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Saturday, February 17, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, February 17, 2018

One of the largest masses of discarded fishing nets to ever wash up on Hawaiʻi's shores rolled
into Kamilo and will be cleaned up by the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund. See story below. Photo from International Pacific Research Center/UH
KAʻŪ-BORN JUSTIN KRIPPS PILOTS TWO OF HIS BOBSLED RACES AT THE OLYMPICS in PyeongChang in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Heat one happens at 1:05 a.m. HST, heat two at 3:40 a.m. HST; the races can be viewed live here: http://stream.nbcolympics.com/bobsled-two-man-1-2. The third and fourth two-man races will happen Monday at 1:15 a.m. and 4 a.m. HST. They can be viewed live at http://stream.nbcolympics.com/bobsled-two-man-3-4. He will also pilot the four-man races, which will culminate on Sunday, Feb. 25.
Justin Kripps, born in Ka‘ū, will pilot two and four man bobsleds in Olympic
competition starting Sunday and Monday, way before dawn, Hawaiian time.
     Kripps, who pilots for Canada, was born to a family in Nā‘ālehu and returns to visit friends and family. His two-man team is a favorite for the gold.

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FOURTY TONS OF NET AT KAMILO BEACH will be one of the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund's largest single cleanup efforts to date. HWF has removed about 230 tons of marine debris, including many nets from the Ka‘ū Coast, during the last 15 years. The multi-colored mass of nets that washed up recently will be a huge challenge, given the remote location and size.
     The International Pacific Research Center at University of Hawai‘i, which studies climate and environment, sent representatives to Kamilo and they saw the nets. One scientist, Sarah-Jeanne Royer, who made the estimate of the nets weighing 40 tons, said the mass of netting is likely the largest to wash up on Hawai‘i shores in recent times.
     The institute, which is part of the UH School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, researches movement of ocean debris and uses GPS trackers to follow nets, plastics, and other rubbish in the Pacific.
     Reports of new nets and other large masses of debris floating ashore can be reported to Megan Lamson of Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund at megan@wildhawaii.org, or to the DLNR and IPRC
Many community groups from home schoolers to regular volunteer coastal cleanup volunteers
 have pulled plastics and ,other rubbish off the Kaʻū Coast for decades. Photo from HWF
     Nets and other debris endanger seabirds, hawksbill turtles that nest on the Ka‘ū Coast, Hawaiian monk seals that haul out onto the Ka‘ū Coast, and humpback whales that live and give birth offshore.

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LOCKDOWN EXERCISES AT LOCAL SCHOOLS will begin soon, as the state Department of Education sends a letter home with students on Tuesday to ask parents to talk with children about staying safe. The letter, released Friday online, comes in the wake of the Parkland Florida high school slaughter of 17 students and staff members on Wednesday.
     The letter from state Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Christina M. Kishimoto, says: "The horrific event that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida has had an impact on many parents, teachers, and students. Across the country, school districts are dealing with rumors or threats against school safety that is spread via social media. The Hawai‘i State Dept. of Education is no exception and an investigation is launched."
     Kishimoto goes on to say, "The safety and security for students and staff are top priorities for HIDOE schools," and that all those schools are required to create and update a safety plan, and to conduct five emergency preparedness drills, which include lock-down exercises. She also stated that HIDOE works with county police departments in conducting active-shooter drills.
Dr. Christina M. Kishimoto
     She outlines the penalties for "terroristic threats," which are considered Class A student conduct offenses, with school-led consequences ranging from detention, to dismissal with the possibility of arrest and serious criminal charges.
     "We encourage you to talk with your child and emphasize the seriousness of these types of threats. If you need assistance in determining what is appropriate, the National Association of School Psychologists provides resources," available here. "The well-being of our students is a community effort and we appreciate your help as we work together to keep all our students safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child's school."
     At the legislature, Senate Bill 2576 would require all public schools to carry out surprise emergency practice drills, update emergency management plans annually, and provide teachers and other staff with emergency preparedness training. It passed a second reading on Thursday, and is going before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. However, the Superintendent has asked the legislature to hold off for Department of Education assessments and planning.

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FEDERAL RESPECT FOR STATE MARIJUANA LAW is in legislation, supported by Sen. Mazie Hirono. She joins Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and other senators to urge Senate Committee on Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to include the provisions on marijuana in fiscal year 2018 appropriations. Deadline to finalize those appropriations bills is March 23.
Hawai‘i state has legalized marijuana for medical use.
     Hirono and senators wrote that a majority of states - including Hawai‘i - have some form of reduced restrictions on marijuana. The Department of Justice, under Pres. Barack Obama, issued guidance memoranda to provide state and local governments, and citizens, a framework for legitimate businesses. However, on Jan. 4, 2018, the Attorney General under Pres. Donald Trump, rescinded this guidance.
     The senators contend that taking away federal consideration of state law creates "disruption, confusion, and uncertainty throughout the country. Citizens who have been acting in good faith based on federal and state assurances now feel exposed. This disruption may deny medications to the sick, push individuals back into illicit markets, and nullify the previously-effective regulations - all while thwarting the democratically-expressed will of the states.
     "It is our hope that the fiscal year 2018 appropriations will alleviate the turbulence the Attorney General's abrupt decision has caused and that the appropriations will help preserve the strong regulatory frameworks the states have created," the senators continued. "Doing so will provide the opportunity to pursue federal legislation that both protects the legitimate federal interests at stake and respects the will of the states - both those that have liberalized their marijuana laws and those that have not."
     The letter was also signed by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Edward Markey (D-MA).

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KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS' ANNUAL HŌʻIKE at its Kea‘au campus will be a rock opera called Kū I Ka Mana. With libretto written by theater kumu Eric Stack and music by choir director Herb Mahelona, the production will be presented in Hawaiian and English.
     It opens to the public for two performances: Thursday, March 15, and Friday, March 16, both at 6 p.m., in Koaiʻa Gymnasium. Tickets are $5, available online, at the door, or from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on school days at the high school office or Student Activities Center.
     The performances showcase talents of the entire school body - as actors, dancers, musicians and crew - with the Elementary School Keiki Choir and the Mamalahoe Chapter of the Kamehameha Alumni Chorus joining in.
     The Steampunk-themed rock opera follows the aftermath of the 1874 death of King William Charles Lunalilo, which left the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi without an appointed successor to the throne. The political intrigue and personal drama behind the election that followed, between King David Kalākaua and Queen Emma Rooke, is dramatized in music and dance.
     "Hōʻike productions focus on some aspect of Hawaiian history or culture presented to the public with the goal to educate our haumāna and to share with the community," says the Kamehameha Schools website. "It is a unique opportunity to celebrate Hawaiian culture, history, and language, and to instill pride and appreciation for things Hawaiian."

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WHY ARE HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY SCIENTISTS TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT MAUNA LOA? This is the question answered in this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey HVO scientists and affiliates:
     In recent weeks, USGS HVO joined forces with several other agencies to talk about Mauna Loa at community events and other public meetings. Unfortunately, some information presented at these gatherings has been misinterpreted. This article will explain why HVO is talking so much about a volcano that hasn't erupted in more than three decades, and to clarify a few facts.
Mauna Loa, Earth's largest active volcano, has erupted 33 times since 1843, producing the lava flows shown in black. All of these historic eruptions started at the summit of the volcano. From there, the eruptions either stayed in the summit area or migrated down the volcano's Northeast or Southwest Rift Zones. Some Mauna Loa eruptions occurred at radial vents, indicated by red squares, scattered across the north and west flanks of the volcano. Map from volcanoes.usgs.gov
     In 2013-2014, HVO started seeing more earthquakes and an increase in swelling at Mauna Loa. By September 2015, this unrest - indicators of magma on the move - was persistent enough for HVO to change the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa from normal to advisory. However, this alert level does not mean that a Mauna Loa eruption will happen in the near future.
     Mauna Loa's earthquake and swelling rates have slowed in recent months, but they are still above the pre-2013 rates and could increase again. So, for now, the volcano's alert level remains at advisory, defined at https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/notifications.html.
     Population on the Island of Hawaiʻi has essentially doubled since Mauna Loa's most recent eruption in 1984, almost 34 years ago. So, a generation of kamaʻaina, as well as numerous malihini, have not experienced a Mauna Loa eruption, which can produce large, fast-moving ʻaʻā flows.
     Consider these examples: During the 1984 eruption, Mauna Loa erupted in about 20 minutes the same volume of lava that Kīlauea erupts, on average, in one day. A 1950 Mauna Loa lava flow traveled 13 mi - from its Southwest Rift Zone to the South Kona coast - in just over 3 hours. In contrast, the 2014 Kīlauea lava flow that threatened Pāhoa took four months to travel a similar distance. So, experiencing Kīlauea pāhoehoe flows does not necessarily prepare anyone for Mauna Loa ʻaʻā flows.
Mauna Loa tends to erupt large, fast-moving lava flows. About 36 hours 
after the 1984 eruption began on March 25, lava flowed downstream 
(toward bottom-right of photo) through this ʻaʻā channel down-rift from 
the main vent. For scale, note the USGS scientists at work on the left 
side of the 77-yard-wide lava channel. Photo frovolcanoes.usgs.gov
     Given the volcano's past eruptions and recent unrest, it's wise to talk about Mauna Loa now - well before an eruption is about to happen. Thus, HVO is informing residents about the eruptive history, hazards, and current status of Earth's largest active volcano. The challenge is to increase awareness of Mauna Loa and how to prepare for a future eruption, without creating unnecessary anxiety.
     With that in mind, here are some facts about the volcano:
● Mauna Loa, which covers more than half Hawaiʻi Island's surface area, is an active volcano that has erupted 33 times since 1843. It will erupt again, but exactly when is not yet known.
● All 33 eruptions since 1843 started at the summit of Mauna Loa. About half of those eruptions began at the summit, stayed in the summit area, and posed no threat other than increased vog.
● What about the other half? About 24 percent started at Mauna Loa's summit, then migrated down the volcano's Northeast Rift Zone. Eruptions along this rift zone produce flows that could advance toward Hilo, as happened in 1984, but the slopes are gentle enough that it typically takes weeks to months for lava to reach the island's east coast.
● Around 21 percent started at the summit, then migrated to lower elevations along Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone. With steep slopes on both sides of this rift zone, lava flows can reach the ocean in a matter of hours to days. Fast-moving ʻaʻā flows reached the South Kona coast in 3 to 18 hours in 1950, 24 hours in 1919, and 4 days in 1926.
● The remaining Mauna Loa eruptions are from radial vents on the volcano's north and west flanks. In 1859, an eruption from a radial vent at 11,000 feet elevation sent an ʻaʻā flow to the coast in eight days.
● Mauna Loa eruptions have sent lava into both North and South Kona. However, Kailua-Kona is shielded from Mauna Loa flows by Hualālai. Hualālai is also an active volcano, but it is currently showing no signs of unrest.
     The hope of USGS HVO is that Hawaiʻi residents will become more aware of Mauna Loa and how they can prepare for the volcano's next eruption without fear or panic. USGS HVO does not expect Mauna Loa to erupt in the near future. However, HVO and USGS continue to closely monitor the volcano, and will notify authorities and island residents of any changes.
     Updates and monitoring data for Mauna Loa are posted on HVO's website https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/. Guidance on preparing a family emergency plan for natural hazards, including eruptions, is available from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/civil-defense/.

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MOKUHANGA: TRADITIONAL JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINTMAKING, a five-session workshop with Sensei Glenn Yamanoha, starts Thursday, Mar. 8, announces Volcano Art Center. The weekly workshop, which takes place from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., continues every Thursday until Apr. 5.
Learn the art of traditional Japanese Woodblock printmaking with 
Sensei Glenn Yamonoga. Photo from volcanoartcenter.org
     "Do you remember the Great Wave off Kanagawa or Red Fuji? They are classic images immediately recognizable, but did you know they are fine examples of Mokuhanga?" states the event description.
     Traditional Japanese woodblock printmaking is a relief printing technique that uses Japanese tools and natural materials. Instructor Yamanoha will introduce the basic process in four hands-on sessions. Attendees will learn the fundamental techniques of Mokuhanga such as cutting with chisels, preparing blocks and paper, registration, and printing with a baren (printing pad).
     Mokuhanga differs from western woodblock in that it is water-based printing with sumi ink, watercolor and nori (rice paste), so no toxic solvents are used; it is printed with a hand held baren rather than a press; and it employs the accurate "kento" registration method, cut directly into the block. By utilizing non-toxic, "green" materials, it readily combines traditional processes with new printing technologies.
     Yamanoha studied woodblock printing in Kyoto, Japan, on a Monbusho (Japan Government) scholarship between 1988-90. He lives in Volcano Village and runs Volcano Gravel.
     The course fee is $72 per VAC member, $80 per non-member, plus a $40 supply fee. No experience necessary. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

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.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com
/janfebmar/februaryevents.htmlSee Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, 
weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.
February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.
SUNDAY, FEB. 18
TĪ AND SEAS, NEW ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, opens to the public through Sun., Mar. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily - volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU FREE, GUIDED HIKE, Sun., Feb. 18, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., within Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 2.5-mile, moderately difficult, hike over rugged terrain, focusing on the area's human history - nps.gov/HAVO.

PANIOLO FROM KA‘Ū ENTER THE SECOND DAY OF COMPETITION AT PANA‘EWA STAMPEDE  Rodeo Grounds on Sunday. Grounds open at 11 a.m. on Sunday and Monday. Buster Barton is the announcer and Rodeo Clown JJ Harrison protects paniolo and entertains - HawaiiRodeoStampede.com.


HENRY ‘OPUKAHA‘IA WILL BE HONORED SUNDAY AT PUNALU‘U. The Remembrance Service will be Sunday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m. at the tiny Hokuloa chapel above the sea. The service will replace the regular worship service in the Wai‘ohinu church. An additional commemoration service will be held Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9:30 a.m., at Kahikolu Congregational Church on Napo‘opo‘o Rd., where his body was reinterred in 1993.

CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE DOG on a free, Mandarin-language, easy, guided, two-mile round trip, Chinese New Year hike, with Volunteer Janice Wei, through Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) to the edge of Kīlauea Caldera at Akanikōlea (Steaming Bluff). Sunday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to noon, starting at Kīlauea Visitor Center - nps.gov/HAVO.


MONDAY, FEB. 19
STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT PROGRAM Volunteers meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Mon., Feb. 19.
Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

PANIOLO FROM KA‘Ū ENTER THE THIRD AND LAST DAY OF COMPETITION AT PANA‘EWA STAMPEDE Rodeo Grounds on Monday. Grounds open at 11 a.m. Monday. Buster Barton is the announcer and Rodeo Clown JJ Harrison protects paniolo and entertains - HawaiiRodeo
Stampede.com.


DISCOVERY HARBOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meets Monday, Feb. 19, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., in Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Call 929-9576 or visit discovery
harbour.net.

TUESDAY, FEB. 20
REGISTER KEIKI GRADES K-8 BY FEB. 20 FOR A PRESIDENT'S DAY STAR HANGING arts and crafts activity, Wed., Feb. 21, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Free; call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or 
hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

REGISTER FOR GIRL'S DAY PAPER FLOWER CLASS from Feb. 20 to 27, for keiki grades K-8 Wed., Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102. For more about these and other recreation programs: hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEES MEET TUESDAY, FEB. 20, with a full Council meeting taking place the following day on Wednesday, Feb. 21. Both meetings occur in Kona. Ka‘ū; residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas can be found at hawaiicounty.gov.

THURSDAY, FEB. 22
KA‘Ū COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S COUNCIL meets at Punalu‘u Bake Shop Thurs., Feb. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. The council meets on the fourth Thursday of each month - ccco.k12.hi.us.

FRIDAY, FEB. 23
JOIN PARK RANGERS FOR COFFEE TALK, an informal conversation on a variety of topics. Fri., Feb 23, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Kahuku Park, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries available for purchase. Free - nps.gov/HAVO.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Fri., Feb. 23, 9 p.m., at Pāhoa Lava Shack; Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m., luau in Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel courtyard; and Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.


SATURDAY, FEB.24

SANCTUARY OCEAN HUMPBACK WHALE COUNT, Sat., Feb 24, 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; arrive 30 min. prior for orientation. Four locations near/in Ka‘ū: Miloli‘i Lookout, Ka Lae Park, Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park, and Ka‘ena Point - hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov for directions; park entrance fees apply. Bring sun protection, water, snacks, and a cushion to sit on. Pre-registration required: sanctuaryoceancount.org.

LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, at Ka‘ū District Gym, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 24. Free; to register or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health team - hmono.org to learn more about the organization.

REALMS AND DIVISIONS OF KAHUKU, Sat, Feb 24, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit’s newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring a snack for the talk story segment of this hike.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING is held Saturday, Feb. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy a free luncheon while learning about what's coming up for the organization, and be involved with the election of new board members. Luncheon is complimentary, registration is required; register and get more info at fhvnp.org/events/annual-membership-meeting-luncheon-2018/.

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BONSAI AND HOW TO GROW THEM, with Sensei Bill Newton, Volcano Garden Arts, Saturday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $36 per person per class, space is limited - 985-8979 or volcanogardenarts.com.

14TH ANNUAL LOVE THE ARTS fundraiser gala at the Ni‘aulani Campus, Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets, and sponsorship and artist donation forms, online at volcanoartcenter.org, or in person at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Art Center Gallery, and Basically Books in Hilo - $55 per VAC member, $65 for non-members.

BUDDY CAGE CANCER BENEFIT WITH EDGE OF THE WEST, held Sat., Feb. 24, 5 p.m., luau in Kona at King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel courtyard; and Sun., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., at Ocean View's The Terraces. Info 917-561-4800, www.edgeofthwest.band.

UPCOMING
SUPPORT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB locations at Pāhala and Ocean View by purchasing tickets and sponsoring persons to attend the annual Youth of the Year celebration, Friday, Mar. 2, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, in the Moku Ola Ballroom. For 66 years, its outreach to the Island has provided a safe and educational place for children after school.
    To purchase tickets, contact Ka‘ū Boardmember Julia Neal at 928-9811 or mahalo@aloha.net. To purchase an ad in the Gala program, become a Gala sponsor, make a financial donation, or to donate an auction item, contact Gail Hamasu at 961-5536 or gail@bgcbi.org.

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.