News briefs for Aug. 6: Flight operations, fishing tournament, scholarships and more

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park announces flight operations for August

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park reports several scheduled August flight plans:

• 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 6 and 31: ʻUaʻu (Hawaiian petrel) monitoring on Mauna Loa between 4,000- and 9,000-foot elevation.
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 10-12: Composting toilet maintenance and cleaning at the Halapē and Keauhou backcountry sites.
• 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 11 and 26: Feral ungulate survey and control within the Kahuku Unit between 2,000- and 7,000-foot elevation.

Park management requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources and maintain backcountry facilities. The park regrets any noise impact.

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Public hearing planned for proposed increased protections for native wildlife

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife is hosting a public hearing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 13 for proposed state rule amendments designed to increase protections for native wildlife. The proposed amendments and a public input survey are available now on the Division of Forestry and Wildlife website.

Attendance can be by Zoom, for which testifiers must pre-register. Those who simply want to observe can watch a livestream on YouTube.

Information about providing testimony in-person, in writing or on Zoom, as well as the YouTube livestream, is all available online. Written testimony will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Aug. 26.

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Hirono hosts spotlight forum on interagency agreements that harm students with disabilities

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Hawai‘i Democrat, recently hosted “Breaking the Promise: How Relocating the IDEA will be Detrimental to Students and Families,” a spotlight forum highlighting the dangerous consequences of President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle U.S. Department of Education for the nation’s students with disabilities and their families.

A panel of witnesses comprised of former department leaders, civil rights advocates and parent advocates spoke about how outsourcing Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and Office for Civil Rights, which oversee critical federal programs for students with disabilities, to other agencies will harm millions of students with disabilities nationwide. The Trump Administration announced in June that those offices would move to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Justice, respectively.

“These agreements are not just harmless administrative shifts,” said Hirono in a release from her office, adding that more than 8 million students could be impacted by just one of the offices moving. “What we are witnessing is nothing short of a deliberate effort to dismantle the programs that support students with disabilities and their families, particularly for those with nowhere else to turn.”

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Big Island police congratulate participants of Blue Light Fishing Tournament in Hilo

Hawai‘i Police Department Hilo Community Policing Section and Hawai‘i Police Activities League congratulate winners and participants of the annual Blue Light Fishing Tournament on July 14 at Kealoha Beach Park (Four Mile) in Hilo.

The fishing tournament was the culmination of a summer-long program led by Hilo Community Policing Officers who visited several Hilo schools in June and July to teach ocean safety tips and fishing skills. A total of 15 keiki ages 7 to 14 years old participated in the tournament, with prizes for the most fish caught and the biggest fish.

Prizes included fishing poles and equipment, cooler lunch bags, beach supplies and many other items. Participating keiki also enjoyed hot dogs, shave ice, snacks and drinks.

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Grant Hyatt Kaua‘i awards $37,500 in scholarships

Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa in Kōloa recently awarded 15 scholarships totaling $37,500 to resort employees and their dependents through its annual scholarship program. The scholarships will help recipients pursue higher education and achieve their academic and professional goals.

This year’s scholarships support a broad range of educational pursuits at trade schools, community colleges and 4-year universities throughout the nation. Recipients will use the scholarships to pursue programs including culinary arts and electronic arts at Kaua‘i Community College, nursing and criminology at the University of Portland, pre-medical imaging technology at Oregon Institute of Technology and cosmetology at Aveda University, among several others.

This marks the second consecutive year Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i awarded scholarships through the program. Scholarships funds are raised through a series of employee-led fundraising initiatives throughout the year including the Colleague Golf Tournament and The Great Golf Ball Drop, Annual Bon Dance hosted by Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Asia and Pacific Islander Colleague Chapter, banana bread sales, Valentine’s Day flower sales and several other events.