Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, March 7, 2018

LUA O PALAHEMO IS ONE OF THE SPECIAL SITES noted in the South Point Management Plan, recently released by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. It is a popular recreational place, where locals and visitors get some sun and jump into a brackish pond fed by underground springs and ocean water. It is known for its rare anchaline shrimp, including ʻōpae ʻula and the endangered Vetericaris chaceorum. On the banks of Lua O Palahemo grow endangered Hawaiian plants such as the ʻōhai and the endemic nohu.
       Palahemo is within 710 acres designated as a National Historic Landmark by the federal government. According to the Cultural Impact Assessment of the Hawaiian Home Lands plan, the designation was given because the land "provides the longest and most complete record of human occupation in the Hawaiian Islands."

A New Zealand tourist photographed the sign warning people to refrain from desecrating Lua O Palahemo. Photo by Richard Seaman

      The South Point Management Plan proposes "to improve the conditions in and around Palahemo by reducing vehicular access and discouraging recreational activities on motorbikes, ATVs, and trucks at South Point that have caused sedimentation from soil erosion. In addition, re-vegetating the vicinity of the pool with native plants will further prevent soil erosion at Palahemo."
     The report describes a visit to Palehemo with Hawaiian cultural practitioner and natural resources manager Nohea Ka‘awa, who shared the Hawaiian meaning of Palahemo. I ʻike ʻoe iā Kaʻū a puni, a ʻike ʻole ʻoe iā Palahemo, ʻaʻole ʻoe i ʻike iā Kaʻū. It means "If you have seen all Kaʻū, but have not seen Palahemo, you haven't seen Kaʻū." Another ʻōlelo noʻeau (proverb) is: I puni iā ‘oe o Ka‘ū a i ‘ike ‘ole ‘oe iā Palahemo, ‘a‘ohe nō ‘oe i ‘ike iā Ka‘ū. It means, "If you have been around Ka‘ū and have not seen Palahemo, you have not seen the whole of the Kaʻu District," Ka‘awa explained.
    Ka‘awa talked about the importance of taking care of the natural resources. "In our Hawaiian Culture, anything that gives us life is an Akua; water gives us life, fish gives us life, the air gives us life... In order for them to continue to sustain us, we need to feed that relationship by being responsible stewards of our resources." Ka‘awa showed interviewers the yellow flowers scattered along the rim of the Palahemo pond and identified them as flowers of the endemic nohu plant, used in traditional Hawaiian medicine.
     Palahemo is spiritually significant to many native Hawaiians. George Kalokalani Manuel, of Wai‘ōhinu - described in the report as a lineal and cultural descendent of the place, whose great-grandfather is buried at Kamā‘oa iwi kupuna at South Point - spoke to interviewers. "You can stand at Palahemo and see Kū Mauna," a mountain near Pāhala with a name associated with a Hawaiian water god. He said the mauka-makai connection between Palahemo and Ku Mauna "brings you closer to the gods." Boundaries of Ka‘ū with the Puna and Kona Districts are also visible from Palahemo. Many people say they can see the whole of Ka‘ū District from Palahemo.
      In addition to Lua O Palehemo, another significant site is Puʻu Aliʻi, which is a native Hawaiian burial ground. Another is Kalalea Heiau, a pre-Christian place of worship, which is historically said to be for men only. There are also canoe mooring holes - which are in multiple bays and sheltered places along the coastline, like at Māhana - and Lua Makalei, "a cave in the vicinity of the Barracks that is believed to have been used for sheltering and training warriors during Kamehameha the First's reign, serves as a habitat for the endemic pueo (Asio flammus sanwichensis), and contains burials," states the report.
     The ʻōlelo noʻeau (proverbs) can be read in the report from page 730.
     See March 3, March 5, March 6, and future Ka‘ū News Briefs for more in the continuing series, covering the South Point Plan. See the 799-page plan online.

Tommy Akin, during the Jan. 29 . Commission meeting. Photo from KLA video

NO ACCUSATION OF DRUG USE AND SALE AT KAʻŪ LEARNING ACADEMY was made by a speaker at the public meeting held by the Hawaiʻi State Charter School Commission at Discovery Harbour Association Hall on Jan. 29. The Kaʻū Calendar and Kaʻū News Briefs mistakenly paraphrased, after listening to video recording of the meeting, that Discovery Harbour resident Tommy Akin said that there was "drug use and sale at the school." Akin brought the error to the attention of The Kaʻū Calendar. Upon review, it is confirmed that he said, "And actually there are people known for dealing drugs within a mile of the school." The reporter regrets the error. See the video, here.

A MOBILE SPAY AND NEUTER VEHICLE will travel the island, starting this summer, courtesy of Hawai‘i IslandHumane Society. The aim is to spay and neuter pets for free or low-cost in remote areas of the BigIsland, such as Ka‘ū, and to help combat the island's pet overpopulation.

     The Humane Society's Fund Development Director, Whitney Sickels, said $120,000 was raised to purchase the vehicle, surpassing their original $100,000 fundraising goal. The $100,000 will be matched by the Laurence H. Dorcy Hawaiian Foundation.

     "We had a few $5,000 and $10,000 donations, but really the bulk of them were from the community," said Sickels. "The overwhelming response and generosity from the community was inspiring because it really shows the community realizes we have this (pet) overpopulation problem and wants to help. The clinic is for the community and purchased by the community, so it was really nice to see that."

An example of how the new mobile spay and neuter mobile clinic will appear. Photo from HIHS

     Sickels said the 26-foot specialty vehicle cost just under $200,000, including shipping it from Ohio; the additional money raised will be used for vehicle maintenance, operational costs, and surgery costs. The vehicle will include two anesthesia machines, 25 kennels, and an array of supplies and medical equipment.

     The mobile clinic is expected to arrive at the Hiloport in late May or early June. Once here, it will be parked at easy-to-access areas.

     To involve the public, the Humane Society launches a photo contest March 12. Make a donation and submit a photo of a spayed or neutered pet. After a public voting for best photos, judges will pick four winners - two dogs and two cats. Winning pets will be professionally photographed and their images included on the side of the mobile clinic. All proceeds will go toward spay and neuter services. For more information, visit www.hihs.org.

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Lisa Ginoza, newly nominated chief judge,  Intermediate Court of Appeals. Photo from governor.hawaii.gov

APPOINTMENTS OF NEW JUDGES FOR THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS AND FIRST CIRCUIT COURT were announced Tuesday. Gov. Daid Ige appointed Lisa Ginoza as chief judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals, and James Ashford to the Circuit Court of the First Circuit.
He selected the nominees submitted by the Judicial Selection Commission. Both are subject to state Senate confirmation.
     Ige selected Ginoza to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Intermediate Court of Appeals Chief Judge Craig H. Nakamura, who retires this month. Ginoza has served on the Intermediate Court of Appeals as an associate judge since May 2010. She was previously first deputy attorney general at the Department of the Attorney General, and as a partner at McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon from 1990 to 2005.

James Ashford, newly nominated to the  Circuit Court of the First Circuit.  Photo from governor.hawaii.gov

     Ginoza is a graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law and Oregon State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. She was also senior class president at Kailua High School where she was valedictorian for the Class of 1982.
     Ige selected Ashford to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of former Circuit Court Judge Rhonda A. Nishimura last year. Ashford has served as a District Court judge since 2013. He worked as an associate attorney and partner at Cades Schutte LLP for most of his career in private practice.
     Ashford is a graduate of Loyola Law School and Claremont McKenna College where he was on the wrestling team.

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