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Saturday, November 07, 2015

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015

Miloli`i holds its second annual Fall Ocean Festival today. See more below. Photo from Pa`a Pono Miloli`i and Miloli`i Canoe Club
HAWAI`I COUNTY HAS SETTLED A LAWSUIT regarding a drowning at Punalu`u in 2008, Nancy Cook Lauer reported in West Hawai`i Today. Catherine Snevers will receive $20,000. Snevers sued the county for negligence, wrongful death and loss of spousal and parental consortium after her husband drowned in rough waters. Unspecified damages could have reached $1 million or more, according to Cook Lauer.
      At the time, no warning signs were posted at the private property where the newlywed couple entered the water. Third Circuit Court Judge Glenn Hara ruled that it was not the county’s duty to post signs on private property, but Snevers appealed the decision.
      Deputy Corporation Counsel Laureen Martin told Cook Lauer that the settlement avoided significant risks and uncertainty. “The amount is also far less than the costs the county would have incurred in order to defend the action,” Martin said.
      See westhawaiitoday.com.
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Eliminating mosquito breeding sites can help control the spread of dengue fever.
Image from Hawai`i DOH
HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH urges residents to help control the spread of dengue fever by eliminating possible mosquito breeding sites. Change standing water at least twice a week in birdbaths, potted plants, fountains and animal troughs. Clear storm drains and other outdoor drains of leaves and lawn cuttings. Do not overwater plants and yards, and do not leave standing water in yards or paved areas. Clean clogged gutters to allow proper drainage. Spread mulch so water does not collect in fallen leaves. Use larvicide to kill mosquitoes in ponds and water-filled ditches. Repair torn window and door screens, and keep attic vents closed. Empty pool covers and tarps. Place toys and open containers under cover. Empty anything that holds standing water, like tires, wheelbarrows and trash cans. Fix leaky faucets and sprinklers.
      For more information, see health.hawaii.gov.
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THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR is looking for qualified and dedicated volunteers to fill vacancies on boards on Hawai`i Island.
      The governor makes appointments and nominations to more than 185 boards and commissions established by the state Constitution, state statutes and executive orders. Boards and commissions provide Hawai`i’s citizens with an opportunity to have a voice in their government and to influence decisions that shape the quality of life for Hawai`i’s residents.
      Vacancies must be filled on a wide range of boards, commissions and committees including Board of Taxation Review, Board of Certification of Operating Personnel in Wastewater Treatment Plants, Contractors Licensed Board, Defender Council, Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee and Island Burial Council.
      For a complete list of vacancies and more information, see boards.hawaii.gov.
      Those interested in helping to continue Hawai`i’s momentum toward a strong and sustainable future may apply online at boards.hawaii.gov.
      For more information, email Sharon Ibarra, director of Boards and Commissions, at sharon.s.ibarra@hawaii.gov.
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Sen. Brian Schatz spoke in favor of the Restore Honor to Service Members Act.
Photo from Office of the Senator
AS VETERANS DAY APPROACHES, Sen. Brian Schatz and members of the LGBT Equality Caucus urge passage of the Restore Honor to Service Members Act. The legislation would help service members discharged solely due to their sexual orientation correct their military records to reflect their honorable service and reinstate the benefits they earned. 
      Since World War II, more than 100,000 Americans are estimated to have been discharged from the military because of their sexual orientation. Those forced out of the military may have left with discharge statuses of other than honorable, general discharge or dishonorable, depending on the circumstances. As a consequence, many of these service members may be disqualified from accessing certain benefits that they earned and are entitled to and may not be able to claim veteran status. The consequences of a negative discharge also include preventing some veterans from voting or making it more difficult for them to acquire civilian employment.
      “We have a sacred commitment to every American who serves in our military. But for the 100,000 brave Americans who were forced out for being gay, we have failed to honor that commitment,” Schatz said. “The Restore Honor to Service Members Act would give these veterans a chance to correct their military records – to remove an unwarranted discharge that was given to them for no other reason than being gay. It would remove the mark of shame they carry, give them access to benefits and finally give them the respect and honor they rightly deserve.”
      Supporters of the legislation include Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, VoteVets.org, OutServe-SLDN, the Human Rights Campaign, American Veterans for Equal Rights, Lambda Legal, Swords to Plowshares, the American Bar Association, Universal Unitarian Association and the American Humanist Association.
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Star chart show's objects visible in Ka`u's November skies.
Chart from Lew Cook and Jerome Hudson
ASTRONOMER LEW COOK discusses Deep Sky objects in the current issue of Stars Over Ka`u, which he writes monthly for The Ka`u Calendar.
      “By ‘Deep Sky,’ we mean ‘outside the sun’s neighborhood,’ Cook explains. “Rising in the east is the Great Orion Nebula, shown on the chart as M42, a vast cloud of newly forming stars. Very young stars are there, too.
      “To get an understanding of what this area will look like in 100 million years, look at a neighboring cluster, the Pleiades (M45). The Pleiades are 1,300 light years away, and the Orion Nebula is around 320 light years distant. This means that the Pleiades are four times farther than the Orion Nebula. Any light the stars emit will be reduced by a factor of 16. Now, imagine the stars in the Pleiades appear 16 times brighter than at present, three magnitudes brighter than they appear now. This is how the stars in the Orion nebula will look in 100 million years. It is also how the Pleiades would look if it were at the distance of the Orion nebula.
      “Another interesting object is the double cluster that lies between Perseus and Cassiopeia. If you have a good pair of binoculars, this is a nice sight to behold! It is fainter than the Pleiades because it is 12 times further away. The double cluster formed from a gas and dust cloud that happened to be a twin cloud.
      “Every open cluster of stars had the same origin; they developed from a cloud of gas and dust similar to the Orion Nebula. There are several such areas in our galaxy. Many of them are in the direction of the galactic center because that is where we can find more stars in the galaxy than elsewhere. If we look at other galaxies, we find them distributed all over their spiral arms. M33 in Triangulum is a fine example. This galaxy is going through a period of intensive star formation, which is clearly visible on photographs. M33 is three million light years distant.
      “The last object we will discuss is our nearest large neighbor galaxy, the Andromeda Nebula. Except for the Magellanic clouds and several dwarf galaxies, this giant is our nearest sizable neighbor. It is about 2.6 million light years distant. And is it big! It contains about a trillion stars, nearly twice what our puny Milky Way has. And that’s not the end of the bad news. It is headed for us and will collide with us. There is no need to worry about it, though. Galaxies collide all the time with very few, if any, stellar collisions. There is time to prepare for the event; we’ve got four billion years.”
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A BACKPACK FOUND BY TOURISTS at Punalu`u Beach has been turned in to the office of The Ka`u Calendar. Contents include notebooks and a calculator. Call 928-6471.

Funds raised at the Ocean Festival go toward
repairing the Keahonui.
MILOLI`I’S SECOND ANNUAL Fall Ocean Festival takes place today. The event is the last official regatta of the 2015 paddling season.
      Booths feature `opelu lunch plates with fish caught in Miloli`i as well as a craft fair.
      The event will serves as a fundraiser to restore the club’s koa canoe, the Keahonui, which was destroyed in a car accident in July.

HOLIDAY BAZAAR FUNDRAISER today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall features handmade crafts and foods. Pit ham and beef sandwiches are on sale today.
      For more information, call Dina Shisler at 410-935-8087.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers Mongolian BBQ today from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Open to authorized patrons or sponsored guests. Park Entrance fees apply.

CHERYL GANSECKI LEADS AN EASY and accessible roundtrip walk exploring Keanakako`i Crater tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free for Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park; non-members can join in order to attend. Registration required at admin@fhvnp.org or 985-7373.

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

FOR AFFORDABLE COMPUTER HELP, call John Derry at 936-1872.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for Retail Sales Associate: Full-Time, Competitive Wages, Medical & Dental Plans. Apply at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Call 928-0550 for an appointment.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.
See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_November2015.pdf.