Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Sunday, July 31, 2016

Slow-moving pahoehoe lava continues to make its way to the coast within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
Photo from USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

THIS MORNING, SLOW-MOVING pahoehoe lava toes and lobes continued to break out from the active flow that crossed the emergency route gravel road on Kilauea Volcano’s south flank, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. HVO urges lava viewers to be prepared. Reaching the site requires a long, eight-to-10-mile round-trip hike in hot conditions. Hikers need to carry two to three quarts of drinking water per person. Sturdy shoes and sun protection (hat, sunglasses and sunscreen) are highly recommended. Early morning or late evening hikers should also carry flashlights and extra batteries. 

      For more safety information, see http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs152-00/ and https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/photosmultimedia/lava-safety-video.htm.
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Amphibious exercises concluded RIMPAC yesterday.
Photo from RIMPAC

RIMPAC CONCLUDED YESTERDAY, Olson Wyatt reported in Stars & Stripes. For the finale of the biennial Rim of the Pacific naval exercises that included more than two dozen nations, participants staged amphibious assaults on O`ahu.

      “This represents two years of planning, but it also represents those 26 nations coming together,” Brig. Gen. Ray Descheneaux, commander of Fleet Marine Forces for RIMPAC, told Wyatt.

      referring to natural disasters that the U.S. military responds to.
      “Although we’re using this amphibious forceful entry for this scenario, it will reflect itself in so many of the different things we do,” Descheneaux said,
      According to Wyatt, more that 2,000 U.S. and foreign military personnel took park in the assault at Marine Corps Base Hawai`i.

Gulches filled when Darby made landfall in Ka`u.
Photo by Julia Neal

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IN THE WAKE OF TROPICAL Storm Darby, assistant Extension agent Andrea Kawabata urges Ka`u ranchers and farmers who have experienced crop or tree damage to document the damages with photos/videos and contact their crop insurance agent and/or local USDA Farm Service Agency County Office immediately.

      Commercial agricultural producers impacted by the storm may be eligible for disaster assistance through FSA if they are signed up for the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program and file a Notice of Loss.
      The Notice of Loss is used to report failed acreage and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. Filing a Notice of Loss within 72 hours for hand-harvested crops and within 15 days for all other crops including grasses is required following the occurrence of a disaster or when losses become apparent. Producers may file a Notice of Loss with the FSA County Office by email, fax or phone.
      For more information or to file a Notice of Loss, call 933-8381, ext. 1.

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Volcano Rain Forest Runs T-shirts showcase art
by Dietrich Varez. Image from Sharron Faff

REGISTRATION RATES INCREASE tomorrow for Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Today, the 5K fee for ages 19 to 65 is $30; 10K, $45; and Half Marathon, $75.

      Tomorrow is also the deadline to register and have your name on the 2016 towel, which will be available for $22.
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“BRIGHT MARS CONTINUES TO HIGHLIGHT the August sky when the moon is absent, and Saturn keeps it company,” astronomer Lew Cook reports in his Stars Over Ka`u column for The Ka`u Calendar’s August issue. “Mars is out of the pincers of the scorpion and has moved nearer to its color twin, Antares. Early in the month, look at Mars, then to the left is Saturn. South of Saturn is Antares. If you ever get an opportunity to look at Saturn through a telescope, take it! Be sure you notice the moons of Saturn, as they change positions with their parent planet, just as our moon does with us here on Earth. Unlike Earth, Saturn has many more natural satellites (moons) than we have. More are being discovered each year or so. If we consider the particles in its rings as ‘moons, well – Saturn has more moons than any planet.
      “It is that way, anyway! Saturn has 62 named moons and countless minor moons. Here’s an interesting fact about Saturn: its density is less than water, the only planet with that distinction. All the other planets – even the other gas giants – have overall densities greater than water. I’ll leave it to your imagination about floating Saturn in an enormous bathtub!
      “One of Saturn’s moons – Enceladus – is believed by gravitational experts to have liquid water under a thick shell of ice and over a solid core. This finding generated lots of excitement among those who are actively looking for possibilities of life throughout the universe.

Planets and constellations will be visible in Ka`u's August skies.
Map from Jerome Hudson & Lew Cook

      “Regarding constellations, big birds everywhere! Well, from north to south, anyway. Starting in the north is Cygnus the swan, flying south toward another large bird, an eagle that is flying north. Will they collide? Nope, they are professional fliers and have been flying all their lives! Pavo, the Peacock, is there, crossing the meridian just above the southern horizon, resting on the ground, as peacocks do. But what has startled the crane? It is springing to fly, with its legs bent and neck extended. Presumably, it was resting on the Earth and appears to be springing into flight. There are two other birds that haven’t risen yet: the Toucan, which has the tip of its beak pointing northward. It will be visible, just on the horizon in the south, in October; also there is the Phoenix, the mythical bird that has risen from its own ashes. There are other birds represented in the constellations, but none as large as those discussed here. Those will be discussed in their season.

      “Meanwhile, we have Ophiuchus, the snake handler, busily occupied with the wriggling snake, Serpens, which has two parts: the front, Serpens Caput, and the tail, Serpens Cauda. While neither of these two parts is labeled on the chart, Serpens is (SER). They ought to be easy to find. Saturn is low in Ophiuchus, and he may be standing on it! At least that’s what it looks like. Saturn at chart time (10 p.m. on Aug. 15) is only at an altitude of 34 degrees, while Mars is six degrees lower in the sky.
      The moon is pointed to this night by the Summer Triangle, comprised of Vega, Deneb, the brightest star in Cygnus (also called the Northern Cross), and Altair at its base. Since the moon is nearly full, there isn’t much else to see tonight.”
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CELEBRATE HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK’s 100th birthday tomorrow with free entry. At Kilauea Visitor Center, enjoy cookies and music at 9 a.m., plus cultural demonstrations and turtle program information from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
      While supplies last, local residents who arrive after 9 a.m. receive 100 native seedlings each of koa and mamaki trees at Kilauea Visitor Center. Sponsored by Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

Early walk-in voting begins tomorrow. Photo by Julia Neal

EARLY WALK-IN VOTING for the Aug. 13 primary election begins tomorrow. Weekdays between tomorrow and Thursday, Aug. 11, hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. For election information, call 961-8277.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL KICK-OFF is tomorrow at Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School following the first day of classes. The event begins at 3 p.m. with an Informational Fair until 5 p.m. and light dinner and welcome at 5:15 p.m. Participants may visit classrooms and meet teachers from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Call 313-4100 for more information.

HAWAI`I COUNTY MAYORAL candidate Marlene Hapai meets Ka`u voters tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Call 939-7033 for more information.

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in Hawai`i County Council meetings this week. Videoconferencing is available at Na`alehu State Office Building.
      All meetings take place at Council Chambers in Hilo. Committees meeting Tuesday are Public Safety & Mass Transit at 1 p.m. and Finance at 1:30 p.m. The full council meets Wednesday at 9 a.m.
      Agendas and live streaming of meetings are available at hawaiicounty.gov.

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

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See kaucalendar.com/news/news.html.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Saturday, July 30, 2016

As lava continues to enter the ocean at an area referred to as Kamokuna, it forms a delta that creates many hazards.
See more below. Photo from USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE testimony on the Draft Pakini Nui Habitat Conservation Plan will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4 at Hawai`i Gateway Energy Center, Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai`i, 73-4485 Kahilihili Street, Kailua-Kona.

      Tawhiri Power, LLC, the Pakini Nui project proponent, operates an existing 21-megawatt wind energy facility at South Point with 14 turbines and associated power lines. The facility has not previously operated under an HCP and associated incidental take license. Tawhiri has now prepared an HCP and is requesting a 20-year ITL.

Tawhiri Power's Draft Pakini Nui Habitat Conservation Plan
is the subject of a public meeting Thursday.
Photo by Peter Anderson

      As of March 2016, two endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) fatalities have been observed at the facility. Tawhiri has determined that the incidental take (a legal term including, but not limited to, any type of harm or harassment) of four endangered species could occur from continued facility operation: Hawaiian hoary bat, Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), band-rumped storm petrel (Oceanodroma castro) and Hawaiian goose (Nene; Branta sandvicensis).

      Low wind speed curtailment will be employed as a minimization measure. Mitigation for the Hawaiian hoary bat will consist of habitat improvement at Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and associated bat monitoring to evaluate improvement.
      Mitigation for the Hawaiian petrel and band-rumped storm petrel will consist of a monetary contribution toward maintenance of a cat-proof fence around a petrel nesting colony at Kahuku, along with predator control. Mitigation for nene is contribution of funding to the Department of Fish & Wildlife for recovery of the species. All mitigation measures were developed to provide a net ecological benefit to the species, according the state Department of Land & Natural Resources.
      Copies of the draft HCP are available for review as a link provided in the Office of Environmental Quality Control’s June 8, 2016 issue of the Environmental Notice. Copies will also be available at the public hearing.
      Lalamilo's HCP will also be considered at the meeting. That project is in South Kohala.
      Persons who are unable to attend the hearing and wish to provide testimony may send comments to Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813, attention Kate Cullison, or katherine.cullison@hawaii.gov. Comments should be received by Monday, Aug. 8.
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Apply for free school meals. Image from HIDOE

HAWAI`I STATE DEPARTMENT of Education offers free and reduced price meals for children unable to pay the full price of meals served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Each school has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by an interested party.

      Children from households whose income is at or below the levels shown are eligible for free or reduced price meals.
      Applications are now being accepted for the current 2016-2017 school year. Application forms are being sent home with a letter to parent/guardian. To apply for free or reduced price meals, households should submit an electronic application online at ezmealapp.com or complete a paper application. The information provided on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program officials.
      For officials to determine eligibility, households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families must list the child’s name, date of birth, grade, school code and their SNAP or TANF case number and the signature and name of an adult household member. Households not receiving SNAP or TANF must list the names of everyone in the household, the amount of income received by each person, how often the income is received and the source of the income, the name and last four digits of Social Security number of the household’s primary wage earner, or if no adult household members have a Social Security number, leave this space blank and mark the box labeled “Check if no SSN” and the signature of an adult household member.
      See hawaiipublicschools.org.
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A lava delta is forming at Kilauea's
ocean entry site. Photo from HVO

FORMATION AND DANGERS of lava deltas are explained in UHawaiian Volcano Observatory’s current issue of Volcano Watch. Lava recently began entering the ocean at Kamokuna, near Kalapana.

      “Lava streaming into the ocean cools rapidly and shatters into sand-sized and larger angular pieces of glassy rock,” scientists explain. “As these fragments accumulate on the steep submarine slope, they build an unstable foundation upon which lava flows can spread above sea level. This new land is called a lava delta.
      “As lava deltas grow seaward and along the shoreline, they slowly settle or sink as the loose debris shifts under the weight of the overlying lava flows. When the underlying debris can no longer support a delta's growing mass, or is undercut by a deeper submarine landslide, the delta collapses into the ocean.
      “During a collapse, hot rocks, molten lava within tubes, and/or surface lava flows instantly come into contact with seawater. With temperatures higher than 1,100 degrees Celsius (2,012 degrees Fahrenheit), active lava causes seawater to flash to steam, which triggers an explosive blast of rocks, steam, and molten lava fragments into the air. The largest of these explosions have hurled rocks nearly a meter (yard) in size as far as about 300 m (330 yards) inland from the collapsed delta and have scattered rock debris over areas the size of several football fields.
      “During a large delta collapse in 1993, and despite a well-posted closure in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, a photographer was swept out to sea. More than a dozen other people were also injured when they attempted to flee the hot rocks and lava fragments hurled onshore.
      “Unexpected large waves produced by normal ocean swells or sudden collapse of an active lava delta can send scalding hot water crashing onto shore, both inland and adjacent to lava deltas. People standing in these areas have received second-degree burns from the hot water swept onshore. In 2000, the deaths of two severely burned individuals found near an active coastal lava flow were caused by the inhalation of acidic steam from the ocean entry, according to the medical examiner.
      “Scientists cannot predict the timing or size of a delta collapse, or the exact direction or distance that rocks will be hurled during a collapse-triggered explosion. The best way to avoid these hazards is to never walk onto an active lava delta, and, once a new lava delta extends a few tens of meters (yards) from the old sea cliff, stay at least 400 m (one-quarter mile) away from where lava enters the sea. Small rock fragments can even fall beyond this distance during large explosions triggered by lava delta collapse.”
      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
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Marlene Hapai meets Ka`u residents at Ocean View
Community Center Monday evening.

MEET MARLENE HAPAI Monday at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Hapai is a candidate for Hawai`i County mayor. Call 939-7033 for more information.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK celebrates its 100th birthday Monday by waiving entry fees. At Kilauea Visitor Center, enjoy cookies and music at 9 a.m., plus cultural demonstrations and turtle program information from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES National Park gives away 100 native seedlings each of koa and mamaki trees to local residents Monday at 9 a.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

EARLY WALK-IN VOTING for the Aug. 13 primary election begins next week. Weekdays between Monday, Aug. 1 and Thursday, Aug. 11, hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. For election information, call 961-8277.

KA`U HIGH & PAHALA Elementary School presents a Back-to-School Kick-Off Monday at 3 p.m. An Informational Fair continues to 5 p.m., and light dinner and welcome is at 5:15 p.m. Visit classrooms and meet teachers from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Call 313-4100 for more information.

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

See kaucalendar.com/news/news.html.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Friday, July 29, 2016

A musical event Saturday honors the late Cinnie Decker, founder and conductor of Ka`u `Ohana Band.
Photo from Ka`u School of the Arts

NATIONAL RANKINGS PLACE Hilo Medical Center among Hawai`i’s top hospitals.

      In the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ national rankings for Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, Hilo Medical Center was one of just four hospitals statewide to achieve the four-star ranking. “Hilo Medical Center is like our ‘mother ship,’” said Ka`u Hospital Director Merilyn Harris, “and we congratulate them on this tremendous achievement.”

Hilo Medical Center is ranked among Hawai`i's top hospitals.
Photo from HHSC

      “Our entire team has worked diligently to transform Hilo Medical Center from good to great,” said Dan Brinkman, East Hawai`i Regional CEO of Hawai`i Health Systems Corporation. “We have been honored to receive numerous accolades, including the recent AACN Beacon Award for Excellence, on our quest to become a leading hospital in Hawai`i. This new four-star ranking demonstrates the high quality of our services that result in better patient outcomes. We strive to make everything we do here a best practice.”

      Over 4,200 hospitals, both public and private nationwide, are required by CMS to track and measure key indicators. Only 20 percent of hospitals reporting garnered four stars.
      “Our incredible team of nurses, physicians, aides, housekeepers and administrative staff care deeply about the well-being of our community” Brinkman said. “Nearly all patients can be successfully treated right here at Hilo Medical Center, eliminating the need for Hawai`i Island residents to travel to O`ahu – saving them time, stress and money.”
      “The Hilo Medical Center team has proven that a safety net hospital such as ours that serves a mostly rural population can also be exceptional,” said Kurt Corbin, Board Chair of HHSC East Hawai`i Region. “Our community is proud of this achievement and can look forward to upgrades in our Imaging Department technologies along with ongoing improvements in the patient experience.”
      Ka`u Hospital’s long-term care is currently ranked as four star. Nursing Home compare looks at quality of care, results of the most recent Medicare survey/inspections and the level of staffing in each facility.
      Historically, Ka`u Hospital has been a five-star facility for long-term care, but because Medicare has been delayed in uploading staffing data, its ranking is set for now at four stars, Harris explained.
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KA`U LEARNING ACADEMY will offer seventh grade this semester, which begins Monday. KLA previously offered grades three through six. The state Charter School Commission gave its OK yesterday under the condition that KLA comply with all county standards and approvals. KLA wasn't able to complete expansion of the facility to accommodate more students in time for this semester and is required to keep the staff and student population within the occupancy limit set by the county in the existing facility, according to the commission.

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Hawai`i Attorney General Doug Chin

THE CONFERENCE OF WESTERN Attorneys General has chosen Hawai`i Attorney General Doug Chin to be its new chair for 2016-2017. The selection was announced during CWAG’s annual meeting in Idaho. Chin served as vice chair from 2015-2016.

      Chin is the first Attorney General from the state of Hawai`i to serve as chair of this conference. As chair, Chin will also be on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Attorneys General, representing Western states.
      Chin will host CWAG members from March 14-16, 2017 for his chair’s Initiative Meeting and Western Pacific Attorneys General Summit. Topics of the meetings will include open government and sustainable energy solutions.
      CWAG provides a forum for western state attorneys general to cultivate knowledge, cooperate on concerns and coordinate actions that improve legal services available to members, consumers, industries and government agencies. CWAG addresses emerging legal topics along with focusing on common areas of interest to the west: water, fish and wildlife, public lands, minerals, environmental protection and Indian law.
      Member states and territories include Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawai`i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
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Mililani Trask

SEVERAL NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY leaders and activists have recently gone on record urging non-Hawaiians to vote in the election of trustees for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Although, by law, all registered voters may cast ballots for trustees of OHA, a state government agency, Hawaiian leaders are taking to the airwaves to remind the public. 

      Mililani Trask, an attorney and native Hawaiian advocate, told ThinkTech Hawai`i, “Hawai`i is just too small, and the need is just too great to have people believe they can’t get involved just because of an ethnic difference.... Unless we get the support of the non-Hawaiian voters, we are just not going to be able to clean up the situation at OHA.... We need the other voters to join us to help clean it up. Trask is a candidate for the Big Island OHA Trustee seat, an election in which voters on all islands can vote. See youtube.com/watch?v=pE-FtsVmN6s.

`Ehu Kekahu Cardwell

      `Ehu Kekahu Cardwell, the leader of the Koani Foundation, has released a video on the Free Hawai`i Broadcasting Network in which he urges Hawaiians to “ask non-Hawaiians to vote. Ever since the Rice versus Cayetano court decision, anyone, whether Hawaiian or not, can vote in OHA elections…. So we here at Free Hawai`i TV want to ask you a favor. If you`re kanaka maoli (Hawaiian), please vote and please tell all of your non-Hawaiian family members and friends that they too should vote.” See youtube.com/watch?v=tC6KziAM_-s.

      Addressing the low participation of non-Hawaiians in previous OHA elections, `Ehu Kekahu Cardwell added, “In past elections, many non-Hawaiians have been refraining from voting for OHA Trustees because they think it’s not proper to do so. Tell them you need them to vote. Please tell every Non-Hawaiian you know to vote for OHA Trustees in the Aug. 13 Primary and in the November General Election. ”

Keli`i Akina

      Keli`i Akina, Ph.D., the first native Hawaiian President/CEO of the Grassroot Institute, said, “OHA has become a powerful state agency that affects virtually every decision involving land, ocean, culture and people in the state of Hawai`i. OHA affects everyone’s business, and unless everyone votes for good OHA Trustees, OHA will become everyone’s problem. The way to help Hawaiians is for everyone to vote and stop OHA from wasting public funds on its political pursuits and instead use them to meet the real needs of Hawaiians for housing, jobs, healthcare and education.” Akina is a candidate for the at-large trustee seat, a statewide election in with all registered voters may participate. 

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A MUSICAL EVENT at Ocean View Community Center on Saturday honors a one-time leading Ka`u musician, the late Cinnie Decker.
      Decker founded the Ka`u `Ohana band. As a longtime music teacher, she mentored Ka`u students. She was a great source of inspiration among performers in Ocean View and Ka`u, and her legacy lives on in the bands and groups with which she played or conducted and the musicians she taught.
      A memorial service to celebrate her life begins with an Episcopalian Mass at 10 a.m., followed by a potluck lunch 11:15 a.m. Music starts at about 11:30 a.m.

Dallas Decker presented a scholarship to musician
Ben Houghton, who performs tomorrow.

      A quartet of musicians will provide musical entertainment during lunch. They are Ben Houghton on clarinet, Eugene Watson on trumpet, Nina Lloyd on French horn and Susan Oliver on cello. Lloyd and Oliver will follow, playing five more pieces as a duet.

      Hannah’s Makana `Ohana follows with hula from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
      Jym Duncan, Ben Houghton, and David Matson perform five piano solos and duets until 1:15 p.m.
      Two musical groups in which Decker played, the Last Fling Band and the Blue Rock Mountaineers, will play for about 20 minutes each.
      The last performance beginning around 2 p.m., is by Ka`u `Ohana band, which Cinnie Decker conducted. The band is composed of about 15 musicians, performing on mostly wind instruments.
      Decker’s many friends will have a chance to share their memories of her at 2:30 p.m., and the event concludes at 3 p.m. with a benediction by Dick Hershberger.
      Members of the community are welcome to attend.
      To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK archaeologist Summer Roper leads a two-mile roundtrip hike tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Participants learn how the residents of this area used a unique method to extract salt, a crucial resource to sustaining life, on this dense lava landscape. Sturdy footwear, water, light rain gear, sun protection and snacks are recommended. The hike is moderately easy; expect hot and dry summer conditions.
      Free; park entrance fees apply.

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

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See kaucalendar.com/news/news.html.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Thursday, July 28, 2016

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists captured dramatic images of lava as it approached the ocean
at Kalapana. See more below. Photo from USGS/HVO

A NEW MARINE RESERVE OPENS on Hawai`i Island’s west coast tomorrow. Gov. David Ige signed the new rule establishing it last week.
      Boundaries encompass the existing Ka`upulehu Fish Replenishment Area, which includes Miloli`i. The rule establishes a 10-year near shore no take “rest period” – with limited exceptions – to allow for recovery of reef fish stocks prior to implementation of a fishery management plan for Ka`upulehu.

Ka`upuleh FRA includes Miloli`i.
Map from DLNR

      “The establishment of this reserve is largely due to the steadfast commitment and efforts of many community members, including longtime fishermen and native Hawaiians who live and fish in this area,” said Suzanne Case, chair of Hawa`i Department of Land and Natural Resources. “They worked for more than 17 years to get support for the Ka`upulehu Reserve. As a result of the rest period, we can expect to see more uhu and other reef fish critical to the health of the coral ecosystem at Ka`upulehu and surrounding areas.”

      “Marine reserves and ‘rest’ areas have proven to be effective in many other areas of Hawai`i and around the world,” said Bruce Anderson, administrator of the Division of Aquatic Resources. “Coral reef ecosystems can recover in just five to 10 years under the right conditions, and the Ka`upulehu area was a very productive fishery historically. We will monitor the abundance of fish and coral cover annually, and develop a responsible management plan that should allow for at least some types of fishing to resume once the rest area is re-opened.”
      The rule prohibits the take or possession of any aquatic life within the reserve boundaries, from the shoreline seaward to the 20-fathom (120-foot) depth contour. Beyond the 20-fathom depth contour, hook-and-line fishing is allowed for the following bottom fish, pelagic and introduced species: `opakapaka, kalekale, lehi, gindai, onaga, ehu, hapu`upu`u, uku, nabeta, aku, ahi and tombo, a`u, ono, mahimahi, ta`ape, toau, and roi. Also, Kona crab may be taken by Kona crab net.
      The rule also prohibits possession or use of any fishing gear other than hook-and-line and/or Kona crab net within the reserve; and deploying any fishing gear shoreward of the 20-fathom depth contour.
      In 1998, the state Legislature designated the West Hawai`i Regional Fishery Management Area to address declining aquatic resources resulting from improved shoreline access along the Kona coast. The law required DLNR to identify and designate areas within the FMA as fish reserves where no fishing of reef-dwelling fish is allowed.
      DLNR held a combined public information meeting and formal public rulemaking hearing on Feb. 11, 2016 in West Hawai‘i to amend Hawai`i Administrative Rules Title 13, chapter 60.4 to establish Ka`upulehu Marine Reserve. The rules were approved by the Board of Land and Natural Resources on May 27, 2016.

      The updated regulation will be posted tomorrow at hawaii.gov/dar/fishing/fishing-regulations/regulated-areas/regulated-fishing-areas-on-hawaii. 

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Lava continues to flow into the ocean and widen its field
at Kalapana. Map from USGS/HVO

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY reported that the lava flows field at Kalapana is at least 66 feet wide where it spills over the cliff and enters the ocean. Another narrow lobe of the flow has advanced along the west margin of the main flow. Areas of incandescence remain visible in overnight webcam views of the active lava flow field, marking lava tube skylights and areas of active lava on the pali and along the flow as it extends towards the coast.

      At Kilauea's summit, the depth of the lake was estimated at 77 feet below the crater rim this morning. A webcam from HVO's observation tower showed spattering in the lake.

      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov for updates, photos, video footage and more.

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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL member Maile David and supporters waved signs in Ka`u yesterday. David is running for re-election in the primary on Saturday, Aug. 13.

Supporters joined County Council member Maile David to wave
signs in Pahala yesterday. Photo by Ron Johnson

      “Mahalo a nui loa for the privilege of serving as your council member,” David’s campaign literature states. “Some of the issues facing District VI have been ongoing, and other newly created. Addressing these issues were at times challenging, but very rewarding when solutions were realized. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the support and trust of the people and the working relationships I was privileged to nurture with county departments, state agencies, our mayor and his staff. I look forward to continuing my work and humbly as for your support.”

      David lists accomplishments, including resolutions to acquire Kahua Olohu makahiki grounds, develop a second well in Ocean View, improve Kahuku Park, coordinate a new site for Ocean View transfer station, build and upgrade playgrounds in Na`alehu and Pahala, complete Volcano transfer station and keep Ocean View’s water spigots open during well repair.
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Bernie Sanders delegates, including some from Hawai`i, walked out
of the Democratic National Convention after the roll call vote that
nominated Hillary Clinton. Image from Sanders Campaign

OCEAN VIEW RESIDENT Raina Whiting participated in a walkout at the Democratic National Convention, Tom Callis reported in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. Several Bernie Sanders supporters took the action following Tuesday’s roll call vote that nominated Hillary Clinton as the party’s candidate for President of the United States. Clinton became the nominee when delegates cast more than 2,382 votes for her.

      “For myself, what it was about was drawing light, and getting our voices heard, to the way we’ve been treated thus far,” Whiting told Callis.
      Whiting told Callis that she and other Sanders supporters were frustrated that Clinton was considered as the nominee before delegates cast their votes. She estimated that 15 of Hawai`i’s delegates joined the walkout that Callis said included dozens from other states.
      “We did eventually get to give our vote to Bernie Whiting,” said. “The moment we walked in, Hillary Clinton was already being referred to as the nominee.”
      Whiting rebuked a fellow Sanders delegate from Hawai`i, Chelsea Kent, of O`ahu, for making an obscene gesture as the state’s delegation announced its vote count.
      “I feel very disappointed in her actions,” Whiting told Callis. “It is certainly not a reflection of other individuals in our delegation.”
      Whiting told Callis she wasn’t sure if she would vote for Clinton or not. “At this point, I’ll see how it plays out,” she said. “I’m not saying no, and I’m not saying yes.”
      Ben Wolfgang and Valerie Richardson, of The Washington Times, reported that Whiting “was disgusted by what she described as the unfair playing field.”
      “This is a response to our voices not being heard,” the paper reported her saying. “If Hillary had received the nomination fair and square, that would be one thing. But that’s not what happened.”
      See hawaiitribune-herald.com and washingtonpost.com.
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George Szigeti Photo from HTA

HAWAI`I’S TOURISM INDUSTRY achieved record totals for the first two quarters of 2016, attracting more visitors at 4.4 million and generating more spending at $7.7 billion, than any previous year, Hawai`i Tourism Authority reported. The results also produced a record $820.7 million in state tax revenue for the first two quarters, strengthening the state’s ability to provide programs and services benefiting residents statewide.

      “We are especially heartened by these results through the first half of the year, as our two largest tourism markets, U.S. West and U.S. East, carried the bulk of Hawai`i’s success, bolstered by the new international markets that HTA has been working hard to develop,” HTA President and CEO George Szigeti said. “Hawai`i also had strong results for the month of June, infusing us with confidence that the peak summer travel season will prove to be very fruitful.
      “Hawai`i continues to do well as a global travel destination, and it’s primarily due to the world’s admiration for our beloved Hawaiian culture and the aloha spirit embracing all who come to these islands. Mahalo to all of our industry stakeholders for doing their part every day to make the Hawaiian Islands such a sensational travel experience.”
      To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT offers an opportunity to cut invasive Himalayan ginger on Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park trails tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Participants meet at Kilauea Visitor Center.
      Free; park entrance fees apply.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK archaeologist Summer Roper leads a two-mile roundtrip hike to remnants of pa`akai gathering sites along the coast Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Learn how the residents of this area used a unique method to extract salt, a crucial resource to sustaining life, on this dense lava landscape. Sturdy footwear, water, light rain gear, sun protection and snacks are recommended. The hike is moderately easy; expect hot and dry summer conditions.

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

Click on document to enlarge.

See kaucalendar.com/news/news.html.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Volunteers help cut invasive Himalayan ginger from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park
several times each month. See more below. NPS Photo by Jessica Ferracane

CANDIDATES ARE BATTLING for East Ka`u state Senate seat. Incumbent Russell Ruderman and County Council member Greggor Ilagan, both Democrats, and Libertarian Fred Fogel ask Ka`u citizens to vote on Saturday, Aug. 13 to secure the state Senate seat for Puna and east Ka`u, the boundary at Honu`apo. All three candidates expressed their views in a forum sponsored by the Arts and Sciences Center. It can be seen at bigislandvideonews.com/2016/06/21/video-a-feisty-puna-state-senate-forum.

Sen. Russell Ruderman

      Ruderman has held the Senate seat since January 2011, when Gov. Neil Abercrombie appointed him after moving Sen. Russell Kokubun to the Department of Agriculture. Ruderman was then elected to the position in 2012.

      Ruderman, who lives in Puna, serves on four Senate committees: Commerce, Consumer Protection & Health; Economic Development, Environment & Technology; Human Services; and Water, Land & Agriculture. In Ka`u, he has worked to preserve water for local ranchers, sought funding to fight coffee and macadamia pests in Ka`u orchards, and truth in labeling for Ka`u Coffee. Ruderman lobbied for more funding and focus on preventing dengue fever spread by mosquitoes. He received the Hawai‘i Region of SBA’s Small Business Person of the Year and has created 200 jobs with his chain of food stores.
      See russellruderman.com.

County Council member
Greggor Ilagan

      Ilagan serves on the County Council and currently heads the Planning Committee. The Puna resident was elected to the seat in 2012. He listed his priorities as a candidate for state Senate as Health, Education, Environment, Employment, Affordable Housing, Resiliency and Transportation, or HE3ART. He emphasized that the community’s views are vital to how he determines his stands on issues.
      According to Ilagan, accomplishments as a council member include funding the first `Imiloa field trips for students and teachers from seven Puna schools, working with Mayor Billy Kenoi to add five new police officers for Puna, working with Neighborhood Watch groups and police to prevent and report crime, and establishing a dedicated bus route through Hawaiian Paradise Park.
      See voteilagan.com.

Fred Fogel

      Fogel has run for public office in the past, including state representative in 2012 and 2014. A Volcano resident, Fogel said his primary goal is to improve the way government operates and effectively supports people. Regarding taxes, his reforms include eliminating tax on earnings up to poverty level and implementing a revenue-neutral, flat tax thereafter; eliminating tax on tips, barter and inheritance; eliminating sales tax on food and medicine; and taxing agricultural enterprises at the lowest rate.
      Fogel said his vision for government is to give individual counties more autonomy, implement Community Development Plans, balance the budget and reduce its cost. He also said he supports letting “the people of Hawaiian ancestry determine their own destiny – and support their choice as a ‘nation.’”
      See fredfogel.net.
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KA`U’S U.S. REP. Tulsi Gabbard at the Democratic National Convention yesterday nominated Vermont’s U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders to be President of the United States.

      “My fellow Democrats, my fellow Americans, aloha,” Gabbard’s speech began. “People have asked me how a somewhat frumpy and sometimes grumpy 70-year-old could become the voice for millions, connecting seamlessly with laborers in the Rust Belt and environmentalists in the West.
      “The answer lies in his aloha: his deep love for others and Mother Earth.

      “As Bernie said, ‘The truth is, when you hurt, when your children hurt, I hurt. And when my kids hurt, you hurt.’

Ka`u's U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard nominated Bernie Sanders
to be President of the United States.
Photo from Office of Rep. Gabbard

     “This is a movement of love. Love which calls us to care for families torn apart by our criminal justice system, to care for folks whose jobs have vanished because of destructive trade deals, to care for those barely scraping by at minimum wage or crippled by college debt, to care about our environment and future generations, to care about lives lost, lives ruined and countries destroyed by counterproductive regime change wars, to care for our veterans who face unacceptable delays and inadequate care.
      “This movement of love and compassion is bigger than any one of us; it speaks to our nation’s conscience, to our hearts. Such love opens our eyes to the truth that every hungry child is my child, every worker seeking the dignity of a job is my neighbor, every senior citizen in need of care is my parent, an attack on anyone because of race, religion or sexual orientation is an attack on all of us.
      “It’s when we care for each other – choosing inclusion and love over division and hatred – that this great country is at its greatest.
      “Let us draw inspiration from the words of Mahatma Gandhi: ‘A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.’
      “My friends, because this is a movement fueled by love, it can never be stopped or defeated.
      “On behalf of millions inspired by aloha, determined to seek a future rooted in love, compassion and justice and dedicated to a government of the people, by the people and for the people, I am honored to nominate Bernie Sanders for President of the United States.”
      To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Raina Whiting and Jim Dean
Photo from Raina Whiting

RAINA WHITING, OF OCEAN VIEW, is a Bernie Sanders delegate at the Democratic National Convention this week.

      During the convention, Whiting attended a session led by Jim Dean, chair of Democracy for America, titled The Revolution Continues: 50-State Strategy to Run, Organize, Win, which was for progressive candidates running on a Sanders platform locally. Whiting said DFA is a national organization championing progressive politics and ideals like stopping the Trans-Pacific partnership, single-payer health care and clean elections. The organization endorsed Sanders six months ago after polling members.
      Sanders made a national call to his supporters this year to be part of a movement to bring progressive, new ideas into politics and run for local, state and federal offices. Whiting previously met with Sanders in June about her local candidacy for County Council.
      “I feel privileged to be part of a movement for our future and to bring my stance on social, economic, racial and environmental justice,” Whiting said. “I think about our beautiful community, my amazing students and their `ohana. I hope I earn the vote of our community to bring action to our district. We deserve a greater level of leadership and advocacy from our elected officials.”
      To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

KA`U’S STATE SEN. Josh Green shared a letter to his constituents regarding this week’s Democratic National Convention.

      “I’m working a very long ER shift (about 80 hours) this week in the countryside on the Big Island, and I’m watching the Democratic Convention when things are quiet,” Green wrote.

Sen. Josh Green, M.D.

      “Part of me wishes I were there in Philly with friends to experience first hand the energy, inspiration and chaos of the event.
      “I’m struck by how real the issues are that are being debated. In the hospital, a shift rarely goes by that these issues don’t play out right in front of me – a young person needs help with prescription drug addiction, a beautiful kid comes to the ER with a social worker to find help to escape someone who has been sexually abusing her, an elderly immigrant who never had good coverage now needs medications for a serious heart problem – the list goes on and on.
      “The (Republican) convention last week was filled with rage and finger pointing, accusations and hate – and no solutions.
      “Certainly neither side is perfect, but I will say I have been proud to watch this week’s speakers … taking on the most pressing issues of our times.
      “I have a lot of friends who are liberal and many who are quite conservative, friends who are members of both political parties and friends who are apolitical completely.
      “As a doc and state senator, I want to say that I know we are all in this together in America and we must choose leadership that unites us and appeals to our better angles.
      “Love your children, work hard and care for one another.”

      To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

CUT INVASIVE HIMALAYAN ginger on Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park trails Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Loppers and gloves are provided. Participants are encouraged to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and close-toed shoes. The hike is around a one-mile, moderate round-trip into Kilauea caldera down Halema`uma`u Trail, leaving from Kilauea Visitor Center. It involves walking over rough, uneven terrain on a dirt and rock path, with up to a 400-foot elevation change.
      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 kaucalendar.com/news/news.html.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.