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Saturday, March 09, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, March 9, 2019

ʻŌhiʻa lowland wet forest and grasslands are preserved with conservation easements at Honuʻpo mauka.
Photo from Hawaiian Islands Land Trust
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS LAND TRUST has named Laura Kaʻakua president and CEO, with Kawika Burgess moving to the advisory board to head up the organization's development campaign.
     Hawaiian Islands Land Trust has assisted in the protection of 877 acres of grassland and ʻōhiʻa lowland wet
Laura Kaʻakaua, new president and CEO of
Hawaiian Islands Land Trust.
Photo from Hawaiian Islands Land Trust.
forest at Honuʻapo mauka, 211.11 acres of agriculture, wildlife habitat and watershed lands in Nāʻālehu, the Kipuka Mosaic forest canopy over the Taylor, Deemer, Irwin and Jackson lots and homes in Volcano to maintain bird migration corridors, and 184 oceanfront acres at Keopuka in South Kona. Statewide, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust has helped to conserve nearly 18,000 acres.
     Kaʻakua moves from nine years at Trust for Public Land, as Aloha Aina project manager. She holds a law degree William S. Richardson School of Law at University of Hawaiʻi where she has served as lecturer. She also worked as a law clerk for Judge Greg Nakamura, of the Third Circuit Court.
     Hawaiian Islands Land Trust's board chair Johnathan Scheuer said the group is "excited with the level of land conservation experience that she brings," helping to make sure special places on each island are protected for future generations."
     Kaʻakua volunteers for Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana and has served as a committee member of the Access to Justice Commission.
     Lea Hong, state director for Trust for Public Land said, "Laura has shaped and led our Aloha ʻĀina Program, collaborating with Native Hawaiian communities across Hawaiʻi nei to conserve lands that reconnect people to land and their culture. I have no doubt that HILT will benefit from her talents and wish her the best of luck."
     Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, a nonprofit formed in 2011 by the merger of four local land trusts, has conserved nearly 18,000 acres through perpetual conservation easements and fee simple ownership. Edmund C. Olson, founder of Kaʻū Coffee Mill and owner of thousands of acres in Kaʻū, was one of the founders of Hawaiian Islands Land Trust.
     See more at HawaiianIslandsLandTrust.org.

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THE AQUARIUM FISH COLLECTING TRADE DREW MILOLIʻI into statewide publicity this week as a ban on the industry makes its way through the Hawaiʻi legislature. Miloliʻi fisherman Willie Kaupiko told The Honolulu Star Advertiser, "If their kupunas was here, they would get slapped in the head." Kaupiko was referring to aquarium fish collectors, some of them from Miloliʻi.
     The story by Rob Perez quoted aquarium fish harvester Chelsey Lokalia Kuahuia Faavesi, of Miloliʻi, who said, "Fishing is not a hobby. It's our lifestyle." Faavesi told the Advertiser that she "is respectful of the resource, recites a prayer before each trip and seeks permission from the spiritual guardian of an area before she and her fellow divers start collecting... We're gatherers of the sea."
     Faavesi said she has taken a job to supplement aquarium fish collecting, a trade she shares with her father, in order to support her family, with four children. "You're not trying to stop the collecting of fish," she told the Advertiser. "To me, it's like you're trying to take away something that's my birthright. I have every right to gather from this ocean."
Yellow tang, the most collected Hawaiian fish for the aquarium trade.
NOAA photo
     Kaupiko told the Advertiser, "This is all my garden... I'm in the water. How do you say the fishery is sustainable?... When money is involved, that's where you get greed." He told the Advertiser that the aquarium trade impact is not sustainable, that all aquarium trade collection needs to stop.
     Taking fish for the aquarium trade anywhere in Hawaiʻi would be banned by Hawaiʻi state Senate Bill 193. This week, the measure, cosponsored by Sen. Kai Kahele, whose roots are in Miloliʻi, east Kaʻū Sen. Russell Ruderman, and west Kaʻū and Miloliʻi Sen. Dru Kanuha, passed the Senate and a first reading in the state House of Representatives.
     SB193 would prohibit "harvesting aquatic life for commercial aquarium purposes by any means effective 3/1/2024." It would exclude "activities pursuant to special activity permits and aquaculturist licenses."
     The Legislature passed a measure in 2017 that would have prohibited the state from issuing new permits for commercial collection using fine-mesh nets, the primary tool of the trade. Though it passed unanimously in the Senate, and by a two to one margin in the House, Gov. David Ige vetoed the bill, saying science didn't support claims made in the legislation.
West Hawaiʻi waters, including Miloliʻi, have been regulated for decades
through no-take fish replenishment areas and net restrictions.
See the DLNR site for specific rules in each area. DLNR map
     In 1999, no-take, fish replenishment areas were established for the Kona Coast, including Miloliʻi.
     In September, 2017, the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court banned commercial use statewide of fine-mesh nets and stopped issuing new aquarium fish permits or renewals, pending an environmental review. This caused the trade collection numbers to go from about half a million per year to 227,000, though skeptics disagree the numbers are that much lower, according to the Advertiser article.
     In January of 2018, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, which regulates the industry, made the entire west coast of Hawaiʻi Island off-limits for aquarium fish harvesting.
     About half of the aquarium fish harvest occurred in Hawaiʻi Island waters, with most of it along the Kona Coast, says the story.
     DLNR reported that yellow tang, the most collected fish in Hawaiʻi, has increased in population by 65 percent in areas closed to aquarium trade collection, but "has not declined significantly" in areas where collection is allowed, according to the Advertiser story.
     Rene Umburger, who runs For the Fishes, a Maui nonprofit dedicated to enhancing protections for coral reef wildlife, told the Advertiser, "Any activity that causes a drastic decline in abundance cannot be considered sustainable because the original level has not, in fact, been sustained."
     Read the entire bill here. Read the Honolulu Star Advertiser article here.

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THE MISS KAʻŪ COFFEE COURT is announced for the pageant on Saturday, April 27 at Kaʻū District Gym, beginning at 6 p.m.
Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2018 with longtime pageant and Kaʻū Coffee
Festival sponsor Ed Olson. The 2019  pageant will be held on
Saturday, April 27, Kaʻū Gym at 6 p.m. Photo by Julia Neal
     Contenders for Miss Kaʻū Coffee are: Helena Nihipali Sesson of Pāhala, age 17, attending Kaʻū High School, and Trinity Cutting of Nāʻālehu, age 16, attending Haas Indigital school.
     Vying for Miss Kaʻū Coffee Peaberry are: Evalyn Bedsaul, 9, attending Nāʻālehu Elementary; Helen Miranda, 10, attending Pāhala Elementary; Kendall Haddock, 9 attending Nāʻālehu Elementary; and Lilianna Marques , 6, attending Pāhala Elementary.
     Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower contestants are: Kysha Manini-Kaupu, 4, and Adilyn Aetonu, 5, attending Pāhala Elementary.
     Tickets, sold by contestants and their families, are $10 each for anyone from 12 to 55; and $5 for children 5-11 and for senior citizens, 55 and older.
     Pageant Director Trini Marques promises an evening of beauty, talent, poise, confidence, prizes, food, and entertainment during an event sponsored by Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative and Kaʻū Coffee Fest.

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Kaʻū Trojan girls hosted Kohala today, taking on star Kohala pitcher, whose family comes from Kaʻū.
Mikayla Kekoa struck out Kaʻū players and achieved two grand slams when up to bat.
Photo by Julia Neal
KAʻŪ HOSTIED KOHALA TODAY in girls softball. Pitchers were CeAndra Silva-Kamu and Shailani Vierra from the Trojans. Lead pitcher for Kohala was Mikayla Kekoa, whose family is from Kaʻū. She nailed many stike-outs and brought in a grand slam and a three-run homer. Final score was Kohala 13, Kaʻū 2. Kianie Madeiros-Dancel achieved a run batted in and Marilou Manatan hit a single and came home on three errors.

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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
Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule
Baseball:
Sat., March 16, 1 p.m., host Keaʻau
Thu., March 21, 3 p.m., @Waiakea
Sat., March 23, 1 p.m., host Honokaʻa
Thu., March 28, 3 p.m., @Kohala
Sat., March 30, 1 p.m., @Konawaena
Softball:
Mon., March 11, host Kamehameha
Wed., March 13, 5:30 p.m., host Pāhoa
Sat., March 16, 11 a.m., host Keaʻau
Wed., March 20, @Waiakea
Sat., March 23, 11 a.m., host Honokaʻa
Wed., March 27, @Kohala
Sat., March 30, 11 a.m., @Konawaena
Boys Volleyball:
Tue., March 12, 6 p.m., @Makualani, Varsity
Fri., March 15, 6 p.m., host Waiakea
Tue., March 19, 6 p.m., @Kealakehe
Wed., March 27, 6 p.m., host Kohala, Varsity
Fri., March 29, 6 p.m., @HPA
Track:
Sat., March 16, 2 p.m., @Konawaena
Sat., March 23, 9 a.m., @Waiakea
Sat., March 30, 3 p.m., @Keaʻau

JUST ANNOUNCED
KA‘Ū DISTRICT GYM HOSTS A GROUP ART PROJECT, for keiki 5 to 12 years old, on Wednesday, Mar. 27, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the multi-purpose room. Registration is open Monday, Mar. 11, through Monday, Mar. 25. Free.
     For more, contact Recreation Director Nona Makuakane at 928-3102. Ka‘ū District Gym is located on the Ka‘ū High School campus on Kamani Street in Pāhala. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for hours of operation.

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UPCOMING
MONDAY, MARCH 11
Free STD Testing, Monday, March 11 – 2nd Monday, monthly – 9 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Hawai‘i Department of Health. Call for appt. on different day or time. Teenagers 14+ do not need parent/guardian consent. Always confidential. Free condoms and lube. 895-4927

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

La Réunion: Our Sister Park in the Indian Ocean, a special After Dark in the Park presentation, happens Monday, March 11 at 7 p.m. Réunion National Park and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park are World Heritage Sites and became sister parks in 2015. The parks are oceans apart, but share many similarities: active shield volcanoes, endangered species, fascinating biodiversity, and environmental threats. Meet students and educators from La Réunion, who traveled to Hawai‘i Island and are staying in Pāhala and Kīlauea Military Camp.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12
Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, March 12 (Committees), Wednesday, March 13, (Council), Hilo. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Spring Wreath Making - Adults, Tuesday, March 12, 10 a.m. to noon, Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Ages 18+. Register March 4-8. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

C.E.R.T. Discovery Harbour/Nā‘ālehu, Tuesday, March 12, 4 p.m. to 6p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Community Emergency Response Team info and training scenarios. Public welcome. Dina Shisler, dinashisler24@yahoo.com, 410-935-8087

The Wonderful World of Wine and Watercolor, Tuesday, March 12, 4 p.m. to 7p.m., Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $17 supply fee. Enjoy a sampling of several wines from Grapes, Hilo, during class. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

After Dark in the Park: Pahu Manamana o ‘Umi - Ancestral Brilliance, Tuesday, March 12, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Pualani Kanahele of the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation takes audience on a virtual visit to Pahu Manamana o ‘Umi, a stellar instrument positioned 7,752 feet up on the southwest slope of Mauna Loa. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13
Hawai‘i County Council Mtg., Wednesday, March 13, Council, Hilo. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit; Dental, Wednesday, March 13, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Medical, Thursday, March 28, 1-5p.m. Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appt. thecoopercenter.org

Lomilomi Demonstration, Wednesday, March 13, 10 a.m. to noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Michelle Wall-O'Connor demonstrates the spiritual components of lomilomi, massage that incorporates Hawaiian concept of aloha to promote personal harmony. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Spring Flower Collage, Wednesday, March 13, 2:45 p.m. to 3:30p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. For keiki ages 6-12. Register March 4-8. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: St. Patrick's Day Rainbow, Wednesday, March 13, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym. Register keiki ages 5-12 March 4-13. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MARCH 14
Story Time with Auntie Linda from Tūtū and Me, Thursday, March 14, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. Free; includes craft activity. 929-8571

Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, March 14, 6:30p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

FRIDAY, MARCH 15
Final Day to Apply to Kamehameha Schools Summer Kilohana Program, Friday, March 15. Innovative four- and five-week Hawaiian culture-based math and literacy programs. Grade and residency requirements vary by program. ksbe.edu/summer

PATCH Class #110: Understanding Social and Emotional Development of Infants/Toddlers, Friday, March 15, 8 a.m. to 11a.m., PARENTS, Inc. office, Nā‘ālehu. Sponsored by Tūtū and Me. No childcare provided. Register: 238-3472, rhall@patch-hi.org

Forest Restoration Project - Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Friday, March 15, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., RSVP by Monday, March 11. Volunteers age 13+. Patty Kupchak, 352-1402, forest@fhvnp.org, fhvnp.org

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, March 15, 9 a.m. to noon, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

PATCH Class #619: Temperament and Secure Relationships, Friday, March 15, noon to 3p.m., PARENTS, Inc. office, Nā‘ālehu. Sponsored by Tūtū and Me. No childcare provided. Register: 238-3472, rhall@patch-hi.org

Arts and Crafts Activity: Charades, Friday, March 15, 2 p.m. to 3p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12 March 11-15. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

St. Patrick's Day Buffet, Friday, March 15, 5 p.m. to 8p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Corned beef and cabbage, lamb stew, shepherd's pie, and all the fixings. $19.95/adult, $10.95/child, ages 6-11. Irish ale available for purchase from Lava Lounge. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 16
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Community Cleanup, Saturday, March 16, contact in advance for meet-up details. Space may be available; BYO-4WD welcome. Free; donations appreciated. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or call 769-7629.

Kauaha‘ao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 16, 9 a.m. to 2p.m., corner of Hwy 11, Kama‘oa Rd., and Pinao St., Wai‘ōhinu. Vendor application – no hot food or plate lunch – with $10 fee due by Sunday, March 10. Debbie, 928-8039, for application. Church members sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, roast chicken w/gravy bowls, baked goods, produce, and crafts.

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, March 16, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, March 16, 2 p.m. to 3p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

Intimate Acoustic Concert with Rebecca Folsom, Saturday, March 16, 5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Fee tba. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

ONGOING
Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 16, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., just above Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu. Bazaar vendor spaces on the church lawn are $10 for 10' X 10'. Vendors are responsible for bringing all supplies, including electricity. Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and roast chicken with gravy bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts. Submit application with fee by Sunday, March 10; call Debbie or Walter, 928-8039, for application.

Applications for a Job to Help Kids with Healthy Eating and Living in Kaʻū are open through Friday, March 15. Full-time 11.5-month commitment from August 1, 2019 through July 15, 2020, at Pāhala Elementary School. $22,000 living stipend paid bi-weekly; $6,095 AmeriCorps Segal education award upon successful completion of service; student loan deferral or forbearance, if eligible; partial childcare reimbursement, if eligible; health insurance; ongoing training; mentorship; and professional development. Apply at foodcorps.org/apply. See the service member position description for more details. Visit foodcorps.orgFacebook page, or contact seri.niimi-burch@foodcorps.org for more information.

Niuhi-Shark Fine Art Exhibit is open daily through Sunday, March 24 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to hear different perspectives on the life of Kamehameha the Great and experience a visual experience of important events in Kamehameha's life from the perspective of two styles of art. The exhibit and supporting events promise paint, prose, protocol, and conversations providing cultural, historical, and educational experiences, with original paintings by Carl F. K. Pao, paired with selections from the book Kamehameha–The Rise of a King by David Kāwika Eyre, with illustrations by Brook Parker. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

Preschool Opens Doors Applications are open for the 2019-2020 school year. The Department of Human Services encourages families to apply before Friday, March 29. This program is for families seeking aid in paying for preschool. Applications, available at patchhawaii.org, received during this period will be considered for preschool participation during July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. For more information, visit bit.ly/2TolEOm or call 800-746-5620.

Five Scholarships are available from American Association of University Women-Kona: Three $2000 scholarships will go to female college-bound Kaʻū High School and West Hawaiʻi high school students. Applications must be postmarked by Monday, April 1. Two $1,000 scholarships will go to any female high school graduate or older women attending a two-year vocational program leading to a marketable skill at Palamanui Campus. Applications must be postmarked by Wednesday, April 10.  Application packets available at kona-hi.aauw.net. Contact sharonnind@aol.com.

Beginning Farmer Institute Cohort Applications open through Monday, April 15. Free training program which "prepares new producers of any age or operation type for a successful future in agriculture." Applications at nfu.org/education/beginning-farmer-institute.

Kaʻū Coffee Fest invites non-profits, clubs, cooperatives, and businesses to sign up for booths at the 11th annual Kaʻū Coffee Fest Hoʻolauleʻa on Saturday, May 4 at Pāhala Community Center. The all-day event comes with music, hula, coffee tasting, and meeting the famous Kaʻū Coffee farmers. See KauCoffeeFestival.com.
     Booth fees are $100 for food vendors; $60 for non-food items and crafts, including coffee and coffee samples; and $35 for pre-approved information displays. No campaign and other political displays. Fifty percent discounts for non-profit organizations and cooperatives selling food, crafts, and coffee. Vendors must also obtain county vendor permits costing $30 each and a Department of Health permit, if serving food. Call Gail Nagata 933-0918. Apply by Friday, April 26. Application at KauCoffeeFestival.com. Email to biokepamoses@gmail.com; mail to Brenda Iokepa-Moses, P.O. Box 208PāhalaHI 96777; or call 808-731-5409.

Applications for Paid Internship in Kaʻū for Kupu Hawai‘i and The Nature Conservancy are open. Year-long, full-time position in TNC's Hawai‘i Island Terrestrial Program stewards native forest preserves in Ka‘ū and South Kona. $1,600 monthly living allowance, before taxes; a $5,920 education award towards higher education; health care and childcare benefit, if eligible; and receiving an entry-level conservation career experience. Application at kupuhawaii.org/conservation. For more, call The Nature Conservancy, 443-5401, or call Kupu Hawai‘i, 808-735-1221.

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