About The Kaʻū Calendar

Friday, November 24, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023

Locally crafted Christmas ornaments, this one representing the ‘I‘iwi native bird by Tim Wilson and Brandy Markey, are available at volcanoartcenter.org/shop.

BUY LOCAL FOR HOLIDAY SHOPPING. That is the holiday message from Gov. Josh Green. "Support

Local This Holiday Season with Hawai‘i-Made Gifts. This holiday season, embrace the spirit of giving by choosing Hawai‘i-made products. Our local businesses are the cornerstone of our communities, offering unique, handcrafted items and specialty foods.
    "As we continue to recover from recent challenges, supporting local businesses is crucial for Hawai‘i's economic resilience.
    "Every Hawai‘i-made purchase helps our local artisans, farmers, and entrepreneurs, contributing significantly to the well-being of our island community."

#BuyLocalHawaii #HawaiiMade #DBEDT #HolidaySpirit #SupportLocal


A THANKSGIVING MESSAGE COMES FROM KAʻŪ'S U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN Jill Tokuda. She wrote, "Thanksgiving is traditionally a celebration of harvest and in that spirit, I want to thank the more than 2 million agricultural workers across the entire United States, including nearly 6,000 from
From pineapples to mac nuts, tropical flowers and coffee beans, people from all over the world recognize Hawaiʻi products for their exceptional quality. Agriculture is an important part of Hawaiʻi's history and our economy and I am extremely proud to represent Hawaiʻi on the House Committee on Agriculture.
    From haupia pumpkin pie to poke, whatever your traditions may be on Thanksgiving as you gather with your ʻohana and friends, let's recognize the labor of women and men on farms, ranches, orchards, nurseries, vineyards, and aquaculture facilities that make this celebration possible. Sending warm wishes from my ʻohana to yours!"


DIGITAL VACCINATION RECORDS FOR SMART CARDS are available from state Department of Health. The state's SMART Health Card website is a free online service for those 18 years or older to receive their official vaccination records. For individuals under 18 years old, contact the
Immunization Registry directly via Phone: (808) 586-4665 (Oahu) or 1-888-447-1023 (Neighbor Islands) or Email: registryhelp@doh.hawaii.gov to obtain their vaccination records.
    The SMART Health Card is a digital record of patients' vaccinations that were successfully submitted to the Hawai‘i Immunization Registry by their healthcare providers, which can be easily accessed via a web portal.
    Patients may generate a QR code for only their COVID-19 vaccinations to save on their smartphone's digital wallet application (such as Apple Wallet and Health for iOS, Google Wallet or Samsung Wallet for Android) to share with organizations they choose.
If patients do not have COVID-19 vaccinations, they will still be able to view online a list of vaccinations they have received in Hawaiʻi submitted by their health care provider.
    The SMART Health Card website uses the ID.me service to verify the patient's identity. ID.me will require the patient's social security number or individual taxpayer identification number to verify the identity of their users, but DOH will not receive this information. DOH receives only the information necessary to find a patient's immunization record in the HIR. This includes: patient's name, date of birth, address, email address and phone number.
    For more information, please visit Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of the DOH SMART Health Card website https://healthpass.doh.hawaii.gov/.


HAWAI'I KEIKI RODEO WELCOMED YOUNG KA‘Ū PANIOLO AND LOCAL SPONSORS with some 400 children, aged five to 17, showing cowboy spirit at Pana‘ewa Equestrian Center, last Saturday, Nov. 18. The event leads up to the finals on April 13, 2024. It was organized by the Hawai’i
Keiki Rodeo Association.For the rodeo, Hawai‘i Police Activities League provided several custom engraved Hydro-Flasks to the contestants, and Community Policing Officers issued Keiki identification cards for the children. These officers also engaged with participants, offering a casual opportunity for both kids and adults to connect with their local officers while enjoying the competition.
    The Hawai‘i Police Department issued a statement expressing gratitude to all the families who attended the event and everyone who contributed to its success. HPD offered a "heartfelt thanks to individuals such as Jeff Cabral, Brian Demattos, Sheldon Mattos, Krystal Macanas, John Arakaki, Gregg Menino, Zerin Menino, and many others. Additionally, numerous local businesses played a vital role in sponsoring the event, including HPM, Kai’s Trucking, the Rodney Wilbur Ohana, Benny’s Mobile, the Benevides Family Ranch, C&K Trucking, Hawai‘i Community Federal Credit Union, Burke Services, Bradda Pops, Wailama Lei Hat CO., K&H Unlimited, Karratti Ranch Services, the Camacho Ohana, N. Nobriga Fencing, Da Knife Guy, and several anonymous sponsors."
       Community organizations interested in hosting a HI-PAL event, contact the Hilo Community Policing Section of the Hawai‘i Police Department at (808) 961-8849.



HPD ARRESTED 16 for DUI during the week of Nov,13 through Nov. 19, 2023. Hawai‘i Island police made the arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Five of the drivers were involved in a traffic collision. One was under the age of 21.
    So far this year, there have been 841 DUI arrests compared with 874 during the same period last year. This is a decrease of 3.8 percent.
Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 750 major collisions so far this year compared with 736 during the same period last year, an increase of 1.9 percent.
    To date, there have been 15 fatal crashes, resulting in 16 fatalities, (one of which had multiple deaths); compared with 30 fatal crashes, resulting in 32 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths, and one was reclassified as a medical condition) for the same time last year. This represents a decrease of 50 percent for fatal crashes and 50 percent for fatalities.
    To date, the non-traffic fatality count so far this year is 1 compared to 0 non-traffic fatalities (not on a public roadway) for the same time last year.
    Police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island-wide.



HAWAI'I POLICE DEPARTMENT ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE SAFELY THROUGH THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. If holiday plans include enjoying an alcoholic beverage, make sure to plan for a sober driver to get home safely. This Thanksgiving weekend, the Hawai‘i Police Department is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With the Thanksgiving holidays kicking off a very merry time of year, drivers are urged to remember that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.
   Drunk-driving-related crashes spike during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. According to NHTSA, 190 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes during the 2021 Thanksgiving period (6 p.m. Wednesday, November 24 through 5:59 a.m. Monday, November 29). From 2017-2021, 832 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes during the entire Thanksgiving holiday period (6 p.m. the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through 5:59 a.m. the Monday after Thanksgiving). During this same period in 2021, males were more likely than females to be alcohol-impaired and involved in a fatal crash, with males accounting for more than three-quarters of alcohol-impaired drivers. Locally, there have been 16 traffic fatalities so far this year on Hawai‘i Island roads, with impairment due to alcohol a factor in seven, nearly half, of those fatalities.
  “Unfortunately, drunk driving is a real threat to our neighborhoods, and that threat increases during holidays like Thanksgiving. Driving drunk is deadly and illegal, and no one should ever take that risk,” said Torey Keltner, Program Manager for Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section.
   As holiday parties increase during this festive season, do not contribute to these senseless deaths by driving drunk. On average, more than 11,000 people were killed each year from 2017 to 2021 in drunk-driving crashes, and one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 39 minutes in 2021. This is why the Hawai‘i Police Department is working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is a matter of life and death. Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.
    Those caught drinking and driving, you could face jail time, lose the driver’s license and the vehicle, and pay up to $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, car towing, higher insurance rates, and lost wages.
   Those finding themselves drunk and stranded with a vehicle, can give the keys to a sober driver who can safely drive the inebriated person home. Remind friends to never get in the vehicle with a drunk driver.
   Those with a friend who is about to drive drunk, can take away their keys and help them get home safely. Don’t worry about offending someone — as it might save their life, or someone else’s. Always have a plan before heading out for the evening if planning to drink alcohol.
   There are plenty of options to help impaired drivers get home safely, such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or ride-share.
    "By working together, we can save lives and help keep America’s roadways safe. Please join us in sharing the lifesaving message Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving during the holiday weekend," says the HPD statement.


7,500 printed, 5,000 in the mail











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