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Wednesday, November 08, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023

Over the years, Kaʻū Rural Health Community Associationhas offered classes in many health disciplines, including financial competency and Certified Nurses Assistant training. Photo from KRHCA

KAʻŪ RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY will be celebrated on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Pāhala Community Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Founder Jessie Marques will join many of those who have served with the organization. There will be cultural demonstrations, music, food and door prizes.
    Donations received at the event will go to Hawai'i Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund.
    The slogan of the organization is Nana I Ke Kumu O Ka'u - Look to the source of Kaʻū. Over the years, Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association has been involved in clean air testing and initiatives, including effects of ash and other volcanic pollutants on the population and its children. It has encouraged and
Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association, which hosts a community
 celebration for its 25th anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 18, from10 a.m. to 
2 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center, received a check in May, held by
founder Jessie Marques, from CU Hawai'i Federal Credit Union. 
Photo by Julia Neal
helped to sponsor Certified Nurses Training Assistant education and many more initiatives involving health in Kaʻū.
    The KRHCAI website says, "Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association, Inc. is a community-based membership 501 (c) 3 tax exempt non-profit charitable organization which evolved as a direct result of a community grassroots coalition to preserve access to quality healthcare in rural communities. In 1998, the grassroots coalition was successful in keeping Kaʻū  hospital’s 24-hour emergency room services open.         
    "The coalition formally established KRHCAI as a community-based membership organization and received its 501 (c)3 status in November of 1998.
    "Our purpose is to support and promote community empowerment, capacity building, collaborative partnerships and a healthy community by focusing on Health, Education, Research Opportunities and Economic Sustainability (HEROES)."
    The organization's website names the following on its staff and board: Executive Director Jessie Marques and Office Manager Theresa Richardson; Board Pres. Michelle Hiraishi, Vice Pres. Maria Lemus, Sec. Krystalyn Gascon, and Treasurer Billie Hiraishi; and Directors Shona Compoc, Rochelle Davis, Hannah Canosa and Richard Estabilio.


A HEALTH EDUCATION FAIR IN OCEAN VIEW WILL BE HELD to press the cause of November being Diabetes Month. The date is Thursday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at Ocean View Community Center. There will be free glucose screeing and information, diabetes education, alternative recipes for Thanksgiving, free Narcan and Narcan education. Hawai'i Hawai'i Health Center - Kaʻū Patient Applications. Sign up for Tele-Health. Also learn, experience Ma'i Movement.
    Sponsors are Kaʻū Hospital &  and East Hawai'i Health Clinic - Kaʻū. For more information call Salena Espejo at 808-932-4205.


HAWAI'I IS THE STATE WITH THE HIGHEST DEBT INCREASE, according to a study by WalletHub released on Wednesday. WalletHub described the situation this way: "Hawaiians had the largest debt increase in Q3 2023 at $1,093 per household. With the state’s remote location, limited land availability, and high demand for goods and services, Hawai'i is known for having a high cost of living. This can make it challenging for residents to make ends meet, leading many to rely on credit and loans to help cover costs for housing, groceries, transportation, and other essentials.
    Hawai'i’s economy heavily depends on tourism, making crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Maui wildfires far more devastating to their financial security. The state’s job market does not offer the same diversity of employment opportunities found on the mainland, limiting residents’ job choices and income potential."
   Hawai'i, in having the highest debt increase, is followed by California, Colorado and Utah. States with the lowest debt increase in 3Q are West Virginia with the least, followed by Mississippi, Okahoma, Kentucky and Arkansas.


SEVENTEEN WERE ARRESTED OCT. 30 - NOV. 5 FOR DUI. Hawai`i Island police arrested the motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Six drivers were involved in a traffic collision.
One was under the age of 21. So far this year, there have been 813 DUI arrests compared with 845 during the same period last year. This is a decrease of 3.8 percent.
    Hawai’i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 714 major collisions so far this year compared with 698 during the same period last year, an increase of 2.3 percent.
    To date, there have been 14 fatal crashes, resulting in 15 fatalities, one with multiple deaths; compared with 30 fatal crashes, resulting in 32 fatalities one with multiple deaths and one reclassified to a medical condition for the same time last year. This represents a decrease of 53.3 percent for fatal crashes, and 53.1 percent for fatalities.
    To date, the non-traffic fatality count so far this year is one compared to 0 non-traffic fatalities (not on a public roadway) for the same time last year.
    Police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.



A VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION WILL BE HELD on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. sponsored by ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. OKK President and veteran Wayne Kawachi said there will be music with Sonny Ramos, a free lunch and drinks as well as door prizes.