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Sunday, February 11, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Sunday, February 11, 2018

Participate in training scenarios and learn what Community Emergency Response Team is all about in Discovery Harbour 
on Tuesday. Event details below. Photo from discoveryharbour.net
TESTIMONY FOR A BILL THAT WOULD REGULATE HOME SCHOOLING is due on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The Coalition for Responsible Home Education, which supports the measure, says Bill 2323 "would create a screening process designed to ensure that children with elevated risk factors are not removed from school to be homeschooled." Sen. Kai Kahele introduced the bill in response to the 2016 starvation death of nine-year-old Shaelynn Lehano, who was homeschooled in Hilo. Kahele's aim is to protect those children with abusive parents who want to keep them home from school.
     Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaiʻi advocate Lora Burbage takes a different view. She recently told Hawaiʻi News Now, the "proposal is flawed and unfairly singles out home-schooling families without including all parents of school-age children. If you begin to allow the government to begin policing - and they're not looking at the net of the biggest group of child abusers - then we're being targeted, we're being discriminated against."
     Attorney Peter Kamakawiwoole, representing the Home School Legal Defense Association, said the bill "would radically alter Hawai‘i's homeschool statute by requiring all homeschool families to submit to an annual social services check and background check before they can receive 'approval' from their public school superintendent to homeschool." He plans to attend the joint hearing before the state Senate Education Committee and Senate Human Services Committees.
     Interested persons can send in testimony by regular mail, online, or attend the hearing on Feb. 14 at 2:55 p.m., in conference room 229, at the Capitol Building on O‘ahu. Read Senate Bill 2323.
     Kamakawiwoole said he is interested in those who want to testify. To reach him, click here. For more from HSLDA, click here. To read more from CRHE, click here

Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. Xochitl Amador Aznar, of San Juan, Puerto Rico,
treated dental patients in 
Pāhala at no charge as a team member of Tropic Care.
 Photo by Julia Neal
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TROPIC CARE IS RETURNING TO HAWAIʻI ISLAND. Tropic Care 2018 is an 11-day event providing medical, dental, and eye care for any community member, free of charge. Held in 2013 and 2016 in Pāhala and Ocean View, this year's event lasts Mondays through Fridays, June 18 to 28, at Kea‘au High School.
     Kalei Namohala, Athletic Director for Kaʻū High School, which housed and fed Tropic Care health providers in the past, recommends that Kaʻū families make the drive this year to Keaʻau. Less than an hour from Pāhala, and half hour from Volcano, Tropic Care will offer free health care to anyone, with or without insurance.
     Army Reserve Innovative Readiness Training, in cooperation with Hawaiʻi state Dept. of Health and County of Hawai‘i, organizes Tropic Care to provide medical services to underserved communities. Health care providers - optometrists, dentists, hearing specialists, family physicians, and more - from military reserve units around the country travel to Hawaiʻi to practice field medicine with the local Army Reserve. They set up camp and hone their skills for working in remote places, not only during wartime, but also in natural disasters.   
     During Tropic Care, health experts see members of the public on a first come-first served basis. They ask that people bring with them any current prescriptions or eye glasses, and a list of any current medications being taken.
     As long waits are expected, they recommend bringing water and snacks. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided to those age 3 to 18. Food carts may be on site for purchases throughout the event.
     Adria Medeiros, Vice Principal of Kea‘au High School, asks for community members to spread the word, and offers to schedule blocks of time for larger groups coming in from communities outside Kea‘au. "For example, if your school were to arrange a bus to bring in a large group, I would assist by setting aside blocks of time for services with the medical professionals to ensure they could be seen," she stated. "It really is a great opportunity to receive free services, and I'd like to make it even more successful this year than it has been in the past."
     Questions can be directed to Medeiros at 313-3333.

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THE PENDING MERGER OF THE MONSANTO AND BAYER COMPANIES is the subject of a survey recommended for farmers by Hawai‘i Farmers Union United. Participation is available until midnight, Feb. 12. It is open to farmers of all types of crops, all sizes of operation, and all areas of the U.S.
     The survey is organized by Friends of Earth and the Organic Seed Growers Association, who say the results "will be used to inform policymakers and law enforcement officials in D.C. and in state capitols, about the impact of corporate power on farming." Changes in the farming community in the last year, specifically the merger of Dow and DuPont, and Syngenta and ChemChina, have an effect on those who depend on larger corporations for chemicals and seeds, says the message about the survey.
     Survey sponsors promise that survey participation is confidential and that results will be shared with the U.S. Department of Justice and state Attorneys General, who are reviewing the merger. Per the Hawai‘i Farmers Union United message: "The survey will take about 12 minutes to complete, and was designed to help DOJ and agriculture policy makers understand the structure of the market and how farmers make some key decisions." Link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZHXFB8B.

Take part in a lomilomi demonstration in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Kahuku Unit.
Photo from National Park Service
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LOMILOMI AT KAHUKU, a free demonstration of Hawaiian massage and discussion of the important spiritual and physical components of lomilomi, will be on Friday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon.
     The lomilomi style of massage incorporates the Hawaiian concept of aloha, which means to love, unify, and breathe; to promote personal harmony.
     The Kahuku Unit is a 50-minute drive south of the park's main entrance, near mile marker 70.5 on Highway 11. The program is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

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PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton, is offered on Monday, Feb. 12, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center. The class is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels and is offered again on Feb. 26. Class fess are $15 per VAC member and $20 per non-member per session. Email questions to peggystanton007@yahoo.com. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.
See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com
/janfebmar/februaryevents.htmlSee 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.
VOLUNTEER TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROTECTING vital and threatened native ecosystems by signing up by Monday, February 12, for Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Forest Restoration Project, held Friday, Feb. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Mauna Loa strip. Pre-registration required, space is limited. To volunteer, contact Linda Schubert at forest@fhvnp.org or 756-3694. Volunteers should be at least 12 years old, and be able to hike at least one mile over rough, uneven terrain - through brush - in an area with a moderate slope. www.fhvnp.org

CHINESE NEW YEAR GUIDED HIKES - IN MANDARIN - to celebrate the Year of the Dog, are offered in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The free hike is offered Tuesday, Feb. 13, Friday, Feb. 16, and Sunday, Feb. 18, from 11 a.m. to noon. Those interested should meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center. This easy, two-mile round trip hike, guided by Volunteer Janice Wei, goes through Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) to the edge of Kīlauea Caldera at Akanikōlea (Steaming Bluff). People with respiratory or heart issues, infants, young children, and pregnant women, should avoid Sulphur Banks due to high levels of naturally occurring volcanic gas. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR - NĀ‘ĀLEHU COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets Tuesday, Feb. 13, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., in Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Public is invited to come see what C.E.R.T. is about, as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

LEARN ABOUT A BRAND NEW MEANS OF SAMPLING IN THE FIELD.  Learn how dissolved gasses in groundwater can sometimes precede volcanic unrest and earthquake activity. The presentation at After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, Feb. 13 is called Development of a New Geochemical Tool to Predict Volcanic Unrest and Earthquake Activity. It begins at 7 p.m., in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Speaker is Dr. Gary McMurtry of SOEST, University of Hawai‘i.
      Free; park entrance fees apply. Suggested donation of $2 to support park programs. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

REGISTER KEIKI, AGES 6-12, BY FEB. 13, FOR A VALENTINE'S DAY CARD Arts & Crafts class on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Free. For more, call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

REGISTER KEIKI, GRADES K-8, BY FEB. 13, FOR A VALENTINE'S DAY FLOWER & BEAR CRAFT class on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Free. For more, call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

‘AI PONO EXPLAINED BY AUNTY EDNA BALDAD; how to eat and live healthier with native Hawaiian foods like kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potato) and ulu (breadfruit). The free program is offered Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

VALENTINE'S DAY BUFFET, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., is hosted by Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café, located in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The main entrees will be Prime Rib au Jus, Lemon Butter Fish with Tropical Salsa, and Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu. $28.00/adult and $14.50/child (6-11 years old). KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com or call 967-8356.

DENNIS & CHRISTY SOARES AT LAVA LOUNGE Wednesday, Feb, 14, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Award-winning singer-songwriters will perform contemporary Hawaiian music, folk, and slack-key, on Valentine's evening, with no cover charge. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

KAMEHAMEHASCHOOLS' SUMMER INNOVATIONS ACADEMY Hālau Kupukupu in Keaʻau, for students entering grades K–12, is accepting applications until Thursday, Feb. 15, for summer 2018. The program will run from June 14 to July 12. Students can apply and find the course catalog online at www.ksbe.edu/admissions, or call 982-0033 for more information.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU, a Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park volunteer program, will be on Thursdays, Feb. 15 and 22, at 9:30 a.m., at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11. Help remove invasives from an area famous for its diversity of native forest and understory plants. Bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, and water. Wear closed-toe shoes. Note that clothing could be permanently stained by morning glory sap. Be prepared for cool and wet or hot and sunny weather. New volunteers should contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

STORY TIME WITH AUNTIE LINDA FROM TŪTŪ & ME takes place on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Nā‘ālehu Public Library. For more, call 929-8571.

Join Auntie Linda from Tūtū and Me for Story Time.
WEST HAWAI‘I FISHERY COUNCIL PUBLIC MEETING at Puka‘ana Church Hall near Capt. Cook - across from Fujihara store - on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Learn about managing the near-shore environment. Share opinions and concerns. Ask questions. New membership encouraged - especially recreational, commercial and regional fishers, who can provide feedback for the council on a regular basis. Fishery Council meetings happen on the third Thursday of each month. For more, visit West Hawai‘i Fishery Council website.

FAMILY READING is hosted at Ocean View Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū meets Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m., at United Methodist Church in Nā‘ālehu. For more, call Pres. Berkley Yoshida at 747-0197.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO CONTROL LITTLE FIRE ANT, which has recently been found in Volcano, at a free presentation at Volcano Art Center on Thursday, Feb. 15. Little Fire Ant Presentation with Big Island Invasive Species Committee takes place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free; suggested donation of $5. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

FREE LOMILOMI DEMONSTRATION AT KAHUKU is offered on Friday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon. A master practitioner demonstrates Hawaiian massage, and discusses the important spiritual and physical components of lomilomi. Entrance to the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is near mile marker 70.5 on Highway 11. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

HULA & OLI WITH KAHO‘OKELE CRABBE is hosted on the porch of Volcano Art Center Gallery, located within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, on Friday, Feb. 16. Kumu hula of Hālau Ke Ola o Ka Lani, Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe shares his extensive knowledge to teach the basics of hula, language, and chant from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

MARDI GRAS AT ST. JUDE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH is hosted Friday, Feb. 16, with dinner taking place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Doors open 5:30 p.m. Dinner includes Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, Cornbread, Drink and Dessert. Tickets are available at the door: $8/person, $15/two, $20/family. Pre-purchase during Aloha potluck after Sunday services or from Thom White, Beverly Nelson, or Cordelia Burt. For more, call 939-7555.

VOLUNTEER FOR THE STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT PROGRAM on Saturday, Feb. 17, and help native plants grow by removing non-native plant species from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO. This event will be offered again on Feb. 19.

WELL-KNOWN BONSAI SENSEI BILL NEWTON, with over 30 years experience, teaches a course, All You Ever Wanted to Know About Bonsai and How to Grow Them, at Volcano Garden Arts on Saturday, Feb. 17 and 24. Space is limited. For more, call 985-8979 or visit volcanogardenarts.com.

LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, A BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, meets twice more this month in Pāhala at Ka‘ū District Gym. Class is held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 17 and 24. Po‘okela Ikaika Dombrigues of Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi leads and shares traditional health at this free class. To register, or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health Team. Visit hmono.org to learn more about the organization.

The chapel on the hill at Punalu'u Beach where youth have volunteered
 to repair the rock walls, will be the site of two services to honor the life of
Henry 'Opukaha'ia Feb. 17 and 18. Photo by Myra Sumida
TĪ AND SEAS, A NEW ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, opens to the public on Saturday, Feb. 17. The exhibit will be available daily, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., until Sunday, Mar. 25.
     Irvine shares his inspirations and techniques at an opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

CELEBRATIONS HONOR HENRY ‘OPUKAHA‘IA AT PUNALU‘U with a bell ringing ceremony and gathering 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. On Sunday, the service at Punalu‘u will replace the regular worship service in Wai‘ohinu. A 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.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets Saturday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

PANIOLO FROM KA`U HEAD TO PANA'EWA for the 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. See www.HawaiiRodeoStampede.com

MONGOLIAN BBQ is offered at Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8356 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

BUNCO & POTLUCK, a popular game played with nine dice, is hosted Saturday, Feb. 17, at 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Bring a dish to share. For more, call Margie Hack at 541-954-8297.

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

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