Kaʻū News Briefs Monday, Oct. 9, 2023

Indigenous People's Day, celebrated on Monday, Oct. 9 would become Indigenous People's Day nationally, a measure
supported by Hawai‘'i's two U.S. Senators. Image from Friends of Hawai‘i National Wildlife Refuge

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY would become a federal public holiday on the second Monday of every October, if The Indigenous People's Day Act, supported by both Hawai‘i Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz. becomes law. The proposal would change Section 6103(a) of title 5, United States Code, by striking the item relating to Columbus Day and inserting ‘‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the second Monday in October."

    Schatz, who chairs the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, said, “Indigenous Peoples’ Day gives us all an opportunity to reflect on and recognize the enduring contributions Native people have made to our country. Recognizing this day as a federal holiday would be a meaningful step toward strengthening our

Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the U.S. that officially celebrates

 the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' landing in the New World in

 1492. Many Italian-Americans observe it as a celebration of heritage, but

 the holiday is growing unfashionable. In Hawai‘i and more than a dozen other

 states, it is called Indigenous Peoples' Day. Image from Northeast Public Radio

commitment to Native communities, addressing past injustices, and deepening the federal trust responsibility to the Indigenous peoples of the United States.”

    Hirono was one of the co-sponsors of the bill. It would replace any mention of Columbus Day in all federal laws or regulations with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. More than a dozen states across the country, including Hawai‘i, have recognized this change. In 2021, Joe Biden became the first U.S. President to formally commemorate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. "Recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a federal holiday is a necessary next step to address generations of trauma and inequity," said a statement from Hirono's office.

    The legislation is supported by The Navajo Nation, All Pueblo Council of Governors, National Congress of American Indians, Indigenous Peoples’ Initiative, Association on American Indian Affairs, Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe, the Pocahontas Project, Cherokee Nation, National Council of Urban Indian Health, and Barona Band of Mission Indians.

 

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SEVEN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS RECEIVED THEIR BADGES from Hawai'i County on Friday, after completing a course in order to join the new Animal Control & Protection Agency.
    The course gives officers a deep dive into the intricacies of county laws and regulation, along with training in writing citations. The program grants officers a two-year certification and will be conducted annually for eligible trainees. Eligibility for this program requires six months to a year of dedicated training and experience. 

    "The successful completion of the badging ceremony signifies a pinnacle achievement in these officers' 

Newly badged Animal Control Officers Charde Silva, Blake Cardines, Halcy Clinton, Charyse
Emmons, Jermy Dussan, Kamalani Andrews, and Aurabingy Tafari. Photo from County of Hawaiʻi

careers and underscores their steadfast dedication to the welfare of the community's animals." said a statement from the office of Mayor Mitch Roth who extended congratulations to Charde Silva, Blake Cardines, Halcy Clinton, Charyse Emmons, Jermy Dussan, Kamalani Andres and Aurabingy Tafari.
    "Assuming the responsibility of animal control for our island has been a tall order made easier by the unwavering dedication and compassion of our Animal Control Officers," said the Mayor. "These 

individuals work tirelessly to care for the numerous animals residing on our island while simultaneously striving for the safety of our residents. Today, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to these officers for their accomplishments and wish them ongoing safety as they contribute to making our island a more pleasant place to live, work, and enjoy."
    The Animal Control & Protection Agency plays a vital role in the community, enforcing animal welfare laws, responding to emergencies, and promoting responsible pet ownership. The certification of these officers will further enhance the agency's ability to fulfill its mission."
    The Mayor also said that work continues to be done to build out the Animal Control and Protection Agency in a broader effort to provide sufficient services to all areas of the community. Residents interested in applying for Animal Control and Protection Agency positions can visit jobs.hawaiicounty.gov for more information.

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WEST HAWAI‘I WOODWIND QUARTET will perform kid-friendly classical music at two Kaʻū libraries on Wednesday. The hour-long concerts will feature pieces that were written primarily for keiki.
    The quintet musicians hope that the music will evoke memories of childhood among the adult audience members. Younger audiences are sure to appreciate the rare opportunity to experience a symphonic fairy tale played live, while learning the sounds of the five principal classical woodwind instruments. Quintet members are Barbara Coffman on flute, Peter Bosted on oboe, Robbie Brown on clarinet, Jessica Dalke on horn, and Lisa Wells on bassoon.
    Peter and the Wolf is a memorable piece, that relates to a story set in olden day Russia, and composed by Sergei Prokofiev, specifically for children. Each instrument plays the theme that represents a character in the story. The bird is played by the flute, the duck by the oboe, the cat by the clarinet, Peter's grandfather by the bassoon and the hunters by the horn. Peter's catchy theme is played by the entire ensemble.

Members of the West Hawai‘i Woodwind Quintet are, from the left, Robbie Brown on clarinet, Jessica Dalke on horn, Barbara Coffman on flute, Lisa Wells on bassoon and Peter Bosted on oboe.  Photo by Annie Bosted

    Also helping the story along will be a professional narrator, Charley O'Kelly, who tells the story of an adventurous young Russian boy, Peter, whose animal friends are threatened by a wolf.
    Rounding out the hour-long concert will be four short, crowd pleasing pieces from the Peer Gynt suite by Edvard Grieg, including Hall of the Mountain King and Morning Mood. Originally composed to portray Ibsen's traditional Norwegian fairy tale as a musical, these popular pieces are often used in movies, videos and even video games. Morning Mood was used as the opening theme music in PopCap Games' 2007 video game Peggle.

    Both concerts will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 11. The Nāʻālehu library performance will start at 10:30 a.m. and the Pāhala library performance will begin at 2:15 p.m. The concerts are sponsored by the County of Hawai‘i. There is no charge to attend.

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Kaʻū News Briefs Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023

Punalu‘u, with its popularity, was selected by Hawai‘i Tourism Authority for a grant for a stewardship training program,
which is open for applicants through Oct. 18. Photo by Julia Neal

MANAGEMENT OF PUNALU‘U: APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE FOR KAʻŪ HOA PILI ‘AINA STEWARDSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM on Oct. 18. Ten positions are available. Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo received funding from Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and is partnering with Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund. The HTA contribution is part of its destination management and community effort, after recently naming Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach as one of the places on the island that needs additional stewards to care for the resources and interact with and help educate visitors to the coast.

    The announcement for Kaʻū Hoa Pili‘aina Stewardship Training Program says, "Are you 18 years old, live in Kaʻū and enjoy all things mālama ‘āina, or just want to learn more about how to best steward your moku? Then this is the experience for you!"

    The program is four months long and training is part-time. Applicants must be able to attend work days and volunteer days and willing to learn new things, as well as possess a positive attitude and love the ‘āina. Steward trainees will engage with community groups doing work in Kaʻū, learn mo‘olelo and cultural protocols, complete CPR and First Aid training, receive training from professionals with a wide array of expertise - from honu to hoku - and earn a monthly stipend. 

    No previous stewardship experience is necessary. To apply, send email to kaohanaohonuapo@gmail.com with name, "where you call home, and a brief introduction to who you are and why you are interested," says the announcement.

      Trainees will attend class-scheduled events one to two days a week, and additional stewardship-related and learning opportunities. They will learn and possibly lead protocols, communicate with coordinator and Ka ‘Ohana O Honu‘apo board members on a weekly bases, engage with visitors/tourists and effectively communicate pono behaviors and safety protocols, act as model citizens, and plan and participate in and end of program ho‘ike. They "must have a positive attitude and be an active participant in your own learning."

     Participants must have reliable transportation and be able to walk at least a mile on uneven ground on lava flows and beaches, in forest and loko i‘a. They must be willing to learn new things and embrace Hawaiian culture and protocols. They must possess a backpack for day hikes and a water bottle that holds at least 32 ounces.

Punalu‘u is a nesting place for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle and also a place attracting people to look at the green sea turtles. A grant has been given for stewardship trainees to learn to teach the public about the value of Punalu‘u's natural resources.
Photo by Julia Neal

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ON THE ROAD AND SHORT-HANDED, KAʻŪ Trojan football had a tough afternoon Saturday at Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy in Waimea. Kaʻū lost 0-38. After Trojans won two solid home games with record-breaking scores, there were too many key team members unable to play in the game against HPA. Trojans were up against a solid HPA Ka Makani team, which now sits in second place in BIIF2 with a 6-2 record. 

Adahdiya Ellis-Reyes hauls in a pass with two Hawai'i 
Preparatory Academy defenders on him. Photo by Mark Peters

     At Waimea, the Trojans did experience growth with many team members getting more playing time in new positions. 

    This Saturday, Trojans will go up against the first place Kamehameha School at Pāhala ballfield at 1 p.m. It will be Senior Day and the last home game of the season.

    During the game against HPA, Trojan offense was led by Adahdiyah Ellis-Reyes who battled through swirling wind for seven completions on 14 attempts for 79 yards. He also ran the ball for 72 tough yards.

    TJ Kuahia-Faafia hauled in three catches for 34 yards.

    Jaestin Kurasuda caught three for 31 yards. Joe Buyuan made a nice catch for 14 yards and a first down.

    Trojan defense was led by Joe Buyuan with 13 tackles; La‘a Kajiwara-Ke with eight, and Stephen Adler and Adahdiya Ellis-Reyes both recording six tackles. Sophomore Isaiah "Hona" Minila-Louis played a solid game while getting a sack, causing a fumble, and recovering a fumble. 

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Bonnie Sol Hahn sharing her perspective and

 painting from Kīlauea overlook. Photo from VAC

POINTS OF VIEW, A PLEIN AIR GROUP EXHIBITION has opened at Volcano Art Center Gallery and will be on display through Nov. 12. Hours are daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.    Featuring the works of Bonnie Sol Hahn, Bob Weiss, Kira Kamamalu, Jack Kinkelaar and Amy Markham, the exhibit presents the unique perspective and approach to landscape by each participating artist. Painting outdoors, surrounded by the beauty of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the artists work to capture the impression or essence of a place or scene. "In a sense capturing the mana of the wahi pana (special place)" as expressed by Bonnie Sol Hahn. The artists' renditions illustrate varied inspirations, perspectives, textures and moods representing the same place in different ways.
    For those who can not attend the exhibition in person it may also be viewed online at www.volcanoartcenter.org Volcano Art Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote, develop and perpetuate the artistic, cultural and environmental heritage of Hawaiʻi's people through the arts and education. Please visit www.volcanoartcenter.org for more information or call (808) 967-8222.

Artists presenting Points of View, the new show at Volcano Art Center Gallery.  (Left to right) Jack Kinkelaar,

Amy Markham, Bob Weiss, Kira Kamamalu and Bonnie Sol Hahn. Photo from VAC

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Kaʻū News Briefs Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park trails that are closed are in red. NPS map.

INFLATION IS CLOSE TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN FIVE YEARS at the summit of Kīlauea, reports USGS Hawaiian Observatory on Saturday.

    Inflation has nearly returned to the level seen just before the last eruption on Sept. 10. Seismicity beneath Kīlauea summit region, which began Oct. 4, decreased around 2 a.m. and remains low Saturday morning. Over 24 hours approximately 170 earthquakes were recorded in Kīlauea summit region compared to about 320 earthquakes occuring over the previous day. Most of the earthquakes from the seismic swarm south of the caldera are at depths of around 2.5–3.5 km (1.5–2 mi) below the surface. The trend of the seismic activity parallels, but is slightly south of the December 1974 eruption vents. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates remain low and were measured at a rate of about 100 tonnes per day on Oct. 6.

IN HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, TRAILS, VIEWING AREAS AND PARKING ARE CLOSED from Kīlauea summit down to Kaʻū Desert Trail, due to elevated seismic activity and inflation. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park staff said the closures are temporary until further notice. Affected areas include:
    Hilina Pali Road from Chain of Craters Road to Hilina Pali Overlook;
Kulanaokuaiki Campground;
    Puʻupuaʻi parking lot, Puʻupuaʻi Overlook, and the trail that connects Puʻupuaʻi Overlook to Devastation Trail;
    Devastation parking lot and Devastation Trail;
    Keanakākoʻi Overlook and the paved trail from Chain of Craters Road;
    Crater Rim Trail from Chain of Craters Road to Keanakākoʻi Crater.
   Maunaiki Trail; and
    Kaʻū Desert Trail.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is closely monitoring Kīlauea in collaboration with our colleagues at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

 

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POLICE OFFICERS RAISED MONEY FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS by eating, sleeping, and raising awareness for the organization as they stayed on top of a 10-foot scaffolding at Hilo Wal-Mart over the last three days. It happens again in November in Kona. The event, formerly Cops on Top and now called Badges and Buckets, is the largest annual grassroots fundraiser for Special Olympics Hawai‘i. Now in its 20th year, this three-day event will move to Kona Wal-Mart on Nov. 10 and 11 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Nov. 12 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations collected from Badges and Buckets directly benefit Special Olympics Hawai‘i

and their efforts to provide year-round sports programs for athletes, including opportunities to participate in regional and national competitions.
    Over the years, the efforts of Hawai‘i Police Department’s officers have raised $250,000 to help provide year-round sports training and competitions to children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This event is the largest Special Olympics fundraiser of the year and a large part of the annual budget is raised through this one event alone.
    During this year’s events, there are numerous, great incentives through donations made by many local sponsors. Special Olympics Hawai‘i will also be giving away visors, caps and t-shirts to those who donate.
    For more information on the Badges and Buckets event in East Hawai‘i, contact Officer Shea Nactor, at (808) 961-3066 or shea.nactor@hawaiicounty.gov. For more information on the West Hawai‘i event, contact Officer Joel Furuto, at (808) 326-4646, ext. 259 or joel.furuto@hawaiicounty.gov. 

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HONEY BEE GRANTS: The Whole Kids Foundation 2024 Bee Grant is open for US K–12 schools or nonprofit organizations. The grant provides a choice of funding or equipment intended to support schools in bringing live bees to their campuses or growing their already existing educational hive programs.                 Visit 2024-WKFTBC-Traditional-Bee-Grant-Application_FINAL40.pdf for more information and to apply. Application deadline is Oct. 15.

USDA SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
The United States Department of Agriculture is accepting nominations with nomination packages submitted by Oct. 10. For more information, visit the USDA's ACBAR website. Send any inquiries to acbfr@usda.gov.

USDA CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS are available. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service has announced $50 million toward Conservation Innovation Grants to stimulate the adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches in partnership with agricultural producers. For 2023, applications will be accepted from eligible entities for projects addressing at least one of the following priorities: irrigation management technologies, feed management and enteric methane reduction, grazing lands, nutrient management, and soil health demonstration (SHD) trials three to five years in duration. Application deadline is Oct. 30 by 11:59 p.m. EDT. Visit the government grants website for more information and to apply.

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