Gov. Neil Abercrombie called for a New Day on the sreps of Pahala Plantation House last December.               Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

GOV. NEIL ABERCROMBIE says there are many positive outcomes of the 2011 Hawai`i Legislature, which adjourned yesterday. “We started this legislative session by laying out a bold plan to move Hawai`i in a new direction,” the governor said. “We were determined to conduct ourselves with a spirit of collaboration. We said repeatedly that everyone must contribute and that our decisions must reflect our values and priorities.
     “We have found that support for the political status quo, abetted by private interests, remains strongly in place. It will take time and action by the executive to change this culture,” said Abercrombie. “While we did not get all we wanted in this legislative session, we have made meaningful strides forward.” He listed achievements:
     Moving the Board of Education from an elected body to an appointed body of diverse community leaders to move schools in a new direction; signing a civil unions bill that ensures equal rights for all people of Hawai`i without recreating the heated battle lines of the past; and securing private funding to transform the state’s antiquated technology system to streamline government services and save taxpayers millions of dollars.
     Abercrombie said, “The people of Hawai`i don’t want to hear excuses and arguments about why things can't be done. They want action. Our administration will take the budget we have and transform government as we know it by being innovative, resourceful and relentless in the face of our challenges. There is no doubt in my mind that, together, Hawai`i is on the way to a New Day. Imua Hawai`i!” the governor proclaimed.

THE STATE SENATE finished its session with the singing on Hawai`i Aloha. More than 3,000 bills were submitted for consideration and about 250 made it through. Senate President Shan Tsutsui said it was challenging particularly with the very difficult economic times. However, “we were able to balance our budget while protecting the most vulnerable in our society and we passed some of the most historic legislation in the history of Hawai`i,” Tsutsui said. Among those historic bills, he said, was the recognition of Native Hawaiians as the only original indigenous people of the islands," a bill for which Sen. Gil Kahele testified on the Senate floor. The legislature also passed a measure that reforms the foreclosure process to require lenders to negotiate with homeowners or go to court. It is perhaps the toughest foreclosure law in the nation and was championed by Rep. Bob Herkes, of Ka`u.

Miss Ka`u Coffee Brandy Shibuya.
Photo by Julia Neal

NOISY DOGS will have to be dealt with - first among neighbors - before the police are called, if Mayor Billy Kenoi signs a law passed this week by the County Council. The language of the new law says that those upset by noisy dogs would have to “make a reasonable attempt to advise the owner or custodian,” before contacting the appropriate enforcement agency. Reasonable attempt is defined by an email, letter through the post office or personal visit. Mayor Billy Kenoi plans to meet with the police chief before deciding whether to make the bill a law.

THE KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE is learning from other venues about the value of festivals as an economic stimulus and engine for the Ka`u community. Coffee Farmers Trini Marques and Gloria Camba, who have both chaired the Ka`u Coffee Pageant; Miss Ka`u Coffee Brandy Shibuya; coffee lands manager Chris Manfredi and Pahala Plantation Cottages manager Ron Johnson are at Festival training at Keauhou Beach Resort today. It is sponsored by the Hawai`i Tourism Authority and Festivals of Hawai`i. 

VOLCANO ART CENTER IS HOSTING a fundraiser this Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village to help support the people of Japan who were stricken by the earthquake and tsunami in March. The fundraiser features a movie made possible by Joe Okuda about the most famous Shinto shrine and its man-made forest in the Center of Tokyo. Volcano resident and dancer Shizuno Nasu will perform, along with Shiho Watanabe on Koto. Tickets are $15, and all proceeds go to the people of Japan. Call 967-8222 for tickets. Donations are also accepted.

THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES for the Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest is tomorrow. Applications are available at R&G Store in Pāhala and online at kaucoffeefest.com. Contact Michelle Galimba at 430-4927 or mgalimba@kuahiwiranch.com for more information.

FREE HELE ON BUS SERVICE for senior citizens, students, the disabled and keiki under five years of age will continue after July 1, when the free transportation will start costing $1 per ride. The bus service has been free for more than five years. The new fees will raise more than a half a million dollars a year. Passengers will be able to purchase monthly passes for unlimited rides for $20 and will get 25 percent off if buying ten tickets at once.

Ka`u News Briefs May 5, 2011

`O Ka`u Kakou joins with other community organizations to clean up Punalu`u Pond.  Photo by Nalani Parlin

PENSION REFORM is expected to pass the state House of Representatives today, meaning new-hires in state government would have lower retirement income. They would also have to reach an older age to qualify for maximum retirement benefits. The state is faced with a $7.1 liability and is trying to figure out a way to pay for it. The legislation is expected to save more than $440 million in the first five years and more as new-hires fill state jobs. If the House passes the measure, it goes to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his signature. The Hawai`i Government Employees Association has tentatively agreed to the idea, but some other unions are worried that it will hurt government’s ability to attract good employees.

Examining a coffee berry picked from a tree, showing
borer damage.  Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS are going into the fields this weekend to attack coffee borer beetles. The Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative members are joining together to search and clean any affected coffee trees and to set up traps. Just one field has been found with the borer at the Cloud Rest area where Ka`u’s award-winning coffee is produced. The Department of Agriculture is sending out staff to help the farmers and is encouraging everyone to make sure coffee pickers who come here from Kona have clean boots, clothes and vehicles so they don’t carry more coffee cherry borers to the region. 

SEN. GIL KAHELE is one of the Native Hawaiian senators who supports state recognition of Native Hawaiian people. The bill is designed to be compatible with the Akaka Bill that would recognize Hawaiians on a federal level. Said Kahele, “I was one of several Hawaiian senators who spoke in support of SB1520. The essence of asking my colleagues in the Senate to support SB1520 was the importance of recognizing native Hawaiians as an indigenous people. It was time to make ‘pono’ what was long overdue to the host culture and the meaning of ‘aloha’ as it meant to me as I grew up in the village of Miloli`i. In this legislative session, it was very important that we take this step of assisting Senator Akaka in his efforts of having native Hawaiians recognized at the federal level.”

Boys & Girls Clubs in Ka`u received approval for
county funding yesterday.  Photo by Julia Neal

THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS GRANTED $1.5 million in funding for the next fiscal year to more than 92 nonprofit programs. The Ocean View Boys and Girls Club is receiving $25,000, while $20,000 goes to the Pahala Club’s Positive Youth Development Programs. `O Ka`u Kakou is receiving $15,000. The Ka`u Family Center is receiving $55,000 through Family Support Hawai`i. Other organizations that serve in the vicinity of Ka`u are the Hawai`i County Economic Opportunity Council, which is receiving $58,000 for its Youth Mentoring Language and Arts Multicultural Program, and Hui Malama Ola Na `Oiwi, with $5,000 for its diabetes management program and $15,000 for its cancer program. 

AT ITS MEETING YESTERDAY, the County Council approved the installation of another set of water spigots at Wai`ohinu Park. This would double the number of spigots available for public use.

THE COUNCIL ALSO POSTPONED acting on a bill that imposes impact fees on new construction. Council member Pete Hoffmann, who first introduced the bill last September, asked for the delay so that he could make revisions.

Tyler Navarro-Villa lead Ka`u to victory over
Hualalai Academy last night.

KA`U BOYS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL defeated Hualalai Academy last night at the Ka`u High gym to move on in the BIIF playoffs hoping to earn a berth to states. The boys went into the playoffs as the number one seed on the East side. Although Hualalai beat out two teams to play the Trojans, Ka`u took them down in three swift sets that lasted less than an hour. The set scores were 25-15, 25-15 and 25-11. Lead scorers were Tyler Navarro-Villa with 10 kills and Dillin Ballo with six. 

Riley Louis celebrates Ka`u's victory.
Photos by Nalani Parlin

     Ka`u moves on to play in the semi-finals tomorrow at Waiakea at 4 p.m. If they win tomorrow night, they will most likely attend states again for the first time in six years. 

THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES for the Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest is this Saturday. Applications are available at R&G Store in Pahala and online at www.kaucoffeefest.com. Contact Michelle Galimba at 430-4927 or mgalimba@kuahiwiranch.com for more information.

Ka`u News Briefs May 4, 2011

The coffee berry borer destroys Ka`u Coffee beans by living inside the cherry.  Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

THE COFFEE BERRY BORER has found its way to the Cloud Rest coffee-growing area above Pahala. During the monthly meeting of the Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, Chris Manfredi, who represents the owners of the coffee lands, announced that only one farm is know to have been affected. 

     Dr. Elsie Burbano, a researcher at UH-Manoa, urged everyone to work together to control what she called the most economically harmful pest in Hawai`i. She discussed methods of monitoring, trapping and controlling the CBB. 

University of Hawai`i volunteers and coffee farmer Bull Kailiawa
use GPS to locate wild coffee and look for coffee berry borers.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

     Integrated pest management is the best control, she said. This involves using multiple methods to keep the pest population at a lower level. 

     She said that a difficult but important part of controlling the pest is sanitation. Farmers should remove berries from the ground and raisins from the branches because the CBB can live in them for months and then move to other berries. After they’re collected, they should either be buried or burned.
     Burbano discussed the use of a fungus that can be sprayed to control the pest. She emphasized that the spray must contact the CBB and that results take about two weeks to show up, so patience is important.
     Manfredi said, “We’re going to fight this bug, not each other.” He pledged to make pesticides, tools and manual labor available to any farmers who need help. He urged all farmers to cooperate with the Department of Agriculture to help keep the problem under control. 

NATIVE HAWAIIAN SENATORS testified for a bill at the Legislature that would give formal recognition for Hawaiians. It calls for a commission of five, overseen by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, to define and create a list of Native Hawaiians. Those on the list would have standing as native Hawaiians to negotiate with the state on land use and cultural issues. This state recognition is patterned after the Akaka Bill, long supported by Sen. Dan Akaka, which would give Hawaiians similar rights as those enjoyed by American Indians.
     Sen. Malama Solomon said the bill could help with reconciliation for the overthrow of the kingdom of Hawai`i. Before the Senate, Solomon read from Queen Lili`uokalani’s Prayer “Protect us beneath your wings. And let peace be our portion. Now and forevermore.”

ROYALTIES AND LEASING of state resources for alternative energy will be studied, using geothermal as an example, now that a resolution supported by Sen. Gil Kahele has passed the state Senate yesterday. The resolution calls for a state audit of the state leasing out resources for geothermal and royalties paid. The state Board of Land & Natural Resources is required under law to “fix the payment of royalties to the state for geothermal resources at a rate which will encourage the initial and continued production of such resources.” 

Keiki perform at yesterday's May Day
celebration in Pahala.
Photos by Tanya Ibarra

May Day royalty presided over the
celebration at Pahala Elementary
& Intermediate Schools yesterday.

LONGER SCHOOL DAYS are in store for public students across the state if Gov. Neil Abercrombie signs the bill, Act 167, which passed the Legislature. All high schools and middle schools would have to provide 5.5 hours of daily instruction by 2014, and all elementary schools would offer 5.5 hours a day by the 2012 – 2013 school year. By 2016 ten more school days would be added. The state has to negotiate with the teachers union for more instruction time. Public Charter Schools would be exempt from the law. 

Another group of students performs for
 their families and guests at May Day.

Contemporary dance was part of the
May Day celebration.

MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS are happening throughout this month. Ka`u High School’s celebration was Monday, and Pahala Elementary and Intermediate School’s was yesterday. Na`alehu Elementary’s celebration is scheduled for Friday, May 20 at 12:30 p.m. in the gym. Ka`u Hospital has one on Friday, May 27. 

THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES for the Ka‘ū Coffee Recipe Contest has been extended to this Saturday, May 7. Categories include smoke meat, pupus/appetizers, savory snacks, entrees and desserts.
     Applications are available at R&G Store in Pāhala and online at www.kaucoffeefest.com. Contact Michelle Galimba at 430-4927 or mgalimba@kuahiwiranch.com for more information.

`O KA`U KAKOU MEETS at the Aspen Center on tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. The group is looking for help with the Ka`u Family Fun Fest in June that includes a half marathon, 10K and 5K races and basketball, archery, Portuguese horseshoe and Jen Ken Po tournaments. All proceeds go to the Bay Clinic building fund. Call Nadine at 928-0027 or Wayne at 937-4773 for more information.