Kaʻū News Briefs Sunday, June 10, 2018

ʻAlalā released into the wild may be endangered by the ongoing Kīlauea eruption. See story, below.
Photo from facebook.com/alalaproject

SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS FROM KĪLAUEA SUMMIT have dropped to levels that are about half those

Riverside homes, with lava running by this morning in
lower Puna, as fissure 8 keeps pumping lava, particulates
and S02. that reach the ocean and wrap around the island
past Kaʻū. Photo from Ikaika Marzo's facebook
by Bruce Omori, Extreme Exposure

during much of the current episode of eruptive activity, stated USGS Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory this morning, June 10. Gas and minor amounts of ash are being transported downwind, with small bursts of ash and gas accompanying intermittent explosive activity, states today’s update.

     Volcanic gas emissions from fissure eruptions in lower Puna remain very high; yesterday, gas emissions were measured to be nearly twice the value measured during the past two weeks. The National Weather Service reports that trade winds are pushing volcanic emissions southwest through Pāhala to Ocean View areas. However, Pāhala air was rated good all day, the particulates from lower Puna blowing offshore to Ocean View, which maintained moderate air quality all day.

     See the EPA air quality map with new monitoring sites, including Nā‘ālehu. For forecasts of where ash would fall under forecast wind conditions, see HVO'S Ash3D model output. 

     A small explosion occurred at Kīlauea's summit at 12:51 a.m. this morning- about 20 hours since the previous event. Seismicity dropped immediately after the explosion and remained low for awhile and increased over the course of the day. As of 7:30 p.m. this evening, more than 390 earthquakes were recorded in the last 24 hours on this island, with most at the summit. Inward slumping of the rim and walls of Halemaʻumaʻu continued in response to ongoing subsidence at the summit.

Kīlauea's summit continues the pattern of the last few weeks, with
 smaller explosive eruptions every day or two. SO2 gas emissions 
are showing at half the level they were during onset of the current
 episode of eruptive activity. USGS photo

     Seismicity remained relatively low in lower Puna, with numerous small magnitude earthquakes and low amplitude background tremor. Higher amplitude tremor was occasionally being recorded on seismic stations close to the ocean entry. In Leilani Estates, Fissure 8 kept sending up lava in high fountains and sending a river of lava to Kapoho Bay, where the new land in the ocean continues to expand.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

ʻALALĀ INTRODUCED INTO THE WILD AND OTHER ENDANGERED BIRDS MAY BE IMPACTED BY SO2 AND ASH FROM THE KĪLAUEA ERUPTION. Eleven endangered Hawaiian crows, the ʻalalā, hatched and raised in captivity in Volcano and released into the Puʻu Makaʻala Natural Area Reserve, may be at risk, according to the state Department of Land & Natural Resources.

     In the Puʻu Makaʻala Natural Area Reserve, up on the slopes of Kīlauea, north of Halemaʻumaʻu, staff involved in the recovery effort of reintroducing ‘alalā into the wild are keeping a close watch on the 11 birds released back into the mostly-native forest last fall, as well as about 80 ‘alalā at the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center.

Surviving parts of Malama Kī Forest Reserve are suffering defoliation to due 

volcanic emissions and ash in lower Puna. 
Photo from facebook.com/HawaiiDLNR

     Jackie Levita-Gaudioso, the state Forestry & Wildlife ‘Alalā Project Coordinator, said, “We are continuing to monitor the ongoing situation and are prepared and ready. The released birds are in an area where SO2 and ash fallout are being closely monitored, as conditions change. The field team’s continued and ongoing daily observations allow observers to notice changes in the birds’ behaviors and health conditions. Staff on-site, in the release area, are prepared to recapture birds and transport them, if needed.” Field staff and conservation center workers have been briefed on human and bird health and safety measures if ash does reach the center.

     As much as half of Malama Kī Forest Reserve, down in lower Puna, is impacted by the month-long East Rift Zone volcanic eruption: “In upwind areas, birds are okay and wildlife has been observed within yards upwind of the flows. Anything downwind would face a sulfur dioxide (SO2) hazard but would likely leave the area,” according to the DLNR facebook.

One of many bird species threatened by the eruption in lower Puna,
the Hawai‘i ‘amakihi honeycreeper has a unique subpopulation
found only in the threatened area. Dennis LaPointe/USGS photo

     “Site visits conducted so far show a lot of the vegetation downwind of the eruption plume is dead. More than 200 acres of Malama Kī Forest Reserve have also been damaged by wild land fires sparked by the lava flows. Forestry staff have not been able to do accurate assessments of the forest since it is downwind of the fumes a majority of the time,” says DLNR.

     According to DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife Hawai‘i Island Branch Manager Steve Bergfeld, “While the forest area affected by the current East Rift Zone lava eruption and flows is not large, the loss of remnant and unique flora and fauna is concerning and warrants further assessment as soon as conditions are safe. We don’t plan to go catch wildlife and remove them. There is a unique subpopulation of Hawai‘i ‘amakihi in Malama Kī that will be affected and/or lost by the lower Puna eruption. Due to current and further expected loss of this forest habitat due to lava inundation, and defoliation due to volcanic emissions in lower Puna, these remnant and sub-populations of wildlife may no longer persist, rapidly decline, or become further fragmented and/or contract in range.

      “Malama Kī is a relatively small reserve, at 1514 acres, and is home to young ʻōhiʻa-dominated forest, which has served as habitat to sub-populations of native forest birds. Hawaiian honeycreepers, the Hawai‘i ‘amakihi, and ‘apapane are resident to this reserve, with previous work showing that Hawai‘i ‘amakihi make up 24-50% of the bird community, despite the high prevalence of avian malaria and avipox virus. These low-land populations of Hawai‘i ‘amakihi have been documented as being uniquely tolerant to avian disease. The Hawaiian hawk, or ‘io, is also known to be resident in low-moderate numbers in lower Puna, and the Hawaiian hoary bat, or ʻōpeʻapeʻa, is known to occur in relatively low numbers.”

The eruption in lower Puna has impacted part of the Malama Kī Forest Reserve, where endangered native birds are
at risk The damaged forest is just south and west of the southern-most lava ocean entry point. USGS map

     DLNR says foresters indicate there will be a loss of research on disease tolerance, sub-population genetics, and measurable effects of rapid ʻōhiʻa death on forest bird communities in the reserve and surrounding area. Part of the Malama Kī reserve serves as a public year-round hunting area, which may be greatly reduced due to the loss of forest and the effects to feral animals.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Gov. Ige speaks next to a picture of the fallen football player before signing
Kaulana's Bill into law, as Kaulana's parent look on. Photo from Gov. Ige's office

KAULANA'S BILL, FOR LONGER PRISON TERMS IN HIT AND RUN CASES, was signed into law today, June 10, by Gov. David Ige. It was an emotional ceremony in Nānākuli. Senate Bill 2582 authorizes the courts to extend prison terms for offenders convicted of first degree negligent homicide, when the offender fails to render aid to the injured at the scene of an accident.

     Kaulana's Bill is named after 19-year old Kaulana Werner, a former Kamehameha Schools football player, who was struck and killed by a car while crossing the street near his home in Nānākuli in April 2016. The alleged intoxicated driver did not stop to render aid. The driver is charged with first degree negligent homicide and is currently awaiting trial.

Members of the Werner ʻohana and others watch as Gov. Ige signs
Kaulana's Bill into law. Photo from Gov. Ige's office

     Werner's family and friends have been supportive of the bill.

     Ige said, “I am signing Kaulana's Bill on behalf of the Werner family and all other families that have tragically lost loved ones in this senseless manner. It is my wish that this new law will not only hold offenders more accountable and potentially save lives, but also bring some small measure of comfort and closure for the Werners and other families whose lives have been touched by tragedies like this.”
     SB2582 became Act 40 with the governor's signature; the law takes effect on July 1, 2018.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Original Moana poster. Copyright Disney

MOANA GOES HAWAIIAN as of today, with a public premiere of the Hawaiian language version of the animated Disney film Moana shown tonight on Oʻahu. This is the first time any Disney movie has been recorded in Hawaiian.
     The film will be distributed via DVDs and Blu-ray discs to educational programs such as Native Hawaiian language immersion schools.
     The University of Hawaiʻi project to overlay the popular film with ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi has Auliʻi Carvalho, the original voice of Moana, reprise her role. Voice cast members are UH-Manoa student Christopher Kaipulaumakaniolono Baker as Maui; Waianae’s Nicole Scherzinger, also reprising her role, as Sina; Kelikokauaikekai Hoe as Ali‘i Tui; Kalehuapuakeʻula Kawaʻa as Puna Tala; Kamakakehau Fernandez as Tamatoa; and 24 local cast actors and singers that speak Hawaiian.
     This collaboration of five UH programs was spearheaded by the Academy for Creative Media System and is being recorded at the sound studio of Honolulu Community College’s Music and Entertainment Learning Experience (MELE) program. UH’s Academy for Creative Media System funded and coordinated the re-recording of Moana with the goal of sharing the film for educational purposes in Hawaiʻi and beyond. The collaborative production joins faculty and staff from UH West Oʻahu, UH Mānoa, and Honolulu Community College.

Auliʻi Carvalho, born and raised in Kohala on Hawaiʻi Island, respires her
role as Moana in the groundbreaking overlay of the first Disney movie to
be recorded into ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian language. Photo from UH

     See an interview about the overlay at youtu.be/iGLNKoYtoSQ.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

EXPANDED HOURS AT KAHUKU UNIT MEANS EXPANDED ACTIVITIES. As the closure of two-thirds of the park continues, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park invites kamaʻaina and tourist alike to visit the Kahuku Unit. There are no entry fees, and all programs are free of charge. In addition to regularly scheduled Guided Hikes and the monthly Coffee Talk, Kahuku Unit has added daily Ranger Talks, and cultural demonstrations and activities on weekends.

     Visitor Contact Station hosts Ike Hana Noe ʻAu, Cultural Demonstrations and Activities, at 12:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in June, made possible by Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Make a Ti Leaf Lei, Sat, June 16. Make an Eyelash Lei, Sun, June 17. Make an ͑Ohe Hana Ihu (Nose Flute), Sat, June 23. Make a Mini Feather Kahili, Sun, June 24.

     Visitor Contact Station hosts Ranger Talks on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

     Guided Hikes begin at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday in June. Meet the ranger at the welcome tent. Sat, June 16: Nature and Culture. Sun, June 17: People and Land. Sat, June 23: Birth of Kahuku. Sun, June 24: ͑Ōhi͑a Lehua

     Artist in Residence Talk, in the Visitor Center on Fri, June 22 at 10 a.m.

     In the Visitor Contact Station, Coffee Talk, a monthly, casual get together, is held the last Friday of the month. On June 29 at 9:30 a.m., Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund will present “Removing Trash, Restoring Habitat.”

     Join in the Cultural Festival, Pu ͑uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, in Hōnaunau, Sat and Sun, June 23 and 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

     See the Kahuku Unit Rangers,The Kahuku Cowgirls, in the Na ͑alehu 4th of July Parade Sat, June 30, beginning at 10 a.m.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

Print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano, and free on 

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com 
and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

MONDAY, JUNE 11
King Kamehameha Holiday is Monday, June 11. The Hele on Bus will be offline except for the trip to Kona and South Kohala and back. State and county offices are closed. Bank of Hawai‘i in Pāhala and CU Hawai‘i in Nā‘ālehu are open, along with most businesses.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12

Special Event: Hawai‘i Opera Theatre, Tue, June 12, 3pm, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. HOT has been producing opera in Hawai’i for 33 years - Broadway and classical favorites. 939-2442

C.E.R.T. Discovery Harbour/Nā‘ālehu, Tue, June 12, 4-6pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Public invited to see what Community Emergency Response Team is about, and participate in training scenarios. Dina Shisler, dinashisler24@yahoo.com, 410-935-8087

THURSDAY, JUNE 14

Story Time with Auntie Linda from Tūtū and Me, Thu, June 14, 10:30-noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 929-8571

Meeting on Ash and SO2 will be held at Ocean View Community Center, 92-8924 Leilani Circle, Ocean View, on Thursday, June 14, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will bring together health, science, and Civil Defense officials to meet with the public.

FRIDAY, JUNE 15

‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, Fri, June 15, 10-noon, Kahuku Unit. Hawaiian cultural demonstrations. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

Father’s Day Card, Fri, Jun 15, 2-3pm, Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. For ages 6-12 years. Register June 12-15. Free. Teresa Anderson, 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

4-H Livestock Show & Sale is Friday, June 15, and Saturday, June 16, at Anderson Arena, also known as Rocking Chair Ranch, at 47-5124 Hawaiʻi Belt Road in Waimea. Open to the public, the annual event supports young farmers and ranchers. This year marks a century of 4-H in Hawai‘i; the state’s first 4-H livestock club opened in 1918.

     Friday’s events begin at 3:30 p.m. and include shows for rabbits, poultry, and goats. Saturday’s large animal activities kick off with an 8 a.m. welcome, followed by 4-H participants showing lambs, hogs, steers, and heifers. Competition continues for top showmanship honors in the Round Robin Showmanship Class. Buyer’s registration and lunch is at 12:30 p.m., with the sale of 4-H animals at 2 p.m., including beef steer and heifer, hog, lamb, goat, and possibly poultry and rabbits.
     For more information, contact Galimba at mgalimba@kuahiwiranch.com or 808-430-4927.

SATURDAY, JUNE 16

Nature and Culture: An Unseverable Relationship, Sat, June 16, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderate guided hike along the Palm Trail, approx. 2 miles. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture, observe catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

Hands-On Fermented Foods Workshop: Sauerkraut and Kombucha w/ Jasmine Silverstein, HeartBeet Foods, Sat, June 16, 10-1pm, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. $50/VAC Members, $55/non-Member. Pre-registration required. Supplies and organic ingredients provided. No cooking skills necessary. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Inspired Figure Drawing Workshop, Sat, June 16, 10-3pm, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. $60/VAC Member, $65/non-Member, plus $10 model fee. Students asked to bring materials, see volcanoartcenter.org. 967-8222

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Meeting, Sat, June 16, 10-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting/training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

The Art Express, Sat, June 16, 10-3pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Classes held once monthly. Learn something new or work on a forgotten project. Instructions on oil, acrylic, watercolor, and other mediums. Class size limited to 25. Meliha Corcoran 319-8989, himeliha@yahoo.com, discoveryharbour.net/art-express

Hula Kahiko - Hope Keawe w/Hula Hālau Mana‘olana Sat, June 16, 10:30-11:30am, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. Hula performance. Free. volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula - Kumu Kaho‘okele Crabbe w/Halauokalani, Sat, June 16, 11-1pm, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. Cultural demonstration. Free. volcanoartcenter.org

Bunco and Potluck, Sat, June 16, 6pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Popular game played with nine dice, also known as Bonko or Bunko. Bring dish to share. Margie Hack, 541-954-8297

SUNDAY, JUNE 17

People and Land of Kahuku, Sun, June 17, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free, guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area's human history. nps.gov/HAVO

NEW and UPCOMING

A FREE FATHER’S DAY CARD ART’S AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY takes place Friday, June 15, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, announces Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation. Register keiki ages 6 to 12 years from Tuesday, June 12, through June 15. For more, contact Technician Teresa Anderson at 929-9113 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

ONGOING
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will take sign-ups in Kaʻū, through June 29 (closed June 11).
     In Nā’ālehu, it will take place at the Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council office, back of Senior Center, Wed-Fri, 8-1pm, 929-9263.
     In Ocean View, it will take place at Ocean View Community Center, Mon and Tue (except Mon, June 11), 8-4:30pm.
     In Pāhala, it will take place at the Edmund Olson Trust Office, Tue and Wed, 8:30-12:30pm. See more for eligibility requirements and application.

Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program: Hawai‘i State Public Library System, through July 14, statewide and online. Register and log reading at librarieshawaii.beanstack.org or at a local library. Free. Reading rewards, activities, and programs for children, teens, and adults. 2018 participants have a chance to win a Roundtrip for four to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies.

Park Rangers invite the public to downtown Hilo to learn about the volcanic activity, to get their NPS Passport Book stamped, and to experience the Hawaiian cultural connection to volcanoes. Rangers are providing programs at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center at 76 Kamehameha Avenue, Tuesday through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
     Two Park Rangers are stationed at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in downtown Hilo, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., every Sunday and Monday, in the Willie K Crown Room - as long as nothing else is scheduled in the space. The rangers will be doing daily talks at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. about the eruption. They will show the park film that is normally available to visitors to see at the Kilauea Visitor’s Center at the Summit, Born of Fire, Born in the Sea, every half-hour beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Sign Up for the Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade, to be held June 30. If interested, call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872.

Tūtū and Me Offers Home Visits to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 464-9634.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church Calls For More Volunteers for the Saturday community outreach. Especially needed are cooks for the soup served to those in need, and organizers for the hot showers. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's April newsletter. Volunteer by contacting Dave Breskin at 319-8333.

Volcano Forest Runs Registration Open through Friday, August 17, at 6 p.m. Half marathon $85, 10K $45, 5K $30. Registration increases August 1: half marathon to $95, 10K to $55, and 5K to $35. Race is run from Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano Village on Saturday, August 18.

5th annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run registration open. Race day Sat, Sept 22, 7 a.m.; begins and ends at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Register online before Mon, July 9: 5K, $25/person; 10K, $35/person; and 1/2 Marathon, $45/person. From July 9 to Aug 11: $30/person, $40/person, and $45/person, respectively. From Aug 13 to Sept 20: $35/person, $45/person, and $55/person. Race day registration ends Sat, Sept 22, at 6:30 a.m. Event organizers, ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou; start location, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.