Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, August 31, 2013

New & Old. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Ranger Travis Delimont stands outside the 1877 Volcano House, now
Volcano Art Center, which was relocated to its present location in 1921. NPS Photo Art by Jay Robinson

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANY, Hawai`i Electric Light Company and Maui Electric Company have issued a request for proposals for the supply and delivery of up to 150,000 barrels of ultra-low-sulfur diesel and/or biodiesel and/or biodiesel blends per year for up to three years, with delivery beginning Jan. 1, 2015. The fuel would be used for power generation on the Big Island, O`ahu and in Maui County.

      The RFP states that potential suppliers who may not be able to supply 150,000 barrels per year may propose smaller volumes within their range of capacity.
      Hawaiian Electric spokesman Peter Rosegg told Dave Smith, of Big Island Now, that the proposal is designed to accommodate the utilities’ short-term needs. The biodiesel would likely be used at HELCO’s Keahole plant until biodiesel becomes available from `Aina Koa Pono, whose proposed 20-year contract with the utilities to produce up to 16 million gallons of biofuel per year at a refinery above Pahala is currently being considered by the state Public Utilities Commission.
      Submission deadline for the proposals is Oct. 15, with the goal of submitting a proposed contract to the PUC for approval by December.
      Information about the RFPs is available at hawaiianelectric.com/fuels.
      See more at bigislandnow.com.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE animals for consumption to the public following animal control activities to be conducted by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife, carcasses taken during scheduled aerial shoots will be available for salvage at prescribed locations to the those with permits. However, there is no guarantee that animals will be able to be salvaged, according to a statement from DLNR.

      Due to expected high public participation, telephone call-ins to the Kamuela Office at 887-6063 for receiving salvage permits will be conducted from 9 a.m. Sept. 18 to 10 a.m. the day before each shoot day. One permit will be issued per call per vehicle for one day only. Applicants can have their names added to a stand-by list for additional days, should all slots not be filled by other applicants. No standbys waiting at the gates will be allowed access. The driver, occupants, vehicle license plate and make/model of vehicle are needed when calling in. A maximum of 15 permitted vehicles will be allowed at the Pu`u Ko`ohi location and 10 permitted vehicles at the Kaluamakani location.
      DLNR will conduct animal control activities – specifically, trapping mouflon/feral sheep hybrids, staff hunting, and/or aerial shooting from helicopters – within Palila Critical Habitat in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve (Unit A), Palila Mitigation Lands, and Ka`ohe Game Management Area (Unit G) for feral goats, feral sheep, mouflon and mouflon/feral sheep hybrids.
      Controls are scheduled on Oct. 1, 2 and 31; Nov. 1; and Dec. 19 and 20.
      Public access to Mauna Kea Forest Reserve, Palila Mitigation Lands, Kaohe Game Management Area and Mauna Kea Hunter Access Road will be restricted and allowed by permit only for animal salvage purposes on the following dates:

• 7 a.m. Oct. 1 – 7 p.m. Oct. 2 
• 7 a.m. Oct. 31 – 7 p.m. Nov. 1 
• 7 a.m. Dec. 19 – 7 p.m. Dec. 20. 

      According to a statement from DLNR, “Aerial shooting is required for compliance with the federal court order mandating the removal of sheep and goats from critical habitat for palila, a bird endemic to Hawai`i.”
      Copies of the map illustrating the area subject to aerial shooting on these dates are available for inspection at DOFAW’s office.
      For additional details regarding meat salvage or access permits, contact DOFAW in Hilo at 974-4221 or in Kamuela at 887-6063.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

A proposal calls for temporarily trucking trash from Hilo to Puuanahulu
landfill. Photo from Big Island Video News

KA`U’S COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER BRENDA FORD is skeptical about a proposal to temporarily truck trash from Hilo to West Hawai`i’s Puuanahulu landfill, according to a story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. “They’ve been trying to send Hilo garbage to Kona for two decades,” Ford told reporter Nancy Cook Lauer. “They would love nothing better than to truck Hilo garbage with their fire ants and coqui frogs. We don’t want their pests.” 

      Ford responded to a proposal by Hilo Council member Dennis Onishi asking for an exemption to the county’s ban on the trucking trash from Hilo to Kona. The trash would be used in a new cell at Puuanahulu to create a bottom layer of soft garbage devoid of material that could pierce the lining and lead to leachate.
      See more at hawaiitribune-herald.com.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Members of Hala Hula O Leionalani are fundraising for their October trip
to Lana`i's cultural festival. Photo by Julia Neal 

HALAU HULA O LEIONALANI raised about $600 with a recent bread sale and is looking for more support from the Ka`u community to help send the hula sisters to Lana`i’s cultural festival in the first week of October. The halau practices at the Old Pahala Clubhouse and is a regular participant at Ka`u Coffee Festival each year, hosting dancers from the other islands and Japan to celebrate Ka`u coffee. 

      Kumu hula is Debbie Ryder, who became a kumu under the tutelege of the late George Na`ope. One of the signature hulas of the halau, which they will dance on Lana`i, is Na`ope’s composition Ka Nani a o Ka`u.
     The halau will take the direct flight from Hilo to Kahului, Maui, the Speedy Shuttle to Lahaina and the ferry to Lana`i. Dinners and accommodations will be provided on Lana`i. In addition to performing, the halau will walk up Mauna Lai, Lana`i’s only valley where taro is grown, and participate in a chanting ceremony in the nearshore waters, similar to the ceremony held at dawn at Punalu`u during Ka`u Coffee Festival week this year.
      To donate, call Keisha Enitan at 339-2423.
      To comment on this story or “Like” it, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA IS OFFERING bow hunting opportunities today and tomorrow from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
      Training Areas 10 and 11, as well as the northern portion of Training Area 2 (on the Mauna Kea side of new Saddle Road), will be open for bow hunting of mammals only. Hunters are allowed one pig, one goat and one sheep per day, in keeping with state bag limits. Shooting sheep with blue collars is not permitted.
      For more information, call PTA’s Hunter’s Hotline at 969-3474, visit garrison.hawaii.army.mil/pta and click on the “Hunting” tab, or refer to instructions on the hunting pass.

History of Volcano House is a new guided walk offered by rangers at
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from hawaiivolcanohouse.com

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK RANGERS are interpreting the history of Volcano House, one step at a time. A new, one-hour guided walk takes visitors on an anecdote-filled journey through the various incarnations of Volcano House, which “officially” began in 1846 as a grass house on the rim of Kilauea Caldera. 

      Visitors can participate in the new trek starting Fri., Sept. 6, during a public open house of the hotel, which celebrates the grand opening of the property following a multi-million dollar renovation. Dubbed History of Volcano House, the walk is offered at 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. The walk and open house are free; park entrance fees apply.
      Ranger Travis Delimont, who developed the program as a way for visitors to understand and appreciate the hotel’s past and present, includes a stop at a halau near the Kahua Hula, similar to the 1846 structure. Then it’s a short walk to the 1877 Volcano House that today serves as Volcano Art Center. Along the way, visitors learn about colorful characters and stories that punctuate the hotel’s history. The program ends at the “new” 1941 Volcano House.
      “Volcano House hotel has always captivated people, Delimont said. “Its rich and eclectic history has contributed to the personality of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park today. There are many interesting stories and characters along the way, and we want to share them with everyone.”
      The walk is offered at various times throughout the week. Check the bulletin board outside Kilauea Visitor Center after 9 a.m. for daily hikes and programs.

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Ka`u News Briefs Friday, August 30, 2013

The newly renovated Volcano House holds its grand opening celebration and an open house next Friday, Sept. 6.
Photos from Sandi Yara Communications

CONGRESSWOMAN TULSI GABBARD HAS PARTNERED with several of her House colleagues to send a letter to President Barack Obama calling for consultation with the U.S. Congress before any military intervention in Syria is authorized. 

      “The use of chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction is atrocious and violates international norms and basic human rights,” Gabbard said. “The challenges faced by UN weapons inspectors as they gather evidence has only exacerbated this conflict that has gone on for too long, with countless innocent casualties.
      “Right now, we do not have enough facts about all facets of what is occurring on the ground, the factions involved in this civil war, and what the unintended consequences would be for U.S. military involvement. Congressional debate and approval must occur before any U.S. military action is taken, and through this process we need to have a clear-eyed view of our objectives and what the outcomes would be, understanding the impacts in Syria and those that extend far beyond Syria.”
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Marley Strand-Nicolaisen

MARLEY STRAND-NICOLAISEN “got the party started on her college volleyball career with a match-high 14 kills Thursday night, and a crowd that was fit for a carnival had ample reason to celebrate as the Vulcans swept Alaska-Fairbanks 25-18, 25-16, 25-17 before 512 enthusiastic partisans in their opener at UHH gym.” That was the lead in the story this morning by Matt Gerhart of the Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, headlined “UHH is a sweep sensation.” 

         The story said that the “biggest debut” of all the new players “belonged to Strand-Nicolaisen, who looked just as comfortable as she did when she was a two-time Big Island Interscholastic Federation player of the year at Ka`u High School. She registered her first college kills back-to-back early in the first set, and then she put down another ball and combined with Shelby Harguess on a block to get UHH off and running on an 8-0 run.”

Elijah Navarro coached Strand-
Nicolaisen for three years.

      Sports writer Gerhart quotes Vulcan coach Tino Reyes saying, Nicolaisen “didn’t play like a freshman. We knew she was athletic. I wasn’t sure what her mindset was going to be, but she came out pretty good.” She came in with eight digs, 14 kills and a .242 hitting average. See more at hawaiitribune-herald.com.

Josh Ortega was head coach
for Strand-Nicolaisen during
her senior year.

       Strand played for the Ka`u High School Trojans three years under head coach Elijah Navarro and for one year under head coach Joshua Ortega.
       Navarro said this morning that he recalls inviting Vulcans Coach Tino Reyes to see Strand-Nicolaisen play during a match with Christian Liberty in Hilo. Navarro said that “after the second year of coaching her, I knew she had the potential to play at a college level.” Reyes followed her Trojan high school career, and UH-Hilo offered her a full scholarship to play volleyball.

Vulcan coach Tino Reyes

      Navarro said there is more college-bound volleyball coming from Ka`u High. “While I am not coaching this year, I can see that there is a lot of talent on the Trojan girls volleyball team under Coach Ortega. You can certainly expect more Trojan players entertaining scholarship offers,” said Navarro.
       UHH entertains another Alaskan team on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the UH-Hilo gym, taking on University of Alaska-Anchorage. Strand-Nicolaisen is daughter of Laurie Strand and Robert Nicolaisen, of Discovery Harbour. Strand works at Ka`u High School, and Nicolaisen is famous for going fishing for poke that he provides for fundraisers at community events in Ka`u.

      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS DROPS IN DUI arrests, major accidents and traffic fatalities. So far this year, there have been 820 DUI arrests compared with 907 during the same period last year, a decrease of 9.6 percent.
      There have been 878 major accidents this year compared with 948 last year, a decrease of 7.4 percent.
      There were 21 traffic fatalities on Hawai`i Island compared with 24 last year, a decrease of 12.5 percent.
      DUI roadblocks and patrols continue islandwide.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U’S FIFTH-GRADE GIRLS ARE INVITED to the 2013 Girls Exploring Math and Science program at Sheraton Kona resort and Spa at Keauhou on Thursday, Nov. 14. Last year, 30 girls from the Ka`u school district attended the GEMS program along with others from West Hawai`i. 

      Registration deadline for forms to be postmarked is Friday, Sept. 20. Forms are available at public and private schools.
      This event is sponsored by the American Association of University Women, Kona Branch, whose mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research. This annual day of discovery features hands-on workshops and exhibits led by local women volunteers who work in math and science careers and who show the girls how they use math, science, and technology in their daily work. The program is designed to stimulate interest and bolster confidence of girls in these fields, as well as provide positive role models, and may also stimulate a girl’s interest in a new career goal. Some responses from fifth-grade girls from prior years as to what the girls learned are: “Girls can do science just as well as boys;” “Everyone has the power to do what they love doing;” “Why we need to protect the corals”; and “Learned not to be shy.”

      Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and all fifth-grade girls residing in the West Hawai`i School Complex in public, private, or home schooled are welcome. The fee is $20 per girl. Scholarships are available, and no girl will be turned away for financial reasons. Sponsorship of girls from individuals or businesses will be accepted. 

      Some of the workshop topics this year are SCUBA diving, architecture, veterinary medicine, astronomy, dentistry, land surveying, Zumba, archaeology, robotics, chemistry and culinary science. Early registrations offers best choice of workshops.
      For more information about GEMS, to sponsor a girl, or to request a registration packet, call Laurel Gregory at 969-8833 or lgregory@hawaii.edu.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Volcano House rooms offer views of Halema`uma`u cater.

VOLCANO HOUSE IN HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK holds its grand opening and an open house next Friday, Sept. 6. “Festivities are open to the public and celebrate the successful completion of a multi-million dollar renovation and restoration as well as showcase the ‘new’ Volcano House,” said general manager Rudy Fao. 

      The following activities are free and open to hotel guests, visitors to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and the community:

• Open House, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Coffee and cookies will be served in the lobby. 
• Music by Rupert Tripp, Jr. at the Pa Hula, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
• Hula `Auana by Kupuna at the Pa Hula, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 
• One-hour History of Volcano House interpretive walks, 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. 
• Guest room tours 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

      History of Volcano House interpretive walks start at Kilauea Visitor Center and end at Volcano House. The walk is led by a Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park ranger.
      Volcano House is Hawai`i’s oldest hotel, welcoming visitors since 1877. The hotel in use today was built in 1941 and expanded in 1961. It is managed by Hawai`i Volcanoes Lodge Company, LLC and operates under contract with the National Park Service. Hawai`i Volcanoes Lodge Company, LLC is an affiliate of Aqua Hospitality, a Hawai`i-based management company founded in 2001 and Ortega Family Enterprises, headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
      Parking is available on site and at Kilauea Visitor Center. Park entrance fees apply. 

      For more information about Volcano House visit hawaiivolcanohouse.com or call 1-866-536-7972.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCIL for Ka`u High and Pahala Elementary School holds its first meeting Monday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. at the SCC room on campus. The officers who will serve during the fall and face elections next spring are June Domondon, Parent Representative; Rory Koi, Parent Representative; Betty Clark, Community Representative; Dennis Elwell, Community Representative (alternate); Joy Hohnstine, Certificated Staff Representative Recorder; Angela Miyashiro, Certificated Staff Representative Chairperson; Josephina Wroblewski, Classified Staff Representative; Terrie Louis, Classified Staff Representative; Toni Beck, Student Representative; Sharon Beck, Principal.
      Parents, teachers, staff, students and community members are invited to become involved with the future of the Pahala campus schools.

Bow hunting is offered at Pohakula Training Area this
weekend. Photo from PTA

ARMY OFFICIALS ARE OPENING SEVERAL TRAINING AREAS for bow hunting within the Pohakuloa Training Area 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday. 

      Training Areas 10 and 11, as well as the northern portion of Training Area 2 (on the Mauna Kea side of new Saddle Road), will be open for bow hunting of mammals only. Hunters are allowed one pig, one goat and one sheep per day, in keeping with state bag limits. Shooting sheep with blue collars is not permitted.
      All hunters must check in and check out at either Kilohana on Saddle Road between mile markers 43 and 44 or Pu`u Huluhulu at the intersection of Mauna Kea Access Road and Saddle Road. Check out no later than 7:30 p.m. each day.
      Hunting passes will be provided at the check-in stations beginning at 5 p.m. today. These passes must be signed and placed on the vehicle’s dashboard.
      For more information, call PTA’s Hunter’s Hotline at 969-3474, visit garrison.hawaii.army.mil/pta and click on the “Hunting” tab, or refer to instructions on the hunting pass.

IN KA`U HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, Trojans travel this weekend, with girls volleyball team at Hawai`i Preparatory Academy today. Tomorrow, cross country goes to HPA, and air riflery goes to Kamehameha. Bowling against St. Joseph/Kamehameha takes place tomorrow at Hilo Lanes.
      Trojans’ new eight-man football team plays its first game a week from today, against Seabury Hall.

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Ka`u News Briefs, Thursday, August 29, 2013

Ka`u `Ohana Band, under the leadership of Cynthia Decker, is one of many programs offered by Ka`u School of the Arts, which is rolling
 out its fall schedule. Photo by Julia Neal

NO IMMEDIATE SPECIAL SESSION on considering the legalization of gay marriage in Hawai`i is likely at the Hawai`I Legislature, according to a report in this morning’s Honolulu Star Advertiser. The article says that state House Speaker Joseph Souki said yesterday “that Gov. Neil Abercrombie informed him that he was not ready to call a special session on gay marriage. Souki would not say whether the House had the votes for a gay marriage bill after House Democrats met in private caucus to discuss a special session. The governor had been waiting for a House vote count before making his decision on a special session. The state Senate has the votes for a gay marriage bill,” the Advertiser story says. The governor, however, is working on his draft bill to the legislature to legalize gay marriage.

Ha`ao Springs is one of the sources for water being
developed for agriculture. Photo by Elaine Klitgaard

HA`AO SPRINGS & MOUNTAIN HOUSE AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE is moving forward, after its meeting yesterday. The cooperative plans to provide ag water to areas in the watershed. Workdays to prepare the pipeline path from the source to areas makai take place this Friday and Saturday. Meet at Wai`ohinu Park at 9 a.m., prepared for three hours of work. Participants should bring a machete, food and water.
     The state Department of Agriculture is providing funding to renovate old plantation tunnels and establish water lines to farms and ranches between Kapapala Ranch, to Wood Valley, above Pahala, to Na`alehu and Wai`ohinu.

ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP for Community School Council leaders at Na`alehu School. The first meeting of the Na`alehu SCC is Thursday, Sept. 5 at 3 p.m. in Room 35. Two candidates have launched campaigns and submitted statements to The Ka`u Calendar newspaper:
      Kathryn Tydlacka is running for Student Community Council parent representative. Her statement says: “Kathryn Tydlacka has been a highly effective teacher for the past 15 years. She holds a masters degree in education administration and specializes in classroom turnaround focusing on helping traditionally low-achieving children. Her success in dramatically increasing students' academic achievement has been well documented for over a decade. She has received high praise from numerous principals,

Kathryn Tydlacka

superintendents, and most importantly--students. 
As the SCC parent representative, Kathryn will assist with developing the academic/financial plan by introducing proven strategies that will greatly increase academic achievement as proven by her students' unprecedented performance in the 2012-2013 school year. 
Voting for Kathryn will put in place a highly-qualified, passionate educator who is not afraid to advocate for the children and families of Ka'u. 
Thank you for your vote!”

Vanessa Ott

   Vanessa Ott is running for Student Community Council community representative. Her statement says:  “I have lived in Na‘alehu since 2006, and was a teacher at Na‘alehu Elementary School for four and a half years. Prior to becoming a school teacher for high need schools, I had a long career in audio/video technology, publishing, computer technical support and training.

      “I am the product of a public education system that matured in only 21 years from a simple, country school system with no indoor plumbing, to one of the best in my childhood home state in 1972. Research has shown that successful schools are those with high parent and community involvement. The elders in my family were actively involved in the local School Board and PTA, and I had the opportunity to see firsthand how an active school community can make a school great.
      “I would like the opportunity, as the Na‘alehu SCC Community Representative, to try to create the kind of school community that fosters success for all its students. The first step will be to provide greater information sharing to parents by improving the school web site. Wouldn’t you like to have access to the weekly newsletter online? I’d also like to explore the possibility of local fund raising to finance more interpreters as well as Gifted and Talented programs for our students.
      “Having worked at NES (Na`alehu Elementary School), and attended SCC meetings for many years, I am intimately aware of the obstacles parents and community members face in building a strong and involved school community. Therefore I ask for your support and your vote. If you have any questions, contact me at: msvott@gmail.com.” 

KA`U SCHOOL OF THE ARTS introduces a Hawaiian Kahiko Program at Discovery Harbour Community Hall and a year round Ka'ū Community Chorus program at Pahala Plantation House, Old Pahala Clubhouse and Discovery Harbour Hall this fall. Ka`u School of the Arts President Bradley Grohs said, “Our programs are all about 'Ohana and are open to people of all ages and abilities. We aim to provide comprehensive programs and learning opportunities for beginners and challenging content for advanced students.”
    More than learning Hula Kahiko, the new program, led by Kumu Hula Marcia Laimana Bulosan, offers an opportunity to learn more about Hawaiian culture, dance, chant, and spiritual beliefs, through preparing costumes, making hula implements and spiritual practices, Grohs said. “It can be said in order to create the art you need to understand the culture.” The program takes place on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall.
     Ka'ū Community Chorus, led by Bradley Grohs, will prepare music for Christmas performances as well as learn about vocal music production, reading music, sight singing, and ear training. ‘We are taking a holistic approach to singing,” Gross said. “We will be learning all genres of music from classical to current pop tunes. The chorus meets on Mondays at 6:30-8:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall and on Wednesdays at 6 p.m., starting Sept. 4 at Pahala Plantation House, with the alternative location at Old Pahala Clubhouse.
      Ka`u School of the Arts’ Creative Exploration Program plans a Creativity Day later this fall. “We hope that our vendors from our past Spring and Fall Fling events will participate and use Creative Day as an opportunity to recruit people into their business or inspire others to start their own businesses. Economic growth and development is essential to Ka'u's future,” said Grohs.
     Country Line Dancing, led by Suzanne Brady, continues in November, meeting Thursdays at 6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall.
     Ka'ū Ohana Band, led by Cynthia Decker, practices twice a week on Wednesday and Thursdays at 4 p.m., Ocean View Community Center.
     Ka`u School of the Art’s Hawaiian Language Program, led by Zachary DeBernardi is on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m at St. Judes Episcopal Church in Ocean View.
      Those interested in these programs can call 854-1540, email info@kauarts.org, or visit www.kauarts.org.

Last year's Trojan volleyball star Marley
Strand-Nicholaisen and rising star Toni Beck.

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS volleyball team won the Trojan’s season opener against Laupahoehoe on Tuesday at Laupahoehoe gym. Ka`u defeated Laupahoehoe 25-21, 25-11, 25-13. The next match will be played tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 30, at Hawai`I Prepatory Academy at 6 p.m.
    Meanwhile last year’s Trojan girls volleyball star, Marley Strand-Nicholaisen is working out in her new position on the UH-Hilo Vulcans women’s volleyball team.

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Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Yellowfin tuna are subject to increasing contamination from mercury spewed into the air by Asian factories and landing in
Hawaiian waters. Photo from Wikipedia

FRESH FISH are the pride of Ka`u kitchens and fishermen, but contamination by mercury could be a growing concern, according to new research by University of Hawai`i scientist Brian Popp. Popp is a professor at U.H.-Manoa, specializing in geophysics and geology. His study, in collaboration with University of Michigan, was published this week by Nature Geosicences Journal.
          It states that much of the mercury in Pacific Ocean going fish, like ahi, ono and opah, apparently comes from air pollution from coal-fired factories in China, India and other Asian countries where industrialization is rapid. As industrialization increases, the mercury is expected to continue rising in the Pacific. The trend is counter to mercury in the Atlantic, which is declining with stricter emissions standards in Europe and the U.S. Other mercury sources from such events as big wildfires may be more frequent with global warming.

Opah, also called Moon Fishn is susceptible to a mercury buildup.
Photo from Wikipedia

       How does the mercury get into the fish? The mercury rises from the factories and fires and is carried by the wind until it falls onto the ocean surface or comes down during rain. In the water the mercury is consumed by plankton, which are eaten by small sea creatures, small fish and larger fish, up the food chain. By the time they are caught by fishermen, the concentrations can be so significant that health departments recommend eating ahi, ono and opah only once in every two weeks. Health departments also recommend limiting the consumption of mahimahi, skipjack tuna, grouper cod and canned tuna to no more than once a week. Shark, marlin and swordfish are also on the warning list, particularly for pregnant women who are warned not to consume them at all.
        It was a 2005 University of Hawai`i research project that showed island women with three times more mercury in their umbilical cord blood after delivering babies than women giving birth on the mainland.
         The U.H. study of the mercury in local fish measured mercury isotopes in nine species caught in Hawaiian waters— swordfish, mahimahi, opah, and skipjack, bigeye and yellowfin tuna. It also examined two kinds of lanternfish and flying fish. The readings linked mercury in the fish to the air.
      A story in the Los Angeles Times this morning reported: “That doesn't mean people should avoid fish, which is also one of the more healthful meal options a person can choose, health officials said. ‘Everybody's going to get exposed to it,’ Alfred E. Asato, a chemical response laboratory coordinator with the state Department of Health, said Tuesday of mercury.”
      “Over decades ‘it's almost impossible to isolate a single toxic element with all the diseases,’ he said. ‘There are so many potential causal effects, causations for the various symptoms of diseases.’" 

Pollution clouds coming from India contain mercury
that floats over the Pacific and drops into the
food chain in the Hawaiian waters
Photo from Wikipedia

      Another aspect of the study found a higher concentration of mercury in fish living in deeper water than surface fish. It concluded that sunlight destroys 80 percent of mercury near the surface, leaving the mercury that sinks below the surface for the deeper living fish to consume.
    The scientists concluded that the way to control mercury in the Pacific is to call for industrializing countries to enact and enforce stricter air pollution laws. See more research at www.nature.com/nego.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS have led a salary commissioner for Hawai`i County to resign, according to a story yesterday's Honolulu Star Advertiser. Gloria Wong told the reporter that “she’d never before been required to disclose information about her income, stock ownership or other financials,” the newspaper reported.
      The story said she served on boards on O`ahu that did not require such disclosures. Star Advertiser reported her saying, “You see a lot of vacancies on these boards. Why do people not sit on these boards and commissions? Maybe that’s one of the questions that should be asked.”
      The story pointed out that Hawa`i County has 35 active boards and commissions and that several of them “often cancel meetings for lack of a quorum, and Mayor Billy Kenoi finds himself recycling members from board to board to fill holes.” Kenoi, however, “ has seated more than 220 people during is term,”  the story reported. See more at www.staradvertiser.com

HOLDING JUVENILE OFFENDERS accountable for their actions, while reducing costs to Hawai`I taxpapers is a new public safety effort by Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Hawai`i Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, state Sen. President Donna Mercado Kim, and state Rep. Mele Carroll.
      They formed a bipartisan, inter-branch working group to analyze the state’s juvenile justice system and develop data-driven policy recommendations for the 2014 Legislature.
     “It costs a tremendous amount of money to put juvenile offenders into state custody,” Abercrombie said. “We need to take a hard look at our data, find better outcomes, and identify more cost effective ways to handle our juvenile offenders.”
      Many of the youth suffer from substance abuse addiction, mental health issues and family dysfunction. A significant number are in custody due to the lack of accessible treatment services and programs, especially on the neighbor islands, said a joint statement from the group. 

     Each commitment placement costs taxpayers more than $190,000 per year, per youth (averaging 60 youth per year). Despite this substantial cost, the majority juvenile offenders who exit the state’s correctional facilities reoffend and return within three years, the statement reports.
      “With the amount of money we spend locking up each juvenile offender and the high recidivism rates, it is clear we are not getting an adequate public safety return on our juvenile justice investment,” said Carroll, chair of the House Human Services committee. “We must focus our correctional resources on serious offenders who pose a public safety risk and we must stop the cycle of recidivism for youth who want to turn their lives around. We must also do a better job for our youth on the neighbor islands who are being sent to Honolulu due to a lack of resources in the other counties.”
      Last year, Hawai`i enacted comprehensive criminal justice legislation with the goal of improving public safety while keeping costs in check. Act 139 (SB2776) and Act 140 (HB2515) were designed to lower recidivism, increase efficiency in the adult criminal justice system, and hold offenders accountable to victims for their crimes.
      According to the statement, the new laws have shown encouraging results, with a 5 percent drop in prison population. “Building on the success of this effort, known as the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, Hawai`i will use the same data-driven and evidence-based process to analyze the juvenile justice system and further maximize its public safety investments,” the statement promises.

Coach Kainoa Ke cooks for eight-man football
Photo by Julia Neal

 The working group will receive technical assistance from The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Public Safety Performance Project. Pew and its partners have provided similar assistance to more than two dozen states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Oregon, Texas and Vermont.  

FUNDRAISING FOR EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL at Ka`u High School continues with the sale of tickets for combo plate lunches with Korean Chicken/Teri Beef with a side of rice, mac salad, cake and water for $10. tickets are available from the players, coaches and parents. The chef is the coach, Kainoa Ke, known for his excellent cooking. Beef was provided by Kahua Ranch.

     Pick up is this Saturday, Aug. 31 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Ace Hardware. Donna Masaniai is taking phone orders at 238-0505. The team is raising $11,000 to travel to Moloka`i to play the Farmers on Oct. 5. Ka`u's first game is Friday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. against Seaberry Hall from Maui. On Sept. 20, Kealakehe Waveriders come to Ka`u wiht a 6 p.m. kickoff. On Saturday, Sept. 28 Kamehameha Warriors host Ka`u. On Friday, Oct. 25, Trojans travel to Kealakehe and on Friday, Nov. 8, Moloka`i Farmers come to Ka`u for  the Trojans' Homecoming and Senior Game night.

KA`U HIGH TROJANS CROSS COUNTRY team begins its season this Saturday, Aug. 31 at Kamehameha School in Kea`au, under the leadership of Coach Erin Cole. Competition continues on Saturdays - first  at Hawai`i Preparatory Academy, Sept. 7; Waiakea, Sept. 14; Konawaena, Sept. 21; Hawai`i Preparatory Academy, Sept. 28; Kamehameha, Oct. 5; and Kea`au High School, Oct. 12, followed by Big Island Interscholastic tournament and state tournament finals.

HA`AO SPRINGS AND MOUNTAIN HOUSE Agriculture Water Cooperative meets at 4 p.m. today at Wai`ohinu Park.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. 
                                                    SUPPORT KA`U BUSINESSES

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR. 

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, August 27, 2013

During an event in Phoenix, Ariz., judges awarded first place to this Mercedes-Benz 300S restored by
Ka`u resident Mark Passarelli, at right. Photo by Joe Iacuzzo

FOLLOWING INTRODUCTION OF A BILL by Ka`u’s County Council member Brenda Ford banning genetically modified organisms, Kohala Council member Margaret Wille has introduced a new version of her own bill. Wille had withdrawn her original bill earlier this month and said she would work on a new one.

Ka`u's Council member Brenda Ford picking coffee.

      Ford told Tom Callis, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald, that “once she (Wille) withdrew the bill against my advice, I said, ‘That’s it. I don’t know if she will do it again.’ I can’t trust that. I’m getting a tremendous amount of pressure from the anti-GMO contingency.”
      While Ford’s bill would ban all outdoor GMO crops, Wille’s new bill would allow GMO papaya to be grown. Both bills call for a $100 GMO crop registration fee and penalties of up to $1,000 per day per violation, according to the story. Ford’s bill includes an option of up to 30 days in jail, Callis said.
      Although an agenda has not yet been released, the Public Safety & Mass Transit Committee will consider the measures and hear public testimony Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 1:30 p.m., according to the story.
      See more at hawaiitribune-herald.com.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

New pesticide labels intend to protect bees. Photo from All About Feed

IN AN ONGOING EFFORT TO PROTECT BEES and other pollinators, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has developed new pesticide labels that prohibit use of some neonicotinoid pesticide products where bees are present. 

      “Multiple factors play a role in bee colony declines, including pesticides. The EPA is taking action to protect bees from pesticide exposure, and these label changes will further our efforts,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
      Kathleen Johnson, EPA’s Enforcement Division director for the Pacific Southwest, said, “The proper use of pesticides is critical for the protection of honeybees and the crops that depend on them for pollination. We will be working with our state partners to ensure the pesticides subject to these new labeling requirements are applied correctly.”
      The new labels will have a bee advisory box and icon with information on routes of exposure and spray drift precautions. Today’s announcement affects products containing the neonicotinoids imidacloprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin and thiamethoxam.
      The EPA will work with pesticide manufacturers to change labels so that they will meet the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act safety standard.
      In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and EPA released a comprehensive scientific report on honeybee health, showing scientific consensus that there are a complex set of stressors associated with honey bee declines, including loss of habitat, parasites and disease, genetics, poor nutrition and pesticide exposure.
      The agency continues to work with beekeepers, growers, pesticide applicators, pesticide and seed companies, and federal and state agencies to reduce pesticide drift dust and advance best management practices.
      The EPA recently released new enforcement guidance to federal, state and tribal enforcement officials to enhance investigations of bee-kill incidents.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ka`u School Community Councils begin meeting next month.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCILS will soon start meeting for the fall semester. The first meeting for Na`alehu School will be on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 3 p.m. in Room 35. Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary will hold its first meeting on Monday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. in the SCC room near the main office. Elections are expected soon for officers of both School Community Councils. 

       According to the Hawai`i State Department of Education School Community Council Handbook, procedures to implement school community councils include the following:

• Principals and Complex Area Superintendents must actively support School Community Councils by providing the necessary resources to recruit, elect, educate, run and renew their Councils. 
• School leadership must welcome participation in the process by demonstrating the values and skills that facilitate inclusion of all members. 
• School Community Councils must keep their attention on student achievement by focusing their work on the development, support and monitoring of the school’s Academic and Financial Plan. 

     The handbook states that School Community Councils are a major part of the overall leadership structure at each school. They are a group of people who are elected by their peers to advise the principal on specific matters that affect student achievement and school improvement. Their primary role is to participate in the process that ensures that the needs of all students are specifically addressed in the overall education plan for the school. They review and make suggestions for the Academic and Financial Plan, a document that highlights the goals for the school, the programs and the available resources to reach these goals.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ocean View Baptist Church provided school supplies at its annual
Back to School Bash July 20. Photo from Connie Landry

OVER 400 BAGS OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES and 400 pairs of slippers were given out at Ocean View Baptist Church’s annual Back to School Bash July 20 at Ocean View Community Association Center. “This helps meet the needs of a lot of families in Ocean View,” said Pastor Mike Landry. “Our church has a desire to ease the financial burden of our families in Ocean View. It is difficult for families to provide all the supplies needed for their children for school and especially hard for our larger families. “We know the importance of education and enjoy helping the children get off to a good start with the supplies that are needed.” 

      To make the day special for the keiki, there was shave ice, hot dogs and inflatable bounce houses. Many area businesses provided door prizes that were a great hit with everyone. “Dr. Madd” entertained with science experiments that taught good life lessons for everyone in attendance.
      Pastor Landry thanks the church, local business sponsors and parents who brought their children to participate in this event.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Passarelli restored this 300SL Gullwing coupe, the first to break the
million-dollar barrier at auction. Photo from Joe Iacuzzo

KA`U RESIDENT MARK PASSARELLI is recognized around the globe for his expertise and craftsmanship in the world of classic Mercedes-Benz.  Passarelli’s shop in Ka`u, Hale Merced, is home to several classic Mercedes-Benz restoration projects. He most recently completed a 280SL roadster for the president of the Tori Richard company. Passarelli’s cars have won many awards, been featured in books and magazines and have even been used in advertisements by Mercedes Benz.

      Last week at the Pebble Beach, Calif. Concours d’Elegance, the premier classic automobile event held in North America, Passarelli’s work once again set an auction record for value. A 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster that Mark restored several years ago sold for over $1.3 million. Last year, a 300SL Gullwing coupe restored by Passarelli was the first to break the million-dollar barrier, selling for $1.4 million.

      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Trisha Macomber

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I’S TRISHA MACOMBER, author of Guidelines on Rainwater Catchment Systems for Hawai`i, presents a number of options for insuring safe, clean drinking water for the future at this evening’s After Dark in the Park program. Guests receive all the free rainwater they can drink. 

      The program takes place at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park at 7 p.m. $2 donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.

GOVERNOR NEIL ABERCROMBIE INVITES KA`U to join in the worldwide Let Freedom Ring 50th anniversary commemoration and “ring a bell” tomorrow at 3 p.m., a half-century to the minute after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his historic I Have a Dream speech. The governor also requests that places of worship, government buildings and all facilities in Hawai`i with the capability join in this gesture.

HA`AO SPRINGS AND MOUNTAIN HOUSE Agriculture Water Cooperative meets at 4 p.m. tomorrow at Wai`ohinu Park.

NA`ALEHU PUBLIC LIBRARY OFFERS free, family-friendly movies for all ages every Thursday at 2:30 p.m. For more information, call 939-2442.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, August 26, 2013

Projects such as the one proposed by `Aina Koa Pono to harvest plants and grow feedstock in Ka`u and produce biofuel at a refinery above Pahala may not be able to compete with other energy sources, according to
Civil Beat's Sophie Cocke. Photo by Julia Neal

“THERE ARE SIGNS THAT BIOFUELS may not be able to compete with other energy sources,” reported Sophie Cocke in today’s Civil Beat. “Yet, the utility could be locked into long-term commitments to buy the fuel at a fixed cost.”

      According to Cocke, “Amid growing pressure from the Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission to reduce electricity rates, HECO has stated in its new long-term energy plans for O`ahu, the Big Island and Maui County, that it will pursue liquefied natural gas, retire oil-fired generators that involve costly upkeep and solicit lower-cost wind and solar energy sources. In a changing energy landscape, where there’s a new emphasis on consumer cost, it’s not clear how biofuels will fit in.”

      Currently before the state Public Utilities Commission is the proposed 20-year contract for `Aina Koa Pono to sell biofuel to the electric utilities. The PUC may decide to deny the contract or hold an evidentiary hearing as requested by Hawai`i County and Life of the Land.
      AKP plans to harvest plants and grow feedstock in Ka`u to produce biofuel at a refinery above Pahala.
      The first AKP contract was rejected by the PUC three years ago when commissioners said the price of the fuel was too high and not in the best interest of consumers.

      According to Cocke, “AKP and HECO negotiated the price of the project down by $125 million, but the fuel from that bill would nonetheless add to customer electricity bills based on current projections for the price of oil.”
      Robert Rapier, an executive at renewable energy company Merica International, told Cocke, “If electricity prices fall, I suspect we are going to get stuck.” Cocked said, “By that, he means stuck paying for fuel that carries a significant premium.”
      Biofuels have been part of the utility’s renewable energy strategy since 2008, when the state and HECO signed the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative, according to Cocke. “It makes for an attractive option for HECO because the ‘clean fuel’ can be dropped into the utility’s generators, just like petroleum. And local companies seeking to produce biofuel have touted the economic benefits of the energy projects, saying they will create local jobs and bolster the Hawai`i economy.
      “Tens of millions of dollars have been invested in local start-up projects, but there has been little success so far, and some of the technology remains unproven.
      “HECO signed contracts with the biofuel companies before it received any assurance that their projects would be successful in delivering the fuel. Part of it was to help stimulate a market for local biofuels.
      See more at civilbeat.com.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Kulani Prison sits on 280 acres near Ka`u's eastern  border. Photo from
Environmental Assessment for reopening the prison

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE is seeking plans for agricultural development at Kulani Prison, which is scheduled to reopen in July 2014 after closing in 2009 due to state budget cuts. In its request for proposals, which was provided to Big Island Now by the Department of Agriculture, the state is soliciting bids to develop a program that will “utilize land surrounding the former Kulani Correctional Facility … for the purpose of increasing agricultural productivity and to serve as a rehabilitation site for inmates.”
      According to reporter Nate Gaddis, the ag development is an effort to provide inmates with “a path to career success.”
      Funding is provided from the Agricultural Development and Food Security Special Fund, and priority is given to contractors who can successfully solicit matching funds for the project.
      The deadline for RFPs is Monday, Sept. 16. Interested parties can contact Sue Sakamoto of the Agricultural Development Division at 808-973-9576 or sue.h.sakamoto@hawaii.gov.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ocean View resident Don Elwing raises awareness of plastic marine
debris by turning it into works of art. Photo from Don Elwing

WHAT’S IN YOUR OCEAN? Ocean View artist and eco-activist Don Elwing answers this question at his art exhibit, of the same name, on Sunday, Sept. 8 at Pohue Plaza swap meet grounds from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Elwing will set up his gallery of over 40 art pieces made exclusively from marine plastic micro debris collected from the shores of Kamilo Beach, near South Point. The event will also display art from other local Ka`u and South Kona artists who are creating pieces especially for the show. Elwing will also be showing at Hawai`i Wildlife Fund’s Kamilo Beach cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Wai`ohinu Park, where volunteers meet before heading to South Point. At the show, Elwing will raffle off one or two of his art pieces.
      Elwing visits Kamilo weekly, doing his part to clean up the environment by collecting ocean debris which he turns into pieces of art. Each week he spends about 10 to 12 hours picking up trash, eight to 10 hours sorting the material and then six to eight hours cleaning it before he even begins to work on a piece.
      Elwing, a wood sculptor by trade and union carpenter, calls what he does awareness art. “Not everyone can get down there, so I bring down there to them,” he said. His pieces vary greatly from landscapes and portraits to abstracts. His most recent piece is a motorcycle, which he calls Scooter Trash. He has pieces made entirely of bottle caps and others of just bottle bottoms. He even has work that imitates sand art, but is created from thousands of tiny plastic pieces. Another piece shows just how much trash is being consumed by marine life; it is made completely of plastic bitten by fish. The marks on the plastic indicate that “it is obvious they are eating it,” said Elwing. His favorite piece, though, is called “Terminal Indigestion,” which uses plastic debris to depict an albatross, an animal known for gorging on ocean trash, and shows viewers exactly what is in its stomach.
      Growing up and living in Oregon and Alaska and then in Hawai`i for the past 30 years, Elwing has always had a close connection to the sea. “I have always lived near the ocean; a lot of my food comes from the ocean; most of my friends’ ashes are in the ocean. The ocean is my church.”
      When Elwing came to Ka`u he was deeply moved by the amount of trash washing up at Kamilo. “I cried. I had to try somehow to make a difference.” Elwing said he considers it his “kuleana” to help people understand just how much trash is in the ocean and is washing up on land. “I think people are getting it.”
      To learn more about or get involved with upcoming Ka`u beach cleanups or the Hawai`i Wildlife Fund Hawai`i Island Marine Debris Removal Program, contact coordinator Megan Lamson at 769-7629 or kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

THE HAWAI`I METH PROJECT has announced its 2013 Break the Ice Art Contest, aimed at communicating the risks of methamphetamine through works of art. The contest is a way for teens to be recognized for their artistic ability while learning about the harmful effects of this drug.
      Hawai`i students ages 13 to 18 are eligible to enter the contest during the submission period of Sept. 1 through Oct. 20. Prospective entrants are asked to visit HawaiiMethProject.org and choose one of more than 350 pieces of content as direct inspiration for their artwork.
      The website includes interactive facts, videos, animations, image galleries, personal stories from users and information from experts.
      Using these tools from the website, teens can create a visual work of art in any style and medium, with the goal of influencing how people across the state view this harmful and detrimental drug.
      Specific rules and guidelines for the contest along with samples from last year’s competition can be found at the website.
      Judging will be based on how well the artist portrayed his or her meth prevention message, as well as for its artistic merit and creativity. Submissions will be evaluated on thought, planning, artistic effort and creativity. Winners will be announced at the end of November.
      The Hawai`i Meth Project is a nonprofit organization that implements large-scale, research-based campaigns and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use in the state.
      To comment on or “Like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Harvesting rainwater is the topic at After Dark in the Park tomorrow.
Photo from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I’S TRISHA MACOMBER, author of Guidelines on Rainwater Catchment Systems for Hawai`i, is guest speaker at tomorrow’s After Dark in the Park program. Macomber presents a number of options for insuring safe, clean drinking water for the future. Guests receive all the free rainwater they can drink.
      The program takes place at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park at 7 p.m. $2 donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply.

HA`AO SPRINGS AND MOUNTAIN HOUSE Agriculture Water Cooperative meets at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Wai`ohinu Park.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES