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Friday, November 15, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Nov. 15, 2024

Residents talked to National Park Service representatives about hunting on the park lands and its importance to
food security. Photo by Julia Neal

A SECOND PUBLIC MEETING ON THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT PLAN OF KAHUKU Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station.
    The National Park Service is developing a Kahuku Site Management Plan for the 132,000 plus acres. including the newly acquired Kahuku-Pōhue, which includes a long shoreline. Public input is encouraged.
    The Park invites the public to comment through Dec. 6 at 8:59 p.m. This is the beginning of civic engagement for the site management plan for the Park's Kahuku Unit, which includes Upper and Lower Kahuku ma uka of Highway 11 and the recently acquired Kahuku-Pōhue, ma kai of the highway.
    Another opportunity to comment is through a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., https://swca.zoom.us/j/91799290126. 
Public access particularly for local residents was one
of the topics brought up at the Kahuku public input
meeting on Thursday. Photo by Julia Neal

     The National Park Service statement also encourages the public to "Check out the Story Map to see some of the options the park is considering and wants to talk with the public about, especially the Kaʻū community who has deep ties to these special places." Comment online: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/KahukuPlan
See an earlier story on the plan with photos of the Kahuku shoreline at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2024_11_06_archive.html.
     During the public meeting in Nāʻālehu on Thursday, numerous comments came from the public, including those expressing concern with public access. Some involved free access for hunting and fishing for local people, whether or not vehicles will be allowed at the beach, gathering rights. Members of the public asked whether traditional dirt roads will still be available to access hunting and fishing. 
     It was suggested that there be varying programs for protection of native species of plants and animals, such as creating zones where ungulates are kept out to preserve them and creating other zones where ungulates (goats, sheep, cows, wild cattle) are allowed to keep grasses down and permit hunting them. It was suggested that half of permits issued for the park be for Hawaiian people. It was suggested to
improve access roads to accommodate other than four-wheel drive vehicles. Another comment was "No camping at the Beach."
    It was suggested that such groups as Boy Scouts conduct service project at Kahuku.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.
 
MILOLI'I-KAʻŪ FALL VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT IS SATURDAY and Sunday at Herkes Kaʻū District Gym in Pāhala. Organizer Kaimi Kaupiko said there will be 28 teams playing 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Teams are coming from Hilo, Pāhoa, Kona and Waimea.
Admission is free, with funds raised through food sales with $10 bowls. The menu for Saturday is adobo, chili, shoyu chicken, smoke meat, kalua nachos, kalua bowl, musubi, hot dogs, Pāhala pops, drinks, acai bows and baked goods.
    On Sunday, menu is Korean chicken, hamburger patty with gravy, chili dog, hot dogs, musubi, poke bowl, shave ice, cotton candy and baked goods.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.

Pohakuloa Training Area Commander Tim Alvarado gives Veterans Day speech at KMC.
KMC Photo by Benjamin Rosete, Jr.
VETERANS DAY CELEBRATIONS FROM KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP IN VOLCANO to the veterans memorial statue in Na'alehu, with Ka'u Multicultural Society and O Ka'u Kako at its outdoor market, honored those who served. 
KMC Director C.A. Morris shares a welcome to all at KMC
Veterans Day ceremonies. KMC Photo by Benjamin Rosete, Jr.
    Gov. Josh Green sent out this message: "On this Veterans Day, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the many veterans who call Hawai‘i home. You have given so much to protect our freedoms and uphold the values that define us as a nation. Your service and sacrifice go beyond words, and we feel the impact of your courage and commitment every day in our communities.     "Today, we honor not only your past service but also the strength, resilience, and aloha you bring to Hawai‘i. From the bottom of my heart, mahalo nui loa for all that you have given and continue to give.
    KMC held a flag raising ceremony with Jr.ROTC youth and speeches by Pohakuloa Training Area Commander Tim Alvarado and KMC Director C.A. Morris. 
    Ka'u Multicultural Society gave out food donated by Hana Hou Restaurant. OKK provided music and hot dogs at its market.
Flag rising with Jr. ROTC at Kilauea Military Camp on Veterans Day.
KMC Photo by Benjamin Rosete, Jr.

Flag Raising ceremony by Kealakehe WaveRiders JROTC and the Scouts from Troop 210. One scout played to the colors as the flag was being raised. KMC Photo by Benjamin Rosete, Jr.

Veterans Day performance by Kumu Hula John Ku`uhoamele Cuban and Nā Mōhai Aloha o Ka Laua`e Halau Hula,
  
KMC Photo by Benjamin Rosete, Jr.
Veterans Winslow Vierra and
Ron Ebert on Veterans Day.
Photo from Kaʻū Multicultural Society
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.

PUBLIC MEETINGS TO UPDATE THE COUNTY HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN are coming up. They are Monday, Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. at the Hilo Hilo Emergency Operations Center (EOC), 920 Ululani Street and at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at West Hawai'i Civic Center, Hale Room, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua-Kona.

    County of Hawai'i is inviting residents to learn about the potential impacts of natural hazards on their communities and discuss proactive solutions to reduce risks.        

   "Community input is essential to help shape this critical plan, which aims to enhance the safety and resilience of Hawai'i Island in the face of natural hazards," says a County statement.

    "The meetings will cover findings on various potential hazards and solicit feedback from residents to ensure that the Hazard Mitigation Plan aligns with local priorities and needs. This is a key opportunity for Hawai'i Island residents to contribute to a safer and more resilient future."
These meetings are part of Hawai'i County's ongoing commitment to disaster preparedness and hazard mitigation, said Mayor Mitch Roth who recommended that encourages all residents to attend and share their insights to ensure a comprehensive approach to hazard mitigation.


To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.




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Kaʻū Taro Festival will be Saturday, Dec. 14 at Kaʻū Herkes Gym Complex in Pāhala. Vendors
 can sign up until Nov. 26. Sign up for a booth online at 
www.okaukakou.org/kau-taro-festival.
 The event is free and open to the public.




   











Thursday, November 14, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Nov. 14, 2024

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Kaʻū's former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Robert Kennedy, Jr. campaigned for Trump across
 the country and have both been nominated by the President-Elect to become members of his cabinet,
requiring confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
   

     
TULSI GABBARD who formerly represented Kaʻū and all of rural Hawai'i in Congress, before she launched a campaign for President, departed the Democratic Party and joined the Donald Trump campaign, is the President-elect's choice for Director of National Intelligence. Also picked by Trump is Robert Kennedy, Jr, who is nominated to run the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. He was involved in Hawai'i in the Save Our Seas organization, headlining one of its conventions, years ago.
       The Office of the Director of National Intelligence website describes the job that Gabbard would take under Trump:
    "The Director of National Intelligence serves as the head of the Intelligence Community,  overseeing and directing the implementation of the National Intelligence Program budget and serving as the principal advisor to the President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council for intelligence matters related to national security.
  "Working together with the Principal Deputy DNI and with the assistance of Mission Managers and Deputy Directors, the Office of the DNI's goal is to effectively integrate foreign, military and domestic intelligence in defense of the homeland and of United States interests abroad."
   
    The agencies Gabbard would oversee as Director of National Intelligence would be: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Administration, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, National Security Agency, Department of the Treasury, Department of Energy and Defense Intelligence Agency.
    The Director of National Intelligence also oversees: National Counterterrosim Center, National Counterintelligence & Security Center, National Counterproliferation & Biosecurity Center, Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center and Foreign Malign Influence Center.
   Current Director of National Intelligence is Avril Haines, who has a long career in the intelligence field and is the first woman in that position. See more on her at https://www.dni.gov/index.php/who-we-are/leadership/director-of-national-intelligence.
   See more on the National Intelligence Director's department at https://www.dni.gov/index.php/who-we-are/leadership/director-of-national-intelligence.
     Gov. Josh Green commented on the Gabbard appointment: “I’ve known Tulsi for a very long time and hope that she can bring some aloha to the new administration. This is going to be an era that truly tests humanity and our willingness to treat vulnerable people with compassion.”
     Kaʻū's current congresswoman Jill Tokuda gave her view of the Kennedy nomination: "RFK Jr. and President-Elect Trump have committed to an extreme agenda that promises to hamstring our federal health agencies and their essential work to keep Americans safe. Cutting critical investments is not making America healthy again—it's reckless, and leaving us unprepared."
        
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.

HOLIDAYS IN KAHUKU
has been set for Saturday, Dec. 7 by Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and the Park. Location of the Kahuku Unit of the Park is at the 70.5 mile marker on Hwy 11 between South Point Road and Ocean View.
    The fifth annual free family event will feature emcee Alya-Joy Kanehailua, with hula from Halau Ke Olu Makani O Mauna Loa.
    Music all day will include South Side Symphony with classics, the Kipapa Sisters performing Hawaiian music, Volcano Choy performing Jazz and the Hot Potaytahs band performing rock and roll.
    Crafters from Kaʻū and beyond will sell locally made items – jewelry, pottery, stain glass, holiday decorations, and more.
    Food will be available for purchase from Hawaiian Civic Club of Kaʻū and 4 Scoops of Aloha. Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park will offer free shave ice minis and face painting. Santa will present bags to the first 200 keiki.
   Friend’s logo merchandise and memberships will be available with proceeds supporting park projects and programs.
    Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is the official Philanthropic Fundraising Partner of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.

TWO VOLCANO RESIDENTS ARE IDENTIFIED AS FATALITIES in in a two-vehicle collision early Saturday morning, Nov. 9. They are 48-year-old Joanna Graves and 54-year-old David Makizuru.
Responding to a traffic collision on Highway 11 near the 24-mile marker at 1:14 a.m., police determined that a blue 2019 Jeep Renegade was traveling south, Ka‘ū bound, on Highway 11 when it crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a white 1996 Toyota Camry operated by Makizuru. Graves was the front seat passenger in the Camry.
    The operator of the Jeep, a 39-year-old Kona woman, was transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center and was subsequently transported to Queens Hospital on Oahu in stable condition. She has since been released from the hospital.
    It is unknown at this time if drugs are a factor in this investigation. Hawai‘i Police Department’s Area I Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated two negligent homicide investigations and ordered autopsies to determine the exact cause of death. Police anticipate bringing charges in this investigation.
    Anyone with information regarding this collision may contact Officer Laurence Davis at (808) 961-2339 or via email at Laurence.Davis@hawaiicounty.gov.
    These are the 26th and 27th traffic fatalities of 2024 compared to 15 traffic fatalities this same time last year. 

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.



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Kaʻū Taro Festival will be Saturday, Dec. 14 at Kaʻū Herkes Gym Complex in Pāhala. Vendors
 can sign up until Nov. 26. Sign up for a booth online at 
www.okaukakou.org/kau-taro-festival.
 The event is free and open to the public.



Kaʻū Taro Festival will be Saturday, Dec. 14 at Kaʻū Herkes Gym Complex in Pāhala. Vendors
can sign up until Nov. 26. Sign up for a booth online at www.okaukakou.org/kau-taro-festival.
The event is free and open to the public.



   










Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Kaʻū News Briefs Nov. 13, 2024


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NPS Photo of a couple seated at a picnic table in Lower Kahuku, beneath an ʻōhiʻa tree.

THURSDAY IS THE NĀ’ĀLEHU MEETING ON PLANNING THE FUTURE OF KAHUKU. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is developing a plan to manage 132,000 acres in Upper and Lower Kahuku and the newly acquired Kahuku-Pōhue, and encourages public input. The meeting is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Community Center, Thursday, Nov. 14.
    The next public input meeting is Saturday, Nov. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kahuku Visitor Contact Station. There will also be a virtual option on Tuesday, December 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., https://swca.zoom.us/j/91799290126.
     A Park statement recommends the community to "Check out the Story Map to see some of the options the park is considering and wants to talk with the public about, especially the Kaʻū community who has deep ties to these special places."
  Also submit comments online: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/KahukuPlan
  See story on the plan with photos of the Kahuku shoreline at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2024_11_06_archive.html.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.

The male nēnē at Uēkahuna guards his pregnant female. Image
 taken through binoculars from a distance.
NPS Photo by Dr. Kristina Paxton
TO PROTECT NESTING NĒNĒ, the east entrance of Uēkahuna parking lot, and a short section of Crater Rim Trail are temporarily closed. The announcement from Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park says:
    No parking stalls are closed for now, and the west entrance to the parking lot will serve as both entrance and exit. However, large motorcoaches (buses 25 feet or more) will not be able to access the Uēkahuna parking lot because there is no place to turn around. The temporary closure also includes a short section of Crater Rim Trail east of the parking lot, effective immediately. The eastern overlook of Kīlauea caldera at the landmark USGS triangulation station remains open, with the closest access by foot from Kīlauea Overlook.
    The portable toilets and western overlook of Kīlauea caldera remain open and accessible from the Uēkahuna parking lot.
    “Safeguarding native wildlife is part of our mission at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park,” said the park’s wildlife biologist, Dr. Kristina Paxton. “Nēnē are very vulnerable to being killed by vehicles, and this partial closure improves their chances for survival.”
                   Dr. Kristina Paxton, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Wildlife Biologist. NPS Photo by Janice Wei

    Paxton noted that nēnē usually mate for life. The female incubates two to five eggs while the male guards the family. Incubation takes about a month, and re-nesting could occur if eggs are destroyed or abandoned.
    She said that nesting season is September through May and many nēnē are seen on or near park roads, making them especially vulnerable to being killed by vehicles this time of year. "Everyone can help protect nēnē: slow down, watch for them near roads, and never feed them. Keep wildlife wild and stay at least 60 feet from them."
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.

COMING TO KAʻŪ ARE USDA FARM & RANCH WORKER RELIEF GRANTS to be given in person by USDA representatives on Friday, Nov. 22. 
   Workers can preregister for the In-person Payment Registration Event. The USDA is providing $600 per person to eligible farm and livestock workers for expenses they incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic if they worked between Jan. 27, 2020 and May 11, 2023. To be eligible, must show pay stub, direct deposit or income statement or tax return, W-2 or written attestation.
    The location of the event will be provided to those who send in the application for the grant. See the QR codes in poster to access the registration materials.
     For this program USDA is cooperating with Executive Office on Early Learning, Hawai'i Good Food Alliance, County of Hawai'i, NORC research group at University of Chicago and others.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.\



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Kaʻū Taro Festival will be Saturday, Dec. 14 at Kaʻū Herkes Gym Complex in Pāhala. Vendors
 can sign up until Nov. 26. Sign up for a booth online at 
www.okaukakou.org/kau-taro-festival.
 The event is free and open to the public.


  
Speakers as of Sept 2024


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Annual Volcano Village Artists Hui Sale