Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, May 4, 2019

Kaʻū Coffee farmers joined in a coffee picking contest today at the 11th annual Kaū Coffee festival, showing off 

sorting skills. See more photos and info on tomorrow's last Festival event, below. See a full rundown on Kaʻū 

Coffee Fest on tomorrow's Kaʻū News Briefs. Photo by Julia Neal

GOV. DAVID IGE IS CONSIDERING SIGNING, VETOING, OR LETTING BILLS PASS WITHOUT HIS SIGNATURE, following the conclusion of the 2019 Hawaiʻi Legislature this week. Some bills would affect Kaʻū directly. State revenues dropped severely this year, but some critical programs would receive funding if Ige approves them. Areas impacted by these legislative measures would include disaster relief, community health, environmental protection, economic development, and public safety:

     Disaster Relief

     House Bill 1180 HD1 would provide $60 million in relief, recovery, mitigation, and remediation activities for Hawaiʻi County following the Kīlauea eruption of 2018. This would allow the county to cover its share of the overall disaster relief effort. Under the county's agreement with the federal government, in addition to this funding, 75 percent of the total relief will be further provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. These funds will provide critical support for an overarching county-state-federal partnership to assist thousands of families as they recover from last year's devastating lava flow.
     House Bill 993 HD2 SD1 CD1 would improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and capabilities of the State Emergency Management Program. This would increase the amount of state funds which can be expended for immediate relief from $5 million to $10 milion.

     Community Health

     House Bill 465 HD1 SD2 would provide $4,145,695 of funding for the Kūpuna Care program. This program assists frail adults age 60 and older who require assistance to perform some of the basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Core services of Kūpuna Care include: personal care, chores, home delivered meals, adult day care, case management, transportation, and attendant care.

Sen. Dru Kanuha, pictured with Miss Kaʻū Coffee Helena Nihipali Sesson, 

wrapped the 2019 state legislature this week, and said he will soon 

provide a rundown on Kaʻū measures. Photo by Julia Neal

     Environmental Protection

     Senate Bill 464 SD2 would authorize a property owner or agent to enter adjacent property with Albizia trees under certain conditions, including consulting with a tree arborist and providing written notice, to control Albizia trees. The invasive species often becomes hazardous during tropical storms.
     Economic Development

     Senate Bill 1326 SD1 would increase estate taxes to 20 percent for Hawaiʻi net taxable estates valued at over $10 million. This increase will provide critical revenues to fund education, environmental mitigation, infrastructure improvement, and social programs.

     Public Safety

     House Bill 757 HD1 SD1 CD1 would require the State and County departments of transportation to adopt a "Vision Zero" plan, which lays out policies to prevent and eliminate traffic fatalities. During the last decade, Hawaiʻi has been above the national average for alcohol impaired driving fatalities. The ultimate goal of this federally endorsed and researched strategy is to reduce traffic fatalities in the county to zero.
     House Bill 1552 HD2 SD2 CD1 would establish the Hawaiʻi Correctional Oversight Commission. This commission would be tasked with overseeing the state's correctional system and facilitating its transition to an increasingly rehabilitative and therapeutic model. This is a major step in criminal justice reform to implement evidence-based corrections policies and reduce recidivism.
     Click here to see important legislative measures being considered by the governor. Click here to contact Ige to let him know thoughts on legislative measures pending his action. Click here to track specific legislative measures.

     See more on bills going before the governor on Friday and Thursday's Kaʻū News Briefs.

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PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON MAUNA KEA ADMINISTRATION is sought by University of Hawaiʻi. UH is asking for comments on the latest draft of the proposed administrative rules to govern public and commercial activities on UH-managed lands on Mauna Kea.

     The university has received hundreds of written and oral comments and suggestions during the formal and informal processes to date, and this input significantly shaped the latest draft. The public is strongly encouraged to continue to participate in the process.

     See hawaii.edu/offices/bor/adminrules/proposed.html, select Proposed for the rules.

     Submit data, views, or arguments, orally or in writing by Friday, June 7: by mail to UH System of Government Relations Office, UH_Mānoa, 2442 Campus Rd., Admin. Svcs. Bldg. 1, Rm. 101, Honolulu, HI, 96822; online to uhhar@hawaii.edu; or at a public hearing, Tuesday, June 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Waiākea Elementary School, 180 W. Puainako Street, Hilo or Wednesday, June 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School, 68-1730 Hoʻoko Street, Waikoloa.

Mauna Kea, in the shadow of Mauna Loa. Photo from UH

     This second round of public hearings is the latest step in the development of the rules. Following initial public outreach and consultations, the first round of four public hearings was held in September, 2018. A revised draft was prepared based on the comments and concerns received during those public hearings. That revised draft was then shared with stakeholder groups and the public during a three-month, informal outreach process that started in January. The current draft of the rules includes revisions based on comments received during this informal outreach process. On April 18, the UH Board of Regents approved having a second round of public hearings on this version.

     Based on this round of formal public hearings, the rules may be further refined and brought back before the UH regents in a publicly noticed meeting currently anticipated for July 18. Then, UH regents would have a range of possible actions including: approve the rules provided there are no substantial changes; request a third round of formal public hearings on new draft rules that are substantially changed from the current draft; or defer decision making. Further public testimony will be accepted at that meeting. If approved by the regents, the rules will proceed through the remainder of the administrative rules process to the governor for final review and approval.

Kimo sings with Braddah Ben, center, whose wife of 30 years offers hula. 

Photo by Julia Neal

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KAʻŪ COFFEE COLLEGE closes out the 2019 Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Sunday, May 5, at Pāhala Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon. Coffee's leading professionals from around the globe and industry experts come to Kaʻū Coffee College to interface with local growers and make valuable connections. Coffee College will feature a host of educational opportunities for island coffee farmers, where coffee farmers and enthusiasts can learn, share, and network.

     The College offers these presentations: Increasing Coffee Production in Kaʻū, from Andrea Kawabata, an assistant agent for coffee and orchard crops with UH's CTAHR; A Rapid Visual Estimation of Coffee Yield in Hawaiʻi, from Dr. Adel Youkhana, a Ph.D. researcher and lecturer in the Natural Resources and Environmental Management department at UH-Mānoa; Learn how to process distinctive coffee with added yeast strains from Brittany Horn, owner and founder of Pacific Coffee Research; Pesticide Safety Training, from Cal Westergard, an environmental health specialist with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Branch.

     Kaʻū Coffee College is free and open to coffee farmers to coffee enthusiasts. See KauCoffeeFestival.com.

Lady in red dances for Bula Akamu. Photo by Julia Neal

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A WILDFIRE DATA WEB APPLICATION is available from Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization. The HWMO Webapp visualizes wildfire data across Hawaiʻi. It has four types of data: fire history, community hazard assessments, community input information, and census data.
     Niklas Lollo and Evangeline McGlynn, PhD candidates at the University of California, Berkeley, developed the app in conjunction with Data Sciences for the 21st Century.
     There will be a couple of opportunities to get involved with wildfire management in Kaʻū on May 10 and 11. HWMO is teaming up with Nā Mamo O Kāwā for Ready, Set, Go! Wildfire Preparedness Workshop, Friday, May 10, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation Cottage, 96-3208 Maile St., and Nā Mamo O Kāwā Community Wildfire Preparedness Day, Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., meet at the northern entrance to Kāwā. RSVP by e-mail, jakau@nmok.org.

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.

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.

Kaʻū Trojans Spring Sports Schedule

Baseball:

Wed.-Sat., May 8-11, HHSAA

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

SUNDAY, MAY 5
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival: Ka‘ū Coffee College, Sunday, May 5, 9 a.m. – noon, Pāhala Community Center. Coffee industry professionals come to Ka‘ū to share their knowledge with coffee growers and enthusiasts. Free; donations welcome. kaucoffeefestival.com

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sunday, May 5 – 1st Sunday, monthly – noon – 2 p.m., Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY-THURSDAY, MAY 6-9
Summer Fun Registration, Monday-Thursday, May 6-9, 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., at Nā‘ālehu Community Center and at Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Program, for keiki completing grade K-6, runs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., June 12-July 19. $40 fee. $50 portion of registration fee funded by Councilwoman Maile David. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

MONDAY, MAY 6

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Department Mtg., Monday, May 6, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, MAY 7
Family Engagement Night, Tuesday, May 7, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Mtg., Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Pāhala Community Center.

Hawai‘i County Council Mtgs., Tuesday, May 7 (Committees), Wednesday, May 8 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit. Dental, Wednesday, May 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Medical, Thursday, May 30, 1 – 5 p.m. Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appt. thecoopercenter.org

Kākou, Wednesday, May 8, 10 a.m. – noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Author and ethnographer, P.F. "Ski" Kwiatkowski, speaks about Hawaiian kākau – tattoos – their origins and counterparts in other aspects of Hawaiian crafts. Displaying collection of tattoo needles and the materials that are used in creating the needles, the ink and the tattoos themselves. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Keepsake, Wednesday, May 8, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., multi-purpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala. Register keiki grades K-6, May 2-7. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

THURSDAY, MAY 9
Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, May 9, 6:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

After Dark in the Park – The Road to Recovery: A Year Later, Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park managers will present a community update about the challenges and successes of 2018, and how staff is working hard to open more areas. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, May 10, 9 a.m. – noon, Ocean View Community Center. Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

Arts and Crafts Activity: Mother's Day Card, Friday, May 10, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, May 1-8. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

ReadySetGo! Wildfire Preparedness Workshop, Friday, May 10, 5:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. Educational, free and family-friendly. Hawai‘i Wildfire Management Organization. Pablo Akira Meimler at pablo@hawaiiwildfire.org. hawaiiwildfire.org, or 808-885-0900

Light, Sound & Spirit by Ken Goodrich of Hawai‘i Photo Retreat, Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Talk and presentation of seven videos synthesizing music and projected imagery. Free, $5 donation suggested. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Community Dance, Friday, May 10, 7 p.m. – 10 p.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, MAY 11

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

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, Saturday, May 11-June 16, daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Opening reception Saturday, May 11, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day – Wildfire Preparedness, Saturday, May 11, meet 9:30 a.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

Zentangle Inspired Labyrinth Art with Lois and Earl Stokes, Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no prior experience necessary. Supplies provided. Students invited to bring snack to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

ONGOING

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 bag 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.

Exhibit: On Sacred Ground by Dino Morrow is open daily through Sunday, May 5 at Volcano Art Center Gallery. The public is invited to see documentary and protrait photography of Hula Arts at the Kīlauea Program. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more information.

Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade happens Saturday, June 29 at 11 a.m. The parade route begins at the Nāʻālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nāʻālehu Hongwanji Mission. To participate, call Debra McIntosh, 929-9872.

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.