Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Glenn Okumura, of Pāhala Hongwanji, observes the monster truck from Hilo Products pulling up with vegetables and fruits for Kaukau 4 Keiki to provide nutrition for children out of school for the summer. The program is organized by Vibrant Hawai'i.
Photo by Julia Neal

Food was staged at Pāhala Hongwanji kitchen and distributed to Pāhala
 families who drove through. Photo by Julia Neal

SIX WEEKS OF FREE KAUKAU 4 KEIKI began at in the Kaʻū area this week with distribution in Pāhala, Nā'ālehu, Ocean View and Miloli'i on Wednesday afternoons. Distribution in Volcano is on Monday afternoons.

    There are 35 Resilience Hubs and Resilience Alliance Partners participating in the program around the island. The aim is to cover keiki nutrition during the summer when children are out of school and away from school cafeterias where many of them receive free breakfasts and lunches.

    Packages for each Kaukau 4 Keiki family include seven days of USDA approved shelf stable foods and boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables. Breakfast and lunch items are provided each week of the program. Menus are provided to the families, suggesting ways to prepare the most nutritious meals with the foods that are distributed. Kaukau 4 Keiki is a USDA Summer Food Service Program. While registration is closed, families can sign up for a waitlist at https://form.jotform.com/231646420097152

GIVE volunteers help out with Kaukau 4 Keiki food distribution on Wednesday at Pāhala
Hongwanji. The group of college students also volunteered at Kawa to clean up 
the beach and at O Kaʻū Kakou's community garden. Photo by Julia Neal

        The Pāhala  distribution is led by co-captains Marlene Freitas and Julia Neal, along with Pāhala Hongwanji's Glenn Okumura. About 25 college age students from the visiting GIVE volunteer organization helped out along with volunteer residents of Pāhala.                 The Nā'ālehu distribution is led by Marcia Masters. 

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ALLA KOSTENKO AND LOUIS DANIELE ARE NAMED TO HAWAI'I COFFEE ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS. According to Hawai'i Coffee Association, Kostenko represents A Coffee Farm. Daniele is manager of Ka'u Coffee Mill.

     In the past, she worked as an assistant to former Hawai'i Coffee Association Executive Director and Kaʻū Coffee Festival organizer Chris Manfredi and helped to produce a short film on the history of Kaʻū Coffee. She also helps to produce the annual Hawai'i Coffee Association Conference.

    Kostenko also worked as manager of Kaʻū Mountain Coffee Farm in Wood Valley and with the former owners of the post-sugar plantation coffee lands where Kaʻū Coffee farmers bought their parcels above Pāhala. She currently works with Jim McCully to develop a Kaʻū Coffee farm along Kalaiki Road above Pāhala.

    Hawai'i Coffee Association recently held its annual meeting on Kaua'i and named Fred Crowell of Kaua'i Coffee Company, LLC its new president. Vice-president is Tom Greenwell, of Greenwell Farms Treasurer is Abby Munoz, of Monarch Coffee. 

The new wet mill at Kaʻū Coffee Mill
will process 10,000 lbs. an hour.
Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Mill

     Daniele, in addition to managing Kaʻū Coffee Mill, is a member of Hawai'i County's Windward Planning Commission. Before his entrance into the coffee business he owned a landscaping company. He has been a resident of Hawai'i for 32 years, living in Kaʻū for the last 20 years. 

    He has represented Kaʻū Coffee at Specialty Coffee Association Conventions from Boston to Seattle. He worked on the Kaʻū Coffee Festival for may years hosting numerous events from the Miss Kaʻū Coffee Pageant  Kaʻū Coffee Recipe Contests, and the Mountain Water Hike to Stargazing in the mountains above the Coffee Mill and tours of the coffee and macadamia plantations.

     Daniele gave an update on Kaʻū Coffee Mill: "Right now we are expanding our capacity to mill coffee with the installation of a new wet mill that will be able to process 10,000 lbs. per hour. This will reduce processing time by more than half, with an innovative conveyer belt system that loads directly from the wet mill into the driers."

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LT. BOBBI-JO SAGON has graduated from the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. Hawai'i Police Department made the announcement that Sagon is one of 238 law enforcement officers from 47 states, the District of Columbia, and 25 countries who graduated from this year’s program in June.
    Internationally known for its academic excellence, the FBI National Academy is a 10-week program of professional study and physical training for U.S. and international law enforcement managers. Attendees are nominated by their agency based on demonstrated leadership qualities.

Bobbi-Jo Sagon

    In addition to the professional training, FBI National Academy attendees undergo fitness training and graduates undergo their final fitness challenge on the Yellow Brick Road, a grueling 6.1-mile run through a hilly, wooded trail built by US Marines. Along the way, Academy attendees must climb over walls, run through creeks, jump through simulated windows, scale rock faces with ropes, crawl under barbed wire in muddy water, maneuver across a cargo net, and more.
    On average, Academy attendees have 21 years of law enforcement experience. Since 1947, HPD has nominated several officers to attend the Academy, with nine graduates currently ranging in rank from Lieutenant to Police Chief.
    “We are all extremely proud of Lieutenant Sagon and the work she put in to accomplishing this significant milestone,” said Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz. The Chief also graduated from the FBI National Academy during his tenure with the Honolulu Police Department.
    “The FBI National Academy is such an exceptional place, filled with discussions and ideas about modern policing. I’m

looking forward to hearing what ideas Lt. Sagon has from her time there, and to seeing how we can implement them moving forward.”
    Sagon is assisting with the transition of Animal Control services from the police department to the newly formed Animal Control and Protection Agency. Shehas served with the Hawai'i Police Department for more than 17 years, starting her career as a patrol officer in South Kohala. She was later assigned to the Criminal Intelligence Unit. In 2016, she was promoted to detective and worked in both the Area I Criminal Investigation and Juvenile Aid Sections before being promoted to Lieutenant in 2021, when she was assigned to Kona Patrol.
    “I am honored to have been selected to attend the FBI’s National Academy,” said Sagon. “The training, experience, and knowledge I gained, particularly on the topics of leadership, are invaluable and has provided me with a better understanding and awareness of humanity as a whole.”

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Marlene Hamilton is missing.

MARLENE HAMILTON, OF OCEAN VIEW IS MISSING. Hawai‘i Island police are asking for public assistance. She was reported missing on June 4. Hamilton has no permanent address and is known to frequent Punalu‘u Beach Park and surrounding areas in Ka‘ū. She is also wanted by police for an outstanding bench warrant.
    During the course of their investigation, police determined that Hamilton has recently been seen in good health by numerous witnesses. However, they have been unable to physically locate Hamilton.
Hamilton is described as a Caucasian with a thin build, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 110 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes.
Police ask anyone with any information on Hamilton’s whereabouts to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311, or Ka‘ū Patrol Officer Russ Fiesta at (808) 939-2520.

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Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, June 20, 2023

AS HURRICANE SEASON DEEPENS, Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency is running a campaign to urge residents to take the first step to build up a 2 Weeks Ready stockpile of emergency supplies. The campaign includes videos in multiple languages on the HI-EMA YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@hiema347/videos. The 2 Weeks Ready videos are in Hawaiian, English, Illocano, Tagalog, Spanish, Japanese and Korean.  Subtitled versions are posted under matching languages on the Language Resource Hub page, on the HI-EMA website at https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/. A second PSA in the series will debut in August. Other videos on the You Tube channel in multiple languages include Know Your Neighbors in Case of a Hurricane in Hawai'i, and Be Ready for a Hurricane in Hawai'i.

    A recent HI-EMA survey indicated that most Hawai‘i residents believe they would be prepared if a disaster struck soon. The rest were unsure, with rural residents more confident that residents of the City and County of Honolulu.

    According to HI-EMA, the most common reasons given for uncertainty are:
• They didn’t have enough supplies
• They couldn’t afford to prepare, or
• They didn’t know what to do to be prepared.
  The campaign focuses on taking the first step toward building up a 2 Weeks Ready stockpile of emergency supplies.
    “We know that setting aside two weeks of food, water, medicine, and other emergency items can be a heavy lift here in Hawai‘i, so our new campaign focuses on taking that first step, even if it’s just by setting aside a couple of days’ worth of supplies,” said HI-EMA Administrator James Barros.
    By planning to pick up one or two extra items during a sale, residents can gradually build up their emergency supplies over time. If storage space is scarce, focus on items that you would normally buy anyway to maximize shelf space, and look at options such as collapsible water jugs that can be filled when a hurricane is still approaching.
    “We’d love to see everyone in Hawai‘i ‘2 Weeks Ready’ today, but having even a few days of supplies is better than nothing,” Barros said. “When more people are prepared for a hurricane or other major disaster, it allows our first responders to concentrate their efforts where the need for help is greatest, so it helps the whole community.”
    The first PSA focuses on a family who thought being 2 Weeks Ready was too hard, but decide to add canned goods, pet food, peanut butter and other items to their shopping list to take the first step toward

preparedness. The narrator advises “Don’t wait until it’s too late” and adds the tagline from last year’s HI-EMA video campaign: “Don’t get scared; get prepared.”
    As with the PSA campaigns HI-EMA launched in 2021 for tsunami awareness and in 2022 for hurricane readiness, the new campaign is animated and features subtitles in non-English languages that are commonly spoken in Hawai‘i. Versions of the ad were recorded in both English and Hawaiian, with subtitles in English, Hawaiian, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Ilocano and Japanese.
    The PSA campaign was funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program. The grant covered production and advertising purchases on local television and radio outlets and digital media platforms.

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OMITTING LINE ITEMS TO BALANCE THE STATE BUDGET was announced last week by Gov. Josh Green. He cut the 2024 budget by $1 billion. Many of the projects were on O'ahu. Some that may have applied to this island include:

    Reducing $120M in FY24 for Teacher Housing; leaving $50M in FY24 to launch program 

    Reducing $5M in FY24 for Department of Land and Natural Resources for forestry resource management; leaving $20M in FY24

    Reducing $25M in FY24 for State Parks renovations and improvements; leaving $25M in FY24
    Reducing $60.2M in FY24 for Department of Land Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
    Reducing $50M in FY24 for Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority solar energy storage loan program; leaving $50M in FY24 to launch program
    Reducing $33M in FY25 for Broadband Federal Matching; leaving $33M in FY24 for state match
    Reducing $5 million in FY24 from Department of Agriculture Mitigation and Population Control of Feral Animals (Department of Land and Natural Resources will undertake this work)
    A statement from the Governor's Office says that a change in the Council on Revenues general fund projections for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 went from +2% in March to –1% in May, prompting "the need to rebalance the state's financial plan through line-item reductions to the budget. To balance the financial plan and meet the reserve policy for the state, Governor Green needed to reduce approximately $1 billion from the budget bill over the Fiscal Biennium 2023-2025."
    Green said, "Our state laws and policies require me to balance the budget and ensure that the state has adequate reserves to protect against budget shortfalls and provide financial stability and flexibility during

volatile times and natural disasters. A sound budget and appropriate reserve levels are also needed to help maintain strong bond ratings that can positively affect borrowing costs associated with our capital improvement projects."
    The statement says that Green's actions "will protect essential services, core programs, and will continue to make significant investments in priority areas for the state." He said, "I considered the needs of the community to make sure we are still making large strides in moving the state forward. Even with this year's proposed reductions, this budget makes historic investments in housing, homelessness, environment, healthcare, and education."

    The state Council on Revenues is attached to the state Department of Taxation and its seven members are CPA's, economists and other experts appointed by the governor and the state Senate and House of Representatives leaders.
    The Council reports its latest revenue forecast to the governor and the legislature on June 1, Sept. 10, Jan. 10, and March 15 of each year. In addition, the Council prepares estimates of the state total personal income for such calendar years for establishing the state expenditure ceiling.

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HAWAI'I SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ IS ASKING FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT OF HIS BILL TO PROTECT KIDS ONLINE by signing a petition at https://secure.ngpvan.com/oNdwRsKriU-IsdhWpN8GxQ2?emci=961c4866-760c-ee11-907c-00224832eb73&emdi=0f017ca5-9c0f-ee11-907c-00224832eb73&ceid=2321671. The bill was written by Republicans and Democrats.

    A statement from his team said, "There's been a spike in mental health challenges facing young people in our country. Between 2011 and 2019, the number of teens who felt depressed more than doubled and 22% of all high school students said they have seriously considered suicide. Social media is playing a big role in this mental health epidemic, making kids vulnerable to bullies, predators, and toxic content. While kids are suffering, social media companies are profiting," said the statement.

Sen. Brian Schatz, left, is working with Republicans and
Democrats on a bill to establish a minimum age for using
social media with parental consent. Photo from NPR

    It contends that "Using powerful algorithms, social media companies have determined they can get kids to stay on their platforms longer by pushing toxic content. The longer the companies keep kids on their platforms, the more ads they can serve them. The legislation would:
    Require users to be at least 13 to create social media accounts
    Require parental consent for kids 13 to 17 to create accounts
    Prevent social media companies from using personalized algorithms to feed addictive content to users under 18
     The bill "won't solve all of the problems presented by the digital age we're living in, but it's an important starting point that will combat some of the worst abuses of social media companies and prioritize kids' well-being over tech companies' bottom lines," says the statement. See story about introduction of the bill at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_04_27_archive.html. 

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HPD ARRESTED 17 FOR DUI during the week of June 12 through June 18.  Hawai‘i Island police

arrested 17 motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Three drivers were involved in a traffic collision. None were under age 21.
    So far this year, there have been 468 DUI arrests compared with 490 during the same period last year, a decrease of 4.49 percent. Hawai’i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 400 major collisions so far this year compared with 359 during the same period last year, an increase of 11.42 percent.
    To date, there have been eight fatal crashes, resulting in nine fatalities, (one of which had multiple deaths); compared with 14 fatal crashes, resulting in 16 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths) for the same time last year. This represents a decrease of 42.9 percent for fatal crashes, and 43.8 percent for fatalities.
    HPD promises that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

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POLICE THANK THE PUBLIC WITH AID IN ARRESTING OCEAN VIEW RESIDENTS KIMBERLY SANDERSON AND HER SON KEONI SANDERSON. Hawai'i Police Department issued a statement on Tuesday thanking for the public for providing information that led to the arrest of 21-year old Keoni and 54-year old Kimberly. Keoni, who was wanted for several warrants and for questioning in other criminal investigations, was the subject of a previous media release asking for the public’s assistance in locating him.

Kimberly Sanderson

    Acting on information that Keoni Sanderson was in a vehicle in the area of the 75-1000 block of Henry Street in Kailua-Kona, police started canvassing the area at 1:15 p.m. on Friday, June 16, 2023. Kona patrol officers quickly located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop during which it was determined the vehicle was being operated by Keoni’s mother, Kimberly Sanderson. As officers approached the vehicle, they observed a male, later identified as Keoni Sanderson, attempting to conceal himself within the vehicle.
    As officers attempted to take Keoni Sanderson into custody for his outstanding warrants, his mother tried to obstruct officers by attempting to lock the vehicle’s doors. Officers managed to gain access into the vehicle at which point Keoni’s mother physically prevented officers from taking him into custody.
   Officers were able to gain control of Kimberly Sanderson and continued their efforts to take Keoni Sanderson into custody, who had become physically aggressive towards officers. After a brief struggle,          

    Keoni Sanderson was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Kealakehe Police Station. Kimberly Sanderson was also taken into custody and transported to the Kealakehe Police Station.
    Later that same day, after conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office, Keoni Sanderson was charged with the following offenses and his total bail was set at $62,000.

    Six counts of first-degree bail jumping

Keoni Sanderson

    Three counts of violating conditions of release on bail
    Two counts of first-degree assault against a Law enforcement officer
    Resisting arrest
    Contempt of court
    Possession of an open container within a vehicle. Kimberly Sanderson was charged with the following offenses and her total bail was set at $13,250.Obstructing a government operation
    First-degree hindering Prosecution
    Possession of an open container within a vehicle
    Driving without a valid driver’s license
    No motor vehicle insurance. The traffic related offenses stemmed from the officers’ observation of an open container of an intoxicating beverage within the vehicle and Kimberly Sanderson not having a driver’s license and valid motor vehicle insurance.
    Both Keoni and Kimberly Sanderson were scheduled to make their initial appearances in Kona District Court on Monday.
   "The Hawai'i Police Department would again like to thank the public’s assistance in help with locating Keoni Sanderson," said the HPD statement.

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Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, June 19, 2023

A new community pavilion has been approved and a public meeting will be held by the County
at the Miloli'i Halau on Saturday, July 15 at 9 a.m. Photo from Environmental Assessment

RENOVATIONS AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE MILOLI'I HALAU AND COUNTY PARK will be presented and discussed on site on Saturday, July 15 at 9 a.m.  A statement from the County regarding the Miloli'i Beach Park Accessibility Improvements Project says the Department of Parks & Recreation

The new halau at Miloli'i, the community pavilion, will be
set back from the ocean. Drawing from project EA

"cordially invites you and all interested persons to a community meeting where the department will share new information and updated project details, address issues raised at prior meetings, and provide opportunities for additional comments, community input and address new questions or concerns related to the project as well as the operation and maintenance of your county park in Miloli‘i."
    Representing Department of Parks & Recreation will be Director Maurice Messina, Park Planner James Komata, and Park Projects Manager Jeffrey Ochi. The Parks statement says, "We ask for your assistance to forward this information to any individual, group, or entity that you feel would benefit from attending this meeting or that has expressed any interest in the proposed project in the past."
    Those with questions in advance of this meeting or requiring accommodation to participate in this meeting, can contact Jeffrey Ochi by 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 14 at Jeffrey.Ochi@hawaiicounty.gov or (808) 961-8311.
        See the final Environmental Assessment published in February for the project, with photos and diagrams at https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/Doc_Library/2023-02-08-HA-FEA-Milolii-Beach-Park-Accessibility-Improvement-Project.pdf

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USGS Photo/Aerial view of NPS and USGS facilities at Uēkahuna
years before the 2018 eruption.

DR. JADELYN MONIZ-NAKAMURA PRESENTS AT AFTER DARK IN THE PARK on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium. She focuses on Uēkahuna and Thomas A. Jaggar Museum, which educated the public in volcano science and Hawaiian culture on the edge of the crater until the earthquakes of the 2018 eruption and summit collapse damaged the foundations of the historic buildings beyond repair.
    Moniz-Nakamura shares the journey through the past of this sacred place known as Uēkahuna on the eve of the park’s efforts to restore a more natural landscape and provide a dramatic vantage point for locals and visitors.
The talk is sponsored by Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. It is free, but park entrance fees apply.
USGS Photo/Aerial view of the NPS and USGS facilities at Uēkahuna

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A NEXAMP SOLAR MEETING WILL BE HELD THIS THURSDAY, regarding the solar farm planned near Na'alehu. The meeting will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Register online at https://bit.ly/NexampNaalehuSolarMeeting.
    Similar to the January meeting, this online meeting will on the project will provide updates on the permitting process and review general information about the proposed solar project in Nā'ālehu, located south of Māmalahoa Highway. A Nexamp statement says, "If you know anyone that was unable to attend the in-person meeting, please feel free to share this information, as this will be a great opportunity for them to learn more about the project and participate in this important discussion."

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HAWAI'I RANKS IN THE TOP 15 MOST PATRIOTIC STATE IN THE U.S., according to an analysis from WalletHub. "With the Fourth of July approaching but America troubled by issues like high inflation and elevated homicide rates, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023's Most Patriotic States in America, as well as expert commentary."
To determine where Americans have the most red, white and blue pride, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 13 key indicators of patriotism. Our data set ranges from the state's military enlistees and veterans to the share of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election to AmeriCorps volunteers per capita. Hawai'i ranked:
    1st – Active-Duty Military Personnel per 100,000 Civilian Adults
    5th - Average Number of Military Enlistees per 1,000 Civilian Adults
    29th – Peace Corps Volunteers per Capita
    5th – Veterans per 1,000 Civilian Adults
    1st – U.S. History or Civics Education Requirement
    22nd – Volunteer Hours per Resident
    11th – AmeriCorps Volunteers per Capita
    For the full report, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/most-patriotic-states/13680

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MAJOR REED MAHUNA BECOMES ACTING DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF on Saturday, July 1. Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz made the announcement Monday.  “I am extremely excited to welcome Chief Mahuna to the administration,” said the HPD Chief. “Reed brings an unrivaled integrity, work ethic, and 

Major Reed Mahuna becomes Active Deputy
Police Chief on July 1. Photo from HPD

technical ability to the job that will help the department continue moving forward in our pursuit to improve public safety."
     Moszkowicz also noted: “As the Salary Commission continues its important work, I look forward to working with the Police Commission in the coming months to appoint and confirm Deputy Chief Mahuna on a permanent basis.”
   Mahuna, a 25-year veteran of the department has most recently served as Major of Area I Operations, overseeing the Criminal Investigation Division, which includes Vice, Juvenile Aid, and the Criminal Investigation Sections, as well as the Crime Lab. Prior to that he served as Major of the Technical Services Division, which includes the department’s Communications Dispatch Center, Communications Maintenance Section, Computer Center, Records and Identification Section, and Traffic Services Section.
    Mahuna’s former assignments include serving as a Police Officer and Field Training Officer in the South Hilo district, Police Officer in the Area I Traffic Enforcement Unit, Detective in Area I and Area II Criminal Investigation Section, Lieutenant in the Puna district, and Lieutenant in Area I Vice Section. He has also served as Captain of the Area II Criminal Investigation Division, Captain of the Hāmākua and South Hilo districts, and Captain of the Area I Criminal Investigation Division.''

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HPD'S BACKPACK DRIVE FOR ISLAND KEIKI will run through July 15. "Hawaiʻi Police Department is proud to participate once again in an islandwide backpack drive for island keiki in need," says the HPD statement. New and unfilled backpacks may be dropped off at any Hawai‘i Island police station.
    Backpacks are the most requested non-food item by charities in Hawaiʻi. The donated backpacks will be distributed to children at women’s shelters, homeless shelters, and transitional housing facilities around the island.
    Since 2008, HPD has teamed up with Hope Services Hawaiʻi to collect school backpacks for children who cannot afford them. Last year more than 700 backpacks were collected throughout the island’s police stations and distributed by Hope Services. "Your contribution to help a child in need is greatly appreciated," says the HPD statement. 

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