Ka`u News Briefs Monday, May 8, 2017

Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant this Saturday, Ka`u Coffee Mill
Miss Ka`u Coffee pageant contenders visit Ka`u Coffee farms to support the agriculturalists who gave new
economic life to Ka`u after the sugar industry shut down, 21 years ago this past April. Plantation and mill
closed before most of these girls were born. The pageant is this Saturday at 6 p.m., at Ka`u Coffee Mill.Photo from Pageant Director Trini Marques

CLEAN, RENEWABLE ENERGY BY 2050 is a bill in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Brian Schatz and Bernie Sanders signed on with many others. Schatz released a statement Monday, the day after former President Barack Obama was presented the Profile in Courage award at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. Obama talked about Kennedy's attitude of never giving up on being optimistic, hopeful and courageous and pointed to "fighting the good fight" on such issues as  equal rights and climate change and "doing big things."

Sen. Brian Schatz quoted John Kennedy today, the day after JFK's Presidential
Library gave Barack Obama the Profile in Courage Award. See video of
the ceremony at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXEAZ5XcwxA

     In his own statement, Schatz quoted Kennedy who said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win...”

    Wrote Schatz, "In the face of all of his doubters, and in a space race he was losing to the Soviet Union, JFK pledged to do something we could only dream of at the time -- land a man on the moon.
We don’t do this anymore in America. We don’t go big, we don’t go bold. Even on issues that demand big and bold action. But I believe we should rekindle this fire in our spirit. And ensure that America leads on the biggest issue facing the planet -- climate change."
     Schatz called the new renewable energy bill "landmark legislation" and warned, "Big oil, gas, and every other dirty energy lobby will attack us. They will say, 'How can we do this? We don’t have the technology or the ability.' My response to them -- how can we not?

Sen. Brian Schatz

     "And while we may not pass this bill in the next year, this legislation, and what it represents, is incredibly important. This shifts the discussion in a big way to how we do this, not if we can. And it will drive technological advances that we can only dream of now.
     "We’ve seen this in my home state of Hawai`i. We’re an island state, highly dependent on oil. But that didn’t stop us from thinking big and passing the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative -- pledging to move to a 100% renewable energy portfolio by 2045.
     "Since the passage of this initiative, we’ve seen growth every single year in renewable energy and now are on track to hit this big goal. Would we have made such big advances without legislation? No way.
     "We can think big, drive innovation, and build a clean energy future to save our planet, but only if we all are ready to fight for it. The entire country went all-in on the space race, and I believe it will take that same type of energy now to fight climate change."  
     Schatz asks citizens, " Will you add your name next to mine as a co-sponsor?" See the Obama speech at Kennedy Library at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXEAZ5XcwxA,

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Lane Ueda will help families sign up fir LIHEAP this summer.
Photo by Julia Neal

LIHEAP, THE LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, will come to Ka`u again in June. Through the Office of Economic Opportunity, each summer it is managed for Ka`u by Na`alehu School teacher Lane Ueda.
     LIHEAP provides assistance for households who are on the verge of utility termination or have been terminated with 60 days of the application. It also provides a non-crisis energy credit program to assist households with utility bill payments.
     Members of eligible households must be U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents.
     All adults must sign the application and provide a picture ID.

All household members over one year of age must provide a social security card.
     Qualified recipients must have a place or residence, be responsible for an electricity and/or gas bill. Income must be below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
     Federal Poverty Level incomes are up to the following: $20,505 for a household of one; $27,645 for a household of two; $34,785 for a household of three; $41,925 for a household of four; $49,065 for a household of five;  $56,205 for a household of six; $63.345 for a household of seven; and $70,515 for a household of eight.

Rapid Ohia Death killing a tree on Chain of
Craters Road. NPS photo

       Household members can apply in Na`alehu at the Hawaii`i County Economic Opportunity Council office, in back of the Senior Center on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Applications will be taken at Ocean View Community Center on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Pahala location is the Edmund C. Olson Trust Building, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m., except June 12 and 16.
      Applicants must bring in a current electric or gas bill; proof of residence; Social Security numbers; picture id's; proof of age and any disability; proof of income, and, when appropriate, proof of non-citizen status. See http://www.hceoc.net/programs/energy/

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Coffee With A Cop is 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wed., May 10 at the Ace Hardware parking lot in Na`alehu. Meet local police officers in a casual, no-agenda atmosphere and talk story as part of National Coffee With a Cop Day.

Lā‘au Lapa‘au. Wed., May 10 at 10 a.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Delve into the world of lā‘au lapa‘au, Hawaiian herbal medicine, with local practitioner  Momi Subiono. She uses herbs to help the Hawaiian community and aims to create awareness, understanding, and use of plants for traditional healing. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau Experience the Skillful Work workshops. Free.

Managing Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  Fri., May 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Cooper Center in Volcano Village.‘Ōhi‘a, Metrosideros polymorpha, the keystone Hawaiian forest species, is under attack by Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death, or ROD. The park is working with partners, land managers, scientists, and outreach specialists throughout Hawai‘i to respond to this threat. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Ecologist David Benitez will share the lessons we have learned since ROD was first identified in 2014, and discuss managing ROD within and beyond park boundaries. Free.

Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor

Center at 8:45 a.m. on May 12, 20 and 26 to help 

remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent 

native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes

 National Park.  NPS photo

Stewardship at the Summit. Volunteers are needed May 12, 20 and 26 to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meet at Kilauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. 

     Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, raingear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. No advance registration is required, and there is no cost to participate, but park entrance fees apply.