Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Kaʻū News Briefs Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Independence Day Parade is this Saturday, June 30, in Nāʻālehu along Hwy 11, beginning at 11 a.m.
Photo by Julia Neal
THE MAMAKI TEA FARM IN WOOD VALLEY, owned by Texas outfits Mamaki Tea, Inc. and Mamaki of Hawaiʻi, Inc., is going on the auction block on Monday, July 9. The foreclosure suit is filed by Southwest Capital Funding, Ltd. of Texas, showing a debt at $721,343 in principal plus $50,000 in late fees and interest.
The Shaka Tea company bought māmaki from the
Wood Valley tea farm to be auctioned off.
Photo from Shaka Tea
     The property, also known as Wood Valley Ranch, and previously owned by Bob Romer, a contractor from Kona who restored the home and also grew māmaki tea, comes with  a five-bedroom house, apartment, and outbuildings including a māmaki warehouse that is climate controlled. Koa trees and pasture also grace the 24.8 acre property. Commissioner for the sale is Rick Robinson.
     In January of 2017, māmaki tea grown at the farm in Wood Valley was mentioned in the governor's state of the state address, with introduction of the founders of Shaka Tea, which was sourcing the māmaki from the farm.

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Easier crossing at Moaʻula Stream for
the farmers of the famous Kaʻū Coffee.
Photo by Trini Marques

MOAʻULA GULCH RECEIVED PAVING this week to create a safer entrance to the famous Kaʻū Coffee farms. The bridge to the farms washed out more than 15 years ago, when Hwy 11 bridges were also destroyed during a fierce storm that isolated Pāhala for days.

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THE SECOND ANNUAL PIG HUNT HOSTED BY KAʻŪ MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY will be held Saturday, July 21, at the parking lot adjacent to 96-3258 Maile Street, near the old Radio Station Building in Pāhala. The location for the home base of the event is provided by the Edmund C. Olson Trust.
     The scale for the weigh-ins for the wild pigs will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Food booths and a variety of
A packing contest is part of the fun at the second annual
Kaʻū Multicultural Society pig hunt July 21.
Photo by Guy Sesson
contests are featured, including Over-All Pua‘a prize for heaviest pig; Heaviest Boar/Laho‘ole; Heaviest Sow; Biggest Tusk; The Packing Contest, in which the hunter runs while carrying the pig; and the Smoke Meat Contest.      Contact Kalani Vierra at 938-2005, Darlyne Vierra at 640-8740, or Liz Kuluwaimaka at 339-0289.


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THE KAʻŪ HIGH AND PĀHALA ELEMENTRY SCHOOL ALUMNI & FRIENDS REUNION will be the seventeenth annual potluck community celebration on Sunday, Sept. 2, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center.
James Yamaki, one of the faithful
 organizers of the annual school
 reunion. Photo by Julia Neal
     Bring a favorite dish to share. Hear the music of the band Shootz and many more, with hula and other entertainment, and food for everyone. The theme is Home of the Children, Honor, Love & True Devotion. The celebration is open to the entire community, and is sponsored by all alumni of Pāhala Elementary and Kaʻū High School.

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TŪTŪ & ME TRAVELING PRESCHOOL AND HOME VISITING PROGRAMS are free. Partners In Development Foundation is accepting applications for families with keiki, birth to five years old. Orientation for families enrolled in the traveling preschool at Pāhala and Nāʻālehu sites begins Wednesday, Aug. 1, and Thursday, Aug. 2. Regular programs begin the following week. Families are encouraged to sign-up sooner than later as space is limited for the traveling preschool.
     At Tūtu & Me Traveling Preschool, a caregiver or parent attends each class with their keiki (up to three attending keiki per adult), and is responsible for supervising and guiding them through activity stations. Each class begins and ends with circle time. Healthy snacks for keiki are provided at site. The program also offers families the opportunity to take a field trip with the class, once a month, to locations around town and the island. Each week, families are encouraged to borrow reading material from the programs Keiki Lending Library and Caregiver Resource Library. Each child is assigned a new backpack filed with educational resources and toys to borrow and play with on a monthly basis.
     Families enrolled to attend the Nāʻālehu site, meet at the Nāʻālehu Community Center on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Families enrolled to attend the Pāhala site, meet at the Pāhala Community Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. To enroll at either site, fill out and return an enrollment form at pidfoundation.org or contact Hawaiʻi South Site Manager Betty Clark at 929-8571 or eclark@pidfoundation.org.
  
      The Home Visiting Program, ongoing throughout the year, offers more flexibility by working with the family's schedule. This program gives families the opportunity to further ease keiki and caregivers into the preschool learning environment by having a visiting teacher bring educational toys, snacks, and activities to the home while providing caregivers a compassionate listening ear, helpful parenting tips and strategies, and educational resources.
     Home visits are one and a half hours in length, meeting two to four times a month, for a total of twelve visits. Families can participate in the Home Visiting Program with or without enrollment at the Nāʻālehu and Pāhala site programs. To enroll in the Home Visiting Program, contact Linda Bong at 464-9634 or lbong@pidfoundation.org.
     All Tūtū & Me programs incorporate Hawaiian values and some Hawaiian language. For more, visit pidfountation.org.  

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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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
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

SATURDAY, JUNE 30
Nā‘ālehu Independence Day Parade, Sat, Jun 30, Hwy 11, Nā‘ālehu. Sign-ups open. Call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872

Birds of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park: The Hawaiʻi Nei Invitational Exhibition, Daily, Jun 30-Aug 12, 9-5pm, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. Special opening reception with 8 participating artists held Sat, Jun 30, 5-7pm, Free. volcanoartcenter.org

Soft Pastel Still Life w/Patti Pease Johnson, Sat, Jun 30, 9-noon, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. $45/VAC Member, $50/non-Member, plus $10 supply fee. Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Grow Me the Money: Record-Keeping Principles and Best Practices for farmers and food producers, Sat, Jun 30, 3-6pm, Kaʻū District Gym. Free; registration required. Contact Megan Blazak, 887-6411, or koha.la/growmoney

Imua Puna, Sat, June 30, 3-10pm16-111 Opukahala St, Keaʻau. $5 suggested donation; evacuees enter and eat free. Food and drink to ourchase. Live entertainment. “Share your manaʻo at a multi-band music-dance concert to malama and kokua those displaced by Tutu Pele's journey to the ocean.” See facebook.com/kevin.carpenter84/videos/10212545972867861/

SUNDAY, JULY 1
Pu‘u o Lokuana, Sun, July 1, 9:30 - 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Short, moderately difficult, 0.4-mile hike to the top of the grassy cinder cone, Pu‘u o Lokuana. Learn about the formation and various uses of this hill over time and enjoy a breathtaking view of lower Kaʻū. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sun, July 1, noon-2pm, Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amateur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, every Sat and Sun in July: 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, and 29; 12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Hawaiian cultural demonstrations and hands-on activities. Free. Check nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/cultural-programs.htm for details.

MONDAY, JULY 2
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Ka‘ū Estuary Restoration Workday, Mon, July 2, contact in advance for meet up time. Requires a short hike to access site. Pending volcanic activity/air quality. Space limited. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Mon, July 2, 16, and 30, 1pm, Ocean View Community Center. A parent-led homeschool activity/social group building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Meeting, Mon, July 2, 4-6pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, JULY 3
Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Meeting, Tue, July 3, 4-6pm, July 17, 4:30-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Meeting, Tue, July 3, 6-8pmhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 4
4th of July Parade, Craft Fair, Wed, July 4, 9-1:30pmVolcano Village. Free. Parade starts at Post Office, down Old Volcano Rd, ends at Cooper Center on Wright Rd. Activities, food, and entertainment. Summer musical Oliver! cast, Da Boni and Doug Duo, Da Digital Menehunes, and Christy Lassiter will perform. Silent auction in main room. Leashed dogs allowed. Provided by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. To be in parade, download entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors call Tara Holmes, 464-3625 (8-5pm) or email idoaloha@gmail.com. thecoopercenter.org

4th of July Picnic, Wed, July 4, 2pm, Discovery Harbour Community Center. $6, bring your own beverage. Register by Friday, June 29, by calling Discovery Harbour on Friday, June 29, between 8am and noon.

NEW and UPCOMING


Community involvement is key to creating a sculptural
quilt from 5” pieces of wood. Photo from VAC
COMMUNITY INVITED TO CREATE MONUMENTAL SCULPTURAL QUILT as part of Art in the Everyday. The Community Quilt Project is a sculptural installation project, led by visiting artist Laura Phelps Rogers and Volcano Art Center, engaging the community to respond to the art of the everyday through upcycling or with mixed media interpretations. Participants are encouraged to use materials from their everyday lives: cardboard, magazines, plastic objects, office supplies, newspaper, etc. The project ends in a large collaborative work through community participation and workshops. No art experience is required, though artists are encouraged to participate.
     Through community involvement and participation, Rogers hopes to construct a monumental sculptural quilt built out of round wood 5” pieces. The artist has provided blank pieces and asks each participant to create something on the blank out of every day objects or their take on the everyday through their artistic medium - the only restrictions being weight, 4 oz., and that all natural materials be sealed.
     The initial assembly workshop day takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 7, with an additional assembly workshop taking place on Wednesday, Oct. 10 - both at Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
     A $10 donation to Volcano Art Center is asked of participants, who can obtain a blank piece prior to assembly days by picking up a packet at the Volcano Art Center Administration Office or at the Wailoa Art Center in Hilo. Participants can also request a blank piece be mailed, which requires an additional $1.50 for return postage. Direct questions about the project to lauraphelpsrogers@hotmail.com. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

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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 through Thursday, 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.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will take sign-ups in Kaʻū, through Friday, 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.

Paid Intern sought by The Nature Conservancy, to work from October 2018 through August 2019 with their Hawai‘i Island Terrestrial Program, which has native forest preserves located in Ka‘ū and South Kona.
     Benefits offered include: a $1,600 monthly living allowance (before taxes); a $5,920 education award towards higher education; health care and childcare benefits (if eligible); and receive an entry-level conservation career experience.
     Applicants must be at least 17 years old by the program start date, October 2018, and possess or be working towards a high school diploma or equivalent. Applications must also have their own housing and transportation, a drivers license, and be able to pass a criminal history check.
     The internship is offered through Kupu Hawai‘i. Those interested are asked to fill out an online application at kupuhawaii.org under Conservation Leaders Program by Saturday, June 30; http://www.kupuhawaii.org/conservation/. For more, call The Nature Conservancy at 443-5401 or call Kupu Hawai‘i at 808-735-1221.

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

Disaster Recovery Center, jointly operated by Hawaiʻi County, the State of Hawaiʻi, and FEMA, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Keaʻau High School Gym. Buses run from 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. to and from Keaʻau Armory every 20 minutes and Pāhoa Community Center Shelter every hour. See the full bus schedule on the Civil Defense Website at HawaiiCounty.gov/Active-Alerts. For a list of the information applicants need to bring to the DRC, or to register online, go to DisasterAssistance.gov

Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program: Hawai‘i State Public Library System, through Saturday, 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.

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 and July, made possible by Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. June 30, : make a traditional Hawaiian spinning top with kukui nut, a favorite of nā keiki (children). July 1, ‘Ulana Niu; weave fun, whimsical items from coconut palm leaves.
     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.
     Guided Hikes begin at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday in June and July. Meet the ranger at the welcome tent. Sunday, July 1, Pu‘u o Lokuana: This short 0.4-mile hike to the top of the grassy cinder cone is ideal for families. Learn about the formation and various uses of this hill over time and enjoy a breathtaking view of lower Ka‘ū.
     In the Visitor Contact Station, Coffee Talk, a monthly, casual get together, is held the last Friday of the month, 9:30-11 a.m. On June 29, Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund will present Removing Trash, Restoring Habitat. On July 27, 
     See the Kahuku Unit Rangers, The Kahuku Cowgirls, in the Nā ͑ālehu 4th of July Parade Saturday, June 30, beginning at 10 a.m.
     Kahuku events are posted to the park website, nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/kahuku-hikes.htm.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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