Ka`u News Briefs March 19, 2013

State Consumer Advocate Jeffrey Ono testified that there are few people signing up for Olson land to grow
food in Ka`u. Olson Trust has a list of about 40 who want land for coffee and other crops. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

WHILE FARMERS ARE LINED UP waiting to lease Edmund C. Olson land to grow more coffee and food crops in Ka`u, state Consumer Advocate Jeffrey Ono testified to the Public Utilities Commission in support of Olson land going for the proposed `Aina Koa Pono biofuels project.

Hawai`i State Consumer Advocate
Jeffrey Ono

        “I am informed, therefore I believe, that the Edmund Olson Trust that owns the 12,000 acres on which the AKP project is to be located has made available portions of that land for food crop productions, but very few farmers have actually taken advantage of that offer. Furthermore, if this project is approved, then the Olson Trust will make available a portion of the 12,000 acres for food crop production,” testified the Consumer Advocate. The PUC posted the testimony yesterday on its website at puc.hawaii.gov.

      John Cross, land manager for Olson Trust, confirmed this morning that about 40 people are waiting to lease Olson land. Many of them are coffee farmers whose famous Ka`u Coffee market is outstripping production. Every piece of Olson land that has been offered for lease to farmers and ranchers is taken, said Cross. The Trust is planning to soon open up more land for small farmers, he said, independent of whether or not AKP goes forward.

      During an educational session last week in Pahala for farmers taking value-added products to market, several participants said they are waiting for land to lease. One woman said she has been waiting for over a year and that her coffee starts are ready to go into the ground. Gloria Camba, president of Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, said that she is one of the farmers on the waiting list and that many of the co-op members want to expand production.
      In regard to the Consumer Advocate stating that AKP plans to use 12,000 acres of Olson land, the Olson acreage that AKP previously tied up for its project is approximately 8,000 acres. Apparently, no additional Olson lands are reserved for AKP, should the project go through.

Demand is outstripping supply in the Ka`u Coffee business, and farmers
are seeking more land. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

      The Consumer Advocate also testified that "as soon as possible," AKP “needs to release the results” of a voluntary Environmental Assessment which AKP contracted R.M.Towill to produce for the biofuel farming and refinery project in Ka`u. Ono also wrote that he was “disappointed that after the rejection of the first AKP contract, that AKP did not offer a community benefits package to the Ka`u community. I was advised by various AKP representatives that AKP was working with the community, but at no time was I ever informed that a firm offer had been made by AKP as to the ‘give-backs’ AKP would make to Ka`u,” testified the Consumer Advocate.
      In supporting the AKP proposal for a 20-year, fixed contract for AKP to sell biofuel to Hawaiian Electric Light Co. and Hawai`i Electric Co., Ono suggested that the resulting higher electric bills be levied on O`ahu customers alone to pay for it. He noted that the Big Island already pays more than O`ahu for electricity. He suggested that O`ahu could get credit for supporting renewable energy by paying for the additional cost of making the biofuel in Ka`u, even though the biofuel would be used in a power plant near Kona airport rather than on O`ahu, where the customers would weather the increase in their electric bills.
      Ono also repeated what AKP refers to as misinformation about consumers paying for AKP’s farm and refinery. While AKP needs its 20-year, fixed-rate contract approved by the PUC to go after financing for its project, which would be underwritten with higher electric bills, Ono’s interpretation is different. He testified: “I discount the statements that are factually incorrect. For example, a number of Hawai`i Island residents complained that ratepayers are being asked to fund this unproven technology and the risk of failure falls on consumers. This is not correct. Ratepayers do not pay for anything until AKP actually delivers biodiesel to HELCO,” testified the Consumer Advocate. Only after the diesel is purchased by the utility would electric bills rise.

      This and other testimony is available at puc.hawaii.gov.

Miss Ka`u Coffee contestant Kawailani Houvener

THE KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL has announced the names of the four contenders for Miss Ka`u Coffee 2013 – 2014. The pageant will be held at Ka`u Coffee Mill on Friday, April 26 on Wood Valley Road. Doors open at 6 p.m. to the 5,000-square-foot drying pad of Ka`u Coffee Mill, where a stage and runway will be built and seating set for approximately 300 people. Tickets are $10 each and available from Miss Ka`u Coffee candidates:
      Kawailani Houvener, of Ocean View. She is the daughter of Michelle and Kenneth Houvener. She is 17 years of age and a senior at Ka`u High School. She plans to sign up for the Army and study mechanics. Her talent will be hula.
      Seneca Lee Oleyte, of Pahala. She is the daughter of Ernest and Lenora Lorenzo-Oleyte. She is 22 years of age and attends University of Hawai`i in Hilo and studies communications. She is a graduate of Ka`u High School. Her talent will be singing.
      Rachel Ornelas, of Wai`ohinu. She is the daughter of Mia Ornelas and resides with her grandparents Mario and Memmy Ornelas. She is 19 years of age, graduated from Ka`u High School and attends University of Hawai`i at Hilo, studying to be a registered nurse. Her talent will be singing.
      Tiare-Lee Shibuya, of Wai`ohinu. She is the daughter of Dane and Terry-Lee Shibuya. She is 19 years of age, a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and attends Hawai`i Community College and plans to become a registered nurse. Her talent will be hula.

Miss Ka`u Coffee contestant Seneca Lee Oleyte

      Miss Ka`u Coffee princesses will be judged on talent, gown and an interview.
      To volunteer to help at the event call pageant chair Gloria Camba at 928-8155.To donate to the scholarship fund and to support the event program, call scholarship chair Julia Neal at 928-9811. Pageant director is Nalani Parlin.
      Ka`u Coffee Mill Visitor Center will be open before the pageant, all day, Friday, April 26 with tours.

THE $500 SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE at Volcano Art Center is Monday, April 1. Each applicant must be a graduate of a Big Island high school, a student at University of Hawai`i-Hilo or a student at Hawai`i Community College with resident status. The applicant must be an art major pursuing a baccalaureate degree at UHH or a student pursuing a Digital Media Certificate at HCC at the beginning of the academic year for which the scholarship is sought. Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.8 and be taking a full course load (12 credits or more) and must demonstrate financial need. Download the application and recommendation forms at volcanoartcenter.org.

Miss Ka`u Coffee contestant Rachel Ornelas

KEN WICKS KA`U CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SCHOLARSHIP deadline has been extended to May 1, 2013. High school seniors and adults seeking to re-enter the educational system are encouraged to apply. Applicants are asked to write an essay about how their educational experience will benefit Ka`u. Preference will be given to those who intend to remain in or return to Ka`u and live here. Scholarship money can be used for all college and vocational training, and each scholarship will range from $250 to $1,000. Visit the Chamber website at http://kauchamber.org/?page_id=4 to download the application form. Call Lee McIntosh at 929-9872 with any questions.

A KA`U RURAL HEALTH ACADEMY which will focus on health, education, research opportunities and economical, sustainable training programs is the headliner for the sixteenth annual Rural Health Conference.
      The public is invited to attend on Friday, April 12 from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. It is sponsored by Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc.

      Registration is $15 and includes lunch, refreshments and door prizes. There will be free blood pressure screening and a free HMSA online care demonstration.

Miss Ka`u Coffee contestant Tiare-Lee Shibuya

      Ka`u Rural Health Community Association will present its annual report and elect board members for the coming year.
      Information will be provided on community resources including where to go for free physicals, dental and vision exams, blood sugar and cholesterol screenings and enrollment in Better Choices Better Health Ke Ola Pono Chronic Disease Self Management Program.
      The Participating Community Resource Network includes HMSA, Ka`u Rural Health Academy Youth Interns, Aging & Disabilities Resource Center/Hawai`i County Office of Aging, Ka`u Hospital, state Department of Health Public Health, the Hawai`i County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, Ka`u High School, University of Hawai`i-Hilo, Hawai`i Community College Office of Continuing Education & Training, Big Island Workplace Connection, Pacific Quest, Ka`u Perinatal Local Area Consortia, United Healthcare, Hui Malama Ola Na Oiwi, Bay Clinic, Tobacco Free East Hawai`i, American Cancer Society and the Hawai`i National Guard’s Youth Challenge Academy.
      For registration and more information, call Hawai`i Rural Health Community Association’s Resource & Distance Learning Center at 928-0101.

CINCO DE MAYO FESTIVAL 2013 has been announced by St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View. The fundraiser benefits the Episcopal Relief and Development International Garden Project, which sends seeds to third-world countries and teaches residents how to grow food. The celebration will be held on Friday, May 3 at the church on Paradise Parkway in Ocean View. The menu will include enchiladas, rice, beans, salad, dessert, and beverage. There will be live music. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 a person or $20 for two. For tickets or more info, call 939-7555.

THE SCENIC BYWAY MEETING for the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce is 5 p.m. at Na`alehu Methodist Church on Monday, April 1. The organization is planning educational signage and possible rest stops in Ka`u along Hwy 11.

Lito Arkangel

LITO ARKANGEL shares his original compositions and other Hawaiian favorites tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The concert is free, and park entrance fees apply.

KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE District meets this Thursday, March 21 at 4 p.m. at the Royal Hawaiian Orchards Macadamia Field Office. For more information, contact Jeff McCall at 928-6456.

TWO BY TEN WITH TEA is the name of a presentation of two Tennessee Williams’ rarely performed one-act plays. Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen and I Can’t Imagine Tomorrow are two fragile mood, dark dramatic character study pieces reflecting on the resignation to, hopelessness, and inevitability of approaching death. Starring Arlene Araki and Dick Hershberger and directed by University of Hawai`i-Hilo Drama Department senior Julie Dobbs, the plays can be enjoyed while sipping tea at the Pahala Plantation House on Sunday, March 24 at 3 p.m. A potluck dinner will follow the show.

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 March 18, 2013

Volcano House reopens guest rooms Friday, with other, public spaces scheduled to open in early June.
Photos from aquahospitality.com

THE NEW HERITAGE CENTER OF KA`U site with its 15 acres of native forest received a blessing of rain showers, sun and a supportive group of more than 60 people yesterday. Kumu Keala Ching led the blessing and provided an original chant in Hawaiian for the place, which is located makai of Hwy 11 at Road to the Sea.
      The Peralta family shared their music, and the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u danced to Ka Nani Ao Ka`u. Lehua Lopez-Mau and Wendy Vance, both directors of the new 501C3 organization Ho`omalu Ka`u, introduced other board members Chris Reid and Blossom DeSilva.

Keala Ching blessed the site of Heritage Center of Ka`u yesterday.
Photo by Shalan Crysdale

      The organization’s Heritage Center Committee is comprised of Ho`omalu directors and members of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka`u’s Heritage Committee. They are Zachary DiBernardi, Alan and Nancy Stafford, Blossom DeSilva and Felicia Welker.
      After the blessing, biologist Rick Warshauer and naturalist Shalan Crysdale hiked the property and noted that the forest is very much intact with very few invasive plants. They also located and mapped a section of what is possibly an old Hawaiian trail on the property.
      For more information or to help with the project, call 929-8526. Email hoomalukau@gmail.com.

VOLCANO HOUSE REOPENS GUEST ROOMS FRIDAY, offering kama`aina and “Pardon Our Dust” rates of $200 per night through May 31. Renovations are still being completed in public spaces and outlets, including the restaurant with panoramic views of Halema`uma`u Crater, which are scheduled to open in early June.
      The National Park Service recently spent $4 million in retrofitting and safety upgrades, and an additional $2.5 – $3 million are being invested by concessioners, Ortega Family Enterprises, to renovate and refurbish the hotel, according to a statement from the company.

Artist's rendering of remodeled Volcano House lobby shows fireplace in
operation as it has been for decades.

      Volcano House is part of Aqua Hospitality’s Monogram Hotel Collection brand. According the aquahospitality.com, the brand “represents an elite group of stand-alone and independent hotels and resorts providing a highly personalized luxury experience. Each hotel has a distinct name and identity and is unique in personality, environment and design. All the properties offer a boutique experience and promise to be the highlight of any getaway.”
      The restored Volcano House will offer 33 historic guest rooms, a dining room, snack bar, lounge, and gift shop, along with cultural events and demonstrations. Volcano House also manages 10 newly refurbished camper cabins in the nearby Namakanipaio Campground. The rate for a cabin is $55 per night.
      Reservations can be made at 866-536-7972 or aquaresorts.com. Volcano House’s front desk and gift shop are open daily from 7:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
 A limited selection of grab-and-go snacks and meals is available for purchase at the gift shop.

Lynn Finnegan

VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES will be one of the 32 charter schools around Hawai`i with a new contract with the state that sets new performance standards. According to a story in this morning’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Karen Street, chair of the Public Charter School Commission, said, “This new contract and performance standards implement the requirements of a much more rigorous state charter law that will ultimately raise the bar for charter schools across our state. We believe these measures will preserve the autonomy of Hawai`i’s charter schools, which is needed to fuel innovation in schools, while ensuring accountability for public dollars.”
      The Star-Advertiser also quoted Lynn Finnegan, executive director of Hawai`i Public Charter School Network: “We have worked, and will continue to work, with the commission to make sure schools understand their responsibilities and that the new accountability system will honor local decision-making in Hawai`i’s charter schools.” See more at www.staradvertiser.com.
      Charter schools are funded by the state Department of Education but operate outside the statewide school board. They manage their campuses with community boards, designing their own curriculums while remaining accountable for academic results.
      The mission of Volcano School is “learning through Volcano’s unique natural and cultural resources today to become creative global citizens tomorrow.” The principle is Dr. Ardith Renteria. She was born and raised in Hawai`i and is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools, University of Hawai`i at Manoa and Hilo, and Capella University in Minnesota. She has worked in both the public and charter school systems. See more at www.volcanoschool.com.

Tomorrow's Life on the Edge talks mark five years of continuous eruptive
activity at Halema`uma`u Crater. Photo from NPS

TO MARK THE FIFTH YEAR of continuous eruptive activity at Kilauea Volcano’s summit within Halema`uma`u Crater, tomorrow rangers at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offer Life on the Edge talks at Jaggar Museum observation deck overlooking the fuming, enlarging summit vent. The 20-minute talks at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. encompass the dramatic geological and mythological history of Halema`uma`u Crater.
      Kilauea’s summit vent opened at 2:58 a.m., HST, on March 19, 2008, when an explosive eruption created a gaping hole about 115 feet wide on the south wall of Halema`uma`u Crater. Nighttime glow from this hole suggested the presence of molten lava, but it wasn’t until six months later that a lava lake deep within the vent was definitively observed by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists.
      Since 2008, rock collapses within the vent have enlarged its opening on the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater. The vent is now about 520 feet by 700 feet (the area of about 21 Olympic-sized pools).
      The summit eruption, Kilauea’s second longest since the early 1900s, can also be experienced through photos, videos, and webcam images posted on HVO’s website at hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

Dick Hershberger portrays Thomas Jaggar tomorrow.
This Sunday, he and Arlene Araki perform in Two by
Tenn with Tea at Pahala Plantation House.

ALSO TAKING PLACE TOMORROW in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is the living history program A Walk into the Past. Ka`u resident Dick Hershberger brings back to life Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, founder of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and a prominent figure in the history of the study of volcanoes. Free performances are at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Meet at Kilauea Visitor Center. Park entrance fees apply.

LITO ARKANGEL OFFERS A FREE CONCERT Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The singer and songwriter shares his original compositions and other Hawaiian favorites. Park entrance fees apply.

KA`U AGRICULTURAL WATER COOPERATIVE District holds its next meeting this Thursday, March 21 at 4 p.m. at the Royal Hawaiian Orchards Macadamia Field Office. For more information, contact Jeff McCall at 928-6456.

SATURDAY is Kahuku Junior Ranger Day, when participants connect the culture, people and `aina of the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park through art, `oli, GPS, and compass and listen to the mo`olelo of Pupu-hulu-ena, Keo-ua-ku-a-hu`ula and Kamehameha I. The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes lunch and cultural craft demonstrations. Pre-registration required at 985-6019.

TWO BY TENN WITH TEA, an afternoon performance of two rarely performed one-act plays written by Tennessee Williams, takes place at Pahala Plantation House this coming Sunday, March 24 at 3 p.m. In what director Julie Dobbs describes as a “fragile mood piece” entitled Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen, Arlene Araki and Dick Hershberger, of Ocean View, portray a man and woman rooted hopelessly in an unchanging present. I Can’t Imagine Tomorrow, the second play, also features Araki and Hershberger in what Dobbs calls “a variation on the theme of the passage toward death; of endured, but unendurable, pain.”
      Tea and cookies will be served, and a potluck dinner follows. Suggested donation is $5 per person.

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 March 17, 2013

Richard Ha testified that cattle ranching would be displaced from Ka`u lands targeted by AKP. Photo by Julia Neal

FARMER RICHARD HA is a witness in the Public Utilities Commission’s `Aina Koa Pono case. He testified last week on behalf of Hawai`i County, regarding the proposed 20-year contract between `Aina Koa Pono and the electric companies that would allow the purchase of biodiesel at an estimated $200 a barrel. It would be manufactured in Ka`u at a refinery proposed for land along Wood Valley Road. The fuel would be trucked to Hawai`i Electric Light Co.’s power plant near Kona Airport.
      Ha is President of Hamakua Springs Country Farms and is known for reinvigorating the banana industry on the Big Island and growing tomatoes and other truck crops. He is also a supporter of geothermal energy, saying that low electric rates will help the economy and help the poor. He is a member of the state Board of Agriculture.
      Ha testified: “We should not lock ourselves into a $200 (per barrel) subsidy for 20 years.” He pointed to a study, presented to the Association for the Study of Peak Oil 2012 convention by an International Monetary Fund economic research team led by Dr. Michael Kumhof. Wrote Ha, it “shows that a decline rate of only 2% (reduction in oil) a year could result in 20% reduction in world GDP over a 20 year period. We need to proactively allow ourselves flexibility to cope with worst-case possibilities. The AKP biofuel proposal leaves Hawai`i with few options,” charged Ha.

Richard Ha, a successful food farmer, testified for the County regarding AKP.

      He testified that “We should not trade food for fuel. The Ed Olson land that is now proposed for biofuel production is mostly occupied by cattle raising. There isn't enough sun energy to accommodate both cattle raising and energy production on the same parcel of land. If the AKP project is to go forward the cattle must be removed. AKP claims this project will reinvigorate agriculture in the area. It probably will not. When cellulosic biofuel projects were first proposed on the mainland, the projects set a target of $45 per Ion for the feedstock. Because farmers were getting $100/ton for hay, they asked for and received a $45 per ton subsidy.    
      “At a Big Island Community Coalition meeting with the AKP team, I asked the AECOM (AKP’s consulting engineers) representative, how much they expected to pay for biofuel feedstock, here on the Big Island. He said, between $55 and $65/ton. The problem is Big Island farmers were getting $200 per ton for hay. It is doubtful that farmers will accept between $55 and $65 per ton for growing the feedstock when mainland farmers required $100/ton.

      “This does not sound like a good deal for farmers. Manufactured food comes from the mainland using cheap electricity. AKP's $200 per barrel price makes Hawai`i food product manufacturers less competitive. This threatens Hawai`i's food security.
      “I asked Dr. Cari Bonham, the Executive Director of the University of Hawai`i Economic Research Organization, if we on the Big Island use geothermal as our primary base power would we become more competitive to the rest of the world as oil price rose. He said, that was fair to say. Geothermal generated electricity costs half that of oil generated electricity and, because the feedstock is steam, its cost will be stable for as long as the Big Island stays over the "hot spot" which is 500,000 to a million years, according to both Dr. Don Thomas, Geochemist, Director of Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes Ph.D., University of Hawai`i and Dr. Jim Kauahikaua, director of the Hawai`i Volcanos Observatory."

Ha testified that the AKP option threatens food security. Photo by Julia Neal

      Ha was asked, “What have you concluded with respect to the public interest of the Biofuel Supply Contract?” He testified that “Placing the financial burden on the people of Hawai`i to enable an unproven technology, is assuming too much risk. Sometimes, instead of attempting to be first in the world, it may be wiser to be good at copying the first in the world. The Big Island has one of the lowest median family incomes in the state of Hawai`i. Education is the best predictor of family income. Big Island schools have been paying a 25% premium for electricity compared to O`ahu for as long as people can remember. That 25% premium comes right off the education budget.
      “The AKP project of high-priced, subsidized- by-the ratepayer biofuel will not contribute to raising median family incomes. It will do just the opposite! Two thirds of our economy is made up of consumer spending. AKP, because it results in higher rather than lower electricity rates, takes away discretionary income, the basis of consumer spending,” concluded Ha. See all the testimony at www.puc.hawaii.gov. Click on `Aina Koa Pono and on documents.

EAST KA`U STATE SENATOR RUSSELL RUDERMAN joined a parade in Hilo yesterday, along with about a thousand marchers and several Ka`u residents, calling for a ban on food grown from Genetically Modified Organisms, for the legislature to require GMO labeling, and for companies like Monsanto to stop leasing farm land in Hawai`i to grow GMO's. Ruderman said the state needs to be involved because GMO companies have too much influence over the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He said that Michael Taylor, a former Monsanto attorney and vice-president, is chief of the FDA. He also said that until the recent leadership change in  the state legislature, GMO bills went nowhere. Now, GMO bills are being heard, said Ruderman.  He said House Bill 174, which would require labeling GMO foods, is still alive. Citizens can weigh in by going to www.hawaii.gov, looking up the bill and writing testimony.

Dean Nagasako, at the front of the anti-GMO parade in Hilo yesterday,
 grew up in Pahala.  Photo by Julia Neal

     Ruderman said that GMO companies, worldwide, are gaining control of food production. Locally, he said, they are farming about a fifth of the best agricultural lands in Hawai`i and are looking to control water rights. He said most of GMO plants grown in Hawai`i, like seed corn, are exported. "The fact is, we haven't fed ourselves All of their work doesn't feed us. GMO's use 100 to 1,000 times more poisons than other crops and poisons kill the reefs and poison groundwaters, while taking away farmland from food self-sufficiency," contended Ruderman.

     The senator said that GMO's can also be stopped through buying power. "That's what happened in Europe. When 5 percent of people stopped buying GMO, companies changed the ingredients they used."

     Ruderman said that yesterday's march in Hilo was the biggest he recalls for any issue in recent years. It was followed by a non-GMO potluck and speeches at Mo`oheiau Bandstand, including talks by taro expert Jerry Konanui and anti-GMO activist Walter Ritte from Moloka`i. 

     Among Ka`u residents participating in the march were Democratic Precinct Chair Sara Witt, former KAHU Radio deejay Dean Nagasako,  and Ka`u Specialty, Inc. coffee broker Malian Lahey, who kept rhythm for the walkers on a drum. 

Ruderman said it was the largest protest march in Hilo he could remember.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U’S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, joined Candy Crowley’s State of the Union news show on CNN this morning for a discussion on Iraq: Ten Years Later.
      Gabbard said she was serving as a state legislator “going surfing on the weekends, and then all of the sudden found out that this deployment of close to 3,000 Hawai`i troops was happening to Iraq. I was not on that first mandatory deployment roster, but knew very quickly that there was no way that I could stay home in the comfort of my house and in Hawai‘i and watch my brothers and sisters deploy – and recognizing the necessity to stand with them as they went off to combat. The experience completely changed my life and was a very big motivator in recognizing what are the true costs of war.” 

   On lessons in Iraq and the threat from North Korea, Gabbard said: “Our miscalculation there [was] fighting this unconventional threat – these unconventional terrorists who know no allegiance to a specific flag or a country – with very conventional tactics. I think that as we look to the past, and as we look forward to the future, we look to the threats that we are facing today, for example, North Korea…. Countries that have very specific capabilities, that have nuclear weapons, that have missiles that are within range of places like Hawai‘i and Alaska, where the people in my community are very concerned about what kinds of actions we will take.”

Tulsi Gabbard, Ka`u's member in Congress and Republican congressman Tom

Cotton, of Arkansas, on Candy Crowley's State of the Union on CNN this 

morning. Image from CNN

      On serving our veterans and addressing VA backlog, Candy Crowley asked Gabbard,  “Do you think the VA is doing its job?” Gabbard replied, “No, not to serve every single veteran that is coming in, both the new generation of veterans from those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as those who have served in Vietnam, who have served in Korea, and other conflicts in our past. Without a doubt, we need to do better. We need to do better in Congress to make sure that we as a country are fulfilling our responsibilities to these veterans who have sacrificed so much, and to their families, and to get the respect and services that they have earned.” She said it is important that she can work with veterans who are serving in Congress and the U.S. Senate. “It really is going to take all of us having a concerted focus, commitment, and effort to make sure that the resources are there and that the focus and attention does not wane if it is not at the top of the headlines,” said Gabbard.

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION’S Board of Directors has announced funding from the HMSA Foundation to support the Ka`u Rural Health Academy Program. The demonstration project focuses on health, education, research opportunities and economic sustainability. Jessie Marques E.D. said the program will: provide and promote health education and prevention with a Health & Wellness education initiative; establish a Youth Mentoring Program that fosters health career pathways, education, training and employment opportunities; and introduce consumers to the use of health information and technology in the healthcare industry.
      Theresa Richardson, Office Manager, and Rochele Gacayan, Program Assistant, were recently hired. More information about the program will be announced at the Ka`u
Rural Health Community Association’s 16th Annual Rural Health Conference on Friday, April 12 at Pahala Community Center.

Ann Fontes is one of the kupuna who built an `ukulele of koa.
Photo by Julia Neal

MORE THAN 30 `UKULELE went home with Ka`u young people and kupuna yesterday. The `ukulele build at Pahala Plantation House was sponsored by KoAloha `Ukulele company, Keoki Kahumoku’s Center for Hawaiian Music Studies, Pahala Plantation Cottages, Queen Liliu`okalani Childrens Center, the Edmund C. Olson Trust and Ka`u Coffee Mill. KoAloha craftsman taught the local students the art of building an `ukulele from native Hawaiian koa wood donated for the project. The build was followed by a concert combining bluegrass and Hawaiian music at Pahala Plantation House. Some of the `ukulele building students played for community members along with Kahumoku and bluegrass musicians on stand up bass, banjo, mandolin, dobro, fiddle and guitar, as well as the new `ukulele.

A SEED EXCHANGE and Garden Talk Story is today until 3 p.m. at Na`ohelelua Historical Church on Kama`oa Road near Discovery Harbor. Call 988-6011.

A ST. PATRICK’S DAY BUFFET is today from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café. Shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, beer-boiled potatoes, whiskey carrots, salad bar, ice cream bar and beverage. $17.50 per person.