Kaʻū News Briefs Jan. 7, 2025

    

CONSTRUCTION OF NEW SEWER LINES IN PĀHALA STREETS will start soon. A public meeting will be held next Monday, Jan. 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Herkes Kaʻū District Gym Annex. The public meeting was announced on Tuesday by Goodfellow Bros., which won the contract to build the wastewater collection lines and wastewater plant for Hawai'i County. Goodfellow Bros. and county representatives are expected to give an overall explanation of the project which is expected to take 1.5 years. 

    The project replaces the old sugar plantation gang cesspools and sewer lines that run house to house in the oldest part of the town. Gang cesspools have been illegal in the U.S. for decades and the County took over the system after the sugar company shut down and will replace it. 

   The wastewater collection line construction calendar includes approximate times when roads will be partially closed as sewer lines are installed in the public right of way, about five to eight feet under the streets and grounds where homes will be hooking up. 

Last April, county project manager Mark Grant showed Pāhala

 residents the wastewater treatment plan. Photo by Michael Neal

     Representatives of Goodfellow Bros. and Hawai'i County are expected to be on hand to answer questions from the public. A statement from Goodfellow says, "This meeting will discuss the plan for the construction of the Pāhala Wastewater Collection System. Points to be covered will include project overview, what to expect during construction, how construction will affect the community, and how we plan to keep the community informed. A portion of the meeting will be held aside to address any questions or concerns the community may have."

    A public presentation in Pāhala by the County last April included the statement that the Waste Water Treatment Plant and new collection system "will meet the goals of the Kaʻū Community Development Plan to improve environmental management facilities of extending wastewater services within the Pāhala Community, which will protect the community health, safety, and the island's environmental resources."

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Kevan Kamibayashi, Chief Field Engineer for Hawaiian
Volcano Observatory, will talk story Wednesday with the
public at Nāʻālehu Library. USGS photo

VOLCANO AWARENESS MONTH program heads to Nāʻālehu on Wednesday with a talk story with USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory chief field engineer Kevan Kamibayashi. He will host a table from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Public Library. He invites all questions about recent eruptions in Hawaii, volcanic hazards, how eruptions are monitored, and what it's like working for a volcano observatory? Kamibayashi, who has worked for the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory for over 25 years, will be available to answer those questions and more. People of all ages are invited to talk story, browse resources, and learn more about the volcanoes in this community's backyard.

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Trojan Girls at Pa'ani: Coach Chantel Bender, Brayshell Hoohuli-Pogtis, Dreana Vierra-Mukini, Rain Nihipali-Sesson, Waileia Kainoa, Coach Connor Norton. Photos from Trojan Wrestling

THE MIGHTY TROJAN WRESTLING TEAM, as named by Coach Ray Mazyck, is back from holidays competition on O'ahu, Dec. 27-28 in two separate tournaments. Six male wrestlers represented Kaʻū in the Hiram Palimo’o Duals at Moanalua High School. The Trojan line-up for the tournament was comprised of: 126 lb. Zeke Kaawa-Kamimura, 132 lb. Eli Crook, 165 lb. Camdon Higbee, 190 lb. Desmond Camba, 215 lb. Devin Alpin, and 285 lb Elliott Grimm. 

    Coach Mazyck reported, “This was like wrestling boot camp for the boys. We slept on the mats in the gym for two days, woke up and wrestled the toughest teams around.” Twenty-four teams from across all the Hawaiian Islands and California made the tournament extremely competitive, said the coach. “Dual tournaments are a great way to get mat time. Instead of being bracketed individually by weight class, teams are bracketed against one another wrestling line-up v. line-up." 

    He explained, "There are 14 weight classes total, so only filling six weights puts Kaʻū at a disadvantage against teams with a full line-up of 14. Each weight class we fail to fill forfeits 6 team points to our opponents, against a full team we are automatically down 48 pts.” 

Trojan Boys after taking 5th. Standing (L to R): Coach Tim Drafahl, Devin Alpin,
 Eli Crook, Camdon Higbee, Elliott Grimm, Desmond Camba Coach Ray Mazyck.
 Front: Ezekiel Kaawa-Kamimura, Tyler Muk(Lakewood California), Kona Smith.

    The first day teams were bracketed into four 6-team pools, which guarantees each team 5 duals. The Mighty Trojans dualed against: Pearl City, Roosevelt, Nanakuli, Kaiser, and Kamehameha Kāpalama. “All very strong teams, giving our boys great experience. Each of those 5 teams had all weight classes filled so winning those duals were out of the question. The way I see it we were there for mat time, winning is secondary. Almost every team we faced we won’t see again until the state tournament, so it was important to get perspective on what the next level of this sport looks like.”
    The second day teams were put into three 8-team tournament brackets, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Kaʻū drew the 8th seed in the bronze bracket, which pitted them against the 1st seed Castle. Losing the dual 60-17, Trojans dropped into the consolation bracket across from Kapolei. “Kapolei had around the same number of wrestlers as we did. This was the first time in the tournament the Trojans had an opportunity to win a dual, the boys rallied and the dual was tense.” The dual ended with a tie score of 24-24, with the Trojans winning through the criteria of having more wins(including forfeits). The win against Kapolei advanced the Trojans to the 5th place match against Kamehameha Big Island’s B team. “With the opportunity to place 5th in a bracket in which they were expected to take 8th the boys wrestled hard and came out victorious with a narrow 30-27 win for 5th. It was an amazing way to end such a grueling weekend. As they are beginning to understand, nothing good comes easy.”
    The Mighty Trojan female wrestlers competed the same days just down the road at Kamehameha Kāpalama. They participated in the Pa'ani Challenge, one of the largest gatherings of female wrestlers in the nation. With approximately 400 female wrestlers from the islands and the mainland. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for any female wrestler, the organization pays for all the girls' flights, and pays for 1-night in a hotel. That alone is a huge blessing, not to mention the event they offer,” said the coach.

Mighty Trojans Wrestling, Standing (left to right): Coach Connor Norton, Waileia Kainoa, Kona Smith, Camdon Higbee, Devin Alpin, Dreana Vierra-Mukini, Elliott Grimm, Rain Nihipali-Sesson, Eli Crook, Coach Chantel Bender. Crouched(L to R): Coach Tim Drafahl, Desmond Camba, Ezekiel Kaawa-Kamimura, Brayshell Hoohuli-Pogtis, Coach Ray Mazyck.

    The first day of the Challenge featured inspirational speaker Dr. Noelani Goodyear-Ka'opua, a college career fair, a wrestling clinic lead by University of Iowa’s Head Women’s coach Clarissa Chun, and two rounds of the wrestling tournament. “I can not begin to explain how crucial an opportunity like this is for our young women, it can be life changing.” Four female wrestlers represented Kaʻū: 170 lb. Brayshell Hoohuli-Pogtis, 170. lb Dreana Vierra-Mukini, 235 lb. Waileia Kainoa, and 235 lb. Rain Nihipali-Sesson.      All the Trojan females were put into 8-woman novice brackets. With Brayshell Hoohuli-Pogtis taking sixth in the 170 lb class with a record of 1-2 in the tournament, Waileia Kainoa taking sixth in the 235 lb. class with a record of 1-2 with one of those losses being against teammate Rain Nihipali-Sesson. Nihipali-Sesson took third in the 235 lb, class with a record of 2-1." The coach said, "Dreana Vierra-Mukini wrestled her heart out but was unable to put together a win in the tourney. Again, winning matches wasn't a priority for us coaches, just getting them to experience an event like this was the goal. Our girls had a great time and gained a deeper perspective and pride for the fastest growing sport which is womens’ wrestling.”
    He said, “ Without the support of our school, amazing community organizations like OKK, the generosity of the organizers of the Pa'ani Challenge and the Hiram Palimo’o Duals we would not have been able to take advantage of such opportunities. The Mighty Trojan wrestling team can’t begin to thank these people enough.”

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Kaʻū News Briefs Jan. 6, 2025

                 Half-ton Treasured Steinway Comes to Pāhala for School & Concerts

  A nine-foot 1000 lb. Steinway & Sons piano, built more than a century ago, arrived in Pāhala last Friday.

A carefully wrapped concert size
Steinway arrives for music school
 and concerts. Photos by Julia Neal

    The mission is to produce music for the Garcia School for classical singers, pianists, violinists and for concerts, one of them this weekend.
    A highly trained crew cared for the piano during its journey along Hwy 11 through Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park to Pāhala, after an extensive refurbishment in the last year by nationally top rated master tuner and repairer Alex Czerny, of Hilo. The moving crew is led by Jim Elliot, of Ho'okena, himself a harpist. He was assisted by Honu and other musicians who have taken up the craft of piano moving. Some of them, like the Steinway concert piano, are beasts.
    The piano, owned by the Hawai'i International Music Festival non-profit hosting the music school, will be in concert with singers and musicians this Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. at Pāhala Plantation House. See more and make reservations at himusicfestival.com.

Carlton Moe, star of Phantom of the Opera on 
Broadway, performs in Kaʻū this Saturday.
Photo by Greg Mills

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA BROADWAY STAR CARLTON MOE will perform twice in Kaʻū this week, 12:30 p.m Saturday at Ocean View Community Center and 7 p.m. Saturday at Pāhala Plantation. House. Moe played Ubaldo Piangi in Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-running hit show Phantom of the Opera that ran on Broadway for 35 years of performances. Phantom of the Opera was the longest running show in Broadway history and spawned the popularity of such songs as Masquerade, Music of the Night, All I Ask of You, and Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again.
    Moe is one of the instructors at Hawai'i International Music Festival, which is conducting its Garcia School for classical singers and musicians from around the world at Pāhala Plantation House this week.
    Faculty members for the García School Hawai'i include Hawai'i International Music Festival cofounders virtuoso violinist Eric Silberger and Metropolitan Opera soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra of the Rusty Obra Kaʻū Coffee family in Pāhala.
   They are joined by renowned pianist, music director, coach and Hawai'i Island resident Maika'i Nash and Professor of Voice, Associate Vocal Department Chair of University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Maya Sypert, who is an acclaimed mezzo-soprano. Joining them are Metropolitan Opera star, soprano Audrey Luna, acclaimed Kaua'i-based pianist Monica Chung, and Hawai'i-based violist/violinist, educator and chef Duane Padilla. Participating in the workshop, master classes and concerts are 13 local and international singers from U.S. Mainland, Mexico, England and China. Also performing and collaborating is Farley Sangels, founder of South Hawai'i Symphony.

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Trojan Girls Basketball team beat big school Hilo High on Monday on Hilo's own home court.
Photo by Assistant Coach Precious Jara

KAʻŪ TROJANS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM STOOD UP TO ANOTHER BIG SCHOOL, BEATING HILO on Monday, 40-26. High scorer was Jasmine Navarro with 17 points. 

    Coach Troy Gacayan  said it was a very close game going into halftime, but we had a great locker room talk to never give up and played til the final buzzer. We added some extra pressure on defense and was able to pull away with the win.

   "In life, sometimes things get hard, but the girls are learning a lot of life lessons to give their 100 percent best, play as a family and team and to never give up."

    The next game is at home on Wednesday, Jan. 15 against Pāhoa, followed by Saturday, Jan. 18 when Kaʻū heads to Hawai'i Preparatory Academy for play at 3:30 p.m., followed by another game on the road on Monday, Jan. 20 against Christian Liberty Academy, and finishing the season at home on Wednesday, Jan. 22 against Parker School.    

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Kaʻū News Briefs Jan. 5, 2025

Artist Stan Rillon's depiction of the tsunami in 1868 which wiped out Hawaiian villages up and down the coast, including Punalu'u and Honu'apo. The M7.1 earthquake, with epicenter in Keaiwa, buried thatched and wood homes in Wood Valley with a landslide, killing some 31 people. The Pacific Tsunami Museum educates the public about all of the devastating tsunamis that have come to this island. Located in Hilo, it is slated to receive $200,000 from Olson Trust and more from other business leaders.

OLSON TRUST DONATES $200,000 TO PACIFIC TSUNAMI MUSEUM. The announcement came Sunday on the cover of Hawai' Tribune-Herald newspaper in a story by John Burnett. The story quotes Paul Alston, the head of the newly created Edmund C. Olson Family Foundation, and notes that the non-profit Pacific Tsunami Museum was closing its doors in Hilo until the Olson funding came through.

This Okoe Bay home was destroyed by the 2011
trsunami from Japan. Photo by Kai Kahele

   Alston, who was the late Ed Olson's attorney during most of Olson's time doing business in Hawai'i, told The Tribune Herald that Olson Trust donated $100,000, will give another $100,000, and will challenge "big companies in Hilo" to also donate funding. 

    Cindi Preller, the museum’s director, called the Olson Trust "an absolute godsend for us." Preller, Alston and his wife Tanya met with Mayor Kimo Alameda last week and reported support from 
the mayor.
    Alston told the Tribune Herald that the museum is very meaningful to his own family since his wife is a survivor of the Hilo tsunami caused by a 9.5 earthquake in Chile. The tsunami, with its eight-foot waves, some as high as 35 feet, killed 61 people and wiped out the Hilo waterfront and business districts on May 23, 1960.
    Tsunamis have killed people and destroyed seven Hawaiian villages and remote homes on the Kaʻū Coast, South Kona Coast and north at Laupāhoehoe. The Pacific Tsunami Museum is a place of learning about all of the devastating tsunamis that have come to this island during ancient Hawaiian and modern times. Learn more about the Pacific Tsunami Museum at https://tsunami.org.

A November, 1975 tsunami destroyed this home at Punalu'u.

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