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Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, April 12, 2023


A CHESTNUT BELLIED GROUSE GRACES HAWAI'I'S NEW GAME BIRD STAMP and an endangered Kāhuli Land Snail graces the new Wildlife Conservation Stamp for 2023-2024. State Department of Land & Natural Resources's Division of Forestry & Wildlife made the announcement.
    Conservation stamp winning artist is Alvin Galvez who also won DOFAW’s game bird stamp contest in 2018. Land snails were selected for this year’s conservation stamp contest as part of the celebration for Year of the Kāhuli, proclaimed by Governor Josh Green, M.D., for 2023. 
    Game Bird stamp winning artist is Lauren Trangmar. Her winning submission features the chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, a popular game bird native to Africa and Asia brought to Hawaiʻi in the 1960s.
    The conservation stamp is required on the Hawai‘i state hunting license, and the game bird stamp is required for those intending to hunt game birds. Funds from sales of these stamps go into the State Wildlife Revolving Fund to support wildlife populations and habitats, and to manage hunting programs in Hawaiʻi.
    These new stamps for the 2023-24 hunting season will be available on July 1, 2023. Stamp collectors who would like an original stamp can call (808) 587-0166 or visit the Division of Forestry & Wildlife office at 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813.

THE ENDANGERED PALILA BIRD is getting attention at the Hawai'i Legislature, with resolutions from the House and Senate headed toward approval, urging investigation of this Hawaiian honeycreeper's decline in the wild, despite expensive efforts in fencing, restoring native māmane forest, and removing
The estimated remaining palila population dropped
from 1432 in 2019 to 678 in 2021. DLNR photo
wild sheep and goats from its habitat.
       According to state Department of Land & Natural Resource, the critically endangered palila. Loxioides bailleui once inhabited the slopes of Mauna Loa, Hualalai, and Mauna Kea as well as the saddle area between the volcanoes. Today, palila live on a very small part of Mauna Kea's southwest slope where there has been great effort to take out wild sheep that destroy their habitat of native māmane trees where palila nest and feed on the pods of māmane.
     One resolution brings up complex challenges in species preservation. It notes that there is a plan to build a fuelbreak on Mauna Kea to take out 35 acres of māmane trees to reduce the chances of forest fires that have already taken out 250 acres of palila critical habitat.
     The resolution also points out that the extensive reduction in sheep has resulted in more vegetation, with vegetative fuel loads making wildfires the most significant danger to palila and their habitat.
Artist Kathleen Kam painted a palila mural at the downtown KTA
 in Hilo in 2014. Her mural with  native birds and history of the
sugar plantation and emergence of the coffee industry in Kaʻū
 can be seen at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Photo from DLNR
    The resolution also notes that in eradicating some 25,000 sheep, about 60 percent were left to rot or to be eaten by feral cats and mongoose, which are themselves a threat to the palila population. It also points out that "thousands of residents have lost access to an important source of subsistence hunting on Mauna Kea."
     The DLNR's palila habitat restoration plan was mandated by an order from U.S. District Court, which required the removal of the sheep and goats under the Endangered Species Act. 
     The resolution asks for DLNR to "investigate factors resulting in the decline of palila for purposes of recommending updated strategies to preserve this species and updating the United States District Court's sheep and goat eradication mandate. The report would be due at the end of 2023.
     DLNR testified at the legislature that the palila populations were estimated to be 1,432 in 2019, 1,312 in 2020 and 678 in 2021, the lowest since annual surveys began in 1998.
    DLNR reported that it continues to plant more māmane and fence palila habitat and is seeking funding for more research and that it suspects such predators as cats for contributing to the palila decline. The report also notes that "three to four aerial shooting operations are conducted annually by the Department to remove the remaining sheep within Palila Critical Habitat. Approximately 25 'Judas' sheep with radio transmitters are used to locate and target the remaining sheep herds. In 2022, 267 sheep were removed via four aerial shoots. There are around 4,000 acres of Department of Hawaiian Home Lands within the Palila Critical Habitat fence that the Department is unable to access to complete animal control."


Coffee Talk this Saturday at Kahuku features
 Avian Ecologist Seth Judge on the ʻĀkepa.
NPS photo
UNLIKE PALILA, ʻĀKEPA NUMBERS ARE ON THE RISE and a presentation will be given this Saturday, April 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. 
    Seth Judge, Avian Ecologist for the National Park Service Pacific Island Inventory and Monitoring Network, will share his knowledge of the ʻĀkepa, the endangered Hawaiian Honeycreeper, with one of its largest populations living within the Kahuku Unit. 
    The Coffee Talk sessions are free. Kaʻū Coffee will be available for purchase. Entrance to Kahuku is just south of the 70.5 mile marker on the mauka side of Hwy 11.

WOOD ARTISTS AND WOODWORKERS ARE INVITED to apply to enter The Volcano Wood Show. Volcano Art Center announced its biennial juried wood show on Wednesday and will accept online submission applications through Sunday, April 30.
     The Volcano Wood Show exhibition is open to experienced, novice and student woodworkers. Participants are encouraged to use woods from Hawaiʻi grown trees. Endangered woods are not permitted. For the complete prospectus visit www.volcanoartcenter.org/gallery/call-to-artist/.
   The Volcano Wood Show will open to the public on Saturday, May 20th through June 10 on Wednesday through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The exhibit will also be featured online at www.volcanoartcenter.org.
   The three-week event aims to feature the various wood artists in this community who produce individual one-of-a-kind works using indigenous Hawaiian and exotic woods. Held in the Dietrich Varez Hall at VAC's Niaulani Campus, the exhibition presents a wide range of wood items including furniture, sculptures, and bowls. Funds generated from the show will contribute to the development of Volcano Art Center's future classroom and wood shop facilities.
    This year's biennial exhibition will be juried by members of the Hawaiʻi Forest Industry Association.
    Volcano Art Center is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization created in 1974 whose mission is to promote, develop and perpetuate the artistic, cultural and environmental heritage of Hawaiʻi through arts and education.More information about VAC and the exhibition can be found at www.volcanoartcenter.org.
Contact Emily C. Weiss by calling (808) 967-8222 or email info@volcanoartcenter.org


HULA KAHIKO AT VOLCANO ART CENTER ON SATURDAY, May 13 will feature a presentation by Nā Wai Iwi Ola under the direction of Kumu Hula Keala Ching. The performance begins at 10:30am at the pā hula in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Although, the event is free, Park entrance fees apply.
Nā Wai Iwi Ola Foundation is based in Kailua-Kona, and was founded to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture
Nā Wai Iwi Ola with Kumu Hula Keala Ching performs this Saturday a the pā
hula in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Photo by Kristy Kawaiola Johnson
and practices through hula protocol and ceremonies, the use and study of the Hawaiian language and by embracing the stories of our kūpuna past, present and future.
    The hula kahiko presentation will be presented authentically in an outdoor setting, rain or shine without electronic amplification. Audience members are encouraged to bring sun/rain gear and sitting mats. In the case of extreme weather, there is a possibility that the performance will be moved indoors to the Kīlauea Visitors Center Auditorium where seating is limited. These free events are supported by donations from members of the Volcano Art Center. Donations are welcome to continue future programs.
    The Volcano Art Center is a non-profit educational organization created in 1974 to promote, develop, and perpetuate the artistic and cultural heritage of Hawai'i's people and environment through activities in the visual, literary, and performing arts. Visit www.volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222 for more information.


UPCOMING TROJAN SPORTS for Track & Field, Boys Baseball, Girls Softball and Boys Volleyball, under Athletic Director Jaime Guerpo:
      In Boys Varsity Volleyball, under Coach Josh Ortega, Kaʻū hosts Lapahoehoe on Thursday, April 13 at 5 p.m.. Trojans host Ka Umeke on Monday, April 17 at 5 p.m. On April 21 through April 26 are playoffs and championship games.   
       In Girls Softball, under Coach Donovan Emmsley, Kaʻū travels to Pāhoa on Thursday, April 13 at 3 p.m. On Saturday, April 15, Kaʻū hosts Kohala at 1 p.m.. BIIF playoffs for Girls Softball start Monday, April 17 with finals ending on April 29.
    In Boys Baseball, under coach Rolland Alcoran, on April 15, Kaʻū hosts Kohala 11 a.m. BIIF playoffs for Boys Baseball start April 17 with finals ending on April 28.
     In Track, under Coach Tolu Rasmussen, Trojans head to Kealakehe for islandwide competition on Saturday, April 15 at 2 p.m.. The Freshman-Sophomore Invitational is on Saturday, April 22 at 9 a.m. at Kea'au. BIIF Trials are Friday, April 28 at 2 p.m. at Kea'au, followed by Finals on Saturday, April 29 at 3 p.m. Kea'au.



OUTDOOR MARKETS

Volcano Thursday Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See Volcano Evening Market facebook.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music. 

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.






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Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Kaʻū Pāʻū riders will represent other islands this Saturday in the Merrie Monarch Parade in Hilo. Kehau Kalani and her court
will wear the colors and flowers of Ni'ihau this year. Last year she and her Pāʻū riders represented O'ahu as shown above.

KAʻŪ PĀʻŪ RIDERS WILL REPRESENT MOKUPUNI O NI'IHAU AND MOLOKA'I IN THE MERRIE MONARCH PARADE this Saturday in Hilo. The parade begins and ends at Puahi St. and travels on Kīlauea Ave., Keawe Street, Waianue Ave. and Kamehameha Ave. It starts at 10:30 a.m. with floats, marching and horse riding groups, bands and much more.
    From Kaʻū and representing Ni'ihau, the Princess will be Kehau Kalani. Outrider is Jennifer Currathers. Scoopers are Mana and Kehau Ke and Jahnasha Goueva.
   From Kaʻū and representing Moloka'i, the Princess will be Lorilee Lorenzo. Page will be Jess Lorenzo. Outriders will be Frank Lorenzo and Ikaika Salmo-Grace. Pooper scoopers are Quentin Lorenzo, Jesse Lorenzo, Jr. Sophia Montoya and Ethan Leite. 
    Kuahiwi Ranch in Kaʻū will provide some of the horses for the Pāʻū Riders.
    Also in the Merrie Monarch Parade this year will be the county Department of Environmental Services with its float.

Employees of County of Hawai'i's Department of Environmental Services are making a float, as they did in this photo from
last year, to roll in the Merrie Monarch Parade this Saturday. Photo by Brenda Iokepa Moses

MERRIE MONARCH INVITATIONAL ARTS & CRAFT FAIR and entertainment are ongoing from Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday until 4 p.m. Creations come from throughout Hawai'i, including Volcano and Kaʻū and are on display and for sale at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium and the Butler Building in Hilo. 


THE PROPOSED COUNTY OPERATING BUDGET FOR 2023-2024 IS $794.3 MILLION, said Mayor Mitch Roth in his budget address Tuesday morning before the County Council. The budget period is July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 and the County Council will have the opportunity to modify the Mayor's proposal to spend $794,316,957 before approving the budget.
    In his message given live to the County Council, the mayor noted that revenue is projected to increase in several key areas, including $10.7 million in real property tax, $10 million in GET surcharge, and $5 million in the Hawaiʻi County transient accommodations tax. However, he also mentioned that with the revenue increases, the budget would also see increased expenditures, mainly due to collective bargaining and uncontrollable cost increases.
    "The budget reflects our administration's commitment to maintaining crucial services while making significant investments in long-overdue infrastructure maintenance projects essential to preserving Hawai'i Island's natural and cultural resources," said Roth. "The investments are crucial to creating a sustainable Hawaiʻi Island, where future generations can thrive and succeed."
Mayor Mitch Roth goes over the county's $794.3 million proposed budget.
Photo from County of Hawai'i
 According to the Mayor, the budget drafting process is "similar to feeding 100 people with a pizza that has only 12 slices, and everyone is asking for a whole slice." A statement from his office says, "Despite this challenge, portions allocated this year are fair and well thought out, and the 1.1% increase in the budget is reasonable and minimal."
    The budget places a significant emphasis on infrastructure and maintenance projects, including investments in protecting the environment, such as the investment in the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Mayor emphasized that without immediate action, the county could face "a situation like the Red Hill crisis or worse."
    The budget also includes an increase in the Parks & Recreation maintenance budget from roughly $450,000 in 2020 to just over $2 million in FY 23-24, taking into account the facilities' importance to the community's health.
    Other expenditures include funding for homelessness and housing production, an upgraded Police fleet, bolstering paving miles, amplifying public transportation, and improved County information technology systems that will ultimately improve services across the board for all constituents.
    Roth said that investing in the county's employees is essential for providing quality services to the public. Therefore, the budget includes funding for enhanced training opportunities for all departments and education funding to support employees in advancing their knowledge and skill sets.
    The Mayor emphasized that the proposed budget "prioritizes addressing long-standing issues and investing in projects that could have devastating impacts on the health and well-being of the community."
    He also mentioned that the administration's pursuit of innovation through public-private partnerships and exploratory research and development to ensure the sustainability of the island home, including forging partnerships with university systems to save millions of taxpayer dollars in the planning phase of an all-encompassing wastewater master plan for the entire island.
   The Mayor expressed his pleasure in working with the County Council through the budget process and thanked them for their willingness to come to the table and partner in creating this budget.
    He finished by stating that he "is sincerely optimistic for the year ahead."
    The full proposed operating budget for FY23-24 can be seen at: https://tinyurl.com/2wtvtu67


HAWAI'I IS CHALLENGING THE RESTRICTION OF MEDICATION ABORTION ACCESS. Attorney General Annie Lopez joined a multistate coalition on Monday opposing the decision issued by a district court judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that could restrict the abortion pill mifepristone nationwide.
    Hawai'i's Attorney General said, “Mifepristone has been proven to be safe and effective. The Texas district court’s decision is an egregious attack on abortion access, and jeopardizes the health, safety, and
Hawai'i AG Annie Lopez and AG's from 22 other
 states and D.C. are appealing a decision to restrict
the abortion pill. Photo from Offie of Hawai'i AG
well-being of millions of people across the country. Despite this decision, abortion remains legal and accessible in Hawai‘i and I will continue to fight to maintain access to essential reproductive health care.”
    Other Attorney Generals onboard with opposing the abortion pill ban represent: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
    The amicus brief, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, urges the court to stay the district court’s ruling, which, if allowed to take effect, could halt the more than two-decades-old U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the medication abortion drug, mifepristone.
    Lopez and the coalition of 24 attorneys general contend that revoking federal approval for mifepristone will drastically reduce access to safe abortion care and miscarriage management for millions of people across the country, endangering lives and trampling states’ authority to protect and promote access to abortion.
    A statement from the Hawai'i Attorney General notes that the ruling comes in a challenge brought by anti-abortion groups seeking to revoke the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. On April 7, Judge Matthew
Kacsmaryk of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, ordered the FDA to stay its approval of mifepristone, which happened in 2000. The court’s order does not take effect immediately, as the district court put its ruling on hold for seven days to give the federal government and the drug manufacturer an opportunity to appeal.
    Lopez and the coalition urge the appeals court to continue to stay the lower court’s "unprecedented and legally erroneous decision pending the appeal, given the decades of clinical research and studies that have confirmed mifepristone’s safety and the critical role medication abortion plays in reproductive health care, particularly in low-income, underserved, and rural communities."
    The coalition notes that if the lower court decision takes effect, it could drastically curtail abortion access for millions of Americans. "Mifepristone has been particularly critical in providing access to safe abortion care in low-income, underserved, and rural communities. According to current estimates, medication abortion accounts for more than half, approximately 54 percent, of all abortions performed in the United States. Obstructing access to mifepristone would lead demand for procedural abortions to significantly increase, resulting in later and more risky procedures, and more complicated and costly logistics for many patients, especially those where procedural abortion is unavailable."
    To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

ʻŌHIʻA QUARANTINE IS IN PLACE. Travelers attending the Merrie Monarch Festival this week are being reminded that quarantine restrictions remain on the transport of ʻōhiʻa from Hawai`i Island due to the fungal plant disease, rapid ʻōhiʻa death (ROD), which is devastating to native forests. It is estimated that at least one million ʻōhiʻa trees have been killed by ROD just on Hawai‘i Island alone.
    The quarantine restricts the movement of ʻōhiʻa plants and plant parts, including flowers, leaves, seeds, stems, twigs, cuttings, untreated wood, logs, mulch, greenwaste and frass (sawdust from boring insects) and any soil from Hawai`i Island. Transport of such items is only allowed with a permit issued by the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture Plant Quarantine Branch (HDOA-PQB). 
    “We are glad that the Merrie Monarch Festival is back in full force and everyone can enjoy the week of festivities,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture. “However, it is important that travelers not take any part of the ʻōhiʻa off the island to prevent further spread of rapid ʻōhiʻa death.
    “Agricultural inspectors will be stationed at the airports in Hilo and Kona to collect any ʻōhiʻa material which will be respectfully returned to the native forests on Hawai‘i Island,” Hurd added. “It takes all of us to protect Hawai‘i.”

    The Hawaiʻi Board of Agriculture issued an emergency quarantine in August 2015 to stop the spread of the plant fungus from Hawaiʻi Island to other islands. A permanent quarantine rule was established in 2016. Any person who violates the quarantine rule may be charged with a misdemeanor and fined not less than $100 with a maximum fine of $10,000. For a second offense committed within five years of a prior conviction under this rule, the person or organization shall be fined not less than $500 and not more than $25,000.
    The Merrie Monarch Festival draws dozens of hula hālau and hundreds of spectators to Hawai‘i Island. "It is important to note that the very act of harvesting ʻōhiʻa may spread the disease, as spores may be carried in soil and by harvesting tools, vehicles, shoes and clothing to uninfected areas," says a statement from the state Department of Agriculture. Multi-agency ROD working groups have been meeting with Native Hawaiian groups, the Merrie Monarch organization and other community groups to provide advice and guidance on the handling of ʻōhiʻa material.
    ROD was first noticed in 2010 in Puna. In 2014, the fungus was initially identified as Ceratocystis fimbriata by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Daniel K. Inouye Agricultural Research Service. Recent research has reclassified Ceratocystis fimbriata into two distinct species that are new to science, Ceratocystis lukuohia and Ceratocystis huliohia.
    The disease was detected on Kauaʻi in 2018 and on O‘ahu in 2019. Also in 2019, one ʻōhiʻa tree on Maui was infected and destroyed and ROD has not been detected on the island since. It is not known how the disease entered the state or where it came from.


HAWAI'I IS THE FIFTH BEST STATE FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE BUT 47TH IN ORAL HEALTH. That's according to a WalletHub study: "With workers paying an average of over $6,100 per year toward employer-sponsored family coverage and Every Kid Healthy Week kicking off on April 24, the personal-finance website WalletHub on Tuesday released its report on 2023's Best & Worst States for Children's Health Care.
    Hawai'i is second best in Children with fewest Unaffordable Medical Bills, sixth best for children being insured for medical care, 12th lowest in infant death rate, 13th for Chlidren in Exellent/Very Good Health, 15th for Children with Excellent/Very Good Teeth, 19th for the fewest Overweight Children, 27th for the number of Pediatricians & Family Doctors per Capita. However 47th in Oral Health care.
    In the national survey, in order to determine which states offer the most cost-effective and highest-quality health care for children, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 33 key metrics. The data set ranges from share of children aged 0 to 17 in excellent or very good health to pediatricians and family doctors per capita.
    The WalletHub report notes that nationwide, "Keeping children healthy is as expensive as it is essential. Luckily, around 95% of children aged 0 to 18 have health insurance to protect them if they do get sick. The bad news is that the high coverage rate hasn’t translated to lower health costs for parents, and the average amount workers pay toward employer-sponsored family coverage is over $6,100 per year. Some families can find relief through Medicaid or through the Children’s Health Insurance Program. However, many people who don’t qualify for government assistance will still struggle, especially when their wallets are already hurting from high inflation."
    See the rankings of other states and the entire report on Children's Health Care at https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-child-health/34455.


HOKULELE BASKETBALL CLUB travels from Kaʻū to O'ahu this weekend to compete in the Hawaiian AAU Championships April 15 and 16 with 18 players in the 5th Grade and 7th Grade. The venue is the Hawaiian Convention Center.
    Head Coach and President of Hokulele is Ravel Kaupu Jr. Vice President is Jan Kaeza Penera. Coaches are Chrysa Dacalio and Jaron Garcia. The non-profit conducts training in basketball for youth and hosts tournaments at the Robert Herkes Kaʻū District Gym. Hokulele also takes youth players on the road to compete on and off island.
Hokulele Basketball Club heads to the Hawai'i Convention Center
 on O'ahu this weekend for the Hawaiian AAU Championships.
Photos from Hokulele Basketball Club


UPCOMING TROJAN SPORTS for Track & Field, Boys Baseball, Girls Softball and Boys Volleyball,  under Athletic Director Jaime Guerpo:
      In Boys Varsity Volleyball, under Coach Josh Ortega, Kaʻū hosts Lapahoehoe on Thursday, April 13 at 5 p.m.. Trojans host Ka Umeke on Monday, April 17 at 5 p.m. On April 21 through April 26 are playoffs and championship games.   
       In Girls Softball, under Coach Donovan Emmsley, Kaʻū travels to Pāhoa on Thursday, April 13 at 3 p.m. On Saturday, April 15, Kaʻū hosts Kohala at 1 p.m.. BIIF playoffs for Girls Softball start Monday, April 17 with finals ending on April 29.
    In Boys Baseball, under coach Rolland Alcoran, on April 15, Kaʻū hosts Kohala 11 a.m. BIIF playoffs for Boys Baseball start April 17 with finals ending on April 28.
     In Track, under Coach Tolu Rasmussen, Trojans head to Kealakehe for islandwide competition on Saturday, April 15 at 2 p.m.. The Freshman-Sophomore Invitational is on Saturday, April 22 at 9 a.m. at Kea'au. BIIF Trials are Friday, April 28 at 2 p.m. at Kea'au, followed by Finals on Saturday, April 29 at 3 p.m. Kea'au.

Trojans will host Lapahoehoe for Boys Volleyball this Thursday, April 13 at 5 p.m. in the Robert Herkes Kaʻū District Gym.
Photo from Kaʻū High Athletics


OUTDOOR MARKETS

Volcano Thursday Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See Volcano Evening Market facebook.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music. 

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.





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Monday, April 10, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, April 10, 2023

Hawai'i Wildlife Fund and Hawaiian Electric volunteers recently partnered to collect marine debris that washed ashore on Kamilo Point. The group collected 363 pounds of debris, including 36 pounds of derelict fishing line and net bundles, 40 pounds of broken glass, and 30+ pounds of microplastics. Photo from Hawaiian Electric.
 
HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC GAVE HAWAI'I WILDLIFE FUND $15,000 on April 1 to support HWF's Ka'ū Coastal Restoration Program. The program focuses on coastal restoration efforts within and around the Ka'ū Forest Reserve in Wai'ōhinu plus environmental education, anchialine pool and estuary restoration, and capacity-building across Hawai'i Island.
    "We are thrilled that the $15,000 grant award will help us continue our efforts to protect native wildlife, restore habitats, and bring our hands-on environmental education programs to youth across Hawai'i
Alex Kelepolo, of Hawaiian Electric. She also serves as Vice
Chair of County of Hawai'i's Public Access, Open Space &
Natural Resources Commission.
Island," said Megan Lamson, Hawai'i Wildlife Fund president. "We are grateful for the volunteer and financial support from local businesses and these unique opportunities to engage new audiences in our conservation activities!"
    Hawai'i Wildlife Fund and Hawaiian Electric also partnered on two stewardship activities led by Hawaiian Electric employee Alex Kelepolo, recipient of the 2022 Kokua Community Champion Service Award. Employees and their families volunteered to collect marine debris that washed ashore on Kamilo Point in October 2019 and April 2023.
    "I led this project to educate and raise awareness of the detrimental effects of plastic pollution on our environment and native wildlife and the impact volunteers and Hawai'i Wildlife Fund have made on our island," Kelepolo said. "Serving our community is priceless. It's giving your time, dedication and heart to mālama 'āina. We all have kuleana to ensure the preservation and protection of Hawai'i's natural resources for future generations."
    Hawai'i Wildlife Fund has been working with community members on coastal habitat restoration and marine wildlife protection efforts along the Ka'ū coastline since 2001. With the help of thousands of volunteers, it has collectively removed more than 320 tons of marine debris from shorelines and reefs on the island. To learn more, visit www.wildhawaii.org.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

Megan Lamson, President of 
Hawai'i Wildlife Fund.
HAWAI'I WILDLIFE FUND CLEANUP DATES are announced for April and May.
    Saturday, April 22 is Ka'ū community Earth Day Cleanup. Limited space is available for this Bring Your Own 4WD event, with limited shared rides and hiking.
     Saturday,  May 13 is a Ka'ū community cleanup wwith BYO-4wd mostly, limited space in Hawai'i Wildlife Fund rides.
   Saturday, May 25 is a Ka 'Ohana o Honu'apo Loko I'a workday from 9 a.m. til pau.
    HWF also hosts private cleanups for local, school and community groups which are not always open to the public. There are  biweekly net recovery patrols on Mondays and seed collection events on Thursdays for existing volunteers. 
    HWF President Megan Lamson said, "We encourage you to take a walk along a beach or on a hiking trail (and host your own DIY cleanup with your 'Ohana), go for a surf / swim / snorkel and pick up any trash you find along the way. We hope to see you soon, so keep in touch and check out our website calendar for more updates." See www.wildhawaii.org.
    Sign up for HWF events at kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com


THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SATELLITES ARE APPROVED FOR LAND OFF WOOD VALLEY ROAD BY WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION. The vote was 4-0 last week, with two planning commissioners Lou Danielle and John Cross recusing themselves since they work for Edmund C.
Satellite dishes, similar to those planned by Academia Sinica
 for deep space research off Wood Valley Road. 
Olson Trust, which owns the land just off Wood Valley Road where the dishes will be located on 10.7 acres.
    According to Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, of Taiwan, which plans to install the ten dishes on two acres of the parcel, each dish will be 20 feet wide.                          Representatives of the academic institute described the satellite dishes as passive, designed to detect deep space radio bursts. They said Wood Valley was chosen because of its lack of radio waves and other noise like telephone and television signals. They used the term "radio silent," and said the site is protected by the mountains that surround Wood Valley.
    Opponents said they objected to seeing the dishes from their homes and farms and that they feared that this could be the start of a large satellite dish campus. They said it was incompatible with agricultural activity in Wood Valley.
    The Deputy Director of Acadamia Senica in Hawai'i, Ming-Tang Chen, offered to work with schools in Ka'ū to promote science, explain astronomy and offer student internships. Students doing internships here who want to further their education in the field could be introduced to the organization's international partners for more opportunities. Academia Sinica operates a Submillimeter Array of satellite dishes on Mauna Kea in partnership with Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. 
    One requirement for the approval of the project in Wood Valley is for the organization to provide the county with an annual report on its public outreach in Ka'ū.

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THE HAWAI'I YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY has been released by state Department of Health, Department of Education and University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Curriculum Research & Development Group. The high school and middle school data from the 2021 Hawai‘i Youth Risk Behavior Survey covers about 11,000 students in non-charter public schools across the state for the year 2021. The biennial survey has tracked data trends since 1991. Results are statewide and by island.
    A 30-minute online webinar on how to access Hawai‘i 2021 YRBS data will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtduuqqTIvHd0pF_2NrIDh1UWG-bLaXToE#/registration.
  Topics include unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy; protective factors; mental health and suicide; dietary behaviors; and physical activity.
    Department of Health points to the pandemic, noting that 2021 YRBS study was conducted under historically different conditions for public school students who in the previous 12 months were attending school fully or partially online. "Students’ home and school lives were dramatically affected during the COVID-19 pandemic," says a statement from the survey team.
    Compared to 2019, results from the 2021 survey indicate an increase in physical activity among high school students with 23% (up from 17%) reporting they were physically active at least 60 minutes per day in the past 7 days. The data also show a decline in youth substance use with 3% of high school students (a decrease from 5%) and 2% of middle school students (a decrease from 4%) smoking cigarettes in the past 30 days; 15% of high school students (a decrease from 31%) and 7% of middle school students (a decrease from 18%) using electronic vapor products in the past 30 days; and 12% of high school students (a decrease from 17%) and 3% of middle school students (a decrease from 7%) using marijuana in the past 30 days.
    The summary of results says, "It should be noted that the pandemic dramatically reduced retail
access and social interaction which may influence changes in these risk behaviors. While youth tobacco and marijuana use appear to have declined, one year of data does not constitute a trend, and they remain a priority public health concern. The decline in use of electronic vaping products was also associated with the outbreak of e-cigarette and vaping associated lung injury (EVALI) cases. Much work still needs to be done to prevent youth at risk of nicotine and other drug addiction.
    "The Hawai‘i YRBS highlights the ever-evolving challenges youth face today. Adolescent mental health continues to remain a concern. Key findings from the 2021 survey reveal that more than half of students (54% of middle school and 56% of high school students) never or rarely got the help they needed when experiencing feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, anxiousness, or anger. Only 75% of middle school and 74% of high school students reported having an adult at school or at home who they could talk to about things that were important to them."
    Lola Irvin, Department of Health Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division administrator, said, “Our goal is to improve the health and well-being of Hawai‘i’s children, adolescents,
and young adults by supporting the connections between positive health outcomes and academic achievement for the betterment of our students."
    Hawai‘i YRBS is part of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The YRBS trend report, with limited National YRBS survey results, was released by the CDC and is available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs. The full report will be released later this year.
    Hawai‘i's YRBS data is made available to the public through the Hawai‘i Health Data Warehouse, a long-standing partnership between the Department of Health and the University of Hawai‘i Office of Public Health Studies. For more information on the Hawai‘i YRBS, including state and county results from 2021 and previous years, visit https://hhdw.org/data-sources/youth-risk-behavior-survey and www.hawaiihealthmatters.org.
    The following links provide custom dashboards of a selection of YRBS results, statewide and county, within HawaiiHealthMatters.org. See YRBS 2021 State Results and YRBS 2021 Hawai‘i County Results

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UPCOMING TROJAN SPORTS for Track & Field, Boys Baseball, Girls Softball and Boys Volleyball, 
Trojans Athletic Director Jaime Guerpo
under Athletic Director Jaime Guerpo:
      In Boys Varsity Volleyball, under Coach Josh Ortega, Kaʻū hosts Lapahoehoe on Thursday, April 13 at 5 p.m.. Trojans host Ka Umeke on Monday, April 17 at 5 p.m. On April 21 through April 26 are playoffs and championship games.   
       In Girls Softball, under Coach Donovan Emmsley, Kaʻū travels to Pāhoa on Thursday, April 13 at 3 p.m. On Saturday, April 15, Kaʻū hosts Kohala at 1 p.m.. BIIF playoffs for Girls Softball start Monday, April 17 with finals ending on April 29.
    In Boys Baseball, under coach Rolland Alcoran, on April 15, Kaʻū hosts Kohala 11 a.m. BIIF playoffs for Boys Baseball start April 17 with finals ending on April 28.
     In track, under Coach Tolu Rasmussen, Trojans head to Kealakehe for islandwide competition on Saturday, April 15 at 2 p.m.. The Freshman-Sophomore Invitational is on Saturday, April 22 at 9 a.m. at Kea'au. BIIF Trials are Friday, April 28 at 2 p.m. at Kea'au, followed by Finals on Saturday, April 29 at 3 p.m. Kea'au.


OUTDOOR MARKETS

Volcano Thursday Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See Volcano Evening Market facebook.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music. 

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.




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