Kaʻū News Briefs May 14, 2024

WHILE EXPECTATION OF FINDING LEAD IN WATER PIPES IS LOW, says a statement from county Department of Water Supply, the agency will begin inspecting selected Ka‘ū customers’ water service laterals starting Monday, May 20. The DWS announcement says inspections will begin in Wai‘ōhinu, followed by Nā‘ālehu, Discovery Harbor, Souh Point, and Pāhala, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, excluding holidays. Customers are notified by mail when a water service lateral inspection is scheduled for their properties.  The announcement explains that inspections are required to comply with the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. Service laterals will be inspected for the type of material they are made of, and that information will be inventoried by DWS. "Although DWS believes the potential to find lead or lead-containing service laterals is very low, should any be found, the Department will inform customers about next steps."
    Water service laterals are typically located underground and connect watermains to the water meters and then to the customer’s plumbing. The water meter box is often located along the roadway or in the sidewalk at the property boundary. During inspections, DWS staff and contractors will open water meter boxes to visually determine the lateral material and will conduct a visual inspection of the above ground service lateral that enters the building.  DWS stated, "We respectfully ask for your assistance in keeping the area near your water meter box clear of parked vehicles and items to allow personnel to complete inspections efficiently.
    "DWS staff and contractors can be identified by ID badges and marked vehicles and will have appropriate safety equipment. They will not ask for personal information or solicit money. Entrance into buildings will not be needed. Please note that while your participation is completely optional, it is greatly encouraged and appreciated as part of this work to protect community health and safety." For more information on the upcoming water service lateral inspections, please contact DWS at lcrr@hawaiidws.org or (808) 961-8070 Ext. 3.

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TRINITY ADVENTURES PROMOTES the South Point area and farms and backroads up mauka. The tour company is promoted by Golden Tree Media, LLC, of  Nāʻālehu, which is listed as a "Locally-owned Business, Native Hawaiian." Its president is Kristine Kaehuaea. 

A Trinity Adventures Down South Package, See https://goldentreemedia.com/down-south-hawaii

    The website advises visitors: "Don't follow the cattle line.... Let Trinity Adventures guide you into those pockets around Hawai'i island to reinvent your destination getaway, introduce you to the local residents while you inadvertently bolster the small businesses and communities around the island."

    Its three-day Down South Tour asks visitors to "Discover the Green Desert Region." It lists one of the sites as Kalalea Heiau in Kama'oa.  Others include mamaki tea and coffee farms, Buddhist Temple, and Black Sand Beach. Accommodations show a house with an ocean view. Meals included.

    Another three-day Trinity Adventures package is called 4th Gear Exhilaration and features a sunrise ATV ride down to Green Sands Beach, "plus everywhere in between." It says, "Drive a Path to see Surfing Honu (sea turtles)." It also offers e-bike/cycling along an old sugar plantation road or at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

The three-day 4th Gear Exhilaration package features a sunrise ride to Green Sands Beach. Image from https://goldentreemedia.com/down-south-hawaii

    The website also promotes "Stay-Cations | South region, Hawaii Island," saying, "Do you find yourself staring at the walls? Is the stress of your day overwhelming you? It's a sign you need to recharge your soul. Let Trinity Adventures set you free!" See https://goldentreemedia.com/down-south-hawaii.

A RUSTY BLACK POWDER PISTOL WAS APPARENTLY ENGAGED TO SHOOT AN OCEAN VIEW MAN. IT LED TO AN ARREST on Monday. Hawai'i Police Department reports:
     On Monday, May 13, just after 5 p.m., 48-year old Daniel Moriarty, of Ocean View, was arrested for Assault in the second degree, relating to a May 10 incident just before 3 p.m. A 49-year old male victim, also of Ocean View, reported being shot by Moriarty with a rusty black powder revolver style pistol.
    On May 10, just prior to 3 p.m., Kaʻū patrol officers responded to the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision to a report of an unknown type disturbance described as three males yelling in the area of Coral Parkway between King Kamehameha Boulevard and Tiki Lane. Officers arrived and observed a verbal disagreement. One unidentified male appeared to be bleeding, possibly from his right hand, with blood running down his right pants leg. Officers attempted to identify the male party and were given the name “Johnny Depp.” When asked if he needed help, he informed officers multiple times that he did not need police or medical attention and was uncooperative.    On May 10, just prior to 4 p.m., Kaʻū patrol officers received a transfer call from the Hawai‘i Fire Department relating that a male party was in the roadway claiming that he was just shot. Upon arrival, officers observed the same uncooperative male party from the previous call now with blood observed on his hands, face, and legs. He was again asked if he needed police or medical assistance and said something to the effect of “No”, he was fine and was heading home. Officers then followed the male party to his residence located at the 92-8300 block of Bamboo Lane where they spoke to the unidentified male’s sister. She related that the 49-year old male was her brother and that he is mentally ill. Officers informed the man’s sister of the events previously occurring with her bother and reiterated to her that his injuries seemed serious and that they wanted to speak to him in hopes of determining how he received his injuries.        

    The injured male then informed officers that he cut his finger on a glass wine bottle, and made no mention of being shot in the leg. He again declined medical attention.
    On May 10, just prior to 5 p.m., the injured male’s sister called police dispatch requesting that police and medical return as her brother had now informed her that he had been shot in the leg. Upon arrival, officers were informed that the injured victim was shot in the leg by a male identified as Daniel Moriarty. Officers re-interviewed the victim who informed them that he had initially been assaulted by a male party near where officers had first contacted him and related that he did not need police help at the time because he felt he could handle the situation himself.
    The victim related that he went to Moriarty’s home for help because he was being assaulted by several males, unknown how many. The victim then related that he knocked on Moriarty’s door and asked him for help, to which Moriarty related to him something along the lines of “Get out of here, before I shoot you.” The victim related that he was about to leave when Moriarty pulled out a black hand gun described as having a 7 to 8-inch barrel and shot him. The victim believed the gun was a black powder gun because there was a delay from when the trigger was pulled and it had smoke come out of the barrel. The victim was transported by ambulance to Kona Community Hospital where it was determined that a bullet was lodged in the victim’s right thigh. There was no damage to any bones or arteries and the injury was described as a “gunshot wound to the right lateral thigh with muscle damage.”

    The Area II Criminal Investigative Section (CIS) was notified and continued the investigation and search warrants were prepared for Moriarty’s residence for his arrest. Both warrants were executed on May 13,  just after 5 p.m. and Moriarty was apprehended without incident.
    Upon a search being conducted of Moriarty’s residence, a rusty black powder revolver style pistol was recovered. On Tuesday, May 14, after police conferred with county prosecutors, Moriarty was released pending further investigation.