Kaʻū News Briefs Monday, Dec. 5, 2016

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbrd at Standing Rock with more than 5,000 veterans, local Sioux and other Native American leaders.
On Sunday, the Department of the Army denied an easement for the pipeline.
Image from MSNBC

STANDING ROCK SNOW was the location of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard Saturday night and Sunday, as she joined thousands of veterans and water protectors, who oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline being constructed to carry fracked oil between North Dakota and Illinois. The water protectors won a reprieve on Sunday morning when the Department of the Army announced that it denied an easement required for the $3.8 billion project to cross under Lake Oahe near Standing Rock in North Dakota. Instead, it will conduct an Environmental Impact Statement to examine the impacts and explore alternative routes, according to the statement.
    However, Sioux Indian leaders warned that the pipeline company could ask for the decision to be overturned.
    Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell praised the decision to deny the right of way, saying it “underscores that tribal rights reserved in treaties and federal law, as well as nation-to-nation consultation with tribal leaders, are essential components” of discussions in infrastructure projects.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard addressed veterans who joined Sioux tribal
leaders at Standing Rock Photo from Democratic Underground

    The water protectors claim the pipeline would have led to pollution of freshwater and, overall, is a step backward toward the goal of clean and safe energy for many Indian tribes, clean energy that will also help the broader population of Americans. They claim treaties between the U.S. government and the tribes gave congress and the president a path to stop the pipeline and stated that they plan to hold the U.S. government accountable to the treaties. They say the agreements give Indian nations ownership of the Missouri River and other waters in the path of the pipeline. Another concern, the water protectors claim, was that the pipeline was rerouted away from urban Bismark, North Dakota because of pollution concerns, and redirected to a path that could pollute Indian nation natural resources.
   The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had given those gathered at Standing Rock a deadline of today to clear out of the way of the pipeline construction. The water protector group has been camped there since April.

“Water is life,” is the mantra that
Gabbard emphasizes
during talks on Standing Rock.
Photo from Democratic
Underground

   Gabbard, a Lt. Colonel in the Hawai‘i Army National Guard, talked about veterans arriving at Standing Rock from all over the country from “all different generations.” She described them as “strangers essentially but brothers and sisters in arms who have come here answering this higher call to put service before self, once again, to come and stand in peace and prayer to protect water. They understand that this is not just about the potential water contamination for the people of Standing Rock but for millions of people in surrounding states, who would also be impacted.” She talked about Standing Rock being symbol of “how essential it is to protect water as a matter of life.”
     Gabbard said that “the best thing that could happen is that the president would announce that the easement that this pipeline needs to continue would be denied.”
      She also talked about congress. “There are very few members of congress who are even paying attention to what is happening here at Standing Rock.” She contended that little will happen unless congress “pays attention to and looks and hears and sees what is actually happening here and understands the potential impacts.” She said they could include, “damaging and contaminating water resources, not only for the Standing Rock Sioux but for millions of people in the surrounding areas. We’ve got to recognize that this is not a choice between economic opportunity and jobs versus water. Without water there is no life, there is no economy, there is no jobs.
     “There is a right way to go about doing things that has not occurred here.”
      Gabbard said that the thousands of people gathered at Standing Rock “are here to say ‘water is life that must be respected and protected.’”
     Phyllis Young, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe who met with Gabbard, said the group plans an international peace ceremony today. “There is going to be a white horse exchanged that will forever cement the peace between the United States military” and the Sioux, she said, noting that she expects the federal government to protect the Indian tribes.

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LIVE ON CHANNEL 55 IS INAUGURATION FOR COUNTY OFFICIALS today, Dec. 5 at noon. The swearing in and celebration will take place in Hilo at Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium, 323 Manono St. Kaʻū’s County Council member Maile David, Mayor Harry Kim and county Prosecutor Mitch Roth are among those to be sworn in by Judge Ronald Ibarra. Hawai‘i County Band and Waiakea High School students will perform. Na Leo O Hawaiʻi will televise the inauguration live on Channel 55.

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, today, Monday, Dec. 5, 4 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033.

HAWAIʻI COUNTY COUNCIL, Monday, Dec. 5, 3 p.m. & Wednesday, Dec. 21, 9 a.m. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. See hawaiicounty.gov for agendas and live-streamed and archived meetings.

KAʻŪ COFFEE GROWERS will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 6 from  6-8 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center. The next Ka‘ū Coffee Festival, current picking season and harvest will be discussed.

Bukima Camp in the foothills of Mikeno Mountain,

home of the Congolese mountain gorillas at Virunga.

Wikipedia photo

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK: Virunga National Park, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Travel writer and Virunga advocate Kimberly Krusel offers a virtual visit to what has been called the most biologically significant park in Africa. The park located in the Congo was created in 1925 as the first national park on the continent of Africa. It was founded primarily to protect mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Mountains. Today Virunga is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. Free; park entrance fees apply.

KAPA MAKING, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. -12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Joni Mae Makuakāne-Jarrell demonstrates the making of the traditional kapa (paper mulberry bark) cloth used by native Hawaiians for clothing. Free, park entrance fees apply.

WINTER JAM BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT is this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the new Kaʻū District Gym. Age groups are ten and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, boys, girls and co-ed. Men and women are also invited to compete. The tournament raises money to help fund Trojan Senior basketball players Pete Dacalio and Alysha Gustafson to travel to the mainland with coach Jen Makuakane to look at colleges who may provide them with sports scholarships. To donate, call Summer Dacalio at 498-7336, Pete Dacalio at 498-3518 or Alysha Gustafson at 339-0858.

VOTING FOR JAMI BECK at Facebook.com is available to help her win Miss Photogenic in the Miss Teen Hawaiʻi pageant. Voting online ends on Dec. 12. The pageant is in Honolulu on Dec. 17. Beck, a graduate of Kaʻū High School, won the swimsuit competition and tied for first in talent in the 2016 Miss Kaʻū Coffee pageant held at Kaʻū Coffee Mill.
She is a youth ranger at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and interested in modeling and acting. She attends college at University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo with a major in administration of justice.

Pāhala Holy Rosary Choir sings every year in the 

Pāhala Christmas Parade. Photo by Julia Neal

PĀHALA’S CHRISTMAS PARADE IS THIS SUNDAY. It welcomes community groups, churches, sports teams coffee farmers, classic vehicle drivers and more to travel through the village. The Dec. 11 parade, in its 38th year, travels through the streets of Pāhala, with Santa and his helpers handing out candy to kids. A traditional stop is Kaʻū Hospital where long term patients come outdoors to see the decorated trucks cars and floats, marching groups and costumed characters. Participants begin gathering at the old Pāhala Armory at noon and the parade starts at 1 p.m. The parade ends at the Catholic Church on Pikake Street for refreshments. Organizer for almost four decades is Eddie Andrade. For more information, call Andrade at 928-0808.

FRIEND-RAISER IS NĀʻĀLEHU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S Winter Fest theme for Saturday, Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Make New Friends,” declares the poster, which also reports on opportunities to enjoy shave ice, drinks, hot dogs – all for $1. Games are 50 cents. Also featured is a bounce house, raffle, bake sale, splash booth, jail, face painting and information vendors. Winter Fest is sponsored by the Nāʻālehu School Council. Anyone wishing to donate prize items or make a monetary donation should contact Nāʻālehu Elementary vice-principal Christina Juan or student council adviser Amberly Keohuloa at 323-4000.

DEADLINE FOR THE DIRECTORY, to sign up for listings and advertising for businesses, community groups, churches and agencies is Dec. 15. The annual business and community resource guide is sponsored by Kaʻū Chamber of Commerce and produced by The Kaʻū Calendar. It includes photography and art by Kaʻū residents, a calendar of events, listings and feature stories including winners of the recent Beauty of Kaʻū art show, sponsored by the Chamber.
     The Directory raises scholarship money for students from Kaʻū throughout their higher education in trades, college and university studies. Printed each January, 7,500 copies of The Directory are distributed throughout Kaʻū and Volcano. To sign up, contact geneveve.fyvie@gmail.com.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY holiday exhibit daily through Jan. 2 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Featured at Christmas in the Country is the 17th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit, with prizes awarded for the best wreaths. To participate, contact Emily Weiss at 967-8222 or gallery@volcanoartcenter.org . Free; park entrance fees apply.

BASKETBALL CAMP for children, first through eighth grades, is planned by Ocean View Baptist Church for February. Location is the Kahuku County Park, Feb. 20 - 24 from 3:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m. Organizers are looking for advance registration. Campers will learn skills of basketball and important fundamentals in an atmosphere that is fun and enjoyable. Space is limited. Call 333-0212.

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