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| Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park waives entry fees through Sunday for National Park Week. NPS Photo by Jacob W. Frank |
HEALTH CARE IN PAHALA is the subject of a story in today’s Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. Ivy Ashe interviewed staff at Ka`u Hospital & Rural Health Clinic about the challenges and rewards of working in a remote area. Ashe reported that 2,700 patients annually are admitted to the emergency room, which has four physicians, and 4,900 people visit the health clinic each year.
The Critical Access Hospital’s administrator Merilyn Harris told Ashe that Ka`u has a lower than average number of medical providers. “We’re a medically underserved area,” she said.Ashe reported on Ka`u’s strong community support of the hospital and clinic, with emergency room equipment purchased through fundraising events including spaghetti dinners, craft and bake sales and golf tournaments. Ka`u Red Hat Ladies and Ka`u Quilters raised funds for ten years. `O Ka`u Kakou and Volcano Rotary Club also support projects at the facility.
“Basically, I feel like we’re this giant community project,” Harris said. “That kind of inspires us, because they show that what we do is important, and so it makes you want to do better, do more. We’re always looking to improve access to care.”
The clinic’s newest Dr. Cary Gear told Ashe, “It’s very encouraging to see how the community stands behind the hospital, because the hospital, like the community, has limited resources — but the community steps up to support them.” Gear and his family moved here from Indiana in December.
Gear and Dr. Carol Dexter, who came from Arizona, each have more that 20 years of medical experience, which Ashe said helps them make decisions about patient care. She said rural physicians have to be “self-reliant because they don’t have the resources of larger areas.”
“This would be a hard place for someone right out of residency to come,” Gear said. “You’re making decisions on a whole different basis here. That’s, to me, what is so appealing about rural medicine. You’re not just ordering the test, but you’re in a sense a member of their family, and you get to know them, their brothers and sisters and aunties and uncles.
“You see them at the grocery store, you worship with them at church, and it just adds a whole new dynamic. It adds something to medicine.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
Gear and Dr. Carol Dexter, who came from Arizona, each have more that 20 years of medical experience, which Ashe said helps them make decisions about patient care. She said rural physicians have to be “self-reliant because they don’t have the resources of larger areas.”
“This would be a hard place for someone right out of residency to come,” Gear said. “You’re making decisions on a whole different basis here. That’s, to me, what is so appealing about rural medicine. You’re not just ordering the test, but you’re in a sense a member of their family, and you get to know them, their brothers and sisters and aunties and uncles.
“You see them at the grocery store, you worship with them at church, and it just adds a whole new dynamic. It adds something to medicine.”
See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Solar Impulse is preparing to leave Hawai`i. Photo from Solar Impulse |
SOLAR IMPULSE IS BACK IN MISSION MODE after being grounded in Hawai`i since last July 3. After replacing batteries that overheated during the solar-powered plane’s flight from Nagoya to Hawai`i on its journey around the world, the countdown has now started for the Solar Impulse team to finish what they started and head toward their departure point, Abu Dhabi.
Si2’s team reported that the past two months have been filled with preparations: maintenance and training flights. The team has completed both Bertrand Piccard’s last high altitude flight and André Borschberg’s last training flight in the past two weeks. Now the pilots are fully prepared to take on the next big challenge: the flight from Hawai`i to North America.
Weather allowing, take-off over the Pacific Ocean could occur soon. The weather can change at any minute, so engineers at Mission Control Center in Monaco are busy searching for a weather window. Finding one requires a tight collaboration between the project’s Air Traffic Control team, meteorologists, mission engineers and the ALTRAN team that executes flight simulations.
They all work together to identify the best possible options to fly. ALTRAN, a Solar Impulse partner, has provided software that illustrates Si2’s flight path through forecasted weather conditions and ATC routes in order to evaluate whether the aircraft can fly while identifying the path Si2 should follow. If the flight path is clear until the final destination, the aircraft can safely proceed to its landing point.
The first Mission Flight of this year will be long, lasting several days to cross the rest of the Pacific Ocean from Hawai`i to North America. Before takeoff, the team undergoes regular simulations in order to receive the most accurate weather forecast during the flight. It is only a few hours before the flight that they can fully confirm it will take place. This state of unknown lasts until the aircraft has taken off and reached the point of no return.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
Weather allowing, take-off over the Pacific Ocean could occur soon. The weather can change at any minute, so engineers at Mission Control Center in Monaco are busy searching for a weather window. Finding one requires a tight collaboration between the project’s Air Traffic Control team, meteorologists, mission engineers and the ALTRAN team that executes flight simulations.
They all work together to identify the best possible options to fly. ALTRAN, a Solar Impulse partner, has provided software that illustrates Si2’s flight path through forecasted weather conditions and ATC routes in order to evaluate whether the aircraft can fly while identifying the path Si2 should follow. If the flight path is clear until the final destination, the aircraft can safely proceed to its landing point.
The first Mission Flight of this year will be long, lasting several days to cross the rest of the Pacific Ocean from Hawai`i to North America. Before takeoff, the team undergoes regular simulations in order to receive the most accurate weather forecast during the flight. It is only a few hours before the flight that they can fully confirm it will take place. This state of unknown lasts until the aircraft has taken off and reached the point of no return.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Tulsi Gabbard |
REP. TULSI GABBARD VOTED against an effort to undermine net neutrality. H.R. 2666, the No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act, passed in the House by a vote of 241-173.
“For over 20 years, the Internet has broken down information barriers, expanded access to critical information and services, fueled innovation and redefined our country and our world,” Gabbard said. “In today’s digital age, free, open and equal access to the Internet is not only essential to upholding our democratic principles, it is critical to healthcare, education, employment and so much more. I strongly oppose H.R. 2666, and any legislation that undermines the principles of universal, affordable and nondiscriminatory Internet access. If signed in to law, H.R. 2666 would limit the ability of the Federal Communications Commission to investigate attempted breaches of net neutrality and weaken their authority to enforce free and open Internet access. While I am disappointed that this legislation passed in the House today, I will continue to do all that I can to protect American consumers from attempts to create special treatment for a privileged few.”
Gabbard has strongly supported net neutrality and has cosponsored legislation like H.R. 196, the Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2015, which would prohibit multi-tiered pricing agreements between Internet Service Providers and content providers.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
Gabbard has strongly supported net neutrality and has cosponsored legislation like H.R. 196, the Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2015, which would prohibit multi-tiered pricing agreements between Internet Service Providers and content providers.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
I OLA NA `AINA MOMONA IS HOSTING a farmer land security benefit dinner at Pahala Plantation House on Tuesday, May 17 at 6 p.m. Tickets are available with a $48 tax-deductible donation. Funds raised by the nonprofit will be used to send Ka`u Coffee growers and their representatives to O`ahu to build support for their cause with lawmakers and potential donors.
Two Hawai`i Island chefs and musician Hawane Rios are coming together to raise awareness of land security for Ka`u Coffee growers. Rios’ roots stretch from the rolling hills of Kohala to the beaches of `Anaeho`omalu. “Her connection to the Earth Mother is deep and true and taught to her by her family,” IONAM President Malian Lahey said.
The dinner will be a gourmet, locally sourced sampling of freshly caught fish, locally raised meat and fresh, local, organic vegetables from Wood Valley Farm in Pahala. Big Island Brewhaus is sponsoring an open bar with a sampling of their craft beers. Jonah VanGieson, of Ohelo Cafe in Volcano, and Casey Halpern, of Cafe Pesto, “will wield their culinary skills to create an evening of delight, fun, flavor and music in honor of the occasion,” Lahey said.
See ionam.org.
See ionam.org.
PUNALU`U BAKE SHOP ANNOUNCES its new music lineup. Richard Zazzi performs on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Gary Cole, aka Foggy, offers folk and country music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Uncle Sonny takes over at 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Tui Masaniai plays easy listening tunes Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CELEBRATE HAWAI`I VOLCANOES National Park’s and the National Park Service’s centennials during National Park Week with entry fees waived through next Sunday, April 24.
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| Haunani's Aloha Expressions returns to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Wednesday. |
A HULA PERFORMANCE by Haunani’s Aloha Expressions is one highlight of National Park Week on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Haunani’s Aloha Expressions is comprised of an all-Hawaiian group of kane and wahine kupuna ranging in ages from 70 to over 90 years old. These men and women also belong to the Alu Like Kupuna Program, meeting on a regular basis. For many years, on their own time, they have volunteered to welcome visitors on incoming cruiseliners and at Hilo Airport to share the aloha spirit.
The kupuna also entertain on a regular basis for the patients at the Life Care Center of Hilo, Hale Anuenue, Extended Care, Hawai`i Island Adult Day Care, Aunty Sally Kaleohano Lu`au House Senior Program and more. They won overall at the Kupuna Hula Festival with the song, Tutu E. They also won the Moku o Keawe competition on numerous occasions. They make all of their own colorful costumes and lei, singing and dancing hapa-haole hula, and have performed at the park’s annual cultural festival on numerous occasions.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
