Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Feb. 13, 2017

There is no sign of a lava delta rebuilding as lava continues to spill into the ocean from the 61g lava flow near Kamokuna. Today,
a new bill was introduced to the U.S. Senate to improve early warning and monitoring capabilities at volcano observatories around the
 country, including the first in the nation, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. See Story below. Photo from USGS

A CALL TO ACTION CAMPAIGN CONCERNING THE IMPACT OF DRUGS, DOMESTIC ABUSE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE is the headline of Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc.'s 19th Annual Rural Health Conference set for Friday, March 17 at Pahala Community Center.

     KRHCAI's founder Jessie Marques said today that the meeting has drawn sponsorships and presentations by the state Department of Health Maternal & Child Health Branch;  the Sexual Prevention Program of the Family Health Services Division; the Office of Primary Care & Rural Health; Hawai`i Medical Services Association and Hawai`i Island Rural Health Association.
     All Ka`u residents are invited. Preregister by calling 928-0101 by Monday March 6.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar     

VOLCANO VILLAGE GUN CONTROL ADVOCATE Ross Rammelmeyer is asking people to weigh in on legislation before the U.S. Senate on Tuesday that would roll back a rule that keeps guns out of the hands of mentally ill people who have been deemed by the Social Security Administration as unable to take care of their own affairs.
     Rammelmeyer points to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence which calls on people to email Senators "and tell them to vote No on Senate Joint Resolution 14 and keep  guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others! Don't let the gun lobby's influence rollback life-saving measures of the Brady background checks that protect all Americans."
  "Between 6,000 and 18,000 persons with mental illness kill themselves with guns every year.     Approximately half of all mass murders are people with mental illness. And those are just the fatalities. Many more are injured. The Senate resolution takes 75,000 seriously mentally ill who would likely be put in the NICS gun background check system" of the list, writes  DJ Jaffee, Executive Director of Mental Illness Policy Org., a non-partisan think tank.
     He points out that Pres. Donald Trump's policy platform states, “Too many states are failing to put criminal and mental health records into the (gun background check) system — and it should go without saying that a system’s only going to be as effective as the records that are put into it. What we need to do is fix the system we have and make it work as intended.”

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar     


EARLY WARNING AND VOLCANO MONITORING improvements are the goals of a new bill in congress, introduced today by Ka`u's Sen. Mazie Hirono, Washington state Sen. Maria Cantwell and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski. The three said in their announcement that the aim is to better develop "warning capabilities that help keep communities and travelers safe."

Lava hitting the ocean is causing fist-sized
spatter to be thrown back on land, creating
danger to viewers. Photo from USGS

     Said Hirono, “For the past 34 years, we have experienced first-hand the threat of volcanic activity to our daily lives with the ongoing eruption at Kilauea. As recently as 2014, we had evacuations and damage to critical infrastructure and residences. This bipartisan bill is important as it updates and unifies the five volcano observatories across the nation and creates a grant program that will support critical monitoring research and technology development that will be used to save lives.”
     The bill, S. 346, would strengthen existing volcano monitoring systems, which include the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Alaska Volcano Observatory, and the Cascades Volcano Observatory, and would unify them into a single connected system called the National Volcano Early Warning System. These observatories monitor, warn, and help protect citizens and travelers from volcanic activity, particularly from high-threat volcanoes. The bill would also create a Volcano Watch Office that would operate 24-hours a day, seven days a week, to provide continuous situational awareness of all active volcanoes in the U.S. and its territories.
     The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory located on the rim of Kilauea was the first volcano observatory in the United States and has been monitoring volcanoes, including the two most active, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, for more than a century. Additional and modern monitoring and science is needed to help protect communities living near these volcanoes, said Hirono.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar     

THE HIRE VETS ACT (H.R.244) passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a vote of 409 to 1. It was introduced by Ka`u's Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Rep. Paul Cook of California. The bipartisan legislation would incentivize employers to hire veterans, and recognize employers that provide a supportive work environment to retain veteran employees. The legislation now moves to the U.S. Senate.
     In a speech on the House floor Gabbard said today, “This is personal for us. This is about our brothers and sisters in uniform from different generations, who have been honored and thanked for their service in uniform, but unfortunately are often forgotten about when they lay that uniform down.
     “Most people aren’t aware that every single day, roughly 500 veterans are transitioning from military life to civilian life, joining the more than 2.9 million veterans who have returned home since 9/11 alone. Through their service and training, these are men and women who are highly trained, have experience leading and making decisions under pressure, acting and working well as a member of a team, and accomplishing the mission.

    “Data shows that veterans are civic assets in our communities. They have higher rates of voting, engaging with local governments and community organizations, participating actively in community service, and more.
     “Together, these qualities make our veterans especially valuable to employers, whether in private sector, the public sector, or the non-profit sector.
      “Unfortunately, returning to the civilian job market is not as easy as it should be. Veterans often face an unfriendly job market or an unfriendly culture that does not fully understand them and what they bring to the table. Many people don't understand that our veterans are not seeking pity or a handout—they are simply looking for an opportunity to continue to serve and to continue to contribute to our communities and our country.
     “This legislation is focused on encouraging employers to hire more veterans. We’ve seen different programs and initiatives in my home state of Hawaiʻi and in states across the country that focus on recruiting and retaining veterans, but the fact is there are still more than 400,000 unemployed veterans across the country. We need to do more."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar     

TESTIMONY ON THE MAUNA KEA THIRTY-METER TELESCOPE will come from all quarters tomorrow and Wednesday at public hearings in Hilo. Many Native Hawaiians have testified, protested and plan to testify that the location on top of Mauna Kea is sacred and would be desecrated.
      An organization claiming to be the only Native Hawaiian group that will testify in favor of the telescope released a statement today. The group called PUEO - Perpetuating Unique Educational Opportunities - wrote: "Because so much press has focused on Native Hawaiians who are against science and technology on Mauna Kea, the PUEO board felt it was important to intervene and dispel the myth that all Native Hawaiians oppose the project. PUEO hopes to bring a vision of clarity and unity to the process through the perpetuation of unique educational opportunities."

Thirty Meter Telescope artist rendition. Image from TMT

   PUEO officers and directors expected to speak in favor of TMT include PUEO President Keahi Warfield, who is also executive director of the RISE Out of School Program and Keaukaha One Youth Development; PUEO Vice-President William H. Brown, President of the Panaewa-Hawaiian Homes Community Association; PUEO director Patrick Kahawaiola‘a, who is president of the Keaukaha-Hawaiian Homes Community Association; and Richard Ha, PUEO director and owner of Hamakua Springs Country Farms.

Richard Ha plans to testify in
suport of the Thirty Meter Telescope

      The contested case hearing is being held at the Grand Naniloa Hotel’s Crown Room in Hilo. It will also stream live at naleo.org.
     Accordomg tp PUEO's statement, the organization is "a non-profit dedicated to enhancing the educational opportunities of Hawai‘i’s youth and their communities. Its board is comprised of native Hawaiians from Hawaiian communities on Hawai‘i Island. PUEO seeks to provide and enhance opportunities for our children in terms of Hawaiian cultural traditions of exploration and learning. The group’s intent is based on a unifying vision of Hawaiian language, culture, science, technology and exploration."
    For more information about PUEO, see http://alohapueo.org/.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar     

Valentine’s Day Cards, Tuesday, Feb 14, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12. 929-9113

Valentine’s Day Buffet, Tue, Feb 14, 5 – 8 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Prime rib, lemon-buttered fish, vegetable stir-fry with tofu and more. $27.95 adult; $14.50 child (6-11 yrs old). Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356

The Hylaeus Project and the Newly Endangered Bees of Hawai‘i, Tue, Feb 14, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Natural historian Lisa Schonberg discusses seven species of the yellow-faced bees of Hawai‘i that became the first bees to ever be listed as endangered. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Ka`u Farm Bureau meeting, Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the auxiliary room at the new gymnasium in Pahala at 6 p.m. Election of new officers is planned for the meeting, said Ka`u Farm Bureau President Brenda Iokepa-Moses.

Lito Arkangel will be in concert on Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Kilaeua Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The entertainer and songwriter shares his original compositions and other Hawaiian favorites. He  hails from the former sugar plantation town of ‘Ōla‘a, now known as Kea‘au. His love for Hawaiian music started as a young keiki, turning pages for his tūtū wahine (grandmother) while she played piano, and from decades of backyard jam sessions. Arkangel has since established himself as a popular entertainer throughout Hawai‘i. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing Nā Leo Manu Heavenly Voices presentations. Free.

Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

"New legislation in support of tiny houses is in motion," according to One Island, which held a Tiny House Community
Conversation on the Big Island in late January and plans another for late February. See story below. Photo from One Island

THREE  BILLS ON MAKING IT EASIER TO PLACE TINY HOUSES on  land in Hawai`i are making their way through the Hawai`i legislature with support from both Ka`u state Senators Russell Ruderman and Josh Green and west Ka`u's House of Representatives member Richard Creagan. In one bill, tiny houses, under 500 square feet, are seen as a way to provide housing for farm workers, farmers and ranchers.

    House Bill 2 is specifically written for Hawai`i Island: "Authorizes tiny homes of less than 500 square feet for farm workers in agricultural districts in a county with a population of more than 180,000 but less than 250,000, notwithstanding any county ordinance or regulation to the contrary." It was introduced by Rep. Cindy Evans of Kona.

    House Bill 229 would prohibit "the State and counties from adopting building codes that require minimum floor space or room sizes unless necessary for safety or environmental standards."

The Hawai`i Legislature is considering allowing smaller homes with alternative
materials and designs. See One Island.

     House Bill 1375 could allow larger dwellings and could open up the mobile home market in Hawai`i, as it takes up the problem of affordable housing.  It states: "The legislature finds the supply of affordable housing in Hawai'i does not sufficiently meet demand. Many financially vulnerable residents are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless......The purpose of this Act is to allow counties to grant zoning exemptions for alternative dwellings and alternative dwelling parks that can be built by private parties."

     The bill would give the counties the authority to oversee sanitation, inspections, safety and other requirements but would provide exemptions to allow alternative dwellings to include: "mobile homes, recreational vehicles, converted shipping container units, micro  housing units, pre-fabricated sheds, indigenous Hawaiian dwellings using traditional Hawaiian architectural practices and materials, tents, yurts and lean to shelters that are leased by a willing lessor to a willing lessee per rental agreement between parties."

     The alternative dwelling parks are defined in the bill as "more than one alternative dwelling that may have common shared elements including but not be limited to bathrooms, showers, dining facilities, swmimng pools, playgrounds, sewage, water, trash collection, or, electricity."

      The House Committee on Housing noted concerns raised by the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness that the bill "may result in the formal establishment of homeless encampments. Both the Hawai`i Interagency Council on Homelessness and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness have recommended against the formal establishment of homeless encampments."

      See testimony on the bill and submit testimony at House Bill 1375.

      A nonprofit-organization called One Island has taken up the tiny houses and sustainability cause and is organizing Tiny House Community Conversation meetings around the island as well as encouraging testimony to the legislature. See One Island.

       The next Tiny House Community Conversation meeting will be Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m at the Hawaii`i Cultural Center of Hamakua.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar     

DEATH WITH DIGNITY IS A TOPIC DR. RICHARD CREAGAN, a member of the state House of Representatives, is talking about at the Capitol this session. He said today that he supports a proposed law, House Bill 201, entitled Related to Medical Aid in Dying. The bill was introduced by House Speaker Rep. Joseph Souki and is described by Creagan as "designed by and for the people of Hawai`i, taking into account our unique geographical needs, and is based on best practices from more than 30 combined years of safe practice in six states. The law works as intended, with none of the dire results that opponents predicted."

Physician and Representative
Richard Creagan
Photo by Ann Bosted

     

     Creagan noted that former Hawai`i Governors George Ariyoshi, John Waihee, Benjamin Cayetano and Neil Abercrombie agree on the measure. They and an organization called Compassion & Choices Hawai`i "and a supermajority of our electorate are asking for your support for this important, timely and merciful measure. It is time for Hawai`i citizens who want this relief to be able to get it without the disruption and stress of moving to another state," said Creagan.

     Compassion & Choices launched a legislative campaign earlier this year and supports a lawsuit on behalf of Hawai`i resident John Radcliffe and a physician, asserting that the Hawai`i constitution and state law allow the practice of medical aid in dying. The organization also sent a letter to Congress last week urging it to allow the District of Columbia's recently approved Death With Dignity Act to remain in place.

     Creagan, the Ka`u physician who serves west Ka`u in the state House of Representatives, wrote a position paper on the legislation proposed for Hawai`i: "The people of Hawai`i have been asking for a medical aid in dying option (also known as “death with dignity”) for almost 20 years. Today, 80 percent of Hawai`i residents believe medical aid in dying should be an option in our state," Creagan reports.
     He defines it: "Medical aid in dying is an end-of-life medical practice in which a terminally ill, mentally capable individual who has a prognosis of six months or less to live requests, obtains and — if his or her suffering becomes unbearable — self-administers medication that brings about a peaceful death."     

      The physician contends that "If you ask terminally ill people how they would like to die, most will say, 'I would like to die peacefully, at home, in my sleep.' As a former emergency room doctor, I can tell you that all too often, this is not the case. In their final stages, terminally ill people can be rushed to the ER repeatedly, admitted to an ICU and hooked up to ventilators, feeding tubes and IVs. Of course, if this is the individual’s wish, then every measure to sustain life should be taken. However, if this becomes a case of prolonging the dying process well beyond what the individual wants, to a stage some would call torture, we must agree it is not right," Creagan reasons.
    "Even terminal sedation (increasing pain meds until the patient stops breathing) might not be the ideal choice for some, who wish not to be sedated into unconsciousness and death at another’s direction and hand, but to make that final and most important choice on their own."
     Creagan writes, "We can offer that choice. A physician who practiced in Oregon, where medical aid in dying has been legal for nearly 20 years, told a story about the first person she prescribed life-ending medication to. The woman, who was dying a prolonged and agonizing death from ovarian cancer, wanted to die at home, in her own bed, with her husband holding her hand and her two dogs on the bed with her. She wanted a peaceful and meaningful end to her meaningless agony while she was still mentally intact and she achieved that goal. 

     "Yes, palliative care and hospice are a great boon to many. But for some, they may not relieve all the physical suffering or mental agony. When people are dying, facing only agony and are ready to go, they should have the means to a peaceful passing, if that is what they wish.

Cancer victim John Radcliffe, left, has sued the state with help of 

attorney Anderson Meyer, pollster Barbara Ankersmit, and

 Compassion & Care Hawai`i campaign manager Mary Steiner.

Photo from Compassion & Choices

     "How would I feel if I had a terminal illness and were in a constant unwavering pain that even the most powerful medications could not alleviate? If I had lost my bodily functions and all the skills and tools I had spent my life developing? I would be comforted just knowing a medical aid in dying option was available to me — and I certainly would not deny another the right to consider this option," states Creagan.

     Creagan says that "opponents argue that people will be coerced. In fact, no doctor will be compelled to prescribe if they do not wish to, but there are many that will find it part of a difficult but profoundly meaningful part of their final duty as a physician to their patients. No person who has a religious objection — or any objection — would be pressured or forced to utilize this choice. Coercing an individual to use a medical aid in dying option would be a crime, as it is in all authorized states.
     "The idea that the Hippocratic oath forbids physicians to do this is ludicrous. Over 40 years ago, when I graduated from medical school, we were told that that oath was a traditional part of the ceremony but was an antiquated relic and that we should not even repeat the words if we felt uncomfortable doing so. I certainly did not repeat those words from another time and place," writes Creagan.
        Compassion & Choices has launched a petition that supporters can sign. More can be read on the legislation and pro and con testimony can be provided to the Hawai`i Legislature by clicking on HB201.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar

Senior IDs, Monday, Feb. 13, from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., St. Jude’s Church in Ocean View. For residents 60 and older. 928-3100

Valentine’s Day Cards, Monday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m., Nā‘ālehu Community Center. Ages 5 – 10, 939-2510

Valentine’s Day Cards, Tuesday, Feb 14, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12. 929-9113

Valentine’s Day Buffet, Tue, Feb 14, 5 – 8 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Prime rib, lemon-buttered fish, vegetable stir-fry with tofu and more. $27.95 adult; $14.50 child (6-11 yrs old). Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356

The Hylaeus Project and the Newly Endangered Bees of Hawai‘i, Tue, Feb 14, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Natural historian Lisa Schonberg discusses seven species of the yellow-faced bees of Hawai‘i that became the first bees to ever be listed as endangered. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Brenda Iokepa-Moses

Ka`u Farm Bureau has set its first meeting of 2017 for this Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the auxiliary room at the new gymnasium in Pahala at 6 p.m. Election of new officers is planned for the meeting, said Ka`u Farm Bureau President Brenda Iokepa-Moses. She recently returned from the National Association of Conservation Districts meeting in Denver, representing the state of Hawai`i.

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Feb. 11, 1017

Big Island Video News and John Tarson of Epic Lava Tours are not only documenting this monster "lava fire hose" near a boat in
the shadows, they report a new lava breakout upslope from the base of Pu`u O`o.
See www.bigislandvideonews.com and epiclava.com

CONSULT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, HOMELAND SECURITY: Sen. Mazie Hirono, a member of the U.S Senate Judiciary Committee, recommended this to Pres. Donald Trump yesterday during an interview on MSNBC.  Hirono, herself an attorney, called Trump's attempted ban on visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries an "unconstitutional executive order" and said, "so far President Trump has lost in the courts and I think the wise thing for him to do is to rescind the order because the order created chaos."
       When asked about the administration rewriting the ban to make it more in line with the U.S. Constitution, Hirono suggested that if "President Donald Trump wants to go down that path again, he really should involve the State Department, the Justice Department, the Homeland Security - these are all people who have something to say and something to bring to the table."

       The reporter asked her, "Would you support basically any version of this immigration travel ban if the administration would go back and revise it?"  Hirono replied, "I look at any further steps by this administration really, really carefully because we know where they're coming from. It's basically a ban on Muslims and that is unconstitutional in my view - that is not what our country stands for.... if it singles out certain groups for discriminatory treatment, it will be challenged."

Judge Neil Gorsuch will be interviewed
by Sen. Mazie Hirono next week for the position of
U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Photo from Wikipedia

      Hirono also talked about Trump's national security official Michael Flynn's alleged discussions with Russian officials, including the Russian ambassador, before Trump took office. Hirono said, "I'm not comfortable with the relationship of this administration and some of the individuals in this administration - their relationship with Russia because we know that Russians tried to interfere with our presidential elections. There are a lot of concerns of what President Trump's relationship is with Russia. These are valid concerns. So frankly, I would hope that the President would listen to people like General (James) Mattis, who is now the Secretary of Defense, who brings a lot of mature experience on national security issues."
     Concerning the Trump administrations' connections with Russia, Hawai`i Sen. Brian Schatz tweeted yesterday, "It's weird that no one has been fired yet.," then quickly followed up, tweeting. "I stand corrected. There was Sally Yates," the Acting Attorney General whom Trump fired when she warned him on the unconstitutionality of the travel ban.
     Concerning the pending appointment of Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch, Hirono said she "will be very focused on such issues as the woman's right to choose, civil rights, voting rights, the balance of how he views corporate interests versus individual rights." She said "Judge Gorsuch has written hundreds if not thousands of decisions. I'm reviewing some of the more important decisions to see where he comes from."
     About Gorsuch, whom she will meet next week, Hirono also said, "I have some pretty serious concerns - because I think President Trump said he wanted a Justice who would overturn Rowe v. Wade. This is not a President who likes to have people who have different opinions because he did fire the Acting Attorney General, for example, when she stood up to him on his executive order (travel ban)...."
    Hirono said she plans to question Gorsuch. "I am really concerned that Judge Gorsuch is really going to have the kind of perspectives that do not support individual rights, voting rights, civil rights - the issues that should concern the American people."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar

KA`U'S REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS TULSI GABBARD, Bernie Sanders and Nina Turner are the only ones who could defeat Pres. Donald Trump in the 2020 election, according to H.A. Goodman of CounterPropa.com. The political writer, whose assessment was carried in the Huffington Post and other publications this week, writes that "President Trump's latest legal defeat prevents him from banning immigrants from seven Muslim majority nations. However, this is a political win for Trump. Many conservatives are already blaming the next attack on Democrats.

Goodman's widely published opinion piece calls Gabbard the "antithesis of Trump"
and said she went to Syria and met with Assad "to find a solution to the bloodshed,
not to promote Assad or Putin's view of the world." He contended that she "put her
value system ahead of the Democratic Party." Photo by Abraham Williams

    "Media, and America's political establishment, can't seem to accept the fact that Trump will not be defeated by indignation and outrage. For every angry liberal, there's a happy conservative who likes Trump's executive orders or policy objectives. Whether or not they work is another story; loyalty is what Trump voters crave."
     "Trump's base of voters love him more than ever, because unlike Democratic politicians (who vote against affordable medicine like Senator Cory Booker), President Trump abides by the Republican Party's purest ideology. Trump wants a border wall, immigrant ban, and many other policies that might never become reality, but millions of people don't care; they voted for someone who isn't compromising 'pragmatism' for ideological purity.'"
     Goodman writes that Democrats "need the antithesis of Trump." He names Sanders, Turner and Gabbard as "the antithesis."
     Regarding Gabbard, Goodman writes, "Congresswoman Gabbard, for example, has already been attacked by The Daily Beast and Washington Post, so we know she’s a threat to the Democratic establishment. In terms of the world’s greatest threat, American regime change is linked to the estimated deaths of 500,000 people in Iraq. As for Obama sending soldiers to Syria and repeating Bush’s failed policies, Congresswoman Gabbard took matters into her own hands," writes Goodman, pointing out that she went to Syria, met with its president and released the following statement:
     “My visit to Syria has made it abundantly clear: Our counterproductive regime change war does not serve America’s interest, and it certainly isn’t in the interest of the Syrian people.
     “As I visited with people from across the country, and heard heartbreaking stories of how this war has devastated their lives, I was asked, ‘Why is the United States and its allies helping al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups try to take over Syria? Syria did not attack the United States. Al-Qaeda did.’ I had no answer.

Gabbard claims that America's involvement in regime change has led to such
situations as the war in Syria. Photo by Abraham Williams

     “I return to Washington, DC with even greater resolve to end our illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government. I call upon Congress and the new Administration to answer the pleas of the Syrian people immediately and support the Stop Arming Terrorists Act. We must stop directly and indirectly supporting terrorists—directly by providing weapons, training and logistical support to rebel groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIS; and indirectly through Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, and Turkey, who, in turn, support these terrorist groups. We must end our war to overthrow the Syrian government and focus our attention on defeating al-Qaeda and ISIS. 
     “From Iraq to Libya and now in Syria, the U.S. has waged wars of regime change, each resulting in unimaginable suffering, devastating loss of life, and the strengthening of groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS.
    “Originally, I had no intention of meeting with Assad, but when given the opportunity, I felt it was important to take it. I think we should be ready to meet with anyone if there’s a chance it can help bring about an end to this war, which is causing the Syrian people so much suffering.
     “The U.S. must stop supporting terrorists who are destroying Syria and her people. The U.S. and other countries fueling this war must stop immediately. We must allow the Syrian people to try to recover from this terrible war.”
       Goodman writes that "Tulsi Gabbard met with Assad to find a solution to the bloodshed, not to promote Assad or Putin’s view of the world. For centrist Democrats, they simply can’t understand why anyone would break with protocol, for the greater goal of peace. Tulsi Gabbard put her value system ahead of the Democratic Party, and for this reason, will be able to defeat Trump in 2020."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kauc

‘Ōhi‘a Lehua, Sunday, Feb. 12, 9:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Participants learn about the vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, the many forms of the ‘ōhi‘a tree and its flower on this free, easy, one-mile walk. nps.gov/havo

Medicine for the Mind, Sunday, Feb. 12, from 4 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Buddhist healing meditation for beginners through advanced. Free. Patty, 985-7470

Senior IDs, Monday, Feb. 13, from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., St. Jude’s Church in Ocean View. For residents 60 and older. 928-3100

Valentine’s Day Cards, Monday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m., Nā‘ālehu Community Center. Ages 5 – 10, 939-2510

Valentine’s Day Cards, Tuesday, Feb 14, 2 – 3 p.m., Kahuku Park. Ages 6 – 12. 929-9113

Valentine’s Day Buffet, Tue, Feb 14, 5 – 8 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Prime rib, lemon-buttered fish, vegetable stir-fry with tofu and more. $27.95 adult; $14.50 child (6-11 yrs old). Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8356

The Hylaeus Project and the Newly Endangered Bees of Hawai‘i, Tue, Feb 14, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Natural historian Lisa Schonberg discusses seven species of the yellow-faced bees of Hawai‘i that became the first bees to ever be listed as endangered. Free; park entrance fees apply.

www.kaucalendar.com