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Friday, August 18, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, August 18, 2023

 State flags were not only flown half-staff in Hawai‘i on Friday, in honor of those lost on Maui. In addition, governors in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey also ordered flags half-staff to honor the victims. Friday was also Admissions Day for Hawai‘i, which became a state in 1959. 
Photo by Bob Martin
Kapua Sproat writes about the Lahaina fires
in The Guardian. Photo from U.H.
KAPUA SPROAT, A UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I LAW PROFESSOR AND ATTORNEY FOR EARTH JUSTICE, has worked on water justice around the state. She co-authored a story for the British newspaper The Guardian this week regarding the risk of fires and the lack of water throughout Hawai‘i, giving Lāhainā as an example. See                                https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/17/hawaii-fires-maui-water-rights-disaster-capitalismfbclid=IwAR3ORq0NXYLuktwFNNPVEcjTXb0tFYfgUPebLQWD4t9YjU5FbAowrmfgcwI_aem_AY5Nh5uATaTYQakZb1Vymj22S99M5EVlFTgbFfjmujuruTU8C4jcak-WQ1-b8__eZNs
    The article was recommended by Marsha Hee, of Volcano.


NĀ ‘OHANA O LELE, a coalition of community leaders in Lāhainā, held a press conference Friday. Tiare Lawrence said the group has issued three demands to Gov. Josh Green.
    ONE: Give our community time to grieve. The fire occurred only ten days ago and many people are still in shock and mourning. The governor should not rush to rebuild the community without first giving people time to heal, especially without including the community itself in the planning.
Tiare Lawrence read the demands issued by Na ‘Ohana o Lele
 to Gov. Josh Green. Photo from Maui Now
    TWO: Put the community first in any planning process for rebuilding Lāhainā. The governor should work with the community to develop a plan that meets the needs of the people. Fast-track development cannot come at the cost of community control.
    THREE: Amend the Emergency Proclamation to ensure that Chapter 92 Sunshine Law remains in full force. This law guarantees the public's right to know about the government's decision-making and the discussions and information used in that process. The governor should ensure that all decisions about the rebuilding of Lāhainā are made in the open and with full participation of our Lāhainā community. We need time to gather all of us together to engage in the important conversations that will be needed.
     Lawrence asked that the governor meet with Lāhainā people. "The governor's plans to rebuild the community must be based on the needs of the people, not the interests of developers." She called on the governor to meet the three demands.  See the press conference at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=vLPvWd1FwcA.

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GOV. JOSH GREEN AND THE FIRST LADY JAIME KANANI GREEN RELEASED A VIDEO FRIDAY SAYING LĀHAINĀ PEOPLE WILL DETERMINE LĀHAINĀ'S FUTURE. Through sweat and tears, they talked about the loss of life and pain to the community. The Governor said, "We will rebuild Lāhainā. Lāhainā belongs to its people and we are committed to rebuilding and restoring it the way they want it. The land in Lāhainā is reserved for its people as they return and rebuild. And I have instructed the Attorney General to impose enhanced criminal penalties on anyone who tries to take advantage of victims by acquiring properties in the affected areas."
Lahaina banyan tree behind shells of historic buildings where
Gov. Josh Green said Lahaina will reemerge "like shoots 
from the ashes." Photo from NPR
   He said, "Lāhainā will rise again. It will be a symbol of our resilience, our values and our sacred bonds of ‘ohana. When it is rebuilt it will be a living memorial to the loved ones we have lost, the native Hawaiian culture that founded it centuries ago, and the values that will enable us to endure this tragedy and flourish again, like the great banyan tree that survived the fire and still stands among the ruins today.            
     "We will set an example for the world, on how we will protect and preserve our culture, our history and our values as we navigate the challenges of sustainable development, extreme weather and global climate change in this century. We will never forget what we have lost in Lāhainā and we will never abandon the survivors or our commitment to help them recover and heal. We will mourn those we have lost, honor their memories, and support the survivors and we will nurture our hope for the future that will emerge again like shoots from the ashes." 

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Police Officer Mark Kealoha
Kaili, Jr. arrested. Photo from HPD
TWO MASKED MEN ROBBED A HOME IN NĀ‘ĀLEHU TUESDAY. ARRESTED WAS OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER Mark Kealoha Kaili, Jr., 32, of Kea‘au, along with Cody Kuaili‘aimoku Kanahele, 27.  According to Hawai‘i Police Department, early Tuesday morning two masked men reportedly entered a 20-year-old victim’s residence in Nā‘ālehu and assaulted him. During the altercation, the victim’s grandfather attempted to intervene, and in the process unmasked one of the suspects, later identified as Kaili, who was off-duty during the alleged incident, as well as at the time of his arrest. Kanahele, cousin of the victim, was arrested a short time after this incident was reported. Later that same day he was charged with first-degree burglary and third-degree assault.
     Kaili was arrested Friday morning at his residence in Hawaiian Paradise Park, on suspicion of first-degree burglary and third-degree assault. Some folks in Ka‘ū say they remember him serving as a lifeguard at Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach.

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5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the street.







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Thursday, August 17, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, August 17, 2023

 Kaʻū Trojans energized the first game of the season Thursday against Pāhoa Daggers. Trojans made the
first touchdown, but after the quarterback was injured, Pāhoa kept scoring and won 20-6.
Photo by Joy Marie Ridgely

KAʻŪ TROJANS TOOK TO THE ROAD FOR THE FIRST FOOTBALL GAME of the season on Thursday. Kaʻū High played Pāhoa at the ballfield in Kea‘au. 
 Kaʻū Trojans on the road Thursday at the ballfield in Kea‘au,
playing Pāhoa Daggers. Photo by Joy Marie Ridgely

    Trojans started the game with big success. On the first drive, Kuahuia-Faaffia scored for the Trojans, receiving a pass from quarterback Adahdiya Ellis-Reyes.
    The quarterback, who also plays defensive starting safety, however, was injured during Pāhoa's first drive and Trojan freshman quarterback Baron Marinovich took over the quarterback position for the rest of the game.
    Pāhoa Daggers won 20-6. The next game is a week from Saturday on Aug. 26 at Kohala where Trojans take on the Cowboys.
    Trojan  Coaches are Ted Blanco, Todd Marinovich, Garrett Greedy and Mark Peters.
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A FUNDRAISER FOR LĀHAINĀ AND OTHER MAUI FIRE VICTIMS WILL BE HELD AT THE CLUB AT DISCOVERY HARBOUR. Money raised through the event will go to the Council of Native Hawaiian Advancement's Kako‘o Maui Fund and will be matched by donors for up to $1.5 million. 
   The event will be held on Sunday, Aug. 27 from 4 p.m. and will include a prime rib buffet dinner by DaBOMB BBQ.
    There will be raffle prizes, a silent auction and entertainment. The cost is $60 per ticket which comes with a raffle ticket. The silent auction includes the works of many talented artists and local businesses, who donated their items.
    The Buffet includes Slow Kiawe Smoked Prime Rib with whipped horseradish and smoky Shallot Jus, a baked potato bar, classic caesar salad with sourdough croutons and shaved parmesan and pineapple upside-down cake. At The Pub, a dollar for every drink sold will be donated.
    Call The Club for more at 808-731-5122.
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 HAWAI‘I FARMERS UNION UNITED HAS SET UP A MAUI RESPONSE FUND. It is being organized by its statewide President Kaipo Kekano, a long-time Lāhainā resident. Financial donations will support local farmers on Maui affected by the wildfires.
      Hawai‘i Farmers Union has a chapter in Kaʻū. Statewide, it has helped to raise assistance for the Lāhainā population devastated by the fire. Its statement says, "Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United stands with our Maui Ohana. Wildfires and hurricane-strength winds have devastated Maui. We grieve the loss of lives, the devastation of our communities, and the irreplaceable cultural and historical artifacts that have been lost. 

    "These events underscore the preciousness of life and the significance of unity and the aloha spirit during challenging times."
    HFUU collaborated with community groups and organizations to provide immediate relief. With support of Common Ground Collective and community volunteers, HFUU ensured the delivery of over 5,000 lbs. of fresh produce to families around Lāhainā.
    The statement says, "Maui's resilience is unwavering, but the need for support is paramount." Donations can be made at https://hfuu.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/hfuu/donation.jsp?campaign=2&.
      The Farmer Veteran Coalition is also available to help military veterans in agriculture affected by the wildfires on Maui. Members are encouraged to call FVC at 855-382-3276 or email support@farmvetco.org.

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 Aerial view of one of the lava-plastered cones, showing thin 1823 pāhoehoe flows (dark gray) draped over older cinder 
and spatter (tan). Photo by S. Rowland, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

THE MOST UNUSUAL KĪLAUEA ERUPTON...MAYBE 1823? That is the title of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S.G.S. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. The eruption was near what is now modern-day Pāhala and The Great Crack. Here is Volcano Watch:
      Last month a "Volcano Watch" article discussed the bicentennial of the first visit of westerners to Kīlauea caldera, led by English missionary William Ellis, in 1823. Ellis did not just visit the summit region; he had approached from Kaʻū, traveling along what eventually became known as Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone (SWRZ). Ellis first witnessed evidence of Kīlauea's restlessness there, in the form of a vast, 4.8-square-mile (12.5 square-kilometer) lava flow that had erupted just a short time before.
    The eruption was over by the time Ellis passed through the Keaīwa area, just east of the modern town of Pāhala, from July 30–31, 1823. The lava was still steaming and in places too hot to walk on. Although lava flows can retain heat for many years after an eruption, it seems unlikely in this case, because the flows from this eruption are unusually thin: in most places, the thickness is less than 1 meter (yard).
     Thinner lava flows dissipate heat much more quickly than thicker ones; therefore, we can assume that the flows visited by Ellis had been molten no more than a few weeks earlier. This assumption aligns with oral accounts from native Hawaiians in the surrounding area, who reported that the eruption had occurred less than a month prior.
    Over the past century, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists have occasionally visited the Keaīwa area to study the eruptive features in detail. They have notably found pāhoehoe lava veneers lapping up the flanks of older cinder cones, several yards (meters) high, resulting in the name "Lava Plastered Cones" that appear on maps of the area.
    The thin lava veneers on the cones are indicative of high flow velocities, enough to overcome topography standing in the eruption's way. Think of a water slide with a jump at the end, where fast-moving water briefly flows uphill. At such high velocities, the entire flow would have been emplaced over just a handful of days. In combination with Ellis's reports, this evidence suggests that the eruption most likely occurred in early to mid-July 1823.
    Seeing that this eruption produced relatively thin and fast-moving pāhoehoe flows, we know that the lava had a low viscosity. Essentially, it spread across the preexisting ground surface like a coat of spilled paint, rather than sticky tar. But why was the viscosity so low? For most Hawaiian eruptions, such low-viscosity lava is only found very close to the eruptive vent, not over the whole flow field as in 1823.
    The 1823 eruptive fissure holds clues that may help answer this question. This fissure—part of the feature famously known as the "Great Crack"—stretches 18 miles (12 kilometers) with widths up to 50 feet (15 meters). This width is especially impressive, as most Hawaiian fissures only widen to about 1 yard (meter). The 1823 fissure is also unusual in having no substantial spatter deposits along its length; it's just a big crack where lava welled up from below and then flowed downhill.


Low-angle aerial view of the Great Crack and surrounding 1823 lava flows (dark gray) along Kīlauea's lower Southwest Rift Zone. The crack is about 50 feet (15 meters) wide in this area with similar but variable depth, depending on the amount of rock rubble filling the opening. USGS photo by D. Downs

    It is likely that the Great Crack existed prior to 1823, but it was possibly cleaved more apart by the intrusion of a subsurface magmatic dike when the eruption started. Large blocks of older rock that dropped into the opening and were coated in 1823 lava offer possible evidence that the crack was widening during the eruption. Prolonged dilation may have prevented the eruption from localizing at one vent, thus influencing the character of the effused lava.
    Another factor to consider is the location of the 1823 eruption, it occurred at a lower elevation along the SWRZ than any event since. The lower end of the fissure system was close enough to sea level that it produced small phreatic explosions, as magma interacted with shallow groundwater. One plausible explanation is that the low-elevation eruption engaged an unusually strong pressure gradient in the volcanic plumbing system from Kīlauea's summit, driving magma to the lower SWRZ with greater force and speed.
    HVO scientists continue working to solve the mysteries of the 1823 Kīlauea Southwest Rift Zone eruption, but after two hundred years, some questions will inevitably remain unanswered. That is, until another similar eruption occurs that we can observe for ourselves—unlikely in our lifetimes, but generally if something has happened once on a volcano, it can happen again!

Volcano Activity Updates: Kīlauea is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is ADVISORY.
    Active lava has not been visible within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea since June 19. Earthquake activity in the summit region remained elevated over the past week. Summit tiltmeters generally showed inflation over the past week. A sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate of approximately 86 tonnes per day was measured on August 10.
    Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
    Webcams show no signs of activity on Mauna Loa. Seismicity remains low. Summit ground deformation rates indicate slow inflation as magma replenishes the reservoir system following the recent eruption. SO2 emission rates are at background levels.
    There were four earthquakes with three or more felt reports in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M3.0 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) SW of Volcano at 1 km (1 mi) depth on August 15 at 11:37 a.m. HST, a M4.3 earthquake 6 km (3 mi) WNW of Volcano at 25 km (15 mi) depth on August 13 at 1:36 p.m. HST, a M3.2 earthquake 12 km (7 mi) S of Fern Forest at 5 km (3 mi) depth on August 11 at 9:23 p.m. HST, and a M3.4 earthquake 48 km (29 mi) ESE of Nā‘ālehu at 42 km (26 mi) depth on August 11 at 10:15 a.m. HST.

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5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the street.










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Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Ocean View Community Emergency Response Team President Marie Burns (right) and Uncle Tony
who owns a restaurant, helping fire victims with food at King's Cathedral on Maui. 
OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM SENT ITS PRESIDENT TO MAUI last weekend to assist first responders. Marie Burns, President of OV CERT, said the experience is invaluable for prevention and preparedness in Ocean View. It helps her as a CERT volunteer to keep up her skills.
    Burns said said she assisted at the King's Cathedral in Kahului, which is designated as a disaster shelter. King's Cathedral not only served many hundreds of meals per day. It also sheltered victims of the fire and provided showers. She said she assisted with food, working with a man named Uncle Tony who had his own restaurant. There were ten cooks in the kitchen at King's Cathedral. 
    Donations from the community and agencies arrived all day long, said Burns. She said that the situation is "like a funeral and emotionally overwhelming." Regarding people being anxious to cast blame for the tragedy and make redevelopment plans for the future, Burns said, "we haven't even identified the missing, those who perished. We should just stop. We should just cry. The people are in shock."
Marie Burns, President of Ocean View CERT, volunteered
 at King's Cathedral on Maui over the weekend. 
    Burns said she met a woman whose house was one of the few that survived in Lāhainā and that is made of brick. She said she met another who needs a tree cut. Burns who is a tree-climbing arborist said she would return to help her. She has operated FBI Tree Trimmers for 15 years out of Ocean View.
    She said it was a joy to witness people reunite who didn't know of each others' fate for almost a week. She has many stories of survival including a young surf instructor woman, who said she was resting when the fire came close and would have simply died if no one had come to alert her. So much of the survival was by chance like people saying they didn't know why they decided to turn left instead of right on a street and made it.
      Burns said she plans to go back frequently and that the next trip will also involve helping animal rescue organizations.

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HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC HAS BEEN SUED, ITS STOCK PLUNGING AND ITS CREDIT RATING DROPPING TO JUNK. A fourth suit was filed Wednesday, blaming it for the wildfires on Maui. It contends that Hawaiian Electric failed to turn off the power in the high winds on Maui even though the company applauded the policy adopted in California after deadly wildfires there. The suit also contends that Hawaiian Electric failed to use $192 million approved by the Public Utilities Commission to harden its utility polls and other equipment to prevent wildfires. The lawsuit maintains that since 2017 Hawaiian Electric has deferred programs to reduce wildfire exposure while continuing to give out tens of millions of dollars in increasing payments to stockholders.
     Hawai‘i pays the highest electric rates in the country. Hawaiian Electric told members of the press it could not speak about pending litigation.
DAILY LOSSES TO THE ECONOMY, WORKERS AND THE STATE in the wake of the Maui wildfires have been listed by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, which is asking for emergency funding. HTA lists daily losses as: $8.5 million in total sales revenues; $2.9 million in household income; $1.05 million in direct visitor spending; $1.96 million in lost sales with multiplier effects; $535,500 in household income; $414,000 in state revenue; and $121,800 in state taxes.  About 10,000 jobs were lost in Lahaina alone.
    The emergency funding to HTA would come from a $5 million special fund that needs approval by the
governor. It would be the first time the tourism emergency is used for a tourism emergency. Use of the funding is limited to an emergency that  “adversely affects Hawai‘i’s tourism industry by resulting in a substantial interruption in the commerce of the State and adversely affecting the welfare of its people.”
    Eugene Tam, state economist, noted that the sale revenue loss is statewide, as Lāhainā businesses sourced many of their inputs from food to goods from other places in Hawai‘i. The drop in household income and state and county revenues also affect the entire state.
     Since the disaster, arrivals to Maui dropped from 7,000/day to 1,500/day.
     Mufi Hannemann, head of Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association and an HTA board member noted, “We had federal funding during COVID to keep people at home, but right now we need federal funding to keep people at work. Imagine losing your home and your job.” One use of the funding would be to encourage visitors to go to the places on Maui unaffected by the fires.


THE MAN WHO DIED IN A CRASH SUNDAY EVENING AT MANUKA PARK ON HWY 11 has been identified. The 30-year-old Waikoloa man is Koa Kane Clark. He died following a single-vehicle collision fronting the Manuka State Recreational Park at the 81.2 Mile Marker. 
    Responding to an 8:08 p.m. call, police determined that a black 2008 Mercedes-Benz 280 convertible was heading north on Highway 11 at a very high rate of speed. The Mercedes-Benz lost control and drove off of the roadway (Mauka) and struck the rock wall sign that was fronting Manuka State Recreational Park. The driver was then ejected from the vehicle. Clark was transported to Kona Community Hospital and pronounced dead at 1:18 a.m., on Monday.
A 30-year-old driver of a Mercedes Benz lost control
at the 81.2 Mile Marker on Hwy 11 and crashed into
the Manuka State Park sign on Sunday night. He died.
    A 25-year-old Kailua-Kona passenger in the vehicle was taken to Kona Community Hospital for treatment. He is currently listed in stable condition.
   Police believe that speed and impairment are factors in the crash. The 30-year-old driver was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.
   An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
    The Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a Coroner’s Inquest investigation and is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact Officer Adam Roberg at 326-4646, ext. 229 or email at adam.roberg@hawaiicounty.gov.
   This is the 11th traffic fatality this year compared to 25 at this time last year.
   Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

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KAʻŪ TROJAN'S FIRST FALL FOOTBALL GAME IS THURSDAY, on the road to Pahoa, with a start time of 6 p.m. Coaches are Ted Blanco, Todd Marinovich, Garrett Greedy and Mark Peters. Here is the player lineup with jersey numbers.




5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the street.






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