Turning pro thanks
to time spent in Hilo
Aloha! I’m Mark Turner, a proud son of Hilo, where I was blessed to grow up from 1992 to 2013.
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve recently signed a professional contract with the Houston Havoc, an elite team competing in the Ultimate Frisbee Association (team details available at https://watchufa.com/havoc).
My journey to professional athletics was shaped by the incredible community of Hilo, and I want to shine a spotlight on the people and places that helped make this dream possible.
As a BIIF champion in cross country (2008), under the exceptional guidance of coach Bill McMahon, I had the privilege of training alongside the legendary “Big Dog.” My track achievements include BIIF championships in both the 1,500 meter and 3,000 meter events, and I still hold Hilo High’s 1,500-meter record.
But my story truly began at age 9, when I discovered the welcoming embrace of Hilo’s Ultimate Frisbee community. Those dedicated players you might have seen tossing discs at the Bayfront soccer fields didn’t just teach me a sport — they introduced me to a passion that would shape my future.
Now, as I step onto the professional stage, I hope to put Hilo on the map as a nurturing ground for Ultimate Frisbee talent.
This achievement belongs not just to me, but to every coach, teammate and community member who supported my journey.
Mark Turner
Missouri City, Texas
People need to secure
trash when transporting
Why is there so much litter on the roadside? I feel like I’ve started to see an increase of litter every time I drive.
For example, on the “Panaewa stretch” if you look at the side of the road, you’ll see many chunks of garbage just lying there, waiting.
It’s obviously not only Panaewa that suffers from this, but many other of the ahupua‘a on the island is affected due to litter. I have seen trash being blown everywhere due to garbage being unsecured on the bed of a truck. Why can’t people just learn how to secure their trash if they’re going to put it on the back of the truck?
Even worse, people intentionally throw out their junk outside of their moving vehicles.
Thankfully, there are county workers or volunteers who come around and pick up the garbage on the side of the road which makes me grateful that there are people who have genuine care for the ‘aina. However, no matter how many workers and volunteers that pick up the trash, we still need to eliminate the root cause of littering, which is lack of respect and the need to educate.
How do we educate and convince people to learn how to properly secure their trash? How do we get people to stop throwing trash outside where ever they feel like it? How do we get them to have that malama passion?
It is a part of our culture to not pollute, litter and disrespect the ‘aina.
John Muck
Keaau
