Say Aloha to Murder! Official Blog for the 2009 Left Coast Crime Convention
March 7 - 12, 2009 Waikoloa - Hawaii, HI

If you keep your eyes open (especially while eating breakfast on the veranda of the Waikoloa Beach Resort Hotel) you will see a few uninvited but beautiful guests attempting to share breakfast with you. They look vaguely familiar but are certainly not the usual birds you find in your back yard at home, unless you come from the East and Midwest and have Cardinals to brighten up your day.

Most of the birds on land at sea level in Hawaii are introduced birds and not native to the Big Island or to the Hawaii complex. The exception might be some of the visiting shore birds (wandering tattler or Ulili, sanderlings or Hunakai, the Pacific Golden Plover or Kolea and the rarer bristle-thighed curlew or Kioea). Interestingly enough, no Gulls visit the Island. To see the scarce, beautiful endemic (only found in this location) birds of Hawaii, you need to go higher in the mountains (above 2000-3000 feet) and look carefully and be very patient. Visit this web site to get a picture of these beautiful birds: <http://chandra.as.utexas.edu/~kormendy/hibirds.html>

The common birds that you will see around the Island have been introduced by man and released into the environment. Since everyone loves living in Hawaii, these birds had little difficulty adapting to the wonderful weather, the abundant fruit and crops and easy living characteristic of life in Hawaii (at least for the birds).

The most frequently seen bird is the COMMON MYNA that was introduced from India in 1865 to control pests. These black birds with a yellow crescent behind its eye, waddle all over the place. They squawk, eat everything, fly in flocks and are feisty. There are three types of CARDINALS seen in Hawaii—the Red Crested Cardinal seen here (the most beautiful in my eyes), the Yellow -Billed Cardinal found only on the Big Island and the Northern Cardinal found on the Mainland.

These are the birds that join you for breakfast (or lunch or dinner or snacks) and are found on lawn, scrub or near the beaches. The SAFFRON FINCH (golden yellow with an orange patch on the face near the bill and the eye) is found along the Kona Coast (where we will be) and is found in groups, foraging for insects and seeds on the ground. There are many interesting birds to see and I suggest that you bring a pair of binoculars and purchase as copy of the Hawaii Audubon society’s book: Hawaii’s Birds (you can get it at the airport or at the small store in the Marriott Waikoloa Resort Hotel). One last bird, that is one of my favorites is a native of Indonesia and is the JAVA SPARROW.

This bird is found in flocks on lawns and in fields. The body is gray with a black tail and head. The bill is very large and it and the eye-ring are pink. There is a wide white patch on the cheek. I think that you will find it as beautiful as I do.

There are other exciting things to observe on the Island and in the future, I will introduce you to some of the exotic trees, bushes and plants—many of which are also introduced. Bring a camera…

Hawaiian resident and author Hal Glatzer has a new band, le Quintette du Hot Club de Hilo. Here’s a video of the band in action:

The next scheduled gig for le Quintette du Hot Club de Hilo is Friday August 22, at the East Hawaii Cultural Center, in downtown Hilo.

For the past 18 years, there has been a tradition at Left Coast Crime Conventions to designate charities as recipients of a donation. The monies for this donation are usually from the “silent auction”. The charities selected have been associated with various non-profit literacy organizations. For LCC 2009, we have selected the Kailua Learning Center an organization on the Big Island dedicated to the improvement of literacy in the English language.

The Kona Literacy Council trains volunteer tutors to provide free, one-to-one, small group, and computer assisted literacy services at the Kailua Learning Center to any adult who wants to improve their basic reading, writing, computational skills and computer literacy. Special programs designed to meet the specific needs of the learners are offered, such as: English as a Second Language, preparation for passing the GED or Competency Based High School Diploma, Citizen preparation, keyboarding and computer literacy. All tutoring is at no cost to the student. Brenda Natina is the Kailua Learning Center Program Director and Secretary. She will be our contact with the Kailua Learning Center and has already been very helpful with our efforts for LCC 2009.

Gohawaii.com, Hawaii’s official tourism web site, has a feature called Heroes of Hawaii which tells visitors where they can find statues on important figures from the state’s past. There are two statues of King Kamehameha on the Big Island, and one on Oahu. King Kamehameha united the Hawaiian Islands into one royal kingdom in 1810 and is remembered as a great warrior, diplomat, and leader. The tallest of the statues, at 14 feet, is located in front of the Hilo Public Library. Hilo is also home to the Naha Stone, which a young Kamehameha was said to have overturned in a feet of incredible strength. Legend had it that whoever had the strength to move the Naha Stone would rule the Hawaiian Islands. Every July 11th, on Kamehameha Day, each of the statues are ceremoniously draped with flower lei to celebrate Hawaii’s greatest king.

Pat Morin will be writing an ongoing series of articles about Hawaii, culture, police, and their own mysteries for the LCC ‘09 web site. The first installment, The Birth of the Honolulu, Hawaii Police Department, has just been posted.

Alameda Rec & Parks is offering a Beginning Hula class this spring:
 Aloha! Come experience a part of Hawaii in a beginning level hula class. This 6 week course, which is open to tane (men) and wahine (women), will start with a few basic steps & culminate in a performance ready dance. Class attire is comfortable stretch clothing that allows you to move with ease. Fun, aloha and exercise are all in one place! Instructor: Lani Cid 6 sessions Fee: $70 Serendipity Studios (1451 Webster Street) Wednesdays, March 19-April 23, 7-7:45 PM Wednesdays, April 30-June 4, 7-7:45 PM

There are some fabulous web site links to Hawaiian Food information and recipes. For a taste of LCC 2009 and food of Hawaii see this story. Below is a summary of the article:

AGUSTIN TABARES / ATABARES@STARBULLETIN.COM

Big Island farmed baby abalone is one of many new seafood products being produced close to home.

Time’s ripe for local fare

More grocery store shoppers and restaurant patrons are demanding food produced naturally in Hawaii

STORY SUMMARY »

By Keiko Ohnuma

Special to the Star-Bulletin

Of the many food trends clamoring for shelf space in 2008, one clearly stands out: The mood in food is going to be green — and we’re not talking leafy vegetables. Hawaii chefs and gourmet grocers alike report that people are demanding naturally produced food as never before, and the whole industry is paying attention.

Labels reading “organic,” “free-range,” “grass-fed,” and “wild-caught” are rapidly edging out the dowdy “all-natural” in supermarkets. And in the coming year, “people will become more picky about where their food comes from, more concerned about tainted food — and that’s not only from China, but all over the world,” says chef Alan Wong, who echoes a growing concern among Hawaii chefs for purity, authenticity and transparency in food sourcing.

Wong sees a growing emphasis on buying local in the coming year, not only to reduce carbon emissions, but to strengthen relationships with Hawaii producers of food. Indeed, as rising fuel costs stoke a nationwide concern for “food security,” Hawaii continues to depend largely on food imports, as land here has proved too valuable to devote to agriculture.

I just read a well-written article in a year old copy of National Geographic Traveler (I am a little behind in my literature review), January/February 2007, called ”Hot on Hawaii’s Trail”. The author, Robert W. Bone lives in Oahu and took a ride from the Kona airport, around a part of the lava covered Big Island on a 221-mile Hawaii Belt Road trip and offered glimpses of some of the following sites to put on your list of “things to see”. (more…)

Left Coast Crime 2009 Some Views From The Petroglyphs – Part II
There were exciting experiences coming our way after settling into our beautiful accommodations at the Marriott Waikola Hotel. In the late afternoon we met the van at our hotel door that was to take us up to the Kahua Ranch for an evening of “ranching experiences” Hawaiian style. During the 40 minute drive to the western slope of the Kohala Mountains, the van driver briefly told the story of Hawaii’s beginning and then launched into the fascinating history of the cattle introduction to the Big Island.

(more…)

Now that you are registered for Left Coast Crime 2009 on the Big Island of Hawaii, you might wonder how to you get there from here and once you arrive, how do you get to the Waikoloa Hotel and how will you travel around this beautiful Island.

(more…)