NEWS BRIEFS

• The Pahoa lava flow community update meetings are suspended until further notice. The suspension of these meetings is “due to the decrease in advancement and limited change in flow activity as well as to allow for community members and our partner agencies to return to normal life and business activities,” Civil Defense reported in a message this morning.

DETAILS

In a media release issued Wednesday afternoon, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator Darryl Oliveira thanked residents for their understanding and cooperation, and said the county will resume the community meetings when additional briefings are necessary to keep the public informed.

“We appreciate the excellent turnout and response from the community at each of these meetings, which the county first began holding last August,” said Chief Oliveira. “We expect we will need to call additional meetings in the weeks and months ahead, but right now we want to give the community and our volunteers a break during this period while the active lava flows are some distance from populated communities.”

As emergency officials declared the active lava flow off limits to the public, the weekly community meetings became the dramatic focal point for the June 27th lava flow. The gatherings were a primary source of information for many residents, and a public forum to discuss alternate road construction, debate diversion, and offer emotional support during a time of uncertainty.