The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Saturday, August 03, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Aug. 3, 2024

AN EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION TO BOLSTER SCHOOL BUS SERVICE was signed by Gov,
Josh Green, M.D. on Friday. School starts Monday and Tuesday and the state Department of Education announced at the end of the work week that school bus services are suspended for students in public schools from Ka'u into Puna and Hilo. The Governor signed the emergency proclamation to bolster school bus services to help public school children get to and from school. Some routes are also suspended on Maui and O'ahu.
Suspended routes total 147, affecting some 2,720 students. Students receiving transportation as part of special education services will not be affected.
The DOE will continue to work to restore suspended bus routes and will notify families when routes are restored, says the statement from the Governor.
The emergency proclamation provides flexibility for HIDOE to find interim solutions for the impacted
routes. County of Hawai'i is adjusting routes to help accommodate children using the free public

transportation to go to school.
Those wishing to become a school bus driver can earn starting pay of $32 an hour plus benefits, retirement package and profit sharing. Apply at https://www.groundtransportinc.com/how-to-apply.html.

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SUMMER READING CHALLENGE WAS A SUCCESS, according to a statement from the public library system. Over 16,000 participated in the challenge state wide, reading more than 15.8 million minutes.
Summer Reading Challenge participants who logged at least one hour of reading earned an automatic entry for the statewide Grand Prize: four roundtrip tickets to anywhere Alaska Airlines® flies! Watch for the announcement of the grand-prize winner later this month.

WITH SCHOOLS STARTING NEXT WEEK and more children likely walking or riding to school with friends in relatives until school bus service is restored, Hawai'i Police Department has issued Back to School School Traffic Safety Tips.

"Hawai’i Police Department is ready to do our part in keeping our keiki safe on their way to and from school. We encourage everyone to drive safe, walk safe, and bike safe with an aloha spirit!"
Torey Keltner, Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section Program Manager, said, “The return to school is a pivotal time for our keiki and their families. We are very fortunate to have a strong School Crossing Guard program here in Hawai’i County, however they need our help in areas around schools to ensure this school year is a safe one for our children.”
Here are some traffic safety tips as kids head back to school:
Driver Awareness: Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood.
When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.

Enhanced School Zone Awareness: Drivers are urged to reduce their speed and be extra cautious in school zones, especially during peak drop-off and pick-up times when keiki are most active. Increased Visibility for Pedestrians and Cyclists:Students are encouraged to wear bright clothing and use lights on bicycles. Pedestrians should always use crosswalks and be vigilant when crossing streets.Strict Adherence to School Bus Safety Laws:Obey the school bus “flashing signal light system” that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:
Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

"We all have a role to play in keeping our students safe. Let’s work together and drive with aloha, slow down when approaching school zones, pay close attention to crosswalks and help the school crossing guards to help children get to school safely." says the HPD statement.

The Reunion features the screening of a PBS film Ka'u Sugar,
A Town Remembers on the history of the sugar plantation
and the closing of the mill in 1996. It will also feature a film
on history of the local coffee industry.

Friday, August 02, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Aug. 2, 2024

The state Department of Education and Hawai'i County encourage those with CDL licenses to become school bus drivers
to help return public school bus service to Kaʻū through Volcano into Puna and Hilo. The pay starts at $32 an hour. Apply at https://www.groundtransportinc.com/how-to-apply.html.

THE SCHOOL BUS EMERGENCY that would leave no school bus service for all of Kaʻū, Volcano, Puna and Hilo when school starts next week got a quick response from the County after it was announced on Friday. The first day of school for grades six, seven and nine is next Monday. The first day for all students is Tuesday.

County of Hawai'i issued a statement saying it will collaborate with representatives from state Department of Education and County Mass Transit Agency to mitigate effects of the shortage of bus drivers that led to the Department of Education temporarily stopping school bus service in the area.

The County will help by identifying Hele On bus public transportation routes that will temporarily accommodate students, as well as making an urgent appeal for Commercial Driver’s License holders to fill the critical role of driving school buses.

Additional stops may be added to existing Hele-On routes to ensure safe and reliable transit to and from public schools.

“Our keiki deserve consistent and dependable transportation to and from school,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “This partnership demonstrates our commitment to finding swift solutions while we continue to work on long-term strategies. We are calling on our community, especially those with CDL licenses, to step forward and help ensure that no child is left without a ride to school.”
In the short term, public transportation routes may be adjusted to prioritize student access. The Hawaiʻi County Mass Transit Agency has designated specific routes where students can utilize the Hele-On Bus system at no cost during school commute hours. The county is also collaborating with the state to expedite the hiring process for new drivers for CDL holders who are willing to join this effort.

Special education students will still receive transportation in smaller vehicles.

Students who live beyond walking distance of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Pāhala High & Elementary can take the free Hele On Bus public transportation or rely on family and friends for rides to school.
Randy Moore, the DOE's Deputy Superintendent of Operations, said, “Working with our contractors to restore the bus routes is critical to support our students’ attendance at school and their learning.”
Parents and guardians who drive students to school can be reimbursed for mileage. Visit https://bit.ly/HIDOE-EXPRESS.

“We recognize the challenge and hardship this creates for parents and schools. Getting all of our students to school each day is a very high priority, and we are working to restore service as soon as

possible. We appreciate Mayor Roth and Hawai‘i County mobilizing quickly to provide support and solutions to provide alternate transportation and recruit qualified drivers,” said HIDOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi.
The state and its contractors are concurrently exploring long-term solutions, including subsidizing CDL training programs for residents interested in becoming school bus drivers and enhancing recruitment efforts locally.

Individuals with a current CDL license who are interested in becoming school bus drivers are encouraged to contact the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Education for more information on how to apply. Ground Transport, Inc. is offering competitive compensation and benefits to attract qualified candidates. The statement said that Ground Transport Inc. is offering competitive compensation and benefits to attract qualified candidates.

GROUND TRANSPORT, INC IS OFFERING $32 AN HOUR, starting pay for school bus drivers on school routes in Kaʻū and beyond. There is a $3,000 signing bonus and a guarantee of 22.5 hours a week. Qualified employees--whether employed full-time or part-time-- receive a full benefit package with medical, drug, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, 401K and profit sharing.

5,500 in the mail and 2,000 on the streets

Applicants must be at least 21 years old with a valid CDL A or B license with P & S endorsements. The position is a split schedule to accommodate a.m. and p.m.school runs, Monday through Friday. Drivers may also be scheduled for excursions in between the school runs, evenings and weekends.
Applicants are required to pass a pre-employment drug screen and DOT Physical, paid by Ground Transportation, Inc. Applicants must also submit a Traffic Abstract and Driver History Record and Negative TB Clearance.
Openings are also available for van drivers for special education students. Drivers receive a $1,500 hiring incentive and $23 an hour with regular drivers license and $25 and hour with CDL. Openings are also available for van aides who receive a $1000 hiring incentive and $20 an hour. Both positions include guaranteed hours and benefits.
To apply, see https://www.groundtransportinc.com/how-to-apply.html.

COFFEE TALK AT KAHUKU unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park this month on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 9:30 a.m. to noon is about two of the largest volcanic events at Kīlauea since the Polynesian voyagersʻ arrival

The first is the eruption of a giant lava flow in Puna in the 15th century and the ensuing formation of the summit caldera about 1500 CE. There are oli (chants) that metaphorically describe these eruptions and that have only recently been appreciated by geologists who overlooked their value in passing down the volcanic history.

Growing up near Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens, USGS geologist Don Swanson says he was almost fated to become a volcanologist. His passion for poetry as well as science led him to compare the Pele-Hiʻiaka oli and the volcanic history of Kīlauea. His Coffee Talk presentation will detail the correlation between the chants and the modern scientific understanding of these volcanic events.

On Sunday, Sept 1, from 9-1, the community is invited to participate in Community Day at two pre-contact agricultural field system excavation sites here at Kahuku. Janae Garcia of the park's Cultural Resource Management team will lead the hike, which is rated moderate to difficult. There are

25 places allotted and reservations are required. Email reservation requests to They will be filled in the order received.

Thursday, August 01, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Aug.1, 2024

A view of Halemaʻumaʻu from within Hawaiian Volcano Observatory tower at the Uēkahuna bluff in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The tower, which has been removed, provided views of Kaluapele (Kīlauea's summit caldera), the upper portion of the rift zones, and Mauna Loa.

USGS photo taken on May 18, 2018

HVO BIDS FAREWELL TO ITS UEKAHUNA LOCATION is the title of this week's Volcano Watch, a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.
"Time to go"... words that none of us at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory wanted to hear.It was May 16, 2018, and HVO staff had been in the throes of monitoring Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit caldera collapse for the previous two weeks. HVO's building—located on the rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauea's summit crater)—was being shaken apart by as many as 400 earthquakes per day. Cracks in the floors and walls enlarged and multiplied as did concern for HVO staff working there, until those inevitable words were spoken. As we reluctantly left our offices that day, little did we know that we'd never work there again.
Despite vacating our cherished workplace, HVO had a job to do, so staff carried on from temporary offices in Hilo without missing a beat. We didn't have time to ponder the fate of our building, although we harbored hope that it could be repaired. At the time, our focus was solely on responding to the ongoing destructive lava flows and summit collapse at Kīlauea.
It was only after the 2018 volcanic crisis ended that HVO staff learned that damage to the building was deemed too extensive for it to be safely reoccupied. News that the building would be razed was devastating.

Thomas A. Jaggar, Jr., long time director of HVO built the first building for Hawaiian Volcano Obwervatory. Here
checks out a 12-ton block ejected from Halemaumau in 1924 . USGS Photo by Tai Sing Lee

HVO's history began in 1912, when geologist Thomas A. Jaggar, Jr., who recognized the need for continuous monitoring of Hawaiʻi's active volcanoes, secured funding to build a structure on the northeast rim of Kaluapele, near the present-day Volcano House. After that structure was removed in 1940, HVO staff shared space with National Park staff for two years in what is now the 'Ōhi'a Wing near Volcano House. The observatory then occupied a building at the site of today's Kīlauea Visitor Center until 1948, when HVO relocated to an existing building at Uēkahuna on the west rim of Kaluapele.
In 1986, HVO moved into a larger facility constructed adjacent to the original crater rim building, which was returned to the National Park Service and converted to the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum. The 1986 building remained the home of HVO until 2018.
HVO's summit location was ideal for monitoring Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, Hawaiʻi's two most active volcanoes. The tower atop the building provided unobstructed views of both volcanoes, which proved especially helpful when a lava lake opened in Halema'uma'u at the summit of Kīlauea in 2008.

HVO staff, from 1948 through 2018, realized what a privilege and inspiration it was to work within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park from the buildings at Uēkahuna. The site provided spectacular views from which we could readily observe Kaluapele and Kīlauea's upper rift zones. Hundreds of volunteers and visiting scientists from around the world, as well as countless students came to HVO to learn about and experience the only USGS observatory located at the summit of an active volcano.
Volcanoes rarely erupt at the convenience of humans, so HVO staff must sometimes work around the clock when monitoring an eruption. As a result, HVO's building was like a second home to many staff, so its loss feels personal.
Deconstruction of HVO's building at Uēkahuna is now almost complete. For all of us who worked there, saying that we are sad is a profound understatement. The loss of such an iconic facility is truly the end of an era.

Former USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory building, perched on Kīlauea caldera rim, had spectacular views of the summit eruption. The tower was built with a vision of overlooking eruptions such as this one. This building was damaged during the 2018 summit collapse and was removed in 2024. USGS photo by C. Gansecki

We take comfort in knowing that part of the building was taken down in such a way that materials from it can be used elsewhere. For example, rocks from its outer walls are being used in the construction of HVO's new field station near Kīlauea Military Camp in the National Park. Like the former buildings at Uēkahuna, the new field station will allow HVO staff to reach field sites on Kīlauea within minutes, when necessary, to repair monitoring instruments or document volcanic activity.

Download the paper at www.kaunews.com,
5,500 in the mail and 2,000 on the streets.

Another USGS facility, currently under construction at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, will provide office and lab space for HVO and the USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center (PIERC). Until then, HVO continues to fulfill its mission from temporary quarters in Hilo and Keaʻau.
As HVO transitions to new environs, those of us who worked from the buildings on the rim of Kaluapele are grateful for the experience and fondly remember our years there.

Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is ADVISORY.
Minor seismic activity and ground deformation continues at Kīlauea's summit and upper-to-middle East Rift Zone, following the July 22-25 intrusive event. Over the past week, about 525 earthquakes were detected beneath Kīlauea's upper East Rift Zone and about 250 events were detected between Maunaulu and Makaopuhi crater in the middle portion of the East Rift Zone within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Kīlauea's summit shows slow inflation over the past week. Unrest may continue to wax and wane with changes to the input of magma in these areas; changes can occur quickly, as can the potential for eruption.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
Four earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M3.5 earthquake 15 km (9 mi) S of Volcano at 6 km (4 mi) depth on July 29 at 9:44 a.m. HST, a M3.4 earthquake 15 km (9 mi) S of Volcano at 7 km (4 mi) depth on July 29 at 9:43 a.m. HST, a M3.7 earthquake 15 km (9 mi) S of Volcano at 7 km (4 mi) depth on July 29 at 9:40 a.m. HST, and a M2.7 earthquake 5 km (3 mi) S of Volcano at 1 km (0 mi) depth on July 27 at 11:24 p.m. HST.

COUNTY OFFICE OF HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT published its Summer Newsletter on Aug. 1, outlining progress in developing affordable housing. See www.housing.hawaiicounty.gov for housing-related news. See Office of housing on Facebook and Instagram @HawaiiCounty.OfficeHousing. Projects like those in more populated areas on the north of the island described in the newsletter could be planned for Kaʻū.

https://www.housing.hawaiicounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/308070/638581206210239284