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Thursday, June 18, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Thursday, June 18, 2020

This view of Halemaʻumaʻu can be seen by visitors at the newly reopened Volcano House. Dine-in food opens tomorrow. 
Retail opened last Monday. Lodging reopens this Monday. See details below. Photo by Julia Neal
See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

IN A VICTORY FOR DREAMERS, the U.S. Supreme Court voted five to four today that the Trump administration unfairly attempted to end the program for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Often called Dreamers, they were brought to the U.S. illegally as young children, grew up here, and go to school or work. Pres. Barack Obama set up the program to allow them to stay in the country as long as they work or seek an education.
     Sen. Mazie Hirono, who lobbied on behalf of the Dreamers in Congress, said the Supreme Court ruled "that Trump cannot arbitrarily terminate DACA, which stopped his plot to end this crucial program that has protected immigrants brought to the United States as children, from deportation. This is a huge win for the over 700,000 DACA recipients who have been at risk of being kicked out of the only country they've ever known."
     Hirono said the "fight to protect these Dreamers, and all immigrants, doesn't end. Trump continues to deliberately attack our immigrant community. It's an absolute disgrace." She noted that some 200,000 DACA recipients work on the front lines, in jobs that deal with the coranvirus pandemic. "And yet, President Trump has been working to remove them from the only place they've known."
     She also contended that "Trump's hand-picked Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh voted as expected, in line with Trump's far-right agenda to strike down DACA. Trump called the Supreme Court's decision 'politically charged' and 'horrible,' and doubled down on his mission to pack our courts with more ultra-right judges to destroy our independent judiciary. He is weaponizing the Supreme Court decision to further activate his base supporters."
Sen Mazie Hirono with Dreamers in Washington, D.C. during one of the many events she attended to
support them. Photo from Office of Mazie Hirono
     Hirono noted that it's been a year since the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Dream and Promise Act, which would provide Dreamers the opportunity to apply for permanent legal status and eventually become eligible for U.S. citizenship.
     She said the Senate needs to act now, even though "Mitch McConnell has refused to hold a vote on this bill." She asked her constituency to add names to her petition, "to demand Mitch McConnell hold a vote on the Dream and Promise Act so Dreamers have a permanent legislative path to citizenship." She said, "Immigrants are the backbone of America. Their home is here, and we must continue fighting for them."

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HAWAIʻI'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 22.6 PERCENT IN MAY, FOLLOWING 23.8 PERCENT IN APRIL. The state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations reported that statewide, 490,700 were employed and 143,150 unemployed in May for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 633,850. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 13.3 percent in May, down from 14.7 percent in April. To view the full report, see http://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/category/news/.


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THE NEED FOR A JUST SOCIETY is the focus of a letter this week from Hawai‘i Community Foundation CEO Micah Kāne. He said HCF stands "in solidarity with those who are peacefully raising their voice and calling for a new path forward."
     Kāne said the "highly publicized tragic events" over the last few weeks in the U.S. "have left us angry, sad, and looking for ways to take action. The death of George Floyd and too many others are stark reminders of the centuries of racism and injustice in our country faced by African-Americans and people of color. While the events may seem far from our islands, racism and discrimination in Hawai‘i happen far too often, and it is unacceptable.
     "We believe that this is a moment of inflection for us all, individuals and organizations, to reexamine the actions and nonactions that have contributed to unjust systems and commit to doing more."
     Hawai‘i Community Foundation "represents the vision and desire of a community where all people have opportunities to thrive." In 2018, the organization created the CHANGE framework "to explicitly address the deep inequities that have left far too many of our citizens struggling to just get by. We have ample data that tell us that many of our systems, institutions, and programs are not working for all.
     "The goal of CHANGE is to galvanize collective action across philanthropic and civic sectors, and alongside individuals within our community to create equitable opportunities across our state. Recent events have only underscored that we still have much to learn and a great deal of work to do. We are resolute in our desire to be part of a better Hawai‘i and world."
     See hawaiicommunityfoundation.org.

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CONCERN FOR THE NATIVE FOREST is coming from the state Department of Land & Natural resources with the expected increase in interisland travel, now that the 14-day quarantine is lifted. A DLNR statement says, "As more and more restrictions on outdoor activities are being lifted, many people are returning to Hawaiʻi's forests to hike, hunt, and to participate in other recreational activities."
Spread of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death from and to other islands is of concern
to officials now that the interisland quarantine
is lifted. Photo from DLNR
     One of the risks is the spread of fungal disease Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, which spread recently to more native forests. DLNR cautions: "With many natural areas re-opening and yesterday's resumption of interisland travel, DLNR and its partners remind forest users to clean their boots, vehicles, and equipment of any dirt and soil, and spray with a 70 percent alcohol solution to ensure they are not transporting the fungus which causes ROD."
     DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said, "With our ability now to visit and hike on neighbor islands, it is more important than ever to remind people that they can accidentally spread diseases and weeds unless precautions are taken. As COVID-19 very effectively demonstrates protecting our way of life and our natural resources in Hawaiʻi requires everyone's care and participation."
     Updated island maps, ROD outreach materials and virtual activities (list of different online events and webinars) are available at rapidohiadeath.org.

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Retail shops at Volcano House are now open, along with the lobby, fireplace room, and
views of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater. The Rim restaurant opens Friday. Photo by Julia Neal
VOLCANO HOUSE REOPENS THE RIM FRIDAY for sit down dining with beer and wine. Uncle George's Lounge will serve take-out food only and the bar is closed. Grab-and-go and curbside service will be available. Walk in, or see the menu and make reservations for dine-in at hawaiivolcanohouse.com/dining. The lobby and fireplace room will be open and food will be available at Volcano House daily from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., according to staff onsite on Wednesday.
     The main retail shop next to the fireplace room at Volcano House opened Monday, June 15. The observation deck, and the indoor sitting area where visitors can gaze into Halemaʻumaʻu, are open to the public.
     Volcano House is taking reservations for hotel accommodations with check-in starting Monday, June 22. Call 844-569-8849 or go to hawaiivolcanohouse.com.
     Namakanipaio, the campground and cabins managed by Volcano House, is yet to set a reopening date.

The Rim at Volcano House opens its doors on Friday to dine-in. There
is also grab-and-go and curbside foodservice at Volcano House. 
Photo by Julia Neal
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THE PACE OF PEOPLE ARRIVING TO THIS ISLAND IS PICKING UP, with more people coming on direct flights to Kona and the 14-day quarantine lifted this week for interisland travel. There were no direct flights from outside the state today. However, eighty-nine people arrived in Kona on two flights Tuesday. Twenty-three arrived on three flights Monday. Total arrival of passengers to the islands from out of state was 1,516 today, 1,671 on Tuesday, and 1,769 on Monday.
     After a two-week quarantine, those arriving are allowed to travel interisland. The Attorney General's office warns that people breaking quarantine can be arrested. Special agents to the Attorney General this week arrested a man who left his home in his car several times and took walks from his lodging during quarantine. Members of the public reported him. His bail was set at $2,000. He faces a fine of up to $5,000 and up to a year in jail. The quarantine is in effect until end of July and could be extended.
     Only those under quarantine with homes in Hawaiʻi can stay in them during quarantine. All others must stay in hotels for the 14 days unless they have exemptions as essential workers. Renting cars or offering ride shares to those under quarantine is prohibited except to essential workers with waivers.
Interisland travel resumed this week. Photo from State of Hawaiʻi
     Those traveling to Hawaiʻi to perform critical infrastructure functions may break quarantine to do their work. Hawaiʻi residents who leave the state to perform critical infrastructure work do not need to self-quarantine upon returning but must wear protective gear and practice social distancing. Exceptions to quarantine also apply to those arriving on recreational boats at sea for at least 14 days, if no one on the boat is ill or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
     For questions regarding exemptions, contact CovidExemption@hawaii.gov. If under self-quarantine and a visitor or intended resident: 808-468-9952; Hawaiʻi residents, call 808-377-4760. For general travel-related questions, contact the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau Call Center at 1-800-GO-HAWAII (1-800-464-2924). To report quarantine violations in Hawaiʻi County, call 808-935-3311.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. White is 
zero cases. Yellow is one to five cases. Light orange (not pictured) 
is six to ten cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 11 to 20 cases. 
Red (not pictured) is 21 to 50 cases.
Hawaiʻi Department of Health map
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NO NEW COVID-19 CASES ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND are reported today. There are two active cases here, one in Ocean View, one in Puna. Both cases are identified as travel-related and state Department of Health asks the public to "emphasize the importance of caution while traveling." Both cases are monitored by DOH.
     Eighteen new cases today on Oʻahu bring the state's new case total to 114 in 13 days. 
     Hawaiʻi Island recorded two new cases in the last three weeks. The other 81 COVID-19 victims on Hawaiʻi Island recovered. Since the pandemic began, no one died here. There were two hospitalizations on-island.
     Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 526 cases, Kauaʻi 21, and Maui County 120. Twelve victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 762 people were confirmed positive for the virus. Seventeen people died.
     The daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno says, "The State and Island of Hawaiʻi continue to move forward on reopening, as Hawaii is in a good place because of your efforts of prevention. In going forward know the importance of continuing to follow the preventive policies of keeping Hawaiʻi safe. Thank you for listening. Have a safe day. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency."
     In the United States, more than 2,187,876 cases have been confirmed. The death toll is over 118,381. Worldwide, more than 8.45 million have contracted COVID-19. The death toll is more than 452,520.

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HAWAIʻI STATE LEGISLATURE RECONVENES MONDAY, June 22. In finishing up the 2020 session, legislators expect to work on a limited number of bills, and are scheduled to adjourn after three weeks.
Pastor Pam and Lance Ako
     The Capitol remains closed to the public. Some events will be broadcast or available to stream.
     Deadline for final bills proposing constitutional amendments are due by Tuesday, June 30. Deadline for bills to be amended by the non-originating chamber is Thursday, July 2. Legislators have July 3 off for Independence Day. Deadline for bills to pass in non-originating chamber back to originating chamber is Wednesday, July 8. Legislators will recess on July 9, and close the session Friday, July 10. Bills that passed both chambers will be transmitted to Gov. David Ige.
     Learn more at lrb.hawaii.gov/par.

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ʻO KAʻŪ KĀKOU WILL GIVE OUT SHAVE ICE AND KEIKI GOODIE BAGS tomorrow, Friday at 11 a.m. at the Ocean View Park-N-Ride along Hwy 11. Families have a chance to find one of the ten gift certificates from local businesses in the Keiki Goodie Bags.

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HOPE DIA-MEND MINISTRIES has relocated to 92-8988 Ginger Blossom in Ocean View. In-person services are held Sundays at 9:45 a.m. Led by Pastor Pam & Lance Ako, masks are required, six-foot distances will be maintained, and hand sanitizer will be available. "Everyone welcomed."

Bruno Facchini. HPD photo
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HAWAIʻI ISLAND POLICE ASK FOR THE PUBLIC'S HELP in locating 36-year-old Bruno Facchini. He is wanted for an outstanding bench warrant. He is approximately 5-feet-9 inches, approximately 205 pounds, with black hair, and brown eyes. Contact Detective Frank Mohica at (808) 961-2375, frank.mohica@hawaiicounty.gov, or non-emergency (808) 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

directory for farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is 
free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout 
Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at 
kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your 
business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS
Advocate for Hawaiʻi Crops to be Included in Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Listing by submitting comments by June 22. The CFAP helps agricultural producers impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. Crops not included are coffee, macadamia nuts, cacao, and more. Comments can be submitted online, or by mail by, June 22. Go to regulations.gov/document?D=FSA-2020-0004-0003 or mail to: Director, SND, FSAU.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0522, WashingtonDC 20250-0522. Reference Docket ID: FSA-2020-0004.
     Questions? Contact William L. Beam, (202) 720-3175 or email Bill.Beam@usda.gov. Persons with disabilities or who require alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
     "One well-supported comment is often more influential than a thousand form letters," says UH-CTAHR's Andrea Kawabata. See Tips for Submitting Effective Comments.

Register for Hawaiʻi Coffee Association Webinar Series. The virtual event will be held Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25. Each session is designed to provide important updates on the effects of the pandemic on the Hawaiʻi coffee industry and on the coffee industry at large, as well as addressing other useful topics to inform coffee professionals of changing trends and regulations. Each session must be registered for individually – go to hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/page-1771697. The sessions will be recorded and later published on the HCA website. To become a sponsor for the webinar, click here.

Feedback from Parents and Guardians of Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School Students is requested by Principal Sharon Beck: "As we plan for the opening of the 2020-21 school year, we would like to gather feedback from our parents/guardians about what that might look like for our students." Deadline is June 30: KHPES Parent Survey: Planning for the 2020-21 School Year.

ONGOING
Free COVID-19 Screenings are at Bay Clinic during business hours, with appointment. Call 333-3600.
     The next drive-thru screening at Nāʻālehu Community Center will be held Wednesday, June 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Screening will be carried out by Aliʻi Health, with support from County of Hawai‘i COVID-19 Task Force, Premier Medical Group and Pathways Telehealth.
     A testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday. The next date is July 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
     Wearing masks is required for everyone. Those visiting screening clinics will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pen to fill in forms.
     To bypass the screening queue at community test sites, patients can call ahead to Pathways Telehealth, option 5 at 808-747-8321. The free clinic will also offer on-site screening to meet testing criteria. Physicians qualify those for testing, under the guidance of Center for Disease Control & Prevention and Hawaiʻi's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
     For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.

Ocean View Swap Meet is open at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks are required for all vendors and patrons.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market in Nāʻālehu is open three days per week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – from 8 a.m. to noon. The goal is no more than 50 customers on the grounds at a time. Vendor booths per day are limited to 25, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required to attend the market. Social distancing will be enforced.
     A wide selection of fresh vegetables and fruits, prepared take away foods, assorted added value foods, breads and baked goods, honey, cheese, grass-fed beef, fish, vegetable plants, masks, handmade soaps, coffee, and more are offered on various days. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374, for more and to apply to vend.

Volcano Farmers Market at Cooper Center on Wright Road, off of Old Volcano Highway, is open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and at Nāʻālehu Elementary on weekdays (no holidays) through Friday, July 17. Each youth must be present to receive a meal. Service is drive-up or walk-up, and social distancing rules (at least six feet away) are observed. Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Food is being delivered on Wednesdays to students in Green Sands, Discovery Harbour, and Ocean View.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.

The Food Basket provides food to those in need. See hawaiifoodbasket.org to verify dates and times. The ʻOhana Food Drop program is being phased out. Nāʻālehu's final date is tentatively Wednesday, July 8 from 10 a.m. until pau – supplies run out – at Nāʻālehu Shopping Center. Ocean View residents can go to The Food Basket's pantry at St. Jude's the last Tuesday of the month, July 28. Go to Volcano's Cooper Center at 19-4030 Wright Road on Wednesday, June 24 or July 22, 10 a.m. until pau. Go to Pāhala's Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street on Tuesday, June 30, 10 a.m. until pau. There will be no July date.


On-Call Emergency Box Food Pantry is open at Cooper Center Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon. Call 967-7800 to confirm.

Enroll in Kua O Ka Lā's Hīpuʻu Virtual Academy for school year 2020-2021, grades four through eight. The Hawaiian Focused Charter School teaches with an emphasis on Hawaiian language and culture. The blended curriculum is offered through online instruction and community-based projects, with opportunities for face-to-face gatherings (with precautions), in an "Education with Aloha" environment.
     Kua O Ka Lā offers a specialized program that provides students with core curriculum, content area, and electives in-keeping with State of Hawaiʻi requirements. Combined with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and a place-based approach to education, from the early morning wehena – ceremonial school opening – Kua O Ka Lā students are encouraged to walk Ke Ala Pono – the right and balanced path.
     The school's website says Kua O Ka Lā has adopted Ke Ala Pono "to describe our goal of nurturing and developing our youth. We believe that every individual has a unique potential and that it is our responsibility to help our students learn to work together within the local community to create a future that is pono – right." The school aims to provide students with "the knowledge and skills, through Hawaiian values and place-based educational opportunities, that prepare receptive, responsive, and self-sustaining individuals that live 'ke ala pono.'"
     See kuaokala.org to apply and to learn more about the school. Call 808-981-5866 or 808-825-8811, or email info@kuaokala.org for more.

Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries are Open for Pick-Up Services Only. Nāʻālehu is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Library patrons schedule Library Take Out appointment times to pick up their hold item(s) at their favorite libraries by going to HSPLS Library Catalog and placing a hold on any item(s) they want to borrow, or they may call their favorite library branch to place a hold with the library staff. After receiving a notice that item(s) are ready for pick up, patrons schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. For patrons who placed holds during the closure, their item(s) are ready for pickup after the patron schedules a Library Take Out appointment. For more information, visit librarieshawaii.org.

Free Book Exchanges at the laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu are provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Everyone is invited to take books they want to read. They may keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them to the Book Exchange to make them available to others in the community. The selection of books is replenished weekly at both sites.

Make Reservations for Father's Day at Crater Rim Café in Kīlauea Military Camp for Sunday, June 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Seating limited due to social distancing. Dinner also available to go. The main course is Prime Rib and Vegetable Alfredo Pasta Bake, with side dishes and dessert, for $27.95 per person. Call 967-8356 for dine-in reservations, to-go orders, and current event information. KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.

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