Ka`u News Briefs May 1, 2011

Young Miss Ka`u Coffee and Miss Ka`u Peaberry, along with their courts, graced the Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative's
float in the Merrie Monarch Parade yesterday.  Photos by Geneveve Fyvie

KA`U WAS WELL REPRESENTED in the Merrie Monarch Parade yesterday. Winners from the Miss Ka`u Coffee Pageant graced the parade. 

Miss Ka`u Coffee Brandy Shibuya rode in a convertible
 driven by her proud father Dane.

     Miss Ka`u Coffee Queen Brandy Shibuya and her court, first Princess Jaeneise Cuison and Second Princess Brandy Eder, represented the Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative. 

     Also representing Ka`u Coffee were Miss Ka`u Peaberry Rebecca Lynn Kailiawa-Escobar and her court, First Princess Tatiana Ka`awa and Second Princess Cherrisse Calumpit. Young Miss Ka`u Coffee Dayse Meleani Andrade was accompanied by First Princess Shailei-Marie Penera and Second Princess Malia Nicole Corpuz. 

     The turtle car from KAHU 91.7FM also made its way to Hilo and joined the parade. It sported the community radio station’s new logo.

First and Second Miss Ka`u Coffee Princesses
Jaeneise Cuison (l) and Brandy Eder greet
the crowd at the Merrie Monarch Parade. 

     The Nature Conservancy, based in Na`alehu, partnered with the Three Mountain Alliance on a float about their work in preserving Ka`u’s watershed. Shalan Crysdale, of The Nature Conservancy, walked behind the float, handing out tattoos and candy.
     In the hula auana competition of the Merrie Monarch Festival, the kane of Na Pua Me Kealoha, of Carson, CA, performed to a mele about Ka`u called Ke Ala a ka Jeep. “We’re from Ka`u,” kumu hula Sissy Kaio told the Hawai`i Tribune Herald. The halau visited Ka`u during their Merrie Monarch Festival stay.

`O KA`U KAKOU IS DONATING $3,000 to the Department of Parks and Recreation to support the Pahala and Na`alehu Summer Fun Programs. The programs provide activities and excursions for children in grades 1 through 6. Registration for Summer Fun takes place this week at Pahala and Na`alehu Community Centers. Call Nona at 928-3102 or Richard at 939-2510 for more information. 

Pete Licata, of Honolulu Coffee Co.,  used
Lorie Obra's Rusty's Hawaiian 100% Ka`u
Coffee in the barista competition at SCAA.

RUSTY’S HAWAIIAN 100% KA`U COFFEE is a key element in the creation of the 2011 United States Barista Championship entry of Pete Licata, of Honolulu Coffee Company. Licata is a frequent visitor to the home of Lorie Obra and her farm above Pahala. 

     During his presentation, he provided visual images of her Cloud Rest farm on a small countertop screen for the judges, and said he picked and dried the coffee and followed it through all its process. He made three progressive drinks from the coffee, including a tea from the coffee cherry and the final espresso. Licata became one of the top six finalists. The U.S. winner will travel to South America for the world finals. Obra and her daughter, son and son-in-law are on hand at the U.S. competition in Houston this weekend wearing Team Hawai`i T-shirts. 

THE SPRING FLING at Punalu`u Bake Shop’s new pavilion in Na`alehu was a huge success, said Robert Domingos of Ka`u School of the Arts. More than 40 Ka`u artists and artisans displayed their creations and offered them for sale, gave demonstrations and lead art activities. Entertainment throughout day included performances by the Ka`u `Ohana Band, the Na`alehu Civic Club Singers, the Last Fling Dance Band, Hands of Time, Marion “G” Dog and Gary Cole. A special spotlight was on young musician Bradley Llanes, who captivated the audience with his `ukulele and vocals. 

Greg and Hettie Rush displayed their art at Spring Fling
yesterday.  Photo by Bradley Grohs

     Ka`u School of the Arts wants to thank all the folks who came out and participated in all the activities, from face painting to Zumba, with special thanks to those many talented individuals who shared the results of their creativity.

VOLCANO ART CENTER hosts its second annual May Day is Lei Day Festival today until 3 p.m. at the Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. This free family event is for residents and visitors of all ages to join in the creative and cultural tradition of making and wearing lei.
     Cultural practitioner Loke Kamanu will showcase a display of various lei and assist in hands-on lei making using ti and kui style, using flowers.
     Lei makers of all ages and levels of experience can enter a lei contest. All lei entries become part of a silent auction fundraiser to benefit VAC’s year-round educational offerings.

THE KA`U CHAMBER OF COMMERCE is holding a meeting at Punalu`u Bake Shop this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Applications for new board members are being accepted. Interested parties can join the meeting, call the Chamber at 939-8449 or Marge Elwell at 929-7236, or send resumes to PO Box 6710, Ocean View 96737.

KA`U ELEMENTARY SCHOOL holds its May Day Celebration for families on Monday at 9 a.m., and Ka`u High and Intermediate Schools’ celebration is at 6 p.m. in the gym.

The coffee berry borer is  the topic
Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Pahala
Community Center.

AN UPDATE ON THE COFFEE BERRY BORER is scheduled for Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the Pahala Community Center. Dr. Elsie Burbano, a researcher at UH-Manoa, CTAHR, discusses monitoring, trapping and controlling the CBB. For more information, call 938-1719. 

THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES for the Ka`u Coffee recipe contest has been extended to this Saturday, May 7. Applications are available at R&G Store in Pahala and online at www.kaucoffeefest.com. Contact Michelle Galimba at 430-4927 or mgalimba@kuahiwiranch.com for more information.

THE KA`U GONZO MUSIC SOCIETY is planning a music festival at Punalu`u for Memorial Day. They invite musicians to sign up to play. They also are seeking community groups who want to raise funds with food and/or craft booths. Call Bill at 929-9803 or Tom at 929-9298.