Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Jan. 6, 2017

Sen. Mazie Hirono meets with Secretary of Defense nominee General James Mattis today in Washington, D.C.
Photo from the Office of Sen. Mazie Hirono

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO SECURED A COMMITTMENT from General James Mattis today to continue to strengthen America’s strategic interests in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region if he is confirmed to serve as the next Secretary of Defense under President-elect Donald Trump.
     “Hawai`i has a huge role to play in our strategic interests in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. General Mattis assured me that he shares my perspective that our actions and continued presence in the region are of critical importance to national security,” Hirono said.
     Hirono also pressed Secretary of Defense nominee to pledge to combat sexual assault in the military and to prevent retaliation against any soldier that lodges a complaint. “I have been very vocal in my support of making sure that we prevent and prosecute sexual assault in the military,” Hirono said. “I asked General Mattis to address allegations of sexual assault in an effective way, and to take action to prevent retaliation that occurs all too often when these crimes are reported.”
    Hirono identified a number of areas of concern in her meeting with the General, saying she will also address them directly during his confirmation hearing.
     “I continue to have serious concerns about how the incoming Trump administration will repair the damage caused by the President-elect’s comments about our Asian allies during his campaign, and his approach to conflicts in the Middle East. I look forward to asking these and other questions during General Mattis’ confirmation hearing."
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Rear Admiral Craig Faller presents Senator Hirono with the Navy Distinguished 

Public Service Award. Left to right: Lieutenant Joe Buckley, Lieutenant Kaitlyn Bower,

 Colonel Andrew Mills, Rear Admiral Craig Faller, Senator Hirono, 

Captain Sara Joyner, Ms. Sandra Latta. Photo from Office of Sen. Mazie Hirono

THE DEPTARTMENT OF THE NAVY HONORED SEN. MAZIE HIRONO today for her advocacy for Navy and Marine Corps service members. Rear Admiral Craig Faller, on behalf of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, presented the U.S. Senator with the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor that the Secretary of the Navy can award to a civilian who is not employed by the Navy.
    “It is an honor to fight for Navy and Marine Corps service members in Hawai`i and around the world,” said Hirono. “We will continue to work closely together to advance Hawai`i’s key role in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Rebalance, and to support service members, Navy and Marine Corps civilian employees, and their families.”
     Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said, "This award was presented to recognize Senator Hirono's tremendous support for our Sailors and Marines and her forceful advocacy for the resources needed to maintain a strong Navy and Marine Corps. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated leader in the U.S. Senate.”
     Hirono is the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, which oversees Navy and Marine Corps programs.
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MAYOR HARRY KIM'S APPOINTMENTS to date for department heads in his Hawai`i County administration have  almost all passed unanimously, with seven receiving County Council approval on Thursday. The department heads are:

Mike Yee

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I DIRECTOR OF FINANCE: The mayor chose a private industry professional, Collins Tomei, who had worked in banking since 1984, most recently as branch manager of Territorial Savings Bank in Hilo. Tomei holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of Hawaii - Manoa.

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I DIRECTOR OF PLANNING: Mike Yee, with a background in affordable housing and helping community members build assets and achieve economic security, was the mayor's choice. He recently left his post as Senior Director of Housing and Property Services for the YWCA in Seattle. Yee has over 27 years of property and asset management experience, working in public, private, non-profit and corporate sectors. In the early 1990s, Yee initiated community meetings with the Seattle Police Department in the Chinatown International District with help from Seattle Neighborhood Group. He has worked with the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority. Yee earned his Bachelor of Arts in in Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Washington and a Master of Business Administration from Seattle University. His wife is from Hilo.

Diane Ley, with a strong background in agriculture, is the new
Director of Research & Development for Hawai`i County.
Photo from U.S. Department of Agriculture

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: The mayor chose a person with a career in the  agricultural research and assisting farmers and ranchers in Hawai`i. Diane Ley was the U.S. Departmnet of Agriculture Executive Director for its Farm Service Agency in the Pacific Basin. She worked as deputy chair for the state Board of Agriculture and as administrative assistant for the Hawi`i Farm Bureau Federation statewide office in Honolulu. In the private sector, she has run a Volcano vegetable farm.

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR: The mayor chose engineer Frank DeMarco who worked with the county for seven years, with experience in floodplain management, and as Environmental Management Director. In California, he worked more more than two-and-a-half decades for a water quality board.

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I  DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: The mayor selected civil and chemical engineer Bill Kucharski. During his career of four decades, Kucharski served in such positions as the head of the Departmnet of Environmental Quality for the state of Louisiana. He also headed a program after the 1980 Middle East War in which Kuwait made claims against Iraq for damages against its infrastructure and people.

Corporate Counsel has the tough job of serving both
the administration and County Council.
Joe Kamelmela is the nominee.
Photo from County of Hawai`i

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I DIRECTOR OF PARKS & RECREATION. The mayor brought back Charmaine Kamaka, parks director under former mayor Lorraine Inouye. With 20 years of government service, Kamaka has also been a program specialist with the county Department of Human Resources.

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION & PLANNING: The mayor chose Jules Ung who worked at Research Corp. at University of Hawai`i and more recently as a contractor on such projects as a EnVision Maunakea website to promote and inspire community online discussions about Maunakea's future.

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I MANAGING DIRECTOR: The mayor chose Wil Okabe who was confirmed in December.

COUNTY OF HAWAI`I CORPORATE COUNSEL: The mayor has nominated Joe Kamelamela, who worked in the county Office of Corporate Counsel from 1987 to 2014, including a stint as Senior Deputy Corporate Counsel. Several council members talked about the difficulty of the Corporate Counsel position requiring the attorney to serve two masters, the mayor and the council. The council members voted 7-2 to keep his appointment alive and had numerous questions for Kamelamela. The questioning will continue ton Jan. 25 before deciding on the mayor's nomination.
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DIETRICH VAREZ ILLUSTRATIONS of Hawaiian folklore and customs of the islands as well as stories from Pele's heartland go on display Saturday, Jan. 7 at Volcano Art Center Gallery.

MAUNA LOA SOUTHWEST RIFT ZONE hike to the overlook on Upper Palm Trail, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, near Ocean View.

CLAY HIGH-FIRE SERIES  on Sundays beginning Jan. 8 at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Space limited. Fee. 967-8222.

www.kaucalendar.com

MEDICINE FOR THE MIND. Buddhist healing meditation teaching for beginners through advanced, Volcano Art Center, Sunday, Jan. 8 at 4 p.m.. Free. 985-7470.

SENIOR ID's available, Monday, Jan. 9 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Pahala Housing Center and 11 a.m. to noon at Na`alehu Community Center. For residents 60 and older. 928-3100.
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Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017

A 66 year old albatross living in Hawai`i is making international news as the world's oldest-known breeding bird in the wild.
 See story below. Photo from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP'S "HYPOCRICY in denying Russian interference in the election," was the criticism levied by U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono on Thursday, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on cybersecurity threats. “It’s more than ironic that we have a President-elect who kept talking about our elections being rigged, but at the same time denying Russia’s interference in our election." Hirono said.

Sen. Mazie Hirono calls out Donald Trump for hypocracy in
denyingRussian intervention in the U.S. election.
Photo from Sen. Mazie Hirono

     Hirono also questioned the witnesses, including Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Admiral Michael Rogers of U.S. Cyber Command, about the impact of the President-elect’s disparaging comments about the intelligence community might have on efforts to recruit an experienced and skilled cyber workforce.
   "If this attitude doesn’t change on the part of decision makers, including the President, wouldn’t you agree that it would make it that much harder to attract the kind of experienced cyber workforce we need to protect our country?” Hirono asked.
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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO plans to meet with President-Elect Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense nominee General James Mattis on Friday. Hirono, who is a member of the Senate Armerd Services Committee, said she will press Mattis on his commitment to the Indo-Asia Pacific rebalance, his position on civilian control of the military and and the Trump administration’s views on establishing a fair, impartial system to address sexual assault in the military. The meeting will take place in the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.
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Chis Todd is the new state Rep.
taking the seat of the late
Clift Tsuji

CHRIS TODD WILL REPLACE THE LATE CLIFT TUSJI as a state House of Representatives member from the Big Island. A statement from Gov. David Ige says: "After careful consideration of three nominees selected by the Hawai‘i County Democratic Party, Gov. David Ige today appointed Chris Todd to the State House of Representatives, District 2. Todd will fill the seat left vacant by the late Rep. Clift Tsuji, who died on Nov. 15, 2016."   
      Todd was born and raised in Hilo, where he earned his college degree in economics and political science from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. He held several positions at the Suisan Fish Market before becoming distribution manager for Hawai‘i Paper Products last year.
     Todd coaches football at Hilo High School. His wife, Britney, is a teacher at Kalanianaole Middle School.
     “I am very grateful for this opportunity to serve my community. I look forward to the hard work ahead and will always keep an open door and mind,” Todd said.
     The governor is required by law to make his selection from a list of nominees submitted by the Democratic Party.
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"WISDOM OF THE ALBATROSS," reports BBC news, writing that the large seabird called Wisdom, "the world’s oldest-known breeding bird in the wild, has laid an egg at 66 years of age after returning to a wildlife refuge in the Pacific Ocean."
     The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service staff has posted photos from the Midway Atoll in the national wildlife refuge, showing the albatross mom with an egg incubating between her feet. Midway hosts the world's largest colony of albatross.
    BBC reports her story: "Wisdom’s journey back to motherhood, at 66 years of age or possibly older, has amazed staff at the refuge.

One of the offspring of Wisdom the oldest known
albatross. Photo from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

    "Laysan albatrosses, which are monogamous, typically live for 12 to 40 years. They spend the vast majority of their lives in the air, flying thousands of miles each year in search of food across vast tracts of the north Pacific Ocean.
    “'I find it impressive that not only has Wisdom returned for over six decades as the oldest living, breeding bird in the wild, but also that biologists here on Midway have been keeping records that have allowed us to keep track of her over the years,' Charlie Pelizza of the Midway Atoll refuge wrote. 'When I made it to lunch, I knew something was up. The staff was abuzz with the news that Wisdom was back and incubating.'
     "The biologist Chandler Robbins, now 98, first placed an aluminium band around the albatross’s ankle at the Pacific Ocean atoll in 1956. Forty-six years later, Robbins spotted Wisdom among thousands of birds near the same nesting area and affixed a sturdier band to her ankle.
    "Wisdom has fledged at least nine chicks since 2006, and travelled roughly 3m miles in her lifetime. Her latest chick, Kukini, hatched in February.
     "Wildlife officials said Wisdom would be likely to incubate her egg for a number of days until her mate, Akeakamai – a Hawaiian word that means a love of wisdom – returned to take over the incubation and she ventured to sea to eat."
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NEW HULA CLASSES ARE STARTING UP IN PAHALA, under Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder. They will be held on Wednesdays at Pahala Community Center, with registration on Feb. 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The classes are sponsored by Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i. Classes are traditional and modern, Kahiko and `Auana.
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VOLCANO WATCH INTRODUCES CASCADES VOLCANO OBSERVATORY in this week'
s presentation by scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:
     "Most readers are familiar with HVO—the first volcano observatory in the United States, and one of the oldest such facilities in the world. But how well do you know the other four U.S. Geological Survey volcano observatories, and how work in Hawaiʻi has influenced each?
      "We start our exploration with the second oldest USGS observatory—the David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington.
      "CVO was founded after the devastating May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens, during which the observatory’s namesake lost his life while monitoring the activity. During the two-month buildup to that eruption, a steady stream of volcanologists set up camp in Vancouver, collocated with U.S. Forest Service headquarters. Many of these scientists were current or past Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff, since Hawaiʻi is an ideal place for USGS scientists to gain familiarity with studying and monitoring active volcanoes.
     "Following the catastrophic 1980 eruption, several smaller explosions and lava extrusions occurred at Mount St. Helens, which demanded continuous observation to better understand how the volcano worked and to provide warnings of volcanic hazards. Most of the monitoring techniques used there had been pioneered in Hawaiʻi; for example, laser ranging and tilt to assess deformation, and strategies to sample gas emissions.
    "The acknowledgement that Mount St. Helens is just one of over a dozen large volcanoes in the Cascade Range of Washington, Oregon, and California led to Cascades Volcano Observatory's permanent establishment in 1982. The observatory rapidly built basic monitoring networks on all the volcanoes for which it is responsible.
      "After Mount St. Helens went quiet in 1986, CVO focused attention on other Cascade volcanoes and volcanic processes. Scientists designed experiments to understand volcanic landslides, studied how sediment from a volcano can influence river systems, and mapped each of the volcanoes to better understand their past activity.

Cascades is a sister to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the home of
Mount St. Helens. Photo from USGS

      "Working groups were formed for each Cascade volcano to develop volcano response and coordination plans, which are critical tools for ensuring smooth communications and effective responses during a volcano crisis. The Volcano Disaster Assistance Program, a collaborative effort of the USGS and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance that is headquartered at CVO, also quickly grew into a world renowned team of experts that responds to volcanic crises around the world at the request of foreign governments.
      "CVO’s preparation and vigilance paid off when Mount St. Helens rumbled back to life in September 2004, beginning a period of lava dome growth with occasional small explosions that lasted until early 2008. The eruption was a great opportunity for scientists to further develop new technologies to study the eruption, including remote cameras (based on an HVO design), as well as robotic “spiders” that hosted multi-parameter instrument packages and could be deployed by helicopter.
      "After 2008, CVO embarked on a mission to upgrade monitoring at all Cascade volcanoes, including better seismic networks, continuous GPS stations, gas monitoring sensors, and other instruments. In 2004, there were only four continuous GPS stations dedicated to volcano monitoring in the Cascades—one at Mount St. Helens and three at South Sister, Oregon. Today, there are several dozen GPS stations spread across the Range.
      "CVO’s work is not done, however. Some Cascade volcanoes still have relatively few monitoring instruments. Educating local populations about volcanic hazards—especially if the “volcano in their backyard” hasn’t erupted in several hundred years—also remains a priority. In these efforts, CVO and HVO work together, exchanging staff to facilitate the sharing of ideas and best practices.
      "Next week, we’ll visit the observatory that tracks volcanoes in the Last Frontier—Alaska! Until then, please join us for this coming week’s Volcano Awareness Month talks at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Jan. 10 and Hilo’s Lyman Museum on Jan. 12.
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VOLCANO ACTIVITY UPDATES: Kīlauea continues to erupt at its summit and East Rift Zone. This past week, the summit lava lake level varied between about 9 and 34 m (30–112 ft) below the vent rim. The 61g lava flow was still active and entering the ocean near Kamokuna. On Dec. 31, nearly all the eastern Kamokuna lava delta collapsed into the ocean, along with a large section of the older sea cliff east of the delta. Significant hazards are associated with ocean entries and delta collapses, so visitors to the coastal lava viewing area are cautioned to heed all warning signs and to stay outside closed areas. A younger branch of the 61g flow is advancing slowly to the east of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, but none of the 61g flows pose an immediate threat to nearby communities.
     ew small-magnitude earthquakes occurred beneath the volcano, primarily in the upper Southwest Rift Zone and summit caldera at depths less than 5 km (3 miles). GPS measurements continue to show deformation related to inflation of a magma reservoir beneath the summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone.
      No earthquakes were reported felt on the Island of Hawaiʻi during the past week.
      Visit the HVO website http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa weekly updates, volcano photos, recent earthquakes info, and more; call for summary updates at 808-967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 808-967-8866 (Mauna Loa); email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
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SPAGHETTI DINNER FUNDRAISER at St. Jude's Church in Ocean View on Friday, Jan. 6 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $8 for one person or  $15 for two, $20 for a family. 939-7555.

TIMELESS TREASURES, Saturday, Jan. 7 - Feb. 12. Illustrations of Hawaiian folklore by artist Dietrich Varez on display at Volcano Art Center Gallery, daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

www.kaucalendar.com

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