Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Friday, Sept. 30, 2016

Almost two tons of debris were cleaned from the Ka`u Coast at Kamilo Point last weekend, including a large derelict fishing net.
See more below. Photo by Dr. Drew Kapp/UH Hilo & HawCC

A MORNING BLESSING AND EVENING OPEN HOUSE AT THE NEW KA`U DISTRICT GYM & SHELTER will welcome the public next Wednesday, Oct. 5.
     Mayor Billy Kenoi and the County of Hawai`i invite the public to the blessing and opening at the gym, adjacent to Pahala High & Elementary School at 10 a.m. The open house will be at 5 p.m. to give the public the opportunity to tour the facility. Students at Ka`u High &  Elementary School have been getting a peak at the new 43,000 square foot facility, some of them having their photos taken inside. There are three basketball and volleyball courts, activity room, workout room, a kitchen, offices, locker rooms, storage space for disaster relief organizations, and meeting spaces.
     "The facility will provide a safe haven for Ka`u residents in the case of a natural disaster or compromised air quality," says a statement from the county. The project was funded by the State of Hawai`i, constructed by the County of Hawai`i, and will be cooperatively managed by the Department of Parks & Recreation for both school and public use."
     Nona Makuakane is the Recreation Director of Pahala for the county and in charge of the new gym. She and her assistant Elijah Navarro also operate the Pahala Community Center & Park, county athletic field, tennis court and outdoor basketball court in Pahala.

Nona Makuakane and Elijah Navarro will manage the new gym.

     The new Pahala office for the county Department of Parks & Recreation will be inside the new gym. and will be the place for community to reserve space for activities. Unlike the community center, parties will not be entertained for the gym. They will remain at the community center. Community organizations and others can apply for special events to be considered. School sports competition and practices will have priority over other events.

     County Council member Maile David said she plans to attend the morning session and encourages everyone to come. 

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KAMILO POINT CLEANUP RESULTS from last weekend are in. At the International Coastal Cleanup event on Saturday, 75 people helped to remove around 3,765 pounds of marine debris from along a one kilometer stretch of coastline in a matter of hours, including a one-ton large derelict fishing net bundle and 101 bags of miscellaneous non-net debris items. 

Derelict fishing net bundle on the Ka`u Coast.
Photo by Megan Lamson/Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

Baby hawksbill turtle struggles in the plastics.
Photo by S. Breining/HWF

      In total, 11,705 pieces of marine debris were collected, tallied and removed (97.6 percent plastic). The group also helped three Honu'ea hawksbill hatchlings found struggling in the swash line. The one shown here was returned to the ocean with help and guidance from the Hawai'i Island Hawksbill Sea Turtle Recovery Project team member after it was given a blessing.    According to the Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, this is the second time this endangered species has been recorded at Kamilo. "However, we are unsure at this time if the nest was nearby or they washed ashore with the plastics," said a statement from the organization.
      Hawai`i Wildlife Fund cleanup coordinator Megan Lamson said, “Many thanks to Take 3 for the Sea Ambassador Tim Silverwood and Nurdle in the Rough’s Kathleen Crabill for your help with this event, Mahalo to Don Elwing for setting up your education and awareness art display at the park before we started the event. A special mahalo goes out to Mike, Ken, Trice, Zach, Terry, Don and the rest of the drivers of the 4WD vehicles. Thanks to Dr. Drew Kapp for bringing your huge group of geography students from UH-Hilo and Hawai`i Community College, too! "

Megan Lamson holds up a recycle bin from Los
Angeles, found on the Ka`u coast. Tim, of Take 3
for the Sea, holds up a small plastiglomerate.
Photo from Hawai`i Wildlife Fund

     Funding for this cleanup was provided by a NOAA Marine Debris Program grant. Hawaii Kombucha donated a keg of lilikoi kombucha for volunteers to share and enjoy. Documentary footage was filmed about the health of the ocean and cleaning up the coast.

     Lamson encoraged the Ka`u community to join in  the next cleanup, and until then to help reduce the  marine debris footprint by doing the 6Rs: Reduce, reuse, recycle, refuse (single-use plastics), "rethink and respect our mother earth!"
     She also encouraged Ka`u residents to attend Hawai`i Wildlife Fund's  20th anniversary ho`olaule`a on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Mokupapapa Discovery Center in Hilo. Adult tickets are $30 each or two for $50 and can be purchased at wildhawaii.org in advance. Tickets will be $35 at the door. 

      For more details regarding the celebration or to make a donation to the silent auction, contact Megan Lamson at 769-7629 or meg.HWF@gmail.com.
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Gabbard receives Friends of National Park award
from Clark Bunting, President and CEO of
National Parks Conservation Association, and Craig
Obey, Senior Vice President  Government Affairs.

TULSI GABBARD IS A CHAMPION FOR NATIONAL PARKS. Ka`u's representative in the U.S. Congress earned the title when she recently received a 100% score from the National Parks Action Fund. The Action Fund, affiliated with National Parks Conservation Association, evaluated park-related votes taken by the House and Senate in the 114th  Congress and tracked a variety of issues affecting parks, including clean water and wildlife protections, funding levels for the National Park Service. See more at Rep. Tulsi Gabbard received a 100% score for her pro-parks voting record.
     “For 100 years, the National Park Service has worked to share the diverse beauty, natural resources and history of our country through our awe-inspiring national parks. From breathtaking Haleakalā National Park on Maui and fiery Volcanoes National Park on Hawaiʻi Island, to the incomparable story of Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Molokaʻi, each of our national parks has a story to share. As we celebrate this centennial year of our National Parks Service, I will continue working to ensure our national parks are protected for generations to come," said Gabbard.”
      Gabbard also received the Friend of the National Parks Award in the 113th Congress for her record of support for national parks.

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HAWAIIAN ADZE PRODUCTION HIKE takes place Saturday at 11 a.m. at Kilauea Overlook in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Ranger Jay Robinson leads an easy, hour-long hike around an abandoned adze quarry. The site was covered in large basalt rocks erupted from Kilauea during its summit eruptions of 1790. Hawaiians covet the rocks for stone tools (adze).
Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection and a snack are recommended. Free; park entrance fees apply.

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

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016

A Kohola, false killer whale, beached itself at Ka Lae yesterday. Photo by Nohea Ka`awa

A KOHOLA THAT BEACHED ITSELF at Ka Lae yesterday later died.

      According to Nohea Ka`awa, who witnessed the tragedy, false killer whales rarely beach themselves, “though it is the second finding here in Ka`u within a short amount of time. They usually beach themselves only when severely sick and do it as an aid to stay afloat so that there’s no struggle to breathe. Should they be stranded in the ocean while sick, they could die of drowning. In this situation, the tide was on the rise, and winds picked up, making it difficult to assist in any way as she stressed while injuring herself on the reef. She died at around 10:40 a.m.”

Rodney Kuahiwinui measures the Kohola.
Photo by Nohea Ka`awa

      Ka`awa reported that a NOAA employee and two Hawai`i Division of Conservation & Resources Enforcement officers documented the incident and that NOAA decided to have the whale transported to O`ahu for further testing and to find out the exact cause of death. Rodney Kuahiwinui took measurements and transported the whale from Ka`u to be moved off island.

      “For myself and many cultural practitioners of our Hawaiian traditions, the function of the Kohola within our ecosystem is highly respected,” Ka`awa said. “The Kohola and Palaoa is mentioned in our Kumulipo: ‘Hanau ka palaoa noho i kai,’ Born is the whale living in the ocean.
      “These Kupuna are messengers who speak of the condition of our oceans. Whales are Kinolau (manifestations) of Kanaloa (Deity of the deep Ocean). Kanaloa is our ancestor where deep knowledge is acquired through our conciousness and unconciousness. I carry a direct lineal tie to this Akua! My last name is Kaʻawa (ʻawa, kavakava) which too is yet another Kinolau of Kanaloa. My ancestors were known as dream interpreters and would be sought out by our Ali`i to aid transcribing.       “When this Kohola died, those present could feel her death within their na`au. It was bittersweet! As kanaka, we have a lot of Kuleana to our Mother Earth. Without her, our survival is no more. It is my hope that NOAA will treat this Kohola with the respect that they would the death of one of their family members. If not, she should be returned to Ka`u (where she chose to die) so that proper protocol can be performed.”
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Nurse Practitioner Megan Lewis, center, joins Dr. Dexter Hayes,
left, and Nurse Practitioner and Clinic Manager Susan Field.
Photo from Ka`u Hospital Rural Health Clinic

KA`U HOSPITAL RURAL HEALTH CLINIC celebrates the return of nurse practitioner Megan Lewis, who worked at the clinic last fall. She joined the permanent staff on Sept. 1 and sees patients Tuesday through Friday. In addition to her nurse practitioner skills, Lewis is certified to give PUC physicals. Ka`u Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris said, “Patients really love her.”

      Susan Field, the Nurse Practitioner and Clinic Manager with Ka`u since 2013, serves the community on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, “helping to ensure that our patients have access to care when they need it,” said Harris.
      Harris also reported that Dr. Dexter Hayes announced she will leave Jan. 9 “to pursue a year of adventure. Dr. Hayes has been with us for six years and has decided to take some well-deserved time for herself to travel, visit friends and family and enjoy her passion for diving vacations.”
      Dr. Carey Gear will complete a year-long commitment to Ka`u Hospital on Nov. 30. “We have appreciated his service to our community over the past year and wish him the very best,” Harris said.
      Meanwhile, Ka`u Hospital is recruiting for another permanent physician to join the clinic team. There will be no interruption in services, and “we look forward to continuing to be your local source of medical care for you and your family,” Harris said.
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HAWAI`I WILL RECEIVE $18.6 MILLION TO PROTECT DRINKING WATER.

      The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funds will be used to protect public health and improve water quality in Hawai`i. These funds, awarded to the state Department of Health, include a $10.3 million grant for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and an $8.3 million grant for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
      The funds will be used to provide loans to counties for upgrades to drinking water and wastewater facilities. The funding will also be used to modernize aging water systems and make facilities more energy and water efficient.
      In 2014, the EPA found the state Department of Health failed to spend its drinking water funds in a timely manner. Since then, the EPA and the department have worked together on a corrective action plan. As a result of that plan, the EPA is now awarding all 2016 funds and continues to work with the state Department of Health to ensure they remain in compliance.
      “This new funding represents the progress the EPA and the Hawai`i Department of Health have made to restore Hawai`i’s eligibility to receive these kinds of federal investments,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This significant funding will help modernize our water systems and ensure we have safe, clean drinking water for generations to come.”
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UNUSED FEDERAL MONEY FOR DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION has led to less funding.

      According to a Honolulu Star-Advertiser story this morning by Sophie Cocke, “The failure of several state agencies to maximize their use of federal funds became a charged issue during this year’s legislative session, which ended in May. In addition to the Health Department’s troubles (see story above), the state Department of Transportation’s Highways Division was also criticized for its federal funding backlog, which peaked at $940 million in 2010. The Transportation Department reduced this to $676 million this year and has a goal of cutting the amount to $450 million by 2018."
      Cocke also reported on a Hawaiian Home Lands backlog of $55 million in unspent federal housing funds for Native Hawaiians. “DHHL had been receiving about $13 million a year in federal funding under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 for housing for Native Hawaiians and Hawaiian homelands. Federal officials withheld funding in the 2016 federal fiscal year due to DHHL’s failure to spend down the funds,” she reported.
      See more at staradvertiser.com.
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Noe Noe Kekaualua Photo from VAC

NOE NOE KEKAUALUA PRESENTS `OHE KAPALA, bamboo stamping, tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Volcano Art Center Gallery’s porch in Hawai`i Volcanoes National park.

      Aloha Friday free cultural events are supported in part by a grant from the County of Hawai`i, Department of Research and Development and Hawai`i Tourism Authority.
      Park entrance fees apply.

HAWAIIAN ADZE PRODUCTION HIKE takes place Saturday at 11 a.m. at Kilauea Overlook in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Ranger Jay Robinson leads an easy, hour-long hike among the abandoned adze quarry at the location.
      Most visitors have no idea this area was showered by large basalt rocks erupted from Kilauea during its summit eruptions of 1790 or that Hawaiians coveted the rocks for stone tools (adze).
      Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection and a snack are recommended. 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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Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

Ka`u District Gym opens a week from today with the cutting of maile lei. Photo by Julia Neal

THE NEW KA`U GYM & DISASTER SHELTER opens to the public with the traditional cutting of the maile lei and dignitaries coming to the Pahala campus a week from today on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The start time is 10 a.m.

Politicians, contractors and community members wielded golden shovels
to break ground for the gym on Oct. 3, 2012.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

      Maka Andrade is the project manager for the project under the county Department of Parks & Recreation. Ground broke on Oct. 3, 2012 to begin construction with retired police officer Bobby Gomes and Father Martin Mwanshibula, of Pahala’s Holy Rosary and Na`alehu’s Sacred Heart Catholic Churches, officiating.

      Golden shovels were held by many, including the contractors, Principal Sharon Beck, then Gov. Neil Abercrombie, former County Council member Guy Enriques, then County Council member Brittany Smart, Mayor Billy Kenoi, the late state Rep. Bob Herkes and the late state Sen. Gil Kahele, who at the time represented Ka`u.

Bobby Gomes spoke and invited the Father Martin Mwanshibula

 to bless the site.

      Herkes said during the ceremonies that he worked on funding in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Even though the concept was approved, he explained, the Department of Education ranked it 42nd on its priority list. He asked the mayor if the county would own and manage the building in order for faster construction. Kenoi agreed, and the county agreed to take it.

      School principal Beck said during the groundbreaking that in 2012, the dream of the gym was more than seven years in the making. She explained that it was difficult to play regulation games with the low ceiling and confined space in the old gym. The new gym will have multiple courts. She and other public officials acknowledged Kamehameha School volleyball coach Guy Enriques for lobbying for the gym and also for the tournaments and sports camps he could bring there.
      One of the largest gyms at one of the smallest public schools in the state, the gym is the largest building built in Ka`u since the sugar mill in Pahala, which was torn down almost two decades ago.
      The gym was funded in part through government money for a disaster shelter for the region. Gov. Abercrombie released more than $17 million for planning and construction in September 2011, following lobbying from all of Ka`u’s public representatives.
      See more in future Ka`u Calendar News Briefs.
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Ka`u Coffee Mill hosted a talk story with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
last month. Joining Gabbard left to right are Ed Olson,
Sammi Stanbro, Troy Keolanui, Lisa Wright
and Randy Stevens. Photo by Ron Johnson 

FOLLOWING HER TALK STORY AT KA`U COFFEE MILL and tour of farms in Ka`u and other districts on Hawai`i Island, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard introduced legislation today to help fight the macadamia felted coccid. The invasive species is destroying macadamia trees and threatening the domestic macadamia nut industry at large. Since the insect was introduced to Hawai`i in 2005, it has cost the local macadamia nut industry millions every year, threatening the vitality of one of Hawai`i’s most important crops. The Macadamia Tree Health Initiative would authorize highly sought research and development to help fight the invasive insect and establish an Areawide Integrated Pest Management plan in affected areas to help manage the invasive pest in a sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost-effective way.

      “The macadamia felted coccid is one of more than 4,300 invasive species that threaten our agriculture industry in Hawai`i and across the United States. In Hawai`i alone, this pest costs our local farmers, landowners and agriculture industry millions of dollars a year and puts hundreds of local farms, thousands of local workers and the future of one of our most important crops at risk,” Gabbard said. “As I visited multiple farms on Hawai`i Island last month, I heard story after story of how this tiny invasive insect is destroying farms and threatening the livelihood of communities like Kona, Ka`u and Hilo. Very little is known about this invasive pest, making it difficult for our agriculture workers to fight back. The Macadamia Tree Health Initiative will authorize much needed research and development and establish a comprehensive management plan to help our local agriculture industry combat these invasive, harmful insects.” 

Macadamia felted coccids on nut husks.
Photo from Hawai`i Department of Agriculture

      Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation applauded Gabbard’s efforts: “Federal funding is desperately needed to find a solution to controlling the macadamia felted coccid which has severely impacted the Hawai`i macadamia growers. The initiative can be a game changer in our farmers’ fight against this devastating pest.” 

      John Cross, land manager for the Edmund C. Olson Trust II, said, “The Edmund C. Olson Trust II is a grower of over 1,100 acres of macadamia orchards on the island of Hawai`i and a part owner of Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company, a processor of several million pounds of nuts grown by the trust and many dozens of independent growers around the island. We truly appreciate Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s proposed Macadamia Tree Health Initiative. The invasive macadamia felted coccid is an especially damaging pest to many growers on Hawai`i Island. The health and wellness of our trees translates into a healthy industry able to keep our employees and their families with good jobs. Further, healthy trees also assure consumers that Hawaiian-grown macadamia nuts will continue to be the finest macadamia products for many years to come. This bill will help not only our farm but that of the 16,000 acres of other growers and processors that combined produce some 50 million pounds of nuts each year.”
      Martin E. Ramirez, Director of Farming Operations at Royal Hawaiian Services with offices in Pahala and Hilo, said, “The threat to the macadamia orchards in Hawai`i from the macadamia felted coccid is real and potentially devastating. The plan to develop and disseminate the best science-based tools for treating MFC will make the Macadamia Tree Health Initiative exactly what the industry needs.”
      Last year, Gabbard introduced the Areawide Integrated Pest Management Act to support long-term sustainable solutions to many pest management problems and reduce invasive species impact on agriculture and the environment. The bill would help farmers in Hawai`i and across the country fight invasive species like the coffee berry borer, fruit flies and macadamia felted coccid. AIPM systems reduce reliance on a single pest management tactic, reduce risks to human health and the environment, and increases economic benefits for farming communities across the nation.
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VA Inspector General
Michael Missal

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO CALLED FOR CONTINUED ACTION after Veterans Affairs Inspector General Michael Missal released an inspection report on a six-point plan the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System undertook to improve patient wait times for VA medical services.

      The VA first pledged to implement the plan at Hirono’s 2014 field hearing, which shed light on the long wait times and other obstacles Hawai`i veterans face seeking care. Since the 2014 hearing, average wait times for new primary care patients shrank from 43 to seven days in FY 2015. However, the report also recommended that VAPIHCS must continue efforts to “enhance the availability of and access to a comprehensive network of care and services.”
      “Although the VA has made important progress in improving patient care in Hawai`i, it’s clear we have more work to do,” Hirono said. “I will continue to hold top officials accountable until every veteran in Hawai`i gets the quality of care they deserve.”
      Hirono requested the inspection as part of her continuing efforts to address issues raised by Hawai`i veterans about VA health care and benefit services. As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Hirono has brought top VA officials to Hawai`i to hear directly from veterans and held veterans roundtables in every county. In the wake of this report, the senator will continue to travel across the state to solicit feedback from our veterans on how to continue improving access to VA services.
      Hirono has successfully championed legislative solutions signed into law to address health care access, housing and other obstacles that Hawai`i veterans face.
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OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER invites Ka`u residents to free dinner tomorrow and every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bring a can; have a meal. Donations are accepted c/o OVCC.
      For more information, call 939-7033.

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/TheDirectory2016.html
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Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016

`Iwi, prominent in Patrick Ching's Hidden Valley, is one of several endangered native species
that are vulnerable to diseases spread by mosquitoes. Image from Volcano Art Center

ELIMINATING MOSQUITOES STATEWIDE for the survival of native birds and the health of people is discussed by two University of Hawai`i scholars in an opinion piece this morning in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Alan Titchenal, Ph.D., C.N.S., and Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. work at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

Sam Gon, of The Nature Conservancy

      Concerning humans, they write: “In many parts of the world, mosquitoes transmit serious diseases ranging from malaria to the Zika virus. In Hawai`i, there is a particular concern about Zika, as well as other mosquito-borne diseases including dengue fever, yellow fever and Chikungunya. There are many very serious public health concerns related to these mosquito-borne diseases and if they became established here in Hawai`i, the impact to the tourist industry could be devastating.”
      They point out that the International Union for Conservation of Nature meeting held recently in Honolulu took up “preservation of Hawai`i’s rapidly vanishing species of endemic birds.” Strategies discussed included eradication and bioengineering mosquitoes to prevent them from carrying various diseases.

      They wrote, “For most of us, it is easy to relate to the risks of these diseases to humans. However, Hawai`i’s native bird species have been devastated by mosquito-borne diseases for over 150 years.”

      The authors reviewed history of mosquitoes and birds in Hawai`i, writing that “both the mosquito-borne avian malaria and avian pox have contributed to the extinction of 38 endemic Hawaiian birds. Of the remaining 32 endemic species, 21 are considered to be threatened by these diseases that are expected to lead to their extinction in the near future. While forest birds in Hawai`i evolved over millennia, mosquitoes have only been here for 200 years.”
      The article points out that The Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i cultural advisor Sam Gon noted during the conservation meeting that the ancient Hawaiian Kumulipo creation chant refers to forest birds as elders, here before “the major Hawaiian gods.” He said endemic Hawaiian birds are to be “revered, respected and cared for.”
      In the Advertiser opinion piece this morning, the U.H. writers stated that “genetic technologies have the potential to eradicate mosquitoes and the diseases that they deliver to people and birds without the drawbacks of pesticides. These include the release of sterile male mosquitoes, the use of bacteria that can prevent viruses from being carried by mosquitoes, and controversial gene-drive technology that could completely eradicate mosquitoes from Hawai`i.”
      They concluded with the question, “How much longer can we make the forest birds wait? How many more bird species can we allow to be lost?” For more, see staradvertiser.com.
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TROPICAL STORM ULIKA, the first tropical storm to form in the Central Pacific this hurricane season, was straddling 140 W Longitude, some 1100 miles east-southesast of the Big Island this morning. Ulika is expected to turn from moving east to moving northwest toward the Hawaiian Islands later this week. At latitude 1140 North Ulika is sporting

winds near 50mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is expected but weakening on a tract toward the Big Island. The path of Ulika was being monitored by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu until the storm moved east over the 140 longitude line. The National Hurricane Center will be responsible for mapping and advisories until Ulika moves back west into Central Pacific waters.

HAWAI`I’S PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE EXCEEDING the nation in gains on the Advanced Placement Program Exams over the year prior. In a report released yesterday, the AP results for Hawai`i students who were tested last May show increases in the number exam takers, exams taken and scores of 3 or higher.

      “In just one year, between 2015 and 2016, the number of AP Exams in Hawai`i that were scored 3 or higher increased by 7.5 percent,” said Scott Hill, a vice president at the College Board, which administers the AP Program. “That significant increase is a testament to the hard work and commitment of Hawai`i’s students, parents, teachers and education leaders, all of whom deserve commendation for this great achievement. We will continue to partner with Hawai`i educators to ensure that all students ready for the challenge of AP are able to access those opportunities.”

      Since 2012, the number of exams taken by Hawai`i public school students has increased by 26 percent (from 6,669), and the number of passing scores increased by 29 percent (up from 2,599).
      “Growth is crucial for our public schools, and these results show promising system-wide improvement as we continue to raise the rigor and prepare our students for post-high school endeavors,” said Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “These gains also reflect the hard work and professional development being done by our educators to prepare for and teach these college-level courses. Their dedication to their craft and students is evident in these positive results.”
      The AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams.

Kathryn Matayoshi

      Students taking AP Exams also qualify for AP Scholar Awards, which recognizes exceptional achievement on the exams. For SY 2015-16, 616 students from 33 HIDOE schools earned AP Scholar Awards. 

      Ten students from six HIDOE schools qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average score of 4 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more exams.
      Twenty-six students at 23 HIDOE schools qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
      Sixteen students at 26 HIDOE schools qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average score of at least a 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
      Three hundred seventy-four students at 31 HIDOE schools qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher.
      Since 2012, Hawai`i has received grants from the U.S. Department of Education to subsidize test fees for low-income students. Funding has increased year-over-year with HIDOE receiving $114,168 in 2015.
      “These grants have been a tremendous help in making sure that we are able to provide college and career readiness opportunities for all of our students. For many of them, earning college credits at no cost in high school will help with the financial burden associated with completing a post-secondary degree,” Matayoshi said.
      The push behind providing opportunities for more students to take AP courses and exams is part of a range of recent transformational efforts to increase students’ college and career readiness. The results include strong increases in college enrollment, enrollment in early college programs at the high school level, as well as significant declines in college-level remediation in English and Mathematics.

Sen. Brian Schatz

      For more information about AP courses and participation at HIDOE schools, see hawaiipublicschools.org.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SIGNED the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act into law. The bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz will enhance and integrate native tourism, empower native communities, and expand unique cultural tourism opportunities in the United States.

      “I’m incredibly proud to have worked with our native communities on this legislation, and I’m pleased the president has signed it into law,” Schatz said. “This new law gives our native communities a real opportunity to grow their local economy and share their history and culture with the rest of the world.”
      The NATIVE Act requires federal agencies with tourism assets and responsibilities to include tribes and native organizations in national tourism efforts and strategic planning. It will also provide Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native and American Indian communities with access to resources and technical assistance needed to build sustainable recreational and cultural travel and tourism infrastructure and capacity, spur economic development and create good jobs.

Make a pulumi ni`au tomorrow. Photo from NPS

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MAKE A HAWAIIAN BROOM tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Rangers teach how to make a useful pulumi ni`au, brooms fashioned from midribs of coconut leaves.
      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/TheDirectory2016.html
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Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Monday, Sept. 26, 2016

The Nature Conservancy, which manages the Kamehame hawksbill turtle preserve below Pahala, receives
donations from Hawaiian Springs, the company planning a water bottling plant in Pahala, according to
www.hawaiiansprings.com Photo by David Rayner

HAWAIIAN SPRINGS, WHICH IS PLANNING a water bottling plant in Pahala, “is a proud supporter of many local community and charitable events and serves on the Corporate Council for the Environment for The Nature Conservancy in Hawai`i,” according to its website, www.hawaiianspringswater.com. “Further, Hawaiian Springs donates a portion of its proceeds from bottled water sales to The Nature Conservancy each year in its effort to build awareness and support for the preservation of native Hawaiian endemic species – many of which are threatened with extinction.” The Nature Conservancy manages preserves of pristine forest and watershed in the mountains of Ka`u as well as the Kamehame hawksbill turtle nesting site below Pahala on the coast.

A green sea turtle basks at what appears to be an abandoned hawksbill

turtle nest at Kamehame, managed by The Nature Conservancy.

Photo by Will Olsen/Hawksbill Recovery Project

      In the 1981 Overview of Water Resources Pahala-Na`alehu, author John Mink stated that “the southern portion of the Ka`u District has profited from a long history of water resources investigations.” Mink reported that runoff rarely reaches the coast, “and infrequently do stream channels in the wet mountain area carry a sustained flow for more than a few days. Rain quickly infiltrates into highly permeable soil and rock formations and ultimately percolates to deep aquifers, even though often temporarily arrested by perching ash beds.”

      Regarding source sustainability, Hawaiian Springs states on its website that the aquifer in Kea`au from which it draws water for its bottling plant there has a recharge rate of 1.38 billion gallons per day, according to the Hawai`i Commission on Water Resource Management. “It’s enough pure water to supply all the bottled water consumed each year in America in 7.3 days!” the company states. “Think that’s crazy, how about all the world’s yearly bottled water consumption in less than a month! Now that’s sustainable!
      "With an approved sustainable use rating of 740 million gallons per day, Hawaiian Springs’ source (the N.E. Mauna Loa system) is the most robust in Hawai`i and one of the healthiest in the world. In fact, the overall Big Island aquifer system has a sustainable use rate of 2,431 mgd – that’s over 3.4 trillion liters of pure artesian water each year!” Hawaiian Springs states on its website.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO AND FELLOW SENATE DEMOCRATS unveiled a measure to increase access to support at-risk Hawai`i youth. The Youth Access to Sexual Health Services Act would create a competitive grant program to expand access to fact-based, community oriented education and support programs that promote sexual health for young people who have been disadvantaged by underlying structural barriers and social inequity.

      “Politicized and agenda-driven sex education fails too many at-risk and disadvantaged young people,” Hirono said. “Better access to education will translate into better decisions that will help young people improve their health, enhance their futures and gain confidence that their communities understand, accept, and support them.”
      The YASHS act would authorize the Health and Human Services Secretary to award competitive grants for programs that expand access to sexual health services for marginalized youth, including young people of color, immigrant youth, LGBTQ youth, youth in foster care, homeless youth, youth in juvenile detention, and others.
      These grants would help organizations bridge barriers to information and access – from discrimination, to a lack of knowledgeable providers, a perceived lack of confidentiality, and transportation and other costs. These barriers can contribute to health challenges and disparities, including high rates of sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, unintended pregnancies, and other issues.
      The YASHS Act would also ensure that no federal funds are provided for programs that withhold health-promoting or life-saving information about sexuality-related topics, that are inaccurate or ineffective, or are inconsistent with the ethical imperatives of medicine and public health.
      “Despite ongoing attacks in states across the country to keep young people from accessing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, we at Planned Parenthood continue to provide life-changing sex education programs that deliver information and resources about relationships, sexuality and sexual health,” said Carole Miller, Chief Learning Officer at Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands. “We applaud Sen. Hirono for her tireless work to ensure today’s youth have access to comprehensive and medically accurate sex education, and we stand with her as she introduces legislation that will support our efforts and those of our partners to address the needs of our most vulnerable youth and at the same time help us to build safer, healthier communities for all.”
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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard speaks with Service Academy students.
Photo from Office of Rep. Gabbard

KA`U’S U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD is currently accepting nomination request letters from individuals in Ka`u and throughout Hawai`i’s Second Congressional District to the U.S. Service Academies for the classes entering in the summer of 2017. The deadline for completed files is Oct. 31.

      “Each year, I have the honor of nominating Hawai`i’s best and brightest to attend our nation’s prestigious Service Academies,” Gabbard said. There is no greater privilege than to serve our country in uniform, and I encourage anyone in the Second Congressional District who is qualified and interested to submit their application for a nomination.”
      The Service Academies include the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, CO; the Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD; West Point Military Academy at West Point, NY; and the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY.
      Coast Guard Academy admissions are based on a nationwide competition and do not require Congressional nominations.
      Potential candidates must have reached their 17th birthday and not passed their 23rd birthday on July 1 of the year they would enter the academy; be a U.S. citizen; have graduated from high school; be unmarried; have taken the ACT and/or SAT; and meet stringent entrance requirements of their preferred academy.
      Applications can be submitted to Ryan Joslin, Office of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, 300 Ala Moana Blvd Room 5-104, Honolulu, HI 96850.
      For more information, see http://bit.ly/2cmt6Jp, or call Gabbard’s Hawai`i office at 808-541-1986.
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Ka`u High's cross country team members, with coaches Erin Cole
and Kevin Sun, are halfway through their season.
Photo from Erin Cole

KA`U HIGH CROSS COUNTRY TEAM has been training Monday through Friday and racing 5K (3.1 miles) on Saturdays. The team raced on a bright sunny day at Kamehameha school on Sept. 10. The athletes enjoy this course and came in with some good times: Brennan Nishimura 23:07, Kyle Calumpit 23:49, Rowlie Flores 27:12, Daryl Moreira 29:38, Sheena Flores 28:29 and Chloe Gan 29:24

      The whole team, including coaches Erin Cole and Kevin Sun, ran in the Ka`u Coffee Trail run and found the trail to be challenging and fun.
      A race on Saturday, Sept. 24 was at HPA. Teams from other islands as well as the mainland participated. The weather was typical for Waimea, with a light mist, hot sun, cool shade and a breeze. The infamous HPA hill was daunting as always, and our team ran hard. Brennen Nishimura finished at 25:10; Kyle Calumpit, 26:00; Rowlie Flores 26:47; and Daryl Moreira 28:19.
      After the race, the team enjoyed a Yoga for Runners class with Stacy Lanterman at Hawaiian Healing Yoga.
      The team is halfway through the racing season. The next races are at Waiakea at 3 p.m. on Oct. 1, Kea`au at 10 a.m. on Oct. 8 and BIIF Championships at HPA on Friday Oct. 21. 2 p.m. HHSAA Championships take place at HPA on Oct. 29 at 8:30 a.m.
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Native Hawaiians used rock from Kilauea's summit to make tools.
Poster from NPS

ARCHAEOLOGIST CALEB HOUCK SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE about Hawaiian adze production and lithic block quarries on Kilauea tomorrow at After Dark in the Park.

      The free program begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      Park entrance fees apply. $2 donations support park programs.

MAKE A HAWAIIAN BROOM Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Rangers teach how to make a useful pulumi ni`au, brooms fashioned from midribs of coconut leaves.
      Free; park entrance fees apply.

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.

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