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Thursday, October 01, 2015

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015

The summit of Kahuku's Pu`u o Lokuana offers a breathtaking view of Lower Ka`u. See details below. NPS Photo by Michael Szoenyi
HAWAI`I COUNTY WINDWARD Planning Commission yesterday heard arguments in a contested case hearing about mining and road repair in Ocean View. Two companies filed applications to begin or expand quarries, but, according to a story by Nancy Cook Lauer in West Hawai`i Today, HOVE Road Maintenance Corp. hasn’t been able to secure an agreement with the companies, Arrow of Oregon and David and Laura Rodrigues, regarding assessment fees for use of the subdivision’s private roads. 
      HOVE RMC recently charged Arrow $259,000 in assessments, but attorney Randy Vitousek said the amount is unfair, comparing it to a previous assessment of $3,900.
      “They’ve done nothing to repair the roads,” Vitousek said. “(But) they are trying to force Arrow to pay the RMC a quarter of a million dollars to get that permit.”
      HOVE RMC attorney Thomas Yeh said, “This is not about the RMC but protecting the integrity of the roads they maintain. Should they be charging individual lot owners to pay for the damage (mining vehicles) cause? I think the answer is no.”
      After receiving a recommendation from the panel, the commission will vote on the recommendation.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

VSAS is accepting students.
VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES is accepting students for the current school year. VSAS has openings in kindergarten and grades 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8. 
      The public charter school offers small classes and small group and individualized academic support in a supportive, caring environment, school Counselor Kim Miller said. Its dynamic curriculum provides real-life experiences for learning through partnerships with Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, UH-Hilo, Three Mountain Alliance and others.
      VSAS offers opportunities for students to develop talents and interests in art, music, theater and foreign languages.
      Free breakfast and lunch is provided for all students. Meals include produce through a locally grown farm-to-table program.
      After-school classes in art, music, performance, dance and sports enrich students’ learning experiences.
      Application forms can be downloaded at volcanoschool.com. Click on the Prospective Student tab at the top.
      For more information, call Kaye Nagamine at 985-9800.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE ARE WARNING the public about a telephone utility scam.
      A Hilo business reported Wednesday that it received a phone call from someone posing as a representative of the local electric company. The caller claimed the business’ electric bill was overdue and said a utility truck was down the road and the electricity would be shut off unless the bill was paid immediately.
      Police caution the public not to respond to requests for information or payment that comes by telephone or through the Internet. If you think a notification from a utility company might be legitimate, confirm it by calling the published phone number in the phone book, not any phone number you receive over the phone or Internet.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Cory Harden testifies before the state Public Utilities Commission.
Image from Big Island Video News
AT A LISTENING SESSION IN HILO regarding the proposed merger of Hawaiian Electric Co. and NextEra Energy, most testifiers told the state Public Utilities Commission that they oppose the deal, reported Colin M. Stewart, of Hawai`i Tribune-Herald
      Stewart quoted a Hilo financial advisor opposed to the merger even though he could financially benefit from the merger. “I don’t believe that the proposed transaction is in the public interest,” Gary Kitahata said. “And I’m speaking about this as a shareholder. I voted my shares against the merger, and that’s clearly against my economic interests as a shareholder, but there were a number of things in the proxy statement that I thought were of concern. When I looked at the executive compensation, with the CEO being paid $11.5 million, with the next two executives being paid almost $8 million, those are big numbers. The even bigger number is the amount that J.P. Morgan, as the financial advisor, would get if the merger was approved, which is $30 million.” 
      Cory Harden, of the Sierra Club’s Moku Loa Group Big Island, told the PUC that there are better alternatives. Big Island Video News recorded her testimony. “I’m happy that NextEra came to Hawai`i, but I will be even happier when they leave,” Harden said. “I’m happy they came because they have jump-started the conversation in Hawai`i about the best model of utility ownership and about renewable energy. I hope that conversation will include thorough consideration of county-owned utilities and/or co-op utilities. These models would meet local control instead of control by strangers thousands of miles away. It would mean profits return to the people, not going to millionaire executives. And it could mean much greater focus on renewable energy.”
      See hawaiitribune-herald.com and bigislandvideonews.com.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Gov. David Ige tests the new electronic signature system.
Photo from Office of the Governor
AS PART OF THE IGE ADMINISTRATION’S effort to move state government toward a more efficient paperless environment, the Office of the Governor will begin using electronic signatures and will be processing all documents electronically, starting today. 
      The governor’s office has instructed departments to submit documents using an electronic
 routing form template. Signed electronic documents will be returned to departments via email that is encrypted inflight, rather than the traditional, less efficient hard-copy process.
      Since taking office on Dec. 1, 2014, Ige has signed roughly 1,180 departmental documents. 
“To the extent possible, our goal is to eventually implement a secure electronic signature process across all departments, putting an end to what has been historically a very paper-heavy process,” Ige said. “Some of the departments have already elected to participate in the eSign program.
      In his State of the State address in January, Ige committed to reducing the amount of paper the state uses and transforming the culture of government to embrace and accelerate change.
      In July, the Department of Human Resources Development under the direction of James Nishimoto, authorized departments to utilize electronic signatures/electronic records in lieu of existing paper forms previously developed and authorized for human resources purposes. With departmental participation mandatory, each department has been tasked with developing their respective implementation plans.
      In addition, the Office of Information Management and Technology and the Information and Communication Services Division, under the direction of the state Chief Information Officer Todd Nacapuy, partnered with DHRD to evaluate potential enterprise-wide electronic signature/record solutions.
      “I applaud the leadership of Director Nishimoto, CIO Nacapuy and their teams for spearheading this collaborative effort, which will enhance the operating efficiency and transition of our state government to a more sustainable working environment,” Ige said.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Mark Yamanaka performs in Pahala this evening.
MARK YAMANAKA PERFORMS TODAY from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Funds raised benefit the Ka`u nonprofit Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i. 
      Donation is $25. Tickets are available at the door. The evening includes a roast pork dinner.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT takes place tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers meet at Kilauea Visitor Center to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger from park trails. Free; park entrance fees apply.

ST. JUDE’S CHURCH in Ocean View presents Oktoberfest tomorrow at with 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Call 939-7000.

HO`OKUPU HULA NO KA`U Cultural Festival takes place tomorrow and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The festival includes music, hula, crafts, food and cultural workshops. Open to the public with no fees both nights.
      Entertainment both days begins with an opening pule at 4 p.m. Tomorrow, Ka`imia Na`auao Kahiko/Ka`u School of Arts and Kumu Hula Marsha Bolosan take the stage at 5:45 p.m., followed by a Kukui Ceremony (Honoring our Ancestors) at 6:30 p.m., Kamehameha School with Kumu Hula Kimo Kekua at 7 p.m., Makanau at 8 p.m., Halau Hula O Leionalani with Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 8:45 p.m. and Keaiwa at 9:30 p.m.
      On Saturday, Inoue `Ohana Band from Japan performs at 4:30 p.m. followed by Kahoku Kauahiahionalani with Kumu Hula Sammy Fo at 5:30 p.m., Kukui Ceremony (Remembering our Ancestors) at 6:15 p.m., Ho`omaika`i Hula Halau with Kumu Hula Shona LamHo at 6:30 p.m., Times 5 at 7:30 p.m., Halau Hula O Ke Anuenue with Kumu Hula Glen Vasconcellas at 8:30 p.m. and Los Borinquen’os at 9:30 p.m.
      See www.hookupukau.com.

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I Volcanoes National Park offers a one-hour guided climb to the summit of Pu`u o Lokuana on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Participants learn about formation and various uses of this grassy cinder cone and enjoy a breathtaking view of lower Ka`u on this moderately difficult, 0.4-mile hike.
      For more information, call 985-6011.

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


See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_October2015.pdf.






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





Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015

Upper Ka`u Forest Reserve could become home for `alala as early as next year. FWS Photo by David Ledig

UPPER KA`U FOREST RESERVE could become home to `alala as early as next year. The Associated Press picked up a story from Hawai`i Tribune-Herald reporting that with 114 of the endangered native Hawaiian crows now raised in captivity, reintroduction to the wild can take place. Keauhou Bird Sanctuary in Volcano has been raising `alala in conjunction with Maui Bird Sanctuary, both operated by the San Diego Zoo.
      According to the story, Hawai`i Fish & Wildlife Chief Scott Fretz said additional funding is needed to provide tracking, veterinarian support and predator control.
      The birds haven't been seen in the wild since 2002.
      A previous attempt to reintroduce `alala in the 1990s ended when the birds became susceptible to disease and predators. According to the AP story, 21 of the 27 that were released died, and six were recaptured.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

GOV. DAVID IGE EXPRESSED SUPPORT for U.S. Department of the Interior’s proposal to create a pathway for the Native Hawaiian community to reorganize a Native Hawaiian government and re-establish a government-to-government relationship with the United States. The proposal would create an administrative procedure and criteria that would be applied if the Native Hawaiian community forms a unified government that seeks a formal government-to-government relationship with the U.S.
      “This issue has been discussed for many years, and I support President Obama and the Department of the Interior’s efforts to move it forward,” Ige said. “I urge the public, particularly Native Hawaiians, to comment on this possible pathway for the United States and Native Hawaiians to establish a government-to-government relationship. The public comment period for the proposed rule is an invitation for the public to participate in the rule-making process.”  
      The proposal is available for review at www.doi.gov/ohr, and public comments on it will be accepted for the next 90 days. Members of the public are encouraged to read the proposal and provide comments by email to part50@doi.gov, on www.regulations.gov (docket no. DOI-2015-0005), or by U.S. mail to the Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior, Room 7228, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20240.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

USDA FARM SERVICE ASKS Ka`u residents to report any damages to their farms or ranches due to recent heavy rains and flooding. Executive Director Lester Ueda asks for the following information: crop or crops, affected 
acreage, 
conservation structures
, fencing damage, 
farm dwelling damage, 
other damages and an 
estimate of the amount of damages.

      Call 933.8341
 or email lester.ueda@hi.usda.gov.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

U.S. SENS. BRIAN SCHATZ AND MAZIE HIRONO are following Hawai`i legislators’ lead in raising the legal age for smoking to 21. Joined by several others, Hawai`i’s senators introduced the Tobacco to 21 Act, legislation that would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21 across the country.
      “We know that the earlier smokers begin their unhealthy addiction to nicotine, the more likely they are to suffer from tobacco-related diseases or die,” Schatz said. “This year, Hawai`i became the first state in the nation to raise the minimum smoking age to 21. It was a historic public health achievement that we should adopt nationwide. By raising the minimum tobacco age of sale to 21 across the country, we can cut the number of new smokers each year, build a healthier, tobacco free America and save lives.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Logan Kahele-Bishop
POLICE ARE SEARCHING for a 26-year-old Na`alehu man wanted on a bench warrant for violating terms of probation and for questioning in several open investigations.
      Logan Kahele-Bishop is described as a local male, approximately 5-foot-10, 160 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. His last known address was on Kilika Street.
       Anyone who knows his whereabouts is asked to call the police non-emergency line at 935-3311. Those who want anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

HAWAI`I’S VISITOR INDUSTRY CONTINUES to exceed 2014 records in spending and arrivals. Spending reached $10.3 billion for the first eight months of 2015 and contributed $1.1 billion in state tax revenue.
      In addition to pacing at record-breaking levels, air seats to the Hawaiian Islands are at an all-time high, boosting arrivals from most markets. “While we are pleased with this continued growth for the lead economic driver for the state, we are monitoring various conditions that could impact our industry,” said George D. Szigeti, President and CEO, Hawai`i Tourism Authority. Fuel prices have been dropping, the international stock market continues to be in flux and economic conditions in both Europe and Asia have been unstable. All of these factors could have a potential impact on spending and arrivals to the state.
      “Maintaining the level of growth we have been experiencing over the last few years will be a challenge,” Szigeti said. “However, we will continue to work with our global partners to ensure Hawai`i remains top-of-mind as both a leisure and business destination through creative and innovative strategies.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Distributors of Beauveria bassiana
products today.
JOHN FRANCIS AND MATT NEEDHAM, from Bioworks, will be in Kona this afternoon to discuss Botanigard and Mycotrol, the commercial Beauveria bassiana products used to control coffee berry borers and other insects. BioWorks is the distributor of these and other commercial products. 
      Meet at Kona Cooperative Extension Service Conference Room at 3 p.m.

SHARY CROCKER OFFERS QIGONG CLASSES tomorrow and every Thursday. Crocker, a student of Kenneth Cohen, describes the class as gentle Daoist healing postures and meditations “creating balancing of body, mind and spirit”
      Classes are from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in a private studio in Mark Twain Estates. $5 per class. Beginners are welcome. Private sessions are available.
      See listings in September and October issues of The Ka`u Calendar.
      Call 929-7647.

MARK YAMANAKA PERFORMS TOMORROW from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Funds raised benefit Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i, the nonprofit that is opening safe house for girls in Pahala tomorrow.
The evening includes a roast pork dinner.
      Donation is $25. For tickets, call Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 315-7032 or 649-9334. Tickets will also be available at the door.

OKTOBERFEST IS FRIDAY at St. Jude’s Church in Ocean View with 6 p.m. dinner. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Call 939-7000.

HO`OKUPU HULA NO KA`U Cultural Festival takes place Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The festival includes music, hula, crafts, food and cultural workshops. Open to the public with no fees both nights.
      Entertainment both days begins with an opening pule at 4 p.m. On Friday, Ka`imia Na`auao Kahiko/Ka`u School of Arts and Kumu Hula Marsha Bolosan take the stage at 5:45 p.m., followed by a Kukui Ceremony (Honoring our Ancestors) at 6:30 p.m., Kamehameha School with Kumu Hula Kimo Kekua at 7 p.m., Makanau at 8 p.m., Halau Hula O Leionalani with Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 8:45 p.m. and Keaiwa at 9:30 p.m.
White Line Printing is the topic of a workshop Saturday.
      See www.hookupukau.com.

SPACE IS STILL AVAILABLE for Saturday’s introductory White Line Printing Workshop. Lisa Louise Adams and Margaret Barnaby hold the workshop at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Course fee is $70 or $63 for VAC Members and a $15 supply fee. Students need to bring a mat or x-acto knife, baren or wooden spoon, pencil and paper, two simple 5×8 inch images and wood carving tools, if available. 
      White Line Printing was born from traditional Japanese woodblock printing, then added the theories of Cubism and Abstract Expressionism.
      Founded in the early 1900s in Provincetown, Massachusetts, white line printing was developed by artists who were interested in Japanese printmaking but wanted to eliminate cutting a block of wood for every color needed. They developed a way to make color prints from a single block of wood. With this method, a line drawing is cut into the block, which becomes white lines surrounding each shape. Each section is then hand-colored with watercolor paint and printed with a baren or wooden spoon until the print is complete. Every print will be unique because of the variations in paint application.
      Register at volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

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


See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_Sept2015.pdf.




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


Buy a bag for $7 and fill it with books for $3 more
at Ka`u libraries.



Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015

Hawai`i's population of band-rumped storm-petrels is being considered for listing as an endangered species. See story below.
Photo from The Crossley Guide to Eastern Birds.
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR is proposing to create an administrative procedure and criteria that the Secretary of the Interior would apply if the Native Hawaiian community forms a unified government that then seeks a formal government-to-government relationship with the United States. Under the new proposal, the Native Hawaiian community — not the federal government — would decide whether to reorganize a Native Hawaiian government, what form that government would take and whether it would seek a government-to-government relationship with the United States.
      “The United States has a long-standing policy of supporting self-governance for Native peoples, yet the benefits of the government-to-government relationship have long been denied to Native Hawaiians, one of our nation’s largest indigenous communities,” U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said. “Today’s proposal is testament to the Obama Administration’s strong support for our nation’s Native peoples’ right to self-determination.”
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell
      The proposal, which takes the form of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, builds on more than 150 federal statutes that Congress has enacted over the last century to recognize and implement the special political and trust relationship between the United States and the Native Hawaiian community. The NPRM comes on the heels of a public comment period as part of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking process that began last year and included public meetings. More than 5,000 members of the public submitted written responses to the ANPRM, and, DOI reported, they overwhelmingly favored creating a pathway for re-establishing a formal government-to-government relationship.
      “We’ve listened to the feedback we received during the public meetings and in writing and worked to improve the proposal to reflect those comments,” Jewell said. “We appreciate the many voices on this topic and look forward to hearing from the public on this proposal.”
      If a government-to-government relationship is re-established, it can provide the community with greater flexibility to preserve its distinct culture and traditions and special status under federal law that enables the community to exercise powers of self-government over many issues directly impacting community members, according to DOI.
      The Native Hawaiian community has not had a formal government since the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai`i in 1893. In 1993, Congress enacted the Apology Resolution, which offered an apology to Native Hawaiians on behalf of the United States for its role in the overthrow and committed the federal government to a process of reconciliation. As part of that reconciliation process, in 2000 the DOI and the Department of Justice jointly issued a report identifying as its lead recommendation the need to foster self-determination for Native Hawaiians under federal law.
      Today’s proposal is available for review at doi.gov/ohr, and public comments on it will be accepted for the next 90 days. Members of the public are encouraged to read the proposal and provide comments in writing by email to part50@doi.gov, on www.regulations.gov (docket no. DOI-2015-0005), or by U.S. mail to the Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior, Room 7228, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20240. The public is also encouraged to participate in teleconferences on the proposed rule, a schedule of which is available at doi.gov.
      Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “The Native Hawaiian community’s ongoing work toward self-determination takes a significant step forward today, and I applaud the Obama administration for its commitment to this effort.”
      Sen. Brian Schatz said, “Native Hawaiians have the right to reorganize a government that they determine is best for them. ... I urge Native Hawaiians and other interested individuals to stay engaged and to contribute their comments and concerns as the process moves forward.”
      Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, “Many indigenous groups in the U.S. have the right of self-determination, and today’s announcement acknowledges that that right also belongs to the Native Hawaiian people, one of the largest native communities in the country. ...  I encourage all interested parties to submit their comments to DOI ... to ensure a collaborative final ruling.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Chris Minnich
HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION plans to prioritize career education by adding rigor and value to programs preparing high school graduates for high-skilled, high-demand jobs.
      Using economic development data and partnerships with community employers, DOE will design more rigorous career readiness pathways that span secondary and postsecondary levels, culminating in credentials for students. 

The Council of Chief State School Officers is facilitating this work, which pursues recommendations made in Opportunities and Options, a report of CCSSO’s Career Readiness Task Force. 

The report encourages states to make high school programs more responsive to the labor market by enlisting the employer community as a lead partner, significantly raise the threshold for quality career pathways in secondary schools and make career preparation matter to schools and students, in part by expanding accountability systems to emphasize career readiness.
      “This opportunity to dig deeper in advancing career pathways will complement the great work that is being done in our high school academies across the state,” Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said. “We want to provide the supports that will allow students to reach their full potential and expand on the successful programs that have carried them into the workforce after high school.”

      Chris Minnich, executive director of CCSSO, said, “The task force recommendations were an important start, but states now must make them a reality. In this global economy, we must prepare all kids to have an option in a career pathway as well as continued academic pursuits by the time they graduate from high school.”
      For all states, CCSSO will develop an online resource center to provide strategies, case studies, self-assessment tools, communications materials and models of best practice.
      Hawai`i is among a group of 17 states that announced a commitment to develop and execute a detailed plan to implement the task force recommendations. That includes making career readiness a higher priority in state accountability systems by incorporating a more robust set of career-focused indicators that measure and value successful completion of meaningful pathways, work-based learning experiences and credentials.
      CCSSO launched its Career Readiness Task Force in the Spring of 2014 to increase the rigor in career education to meet expectations of the current labor market.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Holei is found on Hawai`i Island and Maui. Photo from Native Plants Hawai`i
FACING THREATS FROM HABITAT LOSS and degradation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to add 49 species from Hawai`i to the Endangered Species Act. The Service will not be designating Critical Habitat areas for these species at this time due to insufficient information. 
      These plants and animals are at risk of extinction due to invasive, non-native species, recreational activities, small population size and threats from erosion, landslides and fire. “The listing of these species will not only boost ongoing conservation efforts to address these threats and prevent extinction, but will improve the ecological health of the islands,” the Service said. “This will have long-term benefits for all Hawaiians.” 
      The 49 species occur in 11 different habitat types, with 48 of them occurring nowhere on Earth except Hawai`i. One bird species proposed for listing – the band-rumped storm-petrel – occurs in Japan, Hawai`i, the Galapagos and subtropical areas of the Atlantic. The Service is proposing to list only the Hawai`i population.
      “These species are facing tremendous challenges with shrinking habitat and the onslaught of invasive species,” said Kristi Young, the Service’s acting field supervisor for the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office. “Implementing an ecosystem-based approach to the proposed listing allows the Service to better prioritize and focus conservation and recovery actions in Hawai`i.”
      For a complete list of the species in this proposed listing, see fws.gov/pacificislands.
      The proposed rule will publish in the Federal Register tomorrow. Comments and information can be submitted electronically at the eRulemaking portal www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R1-ES-2015-0125, which is the docket number for this rule.
      Written comments and information can also be submitted by U.S. mail to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R1-ES-2015-0125; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041–3803. The Service is accepting comments through Dec. 1.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE at the door to hear Mark Yamanaka play Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Donation is $25, raising funds for Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i, the nonprofit that is opening safe house for girls in Pahala on Oct. 1. The evening also includes a roast pork dinner. 
      For tickets, call Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 315-7032 or 649-9334.
      The nonprofit also sponsors Ho`okupu Hula No Ka`u Cultural Festival this Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The festival includes music, hula, crafts, food and cultural workshops. Open to the public with no fees both nights.
      See www.hookupukau.com.

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


See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_Sept2015.pdf.


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







Buy a bag for $7 and fill it with books for $3 more
at Ka`u libraries.