Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, March 15, 2022

HAWAI'I' STATE GOVERNMENT IS THE LEAST DEPENDENT ON FEDERAL MONEY, among all 50 states, according to a WalletHub study released this week. The metric calculates federal funding as a share of state revenue. It reflects the proportion of state revenue that came from the federal government in the form of intergovernmental aid in 2019.
    WalletHub reports that Hawai'i's citizens are the eighth most dependent on federal money. The metic was calculated by dividing federal funding in U.S. dollars by IRS collections from Hawai'i taxpayers in U.S. dollars. The metric also includes the share of federal jobs in Hawai'i.
    Overall, Hawai'i is rated 26th in dependency on the federal government, according to WalletHub. Alaska is the most federally dependent, followed by Mississippi, Kentucky, West Virginia, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona and Louisiana. See the study at http://wallethub.com/edu/states-most-leastdependent-on-the-federal-government/2700.

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HOW TO START A BUSINESS IN HAWAI'I is the topic of a webinar on Wednesday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., sponsored by Hawai'i Small Business Development Center. The organizers of the event ask the following: Have you ever thought about owning your own business? "How do you go about doing that . . .Deciding on a type of business entity? Setting up your business?Finding the money to start? Identifying your customers and marketing your product or services? Coming up with a business plan? Finding a system for keeping track of all that money you'll be making? We can help you answer those concerns and identify the resources you'll need to help you move forward."
    Register and pay the $15 fee for the webinar with Hawi'i Small Business Development Center at: https://clients.hisbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=5420007. See more at www.hisbdc.org.

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AN APOLOGY FOR PROHIBITING THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS was requested this week in the Hawai'i Legislature. Rep. Patrick Pihana Branco introduced HCR130 requesting the State to make a formal apology for prohibiting the use of ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i in public schools from 1896 to 1986.

    Branco, a member of the state House of Representatives, explained, "It's about equity; we are a State with two official languages, English and ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i. Sadly, our native language was taken to the brink of extinction after the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i." Branco noted, "This legislation shows respect to Native Hawaiians negatively impacted by the banning of ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i."    

    He said that Native Hawaiians spoke ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, the Hawaiian Language, for more than 2,000 years. In 1896, Act 57 passed, declaring only English would be taught and communicated in Hawai‘i public schools. Because of Act 57, many students were punished for speaking ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i at school, and the number of Hawaiian language speakers declined from nearly 40,000 in 1896 to only 2,000 in 1978. 

     "My great-grandfather would go to school and be beaten for speaking Hawaiian; he would then go home and get punished for speaking English," said Branco. "For a child to be disciplined for speaking his Native tongue is a travesty." He also noted, "The exclusion of ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i from Hawai‘i's public schools lasted 90 years, causing generational trauma. The time for a formal apology from the State of Hawai'i is long overdue. We need to begin the process of healing."

Michael J. Aragon is missing.

MICHAEL J. ARAGON IS MISSING. Hawai‘i Island police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the 29-year-old, who was reported missing on Sunday, March 13, 2022, by family members.
    Aragon Jr’s last known address was in Puna and he was last seen by a family member in June 2019. He is believed to be in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates area in Ka‘ū.
    Aragon Jr. is described as being of Caucasian/Filipino/Hawaiian decent with a slim build, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 145 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has a tribal design tattoo on his right arm.
    Anyone with any information on Aragon Jr.’s whereabouts is asked to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311, or Officer Rodney Kekaualua, Jr., of the Ka‘ū Patrol Division at (808) 939-2520.