THE KA`U ROAD ISSUE INVOLVING AN effort to sell off a segment of Kamaoa Road to private landowners is the subject of a public and County Council site visit tomorrow, Tuesday, November 9 at 3 p.m., followed by a public hearing at Na`alehu Community Center. Outgoing County Council member Guy Enriques and incoming County Council member Brittany Smart are expected to attend. Enriques said the road has no public use. Smart said that selling off the road could set a bad precedent regarding blocking off hiking and hunting trails.
THE KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Plan steering committee meeting has been postponed from tomorrow, Tuesday, November 9 to Tuesday, December 14. The committee meets to guide the creation of a plan for the future of Ka`u, including economic development, neighborhood planning and land use.
KA`U KEIKI TOOK FIRST AND SECOND place in the annual Kona Coffee Festival recipe contest. Precious Ka`awa (left), of Na`alehu, took first, and Emily McKinley (right), of Ocean View, took second in a tough competition with judges who are all renowned chefs and culinary experts.
EMMA PADILLA, OF OCEAN VIEW, was one of the stars at the Kona Coffee Festival. This first-year culinary arts student at West Hawai`i Community College assisted chef instructor Paul Heerlein in his cooking demo. Chef Paul called the 2010 Ka`u High School graduate Emma Padilla very sharp, with great potential to become a chef.
DEANNA DELMAR (right), OF OCEAN VIEW, was another standout in the Kona Coffee Festival recipe contest, with an entry that was quickly gobbled up by festival-goers. She was accompanied by her father, Caddy (left), of Volcano.
MISS KA`U COFFEE, ULU MAKUAKANE, was surprised and pleased to see that her Kamehameha schoolmate, Lacy Deniz, won the title of Miss Kona Coffee 2011. Lacy said that she studied hula with Ulu and that they were great friends in school, and are happy to be representing the Big island’s two major coffee regions, Kona and Ka`u. Ulu represented Ka`u as an honored guest at the Kona pageant.
THE MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT WILL be held February 20, 2011, with a Miss Peaberry Contest for young girls and the main event for high school and college-age contenders. For applications, call Nalani Parlin at 217-6893, Gloria Camba at 928-8155 or Pahala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
THE KAHUMOKU MUSIC WORKSHOP is in its third day at Pahala Plantation House, with musicians arriving from Japan, California, Washington, D.C. and other far-flung places. Local students attend on scholarships. Such musicians as `ukulele master James Hill, Danny Akaka Jr, John Keawe, Jeff Peterson, Herb Ohta Jr and Keoki Kahumoku are teaching. A free concert will be held this Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The musicians will also give a free concert at Punalu`u on Veterans Day, this Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MEMBERS OF THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES have earned some top positions in the state legislature for the session that begins in January. Senator Russell Kokubun, who lives in Volcano, will chair the Senate water and land committee. Senator Josh Green, who represents Kona, but has lived in Ka`u and worked at Ka`u Hospital, has moved into the Chairmanship of the Health Committee. He is also a possible candidate for the state Department of Health Director, a position to be appointed by Governor elect Neil Abercrombie.
Maui Senator Shan Tsutsui will become Senate President. Kokubun is formerly its vice president.
MISS KA`U COFFEE ULU MAKUAKANI was an honored guest at the Miss Kona Coffee Pageant last night at Sheraton Keauhou Beach Hotel. The Miss Kona coffee winner is Lacy Deniz, a Kamehameha School graduate, daughter of Harold and Rene Deniz. She also won the Miss Popularity, Private Interview and Talent Contest - dancing hula. First Runner up, Miss Photogenic and Miss Congeniality is Sonia Allen. Lifestyle - Swim Suit, Evening Wear and Miss Aloha Winner is Tatiana Boteliho. Second Runner up Kaiulani Barreto.
THE MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT WILL be held on February 20, 2011. There will be a peaberry contest for young girls and a category for high school and college age contestants. For applications, call Nalani Parlin at 217-6893, Gloria Camba at 928-8155 or Pahala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811.
THE KAHUMOKU MUSIC WORKSHOP has kicked off at Pahala Plantation House with musicians arriving from Japan, California, Washington D.C. and other far-flung locations. Local students are attending on scholarships. Such musicians as ukulele player James Hill, Danny Akaka and Jeff Peterson, Herb Ota and Keoki Kahumoku are teaching. A free concert will be held this coming Saturday from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The musicians will also give a free concert at Punalu`u this Thursday on Veterans Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
THE KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING has been postponed from Tuesday, November 9 to Tuesday, December 14. The committee meets to guide the creation of a plan for the future of Ka`u, including economic development, neighborhood planning and land use.
THE KAMA`OA ROAD ISSUE involving an effort to sell off a segment of Kamaoa Road to private land owners is the subject of a public and county council site visit on Tuesday, November 9 at 3 p.m., followed by a public hearing at Na`alehu Community Center. Outgoing County Council member Guy Enriques and incoming Council member will both attend. Enriques said the road has no public use. Smart said it could set a bad precedent regarding blocking off hunting and hiking trails and public access to fishing and hunting.
THOUGH KA`U HAS BEEN ENJOYING A BREAK FROM THE HEAVY VOG that blanketed the area periodically for more than a year, the lava is still flowing. It is coming from the vent inside Hale'mau'mau Crater and through surface flows to the ocean at Puhi o Kalakini, west of Kalapana Gardens subdivision. Farmers and ranchers have recently experienced relief from the vog and also a drought, which devastated the area.
IN ONE OF HIS LAST EFFORTS to bring money to Ka`u before his term ends in early December, Council member Guy Enriques is supporting Mayor Billy Kenoi’s effort to float a 56 million dollar bond for capital improvements on the island. Eight-point-eight million would go to a Wai`ohinu recycling and garbage transfer station.
Some Council members are concerned about the county borrowing so much money. Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong said he is worried about such a large sum with millions of dollars in interest each year. Should the bond be floated he wants the money to be used for exactly what it is borrowed for, he said.
Enriques said he is eager to bring some of this capital into Ka`u to make jobs and to fix the outdated rubbish dump.
Incoming council member Brittany Smart said she supports the new recycling and rubbish transfer station for Wai`ohinu but would like to see Ocean View also included. She said she would want to make sure the money goes for those specific projects should the bond be floated.
REMOVING FLOATING INVASIVE PLANTS FROM PUNALUU POND and a road cleanup are on the agenda today for O Ka`u Kakou. Anyone can volunteer. Meet at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach to help pull the floating plants out of the pond where they choke the oxygen from the water. OKK also has a general membership meeting for Wednesday, November 17 at Aspen Center at Punalu`u at 6:30 p.m.
MISS KA`U COFFEE, Ulu Makuakane, will represent Ka`u as a guest at the Miss Kona Coffee pageant tonight at the Sheraton Keahou Beach Resort and Spa. Ulu is attending University of Hawaii in Hilo majoring in health and nutrition. She will wearing her crown and sash in Kona to honor Ka`u.
A FREE TAIKO DRUM CONCERT will be held Sunday, November 7 at 4 p.m at Pahala Community Center. Puna Taiko, led by Paul Sakamoto, will perform and allow you to try out Taiko. The event is sponsored by Ka`u Main Street and everyone is invited. There is no age limit. It is a pot luck but drinks will be provided. This is the annual meeting of Ka`u Main Street.
THE RAINS ARE BACK but the drought will not be over for Ka`u until there are regular steady rains that nourish the grasses and foliage for hundreds of thousands of acres of pasture and forest. Ranch animals and wildlife have been starving from lack of food and becoming dehydrated for lack of water, during months of some of the lowest amount of rainfall ever recorded. Fortunately for Ka`u, forecasters are predicting a wetter than usual winter and Spring. The drought has hurt not only ranching but the coffee and macadamia nut industries here.
VOLCANO ART CENTER blessed its new educational center yesterday and promised a slew of concerts. Coming to the Kilauea Military Camp theater are the Galliard String Quartet on November 14, Makana on November 21, the Honolulu Brass on December 12, the Honolulu Jazz Quartet on Jan 15, Jeff Peterson on Feb. 5 and the Spring Wind Quintet on March 13. See the November Ka`u Calendar newspaper for all the details.
TWO VETERANS DAY EVENTS take place in Ka`u this coming Thursday, November 11. The Kilauea Military Camp ceremony is at 3:30 p.m. on the front lawn and will offer a free dinner for all U.S. Active and Retired Military and Veterans. A free concert with Hawaiian masters of Slack Key and Ukulele will take place at Punalu`u Beach from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
KA`U KEIKI TOOK FIRST AND SECOND place in the annual Kona Coffee Festival recipe contest. Precious Ka`awa (left), of Na`alehu, took first, and Emily McKinley (right), of Ocean View, took second in a tough competition with judges who are all renowned chefs and culinary experts. 
