Kaʻū News Briefs Monday, Oct. 23, 2023

Illegal aerial luminaries - sky lanterns - landed on a roof, a utility line, and in a yard in Pāhala. Officer Pernell Hanoa urges citizens to understand the fire danger. Photo from Hawai'i Police Department

PERNELL HANOA, POLICE PATROL ACTING CAPTAIN FOR KAʻŪ, IS ALERTING folks about the danger of launching illegal aerial luminaries after three sky lanterns—small hot air balloons made of paper with an open flame at the base—were discovered in Pāhala on Monday.
In a statement from Hawai'i Police Department on Monday, Hanoa said, “Given Ka‘ū’s history of wildfires and the current drought conditions currently affecting Ka‘ū, and other parts of Hawai‘i island, the use of aerial luminaries poses a significant fire risk to communities. It’s frustrating that with so many of our friends and family on Maui still recovering from devastating wildfires, that people would set off

Remains of illegal sky lanterns found in Pāhala.
Photo from Hawai'i Police Department

these incendiary devices, and allow them to become airborne. These balls of fire have to land somewhere and we are fortunate that no fires were reported as a result of this incident.”
At 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Ka‘ū patrol officers responded to the 96-1000 block of Iliau Street in Pāhala after a resident reported finding three burned out sky lanterns near his property. One lantern reportedly landed on the roof of a nearby house, another landed on a utility line, and a third landed in the yard of a neighboring property. Officers recovered two of the three lanterns, but were unable to access the lantern on the roof a nearby residence.
It appears that the lanterns were ignited and set afloat sometime over the weekend, reported the HPD statement, which also said, "The Hawai‘i Police Department would like to remind everyone that possessing and igniting aerial luminaries in the state of Hawai‘i is prohibited by law, HRS [§132-19], and those found guilty of violating this law shall be imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $1,000, or both, for each violation."
So far in 2023, Ka‘ū patrol officers have responded to more than 10 incidents in which houses, other property, and agricultural land have been impacted by wildfires. The HPD statement said, "Hawai‘i Island police are reminding the public that aerial luminaries are incredibly dangerous, as well as illegal."
HPD is asking that anyone who witnesses any type of aerial luminary being used to call the police non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.

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PRAISE FOR KAʻŪ TROJANS FOR THEIR HONOKA'A GAME ON FRIDAY came from former County Council member Domic Yagong, the announcer for the game at Honoka'a. Yagong praised the Trojan quarterback Adahdiyah Ellis-Reyes and compared him to the legendary Kaʻū quarterback Catalino "Dong" Alcordo from many years ago.

Yagong has been calling Honoka'a home games for more than two decades. Last Friday, the Trojans almost beat Honoka'a who won 32-30. Honoka'a Dragons are the number one team in the division.

Former County Council member Dominic Yagong, the
long-time sports announcer for Honoka' High, praised
Kaʻū Trojans for their extraordinary efforts against the
Dragons on Friday. Photo from Yagong

Yagong wrote: "Let me share my view of the game from the Honoka'a sidelines as the Voice of the Honoka’a Dragons. I’ve announced Sports at Honoka’a School for 25 years…and this was one of the most exciting games I have ever announced.

"Kaʻū Came to Play! The Coaches' Game plan was Awesome and the Trojan team executed the plan flawlessly!! Trojans didn’t come to give Honoka'a a good game. They came to win!

"Offensively, Kaʻū line totally controlled the line of scrimmage. The blocking was superb at the point of attack…and that Bradda #49 ran the ball like a man with zero fear. He was a beast. I couldn’t pronounce your QB first name, but Ellis-Reyes was incredible all night. His running for first downs was unreal, and his passing was straight up Legit - one of the best performances I’ve seen at the QB position in a long time. I felt like I was witnessing the reincarnation of the great Kaʻū QB Catalino “Dong” Alcordo. Ellis-Reyes…that is the highest complement I can ever give - you play with heart, soul, passion and talent like Dong.

Quarterback Adahdiyah Ellis-Reyes carries the ball in an earlier
game against Kamehameha School. After last Friday's game
against Honoka'a Dragons, Ellis-Reyes was compared to
Trojans legend Catalino "Dong" Alcordo. Photo by Mark Peters

"TJ #21 is one of those athletes that come once every 20 years. Football, Basketball, and Volleyball…enjoy this special athlete…I think he is all world in High School Sports!! I was always looking on the field for Karasuda #2…as a Dragon fan I was scared every time he was on the field…he is a playmaker! I don’t have my team roster, so I don’t have his name…but #74 on defense was a monster….that Bradda can hit. "All in all, Kaʻū played like us small school plantation roots school always plays….with guts, courage, passion and love for our School, Community, and 'Ohana. Honoka'a and Kaʻū, fierce competitors on the field….but when the game pau….we rural school are brothers. Keep up the great work…future bright for these young men. Aloha - Dom."

As a County Council member, Yagong often collaborated with Kaʻū's Council member as both the Honoka'a area and Kaʻū are small multiethnic rural communities, steeped in the history of former sugar plantations, ranching and farming.

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Kaimi Kaupiko with his Kalanihale offerings at the recent Ka'u Hospital & Rural Clinic Health Fair. He invites
the public to Kalanihale's Lā 'Ohana event on Saturday, Nov. 4 in Miloli'i, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Photo by Julia Neal

MILOLI'I'S NINTH ANNUAL LĀ 'OHANA EVENT will be on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kaimi Kaupiko and his Kalanihale organization invite the public to the free gathering for 'ohana and community members of South Kona and Kaʻū to join them at Miloli'i Park. There will be:

- Dental Exams with Aloha Medical Mission and Hawai'i Institute of Public Health Oral Health Coalition and John A. Burns School of Medicine's community-based research care Ola Hawai'i.
- Health Screenings, Vaccinations, and other Health Information from UH Hilo School of Pharmacy, KTA and Hawai'i Island Community Health Center.
- Open Enrollment for Health Insurance with Kokua Services Partnerships.
- Marine Conservation work with Kalanihale Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area Monitoring Team, Makai Watch with state Department of Aquatic Resources and Hawai'i Marine Education Research Center.
- Education and Youth Support with Kua O Ka Lā Public Charter School, Hipu'u Native Hawaiian Educational Clearinghouse, Kona Literacy and Arizona State University Local.
- Also on hand will be arts and crafts from local vendors from the community, baked goods, drinks, shaved ice, ono grinds, and more.
Live entertainment will be provided by the local Artisans.

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WAXING AND WANING OF UNREST are the words used by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory statement Monday on another increase in earthquakes between Volcano and Pāhala. HVO'S Summit Observations statement says:

Unrest to the south and southwest of the summit area of Kīlauea remained elevated over the past day. Waxing and waning of unrest may continue.

Renewed seismicity beneath the south end of Kīlauea caldera extending to the southwest along the trend of December 1974 vents began a week ago on October 16. The renewed activity initially peaked on October 17, but following a decline of several days, the seismic unrest over the past three days has again been at levels similar to or somewhat higher that on the 17th. Over the past 24 hours, approximately 174 earthquakes were recorded in Kīlauea’s summit region, an increase from 109 during the previous day. Most of the earthquakes related to this unrest are at depths of around 1–3 km (0.6–2 mi) below the surface.

This 2.9 magnitude earthquake today between Volcano and Pāhala is one of the many in recent months, indicating
a possible eruption from Kīlauea. USGS image

The Uēkahuna summit tiltmeter located north of the caldera was generally flat over the past day. The Sand Hill tiltmeter, located just southwest of the caldera, showed ongoing inflation over the past 24 hours. Overall, inflation at the summit of Kīlauea remains high and has surpassed the level seen just before the most recent eruption on September 10th. However, the current rate of inflation in the region has diminished significantly since October 4-6.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates remain low and were measured at a rate of about 100 tonnes per day on October 19.
It is unclear if unrest in Kīlauea summit region will continue and it is not possible to say with certainty if activity will lead to an eruption; activity may remain below the ground surface. However, an eruption remains possible, most likely in Kīlauea’s summit region inside of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and away from infrastructure. Similar patterns of earthquake activity and ground deformation occurred to the south of the caldera prior to the September and June 2023 eruptions in Kīlauea summit caldera (in Halemaʻumaʻu crater and on the downdropped block). Volcanic gas emissions pose the greatest hazard to areas downwind of Kīlauea’s summit.
There is currently no sign of an imminent eruption and increasing inflation and earthquake activity (heightened unrest) are expected to precede an eruption. During periods of heightened unrest prior to recent eruptions at Kīlauea summit, signs of imminent eruption did not appear until 1-2 hours before lava reached the surface. The summit of Kīlauea remains at a high level of inflation and eruptive activity is possible in the coming weeks or months. HVO scientists will continue to monitor Kīlauea volcano closely and will issue additional messages as warranted by changing activity.

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