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Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs,Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022

Ala Kahakai Trail at Paʻula, Kaunāmano in Ka'ū. Ala Kahakai Trail will receive some funding from the National Trail System
money in the Omnibus Appropriations that just passed Congress. See more below. Photo from Ala Kahakai Trail Association

THE FIRST NATIONAL FOREST LANDS IN HAWAI'I COULD BE ACQUIRED as the result of a campaign by U.S. Rep. Ed Case. His proposal, which just passed through Congress in the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations, will help preserve "our truly unique ecosystem. It directs our federal government to pursue a formal process led by the U.S. Forest Service of engaging with state and community stakeholders toward identification of the most suitable Hawai'i forests for inclusions as national forests," said Case. "The FY 2023 Ominubus Appropriations bill makes substantial federal investments in Hawai'i's efforts to conserve our lands and ocean for future generations and protect endangered species."
  Case noted that the bill "will boost efforts to help Hawai'i fight invasive species, which have caused Hawai'i to be recognized as the invasive species capital of the world." The bill includes $36 million for the Agricultural Quarantine Inspections Program to combat invasive species in hawai'i and $437 million for the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program. It also creates a pilot program to prioritize the use of native plant species and combat invasive species within the National Park system.
    The Omnibus Appropriations also include $64 million for U.S. Geological Survey Species Management Research Program to respond to the needs of critically endangered Hawaiian forest birds and $175 million for protection, research and management of marine mammals, sea turtles and other ocean species. It includes $68 million for the Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas Program, including Pahapahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and $34 million for the Coral Reef Conservation Program, $31 million for long-deferred maintenance projects at Hawai'i's national parks and $19 million for the National Trails System, which includes some funding for Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.

  To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

OCEAN VIEW RESIDENTS WHOSE POWER WAS KNOCKED OUT during Monday's Kona Loa storm were expected to be back online with electricity by Wednesday or Thursday morning. Hawaiian Electric reported that islandwide 40,000 were initially without power on Monday, down to about 800 on Tuesday. The number in Ocean View was about 100. Hawaiian Electric reported that there could be some new outages as damaged trees could fall onto power lines.
    Hawai'i County Civil Defense is asking those affected to fill out the damage assessment survey, to help assess the damage to plan for future storms and to receive any available state or federal assistance for repairs. Civil Defense noted that payment for any damage to homes and properties would come through the owners' insurance policies. See the survey at arcg.is/1b8CS1. Contact Civil Defense at 808- 935-0031 or 808-935-0032.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

THE CLOSEST TREECYCLING FOR KAʻŪ'S holiday trees and kadomatsu decorations through Jan. 15 is the Volcano Transfer Station. The other county sponsored locations are at the following Recycling & Transfer Stations: Kealakehe (Kailua-Kona), Ke'ei, Kea'au, Pāhoa, and Waimea from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on regular greenwaste collection days.           
    Treecycling is also available at East Hawai'i Organics Facility in Hilo from 7 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., closed from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily, and West Hawai'i Organics Facility in Pu'uanahulu, Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., closed from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. All Transfer Stations and other Solid Waste Facilities will be closed on New Years Day.
    Residential customers with only holiday trees for tree-cycling may proceed directly to the East Hawai'i Organics Facility and tree-cycling area—there is no need to go to the County scale house, as typically required. Residential loads with both greenwaste and holiday trees must go to the County scale house to be weighed. All commercial haulers or holiday tree collectors must proceed to the County scale house before recycling.
   See Hawaiizerowaste.org or call the Solid Waste Division at 808-961-8270.

   To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

ATLAS RECYCLING at Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 31. Residents may take HI-5 containers to their site at the Ocean View Transfer Station which is open on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call 808-329-6868.

  To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.
SEVENTEEN WERE ARRESTED FOR DUI during the week of Dec. 19 through Dec. 25. Hawai‘i Island police arrested them for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Five of the drivers were involved in a
traffic accident. Four of the drivers were under the age of 21. So far this year, there have been 965 DUI arrests compared with 1,057 during the same period last year, a decrease of 8.7 percent.
There have been 829 major accidents so far this year compared with 801 during the same period last year, an increase of 3.5 percent.
    To date, there have been 32 fatal crashes (one fatal crash reclassified on 05/30/22 due to a medical condition) resulting in 34 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths, and one reclassified due to a medical condition), compared with 26 fatal crashes, resulting in 26 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents an increase of 23.1 percent for fatal crashes, and 30.8 percent for fatalities.
Hawai'i Police Department promises that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Christmas Lights & Icons Show continues to brighten up the corner of Lehua and Palm in Ranchos at Ocean View every evening. See story at www.kaucalendar.com.

Holiday Lighting and Decor dress up the cottages at Kīlauea Military Camp for the public to see. See story at www.kaucalendar.com.

Christmas in the Country is ongoing until the New Year at Volcano Art Center Gallery and VAC's Ni’aulani Campus. See story at kaucalendar.com.

The Hiking Incentive Program at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park wraps up at the end of year. For the Kūkini Challenge, hikers, and walkers can turn in miles, recording them at the Visitor Contact Station for a chance to win a silver water flask and accolades for the fourth quarter of 2022.

FREE FOOD

St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View.
   Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Masks and social distancing required.

Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day, according to OKK President Wayne Kawachi.

See The Ka'ū Calendar in the mail and in stands from Volcano through Miloli'i. Also see stories daily on Facebook and at www.kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com.
OUTDOOR MARKETS

Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

'O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in the upper lot only. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.

Ocean View Swap Meet at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.

The Book Shack is open every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Kauaha'ao Congregational Church grounds at 95-1642 Pinao St. in Wai'ōhinu.

See daily, weekly, and monthly events, and more, on page 8 and page 9 of the monthly print edition.