Recent Community Happenings

Fukunaga appointed to Parker Ranch board

The Parker Ranch Foundation Trust announced the appointment of Kay Fukunaga to the Board of Directors of Parker Ranch, Inc. Parker Ranch is one of the largest and oldest cattle ranches in the United States and, through its sole shareholder, the Foundation Trust, is one of the largest private landowners in the State of Hawaii. Parker Ranch is headquartered in Waimea.

Fukunaga, who joined the organization’s board of directors on Jan. 24, currently serves as the director of financial analysis for Hawaiian Airlines, focusing on enterprise wide financial planning and capital allocation for Hawaii’s largest and longest-serving carrier. She brings a wealth of experience in the following areas: renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, strategy, finance and government relations.

“I am excited and honored to contribute to the next chapter of Parker Ranch,” Fukunaga said in a news release. “The opportunities in local beef production, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and ecotourism are intriguing and compelling. I have been inspired by the organization’s commitment to making a positive difference in the Waimea community and throughout our islands.”

Prior to joining Hawaiian Airlines in March 2017, Fukunaga held a number of positions in a variety of industries including renewable energy development and impact investing. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and received her Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.

Hawi retreat aims to improve health

Master Liu Jianshe from China is returning to Kokolulu Farm and Retreats in Hawi to offer a Qigong fasting and eye improvement retreat.

The nonprofit farm and cancer retreat center is in Hawi and all proceeds of the retreat go to support its 501 (c)3 public charity 0rganization.

The retreats range between five and seven day options, from $599 to $699, and are billed to improve health in eye sight and chronic conditions as well as to help lose weight.

Liu is the leader of the Huaxianju Qigong Centre on Hainan Island, China and has been a friend, teacher and colleague of Kokolulu for many years.

Jianshe worked and studied for several years at the medicine-less hospital (Huaxia Zhineng Qigong Clinic and Training Centre) in China with the founder Dr. Pang Ming, where they treated over 300,000 people with numerous kinds of chronic illnesses, using no medication or herbs, according to a press release issued by the farm. Kokolulu’s programs are patterned after the centre.

Sign up: Karin Cooke RN or Lew Whitney SH (808) 889-9893. Info: www.kokolulu.org for more information

Talk on what’s new in the young universe

Shortly after the Big Bang, our universe has been measured to have been almost amazingly uniform. Fortunately for our existence, it didn’t stay that way long. The excess gravity of slightly over-dense regions slowed their expansion, and eventually caused them to collapse into the first galaxies, forming the first generation of stars and, presumably, planets.

Studying this process was the prime motivation for building the Keck telescopes, which are now showing us the birth and infancy of galaxies.

Growing up in their natural habitats, these young galaxies are lighting up the universe, forming stars, merging together, and building up the heavy elements that are essential for life. This talk will provide a status report on these investigations, covering recent breakthroughs, as well as discoveries we can look forward to in the next several years.

Guest speaker Matt Malkan, Professor of Astronomy at University of California, Los Angeles, will present at HPA’s Gates Performing Arts Center at 7-8 p.m. Tuesday. The free event is sponsored by the Rob and Terry Ryan Foundation.

Info: Shelly Pelfrey, outreach@keck.hawaii.edu

Wilderness first responder course available

Step forward in an emergency.

For anyone who spends significant time in remote places or who has a professional career in the outdoors, the Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course will prepare them to make difficult medical decisions. Students will spend half the time outside of the classroom doing hands-on skills and realistic scenarios. In addition to scenarios, they’ll participate in a full-scale night mock rescue.

NOLS Wilderness Medicine’s curriculum encompasses a wide range of topics including long-term patient care, wound management, straightening angulated fractures, reducing dislocations, litter packaging and administering medications. Adult CPR certification is included. Must be over 15. The WFR course is pre-approved for 70 hours of EMT CEU’s by CECBEMS.

This course is the industry standard for professional guides, trip leaders, search and rescue team members, outdoor recreationists, and international travelers.

Info: National Outdoor Leadership School at (866) 831-9001 or email at wilderness_medicine@nols.edu

Waikoloa Beach Marriott workers ratify union contract

Unite Here Local 5 members who work at Waikoloa Beach Marriott voted overwhelmingly at the end of January to ratify a union contract that covers over 250 workers.

The contract is modeled after the contract agreement that was reached on Nov. 27 with Kyo-ya, which owns five Marriott-operated hotels. Beginning in October 2018, nearly 2,700 workers at the five hotels went on strike for 51 days with the demand that one job should be enough to live in Hawaii.

Waikoloa Beach Marriott workers did not go on strike because their union contract did not expire until Dec. 31. But the “One Job Should Be Enough” message nevertheless resonated with Waikoloa Beach Marriott workers.

“Hotel workers on Big Island make less than Waikiki hotel workers, but we also struggle with the cost of living. Many of us can’t live on Kona side because it’s too expensive, so we commute for hours each day from the east side,” said Krystal Chinen, a utility steward at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, in a press release announcing the deal. “One Job Should Be Enough to live in the cities where we work. This new union contract brings us closer to making that a reality and setting a good standard on Big Island. I’m thankful for the Kyo-ya workers who went on strike for 51 days. Their sacrifice is changing the lives of so many families for the better.”

It marked the 7th Marriott-operated hotel in Hawaii to reach an agreement with Local 5, after Marriott workers nationwide went on strike in 2018.

The new union contract includes job security; reductions in subcontracting of staff positions; worker involvement in the implementation of new technology and automation; a child/elder care fund; a reduction in workload for housekeepers; an increase in wages, an increase in pension contributions; and an increase in health and welfare contributions.

Hill named to Dean’s List

Alannah Hill of Waikoloa was among those who earned dean’s list recognition at George Fox University for the fall 2018 semester. Traditional undergraduate students must earn a 3.5 grade point average or above on 12 or more hours of graded work to earn a spot on the dean’s list.

George Fox University is ranked by Forbes among the top Christian universities in the country and is a Christian college classified by U.S. News &World Report as a “Best Regional University.”