Kaʻū News Briefs July 15, 2024

John Keawe will be in concert on Wednesday at Kilauea Visitor Auditorium in Hawai'i Volcanoes
National Park at 7 p.m. See more below. Photo from John Keawe

ENCOURAGING NATO TO GUARANTEE PROTECTION OF HAWAI'I, Guam and other U.S. Pacific territories, should they come under attack, will continue, according to Hawai'i Congressman Ed Case, who has been appealing to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
    Case reported on a letter received Monday from the State Department, which says that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is likely to help defend Hawai'i though Hawai'i is not specifically included in the NATO treaty with the U.S. and other member countries. The State Department letter says the NATO

treaty is to protect Allied territory in North America and Europe and islands under Allied jurisdiction in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.
    The State Department letter does say that in the words of Secretary Blinken that "any attack on the United states or its territories, even if outside the geographic scope of Article 5, would almost certainly draw Allied reaction, including the consultation procedures under Article 5 of the Treaty. This includes Hawai'i, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and any other U.S. Indo-Pacific locations."
    Case said, "It is encouraging to hear that the Department of State believes NATO allies would generally support our country if Hawai'i was attacked. While I appreciate the Department of State's response, it is clear more needs to be done on this issue. These assurances are helpful while we continue to pursue possible next steps, including communication directly with NATO and legislative action."
    The State Department letter also highlighted the participation of Indo-Pacific Partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea in the recent NATO summit and acknowledged that security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific are increasingly interconnected, said the statement from Case.

    Case wrote to Blinken in May saying the exclusion of Hawai'i and other U.S. Pacific territories "is a historical anachronism. Numerous NATA allies still hold territories and possessions outside of the boundaries outlined in Article  6 and the areas in the Indo-Pacific are at the forefront of national security challenges for these NATO countries. Given the changes in the world duirng the some three generations since NATO was establised (1949), including the virtual alliance betwee Russia and the People's REpublic of China and the fact that Russia is a Pacific. power, the scope and applicability of ARticles 5 and 6. have very serious implications to today's international security environment."

     See the letter from case at https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:3e57f309-b28d-4cfe-ab78-77330935047b?comment_id=d56c91f8-112d-45c5-b545-52bae3c1ec65 and the letter from the State Department at https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:5e7d8c34-2d4b-4e41-b057-ed385baa1704

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A MAYORAL FORUM FOR COUNTY OF HAWAI'I CANDIDATES WILL BE HELD BY HUI 'OIHANA, Hawai'i Island Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce this Thursday, July 18 at Grand Naniloa Crown Room in Hilo. Cosponsors are Hui Hoʻolako for Hawaiian Initiatives, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Nā Leo TV. Doors will open at 4:30 pm and entry will be restricted once doors close for broadcasting. The forum will be live on Nā Leo TV and OHA's Facebook at 6 p.m. With questions, contact Pono Kekela at 808-990-0346.

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John and Hope Keawe. Photo. by Julia Neal

LISTEN TO HAWAIIAN MUSIC BY JOHN KEAWE, a kihoʻalu (slack-key) guitarist, composer and recording artist. The concert is at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park this Wednesday, July 17 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The concert is free.
    Keawe has earned Grammy and Nā Hōkū Hanohano music awards.
    The evening is one in a series of Nā Leo Manu Heavenly Voices of Hawaiian Music concerts and presentations. Co-sponsored by Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Free, but park entrance fees apply.

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Kaʻū News Briefs July 14, 2024

Lauhala artist Joni Mae Makuakāne-Jarrell will emcee the 40th Annual Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Cultural Festival this Saturday, July 20. She demonstrates weaving a lauhala hat during the 2023 festival. NPS Photo by Jessica Ferracane

THE FORTIETH HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK CULTURAL FESTIVAL is in the making for this coming weekend. A statement from the organizers says, "Hulō! A remarkable program of local musicians, hālau hula, Hawaiian games, arts and crafts plus exhibitors and food vendors will be featured at the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park 40th Cultural Festival happening in Kahuku on Saturday, July 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., free!
    "The theme of the 40th Cultural Festival, E Ho'omau i ka Poʻohala, is exemplified in the many performances and hands-on activities that carry on the virtues, arts and skills of the 'ohana." Sway and sing along to Hawaiian and island-inspired music by well known performers including Kenneth Makuakāne, the Pandanus Club, and Keaīwa. Enjoy hula arts performed by Kaleilaniakealiʻi and LoriLei's Hula Studio. Lauhala artist Joni Mae Makuakāne-Jarrell, an ardent supporter of the Cultural Festival for decades, will emcee.

Demetrius Oliveira and Gene Beck of Keaiwa will perform at the 40th Hawai'i
 Volcanoes National Park Cultural Festival. Photo form Keaiwa

    Everyone is invited to test their skills at nā pāʻani (Hawaiian games), makau (Hawaiian fishhook making), and weaving with lau niu (coconut palm leaves) and lau hala (pandanus leaves). Learn to make lei lāʻī (tī leaf lei) and kāhili (feather standards), and how lāʻāu lapaʻau (Hawaiian medicinal plants) can improve one's health. 

    "Don't forget to make your mark with 'ohe kāpala - bamboo stamping! These activities are an integral part of Hawaiian culture and an enlightening, hands-on way to learn about the deep connection between Hawaiians and the natural environment."

    In addition, Kaʻū Multicultural Society will host a display about paniolo history, and local conservation organizations will share the latest information about Rapid 'Ōhiʻa Death (University of Hawaiʻi), honuʻea (Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project) and efforts to save native forest birds from deadly mosquito-borne illnesses (Birds Not Mosquitoes).
    Entrance and the Cultural Festival are free. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase or pack a picnic. Laulima Catering and 4 Scoops of Aloha will offer Hawaiian food, and the Hawaiian Civic Club of Kaʻū will sell lunch plates. The Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park will give away free ice shave minis and will sell the official 2024 festival T-shirt. The Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association will sell items from the park store, and a free shuttle between the festival grounds and the parking area on the former air strip will be provided by KapohoKine Adventures.
    The 40th Cultural Festival is planned to be "a fun-filled, family-friendly drug- and alcohol-free event." Sunscreen and a hat are recommended. Bring water, rain jacket, and ground mat or chair. The cultural festival is co-sponsored by Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, the Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, and the Hawai'i Pacific Parks Association.
    Kahuku is located on the mauka side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5 in Kaʻū, a 50-minute drive south of the park's main entrance.

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A HEAT SAFETY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN is launched by the state Department of Health and all four counties. The aim is safeguarding the health and well-being of Hawaiʻi's residents and visitors during the hottest months of the year.
    "Hawaiʻi has some of the highest average annual relative humidity in the country," said Bethany

Bethany Morrison assists with the Heat Safety
 Awareness Campaign. Photo from County of Hawai'i

Morrison, County of Hawaiʻi Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience Administrator. "When it is too humid, our bodies have a harder time cooling down, which can lead to heat-related illness."
    Last year, 2023, was the hottest year on record, with unprecedented heat waves and heat-related illnesses. "Hawaiʻi is known for its moderate climate and cooling trade winds; however, rising temperatures and high relative humidity levels pose a significant health risk," says the statement from the Heat Safety Awareness Campaign.
    This initiative aims to dispel the misconception that Hawaiʻi is immune to heat-related health issues and to provide residents and visitors with the knowledge and resources they need to stay safe. The campaign consists of two main components, heat brochures and social media outreach that will be shared through September.
    Heat brochures offer practical tips on staying cool, recognizing symptoms of heat-related illnesses, and emergency contact information specific to each County. The plan is for them to be widely distributed in public spaces, health centers, and community events. The brochures are in English and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
    A Social Media Campaign leverages Instagram and Facebook to reach a broad audience. Each County and DOH will share collaborative posts on topics including heat-related illnesses, tips for identifying heat exhaustion and highlighting vulnerable groups that are more prone to heat risks.
    See Instagram @COH.OSCER for updates throughout the summer. Visit www.heat.gov for more resources about heat illnesses, extreme heat, and how to prepare. Contact County of Hawaiʻi Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience at oscer@hawaiicounty.gov.

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QUALIFIED, PASSIONATE APPLICANTS FOR COUNTY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS are sought by Mayor Mitch Roth. He said, "These positions are crucial for the effective governance and development of our community, and we encourage all community-minded individuals with a heart to serve to apply. Available posts are on the following:
    PONC, the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission

• 

    Police Commission

    Fire Commission

    Transportation CommissionSalary Commission
    Fire Board of Appeals
    Liquor Commission
    Merit Appeals Board    

    The statement from the County says, "These roles offer residents the opportunity to engage in public service, provide valuable input on county matters, and contribute to the betterment of Hawaiʻi County. Members of these boards and commissions play a vital role in shaping policies and making decisions that affect the daily lives of our residents."
    Interested applicants can find more information and submit their applications online by visiting the Boards & Commissions Application - Mayor | Hawaii County, HI website. Additionally, those interested can contact Pomai Bartolome at 808-961-8504 for further assistance or inquiries.

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HAWAI'I'S U.S. SENATORS have reacted to Saturday's shooting of U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
     Sen. Mazie Hirono said, "Political violence is abhorrent and has no place in our society. We’re mourning the life tragically lost in yesterday’s attack and wishing the former President a full and speedy recovery.
    Sen. Brian Schatz said, "This is absolutely horrifying. Political violence is always unacceptable. I am praying for everyone’s safety."
    Both Trump and Pres. Joe Biden, along with other Democrat and Republican leaders, called for reduction in anger among those with different views on how to run the country. They also called for an increase in civil discourse in political life, calling it key to American democracy.
    The sniper who was killed by Secret Service was a 20 year old man who graduated from junior college in engineering and worked at a health care facility, with no prior criminal record. He was a registered Republican who had made a small donation to a progressive group.
    Trump's injury was a bloody ear. After examination at a hospital he headed to New Jersey and on to  Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention which begins Monday.

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Kaʻū News Briefs July 13, 2024

Na'alehu Park is the target of improvements, including new lights so the park can be used at night.
Here the Park was site of Little League State Championships in 2019. Photo from Kaʻū Little League.

IMPROVEMENTS TO THREE COMMUNITY PARKS IN THE KAʻŪ AREA have been announced by County of Hawai'i Department of Parks & Recreation. "They are among the department's many efforts to ensure residents have safe, accessible, and quality parks and recreational facilities to meet their varied and numerous needs," says a statement from the County, which notes more than 130 projects at parks around the island.
    "We have worked diligently to address the years of deferred maintenance at our parks and facilities island-wide, and I am incredibly proud of our team for the tremendous progress we've made thus far," said Mayor Mitch Roth.    

    The statement says, "One of the projects, at Miloli'i Beach Park, marks a significant milestone in the decades-long effort to ensure island-wide accessibility at numerous park sites and facilities for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). When work begins at Miloli'i Beach Park in September, it will represent a significant milestone for the County as the final park site from a 1998 legal settlement to undergo construction."

Miloli'i Pavilion will be replaced with new parking, restrooms and expanded
recreational areas. Photo by Julia Neal

    Maurice Messina, Director of Parks & Recreation, said, "Ensuring everyone can access our parks has been a top priority these last several years, and we are proud to have made tremendous progress in this area. Three years ago, the department had 12 remaining ADA Transition Plan park projects to implement, but we are now about to start the final project on that list."
    Here are the Kaʻū area projects as described by the County:

    Miloli'i Beach Park – This accessibility improvement project, which will provide for a new pavilion and comfort station (in replacement of existing facilities); new children's playground equipment; improvements to the existing outdoor sports court; development of a new paved parking lot; new accessible walkways and picnic amenities; and new potable water system, fire protection system, and electrical system, is scheduled to begin construction in early September. This project is the final full park site requiring modifications for compliance with the County's federally mandated ADA Transition Plan.
    Wai'ōhinu Park – Efforts are underway to contract a design team to prepare plans for a new comfort station at this park to replace the original facilities that were closed due to multiple failures of its utilities and continued failings of the structure itself. The department is committed to seeing this new facility realized and the park's dependence on portable toilets eliminated for good.
    Nā'ālehu Park – A contract has been executed for a contractor to remove the deteriorated and non-functioning lights, ballasts, and metal platform/cages atop the tall, metal light poles that serve the ballfield. The contractor will also remove all existing electrical conductors and components due to past issues with shorts and unintended electrification of the metal poles. The intent is to safely remove these failing elements to ensure the ongoing safety of park users but retain the poles for potential future restoration of the lighting system for nighttime play. Materials have been ordered for this project and a start date is being coordinated.

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"Our Democracy must be grounded in civil discourse, said
Kaʻū's Congresswoman Jill Tokuda, following the shooting of
Donald Trump on Saturday.

HAWAI'I OFFICIALS DENOUNCED VIOLENCE IN THE PROCESS OF ELECTING PUBLIC SERVANTS, following the shooting on Saturday of Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The sniper was 20-year old Thomas Matthew Crooks. Secret Service shot and killed him as he fired an assault rifle multiple times from the top of a building toward the stage where Trump was speaking. Trump survived with a bloody face and a bullet pierced ear. 

    One attendee died from a gunshot would to the head. Two other mean remain in critical condition. Trump walked away from the shooting, pumping his fist into the air, saying, "Fight, fight..." while the crowd yelled "USA, USA." Trump visited a hospital, was released and flew to New Jersey, saying he looks forward to the Republican Convention in Milwaukee, WI next week where he expects to be named the Republican nominee for the presidency.

    In Hawai'i, Gov. Josh Green said, “As a nation we can never accept violence in the political arena or any other circumstance. I wish the former president a full recovery and send my condolences to the family of the person who was killed.”

     Kaʻū's representative in Congress, Jill Tokuda, said, “Sending out my deep condolences to those affected by today’s tragic incident, and prayers of recovery and safety to everyone impacted.

    "Our democracy must be grounded in civil discourse, mutual respect, and most of all aloha. These kinds of horrific acts only serve to silence and instill fear, and do not reflect the values of our country. We are

Hawai'i Republican Party Chair Tamara McKay
 said that Americans must uphold values of
respect and civility, following the shooting
of Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.

better than this, and we must come together to reject all violence.”

    Congressman Ed Case said, “Our hearts go out to the innocent lost and we pray for President Trump and the others wounded. Violence must not be the answer. Voters, not guns, must decide elections."

    The President of the Hawai'i Republican Party, Tamara McKay, said, "This senseless act of violence is a stark reminder that we, as Americans, must reject such actions and uphold our values of respect and civility. Our country is built on the principles of democracy and peaceful discourse. This senseless act of violence is a stark reminder that we, as Americans, must reject such actions and uphold our values of respect and civility. Our country is built on the principles of democracy and peaceful discourse.”

    Vice. President Kamala Harris said that she and her husband are praying for Trump, "his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting. We are grateful to the United States Secret Service, first responders, and local authorities for their immediate action. Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence."

     Pres. Joe Biden said that he talked to Trump and "I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it." 

    The Biden campaign suspended its advertising and the President returned to the White House.

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