Ka`u News Briefs March 24, 2011

Aesthetician Ursula D'Angelo, of Beauty Calls, visited Ka`u Coffee Pageant candidates to teach them about skin care,
including the application of masks with natural ingredients such as seaweed.  Photo by Nalani Parlin

THE HAWAI`I TOURISM AUTHORITY decided yesterday to spend $3 million to shore up the visitor industry following a drop in Japanese arrivals after the devastation of the tsunami on Honshu Island. HTA expects continued cancellation of reservations, with losses statewide through June mounting to $200 million. HTA plans to target China, Korea, Australia and the West Coast in an attempt to make up for the loss. With the state dependent on Japanese tourism tax income, the governor has asked the Council on Revenues to make a new projection for tourism, in order to project the income side of the state budget before it is finalized. More state budget cuts may be on the horizon.

This mobile weather station is designed to gather data
for fighting fires.  Photo from Napau Fire Crew

CHAIN OF CRATERS ROAD and Napau Trail were closed yesterday, about six miles from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center. Helicopters dropped water to cool hot spots and slowed the progress of the wildfire that has now burned more than 2,000 acres. Fire crews were able to fight both flanks of the fire, but there is still no containment. The Napau Fire is about seven miles southeast of Kilauea Visitor Center. Fire Incident Commander Robin Wills said that yesterday was the first day they were able to work successfully with their planning strategy - with all the firefighters’ parts and pieces. 

     The crews are particularly bent on saving the Special Ecological Area, an intact lowland rainforest which has been managed to exclude invasive species and restore native plants and animals. They include ama trees and sandalwood, the Hawaiian bat, Hawaiian hawk,  `apapane and `amakihi honeycreepers, carnivorous caterpillars, as well as the happyface spider.
     The crew numbers more than 40 and is comprised of firefighters from Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, Whiskeytown National Recreation area, and other parks and national forests.
      Infrared mapping reveals that most of the fire burned single logs, standing dead trees, stumps and large areas of dead vegetation, mostly on the southeast perimeter. Remote automated weather stations are predicting weather factors related to fire. About 2,000 of these weather stations are placed around the U.S., and fire managers can bring them in from Boise, Idaho, where the National Fire Agency Office is located.

The community reefer at the old S&S Dairy for families
who raise and slaughter for home use.

SAVING THE REEFER at the old S&S Dairy just outside Na`alehu is an ongoing fundraising effort for Kaohi Mokuhali`i, the volunteer reefer keeper who keeps the cold storage locker open for local families who raise cattle, pigs and other livestock. In recent weeks she has been selling cinnamon bread from Punalu`u Bakeshop, just to help pay the electric bill, which can be almost $1,000 a month. The reefer is on land leased by Alfred Galimba and Kuahiwi Ranch, and Mokuhali‘i takes care of it, keeping the key to manage access, keeping it clean, and paying the bills. 

Reefer keeper
Kaohi Mokuhali`i

     Mokuhali‘i said that raising livestock and slaughtering for the family is a long tradition in Ka`u, and the community reefer is necessary to keep meat affordable. To buy tickets for the cinnamon bread, call 938-9040 by tomorrow. 

ONE JOURNEY, the high school band with a new CD and music video, is still raising money to fund its trip to the statewide Brown Bags to Stardom talent contest on O`ahu in April. At a recent fundraiser at this radio station, produced by Ka`u Productions, Inc., the band raised money and sold out its CDs but is still short about $500. Donations can be dropped by the radio station or Ka`u High School. One Journey, led by high school music teacher Laura Saijo, has received a lot of attention for its music video shown on OC16 television. The top song is Lovers Dream, written by singer Eunice Longakit and James Tyson. 

AESTHETICIAN Ursula D'Angelo, of Beauty Calls, has been working with Kaʻū Coffee Pageant candidates to help them care for their skin. "It's never too early to start taking care of your skin," advised D'Angelo. She brought fresh ingredients that can be found in the home - such as honey, avocado, oatmeal, green tea and yogurt - and let the girls concoct their own facial masks. The girls topped off their faces with seaweed, which is used in spa treatments to smooth and tone skin. The pageant is Saturday, April 23, and tickets can be purchased from the contenders.

YESTERDAY THE KA`U TROJAN Varsity baseball team took down Pahoa in Pahala, defeating them 7-6. Ka`u got off to a great start, scoring all of twice in the first inning, four in the second and once in the third. They held the Daggers to one run until the fourth inning. The Daggers picked up speed in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring four runs and keeping Ka`u scoreless. However, it was not enough to defeat the mighty Trojans. Callen Koi hit a triple and went three for four, and Dillin Ballo hit a double and went two for four. The big hitter of the day was James Dacalio, coming up with a home run in the third inning.