The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Rainbow frames the snow as Ānuenue (a rainbow) arches above Pele's Kīlauea Volcano and

Poliahu's Mauna Loa volcano on Sunday morning. NPS photo by Janice Wei

PUBLIC HEARINGS TO ESTABLISH THE MILOLI'I COMMUNITY-BASED SUBSISTENCE FISHING AREA ARE WEDNESDAY, April 20, online at 3 p.m. and in person at 5 p.m. at the Miloli'i Community Outdoor Pavilion located at 89-1200 Miloli'i Road. The hearing will be held by the state Department of Land & Natural Resources as it considers adopting Administrative Rules to establish the Fishing Area. Read about the plan at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022_02_27_archive.html. See the plan at https://www.kalanihale.com/_files/ugd/d88e72_3064b82fde054c17bfcd2df0c49af04f .pdf

Kaimi Kaupiko, of the community organization Kalanihale, said, "The time has come for this once in a lifetime moment as the community of Miloli'i prepares for the public hearing on April 20 @ the Miloli'i Pavilion. We share this for all those who want to reaffirm their commitment to preserving and protecting their kuleana as stewards of their ‘aina."
According to the DLNR public announcement, the aim is "to ensure long-term sustainable populations of fish and other marine species and to reaffirm and perpetuate fishing practices that were customarily and traditionally exercised for Native Hawaiian subsistence, culture, or religion along the southwest coast of Hawai'i Island."

The proposed Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area would extend from Pa'akai Point at Kipahoehoe in the north to Kauna in the south, from the shoreline out to the 100-fathom depth contour. The Fishing Area would include the following sub-zones: the Opelu Traditional Management Zone, the Pu'uhonua Papa, the Pakuikui Rest Area, Puakaia Miloli'i, the Pu'uhonua Honomalino, the Pu'uhonua Kapua, and the Pu'uhonua Manuka.
The proposed rules would establish bag limits, size limits, seasonal closures, and/or gear restrictions for a'ama crab, kole, opihi, pakuikui, uhu, ula, and u'u within the CBSFA; prohibit the take of marine life for aquarium purposes within the entire CBSFA; establish additional restrictions on certain activities and species within the designated subzones;

DLNR map shows proposed protected areas for the Miloli'i Community-Based
Subsistence Fishing Area.

provide an exception allowing vessels in possession of restricted gear or species to traverse through the CBSFA as long as they remain in active transit; identify authorized administrative, criminal, and civil penalties for violations of HAR chapter 13-60.XX; and provide notice of the State’s authority to utilize civil asset forfeiture as an enforcement tool for violations of HAR chapter 13-60.XX.
All interested persons may view the online Public Hearing on YouTube at this link: www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGVbR8IMi1hnPksQeSVUZA. To be put on the list for live video or phone testimony, email request to DLNR.Aquatics@hawaii.gov. Include email, full name and phone number. A confirmation email will be sent with instructions and the meeting link and call-in phone number.
For the public hearing at Miloli'i Pavilion, DLNR invites all interested persons to attend in person and provide oral testimony by writing their names on the testimony sign-up sheet at the public hearing.
Persons can also mail or email written testimony by May 6, 2022 to the Division of Aquatic Resources, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 330, Honolulu, HI 96813. Email DLNR.Aquatics@hawaii.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/.See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano

A FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE ENTRANCE TO HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK took one life this morning. The National Park Service reported that A 21-year-old man lost his life after his motorcycle collided with a small SUV at the intersection of Highway 11 and the entrance to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Tuesday just before 8 a.m.

The motorcycle was heading north on Highway 11 towards Hilo when he crashed into the SUV that was turning left into the park. The 65-year-old female driver of the SUV was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was not injured in the crash.
The accident closed both lanes of Highway 11 near the park entrance for several hours. Hawai'i Police Department and park law enforcement officers are conducting an investigation.
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information to contact Officer Jerome Duarte at 808-961-2329 or via email Jerome.Duarte@HawaiiCounty.gov. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300 in Hilo.
Identification of the victim is pending notification of family.

A Civil Defense Road Closure message for Tuesday, April 19th was issued at 8:30 a.m. Hawai'i Police Department reported Highway 11 closed in both directions in Ka‘ū near the 28 Mile Marker. There was no detour available. Motorists were asked to use Saddle Road or Hwy 19 during the work of first responders and the police investigation.
The Park put up a message on its social media, saying, "CLOSURE ALERT: Highway 11 and Park Entrance Closed for Next Several Hours Due to Traffic Fatality. The park entrance and Hwy 11 near mm 28 are closed in both directions due to a traffic fatality. No alternate route. Closure will last several hours while HPD conducts an investigation."

SHAM FREITAS OF KAʻŪ IS TARGET OF POLICE. Hawaiʻi Island police are asking for the public’s assistance with locating 42-year-old Sham Freitas of Ka‘ū, who is wanted on several outstanding bench warrants and for questioning in connection with other criminal investigations.

Sham Freitas is wanted by
Hawai'i Island police.

Freitas is described as 6 feet 2 inches tall, 200 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He is known to frequent Nā‘ālehu and the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision.
The Hawai‘i Police Department would also like to remind the public that harboring or concealing a wanted person could result in criminal charges being filed against the person who harbored or concealed the wanted person.
Anyone with information on Freitas’ whereabouts is encouraged to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 326-4646 ext. 267, or via email at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov. They may also contact the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.
Citizens who wish to remain anonymous can make an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers does not record any calls or subscribe to caller ID.

HELPING KEIKI TO LEARN ABOUT DRINKING WATER is the aim of the County of Hawai'i Department of Water Supply's Earth Day effort. On Earth Day April 22, Department of Water Supply will launch a virtual education program with tools and resources for keiki to learn about their drinking water, and the importance of protecting its quality and quantity.

Meilli O'Loughlin won first place among second graders last
year in the Keiki Water Conservation Poster Contest, now
open for entries for the 2022 competition through April 29.

Students, teachers, and parents are encouraged to visit www.hawaiidws.org to explore the new Water Education At-Home Toolkit, offering free, age-appropriate materials that can be downloaded and used remotely. The toolkit features water-themed word searches, activity books, and a volunteer pledge to end water waste. Starting April 22, all those exercises and more will be available by clicking the "Community" drop-down menu on the website's homepage.
A Department of Water Supply statement says it "welcomes everyone to enjoy the fun activities to better understand why safe drinking water is our most precious resource and how to become stewards of it. Taking shorter showers, fixing leaking faucets, and

Basil Au won first place among fifth graders last
year in the Keiki Water Conservation Poster Contest, now
open for entries for the 2022 competition through April 29.

turning off the tap while brushing your teeth are easy ways to reduce wasting water. The online materials also stress the need to preserve and protect the quality of the island's fresh water sources. Effective strategies include keeping trash out of rivers, not dumping oil or other hazardous materials into the ground, and drinking water from the tap rather than out of plastic bottles that can end up littering roadsides."
Celebrated annually since 1970, Earth Day is held to increase public awareness of the world's environmental problems and is credited for having helped establish the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Today, Earth Day is observed in 192 countries and coordinated by the nonprofit www.earthday.org/. This year's theme is Invest in Our Planet.
For more information or assistance, please contact Jason Armstrong, DWS Information and Education Specialist, at jarmstrong@hawaiidws.org or (808) 961-8050.

Nevaeh Kaipo took first place among third graders last year in the Keiki Water Conservation Poster Contest, which is open
for entries for 2022 through April 29.

KEIKI WATER CONSERVATION POSTER CONTEST DEADLINE is Friday, April 29. Student artists can enter their water-themed artworks in the 4th Annual Keiki Water Conservation Poster Contest held by the Department of Water Supply, County of Hawai‘i.
The contest is open to Big Island students from keiki attending kindergarten through fifth grade. There is no charge to enter.
Student artists are encouraged to submit an original artwork illustrating this year’s theme of Be a Superhero – Waste Zero on a flat, 11- by 17-inch poster. Any medium may be used, except for three-dimensional renderings, chalk, charcoal and oil-based crayon. No computer graphics or photographs will be accepted.
Each entry should include a completed entry form available at www.hawaiidws.org, via email by contacting dws@hawaiidws.org or by calling DWS weekdays at 961-8050.

Reese Makaimoku took first place among fourth graders last
year in the Keiki Water Conservation Poster Contest, now
open for entries for the 2022 competition through April 29.

Entries should be mailed to DWS in Hilo or dropped off in designated bins at DWS’ offices in Hilo, Kona or Waimea by Friday, April 29. Address locations and additional contest rules are listed on the attached entry form and at www.hawaiidws.org.
The free contest aims to highlight the importance of reducing water waste and protecting the island’s drinking water supplies. It challenges keiki to utilize artistic ways of conserving our most precious resource – safe drinking water. Conservation ideas, including the video Save Water to Help the Earth, are posted under the Conservation link at www.hawaiidws.org.
Prizes will be mailed to the 1st and 2nd place entrants from each grade level K-5, as chosen by a panel of judges, for a maximum total of 12 winners island-wide. Winning entries will be announced at a future Water Board meeting.

NA'ALEHU THEATRE PRESENTS A LIVE-STREAM KANIKAPILA this

Saturday, April 23, continuing the legacy of the late Cyril Pahinui and honoring his father, the late Blah Pahinui. The virtual event includes eight hours of entertainment, with a presentation of the Skylark Award. Also included is a How Da Stew cooking segment. Viewing is free and is supported by T-shirt sales and donations, as well as a grant from the Hawai'i Tourism Authority. The 15th annual Kanikapila is organized by Pahinui Productions. For more info and the live stream, visit Naalehutheatre.org.

See The Ka'u Calendar April edition at
www.kaucalendar.com,
on newsstands and in the mail.

Monday, April 18, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, April 18, 2022

The young ladies of Pāhala's Hālau Hula ‘O Leionālani performed at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Monday. See more below.
Photo by Brenda Iokepa-Moses

HAWAI'I SUSTAINABILITY WAS ADDRESSED IN PALAU BY MAYOR MITCH ROTH during the Our Ocean Conference. Roth returned from the event over the weekend, after joining Celeste Connors of Hawai'i Green Grown in providing updates on the Aloha+ Challenge and on the county''s efforts to further sustainable actions. Roth attended as the personal guest of President Surangel Whipps, Jr. of Palau.
Other presenters included United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry who is also former Secretary of State. Also speaking was Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero of Guam.
Roth said, “It was an honor to be personally invited to the Our Ocean Conference by President Whipps to showcase all of the amazing things we are doing in Hawaiʻi to combat climate change and build a sustainable island chain where our keiki can thrive and succeed for generations to come. We truly believe that we can be a classroom for the world when it comes to the vision and practice of sustainable actions,

Mayor Mitch Roth, John Kerry and Celeste Connors
at the Our Ocean Conference in Palau.
Photo from County of Hawai'i

and creating global partnerships to ensure that happens will be paramount to our success. Fortunately, through the work of organizations like Hawaiʻi Green Growth, we were able to synthesize our approach and gain the attention of global leaders on the forefront of climate action.”
Our Ocean Conference was held on April 13-14 in Koror, with pre-event receptions and meetings beginning April 12. The Republic of Palau is the first small island developing state to host the Our Ocean Conference. The theme was “Our Ocean, Our People, Our Prosperity,” drawing on Palau’s rich tradition as an ocean society and focused on islander perspectives and approaches to ensuring the health of the ocean. The U.S. Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs supports Our Ocean Conferences. The statement from the mayor's office said they "have catalyzed unprecedented action by the global community to fight marine pollution, acidification, and unsustainable and illegal fishing and promote the blue economy and maritime security. The Our Ocean conferences focus on the key ocean issues of our time – marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, and climate-related impacts on the ocean. In addition, the conferences emphasize commitments for action by participants and other stakeholders around the globe."

Hawaiʻi Green Growth is a United Nations Local 2030 hub that brings together diverse stakeholders committed to economic, social, and environmental priorities. Their work seeks to connect generations of indigenous knowledge and systems-thinking with modern science, technology, and policy to support scalable solutions that can be applied globally.

Hālau Hula ‘O Leionālani, of Pāhala, traveled to Hilo Monday to help launch the Merrie Monarch Festival with
a performance at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Photo by Brenda Iokepa-Moses

The young ladies of Hālau Hula ‘O Leionālani, with the ladies
of the halau looking on during outdoor performances Easter
Sunday at Pāhala Hongwanji. Photo by Julia Neal

HULA SISTERS FROM PĀHALA AND JAPAN graced Pāhala Hongwanji on Easter Sunday. They performed again on Monday at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Monday in the premiere hula performance for the opening of the Merrie Monarch Festival.

Hālau Hula ‘O Leionālani, under the direction of Kumu Debbie Ryder, kicked off Merrie Monarch in Pahala by inviting halau members and their families to an outdoor Easter celebration of dance and food. Pop up tents Halau families popped up tents that surrounded the edge of the grounds of the Hongwanji. Hula, music by the band Ke'aiwa and a luncheon rounded out the afternoon.

The halau traveled to Hilo on Monday to become the first performers in the opening of Merrie Monarch events by dancing at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

The schedule for Merrie Monarch includes the Arts and Crafts Fair this Wednesday through Friday, which often features many Kaʻū and Volcano artists and craftsmen. This Wednesday is the Ho'oike Performances at 6 p.m. at Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium.

The old Japanese Schoolhouse in Pāhala serves as the learning place for Hālau Hula ‘O Leionālani,
with an Easter and Merrie Monarch Celebration this past Sunday. Photo By Brenda Iokepa-Moses

At the same venue, Miss Aloha Hula is on Thursday and the Hula Kahiko competition is Friday, followed by the Hula 'Auana & Awards on Saturday. All of the competitive events at the stadium begin at 6 p.m. and are live streamed Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Go to HawaiiNewsNow.com/MerrieMonarch or by click on the Merrie Monarch icon on the Hawaii News Now app each night.

Pop up tents sheltered families on the grounds of Pāhala Hongwanji, below monster mango trees, as Hālau Hula ‘O Leionālani celebrated Easter and the beginning of Merrie Monarch. Photo by Julia Neal

FIFTEEN MOTORISTS WERE ARRESTED during the week of April 11, through April 17. Hawai‘i Island police arrested 15 driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Four of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. Two of the drivers were under the age of 21.
So far this year, there have been 323 DUI arrests compared with 377 during the same period last year, a decrease of 14.3 percent.
There have been 217 major accidents so far this year compared with 237 during the same period last year, a decrease of 8.4 percent.
To date, there were 10 fatal crashes, resulting in 12 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths), compared with 8 fatal crashes, resulting in eight fatalities for the same time last year. This represents is an increase of 25 percent for fatal crashes, and 50 percent for fatalities.
Hawai'i Island Police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

See The Ka'u Calendar April edition at
www.kaucalendar.com,
on newsstands and in the mail.

Sunday, April 17, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, April 17, 2022

Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who is running for governor, calls the housing crisis a "state of emergency" and released a ten point plan
this weekend to build more housing to solve the problem. He pointed to Kauhale programs to construct tiny houses.
Photo from homeaidhawaii.org

THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IS A TARGET OF GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE JOSH GREEN, in a plan he released this weekend. Green said, "Hawai'i’s housing crisis has reached a state of emergency."

He called it "an issue that impacts us all in some way, and touches almost every other major challenge we face as a state. No matter where I go across our islands, people tell me how our lack of affordable housing affects them, their families, and their communities.
"I see the worry on people’s faces when they talk about housing, whether it’s a mother afraid her son will have to move to the mainland to find opportunity, or a teacher who can’t afford to stay in Hawai'i and keep doing the job she loves.
Green pointed out that the statewide average cost of a single-family home now exceeds $1 million, "threatening to divide us permanently into two classes: those who can afford to own a home and those who can’t. Young people can’t afford to live on their own. Seeking a lower cost of living, many choose to

Tiny homes like these can be built on state and private land,
Hawaiian Home Lands, by non-profits and builders,
said Green, promising to take on the housing
crisis first day in office if elected to the governorship.
Photo from homeaidhawaii.org

leave the island where they grew up, and thousands more move to the mainland for good.
"Essential workers including nurses and teachers either give up their struggle to find affordable housing and leave our state, or turn down opportunities to work in Hawai'i in the first place. Many working people in Hawai'i simply can’t afford a place to live, lack family support, and end up living in their car, in a tent, or on the street. Our housing crisis is costing us dearly, as we lose talented local people to the lower cost of living on the mainland, and we price ourselves out of the market to attract skilled workers."
Green said the housing crisis, "also affects our state’s ability to deal with urgent issues like homelessness, the cost of living, education, access to healthcare, workforce shortages, Native Hawaiian concerns, economic inequality, and more. High housing costs put the greatest burden on low income families, often representing over 50% of their cost of living, while economic studies show that housing costs should not exceed 30% of a family’s income."
He noted that Hawai'i suffers a chronic shortage of 1,200 teachers each year "as we struggle to retain qualified and experienced educators, mainly due to our high cost of living and unaffordable housing. People working in the hospitality and tourism industry often drive two hours or more every day to get to work and back, because they can’t find affordable housing closer to their jobs."
In discussing the housing shortage among Native Hawaiians, Green pointed out that in 1920, the Department of Hawaiian Homelands was created to deliver land to Native Hawaiians for homesteading. "More than a century later, DHHL has more than 28,000 Native Hawaiians on its rolls while holding over 200,000 acres of unused land. Today, Native Hawaiians are twice as likely to become homeless in Hawaii, a disparity that is both unjust and cruelly ironic."
He also targeted vacation rentals, saying "Tens of thousands of illegal vacation rentals and empty investor units flood our state, reducing the supply of affordable housing and inflating prices. Luxury developments consume land and infrastructure resources, and military housing allowances further impact supply.
"We have reached a point of crisis, with a housing deficit that requires at least 50,000 new units for low and middle income families right now just to meet current demand and maintain our workforce. We must take action now and commit to a new era of building homes for the middle class, making it our top priority — Hawai'i’s version of a moon shot."

Lt. Gov. Josh Green has made it a practice to regular visit
homeless people, providing assistance and coming up with
a strategy for the housing crisis. Photo from ltgov.hawaii.gov

After consulting with experts and stakeholders from across the state, Green said, he has put together a 10-point emergency plan to address the housing crisis and promised to start working on the problem "on day one of my administration" should he be elected. He said he would do the following:
Enact an Emergency Housing Plan for Hawai'i and immediately issue an executive order to all state and county housing agencies to speed up construction of affordable housing by eliminating red tape, streamlining processes and approvals, and coordinating efforts to address the crisis.
Green said he would make housing for Hawai'i residents the top priority by aggressively enforcing existing laws "to shut down the 25,000 illegal vacation rentals across the state, taxing the 35,000 vacant investor units, and limiting permits and increasing taxes on new luxury developments by out of state investors."
He promised to create a Path to Home Ownership for first-time home buyers and essential workers with a new state-subsidized loan program, including financial education and assistance to help navigate the home buying process.
He promised to create an Office of Emergency Housing to serve as a “one stop shop” to eliminate bureaucratic red tape and provide faster services and approvals.
He promised to use vacant state lands to build affordable homes and rentals with federal, state, and private partnerships.
He promised to continue to increase the rental housing revolving fund, increase the low income housing tax credit, and create new deductions and incentives for long term rentals to low and middle income families.

Candidate Green said, as governor, he would direct Department of
Hawaiian Home Lands to to deliver land immediately to Native
Hawaiian beneficiaries for homesteading.

Regarding the native Hawaiian community, Green said he would direct Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to deliver land immediately to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries for homesteading, and to work with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to build housing for Native Hawaiians.
Regarding homelessness, he promised to reduce it by building kauhale housing villages and funding new programs, services, and incentives such as vouchers to house the homeless.
Green said he would work with the counties to lower the costs of building affordable housing by addressing water, sewer, park, and other fees as well as zoning and exaction requirements, all while maintaining environmental protections.
He also vowed to work with Hawai'i’s Congressional delegation to increase federal housing voucher funding, homeless funding, infrastructure funding, and a bond cap increase to build housing.
"We must also reach out to our construction industry, labor unions, the U.S. military, and every other major employer and stakeholder in Hawai'i to bring to bear their expertise, manpower, and capital to aid in this effort," said Green. "We will partner with developers across the state to build tens of thousands of new units of affordable housing, which will in turn create new jobs, build our communities, and grow our economy.
"Our housing crisis will likely continue to be the most challenging issue we face in the coming years. It will be crucially important that our next governor comes into office with the trust, credibility, and the strongest possible plan to take on this challenge."

A HOME ON KOA LANE WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES on Sunday, according to a report from the Hawai'i Fire Department. The report says the call came at 9:37 a.m. and the fire was extinguished by 12:15 p.m. The damage to the 1,600 square ft. home is valued at $150,000. The structure collapsed. The resident was not at home and no one was injured, according to the report. Fourteen members of HFD responded along with three volunteer firefighters.

State Rep. Jeanne Kapela released a message on Easter Day. Photo from Kapela

STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEANNE KAPELA, who serves Kaʻū into Kona, released an Easter Day message. It says, "At this time of year, we are steeped in images of renewal. Spring flowers are in bloom. Children are searching for colored eggs in their yards. Families are gathering around their dinner tables to rekindle their bonds of love.

"Yet, many of our neighbors are left out of those pictures. Too many parents can't afford to make candy-filled baskets for their keiki because of the soaring cost of groceries. Too many people in our community are living in financial insecurity, unsure if they will be able to pay next month's rent.

"We can do better. For the most vulnerable among us, we need to create a society that is based on compassion, not competition. That is why I am working tirelessly to expand tax breaks for working families, strengthen food security by investing in regenerative agriculture, and guarantee all workers a living wage of at least $18/hour and paid sick and family leave.

"This is the season of restoration. In that spirit, let's revive hope for those less fortunate than ourselves. And let's deliver prosperity not just to a privileged few, but to all who call our islands home."

See The Ka'u Calendar April edition at
www.kaucalendar.com,
on newsstands and in the mail.

About The Kaʻū Calendar

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Monday, April 18, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, April 18, 2022

Sunday, April 17, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, April 17, 2022