Ka‘ū News Briefs, Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The Pāhala Senior Center Garden is next to newly renovated senior housing, which is available for applicants. See more below. Photo by Julia Neal

MITCH ROTH WILL RUN FOR MAYOR IN 2020. The elected county Prosecuting Attorney - known for his neighborhood meetings on safety in Ocean View and his community building programs - made the announcement Tuesday night in Hilo at Liliuokalani Park & Gardens. Roth's campaign released a statement, saying:
     "It would be my honor to serve Hawai‘i Island as mayor. Our island is a jewel in both diversity and shared values. We have opportunities to harness those values into a model for sustainable living, economic stability, and fostering growth in culturally appropriate ways that attract our children home.
     "Over and over, it's proven that the first step to problem solving — and community building — is to bring the right people to the table," Roth said.
     Government doesn't need to do everything, Roth said; government can be the convener, identifying likely partners and providing framework for solutions.

Mayoral candidate Mitch Roth and his wife Noriko, from an earlier campaign for prosecutor. Photo from Roth Facebook

     "Years ago, I asked myself what my major definite purpose in life is. My answer is simple and solid — to improve the quality of life for my family and my community."
     Roth, an early adopter of the community justice method of problem solving, has traveled around the United States teaching community policing to law enforcement and community members for a Community Policing Institute under the U.S. Department of Justice. He was one of the first community-oriented prosecutors in the nation, the first in Honolulu, and then on Hawai‘i Island, said a statement from his campaign organization.
     Roth has served as the elected Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorney since 2012. He served as a deputy prosecutor, staring in 1993, first in Honolulu and then Hawaiʻi Island. One of his first initiatives on Hawai‘i Island was to help launch the Pāhoa Weed and Seed community improvement initiative, which became a national model.

Mitch Roth bowing his head during the launch of his mayoral campaign. Photo from Big Island Video News

     "Applying community-focused principles at the prosecutor's office, we've built programs to help victims, help reduce juvenile crime by 50 percent, started the first restorative justice program in a prosecutor's office, helped start a Veterans Treatment Court, heightened the attention on sexual assault and domestic violence, and in each step, brought stakeholders to the table as partners," said Roth.
     Roth asked Pomai Bartolome to serve as his campaign chair. She is a graduate of St. Joseph's and Hawaiʻi Community College where she served as president of the student government. She is now completing her liberal arts degree. Bartolome is an active community member. She owns and operates Dream Hawaiʻi Studio, a talent enhancement program, which allows youth an opportunity to build character through performing arts. She is a radio personality, wife, and mother.

Pomai Bartolome, Campaign Manager for Mitch Roth. Photo from Big Island Video News

     Roth is a founding member of the Hawai‘i Island Visitor Aloha Society (VASH); the community Coalition for Neighborhood Safety; NexTech, which creates STEM opportunities for youth; and has helped bring the Citizens Emergency Response Teams (CERT) to Hawai‘i Island. He is dedicated to helping young people achieve their goals. Roth is a board member of the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island, and of Camp Agape Big Island, a four-day camp for children of incarcerated parents.
     Roth is married to Noriko Yamada Roth and they have three adult children who all graduated from Waiakea High School.

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SENIOR HOUSING IN PĀHALA, operated by the state Hawaiʻi Housing Authority, is nearly renovated and is open for applicants. By the time renovations are completed, there will be some 24 studio and one bedroom units, available to those 62 and older, and those of any age with disabilities.
     Rent is 30 percent of income. A person whose only income is $800 from social security, for example, would pay $240 a month including electricity and water. The highest rent, including electricity and water, is a flat rate of $840 for studios and $1,100 for one bedroom units.

Newly renovated senior housing units are available in Pāhala. Photo by Julia Neal

     The renovation opens up units and gives Kaʻū residents a good chance to acquire senior housing locally. In the past, senior housing has been in short supply, with local seniors placed elsewhere on the island and a waiting list of two to five years.
     To apply, call Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority at 933-0474.
     The Pāhala senior housing is in walking distance of the post office, bank, rural heath clinic, library, pharmacy, hospital, swimming pool, gym, two food stores, and several churches and community centers.
     The housing comes with parking lots and the county provides senior transportation to reach medical appointments, shop, and attend events.
     The housing is adjacent to the Pāhala Senior Center, where the County of Hawaiʻi's Nutrition Program offers $3 meals on weekdays for anyone 60 and older at 10:30 a.m. Sign up for meals by calling Julie Pasquale, Mondays through Fridays, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
     The Pāhala Senior Center Garden is on the grounds for growing food.
 

Pāhala Senior Center, where weekday meals are served, next to senior housing. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAIʻI IS NAMED BEST PLACE TO RETIRE in some reports. When rated by the cost of living, however, Hawaiʻi rates as the worst state to retire. Pacific Business News reported this morning on an analysis by GoBankingRates.com, saying that those with $100,000 to live on would only last about 14 months. The second most expensive retirement place is California, where $100,000 would last about 18 months, and New York, about 19 months.
     Pacific Business News reports that an earlier analysis rated Hawaiʻi high for retirees, based on low crime rates, excellent weather, culture, and wellness. GoBankingRates.com states that in Hawaiʻi, retirees spend $85,243 a year and would need over $2 million to retire here. The most affordable state is Mississippi, where a retiree can live for $38,435 a year. Other states deemed affordable by GoBankingRates.com are Oklahoma and Michigan. See GoBankingRates.com. Read Pacific Business News.

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JESSIE MARQUES IS THE ALOHA STATE'S COMMUNITY STAR, as winner of the 2019 National Rural Health Day award. The Pāhala resident is founder of Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association.

Papaya, bananas, and other food at the senior garden. Photo by Julia Neal

     Gregg Kishaba, Rural Communities Health Coordinator for the Hawaiʻi State Office of Primary Care and Rural Health in the state Department of Health, said:
     "For over 20 years, Jessie has continuously fought for equitable access to health care services and programs in her community. But make no mistake; it was an undertaking that many would likely decline.
     "In 1996, Jessie was asked by a physician and nursing staff to help prevent the closure of the local (Kaʻū) hospital. Not only did she say yes to the request, but she also served as the volunteer organizer for the Grassroots Coalition to preserve access to quality health care for the community of roughly 1,700 residents.

Taro and fruit trees at the garden next to Pāhala senior housing. Photo by Julia Neal

     "By 1998, Jessie mobilized the community and created Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association, the first - and at the time, only - Rural Health Community Association in the United States. By establishing KRHCA, she built the needed infrastructure to leverage sparse resources, while enabling local, state, and federal funding to reach her small rural community located in the southern part of the Island of Hawaiʻi.
     "Throughout the years, Jessie served as a volunteer on the Association's board of directors, both as president and secretary, and later was asked to take on the role of executive director. A few of the many milestones for KRHCA made possible through her efforts include establishing a resource and distance learning center, and launching the first Kaʻū Rural Health Academy, a training demonstration project that focuses on health education, research opportunities, and economic sustainability. She also partnered with the Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association (independent licensee of Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association) on a telemedicine pilot by installing a health kiosk that virtually links patients with a physician."
     After her nomination, Marques said, "I am sincerely humbled, but this nomination belongs to all those who helped me understand the importance of being involved in civic engagement, volunteerism, policy and decision making, leadership, and advocating for rural underserved communities."
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