Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, May 11, 2023

Iwao and Alice Yonemitsu, of Nā'ālehu, during a celebration of Iwao's 100th birthday on Tuesday. Photo by Julia Neal

IWAO YONEMITSU IS 100 YEARS OF AGE. Nā'ālehu Hongwanji held a service and celebration on Tuesday. Yonemitsu was born on May 4, 1923 to Japanese parents who immigrated from Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu Island in southern Japan to work as laborers in sugar on the plantation at Pa'auilo, north of Hilo. He was the youngest of eight children. When Yonemitsu was an infant his parents moved to Kaʻū to work for Hutchinson Sugar Co. He has lived in Nā'ālehu ever since, except for a short stint at Honoka'a and consulting abroad, as well as time away in the military and for college.

Iwao Yonemitsu, left, and the late Toku Nakano, both members
 of the famed Japanese American 442nd that fought in Europe
in World War II. Photo by Julia Neal

    Yonemitsu graduated from Nā'ālehu School and Hilo High School and and attended University of
Hawai'i in Honolulu.
      After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Yonemitsu signed up for the U.S. military to show his allegiance to the U.S, while many other Japanese across the country were pulled from their homes and jobs to detainment camps in a climate of fear.
    Yonemitsu and other volunteers gathered at what is now the big garage for the macadamia company in Pāhala and shipped out from Hilo Harbor to Honolulu and Schofield Baracks. Next was Camp Shelby, Mississippi and on to Italy, landing in Naples as a member of the all-Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which would become famous for its warriors in WWII. Its slogan was Go for Broke. Among its heroes was the late Hawai'i U.S. Senator, Dan Inouye.
    Yonemitsu served in a 60-meter mortar squadron that fought first in Italy, helping to liberate Tuscany, and sailed to Marseilles, moving overland for the liberation of Bruyères and to rescue The Lost Battalion from Texas in one of the hardest fought battles in World War II.
    See the March 2023 cover story in the Hawai'i Herald at: https://www.thehawaiiherald.com/2023/03/03/cover-story-aloha-france/, which  documents people of Bruyères and surrounding villages still commemorating the efforts of the Japanese American soldiers from Hawai'i who liberated them in WWII. There are talks at the schools and other venues and a new song of Aloha, written in the honor of the American Japanese soldiers from Hawai'i.
    After the war, Yonemitsu was shipped to Charleston, South Carolina and Camp Carson, Colorado. He

was discharged and returned to Kaʻū to work in sugar where he began as a garage clerk and rose to Crop Control Superintendent. He married school teacher Alice Yonemitsu and raised a family in Nā'ālehu.

    In 1962, C. Brewer, owner of Kaʻū Sugar, sent him to Puerto Rico to advise on sugar, the company also providing its sugar consulting services to Iran and Iraq.
    Following his retirement, Yonemitsu continued volunteering with Nā'ālehu Hongwanji, helped with The Ka'u Calendar newspaper and gave talks on the history of the sugar plantations and about World War II and citizenship in classrooms at Kaʻū High School and at public events.        For the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, he and Alice sponsored the creation of a new lectern at Nā'ālehu School crafted from koa and other local woods by Thomas King. The Yonemitsu's remain active, including handling the banking for Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. They live in their own home with their daughter Hope.
     Yonemitsu's long time friend, the late Toku Nakano, also of Nā'ālehu, was also a 442nd member. The two traveled to Washington, D.C. in 2011 to receive the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor.

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A BLESSING FOR MIZUNO SUPERETTE as it transitions ownership at Pāhala Center is set for 10 a.m.

on Friday, May 12, with the public invited and light refreshments. Rochelle Hara is retiring and ownership of the store property is transferred to Edmund C. Olson Trust. The new tenant is Carl Okuyama and his 'Ohana Foods, which also operates its store and gas station in Nā'ālehu. Mizuno has remained open during the transition and most of its employees will stay on with 'Ohana Foods, with Cheryl Baldonado new manager. See story at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023/04/kau-news-briefs-sunday-april-30-2023.html

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ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, PACIFIC ISLANDER MENTAL HEALTH DAY was May 10, marked by a resolution from Sen. Mazie Hirono during AANHPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. She said, “Cultural, economic, language, and societal barriers prevent too many members of the AANHPI community in Hawai'i and across the country from accessing mental health care. This inequity is particularly devastating for marginalized members of our communities

—such as youth and veterans. As we recognize AANHPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, I am glad to introduce this resolution and reaffirm my commitment to invest in mental health resources, combat the stigma surrounding mental health, and break down barriers that prevent people from receiving the care they need and deserve.”
    Hirono’s resolution encourages health agencies to adopt policies to improve utilization of mental health services for the AANHPI community, as well as other marginalized communities. Suicide is the top cause of death for AANHPI youth, ages 10 to 24-years old, and in Hawai'i, the rate of suicide for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders is three times the national average. 

    The month of May marks both AANHPI Heritage Month and National Mental Health Awareness Month.

    Hirono advocates for AANHPI communities in Hawai'i, the U.S., and Pacific Island nations and territories. Last May, she introduced a bill to promote the teaching of Asian Pacific American history for high school students and teachers who enroll in the U.S. Department of Education’s American History and Civics Academies programs. Senator Hirono also brought legislation to the Senator floor, that was signed into law by President Biden, establishing a commission to study the creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture.

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GRASSROOT INSTITUTE OF HAWAI'I is calling on State of Hawai'i to reduce its spending, claiming that the 2023 Hawai'i Legislature's proposed spending plan for fiscal 2024 "could result in a state budget deficit of $45 million by fiscal 2028, if OK'd by the governor." In an opinion piece released this week,

Grassroot leaders Keli'i Akina and Mark Colman wrote that "Hawai'i's projected state budget surplus of $10 billion by fiscal year 2028 seems to have completely vanished, thanks to state spending that is set to far exceed the state's constitutionally mandated spending limit."
    In March, the state Council on Revenues knocked the state's long-term fiscal 2028 surplus down from $10 billion to $7 billion, but spending increases recently approved by the Legislature are set to result instead in a $45 million deficit, according to the  analysis by Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i.
    "If approved by Gov. Josh Green, the fiscal 2024 budget passed by the Legislature will increase state general fund spending by nearly 23% over the current year, which was 20% greater than the year before that. Historically, Hawaii's budget has tended to increase by about 5% annually."
 

   Grassroot Institute contends that "Hawai'i's Constitution and state law mandate that state general fund spending grow no faster than the three-year average of personal income growth. Lawmakers can override the cap by a two-thirds vote of each chamber, which is a pretty low bar considering Hawaii is a virtual one-party state. The Legislature's proposed fiscal 2024 budget exceeds the state's spending cap by more than $1 billion, or 10%.  To his credit, Green's final budget request was $668 million less than the budget passed by the Legislature, but it would have still broken the state spending limit by more than 6%."
    Nearly all state departments are set to receive more general fund dollars than last year. Departments with large increases include Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, 2,659%; Department of Land & Natural Resources, 208%; Department of Defense, 38%; Department of Budget & Finance, 36%; Department of Health and University of Hawai'i, both 24%; Department of Agriculture, 20%; and Department of Education, 10%.

Keli'i Akina of Grassroot
Institute of Hawai'i

     

    DBEDT in particular had numerous big-ticket items added to its budget, such as $64 million to repair the Hawai'i Convention Center; $106 million for agribusiness development and research; $60 million for the Hawai'i Technology Development Corp.; $150 million for the Hawai'i Housing Finance and Development Corp.; and $201 million for the Hawai'i Community Development Center.    

    Big-ticket items for the Department of Budget and Finance included a $500 million infusion into the Emergency Budget and Reserve Fund, and $200 million to spend at the governor's discretion, provided he gives prior notice to the Legislature.
    That $200 million is about equal to an amount Green had proposed in his Green Affordability Plan to cut taxes through broad-based changes to the state income tax.
     Green's tax-cut plan also called for about $125 million in tax credits aimed mainly at lower-income residents. In the end, the Legislature went with just the tax credits.

     Akina, Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i president and CEO, said, "Lawmakers had a golden opportunity to enact a $320 million tax-reduction package proposed by the governor. Instead, they passed only a modest $125 million tax reform package and significantly increased state spending. Lawmakers shouldn't even be spending one dollar over the spending limit, let alone a billion dollars.
    "Lawmakers were overly cautious about passing a $200 million package of tax cuts, but they certainly weren't shy to pass a $200 million pot of discretionary money for the governor."
    Akina recommended that the governor use his line-item veto authority to slim down this year's budget before signing it into law. He also urged the Legislature to be more frugal in how it spends tax dollars next year.
    "Hawai'i's bloated budget needs to go on a diet, or taxpayers won't be able to fund the level of government spending that state lawmakers have set into motion," he said.
      See more from Grassroot Institute, including a plan for cutting property taxes through county government at https://www.grassrootinstitute.org/.

A SHORTAGE OF FIRE DISPATCH EMPLOYEES has led the County of Hawai'i to post job openings. The annual pay starts at $47,988 plus a $3,000 recruitment incentive. Seven trainees are already on their way to help solve the shortage, and the county is looking to hire two more. See the many job openings at County of Hawai'i at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/countyhawaii.

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Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, May 10, 2023

New plans for Punalu`u may be presented by its owners in June, according to a report at
the Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee meeting on Monday. Photo from KCDP

KAʻŪ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN ACTION COMMITTEE focused on a variety of community issues on Monday evening at Ocean View Community Center. Subcommittees gave reports.

Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee meeting in Ocean
View on Monday. Photo by Peter Bosted

    Punalu'u Coastline Access & Resources Investigatory Committee said that Eva Liu's group, which owns the old resort property, was contacted and that representatives said there will be a community meeting to explain the state of current plans sometime in June. Plans for expanding accommodations and restoring and adding onto old facilities that were abandoned, including the Golf Clubhouse, tennis court and Aspen Center area, could require application for a Special Management Area for lands below Hwy 11 in the Punalu'u area.          

    Ideas entertained over the last few years are adding on condominiums, restoring the old restaurant by the pond at Black Sand beach, building a small hotel and other housing and commercial enterprises.  Some coastal land may also be sold to the county for preservation.

    Subcommittee on Kupuna Housing reported on renewed interest to establish senior citizen housing on the current location of O Kaʻū Kakou's weekly outdoor market.
    Subcommittee on Nā'ālehu Theatre reported on the building being torn down and there was suggestion of dissolving the committee but the committee was retained to look into the future use of the building site.      

    Word in the community is that a grocery store will soon come to the shopping center adjacent to the old theater site and that the theater site could also be included in the planning.
    Subcommittee on Mahana Bay - Green Sands Beach reported on outreach to Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, asking for better stewardship of the trail and 4WD track, parking and Green Sands Beach itself.
    Subcommittee on Pohue Bay reported on efforts to work with Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on its plan for public access to the coast. The Park recently acquired thousands of acres along the coast there.
    Several people from Wood Valley approached the Committee on the satellite dishes recently approved
by the Planning Commission for land along Wood Valley Road. The scientific project by a Taiwanese University deep space research group involves efforts to detect signals from deep space.      The scientists claim the dishes will be passive, without emitting any radio or other signals from the satellite dishes. Opponents have said they feared it would usher in a campus of satellite dishes that would be incompatible with the farm community. Some questioned whether there would be no emissions from the dishes and whether it would be used to spy. With the project approved by the planning commission, the opponents would have to file for a contested case, a legal proceeding to have their point of view reconsidered.

    Subcommittee on Solar Farms, Large & Small mall reported on projects planned in Kaʻū. Arion Energy and Pivot Energy, the developers of South Point Shared Solar, Ka Lae 1 and Ka Lae 2 were contacted. The two solar farms planned near Nā'ālehu are designed to provide power for more than 200 households, plus businesses and nonprofits, which would receive discounts on their electric bills if they sign up. 

      Included among many questions was the future of the orange trees presently growing on one of the sites that will be destroyed to make way for the solar panels. The committee also asked for guarantees that the sites would be cleaned up when the 20-year contract is over. It was noted that these solar projects are not designed to provide backup power to residents during a power outage.

    A community meeting sponsored by South Point Shared Solar developers will be held on Wednesday, May 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Community Center.

     Concerning solar in Ocean View, resident Annie Bosted asked the committee to support efforts to end a project that would result in 26 solar installations being built among homes makai of the highway. She circulated a map showing the proposed locations of the solar installations, and the locations of homes. She also passed around a petition signed by nearly 700 residents who are opposed to the project. She stated detrimental results of this proposed project on the community, and said it would negatively impact the local economy.
    Bosted said that after the meeting, Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee member Ka'ohi Mokuhali'i emailed, saying, "Be Assured your voice and concern was clearly heard. We will be forwarding this information to the CDP office to place on file. I truly hope, even though we are only an advisory council, that we as a group can help to find solutions, and or pathways to assist your concerns and move forward with a positive outcome. We must always strive to protect our precious environment!"

    Read about Kaʻū Community Development Plan and comment at https://www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/general-plan-community-planning/cdp/kau

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Community input on the County's Integrated Climate Action Plan is due June 1. Photo from County of Hawai'i

COUNTY OF HAWAI'I SEEKS FEEDBACK ON ITS INTEGRATED CLIMATE ACTION PLAN through June 1. A statement from the County says, "The ICAP is a cross-departmental effort that charts the County's responsibility to reduce its contribution to global climate change and make its services and facilities resilient to the effects of a changing climate. The ICAP identifies actions the County can take and will be used as a tool to hold the County accountable for climate action. The County of Hawaiʻi encourages all residents to review the ICAP and provide feedback through Konveio, an interactive online platform." The link to the Konveio site is cohplanning.konveio.com.

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MANU MINUTE WITH SOUNDS OF HAWAI'I'S NATIVE BIRDS has been launched on Hawai'i Public Radio's HPR 1 and 2, available in Kaʻū. HPR's FM stations here are HPR 1 KANO at 89.1 and HPR 2 KAHU at 91.3. 

    A statement from HPR says, "Manu Minute brings you the rich sounds from Hawai'i's native forests and shorelines. Each Wednesday, Patrick Hart, principal investigator at the University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo LOHE Bioacoustics Lab, features a different Hawai'i bird and its unique song, and talks about its environment and conservation.

    Learn about endemic species such as the critically endangered kiwikiu — one of the rarest birds in the world — and native honeycreeper ʻākohekohe. A statement from HPR says, "Manu Minute and LOHE lab's research bring to light recent efforts to help the plight of our feathered friends." Their conservation work helped push forward the recent Board of Land and Natural Resources-approved landscape-scale mosquito control program to save native birds.

Patrick Hart holds a juvenile 'i'iwi. Archival photo from LOHE Lab

    Hart, who is Principal Investigator, LOHE Bioacoutics Lab, said, "Landscape-scale mosquito control to save our Hawaiian forest birds has long been a dream for bird ecologists and all of those who live our manu. We are very excited about the upcoming release of sterile male mosquitoes." The first release will be on Maui later this year to help reverse decline of ʻĀkohekohe, Kiwikiu, and ʻIʻiwi. Hart and his team are also exploring cultural connections to native birds through chants on Hawaiʻi Island in an effort to spread awareness of mo'olelo (stories) about Hawaiʻi's native birds. He recently shared their work on HPR's The Conversation.
    The LOHE Lab also shares what to expect in the bird world for the next month or two:

     Most kōlea have made it safely to their nesting grounds in Alaska and have started building nests. Seabirds, including ʻuaʻu (Hawaiian Petrel), ʻaʻo (Newell Shearwater), and ʻakēʻakē (Band-rumped Storm petrel) have mostly returned to their high elevation nest sites on most of the main Hawaiian islands and are likely sitting on eggs.
    Most of manu nahele (forest birds), including ʻiʻiwi, ʻapapane, and ʻamakihi have fledged their keiki from the nest. Most manu that feed on insects (insectivores), including ʻākepa, ʻalawi, and ʻelepaio are still incubating eggs or feeding hatchlings.
    Catch Manu Minute Wednesdays during The Conversation 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. on HPR-1 and during Classical Pacific 3 - 6 p.m. on HPR-2. Subscribe to Manu Minute as a podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Google.

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Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, May 9, 2023

EXPANDING THE PACIFIC REMOTE ISLANDS MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT AROUND PALMYRA ATOL, KINGMAN REEF AND BAKER AND HOWLAND ISLANDS goes to a public meeting this Thursday, May 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Mokupapapa Discovery Center, 76 Kamehameha Ave in Hilo.

    The plan is to expand Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument from its current size of 50

nautical square miles to 200 nautical square miles miles. The plan is to expand Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument from its current size of 50 nautical square miles to 200 nautical square miles miles.
    A statement from Conservation Council for Hawai'i says, "This expansion will enable more reefs to regenerate and flourish, protect the ocean floor from mining, and give native wildlife a chance to survive. To the native communities, these islands hold much cultural and historical significance." According to  Conservation Council, the expansion would also honor the memory of the 130 men who occupied the islands during World War II from 1935 - 1942 and "perpetuate the indigenous seafaring knowledge between Pacific Islanders.
    In conjunction with the expansion, in Conservation Council for Hawai'i's statement, the monument would be renamed. and a co-management team knowledgable in traditional and scientific practices would steward the place. NOAA has begun a scoping process for the Pacific Remote Islands with in-person public meetings, including the option of joining virtually for the meeting on Wednesday, May 10 in Honolulu and the meeting May 11 in Hilo.
    The public comment period ends on June 2. Voice opinions at https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/NOAA-NOS-2023-0052-0001 or by mail to PRI-Proposed Sanctuary, NOAA, c/o Hoku Kaaekuahiwi Pousima, 76 Kamehameha Ave Hilo, HI 96720. See https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/pacific-remote-islands/.

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A hole in one was accomplished at 4,000 ft elevation, announced Volcano Golf Course. Photo from Volcano Golf Course

Janelle Akuna, after her Hole in One at Volcano
 Golf Course. Photo from Volcano Golf Course

A HOLE IN ONE AT VOLCANO GOLF COURSE was scored by Janelle Akuna, reports Volcano Golf Course General Manager Dawn Crozier. She said Akuna accomplished the feat on Hole #3 on April 23, using a hybrid club from the forward tees approximately 105 yards to the hole. This was Akuna's first HIO.
    Volcano Golf Course is owned by Kamehameha Schools and operated by Toon, which manages nine courses in the Hawaiian Islands, including Mauna Lani. Toon operates more than 665 courses worldwide.

     Volcanogc.com gives the description: "For over 100 years at Volcano Golf Course, guests have been treated to panoramic views of both Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea while playing alongside endemic ‘ōhi‘a trees that bloom vibrant red, and the nēnē, Hawai‘i’s state bird that nest throughout the property. This 18-hole golf course is set at the rim of the active Kīlauea volcanic crater, 4000 feet above sea, making it a truly unique golfing experience."

     In regard to Kamehameha Schools stewardship, the website says, "KS holds a great kuleana, or responsibility, to sustainably care for, nurture and enhance our lands for communities of today and tomorrow."

    Volcano Golf Course offers an All You Can Play Yearly Membership for $329 per month. Pay $3,290 in advance to receive a $658 discount. A 30-day All You Can Play Pass costs $349. A Ten Round Punch Card costs $359. A Twilight 30-day pass for unlimited play with tee time starting at 1:30 p.m. is $150.00. Driving Range passes are $10 per month. See more at volcanogc.com and on https://www.facebook.com/VolcanoGolfCourse/, with a link to Volcano Golf Courses's new online store.

Volcano Golf Course is owned by Kamehameha Schools and operated by Toon. See volcanogc.com and https://www.facebook.com/VolcanoGolfCourse/, with a link to its new online store. Photo from Volcano Golf Course

Miloli'i- Kaʻū 16s took first in their category at the tournament on Saturday that brought 16 teams to Robert Herkes Kaʻū 
District Gym  from around the island and O'ahu. Photo from Miloli'i-Kaʻū Volleyball Club

Mauloa Girls took first in 4s category. Photo from Miloli'i-Kaʻū

MILOLI'I KAʻŪ VOLLEYBALL GIRLS WON THE 16s CATEGORY in the tournament held last Saturday at Robert Herkes Kaʻū District Gym. Second went to Keaukaka Boys. In the 14s category. Mauloa Girls won, with second going to AMP. 

     Sixteen teams from eight clubs from as far away as O'ahu came to Kaʻū for the tournament organized by Kaimi Kaupiko and crew. 

    The clubs were Miloli'i-Kaʻū, Keaukaha, Pu'uki, AMP, Maunalani from O'ahu, Ho'opa, Mauloa and Hi Intensity.

     Maunalani's coach, who hosts the club at Kamehameha School gym on Oa'hu with team members from Kapolei and other parts of Honolulu, said she looks forward to the event becoming an annual tournament with students traveling to Kaʻū.   

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This Maunalani Club came from O'ahu with two teams. Photo from Miloli'i-Kaʻū Volleyball

Miloli'i- Kaʻū 14s at the tournament held last Saturday, with teams from as far away as O'ahu.  Photo from Miloli'i-Kaʻū 

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