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Friday, June 22, 2018

Kaʻū News Briefs Friday, June 22, 2018

Beef laulau, made for the ʻĀina Pono State Farm to School Program, which will expand to Kaʻū, allowing school
cafeterias to contract with local farmers and ranchers for food. Photo from ʻĀina Pono.
A FOOD REVOLUTION CALLED ‘Āina Pono Hawai‘i State Farm to School Program is offered to Kaʻū through a new grant from the federal government. Launched in 2015 by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the program is getting national attention and federal dollars that will allow it to expand from a few schools, to all public schools in Hawaiʻi. Sen Mazie Hirono and Lt. Gov. Doug Chin pushed for the federal funding, and the Kohala Center is a partner in rolling out the program.
     The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service today awarded a $100,000 grant to the ‘Āina Pono Hawai‘i State Farm to School Program to bring more healthy, nutritious, fresh, and local food to school cafeterias in Hawai‘i. The state Department of Education cafeteria staff will be trained to prepare locally sourced, scratch cooked meals, and local farmers, ranchers, and distributors
will be trained on how to contract with the DOE.
The other Trojans, from Miloliʻi, tried out the Farm to School Program
last school year. The Kaʻū Trojans will be offered the program this
coming school year. Above, the Trojans meet with Sen. Mazie Hirono
and Lt. Gove Doug Chin. Photo from Lt. Governor's Office
     “This recognition validates the ‘Āina Pono Hawai‘i State Farm to School Program and all the hard work by our state, public and private partners,” said Lt. Governor Doug Chin. “I’ve been pushing for more federal attention and dollars for our amazing farm to school program while ensuring procurement issues were being properly addressed to allow HIDOE to buy more local products.”
     With help from public and private stakeholders, the state started the farm to school program in a few schools. The new federal grant will give the state the resources to plan and implement the ‘Āina Pono Hawai‘i State Farm to School Program into all 256 public schools.
     The program, implemented by the HIDOE School Food Services Branch, is currently underway at Kohala schools on the Big Island and three schools in Mililani on O‘ahu. “Students have spoken, and their demand for fresh, locally produced meals is spreading across the state,” said DOE Superintendent Christina Kishimoto. “I thank Lt. Governor Doug Chin, my food services team, and the many community partners who’ve come together to transform the way school meals are being prepared. This is a significant milestone.” See more at ʻĀina Pono.

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“THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono, presenting the Senate Democratic Address today. “Every day we face a fresh outrage from Donald Trump and his administration. On issue after issue, Donald Trump creates a crisis, blames others for what’s happening, and uses the ensuing chaos to demand a legislative solution that often harms even more people.
     “Democrats are calling on President Trump to use his executive authority to reunite the 2,400 separated children with their parents. We are calling on him to resolve many other problems his executive order created. And we are calling on his administration to stop its sabotage of our health care system, and work with us on a bipartisan basis to protect and improve our health care system.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono gives the Democratic Message for the week.
     Regarding immigration, Hirono said, “Last month, Donald Trump instituted his zero tolerance policy on people crossing the border, and the consequences have been severe. Children have been ripped away from their parents, placed into mass detention, deprived of adequate legal counsel, and isolated from everyone they’ve ever known.
     “After millions of people rose up in sorrow and anger over what was happening, Donald Trump did what he always does. He blamed Democrats for a mess he created, and proceeded to use these children as leverage to seek legislation that would enshrine the President’s hatred and fear of immigrants into law.
     “What’s happening to these children and the President’s antipathy toward immigrants speak to me personally. I came to this country when I was 7 years old with my mom and older brother. Mom was escaping an abusive marriage to start a new life for us. Mom worked at low paying jobs for long hours. My 9-year-old brother and I were latchkey kids. We waited at the bus stop every night for mom to come home from work.
     “I’ve been thinking a lot about what it would have been like if my mother had been taken away from us. I know we would have been devastated. That’s what the President is doing to these kids – some 2,400 who have been and are being traumatized by his actions. He apparently views them as collateral damage in furtherance of his policy of prosecuting every single one of their parents.
     “It’s critically important that these children be reunited with their parents as soon as possible.
Rather than taking responsibility for unnecessarily traumatizing thousands of children, he – as usual – continues to blame others.”
     On health care, said Hirono, Trump “follows a similar pattern. Over the past year, the Trump administration has led a concerted campaign to undermine our country’s health care system and deprive millions of Americans access to quality, affordable health care. They eliminated cost sharing reduction payments that help millions of Americans afford their care. They eliminated the health coverage requirement. These changes will increase premiums and make health care unaffordable for the people who need it most.
Seeking asylum, locked up without parents. Photo from Psychology Today
     “And, in the latest outrage, earlier this month, the Trump administration refused to defend the Affordable Care Act in a Texas lawsuit to undo one of the law’s key protections, arguing that people with pre-existing conditions – one in four in our country – should not be guaranteed health insurance. The President wants to take us back to a time when an insurance company could deny you coverage because you had diabetes, asthma, heart disease, cancer, or any other pre-existing condition.
     “When I was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year, I was fortunate; I had health insurance that allowed me to focus on fighting my illness – not how I was going to pay for treatment. I now join the millions of people in our country with a pre-existing condition.
     “Our stories do not matter to this President or this administration. But they matter to millions of us and to our families.
     “Democrats are calling on President Trump to use his executive authority to reunite the 2,400 separated children with their parents. We are calling on him to resolve many other problems his executive order created. And we are calling on his administration to stop its sabotage of our health care system and work with us on a bipartisan basis to protect and improve it.
     “These are not normal times, but we can’t afford to be discouraged. Resisting this president and his administration requires each of us to step up, raise our voices, and fight back.
     “It’s an honor to fight alongside you. Mahalo nui loa.”
     Hirono's address is available on audio and video.

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Eerily glowing cracks are shown where heat and steam continue
to come up through Hwy 130. Black and white thermal photo
 from ops.punatraffic.com
A NEW EVACUATION ROUTE ACROSS LAND OWNED BY EDMUND C. OLSON AND OTHER PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS IN LOWER PUNA is planned. It would serve people who live in Black Sands, Opihikau, Kamaili, Kehena, Kaimu, Kalapana and other neighborhoods. The route would circumvent Highway 130, where steam vents and cracks in the road appeared near mile 14 after the 6.9 magnitude earthquake on May 4.
     To keep the traffic moving, road workers installed steel plates over the cracks, but the steam vents are still active and the road could become impassible.
     The alternate route would intersect with Highway 130 at the Black Sand Subdivision, run through multiple private lots, and connect with South Kaohe Homestead Road. Should Highway 130 close, this would allow residents in lower Puna a way out, without taking the newly opened emergency-only route of Chain of Craters Road, which goes through Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and past the active Halemaʻumaʻu Crater.
     There are cameras, both visual and thermal, showing areas of Hwy 130 covered in steel plates, available at ops.punatraffic.com. A camera was installed in 2014 during a different volcanic event from Puʻu ʻŌʻō, by Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation.
     Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense says Highway 130 from Pāhoa to Kalapana Road is open only to residents with official credentials.

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THE PUNA LAVA FLOW IS MUCH MORE SERIOUS “than anyone here has grasped,” according to Sen. Russell Ruderman.
     He testified during the County Council meeting on raising the General Excise tax to help with county expenses during the volcano disaster.
     He supported a long-term .5 percent hike in the 4 percent General Excise tax. The County Council considered a .25 percent increase, which he also supported. However, the .25 percent increase failed at Tuesday's meeting.
     Ruderman said, "It’s not just the loss of land – it’s not just the loss of homes. Most of the people who lost their home also lost their way of living. They lost their job on a farm. They lost their home business. Maybe they lost their vacation rental, or their cleaning job at a vacation rental, or maybe they worked in town – where the entire town of Pāhoa is about to go out of business.
     “We’re losing our tourism. These are long-term, massive effects that affect much more than just 5,000 people in lower Puna.
     “And on a personal note… I just want to say, personally, that none of you guys understand what’s going on out there. It’s really, really, really hard. It’s tormenting. Our physical world is tearing apart. And the result is, it’s torn apart people’s lives in a very serious way.
     “It’s not going to be easy to recover from this. It’s going to be a massive effort.”

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment
Print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano, and free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com 
and facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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SATURDAY, JUNE 23
Ocean View Skateboard Sessions, Saturday, June 23, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kukuhu Park basketball courts. All ages are welcome to “show the need for a real community skatepark for the youth of Ocean View.” Parents must register minors from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and sign a waiver. A $1 million liability insurance policy has been provided by the Surfrider Foundation, said Organizer Travis Aicorn. The sponsor is Pueo Skate, LLC. Pack a lunch and bring water. For more information, call Aicorn at 808-494-5192 or contact him through grindcurbs@yahoo.com.

Birth of Kahuku, Sat, Jun 23, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Explore rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. nps.gov/HAVO

SUNDAY, JUNE 24
‘Ōhi‘a Lehua, Sun, Jun 24, 9:30-11am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, and many forms of ‘ōhi‘a tree and its flower on this free, easy, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO

TUESDAY, JUNE 26
Exploring Your Senses, Tue, Jun 26, 2-3pmKahuku Park, H.O.V.E. For ages 6-12 years. Register Jun 18-22. Teresa Anderson, 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Ka‘ū Food Pantry, Tue, Jun 26, 11:30-1pm, St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Ocean View.

HOVE Road Maintenance Monthly Meeting, Tue, Jun 26, 10am, RMC Office in Ocean View. hoveroad.com, 929-9910

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wed, Jun 27, 9-11am, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Seniors 60 years and older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i - referral required from Hawai‘i County Office of Aging at 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

THURSDAY, JUNE 28
Kona Vet Center visits to Ocean View Community Center are Suspended until further notice. Veterans may call 329-0574 for VA benefit information. ovcahi.org

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thu, Jun 28, 12:30-1:30pm, Punalu‘u Bake Shop. Monthly meeting provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thu, Jun 28, 4-6pm, Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Additional packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800

FRIDAY, JUNE 29
4th of July Picnic at Discovery Harbour Community Hall, Wed, July 4, 2 p.m., hosted by Discovery Harbour Community Association. Registration open until Friday, June 29. Menu is Sloppy Joes, Salad, and an Ice Cream Bar; bring beverages. $6 per person, paid at Discovery Harbour office, open Mon-Wed-Fri, 8 a.m. to noon. Details, call 929-9576. See discoveryharbour.net.

Coffee Talk, Fri, Jun 29, 9:30-11amKahuku Park, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Join park rangers in informal conversation on a variety of topics. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries available for purchase. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

Mystery Bag Game, Fri, Jun 29, 2-3pmKahuku Park, H.O.V.E. For ages 6-12 years. Register Jun 25-29. Teresa Anderson, 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

NEW and UPCOMING
A 4TH OF JULY PICNIC AT DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY HALL, has been announced by Discovery Harbour Community Association, with registration open until Friday, June 29.
     The event, planned for Wednesday, July 4, at 2 p.m., offers Sloppy Joes, Salad, and an Ice Cream Bar. Attendees are asked to bring their own beverages. Registration is $6 per person and should be paid at the Discovery Harbour office, open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, from 8 a.m. to noon. For more details, call 929-9576. See discoveryharbour.net.

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ONGOING
Tropic Care 2018 - providing medical, dental, and eye care for any community member, free of charge, whether they have insurance or not - lasts daily through June 28, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Keaʻau High School gym. First come-first served. Bring any current prescriptions or eye glasses. Long waits are expected; bring water and snacks. Free breakfast and lunch provided to those aged 3 to 18, Monday thru Friday. Food carts may be on site for purchases throughout the event. Questions can be directed to the public health nurse at 808-974-6035, or Adria Maderios, Vice Principal of Keaʻau High School, at 313-3333.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park invites kamaʻaina and tourist alike to visit the Kahuku Unit. There are no entry fees, and all programs are free of charge. In addition to regularly scheduled Guided Hikes and the monthly Coffee Talk, Kahuku Unit has added daily Ranger Talks, and cultural demonstrations and activities on weekends.
     Visitor Contact Station hosts Ike Hana Noe ʻAu, Cultural Demonstrations and Activities, at 12:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in June, made possible by Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Make an ͑Ohe Hana Ihu (Nose Flute), Sat, June 23. Make a Mini Feather Kahili, Sun, June 24.
     Visitor Contact Station hosts Ranger Talks on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
     Artist in Residence Talk, in the Visitor Center on Fri, June 22, at 10 a.m.
     Guided Hikes begin at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday in June. Meet the ranger at the welcome tent. Sat, June 23: Birth of Kahuku. Sun, June 24: ͑Ōhi͑a Lehua.
     In the Visitor Contact Station, Coffee Talk, a monthly, casual get together, is held the last Friday of the month. On June 29 at 9:30 a.m., Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund will present Removing Trash, Restoring Habitat.
    Join in the Cultural Festival, Pu ͑uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, in  Hōnaunau, Sat and Sun, June 23 and 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
     See the Kahuku Unit Rangers,The Kahuku Cowgirls, in the Na ͑alehu 4th of July Parade Sat, June 30, beginning at 10 a.m.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will take sign-ups in Kaʻū, through June 29.
     In Nā’ālehu, it will take place at the Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council office, back of Senior Center, Wed-Fri, 8-1pm, 929-9263.
     In Ocean View, it will take place at Ocean View Community Center, Mon and Tue, 8-4:30pm.
     In Pāhala, it will take place at the Edmund Olson Trust Office, Tue and Wed, 8:30-12:30pm. See more for eligibility requirements and application.

Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program: Hawai‘i State Public Library System, through July 14, statewide and online. Register and log reading at librarieshawaii.beanstack.org or at a local library. Free. Reading rewards, activities, and programs for children, teens, and adults. 2018 participants have a chance to win a Roundtrip for four to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies.

Park Rangers invite the public to downtown Hilo to learn about the volcanic activity, to get their NPS Passport Book stamped, and to experience the Hawaiian cultural connection to volcanoes. Rangers are providing programs at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center at 76 Kamehameha Avenue, Tuesday through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
     Two Park Rangers are stationed at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in downtown Hilo, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., every Sunday and Monday, in the Willie K Crown Room - as long as nothing else is scheduled in the space. The rangers will be doing daily talks at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. about the eruption. They will show the park film that is normally available to visitors to see at the Kilauea Visitor’s Center at the Summit, Born of Fire, Born in the Sea, every half-hour beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Sign Up for the Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade, to be held June 30. If interested, call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872.

Tūtū and Me Offers Home Visits to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 464-9634.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church Calls For More Volunteers for the Saturday community outreach. Especially needed are cooks for the soup served to those in need, and organizers for the hot showers. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's April newsletter. Volunteer by contacting Dave Breskin at 319-8333.

Volcano Forest Runs Registration Open through Friday, August 17, at 6 p.m. Half marathon $85, 10K $45, 5K $30. Registration increases August 1: half marathon to $95, 10K to $55, and 5K to $35. Race is run from Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano Village on Saturday, August 18.

5th annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run registration open. Race day Sat, Sept 22, 7 a.m.; begins and ends at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Register online before Mon, July 9: 5K, $25/person; 10K, $35/person; and 1/2 Marathon, $45/person. From July 9 to Aug 11: $30/person, $40/person, and $45/person, respectively. From Aug 13 to Sept 20: $35/person, $45/person, and $55/person. Race day registration ends Sat, Sept 22, at 6:30 a.m. Event organizers, ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou; start location, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill.

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