Ka‘ū News Briefs, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022

A Peace Pole was dedicated on the grounds of Kaʻū Hospital on Thursday, drawing staff and supporters.

The pole is located next to the Kaʻū Hospital sign at the entry to Pāhala village. Photo by Julia Neal

A PEACE POLE WELCOMES PEOPLE TO PĀHALA TOWN. Dedicated on the grounds of Kaʻū Hospital on Thursday at the entrance to the village, it says: "E mau ana ka maluhia ma ka honua. May Peace be in Our Hearts."
    On hand were county, state and hospital officials, along with co-sponsors of the project from Volcano Rotary Club, Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association and its founder Jessie Marques, who welcomed participants along with her board members.
    The ceremony opened with a bell ringing, Pule by Kupuna Jesse Ke of the Kaʻū Advisory Council, and Pledge of Allegiance led by U.S. Air Force Veteran Chuck Doyle, followed by recognition of Bev Garrett of Volcano Rotary Club and Jennefer Aguiar, Assistant Administrator of Kaʻū Hospital & Rural Health Clinic.

Peace Pole before the unveiling at left and Volcano Rotary Club's
 banner on the right during ceremonies Thursday at Kaʻū Hospital.
Photo by Otis Salmo

    Hawai'i County was represented by its Managing Director Lee Lord. Hawai'i Health Systems Corp., which manages Kaʻū Hospital & Rural Health Clinic, was represented by CEO Dan Brinkman and its East Hawai'i board members.
    County Council member-elect Michelle Galimba praised the effort and said she first saw a Peace Pole in Kaʻū while riding horse on land she ranches for cattle mauka of Kāwā. It may have been established by the late Jerry Kaluna on family kuleana lands in the area. Galimba noted other symbols of peace in Ka'u at Wood Valley Temple, a Peace Pole at Volcano Art Center and an effort to establish a Peace Pole in Ocean View. She said, "We are fortunate here in Hawai'i to live in a culture that is rich in values that promote peace and harmony but we must not take it for granted This peace pole is a wonderful reminder to respect each other and take responsibility for each other so so that we will continue to enjoy the blessings of peace."
    Kupuna and keiki took part in the unveiling of the Peace Pole. Dr. Angie Miyashiro led a group of Ka'u High students who walked from campus to the ceremony. She heads the HOSA: Future Health Professionals at the school.

The Peace Pole planted firmly in the ground at
Kaʻū Hospital, the plaque recognizing sponsors
Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association,
Volcano Rotary Club and Kaʻū Hospital & Rural
Health Clinic. Photo by Otis Salmo

  Denise Mackay, administrator of Kaʻū and Honoka'a hospitals, noted after the ceremonies that Kaʻū Hospital is an integral part of the village community with much support and volunteerism from its residents.
    Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association gives the background on planting Peace Poles in communities around the planet: "A Peace Pole is an internationally recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth. Each Peace Pole bears the message 'May Peace Prevail on Earth' in different languages on each of its four or six sides. There are estimated over 250,000 Peace Poles in every country in the world, including one outside the Volcano Art Center. Planting a Peace Pole is a way of bringing people together to inspire, awaken and uplift the human consciousness the world over." See more at www.krhcai.com.

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King David La'amea Kalākaua

ACHIEVEMENTS OF KING KALĀKAUA, WHOSE IOLANI PALACE HAD ELECTRICITY BEFORE THE WHITE HOUSE, were brought to the floor of Congress this week by U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele, in honor of Hawaiian History Month. 

    Kahele noted that King David Laʻamea Kalākaua was the first governing monarch to visit Washington, D.C. and circumnavigate the globe. In 1882, he completed the construction of ʻIolani Palace, the only home of royalty in the U.S., "which still stands today on the island of Oʻahu. A man of science, King Kalākaua outfitted Iolani Palace with indoor plumbing, a telephone, and electric lights. Iolani Palace even had electricity before the White House.
    "A patron of Hawaiian music and dance, Kalākaua is fondly known as the Merrie Monarch, and in my hometown of Hilo, the annual Merrie Monarch Hula  Festival is held in his honor and attracts thousands from around the globe," said Kahele. "This year marks the festival's 60th anniversary and so we are forever grateful to King Kalakaua and for inspiring continuation of our people and  and our native Hawaiian culture."

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REDUCING DARK MONEY IN POLITICS is the aim of a bill supported by Hawai'i U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono.  Called the Disclose Act, it failed on Thursday. Shortly before voting, Hirono spoke about the bill on the Senate floor, contending that anonymous dark money spending by special interest groups is corrupting elections, courts, and democracy.

    She said that 85 percent of the American people support reproductive freedom, 65 percent support gun

safety, and 63 percent support protecting the right to vote, but "too many elected officials are no longer answering to the people, but instead to the secret donors and corporations who are funding their campaigns.”
    Hirono contended that there is bipartisan agreement to limit dark money and that the Disclose Act is bill that would increase transparency and accountability in political spending; a bill that would do the very thing that some leading Republicans have called for.” She noted, however, that Republicans did not vote for it.
    “For the sake of our democracy, we need to get rid of the anonymous spending influencing our elections and our courts. That is a goal that everyone should be able to get behind, regardless of whether you’re a Democrat or Republican. We cannot accept a country where billionaires and corporations can secretly buy our elections, choose our leaders, and determine the fate of this country.” Hirono’s full remarks can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MOalg7rpHQ.

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A HIGH SURF ADVISORY RUNS THROUGH FRIDAY, reports Hawai'i County Civil Defense and the National Weather Service. Civil Defense notes: 

    "The National Weather Service has issued a High Surf Advisory for south facing shores of Hawai'i Island from Keahole Point in North Kona south through Kaʻū to Cape Kumukahi in Puna through Friday. A High Surf Advisory means surf will be higher than normal, shore break, and dangerous currents can make swimming difficult and dangerous. Beach-goers, swimmers, and surfers should exercise caution and heed all advice given by Ocean Safety Officials."

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POLICE ARRESTED TWENTY-TWO MOTORISTS FOR DUI during the week of Sept. 12 through 18. Hawai’i Island police made the arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Five of the drivers were in traffic accidents. One was under the age of 21. So far this year, there were 719 DUI arrests compared with 766 during the same period last year. This is a decrease of 6.1 percent.

   There were 584 major accidents so far this year compared with 568 during the same period last year. This is an increase of 2.8 percent.
    To date, there were 24 fatal crashes (one fatal crash reclassified on 05/30/22 due to a medical condition) resulting in 26 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths, and one reclassified due to a medical condition), compared with 16 fatal crashes, resulting in 16 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents an increase of 50 percent for fatal crashes, and 62.5 percent for fatalities.
    Police announced that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

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See September issue of The Kaʻū Calendar
at www.kaucalendar.com, and in the
mail - Volcano, Kaʻū to South Kona.

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death has killed over a million of these native trees. The effort to fight ROD is the subject
of proposed $55 million in funding by Sen. Mazie Hirono. See more below. Photo from DLNR

STOLEN ARE SIGNAGE FOR KA'U NĒNĒ CROSSINGS, TSUNAMI EVACUATION ROUTES and other features, according to Hawai’i Island Police. HPD issued a statement on Wednesday, announcing it is investigating the theft of numerous road signs in the Kaʻū District:

    "It was reported that on several occasions between Aug. 30, 2022 and September 21, 2022, numerous road signs were removed along Mamalahoa Highway in the areas of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Pāhala, Black Sands Beach, Nāʻālehu and Waiʻōhinu. The types of signs removed include but are not limited to Nene Goose Crossing, Tsunami Evacuation Route, and Hawai’i scenic byway signs."
    Police ask that anyone with information regarding these thefts to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or email Officer Paul Wright III at Paul.Wright@hawaiicounty.gov

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ROD HAS KILLED MORE THAN A MILLION 'OHIA TREES IN HAWAI'I and Sen. Mazie Hirono on Wednesday, introduced legislation to combat Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. The Continued Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Response Act of 2022 authorizes $55 million in federal funding over the next 11 years to support ongoing efforts by federal agencies including the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service, working in partnership with state agencies, to help combat ʻŌhiʻa tree death in Hawai'i.

    "ʻŌhiʻa trees are Hawai'i's most abundant native tree, making up nearly eighty percent of our native forests," said Hirono. "But over the last decade, Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death has decimated Hawaii's ʻŌhiʻa population, presenting an existential threat to our environment and the species' future. As a key component of our watersheds, ʻŌhiʻa play an important role in protecting our native ecosystems and preventing erosion and flooding. Federal agencies have played an important role in helping support Hawai'i's research, education, and land management efforts to combat Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death and the Continued Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Response Act of 2022 will help ensure that strong partnership continues. I'll keep fighting for the federal funding and support necessary to prevent further ʻŌhiʻa death and preserve Hawai'i's biodiversity for generations to come."
   ROD is a fungus, Ceratocystis, that was first found in Hawai'i in 2014 and has since killed over a million

ʻŌhiʻa is Hawai'i's most abundant tree but threatened by Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, a
fungus that is spreading through Hawai'i's forests. Photo from DLNR

native ʻŌhiʻa trees. Over the past eight years ROD has been detected on Hawai'i Island, Kaua'i, Maui, and O'ahu. In that time, the USFS has partnered with the State of Hawai'i and U.S. Department of the Interior in efforts to detect and respond to the spread of ROD. Specifically, the Continued Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death        Response Act of 2022 would support these ongoing efforts by:
    Directing the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Geological Survey, to continue providing resources for the purposes of researching ROD vectors and transmission;
    Requiring the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, to work with the State of Hawai'i and other local stakeholders on ungulate management in control areas on federal, state, and private land;

    Requiring the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, to continue providing resources to prevent the spread of ROD and restore the native forests in Hawai'i, and to also continue to provide financial and staff resources to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, located in Hilo, to continue research on ROD; and authorizing $50 million in appropriations over the next ten years for both the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to carry out these actions.
    Suzanne Case, Chair of the Hawai'i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources said, "ʻŌhiʻa Lehua is the most important native tree in Hawai'i for protection of our life-giving forest watersheds. Funding for research to find a treatment for this fungal infection is of critical importance. Nothing is more important than protecting our ʻŌhiʻa forests for future generations, by securing our islands' only source of clean drinking water and preventing the extinction of Hawai'i's unique species of plants and animals."

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ALOHA MEDICAL MISSION & PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT come to Kaʻū and South Kona this weekend. Aloha Medical Mission will offer dental screening, fluoride treatment, and oral health education for the entire family, along with distribution of oral hygiene kits. Saturday the team will be at Pahala Baptist Church at 8:30 a.m. The team will travel to Ocean View's Diamond Hope church at 10 a.m. (There is a sign on Hwy 11). At 5 p.m. the team will be at Miloli'i Community Center.
    Also coming to all three venues are representatives of Partners in Development, which operates Tutu &

Me and other keiki programs in Kaʻū and throughout the state. PID will give out covid test kids and educate the community about its services.

    On Monday, Aloha Medical Mission and Partners in Development will travel to Pāhala Elementary, Nāʻālehu Elementary, and Ho'okena Elementary, followed by Tuesday at Honauna.

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ANOTHER WIN FOR KA'Ū TROJANS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL graced the JV and Varsity teams on Wednesday in games against the Lionesses from Makua Lani Christian Academy. Trojan JV won in two straight sets 25-6 and 25-9. Varsity won in three straight sets, 25-9, 25-8 and 25-8.

Girls volleyball continued its winning streak
on Wednesday, taking down Makua Lani Lionesses in
both JV and Varsity play. Photo by Julia Neal

    Leahi Kaupu pounded ten Kills and 6 Aces. Jazmyn Navarro slammed 5 Kills and 3 Aces. Kya Hashimoto came up wit 5 kills. Jaydah pilanca-Emmsley achieved 4 Kills and 3 Aces and Kamalyn Jara posted 1 Kill. 

    The winning streak has the opportunity to continue on the road against Hawai'i Preparatory Academy's Ka Makani in Waimea, this Friday, Sept. 23 with the JV game at 5 p.m. and Varsity at 6 p.m.

    This Saturday, the Trojans Football Team will host Hawai'i Preparatory Academy at home on the Pāhala campus, beginning at 1 p.m. 

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KA'Ū'S HOKULELE BASKETBALL CLUB WILL SEND PLAYERS TO KAUA'I in November and is raising funding for the plane tickets and other expenses. The event is the Kaua'i Veterans Day Weekend
Basketball Tournament and Hokulele will include Kaʻū players and at least one from outside of Kaʻū from this island. Hokulele recently held its own statewide tournament and hosted 27 teams.

Kaʻū District Gym is the home court for Hokulele Basketball
 Club which is sending players to a statewide event
 on Kaua'i in November. Photo by Julia Neal

     Anyone wanting to donate toward the Kaua'i trip and other Hokulele Basketball expenses, can contact Hokulele President & Head Coach Ravel Kaupu, Jr., Vice President Jan Kaez Penera, and Coach Chrysa Dacalio. There are 75 members of the club. Hokulele provides clinics, coaching practice, and tournaments for youth six to 17 years of age.

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See September issue of The Kaʻū Calendar
at www.kaucalendar.com, and in the
mail - Volcano, Kaʻū to South Kona.

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022

Halema'uma'u Crater Tuesday evening where the lava lake dropped, new lava broke out and earthquakes shook.
USGS image

THE LAVA LAKE DROPPED 23 FEET. NEW LAVA BROKE OUT ON HALEMA'UMA'U CRATER FLOOR AND SOME 20 EARTHQUAKES SHOOK BENEATH KILAUEA SUMMIT between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported that "Most earthquakes in this swarm occurred approximately 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) beneath Halemaʻumaʻu. The largest recorded earthquake was a magnitude 2.9, with the majority of the earthquakes being less than magnitude 2.
    "A rapid inflation of Kīlauea summit began around 4:20 p.m., coincident with a drop of 23-feet (7-meters) in the lava lake level. The crater floor surrounding the lava lake also subsided by several yards (several meters). New surface breakouts of lava occurred on the west and north margins of the crater floor. Approximately 12 microradians of inflationary ground tilt was measured at the UWE instrument over the following hour."

    Only minor ground deformation was recorded at Kīlauea summit after 5:30 p.m.. "Earthquake activity has returned to near background levels as of 6 p.m," reported USGS. "All activity was restricted to the summit region and there is no indication of activity migrating into either rift zone."
    USGS explained that "This activity likely represented a temporary blockage in the eruption of lava

at Halemaʻumaʻu, causing pressurization below the surface. This resulted in the earthquakes and ground inflation. Once the blockage was cleared, eruption of lava resumed with new breakouts occurring on Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor."
HVO scientists promised to continue to closely monitor Kīlauea’s summit and rift zones and issue daily updates and additional messages as needed. The next update is set for Wednesday morning unless significant changes occur.

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A FATAL HIT AND RUN HAS LED TO A MANHUNT for Alfredo Natividad, of Ocean View. He allegedly struck and killed 59-year-old Elias Anaya Padilla with a pickup truck Monday in Ocean View. Police describe the 67-year-old suspect as Hispanic, 5-foot-9 inches tall, 210 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

    Hawai'i Police Department reports that at about 4:55 p.m., Natividad was heading out of a driveway near the intersection of Sea Breeze Parkway and Bamboo Lane when his truck injured and killed Padilla, who apparently leaned into the truck or held onto it. Natividad fled. The two men had been involved in a verbal dispute immediately before the fatal incident.
    Padilla was pronounced dead at Kona Community Hospital at 8:12 p.m., becoming the 27th official traffic fatality this year compared to 16 at this time last year.
    HPD opened a negligent homicide investigation and ask any witnesses to contact Officer Adam Roberg at (808) 326-4646, ext. 229, or adam.roberg@hawaiicounty.gov. Those who prefer to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.

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ALLOWING A BIGGER BAG LIMIT FOR PIG HUNTING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK could be a boon to hunters and cut down pig destruction of farmer food crops and backyards, as well as the native forest. That's the thinking for a possible test plan in Puna that could serve as a model for state lands in Ka'u and throughout the islands.

     The state Department of Land & Natural Resources will hold a hearing on the proposal this Friday for the Nanawale, Malama Ki and Keauohana Forest Reserves. The bag limit for pigs would go from two to four per hunter per day. Currently, the bag limit is two and hunting is restricted to weekends and holidays

for the Puna Forest Reserves. The hearing will be available to watch at youtube.com/c/boardoflandandnaturalresourcesdlnr.

    Taking the lead on proposing daily hunting is the Hawai'i County Game Management Advisory Commission, and also Hawaiian Shores Community Association, led by Eileen O'Hara, a former County Council member and agriculture instructor at University of Hawai'i-Hilo. 

     In a Hawai'i Tribune Herald story on Tuesday by Michael Brestovansky, O'Hara points to an islandwide explosion of the pig population and notes pigs digging up yards and threatening people and their pets strolling in residential areas. She also suggests development of a local pork industry, saying “tourists would love to take home some authentic Hawaiian smoked pig.” She noted that that the wild pig population is likely infected with brucellosis bacteria, but that thorough cooking kills it. O’Hara also reported that the nonprofit Malama O Puna is seeking grants from the county Department of Research & Development for such projects as a Pig Brig, to set up live traps that can catch and hold entire sounders of pigs.

    In Kaʻū, bag limits in the 61,000-acre Ka'u Forest Reserve and 37,276 -acre Kapapala Forest Reserve are two pigs, one goat and one sheep per hunter per day, with no seasonal  limit. Hunting is allowed daily with rifle, muzzleloader, shotgun, handgun, archery, spears and knives. Dogs are permitted. At Manuka, the 25,000-acre reserve in South Kona on the edge of Kaʻū, there are no bag limits. Hunting is allowed daily.

    See more in Hawai'i Tribune Herald at https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2022/09/20/hawaii-news/hunting-rules-could-be-eased/ utm_source=newsletter&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=daily_news

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HAWAI'I IS THE HAPPIEST STATE FOR 2022, according to WalletHub. Hawai'i ranks first in Emotional & Physical Wellbeing, seventh in Community & Environment, and 17th in Work Environment. WalletHub reports that Hawai'i has the lowest count in Depressed Adults. It's third in Share of Adults

Feeling Active & Productive; fourth in the lowest number of Separation & Divorce Rates, 11th lowest in Suicide Rate; 13th in Safety; 24th in the lowest Number of Work Hours;  and 30th in Income Growth.

   Hawai'i's worst metric was ranking 49th in states with residents getting the least amount of sleep.

     The report says that nationwide, 87 percent of Americans feel anxious or very anxious about inflation. The analysis aimed to determine where Americans have the highest satisfaction with life and the Aloha State came out on top. For the full report, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959

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A STRATEGIC ROADMAP FOR HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING was released Tuesday by the County of Hawai‘i Office of Housing & Community Development. OHCD presented the plan to the Hawai‘i County Council Committee on Governmental Operations, Relations, and Economic Development.
    In March, the Council passed, and Mayor Mitch Roth signed, Ordinance 22-26, "which appropriates unprecedented funding to address the pressing issues of homelessness and housing on our island," said a statement from County Housing. Through Resolution 442, adopted on July 19, the Council requested that OHCD first develop and submit a Roadmap by

September, setting forth priorities and intentions. According to OHCD, it partnered with OrgCode, a consulting group focused on homelessness, to design an outreach process and approach that ensured those on the front lines selected potential investments for the funding. "As a result, the priorities identified in the Roadmap document are determined entirely by the community through input from critical stakeholders most intimately involved with homelessness work and experiences." See more about the consultant at www.orgcode.com.
      The mayor said, “We would like to commend the work of Administrator Kunz and her staff for their commitment to making this roadmap a true community effort. Our administration understands the need to involve stakeholders in these critical discussions and is truly grateful to the community for their willingness to come together and tackle some of the most challenging issues facing our County.”
    Four focus group sessions were conducted over two weeks to gather this input, culminating in a cross-sector convening August 12. Outreach was made to 156

Susan Kunz, Administrator of Office of
 Housing & Community Development.
Photo from Hawai'i County

individuals, with 115 community members attending the sessions. The stakeholders engaged covered a broad range of representation, including homelessness service providers (such as shelter, mental, behavioral health, and substance abuse treatment staff), those with lived experience in being unsheltered, business, philanthropy, landowners, developers, government, and public safety. Further details of the community engagement conducted are described in the Roadmap provided to the Council. See more in upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs story.
     “It was important for our administration that a vision and path forward on homelessness come directly from the community voices who are most closely involved,” said Susan Kunz, Office of Housing & Community Development Administrator. “We are grateful to those who took the time to share their experiences and ideas. Everyone who participated came solution-oriented. This Roadmap is another step in the County’s work to help the most vulnerable in our community and ensure that homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring.”
    Following comments from the Council Committee, OHCD will develop a Request for Proposal process to solicit organizational capacity that will assist the County in carrying out initiatives and programs incorporating the priorities within the Roadmap selected by the community.

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DETAILS ON THE KAʻŪ TROJAN GIRLS VOLLEYBALL WIN AGAINST KONA'S KEALAKEHE HIGH SCHOOL on Wednesday have been provided. JV surfed over the Waveriders in two straight sets, 25-13 and 25 16. Trojans Varsity lost the first two sets 20-25 and 20-25 but roared back in a nail-biter,

Trojan Girls win again.
Photo by Julia Neal

wiping out the Waveriders with scores of 25-18, 26-24 and 16-14.

     Coach Josh Ortega reports that the Trojans caught the Waveriders with kills and aces. Leahi Kaupu made 17 kills. Jazmyn Navarro rose up for 7 kills and 5 aces. Kyia Hishimoto slammed down on the Waveriders with 7 kills. Halia Tayamen recorded 1 kill and 1 ace. Tehani-Mae Espejo-Navarro came up with 1 kill. Kamalyn Jara accomplished 1 ace. Kaʻū's defense was outstanding with many digs and saves.

    The next Trojans Girls Volleyball event is at home again this Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 5 p.m. against Makua Lani Christian Academy at the Robert E. Herkes, Kaʻū District Gym.

 To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

 

See September issue of The Kaʻū Calendar
at www.kaucalendar.com, and in the
mail - Volcano, Kaʻū to South Kona.