Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022

Humpback Whale Season Begins

The first whales have been seen in Kaʻū waters, with reports including them breaching off Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. The whales come from the north to give birth, nurse their calves and breed before returning to waters off Alaska and western Canada. The season lasts into Spring, with Punalu'u and South Point being two of the best viewing points in Kaʻū.

 Photo from NOAA

HAWAI'I TOURISM AUTHORITY IS WEIGHING IN ON CONCERN ABOUT A POSSIBLE

ERUPTION from Mauna Loa on this island. A message this week from HTA says that "Hawai‘i is a dynamic place with ever-changing landscapes and natural environments. On Hawai‘i Island, we are continuing to monitor the recent seismic activity occurring at Maunaloa.
    “Maunaloa volcano is not erupting at this time, and recent news of the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring Maunaloa is no reason for travelers to alter their travel plans to Hawaiʻi Island or any of the Hawaiian Islands at this time.” 

    In the meantime, Hawai'i Civil Defense and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory plan a meeting in Kealakekua this Saturday for the public, much like the ones just held in Pāhala and Ocean View, focusing on recent seismic activity and preparedness. It's at Konawaena Elementary at noon.

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PILI GRASS IS THE FEATURED PLANT FOR NOVEMBER in the The Kaʻū Calendar's monthly newspaper column Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū, written by Jodie Rosam with art by Joan Yoshioka. Read about pili's moʻolelo (stories), uses, preferred habitats, and opportunities to adopt for stewardship. This column seeks to encourage making new plant friends and reuniting with others.

Pili Grass, a native of Ka'u.
Art by Joan Yoshioka

    Description: Pili (Heteropogon contortus) is the column's first featured grass. Pili is in the family Poaceae, and is indigenous to Hawaiʻi. Pili is a perennial (lives more than two years) grass that grows in clumps approximately 10” in diameter and up to 3’ tall, and has thick blue-green leaf blades that smell sweet when crushed. The flowers form distinct seeds which develop a dark awn (bristle) at one end and a sharp spike at the other. Pili means to cling, stick, or adhere. As the seeds form, the tips of the blades bend at an angle, and the seeds stick to one another in a dense cluster (and will also stick to your socks or your pet’s fur). Fun fact: the latin name contortus refers to how the seeds contort when wet to help them burrow into the soil. The next time you see some pili seeds, pick them and place them into a shallow bowl of water and watch them do the pili dance!
    Uses: Pili was (and can still be) used for thatching houses, and is favored because it adds a sweet smell to the hale pili (house of pili). To thatch, pili is harvested by the bundle and the roots and flower spikes are removed, then the leaf blades are fastened together in bundles using twine or fiber from ʻahuʻawa (a native coastal

Pili Inflorescence.
Art by Joan Yoshioka

sedge), ʻukiʻuki (a native forest lily), or ʻieʻie (a native vine). Thatching begins from the bottom of the hale (house) and moves upwards with the roof to be the last section completed. Pili can also be used on hula kuahu (altars) to invoke knowledge that sticks to the mind and be retained. Additionally, a black dye can be made from the charcoaled leaf blades. Ecologically, pili was (and still is) an important habitat for native land snails.
    Habitat: Pili grasslands likely covered the leeward coastal lowlands and hillsides of all of the main Hawaiian islands, though it has been increasingly displaced by invasive grasses (such as fountain grass). It is most commonly found at elevations below 3,000 feet, receiving 0-50” of rainfall annually. Throughout Kaʻū, pili can be found happily growing in kīpuka that have not been infiltrated by invasive grasses.
    Growing and Purchasing: Pili is best grown from seed. Harvest seed heads in clumps when they turn dark and have the noticeable awn and spike, and place them onto a damp soil mix. Germination may take some time, so have patience. Keep pili seedlings watered until they become established. While pili can essentially tolerate drought and xeric (dry) conditions, they tend to look fuller and more colorful when given water. They can handle just about any harsh climate you throw at them, and thrive in full sun. Pili can also be used to combat erosion or as a focus plant in your garden. Remember to share the pili dance with your friends, and then share the seeds!

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Hawai'i Farmers Union United will
host its last meeting of 2022 on Nov. 12. 

KAʻŪ'S HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION UNITED invites food producers and agricultural enthusiasts for its last meeting of the year to learn about grant opportunities for 2023. It will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m.. The location is 96-1034 Center Road in Wood Valley, above Pāhala. 

    Attendees are invited to enjoy a potluck lunch. he speaker is Eric Bowman, who  has supported family farms and small businesses in the sectors of natural resources, commercial real estate, finance and retail. He is a loan officer with Feed the Hunger Fund and assists The Kohala Center in managing microlending activities on Kiva. He enjoys coaching owner-operators on developing and financing their operations. He also volunteers with Hawai'i First Federal Credit Union in Waimea.

     Hawai'i Farmers Union United of Kaʻū President Andy Dryer said members of the organization will discuss goals for 2023, "ways to grow membership with other passionate people and a community garden initiative."=

    The speaker is Eric Bowman, who  has supported family farms and small businesses in the sectors of natural resources, commercial real estate, finance and retail. He is a loan officer with Feed the Hunger Fund and assists The Kohala Center in managing microlending activities on Kiva. He enjoys coaching owner-operators on developing and financing their operations. He also volunteers with Hawai'i First Federal Credit Union in Waimea.
    Kaʻū Farmers Union United President Andy Dryer said members of the organization will discuss goals for 2023, "ways to grow membership with other passionate people and a community garden initiative."

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ACCESS TO 911 ON SOME VERIZON WIRELESS PHONES on Hawai'i Island was reported unavailable Wednesday by Hawai'i' Police Department. HPD asked those affected to "Please use non emergency number 808 935-3311. The Hawaii Police Department is aware that some Verizon Wireless customers have reported being unable to compete 911 calls using their cellular telephones. The non-emergency number appears to be working for Verizon customers at this time."

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THE STATE CLOSED ON $800 MILLION IN GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS on Wednesday. the news was released by Gov. David Ige who said that proceeds will provide critical funding to support new and existing infrastructure projects in Hawai'i.
    "We are very pleased with the results of the bond sale," said the governor. "Despite challenging

conditions in the broader bond markets this year, Hawaiʻi was able to generate strong demand for its bonds. This demonstrates the market's continued confidence in the State's ability to prudently manage its long-term financial responsibilities."
    Before the sale, Ige and senior State administrators met with analysts from Moody's Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings to review the State's credit quality. Following these presentations, Moody's and S&P affirmed the State's bond ratings of Aa2 and AA+, respectively, with stable outlooks. Both agencies cited the State's robust economic performance coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthy financial position, and long track-record of careful fiscal management as key strengths that support the State's strong bond ratings.
    "The state has a long track record of conservative debt management practices," noted Moody's in its report. "Hawai'i's recent rebuilding of its rainy day fund, and steps taken to increase its pension and OPEB contributions also evidence prudent management."

    According to a statement from the governor, the State of Hawaiʻi has significantly increased its financial reserves and paid down its long-term liabilities, while simultaneously supporting critical investments in workforce housing, education, and infrastructure, along with other important priorities.
   Director of Finance Craig Hirai and the Department of Budget and Finance led an extensive marketing campaign in preparation for the bond sale that took place on October 19. Officials meet with local on-island investors and held a live virtual presentation to investors representing some of the largest institutions across the country that buy municipal bonds. The State also released an online presentation to further reach investors. As a result, local, national, and international investors collectively placed over $1.5 billion of orders for the bonds.
    Morgan Stanley served as the lead managing underwriter for the bond sale, with BofA Securities and Citigroup as co-senior managers, and Jefferies and RBC as co-managers. A Hawaii-based selling group was also utilized to further market the bonds to local retail investors.

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The Club at Discovery Harbour

In the mail and on stands from Volcano through Kaʻū.