Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, December 7, 2018

An adult nēnē flaps its wings in the rain at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, as a second nēnē is obscured by the lava rock. Read about closure of part of the Park to protect the endemic birds. See more below. Photo from NPS/Janice Wei

TODAY MARKS THE 77TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, the event that finally brought the United States in to World War II. On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese planes bombed 20 Navy vessels. More than 300 U.S. planes and more than 2,400 U.S. lives were lost.

After Pearl Harbor, Iwao Yonemitsu and the 
late Toku Nakano signed up. 
Photo by Julia Neal

     In Ka‘ū, young men, such as Iwao Yonemitsu and the late Toku Nakano, decided to join the U.S. military to show their patriotism as Japanese Americans. Two others signing up from Hawaiʻi, Daniel Inouye and Dan Akaka, later became U.S. Senators.
     Japanese American women stepped up in community responsibilities when Japanese American men were either interred by the U.S. government or joined the U.S. military. Shigeo Kikuchi, wife of the Rev. Chikyoku Kikuchi, became responsible for the Buddhist Temple in Nāʻālehu when he was interred. In Volcano, Kīlauea Military Camp became an internment camp for Japanese Americans.

     Governor David  Ige's late father, Tokio Ige, a WWII Veteran, served in the 100th Battalion/442 Infantry Regimental Combat Team and earned the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Some of the last of the World War II vets, attending Pearl Harbor
ceremonies today. Photo from Tulsi Gabbard

     Rep. Tulsi Gabbard attended services today at Pearl Harbor and said, "December 7, 1941, is a day that forever changed Hawaiʻi and our nation. We saw great loss, but also witnessed unmatched valor and bravery in those who would come to be known as the greatest generation for leading by example in putting service above self."

     Gabbard attended a floral tribute alongside the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, dedicated to the Arizona that sank after two bombs, losing 1,177 sailors and Marines, the greatest number of casualties from any one ship on Dec. 7. Gabbard said, "As we remember those who died on that day, as well as those who answered the call of duty during World War II and beyond, their selflessness in putting service to our country and our people before all else, continues to inspire us all. May their stories and their examples live on forever in the hearts of a grateful nation."

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Sen. Mazie Hirono. Photo from her Facebook

SEN. MAZIE HIRINO TODAY OBJECTED TO THE NOMINATION of William Barr for U.S. Attorney General. Hirono, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, said, "The selection of William Barr to serve as Attorney General is another example of Donald Trump's interest in appointing people who will be loyal and cover for him. Over the last two years, Mr. Barr has publicly called for the investigation of Hillary Clinton and criticized the Mueller investigation. He achieved his goal of getting the President's attention and approval, leading to this nomination.

     "Mr. Barr's record presents a troubling parallel for the situation presented in the Mueller investigation. As Attorney General in the George H.W. Bush Administration, Mr. Barr recommended that President Bush pardon six people indicted by Iran-Contra Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh, including high-ranking officials who were accused of perjury and withholding evidence. This country does not need political interference with law enforcement again today.

     "The Attorney General's job is to protect the American people, not to do the President's bidding. We need an Attorney General who is not only qualified for the job itself, but is also independent," said Hirono.

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It's a myth that nēnē don't fly. Here, a magnificent bird flies at Mauna Ulu. Photo from NPS/Janice Wei

HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK today announced its holiday hours and its fee-free days in 2019, along with a statement about the closure of an area to protect nēnē, the endangered Hawaiian geese.

    Pu‘u Pua‘i Overlook and parking lot are temporarily closed to protect breeding and nesting nēnē. The gate is secured at the entrance to the Pu‘u Pua‘i parking lot, near the intersection of Chain of Craters Road and Crater Rim Drive. Visitors are able to hike about 0.4 miles of Devastation Trail from the Devastation Trail parking lot to a trail sign marking the closure. 

Nēnē and ʻōhia at Mauna Ulu. Photo from NPS/Janice Wei

     In 1952, only 30 nēnē remained statewide. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park began efforts to recover the imperiled geese in the 1970s. The Nēnē Recovery Program continues today, and more than 200 birds thrive in the park from sea level to around 8,000 feet.

     Pu‘u Pua‘i is a massive reddish-brown cindercone that formed during an eruption at Kīlauea Iki crater in 1959. Evidence of this eruption is visible in the form of small tephra cinders that blanket the ground along Crater Rim Drive towards Keanakāko‘i Crater.

     The main portion of the Park will be open on Christmas Day – Tuesday, Dec. 25 – and New Year's Eve – Monday, Dec. 31. Kīlauea Visitor Center, which opens daily at 9 a.m., will close at 2 p.m. both days.

     Kahuku Unit will be closed both days per its normal operating schedule. Kahuku is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

     Acting Superintendent Ben Hayes says, "The park would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season, and mahalo nui loa for the public's support during a very eventful year. We are all looking forward to welcoming our visitors through the season and opening more areas as we continue recovery efforts in 2019."

Nēnē gosling and parents at Pu‘u Pua‘i in February 2017.
Photo from NPS/Jessica Ferracane

      Entrance fee-free days for 2019 include: Monday, January 21 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Saturday, April 20 – Start of National Park Week/Junior Ranger Day; Sunday, August 25 – National Park Service Anniversary; Saturday, September 28 – National Public Lands Day; and Monday, November 11 – Veterans Day.

     "We are excited to extend fee-free days in 2019, and we invite everyone to come and explore the remarkable changes that occurred in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park during 2018," says Hayes.

     Hawai‘i Volcanoes normally charges $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $12 per pedestrian or bicycle. The receipt is good for seven days. Camping and backcountry fees still apply on free entrance days. The 2019 fee-free dates will also be observed by Haleakalā National Park on Maui, and Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park in West Hawai‘i.

     

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NINETY DAYS WITH NO LAVA: A milestone for Kīlauea's 2018 eruption is the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

     One of the most frequently asked questions of USGS HVO scientists over the last several months has been, "Is the eruption over?"

View into fissure 8 cone after lava drained away. USGS webcam image from November 4

     It's no surprise that Hawaiʻi Island residents would like to see Kīlauea's activity behind them, given its toll on lower Puna communities this summer. The lower East Rift Zone erupted a volume of 1 cubic kilometer of lava and destroyed over 700 structures. Two-thirds of the erupted lava flowed into the ocean through the vigorous channelized flow from fissure 8.

     The question was first asked in early August 2018, when summit collapses stopped and the volume of LERZ fissure 8 lava diminished. But fissure 8 wasn't quite done. During September 1-4, one more appearance of lava occurred inside the cone before draining away completely.

     And now, December 5 marks the three-month – 90-day – anniversary of no surface lava activity at Kīlauea. This is a milestone for this summer's eruption. The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, volcano.si.edu, classifies the end of continuous volcanic activity based on an absence of eruptive activity over a three-month period. With this GVP criterion and no signs of imminent unrest on Kīlauea, the LERZ eruption could be considered over.

Kīlauea caldera, today, Dec. 7. USGS webcam image

     However, magma is still being supplied to Kīlauea Volcano and geophysical datasets continue to show evidence for movement of molten rock through the magmatic system, including the refilling of the middle ERZ. It's important to note that Kīlauea is still an active volcano that will erupt in the future and associated hazards have not changed. When a new eruption does occur, ground cracking, gas emissions, seismicity, and deformation can rapidly change.

     The GVP three-month period is a global statistical average from all known eruptions. If we look at only Kīlauea's past 200 years of activity, this 90-day period still holds true.

     But eruptive pauses have occurred in the past. There is one known example – Mauna Ulu, 1969-74 – in which Kīlauea's rift zone activity resumed after a 3½-month pause. And, while Mauna Ulu has had the longest known mid-eruption pause, other examples of long pauses occurred during the first three years of the Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption. Breaks between 44 episodes of high lava fountains in 1983-1986 ranged from hours to 65 days long (two months). Six of those pauses were between one- and two-months long.

     All other known pauses during Kīlauea eruptions have been one month or less before eruptive activity resumed. All known temporal gaps on the rift zones lasting more than 3 and a half months have ended their respective eruption. New eruptions would begin elsewhere on Kīlauea after months-to-decades of quiet. 

     It's difficult to know if Kīlauea inactivity lasting between one and three months is just a pause or the end of the eruption while we are in that 1-3 month window. The only way to know for sure is to wait and see, using hindsight to make the call.

Mauna Ulu, today, Dec. 7. USGS webcam image

     In view of the GVP three-month guideline, Kīlauea's history over the last 200 years, and no current signs of imminent eruption, it is very unlikely that the 2018 LERZ eruption will resume.

     While the LERZ eruption might be over, Kīlauea volcano is not dead. There can, and will, be a new eruption – it's just a matter of when and where. Kīlauea's current lack of activity does not change the hazards faced by those of us living on an active volcano. So, it's important to remain informed and aware of Kīlauea's activity and location of Lava-Flow Hazard Zones at volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/faq_lava.html.

     The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea Volcano through ground-based observations, helicopter overflights, and geophysical instrument networks. Significant changes will be noted in HVO's weekly updates. 

     No Hawaiʻi earthquakes received three or more felt reports this past week. Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. 

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Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 

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Kaʻū High December Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball:
Dec. 5, Wed., @Waiakea, 6pm
Dec. 15, Sat., JV host
     Laupāhoehoe, 2pm
Dec. 17, Mon., host HPA, 6pm
Dec. 19, Wed., host Kohala, 6pm
Dec. 22, Sat., host JV
     Christian Liberty, 2pm

Boys Basketball:
Dec. 15, Sat., host Pāhoa
Dec. 18, Tue., @Keaʻau
Dec. 22, Sat, host Parker
Dec. 27, Thu., @Kealakehe

Wrestling:
Dec. 8, Sat., @Waiakea
Dec. 15, Sat., @Oʻahu
Dec. 22, Sat., @Oʻahu

Soccer:
Dec. 5, Wed., host Pāhoa
Dec. 8, Sat., Boys host Kohala
Dec., 11, Tue., @Kamehameha
Dec., 13, Thu., Girls host Makualani
Dec. 19, Wed., host HPADec. 22, Sat., host Waiakea
Dec. 29, Sat., @Konawaena

Swimming:
Dec. 8, Sat., @HPA, 10am
Dec. 29, Sat., @Kamehameha, 10am

NEW and UPCOMING

MOMI GREENE SHARES HER KNOWLEDGE OF CULTIVATING, CARVING, THEN DYEING IPU, using endemic, indigenous, or Hawaiian-introduced plants at an ‘Ike Hana No‘eau, Experience the Skillful Work, demonstration entitled Huewai. The program takes place Wednesday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

     "Water-carrying gourds were used by most ancient civilizations. Hawaiians decorated their ipu (gourds) with elaborate designs," states the event flyer. ‘Ike Hana No‘eau is a free series of Hawaiian cultural programs co-sponsored by Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. The program is free to attend; however, park entrance fees apply. For more, call 985-6011 or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8
Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Sat., Dec. 8, meet 9:30am, Northern Gate, Kāwā.  RSVP with w/James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. Updates and notifications on upcoming ʻOhana Workdays, see nmok.org or facebook.com
/namamoo.kawa.

Paths and Trails, Sat., Dec. 8, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately-difficult, 2-mile, hike. Free. nps.gov/havo

Zentangle: Pen in Henna, Sat., Dec. 8, 10-1pm, Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Art work guided by designs from Mehndi Henna style. Student kits provided. Open to all levels. Students invited to bring snacks to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee/person. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

HOVE Road Maintenance Annual Meeting, Sat., Dec. 8, 11:30-12:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. hoveroad.com, 929-9910, gm@hoveroad.com

Volunteer Fire Department Annual Dinner, Sat., Dec. 8, 3-8pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. discoveryharbour.net, 929-9576

Jazz in the Forest Christmas Special, Sat., Dec. 8, 5:30pm – doors open 5pm – Volcano Art Center Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Village. Jean Pierre Thoma & The Jazztones with Jeannine Guillory, featuring Christmas favorites and original compositions. $20/VAC member, $25/non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

A Gift of Love, Volcano Festival Chorus Annual Christmas Concert, Sat., Dec. 8, 7:30pm, Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater, inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 25 member chorus under direction of Roch Jones, accompaniment by Laura Kahale, with Cheryl Shine on flute. Free; donations gratefully accepted. Park entrance fees apply.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9

Pu‘u o Lokuana, Sun., Dec. 9, 9:30-11am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Short, moderately difficult, 0.4-mile hike. Free. nps.gov/havo

Pāhala Christmas Parade, Sun., Dec. 9, 1pm. The 40th annual parade, organized by Eddie Andrade and family, begins at Pāhala Armory at Pakalana and Pikake St. and winds tup and down the hillside past village homes to Ka`u Hospital, ending with entertainment and refreshments at  Holy Rosary Church on Pikake Parade participants line up at 11. Floats, classic vehicles, tractors, trucks and walking groups welcome. Andrade, 928-0808

Holy Rosary Church sings on board a fishing boat during last year's Pāhala

Christmas Parade. The 40th annual parade winds through Pāhala 

neighborhoods this Sunday, starting at 1 p.m., ending at Holy Rosary

Church on Pikake Street. Photo by Julia Neal

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10
Free STD Testing, Mon., Dec. 10, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Sponsored by Hawai‘i Department of Health. 2nd Monday, monthly. Call for individual appointment for different day or time. Teenagers 14+ do not need parent consent. Always confidential. Free condoms and lube. 895-4927

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11
AdvoCATS, Tue., Dec. 11, 7-5pm, Ocean View Community Center. Free Cat Spay & Neuter Clinic. 895-9283. advocatshawaii.org

The Fascination Method w/Anthony Chrisco, Tue., Dec. 11, 2-4pm, Volcano Art Center. Brief instruction of the method and tool Chrisco developed to bring more healthy awareness to bodies. See full list of ailments The Fascination Method can help alleviate at volcanoartcenter.org. $25/person. thefascianator.com. 967-8222

C.E.R.T. Discovery Harbour/Nā‘ālehu, Tue., Dec. 11, 4-6pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Community Emergency Response Team info and training scenarios/ Public welcome. Dina Shisler, dinashisler24@yahoo.com, 410-935-8087

After Dark in the Park, He Inoa No Hi‘iakaikapoliopele, Tue., Dec. 11, 7pm, Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12

Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visits: Dental, Wed., Dec. 12, 8-5pm; Medical, Thu., Dec. 27, 1-5pm, Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. 333-3600 for appointment. thecoopercenter.org

Huewai Demonstration - ‘Ike Hana No‘eau (Experience the Skillful Work), Wed., Dec. 12, 10-2pm, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply. Co-sponsored by Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

Compassionate Communication Group, Wed., Dec. 12 and 26, 2-3:30pm, PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. 2nd and last Wed. of every month thereafter. Free; registration required. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460

Santa's Workshop, Wed., Dec. 12, 5:30-7:30pm, Ka‘ū District Gym multi-purpose room. Register keiki of all ages Dec. 3-12. 928-3102

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13

Story Time with Auntie Linda from Tūtū & Me, Thu., Dec. 13, 10:30-noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 929-8571

Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thu., Dec. 13, 6:30pm, United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Clean-Up with Konawaena Middle School Recycling Club, Fri., Dec. 14. Contact for meet up details. BYO-4WD welcome; no seats available. Free; donations appreciated. RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or call 769-7629 for more.

Arts & Crafts Activity: Holiday Pom Pom Wreath, Fri., Dec. 14, 2-3pm, Kahuku Park, Ocean View. Register keiki, ages 6-12, Dec. 5-12. 929-9113

Christmas Coloring Contest Entry Deadline, Fri., Dec. 14, by 4:30pm, Ka‘ū District Gym multi-purpose room. Register through Dec. 13; open to keiki Pre-K to Grade 6. 928-3102

Christmas Feast and Candlelight Service, Fri. Dec. 14, Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji. Registration at 5pm, Dinner at 6pm. Thy Word Ministries brings 14 churches together. Hula and music.  Pastor Bob, 936-9114

Christmas Concert, Fri., Dec. 14, 6:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. Everyone invited. Singing, refreshments, and gifts for keiki. Sponsored by Lamb of God Baptist Church.

Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network's A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol, Dec. 14-23, Thu., Fri., Sat., 7:30pm, Sun., 2:30pm, Kīlauea Military Camp Theater inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. $20/person - cash or check, available at door. KMC open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. KDEN, 982-7344

ONGOING

Christmas in the Country and 19th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibition are open at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 
     Christmas in the Country runs through Wednesday, Dec. 26. Enjoy an abundance of art and aloha as VAC creates a merry scene of an old-fashioned Christmas inside its 1877 historic building. In addition to artwork, find unique holiday offerings of island-inspired gifts, ornaments, and decorations made by Hawai‘i Island artists, including VAC exclusives.

     The Wreath Exhibition is available through Tuesday, Jan. 1. The exhibition presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques, and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional, with this year's theme of Home for the Holidays - inspired by the four month closure of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     Admission is free; Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8222, or visit volcanoartcenter.org.

Kīlauea Military Camp's Holiday Challenge is open for viewing through Monday, Dec. 31. The event features a row of cottages along the front of the camp decorated in with various characters and Christmas decor - with Kīlauea Military Camp employees responsible and competing for a popularity vote. The public is invited to admire the decorations and vote for their favorite decorated cottage. Kīlauea Military Camp is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8371 for additional information. See kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

Registration for P&R Boys & Girls, T-Ball/Coach Pitch Baseball League open through Jan. 16, Kahuku Park, H.OV.E. For ages 5-8. Programs run Jan. 22-Apr. 18, game and practice times tba. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Basic Stretch and Strengthening Exercise Class, sponsored by Hui Mālama Ola Nū ʻŌiwi, happens Wednesdays at Nāʻālehu Community Center and Thursdays at Pāhala Senior Center; no classes between Dec. 14 and Jan. 8. The free classes – donations accepted – run from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The class offers "basic stretches and muscular endurance exercises that will help improve your flexibility and strength. Designed for all ages; geared toward those needing to maintain or increase mobility, and those wanting a gentle stretch." Learn more at hmono.org, facebook.com/HMONO.org/, @hui_malama_ on Instagram, or call 808-969-9220.

Substitute School Health Assistant Positions are available. Qualifications: CPR and First Aid certifications, and a high school diploma or equivalent. Training begins in 2019. Contact Kristy Loo for more at look@hkkk.k12.hi.us.

Volunteers Needed by St. Jude's Episcopal Church for community outreach, especially soup cooks and shower organizers, towel laundry, alter guild, and for the computer lab. Volunteers do not have to be members of the church. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's. Contact Dave Breskin, 319-8333.

Tūtū and Me tuition-free traveling preschool, for keiki birth to five years old and their caregivers, has twice a week meeting in Pāhala, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., at Pāhala Community Center. In Nāʻālehu, meetings are at Kauahaʻao Church in Waiʻōhinu, Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m.

     Tūtū and Me also offers home visits to aid caregivers with parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate, listening ear. Visits last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, total of 12 visits. Snacks are provided.
     To enroll in either free program, fill out enrollment forms found at pidf.org/programs/tutu_and_me/enrollment_forms, or call Linda Bong at 929-8571, or Betty Clark at 464-9634 or eclark@pidfountation.org.