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| Volunteers join Hawai`i Wildlife Fund staff this Saturday for the nonprofit's last Ka`u Coast Cleanup of the year. Photo from HWF |
HAWAI`I ISLAND’S DENGUE FEVER outbreak has made national news, with CNN reporting on an official from the Centers for Disease Control Prevention’s arrival on the island. Dr. Hal Margolis, director of CDC’s dengue branch, told CNN that Dr. Lyle Peterson, director of CDC’s division of vector-borne infectious diseases, and his team are here to “see where (the mosquitos) are located and review a situation where transmission is still going on and to get a pair of outside eyes and see if there might be something missing. It’s a guessing game, especially in these places that don’t routinely have dengue.”
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| As of yesterday, Hawai`i County's count of confirmed dengue fever cases climbed to 122. Map from Hawai`i DOH |
Ka`u’s state Sen. Josh Green and state Rep. Richard Creagan, both medical doctors, have been lobbying for the state Department of Health to involve CDC on the ground.
DOH reported yesterday that 122 confirmed cases of dengue now exist on Hawai`i Island. Sixteen are visitors, and 106 are residents.
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A 63-YEAR OLD KA`U MAN DIED after an all-terrain vehicle accident Wednesday afternoon at in the Green Sands Beach area. Hawai`i County Police identified him as Keith J. Leonatti, of Na`alehu.
Leonatti had been operating his ATV on a private four-wheel-drive gravel road near Green Sands Beach sometime after 12 p.m. when he failed to return to meet with family members at the beach. At 12:41 p.m., family members found him unresponsive and trapped beneath the ATV.
Leonatti was officially pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center at 8:09 p.m.
Police have classified this case as a coroner’s inquest. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
Police ask anyone with any information about the crash to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or Officer Christopher Kapua-Allison at 326-4646, extension 229.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300. Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
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MASS KILLING IN SAN BERNADINO, CA: “‘Just Another Day in The United States of America,’ is the BBC reaction to yesterday’s mass shooting murder in California,” reported gun control activist Ross Rammelmeyer, of Volcano. “Mass gun violence murders in the U.S. are now almost daily,” he said.
Rammelmeyer wrote this morning: “If I hear another ‘Our thoughts and prayers’ platitude from a politician, I think I’ll throw up.
“It’s time the over 300 million of us in the U.S. who are the targets of the gun violence demanded the politicians do something about legally curtailing the unrestricted sale of deadly weapons in the U.S., which is brutalizing our society.
“The NRA has already done something! They are pushing more unrestricted deadly weapons sales in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. The gun industry collects the profits. We pay the price in corpses.”
DOH reported yesterday that 122 confirmed cases of dengue now exist on Hawai`i Island. Sixteen are visitors, and 106 are residents.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
A 63-YEAR OLD KA`U MAN DIED after an all-terrain vehicle accident Wednesday afternoon at in the Green Sands Beach area. Hawai`i County Police identified him as Keith J. Leonatti, of Na`alehu.
Leonatti had been operating his ATV on a private four-wheel-drive gravel road near Green Sands Beach sometime after 12 p.m. when he failed to return to meet with family members at the beach. At 12:41 p.m., family members found him unresponsive and trapped beneath the ATV.
Leonatti was officially pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center at 8:09 p.m.
Police have classified this case as a coroner’s inquest. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
Police ask anyone with any information about the crash to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or Officer Christopher Kapua-Allison at 326-4646, extension 229.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300. Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
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| Hawai`i Supreme Court Justice Mark Recktenwald |
HAWAI`I BOARD OF LAND & Natural Resources “put the cart before the horse” when it approved Thirty Meter Telescope’s permit before a contested case hearing was held, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald said in his decision revoking the permit for the project planned for the summit of Mauna Kea.
“Once the permit was granted, appellants were denied the most basic element of procedural due process – an opportunity to be heard at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner. Our Constitution demands more,” Recktenwald said.
After the permit was issued, appellants called for a contested case hearing, an agency hearing that is required by law and determines the rights, duties or privileges of specific parties.
Recktenwald said, “The right to exercise Native Hawaiian customs and traditions is explicitly protected by Article XII, Section 7 of the Hawai`i Constitution: ‘The state reaffirms and shall protect all rights, customarily and traditionally exercised for subsistence, cultural and religious purposes and possessed by ahupua`a tenants who are descendants of native Hawaiians who inhabited the Hawaiian Islands prior to 1778, subject to the right of the state to regulate such rights.’
“Given the substantial interests of Native Hawaiians in pursuing their cultural practices on Mauna Kea, the risk of an erroneous deprivation absent the protections provided by a contested case hearing, and the lack of undue burden on the government in affording appellants a contested case hearing, a contested case hearing was ‘required by law’ regardless of whether BLNR had voted to approve one on its own motion. …
“BLNR’s decision to vote on the permit prior to the contested case hearing denied appellants a meaningful opportunity to be heard in both reality and appearance.”
The Supreme Court ordered the lower Circuit Court that previously upheld the permit to remand to BLNR for proceedings consistent with the opinion, so that a contested case hearing can be conducted before the board or a new hearing officer.
“We thank the Hawai`i Supreme Court for the timely ruling, and we respect their decision. TMT will follow the process set forth by the state, as we always have,” said Henry Yang, Chair of TMT International Observatory Board of Directors. “We are assessing our next steps on the way forward. We appreciate and thank the people of Hawai`i and our supporters from these last eight-plus years.”
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
After the permit was issued, appellants called for a contested case hearing, an agency hearing that is required by law and determines the rights, duties or privileges of specific parties.
Recktenwald said, “The right to exercise Native Hawaiian customs and traditions is explicitly protected by Article XII, Section 7 of the Hawai`i Constitution: ‘The state reaffirms and shall protect all rights, customarily and traditionally exercised for subsistence, cultural and religious purposes and possessed by ahupua`a tenants who are descendants of native Hawaiians who inhabited the Hawaiian Islands prior to 1778, subject to the right of the state to regulate such rights.’
“Given the substantial interests of Native Hawaiians in pursuing their cultural practices on Mauna Kea, the risk of an erroneous deprivation absent the protections provided by a contested case hearing, and the lack of undue burden on the government in affording appellants a contested case hearing, a contested case hearing was ‘required by law’ regardless of whether BLNR had voted to approve one on its own motion. …
“BLNR’s decision to vote on the permit prior to the contested case hearing denied appellants a meaningful opportunity to be heard in both reality and appearance.”
The Supreme Court ordered the lower Circuit Court that previously upheld the permit to remand to BLNR for proceedings consistent with the opinion, so that a contested case hearing can be conducted before the board or a new hearing officer.
“We thank the Hawai`i Supreme Court for the timely ruling, and we respect their decision. TMT will follow the process set forth by the state, as we always have,” said Henry Yang, Chair of TMT International Observatory Board of Directors. “We are assessing our next steps on the way forward. We appreciate and thank the people of Hawai`i and our supporters from these last eight-plus years.”
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AT THE DIRECTION OF PRESIDENT Barack Obama, the United States flag and the Hawai`i state flag will be flown at half-staff until sunset at the State Capitol and upon all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawai`i National Guard until sunset on Dec. 7. This action is a mark of respect for the victims of gun violence in San Bernardino, where yesterday, at last count, 14 people were killed and at least 21 were injured.
“Our hearts are heavy with grief for the victims of this senseless act of violence, and our thoughts are with their families, colleagues and friends. We mourn along with the San Bernardino community,” Gov. David Ige said.
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“Our hearts are heavy with grief for the victims of this senseless act of violence, and our thoughts are with their families, colleagues and friends. We mourn along with the San Bernardino community,” Gov. David Ige said.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
Rammelmeyer wrote this morning: “If I hear another ‘Our thoughts and prayers’ platitude from a politician, I think I’ll throw up.
“It’s time the over 300 million of us in the U.S. who are the targets of the gun violence demanded the politicians do something about legally curtailing the unrestricted sale of deadly weapons in the U.S., which is brutalizing our society.
“The NRA has already done something! They are pushing more unrestricted deadly weapons sales in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. The gun industry collects the profits. We pay the price in corpses.”
Rammelmeyer can be reached at rossrammelmeyer@hawaiiantel.net.
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| Ka`u's state Sen. Josh Green |
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FOLLOWING THE MASS SHOOTING in California, Sen. Josh Green is calling for his constituents to share their ideas on how to solve the problem.
“Those of you who know me well know I am not one to demonize people of any specific political ideology, and I won’t start now,” Green said on his Facebook page. “Having said that, I need to say something loud and clear: Gun violence in America must stop now!
“Liberal friends, conservative friends, those who I have agreed with over the years and those who have fought me tooth and nail, I am asking you tonight, please share your best ideas with me on how we can come together as a country and protect any more innocents from being slaughtered in this way. Every life lost is the beautiful son or daughter of some heartbroken parent out there.
“Please commit yourselves to protecting one another in your communities across the country. And please share with me what you believe can be done. I have some ideas of my own, but I think the time has come once and for all for a nationwide compromise on guns in America and an era where our children can be safe.
“No idea will be ignored.”
See facebook.com/SenatorJoshGreen.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
“Please commit yourselves to protecting one another in your communities across the country. And please share with me what you believe can be done. I have some ideas of my own, but I think the time has come once and for all for a nationwide compromise on guns in America and an era where our children can be safe.
“No idea will be ignored.”
See facebook.com/SenatorJoshGreen.
Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.
COUNTY OF HAWAI’I PRESENTS its annual holiday open house festivities in Hilo and Kona.
The fifth annual Magic Of The Season at Hawai`i County Building in Hilo runs weeknights Dec. 7 to 18. Festivities take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. nightly with free entertainment, activities and refreshments hosted by county departments.
Henry Kapono, Mark Yamanaka, Darlene Ahuna, Lehua Kalima, John Cruz, Brother Noland and Kuana Torres Kahele will be among Na Hoku Hanohano award-winning performers. Hula dancers, student musicians and Hawai`i County Band will take turns entertaining audiences.
County volunteers have decorated dozens of trees and lit up Hawai`i County Building. Members of the public may view the decorations daily starting at 7:45 a.m.
At West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona, families are invited to A Holiday Family Affair on Friday, Dec. 11 from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. featuring entertainment by Darlene Ahuna. Activities include a bounce castle, a climbing wall, face painting, make-and-take crafts, keiki ID cards and photos with Santa. Refreshments will be served.
Donations of non-perishable food items will be collected at both events for the Hawai`i Island Food Basket. For more details, contact offices of Mayor Billy Kenoi in Hilo at 961-8211 or Kona at 323-4444.
VOLCANO FESTIVAL CHORUS PRESENTS its 21st annual Gift to the Community Saturday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
The 20-member chorus delights the audience with holiday favorites including Ring Christmas Bells, Tell it on the Mountain, I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Pie Jesu, featuring soloists Rachel Edwards and Angie Jara.
The chorus is directed by Roch Jones and accompanied by Walter Greenwood on piano. The audience will get to join in with a sing-along. The concert is sponsored annually by Kilauea Drama and Entertainment Network to thank the community for its support. Admission is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. Park entrance fees apply.
For more information, contact Suzi Bond at 982-7344 or kden73@aol.com.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
Henry Kapono, Mark Yamanaka, Darlene Ahuna, Lehua Kalima, John Cruz, Brother Noland and Kuana Torres Kahele will be among Na Hoku Hanohano award-winning performers. Hula dancers, student musicians and Hawai`i County Band will take turns entertaining audiences.
County volunteers have decorated dozens of trees and lit up Hawai`i County Building. Members of the public may view the decorations daily starting at 7:45 a.m.
At West Hawai`i Civic Center in Kona, families are invited to A Holiday Family Affair on Friday, Dec. 11 from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. featuring entertainment by Darlene Ahuna. Activities include a bounce castle, a climbing wall, face painting, make-and-take crafts, keiki ID cards and photos with Santa. Refreshments will be served.
Donations of non-perishable food items will be collected at both events for the Hawai`i Island Food Basket. For more details, contact offices of Mayor Billy Kenoi in Hilo at 961-8211 or Kona at 323-4444.
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| Fred Koehnen discusses his memoir this evening. Image from VAC |
THURSDAY NIGHTS AT THE CENTER features local author Fred Koehnen discussing his new memoir at 7 p.m. at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Koehnen will be available to sign $20 books after the program.
Call 967-8222 for more information.
HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND’S FINAL Ka`u Coast Cleanup for this year is Saturday at Kamilo Beach. Participants meet at 7:45 a.m. at Wai`ohinu Park to carpool. Register at kahakai.cleaups@gmail.com.
Call 967-8222 for more information.
HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND’S FINAL Ka`u Coast Cleanup for this year is Saturday at Kamilo Beach. Participants meet at 7:45 a.m. at Wai`ohinu Park to carpool. Register at kahakai.cleaups@gmail.com.
A FUNDRAISER FOR KA`U LEARNING ACADEMY will be held this Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gilligan’s in Discovery Harbour. It is sponsored by the Fournier Center for Empowerment, a fiscal partner and fundraising organization for the school, which holds classes at the same location. Dinner will feature Greek food, including lamb kabob, Greek salad, moussaka, hamburgers and red and white lasagna. Beer and wine will be served. Entertainment lineup is Lucky Lizards 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., Tiger 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Bottle of Blue 8 p.m. until closing.
Ka`u Learning Academy is in its first year of operating as a state-licensed public charter school. For more information, see www.kaulearning.com.
VOLCANO FESTIVAL CHORUS PRESENTS its 21st annual Gift to the Community Saturday at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
The 20-member chorus delights the audience with holiday favorites including Ring Christmas Bells, Tell it on the Mountain, I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Pie Jesu, featuring soloists Rachel Edwards and Angie Jara.
The chorus is directed by Roch Jones and accompanied by Walter Greenwood on piano. The audience will get to join in with a sing-along. The concert is sponsored annually by Kilauea Drama and Entertainment Network to thank the community for its support. Admission is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. Park entrance fees apply.
For more information, contact Suzi Bond at 982-7344 or kden73@aol.com.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
