Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, June 6, 2015

Sen. Russell Ruderman discussed the 2015 state Legislature at Cooper Center in Volcano Thursday. Photos by Ron Johnson

KA`U’S STATE SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN reviewed the 2015 Legislature during a talk story in Volcano Thursday. Ruderman said his focus during this last session was on strengthening agricultural and food security. “As always, I am actively working on environmental stewardship, improving energy self-sufficiency and reliance, increasing educational support for our children, more diverse economic development and extending our community health funding and emergency services,” he said.

Ruderman expressed passion for issues
that affect Puna and Ka`u.

      Accomplishments during his chairmanship of the Agriculture Committee included passing out a considerable and wide-ranging amount of legislation to help small local family farms and address invasive pests, cottage foods, good ag practices, ag workforce initiatives and an industrial hemp pilot project.
      The Legislature also established a Farm-to-School coordinator in the Department of Agriculture to help farmers’ products become part of school menus, a medical marijuana dispensary system, a commitment by DOA and chair Scott Enright to begin a statewide farmer hemp project, insurance coverage for autism and a commitment by Department of Health to expand the cottage food program, which would allow certain products made in non-certified kitchens to be sold on a limited basis. Ruderman said that if DOH fails to develop rules, the Legislature would once again take up a bill that it dropped following DOH’s commitment.
      Other milestones Ruderman listed include funding for albizia control, funding to fight the coffee berry borer and macadamia felted coccid and tax credits for residents forced to convert cesspools to septic systems.
      Ruderman also said capital improvement project funding of $285,000 will go to Friends of Volcano School of Arts & Sciences for plans, design and construction of a certified commercial kitchen.
      Ruderman encouraged his Ka`u constituents to contact him on proposing legislation to improve the quality of life for everyone here and throughout Hawai`i. “Your active participation in the legislative process is paramount to making change for the better!” he said. Contact Ruderman at 974-4000 + 66890 or senruderman@capitol.hawaii.gov.
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Kealoha Pisciotta Photo from KAHEA

HAWAI`I SUPREME COURT WILL HEAR an appeal by Mauna Kea Hui regarding the Thirty Meter Telescope. The hui asked to have the case, which questions the conservation district use permit granted to University of Hawai`i-Hilo, transferred from an appellate court to the Supreme Court because it “involves a question of imperative or fundamental public importance.” According to the hui, this is one of the criteria the Supreme Court considers in granting applications for transfer. 

      A court document lists defendants as Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, Clarence Kukaukahi Ching, Flores-Case `Ohana, Deborah J. Ward, Paul K. Neves and KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance.
      The grant of transfer comes in the wake of what the hui referred to as University of Hawai`i-Hilo’s “public concessions of its mismanagement of Mauna Kea and agreements to Gov. David Ige’s plans for purported ‘improvements’ on Mauna Kea, all of which fall short because they were premised on continued support of the TMT project.”
      “These are interesting, to say the least, given the University’s vigorous opposition in legal battles,” said Richard Wurdeman, the hui’s lawyer.
      Ward said the court’s decision to hear the case is “heartening,” and Kealoha Pisciotta, of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, said, “This is good news and recognizes the importance of our case for all of Hawai`i.”
      The case may bear on ways conservation districts islandwide will be treated. CDUPs, which are variances for construction in conservation districts, can be granted only if a project meets eight criteria, including absence of substantial adverse impact, preservation of natural beauty and consistency with conservation district purposes.
      “The transfer signals that the Hawai`i Supreme Court, in unanimity, believes that the so-called TMT CDUP deserves the utmost legal scrutiny and priority,” said Clarence Kukaukahi Ching.
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William S. Richardson School of Law hosts a symposium
on Hawai`i's new Environmental Court.

HAWAI`I’S ENVIRONMENTAL COURT begins on July 1. The state Legislature passed a measure creating the court in 2014, making Hawai`i only the second state to have an Environmental Court. More than 350 of the courts now exist in 41 countries. 

      The court is a division of circuit courts and district courts that will hear proceedings arising from certain environmental laws. Environmental disputes are currently dealt with in a variety of courts. According the bill, “this organizational structure inadvertently promotes inconsistent application of the wide variety of environmental laws. The purpose of this act is to promote and protect Hawai`i’s natural environment through consistent and uniform application of environmental laws.
      “The Legislature also finds that the continued maintenance and improvement of Hawai`i’s environment requires constant vigilance and continued stewardship,” the bill reads, “to ensure its lasting beauty, cleanliness, uniqueness and the stability of its natural systems, all of which enhance the mental and physical well-being of Hawai`i’s people.
     “The Legislature further finds that Hawai`i’s natural resources are compromised every day resulting in numerous violations of the law. An environmental court will better ensure that the state upholds its constitutional obligation to protect the public trust for the benefit of all beneficiaries.”
      A symposium on the Environmental Court takes place on Friday, June 26 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at William S. Richardson School of Law in Honolulu. For more information and to register by June 19, email hiectsymposium@gmail.com.
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KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN’S Steering Committee starts the next phase in the CDP process during a meeting Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.

Leina`ala Enos chairs the Ka`u CDP
Steering Committee, which meets
Tuesday in Na`alehu.

      During this meeting, the Steering Committee will not be discussing or making any decisions about revisions to the Draft CDP. Planner Ron Whitmore said the purpose of the meeting is to review community input and prepare for future Steering Committee meetings. During those future meetings, the committee will consider specific CDP revisions in preparation for recommending a final draft of the CDP for approval by County Council.

      Though public comment on agenda items is always welcome at Steering Committee meetings, this meeting is not designed as an opportunity for additional or repeated comment on the Draft CDP, according to Whitmore.
      In preparation for Tuesday’s meeting, planners are finalizing an organized summary of community feedback on the Draft CDP. The raw data is available online at http://www.hawaiicountycdp.info/kau-cdp/plan-input/march-june-2015-public-comment-on-the-draft-cdp.

      Feedback from John Cross, land manager for Edmund C. Olson Trust II, states that the trust "opposes the apparent policy matter where Farm Dwellings would not be allowed on subdivided Agriculturally zoned parcels. The most basic element of land and home ownership for a farmer is living on the land he farms; all farmers want this. The other need is for a farmer to gain equity in the land and build wealth for his family. Land and home ownership gives someone the ability to grow and develop, to make better than where they once started."
     Cross said that Whitmore indicated that this policy statement was going to be clarified, and its reference was to restrict home construction (ownership) on Leased or Licensed land. Cross said the trust agrees with that clarification in language.
      "The trust strongly believes that judicious subdividing of lands for sale to farmers or ranchers is one of the quickest ways to bring economic wealth to the district," Cross wrote. "'Judicious' is used as a reference to those measures that are currently employed by the Planning Department when a subdivision is applied for. There are many checks and balances within the county process that will assure that subdivisions are planned appropriately and serve the best needs of the District and its residents."
       For more information, contact Steering Committee members or Community Planning Assistant Nalani Parlin. Contact information is available at the project website (www.kaucdp.info).
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A GUIDED, 2.5-MILE, MODERATELY difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area’s human history tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit.

The seventh annual Volcano Pottery Sale is coming up Friday and Saturday.

THE SEVENTH ANNUAL VOLCANO POTTERY SALE is coming up Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

      This year, 14 Big Island potters and ceramicists will participate in the annual sale at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus where browsers and buyers can meet artists and view their many unique pottery styles all at one venue.
      In addition to the sale, the event features a special exhibition of potters’ new works, and the public is invited to bid for them in a silent auction. There will also be a wheel-throwing demonstration on Saturday.
      Thai food by Aunty Po’s Cafe will be available for purchase on Friday, and Volcano Hanabi will have sushi and bentos on Saturday. Tea Hawai`i will provide Volcano-grown tea for your tasting pleasure.
      For more information, call 985-8530.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_June2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, June 5, 2015

A talk story session about Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park's draft general management plan, wilderness study and environmental impact statement is coming up next week. NPS Photo by Jay Robinson

WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION has approved HOVE Road Maintenance Corp.’s petition to intervene in hearings about expansion of mining activities in Ocean View, according to Nancy Cook Lauer, of West Hawai`i Today. The board, which manages roads in Ocean View, will provide evidence and question witnesses regarding proposals to expand quarrying of cinder and rock.

Jill Raznov

      Peter Dahlberg, an engineer who represents Arrow of Oregon and David and Laura Rodrigues, told Cook Lauer HOVE Road Maintenance Corp. is “asking for a lot of expensive tests that are not relevant to the mining activity.’
      The organization collects assessments from property owners to maintain 157 miles of private roads in the subdivision. According to Cook Lauer, it can also assess heavy trucks $1,000 per vehicle annually to use the roads there.
      Dahlberg also said the companies have agreed to setbacks from roads and other safety measures, “but they aren’t enough for the road company.”
      Jill Raznov, a Hilo attorney representing the road company, said it needs to be able to set parameters to help regulate the mining companies’ activity. “These must be mandated and required to ensure the safety of life and property,” Raznov said. “We’re talking about a history of noncompliance.”
      David Rodrigues told Cook Lauer, “We are willing to work with Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Road Maintenance Corp. for a fair assessment.”
      See westhawaiitoday.com.
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THE STATE OF HAWAI`I IS TAKING STEPS to ensure a smooth transition for individuals seeking health care insurance in the November 2015 Open Enrollment following closure of Hawai`i Health Connector.

      The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services informed the Connector last week that federal funds were no longer available to support its long-term operations. Hawai`i Health Connector, a private nonprofit entity, has been unable to generate sufficient revenues to sustain operations.

      Viability of state health insurance exchanges has been a challenge across the country, particularly in small states, due to insufficient numbers of uninsured residents. Hawai`i has a high rate of insured residents due to employer-based health care coverage and Medicaid program expansions.
      “The state is working with the Connector and CMS to determine what functions can be transitioned to state oversight to ensure compliance with the Affordable Care Act by the next Open Enrollment,” said Gov. David Ige.
      Hawai`i Health Connector’s consumer support operations will continue to assist with November Open Enrollment.
      Based on ongoing discussions with the state and the Connector, CMS has agreed to provide limited funds for the transition so that Hawai`i can maintain a Supported State-based Marketplace. The amount of CMS transition funds has yet to be determined.
      “The state remains committed to offering health care coverage through the Prepaid Health Care Act as it has for the past 40 years,” Ige said. “The state continues to provide millions of dollars to serve 300,000 Hawai`i adults and children who receive health care coverage through Medicaid.”
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HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF LAND & Natural Resource’s Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands will lead development of a statewide Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Report in coordination with the Interagency Climate Adaptation Committee. ICAC, which is tasked with delivering the SLR Report to the Legislature by the end of 2017, held its first meeting on Wednesday. 

      OCCL Administrator Sam Lemmo said, “The SLR Report will serve as the framework to address other climate-related threats and climate change adaptation priorities, ultimately leading to a Climate Adaptation Plan for the state, which will be prepared by the state Office of Planning. Over the next two and a half years we will meet regularly, engage climate change experts and keep the citizens of Hawai`i informed of our progress and recommendations to combat the negative impacts of sea level rise and other climate change threats.” 

      DLNR Chair Suzanne Case, who co-chairs ICAC with the director of the state Office of Planning, said, “The work of the ICAC is among the highest priority work we will do over the next few years. Beach erosion, drought, coral bleaching and rising ocean temperatures are already having measurable impacts on Hawai`i and are expected to accelerate in coming years. These threats include impacts to our host culture, including impacts to coastal artifacts and structures and reduced availability of traditional food sources and subsistence fisheries.”

Sen. Brian Schatz

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U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ, A MEMBER of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, introduced the School Building Fairness Act of 2015, legislation that would provide federal grants to states and local school districts to help them build, repair and renovate school facilities. 

      “When students are in a safe, well-maintained school environment, it improves their ability to learn and gives them a better shot at success. Today, a majority of our public schools in Hawai`i and across the country are in disrepair. It’s unacceptable,” Schatz said. “My bill invests in our students, giving states and local school districts the resources to build better schools and better futures for every student.”
      In 2014, a report found that a majority of public schools in the country were in need of modernization or repair with the estimated cost totaling $197 billion nationwide. Today, despite the clear need and poor conditions of many public schools, federal funding is usually not available for school facilities.
      The School Building Fairness Act is supported by U.S. Green Building Council, Rebuild America’s Schools, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, North America’s Building Trades Unions, AFL-CIO, Californians for School Facilities and Healthy Schools Network, Inc.
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THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO A TALK STORY session about the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park draft general management plan, wilderness study and environmental impact statement at Kilauea Visitor Center June 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. In addition, a formal wilderness hearing will be held during this meeting to receive comments specific to the wilderness study. Park representatives will answer questions and take comments. 

      General management plans are intended to be long-term documents that establish and articulate a management philosophy and framework for decision-making and problem-solving in national parks. In the 548-page document, three alternatives for Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park are presented for review. Each alternative offers a different approach to protecting and managing park resources, using facilities and providing a range of access and visitor experiences to meet the needs of local residents, off-island visitors and students of all ages. These alternatives were developed with the intent to include and celebrate Native Hawaiian values such as malama `aina (nourishing and taking care of the land) and kuleana (responsibility).
      These alternatives are the result of five years of public scoping and comment, interdisciplinary research, field assessments, stakeholder discussions and Native Hawaiian consultation and are based upon the park’s purpose and significance, issues that need to be addressed, legal mandates and public comments provided on preliminary alternatives.

 

      To review the DGMP/WS/EIS and provide comments online, see parkplanning.nps.gov/havogmp. Comments can also be mailed to Superintendent, Attn: DGMP/WS/EIS, PO Box 52, Hawai`i National Park, HI 96718-0052. The public comment period is open through June 30.

Punalu`u Bake Shop's cookie kitchen
opens tomorrow.

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PUNALU`U BAKE SHOP COOKIE KITCHEN Grand Opening is tomorrow from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Na`alehu, featuring entertainment and food. Call 929-7343 for more information.

THE QUEST FOR LIQUID LIGHT: Going with the Flow opens tomorrow. The exhibit features fine art photography by G. Brad Lewis. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Opening reception is tomorrow at 5 p.m.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_June2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, June 4, 2015

New technology called WindFloat would allow wind turbines with towers as high as 300 feet to float in the ocean near Hawai`i,
connected to cables that would send electricity to land, according to Alpa Wind Energy. Photo from WindFloat

PROPOSALS FOR WINDMILL FARMS FLOATING IN THE OCEAN NEAR HAWAI`I drew concerns from military and environmental groups, as well as government agencies yesterday in Honolulu. The windpower project is proposed by a company from Denmark, the country that banned nuclear power and achieved the highest proportion of wind electricity in the world. Denmark produces from 23 percent to 61 percent of its power from wind each month, depending on how much the wind blows. Denmark has land windmills and nearshore and offshore wind turbine fields, with more planned in the Baltic and North Seas.
     The Hawai`i venture comes from the Danish company Alpha Wind Energy, which would spend $1.6 billion to install 102 wind turbines, each as tall as 300 feet, and underwater cables sending the electricity to land. The first project would be two sites more than ten miles offshore of O`ahu, in federally managed waters, and Alpha contends it could produce 30 percent of that island’s electricity. As in Denmark, additional alternative energy could be produced by more solar. For the wind energy, Alpha would use a new technology called WindFloat, designed to make it unnecessary to extend the wind turbine towers to the bottom of the ocean, which is very deep around Hawai`i, according to a report by Casey Tolen from fusion.net. Tolen wrote that Alpha is still studying WindFloat's ability to resist hurricanes.

Whether the heavy construction of WindFloat can handle hurricanes is
under study. Photo from WindFloat

   According to a story in this morning’s Honolulu Star Advertiser, the concerns came during a meeting yesterday sponsored by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Writer Kathryn Mykleseth reports: “NOAA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said they wanted to know more about the effect the turbines and the cables that connect them to O`ahu would have on marine life. The Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration were concerned how the turbines would impact aircraft and vessel communication. The Coast Guard is concerned that electromagnetic fields might disrupt vessels’ navigation systems, said Ulysses Mullins, prevention department head at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu.
     “The FAA said it would be interested in how the wind farms would affect the airways as the turbines may give false radar readings….    Community members requested that the public be considered by the agencies as a stakeholder. Ron Tam, secretary of the Hawai‘i Fishermen’s Alliance for Conservation and Tradition, said he was worried about the wind farms’ influence on deep-water and nearshore fishing.” See more at www.fusion.net and  www.staradvertiser.com
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RAW DATA AND OPINIONS on the draft Ka`u Community Development Plan can be seen online. Speak-Out Comments, Focused Discussion Notes, Written Comments and Comments Submitted Online or by Email by the deadline of June 1 are posted for public review at http://www.hawaiicountycdp.info/kau-cdp/plan-input/march-june-2015-public-comment-on-the-draft-cdp.
      The next phase in the CDP process begins during a Steering Committee meeting next Tuesday, June 9, starting at 5:30pm at Nāʻālehu Community Center. Purpose is to review community input and prepare for future Steering Committee meetings. During future meetings, the Committee will consider specific CDP revisions in preparation for recommending a final draft of the Ka‘ū CDP for approval by the County Council. While public comment on agenda items is welcome at Steering Committee meetings, the Tuesday session is not designed as an opportunity for additional or repeated comment on the Draft CDP, says a memo from the county planning department Senior Long Range Planner Ron Whitmore.
      Anyone with questions can contact Steering Committee members or Community Planning Assistant Nalani Parlin. Contact information is available at the project website www.kaucdp.info.
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DOUBLETREE BY HILTON will be the new branding for the Hilo Naniloa Hotel and Golf Course, a project funded by Ka`u coffee Mill owner Edmund C. Olson Trust and partners, led by Tower Development president Ed Bushor. According to a report in Pacific Business News, the hotel is undergoing a $16 million renovation and will continue to be managed by Aqua Hospitality. Bushor told PBN that a national chain restaurant, with farm-to-table reputation, will be announced soon to handle three meals a day at the hotel. The old music venue, the Crown Room, will become Willie K’s @ the Crown Room. There is also a plan for a Museum Bar in the lobby and involvement of marine artist Wyland.
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TRAPPING, SHOOTING FROM HELICOPTERS AND STAFF HUNTING of feral goats, feral sheep, mouflon and mouflon/feral sheep hybrids are scheduled for June, July and August on Mauna Kea and local hunters and the public can apply for permits to retrieve the meat.  The elimination of invasive ungulates on Mauna Kea has been going on for generations, including a roundup in 1935 when more than 50,000 feral sheep were captured. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, will conduct the new animal control activities this summer within palila critical habitat in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve (Unit A), Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve (Unit K), and the Ka‘ohe Game Management Area (Unit G).

A 1935 roundup on Mauna Kea captured more than 35,000 feral sheep.
Photo from DLNR

     According to a DLNR statement, aerial shooting is required for compliance with the federal court order mandating removal of sheep and goats from critical habitat for palila, a bird endemic to Hawai‘i. Control schedules are June 24 and 25, July 28 and 29, and August 26.
     Public access to Mauna Kea Forest Reserve from Waikahalulu gulch, north to Kemole, and east to Pu‘u Kole, Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Area Reserve, the Ka‘ohe Game Management Area and Mauna Kea Hunter Access Road will be restricted and allowed by permit only for animal salvage purposes beginning at 7 a.m. on June 24 and 25, July 28 and Aug. 26 and 27.

Ungulates destroy the habitat of the palila bird.
Photo from DLNR

     The Mauna Kea Observatory Road will remain open. However, temporary closure, states DLNR, “is needed to minimize the dangers of incompatible uses in the forest area and safely conduct animal control activities.” Hale Pohaku and Kilohana gated entrances to Unit A and G and the gate behind Mauna Kea Recreation Area will be locked/reopened as follows: Locked 8 p.m. June 23, reopened 7 p.m. June 25; locked 8 p.m. July 27, reopened 7 p.m. July 29; and locked 8 p.m. Aug. 25, reopened 7 p.m. Aug. 27.
     Due to high public participation, telephone call-ins to the DOFAW Kamuela Office at 887-6063 for salvage permits will be from 9 a.m. June 17 to 10 a.m. the day before each shoot day. One permit will be issued per call per vehicle for one day only. Applicants can have names added to a stand-by list for additional days, should all slots not be filled by other applicants. No standbys waiting at the gates will be allowed access. Driver, occupants, vehicle license plate, and make/model of vehicle are needed when calling in. A maximum of 15 permitted vehicles will be allowed at the Pu‘u Kohi location.

    Carcasses taken during the shoot will be available to the permitted public for salvage (4-wheel drive vehicles required, and access permits will be issued). There is no guarantee that animals will be able to be salvaged. Salvage locations, which are subject to change, are set for June 24 and 25, and July 28 and 29, and 26 and 27, 2015, at Pu‘u Ko‘ohi. Permittees must meet at Mauna Kea Recreation Area at 7 a.m. sharp.

     Contact the Division of Forestry and Wildlife in Hilo at 974-4221 or in Kamuela at 887-6063 for additional details regarding meat salvage or access permits.

     See more on invasives on Mauna Kea at http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/restoremaunakea/home/threats.
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Ka`u ranchers and farmers are invited to display at Taste.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U FOOD PRODUCERS are invited to display and sample their products at the 20th annual Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agricultural Festival on Friday, Oct. 9 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The ag showcase again offers a free opportunity for Hawai‘i farmers, ranchers and food producers to hookup with participating chefs and attendees during the 6-8 p.m. Taste. The event is also open for agricultural and sustainability-themed organizations wanting to present informational displays.
     Producers and ag-related educational organizations interested in participating may signup online at www.tasteofthehawaiianrange.com or by contacting Christine Osterwalder,christine@vividgecko.com, 808-895-4987. The deadline is July 31.
     Taste headlines 35 statewide chefs who dazzle diners using various cuts of forage-fed meats and a cornucopia of island fruits, vegetables and other farm products. Also on tap is a 3 p.m. culinary activity, Cooking Pasture-Raised Beef 101, presented by celebrity chef and James Beard winner Roy Yamaguchi of Roy’s Restaurants.

    Pre-sale tickets for Taste are $45 and $60 at the door. Entry to Cooking 101 is $10 while the 1:30 p.m. class is free. Tickets go on sale July 1 at islandwide locations and online at www.TasteoftheHawaiianRange.com. Watch for ticket giveaways on Facebook at Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Twitter #TasteHI. For general event information, phone 969-8228.
     The ag-tourism event is a partnership between CTAHR, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Association, Hawai`i Cattlemen’s Council, Kulana Foods, UH-Hilo CAFNRM, County of Hawai`i Dept. on Environmental Management and community volunteers. Sponsorship also includes the Hawai`i Tourism Authority, Hawai`i County Research and Development, Hawai`i Community College Food Service & Culinary Program and KTA SuperStores.
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EAST KA`U’S STATE SEN. RUSSELL RUDERMAN hosts a talk story at Cooper Center in Volcano Village this evening from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Ruderman will discuss newly passed legislation and seek input on bills to be introduced next year. For more info, call 586-6890 or email senruderman@capitol.hawaii.gov.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_June2015.pdf.