Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 21, 2024

First lap completed for this 50K runner as others finish the 5K on Saturday at Kaʻū Coffee Trail Run. Based at Kaʻū Coffee Mill,
it is a fundraiser for O Kaʻū Kakou. It also features a 10K and Half-Marathon. Photo by Julia Neal

KAʻŪ COFFEE TRAIL RUNNERS described the course as beautiful on Saturday, with competitors running as far as 50K through coffee orchards into the rainforest up Wood Valley Road.
    Sean Warner of Pepeekeo won the 50K in 4:59, followed by Ryan Cochran of
Volcano in 5:38:03, Adam Adler of Hilo in 6:31:59 and David Bozarth of Kealakekua in 6:33:06.

A 50K wahine winner Leah Stickels of Kailua in the Kaʻū Coffee Trail Run on Saturday. 
Photo by Julia Neal

   The 50K women's winner was Leah Stickels of Kailua in 6:38:29, followed by Wendy Neupauer of St. Louis Park in 6:29:24, Jolene Giles, of Lahaina in 7:18:43 and Kristi Ota of Kihei in 9:27:50.
    Top Half-Marathon male finisher from Kaʻū-Volcano was Lyman Perry of Volcano who took second overall in 2:10:45. Morgan Gerdale of Volcano  took sixth overall in 2:19:18. Another top finisher from Kaʻū was Elton Wilson of Ocean View in 2:50:42.
    Daniel Hill of Waikoloa won the men's Half-Marathon in 1:55:43. Third was Sean Bingham of Pearl

Michelle Chacon, of Pāhala, was top woman finisher
in Kaʻū for the Half-Marathon. Photo by Laura Diaz

City in 2:14:34. Fifth was Tim Heaton of Kealakekua in 2:47:17.
    Top Half-Marathon woman finisher from Kaʻū was Michelle Chacon of Pāhala in 2:56:32. Another Kaʻū finisher was Yuko White of Ocean View in 3:24:18.
    County Council woman Ashley Kierkiewicz of Kea'au finished the Half-Marathon in the 30-39 division in 4:08:44.
    The women's Half Marathon was taken by Cora Olson of Temont, MN in 2:20:25, followed by Sahe Massie of Pepeekeo in 2:20:25, Blair Southworth of Mountain View in 2:44:23, Tamara Hynd of Kamuela in 2:45:32 and Candus Debus of Pāhoa in 2:47:17.
    Top male finisher in Kaʻū in the 10K was John Desfor of Ocean View in 57:35 who took first in the 20-29 division. Drew White of Ocean View in the 50-59 division finished in 1:22:07. Joe Kent of Volcano in the 30-39 division finished in 1:25:12.

Medals for local finishers at the Kaʻū Coffee Trail Run for Kaweni Ibarra and
Jaysha Alonzo-Estrada. Photo by Julia Neal

    John Kolander of Kailua-Kona won the 10K in 44:05, followed by Sean LePouttre of Kailua-Kona in 47:25, Caitlyn Tateishi of Pāhoa in 49:1 and Joel Andrychowiz, of San Diego in 50:04.
    Top women 10K finishers from Kaʻū were Nāʻālehu residents Christie Nittrouer in 1:03:28 and Anjulie Morales in 1:04:01. Volcano finishers were Ellen Dunkle in 1:28:39 and Jennifer Harshorn in 1:29:19, both from Hawai'i National Park.
    The 10K winner was Caitlyn Tateishi of Pāhoa in 49:16, followed by Carrie Kaare of Pāhoa in 52:16, Kaylee Wooten of Vancouver, WA in 56:54, Hollie Saplan of Hilo in 58:42 and Ellen
Cordeiro of Hilo in 58:43.

County Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz
 of Kea'au completes the Half-Marathon.
Photo by Julia Neal 

    Five Kaʻū residents won their age group divisions in the 5K. In the 40 to 49 male division, Matthew Patrick of Hawai'i National Park won in 37:32. In the 20-29 female division, Mekhia Desfor won in 41:40. In the 70 and older men's division, Clement Hirae of Pāhala, won in 45:38. Nadine Ebert of Punalu'u won the 70 and older female division in 1:39:31. In the male 19 and under division Kaiden Kaluahine-Salmo of Pāhala won in 46:57. In the female 19 and under, Nia Pule of Nāʻālehu won in 1:32:15.
    Among the local women, Jaysha Alonzo-Estrada of Pāhala finished in the 20-29 division with 59:29 and Tiffany Clark of Nāʻālehu finished in the 30-39 division in 1:32:13. Jessica Gerdel of Volcano finished in the 40-49 division in 56:36 and Marie Hernandez of Nāʻālehu finished in 59:25. Kathy Baxter of Ocean View finished in the 50-59 division in 45:38. Shirley Sarbay of Volcano finished in 1:22:04.
    Among the local men in the 5K, Kaweni Ibarra of Pāhala finished in 59:16 and Noeau Pule of Nāʻālehu finished in 1:32:14.
    Nick Muragin of Hilo won the 5K in 23:05, followed by Collin Saxby of Kailua-Kona in 25:21, Gary Beuschel of Papaaloa in 29:13 and Naga Nakata of Pāhoa, in 30:21 and Dylan Garrison of Pāhoa in 36:41.

Long run ahead for this 50 K competitor. Kaʻū Coffee Trail Run also includes a 5K, 10K and Half Marathon. Photo by Julia Neal

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THE SPORTS CARDIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF KAʻŪ HOSPITAL, which is headquartered in Hilo, came to Kaʻū on Saturday to meet with athletes and everyone who wants better heart health through fitness. Representatives of the group, including sports cardiology doctor Thomas Sawyer, MD, FACC, set up at the Kaʻū Coffee Trail Run at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. 

   According to the team, the Sports Cardiology program is the only one in the state dedicated to the care of the athlete’s heart. It offers screening, evaluation, and treatment to high school, college, professional, masters, tactical, and recreational athletes at all levels of ability and stages of life.
    "We work with every athlete individually to understand their unique goals and needs and provide targeted evaluation and treatment recommendations to enhance performance and safety," says literature about the Sports Cardiology Program.
   "All patients receive a detailed medical and athletic history, physical examination, and ECG. Further testing and treatment is tailored to the specific needs of each athlete. Advanced diagnostic techniques such as echocardiography (including 3D imaging), stress testing, coronary angiography, cardiac MRI or CT, extended rhythm monitoring, and genetic testing are available as necessary." See more at https://www.easthawaiihealthclinics.org/sports-cardiology/#1655770470286-f51d9e62-d0ec.

Sports Cardiology Program, a Department of Kaʻū Hospital, came to the Ka'u Coffee Trail Run on Saturday to meet athletes and others of all ages planning to improve fitness through sporting activities. Photo by Julia Neal

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

Sister volunteers for fentanyl  education
 Hailey de la Torre, RN and Andi
 Pawasarl-Losario. Photo by Julia Neal

 
HAWAI'I ISLAND FENTANYL TASK FORCE representatives came to Pahala on Saturday to educate folks about the drug becoming a problem with kupuna, as they deal with the aches and pains of growing older. Andy Pawasaral-Losario, who is Executive Director of Bridge House, and her sister and nurse Haile De la Torree talked to residents in front of Mizuno Superette about fentanyl.
   The sisters also gave out free Narcan units that can be used during a fentanyl overdose. They said they empathize with families who have drug problems since they have experienced the challenge in their own family.
    They noted that Hawai'i Island suffers fentanyl overdose death every seven days, with the numbers totaling 52 in 2023. They said that fentanyl is the number one cause of death for Americans, ages 18-45 and is growing in the kupuna population.
    See more on Hawai'i Island Fentanyl Task Force at www.hiftf.org.
    Learn about the Bridge House at https://bridgehousehawaii.org/.                                            

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.  

September 2024, 5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.

   

Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 20, 2024

Kīlauea Eruption Spatters, Sputters & Stops

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews reported small fountains and lava flows erupting from one of the western fissures just before 9 a.m. on Friday. By 10 a.m., that activity had ceased and the middle East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea had paused. USGS photos by M. Patrick.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews reported small fountains and lava flows erupting from one of the western fissures just before 9 a.m. on Friday. By 10 a.m., that activity had ceased and the middle East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea had paused. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

ONE NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING BILL WOULD CREATE SPRAWL in Hawai'i County and unintentionally fail to solve the affordable housing problem, according to Jason Masters, an urban planner who grew up in Kaʻū and lives here. He sent a letter, representing only himself, to Mayor Mitch Roth, who could veto Bill 123, following its recent passage by the County Council. Masters also presented his concerns to the Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee at this week's meeting. Masters is Chair of the Action Committee and asked members to weigh in on the matter 
    While he said he does "admire the intention and direction taken by the County Council to address the  complex problems of affordable and available housing on our Hawai’i Island," he wrote that Bill 123 would "actually result in just the opposite of what it hopes to accomplish." He referred to the possibility of investors coming into communities and buying up land with the higher housing density approval, to construct multiple expensive, large houses instead of helping to solve the local housing shor

Jason Masters, Chair of Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee.

  He said some of the many unknown adverse effects of this bill include problems with traffic and circulation. He contended it could triple the potential population "without accounting for general infrastructure, on and off-site parking, sewage which is a significant issue in Kaʻū of which we are awaiting resolution, water supply, energy" and more.
    He called for the bill to be held back in order for Action Committees around the island to study it and make recommendations. He also noted that the county's General Plan is under revision and questioned why Bill 123 is a separate item that was rushed through the County Council. He said Bill 123 was "poorly advertised when it probably has much more drastic, immediate impacts" than the General Plan update.
    Masters said that in his 15 years as a City Planner in California before he moved back home to Kaʻū, he wrote many laws regarding accessory dwelling units, which were never for more than one additional unit 

on one property for a habitable use, and never for anything close to over 1,000 sq. ft.; could never exceed the existing dwelling size; and never used for less than long term rental.
    He asked why Bill 123 was "so urgently rushed through. I believe in finding solutions to affordable housing islandwide. But I believe that they have to be varied and targeted solutions as appropriate. I work at the schools in Kaʻū. I want somewhere for these kids and, heck, for their parents right now to be able to live affordably." He said that "given the opportunity, the District of Kaʻū’s Community Development Plan Action Committee would certainly discuss and provide testimony on this item." Masters urged to "Please delay action on this item until such time is given to allow the County’s Action Committees to act on this matter as I believe is consistent with County Law."
    The result of Bill 123, predicted Masters, "will be to forever price out future generations of existing residents and lock them into being forever-renters." He noted that currently Kaʻū District has among the highest homeownership rates in the state even with lowest income levels in the state. "With this Bill, outside investors will come in and buy up cheap lots, and develop them for multifamily housing rentals which will drive up land values, pricing out local families forever." He said that the result of Bill 123 "is to literally encourage urban sprawl just like Los Angeles. Please reconsider the far reaching implications of Bill 123."

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Andrew Amon

POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR ANDREW AMON, a 28-year-old Kaʻū man who is wanted on an outstanding bench warrant, and for questioning in connection with other criminal investigations.
    Amon is described as being 5-foot-five inches tall, 130 pounds with brown eyes and black hair and is known to frequent the area of Hawaiian Ocean View Estates.
Anyone with information on Amon’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact Officer Jenna Kosinski-Santos at (808) 939-2520 or via email at Jenna.Kosinski-Santos@hawaiicounty.gov. They may also contact the Hawaii Police Department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.                                                                                                                                          THE TENTH ANNUAL KAʻŪ COFFEE TRAIL RUN is Saturday starting and finishing at Kaʻū Coffee Mill on Wood Valley Road above Pāhala. Events are a 5K, 10K, half marathon and 50K. Competitors will run through coffee and macadamia orchards and up into the rainforest above Wood Valley Road. The 50K starts at 6 a.m., followed by the half marathon at 7 a.m., 10 K at 7:15 a.m. and 5K at 7:30 a.m. Proceeds support the community group ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. Registration is  closed but the public is invited to see the start and finish and to enjoy food and refreshments as well as visit Kaʻū Coffee Mill.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.    

September 2024, 5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.

Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 19, 2024

 Kaʻū Trojan Girls fought hard with three close sets, succumbing to Hilo in five. Photo by Julia Neal

KAʻŪ BATTLED HILO HIGH IN GIRLS VOLLEYBALL THURSDAY, the Trojans finally succumbing to the Vikings at the end of five sets. JV Trojans also took the loss. In varsity play:

Heads up, Kaʻū with Hilo in town Thursday.
Photo by Julia Neal

    First Set: Hilo 25, Kaʻū 17.

    Second Set: Hilo 26, Kaʻū 24.

    Third Set: Kaʻū 25-Hilo 20.

    Fourth Set: Kaʻū 25, Hilo 23.

    Fifth Set: Hilo 15, Kaʻū 3.

    Trojan Leahi Kaupu nailed 8 Kills, 3 Aces. McKenzie Decoito accomplished 7 Kills, 3 Aces. Zia Rae Wroblewski totaled 6 Kills, 1 Ace, 1 Block. Jezerie Rose Nurial-Dacalio smahed 6 Kills, 1 Block.

Jazmyn Navarro achieved 3 Kills, 1 Ace. Kiara Ortega-Oliveira brought 2 Aces. Alajshae Barrios scored with 2 Aces.

    Kea'au comes to Kaʻū on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Kaʻū travels to Christian Liberty on Saturday, Sept. 28 and again to LCPCS/SIS on Monday, Sept. 30. Ka 'Umeke comes to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 5. Kaʻū travels to Hilo on Saturday, Oct. 12 and again to Pahoa on Monday, Oct. 13. Kamehameha comes to Kaʻū on Wednesday, Oct. 16, followed by Big Island Interscholastic Federation playoffs.

    Coach is Josh Ortega, Assistant Coach and JV Coach is Sarah Ortega, Trainer is Moses Whitcomb and Athletic Director is Jaime Guerpo.

     The varsity team is comprised of Mckenzie Decoito, Leahi Kaupu, Jezerie Rose Nurial-Dacalio, Kiara Ortrega-Oliveira, Jazmyn Navarro, Aubrey Delos Santos-Graig, Alajshae Barrios, CaLiya Silva-Kamei and Zia Rae Wroblewski.
    The JV team is comprised of Deijah Cabanilla-Nogales, Lily Dacalio, Christy Girl Grohs, Megan Pierpont, Kalesha Hashimoto, Alazae Forcum, Wailea Kainoa Haili-Barawis and Dhaylee Cabreros.

Kea'au comes to Kaʻū on Tuesday, Sept. 24, following Thursday's home match against Hilo.
Photo by Julia Neal

A GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH IS SOUGHT FOR KAʻŪ HIGH for the 2024-2025 season. Candidates must have some Basketball Experience and the drive to work with young student athletes. If interested or need more information, contact Athletic Director Jaime Guerpo at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School, 96-3150 Pikake St. in Pāhala. Call the office at 808-313-4161 or Guerpo's cell at 808-289-3472.

A FREE EDUCATION IN CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION AND USING AN AUTOMATIC  EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR will be given, with hands-only techniques, on Friday, Sept. 27 at 

Nāʻālehu Hongwanji. Class size limited to 10. Trainer for this CPR/AED education is Jessica Moe. For more information or to sign up contact Marcia Masters at 808-936-5639 or marciamasters58@gmail.com, or stop by the Thrift Store at Hongwanji Monday, Wednesday, or Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The 150-m-long (nearly 500 feet) fissure erupting west of Nāpau Crater within Hawaʻi Volcanoes National Park began erupting yesterday, Sept. 18, around 3:15 p.m. It's part of an eruptive sequence that began in this area the night of Sept. 15, 2024. Overnight, this fissure fed a lava flow that cascaded into the crater via a channel more than 50 meters (about 164 feet) wide.
USGS photo by M. Zoeller

THE NEW KĪLAUEA ERUPTION is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:    

    A new Kīlauea eruption began in a remote area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Sunday, Sept.15. This is the first eruption on Kīlauea's middle East Rift Zone (MERZ) since 2018 and it poses no immediate threat to life or infrastructure. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) is closely monitoring this eruption.

    HVO has been in close contact with Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and the Hawai'i County Civil Defense Agency throughout this eruption, which has featured a series of small fissure phases that have each lasted from hours to days. Each phase has increased in volume with the most recent being the largest to date. In total, the fissure system has stretched over 1.8 km (1.1 miles), and lava has covered more than 777,000 square meters (192 acres).
    The first phase of the eruption began between 9 and 10 p.m. HST on Sunday evening. Infrasound sensors in HVO's monitoring network recorded strong signals indicative of gas or steam venting. At the same time, HVO's seismometers recorded weak but sustained low frequency tremor. Although an eruption could not be confirmed visually Sunday night by webcams or satellite thermal data due to heavy rainfall, the geophysical data indicated that an eruption could be taking place. That night, some residents in nearby communities also reported strong sulfur or burning smells.

On Friday, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists conducted a reconnaissance overflight of the eruption near Nāpau Crater on the middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea. They observed a 150-m-long (nearly 500 feet) fissure west of the crater erupting lava in a curtain of lava 10-20 meters (33-66 feet) high. USGS photo by M. Zoeller

    The next morning, Monday, Sept. 16, HVO scientists on a helicopter overflight confirmed that a small eruption had occurred on Kīlauea's MERZ between Makaopuhi Crater and Nāpau Crater. This first fissure eruption was small and covered less than 4 acres. Lava was no longer flowing on the surface as of Monday, but magma was still moving underground as detected by seismometers, tiltmeters and GPS.
    Phase two of the eruption began Monday evening around 6 p.m. HST. The onset of this eruptive activity was detected in NOAA GOES satellite thermal imagery and HVO webcam imagery. Interestingly, no changes were detected in other monitoring datasets. Fissures from this phase of the eruption produced lava fountains and flows that gradually decreased through the night. But activity would soon resume.
    The third eruptive phase then began between 4 and 5 a.m. HST on Tuesday, Sept.17. This onset was detected using a combination of infrasound signals, GOES satellite thermal anomaly, and webcam imagery. After sunrise, HVO scientists on a helicopter overflight observed several lava fountains approximately 10 meters (yards) high that were generating lava flows on the floor of Nāpau Crater. This eruptive phase was more vigorous and longer lived and continued and gradually decreasing levels through Wednesday afternoon.

A helicopter overflight on Sept. 19 allowed for aerial visual and thermal imagery to be collected at the middle East Rift Zone eruption site on Kīlauea. The eruptive activity continues with a fissure vent active west of Nāpau Crater generating lava flows northeast into the crater. The scale of the thermal map ranges from blue to red, with blue colors indicative of cooler temperatures and red colors indicative of warmer temperatures. USGS image

    A fourth eruptive phase began around 3 p.m. HST on Wednesday, Sept.18, as new fissures opened west of Nāpau Crater. A monitoring camera deployed by HVO field crews with permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park recorded "lava falls" cascading down the northwest walls of Nāpau Crater. Vigorous activity continued into Wednesday evening and lava continues to cascade into Nāpau Crater as of Thursday morning, Sept. 19.
    The eruption continues as this article is published. HVO webcam views are available from our website including a new live view of Nāpau Crater. How long will the eruption last? Examining history, numerous MERZ eruptions took place during the 1960s–1970s, most of which lasted less than one day to about two weeks. An eruption near Nāpau Crater in 1997 lasted two days. The nearby 2011 Kamoamoa eruption lasted five days. Of course, there have also been much longer-lived MERZ eruptions as well. Maunaulu lasted five years and Puʻuʻōʻō lasted 35 years. Time will tell!
    Looking at the bigger picture, this eruption signals a significant and fascinating change in activity at Kīlauea. One year ago this week, a Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu was just ending. That eruption, which lasted from Sept. 10-16, 2023, was the fifth in a series of eruptions within Halemaʻumaʻu since Dec. 2020. On June 3, 2024, the first Kīlauea eruption outside the summit caldera since 2018 occurred several miles southwest of Halemaʻumaʻu. And now, after a series of seismic swarms and magmatic intrusions beneath the upper East Rift Zone over the past few months, we are witnessing the first MERZ eruption since 2018. It seems that a new era of Kīlauea eruptions has begun.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists conducted a reconnaissance overflight of the eruption near Nāpau Crater on the middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea. They observed lava cascading over the rim of the crater from a channel more than 50 meters (about 164 feet) wide. Lava is contained within Nāpau Crater and now covers about two thirds of the crater floor. USGS photo by M. Zoeller

 USGS Volcano Activity Updates
    Kīlauea is erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.
    On Saturday, Sept.14, magma intruded into the middle East Rift Zone region of Kīlauea. A brief eruption occurred the night of Sept. 15, just west of Nāpau Crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National

Park. The eruption resumed late in the day on Sept. 16, and continued through the night, decreasing in vigor until about 4 a.m. HST, Sept. 17, when new vents opened to the east in Nāpau Crater. At 3:15 p.m. HST on Sept. 17, the Nāpau Crater vents likely ceased, with eruptive activity shifting west of the crater and generating lava flows over the northwest wall and into Nāpau Crater. Multi-day fissure eruptions in this area are not unusual and current eruptive activity appears to be linked to supply of magma from the summit. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate for the eruption was 10,000 tonnes per day, measured on Sept. 18.
    Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
    Two earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M3.1 earthquake 23 km (14 mi) W of Volcano at 8 km (5 mi) depth on Sept. 15 at 1:15 p.m. HST and a M4.3 earthquake 6 km (3 mi) SSW of Volcano at 0 km (0 mi) depth on Sept. 14 at 4:25 p.m. HST.
    HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

September 2024, 5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.