Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Nov. 1, 2013

Sen. Brian Schatz helped launch the Washington, D.C. chapter of After-School All-Stars, a sister program to one in Ka`u which works in association with the local UPLINK program. In May, local All-Stars participated in
Special Olympics at UH-Manoa. Photo by Thu-Tam Doan

PUBLIC TESTIMONY CONTINUES TO BE HEARD TODAY on the Marriage Equality Act of 2013. The state House of Representatives is in its second day of a public hearing where some 5,000 people signed up to speak before the Judicial & Finance Committees.

      West Ka`u’s state Rep. Denny Coffman is on the Judiciary Committee, and East Ka`u’s Rep. Richard Onishi is on the Finance Committee. Both are on record as planning to vote in favor of the bill.

Rep. Richard Onishi

Rep. Denny Coffman

    Other elected officials representing Ka`u who are listed as supporting the bill are U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and East Ka`u’s state Sen. Russell Ruderman.

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

U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANT role after-school programs play in Hawai`i at the launch of the Washington, D.C. After-School All-Stars chapter, a sister chapter of Hawai`i’s and Ka`u’s After-School All-Stars programs.
      “I have seen first-hand the difference after-school programs make for our children and their families,” Schatz said. “After-school programs help kids do better in class and give them a place to go. After-School All-Stars and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers have helped thousands of children in Hawai`i, and I’ll keep fighting to protect these programs for our kids. That’s why I was glad to ... help launch the D.C. chapter of After-School All-Stars.”
      Schatz is a co-sponsor of the After School for America’s Children Act, which would extend and improve the 21st Century Community Learning Centers after-school program.

      Currently, more than 5,600 children in Hawai`i participate in after-school activities through 21st Century Learning Centers, more than 1,500 of which participate in the After-School All-Stars programs.
      The benefits of after-school programs are tangible, according to a statement from Schatz. Students in after-school programs not only do better in school but are 30 percent less likely to engage in criminal activity, 49 percent less likely to use drugs and 37 percent less likely to become teen parents.
      For more information on the UPLINK All-Stars after-school program, contact Ka`u’s After-School All-Stars site coordinator Thu-Tam Doan at 557-7414 or UPLINK program coordinator Liza Saplan at 333-4903 or 928-2006.

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

THE FOLLOWING KA`U HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND JUNIORS have earned a place on the first quarter honor roll:
Grade 12
      Summa Cum laude (3.75-4.0): Kamrie Koi, Romina Ellaine Sembran, Toni Beck, Chazlyn Fuerte-Castaneda, Kyra Malepe, Cassidy Neece, Siena Okimoto, Deven Smithmyer, Lehre Vidal, Jennifer Tabios, Alexis Alejo, Jena Haalilio and Franklin Orcino.
      Magna Cum laude (3.5-3.74): Shaenese Tailon, Randall Watson, Andrew Garcia, William Mitchell III and Micah Supnad.
      Cum laude (3.0-3.49): Marileah Lalin, Kamalani Fujikawa, Jernest Breithaupt-Louis, Denisha Navarro, Bon Jhudiel Supnad, Carlos Uribe-Bounos, Joshua Zenn Cardenas and Cameron Enriques.
Grade 11
      Summa Cum laude: Anjanette Jara and Kehaulani Ke.
      Magna Cum laude: Lanni Ah Yee, Brian Gascon, Jeazelle Sebastian, Tia Rose Goldsmith, David Pillette, Rayncin Salmo-Grace and John Ancheta.

      Cum laude: Jessica Baruelo, Mike Tamayo, Makela Moses, Steeli Bartley, Glaiza Biason, Rodalynn Kuahiwinui, Kupono Palakiko Leffew, David Phillips, Bridget Pasion, Whitney Spencer-Johansen, Larry-Dan Al-Navarro, Kerrilynn Domondon, Tyren Fukunaga-Camba, Kaweni Ibarra and Joseph Oyama.
      More honor roll recipients from other grades will be announced in future Ka`u News Briefs.

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

KA`U LIONS POP WARNER FOOTBALL drew community support for its second season in recent years, which wrapped up in October. Home field for the three teams, Mitey Mites (ages 7-9), Peewees (ages 9-12) and Midgets (ages 12-15), was Pahala.

      Glen Hashimoto, Jr. leads the organization as president. Barry Buyuan is vice president. Emely Salmo is treasurer, and Nona Makuakane is secretary. Head coach for Mitey Mites is Glen Hashimoto, Jr., assisted by Eugene Keohuloa, Jr. and Paul Makuakane. Head coach for the Peewees is Sonny Breithaupt, assisted by Barry Buyuan and Jonathan Roddy. Head coach for the Midgets is Daniel Bivings, assisted by Aaron Kalau, Ronnie B., Steven Nogales and Bill Burke.

      Also essential to the seasons success are field commissioner Kai Manini, concession coordinator Nani Fernandez, team medic Janie Gonsalves, parent coordinator Sasha Kaupu, scholastic coordinator Helena Carvalho, equipment manager Ronnie B., coaches coordinator Daniel Bivings and banquet coordinator Shellen Hashimoto.

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

EFFECTIVE TODAY, KA`U PROPERTY OWNERS and tenants are able to negotiate their contracts to allow a household pet to reside on the premises. The intent of the provision is to allow more Hawai`i residents to adopt companion animals and bring them into their homes and also decrease the number of pets surrendered to shelters in the future due to housing issues. 

      Prior to the enactment of this legislation, property owners could not collect a pet deposit, and some landlords and building managers were reluctant to rent to tenants with pets because they were unable to add an additional deposit for any pet-related damage.
      The new provision allows property managers and tenants to negotiate a deposit, not to exceed one month’s rent, to allow a pet to reside in the rental unit.
      Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed Senate Bill 328, sponsored by Sen. Clayton Hee, on July 26, which allowed a six-month period for rental contracts to be amended to allow for a pet.
      Inga Gibson, Hawai`i state director for The Humane Society of the United States, said, “We hope this new law will create access to more pet-friendly housing to keep pets and people together and to reduce the number of pets surrendered to shelters or abandoned due to housing issues. Furthermore, property managers and tenants can now agree on a single deposit, rather than charging more each month in rent to have a pet as some property managers have been doing instead.”
      Dale Bordner, president of Hawai`i Association of Realtors representing more than 8,000 realtors in real estate sales and property management, said, “This bill will allow for more pet-friendly opportunities, as Hawai`i property owners may be more inclined to allow renters to have pets.”
      According to The Hawai`i Humane Society, more than 60 percent of Hawai`i households have a pet, and housing issues, including lack of access to affordable pet-friendly rentals, are one of the leading reasons people surrender their pets to local shelters.

      Certified assistance animals providing a reasonable accommodation to a tenant are exempt from the deposit requirement per the federal Fair Housing and Americans with Disabilities Act.
      See humanesociety.org.

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

A FREE SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC FOR DOGS takes place this Tuesday, Nov. 5 at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church on Paradise Circle in Ocean View.
      The clinic is sponsored by Kohala Animal Relocation and Education Service. To make an appointment, contact KARES at 328-8455 or pets@kohalaanimal.org.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK holds a volunteer project at the Kahuku unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park two weeks from today on Friday, Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “This is a great opportunity for Ka`u residents to visit the park and learn about the park’s forest restoration work at Kahuku,” said coordinator Patty Kupchak. “This will be a fun day outdoors enjoying a beautiful area before the busy holiday season.”
      Advance registration is required. Contact FHVNP at 985-7373 or forest@fhvnp.org.

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, Thursday, October 31, 2013

Loulu, the native Hawaiian Palm Prichardia lanigera, which grows in the Ka`u Forest Reserve and The Nature Conservancy Preserve, was named this week to the federal Endangered Species list. Photo from University of California Davis

KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNERS are looking for feedback on the latest drafts of their documents. Analysis, background, charts and maps are available for public review online and at area libraries and community centers. Deadline for feedback is Monday, Dec 16. The Ka`u Community Development Plan Steering Committee will discuss the documents at its Tuesday, Nov. 12 meeting at Pāhala Community Center at 5:30 p.m.
      Documents include a Local Development Analysis, with a Hawaiian subtitle "I ka moana no ka i`a, liuliu `ia na pono lawai`i," which means, "While the fish are in the sea, get your gear ready." The saying comes from `Olelo No`eau.
       The Local Economic Development Analysis “summarizes the background information that informs the consideration of alternative strategies for building a resilient local economy in Ka`u,” says county long-range planner Ron Whitmore, who is in charge of crafting the Ka`u plan. “It introduces the unique nature of Ka`u’s economy, identifies opportunities in various sectors (agriculture, renewable energy, ecosystem services, the health care industry, the education field, the visitor industry, retail, and construction), introduces related plans, and details strategies for advancing community-based economic development.”
     Whitmore cautions that the Development Analysis “does not specify the strategies that will make-up the heart of the CDP. Instead, it sets the context for identifying CDP policies and plans of action that best achieve community objectives.” He also suggests reading through the introductory section and then using the tables of contents, figures, and tables to find material of greatest interest. The first section is Understanding Ka‘u’s Local Economy and introduces the unique nature of Ka‘u’s economy and goals for economic development. "Greater economic opportunity is one of the community’s highest priorities, but community members have also been clear that economic development must not be at the expense of Ka‘u’s ecology, culture, rural lifestyle, or ethic of reciprocity – the sources of Ka‘u’s genuine wealth," it states.

      The second section, Economic Opportunity in Ka‘u: Trends, Assets, and Challenges by Sector, identifies opportunities for Ka‘u in several industries – agriculture, renewable energy, payment for ecosystem services, health and wellness, creative/education/research, visitor, retail, and construction.
     The third section, Planning for Economic Development, introduces options for integrating economic development into community planning. It explains government’s role in economic development, identifies related policies and actions in the County General Plan, and summarizes economic development strategies proposed in past plans for Ka‘u.
     The fourth section, Advancing Community-Based Economic Development, compares different  approaches to economic development and introduces “core strategies” for advancing the local, community-based economic development. Based on “best practices” from similar rural communities, those strategies focus on regional identity, industry clusters, anchor institutions, innovation, business and workforce capacity, democratization, investment, promotion, and network leadership. "As appropriate for each core strategy, this section highlights examples of how other communities have, applied that strategy, resources available to implement that strategy, and related tools that are specific to particular industries," the overview states.

      All draft CDP materials are available at the project web site, www.kaucdp.info and at:
·Pāhala Public Library (928-2015): on the Ka`u reference table Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday 12 noon to 3 p.m. and 3:30 to 7 p.m.; and Friday 12 noon to 5 p.m.

     Pāhala Community Center (928-3102): with Nona Makuakane in the office, Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. & Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
     Nāʻālehu Public Library (939-2442): behind the front desk, Monday & Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday & Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; & Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
     Nāʻālehu Community Center (939-2510): with Richard Karasuda in the center office, Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. & on Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
     Discovery Harbour Community Association Center (929-9576): Monday, Wednesday, & Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
     Ocean View Community Association Center (939-7033): Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
     Reference copies are also available in the Kona and Hilo Planning Department offices.
     Whitmore describes the draft materials as “works-in-progress. It is expected that they will be revised as conditions change and new information becomes available. Feedback, suggested additions, updates, and corrections are welcome and encouraged.” Feedback forms are available with the reference copies and at the project web site.
     The Nov. 12, 5:30 p.m. meeting at Pāhala Community Center is open to the public, and comment on agenda items is invited. The agenda will be distributed via email to interested parties prior to the meeting.
      For more information about the Ka‘ū CDP, see www.kaucdp.info. “Steering Committee members, Community Planning Assistant Nalani Parlin and I are also happy to answer any questions you may have,” said Whitmore. Contact information is available at the project website.

Anchaline shrimp have disappeared in Hawai`i as development crept along the coast.
Photo from The Nature Conservancy

FIFTEEN ENDANGERED SPECIES on Hawai`i Island were added to the federal protection list this week. According to the Federal Register post by the U.S. Department of the Interior on Tuesday, among them are two animals, the anchialine pool shrimp for which the Hawai`i Wildife Fund regularly assists in restoring ponds along the Ka`u Coast, and the picture wing fly.
     According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the two-inch long anchialine pool shrimp, Vetericarsis chaceorum, is among the most primitive shrimp on the planet. In much of Hawai`i, these shrimps have died off as the result of filling in their ponds for development or sedimentation and pollution. The Federal Register describes anchialine pools as “land-locked bodies of water that have indirect underground connections to the sea, contain varying levels of salinity, and show tidal fluctuations in water level. Anchialine pool habitats can be distinguished from similar systems (i.e., tidal pools) in that they are land-locked with no surface connections to water, sources either saline or fresh, but have subterranean hydrologic connections to both fresh and ocean water where water flows through cracks and crevices, and remain tidally influenced. 

      “Anchialine habitats are ecologically distinct and unique, and while widely distributed throughout the world, they only occur in the United States in the Hawaiian Islands. Over 80 percent of the State’s anchialine pools are found on the island of Hawai`i, with a total of approximately 520 to 560 pools distributed over 130 sites along all but the island’s northernmost and steeper northeastern shorelines.  

       “Characteristic animal species include crustaceans (e.g., shrimps, prawns, amphipods, isopods, etc.), several fish species, mollusks, and other invertebrates adapted to the pools’ surface and subterranean Generally, vegetation within the anchialine pools consists of various types of algal forms (blue-green, green, red, and golden- brown). The majority of Hawaii’s anchialine pools occur in bare or sparsely vegetated lava fields, although some pools occur in areas with various groundcover, shrub, and tree species.”

Picture wing fly was formerly seen at Hawai`i Volcanoes' Bird Park.
Photo by Karl Magnacca

     The picture wing fly is the other animal designated endangered this week. It used to be seen in Ka`u at Bird Park within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park but not recently. It is a microbivore that eats decomposing plant material and lives at altitudes of 2,000 to 4,500 feet. Drospophila digressa is found only on Hawai`i Island and is less than one-fifth of an inch long. Adults have yellow legs, shiny clear wings with brown spots, and brown-yellow bodies. .
      In the plant world, the traditional Hawaiian healing tea Ko`oko`olau, used for throat and stomach ailments and cleansing the body, treating diabetes and preventing stroke, is among 13 new plants on Hawai`i Island listed as endangered. Ko`oko`olau, Bidens hillebrandiana, is a member of the sunflower family.
      Another one of the endangered plants the loulu, Prichardia lanigera, a medium size palm which is found in Ka`u in The Nature Conservancy preserve and in the Ka`u Forest Reserve owned by the state. Another is haha, which has been found growing in a lava tube and has been successfully propagated at Volcano Rare Plant Facility.
  Other newly designated endangered flora are: aku, haiwale, Phyllostegia floribunda, hoawa, Platydesma remyi, Schiedea diffusa ssp. macraei, Schiedea hawaiiensis, and Stenogyne cranwelliae. 

Ko`oko`olau, the native Hawaiian herbal tea plant made the Endangered Species list.
Photo by C. Harrington, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

TONIGHT IS HALLOWEEN and many young children are able to travel safely through Ka`u neighborhoods with reflective bags. The County of Hawai`i's Traffic division gave out 10,000 trick-or-treat bags throughout the island for children in preschools, charter and pubic school for student through second grade.
     The biodegradable bags are imprinted with safety messages from talking ghosts and a smiling orange pumpkin to remind youngsters to watch for cars, stay in well-lit areas and not to go out alone.
    Also in conjunction with safety, preschool and elementary teachers received a list of developmentally appropriate activities for early learners that will raise awareness about the role “helpers” such as police and fire play in their lives and the lives of their families. The  learning experience for the child – interactive and informative curriculum and booklets were produced by and organization called Baby STEPS to Stronger Big Island Families.

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 Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013

With Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park re-opened, Stewardship in the Park programs are back on track. Volunteers can
help Paul and Jane Field remove invasive Himalayan ginger every week in November beginning this Friday.
Photo by Jessica Ferracane/NPS

U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ INTRODUCED TWO BILLS yesterday that would create high-quality jobs in Hawai`i and promote American manufacturing as part of a collaborative “Make it in America” initiative with other Senate colleagues. 

      The SelectUSA Authorization Act would help businesses tap into investment needed to expand and create jobs, spur economic growth and promote American competitiveness. A companion bill in the House has been introduced by California Rep. Raul Ruiz.

      The Native Small Business Conformity Act, introduced by Schatz and Sen. Mazie Hirono, would enhance opportunities for Native Hawaiian Organizations to engage in federal contracting as other Native-owned small business firms do.

Sen. Brian Schatz

      In the coming weeks, Sen. Schatz will also be introducing two additional bills to promote trade and incentivize energy efficiency in manufacturing. The American Export Promotion Act, which accompanies legislation introduced in the House by Texas Rep. Pete Gallego, would boost exports of Hawai`i’s unique products and help small businesses access global markets.
      Schatz will also be working with Senate colleagues to introduce the Expanding Industrial Energy and Water Efficiency Incentives Act, which would offer targeted incentives to promote energy efficiency improvements in industrial and manufacturing facilities and make American industry more competitive.
      “These policies will help create good jobs in Hawai`i and help Hawai`i businesses grow,” Schatz said. “New clean energy incentives, opportunities for Native Hawaiian small businesses, increasing Hawai`i’s exports and promoting foreign investment in our businesses are all part of a dynamic economy here in Hawai`i.”
      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I STATE SENATE IS CONSIDERING the Marriage Equality Act of 2013 during a special session of the Legislature. If it passes a final floor vote today, the bill moves to the House, where a public hearing is scheduled for tomorrow before the House Judiciary and Finance Committees. The committees are waiving the 24-hour deadline for submission of testimony, which will be accepted before and during the hearing.
      According to a message from Ka`u’s state Rep. Denny Coffman, testimony submitted for the yesterday’s Senate hearing does not automatically carry over to the House and should be resubmitted for it to be on the record for tomorrow’s hearing. Testimony is accepted at capitol.hawaii.gov/submittestimony.aspx.
      Several Ka`u area residents have submitted testimony to the Legislature regarding the controversial issue.
      In her testimony, Jolyne Oyama, of Na`alehu, said, “This legislation will have little effect on the civil rights of the estimated five percent of Hawai`i’s residents who identify themselves as gay or lesbian, because they can travel to any one of the fourteen states or the District of Columbia, which have adopted same-sex marriage legislation, to get married. However, it will have a catastrophic effect on the First Amendment rights of the 95 percent of Hawai`i’s residents who identify themselves as religious.”
      Vanessa Ott, also of Na`alehu, wrote, “Long before we were married, my husband and I registered as domestic partners as an act of solidarity with the GLBT community. If they couldn’t marry, why should we? We finally compromised our ethics and got married because of the many benefits that marriage offers, but we continued our fight for marriage equity for everyone. Much like ending Jim Crow laws that prohibited people of different races from marrying, the time has come to end this discriminatory practice.”

Hawai`i State Capitol is the site of a special session considering the
Marriage Equity Act of 2013. Photo from wikipedia.org.

      Volcano Village resident Raymond Glory, Jr. wrote, “I am against SB1 for the following reasons: The convening of this special session for an issue that has such far reaching ramifications should have the full two-thirds support of both the House and the Senate. The fact that it does not, and that the governor chooses to convene the special session anyway, is of great concern to me.
      “An issue of this magnitude should include as much input from the citizens as possible. This special session does not do that, as it is limited to only five or six days. To compound matters, if I want to testify in person, I have to fly to Honolulu … as there are no accommodations for in-person, neighbor island testifiers. This is discriminatory and abusive to neighbor island citizens.
      “It should be the goal of the Legislature to write and pass into law the best bill possible to best serve all of the citizens of the state. The fact that the bill before the Legislature cannot be amended is baffling and leaves me with the impression that the input from the citizens, the House representatives, the senators – for that matter, everybody except the drafters of the bill – is not relevant or welcome. The bill is a “take it or leave it” document and doesn’t look at all like democracy in the United States of America.”
      Emily Danford, of Volcano, testified, “The freedom to marry the person you love is a basic freedom that should not be denied to anyone. Gay and lesbian couples get married for similar reasons as everyone else – to make a lifetime promise of love, commitment and fidelity to the person they love.
      “In Hawai`i, we don’t turn our backs on family. No member of anyone’s `ohana – gay or straight – should have to face shame because of who they are and who they love.
      “The government should not be in the business of telling people who they can and cannot marry. None of us would want to be told that it is illegal to marry the person we love.
      “Please pass this bill to allow for marriage equality for all of Hawai`i’s families. 

      “If you are going to base it on religion, you need to remove all the civil benefits that married couples get and make divorce illegal.”
      This and all other testimony submitted is available at capitol.hawaii.gov.
      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S new computer-based vehicle safety inspection system begins this Friday, Nov. 1. Fees are $19.19 for passenger vehicles and pickup trucks and $13.24 for motorcycles and trailers.
      “With this program we enter the new age of wireless computerization, instant recordation and protection from fraud and theft,” said DOT director Glenn Okimoto.
      The DOT said the program eliminates monthly reporting by inspection stations and provides immediate recording and proof of vehicle inspection status.
      In the new system, decals are printed at the inspection station and include station ID, vehicle identification numbers and license numbers.
      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

TOMORROW IS THE DEADLINE FOR NOMINATION request letters from individuals in Hawai`i’s Second Congressional District for admission to U.S. Service Academies in summer of 2014. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard issued a call for nominations earlier this month. Applications can be submitted to John Towles, Office of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, 300 Ala Moana Blvd Room 5-104, Honolulu, HI 96850.
      Nomination forms are available at gabbard.house.gov/services/military-academy-nominations.
      Constituents may also call Gabbard’s Honolulu office at 808-541-1986 for additional information.
      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U TROJANS ARE PREPARING FOR HOMECOMING. Coronation of the court takes place Thursday, Nov. 7 in the evening at the Ka`u High School gym.

      Queen is senior Chazlyn Fuerte-Castaneda, of Na`alehu. Her escort is Alexis Alejo. Senior Princess is Kamalani Fujikawa, of Wai`ohinu. Her escort is Chance Emmsley-Ah Yee. Junior Princess is Kerrilynn Domondon, of Pahala. Her escort is Anthony Emmsley-Ah Yee. Sophomore Princess is Jami Beck, of Ka Lae. Her escort is Patrick Hondonero. Freshman Princess is Sherilynn Freitas, of Pahala. Her escort is Trevor Taylor.
      Advisors for the homecoming celebration are teachers Janine Balsas and Elisabeth Schlaepfer. Sound for the event is by Extreme Lighting and Sound. Ka`u High School Ensemble will perform.

      Ka`u's eight-man football team meets the Moloka`i Farmers Friday, Nov. 8.
      To comment on or “like” this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U RESIDENTS HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES to help remove invasive Himalayan ginger along Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park trails in November, with the month’s first Stewardship at the Park scheduled this Friday, Nov. 1. Other dates are Fridays, Nov. 8 and 22 and Saturday, Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day. 

       Participants are encouraged to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and close-toed shoes. Work is often in the shade of the forest with sounds of native honeycreepers like `apapane, `amakihi and `oma`o. Water, snacks, rain gear and sun protection are recommended.
      Interested people can stop by Kilauea Visitor Center to get directions and more information. The hike is a one-mile, moderate round-trip into Kilauea caldera down Halem`auma`u Trail, leaving from Kilauea Visitor Center. The hike involves walking over rough, uneven terrain on a dirt and rock path, with up to a 400-foot elevation change.

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.