Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015

Cooler water and westerly winds are helping to weaken Tropical Storm Guillermo on its path north of Hawai`i.
Map from Weather Underground

KA`U AND VOLCANO CONSERVATIONISTS are at University of Hawai`i-Hilo this week for Hanohano Hawai`i Kua`uli, the 23rd Hawai`i Conservation Conference, through Friday. The Hawaiian title of the conferences means Celebrating Collaboration and Wisdom Across Hawai`i’s Ecosystems. The conference logo was designed by Sig Zane.

      The event is sponsored by the Hawai`i Conservation Alliance of organizations, ranging from Office of Hawaiian Affairs to The Nature Conservancy, Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, The Kohala Center and Hawai`i Wildlife Fund. This morning’s keynote speaker was Dr. Kamanamaikalani Beamer, the new president and chief executive officer of The Kohala Center, who recently hosted a session in Pahala for doctoral candidates and post-doctoral scholars working on Hawai`i projects. He has long been a researcher on governance, land tenure and Hawaiian resource management and directed the `Aina-Based Education at Kamehameha Schools and Stanford University’s First Nations Futures Institute.

Kamanamaikalani Beamer

      Tomorrow’s keynote speakers will be U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and state Department of Land & Natural Resources chair Suzanne Case. Workshops during the week include such topics as Building Partnerships to Support Science and Management of West Hawai`i’s Marine Ecosystem, Climate Change and Dominant Vegetation, Malama `Aina, Recapturing Kuleana and Enhancing Public Involvement in Management of Threats to Coral Reef Ecosystems.
      See a complete schedule, program and summaries at www.hawaiiconservation.org. 

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OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION volunteers, including its president Sandy Alexander, Richard Abbett and Karen and Ron Gall, submitted testimony to Hawai`i County Council’s Environmental Management Committee yesterday in support of a bill that would limit the county’s use of herbicides.
      According to Abbett, the Ocean View group testified that “the problem associated with over-application, airborne drip, inadequate warnings and postings and drying times, have proven to be nearly impossible to address. Residents refuse to accept any longer excuses of an inadequate budget to not implement pest management practices.
       “Short-term fiscal costs are less important than addressing the long-term cumulative effects, which are hidden costs, such as pervasive tumors and infections in sea turtles. It has also been tied to the loss of productivity, nearshore reefs and marine habitat.
     “Also, we are concerned with the continued use of herbicides by road maintenance entities in developments such as Hawaiian Ocean View Estates and Hawaiian Ocean View Ranchos. It should be disallowed, as runoff on right-of-ways flows onto private property and county-maintained roads downhill.”
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Tropical Storm Guillermo continues to lose strength on its path
north of the state. Map from NOAA

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH for Ka`u and Hawai`i Island is over. At 11 a.m., Tropical storm Guillermo was 245 miles from Hilo and continuing to move west-northwest with further weakening anticipated. The center of Guillermo is expected to pass about 160 miles north-northeast of the Big Island late tonight. Although the latest forecast is for sustained winds to remain below tropical storm force of 39 miles per hour, only a small change in the track could result in higher winds. 

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HAWAI`I’S FIRST-EVER Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area could be a model for Ka`u to follow. The result of years of discussions and collaboration between the Haena, Kaua`i community and various stakeholders, this historic rules package gives the Haena hui an opportunity to protect its ocean resources based on traditional fisheries management practices.

      Gov. David Ige said, “The Haena CBSFA is an outstanding example of self-determination and governance for a local community, which wants to not only preserve but enhance its local fishery for sustainability. I personally want to thank everyone involved for their patience and kokua in bringing this long process to a great conclusion.”

CBSFA coordinator Erin Zanre
Photo from DLNR

      The rules for the Haena CBSFA were approved by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources in October 2014. DLNR will hold a public hearing on the CBSFA Management Plan at a later date.
      DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said, “Community-based management of this nature isn’t only the past, but is now the future. This CBSFA reflects the hard work and commitment of the greater Haena community and provides a great example of how other communities and the state can collaborate to manage precious natural resources.”
      The Haena CBSFA is the result of more than a decade of work, overwhelming support from the local community and strong recognition that government cannot do it alone and community-based management and buy-in is critical to sustaining natural resources now and for future generations.
      The state requires interested communities to propose this type of designation, including management plans, to DLNR for consideration, said coordinator Erin Zanre. Areas must be proposed by community groups or organizations that have a charter and a membership. This requirement is meant to make the designation more inclusive of the entire community, according to Zanre.
      See dlnr.hawaii.gov.
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Sen. Brian Schatz

U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ SUPPORTS Pres. Barack Obama’s recently announced, ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions by 32 percent by 2030. 

      “Regulating carbon pollution under the Clean Air Act is morally and legally the right thing to do. Climate change impacts the health and welfare of all Americans. Severe weather events like droughts and wildfires have increased significantly, and coastal states including Hawai`i face direct threats from the impact of rising sea levels. The Clean Power Plan takes direct action to reverse climate change by regulating and reducing harmful carbon pollution from power plants. The plan establishes ambitious goals but gives states and regions flexibility on how to meet them.
      “By 2030, the plan will result in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 32 percent from 2005 levels, which will improve the health of American citizens, create thousands of jobs, encourage the development of clean energy and reduce the cost of energy bills. Earlier this year, more than half the Senate acknowledged, ‘Climate change is real, and human activity significantly contributes to climate change.’ President Obama’s Clean Power Plan is a milestone in the fight against climate change, and I pledge my full support in his effort to implement it.”

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THE VOLCANO FESTIVAL CHORUS, sponsored by the Kilauea Drama and Entertainment Network, is gathering for another season. Anyone who likes to sing and is interested in joining a holiday choir is invited to join in. The chorus gathers for its first meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at Volcano School of Arts & Sciences’ Keakealani campus at 7 p.m. Rehearsals on Tuesdays usually last for a couple hours. Performances will take place early in December.
      For more information, call Suzi Bond at 982-7344 or Roch Jones at 985-7026.

Wes Awana and `ukulele students. Photo from VAC

ALOHA FRIDAY at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park features `ukulele lessons with Wes Awana from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. 

      Call 967-8222 for more information.

VOLCANO ART CENTER’S Niaulani Campus offers yoga classes on today and tomorrow.
      Kripalu Yoga with Jo Caron at 5:30 p.m. each Wednesday is suited for beginners as well as long-time practitioners. Caron is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher from Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts, where she lived as a full-time resident for several years and taught yoga classes, meditation and self-development workshops. Cost is $5 per class. For more information, call 443-6993.
      Emily Catey Weiss helps students relax their bodies and rejuvenate their souls tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. The focus is on stretching and releasing both physical and mental tension. Open to both beginning and intermediate students, classes meet in the Great Room unless otherwise noted. Weiss also teaches on Mondays at 7:30 a.m. For more information, email emilycatey@hotmail.com.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015

Researchers return to Mars on Mauna Loa on Aug. 28 to spend a full year simulating long-term space exploration. Photos from HI-SEAS

THE PLANET MARS SIMULATION SITE ON  MAUNA LOA VOLCANO IN KA`U will receive six scientists who will live there for a  year beginning Aug. 28. This Hawai`i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation project will be the longest experiment to date for the program where a team lives in isolation in a dome at an elevation of 8,000 feet. Ka`u residents can follow the program on the website hi-seas.org and on Facebook.

Kim Binsted at HI-SEAS habitat
on Mauna Loa.

      This will be the fourth HI-SEAS mission in the University of Hawai`i at Manoa research project that simulates long-duration space exploration.
      As with the previous HI-SEAS missions in the NASA-funded study, this mission will focus on crewmember cohesion and performance. HI-SEAS researchers are working to develop effective team composition and support strategies to allow crews to successfully travel to Mars and back, an estimated three-year journey.
      The crew will be monitored using cameras, body movement trackers, electronic surveys and other methods. UH-Manoa researchers and their collaborators will be studying the group’s cohesion over time, gathering data on a wide range of cognitive, social and emotional factors that may impact team performance.
      “The longer each mission becomes, the better we can understand the risks of space travel,” said Kim Binsted, HI-SEAS principal investigator and UH-Manoa professor from the Department of Information and Computer Sciences. “We hope that this upcoming mission will build on our current understanding of the social and psychological factors involved in long-duration space exploration and give NASA solid data on how best to select and support a flight crew that will work cohesively as a team while in space.”

      Team members have a wide range of experience and educational backgrounds.
      Sheyna Gifford has worked on research projects in astrophysics, neuroscience and psychology and is a contributor to NASA educational websites, a medical writer and an advocate of STEM education. Her previous experience includes working on the HESSI satellite at Space Science Laboratories. She holds a bachelor of science in neuroscience and English, a master of clinical laboratory science and biotechnology, a master of science in journalism, a doctor of medicine and is currently earning a master of business administration.
      Tristan Bassingthwaighte is currently a doctor of architecture candidate at UH-Manoa. He is in the final stage of completing his master’s degree in architecture from Tongji University in Shanghai, where he studied abroad for a year looking at human habitation in extreme environments. His doctoral work will involve designing a next generation conceptual Mars habitat.

Andrzej Stewart

      Carmel Johnston is a soil scientist from Whitefish, Montana. Her previous research focused on effects of permafrost thaw on trace gas emissions in peat lands. Her interest in global food production and sustainability lead her to HI-SEAS to research food production in Mars simulation. She has a bachelor of science in soil and water science and a master in science in land resources and environmental sciences from Montana State University.

      Andrzej Stewart is an ardent light aircraft pilot and previously worked at Lockheed Martin as an interplanetary flight controller. He worked on console for the Spitzer Space Telescope, Mars Odyssey, MRO, MAVEN, Juno and GRAIL. Recently, he served as the flight engineer for the sixth mission of NASA’s Human Exploration Research Analog, simulating a two-week journey to asteroid 1620 Geographos. He earned a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2005 and an SM in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT in 2007.
      Cyprien Verseux is a doctorate student at the University of Rome. He is an astrobiologist working on the search for life beyond Earth and is also an expert in biological life support systems for Mars exploration. Part of his research aims at making human outposts on Mars as independent as possible of Earth by using living organisms to process Mars’ resources into products needed for human consumption.
      Christiane Heinicke is a German physicist and engineer. Most recently she has worked on sea ice and has also gained experience working with polar lights, metal melts and simulations of the Earth’s mantle. She received her bachelor of science in applied physics from the Ilmenau University of Technology in Germany and her master of science in geophysics from Uppsala University in Sweden.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Radar shows bands of rain off the Ka`u Coast produced
by Tropical Storm Guillermo. Map from NWS

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT for Ka`u and all of Hawai`i Island. Tropical storm Guillermo is expected to continue moving toward the northwest today with a shift toward the west-northwest expected tonight through Thursday morning. The latest Central Pacific Hurricane Center forecast estimates the center of Guillermo will pass approximately 215 miles northeast of Hilo tomorrow afternoon. Little change in strength is expected today, with slow and steady weakening anticipated thereafter. 

      CPHC warns that while this forecast track keeps the worst weather away from the islands, any deviation to the left of the expected track could bring tropical storm conditions to portions of the Big Island.
      Rainfall amounts of one to three inches will be possible in some areas, with isolated maximum amounts to seven inches possible mainly in higher terrain. Rainfall amounts will be lower if Guillermo tracks farther away from the islands than currently forecast.
      It is vital to not focus on the exact forecast track, according to CPHC. Forecast movement, direction and speed are only estimates. Even small errors in the forecast track can mean major differences in where the worst conditions will occur, and damaging effects can extend far from the center.
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Jessica Ferracane

IN ANTICIPATION OF HEAVY RAIN and wind forecast with the arrival of Tropical Storm Guillermo, all backcountry areas in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park will be closed as of 5 p.m. today until it is safe to reopen them, reported park Public Affairs Specialist Jessica Ferracane. No backcountry permits will be issued until park staff reassess the storm’s impact. 

      In addition, Mauna Loa Road from Kipukapuaulu to the Mauna Loa Lookout and Namakanipaio Campgrounds and A-frame cabins will close as of 5 p.m. today. Visitor centers, restrooms, lava tube, front-country trails, steam vents and other popular features will remain open.
      Park staff will continue to monitor the storm and assess conditions in the park. The public will be kept informed via news releases, social media and the park website, nps.gov/havo.
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NOAA SHIP OKEANOS EXPLORER is exploring the largely unknown deep-sea ecosystems in the Hawaiian Archipelago and offshore Johnston Atoll as part of the Hohonu Moana: Exploring the Deep Waters off Hawai`i expedition. During four separate cruise legs, NOAA and partners investigate deep waters in and around Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, the Geologists Seamounts group and the Main Hawaiian Islands.

Okeanos Explorer research tools include a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV,
to explore the deep ocean. Photo from NOAA

      Themes and objectives for the 2015 Expedition include:

• Acquire data to support priority marine national monument and national marine sanctuary science and management needs; 
• Identification and characterization of vulnerable marine habitats - particularly high-density deep-sea coral and sponge communities; 
• Characterization of seamounts within the Prime Crust Zone, an area of the Pacific with the highest expected concentration of deep-sea minerals, including rare metals and rare-earth elements; 
• Collect information on the complex geologic history of Central Pacific Seamounts, particularly those that are or may be relevant to our understanding of plate tectonics; and 
• Provide a foundation of publicly accessible data and information products to spur further exploration, research and management activities. 

      Operations use the ship’s deep-water mapping systems, NOAA’s two-body 6,000-meter remotely operated vehicle system, CTD rosett and a high-bandwidth satellite connection for real-time ship to shore communications.
      ROV dives include high-resolution visual surveys and limited sampling – including the first-ever look at deep seafloor habitats offshore of Johnston Atoll below 400 meters and habitats deeper than 2,000 meters in PMNM.
      This expedition provides extensive opportunities for the public to connect to the mission. Web pages for this expedition include background content, mission logs, daily updates, videos and images near real-time ship tracking features and a live video feed.
      See oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.
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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL meets tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Council Chambers in Hilo. The meeting is streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings. Agenda is also available on the website.
      Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Aug. 3, 2015

Boylan Slat raised millions to help clean up the ocean, and his mission is leading some 30 boats and crews to document plastic garbage between Hawai`i and California over the next three weeks. Photos from theoceancleanup.com

THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH, first discovered by Capt. Charles Moore, who presented his message and Plastic Ocean book in Ka`u, is the target of more exploration and description. Thirty boats set sail from Hawai`i yesterday, headed to California with the aim of identifying, sizing and counting plastics in the ocean, circulated by the North Pacific Gyre, a current that keeps plastics dumped in the ocean swirling around in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch until they sink to the bottom, further threatening marine life that ingests them.

Transpac racers are studying the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on their way
back to the West Coast.

     Most of the boats involved in the research are returning to the West Coast after competing in the Transpacific sailing race from California to Hawai`i, the event that led to Capt. Moore discovering the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 1997 as he was sailing home from Transpac.
    The current effort aims to document the plastics and raise money to build equipment to clean plastics from the ocean. Called The Mega Expedition, it is sponsored by The Ocean Cleanup, founded several years ago by then 18-year-old Dutch citizen Boylan Slat, who crowdfunded $2.2 million online through social media, coming up with the idea as a high school science project. Slat traveled to Hawai`i for the Mega Expedition send-off.
     The organization’s website says that “the Mega Expedition will collect more plastic measurements in three weeks than have been collected in the past 40 years combined.” See theoceancleanup.com. For more on Capt. Moore and his Plastic Ocean book, see algalita.org. For ocean cleanup activities in Ka`u, see wildhawaii.org or contact Megan Lamson at kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com or 769-7629.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Current models show Guillermo skirting by Ka`u. Map from NOAA

KA`U IS OUTSIDE OF TROPICAL STORM Guillermo’s current possible paths, according to latest data from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Models show the storm heading north of the islands on its track northwest As Guillermo moves closer to Hawai`i, watches may be issued later today or tonight for portions of the state. However, CPHC reported that it is still too soon to determine with certainty which islands are most likely to experience the greatest impacts from Guillermo. It is also important to note that significant impacts can extend well away from the storm’s center. 

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KATHRYN MATAYOSHI, SUPERINTENDENT of Hawai`i Public Schools, sent a letter to parent and guardians upon the opening of the 2015-16 school year.
      “Our state and school-level staff has been working hard this summer to ready school campuses and advance our knowledge and skills to best serve your children and prepare them for college, career and community,” Matayoshi wrote. “Our focus this year is ‘Proud to Serve Keiki.’ We’ve spent the last five years reforming the public school system to raise the quality of educational opportunity for your child — new standards, new assessments, new organizational structures to improve collaboration and use of data. These initiatives are starting to pay off — more students are graduating, more students are taking advanced coursework, more students are going to college and are prepared for college-level classes, more students are attending school, and more ninth-graders are transitioning successfully into high school.

Kathryn Matayoshi

      “While there is still work to do, progress is being made. Our military, business and nonprofit partners have taken note of it and are more involved. Reforms are taking root, and we have a solid foundation.
      “This fall, families of children who took the Smarter Balanced Assessment last spring — currently fourth- through ninth-graders and high school seniors — will receive a Family Report of their scores. We’ve been saying it for a while now, and it bears repeating — the SBA scores will set a new baseline and cannot be compared with our old assessment. SBA is more rigorous and aligned with Hawai`i Common Core Standards that provide better insight on students’ educational track and preparation for life after high school. You can learn more at your next parent-teacher conference, or at Parent Night at your school. …
      “We are proud to serve Hawai`i’s children, and we hope you’re proud of your public schools. Lots of our keiki feel the same way.”

      See hawaiipublicschools.org to watch I Am a Hawai`i Public School Student and for more information. 

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THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING and Urban Development has awarded $14,252,365 to Hawai`i in various grants to support development of affordable workforce housing for low and moderate-income persons, address homelessness and provide housing assistance and supportive services for low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

      The HUD funding, awarded under a formula, includes grants from the Community Development Block Grant Program, the Emergency Solutions Grant Program, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS awards. The state of Hawai`i will receive $7,286,071 through the CDBG program, which provides annual grants to states and local units of government to develop viable urban communities and housing principally for low- and moderate-income persons; $1,119,808 from the ESG program, which specifically targets homeless individuals and families to address homelessness; $5,205,409 from the HOME program, which helps to provide affordable housing to low- and very low-income families; and; and $641,077 through the HOPWA program, which provides housing assistance and services to low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

      “Homelessness is one of the most serious and urgent challenges we face in our state, and we need to act now to address it,” said U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. “With the governor’s new working group of state, county and federal leaders, we’re beginning to see a real and collective seriousness of purpose in solving homelessness from all levels of government. While resolving this crisis won’t come immediately or cheaply, this renewed focus puts us in a good position to work on real, long-term solutions. As part of this new task force and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’m going to be working closely with HUD and do my part to make sure federal funds, including grants like these, continue to give the state … the critical resources to finally address the housing shortage in Hawai`i and put people back in homes.”


      Sen. Mazie Hirono said, “Too many individuals and families in Hawai`i struggle to obtain a safe and stable home. The issues of affordable housing and homelessness are complex, but we need to continue to work toward solutions. The governor’s Leadership Team on Homelessness is an example of both the leadership and coordination that needs to take place at the federal, state and county levels of government to grapple with these issues statewide. Government by itself cannot solve these issues. It will take a collaboration between the public and private sectors, which is occurring. I will continue work with all stakeholders to secure necessary funding such as these grants, which allows Hawai`i to assist and address the needs of our most vulnerable individuals and families.”


      U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, “Hawai`i’s homelessness rate is already among the highest in the country. The extreme shortage of truly accessible and affordable housing on every island makes it increasingly difficult for families and individuals with limited resources to find a safe, stable place to live. While they don't solve the problem, these grants will help support local programs that serve those most in need.”
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Dick Hershberger presents A Walk into the Past tomorrow and every other Tuesday.
Photo by Ron Johnson

A WALK INTO THE PAST features Ka`u resident Dick Hershberger as Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas Jaggar tomorrow and every other Tuesday. Programs begin at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Participants then take a short walk to the Whitney Vault, where Jaggar conducted seismic and other research. 

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL HOLDS MEETINGS this week. Committee meetings tomorrow include Governmental Relations & Economic Development at 9 a.m., Planning at 9:30 a.m., Finance at 1 p.m. and Environmental Management at 2:30 p.m.
      The full Council meets Wednesday at 9 a.m.
      All meetings take place at Council Chambers in Hilo. They are streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings. Agendas are also available on the website.
      Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building.

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

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August2015.pdf.