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Sunday, May 08, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, May 8, 2022

The sparkling Kaʻū District Gym drew volleyball teams from afar to play this weekend. See more below.
Photo by Julia Neal
JILL TOKUDA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED ON MOTHER'S DAY THAT SHE IS RUNNING TO REPRESENT RURAL HAWAI'I in the U.S. Second Congressional District. Tokuda, 46, lives in Kaneohe on O'ahu. The Second District covers Kaʻū and all of the Neighbor Islands and what is considered rural O'ahu. The seat is held by Rep. Kai Kahele who announced on Saturday that he is running for governor.
    Tokuda served as a staff member for Sen. Mazie Hirono when Hirono was Lieutenant Governor. Tokuda also served in the Hawai'i State Senate for a dozen years, representing Kane'ohe and Kailua. She has a strong financial background, having chaired the Ways & Means Committee to balance the state's budget. She also chaired Labor, Education, Higher Education and Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs committees. She led the effort to establish the first Executive Office on Early Learning to create preschool for all and helped to fund Hawai'i Promise Program that provides free in-state tuition to qualified University of Hawai'i Community College students. She also created the Special Action Team on Rental Housing to construct over 20,000 units by 2026.
    Tokuda is a graduate of Castle High School and earned a B.A. in International Relations from George Washington University. She is married to Kyle Michibata and they have two sons, Matt and Aden.
Jill Tokuda, of Kane'ohe, is running to represent
Ka'u and all of rural Hawai'i in Congress.

    Tokuda said, "Today on Mother's Day, we take time to honor and thank all moms and mom-figures in our lives for their hard work and sacrifices. For me, today is a personal reminder of how my life changed the day I became a mother. As parents, everything we do and the decisions we make all 
come back to our children."
    "We work hard to encourage and enable our kids to follow their dreams. Last week our boys gave me an early Mother's Day present – a card with a hand-drawn picture and the words "you got this!"– to remind me that it was okay for me to also pursue my dreams.
    "With those three words from my sons and the support of my family, I am officially announcing my candidacy for Hawai'i's Second Congressional district
    "There is urgent work in Congress that needs immediate attention and I know my service to Hawai'i can be most effective as a committed advocate in Congress. If elected, I will make it my priority to fight for every dollar for every family across our state. I understand the significant impact that federal dollars have on our economy and residents, and will work hard on behalf of all families, small businesses and children."
    "Over the past eight months I've traveled across the state meeting with people and listening to both the challenges and the hopes they have for Hawaii. There are deep concerns as our communities recover from the last two years, and the conversations are dominated by the frustration over quality education for our keiki that lead to good jobs here in Hawaiʻi; access to healthcare and mental health services, especially in our rural communities; and the need for more resources and support for basic needs like public safety and housing. Families are overwhelmed by rising prices for household and daily expenses, and we need to act now and help provide solutions and opportunities.

Congressional candidate Jill Tokuda with her husband Kyle Michibata and sons
 Matt and Aden. Photo from Jill Tokuda
    "As a mom of two teenager boys, living in a multi-generational home -- I understand the urgency in people's voices -- because I have the exact same concerns in my family. I'm hearing it, while I'm living it."
    "I was in Washington D.C. last week Monday when the news about the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade broke. That evening I stood in solidarity and disbelief with hundreds of others in front of the Supreme Court building and vowed to defend the reproductive rights, the human rights, of women across our country. We cannot stand on the sidelines and let this basic right to control and make choices about our bodies be taken away. This will be the first of many attacks on our rights if we do nothing, and I will not have our girls grow up with less freedoms than what we have now."
    "While we may live more than 7,000 miles from our nation's capital, the decisions made in Washington DC directly impact each and every one of us living across our island state. I believe public servants should be held to a high-standard to do what's best for their constituents, and I am committed to taking action to restore trust and faith in government. I know I need to keep earning the trust of voters, and if given the opportunity, I plan to be in DC representing and fighting for Hawaii for the long term.
     "This race isn't going to be easy and we have a lot of work ahead. But the time for action is now – Hawaiʻi needs strong leadership at all levels of government.
    "I humbly ask voters to stand with me as we fight to give all of Hawai'i families a voice in Congress."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

Bongbong Marcos and other contenders for President of the Philippines ask for Filipinos in
Hawai'i to vote for them. Photo from the Philippine Star

SOME 8,500 FILIPINOS IN HAWAI'I AND AMERICAN SAMOA ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE FOR THE NEXT PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT. The deadline for their absentee vote to be turned in is 1 a.m. Monday morning. The voters range from fishermen on long-line boats who are not allowed to leave Honolulu Harbor to Ka'u Coffee farmers who were born in the Philippines. Headlining the election are Bongbong Marcos, son of former President Ferdinand Marcus, whose family exiled in Honolulu. He is running along with the current President Rodrigo Duterte's daughter seeking to become Vice President. Second in the polls is current Vice President Leni Robredo. With voters in the Philippines having gone to the polls on Monday, which is Sunday in Hawai'i, results are expected later in the week.  

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

KAʻŪ DISTRICT GYM ROCKED OVER THE WEEKEND during a youth volleyball tournament with 
teams from Ka'u, Miloli'i and beyond. Here are the results:
    14 Division: Mauloa took first, followed by Miloli'i Ka'u girls, Miloli'i-Ka'u Boy's 13 U, and Miloli'i Boys.
    12 Division - Cuzin's Co-ed took first, followed by Piopo'o Paliko, Mauloa and Miloli'i Girls.
    10 Division - Cuzn's Co-ed took first, followed by Mauloa, Miloli'i Co-ed and Malulani.

The Miloli'i Opihi's, with head coach Ka'imi Kaupiko (right) and Assistant coach Aurelia Blanco (left)were among the youth volleyball teams who packed Kaʻū Gym over the weekend.  Players in back row are Tamatoa Kamaileokani Kahele-Taetuga, Jesse Costner and Wesley Basinga III. In front row are Leah Labo, Azayliah Kala-Ahonima and Moanike'ala Mele Kapela Kaupiko. Photo by Yolanda Kuahuia

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID WORKSHOP on Tuesday, May 10 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Learn to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in adults. This is a free workshop (worth $100). Certification fee will be covered by Vibrant Hawaiʻi. To RSVP, visit vibranthawaii.org/get-involved.


SEE MORE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO
See The Ka'ū Calendar May edition at
www.kaucalendar.com, on newsstands and in the mail.