Ka‘ū News Briefs Friday, February 16, 2018

The Chinese lion dance comes to Kaʻū during festivities throughout the years. Friday is Chinese New Year, with 2018 the Year of the Dog. 
See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

A BILL THAT WOULD LIMIT INDUSTRIAL-SCALE SOLAR DEVELOPMENT in residential subdivisions passed another hurdle in the state House of Representatives on Wednesday. House Bill 2665 would require that future solar developments exceeding 15 kW in "non-conforming subdivisions" like those in Ocean View and Puna, obtain a county permit, with public input for the decision-making.

     The idea for the bill developed after SPI Energy acquired the rights to install a 6.75 MW solar project, on 26 house lots among homes in Ocean View subdivisions Ranchos, Kona South, and Kula Kai. ʻŌhiʻa and other trees would be cut and solar panels installed to cover the lots, surrounded by chain-link fencing.

     The project faces strong opposition from the community. More than 650 residents signed a petition and sent in approximately 90 letters to the Public Utilities Commission. The majority of people attending four community meetings opposed the project.

County Council's Maile
David, who supports HB 2665.
Photo by Ann Bosted

     The development is allowed under current law. While Ocean View is home to an estimated 7,000 residents, it is zoned Agriculture and solar development is a permitted activity on certain agricultural lands without a county permit. The need for a county permit, which is required for many businesses on agricultural land, was waived by the legislature to fast track bringing renewable energy to Hawai‘i, to wean the state from reliance on imported fossil fuels. However, the Ocean View project is over five years past the time it was going to be built, and the cost-benefit of alternative energy programs has changed.

     HB 2665 was introduced to the House by Rep. Richard Creagan and is strongly supported by County Council Member Maile David. The bill passed its first reading in the House Jan. 24, and was unanimously passed, with a modification by the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection on Feb. 6.  The bill unanimously passed the Agriculture and Water & Land Committees, which met jointly on Wednesday, Feb. 15,

     The bill's next hurdle will be the House Finance Committee. Once a hearing date is set, the public will have two days to submit testimony. If the committee, chaired by Rep. Sylvia Luke, approves the bill, it will go to the Senate for hearings by state Senate committees.

     Testimony in support of the bill was submitted to the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection by Daniel Orodenker, Director of the Land Use Commission, and Ka`u's County Council member Maile David. Supporting testimony also came from Sandy Shelton, Philip Flanders, Ann Bosted, Larry D. Shelton, Stanley Troeller (owner of South Point U Cart), Verna Loosli, Joan Gunnon, Betsy "Sparow" Guyre-Allen, and Linda Raquinio.

Rep. Richard Creagan,
who introduced HB 2665.
Photo by Ann Bosted

     The joint hearing by the committees for Agriculture and Water & Land received supporting testimony from Orodenker, David, Bosted, Robert and Susan Werner, Raquinio, Anitra Pickett, Diane Ware, and Greta Pickett.

     In testimony to the Energy & Environmental Protection Committee, Philip Flanders wrote: "HB 2665 will protect residential communities from industrialization. The future growth of solar installations is inevitable. County permitting will help prevent mismatches between infrastructure and solar development projects. It is a sensible bill."

     Stanley Troeller, the owner of South Point U-Cart for 35 years, wrote: "If [the developer] would have applied for the proper use permit at the start, we would not have the problem presented to the County today, as it would have been obvious that this was not feasible at that time."

     Verna Loosli wrote: "There are many reasons why this project is not suitable. Public Safety being number one. We do not have fire safety in place. Fire fighters aren't trained for electrical producing facilities. We have no public water or fire hydrants."

     Betsy Guyre-Allen wrote: "I acquired a special use permit for a veterinary clinic as required, despite the fact that veterinary clinics are specified as permitted in ag. zoned/residential neighborhoods. I greatly respect the special use permit process as a fair and balanced way for planning commission and residents alike to make appropriate decisions for commercial businesses operating in a neighborhood. It is a reasonable requirement for any corporate business operating within a residential community."

An example of what the lots might look like, after being covered with solar panels. 

     In testimony to the committees on Agriculture and Land & Water, Bob and Sue Werner wrote: "While large scale solar projects might have, at the time, been appropriate for large agricultural tracts of limited utility, it is certainly not appropriate for residential communities."

     Linda Raquinio, owner of Sunlines Hawai‘i, submitted testimony about public health and safety issues, widespread community opposition, lawlessness, and predicted a "freefall of property values." She concluded: "Please know that I am not anti-solar. I am simply pro-residential and pro-agriculture. I simply recognize the need and indeed fairness that industrial solar entities should be required to adhere to the same rules as other businesses like Bed & Breakfasts, commercial kitchens, water hauling companies, Real Estate companies, and restaurants, etc., as regarding special use permits.

     "This bill is fair, no cost to the state, and protects residents of non-conforming subdivisions (mostly in agricultural areas) the same protections they would receive if located in a Rural District. No one chooses to reside in country communities to live next door or opposite to three acres of eight-foot chain link fence, with ugly signage Danger high voltage keep out where beautiful ʻŌhiʻa trees once stood!"

     Anitra Picket submitted testimony saying that she was forced to leave her Ranchos property and business when the project came to light. She wrote: "In no way is it acceptable for them to be installed in communities with houses. As in other jurisdictions around the world, they are responsibly placed only in areas with no immediate communities or human habitation. Hawai‘i should pass this bill to ensure that our communities are not taken advantage of by speculators, or outside investors seeking loopholes in state laws."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

CHINESE NEW YEAR 2018 USHERS IN THE YEAR OF THE DOG TODAY, and there are a lot of ways to celebrate, including going on a hike in Volcano with a Mandarin-speaking guide (see event below). More traditional ways include: setting off firecrackers; cleaning the living space; gifting young relatives with money-stuffed with li see (lucky red envelopes); "feeding" the dragon or lion - dancers in an elaborate costume - money, for good luck; making special foods, such as sesame balls or mochi; visiting temple; ringing bells; and wearing and decorating with a lot of red, which is said to bring happiness.

     The Year of the Dog is so named because of the Chinese zodiac, or shengxiao, which has twelve animals, each taking over from the previous animal between January 21 and February 20 on the Gregorian (standard) calendar, as Chinese New Year is based on lunar cycles.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Isolated in an abandoned quarry on the northern slope of Mauna Loa, HI-SEAS 2018 Mission VI began its eight-month long, UH and 
NASA research project this week. See story below. Photos from HI-SEAS

A NEW HI-SEAS CREW BEGAN EIGHT MONTHS OF ISOLATION on Thursday, to simulate space travel and life on Mars. The international crew dwells in a geodesic dome at 8,000 feet in an abandoned quarry on Mauna Loa. HI-SEAS means Hawaiʻi Space Exploration Analog and Simulation. The sixth mission began Thursday around 5 p.m., when four crew members entered the dome. The crew is sponsored by University of Hawaiʻi, NASA, and other institutions, and will gather information on human behavior and performance, in hopes of determining team and individual requirements for lengthy space travel, especially to Mars.

     This year's crew members are "the most international crew in the history of the research project," says the statement from UH-Mānoa. They come from Korea, Scotland, Slovakia, and Australia. They began nine days of training and briefings on Feb. 7.

Sukjin Han is an assistant professor in 

economics at University of Texas at 
Austin, specializing in econometrics. 
His research focuses on developing
 statistical methods to evaluate causal 
effects of treatments or interventions,
 such as medical interventions, social 
programs or economic policies. He is 

particularly interested in settings where 

treatments are endogenously determined
 by agents in the system, due to the 

optimization and interaction of the agents.

     Sukjin Han is an assistant professor in economics at University of Texas at Austin. Calum Hervieu is an astrophysicist and systems engineer from rural Scotland. Michaela Musilova is an astrobiologist with a research focus on life in extreme environments. Lisa Stojanovski is a professional science communicator, who manages the Australian chapter of the Space Generation Advisory Council. Read more about HI-SEAS Mission VI and its crew.

Calum Hervieu is an astrophysicist and 

systems engineer, who grew up in 

rural Scotland. Prior to joining HI-SEAS 

Mission VI, He was part of the 

Spaceship EAC initiative at European 

Space Agency's European Astronaut 

Centre, Germany, where he was working 

to develop goals and best practices for 

future human and robotic missions to the 

lunar surface.

     Professor Kim Binsted of UH- Mānoa, Principal Investigator of HI-SEAS, stated, "This is the first time we've selected a crew that includes members from four different countries of origin. As HI-SEAS is an international collaboration between researchers, mission support, and crew, it is great to see this diversity reflected in the Mission VI crew. For humans to successfully undertake a long-duration spaceflight to Mars, it will require a global collaboration, and so it seems appropriate that our Mission VI begins with this spirit of internationalism."

     As the research and experienced mission control teams watch and support them, the crew will spend the next eight months performing research, exploration tasks, and daily routines.

Michaela Musilova is an astrobiologist 

with experience working at the NASA 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory; University 

of London Observatory; on European 

Space Agency’s and UK Space Agency's 

projects; leading numerous expeditions 

to extreme environments and being an 

analogue astronaut and commander at the 

Mars Desert Research Station. She is 

currently the chair of the Slovak Organisation 

for Space Activities, a visiting professor at 

the Slovak University of Technology and a 

lecturer for the International Space University.

     Multiple primary and opportunistic research studies, conducted by scientists from across the U.S. who are "at the forefront of their fields", focus on behavioral research. This includes a shared social behavioral task for team building, continuous monitoring of face-to-face interactions with sociometric badges, a virtual reality team-based collaborative exercise to predict individual and team behavioral health, and performance and multiple stress and cognitive countermeasure and monitoring studies.

     The exploration tasks will be held under strictures designed to emulate the isolated and confined conditions of real space travel and planetary surface exploration. Specifics, like a twenty-minute delay on all outside communications, mirror what present technology would be like in Earth-to-Mars communication.

Lisa Stojanovski is a professional science 

communicator who is passionate about making 

humanity a spacefaring civilization. In 2017, 

She toured remote and regional Australia 

with the Shell Questacon Science Circus to earn 

a master of science communication outreach. 

She creates content for the live web show 

TMRO, while managing the Australian chapter 

of the Space Generation Advisory Council.

     Mundane daily tasks, such as eating and food preparation - from shelf-stable sources only - and exercise, and other tasks, such as research and field work, will be undertaken to align with NASA's planetary exploration expectations.

     HI-SEAS Mission VI continues a series of successful 8-month and 12-month missions that place HI-SEAS in the company of a small group of analogs capable of operating very long duration missions in isolated and confined environments such as Mars500, Concordia, and the International Space Station.

     Video from HI-SEAS Mission V, which ended in Sept. 2017, can be viewed here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

TEEN CHALLENGE CHOIR COMES TO PĀHALA, Sunday, Mar. 11, at 10 a.m., River of Life Assembly of God has announced that the group will minister through song and testimony, as well as spread awareness of the Teen Challenge Program. To find out more, visit rolhawaii.com, or call 443-9394.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

OCEAN VIEW BAPTIST CHURCH ANNOUNCES BASKETBALL CAMP for keiki in 1st through 6th grade at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. The week-long camp, scheduled for Monday, Feb. 19, through Friday, Feb. 23, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., kicks off with pizza the first day. The event flier states that campers will be able to learn the skills of basketball in a "fun environment." The Ocean View Baptist Facebook page suggests that bible lessons will also be part of the program. Space is limited. Register on Ocean View Baptist Facebook page or sign up at the park by calling Teresa Anderson at 929-9113.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com
/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, 
weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February 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.

SATURDAY, FEB. 17

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, with Paul and Jane Field, Sat., Feb. 17 and Mon., Feb. 19, 8:45 a.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, at Ka‘ū District Gym, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, Feb. 17 and 24. Free; to register or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health team - hmono.org to learn more about the organization.

TĪ AND SEAS, NEW ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, opens to the public Sat., Feb. 17 to Sun., Mar. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. Irvine shares his inspirations and techniques at an opening reception on Sat., Feb. 17, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. - volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

CELEBRATIONS HONOR HENRY ‘OPUKAHA‘IA AT PUNALU‘U. Bell ringing ceremony and gathering will take place at Hokuloa Chapel at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17. A Remembrance Service will be Sunday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m., also at the tiny chapel above the sea.

THE ART EXPRESS, Sat., Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Instructions on oil, acrylic, watercolor, and other mediums. Class size limited to 20; Meliha Corcoran at 319-8989 or himeliha@yahoo.com - discoveryharbour.net/art-express.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets Sat., Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, Ocean View Community Center. Call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BONSAI AND HOW TO GROW THEM, with Sensei Bill Newton, Volcano Garden Arts, Saturdays, Feb. 17 and 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $36 per person per class, space is limited - 985-8979 or volcanogardenarts.com.

PANIOLO FROM KA‘Ū HEAD TO PANA‘EWA for annual Stampede Rodeo, Feb. 17, 18 and 19. Rodeo Grounds open at noon on Saturday, 11 a.m. on Sunday and Monday. Buster Barton is the announcer and Rodeo Clown JJ Harrison will protect the paniolo and entertain - HawaiiRodeo

Stampede.com.

A MONGOLIAN BBQ at Crater Rim Café, Sat., Feb. 17, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests; park entrance fees apply - 967-8356 or kilaueamilitary
camp.com.

BUNCO & POTLUCK, Sat., Feb. 17, 6 p.m. Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Bring a dish to share - call Margie Hack at 541-954-8297.

SUNDAY, FEB. 18

PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU FREE, GUIDED HIKE, Sun., Feb. 18, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., within Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 2.5-mile, moderately difficult, hike over rugged terrain, focusing on the area's human history - nps.gov/HAVO.

HENRY ‘OPUKAHA‘IA WILL BE HONORED SUNDAY AT PUNALU‘U. The Remembrance Service will be Sunday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m. at the tiny Hokuloa chapel above the sea. The service will replace the regular worship service in the Wai‘ohinu church. An additional commemoration service will be held Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9:30 a.m., at Kahikolu Congregational Church on Napo‘opo‘o Rd., where his body was reinterred in 1993.

CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE DOG on a free, Mandarin-language, easy, guided, two-mile round trip, Chinese New Year hike, with Volunteer Janice Wei, through Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) to the edge of Kīlauea Caldera at Akanikōlea (Steaming Bluff). Sunday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to noon, starting at Kīlauea Visitor Center - nps.gov/HAVO.

MONDAY, FEB. 19

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT PROGRAM Volunteers meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Mon., Feb. 19. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Monday, Feb. 19, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., in Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Call 929-9576 or visit discoveryharbour.net.

TUESDAY, FEB. 20

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 BY FEB. 20 FOR A PRESIDENT'S DAY STAR HANGING arts and crafts activity, Wed., Feb. 21, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Free; call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

Volunteers from Japan help clear invasive ginger from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
lands at Stewardship at the Summit. Join the effort on Monday, Feb. 19.
Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS from Feb. 20 to 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs: hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEES MEET TUESDAY, FEB. 20, with a full Council meeting taking place the following day on Wednesday, Feb. 21. Both meetings occur in Kona. Ka‘ū; residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas can be found at hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, FEB. 22

KA‘Ū COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S COUNCIL meets at Punalu‘u Bake Shop Thurs., Feb. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. The council meets on the fourth Thursday of each month - ccco.k12.hi.us.

FRIDAY, FEB. 23

JOIN PARK RANGERS FOR COFFEE TALK, an informal conversation on a variety of topics. Fri., Feb 23, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Kahuku Park, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries available for purchase. Free - nps.gov/HAVO.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Fri., Feb. 23, 9 p.m., at Pāhoa Lava Shack; Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m., luau in Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel courtyard; and Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

UPCOMING

SUPPORT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB locations at Pāhala and Ocean View by purchasing tickets and sponsoring persons to attend the annual Youth of the Year celebration, Friday, Mar. 2, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, in the Moku Ola Ballroom. For 66 years, its outreach to the Island has provided a safe and educational place for children after school.

    To purchase tickets, contact Ka‘ū Boardmember Julia Neal at 928-9811 or mahalo@aloha.net. To purchase an ad in the Gala program, become a Gala sponsor, make a financial donation, or to donate an auction item, contact Gail Hamasu at 961-5536 or gail@bgcbi.org.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.