The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island: Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Land on the Hilo side of Nīnole Loop, near the long-abandoned restaurant, shops and museum at
Punalu'u, is being cleaned. Machines are clearing overgrowth, picking up rubbish, bringing in fill
to smooth out the landscape. Photo by Bob Martin

THE CLEANUP HAS BEGUN along Nīnole Loop, the road to Punalu'u beach and pond, and the adjacent parking lot. Machines are clearing overgrowth and trees, pulling stumps, picking up rubbish and bringing in materials by dump truck to spread and smooth out the land along the roadside adjacent to the old Punalu'u Restaurant and museum area. The old parking lot has been cleared and the roadside along Nīnole Loop looks like it could become a walking path from the parking lot toward the beach.

The abandoned buildings and grounds at Punalu'u have long been considered hazardous for visitors and locals who for decades have explored them. The official clearing comes after Black Sands Beach, LLC. received a County of Hawai'i exemption from Special Management Area permits for the cleanup.

Also being cleaned out is the parking lot makai of the old Punalu'u Golf Course and the grounds of the old tennis center with its courts and building. The building is to be repaired under a Minor SMA permit.

Also to be cleaned up and repaired under an SMA Minor permit are the buildings that formerly housed the Aspen Institute.

Repairs and cleanup of Punalu'u's water and
sewer system are exempt from SMA permits.
Photo by Bob Martin

To be cleaned up and repaired under an exemption from SMA permitting are the sewer, water and road systems at Punalu'u, says the permitting approval document.

The permitting document from county Planning Director Zendo Kern says the exemptions and conditions of the minor permits do not create waivers from building and other county, state and federal permits, where required.

It also requires the work to keep distance from Punalu'u Pond and the shoreline.

THE CONDO ASSOCIATION AT PUNALU'U IS LOOKING FOWARD TO THE CLEANUP AND IMPROVEMENT to roads, the sewer and water system, fire hydrants and dilapidated buildings. Vern Hughes, President of the Board of Colony One Association of Apartment Owners, said he welcomes the approvals from the county to do the repairs and cleanup. He noted that the deferred maintenance has been an issue for many years, going back to the time before the property was purchased by Black Sand Beach, LLC and Eva Liu. Hughes said, "Eva's got good people in place to get the jobs done now."

Clean up and reconstruction of the tennis center
and former golf check-in have begun at Punalu'u
with praise from the President of the condo
association there. Photo by Bob Martin

There are 76 units at the condos, with the Vacation Internationale timeshare company having 29 of them, the rest privately owned. Hughes said he looks forward to visitors and the community to be able to use the tennis courts, planned pickleball courts and eventually the golf course, which has been closed for about three years.

Hughes said, "The trees, shrubs and undergrowth - they have really been working very hard to clean it up and it is really showing a lot of difference. They have been hauling away truckloads. It's amazing to have someone come in here, spend money and fix the place up, after all the years of neglect."

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COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATE MICHELLE GALIMBA issued a statement in late March inviting community members to apply to serve on the Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee to help steward the future of Kaʻū.

"I had the privilege of serving on the Kaʻū Community Development Plan Steering Committee, which worked with County of Hawaiʻi Planning Department staff and
consultants to bring the Kaʻū Community Development Plan to fruition," said Galimba.

"The Kaʻū CDP was based on the highest level of community input and engagement of any CDP in Hawaiʻi County. This input from small group meetings, surveys and speak-outs was then synthesized into our communityʻs values and vision statement, which then led to a set of policies, objectives and proposed actions.

"The Kaʻū Community Development Plan (CDP) was passed into law by the Planning Commission and the County Council in 2017. As land values and development pressure increase, the CDP is an important tool educate newcomers and to help our community shape a future that is an expression of our values and our love for this ʻaina." Galimba said there are "many proposed actions in the CDP that need engaged citizens (that means you!) to shepherd them forward into reality."
The County of Hawaiʻi is seeking applicants to serve on the Kaʻū CDP Action Committee. Galimba said, "This is an opportunity to see that the values and vision that we expressed in the Kaʻū CDP are honored and that we create a thriving, sustainable community that is rooted in our districtʻs unique natural and cultural heritage."

Find out more about the Kaʻū CDP and the Action Committee at https://www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/general-plan-community-planning/cdp/kau .
Galimba also offered this option: "Get in touch with me at https://votegalimba.com to find out more about the CDP and what it was like to serve on the Kaʻū CDP Steering Committee."

THE VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES LIFTED ITS INDOOR MASK MANDATE on Monday, March 28 for faculty, staff, and students. The change was anticipated after outdoor masking became optional at VSAS in early March and the state mask mandate was lifted on March 26. Safety precautions, however, are still in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, with weekly testing available for all students and staff and quarantine requirements for those who are in close contact with someone with COVID-19.

Cobra will join the staff of The Volcano School
of the Arts & Sciences to sniff out COVID-19.
Photo from Volcano School

On Tuesday, March 29, Principal Kalima Kinney announced to faculty and students that the school will welcome a new member to its community– Cobra, a dog trained to detect the presence of COVID-19. Cobra is a seven-year-old female Belgian Malinois, who is part of a COVID-19 dog detection pilot program being run in five public schools on Hawai'i Island.

Cobra was previously trained to detect the scent of a fungus that causes Rapid 'Ō'hia Death and had highly accurate results. When the pandemic began, Cobra began putting her nose to work to detect coronavirus after researchers were able to isolate the odor of the body's response to the virus.

Beginning the week of April 4, students and staff at Volcano School can begin signing up for Cobra's weekly "sniffer tests" to keep Volcano School coronavirus free.

Kaʻū Trojans Boys Volleyball team, left to right, is comprised of Iverson Salmo, Kelso Gallano, Triton Blanco,
Kealiikoa Reyes-Nalu, Tyson Junior Kuahuia-Faafia, Syrus Baniaga, Roger Migueland Mardani Sugai.
Not shown are Dmitriy Fedroruk, Michal Espejo and Patrick Riehle. Photo by Harry McIntosh

BOYS VOLLEYBALL IS WELL INTO THE SEASON with Kaʻū High hosting Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Saturday, April 2, the encounter beginning at 10 a.m. The Trojans head out to Christian Liberty Academy on Wednesday, April 6 for a start time of 6 p.m. Kaʻū heads out to Kohala on Saturday April 9, starting time at 10 a.m. Playoffs games will be announced later in the month.

KAʻŪ TROJANS BOYS BASEBALL team travels to Hilo to play Hawai'i Preparatory Academy in a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, April 2 . Kaʻū goes to Kamehameha Schoool on Monday, April 4 for a 3 p.m. game. The Trojans head to Kealakehe High School to play Konawaena for a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, April 16. Playoff dates will be announced later in the month.

GIRLS SOFTBALL TAKES THE TROJAN TEAM to Hawai'i Preparatory Academy in Waimea on Saturday, April 2 for a 10 a.m. game. Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha Schools on Thursday, April 7 at 3 p.m. and Kaʻū travels to Konawaena on Saturday, April 16 for a 1 p.m. game. The playoffs follow.

BIIF TRACK is taking Trojans around the island. They will compete on the tracks of Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Saturday, April 2 with a 9 a.m. start, Kea'au High on Saturday, April 9 with a start time of 2 p.m., at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Saturday, April 16 with start time of 9 a.m., at Kea'au, on Saturday, April 23 with start time of 2 p.m. The Freshman & Sophomore Invitational will be on Saturday, April 30 at Konawaena, 2 p.m. Championship Trials will be on Friday, May 6 at 2 p.m. at Konawaena, which will also host Championship Finals on Saturday, May 7 at 3 p.m.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

See March edition of The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper at