Privacy Policy | About Our Ads The temporary Kapa‘a Bypass Road (Route 5600) between Kūhiō Highway to Olohena Road will be completely closed during daytime hours on May 7 and 8 This closure was originally scheduled for April 30 and May 1 but was delayed due to issues with the asphalt plant according to the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation The one-way southbound road now will be closed on May 7 from 6 a.m The closure is necessary for the reconstruction of weakened pavement areas and installation of new pavement at the approaches and over the existing steel bridge along the route Variable message boards have been posted. For weekly Kaua‘i lane closures, click here A Kapa‘a High senior is making history this month when she graduates with her high school diploma as well as a bachelor’s degree from Chaminade University Veronica Nagahisa will graduate from the Honolulu-based university with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology this time at Kapaʻa High School to receive her high school diploma becoming the first student on Kaua‘i to achieve both at the same time it was just the beginning,” said Kapaʻa High Principal Tommy Cox “She’s a great example for our students — showing them that nothing is impossible with the opportunities available at Kapaʻa High.” Nagahisa’s college journey began quietly after eighth grade when she started taking online courses at Kauaʻi Community College an Early College counselor at Kanu o ka ʻĀina Charter School and helping me so much,” Kimi Nagahisa said “We try our best to mold and raise our kids Nagahisa had completed both her high school and associate degree requirements she enrolled full-time at Chaminade University — continuing remotely from home — to pursue her bachelor’s degree Many high school students throughout the state participate in the dual credit program where they can matriculate from high school with an associate degree which in turn can lower the number of classes they need to take and pay for to attain a bachelor’s degree 52 students within the Hawaiʻi Department of Education system received an associate degree as a graduating high school student last year Nagahisa has stayed active during her high school career taking electives and study halls to stay connected with friends and campus life She was a National Honor Society member and a regular at volunteer events like Relay for Life The teen also made time to support nearly every school sporting event “Staying engaged and showing school spirit was important to me Nagahisa’s advice to other students is to maintain a balance It’s the foundation for everything good in life,” she said “That balance looks different for everyone — the key is to find what works for you whatever you’re striving for — big or small — it’s essential to make space for joy Those things help ease the stress that often comes with pursuing your goals.” The Kapa’a High School football team’s defense showed up when it mattered most in Saturday night’s First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I championship game against Konawaena at John Kauinana Stadium at Mililani High School Kapaʻa survived a defensive slugfest to beat Konawaena of the Big Island 10-7 in overtime to claim the Kauaʻi Interscholastic Federation’s first Division I football state crown Kapa’a surrendered 485 yards in a 55-33 win over Damien “I don’t even know what to say right now except that these kids deserve it,” Kapa’a head coach Mike Tresler said after winning the championship in a game that was scoreless through three quarters My football family of coaches coached them up Kapa’a (9-2) gained just 132 yards on offense on 53 plays and had four turnovers but the Warriors scored on a 50-yard punt return by Nash Burkart 19 seconds into the fourth quarter and then won the game on Micah Rapozo’s 33-yard field goal in overtime Nainoa Simmons led the Kapa’a offense with 22 carries for 66 yards rushing and Ryan Peters had 11 tackles to lead the defense The Wildcats (10-3) tied the championship game on Hercules Nahale’s 2-yard touchdown run with 4:09 to play in regulation and had 324 yards of offense on Saturday night “Both defenses played great,” Konawaena coach Brad Uemoto said “We couldn’t get nothing moving offensively. I mean we had spurts and then we just couldn’t finish drives.” Tresler was extra thankful for the win on Thanksgiving weekend “All I want to do is thank my family and my wife and the kids for the opportunity to spend time coaching these wonderful kids, all the support in the community,” he said absolutely amazing. What a defensive battle between two good offensive teams Tresler was somewhat dumbfounded by the defensive battle that developed Saturday night Konawaena had 469 yards of offense in its 45-20 win over Leilehua in the semifinals two high-scoring offenses and who would have thought “Who would have thought it came down to us running our big package offenses and that’s my kind of game Tresler added: “Defense and special teams win championships and we proved it here tonight Kapa’a won the state Division II title in 2021 and Waimea won the last two D-II state crowns “We don’t need to say any more. All the D-II championships on Kauai and now D-I we can play a good brand of football and quality football.” Uemoto said he was proud of his team in the end of the classic Elias Malapit had seven tackles to lead the Konawaena defense our defense played well all year,” Uemoto said. “Sometimes we’re noted as going to wind up for offense but the underlying character to our team is our defense Uemoto agreed with Tresler that the Neighbor Islands are showing growing strength on the gridiron In the Open Division championship game Friday night in Manoa Saint Louis beat Kahuku 17-10 for the title “I think Neighbor Island teams are definitely catching up with Oʻahu teams,” Uemoto said “I think sometimes just venturing out in the preseason and starting to face different competition and knowing that we can play with Oʻahu schools Outer Island teams have a different level of pride and playing for their community And that’s something that we’ve seen in Kapaʻa coming into this game “We know they’re a prideful team just like us. They’re going to play tough for their community. And we knew that the emotions within the game was going to be tough. Anyway that was displayed tonight with all three Neighbor Island teams.” Kaua‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation announced earlier this week that Kapa‘a Swimming Pool is closed until further notice Parks and Recreation is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible Officials thank the community for its patience and understanding The Waimea pool remains open for its regular schedule: Visit the Kaua‘i County website or contact the Waimea pool at 808-338-1271 for additional information A portion of Kaehulua Road in Kapa‘a will be temporarily fully closed later this week as crews with contractor The Cutting-Edge Land Clearing Solutions work to trim and remove trees growing along the roadway Tuesday and Wednesday in the vicinity of Kawaihau Road Motorists are advised to detour around the closure using Ka‘apuni Road Residents who live in the area will be allowed access The public is advised to make appropriate arrangements to accommodate the closure use alternate routes and allow extra time to get to their destinations Flaggers also will be present to direct traffic Contact The Cutting-Edge Land Clearing Solutions at 808-720-7748 or the Kaua‘i County Department of Public Works Roads Division main office at 808-241-4847 for more information and with any questions There is a new shortcut to service at the Kaua‘i County Division of Motor Vehicles due to a new satellite office that launched in January in Kapa‘a town the largest residential area on the island The Kapa‘a Satellite DMV is located in the Kapa‘a Armory opposite the Brian J Baptiste Memorial Sports Complex on Kahau Road Personnel at three service windows handle motor vehicle transactions Service is available by appointment only at this time who delivered opening remarks at a grand opening ceremony on Thursday “The DMV is the face of the county of Kaua‘i,” Kawakami said “It is the one place where there is constant traffic all day long and more people interact with the [Division] of Motor Vehicles than any other department.” The Division of Motor Vehicles is headquartered in the Pi’ikoi Building of the Līhu‘e Civic Center more than 9 miles south of the Kapa‘a Satellite DMV Walk-in appointments and “kupuna hours” may be introduced to the Kapa‘a satellite office in the future storage and a break room for DMV employees Kawakami and others credited Reiko Matsuyama with the vision to decentralize county services and bring them directly to communities Kawakami entered the mayor’s office in 2018 the county Division of Motor Vehicles has added six new positions to bring the total number of employees to 29 The division also has focused on technology with an updated webpage a back-of-house customer management tool and digitized historical records Customers may now take their written driver’s license permit test from the comfort of their home Four registration-renewal kiosks have been installed in grocery stores on the North Shore and East Side Kawakami said a new West Side location is now in the works following the closure of Ishihara Market in Waimea has transformed its operating style and placed an emphasis on customer service All front-facing DMV agents have been cross-trained across all services the biggest change that we’ve done was to invest in our team,” Kawakami said “We look forward to delivering the aloha spirit.” The Kapa‘a Satellite DMV is open to appointment holders from 8 a.m Customers must check in for their scheduled appointment using their mobile device Visit kauai.gov for more information about the Kaua‘i County Division of Motor Vehicles. To view a map of the division’s community-based kiosks, click here this is Mark James with your Kaua’i Youth Sports Wrap ·         WE HAVE GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL TODAY ·         AND WE HAVE BOYS K.I.F KAPA'A AND KAUA'I HIGH PLAY AT VIDINHA STADIUM AT 6 P.M AND WAIMEA AND ISLAND SCHOOL PLAY AT HANAPĒPĒ STADIUM AT 3:30 ·         THE STATE HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT IS TOMORROW AND FRIDAY AT THE KAPA'A AND KAUA'I HIGH COURTS QUALIFIERS WILL COMPETE AT THE 2025 HAWAI'I HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS MAY 8TH THROUGH THE 10TH AT THE LAHAINA CIVIC CENTER ·         BOYS HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL FRIDAY NIGHT HAS KAUA'I HIGH HOSTING KAPA'A GAME IS AT 5 O'CLOCK AND THE VARSITIES WILL PLAY 25 MINUTES AFTER THE J.V.S FINISH ·         THE WAIMEA GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM ADVANCED TO THE 2025 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS THAT WILL START PLAY ON O'AHU ON APRIL 30TH AND CONTINUE UNTIL MAY 3RD ·         FIRST TEE HAWAI'I'S REGISTERING KIDS 7 THROUGH 17 YEARS OF AGE FOR 3 SESSIONS ON KAUA'I TUESDAY AFTERNOONS AT THE KIAHUNA GOLF CLUB AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS AT THE OCEAN COURSE AT HŌKŪALA ·         A.Y.S.O 941 FALL REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR KIDS FROM HANAPĒPĒ TO HANALEI THERE IS AN EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT OF $110 UNTIL JUNE 14TH results or fund raisers that you'd like me to put on the air The Kapa‘a refuse transfer station will be closed for nearly a year starting in early November to undergo renovations Kaua‘i County shared the announcement from Solid Waste officials Thursday morning on its Facebook page it had drawn 60 comments and replies from the community and nearly 50 reactions concerned about the length of the facility’s impending closure The Kapa‘a transfer station is scheduled to close Nov The renovations are part of the county’s islandwide Refuse Transfer Station Improvements project They are aimed at making the facility more efficient and providing environmental safeguards specifically addressing water quality standards and stormwater discharges Other transfer stations that are part of the project are those in Hanalei Closure signs are already posted at the Kapa‘a transfer station to alert the public of the upcoming closure Green waste services at the facility will remain open motor oil and propane tanks can be taken to the Līhu‘e transfer station in Princeville while the Kapa‘a site is closed Scrap metal and appliances can be taken to the Hanalei station; they are not accepted in Līhu‘e Those items also can be delivered directly to Puhi Metals Recycling Center on Puhi Road “This is a super long time for it to be closed,” commented Kristen Kimball on the county’s post about the planned closure of the Kapa‘a transfer station adding “woah that’s a long closure,” and Vince Tylor questioned “for 10 months Kapena Cummings said at least the county wasn’t using what many community members have come to see as a common excuse for facility closures — “mechanical issues.” “Wonder how this plays out,” wrote Cummings “I really hope some ‘forward thinking’ came into play before this decision was made which Melissa Patton commented is out of control on the island would increase or decrease with the Kapa‘a transfer station’s planned nearly yearlong closure Others were already making that connection “This mean[s] far more dumping on roadsides,” commented Dale Rosenfeld enjoy that County of Kaua‘i,” replied Ashley Alapa‘i commenting that the county would simply drive by and criticize the communities for the mess created if more illegal rubbish dumping became the reality Clayton Ruprecht Newtonnards IV was defiant saying the closure wouldn’t be a problem for him He’ll just leave his trash outside the gate at the Kapa‘a transfer station at night so the county can deal with it the next morning “Illegal dumpers may be subject to enforcement action and administrative and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day for each offense,” the county replied “Catch me if you can,” Newtonnards IV goaded Cherie Pipkin wasn’t having any of that she asked the county to put cameras up at the facility to deter “ungrateful people like this and fine them” during the closure “Appreciate all of that work there,” Pipkin thanked the county Some offered suggestions to help alleviate the long drive residents anticipate having to make to take their rubbish to other transfer stations while the Kapa‘a facility is closed “Should use couple of rolloffs so people can at least get rid of their bagged trash,” suggested Francis Napohaku Lynda Antonio asked why bins couldn’t be put outside at the transfer station for rubbish instead of making people be stuck in traffic going somewhere else “Your suggestion makes too much sense,” replied Mike Martinez “Maybe the more we let the [Kaua‘i County Council] know how we feel and let them know how we will vote maybe they will start doing there jobs?” Louise Sausen said there needs to be islandwide bulk rubbish pickups scheduled especially in the Waihiha and Hā‘ena areas Kim Blackburn wanted to know specifically about mattress disposal She said her husband who recently had to drive all the way to Kekaha to get rid of one that belonged to a friend from Kīlauea who died because the transfer stations in Hanalei and Kapa‘a do not accept mattresses and the Līhuʻe station is closed “That’s a long trip and a lot of gas for a truck,” wrote Blackburn “Time and $$ is in short supply for most folks Not having other options could explain all the mattresses that are dumped on the side of the roadway Is there another option for mattresses besides Kekaha 11 as part of the islandwide improvement project would be open by the time the Kapa‘a facility is closed The county did reply that the Līhuʻe facility is scheduld to be open by then It reported in early September in a release and Facebook post that the transfer station is set to reopen by Nov Some were still reluctant to take the county at its word ‘scheduled’ is the key word,” replied Bill Collins For more information about the upcoming renovations at the Kapa‘a transfer station or other rubbish drop-off sites around the island, call 808-241-4841 or click here Kapa‘a’s swimming pool facilities will be temporarily closed at the beginning of December The Kaua‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation announced that Kapa‘a Swimming Pool will be shuttered from Dec Cutting & Coring can repair the pool’s concrete deck The swimming pool is scheduled to reopen Dec For questions or more information, contact the Department of Parks and Recreation at 808-241-4460 or visit the department’s website 11: The Kaua‘i County Department of Public Works and contractor The Cutting-Edge Land Clearing Solutions announced Friday that a single-lane closure on a portion of Kawaihau Road in Kapa‘a for tree trimming and removal work will be extended through Jan 10: A single-lane closure continues today and Jan 13 on a portion of Kawaihau Road in Kapa‘a for tree trimming and removal The Kaua‘i County Department of Public Works reminds the public that crews with contractor The Cutting-Edge Land Clearing Solutions are scheduled to do the work from 8 a.m Residents in the area and other motorists should make appropriate arrangements to accommodate the necessary lane closure use alternate routes and allow extra time to get to destinations Contact The Cutting-Edge Land Clearing Solutions at 808-720-7748 or the county Department of Public Works Roads Division main office at 808-241-4847 for more information or questions The Kaua‘i County Department of Finance Division of Motor Vehicles is opening a new satellite office Monday to offer limited services on the island’s east side The Kapa‘a satellite Division of Motor Vehicles office is housed in the Kapa‘a Armory “We are excited to announce the opening of our new Kapa‘a location where our residents will now have another option for motor vehicle services,” said Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami “Mahalo to our Finance Department team for listening to the needs of our community and offering solutions that not only improve customer service but also utilizes technology to bring us into the future.” The Kapa‘a office will provide motor vehicle transactions and the availability to make utility payments and purchase bus passes and tipping coupons Kapa‘a services will be by appointment only No walk-in service or Kūpuna Hour are available at this location at this time The system will notify customers on their mobile device when a representative is ready and they will be directed to one of three service windows Those with appointments can check in up to 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time Customers seeking additional services should visit the Līhu‘e Division of Motor Vehicles location Visit the division’s website and click on “Book Your DMV Appointment” to make an appointment at either location Note that appointments are for single transactions you will need to book multiple appointments For more information or questions, click here or email kauaidmv@kauai.gov Hawai‘i Department of Transportation plans the following lane closures for the remainder of this week Motorists are reminded that lane closure schedules can change at any time A map of lane closures can be found online Right lane closure possible between mile post 3.9 and 6.6 in the vicinity of Haʻikū Airstrip and Maluhia Road Single lane closure possible in either direction between mile post 6 to 9.5 from 8:30 a.m in the vicinity of Halewili Road and Hanapēpē Road Right lane closure possible between mile post 24.37 to 24.46, in the vicinity of Kikiaola Boat Harbor, for replacement of culverts. Alternating traffic will be routed through the open lane. Click here for more details Left lane closure in the northbound direction between mile post 0 to 1 in the vicinity of Rice Street and Laukini Road Lane shift in the northbound direction at mile post 7.4 Single lane closure possible in either direction between mile post 8.1 to 9.7 in the vicinity of ʻĀkia Road and Mailihuna Road Right lane closure possible in either direction between mile post 14 to 16 Single lane closurepossible in either direction between mile post 24.4 to 25.6 in the vicinity of Kahiliholo Road and ʻAnini Vista Drive near the Princeville Airport Single lane closure possible in either direction between mile post 4.3 to 4.5 from 8 a.m for clearing and grubbing of the mauka (toward the mountain) shoulder Alternating traffic will be routed through the open lane Right lane closure possible between mile post 0.07 to 0.6 in the vicinity of Wilcox Road and Lala Road Single lane closure possible in either direction between mile post 0 to 1.5 from 8:30 a.m Single lane closure possible in either direction between mile post 11.5 to 14 from 8 a.m Right lane closure in the northbound direction between mile post 1 to 2.5 from 8:30 a.m — KAPA‘A TEMPORARY BYPASS ROAD (HIGHWAY 5600) — Full closure between mile post 0 to 0.7, in the vicinity of Kūhiō Highway and Olohena Road, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday, Jan 31, for resurfacing work. Click here for more details New Year’s Day was almost over when baby girl Aria Labrador entered the world on Wednesday whose parents are Tyler and Toei Labrador of Kapaʻa She is 19 inches and weighs 6 pounds and 10 ounces Aria is the first baby to be delivered at Wilcox in 2025 and the only New Year’s baby reported by the medical center this year a 26-year-old rising culinary star and executive pastry chef at the Michelin-starred Jeune et Jolie restaurant in Carlsbad died last weekend while on vacation in Hawaii their daughter was fulfilling a lifelong dream to see a waterfall on the island of Kauai when the unthinkable happened he had fulfilled her dreams and it was the best day of her life," Caty Buzzetta said in an interview shortly after making it to the Makaleha Falls waterfall on March 23 but couldn't figure out where the noise was coming from it happened … The rock dislodged from quite a ways up … then it landed on her,” said Sal Buzzetta Caty says a frantic Connor pulled her from the water Gianna was eventually airlifted to a hospital Her parents were able to fly to Hawaii in time to say goodbye “It’s like something is sucked out of you," Caty Buzzetta said Caty Buzzetta described her daughter as "beyond determined" and said she poured her love into her work as a chef as a way of showing people that she loved them The Buzzetta family is leaning on their faith to get through this tragic loss finding some comfort in the fact that Gianna's last moments were spent in the beauty of nature She was with the love of her life," Caty said She was living in moment best she every had An online fundraiser has been set up to help the family with funeral and other expenses This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy heated things up with a mouthful of fire during an exhibition of Samonan fireknife at the 22nd Heiva i Kaua‘i at Kapa‘a Beach Park on Saturday spins a fireknife at the 22nd Heiva i Kaua‘i at Kapa‘a Beach Park on Saturday Taiwan group Pacific Ocean Wave with director Maya Chen competes in the Ahupurotu classification during the 22nd Heiva i Kaua‘i at Kapa‘a beach Park on Sunday KAPA‘A — Tahitian and Samoan culture were showcased over the weekend as the Heiva i Kaua‘i Committee led by Tahitian wood carver Tepairu Manea hosted the 22nd Heiva i Kaua‘i at Kapa‘a Beach Park Thousands of people flowed through the entry gates to watch two days of Tahitian dance and drumming competition enhanced with the return of Tahitian vendors who offered the unique Made In Tahiti clothing the Samoan fireknife took the stage on Saturday night presented by the Michael Drake ‘ohana (function(d,s,n){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];js=d.createElement(s);js.className=n;js.src="//player.ex.co/player/bdc806f4-0fc1-40a1-aff0-a3d5239c169c";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,"script","exco-player")); who helped to emcee the Saturday night fireknife said on Sunday there was a young girl from California who became the first female to enter the Po Afi competition “She was pretty good,” Rapozo said “That created some work for the judges.” solo dancers in both tane and vahine categories tied up the stage reserving the honor for the groups to take the stage on Sunday in competitive phases that included aparima Some of those groups came from as far away as Taiwan with their accompaniment of enthusiastic flag wavers Other groups include calling California home and a halau from the Big Island Citizen Volunteer Greg Askew said there was a historic 44-vendor lineup to supplement the return of vendors offering handmade Tahitian clothing and craft items Local demonstrations and exhibits beyond the iSiva Fireknife Crew included the Kaua‘i Artisan Guild with Kumu Kaeo bamboo nose flute and Tahitian woodcarving including having toere and Tahitian ‘ukulele available for purchase Local vendors offered special plate lunches with helpings of shave ice and assorted cold beverages Wear a Lei was the theme of this year’s annual Kauai Museum Lei.. Members of the Waimea High School girls football team arrived home on Sunday from the 2025.. A 76-year-old man with no permanent address is still behind bars after allegedly stabbing a 75-year-old man the morning of April 2 in the parking lot of Kapa‘a Shopping Center Kaua‘i Police Department reports Ivo Miller was arrested Wednesday without incident for first-degree terroristic threatening and first-degree assault Miller remains detained at the Kaua‘i Police Department cellblock Officers learned upon their arrival that the 75-year-old man who was injured was stabbed multiple times during a reported knife attack He was transported to Wilcox Medical Center in Līhuʻe Kaua‘i police thanks tbystanders who intervened and provided assistance to the 75-year-old man during the incident Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Kaua‘i Police Department dispatch at 808-241-1711 Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More The redemption tour of Konawaena and Kapaa High Schools rolled right on in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I football semifinals on Friday night With resounding wins over Oahu teams Leilehua and Damien the BIIF and KIF champions made it an all-Neighbor Island affair in next Saturday’s 7:30 p.m While the state Division II championship has been contested between Neighbor Island teams for seven straight editions it will be the first time that the D-I final will have that distinction Kapaa workhorse running back Nainoa Simmons carried the ball 33 times for 261 yards — 1 yard short of tying the state D-I record — and three touchdowns while quarterback Evan Daligdig ran for two scores and passed for another in the Warriors' 55-33 victory over Damien at Skippa Diaz Stadium "We're just going to go out there and give it our all," Simmons told Spectrum OC16's Jimmy Bender of facing Konawaena Konawaena beat Kapaa 37-19 in last year’s D-I semifinals but the Wildcats’ bid for back-to-back championships was thwarted by Waipahu in the final Now Brad Uemoto’s team will go for the school’s second koa trophy in three years The passing attack is clearly alive and well for the Wildcats (10-2) after the graduation of state touchdown record-holder Keoki Alani from last year’s team tossed five touchdowns — three to receiver Aliimalu Tan — in a 45-20 defeat of visiting OIA champion Leilehua at Julian R Alani went 20-for-36 for 359 yards without an interception Tan caught nine of the balls for 191 yards including a 40-yard TD strike in the first quarter that made it 24-0 The lead grew to 38-7 in the fourth quarter before Leilehua (10-4) got two TD passes from quarterback Bennett Strobel who scored four rushing touchdowns in a road win over Lahainaluna last week Receiver Romeo Tubon was Leilehua's best option as he caught nine balls for 104 yards and a touchdown Strobel was 20-for-37 with three TDs to one interception seeks its first state title at the D-I level after breaking through in D-II in 2021 the ground-and-pound-oriented Warriors outperformed ILH champion Damien in a shootout Kapaa (8-2) posted two touchdowns in each quarter to make ILH champion Damien (8-2) a one-and-done state performer in Kalihi The Warriors intercepted standout Damien quarterback AJ Tuifua four times to offset Tuifua’s four touchdown passes The Monarchs’ all-purpose standout back Sylas Alaimalo caught 12 passes for 127 yards and a score and carried the ball 14 times for 77 yards and another TD Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com exploring and enjoying the best multiuse trails nationwide Explore top 10 trails blogs for all 50 U.S Search By State The Great American Rail-Trail® is the nation’s first cross-country multiuse trail stretching more than 3,700 miles between Washington we reimagine public spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk Join RTC's learning community where professionals volunteers and public leaders come together to share proven tools and methods to establish and grow trail networks nationwide RTC has worked to bring the power of trails to more communities across the country serving as the national voice for the rail-trail movement We’re working to ensure that trails and trail networks are prioritized as essential for people and places Learn more about our strategic priorities Hawai’i’s Ke Ala Hele Makālae, which runs for about 8 miles along Kaua’i’s splendid Coconut Coast, was inducted into Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame this summer by securing nearly 45% of the public vote The induction puts Ke Ala Hele Makālae in the company of several dozen exemplary multiuse trails all over the country that have been celebrated for their social Growing up on Hawai’i’s Island of Kaua’i Franny Johnson was aware at a young age of the dazzling appeal of the island’s east coast and we’ve all known what this area was because our dads and grandparents would take us fishing along here noting that the ocean was valued as a source for food and also as a spot for recreation and reflection she remembers being happy about the idea of a trail in the area because she saw it as a way of preserving ocean access for the public which might otherwise have been cut off by private resorts Johnson has watched with pleasure as the paved route known as Ke Ala Hele Makālae has flourished a native Hawaiian who has owned the family-run bike shop Hele On Kaua’i Bike Rentals for the past 18 years said Ke Ala Hele Makālae has lived up to the hopes she had at the beginning “It’s just a spectacular asset for everyone,” she said Another enthusiastic advocate is Monique Tucker and a regular user of Ke Ala Hele Makālae any chance I get to highlight or spotlight that trail “It is probably one of the best unsung heroes of this whole island with some of the best views you can get of the ocean anywhere on the island.” While most island residents are well aware of the treasure that is Ke Ala Hele Makālae “I send people over to rent bikes and ride the trail all the time,” she said Bike-rental customers at Hele On Kaua’i often return from their rides blown away by the experience “They can’t believe how beautiful it is,” Johnson said ‘How in the world did they decide to build this?’ It’s along the ocean a five-year resident of Kaua’i and a railroad history buff rides Ke Ala Hele Makālae at least two times a week and says the experience continues to amaze him “You take a bike up that path and get up on the north end and there’s nothing out there but pretty much all wild Hawai’i surf line along rocky lava cliffs,” Haggland said It’s pretty nice on a bike; if you haven’t done it nearly two dozen interpretive signs also dot the pathway allowing people to learn about local archeological the plants and animals that can be seen here Advocates of the trail credit several early community leaders with the vision for Ke Ala Hele Makālae, which translates to “The Path that Goes by the Coast.” Tommy Noyes, executive director of the nonprofit organization Kauai Path, Inc. said former Kaua’i County councilmember with a motivation of protecting lateral coastal access in perpetuity so people were developing resort facilities along the coast and traditional and customary fishing and gathering was being threatened by displacement,” Noyes said those early preservation efforts were successful Ke Ala Hele Makālae runs from Lydgate Beach Park in the south to Kuna Bay (Donkey Beach) in the north Loosely parallelling Route 56 (Kuhio Highway) the trail provides an alternative to one of the island’s busiest roadways and connects the coastal communities of Ahihi Point The trail also links up with the Kawaihau Elevated Boardwalk providing the most densely populated residential area on the island with access to the coast public information officer for the Office of the Mayor notes that the vision for the trail dates back to the 1990s scenic route that would connect coastal communities and promote healthy living—goals that have been realized through the years envisioned by former Mayor Maryanne Kusaka has significantly enhanced the well-being of Kaua’i’s keiki (children) families and the broader island community,” Alayvilla said the trail provides a safe and accessible place for outdoor activities encouraging physical fitness and a love for nature from a young age scenic pathway that promotes regular exercise and social interaction crucial for maintaining good health and reducing isolation.” Although the county does not have specific annual usage numbers “It’s estimated that Ke Ala Hele Makālae sees tens of thousands of users annually The trail is popular year-around with both residents and visitors who was hired by the Hawai’i State Department of Health to manage an American Reinvestment and Recovery Act grant for a program to help combat obesity said the trail has been central to an effort to improve the health and well-being of the community Along with the health benefits from exercise you’re going to have the benefits of not only getting out in fresh air and moving your body and you’re going to have social connections that would not exist were that facility non-existent.” the effort to protect the valuable coast was never easy Noyes remembers hearing from detractors who testified during hearings about “how silly it was to build a path to nowhere that diverted funds from fixing potholes on our highways that were congested.” first opening a short section within the regional Lydgate Beach Park in 2004 and then using the 1920s-era “haul cane corridors” that remained from the sugarcane industry and pineapple cannery that had once used the route to haul freight along the Ahukini Terminal & Railway Company “Phase Two was primarily following haul cane corridors,” Noyes said The vision for the future of the trail is to nearly double the current 8 miles Future sections are proposed to run south of Lydgate to the commercial center of Līhu’e (home to the island’s seat of government and the airport) The trail is also proposed to cross the Hanamaulu Stream over the beautiful concrete arched Hanamaulu Bridge that dates back to the 1920s The bridge has been abandoned for at least 50 years and will require a significant amount of work “But it will be a really wonderful part of the trail.” Plans are also in the works for a northern extension the north segment terminates in the middle of a vacant area,” Noyes said it will continue to the small community of Anahola although land-rights issues are still being resolved.” there isn’t a projected date for when the expansions will be complete and it depends on what actually comes to fruition,” Noyes said Ke Ala Hele Makālae has benefited from a number of significant federal grants and matches that were achieved through collaborative efforts such as a soft match provided by sweat equity from volunteer labor “We’re just really proud of the collaboration we’ve managed to bring about with the County of Kaua’i the business community and the general population to achieve what we have so far,” Noyes said “We only regret that it’s taking us so many decades to get as far as we’ve come But we’re adamant in pursuing our vision.” Name: Ke Ala Hele Makālae Used railroad corridor: Portions of Ke Ala Hele Makālae follow the route of the Ahukini Terminal & Railway Company Trail website: Kauai Path Start point/end point: The trail runs between Lydgate Beach Park in the south and Ahihi Point in the north with much of the route following the eastern coast of Hawai’i’s Island of Kaua’i Surface type: The pathway consists mostly of smooth asphalt and concrete The surface of the connecting Kawaihau Elevated Boardwalk is fiber-reinforced polymer as is an at-grade section of about 300 feet in front of the Kauai Coast Resort in Waipouli There is also a gap of about 800 feet yet to be improved in the Waipouli area that is sand and grass Grade: The grade is relatively flat and is ADA compliant bicycling and inline skating; wheelchair accessible Difficulty: Rated as providing easy access to people of all abilities and fitness levels Getting there: Ke Ala Hele Makālae is located along the eastern coast ofKaua’i. The island’s main airport is Līhu’e Airport heliport (tour operators) and general aviation The airport is about a 5-mile drive from the southern end of the trail at Lydgate Beach Park Access and parking: Ke Ala Hele Makālae can be reached from Kuhio Highway (Route 56) There are many places to park along the route including the following parks (listed from south to north): To navigate the area with an interactive GIS map, and to see more photos, user reviews and ratings, plus loads of other trip-planning information, visit TrailLink™ Cindy Barks is a freelance writer/photographer and Arizona newspaper reporter who has covered trails extensively in her community and in the southwestern U.S. She writes a travel and hiking blog at nearandfaraz.com Everyone deserves access to safe ways to walk Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative A 46-year-old Kaua‘i woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 8 counts including wire fraud aggravated identity theft and others in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud a Garden Isle coronavirus pandemic rental and utility assistance program Each of the wire fraud counts carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million Each aggravated identity theft count carries a possible 2-year prison term while the money laundering count is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and fine of up to $250,000 or up to twice the amount of criminally-derived property involved in the transaction The charges pertain to the Kaua‘i Coronavirus Rental and Utility Assistance program Congress in 2021 authorized the creation of emergency rental assistance programs within the U.S utility and other housing-related expense assistance to households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Kaua‘i County used emergency rental assistance funds to establish the Kaua‘i Coronavirus Rental and Utility Assistance program contracting with a local credit union to administer it Kaiawe is charged with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to get payments from the program she was not eligible to receive The Kaua‘i Coronavirus Rental and Utility Assistance program required eligible claimants to submit an application electronically including name and date of birth as well as a landlord or property manager contact rental payments were sent directly to the claimant’s landlord or property manager and utility payments directly to their utility company Kaiawe allegedly submitted a false claim using her former name as the claimant and listed her current name She then reportedly submitted multiple other false claims using the personal information of others as claimants and falsely listing herself as their landlord or property manager to obtain additional benefit payments she was not entitled to receive Kaiawe also is said to have submitted other false claims using the identities of acquaintances as landlords or property managers entering a residential address within sight of her home allowing her to intercept payment checks when they were delivered Kaiawe submitted claims seeking a total of nearly $250,000 she was not eligible to receive She is said to have fraudulently received at least about $126,026 in assistance “Congress appropriated critically important funds during the COVID-19 pandemic to help people in our community who were struggling,” said U.S Attorney for the District of Hawai‘i Clare Connors “We continue to investigate those who fraudulently obtained federal funds at the expense of those who needed this assistance in order to remain housed Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or filing a complaint online This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Kaua‘i Police Department The main Kaua‘i County Division of Motor Vehicles office in Līhu‘e and satellite office in Kapa‘a will be closed April 9 for staff training Regular hours will resume April 10 at both locations The Kapa‘a satellite office is open to appointment-holding customers only Customers can complete motor vehicle transactions purchase bus passes and buy tipping coupons Driver’s license transactions are not available at this time The Līhu‘e main office regular business hours are from 8 a.m driver’s licenses and other transactions are available Those with appointments at the main office can check in up to 15 minutes before their scheduled time and no later than 5 minutes after Visit the Division of Motor Vehicles website for additional information After Kapaa won the 2021 HHSAA Division II football championship — the first in the sport for the island of Kauai — the Warriors made the audacious move to move up to Division I classification for future state tournaments Coach Mike Tresler’s crew backed up that decision on Saturday night KIF champion Kapaa turned to special teams for its D-I breakthrough in a 10-7 overtime win over BIIF champion Konawaena at Mililani's John Kauinana Stadium Nash Burkart ran in a 50-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter and after the Wildcats equalized with four minutes left Micah Rapozo put through the game-winning 33-yarder in overtime with plenty of distance swept through the six-game KIF season and went 3-0 in states for nine straight victories to close the year after dropping non-league games against OIA Open teams Farrington and Kapolei to begin the year some thought we weren’t even going to win our island in our conference.” Run-heavy Kapaa had trouble establishing itself on the ground with just 93 yards on 38 attempts on the night and had three interceptions among quarterback Evan Daligdig’s 15 aerial attempts the 2022 D-I champs and a state finalist for the third year in a row couldn’t get its preferred air attack established as Keenan Alani threw for 250 yards and two picks on a 22-for-38 night Burkart found paydirt on a return at the start of the fourth I’m going to lateral it to you.’ It was kind of a higher kick … so I called it,” Burkart said and I just seen green grass and I just ran it.” Konawaena stopped Kapaa deep in its own territory midway through the fourth and the Warriors punted it only 21 yards where Hercules Nahale punched it in for what would be the Wildcats’ only score of the night Wildcats defensive back Trent Wong Yuen intercepted Daligdig at midfield and Konawaena had 2:29 to get the game-winning points They advanced to the Kapaa 28 but kicker Nakoa Ige missed short from 44 yards as time expired Alani picked up 3 yards on a quarterback draw on fourth and 2 for an essential first down but disaster struck on third and goal when Alani was sacked by defensive end Haweo Kuhaulua-Kanei Konawaena recovered but Ige had to attempt another 44-yarder and he was wide left the Warriors began with a false start penalty carried it three times for 9 total yards to advance it to the Konawaena 16 Tresler summoned Rapozo and the rest was history Konawaena receiver Aliimalu Tan led the Wildcats with 11 catches for 134 yards 16: Kauaʻi County Department of Public Works and contractor The Cutting-Edge Land Clearing Solutions notify the public that one-lane closures and intermittent road closures along portions of ʻŌpaekaʻa Road The closures are so crews can perform tree trimming and removal along the roadway 14: One-lane closures and intermittent road closures are scheduled for 2 days this week along portions of ʻŌpaekaʻa Road in Kapaʻa so crews with contractor The Cutting-Edge Land Clearing Solutions can trim and remove trees growing along the roadway with intermittent 15- to 30-minute full road closures throughout the work day Motorists should make appropriate arrangements to accommodate the necessary closures No parking will be allowed in the work zones Contact The Cutting-Edge Land Clearing Solutions at 808-720-7748 or the Kauaʻi County Department of Public Works Roads Division main office at 808-241-4847 for more information or any questions Two months ago, after a get-together with friends on Christmas, 44-year-old Aaron Dorney-Sundquist was fatally struck while walking his bicycle on a marked crosswalk across Kūhiō Highway at the intersection of Kawaihau Road in Kapaʻa Kaua‘i police said there were 17 crashes at that intersection Two involved either a pedestrian or a cyclist 14 to raise the crosswalk on Kawaihau Road It is part of the Kapa‘a Town resurfacing project by Hawai‘i Department of Transportation said she is encouraged that the state is taking measures to prevent another tragedy but added: “I’m sorry it happened after my son died.” The crosswalk improvements in this project also include constructing curb extensions adding rectangular rapid flashing beacons and activated overhead lighting and installing a raised area in the middle of the road The state also is installing an LED-enhanced “speed hump” warning sign to bring additional awareness to drivers heading in the southbound direction where speeds are reduced heading into town The speed limit on Kūhiō Highway near the crosswalk between mile markers 9.22 and 9.76 and 9.98 to 10.33 were reduced to 35 mph from 40 mph in June to provide a more manageable and consistent flow of traffic for pedestrians and motorists using the highway It dropped again in the following months to 25 mph “Reducing speed limits alone doesn’t quite cut it,” said Eduardo Hernandez advocacy director with the Hawai‘i Bicycling League “It’s the infrastructure of the road that guides the motorist.” traffic circles and other physical enhancements to the road force people to go slower Hernandez said: “They go as fast as the road will let them.” The Hawai‘i Bicycling League identified the Kawaihau Road crosswalk as high risk because of its connection to the coastal Ke Ala Makalae Bike Path and Kawaihau Spur Elevated Boardwalk on the mauka (mountain) side of Kūhiō Highway Hernandez said motorists need to be more aware of the surroundings at that intersection “Bicyclists have every right to share the road,” he said “Roads need to be engineered for all users.” Hernandez said the league asked the state for a timeline on the crosswalk project “We also let the family know that the crosswalk was scheduled to have this improvement and encouraged them to get in touch with DOT,” Hernandez said a 2008 Toyota sedan was traveling north at about 6:50 p.m on Kūhiō Highway when it struck Dorney-Sundquist while he was crossing the highway with his bicycle in a marked crosswalk at the intersection with Kawaihau Road according to press releases from the Kaua‘i Police Department is still under investigation by Kaua‘i Police Department it will be forwarded to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for review to determine whether charges will be filed against the driver of the car Police have not yet released the name of the driver Kathie Dorney said there’s only been one day that she hasn’t cried since learning about her son’s death “It’s so hard to lose somebody and then not have answers,” said Dorney She said news of the construction of the raised crosswalk gives her some peace of mind Dorney spent at least two weeks on Kaua‘i trying to get answers from police following the crash She ended up meeting many of Dorney-Sundquist’s friends who held a celebration of life for her son “I couldn’t have made it without them,” Dorney said Dorney said finally saw the police report on Jan which revealed Dorney-Sundquist was dragged 26 feet She is seeking an attorney on O‘ahu for advice about how to hold those involved in the crash accountable More on the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation’s safety improvement plan for the crosswalk can be found at https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/safety-map/ While Kaua‘i has an abundance of rich soil and rain that is ideal for growing crops access to this land is out of reach for many local farmers really hard to get ag land on Kaua‘i,” said Megan Fox executive director of the nonprofit Mālama Kaua‘i At press time, the rural property website landandfarm.com had 26 acres in Anahola listed for $3 million one acre in Kīlauea priced at $1.4 million and a 6-acre plot of undeveloped land with irrigation in Kapa‘a priced at $750,000 Mālama Kaua‘i is working on an agricultural park on the East Side of the Garden Isle that will offer affordable sublicensed farm plots on 87 acres fronting Olohena Road between Kapa‘a and the Wailua Homesteads “We’ve been dreaming about increasing land access for farmers for a long time as it’s a key barrier to newer farmers starting or scaling their businesses,” Fox said “This center will be a great step towards diversifying our economy and becoming more food self-sufficient.” Last year, Mālama Kaua‘i, which is dedicated to local food production and access, opened the $3.2 million ʻĀina Center in Moloa‘a While the facility provides nearby farmers with refrigeration freezer space and a precious commercial kitchen it does not address the need for more land To find a landowner willing to lease a suitably large swath of property Mālama Kaua‘i “knocked on a lot of doors” before landing a partnership with My Kapa‘a a limited liability company partly owned by the Honolulu-born singer and actor Bette Midler Mālama Kaua‘i then spent a year surveying more than 1,000 acres of My Kapaʻa’s land before choosing the 87-acre site for the Olohena ‘Āina Center The nonprofit worked primarily with Midler’s daughter “had a fangirl moment” when she met the Broadway icon “It’s cool to be in a meeting with really powerful passionate women who care about our island,” Fox said “She had the forethought to lock this land away so it wouldn’t be all hotels … Not many people do that.” The first phase will have 20 acres for sublicensed farm plots four acres for agroforestry and one acre for shared facilities which will include a washing and packing area will open up to farmers in subsequent phases It’s still early days for the Olohena ‘Āina Center, and Mālama Kaua‘i is encouraging interested farmers to get involved early in the center’s development process. They can provide feedback on the Olohena ‘Āina Center’s design via an online form available at malamakauai.org which also invites comment from those interested in a community garden or beekeeping Mālama Kaua’i also is hosting three community meetings in April to share early site designs Light refreshments will be served at the in-person meetings. RSVP at tinyurl.com/olohena or call Mālie at 808-828-0685 ext The opening date of the Olohena ‘Āina Center depends on the success of fundraising with Mālama Kaua’i personnel unsure about the availability of federal and state funding this year The total cost of the project won’t be known until the design and engineering phase is completed A water connection for the property also must be determined because the state Department of Land and Natural Resources is not allowing new users to access the nearby Kaua‘i East Irrigation System While the department is set to pass control of the irrigation system to the state Agribusiness Development Corporation Mālama Kaua’i is now pricing the cost of drilling its own on-site well “We are in it for the long haul,” Fox said “We won’t stop until the center is a flourishing hub for our community.” The county of Kaua‘i on Sept. 11 released the service status of the island’s refuse transfer stations and the Kekaha Landfill as of 1:40 p.m., following a series of service interruptions due to equipment issues On Monday, Kaua‘i County officials held a blessing and groundbreaking ceremony for the Līhu‘e Refuse Transfer Station where the Island-wide Refuse Transfer Station Improvements project – which also targets stations in Hanalei a Digital Content Producer with 25 News KXXV and 15 ABC KRHD Texas (KXXV) — Midway High School's HOSA-Future Health Professionals chapter member won first place in the Math for Health Professionals state contest a senior health science "career and technical education" (CTE) student and two-year HOSA member who plans to pursue a medical career advanced in the competition to secure a top-10 finish at the HOSA International Leadership Conference this summer the Midway ISD Board of Trustees recognized Manu for his ninth-place score in the international conference Midway High School HOSA advisors who coached Manu are CTE Teachers Sharlet Bond Midway High School Math Teacher Emily Layden also helped Manu prepare for the HOSA math exam Midway ISD offers elective courses in Career and Technical Education (CTE) at middle and high school levels helping students develop the core academic and job-specific skills necessary for success in college and careers Kaua‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation is notifying the public that the dual-use tennis and pickleball courts as well as basketball court at Bryan J Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapa‘a will be closed from March 17 through September The work is part of the county’s $3.1 million Playcourt Resurfacing Project which also includes improvements at Wailua Homesteads Also known as Kapa‘a New Park, the complex is located at 4536 Olohena Road. It is named after the late Bryan J. Baptiste who served as Kaua‘i County mayor from 2002 until his death in 2008 Baptiste had a dream of improving the more than 5-decades-old complex which until the 1970s hosted Pop Warner football games and making it a permanent home field for Kapa‘a High School He set that dream in motion as mayor in 2006 with the help of Leadership Kaua‘i’s adult class and countless others The 18-acre district park complex is now home to a Little League field the dual-use tennis and pickleball courts and comfort stations Parks and Recreation thanks the public for its patience and understanding as work proceeds at Bryan J Baptiste Sports Complex and other parks included in the county’s Playcourt Resurfacing Project Additional updates about work as part of the Playcourt Resurfacing Project include: Contact Parks and Recreation at 808-241-4460 or via email at parks@kauai.gov for more information or with any questions about the resurfacing projects The Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority and Highridge Costa Development Company have announced plans to redevelop Kapa‘a Homes on Kaua‘i but the redevelopment will bring that number up to 124 homes for families on the island The project is set to begin in late 2025 and be completed by early 2027 It will offer affordable rentals for residents earning between 30 and 60% of the area median income The project has received unanimous approval from the Kaua‘i County Council and has the support of various elected leaders and community partners The new homes will feature amenities such as a community room aiming to provide a safe and comfortable living environment for residents Residents of Kapa‘a Homes will be assisted in finding suitable replacement housing during construction and will have priority to return to the new community with the same rent as before The project is part of the larger Ka Lei Momi initiative which aims to create more than 10,000 affordable housing units at nine properties across the state a seasoned affordable housing development company The redesign of Kapa‘a Homes will honor the architectural themes of the area while modernizing the property the redevelopment of Kapa‘a Homes aims to meet the critical need for affordable housing on Kaua‘i and provide residents with a community where they can grow and thrive For more information, visit the official website for the project at www.kapaa-homes.com Work to improve aging refuse transfer stations on Kaua‘i has begun Kaua‘i County officials held a blessing and groundbreaking ceremony for the Līhu‘e Refuse Transfer Station The work is part of the Island-wide Refuse Transfer Station Improvements project The project will also address water quality standards and stormwater discharges The budget for Phase 1 is marked at $15.9 million The total cost for all four stations is estimated at $38.2 million The Līhu‘e Refuse Transfer Station will be closed for renovations from Sept Kawakami said the most important aspect of the project is the people behind it: solid waste workers “This project is an example of good government spending showing our people that we are reinvesting their hardworking money into improving and upgrading their facilities,” the mayor said and propane tanks can be taken to the Kapa‘a refuse transfer station at 5051 Kahi Rd. or the Hanapēpē refuse transfer station at 4380 Lele Rd Large bulky items such as furniture over 3 feet long or mattresses must be taken to the Kekaha Landfill and eWaste can be brought directly to Puhi Metals Recycling Center on Puhi Road the adjacent Kaua‘i Resource Center will remain open to accept household batteries and to distribute backyard composting bins Reynolds Recycling will continue to operate the HI5 Redemption Center Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m The Kapa‘a refuse transfer station will be the next facility on the project list and is anticipated to be closed from November 2024 to July 2025 All operations at the Kapa‘a refuse transfer station will be closed except for green waste Updates will be provided for future closures of other refuse transfer stations. For information, call 808-241-4841 or visit www.kauai.gov/recycling Lydgate Farms has come to town: Those with a sweet tooth on Kaua‘i no longer must navigate the back roads of Wailuā to satisfy their cravings for high-quality chocolate Last week the award-winning company opened its first-ever brick-and-mortar store – right in the heart of downtown Kapa‘a on the East Side of Kaua‘i “It’s a big step out for us onto the main drag,” said owner Will Lydgate at the store’s “soft launch” on July 15 “Here we are with our display windows from the old Shido Building fabric store and now we’re filling those windows with the story of where we’re coming from and where it’s all going.” Lydgate – whose family has resided on Kaua‘i for five generations – harvested his first chocolate crop in 2008 locals and visitors have had to visit his 46-acre farm high in Wailuā to purchase its premium chocolate products or take a tour of the property’s 3,000 cacao trees “We’re trying to change the way the world tastes chocolate “… We really don’t have to push sales very hard because chocolate sells itself People like it and it’s different.” The open-air tasting room and store located at the chocolate farm are now closed in favor of the Kapa‘a location and Lydgate hopes the new store will encourage customers to book a trip to the farm located 10 minutes away “Our goal is definitely for this to be Phase One where people come down here and they get interested and they want to take it to the next level,” he said Agritourism, or agrotourism, is a crucial component of Lydgate Farms’ business model, its lead farmer explained last year located in the historic Shido Building on Kūhiō Highway across the street from Fish Bar Deli will be treated to a variety of free samples – and then Products include chocolate-covered coffee beans and macadamia nuts “It’s pretty spectacular to give them that eye-opening experience that chocolate doesn’t need to be bitter dry and chalky,” said Lydgate Farms tour guide Maddie Roberts Lydgate wants chocolate to become synonymous with Hawai‘i – just as pineapple sugarcane and canoe crops like taro are today he is focusing on the quality of his products “Look at Napa Valley as a model: You’ve got really high land values and they’re supported by wines that are very valuable,” he said “It’s hard to come [to Kaua‘i] in 2024 and make a wholesale commodity crop work anymore The last sugarcane plantation closed in 2016 That model was selling tons wholesale … I think now we need to sell pounds directly to the customer.” Customers are certainly willing to pay more for Lydgate Farms chocolate which won gold at the Cacao of Excellence Awards in Europe this spring “I like to describe it as bagged wine vs “You’re going to want to upgrade for the really good things especially when you’ve tasted it.” Even as he wraps up work on the Kapa‘a store Lydgate has already turned an eye to the future: He hopes to one day build a chocolate factory on Kaua‘i (His farm’s products are currently produced on O‘ahu.) A grand opening celebration at Lydgate Farms’ Kapa‘a store is forthcoming Although details of the event have yet to be announced the store is now open Monday through Friday For more information, to buy online or to book a farm tour, visit the Lydgate Farms website here. The company is also on Facebook and Instagram High school juniors and seniors at Kapaʻa High School along with students from Sacred Hearts Academy and Saint Louis School on Oʻahu can apply for the Chaminade University Early College program to earn college credit while still in high school The program provides students the opportunity to earn dual high school and college credit through in-person or online college courses giving the a taste of college life and an avenue to discover academic interests Participating students are able to engage with faculty and fellow students in small classes and have access to academic advising tutoring services and other student support services on campus More than 100 Early College program students from Kapaʻa High School Sacred Hearts and Saint Louis received a full-day campus visit Monday tours and workshops during Chaminade’s Early College Summit In addition to a special welcome from Chaminade University President Lynn Babington and other university administrators students at the summit visited Chaminade’s state-of-the-art nursing simulation labs the United Nations International Training Centres for Local Authorities and Local Actors Honolulu Center and Forensic Sciences Crime Scene Lab “Hosting these exceptional students is our honor and part of Chaminade’s commitment to offering robust pathways for Hawai’i students to earn college credit before they even graduate from high school,” said Babington Chaminade’s early college students are better prepared for full-time college entry according to the university’s website They also tend to exhibit higher grade point averages Kapaʻa student Mikaila Keawe was a program participant in 2023 She shared her thoughts about the experience on the website “The Chaminade Early College program has greatly challenged and prepared me for the academic rigor of college that I would have not received in regular Kapa‘a High School classes,” Keawe wrote in her testimonial “I enjoyed being surrounded by other like-minded determined and motivated peers who pushed me to keep going when things got tough “By having these experiences and being surrounded by these types of people For questions and eligibility requirements, email to kimberlee.baxter@chaminade.edu Kapa‘a Bypass Road will be closed on Thursday to allow state crews to inspect the safety of the Kainahola Stream Bridge The closure will be in place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m Emergency vehicles will be allowed through the closure as will local traffic to access property along Kapaʻa Bypass Road All other traffic will be routed to Kūhiō Highway The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation will have crews at both ends of the road to help control traffic Electronic message boards have been put in place The Garden Isle will play host to an international dance competition next weekend – when dancers from throughout Kaua‘i and beyond gather for the 22nd annual Heiva i Kaua‘i Tahitian Dance Festival 3 and 4 at Kapa‘a Beach Park will feature solo and group dance performances drumming and – on Saturday evening – a Sāmoan fire knife contest “We’re getting more and more from outside Hawai‘i,” Agnes Haohao a former dancer now on the Heiva organizing committee “We’ve got groups competing from the other islands from different parts of Canada and Mexico … some Southeast Asian groups.” groups from Japan and Taiwan in East Asia have competed as well – and the US mainland groups aren’t limited to West Coast states like California Some travel out of Florida; one festival included a self-taught fire knife competitor hailing from Utah “Cultural exchange all over the place: People picking up and learning the dance culture and everything like that Everything from the early stages [of the dance] to the changes it’s had from modernization.” Tahitian dance is distinct from the iconic hula of Hawai‘i According to multi-award-winning dancer Lani Figaroa the former is more energetic and fast-paced than the latter as a rule “I love the energy and I love the consistency … Tahitian beats just trigger me,” she said Figaroa has won over 25 competitions over the past 15 years or so dancing throughout the state of Hawai‘i and over 2,500 miles to the south on the island of Tahiti itself “You’ve got to be so perfect and precise when you dance Tahitian,” said Figaroa who has spent the entirety of her dancing career under the instruction of Nicholas Kaneakua a fellow Kaua‘i resident and leader of the local Tahitian dance group Tumoana (formerly known as Ori Uvira) “This is the only thing my dancers look forward to on Kaua‘i as far as competition,” Kaneakua said of Heiva i Kaua‘i Figaroa and dozens of Tumoana dancers recently gathered at Lydgate Beach Park to deliver an exhibition for island news outlets and practice for the upcoming Heiva i Kaua‘i competition boys and girls moved in concert beneath the lofty rafters of the large Lydgate pavilion while Kaneakua issued pointers from its stage Others operated a large sewing machine placed on a nearby picnic table: Costumes made especially for Heiva i Kaua‘i needed to be completed Tumoana’s 2024 group performance celebrates the beauty of womankind He almost always develops new material for his dancers taking pains to ensure everything – from their wardrobe to each movement they make – is united by a common theme This year marks a rare exception to the rule in that Tumoana will perform covers at Heiva i Kaua‘i rather than original pieces “I create things that are relative to me here in Hawai‘i and back to Tahiti and I gather both and I try to link them both together,” Kaneakua continued “We definitely try to look at something that’s part of us: I’m not from the mountains so you won’t find me dancing stories of the mountains so a lot of the stories that we are doing are always ocean-related.” But participants in Saturday evening’s Po Afi Fire Knife Competition – who wield flaming weapons in dazzling displays of athleticism – will ensure the scores of dancers and drummers at Heiva i Kaua‘i don’t steal the show Kamohoali‘i-Kama Drake is an organizer of the contest Born and raised in the Kaua‘i lūʻau industry the founder of iSiva FireKnife Crew spent his early childhood dreaming of becoming a fire knife dancer He began learning his craft at the age of 7 “I thank God for blessing me with this talent and passion to perpetuate the art of Sāmoan fire knife,” Drake said He recites a portion of Isaiah 43:2 before each dance you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” is based on warfare: Traditional dance movements echo attack and defense positions while the dancers’ flaming staves are modeled on weapons like sharktooth clubs and hooks Drake and others have sustained multiple-degree burns – his brother was once hospitalized Yet he continues to perform with an unmatched enthusiasm “We love to perpetuate our culture,” Drake said Vendors at the festival will offer an array of Tahitian and other Pacific Islands gifts Food vendors will sell a variety of ethnic dishes while artists providedemonstrations of Polynesian crafts The 22nd annual Heiva i Kaua‘i Tahitian Dance Festival will run from 9 a.m The Po Afi Fire Knife Competition on Saturday will run from 6 to 10 p.m Daily admission to the dance festival is $8 at the gate while keiki (children) age 12 and under are free Admission to the fire knife competition is $5 For more information call 808-822-9447 or visit heivaikauai.com The festival is supported by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau and the Kapa‘a business community Atrial fibrillation is characterized by an irregular and often rapid heart rhythm which can lead to blood clots in the heart Cardiologists at Mayo Clinic's Heart Rhythm Clinic have begun using an innovative energy source to treat a common type of heart arrhythmia known as atrial fibrillation (AFib) has gained approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and marks a significant advancement in managing AFib Atrial fibrillation is characterized by an irregular and often rapid heart rhythm, which can lead to blood clots in the heart, raising the risk of stroke. While medications and therapies can help reset heart rhythm some cases of AFib persist and worsen over time which has been in use for about two decades traditionally relies on heat or cold to modify heart tissue PFA represents a different approach to this treatment PFA utilizes short bursts of high energy, known as irreversible electroporation, to target the heart tissue responsible for AFib This technique was introduced at Mayo Clinic in Rochester over 200 patients have been treated with PFA The development of PFA stems from the limitations of traditional thermal energy-based ablation techniques which carry risks of injury to nearby structures like the esophagus and the phrenic nerve Dr. Suraj Kapa, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Mayo Clinic, explains that these risks inspired the search for a new energy source that could selectively impact cardiac tissue without causing harm to surrounding areas Mayo Clinic’s journey into ablative therapy research began under the guidance of Dr a cardiac electrophysiologist and inventor His interest in developing novel energy sources led to the concept underlying PFA Dr. Kapa explains, "Depending on the makeup of cell membranes different tissues have varying energy thresholds that can be 'deadened' or ablated while preserving other types of tissue Research from hundreds of preclinical trials suggests that PFA allows for a heart tissue-specific approach to ablation avoiding collateral injury to structures such as the esophagus or the phrenic nerve." This research culminated in the development of two U.S.-approved systems designed to deliver pulsed field energy to the heart. Both systems have been approved to treat AFib through pulmonary vein isolation and have demonstrated similar efficacy to traditional radiofrequency ablation in clinical trials PFA offers several advantages, including faster procedures, reduced anesthesia time, and a decrease in the risks associated with traditional ablation methods. Dr. Kapa emphasizes the importance of minimizing risk while making effective treatments more accessible "Minimizing risk and making potentially effective treatments more broadly available is critical to providing therapy to the largest number of patients." The need for advancements in AFib treatment is pressing it's estimated that 12.1 million people in the U.S Kapa highlights the growing evidence supporting more aggressive rhythm control through ablation especially when initiated earlier in the course of the disease He states, "A growing body of evidence supports more aggressive rhythm control with ablation, whether earlier in a patient's AFib diagnosis to achieve better long-term outcomes or in the setting of other comorbidities such as heart failure in which ablation has shown to reduce mortality." researchers are exploring how PFA could be applied to other arrhythmias Early preclinical data suggest that PFA may offer superior outcomes compared to current thermal energy-based approaches in this area Dr. Kapa anticipates rapid growth and evolution in pulsed field therapy several new catheters and systems utilizing pulsed field therapy will be introduced These innovations will not only provide new research opportunities but also hold the potential to deliver transformative curative care for patients with arrhythmic diseases This article brings to light the significant advancements in AFib treatment through the adoption of PFA reflecting a promising shift towards safer and more effective cardiac care Note: Materials provided above by The Brighter Side of News Content may be edited for style and length Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News' newsletter. Rebecca Shavit is a dedicated science and technology journalist who writes for The Brighter Side of News an online publication committed to highlighting positive and transformative stories from around the world With a passion for uncovering groundbreaking discoveries and innovations she brings to light the scientific advancements shaping a better future Her reporting spans a wide range of topics from cutting-edge medical breakthroughs and artificial intelligence to green technology and space exploration With a keen ability to translate complex concepts into engaging and accessible stories she makes science and innovation relatable to a broad audience The 8-mile drive from the Lihue airport to the district’s historic center was the only set of directions I had upon arriving to Kauai and turns out it was the only one I needed My day cruising through Old Kapaa Town quickly filled up with recommendations by those who live work and play there: a Kauai-based musician tuning me in to a new shave ice truck; a born-and-raised resident letting me know where to get ahi poke (sliced Hawaiian tuna) from a longstanding favorite; a pair of gift shop owners suggesting a recently opened restaurant to eat up pupu (tapas) and a south shore sunset following each scribbled suggestion in my notepad it was clear how intrinsic a sense of ohana (family) is to this community with a notable plantation past Its eclectic storefronts lining Kuhio Highway are connected by more than just faded crosswalks and charming signposts—it’s the people who keep this town together and these were the locales on everyone’s lips… The unassuming Pono Market has been feeding the locals here for more than three generations and it’s easy to see why as I’m perusing the deli: fantastic prices on an extensive variety of poke kim chee and fresh manju (Japanese pastries) to throw in your beach bag and picnic at neighboring Kealia Beach But get here sooner rather than later; the homemade laulau (pork and fish wrapped and cooked in ti leaves) runs out fast This work, Tropic Care 2024 returns to Kauai, by SSgt Stacey Thornburg, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright 12 update from the Kauaʻi Police Department:  On Sunday a deceased male was discovered in the Līhu‘e – Kōloa Forest Reserve in Wailua Preliminary reports identified the individual as Dylan Wagner Original post: The Kaua‘i Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing Kapa‘a man Twenty-five-year-old Dylan Wagner was last seen on Aug His vehicle was found parked unattended on Kuamo‘o Road near Keahua Arboretum in the area commonly referred to as Loop Road Police are being assisted by the Kaua’i Search and Rescue and the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement The parking lot area beyond the first crossing at Keahua Arboretum is closed for public use and is currently being utilized by law enforcement The public is requested to stay out of the area while the active search is underway Anyone with information about Wagner’s whereabouts is urged to call KPD Dispatch at 808-241-1711. Those wishing to remain anonymous can provide information by calling Crime Stoppers Kaua‘i at 808-246-8300, submitting a tip at cskauai.org or through the Crime Stoppers Kaua‘i P3 Tips Mobile App known as ‘kanaka artist PIN3KI,” had one of her artworks selected as the marketing piece for Wahine Made at Kapa‘a Beach Park on Saturday DeeJay Sol takes customer requests from her station located at one end of Wahine Made at Kapa‘a Beach Park on Saturday Tony McKnight provides ballast for the Aloha Cold Brew tent as Donya McKnight prepares a customer’s beverage order during Wahine Made at Kapa‘a Beach Park on Saturday a candidate for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee position in the upcoming election took advantage of the crowd at Wahine Made to get herself better known among the voting age public at Kapa‘a Beach Park on Saturday “This is such a great space to have this,” said Elena Camat of Gourmet Pretzels “This is big enough to accommodate the more than 60 vendors here I had to change my plans and skip the event I normally attend on Saturday mornings.” The Wahine Made Market and Festival showcased local wahine entrepreneurs with their unique products and business ventures at the Kapa‘a Beach Park that included parking for event patrons Lindsey was participating along with her three daughters Some of her visitors included Kayla Fanene and Kim Rivera of Honolulu who stopped by Wahine Made en route to the two-day Garden Isle Racing Association drag races in Mana “We want the drag strip to open,” Fanene said “We haven’t had a drag strip since 2006 when the lease with the James Campbell Estate expired Mayor Rick Blangiardi just signed an agreement with the Navy and is in favor of creating a new drag strip We want to see how the Garden Isle Racing Association does its drag races so we can help open one on O‘ahu.” advertising herself as “kanaka artist PIN3KI,” had one of her artworks selected as a marketing piece for the social media event which included a wide range of merchandise ranging from jewelry contemporary Hawaiian and Polynesian fashion to food “We have a silent auction somewhere in the back that benefits the Maui victims,” said DeeJay Sol of Luxe Events Hawai‘i and provides service at the Princeville Market and Flea Appetites were whetted by several food vendors including Aloha Cold Brew that came from a hectic food service tenure at the Kaua‘i Hospice Concert in the Sky on Thursday “You should try our food truck,” said Tony McKnight while providing ballast for the beverage station and Donya McKnight processing customer orders “Aloha Cold Brew &Deli food truck — Donya works there — is right near Kaua‘i Irrigation in the Puhi Industrial Park ‘You can skip the line’ by ordering online.”