Kaʻū News Briefs Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023

Xanthe Serafin, right, who teaches Japanese at Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences, invited women from Japan to the
Bon Dance at Pāhala Hongwanji on Saturday. The women recently assisted with language classes on the Volcano campus.  
Photos by Julia Neal

O BON SEASON CAME TO A SUNSET SATURDAY IN PĀHALA with the last Bon Dance of the year on the island. Pāhala Hongwanji hosted people from Japan, around the island and U.S. as far away as Boston during its service inside the temple with the dance and food outdoors.

Kupuna to keiki enjoy the end of the Obon season at Pāhala Hongwanji.

     The event is to remember those who came before and the message of the temple service included, "Let us take a moment to think of our loved ones who have helped you become who you are, those who have cared about you, and those who have been loved by you." The service also included music sung by a Buddhist choir, the song by Israel Kamakawiwa‘ole, its title In this Life, I've Been Loved by You. 

    The service was followed by dancing outside the temple, with some in kimono, others in hapi coats, others in street dress. The people from diverse communities moved round and round the tower, like a May pole, celebrating the seasons of nature and life, this season the end of the harvest.

     Those who participated included many descendants from those who came on ships from Japan to work in the sugar industry generations ago. Many of the descendants are of  Japanese, mixed with Hawaiian, Portuguese, Filipino and other bloodlines that date back to the founding of the sugar plantation that closed in Pāhala in 1996 after more than a century.

From hapi coats to street dress, all were
 welcomed to Bon Dance at Pāhala.     

     Pāhala and Puna Taiko drummers both played at the event, along with drummers and flutists who accompanied the dance. Japanese food and Pāhala Hongwanji printed headbands and cloths that were offered for sale, along with Japanese lanterns and other collectibles.

     Aikido demonstrations were given in the old Japanese Schoolhouse.

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THE HAWAI'I FIRE & EMERGENCY RESPONSE COLLABORATIVE has been established. Mayor Mitch Roth announced this week that the interagency working group will be 
dedicated to addressing and preparing for fire issues following recent fires on Hawaiʻi Island and the extensive devastation on Maui.

   "Hawaiʻi Fire & Emergency Response Collaborative will convene key regional agencies, experts, and stakeholders to formulate strategies, facilitate resource-sharing, and streamline communication to enhance responses to wildfires and other emergencies.

Drummers from around the island accompanied the Bon Dance in Pāhala on Saturday.

    This collaborative effort will encompass representatives from various Federal, State, and County departments and organizations such as the American Red Cross, Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management, Firewise, and community stakeholders," says the statement.

The flute joined in with Japanese tunes.

    "The recent events on Hawaiʻi Island and Maui serve as a stark reminder of our susceptibility to wildfires due to an everchanging climate," said the Mayor. "It is important for us as leaders to come together to collaborate on ways for us to improve our protocols and procedures, ensuring that we are adapting our response abilities to meet the safety needs of our various communities. We cannot do this alone, and we are honored to have willing partners at every level who see the need and are willing to work together for our island and its residents."

     The announcement says the primary objectives of the Hawaiʻi Fire & Emergency Response Collaborative are:
    Development of a comprehensive wildfire prevention and response strategy.
    Enhancement of coordination and communication among agencies and first responders.
    Strengthening public education and outreach on fire safety and emergency preparedness.

Live singing accompanied many of the Bon Dances.

  Identification of funding opportunities for wildfire mitigation and recovery efforts.
        Utilization of local and regional resources to bolster disaster resilience.
     The statement says, "Mayor Roth and his administration remain steadfast in their commitment to taking proactive measures to protect the unique landscapes, communities, and livelihoods that define Hawaiʻi Island. Establishing the Hawaiʻi Fire & Emergency Response Collaborative signifies a significant milestone in these efforts and reaffirms the administration's dedication to safety, preparedness, and resilience.
    "Public input will be a critical component of the work of the Hawaiʻi Fire and Emergency Response Collaborative. A notice will be sent before public meetings to ensure adequate time for planning and attendance. The public can expect meetings to commence in October."

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KUPU, THE YOUTH CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION ORGANIZATION, WILL RECEIVE $20 MILLION from U.S. Department of Agriculture. KUPU has worked in Kaʻū and around the state to train young people in many conservation skills, many of them finding employment in resource management.

A long hapi coat dresses up the Bon Dance.

    Hawai'i's Congressional Delegation of Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, along with Representatives Jill Tokuda and Ed Case made the announcement this week that more than $42 million was awarded to nine Hawai'i organizations with the largest funding to Kupu. The aim is to "plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat, and improve access to green space in communities throughout the state.
    “We need to be doing everything we can to make our communities more resilient to climate change,” said Schatz. “This funding will help expand our urban tree canopy and mitigate the effects of extreme heat – all while providing job training opportunities to those who need it most.”

    Hirono said, “As we work to mitigate the impacts of climate change and promote sustainability, this funding brings us one step closer in creating healthier, more equitable communities across Hawaiʻi. This historic investment in urban forests will help ensure people in Hawai'i have access to quality outdoor spaces, no matter where they live. I am proud to have helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act last year–the largest action on climate change ever passed by Congress, which made this funding possible.” 

Keiki with Japanese, Hawaiian and other 
 bloodlines learns heritage at the Bon Dance.

    Case said, “The funding was made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate and energy related investment in our history, so that we can fully seek and obtain the assistance offered for various critical projects. These grants administered by the USDA’s Urban & Community Forestry Program provides the organizations the crucial funding needed to strengthen Hawaii’s capacity to advance climate resiliency efforts. This grant provides Kupu the crucial funding needed to expand opportunities for, and develop marketable professional skills of, the Pacific workforce to strengthen Hawaiʻi and other Pacific communities and their capacity to advance climate resiliency efforts."
    Tokuda said, "Communities across our state are looking at the extreme drought conditions and rising temperatures in their own backyards and they are scared. This USDA funding is critical as we meet the moment and invest in adaptable green spaces, plant native trees and flora to combat heat and reduce fire risks, combat urban heat islands, mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, and ensure long term climate resiliency.” 

Pāhala Hongwanji held a service before the Bon Dance on Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal

    In addition to Kupu’s $20 million award, the other organizations awarded grants include*: • Smart Trees Pacific $9 million • Grow Good Hawaiʻi $5 million • Friends of Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden $2 million • State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land & Natural Resources Division of Forestry & Wildlife $2 million • University of Hawaiʻi $2 million • Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests $1 million • City & County of Honolulu Department of Parks & Recreation $1 million • DLNR $585,500. 

The Obon service to remember family members, the
living and ancestors at Pāhala Hongwanji.

    U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, the investments arrives as communities across the country "experience recordbreaking heatwaves that have grave impacts on public health, energy consumption, and overall well-being. We are supporting communities in becoming more resilient to climate change and combatting extreme heat with the cooling effects of increased urban tree canopy, while also supporting employment opportunities and professional training that will strengthen local economies."        

    The Urban & Community Forestry Program is the only program in the federal government dedicated to enhancing and expanding the nation's urban forest resources. This is the largest single USDA Inflation Reduction Act investment to date in urban and community forests, says the statement from Hawai'i's Congressional Delegation.

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Kaʻū News Briefs Friday, Sept. 15, 2023

The first Bon Dance since COVID began will be held this Saturday, Sept. 16 at Pāhala Hongwanji, with outdoor dancing in the
 round, following a 4 p.m. service. Photo by Ron Johnson

THIS ISLAND'S LAST BON DANCE OF THE SEASON WILL BE SATURDAY AT PĀHALA

Myra Sumida will perform with Pāhala 
Taiko on Saturday at Bon Dance at Pāhala
Hongwanji. Photo by Julia Neal

HONGWANJI.  The dancing around the tower will begin in the early evening, following a 4 p.m. Obon service. It celebrates the end of the harvest and honors ancestors with the presentation of fresh vegetables, fruits and other foods on the temple altar. The venue for the service is Pāhala Hongwanji temple. The dancing will be outside. 

     The tradition is mostly lost in Japan but remains alive in the Hawaiian Islands, brought here generations ago by immigrants working in the sugar plantations. Some people from Japan come to Pāhala to see the bon dance each year. 

    Also to enjoy are traditional Japanese foods, including sushi. Participants are invited to make Hachimaki, stamping Japanese characters onto the cloth headbands to be worn by everyone during the celebration. There will be a performance by Pāhala Taiko drumming.             

    Pāhala Hongwaji President Wayne Kawachi said that everyone with or without traditional kimono, Happi Coats and other Japanese clothing is invited to circle the tower and to learn the dances, accompanied by singing, flutes, drums and other music. Bon dancers who go from Buddhist temple to temple around the island will come to Pāhala on Saturday. 

    Also scheduled are aikido demonstrations.

Aikido demonstrations will be part of the Bon
Dance celebration at Pāhala Hongwanji
on Saturday evening. Photo by Julia Neal

    Soto Michi Dojo will be open in the old Japanese schoolhouse on the temple grounds with short aikido demos between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and sensei will be available to talk story about aikido and classes. Dojo members have also volunteered to clean the grounds and direct parking for the event.

    This is the first Bon Dance at Pāhala since the Covid pandemic began. The address is 96-1123 Pa‘au‘au Place, Pāhala.

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GOV. JOSH GREEN WILL BE AMONG WORLD LEADERS SPEAKING AT THE UNITED NATIONS, says a statement from his office. The statement released Friday says Gov. Josh Green will go to New York and the UN on Saturday and "will be among other world leaders, including the heads of state of Spain, Turkey, Egypt, Ghana, São Tomé and Principe, and mayors from The Gambia and Colombia."           

The event is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Summit in New York. Also in attendance, says Green's statement, will be Hawai‘i County Mayor Mitch Roth.

    Green was last in New York in August and shortened his trip after the Maui firestorm.

    The statement says that during this trip to the East Coast, Green "will be giving an address to the UN on Sunday, Sept. 17, about Hawai‘i's efforts to implement policies to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the importance of local leadership to achieve the SDGs by 2030." Green and Hawai‘i contingent are scheduled to present from 6:05 a.m. to 6:25 a.m. Hawai‘i Time on Sunday. Video will be available via livestream on UN Web TV at https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1x/k1x8on96di.

    The Governor's statement says the Sustainable Development Goals "seek to address the root causes of poverty and the universal need for sustainable development that works for all people, including issues like protecting the planet and ensuring that all people have opportunities to enjoy health, justice, and prosperity." See more on UN Sustainable Development Goals at https://sdgs.un.org/goals.

    Green also will participate in a second event entitled American Leaders Advancing the SDGs at 2 a.m. HST on Sept. 18. This will be a fireside chat moderated by Tony Pipa from Brookings Institute. The panel will include Green, Hawaiʻi Green Growth CEO Celeste Connors, and Kamehameha Schools students, says the statement from the Governor.

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USGS RELEASED THIS UPDATE FOR ONGOING ERUPTION AT HALEMA‘UMA‘U ON FRIDAY: 

    Activity Summary: The Kīlauea summit eruption that began on September 10th continues Friday morning. Eruptive activity is confined to the downdropped block and Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Kīlauea’s summit caldera. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
    Summit Eruption Observations: Several roughly east-west oriented vents continue to erupt on the western side of the down-dropped block within Kīlauea’s summit caldera and are generating lava flows

A row of scones in Halema‘uma‘u are actively ejecting spatter, which helps build the height of each structure. Cone heights of 20 meters (66 feet) have been measured by field teams. Of the line of vents spanning 0.8 miles (1.4 km) that were observed active during the initial phases of the eruption, only six remain active as of September 14, 2023. USGS photo by L. Gallant 

onto Halema‘uma‘u crater floor. Effusion rates continue to decrease, but remain significant.

• Vigorous spattering is restricted to the westernmost large spatter cone with fountains 10-15 meters. Minor spattering is occurring within the next cone to the east, but the fountains remain mostly below the rim of its cone. Lava continues to flow from these and potentially several of the other cones.
• Pāhoehoe lava flows continue to travel in north and west directions from the vents, around elevated ground from the 1982 eruption, and onto Halema‘uma‘u crater floor. Overnight on Thursday, webcam imagery shows that the area of active lava remains restricted to the western part of the downdropped block and the northeastern parts of Halema‘uma‘u. This area of active lava does not appear to have changed significantly in size over the past 24 hours. Numerous oozeouts of lava were visible over other parts of Halema‘uma‘u crater floor overnight.
• Field crews Thursday reported that lava fountain heights at the vents reached up to about 10-15 meters (32-50 feet) and the horseshoe-shaped spatter ramparts that have accumulated on the south/downwind side of the vents remain 20 meters (66 feet) high.

Much of the plume from Kīlauea’s current eruption is sulfur dioxide (SO2). HVO’s gas monitoring station HRSDH has measured up to 12 ppm of SO2 at its location, nearly 2 miles (3 km) southwest, downwind of the eruption. According to the International Volcanic Health Hazard Network (IVHHN), prolonged exposure to SO2 in these concentrations is toxic. Even brief exposure to concentrations less than that will cause a respiratory response (airway resistance) and eye irritation. Concentrations more than that cause paralysis or death with extended exposure. SO2 mixes with air as it moves away from the vent and is less of a hazard for people keeping a safe distance. While the trade winds transport plumes in a southwest direction most of the time, conditions can change rapidly, especially in areas closer to the vent that remain closed to the public. USGS photo by M. Patrick

• The laser rangefinder is aimed at a western portion of Halema‘uma‘u, not near the new eruptive activity, and recorded about 10 meters (33 feet) of uplift to this locality since the eruption started. This demonstrates that a significant amount of lava has intruded beneath the pre-existing crust within Halema‘uma‘u.
• Volcanic gas emissions in the eruption area are elevated; winds yesterday, September 14, prevented measurements of a suflur dioxide (SO2) emission rate. The most recent SO2 emission rate of 20,000 tonnes per day was measured the afternoon of September 13. This is down significantly from the 190,000 tonnes per day measured just after the onset of the eruption on Sunday, September 10th.
• A live-stream video of the eruption is available (here).
• More eruption information is available (here).

    Summit Observations: Summit tilt has remained mildly deflationary over the past 24 hours. Summit seismic activity is dominated by eruptive tremors (a signal associated with fluid movement) with very few volcano-tectonic earthquakes.
    Rift Zone Observations: No unusual activity has been noted along the East Rift Zone or Southwest
Rift Zone; steady rates of ground deformation and seismicity continue along both. Measurements from continuous gas monitoring stations downwind of Puʻuʻōʻō in the middle East Rift Zone—the site of 1983–2018 eruptive activity—remain below detection limits for SO2, indicating that SO2 emissions from Puʻuʻōʻō are negligible.
    Hazard Analysis: Eruptive activity is occurring on the down-dropped block and Halemaʻumaʻu crater, within Kīlauea’s summit caldera and in the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. During Kīlauea summit eruptions, the high level of volcanic gases—primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)— and fine volcanic particles are the primary hazards of concern, as these hazards can have far-reaching effects downwind.

View from the ground of one of the vents erupting in Kīlauea caldera on September 14, 2023. The lava fountain
 heights at the vents reached up to about 10-15 meters (32-50 feet) and the horseshoe-shaped spatter ramparts that have accumulated on the south/downwind side of the vents are 20 meters (66 feet) high. USGS photo by D. Downs

    As SO2 is released from the summit, it reacts in the atmosphere to create the visible haze known as vog (volcanic smog) that has been observed downwind of Kīlauea. Vog creates the potential for airborne health hazards to residents and visitors, damages agricultural crops and other plants, and affects livestock. For more information on gas hazards at the summit of Kīlauea, please see (this link). Vog information can be found (here).
    Strong winds may waft fine rock particles to areas downwind of erupting vents. People should minimize their exposure to these fine volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation.  Reports from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews indicate that fine particles of Pele’s Hair and other tephra are being deposited in the area near the Keanakāko‘i Overlook, which is approximately half a mile (about 1 km) from the eruption site. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has closed the Keanakāko‘i Overlook to the public at this time.
    Other significant hazards also remain around Kīlauea’s summit from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes within the area closed to the public. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of the rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since early 2008.

Kaʻū News Briefs Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023

See Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' Kaʻū Region Plan published in 2012 at https://dhhl.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Kau-Regional-Plan-May-2012.pdf. Image from Hawaiian Home Lands Trust

THE TOWN HALL IN PĀHALA ON TUESDAY drew Jeff Kekoa, President of Ka‘ū Hawaiian Home Lands Association. He asked representatives of Hawai‘i County how the county can cooperate with the quasi-state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to bring water to the 10,000 acres in South Point that it holds in trust for Native Hawaiians. He said that County waterlines go down South Point Road but there is much competition from people buying homes and estates along the way so there is no water left for the lands belonging to native Hawaiians below them.

    Kekoa said generations of Hawaiians have been waiting to lease lands at South Point from DHHL but are turned away because of the water shortage. A representative of county Department of Water Supply noted that the problem is the undersized waterlines. He and Kekoa also noted that Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is building water tanks to help solve the problem and will turn the tanks over to the County to operate them.

Ahupua'a in Kaʻū with Hawaiian Home Lands 
outlined in red. Map from DHHL

      Mayor Mitch Roth, who hosted the meeting in Pāhala, said he is going to meet with DHHL chief Kali Watson soon and will bring up the idea of using some of the $600 million recently appropriated to DHHL to help fund the water supply lines to Hawaiian Home Lands at South Point.

    Kekoa also noted that the Hawaiian Homes Commission will host a meeting  this Sunday, Sept. 17 at 3 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Community Center, 95-5635 Māmalahoa Hwy. The Commission will receive live verbal public testimony. Interested persons can attend or view the meeting livestream

at https://dhhl.hawaii.gov/live/. 

    Watson, Chair of Hawaiian Homes Commission, is set to attend. Hawai‘i Island's commissioners are Makai Freitas for West Hawai‘i and Michael Kaleikini for East Hawai‘i.

    See more from this week's Town Hall in Pāhala, sponsored by Mayor Mitch Roth and his County Department leaders in upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs. See the entire meeting on the Mayor's facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HIMayorMitch/videos/1515428795696531.

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IMPROVING RECYCLING THROUGH REFILLABLE BOTTLES AND REUSABLE FOOD WARE is coming to this island through a federal grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mayor Mitch Roth announced the funding on Thursday. Hawaiʻi County will receive $1,522,130 dedicated to enhancing recycling infrastructure and waste management systems. The startup program will begin in Hilo.

     The County's grant proposal says that cleaning and reusing bottles and food ware "will result in 1 million uses of reusable food ware in place of disposable food ware and reduction of disposable food ware by 50o tons annually." The project will create five management jobs and ten to 20 operations jobs. The federal grant pays for the purchase of refuse collection bins, transport vehicles and crates/totes, a dishwashing machine, a platform to support asset tracking and management, as well as funding to install or equip the infrastructure. The project management, community engagement, and technical expertise work is funded through philanthropic grants.

    "We're deeply grateful for the EPA's decision to support our proposal," said the Mayor. "This initiative is all about building the necessary infrastructure for our residents to continue forging a greener and more resilient Hawaiʻi Island, where every citizen actively contributes to the preservation of our environment and sustainability of our island home."
    The EPA's selection of Hawaiʻi County as a grant recipient is part of the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling program, totaling over $73 million distributed to 25 communities nationwide. Additionally, an allocation of approximately $32 million is available for states and territories to enhance solid waste management planning, data collection, and plan execution. These grants align with EPA's National Recycling Strategy, promoting a circular economy by extending the lifespan of materials, products, and services.

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A RECOMMENDATION FOR RECEIVING THE NEW COVID VACCINES was issued on Thursday by the state Department of Health. "The Hawai‘i Department of Health recommends use of the new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines newly approved and authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to protect against the most common forms of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i. The new vaccines address the XBB-lineages of the Omicron variant that accounts for 99% of COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i."
    The new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines replace the previously approved/authorized Bivalent mRNA vaccines.
    State Health Director Dr. Kenneth S. Fink said, "The authorization of the new 2023-2024 COVID-19

COVID photo from Pfizer

vaccines comes at a good time. We are seeing increased numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. By getting the new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, you are taking steps to help minimize the spread of disease in our communities. This is especially important as we approach the holiday season."
    U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced the approval and authorization of updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine formulations on Monday, Sept. 11. On Tuesday, U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommended the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines for all persons 6 months of age and older.
    For persons 5 years of age and older, the new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines are to be administered as a single dose, at least two months after a person's last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
    For persons under the age of 5, recommended doses and vaccination schedules will vary depending on the child's previous vaccination history and vaccine brand administered. With questions, consult with the child's physician for guidance.
    For children 6 months through 18 years of age, the new, updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines will be available through the Vaccines For Children Program, as well as health insurance coverage for zero out-of-pocket cost. The new, updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines should be available wherever children currently receive their other routine childhood immunizations.
    Unlike previous COVID-19 vaccines, the new vaccines are not being exclusively distributed by the U.S. Government to vaccination providers. The new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines are available through

traditional pathways for purchase, distribution, and payment, including health insurance coverage.
    Initial public and private sector orders of the new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines have begun shipping and are expected to arrive in pharmacies and provider offices this week, according to DOH. "However, not all providers will have vaccines available at the same time as shipping timeframes will vary between manufacturers, vaccine distributors, and provider locations. Please give your providers time to ensure vaccines are received in good condition, stored properly, and inventoried in their systems, in order to properly administer and document the vaccination of patients. Scheduling of vaccination appointments will be done by individual vaccine providers once they receive delivery of their 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine supply."
    Persons seeking vaccination may search for 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine providers on the Vaccines.gov - Find COVID‑19 vaccine locations near you website. For uninsured and underinsured adults, the website will be updated to include a filter feature to identify locations participating in the Bridge Access Program.
    DOH reminds the public that, "in addition to getting the new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines, masking and physical distancing continue to be effective for protecting yourself and others against COVID-19. Additionally, good hygiene practices, such as frequent handwashing, are also highly recommended to prevent the spread of COVID-19."

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