Robyn and David Baglow helped retrieve junk cars in Ocean View
by providing a staging area for pickup. A workshop on community
policing of illegal dumping will be held Dec. 15.

THE TAX FOUNDATION of Hawai`i has warned the incoming governor Neil Abercrombie and the legislature to refrain from raising taxes. Tax Foundation President Lowell Kalapa said that lawmakers must recognize that all taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet and that Hawai'i taxpapers are already some of the most heavily burdened in the nation. Kalapa said that citizens can demand less spending from government to balance the state budget. Higher taxes will drive families out of the state and companies out of business, said Kalapa.

COUNTY PROSECUTOR MItch Roth will spend a day in Ka`u teaching community members how to organize community policing and problem solving. The workshop on crime and livability will focus on Illegal Dumping. Participants will learn how to identify and solve problems through policing concepts and action. Organizer Mike Dubois said that illegal dumps are sources of pollution, possibly containing hazardous waste. Rodents, mosquitoes and flies breed in these smelly eyesores and may carry infectious diseases. These open dump disposal sites attract more dumping and criminal activity to the community, said workshop organizer Dubois. He called for representatives from Pahala, Na`alehu and Ocean View regions to take the training and act as a network to put an end to illegal dumping. Representatives from the Solid Waste Division and Community Policing will attend. Snacks and lunch will be served. The workshop is free on Wednesday, December 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Contact Mike DuBois at 640-1118 for more information.

THE COUNTY'S TEMPORARY transfer station at the county park at Kahuku will be discussed at the monthly meeting of the Ka`u Chamber of Commerce on Monday, December 6 at 7 p.m. The county bulldozed a site, poured a concrete pad and set a 30-yard container in place to collect bagged garbage every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Some residents are upset, stating that the county pushed the project without community input or involvement. County Public Information officer Hunter Bishop will explain. The time for the meeting has been changed from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center.

NEW BLEACHERS and an ADA approved walkway at Pahala Ballpark will be installed. The old bleachers, some aluminum and some wooden and metal that were built by Ka`u plantation workers years ago have been taken down to make room for new ones.

THE OUTGOING COUNTY COUNCIL plans to vote today on whether to issue a $56 million bond for capital improvements. Mayor Billy Kenoi proposed the bond issue, stating that the county’s high bond rating makes good sense to finance capital improvement projects for the Big Island. Included would be an $8.8 million dollar recycling and rubbish transfer station in Wai`ohinu. Incoming County Council Chair Dominic Yagong and incoming Ka`u council member Brittany Smart said they are not so sure the county should take on additional debt. Smart said that county tax revenues are expected to decrease. Should the issue come up before the council after she takes office, she would ask for a plan for interest payments that would fit within a balanced budget, she said.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 29, 2010

Brittany Smart, the night before being elected to the County Council.
This morning, she announced the staff members Nelson Ho and
Jen Knippling for her incoming County Council office.

Nelson Ho

NELSON HO, former Deputy Director of the county Department of Environmental Management, has been selected by incoming County Council member Brittany Smart to be her researcher and to write her legislation. Ho will take the job currently held by Bradley Westervelt, who works for outgoing councilman Guy Enriques. Smart said that Nelson Ho is the perfect person to work with her since she will chair the Environmental Management Committee on the County Council. She said that his background working for the county will give him insight into solving the needs for solid waste management in Ocean View and other sites throughout the district. Ho currently works for Recycle Hawai`i and chairs the Big Island Sierra Club group.
     Nelson Ho said this morning that he is looking forward to working with all the people of the district and tackling the ongoing needs of the community.

JEN KNIPPLING, who volunteered and worked her way up to become manager of Brittany Smart's successful County Council campaign, will become the council aide. Smart promised total transparency and frequent contact with the public during her term representing District 6 on the County Council.

TOMORROW, THE OUTGOING COUNTY COUNCIL is scheduled to take up the issue of floating a $56 million bond for capital improvements. Mayor Billy Kenoi contends that the county’s high bond rating makes good sense to finance capital improvement projects for the Big Island. Included would be an $8.8 million dollar recycling and rubbish transfer station in Wai`ohinu. Smart said that if the bond issue comes up before the new council, she would consider how much debt the county would shoulder given expected decreases in tax revenues. "I don't agree with putting us in further debt," she said.

INCOMING GOVERNOR Neil Abercrombie is asking everyone who comes to meet him on Sunday, December 12 to bring at least three cans of food or a cash donation to the Food Bank. Abercrombie will be meeting with residents after his inauguration at Pahala Plantation House from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the corner of Maile and Pikake Streets in Pahala as part of his round-the-state visit to meet the people.

ANYONE WHO FINDS A PEST on a Christmas tree that has been imported from the mainland should call the state Department of Agriculture's pest hotline. The ag department does not have the manpower to inspect every tree that comes onto the island but did find invasive slugs on some trees imported to O`ahu. The ag department is also worried about importing yellow jackets. People taking trees home have already found tree frogs and salamanders. If you find a pest that might have hitchhiked to Hawai`i on your Christmas tree, call the hotline at 643-PEST. That is 643-7378.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 28, 2010

Senator Russell Kokubun, speaking at a rally in Hilo, is being considered
for a position in Governor Neil Abercrombie's new administration.

RUSSELL KOKUBUN, our Senator for Ka`u, Volcano, Puna and beyond, is being considered for a position in Governor Neil Abercrombie’s new administration. Kokubun, a resident of Volcano, applied for a position and said this morning that the main issue is to serve the community and the public as he has been doing all his adult life. He said his experience is in land use, farming, natural resources and planning for sustainability. He said he respects Governor Abercrombie very much and would be honored to serve with him.
     Should Kokubun take a position with the state administration, his position as Senator would be filled by an appointment. Governor Abercrombie would appoint a new senator from a list of three nominees provided by the Democratic Party. The new Senator would serve for two years, until the next election.

ABERCROMBIE will be in Ka`u, meeting with everyone who wants to join him, at Pahala Plantation House, on Sunday, December 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kokubun said he will be there to welcome Abercrombie to his new post as governor.

Josh Green practiced at the Ka`u Hospital Emergency Room
and could become the next chief of the
state Department of Health.

ANOTHER STATE SENATOR up for a position in the Abercrombie cabinet is Dr. Josh Green, who has practiced medicine in Ka`u and represents Kona in the Senate. He is being considered for the head of the state Department of Health.

DURING THESE HOLIDAYS, not only are authorities looking out for drinking and driving, they are also looking out for illegal smoking in public places. Forty percent of children and more than 30 percent of non-smoking adults breathe in cigarette smoke on a regular basis worldwide. Children’s developing lungs can be permanently damaged, and they are more likely to have asthma and other respiratory diseases. Non-smokers of all ages die from disease caused by second-hand smoke. This new concern comes from a worldwide study of 192 countries by the World Health Organization. Here on the Big Island, smoking is banned in all public places, including Punalu`u Beach and all parks, as well as stores, restaurants and community centers. Enforcing the law is another challenge. 

Lisa Louise Adams, of the Volcano
Villages Artists Hui, which wraps up
its studio tour today.

THE VOLCANO VILLAGE ARTISTS HUI Art Studio Tour and Sale wraps up today in Volcano Village from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with quilts, paintings, pottery, photos, mixed media and other art. Visit the artist studios with discounted prices for Christmas gifts. Maps to all the studios are available by stopping in at Volcano Village businesses.

SENIORS ON MEDICARE face a December 31 deadline to change their drug and health plans. According to AARP, seniors should look at the cost of premiums, deductibles and cost sharing, coverage of drugs and seeing doctors and quality ratings. Good resources to check are www.medicare.gov and www.aarp.org. 

`O Ka`u Kakou is helping repair roads at South Point, Ka Lae,
where locals fish and visitors enjoy the view from the cliffs.

`O KA`U KAKOU spent part of Thanksgiving Week repairing a section of road to the fishing area and portable toilets at Ka Lae. Seven volunteer brought cement mixers, tractors, generators and a compactor to fill large holes. The effort is to protect the vehicles of many visitors and local residents who use the roads at South Point. The community group expects to continue with their work in the future, when they receive more donations in materials and equipment, said OKK member Fred Ramsdell. 

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 27, 2010

Monkeypod Tree, Pahala is the name of this artistic photo
by Mary Goodrich, whose work will be shown during
the Volcano Village Art Studio Tour and Sale
today and tomorrow.

MAYOR BILLY KENOI IS HOPING the county council will pass his proposal next week to float a $56 million bond. He pointed to the county’s good bond rating and said it makes good sense to finance important capital improvement projects for the Big Island to improve services and stimulate the economy. Among projects planned are an $8.8 million recycling and rubbish transfer station in Wai`ohinu. “Those who suggest we run for the bunker in tough economic times fail to see the opportunities that we have to make our island a better place to live,” the mayor said. He contended that floating the bond is based on sound economic principles. Other projects that will be funded include roads, parks and housing. The county takes up the issue on Tuesday, November 30.

THE GAS COMPANY PLANS to generate five percent of gas provided to customers through renewable bio-oil made from animal fats and other wastes. According to the Hawai`i state energy office, this will help Hawai`i reach 70 percent of energy coming from renewable sources by 2030. Ted Peck, who runs the energy office, said, “Our waste, which now costs us money to dispose, could become a revenue source.” The pilot program on O`ahu could expand to this island, where such waste as tallow from slaughter houses is buried in the ground. The bio-oil factory could also use waste from fish farms and sorghum and grasses grown here. In Ka`u, Ainakoapono hopes to farm thousands of acres and build a bio-fuel refinery in Pahala.

RECYCLING ON THE BIG ISLAND is up from 24 percent to 36 percent over the past three years. Last year more than 87 tons were diverted from landfills, said county recycling coordinator Linda Peters.

THE TEMPORARY COUNTY RUBBISH BIN will receive only plastic-bagged trash from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the county park at Kahuku in Ocean View. All other rubbish will be turned away. At the end of the day the bin is hauled away. The bin is being made available every Saturday until a permanent county recycling and transfer station is built.

A STUDENT TRACKING SYSTEM to help prevent challenged school students from falling through the cracks is coming on line with $2.6 million in new software at Hawai`i public schools. The plan is to give kids mini-tests so problems can be handled before the annual Hawai`i state assessment tests. Funding comes from a 75 million dollar federal Race to the Top grant. The tests are taken online or by filling in bubbles on written test sheets. Some educators and parents worry about too much test taking. Others agree that teachers and administrators need to understand the abilities of each student to personalize education and help those who have fallen behind.

THE ANNUAL VOLCANO VILLAGE ART STUDIO TOUR AND SALE invites everyone into Volcano Village to meet the artists today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual studio tour features eight studios with works ranging from quilts, paintings, pottery and photos to sculptures and hand-blown art glass. Many of these original creations are available for sale as Christmas gifts at affordable prices. A map for the tour is available at businesses in Volcano Village.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 26, 2010

MATSON PLANS TO INCREASE its shipping costs by $120 for every container coming in, and $60 for every container going to the west coast. The company also plans to hike its terminal handling charge by $175 for incoming containers and $85 for containers leaving Hawai`i. Spokesman Jeff Hull said the price hike will pay for rising operating costs and investments in Matson’s Hawai`i service. Look for increases in prices in all imported foods and other goods, accordingly.

YOUNG BROTHERS and the Hawai`i County Council are concerned about a Public Utilities Commission decision to allow Pasha Hawai`i Transport lines to deliver cargo to Hilo and other Neighbor Island ports while it is sailing between Hawai`i and San Diego. Young Brothers has called the approval unfair since Young Brothers is required by the state to serve many ports, even at times when service is unprofitable. Pasha would be allowed to cherry pick routes, Young Brothers claims. Guy Enriques, who chairs the council's Public Works and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, fought for a resolution passed by the County Council last week, asking the PUC for public hearings on the issue. Big Island legislators also contacted the PUC about the problem. Young Brothers has threatened to decrease its existing service of two times a week to Hilo and Kawaihae should Pasha be allowed into interisland shipping service.

THE OUTGOING COUNTY COUNCIL has scheduled a special session on November 30 to consider the mayor's proposed $56 million bond issue to fund capital improvements for the island. Among them is the proposed $8.8 million recycling and rubbish transfer station in Wai`ohinu. The majority of incoming council members have questioned the debt load the bond could bring to local government.

REDUCING THE TRAFFIC FATALITY RATE on the Big Island, particularly during these holidays, is the goal of numerous county, state and community agencies since our island posts triple the number of traffic fatalities as O`ahu. Agencies met Wednesday to roll out a program that includes not only the holiday roadblocks to check for heavy drinkers, but a taxi coupon program that can give intoxicated customers rides home from local drinking establishments. Police chief Harry Kubojiri said he is alarmed that many under-age drinkers are among those being arrested and that so many deaths on the highways are related to drinking and driving. The total number of traffic fatalities so far this year is 27.

THE TEMPORARY TRANSFER STATION will be open again tomorrow in Ocean View at the Kahuku County Park form 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The rollaway bin is being provided in Ocean View every Saturday by the county until the community has a permanent rubbish transfer station. The location is on Paradise Circle, makai.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY continues with the works of dozens of Hawai`i artists and artisans helping Volcano Art Center kick off the holiday season today through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

Multimedia art called 55 MPH by Ira Ono
for the art studio tour in Volcano
today through Sunday.

THE ANNUAL VOLCANO VILLAGE Art Studio Tour and Sale invites everyone into Volcano Village to meet the artists today through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual studio tour features eight studios with works ranging from quilts, paintings, pottery and photos to sculptures and hand-blown art glass. Many of these original creations are available for sale as Christmas gifts at affordable prices. A map for the tour is available at businesses in Volcano Village. 

Sign up to be in the Pahala Christmas Parade
by calling Eddie Andrade at 928-0808.

TO COORDINATE WITH THE PAHALA CHRISTMAS PARADE AT 1 P.M., GOVERNOR NEIL ABERCROMBIE is welcoming Ka`u and Volcano residents to Pahala Plantation House from 11 a.m. until noon on Sunday, December 12. Everyone is invited. 

SIGN UP YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP, business or church group for the Christmas Parade in Pahala by calling Eddie Andrade at 928-0808.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 25, 2010

Everyone is invited to meet Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Sunday, Dec. 12
at Pahala Plantation House.

EVERYONE IN KA`U IS INVITED to meet our new governor right here in Pahala on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 11 a.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Neil Abercrombie decided that, after he takes office over in Honolulu, he wants to visit people in two rural places on the Big Island, one in the north and one in the south. He chose Ka`u, with our rural towns and said he wants to be with folks he can help with our schools, hospital, macadamia and coffee farms, senior citizens, small businesses and those interested in economic development and land use. Abercrombie will be at Pahala Plantation House from noon until 2 p.m. There will be entertainment and refreshments for everyone.

Ka`u Hawaiian Civic Club will greet Gov. Neil Abercrombie
when he comes to Pahala on Sunday, Dec. 12.

THE KA`U HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB will be in Pahala to greet the governor. The organization recently attended the statewide convention to plan the perpetuation of Hawaiian culture and education and will share their ideas with the Abercrombie. During the convention, the Ka`u Hawaiian Civic Club members performed for the gathering, singing George Na`ope’s Kanani A ‘O Ka`u. Everyone is invited to join the Civic Club in greeting Abercrombie at Pahala Plantation House, December 12 at noon.

IN HIS NEW DAY IN HAWAII PLAN, Abercrombie is a supporter of preserving agricultural land, saying that “our dependency on imported food is a problem. We ignore it at our peril. Any disruptions in our food supply – international crisis, natural disasters or labor disputes – would leave us with less than a week of food.” He vowed to help preserve open land for agriculture with federal and state programs. See www.newdayhawaii.org for many of his plans for agriculture, education, health and economic development.

THE PAHALA CHRISTMAS PARADE is also set for Sunday, Dec. 12 starting at 1 p.m. The parade, organized by Eddie Andrade, has been running for more than 40 years and features many community groups, churches and businesses. Call 928-0808.

Deanna Hartynyk and Teresa Alderdyce with items for Ka`u foster children.

ON THANKSGIVING it is time to think of those less fortunate than ourselves. One way we can be of service is to help provide for children going into foster homes. Teresa Alderdyce is creating care packages for these children with duffel bags, blankets and Teddy Bears. Three to five children go into foster care in Ka`u each month. If you want to help, call 929-9611, extension 10.

THANKSGIVING DINNER will be served at Ocean View Community Center today, Thursday, Nov. 25 at noon.

THE DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION hosts its third annual Thanksgiving feast today at 3 p.m. $10 includes turkey, trimmings, dessert and beverage. Children under 12 are free. Seating is limited. Please call 929-9576 to reserve. All proceeds go to the Family Support Services of West Hawai`i Emergency Food Pantry in Na`alehu.

Monkeypod Tree, Pahala is the name of this artistic photo
by Mary Goodrich, whose work will be shown during the
Volcano Studio Tour Nov. 26 - 28.

THE ANNUAL VOLCANO VILLAGE ART STUDIO AND TOUR invites everyone into Volcano Village to meet the artists and see where they work. It starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features eight studios with works ranging from quilts, paintings, pottery and photos to sculptures and hand-blown art glass. Many of these creations are available for sale as Christmas gifts, and artists often offer them at affordable prices. A map for the tour is available at businesses in Volcano Village.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 24, 2010

A new post office for Ocean View
is under construction.

A NEW POST OFFICE FOR OCEAN VIEW is well under construction by the Kamagaki family who operate the new Ocean View Market. The Kamagakis have contracted to operate the new station for the U.S. Postal Service at their shopping center mauka of Hwy 11 and will hire all the employees. The U.S. government workers now operating the old post office next to Malama Market will go back to jobs in Captain Cook. The new post office will offer the same services, with over fifteen hundred postal boxes to serve the Ocean View area.

The new building at Na`alehu School
is nearing completion.

MUCH OF THE WORK ON THE NEW building on the Na`alehu School grounds is expected to be completed in December. The new building is being built by GW Construction.

A quarantine will prevent Kona Coffee
beans from being shipped
through Ka`u.

GREEN COFFEE BEANS out of farms from Manuka Park north to Koloko will soon be banned from shipments into Ka`u and the rest of the island unaffected by the coffee berry borer. The quarantine also includes coffee plants and used coffee bags in order to prevent the spread of the pest that has already been found on more than 20 Kona farms. The state Board of Agriculture passed the emergency regulations yesterday, and the rules should go into effect in a few days. As part of the overall quarantine, green coffee beans from the entire island will have to be treated before being shipped to other Hawaiian islands. 

Duke Aiona talks to Kapapala
ranchers about the drought that
devastated the cattle industry.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DUKE AIONA, who leaves office soon without moving into the Governor’s Mansion, held his first press interviews yesterday and said he would consider running for governor again in four years. He said the Republican Party needs to grow its base and that his campaign was hurt, perhaps, by being linked to school furloughs and other cutbacks to balance the state budget. He said he has no interest in running for congress. He plans to take a job in the private sector and keep his eye on the governor’s race for 2014. Aiona is particularly noted in Ka`u for helping start the Uplink afterschool program for youth. 

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR Hawai’i Island remains just below the national rate. According to state statistics just released, Hawai’i County posted a rate of 9.3 percent while the national rate is 9.6 percent for September. The other island rates were 5.5 percent for O’ahu, 7.8 percent for Maui and 8.5 percent for Kaua`i. 

THE VISITOR COUNT ON THIS ISLAND increased during the third quarter of this year, the largest number since early 2008. Visitors totaled 341,058, continuing a trend of growing tourism over the last three quarters. New flights expected to increase tourism include those operated by Alaska Air to Kona, which adds 25,000 seats during the next six months.


THANKSGIVING DINNER will be served at Ocean View Community Center tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 25 at noon.

THE DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION hosts its third annual Thanksgiving feast tomorrow at 3 p.m. $10 includes turkey, trimmings, dessert and beverage. Children under 12 are free. All proceeds go to the Family Support Services of West Hawai`i Emergency Food Pantry in Na`alehu. The seating is limited to 70 diners. Please RSVP today at 929-9576.

THE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, prosecutor, liquor department and office of the mayor are hosting a conference today to launch programs to reduce drunken driving. One program offers shared-ride coupons for taxi service and distributes them to bars and restaurants to give drunken customers an alternative to driving themselves home. “The holidays are a critical time for thinking about and implementing drunk-driving prevention programs,” said Mayor Billy Kenoi. “Everyone should have a joyous holiday season, so let’s celebrate safely and make this the best holiday season ever.”

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 23, 2010

Coffee beans damaged by coffee berry borers.

THE COFFEE BORER problem is scheduled for decision-making at the state Board of Agriculture meeting in Honolulu today. Testimony from the Ka`u Farm Bureau asks that farmers in unaffected areas be able to ship their green coffee in non-porous sealed bags. Ka`u farmers, whose fields are clean, are hoping to be excluded from a quarantine area. Rancher and Ka`u coffee enthusiast Michelle Galimba is a new member of the Board of Agriculture. Other testimony asks that the importation of green beans that brought the coffee borer to Hawai‘i be banned. 

Lee Segawa welcomes Ka`u Coffee to the new mill
on Wood Valley Road.

THE NEW KA `U COFFEE MILL on Olson Trust land along Wood Valley Road is pulping coffee cherry and starting to husk parchment. Anyone desiring to sell or use the services of the new mill can call Brenda Iokepa-Moses at 928-0500. 

Sen. Russell Kokubun

Rep. Bob Herkes

THE STATE SENATE has organized, and the state House is still organizing its committees. Senator Russell Kokubun will chair the Water and Land Committee. Representative Bob Herkes said he hopes to chair the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee. Herkes said this morning that he hopes to convince new Governor Neil Abercrombie to release $1.5 million in disaster funds being held by Governor Linda Lingle, to help Ka`u farmers and ranches damaged by vog and drought. He also hopes to work on preserving 11,000 acres of wilderness south of Miloli‘i. 

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES to rural areas like Ka`u should be restored, according to testimony at a public hearing in Honolulu yesterday. Many mental health services were cut around the state as the administration attempted to balance the budget in 2009. People who testified said those needing care were left with no alternatives, leading to increased suicides and violence which are also costly to the community. Ka`u residents can send written testimony until next Monday, Nov. 29 to the Adult Mental Health Division, HAR 11-175, 1250 Punchbowl St., Room 256, Honolulu, HI 96813. 

BIG ISLAND POLICE are searching for 23-year-old Isaiah Santiago, who escaped from Hawai`i Community Correctional Center on Nov. 10.
Information on Santiago's location can be called into Detective Reed Mahuna at 961-2384 or the non-emergency line for police at 935-3311.Those wanting to give anonymous tips can call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 or 329-8181.




THANKSGIVING CELEBRATIONS are planned for the public around Ka`u. The Rubber Band Turkey shoot takes place at Pahala Community Center today from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day, feasts are planned at Ocean View Community Center at noon and Discovery Harbour Community Center at 3 p.m. The $10 fee for the Discovery Harbour meal will go to Emergency Food Pantry in Na`alehu.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 22, 2010

Food Security is part of the Abercrombie Plan.
All of this food was grown in Ka`u.

GOVERNOR-ELECT NEIL ABERCROMBIE is planning a trip through Ka‘u after he takes office on December 6th. The date is set for Sunday, December 12th and he is expected to meet with Ka‘u residents concerning education, small business, natural resources and agriculture. In his New Day for Hawa‘i Plan, Abercrombie is a big supporter of preserving agricultural land, saying that “our dependency on imported food is a problem. We ignore it at our peril.” Any disruptions in our food supply – international crisis, natural disasters or labor disputes – would leave us with less than a week of food.” He vowed to help preserve open land for agriculture with federal and state programs. See www.newdayhawaii.org.

Award-winning coffee grows on land slated
for subdivision into agricultural lots.

CHRIS MANFREDI, WHO SERVES as president of the Ka‘u Farm Bureau, has been elected by the board of the statewide Hawai‘i Farm Bureau Federation to be its vice president. He has also been named Chair of its Government Affairs Committee and will serve as Hawai‘i’s delegate to the national American Farm Bureau Federation. Manfredi is the manager of Ka‘u Farm and Ranch Co., LLC, a company that oversees thousands of acres in Ka’u that were purchased by investors after Ka‘u Sugar company closed. Some two thousand of those acres have been proposed for subdivision into lots zoned Agriculture, including land where Ka‘u’s award-winning coffee grows. 

     Manfredi founded Ka`u Local Products, LLC to market and distribute agricultural products. He helped introduce Ka‘u Coffee into the Specialty Coffee Association of America, where it has been winning many international awards. Manfredi serves on boards of the Ka‘u Chamber of Commerce, Hawai‘i Coffee Association, Ka ‘Ohana O Honu`apo, and the Ka‘u Soil and Water Conservation District.

Dr. Cliff Field, new medical director at Ka`u Hospital,
also leads a dojo at Pahala Community Center.

DR. CLIFF FIELD has been named medical director for both Ka‘u Hospital and its medical clinic. Field, a resident of Punalu‘u mauka, has served as director of the emergency room. “He is extremely well liked and respected by patients and staff alike,” said Ka`u Hospital Administrator Merilyn Harris. “His leadership will be a key component in our ongoing efforts to enhance our services to meet the expectations of the community,” she said. 

THE KA`U DIRECTORY IS NEARLY PAU. Tuesday, Dec. 7 is the last day to submit information for community groups, churches, membership listings and ads for The Directory 2011. Sponsored by the Ka‘u Chamber of Commerce, The Directory, printed annually, publishes important Civil Defense and community information and promotes local enterprise. The Directory is Ka‘u’s very own phone book. This year’s cover features an image of the state bird, the Nene, by Ka‘u photographer Peter Anderson. To be included in The Directory, call 928-6471.

THANKSGIVING CELEBRATIONS are planned for the public around Ka`u. The Rubber Band Turkey shoot takes place at Pahala Community Center tomorrow from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day, feasts are planned at Ocean View Community Center at noon and Discovery Harbour Community Center at 3 p.m. The $10 fee for the Discovery Harbour meal will go to Emergency Food Pantry in Na`alehu.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 21, 2010

Ocean View's first annual Clunkers to Classics Car Show raised over
$4,600 to purchase computers for Na`alehu School students.

THE CLUNKERS TO CLASSICS Car Show and fundraiser at Ocean View Auto Parts has tallied up its income and determined that more than $4,600 will go to buy computers for Na`alehu School students. Ocean View Auto Parts co-owner Dorothy Antolin thanked all the volunteers. In the competition, Ocean View resident Neil Felton won the People’s Choice Award with his Red and Black 1937 Ford Pickup. In the Engine Elimination Contest, another Ford outlasted a Chevy.

Neil Felton's 1937 Ford Pickup
won the People's Choice award.

The Ford outlasted the Chevy in the
 engine elimination contest.

A CELL TOWER WILL RISE above Pahala Ballpark adjacent to Ka`u High School. The Windward Planning Commission has approved the tower for Sprint Nextel Hawai`i for installation of panel antennas and ground equipment. Antennas will go on a one-hundred-foot-tall light pole. And the equipment will be on a 525-square-foot footprint near Pakalana and Huapala Streets in the park. 

THE TEMPORARY TRANSFER STATION opened at Kahuku County Park yesterday and will be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A gravel and concrete pad were laid for the rubbish bin that is hauled away each week. The state Department of Health gave an exemption from requirement for the temporary service on Nov. 12. Only plastic bags with rubbish are being accepted. See hawaiizerowaste.org for more.

A FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE for critical surgery needed by beloved KAHU radio manager, musician and composer Demetrius Oliveira is underway. Big D's `Ohana and the Edmund C. Olson Trust are challenging the community to help raise $20,000 for surgery for Demetrius that is critical to restore his health. Olson will match up to $5,000 in donations raised by December 7. Donations can be made at the Ka`u Federal Credit Union offices in Pahala, Na`alehu and Ocean View. Checks to the Demetrius Oliveira Medical Fund can also be mailed to P.O. Box 511, Pahala, HI 96777. Or drop them off at KAHU radio station on Maile Street in Pahala.

THE U.H. HILO GEOGRAPHY & Environmental Science Club surveyed Pahala last night and plan to return to spray for coqui frogs. Club President Kenberly Gray said that the coquis have destroyed the tranquility in Hilo, and her U.H. student colleagues offer to help Pahala save the peace and quiet here. If you want to remove coqui frogs from your land, call 769-1135.

MAKANA PERFORMS this afternoon at 5 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater. Call 967-8222 for concert and season tickets. Upcoming artists include the Honolulu Brass on December 12, HAPA on Dec. 18 and Honolulu Jazz Quartet, Jeff Peterson and Spring Wind Quintet in early 2011. 

A SLACK KEY WORKSHOP WITH MAKANA will be held Monday, Nov. 22 at he Volcano Art Center Niaulani campus. Call 967-8222.

THE ANNUAL RUBBER BAND TURKEY SHOOT will be held on Tuesday, November 23 at Pahala Community Center from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Everyone of any age is invited to compete and win prizes. Call Nona Makuakane at Department of Parks & Recreation at 928-3102. 

THANKSGIVING DINNER will be served at Ocean View Community Center this coming Thursday, Nov. 25 at noon.

THE DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION hosts its third annual Thanksgiving feast on Thursday at 3 p.m. $10 includes turkey, trimmings, dessert and beverage. Children under 12 are free. All proceeds go to the Family Support Services of West Hawai`i Emergency Food Pantry in Na`alehu. The seating is limited to 70 diners. Please RSVP in advance at 929-9576.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 20, 2010

Jamae Kawauchi

NA`ALEHU NATIVE JAMAE KAWAUCHI has been nominated to become County Clerk for Hawai`i Island. She is the daughter of David Kawauchi, a retired police officer, and Jamie Kawauchi, who is retired from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
     Jamae is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and University of Hawai`i Richardson School of Law. She is a former Harvard University fellow and served as assistant director of Harvard Medical School’s Center of Excellence in Minority Health and Health Disparities. She is a former president of the County of Hawai`i Bar Association. The 37-year-old is a land use, business and civil attorney who worked with Carlsmith Ball and Tsukazaki, Yeh and Moore and has her own law practice.
     Kawauchi recently served on the County Charter Commission, which came up with numerous amendments that were approved in the general election in November.
     Kawauchi has support from both Mayor Billy Kenoi and the incoming County Council. The council is expected to confirm her after the swearing in on Dec. 6.

THE NEW TEMPORARY RUBBISH transfer station in Ocean View is open for household trash beginning today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the county Kahuku Park. The location for the bin is on Paradise Circle Makai, and the hours are every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The county will have an attendant on duty to accept only household rubbish in plastic bags. Commercial rubbish, metals or white goods such as washers, dryers, and refrigerators will be turned away. Recyclables are accepted at Wai`ohinu. Any questions? Call Environmental Management at 961-8083, or see http://www.hawaiizerowaste.org.

Deanna Hartynyk and Teresa Alderdyce
with items for foster care children.

DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO foster care children. New duffel bags, blankets, and Teddy bears are among the items being collected for care packages that will be given to Kaʻū children making the move to foster care. Teresa Alderdyce, of Mark Twain, is spearheading the effort. Three to five children go into foster care in Kaʻū each month, said Deanna Hartynyk, Family and Adult Services Case Manager. Anyone wanting to make a donation for foster care packages can contact Teresa Alderdyce at 929-9611 ext. 10, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Wild turkey hen

HUNTERS ARE REMINDED that the season is open for game birds on Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays on public lands where the hunting is approved. The season lasts through the third Sunday in January. Hunting is allowed on Wednesdays and Thursdays on land managed by cooperators. There are limits on the number of game birds that can be taken. They include pheasants, quails, partridges, francolins, sandgrouse, doves, turkeys and peafowl. Licenses can be purchased online with a credit card or at the state Department of Forestry and Wildlife office in Hilo and Kamuela and at The Nature Conservancy office on Highway 11 in Na`alehu.




PRINTMAKER AND ILLUSTRATOR Dietrich Varez and author David Kawika Eyre are among dozens of Hawai`i artists and artisans who help the Volcano Art Center kick off the holiday season at its annual Christmas in the Country celebration today and tomorrow, and then over the Thanksgiving weekend from Friday through Sunday, Nov. 26-28.

ST. JUDE EPISCOPAL CHURCH in Ocean View is hosting its second annual Plant, Craft and Ye Olde Bake Sale today until 1 p.m.

Makana

MAKANA PERFORMS tomorrow, Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater. Call 967-8222 for concert and season tickets. Upcoming artists include the Honolulu Brass on December 12, HAPA on Dec. 18 and Honolulu Jazz Quartet, Jeff Peterson and Spring Wind Quintet in early 2011. 

A SLACK KEY WORKSHOP WITH MAKANA will be held Monday, Nov. 22 at he Volcano Art Center Niaulani campus. Call 967-8222.

THE ANNUAL RUBBER BAND TURKEY SHOOT will be held next Tuesday, November 23 at Pahala Community Center from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Everyone of any age is invited to compete and win prizes. Call Nona Makuakane at Department of Parks & Recreation at 928-3102.

THANKSGIVING DINNER will be served at Ocean View Community Center this coming Thursday, Nov. 25 at noon.

THE DISCOVERY HARBOUR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION hosts its third annual Thanksgiving Day feast at 3 p.m. $10 includes turkey, trimmings, dessert and beverage. Children under 12 are free. All proceeds go to the Family Support Services of West Hawai`i Emergency Food Pantry in Na`alehu. Limited to 70 diners; please RSVP in advance.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 19, 2010

Coffee berry borer

TWO QUARANTINE AREAS for the Coffee Berry Borer are proposed by the Advisory Committee on Plants and Animals, which helps with the prevention of pests and invasive species throughout the islands. Ka'u coffee farmers Bull Kailiawa and Lorie Obra testified to the committee in Honolulu to separate Ka`u and Kona in the quarantines. One quarantine zone would extend from Kaloko in Kona to the Ka`u border at Manuka State Park. It is this region of South Kona where the destructive coffee borer has been found on many farms. With the two-tier quarantine, there would be tough restrictions on bringing green coffee, coffee plants and coffee bags from Kona to Ka`u. The state Board of Agriculture will take up the issue next Tuesday, November 23rd in Honolulu. In the meantime, the Department of Agriculture is assessing treatment and mitigation methods that would allow for the transport of green coffee beans from the quarantine zones.
     Volunteer coffee farmers are asking for anyone with wild or planted coffee trees with borers to call for help with stumping the trees and burning the branches to get rid of the coffee borers. Call Bull Kailiawa at 895-6099.

Marla and Peter Hunter

MARLA HUNTER, of Ka`u, has been elected to the board of the Hawai`i Fruit Growers Association. She and her husband Peter grow and graft 25 varieties of mango trees on their 15-acre Eke Nui Farm mauka of Highway 11 near the old Na`alehu Dairy site. Among the mangos they sell at Volcano Farmers Market are: Golden Glow, Gouveia, Manzanillo and Mapulehu. Marla said she is interested in drawing more Ka`u and Volcano members to the Hawai'i Fruit Growers. Call 929-8127 or email ekenuifarm@aol.com. See hawaiitropicalfruitgrowers.org. 

THE NEW TEMPORARY RUBBISH transfer station in Ocean View will be open for household trash beginning tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the county Kahuku Park. The location for the bin is on Paradise Circle Makai, and the hours are every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The county will have an attendant on duty to accept only household rubbish in plastic bags. Commercial rubbish, metals or white goods such as washers, dryers, and refrigerators will be turned away. Recyclables are accepted at Wai`ohinu. Any questions? Call Environmental Management at 961-8083, or see http://www.hawaiizerowaste.org.
     The sudden appearance of the rubbish bin on land set aside for recreation and education at Kahuku Park will be one of the topics at the next Ka`u Chamber of Commerce meeting on Monday, Dec. 12 at Ocean View Community Center at 6 p.m. County staff will explain.

Tahnee-Lee Kakatin, Dayse Andrade, Dacy Davis-Andrade,
Malie Ibarra, Junially Manantan and Junialla Manantan are
Ka`u fifth-graders who attended the GEMs program
in Kona yesterday.

Madalyn McWhite-Lamson,
of Ocean View, supports the
GEMS program for
fifth-grade girls.

KA`U FIFTH GRADE GIRLS traveled to Keauhou Beach Hotel yesterday for the GEMS program, which stands for Girls Exploring Math and Science. They met women whose careers involve an education with math and science and were given time to talk to them about their careers. Among the professions explored were astronomy, medicine, alternative energy, pharmacy and marine biology. The event is sponsored by the American Association of University Women. One of its Ocean View members, Madalyn McWhite-Lamson, assisted with a workshop on Coral Reef Critters. 

HELCO IS WARNING the public of a scam. Individuals impersonating Hawai`i Electric Light Company employees have been contacting residents and businesses by telephone and asking for personal information. Impersonators are telling customers their electric bill is overdue and must be paid, or electric service will be disconnected. HELCO is aware of these calls, which were made on the Big Island. The company reminded all customers Wednesday to not provide personal, confidential or financial information to any unidentified individual. It urged customers to be cautious when responding to phone calls and to report any suspicious activity to HELCO at 969-6999 or police at 935-3311.

Hog the Bounty Hunter

A PIG looks out of  the window of a car parked alongside Hwy 11 near South Point Road. Tourists are stopping by to take photos and see the pig is stuffed. To find out more about this project by Roger Downing, see the website hogthebountyhunter.com.

PRINTMAKER AND ILLUSTRATOR Dietrich Varez and author David Kawika Eyre are among dozens of Hawaii artists and artisans who will help the Volcano Art Center kick off the holiday season at its annual Christmas in the Country celebration Saturday and Sunday, and then over the Thanksgiving weekend from Friday through Sunday, Nov. 26-28. 

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village hosts a Poetry Slam tonight at 7 p.m. In this competition, poets read their own works, and the winners receive prizes. Call 967-8222 for more information. Admission is eight dollars.

ST. JUDE EPISCOPAL CHURCH in Ocean View hosts its second annual Plant, Craft and Ye Olde Bake Sale tomorrow, Nov. 20 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 18, 2010

Dr. C. Dexter Hayes

A NEW DOCTOR will be coming to Ka`u Hospital and Ka`u Rural Health Clinic in January. Dr. C. Dexter Hayes is a board-certified family physician and comes from a rural community in Arizona. She said she is interested in diabetes and high blood pressure and preventive care. She will replace Dr. Sheareen Gedayloo, who leaves December 10. 

Nona Wilson

KA`U HOSPITAL NURSING DIRECTOR Nona Wilson is being honored by University of Hawai`i School of Nursing for her dedication to quality patient care, teaching and community outreach. Her accomplishments were acknowledged at a recent Faces of Nursing celebration on O`ahu.

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS were on O`ahu yesterday to oppose putting Ka`u in a quarantine area with Kona. Ka`u Coffee Co-op president Lorie Obra reports that the board recommended that the primary quarantine are start north of Na`alehu, extending into Kona. Other areas of Ka`u would be in a secondary quarantine area that includes the rest of the island and may face quarantine in the future.

BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK, an investors’ resource website, lists Aina Koa Pono, the company that plans to establish a large plantation of biofuel crops in Ka`u and build a biofuel refinery in or near Pahala. The site says that Aina Koa Pono, LLC develops non-fossil fuel energy technology. It specializes in the gasification of biomass and the manufacture of electricity and liquid fuels from synthetic gas. The company designs and builds integrated bio-refineries to generate a variety of products, including fuels, ethanol, bio-diesel, and electricity in Hawai`i. Aina Koa Pono, LLC also offers various biofeedstock products, including sweet sorghum, saccharum species hybrids, refuse-derived fuel, pennisetum purpureum and hybrid species of grasses; eucalyptus grandis, other eucalyptus species and hybrids; other tree genera, such as Leuanena and Albizia; and supporting research and design for gasification and electricity, states the Businessweek site. Company spokesmen also said they are seeking leases on large parcels of land and a site to build their refinery in Ka`u. The business address is listed as Fort Street in Honolulu. Also see ainakoapono.com.

INTERESTED IN JOINING A COMMITTEE TO establish scenic byways program along Highway 11 in Ka`u? Ka`u Main Street is helping to set up a committee to work with the state and federal Departments of Transportation. The program emphasizes partnership, promotion of preservation, and pride, as a community effort can reap national recognition and funding for educational signage to honor cultural and historic sites and vistas. In other locales, an average of one new job has been created for each 1.37 miles of scenic byway. Ecotourism also increases in areas with scenic byways. Call 929-7236.

THE STATE COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT is accepting applications for members through this Saturday. Names will be reviewed by a committee, who will propose three or more nominees for selection by Governor-elect Neil Abercrombie. The committee members will serve for four years and help set stream flow standards to determine how much water can be taken for agriculture and development. They will also help set regulations for surface water use. Members serve without pay except for reimbursement for expenses, including travel, necessary to do the job. Applications are available at http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/cwrm.

THE HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB will have its regular third Thursday of the month meeting at Na`alehu Methodist Church tonight at 6:30 p.m. Native Hawaiians and non-natives are invited to join. Call President Blossom DeSilva 929-9731 or 936-7262.

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village hosts a Poetry Slam tomorrow night at 7 p.m. In this competition, poets read their own works, and the winners receive prizes. Call 967-8222 for more information.

ST. JUDE EPISCOPAL CHURCH in Ocean View hosts its second annual Plant, Craft and Ye Olde Bake Sale this Saturday, Nov. 20 from from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY GUITARIST Makana performs on Sunday, Nov. 21 at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The concert starts at 5 p.m. Call 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org for tickets.

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 17, 2010

Ground golf employs wooden
mallets and wooden balls.

Ka`u and Puna seniors play
ground golf at Na`alehu Ballpark.

A HOT COMPETITION was held between seniors from Puna and Ka`u yesterday at Na`alehu Ballpark when they played Ground Golf. Teams came up with such names as the Turkeys, the Corn and the Sweet Potatoes. They took home such prizes as turkeys for Thanksgiving. Scorekeepers included 87-year-old Iwao Yonemitsu and 88-year-old Takumi Shirakawa.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY producers can sign up on the Internet to sell power to the electric company starting November 24. Hawaiian Electric Light Company will accept applications from Hawai`i Island residents and businesses who want to sell electricity from windmills, photovoltaics and small hydroelectric plants. HELCO will pay 21.8 cents per kilowatt-hour for photovoltaics, 26.9 cents for concentrated solar power, 16.1 cents for wind-generated power, and 21.3 cents for hydropower. Applications are available on the Hawai`i Electric Company website. 

THE HAWAI`I CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVE AND 2050 SUSTAINABILITY PLAN are the subject of a meeting next Tuesday, November 23rd at the Hemmeter Building in Honolulu. The purpose is to facilitate renewable-energy projects, energy-efficiency programs, agricultural infrastructure and development, and other measures for food and energy security. The Hawaii Economic Development Task Force hosts the discussion to balance energy and agricultural development with economic, social, community, and environmental priorities. Ka`u Senator Russell Kokubun chaired the committee that produced the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan, which can be read at www.hawaii2050.org.

MELE ASSOCIATES is one of the companies proposing alternative energy for Ka`u. According to a report from the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative to the Task Force, it would grow crops to make biofuel to sell to the electric company. It could lead to hundreds of jobs and a new mill in Pahala to manufacture biofuels. Invasive plants like Christmas berry, haole koa, eucalyptus and such crops as sorghum or other grasses would be processed. The biofuel crops would be planted on thousands of acres between Pahala and Na`alehu. Read more at hawaiicleanenergyinitiative.org, at meleassociates.com and at ainakoapono.com.

REAPPORTIONMENT COMMISSIONS to redraw voting maps will go to work next year after the 2010 census numbers are counted and released. Census results are expected to show that Hawai`i Island’s population has grown by nearly 30 percent in the last decade, and that Puna and Kona have grown most. Ka`u Senator Russell Kokubun said that he hopes that reapportionment will not create “canoe districts” in which legislators would represent sections of more than one island. Hawai‘i Island formerly shared a canoe district that included North Hawaii and East Maui. The district lines for elected officials for county council, the House and Senate could all change as they are related to population.

KA`U COFFEE FARMERS are on O`ahu today to oppose putting Ka`u in a quarantine area with Kona. Ka`u Coffee Co-op president Lorie Obra and Bull Kailiawa, both farmers of award-winning coffee above Pahala, said they hope that Ka`u will stay clean of the coffee berry borer pest that has infested Kona farms. It is suspected that the coffee berry borer was brought to Kona by importing cheap green coffee beans from Latin America to blend with Kona coffee. 

Hezekiah Keohuloa makes a tree
of Thanksgiving for his mom.

Rubberband Turkey Shoot Target
 for next Tuesday's celebration in Pahala.

CREATING THANKSGIVING TREES was a project of Parks and Recreation and the Boys & Girls Club of Pahala yesterday. Children wrote on the leaves of each tree - the people and things for which they are thankful - like parents, the family dog and the beach. Also leading toward Thanksgiving is the annual Rubber Band Turkey Shoot, which will be held on next Tuesday November 23 at Pahala Community Center from 3 p.m to 5 p.m. Everyone of any age is invited to compete. Call Nona Makuakane at 928-3102.

JOIN KENNETH MAKUAKANE, a 12-time Na Hoku Hanohano award-winning singer, songwriter and producer, tonight in Volcano as he shares original songs from his latest albums, The Dash and White Bath Tub, his first solo album, Makuakane, and other award-winning compositions.
     He will be on stage from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Kilauea Visitor Center auditorium in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The concert is free; park entrance fees may apply.
     Makuakane is a member of the multi-talented and award-winning group, The Pandanus Club.

THE HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB will have its regular third Thursday of the month meeting at Na`alehu Methodist Church tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. Native Hawaiians and non-natives are invited to join. Call President Blossom DeSilva 929-9731 or 936-7262. 

Ka`u News Briefs Nov. 16, 2010

KAHU Radio manager Demetrius Oliveira gives Hawai`i Island teachers
a tour of the station.

BELOVED KAHU RADIO manager, musician and composer Demetrius Oliveira hosted school teachers from around the island on a tour of historic buildings in Pahala. Big D's Ohana and the Edmund C. Olson Trust  are challenging the community to help raise $20,000 for surgery for Demetrius that is critical to restore his health. Olson will match up to $5,000 in donations raised by December 7. Donations can be made at the Ka`u Federal Credit Union.

Landowners and farmers are looking at easements and other methods
of protecting agriculture in Ka`u.

METHODS FOR PRESERVING LAND for agriculture and nature were explored last night at the monthly meeting of The Ka`u Chamber of Commerce. John Henshaw, of The Nature Conservancy, and Doug Sensenig, of Hawai`i Island Land Trust, explained that buying or donating development rights can make properties more affordable for farming and conservation, as their land value and taxes go down. They said conservation easements have been used in other places to take the pressure off subdividing precious farmlands. The two are working on 8,000 acres in Ka`u to be preserved by the Olson Trust for farming and nature.
     Several people attending the meeting said they are concerned about native rights of access to conserved lands and keeping hunting trails open. Cheryl Torres, of Pahala, said that local people need to be assured that they can hunt and gather in the forests of Ka`u as this is part of their livelihood. Trini Marques, of Pahala, said that she appreciates such efforts to conserve land but wants to make sure that Hawaiian rights are recognized. John Henshaw, of The Nature Conservancy, said they try to achieve a balance of preserving native species while respecting the traditions of people to hunt and use the forest for recreation and food gathering.

The Nature Conservancy preserve at Kaiholena.

     Placing conservation easements, donated by owners of small lots in Volcano, could help preserve the rainforest within in the neighborhoods between Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and state forest preserves. The idea is to keep the trees on the land and place the homes within the forest, instead of clear-cutting the houselots. This gives the birds an overstory - a bridge between the two forest preserves. Caroline Garrett, of Volcano, said she is looking into such easement ideas for her own property. Both The Nature Conservancy and The Hawai`i Island Land Trust are working on the project.

INCOMING COUNTY COUNCILWOMAN Brittany Smart said she supports the conservation easement movement and hopes it becomes contagious around the island.

SEVERAL KA`U COFFEE FARMERS are scheduled to fly to O`ahu tomorrow to oppose putting Ka`u in a quarantine area with Kona to fend off the coffee borer pest. Lorie Obra and Bull Kailiawa, both farmers of award-winning coffee above Pahala, said they hope that one farm in Ka`u that has been infested with the coffee borer will be cleared so that Ka`u coffee farms can have a clean bill of health. It is suspected that the coffee borer pest was brought to Kona by importing cheap green coffee beans from Latin America to blend with Kona coffee.

KA`U COFFEE GROWERS don't mix their beans with foreign coffee and don’t want to be included in the quarantined area. The quarantine would prevent shipping untreated greens beans from here to other islands. Kailiawa is organizing a group of volunteers to help any farmer in Ka`u with coffee borers to clean their orchards. Call 895-6099.

THE COUNTY COUNCIL IS scheduled to vote on borrowing $56 million for projects around the island during its meeting tomorrow at Keauhou. Among the projects are a recycling and waste transfer station at Wai`ohinu which is budgeted for more than $8 million. Mayor Billy Kenoi said the funding will help stimulate the economy and improve the quality of life on this island. Current Council Chair J Yoshimoto and incoming Council chair Dominic Yagong oppose the measure, saying it will increase burden the county with too much debt, costing the county $4.26 million a year for 20 years. Outgoing Ka`u Council member Guy Enriques has supported the measure.

GOVERNOR ELECT NEIL ABERCROMBIE told state Senators yesterday that he plans to help out the Kupuna Care and Healthy Start programs by releasing rainy day funds that have been held up by outgoing governor Linda Lingle. Healthy Start helps many low-income mothers and mothers-to-be in Ka`u. Kupuna Care reaches out to seniors in their homes.

A NEW BOOK ON VOLCANOES will be unveiled tonight at After Dark in the Park at 7 p.m. in the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center Theater. The title is Volcanoes – Global Perspectives. It was written by Volcano resident and volcanologist Jack Lockwood and professor and former Volcanoes park Ranger Rick Hazlett.

THE HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB will have its regular third Thursday of the month meeting at Na`alehu Methodist Church at 6:30 p.m. on November 18. Native Hawaiians and non-natives are invited to join. Call President Blossom DeSilva 929-9731 or 936-7262.

Kahuku artwork by Dietrich Varez

THE KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park is hosting more programs to celebrate the history of Kahuku. A guided hike called People and Land of Kahuku is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday and again Dec. 18. The Kahuku gate on the mountain side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70 in Ka'u will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants should meet inside the gate by 9:30 a.m. for this hike. Advanced registration is not required, and four-wheel-drive vehicles are not needed. The 2.5-mile hike explores ways people have lived on the vast Kahuku lands from the earliest Hawaiian settlements through the park's current and future projects. For more information, call 985-6011.