Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, May 17, 2017


Rough waters today led to dangerous conditions for swimmers along the Ka`u Coast, with the rescue by
helicopter of two swimmers with assistance of a water rescue man in the ocean near Punalu`u.
This image is of a stormy ocean at South Point. Photo by Peter Anderson
A HELICOPTER RESCUE NEAR PUNALU`U plucked two teenagers and a lifeguard from rough waters on Wednesday around noon. Three swimmers were off Ninole Horseshoe and drifted out to sea. 
Helicopter rescue
near Punalu`u
      Big waves started rolling in. One swimmer made it to shore and ran toward the Punalu`u lifeguard stand, on the way dialing 911. A rescue person in the water helped the helicopter crew to hoist them into the air, one at a time, delivering them back to shore. There were no injuries.

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Former FBI Director Robert Mueller
is the special council named by
the Department of Justice to
investigate the Russian interference
with the U.S. election
"A VICTORY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE" is how Sen. Mazie Hirono characterized today's appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate the possible connections between Russian operatives and Pres. Donald Trump's campaign. She wrote that Americans "have demanded the truth about Russia’s goal to undermine our democracy and the Trump team’s ties to these efforts. As someone who has been calling for a special counsel for months now, I applaud the selection of former FBI Director Robert Mueller who has a reputation for independence and a dogged pursuit of the truth. I hope that Director Mueller’s investigation will be truly independent and free to follow the facts wherever they lead. The American people deserve no less.”   
     Mueller was FBI Director under George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He is a Republican known for skills in sorting through complex evidence in such investigations the 911 tragedy. He as also served as a prosecutor and federal attorney in California, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.. He is a Viet Nam War veteran.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono and her mother Laura. Photo from Sen. Hirono
SEN. MAZIE HIRONO UNDERWENT SURGERY on Wednesday to remove a cancerous kidney. She sent this message. "Got out of surgery and doing okay! Thank you everyone for the well wishes."
     When announcing the situation yesterday, she said she has a good recovery plan and expects to continue her work and run for re-election.

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NET NEUTRALITY, which prevents internet service providers from withholding internet speed from customers or blocking certain content, depending on how much customers pay, is a hot topic with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Sen. Brian Schatz.  The FCC meets Thursday to review the landmark rules established on net neutrality.  Said Gabbard, "Trump-appointed chairman Ajit Pai is bent on overturning this popular regulation. We need to keep the internet free and open to all people. Anything less is corporate censorship sponsored by a government agency, and unfortunately, that’s what the big ISPs and their friends in the FCC want. More corporate profit, more restricted access for users, and the ability to take customers private browsing data to turn over to advertisers for a profit."
     According to Gabbard, "With a boom in internet technology, it’s hard enough keeping our laws and regulations up to speed to protect consumers. Overturning net neutrality takes us in the wrong direction. She provided a link to "Sign our petition today to show the FCC that our rights to privacy and information aren’t up for auction."
     Declared Gabbard, "The American people made their preference clear in 2015, flooding the FCC website with over four million public comments in favor of net neutrality, which the commission established. Just last year, a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling. Now under new Republican leadership, the FCC’s attempt to pull that regulation out from under the public is a brazen ploy to give corporations yet another advantage over consumers.
    "We can’t allow the FCC to stifle consumer choice in the name of protecting the largest internet service providers’ profits. Net neutrality must remain."
     Sen Brian Schatz, the lead Democrat on the Senate subcommittee overseeing FCC matters, is outspoken in his effort to preserve net neutrality. He claims Trump's new chief of the FCC is attempting to destroy the internet itself. Schatz told CNET that the "internet is working because it's free and open and there's no discrimination." Without the existing rules, "ISPs could treat content differently based on commercial interests or even ideology," Schatz said.  "If they go through with this there will be no guarantees in terms of the law that an ISP wouldn't block, throttle, prioritize or otherwise mess with your content."
     A comment period for new rules for the internet begins May 18. 

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FRIENDS OF KA`U LIBRARIES is asking for volunteers and bake sale items for the Ka`u Coffee Festival, Saturday, May 27 at Pahala Community Center. Anyone wanting to help out can drop off baked goods at Pahala and Na`alehu Libaries on Friday,  May 26th during their regular schedules. Acceptable items include cookies, pies, small loaves of banana/fruit breads, cup cakes, muffins, should be packaged and priced fro 50 cents to $2 each.
     Volunteers for sales at the Ka`u Coffee Festival are needed from 7:30  a.m. in shifts until 4 p.m. 
Call or e-mail to confirm a time to volunteer, phone 929-9244 or 987-7448 or email friendskaul@gmail.com.

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KICKOFF PARTY AND OPEN HOUSE FOR THE KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL is this Friday, May 19 at Pahala Plantation House beginning at 6 p.m. El Leo, the Puerto Rican band will play music along with Sen. Russell Ruderman, who is back from the 2017 Hawai`i Legislature. The event is free.

KA`U COFFEE RECIPE CONTEST is Sunday May 21 at Ka`u Coffee Mill. The annual Ka‘u Coffee Recipe Contest is part of the Ka`u Coffee Festival and offers  cash prize. Entries are accepted in pupu, entree and dessert categories and all recipes are made with Ka‘u coffee. Free coffee tasting and meet Miss Ka‘u Coffee. Find contest entry info at www.kaucoffeemill.com or call 808-928-0550.

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