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| Ka`u Trojans Boys Volleyball team invites the public to Senior Night at the Ka`u Regional Gym on Tuesday at 6 p.m., with JV and varsity competition. Team members: No. 21 Titan Ault, No. 12 Jacob Flores, No. 7 Travis Taylor, No. 17 Jamal Buyuan, No. 10 Joven Padrigo, No. 6 Chadwick Pajimola, No. 8 Pete Dacalio, and No. 1 Trevor Taylor. Photo by Pam Taylor |
TALMADGE MAGNO, THE NEW HAWAI`I COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE DIRECTOR, met with the County Council last week as the Finance Committee reviewed the proposed budget for the department.
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| Talmadge Magno, as Chief Ranger in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park |
Magno explained his preparedness to work at Civil Defense. He served the National Park Service for 30 years, including time at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park in law enforcement supervision dealing with the volcanoes and hurricanes and coordinating with county Civil Defense. "All that exposure and that experience led me to this position."
"I am very fortunate to be able to work in this position and support the island," he said. Magno explained that he was able to work for the county as retirement at age 57 in the federal government is required for positions with firefighting and other physical work.
"It's my background work in the federal government qualified me for this position," he told the County Council members.
Magno grew up in Mountain View. Mayor Harry Kim, who chose Magno last December to become Civil Defense Director, coached him in football when Magno was a teen.
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| Talmadge Magno, Hawai`i Couny Civil Defense Director. Photo from Big Island Video News |
Kim has indicated that he is working closely with Magno in the Civil Defense Department, which is responsible for the County's "total emergency response program to ensure prompt and effective action when natural or manmade caused disaster threatens the County of Hawai`i," says the Civil Defense website. See https://countyofhawaii.bbcportal.com to sign up for Civil Defense messages. See www.hawaiicounty.gov/civil-defense for more on the department.
See more at www.bigislandvideonews.com
CONGRESSWOMAN TULSI GABBARD AND SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ will hold Town Hall meetings in Hilo on Tuesday. The Schatz event location has been changed to the gymnasium at University of Hawai`i from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Gabbard event will be held at Waiakea High School at 7:30 p.m.
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| HAWAI`I PUBLIC RADIO is broadcast in Ka`u through the KAHU license which supported a community radio station in Pahala for years, featuring such musical and talk-story mentors as Uncle Bobby Gomes (right) and budding local musicians, playing live on the station in 2013. See HPR story below. Photo by Julia Neal |
HPR President and General Manager José A. Fajardo pointed out that federal funding is in question under the new President Donald Trump administration. “Many in our community have expressed concern about the current administration’s proposed de-funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Whether or not that comes to pass, we are advising listeners that their financial contributions are critical to ensuring the station’s resilience and independence in the face of future challenges. Each listener’s generous support is needed now more than ever.” HPR is considered critical for Civil Defense communications in Ka`u.
The original station was licensed for Ka`u as KAHU radio, in part with Civil Defense funding. After years as a community radio station with live broadcasts, HPR purchased the license from KAHU and the feed was changed to programing originating on O`ahu. Ka`u coverage has been improved through use of a tower at Kulani near Volcano and HPR engineer Don Mussel said that HPR plans to further improve the signal in Ka`u.
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| Hawai`i Public Radio's President and GM José Fajardo |
To make the HPR donation process as simple as possible, a new mobile app takes users straight to the donation form on the station's website hawaiipublicradio.org. The app, when accessed through a smartphone, can also connect the caller directly to pledge phone numbers: (808) 944-8800 or toll-free (888) 970-8800 for HPR-1; (808) 941-3689 or toll-free (877) 941-3689 for HPR-2.
To further encourage tune-ins and participation, the station is offering, on the first day of the drive, a Discover Prince Waikiki sweepstakes from community partner Prince Resorts Hawai`i. Other special premiums are planned throughout the drive, and matching funds from numerous individuals and local businesses will be announced to further incentivize giving. On the classical music stream, HPR-2, a countdown of listeners’ top 100 musical “faves” will take place over the course of the drive.
Fajardo added, “We are counting on our listeners, the majority of whom responded positively to our recent program realignment, to recognize the value of our quality journalism and musical sanctuary. And we’re inviting them to become a part of HPR’s success story.”
Hawaiʻi Public Radio now counts more than 13,000 members, and a growing cohort of members who participate in an ongoing, monthly giving plan. The station’s recent record of lowering pledge goals from one drive to the next, all while expenses steadily increase, is credited directly to the steady and predictable contributions of these Sustaining Members.
To further encourage tune-ins and participation, the station is offering, on the first day of the drive, a Discover Prince Waikiki sweepstakes from community partner Prince Resorts Hawai`i. Other special premiums are planned throughout the drive, and matching funds from numerous individuals and local businesses will be announced to further incentivize giving. On the classical music stream, HPR-2, a countdown of listeners’ top 100 musical “faves” will take place over the course of the drive.
Fajardo added, “We are counting on our listeners, the majority of whom responded positively to our recent program realignment, to recognize the value of our quality journalism and musical sanctuary. And we’re inviting them to become a part of HPR’s success story.”
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| HPR engineer Don Mussel at the radio building in Pahala, switching KAHU to HPR in 2013. Photo by Julia Neal |
Hawaiʻi Public Radio now counts more than 13,000 members, and a growing cohort of members who participate in an ongoing, monthly giving plan. The station’s recent record of lowering pledge goals from one drive to the next, all while expenses steadily increase, is credited directly to the steady and predictable contributions of these Sustaining Members.
For programming, see www.hawaiipublicradio.org.
Special Merrie Monarch Festival Event, Tue, April 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Practitioners share lau hala, lomilomi, hū kukui and ulana niu. Falsetto singer Kai Ho‘opi‘i performs. Free; park entrance fees apply.
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| John Cross presents archival maps and more from plantation era days on Tuesday at After Dark in the Park. Photo from NPS |
The Value of Plantation-Era Archives in Today’s World, Tue, April 18, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. John Cross leads a visual journey through Edmund C. Olson Trust Archive’s historic resources and the era that was “Big Sugar.” Free; park entrance fees apply.
Special Merrie Monarch Festival Event, Wed, April 19, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Practitioners share lei making, pala‘ie & kāpala mea ulu. The Young Brothers perform local melodies. Free; park entrance fees apply.
Kai Ho‘opi‘i in Concert, Wed, April 19, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The Aloha Festival Hawaiian falsetto contest winner shares traditions and music of his ‘ohana. Free; park entrance fees apply.
Special Merrie Monarch Festival Event, Thu, April 20, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Practitioners share lei making, haku hulu, ‘ohe kāpala and kuku kapa. Multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning composer, singer and musician Kenneth Makuakāne performs. Free; park entrance fees apply.
