Ka‘ū News Briefs Thursday, September 28, 2017

Michael Newman, working with KUPU at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from KUPU

ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO VISIT AND WORK IN NATIONAL PARKS was the subject of a public hearing yesterday in Washington, D.C., convened by Sen. Mazie Hirono. Witnesses included John Leong, Chief Executive Officer of KUPU, an AmeriCorps program that provides young people with service learning and educational opportunities through maintaining and preserving Hawai‘i’s natural resources.
     “The work being done to improve our national parks is a vehicle that is helping to unlock the potential in our youth and it’s really allowing them to explore careers in conservation. But, at the same time they are getting transferable job skills like leadership, communication, teamwork, responsibility, the value of hard work, and transferable technical skills that they can take with them throughout life,” said Leong.

National Parks Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. Mazie 

Hirono, and John Leong, of KUPU. Photo from Mazie Hirono

    Said Hirono, “While America is growing more diverse and urban, and younger generations are making up a greater share of the population, these trends are not reflected in visitors to our national parks. KUPU and programs like it are helping to fill this gap by training our keiki to become stewards of the ‘āina and serve our communities as Hawai‘i’s future conservationists.”
     Hirono also heard from leaders at the National Park Service and Niantic, the makers of Pokemon Go, regarding challenges and opportunities for national parks to engage the next generation of park visitors and conservation workers.
     According to a 2015 report, only seven percent of National Park Service employees were 29 or younger, while 75 percent were 40 or older. However, said Hirono, the Trump administration’s budget proposes a 13 percent cut to the NPS’s overall budget and an 11 percent cut to visitor services.
     A statement from Hirono's office noted that shte Senator, who is the Ranking Member of teh senate Energy and Natural Resouces Subcommittee on National Parks, "has been a strong advocate for federal funding to support workforce development for future leaders in conservation and to ensure that people of all ages have access to our national parks." In August, Hirono met with leaders and interns from KUPU and the state Department of Land & Natural Resources.
     Programs like KUPU help provide job training and opportunities for youth interested in pursuing
careers in conservation. As a result of this partnership, there are many DLNR workforce who are
KUPU corps members or alumni, Hirono stated.

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LOW INCOME HOUSING FOR NATIVE HAWAIIANS was on Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's agenda today when she joined a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in introducing the reauthorization of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act. She said it has empowered more than 1,400 low-income families in Hawaiʻi over the past two decades, along with native communities across the country. In addition to the introduction of the bill today in the House, U.S. Senator Tom Udall has also introduced companion language in the U.S. Senate.

    “Reauthorizing NAHASDA is critical to fulfill our nation’s trust responsibility to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Safe, secure, and affordable housing is essential to the wellbeing of our country’s native people which leads to better health, education, and economic outcomes that strengthen native communities,” said Gabbard.

     “In Hawaiʻi, almost 30 percent of the homeless population is comprised of Native Hawaiians—a statistic that is far too high in the most prosperous country in the world. Reauthorizing NAHASDA provides needed financial support to native communities in Hawaiʻi and across the country. We must continue to fight for the programs that will improve housing and wellness resources for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities throughout the country,” said Gabbard.
In Hawaiʻi, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is the sole recipient of the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant as provided for by the law. DHHL administers 203,000 acres of trust land; 99 percent of those lands are located in Hawai‘i’s Second Congressional District: from the southernmost tip of Hawai‘i Island to Kauaʻi and Niʻihau; it includes every Hawaiian Island, but excludes urban Honolulu. Ka‘ū lands are at Ka Lae and above Punalu‘u.

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THE ANNUAL KA‘U COFFEE TRAIL RUN organizer ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou has announced the success of last weekend's event that drew 188 runners, joggers and walkers who crossed the finish line at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Six flew in from Austria, Canada, United Kingdom and New Zealand and 20 from 11 states outside of Hawai‘i.

Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Flower, Evalyn Ornelas,
 was one of the greeters for the Ka‘ū Coffee Trail
 Run finishers, giving them a koa lei and a high five.
Photo by Trini Marques

     OKK brought much entertainment to the scene, including Eddie O of Nutrex Hawai‘i, who announced the winners on a sunny day that began with the Hilo Okinawa Kohudo Taiko Drummers pounding out an inspiring rhythm to the start line. Volunteers numbered, including OKK members, the Hawai‘i National Guard Youth Challenge Academy who closed the event with a ceremonial drill, the Ka‘ū High School Athletic teams, Team BioAstin, retired Police Officers, the Ham Radio Operators from Ocean View and the Miss Ka‘ū Coffee Court.
      The race, sponsored by County of Hawai‘i, Edmund C. Olson Trust II,  Ka‘ū Coffee Mill, HPM Building Supplies, and Pacific Quest, was followed by local food from several vendors, live entertainment and award presentations.
      The statement from ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou promises that "all proceeds from the event go back into the Ka‘ū community in the form of providing school supplies and scholarships to students; fundraising assistance for schools, athletic teams and other organizations; producing the annual Keiki Fishing Tournament; performing minor home repairs and installing grab bars and ramps for seniors; running stewardship projects for the highway, beaches, cemeteries and much more."
     Read more about the organization and the race at www.okaukakou.org.

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Pick up the October edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered

free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i 

through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout

the district. See it online now at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball 

Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.
Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR AN ART CLASS until Tuesday, Oct. 3. The class, Cupcake Liner Owl, takes place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the Pāhala Community Center. For more, call 928-3102.

THE ANNUAL ART SHOW, organized by Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce, will be open for public viewing through tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā'ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.

   An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.  The winning popular vote art will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN PETREL, ‘UA‘U, will be the subject of discussion at Coffee Talk tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the Visitor Center at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park.

     Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.

     Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION United will hold its annual Ka'ū chapter meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St. this Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka'ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY IS SATURDAY, Sept. 30, and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offering free entrance and two opportunities to help to remove invasive plant species, one in the park and the other in the Ocean View community.

     To join the Stewardship at the Summit program from 9 a.m. to noon, meet volunteers Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m.,  who will lead the effort to remove Himalayan ginger from the summit of Kīlauea. Volunteers receive a free park pass to use on another date of choice. 

     In Ocean View, volunteers will remove invasive fountain grass. Meet at the Ocean View Community Center this Saturday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m.; bring lunch, water, a hat and sun protection. Contact Park Ecologist David Benitez at 985-6085 or email him at david_benitez@nps.gov for more information about this project.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC takes place Sunday, Oct. 1, at Manukā Park. All American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families are invited to attend. For more details, contact Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS MONDAY, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m., at the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

TWO STORY TIME EVENTS ARE OFFERED AT KA'Ū LIBRARIES the first week of October. Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool staff will read a book aloud to keiki of all ages, with "a fun activity and snack provided following the story,” according to the event flier issued by Hawai‘i State Public Library System.

      Story Time is free to attend and will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Public Library on Monday, Oct. 2, and from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Pāhala Public Library on Thursday, Oct. 5.  For more information call Nā‘ālehu Public Library at 939-2442 or Pāhala Public Library at 928-2015. For more library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/events.

DANCE IMAGINED, a class lead by Karen Masaki that “encourages exploration and builds strength and fluidity for pure exhilaration of movement,” will be held on Tuesdays this month: Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. The classes will take place at the Volcano Art Center from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and incur a fee of $20 non-members and $15 for Volcano Art Center members or $50 for the entire series. For more, call 967-8222.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS Tuesday, Oct. 3, and Wednesday, Oct. 4. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS MEET TUESDAY, Oct. 3, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Pāhala Community Center.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S LAVA LOUNGE, in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more details, call 967-8371.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ENROLL in the The Kohala Center’s High School Sustainable Agriculture Program. The next session is at TKC's Demonstration Farm in Honoka’a, Oct. 9 to 13, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Kohala Center's Rural and Cooperative Business Development Services says, “The weeklong program features hands-on training in sustainable agriculture practices and visits to important traditional Hawaiian agricultural sites and farms. Students will also learn about opportunities in farming and supporting Hawai'i's food security. Contact Dave Sansone at 808-887-6411 or dsansone@kohalacenter.org for more information.”

Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Firefighters are watching over the 1,645 acre Waikapuna fire which is largely contained, but at risk of reigniting.

WHAT CAUSED THE WAIKAPUNA BRUSHFIRE THAT BURNED 1,645 ACRES along the Ka‘ū Coast and spread inland with smoke across ranches, Discovery Harbour, Mark Twain, South Point and Wai‘ōhinu residential neighborhoods? While no evacuations were ordered, it was a fire that brought some residents to consider leaving their homes.

Due to limited 4x4 access roads, the location of the fire,
and strong trade winds, it tool ground crews two hours
 to reach the fire.

     The most common cause of remote brushfires, according to firefighters, are cigarettes thrown on the ground and camp and cooking fires not fully extinguished. Sometimes a spark from a vehicle can ignite a fire. Another possibility is arson. The Fire Department is investigating and clues can be shared by calling Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
     The fire was first seen and reported by area residents before dawn on Thursday, Sept. 21. It was hard to reach and the Fire Department reported: "Due to the location of the fire" and "limited 4x4 access roads," when the first units were eventually able to arrive at the scene, almost two hours later, approximately five acres of grass and brush were “actively burning.” 

     According to the Fire Department, 14 county firefighters and 12 volunteer firefighters responded. Bulldozers to make firebreaks, water hauling vehicles, and helicopters to track the fire and drop water arrived. However, strong trade winds caused the fire to spread on Thursday. With much of the area inaccessible to ground vehicles, the Fire Department reported, as of 6 p.m. Thursday, 840 acres had burned.
     Civil Defense warned residents and travelers to be on the lookout for emergency vehicles. "Smoke from the fire may affect visibility for driving and air quality for Wai‘ōhinu area including Green Sands, Mark Twain Estates and Discovery Harbour. The public is requested to stay out of the active fire area.”

Fire crews worked day and night for five days before
the brushfire could be called contained.

     Through the firefighters efforts, however, the spreading fire "slowed down throughout nighttime hours," on Thursday, though "much of area [was] still actively burning" on Friday, announced the Fire Department. By mid-morning Saturday, the winds picking up, the fire had grown again, "substantially" with "about 1,400 acres" burned, the Fire Department reported.
     The brushfire "is long, reaching from Waikapuna Bay to within 0.75 miles of Green Sands Subdivision, and has more than a dozen spot fires outside the main burn area,” said Saturday’s release. It has "continued to burn through uneven terrain with variable fuel/vegetation mixtures." The "spot fires range from 100 square feet to several acres. Air support by two helicopters using water drops assisted ground units who were extinguishing fires that had jumped firebreaks.”
     The Fire Department reported that by nightfall on Saturday, “the fire was contained, with no further fires outside of [4-wheel drive] roads widened by bull dozers, creating a perimeter for the approximately 1,600 acre fire.”
    After weekend rains helped douse the fire, brining it to a crawl, Sunday's release said 1,645 acres were the total consumed.
     The Fire Department described the location as "rugged plains with limited 4x4 vehicle access" over "primarily cattle pasture, with some native trees and archeology of unknown periods."

County and volunteer crews, private bulldozer operators, water haulers

and helicopter pilots, worked together to tame the flames. 

Police and fire officials said today that the cause of the fire

remained undetermined. No structures burned.

     Area residents posted about the fire on The Ka‘ū Calendar Facebook:
     From Thomas Pasquale: "Thank you for reporting on this. As we smelled smoke and watched the fire spread closer and closer to Green Sands and Mark Twain subdivisions on Saturday, we kept checking back on the Civil Defense website all day for any update. Even now, at 10 a.m. on Sunday, their latest alert is dated last Thursday at 6 p.m. Don't get me wrong, we are infinitely thankful for the hard work of all the County and volunteer firefighters. They are our heroes. But, the County could have at least updated their message to reassure us that we did not, in fact, need to start planning to evacuate. Am I wrong?"
     From Leah Silver Kotuby: “How tragic. Hope no animals or people have been injured.”
     From Sherrie LaRue Bazin: “Thank you for all who have served to keep our community safe… you are appreciated!!!”

1,645 acres burned along the Ka‘ū coast near Waikapuna,
most of which was cattle ranch land, with some native trees
and archeological sites.

     From Candy Casper: “Love to all of our firefighters, volunteer and paid. Lizzy Stabo (volunteer firefighter), you are really something! Thanks!!!”
     From Alikka Tag: “Be safe out there, we see & appreciate your efforts.”
     Some Ka‘ū community members voiced concern on other public Facebook pages about the preservation of cultural sites while bulldozing firebreaks.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

CANDIDATES FOR THE KA‘Ū COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEES are sought by the County of Hawai‘i Planning Department. "Action Committee members should be community-minded, reflect a wide variety of perspectives, and represent a broad spectrum of the community," says a statement from the Planning Department. County of Hawai‘i Website. The Planning Department encourages Ka‘ū residents to share this opportunity "within your personal and professional networks."

      A memo from the Planning Director briefly outlining the role of Action Committee members is available on the County of Hawai`i Website.

     Applications are accessible at Hawai‘i County Mayor's Website; Mayor Harry Kim's offices in Hilo at 25 Aupuni Street, and his office in Kona at 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Bldg C, Kailua-Kona.

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TWO COUNTY DEPARTMENT HEADS AND A DEPUTY HAVE RESIGNED. A news alert from Nancy Cook Lauer, of West Hawai‘i Today, says that county Human Resources Director Sharon Toriano resigned today, “following a critical audit that showed ‘questionable hiring practices,’ and a Monday newspaper article indicating preferential treatment of job applicants through her use of sticky notes on official hiring documents.”
     Cook Lauer reported that Mayor Harry Kim said he told the Merit Appeals Board and County Council chairs, about the importance of restoring public confidence in county hiring practices. He said he did not ask for Toriano’s resignation. Cook Lauer reported the mayor saying, “My goal is to resolve this as best we can without creating an atmosphere of a circus.”
      Deputy Human Resources Deputy Director William Brilhante, a former Deputy County Attorney, was accepted by the Merit Board as Acting Director.

Bill Brilhante is acting Human Resources Director. He
is a former Deputy County Attorney.

     County Department of Parks & Recreation Director Charmaine Kamaka and Deputy Director Ryan Chong resigned earlier, according to an announcement this week by the mayor. Regarding Parks & Recreation, the statement from the mayor’s office said that Kim thanked Kamaka and Chong, “and praised them for their very good and hard work. We are very grateful for all that Charmaine and Ryan have done for the community,” the Mayor said. “They took on a very difficult task and did good work.”
    Roxcie Waltjen, the Department’s Culture Education Administrator, has been asked to fill in as the interim Director of Parks & Recreation. Kim said that a letter to the County Council for Waltjen’s confirmation will be drafted this week.

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Seniors Daryl Moreira and Revis Petitt

at Kea‘au High School on Sept. 16.

Next race is at Waiakea High School 

on Sept. 30.

Senior Revis Petitt, Freshmen Bernadette 

Ladia and Angel Morton-Dahlstedt 

cool off after 5K race at Kamehameha 

High School on Sept. 9.

KA‘Ū HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY team is traveling to meets, from Kea‘au High to Kamehameha School with the next race at Waiakea High School, this Saturday, Sept. 30, at 10 a.m. Coach Erin Cole has been working with the team after school on weekdays, running through the spacious Ka‘ū High campus in Pahala.

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KA‘Ū HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL suffered a setback Wednesday evening, losing to Ehunui at home. With only a varsity match, scores were 25-18, 25-16, 24-26, 15-25 and 8-15. Next game is Thursday on the road against Pahoa.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Pick up the October edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered

free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i 

through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout

the district. See it online now at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball
Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.
Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

THE ANNUAL ART SHOW, organized by Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce, is open for public viewing through Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building (behind CU) in Nā'ālehu, during normal credit union business hours.

   An Artist Reception for distribution of prizes and art pickup will be the morning of Saturday, Sept. 30.

     Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There will also be categories for Youth and Keiki entries.

     The winning popular vote piece will be displayed on the cover of The Directory 2018, according to new Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble who describe the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka'ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 FOR AN ART CLASS until Tuesday, Oct. 3. The class, Cupcake Liner Owl, takes place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the Pāhala Community Center. For more, call 928-3102.

A SPECIAL OPEN HOUSE FOR VETERANS TO PREVIEW the newly installed Telehealth Medical Equipment at Ocean View Community Center is planned for tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 10 and September 19, or call 939-7033.

A PERFECT DAY FOR AN ALBATROSS is a book for signing by Volcano artist Caren Loebel-Fried during her talk story with seabird biologist Cynthia Vanderlip tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 28, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

     The artist shares personal experience researching on Midway Atoll, and explains how she created the book. She will sign copies and personalize limited edition prints of book art, and display original work.

     Vanderlip will share her work experience in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands since 1989 for National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and Oceanic Society as a biologist, technician, naturalist and U.S. Coast Guard-licensed boat captain. She leads annual field camps at Kure Atoll for the DLNR, Division of Forestry & Wildlife. 

     See more of Caren Loebel-Fried Art at carenloebelfried.com.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN PETREL, ‘UA‘U, will be the subject of discussion at Coffee Talk on Friday, Sept. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the Visitor Center at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park.

     Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.

     Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION United will hold its annual Ka'ū chapter meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St. this Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka'ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered tomorrow, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY IS SATURDAY, Sept. 30, and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offering free entrance and two opportunities to help to remove invasive plant species, one in the park and the other in the Ocean View community.

     To join the Stewardship at the Summit program from 9 a.m. to noon, meet volunteers Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m., then head into the forest to remove Himalayan ginger from the summit of Kīlauea. Volunteers receive a free park pass to use on another date of choice. 

     In Ocean View, volunteers will remove invasive fountain grass. Meet at the Ocean View Community Center this Saturday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m.; bring lunch, water, a hat and sun protection. Contact Park Ecologist David Benitez at 985-6085 or email him at david_benitez@nps.gov for more information about this project.

HAM RADIO OPERATORS POTLUCK PICNIC takes place Sunday, Oct. 1, at Manukā Park. All American Radio Emergency Service members, anyone interested in learning how to operate a ham radio and families are invited to attend. For more details, contact Dennis Smith at 989-3028.

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS MONDAY, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m., at the Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033.

TWO STORY TIME EVENTS ARE OFFERED AT KA'Ū LIBRARIES the first week of October. Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool staff will read a book aloud to keiki of all ages, with "a fun activity and snack provided following the story,” according to the event flier issued by Hawai‘i State Public Library System.

     Story Time is free to attend and will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Public Library on Monday, Oct. 2, and from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Pāhala Public Library on Thursday, Oct. 5.

     For more information call Nā‘ālehu Public Library at 939-2442 or Pāhala Public Library at 928-2015. For more library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/events.

Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Ho‘okupu Hula No Ka‘ū Festival will be Saturday, Nov. 4 and keiki and hula dancers of all ages practice
Wednesdays at Pāhala Community Center. Those interested in volunteering or sponsoring a booth
meet Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 6:30 p.m. Pāhala Community Center. See story below. Photo by Julia Neal

AFTER FIVE DAYS, THE WAIKAPUNA BRUSHFIRE THAT BURNED 1,645 ACRES along the Ka‘ū Coast, sending smoke across South Point ranches and neighborhoods, "is now contained" with "no structures or communities... threatened at this time," the county Fire Department and Civil Defense agency announced today.

The Waikapuna fire burned for more than five days and is now
contained. Photo from Big Island Video News.

     However, advisories to the public remained in place: “Area motorists should be on the lookout for emergency vehicles. Smoke from the fire may affect visibility for driving and air quality for Wai‘ōhinu area including Green Sands, Mark Twain Estates, and Discovery Harbor. The public is requested to stay out of the active fire area. Closures may occur without notice." According to the Hawai‘i Fire Department, a cause is yet to be determined.
     See a wrap up of the fire coverage in Wednesday’s Ka‘ū News Briefs.

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DE-ESCALTING THE NORTH KOREA CRISIS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT is the call today from Tulsi Gabbard, Ka‘ū's representative in Congress: "After spending trillions of dollars on counterproductive regime change wars in Iraq, Syria, and Libya, we cannot afford to enmesh ourselves in another costly conflict with North Korea.
     "Trading barbs, personal insults, and threats with Kim Jong Un has put the United States in a more tenuous position in East Asia than we have experienced since the Korean War. Taking a hardline stance that abandons diplomacy has caused the North Korean military to multiply their ballistic missile tests, put Guam in their crosshairs, and now threaten to shoot down American military planes.

Kim Jong Un
Image from Wikipedia

     "Regime change policy has failed, and it has nearly bankrupted our federal government. We have leaders who drag their feet at ensuring clean water for Flint or health care for the American public, but who jump at the opportunity to entangle ourselves in more costly foreign conflicts. Toppling Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein has not made the world safer—instead, dictators like Kim Jong Un cling harder to their nuclear arsenal as the only deterrent to further U.S. aggression.
     "The cost of war is profound," Gabbard stated, noting that during her own military service, "I have served alongside friends in the Middle East who never made it home, and alongside still more who have struggled against systemic issues at home that we have neglected for want of more foreign entanglements.  

Hawai‘i Army National Guard Major and

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard calls

for talks with North Korea.
Photo from Office of Tulsi Gabbard

    Gabbard said her view is that "Diplomacy is our best hope to de-escalate the crisis with North Korea, and ultimately denuclearize the Korean peninsula. In order to protect our troops and allies in South Korea, Japan, and on naval vessels patrolling the Pacific, we have a responsibility to bring North Korea to the table.

     "We can only win North Korea's trust when we swear off our arbitrary interventions in sovereign countries. Peace, not war, is the only sane option, but there is a longstanding bipartisan consensus in Washington that disagrees. I have never been afraid of going against my own party or the Washington establishment to do what I feel is right. Please sign our petition for diplomacy and an end to counterproductive regime change policy," she proclaimed with a link to her peace petition.
     "Peace is more difficult to achieve than conflict. We cannot be afraid of standing up to our enemies—especially when all our enemies seem to want is violence. Let's find a better path forward," Gabbard concluded.

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THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WAS PRESERVED, at least one more time today, when U.S. Senate Republicans withdrew their latest Obama Care repeal bill. Sen. Mazie Hirono tweeted: "Mahalo to everyone who spoke out against #GrahamCassidy. Our work toward health care - that is a right & not a privilege - must continue." 

Sen. Mazie Hirono speaking to the Senate Finance Committee on
Monday, regarding preserving and improving the Affordable Care Act.
Photo fro the Office of Sen. Mazie Hirono

     Yesterday, she testified in Washington, D.C. before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.
     She shared that when she was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer, about five months ago, the diagnosis came to her as a total shock, incidental to a physical exam." Out of the blue. Bang! You can't plan for it." 

    She said she is being treated with much compassion from colleagues and even from total strangers. "It helps me a lot."
   Sadly, however, compassion was not in the health care bill, Hirono said. "In the greatest, richest country in the world, compassion for our fellow men and women should not be so illusive, or, indeed, missing." 

    "The Graham-Cassidy proposal  neither reflects care nor compassion for millions across the country," Hirono testified.

      She said the proposed bill treated health care like a commodity that can be bought and sold. "This is fundamentally wrong." She reported that "before the Affordable Care Act, catastrophic health care costs were the largest driver of personal bankruptcy across the country. And since the law went into effect, we've seen a huge reduction in personal bankruptcies. There is a causal relationship when people get health care."

      Hirono also testified that "Under the thin veneer of states rights and local control, the Graham-Cassidy bill imposes a radical overhaul of one-sixth of the American economy."

     According to the Brooking Institution, 32 million people would have lost their health care under Graham-Cassidy, Hirono said. Close to 600,000 in Hawai‘i and 134 million people across the country, with pre-existing conditions would have been at risk of losing health insurance.

       She said it could have taken away health insurance benefits "at someone's moment of greatest need." She said Hawai‘i would have suffered about $4 billion in cuts and with about 91,000 fewer people covered for health care. 

       "Let's return to the bipartisan negotiations," to stabilize the health insurance marketplace, Hirono recommended. 

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A TRAVEL BOOST INSTEAD OF A TRAVEL BAN, is a small piece of economic development promotion that Sen. Mazie K. Hirono helped make permanent today, Sept. 26. The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Program grants Americans and citizens from APEC nations access to fast-track processing lanes at Daniel K. Inouye Honolulu International Airport and airports across the U.S. and Asia-Pacific. It will become a permanent program with the U.S. Senate's unanimous approval today, if it also wins approval form the U.S. House of Representatives.

   Hirono said that more than 200 Hawai‘i residents are active holders of the APEC Business Travel Card, which saves 43 minutes on average in airport wait times. Without the passage of the bill, U.S. Customs and Border Protection cannot issue cards to U.S. citizens after September 30, 2018.
   “By permanently extending this successful program, the Senate today has affirmed the importance of travel to our economy and our country’s engagement with the nations of the Asia-Pacific.”
    Said Hirono, “With 95 percent of the world’s consumers outside of the United States, it’s
critical that we continue to make it more efficient for American businesses to reach overseas markets.”

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HAWAI‘I HAS THE HIGHEST TEACHER-FRIENDLINESS but is ranked the worst in the country for starting salaries for teachers and average annual salary for teachers, when considering the adjusted cost of living. The study by WalletHub, which came out yesterday, ranked Hawai‘i number 42 in teachers' income growth potential, 39 in the overall quality of the school system, 35 in pupil-teacher ratio, 34 in ten-year change in teacher salaries, and 20 in public school spending per student.

    WalletHub announced the results of its study to be tagged with World Teachers Day. It is called 2017's Best & Worst States for Teachers.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

     WalletHub analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 21 key metrics, ranging from teachers' income growth potential to pupil-teacher ratio to teacher safety.  See the full study at 2017's Best & Worst States for Teachers.

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THE ANNUAL ART SHOW, organized by Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce, opened for public viewing today and will run through Friday, Sept. 29, in the CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union Annex Building in Nā‘ālehu, during normal credit union business hours. The public is invited to vote on art for the cover of The Directory 2018.
     Categories include: painting, graphics, photography, craft, lei, weaving, jewelry, quilting, sculpture, and woodworking. There are also categories for Youth and Keiki entries.
     Chamber co-chairs Alan Stafford and Allen Humble said the annual art show as a fundraiser for the Ka‘ū Chamber of Commerce scholarship program. For more details, visit the Chamber website at kauchamber.org or call 936-5288.

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Pick up the September edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at kaucalendar.com

UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS:

Girls Volleyball 

Wednesday, Sept. 27, Ka'ū vs. Ehunui, home.
Friday, Sept. 29, Ka'ū vs. Pahoa, away.
Friday, Oct. 6, Ka'ū vs. Kealakehe, home.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, away.
Friday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. Honoka'a, home.

Eight-Man Football
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kohala, home.
Saturday, Oct. 21, Ka'ū vs. Pāhoa, home.

Cross Country
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Waiakea, away.
Saturday, Oct. 7, Ka'ū vs. Kea'au, away.
Saturday, Oct. 13, Ka'ū vs. BIIF, away.

Bowling
Saturday, Sept. 30, Ka'ū vs. Kamehameha at Kona Bowl.

Cheerleading
Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Konawaena.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Kamehameha.

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A SPECIAL OPEN HOUSE FOR VETERANS TO PREVIEW the newly installed Telehealth
Medical Equipment at Ocean View Community Center is planned for Thursday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, read the Ka'ū News Briefs from September 10 and September 19, or call 939-7033.

A PERFECT DAY FOR AN ALBATROSS is a book for signing by Volcano artist Caren Loebel-Fried during her talk story with seabird biologist Cynthia Vanderlip this Thursday, Sept. 28, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Volcano Art Center, Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

    The artist shares personal experience researching on Midway Atoll, and explains how she created the book. She will sign copies and personalize limited edition prints of book art, and display original work.

     Vanderlip will share her work experience in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands since 1989 for National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and Oceanic Society as a biologist, technician, naturalist and U.S. Coast Guard-licensed boat captain. She leads annual field camps at Kure Atoll for the DLNR, Division of Forestry & Wildlife. 

     See more of Caren Loebel-Fried Art at carenloebelfried.com.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. MEETS Friday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m., at the Hawaiian Ranchos office.

THE ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN PETREL, ‘UA‘U, will be the subject of discussion at Coffee Talk on Friday, Sept. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. inside the Visitor Center at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park.

     Hawai‘i Volcanoes' National Park Avian Research Technician Charlotte Forbes-Perry will present a talk about the life of the ‘ua‘u and the National Park’s efforts to monitor and protect them.
    Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to the event and park is free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION United will hold its annual Ka'ū chapter meeting at Pāhala Plantation House, at 96-3209 Maile St. this Saturday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Members and friends are invited to participate in the Ka'ū Chapter business and Convention discussion, election of board members and a potluck dinner.

BIRTH OF KAHUKU a free hike within the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offered tomorrow, Sept. 30, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Explore the rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more details.

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY IS SATURDAY, Sept. 30, and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is offering free entrance and two opportunities to help to remove invasive plant species, one in the park and the other in the Ocean View community.

      To join the Stewardship at the Summit program from 9 a.m. to noon, meet volunteers Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m., then head into the forest to remove Himalayan ginger from the summit of Kīlauea. Volunteers receive a free park pass to use on another date of choice. 

          In Ocean View, volunteers will remove invasive fountain grass. Meet at the Ocean View Community Center this Saturday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m.; bring lunch, water, a hat and sun protection.  Contact Park Ecologist David Benitez at 985-6085 or email him at david_benitez@nps.gov for more information about this project.

TWO STORY TIME EVENTS ARE OFFERED AT KA'Ū LIBRARIES the first week of October. Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool staff will read a book aloud to keiki of all ages, with "a fun activity and snack provided following the story,” according to the event flier issued by Hawai‘i State Public Library System.

      Story Time is free to attend and will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Public Library on Monday, Oct. 2, and from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Pāhala Public Library on Thursday, Oct. 5.
      For more information call Nā‘ālehu Public Library at 939-2442 or Pāhala Public Library at 928-2015. For more library events, visit librarieshawaii.org/events.