Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023

Trojan Defense players swarm to make a tackle at Kamehameha School. See more below. Photo by Mark Peters

HELICOPTERS COULDN'T FLY TO MAKE WATER DROPS ON FIRES AUG. 8. Bulldozers couldn't stay ahead of the flames to make firebreaks, and it wasn't just on Maui. Hawai‘i County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd gave a report via Zoom on Thursday saying that the fires fought along the Kohala Coast on Aug. 8 were the toughest ever for firefighters. He noted that the winds were too high for helicopters to make water drops. Flames outpaced bulldozers.
    At the same time, two fires on that day were put out in Kaʻū by local firefighters. Todd credited the success of putting out seven Hawai‘i Island fires on Aug. 8 to county firefighters around the island and also to volunteer fire companies.

Hawai‘i County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd said that
Hawai‘i Island is the only county in the state with
volunteer firefighters, who along with county,
National Park and military assistance helped 
quell the fires of Aug. 8.

    He said that Hawai‘i is the only county in the state with volunteer firefighters, which vastly increases the ability to fight fires. He said this county has more firefighting resources than any other Neighbor Island and is just short of O‘ahu with its 44 fire stations.
    The Hawai‘i Island Fire Chief also credited the state Department of Forestry & Wildlife, National Park Service, and U.S. military's fire department at Pōhakuloa Training Area. He said they all contributed to the success in quelling the Aug. 8 fires on Hawai‘i Island.
    By the end of Aug. 8, one big warehouse was destroyed near Mauna Kea beach and guests at the hotel there were told to shelter in place. No residences nor visitor accommodations burned down but seven buildings were damaged. Residential communities just north of Kawaihae were evacuated.
    Todd reported wind gusting 82 mph in Kawaihae in the late afternoon of Aug. 8, plus gusts above 50 mph in South Kohala. He said wind pushed around the firefighters, some of them holding onto the fire trucks to keep them from falling. He said the high winds made it difficult to keep straight water hoses going to the fires. He said the fires in Kohala were probably electrical and not arson or other cause, but final determination is yet to be made.

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FRIDAY, SEPT. 8 MARKED ONE MONTH AFTER WILDFIRES TORE THROUGH LĀHAINĀ AND UPCOUNTRY Maui. On Thursday, Sen. Mazie Hirono took to the U.S. Senate floor to give an overview, in remembrance of those who lost their lives. She highlighted the federal government’s response, and reiterated her commitment to fighting for resources needed for recovery.
    “This disaster did not simply impact a collection of numbers or statistics, it impacted a community of people, tight-knit and proud—business owners, who served as stewards of family-owned shops and restaurants passed down through generations; immigrants who came to Maui in search of a better life for themselves and their families; firefighters, who raced into horrific, toxic conditions to try and save the town they loved, even as many of their own homes burned to the ground mere miles away; and so many more who called Lāhainā home,” said Hirono.

Hawai‘i Sen. Mazie Hirono took to the U.S. Senate floor on Thursday to ask for more help for 
victims of the firestorm disaster in Lahaina and Upcountry Maui. Image from C-Span

    Hirono also condemned the spread of disinformation on social media, saying, “Mr. President, at a time of grief and loss, residents have been subjected to disinformation on social media, likely coordinated by foreign government entities, to discourage residents from reaching out to FEMA for disaster assistance and disinformation that sowed distrust in the federal government,” Hirono said, “It is an all-hands-on-deck effort to combat this kind of disinformation and make sure survivors can access federal support.”
    Hirono emphasized "the robust response of the Federal Family of Agencies—including FEMA, SBA, and dozens of others—in the days following the fire. Within days of the fires starting, FEMA—working with the governor, mayor, and local entities—was able to get thousands of survivors into hotel rooms, Airbnbs, and other short-term shelters. To date, more than $50 million in federal assistance to individuals has already been approved,” She pointed out that “Federal personnel have also been critical to the search and rescue efforts, coming from around the country to help search through the rubble and identify the remains of those lost.”
   Hirono noted that "initial estimates suggest the fires destroyed nearly 3,000 structures in Lāhainā, almost 90% of which were residential. It also leveled roughly 700 businesses on and around Lāhainā’s historic Front Street. Tragically, the fires have claimed 115 lives to date, with some 385 people still unaccounted for. These numbers are devastating and reflect the pain and anguish Hawai‘i is feeling.

   She also pointed to Lāhainā's history. "As the one-time capital of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, Lāhainā holds great cultural and historic significance for the Native Hawaiian community. For some families, their roots in Lāhainā date back more than a century, with homes passed down from generation to generation. Others came from elsewhere, captivated by Lāhainā’s beauty and charm. And before the fires, Lāhainā was a bustling seaside town that welcomed thousands of visitors every month. But in mere moments, all of that was destroyed as 80 miles-per-hour winds, fueled by a hurricane 500 miles away, propelled the fire through the town with unimaginable speed and fury.
    "The devastation is difficult to put into words, as is the trauma this community is experiencing. Front Street, once vibrant with the sounds of music and revelers in the air, is now eerily quiet—the only sound to be heard is often the clanging of twisted metal in the wind. At the hotels where survivors are staying, I met parents afraid to send their children to school, not wanting them out of their sight. I met a woman who escaped the fire with just a backpack of belongings—a backpack she now takes everywhere with her, refusing to take it off her back. And I met hotel workers and others, especially a health worker who said that, weeks after the fires, some residents and workers were so traumatized, they didn’t even want to come out of their rooms."

    Hirono said that initial estimates calculate the damage to property alone from these fires is upwards of $5 billion—estimates for rebuilding Lāhainā are more than double that. "Rebuilding will take time, resources, and a continuity of effort. That’s why I’m so grateful for the strong response of the full family of federal agencies—more than 25 of which are on the ground on Maui with over 1,000 personnel. From FEMA and SBA, to HHS, HUD, DOD, and so many others, the federal family responded with speed to meet the immediate needs of those impacted." she said.
    Within days of the fires starting, said Hirono, FEMA—working with the governor, mayor, and local entities—was able to get thousands of survivors into hotel rooms, AirBNBs, and other short-term shelters. "To date, more than $50 million in federal assistance to individuals has already been

approved. But we know that this is just the beginning. Federal personnel have also been critical to the search and rescue efforts, coming from around the country to help search through the rubble and identify the remains of those lost."
    Hirono noted that when President Joe Biden visited last month, he made a commitment that the federal government would be there for as long as it takes to help Lāhainā recover and rebuild as the community envisions. "The $4 billion in additional FEMA funding the President requested late last week is an important down payment on that promise. This funding will help ensure FEMA has the resources it needs to continue its critical disaster relief work—not just on Maui, but in other communities impacted by disasters all across our country. I hope that it will pass with strong bipartisan support, as has long been the case for disaster relief funding. But we know, as I said before, this is just the beginning." 

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Trojan. Photo Joy Marie Ridgely

KAʻŪ TROJANS TRAVELLED TO KAMEHAMEHA'S HOME TURF in Kea'au on Thursday. The Warriors beat Kaʻū 49 to six. 

    The next game for the Trojans is next Saturday, Sept. 16 at home, playing the Honoka‘a Dragons. It is the first of three weekly home games on Saturdays at 1 p.m.
     Key stats to date for this season for Trojan Offense include Adahdiya Ellis-Reyes completing 31 of 69 passes for 611 yards, with five interceptions and seven touchdowns.
    In Receiving, TJ Kuahuia-Faafia made 19 catches for 368 yards had six touchdowns. Ocean Nihipali-Sesson made 15 catches for 190 yards and one touchdown.
    In Rushing, Ocean Nihipali-Sesson racked up 60 carries for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Adahdiya Ellis-Reyes made 29 carries for 124 yards.

      For Defense, La‘a Kajiwara-Ke made 23 tackles, Dominic Nurial-Dacalio 22, Vladamir Fedoruk 16, Ocean Nihipali-Sesson 15, Adahdiya Ellis-Reyes 13.
    Keaka McDonnell made two interceptions and Jaestin Karasuda one.

Kaʻū Trojans traveled to Kea‘au on Thursday to take on the Kamehameha Warriors.
Photo by Mark Peters

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THE TILTMETER IS THE FOCUS OF VOLCANO WATCH this week, the column written by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory research geophysicist Ingrid Johanson. 

     Measuring how a volcano deforms in response to moving magma is one of the cornerstones of volcano monitoring. Instrumentation includes a number of newer, satellite-based methods but another important instrument has been around a lot longer: the tiltmeter.

    Tilt data was the first geodetic data collected by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and continues to be incredibly important both for monitoring and basic research in volcano behavior.
    In the early 20th century, scientists were only beginning to recognize that volcanic eruptions (and earthquakes) were accompanied by “topographic changes” (as they were called at the time). In Japan, one of the forebearers of seismology, Dr. Fusakichi Omori, realized that the boom arm on his seismometer was affected by ground tilt and that this annoyance was important data.
    In 1917, Dr. Thomas Jaggar began tracking tilt changes at Hawaiian volcanoes. At first, by looking at the deflections of the HVO’s Omori and Bosch-Omori seismometers. Later, by constructing specially designed “clinoscopes.” These provided a rough idea of the amount of tilt over the span of a day to a week.

Graph of tilting at Uēkahuna bluff—at the summit of Kīlauea—in a direction toward and away from Halemʻaumʻau, collected by a water tube tiltmeter (black) and an electronic tiltmeter (grey). Major intrusions and eruptions are marked by blue and pink arrows respectively. USGS plot

    In the 1950s, HVO scientist Dr. Jerry Eaton designed an improved tiltmeter using water. This apparatus provided a precise tilt measurement to be used to track daily or even hourly tilt. The “water tube tiltmeters” allowed HVO scientists to track the movement of Kīlauea’s summit through several eruptions, providing a continuous record of inflation and deflation.

A water tube tiltmeter: The tiltmeter is read by looking into the portal on
each pot and adjusting the sight until two pins appear to touch. In fact, one of
the pins is a reflection, so having the pins almost touch establishes the
 exact water level within the pot. The difference in water level gives the tilt,
 and repeated measurements give changes in tilt over time. USGS photo

   The water tube tiltmeter consists of three “pots” of water connected by tubes such that the water can freely flow between them. One pot is placed in the center, and the other two are placed east and north of the center pot. The water in the tubes will always seek to be level, but when the ground tilts and moves the pots up or down, it will look like the water level is moving down or up. By reading the depth of the water in each pot, one can work out how much the ground has tilted since the last reading.
    Water tube tilt data was especially valuable because it could be collected regularly to form a continuous time series. This means data was collected whether it seemed important at the moment or not. This kind of continuous record facilitates discoveries that wouldn’t be possible if data was only collected during eruptions.
    In particular, the water tube tiltmeters showed cycles of steep inflationary tilt between eruptions and then sudden deflation as eruptions drained magma chambers. However, once Puʻuʻōʻō began erupting on Kīlauea’s middle East Rift Zone in 1983, these cycles became much more subdued.
    In the early 1970s, electronic tiltmeters began to be installed around Kīlauea. These instruments are installed in boreholes about 16 feet (5 meters) deep, such that they are protected from the weather, and can provide tilt measurements down to a fraction of a microradian every minute.
    After the end of the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption in 2018, the character of tilt at Kīlauea’s summit
changed again. Electronic tiltmeters began to record steep inflationary tilt, not too different from the rates observed by the water tube tiltmeter in the 1950s–1970s. Major eruptions, similar to Kīlauea Iki or Maunaulu—which resulted in large summit deflations—have not occurred recently, but the similarity of the current records to those from the 1950s-1970s is yet another sign that Kīlauea is not too different now from how it was before the 2018 eruption.

    This means that the data collected, and the lessons learned about Kīlauea’s plumbing, are still applicable today. Scientists can still use Kīlauea’s past behavior to make forecasts about future behavior and test out new ideas for what may have happened in the past.
    For example, currently, the tiltmeter at Uēkahuna Bluff (UWE) is not showing major tilt changes, but another tiltmeter south of Kīlauea’s caldera (SDH) has shown a steep increase over the past couple weeks. By looking back at past records, scientists recognize that this is likely due to magma accumulation in a South Caldera reservoir, which occurs intermittently; most recently in 2015 and 2021.
    The long and faithful recording of tilt at Kīlauea gives scientists a boost to understanding current processes and could facilitate new discoveries about the past.­ 

    Volcano Activity Updates; Kīlauea is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is ADVISORY. Over the past week, elevated earthquake activity continued in an area south of Kīlauea’s summit caldera. Kīlauea summit tiltmeters suggest that the area south of the caldera is inflating—independent of the usual deformation source inside the caldera. Within the caldera, there has been minor net inflation over the past week. A sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate of approximately 75 tonnes per day was measured on August 24.
   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.
   No earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week.

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Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023

Kaʻū and Volcano residents are encouraged by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park native plant nurseryman
 Eric Hamren to head north to Halakalau National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, Oct. 14. See more below.
Photo from Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge

THE ENTIRE STATE IS EXPERIENCING AN ECONOMIC HIT following the Lāhainā firestorm disaster on Aug. 8, according to the state Department of Economic Development & Tourism quarterly forecast, released on Wednesday. The forecast predicts that Neighbor Island tourism, not just Maui, will experience some decline. Here is the report Outlook for the Economy:

        On Aug. 8, 2023, the wildfire tragedy in Lāhainā took the lives of at least 115 people and destroyed over 2,000 residential homes. The disaster area had more than 800 business establishments with about 7,000 employees. A total of 88 transpacific flights were canceled in August, representing 23,083 air seats. The passenger count to Kahului Airport decreased by over 70 percent after the tragedy from 7,000 a day to 2,000 a day.

    Initial unemployment claims jumped from an average of 130 cases per week before the wildfire to 865 cases in the first week after the fire, to 4,449 in the second week, and to 2,705 cases in the third week. Prior to the Maui wildfire, Hawai‘i’s economy continued its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    Year-to-date through July 2023, visitor arrivals recovered to 95.6 percent of the 2019 level while total visitor expenditures were 21.6 percent higher than the same seven months in 2019. The total value of building permits issued during the first seven months of 2023 increased by 17.1 percent from the same period a year ago. The permit value for additions and alterations increased by 55.1 percent, the value of residential permits increased by 0.6 percent during the same period, while the value for commercial and industrial permits decreased by 21.2 percent during the same period.

      State general excise tax collections increased by 8.0 percent during the first seven months of calendar year 2023 compared to the same period a year ago. Hawai‘i’s real gross domestic product (GDP) recovered to 97.0 percent in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019.  

    Hawai‘i’s labor force (not seasonally adjusted data) for the first seven months of 2023 recovered to 98.8 percent of the comparable 2019 level. The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) averaged 2.9 percent during the first seven months of 2023, just 0.2 percentage points higher than the same period in 2019. 

     Hawai‘i’s consumer inflation, measured by the Honolulu Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, averaged 3.1 percent during the first seven months of 2023, higher than the 1.8 percent experienced during the same period in 2019, but much lower than the nation at 4.6 percent. 

     At the national level, the most recent (August 2023) Blue Chip Economic Indicators report, which is the consensus of 50 economic forecasting organizations, projected the U.S. economy to grow at 2.0 percent in 2023 and 0.8 percent in 2024. 

Blue Chip Economic Indicators predicts the U.S.
economy will grow by 2 percent in 2023 and .8 percent in 2024.

    For Hawai‘i, DBEDT estimates that the state’s real GDP will increase by 1.1 percent in 2023 and 1.5 percent in 2024, revised downward from its second-quarter forecast due to the impact of the wildfire tragedy. 

    In 2025 and 2026, economic growth for Hawai‘i is expected to be over 2.0 percent due to the expectation that reconstruction activities on Maui will begin. Visitor arrivals are projected to be 9.8 million in 2023, lower than previously projected. Visitor growth from both the domestic market and international markets will be seen on O‘ahu. Neighbor islands, especially Maui, will see fewer visitors. Visitor arrivals are expected to increase to over 10 million from 2024. By 2026, visitor arrivals will be fully recovered to the pre-pandemic level. Visitor spending is projected to be $21.2 billion in 2023 and is expected to increase to $23.6 billion by 2026. Non-agriculture payroll jobs are forecast to increase by 1.8 percent in 2023, lower than the 3.4 percent projected in the previous quarter. 

     The payroll job counts will increase by 1.9 percent in 2024, 1.7 percent in 2025, and 1.5 percent in 2026. The state unemployment rate is expected to be at 3.0 percent in 2023 and will improve to 2.7 percent in 2024, 2.5 percent in 2025, and 2.3 percent in 2026. Personal income is expected to grow by 2.7 percent in 2023, lower than the projection made in the previous quarter. Personal income will grow by 2.8 percent in 2024, 3.5 percent in 2025, and 3.8 percent in 2026. As measured by the Honolulu Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers, inflation is expected to be 2.8 percent in 2023, still lower than the projected U.S. consumer inflation rate of 4.0 percent for the same year. 

    Hawai‘i consumer inflation is expected to decrease to 2.3 percent by 2026. Hawai‘i’s population is expected to decrease by 0.1 percent in 2023 and 2024, remain stable in 2025, and increase by 0.1 percent in 2026.

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KAʻŪ'S NATIVE PLANT OF THE MONTH IS MAUA, Xylosma hawaiiense. The monthly column by Jody Rosam with illustration by Joan Yoshioka is called Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū and explores Kaʻū’s native plants and their moʻolelo (stories), uses, preferred habitats, and opportunities to adopt them for stewardship. The author and artist say that this column and illustration seek to encourage making new plant friends and reuniting with others.

    Description: Maua is a medium-sized endemic tree in the Willow or Salicaceae family. The outer bark of maua is gray, but below that layer is a lovely deep-red color. The older leaves are a shiny bright green, and the liko (new growth) emerges in brilliant shades of fuschia and red, much like those of lama. Maua is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are not found in the

same individual. Dioecy is found in other native species too (including ʻahakea and mēhamehame), but as populations of these species decline from introduced ungulates and habitat loss, male and female plants become so spatially separated that the pollen from the male plants do not reach the female plant, ultimately resulting in no seeds or regeneration. The small yellow flowers develop in clusters along the stems - male flowers bloom with bountiful and small yellow stamens and female flowers bloom without stamens and look more like immature fruit than flowers. Once pollinated, the female flowers give way to round green fruits that turn bright red as they ripen.
    Uses: Maua wood is very hard and dense and was used for pōhaku kuʻi ʻai or poi pounders. Maua was once much more common throughout the landscape, and the wood was also used for boards and planks and in home construction. Today, maua is so increasingly rare that it would be a shame to harvest any of the live wood for woodworking purposes.
    Habitat: Maua grows on all of the main Hawaiian Islands except for Kahoʻolawe and Niʻihau, though its range is becoming more restricted. It can grow in both mesic (habitats receiving a moderate amount of precipitation) and dryland forests, though it once grew in the coastal zone as well. Maua likes to grow with naio, alaheʻe, lama, wiliwili, ʻohe makai, and hao. In Kaʻū, there are a few individuals of maua still alive and well scattered throughout the lowland dry forests in Kahuku and Kamāʻoa, though hopefully more are hiding amongst their forest friends.
    Growing and Purchasing: Because maua is so uncommon, it is difficult to find adults to collect seeds from. If you do find yourself lucky enough to stumble upon fertilized and ripe fruits, act fast

Maua is rare and the fleshy pulp has about two
to three seeds in each fruit. 

because fresh seeds are the most viable. You can separate the 2-3 black seeds from the fleshy pulp by running them under water and gently breaking them apart with your fingers. Germination success improves when the seeds are sterilized in a 10% bleach solution for about 15 minutes and then soaked for several days in fresh water, making sure that the water is changed daily. Place seeds just under the surface of a perlite: cinder media, and keep them moist. Germination is slow, but once the seedlings emerge, they can grow rapidly. Remember, maua need companions, so plant several together if you can. The colorful liko and adorable flower clusters are a marvel to watch!
    About the artist: Joan Yoshioka says she is a conservationist at heart and has dedicated her life to preserving the native plants and animals of Hawaiʻi through her work with federal, state, and private organizations over the past 30+ years. She describes herself as an outdoor-lovin' optimist, biologist/botanist, and habitual creator of art-stuff. She says the key to our most fundamental and truest part of ourselves is found in nature and she constantly draws on it for inspiration.
    About the author: Jodie Rosam says she has a deep love for native plants and a passion for exploration, with over 15 years of experience in working in the restoration of Hawaiʻi's forests. As a mother and an educator, she says the next generation has the power to lead the world to a sustainable future, and is committed to teaching her children (and others) from a place-based perspective.

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THE NATIVE PLANT NURSERY AT HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES invites folks to go on a trip to Pua Akala, Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. Eric Hamren of Ke Ēweiēwe Nursery Operation's Plant Restoration at the National Park announced that the opportunity to enter Hakalau is coming up on Saturday, Oct. 14. It's called the Walk for the Wild. 

    Registration is required to attend the event. It also requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. Those taking the 5k walk experience 38 years of successful conservation restoration, with guides and exhibits. The purpose of the refuge is to protect and manage endangered forest birds and their rainforest habitat.

   Hamren will be volunteering as a bird guide. See more at www.friendsofhakalauforest.org.

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POLICE ARRESTED 25 FOR DUI the week of Aug. 28 through Sept. 3. Hawai‘i Island police arrested the motorists for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Seven were involved in a

traffic collision. Three arrested were under the age of 21. So far this year, there have been 660 DUI arrests compared with 681 during the same period last year, a decrease of 3.1 percent.
    Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section reviewed all updated crashes and found 567 major collisions so far this year compared with 558 during the same period last year, an increase of 1.6 percent. To date, there have been 11 fatal crashes, resulting in 12 fatalities, (one with multiple deaths); compared with 23 fatal crashes, resulting in 25 fatalities (one with multiple deaths) for the same time last year. This represents a decrease of 52.2 percent for fatal crashes and 52 percent for fatalities.
    To date, the off-public roadway fatality count this year is one compared to zero for the same time last year.
    Police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island-wide.

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Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023

Ho‘okena tragedy struck Tuesday when a fisherman tried to disentangle his line from rocks but was
 was bashed by waves and carried out to sea and died. See more below. Photo by Bonnie Beaver

HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE FOR LAVA ZONES 1 AND 2 is the subject of a County Council resolution passed on Wednesday. The resolution asks the state to explore ways to help insure residents in such high-risk places as Ho‘okena, the west side of South Point Road, Ocean View and Puna in light of the last company insuring them pulling out of the market.

Lava Zone 1, in red, goes into Kaʻū through Ocean View and makai of
Hwy 11 from Volcano to the ocean below Pāhala. USGS map

    Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. notified its clients in late July that it would not renew policies as of Sept. 1. See the story on the front page of the August edition of The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper and in the July 30 Kaʻū News Briefs at:  http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2023_07_30_archive.html. It includes details on neighborhoods where insurance has been lost.

     The County Council resolution asks the Hawai‘i Legislature and Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs, Insurance Division to help out and for stakeholders to join in to devise strategies to restore insurance.

      It also calls on the Hawai‘i Property Insurance Association to consider adapting aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program into its structure to include "risk-based pricing and community rating systems to ensure property owners are protected and lender's investments are secured." Hawai‘i Property Insurance Association is a quasi-public group of insurance agencies.

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COVID DEATHS IN HAWAI‘I TOPPED 2,000, according to a state Department of Health report released on Tuesday. The deaths from the beginning of the pandemic include victims of all ages but most were 60 and older. However, seven children died, including a male under 18, who passed away at a hospital on O‘ahu last week.

    A recent spike in COVID that topped 170 cases a day was in decline to 129 a day statewide this past week. Health officials nationwide have stated that COVID may be underreported since some people are testing and treating at home, without reporting to physicians or health departments.

    Omicron subvariants detected recently in Hawai‘i include various XBBs with about 22 percent XBB.2.3 and 22 percent XBB.1.16, plus members of the EG.5.1 family. Variant BA.2.86, also called Pirola, is yet to be confirmed by genome sequencing in Hawai‘i, according to Department of Health's variant report this Tuesday.
    New COVID-19 vaccines covering new omicron variants may be available within about two weeks, mid-to-late September.
    See Department of Health charts on COVID in Hawai‘i County and throughout the state in its latest Variant Report at:
https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/files/2023/09/variant_report_20230905.pdf

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THE ONLY LANDFILL ON THE ISLAND COULD BE CLOSED TO SOME RECYCLABLES

if a bill being crafted by the county Environmental Management Commission is eventually approved. The aim is to extend the lifespan of the landfill, which the county projects at another 20 to 25 years. The landfill is located near Waikoloa Village. The other landfill in Hilo is already full and shut down in 2020.

    One idea is to prohibit dumping of HI-FI plastic bottles in general refuse bins around the island since there is an existing stream to recycle them. Other recyclables would be prohibited as the county finds a market or another place for them. 

    The proposed legislation could first prohibit big users, like hospitals, hotels, condo communities, schools, community

https://www.hawaiizerowaste.org/zero-waste/

centers, parks, and coffee and macadamia processors from dumping certain recyclables into the various trash receiving bins around the island. It would also mean that the county provides more recycling opportunities, possibly to include picking up recyclables directly from the larger establishments.
   One of the biggest challenges is dealing with plastics, cardboard and paper, as there are few markets internationally to take them off this island.
   Recycle Hawai‘i representatives said that the emphasis should be put on consumers to use fewer plastics to reduce waste going into landfills. The non-profit's goal and slogan is Zero Waste. See https://www.hawaiizerowaste.org/zero-waste/

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DEATH OF A FISHERMAN AT HO‘OKENA BEACH PARK has been reported by Hawai‘i Island police. The report says it took place on Tuesday and the victim is 53-year-old John Losalio, of Kona, who was reported as a missing fisherman. The Losalio family is also from Kaʻū.

    On Tuesday at 2:44 p.m., police officers responded to the report and learned that Losalio was shoreline fishing when his fishing line was caught up in the rocks and he jumped into the water to untangle it. Waves slammed him against rocks and Losalio disappeared as he was pulled out to sea. 

     Personnel from the Hawai‘i Fire Department were able to locate Losalio, who appeared lifeless. He was taken to the Kona Community Hospital and pronounced dead at 4:25 p.m.
     Police have initiated a coroner’s inquest investigation and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. 

    Police ask anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact Officer Margot Babauta of Kona Patrol at (808) 326-4646, ext. 253, or e-mail Margot.Babauta@hawaiicounty.gov.

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KDEN is over 20 years old and invites singers
to join the practicer for its Festival Chorus.
Photo from KDEN

VOLCANO FESTIVAL CHORUS IS BACK. Rehearsals are Thursday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at New Hope Christian Fellowship Church at 11-3019A Volcano Rd. near Akatsuka Orchid Gardens on Hwy 11 in Volcano. The next performance will be Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., in the Lehua Room at Kīlauea Military Camp.

KDEN performs Radio Plays
on Oct. 6 and 7.

   The Chorus is under the direction of Roch Jones with Melanie Oldfather accompanying. Along with classic favorites, the chorus will be learning some new material for its holiday performance. Those who enjoy singing and would like to join a fun group are invited to join in the rehearsals. Founder Suzi Bond said, "We are a group of people that like to sing, and if we sound good, it is just a bonus."
With questions, contact Bond at 808-982-7344 or Jones at 808-985-7026. Volcano Festival Chorus is sponsored by Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network, also known as KDEN.

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KĪLAUEA DRAMA AND ENTERTAINMENT will present an evening of Radio Plays in October. The theme of this round of plays is weddings. The cast will perform Tear, Kiss, Cake by local playwright Dick Hershberger and an adapted script from the old Thin Man radio show called The Goofy Groom. The actors are playing actors in the 40's in a radio show, with scripts in hand live sound effects

   The performances will be on Oct. 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lehua Room at Kīlauea Military Camp. Tickets are $15 and will be available at the door Cash or check only. Reservations can be made or more information acquired by calling KDEN 808 982-7344 or email kdenhawaii73@gmail.com.

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5000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.
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