The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Friday, December 02, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022

Hālau Ulumamo o Palikū will grace Holidays in Kahuku, the 25th Anniversary of Friends of Hawai'i
Volcanoes National Park at the Park's Kahuku Unit at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Photo from Friends of HVNP

Etched slate tiles from the historic Kawaiha'o Church in
Honolulu will be available from Sticks and Stones
artist Scott Manley. Photo by Genevive Fyvie

HOLIDAYS IN KAHUKU IS A PLACE TO FIND CHRISTMAS GIFTS on Saturday during the 25th anniversary celebration of Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The free event takes place Dec. 3 at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to hula and a lineup of music, many creators of holiday gifts will be on hand. They include:

Corrine Kaupu with resin work, soap, perfume and spray as well as Christmas stockings; Teresa Davis with Ohia Creations; Shary Crocker with Tropical Trappings; Robin Straton with Ocean View Knit Wits; Lynne R. Clark with Makana Glass & Things; Karen Mulder with her Karen Mulder Art; Brenda Savage with shell crafts; Michele McMahon with Michele Designs; CA Taz Buan-Sugai with pyrograph-freehand; Bob Kasprus with Surpsak; Richard Probst with Ho'omana Oils; Olivia Ling with pottery, masks and bowls; Tom Lsuder with koa and mango small woodcrafts; Marsha Croft with Island Swank; Christopher

Ocean View Knit Wits creations will be available at Holidays
in Kahuku on Saturday. Photo by Genevive Fyvie

Sullivan with painted spirit rocks; Judy Hudson with Aloha Art; Keven and Cristen Cunningham with their art; Luti Castro with Luti Fine Arts; Geneveve Crysdayle with handmade jewelry; Jacquiline Montoya with jewelry, wooden envelopes and zipper pulls; Thalia Naidu with original photo prints and collages; and Scott Manley who uses the former slate roof tiles from historic Kawaiha'o Church in Honolulu to etch art and frame it in wood.

Miranda Farms will present its award winning coffee. Alison Yanha will sell organic honey and beeswax candles. O Kaʻū Kakou will sell hotdogs

The Kipapa Sisters are in the musical lineup for
Holidays at Kahuku on Saturday. Photo by Genevive Fyvie

and chili; Pacific Parks will sell bottled water. More food will come from Aloha Grill with its hamburgers and fries.

Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park will sell sodas and chips and provide free shave ice. Green Goat Farm will sell mamaki tea and its freeze dried foods. There will also be Greek Food from KG Grindz. There will be free water stations.

The entertainment lineup begins with Hālau Ulumamo o Palikū at 10:30 a.m., and music by The Kipapa Sisters at 11 a.m. Shootz goes on at noon, The Jazz Gardeners at 1 p.m. and 19 Degrees North at 2 p.m. There will be free face painting for keiki.

Location of the event is Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Highway 11 at mile marker 70.5, between South Point Road and Ocean View.

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GOVERNOR-ELECT JOSH GREEN HAS NAMED MANY OF

HIS CABINET MEMBERS.

Green said, “I am assembling a cabinet that will move the State of Hawai‘i forward and commit to a strong sense of service to the people of Hawai‘i. This is a group of high caliber individuals with strengths in their respective fields. They join together as leaders of Hawai‘i with an urgency to make change and face our challenges head on.” Seven of those named are:

Anne Lopez

Anne Lopez – Attorney General, for Department of the Attorney General, joins with extensive legal experience across multiple state departments. "Most recently as Vice President and General Counsel for the Hawai'i Health Systems Corp., she brings executive managerial experience to the department and crucial understanding of government affairs. She is prepared to take on the legal challenges facing the state and provide effective leadership to the Department of the Attorney General," said Green.

Dr. Josh Green, Governor-Elect, with his pick for running the
state Department of Health, during an interview on ThinkTech in
2014 when Green was a state Senator. See https://thinktechhawaii.
com/hawaiis-true-healthcare-safety-net-with-dr-kenny-fink/Dr.
Image from Think Tech Hawai'i

Dr. Kenneth Fink, Director of Department of Health "is an experienced physician executive with a proven background working on health policy at the state and federal levels," said Green. He is currently Hawai‘i Medical Service Association's Vice President of Medicaid and Medicare programs and will join the Green Administration in January 2023 replacing Dr. Libby Char who will continue until then.

Chris Sadayasu
Chris Sadayasu, Director of the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism has over 17 years of experience in economic development in the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, and in the department’s agencies including HTA, HCDA, and HHFDC. He most recently served as the Charities Program Administrator with the Department of the Attorney General.

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara

Major General Kenneth Hara, Adjutant General for the Department of Defense, will continue to serve. "His leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and experience with disaster management are important sources of continuity for the Green Administration and the state, especially with the volcanic eruption at Mauna Loa," said Green.

Louis Salavaria

Luis Salaveria, Director of the Department of Budget & Finance, has over 20 years of experience in the public and private sector working on budget and policy issues. He most recently worked with SanHi government solutions and previously served in the Ige Administration as the Director of Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, and in the Abercrombie Administration as Deputy Director of Budget and Finance under Kalbert Young.

Brenna Hashimoto

Brenna Hashimoto, Director of the Department of Human Resources Development, previously served as a Human Resources Officer in the Department of Human Services where she oversaw the human resources program for over 2,300+ positions and served as member of the negotiating teams for bargaining units 9 and 10. "She brings important state institutional knowledge to her new role leading the Department of Human Resources Development," said Green.

Keith Regan
Keith Regan, Comptroller for the Department of Accounting & General Services, recently served as a Business Management Officer with the Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs. He previously worked as the Chief AdministrativeOfficer for the Hawai'i Tourism Authority and was Managing Director for the County of Maui.

MAUNA LOA'S LAVA FLOW IS SLOW ON THE GROUND, with little effect on Kaʻū's air quality so far. County of Hawai'i Civil Defense eruption update for Friday evening said, "Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports one active lava flow on the northeast rift of Mauna Loa. The leading edge of the flow closest to Daniel K. Inouye Highway continues to have minimal movement and remains near the 7,000 foot elevation and 2.7 miles from the highway. For a map of the Mauna Loa lava flow, please refer to the Civil Defense Hazard Impact Map at https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/hazard-impact-map.
Daniel K. Inouye Highway is open in both directions and No communities are threatened. For your safety, the speed limit has been reduced to 35 miles per hour in the vicinity of Mauna Kea Access Road. A Lava Parking area has been opened across the Kahele Recreation Area. Please pay attention to the road and be considerate of others on the roadway. You will be updated of any changes that affect your safety."

AN INDOOR YARD SALE will be held on Saturday at Ocean View Community Center, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with household items, fruits, vegetables and plants, as well as local crafts.

Thursday, December 01, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, through the help of Trust for Public Land, now protects 16,451 acres at the
Kahuku-Pōhue parcel. A public planning meeting will be Saturday, Dec. 10. NPS Photo

A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE FUTURE OF KAHUKU-PŌHUE has been set for Saturday, Dec. 10 from 1 p.m to 3 p.m. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park invites the community to participate in a public meeting regarding protection and potential future use of the remote 16,451-acre Kahuku-Pōhue parcel the park acquired earlier this year. The in-person meeting will be held at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, at 95-5695 Mamalahoa Hwy.

Park managers are seeking feedback

Pōhue holds a network of culturally and historically
significant trails. NPS photo/J. Ferracane

from the community about natural and cultural resources of the area, and said they wish to explore suggestions for public use that are compatible with resource protection.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Trust for Public Land and Hawaiʻi Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development will participate in the meeting. Information stations will be set up at the meeting where local community members and stakeholders can talk story with park staff, TPL and HACBED.
The Park statement says, "Before the land transfer, the park met with community members in partnership with TPL and HACBED to better understand the land's cultural, historical and ecological significance. Community engagement will continue over the next few months. Until Pōhue interim operating procedures can be worked out, and safe access protective of cultural and natural resources can be ensured, public access to the Kahuku-Pōhue parcel is temporarily restricted. There are no restroom facilities or capacity for trash removal, and emergency response is very limited. Portions of the current jeep trail and pedestrian routes to the coastline pass through private lands not managed by the park."

The Park is calling the new section the Kahuku-Pōhue parcel in reference to the Hawaiian place name, Kahuku. Kahuku is the mauka-to-makai (inland to ocean) ahupuaʻa (historic land division), in which Pōhue is located. In addition, many Kaʻū locals refer to the bay as Pōhue Bay and its adjacent beach as Kahuku Beach. The park welcomes additional information about other ʻinoa ʻāina (Native Hawaiian or indigenous) place names for Kahuku-Pōhue.
See the Park website at https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/historyculture/kahuku-pohue.htm.

The name Kahuku-Pōhue describes the mountain to the sea conserved lands.
NPS photo/ J. Ferracane

Jumping for joy with Holidays at Kahuku coming
up this Saturday. Photo from Friends of HVNP

HOLIDAYS IN KAHUKU will be a free event to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park this Saturday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It features hula by Hālau Ulumamo o Palikū at 10:30 a.m., and music by The Kipapa Sisters at 11 a.m., Shootz at noon, The Jazz Gardeners at 1 p.m. and Dem Guys at 2 p.m.

There will be local crafts, food vendors, free shave ice, face painting for keiki. Located between South Point Road and Ocean View.

JAZZ IN THE FOREST SATURDAY, DEC. 3 at 5:30 p.m. will be at Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The evening features Jean Pierre Thoma and the Jazztones in Holiday Spirits, What A wonderful World. The band is Thoma on woodwinds, Alex Czerny on keyboards, Brian McCree on bass, Russell Lundgren rhythms and Leelu Mitchell vocals. Tickets are $25 for VAC members ($30 non-members) at the door, if not sold out.

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP invites the public for Christmas Cottage Lighting, Concert & Dinner
Kilauea Military Camp continues its holidays lighting and decorating tradition for its historic rows of stone and wooden cottages. The public is invited to stroll past them day or night until the New Year.
Employees of KMC vie for best cottage decorations each year. The cottages are located behind the KMC parade grounds within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Note that park admission fees may apply.

Cottage decorating has begun at KMC, along
with planning for Christmas Dinner.
Photo from KMC

In addition, KMC will be the host for this year's Holiday Concert put on by Volcano Festival Chorus and Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network. It's the return of the annual A Gift for Our Community Holiday Concert. The musical performance is on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. Due to ongoing remodeling of Kīlauea Theater, the concert will be located in the Lehua Room of the Kīlauea Military Camp. For additional information, contact KDEN at 808-982-7344.
In addition, KMC is offering a special Christmas dinner with reservations required. See more in upcoming www.kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com

COOPER CENTER CHRISTMAS EVENTS on Wright Road in Volcano include a Toy Drive through Dec. 18, collecting unwrapped gifts. Toys can be dropped off Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monetary donations are also accepted during same hours. Those who want to order toys online can have them sent to Cooper Center Community Pantry, P.O. Box 1000. Volcano, HI 96785
A Jingle Bell Swap Meet will be held Saturday, Dec. 10 from 8 a.m to noon at Cooper Center, with new and classic items, furniture, handmade arts, crafts, jewelry, antiques, wreaths clothing, foods, plants and much more. There will be music and prizes, says organizer Auntie Francis Roberts Bennett.
Volcano Thursday Market Christmas Fair will be Thursday, Dec. 23 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m with crafts, food, produce, live music and entertainment for kids.
Cooper Center is located at 19-430 Wright Rd. in Volcano Village.

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022

Mauna Loa Weather Observatory has been collecting atmospheric data for more than 60 years but
its access road and electricity is cut, putting its Keeling Curve research on hold.
Photo from Mauna Loa Observatory

ONE OF THE LOSSES IN THE MAUNA LOA ERUPTION is abandonment of Mauna Loa Weather Observatory by the Keeling Curve group, if only temporarily. The Observatory is the place where data showing ozone depletion in the atmosphere led to the earliest research on global warming. The Observatory has measured CO2 and other metrics continuously from its Mauna Loa station, almost uninterrupted for more than 60 years.

The data relating to climate is called The Keeling Curve, named for Charles David Keeling who selected Mauna Loa as the ideal location for carbon dioxide measurement, with its isolation of Hawai'i Island from other major land masses. He also chose Mauna Loa for its mountaintop landscape filled with volcanic rock but no vegetation, which prevents contamination from the photosynthetic activity of local plants.

Lava flow cutting across the Mauna Loa Observatory Road in two places on Tuesday.
USGS image by L. Gallant

High gas and ash in the area during this Mauna Loa eruption changes everything. It makes it difficult to carry out the Observatory's mission with its sensitive instruments that keep track of the atmosphere. The lava flow from Mauna Loa has also made access difficult as on Tuesday it crossed the Observatory Road that intersects Saddle Road, cutting off electricity to the equipment. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of San Diego, which operates equipment at the Observatory released a statement on Tuesday regarding its concern.

It said that Scripps Oceanography geoscientist Ralph Keeling, son of Keeling Curve creator Charles David Keeling, described the outlook for the future of CO2 readings from the station as “very troubling. It’s a big eruption and it’s in a bad place,” said Keeling.
That statement said, "The Keeling Curve is considered the icon of scientific evidence that human activities are altering the planet’s climate. It has provided incontrovertible evidence that the amount of the gas carbon dioxide has risen far above any levels experienced on Earth for at least three million years. Additional study has shown that the only plausible cause of the warming caused by the increase in concentrations of that gas is the use of fossil fuels by society.
"The authority of the program’s

The front of the aʻa flow closest to Saddle Road, taken on Wednesday, looking
south to southeastward from the Hilo-Kona Road, approximately four miles
south of Saddle Road and one mile west of the Mauna Loa Observatory Road.
The white dome and other facilities of Mauna Loa Observatory are at left.
USGS photo

measurement of carbon dioxide for more than 60 years has been bolstered by its virtually uninterrupted record."
According to a statement from the Keeling Curve group, "In the history of the Keeling Curve, there are occasional times in which readings are not available because of excessive variability in hourly readings. There were sustained periods without measurements in 1964 when budget cuts within the federal agencies supporting the record suspended operations for several months and in 1984 when another Mauna Loa eruption cut off power. There were no readings from March 26 to April 29 that year, after which a generator was brought to the observatory to resume operations. Since the 1970s, Scripps Oceanography and NOAA have made complementary CO2 measurements at the Mauna Loa Observatory, which is operated by NOAA." For updates, follow @Keeling_Curve on Twitter.

A statement from the Observatory on the current eruption says, "These circumstances have resulted in a pause in data being collected at the observatory. All NOAA staff from the Mauna Loa Observatory are safe. At this point the facility is not accessible. NOAA will continue to provide updates as the situation develops."

IMPROVING CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE in all of Hawai'i is the aim of $14.4 million in federal funding through the newly developed Public Health Infrastructure Grant Program. Supported in part by the American Rescue Plan, it provides awards directly to state, local, and territorial health departments to support investments in public health workforce, infrastructure, and data modernization.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, who made the announcement on Wednesday, said, "lt the devastating consequences of a historically underfunded, understaffed, and under resourced public health system," said Senator Hirono. "Democrats in Congress passed the American Rescue Plan to not only help our communities respond to and recover from COVID-19, but to strengthen our nation's public health infrastructure and better protect the populations they serve. These critical investments will help keep our communities safer now and ensure Hawaii is better prepared for future health crises."
"The COVID-19 pandemic cast a spotlight on the importance of public health—a system that is chronically underfunded and resource constrained," said Cathy Ross, Deputy Director of state Department of Health. "This new federal funding will help the Department build stronger, more resilient public health infrastructure in Hawaii through investments in workforce, technology, core systems, and health equity. These investments will support healthier communities across the state."
Over the last decade, state and local public health programs have lost 20 percent of their workforce capacity. These programs are essential for preventing chronic diseases and protecting the nation from current and emerging public health threats.
The grant—administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention —is the first of its kind, and provides flexible investment so jurisdictions can address their most pressing needs to support their unique public health infrastructure. This funding will help address the historic underinvestment in communities that are economically or socially marginalized, rural communities, and communities comprised of high-risk and underserved populations. In total, the CDC will award $3.2 billion to 107 public health departments throughout the country, $3 billion of which came from the American Rescue Plan.

The grant program supports investments in: Workforce to recruit, retain, support, and train the public health workforce; foundational capabilities to strengthen systems, processes, and policies; and data modernization to deploy scalable, flexible, and sustainable technologies.
Hirono has long worked to ensure Hawaii's communities can access the health care they need. In 2020, she helped Community Health Centers across the state secure federal funding during the pandemic, and also helped secure CARES Act funding for the UH Systems to develop workforce training programs in the health care industry. Last month, during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing, Hirono emphasized the need to address the strain caused by the shortage of health care workers in Hawai'i and across the country.

DR. EMMETT ALULI HAS PASSED AWAY. The famed Moloka'i physician, who visited Kaʻū in April, was an activist and board member of Trust for Public Land, which has brokered numerous land conservation success stories on the Kaʻū Coast. Kaʻū's Congressman Kai Kahele said on Wednesday, "It is with deep sadness that I grieve with the people of Hawaiʻi over the passing of my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli. Throughout his life, and especially as a leader of the people, Uncle Emmett, as many affectionately called him, generously gave of his time and resources with a strong commitment to the health and well-being of Native Hawaiians.

The late Dr. Emmett Aluli and Kaʻū's Congressman Kai Kahele.

"Dr. Aluli's accomplishments are many. He graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine in 1975, as part of its first graduating class. Understanding the importance of investing in our communities, Dr. Aluli made the intentional decision to complete his residency on Molokaʻi. Later, he opened his own private medical practice, the Molokaʻi Family Health Center and Clinic to serve a large population of Native Hawaiians.
"He is a co-founder of Nā Puʻuwai, the Native Hawaiian Health Care System that serves the islands of Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. He also helped draft the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act that was signed into law in 1988 to promote health and disease prevention services to improve the health status of Native Hawaiians.

"In addition to his commitment to Native Hawaiian Health, Dr. Aluli also served as a strong advocate for traditional Hawaiian practices and the return and protection of our precious ʻāina. He co-founded the Pele Defense Fund in 1985, a group dedicated to defending the rights and customs of Native Hawaiians. Dr. Aluli was also part of the Kahoʻolawe Nine, the first group of individuals who stood up against the Navy's bombing of Kahoʻolawe.
"Dr. Aluli served as a member of the 2nd Congressional District's Native Hawaiian Health Task Force and his significant contributions helped to set federal legislative priorities and policies to advance Native Hawaiian Healthcare.
Kahele and family extended "our deepest sympathies to Uncle Emmett's life-partner Dr. Davianna McGregor, their daughter Rosie Alegado, son-in-law Raymond Kong, grandchildren Justice and Cassius, and the Aluli and McGregor families.

"Uncle Emmett leaves an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the people of Hawai'i, especially those lives he generously touched on Molokaʻi. His imprint and contributions will be felt for generations. He will be greatly missed."

About The Kaʻū Calendar

Friday, December 02, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022

Thursday, December 01, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022