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| Ka`u's U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard addressed Hawai`i Farmers Union United convention yesterday at OK Farms in Hilo. See more below. Photo from Rep. Gabbard's Office |
KA`U FARMERS FROM EARTH MATTERS, KA`U COFFEE MILL, KIOLAKA`A MOUNTAIN FARM and other representatives of local agriculture traveled to OK Farms in Hilo this weekend for the statewide Hawai`i Farmers Union United convention.
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crop patterns in Ka`u.
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Jeff Melrose, who has been mapping Hawai`i’s agricultural footprint for years, presented maps of ag last night showing a predominance of pasture, macadamia, eucalyptus and coffee on this island, with seed crops and a remnant of the mostly defunct sugar industry in the rest of the state.
The hope of Hawai`i Farmers Union, Ka`u President Greg Smith told The Ka`u Calendar newspaper, is to uplift small farms growing food and advocate for laws allowing such useful crops as hemp.
Melrose’s State Agricultural Land Use Map can be seen at hdoa.hawaii.gov/salub. The Hawai`i County Food Self Sufficiency Baseline Study, a food probability map and other research on crops for this island can be seen at hawaiicountyag.com/research.
Scott Enright, Chair of the state Department of Agriculture, told attendees last night that he backs the small farmer and in his position must work for all forms of agriculture.
Ka`u’s U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was a keynote speaker yesterday. Last month, she toured Ka`u farms and held a talk story at Ka`u Coffee Mill, where she expressed support for the state’s rural communities that she represents.
Three representatives of the hemp industry in Colorado and Vermont explained to the group how the industry was started there and how to work through state Legislatures to legalize the growing of hemp – not to be confused with marijuana. Hemp is used for making fabrics, feed and many other products, they noted.
Three representatives of the hemp industry in Colorado and Vermont explained to the group how the industry was started there and how to work through state Legislatures to legalize the growing of hemp – not to be confused with marijuana. Hemp is used for making fabrics, feed and many other products, they noted.
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| Farmers Union National President Roger Johnson Photo by Diana Howland |
Ka`u state Rep. Richard Creagan described the convention this morning as “a beautiful gathering at a beautiful place. Lots of energy, new ideas, cooperation and optimism.”
The convention continues today with statewide elections and the national Farmers Union United President Roger Johnson addressing the group and announcing that the Hawai`i Farmers Union state chapter could earn charter status in 2017 with “the continuation of excellent leadership,” increasing membership and increasing financial stability.
President of the statewide organization is Vince Mina, who said last night that the goal is for Hawai`i Farmers Union to reach a membership of 1000 in 2017. He was unanimously elected for another term this morning.
President of the statewide organization is Vince Mina, who said last night that the goal is for Hawai`i Farmers Union to reach a membership of 1000 in 2017. He was unanimously elected for another term this morning.
Ed Olson, whose OK Farms is the venue for the weekend event, said, “I support Hawai`i Farmers Union and am happy to host the convention.”
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| Hawai`i's bounty is on display at the convention. Photo by Diana Howland |
See hfuuhi.org for more.
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INCOMING MAYOR HARRY KIM continues to build his cabinet, Nancy Cook Lauer reported in West Hawai`i Today.
“I think we’re getting together some very good people with character who will work hard with integrity,” Kim told Cook Lauer. “It’s one very small step in getting people to trust government a little more.”
Kim told Cook Lauer that Frank DeMarco will head the Department of Public Works. DeMarco, a licensed professional engineer, served as Mayor Billy Kenoi’s Environmental Management director in 2010 and 2011. Before that, he work with DPW’s floodplain management program since February 2008, returned to DPW and retired in 2014.
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| Mayor-elect Harry Kim with family members. Photo from Harry Kim |
Diane Ley, executive director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency in Hawai`i and the Pacific Basin, will head the county Research and Development Department. Ley previously served as the deputy director. Before that, she was deputy to the state Board of Agriculture’s chair. She had vegetable farm in Volcano and was an administrative assistant with Hawai`i Farm Bureau Federation.
See westhawaiitoday.com.
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To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
TODAY IS THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY of two damaging earthquakes that struck off the northwest coast of the Island of Hawai`i – a magnitude-6.7 earthquake beneath Kiholo Bay and a magnitude-6.0 earthquake offshore of Mahukona. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists discuss how the events spurred monitoring improvements in the current issue of Volcano Watch.
“When USGS and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center seismologists saw the signals from the Kiholo Bay earthquake, it was immediately clear the signals were much larger than the thousands of microearthquakes that occur each year,” the article states. “Their immediate questions were, ‘How large was the earthquake?’ and ‘Would there be a damaging tsunami?’
“In 2006, seismic monitoring across the United States was already computer-based;
data were transmitted from remote field sites and collected at seismographic monitoring centers, and then converted into computer-ready formats. The USGS had initiated its Advanced National Seismic System project to modernize earthquake monitoring in the nation. Older field instruments were gradually being replaced with units that streamed digital data – computer-ready signals – to regional and national earthquake processing centers.
“When USGS and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center seismologists saw the signals from the Kiholo Bay earthquake, it was immediately clear the signals were much larger than the thousands of microearthquakes that occur each year,” the article states. “Their immediate questions were, ‘How large was the earthquake?’ and ‘Would there be a damaging tsunami?’
“In 2006, seismic monitoring across the United States was already computer-based;
data were transmitted from remote field sites and collected at seismographic monitoring centers, and then converted into computer-ready formats. The USGS had initiated its Advanced National Seismic System project to modernize earthquake monitoring in the nation. Older field instruments were gradually being replaced with units that streamed digital data – computer-ready signals – to regional and national earthquake processing centers.
“At the time, three seismic stations on the Island of Hawai`i had been outfitted with digital instruments as part of an upgrade to improve U.S. tsunami warning capabilities. A handful of other seismic stations had already been upgraded with digital units as part of the initiative to resolve the Year 2000 Problem (Y2K).
“Although staff at the USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory assisted with these upgrades, these units were not yet fully integrated with HVO’s volcano-monitoring network.
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| Earthquakes 10 years ago today damaged Hawai`i Belt Road. Photo from USGS/HVO |
“Within minutes of the Kiholo Bay earthquake, seismologists verified that it was deep, roughly 40km (~25miles). Although the earthquake shook HVO instruments beyond their operating range, data from the tsunami-upgraded instruments on the Island of Hawai`i yielded the first estimate of magnitude-6.6 as determined by PTWC. Several minutes later, after telephone calls among seismologists at PTWC, HVO, and the USGS’s National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado, a consensus was reached of magnitude-6.7. Based on earthquake depth and magnitude, PTWC confirmed that there was no tsunami threat from the earthquake.
“The Y2K-upgraded stations were not equipped to transmit data in real-time, but they nevertheless provided important information about the earthquake. These instruments recorded even the strongest shaking of both earthquakes. With this data, USGS seismologists in Colorado created ShakeMaps to show how shaking from the earthquakes varied from place to place. Such information, along with the Kiholo Bay “Did You Feel It? Community Internet Intensity Map,” guided and informed post-earthquake surveys of potential damage and other effects as recovery efforts began.
“A USGS assessment in the aftermath of the 2006 earthquakes recognized the need to integrate more modern digital instruments and analysis systems into HVO’s earthquake monitoring program. For example, in order to analyze in real time data from the new digital field instruments, a new ANSS Quake Management Software system developed and used in California was needed at HVO (installed in 2009).
“Subsequently, with support from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, HVO modernized all seismic field instruments and radio systems. Simply put, HVO now records all earthquakes of interest beneath the Island of Hawai`i with the means to automatically generate state-of-the-art earthquake information products. Important work continues to maintain the instruments and radio systems, and also to improve the automated and rapid delivery of reliable earthquake information.
“These improvements will help in the analysis of future large-magnitude earthquakes and in understanding and anticipating their impacts.
“The 10 years since the Kiholo Bay and Mahukona earthquakes have brought many new residents to Hawai`i’s earthquake country. Most of our elementary school students probably have no direct recollections of the 2006 earthquakes. Next week’s annual Great Hawaii ShakeOut drill to practice Drop! Cover! and Hold On! is a reminder to everyone about Hawaii’s earthquake history and how to prepare for and recover from future earthquakes.”
The Great Hawai`i ShakeOut takes place at 10 a.m., HST, on Thursday, Oct. 20. For more detailed information about earthquake preparedness, see http://shakeout.org/hawaii/.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
“A USGS assessment in the aftermath of the 2006 earthquakes recognized the need to integrate more modern digital instruments and analysis systems into HVO’s earthquake monitoring program. For example, in order to analyze in real time data from the new digital field instruments, a new ANSS Quake Management Software system developed and used in California was needed at HVO (installed in 2009).
“Subsequently, with support from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, HVO modernized all seismic field instruments and radio systems. Simply put, HVO now records all earthquakes of interest beneath the Island of Hawai`i with the means to automatically generate state-of-the-art earthquake information products. Important work continues to maintain the instruments and radio systems, and also to improve the automated and rapid delivery of reliable earthquake information.
“These improvements will help in the analysis of future large-magnitude earthquakes and in understanding and anticipating their impacts.
“The 10 years since the Kiholo Bay and Mahukona earthquakes have brought many new residents to Hawai`i’s earthquake country. Most of our elementary school students probably have no direct recollections of the 2006 earthquakes. Next week’s annual Great Hawaii ShakeOut drill to practice Drop! Cover! and Hold On! is a reminder to everyone about Hawaii’s earthquake history and how to prepare for and recover from future earthquakes.”
The Great Hawai`i ShakeOut takes place at 10 a.m., HST, on Thursday, Oct. 20. For more detailed information about earthquake preparedness, see http://shakeout.org/hawaii/.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD AND DISCOVER THE PUBLIC’S POWER in the state legislative process. Hawai`i Legislature’s Public Access Room, a division of the Legislative Reference Bureau, explains how to influence state laws Monday at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village at 12 p.m. and Ocean View Community Center at 6 p.m. A drop-in office hour takes place before each event, where attendees can stop in with questions or pick up information.
Topics include tips and techniques on effective lobbying, testimony, and communicating with senators and representatives; understanding the legislative process, deadlines and power dynamics at the Capitol; easy to use tools available on the Legislature’s website; and helpful handouts, guides and resources.
Newcomers and seasoned advocates are welcome. Contact PAR to register for the workshop, or just drop in. For more information, call 974-4000, ext. 7-0478, email par@capitol.hawaii.gov, or see lrbhawaii.org/par.
Newcomers and seasoned advocates are welcome. Contact PAR to register for the workshop, or just drop in. For more information, call 974-4000, ext. 7-0478, email par@capitol.hawaii.gov, or see lrbhawaii.org/par.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
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| See kaucalendar.com. |
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| See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf. |
