The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Monday, November 21, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022

A wasteland around a communications tower on Monday, after Sunday's 66 acre fire in Pāhala.

Photo by Julia Neal

THE MAILE STREET FIRE IN PĀHALA on Sunday spilled into Monday with fire crews putting out flareups, soaking down ashes and cutting back teetering trees that had burned. Maile Street remained blocked off along the pine tree road at Hwy 11 and all along the fire front along Maile Street. Flareups persisted along the Old Mill road to the macadamia factory. A helicopter continued its work dropping water on the hotspots. Wind whipped up ashes from the old mill yard of the sugar cane company that shut down in 1996 with the Kaʻū District under a Red Flag Alert for wind. Firefighters said they would watch over the area at least through Monday night.

A drone photo of the burned area by Rodney Freitas

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MENTORS FOR DEVELOPING HYDROGEN ENERGY FOR HAWAI'I COUNTY will be from Namie, Japan and Lancaster, CA. The announcement was made at the recent international climate meetings in Egypt by by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in collaboration with the governments of Japan and the United Kingdom. A statement from Hawai'i County says, "Through this trans-Pacific Mentor-Mentee partnership of municipal leaders, Lancaster and Namie, Japan, have pledged to share best practices and strategies to accelerate hydrogen and fuel cell use in Hawaiʻi County. Namie and Lancaster are the world's first hydrogen cities and have attracted corporate, government, and academic sponsors to help build out their infrastructure."

The partnership is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's inaugural H2 Twin Cities Initiative with its H2 – TRANS – PACIFIC Team proposal to develop clean hydrogen solutions for energy sustainability and strengthening ties across the Pacific.
E. Rex Parris, Mayor of the City of Lancaster, said, "Climate extinction is not a problem that Lancaster, Namie, or Hawaiʻi can solve alone. But together, we may lead the way for the rest of the world to join us before it's too late." He thanked the Department of Energy for the H2 Twin Cities designation, which will bring resources and opportunities to green hydrogen solutions. "Together, we can drive change at the local level and improve environmental conditions for our communities."
Over the past decade, the City of Lancaster has transformed into a renewable energy leader, attracting more than $2 billion of investment in cutting-edge renewable and clean energy projects.
Hawai'i County, Namie and Lancaster have announced the aim to make significant progress toward carbon neutrality by 2035. "Although they represent diverse geographies, demographics, economic drivers, and levels of hydrogen deployment, they share a common bond of being early adopters of hydrogen demonstration projects through visionary leadership. Unfortunately, their communities have also all faced an increasing number of natural disasters—many caused by rapid climate change," says the Hawai'i County statement.

Eiko Yoshida, Mayor of Namie City in Fukushima prefecture, said that after suffering great casualties from Japan's earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear tragedy 11 years ago, Namie City aims to maximize renewable energy usage and production of hydrogen at their world-class FH2R facility. "Through the mentor-mentee program and the alliance between three cities, we can share our progress and challenges and continue working toward the construction of a hydrogen society," he said.
The mentee municipality of Hawaiʻi County, which is perhaps the most vulnerable of the three to natural disasters due to rising sea levels and volcanic activity, also has the greatest diversity and wealth of renewable energy resources that can be converted into hydrogen production.
Hawai'i County Mayor Mitch Roth said, "Our administration remains resolute in our efforts to convert to hydrogen, the highest and most available form of energy in the universe. We are starting by working to turn municipal waste into hydrogen energy to fuel our County fleet and reduce the waste in our landfills. Next, we plan to generate large amounts of hydrogen from geothermal energy to replace fossil fuel-based electricity generation and decarbonize air travel emissions. We live in one of the most beautiful and pristine places on the planet, and as leaders, it's our job to care for this place by being thoughtful stewards, and hydrogen conversion is just one example of that."
The ambitious goals and creative solutions are due in no small part to the visionary and energetic leaders of these municipalities, according to Lex Heslin, CEO of Enso Infrastructure, a green hydrogen

project developer, who brought the three cities together and acts as the H2 – TRANS – PACIFIC program manager and advisor. He has worked with Lancaster for more than a decade to advance its position as a leading sustainable city. "The Mayors of Lancaster, Namie, and Hawaiʻi County are known for making bold, positive changes. By working together, they will greatly advance clean hydrogen innovation and deployment to improve people's lives, regional infrastructure, and the environment," Heslin said. "Equally compelling is the fact that this unique trilateral relationship also creates critical trade routes for hydrogen that bridge the U.S. and Japan, providing much-needed energy security in the Pacific and Asia."
Lancaster, for its part, has entered into partnerships with some of the world's leading clean energy companies, which include BYD, which manufactures electric buses; Heliogen, which generates hydrogen from concentrated solar energy; SGH2, which gasifies wastepaper into hydrogen; and Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), which converts organic waste into renewable natural gas and hydrogen. The city also started its own utility company, Lancaster Choice Energy, allowing residents to choose local renewable energy at lower prices.

THANKSGIVING CLOSURES OF ALL COUNTY TRANSFER STATIONS, RECYCLING CENTERS AND LANDFILL have been announced by the Solid Waste Division. In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, this annual closure also includes the East Hawai'i Organics Facility, the West Hawai'i Organics Facility, the Hilo Reload Station, the HI-5 redemption centers at County facilities, and the Reuse Centers.
"We respectfully ask for your kōkua. Please do not litter or illegally dump any materials at the closed Transfer Stations and Recycling Centers. Facilities are scheduled to resume normal operations on Friday," says the County statement.

To register for Solid Waste Notifications via email or text, visit www.hawaiizerowaste.org. With any questions, contact the Solid Waste Administrative Office at (808) 961-8270.

TWO MILLION VISIT HAWAI'I VOLCANOES ANNUALLY and the National Park has released a vdeo on enjoying the park when it is busy. An accompanying statement says, "There is one thing you can count on during the holidays at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park if you don't plan ahead: crowds." Thanksgiving

through January are the busiest times, and visitors should expect extremely high visitor concentrations, traffic delays and no parking at popular places during peak hours. "Don't let festive congestion dampen your spirits." A new video shares ranger tips on how to plan ahead for the best park experience, recommending:
1. Know Before You Go. Visit the park website www.nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes for eruption updates, alerts, what to do, and more before you arrive. Download the free National Park Service app – it's a terrific source to help you explore the park.
2. Be Flexible. The park is open 24 hours, and the busiest time is between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. every day. Popular overlooks and parking lots are often full. Kīlauea summit is the main destination for most visitors, but there are many places to go in the park. Have alternate destinations in mind, and strongly consider arriving before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m.

A new film addresses crowding at Hawai'i Volcanoes
National Park with tips for going there. Photo from NPS

3. Be Respectful. Kīlauea and Mauna Loa are sacred and cherished landscapes. Be considerate of others and use your indoor voice at overlooks. Leave your mobile sound system at home. Point flashlights and headlamps at the ground to avoid blinding others.
The statement recommends sharing the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park video with anyone who plans to visit the park. "With planning and flexibility, everyone can have a safe and memorable visit this holiday season." See it at: h ttps ://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMjEuNjcwMzY1MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5ucHMuZ292L21lZGlhL3ZpZGVvL3ZpZXcuaHRtP2lkPUMyNzgzMzUzLUJFN0UtNDY5Mi1BNDg5LTdDNjU2QTIxNEY0QiZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9Z292ZGVsaXZlcnkifQ.7AYf7jjIRRYTxP_OS-EHEtwxEKYxgt9SpIX5dc_fK50/s/2157880499/br/148679775153-l.

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022

A 66-acre fire burned Sunday along Maile Street, raging from the macadamia processing plant's husk storage below Pāhala.
Photo by Julia Neal

THE MAILE STREET FIRE IN PĀHALA BURNED 66 ACRES on Sunday, according to County of Hawai'i Civil Defense. People on the street said it started in the macadamia nut processor's mulch pile of husks and spread to a hillside largely composed of bagasse and other waste left from more than a century of sugar mill processing that ended in 1996. Driven by strong winds coming from the Kaʻū Desert, the fire spread through the former grounds of the sugar mill, which became a dump for abandoned vehicles, other trash and, more recently, the site of a camp for homeless people. The fire raged through it and homeless folks ran off.
The fire also revealed the wasteland of the old sugar mill site as trees and brush burned. Left are hulks of abandoned sugar processing facilities, burned out vehicles and other metal thrown away by people using it as a dump. The fire continued into macadamia orchards owned by Kamehameha Schools.
Firefighters concentrated on saving buildings, most of them along Maile Street, all of them historic. The old bank that became a radio station; the community clubhouse that is seasonal housing for farm labor and

Bulldozers make firebreaks to protect houses along Maile St.
from a fire coming from old sugar mill grounds.
Photo by Julia Neal

used for students off season; the former nurse's station and sugar worker union hale that is now the house of Ed Olson; the old Sasaki Store that is now The Market House; and Pāhala Plantation Manager's House were preserved. The remains of the old sugar camp store on Mill Road and the mango tree lane leading to the Pāhala Hongwanji were also protected by the firefighters. Also saved is the macadamia nut processing facility.
Those running bulldozers to create fire breaks helped save the old Manager's House and other buildings.

A county helicopter scooped water and made continuous runs between a pool at Pāhala Fire Department and the firefighting front for many hours. Police blocked Maile Street from its Hwy 11 entrance to Pikake Street, also closing the road across Scottie White Bridge to Moa'ula.
Both the Olson House and old community clubhouse residents were evacuated and invited to stay at housing in Pāhala until the smoke and fire risk abate and their quarters cleaned. A huge amount of ash settled there, as well as in many houses in Pāhala village.
Making conversation even more dramatic among those gathered to watch the fire on their four wheelers and trucks, a 3.6 earthquake rattled offshore below Pāhala, shaking the ground and houses in the area in the middle of the firefight.
By sundown, the fire seemed tamed with firefighters standing by and putting out pop-up blazes as the wind continued to howl intermittently. Firefighters said they will remain on the scene into Monday.

Smoke from Maile Street Fire as seen from Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and the District Gym.
Photo by Bob Martin

Maile Street Fire in Pāhala, seen from Hwy 11 toward Nāʻālehu. Photo by Bob Martin

A GRANT IS OFFERED FOR PRODUCING LIMU. Hawai'i state Department of Agriculture is accepting grant proposals for one project that enhances the competitiveness of Hawai'i limu (seaweed). The total amount for the single competitive grant is $31,315. The deadline for applications is Wednesday, Nov, 30, by noon. Applications are available at https://hands.ehawaii.gov/hands/opportunities/opportunity-details/22134
In March, Gov. David Ige proclaimed 2022 as “Year of the Limu” in recognition of the significant role limu have in Native Hawaiian traditions. The governor’s proclamation noted that limu are an integral part of the traditional Hawaiian diet, are used for medicinal, religious, and cultural purposes.
The limu grant is part of Hawai`i’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program which is funded by the U.S.

Department of Agriculture and administered through HDOA’s Market Development Branch. For the purposes of the grant, limu is defined as any various kinds of edible seaweed, which form an important part of the traditional Hawaiian diet. Eligible plants must be cultivated or managed and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification and be considered cultivated, as wild plants are not considered specialty crops by the USDA. This definition includes plants or plant products harvested from “wild areas” whose populations are managed, monitored and documented to ensure long-term, sustainable production.
HDOA is seeking eligible non-profit organizations, local, state, and federal government entities, for-profit organizations, universities and individuals for projects that enhance the competitiveness of Hawai`i limu. Eligible applicants must reside in, or their business or educational affiliation must be registered in Hawai`i. For more information on the grant, contact the Market Development Branch via email at: hdoa.addrfp@hawaii.gov or (808) 973-9595.

USDA EXTENDS REGIONAL FOOD BUSINESS CENTERS DEADLINE: The U.S. Department of Agriculture Regional Food Business Centers program will provide coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building to help farmers, ranchers, and other food businesses access new markets and navigate federal, state, and local resources, thereby closing the gaps or barriers to success. The Regional Food Business Centers will assist small- and mid-sized producers and food and farm businesses with the goal of creating a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system. Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 15. Visit the USDA How to Apply page for more information.

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://ka unewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022

The flag of Portugal raised at the new site of the Hawai'i Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce Cultural & Educational Center. Photo by Tim Wright

Brenda Deluz-Campbell, Council member Maile David, Dr. Marlene Hapai,
Contractor Michael Singer, Honorary Portuguese Consul Tyler Dos Santos
Tam and Hawai'i Island Portuguese Chamber President Archie Hapai III at
groundbreaking for a cultural and educational center. Photo by Tim Wright

HAWAI'I ISLAND PORTUGUESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, which has supported Portuguese cultural events in Kaʻū, held a groundbreaking ceremony in Hilo on Saturday for a Portuguese Cultural & Educational Center. Helping with groundbreaking were Brenda DeLuz-Campbell, Councilwoman Maile Medeiros David, Dr. Marlene Hapai, Contractor Michael Singer, Honorary Consul of Portugal Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, and HIPCC President Archie Hapai III. Father Clyde Phillips officiated. Construction of the Portuguese Cultural & Educational Center will begin in 2023 at the corner of Komohana and Ponahawai Streets.

Paniolo Hall of Fame member Casey Da Silva celebrates
his Portuguese heritage. Photo by Julia Neal

The Portuguese arrived to Hawai'i 144 years ago, with families sailing to Hawaiʻi on a journey that took them across the Atlantic, around the southern point of South America, and across the vast Pacific to their new island home. The first ship was the Priscilla, which arrived Sept. 30, 1878, with 120 Madeira Islanders. The second ship left Funchal on April 23, 1879, taking four months to cross the Atlantic Ocean, round Cape Horn and sail across the Pacific to Honolulu. Among the passengers were Manuel Nunes, Augusto Dias, Jose do Espirito Santo, and Joao Fernandes, who are credited with introducing the Portuguese stringed instrumente that became 'ukulele in Hawaiʻi.
Many of the Portuguese settlers worked at the sugar companies in Kaʻū. They became ranchers, paniolo and leaders in the Catholic Church.

Portuguese names like Amaral, Andrade, Baruz, Da Silva, De Silva, Enos, Fontes, Freitas, Francis, Frances, Gomes, Gouveia, Joseph, Lorenzo, Louis, Manoa, Marques, Medeiros, Manuel, Oliveira, Pedra, Pestano, Silva and Vierra are well known in Kaʻū, with many families of Hawaiian and Portuguese ancestry.

Darlyne Vierra with her display of photos and cultural items
from Kaʻū Portuguese families. Photo by Julia Neal

Kaʻū Multicultural Society President Darlyne Vierra was an early supporter of the cultural and education center, encouraging Portuguese families from Kaʻū to become involved. Vierra has been collecting photos, documents and cultural items of Portuguese families in Kaʻū for many years. She said that copies of photos and documents could be offered to show the history of Portuguese culture in this district. She noted that Portuguese families have had a large influence of on ranching, sugar and coffee heritage of Kaʻū, and over the years have presented Portuguese dance, song and food at such events as Kaʻū Plantation Days.

THE 'OHANA READERS PROGRAM has been expanded in Kaʻū by Hawai'i's first lady Dawn Amano-Ige along with state and non-profit partners This program is now available to children under five-years-old throughout the zip codes of Nāʻālehu and Pāhala.

ʻOhana Readers is a literacy program that focuses on reading with family. Initially launched on

Molokaʻi in 2019, the program offers high-quality, age-appropriate Imagination Library books each month to children in specific zip codes. Children who register for the program will receive one book each month via the U.S. Postal Service. The program operates through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and is free of charge.
Families can sign up at Nāʻālehu Public Library and Pāhala Public & School Library. The libraries have already begun to offer programs that complement the books the children receive and will provide other activities to promote literacy and reading.
"Research shows that children are ready to learn in their earliest years, and this program provides no-cost opportunities for learning from birth through age four," said Amano-Ige. "ʻOhana Readers encourages family read-aloud time, an activity that increases the vocabulary and language skills of our children and contributes to their growing knowledge of the world."
In addition to Kaʻū, 'Ohana readers is available for families with children five years old and younger on Moloka'i (entire island), Lānaʻi (entire island), and parts of Kauaʻi (in zip code areas 96703, 96714, 96722, 96752, 96754, and 96796). The Hawai'i State Public Library System is encouraging families within the covered areas to register for the 'Ohana Readers program at their libraries.

First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige and 'Ohana Readers has delivered more
than 10,000 books to Hawai'i children since 2019.
Photo from the Governor's Office

"This program is all about reading!" said State Librarian Stacey Aldrich. "It encourages the development of a love of words and reading by helping each child create their own library of books. Each book read builds early literacy skills for school readiness. The Hawai'i State Public Library System is very excited to partner with the ʻOhana Readers program by being a place for families to sign up their little ones and attend story times at the Nāʻālehu Public Library and Pāhala Public and School Library to complement the books being mailed out."
The program is made possible through a collaborative partnership between the Office of the Governor, the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services, the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System, state Rep. Lynn DeCoite, and nonprofit partners Dollywood Foundation, Friends of the Library of Hawaʻi, Learning to Grow, and Read to Me International. Program sponsors also include Kamehameha Schools, Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative, Friends of the North Shore Library at Princeville, Windward Community College's

Learning to Grow project in partnership with the Hawai'i State Department of Human Services through monies from the Federal Child Care and Development Block Grant, and aio. The Hawaiʻi island program is funded by aio.
"Friends of the Library of Hawai'i is pleased to be expanding the ʻOhana Readers program that helps build a life-long love of reading at home with family," said Nainoa Mau, executive director of Friends of the Library of Hawai'i.
Since 2019, the ʻOhana Readers program has distributed over 10,000 books to Hawaiʻi children through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Prior to that, First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige distributed approximately 2,000 books through the Scholastic Summer Reading Ambassador program through schools across the state in Kekaha, Lāʻie, Fern, Nāʻālehu, Maunaloa, and Nānāikapono.
For more information about the ʻOhana Readers program, visit FLHhawaii.org/ohanareaders. To sign up for the program locally, visit either the Nāʻālehu Public Library or the Pāhala Public & School Library. The form is available for download from the website above and must be dropped off at the library.

SNAP BENEFITS HAVE BEEN EXTEDNDED THROUGH JAN. 16. Gov. David Ige signed a fifth emergency proclamation this week, extending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program The program is backed by federal COVID relief funding. "Food insecurity is just one of the lingering effects of the pandemic, and SNAP benefits provide Hawaiʻi families with nutritious food," said Ige. "This emergency proclamation ensures food security through the holidays. I urge families in need to sign up for SNAP so they can get this federal assistance. Mahalo to the employees at
the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services and the Benefit, Employment & Support Services Division who work with our federal partners to administer the program. They remain committed to providing food

security for individuals and families in Hawaiʻi though the pandemic and beyond."
SNAP provides crucial food and nutritional support to qualifying households, and those making the transition from public assistance to self-sufficiency. SNAP is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is the largest food nutrition assistance program in the country. Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services reminds the public that the federal government requires recipients of SNAP and Financial Assistance Programs to recertify, or renew, their eligibility annually (for most households) to receive continued benefits. To apply for or renew SNAP benefits, visit https://pais-benefits.dhs.hawaii.gov/. For more information about applications and renewals, please call the Public Assistance Toll Free Information Line at 1-855-643-1643.

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