Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023

    USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the earthquake is one of the events in the constant seismic swarm under the Pāhala area since 2019. The quake had no apparent impact on Mauna Loa or Kīlauea volcanoes, according to USGS.

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.

DEFINING THE KAʻŪ COMMUNITY WAS PART OF THE THE ONBOARDING OF THE NEW ACADEMY AT KAʻŪ HIGH & PĀHALA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. A community reception held last week featured students talking with much positivity about their future and academy leaders explaining the plan. They provided an overview of Kaʻū, based on 2020 statistics, showing a resident population of 9,773, with 49.14 percent residing in the Ocean View and Ranchos area. The median household income in Kaʻū is $43,697, compared to the state's median household income of $84,857. Up to 37.2 percent of Kaʻū residents live below the poverty line. In 2010 that poverty line number was lower - 32 percent.

Health with Dr. Angie Miyashiro is one of the educational and career paths of the academies at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary. Photo by Julia Neal

    Educational and job training opportunities are limited. The nearest community college and the four-year university on the ease side of the district are located 52 miles from Pāhala, 65 miles from Nā'ālehu and 86 miles from Ocean View. On the west side of the district, the nearest community college is 50 miles from Ocean View and 80 miles from Pāhala. Among the people living in Kaʻū, 12.7 percent have a bachelors degree or higher. In 2010, that number was higher - 18.7 percent.

    To serve the community's educational needs, the leaders described the new Career Academies at the school, saying they are designed to prepare students for both college and careers. "They are schools within schools that link students with peers, teachers and community partners in a structured environment that fosters academic success. Often the strongest career academies have a Career & Technical program as their core."

Agriculture is one of the educational and career paths in the new academies at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary. Photo by Julia Neal

     Four key elements were named as central to development and implementation of the Career Academies at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary: A small learning community, a college-prep sequential curriculum with a career theme; an advisory board that forges partnerships with employers, higher education institutions, and the broader community; and a sequenced, comprehensive work-based learning component.

     Community advisors and others who attended the onboarding event last week visited students and teachers with such career paths as health, agriculture and tech. 

    See more on the new academies in Wednesday's Ka'u News Briefs.

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.

ADDITIONAL BUDGET REQUESTS FROM GOV. JOSH GREEN WENT TO THE HAWAI'I LEGISLATURE ON MONDAY. A statement from his office says, "These requests support the Governor’s priorities for affordable housing and infrastructure, reducing homelessness, protecting natural resources and climate, education, improving access to healthcare including mental health services, government efficiency, and reducing the cost of living.'

    Green said, “The state is in a strong financial position, and we need to act now to provide the relief that many people in Hawai‘i need. These budget requests in combination with my legislative proposals will immediately and directly help families, reduce the cost of living, provide essential healthcare services, and protect our climate and future of Hawai‘i.”

    He listed the following as key highlights:
    Infrastructure and Housing: $900 million for Hawai‘i Housing Finance Development Corp. programs to support affordable housing and infrastructure across the state; $40 million in each fiscal year for lump sum repairs and maintenance for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands existing infrastructure statewide; $12.5 million for the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority State Rent Supplement Program; and $20 million for Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority statewide public housing development, improvements, and renovations statewide.
    Healthcare: $12.3 million to provide additional funding to the Department of Health to provide additional resources for mental health services throughout the state; $5 million for plans for a new facility at the Hawai‘i State Hospital for secure and semi-secure stabilization beds for individuals that have behavioral health issues; $7.5 million to support the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital New Psychiatric Unit, Phase 1 on Kaua‘i; $5 million in fiscal year 2024 for plans to consolidate the Health Care Unit operations at Hālawa Correctional Facility. to provide services including counseling, mental and medical evaluation; $25 million in fiscal year 2024 and $20 million in fiscal year 2025 to increase the Medicaid reimbursement rates up to 100% of Medicare. 

The governor proposes $4 million for trail restoration, maintenance

    The statement says, "These state funds will bring in an additional $42 million in federal funds in each fiscal year and ensure access to high-quality healthcare for our Medicaid population."

    Environment and Agriculture: $3 million for Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Control; $22.5 million in fiscal year 2024 for the Wahiawā Irrigation System, Wahiawā Dam and Lake Wilson Reservoir to provide agricultural water for farmers; 13 positions and $434,668 in fiscal year 2024 and $793,980 in fiscal year 2025 to support capacity for climate justice and climate change mitigation and adaptation activities statewide to build a more resilient Hawai‘i that protects our communities, economy, way of life, and future; $4 million for statewide trail restoration and maintenance to protect natural resources and preserve our islands; $6.2 million for watershed protection across the state; $25 million for the Clean Energy and Energy  Efficiency Revolving Fund to provide

Three Mountain Alliance watershed partnerships shown here would receive financial support.

technology and infrastructure projects statewide; $4 million to construct and repair deep monitor wells statewide, including monitoring the health of the drinking water aquifers; $7 million for the Maunawili Acquisition to protect and restore important cultural, agricultural, recreational and forest resources.
    Education: $15 million in fiscal year 2024 and $10 million in fiscal year 2025 for the Department of Education to support applied behavior analysis services for students with significant behavioral or social-communication deficits across schools statewide; $6 million in each fiscal year for the Department of Education for skilled nursing services for the Department; $1.7 million in each fiscal year for the Department of Education for the physical and mental health direct service referral management system of care, to ensure all students across the state receive on-demand and scheduled care, treatment planning, care management and crisis consultation; 25 positions in FY 24 and 50 positions in FY 25 and $1.1 million and $2.1 million, respectively, to expand Bilingual/Bicultural School Home Assistants across DOE schools and $38.8 million in each fiscal year for the Preschool Open Doors Expansion to support preschool access for keiki.
    Government Efficiency: $5 million for the Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program to support digital equity and access to broadband in our rural and unserved communities
$9 million in fiscal year 2024 for the Kahului Civic Center on Maui which will consolidate government offices to a one-stop location for public services
$36 million to modernize our unemployment insurance system
    Full details can be found in the Governor’s Budget Message posted here.

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

   Kai'li is Hiloʻs own Hawaiian slack key guitarist and three-time Nā Hoku Hanohano award winner. Nā Leo Manu features cultural programs co-sponsored by Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. Park entrance fees apply.