Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013

New gym is rising at Ka`u High School, where volleyballs and basketballs will almost never hit the ceiling. The $17 million structure will
 also serve as a community disaster shelter. The gym is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2014, built by Summit Construction.
 See weekend Trojan girls basketball scores and photos below. Photo by Julia Neal

MAYOR BILLY KENOI IS SEEKING $61 MILLION IN NEW BONDS for 23 projects islandwide, reports Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. Kenoi’s requests include $20 million for a new park on county-owned property in Pahoa Village, $9 million for upgrades to Old Kona Airport Park in Kailua-Kona, $2.5 million for the first phase of a district park in Waimea, $2.5 million for the Honoka`a rodeo arena, $1.5 million to replace the clubhouse at Hilo Municipal Golf Course and $1 million for a park in Kona’s Ali`i Kai subdivision.

Ka`u Trojan girls basketball team played other BIIF teams from
 around the island Friday and yesterday. Photo by Julia Neal

      Other projects include road extensions and repairs, new and renovated playgrounds, upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, repair for neglected parks facilities and money for sewer improvements and land purchases.
      Nancy Cook Lauer reports that Kenoi said projects would be completed within three years of council authorization. According to the story, Kenoi cited the need to improve neglected county facilities and provide new infrastructure in rapidly growing areas. “Now’s that time,” Kenoi said. “We’re committed to a very aggressive schedule. We’re not going to ask for authorization and create an expectation without getting it done in a timely fashion.”
      Cook Lauer said that, according to Finance director Nancy Crawford, the county’s fund balance as of June 30 is $37.3 million, its highest level ever.
      The story says the issues would raise annual payments on bonds to 13.4 percent of total annual expenditures, which is below the 15 percent ceiling recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association, and that he county received good reports from the three major credit-reporting agencies when it previously put up for sale $97.2 million in bonds.
      Kenoi said it is a good time to work on these projects because of conservative budgets, a rebounding economy, reasonable construction costs and low interest rates.
      “It was very strategic. It’s a great opportunity,” Kenoi said. “These projects aren’t going to get any cheaper.”
      Hawai`i County Council Finance Committee will consider the requests at its Dec. 3 meeting.
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BOATERS HAVE A YEAR TO TAKE A BOATING SAFETY COURSE approved by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators and the state of Hawai`i. The law requiring the course went into effect last November and provided for a two-year period before the rule could be enforced to allow Department of Land and Natural Resources time to develop multiple compliance methods and give the boating community time to make use of those methods to become compliant.

      Enforcement of the new rule will begin on the second anniversary of the rule’s effective date, Nov. 10, 2014. After that date, boaters will be required to show proof of successful completion of an approved boating safety course.
      “Our primary goal in pursuing and formalizing the Mandatory Education rule was safety,” said William Aila, Jr., DLNR chairperson. “In Hawai`i, approved boating safety courses must include Hawai`i-specific information that can help our boaters survive at sea after an accident or better yet, help boaters avoid trouble so their sea voyages are safe and enjoyable. It is our hope that boaters will not perceive mandatory education as a burden but rather as a way to ensure safety for our `ohana and enhance their enjoyment of our waters,” Aila said.
      Any person violating the rule can be fined not less than $50 and not more than $1,000 or sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than thirty days, or both, for each violation. The court may also prevent an individual from operating a vessel in state waters for up to 30 days.

Ka`u High School girls basketball team hosted the tournament. Photo by Julia Neal

      The division has worked with boating safety partners to provide Internet and classroom courses, is nearing completion on a home-study course and plans to issue its own proof of compliance cards. People who have previously taken NASBLA boating courses may be able to take an abbreviated course on state-specific information to comply with the new rule.
      Boating Education Requirements Do Make a Difference, a study released in 2007 by NASBLA, showed that states with the longest history of mandatory education had the lowest boating fatality rates. According to the study, states with no boating education requirements in place have the highest average fatality rates, and states that have had boating education requirements in place for more than 20 years have an average fatality rate of 3.89 persons per 100,000 registered boats.
      Hawai`i ranked fifth on the list of highest fatality rates in the year the study was finalized.
      In 2011, Hawai`i had a fatality rate of approximately 44 per 100,000 vessels, second worst in the nation. In 2012, Hawai`i had a fatality rate of approximately 37 per 100,000 vessels.
      Information and how to sign up for courses is posted on the DOBOR website at dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/mandatory-boating-safety-education-qa. Hawai`i Island residents can also call the office in Kona at 327-3690.
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Shai Lopez-Castaneda helps with the food drive at
theweekend Trojan girls basketball tournament.
Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL HAS MEETINGS scheduled this week. The council reconvenes Tuesday to continue its discussion of Bill 113, which bans genetically modified organisms on Hawai`i Island, with some exemptions. The council’s regular meeting takes place Wednesday. Both meetings begin at 9 a.m. at West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona.
      Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Ocean View Community Center.
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EARTH PATRIOT GRAPHIC ART COMPETITION is open to aspiring young artists ages 13 to 22 from Ka`u and all of Hawai`i. The goals of the competition are to increase knowledge and understanding about the concepts of sustainability and biodiversity and to promote environmental awareness and action by youth in Hawai`i. The winner of the competition will receive a $100 cash prize and products from Earth Patriot Productions.
      The company works in partnership with Performing and Fine Artists for World Peace, a nonprofit art and education organization and the recipient of the United Nations Peace Messenger Award. They are currently working with other nonprofit organizations, businesses, schools and government agencies promoting the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity.
      For more information about the competition, email artpeace@hawaiiantel.net, call 985-8725 or see earthpatriotproductions.com.
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KA`U TROJANS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM made the finals of the tournament held at Ka`u High School Gym this weekend, with Ka`u’s Bridget Pasion taking first in the three-point contest and Ka`u’s Kerrilynn Domondon taking first in the Gotcha contest.
      Also a fundraiser for the food bank, the tournament saw the Trojans beat Laupahoehoe 48-25, with Bridget Paison, of the Trojans, scoring 14 points. The second game saw Pahoa beat Kealakehe 59-22. In the third matchup, Pahoa beat Ka`u 29-12, with Trojan Deisha Gascon leading the scoring by Ka`u with four points. The fourth game saw Kealakehe outscoring Laupahoehoe 35-21. The final playoff game featured Denisha Navarro scoring 10 points, hoping to hold back Pahoa from the win. Daggers took the tournament over Ka`u, 58-35.

Ka`u High School Gym was filled with basketball action yesterday and Friday.
Photo by Julia Neal

TOMORROW IS THE DEADLINE FOR DONATIONS of goods to be shipped free to Philippines typhoon disaster victims, according to organizer Gloria Camba, a director of the Big Island Filipino Community Council. Canned goods, toothpaste, soaps and other items will be taken to Hilo Monday night for shipment. Monetary donations will be accepted on an ongoing basis at R&G store in Pahala and Will & Grace store in Na`alehu. Those who want to help can also donate online through the American Red Cross.

HA`AO SPRINGS & MOUNTAIN HOUSE AG WATER CO-OP’S meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 20 is cancelled. The business plan will be discussed, and a new board will be elected, at the group’s annual meeting on Dec. 19.

KAHUKU JUNIOR RANGER DAY IS THIS COMING SATURDAY, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Keiki of all ages are invited to join park rangers in exploring Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit and connecting the culture, people, and `aina through `oli, GPS and compass on a short and easy walk. Ka`ohu Monfort shares her knowledge and love of the island’s native medicinal plants and how they are used to heal and nourish. At least one adult must accompany the children. Free; registration required. Call 985-6019.

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, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013

Cattle between Pahala and Na`alehu could be replaced by biofuel crops under the AKP plan, which received new testimony
 posted yesterday by the Public Utilities. Photo by Julia Neal

COFFEE AND MACADAMIA PICKERS FROM THAILAND, some of them staying in homes in Ka`u during their employment with Global Horizons, Inc. several years ago, are long gone. However, an undisclosed settlement has been crafted between the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Global Horizons, Inc., Global Horizons Manpower, Inc. and at least one farm, accused of substandard living conditions for workers.
      Involved are five Hawai`i farms, one of them, MacFarms of Hawai`i, which draws a majority of its local workers from Ka`u to its macadamia orchards just north of the Ka`u and South Kona district borders. The other companies are Captain Cook Coffee Co., Kelena Farms, Del Monte Fresh Produce of Hawai`i and Kaua`i Coffee Co. The lawsuit by the federal government focuses on working and living conditions, including the accusation that 20 Mac Farm workers, hired by Global Horizons, were crowded into a house in Na`alehu that was ill-equipped for even five persons. According to the allegations, the accommodations “lacked a fully functioning toilet, toilet paper, and hot water and had a buckling kitchen floor.”

Most coffee pickers come from the local community since the crack down by the
federal government.  Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

     Global Horizons president Mordechai Orian visited Ka`u several times while contracting to provide coffee and macadamia nut pickers here. He said he was unfairly accused in the U.S. government’s largest human-trafficking case in history. Charges were dismissed in 2012. Global Horizons, originating in Israel, provided workers from countries around the world for various tasks from concrete and stone work in fast growing Middle East resort cities to harvesting crops in Hawai`i and Washington state. Orian said that Thai workers were some of the best for farming because they came to the U.S. to work and took the money back home where they were happy with their lives and their families. Few tried to stay in this country illegally, he contended.
     However, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission contended in a public statement that “between 2003 and 2007, Global Horizons enticed Thai male nationals into working at the farms with the false promises of steady, high-paying agricultural jobs along with temporary visas allowing them to live and work in the U.S. legally. The opportunity came at a price: high recruitment fees creating an insurmountable debt for the Thai workers. When they reached the U.S., Global Horizons confiscated the workers’ passports and threatened deportation if they complained, which set the tone for the abuses to come. The Thai workers were assigned to work at six farms in Hawai`i (Captain Cook Coffee Company, Del Monte Fresh Produce, Kaua`i Coffee Company, Kelena Farms, MacFarms of Hawai`i, and Maui Pineapple Farms) and two farms in Washington (Green Acre Farms and Valley Fruit Orchards), harvesting a variety of items from pineapples to coffee beans. The EEOC asserts that the farms not only ignored abuses, but also participated in the obvious mistreatment, intimidation, harassment, and unequal pay of the Thai workers,” the federal statement contended.
     Since the federal suit, many coffee and macadamia farmers have shied away from foreign workers and attempted to hire more local pickers, particularly from the Micronesian community that lives here and sends children to the local public schools.
     The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s attorney David Lopez, has scheduled a press conference in Los Angeles for this Monday, Nov. 18, to announce the settlement involving Global Horizons and at least one of the farms involved in the investigation.
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Pastures would be cleared of trees, shrubs and grasses in favor of biofuel crops.
Photo by Julia Neal

`AINA KOA PONO’S PLAN to harvest trees, shrubs and grasses from lands between Pahala and Na`alehu and to plant biofuel crops to feed a $400 million refinery to be built off Wood Valley Road has gained more testimony. The new testimony proposes to prevent the electric utilities from charging customers for the expense of attorneys and staff they used to support the AKP proposal and to reimburse government agencies that spent money on the issue.
     After a month without new AKP letters published on the state Public Utilities Commission website, the PUC yesterday posted the proposal and analysis from an undisclosed source. The anonymous testimony refers to the expense of debating the issue, which led the County of Hawai`i to assign its attorneys and hire a consultant to fight the electric rate increases proposed by the electric utilities to support the AKP plan. Hawai`i Electric Light Co. and Hawaiian Electric Co. have used their staff and attorneys to support AKP.
     The unnamed author writes: “The process has been lengthy and expensive for both the taxpayers and the ratepayers. Consider that the combined number of PUC document pages for AKP-1 (the first AKP proposal that was turned down by the PUC) and AKP-2 (now before the PUC) is currently about 6,000. The majority of those pages were prepared or vetted by attorneys for the PUC, County of Hawai`i, Consumer Affairs, and DEBDT (all taxpayer funded) or by attorneys for HECO/HELCO (ratepayer funded). In addition, there were numerous public hearings, private meetings, consultants hired, staff salaries, etc. It's anybody's guess as to how much this all adds up to, but it is probably a few million dollars.
      “A rudimentary engineering analysis of the data that was available to HELCO at the time of the AKP-1 application would have shown that the mass balance (in the plan to use a new microwave process to make the biofuel) was fatally flawed. Any competent engineer should have immediately looked at such a new process with an eye towards whether or not it is thermodynamically possible. The two consulting firms that HELCO hired to perform due diligence were unable to make such an evaluation and returned reports that were essentially disguised condemnations of the process and yet HELCO pressed ahead with the application.
      “The point is that all this could have been avoided had HECO/HELCO done an appropriate level of objective due diligence before embarking on this ordeal. They did not. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate that failure and to propose that HECO/HELCO be held accountable."

Proposed `Aina Koa Pono refinery site off Wood Valley Road. Photo by Julia Neal

      Concerning the first AKP proposal, which was turned down by the PUC, the writer points to the consultant Det Norske Veritas’ analysis, which “clearly states that their experts were unable to make a technical assessment of the technology due to lack of information.
     “Paragraph 4.1.1 "...the revenue explained in the proposal is based on production of 32 million gallons of biodiesel per year however the DNV assessor could only credibly account for 23 million gallons of biodiesel per year." This is a clear indication that what little information provided to DNV was so grossly in error that their assessor could not rationalize it.
     “Paragraph 4.1.2 "... nearly all essential data is missing regarding this aspect of the proposal, including overall mass and energy balances."
     “DNV keys in on two critical issues: where does the oxygen go and where does the hydrogen come from? "...Given the chemical composition of the proposed feedstock compared to the claimed composition of the product, huge amounts of an oxygen-rich by-product (possibly C02) must be generated in the reactor. However, the proposal claims that C02 is produced in "small to nonexistent quantities". In addition, several process steps are not fully described and seem to involve chemicals not mentioned (e.g. ''H2 enrichment').
     “In other words DNV did no fundamental technical evaluation of a process,” the writer contends.

Hopper at `Aina Koa Pono test facility in North Carolina.
Photo from `Aina Koa Pono

     Concerning another analysis for the first AKP proposal, the writer points to the HERTY Assessment’s Executive Summary, Page 5: “‘...the majority of the available data was generated at the bench facility.’ Giassware (1.5 kg/batch) demonstration is just the first step in developing a chemical process. The pitfalls between glassware and commercialization are numerous and costly.
     “Paragraph 1.3 ‘Mass and energy balances can be done around each unit operation of the process and around the entire process. Such an analysis is not part of the scope of work for the current assessment.’ A mass and energy balance is the key to determining the feasibility of a process and must be an integral part of the due diligence.
     “Paragraph 5.3 ‘Work Is underway by BFT to measure key gas properties.’ This statement indicated that virtually nothing was known about one of the three major output streams.
     “Paragraph 6 ‘Measurement and comparison of condensed oil quality with fuel standards is underway. More extensive product analysis data is needed on all three products on AKP feedstocks.’ In other words there was not enough information available to make a technical judgment.
     “In other words HERTY did no fundamental technical evaluation of a process.”
      The anonymous author, published by the PUC, concludes that “Both of the companies hired by HECO/HELCO to perform due diligence expressed serious concerns about the lack of data available to them and the state of development of the technology. Even an engineering undergraduate student could have examined the claims made in the application and determined that the mass balance was impossible.
     “Nevertheless, HECO/HELCO pushed ahead with the application based on a process that was still in the glassware stage and little more than a pie-in-the-sky idea. This irresponsible action resulted in substantial expense to the ratepayers and taxpayers.
      “HECO/HELCO should therefore not be allowed to include the associated expenses in their rate base and should reimburse the State and County of Hawai`i for their costs as well,” the writer recommends.
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DONATIONS OF GOODS to be shipped free to Philippines typhoon disaster victims are due Monday, according to organizer Gloria Camba, a director of the Big Island Filipino Community Council. She said the canned goods, tooth paste, soaps and other items will be taken to Hilo on Monday night for shipment to PI, courtesy of the company. However, monetary donations will be accepted on an ongoing basis at both the R&G store in Pahala and the Will & Grace store in Na`alehu, she said. Those who want to help can also donate online through the American Red Cross.

BASKETBALL SCORES from last night’s Trojan hosted tournament at Ka`u High School Gym are in. Ka`u girls beat Kealakehe 36 to 35 with a last-second shot by Kerrilynn Domondon. High scorers for Ka`u were Domondon with 15 and Shyann Flores-Carvalho with 9, reports Kalei Namohala, Ka`u High’s Athletic Director.
     In the other game, Pahoa beat Lapahoehoe 64-15. The tournament continues today.

Caren Loebel-Fried will demonstrate block carving.
Photo from Volcano Art Center

CANNED GOODS and dry food items are being collected during the high school girls basketball tournament today at Ka`u High School gym in Pahala. One can of food earns free admission.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY begins Friday, Nov. 22 with an exhibit at Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village to showcase artists who will teach workshops and classes in the upcoming year. From 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. take in free art activities for adults and kids, including Make your own Holiday Card, and Paint the Volcano, in the Hale Ho'omana Education Building at the Niaulani Campus on Old Volcano Hwy.
     On Saturday, Nov. 23rd, festivities at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park begin with the renowned wreath exhibit, unique handmade ornaments for sale, demos by well known local artists, book and print signings, and a visit by Santa Claus.

Beloved Volcano artist Dietrich Varez and author David Eyre will sign their books and prints on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will be joined by Nancee Cline from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m,
signing her book Queen Emma's Church in Kealakekua, Crossroads of Culture. Caren Loebel-Fried will demonstrate block carving and printing on Sunday, Nov. 24 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. She will also sign and personalize her books and prints.
     In advance of Volcano Art Center's 40th anniversary in 2014, a limited edition poster has been created, featuring a stunning photo of the active Halema'ma'u crater by well known architect and photographer Boone Morrison. Morrison will be at Volcano Art Center Gallery to sign posters on Sunday, Nov. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 pm. Posters will be available for purchase at the Gallery.
The upcoming events are inspired by the motto of Volcano Art Center: Where People, Art & Nature Thrive. All activities and demos are free of charge, but park entrance fees may apply. For questions and further information, call the Volcano Art Center Gallery at 808-967-7565.

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

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 Friday, Nov. 15, 2013

Frank Aola Ke, Sr. will be inducted into the Paniolo Hall of Fame tomorrow. Photo from Paniolo Hall of Fame

FAMOUS KA`U PANIOLO FRANK AOLA KE, SR. will be inducted into the Paniolo Hall of Fame at the Hawai`i Cattlemen’s Council Annual Convention tomorrow. Ke worked at Hawaiian Ranch, now Kapapala Ranch, and was good friends with other Paniolo Hall of Fame members Tommy Kaniho and the late Gordon Cran. 

      The renowned paniolo was born on April 26,1925 at Ninole, Punalu`u in Ka`u, where he worked alongside his father, Pilipo Aola Ke. According to the Paniolo Hall of Fame, Ke “worked tirelessly to learn the skills of a paniolo until age 21” before joining the U.S. Army. After military service, he returned to work at Kapapala Ranch. 

      “Frank’s work in the wild territory of Ka`u took him from the cold mountainous hills of Keauhou Ranch to the rugged terrain of Ka`alu`alu Ranch,” states Paniolo Hall of Fame. “He rode mauka to makai side by side with other legendary paniolo like John Piper, Leighton Beck, Tommy Kaniho, Homer Hashimoto, Tom Ito and many others. 

      “Frank was as excellent at breaking horses and tending livestock as he was at rope and saddle making. He spent endless hours in the stable sharing his talent with other ranch `ohana. This soon became the legacy of his lifestyle. There was a saying among those he taught, ‘E A`o Mai I Na Mea E Ho`omaika`i A`e  I Ka`u Hana;’ in other words, teach me to do better what I do. 

      “Frank participated annually at the Fourth of July rodeo in Na`alehu. He teamed with other paniolo `ohana competing through the day and enjoying the events. He was at the rodeo when polo was introduced but with only sawed-down brooms as mallets. 

      “Frank Aola Ke, Sr. lived through a whole era of ranching; he planted his mana`o on these rugged soils of Ka`u, saw the transformation of ranching to corporate ownership and always enjoyed the friendship of other paniolo until his passing in 1981.” 

      Ke was married to the late Lydia Aula Ke. Their living offspring are daughters, the twins Keamalu Woltjen and Sweetie Grace, of Pahala; Paulette Ke, of Hilo; Iris Kaui Baczkiewicz of Volcano; and Hale Perriera, of Hilo. The living sons are Darryl Ke, of Pahala and Wesely Ke, of O`ahu. Deceased are the restaurateur and chef Frank Ke, Jr., as well as Mark and Kealoha Ke. 

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Senator and physician
Josh Green

THE ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION recently informed Hilo Medical Center officials that its Hawai`i Island Family Medicine Residency program has met the requirements for a two-year accreditation, effective July 1, 2014. 

      “Having a local residency on the Big Island is a game changer for us in Ka`u because 85 percent of those trained locally stay and practice locally,” said Sen. Josh Green, West Ka`u's state senator who has served as a physician at Ka`u Hospital. Ka`u Hospital expects to benefit from the program.

      Legislatively known as the Hawai`i Health Systems Corporation Primary Care Training Program, the the campaign is gearing up to attract candidates interested in learning the art of Family Medicine along with a team of pharmacists, nurses, nurse practitioners and psychologists. It will welcome the first class of four residents in the summer. 

      “The accreditation of the HHSC Primary Care Training Program is one of the most important milestones in the history of our program,” said Howard Ainsley, East Hawai`i Regional CEO of HHSC. “Thanks to the collective effort to achieve accreditation, we will be able to move forward in solving the primary care physician shortage in our state and bring better health outcomes to our community.” 

      According to a report by the Hawai`i Physician Workforce Assessment Project presented at the 2013 Legislative Session, Hawai`i Island saw a 34 percent physician shortage in 2012, with 341 physicians in supply compared to 514 physicians in demand or needed to adequately care for the island’s population. 

      Supporters of the HHSC PCTP created a wave of momentum during the 2013 state legislative session that saw House Bill 417 appropriating $1.8 million to the program signed and released by then acting governor Shan Tsutsui in August and October, respectively. The bill was co-introduced by Ka`u's Reps. Denny Coffman and Richard Onishi, among others.

      HMC officials, with the Hilo Medical Center Foundation, garnered legislative support through outreach to the community, local businesses and county and state legislators. 

      Preparations for the 2014 legislative session are underway to seek sustained funding for the program. 

      For more, see hilomedicalcenterfoundation.org and hifmr.org. 

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Hawai`i Health Connector reports a steady flow of applicants.

HAWAI`I HEALTH CONNECTOR, THE ONLINE health insurance marketplace for Hawai`i, has attracted a steady flow of applicants through the beginning of this month. 

      Hawai`i Health Connector was established as a nonprofit organization in 2011 by the state Legislature in order to comply with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. 

      “Our team has been working around the clock to promote access to coverage, to assist with enrollment and to take calls from the interested residents of Hawai`i,” said Coral Andrews, executive director of Hawai`i Health Connector. “This multi-pronged approach that leverages our Contact Center, our Kokua and our dedicated staff is proving to be effective in processing applications as quickly and efficiently as possible to ensure the community has easy access to the enrollment process.” 

Coral Andrews

      Andrews said the initial reported numbers reflect both individuals directly enrolling in qualified health plans as well as those who are seeking financial assistance through either the Department of Human Services or Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit/Cost Sharing Reduction plans. 

      The Connector expects enrollment figures to climb as the Dec. 15 deadline nears for payment for coverage that begins Jan. 1. “We’re gearing up for the anticipated increase in activity on our web portal, through our Contact Center and in coordination with our community-based marketplace assister organizations,” Andrews said. 

      Marketplace assister organizations continue to be added to conduct outreach and education for the open enrollment period. 

      According to Andrews, the Connector’s aim is an online marketplace that is of Hawai`i-for-Hawai`i, one that takes into account the state’s unique culture and works with the Prepaid Health Care Act, an employer mandate for health insurance coverage in effect since 1974. 

      For more information, see HawaiiHealthConnector.com. 

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

COLLECTION OF ITEMS TO BE SENT TO TYPHOON HAIYAN-YOLANDA disaster victims continues through Thursday at R&G Store behind Bank of Hawai`i in Pahala and Will & Grace Store in Na`alehu. Suggested items to donate are rice, clothing and ready to eat, easy to open foods and such health items as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Gloria Camba, a director of the Big Island Filipino Community Council, said a company called LBC is shipping goods free to the Philippines for distribution by disaster assistance organizations. 

      For more information, call Camba at 928-8558 or 928-8155 or Amy Peralta at 928-8470. Call Will & Grace at 929-9993. 

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Ka`u Trojans open up gift boxes of equipment from the U.S. Soccer Foundation for
 this year's season. Teacher Dave Berry,  right, asked U.S. Soccer for help.
 Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U HIGH SOCCER PLAYERS received free soccer equipment from the U.S. Soccer Foundation this morning. The foundation’s Passback Program has collected and redistributed over 900,000 pieces of soccer equipment to children in underserved communities since 2002. Ka`u High teacher Dave Berry has been involved with Passbook during his teaching years on the mainland and here in Ka`u. The program works when dedicated individuals, soccer clubs and organizations collect and donate soccer equipment, enabling Passback “to bring the game of soccer to children who love the sport but don’t have the resources to play. It takes one soccer ball to change the life of a child,” says the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s website. 

      See ussoccerfoundation.org/our-programs.passback#sthash.jpKivk72.dpuf. 

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

KA`U HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALL FOOD DRIVE AND TOURNAMENT takes place today and tomorrow. Admission begins at 4 p.m. today and is $3 or two canned food items per person. The event continues tomorrow at 9 a.m. 

KAUAHA`AO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH BAZAAR is tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Laulau plates, barbeque plates, hotdogs and kulolo will be available for purchase. For space rental, call 928-8039.

Ho`omalu Ka`u is raising funds for Heritage Center of Ka`u, for which ground was
broken in March.

HO`OMALU KA`U, A NEW COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT that is planning the Heritage Center of Ka`u, is holding a Silent Auction and Rummage Sale a week from tomorrow on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Na`alehu Hongwanji Mission.

      “We will have some fabulous items at our silent auction from 8 a.m. to noon next to our Coffee Bar, where we will be selling hot coffee, hot tea and baked goods,” said organizer Lehua Lopez. 

      Items for sale include furniture, clothing, tools, electronic equipment, books, lamps, kitchen items, household goods, appliances, magazines, etc. 

      Donations of rummage items are accepted anytime. The group is setting up next Friday, Nov. 22 at the Hongwanji and is asking for volunteer help on both days. 

      To donate or volunteer, contact Lopez at 929-9891 or 88hale@gmail.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.