Ka`u merchants.
      This year, a panel of local artists will judge all exhibits and award prizes in each category, including Best in Show. Each category will be rewarded with first, second, and third prizes and, if appropriate, as many as two honorable mentions. Ribbons will be given for each of the prizes, and all first-prize winners will appear in the 2013 Ka`u Directory.
      Entry forms will be made available at local schools and merchants and will be available at the door on Sept. 28 and 29. All entries must be picked up from the building by the artist between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 or between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 8.
      To donate door prizes or to help with expenses, call Karen Ingraham at 929-8484.

John Cruz performs tonight.

AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH JOHN CRUZ is tonight. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus. For more, contact Dave Wallerstein at 967-822 or volcanoartcenter.org.

A GUIDED HIKE AT THE KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is set for tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The two-mile hike explores pastures, a quarry, an airstrip and the vast Kahuku lands, with a focus on the areas human history from the earliest Hawaiians through today. Participants meet at the visitor contact tent near the ranch buildings. Bring boots, rain gear, long pants, water and a snack.

SCIENCE SUNDAY AT HONU`APO PARK is tomorrow. Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo and Hawai`i Wildlife Fund host Science Sunday in the Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Marine ecologists from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund will join natural resource managers from `Imi Pono No Ka `Aina, The Nature Conservancy, Big Island Invasive Species Council and the Division of Aquatic Resources to present information about ocean species, watershed and water quality and Japanese tsunami debris. There will be hands-on activities for keiki, prize giveaways, and Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u will be providing free hot dogs.

IN ADVANCE OF THE U.S. MINT’S ceremonial release of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park quarter on Wednesday, U.S. Mint representatives and coin enthusiasts discuss American currency and the new quarter Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Two-dollar donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED to the U.S. Mint’s ceremonial release of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park quarter on Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. HFS Federal Credit Union will provide $10 rolls of the commemorative quarters for exchange. 

      The new quarter is part of the Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program. The coin features an engraved image of an eruption on Kilauea’s East Rift Zone on its reverse side and inscriptions that read Hawai`i Volcanoes, Hawaii 2012 and E Pluribus Unum. It was designed and sculpted by U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver Charles L. Vickers.
      The Hawai`i Volcanoes quarter is the fourth quarter to be launched in 2012 and the 14th in a series of 56 circulating America the Beautiful quarters. The reverse side designs are symbolic of a national park or other national site in each state, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.
      All coins in the program have a common heads side featuring a portrait of George Washington and the inscriptions United States of America, Liberty, In God We Trust and Quarter Dollar.
      “This highly collectible quarter is a significant milestone for Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, for the residents of Hawai`i and for the Hawai`i Island destination,” said park superintendent Cindy Orlando. “Now everyone will carry a reminder of Hawai`i’s first World Heritage Site in their pocket.”
      County of Hawai`i Tourism specialist Stephanie Donoho will serve as master of ceremonies, and representatives from the U.S. Mint, the governor’s office and the state delegation will participate.
      The ceremony takes place at the park’s Kahua Hula south of Kilauea Visitor Center on Crater Rim Drive. The event is free, and park entrance fees apply.

GIRLS TROJAN VOLLEYBALL starts its season on Tuesday night with a home game at 6 p.m. against Waiakea.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND YOUTUBE.COM/KAUNEWS.