Ka`u News Briefs July 18, 2012

The Ka`u Desert has many unusual soils and a landscape used for training to go to the moon and robots to Mars.
Photo by Tom Stein, Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. 

NASA IS ON THE BIG ISLAND to evaluate techniques for exploring the moon. The research is being done in lava-covered soil similar to the volcanic plains on the moon. The project tests a device that would map distribution of water and ice on the moon and drill into the lunar surface. NASA said, Tuesday, the lessons it learns will become increasingly important as it embarks on deep-space missions. The agency says that resources already on the moon could mean that a human could go to the moon knowing natural resources are waiting, instead of carrying everything along for the ride. NASA is working with the Canadian Space Agency on the project. Hawai`i’s Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems is assisting. 

     This follows an announcement last year of a new partnership between NASA and the State of Hawai`i in helping to develop an International Lunar Research Park, a project envisioned as a multinational base on the moon's surface from which future space research could be performed. An Earth based research park is planned for University of Hawaii-Hilo and could involve test sites inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park to simulate lunar conditions. Ka`u Desert was used to train astronauts on the original Apollo moon-landing missions and for the robotic Mars Rover. 

     "These very islands of Hawai`i continue to provide a basis for training that's unparalleled anywhere else in the rest of our planet,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. 

Public schools in Ka`u achieved AYP with encouragement by such activities
as this math and science fair earlier this year.
Photo by Nalani Parlin

NA`ALEHU, KA`U HIGH & PAHALA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS all achieved Adequate Yearly Progress in the Race to the Top program, according to results released yesterday. Ka`u’s schools joined a statewide trend of improvement with higher scores in reading and math in the 2012 Hawai`i State Assessment, according to data from the Hawai`i state Department of Education. Hawai`i stood out as the only state in the nation to better its scores in mathematics and reading in grades 4 and 8 on the Nation’s Report Card.
     U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan offered congratulations, “Student performance data signal an encouraging sign that more than ever before, Hawai`i is focused on efforts to support classroom instruction and student learning. Despite challenges and setbacks in meeting Race to the Top goals, Hawai`i has maintained a relentless commitment to moving forward.”
     Public schools superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said: “Our plan to create systemic change is working. Increasingly, more students in more schools across the state are on the path toward college and career readiness.”
      Among highlights: The number of students proficient in reading and math increased by about 6,000 in each subject, compared to the previous year. The statewide jump in reading and math proficiency was educationally significant at 5 percentage points.

REPUBLICAN LINDA LINGLE says the next governor should have "a foot in both camps,” referring to the deeply divided congress and public.

U.S. Senate candidate Linda Lingle and
Hawaiian Airlines CEO Mark Dunkerley.
Photo by Vernon Brown

     During an interview with Honolulu Star Advertiser writer Derek DePledge, she said: "These people in Congress today have completely lost that their obligation is to the people, not to their political party. They should have known that but obviously they've really gone astray." Lingle told DePlege that it is “important to reflect in my language what I hear from the public, which is, ‘How come they don't get along? How come they can't get anything done? Why don't they compromise? How come they can't come together?'"
     Lingle said that being the former Hawai`i governor gives her an understanding and a leadership quality missing from Democratic contenders, former congressman Ed Case and current congresswoman Mazie Hirono.
     "The other candidates have never had to make tough personal decisions in a public setting. Personal in the sense it was them — they couldn't hide behind a committee chairman or a caucus or a legislative body," she said. "I had to make the decisions, sometimes very difficult ones, but I had to do it," she told the Star Advertiser.
     If Hawai`i elects Lingle to take the place of Sen. Dan Akaka, who is retiring, she will be the first Republican in the U.S. Senate for this state in 36 years. See this story in today’s edition. The story on Hirono was printed on Tuesday and the story on Case was carried on Monday. See www.honolulustaradvertiser.com. 

Mahalo Air flew prop jets from 1993 - 1997 between the Hawaiian Islands,
lowering the cost of inter-island travel. Hawaiian Airlines plans to
bring prop jets back to the market. 

TURBO PROP PLANES, similar to those that flew in the 1990s by Mahalo Air, may be the answer to more affordable interisland transportation and additional neighbor island destinations. Hawaiian Airlines also announced yesterday a drop in fares by four to 25 percent, which immediately drove up sales for the 170 daily neighbor island flights. 

Hawaiian has increased capacity to the neighbor islands by 13 percent over the last year. Hawaiian has also signed an intent to acquire three to six turboprops, according to spokesperson Ann Boticelli. Turboprops have a better chance of landing at such airports as Lana`i, Moloka`i and possibly Waimea on the Big Island than bigger jets during varying weather conditions. They also save on fuel.

KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE meets tomorrow at 4 p.m. at ML Macadamia office in Pahala. Anyone interested in irrigation water or joining can contact Jeff McCall at 928-6456 or mccalljeffreyw@gmail.com.

Hilo One plays tomorrow at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA`U meets tomorrow. Call 929-9731 or 936-7262 for more information.

KICK ICE SIGN WAIVING takes place in front of Na`alehu School gym on Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

HILO ONE performs tonight, 6:30 p.m., at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The group features Kahele Miura on electric 12-string rhythm guitar, Aaron Agres on electric upright bass, and R. Likeke Teanio on lead guitar and `ukulele. Five-dollar donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply. 

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.

Ka`u News Briefs July 17, 2012

Ka`u Agricultural Water Cooperative, restoring water sources used during sugar plantation days, meets Thursday at
4 p.m. at ML Macadamia offices in Pahala. Photo from Olson Trust collection.

KA`U COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATES have the most money on hand to spend in the campaign for the election coming up on Aug. 11 because contenders Maile David, Brenda Ford and Bradley Westervelt qualified for $41,000 each in public financing. The amount provided is based on the total spent by candidates in prior elections, and Ka`u is where the most money poured into coffers when Guy Enriques was running for Council, once successfully against Bob Jacobson and the second time drawing a loss to current County Council member Brittany Smart.

Bradley Westervelt
Photo by William Neal

      Public financing is available to those who can raise 200 signatures of registered voters in their district with each of them giving a $5 donation to the campaign. Candidates who do not receive public funding, by choice or through such snafus as a supporter failing to write down a correct address and other information on the candidate petition, have to raise their own money. In a number of nine Council districts, candidates have run virtually unopposed in the past and in little need of funding, which translates into only small amounts of money being provided through the public funding experiments. The public funding trial run, which is being tested in this county to see if it would work for the entire state, ends with the 2014 election unless the state Legislature decides to renew the program.

      Bradley Westervelt, who is the former County Council aide to Guy Enriques and owned the now shuttered PT Café - formerly Tex Drive in Pahala, reports spending of $19,384.24. Expenditures included $5,598.92 with Ina Custom Signs in Hilo; $2,732.60 for tote bags from Discount Mugs in Miami, Florida; $1,760 for advertising on KAHU Radio; $936.45 for bumper stickers with Hawai`i Printing Corp. in Hilo; $650 for design of T-shirts, signs and banners with Acmegraphics in Pahoa; $510.04 to reimburse himself for mileage; $368 for a promotional event in Yano Hall in Captain Cook; $299.48 for color brochures from Office Max; $250 to the County of Hawai`i to become a candidate and $234.36 for advertising in The Ka`u Calendar newspaper.

 Brenda Ford
Photo by William Neal

      Brenda Ford, a South Kona resident who is currently a three-time County Council member whose district was redrawn to include Ka`u, reported spending $11,452.91. Expenditures included $2,400 in advertising in West Hawai`i Today; $1,605.50 for signs from ASAP Graphics in West Palm Beach, Florida; $1,171.80 for media coordination by Lynn Beittel of Kealakekua; $1,033.32 with Alvin Signs in Kona; $850 with C.G. Tees in Kona; $617.39 for supplies and equipment from Office Max in Kona; $446.25 for advertising with Tradewind Consulting in Kona; $416.64 for advertising with Big Island Chronicle; $318.90 with National Pen of Detroit, Michigan; $265.62 with Creative Video and Photo in Kona, $260.42 for Internet advertising with Tiffany Edwards Communications, of Ocean View; $250 for advertising with Big Island Video News; and $250 for the county candidate filing fee.

Maile David
Photo by William Neal

      Maile David, a paralegal and staff member for County Councilman Angel Pilago, reports spending $18,403.25. Expenditures included $5,575.24 for advertising in West Hawai`i Today; $4,359.87 for banners, bumper stickers, yard signs and magnetic campaign signs with Ali`i Design and Printing in Kona; $1,844.58 for T-shirts from West Hawai`i Screen Printers in Kona; $1,220.76 for design and website creation by Colorwave Imaging in Holualoa; $1,067.45 for advertising with Big Island Chronicle in Kurtistown; $425.10 for supplies from Lowe’s; $422.94 for supplies at Ace Hardware stores in Hilo, Captain Cook and Kona; $361.20 for rack cards and supplies from Office Max in Kona; $313.02 for mileage; $291.66 for advertising in The Ka`u Calendar and $250 for the county candidate fee.

Lee McIntosh
Photo by William Neal

      Lee McIntosh, a Discovery Harbour resident and owner of GopherLee’s Yard Service and cartoonistforchrist.org, reported spending $672.09. He does not have public funding. Expenditures included $225.00 for campaign shirts from Bolo Graphics in Hilo, $208.33 for banners from The Kahua Group in Hilo, $50 each to Peter Anderson and Kahuku Photography for photographs, and $90.93 for sign frames from The Home Depot.

MAZIE HIRONO said: “You can be the smartest person, but you’re not going to accomplish much if you can’t work with your colleagues and if you can’t convince your colleagues of what you’re doing.” She is quoted in today’s Honolulu Star Advertiser in a three-part series on Hirono, Ed Case and Linda Lingle, who are campaigning to take the place of U.S. Sen. Dan Akaka, who is retiring.

Mazie Hirono with Lorna Jeyte friends at a recent stop
in Volcano Village. Photo by William Neal

      The Derrick DePledge story says that most of the labor, environmental and progressive interests, which are the focuses of Democratic Party politics, have endorsed her and that Hirono has out-raised Case in campaign contributions.
      According to the article, Case criticized Hirono for not moving beyond her biography. DePledge wrote: “Hirono has relied on her immigrant story to explain to voters why she would be on their side. He quotes Hirono: “My background has so much to do with the fact that I don’t give up, that I’m very focused, because I had a mom who did that.” Hirono talked about her mom: “I’ve told her that there’s nothing I can do that will ever match what she did in terms of her personal courage,” the Star Advertiser story reports.
      Regarding whether it is Case or Hirono who could be the one to beat Lingle in the general election, some observers think that, if Case wins, then the effort to elect a woman to become Hawai`i’s next senator will become a campaign strategy.
       See www.staradvertiser.com for more. The Ed Case interview was yesterday, and the Linda Lingle interview runs tomorrow.

Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes
National Park.

HILO ONE performs tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The group features R. Likeke Teanio on lead guitar and `ukulele, Aaron Agres on electric upright bass and Kahele Miura on electric 12-string rhythm guitar. Five-dollar donations support park programs, and park entrance fees apply. 

KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE meets Thursday at 4 p.m. at ML Macadamia office in Pahala. Anyone interested in irrigation water or joining can contact Jeff McCall at 928-6456 or mccalljeffreyw@gmail.com.

THE KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park hosts Ka`u `Ohana Day this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants connect ancient traditions and native plants through `oli, a sensory booklet, map and compass orientation. Also, ranger Jaeneise Cuison shares stories of five generations of paniolo who worked on the ranch. Pre-register at 985-6019.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.

Ka`u News Briefs July 16, 2012

Rep. Bob Herkes with his wife Joanna and mascot nene goose. Photo by David Howard Donald

REP. BOB HERKES has raised the most money among candidates in the race for Hawai`i State Senate’s new District 2 seat, which encompasses Ka`u from Punalu`u through Volcano and into Puna. The primary election is Aug. 11.

Russell Ruderman Photo by
David Howard Donald

       According to campaign spending reports released last week, Herkes took in $21,900 the first six months of this year. His largest donors, each giving $2,000, are HI Carpenters PAC and Michael Matsumoto, an engineer with SSFM International, Inc.

Gary Safarik and his wife Debbie.

      Honolulu lobbyists John Radcliffe and G. A. Morris each gave $1,000. Also providing $1,000 is the health insurer HMSA PAC. Among the 24 individuals and entities each giving $500 to the Herkes campaign during the first half of 2012 are Young Bros, University of Hawai`i Professional Assembly, Tesoro Hawai`i-Non-candidate Committee, Hawaiian Telecom Good Government Club, Hawai`i Association of Realtors, Hawai`i Auto Dealer Election Committee, Hawai`i Funeral Industry PAC and HEMIC, the Hawai`i employers insurance company.

Wendell Ka`ehu`ae`a Photo by
David Howard Donald

      Nearly half of donations to the Herkes campaign were given by individual contributors. The majority of the contributions of $100 and more came from Honolulu-based entities and residents, with a few from the mainland, one from Maui, one from Kaua`i and one from Hilo.
      Democratic primary opponent Russell Ruderman raised $4,526 from individuals and $892 from PACs and business entities. Contributions included $700 from Pat Leo, of Pahoa; $500 from Pat Kenneally, of San Francisco; $450 from Kalani Honua Retreat; $312.50 from Volcano Garden Arts; and $250 from Bob Marx, who is running for U.S. Congress.
      State Senate Democratic opponents Gary Safarik and Wendell Ka`ehu`ae`a reported no contributions. The lone Republican, Daryl Lee Smith, raised $2,176 from businesses and individuals.

Ed Case and his wife Audrey at a recent Big Island rally.
Photo by Julia Neal

ED CASE AND MAZIE HIRONO are ranked on being liberal by the National Journal. The publication gave Case a liberal rating of 59.8 when he served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Ka`u and other rural areas in the state of Hawai`i. The National Journal’s most recent liberal ratings rank Congresswoman Hirono at 90.7 percent. 

      The story in this morning’s Honolulu Star Advertiser by Derek DePledge covers Case’s effort to win the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Dan Akaka. The story focuses on Case’s centrist beliefs and the notion that he can bring people together to solve problems. ‘”Case said both political parties now seem to insist on ‘a purity of thought and action,’” reports DePledge.
      DePledge quotes Case: “If you live at the partisan extremes, the philosophical extremes, you can stand up and give great speeches, but at the end of the day, you’re not going to be part of the solution.
      “You cannot simply ram a distinctly minority viewpoint down the throats of the rest of the country and expect to solve our country’s problems…. And that’s exactly what’s going on. And that’s what’s wrong with Washington.”
      The story is one in a three-part series in the Honolulu Star Advertiser, with Hirono’s story tomorrow and Republican challenger Linda Lingle’s on Wednesday. See them at www.staradvertiser.com.

New Zealand will soon be added to Hawaiian Airlines route map.

THE LAND OF THE MAORI is the latest destination for Hawaiian Airlines to bring the rest of the world to Hawai`i. Hawaiian yesterday announced new non-stop flights between Honolulu and Auckland starting March 13, 2013. Hawaiian is becoming one of the fastest growing airlines on the planet, with many new destinations in the last two years, including Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka and Sapporo, as well as Seoul and Brisbane. Direct New York flights were added this summer. 

      Regarding the connection with New Zealand, Hawaiian Airlines reports that its economy is strong and the market underserved. Tourism to Hawai`i from New Zealand increased by 15.4 percent last year and is up 5.1 percent from January through May, according to Hawai`i Tourism Authority. New Zealanders spent some $38 million in Hawai`i last year.

DANIEL IS A DOWNER for anyone expecting relief from drought in Ka`u. The former hurricane brought some high surf but little precipitation when it passed south of South Point. Former Hurricane Emilia is expected to draw a similar path, becoming but a remnant when she passes south of Ka`u later this week. Hurricane Fabio has taken a turn north off of Mexico and is expected to quickly weaken as he is driven away from a track toward Hawai`i, says the National Weather Service.

Wes Awana

ANOTHER BRUSH FIRE STARTED last night near Makanau along the cane haul road and burned trees on a nearby pu`u. Phil Becker, of Aikane Plantation, reports that the fire is out except for hot spots that firefighters are watching. Crews pumped water overnight from Pahala water hydrants and also kept close watch over the ravine between Hwy 11 and Pahala Transfer Station where brush and rubbish burned.

KA`U COMMUNITY CHORUS rehearses tonight and every Monday at Discovery Harbour Community Hall from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Contact Ka`u School of the Arts at 929-7544.

WES AWANA TEACHES Intermediate `Ukulele for students who have a basic knowledge of chords and strums each Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Classes are $40 per month. Kanikapila Jam Sessions that are open to all musicians follow the classes from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Donations are appreciated. Call 967-8222 for more information.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM.