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Monday, May 09, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, May 9, 2022

 
This book with scenes from the Kaʻū High campus and other sites in Kaʻū made the KITV news Sunday night.
Its illustrator is senior Kelson Gallano, the writer Joyce Iwashita. See more below. Illustration by Kelson Gallano

A PARK FOR EVERY CLASSROOM has selected Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to work collaboratively with local teachers and community partners to create professional development workshops for climate change education.
    Hawaiʻi Volcanoes is partnering with the Ke Kula 'Amakihi Community-Based Education program at the Volcano School of Arts and Sciences and the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center
Hawai'i Volcanoes is one of eight parks chosen for a
 national pilot program Park for Every Classroom.
NPS photo
to explore what students and families need to learn about climate change and how it affects Hawaiʻi.
    Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is one of eight parks chosen to be part of the national pilot of the Park for Every Classroom program. The PEC program has collaborated with teachers, park staff, and community educators in the northeastern United States since 2011 and is now expanding its reach with a national pilot. The advantage of the PEC model is that schools, park staff, and local organizations share resources and knowledge to tackle specific issues facing a community.
    To learn more about this program or to schedule education huakaʻi (field trip) with staff at the park, contact havo_education@nps.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

DEDICATING AN AHUPUA'A for a non-profit place-based research center and living scientific laboratory "to develop sustainability solutions rooted in ancestral knowledge and indigenous practices," is a plan from Hawai'i Community Foundation. Called 'Iole, the name of the ahupua'a, the project is set to bring together academic experts, Native Hawaiian practitioners, community members, students and government leaders to plan and execute the future use of that ahupua'a.
    Mayor Mitch Roth said, “The ʻIole ahupuaʻa is the epitome of potential for sustainable action and community resilience here on Hawaiʻi Island. Our administration has committed to fostering a Hawaiʻi Island where our keiki can thrive and succeed for generations to come, and in that, we are excited to support ʻIole and its partnering organizations in every way possible.”
    Initial programing prioritizes around three focus areas, "energy security, food security and place-based learning, with expertise and resources from partners at the University of Hawaiʻi and Arizona State University, which is already working on this island with marine resource conservation at Miloli'i and mapping forests and reefs.
    Micah Kane, CEO and President of Hawai'i Community Foundation, said, "The world needs authentic solutions to our planet’s most urgent issues, from food security to climate change, to ensure a sustainable future for all people. Solutions that combine ancestral knowledge and indigenous practices with revolutionary science will produce a culturally sound framework that protects the well-being of both people and place, Through our collaborative work at ‘Iole, Hawaiʻi has the opportunity to continue to lead the fight against climate change and affect social issues impacting communities here, and across the globe.”
New Moon Foundation
 
    The site for the effort is on approximately 2,400 acres in Kohala, gifted to Hawai'i Community Foundation from New Moon Foundation and Kohala Institute. Thuy Nguyen Fujimoto, President and co-founder of the New Moon Foundation; Bennett Dorrance Jr., Vice-President and co-founder of the New Moon Foundation; and Jason Fujimoto, President of the Kohala Institute, shared the following in a joint statement: “Our vision is for ‘Iole to be a place and values-based living classroom that practices and models collaboration for the benefit of our Hawai‘i and global communities. We believe and trust in the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and its partners to bring new capacity to ‘Iole and carry the important responsibility of this place into its next chapter.”
    The vision for ʻIole, according to the statement from Hawai'i Community Foundation, is based on the Native Hawaiian sense of shared responsibility to care for, learn from, and thrive off of defined, self-sustaining sections of land known as ahupuaʻa. "The nonprofit will restore and cultivate the ʻIole ahupuaʻa, while developing solutions-based models that can be scaled and replicated" in other parts of Hawai'i and beyond.
    The idea is for the ahupua'a to be "deeply connected and rooted to the richness and resilience of the the broader historic community of the area."
 
Alapaki Nahale-a
  Alapaki Nahale-a, former senior director of community engagement and resources for Hawaiʻi Island at Kamehameha Schools, will serve as Interim CEO of ‘Iole. Nahale-a will be responsible for overseeing operations, staffing and the execution of programming. His initial priorities will be to develop the mission, vision and values for the nonprofit; establish a collaborative community process for discussions and program development. “I am honored and humbled to begin the necessary process of establishing a strong foundation for ʻIole,” said Nahale-a. “We have the opportunity to restore this special place back to abundance, much like our ancestors before us did. As we listen to ʻIole and do what is right for the land, it is my hope that others will be inspired to take responsibility for their own place and share in the belief that humans can live as a healthy part of earth’s ecosystem.”
    The statement from Hawai'i Community Foundation says, "‘Iole is an opportunity to bring together place, people, belief, commitment, and action in a way that changes how people behave in the world, ensuring future generations the chance for prosperity."
    Hawai'i Community Foundation, University of Hawai'i and Arizona State University have committed to jointly raising $6.75 million for operations during the first three years of the project. "The funding allows ʻIole to focus on properly implementing programming and creating impact without being burdened by financial stress or constraint," says the statement on the project.
    UH President David Lassner said, “We are excited at this opportunity to collaboratively envision a 21st century ahupuaʻa. ʻIole can be a place grounded in Hawaiian values and knowledge where we are jointly committed to the innovation and courage necessary to integrate traditional and modern ways of learning, doing and living. The faculty and students of our ten UH campuses can bring to ʻIole our wealth of traditional knowledge of our islands, our understanding of hundreds of years of sustainable living here, our decades of cutting edge research across every discipline and on every island, and our deep commitment to learn how we can all live together sustainably.”
    Arizona State President Michael Crow said, "Iole is a unique opportunity to bring together the people of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i community
groups, Hawai‘i government leaders, and university partners to advance community engagement, scientific research and educational opportunities—all in one place. Our hope is to come together and work collaboratively to improve the health of our lands, waters and planet.”
    Hawai'i Community Foundation has engaged additional local organizations, including Kamehameha Schools and Hawaiian Electric Industries, which are directly interested and impacted by ʻIole’s focus areas. "Their interest and involvement will further direct and enhance the global value of the solutions developed at ʻIole," says the statement from Hawai'i Community Foundation.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

From the new book What the World Needs Now by Joyce Yamashita with 
illustrations by Kaʻū High senior Kelson Gallano.

THE NEW BOOK FROM KAʻŪ HIGH SENIOR KELSON GALLANO and educator Joyce Yamashita gained statewide publicity on Sunday evening with a story on KITV. See the video at KITV 5/7 – 10pm news. The book is entitled What the World Needs Now. It is written by Yamashita and illustrated by Gallano and is for sale through Legacy Press, with income going back to school programs. Order from www.bookshawaii.net.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

RESTRICTING USE OF THE NAME KAʻŪ COFFEE and other regional names to coffees to coffees
that are least 51 percent from the region on the label, has gone from a bill in the state Legislature to a two-year study. 
    House Bill 1517D1 was changed this session to become a $100,000 study, with results due in 2024. It awaits Gov. David Ige's signature. 
    The funding for the study goes to the state Department of Agriculture to research and calculate the economic impact on disallowing labeling coffee with their regional names if they are less than 51 percent harvested in the region. Many coffees that say Kaʻū, Kona or other regions on the label, reveal that the coffee is blended and 10 percent is sourced from the region. The 90 percent is often imported, cheaper coffee from outside the U.S.
     Opponents to the labeling restrictions say that buyers, including tourists, will cut back on purchasing Hawaiian coffee because it will become even more expensive. Supporters point to labeling of such crops as peaches from Georgia and wine in Europe where labeling is heavily regulated to protect the brands and to keep the value higher.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

HAWAI'I IS SECOND TO LAST IN WALLETHUB RANKINGS ON BEST & WORST STATES TO WORK AS A POLICE OFFICER. There are 800,000 police officers nationwide, according to WalletHub research released Monday. The only state with lower overall ranking by WalletHub is Arkansas. The study, which also includes Washington, D.C., ranked Hawai'i as 51st in Law Enforcement Training Requirements, 44th in Opportunity
& Compensation and 28th in Job Hazard & Protection. Just above Hawai'i are Alaska, West Virginia, Mississippi and Nevada. The top places to be a cop, according to the study, are Connecticut, California, Illinois and District of Columbia.
    Other metrics released through the study show that D.C. has the most law-enforcement officers per capita, followed by New Mexico, New York and North Dakota. Highest median income for police officers is in Illinois, Washington, New Jersey and Alaska. Lowest violent crime rate is in Maine, New Hampshire Vermont and Connecticut.
    Highest violent crime rate is in Arkansas, Louisiana New Mexico and Tennessee. Lowest median income for police officers is in Mississippi, followed by Arkansas, South Carolina and Louisiana. Fewest law-enforcement officers per capita are in Oregon, Washington, Iowa and Kentucky.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

THE MIKADO
IS THE SUMMER PLAY FOR KDEN. Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network announced auditions for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 23 and Tuesday, May 24 at Kīlauea Theater within     Kīlauea Military Camp in Volcano.
    Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu offers parts for all ages and ability.
A vintage character poster from The Mikado,
composed in 1885. The play will be produced by
KDEN with auditions in late May.
Image from Encyclopedia Britannica

Auditioneers should be prepared to sing a song that best shows their vocal range and dress comfortably to move on the stage. There will be cold readings as well.
    Principal male characters are The Mikado, Nanki-Poo- his son, Koko- Lord High Executioner, Pooh-Bah – Lord High Everything Else, and Pish-Tush and Go-To both Noble Lords. Principal female characters are Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing and Peep-Bo all wards of Koko, and Katisha- an Elderly Lady. There is also a chorus of school girls, noblemen and guards. Familiar tunes include I've Got a Little List, Three Little Maids from School, and A Wand'ring Minstrel, I. The show is being directed by Suzi Bond. Walter Greenwood is the music director will conduct the live orchestra.
    As with all Gilbert and Sullivan, the primary theme is duty and respect. It is about following through with commitments made and being responsible for the consequences. They are just set in different places: A pirate cove, a ship, a castle, Japan - that and taking aim at society and its foibles. Gilbert used foreign or fictional locales in several operas, including The Mikado, Princess Ida, The Gondoliers, Utopia, Limited and The Grand Duke, to soften the impact of his pointed satire of British institutions.
    When The Mikado was composed in 1885, Londoners had been enthusiastic about all things Japanese since the opening of Japan to the West in the mid-1850s. Bond said the musical "shows the limited knowledge of Japan and all of East Asia as it claims to be set in Japan, but the names of the characters and places are more Chinese-like. It shows how ignorant of other races the English (white people) were and to some aspect still are. The Mikado takes a swipe at 1880s English society and institutions while disguising it as foreign policies."
    The performance will be July 22 – Aug. 7, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m. in KMC's Kīlauea Theater. For more information call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.co

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID WORKSHOP on Tuesday, May 10 will be from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Learn to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in adults. This is a free workshop (worth $100). Certification fee will be covered by Vibrant Hawaiʻi. To RSVP, visit vibranthawaii.org/get-involved.


SEE MORE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO
See The Ka'ū Calendar May edition at
www.kaucalendar.com, on newsstands and in the mail.\







Sunday, May 08, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, May 8, 2022

The sparkling Kaʻū District Gym drew volleyball teams from afar to play this weekend. See more below.
Photo by Julia Neal
JILL TOKUDA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED ON MOTHER'S DAY THAT SHE IS RUNNING TO REPRESENT RURAL HAWAI'I in the U.S. Second Congressional District. Tokuda, 46, lives in Kaneohe on O'ahu. The Second District covers Kaʻū and all of the Neighbor Islands and what is considered rural O'ahu. The seat is held by Rep. Kai Kahele who announced on Saturday that he is running for governor.
    Tokuda served as a staff member for Sen. Mazie Hirono when Hirono was Lieutenant Governor. Tokuda also served in the Hawai'i State Senate for a dozen years, representing Kane'ohe and Kailua. She has a strong financial background, having chaired the Ways & Means Committee to balance the state's budget. She also chaired Labor, Education, Higher Education and Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs committees. She led the effort to establish the first Executive Office on Early Learning to create preschool for all and helped to fund Hawai'i Promise Program that provides free in-state tuition to qualified University of Hawai'i Community College students. She also created the Special Action Team on Rental Housing to construct over 20,000 units by 2026.
    Tokuda is a graduate of Castle High School and earned a B.A. in International Relations from George Washington University. She is married to Kyle Michibata and they have two sons, Matt and Aden.
Jill Tokuda, of Kane'ohe, is running to represent
Ka'u and all of rural Hawai'i in Congress.

    Tokuda said, "Today on Mother's Day, we take time to honor and thank all moms and mom-figures in our lives for their hard work and sacrifices. For me, today is a personal reminder of how my life changed the day I became a mother. As parents, everything we do and the decisions we make all 
come back to our children."
    "We work hard to encourage and enable our kids to follow their dreams. Last week our boys gave me an early Mother's Day present – a card with a hand-drawn picture and the words "you got this!"– to remind me that it was okay for me to also pursue my dreams.
    "With those three words from my sons and the support of my family, I am officially announcing my candidacy for Hawai'i's Second Congressional district
    "There is urgent work in Congress that needs immediate attention and I know my service to Hawai'i can be most effective as a committed advocate in Congress. If elected, I will make it my priority to fight for every dollar for every family across our state. I understand the significant impact that federal dollars have on our economy and residents, and will work hard on behalf of all families, small businesses and children."
    "Over the past eight months I've traveled across the state meeting with people and listening to both the challenges and the hopes they have for Hawaii. There are deep concerns as our communities recover from the last two years, and the conversations are dominated by the frustration over quality education for our keiki that lead to good jobs here in Hawaiʻi; access to healthcare and mental health services, especially in our rural communities; and the need for more resources and support for basic needs like public safety and housing. Families are overwhelmed by rising prices for household and daily expenses, and we need to act now and help provide solutions and opportunities.

Congressional candidate Jill Tokuda with her husband Kyle Michibata and sons
 Matt and Aden. Photo from Jill Tokuda
    "As a mom of two teenager boys, living in a multi-generational home -- I understand the urgency in people's voices -- because I have the exact same concerns in my family. I'm hearing it, while I'm living it."
    "I was in Washington D.C. last week Monday when the news about the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade broke. That evening I stood in solidarity and disbelief with hundreds of others in front of the Supreme Court building and vowed to defend the reproductive rights, the human rights, of women across our country. We cannot stand on the sidelines and let this basic right to control and make choices about our bodies be taken away. This will be the first of many attacks on our rights if we do nothing, and I will not have our girls grow up with less freedoms than what we have now."
    "While we may live more than 7,000 miles from our nation's capital, the decisions made in Washington DC directly impact each and every one of us living across our island state. I believe public servants should be held to a high-standard to do what's best for their constituents, and I am committed to taking action to restore trust and faith in government. I know I need to keep earning the trust of voters, and if given the opportunity, I plan to be in DC representing and fighting for Hawaii for the long term.
     "This race isn't going to be easy and we have a lot of work ahead. But the time for action is now – Hawaiʻi needs strong leadership at all levels of government.
    "I humbly ask voters to stand with me as we fight to give all of Hawai'i families a voice in Congress."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

Bongbong Marcos and other contenders for President of the Philippines ask for Filipinos in
Hawai'i to vote for them. Photo from the Philippine Star

SOME 8,500 FILIPINOS IN HAWAI'I AND AMERICAN SAMOA ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE FOR THE NEXT PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT. The deadline for their absentee vote to be turned in is 1 a.m. Monday morning. The voters range from fishermen on long-line boats who are not allowed to leave Honolulu Harbor to Ka'u Coffee farmers who were born in the Philippines. Headlining the election are Bongbong Marcos, son of former President Ferdinand Marcus, whose family exiled in Honolulu. He is running along with the current President Rodrigo Duterte's daughter seeking to become Vice President. Second in the polls is current Vice President Leni Robredo. With voters in the Philippines having gone to the polls on Monday, which is Sunday in Hawai'i, results are expected later in the week.  

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

KAʻŪ DISTRICT GYM ROCKED OVER THE WEEKEND during a youth volleyball tournament with 
teams from Ka'u, Miloli'i and beyond. Here are the results:
    14 Division: Mauloa took first, followed by Miloli'i Ka'u girls, Miloli'i-Ka'u Boy's 13 U, and Miloli'i Boys.
    12 Division - Cuzin's Co-ed took first, followed by Piopo'o Paliko, Mauloa and Miloli'i Girls.
    10 Division - Cuzn's Co-ed took first, followed by Mauloa, Miloli'i Co-ed and Malulani.

The Miloli'i Opihi's, with head coach Ka'imi Kaupiko (right) and Assistant coach Aurelia Blanco (left)were among the youth volleyball teams who packed Kaʻū Gym over the weekend.  Players in back row are Tamatoa Kamaileokani Kahele-Taetuga, Jesse Costner and Wesley Basinga III. In front row are Leah Labo, Azayliah Kala-Ahonima and Moanike'ala Mele Kapela Kaupiko. Photo by Yolanda Kuahuia

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID WORKSHOP on Tuesday, May 10 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Learn to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in adults. This is a free workshop (worth $100). Certification fee will be covered by Vibrant Hawaiʻi. To RSVP, visit vibranthawaii.org/get-involved.


SEE MORE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO
See The Ka'ū Calendar May edition at
www.kaucalendar.com, on newsstands and in the mail.






Saturday, May 07, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Saturday, May 7, 2022

Congressman Kai Kahele, who has deep roots in Miloli'i, announced Saturday, he will run for governor.
He launched the campaign at the Boys & Girls Club in Hilo. Photo from Team Kahele
 CONGRESSMAN KAI KAHELE IS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR. He made the announcement on Saturday, 98 days before the Aug. 13 primary election. The venue was the Boys & Girls Club in Hilo. He said through a grassroots campaign he will voluntarily participate in Hawai'i's public funding program, will turn down any donations over $100, and will reject donations from big funders, including unions, corporations and Political Action Committees. He promised that if elected, he would initiate a comprehensive campaign reform, term limits and a program for "Restoring Trust in the Public Trust."

Kai Kahele promised a grassroots campaign in 
his run for governor, with donations no larger
than $100 each. Image from Team Kahele
     Kahele  runs on the Democratic ticket against frontrunners Lt. Gov. and physician Josh Green and former Hawai'i First Lady, businesswoman 
Vicky Cayetano.
    Kahele pledged to work for a "Hawai'i where everyone matters, from grocery store cashiers to teachers, refuse workers, restaurant workers, everyone; where the government is truly the people's government, your government."
    He said he is "running for governor because this election up until today is being owned and controlled by big money, lobbyists, cynics, special interest, and corporations, wealthy donors from the mainland who want the economic and political life of this state."
   Kahele said, "Corruption and big outside money is like jet fuel in our aquifer. We have to clean it up. And so today, I have one clear message for those who think they can buy our government. 
Hawai'i is not for sale!"
    Kahele promised to further harness renewable energy in Hawai'i to make the state independent from oil.
    He promised to comply with a condition of statehood in 1959 that obligates Hawai'i to administer the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act and make use of 1.2 million acres of Native Hawaiian lands for "public housing, education, infrastructure and the betterment of the conditions of Native Hawaiians." He said the promises have been "largely neglected."

    Kahele pointed to "Duty, Honor, Country," three words from General Douglas MacArthur that were recited often by Kahele's father, the late Gil Kahele, who was a marine and state Senator. Kai Kahele said the words encapsulate "what you could be, what you can be, and what you will be." He talked about his military career as a pilot, including combat airlift missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his service in the Hawai'i Air National Guard.
    Kahele, who grew up in Hilo and Miloli'i, said he has talked to thousands of people in Hawai'i over the last 16 months. He said he has been told about a "distaste for business as usual politics, the corruption and your belief that your voice no longer matters, sold out to the highest donor. I hear you. Throughout our islands so many families are struggling to get by. Parents are forced to work multiple jobs and extra hours; pay over half of your monthly income to your mortgage or rent; barely have enough for food, gas, healthcare or to pay your utilities; have no idea how you're going to send your kids to college. You're basically holding on for dear life, month by month, day by day, just trying to get by.

Congressman Kai Kahele talked about his military service during
 the launch of his campaign for governor. Photo from kaikahele.com
    "At the highest level of our state, we need a leader who understands your struggles, who can bring people together, who is not beholden to lobbyists, special interests, corporations or wealthy mainland donors. You, the people of Hawai'i deserve a governor who understands our island values of kindness, respect, inclusiveness and aloha, a governor who will be a catalyst for change, a governor who will be compassionate, who will listen but who will also be decisive; a governor who can communicate with clarity and purpose; a governor who can give people hope and inspire the next generation of 'oiwi leaders, a governor who will fight for Hawai'i and all of its people. And that is why I stand before you today a proud native Hawaiian, a combat veteran, someone who has dedicated my life to fighting for the people of Hawai'i, here in my hometown of Hilo, with the hope and dreams of generations who came before me to unite around a greater vision for Hawai'i, to humbly and proudly announce my candidacy for governor for the State of Hawai'i."
    Kahele announced a ten point plan for campaign reform and a program to restore the pubic trust. They can be read at www.kaikahele.com.


SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO


See The Ka'ū Calendar May edition at
www.kaucalendar.com, on newsstands and in the mail.