Monday, June 19, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, June 19, 2023

A new community pavilion has been approved and a public meeting will be held by the County
at the Miloli'i Halau on Saturday, July 15 at 9 a.m. Photo from Environmental Assessment

RENOVATIONS AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE MILOLI'I HALAU AND COUNTY PARK will be presented and discussed on site on Saturday, July 15 at 9 a.m.  A statement from the County regarding the Miloli'i Beach Park Accessibility Improvements Project says the Department of Parks & Recreation

The new halau at Miloli'i, the community pavilion, will be
set back from the ocean. Drawing from project EA
"cordially invites you and all interested persons to a community meeting where the department will share new information and updated project details, address issues raised at prior meetings, and provide opportunities for additional comments, community input and address new questions or concerns related to the project as well as the operation and maintenance of your county park in Miloli‘i."
    Representing Department of Parks & Recreation will be Director Maurice Messina, Park Planner James Komata, and Park Projects Manager Jeffrey Ochi. The Parks statement says, "We ask for your assistance to forward this information to any individual, group, or entity that you feel would benefit from attending this meeting or that has expressed any interest in the proposed project in the past."
    Those with questions in advance of this meeting or requiring accommodation to participate in this meeting, can contact Jeffrey Ochi by 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 14 at Jeffrey.Ochi@hawaiicounty.gov or (808) 961-8311.
        See the final Environmental Assessment published in February for the project, with photos and diagrams at https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/Doc_Library/2023-02-08-HA-FEA-Milolii-Beach-Park-Accessibility-Improvement-Project.pdf

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USGS Photo/Aerial view of NPS and USGS facilities at Uēkahuna
years before the 2018 eruption.
DR. JADELYN MONIZ-NAKAMURA PRESENTS AT AFTER DARK IN THE PARK on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. She focuses on Uēkahuna and Thomas A. Jaggar Museum, which educated the public in volcano science and Hawaiian culture on the edge of the crater until the earthquakes of the 2018 eruption and summit collapse damaged the foundations of the historic buildings beyond repair.
    Moniz-Nakamura shares the journey through the past of this sacred place known as Uēkahuna on the eve of the park’s efforts to restore a more natural landscape and provide a dramatic vantage point for locals and visitors.
The talk is sponsored by Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. It is free, but park entrance fees apply.
USGS Photo/Aerial view of the NPS and USGS facilities at Uēkahuna

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A NEXAMP SOLAR MEETING WILL BE HELD THIS THURSDAY, regarding the solar farm planned near Na'alehu. The meeting will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Register online at https://bit.ly/NexampNaalehuSolarMeeting.
    Similar to the January meeting, this online meeting will on the project will provide updates on the permitting process and review general information about the proposed solar project in Nā'ālehu, located south of Māmalahoa Highway. A Nexamp statement says, "If you know anyone that was unable to attend the in-person meeting, please feel free to share this information, as this will be a great opportunity for them to learn more about the project and participate in this important discussion."

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HAWAI'I RANKS IN THE TOP 15 MOST PATRIOTIC STATE IN THE U.S., according to an analysis from WalletHub. "With the Fourth of July approaching but America troubled by issues like high inflation and elevated homicide rates, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023's Most Patriotic States in America, as well as expert commentary."
To determine where Americans have the most red, white and blue pride, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 13 key indicators of patriotism. Our data set ranges from the state's military enlistees and veterans to the share of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election to AmeriCorps volunteers per capita. Hawai'i ranked:
    1st – Active-Duty Military Personnel per 100,000 Civilian Adults
    5th - Average Number of Military Enlistees per 1,000 Civilian Adults
    29th – Peace Corps Volunteers per Capita
    5th – Veterans per 1,000 Civilian Adults
    1st – U.S. History or Civics Education Requirement
    22nd – Volunteer Hours per Resident
    11th – AmeriCorps Volunteers per Capita
    For the full report, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/most-patriotic-states/13680

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MAJOR REED MAHUNA BECOMES ACTING DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF on Saturday, July 1. Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz made the announcement Monday.  “I am extremely excited to welcome Chief Mahuna to the administration,” said the HPD Chief. “Reed brings an unrivaled integrity, work ethic, and 

Major Reed Mahuna becomes Active Deputy
Police Chief on July 1. Photo from HPD

technical ability to the job that will help the department continue moving forward in our pursuit to improve public safety."
     Moszkowicz also noted: “As the Salary Commission continues its important work, I look forward to working with the Police Commission in the coming months to appoint and confirm Deputy Chief Mahuna on a permanent basis.”
   Mahuna, a 25-year veteran of the department has most recently served as Major of Area I Operations, overseeing the Criminal Investigation Division, which includes Vice, Juvenile Aid, and the Criminal Investigation Sections, as well as the Crime Lab. Prior to that he served as Major of the Technical Services Division, which includes the department’s Communications Dispatch Center, Communications Maintenance Section, Computer Center, Records and Identification Section, and Traffic Services Section.
    Mahuna’s former assignments include serving as a Police Officer and Field Training Officer in the South Hilo district, Police Officer in the Area I Traffic Enforcement Unit, Detective in Area I and Area II Criminal Investigation Section, Lieutenant in the Puna district, and Lieutenant in Area I Vice Section. He has also served as Captain of the Area II Criminal Investigation Division, Captain of the Hāmākua and South Hilo districts, and Captain of the Area I Criminal Investigation Division.''

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HPD'S BACKPACK DRIVE FOR ISLAND KEIKI will run through July 15. "Hawaiʻi Police Department is proud to participate once again in an islandwide backpack drive for island keiki in need," says the HPD statement. New and unfilled backpacks may be dropped off at any Hawai‘i Island police station.
    Backpacks are the most requested non-food item by charities in Hawaiʻi. The donated backpacks will be distributed to children at women’s shelters, homeless shelters, and transitional housing facilities around the island.
    Since 2008, HPD has teamed up with Hope Services Hawaiʻi to collect school backpacks for children who cannot afford them. Last year more than 700 backpacks were collected throughout the island’s police stations and distributed by Hope Services. "Your contribution to help a child in need is greatly appreciated," says the HPD statement.