Green Focuses on Homelessness, Living Wage, Environment & Safety West Ka‘ū’s state Sen. Josh Green in January re- chronically homeless people dropped 43 percent when leased an outline of his bills and goals for 2017 and the they had decent housing for an uninterrupted six-month current session of the Hawai‘i Legislature. Green, a phy- period. Housing is healthcare, and if we begin to concep- sician who started his medical career in Hawai‘i at Ka‘ū tualize homelessness as a health condition, we can treat Hospital, represents Honu‘apo to Kona in the Hawai‘i it effectively and compassionately,” said Green Senate. Here are the issues he is tackling at the 2017 A Living Wage: Senate Bill 14 incrementally raises Hawai‘i Legislature. the minimum wage in Hawai‘i to $15 an hour by 2023. Homelessness as a Healthcare Condition: Green’s Hawai‘i has the highest cost of living in the nation, “and Senate Bill 2 classifies chronic homelessness as a medi- 200,000 of our residents are only two to three missed cal condition and would allow a doctor to write a home- paychecks away from economic crisis, leaving them vul- less patient a prescription for housing. “Chronic home- nerable to joining the ranks of those who cannot afford lessness exacerbates pre-existing illnesses, and a recent housing, food or medicine for their families. A living Hawai‘i-based study found that health care costs for Green Focus, pg. 4 Sen. Josh Green lobbies for healthy environment. Volume 15, Number 2 The Good News of Ka‘ū, Hawai‘i February, 2017 Hawai‘i’s Multiethnic Leaders Respond to New President Into the first month of the first term of U.S. President Donald Trump, Hawai‘i’s governor, congressional delegation and other elect- ed and appointed officials pledged to protect the aloha, peacefulness and tolerance of Hawai‘i’s multicultural society which has long set a good example for sister Gov. David Ige United States of America. Gov. David Ige and state Attorney Gen- eral Doug Chin objected to the Trump administration’s attitude in profiling and de- tainment of refugees and others entering the United States. AG Doug Chin The Hawai‘i Attorney General signed on with 17 Attorney Generals from other states in late Janu- ary to say, “As the chief legal officers for over 131 million Americans and for- eign residents of our states, we condemn President Trump’s unconstitutional, Sen. Mazie Hirono un-American and unlaw- Lava stream pours out of a lava tube on the sea cliff at Kamokuna ocean entry in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, which is drawing record numbers of visitors to see Madame Pele. Photo from USGS ful Executive Order and will work together to ensure the federal government obeys the Sen. Mazie Hirono to Stand Strong with National Parks Constitution, respects our history as a nation Standing up for the National Park of immigrants, and does not unlawfully tar- Service is one of Sen. Mazie Hirono’s get anyone because of their national origin missions. In the U.S. Senate, she repre- or faith. sents communities that include Hawai‘i “Religious liberty has been, and always Volcanoes National Park, the Ala Kahakai Multiethnic, pg. 16 National Historic Trail and other parks in Ka‘ū and beyond. Hirono said that she will stand be- hind the National Park Service and sci- entific agencies in government to protect their employees’ free speech about their research and their scientific findings. She said that she is concerned the administra- tion of new President Donald Trump could ****ECRWSS thwart scientific research and hold back on Postal Boxholder Also in this issue: P2 Business * P3 Energy dealing with climate change. & Sustainability* P4 Event Calendar * P7 Said Hirono, “Since day one of his Sports Report * P8 Sports Calendar * P12 Interaction of molten lava flowing into cool seawater causes pulsating littoral explosions Presidency, Donald Trump has attacked Star Map * P15 Health * P16 Pāhala * P18 with spatter thrown high into the air. This and an unstable cliff with the earth cracking are the National Park Service for telling the Nā‘ālehu * P20 Kahuku * P22 Volcano creating hazardous conditions. Photo from USGS Hirono Stand, pg. 10 Read The Ka‘ū Calendar Daily at www.kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com KA‘U BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE Volume 15, Number 2 The Good News of Ka‘ü, Hawai‘i February 2017 Truth in Labeling Bill for Local Coffee Passes Ag Committee Truth in labeling requirements for Ha- no longer be able to sell their product.” waiian coffees passed the state House of Ka‘ū’s state Rep. Richard Creagan, Representatives Agriculture Committee in who chairs the House Agriculture Commit- January. The bill, if it passes the state Leg- tee, said that Hawai‘i County Council sup- islature, would require declaration in the ports the truth-in-labeling bill and that it is labeling of the amount of locally grown cof- also supported by the Hawai‘i Democratic fee, like Ka‘ū or Kona, and the amount of Party. The Kona Coffee Farmers Organiza- imported coffee in the coffee bag or coffee tion, with more than 400 members, offered drink. a petition supporting the bill and states on its HB256 would require coffee blend website: “Our petition asks that the Hawai‘i labels to disclose regional origins and per- County Council’s request for truth-coffee- cent by weight of the blended coffees and labeling be enacted into State Law. The ap- would prohibit using geographic origins of preciators of genuine Kona coffee are our coffee in labeling or advertising for roasted most enthusiastic supporters. Voices from Alexander Calumpit with his award-winning 100 percent Ka‘ū Coffee. or instant coffee that contains less than 51 Truth in Labeling, pg. 3 Coffee Council, which he said is 200 farm- percent of coffee by weight from the geo- ers-strong. He said the industry is thriving graphic area described on the label. with farm-gate values as high or higher than Bill Would Keep Big Solar Farms During a public hearing on the is- ever. He said that new rules would hurt the sue and opposing the bill, Roger Kaiwi, of industry. “We cannot police what we have Out of Ag-Zone Neighborhoods Royal Kona Coffee, represented the Kona already,” he said. He said that the coffee A bill that would keep utility-scale solar industry could end up like eggs and dairy, farms out of residential communities zoned Farm Bureau “and we are going to put enough rules on Agriculture passed its first reading in the ourselves to put us out of business.” state House of Representatives in January. Kaiwi said that blended coffee is needed The bill would modify law that allows Meeting Feb. 15 to make Hawaiian coffees affordable to sell solar installations on all Agriculture-zoned Ka‘ū Farm Bureau has set its first meet- to a large segment of the market, including land (except land with the best soil) without ing of 2017 for Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the visitors. “If we are looking for omiyages and a county permit. The bill is supported by auxiliary room at the new gymnasium in makanas, most people want to take a piece Ka‘ū’s Rep. Richard Creagan, who has op- Pāhala at 6 p.m. Election of new officers is of Hawai‘i coffee back with them at afford- posed the industrialization of residential planned for the meeting, said Ka‘ū Farm Bu- Rep. Richard Creagan is lobbying for a bill to able prices.” Regarding the Kona brand, he communities that are zoned Agriculture in prevent industrialization of neighborhoods, reau President Brenda Iokepa-Moses. She is said that if farmers are prohibited from us- spite of the fact that the subdivisions were like those in Ocean View where solar farms attended the National Association of Con- ing the Kona name on their coffees that are created for homes. are planned. servation Districts meeting in Denver until less than 51 percent Kona, “we’ll lose Mc- Also supporting the bill are Reps. Beth Puna District, which are home to thousands Feb. 1, representing the state of Hawai‘i. Donalds (using 10 percent Kona blend), all Fukumoto, Cedric Gates, Linda Ichiyama, of people. They are termed “non-conform- the hotels and all the restaurants (using 10 Sam Kong, Matthew PoPresti, and Gregg ing” because they do not conform to modern percent Kona blend). These people would Takama. subdivision standards and rely on catchment The town of Ocean View, the most systems for water, and often have substan- populous in the Ka‘ū District, is composed dard roads. of seven subdivisions, all zoned Agricul- Most of the subdivisions were created ture. An estimated 7,000 people live in in the 1960s and 1970s when the county Ocean View. There are also an estimated and state did not require developers to cover 14 non-conforming old subdivisions in the Solar Farms, pg. 6 NĀ‘ĀLEHU DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY! Great location, 825 feet of highway frontage. Over 26 acres of vacant land with residential zoning. Views of the rolling hills of Ka’ū and the ocean too! County water available to property. Price reduced by $100k! Now only $295,000 MLS 296626 The Good News of Ka‘ü Contributors: Elijah Navarro, Lew Cook, Geneveve Fyvie, February 2017, Vol.15, No. 2 Ann Bosted Published by: Assembling: Ka‘ü Community Volunteers Call for map and price list or your personal showing! The Ka‘ü Calendar, LLC. For advertising call: P.O. Box 940, Pähala, HI 96777 Nälani Parlin at 217-6893 or [email protected], Charles A.