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Monday, January 31, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, Jan. 31, 2022

Kaʻū Little League restarted in 2017. By 2019, the state championships were in Nāʻālehu. Registration is open now at https://clubs.bluesombrero.com/kaulittleleaguehi and at public libraries and practice. See more below.
Photo from Kaʻū Little League

KAʻŪ LITTLE LEAGUE is open for new players. Organizers are local food farmers, Josh and Elizabeth Crook and family, who restarted Little League in this area in 2017. By July of 2019, they hosted the state championships in Nāʻālehu. The organizers announced that "Little League believes in the power of youth baseball and softball to teach life lessons that build stronger individuals and communities. One Team. One Little League."
       Registration can be done online at https://clubs.bluesombrero.com/kaulittleleaguehi or, visit Nāʻālehu Public Library, Pāhala Public Library, or Little League practice to pick up a registration packet.
    Practice is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 3:30 - 6 p.m. at Waiʻōhinu Park. All keiki ages five- to 15-years old are welcome to join. Call Elizabeth Crook at (808) 345-0511 for more information.
The Crook family raises money at the OKK Market for Little League,
 which is accepting players now. Photo from Kaʻū Little League
   For the state tournament, back in 2019, before Covid shut down Little League, teams and fans from around the Hawaiian Islands flooded Kaʻū accommodations, restaurants, and stores. 
    Kaʻū Little League Pres. Josh Crook said the tournament drew umpires from California, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island. Among them was Jamie Perez, who serves as an umpire in the 2019 Little League World Series in Pennsylvania.
   Crook said the five-day state championship brought great baseball to the downtown ballpark in Nāʻālehu. "It brought much joy to the players and staff and benefited the community. Kaʻū Little League desires for a growing interest and resurgence into the game of baseball both for the sake of players and for families and the community."
   Crook said that "baseball in Kaʻū will not be possible in the future without community and family support. If we are going to revive baseball here we need coaches and players and family involvement. We look forward to the future of youth baseball in Kaʻū."
    Contact Crook to offer contributions, donations, and league involvement, at 345-0511.

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LEGALIZING GAMBLING, with the rationale that taxing it would generate money to support affordable housing, fight invasive species and help native Hawaiians, is before the Hawai‘i Legislature again this year.        Utah and Hawai‘i are the only two states that prohibit all kinds of gambling. 
    Supporters of the measure say that gambling revenues should stay here rather than Hawai'i's residents flying to Las Vegas. Opponents say it is a slippery slope toward local people losing more money in casinos and other gambling opportunities, should they become legal and more convenient in the Hawaiian Islands. 
    While the focus has been on O‘ahu, a casino has been suggested for Hawaiian Home Lands at South Point in Ka‘ū in the past. 

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THE FOURTH 4.0 AND ABOVE EARTHQUAKE in the last year struck near Pāhala at 1:55 a.m. on Friday. According to USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory seismologist Jefferson Chang, “This earthquake appears to be part of the seismic swarm under the Pāhala area, which has been going on for over a year. Out of over ten thousand earthquakes that were detected in the area over the past year, four have been magnitude-4 or greater.”
    HVO Scientist-in-Charge Ken Hon said, “The earthquake had no apparent effect on Kīlauea or Mauna Loa volcanoes. 
    "The eruption in Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea summit resumed yesterday evening and we do not see any detectable changes in that eruption as a result of these earthquakes,” said Hon. Ne noted that HVO continues to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes for any changes.
        USGS reported. "Earthquakes beneath Kīlauea's lower Southwest Rift Zone are produced mostly at depths of 25-40 km (15-25 mi), beneath the town of Pāhala and extending about 10 km (6 mi) offshore. Earthquakes in this region have been observed at least as far back as the 1960s and are posited to be related to deep magma pathways under the island."
     For more information, see the Volcano Watch article, “Why do so many deep earthquakes happen around Pāhala?”: https://www.usgs.gov/news/volcano-watch-why-do-so-many-deep-earthquakes-happen-around-pahala.
    For information on recent earthquakes in Hawai'i and eruption updates, visit the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo.

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KAʻŪ COMMUNITY COASTAL CLEANUP for February will be Saturday, Feb. 12 with Hawai'i Wildlife Fund. This event is space limited and available to current community volunteers who are willing to hike up to two miles to access the remote cleanup site. For more info and to RSVP, contact  kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com. Other opportunities include Net Recovery Patrol on Mondays with Hawai'i Wildlife Fund. The team and core volunteers  conduct marine debris recovery efforts targeting large debris items, including derelict fishing net and line bundles, that are especially hazardous to marine wildlife. Due to Covid 19 restrictions, these events are limited to current HWF volunteers.                    Contact kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com and check out www.wildhawaii.org.                                  

Hawai'i Island Seed Bank works with Hawai'i Wildlife Fund
to collect coastal strand and dryforest plant seeds for
future reforestation. Photo from Hawai'i Island Seed Bank
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SEED COLLECTION WORKDAYS are being conducted by a Hawai'i Wildlife Fund team and core volunteers to collect coastal strand and dryforest plant seeds for saving (with the Hawai'i Island Seed Bank) and future restoration efforts. Due to Covid 19 restrictions, these events are limited to small groups of current HWF volunteers. Contact jodie.HWF@gmail.com for more info and check out the website calendar at www.wildhawaii.org.

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TROJANS BOYS JV BASKETBALL TEAM BEAT HPA on Monday with a final score of 48 to 36. Kaʻū topped the first quarter at 13 to 11, with HPA besting the Trojans in the second at 18-9. Kaʻū came out on top in the third with 9 - 2 and the fourth with 17 - 5. 
    Top scorers for JV Trojans were Tyson Junior Kuahuia-Faafia - 20; Jestin Penera - 11; Collin Hanshew - 6; Keaka McDonnel - 5; Triton Blanco - 2; Patrick Riehle - 2 and Vladimir Fedoruk - 2.
     The Varsity Trojans fell to HPA with its 64 to 46 win. HPA took the first quarter with 16-10; Kaʻū took the second with 16-13; HPA took the third with 16 - 12 and the fourth with 19-8. Top Trojan scorers were: Kaimana Kaupu-Manini - 12; Jonah Beck - 10; Jocyiah Mukini - 6; Cyrus Eder - 6; Jensen Villa - 6; Emman Badua - 3 and Ivan Ramos - 3.

UPCOMING TROJAN SPORTS are scheduled with high school players representing KaʻūHigh and Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences:     
    Trojan Girls Basketball comes on Tuesday, Feb. 1 to host Christian Liberty Academy's Canefire at 6 p.m. 
    The Trojans travel to Honoka'a to play the Dragons on Friday, Feb. 4 at 4:30 pm. Big Island Interscholastic Semi's happen on Monday, Feb. 7 with Finals Wednesday, Feb. 9. State Finals are set for Wednesday, Feb. 16-19.
    Trojans Boys Basketball comes home to host Ka Makani on from Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Monday, Jan. 31 at 6 pm., followed by another home game on Thursday, Feb 3 at 5:30 p.m., taking on the Hilo Vikings. The Trojans head to Honoka'a in Friday, Feb 4 to take on the Dragons, with a 6:30 p.m. JV game and a 7:30 p.m. varsity game. 
    Back home on Saturday, Feb. 5, the Trojans host Kohala Cowboys at 11 a.m. The next game remains at home taking on Kea'au Cougars on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. The Trojans travel to play the Pahoa Daggers on Friday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. and Waiakea Warriors on Monday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m.
    BIIF Division II Semi Finals are Monday, Feb. 21. Finals are Wednesday, Feb. 23. The state Finals are March 3-5.
    Swimming takes the Trojan team on Saturday, Feb. 5 for islandwide competition to be hosted at Kamehameha School in Kea'au. Swimmers travel again to Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Saturday, Feb. 12. The        BIIF finals are a two-day event on Friday Feb. 18 and Saturday, Feb. 19. State finals are March 4 and 5.

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Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022

The new state Senate districts approved Friday by the state Reapportionment Commission 
puts all of Ka`u in Senate District 3 from south of Kona Airport through mauka area, almost
to Glenwood. Map from State of Hawai'i


KAʻŪ WILL VOTE AS ONE BIG RURAL DISTRICT, according to decisions on Friday by the state's Reapportionment Commission, which approved new lines for state Senate and House of Representatives. Currently, Kaʻū has two state Senators and two state Representatives, with the dividing line between them at Honu'apo. Each serves districts that include some urban areas, one on the Puna and Hilo side and the other into Kona.
     The new state Senate and House districts that encompass Kaʻū will be more like the County Council district, where the elected official will be able to focus on rural issues of agriculture, natural resources, cultural resources and caring for the underserved, said County Council Chair Maile David who serves all of Kaʻū.
       The new state Senate district will run from just south of Elison Onizuka Kona International Airport through all of Kailua-Kona, South Kona and Kaʻū to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and including the mauka side of Hwy 11 to just before Glenwood. The makai side of Hwy 11 beginning near the Old Volcano Hwy intersection with Hwy 11 will be in Senate District 2 with almost all of Puna.
    State Sen. Dru Kanuha says he looks forward to serving all of Kaʻū as he prepares to run for reelection this year. The District he has been serving runs from Kona to Honu'apo.
    Sen Joy San Buenaventura, who represents Honu'apo into Puna will be serving the newly mapped Puna district where she lives. Her four-year term began in 2021.
     Kaʻū, in its entirety, will be in state House of Representatives District 5, which will run from neighborhoods mauka of Hawai'i Belt road in Captain Cook, through neighborhoods mauka and makai of Hwy 11 beginning at Honaunau National Park and running through KaʻūVolcano, Fern Forest, and Mountain View. At Kurtistown and just past Kea'au it includes the communities mauka of Hwy 11.
     State Rep. Jeanne Kapela says she will run to hold her seat in the newly aligned district in this year's election. State Rep. Richard Onishi, currently serving east Ka`u, lives in South Hilo.
     
The new state House of Representatives District will run from mauka of Captain Cook, through Ka`u
to mauka of Kea`au.  Map from State of Hawai'i

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FUNDING FOR A PILOT PROJECT FOR MILOLI'I FISHING VILLAGE to take care of household trash is coming from County Council Chair Maile David, who represents the area. The county shut down ints transfer station at Miloli'i last month. The council woman said she is funding a pilot project and
working with Department of Environmental Management with about $2,500. It would go toward a qualified non-profit developing a plan to solve the issues surrounding the required closure at the Miloli'i Fishing Village. The state told the county to close the facility as it is on conservation land.
    The council woman also said she looks forward to the completion of repairs at Wai'ohinu and the possibility of it allowing commercial dumping that would save the drive for any rubbish businesses to Waikoloa on the other side of the island. She also said she would like to see Waiohinu open seven days a week.
    The nearest transfer stations to Miloli'i are Ocean View and Waiea, each about a dozen miles away from the top of Miloli'i Road, along Hwy. 11.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com.

UPCOMING KAʻŪ TROJAN SPORTS are scheduled with high school players representing Kaʻū High and Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences: 
    Girls Basketball comes on Tuesday, Feb. 1 to host Christian Liberty Academy's Canefire at 6 p.m. The Trojans travel to Honoka'a to play the Dragons on Friday, Feb. 4 at 4:30 pm. Big Island Interscholastic Semi's happen on Monday, Feb. 7 with Finals Wednesday, Feb. 9. State Finals are set for Wednesday, Feb. 16-19.
    Kaʻū Boys Basketball comes home to host Kamakani on from Hawai'i Preparatory on Monday, Jan. 31 at 6 pm., followed by another home game on Thursday, Feb 3 at 5:30 p.m., taking on the Hilo Vikings. The Trojans head to Honoka'a in Friday, Feb 4 to take on the Dragons, with a 6:30 p.m. JV game and a 7:30 p.m. varsity game. Back home on Saturday, Feb. 5, the Trojans host Kohala Cowboys at 11 a.m. The next game remains at home taking on
Kea'au Cougars on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. The Trojans travel to play the Pahoa Daggers on Friday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. and Waiakea Warriors on Monday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m.
BIIF Division II Semi Finals are Monday, Feb. 21. Finals are Wednesday, Feb. 23. The state Finals are March 3-5.
    Swimming takes the Trojan team on Saturday, Feb. 5 for islandwide competition to be hosted at Kamehameha School in Kea'au. Swimmers travel again to Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Saturday, Feb. 12. The        BIIF finals are a two day event on Friday Feb. 18 and Saturday, Feb. 19. State finals are March 4 and 5.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com.

The Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science (PIPES) is accepting applications
for its summer 2022 internship program. PIPES is a 10-week undergraduate internship
program May 31 to Aug. 5, offered through University of Hawai'i at Hilo.
The goal is "to connect under-represented undergraduate students, especially those
who are Native Hawaiian or kamaʻāina, to internship opportunities with agencies and
organizations responsible for research, management, and education relating to
environmental issues in Hawaiʻi and throughout the Pacific region. Internships are
paid experiences. Participants may be eligible for additional housing assistance.
For more information, visit: https://hilo.hawaii.edu/uhintern/
The deadline to apply is January 31, 2022.