Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015

Upper Ka`u Forest Reserve could become home for `alala as early as next year. FWS Photo by David Ledig

UPPER KA`U FOREST RESERVE could become home to `alala as early as next year. The Associated Press picked up a story from Hawai`i Tribune-Herald reporting that with 114 of the endangered native Hawaiian crows now raised in captivity, reintroduction to the wild can take place. Keauhou Bird Sanctuary in Volcano has been raising `alala in conjunction with Maui Bird Sanctuary, both operated by the San Diego Zoo.

      According to the story, Hawai`i Fish & Wildlife Chief Scott Fretz said additional funding is needed to provide tracking, veterinarian support and predator control.
      The birds haven't been seen in the wild since 2002.
      A previous attempt to reintroduce `alala in the 1990s ended when the birds became susceptible to disease and predators. According to the AP story, 21 of the 27 that were released died, and six were recaptured.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

GOV. DAVID IGE EXPRESSED SUPPORT for U.S. Department of the Interior’s proposal to create a pathway for the Native Hawaiian community to reorganize a Native Hawaiian government and re-establish a government-to-government relationship with the United States. The proposal would create an administrative procedure and criteria that would be applied if the Native Hawaiian community forms a unified government that seeks a formal government-to-government relationship with the U.S.

      “This issue has been discussed for many years, and I support President Obama and the Department of the Interior’s efforts to move it forward,” Ige said. “I urge the public, particularly Native Hawaiians, to comment on this possible pathway for the United States and Native Hawaiians to establish a government-to-government relationship. The public comment period for the proposed rule is an invitation for the public to participate in the rule-making process.”  

      The proposal is available for review at www.doi.gov/ohr, and public comments on it will be accepted for the next 90 days. Members of the public are encouraged to read the proposal and provide comments by email to part50@doi.gov, on www.regulations.gov (docket no. DOI-2015-0005), or by U.S. mail to the Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior, Room 7228, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20240.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

USDA FARM SERVICE ASKS Ka`u residents to report any damages to their farms or ranches due to recent heavy rains and flooding. Executive Director Lester Ueda asks for the following information: crop or crops, affected 
acreage, 
conservation structures
, fencing damage, 
farm dwelling damage, 
other damages and an 
estimate of the amount of damages.

      Call 933.8341
 or email lester.ueda@hi.usda.gov.
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U.S. SENS. BRIAN SCHATZ AND MAZIE HIRONO are following Hawai`i legislators’ lead in raising the legal age for smoking to 21. Joined by several others, Hawai`i’s senators introduced the Tobacco to 21 Act, legislation that would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21 across the country.
      “We know that the earlier smokers begin their unhealthy addiction to nicotine, the more likely they are to suffer from tobacco-related diseases or die,” Schatz said. “This year, Hawai`i became the first state in the nation to raise the minimum smoking age to 21. It was a historic public health achievement that we should adopt nationwide. By raising the minimum tobacco age of sale to 21 across the country, we can cut the number of new smokers each year, build a healthier, tobacco free America and save lives.”
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Logan Kahele-Bishop

POLICE ARE SEARCHING for a 26-year-old Na`alehu man wanted on a bench warrant for violating terms of probation and for questioning in several open investigations.
      Logan Kahele-Bishop is described as a local male, approximately 5-foot-10, 160 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. His last known address was on Kilika Street.
       Anyone who knows his whereabouts is asked to call the police non-emergency line at 935-3311. Those who want anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
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HAWAI`I’S VISITOR INDUSTRY CONTINUES to exceed 2014 records in spending and arrivals. Spending reached $10.3 billion for the first eight months of 2015 and contributed $1.1 billion in state tax revenue.
      In addition to pacing at record-breaking levels, air seats to the Hawaiian Islands are at an all-time high, boosting arrivals from most markets. “While we are pleased with this continued growth for the lead economic driver for the state, we are monitoring various conditions that could impact our industry,” said George D. Szigeti, President and CEO, Hawai`i Tourism Authority. Fuel prices have been dropping, the international stock market continues to be in flux and economic conditions in both Europe and Asia have been unstable. All of these factors could have a potential impact on spending and arrivals to the state.
      “Maintaining the level of growth we have been experiencing over the last few years will be a challenge,” Szigeti said. “However, we will continue to work with our global partners to ensure Hawai`i remains top-of-mind as both a leisure and business destination through creative and innovative strategies.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Distributors of Beauveria bassiana
products today.

JOHN FRANCIS AND MATT NEEDHAM, from Bioworks, will be in Kona this afternoon to discuss Botanigard and Mycotrol, the commercial Beauveria bassiana products used to control coffee berry borers and other insects. BioWorks is the distributor of these and other commercial products. 

      Meet at Kona Cooperative Extension Service Conference Room at 3 p.m.

SHARY CROCKER OFFERS QIGONG CLASSES tomorrow and every Thursday. Crocker, a student of Kenneth Cohen, describes the class as gentle Daoist healing postures and meditations “creating balancing of body, mind and spirit”
      Classes are from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in a private studio in Mark Twain Estates. $5 per class. Beginners are welcome. Private sessions are available.
      See listings in September and October issues of The Ka`u Calendar.
      Call 929-7647.

MARK YAMANAKA PERFORMS TOMORROW from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Funds raised benefit Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i, the nonprofit that is opening safe house for girls in Pahala tomorrow.
The evening includes a roast pork dinner.
      Donation is $25. For tickets, call Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 315-7032 or 649-9334. Tickets will also be available at the door.

OKTOBERFEST IS FRIDAY at St. Jude’s Church in Ocean View with 6 p.m. dinner. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Call 939-7000.

HO`OKUPU HULA NO KA`U Cultural Festival takes place Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The festival includes music, hula, crafts, food and cultural workshops. Open to the public with no fees both nights.
      Entertainment both days begins with an opening pule at 4 p.m. On Friday, Ka`imia Na`auao Kahiko/Ka`u School of Arts and Kumu Hula Marsha Bolosan take the stage at 5:45 p.m., followed by a Kukui Ceremony (Honoring our Ancestors) at 6:30 p.m., Kamehameha School with Kumu Hula Kimo Kekua at 7 p.m., Makanau at 8 p.m., Halau Hula O Leionalani with Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 8:45 p.m. and Keaiwa at 9:30 p.m.

White Line Printing is the topic of a workshop Saturday.

      See www.hookupukau.com.

SPACE IS STILL AVAILABLE for Saturday’s introductory White Line Printing Workshop. Lisa Louise Adams and Margaret Barnaby hold the workshop at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Course fee is $70 or $63 for VAC Members and a $15 supply fee. Students need to bring a mat or x-acto knife, baren or wooden spoon, pencil and paper, two simple 5×8 inch images and wood carving tools, if available. 

      White Line Printing was born from traditional Japanese woodblock printing, then added the theories of Cubism and Abstract Expressionism.
      Founded in the early 1900s in Provincetown, Massachusetts, white line printing was developed by artists who were interested in Japanese printmaking but wanted to eliminate cutting a block of wood for every color needed. They developed a way to make color prints from a single block of wood. With this method, a line drawing is cut into the block, which becomes white lines surrounding each shape. Each section is then hand-colored with watercolor paint and printed with a baren or wooden spoon until the print is complete. Every print will be unique because of the variations in paint application.
      Register at volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_Sept2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Buy a bag for $7 and fill it with books for $3 more
at Ka`u libraries.

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015

Hawai`i's population of band-rumped storm-petrels is being considered for listing as an endangered species. See story below.
Photo from The Crossley Guide to Eastern Birds.

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR is proposing to create an administrative procedure and criteria that the Secretary of the Interior would apply if the Native Hawaiian community forms a unified government that then seeks a formal government-to-government relationship with the United States. Under the new proposal, the Native Hawaiian community — not the federal government — would decide whether to reorganize a Native Hawaiian government, what form that government would take and whether it would seek a government-to-government relationship with the United States.

      “The United States has a long-standing policy of supporting self-governance for Native peoples, yet the benefits of the government-to-government relationship have long been denied to Native Hawaiians, one of our nation’s largest indigenous communities,” U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said. “Today’s proposal is testament to the Obama Administration’s strong support for our nation’s Native peoples’ right to self-determination.”

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell

      The proposal, which takes the form of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, builds on more than 150 federal statutes that Congress has enacted over the last century to recognize and implement the special political and trust relationship between the United States and the Native Hawaiian community. The NPRM comes on the heels of a public comment period as part of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking process that began last year and included public meetings. More than 5,000 members of the public submitted written responses to the ANPRM, and, DOI reported, they overwhelmingly favored creating a pathway for re-establishing a formal government-to-government relationship.
      “We’ve listened to the feedback we received during the public meetings and in writing and worked to improve the proposal to reflect those comments,” Jewell said. “We appreciate the many voices on this topic and look forward to hearing from the public on this proposal.”
      If a government-to-government relationship is re-established, it can provide the community with greater flexibility to preserve its distinct culture and traditions and special status under federal law that enables the community to exercise powers of self-government over many issues directly impacting community members, according to DOI.
      The Native Hawaiian community has not had a formal government since the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai`i in 1893. In 1993, Congress enacted the Apology Resolution, which offered an apology to Native Hawaiians on behalf of the United States for its role in the overthrow and committed the federal government to a process of reconciliation. As part of that reconciliation process, in 2000 the DOI and the Department of Justice jointly issued a report identifying as its lead recommendation the need to foster self-determination for Native Hawaiians under federal law.
      Today’s proposal is available for review at doi.gov/ohr, and public comments on it will be accepted for the next 90 days. Members of the public are encouraged to read the proposal and provide comments in writing by email to part50@doi.gov, on www.regulations.gov (docket no. DOI-2015-0005), or by U.S. mail to the Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior, Room 7228, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20240. The public is also encouraged to participate in teleconferences on the proposed rule, a schedule of which is available at doi.gov.

      Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “The Native Hawaiian community’s ongoing work toward self-determination takes a significant step forward today, and I applaud the Obama administration for its commitment to this effort.”
      Sen. Brian Schatz said, “Native Hawaiians have the right to reorganize a government that they determine is best for them. ... I urge Native Hawaiians and other interested individuals to stay engaged and to contribute their comments and concerns as the process moves forward.”
      Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, “Many indigenous groups in the U.S. have the right of self-determination, and today’s announcement acknowledges that that right also belongs to the Native Hawaiian people, one of the largest native communities in the country. ...  I encourage all interested parties to submit their comments to DOI ... to ensure a collaborative final ruling.”

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Chris Minnich

HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION plans to prioritize career education by adding rigor and value to programs preparing high school graduates for high-skilled, high-demand jobs.
      Using economic development data and partnerships with community employers, DOE will design more rigorous career readiness pathways that span secondary and postsecondary levels, culminating in credentials for students. 

The Council of Chief State School Officers is facilitating this work, which pursues recommendations made in Opportunities and Options, a report of CCSSO’s Career Readiness Task Force. 

The report encourages states to make high school programs more responsive to the labor market by enlisting the employer community as a lead partner, significantly raise the threshold for quality career pathways in secondary schools and make career preparation matter to schools and students, in part by expanding accountability systems to emphasize career readiness.

      “This opportunity to dig deeper in advancing career pathways will complement the great work that is being done in our high school academies across the state,” Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said. “We want to provide the supports that will allow students to reach their full potential and expand on the successful programs that have carried them into the workforce after high school.”


      Chris Minnich, executive director of CCSSO, said, “The task force recommendations were an important start, but states now must make them a reality. In this global economy, we must prepare all kids to have an option in a career pathway as well as continued academic pursuits by the time they graduate from high school.”
      For all states, CCSSO will develop an online resource center to provide strategies, case studies, self-assessment tools, communications materials and models of best practice.
      Hawai`i is among a group of 17 states that announced a commitment to develop and execute a detailed plan to implement the task force recommendations. That includes making career readiness a higher priority in state accountability systems by incorporating a more robust set of career-focused indicators that measure and value successful completion of meaningful pathways, work-based learning experiences and credentials.
      CCSSO launched its Career Readiness Task Force in the Spring of 2014 to increase the rigor in career education to meet expectations of the current labor market.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Holei is found on Hawai`i Island and Maui. Photo from Native Plants Hawai`i

FACING THREATS FROM HABITAT LOSS and degradation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to add 49 species from Hawai`i to the Endangered Species Act. The Service will not be designating Critical Habitat areas for these species at this time due to insufficient information. 

      These plants and animals are at risk of extinction due to invasive, non-native species, recreational activities, small population size and threats from erosion, landslides and fire. “The listing of these species will not only boost ongoing conservation efforts to address these threats and prevent extinction, but will improve the ecological health of the islands,” the Service said. “This will have long-term benefits for all Hawaiians.” 

      The 49 species occur in 11 different habitat types, with 48 of them occurring nowhere on Earth except Hawai`i. One bird species proposed for listing – the band-rumped storm-petrel – occurs in Japan, Hawai`i, the Galapagos and subtropical areas of the Atlantic. The Service is proposing to list only the Hawai`i population.
      “These species are facing tremendous challenges with shrinking habitat and the onslaught of invasive species,” said Kristi Young, the Service’s acting field supervisor for the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office. “Implementing an ecosystem-based approach to the proposed listing allows the Service to better prioritize and focus conservation and recovery actions in Hawai`i.”
      For a complete list of the species in this proposed listing, see fws.gov/pacificislands.
      The proposed rule will publish in the Federal Register tomorrow. Comments and information can be submitted electronically at the eRulemaking portal www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R1-ES-2015-0125, which is the docket number for this rule.
      Written comments and information can also be submitted by U.S. mail to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R1-ES-2015-0125; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041–3803. The Service is accepting comments through Dec. 1.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE at the door to hear Mark Yamanaka play Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Donation is $25, raising funds for Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i, the nonprofit that is opening safe house for girls in Pahala on Oct. 1. The evening also includes a roast pork dinner. 

      For tickets, call Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 315-7032 or 649-9334.
      The nonprofit also sponsors Ho`okupu Hula No Ka`u Cultural Festival this Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The festival includes music, hula, crafts, food and cultural workshops. Open to the public with no fees both nights.
      See www.hookupukau.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_Sept2015.pdf.

see kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Buy a bag for $7 and fill it with books for $3 more
at Ka`u libraries.

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Sept. 28, 2015

Trini Marques told her story of growing up in an agricultural community, working for sugar and joining her husband to help start the Ka`u Coffee industry 20 years ago. Photos by Julia Neal

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS ASKED FOR HELP from the community, government officials and current and prospective owners of land where they farm. The public meeting was held last night at Pahala Community Center.

      Farmers talked about the possibility that a new owner could subdivide land where they have farmed for nearly 20 years. A Project Unit Development plan, approved by the county after investors bought the former sugar land from C. Brewer, could allow the land to be divided and sold. Under one proposal, up to a half acre could be cleared within a coffee farm to make room for a house, as in a coffee estate. The estate could be sold, leaving the coffee grower farming around the house until the farmer’s license expires.

Joan Obra talked about coffee berry borers spreading from hot
spots to farm after farm in a circular pattern, with no respect to
farm boundaries.

      State Rep. Richard Onishi asked representatives of current owner Lehman Brothers, of New York, and prospective buyer Resource Land Holdings LLC, of Colorado, whether they would consider selling the land to the farmers. Lehman Brothers’ broker for the sale, Joel LaPinta, said the land is in escrow to Resource Land Holdings and that Lehman is not considering marketing it to anyone else at this time. Tom Yeh, a Hilo attorney representing Resource Land Holdings, said he would take the question back to his client.

      County Council member Maile David said she grew up on a coffee farm and understands land security challenges. She applauded the open dialogue between the farmers and real estate investors. She pointed to the “human element” and the difference between the corporate bottom line of investors needing to make a profit and everyday families needing to make a living.

      In addition to the possibility of the lands being subdivided, Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative spokesperson Joan Obra said coffee growers face a proposal of higher land rents from the prospective new corporate owner at a time when costs are climbing to fight the coffee borer and possibly other pests. Should rents go up at the same time as the cost of fighting the coffee berry borer, some farmers could quit, the land left unattended with borers spreading. The Ka`u Coffee industry could go into a tailspin, she said.

Farmers displayed their awards and stories of their journey to build
the Ka`u Coffee industry.

      Another concern is a proposal that would make the new landowner the owner of the coffee trees. Obra said the farmers may not be able to have tree insurance if ownership of the trees is taken away from them. She pointed to natural events in the last 15 years, including flooding, fire and volcanic emissions.

      Listening to these challenges were county and state officials who all promised to help, including state Chair of the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee, Rep. Clift Tusji, deputy chair Onishi, Ka`u state Rep. Richard Creagan and Scott Enright, Chair of the state Department of Agriculture. County economic development staff members were also on hand, as well as University of Hawai`i and state agriculture workers who all regularly help Ka`u Coffee farmers. 

      Ka`u Coffee Grower Cooperative President Gloria Camba said, “Ka`u Coffee is a positive influence in our community. It brings pride, economic independence and jobs. It provides unprecedented economic growth in the form of small, independent, locally owned businesses. Ka`u Coffee has also brought good publicity and esteem to our community with many of our Ka`u Coffees winning state, national and international awards. We have international markets from Europe to Japan and buyers across the U.S.

      “Most importantly, Ka`u Coffee has led to a new confidence and a new entrepreneur spirit among displaced sugar workers who lost their jobs 20 years ago when the sugar industry shut down and our community faced low morale and despair. It is these displaced sugar workers who did not give up. They transferred their hard work ethic and agricultural skills to a new agricultural industry for Ka`u. They built the famous brand – Ka`u Coffee.”

Miguel Meza presented a break-even analysis based on coffee
berry borer infestation, land rent and coffee prices.

      One of the original Ka`u Coffee farmers, Trini Marques, gave a history of the plantation workers setting out to create the new economy and to build a coffee co-op, develop a market and start the Ka`u Coffee Festival. She talked about assistance that first farmers gave newer farmers and how the industry helped the community come out of the sociological and financial crisis of losing the sugar industry. She referred to help provided through the late Sen. Daniel Inouye and federal, state and county programs, as well as education and agricultural consulting by numerous agencies.
      She talked about the success of the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant which raises scholarship money for young women and provides a Ka`u Coffee ambassador.
      Miss Ka`u Coffee 2015 Maria Miranda spoke about her family’s journey from El Salvador to the mainland and to Hawai`i where they first worked on Kona coffee farms until they joined the Ka`u Coffee movement by establishing their own farm. She said how much it means to her family to be in the U.S. and to have the opportunity to successfully create their own business, “the American dream.”
      Hawai`i Farm Bureau President Chris Manfredi committed his organization to helping coffee farmers and reviewed his own involvement in helping to market Ka`u Coffee and organize the Ka`u Coffee Festival.
      Coffee broker Malian Lahey, who has her own farm in Wood Valley, said the Ka`u situation is the intersection between agriculture and the real estate business. “Real estate is famous for killing off agriculture.”

      Obra and Miguel Meza, who also markets Ka`u Coffee, gave a detailed analysis of break-even scenarios for the farmers given their land cost and coffee berry borer risks.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Rhonda Balmer at Kama`aina Kuts
Photo by Nalani Parlin

KAMA`AINA KUTS IN NA`ALEHU welcomed hair stylist Rhonda Balmer earlier this month. Balmer, of Ocean View, is a licensed cosmetologist, in business 32 years. Starting out in Los Angeles, Balmer worked several years and trained with Vidal Sassoon. In Sedona, AZ, she operated Denovo salon and spa in the Hilton. In 2001, she made the trek to Hawai`i and worked as cosmetologist at Four Seasons and for the past 12 years at Ocean View Hair Salon. 

      With opportunity to work with Kama`aina Kuts owner and stylist Corrine Kaupu and fellow hair stylist Elise Russell, Balmer is excited to add natural nails and facial waxing to her services. “I love making people beautiful and seeing their smiles, describing it as a powerful job to help someone beautify appearance to boost self-confidence and affect all aspects of life. Pam Spencer, Balmer’s client for a decade, said, “Rhonda has a passion for what she does, and it shows in her work.” She commented that she really liked the Kama`aina Kuts salon space as it gives a “personalized environment” providing a “one-on-one experience.”
      Balmer offers hair services on Sunday, Monday and Friday. She does manicures and pedicures on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Call 929-8151.
       Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

U.S. REP. TULSI SHARED the stage with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday in San Jose, CA as a crowd of more than 18,000 people welcomed him. Just before the Prime Minister took the stage, he met with Gabbard and other members of Congress to discuss plans to build U.S.-India relations and promote technology partnerships.

 Gabbard is the only member of the U.S. Congress who practices the Hindu religion, which is prevalent in India.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a fresh
ginger lei from Hawai`i, a tradition shared by the people of India.
Photo from Rep. Gabbard's office 

      “There are many different areas and sectors where the United States and India’s growing friendship will cover mutually beneficial ground,” Gabbard said. “Prime Minister Modi’s second visit to the United States has allowed us to continue to strengthen those bonds and explore new opportunities for us to work together.”


      The Prime Minister’s two-day tour of Silicon Valley also included meetings with technology executives who offered their ideas and assistance in bringing India fully into the digital world. India is the world’s fastest-growing economy, and use of the Internet and smart phones is growing rapidly, providing new markets for American companies.
       Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Cross-secton shows dark staining of sapwood typical in rapid `ohi`a death.

RAPID `OHI`A DEATH IS THE TOPIC at After Dark in the Park tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The disease has the potential to threaten forests statewide. 

      For more information, call 985-6011.

E PILI KAUA PA`INA tickets are still available for Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i's fundraiser Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Donation is $25.
      The nonprofit works with challenged youth though agriculture and traditional Hawaiian skill building. The evening features entertainment by Mark Yamanaka and a roast pork dinner on the grounds of Pahala Plantation House.
      For tickets, call Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 315-7032 or 649-9334.
      The nonprofit also sponsors Ho`okupu Hula No Ka`u Cultural Festival this Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The festival includes music, hula, crafts, food and cultural workshops. Open to the public with no fees both nights.

      See images below for more information.
      See www.hookupukau.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_September2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Buy a bag for $7 and fill with books for another $3
at Ka`u libraries.

Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect as Tropical Storm Niala passes south of Ka`u. Rain in its outer bands could bring heavy rain.
Map from NOAA

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE has cancelled the Tropical Storm Watch for Hawai`i Island. As of 11 a.m., Tropical Storm Niala was approximately 215 miles south-southeast of South Point and moving in a west-southwest direction. Currently, Niala continues to move away from Hawai`i Island, and the threat of tropical storm conditions is expected to continue to decrease. Although conditions are expected to improve, the Flash Flood Watch for Hawai`i Island remains in effect through tomorrow afternoon. In addition, the High Surf Advisory for southeast-facing shores will remain in effect through 6 a.m. tomorrow. Surf heights of eight to 12 feet can be expected, with highest surf conditions occurring with peak high tides. All roads are open at this time, and motorists are advised to drive with caution, prepare for possible hazardous conditions and anticipate traffic delays.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Sen. Brian Schatz

“THIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT GIVES US a real reason to be hopeful,” U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said after President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping announced significant steps to address climate change, including a pledge by China to curb carbon emissions using a cap-and-trade program.
      “The momentum is palpable,” Schatz said. “People, governments, companies and institutions are beginning to take the kinds of actions that give us a legitimate chance to solve this problem. I've never been so hopeful on this issue. We’ve got a long way to go, but this was enormously important.


      “This agreement marks a historic step toward protecting our planet from the impacts of climate change. What our two countries are saying with this agreement is that climate change is real, caused by humans, and is solvable. 

      “For years, naysayers and deniers said that the U.S. shouldn’t move forward to regulate carbon pollution until and unless China took action. As of today, that argument is no longer valid.
      “This agreement gives momentum to the ongoing international climate negotiations and will inspire other countries to commit to action prior to the Paris talks.
      “While this agreement is an incredibly important foundation and gives people around the world hope, we must not let up. We have to work toward full implementation of the Clean Power Plan, a successful Paris conference, and the eventual passage of carbon fee legislation.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, co-introduced a bipartisan resolution with California Rep. Duncan Hunter recognizing the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as genocide and calling for the United States to prioritize providing refugee status to such persecuted families and individuals. The resolution comes as Pope Francis made a historic address to the U.S. Congress, where he stated, “Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War.”

Mark Arabo with Pres. Obama

      The persecution of minority populations in Iraq by ISIL and related groups has been condemned by the United Nations Secretary General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and much of the international community. The U.S. State Department recently announced plans to increase the number of refugees resettled in the U.S. to 85,000 in fiscal year 2016, and 100,000 in fiscal year 2017.
      “Christians, Yezidis, and other minority groups in the Middle East are being targeted specifically because of their religious beliefs, and face forced conversions to Islam, mass abductions, sexual enslavements and executions due to this ISIL-inflicted genocide,” Gabbard said. “As the U.S. and international community consider lengthy procedures to address the rapidly growing international refugee crisis, these people continue to be targets of this genocide. These persecuted religious minority groups must be our first priority as the U.S. increases the number of refugees it will accept from that region, not only because it provides humanitarian relief to those who are most in need, but also because there are tens of thousands of them who already have proper identification and sponsors within the U.S., making them least likely to be a national security threat.”
       “We commend Congresswoman Gabbard and Congressman Hunter for their efforts in bringing awareness to the tragedy of the genocide that is occurring against religious minorities of Iraq and Syria,” said human rights activist and community leader Mark Arabo, who has been a spokesperson for the Iraqi Chaldean community. “In light of the Pope’s words, and of the present situation, we as a nation must do more. Our inability to unify as one political body has only led to more death, more destruction, and brutality of some of the world’s oldest Christians. We cannot turn a blind eye to the victims of genocide. This resolution is an important step forward to reaching substantive action on the crisis we face. Our silence must not condemn those who remain displaced by Islamic fundamentalism; it must not condemn those who flee their homes as refugees. It is time that we as a people must act.”
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Sen. Josh Green discusses Breathing in Hawai`i with Kim Nguyen
and Dr. Eric Crawley. Image from Think Tech

KAU`S STATE SEN. JOSH GREEN, M.D. hosted a discussion about lung health and disease prevention in Hawai`i. He spoke with Kim Nguyen, of the American Lung Association and pulmonologist Dr. Eric Crawley. The experts discussed vog and smoking and how they effect illnesses such as asthma and COPD.
      The Think Tech: Hawai`i’s Global Future program entitled Breathing in Hawai`i is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wycCUbGLvCU&feature=youtu.be.
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THE STATE INVITES TEAMS to sign up for LifeSmarts Hawai`i Competition after the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of the Securities Commissioner announcement of the start of the 2015-2016 competition. LifeSmarts is a fun, free, national educational program, which teaches youth critical life skills in five areas covering Personal Finance, Consumer Rights & Responsibilities, Health & Safety, Environment and Technology through online quizzes and in-person competitions.

      High school teams are invited to sign up now. Teams must consist of a minimum of four students and one adult coach. LifeSmarts Hawai`i begins at the local level with an online competition, found at www.lifesmarts.org, which will be open from Oct. 26 to Dec. 4. The four highest scoring teams will be invited to compete at the state championship competition in Honolulu on Feb. 20, 2016. The winning team will represent Hawai`i at the national LifeSmarts competition, scheduled for April 9-12, 2016, in Denver.
      Middle school or Junior Varsity teams with students in grades 6-8 may participate in an online-only competition through February 2016. Winners of the JV competition will be recognized online.
      For more information about the LifeSmarts Hawai`i program, including up-to-date consumer educational resources for coaches, see www.lifesmartshawaii.com. For team registration, see lifesmarts.org or contact the LifeSmarts State Coordinator, Theresa Kong Kee, at 587-7400 or tkongkee@dcca.hawaii.gov.
      Over 850 local students have participated in LifeSmarts in the past 11 years that DCCA has sponsored the competition. Local businesses interested in becoming a sponsor are welcome to contact the State Coordinator for more information.
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Ka`u residents can share their thoughts regarding the future of Ka`u Coffee growers today at 4 p.m. at Pahala Community Center.

A PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE FUTURE of Ka`u Coffee Growers takes place today at 4 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Its purpose is to explain the 20-year history of the farmers who planted coffee for a new economic future when the sugar plantation shut down in 1996. The farmers said they also plan to talk about risks to their future land security, as the land is in escrow to be sold to a new owner.

RAPID `OHI`A DEATH IS THE TOPIC at After Dark in the Park on Tuesday. The disease is caused by a fungus known as Ceratocytis fimbriata. In 2012, it had killed `ohi`a trees across about 1,000 hectares (nearly 2,500 acres). By the summer of 2014, that number had swollen to over 6,000 hectares. Still isolated to Hawai`i Island, researchers have yet to determine the origin of this virulent strain.
      Plant pathologist Lisa Keith, of the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center; Flint Hughes, Research Ecologist with USDA Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry; and J.B. Friday, University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources provide an update on this new threat to Hawai`i’s native forests. Research so far has determined that within two to three years of detection, a majority of trees in some measured stands have succumbed to the disease. This means the fungus has the potential to threaten forests statewide, resembling not so much a tree disease as a house on fire.
      The program begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      For more information, see nps.gov/havo or call 985-6011.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_September2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Buy a bag for $7; fill it with books for $3 more
at Ka`u libraries.