Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, July 30, 2015

People and Land of Kahuku is the topic of a guided hike Saturday. NPS Photo by Julia Espinosa

HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE URGE MOTORISTS to drive with caution as school resumes. Motorists should expect an increase in traffic, especially in school zones, during morning and afternoon hours.

      Sergeant Robert Pauole, of the Traffic Services Section, suggests adjusting daily schedules and starting earlier to avoid the temptation to rush while commuting to work. Also, while driving within school zones, use caution and be attentive to children walking to school and crossing in marked crosswalks.

B'lane Daly teaches her students math at Ka`u Learning Academy.
Photo from KLA

      Ka`u Learning Academy held its first day of classes with great success, Managing Director Joe Iacuzzo said. Many parents were present the first day to see their children start the new school year.  Iacuzzo said the new teachers were thrilled to meet their students. The other charter school in Ka`u, Volcano School of the Arts  Sciences, also began the fall semester yesterday.

      At Na`alehu Elementary, pre-k through sixth grade, starts today. In Pahala, school begins for students in preschool, kindergarten, seventh and ninth grades tomorrow. Grade eight and all other classes in Pahala start school on Monday.
      Pahala and Na`alehu classes start at 8 a.m.
Kamehameha School starts next week in Kea`au.
      Call Pahala public school campus at 928-2088 and Na`alehu at 939-2413.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I COUNTY WATER BOARD unanimously confirmed Kawika Uyehara as deputy of the Department of Water Supply at their monthly meeting yesterday.
      Newly selected Manager-Chief Engineer Keith Okamoto detailed the many reasons for his selection of Uyehara. Okamoto wrote about the attributes he felt were critical in a deputy and how Uyehara fulfilled each with his experience, education, leadership skills and community connection.
      A graduate of Waiakea High School, Uyehara went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from University of Washington. Upon completion of his degree, Uyehara worked several years with private firms in Seattle, Honolulu and Hilo. Uyehara joined the Department in 2007 as a licensed civil engineer in the Water Quality Assurance and Control Branch of the Engineering Division. Uyehara was promoted to branch supervisor in 2012.
      Okamoto cited examples of volunteer community service during Hurricane Iselle, National Drinking Water Week and coordinating general public education about the importance of source water protection for drinking water.
      Uyehara has a good understanding and knowledge of the potable drinking water industry, applicable federal and state laws, county codes and ordinances, departmental rules and regulations, as well as the ability to relate to customer and community needs, Okamoto said.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

M. Kahealani Nae`ole Wong
Photo from KSH

M. KAHEALANI NAE`OLE‐WONG has been appointed as po`o kula (head of school) for Kamehameha Schools Hawai`i. Kamehameha School serves Ka`u students with daily bus service to the 300-acre Kea`au campus, which opened in August of 2001. The student population is more than 1,100 in grades K-12. Over the last two years, Nae`ole‐Wong has served as the campus’ assistant head of school and has been serving as the interim head of school over the past two months. She takes over from Dr. Holoua Stender, who was promoted to helm a new executive vice president of education post with Kamehameha Schools. 

      “I’ve seen firsthand, Kahealani’s steadfast dedication to the faculty, staff, students and the surrounding community,” said Dr. Rod Chamberlain, Kamehameha Schools’ vice president of campus education. “She is an accomplished professional with a track record of improving educational and operational performance through vision, leadership and team building. She has a proven ability to affect change and drive continuous improvement.
      “The results of these efforts are a wonderful reflection of her genuine commitment to fulfill the mission and vision of our founder.”
      In her role as hope po‘o kumu (assistant head of school), Nae`ole‐Wong has led K‐12 campus curricular efforts associated with the Working Exit Outcomes framework, Standards-Based Kula Hawai`i and the Danielson Framework. She has worked with KSH and tri‐campus administrators and kumu to create a curriculum development infrastructure which results in the integration of Kula Hawai`i (Hawaiian School) and 21st century skills.
      “I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as the po`o kula for KS Hawai`i and look forward to fostering a thriving culture of growth and learning for all who call KS Hawai`i home,” Nae`ole‐ Wong said. “It has been a privilege to work alongside a dedicated and talented team of students, families, faculty, staff and leaders who exemplify Ke Ali`i Pauahi’s vision of academic, social, spiritual and cultural excellence.”
      Nae`ole‐Wong has served the KS Hawai`i `ohana since 2003, first as a high school career academy coordinator and serving for eight years as po`o kumu o ke kula ha`aha`a (elementary school principal) before stepping into the assistant head of school role in 2013. Prior to joining KSH, she served as the vice principal for Waiakea Elementary, Mountain View Elementary and Waiakea High School and in various capacities with Ke Kula Kaiapuni Hawai`i.
      A graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapalama, Nae`ole‐Wong went on to receive her B.A. in Hawaiian studies from the University of Hawai`i at Hilo and two master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction and education administration (K‐12) from the University of Hawai`i at Manoa.
      Nae`ole‐Wong said, “I hope to build on a strong foundation and collaboratively lead our school to continue to grow as a Kula Hawai`i ‐ where all leaders, faculty, staff and students are committed to teaching and learning that supports the renewed vibrancy of Hawai`i’s indigenous people, and our life‐long success in the 21st century. It aligns with my core belief that applying our tradition of ancestral excellence and innovation in globally connected, Hawaiian culture‐based environments is a critical means to attain cultural vibrancy and ultimately achieve the mission of Kamehameha Schools.”
      Nae`ole‐Wong’s appointment is effective immediately. An interim assistant head of school will be appointed shortly, and recruitment for this position will begin in early spring for the 2016‐2017 school year.

Sensei Cliff Field congratulates Jake Villa.

JAKE VILLA HAS RECEIVED HIS International Karate League Junior black belt from Pahala Dojo Sensei Cliff Field. Field started the dojo in 2009, and it is open to new students from age five through adult throughout the year. Classes are every Tuesday and Friday at 5:30 at Pahala Community Center.

KA`U RESIDENTS ARE INVITED to a fundraiser for Sen. Russell Ruderman tomorrow. Gary Hooser will discuss Taking Back Our Government - the Why, the How and the Hope. Hooser serves on the Kaua`i County Council, served in the Hawai`i state Senate from 2002 to 2010 and currently is President of Hawai`i Alliance for Progessive Action.
      Special musical guests are the Kalapana Awa Band. Price for the talk, band and dinner is $50. Without dinner, the fee is $25. Dinner is served by Luquins Restaurant, and a bar will also be provided by Luquins.
      Advance reservations are recommended as seating is limited. See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sen-russell-rudermans-speaker-dinner-series-tickets-17573116665.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

THE LAND OF EB AIRS ON PBS today at 7:30 p.m. Jonithen Jackson, of Ocean View, stars in the fictional account about the Marshallese situation.
      See thelandofeb.com and pbshawaii.org for more information.

OCEAN VIEW RANCHOS SOLAR SUBSTATION, planned by Hawai`i Electric Light Co., is the subject of a steering committee meeting today at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. 

Susan Scott

AUTHOR AND MARINE BIOLOGIST Susan Scott discusses her adventures sailing on her 37-foot sailing vessel to Palmyra and her work there today at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. 

      Call 967-8222 for more information.

DURING STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., volunteers cut invasive Himalayan ginger on trails in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The hike is around a one-mile, moderate round-trip down Halem`auma`u Trail into Kilauea caldera, leaving from Kilauea Visitor Center. Free; park entrance fees apply. 

      For more information, call 985-6013.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK’S Kahuku Unit presents People and Lands of Kahuku Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Participants learn about the powerful natural forces at work there and how people have adapted to, shaped and restored this land.
      Call 985-6011 for more information.

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

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Keiki hike Kilauea Iki this summer. Camp Google's Nature Week experience connects and encourages children across the country to get outside, explore the great outdoors and keep asking questions. Photo from NPS

THE NEW ONLINE CAMP GOOGLE brings Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park to kids across the country. Many who live thousands of miles from Hawai`i will have the opportunity to explore the park via the online experience. 

      The free, one-hour camp debuted today during Google’s Nature Week at 9 a.m. HST. Camp Google is full of fun science activities and adventures and is geared towards keiki ages 7-10, but, with proper supervision, is open to all ages. Kids don’t have to register or have a Google account to participate.

Superintendent Cindy Orlando interacts with keiki.
 Photo from Pacific Island Parks

      “As the National Park Service and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park step into our next 100 years of caring for America’s special places, the number one goal for our 2016 Centennial is to connect with and create the next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando.
      The timing for Camp Google is ideal, Orlando said, because the new Every Kid in a Park initiative, which invites all American fourth-graders and their families to visit national parks and public lands for free during the 2015-2016 school year, will soon launch. Camp Google will share Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park with families and kids across the country, potentially inspiring them to visit Hawai`i.
      Google launched its first camp adventure with National Geographic explorers Sylvia Earle and Erika Bergman in mid-July. Kids plunged the Atlantic Ocean via a remotely operated vehicle and watched as filefish, lionfish, corals and other marine life came into view. Last week, kids found out what astronauts eat and helped create new space food with NASA astronaut Don Pettit.
      The Nature Week segment, filmed entirely on location in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, is co-hosted by Park Ranger Rebecca Carvalho, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Don Swanson and Derek Muller, the creative director of Veritasium, a popular online science video channel. Keiki will learn how Hawaiian volcanoes, culture and biology are woven together by visiting Kilauea Overlook, Thurston Lava Tube and Steam Vents and observing Kilauea volcano’s summit eruption at Halema`uma`u Crater.
      Like Ocean Week and Space Week, the Nature Week segment will be available on the Camp Google website, so kids who weren’t able to join in today can participate at another time and earn their Camp Google badge.
      While the camp is free to everyone, some activities require common household items, usually under $5.
      See https://camp.withgoogle.com/.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U LEARNING ACADEMY IS THE FIRST Ka`u public school to begin classes this year. Executive Director Kathryn Tydacka said that 50 to 60 students reported for the charter school’s inaugural day of instruction.

      KLA is an attempt to try something new when it comes to educating kids, Tom Hutton, executive director of the State Public Charter School Commission, told Colin M. Stewart, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald.

      Hutton said the school’s plan is to provide more individualized attention for students, allowing students who excel to move ahead and providing more help for those falling behind.

      “Where this concept has really taken root in public education in America has been in special education, where every special ed student has an individualized education program that’s very well thought out and designed,” Hutton told Stewart. “They (KLA) are sort of taking that concept and applying it generally to their whole student population.”

Ka`u Learning Academy students began classes today
at Discovery Harbour Clubhouse. Photo from KLA

      The size of the school, which presently serves third- through sixth-graders, allows its administrators to be more flexible and provide that kind of individualized attention, he said.
      KLA Managing Director Joe Iacuzzo told Stewart that teacher-to-student ratios are manageable.
      “We are holding these children to a high standard that we know they can achieve,” Iacuzzo said. “We’re instituting a new methodology that we’ve called contextual foundation learning, and every child has an individual learning plan or education plan.
      “What we do is we have pull-out classes, where those students who master the standards are then allowed to go into the computer lab with one of our teachers and work at their level. That’s the unique nature of what we do.”
      Hutton told Stewart that community support was significant in the commission’s decision to grant the school a charter.
      “The commission has very significantly raised the bar for approval of a charter school application,” Hutton said. “That’s a national trend. There’s sort of a feeling that authorizers in the past were a little too loose on the front end. That didn’t serve children very well. So, we’re much more careful about the application process from the front end.
      “Theirs (KLA) was a very comprehensively thought out plan. … You have to have a solid plan in all three areas — academia, financial and organization. … You have to have that element of, is this the right team together with the right skill sets … and looking at KLA, that really impressed the evaluation team.”
      See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

ALL KA`U PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPEN this week. At Na`alehu Elementary, pre-k through sixth grade starts tomorrow. In Pahala, school begins for students in preschool, kindergarten, seventh and ninth grades on Friday. Grade eight and all other classes in Pahala start school on Monday, Aug. 3.
      Pahala and Na`alehu classes start at 8 a.m.
      Call Pahala public school campus at 928-2088 and Na`alehu at 939-2413.

Ocean View resident Jonithen Jackson stars
in The Land of Eb, debuting tomorrow.

THE LAND OF EB AIRS ON PBS tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Jonithen Jackson, of Ocean View, stars in a fictional account about the Marshallese situation. 

      The film follows Jacob, an immigrant father and grandfather, as he struggles to provide for his large family. Jacob keeps news of a cancer diagnosis to himself, foregoing treatment in favor of working to pay off his property, which he plans to pass down once he’s gone. Sensing his own end, Jacob turns a small video camera on himself and begins to record his story and that of his community.
      See thelandofeb.com and pbshawaii.org for more information.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

OCEAN VIEW RANCHOS SOLAR SUBSTATION, planned by Hawai`i Electric Light Co., is the subject of a steering committee meeting tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. The substation is designed to support solar farms on more than 20 lots in the community.

AUTHOR AND MARINE BIOLOGIST Susan Scott discusses her adventures sailing on her 37-foot sailing vessel to Palmyra and her work there tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
      Call 967-8222 for more information.

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN HELP OUT Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and the `aina by cutting invasive Himalayan ginger on park trails Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Loppers and gloves are provided. Participants are encouraged to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and close-toed shoes. Work is often in the shade of the forest with sounds of native honey creepers like `apapane, `amakihi and `oma`o above to serenade volunteers. Water, snacks, rain gear and sun protection are recommended. This project is open to the public, and no reservations are required. Interested people can stop by Kilauea Visitor Center to get directions and more information. The hike is around a one-mile, moderate round-trip into Kilauea caldera down Halem`auma`u Trail, leaving from Kilauea Visitor Center. The hike involves walking over rough, uneven terrain on a dirt and rock path, with up to a 400-foot elevation change.
      Park entrance fees apply. For more information, call 985-6013.

Partipants learn about People and Land of Kahuku Saturday.
NPS Photo by Julia Espaniola

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK’S Kahuku Unit presents People and Lands of Kahuku Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The moderate two-mile, three-hour guided hike loops through varied landscapes to explore the human history of Kahuku. Emerging native forest, pastures, lava fields and other sites hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands – from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of the park. Participants learn about the powerful natural forces at work here and how people have adapted to, shaped and restored this land. Sturdy footwear, water, rain gear, sun protection, and a snack are recommended. 

      Call 985-6011 for more information.

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

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Ka`u Community Development Plan Steering Committee holds five topic-focused meetings next month. Map from Draft Ka`u CDP

A SERIES OF TOPIC-FOCUSED Steering Committee meetings has been scheduled to review community feedback and make preliminary decisions about revisions to the Draft Ka`u Community Development Plan. 

      On Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center, topics are Town Infill and Agricultural Subdivision.
      At Ocean View Community Center on Saturday, Aug. 15 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Steering Committee will discuss Ocean View Development and Special Permits.

Coastal Development and Management is on the agenda of one of next
month's meetings. Image from Draft Ka`u CDP

      Coastal Development and Management are on the agenda Tuesday, Aug. 18 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center.
       Discovery Harbour Community Center hosts a discussion about development in that area on Tuesday, Aug. 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
      The Steering Committee returns to Na`alehu Community Center on Saturday, Aug. 29 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., when the topic is Economic Development.
       Meeting ending times are approximate, and other meetings may be scheduled as needed. Agendas and more information about the meeting topics and format will be shared as the dates approach. Steering Committee meetings are open to the community, and public testimony is welcome.
       The CDP Planning Team plans to provide materials in advance of each meeting that bring into clear focus public input, critical issues and alternative strategies related to each topic, said Planner Ron Whitmore. Each meeting will be actively facilitated to help the Steering Committee consider trade-offs of different strategies. It is hoped that each meeting will conclude with preliminary decisions by the Steering Committee about CDP revisions.
       A Steering Committee is also scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 22 starting at 5:30 at the Na`alehu Community Center to make final recommendations for CDP revisions and adoption. Before that meeting, a summary of all CDP revisions being considered will be made available.
       Summaries of feedback received during the March-June public review period are available in the CDP Input section of the project website, kaucdp.info.
      Steering Committee members or Community Planning Assistant Nalani Parlin are available to answer questions. Contact information is available on the website.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Gov. David Ige announced members of his Leadership Team on Homelessness.
Photo from Office of the Governor

GOV. DAVID IGE’S NEWLY FORMED Leadership Team on Homelessness is tasked with finding short-term and long-term solutions as state and federal governments work together to address the issue in Hawai`i. 

       The leadership team includes Gov. Ige, state Sen. Jill Tokuda, state Rep. Sylvia Luke and designees of U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono.
       “The underlying issues that lead to homelessness, such as lack of affordable housing, cannot be resolved quickly,” Ige said. “Meanwhile, we cannot wait for a comprehensive, long-term solution. There are measures we can take and will take immediately.”
       The leadership team will identify and assign parcels of land to be used for creation of temporary shelters in one or two communities; implement measures to transfer residents of homeless encampments to shelters; work with service providers to establish protocols to assess shelter residents for financial, physical, mental health and other needs; and determine costs and obtain funding to meet these objectives.
      The leadership team will also consult with law enforcement leaders, nonprofit organizations and other interested parties to assist with implementing short-term objectives.
       In addition, as a result of the team’s discussions and findings, legislation may be introduced in January 2016 to fulfill unmet or unfunded needs and services.
       “The Legislature understands the gravity of the situation and the need to pull all executive and governmental agencies to the table in an effort to execute and implement solutions that can be replicated in communities across the state,” said Tokuda, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
      Ige said, “This isn’t just another committee. This team is making a commitment to work together to find solutions now. There is something important going on. We are the people responsible for the public’s welfare. This team is meeting face to face to address homelessness, and we are going to hold each other accountable.”
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard discussed TPP
on the House floor. Image from C-SPAN

REP. TULSI GABBARD REITERATED her frustration with lack of transparency in the Trans-Pacific Partnership in a speech on the House floor today. TPP trade ministers from the 12 participating nations begin private meetings in Ka`anapali, Maui today, where they are expected to conclude negotiations on the deal that will impact 40 percent of the world economy. Protesters will gather at the Westin Hotel on Maui tomorrow at 12 p.m. to voice objections on the secrecy of this deal and the potential impacts it will have. 

       “Not only were the American people shut out of this trade deal when Congress passed fast-track authority legislation,” Gabbard said, “these negotiations continue as we speak in a shroud of secrecy, with the American people reliant on sites like WikiLeaks as they seek information about how this agreement will impact us.
      “The people of Hawai`i and all Americans are rightfully concerned about how this trade deal will impact our jobs, our families, our economy, our environment and our nation’s sovereignty. We, the American people, deserve to know what’s in this deal and to have a say in what happens. How can a genuine public debate occur on a deal as monumental as this when no one knows what’s in it? It is hard to imagine a deal more demanding of transparency.
      “People from Hawai`i and around the world are gathering tomorrow on Maui to protest this secret deal. They are sick and tired of multinational corporations benefiting on the broken backs of working-class Americans, and they will not stop until their voices are heard.”
      Gabbard, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, has repeatedly called for transparency in TPP negotiations and voted against granting the Administration “fast-track” Trade Promotion Authority earlier this year. While Congress passed TPA, she has called for increased protections for domestic workers displaced by trade, including Trade Adjustment Assistance.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

TD8E may become a tropical storm before dissipating on its way to Hawai`i.
Map from National Hurricane Center

TROPICAL DEPRESSION 8E continues its voyage toward Hawai`i Island but is expected to dissipate before arrival, according to the National Hurricane Center. Models show no or minimal strengthening, but the official forecast still allows for the system to become a tropical storm sometime during the next 24 hours. 

      North-northwesterly shear that is currently affecting the depression is expected to decrease gradually after 12-24 hours. Then, the cyclone will also be moving into a drier air mass, further limiting its strength.
      A subtropical ridge continues to steer the depression west-northwestward, but the cyclone is expected to turn westward later today and maintain that trajectory.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Susan Scott

OCEAN VIEW RANCHOS SOLAR SUBSTATION, planned by Hawai`i Electric Light Co., is the subject of a steering committee meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. The substation is designed to support solar farms on more than 20 lots in the community. 

AUTHOR AND MARINE BIOLOGIST Susan Scott discusses her adventures sailing on her 37-foot sailing vessel to Palmyra and her work there on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Her experiences are the subject of her book Call Me Captain.
      Scott will also discuss her artwork made from marine debris collected during her work on Midway. Scott said Palmyra and Midway are “book-end” atolls both significant to Hawai`i’s past and present.
      Scott writes a weekly column called Ocean Watch for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and has written six books about nature in Hawai`i.

      Call 967-8222 for more information.

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

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_July2015.pdf.