Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017

Waikapuna, where owner Resource Land Holdings has been cooperating with local conservation groups
and Hawaiian families in their efforts to purchase and preserve the land.
Photo by Andrew Richard Hara, courtesy of Hawai'i Legacy Land Conservation Program

WAIKAPUNA WAS THE DESTINATION of the county Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission on Wednesday. Commissioners Kekaulike Tomich and Susan Fischer traveled to the remote Ka'u Coast property to consider partial funding of the proposed 2,209 acre acquisition of the land located between Honu'apo and Ka Lae - South Point, makai of Na'alehu.
     Maxine Cutler, manager of PONC for the county; Keoni Fox of the Ala Kahakai Trail Association, which proposes to steward the land; Laura Ka'akua, of Trust for Public Land; and Megan Lamson, of Hawai'i Wildlife Fund, were among the community members who made the trek.    
     Nohea Ka'awa, a native Hawaiian descendent of the area; Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail superintendent Arik Arakaki and archeologist Rick Gmirkin, of the National Park Service; and Deborah Chang also made the trip.
       Ka'u Agriforestry Association members Bruce Raye, Olivia Ling, Noela Pritchard and
Kaneala Young attended and are proposing a purchase of the property that would transfer land to county ownership.
      Leilani Rodrigues, descendent of the area, Michelle Galimba, a rancher on the property, and The Nature Conservancy Hawai'i Island Director Shalan Crysdale met with the commissioners before their trip to the coast. 'Aina Akamu met after.
     The price tag on the property owned by Resource Land Holdings is about $6 million and the state Legacy Land Program has committed $2 million. The funding from PONC would come from two percent of the county's property taxes that is set aside each year to purchase, conserve and steward public lands, with approval from the County Council and the mayor.
     Waikapuna is on the PONC list and may receive a resolution from County Council member Maile David, asking for the county to help fund the purchase of the property, during PONC's meeting at 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 11, at West Hawai'i Civic Center, at the conference room in Building G.

Waikapuna land, extends from points near Hwy 11 on the Hilo side
of Na'alehu to the coast. The state Legacy Land Commission
has approved partial funding and the county Public Access, Open
Space and Natural Resources Commission will consider the
proposal on Sept. 11. Another proposal is for federal funding.
The steward would be Ala Kahakai National Public Trail and
is local Association.

     Citizens can weigh in on the matter at the PONC meeting or by sending testimony ahead.
     Resource Land Holdings bought about 5,800 acres, including Waikapuna, from Lehman Brothers, who foreclosed on developers of the property after the financial crash of 2008.
     The collection of RLH parcels purchased in Ka'u also includes mauka lands with pastures and most of the famous Ka'u Coffee farms, all of which which RLH is planning for subdivision.
      The PONC proposal focuses on Waikapuna and is supported by Trust for Public Land, Hawai'i Wildlife Fund, and the Legacy Land Fund of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
     Speaking of the acquisition proposal that he supports, Fox said, "The proposed stewards and owners of the property would be the Ala Kahakai Trail Association, which plans to engage with the Ka'u community by partnering with community organizations and descendants of the area to care for the land and its resources. We support a community based management model," he said.  Fox is the board member of the Ala Kahakai Association who represents the Ka'u District. "Waikapuna is a big kuleana and we hope to partner with Ka'u groups and families to help steward the land."

Resource Land Holdings owns Waikapuna, Honu'apo mauka,
and Ka'u Coffee land properties.

   Fox's family released a statement in December saying, “For the Keanu ‘Ohana, we believe that this acquisition will honor our kupuna, their history, their values and their legacy by protecting the entire cultural and natural landscape. There are few opportunities today where such large scale preservation of pristine lands is even possible. The purchase will help to safeguard our family’s many sacred sites including the iwi kupuna.”
        Regarding wildlife, the statement said, the “effort will also allow for the protection of Waikapuna’s dryland forest and extensive native coastal plant habitat which includes seabird nesting areas along the sea cliffs. Furthermore, the scenic shores of Waikapuna are known as a place where fish and other marine life spawn and its protected tide pools serve as nature’s nursery.
     "Waikapuna presents an opportunity for research and education on many levels. As native descendants, we hope to continue our traditional cultural and educational practices on the land and in its waters. Our family is committed to assisting the Ala Kahakai Trail Association and other community organizations with the stewardship of the property. We are very excited about this opportunity to protect Waikapuna,” the Keanu family statement concluded.
     Resource Land Holdings invests in resource rich properties. Other investments include an Alabama sand quarry, a large surface coal mine in the midwest, a Florida citrus operation seeking to diversify, an alliance with a Washington apple fruit packer, and timberland in California.
     RLH has been cooperating with the organizations attempting to conserve the Waikapuna property as they go through the process of finding the funding.

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An ancient coastal trail.
Photo from Ala Kahakahi National Historic Trail

ALA KAHAKAI TRAIL SUPERINTENDENT ARIC ARAKAKI will be back in Ka'u this Friday to give the Coffee Talk at the Visitor Contact Station of the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

     The Alakaha Kai Trail Association is also involved in the proposed preservation of Ka'u Coast lands at Waikapuna.

     Used and maintained for an estimated 1,000 years, Ala Kahakai trails are still traveled by descendants of the original builders. Designated as a National Historic Trail in the year 2000, the Ala Kahakai protects and assures that access and cultural practices will continue into the future. Learn about the Trail and how NPS is working with descendants and communities to manage one of the oldest trails in the National Trails System.

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Hirono supports minority-owned
small businesses during a Business
Summit Conference in Hawai'i

MINORITY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES deserve federal partnerships and investments, according to Sen. Mazie Hirono. Today, she highlighted their importance during the third annual Native Hawaiian Organizations Association Business Summit Conference.
     “Small businesses have a unique perspective on not only growing their business, but growing our community,” said Hirono. “However, the Trump Administration’s budget proposal threatens the progress we’ve made for all native programs, including minority-owned business. As a member of the Small Business Committee, I will continue to fight to see these programs protected and enacted in a way that supports our local economy,” said the U.S. Senator representing Hawai'i.

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RESPONDING TO PRES. DONALD TRUMP'S THREAT today to shut down the government, if Congress won't approve building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, Hawai'i Sen. Brian Schatz tweeted: "If the wall gets a Senate vote it loses badly. It's an expenseive talking point with federal government condemning and taking private land. I really think September is going to be the month that elected Republicans put their country first."

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KA'U TROJANS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM beat Parker School tonight at home. JV took Parker with 25-14 and 25-8. Varsity won over Parker with 22-25, 25-28, 25-13 and 25-16, reports Athletic Director Kalei Namohala.

REGISTER KEIKI, grades K-8, until August 29, to make a beaded key chain on Wednesday, August 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 928-3102 for more.

CELEBRATE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S 101ST ANNIVERSARY on Friday, August 25, and enter Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park fee-free.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER MIGHTY ‘OHI’A is the title of an art  show open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, August 26, through October 8, at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park with paintings and illustrations by John D. Dawson. The artworks focus on the highly variable display of ‘ohi’a lehua trees found within the park. Gallery viewings are free, though park entrance fees apply.

DISCOVER HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI’IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomenon they represent on a guided, moderate, one-mile hike through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Saturday, August 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free. Visit ups.gov/havo for more.

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, a class in which Samantha DeSilva will share her unique method of painting, takes place Saturday, August 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Volcano Art Center. The fee per person is $90 plus a $15 supply fee. Call 967-8222 for more.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a free moderate hike approximately two miles takes place Sunday, August 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017

HELCO has spent more than $14 million to remove and trim trees to prevent them from falling,
as they did on Wood Valley Road in 2014 during Iselle. Photo by Royden Okinishi

HAWAI`I ELECTRIC LIGHT CO., today, announced a rate increase, following the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission issuing an interim decision approving HELCO's first base-rate increase in more than six years. 

     According to HELCO, the approved interim rate will increase the typical Hawai‘i Island monthly residential bill for 500 kilowatt hours by $4.98. Over the last 12 months, the average monthly residential bill has been $162.58. The 3.4 percent increase – $9.9 million in annual revenue – will help pay for capital improvements including grid upgrades and extensive vegetation management work that is credited with reducing outages and their duration during storms, says HELCO in a statement to the public. "Since 2014, Hawai‘i Electric Light has spent more than $14 million on tree trimming and removal, concentrating on areas where non-native albizia trees threaten utility equipment and highways."

A rate increase says HELCO will help the
company to manage vegetation and make
other upgrades to avoid power outages, like
this one during Iselle in 2014 in Wood
Valley. Photo by Julia Neal

    HELCO reports that "Today’s interim decision is consistent with a settlement reached last month between Hawaiʻi Electric Light and the Hawai‘i Division of Consumer Advocacy. The settlement reduced by nearly half the original request for a 6.5 percent increase in revenue." 

     The effective date of the new rate will be determined by the PUC.

     An interim decision is one step in the ratemaking process. The PUC will continue to review the request and will later issue a final decision. If a lower final amount is approved, the difference will be refunded to customers with interest. If a higher amount is approved, the increase will only be applied going forward from the time it is approved, not retroactively. 

    "Hawai‘i Electric Light leads the state in the use of renewable resources to generate electricity, relying on a diverse portfolio of wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower," states the utility company. "Since 2010, the company has increased the use of renewables from 35 percent to 57 percent as of June 2017." 

     HELCO notes several programs available that provide financial assistance for those who are in need, including the Hawai‘i Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), Ohana Energy Gift Program, and the Special Medical Needs Program. The Time-of-Use program, which offers lower rates during the daytime hours, can help save money for those who are flexible on when they use energy. See www.hawaiielectriclight.com for more information.

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KEN WICKS KA`U CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SCHOLARSHIP recipients have been named for 2017. Tiani Castaneda-Naboa wrote the winning essay, answering the question, How Will Your Education Benefit the District of Ka`u?

Ka`u Chamber Logo by Tanya Ibarra

      The scholars with their majors, Ka`u home towns, and campuses are: Lexis L. Andrade, a Wai`ohinu resident and architecture student at Walla Walla College in Washington; Tiani L. Castaneda-Naboa, of Na`alehu, a UH Hilo pyschology major; Ty Alfred De Sa, of Pahala, a Hawai`i Community College history student; Sheilla Mae Felipe, of Na'alehu, a UH Hilo pre-nursing student; Leaokalani Hashimoto, of Wai`ohinu, a UH Hilo education major; Kaweni Christopher Ibarra, of Pahala, a Santa Clara University electronic engineering major; Kamrie Koi, of Pahala, a UH Hilo political science and administration of justice major; Rochelle Koi, of Na`alehu, a UH Hilo English and history major; Tiare-Lee Chiemi Kehaunani Shibuya, of Na`alehu, a UH Hilo student in nursing science and nursing administration; and Jennifer Flores Tabios, of Na`alehu, a St. Johns University New York City criminal justice major with a criminology minor.
     All of this year’s recipients are continuing college and are previous recipients of the annual Ken Wicks Ka`u Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, named after the late Ken Wicks, a longtime educator, who served as President of the Chamber.

     The application rules are in the process of changing for 2018 and will be made public once finalized. For an application, see www.kauchamber.org. Call 936-5288 with questions.

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MUMPS AT NA`ALEHU SCHOOL was reported by West Hawai`i Today on Tuesday. The Nancy Cook Lauer Story said that "A letter went out Aug. 15 notifying parents and staff to take extra precautions following the confirmation that an individual at Na`alehu Elementary School had mumps."
     The story reported that "Staff and teachers were told not to come in if they had been within three feet of the unnamed student. The student wasn't named in the letter because of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act requirements," wrote Cook Lauer, after receiving the information from Principal Darlene Javar. The story referred to Department of Education officials saying that only one new case is known on the island. See tips on preventing the spread of mumps in the Ka`u News Briefs, Thursday, Aug. 17.

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Photo from nps.gov/havo

MAKE THE HAWAIIAN GAME, PALA‘IE, Wednesday, August 23, from 10 am to noon on the Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Create your own traditional Hawaiian game using natural materials. Pala’ie, a ball-and-loop game rarely encountered in modern Hawai’i, is sometimes played by keiki while chanting ancient songs. The event is free, though park entrance fees apply.

REGISTER KEIKI, grades K-8, until August 29, to make a beaded key chain on Wednesday, August 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 928-3102 for more.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park posted this image to Facebook on Monday
with the caption "Teri Turner Votaw writes, 'My 17 year old son, Jared Votaw,
took this great photo of the crater and Milky Way when we were visiting last
month.' Thanks :)"

CELEBRATE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S 101ST ANNIVERSARY on Friday, August 25, and enter Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park fee-free.

TALK STORY AT THE KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on Friday, August 25, for Coffee Talk from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and join the informational conversation on a wide variety of topics. Ka’u coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Free entry.

START VIEWING LIVE LONG AND PROSPER MIGHTY ‘OHI’A, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday, August 26, through October 8, at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park with paintings and illustrations by John D. Dawson. The artworks focus on the highly variable display of ‘ohi’a lehua trees found within the park. Gallery viewings are free, though park entrance fees apply.

DISCOVER HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI’IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomenon they represent on a guided, moderate, one-mile hike through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Saturday, August 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free. Visit ups.gov/havo for more.

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, a class in which Samantha DeSilva will share her unique method of painting, takes place Saturday, August 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Volcano Art Center. $90 plus $15 supply fee per person. Call 967-8222 for more.

Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Aug. 21, 2017

Ka`u Calendar Astronomy editor Lew Cook sent these eclipse shots from the mainland today. Only a tiny
fraction of solar eclipse was visible in Hawai`i. Photo by Reed Yurman

HAWAI`I IS IN THE TOP DOZEN of community college systems according to WalletHub, which today released a report on 2017's Best Community College Systems. "With back-to-school season upon us and several states, such as New York and Rhode Island, offering free community-college education starting this month, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report. To determine where students can receive the best education at the cheapest rates, WalletHub’s analysts compared more than 700 community colleges across 14 key indicators of cost and quality. The data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to student-faculty ratio to graduation rate."
    Hawai`i ranked eleventh in the country with the top ten state community college systems ranking in the following order: South Dakota, Alaska, Washington, Florida, Wisconsin, Mississippi, North Dakota, Minnesota, New York and Montana.
     A number of top individual community colleges, reports WalletHub, are in tribal lands. They include Leech Lake Tribal College in Minesotta, Cochise County Community College in Arizona, Blackfeet Community College in Montana, Aaniih Nakoda College in Montana, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in New Mexico and Chief Dull Knife College in Montana.

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Ala Kahakai Trail in Ka`u. Photo by Barbara A. Schaefer

ALA KAHAKAI TRAIL SUPERINTENDENT ARIC ARAKAKI will be the speaker at Coffee Talk at the Visitor Contact Station of the Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Friday, Aug. 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
     “He ala hele, he ala muku no Kane laua Kanaloa,” announces the poster for the event. It means Pele will follow the short trail toward Kane and Kanaloa.
     Arakaki will answer the question, "What is the Ala Kahakai?"
      Polynesians traveled on water trails to the Hawaiian Islands and then built trails on the land. Used and maintained for an estimated 1,000 years, these trails are still used today by the descendants of the original builders. Designated as a National Historic Trail in the year 2000, the Ala Kahakai protects and assures that access and cultural practices will continue into the future. Learn about the Trail and how NPS is working with descendants and communities to manage one of the oldest trails in the National Trails System.

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Coffee berry blotch is on the increase, according to
University of Hawai`i.

COFFEE BERRY BLOTCH and Cercospora Leaf Spot are two problems that University of Hawai`i is identifying in the coffee industry. Andrea Kawabata, Associate Extension Agent for Coffee and Orchard Crops, reports that she recently noticed an increase in this problem, caused by fungal pathogens. She said to look for a small, brown blemish or sunburn mark on the berry that becomes larger and sunken, and may have a reddish-purple halo. It can cause the berry skin to stick to the parchment, making pulping, fermentation and drying difficult and uneven. Young berries may ripen prematurely or become raisins and mature berries may become raisins and fall of the branch before the next harvest, she said. Kawabata recommends visiting http://hawaiicoffee.weebly.com/cercospora-leaf-spot-and-berry-blotch.html and read the publication produced on Cercospora. "Always keep coffee trees healthy. Prune and desucker your coffee trees to improve airflow through the tree and orchard," she recommends. Contact her at andreak@hawaii.edu.

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Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

Volcano 911: Protecting and Serving Visitors, Tue, Aug 22, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Chief Ranger John Broward reveals what it takes to become an National Park Service law enforcement ranger, and how the park’s protection staff works to keep visitors safe on the world’s most active volcanoes. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Make the Hawaiian Game, Pala‘ie, Wed, Aug 23, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ National Park. Create your own traditional Hawaiian game with natural materials. Pala‘ie, sometimes played by keiki while chanting ancient songs, is a ball-and-loop game rarely encountered in modern Hawai‘i. Free; park entrance fees apply.

Dream Catcher, Wed, Aug 23, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Grades K – 8 register Aug 14 – 22. 928-0312

Fee-Free Day, Fri, Aug 25, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Celebrate National Park Service’s 101st Anniversary.

Coffee Talk, Fri, Aug 25, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. An informal conversation on a wide variety of topics. Ka‘ū coffee, tea and pastries available for purchase. Free.

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017