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| Ka`u Coffee growers and brokers are attending the Specialty Coffee Association of America's annual convention, this year in Atlanta, with one of the themes being large and small stakeholders working for sustainability. Photo from SCAA |
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| Ka`u Coffee industry representatives Malian Lahey, of Ka`u Specialty Coffee, along with Randy Stevens and Lisa Wright, of Ka`u Coffee Mill, are at SCAA in Atlanta this weekend. |
Ka`u participants attend marketing and roasting classes and many other educational sessions. They sign contracts to sell their coffee. At this year's SCAA convention are Ka`u residents Lisa Wright and Randy Stevens, of Ka`u Coffee Mill; Ralph Gaston, of Rusty’s Hawaiian 100 Percent Ka`u Coffee; Miguel Meza, of Isla Custom Coffees; Malian Lahey, of Ka`u Specialty Coffee; and Chris Manfredi.
Also, during this year’s convention, SCAA introduces a new coffee tasting wheel for roasters, farmers and coffee drinkers, available online. See https://store.scaa.org/.
Also see kaucoffeefestival.com.
Also see kaucoffeefestival.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
SUSTAINABLE COFFEE GROWING AND THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT are related, according to Kim Elena Ionescu, Director of Sustainability for the Specialty Coffee Association of America. She addressed the SCAA convention in Atlanta this weekend, attended by Ka`u Coffee farmers and brokers. In a message to conventioneers entitled Ensuring the Sustainability of Coffee, Ionescu says, “It is in the best interest of every single one of the millions of people who depend on coffee for a living to protect the future of our industry — yet, few of us feel like it’s our job. Sure, it’s important, and maybe even interesting, but who has the time?”
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| New coffee tasters flavor wheel is available from SCAA for roasters, growers and drinkers. See https://store.scaa.org/. |
“Just like our coffee value chains, sustainability can only be global. Conversations that begin with a single issue — say, water scarcity — on a single farm can expand rapidly, because to understand a farm’s water use, we must take into account factors ranging from the way surrounding farms use water to the economic drivers that influence decisions. To put it more simply, everything is connected, and nothing is simple... .”
“More than ever, companies, nonprofit organizations and other members of the specialty coffee community are energized to collaborate to address issues like climate change and farm worker shortage, that threaten our collective future. These joint efforts may have a local focus… . They may also span countries, with multi-national coffee companies coming together to discuss how to coordinate investments in, say, food security, at a regional or national level... . It’s a tricky balance, big and small. We cannot confront the challenges facing coffee one farm at a time, nor can we allow their magnitude to paralyze us. We must be willing to take risks but also to take care to tread a line between benefiting people and protecting nature.” See more at http://www.scaa.org/chronicle/.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT CO. explained that brief power interruptions this week were due to a sudden loss of generation at several power plants.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the Hamakua Energy Partners generator unexpectedly tripped offline. Yesterday, HELCO’s Puna steam plant and a combustion turbine unit at its Keahole Power Plant tripped offline. In each case, protective devices automatically disconnected some customers temporarily to rebalance the available supply of power generation with the demand for power, stabilizing the grid and maintaining service for the majority of customers. Those affected experienced a temporary power interruption lasting between seven to 20 minutes while backup generators were started. “We sincerely apologize for the interruptions,” said HELCO spokesperson Kristen Okinaka. “Our employees worked hard to bring additional generating units online and safely restore service to customers.”
Okinaka said HELCO crews have completed repairs to both the Puna and Keahole generating units. Hamakua Energy Partners’ plant remains out of service as it works to complete repairs.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
A TRIAL IS SET TO BEGIN IN JUNE for a woman arrested at Kawa. Graham Milldrum reported in West Hawai`i Today that Kittrena Morgan is suing Hawai`i County and police officers who arrested her during the Oct. 25, 2012 eviction of Abel Lui and others from Kawa. She was arrested and charged with simple trespassing and resisting arrest.
According to Milldrum, “the charges the jury will hear are that officers used excessive force to arrest Morgan, that the cuffs were too tight, that officers not rendering medical aid was excessive force, they did not loosen the cuffs, they allowed emotional distress and the arrest was an assault.”
Morgan is seeking $1 million in damages and $37,386.78 for lost wages, fuel costs and other expenses.
Morgan is seeking $1 million in damages and $37,386.78 for lost wages, fuel costs and other expenses.
See westhawaiitoday.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD SPOKE on the House floor to call for quick passage of H.R. 2737 to award Filipino Veterans of WWII the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the U.S. Congress. The legislation, introduced by Gabbard in June 2015, has 76 cosponsors in the U.S. House and is partnered with S.1555 in the U.S. Senate.
“There are more than 200,000 Filipino and Filipino-American soldiers who responded to President Roosevelt’s call-to-duty,” Gabbard said. “They fought under our American flag during World War II.
“These loyal and courageous soldiers suffered, fought and gave up their lives alongside their American counterparts throughout the war. Yet decades have gone by, and they are still waiting for their service to be recognized.
“I’ve introduced H.R. 2737, legislation that is strongly supported by members of both parties and in both chambers, to award these deserving veterans the Congressional Gold Medal so that our country can show our appreciation and recognize them for their dedicated service and sacrifice in defeating the Imperial Japanese Army.
“Today, there are just 18,000 of these Filipino World War II veterans who are still alive today. Time is of the essence. We cannot afford to wait. I urge my colleagues to quickly pass this legislation so that these courageous men may be honored while they are still among us.”
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
“These loyal and courageous soldiers suffered, fought and gave up their lives alongside their American counterparts throughout the war. Yet decades have gone by, and they are still waiting for their service to be recognized.
“I’ve introduced H.R. 2737, legislation that is strongly supported by members of both parties and in both chambers, to award these deserving veterans the Congressional Gold Medal so that our country can show our appreciation and recognize them for their dedicated service and sacrifice in defeating the Imperial Japanese Army.
“Today, there are just 18,000 of these Filipino World War II veterans who are still alive today. Time is of the essence. We cannot afford to wait. I urge my colleagues to quickly pass this legislation so that these courageous men may be honored while they are still among us.”
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| President Obama is discussing expansion of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument with leaders and stakeholders in Hawai`i. Map from NOAA |
IN RESPONSE TO SUGGESTIONS that President Obama should utilize his authorities under the Antiquities Act to expand Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard, urged that the administration send representatives to Hawai`i to meet with key leaders and stakeholders before making any final decision. The administration assured Schatz that it has not made any decisions regarding any potential expansion of PMNM, and it will not do so until it has engaged directly with relevant Hawai`i constituents.
In a letter to the administration, Schatz said he is prepared to stand with Hawai`i residents to ensure continued, unchanged access to fishing grounds and use of the ocean for fishing, diving, canoe paddling and sailing. He also wants to maintain use by Hawai`i’s longline fleet in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
“Any expansion … will have to satisfactorily take these activities into account,” Schatz said in a letter to the administration.
Schatz also said he supports Office of Hawaiian Affair’s request for an enhanced role in governance of the monument.
In the face of limits to availability of federal funding, Schatz said he believes that environmental groups, philanthropic organizations, corporations and individuals would consider significant financial commitments to support PMNM’s expansion.
“Provided these issues can be addressed to the reasonable satisfaction of interested Hawai`i stakeholders, I am prepared to support the expansion,” Schatz said.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
“Any expansion … will have to satisfactorily take these activities into account,” Schatz said in a letter to the administration.
Schatz also said he supports Office of Hawaiian Affair’s request for an enhanced role in governance of the monument.
In the face of limits to availability of federal funding, Schatz said he believes that environmental groups, philanthropic organizations, corporations and individuals would consider significant financial commitments to support PMNM’s expansion.
“Provided these issues can be addressed to the reasonable satisfaction of interested Hawai`i stakeholders, I am prepared to support the expansion,” Schatz said.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| A hike tomorrow explores the People and Lands of Kahuku. NPS Photo by Julia Espaniola |
PEOPLE AND LANDS OF KAHUKU is a moderate two-mile, three-hour guided hike that loops through varied landscapes to explore the human history of Kahuku. Emerging native forest, pastures, lava fields,and other sites hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to current staff and volunteers of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about the powerful natural forces at work here and how people have adapted to, shaped and restored this land. Tomorrow’s hike begins at 9:30 a.m.
CELEBRATE THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S 100th anniversary and the centennial of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park during National Park Week through Sunday, April 24. Entrance fees will be waived nine full days.
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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| See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_April_2016.pdf. |