Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 NEWS BRIEFS

President Barack Obama signs bill honoring Japanese-American veterans.
Congresswoman Mazie Hirono co-sponsored the bill.

TODAY IS VETERANS DAY and county, state and federal offices are closed, along with banks, schools and libraries. There will be no mail delivered to Ka`u's post offices today.

TWO VETERANS DAY ceremonies are planned for Ka`u - One at Punalu`u Beach sponsored by the Kahumoku Ohana from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. with a concert with such musicians as `ukulele master James Hill, Hope and John Keawe, Keoki Kahumoku, Dennis Kamakahi and others. The Kilauea Military Camp ceremony in Hawai`I Volcanoes National Park 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 who pre-register.

KA`U'S CONGRESSWOMAN MAZIE HIRONO attended a White House ceremony yesterday to sign legislation to honor all of the Japanese American veterans who served during World War II. It grants a Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regiment Battalion and the Military Intelligence Service. Some of the living Ka`u residents receiving this honor are 92-year-old Toku Nakano, 91-year-old Tsuneki Omija and 88-year-old Iwao Yonemitsu.
 
IN HER VETERANS DAY ADDRESS, Hirono said, "These decorated Japanese-American veterans exemplify the kind of courage and loyalty to our country that serve as continuing inspiration to future generations. They signed up to fight in Europe and in the Asia-Pacific theatre at a time when the very nation they fought for had sent their families to internment camps." More than two-thirds of these Nisei veterans were born and raised in Hawai`i.
 
BANNING THE IMPORTATION of all green coffee from out of state is one of the proposals being considered to help fend off the spread of the coffee cherry borer. It is believed that Kona became invested by importing Mexican or other Latin American coffee to blend with pure Kona coffee. The borers, considered the most destructive coffee pest, live inside the cherry and the bean, making it useless. State and federal officials are considering a quarantine on affected areas in Kona and Wai`ohinu and are accepting testimony through November 17, when they will hold a meeting at the Plant Quarantine Conference Room on Sand Island on O`ahu. The quarantine would prevent the movement of coffee plants, green coffee beans, untreated coffee bags and other implements of the coffee industry outside of the quarantine area without permits.
 
CONCERNED ABOUT THE COFFEE CHERRY BORER damaging the Ka`u coffee industry? Farmers and other residents can testify by email to Carol.L.Okada@hawaii.gov, fax to 808-832-0584 or mail to 1849 Auiki Street, Honolulu, Hawai`i 96819.

About 40 people gathered at the County Council's site visit of the
one-and-one-half mile portion of Kamaoa Road west of
South Point Road on Tuesday, Nov. 9

THE KAMAOA ROAD ISSUE is being studied by former County Planning Director Chris Yuen. He is checking into whether the county has the right to sell of the road segment west of South Point Road to private landowners. Yuen apparently has documents to show that the road belongs to the state and has been used in the past to connect South Point Road with Mamalahoa Highway, according to incoming County Council Chair Domonic Yagong.
    

Tissy Kaniho says she wants the road to be private
to protect her cattle and horses

Proponents of the sale of the road include those who would buy it from the county at an estimated cost of $2,000. They include Tissy and Dean Kaniho, who own a 27-acre ranch next to the road, Kamehameha Schools and Monica Mallick, who own large parcels. 

Teri Nguyen says she wants her workers and the public
to have ungated access to her 99-acre farm

Teri Nguyen, who owns 99 acres adjacent to the road, said she objects, stating that it would reduce the value of her property by restricting access and that she wants the workers and visitors to her farm to come and go without having to go through locked gates. Those for the gates say it keeps their cattle, farms and ranches safe. The issue was a hot topic in the recent elections where the County Council seat changed hands from incumbent Guy Enriques to Brittany Smart. Enriques supported the sale, while Smart opposed it.

THE KA`U EPISODE OF MANTRACKER - the hit reality TV show featuring local paniolo Leon Chow and Canadian tracker Terry Grant chasing down human prey – will be shown this afternoon at 4 p.m. on the Discovery Science Channel.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND sponsors a beach cleanup in Ka`u this Saturday, Nov. 13. Participants meet at the Kaulana boat ramp and gather rubbish along the coast toward Mahana Bay. Call Meghan at 769-7629 with questions. 

A FREE HAWAIIAN MASTERS CONCERT takes place this Saturday, Nov. 13 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House.  The concert features musicians currently teaching local students and visitors at the annual Kahumoku `Ohana Hawaiian Music & Cultural Workshop.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 10, 2010 - NEWS BRIEFS

The Surfer prey

MANTRACKER the hit reality television show featuring local paniolo Leon Chow (left) and Canadian tracker Terry Grant chasing down human prey in Ka`u premiered yesterday. The Mantracker Ka`u episode will also be shown tonight at midnight and tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 11 on Discovery Science Channel at 4 p.m.

YESTERDAY’S KAMAOA ROAD site visit and public meeting regarding selling off a public road remnant to private landowners drew a large crowd. More than 40 people inspected the old government road that travels through green pastures with panoramic views. One of the problems discussed about public use of the road is that there is no parking at the end of it and no place to turn around.      
     More than 70 came to the hearing at Na`alehu Community Center where the majority who testified were in favor of keeping the road in public ownership. One testifier said that the road is the old highway, which makes it a historic road. Another Ka`u resident suggested that people who are looking for outdoor activities could instead go to the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Ralph Roland said that the county should consider more non-gated communities to ensure public access to more places. Some of the residents said the road has no public use, while others expressed concern about the sale setting a precedent that could block off access to fishing and hunting grounds around the island. 
    The date for the County Council to consider the resolution to privatize the road will be announced.

TWO VETERANS DAY celebrations are being held tomorrow, Thursday, November 11 at Kilauea Military Camp and Punalu`u Beach Park. 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 who pre-register. 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. as part of the annual Kahumoku music workshop in Ka`u. The concert features kupuna Dennis Kamakahi, Moses Kahumoku, Diana Aki and others.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND sponsors a beach cleanup in Ka`u this Saturday. Participants meet at the Kaulana boat ramp and gather rubbish along the coast toward Mahana Bay. Call Meghan at 769-7629 with questions.

INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH THE MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT? Coffee farmers are reaching out to the entire community to become involved with the pageant and the Ka`u Coffee Festival which will celebrate its third year in 2011. To volunteer for the pageant, call Nalani Parlin at 217-6893, Gloria Camba at 928-8155 or Pahala Plantation Cottage at 928-9811. The pageant is planned for Sunday, February 20. Girls and young ladies interested in vying for the pageant titles can also call for entry forms. 

Ka`u farmers are trying to protect their clean coffee from infestation by Kona coffee borers.

A QUARANTINE TO BATTLE THE SPREAD OF THE COFFEE BORER will be the subject of a public meeting on November 17 at the Plant Quarantine Station on Sand Island on O`ahu at 1:30 p.m. Coffee farmers in Ka`u are hoping that the quarantine will be limited to places where the coffee borer has been found - from Kona to Wai`ohinu. Should the quarantine include Pahala, green coffee beans from award winning farms here would be prohibited from being moved inter island without fumigation. Such a quarantine would hurt farmers who sell their green coffee beans to roasters on other islands. However, unroasted beans could be shipped directly to the mainland. Since roasting kills the coffee borer, there would be no quarantine for roasted coffee. Another quarantine could restrict how unroasted coffee moves around the island. Should the quarantine include only Kona to Na`alehu, Pahala coffee could be moved, unrestricted to Hilo and to the other islands. Coffee farmers are encouraged to send in their testimony to keep Pahala and other clean areas of Ka`u out of the quarantine area.

    The problem with the coffee borer insect is that it lives inside the coffee cherry and eats the coffee bean. It is spread on the tires of trucks, in the clothes and shoes of coffee pickers and in the coffee bags themselves. Agricultural officials are encouraging everyone to wash their coffee bags and clothes in hot water before using them again.

TUESDAY, NOV. 9, 2010 - NEWS BRIEFS

DOMINIC YAGONG (left), the incoming chair for Hawai`i County Council, will travel to Ka`u today along with incoming council member Brittany Smart to study the roads in limbo issue. Outgoing council member Guy Enriques had suggested the county sell off a segment of Kamaoa Road, west of South Point Road. The plan faces objection from Smart and some other council members who fear it would set a precedent for selling off public access to grave sites as well as fishing and hunting grounds. The public is invited to the site visit, which begins at 3 p.m. today at the corner of Kamaoa and South Point roads with a public hearing to follow at Na`alehu Community Center.

DOMINIC YAGONG has been elected chair of the new County Council, which takes office on Monday, December 6 at noon at the Hilo Civic Auditorium. Yagong’s election is expected to mark a change in council philosophy. Yagong endorsed Ka`u’s new council member Brittany Smart and lobbies for open, transparent government, small business and community input. Smart says she wants an office in Ka`u.

INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBER BRITTANY SMART WILL CHAIR THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. She said “this is where my work experience benefits the most.” She said her first task is to get a transfer station for Ocean View. She vowed to upgrade all the transfer stations and make sure rubbish disposal areas are “available, safe and as comprehensive as we can get them.”

SMART WILL BE VICE CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE serving with Chair Angel Pilago. She will also represent Hawai`i County with Pilago at the state, regional and national association of councils where city and county councils cooperate on projects.

THE KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING has been postponed from today 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 meeting was canceled so avoid conflict with today’s site visit and public hearing on Kamaoa Road.

TWO VETERANS DAY celebrations are being held this Thursday, November 11 at Kilauea Military Camp and Punalu`u Beach Park. 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 who pre-register. 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. as part of the annual Kahumoku music workshop in Ka`u.

INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH THE MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT? Coffee farmers are reaching out to the entire community to become involved with the pageant and the Ka`u Coffee Festival which will celebrate its third year in 2011. To volunteer for the pageant, call Nalani Parlin at 217-6893, Gloria Camba at 928-8155 or Pahala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811. The pageant is planned for Sunday, February 20. Girls and young ladies interested in vying for the pageant titles can also call for entry forms.

MANTRACKER the hit reality television show featuring local paniolo Leon Chow and Canadian tracker Terry Grant chasing down human prey in Ka`u will premiere today, November 9 on the Discovery Science Channel at 4 p.m. local time and will be repeated throughout the week. Check Discovery TV listings for time.