Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, June 17, 2019

The Hawaiʻi County Band is a regular at the Volcano July 4 Parade each year. See more on the parade, 

festival, and craft fair below. Photo by Ron Johnson

MORE FUNDING FOR THE PĀHALA AND NĀʻĀLEHU SEWER PROJECTS goes before the full County Council this Wednesday, after unanimously passing the Council Finance Committee earlier this month.
     The County Council meeting begins June 19 at 9 a.m. Bills 75 and 76 are up for first reading to authorize the Mayor to apply to qualify for bonding the projects, which would allow the county to borrow, at low interest, $10 million for the Nāʻāleju project, and $37 million for the Pāhala project.

     See more and some local testimony in the June 14 Kaʻū News Briefs.

     Kaʻū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building on Hwy 11 next to the post office. Testimony is accepted at the start of the meeting. Testimony can also be submitted by email to counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov, fax to 808-961-8912, or mail to Office of the County Clerk, 25 Aupuni St., Hilo, HI, 96720. Agendas are at hawaiicounty.gov.
     Testimonies to date have focused on the cost of the wastewater treatment facilities, locations, and archaeological and cultural sites. The county is obliged to replace old gang cesspools in both towns to comply with federal environmental standards.

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KAʻŪ COFFEE WILL BE CUPPED FOR BEST IN THE STATE and best in the Kaʻū Region during the 24th annual Hawaiʻi Coffee Association Conference July 25 - 27. The convention will be held on Oʻahu at Ala Moana Hotel and will include the 11th Annual Statewide Cupping Competition.

Kaʻū Coffee will be cupped against coffees from around the state
 during the Hawaiʻi Coffee Association Conference July 25-27.
Photo from Miranda Farms

     Kaʻū Coffee growers already submitted their prized coffees to be roasted for the cupping contest. Kaʻū ranked high over the years. In 2017, Miranda Farms took first in the state Commercial Division. Aliʻi Hawaiian Hula Hands and Rusty's 100 Percent Hawaiian Coffee have taken the grand champion statewide awards, and many local coffee farmers have ranked in the top ten in numerous divisions.
     Hawaiʻi Coffee Association President Chris Manfredi, who resides in Kaʻū, said this year's program includes preliminary rounds for two national events: the 2020 Brewers Cup and the U.S. Barista Competition. The convention will include tours of the Ko Hana Rum Company and the Hawaiʻi Agriculture Research Center in Kunia.

     Manfredi said the conference will take advantage of Oʻahu's "urban setting to reach new businesses and consumers, and help bridge the gap between these communities and our members who produce some of the finest coffees grown anywhere. What's more, we're witnessing the emergence of the next generation of coffee industry leaders.

     "We're thrilled to be showcasing the best in Hawaiian coffee" at a venue on Oʻahu, "and the hard-working farmers and processors that produce it. More than ever, we will be highlighting those who market, brew, and serve Hawaiian coffee." He described the conference as "a must-attend event for all those with a connection to Hawaiian coffee."

     Ric Rhinehart, past executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, will give the keynote address, The Future of Specialty Coffee. Rhinehart has been outspoken about the importance of sustainability work in the coffee sector, particularly regarding the millions of smallholder farmers on whom the coffee industry relies.

     Headlining the speaker lineup of educational presentations is Dr. Sarada Krishnan to discuss Adapting to Climate Change: Knowledge About Coffee Pest and Diseases, Specifically Coffee Leaf Rust. The Director of Horticulture and Center for Global Initiatives at Denver Botanic Gardens, Krishnan owns coffee plantations in Jamaica and was recently involved in developing the Global Strategy for the Conservation of Coffee Genetic Resources. Krishnan will introduce some of the major coffee pests and diseases while delving into coffee leaf rust.

     Zack Scott of Lallemand/Lalcafe will present The Microbiology of Coffee Processing, to explore the background of yeast and the basic microbial activity at the mill.

President of the Hawaiʻi Coffee
Association, Chris Manfredi.
Photo by Julia Neal

     Andrew Hetzel, of the Specialty Coffee Association, will host an "SCA Town Hall" to update attendees on the latest SCA news and take questions.

     Also of interest, a pair of speaker sessions will address the underlying technology and litigation surrounding the class action suit brought against alleged coffee counterfeiters.

     Other presentations include the launch of a coffee science program by Dr. William Ristenpart, director of the U.C. Davis Coffee Center; Creating a Social Media Marketing Plan by content creator Denise Laitinen, and Soil Health in Hawaiʻi by Jayme Barton, horticultural scientist at HARC.

     Workshops will cover coffee roasting, processing, harvesting and brewing. Presenters from several Hawaiʻi research facilities will provide project updates and answer questions.

     The HCA conference offers a trade show and all activities are open to industry professionals and the media. Visit hawaiicoffeeassociation.org to sign up; registered attendees can receive a special HCA accommodations rate at the Ala Moana Hotel. Also available online are links for cupping contest entry, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.

     The Hawaiʻi Coffee Association's mission is to represent all sectors of the Hawaiʻi coffee industry, including growers, millers, wholesalers, roasters, and retailers. The HCA's primary objective is to increase awareness and consumption of Hawaiian coffees. A major component of HCA's work is the continuing education of members and consumers. Its annual conference has continued to grow, gaining international attention. Learn more about the HCA at hawaiicoffeeassoc.org. Learn more about the Hawaiʻi coffee industry at hawaiicoffeeindustry.com.

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Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks march during the 2018 Volcano Community Association July 4 parade. The group runs the 

commercial enterprise to support Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's Kīlauea Visitor Center. Photo by Janice Wei

VOLCANO VILLAGE 4TH OF JULY PARADE, FESTIVAL, AND CRAFT FAIR happens Wednesday, July 4 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The parade starts at the Volcano Post Office, travels down Old Volcano Road, and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Road. Free entry to activities, food, and entertainment. Leashed dogs allowed. Provided by Cooper Center Council, Volcano Community Association, and more. To be in the parade, download the entry form at volcanocommunity.org and email to vcainfo@yahoo.com. Vendors, download applications at thecoopercenter.org and email to idoaloha@gmail.com, or call Tara Holmes, 464-3625, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Last year, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park sported costumes of endangered species, including Hawaiian butterflies 

and bats, at the annual 4th of July Volcano Village parade. Photo by Janice Wei

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THE FIRST-EVER REPARATIONS BILL introduced into the U.S. Senate was submitted last week by Sen. Mazie Hirono and 12 of her Democrat U.S. Senate colleagues. S. 1083, the H.R. 40 Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, focuses on descendants of slavery and policies of systematic racism.

     Said Hirono, "The enslavement of Africans in America has had significant and long-lasting economic and social impacts on their descendants, who continue to face racial discrimination. It is time for a commission to study and suggest reparations proposals as part of a larger effort to ameliorate the systemic racism in American society. I hope we will see a report and recommendation from this commission before long."

     A message from Hirono states that S. 1083 is the "only reparations bill ever introduced in the U.S. Senate in the post-Reconstruction era. Approximately 4 million Africans and their descendants were enslaved over the two and a half centuries during which slavery thrived in the United States. Even after the abolition of slavery, the institution and its legacy were transformed into policies and practices that systemically exploited African Americans. African-American families have an average of less than one-sixth of the wealth of white families, and the unemployment rate for African Americans is more than twice the current white unemployment rate. According to U.S. Census data, on average, black women were paid 61 percent of what non-Hispanic white men were paid in 2017."

Image from Dilemma X

     Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) introduced the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, which has 57 cosponsors, including Rep. Tusli Gabbard.

     The full text of the bill is available here.

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FIREWORKS PERMITS will be issued Saturday, June 29 through Thursday, July 4 at 8 p.m., announced Fire Chief Darren Rosario. Public firework displays will be at Hilo Bay, Kona Bay, and at Queens' Marketplace in Waikoloa, at 8 p.m. on July 4.
     Permits to set off fireworks may be purchased at:

     - Phantom Fireworks Tent Hilo, Walmart Center Hilo

     - Phantom Fireworks Tent Kona, Kona Commons Shopping Center Parking Lot

     - Fire Administration Hilo, County Building, 25 Aupuni St. Monday, July 1 thru Wednesday, July 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

     - Fire Administration Kona, West Hawai‘i Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Building E, 2nd floor, Monday, July 1 thru Wednesday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

      Each permit costs $25 and will entitle the holder to purchase up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. Permits will be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are non-transferable, and non-refundable. Permits are not required for novelties and paperless firecrackers. Firecrackers, with a valid permit, and consumer fireworks are allowed to be set off during the approved hours of 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4th only.  

Fireworks permit are available starting Saturday, June 29.
Photo by Julia Neal

     It is unlawful to buy, sell, possess, or set off any Aerial Luminary Device such as Sky Lanterns and Hawai‘i Lanterns. Any person in possession of any Aerial Luminary Device, who would like to dispose of it with amnesty, can contact the Fire Department at 932-2911.  

     The Fire Chief reminds the public that it is illegal for anyone to remove the powder or pyrotechnic contents from any firework or throw firework from a vehicle. It is illegal to set off any firework at any time not within the time period allowed; within 1,000 feet of any operating hospital, nursing home, home for the elderly, or animal hospital; in or on any school building or property; on any highway, alley, street, sidewalk, or other public way; in any park; or within 1,000 feet of a church during the periods when services are held. This includes the Hilo Bayfront and Liliuokalani Park areas. It is also illegal for any person to offer for sale, sell, or give any firework to minors, and for any minor to possess, sell, set off, ignite, or otherwise cause to explode any firework, except under the immediate supervision of an adult.

Aerial fireworks are not permitted for use or possession by
the public. Photo by Julia Neal

     Hawai‘i Fire Department also asks everyone to do their part to prevent fires and injuries caused by fireworks by having a water hose connected to a water source or a fire extinguisher readily available and wetting down surrounding brush prior to setting off firework if need be. HFD reminds the public that children playing with firework must be under adult supervision at all times as "even the smallest of firework can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries." Fireworks should be set off in a safe area away from dry grass, buildings, vehicles, and flammable materials. Dispose of used firework properly by soaking in water prior to disposal.

     HFD will conduct a collection of un-used and unwanted fireworks following the 4th of July holiday. Anyone interested in disposing of fireworks should call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911. Fireworks are not accepted for drop-off  at local fire stations.

     For more information on the purchasing of firework permits, disposal of fireworks, or tips on the safe use of fireworks, call the Fire Prevention Bureau at 932-2911."

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

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.

UPCOMING

TUESDAY, JUNE 18

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, June 18 (Committees), Wednesday, June 19, (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

After Dark in the Park - Surviving Against the Odds: The Story of the Hawai‘i ‘Amakihi, Tuesday, June 18, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Gabrielle Names, UC Davis PhD student, studying the mystery of how this unique little bird appears to be beating avian malaria, a deadly disease, on Hawaiʻi Island. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

AdvoCATS, Tuesday, June 19, 7a.m.-4:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Free spay/neuter for cats. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, June 19, 12:30-1:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hilinaʻi  Initiavtive Community Meeting happens Wednesday, June 19, 6 p.m., at Volcano School of Arts & Sciences Keakealani campus, second floor at 19-4024 Haunani Rd., in Volcano Village. Facilitated by Bob Agres and Keiko Mercado County of Hawaiʻi Kīlauea Recovery Initiative Community Engagement Team, the goal is to move toward a "comprehensive community resilience plan for upper Puna and Kaʻū." Hilinaʻi Kaʻū, kālele iā Puna; Hilinaʻi Puna, kālele iā Kaʻū: Kaʻū is independent, supported by Puna; Puna is independent, supported by Kaʻū, is the slogan on the announcement.

     Dinner is provided, and attendees are welcome to bring a local, healthy dish to share, if can. To get involved, email resilience@volcanoschol.net.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20
SIGN UP for Nā‘ālehu July 4th Parade, open until Thursday, June 20. Parade and Keiki Fun Day held June 29, 10a.m.-1:30p.m. - see separate event listing. Sponsored by ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872. okaukakou.org

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Dementia Caregiver Boot Camp, Saturday, June 22, 9a.m.-4p.m., Kaʻū Rural Community Health Assoc. in Pāhala. RSVP by June 17. Free. Three workshops, movie, and lunch. Attend one or all segments. Learn more and RSVP at alz.org/Hawaii or 800-272-3900.

A-Mazing Triangles, Bookbinding Workshop with Charlene Asato, Saturday, June 22, 9a.m.-noon, Volcano Art Center. $32/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. See supply list. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Abstract Collaging Workshop with Darcy Gray, Saturday, June 22, 10a.m.-2:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. $85/VAC member, $90/non-member, plus $20 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Limited to 10 adults. See supply list. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily, June 22 through Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Opening Reception, Saturday, June 22, 2-4p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

MONDAY, JUNE 24
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Monday, June 24. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays through July 11; no meal Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou's Annual Nāʻālehu 4th of July Parade and Summer Fun Fest happens Saturday, June 29. The Nā‘ālehu Independence Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji Mission. The parade features floats, Paʻu riders, Kaʻū Coffee Court members, and more.

     The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required.
     To participate in the parade, volunteer, or donate, contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 by Thursday, June 20. okaukakou.org

Full-Time Teaching Assistant Sought by Tūtū & Me to implement curriculum for caregivers and keiki in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool in Kaʻū. Competitive salary and benefits package, including medical, dental, drug, and vision; flexible spending plan; 403b retirement plan; vacation, sick days, and 14 paid days off; and more.
     Minimum requirement is a high school diploma. Early Childhood Education, related coursework, and/or experience working children preferred. For more, visit pidf.org/about/careers. Apply by emailing resume and cover letter to hr@pidfoundation.org or fax to 808-440-6619.

Hi-Employment Seeks Student Employees to work in a macadamia nut orchard on weekends and holidays. Duties include hand-harvesting macadamia nuts, filling and transporting nut bags and buckets, loading 25-plus pound bags into truck beds, and possible clearing of brush and branches. Applicants must be at least 15 years old, have a work permit, two forms of ID, and transportation to "Panaʻewa Stretch." Call for more details, 238-3741, hi-employment.com.

Experience Volcano Festival is still looking for vendors. Booths for the event are $25 per day for Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28. The event is coordinated with the new ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash on the 27th. Apply at experiencevolcano.com/vendor-application.
     Experience Volcano is a group of businesses and residents helping to rebuild the economy of Volcano, following last year's volcanic disaster that shut down Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and drastically reduced the visitor county which is now recovering.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.com

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