Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013

Ka`u Community Development Plan Steering Committee meets Tuesday to discuss new, recently released material
including a Community Building Analysis.

A MEASURE THAT WOULD HAVE BANNED NEW GMOS on Hawai`i Island has been withdrawn by Kohala Council member Margaret Wille, who introduced the controversial Bill 79. At yesterday’s meeting of the Committee on Public Safety and Mass Transit, Wille said she would work on and introduce a new, simplified measure. 

      Ka`u’s Council member Brenda Ford, who chairs the committee, supports a ban on GMOs. “We’re the only island not impacted, and we need to keep it like that,” Ford said.
      “I feel that we are all sort of coming together and that we can really make a difference here,” Wille said. “The good thing is we are all moving forward and moving forward together.”
      Kaua`i County Council is also dealing with the GMO issue. At its meeting on Monday, the Council’s Economic Development Committee deferred until Sept. 9 a proposal requiring disclosure of GMOs as well as pesticide use.

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Na`alehu Elementary started classes yesterday with 391 students and
about 80 staff members. Photo from naalehuel.k12.hi.us

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IN NA`ALEHU brought students to the campus with 391 attending the elementary school. The number of students in each grade varies with the most in first grade and the least in preschool. Here are the numbers: preschool 20, kindergarten 37, first 98, second 56, third 57, fourth 56, fifth 49, and sixth 55. The staff for the school, including teachers, administrators, counselors, assistants, maintenance, cafeteria and other workers totals about 80. The principal is Darlene Javar, and vice principal is Karen Pare.

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KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS’ LAND ASSETS DIVISION and Ke Ali`i Pauahi Foundation have forwarded 15 contestants to the next round in the first Mahi`ai Match-up agricultural business plan contest.

Six ag-related business plans were submitted for 90 acres at Punalu`u.

      At the close of the six-week application window, 148 agricultural-related business ideas were submitted. Six were for a parcel at Punalu`u. While none of those made it into the final round, other lease arrangements for the 90 acres may be possible for applicants. 

      “It was not easy to narrow down the list to 15, but necessary as there will only be three winners,” said Kaeo Duarte, KS’ director of strategic initiatives. “For some of those who did not advance, we will definitely be in touch to discuss other leasing options. My deepest mahalo to all contestants for taking the time to apply and for their commitment to agriculture and Hawai`i’s food security.
      “The number of Mahi`ai Match-Up agricultural business proposals we received surpassed our expectations,” Duarte said. “It reinforces our commitment to connecting farmers, communities and the lands we steward and reaffirms that initiatives like Mahi`ai Match-up are important.”
      For the next three months, contestants will finalize their agricultural business plan as they compete for the top three spots. Winning plans will be announced at an awards gala presented by Ke Ali`i Pauahi Foundation in February 2014. Winners will receive an agricultural lease with rent waived for up to five years from Kamehameha Schools and a cash prize from Ke Ali`i Pauahi Foundation.
      For more information about Kamehameha Schools’ Strategic Agricultural Plan, visit ksbe.edu/ag.

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Bidens micrantha, or ko`oko`olau

THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE is accepting public comment on a proposal to designate critical habitat for three Hawai`i Island plant species and on the draft economic analysis. Deadline for comments is Tuesday, Sept. 3. 

      A public informational meeting takes place today at 3 p.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona. No testimony will be heard during the meeting.
      On Oct. 17, 2012, the Service made available to the public a proposed rule to list 15 species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and to designate 18,766 acres of critical habitat for three Big Island plant species. One of the plant species – Bidens micrantha ssp. ctenophylla (ko`oko`olau) – is one of the 15 species proposed for listing; the other two – Mezoneuron kavaiense (uhiuhi) and Isodendrion pyrifolium (wahine noho kula) – are previously listed plant species that do not currently have designated critical habitat on Hawai`i Island. An accompanying draft economic analysis provides an estimate of the potential economic impacts of the proposed critical habitat designations over the next 10 years. Critical habitat is not determinable for the remaining 14 species proposed for listing, according to the Service.
      The areas proposed as critical habitat include seven units totaling 18,766 acres. The proposed critical habitat designation includes both occupied and unoccupied habitat and a mixture of state federal, county and private lands.

Mezoneuron kavaiense, or uhiuhi

      “Habitat destruction and modification caused by invasive, nonnative plants, feral pigs, sheep and goats, and agricultural and urban development is considered a threat. Other threats include consumption of rare species by nonnative feral pigs, sheep and goats, and other introduced species such as rats and nonnative invertebrates. Native habitat is also threatened by the effects of climate change, which may intensify existing natural threats such as fire, hurricanes, landslides and flooding,” a statement from the Service said.
      Loyal Mehrhoff, field supervisor for the Pacific Islands Fish & Wildlife Office, said “The Hawai`i Island listing and critical habitat designation, if finalized, will allow us to better address and manage Hawai`i’s endangered species and the unique ecosystems on which these species depend.”
      Copies of the proposed rule and the draft economic analysis may be downloaded from the Service’s website at fws.gov/pacificislands. For further information contact Mehrhoff at Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 3-122, Box 50088, Honolulu, Hawai`i 96850. Call 808-792-9400 or fax 808-792-9581.
      Comments on the critical habitat or the draft economic analysis may be submitted to Federal eRulemaking Portal at regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Docket No. FWS–R1–ES–2013–0028 (critical habitat proposal, revisions, and associated draft economic analysis).
      Comments can also be mailed to Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R1-ES-2013- 0028; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042–PDM, Arlington, VA 22203.

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Col. Gary L. Thomas

THE HAWAI`I NATIONAL GUARD YOUTH CHALLENGE ACADEMY has named retired U.S. Air Force Col. Gary L. Thomas the deputy director of its Kulani campus. 

      Thomas will oversee Academy instruction and courses and will work with students to help them get through a rigorous 22-week on-site program that prepares them to obtain high school diplomas and become productive citizens.
      Thomas served 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, both on active duty and in the reserves. He served as deputy chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Pacific Regional Service Center in Hawai`i. He held a variety of other senior positions and was deployed on tours to England, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Qatar, Iraq, Djibouti and Afghanistan.
      A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Maryland, Thomas has also served as the CEO and executive director of several nonprofit organizations.
      To learn more about Youth Challenge Academy, see ngycp.org/site/state/hi.

KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE meets next Tuesday, Aug. 13, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Ocean View Community Association Center. Public comment on agenda items is welcome.

Design strategies for Ka`u's communities will be discussed at Tuesday's
Ka`u CDP Steering Committee meeting.

      The focus of the meeting will be additional draft Ka`u CDP appendices that were released for public review and feedback last week. Appendix V4B: Community Building Analysis focuses on land use, infrastructure, services, design, and redevelopment strategies for Pahala, Punalu`u, Na`alehu, Wai`ohinu, the Discovery Harbour area and Ocean View.
      The draft materials are works-in-progress. It is expected that they will be revised as conditions change and new information becomes available, said planner Ron Whitmore. Feedback, suggested additions, updates, and corrections are welcome and encouraged. Monday, Sept. 9 is the deadline for submitting feedback.
      Documents and feedback forms are available online at kaucdp.info; at libraries and community centers in Pahala, Na`alehu, Discovery Harbour, and Ocean View; and at Hilo and Kona Planning Department offices.

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STEWARDSHIP IN THE PARK takes place Friday and once per week throughout August and September. Volunteers help Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park by cutting invasive kahili ginger on park trails from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Loppers and gloves are provided. Participants are encouraged to wear long sleeve shirts, long pants and closed-toed shoes. Water, snacks, rain gear and sun protection are recommended. This project is open to the public, and no reservations are required; interested people can stop by Kilauea Visitor Center to get directions and 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.

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Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013

Dolly Ceaser has kept the crosswalk safe for students for years near the entrance to Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary
School campus. Photo by Julia Neal

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IN PAHALA brought students to the campus with 155 attending elementary, 131 attending middle school and 255 attending high school. The number of children in each grade varies wildly, with the most in tenth grade and the least in second grade. Here are the numbers: preschool 17, kindergarten 25, first grade 22, second 12, third 21, fourth 22, fifth 19, sixth 17, seventh 71, eighth 60, ninth 68, tenth 73, eleventh 60 and twelfth 53. There is one ungraded student in special education.

      The staff for the school, including 52 teachers, administrators, counselors, assistants, paid coaches, maintenance, cafeteria and other workers totals about 75. The principal is Sharon Beck. elementary vice principal is Wilma Roddy. Intermediate and High School VP is Adria Medeiros.
      Look for statistics from Na`alehu School in tomorrow's Ka`u News Briefs.

      To comment on this story, go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Trojan athletic director Kalei Namohala explains options to the regular
football season, which has been cancelled. Photo by Julia Neal

THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS at Ka`u High this year even though the regular Big Island Interscholastic Federation play for the 2013 fall season has been cancelled. During a meeting last night for players, parents and the community, athletic director Kalei Namohala said that by Wednesday, Kea`au High School will decide whether to allow Ka`u players to join their team, and Ka`u players can decide whether to accept. If they do, they would have to travel to and from Kea`au on practice days and for games.

      Trojan freshmen and sophomores would be on the Kea`au junior varsity team, and the Trojan juniors and seniors would play varsity. Whether they play or sit on the bench would depend on individual skills as compared with those of Kea`au team members.

Trojan football players may be able to join the Kea`au High School
football team or form their own eight-man team. Photo by Julia Neal

      The others option: by Friday, Ka`u players will decide whether to play eight-man football for which Maui school district has a league. One of the teams in Maui County – Moloka`i – has already agreed to host Ka`u High for a game, Namohala explained. In addition, Kamehameha School and Kealakehe have agreed to field eight-man teams to play Ka`u.
      Ka`u dropped out of BIIF play last Friday when it could not come up with the required 30 players. Namohala said she asked for a three-day extension to see if more players would sign up on Monday when school started, but BIIF turned her down. The most to come out for practice this year is 25, she said. The high school has an enrollment of 103 boys.
      The athletic director said that eight-man football is good for small schools that find it difficult to field an 11-man team, which needs 30 players to qualify. Eight-man needs 18 players. She presented recent statistics. In 2011, the team started with 35 players and ended up with 24. Last year, Ka`u started with 42 players and ended with 21, forfeiting the last game since there were not enough qualified players – several of them had fallen back in their academics.

Bobby Barba fondly remembers playing six-man
football when he was a young Trojan under
principal Laurence Capellas. Barba later
became head coach. Photo by Julia Neal

      One of the problems with too few players is penalties for forfeiting games. The school is fined $100 for each cancelled home game and $1,600 for each away game. The school can’t afford the risk, Namohala said. She also said that injuries can contribute to not having enough players for a game. With some Ka`u High team members playing both defense and offense and many of them being fit and lean athletes rather than very large players, they have a high risk for injury.
      The athletic director noted that eight-man football is a faster game with fewer defensive players. It is somewhat like arena football, with a smaller field and could suit the Ka`u team, Namohala said. She said that Ka`u football players are continuing practice until decisions are made.

      Team supporters at the meeting said that they would be willing to work on raising money for the eight-man football team to travel to Moloka`i. In the future, such Hawai`i Island schools as Kohala, Pahoa and some of the small private schools could play eight-man football. With a minimum of three teams, the island could have a league and play the winners of a Maui league in a state playoff.
      Namohala also cleared up a misconception that if a school drops out of football season, it will have to stay out two years. She said that is an old rule and no longer applies.
      Former Ka`u High football coach Bobby Barba said this morning that eight-man football would keep the program going. “I am all for football.” He said that when he was a student he played six-man football under the leadership of former Ka`u High principal Laurence Capellas. The Trojan team traveled the island playing schools like Honoka`a. Barba said it was a great game.

Sen. Josh Green

KA`U HOSPITAL could have some staff cutbacks. Fourteen million dollars in cash is needed to cover statewide shortfalls, said Avery Chumbley, acting CEO of Hawai`i Health Care Systems, which runs Ka`u Hospital and Rural Health Clinic. The money is needed to cover union pay raises recently approved and declining reimbursements.
      HHCS representatives met with lawmakers at the state Capitol. Regarding the meeting, Sen. Josh Green, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and former physician at Ka`u Hospital, told Hawai`i News Now, “The hospital system is our emergency safety net. We always knew there would be some need for emergency appropriations on the neighbor islands.”
     See more at hawaiinewsnow.com.
      To comment on this story, go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar.

School supplies like notebooks, paper, folders and brain teaser games
were given to students last weekend by Greensands Community
Association. Photo by Karen Wallis

GREENSANDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION gave out school supplies last weekend during a successful rummage sale. The organization has regular events, including a Neighborhood Watch meeting the second Monday of the month in Green Sands Park at 4:30 p.m. 

KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL airs on Na Leo O Hawai`i Channel 54 television this month, showing today at 2 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 8 at 11:30 a.m.; Saturday, Aug. 12 at 3 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 11 a.m.; and Saturday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. The 51-minute program was produced by Wendell Kaehuaea, who, along with Bobby Tucker, interviewed and filmed participants and some of the thousands of people who attended.

Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant will kick off the Ka`u Coffee Festival on
May 2, 2014. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

      Ka`u Coffee Festival 2014 will cover ten days, spanning from May 2 through 11. It starts with the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant on Friday, May 2 at Ka`u Coffee Mill; Simply Elegant, the third annual Ka`u Farmers Table at the Inn at Kalaekilohana on Saturday, May 3; the Triple C Recipe Contest using Ka`u Coffee at Ka`u Coffee Mill on Sunday, May 4; Ka`u Mountain Hike on Wednesday, May 7 starting at Ka`u Coffee Mill; Coffee & Cattle Day at Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm on Friday, May 9; Stargazing, leaving from Ka`u Coffee Mill on Friday, May 9; the ho`olaulea with free entertainment, coffee tasting, the Coffee Experience and mill and farm tours at Pahala Community Center on Saturday, May 10 and Ka`u Coffee College and farm tours on Sunday, May 11.
      For more, see kaucoffeefest.com.
      To comment on this story, go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Amy Gordon, of Waialua, took first
in the female division of the half
marathon at last year's Volcano
Rain Forest Runs. Photo from
Volcano Art Center

VOLCANO RAIN FOREST RUNS’ HALF MARATHON will be the third event in the new Hawai`i Triple Crown Half Marathon series beginning next year.
      Kona Marathon announced today that they have partnered with the Big Island International Marathon and the Volcano Rain Forest Runs to create the Hawai`i Triple Crown Half Marathon series.
      Starting in 2014, participants who complete the half marathon at each event will achieve Triple Crown status. “Our goal is to provide our runners with the opportunity for a new challenge and for them to have fun doing it at the same time. It is a great way to see the island as an athlete as well as to stay fit and healthy,” said event operations director, David Ranck.
      Each participant who completes the series receives a Triple Crown medal, certificate and other prizes to be announced. The award ceremony will take place after they complete the Volcano Rain Forest Run. “We will celebrate their achievements in grand style,” said Sharron Faff, director of both the Kona Marathon and Rain Forest Run.
      The 2014 dates for each half marathon events are as follows: Big Island International Half Marathon March 16, Kona Half Marathon June 22 and Volcano Half Marathon August 16. The three half marathon events are scheduled for any trained athlete to run or walk each event. Additional information and registration is available at konamarathon.com.
      Registration for this year’s Volcano Rain Forest Runs on Saturday, Aug. 17, is available at rainforestruns.com.
      To comment on this story, go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Council Chambers in Hilo. Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing from Ocean View Community Center.
      Agenda is available at hawaiicounty.gov.

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.

PUBLIC NOTICES

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Aug. 5, 2013

Sen. Mazie Hirono has added Kahuku Coastal Property, which includes Road to the Sea, to Ka`u Coast areas to be
studied for possible inclusion in the National Park system. Photo courtesy of Megan Lamson

PRESERVING THE KA`U COAST is getting more attention at the federal level. Sen. Mazie Hirono is introducing the Ka`u Coast Preservation Act of 2013, directing the National Park Service to assess the feasibility of designating certain coastal lands on the Ka`u Coast as units of the National Park System. 

      Hirono’s bill follows last week’s Senate hearing of the Pacific Islands Parks Act, introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz, which also calls for completion of feasibility studies for the Ka`u Coast as well as two other sites in Hawai`i.

Parcels identified as Sands of South Kona and Nani Kahuka `Aina are on
Hirono's list of areas to study for preservation.

      The National Park Service conducted a reconnaissance survey in 2006 that made a preliminary assessment of whether the Ka`u Coast would meet the National Park Service’s demanding criteria as a resource of national significance. The reconnaissance survey found that “based upon the significance of the resources in the study area and the current integrity and intact condition of these resources, a preliminary finding of national significance and suitability can be concluded.” The report goes on to recommend that Congress proceed with a full resource study of the area.
      Hirono said in a statement:       “Since the time of the initial reconnaissance report and my introduction of this Act in previous Congresses, two additional properties in Ka`u that deserve evaluation have come to my attention: the Kahuku Coastal Property (also known as Sands of South Kona and Road to the Sea) and the Nani Kahuku `Aina property adjacent to Pohue Bay. I have added these areas to the study area for the full resource study.

Hirono described the Ka`u Coast as "still
largely unspoiled."

      Hirono described the Ka`u Coast as “still largely unspoiled. The study area contains significant natural, geological, and archaeological features. The northern part of the study area is adjacent to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and contains a number of noteworthy geological features, including an ancient lava tube known as the Great Crack, which the National Park Service has expressed interest in acquiring in the past.
      “The study area includes both black and green sand beaches as well as a significant number of endangered and threatened species, most notably the endangered hawksbill turtle (at least half of the Hawaiian population of this rare sea turtle nests within the study area), the threatened green sea turtle, the highly endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the endangered Hawaiian hawk, the endangered Hawaiian bat, native bees, the endangered and very rare Hawaiian orange-black damselfly (the largest population in the state), and a number of native birds. Humpback whales and spinner dolphins also frequent the area. The Ka`u Coast also boasts some of the best remaining examples of native coastal vegetation in Hawai`i.
      “The archaeological resources related to ancient Hawaiian settlements within the study area are also very impressive. These include dwelling complexes, heiau (religious shrines), walls, fishing and canoe houses or sheds, burial sites, petroglyphs, water and salt collection sites, caves, and trails. The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail runs through the study area.

      “The Ka`u Coast is a truly remarkable area: its combination of natural, archaeological, cultural and recreational resources, as well as its spectacular viewscapes, are an important part of Hawai`i’s and our nation’s natural and cultural heritage.

Hirono included the threatened green sea turtle as a resource making the
Ka`u Coast "a truly remarkable area."

      “As this process evolves, the successful preservation of this pristine land will depend on the federal government working closely with local stakeholders, seeking their input and collaborating with them to address concerns as they arise. I encourage the National Park Service to continue working with all involved to ensure this coastline is preserved for decades to come.
      “I believe a full feasibility study, which was recommended in the reconnaissance survey, will confirm that the area meets the National Park Service’s high standards as an area of national significance,” Hirono concluded.
      To comment on this story, go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar.
HAWAIIAN RANCHOS ROAD MAINTENANCE CORP. is appealing a decision granting a permit for Ocean View Swap Meet to change locations and increase its size, according to a story in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald.
      The story stated that Ocean View Partners, LLC filed for a new special permit in March for the swap meet, and that, because former Planning director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd did not act on the application within 30 days, it was automatically approved.
     According to the story, Ranchos residents are concerned about the “chaotic parking problems created by the event.” Ranchos resident Galen Lutz told reporter Erin Miller that when the swap meet moved to a vacant lot fronting Prince Kuhio Boulevard, attendees began parking on the road’s wide, paved shoulders. “That’s tearing up the shoulders and creating a safety hazard,” he said. “Since they park all along the roadway, you can hardly see to get through there. There are children darting out between the cars. We’re concerned it’s not if (someone will get hurt), it’s when.”
      The county Board of Appeals will hear the appeal Friday at 10 a.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center.
      See more at hawaiitribune-herald.com.
      To comment on this story, go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar.

A KA`U HIGH FOOTBALL MEETING will be held tonight at the band room on the campus at 6 p.m. to explain to parents and other community members the cancellation of the 2013 season. Parents who plan to attend the meeting said they have such questions as, “Why didn’t the school wait until school started when more students are back from vacation and working, giving an opportunity to recruit more players?” According to team mom Rachel Velez, 18 students came daily to practice for about three months, and coaches were driving the players two and from places like Ocean View so they could practice. Last Friday, she said, there were 28 students on the field, and three more were away at funerals, “so we did have enough players.” She said that 18 of the prospective players were inexperienced but prepared to learn. One student had played at Honoka`a and just transferred to Ka`u and “now no more football.”
      To comment on this story, go to https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar.

AIKIDO IS A FREE CLASS open to the public this evening at Pahala Community Center at 7 p.m. Teacher Alan Moores describes Aikido as learning to defend oneself without hurting others.
      Classes also take place Wednesday. Contact Moores at 928-0919 or at artbyalan2011@gmail.com.

Ocean View Community Center provides videoconferencing for Hawai`i
County government meetings tomorrow and Wednesday.

KA`U RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE in this week’s Hawai`i County government meetings via videoconferencing from Ocean View Community Center. Committees meet tomorrow, with Finance Committee beginning at 9 a.m., Planning at 10:30 a.m. and Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee at 1:30 p.m. 

      The full Council meets Wednesday at 9 a.m.
      All meetings take place at Council Chambers in Hilo.
      Agendas for all meetings are available at hawaiicounty.gov.

A Walk into the Past features Ka`u resident
Dick Hershberger portraying Thomas Jaggar.
Photo from KDEN

KA`U RESIDENT DICK HERSHBERGER brings Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas Jaggar to life during A Walk into the Past tomorrow and every other Tuesday at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. The programs take place at Kilauea Visitor Center and Whitney Vault in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S NI`AULANI CAMPUS in Volcano Village holds Tea for Tuesdays tomorrow and every Tuesday at 2 p.m. JoAnn Aguirre, tea educator and member of Hawai`i Tea Society, offers an hour of tea talk, a scone and a cuppa. The free program is part of VAC’s 2013 Volcano Tea Series. Donations are accepted. Call 967-8222 or see teachingtea.com. 

EVA LEE, OF TEA HAWAI`I & CO., offers a tea cultivation and production program Sunday, Aug. 18 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. The program is for prospective tea growers on Hawai`i Island interested in growing the specialty crop Camellia sinensis tea, producing white, green, oolong and black tea. The purpose is too help individuals and small family farms make greater strides in community production. The program is sponsored by The Kohala Center and funded in part by the U.S.Department of Agriculture Co-op Support program. To sign up, call Julia Neal at 928-9811. See more on Eva Lee at www.teahawaii.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.

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