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| Fire Chief Kazuo Todd sent out a reminder for the July 4 weekend, noting that sky lanterns are banned. He also detailed other rules. |
FIREWORKS PERMITS ARE ISSUED THROUGH THIS THURSDAY, JULY 4 at 8 p.m., according to Fire Chief Kazuo Todd. He said that permits and firecrackers may be purchased only at
TNT Tent @ Safeway Parking Lot 381 E. Makaʻala St. in Hilo and TNT Tent @ Walmart Parking Lot 75-1015 Henry St. in Kona.Each permit costs $25 and will enable the holder to purchase up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. Permits will be issued to persons 18 years of age or older and are nontransferable and non-refundable.
Permits are not required for novelties and paperless firecrackers.
Firecrackers (with a valid permit) and consumer fireworks (s) are allowed to be set off during the approved hours of 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4th only, said the Fire Chief.
He also advised that it is unlawful to buy, sell, possess, or set off any Aerial Luminous Device, such as Sky Lanterns and Hawai'i Lanterns. Any person in possession of an Aerial Luminous Device who would like to dispose of it with amnesty can contact Fireworks Auditor Kamuela Moraes at 808-938-1253.
Chief Todd reminds the public that it is illegal for anyone to:
Remove the powder or pyrotechnic contents from any firework(s);
Throw firework(s) from a vehicle;
Set off any firework(s):
At any time not within the time period allowed;
Within 1,000 feet of any operating hospital, nursing home, home for the elderly or animal hospital;
In or on any school building or property;
On any highway, alley, street, sidewalk or other public way; in any park, or within 1,000 feet of a church during the periods when services are held.
It is illegal for any person to offer for sale, sell, or give any firework(s) to minors, and for any minor to possess, sell, set off, ignite, or otherwise cause to explode any firework, except under the immediate supervision of an adult.
The Hawaiʻi Fire Department also asks everyone to do their part to prevent fires and injuries caused by firework(s):
Have a water hose connected to a water source or a fire extinguisher readily available. Wet down surrounding brush prior to setting off firework(s) if need be.
Children playing with firework(s) shall be under adult supervision at all times. Even the smallest of firework(s) can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries.
Firework(s) should be set off in a safe area away from dry grass, buildings, vehicles, and flammable materials.
Dispose of used firework(s) properly by soaking in water prior to disposal.
Hawaiʻi Fire Department will conduct a collection of unused and unwanted firework(s) following the 4th of July holiday. Anyone interested in disposing of firework(s) should call Fireworks Auditor Kamuela Moraes of the Fire Prevention Branch at 808-938-1253 for further information regarding the pick-up and drop-off locations. Please DO NOT drop off firework(s) at local fire stations.
There will be public fireworks displays at:
Barge located off-shore in Hilo Bay at approximately 8 p.m.
· Barge located off-shore near One'o Bay in Kailua-Kona at approximately 8 p.m.
For more information on the purchasing of fireworks permits, disposal of firework(s), or tips on the safe use of firework(s), call Fireworks Auditor Kamuela Moraes at 808-938-1253.
On any highway, alley, street, sidewalk or other public way; in any park, or within 1,000 feet of a church during the periods when services are held.
It is illegal for any person to offer for sale, sell, or give any firework(s) to minors, and for any minor to possess, sell, set off, ignite, or otherwise cause to explode any firework, except under the immediate supervision of an adult.
The Hawaiʻi Fire Department also asks everyone to do their part to prevent fires and injuries caused by firework(s):
Have a water hose connected to a water source or a fire extinguisher readily available. Wet down surrounding brush prior to setting off firework(s) if need be.
Children playing with firework(s) shall be under adult supervision at all times. Even the smallest of firework(s) can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries.
Firework(s) should be set off in a safe area away from dry grass, buildings, vehicles, and flammable materials.
Dispose of used firework(s) properly by soaking in water prior to disposal.
Hawaiʻi Fire Department will conduct a collection of unused and unwanted firework(s) following the 4th of July holiday. Anyone interested in disposing of firework(s) should call Fireworks Auditor Kamuela Moraes of the Fire Prevention Branch at 808-938-1253 for further information regarding the pick-up and drop-off locations. Please DO NOT drop off firework(s) at local fire stations.
There will be public fireworks displays at:
Barge located off-shore in Hilo Bay at approximately 8 p.m.
· Barge located off-shore near One'o Bay in Kailua-Kona at approximately 8 p.m.
For more information on the purchasing of fireworks permits, disposal of firework(s), or tips on the safe use of firework(s), call Fireworks Auditor Kamuela Moraes at 808-938-1253.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.
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KA'U NATIVE PLANT OF THE MONTH IS MAILE (Alyxia stellata) for the July column Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū by Jodie Rosam with illustration by Joan Yoshioka Read about Kaʻū’s native plants and their moʻolelo (stories), uses, preferred habitats, and opportunities to adopt them for stewardship. This column seeks to encourage making new plant friends and to reunite with others.Description: Graduation season has just ended, which is why this month we are talking about maile. Maile is a well-known, partially-woody, sprawling liana in the dogbane or Apocynaceae family. It is a cousin to the native trees hōlei (Ochrosia spp.), two species of kaulu (Pteralyxia spp.) and hao (Rauvolfia
sandwicensis), and the non-native plumeria. Between two and four green and glossy leaves emerge from each node and can be quite variable, so it is no surprise that there are multiple names for maile relative to their forms, such as: maile haʻi wale (brittle maile), maile lau nui (big-leaved maile), maile lau liʻi (small-leaved maile), maile lau liʻi liʻi (very small-leaved maile), and maile kaluhea (fragrant maile). The leaves, flowers, and bark all contain the organic chemical compound coumarin, which is responsible for the strong yet sweet scent we all associate with maile. When crushed, the leaves smell similar to lauaʻe, as do the small white or yellow flowers, and the stripped bark smells almost like vanilla and honey with a dash of cinnamon. Maile produces deep purple, olive-shaped drupes (fruits) which typically ripen in the winter months and are a favorite food of native forest birds, such as the ʻōmaʻo.
Uses: Maile was formerly a very common component of Hawaiʻi’s forests, and its uses were plentiful. It makes sense that many uses were centered around its aroma. Scented plants like maile were stored with kapa (cloth) that was used for clothing and bedding to give them a sweet smell. Maile kaluhea was also used to make a washing fluid for lacerations or abscesses and in sweat or steam baths. Maile was also used for bird catching (and maile is a name for a snare used to catch kōlea or plovers around the leg). Maile is a major component in hula because of its association with Laka and its importance to the forest.
Maile was also historically prized for lei making, which is undoubtedly the most well-known use of this plant today, as maile lei are popular for weddings and graduations. While there are a few commercial maile growers, many lei makers tend to harvest maile in the forests. There is a reason why maile is the plant of the month right now - to highlight the direct association between an increase in unsustainable maile harvesting for lei around graduation times and the decrease in wild populations of maile in our forests. I encourage you to get creative next year, and try using plant materials other than maile to drape around and celebrate the graduate in your ʻohana. Together we can bring maile back to abundance!
Habitat: Maile’s natural range spans from Hawaiʻi Island to Kauaʻi and in vegetation types from dry to closed-canopy wet forests from approximately 150 to 6,500 feet elevation. Again, while maile was a very common component of mesic to wet native forests, it is becoming much more scarce. Unsustainable harvesting methods and general overharvesting for profit around graduation season has had a detrimental impact on this species specifically, notably in the forests of Kaʻū. With time to heal, however, maile could very well be one of the most common species encountered once again.
Growing and Purchasing: There are a few commercial maile growers (which should be applauded for taking the pressure off of the forests!), so you can grow your own maile at home and harvest from that as you please. Maile is quite individualistic when not naturally-occurring, so take the time to get to know your plant’s sun requirements before you place her into the ground. Maile like partial sun and a decent amount of water, just be sure the soil is well drained. Maile tend to do best when planted with friends such as ʻōhiʻa or hāpuʻu, so they make a great addition to the native plant garden you have started. Once established, play around with pruning at the nodes to encourage vigorous growth. I highly encourage you to bring maile into your life, and remember that we have the chance right now to change the trajectory of the fate of this species persistence in the forests.To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.
MAYOR MITCH ROTH WALKED the Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade with his wife Noriko and later met with the public at Nāʻālehu School Gym on June 29.
He entertained questions about animal control and increasing police presence, especially for Ocean View with its property crimes. Citizens asked him about wildfire prevention particularly in Discovery Harbour and Green Sands. The subject came up on incentivizing home and business owners to end the use of cesspools before the deadline a quarter century.
Roth said that increasing the police force is in the plans, involving a stepped up a continuous police
recruiting campaign islandwide, with more frequent and larger police academy training sessions. "We need more police officers."
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| Mayor Mitch Roth and his wife Noriko in the Independence Day Parade. Photo by Julia Neal |
He entertained questions about animal control and increasing police presence, especially for Ocean View with its property crimes. Citizens asked him about wildfire prevention particularly in Discovery Harbour and Green Sands. The subject came up on incentivizing home and business owners to end the use of cesspools before the deadline a quarter century.
Roth said that increasing the police force is in the plans, involving a stepped up a continuous police
recruiting campaign islandwide, with more frequent and larger police academy training sessions. "We need more police officers."
He said that an animal shelter in Kaʻū is in the works with site selection needed. He said the county is also working on animal shelters for Waimea and Kohala. County Council member Michelle Galimba attended the session and focused on the animal control and animal shelter project, which she has spearheaded on the County Council. Roth noted that the county animal shelter system has gone through a number of transitions in recent years, from being run by the Humane Society to another private contractor and temporarily to the police department. He said the county has its own department now and "We are building back." He called animal control "a huge issue" and noted that an Ocean View resident has been hired, along with a Nāʻālehu resident to work on animal control and sheltering.
Roth also noted the need to encourage more people to become volunteer fire fighters and more to apply for training to become county firefighters.
He talked about South Point road repairs, Wai‘ōhinu Park bathrooms, improvements to the input ramp at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer station, and other projects.
He said countywide, there have been many improvements. He mentioned the county's high bond rating and talked about his vision of a sustainable Hawai'i where keiki could grow up here, stay for work and raise their families.
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Roth also noted the need to encourage more people to become volunteer fire fighters and more to apply for training to become county firefighters.
He talked about South Point road repairs, Wai‘ōhinu Park bathrooms, improvements to the input ramp at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer station, and other projects.
He said countywide, there have been many improvements. He mentioned the county's high bond rating and talked about his vision of a sustainable Hawai'i where keiki could grow up here, stay for work and raise their families.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.
