Premature Birth Report Card; Hana Limu Festival; Bill 101 - Hawaii County Board of Ethics; Spiritrials
Premature Birth Report Card: Lin Joseph
In the last three decades, the premature birth rate in America has increasingly grown. That’s the percent of babies born before 37 weeks gestation and in the US, it’s now 1 in 10. It’s why the March of Dimes took on preterm birth twelve years ago. The national organization that originally focused on polio and later, the prevention of birth defects, publishes the Premature Birth Report Card and Hawaii this year got a C, as did the US as a whole. Lin Joseph is the Director of Program Services for the March of Dimes Hawaii Chapter and she joined The Conversation via phone to go over the report.
- Intro Music: Holding Hands by Ryan Farish
- Outro Music: The Sound of Hope by Australis
Hana Limu Festival: Jan Elliot
Limu, in all its many varieties, has been part of the Hawaiian diet and the Hawaiian culture for centuries. Along with fish and poi it was the root of a balanced diet and everyone took part in gathering its many varieties at the shoreline. It certainly deserves its own festival, and it’s getting one this weekend in Hana, Maui. Jan Elliot is part of the team putting together the 7th Annual Hana Limu Festival, which takes place this Friday and Saturday at Kapueokahi Hana Beach Park.
- Intro Music: Pau Pilikia by Ledward Kaapana
- Outro Music: Life in These Islands by Kaukahi
Bill 101 - Hawaii County Board of Ethics: Aaron Chung
In his mind, there’s not a whole lot of difference between having an Ethics Board that has five members and one that has nine. Hawaii County Councilmember Aaron Chung has been vocal about the politics inherent in any ethics board and doesn’t believe Bill 101 will help. The measure would augment the number of members and change their selection process. Today, the Hawaii county council considers it and we called Councilmember Chung to ask what might make a difference in creating a new Ethics Board.
- Intro Music: January by Ryan Farish
- Outro Music: Curiosity by Blue Stone
Spiritrials: Dahlak Brathwaite
Much of contemporary hip-hop is a celebration of hedonism: go for it all, now and get out of my way if you don’t like it. It’s part of the swagger of the genre, but Dahlak Brathwaite, poet, rapper, and theatre artist, has another message. He’s bringing his one-man show Spiritrials to Maui. The show takes place this Thursday evening at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center’s Castle Theater.
- Intro Music: A Dying World by Dahlak
- Outro Music: Showed You Love by Dahlak