Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022

      Tiny endangered native Hawaiian shrimp called ‘ōpae‘ula, Metabetaeus lohena.  Photo from DLNR

PRESERVATION OF ANCHIALINE POOLS, one of the justifications for the successful protection of thousands of acres along the Kaʻū Coast, was the subject of this weekend's International Symposium on Anchialine Ecosystems. It was held Thursday through Saturday at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel in Kona, drawing more than 125 scientists, students, community members, and resource managers, from across Hawai‘i and around the world. This was the fifth International Symposium on Anchialine Ecosystems.

    One sponsor is Hawai'i Wildlife Fund and its president Megan Lamson, who works with volunteers in Kaʻū and beyond on preserving anchialine pools and other coastal resources. Another is The Nature Conservancy, with its Hawai'i Island headquarters based in Kaʻū. A major sponsor is state Department of Land & Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources.

    The human gathering about anchialine pools was grounded in the importance of the collective kuleana to culture and place. Hawai‘i has one of the highest concentrations of brackish water, near-coast anchialine pools in the world, with an estimated 600 or more on Hawai‘i Island, said Troy Troy Sakihara. An aquatic biologist with Division of Aquatic Resources, Sakihara is another one of the organizers of the symposium. 

    He and other presenters noted that anchialine pools were the first sources of fresh water for early Hawaiians, giving the pools great cultural significance, continuing into modern times. This was highlighted in many of the scientific presentations, including one by a trio of students from a Hawaiian immersion school at Keaukaha who presented their remarks entirely in ʻŌlelo Hawai‘i, the Hawaiian language.

A wai ‘ōpae (water for shrimp) in an ‘a‘a lava field. These pools are home to tiny endangered native shrimp. Photo from DLNR 

    "Like so many of Hawai‘i’s natural and cultural resources, anchialine ecosystems have already been destroyed or are threatened by development, pollution, and invasive species; in the case of the pools by invasive fish like guppies and tilapia," said the statement from the state Division of Aquatic Resources.
    The best-known of the native inhabitants of anchialine pools is the ‘ōpae‘ula, a tiny red shrimp. 

    Several of the presentations focused on water quality in the park’s anchialine pools and the use of ‘auhuhu, a Polynesian introduced plant to control invasive fish and the associated recovery of the natural ecosystem.

    Sakihara said that a broad partnership in preserving anchialine pools “demonstrates how important this underground system of pools is and why we need to do everything we can to protect and restore them.”
    The symposium was heavy on science, but with the overall message that anchialine ecosystems continue to be an important and vital connection to Hawai'i's natural and cultural landscape and history.
    In addition to Department of Aquatic Resources, Hawai'i Wildlife Fund and The Nature Conservancy,

other sponsors and contributors to the symposium include, Division of Forestry & Wildlife, the Division of State Parks, Hui Loko, University of Hawai‘i, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Kamehameha Schools, U.S. Geological Survey, Lili‘uokalani Trust, He‘eia Bay Forever, Hawai‘i Fish Habitat Partnership, Hawai‘i Mountain Running, National Park Service, Kua’aina Ulu ‘Auamo, Hawai‘i Coral Reef Initiative, David Shepard Hawai‘i, Mauna Lani Auberge Resorts, and Four Seasons Resort.

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HAWAI'I CARE CHOICES, while shuttering its Pohai Malama hospice inpatient facility in Hilo, will continue to deliver in-home services to Volcano, Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, Mark Twain, Green Sands, Discovery Harbour, and as far into Kaʻū as South Point Road. Pōhai Mālama Care Center, a 12-bed inpatient hospice facility in Hilo owned and operated by Hawaiʻi Care Choices since 2012, "will take a tactical pause on all inpatient hospice care operations beginning on November 18, 2022," says a statement from its administration. 

    "All levels of the organization’s services including hospice, palliative, and bereavement care services will continue to be provided for our East Hawai'i Community in various locations other than PMCC, like patient residences, long-term care facilities, and more," said the statement from Hawai'i Care Choices, formerly Hospice of Hilo. 

    "The tactical pause, which is a deliberate break in operations, will allow time for Hawai'i Care Choices to reassess the impact of continued underutilization and the growing cost of building repair and maintenance that is naturally occurring after ten years of usage." CEO Brenda S. Ho said, “This tactical pause offers the necessary break to reimagine and discover possible options for this beautiful home-like facility.”
    The statement said "data and trends over the years show that patients prefer to receive care in the comfort of their own homes."

     Board President Karen Maedo said, “We touched many lives at Pohai Malama, but resources are limited and change has to be made when it is needed.” Fewer that 5 percent of Hawai'i Care Choice’s hospice patient days are in PMCC; most of the organization’s services are delivered to patient’s residence. Medical Director Dr. Lynda Dolan said, “We have always delivered hospice care to where patients lived. This includes the nearly two decades prior to the time PMCC was built. This pause does not change our capability in ensuring quality care is provided.”
    Hawai'i Care Choices remains open and continues to offer all services. The highest priority is to minimize the impact of this tactical pause on current patients receiving inpatient hospice care at PMCC. Staff will work with these patients and families to ensure a smooth transition to other locations for hospice care. For any questions, contact Hawai'i Care Choices at 808-969-1733 or care@hawaiicarechoices.org.

    For more see www.hawaiicarechoices.org. For care west of South Point, see www.hospiceofkona.org.

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DEADLINE TO REACTIVATE DRIVER'S LICENSES that were given an extension during the pandemic is Nov. 30. Licenses that expired between March 16, 2020 and Nov. 30, 2021 were given the extension. A

statement from the county says, "If a driver's license expired within this time period the driver must go in to a County Driver's Licensing Office to reactivate and renew their driver's license by the close of business on Nov. 30, 2022. On Dec 1, 2022, all drivers holding a license that expired from March 16, 2020 through Nov. 30, 2021 will be required to start again as a new applicant."

  

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In the mail and on stands from Volcano through Kaʻū.

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, Nov. 4, 2022

The kukui nut trees, also the state tree of Hawai'i, originally brought to Hawai'i by canoe from the South Pacific, will be given out free by Bennett Nursery across from Ocean View Saturday Market on Nov. 5 for Arbor Day. 

ARBOR DAY IS FRIDAY WITH TREE GIVEAWAYS SATURDAY and other activities Nov. 5 in Kaʻū and beyond. 

    West Hawai'i Master Gardeners will give away trees and advice on growing them at Ocean View Saturday Market from 8 a.m. until noon. The address is 92-1297 Prince Kuhio Blvd. See more on West Hawai'i Master Gardeners at https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/uhmgprogram/HOME/West-Hawaii.

    Also on Saturday, across from the Ocean View Saturday Market, Bennett Nursery will give away kukui trees from 8 a.m. to noon. Ted Bennett, founder of the nursery, said that he chose to give away kukui trees because, "In its natural environment, the kukui nut tree enriches the soil and purifies the water, because the strong oils found in the leaves work their magic." It is also called candlenut and was used for light in old Hawai'i. See more on Bennett Nursery at www.bennettfarmandnursery.com.

Don Inouye, President of Outdoor
 Circle, gives away 750 fruit trees on
 Saturday for Arbor Day.

    In Hilo, Outdoor Circle's President Don Inouye said, "I believe we were put on this earth to always be able to enjoy our environment and as such we must also share the responsibility of being the guardian of the assets of our surroundings in the very best way we know how."

    The Outdoor Circle took advance reservations to give out 750 fruit trees for free, including orange, lemon, tangerine, lime, avocado, fig, plum, cherry, mountain apple, lychee, cinnamon, coffee and more. They were provided through grant funds from State Farm and the Arbor Day Foundation. The distribution is a drive through, with a limitation of two trees per person, with recipients having applied for time and tree types. Pickup is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 260 Manono Street. See more on the Outdoor Circle at www.easthawaiioutdoorcircle.com.

    Northwest of Kaʻū, Friends of Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden will host its annual meeting in honor of Arbor Day, on Saturday, Nov. 5 with a giveaway of 250 native plants and trees. There will be cultural demos, keiki activities and food. The time is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 82-6160 Mamalahoa Hwy in Captain Cook. See more on Greenwell Ethnobotanical Gardens at www.amygreenwell.garden.

    See more on Arbor Day, celebrating 50 years of tree planting at www.arborday.org.

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 Volunteer Firefighters, Skip Glaser and
 Doug Castro, of Discovery Harbour
Volunteer Fire Department.

$4K+ CAME TO DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT On Saturday, Oct. 29 when the community joined together to support and raise funds. There were 22 vendors, a bake sale, silent auction, rummage sale, food, music, and a golf tournament hosted by The Club at Discovery Harbour.
    "Great volunteers made this a successful event, raising over $4,000 to support the operations of the Volunteer Fire Department," said a statement from organizers.
    Recent fire events from South Point to Discovery Harbour emphasized the importance of the festival to raise money for fire prevention and firefighting. On the day of the festival, volunteers mobilized to extinguish a fire, reminding everyone that Chapter 11-C Fire Department, along with the other Ka'u VFD Chapters, "ensures that the community is safer. Volunteers are trained and serve without any monetary compensation, and without that monetary community support, the firefighting ability could not exist."
    The festival organizer at Discovery Harbour Community Association office, Suzanne Brady, expressed appreciation for all the vendors, festival volunteers, and generous donations from community businesses and individuals to the silent auction and rummage sale. "Without that community support the festival would not have been possible," she said.

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A THREE YEAR OLD BOY IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION and a 25-year old Ocean View man has been arrested, reports Hawai'i Island Police. Charged with abuse and assault offenses stemming from a domestic-related incident, Nainao Ellis-Noa was taken into custody on Tuesday. According to police, shortly before 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2, Ka‘ū patrol officers responded to a call to a residence in the 92-9000 block of Tiki Lane in Ocean View where an unresponsive male child was reported. Upon arrival, officers learned the child was being transported by ambulance to Kona Community Hospital and was listed in critical condition. The child was subsequently transported to Kapiolani Medical Center on Oahu, where he remains in critical condition.

Nainoa Ellis-Noa has been arrested
and his three year old son is in 
critical condition. Photo from HPD

    

    Ka‘ū patrol officers arrested Ellis-Noa, the live-in boyfriend of the child’s mother, and he was subsequently transported to the Kealakehe Police Station pending further investigation by detectives with the Area II Criminal Investigation and Juvenile Aid Sections. A female infant residing in the same household was taken into protective custody for her immediate welfare.
    On Friday at 1:05 p.m., Ellis-Noa was charged with one count each of abuse of a family or household member, assault in the first degree, and assault in the second degree. His bail was set at $17,000.
    Ellis-Noa remains in police custody pending his initial court appearance at Kona District Court on Monday, Nov. 7.
    Police ask anyone with information about this case to contact Detective Len Hamakado at (808) 326-4646 ext. 224, or via email at len.hamakado@hawaiicounty.gov.
    Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

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KAʻŪ HOSPITAL'S SISTER FACILITY HILO MEDICAL CENTER has increased MRI, CT and ultrasound imaging with the temporary closure of Hawai'i Radiologic Associates in Hilo and Kona. Hawai'i Radiological has been unable to offer its services since Oct. 20 and revealed on Saturday that its computer and communications systems are victims of a cyberattack. As of Saturday evening its website www.hirad.com remained offline.

     Imaging appointments at Hilo Medical Center are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, according to Elena Cabatu, the hospital's spokesperson. Kona Community Hospital has also increased appointments for MRIs, CTs and ultrasounds.

     A statement from Hawai'i Radiological Associates says, “We regret that this has resulted in closure of our outpatient imaging centers until this problem is resolved. For our patients and referring health care providers who have been affected, please accept our sincere apologies. Our company has had the privilege of caring for our local community for almost 50 years, and we deeply regret the impact of this event on our patients.”

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The Club at Discovery Harbour

In the mail and on stands from Volcano through Kaʻū.

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022

Hawai'i Chocolate & Cacao Association invites farmers and the public to its conference Nov. 11-13.
Photo from HCCA

HAWAI'I CHOCOLATE & CACAO ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE is Friday, Nov. 11-13 with workshops, demonstrations, dynamic speakers, farm tours, and of lots of chocolate. To view a full list of event locations, speakers, and itinerary, visit the conference website. Among the speakers are Charley Wheelock, who with his wife Jessica in Portland, Oregon created Wookblock Chocolate, and Giffe Laube, who owns a cacao and vanilla farm in Nicaragua. 

     The locations for the conference include Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, 76 Kamehameha Ave in Hilo, Kai Ikena Orchards, Hamakua Chocolate Farm and Kulaimanu Community Center in Pepeekeo. Featured Farms include Kai Ikena, Mauna Kea Cacao and Deep Dirt Farm. See the conference website at www.hawaiichocolate.org. The President and Secretary of Hawai'i Chocolate & Cacao Association is Will Lydgate. Vice President is Maria Carl.

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FINANCING OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS will be the workshop

in Wood Valley at the Hawai'i Farmers United Hawai'i Kaʻū Chapter meeting on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m. The event is free and membership is not required. The location is 96-1034 Center Rd, above Pāhala.

    The workshop includes a Q&A and an introduction to services provided by Feed the Hunger Fund and The Kohala Center. RSVP to kau@hfuu.org.

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VIDEOS FOR SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS AND HOME GARDENERS ARE available at plantpono.org, sponsored by Big Island Invasive Species Committee, which released this statement:
    Sharing cuttings and seedlings is a beloved and longstanding practice amongst backyard gardeners and small-scale farmers, but sharing comes with risk. What begins as a pleasant exchange can become a long-term headache, as ants, scale insects, slug eggs, fungi, and many other pests can stealthily hitchhike into well cared-for gardens.
    The University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources recently joined forces

See the BIISC films at https://plantpono.org/planting-guides/

with the Big Island Invasive Species Committee to create a set of short videos aimed at supporting resident growers. The educational videos offer practical, step-by-step instructions for creating home garden quarantine stations and best practices to avoid spreading pests, disease, and invasive species when exchanging plants and seeds. Topics covered include proper methods for sharing sweet potato, recognizing banana bunchy top virus, and disposal of different kinds of contaminated plant materials.
    Molly Murphy, a specialist with the Plant Pono program, advised that all residents who engage in plant sharing take the time to learn about home biosecurity, saying “We know that the number one pathway for pests coming into the islands is live plants and plant materials. The same is true for our backyards – as home gardeners, we should all be doing our best to stop pests from moving through our communities.” She notes that both BIISC and CTAHR provide resources for controlling pests when they are detected.
    Local growers are featured, including Sean Jennings, founder of the popular Homesteadin’ Hawai'i Facebook Group, Zoe Kosmas and Brayden Jadulang with Mālaʻai, and Kaʻiana Runnels of The Kohala Center. The videos, plus other resources for avoiding invasive species through good practices and choosing plant species to grow, can be found on PlantPono.org, which is managed by BIISC. See the films at https://plantpono.org/planting-guides/.
    Funding for this project was provided by the County of Hawai‘i Department of Research & Development.

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ENERGY PROJECT PROGRAMS, GRANTS AND LOAN GUARANTEES will be presented by Hawai'i Farm Bureau on Monday, Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. –7 p.m. at Kea'au Community Center, 16-186 Pili Mua St. Speakers from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Business-Cooperative Service will share the information with agricultural producers. Light refreshments will be served. There is no cost to attend and registration is not required in advance.

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The Club at Discovery Harbour

In the mail and on stands from Volcano through Kaʻū.