Ka`u News Briefs Monday, October 7, 2013

Old water systems are being upgraded and repaired with funding coming from state, federal and private sources such Olson Trust,
which constructed this ag water distribution system above Wood Valley Road.
Photo by Andrew Richard Hara

AVOIDING CONFLICT OVER OLD PLANTATION WATER SOURCES that are being tapped in Ka`u for diversified agriculture is the aim of a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Ka`u Agricultural Water Cooperative District is one of five groups statewide that will receive training from the $152,000 grant recipient, the Kohala Center.
       This morning’s West Hawai`i Today quotes Kohala Center’s Rural Cooperative Development Specialist Melanie Bondera, saying “Generally speaking, and not specific to Ka`u, water causes fights.” She told writer Erin Miller that strong conflict avoidance and resolution measures in place will help “prevent lawsuits and vandalism and promotes cooperation.”
      Millions of dollars in state and federal funding have been allocated to help repair old water tunnels that were used in the Ka`u sugar industry, and to build a distribution system. The water sources, many of them tunnels more than a century old, are located from Ha`ao Springs in Wai`ohinu, to the hillsides above Na`alehu to Makanao, Moa`ula, Keaiwa, Wood Valley and Kapapala Ranch. Most of the lands are currently used by ranchers, vegetable, tea and coffee farmers. Private money, including Olson Trust funding, has also been used to help restore portions of the old sugar cane water system.

Pipes replace open wooden flumes through the rainforest, heading toward farms.

Photo by Andrew Richard Hara

    Organizations of land owners and users have been formed around the various water sources, with representatives meeting as the Ka'u Agricultural Water Cooperative District each month.
    The other groups to receive training from Kohala Center on this island are Palili O Kohala Cooperative of taro growers in Hawi who plan to own a poi processing plant; Cho Global Natural Farming Cooperative in Hilo, which promotes producing inputs needed for farming on the land where the crops are grown, based on the practices of Korean Natural Farming. The others are Makakuoha farmers on Moloka’i Hawaiian Homelands who plan organic composting and farming, and Maui Aquaponics Cooperative, a group of disabled persons developing a farming business to give themselves employment.
To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

A JOB UP MAUKA has been posted by the University of Hawai`I for a project at the 8,200 elevation on Mauna Loa. Researchers seek crewmembers for a new series of studies that duplicate some aspects of living in outer space. The studies aim to come up with strategies for the composition of crews for space missions and to determine how to best support crews working in space.
      Applicants must be between 21 and 65 years of age. They must be tobacco-free, able to pass a Class 2 flight physical examination, and able to understand, speak and write fluently in English. They must meet basic requirements of the NASA astronaut program, including an undergraduate degree in a science or engineering discipline, three years of experience or graduate study. They will also be evaluated for experience considered valuable in the program, such as experience in complex operational environments.
     The Mauna Loa based studies “are essential for NASA to understand how teams of astronauts will perform on long-duration space exploration missions, such as those that will be required for human travel to Mars,” says a statement from members of the research team. Crew member participants will be hired to live in the same modern geodesic dome habitat that supported a NASA-funded Mars food study earlier this year.

Jobs are available on Mauna Loa, to help emulate conditions on Mars.
Photo from NASA

      Tentative dates for future Mauna Loa based missions are for four months, Februay 2014 – June 2014; for eight months, August 2014 – April 2015 ; and for twelve months, June 2015 – May 2016.
      The new studies aim to: Test a hypothesis that group cohesion over the short term predicts team performance over the long term;
observe how technical, social and task roles evolve over long-duration missions; and establish baselines for a wide range of human cognitive, social and emotional factors over missions of varying durations.
      Researchers from outside of the space analog habitat will monitor each mission to evaluate the communications strategies, crew work load and job sharing, and conflict resolution/conflict management approaches that contribute to the success of a long-duration mission.
      “Like the astronaut mission specialists they will represent, each participant will be expected to bring a significant research project or other scholarly work of his or her own to complete while inside the space analog habitat – for instance, biological or geological field research, engineering design and technology evaluation, scholarly writing, or artistic endeavors compatible with the limitations of small living quarters in an isolated location with limited internet bandwidth.
      “Subjects will be compensated for their participation and for associated travel and housing costs. Successful applicants will be placed into a pool from which researchers will assemble three well-balanced teams for the various study periods,” the statement says.
     The deadline to apply is Nov. 1. See www.hi-seas.org. To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

PERSONAL HEALTH COACHING led to double-digit improvements, according to a study recently supported by Hawai`i Island Beacon Community . The care coordination pilot program was conducted by Hawai`i Island Care Coordination Services, a joint venture between Ho`okele Health Innovations and West Hawai`i Home Health Services.

See Beacon Community's family booklet at
http://www.hibeacon.org/images/uploads/HealthIT_Brochure_3.pdf

      Seventy-eight high-cost, high-risk patients across Hawai`i Island enrolled in the program by invitation and received, at no charge, the help of a care coordinator Registered Nurse and a Health Coach for one year. Forty-two patients also received, at no charge, Ho`okele’s iHealthHome in-home health monitoring technology for one year. All patients had complex care needs due to chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and were high users of emergency departments and inpatient care.
      The R.N. worked with each patient to create a service plan to improve health, helped patients access specialists, and helped keep track of prescriptions and appointments. The Health Coach provided support to make lifestyle changes.
      The iHealthHome technology enabled patients to take biometric readings at home such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight; submit the data electronically to the R.N.; track their own progress; log food intake, exercise, and activities; and communicate with the R.N. via video calls.
      Data during the pilot’s 12-month timeframe, showed: 36 percent improvement in HbA1c blood sugar; 37 percent improvement in triglycerides; 29 percent reduction in inpatient hospital admissions; and 25 percent reduction in emergency room visits.
      “These results show that care coordination is highly effective, even in a short amount of time,” said Susan B. Hunt, M.H.A., project director and CEO for HIBC. “This new model of care for patients with chronic disease is being tested across the nation.”
      “The early successes we’ve achieved on Hawaii Island, through this pilot and the others we conducted, indicate the tremendous potential to improve care, improve health and, ultimately, lower costs by combining technology with increased patient education and support,” Hunt said.  To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. is the place to go in Ka`u for information on the new Hawai`i Health Connector, which assists individuals, families and businesses in signing up for health insurance. Everyone in the U.S. is required to have health insurance by Jan. 1, whether from the workplace or signing up themselves. KRHCAI has received a grant to help Ka`u residents sign up as required by the federal Affordable Health Care Act. The Hawai`i Health Connector lists the address as 96-3126 Puahala Street in Pahala, known as the Ka`u Resource Distance Learning Center. The phone number there is 928-0101 and email is krhcai@yahoo.com. Also see www.hawaiihealthconnecor.com and Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc.’s website at www.krhcai.com.
      KRHCAI will be at Ka`u Plantation Days this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pahala Plantation Manager's House to help sign up people for for health insurance.  To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Plantation Days this Saturday includes an old sugar truck and the sounds of the
 mill horn. Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U PLANTATION DAYS’ last organizational meeting before this Saturday’s 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. event, is this evening at 6:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center.
     This Saturday, Oct. 12, Plantation Days parade with horses, riders and classic vehicles starts at 9 a.m. on Maile and Hu`apala Streets. It is followed by the celebration sponsored by the Ka`u Multicultural Society at Pahala Plantation Manager's House. The day includes displays of Ka`u’s ranching and farming history. There will be a Puerto Rican booth, along with Chinese, Hawaiian, and Japanese cultural presentations. Food includes poke and poi, sushi, misubi and snacks and shave ice from community groups raising money. Aikane Plantation and Ka`u Coffee Mill will both sell local coffee.
    Entertainment includes the Puerto Rican band El Leo, featuring Ka`u state Senator Russell Ruderman. Also entertaining will be Hands of Time. Ulu Makane – Miss Hawaiian Islands - will dance hula with her sister Alia – in preparation for Ulu’s voyage the Solomon Islands to compete in Miss South Pacific. Demetrius Oliveira will entertain, as will Keoki Kahumoku and his `ukulele youth band.
     Also on display will be the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce cover contest winner for The Directory 2014. Susan Jennings will show her Honu `O Ka`u etched gourd along with many of her other ipu art, using traditional Ni`ihau techniques.
     For more information call Ka`u Multicultural Society President Darlyne Vierra at 640-8740.
To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

IN KA`U HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, Ka`u girls volleyball will host Kea`au this Wednesday at home. This Saturday Ka`u Cross Country goes to Kea`u, Air Riflery BIIF finals are at Konawanea gym and bowling BIIF team finals are at Hilo Lanes.

                  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 Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013

Ka`u Trojans traveled to Kalaupapa Lookout on Moloka`i yesterday morning before their game against Moloka`i
Farmers. ka`u High played its first regular season off-island game in the new eight-man football schedule.
Photo by Tanya Ibarra

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY’S MONITORING capability “will degrade over time,” according to the latest weekly Volcano Watch. Because of reduced staff, only critical sensors will be maintained, and all other instrument network maintenance will cease. 

      Basic volcano monitoring will continue, as will forecasts and regular updates of volcanic activity.

HVO continues seismic monitoring during the federal
government shutdown. Image from HVO

      The HVO website (hvo.wr.usgs.gov) will remain functional, but only those pages containing information about current volcano hazards will be maintained.
      Because the majority of the HVO staff has been furloughed, the Sunday Volcano Watch column will be suspended, but weekly Kilauea updates and felt earthquake reports will continue.
      HVO said Hawai`i County Civil Defense Agency is now the point-of-contact for the Great Hawai`i Shakeout, which is coming up on Thursday, Oct. 17 to raise awareness of earthquake safety.
      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ is co-sponsoring the Storage Technology for Renewable and Green Energy Act of 2013 (STORAGE). This bipartisan bill promotes the deployment of energy storage technologies, which will accelerate the deployment of renewable energy.
      “The STORAGE 2013 Act is a smart piece of bipartisan legislation that would allow more renewable energy to be integrated onto the grid, increasing reliability while continuing to expand our clean energy economy,” Schatz said. “By promoting the development of energy storage technologies, we will be making strides toward easing our national dependence on foreign oil and creating good, clean energy jobs at home in Hawai`i,” he said.
      The STORAGE 2013 Act offers investment tax credits of up to 30 percent for energy storage facilities installed by utilities, businesses, and homes.
      The bill is designed to be technology-neutral, with qualifying equipment that includes batteries, flywheels, thermal systems and smart-grid-enabled, plug-in electric vehicles.

      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Brittleness of aging newspapers is evident in this
photo of a 1917 issue of O Luso. Photo from HHS

ANYONE FINDING PORTUGUESE AND OTHER ETHNIC newspapers and magazizines published in Hawai`i may want to contact the Hawaiian Historical Society, which has been scanning them so the public can see them digitally and even search them online. 

      Hawaiian Historical Society’s goals are to preserve and make the historical newspapers more accessible to the public, according to a story in Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “By digitizing the newspapers, the public will not need to handle the brittle pages, which causes further deterioration. And by putting them online, they will be available to more people around the globe,” said reporter Craig T. Kojima.
      Barbara Dunn, administrative director and librarian, said, “As the Hawaiian Historical Society, we really want to make all these materials available with free and open access.”
      The society’s current project, which focuses on historic Portuguese-language newspapers, is the first step toward digitizing all of the society’s holdings, which includes 64 newspapers published in English, Hawaiian and Portuguese.
      Historic papers and other ethnic memorabilia will be on display at Ka`u Plantation Days this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pahala Plantation Manager’s House.
      See more at staradvertiser.com.

      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Dr. Ishmael Stagner with Halau Hula Leionalani on Lana`i yesterday.
Stagner has a long hula lineage.

HALAU HULA LEIONALANI, FROM PAHALA, hopped the ferry this morning from Lana`i after sharing culture, dance and music with Lana`i over the last four days. On Lana`i, the halau met with Dr. Ishmael Stagner, author of the book Kumu Hula, Roots and Branches. Stagner was one of the only male hula dancers in the 1950s and organized one of the first male hula troupes at Polynesian Cultural Center. He spent years collecting the history and stories of kumu hula, from Frank Hewett to Pua Kamealoha Gomes and Hattie Lea Nuhi Au. They also teamed up with Cyril Pahinui and sister dancers from O`ahu, Japan and Lana`i. 

      On Lana`i, the Ka`u contingent enjoyed local recipes for deer meat and other local delicacies. Accompanying them was Wendell Kaehuaea, who filmed the event for public television, and Bobbie Tucker, who helped fund the cultural exchange along with Olson Trust, Science Camp and many individuals donating through a bake sale and other fundraisers.
      Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder said she hopes the Lana`i group will be invited to the next Ka`u Coffee Festival, where they have danced for the last three years.

      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U RANCHERS, FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS are invited to a public workshop in Hilo on Monday, Oct. 28 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pacific Basin Agriculture Research Center. According to a statement from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the purpose is to increase the USDA, NRCS outreach to historically underserved farmers and landowners in Hawai`i. This includes ensuring that underserved farmers and landowners have access to and understand the conservation benefits derived from participation in NRCS Conservation Easement, Stewardship, Environmental Quality Incentives and Agricultural Water Enhancement programs which are provided through the federal Farm Bill.
      The workshop will focus on, but not be limited to Asian, Pacific Island and female landowners and producers. “These are all groups that have traditionally lacked access to the assistance available to farmers and ranchers elsewhere due to their race, gender, ethnicity, or relative lack of language proficiency,” the statement says.
      To register, call Big Island RC&D Council at 935-8426 or email brcd@hawaii.rr.com. The location is scheduled for the USDA Pacific Basin Agriculture Research Center, 64 Nowelo Street, Hilo, starting in the morning, with site visits in the afternoon.

      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Honu O Ka`u is the winning art for the cover of The Directory 2014. The carved gourd,
created by Susan Condie Jennings, of Ocean View, will be on display this Saturday at
Ka`u Plantation Days in Pahala. Photo by Peter Anderson

THE IPU, THE ART OF THE GOURD rose to take first prize in The Directory cover contest, sponsored annually by Ka`u Chamber of Commerce. Announced yesterday, the winning artwork, called Honu O Ka`u, by Susan Condie Jennings, of Ocean View, took first in both the popular and judges’ voting. 

      Jennings applied her art to the 18-inch-tall gourd by dying it inside out with Ka`u Coffee. She used the Ni`ihau method of gourd artistry, harvesting the gourd while the skin was still green. She drew a design into the skin and carved out the area to remain light colored. To provide the dark color of the design, she filled the gourd with black Ka`u coffee which dyed the skin left on the gourd. After several weeks, she poured out the coffee and scraped off the remaining skin, leaving the dark pattern. She dried the gourd and finished it with a tung oil, made from a relative of the Hawaiian kukui nut. Every other Wednesday, Jennings sells her ipu at the Ho`oulu Farmers Market and Artisans Fair at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa, which supports Kumu Keala Ching’s halau. The winning gourd will be on display and for sale at Ka`u Plantation Days this Saturday, Oct. 12 at Pahala Plantation Manager’s House following the pa`u parade. To make an appointment, call her at 929-7255 or email finartgourds@yahoo.com.

      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK STARTS TODAY. This year’s message is Prevent Kitchen Fires. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, more fires start in the kitchen than any other part of the home. To learn how to prevent kitchen fires, take a trivia quiz at nfpa.org.   

HI TEA EXHIBIT OPENS FRIDAY at Volcano Art Center’s Rainforest Gallery in Volcano Village. The juried art exhibit celebrates Hawai`i’s unique tea industry in collaboration with Tea Hawai`i & Company’s first annual Community Cup Tour. Call 967-8222 or email volcanoartcenter.org.

KA`U PLANTATION DAYS IS THIS SATURDAY. Sponsored by Ka`u Multicultural Society, the event begins with a parade at 9 a.m. with pa`u horses and riders, cane trucks, classic vehicles, students and musical, cultural and agricultural groups. Following the parade are history and ethnic displays, music, dance, food and Ka`u coffee as well as Miss Hawaiian Islands at Pahala Plantation Manager’s House until 3 p.m.

Trojan coach Kainoa Ke watches his eight-man football team take on the Farmers of Moloka`i yesterday on the
Friendly Island. Photo by Tanya Ibarra

KA`U HIGH TROJANS EIGHT-MAN FOOTBALL team and Coach Kainoa Ke return home today with football staff and family and friends. They traveled by boat and plane to take on the Moloka`i Farmers yesterday on the Friendly Island. With much community fundraising and moral support, the Trojans were able to play their first off-island game in the new eight-man format. Moloka`i has been playing eight-man in a league in Maui County and overcame the Trojans 46-6 on the Farmers’ home turf. Randall Kahele, Jr. scored a touchdown on a defensive take-away, 49-yard run.

Trojans huddle on Moloka`i yesterday, where they playesd the Farmers in
their first Neighbor Island eight-man football game.
Photo by Tanya Ibarra

     The experience of traveling to play football took the Trojans across a channel from Maui to Kaunakakai on Moloka`i by ferry. They camped out in the Moloka`i High School gym and were able to tour parts of the island, including a trip to Kalaupapa Lookout. The Trojans looked out to the tallest sea cliffs in the world, some 4,000 feet high. They also looked over the tongue of land where Father Damien, now a s                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  aint, ministered to Hansen’s disease patients, who were required to live there.
      Ka`u hosts Moloka`i for the Trojan’s homecoming game on Friday, Nov. 8. Next game is Friday, Oct. 25, away at Kealakehe.

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.

 SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013

Ka`u women take off their slippers and dance with their hula sisters from Japan and O`ahu at Dole Park on Lana`i
yesterday in preparation for today's performances. Photo by Malian Lahey

SIGN A PETITION TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT is what U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono is urging. “We’ve already endured five days of the federal government shutdown, and out-of-control Republican leaders are still siding with tea party extremists, refusing to do their jobs and drop their irrational threats against the Affordable Care Act,” Ka`u’s senator said in statement to the public this morning. 

     “Well, Speaker John Boehner could end the shutdown, right now, if he did one simple thing: Bring the Senate-passed budget bill, with no partisan strings attached, up for a vote in the House, where it would pass with a bipartisan majority,” Hirono stated.

Sen. Mazie Hirono

      Hirono said she has hui’d up with Senate Democrats “to urge Speaker Boehner to do the right thing and end this devastating shutdown” by circulating a petition at endtheshutdown.org. Hirono said she would begin sharing powerful stories on the Senate floor about the damage done by the shutdown.
      Hirono wrote about “Scott and his wife, whose ability to retire soon (and take care of his deteriorating health) depends on the tourism industry near the now-shuttered Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.” She writes about a woman named Steffany who has a husband, a federal worker whose job is to guard the public against food-borne illnesses and contamination. “As an essential employee, her husband still has to report to work, but is doing so without pay. Without a source of income, Steffany is struggling to pay bills, buy food and support her children – one of whom has special needs.” Hirono writes about “Josh, a Department of Defense worker who is the sole source of support for his two young daughters – and who now has no way to pay his bills or get health insurance.
      “Milton, a biologist whose work is funded by the National Institutes of Health, had to abruptly halt his research and can’t even access his computer to review existing experiments,” writes Hirono.
      Other senators urging constituents to sign the petition are Brian Schatz, Barbara Boxer, Dick Durbin, Tom Harkin, Mary Landrieu, Patrick Leahy, Claire McCaskill, Patty Murray, Jack Reed and Mark Udall.
      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Sen. Brian Schatz

HAWAI`I’S U.S. SENATORS’ AND REPRESENTATIVES’ OFFICES are closed to the public, even though the elected officials are voting and lobbying to reopen the federal government. A recording on the Washington, D.C. phone of Sen. Brian Schatz at the Hart Senate Office Building says: “We are all very disappointed that a shutdown of the federal government has occurred. Please know that Sen. Schatz is still doing all he can to represent our interests and to reopen the government as quickly as possible. Regretfully, our office has being told by legal counsel that during the shutdown we are unable to continue many of our usual functions, including all constituent service work. Both our Honolulu and D.C. offices cannot answer the phones, and much of our staff has been furloughed.” 

      The message at the top of Sen. Mazie Hirono’s government website says: “My office is currently closed due to the government shutdown. Correspondence with my office may be delayed once the office resumes normal business operations. Casework and tours will be suspended until operations resume. You can still use this site to make a request, and you will receive a reply once operations return. Mahalo.” Her phone at the Hart Senate Office Building also says her office is closed.

      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

PAYING FURLOUGHED FEDERAL WORKERS, a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, passed the U.S. House of Representatives today with a 407 to zero vote. The Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act (H.R. 3223) ensures federal employees will receive back pay, regardless of furlough status. The legislation now goes to the Senate for a vote. The Obama Administration yesterday announced its support for the bill. 

    “The House today voted to do the right thing and pay our furloughed federal workers,” Gabbard said. “These public servants have been unfairly caught in the midst of these partisan arguments. They and their families do not deserve to lose their paychecks because Congress is at an impasse. In Hawai`i, more than 17 percent of our workers are federal employees. That means more than 25,000 hard-working people have been furloughed during this government shutdown. Because the House passed the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act today, these workers and their families can look forward to some relief in the midst of this harmful shutdown.
      Democratic leaders urged the House to pass a clean continuing resolution to fund the federal govenrnment so that workers could go back to work and be paid for working rather than staying at home.

      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Demitrius Oliviera and Gene Beck back up Cyril Pahinui
 at Lana`i's cultural festival. Photo by Malian Lahey

DANCING AT DOLE PARK ON LANA`I, hula sisters from Ka`u, Japan and O`ahu practiced yesterday to prepare for today’s cultural festival. With community fundraising, this is the first time the Pahala contingent from Halau Hula O Leionalani has traveled to Lana`i. Debbie Ryder and her halau have been coming to Ka`u Coffee Festival each year. Joining the halau were men from Ka`u who helped build a Hawaiian Village at the park, along with musicians Demetrius Oliveira and Gene Beck with their Keaiwa band and backing up Cyril Pahinui, who also plays each year at Ka`u Coffee Festival. Most of the group from Ka`u reached Lana`i by boat.

      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

SIG ZANE, THE FAMED HAWAI`I ISLAND designer, has teamed up with Hawaiian Electric Co. to introduce a Native Hawaiian-themed logo for the utility company serving this county, Maui and O`ahu.

      A statement from HECO says that “the new logo was developed by respected designer Sig Zane of Hilo and combines traditional Hawaiian design elements with a modern look. Zane worked on the design with his wife, cultural expert Nalani Kanakaole, and their son Kuhao. They drew upon Hawaiian Electric’s 122-year history for their inspiration.”
      The statement quotes Sig Zane saying, “From the very beginning, when King Kalakaua pioneered electricity at Iolani Palace and chartered Hawaiian Electric, the company has played a key role in Hawai`i’s growth. We wanted to create a design that captures that history and reflects the way the company connects our communities.”
      More information and a video on the development of the logo can be found at hawaiianelectric.com.

Lori Lei Shirakawa and her halau performed at Prince Kuhio Plaza
in Hilo last week.

OCTOBER IS ENERGY ACTION & ENERGY AWARENESS MONTH, and Ka`u residents helped kick it off by performing at Prince Kuhio Plaza Energy Fair in Hilo last week. Lori Lei Shirakawa’s halau danced hula and offered music as those attending visited many displays on energy efficiency and new forms of alternative energy, sponsored by Hawai`i Electric Light Co. for Energy Awareness Month. This year’s federal outreach for Energy Action Month calls for empowering leadership, innovation and excellence “to move beyond business as usual and raise the bar for operational excellence and a secure energy future.” 

      See a home energy checklist at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/services/energy_aware_hec.html.

ART FOR THE COVER OF THE DIRECTORY 2014, the annual publication of the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce, is announced today. A reception with light refreshments takes place until 11 a.m. at CU Hawai`i credit union in Na`alehu to announce winners of the art show that has been on display all week.
      Memberships and advertising are also being taken by the Chamber for The Directory 2014, which raises money for scholarships for Ka`u college students. Call 928-6471.

Ka`u Trojans practiced at Lahinaluna Field on Moloka`i
yesterday for today's game against the Farmers.
Photo from Ka`u Athletics

KA`U PLANTATION DAYS IS A WEEK FROM TODAY. The event begins with a parade at 9 a.m. with pa`u horses and riders, cane trucks, classic vehicles, students and musical, cultural and agricultural groups. Following the parade are history and ethnic displays, music, dance, food and Ka`u coffee as well as Miss Hawaiian Islands at Pahala Plantation Manager’s House until 3 p.m. Sponsored by Ka`u Multicultural Society. 

IN SPORTS, KA`U HIGH SCHOOL’S eight-man Trojan football team plays the Moloka`i Farmers today at 11 a.m. Air riflery is at Waiakea at 10 a.m., girls volleyball is at Honoka`a at 10 a.m., and cross country is at Kamehameha at 3 p.m.

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.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES