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| Mililiani Trask got her wish. Her OHA trustee seat will go to the candidate she endorsed, Kai Kahale. Photo from Kahele for Hawai'i |
KAI KAHELE IS THE NEW HAWAI'I ISLAND TRUSTEE FOR OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS, with the blessing of Mililani Trask who holds the seat and endorsed him to take over. He won the position outright in Saturday's Primary Election. The voting was open to all registered voters in Hawai'i of all ethnicities.
Kahele is a former State Senator and former member of the U.S. Congress for Kaʻū and the rest of rural Hawai'i. The son of the late state Sen. Gil Kahele, he is a longtime member of Hawai'i Air National Guard and a Hawaiian Airlines pilot. His family roots go back to the Hawaiian village of Miloli'i.
He ran on a campaign of economic development for Native Hawaiians, pointing out that 53 percent live on the mainland. He told Civil Beat that Hawaiian living away from here "weakens the efforts to advocate for community rights." He promised to focus on affordable housing "to help families stay in their ancestral land. He said he supports "sustainable job creation, especially in sectors aligning with cultural heritage
like local agriculture and renewable energy. He said it is important to invest in vocational programs for "skills necessary in high-demand local jobs, reducing the need to seek work elsewhere."
Kahele said he wants to strengthen Native Hawaiian identity and community unity by enhancing initiatives that protect and promote Hawaiian culture and language. An idea from Kahele is "to build networks for Hawaiians outside Hawai'i with virtual programs and language classes to stay connected."
Kahele said the ethics commission for oversight of OHA should be comprised of Native Hawaiians to "provide the necessary oversight to ensure accountability and transparency within OHA." He said the commission would be better equipped if it "genuinely involves Native Hawaiian voices in decision-making processes."
Kahele said that homelessness can be reduced with Department of Hawaiian Home Lands through increasing the number of lots awarded to Native Hawaiians, with priority fo those facing housing instability. OHA could partner with developers and nonprofits to build affordable housing on DHHL lands. It could provide more support services, finance counseling, job training and social services to promote housing stability. His other ideas: Build transitional housing on DHHL lands. Provide more community engagement with Native Hawaiians in planning an decision-making for culturally appropriate solutions.
See more on Kahele's plans and ideas for his role at OHA in upcoming Ka'u News Briefs.
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KAʻŪ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC for testimony and listening. The agenda at 5 p.m. at Na'alehu Community Center includes:
Letter to the Windward Planning Commission regarding the Black Sands Beach, LLC SMA application (PL-SMA-2023-000046) – Discussion and decision making on submitting the letter to the Windward Planning Commission.
He ran on a campaign of economic development for Native Hawaiians, pointing out that 53 percent live on the mainland. He told Civil Beat that Hawaiian living away from here "weakens the efforts to advocate for community rights." He promised to focus on affordable housing "to help families stay in their ancestral land. He said he supports "sustainable job creation, especially in sectors aligning with cultural heritage
Kahele said he wants to strengthen Native Hawaiian identity and community unity by enhancing initiatives that protect and promote Hawaiian culture and language. An idea from Kahele is "to build networks for Hawaiians outside Hawai'i with virtual programs and language classes to stay connected."
Kahele said the ethics commission for oversight of OHA should be comprised of Native Hawaiians to "provide the necessary oversight to ensure accountability and transparency within OHA." He said the commission would be better equipped if it "genuinely involves Native Hawaiian voices in decision-making processes."
Kahele said that homelessness can be reduced with Department of Hawaiian Home Lands through increasing the number of lots awarded to Native Hawaiians, with priority fo those facing housing instability. OHA could partner with developers and nonprofits to build affordable housing on DHHL lands. It could provide more support services, finance counseling, job training and social services to promote housing stability. His other ideas: Build transitional housing on DHHL lands. Provide more community engagement with Native Hawaiians in planning an decision-making for culturally appropriate solutions.
See more on Kahele's plans and ideas for his role at OHA in upcoming Ka'u News Briefs.
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.
PROPERTY TAX LAWS THAT COULD FORCE SOME FARMERS AND RANCHERS TO SELL what they grow on their lands rather than to use it solely for their families and community is the subject of a meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at Yano Hall in Captain Cook from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. New laws with the intention of encouraging farming with tax breaks require showing a minimum income from what is produced or proof that it was donated it to a registered nonprofit. Some small farmers and ranchers who feed their own family and friends rather than selling it or giving it to a nonprofit say they will be left out of the tax break making it harder to feed their family and community.
The meeting is designed to explain changes to the agricultural dedication tax programs and a new community food sustainability program, with requirements, tax benefits and deadlines.
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KAʻŪ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC for testimony and listening. The agenda at 5 p.m. at Na'alehu Community Center includes:
Letter to the Windward Planning Commission regarding the Black Sands Beach, LLC SMA application (PL-SMA-2023-000046) – Discussion and decision making on submitting the letter to the Windward Planning Commission.
Egress and Ingress at Green Sands Subdivision Regarding Kaʻū CDP Policy
118, Section 5.7.2. – Discussion and decision-making on prioritizing Policy 118
regarding hazard mitigation and evacuation routes.
Pāhala Water Bottling Facility – Discussion and potential decision making on
findings regarding the Pāhala Water Bottling Facility.
Ka Lae Coastline Access & Resources – Review and amend draft letter regarding
protecting cultural sites and natural resources in the greater Ka Lae area,
particularly Mahana Bay.
Discussion of Action Committee Meeting Cadence – Discussion and decisionmaking regarding the scheduling, logistics, and format of future meetings.
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.
KAʻŪ TROJANS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL hosts the first game of the season at home this Thursday, Aug. 15 at the Herkes Kaʻū District Gym. Kaʻū travels to Kea'au next Tuesday.
POLICE ARRESTED 16 FOR DUI during the week of Aug. 5 through 11. Hawai`i Island police arrested the motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Seven of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. Two were under the age of 21.
So far this year, there have been 594 DUI arrests compared with 589 during the same period last year, an increase of 0.85 percent.
Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 605 major crashes so far this year, compared with 523 during the same time last year, an increase of 15.7 percent.
To date, there were 19 fatal crashes, resulting in 21 fatalities compared with 9 fatal crashes, resulting in 10 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents an increase of 111.1 percent for fatal crashes and 110 percent for fatalities.
In 2024, the non-traffic fatality count (not on a public roadway) is zero compared to zero non-traffic fatalities for the same time last year.
DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.
Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 605 major crashes so far this year, compared with 523 during the same time last year, an increase of 15.7 percent.
To date, there were 19 fatal crashes, resulting in 21 fatalities compared with 9 fatal crashes, resulting in 10 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents an increase of 111.1 percent for fatal crashes and 110 percent for fatalities.
In 2024, the non-traffic fatality count (not on a public roadway) is zero compared to zero non-traffic fatalities for the same time last year.
DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.
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.
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| The Reunion features the screening of a PBS film Ka'u Sugar, A Town Remembers on the history of the sugar plantation and the closing of the mill in 1996. It will also feature a film on history of the local coffee industry. |
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