Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2016

Pesticide buffer zones around schools and hospitals,  and more monitoring of pesticide drift from farms
to waterways and people, are some of the expected proposals at the 2017 Hawai`i Legislature.
Photo from Hawai`i Center for Food Safety

PESTICIDES IN AGRICULTURE will be the focus of a group of health advocates at the 2017 Hawai`i  Legislature, particularly since the courts have held that the state, not the counties, are allowed to regulate pesticides. An Associated Press story this week quoted west Ka`u's state Sen. Josh Green, who plans to introduce a ban on glyphosate, an herbicide used by farmers, gardeners, landscapers and state and county highway crews for weed control. Glyphosate, with brand names like Roundup, Accord, Rodeo, Touchdown, and Glyphosaste 360, was identified by the World Health Organization as a probable carcinogen.
     While the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization says glyphosate unlikely poses a carcinogenic risk through diet and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says glyphosate is of low toxicity to humans, Green, a physician, sees it differently. He said he is concerned with the aerial distribution of glyphosate and other toxic chemicals into the human respiratory system and onto the skin. He said breathing and touching glyphosate and similar herbicides are a risk to health.

Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association supports genetic
engineering and opposes government enforced buffer zones.
Photo from Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association

    "I'm hopeful that we're not going to wait for a bad event and see some terrible sickness in our state," Green told the AP.
     The AP story referred to herbicide use around an elementary school and in seed corn fields where workers became ill,  leading the Environmental Protection Administration to ask a federal judge in December to levy a $5 million fine on Syngenta. The EPA stated Syngenta failed to inform its farm workers in Hawai`i to stay out of fields treated with restricted pesticides. Several workers went to the hospital. "Syngenta allowed or directed workers to enter the treated field before the require waiting period had passed and without proper personal protective equipment. After the workers' exposure, Syngenta failed to provide adequate decontamination supplies onsite and failed to provide prompt transportation for emergency medical attention," the EPA concluded.
      The AP reported on an ongoing O`ahu and Kaua`i study of pesticides in surface water "before and during storms to evaluate if chemicals are moving offsite at unacceptable levels. The state also is planning to triple its fee to register pesticides to fund monitoring and to expand statewide the Kaua`i Good Neighbor Program - in which seed companies on Kaua`i voluntarily report their pesticide use monthly to the state."

Scott Enright, Chair of state Board of Agriculture.
Photo from Big Island Video News

     The AP story said that  "critics say the new programs fall short because reporting is voluntary and because the companies don't disclose the location where the pesticide is sprayed. Requiring companies to report spray locations could be tricky because fields where seeds are tested are generally spread out to avoid cross-pollination and because it's a competitive industry, said Scott Enright, chairman of the state Department of Agriculture." The AP report quoted Enright: "Even though they're doing similar work, Syngenta, Monsanto Dow and Pioneer are all competitors, and they're trying to keep the millions of dollars that the've put in to research the genetics lines that they're developing as confidential business information."
     The Hawai`i Crop Improvement Association, with many of the genetic engineering companies in its membership, objects to the buffer zones and other controls, saying they could hurt small farmers and are an affront to private property rights. The organization's website says that "Genetic changes have helped farmers improve crops in Hawai`i for centuries," and that "Today's seed companies continue that tradition by breeding crops for traits that help farmers achieve their goals, such as drought tolerance, increased yield, pest management or disease resistance."

   At the state legislature this year, proposals are expected to call for herbicide free buffer zones around schools and hospitals. Hawai`i Center for Food Safety director Ashley Lukens, who has given talks in Ka`u, said the genetic engineering industry, with companies like Syngenta, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont Pioneer and BASF, treat their crops with large amounts of pesticides that drift to nearby properties, creating a health risk.
     “It’s high time EPA called out Syngenta’s unethical and illegal practices," wrote Lukens. "The necessity of EPA’s complaint against Syngenta is a tragic reminder that despite federal regulations, our communities and our farm workers risk their lives every day – not to feed our families and country, but for the benefit of chemical companies that care only about their bottom line.
     “We are told time and time again that the pesticide/engineered seed industry in Hawai`i is a responsible user of agrochemicals and a ‘good neighbor’, but even a cursory look at the dismal environmental and public health track records of these companies reveals otherwise. The people of Hawai`i, our food, and our environment deserve so much more than an economy driven by greed.”
      See more at www.staradvertiser.com, www.bettercropshawaii.com and www.centerforfoodsafety.org/hawaii.

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STATE SEN. JOSH GREN hosts a talk story at King Kamehameha Hotel in Kona on Thursday, Jan. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. to discuss the 2017 Hawai`i Legislature.

The map shows the area that collapsed into the ocean on New Year's Eve. Map from USGS

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PU`U O`O," sang about 250 people celebrating the 34th anniversary of the beginnings of the current eruption. Ranger Dean Gallagher led the singing last night in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park auditorium as a prelude to a talk by Dr. Tina Neal, entitled “43 Years and Counting.” Neal is Scientist In Charge of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Her talk was an After Dark in the Park event, which, this month will feature talks on Vulcanology to promote Volcano Awareness Month.

Dr. Tina Neal, Scientist in Charge at 
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

     Addressing a packed auditorium, Neal recounted the various stages of the Pu’u O’o eruption, which began Jan. 3, 1983 about 10 miles from the auditorium, and the summit eruption which began about eight years ago about two miles from the talk.
     Neal described the activity of the first three years as “fountaining lava and fast-moving pahoehoe flows, which did not reach the ocean, but rattled windows in the Royal Gardens subdivision.” The next five-and-a-half years saw the creation of lava tubes which provided a conduit for the lava to reach the ocean. “This was the most destructive period,” said Neal. “One hundred-sixty eight structures, mostly homes, were destroyed.”
     From 1992 to 2007, the flows were to the southeast, extending the coastline for 15 years. From 2011 to 2014, the flows were again reaching the coast. June 2014 to March 2015 was a time of crisis when the outbreak on Pu’u O’o’s northeast flank sent lava flowing toward the Kahoe homesteads and Pahoa. One home was burned, the transfer station and cemetery were invaded, and then the lava flow stopped as the supply rate dropped.

Pu`u O`o's flows have amazed onlookers for 34 years.
USGS photo

     From April 2015 to May 2016, the volcano became “pressurized” and the 61g breakouts occurred – one to the north and another to the east. The northern-most lobe dried up as the eastern one got momentum, and by June 23 there was flow activity along the National Park boundary. On July 25, lava crossed the emergency road built in case Pahoa was cut off, and on July 26 lava reached the ocean for the first time since July 2013. The Ka’u Calendar published a Volcano Watch recap of the 2016 activity in this blog dated December 29.
     Neal explained the science behind the dramatic earth-shattering delta collapse of New Year’s Eve, which, fortunately, did not claim lives. She showed a slide of the first collapse, which destroyed most of the new delta, and of the second collapse, which destroyed “old” cliffs and invaded a small part of what had been designated a lava viewing area.
     She also talked briefly about the current summit activity, which began on March 19, 2008 with an explosion that created a vent about 115 feet wide in the Halema’uma’u crater within the Kilauea crater. This vent can be seen from the Jaggar Museum. Neal showed videos of the vent growing from wall collapse.
      Her plans for 2017 at the HVO include installing a radar system to monitor the activity within Halema’uma’u and getting a high-resolution heat sensing camera to monitor the gas plume. Scientists will also create a detailed map of the 61g pahoehoe flow so that they can better predict where flows are likely to go. 

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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS,  Thursday, Jan 5 at 9 a.m. Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building. See hawaiicounty.gov for agendas and live-streamed and archived meetings.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING, Thursday, Jan. 5 at 7 p.., Ocean View Community Center. 939-2442 and 928-2015.

www.kaucalaendar.com

Ka`u News Briefs, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017

Eruption crew rangers Rob Ely and John Moraes mark the closed area at the coastal cliffs with a white rope line.
  NPS Photo/Janice Wei

A NEW LAVA VIEWING AREA AT KAMOKUNA was established by park rangers on Tuesday, following the large lava delta collapse on New Year’s Eve. The new lookout is approximately 900 feet east of a cascade of lava pouring into the ocean, and about 60 feet inland of the coastal cliffs. Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park rangers, in conjunction with USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists, thoroughly assessed the area, and established the new viewing site with white rope lines and numerous signs that clearly mark hazardous closed areas.
    Visitors are strongly urged to stay out of closed areas and heed all posted warning signs and park rangers.

New lava cascade at Kamokuna in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on
Monday, Jan. 2. NPS Photo/J.Ferracane

    “Visitors who do not heed warnings not only endanger themselves but the lives of others, including our park rangers, who work tirelessly to ensure a safe visitor experience,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando.
    After the delta collapse on New Year’s Eve, a group of five visitors ignored rangers and warning signs and slipped beneath the white rope lines into a closed area at the coast. Two park rangers had to chase after them, and made them turn around – 15 minutes before the area they were standing on collapsed into the ocean.
    In addition to the threat of another land collapse, the toxic plume of volcanic particles and acidic gas generated by lava mixed with ocean water is very dangerous, and irritates the lungs, skin and eyes. Land collapses, which trigger tsunami-like waves, and the toxic gas plume, are also a serious threat to aircraft and boats. There is currently a 1,000-foot above-ground-level temporary flight restriction at Kamokuna.
    HVO scientists estimate that nearly all of the 26-acre lava delta is now gone, along with more than four acres of older coastal cliff area, which included the former lava viewing site. The collapse on New Year’s Eve started in the afternoon and lasted several hours, creating blasts of volcanic rock and a series of damaging waves, in addition to a thick, dark plume of debris and gas.

Visitors begin the five-mile hike to Kamokuna shortly after the
 park opened the lava viewing area on Tuesday, January 3, the
34th anniversary of the eruption of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō vent on Kīlauea,
the source of the lava flows going into the ocean today.
  NPS Photo/Janice Wei

    It is closer from the east entrance to reach the new lava viewing area within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. From the east, or Kalapana/County of Hawai‘i side, visitors must hike about 4.2 miles one way along the gravel emergency access road. This entrance is open daily from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. From the park, or west side, visitors can hike out from the Coastal Ranger Station at the end of Chain of Craters Road, about five miles one-way. About one mile of the hike goes inland of the gas plume over hardened, uneven lava flows. The park entrance is open 24 hours a day.
    Hikers need to be prepared for a long trek. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots, gloves to protect the hands, and long pants to protect against lava rock abrasions. Carry plenty of water (three to four quart/liters per person). Wear sunblock, sunglasses and a hat. Visitors who plan to stay after dark need a flashlight and/or headlight with extra batteries.
    For hiking tips, visit the park website https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/upload/Hiking-Tips.pdf. For County of Hawai‘i Lava Viewing information, call (808) 430-1966. For the latest eruption updates, visit the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website: http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php. Monitor air quality at http://www.hawaiiso2network.com/.

A FLOAT NAMED SPIRIT OF HAWAI`I took top prize in the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade on Monday. The annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA. was attended by about 700,000 people and viewed on television by about 70 million. It was held on Jan. 2, since the traditional New Year's Day parade date fell on a Sunday.
     The float featured a 10-foot tall sculpture of King Kamehameha, an erupting Hawai`i Island volcano, four waterfalls utilizing 2,000 gallons of recycled water, and floral sculpted animals including parrots, sea turtles and geckos decorated in tropical flowers. Fruits featured on the float were provided by Dole Packaged Foods, including bananas, pineapples, and mangoes. The float was 55 feet long, 18 feet wide and over 28 feet tall.

Spirit of Hawai`i took first place in the Tournament of Roses Parade in
Pasadena, CA on Monday.

    In a statement, the company said “Dole is proud to announce its 2017 Rose Parade float, "Spirit of Hawaii," took home the coveted Sweepstakes Trophy for this year's Tournament of Roses Parade for its outstanding floral presentation and design. Dole has received much recognition from the Tournament, holding the Rose Parade record for most Sweepstakes Trophy wins, having won the award six out of the seven times it has participated.”
     Spirit of Hawai`i celebrates Dole Packaged Foods' origins in Hawaii in 1899. The company is currently based in California. The float featured non GMO fruits, showcasing Dole’s “commitment to preserving natural resources around the world”.

A BILL RELATED TO AGRICULTURAL TOURISM goes before the County of Hawai`i's Windard Planning Commission on Thursday, Jan. 5 at the Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street in Hilo. The bill aims to define "agricultural tourism" and include new definitions for "agricultural products" and "agriculturally related products." It also would define requirements for plan approval review and regulation for ag tourism operations. Agricultural tourism is considered a way to promote Hawai`i agriculture and subsidize farmers who face a high cost of doing business in Hawai`i. It has also been a cause for concern in some neighborhoods where tourists cars line the neighborhood roads.

Visiting the drying floor of Ka`u Coffee Mill would be an example of acceptable
agricultural tourism, according to the newly proposed regulations.
  Photo from Ka`u Coffee Mill

    The proposed measure says that, "Agricultural t tourism means visiting an agribusiness, horticultural, aquacultural or agricultural operation that is managed by the owner or by an operator resident at the subject property for the purpose of recreation, education, or active involvement in the operation, other than as a contractor or employee of the operation, and includes the sale of agricultural products and agriculturally-related products. The term agricultural tourism does not include educational tours sponsors and conducted by public or private schools located within the County."

     The proposed legislation also says, "Agricultural products means the commodities resulting from income producing activities or uses such as the cultivation of crops, including but not limited to flowers, vegetables, foliage, fruits, forage, and timber; apriary activities, including but not limited to royal  jellly, bee pollen, and beeswax; farming or ranching activities or uses related to animal husbandry, aquaculture, or game and fish propagation; and production of compost or mulch.

     The bill describes two types of operators:

     Agricultural tourism major "means an agricultural tourism operation that qualifies to host between five thousand and thirty thousand visitors annually."

A visit to Earth Matters farm to see organic agriculture in on South
Point Road  would be another example of agrotourism.
Photo from Earth Matters

     Agricultural tourism minor "means an agricultural tourism operation that qualifies to host less than five thousand visitors annually."

     Agricultural tourism major requires plan approval prior to operation. Both major and minor operations require approval prior to construction or installation of any new structure and for any addition to that exceeds ten percent of the existing structure.

        Plan approval applications require such information as whether there will be visits by buses and the carrying capacity of the busses, proof of adequate on street or off street parking, loading, unlaoding and turn around space, adequate legal acces to a public highway, and a plan for vehicular and pedistrian access ways. 

     Ag tourism revenue cannot exceed the revenue that comes from the agricultural enterprise, the legislation states. If the farm or ranch shuts down, so does the related ag tourism, the bill states.

     For the entire bill, see http://www.hiagtourism.org/wordpress/hata-wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/bill-amendch25-agtourism-final.pdf.

HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, Wednesday and Thursday, Jan 4 and 5 at 9 a.m. Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building. See hawaiicounty.gov for agendas and live-streamed and archived meetings.

OPEN MIC NIGHT, Wed. Jan. 4 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Kilauea Millitary Camp's Lava Lounge in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Singers, bands, comedians are welcome. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

OCEAN VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MEETING, Thursday, Jan. 5 at 7 p.., Ocean View Community Center. 939-2442 and 928-2015.

www.kaucalendar.com

Ka`u News Briefs, Monday, Jan. 2, 2017

A ranger at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park helps educate visitors whose numbers surged in the park over the holidays. See story below.

KA`U'S MEMBERS OF THE U.S. SENATE AND U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES take their seats Tuesday, Jan. 3 when the 115th Congress convenes in Washington, D.C. Sen. Brian Schatz will serve on the Senate's Appropriations, Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Indian Affairs Committees. He will also serve on the Select Committee on Ethics. Sen. Mazie Hirono will serve on the Judiciary Committee, as well as the  Committees on Armed Services, Energy and Natural Resources, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Veterans' Affairs. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will serve on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Armed Services Committee.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz says he will fight for the environment as he joins Hawai`i's
congressional delegation Tuesday for the convening of the 115 Congress of
the United States. Photo from Brian Schatz

 All three are expected to fight for the environment and work to retain many aspects of Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid, including health insurance for adult dependent children, and a prohibition against denying insurance based on preconditions. The Republicans and President-Elect Donald Trump have vowed to repeal Obamacare.

     On environmental issues, Sen. Brian Schatz is expected to fight to defend President Obama's declaration on Dec. 20, which put a permanent ban on offshore oil and gas drilling in large areas of the Arctic and Atlantic. "This is a major step toward protecting our oceans and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels," said Schatz.  The Hawai`i senator said that while Obama "called his action a permanent ban, Donald J. Trump, and a Republican Congress will be able to roll back some recent environmental regulations." 

       Schatz said he will do everything he can to block the nomination of climate change denier Scott Pruitt, named by Trump to head the Environmental Protection Agency. He called the nomination of Pruitt a "four alarm fire for the environmental community and anybody who cares about clean air and clean water." Pruitt has sued the EPA several times as Attorney General for Oklahoma, to overturn bans on such pollutants as smog, soot, arsenic and mercury. Schatz said Pruitt is "on the wrong side of science, on the wrong side of history." Schatz said Pruitt "is not qualified to lead the EPA."

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will serve on the Armed
Services and Foreign Affairs Committees.
Photo from Tulsi Gabbard

Sen. Mazie Hirono will serve on the
Judiciary, Veterans Affairs, Armed
Services and more committees.
Photo from Mazie Hirono

    Schatz called the Pruitt nomination "a-historical" without any historical precedent. He noted that the Republican administrations of both Presidents Bush did not appoint  EPA administrators who intended to dismantle the EPA. Schatz called Pruitt "someone who has made a professional out of denying the science of climate change. This is someone who has made a profession out of undermining the ability of the EPA to enforce the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act." He said the "EPA has an obligation to administer the law. The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are still on the books. This is scary stuff."

     Concerning the Paris Agreement with nearly 200 countries signing on to policies that could reduce global warming and adopt clean energy,  Schatz said it would be sad for the U.S. to abdicate its world leadership in clean energy. He said China would like to take that lead and the U.S. could lose not only the moral high ground but also much business associated with producing clean energy.   

      Schatz said the U.S. Senate has 48 Democrats who could vote against Trump's EPA nomination and would need 51 votes against Pruitt to deny him the EPA post. Schatz said there are four or five Republicans who could cross over. He is asking them "to put their country first, to put the next generation first, to put the planet first and put partisan politics aside and reject the climate denier. ...Here's the litmus test for them: If you are not a climate denier, you can not vote for this administrator of the EPA," said Schatz.  

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The delta collapse at Kamokuna in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park on Dec. 31. Photo from NPS

THE COLLAPSE OF THE LAVA DELTA INTO THE OCEAN on New Years Eve at Kamokuna is drawing more analysis by U.S. Geological Service scientists, who are also issuing cautionary notices to onlookers.  

    They reported today that "The episode 61g flow is still active and entering the ocean at Kamokuna. Nearly all of the lava delta at Kamokuna collapsed into the ocean on Dec. 31. Also, a large section of the older sea cliff east of the lava delta collapsed into the sea. The collapsed part of the sea cliff extended about 180 m (590 ft) east of the delta edge, and cut inland about 70 m (230 ft) from the shoreline!
     "As a strong caution to visitors viewing the episode 61g flow ocean entry (where lava meets the sea), there are additional significant hazards besides walking on uneven surfaces and around unstable, extremely steep sea cliffs. Venturing too close to an ocean entry exposes you to flying debris created by the explosive interaction between lava and water. Also, the new land created is unstable because it is built on unconsolidated lava fragments and sand. This loose material can easily be eroded away by surf, causing the new land to become unsupported and slide into the sea. In several instances, such collapses, once started, have also incorporated parts of the older sea cliff.       

     "Prominent cracks observed in the surface of the relatively large eastern lava delta at Kamokuna indicate instability and an increased potential for larger collapse events. Finally, the interaction of lava with the ocean creates a corrosive seawater plume laden with hydrochloric acid and fine volcanic particles that can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs."
     See  fact sheets for additional information: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs152-00/
For comprehensive information on volcanic air pollution, see the vog dashboard at: www.ivhhn.org/vog/

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VISITATION TO HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK surged over the holidays. Parking lots at popular destinations like Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube), Jaggar Museum and Kīlauea Visitor Center were at capacity.  "With Kīlauea erupting from two locations, the park remains a powerful draw for visitors who want to see volcanic activity. As a result, the park is very crowded, especially during peak hours between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.," said an HVNP statement.
     Chief Ranger John Broward said,  “We’ve had some visitors wait up to an hour to park, and we have park rangers working in traffic control. We remind everyone to please be patient and treat rangers and other drivers with respect and aloha.”      
     Park rangers offer these tips so all visitors have a positive and memorable time in the national park:

- Plan to arrive early and explore Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube) before 9 a.m. Not only is parking available, but the lava tube is often empty of people. Birdwatching at Nāhuku is best in the early morning. - Want to hike Kīlauea Iki Trail? This four-mile trek is one of the most scenic and popular trails in the park. Plan to hit the trail by 7 a.m., and be out by 10 a.m. - Drive and explore Chain of Craters Road. This historic and scenic road originates at the summit of Kīlauea and stretches 19 miles to Hōlei Sea Arch. Many overlooks, pullouts, and lesser-known hikes (Mauna Ulu, Pu‘uloa Petroglyphs) abound – and it’s an ideal way to avoid the crowds and see more of what the park offers. The Coastal Ranger Station at the end of Chain of Craters Road is the starting point for a 10-mile roundtrip hike to see lava enter the ocean at Kamokuna.
- Night owl or early riser? The best time to observe the glow from Halema‘uma‘u is before sunrise, or after 9 p.m., when most visitors have left. The park is open 24 hours a day. Visitors can see what Kīlauea is doing before arrival by checking the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcams.                            
- Jaggar Museum is the closest visitors can get to the summit eruption’s glowing lava lake, and it’s the park’s most popular spot after 5 p.m. (More than 8,000 people were counted one evening at Jaggar Museum during the holidays.) Those who can’t avoid peak hours, consider observing the glow from a less-crowded location, like Keanakāko‘i, ‘Akanikōlea (Steam Vents), or Kīlauea Overlook. From Kīlauea Overlook, it’s a short walk to Jaggar Museum along Crater Rim Trail, but bring a flashlight and a jacket.  
- Mauna Loa Road is well worth exploring during peak hours, especially in good weather. Kīpukapuaulu offers an easy, forested hike, and the views and birdwatching are excellent along the way to the Mauna Loa Overlook at 6,662 feet.
- Visit Kahuku. Kahuku is free, never crowded, and is open to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month. Located on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5 in Ka‘ū.
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34 YEARS AND COUNTING is the talk by Tina Neal, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist in Charge on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at Kilauea Visitor Center Auditorium at 7 p.m. She will discuss the ongoing eruption and etail the past year's activity at Kilauea Volcano. Free; park entrance fees apply.

KA`U COFFEE GROWERS MEETING is Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m., Pahala Community Center.