Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013

Ka`u Community Floating Lantern Ceremony, Honoring Past, Present and Future Generations takes place today from
 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Punalu`u. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I 2050 PLAN gained national coverage in the Huffington Post this week. The analysis by Civil Beat contributor Billy Mason explains a local attitude and practice: “`A`ohe hana nui ke alu `ia translates to mean ‘No task is too big when done together by all.’”

      Mason contends that “local-level and state-level initiatives such as the Hawai`i 2050 Sustainability Plan will help to reduce the risks associated with Hawai`i’s current dependence on imported services and products, build resilience to address unavoidable impacts caused by climate change, preserve the aloha spirit and create new economic opportunities in Hawai`i for present and future generations.”
          Mason writes that “since the late 1980s, sustainability has been globally accepted and sustainable development defined as ... development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This definition of sustainability can traced to the Brundtland Commission’s concept of sustainable development, which they presented to the United Nations.

       “In line with the Brundtland definition and building upon the Hawai`i State Plan conceived in the mid-1970s, the 2050 Hawai`i Sustainability Plan proclaims sustainability to encompass the following criteria: ‘respects the culture, character, beauty and history of our state’s island communities; strikes a balance between economic, social and community, and environmental priorities; meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’”
      Mason writes that “in order to meet the defined criteria for sustainability in Hawai`i, the 2050 Hawai`i Sustainability Plan has designated the following five overlying goals:

• Living sustainably is part of our daily practice in Hawai`i. 
• Our diversified and globally competitive economy enables us to meaningfully live, work and play in Hawai`i. 
• Our natural resources are responsibly and respectfully used, replenished and preserved for future generations. 
• Our community is strong, healthy, vibrant and nurturing, providing safety nets for those in need. 
• Our Kanaka Maoli and island cultures and values are thriving and perpetuated. 

          Mason puts forth that “some of the elements that are necessary to facilitate the five primary goals of the 2050 Hawai`i Sustainability Plan include generating public and private sector awareness, engagement and stewardship, supporting the growth of local agriculture, developing renewable energy sources and efficient waste management systems, promoting economic development in local context and creating a comprehensive education program.
           “Among these elements, education plays the most significant role because it serves as the foundation for the success of the other elements and the subsequent implementation of a comprehensive sustainability plan.
         Mason says diffusion of knowledge is “the key to generating public and private sector awareness, engagement and stewardship.” He promotes conducting educational outreach events that present a problem to be solvable and incorporating sustainability into the academic curriculum at all levels to stimulate a shift in behavior of future generations.
        Mason suggests that the 2050 Hawai`i Sustainability Plan could set the benchmark for other states to protect the livelihood and lifestyle of their communities.
       “The future of sustainability in Hawai`i rests in hands of local communities that are willing to engage in the planning process, demand regulatory action and embrace stewardship,” Mason concludes.

      See civilbeat.com.
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Natural resource management has the potential for growth in Ka`u, according to a CDP
draft document. Here, The Nature Conservancy's Hawai`i Island director Shaylan
Crysdale discusses rain forest conservation.
Photo by Andrew Richard Hara

PUBLIC COMMENT ON A RECENTLY RELEASED draft document for the Ka`u Community Development Plan is due Monday, Dec. 16. Appendix V4C: Local Economic Development Plan Analysis is available to read at area libraries and community centers and online at kaucdp.info. The public can submit testimony through Dec. 16 using feedback forms found with the reference documents and on the website. The appendix discusses opportunities in various sectors of Ka`u’s economy, including creative, educational and research sectors. 

      “Due to the area’s significant natural and cultural assets,” as well as growth trends in these sectors, “there is considerable employment and entrepreneurial potential in these sectors in Ka`u,” the document states. “Specifically, potential appears high in the music, cultural activities and natural resource management as well as education and research in agriculture, environmental science, Hawaiian studies and geology.”
      The document says that growth in these sectors complements other economic sectors, including agriculture, renewable energy, payment for ecosystem services and ecotourism. It gives an example of creating authentic visitor experiences or creating an educational and research center focused on agriculture and natural and cultural resource management.
      “However, growth will require partnerships with and investment from outside organizations like the Three Mountain Alliance, the Department of Education, the University of Hawai`i and The Kohala Center,” the analysis concludes.

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John and Hope Keawe perform next month
at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium.

EVENTS IN HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK next month celebrate the holiday season. For all events, park entrance fees apply. 

      Volcano Festival Chorus presents its free Christmas concert Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater. Sponsored by Kilauea Drama and Entertainment Network.
      Dinner is available at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café before the concert. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Call 967-8371 for more information.
      Carl Ray Villaverde performs in concert Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium. After spending more than a decade on the mainland teaching `ukulele and guitar at Santa Barbara City College and performing throughout California, Villaverde returns to the islands with his new CD, Hawaiian Magic, on sale at the free show. $2 donations support park programs.
      `Ike Hana No`eau: Lauhala Weaving takes place Wednesday, Dec. 11 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai. Members of `Aha Puhala o Puna share the art during this free program, and participants weave bracelets. Lauhala ornaments are available for sale.
      Recording artist John Keawe rings in the holidays with his music Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium, and his wife Hope interprets with her hula. $2 donations support park programs.
      Na Leo Manu: Haku Mele Ho`ike presents new, original Hawaiian music by local, island songwriters who attended a three-day Hawaiian music songwriter’s workshop with Kenneth Makuakane and UH-Hilo Hawaiian language instructor Kaliko Beamer-Trapp. The free program is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium.
      Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café offers holiday buffets. On Christmas Day, Wednesday, Dec. 25, the buffet is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. New Year’s Day’s buffet on Wed, Jan. 1 is served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Call 967-8356 for more information.

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Mike and Misato Mortara present their handblown art glass at Volcano Village
Art Studio Tour. Photo from Volcano Village Artists Hui

VOLCANO VILLAGE ART STUDIO TOUR continues today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring items on display and available for purchase. A drawing for pieces contributed by each artist is held at the end of the sale. Maps are available at Volcano Village businesses and at VolcanoVillageArtistsHui.com. 

      For more information, call 987-3472 or email eherb@hawaii.rr.com.

KA`U COMMUNITY FLOATING LANTERN CEREMONY, Honoring Past, Present and Future Generations is at Punalu`u Beach Park today from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a community Thanksgiving potluck, Taiko drummers, music and cultural dance.

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS in Na`alehu presents a Crèche Festival today from noon to 8 p.m. and tomorrow from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. with works by local crèche artists, a gallery of nativities, a children’s room with costumes and activities for the entire family.
      For more information, call 339-7402.

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.

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Nov. 29, 2013

Free Thanksgiving dinner drew 439 at Ocean View Community Center yesterday. Walk Off the Turkey event is tomorrow at 9 a.m.
Photo by Melissa Tveter

THE HISTORY CHANNEL’S NEW SERIES AMERICAN JUNGLE misrepresents 
hunting in Hawai`i, according to a statement from Department of Land & Natural Resources.  DLNR finds the series’ depiction of hunting activities “to be inaccurate, offensive, and in some cases, potentially illegal.” The department has launched an investigation into possible law violations occurring during filming of the show. Activities such as night hunting depicted in the show, both on public and private land, are illegal.

      Division of Forestry and Wildlife, which oversees DLNR’s hunting program, denied a permit request last spring for the production to film on state forest lands.

Jonathan Roddy Eric DePeralta and Kalei Fernandez in American Jungle.
Photo from The History Channel

      “We denied the film permit request because it failed to provide sufficient details to indicate the show’s content and raised concerns as to possible illegal activities that might be depicted in the series,” stated DLNR chair William Aila, Jr.
      “Cultural insensitivity of the series is also a concern to DLNR,” the statement said. “The series depicts ‘clans’ that are fighting over access trails to territorial hunting grounds that inaccurately portray restrictive access to Hawai`i’s public lands, which are held in public trust for the people.”
      In the first episode of the series, spears and dogs were used to hunt a cow. “However, in an archival review of more than 60,000 historical documents, there is no evidence that native Hawaiians hunted pigs in the forest with spears, let alone cattle,” the statement said. Cattle are not recognized as game animals in Hawai`i and are illegal to hunt without a special feral cattle control permit.
      “Hunting serves important historical, cultural and practical roles in Hawai`i,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “When guided by lawful and ethical hunting practices, hunting supports worthy conservation objectives in protection of native species and habitats against invasive and destructive elements. Portraying our local hunters as primitives demeans our people and their contributions to subsistence and wildlife conservation. This appears to be a fictional ‘reality’ production with no connection to actual hunters in Hawai`i. If we discover any laws or regulations have been broken, we will vigorously pursue legal and/or criminal charges.”

      Others expressing concern in the statement are Hawai`i County Game Management Advisory Commissioner Willie-Joe Camara, Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement chief Randy Awo and Inga Gibson, Hawai`i director of The Humane Society.
      On the Facebook page for rustyboar.com, TJaye Ailama Forsythe, who came up with the idea for the series, responded to DLNR’s statement: “This is a television show, not a documentary. Television shows have fictional and non-fictional elements to them. American Jungle was considered more of a reality show because these are not actors, and they are not reading from a script. If the show was meant to be an accurate depiction of hunting in Hawai`i, we would have created a documentary.”
      See dlnr.hawaii.gov/huntered/2013/11/28/nr13-154h.
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Arroya Rivas, of Na`alehu, questions AKP's plan to produce feedstock and refine it into biofuel. Photo by Julia Neal

`AINA KOA PONO’S PLAN to harvest trees, shrubs and grasses from lands between Pahala and Na`alehu and to plant biofuel crops to feed a $400 million refinery to be built off Wood Valley Road has gained more testimony. In a letter to the state Public Utilities Commission, Arroya Rivas, of Na`alehu, questions whether `Aina Koa Pono’s plan is, in fact, pono.
      “The use of a good-sounding name (`Aina Koa Pono) to promote a project without allowing appropriate time for an independent (i.e. not AKP-related or funded) [review] of the environmental impact report is not “pono” and does not have the `Aina or, for that matter, the community of people who live close by, in their best interest,” Rivas writes.
      “At a time when we need to be move forward with sustainability by empowering the people to grow food, along comes AKP with an idea of a project that struggles with what has been called ‘adolescent technology.’ That is, unleashing the forces of technology without fully understanding the consequences. This is not ‘pono,’ but rather irresponsible and unacceptable.
      “The only project worth our cooperation is one where we can look forward to a better life for our children, our elders, and the people who live here precisely because it is, without a doubt, ‘pono’ for the `aina, the air and the water quality. Proven beyond a shadow of a doubt by an independent and extensive environmental impact study. This `aina and the people of Hawai`i deserve nothing less. 

      “How long can you keep pushing the `aina to produce 900 tons of feedstock every day using invasive species of plants while at the same time applying great and eventually even greater amounts of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers before the same soil becomes infertile? And this as food prices continue to rise, and the demand for food is on the rise.
      “Keep in mind, too, that eight or more diesel fuel trucks roaring down Hwy 11 would send toxic fumes into the atmosphere where families and children can be seen strolling. And the fact that we do, after all, have an elementary school in Na`alehu directly right off of Hwy 11 along with a preschool program, a much-used family park and a family clinic. …
      “Let’s also consider that 100 or even 300 hundred jobs is nothing compared to the amount and variety of food that can instead be grown in the same area to feed the hundreds of thousands of Hawaiian people who are facing the rise of food prices as you read this letter as well as generate very green and sustainable jobs. 

      “I urge AKP to put your energies and monies toward an earth-friendly energy base technology if that really is your intention. And I urge PUC commissioners to stand firm in the knowing that without an independent and not AKP environmental study, the commissioners would essentially surrender their responsibility to support projects that are indeed without a doubt pono for the `aina and the people.
      “Commissioners, it would be wise on your part to gather information on the truly alternative and sustainable energies available and get informed on what is best for the people and the `aina, or else individuals claiming ‘pono’ will do your business for you and fill their pockets despite the short- and long-term effect to the health of our children, our youth, our elders and the `aina.
      Rivas provides links to articles that she says may be “encouraging and educational:” naturalnews.com/023092_corn_ethanol_biofuels.html and livemint.com/2011/03/23001656/Tata-siqns-up-MIT-energy-quru.html.
      This and other testimony is available at puc.hawaii.gov. Docket number is 2012-0185.

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

Bong Aquino loads up donations from Ka`u to be shipped free to the Philippines.

DONATIONS FROM KA`U are on their way to the Philippines, with free transport donated by LBC shipping company. The effort is organized by the Big Island Filipino Community Council, with Ka`u board member Gloria Camba. The deadline for donating goods is over, but money is being accepted through a nonprofit to help the victims of the typhoon that killed more than 5,800 people in the Visayan area of the country. 

      A well-known person to Ka`u with family affected by the typhoon is economic development expert Margarita Day Day Hopkins, who has long supported Ka`u Coffee farmers. She planned to travel to the Philippines to reconnect with family in the storm-ravaged areas. 

      To arrange donations, call Camba at 928-8558, Amy Peralta at 928-8470 or Will and Grace Tabios at 929-9993.

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

Punalu`u is the site of a floating lantern
ceremony tomorrow. Photo by Julia Neal

THANKSGIVING AT OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER “was decorated like a five-star restaurant” for yesterday’s community Thanksgiving Dinner, said farmer James Hanka, who grew some of the food that was served there. The community association served 439 people at no cost to those who dined on turkey, local purple sweet potatoes, salads, a variety of cooked vegetables and pumpkin, cherry and apple pies. Many volunteers cooked and served the food. Ocean View Community Association board president Gil Robinson said the group wants to thank everyone who donated and volunteered. A silent auction helped raise money for the annual event.

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

WALK THE TURKEY OFF tomorrow, Saturday, with Ocean View Community Association starting at 9 a.m. at mile marker 79 along Hwy 11. The annual event is under the state Adopt-a-Highway program. Association members clean from Iolani Street to Lehua, a two-mile stretch, four times a year.

VOLCANO VILLAGE ART STUDIO TOUR is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today through Sunday, featuring items on display and available for purchase. A drawing for pieces contributed by each artist is held at the end of the sale. Maps are available at Volcano Village businesses and at VolcanoVillageArtistsHui.com.
      For more information, call 987-3472 or email eherb@hawaii.rr.com.

KA`U COMMUNITY FLOATING LANTERN CEREMONY, Honoring Past, Present and Future Generations is at Punalu`u Beach Park tomorrow, fro 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a community Thanksgiving potluck, Taiko drummers, music and cultural dance are also on the schedule. Sign up for a lantern at Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center in Pahala or call 928-0101.

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS in Na`alehu presents a Crèche Festival tomorrow from noon until 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. The celebration includes works by local crèche artists, a gallery of nativities, a children’s room with costumes and activities for the entire family.
      For more information, call 339-7402.

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.

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013

Youthful O Ka`u Kakou volunteers helped to restore the rock wall at the Henry Opukahaia Chapel  above Punalu`u.
Photo by Myra Sumida

COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATION `O Ka`u Kakou is thanking Ka`u and its funders for volunteering time and money for over $62,000 spent on Ka`u projects and organizations between January and November of this year. Members of `O Ka`u Kakou, known as OKK, acknowledged the many hands that contributed materials, monetary donations and thousands of volunteer labor hours to make their projects successful. “`O Ka`u Kakou could not exist without you the people of Ka`u,” said OKK president Wayne Kawachi.
           “`O Ka`u Kakou will assist Hana Hou Restaurant with the annual Keiki Christmas Party on Wednesday, Dec. 11 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone wishing to help is welcome to join in. On Jan. 25, OKK will host its annual Keiki Fishing Tournament. Last year, 324 keiki participated with their families, and OKK served free lunches to 750. Approximately 90 volunteers came out to help, collectively contributing at least 650 hours, Kawachi said.

OKK Pres. Wayne Kawachi
Photo by Julia Neal

Volunteers work on rebuilding the crumbling cemetery wall atop a Punalu`u bluff.
Photo by Myra Sumida

      OKK cares for seven area cemeteries. The community group is expanding its improvement projects as part of the quest to keep Ka`u beautiful, said secretary Nadine Ebert. Most recently, OKK, along with volunteers and keiki, rebuilt the crumbling rock wall surrounding the Henry Opukahaia chapel cemetery atop the Punalu`u bluff. Work at other Ka`u cemeteries also includes Wai`ohinu Catholic Church; Keaiwa near Wood Valley; Pahala Chinese and Buddhist cemeteries; Pahala Community cemetery and the small cemetery just outside of Na`alehu. Members maintain weed control, lay gravel, build walls and repair and paint cemetery structures.       OKK spent 200 hours this year renovating the Pahala Hongwanji old school building for eventual community use. Hongwanji members are looking forward to sharing the use of this building with the Ka`u community, Kawachi said. Last month, OKK members prepared a garden for the Boys and Girls Club at the Hongwanji. OKK also helped the Pahala Catholic Church fix its rectory stairs and continues to work on improvement projects for Pahala and Na`alehu Catholic Churches.

Keiki and adults clean up six miles of highway near Punalu`u four times a year.
Photo by Myra Sumida

   Beautification projects also extend to cleaning six miles of Hwy 11 plus Ninole Loop Road every quarter as part of the Adopt-a-Highway program, which OKK has been doing for several years. The group also cares for the Punalu`u pond, ridding it of invasive plants once a trimester. Breakfast or lunch is always provided free to volunteers.
      Another part of OKK’s mission is to work with local organizations to help them achieve their goals, said Ebert. “We often lend our shave ice, pop corn, and hot dog machines for their fund raising efforts.” Groups include Hannah’s Makana `Ohana Hula Halau, Southside youth volleyball, Ka`u High School sports programs such as volleyball and wrestling, and Pop Warner football. OKK also provided labor for Ka`u Plantation Days, Ka`u Coffee Festival, Red Hat Spaghetti Dinner and Keoki Kahumoku’s Center for Hawaiian Music Studies workshops. OKK also donated to $1,800 to the Ka`u Hospital Charitable Foundation.        Local students also benefit from OKK’s support. This year the group raised $4,390 partnering with Queen Lili`uokalani Children’s Center to purchase preschool and kindergarten supplies for Na`alehu and Pahala students. Dedicated to working with Ka`u schools, OKK has expanded its reach to include hauling several truckloads of dirt for the improvement of the Na`alehu School garden program. OKK also donated $2,000 for continuing education scholarships.

O`Ka`u Kakou cares for seven historic cemeteries in Ka`u. Photo by Myra Sumida

       Working with the seniors of Ka`u holds a special place in the hearts of OKK members as well, said Kawachi. OKK sponsors a bingo luncheon three times a year, with the next one scheduled for February. “This proves to be fun for participant and workers,” he said. OKK continues to provide maintenance for homes and yards of seniors, installing handrails and grab bars, trimming trees and repairing roofs. 

      OKK also took up the reigns to help keep the annual Fourth of July festivities going. “Sponsoring the Fourth of July activities is a challenging event,” said Ebert. This year the parade included 35 entries, including Miss Ka`u Coffee Tiare Lee Shibuya, Mayor Billy Kenoi, state Rep. Dennis Onishi and Ka`u County Council member Brenda Ford. Following the parade, a mini-carnival included a climbing wall and water slides for the keiki, free shave ice and hot dogs, as well as bingo and lunch for the adults.
“`O Ka`u Kakou would like to thank the many, many people of the Ka`u community for their kind generosity, said Kawachi.
      Board members of OKK include president Wayne Kawachi, vice president Walter Wong Yuen, secretary Nadine Ebert and treasurer June Domondon. For more information or to join, contact Ebert at ebertn004@hawaii.rr.com or call Kawachi at 937-4773.

HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. has joined with its sister companies Hawaiian Electric Co, Maui Electric and American Savings Bank to contribute $100,000 to the Filipino Community Center of Hawaii to help Typhoon Haiyan victims in the Philippines. The donation will be matched by the Consuelo Foundation, through its promise to match up to $2 million.Electric company workers are also making personal donations that will also be matched by Consuelo.
     Connie Lau, Hawai`i Electric’s CEO said: “We appreciate the good work of the Consuelo Foundation in partnership with the FilCom Center to support this humanitarian cause “Our thoughts are with the people impacted by this devastating disaster.”

State Rep. Richard Onishi, winner of the Hawai`i Farm Bureau's top legislator award,
 walked in the Independence Day Parade this year in Na`alehu. Photo by Julia Neal

EAST KA`U STATE REPRESENTATIVE Richard H.K. Onishi has been named 2013 Legislator of the Year by the statewide Hawai`i Farm Bureau. Onishi serves as vice chair of the Agriculture Committee and member of the Finance, Economic Development and Business, Tourism, and Veterans Military Affairs & International Affairs Committees.
      Among his priorities is the development of agriculture on Hawai`i Island with efforts focused on securing funding sources, increasing opportunities for the industry and making it more available and competitive.
      The Hawai`i Farm Bureau’s Legislator of the Year awards are given to state lawmakers who demonstrate excellence in leadership and a demonstrated initiative to advance the interests of Hawai`i’s farmers and ranchers.
      The recipients are formally recognized at Hawai`i Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting after being nominated and voted upon by a committee comprised all of Hawai`i Farm Bureau County chapters, representing agricultural stakeholders from across the state.  This past legislative session, Onishi worked toward the passage of legislation to improve agriculture in the state and especially on Hawai`i Island. The Legislature passed an appropriation of $800,000 to combat the coffee berry borer infestation, $1.5 million for agricultural livestock feed subsidies, $1.75 million for the new farmer and biosecurity loan programs and $600,000 for a biodigester to convert food waste to livestock feed.
      Additionally, Onishi has supported $75,000 annual appropriations for two youth education initiatives, the Department of Education’s Future Farmers of America program and the University of Hawai`i’s 4-H program.
      “I am extremely honored to have been selected as this year’s awardee — especially in my first year in office. I appreciate the recognition of my colleagues in the agriculture industry and will continue working toward the development and cultivation of our essential agriculture industry,” Onishi said.

       Ka`u Farm Bureau's annual meeting is Monday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m., Pahala Community Center.

Lisa Louise Adams will show her art at the Volcano Hui Artists tour starting tomorrow.
Photo from Volcano Village Artists Hui

THANKSGIVING FEASTS ARE AVAILABLE throughout Ka`u today.
      Kilauea Military Camp’s buffet is from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, featuring roast turkey, green bean casserole, corn chowder and more. Call 967-8356.
      In Na`alehu, South Side Shaka’s Restaurant begins serving its Thanksgiving dinners at 11 a.m. Call 929-7404.
      Also in Na`alehu, Hana Hou Restaurant presents a buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. along with dinner from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Call 929-9717.
      Ocean View Community Association offers its annual meal, open to the entire community, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the community center. 

VOLCANO VILLAGE ART STUDIO TOUR is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The self-guided tour sponsored by Volcano Village Artists Hui allows the community to visit seven artists’ studios and features items on display and available for purchase.
      A drawing for pieces contributed by each artist is held at the end of the sale. Maps are available at Volcano Village businesses and at www.VolcanoVillageArtistsHui.com.
      For more information, call 987-3472 or email eherb@hawaii.rr.com.

KA`U COMMUNITY FLOATING LANTERN CEREMONY, Honoring Past, Present and Future Generations is at Punalu`u Beach Park this Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Floating Lantern Ceremony this Saturday. Photo by Matt Coats

      It includes a community Thanksgiving potluck, Taiko drummers, music and cultural dance followed by the lantern release. Floating lanterns for inscribing messages and decorating will be provided to the first 100 registrants. Pre-registrations are being taken by Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc., which is co-sponsoring the ceremony with health insurer HMSA, at 928-0101. Sign up at the Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center. 

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS on Mamalahoa Hwy in Na`alehu presents a Crèche Festival Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. The celebration includes works by local crèche artists, a gallery of nativities, a children’s room with costumes and activities for the entire family.
For more information, call 339-7402.

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013

Hawai`i Wildlife Fund is now collaborating with Recycle Hawai`i in efforts to clean up the Ka`u Coast. Photo from HWF

SOME MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY Agriculture Advisory Commission have concerns about safety and liability regarding a new state law that exempts nonresidential structures on farms from building permits and plan reviews, according to a story in West Hawai`i Today.
      The law, which went into effect July 1, allows buildings not intended for living space to be built without permits on ag-zoned commercial farmland.
      At its meeting yesterday, the commission asked for a report from the county Department of Public Works for its next meeting on Dec. 17.
      Reporter Nancy Cook Lauer said commissioners also asked whether the county code needs to be changed to accommodate the new state law.
      Concerns expressed by the commission include compliance with setback rules, inspection and enforcement of the law to ensure people aren’t illegally living in structures.
     “The intent of the law was right and useful, but you know there are abuses and regulatory overlaps,” Jeff Melrose, program development officer for the county Department of Research and Development, told Cook Lauer.

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

Helicopter spraying to kill a macadamia pest resumed this morning around Pahala
following aerial spraying on Oct. 23. Photo by Julia Neal

HELICOPTERS OVER PAHALA macadamia orchards were no emergency this morning, except for their role in fighting off a macadamia pest. For the second time since Oct. 21, Royal Hawaiian Orchards sprayed pesticides from the air using a Paradise Helicopter. Spraying from helicopter is more targeted that the old style of spraying by crop dusters, reducing overspray onto adjacent properties. The helicopter can fly as low as ten feet above the canopy of the macadamia orchards. The target is a scale, called Eriococcus Ironsidei William, which was first found in South Kona in 2005.

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

KA`U FARM BUREAU holds its annual meeting on Monday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Officers will be elected. Current officers are president Chris Manfredi, vice president Phil Becker, treasurer Lorie Obra and secretary Brenda Iokepa-Moses. Farmers and businesses that work with farmers are invited to join. The Farm Bureau testifies on behalf of its members to county and state government, assists with the Ka`u Coffee Festival, operates a website at kaucoffeeexchange.com, organizes education for farmers and hosts speakers for public meetings.

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

AN NEW EARLY LITERACY MOBILE APP by UH-Manoa College of Education allows young children to do art in virtual coloring books, interact with phonetics exercises and learn about Hawai`i’s culture. 

      The Pihana ABCs mobile app was recreated from an early literacy coloring book that many state elementary schools use. It’s the first app developed by the Piha Pono project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Native Hawaiian Education program.
      Developers hope the app makes the literacy tools more accessible to families and schools and more engaging for children. It includes exercises to help develop phonetics, alphabetic understanding and vocabulary.
      According to a press release, it helps prepare kids for the literacy expectations outlined in the new English and language arts Common Core State Standards.
      The app is available for free on Apple and Android tablets.

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

Ka`u Army veterans Robert Williams and Peter Anderson presented a binder of signatures and messages of gratitude to officials at Pohakuloa Training Area. Anderson designed the binder's cover. Photo from Peter Anderson

KA`U ARMY VETERANS PETER ANDERSON AND ROBERT WILLIAMS on Monday presented a binder containing signatures and short notes of appreciation to Lt. Col. Eric Shwedo, commander of Pohakuloa Training Area and his Sergeant Major Lutgens, who said they would place the binder in the recreation hall where it could be viewed by troops that come to the area as part of their training. 

      The signatures and messages were collected from many Ka`u residents wanting to show their gratitude directly to our servicemen and servicewomen and their families for the risks they take in order to protect all the families in Ka`u and in our nation, Anderson said.

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

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND EXTENDS A MAHALO to the 73 participants of Saturday’s beach cleanup event from Awawaloa to Lalahala, south of Ka`alu`alu Bay. They removed approximately 18,792 pieces of marine debris in 54 large trash bags weighing almost one ton from along this 1.5-mile stretch of coastline. As always, most of the debris collected – almost 90 percent – was plastic.
      During the event, HI Kombucha donated five growlers of their Citrus Breeze Kombucha to participants.

      For this cleanup and in the future, HWF is partnering with Recycle Hawai`i and the state Department of Health to separate some of the marine debris collected that would otherwise be bound for the landfill to a higher purpose. At this cleanup, volunteers sorted five large bags of recyclable materials for Method and the transfer station’s mixed recycling bin. Also, materials were handpicked for several debris artists including Don Elwing, Pam Longobardi and Kathleen’s Nurdle In the Rough.
      HWF’s next Ka`u Coast cleanup is Saturday, Feb. 8. Sign up with coordinator Megan Lamson at kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or 769-7629.

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

THANKSGIVING FEASTS ARE AVAILABLE throughout Ka`u tomorrow. 

      Kilauea Military Camp’s buffet is from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, featuring roast turkey, green bean casserole, corn chowder and more. Call 967-8356.
      In Na`alehu, South Side Shaka’s Restaurant begins serving its Thanksgiving dinners at 11 a.m. Call 929-7404.
      Also in Na`alehu, Hana Hou Restaurant presents a buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. along with dinner from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Call 929-9717.
      Ocean View Community Association offers its annual meal, open to the entire community, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the community center.

Dina Kageler is a member of Volcano Village Artists Hui and
participates in the group's upcoming studio tour.

THE 27TH ANNUAL VOLCANO VILLAGE ART STUDIO TOUR takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. This self-guided tour sponsored by Volcano Village Artists Hui includes stops at seven artists’ studios and features items on display and available for purchase. 

      A special drawing for pieces contributed by each artist is held at the end of the sale. Maps are available at Volcano Village businesses and at VolcanoVillageArtistsHui.com.
      For more information, call 987-3472 or email eherb@hawaii.rr.com.

KA`U COMMUNITY FLOATING LANTERN CEREMONY, Honoring Past, Present and Future Generations takes place at Punalu`u Beach Park Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.. The event includes a community Thanksgiving potluck, Taiko drummers, music and cultural dance followed by the lantern release. Floating lanterns for inscribing messages and decorating will be provided to the first 100 registrants. Pre-registrations are being taken by Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc., which is co-sponsoring the ceremony with health insurer HMSA, at 928-0101. Sign up at the Ka`u Resource & Distance Learning Center.

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS on Mamalahoa Hwy in Na`alehu presents a Crèche Festival Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. The celebration includes works by local crèche artists, a gallery of nativities, a children’s room with costumes and activities for the entire family. 

      For more information, call 339-7402.

One of many annual Christmas events in Ka`u, Hana Hou Restaurant's
Keiki Christmas Party is on Wednesday, Dec. 11. Photo by Julia Neal 

IT’S TIME TO PLAN FOR KA`U’S annual Christmas events next month. 

      Volcano Festival Chorus presents its Christmas Concert Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Sponsored by KDEN. Free; park entrance fees apply.

      Fall Creativity Day is Sunday Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Discovery Center Community Hall. Ka`u School of the Arts offers batik, `ohe kapala (bamboo stamp making), dying workshop, sewing, jewelry making and more. Call 854-1540.
      Pahala Christmas Parade winds through town beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. Santa hands out candy to keiki and makes an appearance at Ka`u Hospital. To participate, call Eddie Andrade at 928-0808.
      Hana Hou Restaurant’s Keiki Christmas Party is Wednesday, Dec. 11 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with buffet dinner, lucky number prizes, keiki and photos with Santa.
      Thy Word Ministries offers free lunch plates while supplies last, live entertainment and a craft fair at Christmas in Ka`u on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Hongwanji.
      Ocean View Community Association’s Keiki Christmas Party is set for Saturday, Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. at the community center. Santa arrives at noon with toys and for photos. Call 939-7033.
      Ka`u School of the Arts’ Christmas concerts are Saturday, Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center and Sunday, Dec. 22 at 3 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Performers include Ka`u `Ohana Band, Ka`u Community Chorus, Hannah’s Makana `Ohana, David Matson and Ben Houghton. Call 854-1540.

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.

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013

During Thanksgiving week and throughout the year, Ka`u gives thanks to its volunteer fire departments. Ron Ebert is captain of Pahala Volunteer Fire Department. Photo by Julia Neal

FAMED CHEF ALAN WONG IS PUTTING his name on a Ka`u coffee blend. Wong has been working with Jim Wayman, of Hawai`i Coffee Co., the biggest coffee roaster in the state, to produce the new Alan Wong 10 percent Ka`u Coffee under the Royal Hawaiian Coffee label. Ten percent of the blend is Ka`u Coffee, and 90 percent is from such coffee origins as Latin America. The main Hawai`i Coffee Co. roasting plant is on O`ahu.
      According to Wayman, for pure Ka`u Coffee to put into the blend, Hawai`i Coffee Co. paid $135,000 to Ka`u Coffee Mill and another $135,000 to coffee broker Chris Manfredi.

Gourmet chef Alan Wong with a Ka`u coffee blend that can be
purchased for $5.77 per seven-ounce bag when bought by
the dozen at hawaiicoffeecompany.com.

      The label says “Royal Hawaiian, Coffee for Royalty” with the endorsement and signature of Alan Wong on behalf of Alan Wong’s Honolulu restaurant business.

      Online at hawaiicoffeecompany.com, customers can choose from French Roast, Medium Roast or Vanilla Macadamia. While pure Ka`u coffee is selling retail at Ka`u Coffee Mill at $27.95 per pound for washed, $35 per pound for natural and $36 per pound for peaberry, the blend can be purchased online from Hawai`i Coffee Co., on sale, for $69.20 for a dozen seven ounce bags – a bulk price of $5.76 for each seven-ounce bag.

      The websites says: “Ka`u coffee beans are quickly becoming recognized around the globe for their intense flavor, ideal growing climate and rich coffee heritage on Hawai`i Island.

      “Royal Hawaiian Coffee features a 10 percent Ka`u coffee bean blend developed and endorsed by world-renowned Chef Alan Wong.
      “Wong has four restaurant locations presenting Hawai`i Regional Cuisine throughout the Islands including Alan Wong’s Honolulu, The Pineapple Room and Honu Kai Lani on O`ahu and Amasia on Maui. Since his restaurant doors opened in 1995, Wong has worked with local farmers to harvest the best Hawai`i-grown and raised products.
      “It’s really, really hard to describe freshness, but you know it right away when you enjoy a cup of Royal Hawaiian!” says the website.
      A comment on Hawai`i Coffee Co.’s store website says, ‘My bf Marlene brought some back to me in New Zealand, and it’s a divine blend! :)”
      Wayman said that the Ka`u coffee blend has already been shipped to major stores such as Longs, Walmart, Foodland and Safeway on this island. He said the blend will help build the Ka`u brand name and help spur more sales of pure Ka`u coffee through local brand names and his company as well. He said that he looks forward to thousands of acres being planted in coffee in Ka`u as the market expands. He said he looks forward to being a “friend of Ka`u coffee” and to supporting and participating in the Ka`u Coffee Festival, which is scheduled the week leading up to the Ho`olaule`a on May 4 of 2014. See kaucoffeefestival.com.
      Attending the unveiling of the new Ka`u coffee blend in Honolulu yesterday was Alan Wong and Edmund C. Olson, founder of Ka`u Coffee Mill, who talked about building the mill to provide jobs in the Ka`u community and to establish a local place where farmers can take their Ka`u coffee for processing. Also attending from Ka`u Coffee Mill were John Cross, Louis Daniele and Bull Kailiawa, along with JN Ka`u Coffee owner Leo Norberte.

Hawai`i  Coffee Co.'s new product is a 10 percent Ka`u Coffee blend called
Royal Hawaiian Coffee, endorsed by famed chef Alan Wong.

       While Hawai`i Coffee Co. is famous for its blends, it also sells pure coffees. Wayman said that he already sells 100 percent Ka`u coffee under his Lion Coffee brand. He said he sells a 100 percent Ka`u coffee to Alan Wong for his wedding chapel business. Wayman’s company owns Royal Kona Coffee, Lion Coffee and Hawaiian Islands Tea Co.

      A story by Stephanie Silverstein in Pacific Business News yesterday afternoon said that “Hawai`i Coffee Co. has been working with Wong for more than two years to develop the line.” Wayman said supply was an issue because the Ka`u coffee region is only 600 acres.
      The Silverstein story quotes Wayman talking about expansion of Ka`u coffee. “We’d like to see them have three or four thousand acres, and we’d like to help create the marketplace for Ka`u coffee so that those farmers can grow their product and prosper, make money and have a great future. We’re very pleased that we can introduce these new Ka`u coffee blends that allow us to bring Ka`u coffee at an affordable price point that everyone in Hawai`i can afford to buy and enjoy in their homes, thereby creating that marketplace.”
      Wayman told PBN that he “worked hard for many years to develop and promote Kona coffee as a brand, and now he sees the opportunity to do the same for Ka`u coffee in the next decade. He wants to give Ka`u region farmers and the Ka`u Coffee Mill enough business to help the Ka`u coffee region grow from a few hundred acres into thousands of acres,” the story reports.
      PBN also reports on Ka`u Coffee Mill founder Ed Olson saying that it is a great advancement to have Wong’s name attached to the coffee. “It means everything to the farmers,” Olson said, according to PBN. “The mill has been a big help to them. Now they have identity; they have a local place to get their products processed. This Alan Wong endorsement is just another leap ahead, so it’s great for the farmers.”
      See more at bizjournals.com/pacific.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard received a 2013 John F.
Kennedy New Frontier Award yesterday.

KA`U’S U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD RECEIVED a 2013 John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award yesterday. Jack Schlossberg, President John F. Kennedy’s grandson and a member of the New Frontier Award Committee, presented the award during a ceremony at the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. 

      “It is truly humbling to receive this honor, as the message and example of servant leadership set by President Kennedy is one I hold close and which continues to inspire me and an entire generation,” Gabbard said. “As we reflect on President Kennedy’s call to service, we understand his indelible mark on the American people, past, present and future, and will forever remember his dedication to public service and working for the greater good. I will continue to strive to uphold his example of servant leadership and honor his life and sacrifice in my service to the people of Hawai‘i and our nation.” 

      The John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards were created by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and the Harvard Institute of Politics to honor Americans under the age of 40 who are changing their communities and the country with their commitment to public service. 

      Gabbard received the Fenn Award, one of the two annual New Frontier Awards. It recognizes a young elected official whose work demonstrates the importance of elective service as a way to address a public challenge or challenges. This award is presented in honor of Dan Fenn, the Kennedy Library’s first director and a former member of President Kennedy’s staff. 

      The second 2013 John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award was given to Charles Best, founder and CEO of DonorsChoose.org, an online charity that enables individuals to provide direct support to teachers and students in public schools.

Candidates' contributions and expenditures can be tracked on a new data
visualization app. This example shows Ka`u Council member Brenda Ford's
data from the last election cycle. Ford chose public funding for her campaign.

THE HAWAI`I CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION has launched its new data visualization app. The data visualizations were created in partnership with the state Office of Information Management and Technology, the state’s Information & Communication Services Division and Socrata, a Seattle-based software company that specializes in democratizing access to government data. 

      This tool allows viewers to study charts of a candidates’ campaign spending data for a particular election period. Pie charts show candidates’ contributions to see how much and what percentage of their contributions are funded by individuals, noncandidate committees, political parties, immediate family members, etc. Viewers can also see how much and what percentage of a candidates’ contributions are coming from in-state versus out-of-state, from which states and zip codes, as well as by geographical location. 

      There is also a visual chart showing how much and what percentage of candidates’ contributions are $1,000 or less and more than $1,000. 

      As for campaign expenditures, a pie chart shows how much and what percentage of a candidate’s spending was for advertising, food & beverage, printing, professional services, surveys/polls/voter lists, etc., as well as a chart showing in-state versus out-of-state spending.

      See hawaii.gov/campaign.  

WES THELEN, A SEISMOLOGIST WITH USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, presents an overview of damaging earthquakes in Hawai`i this evening at After Dark in the Park. The program begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. $2 donation supports park programs; park entrance fees apply. 

PATRICIA KAULA SHARES HER KNOWLEDGE of the art of lei making tomorrow at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Randy Takaki is a member of Volcano Village Artists Hui and participates in
the group's upcoming studio tour.

THE 27TH ANNUAL VOLCANO VILLAGE ART STUDIO TOUR takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Each year, the tour is sponsored by Volcano Village Artists Hui. This self-guided tour includes stops at seven artists’ studios in Volcano Village. The tour features a wide variety of items on display and available for purchase. 

      A special drawing for pieces contributed by each of the artists is held at the end of the sale. Maps are available at Volcano Village businesses and at VolcanoVillageArtistsHui.com. 

      For more information, call 987-3472 or email eherb@hawaii.rr.com. 

A CRÈCHE FESTIVAL takes place Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Mamalahoa Hwy in Na`alehu. The celebration includes works by local crèche artists, a gallery of nativities, a children’s room with costumes and activities for the entire family. 

      For more information, call 339-7402. 

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.