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Monday, September 22, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Sept. 22, 2014

Runners head for the trail at the first Ka`u Coffee Trail Run Saturday at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Photo by Taylor's Treasures Photography
KA`U COFFEE TRAIL RUN organizers have released the first official results from Saturday’s Half Marathon. Winner Billy Barnett, of Volcano, conquered the tough and hilly course in one hour, 45 minutes and 13.1 seconds to take the men’s title. Caitlyn Tateishi, of Pahoa, won the women’s Half Marathon in two hours, 21 minutes and 30.73 seconds.
Runners of all ages joined the Ka`u Coffee Trail Run events with a 5K, 10K and
Half Marathon Saturday on the edge of Wood Valley.
Photo by Taylor's Treasures Photography
      Second in the men’s race was international competitor in long distance trail runs Kenichi Yamamoto, of Yamanashi Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, Japan. His time was one hour, 52 minutes and 33.77 seconds. Second in the women’s race was Stephanie Fleegle, of Greensboro, Maryland. Her time was two hours, 22 minutes and 47.63 seconds. 
      Third is the men’s race was Mike Sullivan, of Hilo. His time was one hour, 53 minutes and 19.36 seconds. Third in the women’s race was Vicki Daniel, of Honolulu. Her time was two hours, 23 minutes and 21.31 seconds. The inagural event was sponsored by `O Ka`u Kakou, Edmund C. Olson Trust II, County of Hawai`i and many others. It was held on the grounds of Ka`u Coffee Mill and surrounding orchards, farms and rainforest. Race director was Raylene Moses.
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CY TAMURA AND ANTHONY EMMSLEY, both from Na`alehu, won the first Portuguese Horseshoe contest as part of `Ohana Day, in connection with the Ka`u Coffee Trail Run events on Saturday. Kai Enriques, of Pahala, and Emmette Enriques, of Punalu`u, took second. Pono Palakiko, of Ocean View, and Isaiah Naboa, of Na`alehu, took third.
      Portuguese Horseshoes are played by tossing large metal washers used in machinery across an open space aiming for a hole on the top of a wooden box. More points are scored by landing the washer in the hole and fewer by landing on the box. The game was invented in Hawai`i.
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Andre Carvalho, Kameron Moses and Jensen Navarro-Villa, from left in front,
receive congratulations from Nui Wong and Minako Yamazaki.
Photo by Taylor's Treasures Photography
ANDRE CARVALHO, KAMERON MOSES AND JENSEN NAVARRO-VILLA were winners at the Kendama tournament held Saturday during `O Ka`u Kakou’s `Ohana Day & Ka`u Coffee Trail Run at Ka`u Coffee Mill.
      Nui Wong, with the company Sweets Kendamas, came to Ka`u Coffee Mill to lead a group of ten local enthusiasts to show off Kendama skills. It was a last man standing event as the skills became more and more difficult and participants were eliminated. Sweets Kendamas sponsored special kendamas to Minako Yamazaki, from Tokyo and Pahala, who presented large Kendama trophies and certificates from Ms. Tsutsumi, Executive Director of Japan Kendama Association.
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TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE HAS OVERTAKEN Hawaiian Electric Co.’s assumption that customers will stay connected to the grid, according to Life of the Land Executive Director Henry Curtis.
      “It can be cost effective to leave the grid, Curtis said on his blog at ililanimedia.blogspot.com. “The trend is for this ability to leave to become increasingly cost effective.”
      Curtis’ statements followed Friday’s briefing at the state Legislature when members of several committees sought to get an update on the impacts of Hawaiian Electric Co.’s Sept. 2013 policy changes on solar interconnection, to learn more about the utility’s future plans for distributed generation and to hear alternative perspectives.
      During the briefing, Representative Chris Lee asked, “What is the benefit of a privately owned utility?  
      “Would Hawai`i’s ratepayers in this context be better served by a public utility that only looks out for the public interest and cleaner energy and lower prices rather that a utility also trying to take a significant profit off of those captive ratepayers?”
      According to Curtis, Jim Alberts, HECO’s Senior Vice President of Customer Service, responded, “From our perspective at Hawaiian Electric, we are very community focused, we are out in the community, and we want our community to be successful.”
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Duke Aiona
David Ige
DAVID IGE IS LEADING IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR, according to the latest Civil Beat poll. On Hawai`i Island, the Democrat leads Republican Duke Aiona by nine percent, 44 percent to 35 percent. Statewide, Ige has a four percent lead, 43 percent to 39 percent. 
      The poll also shows little support for the other candidates. Independent Mufi Hannemann garnered 11 percent on Hawai`i Island and eight percent statewide. Libertarian Jeff Davis got one percent on this island and two percent statewide. Nine percent of those surveyed on the Big island were undecided, and statewide eight percent were undecided.
      Reporter Chad Blair said Matt Fitch, executive director of Merriman River Group, concluded that the race is now between two parties and that it favors Ige. “Among people who voted in the Democratic primary, Ige does as well among Abercrombie voters as he does with those who voted for him. … Abercrombie voters are loyal Democrats that are not going to vote for Aiona.”
      Another factor cited by Fitch was the significant number of Republicans who crossed over and voted Democratic in the primary.
      See civilbeat.com.
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Triangle on map shows where lava headed toward Pahoa has come to a stop.
Map from Hawai`i Emergency Management Agency
RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN ON THE UPPER SLOPES in Ka`u closed Hwy 11 at Kawa last night due to flooding. Hawai`i Police Department reported the closure just after 9 p.m. 
      Thunderstorms began in east Ka`u around 3 p.m., dropping two inches of rain per hour in Wood Valley that continued into the evening, according to the National Weather Service.
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THE FRONT OF THE JUNE 27TH LAVA FLOW HEADING toward Pahoa has slowed to a stop, but the flow remains active farther upslope within Kaohe Homesteads and is moving northeast, reported Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists. Surface breakouts are also present closer to Pu`u `O`o, roughly midway along the length of the June 27th flow. While none of the breakouts have been very vigorous, together they compose a significant portion of the total flow volume which was previously making its way to the flow front. Some of these breakouts are also producing smoke plumes as they creep into the adjacent forest.
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Ka`u residents Joe Iacuzzo and Kathryn Tydlacka with
Dreadnaughtus fossils.
KA`U LEARNING ACADEMY CO-FOUNDERS Kathryn Tydlacka and Joe Iacuzzo recently visited the laboratory of Dr. Ken Lacovara at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Lacovara discovered the remains of Dreadnaughtus, the world’s largest dinosaur, in the Patagonia region of Argentina over a period of several years. This giant was 130 feet long and weighed as much as 60 tons.
      Lacovara shared a number of his discoveries with Iacuzzo and Tydlacka and provided them with a back-room tour of the Academy of Science in Philadelphia, the oldest natural history museum in the U.S. Iacuzzo worked with Lacovara when Iacuzzo was a director of the Jurassic Park Institute at Universal Pictures, an educational outreach program used by over 20 million children and educators.
      Iacuzzo is also the official Hawai`i representative for National Fossil Day, a series of events sponsored by the National Park Service. On Tuesday, Oct. 21, he will give a talk about the history of fossil collecting in the United States, beginning with Thomas Jefferson’s collection, at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s After Dark in the Park.
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KA`U HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAMS hosted Honoka`a Friday. Junior Varsity won 25 – 11, 25 – 16, with several hits by Tristan Davis and good defense by Poai Emmsley.
      With Honoka`a ahead two sets to one, varsity forced the match into a fifth set, with final scores of 25 – 16, 19 – 25, 23 – 25, 25 – 18, 11 – 15. Sky Kanakaole-Esperon contributed in serving and spikes. Denisha Navarro had good hits, and Kerrilynn Domondon excelled in defense.
      The teams host Kamehameha Wednesday at 6 p.m.
      This story was written with reports from Ka`u High School journalism intern Kaweni Ibarra.
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A KA`U PLANTATION DAYS MEETING takes place today at 6:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. For more information, call Darlyne Vierra at 640-8740.

Residential damage from a magnitude-6.1 earthquake in 1989 was mainly in Puna,
including this house in Kalapana. Photo from USGS
PAUL OKUBO, A SEISMOLOGIST WITH USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, presents an overview of damaging earthquakes in Hawai`i, including current theories on where and why they occur and what to do when they happen, tomorrow at 7 p.m. at After Dark in the Park.
      The free program takes place at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Donations of $2 support After Dark programs. Park entrance fees apply.

KEIKO MERCADO DEMONSTRATES HOW `OHE (bamboo) are carved into designs and how they are used Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Samples and hands-on opportunities will be available. Free; park entrance fees apply.

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






See kacalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.