Wednesday, January 05, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022

Ka`u High & Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences' swim team continues competition
around the island into February. Like all sports, no fans are allowed due to Covid 
concerns, as of Jan. 4.  Photo by Kayla Nishimura
KAʻŪ TROJANS ARE HOSTING AND TRAVELING to Swim, Girls Basketball and Boys Basketball winter sports events, but without spectators to cheer on the high school teams.
    Kaʻū Trojans Girls Basketball, with Coach Jacob Davenport and Assistant Coach Chrysa Dacalio, was scheduled at Hilo on Wednesday, Jan. 5 and Tuesday, Jan. 11 at Kea'au at 6 p.m. Kaʻū hosts Kohala on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. and travels to Honoka'a on Friday, Jan. 28 for a game at 6 p.m. Kaʻū hosts Pāhoa on Saturday, Jan 29. and Christian Liberty on Tuesday, Feb. 1, both at 6 p.m. Kaʻū travels to Honoka'a on Friday, Feb. 4 for a 6 p.m. game.
    Boys Basketball, with Coach Douglas Porter and Assistant Coach Troy Gacayan, was set for Kamehameha coming to Kaʻū on Friday, Jan. 7 at 6 p.m. Kaʻū travels to Waiakea on Jan. 12 for game at 6
p.m. Kaʻū hosts Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. Kaʻū hosts Hilo on Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m.; Kaʻū travels to Honoka'a for a game on Friday, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. Kaʻū hosts Kohala on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. Kaʻū travels to Pāhoa for a game on Friday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. Kaʻū hosts Kea'au at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
   The swimming coach is Doreen Fisher with upcoming meets on Saturday, Jan. 11 at Hawai'i Preparatory Academy at 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 18 at Kamehameha at 10 a.m. and Saturday, Jan. 25 at HPA at 10 a.m. The preliminaries and finals are at Kamehameha on Friday, Jan. 31 at 3:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 1 at 9 a.m. The team is comprised of Ka`u High and Volcano School of the Arte & Sciences swimmers.
    Big Island Interscholastic Federation announced in early January that "procedures have been developed, and now modified again, to adjust to the new and continued rise in COVID case numbers due to the new Omicron
variant." Among them is the banning of all spectators at BIIF indoor and outdoor sporting events, until further notice. In addition, all BIIF member schools, and any school who travels to the Big Island to participate in a BIIF athletic event, shall require mask wearing except when student-athletes, coaches and officials are participating in the athletic event. Masks are required when sitting on the bench, going to the restroom, and when on premises before and after the game.
    No concession will be available at any BIIF sanctioned event. No outside food or beverages will be allowed at any BIIF sanctioned event. BIIF Schools who utilize County of Hawai'i facilities, such as the ballpark and Robert E. Herkes Gym in Pāhala may be subject to supplemental County of Hawai'i guidelines that may override BIIF guidelines. Schools using County of Hawai'i facilities must communicate the details of superseding guidelines to the BIIF, visiting teams and fans.

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THE WAIKAPUNA RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN COMMUNITY MEETING has been redesigned, due to Covid concerns, to be on zoom with now in-person gathering. It is set for Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m..
    Waikapuna is 2,317 acres with miles of Kaʻū Coast, under a county conservation easement and held for stewardship by Ala Kahakai Trail Association.
    The purpose of the meeting is to provide background on the process and schedule for the Management Plan for the land; to gather input on cultural and natural resources to preserve and protect; to understand areas of concern relating to the resources; and to identify opportunities for stewardship.
    The property was purchased in 2019 with public funds to protect it from subdivision.
    Log on at www.zoom.com. Meeting ID is 83744678872. passcode is Kau. For audio only, call 346-248-7700. Meeting ID is 837 4467 9971. Passcode is 816026. The meeting will be recorded. For a link to the recording, contact Gabrielle Sham, Townscape, Inc. at gabrielle@townscape.com.
The Hawaiian, indigenous seabird Noio, Anous minutus melanogenys, nests in lava tubes and ledges along the cliffside of Waikapuna. Photo from Ala Kahakai Trail Association

    According to the website of Ala Kahakai Trail Association, "Waikapuna encompasses the entirety of Kahilipalinui and Kahilipaliiki Ahupua'a of Kaʻū Moku on Hawai'i Island. This purchase covers over 2.3 miles of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail - including what is traditionally known as the Ala Loa. An ancient fishing village of Waikapuna exists here and the acquisition of this wahi pana protects hundreds of intact pre-contact Native Hawaiian burial and non-burial cultural sites.
    "Rich in Native Hawaiian and paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) cultural heritage, the ancient fishing village of Waikapuna includes house sites, heiau, lava tube caves, and ancient trails. It is surrounded by large stands of native coastal vegetation, tidepool complex, and sea caves."
    Waikapuna features "a segment of the Alaloa footpath, large strands of native coastal plant species, and sea cliffs that provide habitat to endangered birds; and provides access to important nearshore resources that many local families still rely on for subsistence. The property also supports ranching, perpetuating Kaʻū's paniolo heritage and contributing to the region's agricultural economy."
    The stated purpose of the County of Hawai'i's conservation easement over Wiakapuna is to: "conserve, preserve, and protect in perpetuity the historic, cultural, agricultural, natural, marine, scenic, open space, fresh water, and native and endemic plant and animal habitat values of the Easement Property."
    Ala Kahakai Trail Association is required to establish a Land Management Plan, consistent with the conservation easement and also the state Legacy Land Conservation Program grant that helped to purchase the Waikapuna land. The County of Hawai'i hired Townscape Inc., an environmental community planning company, to work with the Kaʻū community to develop the Waikapuna Resource Management Plan to serve as a guide for future management and stewardship efforts.
    See more at www.alakahakaitrail.org/waikapuna

A year ago, Kai Kahele, taking
the oath for Congress
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A NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE FROM KAʻŪ'S CONGRESSMAN KAI KAHELE reads as follows:
    "Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou! One year ago this week, I took my oath of office. Although 2021 was a tumultuous year filled with both triumph and disaster for our communities, through it all we continued to move forward together to build a healthier and safer Hawaiʻi.
    "I am proud of the hard work Team Kahele has put in over the last year to deliver results for families, workers and small businesses. I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve as your voice in Washington, DC and look forward to furthering our shared vision for Hawaiʻi in this new year.
    "Me ka haʻa haʻa (with humility), Kai."

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