The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, July 26, 2022

County Council candidate Colehour Bondera waves sign in Nāʻālehu and plans a Meet & Greet
on Wednesday, Aug. 3 at Honaunau Rodeo Arena. See more candidate public meetings below.

CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY COUNCIL AIMING TO REPRESENT KAʻŪ are offering up talk story sessions, as ballots reach registered voters by mail for submittal by Aug 13. The contest is non-partisan.
Candidate Michelle Galimba, the 54-year old cattle rancher and land conservationist, announced a Talk Story with County Council Candidate Michelle Galimba on Friday, July 29 at St. Judeʻs Church in Ocean View (92-8606 Paradise Circle Makai). She will also meet the public at Cooper Center in Volcano Village (19-4030 Wright Rd.) on Monday, Aug. 1. Galimba said, "I would love to meet you and understand what issues are important to you, as well as talk about my priorities and vision for our district and island. My guiding principle in making decisions, now and if elected to the Council, is that ʻit has to work for everyone.' In other words the needs of the community as a whole, rather than any special interests, is what matters. Also, we need to create economic and social opportunity for everyone through diversifying our economy, making affordable housing available, and helping local people to thrive. Please come by to get a bite to eat and talk story this Friday in Ocean View and on Monday in Volcano. Also donʻt forget to vote, and if you havenʻt already, please register to vote, itʻs not too late." Register to vote at https://elections.hawaii.gov. See www.votegalimba.com.

Council candidate Michelle Galimba hosts talk stories in Ocean View on July 29 and in Volcano on Aug. 1.

Candidate Colehour Bondera, the 55-year old South Kona coffee farmer and agricultural community organizer, announced his Colehour Bondera County Council 6 Talk Story/Meet & Greet for Wednesday, Aug. 3 at Honaunau Rodeo Arena from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Bondera said, "In my view the biggest need is for our leaders to engage the island's people in creating a positive vision of Hawaiʻi’s future, and to work with them toward realistic solutions to the challenges ahead. It is not hard to envision potential catastrophes. As an island we are far from self-sufficient with food or energy. There are threats to our environment on several fronts, from global warming to locally created pollution. What is hard is to bring citizens together around some of these challenges and

Candidate Shane Palacat-Nelsen (right)

incrementally take steps to address them. It requires overcoming distrust, negativity, addressing historic grievances, and delivering positive, visible change. Positive achievements will build support, and help re-engage Hawaiians in civic life." Register to vote at https://elections.hawaii.gov. See www.colehourbondera.co m.

Candidate Shane Palacat Nelsen, the 52-year old Office of Hawaiian Affairs employee and President of the Hawaiian Civic Clubs for this island, is also on the ballot for District 6 County Council with no upcoming gatherings announced. He said that as council member for Kona and Ka‘ū, he "will build the necessary bridges to deliver government resources to the community. There are new, once-in-a-lifetime federal funding opportunities for infrastructure and jobs, and we cannot afford to standby and miss the opportunity. We must do this while holding everyone to the highest accountability and transparency standards." Register to vote at https://elections.hawaii.gov. See www.shaneforhawaii.com.

County Council candidate and Ulu Cooperative
member Henry Cho III.

Candidate Henry Cho III, who works for the county and is a member of the Ulu Cooperative and an owner of Keonaona Farm in Honaunau, is also on the ballot for District 6 County Council with no upcoming gatherings announced.

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

A MAGNITUDE 4.3 EARTHQUAKE ROCKED PĀHALA AND THE GREAT CRACK at 5:46 p.m. on Tuesday. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that the earthquake on Kīlauea's Southwest rift zone was not large enough to cause a tsunami for the Island of Hawaiʻi. "As in all earthquakes, be aware of the possibility of after-shocks. If the earthquake was strongly felt in your area, precautionary checks should be made for any damages; especially to utility connections of Gas, Water, and Electricity," said the statement from County Civil Defense. About an hour later the seamount Loʻihi offshore of Ka‘ū experienced at 4.6 Magnitude quake.

A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ACCIDENTALLY SEVERED HAWAIIAN TELCOM'S fiber cable on Tuesday morning, impacting internet and voice services across Ka‘ū and swaths of Hawai'i island, and in Hana on Maui. The impact ranged from intermittent or slow service to inability to place or receive calls, depending on the type of service, location and service provider, says a Hawaiian Telcom statement.
The location of the cut was in a remote area near Waikoloa Village. Hawaiian Telcom technicians arrived on site at approximately 1 p.m. They assessed the damage and got to work on restoring services. Services were restored by late afternoon.
Hawaiian Telcom customers who continue to experience issues can submit an online support request.

THE SHORTAGE OF ELECTRICIANS IN KAʻŪ could be reduced through Hawaiʻi Community College training for apprentices, beginning in January. Classes are online on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. from Jan 24 to March 9. The same course will also be given April 15 to May 30, 2023.

The Electrical Technology Program – Maintenance Electrician provides participants with the academic coursework required by Hawaiʻi Revised Statute HRS 448E for maintenance journey worker electrical apprentices. Some tuition assistance is available. Sign up at: https://uhcc.hawaii.edu/training/enrollment/index.php?ref=hcp&cid=910103&cn=TRAD89
40&sid=9683085
Participants gain foundational skills in applied math and electrical safety as well as the required subjects

in AC/DC theory, motors and motor control maintenance, NEC, and transformers. This program fulfills Requirements of HRS 448E, 80 hour electrical academic coursework.
According to the course description: Upon successful completion the participant will: Apply mathematical reasoning to solve technical problems; analyze the nature of DC and AC electricity and the quantities, units and measurements associated with it; demonstrate the identification of the abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols of DC and AC electrical components in an electrical circuit, and the function of each one; calculate the voltage, resistance, and current for series, parallel, and series/parallel circuits for DC and AC circuits.
Those who complete the course will be able to apply the understanding of Resistance, Inductance, and Capacitance to DC and AC circuits, and its application to Power Loads; correlate the requirements, standards and information in the NEC to the proper installation or modification of electrical systems, circuits, equipment and conductors; demonstrate the function and proper use of electrical tools and test instruments used in the installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of motors and motor control systems and demonstrate and explain how AC and DC motors and their control mechanisms interact with other components in an integrated electromechanical or mechatronic system.
In addition, course completion will require graduates to be able to integrate a coordinated methodology of measurements and adjustments on motors and motor control components in an electromechanical or mechatronic system; demonstrate how to protect motors and prevent motor failure from operating outside of their physical and/or electrical specifications; and develop a troubleshooting methodology to localize, identify and document causes of malfunctions in motor circuits, based upon the technical documentation.

Monday, July 25, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, July 25, 2022

Concept 1 proposes a new Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center site and USGS Field Station.

A virtual presentation followed by a public commentary period will be held this Wednesday,

July 27 at noon. Image from National Park Service

HAWAI'I VOLCANOES DISASTER RECOVERY PROJECT'S ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT goes to a public meeting this Wednesday, July 27 at noon. The meeting will be virtual and will begin with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park presenting plans for the recovery from the 2018 disaster, when infrastructure in the park was destroyed and compromised by earthquakes during the Kilauea eruption. The 2018 eruption and caldera collapse were the most destructive eruptive events in Hawai‘i in the last two centuries, and the park closed to the public for 134 days.  The project will include plans for visitor service and administrative sites and addresses potential future use of the Uēkahuna Bluff area where Jaggar Museum and Reginald T. Okamura building of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory facility were damaged beyond use. See the plan at:

https://parkplanning.n ps.gov/document.cfmparkID=307&projectID=92891&documentID=121856

To join the webinar, go to swca.zoom.us, or join by phone, toll-free: (888) 475-4499. The webinar ID is 955 6987 2923. The meeting will be recorded and a link to the recording will be posted on the project website: parkplanning.np s.go v. A statement from the National Park Service says that, "Participants will be able to learn more about the environmental assessment (EA) for the project, have discussions with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and U.S. Geological Survey staff, and provide input."
Those who can't make the meeting are invited to review and submit input on the environmental assessment before July 31 at 7:59 p.m. in the following ways:
• Online through the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website: parkplanning.nps.gov. The PEPC website hosts the EA and detailed project information.
• Phone: Callers can leave a detailed message or request someone calls them back by calling a dedicated phone line, (808) 460-6212.
The meeting is being held because a noon virtual meeting last Thursday experienced technical difficulties. The 6 p.m. meeting last Thursday was held as scheduled.

FOUR OF THE DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR U.S CONGRESS, hoping to represent Kaʻū and all of rural Hawaiʻi, came to Nāʻālehu on Saturday. They explained how each would use that position to help the people of Kaʻū, if elected, by answering questions in a talk story at Punalu'u Bake Shop.
The four were Patrick Branco, Nicole Gi, Brendan Schultz and Steve Sparks. The forum was organized by Kaʻū Voices. The audience submitted questions to the candidates, and all four were given the opportunity to answer each question in two minutes. Eleven questions were posed, covering issues ranging from the global to the very local. The candidates were also asked to open the forum by introducing themselves, and then conclude the discussion by summarizing their positions.
“How would you help our coffee farmers get more farm workers?” questioned an audience member. Gi replied that this is not a problem of resources, but of priorities, while Branco advocated a review of immigrant policies and an update of visa categories. Schultz pointed out that only corn and soy are subsidized while the federal government should be supporting producers of other crops. Sparks saw it as a major housing problem as workers do not earn enough to pay rent.
The question “Would you support expanding the Supreme Court and/or having term limits for justices?” was responded by Branco saying that the Court needs to have this conversation, while Schultz said the court should be expanded. Sparks pointed out that we need to balance term limits with stability, adding that people saw the power and over-reach of SCOTUS when it decided the outcome of Bush vs. Gore in lieu of counting votes. Gi advocated impeaching the justices who said they would not overturn Roe vs. Wade.
“How will you address the problem of plastic?” had Sparks saying it was tough to clean up the oceans and saw it as a business problem. Gi said that the solution to this issue was one of her biggest passions, and bemoaned the fact that the government continues to subsidize petroleum, which makes it all about money when it should be a bigger priority. Branco said that we need to reduce our consumption of plastics and do more to reshape our economy. Schultz advocated a carbon tax as an incentive for businesses to use environmental friendly options.
Chuckles were raised by the question, “For those who do not agree with you, how will you represent them?” Gi said she would look for common ground and treat people with compassion. Branco said he would offer strong leadership rooted in the community and try to bridge differences. Schultz said that politics should not be “team red” vs. “team blue”, but that government should help people. Sparks said he would listen to what people wanted and work for better lives.

The four candidates who came to Kaʻū last weekend and hope to be elected to serve as the US representative for Hawai’i's 2^nd congressional district (rural Hawai’i) were, from the left, Nicole Gi, Patrick Branco, Brendan Schultz and Steve Sparks.

Photo by Annie Bosted

“What is your bond to the Neighbor Islands?” was a question to which Schultz replied that he would look at an island’s needs and prioritize those needs. Sparks, who has lived and worked in Hilo and Puna for 27 years, replied that his bond is his family and friends here. GI, who lives on Kaua'i said that all neighbor islands are a priority for her. Branco pointed out that his parents live in Waimea on this island and that the congressional office will remain in Hilo and will not move back to Honolulu. Rep. Kai Kahele was the first member of congress to put the rural Representative's office outside of O'ahu.
When the candidates were invited to give their closing remarks, Branco pointed out that the high cost of living is causing young people and kupuna to move away while the economy is going down. He pledged that, if elected, he would not seek another office during his term. Schultz pledged that he would fight for universal health care, Medicare for all and the ending of foreign wars. Sparks said that people need to be governed well and that he had authored an act that would reduce the national debt. Gi said citizens need honesty in politics and elected representatives need to do what is right and take a stand.

The successful candidate will serve as the U. S. representative for Hawaiʻi’s 2nd congressional district. This position was held by Tulsi Gabbard from 2013 to 2020, and by Kahele since 2021. Kahele resigned from the position to run for Governor of Hawai’i.
Each candidate referred to their web sites for further reading. They are:
https://patrickbranco.com/
https://brendanschultz.com/
https://stevesparksforcongress.com/
https://www.nicolegihawaii.com/
Kaʻū Voices' summary of the candidates’ background was published in The Ka’u Calendar News Briefs of July 17, which can be read at
https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022_07_17_archive.html

The Kaʻaluʻalu range fire was out by Monday afternoon, after burning into Sunday night.
Photo by Julian Kaniho

THE 300 ACRE KA'ALU'ALU RANGE FIRE is out, according to witnesses, volunteers and firefighters who fought the blaze. It broke out Sunday and burned into the night, with crews on scene into Monday afternoon, when final flareups were extinguished. There are no reports of structural damage or loss of cattle grazing on the land.

Sunday, July 24, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, July 24, 2022

Volunteers, contractors, firefighters work to hold back a fire in the Kaʻaluʻalu near South Point on
Sunday, the fire burning into the night. Photo by Julian Kaniho

A RANGE FIRE BROKE OUT below the Green Sands community in the Kaʻaluʻalu area on Sunday and drew numerous fire fighters, volunteers and contractors to contain it. Among those helping are Dean Kaniho, Hano Boy Grace with a crew from Kona, Akoni Naves, Jimmy Mahuna, Bob Barnett, Kimo Kaniho, Kawika Karratti, Alfred Keanu and Julian Kaniho. A Hawaiʻi Fire Department helicopter dropped water to douse the fire and prevent it from spreading. At nightfall, the fire was still burning, the crews still working.

Hawaiʻi Fire Department helicopter drops water onto
the Ka'alu'alu fire. Photo by Julian Kaniho

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.htm

CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR JOSH GREEN has responded to candidates Kai Kahele's and Vicky Cayetano's questions about sources of his campaign funding and personal income.

During the Hawaiʻi News Now and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement's Super Debate last week, when discussing cost of housing, Kahele said one of the reasons housing is so expensive is that out of state investors and foreign investors are "coming here to Hawaiʻi and are pricing out our local families." Kahele said Green has taken money from real estate developers and private equity real estate donors from the mainland.

Hano Boy Grace doser works into the night.
Photo by Julian Kaniho

Green responded that, "It is disappointing that the congressman has already begun to make personal and political attacks. I've been supported by thousands and thousands of local people, which is a great honor, including the people that build our houses, carpenters that build our houses, and people that finish the houses, the electricians and plumbers. These people believe in me 'cause they know I can bring people together. That's why I'm their choice for governor."
Kahele responded that the reality is that Green has taken thousands of dollars from real estate developers, including $6,000 from a New York real estate developer and $5,000 from a private equity real estate investor. "These are people coming here that are buying our hotels. They are buying our homes. They are buying our land. Why don't you stop taking their money?"
Gubernatorial candidate Vicky Cayetano said, "There is no question that a lot of money has come from outside. She pointed out that when Gov. David Ige was attending an environmental conference in Scotland, Green was on the mainland fundraising at a time he was assigned to be acting governor.

Daleco Ranch area view to Kaʻaluʻalu fire on Sunday. Photo by Richard Taylor.

Green responded to Kahele and Cayetano. Though Kahele has vowed to accept no donations of more than $100 and none from corporations, unions and pacs, Green said, "Unfortunately the Congressman has spent his entire career collecting money from special interests. And worse still, he took money from Milton Choi who's been indicted, who has been indicted for bribing officials. He took money from Dennis Mitsunaga who's been indicted, and has been indicted for corrupting the political system and because Mrs. Cayetano did also... and I am sorry people are attacking because people deserve actual discussion."

Across pastures to the Kaʻaluʻalu fire. Photo by Jana Kaniho

Kahele said, "People are not attacking you lieutenant governor. Why don't you be honest with the people of Hawaiʻi?" Kahele pointed to Green raising $100,000 in one day and his 44 reported fundraisers. Kahele called for campaign finance reform.

Kahele asked about Green's company, Green Health International, LLC, saying it received $600,000 over the last three years, "the bulk of which you received while you were the spokesperson for the state on Covid.... This is your separate private income ....." Kahele asked whether Green doesn't want the public to know "how you have personally benefited from those sources while serving as lieutenant governor." Green responded to the question of benefiting from his position by saying, "Of course not," and that his LLC receives money for his work as a clinician.

Gubernatorial candidate Josh Green, MD (right) responded to questions from Democratic opponents Vicky Cayetano and Kai
Kahele about sources of his fundraising and personal income during Hawaiʻi News Now's Super Debate last week.
Image from HNN

Green said, "It is disappointing, of course, that the congressman continues to mislead with attacks. For the record, though, I will set it straight. I spent my life, the last 22 years, caring for Hawaiʻi's people, particularly the Hawaiian people and the Filipino people as a doctor in Nāʻālehu and then in Kohala. So that's the work he's referring to. It's my clinical work, end of story. There's been innuendo all over the place. I have never worked in any way, shape or form for the pharmaceutical industry or anything like that." Green pointed to LLC's owned by Green and Cayetano.
Cayetano said the sources of a candidate's income are an issue for her because "character matters. You need to be able to trust your leaders." Green responded saying that Cayetano has had 500 LLCs and that one of them is with a person who has been indicted, who worked with Dennis Mitsunaga. Cayetano said she has not had 500 LLCs and has spent her career on her one business. She said that the LLC referred to by Green was was a handbag business and that her sister started and that the woman indicted offered to be the secretary but was never a shareholder.
Cayetano pointed to a condominium with rental income that, she said, went unreported by Green for which he was fined by the Ethics Commission. Green responded that he did report the income, but on the wrong line of the form and received good guidance from the Ethics Commission. Green said "these kind of comments. They don't help anybody. They don't do anything for our state. They don't deal with the over tourism that we have or the health disparities that our Hawaiian community suffers. They don't do any good at all, so I think we should actually focus on issues but I am happy to be transparent and will continue to be, in talk stories as we go through this campaign."

See the full debate between the Democratic candidates at https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/video/2022/07/22/hnn-super-debate-watch-full-democratic-debate-governor/

Puna Geothermal Venture seeks public comment on its plan to increase production of electricity from
its site near Pohoʻiki without increasing the footprint of the facility. Image from PGV

EXPANDING GEOTHERMAL PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY is the subject of a 30-day public review period for a proposal from Puna Geothermal Venture. Comments are due Aug. 22.

PGV seeks to increase power production at its geothermal plant near Pohoʻiki and submitted an Environmental Impact Statement Preparation Notice to the state. The state Department of Health's Office of Environmental Quality Control published the notice on July 23. The county Department of Planning determined that an EIS is required.

Public comments can be sent by Aug. 22 to: County of Hawaiʻi, Planning Department through planning@hawaiicounty.gov and by mail to 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3, Hilo, HI 96720.

The notice asks that comments also be sent to the applicant Puna Geothermal Venture; P.O. Box 30, Pahoa, HI 96778 or to mkaleikini@ormat.com. It also suggests sending comments to the consultant Stantec Consulting Services Inc.; P.O. Box 191, Hilo, HI 96721 or michele.lefebvre@stantec.com.

A scoping meeting for the EIS will be held Aug. 17 at Pahoa Community Center from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. In-person and written comments from citizens island-wide and beyond are welcomed as the electricity would increase the amount of alternative energy servicing the entire Hawaiʻi Island grid.
The EIS notice says, "Puna Geothermal Venture is currently authorized for and operating a geothermal power plant in the Puna District on Hawai‘i Island and proposes to replace the current 12 operating power-generating units with up to four upgraded power-generating units. The proposed Project would be constructed within the current PGV facility site fence line, would have a smaller footprint of disturbance than the current units, and would increase power production from 38 to 46 megawatts (MW) in Phase 1 and further increase production to 60 MW in Phase 2."
According to the EIS preparation notice, "PGV came online in 1993 with a generating capacity of 25 MW and expanded to 30 MW in 1995, without adding any new equipment or drilling additional geothermal wells. The additional 5 MW was produced only by the increased use of steam. An additional 8 MW were added in an Expansion PPA in 2012, which allowed PGV to provide a total of 38 MW to HELCO. New generating equipment was added at that time, but no additional geothermal wells were required because the equipment used to generate the additional 8 MW was designed to utilize the hot fluid (or brine) from the existing geothermal resource.

"PGV continued providing renewable geothermal energy to HELCO which distributed the energy around Hawai‘i Island until 2018. In May 2018, approaching lava from the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea on the Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) inundated the main access road to the power plant, the wellheads of two geothermal wells, the substation of the complex, and an adjacent warehouse that stored a drilling rig. PGV restored the damaged access and facilities and on Nov. 5, 2020, electricity production partially resumed. PGV continued the geothermal field recovery work to increase the production of energy since then and as of early 2022, PGV currently produces approximately 25.7 MW."