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PRACTITIONERS PROMOTE TAI CHI, QIGONG
Beginners to
masters partake
in the annual
World Tai Chi
Qigong Day
Saturday at Old
Airport Park.
LAURA SHIMABUKU/
WEST HAWAII TODAY
BY BRET YAGER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
byager@westhawaiitoday.com
Around West Hawaii, tai chi stays
pretty well under the radar.
Lacking the high profile brickand-mortar schools of the mainland,
instructors here of the ancient martial
art tend to pass on their knowledge in
civic centers, parks, open areas and
other temporary facilities.
“They don’t really advertise,” said
instructor Rick Li, who was on hand
for the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
celebration Saturday morning at the
Mauka Clouds
Tai Chi instructor
Philip Hema.
beach in the Old Kona Airport Park.
“That’s why we do these world tai chi
days, so everyone can get together and
be stimulated by what’s going on.”
About two dozen participants glided
gently through a series of fluid steps
and movements on the white sand.
Some were regular students of tai chi,
others just visiting and stopping in
for some relaxation and rejuvenation.
Most were acquainted with the healing
power of the art form. For a few, it has
become a way of life.
The event’s organizer, Alice Sherer,
used tai chi to help her stand up
straight after a debilitating car wreck.
More recently, it helped her through a
battle with cancer. It has been a standby for more than four decades.
“It is my healing path,” she said.
Russ Kellythorne of Kailua-Kona
began in the hard styles of Korean
kickboxing many decades ago. Now in
his 80s, he has moved over to the softer style of tai chi, a form more suited to
aging bodies.
“It moves all of your joints through
the full range of motion,” he said. “It’s
SEE TAI CHI PAGE 4A
County Democrats name Barnes Halemaumau
chairman at convention
Crater
WEST HAWAII TODAY
ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com
Honokaa — When it’s not an
election year, only the most faithful
of the party faithful show up for
the convention, as was the case
Saturday when the Hawaii County
Democratic Party held its annual
event.
Almost 100 people showed up
at the Honokaa Intermediate and
High School cafeteria for a day that
saw the election of new officers
and a series of educational sessions
centered around transportation,
environment, disaster response,
agriculture and energy. Last year’s
convention drew easily twice that.
Hilo resident Phil Barnes, who
moved to Hawaii in 1998 after cutting
his political teeth leading the political action committee in Alaska for
the National Education Association,
was elected chairman. One of Barnes’
priorities is to bring younger members into the county party.
Noting that more than half of
the Democrats in Hawaii County
are 62 years old and older, Barnes
quipped that demographic would be
of interest “only to funeral parlors.”
He praised the Young Democrats
INDEX
DAVID TARNAS
Hawaii County Democratic Party
Chairman Phil Barnes
who have begun taking increasing
roles in party politics in the state.
Barnes also wants to increase
videoconferencing in the party,
especially to give neighbor island
Democrats more access to statewide meetings.
And, he wants to make conventions and rallies more interesting.
“When you go to a convention, it
shouldn’t be boring,” Barnes said.
“It ought to be fun.”
Barnes takes over from David
Tarnas, who led the county party
Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . 6B
HI
84 LO 72
Keeps Rising
“This party takes
action. This party
takes action when we
realize we have flaws.”
BY NANCY COOK LAUER
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1D
WEATHER, PAGE 10A
over the past two years, including shepherding area Democrats
over a contentious special election to replace former state Rep.
Denny Coffman. The special
election for the District 5 state
representative bogged down
amid allegations of backroom
dealing and exclusion.
Tarnas, pledging transparency,
was able to get local party rules formulated and passed to ensure the
selection of three nominees to send
to the governor when there is a
vacancy in a state 0ffice is conducted in a democratic and open process. He said the state Democratic
Party embraced the county rules
when creating guidance to be used
in every district.
“This party takes action,” Tarnas
said. “This party takes action when
we realize we have flaws.”
Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1C
7
58551
00781
BY BRET YAGER
WEST HAWAII TODAY
byager@westhawaiitoday.com
The lava in Halemaumau Crater
kept rising Saturday, creating
an increasingly exciting scene of
Madam Pele’s work for viewers at
the Jaggar Museum and Overlook.
Lava was within 33 feet of the
rim of the Overlook Crater within
Halemaumau on Saturday afternoon,
said Janet Babb, a geologist with
the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
“The summit is still inflating, so
it’s wait and watch,” Babb said.
Viewers have been treated to
intermittent spattering of the lava
since the lake came into view on
Thursday. A small collapse of the
crater wall on Friday showered the
Halemaumau Crater floor with spatter, and explosions have been heard
from inside the crater. The spectacle has drawn crowds of visitors to
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Nation & World . . . . . . . . .3A
7
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8A
VOL. 47, NO. 52 28 PAGES
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