Sunday, March 16, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, March 16, 2014

Big Island Dairy plans to milk 2,000 cows, and other dairies are expected to be opened on the island to replace those that shut down, like Na`alehu Dairy. Photo from Big Island Dairy
HAWAI`I STATE SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE held an informational briefing on Roundup, or glyphosate, Friday. Ka`u Sens. Josh Green, who chairs the committee, and Russell Ruderman called for the briefing because of growing concerns throughout the state about possible health impacts of the herbicide.
Sen. Josh Green
      Testifiers reported that some county workers seen spraying the chemical along roadways were not wearing protective clothing and that the chemical drifted onto adjoining properties.
      West Hawai`i Today reports a nutrition researcher saying a number of assumptions long held about glyphosate are now being questioned and that El Salvador and Sri Lanka, where the herbicide has been heavily used, have recently banned it.
      According to reporter Erin Miller, Ruderman said the chemical has been largely used because of its reputation for safety, but science is now showing it may not be that safe. He cited some recent studies that possibly link increase in autism rates with increase in use of glyphosate.
      See westhawaiitoday.com.
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Gloria Camba, on the right, is a board member
of Ka`u Farm Bureau. Photo by Julia Neal
FIVE COFFEE INDUSTRY representatives, one operator of a small diversified farm and one rancher are the new directors of Ka`u Farm Bureau. According to rancher and Ka`u Farm Bureau director Michelle Galimba, rancher
     Lani Petrie declined to become a board member and Gloria Camba, co-owner of Ka`u RoyalmCoffee and president of the Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, was voted onto the board. 
      The other board members are president Ralph Gaston and treasurer Lorie Obra, both of Rusty’s Hawaiian 100 Percent Ka`u Coffee; Willie Tabios, of Rising Sun Coffee; Brenda Iokepa Moses, of Ka`u Coffee Mill; and small farmer Corrine Nelson. Farmer and rancher Phil Becker, who has served as vice president of Ka`u Farm Bureau, as well as agriculturalist and land manager John Cross, both were unable to attend the annual meeting and did not receive nominations to be directors from those who attended. However, Becker was nominated for president and came in third after Iokepa Moses. Obra and Gaston, who were also unable to attend the annual meeting, were nominated and voted into the president and treasurer positions. Also off the board, who did attend, was flower and coffee farmer Jeff McCall.
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Hawai`i could become milk self-sufficient with new dairies like this one built
by Vance Construction in O`okala. Photo from Vance Construction
THE DAIRY INDUSTRY in Hawai`i will be revitalized, state Department of Agriculture chief Scott Enright said on Friday at the annual Ka`u Farm Bureau meeting. Enright predicted that Hawai`i will be “dairy self-sufficient” in five to ten years. He said that dairies will be viable in Hawai`i through growing feed locally, pointing to Big Island Dairy at O`okala on the Hamakua Coast. Big Island Dairy, owned by an Idaho dairyman, has been constructing an addition to its facility to create the largest commercial milk diary in Hawai`i, with production of 15,000 gallons a day by milking 2,000 cows. The number of dairies in Hawai`i dropped from about 40, including Na`alehu Dairy, to only two in recent years, with the cost of importing feed driving the operations out of business. Farms like Big Island Dairy would grow much of their own corn and other feed. According to Big Island Dairy, it has the potential of raising 63 percent of the feed locally.
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THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN ROLL COMMISSION reopens registration tomorrow, allowing more people to sign up by May 1 and participate in forming a Native Hawaiian government.
      The move came in response to a request from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which announced last week that it will act as a neutral party and help facilitate election of delegates and staging of a Native Hawaiian convention after the roll is certified.
      A preliminary list of registrants will be available for review from March 24 to April 4 at public libraries and Office of Hawaiian Affairs offices across the state, as well as other Hawaiian organizations
      People on the registry will then form a governing entity that could be recognized by the state and begin a government-to-government relationship.
      According to the 2010 census, more than 527,000 people in the United States reported Native Hawaiian ancestry, including 290,000 living in Hawai`i.
      People can register online or check their status at kanaiolowalu.org and hawaiianroll.org.
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AN OCEAN VIEW RESIDENT who was shot twice in the back last week remains hospitalized in critical condition, according to a story in West Hawai`i Today. The 37-year-old single father of three was shot by a 48-year-old man who then killed himself.
      The victim’s mother told reporter Chelsea Jensen that her son is expected to undergo surgery tomorrow to relieve pressure on his lungs. He currently needs a ventilator to breathe.
      See westhawaiitoday.com.
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Dr. Jill Murray
DR. JILL MURRAY, ONE OF THE NATION’S leading experts on teen dating abuse, will speak to Ka`u High School students on April 22. A representative from the Commission on the Status of Women stated that, because of Ka`u County Council member Brenda Ford’s awareness of the challenges facing teens, “she’s made a commitment to bring one of the nation’s finest speakers to her district in hopes to educate, strengthen, empower and provide insight and solutions regarding intimate partner violence.” 
      Murray has appeared on more than 350 television shows, including Oprah, 20/20, Montel, Dr. Phil, Good Morning America and several CNN Shows, speaking as the guest expert in the field of teen dating abuse. She has also appeared on more than 300 radio talk shows and has been interviewed by more than 250 newspapers and national magazines. Murray is the author of best-selling books, But I Love Him: Protecting Your Teen Daughter from Controlling, Abusive, Dating Relationships and Destructive Relationships: A Guide to Changing the Unhealthy Relationships in Your Life. Her newest book, But He Never Hit Me: The Devastating Cost of Non-Physical Abuse to Girls and Women, is on Amazon’s best-seller lists and won the prestigious Publisher’s Choice award.
      Murray is expected to be on other school campuses during her week’s visit to the Big Island.
      For more information, contact Ka`u High School counselor Laura Walker at 928-2088.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U JUNIOR TROJANS did excellent work at the recent county Parks & Recreation and Hershey’s track and field meets, according to coach Angie Miyashiro. “We brought home in total 12 medals and 18 ribbons. The athletes trained very hard and are still motivated to keep training. I am so very proud of them,” she said.
      Ka`u track and field traveled to Kona for the first meet of the season, where Esteve Salmo took first place in boys long jump.
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ST. PATRICK’S DAY BUFFET IS AVAILABLE TOMORROW from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, lamb stew, chunky red potatoes, Irish green beans, steamed rice, tossed salad, ice cream sundae bar, brownies and a beverage cost $18 for adults and $9 for children six to 11 years old. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests; park entrance fees apply. 967-8356.

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. offers career programs Tuesday at Ka`u Resource and Distance Learning Center, 96-3126 Puahala Street in Pahala.
      An informational meeting about Individualized Career Achievement Network, called iCAN, which is designed to help students improve in reading, writing, math and computer skills in preparation for new careers in the areas of agriculture, energy and healthcare, begins at 9 a.m.
      Licensed Practical Nurse program prerequisites informational meeting takes place at 1 p.m. Those interested in applying for training must be at least 18 years of age.
     Call 928-0101 to register.

HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT HOLDS a community meeting at noon Tuesday at Na`alehu Community Center.
      Those interested in participating but unable to attend may call Captain Burt Shimabukuro at 939-2520, stop by the Ka`u Police Station in Na`alehu or e-mail their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com.

LITTLE FIRE ANTS ARE THE SUBJECT of a community meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. Hawai`i Ant Lab personnel will provide information about the ants and discuss methods of control.

SEE THE MARCH ISSUE of The Ka`u Calendar newspaper online at kaucalendar.com.

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