Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 2, 2013

Hawai`i's new U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, a Democrat, holds up his watch for Republican Senator John Barrasso near the Senate chambers after a vote on the fiscal cliff on Capitol Hill yesterday. The Senate passed legislation New Year's Day to neutralize a fiscal cliff combination of across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts that kicked in at midnight. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

TAX RELIEF WAS EXTENDED FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS yesterday, and the bill could be signed by autopen, as Pres. Barack Obama returned to Hawai`i overnight to join his family vacation. “The robotic device that replicates the president’s signature has been used by Obama twice, both times when he was overseas,” reports U.S.A. Today. The alternative is to fly the paperwork from Washington to Hawai`i for the President to sign it.

      In averting the Fiscal Cliff, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 557 to 167. Rep. Mazie K. Hirono said, “This legislation is much more balanced than proposals House Republicans have pushed over the past year. It keeps tax rates low for middle class families while asking the wealthiest among us to chip in a little bit more. It preserves tax credits that help make education affordable and support strong families, and extends unemployment insurance for those still looking for work.

Rep. Mazie Hirono

      “It also creates stability in the tax system so businesses small and large can make investments in the future and have access to incentives to help advance areas like clean energy. The bill also supports our seniors by making sure that doctors who serve Medicare patients get fairly compensated. In addition, the bill provides another two months to reach a balanced compromise to avoid the across-the-board cuts known as sequestration that we all recognize would hurt our economy. And this bill rightly freezes the pay of members of Congress, who should not receive a raise while our economy is still so fragile.
       “While it’s good that this deal is done for now, Congress has a lot more work to do in the coming months. We still have to avoid defaulting on our nation’s debt and avoid the rest of the across-the-board cuts. Failing to address these critical issues responsibly would be a disaster for our economic recovery.
       “It is my hope that the governing by gamesmanship will end. If it doesn’t and we continue lurching from one manufactured crisis to another, we’ll be putting our nation’s future in jeopardy. Let us all hope that cooler heads will prevail in the 113th Congress for the good of the people of Hawai`i and our nation,” said Hirono. Hirono takes office tomorrow with a swearing in to become a U.S. senator to take the place of Sen. Dan Akaka, who is retiring.
        The legislation now goes to President Obama for his signature. Obama left for Hawai`i this morning at about 1 a.m. Washington time and arrived on O`ahu to join his family at their Kailua vacation home.

U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ was in Washington to participate in the Senate vote, which passed 89-8 ahead of the House vote.
      Schatz, sworn into his new position last week to replace the late Sen. Dan Inouye, said: “The legislation that the United States Senate just passed is not ideal, but the alternative would be disastrous for the middle class in Hawai`i and for the American economy. With this legislation, we can generate some of the needed revenue to fund important programs and prevent a tax hike on lower- and middle-income families. It also puts off damaging cuts to critical safety net programs and the military.
      “I’m pleased about the extension of unemployment benefits. While unemployment continues to drop across Hawai`i, tens of thousands of our neighbors still need help getting back on their feet.
      “It is important to remember that this crisis was manufactured by a congressional stalemate. We can and must do better. After passing this measure, we should work with President Obama to come up with a balanced approach to our national budget and put us on a path toward long-term economic growth.”

SEN. DAN AKAKA posted an aloha message on his website: “To the People of Hawai`i, the end of my final term in the United States Senate is quickly approaching. As I begin the difficult task of closing my offices, I want to take this time to thank you for allowing me the honor and privilege to serve you for 36 years. 

     “My dream was to work in a job in which I could help people, and you gave me the opportunity to fulfill my dream. Throughout my career in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, my priority has always been to do what’s best for Hawai`i and its people. I am proud of my accomplishments on behalf of our federal workers, consumers, veterans and all the people of Hawai`i. You have always been my first and foremost priority. I will always be grateful to the people of Hawai`i and will cherish the time I spent representing you in Washington, D.C. Although I will no longer be able to respond to your letters, please be assured that your views are very important to me. If you are encountering problems with a federal agency or need assistance in resolving a problem, I highly recommend that you contact the other members of the Hawai`i Delegation.
      “Again, thank you for the opportunity to serve you and for your trust and confidence in me.”

NEW HAWAI`I DELEGATES TO THE U.S. SENATE AND HOUSE of Representatives will take their seats tomorrow for the opening of the 2013 U.S. Congress. The Hawai`i delegates are all Democrats. Democrats make up 55 percent of the Senate and 46.3 percent of the House. The late Dan Inouye has been replaced by Democrat Patrick Leahy as the Senate’s new president pro tempore - third in line for the presidency. 

      Representing Hawai`i will be freshman Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and returning Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, as well as recently appointed Sen. Brian Schatz and recently elected Mazie Hirono, who left her House seat to successfully run for the Senate.

OWNERS OF 30 ACRES IN DISCOVERY HARBOUR are considering a lodge concept for the property, according to a story in West Hawai`i Today. Before they can develop the property, however, questions about the zoning must be resolved. “We have no specific plans because we don’t have any developers on board yet,” South Point Investment Group partner Gary McMickle told reporter Tom Callis. “Our goal is to get the zoning done properly and go from there.”

A big city fireworks show lit up the skies above Pahala
 on New Years Day night, last night. Photo by Julia Neal.

      Callis reports that a company called Green Sands, Inc. filed a special permit application 44 years ago, but Hawai`i County tabled the issue while finishing its general plan for the area. The plan was finished in 1971, but, says Callis, the permit was never resurrected.
      According to Callis, when South Point Investment Group, LLC bought the property in 2009 and sought to use it for commercial development, the Planning Department denied the request, saying the permit was never approved. “It doesn’t appear that the special permit was ever denied,” the hui’s attorney Randy Vitousek told Callis. Vitousek contends that the permit went into effect since it was never formally denied. Callis reports that, according to county planners, the county’s Board of Appeals has decided otherwise and has denied the appeal.
      The group plans to continue seeking approval. McMickle told Callis the next step may be to get a judge to decide whether the permit was authorized. Vitousek said the Planning Commission could also be another venue.

      For more, see westhawaiitoday.com.

FIREWORKS LIT UP THE PAHALA SKIES LAST NIGHT with a show by Big Island Klimate Kontrol. Rodney Freitas and family raised funds at the shopping center, by phone calling and selling plate dinners. The fireworks ended with live music by Deeva and her family and Demetrius Oliveira. The annual event was dark for the last two years but the organizers are hoping to raise enough money to carry on for News Years Day night 2014.

Hawai`i County Council's first meeting in 2013 is next Wednesday, Jan. 9.
Photo from hawaiicounty.gov

KA`U AND SOUTH KONA RESIDENTS who made New Year’s resolutions to participate more in government can do so at Ocean View Community Center’s remote testimony site. The first County Council meeting of the New Year is a week from today on Wednesday, Jan. 9 beginning at 9 a.m. Committee meetings on Tuesday will also be available at the center. Agendas are online at hawaiicounty.gov.

KA`U RESIDENTS WHO MADE NEW YEAR’S resolutions to exercise more have many options.

Pahala Pool is open several hours each week for residents' use.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

      Pahala Pool offers Water Aerobics Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. Public Recreational Swim and Adult Lap Swims hours vary throughout the week. For more, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation or call 928-8177. 

      Pahala Community Center will have Open Gym for Adults beginning Jan. 23. Register Jan. 14 – 18 with Nona at 928-3102.

      Zumba classes are popular throughout the district. Volcano Art Center offers classes Monday at 5:30 p.m. Certified instructor Erin Cole teaches the dance/exercise classes Monday at 6 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center and Thursday at 5 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Cole also offers a Muscle Toning class Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Kilauea Military Camp holds Zumba classes Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at 9 a.m.

      Yoga is available at many venues, including Pahala Community Center Monday at 6:30 p.m. Emily Catey focuses on stretching and releasing physical and mental tension at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus Monday at 7:30 a.m. and Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Ocean View Community Ccnter offers Iyengar and Yin Yoga Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. Gentle Senior Yoga is every Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Na`alehu Hongwanji, followed by Meditation at 4 p.m. Beginning and Intermediate Yoga takes place Tuesday and Thursday at 8 a.m. at Noa’s Island Massage in Na`alehu, and Gentle Yoga is available at Cooper Center in Volcano Village on Fridays at 8 a.m.

      Other options include Line Dance classes Wednesday at Pahala Community Center and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Also, free square dancing lessons take place at Ocean View Community Center every Saturday at 7 p.m.
      For more information, see The Ka`u Calendar and kaucalendar.com.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

Ka`u News Briefs Jan. 1, 2013

Protection of natural resources will be a top story in 2013. Photo from The Ka`u Calendar.

HERE ARE THE TOP TEN STORIES
 THAT THE KA`U CALENDAR STAFF WILL COVER DURING THE NEW YEAR:

No. 1: `AINA KOA PONO. Hawaiian Electric Co. and `Aina Koa Pono are required to answer detailed questions by this Friday, Jan. 4 concerning the pricing of the diesel they plan to produce at a refinery in Ka`u to provide fuel for a power plant in Kona. The contract between HELCO and `Aina Koa Pono would raise electric bills throughout the Big Island and O`ahu. The questions were submitted through a legal process before the state Public Utilities Commission by attorneys for Hawai`i County, the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, the state Consumer Advocate and the environmental and consumer group Life of the Land.

     Questions involve proof that the new refinery, comprised of giant microwave reactors, will work and be safe for the environment, community and workers; the clearing and use of pasturelands for biofuel crops instead of food crops and more land for the growing coffee industry; whether an Environmental Assessment is required and will be done; the wisdom of a 20-year contract that locks in a rate; estimates of economic impact, including job and tax creation assessments and incremental costs of the contract; possibility of additional displacement or curtailment of other renewable projects in the future; whether it is prudent to rely on the AKP contract to provide essentially 100 percent of the fuel needs for Keahole; what would happen to the refinery and land should the project fail and more.
      Due dates for Information Requests and Responses between the companies, parties and participants continue until August 2. A decision from the PUC will follow that date.

Fencing is up around the new gym and shelter construction site in, but an
underground human burial site has delayed permitting. Photo by Julia Neal

No. 2: EIGHTEEN MILLION DOLLAR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. The most expensive buildings to ever be constructed in Ka`u are expected to rise out of the green field between Pahala School cafeteria and the tennis courts in 2013. While ground was broken on Oct. 3, 2012 and contractor Summit Construction came to town prepared to work, the discovery of burials in lava tubes near the site has stopped the project until the Burial Council, state and county can agree to a plan to protect the site. A meeting of the council is set for Jan.17.
      Once completed, the complex will include a large gymnasium where invitational tournaments and school and community sports can be held, a community activities center and regional disaster shelter.

Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo has nominated Kaunamano Ranch below
 Honu`apo lookout for preservation. Photo from Hawai`i Pacific Brokers

No. 3: KA`U COAST ACQUISITION in 2013 is expected to add more than three times the acreage conserved in the last decade along Hawai`i’s longest uninhabited shoreline. More than 3,000 acres is set for acquisition by the county around Road to the Sea, which ends at a green sand beach on the western side of Ka`u. In addition, Ka Ohana O Honu`apo is seeking to conserve more than 1,300 acres from lands below Honu`apo to Ka Lae. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is interested in possibly purchasing lands makai of its Kahuku Unit that were previously planned for a Nani Kahuku `Aina resort development along the shore. The park also has the Great Crack area along the ocean between Pahala and Volcano on its acquisition list.

No. 4: IMPROVED HEALTH FACILITIES. Bay Clinic’s new Ka`u Family Health & Dental Center will have the capacity to see 3,400 new patients with 8,500 new appointments. It is being constructed in front of the current Bay Clinic, an old two-story building from plantation days.

Sen. Josh Green

      Ka`u Hospital received funding for air treatment and air conditioning to protect patients and long-term residents from the affects of vog from Kilauea volcano. New windows, doors, ceilings and other upgrades were funded by the state for this Critical Access Care hospital.

Sen. Russell Ruderman

      State Sen. Josh Green said he will request $15 million for needed improvements to community hospitals in Ka`u, Kona, Kohala. “As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, my legislative priorities for 2013 will include renewal of the Hospital Sustainability Act of 2012 which brought over $40 million in federal funds to strengthen our hospitals, building the Hawai`i Health Corps which will bring needed doctors to under-served areas of the state, fighting the epidemic of childhood obesity in Hawai`i, and doing everything possible to make sure we preserve a safe and healthy environment, including our air, water, and food,” Green said.

No. 5: NEW FACE OF PUBLIC REPRESENTATION in government is the biggest change since statehood. Ka`u will have two state senators, Josh Green and Russell Ruderman; two members of the state House of Representatives, Richard Onishi and Denny Coffman; and a County Council member, Brenda Ford, whose district runs from Volcano into South Kona.

Ka`u Coffee grower are seeking more land and land security in 2013.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

      How much time will they be able to spend here, given the long travel distances? None of them live here and seats of government are in Hilo, Kona and Honolulu. Will social media keep them in better communication with Ka`u residents? 

No. 6: KA`U COFFEE. Growers are enjoying incredible success but where will they get more land and land security to expand their businesses? As perhaps creating the best examples in Hawai`i of post-plantation economic success for small, independently owned enterprises run by people who work and live here, Ka`u Coffee growers are seeking long-term leases for lands where they can continue to expand orchards and grow more coffee for their award-winning brew. Without land security, investment beyond their hard work and sweat is unlikely from farm banks and other lenders.

Hunting in embraced as a component of feeding the family in Ka`u.
Photo by Julia Neal

No. 7: HUNTING & PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES will be major stories of 2013 as conservation groups, hunters, on land and sea, and the state work out plans for managing forest and ocean resources. Fishing is a subsistence lifestyle dating back to the first Hawaiians, while hunting grew with the introduction of pigs by the Polynesians and goats, sheep, wild cattle, turkeys and other game by subsequent human arrivals. Over the last two centuries, Hawaiians and immigrant families have embraced hunting as a component of feeding the family. However, some areas of the forest are being set aside for fencing out the game in order reintroduce native birds to the wild and to allow native plants to thrive. Nearshore waters are targets of bans on spearfishing with SCUBA, taking tropical fish for aquarium sales and limits and prohibitions on taking numerous marine species.

The yellow object that washed onto the shore at Waikapuna still is not
confirmed as Japanese tsunami debris.

No. 8: TSUNAMI & MORE DEBRIS. All eyes will be on the Ka`u Coast this year to see how much tsunami debris from the March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami actually washes up on the Ka`u shore. A big, yellow object, made of metal, some 20 feet wide and 12 feet tall, washed up at Waikapuna in Oct. 2012, but is yet to be confirmed as tsunami debris. More recently, a one-inch-thick piece of foam with Japanese writing was found near the yellow object. The federal government and Japan have chipped in money for tsunami debris cleanup in western coastal states, and the Hawai`i 2013 Legislature is expected to come up with more funding. In addition to tsunami debris, tons of fishing nets, consumer plastics and other rubbish washes onto the Ka`u Coast all the time, and a report on NBC calls Kamilo the dirtiest beach in the world. With little relief from the planet's garbage making its way to Ka`u, debris will continue to be a top story.

Ka`u CDP Steering Committee's next meeting is on
Tuesday, Apr. 9.

No. 9: KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN. After years of community and steering committee public meetings, consultant and county planning department effort, the first drafts of the CDP are expected to roll out in 2013. The CDP is designed to become an overall guide for the future of economic and land use choices in the near future, particularly when it comes to zoning decisions. As the drafts for components of the plans are released, public input and review will be through educational workshops, Speak Outs and events to be held in Pahala, Na`alehu, and Ocean View on weekday evenings and weekends. For more information, see kaucdp.info or contact planner Ron Whitmore at    rwhitmore@co.hawaii.hi.us or 961-8137.

No. 10: THE VOLCANOES are a standing story every year with Mauna Loa, Kilauea and Lo`ihi some of the most active in the world. Kilauea spews ash and vog to blanket the communities.

Kilauea Volcano continues to affect life in Ka`u. Photo from USGS/HVO

        Mauna Loa rocks Ka`u with earthquakes. It will someday pour lava down its slopes to cover land and steam into the nearshore waters. Lo`ihi, the 10,000-foot-tall seamount just 18 miles offshore, rumbles and spits into the ocean depths, someday to rise above the Pacific. Volcanoes in Ka`u also nourish the economy, bringing visitors to the state’s top destination, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and providing the rich volcanic soils for famous Ka`u Coffee.

STAYING CONNECTED WITH HAWAI`I CITIZENS is one of the promises of newly appointed U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. In his New Year’s message, he said, “I assure you, as the New Year rolls in, I will fully dedicate myself to this trust. It is an extraordinary opportunity given to me by the Democratic Party and Governor Abercrombie that I will fulfill for the people of this state. I hope you will follow along on Facebook or Twitter as I strive to keep you informed about our progress in the Senate.”

A fireworks show is set for 8 p.m. tonight in Pahala, with food plates to
raise funds for the show available at 6 p.m. Photo by Kris Bakken

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers New Year’s Day buffet until 6 p.m. Menu items include roast turkey, braised beef, ono picatta, mushroom and leek pot pie, soup, salad bar, desserts and beverages. The price is $24.95 and $12 for children 6 to 11.
      KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

FIREWORKS LIGHT THE SKY in Pahala this evening, thanks to Rodney Freitas and his Big Island Klimate Kontrol team. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the corner of Pikake and Huapala Streets. Sales of food plates to raise funds for the show begin at 6 p.m. To donate, call 987-8917.

Wreaths are on exhibit at Volcano Art Center
through Sunday.

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S 13th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit continues through Sunday at the gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Gallery artists, working in a wide variety of media, materials, and techniques, present their concepts of “wreath,” from the whimsical to the traditional. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and park entrance fees apply. 

TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY is the deadline for young women to enter this spring’s Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant. Categories are Miss Ka`u Coffee and Miss Ka`u Peaberry. By May 13, Miss Ka`u Coffee candidates must be ages 17 to 24, and Miss Ka`u Peaberry candidates must be ages 7 to 9. The winners reign over the annual Ka`u Coffee Festival on Saturday, May 4.
      Applications are available at R&G Store in Pahala, Pahala Community Center, Grandma’s Closet in Na`alehu and Kahuku Gift & Garden Shop in Ocean View. For more information, call Gloria Camba at 928-8558 or Pahala Plantation Cottages at 928-9811. Organizers also welcome volunteers to help produce the pageant.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

Ka`u News Briefs Dec. 31, 2012

Big city fireworks are coming back to Pahala tomorrow night, like the ones seen here from 2009 when more than
1000 people attended. Photo by Kris Bakken

A FIREWORKS SHOW ON JAN. 1 WILL GO ON this year on the grounds of the old hospital in Pahala. This New Year’s Day evening event was dark in 2011 and 2012 because of funding cuts, but Rodney Freitas and his Big Island Klimate Kontrol team will blast off the New Year by selling dinner plates beginning at 6 p.m. tomorrow evening to raise money for the event. The fireworks show will fill up the sky at 8 p.m. The location is between Maile and Huapala along Pikake Street. Freitas is a professional fireworks man who has been responsible for shows on O`ahu and in Kona, as well as the resorts along the Kohala Coast. To donate, call 987-8917. Freitas said the show in Pahala costs more than $7,500.

Ka`u's Jamae Kawauchi with her parents, retired police officer David
Kawauchi and mother Jamie, who retired from OHA. Photo by Julia Neal

JAMAE KAWAUCHI, who grew up in Ka`u, is the new westside Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, reporting to newly elected County Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth. Kawauchi is assigned to the Kona office. Roth said this morning that he has admired Kawauchi’s experience as a private attorney and her willingness to help community organizations and kupuna. “When I have worked with community groups the past, she has been one of the attorneys who has always helped. She never turned us down.”
      Roth said that “the appointment has nothing to do with politics. Jamae has been there helping people in the community, including pro bono work.”
      Roth himself is known as a prosecutor who attempts to prevent crime through working with community organizations on Neighborhood Watch, education and other community-based initiatives.
      Kawauchi most recently served as County Clerk after being nominated by former County Council chair Dominic Yagong and confirmed by the Council and Mayor Billy Kenoi.
      She is the daughter of David Kawauchi, a retired police officer, and Jamie Kawauchi, who is retired from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
     Jamae Kawauchi is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and University of Hawai`i Richardson School of Law. She is a former Harvard University fellow and served as assistant director of Harvard Medical School’s Center of Excellence in Minority Health and Health Disparities. She is a former president of the County of Hawai`i Bar Association. She also served on the County Charter Commission.
      In private practice, she was a business and civil attorney who worked with Carlsmith Ball and Tsukazaki, Yeh and Moore before establishing her own law practice.

New, official Brian Schatz photo on
the U.S. Senate's website

HAWAI`I’S DELEGATION TO CONGRESS will meet soon to strategize for the upcoming 2013 U.S. Congress for which Hawai`i has junior senators and House of Representatives members, following a half century of clout built up by the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, retiring Sen. Dan Akaka and former Rep. Neil Abercrombie who quit to become governor.  Newly appointed Senator Brian Schatz spoke with Senator-elect Mazie Hirono over the weekend and announced that the Hawai`i delegation will meet as soon as all members are in Washington, D.C.
      Schatz is already on the job, having flown on Air Force One with Pres. Barack Obama to Washington on Dec. 26, the day he was appointed to fill Inouye’s post.
      “These are difficult times, and it is incredibly important that we unify around what is best for Hawai`i, and every indication so far is that we are going to be able to do that,” Schatz said.  The new U.S. Senators official websiet is up at www.senate.gov/senators/112/Schatz_Brian.htm.

STAFFING POSITIONS FOR U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ are open for applicants. Schatz announced in a statement yesterday that “getting my office operational and building our team is essential, and we’ve made good progress in a very short period of time.”
      “We will be receiving resumes of people interested in serving in either our Washington, D.C. or Hawai`i offices. We’re looking for talented, energetic and public-minded people who want to serve their state and their country,” he said.
      Resumes should be sent to: senatorschatz.jobs@gmail.com.
      The deadline for receipt of resumes is Friday, Jan. 4, 2013. Applicants should indicate whether they are applying for positions in Hawai`i, D.C. or both.

Athletic trainers help prevent and treat injuries.
Photo from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

A NEW ATHLETIC TRAINER LAW passed by the state Legislature goes into effect tomorrow, Jan. 1. The legislation states that Hawai`i was one of three states in the country that did not regulate the practice of athletic training. It contended that lack of regulation created a risk to the population as trainers losing or unable to become licensed elsewhere were attracted to moving here. The bill said that it was particularly important to establish regulations since many trainers work with school children. 

      Under the new law, unlicensed people are prohibited to attach the words athletic trainer to their names. Licensing is through the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and the license costs $388. It is valid through Dec. 31, 2015. Certification is required from the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification, Inc. Classes are available online. For more, see http://hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/programs/athletictrainer.

PEOPLE SETTING OFF FIREWORKS TONIGHT are subject to many laws and restrictions promoting safety. Fireworks are permitted from 9 p.m. this evening to 1 a.m. tomorrow morning. Consumer fireworks include certain firecrackers, snakes, sparklers, fountains, cylindrical or cone fountains, illuminating torches, bamboo cannons, whistles, toy smoke devices, wheels, ground spinners, and novelty items. 

      It is illegal to offer for sale, sell, or give away any consumer fireworks or display fireworks to a minor. It is illegal for any minor to possess, purchase, set off, ignite, or explode any consumer fireworks or display fireworks, except that minors may use consumer fireworks while under the immediate supervision and control of an adult.
      It is unlawful for any person without a permit issued by a county fire department to throw any ignited fireworks from, at, or into a vehicle; at a person or an animal; and from above the first floor of any building. It is also unlawful to set off, ignite, discharge, or otherwise cause to explode any fireworks above the first floor of any building; in any vehicle; at any time not within the periods for use; within one thousand feet of any operating hospital, licensed convalescent home, licensed home for the elderly, zoo, licensed animal shelter, or licensed animal hospital; in any school building, or on any school grounds and yards without first obtaining authorization from appropriate school officials; on any highway, alley, street, sidewalk, or other public way; in any park; on any public beach; in any officially designated forest or wildlife preserve; within fifty feet of a canefield; or within one thousand feet of any building used for public worship during the periods when services are held; and within five hundred feet of any hotel.

HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY urges the public to use caution when using fireworks. Carefully set up and use fireworks in an area clear of overhead power lines. Do not string fireworks on utility poles. If using a ladder, pole, or tie lines to set up fireworks, keep a 10-foot clearance from power lines. Power lines are energized and not insulated and could cause a serious electrical shock, burn, or electrocution. If an object should become entangled in an overhead power line, don’t try to free it. HELCO’s trouble line can be reached at 969-6666. 

HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES DUI roadblocks and patrols islandwide. Almost twice as many traffic fatalities occurred in 2012 as in 2011.

Kilauea Volcano is the subject of many programs in January.
Photo from USGS/HVO

VOLCANO AWARENESS MONTH begins tomorrow, with Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory offering programs throughout January that focus on the importance of understanding and respecting the volcanoes on which we live. Each Tuesday except tomorrow, the park offers After Dark in the Park programs at 7 p.m. 

      Other programs are scheduled at UH-Hilo as well as in Ka`u, South Kona and Puna. Visit hvo.wr.usgs.gov for more information.

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

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

FIND MORE OF OUR DECEMBER 2012 EVENT PHOTOS ON OUR FLICKR ACCOUNT.