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Monday, July 01, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs July 1, 2024

Aerial view of Keanakākoʻi crater and old Crater Rim Drive with Luamanu crater and Chain of Craters Road in the distance, taken May 29, 2020. USGS photo

EXPECT TEMPORARY CLOSURES IF VOLCANIC UNREST CONTINUES in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Though Kīlauea volcano is not erupting, a sudden spike in earthquakes began over the weekend southeast of the summit in the vicinity of Chain of Craters Road between Puhimau and Luamanu craters.
    Over the past day, the seismic activity has moved closer to the summit between Keanakākoʻi and Koʻokoʻolau craters in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. According to USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), 350 earthquakes were detected, as of Monday morning on July 1, over the previous 24 hours, with the largest a magnitude - 3.4 event at a depth of 1.2 miles (2 km) at 5:39 a.m. HST.
    The Park reports that there are no closures related to the seismic swarm at this time. Temporary area closures could occur if seismicity increases. If an eruption occurs, visitors should expect the eruption site to close immediately while the park assesses if safe access is possible.
    According to HVO, there are no signs of an imminent eruption, but any substantial increase in seismicity and/or deformation could result in a new eruptive episode. Magma has been repressurizing the storage system beneath Halemaʻumaʻu following the short-lived June 3, 2024 eruption near the upper Southwest Rift Zone.
    Visitors should plan ahead and check the park website for updates.

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Halapē will be the site of backcountry trail maintenance in July by the National Park Service. NPS photo

FLIGHT OPERATIONS FOR HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK are announced for July 2024:

    July 15 and 19 between 10 a.m. and noon, for external sling loads of equipment, tools and camping gear to Halapē shelter for backcountry trail maintenance between 50- and 3,300-ft. elevation.
    July 30 between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. for invasive fountain grass control work from the Kaʻū boundary to Keauhou, and from the coastal backcountry to the 4,000-ft. elevation.
In addition, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (USGS HVO) is planning a mission to the floor of Kīlauea caldera:
    July 15 – 18 between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m., to transport USGS HVO crew and equipment to and from a seismic monitoring station on the caldera floor near Uēaloha (Byron Ledge) for maintenance and upgrades around the 4,000-ft. elevation.
    USGS HVO may conduct additional flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.


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A TALK STORY SESSION WITH FILIPINO LEADERS will be open to the public online on Wednesday July 3, Hawai'i Time at 4 p.m. via zoom. The sponsor is Hawai'i Philippines Business Economic Council and the topic is Envisioning a Future that Fosters Statewide Collaboration & Cooperation. Register at https://bit.ly/hpbecjuly24. Panelists are:
     Rose Y. Bautista, Past President of the Big Island Filipino Chamber of Commerce. She is an immigration lawyer and has over 20 years of experience providing services in immigration and nationality law. She served as Executive Assistant to Mayor Harry Kim (2016-2020) and as Hawai’i County’s Immigration Specialist (2001-2016) where she assisted thousands of immigrants navigate thru the complexities of immigration law. In 2016, she received the Big Island YWCA’s “Remarkable People” Award
        Melody Calisay, current FCCH president is the owner of East West Marketing, Inc. a supplier of processed food products from the Philippines which she established in 1998. The company supplies to all islands in Hawai’i, providing foods to Filipinos to make them feel closer to home. She received her BS & MS from UP Los Banos and a doctorate in soil science and agronomy from the UH Manoa. She recently retired from the State of Hawai’i as Brownfields Coordinator after serving for more than 20 years. She is a past president of the UPAAH; is on the board of the HPBEC and a member of FAUW and others.
       Elvi Sutherland is the president-elect of the FCCH. She is President of Amethyst Builders LLC a General Contractor established in 2012 and is an SBA Certified 8a Women-Owned Company. A licensed Civil Engineer in Hawai’i since 2006, she graduated from Saint Louis University in Baguio City, Philippines. She is a past president of the Filipino American League of Engineers and Architects (FALEA) and the FCCH’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017. Born and raised in Banaue, Ifugao Province in the Philippines, she will be the first FCCH President from the Cordillera Autonomous Region, home of the Igorot indigenous tribes.
      Dominic Suguitan is the President of the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce. He is a Commercial Appraiser for American Savings Bank. He was born in the Big Island and grew up in Wailuku where he attended Baldwin High School, UH Maui College, then graduated from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa with a degree in communications. Before ASB, he was a Commercial Banking Officer at Central Pacific Bank, and he worked in the real estate appraisers’ industry. Throughout his career, Dominic served in various leadership positions in the community, and was the 2022 president for the Kiwanis Club of Kahului.
   
    Marites Yano lives in Lihu'e, Kaua'i and is the President of Kaua'i Filipino Chamber of Commerce. (KFCC). Originally from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, she retired in February 2023 as the Waterworks Controller of the Department of Water, County of Kaua'i after serving for 22 years. She owns and manages two Subway franchise locations in Lihu'e.
    Dylan Andrion serves as the founding President of the West Hawai'i Filipino Chamber of Commerce. He has a diverse background in full-time ministry, media production, and the hospitality industry. Today, he is a private coach and consultant partnering with individuals and businesses to develop their leadership skills. He is a certified speaker, trainer, and coach, for leadership expert and author John Maxwell. Dylan has served previously as a board member of COFACC, representing the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce.
    Jane Caballero Clement is the President of the Kona Visayan Club, one of the active organizations that advocate for the large Filipino community in West Hawai'i. She is also on the board of WHFCC. Jane is currently the Executive Assistant and Sister City Protocol Officer to Mayor Mitch Roth at the County of Hawai'i since March 1, 2021. An entrepreneur at heart, she is also the Owner of Deep Steam Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners. Prior to joining the county, she was the Public Affairs Manager for Strategies 360 and the community consultant for Electric Light Company.

    Rovie Jay Dacumos is president of the Honolulu Filipino Jaycees. He graduated from UHM in 2021 earning degrees in Fine Arts and in Filipino Language and Literature. He currently works for the Marine Corps Community Services as a graphic designer creating materials to promote Marine Corps Base Hawai'i's various programs. He joined the FJH during COVID restrictions in search of a community of people who share the same interest in Filipino culture and to step out of his comfort zone and develop his professional skills. His interests include Philippine folk dance, art, and video games.
    Moderator Rose Mendoza is Executive Director of HPBEC. She is President/Owner of Nature’s Atmospheric Water Systems (powered by AKVO), an air to water technology which provides complete water independence. She has more than 25 years in the HR profession and was associated with Prince Waikiki and Zippys. She is also a licensed financial services professional, educating the community about various ways to accumulate wealth and create a comfortable retirement. An active board member and past president of the FCCH, she also is a board member of the Kalihi Palama Health Center for a decade. Community service is high on her agenda—and “life is a dance” is her motto—treasuring and enjoying each moment and learning from the experience.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.