Ka`u News Briefs May 25, 2013

Early registration with the lowest entry fees is still available for August's Rain Forest Runs. Last year,  the event set a
record with 590 crossing the finish line to raise money for Volcano Art Center. Photo from VAC

HAWAI`I COUNTY POLICE ARE ON THE ALERT to help prevent tragedy on our roads this Memorial Day weekend. Officers are conducting DUI checkpoints and roving patrols through Monday. The effort is part of a national and statewide campaign called “Drunk Driving: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” 

      Driving under the influence of alcohol presents a potential danger to every motorist, passenger and pedestrian the driver encounters. Already this year, Big Island police have made more than 500 DUI arrests, and 13 people have died in traffic fatalities.
      The police ask the public to always remember to have a designated, sober and licensed driver before starting to drink. “If you don’t find one, don’t take a chance – take a taxi.”

Michelle Galimba joined a panel discussion of food
security on Insights. Image from pbshawaii.org

KA`U RANCHER MICHELLE GALIMBA talked about food security on Thursday’s PBS Insights television show. Her family has 2,500 Kuahiwi Ranch cattle on some 10,000 acres of mostly leased land. She talked about the need to promote farming as a challenging and rewarding job and said local farmers should be paid more for the food they produce. “It has to be a value thing for us, to say this is the kind of culture and society we want and invest in farmers,” she said.
 

      Galimba said farming has been denigrated for generations, with families telling children that “it is a low thing to do, when actually it is one of the most challenging and rewarding.”
      Galimba talked about land being available here, saying, “I am in Ka`u, a kingdom that is far, far away.” She said there is a lot of interest in buying food that is grown locally. She said, however, that “we need to pay local farmers more. We need to make a choice. We need to have a healthy society” in which agriculture is valued.
         Galimba said land is a very complicated issue, and, “I think we don’t use land very intelligently in our society” though “we are getting better recently. She said that the concept of highest and best use has to do with environmental factors, food and shelter, not just who pays the most for land.
      Regarding the life of a rancher, Galimba said, “I am actually creating a world, this beautiful world. I just love every minute of it, even when you are exhausted and covered with unmentionable substances.”

      The program can be viewed at pbshawaii.org.

PAHALA PUBLIC & SCHOOL LIBRARY has a busy summer of activities lined up. Manager Debbie Wong Yuen invites readers of all ages to participate in the 2013 Summer Reading Program, which runs from June 3 to July 5. This is an annual program of Hawai`i State Public Library System, which is celebrating its 100th year. 

      Themes are: for children (infants to 6th grade this fall), “Dig Into Reading;” teens (students entering 7th grade and including the 2013 graduating class), “Beneath The Surface;” and adults (ages 18+), “Groundbreaking Reads.”

      Participants read at least one book a week to receive a weekly reading incentive, while supplies last. There are also special drawings to enter for children (Gardening Fun Gift Basket), teens (notebook and other prizes) and adults (an e-reader). 

      Mondays at Pahala Public & School Library are activity/craft days, and Thursdays are gaming days from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. On Fridays, the library presents a movie matinee at 2:15 p.m. featuring a free family movie and a bag of popcorn.

      There are also be two special programs scheduled. On Monday, June 17 at 1 p.m., Graywolf, a Native American, presents “Cultures of the World,” a 45-minute program featuring authentic, handcrafted weapons, antiques and period costumes. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Hawai`i, Atherton Family Foundation, the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Aloha United Way and many others. It is a production of the University of Hawai`i at Manoa Statewide Cultural Extension Program.
      Then on Monday, July 1, Joe Iacuzzo presents “Secrets of the Dinosaur Mummy” at 1 p.m. This program is being sponsored by Friends of the Ka`u Libraries. Iacuzzo will also have the book he published for sale at this program. For more information, visit dinosaurmummy.org.
      Pahala Public & School Library is open Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call Wong Yuen at 928-2015.

PAHALA BAPTIST CHURCH, formerly called Pahala Baptist Bible Mission, became a constituted church on May 5.
      The church holds a youth camp at vacation Bible school Monday – Friday, June 3 – 7. The event, to be held at Hilo Baptist Church grounds, is open to preschool through grade 12. Fee is $30.
      The church is also planning a joint worship and fellowship with Ocean View Baptist Church on Sunday, June 30 at 3 p.m. at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach.
      For more information, contact Pastor Mar Ramones at 928-8240 or marjoramones@yahoo.com.

EARLY REGISTRATION WITH THE LOWEST ENTRY FEES is still available for Volcano Art Center’s fourth annual Rain Forest Runs set for Saturday, Aug. 17. The half marathon, 10K run and 5K run/walk are held in Volcano Village. This event traverses the native rain forest in Volcano Village and the ranches near Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. All distances are open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities. 

      Entry fees before June 1 are $65 for the half marathon, $40 for the 10K run and $25 for the 5K run/walk. Fees increase on June 1.
       Volcano Art Center presents art awards donated by local artists to the top three male and female winners of the half marathon, to the overall winners for the 10K and 5K and to the top two male and female winners in each ten-year age division for all race events. In addition, medals are presented to half marathon finishers and to the top male and female winners of the military division for each race.
      More information and registration forms are available at volcanoartcenter.org/rain-forest-runs.

A RELATIVELY EASY, GUIDED, 2.6-MILE HIKE takes place tomorrow at Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The Palm Trail is a loop crossing scenic pasture along an ancient cinder cone with panoramic views of the park and beyond. The three-hour hike begins at 9:30 a.m. Call 985-6011 for more information.

Last year's Memorial Day ceremony at Kilauea
Military Camp honored vets of the 442nd,
including Iwao Yonemitsu and Toku Nakano,
of Ka`u. Photo by Julia Neal

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S MEMORIAL DAY ceremony begins at 3 p.m. Monday. Ka`u’s U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is keynote speaker, and guest speaker is Captain Justin L. Montgomery, commander of the 871st Engineer Co. at Hilo. The public is invited, and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park waives entry fees for those who enter the park between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and inform park attendants that they are going to the ceremony. The event takes place on the front lawn, and in case of inclement weather, it will be moved to the Koa Room inside KMC’s lobby. For more information, call 967-8371. 

A BUFFET IS AVAILABLE at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café after KMC’s Memorial Day ceremony. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., diners can choose from kalua pork and cabbage, chicken long rice, stuffed ono, huli huli chicken, rice, baked potato, candied sweet potatoes, salad bar, haupia, ice cream bar and beverage. Prices are $14.25 for adults and $8 for children 6 to 11 years old. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more information.

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 May 24, 2013

Palm Trail has panoramic views of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park's Kahuku Unit and beyond.
A guided hike takes place Sunday. NPS Photo by David Boyle

WHILE O`AHU CONTINUES TO BE FURTHER ALONG in recovery, the neighbor islands are catching up fast, according to the latest report from the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai`i. It states that 2012 was another year of strong tourism gains for Hawai`i’s counties and a year when significant growth spread to much of the broader economy. It forecasts that economic growth will quicken this year with an impetus from construction, which is poised for a strong pickup in activity. “The broadening recovery together with modest inflation will drive growth in real incomes across the counties over the next several years,” the report says. 

      The report sees several signs of economic growth that it says will continue:
      “Visitor arrivals surged ahead last year, and all four counties matched or set records for number of visitor days. The counties will see high single-digit arrivals growth in 2013, with the largest gains on the Neighbor Islands as O`ahu fills up and international arrivals continue to grow. Hotel occupancy rates will climb to historic highs over the next few years, putting pressure on room rates and limiting further arrivals gains.

      “Construction activity moved off bottom in 2012. Private permitting grew by 35-50 percent across the counties, albeit from extremely low levels. O`ahu and the Big Island saw modest job gains, while industry payrolls on Maui jumped by more than 13 percent. Kaua`i was the lone outlier; despite increased permitting activity, industry job counts fell by five percent. Much of last year’s growth is attributable to photovoltaic installation. This year work on new residential and commercial projects will drive increased hiring. By 2015, the next construction cycle will be in full swing with industry payrolls growing by more than 10 percent per year in each county. 

      “All four counties saw positive job growth last year, but labor market recovery has a way to go, particularly on the Neighbor Islands. This year job growth will firm to more than three percent on each of the Neighbor Islands and to two percent on O`ahu. By the end of this year O`ahu will have recovered all of the jobs lost during the recession; Maui will return to pre-recession levels the year after, and Kauai and the Big Island by 2015.
      “A useful summary measure of economic activity is the real (inflation adjusted) income earned by local residents. While official county-level figures are not yet available for 2012, we estimate that real income growth ranged from 0.9 percent on Kaua`i to three percent on Maui last year. In 2013, O`ahu real income will grow by a modest 2.4 percent, while the Neighbor Islands will see growth in the 4.0 to 4.5 percent range. Moderate real income growth will continue through mid-decade as hiring picks up, business profits improve and inflation remains moderate.
“The primary forecast risks for all counties are linked to external conditions: fiscal tightening will restrain growth, economic conditions in Europe continue to deteriorate, North Korea has begun another round of saber-rattling, and a new strain of bird flu has popped up in China. Adverse developments in these areas could undermine consumers’ confidence and their willingness to travel, weighing on local economic activity.”
See more at uhero.hawaii.edu.

Breadfruit is a traditional staple crop throughout the Pacific.
Photo from Craig Elevitch

THE NEWLY LAUNCHED BREADFRUIT HARVEST FOR HUNGER project that harvests breadfruit in Kona and distributes it to the food insecure “is based on the fact that there are many people on Hawai`i Island without enough nutritious food to eat, and at the same time there are literally tons of breadfruit that are not being harvested and eaten,” says a release from the organization. “Breadfruit (ulu) is a local, abundant and nutritious food that can be used to alleviate hunger in Hawai`i.” 

      Breadfruit is a traditional staple crop throughout the Pacific region. According to Dr. Diane Ragone, director of the Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, more than 80 percent of the world’s hungry live in tropical and subtropical regions where ecological conditions are suitable for cultivating breadfruit.
      Just like in Hawai`i, many people in the tropics have high food, fuel and fertilizer costs and need sustainable, low-input crops. Many island nations are turning to breadfruit as a solution.
      According to a survey done by Hawai`i Homegrown Food Network, people who grow breadfruit reported that 46 percent is wasted. At the same time, many of Hawai`i’s families are food insecure — lacking access to affordable and nutritious food.
      In its first month of operation, Breadfruit Harvest for Hunger harvested, distributed and processed more than 500 pounds of breadfruit.
      The project builds relationships with landowners who have excess breadfruit and forms an agreement to harvest. The breadfruit is then distributed through social service agencies such as the Kealakehe Meet and Eat, Ocean View Food Basket and Hawai`i Island Youth Corps. Excess breadfruit is processed and frozen for future use by the West Hawai`i Community College Culinary Arts Program.
      The Breadfruit Harvest for Hunger project was started with the support of the Omidyar `Ohana Fund of the Hawai`i Community Foundation. It is an initiative of Hooulu ka Ulu — a project to revitalize ulu (breadfruit) as an attractive, delicious, nutritious, abundant, affordable and culturally appropriate food which addresses Hawai`i’s food security issues.
      The Hooulu ka Ulu project is led by Hawai`i Homegrown Food Network and the Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden.
      The project is seeking additional partnerships with landowners who have excess breadfruit and agencies that serve the food insecure.
      For more information or to donate breadfruit from trees, email hooulu@hawaiihomegrown.net or call Andrea Dean at 960-3727.
      Find out more at 
breadfruit.info.

HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT REMINDS RESIDENTS that they have one week left to participate in an anonymous Community Satisfaction Survey. The Internet survey, which opened May 1, will remain open until 4 p.m. Friday, May 31. The survey takes about five minutes to complete and is limited to one survey per computer. Participants will be able to enter detailed comments and suggestions at the end of the survey. The respondent’s IP address will not be stored in the survey results.

      Responses will be collected and compiled by an outside source. After the survey period, results will be posted on the Police Department’s website.
      The survey can be accessed at www.hawaiipolice.com.

The first of four scheduled Sunset Hula performances by Halau Kahula O
Nawahine Noho Pu`ukapu takes place today. Photo by Dino Morrow

SUNSET HULA TAKES PLACE TODAY at 6 p.m. at the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Halau Kahula O Nawahine Noho Pu`ukapu, under the direction of kumu hula Ana Nawahine Kahoopii, performed during this first of four sunset performances to be held once each month through August, with dates and times chosen specifically for their closeness to the full moon cycle and actual times of sunset. 

      For more information, call 967-8222 or email julie@volcanoartcenter.org.

KAHUKU UNIT OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK offers a hike on the Palm Trail Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This relatively easy, guided, 2.6-mile loop crosses scenic pasture along an ancient cinder cone with some of the best panoramic views the has to offer. Call 985-6011 for more information.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who recently visited troops in Afghanistan, speaks
at Kilauea Military Camp's Memorial Day ceremony Monday.

KA`U’S U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD WILL BE KEYNOTE SPEAKER at Kilauea Military Camp’s Memorial Day ceremony Monday on the front lawn. Guest speaker is Captain Justin L. Montgomery, commander of the 871st Engineer Co. at Hilo. The one-hour event begins at 3 p.m. The public is invited, and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will waive entry fees for those who enter the park between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and inform park attendants that they are going to the ceremony. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Koa Room inside KMC’s lobby. For more information, call 967-8371. 

KMC OFFERS A BUFFET after its Memorial Day ceremony. The buffet is available from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Crater Rim Café. Menu items include kalua pork and cabbage, chicken long rice, stuffed ono, huli huli chicken, rice, baked potato, candied sweet potatoes, salad bar, haupia, ice cream bar and beverage. Prices are $14.25 for adults and $8 for children 6 to 11 years old. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more information.

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 May 23, 2013

The Ka`u District Gym & Shelter under construction will be hardened to withstand a category three hurricane,
which has winds between 111 and 130 miles per hour.

HURRICANE SEASON IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC BASIN will be below normal this year, announced National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center. The outlook calls for a 70 percent chance of a below-normal season, a 25 percent chance of a near-normal season, and a five percent chance of an above-normal season. 

      Forecasters expect one to three tropical cyclones to affect the central Pacific this season. An average season has four to five tropical cyclones, which include tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes.
      The outlook for a below-normal season is based on the continuation of neutral El Nino-Southern Oscillation conditions. The Central Pacific Basin also remains on the low activity side of a multi-decadal cycle. Historical records show that this combination of conditions tends to produce a less active hurricane season for the central Pacific, according to NOAA.

Two hurricanes passed south of Ka`u last July.

      This outlook is a general guide to the overall seasonal hurricane activity in the central Pacific and does not predict whether, where, when, or how many of these systems will affect Hawai`i.
      NOAA urges Hawai`i residents to be fully prepared before the hurricane season, which begins June 1 and runs until Nov. 30.
      “I encourage the public to become weather-ready by signing up for weather alerts, developing a family emergency plan and building an emergency kit before hurricane season begins,” said Ray Tanabe, director of NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center. “Just because the season is predicted to be ‘below normal’ does not mean that a single storm cannot have significant impacts.”
      The Central Pacific Hurricane Center continuously monitors weather conditions, employing a network of satellites, land- and ocean-based sensors and aircraft reconnaissance missions operated by NOAA and its partners. This array of data supplies the information for complex computer modeling and human expertise that serves as the basis for the hurricane center’s track and intensity forecasts that extend out five days.
      The seasonal hurricane outlook is produced in collaboration with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center – a division of the National Weather Service.

 NOAA’s National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. NOAA’s National Weather Service operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy. Working with partners, NOAA’s National Weather Service is building a Weather-Ready Nation to support community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather.
      NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources.
      Find out more at weather.gov.

No tsunami threat has been produced by an earthquake south of Fiji.

A 7.4 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS this morning produced no tsunami threat to Hawai`i, reported Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. 

      U.S. Geological Survey explains earthquake magnitudes and their relationships to tsunami:
      Earthquakes of magnitudes below 6.5
 are very unlikely to trigger a tsunami.
      Magnitudes between 6.5 and 7.5
 do not usually produce destructive tsunamis. However, small sea level changes may be observed in the vicinity of the epicenter. Tsunamis capable of producing damage or casualties are rare in this magnitude range but have occurred due to secondary effects such as landslides or submarine slumps.
      Magnitudes between 7.6 and 7.8
 may produce destructive tsunamis especially near the epicenter; at greater distances, small sea level changes may be observed. Tsunamis capable of producing damage at great distances are rare in the magnitude range.
      For magnitude 7.9 and greater
, destructive local tsunamis are possible near the epicenter, and significant sea level changes and damage may occur in a broader region.
      With a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the probability of an aftershock with a magnitude exceeding 7.5 is not negligible. To date, the largest aftershock recorded has been magnitude 7.1 that did not produce a damaging tsunami.

      See more at earthquake.usgs.gov.

Hawai`i Department of Agriculture has issued a quarantine order
relating to Bovine Trichomoniasis. Photo from HDOA

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S Animal Industry Division has issued a quarantine order that requires testing of all beef and dairy bulls for Bovine Trichomoniasis prior to entry into the state and before movement between herds within the state. 

      Bovine Trichomoniasis is a serious contagious reproductive disease of cattle that can cause significant production losses and economic harm to affected herds. It is a disease of cattle only that is spread during breeding and does not affect humans or the safety of beef.
      The quarantine order requires that all herd owners in Hawai`i have their bulls tested with a negative result for Trichomoniasis prior to being sold, acquired or moved. The order also requires that bulls 12 months of age or older enter Hawai`i with a negative test result for Trichomoniasis that was conducted within 30 days of arrival in Hawai`i. In addition, bulls for entry shall not have contact with female cattle after testing and prior to arrival in Hawai`i.
      Trichomoniasis was detected in bulls in Ka`u in 2011, triggering area testing of exposed herds, slaughter surveillance testing and testing by private veterinarians in 2011 and 2012.
      Ten infected herds have been detected – nine on Hawai`i Island (Ka`u, North Hilo and Kohala districts) and one on O`ahu (Makakilo). All of the infected herds have association or had contact with the Ka`u or Kohala infected herds.

      Infected herds were issued individual quarantine orders by the state veterinarian, and herd clean-up plans were instituted. There has been no spread from infected herds since the individual quarantine orders were placed. One herd has been released from quarantine and remains negative for the disease. Four herds achieved one negative test round on all bulls, have been retested and are being evaluated for quarantine release. The four remaining herds continue to test positive and are continuing testing programs, with removal of positive bulls along with other control measures aimed at eliminating infection.
      According to the Department of Agriculture, its and cattle producers’ experiences with the protracted nature of this disease and the cost to clean up infections in herds warrants this statewide effort by all cattle owners to prevent Trichomoniasis from spreading.
      Trichomoniasis is found in many areas of the United States and is an economically important venereal disease of cattle because it can reduce a calf production due to a large number of cows that can abort or reabsorb their pregnancy when they get infected.
      Thirty to 70 percent of cows or heifers bred to infected bulls can lose their pregnancy several months after conception.
      It has not been determined how the disease got to Hawai`i; however, the disease is found in many states on the mainland where Hawai`i cattle producers purchase cattle.
      To read the full quarantine order, see http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/QO-132-2013.0521-BOVINE-TRICHOMONIASIS.pdf.

Bobby Gomes, seen here at Ka`u District Shelter &
Gym groundbreaking, was keynote speaker at Ka`u
High School graduation. Photo by Julia Neal

POLICE COMMISSIONER BOBBY GOMES was keynote speaker at Ka`u High School’s graduation ceremonies last Friday. Gomes told members of the Class of 2013 to appreciate `ohana. “Be proud of your name and your parents,” he said. Gomes emphasized love of the country and apologized for turning it over to the next generation “in such a bad shape.” Gomes also advised the graduating class to get involved in politics and to run for office and find jobs they enjoy so that they “can love what you do.” He thanked teachers for their hard work and dedication. He said he could tell that the graduates were very close to one another. As Principal Sharon Beck gave out diplomas, “she was given hugs to show that `ohana love – the closeness,” Gomes said. 

HALAU KAHULA O NAWAHINE NOHO PU`UKAPU, under the direction of kumu hula Ana Nawahine Kahoopii, perform Sunset Hula tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. This is the first of four sunset performances to be held once each month through August, with dates and times chosen specifically for their closeness to the full moon cycle and actual times of sunset.
      For more information, call 967-8222 or email julie@volcanoartcenter.org.

PALM TRAIL HIKE TAKES PLACE SUNDAY from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This relatively easy, guided, 2.6-mile loop crosses scenic pasture along an ancient cinder cone with some of the best panoramic views the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park has to offer. Call 985-6011 for more information.

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.