Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

Waikapuna Management Plan on its Way
Waikapuna's Draft Resources  Management Plan will go to a zoom public meeting on Wednesday, March 22, with time and
 link to be announced. The announcement was made on Thursday by Townscape, the entity that has been working on the
 plan with public outreach. The 2,317 acre property includes 2.3 miles of coastal and inland trails and is stewarded by
Ala Kahakai Trail Association.  See http://www.alakahakaitrail.org/waikapuna.  Photo by Shaylan Crysdale

Tri-Park Pass is available for a year for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
 National Park, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical
 Park and Haleakalā National Park. NPS photo

HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK will be open without fees next Monday, Jan. 16 on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The National Park Service announced five entrance fee-free days for 2023 that provide free admittance to all national parks for everyone, including the three fee-charging national parks in Hawaiʻi. They are Volcanoes, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, and Haleakalā National Park.
   In addition to. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the free days will be the First Day of National Park Week on April 22, Great American Outdoors Day on Aug. 4, National Public Lands Day on Sept. 23 and Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
    In addition, the 2023 Tri-Park Pass is now available and provides a full year of admission to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, and Haleakalā National Park. The popular pass has a new lehua mamo (yellow ʻōhiʻa flower) design and can be purchased for $55 from the entrance stations at any of three parks. It is not available online.
    Other passes offered by the National Park Service include the annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass which allows unlimited access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks, for the passholder and companions accompanying them. There are also free or discounted passes available for currently serving members of the U.S. military and their dependents, military veterans, Gold Star Families, fourth grade students, disabled citizens, and senior citizens.  See more at www.nps.gov/havo.

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UH COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE, WHICH HAS LONG SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE IN KAʻŪ, has released a mahalo statement, a review of 2022 and an outlook for 2023. The statement from the Extension Service, of University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, is from Extension Agent Andrea Kawabata and colleagues:
    "To our funding agencies and donors, our partners, collaborators, volunteers, producers, and

Andrea Kawabata Extension Service agent. Photo by Julia Neal

stakeholders, we would like to thank you all for your generous support of our extension program and applied research projects, for participating in our outreach events, providing us with ideas, suggestions, and feedback, and inviting us to your farms for events and visits. 2022 was a busy year for us all and a tough one with rust, avocado lace bug, macadamia quick decline, droughts, storms, and excessive rain resulting in tree and production losses. However, we are hopeful for a year of positivity, strength, perseverance, and success with increased research, results, and recommendations for managing pests, diseases, and improved yields."
    The statement says the UH Extension Service has been able to: Acquire over $705K in grant funding for the next 2-3 years to support coffee statewide and orchard crops (West Hawai'i) industries with the extension program;

    Provide 51 educational opportunities via webinars, workshops, field days, and conference presentations and booth displays for coffee, fruit, and nut producers;

    Publish six peer-reviewed extension publications, one journal article, and upload 17 recorded presentations on its Kona Extension YouTube account;
    Conduct 43 on-farm doctor visits throughout the state;
    Share agricultural announcements and information via its newsletters, flyers, websites, and mailers; 
    Provide translations and outreach opportunities in Spanish, Ilocano, and Tagalog.

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A NEW POLICE CHIEF FOR HAWAI`I ISLAND WAS SWORN IN by Mayor Mitch Roth on Wednesday in a ceremony livestreamed on facebook. The Hawai‘i County Police Commission chose  Benjamin Moszkowicz as chief on Dec. 16, 2022 and he starts the job on Jan. 17.

New Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowizc, with Mayor
 Mitch Roth and Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen
 announcing Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
 Photo from the mayor

     Moszkowicz comes to Hawai‘i Island from Honolulu Police Department, where he most recently served as Major in the Traffic Division. During his 22-year tenure with Honolulu Police Department, he served in every division from patrol watch commander to overseeing the 60-member Police Mountain Bike Team, to managing the Information Technology Division and Human Resources Division. 

    In addition to being a certified Drug Recognition Expert and Instructor, Moszkowicz was honored with the first-ever Mothers Against Drunk Driving Hawai'i Lifetime Achievement Award for "his tireless dedication to preventing impaired driving through education and enforcement." 

    A graduate of the FBI National Academy, Moszkowicz holds a Bachelor of Art’s Degree in Public Administration with a specialization in Justice Administration from the University of Hawai'i – West O'ahu and a Master of Science Degree in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego.

    Moszkowicz said, “I want to convey to the community that I’m approachable. Recognizing that people might have a hard time pronouncing my last name, I want the community to know they can call me Chief Ben.”

   In addition to the swearing in ceremony, the new police chief, mayor and Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltgen recognized January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Every year since 2010 this month is dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking and educating the public about how to identify and prevent this crime.

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DUI, FATALITY AND VEHICLE CRASH RESULTS ARE POSTED FOR 2022.

    In 2022, there were 32 fatal crashes on Hawai‘i Island, resulting in 34 fatalities, compared with 26 fatal crashes resulting in 26 fatalities recorded in 2021. This represents an increase of 23.1 percent for fatal crashes, and 30.8 percent for fatalities.

    There were 979 DUI arrests compared to 1,081 in 2021, a decrease of 9.4 percent.

    There were 215 drivers arrested for driving under the influence of an intoxicant who were involved in traffic collisions in 2022, compared with 223 in 2021, a decrease of 3.6 percent.
    There were 85 drivers arrested for driving under the influence of an intoxicant who were under the age of 21 in 2022, compared with 56 in 2021, an increase of 51.8 percent.
    For the year 2022, there were 845 (Rvsd) major collisions compared with 820 in 2021, an increase of 3 percent.
    Police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

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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.

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.