Ka`u News Briefs Oct. 2, 2011

The sugar plantation's old water system came down the mountain in wooden flumes to transport cane to the mill.
Now in pipes, it is used for irrigation and will be used to produce electricity.  Photo by Julia Neal

HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY, using abandoned sugar plantation water resources and Keaiwa Reservoir, is on tap for the farms along Wood Valley Road. Olson Trust workers recently laid pipe, drained the reservoir to repair it and set a course down the hillside to give the water the drop it needs to make electricity.

Keaiwa Reservoir is drained for repair.  Photo by Julia Neal

     Olson land manager John Cross said the goal is to make the new Ka`u Coffee Mill and macadamia husking plant totally “green and using only renewable energy.” Cross said that Olson also plans to use the excess water for additional agricultural projects such as growing watercress and a loi system to grow kalo – taro – and perhaps make poi. The irrigation water is already used for coffee trees, taro, and truck crops grown by farmers leasing the Olson Trust land. 

HAWAI`I SUSTAINABLE ALLIANCE is asking for support to amend the county building code to allow what it calls more eco-friendly communities and buildings. A resolution is set to go before the County Council this week.
     Council member K. Angel Pilago said the resolution requests the county Department of Public Works to “establish minimum requirements for owners/builders of rural dwellings on agricultural parcels, through waiver or exemption from existing codes, which will allow the use of substitute materials, procedures and alternatives, to the extent that a reasonable degree of health and safety is provided.”
     According to the Alliance, “thousands of Big Island residences have been constructed without Hawai`i County building permits, particularly in rural areas where the cost of house and outbuilding construction in accordance with current Building Code is out of the financial reach of many residents, especially during these dire economic times. In addition, Hawai`i’s need to create and support more sustainable paradigms in order to insure a healthy future is obvious...and, in fact, has been mandated by the state goal of becoming more self-reliant and sustainable by the year 2050.” See more at hawaiisustainablecommunity.org.

Detail of Akebono Ka`u, Kathleen Kam's winning
art for The Directory 2012 cover, showing
plantation history and the new
independent agriculture.

AKEBONO KA`U is the name of the art that won the cover contest for the next Ka`u Directory, the community and resource guide and phone book for the district. The winning artist is Kathleen Kam, who recently taught art at Na`alehu School and painted the murals at Punalu`u Bake Shop in Na`alehu, Kilauea General Store in Volcano, the Keauhou Bird Sanctuary in Volcano, KTA in Hilo and Kamehameha Schools on O`ahu. She has provided artwork for signage and displays at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and is currently completing murals at the Ka`u Coffee Mill. The selection of The Directory artwork was made through public voting all last week at the Ka`u Federal Credit Union. 

     Wanda Aus, organizer of the event and End of Show Celebration, thanked everyone who participated, including the 211 people who voted. Others who helped Aus include Gary Golding and Bill Kinney, who set up and took down displays; Deedee Bodine, who helped hang art; Peter Anderson, Bill Doar, Allan Stafford, Lee McIntosh and Deedee Bodine, who greeted the public during show hours.

     Aus was happy to announce that three of the submitted artworks sold.

     See tomorrow's Ka`u News Briefs for more on the art show.

     The deadline to submit changes or new listings and ads for The Directory 2012 is Monday, Oct. 31.

PROPOSED COUNTY COUNCIL REDISTRICTING MAPS go to public hearings around the island. The Ka`u hearing takes place in Na`alehu on Oct. 12 at 9 a.m. The Redistricting Commission is attempting to redraw districts so that each County Council member will represent 20,462 people. 

THE ACOUSTIC HAWAIIAN JAM at Honu`apo happens next Sunday, Oct. 9 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo and Keoki Kahumoku invite everyone to bring their acoustic instruments to this free family event to celebrate another year of Ka `Ohana’s stewardship of the park.

Homecoming Court members Talai Ke, Jennifer Haalilio, Alika Kaopua, Rochelle Koi, Mark Cuison and
Eunice Longakit performed following the Trojans' win.

KA`U HIGH VARSITY FOOTBALL brought home their first win last night just in time for Homecoming. The Trojans beat the Kohala Cowboys at the Pahala ball park during the Ka`u Homecoming game. Ka`u took off in the first quarter, earning 14 points. Ka`u added another six in the second quarter, but allowed Kohala to inch ahead 22 points. However, both the Trojans defense and offense turned on the juice in the fourth quarter. 

Trojan fans gathered on the field following the win.

On the second-yard line, senior quarterback Daellan Kai threw a short pass to senior Evan Vanderpool to score. Senior Alika Kaopua caught another short pass from Kai to earn the two- point conversion. The defense rendered the Cowboys scoreless the entire second half. Final score 28-22.

     Following the game, the Homecoming Court, which included football players Mark Cuison, Alika Kaopua, Talai Ke and Evan Vanderpool, performed a dance. Other court members are Eunice Longakit, Rochelle Koi, Shyann Carvalho-Flores, Janessa Jara, Jennifer Haalilio and Tyren Fukunaga-Camba.