Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, August 7, 2019

The state Board of Land & Natural Resources is looking for new members to oversee state owned lands, including all
the light green land shown on the ownership map above. Most Kaʻū state land is comprised of pristine native forests.
The darker green is Hawaiian Home lands, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is in light blue, and Kamehameha Schools
is in dark blue. The Nature Conservancy is in pink. Olson Trust is in darker yellow.
Map from State of Hawaiʻi

BOARD OF LAND & NATURAL RESOURCES NOMINEES, TO OVERSEE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES IN KAʻŪ AND BEYOND, are being recruited by Gov. David Ige. He issued a call for suggestions today and said he is looking for qualified and dedicated people "with balanced and inclusive perspectives, committed to the conservation and protection and sustainable use of Hawai‘i's natural and cultural resources that are the public trust responsibilities" of the state Department of Land & Natural Resources.

     The DLNR, overseen by the Board of Land & Natural Resources, manages public lands under its jurisdiction, forestry and wildlife, aquatic resources, state parks, boating and ocean recreation, historic preservation, and conservation and coastal lands.
     These are volunteer board positions that require attendance at BLNR meetings on O‘ahu twice a month and more often as needed.
     BLNR members are nominated and, by and with the advice and consent of the state Senate, appointed by the governor, for a term of four years. At twice monthly meetings, the BLNR reviews and takes action on departmental submittals, including land leases and conservation district use applications. Chairing the BLNR is the DLNR department head, Suzanne Case, formerly head of The Nature Conservancy in Hawaiʻi. She led much preservation work to conserve native forests in Kaʻū.
     Nominees are required to provide publicly viewable financial disclosure information prior to appointment to the BLNR. For further information about the responsibilities of a BLNR member, please refer to Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 171-4. For more information and to submit nominations, visit boards.hawaii.gov.

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CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KAʻŪ, Kanani aʻo Kaʻū, on August 17 at Pāhala Community Center, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Organizers say there will be history, food, and music. General admission is $20; kūpuna are $10; keiki ages 6 to 17 are $8; keiki 5 and under are free.

     To find out more, email hawaiiancivicclubkau@gmail.com or call 808-747-0197.

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A NATIONAL BAN ON CHLORPYRIFOS pesticide was urged this week by Sen. Mazie Hirono and 14 of her U.S. Senate colleagues. They sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler, asking him to reconsider the decision not to ban the pesticide. A release from Hirono states it is linked to brain damage in children and known to cause serious harm to human health. The Senators ask the EPA to ban Chlorpyrifos immediately in "the interest of protecting public health."

     Last year – due to legislation introduced by east Kaʻū's Sen. Russell Ruderman and now-Lt. Gov. Josh Green, a physician who was west Kaʻū's senator at the time, and west Kaʻū's state Rep., physician Richard Creagan – Hawaiʻi became the first state to pass a law banning Chlorpyrifos. At the national level, Kaʻū's legislators Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have also thrown their support behind banning the pesticide.
     Per FactCheck.org, Chlorpyrifos, first registered as an insecticide in 1965, is the most used conventional insecticide in the U.S. Roughly 6 million pounds was used on 10 million acres between 2009 and 2013. Humans can be exposed to Chlorpyrifos by ingesting food, inhaling it, and through the skin. While it has rarely been found in drinking water and outdoor air, it can be carried long distances in the air. It is toxic to birds, and extremely toxic to fish and non-target insects, such as bees.
     Chlorpyrifos toxicity leads to over-stimulation of the nervous system, similarly to Sarin gas. Symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, and confusion. High doses can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Extremely high doses can lead to death.
     Late filmmaker and former Pāhala resident Danny Miller took up the issue in the award winning film Poisoning Paradise, narrated by Kaʻū natives Demetrius Oliveira and Alika Atay and co-produced by Teresa Tico.

Made with the assistance of the writing, directing, and filming talents of producer Teresa Tico and late filmmaker and former Pāhala resident Danny Miller, Poisoning Paradise takes up the issue of pesticides in the Hawaiʻi environment. 
One of its narrators is Pāhala resident Demetrius Oliveira. The film has won awards at film festivals internationally. 
See poisoningparadise.com.

     From the letter: "The EPA has repeatedly found that Chlorpyrifos harms children's brains at exposures far lower than what the EPA allows." The Senators assert the EPA's refusal to ban the pesticide is "because the agency is currently unable to pinpoint the precise exposures that cause this harm." They also assert that the EPA is not taking public input into account to protect public health.
     The Senators state that Chlorpyrifos "threatens agricultural workers" who are exposed from mixing, handling, and applying the pesticide, and being in recently sprayed fields. "Chlorpyrifos is one of the pesticides most often linked to acute pesticide poisonings… This is significant given widespread under-reporting of pesticide poisonings due to such factors as inadequate reporting systems, fear of retaliation from employers, and reluctance to seek medical treatment."
     The EPA's decision, say the Senators, to "reject the petition to ban Chlorpyrifos… simply makes no sense from a public health or legal perspective." They assert the EPA is resisting "taking action that would protect children's brains. If you fail to reverse this decision, more children, farmworkers, and American families will be exposed to this pesticide and they will suffer as a result," the Senators concluded.
     The full text of the letter is available here.

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PLAN B, TO BUILD THE THIRTY METER TELESCOPE IN THE CANARY ISLANDS, instead of Maunakea, receives support from scientists in Spain and some opposition from environmental groups there. When TMT submitted its back-up building permit request for siting TMT on Palama Island in the Canaries, Astrophysics Institute Director Rafael Rebolo told the Associated Press that Spanish officials solidly back the TMT if the project "needs us." TMT executive director Ed Stone said the preferred site remains Maunakea, with plans for the alternative site going through negotiations since 2016 with a building permit requested more recently.

Message from County of Hawaiʻi Planning Department

     Ben Magec, of Ecologistas en Acción, the federation of environmental associations of the Canary Islands, issued a press release. He said the organization wants to show "solidarity and empathy with the social movement that protects Mauna Kea, and we express our respect for the Kahunas. Their determination inspires us."

     Said Magec, the island of La Palma and TMT's 'plan B' site has a similar surface area to Molokaʻi. "The development of astronomical infrastructures has been done without respect for the people and for the natural and cultural values. It has cost us a notable part of our nature and we have lost archaeological sites that were very important for the understanding of the culture of our aboriginal ancestors."

     Magec said the municipality of Garafía already hosts 14 telescopes, with 20 more projected. He said it is the "poorest municipality in the Canary Islands. They have never received a financial compensation for the use of their land. That is why the struggle for dignity that is being fought in Hawaiʻi is not strange to us."
      Magec said the backup site on La Palma is used by the pro TMT community to put pressure on Hawaiian authorities, but "that has now turned against them when used by TMT opponents. It has been assumed that the supposed arrival of the TMT on the Canary Islands will not be hindered by administrative or judicial procedures and that the people and local organizations will not oppose it."

     Magec said that in the Canary Islands, "the feeling is growing that our mountain has already exceeded the capacity to house more telescopes and that we have already paid a high price for astronomical science. We are strongly opposing a project that will have a very negative impact on a unique natural area of high value that is part of the European Natura 2000 network, one of the world's largest networks of protected natural areas."

     He said a suit was filed against the Spanish government's agreement to lease La Palama land to TMT for $1,250 annually. A Canary Islands Superior Court judge revoked the concession "because of violations of European environmental laws and a wrong estimation of the value of the concession. This means they will have to start the procedure from the beginning, causing a substantial delay."

Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, located in the municipality of Garafía on the island of La Palma in the 

Canary Islands. Photo from Wikipedia

     Said Magec, "If they insist in getting authorisation to build the TMT in this legally protected area on La Palma, each step will lead to additional legal action on our part. We will not hesitate to take it to the Supreme Court of Spain because we are convinced that, in relation to the TMT, public administrations are making decisions that are in conflict with Spanish and European Laws. We have no less reason or less determination than the Hawaiian TMT opponents.

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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.

2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through August
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates; Bowling TBA.

Football, Division II:
Sat., Aug. 24, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Tue., Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Hilo
Fri., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts St. Joseph
Wed., Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kohala

Cross Country:

Sat., Aug. 31, 10 a.m., @Christian Liberty

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

THURSDAY, AUG. 8

Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, Aug. 8, 6:30p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkeley Yoshida, 747-0197

Peter Lee & the Road Ahead, Thursday, Aug. 8, 7-8:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Martha Hoverson discusses the role that Peter Lee, an immigrant from Norway, played in the early development of tourism in Hawai‘i. Free; $5 donation to VAC suggested. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Registration Open: Watercolor Art, Thursday, Aug. 8-14, Ka‘ū District Gym multipurpose room. Program for grades K-8 takes place Wednesday, Aug. 14, 3:30-5p.m. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

FRIDAY, AUG. 9

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, Aug. 9, 9a.m.-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Private Excursion: Trail Less Traveled, Friday, Aug. 9, 10a.m.-noon, Devastation Trail Parking Lot, HVNP. Moderate 2 mile hike. $40/person. Park entrance fees may apply. Organized by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 985-7373, fhvnp.org

Community Dance, Friday, Aug. 9, 7-10p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Minors allowed with supervision only. Alcohol-free event. Variety of music. Snacks provided; additional pūpū welcome. Free. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

SATURDAY, AUG. 10

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, Aug. 10, 8-11a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Exhibit - Nani Ka ‘Ikena by Photographer Jesse Tunison, Aug. 10-Sept. 15, daily 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Opening reception Saturday, Aug. 10, 5-7p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Ti Leaf Lei Making Workshop with Jelena Clay, Saturday, Aug. 10, 9a.m.-12:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Learn how to make basic ti rope, twist a ti leaf rose, and add ti leaf inserts. Class fee is $10/VAC member, $15/non-member. Bring 15-20 ti leaves - or $5 supply fee. Pre-registration required. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Saturday, Aug. 10, meet 9:30a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. Bring a water bottle, lunch, closed toed shoes, long sleeved t-shirt, and pants. Tools, gloves, water, and light refreshments provided. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Hi‘iaka & Pele, Sat., Aug. 10, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/havo

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Shrines with Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, Aug. 10, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. All art supplies provided; returning tanglers encouraged to bring favorite supplies. No experience necessary. Potluck. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Jazz in the Forest: A Samba Trip to Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 10, 5:30-7:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Jean Pierre and the Jazztones with Sarah Bethany. Tickets, $20/VAC member, $25/non-member, available for purchase online. Beer, wine, and pūpū available for purchase at event. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Soul Town band performance, Saturday, Aug. 10, 7-10p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp Lava Lounge. $5 cover charge. Open to all patrons, and has certain Terms of Service. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

SUNDAY, AUG. 11

People and Land of Kahuku, Sun., Aug. 11, 9:30-11:30a.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, moderate, 2.5 mile hike over rugged terrain. nps.gov/havo

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, Aug. 11 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3-5p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

MONDAY, AUG. 12

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26, 1p.m., contact for location. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

TUESDAY, AUG. 13

Virtual Advisory Council Mtg. for Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Tuesday, August 13, 9a.m.-1p.m. Open to the public. Updates on education and outreach, resource protection, science, and Navy research. Public comment begins at 12:20 p.m. Join audio conference line at 1-866-813-9056, passcode: 1392550#. Visual presentation via Blue Jeans: https://bluejeans.com/986204292, meeting ID: 986 204 292. More info or mtg. agenda, contact Cindy Among-Serrao, 808-725-5923 or Cindy.Among-Serrao@noaa.gov. hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov,
facebook.com/hawaiihumpbackwhale, sanctuaries.noaa.
gov, dlnr.hawaii.gov

Registration Open: Butterfly Magnets Craft, Tuesday, Aug. 13-19, Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Program for ages 6-12 takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 12:45-3:30p.m. Free. 939-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14

Lā‘āu Lāpa‘au Demonstration, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Hawaiian herbal medicine practitioner Ka‘ohu Monfort demonstrates. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

ONGOING

Volcano Winery's Annual Fundraising Harvest Festival Tickets are on sale at volcanowinery.com or (808) 967-7772. Proceeds benefit Volcano School of Arts & Sciences; last year's event sold out. This sixth festive evening of live music, food, wines and craft beers under the stars happens Sunday, Sept. 8, 4-7p.m. The $50 per person tickets include live music entertainment by Young Brothers; delicious food and drink from local restaurants; award-winning wines and teas from the Volcano Winery; tours of the vineyards and a huge raffle.

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., Saturday, 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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