Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Michelle Sorensen, consulting engineer on the project from Brown and Caldwell, explains the rationale for shutting
down gang cesspools that can pollute groundwater and the ocean. Photo by Julia Neal

ENTHUSIASTIC INTEREST IN THE LOCATION, COST AND OPERATION OF THE PROPOSED PĀHALA WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT came from a core of a dozen community members at the first talk story session on the project sponsored by the county and consultants on Tuesday. Held at the Ka‘ū District Gym activity room, the meeting introduced the logic of the preliminary siting of the wastewater treatment plant at the corner of Hwy. 11, extending the length of the Norfolk Pine Tree lane on Maile Street to the village. Berna Cabacungan of Earthplan led the meeting, accompanied by an engineer with the company designing the facility.
     They explained that providing the community with a wastewater treatment facility is mandated by the federal government to protect water resources. The proposed location is downhill and away from town, in a macadamia orchard, which would provide a buffer around the facility and unlikely to have many archaeological sites.

Berna Cabacungan leads the meeting on the siting and function
of the new Pāhala Wastewater Treatment Plant.

     Michelle Sorensen, an engineer with Brown and Caldwell, who lives in Waimea, is on the team designing the new system. She explained the reasons for changing over from the old plantation sewage lines and the two gang cesspools - one of them in a homeowner's yard on Maile Street - and the other near the old Pāhala Theatre site. She explained that wastewater not only has pathogens that can cause disease, it has chemicals used by people in their homes and businesses that can affect groundwater and the ocean.         The federal government banned new gang cesspools like those in Pāhala in 2000 and banned existing ones in 2005. The Environmental Protection Agency could fine the County of Hawai‘i some $32,500 a day for noncompliance but has given more time and is looking for a plan forward.
     Vicki Pa‘aluhi said her family has two properties and is concerned about the cost of hooking up to the new sewage system and also said she has problems with sewage from a neighboring property. Helena Hashimoto, Sandy Tomondon and Lilly Ledergerber said they too are worried about cost, with Tomondon saying she is concerned about the expense for the next generation. The consultants explained that the cost of construction comes from EPA and other government funding. The county sewage system charges to users is the same across the island.

The wastewater treatment facility would process the sewage through four lagoons and planting
areas that would use the water and its nutrients to grown native trees. Image from Brown and Caldwell

     County Council member Maile David said she would look into possible funding to help pay for the hookup cost for homeowners. She praised the county and consultants for their talk story sessions with residents.
     The collection system and the new wastewater treatment facility could cost $20 to $21 million. It would serve the buildings on the old plantation sewage system plus the additional buildings along the lines. The system is also being designed to be expandable.
     Gary Tomondon said he is concerned about flooding at the proposed site. The engineer said that she will look into it and that flooding will be carefully considered in the design. Tomondon asked that the head of the county department in charge of the treatment system come to Pāhala for the next round of meetings. The consultants said they would let him know and said the meetings could be as early as January.

The area in green consists of houses that are on the old sewer line and

will be hooked up to the new one. The purple areas would be able

to also hook up to the new sewage treatment lines. The facility

would be able to accommodate the entire community and some

expected growth in the population. Image from Brown and Caldwell

     Gwen Sorensen suggested that the county consider land below Hwy. 11 for the site, away from the town. Pa‘aluhi said she remembered underground burial sites in a lava tube on the selected property.
     A representative from Kamehameha Schools, which owns the selected site, was on hand to listen to the consultants and Pāhala citizens. The engineer pointed out that the waste treatment preliminary plan would involve about 16 acres of the 42-acre site, and include lagoons and about eight acres of native, water-loving trees to absorb the liquids and nutrients from the sewage.
     Albert Ledergerber, a retired engineer from Ka‘ū Sugar Co., said the sewage lines worked fine during the plantation days and asked whether there could be a waiver for Pāhala to prevent the expense of the new system. The consultants took down the suggestion.
     Michael Worthington said he hopes any additional archaeological studies be done on the chosen site soon, in order to prevent delays, such as those that occurred with the building of the new Ka‘ū District Gym, when a graveyard was found underground in a lava tube.
     Four more first-round public meetings will be held: Wednesday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center;  Thursday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Ka‘ū District Gym Multipurpose Conference Room; and Thursday, Dec. 14, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center.
     For more information, contact Berna Cabacungan of Earthplan at eplan1@aol.com, Department of Environmental Management at 961-8339, or Iris Cober at the Brown and Caldwell Maui office at 808-442-3300.

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The County will make another round of picking up discarded items stored
at Ocean View Community Center, following the Deep Clean in October. 
Matson already sent two containers that were filled

and hauled away. Photo by Ron Gall

HELP TO FINISH THE OCEAN VIEW DEEP CLEAN is coming to Ocean View Community Association, according to its President, Ron Gall. Gall said on Tuesday that his request to Mayor Harry Kim has been answered. The overwhelmingly successful call to turn in broken appliances, old mattresses and many other discarded and stored items in Ocean View resulted in 110 small pick-up loads of things coming to Ocean View Community Center in late October.

     Matson supplied, at no charge, two containers, which were filled, leaving some 73 small pick-up loads of items on the grounds of the community center.
     Bill Kucharski, Director of the Department of Environmental Management for Hawai‘i County, wrote to Ocean View Community Association, saying: "Mayor Kim asked that I contact you and let you know that the County will supply dumpsters and transportation for the collected waste materials your community has collected. The Mayor can (and did) make this happen."

   
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Sen. Mazie Hirono objects to the
nomination of the Texas Supreme
Court Justice Don Willett.
Photo from Wikipedia

OBJECTION TO THE TRUMP FEDERAL JUDGE NOMINATION will come from a group of Senators and advocates who plan to make their case against the federal judge nomination of Don Willett. Sen. Mazie Hirono announced that she, Sen. Jeff Merkely, and National Women’s Law Center President and CEO Fatima Goss Graves will go before the U.S. Senate on  Wednesday to highlight Judge Don Willett’s "troubling views on women’s equality, especially in the workplace." The Senate is currently considering Judge Willett’s nomination to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

     Wrote Hirono, "As a member of the Bush administration, Judge Willett made clear his outrageous views on women in the workplace, saying, 'I resist the… talk of ‘glass ceilings,’ pay equity, the need to place kids in the care of rented strangers… I strongly resist anything that shows we believe the hype.'

    "Judge Willett is just the latest in a series of Trump judicial nominees to espouse views against the LGBT community, minority rights, abortion rights, and other critical issues," said Hirono.
     Willett is a Supreme Court Justice for the state of Texas.

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KA‘Ū HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALL hosted Kamehameha School Monday at the Ka‘ū District Gym. In the Junior Varsity matchup, Kaohinani Grace scored 19 points for Ka‘ū. She was the highest scoring J.V. player of the night from either team. Kamehameha won, 54-25. In Varsity play, Kiana Mederios-Dancel made 8 points and Mei Lin Galban Kin In made 6. The final was Kamehameha 58 and Ka‘ū 17.

THE TROJANS PLAYED KOHALA AND HILO in soccer on Tuesday. The scores for the boys were Kohala 5 and Ka‘ū 0. For the girls, scores were Hilo 9 and Ka‘ū 0.

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings entertainment at 
 kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decemberevents.html. 
See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at 
kaucalendar.com/octnovdec/decembercommunity.html.
December print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i 
through Volcano. Also available free on stands throughout
the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Girls Basketball: Wednesday, Dec. 13, @ Kea‘au.
     Saturday, Dec. 16, Kohala @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Soccer: Saturday, Dec. 16, Kamehameha @ Ka‘ū.

Boys Basketball: Tuesday, Dec. 19, Hilo @ Ka‘ū.

Swimming: Saturday, Dec. 23, @ Hilo.

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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13, IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER KEIKI, GRADES K-5, for the Annual Christmas Coloring Contest that takes place Thursday, Dec. 14, starting at 5 p.m., at Ka‘ū District Gym. For more or to register, call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 13, IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER KEIKI, AGES 6-12, for a Holiday Collage Wreath Class that takes place Friday, Dec. 15, from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park (H.O.V.E.). For more, call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

FREE DENTAL CARE IS AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY in Ocean View at St. Jude's Episcopal Church on Wednesday, Dec. 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers are needed. Call 939-7000 or visit St. Jude's at 92-8606 Paradise Circle, Ocean View.

SEE AND TOUCH A VARIETY OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE as Hawaiian herbal medicine practitioner Ka‘ohu Montfort demonstrates the power of local plants to nourish and heal on Wednesday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to noon. The program, Lā‘au Lapa‘au, takes place on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free, park entrance fees apply. For more visit nps.gov/HAVO.

NĀ‘ĀLEHU PUBLIC LIBRARY INVITES THE COMMUNITY TO join Auntie Linda from Tūtū & Me for Story Time, followed by crafts, on Thursday, Dec. 14, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. For more details, call 929-857.

THE MEDICAL VAN SERVES THE COMMUNITY at St. Jude's Episcopal Church on Thursday, Dec. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers are needed. Call 939-7000 or visit St. Jude's at 92-8606 Paradise Circle, Ocean View.

A CHRISTMAS MUSICAL PRODUCTION titled A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol is presented by Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network Thursday, Dec. 14, through Saturday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2:30 p.m. at Kīlauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 per senior/student, and $12 per child. For more information call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com. Park entrance fees apply.

‘IKE HANA NO‘EAU (Experience the Skillful Work), a free Hawaiian cultural demonstration is offered Friday, Dec. 15, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ASKS VOLUNTEERS to help remove invasive non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in at three remaining Stewardship at the Park events that take place this December. The upcoming event is Friday, Dec. 15, with the event also taking place Dec. 23 and 30. Volunteers should meet leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. Fore more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

Kumu Hula Kaho‘okele Crabbe teaches the
basics of hula, Hawaiian language and
chant at Volcano Art Center on Dec. 15.
Photo from volcanoartcenter.org

LEARN THE BASICS OF HULA, HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE AND CHANT with Kumu Hula Kaho‘okele Crabbe for Volcano Art Center's Aloha Friday: Hula & Oli on Dec. 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-7565.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets at the Ocean View Community Center on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more, call 939-7033.

A FREE PUBLIC HEALTH SHOWER WITH HOT WATER, soap, shampoo and clean towels is offered at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with a free hot meal.

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF KUMU HULA SAMMYE KU‘UALOHA YOUNG HULA, Hālau Na Lei Hiwahiwa o Ku’ualoha performs Hula Kahiko on the hula platform Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16. Following the performance until about 1 p.m., Kumu Kaho‘okele Crabbe with Halauolaokalani provides a hands on cultural demonstration, Nā Mea Hula. For more and to confirm date, contact Desiree by calling 987-7288 or emailing volcanohula@gmail.com.

JOIN DISCOVERY HARBOUR RESIDENTS FOR BUNCO & POTLUCK on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m., in the Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Bunco, also known as Bonko or Bunko, is a popular game played with nine dice. Bring a dish to share. For more, call Margie Hack at 541-954-8297.

A MONGOLIAN BBQ takes place Saturday, Dec. 16, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The event is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8356 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

Volunteer for a beach clean-up at Kamilo with Hawai‘i
Wildlife Fund on Dec. 16. Photo from HWF

DOOR PRIZES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AT Volcano Art Center's Zentagle Inspired Art Exhibit & Reception from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16. Volcano Art Center says, “Bring your friends, your art and a light holiday pupu to share." The event is open to the public and offers a slideshow and videos, in addition to inviting attendees to make a Zentangle inspired ornament to take home. Attendance is free, donations are welcome. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-7565.

VOLUNTEER WITH HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE FUND TO CLEAN-UP THE BEACH AT KAMILO on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Space is limited in HWF 4WD vehicles. To volunteer, email kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com in advance to reserve your spot. Meet at Wai‘ōhinu Park.

DISCOVER THE HUMAN HISTORY OF KAHUKU on a free moderately difficult ranger guided hike entitled People & Land of Kahuku, on Sunday, Dec. 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The 2.5 mile hike takes visitors over rugged terrain through Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

FORMAL RECOGNITION WILL BE GIVEN TO SAKADAS and their families from Nā‘ālehu and Pāhala at Sakada Day on Sunday, Dec. 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center. The Sakadas are the workers who came to Hawai‘i from the Philippines between 1906 and 1946, recruited by the Hawai‘i Sugar Planters Association.
      Sakada Day celebrates the Sakada legacy in the agricultural development of Ka‘ū and honors the Sakada's work, economic and cultural contributions to society in Hawai‘i. The event, including a Filipino lunch, is free and offers Filipino dance and music, displays of Filipino artifacts, tools, housewares, apparel and items from plantation days. A Filipino fashion show is also on the agenda, along with Filipino entertainment from around the island.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8, FOR A MINI GINGERBREAD HOUSE craft class that has been announced for Wednesday, Dec. 20, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Register until Tuesday, Dec. 19. For more, call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

Positions are being offered at CU Hawai‘i's Nā‘ālehu location. Photo from cuhawaii.com

CU HAWAI‘I FEDERAL CREDIT UNION OFFERS EMPLOYMENT as a Member Service Representative in Nā‘ālehu. CU Hawai‘i seeks energetic individuals for full time positions who enjoy working with people and can provide professional, courteous and efficient service to valued members.The ideal candidate must be service oriented and possess good communication and computer skills. Cash handling and customer service experience is preferred. Must be able to work Saturdays. CU Hawai‘i offers medical, drug, dental, vision and retirement benefits.
     Email, mail or fax application to: Attn: Human Resources, 476 Hinano Street Hilo, HI 96720, Fax: (808) 935-7793. Applications can be found online at cuhawaii.com/careers.html.

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