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Saturday, May 12, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, May 12, 2018

Puʻu o Lokuana, on one of the family-friendly trails within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Kahuku Unit, that is still open during its normal hours, Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join in activities such as an ‘ōhi‘a lehua hike on Sunday, details below. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

THE PONO HAWAIʻI INITIATIVE has endorsed three candidates running for office in state races in Kaʻū. 
Raina Whiting is one of three Kaʻū candidates endorsed
today by Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative. 
     Pono Hawaiʻi chose Raina Whiting, candidate for District 3 of the state House of Representatives, which runs from Honuʻapo through Punaluʻu and Pāhala, Volcano into Hilo. Whiting is a teacher at Nāʻālehu School and lives on a vegetable farm above Pāhala.
     Also endorsed is state Rep. Richard Creagan, the incumbent and physician who serves House District 5, which runs from Honuʻapo through Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Discovery Harbour, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Ka Lae, South Point Road, and Ocean View and Miloliʻi into Kona. Creagan and his wife, a obstetrical nurse, live on their farm near South Point Road. See more on Creagan.
Richard Creagan was endorsed
today by Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative.
     Also endorsed is former County Council member Brenda Ford who is running for state Senate District 3, which runs from Honuʻapo through Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Discovery Harbour, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Ka Lae, South Point Road, and Ocean View and Miloliʻi into Kona. Ford lives in South Kona on a small coffee and fruit tree farm. See more on Ford.
     A statement from the organization, says that "Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative was conceived and created in response to the urgent need to address the accelerating deterioration of societal, economic, and environmental conditions in Hawaiʻi. We are undeniably at a pivotal point where action to slow and reverse these conditions is a moral obligation. Our government institutions and business community are moving at a glacial pace to address the critical issues affecting Hawaiʻi. Or, they are moving us in the wrong direction.
Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative endorsed
candidate Brenda Ford today.
     "We are witnessing a resurgence of a level of engagement and grassroots activism that we haven't seen in quite some time. Young and old alike across Hawaiʻi, the country, and the world are feeling and responding to that same urgent need. They are engaging in policy making, electoral politics, and community organizing.
     "Driven by that strong sense of urgency and a keen awareness of pervasive injustice, new leaders willing to challenge the status quo are emerging. Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative eagerly joins that growing chorus of individuals and organizations doing important work to reverse the alarming trends we are seeing in the world today."
     Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative board members familiar to Kaʻū, include Nelson Ho, of Volcano, and Gary Hooser, who ran for state office here. See more at www.ponohawaiiinitiative.org.

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Helicopters could air lift
evacuees from lava zone.
Photo from Keaukaha
Military Reservation
ACTIVE DUTY U.S. MILITARY AND NATIONAL GUARD units are prepared to help with evacuations from disasters associated with volcanic activities should the need arise in the near future. Some 1,400 active-duty U.S. military troops are working in the Pohakuloa Training Area above Hilo along the Saddle Road and would be available, according to a presentation made to state legislators yesterday during their tour of the Keaukaha Military Reservation at the airport in Hilo.
     Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald reporter John Burnett writes that Hawaiʻi Army National Guard Lt. Col. Shawn Tsuha said commanders at Pohakuloa have made the offer to help should the state ask for U.S. Department of Defense support. If a volcanic emergency "were to overwhelm or require more resources than we could provide, that’s when a joint task force is set up, and a dual-status commander would command both National Guard and active-duty forces,” Tsuha told Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald.
Federal and state military reserve units and active duty military are
available to help with evacuations.
Photo from Keaukaha Military Reservation 
     While most flight crews live on Oʻahu and could take up of four or five hours to reach hear, there are two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and one UH-60 Black Hawk at the Keaukaha Military Reserve. The Hawaiʻi National Guard stationed two lighter-utility, UH-72A Lakotas in Hilo. In addition, the Army has access to Chinook helicopters which it used to transport people after the recent flood on the north shore of Kauaʻi. See more at www.hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK CLOSED until further notice due to ongoing seismic activity and the anticipated explosive steam event and possibility of rock and ash fall at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. Only the Kahuku Unit will be open during its normal hours, Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., a one-hour drive south of the main park entrance. The park will reopen when it is safe to do so.
NPS Photo of park entrance station with closure
signs and NPS Law Enforcement
     At the request of the park, the FAA has issued a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) that extends 20,000 feet AGL and a 12 nautical mile radius around the summit of Kīlauea. News media will not be allowed into the closed section of the park. News media are prohibited from setting up cameras near the entrance st
ation for safety reasons.
    This evening, a 17th fissure opened up in lower Puna, following the 16th fissure, which opened earlier today, just east of the Puna Geothermal Plant. Lava spattered from both fissures.
     At 7 p.m., Civil Defense continued to warn that "Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory has cautioned about the possibility of an explosive eruption at Halema'uma'u Crater due to the ongoing withdrawal of lava from Kilauea summit lake. This could generate dangerous debris very near the crater and ashfalls up to tens of miles downwind."
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AIR QUALITY IN PĀHALA TODAY was "good," reported at 1.9 parts per million in particulates, as of 1 p.m., with Ocean View at "moderate" at 3.
     SO2 levels at 2 p.m. were good for both Pāhala and Ocean View, with levels at or under 0.03 ppm. Ocean View kept under 0.17 ppm for the last 24 hours, but Pāhala soared into "unhealthy for sensitive groups" early today, getting as high as 0.41 ppm at 6:45 a.m.
     See more at Hawaiʻi Short Term SO2 Advisory, and at airnow.

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IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME ON KĪLAUEA VOLCANO, proclaims this week's Volcano Watch written by scientists an affiliates at U.S.G.S Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:
     Last week’s Volcano Watch focused on the East Rift Zone eruption, which continues to impact the lower Puna District on the Island of Hawaiʻi. Changes in the eruption are occurring daily, if not hourly, so by the time you read this article, the situation will likely have changed. Nevertheless, here’s the status of the eruption as of Friday, May 11 (when this was written):
     Fifteen (now 16) fissures have erupted in the Leilani Estates area thus far. These outbreaks have typically been short-lived, lasting minutes to hours, with pauses between the fissures ranging from minutes to days. The fissure eruptions have covered about 117 acres with lava and emitted high levels of sulfur dioxide (https://vog.ivhhn.org/leilani-eruption). Earthquake activity, ground deformation measured by GPS, and the opening of new ground cracks east and west of Leilani Estates suggest that this eruption is not over and that additional fissures are likely to open.
     The breaking news of this past week, however, was about Kīlauea Volcano’s summit eruption.
On the morning of May 9, a large rockfall in Overlook Crater within 
Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea triggered a gas-driven
 explosion that sent an ash plume several thousand feet skyward.
 Phreatic (steam-driven) explosions can create larger ash plumes; the 
1924 explosions sent ash plumes up to 20,000 feet high. 
USGS photo
     On May 2, two days after the significant collapse in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone, the lava lake in Overlook Crater  within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea began to drop. The steady lowering of the lava lake over the next week increased the potential for phreatic (steam) explosions at Halemaʻumaʻu, which has resulted in the closure of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and concern among nearby residents.
     Explosive events have happened at the summit lava lake since the vent first opened in 2008. But those events have been gas-driven explosions caused by rocks falling from the crater walls. Rocks hitting the lake surface cause the release of gases dissolved in the lava, which explosively propels gas and ash upward, forming a dusty ash plume that rises above the lava lake.
     Since 2008, more than 60 gas-driven explosions have thrown tephra (general term for airborne volcanic rock fragments) and spatter (fragments of molten lava) onto the Halemaʻumaʻu crater rim. Fine ash particles have also been blown a few miles by wind, creating minor annoyances in downwind areas.
     But, phreatic, or steam-driven, explosions are much larger in scale and impacts. These explosions can occur when the lava column within a vent drops below the water table, allowing an influx of groundwater into the still-hot conduit.
     The mix of hot rock and water results in the formation of steam.  If the conduit remains open, the steam can passively rise to the surface, forming an impressive, but relatively benign, steam plume. 
     However, rocks falling from the conduit wall can form a plug that effectively chokes the conduit. When this happens, steam below the plug can no longer passively escape, so pressure builds until an explosion blasts through the conduit.
     During a phreatic explosion, large ballistics—boulders weighing up to several tons—can be blasted out in all directions, falling to the ground within about 1 km (0.6 mi) of the conduit.  Smaller rocks—marble to pea-sized—can be thrown 5-6 kilometers (up to 4 miles) from Halemaʻumaʻu, but where they land is largely influenced by wind direction.
     Phreatic explosions can produce towering plumes of gritty to fine ash that can be blown farther downwind, possibly tens of kilometers (20 or more miles). The fallout of ash will not be life-threatening, but it will be a nuisance for downwind communities. The thickness of ash deposits at a given location can range from a fine dusting to fractions of an inch, but the total thickness can add up with multiple explosions.
     It’s important to note that it’s not 100 percent certain that a phreatic explosion will occur at the summit of Kīlauea. But, based on the disappearance of the summit lava lake (it has now drained completely from view) and geophysical models, there’s a possibility that phreatic explosions could happen in the coming days or weeks. We must also note that these explosions can occur with no—or very little—warning.
To help us understand what could happen at Kīlauea Volcano’s summit, we look to past similar events, but this does not mean that future events
 will be exactly the same. This map shows the distribution of ballistics and tephra from the 1924 phreatic (steam-driven) explosions.
 Ballistics (blocks of rock) greater than 10 inches in size, with some weighing up to several tons, landed in the shaded pink area. Marble- to
pea-sized rocks (about 0.2–10 inches in size) landed in the yellow shaded area. The surrounding  light-colored area was subjected
 to gritty to fine ashfall, with fallout locations influenced by wind directionat the time of the explosions. The 1924 phreatic
explosions are described at: 
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/geo_hist_1924_halemaumau.htmlUSGS map
     Residents living near or downwind of Kīlauea’s summit area should learn about ashfall hazards, stay informed of the volcano’s status, heed all closures, and review family and business emergency plans. For more information about Kīlauea summit ash hazards, please visit https://vog.ivhhn.org/summit-ash-hazards.
     On May 9, U.S. Geological Survey scientists presented information about the possible phreatic explosions at Kīlauea’s summit. A video of this presentation is posted at http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2018/05/09/video-scientists-explain-summit-explosion-concerns-to-volcano-community/.
     Visit HVO’s website (https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo) for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa weekly updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call for summary updates at 808-967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 808-967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment
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.
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SUNDAY, MAY 13
‘Ōhi‘a Lehua, Sun, May 13 & 27, 9:30-11am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, and many forms of ‘ōhi‘a tree and its flower on this free, easy, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO

CANCELLED DUE TO PARK CLOSURE: Mother's Day Buffet, Sun, May 13, 5-8pm, Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp, inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Main entrees include Prime Rib, Lemon Butter Fish with Tropical Salsa and Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu. $29/Adult, $14.50/Child (6-11 yrs). Open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Reservations required. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

TUESDAY, MAY 15
Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., Tue, May 15, 4:30-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

The Wonderful World of Wine & Watercolor, Tue, May 15, 4-7pm, Volcano Art Center. Artist Nancy DeLucrezia shows how to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper and introduces basic painting techniques. Enjoy sampling of several wines. $30/VAC Member, $35/non-Member, plus $17 supply fee/person.

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Meeting, Tue, May 15, 4:30-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16
Lei Hulu Demonstration, Wed, May 16, 10-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Kilohana Domingo demonstrates his fine mastery of the intricate art of making feather lei. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/HAVO

Ocean View Community Association Board Meeting, Wed, May 16, noon-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

THURSDAY, MAY 17
VA Medical Services, Thu, May 3 & 17, 8:30-noon, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Thu, May 17, 9-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

Story Time with Auntie Linda from Tūtū & Me, Thu, May 17, 10:30-noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library. 929-8571

Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thu, May 17, 6:30pmUnited MethodistChurch in Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

Fishponds Of Hawai‘i: Free Lecture and Slideshow by Carol Araki Wyban, Thu, May 17, 7-8pm, Volcano Art Center. Artist presenting exhibited at Volcano Art Center Gallery, May 12-June 24. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

FRIDAY, MAY 18
Forest Restoration with Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Friday, May 18, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Work on the Mauna Loa strip, clearing invasive weeds around native seedlings planted in the past, allowing the park to control blackberry and other weeds without hurting the seedlings. Registration required. To volunteer, contact Patty Kupchak at forest@fhvnp.org or (808) 352-1402 by Monday evening May 14, 2018. Include your first & last name(s), email address(s), and a phone number in case of cancellation.

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Volunteer Estuary Restoration Workay, Fri, May 18, 9-3pm; contact in advance for meeting location. Short hike to site. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org

Ho‘okani Pila (Play Music) Workshop, Fri, May 18, 10-noon, Kahuku Unit, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn how to play simple, fun songs on the ‘ukulele. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

SATURDAY, MAY 19
Stained Glass Basics I w/Lois Pollock, Sat & Sun, May 19, 20, 26 & 27, 9-noon, Volcano Art Center. $90/VAC Member, $100/non-Member, plus $15 supply fee/person. Advance registration required; class size limited. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Hi‘iaka & Pele, Sat, May 19, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Discover Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Meeting, Sat, May 19, 10-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. Monthly meeting/training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

The Art Express, Sat, May 19, 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 w/Wahineaukai Mercado w/Ke Ana La‘ahana PublicCharter School, Sat, May 19, 10:30-11:30am, kahua hula (hula platform) at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. Volcano Art Center, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula w/ Loke Kamanu and ‘ohana, Sat, May 19, 11-1pm, Volcano Art Center Gallery lānai, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Cultural demonstration. Free. volcanoartcenter.org

Mongolian BBQ, Sat, May 19, 5-8pm Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. $0.85/ounce - choice of 13 veggies, 4 meats, sauces, chow mein, and beverage. Park entrance fees apply. Open to authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. 967-8356, kilaueamilitarycamp.com

Bunco & Potluck, Sat, May 19, 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

NEW & UPCOMING
A MEMORIAL DAY LEI ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITY, will take place Friday, May 25, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, announces Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation. The free activity is for all ages. Register Monday, May 21, through Friday, May 25. For more, contact Recreation Technician Teresa Anderson at 929-9113. Visit hawaiicounty.gov/recreation/ for more programs and office hours.

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ONGOING
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. Early registration ends May 14; price increase for half marathon from $80 to $85, 10K from $40 to $45, 5K stays at $30. Registration increases again August 1: half marathon to $95, 10K $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.

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