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| Miss Aloha Hawai`i Brandy Shibuya, shown here accompanied by Keoki Kahumoku at Ka`u Coffee Mill blessing, performs at the Specialty Coffee Association of America convention in Portland, Oregon today. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie |
HAWAI`I’S SOLAR TAX CREDIT has been extremely effective at making Hawai`i a leader in both solar water heating and photovoltaic systems, according to a report from Blue Planet Foundation. It claims that the credit creates local jobs, brings about business growth and provides revenue to the state. “These renewable energy projects help plug the leak of billions of dollars that leave the state every year to import oil,” the report says.
It says that every dollar the state provides in a photovoltaic tax credit turns into $44 that circulates into Hawai`i’s economy, and that the returns continue to pay off for 30 years. |
| Graph from Blue Planet Foundation |
“Positive impact starts with the benefit of generating energy locally, rather than sending money out of the state to pay for imported oil,” the report says.
Changes to Hawai`i’s solar tax credit are being considered at the state Legislature. The lastest version of HB2417 calls for an annual reduction of the tax credit from 35 percent to 20 percent by 2015. For more, see capitol.hawaii.gov.
MISS ALOHA HAWAI`I Brandy Shibuya landed in Portland, Oregon and is supporting a host of Big Island coffee farmers who have come here to promote some of the top-rated coffees in the world. Shibuya was named Miss Ka`u Coffee last year and is Miss Aloha Hawai`i this year. She said she is here to promote the Hawaiian culture and the hardworking farmers that have brought their coffee to the international stage. Shibuya planned to dance hula at the convention today, and tweets went out from the Specialty Coffee Association of America notifying many of the 10,000 conferees at the convention about her performance. Also attending from the Big Island are Kona Coffee farmers and Ka`u Coffee farmers whose coffee placed in the top ten in the world in the annual Roasters Choice.
Willie Tabios, whose coffee has placed for the third time in the top ten in the world, said that he is proud to be a farmer in Ka`u. “I take pride in my work and in bringing Ka`u up to the quality that is making it famous,” he said, stressing that his win - as the highest rated in Ka`u - is a win for all of Ka`u and all of the farmers.
Changes to Hawai`i’s solar tax credit are being considered at the state Legislature. The lastest version of HB2417 calls for an annual reduction of the tax credit from 35 percent to 20 percent by 2015. For more, see capitol.hawaii.gov.
MISS ALOHA HAWAI`I Brandy Shibuya landed in Portland, Oregon and is supporting a host of Big Island coffee farmers who have come here to promote some of the top-rated coffees in the world. Shibuya was named Miss Ka`u Coffee last year and is Miss Aloha Hawai`i this year. She said she is here to promote the Hawaiian culture and the hardworking farmers that have brought their coffee to the international stage. Shibuya planned to dance hula at the convention today, and tweets went out from the Specialty Coffee Association of America notifying many of the 10,000 conferees at the convention about her performance. Also attending from the Big Island are Kona Coffee farmers and Ka`u Coffee farmers whose coffee placed in the top ten in the world in the annual Roasters Choice.
Willie Tabios, whose coffee has placed for the third time in the top ten in the world, said that he is proud to be a farmer in Ka`u. “I take pride in my work and in bringing Ka`u up to the quality that is making it famous,” he said, stressing that his win - as the highest rated in Ka`u - is a win for all of Ka`u and all of the farmers.
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| Next month's Big Island Film Festival includes a film featuring Ocean View resident Dick Hershberger. Photo from Big Island Film Festival |
BIG ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL will feature Dick Hershberger, of Ocean View, in a short film entitled Dancing Freak. The organization said Hershberger, his wife Arlen and daughter Eden have “been a part of the family since day one.”
The seventh annual film festival is set for May 24 to 28, with free family films at The Shops at Mauna Lani, daytime movies and nightly double features at The Fairmont Orchid and more. Fifty-seven films from around the world will be showcased, including nine from Hawai`i, four of which are from the Big Island. Along with feature-length narrative and short films, the festival will spotlight two documentary films for the first time: Aunty Nona Beamer – Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love) and Family of the Wa`a.
For more, visit bigislandfilmfestival.com.
ALL OF THE CANDIDATES for County Council District 6 and Prosecuting Attorney are scheduled to meet the public today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Candidates for the Council seat are Marie Burns, Maile David, Brenda Ford, Lee McIntosh and Bradley Westervelt. Candidates for Prosecuting Attorney are Lincoln Ashida, Paul Dolan and Mitch Roth. For more information, call 929-7236 or email marge@hawaii.rr.com.
For more, visit bigislandfilmfestival.com.
ALL OF THE CANDIDATES for County Council District 6 and Prosecuting Attorney are scheduled to meet the public today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Candidates for the Council seat are Marie Burns, Maile David, Brenda Ford, Lee McIntosh and Bradley Westervelt. Candidates for Prosecuting Attorney are Lincoln Ashida, Paul Dolan and Mitch Roth. For more information, call 929-7236 or email marge@hawaii.rr.com.
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| Ron Serrao cooking at last October's Mongolian BBQ. Photo by Julia Neal |
OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION holds the first of regular barbecues on the third Saturday of each month tomorrow from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The barbecues replace previously held monthly pancake breakfasts. This fundraising Grand Re-opening and BBQ Open House celebrates recent improvements to the building. Call 939-7033 for more information.
FOURTEEN WOK MASTERS cook up patrons’ choices of veggies, beef, pork, tofu, and fresh fish at Cooper Center’s Mongolian BBQ tomorrow from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The cost is 75 cents per ounce, with funds raised going to Cooper Center.
TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL PARK WEEK, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park waives entrance fees beginning tomorrow and continuing through Sunday, April 29. This year’s theme, Picture Yourself in a National Park, encourages visitors to share photos or videos of themselves, their families and friends exploring and enjoying the park during National Park Week on the park’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/hawaiivolcanoes.com.
KUMU HULA MICHAEL PANG’S Halau Hula Ka No`eau performs at the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Hands-on cultural demonstrations take place from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at on the gallery’s porch. Donations are welcome.
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| Ab Valencia directing members of his halau. Photo by Dave Boyle |
KUMU HULA Ab Kawainohoikala`i Valencia and botanist Tim Tunison team up for a cultural and scientific exploration of Plants Of Hula, or Na Mea Kanu O Ke Hula, on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants learn about kino lau, manifestations of Hawaiian deities in plant form, the significance of plants used for the hula altar and adornments, and cultural protocols used when picking plants and walking among native species in their natural environment. The day ends with a hands-on lesson in native plant propagation and plant seedlings to take home. The fee is $60 for members of Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and $85 for non-members. Students in grades K-12 and college, with valid student ID, are half-price. Non-members are welcome to join Friends to get the member discount. Contact 985-7373 or www.fhvnp.org.