Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Wood for koa canoes would be grown, managed, harvested and regrown, under the new plan for the Kapāpala Koa Canoe Management Area.  April 1 is a meeting on the plan at Ka'ū District Gym Multi-Purpose Room from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Above is restoration of the koa canoe Malolo in 2015, belonging to the Miloli'i community. Photo from Pa'a Pono Miloli'i

A HARVEST AND EXTRACTION PLAN FOR CANOE-QUALITY KOA TREES has been developed for the Kapāpala Koa Canoe Management Area, with a public informational meeting to be held on Saturday, April 1 at the Robert Herkes Ka'ū District Gym Multi-Purpose Room in Pāhala from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. 
    The plan would also allow for regenerating koa resources on a 100-year timeframe. It is part of the state Department of Land & Resources' Division of Forestry & Wildlife's overall Management Plan for Kapāpala Canoe Management Area. It is "the only state land in Hawai'i specifically zoned for the purpose of producing koa canoe resources," according to a statement inviting the public to the meeting.
A Kapāpala Canoe Forest Working Group that has visited
the area over the years of creating the plan.
Photo from DLNR
    It says that current plans call for involvement of "organizations who have been selected to independently implement the harvest of canoe logs with guidance of Department of Forestry & Wildlife. DOFAW will also implement stand improvement actions, such as pre-commercial and commercial thinning, that will enhance the ability of the forest to produce large, straight koa trees capable of being made into canoes. Organizations in the state of Hawai'i may apply for a permit to harvest a canoe log, which will be reviewed by a group of experts consisting of cultural practitioners, voyaging and racing members, kālaiwa'a (canoe builders); forestry experts; conservationists; and community members, who will advise DOFAW/DLNR on the final allocation of canoe log permits.
    "Multiple protection measures will be implemented to ensure that the resources in the area are not
Kapāpala Canoe Forest has hosted student volunteers
 including these in a Three Mountain Alliance Program.
Photo from DLNR
degraded due to threats such as non-native animals, invasive weeds, human impacts, climate change, and/or erosion. In order to minimize impacts on threatened and endangered species as well as archeological and historical sites, mitigation measures will be implemented. Botanists, ornithologists and archaeologists will undertake targeted surveys prior to any silviculture actions. Areas of higher value native forest and bird habitat will be designated as lower priority harvest areas."
    A Cultural Impact Assessment has been completed by ASM Affiliates and the Environmental Assessment is being prepared by Geometrician Associates, LLC. A "first public release draft of the plan will be available online for public review within the next one to two months.                  "Finalization of the management plan and the draft EA will occur after consideration of comments and suggestions from reviewing parties."
    Forest Solutions, Inc. is hosting the public informational event. There will be coffee and refreshments along with the status update and informational event on the Kapāpala Koa Canoe Management Area.
    See more and a map in the March 9 story http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_03_09_archive.html.  

JILL TOKUDA, WHO REPRESENTS KAʻŪ IN U.S. CONGRESS, came out with a statement on Wednesday regarding the meaning of Equal Pay Day, which she celebrated on Tuesday. "It's a call for action for policymakers, business leaders, and individuals to push for policies that promote pay transparency, eliminate pay discrimination, and increase access to education and training for women," said Tokuda. "The persistent pay gap between men and women isn't just a matter of fairness; it continues to affect the financial well-being of millions of families and slows down the growth of our economy."
    The Congresswoman noted that "On average, women still earn only 82 cents for every dollar earned by men for the same work, and this gap is even wider for women of color. "It is unacceptable. This pay gap impacts women throughout their lifetime."
    Tokuda said that "On average, women joining the workforce with student debt will take longer to pay
their loans. The pay gap makes it harder to save for retirement, leading more older women than men to live in poverty. The pay gap creates a cycle where many women are forced to choose between providing for their families financially or ensuring their loved ones receive care. And when women leave the workforce, we have fewer women in the room making decisions on family-friendly policies, like providing access to affordable childcare, paid family and medical leave, and more fair work schedules."
    Tokuda, who represents all of rural Hawai'i in Congress, said she co-sponsored a resolution authored by Rep. Lois Frankel, recognizing the significance of equal pay and the disparity between wages paid to men and women. "So, yesterday, today, and tomorrow let us renew our commitment to achieving gender equality in the workplace and take concrete steps toward making it a reality," said Tokuda.

HAWAI'I ISLAND POLICE ARRESTED 17 FOR DUI during the week of March 6 through March 12. The motorists were arrested for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Five were involved in a traffic accident. One was under the age of 21.
    So far this year, there have been 211 DUI arrests compared with 231 during the same period last year, a decrease of 8.7 percent.
    A review of all updated traffic crashes by Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section found 180 major crashes so far this year compared with 146 during the same period last year, an increase of 23.3 percent.
    To date, there have been four fatal crashes, resulting in five fatalities, (Rvsd. 2/07/23: one fatal crash reclassified—manner of death was due to natural causes) and (one fatal crash had multiple deaths); compared with seven fatal crashes, resulting in nine fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths) for the same time last year. This represents a decrease of 42.9 percent for fatal crashes, and 44.4 percent for fatalities. Police promised that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

In the mail and on stands.

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.

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.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

https://www.okaukakou.org/scholarships
-for-local-students
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 Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.