Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Congratulated by Boys & Girls Club CEO Chad Cabral, members in Ocean View are able to use Dell computers
for homework and other projects in the new program at Ocean View Community Center. See more below.
  Photo from Boys & Girls Club
SPLIT ON WHETHER TO IMPEACH DONALD TRUMP, members of Hawaiʻi's Congressional Delegation put forth their views Tuesday. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who is also running for President, broke with the Hawaiʻi delegation and her Democratic opponents in the presidential race. She told CNN that "It's important that Donald Trump be voted out of office by the American people."
     Gabbard told CNN that impeachment proceedings announced by House of Representatives leader Nancy Pelosi Tuesday, would divide the country. Gabbard said that transcripts alleged to reveal corruption by Trump in dealing with the Ukranian government should be released to the public and studied by Congress, which should make a "decision based on facts."
     Sen. Mazie Hirono issued the following statement: "I commend Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats for opening a formal impeachment inquiry that will lay out for the American people whether Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors.
Sen. Mazie Hirono backs Trump impeachment.
Photo from NPR
     "Here's what we know: He obstructed justice as detailed in the Mueller Report. He has been named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a campaign finance crime. He has been receiving money in violation of the Constitution from foreign governments. He pressured a foreign government to investigate his political rival -- and he may even have threatened to withhold Congressionally-allocated aid money destined for that country to fight Russian aggression. He has stonewalled every effort by Congress to do its job of oversight and investigation, by directing witnesses not to testify in front of Congress, refusing to turn over documents, and asserting privileges that don't exist.
     "From Day 1 of his presidency, Donald Trump has been motivated by two things: protecting himself and making money. Speaker Pelosi is right to hold this dangerous chief executive accountable."
     Hirono first called for the opening of an impeachment inquiry on May 29, following Special Counsel Robert Mueller's press conference at the U.S. Department of Justice, outlining the conclusions of his two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether
the Trump campaign coordinated with those efforts.
     Sen. Brian Schatz issued a statement, accusing Trump of "breaking statutory and constitutional law every day." Schatz charged that Trump "is abusing his inherent power as president with regularity, enthusiasm, and most troublingly, impunity.
     "He and his legal team argue that a sitting president's authorities are so vast that they literally transcend the law. They argue that the Congress has a remedy for this criminality and defiance – the impeachment process. If that is their view, so be it. On behalf of the people who elected us, we must formalize and accelerate the impeachment process so that Congress, by exercising its responsibility under Article 1 of the Constitution, can provide some measure of accountability."
Sen. Brian Schatz said Trump breaks statutory and
constitutional law every day."
Photo from Democracy Now
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TULSI GABBARD, KAʻŪ'S REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS, QUALIFIED FOR THE FOURTH DEBATE among Democrats running for the presidency in 2020. Her campaign made the announcement Tuesday. At least 12 candidates will take the stage in the debate to be hosted by the Democratic National Committee, CNN, and the New York Times. It will be held at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio on Oct. 15 and 16, televised on CNN.
     The poll that qualified Gabbard is the New Hampshire Survey by Monmouth University. Another qualified candidate is a new addition to the official DNC stage. He is Tom Steyer, the advocate for mitigating Climate Change, which he calls an immediate crisis for the human race. The other candidates were all in the first three debates, with the exception of Gabbard, who spoke out in the first two, but missed the DNC's polling requirements for the third debate.
      Candidates already qualified  for the fourth debate are: Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warrren, Corey Booker, Beto O'Rourke, Andrew Yang, Amy Klobuchar, Julian Castro, Seyer, and Gabbard. The deadline to qualify is Oct. 1.
     To join in the fifth debate in November, Gabbard must confirm donations from at least 165,000 people and 3 percent support from four qualifying national or early-state polls, or 5 percent from two polls in the states with early voting: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. 
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Everyone's busy after school at the Boys & Girls Club in Ocean View.
Photo from Boys & Girls Club
THE OCEAN VIEW BOYS & GIRLS CLUB PROGRAM is becoming a great success, says Chad Cabral, who visited the site today. "Keeping kids supported and safe, the soul continues to be fulfilled by the smiles and appreciation of our Ocean View youth," were his words after leaving the Ocean View Community Center location.
     Cabral, Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island, said, "An Ocean View parent approached me this evening while picking up his children and shared how thankful he was for this offering. He shared that, as a child, he attended our Boys & Girl's Club Hilo program and it really meant a lot to him growing up. He sees the same joy in his kids while they are at the program" in Ocean View.
     Cabral noted that "after homework is pau, it's snacks and fun activities before staff transport the kids home for the evening." He said he wants to thank the community and partners "for making all this happen, for the kids who need us most." The program is geared for up to 40 children.

A sportive afternoon at the new Boys & Girls Club today in Ocean View.
Photo from Boys & Girls Club.
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WHERE ELSE CAN KAʻŪ COFFEE BECOME FAMOUS? With National Coffee Day coming up on Sunday, Sept. 29, and the U.S. coffee industry valued at $48 billion, the personal-finance website WalletHub Tuesday released its report on 2019's Best Coffee Cities in America, as well as accompanying videos, along with its list of top coffee deals and discounts offered by retailers during the national coffee celebration.
     To determine the best local coffee scenes in America, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 14 key indicators of a strong coffee culture. The data set ranges from coffee shops, coffee houses, and cafés per capita to average price per pack of coffee. The top 20 cities for coffee lovers are: Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC, Miami, San Dingo, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando, Minneapolis, Oakland, Tampa, Pittsburgh, and Austin.
     The study also found that Honolulu is the city with the highest average price for a pack of coffee. Houston has the lowest average price for a pack of coffee, $3.51, which is 2.3 times lower than in Honolulu, at $8.20. Fremont, California, has the highest average annual spending on coffee per household, $221.21, which is 3.4 times higher than in Cleveland, the city with the lowest, at $64.53.
Harvest season is on at Kaʻū Coffee Mill.
See kaucoffeemill.com.
     Gilbert, Arizona, has the highest share of households that own a single-cup/pod-brewing coffee maker, 26.08 percent, which is 2.9 times higher than in Detroit, the city with the lowest at 9.11 percent.
     New York has the most coffee shops, coffee houses, and cafés (per square foot of population), 1.2212, which is 19.3 times more than in Laredo, Texas, the city with the fewest at 0.0633.
     Portland, Oregon, has the most coffee and tea manufacturers (per square foot of population), 0.0207, which is 41.4 times more than in Riverside and San Bernardino, California, the cities with the fewest at 0.0005. To view the full report and your city's rank, visit wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-coffee-lovers/23739/.
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SPEAK OUT ON THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN in Volcano on Monday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Cooper Center in Volcano Village. Specific topics "most relevant to the region" from the Draft General Plan will be discussed. Hosted by Hawaiʻi Planning Department, the public is urged to come comment. Questions? Call 961-8228, or see hiplanningdept.com/general-plan.
     Public comment is open through Thursday, Oct. 31, at GeneralPlan@hawaiicounty.gov, (808) 961-8288, or Planning Department, County of Hawai‘i, 101 Pauahi St. Suite 3HiloHI96720.


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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
2019 Kaʻū High School Fall Athletics Schedule
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates

Football, Division II:
Thu., Oct. 3, 7 p.m. Kamehameha hosts Kaʻū
Sat., Oct. 12, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts HPA
Sat., Oct. 19, 11 a.m., Kaʻū hosts Pāhoa
Sat., Oct. 26, 1 p.m., Kohala hosts Kaʻū
Fri. and Sat., Nov. 1 and 2, Div II BIIF Championship
Fri. and Sat., Nov. 15 and 16, HHSAA Div II Semifinals
Fri., Nov. 29, HHSAA Div II Championship

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Fri., Sept. 27, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts HPA
Wed., Oct. 2, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Pāhoa
Fri., Oct. 4, 6 p.m., Parker hosts Kaʻū
Tue., Oct. 8, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Ehunui
Thu., Oct. 10, 6 p.m., Konawaena hosts Kaʻū
Mon., Oct. 14, 6 p.m., BIIF Div II First Round at Keaʻau
Tue., Oct. 15, 2:30 p.m., BIIF Div II Semifinals at Keaʻau
Wed., Oct. 16, 4 p.m., BIIF Div II Finals at Keaʻau
Wed.-Sat., Oct. 23-26, HHSAA DII Tournament, Oʻahu

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See monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

UPCOMING
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wednesday, Sept. 25 – last Wednesday, monthly – 9-11a.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Seniors 60 years and older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i – referral required, 961-8626, for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

Guided Hike On A 60 Year Old Lava Lake, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 10a.m.-2p.m.Kīlauea Iki Overlook, HVNP. Organized by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderate to challenging 2.4 mile (one way) hike. $80/person. Register online. Park entrance fees may apply. 985-7373, admin@fhvnp.orgfhvnp.org

Pū‘ohe Demonstration, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Make a Hawaiian bamboo trumpet. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

THURSDAY, SEPT. 26
Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Sept. 26, 11a.m.-noon, multipurpose room, Ka‘ū District Gym, Pāhala.

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, Sept. 26, 3-4p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. Provides local forum for community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues to benefit students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, Sept. 26, 4-6p.m.Cooper CenterVolcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Additional packaged goods to take home for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
Coffee Talk at Kahuku, Friday, Sept. 27, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, SEPT. 28
Fee-Free Day: National Public Lands Day, Saturday, Sept. 28. Park entrance is free. neefusa.org

National Public Lands Day Volunteering, Saturday, Sept. 28, 8:45a.m.-noon, meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools provided. Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent required for under 18. No advance registration required. Volunteers receive pass to return and enjoy park fee-free another day. No entrance fees. nps.gov/havo

Nature & Culture, Saturday, Sept. 28, 9:30-11:30a.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, moderate hike, approx. 2 miles. nps.gov/havo

SUNDAY, SEPT. 29
Realms and Divisions, Sunday, Sept. 29, 9:30-11:30a.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, moderately difficult, two-mile, hike. Bring snack. nps.gov/havo

ONGOING
Nationwide 2019 Congressional App Challenge submissions from middle and high schoolers are open through Friday, Nov. 1. Submit to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, CongressionalAppChallenge.us, apps "designed to promote innovation and engagement in computer science." All skill levels, all devices and platforms, and all programming languages, accepted.

Tiny Treasure Invitational Exhibit at Volcano Art Center gallery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park runs through Sunday, Nov. 3. Open to the public, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Free; Park entrance fees apply. The exhibition also celebrates VAC's 45th anniversary, Oct. 21.
     Artists include Daniel Rokovitz, Stone O'Daugherty, Kristin Mitsu Shiga, Pat Pearlman, and Amy Flanders, Karen and Mark Stebbins. Also on display, small works from the annual Volcano Art Collaboration from June, featuring Rose Adare, Nash Adams-Pruitt, Lisa Louise Adams, Ed Clapp, Amy Flanders, Bill Hamilton, Liz Miller, Joe Laceby, and Erik Wold. volcanoartcenter.org

Tutoring for Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary is Available to All Students of the school, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Grades Kindergarten-2nd will be in room 3; grades 3-6 will be in room 6 on Mondays, room 11 on Tuesdays through Thursdays; middle school students, will be in building Q; and high school students will be in room M-101 in the science building. Contact khpes.org or 808-313-4100 for more.

Vendor Booth Space is Available for the Kamahalo Craft Fair. The 12th annual event will be held Thanksgiving weekend, Friday, Nov. 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cooper Center. Booths are open for crafters with quality homemade and homegrown products. Food vendors must prepare all food items in a certified kitchen and must have a Department of Health permit displayed prominently at their booth. Application online at thecoopercenter.org. Direct questions to 936-9705 or kilaueatutu@gmail.com.

Girls Exploring Math and Science Registration is open to Kaʻū students The annual event for fifth graders will be held on Dec. 10 at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. The mission of the American Association of University Women is to advance equity for women and girls though advocacy, education, and research.
     "First Come, First Served" registration forms were mailed to all West Hawaiʻi and Kaʻū schools on Sept. 9. Registration fee is $20 and scholarships are available. No girl will be turned away because of financial need. Once the 336 available spots are filled, no registrations will be accepted.
     All fifth grade girls residing in the West Hawaiʻi School complex and Kaʻū who attend public, private, or home schools are welcome. Sponsorship of girls by individuals or businesses will be accepted. For more information about GEMS, to volunteer or sponsor a girl, or to request a registration packet, contact Cindy Armer, GEMS chairperson at cbarmer@hotmail.com or 808-896-7180. Applications are also available at Kona-hi.aauw.net.

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