Stewardship proposals for Kaʻū lands come up before PONC on Monday. Lands include Kāwā and nearby parcels. See story below. Map from Hawaiʻi County |
KAPELA SAYS SHE'LL RUN AGAINST CREAGAN. Jeanné Kapela, Miss Hawaiʻi 2015, says she is running again for the state House of Representatives District 5 seat held by Rep. Richard Creagan.
Kapela, who
turned 25 on Tuesday, lost to Creagan in a three-way primary election to
represent the sprawling district, which runs from North and South Kona to West
Ka‘ū. Raised on a small coffee farm in Captain Cook, she graduated from
Konawaena High School in 2012.
"Our
community deserves leadership with aloha," Kapela said in a statement. "Two
years ago, my campaign started a movement to bring hope to those who need it
most. Today, faced with a soaring cost of living, crumbling schools, and
climate change, that movement is more urgent than ever."
Rep. Richard Creagan |
Jeanné Kapela |
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REAL IDS FOR MICRONESIANS, MARSHALESE, AND PALAUANS will be more accessible, according to Sen. Mazie Hirono's office. Efforts headed by Hirono and Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) led to the Department of Homeland Security announcing it would "remove unnecessary barriers placed on citizens of the Freely Associated States seeking to secure REAL ID Act-compliant identification," according to a statement from the senators.
Hirono's office
states this announcement reverses guidance previously released by U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services that required FAS citizens
of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands,
and the Republic of Palau residing in the U.S. to present a visa or
Employment Authorization Document in order to receive a REAL ID Act-compliant
driver's license. Under decades-old treaties with the U.S.
– known as the Compacts of Free Association – FAS citizens are able to
live and work in the U.S. indefinitely
as non-immigrants without having to obtain a visa or an EAD card. The requirement
for FAS citizens to suddenly obtain an EAD to renew their driver's licenses put
many at risk of losing their employment, given the delay and burden of applying
for and receiving an EAD.
FAS citizens
residing in the U.S.
were only able to receive temporary driver's licenses
and state identification cards, forcing them to renew
annually. This often meant that FAS citizens were excluded from
employment, housing, transportation, schools, and other opportunities afforded
to non-immigrants. Hirono, states the release, worked to
advance the REAL ID Act Modification for Freely Associated States
Act of 2018 that unanimously passed the U.S. Senate and was signed into
law. The intent of this legislation was to ensure that FAS citizens
in the U.S. could
receive full-term REAL ID Act-compliant identification documents without a
visa or EAD.
In October
2020, REAL ID Act-compliant identification or other acceptable forms of
identification will be required for every person accessing federal facilities
and traveling domestically on a commercial airline.
Said
Hirono, "Since the administration first announced the decision to require visas or EADs for FAS citizens, I've heard directly from employers, grassroots organizations, county and state agencies, and FAS citizens living and working in Hawaiʻi, about the significant and unnecessary financial hardships that this community faced in obtaining the identification they need and are legally entitled to possess. This announcement was welcome news for thousands of FAS citizens
living in communities across our country, and I want to thank the bipartisan
group of my colleagues for joining the effort to ensure we meet our special
obligations under the Compacts of Free Association, which recognize the
important national security partnership between the United
States and the Freely Associated States.
Said Young,
"While FAS citizens lawfully reside and work in the United
States , they have been subject to a host of
barriers when trying to acquire a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or
identification card. I have been engaged in correcting this issue legislatively
for some time, including passing my bill, the REAL ID Act Modification for
Freely Associated States Act, last Congress. I am pleased to see the Department
of Homeland Security has agreed to allow FAS citizens to obtain REAL
ID-compliant ID cards using the same requirements as citizens in the rest of
the country – a U.S.
passport and I-94 forms. I would like to thank Senator Mazie Hirono for
partnering with me on this important national security issue. I will keep
working in Congress to ensure REAL ID-compliant licenses are issued as
efficiently and consistently as possible."
Said Rep. Ed Case,
formerly a state representative of Kaʻū, said, "Our Compacts of Free
Association with the Federated States of
Micronesia and the Republics of Palau and
the Marshall Islands
are of key importance to all of our countries. The Compacts permit COFA
citizens to live and work in our country with a valid passport and
documentation of entry under the Compacts. They should not have been required
to comply with onerous additional requirements to obtain a driver's license and
access other basics of everyday life, and I appreciate the administration
reversing course on a matter critical to COFA citizens."
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National Parks Foundation applied for a grant to steward Kahua Olohu. Map from Hawaiʻi County |
Two organizations
are being considered in Kaʻū for stewardship grants. Nā Mamo O Kāwā proposed
programs for Kāwā, Hilea Iki, Hilea Nui and Kaʻalaʻiki. Property information is
available at records.hawaiicounty.gov/weblink/1/edoc/74009/Kawa%20(9-5-1606,%2025;%209-5-1705,%2007).pdf.
National Parks
Arts Foundation – the group that supports the Artist in Residence program at
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park – proposed programs for Kahua Olohu in Kahuku. Property information is
available at records.hawaiicounty.gov/weblink/1/edoc/89136/Kahua%20Olohu%20(9-5-1205).pdf.
To testify in
person, register at least ten minutes before the meeting begins. To testify in
writing, bring 12 copies, and submit separate testimony for each agenda item.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.The yellow "x" represents Akoni, The red swirl represents Juliette. Neither storm is forecast to affect Hawaiʻi. NOAA image |
Tropical Storm Juliette is also forecast to dissipate far from the islands, becoming a tropical depression by Sunday, and dissipating totally by mid-week.
READ ABOUT A NATIONAL HONOR FOR USGS IN THIS WEEK'S VOLCANO WATCH:
Volcano
Watch, weekly articles written primarily by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory staff, and
occasionally by USGS partners and university affiliates, was recently honored
by the National Association of Government Communicators. In its annual Blue
Pencil & Gold Screen Award program, NAGC recognizes excellence in
government communication products with awards in over 40 categories. During a
reception in Arlington , Virginia ,
on June 26, Volcano Watch was awarded First
Place in the Electronic Publication category.
Volcano
Watch dates back to November 1991, when Dave Clague, HVO's
Scientist-in-Charge at the time, began writing weekly articles as a way to keep
Island of Hawaiʻi
residents informed about Hawaiian eruptions and earthquakes. At the time, the
Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption was in its ninth year, and lava flows had already buried
much of Kalapana and the Royal Gardens subdivision on Kīlauea's southeast
flank. During the remainder of the 35-year-long eruption, Volcano Watch continued
to be a means of disseminating information about the lava flows and related
topics.
Initially, Volcano
Watch articles were only printed in local newspapers. But starting in the
late 90s, the articles were posted online in addition to being printed in
newspapers. Today, articles from 1991 to the present are archived on HVO's Volcano
Watch webpage, volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html). Volcano
Watch is also shared via USGS social media – Facebook and Twitter
– as well as by Internet news outlets.
In May 2018,
when Kīlauea 's lower East Rift Zone eruption began, "hits"
to the Volcano Watch webpage jumped significantly – from a monthly
average of about 3,000 to almost 36,000. Monthly visitation remained more than
twice the average until early September, when the eruption ended – evidence
that people looked to Volcano Watch as an accurate source of
information.
Products entered
in the 2019 Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Award competition had to be produced
by or for a government organization between July 1, 2017 , and December
31, 2018 – a notable period for HVO, with three-plus months of
unprecedented volcanic activity on Kīlauea starting in
April 2018. Entries were judged on writing, content, purpose or goal,
dissemination, target audience, overall impression, and other criteria.
Cost
effectiveness was one of the other criteria by which communication products
were judged in the NAGC award program. The cost of Volcano Watch includes
HVO staff hours required to write, edit, revise, and select or create imagery
for the weekly articles. The annual cost in 2018 was estimated to be around
$15,000, which amounts to about 18 cents per webpage view. That cost decreases
dramatically when thousands of newspaper readers and social media followers are
also considered in the calculation.
Producing a
weekly article can be difficult under the best of circumstances. The summer of
2018 presented many additional challenges, with HVO staff essentially working
around the clock to monitor Kīlauea . Still, weekly Volcano
Watch articles continued to be issued to help people stay informed about the
activity and hazards associated with Kīlauea 's largest
lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit collapse in at least 200 years.
The 2019
award for Volcano Watch is the second HVO product to be recognized by
the NAGC. In 2018, the USGS video, Kīlauea Summit
Eruption—Lava Returns to Halema‘uma‘u, pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/gip182,
received Second Place in
the Documentary category of the Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards.
To learn more about the history of Volcano
Watch, visit HVO's September 30,
2010 , Volcano Watch article: volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=39.
Volcano Activity Updates
The water level
at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly rise. HVO is monitoring the
pond closely, and under the current conditions, its presence in the crater has
not increased the risk to public safety.
One
earthquake with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaii
this past week: a magnitude-2.8 quake 3 km (2 mi) south of Leilani Estates at
11 km (7 mi) depth on Aug. 31 at 2:01 p.m.
HVO
continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna
Loa for any signs of increased activity. Neither volcano is
erupting.
Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo
for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna
Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and
more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
GET YOUR CAR SEAT INSTALLATION OR FIT OF YOUR BOOSTER CHECKED at a free Child Passenger Safety Event Saturday, Sept. 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. , at Nāʻālehu Community Center. Certified Child Passenger Safety technicians will be there to demonstrate proper car seat installation, selection, and usage. Seat Belt Fit tests will also be done on-site, to demonstrate proper usage of booster seats.
The event kicks off Child Passenger Safety Week. The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, together with all four county police departments, and child passenger safety advocates, will participate in National Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 15 through 21. This campaign is dedicated to "helping parents and caregivers make sure their children ride as safely as possible – every trip, every time."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most parents are confident that they have correctly installed their child's car seat, but in most cases – 59 percent – the seat has not been installed correctly. However, if installed correctly in passenger cars, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers one to four years old. For infants and toddlers in light trucks, the corresponding reductions were 58 percent and 59 percent, respectively.
According to NHTSA data, in 2015, about 25.8 percent of children 4 to 7 years old were prematurely moved to seat belts, when they should have been riding in booster seats.
To keep all children safe, states NHTSA, parents and caregivers should use a child safety seat that best fits their child and vehicle. Complimentary public educational events will be held statewide, starting with one in Nāʻālehu.
In Hawaiʻi, children under 4 years old are required to ride in a child safety seat; children 4 through 7 years old must ride in a child passenger restraint or booster seat. Violators are required to appear in court, and if convicted, must attend a four-hour class. They may also be assessed a penalty of up to $500.
Parents and caregivers can check the following to determine when a child can be moved from a child safety seat to a booster seat: the shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest, and not cross the neck or face; the lap belt must lie snugly across the child's upper thighs, not the stomach; the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the seat when his or her back and bottom are against the vehicle seat back; the child can stay seated properly during the entire trip.
NHTSA recommends registering all car seats and booster seats with the manufacturer for a notification in the event of a recall. For more information on car seat safety and to locate a certified child passenger safety technician, visit nhtsa.gov/carseat.
Hawaiʻi has more than 300 certified child passenger safety technicians, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, medical professionals, and parents. All technicians have been trained to provide instruction on choosing the right car seat, installing it, and using it correctly.
Nationwide child passenger safety statistics from NHTSA states that:
A child under 13 years old was involved in a passenger vehicle crash every 32 seconds in 2017. From 2013 to 2017, there were 3,313 children under 13 killed while riding in passenger vehicles. Fatalities decreased in 2017 from 2016, the first decrease since 2014.
On average, nearly two children under 13 were killed every day in 2017 while riding in cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans. In 2017, over one-third (35 percent) of children under 13 killed in passenger vehicles were not restrained in car seats, booster seats or seat belts.
In 2017, among children under 5, car seats saved an estimated 312 lives. A total of 371 children could have survived if they had been buckled up 100-percent of the time.
NHTSA's latest research shows that nearly two out of three car seats are misused.
Child Passenger Safety Week is sponsored by NHTSA. For more on child safety, as well as a list of child restraint inspection stations and community car seat checks, visit kipchawaii.org or safercar.gov/parents.
See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.
Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes
throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com
|
2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through September
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates
Football, Division II:
Sat., Sept. 7, 3 p.m. , HPA hosts Kaʻū
Sat., Sept. 14, 11 a.m. , Kaʻū hosts Kohala
Thu., Sept. 19, 7 p.m. , Pāhoa hosts Kaʻū
Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Tue., Sept. 10, 6 p.m. , Kaʻū hosts Kealakeha
Fri., Sept. 13, 6 p.m. , Honokaʻa hosts Kaʻū
Tue., Sept. 17, 6 p.m. , Waiakea hosts Kaʻū
Thu., Sept. 19, 6 p.m. , Keaʻau hosts Kaʻū
Tue., Sept. 24, 6 p.m. , Makualani hosts Kaʻū
Fri., Sept. 27, 6 p.m. , Kaʻū hosts HPA
Cross Country:
Sat., Sept. 7, 10 a.m. , @Kamehameha
Fri., Sept. 13, 3:30 p.m. , @HPA
Sat., Sept. 21, 10 a.m. , @Kealakehe
Sat., Sept. 28, 10 a.m. , @Keaʻau
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SATURDAY, SEPT. 7
Keiki Science Class, Saturday, Sept. 7 – 1st Saturday, monthly –
The Business of Art with Ira Ono - Full-Day Workshop, Saturday, Sept. 7, 9a.m.-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. $50/VAC member, $55/non-member. Bring personal art samples. See Ono's work at iraono.com. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org
Sounds at the Summit featuring Hawaiian Style Band, Saturday, Sept. 7, 5:30-7:30p.m. , Volcano Art Center . Multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning band. Doors open 5 p.m. Tickets, $20/VAC member, $25/non-member, available for purchase online. Wine, beer, soft drinks, and snacks available for purchase. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org
‘Ohi‘a Lehua, Sunday, Sept. 8, 9:30-11a.m. , Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, easy one-mile walk. nps.gov/havo
8-Ball Tournament at Kīlauea Military Camp, Sunday, Sept. 8, tournament starts at 1p.m. , check-in starts at noon , KMC's Recreation Lodge, HVNP. $10 in advance. Pre-registration required, forms at lodge or 10-Pin Grill. Open to all patrons, with Terms of Service. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com
Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, Sept. 8 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3-5p.m. , Volcano Art Center . Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527, volcanoartcenter.org
Volcano Winery's 6th Annual Fundraising Harvest Festival, Sunday, Sept. 8, 4-7p.m. Vineyard and winery tours, live local music, souvenir glasses, heavy pūpū. Tickets available online - $50/person 21+ (includes two glasses wine/beer), $25/person under 21. Proceeds benefit Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. 967-7772, volcanowinery.com
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Ka‘ū Net Recovery Patrol, Monday, Sept. 9. Free; donations appreciated. Limited space available; B.Y.O.-4WD okay. R.S.V.P. required, kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com. 769-7629, wildhawaii.org
Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, Sept. 9 and 23, 1p.m., field trips - contact for location. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351
TUESDAY, SEPT. 10
Free Flu Shot Clinic, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 6:30-8p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Long's Drugs Pāhala.
Hawaiian Cultural Artifacts in the 21st Century, Tuesday, Sept. 10,
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11
Ho‘oponopono Demonstration, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 10a.m. -noon , Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Aunty Mahealani Kuamo‘o-Henry and friends journey through the teachings of Ho‘opono Pono Ke Ala. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo
THURSDAY, SEPT. 12
Registration Open: Coffee Filter Art, Thursday, Sept. 12-17, Ka‘ū District Gym multipurpose room. Program for grades K-8 takes place Wednesday, Sept. 18, 3:30-5p.m. Free. 928-3102, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation
Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, Sept. 12, 6:30p.m. , United Methodist Church , Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkeley Yoshida, 747-0197
FRIDAY, SEPT. 13
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, Sept. 13, 9a.m. -noon , Ocean View Community Center . Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Community Dance, Friday, Sept. 13, 7-10p.m. , Cooper Center , Volcano Village . Minors allowed with supervision only. Alcohol-free event. Variety of music. Snacks provided; additional pūpū welcome. Free. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org
ONGOING
Applications are Open for the Online High School Internship Program under Sen. Brian Schatz through 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8. The program provides a hands-on learning opportunity about the U.S. Senate. It also encourages students to be leaders and advocates in their schools and communities. Interns are selected based on their involvement in their community – jobs, activities, and responsibilities – and diversity of interests and life experiences. Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or better and have personal access to email.
Volcano Winery's Annual Fundraising Harvest Festival Tickets are on sale at volcanowinery.com or (808) 967-7772. Proceeds benefit
Exhibit - Nani Ka ‘Ikena by Volcano local photographer Jesse Tunison, daily through Sunday, Sept. 15, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Nani Ka ʻIkena, that which is seen is beautiful, features vibrant colors and crisp, wide vistas which highlight the character and drama of Hawaiʻi Island’s landscape. The collection of ten photographs were captured over the past decade by Tunison and also document the dynamic changes which have occurred in such a short period of time. "While the landscape has changed the beauty has endured." Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org
6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.com
Tutoring for Kaʻū Hugh & Pāhala Elementary is Available to All Students of the school, from2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. , Monday through Thursday. Grades Kindergarten-2nd will be in room 3; grades 3-6 will be in room 6 on Mondays, room 11 on Tuesdays through Thursdays; middle school students, will be in building Q; and high school students will be in room M-101 in the science building. Contact khpes.org or 808-313-4100 for more.
6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. okaukakou.org, kaucoffeemill.com
Tutoring for Kaʻū Hugh & Pāhala Elementary is Available to All Students of the school, from
Nationwide 2019 Congressional App Challenge submissions
from middle and high schoolers are open through Nov. 1. Submit to Rep. Tulsi
Gabbard, CongressionalAppChallenge.us,
apps "designed to promote innovation and engagement in computer
science." All skill levels, all devices and platforms, and all programming
languages, accepted.
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