Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016

Keiki on the rocks and limu practice a catch and release at the annual O Ka`u Kakou Keiki Fishing Tournament coming up Jan. 21.
Photo by Peter Anderson

TELEHEALTH AT KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION will be sponsored by HMSA. The first telehealth online kiosk in Ka`u will be dedicated at the Ka`u Rural Health Community Association's Resource Distance and Learning Center on Friday, Jan. 13. The public is invited to the ceremony and also to video chat with a doctor at no cost. The dedication, ceremony and
demonstration of online telehealth care begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 1 p.m. The location is 96-3126 Puahala St., Pahala, near the Pahala Library.    

Ka`u Rural Health Community Association will
host the telehealth kiosk, sponsored by
HMSA. Photo from Ka`u Rural Health

     Hawai`i Medical Service Association's certified and approved telehealth services are open not only for HMSA subscribers but also the general public, starting in January. HMSA officials say they are motivated to provide health care close to people's homes.
     HMSA's description of its telehealth services states that consumers can talk to local credentialed physicians from HMSA's participating provider network, live on-demand. Sessions will be secure and private, using internet-based videoconferencing, secure chat, or telephone. Physicians can review claims and other health information the patient makes available, talk with patients, prescribe medications as physicians deem appropriate and consistent with standards of care, and recommend follow-up care. Session notes will be maintained electronically, and can be forwarded upon patient request to primary care physicians.
     HMSA's telehealth program is overseen by an executive board and government health care regulators, much like visits to a doctor in an office, clinic or hospital.
     On its website, HMSA states that telehealth helps achieve affordable visits without an appointment. "Online Care doctors can help with sudden or acute conditions like bronchitis, or ear and sinus infections." They can help with "chronic conditions like allergies, diabetes or hypertension; common conditions like headaches, colds, or the flu, and managing multiple medications, side effects or drug interactions." Online care can also help in "Getting you on track with your health and well-being goals," according to HMSA.
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THE NUMBER OF BARRELS OF IMPORTED OIL TO HAWAI`I has been cut by 41 percent since 2006, according to a new report from the the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.  In 2015 Hawai`i imported 28.8 million barrels, nearly half of the 49 million barrels imported in 2006. The speedy growth of renewable sources of energy has driven down demand for oil over the past ten years, but the drop in the price of oil in 2015 has lead to an increase in consumption in 2015. The average oil price decreased by 47.5 percent to $48.8 per barrel in 2015 from $93 per barrel in 2014.
     The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s Hawai1i State Energy Office has released its 2016 Energy Resources Coordinator’s Annual Report, which highlights the policies and activities that have advanced the state approximately a quarter of the way toward its target of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

Pakini Nui Windfarm is the largest in Ka`u and helps reduce the number of barrels of oil shipped here.
Photo by Peter Anderson

     The 86-page report covers a wide variety of energy issues and highlights Hawai`i’s clean energy progress in the last 12 months. It showcases the Hawai`i State Energy Office’s policy and programs position the state as a clean energy leader. It is a fund of figures and statistics.

    “Hawai`i`’s push to create a clean energy future is becoming a reality,” said Luis P. Salaveria, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development, & Tourism. “The state made tremendous strides to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, with about 25 percent of all electricity sales coming from renewable sources. We will continue to work toward our 100 percent renewable energy goal by engaging all stakeholders with collaboration, innovative thinking and a strong entrepreneurial drive.”
     The 25 percent figure applies to the state of Hawai’i, where other islands lag behind the big island in terms of the percentage of electricity coming from renewable resources. The Big Island’s figure is 48.7 percent, while Maui’s is 35.4 [ercemt, Kaua`i’s is 27.3 percent and O`ahu is 17.2 percent. 

Hawai`i is considered an ideal environment for
electric vehicles, with moderate temperatures and
high gas prices. Image from hawaiienergy.com

     There is also good news to report in the effort to reduce petroleum use in the transportation sector. The popularity of electric vehicles continues to grow, with EV registrations accelerating at a double-digit pace in 2016. By year’s end there were more than 5,000 EVs registered in Hawa`ii, a 26 percent increase over the same period a year earlier. Hawai`i is second in the nation (after California) in per capita EV registrations and a leader in charging facilities.
      The report shows a map of all the renewable energy projects on all the islands. Of the state's 65 renewables projects, the Big Island has 17 projects generating a total of about 85 megawatts. The largest is in Ka`u. The Pakini Nui Wind Farm generates over 20 megawatts. There is no mention of the solar farm in Miloli`i which should contribute 1.25 megawatts to the grid, unless it is curtailed.
     The report gives details of a “Billionaire Buy-in”, whereby wealthy individuals are investing in technology to counter the threat of climate change. 

THE NINTH ANNUAL KEIKI FISHING TOURNAMENT, presented by `O Ka`u Kakou, for children one to 14 years of age will be on Saturday, Jan. 21 at Punalu`u Beach Park Pavilions.

An aerial of the annual Keiki Fishing Tournament at Punalu`u
Photo by Vernon Harvey

    Registration forms can be picked up and dropped off at Na`alehu Elementary School, Na`alehu Ace Hardware, Pahala Elementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pahala, Pahala Gas Station, Wiki Wiki Mart in Na`alehu, Wong Yuen Store in Wai`ohinu, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View and Ocean View Auto Parts.
    Families are urged to register early as children pick their prizes in the order they are registered. Pre-registration ends at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18.
     The fishing guidelines require hand pole fishing with barbless hooks; hand polls, fishing gear and bait provided by the tournament or brought from home. Those needing fishing equipment may be accommodated on a first-to register basis.
     All fishing is catch and release.
     The Keiki Fishing Tournament also involves a canned food drive for the needy.
For more information, contact Guy Enriques at 217-2253 or Wayne Kawachi at 937-4773.
     Sponsors include Pacific Quest, S. Tokunaga Store, Ka`u Royal Hawaiian Cofee & Tea, LP, Suisan Co. Ka`u Mahi, County of Hawai`i, and state Department of Land & Natural Resources Marine Wildlife Program.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY is ongoing through the holidays at Volcano Art Center in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

VOTE FOR THE BEST DECORATED Kilauea Military Camp cottage through the holidays.

See www.kaucalendar.com

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016

`Alalā, are back in captivity after their recent reintroduction into the wild with two of the five surviving after
a short time in the forest near Volcano. Photo from National Park Service

TWO YOUNG ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN CROWS, the `Alalā, were moved back into an aviary at the State of Hawai‘i’s Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve last week, as conservationists work to overcome challenges faced by the birds during their reintroduction. A joint news release issued today from San Diego Zoo Global, the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service states: "A group of five birds were released into the protected reserve on Dec. 14. Although the birds had been observed doing well and eating from feeders placed in the area, three birds were found dead over the last week. The confirmed cause of the deaths is currently unknown but conservationists hope to gather information about what happened to the birds through necropsy examinations."

Condolences have come from around the world since three of five ‘Alalā perished

after their recent release into the forest. The surviving two have been placed back

 into an aviary.  Photo from San Diego Zoo

    John Vetter, a wildlife biologist with the DLNR's Division of Forestry & Wildlife, said, “Some level of mortality is to be expected when reintroducing a species back into the wild and we were prepared for that possibility. The initial days of release are always the most difficult stage of any release program, and the level of uncertainty is also highest with the first release cohort. We decided to recapture the remaining birds to ensure their safety while we await the results of the necropsies, so that we can learn, respond, and continue to strive for the long-term success of the ‘Alalā.”
      Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve is an area that conservationists have worked to preserve, protecting native plants and species, and it represents the type of habitat where ‘Alalā originally lived before their numbers began to decline. The ‘Alalā, or Hawaiian crow, has been extinct in the wild since 2002, preserved only at the Keauhou and Maui Bird Conservation Centers managed by San Diego Zoo Global's Hawai‘i Endangered Bird Conservation Program.
      Bryce Masuda, conservation program manager of the Hawai‘i Endangered Bird Conservation Program, remarked, “The loss of these three birds is difficult for the entire community, including the many people who have cared for these birds since their hatch and have worked steadfastly to prepare for their release. Condolences for this loss have come from around the world.”

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RENEWABLE ENERGY TAX CREDITS provided by the State of Hawai`i to taxpayers totaled $112.1 million in in 2014, slightly down from the 2013, according to the tax credits report released by the state Department of Taxation earlier this month. 2014 is the last year for which there’s data available. The Renewable Energy Technologies Tax Credit offers taxpayers who install rooftop solar systems a tax credit for 35 percent of the cost and a 20 percent credit for wind-powered systems. For single-family homes, the amount of the credit was capped at $5,000 for solar energy systems and $1,500 for wind-powered systems. For commercial operators, the credit was capped at $500,000 for wind or solar systems.
     The report said that close to 15,000 tax filers made claims totaling $112.1 million in 2014, which amounted to 35 percent of all tax credit dollars claimed for that year. This is lower than 2013 when the state gave out $118.3 million in renewable energy tax credits. In 2012, a still record-setting $164 million in credit dollars were claimed, at the height of the solar photovoltaic industry.

Pakini Nui wind farm. Photo by Ann Bosted     

     For the three-year period from 2012 to 2014, more than $394 million was claimed, by far the largest sum of any of the state’s tax credits.     This tax credit provides an incentive for Hawaiian families to install rooftop solar systems, as they are able to claim refunds of 35 percent of the cost from the state of Hawai’i as well as 30 percent on federal taxes. According to HELCO, there are nearly 11,000 customer-owned rooftop solar systems on the Big Island. 

     The very popular Net Energy Metering program, whereby an owner of a solar system could earn a credits for electricity after the sun went down in return for surplus daytime power, ended in October 2015. Under the NEM program, most household electricity bills could be as low as $25 per month, depending on how the project was financed. The end of the NEM program also ended the “boom and bust” cycle which ran from 2011 to 2015, during which time local solar installation companies’ revenues were up.
     State and Federal Energy credits are also a huge incentive for overseas companies to install utility-sized solar farms, such as the one planned for Ocean View by SPI Solar, an international corporation which is based in Shanghai. SPI Solar wants to build a 6.75 megawatt utility-scale solar installation in a rural town under the Feed In Tariff Program. 

    This project is now on hold following a Formal Complaint filed with the Public Utilities Commission by Ocean View residents. If the PUC allows the project to proceed, as HELCO argues is should, then SPI Solar will sell power to HELCO for 23.8c per kWh, which is roughly ten cents higher than four recently permitted solar farms, according to a story in the Honolulu Star Advertiser on Sept. 14.
 

Industrial solar farms incentivized by federal and state
tax credits. Photo by Ann Bosted

   In a February 2013 study, the University of Hawai`i Economic Research Organization revealed that the state renewable energy tax credit could cost $1.4 billion in lost revenue based on 1,100 megawatts of installed systems. The Renewable Energy Technologies Tax Credit was 35.2 percent of the total tax credits claimed in tax year 2014. Some 14,902 claims were filed for the renewable energy systems credits. The majority of the credits were for solar systems with 14,144 solar claims filed. Roughly $55 million in tax credits went to individuals who installed solar systems. Corporations received $42 million in tax credits for solar systems. Claims totaling about $39,000 were filed by individuals for wind systems.
     The solar industry has been struggling since the state ended the NEM solar incentive program in October 2015. Net energy metering paid residents the full retail rate for excess electricity sent into the grid.
     The state PUC replaced NEM with two programs called “grid-supply” and “self-supply.” Grid-supply credits customers roughly 8 cents less than those who enrolled in NEM. Self-supply encourages the use of batteries as it prohibits customers from sending excess energy into the electric grid. The only program currently available is self-supply because the Big Island reached the limit the PUC placed on the amount of solar systems that could enroll in grid-supply earlier this year.

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CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY is ongoing through the holidays at Volcano Art Center in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

VOTE FOR THE BEST DECORATED Kilauea Military Camp cottage through the holidays.

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www.kaucalendar.com

 

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Dec. 26, 2016

Visitors enjoy a guided hike to Pu‘ū o Lokuana cindercone. See story on next year's Kahuku hikes below.
NPS Photo/Janice Wei

2017  PRESIDENT FOR OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION will be  Ron Gall, currently serving as Vice President. Gall takes over as President Sandi Alexander retires.

Ron Gall, new President of Ocean View
Community Association.
Photo by Ann Bosted

     Gall was born and raised in Oregon where he was educated and worked until he retired in 2003. He moved to the Big Island, living first in Miloli`i, then Captain Cook. He and his wife Karen moved to Ocean View five-and-half years ago. After a year on the board, he became Vice President in February 2015.

    Asked what he considered to be the biggest challenge of the new job, Gall replied, “Meeting the expectations of the community and being consistent.”

    Gall summed it up: “We, who volunteer to work for the community, are often asked by prospective members ‘What do I get for my dues’ to which I have to reply that paying dues is a commitment to the community. I feel like JFK – telling them to not ask what the community can do for them, but what they can do for the community.

    “I believe the association should bring people together – not just Ocean View, but all of Ka`u. We need to build community spirit. We rely on volunteers to man the office every weekday morning, to provide the annual Thanksgiving dinner, and other meals like the pancake breakfast.

    “Dues are necessary just to cover our overhead. Insurance at $7,000 a year is a big expense towards keeping the Community Center open. Renting out the building is our biggest source of income, followed by dues, donations and advertising in the newsletter.  This is not a country club. We need community support.

   “I would like to see the community adopt new programs, such as cleaning up the neighborhood. But we also need to take care of necessities – like maintaining the building that dates back to 1979.  It needs a new roof, so we need more members to join and help.”
    Anyone wanting to volunteer, donate or otherwise help Ocean View Community Association can call Gall at 939-7033.
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Friendraiser hosted games for keiki.
Photos from Na`alehu School

THE FIRST FRIENDRAISER AT NA`ALEHU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL drew about 150 people  recently. ʻOhana and students gathered for fun, games, prizes, and, most importantly, to make new friends and strengthen existing bonds.  

Fun on the field at the Na`alehu Schoo
Friendraiser event.

     School staff and helpers volunteered their time to run booths and man the event. The community also supported the sixth graders in holding a successful bake sale during the day. Future fundraisers are planned to support the upcoming sixth grade graduation and banquet.
     Student council advisors and sixth grade teachers, Amberly Keohuloa and Nellie Davis,  thanked Punalu’u Bake Shop, KTA, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, Flyin’ Hawaiian Coffee Truck, McDonalds, Hana Hou, Edmund C. Olson, Fitzner Custom Welding, Thomas King Custom Wood Work and Wong Yuen Store for their donations. They also thanked teachers, staff, and the planning committee for all of their hard work in making sure this day happened for all and principal Darlene Javar, "for letting it all happen," they said in a statement.

Nellie Davis and Amberly Keohuloa,
student council advisors and sixth
grade teachers at Na`alehu School.

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KA`U FOOD PANTRY holds its next distribution tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 27 at St. Jude's Episcopal Church on Paradise Circle-mauka from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers are welcomed, beginning at 9 a.m. Ka`u Food Pantry, Inc. is staffed  by volunteers, the non-profit agency's mission to feed the hungry of Ocean View. About 150 families are served by Ka`u Food Pantry, providing one to three days of nutritious food to help people who run short of money, benefits or food by the end of each month.

   Donations of non-perishible foods and funding are welcomed. Ka`u Food Pantry is able to purchase food from the Hawai`i Food Basket for 18 cents a pound. One dollar can buy a half a case of food to help the community. Cash donations may be deductible under IRS Code 501. 

     Write checks to St,. Jude's with Food Pantry on the memo line. One hundred percent of any donation goes to the Food Pantry. Send to St. Jude's Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 6026, Ocean view, HI 96737.
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FREE GUIDED HIKES AT KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK are scheduled for January through March, 2017. Visitors can also explore Kahuku on their own on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Enter the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on the mauka side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5, and meet near the parking area. Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection and a snack are recommended. Entrance and all programs are free.

Visitors enjoy a guided hike to Pu‘ū o Lokuana cindercone.
NPS Photo/Janice Wei    

     Mauna Loa Southwest Rift Zone  - Take a short, guided hike to an overlook located on the Upper Palm Trail. From the overlook, park rangers point out the prominent geologic features that define the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. Learn about the eruptions that created these features and the cultural traditions associated with them. The Mauna Loa Southwest Rift Zone program is offered Jan. 7 and March 25; from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
     Pu‘u o Lokuana is a short, moderately difficult 0.4-mile hike to the top of the grassy cinder cone, Pu‘u o Lokuana. Learn about the formation and various uses of this hill over time and enjoy an expansive view of lower Ka‘ū. This hike is offered Jan. 8, Feb. 5 and March 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
     Birth of Kahuku. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku. Traverse the vast 1868 lava flow, see different volcano features and formations, and identify many parts of the Southwest Rift Zone of Mauna Loa. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. This guided easy-to-moderate hike is offered Jan. 14 and March 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
     People and Land of Kahuku is a moderate two-mile, three-hour guided hike that loops through varied landscapes to explore the human history of Kahuku. Emerging native forests, 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 Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about the powerful natural forces at work here and how people have adapted to, shaped, and restored this land. The guided hike is offered Jan. 15, Feb. 19 and March 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
     Palm Trail is a moderately difficult 2.6-mile loop traversing scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. Highlights include relics of the ranching era, sections of remnant native forest and amazing volcanic features from the 1868 eruptive fissures. A guided hike of Palm Trail is offered Jan. 21, Jan. 29, Feb. 26, and March 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Palm Trail in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
NPS Photo/Sami Steinkamp

    

      ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua - Learn about the vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the ‘ōhi‘a tree, and the lehua flower. Visitors will be able to identify the many differences of the most prominent native tree in Kahuku on this program, which is an easy, one-mile (or less) walk. The ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua program is offered Jan. 22, Feb. 12, and March 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
     Pele & Hi‘iaka. - Discover two fascinating Hawaiian goddesses, sisters Pelehonuamea (Pele) and Hi‘iaka, and the natural phenomena they represent. Visitors will experience the sisters coming alive through the epic stories depicted in the natural landscape of Kahuku on this easy 1.7-mile walk on the main road in Kahuku. The Hi‘iaka and Pele program is offered Jan. 28 and Feb. 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
     Realms and Divisions of Kahuku - Experience the sense of place that evolves at the intersection of nature and culture on this moderately difficult two-mile, two-hour guided hike on the Kahuku Unit’s newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku. Explore the realms and divisions of the traditional Hawaiian classification system at Kahuku. This hike is offered Feb. 11 and March 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
     Keep up with Kahuku events and visit the calendar on the park website, https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/kahuku-hikes.htm, and download the Kahuku Site Bulletin https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/upload/2013_11_05-Kahuku-Site-Bulletin.pdf. 

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CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY is ongoing through the holidays at Volcano Art Center in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply.

VOTE FOR THE BEST DECORATED Kilauea Military Camp cottage through the holidays.

www.kaucalendar.com