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| Kaʻū welcomed the towering Hawai'i Preparatory Academy team from the north on Saturday evening and beat them during senior night, the last home game of the season for the Trojans. See more below. Photo by Julia Neal |
MARSHALLESE AND MICRONESIAN RESIDENTS OF KA'Ū may be in for some extra funding for health insurance. Pacific Islanders are critical to the agricultural economy of the district and many are without health care. Gov. Josh Green announced Friday that he has accepted $15.8 million from Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs, Carmen G. Cantor. The federal funding is provided to help defray the state's costs of providing services to citizens of the Freely Associated States who live throughout the Hawaiian Islands. "We welcome this generous assistance from the federal government in helping to care for our brothers and sisters from other Pacific islands," said Green. "We are one ʻohana and as governor, I am committed to helping residents of Hawaiʻi receive the access to services they need," said the governor.
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| U.S. Assistant Secretary for Insular & International Affairs with Gov. Josh Green who announced acceptance of $15.8 million to help Pacific Islanders, particularly with health insurance. Photo from the Governor's Office |
"During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw Pacific Islanders disproportionately hard-hit, having the worst rate of infections, despite making up only 4 percent of our population," said the governor.
The Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs said, "I was pleased to meet with Governor Green and reiterate Interior's continued commitment to working with the State of Hawai'i with respect to Compact Impact issues,"
The statement from the governor's office says, the state "Department of Human Services has been a strong advocate for Hawaiʻi residents from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau, which are members of the Compact of Free Association. The department recognizes the barriers to accessing quality health care this community has faced and in December of 2020, Congress restored Medicaid eligibility for U.S. residents from those nations. In State Fiscal Year 2022, approximately 16,300 members of the COFA population residing in Hawai'i received medical insurance coverage or premium assistance.
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| Pacific Islanders are critical to the labor force in agriculture in Kaʻū. Many have no health care coverage. Photo by Julia Neal |
The governor's statement noted: "Eligibility for many of the safety net programs for these Pacific islanders was cut off, due to the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, which Hawaiʻi's Congressional delegation has been working to correct. The COFA treaties were first signed into law by then-Pres. Ronald Reagan and allowed citizens of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands to move to the United States without time limits or the burden of obtaining visas. The treaties recognize the responsibility the U.S. has to these nations for activities including nuclear testing from 1946 to 1958."
Transfer of the funds to the state is anticipated in a matter of days, said the statement from Green.To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands
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| Stacey Bello heads up the state school district that includes Kaʻū. |
Bello earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from University of Hawai'i-Hilo. She earned teaching certifications in elementary and special education. Her master’s degree in teaching comes from from National University.
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| Bringing HPA down to earth, Ka'ū beat the tall ones from the north. Photo by Julia Neal |
St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View. Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day, according to OKK President Wayne Kawachi.
OUTDOOR MARKETS
Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.
Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.
Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.
'O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.
Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in the upper lot only. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.
Ocean View Swap Meet at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.
The Book Shack is open every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Kauaha'ao Congregational Church grounds at 95-1642 Pinao St. in Wai'ōhinu.