Kaʻū News Briefs July 22, 2024

The USGS HVO observation tower stands out on the bluff amongst construction equipment. Other deconstructed facilities have almost been fully removed. NPS Photo by Janice Wei

END OF AN ERA, BEGINNING OF A NEW ONE at Uēkahuna, posts Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The removal of Jaggar Museum and USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory buildings from Uēkahuna is nearly complete. This Thursday, July 25, workers will take down the HVO Tower, "a solemn occasion for the USGS HVO scientists who fulfilled important work in these facilities," posts the Park.

USGS webcam view of the construction project to build the new

USGS field station

     The buildings, which were constructed at the edge of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera), were irreparably damaged in the 2018 summit collapse of Kīlauea volcano.
      The Park reports that "This revered area at the summit of Kīlauea volcano will eventually reopen to Hawaiian cultural practitioners and visitors without buildings. The historic low rock walls and viewing platform will remain, and awe-inspiring Kaluapele will dominate the viewscape again."
    Meanwhile, construction of the new USGS HVO field station is underway well away from the caldera’s unstable edge, near the historic ballfield adjacent to Kilauea Military Camp. Soon, the next wave of volcanic research will build within its walls.

USGS webcam view of the deconstruction process of Jaggar Museum and the USGS HVO facilities.

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SUDDEN INCREASE IN EARTHQUAKES AND GROUND DEFORMATION led to closure are areas in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park "that could put visitors and staff at risk if the volcano erupts," says the statement issued by the Park on Monday. The frequent quakes and ground deformation started around 11 a.m. Monday in the volcano's upper East Rift Zone. The temporary closures include:

Kulanaokuaiki Campground is closed due to the
possibility of the volcano erupting. NPS photo

    Chain of Craters Road from the intersection at Devastation parking lot to the coast.
    Kulanaokuaiki Campground.
    Crater Rim Trail south of Nāhuku lava tube.
    Coastal backcountry areas and Nāpau sites All new backcountry permits for those areas are canceled.
    Escape Road from Nāhuku to Maunaulu.

    "It is never an easy decision to close areas, but it is the right thing to do. Safety is always our top priority," said Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh. "We remain in constant communication with scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and will continue to notify the public of any changes."
Risks include the uncertainty of where an eruption could break out, the potential for elevated volcanic gases, dangerous lava flows, damaging earthquakes and lava-ignited wildfire.
    According to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, it is not known if the current conditions will lead to an eruption in the near future or if magma will remain confined below ground. However, an eruption in the upper East Rift Zone of Kīlauea is one potential outcome.
    The uptick in activity has not impacted traffic safety or infrastructure projects at the summit.
Many popular areas in the park remain open, including Kīlauea Visitor Center, overlooks along Crater Rim Trail, Volcano House, and Nāhuku. However, it is a very busy time of year and the visitor center parking lot was filled by 10 a.m.
    Park visitors are urged to plan ahead and check the park website for any closure or hazard alerts at www.nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes.

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DR. C. KIMO ALAMEDA HAS THE STATE OF HAWAI'I ORGANIZATION OF POLICE OFFICERS' endorsement. Alameda made the announcement on Monday, calling it a significant development in the 

Candidate for Hawai'i County Mayor, Kimo Alameda walks in
 the Volcano July 4 Parade. He has the backing of State
  of Hawai'i Organization of. Police Officers, UPW and
HGEA unions. Photo by Sara Espaniola

2024 mayoral race for Hawai'i County.
    "As our county faces rising crime and a statewide police staffing crisis, our community needs leaders with a proven track record of putting public safety first. Additionally, we believe we will need a leader who will bring the community together. Dr. Kimo Alameda has demonstrated his ability to make tough decisions and establish strong community relationships," said Sean Phelan, Hawai'i County SHOPO PAC Chair.

    SHOPO represents over 2,600 police officers across the State of Hawai'i, including many on Hawaiʻi Island who provide essential public safety services.
    "I am humbled and honored to receive this
endorsement by SHOPO," Alameda said when accepting the endorsement. "I have the utmost aloha and respect for the commitment and sacrifice of the men and women in blue who put their lives on the line every day for us."

    This endorsement adds to Alameda's growing list of supporters, which now includes the Iron Workers Union Local 625, Hawai'i Government Employees Association and United Public Workers.
    Alameda expressed his gratitude for the "mounting support. I'm excited to earn the support of everybody who wants to bring the spirit of aloha back to County government."

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Kaʻū News Briefs July 21, 2024

Hawai'i Volcanoes 40th Annual Cultural Festival
Lori Lei Shirakawa Katahara, on 'ukulele, who taught generations of hula in Kaʻū with her Shirakawa hula studio, sings with Dane Sesson on bass and Gene Akamu on guitar at the 40th Annual Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Cultural Festival on Saturday. Staged at the Kahuku Unit, it featured food, song, dance, cultural practices and participation by the public. It was sponsored by Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i Pacific Parks Association and Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
See more in upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs.  Photos by Sara Espaniola

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JILL TOKUDA HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT PRES. JOE BIDEN'S DEPARTURE FROM HIS CAMPAIGN AND KAMALA HARRIS RUNNING FOR THE PRESIDENCY. Tokuda,   Kaʻū's Congresswoman, said, "President Biden has been a remarkable leader, guiding our nation through some of its most challenging times and making investments that will benefit generations to come. We owe a great deal of gratitude to him for his bold leadership and steadfast commitment to making life better for all Americans."I will never forget when he came to Maui following the devastating fires that destroyed Lahaina. He committed the full weight and force of the federal government behind our recovery efforts, but what really struck me was the way he genuinely connected with our people. He held their hands, he listened, and he gave people hope. Just last week, when I spoke with him, he again asked about Maui and how the administration could help. He has always been there for us and is a true friend to Hawai'i. It took great courage to do what he has done, and it is an example of how Joe Biden always puts country first. I have nothing but the sincerest aloha for him.
    "I join President Biden in fully endorsing Kamala Harris to be our Democratic nominee for President of the United States. I was with Vice President Harris when she spoke at our Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote Presidential Town Hall in Philadelphia last week. For our Asian American Native

Kamala Harris at an Asian Pacific Islander American Vote Presidential Town Hall last week with Kaʻū's Congresswoman, Rep. Jill Tokuda. Harris received Tokuda's endorsement for the U.S. presidency on Sunday. Photo from APIA

Hawaiian Pacific Islander community, she made clear that she is one of us, she hears us, and she will empower us. Through her leadership and action, we have seen that she has always been ready and able to step up to lead this country as its commander-in-chief. I am one hundred percent behind her. "We must now come together and fight to defend our democracy and the very basic values of equality, justice, and freedom. The threat of a Trump-Vance presidency and Project 2025 is real. We need Kamala Harris as President to provide the strong leadership necessary in this moment to protect our democracy, restore our rights, and ensure a brighter future for Hawaiʻi and all Americans."

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AS PRES. JOE BIDEN DEPARTED FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL ON SUNDAY, MEMBERS OF HAWAI'I'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION issued statements.
    Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “Like millions of Americans, I’m extremely grateful for Joe Biden’s service to our country over the past five decades, and his leadership over the last four years.
“After four years of utter chaos, President Biden led our country back from the pandemic and into the strongest economic recovery in a century. Under his leadership, Democrats passed landmark legislation to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, support our veterans, combat the climate crisis, and invest billions in communities throughout Hawai'i and across our country.
    "His foreign policy leadership has been exemplary, helping to restore our country’s image on the world stage, strengthen NATO, and marshal international support for Ukraine. As the only person to have defeated Donald Trump, President Biden understands as well as anybody how high the stakes are this November, and I respect his decision to pass the baton.” Biden has a little under six months left of his

President and First Lady Joe and Jill Biden with Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, visit
 the scene of the Lahaina wildfire devastation last August and promising federal assistance.
Photo from CSPAN

presidency.
    Hirono also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to become the next President of the United States. “Working alongside the President, Vice President Harris has played a critical role in the progress we’ve made, and has shown herself ready to lead our party moving forward. In the Senate, I saw firsthand what a fierce, committed, and effective champion Kamala is for the American people. I’m proud to call Vice President Harris a friend and colleague, and I look forward to doing everything in my power to get her elected to the White House, so we can continue building on the progress of the last four years,” said Hirono
    Sen Brian Schatz said, “For over 50 years, Joe Biden has been a selfless patriot and dedicated public servant who’s given everything to the country he so dearly loves. As a senator, vice president, and now president, he has spent most of his life working to make people’s lives better and the world safer. Today, yet again, he has put the country before himself, making the best choice for the American people in this uniquely consequential moment. For that, and for his lifetime of service, we should all be deeply grateful.
    “It’s not an overstatement to say Joe Biden has been and is the most consequential president of our lifetime. His legislative accomplishments speak for themselves and will endure for generations to come. He took the biggest climate action in human history. He cut the cost of prescription drugs for seniors and made our communities safer by passing long-overdue gun reform. He’s also revitalized our nation’s infrastructure and strengthened our alliances around the world.”
"There’s no question Americans today are better off because of Joe Biden,” said Schatz.

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GOV. JOSH GREEN REACTED TO PRES. JOE BIDEN'S EXIT FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL ON SUNDAY: “President Biden and his family have made this decision, which I said all along was his and theirs to make. I have no doubt that it was a difficult decision and in this, I thank him again for his selfless leadership.”
    “On behalf of the state of Hawaiʻi, especially the residents of Maui, I express our forever-gratitude to President Biden for granting wildfire disaster relief within an unprecedented six hours of our making the request in a time of our people’s deepest need.”
    Green had planned to co-host a Biden-Harris fundraiser on Martha's Vineyard this week.

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