Kaʻū News Briefs Friday, Dec. 2, 2016

PARENTS, Inc., serving Hawai‘i families since 1975, recently set up shop in Nāʻālehu with many

services. Call 808-333-3460. See story below. Photo from PARENTS

PARENTS, INC. IS SERVING KAʻŪ with a program entitled Promoting Safe and Stable Families, contracted through the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services Child Welfare. Location is Nāʻālehu Shopping Center.  PARENTS stands for Providing Awareness, Referrals, Education, Nurturing, Therapy, Support.

     Program counselor Leʻa Moses Alcover, MSW is a graduate of Kaʻū High School and University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa. Brenda Larson, a Kaʻū resident, is the program’s Parent Educator. She facilitates Parent Education classes. Larson is graduate of UH West Hawaiʻi and holds a Certificate In Substance Abuse and Addiction Studies. She has worked with Big Island keiki in West Hawaiʻi and Kaʻū for more than 20 years. Clinical supervisor is Marvin St. Clair, who holds a Masters in Social Work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He is a 15-year resident of Hawaiʻi Island with prior experience working in the district. 

     St. Clair said the program is seeking a full time bachelor degree level case manager to provide parenting skills training services to clients in their homes and to manage the program’s data reporting procedures. He noted that the program would especially welcome a Kaʻū resident.

PARENTS encourages reading time with dad.

Photo form PARENTS

     PARENTS, Inc. has helped families in Hawaiʻi since 1975. Last year, 3,401 parents and children were served. According to PARENTS, of those who benefited, 69 percent showed an increase in their parenting knowledge, and services received a 98 percent satisfaction rating. Last year, 58 percent of families served were single parents, and 43 percent of participants were native Hawaiian or part-native Hawaiian.

    St. Clair explained that the program Promoting Safe and Stable Families “uses professional educators, counselors, and facilitators to focus on the healthy growth and development of all family members. The organization provides a full range of parenting education, skill building and support services to men, women and children. Parenting classes include a nine week Confident Parenting Class, open to the general public, and a 12 or 16-week Positive Parenting Class open to those referred through Child Welfare Services.”

     Parenting intervention with parents referred for issues involving child abuse or neglect may include home visits and therapy for families, case management; crisis intervention; outreach; and many different types of skill building. All services are multiethnic, non-judgmental, non-threatening, supportive, and easily accessible, said St. Clair.

     PARENTS, Inc. will host its 2nd Annual Kickball Tournament in Hilo this April. Everyone is invited to help Kick Child Abuse out of Hawaiʻi,  said St. Clair.

     Call 333-3460 for inquiries about the program and for information on the case manager position. See more on PARENTS at www.hawaiiparents.org.

INAUGURATION FOR MAILE DAVID IS MONDAY. Kaʻū’s County Council member will be sworn into her second term by Judge Ronald Ibarra on Monday, Dec. 5 at noon in Hilo. Location is Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium, 323 Manono St.

Maile David at her 2014 swearing in ceremony.
She renews her vows to serve Kaʻū again
this Monday. Photo by Julia Neal

    The ceremony will include inauguration of Mayor Harry Kim for his third four-year term after a two-term break. Also reelected is Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth and County Council Chair Valerie T. Poindexter. All nine council members will take the oath on Monday.

    The program will begin with music from the Hawaiʻi County Band, which will accompany the procession.  J.E. Orozco will serve as master of ceremonies. Kim, Roth and Poindexter will deliver addresses. 

   There will be a Presentation of Colors by Hilo High School JROTC Color Guards, and Waiakea High School students will perform musical renderings. The National and State Anthems will be sung by Alexandra Roth accompanied by the Hawaiʻi County Band. Senior Pastor Sheldon Lacsina of New Hope-Hilo will provide the Invocation, and the Benediction will be provided by Kahu Charles Kama, of Hale Pule Ke Ola Hou.

      Na Leo O Hawaiʻi will televise the inauguration live on Channel 55.

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IN ADVANCE OF TULSI GABBARD’S TRIP TO STANDING ROCK this Sunday, the Congresswoman took to the floor in opposition. She said she is standing with the Sioux tribe to protest the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline for shipping fracked oil from North Dakota to Illinois.
    In her speech she asks Pres. Barack Obama  to “immediately halt the construction of this pipeline, respect the sacred lands of the Standing Rock Sioux, and respect their right to clean water.”
     Gabbard said, “Growing up in Hawaiʻi, I learned the value of caring for our home, caring for our planet, and the basic principle that we are all connected in a great chain of cause and effect. The Dakota Access Pipeline is a threat to this great balance of life.

U.S. Rep. Gabbard asks President Obama to
stop the pipeline at Standing Rock.
Photo from CSPAN

    “Despite strong opposition from the Standing Rock Sioux and serious concerns raised by the EPA, the Department of Interior, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and other Federal agencies, the Army Corps of Engineers approved permits to construct the Dakota Access Pipeline without adequately consulting the tribes, and without fully evaluating the potential impacts to neighboring tribal lands, sacred sites, and their water supply. Just one spill near the tribe’s reservation could release thousands of barrels of crude oil, contaminating the tribe’s drinking water.”
     Gabbard is going to the construction site with a group of veterans. The video of her speech on the House floor can be seen on youtube.com.

SNOW PILED UP ON MAUNA LOA while a fire burned below,  yesterday morning at Punaluʻu. The National Weather Service issued a storm warning for high elevations as snow began to fall, the day after the end of Hurricane Season. Rain bands, with thunder passed over Kaʻū mid morning. The wildfire, following days of strong winds and dry weather, burned makai of the highway at Punaluʻu,  the rain giving firefighters some assistance.    

Mauna Loa weather observatory blanketed in snow yesterday.

     High winds and heavy snow led Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park to close the summit of Mauna Loa on Thursday to day use and overnight camping until it is safe to reopen. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the summit of Mauna Loa in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park early Thursday morning. Heavy rain, high winds, and a foot of snow were expected, and by afternoon, a thick blanket of snow was visible as low as 10,000 feet. Visitors at the park’s Jaggar Museum were treated periodically with views of snow-capped Mauna Loa, a novelty for many who don’t expect snow in Hawai‘i.

     The summit closure is in effect above the Red Hill (Pu‘u‘ula‘ula) Cabin. Hikers can still obtain a backcountry permit to hike to and stay at Red Hill Cabin, but backcountry permits to areas above 10,000 feet are suspended and day hiking is prohibited. Hikers going to Red Hill will be advised to proceed with caution and carry appropriate gear. In January 2014, park rangers and a helicopter pilot rescued a backcountry hiker stranded on Mauna Loa in an unexpected blizzard. The weather observatory on Mauna Loa was also blanketed with fresh snow yesterday.  

     An unusual storm left snow on Mauna Loa in late July, as Tropical Storm Darby passed over Kaʻū.
   

MORE DETAILS ON THE VOLCANO FARM & FOOD EVENT have been released by the Volcano Community Foundation. The new farm to table tour on Saturday, Jan. 14 will feature Chef Audrey Wilson with a gourmet lunch.

Chef Audrey Wilson will prepare a gourmet lunch
for participants in the Volcano Farm to Table
event on Saturday, Jan. 14.
Photo from Volcano Community Foundation

     The tour takes participants to three working farms, one growing tea where attendees will learn about processing for green, white, oolong and black and enjoy tea and pastry tasting. The second is a flower farm with cut orchids shipped worldwide. A greenhouse visit features a demonstration on separating and repotting orchids. The third is a vegetable and berry farm, where the owners will explain their work of growing in their greenhouse for market. At the lunch, the chef, a cookbook author and food columnist, will show off her specialty of using the freshest local ingredients, inspiring a pivot from using the 80 percent of food consumed here – food that is imported.
    Funds raised from this event support a scholarship that is awarded each year to an outstanding high school senior from Volcano. To reserve space, contact volcanocommunity@gmail.com or call 967-7366. Reservations will be confirmed when payment is received.

DEADLINE FOR THE ALYSHA & PETE 3-ON-3 BASKETBALL WINTER JAM is today, Friday, Dec. 2. The tournament will be held at the new Kaʻū District Gym, Dec. 9-11 with opportunities for adults and youth of all ages. 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. Cost is $10 per person with five players maximum per team. 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 sign up or donate, call Summer Dacalio at 498-7336, Pete Dacalio at 498-3518 or Alysha Gustafson at 339-0858.

VOTING IS ONGOING AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP. The stone cottages across from the parade field are decorated with lights and displays for Christmas. The public can stroll along the sidewalk with Christmas cottages lights and vote for best decorated units. Ballots for the voting are available at the front desk, KMC General Store, Crater Room Cafe, Lava Lounge and Bowling Alley. The competition is between groups of KMC staff members.

PĀHALA’S CHRISTMAS PARADE welcomes community groups, churches, sports teams coffee farmers, classic vehicle drivers and more to travel through the village on Sunday, Dec. 11. The

Eddie Andrade has been organizing the
annual Christmas parade in Pāhala for
38 years, including Sunday, Dec. 11
Photo by Julia Neal

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.

Olivia Ling holds one of  her three masks
that won first place in sculpture.
Photo by Ann Bosted

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.
     One of the winners of the recent Chamber Art show whose work will be included is Olivia Ling holds whose three masks  won first place in the sculpture category. She built them by hand from clay, using Hawaiian rocks as the hump mold. She pit-fired them and colored them with acrylic paints, before adding natural or synthetic fibers for the hair. Her entries are part of a collection called Indigenous People of the World.
     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.

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