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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014

Kilauea Military Camp invites Ka`u residents to vote for their three favorite decorated cottages beginning Friday.
Photo by Dave Berry
MEGAN LAMSON, MARINE DEBRIS PROJECT COORDINATOR for Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, which holds many Ka`u Coast Cleanups, last week joined a group of delegates from three different countries in Natori City, Japan for a Symposium on Floating Articles and Debris Resulting from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Lamson was the official representative for Hawai`i at the symposium led by the Japan Environmental Action Network, a small nonprofit organization that has been working to clean up Japan’s coast for the past 25 years. Thirteen presenters from Japan’s government agencies and non-government organizations and representatives from Canada, Washington State and Hawai`i shared their experiences with a group of about 60 participants. Azusa Kojima, secretary-general and director with JEAN, said the purpose was to “exchange information regarding marine debris and natural disasters. We are helping to educate people about tsunami/disaster awareness and recovery in similar coastal areas that could face these types of problems.”
Megan Lamson, back row, third from right, and other delegates visit an amamo
(sea/eel grass) restoration site outside Ogatsu, Ischinomaki led by representatives
with Sea Beautification Society. Photo by Kate Le Souef/Vancouver Aquarium
      Lamson said, “If we listen to the stories from our elders and our Pacific neighbors, we may be able to escape such a tragedy here at home. For that reason, we collectively urge you to go home and discuss your emergency plan for hurricanes, tsunamis, fires, etc. with your family, and most importantly, to stick to your plan. In addition, we hope that, by collecting debris from around the Pacific Basin and showing a deep respect for some of the tsunami driftage objects recovered, we will continue to emphasize how connected we all truly are.
      “Marine debris and tsunami driftage items can link lives from around the globe. At this symposium and over the coming months, participants hope to reconfirm their common objectives with their partners across the Pacific Ocean to reduce marine debris inputs into oceans and waterways (and our reliance on single-usage products) and to remember the lives that were lost and share emergency planning strategies with coastal communities.
      “This trip to Japan has been an intense, emotional and inspirational journey that has connected us with our neighbors across the Pacific. Returning home to Hawai`i Island, I am bringing with me an immense feeling of gratitude and respect for all of the memories that may be linked to each of the foreign debris items that we collect along our shoreline.
      “Together with hundreds of volunteers, Hawai`i Wildlife Fund has been removing marine debris items from our shores that originated in Alaska, California, Canada, Korea, Japan, China, Russia and other countries for over a decade. While we will continue to do this in order to protect native wildlife, the debris from Japan will be carefully inspected in the hopes that we may return more objects to their original owners.”
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists say lava could enter a different
path of steepest descent, shown by blue lines.
Map from USGS/HVO
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SCIENTISTS at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory express gratitude for the stall of the lava flow near Pahoa in the current issue of Volcano Watch, titled HVO Looks Ahead While There’s a Break(Out) in the Activity
      “Without lava flows posing immediate threats to the community, recent changes have afforded us an opportunity to catch our collective breaths. The changes, however, have also ushered in a new phase of uncertainty about where these renewed surface flows will head.
      “Lava is currently breaking out of the tube at several locations, as well as migrating down the lava tube system. How far the lava will travel through the existing lava tube is not yet known, but based on flow activity in previous years, it is unlikely that lava will reoccupy the tube to the lowest part of the flow near Pahoa.
      “The farthest point at which lava breaks out of the tube and forms a surface flow could become the new flow front in the coming days. On the other hand, any of the existing upslope breakouts, such as the one near Pu`u Kahauale`a, could eventually capture much or all of the lava supply and become the new active front. In either case, the new active flow front will chart its own path downslope, which may or may not follow the route that the earlier part of the June 27th lava flow followed.
      “New breakouts from the tube are often forced to flow along the margin of the existing flow due to that flow’s inflated and elevated surface, thereby widening the overall flow field. In some cases, this can cause the breakout of lava to head in a new direction and enter a different steepest-descent path, commonly shown by blue lines on HVO maps of the flow.
      “The recent upslope breakouts and subsequent interruption in lava supply to the flow front are typical aspects of pahoehoe lava flow behavior, and the sequence is similar to events repeatedly observed for earlier flows from Pu`u `O`o. Major interruptions can happen multiple times during the lifespan of an individual pahoehoe flow.
      “The recent stalling of flows near Pahoa is good news in the short term, but the ongoing breakouts from the June 27th lava tube clearly indicate that the flow is still active and remains a potential hazard to downslope communities. While it is unclear how far lava will be able to reoccupy the tube or where renewed surface flows might head, HVO and HCCD continue to monitor the flow closely with helicopter overflights, field work, satellite imagery and other techniques.”
Hana Dragons and Ka`u Trojan wahine basketball teams spent last weekend
on a food drive and playing in a tournament in Pahala.
Photo by Jennifer Makuakane
      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov for this and other Volcano Watch articles and daily lava flow updates.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

WAHINE TROJANS SCORED BASKETS and brought in food for the needy at their tournament Friday and Saturday. Players met their goal by collecting over 200 pounds of non-perishable food items to donate to the local Food Basket during last weekend’s tournament that drew players from Hana, Maui and Kealakehe in Kona.
      Hosting teams from Hana and Kealakehe on Friday night, Ka`u Varsity scored 39 points to take down Kealakehe Varsity, who made 35 points. Hana Varsity racked up 31 points to beat Ka`u JV, which scored 19 points.
      On Saturday, Kealakehe beat Hana Varsity, Ka`u Varsity beat Hana Varsity, and Kealakehe JV overcame Ka`u JV.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

PAHALA COMMUNITY CENTER’S annual Rubberband Turkey Shoot takes place tomorrow from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event is open to all ages.

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA Army officials are opening several training areas from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. for bird hunting on Thanksgiving Day and bow hunting on Friday.
      On Thanksgiving Day, training areas 1-4, 9-16 and the Keamuku Training Area will be open for shotgun hunting of birds only. Use of shotgun slugs is not permitted.
      The same areas will be open for bow hunting Friday. Hunters are allowed one pig, one goat and one sheep, in keeping with state bag limits. Shooting sheep with blue collars is not permitted.
      For more information, call PTA’s Hunter’s Hotline at 969-3474, see www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/pta and click on the Hunting tab, or refer to instructions on the hunting pass.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER invites Ka`u residents to its annual Thanksgiving Dinner Thursday at 1 p.m. Volunteers are still needed to help make the event successful.
      To sign up, call 939-7033.

Family Values by Elizabeth Miller, a member of Volcano Village
Artists Hui.
VOLCANO ARTISTS HUI STUDIO TOUR & SALE is this Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors meet Volcano Village Artists Hui members in their studios and see artwork in a wide variety of media. Maps are available at village businesses and at volcanovillageartistshui.com.

THE HOLIDAY CHALLENGE at Kilauea Military Camp in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park begins Friday and continues through Dec. 31. The public can judge cottages decorated in holiday lights by KMC employees and vote for their three favorites. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8371 for more information.

KA`U FLOATING LANTERN CEREMONY is Saturday at Punalu`u Beach Park from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Registration is available through Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc. at 928-0101.

THE SECOND ANNUAL ISLANDWIDE CRÈCHE FESTIVAL, featuring more than 100 nativity sets from around the world, takes place from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Ka`u Ward, 95-5682 Mamalahoa Highway in Na`alehu. Along with the crèche display, the event features live music performed by local musicians and choir and activities for children. Visitors are welcome to the free event.
      For more information, call ‪‪808-895-0491‬‬.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.






See kaucalendar.com/Directory2014.swf.