The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Police Chief Paul Ferreira, who retires Sept. 1 after 40 years of Hawaiʻi Police Department service, swore in
new officers during his almost six years as Chief. See more below. Photo from Big Island Video News

HELE-ON HOLA HOA VANPOOL LAUNCHES TO CARRY PEOPLE TO AND FROM WORK. County of Hawaiʻi announced its new Vanpool program on Tuesday, to subsidize 30 vans at $500 a month. The service is provided by Commute with Enterprise and Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network. Four to 15 commuters who live near one another team up to vanpool. In some cases the employer with enough workers in an area will organize and pay for the costs or share the costs with workers.

"The average driver spends about $600 a month on fuel and vehicle expenses, whereas the average vanpool rider spends about $80 to $150 a month, based on seven passengers contributing to the cost," said John Andoh, Mass Transit Administrator & General Manager of Hele-On. "By joining a vanpool, you can avoid commuting's wear and tear on your vehicle and save money on transportation by splitting the cost with fellow riders."

John Andoh, manager of Hele-on, and Mass
Transit Administrator for Hawai'i County.

Potential destinations that Hele-On Vanpool could target are work places that have companies with large commuter populations. Such companies in Kaʻū include those in the macadamia and coffee industries.

The statement from the county says, "The Enterprise team works with organizational leaders to create commuting solutions that improve recruiting, retention, and employee engagement, while driving productivity, lowering infrastructure costs, and reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, vanpooling further reduces annual transportation expenses through the use of volunteer drivers – which is much more cost-efficient than hiring paid drivers."

The vanpool pricing does not include gasoline (pre-loaded fuel cards are provided for each vanpool), van washing, or taxes. Those prices vary, and the costs are shared between vanpool riders or the company sponsoring the vanpool. Companies and employees can also pursue pre-tax benefits through the IRS to subsidize a portion of the costs.

According to Hele-On, Vanpool is meant to be a service that will help determine the implementation of future bus routes if demand is present.

Mayor Mitch Roth said, "Our administration is focused on creating a sustainable island community, where our keiki can thrive and succeed for generations to come. Reducing our carbon footprint, alleviating traffic congestion, and improving the commute for our working class is all part of that vision, and we applaud the work of our Mass Transit Agency for providing yet another tool for our residents to get to and fro."

Participants can choose a qualifying vanpool vehicle from a selection of makes and models, including crossovers, SUVs, minivans, and large passenger vans. In addition, vanpools have access to Enterprise's Guaranteed Ride Home program, ensuring they can leave work at unscheduled times worry-free. The service also provides 24-hour roadside assistance, liability insurance, and scheduled maintenance within the vanpool pricing.

Vanpoolers may also choose to upgrade their vehicles with such optional high-end features as wheelchair lifts, bicycle racks, satellite radio, in-vehicle Wi-Fi service, and power ports for individual seats. Commute with Enterprise's Jason Oka said, "Enterprise is supporting Hele-On as it brings positive change to the island. Our mission is to provide commuters with a more convenient way to get to and from work, ensuring that everyone has access to transportation choices that can take them where they need to go safely and efficiently."

For additional Hele-On information, call (808) 961-8744 or visit www.heleonbus.org. Hele-On is a service of the County of Hawaiʻi Mass Transit Agency and provides countywide public transit services on 25 fixed and flex routes countywide Hele-On Kakoʻo for ADA complementary paratransit service in Hilo, Kailua-Kona, and Puna, a shared ride taxi program with three taxi companies in Hilo, countywide seniors and persons with disabilities transportation service in partnership with Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunities Council and Brantley Center, the vanpool program in partnership with Commute with Enterprise and 10 HIBike bike-share stations in Hilo and Kailua-Kona in partnership with PATH.

Hele-On transports approximately 400,000 passenger trips annually on a fleet of more than 30 buses, vans, and a trolley. Transit services are contracted with Roberts Hawaiʻi, taxicab companies, Transdev, HCEOC, Brantley Center, Enterprise Holdings, and PATH. For additional Hele-On information,call (808) 961-8744, TDD/TTY: 711 through the relay service, email: heleonbus@hawaiicounty.gov, or visit www.heleonbus.org.

Commute with Enterprise, a service of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, is an alternative commuting solution founded in 1994 that has become one of the largest and most cost-effective vanpool operations in the nation. Commute with Enterprise's vanpooling services, include vRide, which was acquired in 2016. Commute with Enterprise takes several thousand cars off the road every business day, nationwide, eliminating 843 million commuter miles driven each year and eradicating the need for 35,000 parking spaces.

According to the Hawaiʻi County statement, 655 million pounds of carbon emissions are reduced by Commute with Enterprise customers annually nationwide. Commute with Enterprise is supported by the Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network, "which delivers a level of fleet flexibility and local service unmatched in the vanpool industry." Commute with Enterprise manages vanpool programs that address both local and national needs by reducing carbon emissions, parking real estate and traffic congestion – including major bottlenecks and "hotspots" in metropolitan areas. "Businesses that offer Commute with Enterprise's vanpool programs as an added employee benefit not only gain a competitive differentiator for recruiting and retention, but also a way to improve their corporate sustainability profile. To start a new vanpool or register for an existing vanpool, call 1-800-VAN-4-WORK or visit www.commutewithenterprise.com.

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.

AFTER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE HAWAIʻI POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF PAUL FERREIRA RETIRES on Sept. 1. HPD made the announcement on Monday. “I informed the Hawaiʻi Police Commission and Mayor Roth on Friday that I submitted my application to the State Employee’s Retirements System to be effective Sept 1, 2022,” said Ferreira. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve as the Police Chief since December 2016 in what I know to be the finest police department in the nation, primarily because it is staffed with the finest men and women in Hawaiʻi,” said the Chief in an internal memo to staff.

Police Chief Paul Ferreira retires Sept. 1 and the county Police
Commission will conduct the selection process for the new Chief.
Photo from HPD

Ferreira stated, “There are no words that can truly express how thankful I am for all of the support and hard work from each of you that make the Hawaiʻi Police Department the great organization it is today. Although not always apparent, all your endeavors in making Hawaiʻi Island a safe place to live are appreciated by the community, as not a day goes by that I do not receive a compliment from someone in the community who appreciates all that our employees do.”
The Chief joined the department in July 1982 starting his career as a patrol officer. He became a detective. Ferreira held several positions in the Administrative Bureau, including Assistant Chief, and was named Deputy Chief by Chief Harry Kubojiri in December 2008. Ferreira served as Deputy Chief until December 2016, when he was selected by the Police Commission to serve as Police Chief.
Ferreira explained that HPD is not involved in the process of selecting the next Chief. All questions regarding the selection process for Police Chief should be directed to the Hawaiʻi County Police Commission. Call 808-932-2950.

FOURTEEN MOTORISTS WERE ARRESTED FOR DUI on this island during the week of June 13, through June 19. Hawai‘i Island police arrested them for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Six were involved in a traffic accident. None w under the age of 21.
So far this year, there have been 493 DUI arrests compared with 556 during the same period last year, a decrease of 11.3 percent. There have been 357 major accidents so far this year compared with 370 during the same period last year, a decrease of 3.5 percent.

To date, there were 18 fatal crashes (one fatal crash reclassified on 5/30/22 due to a medical condition) resulting in 20 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths, and one of which was reclassified due to a medical condition), compared with 12 fatal crashes, resulting in 12 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents is an increase of 50 percent for fatal crashes, and 66.7 percent for fatalities.

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.

USGS RELEASED ITS ANALYSIS OF TWO EARTHQUAKES SUNDAY NEAR PĀHALA. The 3.9 quake registered at 11:15 a.m. The 3.8 registered at 11:17 a.m. and USGS attributed them to the Deep Pahala Swarm, an ongoing series of frequent quakes in the area.

USGS came up with this explanation in a Volcano Watch column: "Previous geophysical studies have theorized that deep earthquake activity beneath the Pāhala region may be related to hot spot magma transport and/or faulting in the brittle upper mantle beneath the island. Interestingly, the area of

elevated seismicity is almost equidistant from the summits of the three most active volcanoes in Hawaiʻi: Kīlauea, Mauna Loa, and Kamaʻehuakanaloa (Lō‘ihi Seamount).
"Whether this region has a possible connection to the shallower magma storage and transport systems of Kīlauea or Mauna Loa is unclear, but there are no obvious indicators of magma transport from this region to the surface. Previous studies relied on data collected from HVO’s widely-spaced permanent seismometers in the region, which were not configured to study this area in detail."

During the last month, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has been setting up seismic nodes in the the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea volcano in Pāhala.

VOLCANO VILLAGE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE welcomes walking and riding groups and individuals. It is sponsored by Volcano Community Association in Volcano Village from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Monday, July 4 parade starts at the Post Office at 9 a.m. and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Rd., followed by Cooper Center’s Independence Day celebration packed with live entertainment, craft and food vendors, keiki games and a large silent auction from 9 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. Parking maps can be found at www.thecoopercenter.org. (No parking at Cooper Center except handicap permitted vehicles with prior reservation.)

SPONSOR A BUCKLE, VOTE FOR RODEO QUEEN ahead of the Saturday, July 9 Rodeo organized by Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association and ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. Event to be held on the rodeo grounds behind Nāʻālehu Park. Call 808-854-7917.

BECOME A SPONSOR AT THE 3RD ANNUAL EXPERIENCE VOLCANO FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Last year, over 2,500 visitors attended and over 40 events were featured during the EVH festival. Sign up as a sponsor at experiencevolcano.com. If you have questions, contact experiencevolcano@gmail.com. All vendor locations are taken.

SIGN UP FOR KAʻŪ COFFEE TRAIL RUNS with a change of date from July 3 to Sept. 17. Registration deadline for the annual event is Sept. 14. Organized by Hawaiʻi Island Racers, the 50K begins at 6 a.m., Half Marathon at 7 a.m., and 5K at 7:15 a.m., all starting from Kaʻū Coffee Mill at 96-2696 Wood Valley Road in Pāhala. Proceeds go to support ʻO Kaʻū Kakou. For more details on the event and registration fees, visit https://www.kaucoffeetrailruns.com/.

See The Kaʻū Calendar June edition at www.kaucalendar.com,

on newsstands and in the mail.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORS OF THE KAʻŪ CALENDAR

at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/05/sponsors-of-kau-calendar.html

Monday, June 20, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, June 20, 2022

ʻIlieʻe is the featured plant for June in The Kaʻū Calendar column Native Plants of Kaʻū. Learn about

its uses fore dye and for healing. See artist Joan Yoshika's rendition and

author Jodie Rosam's column below. Photo by J.B. Friday

NATIONALLY, THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER BEGAN ON JUNE 20 and ends on Sept. 22. In Hawaiʻi there are two seasons: summer, which is called Kau in the Hawaiian language, from May through October, and winter, which is called Hoʻoilo in the Hawaiian language, from November through April. It is wildfire season and hurricane season and summer vacation for students, with the return to the fall session in Kaʻū's public schools in August.

ʻILIE'ʻ IS FEATURED IN JUNE'S Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū. The monthly column by Jodie Rosam with art by Joan Yoshioka features native plants and their moʻolelo (stories), uses, preferred habitats, and opportunities to adopt them for stewardship. It seeks to encourage making new plant friends
and to reunite with others:
ʻIlieʻe, Plumbago zeylanica, Description: Did you know Hawaiʻi has a native Plumbago? Meet ʻilieʻe! ʻIlieʻe is a member of the Plumbaginaceae family, and is the only Plumbago species native to Hawaiʻi. It grows as a low sprawling herbaceous shrub and has five-petaled white flowers that emerge at the stem tips and bloom year round. Once pollinated, slightly sticky fruits develop, which can then be easily spread across the landscape by humans and animals. Because Hawaiʻi had no native land mammals, it was likely spread by large, flightless birds in the past.

Uses: ʻIlieʻe sap can be used to create dyes for kākau (traditional Hawaiian tattooing). In fact, a synonym for ʻilieʻe is hileʻe, which means to stain dark brown. Medicinally, the bark, leaves, and roots can be pounded into a poultice and used to alleviate swelling and help with sprains, and the leaves and stems can be ground into a paste to help heal sores.

Habitat: ʻIlieʻe is indigenous to Hawaiʻi, meaning that it is found elsewhere in the world, and is present on all of the main Hawaiian Islands. The shiny leaves are adapted to survive in the sunny conditions of lowland dry forests from near the coast to about 2,500 feet elevation. It can be seen crawling along barren (older) lava flows or as an understory in disturbed forests dominated by ekoa (Leucaena leucocephala). ʻIlieʻe can be spotted all throughout the dry forests of Kaʻū. Chances are you have seen it along the roadside or on a hike, so next time you notice an ʻilieʻe, please stop and introduce yourself!

Growing and Purchasing: ʻIlieʻe is a gorgeous addition to the home landscape, and is a great alternative to the Cape Plumbago (why not plant a native instead?). They will grow in just about any soil type you offer them, and can be utilized to control erosion on steep slopes, to add some greenery in open and dry areas, or to beautify garden beds or planters. ʻIlieʻe can handle full sun or shade, just resist the desire to overwater, and remember that while plants in the shade may be prolific, they will bloom slightly less than if planted in full sun. Feel free to prune and shape them as you wish, and enjoy your new low-maintenance friend.
About the artist: Joan Yoshioka says she is a conservationist at heart and has dedicated her life to preserving the native plants and animals of Hawaiʻi through her work with federal, state, and private organizations over the past 30+ years. She describes herself as an outdoor-lovin’ optimist, biologist/botanist, and habitual creator of art-stuff. She says the key to our most fundamental and truest part of ourselves is found in nature and she constantly draws on it for inspiration.
About the author: Jodie Rosam says she has a deep love for native plants and a passion for exploration, with over 15 years of experience in working in the restoration of Hawaiʻi’s forests. As a mother and an educator, she says the next generation has the power to lead the world to a sustainable future, and is committed to teaching her children (and others) from a place-based perspective.

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.

INTERESTED IN A GRANT TO PLANT NATIVE TREES, REMOVE INVASIVES? With the intention to help with climate resiliency, approximately $4.5 million is available from a grant from the Regional Conservation Partnership Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  The application deadline is Aug. 5.

The program’s focus on public-private partnerships enables private companies, landowners, local communities, and other non-government

Julia Espaniola, within the vast Kaʻū watershed.
Photo by Shaylan Crysdale/TNC

partners to keep lands resilient, water clean, and to promote economic growth in a variety of industries.
The funding opportunity prioritizes work in upper-elevation native forests that receive the most rainfall and are critical to recharging freshwater supplies. Additionally, lands and projects with the highest potential for carbon sequestration (if reforested) are also targeted with this funding. The project also seeks to include sites that are part of a landscape-scale watershed management strategy to lessen the impacts from climate change, reduce flooding and erosion onto coral reefs, and protect biological diversity.
“Thanks to State funds provided by the Legislature for watershed protection, we are eligible to receive additional federal funding that multiplies the State’s investment,” said state Department of Land & Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case. “We are grateful for the incredible partnership with NRCS that will result in landscape-scale improvements to our watershed forests. We are looking forward to making new community partners who apply for native forest protection and restoration projects.”
J. B. Martin, Acting Director for USDA’s NRCS Pacific Islands Area, said, “We are delighted to continue our successful partnership with DLNR. With year-round warm climate and fertile soils, Hawaiʻi is one of the most efficient places to plant trees to sequester carbon. These forests also buffer against the worsening threats of climate change by absorbing cloud moisture and replenishing our freshwater supplies. When invasive species degrade these forests, we also lose our irreplaceable plants and wildlife."
See the grant application at https://hands.ehawaii.gov/hands/opportunities/opportunity-details/21622.

QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TRUST HOSTS A BACK TO SCHOOL event at the Robert E. Herkes Gym in Pāhala for all school children. It is free and includes the gift of school supplies and a free haircut. The date is Thursday, July 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's free.

SPONSOR A BUCKLE, VOTE FOR RODEO QUEEN ahead of the Saturday, July 9 Rodeo sponsored by Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association and ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. Event to be held on the rodeo grounds behind Nāʻālehu Park. Call 808-854-7917.

See The Kaʻū Calendar June edition at www.kaucalendar.com,

on newsstands and in the mail.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORS OF THE KAʻŪ CALENDAR

at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/05/sponsors-of-kau-calendar.html

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, June 19, 2022

The U.S. military will fund up to $25 million to engineer coral reef ecosystems to protect coastlines in
Hawaiʻi and beyond. University of Hawaiʻi is the major partner. Reefense graphic

UP TO $25 MILLION WILL BE AWARDED TO UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI by the U.S. military agency that was founded more than 60 years ago to support technological advancement during the Space Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Instead of space, this funding is for the ocean. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will fund U.H. to develop an engineered coral reef ecosystem to help protect coastlines from flooding, erosion and storm damage. The goal of the five-year project, inspired by natural reefs, is to create an engineered structure that dissipates wave energy while providing habitat for corals and other reef life.

The reason for protecting coastlines is security, According to its website, "DARPA has held to a singular and enduring mission: to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security."
The ground-breaking project is a joint effort between UH Mānoa’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) and the UH Applied Research Laboratory (ARL).

“The Rapid Resilient Reefs for Coastal Defense (R3D) project will be the first of its kind by taking an integrated, ecosystem-level approach to design and build a living coastal-protection system,” said Ben Jones, R3D principal investigator and Director of Ocean Science and Technology at ARL. “This is an immense challenge. We have assembled a team of experts right here in Hawaiʻi who, in partnership with Florida Atlantic University and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, will devise real solutions that will help our community and other communities around the tropical Pacific that are already facing the effects of climate change.”
Sea-level rise and wave-induced flooding during increasingly frequent storm events threaten the sustainability of coastlines and more than 1,700 U.S. Department of Defense-managed military installations in coastal areas worldwide. Natural coral reefs provide substantial protection to shorelines—absorbing and dissipating the intense energy from storms and waves. As sea level rises and coral reef degrades, existing storm mitigation solutions may prove insufficient and damage due to storm surge and flooding will continue to impact communities and infrastructure.

Coastal engineering and hydrodynamics experts join
coral reef ecology and adaptive biology experts to
combat shoreline erosion. Reefense graphic

“This award will enable our world-class experts to develop advanced technology that will have a significant impact here in Hawaiʻi, and around the world,” said UH Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno. “We are proud to have UH research at the cutting edge of creating a solution to a global problem.”
Partnering engineering, ecology and biology: The new project integrates coastal engineering and hydrodynamics with expertise on coral reef ecology and adaptive biology to enable the team to rapidly develop a living, breakwater system that can adapt to both rising seas and increasing ocean temperatures.
“The typical fringing reef consists of a fore reef along the slope, a reef crest that absorbs much of the wave energy and a protected back reef that harbors more delicate species,” said Zhenhua Huang, SOEST professor of Ocean and Resources Engineering and lead investigator for base structure engineering. “We intend to achieve similar wave attenuation using perforated, thin-walled base structures which are low-cost, efficient energy dissipators. It’s our hope that this project can provide a win-win solution for addressing preservation of nearshore marine natural resources and shore protection.”
Healing corals over time: Establishing coral and other reef supporting organisms on the reef structures

is critical to ensuring the structures have the capability to grow and heal over time. Fragments from known thermally tolerant colonies will be attached to succession modules, reef-mimicking structures that will be attached to the wave-attenuating base structures. Larvae from known thermally tolerant coral species will also be encouraged to make their home on these structures.
“Designing succession modules that attract coral larvae, and then protect them from being eaten or overgrown by algae, is essential for kick-starting a living reef,” said Josh Madin, associate research professor in the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) in SOEST and lead investigator for ecosystem engineering. “Larvae are really bad swimmers, and so they need to be captured by cracks and crannies in the structure. We will use 3D design and biofilm chemistry to attract larvae and encourage settlement, while discouraging algae growth. On top of this, we will use sounds that mimic a healthy reef to attract organisms that help coral growth.”
Additionally, the team will explore cost-effective ways to supplement feeding for bleached corals and even actively shade or cool the reef in the early stages of the reef development and during marine heat waves.
“Coral reefs across the planet are declining from the combined assaults of human impacts,” said Rob Toonen, HIMB professor and lead investigator for adaptive biology. “This project builds on over a decade of research at HIMB into practical solutions for farming thermally tolerant corals capable of withstanding those assaults and rebuilding the reef structure that protects our coastal roads, runways, and neighborhoods.”

The project is already garnering local support as an alternative to artificial coastal protection systems.
Rocky Kaluhiwa, president of the Koʻolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, said, “The Koʻolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club strongly supports an approach like this, because it respects our traditional ways to manage our ʻāina and kai, finding a balance between the seas and the land.”
The team plans to collaborate with scientists and engineers at Makai Ocean Engineering on Oʻahu, Florida Atlantic University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego and Ohio State University. Additional partnerships will also facilitate various aspects of this project. To scale up the effort, Makai Ocean Engineering, a Hawaiʻi-based company, will handle major construction, anchoring and installation; and an Australian firm, Reef Design Labs, will create flexible, reusable forms to build hundreds of the succession modules.

FOR FATHERS DAY SUNDAY, HAWAIʻI'S LEADING DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR CAMPAIGNS SENT OUT MESSAGES.

Kai Kahele, gubernatorial candidate, U.S. House of Representative member for Kaʻū and all of rural Hawaiʻi, and airline pilot, dedicated his message to his father, the late state Senator Gil Kahele from Miloliʻi. He noted that when Gil Kahele was first elected, "he was considered a political newcomer, but his life of public service began much earlier. In fact, my earliest memories are ones standing on the dock handing out fish we had caught to our neighbors, cousins, and friends.

"As a simple boy from the last Native Hawaiian fishing village of Miloliʻi, his whole life was committed to caring for his community and making it a better place. He instilled that in all of us. My sisters went on to become teachers, my brother a fisherman, and myself a pilot.

"From a young age, we watched my dad tackle every issue he encountered with integrity, honor, and aloha. It's why people respected him, and why I always looked up to him.

U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele remembered his dad, the late Gil Kahele
on this Fathers Day. Photo from Kahele

"It's those same values that I have tried to embody so that my keiki will one day be able to pass them on to their keiki and so on.

"On January 26, 2016, my dad passed away at Queens Hospital in Honolulu. He had fallen ill and expressed to me and my siblings that it was his time. The day before he crossed over into pō, he called me into his room and asked me a question that changed the trajectory of my life, eventually leading me to this race for governor.

"It was never my plan to be a statesman. But one thing that my dad taught me was that when there is a call to serve, you serve. Our state is at risk of being sold out to the highest bidder. Our local families are being pushed out by high costs of living, lack of affordable housing, and a finite number of viable career opportunities.

"At the same time, public corruption is at an all time high and pay-to-play politics has become the status quo. Special interest groups and big money players are lining politicians' pockets, while our working class continues to suffer.

"Of the millions of things that I have to thank my dad for, I thank him most for the courage to stand up for what's right at all costs. That's what this movement is about — right vs. wrong — Hawaiʻi vs. special interests.

"Happy Fathers Day to all the dads who stand up and fight for their families, their communities, and themselves. We need to lead Hawaiʻi with the same local values as my dad, Gil - the same values as all the local dad's across the state. They're da real MVPs."

Maia, Jamie, Sam and Josh Green for the Fathers Day message from Jamie. Photo from Green

Josh Green, emergency room physician, Lt. Governor and gubernatorial candidate's campaign message came from his wife Jamie:
"My name is Jaime Green, and I'm Josh's wife. To all the dads out there, my family and I wish you a very happy Father's Day!
"Josh is a great dad — no matter how busy he is with work, he finds thoughtful ways to show our children, Maia and Sam, how much he cares about them.
"He asks about their day, stops at the store to get their favorite treats, and always makes time to play family game night.

"I met Josh almost 20 years ago, and I have always been impressed by his hard work and commitment to caring for the people of Hawaiʻi.
"I am so proud of the great example that he sets for Maia and Sam to be actively engaged, caring leaders of our community.
"I know that if elected, he will continue to bring the same dedication and compassion to the Governor's office, and Hawaiʻi will be so much better for it.
"This Father's Day, I am asking for your support in Josh's campaign for Governor."

BECOME A VENDOR AT THE 3RD ANNUAL EXPERIENCE VOLCANO FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Last year, over 2,500 visitors attended and over 40 events were featured during the EVH festival. All vendor spaces are $50 for both days of the festival. Sign up as a vendor or a sponsor at experiencevolcano.com. If you have questions, contact experiencevolcano@gmail.com.

SIGN UP FOR KAʻŪ COFFEE TRAIL RUNS with a change of date from July 3 to Sept. 17. Registration deadline for the annual event is Sept. 14. Organized by Hawaiʻi Island Racers, the 50K begins at 6 a.m., Half Marathon at 7 a.m., and 5K at 7:15 a.m., all starting from Kaʻū Coffee Mill at 96-2696 Wood Valley Road in Pāhala. Proceeds go to support ʻO Kaʻū Kakou. For more details on the event and registration fees, visit https://www.kaucoffeetrailruns.com/.

See The Kaʻū Calendar June edition at www.kaucalendar.com,

on newsstands and in the mail.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORS OF THE KAʻŪ CALENDAR

at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/05/sponsors-of-kau-calendar.html

About The Kaʻū Calendar

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Monday, June 20, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, June 20, 2022

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, June 19, 2022