News Briefs, Sunday, March 19, 2023

Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative President Gloria Camba and Bong Aquino, two of many farmers who recently purchased
 the coffee lands where they have been building a reputation for decades growing high quality Kaʻū Coffee. The coffees' value,
say supporters of truth in labeling, can be diminished when buyers dilute the local coffee with cheap foreign beans.
Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Festival

MORE TRUTH-IN-LABELING COFFEE LEGISLATION is up for a public hearing. The hearing is this Tuesday, March 21 at 9:55 a.m. before the state Senate Commerce & Consumer Protection Committee. It is the only Senate committee that has scheduled a hearing the matter. It already passed the House of Representatives as HB 259. Kaʻū's member of the House of Representatives Jeanne Kapela co-introduced the measure.

    HB259 provides for a phased-in 51% minimum of Hawaii-grown content, and label identification of the percentage of foreign-grown coffee included in all Hawaiian coffee blended with foreign coffee. For example, if 49% is foreign-grown coffee, the label would make full disclosure of all the coffee origins to consumers. 

    Citizens can give live Zoom testimony by signing up when submitting written testimony on the website. To testify, read the text of the bill, committee reports and all testimony, see https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=259&year=2023&mc_cid=637e587ec3&mc_eid=563999cc96

    Chair of the state Board of Agriculture Sharon Hurd gave testimony on HB259: "This measure prohibits using geographic origins of coffee in labeling or advertising for roasted or instant coffee that contains less than a certain percentage of coffee by weight from that geographic origin, phased in to a minimum of 51 percent after 7/1/2025." It prohibits use of the term All Hawaiian in labeling and advertising for roasted or instant coffee not produced entirely from green coffee beans grown and processed in Hawai'i. 

    Jeffrey Clark, Chief Operating Officer for Edmund C. Olson Trust, which owns and operates Kaʻū Coffee Mill and coffee orchards, sells only 100% Kaʻū Coffee. He wrote: "I can see the devastating result of blended coffees on the Hawai'i-grown coffee industry. Blended coffees, using as little as 10% of Hawaiian coffee, creates a real problem for local farmers. Blended coffees do not provide the consumer with the proper taste profile and mislead the consumer about the region's flavor qualities. Blended coffees also depress the price of 100% Hawaii-grown coffees... Products need to be properly labeled to inform the consumer not only of the percentage of Hawai'i-grown coffee, but also the percentage of foreign-grown coffee." 

    Clark noted that the coffee industry in Hawai'i started over 100 years ago and represents one of the largest crops grown in the state of Hawai'i. "Hawai'i farmers have built a reputation for growing high quality, specialty coffees that command premium prices. Blenders have taken advantage of this reputation" by blending Hawai'i-grown coffee with lower quality, cheaper coffees from elsewhere, said Clark.
    Hawai'i Farmers Union United stated that "Coffee farmers have been seeking these changes for more than 30 years. And consumers deserve full and clear disclosure of what is in the package."

     Hawai'i's Thousand Friends sent in testimony saying, "Farmers who produce high-quality coffee in a

local region deserve the right to defend their area brand by requiring that coffee sold under a local regional name contains at least 51% of coffee grown from that region. Allowing anything less neither support nor appreciates Hawai'i's coffee farmers and the value of their product."

    Bruce Silverglade, former legal director of Center for Science in the Public Interest and fulltime Hawai'i resident, wrote: "At the present time, coffee blenders in Hawai'i are engaging in what food regulatory lawyers call economic adulteration, i.e. diluting a premium product with inferior coffee varieties. Such practices have long plagued segments of the food industry since the days that unscrupulous businesses would sell watered-down milk."

     He also testified: "This measure is essential to protect consumers, ranging from Hawai'i residents to unsuspecting visitors to the islands. The goodwill generated from this requirement to prevent non-misleading labeling will benefit the State of Hawai'i, protect the general public and ensure fair treatment of

coffee farmers. 

    "Some parties opposed to the bill say it will be difficult to enforce given the lack of technological capacity in the State to test blended coffees to determine their authenticity. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration faced an analogous challenge when it promulgated regulations requiring the amount of 'added,' as opposed to naturally occurring, sugars to be listed on the Nutrition Facts label. It was argued that testing methods could not distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars in a product like apple sauce. 

    "The U.S. Food & Drug Administration solved the problem by requiring food processors to keep and maintain records as to the amounts of added sugars they were using. The same type of record keeping requirement could be instituted for food manufacturers engaged in coffee blending. The State could require records to be kept and made available for inspection. This approach would help ensure that the bill is enforceable."

    To read more testimony submitted on truth in labeling for Hawaiian coffee, see http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_03_18_archive.html,   http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_02_21_archive.html and http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023/02/kau-news-briefs-tuesday-feb-28-2023.html

Hawai'i Island has 14 new Conservation Resources Enforcement Officers who just graduated from a class of 41 recruits. They are expected to beef up protection of natural resources in remote places like Kaʻū.  Photo from DLNR

FOURTEEN NEW HAWAI'I CONSERVATION RESOURCES ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS are assigned to Hawai'i Island. These CREOs are among the 41 women and men in the largest recruit class in the history of the state Department of Land & Natural Resources' Division of Conservation & Resources Enforcement. The class was sworn in and commissioned in a ceremony at Leeward Community College on Friday and presented commission certificates and badges.

    DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said, “If you combine the skills of a police officer, game warden, park ranger, marine patrol officer, educator, medic and counselor, that’s a DOCARE officer. These officers have a broad skillset and the academy was the vehicle to get them equipped so they can best serve Hawai‘i in protecting its natural and cultural resources.”

    DOCARE Lt. Carlton Helm, who led the academy, said, “To the visitor mindset, Hawai‘i’s natural resources are elements of paradise – clear ocean waters, sandy beaches, warm sun, tropical fish, but to residents with ties to this place it means a lot more, it’s our identity. Without the resources, little by little, we start to lose that identity. CREOs are committed to our communities and to protecting our resources.”

Carlton Helm led the academy to train new
Conservation Resources Enforcement officers.

    The class trained for more than eight months in more than 100 disciplines combining classroom work and intense field exercises. The new CREOs deploy to O‘ahu (14), Hawai‘i Island (14), Maui (7), and Kaua‘i (6). "Their presence is expected to make an immediate impact in conservation enforcement and will bolster patrol needs and staff ranks," says a statement from DLNR.
    DLNR Chair Dawn Chang said, “I’m greatly appreciative for the kuleana that these men and women have accepted. I welcome them to the DLNR ‘Ohana.” Other speakers at the graduation included Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, and Lt. Oscar Diaz (DPS Retired). The graduates’ family members participated to pin badges on the officers’ uniforms.

    CREO duties include enforcing rules and laws, educating residents and visitors and interacting with the community. DOCARE officers cover large geographic areas, often working independently with little or no oversight. According to DLNR, "They’re expected to command a firm understanding of natural resource laws, and to work in challenging conditions on land and at sea.
    "The academy program is a community effort with stakeholders including Honolulu Community College, elected officials, DLNR and other state department leadership, conservation nonprofits, subject

matter experts, other partner organizations, and residents. The program is unique in that it offers both a public safety and a natural resources component.
    "Recruits who have no law or conservation enforcement experience are developed into competent officers, learning skills to perform the job and keeping the values of kuleana, community service, and being pono, top of mind."
     Next for these newly commissioned CREOs is their field-training phase, working alongside seasoned officers at their respective island posts. They will have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned, with guidance, in real world situations. “Learning in a classroom is one thing,” Helm explained. “Having role players and stopping to provide remedial training for the sake of recruit development is good, but in the real world there are no timeouts. That’s where the seasoned officers come in – to provide support, safety, and proper direction if need be.”

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

In the mail and on stands.

FREE FOOD

St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View. Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

https://www.okaukakou.org/scholarships
-for-local-students

Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.                                                                                                                                  Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.

          

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, March 18, 2023

Leo Norberte, winner of the 2022 Hawai'i Coffee Association's cupping contest for Kaʻū, is one of the
many Hawaiian coffee farmers who depend on truth in labeling to keep their 100 percent Hawaiian grown brands
 viable in the market. Photo by Julia Neal

THE TRUTH IN LABELING BILL FOR COFFEE GROWN IN HAWAI'I passed second reading in the state House of Representatives on Friday after passing the Senate and is apparently headed toward becoming law. Senate Bill 745 would extend the offense of false labeling of Hawai'i-grown coffee to include roasted coffee, impose a $10,000 fine for each separate offense of false labeling of Hawai'i-grown coffee, and make an appropriation to fund enforcement. Kaʻū's Sen. Dru Kanuha co-introduced the measure.
    Executive Director of Hawai'i Coffee Association, Chris Manfredi, sent in testimony in support. "Hawai'i’s growers work tirelessly to produce some of the finest coffee grown anywhere. Exceptionally high quality is vital so producers can earn a relatively high price for their products - to stay in business, pay their employees and feed their families. When they visit the supermarket, they are

outraged that counterfeit Hawai'i grown coffee is offered on the same shelves as their own at a price less than their cost of production.
    "Unethical sellers introduce foreign grown coffee into the market to defraud consumers by representing these fakes as Hawai'i-grown products. Hawai'i’s coffee growers are squeezed between a high cost of production and unfair price competition. Moreover, these inferior fakes do not share the same quality attributes of the genuine product, further undermining Hawai'i’s reputation and brands, and they are not required to comply with Hawai'i’s minimum grade standards. When someone cashes in on our hard-fought reputation by offering fake products in a package labeled as being of Hawaiian origin, it undermines the work of our entire industry."
     Volcano resident Marsha Hee wrote: "This bill closes an important loophole where counterfeiters have been escaping oversight. By granting Hawai'i Department of Agriculture the ability to verify the authenticity of a roasted coffee’s origin, it opens the door for better enforcement and higher profits to farmers. The less counterfeit coffee in the marketplace, the greater the demand for real Hawaiian coffee."
    Sharon Hurd, Chair of the state Board of Agriculture, wrote: "DOA supports the appropriation of funds to hire one full time measurement standards specialist/inspector (approximate appropriation request of

$100,000) for the purpose of labeling and packaging enforcement and inspection. The inspector will help rebuild DOA’s capability to address labeling enforcement challenges in various Hawai'i products especially with roasted coffee. The inspector will take the lead in researching and utilizing new recognized testing measures to identify different products geographically such as Oritain technology (https://oritain.com), which can generate science-based data from specific coffee growing regions as a proof and confirmation of truth or false labeling."

  Suzanne Shriner, Administrator of Synergistic Hawai'i Agriculture Council wrote: "SHAC receives Federal marketing funds to promote 100% Hawaiian origin products around the world, including coffee, papaya, floriculture and macadamia nuts. Frequently we find that the demand for 100% Hawaiian products far exceeds available supply. Quite simply, there is not enough Kona, Kaʻū or Maui coffee to meet the global desire for Hawaiian coffee. This makes our coffees highly vulnerable to counterfeiting.
    "We appreciate the Legislature working with the coffee industry through protection of origin products from cherry all the way through roasted coffee. The technology exists to test the authenticity of both grade and origin of Hawaiian coffee. Enforcement of this bill is expected to be on an as-needed basis, such as a consumer complaint. Having said that, inclusion of a FTE position is necessary to protect coffee and other crops from fraud."
    Hawai'i Farm Bureau Executive Director Brian Miyamoto noted: "Hawai'i-grown coffee is recognized

for its high quality and aromatic flavor. Hawaiʿ'i-grown coffee is held to a set of quality standards that makes it one of the most expensive coffees in the world. It is one of Hawai'i’s signature crops. The 2021-2022 USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) of Hawai'i Agriculture estimated the value of Hawaiʿi-grown coffee at $61.9 million and ranked as coffee fifth in the top twenty agricultural commodities in the State." Miyamoto testified that "in addition to the geographic origin, stricter enforcement of the labeling restrictions based on the quality of the coffee being sold is critical to prevent further counterfeiting of Hawaiʿi’s recognized high-quality coffee. Furthermore, the criminal penalties for false labeling should apply not only to cherry, parchment, and green coffee but also to roasted coffee."

    Hawai'i Farmers Union President Kaipo Kekono testified: "We believe that it is time for Hawai'i's coffee industry to have the same protections as the many other agricultural industries in the state. We understand that honest labeling in the coffee industry is widely regarded as important in maintaining trust among consumers, and this bill will help ensure that all coffee labeled as Hawai'i Grown is actually grown in the islands. This level of transparency is necessary in order to protect the reputation of Hawai'i’s coffee industry."
    For earlier testimony submitted on this issue, see http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_02_21_archive.html and http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023/02/kau-news-briefs-tuesday-feb-28-2023.html

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

A MAC NUT LABELING BILL THAT PASSED THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND FIRST READING IN THE SENATE was scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate on Friday, but the hearing was delayed. The delay may indicate it will not be heard at all this legislative session in the Senate. It would need passage by the Senate after succeeding in the House in order to become Hawai'i law.
    The measure, introduced in the Senate by Kaʻū's Sen. Dru Kanuha, would clarify labeling requirements for macadamia nuts, mandating that country of origin to be included on the principal display panel of a consumer package of raw and processed macadamia nuts.
    Crissa Uluwehi Midori Okamura wrote: "The legislature threw out the bill HB1348 (3/17/23). Our 'ohana put in our testimonies but to no avail! Very sad for our local farmers & upsetting to know they will sell under the premise of 'Being MADE in Hawai'i' when mac nuts come from Africa!!! Like sugarcane, soon macadamia will be gone too."
    See more testimony at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_03_14_archive.html.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

Palila, the endangered finch-billed honeycreepers, were found in most mamane dry forest trees on this island. Photo from DLNR

HAWAI'I'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IS URGING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE to prioritize its efforts to protect critically endangered Native Hawaiian forest birds. A letter from Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Brian Schatz, Rep. Ed Case and Rep. Jill Tokuda asks NPS to use funding from the Inflation Reduction Act passed last year to continue efforts to protect native forest birds.

    The letter to National Park Service Director Charles Sams says, "Native Hawaiian forest birds are

imperiled by the spread of avian malaria, which is carried into their last remaining habitat and transmitted to the birds by invasive mosquitoes. Warming temperatures due to climate change have allowed mosquitoes to reach elevations that were previously refuge for the birds. Avian malaria caused waves of extinctions after it was introduced in the early 1900s and the continued impacts have been tracked for decades by researchers, land managers, and cultural practitioners alike.
    "As pollinators and seed dispersal agents, Hawaiian honeycreepers fill an irreplaceable niche within Hawai'i's native forests, which are the source of all our islands' freshwater. Four Hawaiian honeycreepers are at risk of extinction within the next ten years: akikiki ~1 year; kiwikiu ~6 years; akekee ~8 years; and akohekohe ~10 years. If we lose these special birds, we also lose the essential roles they perform within the native ecosystem and a piece of Hawaiian culture. Unless we take significant action now, they will be gone forever."

     The letter urges the Park Service to concentrate on reducing avian malaria with mosquito suppression programs.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

In the mail and on stands.

FREE FOOD

St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View. Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

https://www.okaukakou.org/scholarships
-for-local-students

Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.                                                                                                                                  Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.

          

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, March 17, 2023

MacFarms could be sold to Hawaiian Host Group, which also owns Mauna Loa macadamia. Kaʻū growers

say they are worried that Mauna Loa could cut the work force at MacFarms and use fewer nuts grown here if they

acquire the MacFarms brand and continue to import nuts from other countries to sell under their Hawaiian label. 

Photo from MacFarms

HAWAIIAN HOST GROUP, WHICH OWNS MAUNA LOA BRAND of macadamias, is set to purchase MacFarms and its 50,000 trees at Kapua Orchard on the border of Kaʻū and South Kona. The sale would make Mauna Loa the most dominant seller of Hawai'i branded mac nuts in the world. According to listcorp.com, the Australian company Health Plant Protein, formerly known as Buderim Group, recently entered into a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement with Hawaiian Host Group to sell its MacFarm

macadamia nut business and land for an enterprise value of U.S. $26 million. The estimated completion date of the sale would be this April. MacFarms employs many Kaʻū workers.

    The recent announcement replaced the January announcement that HPP would sell MacFarms for $22 million to MNP Holdings, LLC.

     Other macadamia nut companies, which boast sales of macadamia that are 100 percent grown on Hawai'i Island,  have sounded an alarm about the MacFarms purchase, their representatives saying that Hawaiian Host's Mauna Loa is already buying foreign nuts from places like Kenya and putting them in packages that imply they are grown in Hawai'i. In addition, Mauna Loa has been shutting down facilities and laying off workers in Kea'au. Should Hawaiian Host become owner of MacFarms, more layoffs could occur and affect employment for Kaʻū workers. From another view, it would give Hawaiian Host and Mauna Loa another processing plant that is operational and ready to process local nuts from their own farms and from independent macadamia growers. 

     In addition to MacFarms, Hamakua Macadamia and Hawaiian Macadamia Co., along with small independent growers in Kaʻū, sell 100 percent Hawaiian grown macadmia. Combined, they are the largest non-government employer in Kaʻū.

     In response to the increase in macadamia nuts from China to Africa being mixed with Hawaiian grown macadamia, legislation was making its way through the 2023 Hawai'i Legislature. However, a hearing was cancelled in the state. Senate on Friday and the issue may be dead this session. The bill aims to strengthen labeling requirements to protect the Hawaiian macadamia nut growers from loss of market due to the sale of cheap foreign macadamia nuts in Hawaiian packaging.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

A GRAND JURY INDICTED OCEAN VIEW RESIDENT RONALD P.K. KAHIKIKOLO on Wednesday for attempted murder for allegedly shooting a woman in the head with a shotgun. Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced Friday that Kahihikolo was charged in relation to a March 7, 2023 incident at a residence on Outrigger Drive in Ocean View. Kahihikolo was also charged in relation to a March 10, 2023 incident, where Kahihikolo is alleged to have disregarded police attempts to arrest him for outstanding warrants while operating a stolen Dodge Charger.

    Kahihikolo is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Kona Circuit Court on Monday. Prosecutors have filed a motion requesting to detain Kahihikolo without bail pending his trial. He remains in custody in lieu of $196,000.00 bail.

Ronald P.K. Kahikikolo

    As the Indictment alleges, Kahihikolo was charged with eight offenses including, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree (intentionally discharged a firearm in the direction of another person), Abuse of Family or Household Member, Unauthorized Control of a Propelled Vehicle in the First Degree, Resisting Order to Stop in the First Degree, Theft in the First Degree (theft of a motor vehicle, a Dodge Charger), Ownership or Possession of Firearm Prohibited, Ownership of Possession of Ammunition Prohibited, Carrying or Use of Firearm in the Commission of a Separate Felony. Attempted Murder in the Second Degree carries a sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.
    The charges are merely allegations, and the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was initiated by Officers Melissa D’Angelo, Isaac Michaels, and Xylon Takata, Ka‘u Patrol, and the felony investigation was led by Detective Blayne Matsui and assisted by Detectives Len Hamakado, Jason Foxworthy, and Donovan Kohara, Area II Criminal Investigations Division, Hawai‘i Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chase Murray. The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney remains dedicated to the pursuit of justice with integrity and commitment.
    Anyone having information to assist local law enforcement should call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. #hawaiiprosecutors #hawaiipolicedepart

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

FIVE NOMINEES FOR AN INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE have gone to Gov. Josh Green for consideration. The State Judicial Selection Commission transmitted the list of nominees to Green on Friday following review of qualifications and backgrounds of all applicants.

   The nominees are:
    Lance D. Collins, a per diem judge for District and Family Court (Second Circuit) and a graduate of  University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law.

  Rebecca A. Copeland, a District Family Court Judge (First Circuit) and lead judge in the Special Division and Presiding Judge in Truancy Court. She is a graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law.
    Kimberly Tsumoto Guidry, an attorney for State of Hawaiʻi employed by the Department of the Attorney General as the Solicitor General and Supervising Deputy Attorney General. She received her law degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law.
    Deirdre Marie-Iha, an attorney and partner at Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel. She graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law.
    Taryn R. Tomasa Gifford, an attorney who works as a Deputy Public Defender III. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law.
    Green must make his appointment by Sunday, April 16, 2023. The public is invited to provide comments on the nominees via the Governor's website https://governor.hawaii.gov/contact-us/contact-the-governor/. Once selected, the nominee will be subject to confirmation by the State Senate.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

GEOSCIENTISTS PROMOTING ACCESSIBLE COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCES is the topic of this week's Volcano Watch by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This column is written by National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow Lis Gallant:
    Visiting rocks in their natural habitat, or “going into the field,” is an important part of geology training because it provides real context for what students learn in the laboratory and classroom. Field courses can be up to 6 weeks long, are located in remote areas, and are often required to complete an undergraduate geology degree program. As traditionally designed, the courses are not accessible to everyone.

 GeoScientists Promoting Accessible Collaborative Experiences (GeoSPACE) group at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. USGS Photo

    GeoScientists Promoting Accessible Collaborative Experiences (GeoSPACE) field course takes place simultaneously in the San Francisco Volcanic Field of northern Arizona, USA, and online every summer. Eight different sites within the field area were visited during the first course last summer, and lessons learned will be used to improve subsequent offerings. The course was designed to accommodate students with disabilities, caretaking responsibilities, or other life-situations that make traditional field courses offered by universities difficult to attend and undertake. Currently, less than 5% of students earning geoscience degrees identify as disabled compared to 20% of all undergraduates. Expanding ex
periential courses to include disabled participants could have significant benefit for the geosciences.
    GeoSPACE uses a planetary science mission framework that encourages online and on-the-ground students to work together to explore volcanic landscapes and to develop questions about the geology that they can then answer. Before each day in the field, ‘Mission Control’ (virtual students) provide briefings for the ‘Ground Team’ (in-person students) about their study sites using data from satellites.
   Students on the ground use classic geologic field mapping techniques—GPS surveying equipment, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), ground-based cameras, and real-time communication—to collect data. Incorporating technology into field courses prepares students for a variety of career paths within and beyond volcanology and planetary science.

A GeoScientists Promoting Accessible Collaborative Experiences (GeoSPACE) student capturing ground control point coordinates with a GPS. USGS Photo

    A mission debrief is conducted at the end of each day, where the Ground Team reports to Mission Control on their findings. The collaborative nature to this approach between those online and those on the ground reflects modern geoscience working environments, such as those used at HVO during eruption responses.
    Volcanic fields, areas where many small volcanoes are clustered, provide an excellent natural classroom for accessible fieldwork because they offer great variety over short distances. Volcanic fields are also excellent analogs for eruptive styles on different planets. Students preparing for careers in space science can gain experience with the types of environments they’re likely to encounter conducting planetary research.
    The opportunity to learn and thrive in a supportive environment allows students to develop confidence in their ability to succeed in the geosciences. Student feedback indicated that it was empowering to have HVO scientists as part of the faculty team. Being treated as an equal by accomplished scientists gave them confidence in their abilities and made it easier to believe in their own abilities. Students could see themselves as belonging in the geosciences.
    Frankie Butler, a student at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, stated that "...the GeoSPACE field trip was a truly transformative experience. I thought my lifelong dream of being a volcanologist was over after my devastating injury. I missed out on 4 years of field work and had no access to that unique learning environment. I was treated as a scientist; I was part of the discussion and I got to see a real HVO volcanologist in the field! As an undergraduate you don't get the opportunity to see working scientists in the field, seeing their systematic approach to an outcrop and the techniques utilized have helped me become the field geologist I am today."
     Faculty members and students have presented about the GeoSPACE program at professional geoscience conferences all over the globe. These presentations have covered topics from the design of the course, findings from the mystery site, mentoring, and student perception of accommodations. Find presentations and learn more about GeoSPACE by visiting https://sites.google.com/ufl.edu/geospace-field-program.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

In the mail and on stands.

FREE FOOD

St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View. Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

https://www.okaukakou.org/scholarships
-for-local-students

Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.                                                                                                                                  Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.

          

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, March 16, 2023

View of Mauna Loa eruption before dawn Nov. 27,  2022 from Hwy 11 between Pāhala and Volcano at Mile Marker 34. 
Photo by Tanya Ibarra

MAUNA LOA'S ALERT LEVEL HAS BACKED DOWN TO NORMAL, following the eruption that lit up the island last November into December. U.S. Geological Survey changed the alert level from advisory to normal on Thursday. Aviation Color Code for Mauna Loa is lowered from Yellow to Green.
    According to USGS, since its 1843 eruption, Mauna Loa erupted 34 times with intervals lasting months and decades. Before last November, this largest active volcano on the planet last erupted in 1984.
    USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued a statement on Thursday, saying, "Mauna Loa has been quiet for the past three months since the eruption ended on December 13, 2022. The number of earthquakes beneath Mauna Loa’s summit has returned to background levels. Inflation of Mauna Loa continues as magma replenishes the summit magma chamber."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

James Takamine, President & CEO of CU
Hawai'i Federal Credit Union

CU HAWAI'I FEDERAL CREDIT UNION HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT TO ASSURE MEMBERS THAT DEPOSITS ARE SAFE in the wake of bank failures on the mainland in the past week. The message notes that CU Hawai'i Credit Union members are owners of the not-for-profit financial cooperative, governed by a volunteer board composed of respected leaders across Hawai'i Island.
    James Takamine, CEO of CU Hawai'i, said, "It is much safer to keep your deposits in a financial institution such as CU Hawai'i than to take deposits out and hold them as cash. Any cash on hand is not insured and may be destroyed in the case of fire or other natural disaster. Also, cash may be stolen or lost. CU Hawai'i has been serving the community on Hawai'i Island since 1955 and has weathered many financial downturns in the economy. We have a long history and track record of managing risk, liquidity, and ensuring the safety of member deposits, and are well-capitalized. Please rest assured that your deposits are safe with CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union. We look forward to continuing to meet your needs and those of our community."          In Ka'u, CU Hawai'i has offices in Nā`ālehu and Pāhala with an ATM in Ocean View. Its message says, "CU Hawai'i’s first priority is your financial success, and we focus on financial security." Not a bank, CU Hawai'i is a federal credit union regulated and insured by the National Credit Union Administration.             

    Created by the U.S. Congress in 1970, the National Credit Union Administration is an independent federal agency that insures deposits at federally insured credit unions, protects the members who own credit unions, and charters and regulates federal credit unions. See MyCreditUnion.gov.

    Member deposits at CU Hawai'i are insured by the NCUA, a separate fund not associated with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for banks. The NCUA website says: “The National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund was created by Congress in 1970 to insure members’ deposits in federally insured credit unions. Each credit union member has at least $250,000 in total coverage. Administered by the NCUA, the Share Insurance Fund insures individual accounts up to $250,000. Additionally, a member’s interest in all joint accounts combined is insured up to $250,000. The Share Insurance Fund also separately protects members’ IRA and KEOGH retirement accounts up to $250,000 and provides additional coverage for members’ trust accounts.
    "The Share Insurance Fund has the backing of the full faith and credit of the United States. Credit union members have never lost even a penny of insured savings at a federally insured credit union.” 

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

FIX A LEAK WEEK is coming up March 20 through 26 and the county  Department of Water Supply is celebrating the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s event by helping water customers save valuable water and money. 

    According to the EPA, “The average household’s leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.”

     To determine if other household water leaks are occurring, DWS customers should check their water meter after turning off all faucets, spigots, and household appliances that use water such as dishwashers. If the meter is still moving, a leak may be present. Customers should also examine their water bill for spikes in water usage that could indicate an undetected leak. 

    DWS will distribute FREE toilet tank leak detection tablets, while supplies last, during normal business hours at its offices in Hilo, Kona, and Waimea starting Monday, March 20. Toilet leak detection tablets offer a quick and easy way to check for leaking toilets, which can waste up to 200 gallons of water every day, needlessly increasing customers’ water bills. Toilet leaks are often caused by a worn-out toilet flapper that easily can go undetected. Replacing worn out flappers is an affordable way to reduce water waste. For additional leak detection and water conservation tips, please visit the Department of Water Supply website at: www.hawaiidws.org or the Environmental Protection Agency website at: www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

In the mail and on stands.

FREE FOOD

St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View. Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

https://www.okaukakou.org/scholarships
-for-local-students

Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.                                                                                                                                  Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.