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Wednesday, February 07, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Feb. 7, 2024

National Park Service photo of Mauna Loa Trail from the 1931 Park Superintendent's Report. The trail was built by
 the Buffalo Soldiers who are honored during Black History Month. NPS Photo

BLACK SOLDIERS BUILT MAUNA LOA TRAIL IN THE EARLY 1900s, the accomplishment celebrated during Black History Month this February. A statement from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park says that most of its visitors "never set foot on Mauna Loa Trail. Even fewer people know the remarkable story of the Black soldiers who in 1915 built a trail between the summit of Kīlauea and the nearly 14,000-foot summit of Mauna Loa volcano."
    A new video from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Forging a Path with a 12-Pound Hammer,
Buffalo Soldiers helping to measure the depth of Halema‘uma‘u
 lava lake. USGS photo
celebrates Black History Month and the story of the African-American soldiers who built the remote 30-mile trail. The 10-minute film is available free to everyone on the park website.
    Why would these enlisted men, who faced segregation even in racially diverse Hawaiʻi, undergo such a grueling task? Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, needed a route so geologists could reach and study the distant summit of Mauna Loa. At Jaggar's request, soldiers from Company E of the 25th Infantry Regiment stationed at Schofield Barracks on Oʻahu were assigned to construct Mauna Loa Trail.
    Using only 12-pound hammers and gunny sacks to move rock, these tough men toiled on the harsh, rain-soaked slopes of Mauna Loa. Thirty-nine days later, Buffalo Soldiers finished the job.
    Between 1915 and 1917, six companies of the 25th Infantry came to what is now Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. In addition to building the Mauna Loa Trail, the Buffalo Soldiers helped measure lava within Halemaʻumaʻu crater and were among the first to recreate at the newly established Kīlauea Military Camp.
    For more information about the Buffalo Soldiers in Hawaiʻi, watch the video and visit the park website: https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/historyculture/buffalo-soldiers.htm.
    The statement from the Park says, "Black history is American history. During February, and throughout the year, National Park Service sites, programs, and digital platforms provide resources to connect with, and reflect on, African American history and heritage."
    The term Buffalo Soldier was also made famous in a song by Bob Marley and the Whalers, which was remade in the Maori language by the musical group Ruia and Ranea in New Zealand.
Buffalo Soldiers 25th Regiment on parade in downtown Honolulu. U.S. Army Museum Photo


LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE THE SHAKA THE OFFICIAL GESTURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAI‘I passed one state House of Representatives committee on Wednesday. It is  
Carrying the ball with a shaka to a touchdown against
Kamehameha School in 2019 was Trojan Izaiah Pilanca-
Emmsely, captured by a Kaʻū alumnus and photographer.
Photo by Tim Wright
headed for more committee approvals, with the likelihood of a vote on the House Floor for the Hang Loose measure.
    Steven Siu, who released his short film in 2023 called Shaka: A Story of Aloha, testified at the House of Representatives on Wednesday in support of House Bill 27-36. 
    Public testimony is welcome through the Hawai‘i Legislature's online portal.
    Kaʻū High School alumnus Tim Wright said he supports the measure to codify the Hang Loose shaka gesture and provided some of the language connected with the proposed bill: "While there are multiple theories about its origins, all agree that the shaka originated in Hawai‘i over 100 years ago. Moreover, despite various cultural influences, the shaka embodies positive sentiments of aloha. The legislature recognized the shaka as a vital symbol for Hawai‘i, with the power to enhance the State's economy, global image, and resident pride. By enshrining it in law, Hawai‘i ensures recognition as the birthplace of the shaka, even as its usage spreads worldwide."


KAʻŪ'S U.S. SENATOR MAZIE HIRONO said on Wednesday that she is upset about politics
Hirono calls for Ukraine funding and for comprehensive
immigration reform to protect U.S. borders. She wears
the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Photo from Hirono
regarding protection of the U.S. border becoming increasingly entangled with funding to support Ukrainians in their war to prevent a Russian takeover. 
    Hirono, a member of the Armed Services Committee, issued a statement after she voted yes on the Senate's national security supplemental funding bill that would provide support for Ukraine. The bill needed 60 votes to advance but failed with a vote of 50-49.      
    Hirono said she voted for the bill even though she objected to a number of immigration provisions in the package. "Our country is in desperate need of bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform, like we attempted in 2013, to address our border and the millions of undocumented immigrants, including more than 500,000 DACA recipients, who live in and contribute to our communities."
    She said she welcomes "the opportunity to engage in open, good-faith negotiations on bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.”



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Tuesday, February 06, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Feb. 6, 2024

A mission of the U.S. Coast Guard during humpback whale season in Hawai‘i is to protect them while
they are living in local waters, giving birth, nursing young and breeding. Photo from U.S. Coast Guard

Lt. Cmdr. Nic Iannarone, chief of enforcement for the U.S.
Coast Guard in Hawai‘i, focuses on protecting whales
through March 31 in Hawaiian waters.

OPERATION KOHOLĀ GUARDIAN IS UNDERWAY through March 31 with the U.S. Coast Guard partnering with NOAA Office of Law Enforcement and state Division of Conservation & Resource Enforcement. The aim is reduce risk to humpback whales in Hawaiian waters.
    A Coast Guard statement says that "Operation Koholā Guardians is a focused mission that occurs during peak whale season, from January to March, that was designed to monitor and protect humpback whales, enforce humpback whale regulations, provide outreach and education to the community, and respond to distressed whales."
    Thousands of humpback whales seasonally use the waters around the Hawaiian Islands as their principal breeding and calving wintering grounds. Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is one of 15 National Marine Sanctuaries designated as special areas set aside for long-term protection and conservation and provides extremely important habitat for humpback whales.
    Mariners and visitors are reminded that the following activities are prohibited and unlawful:
    A vessel, individual, or drone approaching within 100 yards of any humpback whale.
    Operating an aircraft within 1,000 feet of any humpback whale, except as necessary for takeoff or landing from an airport or runway.

    Harassing, hunting, capturing, or killing, or any attempt to do any of these actions, of any humpback whale in the sanctuary.
    “Operation Koholā Guardian is a shining example of how the Coast Guard, alongside our invaluable partners at NOAA and the Hawai'i Division of Conservation & Resource Enforcement, effectively safeguard the fragile marine ecosystems of the Hawaiian Islands,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nic Iannarone,  chief of enforcement at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. “Through collaborative efforts, shared intelligence, and coordinated patrols, we ensure the safety of protected and iconic species like humpback whales, while simultaneously fostering responsible practices amongst ocean users. This collaborative approach is not only crucial for enforcing regulations but also for educating the public and fostering an appreciation for the delicate balance of our marine environment."
    Those who see a violation or are involved in a collision with a whale, call the NOAA Hotline at 1-800-853-1964. If a phone call is not possible, hail the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16.

A partnership between U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA and DOCARE protects humpback whales this season in Hawai'i.
Photo from U.S. Coast Guard


ROBBING KAHUKU GIFTS & GARDEN SHOP IN OCEAN VIEW NETTED THE MAX, 15 YEARS IN PRISON for 21-year-old Derick Camacho of Captain Cook. Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced on Tuesday that the prison term is related to robbery, burglary, and unlawful imprisonment on July 20, 2023.     
    The gift shop owner responded to the burglary after being notified by an alarm. Camacho, while wearing a ski mask-type cover over his face, assaulted, threatened, and bound the shop owner’s hands and feet with tape. 
Derrick Camacho received the maximum sentence of 15
years for robbery and tying up the owner of Kahuku 
Gift & Garden Shop. Photo from County Prosecutor
    Police, responding to the scene, contacted Camacho and were able to compel him to release the shop owner by deploying conducted energy weapons (tasers) before placing him under arrest.
    The case was initiated by Kaʻū Patrol. The felony investigation was led by Detective Cacique Melendez with assistance from Detective Len Hamakado, Area II Criminal Investigation Section, Hawai‘i Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chase Murray Patrol. The felony investigation was led by Detective Cacique Melendez with assistance from Detective Len Hamakado, Area II Criminal Investigation Section, Hawai‘i Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chase Murray.  
    On Nov. 20, 2023, Camacho appeared in Kona Circuit Court where he entered No Contest pleas to charges of Robbery in the Second Degree, Burglary in the Second Degree, and Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree. On Monday, Camacho was sentenced to serve a ten-year prison term for the robbery and five-year prison terms for both the burglary and unlawful imprisonment offenses. The Court ordered that the robbery and unlawful imprisonment offenses be served consecutively for a total of fifteen years.                
    Robbery in the Second Degree is a class B felony offense punishable by a maximum penalty of a ten-year prison term. Both Burglary in the Second Degree and Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree are class C felony offenses punishable by a maximum penalty of a five-year prison term. 
    “This sentence reaffirms our Office’s commitment to hold violent offenders accountable and protect our community,” said Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen. “We hope that this result provides closure to the victim and his family and a sense that justice was served.” 
    The statement from the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney says its team "remains dedicated to the pursuit of justice with integrity and commitment. Anyone having information to assist local law enforcement should call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300. 

OVERCROWDING AT HAWAI‘I COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL CENTER is the subject of a graphic
and statistics released Tuesday evening by the Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorney. The statement says that the graphic illustrates "the current overcrowding situation at the Hawai‘i Community Correctional Center in Hilo. HCCC is the primary correctional facility on Hawai‘i Island where most pre-trial and sentenced felons are housed."
    Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen said, “Our Office shares in our community’s concern regarding the unwarranted release of individuals facing serious felony charges. Nevertheless, judges often times refer to HCCC’s overcrowding as the basis to release offenders over prosecutors’ objections. This practice does not promote trust and confidence in our criminal justice system, instead creating doubts, fear, and concerns for public safety. Hawai‘i Island is in dire need of new and improved correctional facilities with the infrastructure to both house serious offenders and accommodate rehabilitative care and treatment, social services, cultural education, and reintegration assistance for incarcerated individuals to reduce recidivism and promote public safety.”
    According to the State of Hawai‘i, Department of Public Safety’s website, HCCC is a 226-bed facility
County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen
located on two sites. The primary facility is situated on three acres in downtown Hilo. HCCC’s reintegration program, Hale Nani, is located five miles away in Panaewa. Hale Nani offers offenders reintegration services and a work release program for sentenced inmates who will be released on Hawai‘i Island. 
    HCCC also contracts transitional community residential program services for female offenders. Work opportunities are available through in-facility worklines and Correctional Industries. Inmates are also able to participate in community service worklines for county, state, and non-profit organizations.
    For more information on HCCC, the Corrections Division, and Hawai‘i's other correctional facilities, visit: https://dps.hawaii.gov/about/divisions/corrections/
#hawaiiprosecutors #buildcommunity #ourcommunity #corrections #publicsafety #hccc #hilo #kona #bigisland #hawaiiisland #ourcounty #hawaiicounty


THE UNNAMED SCHOOL THAT DREW POLICE TO ITS CAMPUS on Tuesday was neither in Volcano nor Kaʻū, according to social media reports that revealed the location of the scene as Hilo High School. 
    Hawai‘i Police Department released the following report without the name of the school: 
    "Hawai‘i Island Police were summoned to a local high school today, February 6, 2024, following
reports of a potential altercation that was to take place on the school campus. Police arrived at the school during recess hours to provide presence and prevent any altercation from taking place.
    "At about 9:30 a.m., a verbal altercation took place while police and school staff were present. School staff and police noted that the altercation quickly turned physical, and took action to stop the altercation from escalating, but during a potential brawl between two students, a police officer collided with a 51-year-old female administrator who was knocked to the ground while trying to separate the two students. The administrator did not receive any injuries, was treated at the hospital as a precaution, and was later released. The involved students were suspended from school.
    "In all, five students received suspension days in accordance with the Department of Education Chapter 19 Rules of Conduct.
    "The incident was captured on various cellular devices and posted to social media outlets, quickly popularizing and overplaying the incident with police and the school administrator, indicating that she was injured and is in critical condition. This is completely false.
    "Assistant Police Chief Kenneth Quiocho credited the school resource officer at the school for being there and in a position to get additional resources to quell the incident early on. Quiocho said 'it was disappointing to see the social media posts. The posts take away from the seriousness of what is occurring in our schools, and it is hopeful that the public will look at the incident and not believe everything they see and read on social media without supporting facts. This incident was serious and it was more alarming that this kind of altercation takes place in our schools.'”
    The HPD statement said that police "will continue to monitor any further potential incidents and take preventive measures to stop similar incidents from occurring. This particular incident demonstrates how imperative it is in our school system that we have school resource officers present and available as they are vital to the safety of our children in our schools."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

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Monday, February 05, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Feb.5, 2024

All three Trojan wrestlers were successful at the Kea‘au Tournament on Saturday, as they compete towards qualification for
the state finals. Above, La‘akea Kajiwara Ke worked a double chicken wing for the pin against Konawaena. See details below.  
Photo by Coach Ray Mazyck
THE OLD PETER LEE'S ROAD BETWEEN PĀHALA AND VOLCANO may be the reason for a concrete monument marked Aug 1887. It can be seen across from the original Volcano House on Crater Rim Trail, says a posting from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
    The Park posts that "Speculation suggests it may commemorate Peter Lee's Road, constructed in the 1800s to connect Pāhala to the Volcano House, intersecting with the old Hilo Road. Peter Lee, an
Historic black and white photograph of a person in the foreground carrying plates that were used
in photographing the scenery. Behind the person stands a concrete monument on a small hill.
The monument may be for the old Peter Lee's Road between Pāhala and Volcano House.
NPS photo by Townsend
immigrant from Norway, played a pivotal role in early tourism in Hawaiʻi. Lee served as the popular manager of the Volcano House Hotel from 1891 to 1898 and later established the Crater Hotel in Volcano. The completion date is estimated from a Volcano House register entry in October 1888, documenting the first visitor's journey by 'wheeled conveyance' to the volcano.
    "During recent preservation of the monument, initials 'G.W.' emerged on the monument's southwest side, raising questions about its origin. The link to Samuel Gardner Wilder of Wilder Steamship Co., a key player in bringing early tourists to the volcano, adds a layer to its history."


Exchange students from Nakaminato, Japan are visiting students and families of Kaʻū High. Photo by Jen Makuakane

The last time exchange students from Japan were hosted at
Kaʻū High was in 2020 before the  pandemic. New students are
 back from Nakaminato High School, hosted by local families.
Photo by Jen Makuakane
EXCHANGE STUDENTS FROM NAKAMINATO HIGH SCHOOL, JAPAN are welcomed into the Kaʻū High School community with co-sponsors ‘O Kaʻū Kakou and host families taking them into their homes. The students from Nakaminato High School, located in Hitachinaka City in Ibaraki Prefecture, are in Kaʻū from Feb. 4-12, immersed with local students and families.
    Host home family sponsors are Kaʻū High coordinator Aina Akamu, along with Breeann Ebanez, Keone and Jennifer Grace, Wayne and Nora Kawachi, Mike and Kayoko Munnerlyn and Cyrus and Myra Sumida.
    Students are led by the Nakaminato High school Sensei Masato Naritomi, who has been the overseas travel coordinator and teacher in charge since the Sister School relationship began in 2018. Traveling with the group is school business teacher Kenta Abe, on his first visit to Hawai'i.
    The students are boys Sena Nukagawa, Takumi Terunuma, Yusei Iyo, and girl Kune Nambu.
June Domondon of OKK and ‘Āina Akamu teach lei-making
to exchange students during a welcome dinner on Monday.
Photo by Julia Neal
    A Sister School Agreement between Kaʻū and Nakaminato says the schools will "contribute to a friendly relationship between the United States of America and Japan. Both schools will continue to exchange materials such as letters, works of students and photographs, or anything that promotes mutual understanding. Both schools will continue to communicate with each other and make further efforts to bring about the development and happiness of both schools. Both schools will make efforts to strengthen the ties of friendship through mutual visiting of teachers, students, and parents if they have a chance to do so."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

Ocean Nihipali-Sesson, squeezing a pin against Kamehameha. He won his two matches on Saturday at the Kea'au tournament.
Photo by Coach Ray Mazyck











THE TROJAN WRESTLING TEAM performed well in the Kea‘au tournament last Saturday. Coach Ray Mazyck said, "Each one of the three wrestlers had an excellent day, showing just how much they’ve grown."
    Seniors Ocean Nihipali-Sesson and Laakea Kajiwara-Ke represented the Trojan Boys team, and Junior Rain Nihipali-Sesson represented the Trojan Girls. Rain won both of her matches by pin in the first round, making quick work of her opponents from Connections and Konawaena High Schools, taking 1st place in her bracket. 
    Ocean won his two matches by pin as well, one in the first round against Kamehameha and the other coming in the final seconds of the match against Kea‘au. He ultimately had to medical forfeit his finals match due to an elbow strain and defaulted for second place. 
     Kajiwara-Ke took third in his bracket, beating his first opponent from Hilo by a pin in the second round. He then lost a tough semi-final match to Kamehameha, then wrestled hard in his next match against Konawaena in which he won by pin securing third place in the tournament. 
    Trojan Wrestling has two more regular season tournaments left, both at Konawaena. Saturday, Feb. 10 is the Konawaena tournament. Saturday, Feb. 17 is the BIIF Championship. A fifth place or better finish at the BIIF Championship will qualify the wrestler for the State Tournament on O‘ahu. Trojan wrestlers come from Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences and Kaʻū High.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

Sommer Tokihuro is new Director of
Human Services for Hawai'i County.
SOMMER TOKIHURO IS THE FINAL CHOICE FOR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES AT HAWAI‘I COUNTY. She assumed the position in November, following the departure of Waylen Leopoldino on June 30, 2023. The Merit Appeals Board, responsible for the recruitment process, conducted an internal search within the County of Hawaiʻi, ensuring a comprehensive and fair selection process. Mayor Mitch Roth made the final appointment.
    Roth said Tokihiro brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role. Before being appointed Director, she served as HR Manager II in the Workers' Compensation Division of the County of Hawaiʻi's Department of Human Resources from April 2019 to November 2023. In this capacity, Tokihiro administered the County's self-insured workers' compensation program, demonstrating her commitment to employee well-being and organizational efficiency, said the statement from the Mayor's office... 
    "Her extensive background in case management, demonstrated during her tenure as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with Case Management Works – Hawai‘i, Inc., from October 2012 to March 2017, aligns seamlessly with the goals and responsibilities of the Director of Human Resources position. In that role, Tokihiro assisted individuals in returning to work following work-related injuries, showcasing her
supportive and empathic approach to employee relations. Gabriella Cabanas, Chair of the Merit Appeals Board, expressed enthusiasm about Tokihiro's selection, stating, "With her background in Human Resources and her expertise in case management, the Merit Appeals Board is pleased to announce her selection as she moves the County's Human Resources program forward."
     Tokihiro holds a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from San Diego State University and a Bachelor's Degree in History from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. Additionally, she is a SHRM - Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC).
    "Since her appointment, Director Tokihiro and I have worked closely to advance the County's Human Resources program to ensure a positive and productive work environment for all our hardworking employees," said the Mayor. "We both strongly believe in investing in our employees to help build stronger and more resilient communities. At the heart of that investment is aloha – which Sommer has plenty of. A special mahalo to all on our Merrit Appeals Board who worked diligently throughout the months-long candidate selection process."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

HAWAI'I KEIKI RODEO has received praise from the Hawai‘i Police Activities League (HI-PAL). The org issued a statement congratulating the 250 keiki, ages five to 17, who participated in the Hawaii Keiki Rodeo Association competition on Saturday, Jan. 20 at Pana‘ewa Equestrian Center. Organized by the Hawai‘i Keiki Rodeo Association, this event was part of the qualifying rounds for the upcoming Hawai‘i Keiki Rodeo Championships on Saturday, April 13.

HI-PAL completed a Keiki Rodeo warmup for its
championship rodeo in April. Photo from HI-PAL
    In addition to the rodeo events, Hawai‘i Police Department Community Policing Officers issued keiki identification cards for the children. Officers also engaged with participants, offering a casual opportunity for both kids and adults to connect with their local officers while enjoying the competition.
    The HI-PAL organization also expressed appreciation to volunteers and sponsors for their role in making the Keiki Rodeo competition a resounding success.
    HI-PAL is a program of the Hawai‘i Police Department in which police officers interact with youth in various activities as mentors. "This positive connection encourages teamwork, citizenship, and responsibility among youth. Community organizations interested in hosting a HI-PAL event in their area, can contact Hawai‘i Police Department Community Policing Officers at (808) 961-8849.
 

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