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Monday, May 16, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, May 16, 2022

Lava Moon Over the Crater
A lava moon setting over Kaulapele early Sunday morning. This moon preceded Sunday's
full lunar eclipse, super flower blood moon.  NPS photo by Janice Wei

THE RACE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET FOR GOVERNOR OF HAWAI'I is receiving a wide range of coverage from news outlets, with candidates themselves posting on social media. The leading contenders are Lt. Gov. Josh Green, Congressman Kai Kahele and businesswoman and former Hawai'i First Lady Vicky Cayetano.
     Green, who announced his candidacy for governor on Feb 10, sent out a message Monday saying, "No matter who jumps into this race, and no matter what might happen during this campaign, my stance 
Dr. Josh Green emphasizes his background in medicine during
his run for governor.
remains the same: we need trusted, caring leadership in Hawai'i in order to come together and tackle our biggest challenges." He stated that every day this race gets more competitive, with more challengers in the field.
     On Monday, he also posted on his campaign facebook a video of himself outside Kohala Hospital where he books about 96 hours a month for his paid weekend work as the Emergency Room physician there. In the video on Josh Green for Hawai'i campaign facebook, he gives an update on the pandemic and urges people to wear masks indoors and get booster vaccines. Green frequently wears his blue doctor scrubs and stethoscope in his campaign messaging. He is also known for working with the homeless and on affordable housing and having raised the most money for his war chest, having launched his campaign early.
    Kahele, who announced his candidacy for governor on May 7, posted on Monday: "If you want to change Hawaiʻi, measure someone by the size of their ❤️ not by the size of their campaign war chest. 
The change we want. The hope we need," is one
of Kai Kahele's slogans in his run for governor.
Our campaign is about giving a voice to the voiceless. Join our grassroot movement." He vowed to accept campaign donations no larger than $100 from any person and vowed to reject donations from corporations, unions and political action committees. One of his slogans is "Hawai'i is Not for Sale." Another is "The change we want. The hope we nee."
    Kahele promised to reform campaign spending laws and seek shorter term limits for elected officials.
     Media reports have noted that that in addition to his job in Congress, Kahele has an outside job as a commercial airline pilot, while Green, in addition to his  job as Lt. Gov., has an outside job as an emergency room physician. Kahele earns $174,000 as a member of Congress, plus up to $20,000 a year to pilot occasional flights to Japan for Hawaiian Airlines. Green makes a similar salary in his job as Lt. Gov., plus medical doctor pay for booking some 96 hours a month, mostly at Kohala Hospital on weekends. Both outside jobs have been publicized throughout Green and Kahele's terms of office.

Vicky Cayetano in mauve at last weekend's Philippine
Nurses Association Hawai'i Gala.
    Cayetano, who announced her candidacy for governor on Aug. 30, 2021, has posted most recently on social media her participation in community events, including the Philippine Nurses Association Hawai'i Gala, the 30th Annual Palolo Chinese Home Dynasty Invitation golf tournament, and praising the winners of the Aloha Shoyu Poke Contest in Las Vegas.
     Cayetano was Hawai'i First Lady when her husband Ben Cayetano served as Hawai'i governor. She said, "I am running for governor for one simple reason - to help our children and grandchildren be able to afford to live and thrive here."
     The candidate, who was born in Manila to Chinese parents, is a graduate of Stanford University and has won numerous awards in the Hawai'i business community and for her work with non-profit organizations.

IN REVIEWING THE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR, during a recent Hawai'i Public Radio program, Congressman Ed Case gave an interview. In regard to Kahele's late entrance, Case said said he gives Kahele credit for deciding he wants to serve people back in Hawaiʻi, but that Kahele will be missed in Congress. "He worked hard to get on some very good committees and was a productive member. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. It's a loss for the delegation, I think. But I understand his reasons," Case added. "I can tell you in no uncertain terms, since I'm in my eighth year in Congress, that although it is a deep honor and a deep responsibility to represent Hawaiʻi in Congress, it does come at costs, personal costs, especially for young families."
KITV posted then removed the results of 
preferences that came in by twitter and facebook.
    Case also said, "I think the voters are winners on this because they do have solid choices. I mean, you know, Lt. Gov. Green, Cayetano and Congressman Kahele are all solid choices. I would be happy to work with any of them as governor."

ONLY ONE "POLL" ON THE GOVERNOR'S RACE has gone public since all three top Democratic candidates joined the race. KITV reported that a May 7-8 question of viewers watching an early morning news show drew more than 1,3000 responses through twitter and facebook regarding their choice for governor in the Hawai'i Democratic Primary. The report stated that those responding supported Kahele by 41.3 percent, Green by 28.2 percent, undecided 24.5 percent, and Cayetano 6 percent.  KITV removed the results, shortly after posting them. The News Director said it was an error to ask the question on the governor's race without a poll being conducted by an independent polling organization. The responses were from those watching KITV at the time and those willing to respond via twitter and facebook.
  
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

TWENTY-THREE MOTORISTS WERE ARRESTED FOR DUI during the week of May 9 - May 15, Hawai`i Island police made the arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Six of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. Three of the drivers were under the age of 21.
    So far this year, there have been 398 DUI arrests compared with 473 during the same period last year, a decrease of 15.9 percent.
    There have been 296 major accidents so far this year compared with 295 during the same period last year, a decrease of 0.34 percent.
   To date, there were 14 fatal crashes, resulting in 16 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths), compared with 10 fatal crashes, resulting in 10 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents is an increase of 40 percent for fatal crashes, and 60 percent for fatalities.
    Hawai'i Island police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

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

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