Ka`u News Briefs May 24, 2011

More than 500 acres around Kawa and its estuaries are held up from becoming public lands by a lawsuit by
Abel Simeona Lui, who claims his family lost the land illegally generations ago.  Photo by Julia Neal

MOST OF THE LAND WOULD BE PUBLIC ALONG THE COAST from Punalu`u to Honu`apo if the sale of a 363 acre parcel with more than a mile of undulating coastline is finalized by the end of June. The parcel lies between state land next to Punalu`u and 100 acres owned by the Apiki/Omerod heirs just north of Kawa Bay. The purchase could be scuttled by a lawsuit brought by Abel Simeona Lui, who claims ownership to another parcel in the land sale – this one south of the Kawa lands recently purchased by Hawai`i County. The parcel at the south end of Kawa and the one closer to Punalu`u are under contract for the county to buy them from the Edmund C. Olson Trust. If the Kawa land is not cleared by the courts by June 30, the county will lose government money to buy the coastal lands. The purchase of the two parcels is part of the campaign to preserve the Ka`u Coast from Honu`apo to Punalu`u.

Kawa during a surf meet. These lands were purchased by the county for a
park over the objections of Abel Simeona Lui, who claims
title to them.  Photo by Julia Neal

THE COUNTY OF HAWAI`I, PUBLIC ACCESS, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission is currently accepting suggestions for properties to be considered this year. The deadline to submit is next Tuesday, May 31. Kawa was listed as the commission’s number one priority in 2006, 2008 and 2009, and part of the land has already been purchased. The Kahuku Coastal Property makai of Ocean View, which the county is currently negotiating to purchase, was number five on the commission’s priority list in 2009. For more information, visit hawaii-county.com/finance/ponc.htm or contact Alexandra Kelepolo at 961-8069. 

Hawaiian Electric Light Co. Pres. Jay Ignacio spoke to
Ka`u residents aboutht the `Aina Koa Pono plan
in January.  Photo by Julia Neal

THE STATE CONSUMER ADVOCATE is asking Hawaiian Electric Company for more information regarding its proposed contract to buy biodiesel from a proposed refinery and farm near Pahala. The requests are posted on the Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission website. The Consumer Advocate asks HECO how it plans to use biofuel from the `Aina Koa Pono project to meet Renewable Portfolio Standards for electrical energy, which are included in Act 155 that was passed by the state Legislature and signed by the governor. It asks HECO to estimate the contribution that biofuel from `Aina Koa Pono would have on the Renewable Portfolio. 

     Concerning the biofuel `Aina Koa Pono plans to ship to O`ahu and Maui counties, the advocate asks about the cost of shipping the biofuel to the other islands. The consumer advocate also asks about other suppliers of biofuel and how they could impact the use of biofuel from `Aina Koa Pono and when their biofuel becomes available for use.
     `Aina Koa Pono is planning to build a $350 million refinery on Meyer Camp Road between Pahala and Wood Valley and to employ 300 workers for construction and 100 workers to run the farm and the refinery. It plans to use industrial-size microwave processors to vaporize feedstock from Christmas berry to eucalyptus and napier grass to run the factory and produce a diesel it would truck to the power plant in Kona. The PUC has asked Hawaiian Electric to offer proof by the end of May that the microwave processors will work on an industrial scale, noting that it is not being used on such a commercial scale anywhere else in the world.

Butch Light and students at the Ka`u Coffee Festival
Recipe Contest. Photos by Geneveve Fyvie

BUTCH LIGHT WON FIRST in the Pupu category of the Amateur Division of the Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest for his Coffee Smoked Chicken, second in the Dessert I category for his Flourless Mochamac Cake with Cafebar Glaze, tied for second in the Dessert II category with his Coffee Soufflé recipe and third in the Entrée category for his MacCoffee Chicken. 

     Light is the cooking teacher at Ka`u High School. He encourages his students to enter the festival recipe contest every year. The timing of this year’s event only allowed for two teams to enter. Students in the class are encouraged to use their imaginations when cooking. 

Butch Light won first for his
Coffee Smoked Chicken.

     Light said the school is adopting the national safety standard set by the American Culinary Federation and used by chefs across the nation. Using these standards sets Ka‘ū High above most U.S. public schools offering cooking classes. Contact Light at 928-2011 or nlight16@yahoo.com. PAHALA POOL has new hours. On Monday and Tuesday it is open 10 a.m. until noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday it stays open until 5:30 p.m. On Saturday the pool is open from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Sunday the hours are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The hours may expand later in the summer, according to the county lifeguard posted there.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK Ranger Jason Zimmerman demonstrates how to make poi tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai at Kilauea Visitor Center in. Zimmerman learned the skill from his grandfather.

THE OCEAN VIEW TEEN CLUB meets tonight and every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Teens from 13 to 18 years old are invited to gather at Kahuku Park and Ocean View Community Center. Call 937-3335 for more information.