The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs June 13, 2024

Hilina'i Karratti and her pig traveled last year from Kaʻū to the 4-H Livestock Show & Auction between Honoka'a and Waimea. This year's show is Friday and Saturday. See more below. Photo from 4-H

NEW INCENTIVES FOR LONG-TERM HOUSING, in two bills proposed by Kaʻū's County Councilmember Michelle Galimba and Hilo Councilmember Jenn Kagiwada, went to a public zoom meeting on Thursday for explanation and public discussion. Kagiwada and council staffer Shannon Matson led the meeting. The bills come before the County Council's Finance Committee next Tuesday, June 18 at 1 p.m. and written testimony is due Monday, noon. Email counciltestimony@hawaiicounty.gov.
Kagiwada said the aim of these pieces of legislation is to give incentives through tax breaks for property owners to rent at long-term rates, and to encourage them to add units and restore units to rent as long-term housing.

This meeting was held Thursday and testimony to the County
Council is due Monday, with live participation allowed at
Tuesday's Council meeting.

Bill 104 would allow stand-alone units that are not on the owners' primary property to be assessed for property taxes at a lower rate provided that they are rented for six months or longer. The bill would move these non-owner occupied units out of the current tax class that also includes vacant property, vacation homes and short term rentals. The sponsors of the bill said they envision the tax rate going down for these long-term rentals starting in January of 2026. When asked whether the tax break would only cover permitted dwellings, they said that the bill concerns taxes only, that the county already charges taxes for unpermitted buildings. Any building or zoning violation would be handled by the building or planning departments.
Bill 174 would incentivize use of and building of long-term rental units on homeowners' primary property by placing the rental unit, whether it be a room in a home or an additional dwelling unit, into the same tax rate and tax cap as allowed for owner occupied homes. The bill would go into effect in 2025.
When asked whether it wouldn't be too expensive to build rentals given the new building code, the proponents said that older buildings, such as those that are post and pier, single wall and otherwise not up to the new codes, would not be disallowed as long-term rentals, as proposed in their tax bill. The proposed bill does not require bringing them up to code. The proponents emphasized Bill 174 deals with taxation, not permitting, for such requirements as sewage disposal, which are handled by other county departments.
Realtor Julie Enriques from Punalu'u praised the bills and said she also encourages more zoning for multifamily units. She cautioned that some people might take advantage of the tax breaks and throw up new structures without proper sewage disposal or permits. The proponents said they are not scaling back any fines that could be handed down by the planning and building departments, which would continue to serve as deterrents to illegal building.
To give testimony via Zoom, email to register: councilremotetestimony@hawaiicounty.gov; or call 961-8255 by noon the day prior to the meeting.Testimony can also be in person at West Hawai'i Civic Center or remotely from Hilo Council Chambers. For live stream viewing of next Tuesday's meeting and to see the agenda go to Live Stream - Hawaii County Committee and Council Meetings.

London Dacalio and her Reserve Champion at last year's 4-H Show & Auction. Photo from 4-H

KAʻŪ 4H MEMBERS WILL TAKE THEIR ANIMALS TO THE 2024 HAWAI'I COUNTY 4-H LIVESTOCK SHOW & AUCTION this Friday and Saturday. The location is between Honoka'a and Waimea at the Anderson's Rocking Chair Arena at 47-5124 Hawai'i Belt Road. The show starts at 4:30 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Becky Settlage, the event coordinator, said, "This is our annual 4-H livestock show and sale where our keiki, who have been working hard (some for the past six months) raising all species, get to show their animals as well as auction them off at our live sale. They raise steer, hogs, lambs, goats, chickens and rabbits that all go to feed our local community. The keiki also learn and are tested on meat cuts as well as judging a class of animals in hope that we are training the next generation of ranchers/farmers on our island and in our state.
"4-H is a life skills program for youth and livestock is one aspect that teaches them discipline, perseverance and self-confidence. We welcome the community to come see what our program is all about and perhaps consider becoming a buyer one day!"
There is no charge to attend the event. Becky Settlage is Extension Agent for University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Services.

SUICIDE IS THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE DEATH OF THE VOLCANO MAN who ran into Highway 11. Hawai‘i Island police have identified the male pedestrian involved in a fatal motor vehicle/pedestrian collision that occurred on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Volcano as 44-year-old Collins Kaholo of Volcano.

Responding to the 12:25 p.m. call, officers learned that a 2012 Chevy pickup truck, driven by a 52-year-old man, was traveling north on Highway 11 when it struck the pedestrian at the Ali‘i Koa intersection. Multiple witnesses confirmed the pedestrian was standing by a stop sign prior to running into the road in front of the pickup truck.
Kaholo, who was located unresponsive at the scene, was transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 4:17 p.m.
The operator of the 2012 Chevy pickup truck was not injured as a result of the collision. The Area I (East Hawai‘i) Traffic Enforcement Unit responded to the scene and continued the investigation. An autopsy was conducted and the pathologist ruled the manner of death to be suicide based on the totality of the circumstances surrounding this investigation.
Due to the manner of death, this traffic fatality will not be counted toward the yearly fatality count. As a result, there have been a total of 18 traffic fatalities in 2024, compared to nine traffic fatalities this same time last year.

THE LAVA CRISIS IN 2014 IS THE SUBJECT OF VOLCANO WATCH this week. The weekly article and activity update is written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
Over the past few years, eruptions of Kīlauea volcano on the Island of Hawai'i have happened in remote regions and lava flows have not directly threatened communities. However, the approaching anniversary of a lava flow crisis a decade ago reminds us that eruptions on Kīlauea have the potential to cause damage and island-wide disruption.

This aerial view of Kīlauea's June 27th lava flow on November 5, 2014, shows the stalled flow front, about 155 meters (170 yards) from Pāhoa Village Road (lower right corner). Clearly visible smoke plumes above and below Cemetery Road are due to burning vegetation at the sites of lava breakouts along the flow. Smaller smoke plumes (top left) caused by breakouts farther upslope are barely visible through the mist. USGS photo

The 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea is still fresh in many of our minds, but even before then, Kīlauea lava flows entering communities was not uncommon. During the 35-year-long eruption of Puʻuʻōʻō, on the East Rift Zone of Kīlauea, lava flows caused destruction in Royal Gardens, Kalapana, and in Pāhoa. Before Puʻuʻōʻō, there were also eruptions in Kapoho Village in 1960 and on Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone in 1955.
Ten years ago, inflation at Puʻuʻōʻō in May and June lead to a new eruptive episode on the northeast flank of the cone. It was informally named episode 61e, but more commonly referred to as the June 27th flow in reference to the start date of that episode in 2014.
In the first few days, four fissures produced channelized flows before the eruption focused at the lowest elevation vent, where a perched pond began to form. The pond elevation continued to rise until it was about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than the vent. On July 10, pressure from the perched pond triggered the eruptive vent to shift to the next highest fissure and abandon the perched pond.
The change in eruptive vent produced a fast-moving channelized flow that traveled up to several hundred meters (yards) per day. The flow continued to the northeast until it extended across the eastern edge of the Puʻuʻōʻō flow field by the beginning of August.

Lava from June 27th breakout flowing into deep ground crack along Kīlauea East Rift Zone, Pu'u'ō'ō, Hawai'i. USGS photo
On August 18, the lava entered into a deep ground crack that directed the flow further to the northeast. After about a week the lava overflowed from the crack, before repeating this pattern at three additional and parallel ground cracks. The flow traveled roughly 5 km (3 mi) underground in these cracks to within about 1.2 km (0.7 mi) of Kaʻohe Homesteads subdivision where the lava exited the final crack in early September.
The flow front advanced slow and steadily during the first few weeks of September, passing Kaʻohe Homesteads to the northwest. Then from late-September to early-October, the lava flow's rate of advance began to fluctuate as it stalled and advanced. Towards the end of October, a breakout surged through a narrow drainage and crossed Cemetery Road in Pāhoa. The flow continued through the Pāhoa Japanese Cemetery, through private property, and destroyed one structure, stalling only 155 m (510 ft) from Pāhoa Village Road.
A large breakout on November 14 occurred roughly 6.5 km (4 mi) upslope of the flow front, and rapidly advanced along the northwest margin of the previous flow, ultimately headed towards Pāhoa Marketplace and Highway 130. The flow front again stalled on December 30 after advancing to within 530 m (0.3 mi) of the marketplace. That was the furthest the lava flow advanced, but numerous breakouts just upslope continued to threaten Pāhoa until early 2015.
Episode 61e, or the June 27th flow, then retreated upslope and stayed within about 8 km (5 mi) of Puʻuʻōʻō. This episode continued until early June 2016, when inflation at Puʻuʻōʻō culminated in two new eruptive vents on the northeast (episode 61f) and southeast (episode 61g) flanks of the cone on May 24.
The episode 61f flow was short-lived, lasting less than two weeks. However, the 61g flow remained active until the Puʻuʻōʻō crater floor collapsed on April 30, 2018, followed by the intrusion of magma into the lower East Rift Zone and subsequent eruption.
Since then, eruptions from Kīlauea have fortunately been confined within Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera)

Pahoehoe lava in the 2014 flow called Episode 61E. Photo from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

or other remote areas of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Currently, there are no signs of magma moving into the East Rift Zone but that will inevitably happen again someday. The Pāhoa lava flow crisis and other destructive East Rift Zone eruptions are reminders that communities on or near the rift zone are vulnerable. Residents and visitors should stay informed and remember that it's never too early consider how an eruption could impact you and your family.

Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is ADVISORY. Kīlauea erupted briefly on Monday, June 3, southwest of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) within the closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes

National Park. Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated; an emission rate of 350 tonnes per day was measured on June 10, for the combined areas of Kīlauea summit and the recent eruption. Seismicity in the summit region, including the upper East Rift Zone, has been slightly elevated with about 550 events over the past week. Inflationary ground deformation has continued in the summit region. Additional pulses of seismicity and deformation could result in new eruptive episodes within the area or elsewhere on the Southwest Rift Zone.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL. Webcams show no signs of activity on Mauna Loa. Summit seismicity has remained at low levels over the past month. Ground deformation indicates continuing slow inflation as magma replenishes the reservoir system following the 2022 eruption. SO2 emission rates are at background levels.
One earthquake was reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M3.4 earthquake 14 km (8 mi) S of Volcano at 1 km (1 mi) depth on June 6 at 12:29 p.m. HST.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs June 12, 2024

Community volunteers, including OKK and Men of PA'A, worked the grounds at Pāhala Community
Center on Saturday to make Kaʻū Coffee Festival a great success. Photo from Men of PA'A

OKK AND MEN OF PA'A TEAMED UP FOR KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL last weekend, helping put up and take down stages, tents, booths, seating, security, parking and munch more. Logistics and Operations Director for the event, Brenda Iokepa Moses, has worked with O Kaʻū Kakou for many years at Pāhala Community Center to manage logistics, traffic and compliance with county rules and regs for Kaʻū Coffee Festival.

Men of PA'A leadership team returned to Kaʻū on Tuesday to explore other service
opportunities in the community, meeting with Matt Baker and Vance Bjorn (in blue
shirts) who also volunteered for Kaʻū Coffee Festival, providing lighting.
Men of PA'A leader Iopa Maunakea is at right. Photo from Men of PA'A

This year, the volunteer group Men of PA'A, fresh from helping with the Ironman Triathlon, joined in on the grounds of Pāhala Community Center to help OKK and other volunteers. The 15 men live in a group home in Puna designed for recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and to integrate men back into the community with purposeful work and interaction with people after spending time in prison. Their leader is Iopa Maunakea who has accomplished this work for some 20 years.
Maunakea said, "Many people see Men of PA'A as a community-based organization known for our extensive service work. But it's important to understand the critical foundation of our mission: recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. Without recovery, there is no service. Our core belief is that a man must first get good with himself. Only then can he positively impact his family, leading to a stronger, healthier community."
Iokepa Moses and Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative President Gloria Camba said they are very grateful to OKK, Men of PA'A and many other volunteers for helping to make the event a great success. In addition to Chief of Men of PA'A being Maunakea, Board President is Kaʻū resident James Akau. Housing for Men of Pa'a for their three days of assistance at Kaʻū Coffee Festival was provided by Pāhala Plantation Cottages.

COVID IS SPREADING AT A HIGH RATE THROUGHOUT THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, with about 14 new cases a day on Hawai'i Island, according to the state Department of Health. Up to 50 cases are reported as active in Kaʻū with up to 200 in Hilo, the place with the most COVID cases on this island. The entire state has about 2,263 cases. DOH sent out a reminder on Wednesday to ask the public "to be vigilant due to high levels of COVID-19 activity in Hawai'i. The DOH Respiratory Disease Dashboard
(https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease-types/respiratory-viruses/) shows COVID-19 disease
activity level is in the red, or high activity level, indicating the virus is circulating at high levels compared
with historic trends. This high level means that recommended precautions are more important for reducing risk."
DOH recommended the following: "Get your COVID-19 shot if you have not yet received the 2023-24

COVID-19 vaccine, or if you are eligible for an additional dose (adults 65 and over and those with immune compromise). Keeping up to date lowers your risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
"If you are feeling sick, stay home and away from others. Return to usual activities only if fever-free for at least 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medicines, and symptoms are improving. After returning to usual activities, wear a mask when around people indoors for five additional days to avoid spreading germs to others. Consider testing when you will be around people at higher risk of severe disease.
"Wearing a well-fitting mask indoors with other people can help protect yourself and those around you, especially if you are recovering from COVID-19 symptoms.
"Staying outdoors or in well-ventilated areas is a simple action that can help reduce COVID transmission.
"Practice good hygiene. Cover your coughs and sneezes, clean frequently touched surfaces, and wash your hands often.Take a COVID-19 test if you have symptoms and might need treatment. Antiviral treatments for COVID-19 and influenza can prevent hospitalization and death. Treatments work best when taken as soon as possible after symptoms begin."

SACHIKO MEYERS OF OCEAN VIEW WAS BEEN FOUND DEAD IN A CAR IN KONA. Hawai’i Island police have initiated an unattended death investigation after her partially decomposed body was discovered within a parked vehicle located in a neighborhood in Kailua-Kona. She was 21 years of age.
On Thursday June 6, shortly before 7:30 a.m. patrol officers and detectives responded to Kealakaa Street just north of Manawalea Street for a report of a lifeless body within a parked vehicle. Upon their arrival, they discovered the deceased female within a white Volkswagen sedan.The victim has been positively identified as Sachiko Myers of Ocean View.
On Wednesday, June 12, an autopsy was performed, and the pathologist ruled that Myer’s death was undetermined but did not rule out foul play. The cause and manner of death is pending standard toxicology testing.
Anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area of Kealakaa Street north of Manawalea Street between June 3 and June 6, 2024, is encouraged to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 960-3118; or via email at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at 808=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.

To read comments, add y o ur own, and l ike thi s 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.

HAWAI'I ISLAND POLICE ARRESTED 21 MOTORISTS FOR DUI the week of June 3 through June 9. They were arrested for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Five drivers were involved in a traffic

accident. None of the drivers were under the age of 21. So far this year, there have been 426 DUI arrests compared with 447 during the same period last year, a decrease of 4.7 percent.
Hawai'i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 442 major crashes so far this year, compared with 383 during the same time last year, an increase of 15.4 percent.To date, there have been 17 fatal crashes, resulting in 19 fatalities (two of which had multiple deaths), compared with eight fatal crashes, resulting in nine fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths, and one died at a later date) for the same time last year. This represents an increase of 112.5 percent for fatal crashes and 111.1 percent for fatalities.
In 2024, the non-traffic fatality count (not on a public roadway) is zero compared to zero non-traffic fatalities for the same time last year. HPD promises that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

Kaʻū News Briefs June 11, 2024

Big Island Coffee Roasters managed the Kaʻū Coffee Sensory Experience at the Kaʻū Coffee
Festival's Ho'olaulea last Saturday. Photo by Alla Kostenko

Eleven Ka'u Coffees were featured at the
Sensory Experience at Kaʻū Coffee Festival.
Photo by Ophir Danenberg

A DOZEN KAʻŪ COFFEE FARMS PROVIDED COFFEE FOR THE SENSORY EXPERIENCE at Kaʻū Coffee Festival's Ho'olaulea on Saturday, which was visited by a large number of Kaʻū Coffee enthusiasts. Here are the participating farms:

R&G Farms' Kaʻū Royal Coffee, owned by Gloria Camba and Rogelio Aquino, grows Typica, Red and Yesllow Caturra, and Red and Yellow Catuai.

A Coffee Farm, owned by James McCully and operated by Ruslan Kuznetsof and Alla Kostenko, grows Catuai, Parainema, Castillo and Lempira.

MH Coffee, owned by Sergio Lopez and Leslie Reyes, grows Catuai, Caturra and Typica.

Kealaka'ikoa Coffee Co., owned the Dacalio 'Ohana, grows Guatemala Typica and Arabica from Ethiopia.

Silver Cloud Coffee Farm, owned by Miles Mayne, grows several varieties of coffee.

Navarro Farms Monarch Coffee, owned by Delvin and Shawnette Navarro, grows Typica, Red Caturra, Red and Yellow Catuai and Pacamara.

Rusty's Hawaiian, owned by Lorie and Joan Obra and Ralph Gaston, grows a variety of coffees.

Will & Grace Farm's Rising Sun Coffee, owned by Will and Grace Tabios, grows several varieties of coffee.

Miranda Farms, owned by Berta, Jose and Maria Miranda, grows Typica, Yellow Caturra, Red Catuai, Geisha and more.

Kaʻū Coffee Mill, founded by Edmund C. Olson, grows a variety of coffees.

Elepoki Enterprises Coffee, owned by Cory and Connie Koi, grows Ka'u Maragogype and Kaʻū Caturra.

Ka'ile Mali'e Farms, owned by Rodney and Marlene Freitas, grows Guatemala Typica.

The Mauna Kea cover is by artist Catherine Robbins,

MAUNA KEA, A NOVEL OF HAWAI'I, BY VOLCANO'S TOM PEEK, recently won a 2024 Nautilus Gold Award for fiction. The Nautilus Awards are given to "better books for a better world . . . that support conscious living & green values, wellness, social change & social justice, and spiritual growth." Previous Nautilus winners include Barbara Kingsolver, Louise Erdrich, Amy Goodman, Deepak Chopra, and the 14th Dalai Lama, among others.

Mauna Kea also recently received three honors from the Eric Hoffer Book Awards, including being shortlisted as a Finalist for their 2024 Grand Prize, the highest honor in their panoply of annual awards. It also received an Honorable Mention in the Hoffer General Fiction category and was a da Vinci Eye Finalist for the book's cover art and design.

Mauna Kea, the first novel about the cultural clash over Mauna Kea telescopes, is written from Peek's perspective as an insider involved in the movement to protect the mountain for three decades. He said that seven years of research, writing, and multiple pre-publication reviews by islanders and other readers went into its creation.

The book includes a dozen pen-and-ink illustrations by renowned nature artist John D. Dawson and cover art—Lilinoe—by longtime Hawaiʻi Island oil painter Catherine Robbins.

The novel’s backstory includes chapters set on the backwaters of the Mississippi in the author’s home state of Minnesota and historical and contemporary references to Upper Midwest culture and politics.

One of the illustrations in Mauna Kea
by nature artist John D. Dawson

It is published by All Night Books, a new fiction imprint of Easton Studio Press, publisher of more than 150 titles of all kinds since 2003. Mauna Kea is available as a trade paperback and in all e-book formats.

The Amazon description of the book describes Mauna Kea this way: "Mauna Kea: A Novel of Hawai'i is a gripping tale of clashing passions—science and spirituality, vengeance and compassion, fear and courage—set atop Hawaiʻi’s 14,000-foot Mauna Kea, realm of revered goddesses and star-wise explorers. A young vagabond running from America’s turmoil is forced to confront his own grief and rage on an embattled holy mountain in the Pacific. There he encounters a mysterious domain of ancient mountain deities and the Native Hawaiians who revere them, including two wise elders who take him under their wings and a young woman with a world-weary heart akin to his own. Through his startling experiences with them—and a motley cadre of other islanders—he learns the power of aloha and discovers an untapped reservoir of faith and courage that rekindles his hope in himself and in the world we share."

Peek is also author of Daughters of Fire, which is described by Amazon as "a gripping adventure of romance, intrigue, myth and murder set amid the cultural tensions of contemporary Hawai'i.

"A visiting astronomer falls in love with a Hawaiian anthropologist who guides him into a Polynesian world of volcanoes, gods and revered ancestors. The lovers get caught up in murder and intrigue as developers and politicians try to conceal that a long-dormant volcano is rumbling back to life above the hotel-laden Kona coast. The anthropologist joins forces with an aging seer and a young activist, and these three Hawaiian women summon their deepest traditions to confront the latest, most extravagant resort as the eruption and the murder expose deep rifts in paradise.

"More than a decade in its research and writing, Tom Peek's mystical and provocative debut novel picks up Hawai'i's story where James Michener left off. Daughters of Fire illuminates how the island's transformation into a tourist mecca and developers gold mine sparked a Native Hawaiian movement to reclaim their culture, protect sacred land, and step into the future with wisdom and aloha."

About The Kaʻū Calendar

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs June 13, 2024

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs June 12, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs June 11, 2024