Kaʻū News Briefs December 7, 2023

Precious Monk Seal at Punalu'u
A roped off area on Punalu'u Black Sand Beach protects a monk seal who hauled onto the beach. The Hawaiian monk seal, seen here on Thursday, is considered one of the most endangered seals in the world. A seal, perhaps the same, was also seen at
 Punalu'u in November. Photo by by Karen Fukunaga 

COMMERCIAL PASSENGERS BOATS WILL COLLECT A STEWARDSHIP FEE. State Board of Land & Natural Resources plans to vote on a new chapter in Hawai'i Administrative Rules to enable the user fee, which has been mandated by the Hawai'i Legislature. The plan is for commercial operators to collect a $1 fee from each passenger or customer. The meeting will be over two days, starting Friday.
    The user fees will support Department of Land & Natural Resources' conservation, restoration, enhancement and management of Hawai‘i’s marine resources.
    DLNR reports that stakeholder and community testimony from multiple in-person and virtual informational briefings and public hearings showed support for the general concept of collecting fees from ocean users. Some commercial operators expressed concerns about the administrative and financial burdens placed on them. Since the fee is mandated by statute, it can’t be changed or waived by rulemaking. Given that, state Division of Aquatic Resources incorporated stakeholder input in designing a fee transfer system to minimize the burden on commercial operators.

    The ocean stewardship fee proposal also underwent a Ka Pa‘akai Analysis, which is triggered when agencies consider uses of public trust resources that may impact the exercise of Native Hawaiian

Board of Land & Natural Resources agenda at meetings beginning Friday include
new regulations on taking and selling of reef fish and Kona crab, and charging passengers on
commercial boats $1 each for DLNR stewardship money. Photos from DLNR

traditional and customary rights.
    DAR received three public testimonies from the analysis. Two indicated the fees would or should support community stewardship, perpetuation of cultural knowledge and practices, and reducing the negative impact of ocean tourism on cultural resources. One testimony stated the proposed rules would negatively impact a commercial operation that prides itself in sharing culture knowledge and values.

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REGULATIONS ON THE TAKING AND SELLING OF MANINI, KOLI, KALA, UHU AND KONA CRAB are up for approval starting Friday, during two days of meetings of the state Board of Land & Natural Resources. All the fish are considered important herbivorous reef fish. State Division of Aquatic Resources says the regulations were crafter by science-based and stakeholder-informed regulations.
    "Manini, kole, kala, and uhu are important food fish targeted by fishers for recreational, subsistence,

cultural, and commercial purposes. These fish play an important role in Hawaii’s nearshore waters. Pāpa‘i kualoa (Kona crab) is targeted by some noncommercial fishers and a small-scale commercial fishery."
The proposed new rules are:
    Increase the minimum length for manini (Convict Tang) from five to six inches;
    Establish a new minimum length of five inches for kole (Goldring Surgeonfish);
   Establish a new noncommercial bag limit of four kala (Bluespine Unicornfish) per person per day;
    Establish new restrictions on the commercial harvest and sale of kala;
    Increase the minimum length for large-bodied uhu (Parrotfish) species from twelve to fourteen inches;

   Establish a minimum length of ten inches for all other uhu species;
   Establish a new noncommercial bag limit of two uhu per person per day; 

   Establish restrictions on the commercial harvest and sale of uhu;
   Extend the current closed season (May-August) for pāpa‘i kualoa (Kona Crab) to May-September;
    Allow the take of female pāpa‘i kualoa.

Uhu is one of five fish species up for regulations in taking and selling at Friday's
Board of Land & Natural Resources. Photo from Environment Hawai'i.

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THE FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM WELCOMES NEWS APPLICANTS, reports the County's Office of Housing & Community Development. The agency has released the story of a family who has completed the progress of becoming less dependent on welfare assistance and rental subsidies to move up the economic ladder.

    Richard Spencer said, "Without this program, I doubt we could have reached this point." He and his wife, Akalina, along with their six children are the most recent graduates of the program. Their milestone achievement "follows five years of hard work and dedication," says the county statement. The graduation also came with the disbursal of the Spencer ʻohanaʻs escrow account that topped $27,700.
    The federal Department of Housing & Urban Development's Family Self-Sufficiency Program was created in 1990 to enable families to achieve financial independence and eventually move out of public housing or off Section 8 assistance.

Richard Spencer and wife Akalina completed the Family
Self-Sufficiency Program. Photo from County of Hawai'i

.   The voluntary program is open to Section 8 participants and has two main features: Case management/ coaching services and a financial incentive. The program typically lasts five years, though families may complete it earlier or request an extension of up to two years for good cause.
    Under the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, participating families work with a service coordinator to identify their financial and employment-related goals and to access a range of support services that help in achieving their goals.The financial incentive kicks in when a family sees an increase in its household income. Like all families in the Section 8 program, Family Self-Sufficiency Program participants pay rent based on a percentage of their household income. That means as a familyʻs income increases, rent payments follow suit.
    However, when families in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program see an increase in income, the portion of that extra income that would have otherwise gone to rent instead goes into an interest-bearing escrow account. Meanwhile, the Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to pay the full housing assistance payment.

    Upon successful completion of the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, the family is free to use their saved funds for any purpose. Some common uses are to start a new business, repair credit, reduce debt, buy a home, or pay for education.

    The Spencers said their savings will be used first to pay down debt. After that, the family plans to move toward homeownership through Office of County Housing & Urban Developmentʻs Homeownership Option Program.
    While the Spencers admit the program was "tough" and they had some doubt early on if they would be able to succeed, they said they encourage anyone participating in the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program to apply for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.
    "We tell all of our friends. We tell everybody," says Akalina. "This is definitely a program that I would recommend."
    Since late 2020, the Office of Housing and Community Development has helped 28 families successfully graduate from the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, each exiting with an average savings of $10,300.
    "Congratulations to the Spencer ʻohana, and all those in the community who have committed to this program that inspires and empowers individuals and families to make positive change in their lives," said Housing Administrator Susan Kunz. "The County of Hawaiʻi Office of Housing & Community

Development is proud to administer this program that helps local families make progress toward economic independence and self-sufficiency."
    Any Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program participants who is interested in applying for the County of Hawaiʻi Office of Housing & Community Development's Family Self-Sufficiency Program their caseworkers or email Jenny Suefuji at fsshopinfo@hawaiicounty.gov.

    Informational meetings are also held every second Wednesday of the month at the Office of Housing & Community Development's Hilo office at 1990 Kinoʻole Street. In Kona, informational meetings are held every other month at the Office of Housing and Community Developmentʻs office in the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center, Building B.
    The County of Hawaiʻi Office of Housing & Community Development is responsible for the planning, administration, and operation of all County of Hawai'i
housing programs. "Our Mission is to provide for the development of viable communities through decent housing, suitable living environments and expanded economic opportunities," says its statememt.
    More information on the Office of Housing & Community Development and its programs can be found online at www.housing.hawaiicounty.gov. To receive news alerts and OHCD's quarterly newsletter, click here. You can also connect with OHCD on Facebook and Instagram.

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PĀHALA TOWN LIGHTED CHRISTMAS PARADE on this coming Saturday has drawn at least 30 groups to participate, as well as County Council member Michelle Galimba, Mayor Mitch Roth and other dignitaries, according to Chair of the Committee Shai Lopez-Castaneda. He released a map of the parade which takes participants from the grounds of the Mac Nut office on Pikake Street up Pikake Street, right onto Kamani Street, down to Kaʻū Hospital and to Pāhala  Community Center. It ends with picture-taking with Santa and his Buddies, some arts and crafts and light refreshments until 8:30 p.m.

    The parade honors Eddie Andrade who has retired from hosting the renowned Pāhala Christmas Parade with his family for more than 40 years.
    Pāhala Town Lighted Christmas Parade is co-hosted by County Department of Parks & Recreation.

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Kaʻū News Briefs December 6, 2023

Koa art by Joan Yoshioka

KOA, MEANING BRAVE, BOLD, FEARLESS, is Plant of the Month for the last Lāʻau Letters of 2023, written by Jody Rosam with illustration by Joan Yoshioka. Here is La'u Letters, Native Plants of Ka'u:
    I wanted to share a familiar friend, Koa (meaning brave, bold, fearless, courage, and warrior) to bring you strength in the upcoming year. E ola Koa!  Description:  Koa is another one of our endemic Fabulous Fabaceae, and is the second most common tree species in Hawaiʻi (second to ʻōhiʻa). In rich volcanic ash soils, koa can grow to impressive heights of 100 feet or more. In fact, a koa tree in Kapuʻa Ahupuaʻa was measured at 115 feet tall with a crown spread of 93 feet!
    Did you know that mature koa trees do not have true leaves? When they are young, koa produces compound leaves composed of many small leaflets, but as they mature, they form the flat sickle-shaped leaf-like structures we are all familiar with seeing. Those are actually phyllodes, which are a modified petiole (the stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem). This is a unique adaptation, because petioles are able to twist the leaves in order to face the sun. In the case of koa, the vertically-flattened arrangement of the phyllodes optimizes their exposure to sunlight (and photosynthesis) throughout the canopy.
    The bark of koa is typically light gray, and is sometimes covered on one side by a bright orange lichen. The white flowers form in small, round heads and give way to seed pods containing many dark brown hard seeds. If you look closely at seeds in a pod, you can even notice the piko where it is attached to the pod. Have you ever walked through a koa forest and smelled a garlicky smell? That is the smell of the busy rhizobia or soil bacteria that live in root nodules fixing nitrogen! These rhizobia have the power to convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2), which is difficult for plants to uptake, into a usable form of ammonia (NH3). Cool symbiotic relationship, right?
    Uses: Commercially, koa is one of the most valued (and most expensive) woods in the world, which is why a sustainable harvesting method is crucial to perpetuating koa’s survival. Historically, one of the most well-known uses for koa was in canoe making. However, the process of selecting and harvesting the koa 

Young koa trees. Photo from state Department of Land & Natural Resources

tree for this purpose was intricate and ceremonial (please read about it). I kū mau mau! In addition to canoes, the fine red wood was once used for hale (houses), hoe (paddles), papa heʻe nalu (surfboards), and ʻumeke lāʻau (calabashes) to name a few, and is now used in woodworking to make exquisite furniture and ʻukulele. The bark can be used to make a red dye for kapa and the leaves can be strung into lei.
    Koa’s medicinal uses are plenty, including reducing fever, pūhō (abscesses), ʻeha māui (bruises), and haki (bone breaks). Habitat: Generally speaking, koa can be found on all of the main Hawaiian Islands except Kahoʻolawe and Niʻihau. It is able to grow at elevations between 150 - 7,000 feet in dry and mesic environments, though the greatest concentrations of koa are between 3,000 - 6,000 feet. In Kaʻū, you can find koa growing in every ahupuaʻa mauka of about 1,000 feet elevation.
    Growing and Purchasing: Koa keiki are often available at local plant sales, however, it should be noted that koa does vary greatly from one location to another. For this reason, as well as when you purchase any native species, please try and be aware of the source of your plant and keep them planted on your property and do not plant purchased trees out into the wild, as the genetic variation of our wild plant populations is critical to their survival. Koa are happiest when planted in full sun, and once they are established, they can handle periods of drought and high winds. Plant them 30-40 feet apart to accommodate their future crown spans in an area with plenty of sunshine. Do your best to keep the base of the tree weed-free, as koa does not like being weed whipped or bumped with a mower, and keep pruning to a minimum. Consider companion planting with a friend like ʻaʻaliʻi, māmaki, or ʻiliahi. Kūlia! 

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Mauna Loa and Hilina Pali Roads are open. NPS photo

MAUNA LOA AND HILINA PALI ROADS HAVE REOPENED for vehicles, for access to their overlooks in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. "Currently, there is no imminent wildfire threat in the area," says the Park posting. "While we are happy that the road is again open, it is essential to remain informed. Dry conditions and invasive plant species have heightened the risk of wildfires in Hawai'i. Increased fire events and the presence of flammable grasses pose a real threat to the cherished ecosystems in Hawai'i. Let's all stay vigilant and #RecreateResponsibly to protect our natural treasures."  

    For more information visit the park website: https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/drought-impact.htm.

A 4.4 M EARTHQUAKE HIT SUMMIT AREA OF KĪLAUEA VOLCANO at about 5:19 p.m. Wednesday. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center no tsunami threat.

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FLAGS WILL BE FLOWN HALF-STAFF ON THURSDAY to commemorate Dec. 7, which marks the attack on Pearl Harbor and World War II. At the direction of the President of the United States, Gov. Josh Green, M.D., ordered that the United States flag and the Hawaiʻi state flag be flown at half-staff at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol and upon all state offices and agencies, as well as the Hawaiʻi National Guard in the State of Hawaiʻi from sunrise until sunset. 

    Green said, "This is a day for all of the world, but especially Hawaiʻi, to solemnly honor the sacrifices of so many service members and civilians who lost their lives during the December 7, 1941 attack that changed the course of world history. We are grateful for the peace that has since reigned between the U.S. and Japan, and for the especially close ties forged between Japan and Hawaiʻi."

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GOV. JOSH GREEN LISTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON TUESDAY after serving a year in office. In addition to those accomplishments by Green and his administration, reported in Tuesday's Kaʻū News Briefs, he reported the following:

    Hawai'i Life Flight: The Dec. 15, 2022 fatal crash of a Hawai'i Life Flight air ambulance – the state's sole interisland medical transport company -- exposed the need to bolster the neighbor islands' medical

airlift capacity. Green issued an Emergency Proclamation allowing the state to supplement medical airlift capacity with aircraft and flight crews from other states and with commercial carriers serving rural communities. In May, OptimuM Air of Las Vegas began operations as the state's second air ambulance carrier.
    Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and

Hawai'i Visitors & Conventions Bureau drew involvement by Green to resolve the heated tourism contract disputes. He said he helped to bring a working peace between the two, "whose divisions over the previous year threatened Hawai'i's pressing need for a cohesive tourism marketing plan."
Fifty million dollars in state stalled grants-in aid. Green worked with the Attorney General's Office and the Department of Budget & Finance in March to release the
money that "supported nearly 180 nonprofit organizations navigating a new, somewhat challenging environment for non-profits following the COVID-19 pandemic."

    Correcting $1 billion overage in state budget. "New stark projections from the Council on Revenues between March and May 2023 showed declining revenue. Green's measured approach balanced fiscal 

accountability with Hawai'i's pressing needs," said a statement from his office. "Going forward, Governor Green will need to reevaluate Hawai'i's spending needs in light of the Maui Wildfire Disaster."

    Green led a Japan Diplomatic Mission in early November to engage with senior Japanese political leaders and tourism industry leaders to welcome Japanese visitors back to Maui—and other parts of Hawai'i. He expressed his intention to make travel easier through pre-custom checks.
    Appointing female judges is listed among Green's Accomplishments. The statement says, "Seeking to achieve gender equity among judges in the state Judiciary, Governor Green has appointed Lisa Ginoza to the State Supreme Court; Judge Kimberly Guidry to the Intermediate Court of Appeals and Judge Michelle Drewyer to the Second Circuit Court on Maui, creating a nearly even balance."

First female judge in Hawai'i, Emma Kaili Metcalf
 Beckley Nakuina, was appointed in 1892. Green 
created nearly a balance of men and women 
judges in his first year. Image from Wikipedia

    

     Protected Women'sReproductive Rights is another accomplishment listed. Among the bills Green first signed into law was SB1, which "expands access to reproductive health care services in numerous ways; clarifies that the state will not deny or interfere with a pregnant person's right to choose to terminate a pregnancy and protects Hawai'i health care providers from punitive legal action from within or outside of the state relating to the provision of legally provided reproductive health care services. Additional protections, prohibitions and requirements are included."

    The statement says that "In response to efforts by extreme judges on the continent to revoke the approval of mifepristone for use in abortion medication in early April 2023, Governor Green directed Comptroller Keith Regan and Tax Director Gary Suganuma to secure a year's supply of the drug.
    Green signed the Obrero reform bill, which "addressed a potentially troubling problem in the state's criminal justice system. The ruling could have forced prosecutors to recharge hundreds of violent offenders and set them free as a grand jury considers their cases." Bill 36, signed by Green in March, clarified that a person could be tried and sentenced for serious felonies either through the complaint and preliminary hearing process, indictment by grand jury, or by written information. The new law also barrs prosecutors from making multiple attempts to charge a person with the same felony by presenting the same evidence to a grand jury or judge, or both.

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Kaʻū News Briefs December 5, 2023

Stanley Brooks, born in Wai‘ōhinu, was the main Santa at Ala Moana. He was called the Hawaiian Santa.
Photo from Ala Moana

A QUIET MAN WHO TRANSFORMED INTO SANTA for thousands of children at Christmastime lived in Pāhala for 15 years while being the star Santa at Ala Moana Center on O'ahu, and in Hilo. Stanley Brooks passed away this year. His wife, Madelyne Maluhia “Babs” Brooks, remains in Pāhala and parents their grandson Kekui.
  “You’re not the real Santa, you’re Hawaiian,” was the kidding from many children who sat on his lap at Ala Moana and Hilo. Hawaiian Santa would reply that he was helping “Santa who was at the North Pole, but this Santa is from South Point,” revealing his Ka‘ū roots. He was one of seven, born and raised in Wai‘ōhinu to Ema Kealikiholokahiki and Stanley Brooks, Sr. His grandfather was Martin Martinson, Sr. known as Kupupa. He managed Kahuku Ranch for 31 years.

    When children told Stanley Brooks, the Hawaiian Santa at Ala Moana and Hilo, that they went to Nā‘ālehu Elementary, he would sometimes slip that he did too, to the astonishment of the keiki. Brooks had many Santa names, from the Hawaiian Santa to Santa Stan. His wife said, “He loved children and could see the warmth of a child’s heart through only a Santa’s eyes.”
    She said he was particularly drawn to children on this island who tended to ask for simple and inexpensive gifts. Many would ask for Santa to help others, like “Can grandma have a tree?” “Can mommy and daddy be happy?” “Can you find my daddy a job?” “Can you cure grandma’s cancer?” The comments revealed children’s understanding of hard times and their deep involvement with their families, said Babs Brooks. When Hawaiian Santa heard families pulling back from photos with Santa, he often called them over for the photos manuahi - no cost.
    Babs Brooks said that her Santa’s “love for Ka‘ū ran deep, and he could never move too far away as he commuted from Ka‘ū to Hilo and Ala Moana ” to be the the main Santa - the Hawaiian Santa.
    Another practice for a decade was on each Christmas morning, he traveled to Hilo to Under His Wings Ministry to be with homeless children. He gave them gifts and encouragement. “That was one of his most cherished memories with children who were less fortunate,” said his wife. “His philosophy as Santa was that the children need to have hope in something, in this troubled world.” Many were without religion, and “Santa was the only thing they could believe in. So he delivered that hope and expressed his love for them.” While most people saw Stanley Brooks as loving and compassionate with a quietness about him, Babb Brooks said, when Christmas came around, “it completely transformed him.”
    Babs Brooks traveled to O'ahu last weekend with Kekui to meet the new Santa at Ala Moana who told them that keiki were asking for the Hawaiian Santa. The new Santa said he tells them that Hawaiian Santa went to heaven, said Brooks. She will give a talk at Wailoa State Park on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. for Hospice. She said she will focus on lessons from her husband on loving your family, giving children hope and serving others.

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ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS WILL RECEIVE OVER $9.7 MILLION on this island, with County Council approval. County of Hawai'i Office of Housing & Community Development announced projects that target an array of initiatives from permanent supportive housing to substance abuse and mental health     

an array of initiatives from permanent supportive housing to substance abuse and mental health treatment to providing services to community members who need assistance in connecting to stable housing opportunities. Also funded are programs providing hygiene outreach, street medicine and family reunification for persons experiencing homelessness.
    "Together with our non-profit community partners we are working to bolster the programs and services that play a vital role in protecting and uplifting some of the most vulnerable members of our community on Hawai'i Island," said county Housing Administrator Susan Kunz.
    Funding comes from the Homelessness and Housing Fund created in 2022 through County Ordinance 22-26, which appropriates 75 percent of tier two property tax revenues annually to address homelessness

and housing on Hawaiʻi Island. The funding is set to expire in 2027.
    On Aug. 3, Office of Housing issued a Request For Proposal seeking applicants to carry out priorities outlined in the Strategic Roadmap for Homelessness and Housing released in September 2022. Office of Housing received 31 proposals from community organizations requesting over $16.2 million, far exceeding the available amount to potentially award in this second of an expected five fiscal years of appropriations.
    Recommended funds for organizations and proposals are:

$525,000 to West Hawai'i Community Health Center, which merged with Bay Clinic to form Hawai'i Island Community Health Center. The grant is for its project called Hawai'i Island Street Medicine Program;

$362,060 to Mental Health Kokua for its Supportive Housing & Workforce Development Program;

$237,296 to Bridge House, Inc. for its Recovery Housing;

$281,486 to Going Home Hawai'i for its Re-entry & Recovery Housing Program;

$288,933 to Project Vision Hawai'i for Hygiene Outreach and Street Medicine;

$1.2 million to Big Island Substance Abuse Council for its Malmapono Center;

$250,000 to Big Island Substance abuse Council for its Mohala Family Center;

$213,920 to The Salvation Army - Family Intervention Services for Transitional Housing Program;

$285,530 to The Salvation Army's Family Intervention Services Transitional Housing Program;

$690,817 to Going Home Hawai'i for its Hawai' Island Frequent Users System and Justice- involved Services Project;

$166,000 to Habitat for Humanity Hawai'i Island for Construction Capacity Building;

$137,000 to Lokahi Treatment Centers for Integrated Substance abuse and Menal Health Treatment for Homeless and At-Risk Individuals;

$214,210 to Neighborhood Place of Puna for its Pathways to Excellence in Practice;

$307,684 to Neighborhood Place of Puna for its 'Ohana Homelessness Prevention & Support Program;

$286,459 to Neighborhood Place of Puna for its Coordination Center Program;

$1.64 million to HOPE Services Hawai'i for Hale Kulike and Keolahou shelters;

$331,990.32 to HOPE Services Hawai'i, Inc. for its Kihei Pua Emergency Shelter;

$867,635.17 to HOPE Services Hawai'i, Inc. for Ending Homelessness Through Behavioral Health & Mental Health Services;

$195,985.87 to HOPE Services Hawai'i, Inc. for Hale Maluhia Emergency Shelter;

$374,564.67 to HOPE Services Hawai'i, Inc. for West Hawai'i Emergency Housing Program;

$292,304 to 808 Homeless Task Force for Family Reunification Program;

$641,802.67 to Child & Family Service for expansion of Hale 'Ohana.

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MARKING COMPLETION OF HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE, GOV. JOSH GREEN GAVE a talk on Tuesday about his challenges and accomplishments, including "bold actions he has taken to serve the people of Hawai'i," says the statement from his office.
   The Governor, who started his medical practice in Kaʻū, said his new administration addressed the highest cost of living in the U.S.; the second-highest rate of homelessness per capita; the long-festering affordable housing shortage of some 50,000 units; the Red Hill water contamination crisis; a teacher shortage impacting public education for keiki; a shortage of healthcare workers especially in rural communities; ongoing gun violence and "the previously unimaginable devastation suffered in the Maui wildfires."
   The speech circled back to priorities he outlined in his inaugural State of the State Address in January. He noted that he introduced and passed the first phase of the Green Affordability Plan to reduce the high cost of living for working families, providing $104 million in direct income tax relief for ALICE families (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed). Green said he will seek $250 million in additional relief for Hawai'i families, via the child and dependent tax credit this year.
   In January, Green signed the first Emergency Proclamation on Homelessness "to cut through red tape, allowing for construction of up to 12 kauhale villages statewide in the coming years."  The first medical respite kauhale, Pūlama Ola, was opened in May, adjacent to the Governor's mansion. The idea was to

Gov. Josh Green and First Lady Jaime Kanani Green celebrating the completion of
his first year in office on Tuesday. Photo from Governor's Office

lead by example in changing the mindset to "Yes In My Backyard," from "Not In My Backyard." More kauhale to house the houseless are in the pipeline for construction, he said.
    To help keep Hawai'i's people at home in the islands, said Green, he exercised his emergency powers to create a committee of the state's leading housing experts to fast-track the development of affordable housing projects. Some 10,800 units of new affordable housing for working families at the state's nine public housing properties were immediately approved and more affordable housing units — as well as homesteads for Department of Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries, are coming, said the Governor.
    Another 800 new housing units planned by county governments and private developers have also broken ground or opened this year.
    "Protecting the health and safety of our people and preserving our precious environmental resources have been top priorities, said Green. The statement from his office said, "His leadership alongside state and county officials has resulted in important progress on draining fuel from Red Hill so it can finally be shut down for good. The draining of up to 250 million gallons from Red Hill's 20 mammoth tanks – the U.S. military's largest underground fuel storage facility -- began five months ahead of schedule."
    Concerning education, the statement said, "Green's commitment to public education was demonstrated in the successful negotiation of a new four-year contract with the Hawai'i State Teachers Association and the 13,500 teachers it represents, in April of this year. With its substantial pay raises for new hires and bonuses for experienced professionals, the contract has paid dividends with teaching positions being filled, vacancies dropping, keeping more and more teachers from leaving the educational field."

Gov. Josh Green and staff as he reviews his first year in office. Photo from the Governor's Office

   Regarding healthcare, the statement said, "As the only active physician-governor in the U.S., Governor Green's announcement of the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program begins to address the severe shortage of healthcare professionals in the state. The HELP program has already awarded 585 healthcare licensees in exchange for two years of full-time or half-time service in Hawai'i, providing care for at least 30% vulnerable patients. This ensures that access to care will be improved for the underserved, especially in rural communities."
   The speech also pointed to gun violence and "the state's first meaningful gun buyback in decades, in October. Nearly 500 firearms were turned in, taken off our streets in exchange for grocery gift cards. This initiative, along with the Governor's commitment to creating safe places from guns, and his signing of key firearms-related legislation on National Gun Violence Awareness Day, will help make our communities safer and protect our keiki from deadly violence."
    Concerning Lahaina, the statement said, "The most devastating disaster most kama'āina will ever see, killed 100 of our loved ones and destroyed most of historic Lahaina Town on August 8. The Lahaina Fire is considered to have been the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. Governor Green's request to President Biden for federal assistance was approved within hours and since then, survivors and displaced residents have received more than $120 million in housing assistance, and will receive another $130 million in state and federal aid. Additional aid will be offered to those who lost loved ones or who were severely injured in the fires through the Governor's Maui Relief Fund, as part of his One 'Ohana Initiative.
    "The Governor and our state partners work daily to find longer-term housing solutions for our Maui neighbors and the Department of Human Services has just announced a Rental Assistance Program to help people relocate from hotel rooms to homes. Governor Green also has provided $12.5 million in emergency grants through Maui Economic Opportunity for businesses affected by the wildfire."

    See more on the Governor's address in the Wednesday Kaʻū News Briefs.

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Volcano Art Center, open daily. See www.volcanoartcenter.org