Kaʻū News Briefs Saturday, June 2, 2018

 Lava headed to Four Corners where Highway 132 and 137. It covered it this afternoon. Another lobe passed south of the intersection this morning 
and cut off escape routes for Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots. Lava inundated Green Lake, creating steam plume. 
Photo from USGS. Road ID by Extreme Exposures

LAVA IN LOWER PUNA IS HEADED TOWARD KAPOHO BAY HOMES AND THE OCEAN this evening. Civil Defense said that some people refused to leave and could be trapped, with only the possibility of walking out. About 500 homes in the two communities of Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland are threatened.

Lava entered Green Lake sending up a steam plume and evaporating
all of its water. Photo from Lillie Galarneau

     The lava comes from Fissure 8, which feeds a large, channelized flow that traveled along Highway 132, the Pāhoa-Kapoho Road, with two flow fronts. One crossed Kapoho-Pohoiki Road, Hwy 137 this morning. The second inundated Four Corners at Government Beach Road and Hwy 137 this afternoon. Civil Defense reported at 6 p.m that lava was headed toward the ocean and Kapoho Beach lots. Access was cut off by lava to both Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland neighborhoods. Residents were asked to leave by 2 p.m. yesterday.

     Civil Defense and Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory reported that part of the flow entered Green Lake, creating a steam plume and evaporating all of the lava in the lake before the plume vanished about 1:30 p.m.
   Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported after an overflight that lava was advancing on a broad front, over 300 yards wide.
     Civil Defense authorized Waʻa Waʻa and Papaya Farms Road residents access through Government Beach Road between Kahakai St. and Cinder Rd.
     Ash and Pele's hair were reported falling on the town of Pahoa today, and half of Leilani Estates remained under mandatory evacuation, with many homes destroyed.

More than 85 homes have been destroyed by lava flows in lower Puna, as of this morning. The dots represent the locations

of the destroyed houses, as lava headed this evening for Kapoho Beach Lots. Image from Google Maps

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

WHAT’S NEW AND WHAT’S NOT AT KĪLAUEA is the focus of this week’s Volcano Watch, a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

     With the current activity at the volcano’s lower East Rift Zone and summit, it’s an understatement to say that Kīlauea has been making worldwide headlines the past month. 

Crews make visual observations of activity at fissure 8 around 5:30 a.m. on May 30. Fountain
heights reach 70 to 80 m (230 to 260 ft) above ground level. The fountaining feeds a lava flow
that is moving to the northeast along Highway 132 into the area of Noni Farms road. USGS photo

     To the uninitiated, the scientific and colloquial terms that are used to describe eruptive processes and products at Hawaiian volcanoes might seem unusual or scary, when, in fact, they describe what’s been happening at Kīlauea for more than three decades. So, today we address Kīlauea’s current activity - what’s new and what’s not - starting with the two eruption sites: East Rift Zone and summit.

     Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone has been erupting nearly non-stop since 1983, with an eruption on the volcano’s middle East Rift Zone - generally referred to as the Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption. Puʻu ʻŌʻō is the volcanic cone built from the accumulation of cinder and spatter falling from episodic high lava fountains during the eruption’s first three years.

     For 35-plus years, lava erupting from vents on or near Puʻu ʻŌʻō created surface flows that advanced down the south flank of Kīlauea. This changed on April 30, 2018, when magma from the middle East Rift Zone intruded into the lower part of the rift zone. This intrusion of magma ultimately resulted in the fissure vents now erupting in Hawaiʻi Island’s lower Puna District. So, while an East Rift Zone eruption is not new, the location of the current vents (or fissures) is different from past events.

Viewed from the intersection of Nohea and Leilani Streets at 10:15 a.m. on June 1, the Fissure 8 
lava fountain (to the right) appears to have decreased in height from previous sustained heights 
of 260 feet. To the left, Fissure 7 appears to be showing renewed outgassing. USGS photo

     Kīlauea’s summit eruption began in March 2008, when a vent opened in Halema‘uma‘u, a crater within the volcano’s summit caldera. For over 10 years, this vent was the site of a lava lake that rose and fell - sometimes fluctuating as much as 30 m (100 ft) in a 24-hour period - in concert with summit inflation and deflation. Throughout that time, rocks falling from the steep vent walls triggered numerous small gas-driven explosions that often blasted molten lava and pieces of older rock onto the rim of Halema‘uma‘u and adjacent caldera floor.

     In early May 2018, in response to East Rift Zone changes, the summit lava lake dropped 100s of meters (yards) and completely out of view. Concern grew that magma feeding the lava lake could drop below the water table, allowing groundwater to enter the system, which could cause steam-driven explosions. So, while small summit explosions are not new, the mechanism, vigor, plume heights, and extent of ash fallout from the current explosive activity are.

     We’ll now address what’s new - or not - with volcanic products and processes on Kīlauea.

     Sulfur dioxide: When a new eruptive vent opens on Kīlauea, sulfur dioxide emissions increase - sometimes dramatically - as happened with the opening of the summit vent in 2008, the Kamoamoa fissure eruption in 2011, and now, with the lower East Rift Zone fissure eruption. Sulfur dioxide is one of the three most abundant gases released during any volcanic eruption - the other two being water vapor and carbon dioxide - and it has been emitted in large quantities since the start of the Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption in 1983. More info: vog.ivhhn.org/leilani-eruption.

Photo of the easternmost Fissure 8 lava flow in the vicinity of Kapoho Crater at
6:00 AM on June 1. This lava flow field has been advancing at about 80 yards/hour,
and at 7AM was about 0.85 miles west of the Four Corners intersection. USGS photo

     Vog: Sulfur dioxide reacts with oxygen, sunlight, moisture, and other gases and particles in the atmosphere to create a visible haze known as vog (volcanic air pollution), which has been an ongoing issue in Hawaiʻi since 1983, as well as during all previous eruptions of Kīlauea (and Mauna Loa). Increased sulfur dioxide emissions can result in more widespread and intense vog. Impacts depend on wind direction and location - whether or not someone is downwind of the vog source - as well as individual sensitivity. More info: pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2017/3017
/fs20173017.pdf and hvog.ivhhn.org.

     Laze: Since 1983, lava flows erupted from Kīlauea have reached the ocean about half the time. The interaction of hot lava and cool seawater forms a white plume known as “laze” (lava haze), which is composed of condensed seawater steam, hydrochloric acid gas, and tiny shards of volcanic glass. This corrosive mixture can irritate lungs, eyes, and skin, but its effects diminish rapidly with distance from the ocean entry.

     Ash: Small amounts of ash, which is carried by wind, have erupted from Kīlauea’s summit vent since it opened in 2008. Where ash falls depends on the wind direction. With recent changes at the summit, vigorous explosions have occurred more frequently at Halema‘uma‘u, resulting in higher, ash-laden plumes that can be blown far downwind.  More info: volcanoes.usgs.gov/obser
vatories/hvo/faq_ash.html and vog
.ivhhn.org/summit-ash-hazards.

     Pele’s hair: Thin strands of volcanic glass, called “Pele's hair,” after the goddess of Hawaiian volcanoes, form when lava is thrown into the air or stretched into filaments - like pulling taffy. Throughout Kīlauea’s history, erupting lava fountains and lava lakes have produced Pele’s hair, which can be blown far downwind.

     With Kīlauea, as with so much else, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

     Visit HVO’s website - 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 967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

TWO MONTHS OF 5200 EARTHQUAKES IN NEW ANIMATION
This animation, released by the National Weather Service's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center yesterday, shows 5200 earthquakes over the last two months.
 Small earthquakes generated by volcanic activity are common, typically with a magnitude less than 3.0, and occur a few times a day. That changed on April 30,when an earthquake “swarm” began and earthquakes started to occur at a rate of about 100 per day.This animation begins on April 1 to show the typical earthquake pattern and the current more active one. The animation presents the earthquakes at a rate of one day per second. There have been no 
predictions of tsunamis since the earthquakes began.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

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 
and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

SUNDAY, JUNE 3
23rd Annual Kona Classic Jackpot - Classic Fishing Tournament Series, Sun, Jun 3, Honokōhau Club House. All profits go towards marine conservation and youth educational programs in and around Miloli‘i. $300 entry fee, 4 per boat, $25 additional. Cash prizes $100-$3,000. Qualifying weights: Marlin, 100lbs; Ahi, 50lbs; Mahi, 15lbs; Ono, 15lbs. Grand Prize qualifies for Las Vegas Trip. Contact Wilfred Kaupiko, 896-6272, kalanihale@gmail.com. Sponsored by Kalanihale, kalanihale.org

Stained Glass Basics II, Sat & Sun, Jun 3, 9 & 10, 9-noon, Volcano Art Center. Prerequisite: Stained Glass Basics I. $90/VAC Member, $100/non-Member, plus $30 supply fee. Register in advance. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Palm Trail, Sun, Jun 3, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, 2.6-mile loop traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. nps.gov/HAVO

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sun, Jun 3, noon-2pm, Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amateur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY, JUNE 4
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Mon/Tue/Wed, Jun 4 & 5 (Committees)/6 (Council), Hilo. Mon/Tue, Jun 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Mon, Jun 4 & 18, 1pm, Ocean View Community Center. A parent-led homeschool activity/social group building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Meeting, Mon, Jun 4, 4-6pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, JUNE 5
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Tue/Wed, Jun 5 (Committees)/6 (Council), Hilo. Mon/Tue, Jun 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Volunteer Clean-Up w/Hawai‘i Outdoor Institute, Tue, Jun 5, contact in advance for meet up time at Wai‘ōhinu Park. Space limited. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Meeting, Tue, Jun 5, 4-6pm, Jun 19, 4:30-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Meeting, Tue, Jun 5, 6-8pm, Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Wed, Jun 6 (Council), Hilo. Mon/Tue, Jun 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

AdvoCATS, Wed, Jun 6, 7-5pm, Ocean View Community Center. Free Cat Spay & Neuter Clinic. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

THURSDAY, JUNE 7
Veteran's Center, Thu, Jun 7, 8:30-12:30pm, Jun 21, 8:30-11:30am, Ocean View Community Center. VA benefits and individual counseling services. Matthew, 329-0574, ovcahi.org

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Meeting, Thu, Jun 7, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

ONGOING
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will take sign-ups in Kaʻū, through Jun 29 (closed Jun 11).
     In Nā’ālehu, it will take place at the Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council office, back of Senior Center, Wed-Fri, 8-1pm, 929-9263.
     In Ocean View, it will take place at Ocean View Community Center, Mon and Tue, 8-1pm.

     In Pāhala, it will take place at the Edmund Olson Trust Office, Tue and Wed, 8:30-12:30pm. See more for eligibility requirements and application.

Park Rangers invite the public to downtown Hilo to learn about the volcanic activity, to get their NPS Passport Book stamped, and to experience the Hawaiian cultural connection to volcanoes. Rangers are providing programs at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center at 76 Kamehameha Avenue, Tuesday through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

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. Half marathon $85, 10K $45, 5K $30. Registration increases August 1: half marathon to $95, 10K to $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.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū News Briefs Friday, June 1, 2018

Bon Dance season begins tomorrow at Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo, with celebrations around the island and the
finale at Pāhala Hongwanji on Saturday, Sept. 1. See more, and the schedule, below. Photo by Ron Johnson

KĪLAUEA VOLCANO MAY BE EXPERIENCING A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WHICH COULD BRING AN END TO ITS ASH AND ROCK EXPLOSIONS over time. Kyle Anderson, of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, explained to press today what happened to the Halemaʻumaʻu vent inside Kīlauea Caldera, where its lava lake is gone. After the lake being the popular view from the overlook at Jaggar Museum, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closed the area in May, in consideration of the danger of volcanic activity.

Halema‘uma‘u crater at Kīlauea's summit, with steep - and in places, 
overhung- crater walls. New cracks and faults reflect ongoing subsidence 
of the area, and intense steaming rises from a new collapse pit on the north 
margin of Halema‘uma‘u. Footage shows yellow sulfur precipitate on the 
rubble-covered floor and a scattering of large ballistic blocks
 around the crater rim. See the USGS, NPS video.

     Anderson said that, as lava drained from under the summit of Kīlauea Volcano and the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater subsided and its walls fell in, the vent expanded from 12 acres on May 5 to 120 acres on May 31. It grew to more than half the size of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater.
     As the lava lake lowered into the volcano and the crater walls, unsupported by lava, sloughed off, the rubble covered the vent and plugged the escape route for the steam. The pressure created explosions of ash over the last month.
     Anderson reported that though the vent is still covered in debris, a pressure relieving, white steam plume rises through it. How many more explosions will occur, lifting ash and projectiles into the sky, is unknown, he said.

     “It’s possible that new explosions will blast through the rubble at the bottom of the vent,” said Anderson. “These may or may not be larger than the previous explosions… It is also possible that the vent may become permanently blocked, ending the explosions entirely.” He said the blockage

A mathematical calculation using information on eruptions and wind, is being refined
for use at Kilauea Volcano. It is already in use in Alaska. The map shows an ash
fall prediction today. June 1. See the USGS site.

of vents like this is often the way explosive eruptions like this end, so this could be a significant change, but that scientists do not know how significant - or long-lasting - this change will be.

     Anderson said “the great majority of the plume is now gone,” with smaller amounts of venting gasses joining the steam.
     Anderson also said that scientists are not yet able to measure the depth of the crater.

     Earthquake activity at the summit continued to be elevated today, with quakes registering as high 5.4 magnitude at 1:37 p.m. today, with an ash explosion. An experimental model of ash distribution from Kīlauea summit predicted the event would send trace amounts into Ka‘ū, inland, above Hwy 11, and Ainapo, for about 30 miles, with minor ash and substantial ash closer to the crater. See the ash prediction map on the USGS site.

     An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, a UAV, was able to capture an overflight video of Halema`uma`u yesterday, May 31. It can be seen at the USGS site.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

SO2 MEASUREMENTS were good - the green rating - today in Volcano, Ocean View, and Kona all day. Pāhala saw two short spikes when air was rated as moderate. See the University of Hawaiʻi air quality predictions on its VMAP.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Lava shown in red headed toward Kapoho today and crossed over at least one road, as Kapoho and Vacationland
residents evacuated. USGS map

IN LOWER PUNA, KAPOHO BEACH LOTS, VACATIONLAND, and half of Leilani Estates remained under evacuation directions from county Civil Defense tonight as lava cut across Highway 130, threatened to cross Highwya 137 - Kapoho-Pohoiki Road and Government Beach Road, and continued its destruction in Leilani Estates and beyond.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE EMERGENCY ONE LANE LAVA ROAD that will connect Kalapana and Chain of Craters Road is expected to be ready for emergencies only, as early as tomorrow, according to state Department of Transportation officials, who are working with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The crushed lava road will be used only for emergencies and would take travelers up into HVNP to Highway 11, should they need it to evacuate from lower Puna neighborhoods threatened by lava and high S02 levels.

Lava cuts a path through lower Puna as more neighborhoods are told by County Civil Defense to evacuate. USGS Photo

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

NĀ LEO ʻO HAWAIʻI TV IS BROADCASTING INFO AND EMERGENCY ALERTS for Hawaiʻi Island during the volcanic eruptions. Nā Leo, Channel 55, has been designated as an Emergency Broadcast Channel. It shows live broadcasts of community meetings, facilitated by Civil Defense and its partnering agencies; live audio Media Briefings at 11 a.m. weekdays, from USGS HVO, National Park Service, and Civil Defense; previous community meetings that were broadcast live; and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense messages. Get schedule and watch online at naleo.tv/vod.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

REP. RICHARD CREAGAN IS CALLING FOR GOV. DAVID IGE TO CONVENE A SPECIAL SESSION OF THE HAWAIʻI LEGISLATURE to address emergency funding for the volcano disaster, and to deal with issues with the state's Transient Accommodations and General Excise taxes. Creagan also calls for incentivizing solar power now that the geothermal plant in Puna, which produced more than 20 percent of the electricity used by this island's utility, shut down with lava inundation. Creagan released an op-ed to the media this week.
     Creagan wrote that "The heavens opened," when Kauaʻi received $100 million in aid to deal with flooding in the last moments of the 2018 Legislature. "Now Madame Pele has been aroused and the Big Island is being assaulted by lava, ash and laze. Tourism revenues and property taxes are diving, county expenses are soaring, and the county budget is trashed.We need another special session and I am asking our governor to call one," wrote Creagan.

State Representative Richard Creagan, M.D, is calling for a
special legislative session to address multiple things.
First and foremost: emergency funding for disaster areas.
Photo from Richard Creagan Facebook

     He also addressed the hike in Transient Accommodations Taxes, with the additional money slated only for the mass transit rail project on Oʻahu. “It was less than a year ago that our Legislature held a special session to shore up the rail project. One innovative proposed funding source was to increase the transient accommodation tax, or TAT, as that would affect in-state people less and target tourists the most. That part made sense. The part that did not make sense to me and many of my fellow neighbor-island legislators was that the increase on the TAT paid for accommodations on the neighbor islands would go to rail rather than the counties where it was paid.

     "This was especially true because Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell was complaining about having to raise property taxes on his voters if the Legislature didn’t give him the money he wanted. Because the TAT increase did not lead to a meaningful increase for the neighbor islands, the Big Island did have to raise property taxes, fuel taxes and vehicle weight taxes. For those reasons, I voted no, as did Big Island Reps. Cindy Evans, Nicole Lowen and Chris Todd."

     He wrote that a bill in this year's legislative session would have given Hawaiʻi Island more than $12 million more each year from the TAT. "It passed the House and Senate in different versions, but the Senate then killed the bill."

     Creagan stated that in a special session, "We hope that in addition to substantial emergency funding, the TAT bill will be passed and that longterm increase in the county revenue stream will be accomplished."
     He said he also calls for the counties, when needed, to have the ability to raise the GE tax with fewer restrictions. "Ideally, it would only be raised for a limited number of years and then sunset."

     In addressing solar, Creagan wrote: "It appears very likely that we may lose a quarter of the Big Island’s power source if the geothermal plant," with lava overrunning and making it inoperable. "One possible partial solution to that is mandating an extension of the feed-in tariff to encourage more solar power and passing a tax credit for storage batteries bill that would decrease the peak demand on the power grid."

     Creagan concluded that "Desperate times call for desperate measures, but these measures all make sense and we can do them expeditiously in a special session. Call your legislators. Call the governor. Let’s save our island, together!”

     Richard Creagan, M.D., is a State Representative of District 5. See his Facebook at facebook.com/DocCreagan.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Taiko drumming at last year's Pāhala Hongwanji Bon Dance led to regular classes here, with students preparing
to perform this year. Photo by Ron Johnson

BON DANCE SEASON BEGINS TOMORROW, with Pāhala Hongwanji scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 1. Pāhala will serve up the final celebration that rotates through Buddhist churches around the island. They begin Saturday, June 2, with Obon in the Gardens at Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo.
     The Obon season remembers ancestors with temple services and the displaying of foods at alter to honor the harvest of agriculture. The outdoor dance features traditional and modern Japanese music - with a caller keeping the tempo, standing in a yagura outdoor tower - which also serves as the bandstand. Dancers circle the yagura, often wearing traditional Japanese costumes. Taiko drumming, Japanese crafts, activities, and food are part of the celebration.

     Pāhala's annual Bon Dance celebration was reinstated three years ago, having stopped after the 1999 event, just three years after the sugar plantation - where many Japanese immigrants worked - shut down in the town. Community members of all faiths and background enjoyed the Bon Dance throughout its history, and are welcome to join in Sept. 1. Pāhala Hongwanji, and ʻO Kaʻū Kākou and other community volunteers, help to put on the event.
     Many Bon Dance enthusiasts follow the celebrations around the island to hone their dance skills before the finale at Pāhala. Here is the schedule for this summer.

Services will be held at Pāhala Hongwanji to honor
ancestors. Photo by Julia Neal

Obon in the Gardens: June 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Liliuokalani Gardens, with keiki crafts, taiko and matsuri dancing, and bon dance lessons. Info: 808ne.ws/2rSTCQ3.

Keauhou Shopping Center: June 9, 6 to 10 p.m. Info: 322-3000.

Honomu Henjoji Mission: June 16, 7 to 10:30 p.m., 28-1668 Old Mama­lahoa Highway. Info: 963-6308.

Papaikou Hongwanji Mission: June 23, 7 p.m., 27-378 Old Mamalahoa Highway, with service at 6 p.m. Info: 964-1640.

Honomu Hongwanji Mission: June 30, 7 p.m., 28-1658 Government Main Road, with service at 6 p.m. Info: 963-6032.

Puna Hongwanji Mission: July 6-7, 7:30 p.m., 16-492 Old Volcano Road, Keaʻau, with service at 6 p.m. both nights. Info: 966-9981.

Kohala Hongwanji Mission: July 7, 7 p.m., 53-4300 Akoni Pule Highway, Kapaʻau, with service at 6 p.m. Info: 775-7232.

Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin: July 13-14, 7 p.m., 398 Kīlauea Ave., with serv­ice at 6 p.m. both nights. Info: 961-6677.

Daifukuji Soto Mission in Kona: July 14, 7 to 10 p.m., 79-7241 Mama­lahoa Highway. Info: 322-3524.

Kohala Jodo Mission: July 14, 7 p.m., 54-541 Kapaʻau Road. Info: 775-0965.

Keiki, like Takami Munnerlyn, stamp headbands to wear
at the bon dance. Photo by Ron Johnson

Paʻauilo Hongwanji Mission: July 14, 7:30 p.m., 43-1477 Hauola Road, with service at 6:30 p.m. Info: 776-1369.

Honokaʻa Hongwanji Mission: July 21, 7 p.m., 45-516 Lehua St., with service at 5:30 p.m. Info: 775-7232.

Keʻei Buddhist Temple: July 21, 7 p.m., 83-5569 Middle Keʻei Road, Captain Cook. Info: 323-2993.

Hilo Meishoin: July 21, 7 p.m., 97 Olona St. Info: 935-6996.

Hilo Daijingu: July 27, 6 to 10 p.m., 10 Anela St., with service at 5 p.m. Info: 959-8611.

Papaʻaloa Hongwanji Mission: July 28, 6 p.m., 35-2026 Old Mama­lahoa Highway, with service at 5 p.m. Info: 962-6340.

Kona Hongwanji Mission: July 28, 7 p.m., 81-6630 Mamalahoa Highway, Kealakekua. Info: 323-2993.

Hilo Hoʻoganji Mission: July 28, 7:30 p.m., 457 Manono St. Info: 935-8331.

Hawi Jodo Mission: Aug. 4, 6 p.m., 55-1104 Akoni Pule Highway. Info: 775-0965.

Kurtistown Jodo Mission: Aug. 4, 7 p.m., 17-420 Kuaʻaina Road. Info: 935-6996.

Paʻauilo Kongoji Mission: Aug. 4, 7 p.m., 43-1461 Hauola Road. Info: 963-6308.

Taishoji Soto Mission: Aug. 4, 7 to 10 p.m., 275 Kinoʻole St., Hilo. Info: 935-8407.

Part-time Pāhala resident Minako Yamazaki, in kimono, greets
long time Nāʻālehu residents Alice and Iwao Yonemitsu, as
Japanese traditions are shared. Photo by Ron Johnson

Hilo Higashi Hongwanji Mission: Aug. 11, 6:30 p.m., 216 Mohouli St., with service at 6 p.m. Info: 935-8968.

Hamakua Jodo Mission: Aug. 11, 7 p.m., 44-2947 Kalopa Road, Honokaʻa. Info: 775-0965.

Kona Koyasan Daishiji Mission: Aug. 11, 7 p.m., 76-5945 Mamalahoa Highway, Holualoa. Info: 324-1741.

Hakalau Jodo Mission: Aug. 18, 7 p.m., 29-2271 Old Mamalahoa Highway. Info: 935-6996.

Kamuela Hongwanji Mission: Aug. 18, 7 p.m., 65-1110 Mamalahoa Highway, with service at 6 p.m. Info: 885-4481.

Honohina Hongwanji Mission: Aug. 25, 7 p.m., 32-896 Mamalahoa Highway, ­Ninole, with service at 6 p.m. Info: ­345-6869.

Pāhoa Nikkei Jin Kyokai: Aug. 25, 8 p.m., Pāhoa YBA Hall on Pāhoa Road. Info: 966-9981.
Pāhala Hongwanji Mission: Sept. 1, 5 p.m., 96-1123 Paʻauau Place, with service at 4 p.m. Info: 928-8254.

     Organizers ask that participants call ahead to confirm events are taking place as the ongoing Kilauea Volcano eruption might affect scheduling.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

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 
and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

SATURDAY, JUNE 2

A fundraiser for Miloli`i: 23rd Annual Kona Classic Jackpot - Classic Fishing Tournament Series, Sat-Sun, Jun 2-3, Honokōhau Club House. All profits go towards marine conservation and youth educational programs in and around Miloli‘i. $300 entry fee, 4 per boat, $25 additional. Cash prizes $100-$3,000. Qualifying weights: Marlin, 100lbs; Ahi, 50lbs; Mahi, 15lbs; Ono, 15lbs. Grand Prize qualifies for Las Vegas Trip. Contact Wilfred Kaupiko, 896-6272, kalanihale@gmail.com. Sponsored by Kalanihale, kalanihale.org

Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program: Hawai‘i State Public Library System, Jun 2 - Jul 14, statewide and online. Register (starting Jun 2) and log reading at librarieshawaii.beanstack.org or at a local library. Free. Reading rewards, activities, and programs for children, teens, and adults. 2018 participants have a chance to win a Roundtrip for four to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies.

yART Sale! Gigantic Rummage Sale, Sat, Jun 2, 8:30-2pm, Volcano Art Center’s Hale Ho‘omana. Benefits VAC programs and workshops. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Stained Glass Basics II, Sat & Sun, Jun 2, 3, 9 & 10, 9-noon, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. Prerequisite: Stained Glass Basics I. $90/VAC Member, $100/non-Member, plus $30 supply fee. Register in advance. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Realms and Divisions of Kahuku, Sat, Jun 2, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, two-mile, guided hike on Kahuku Unit's newest trail, Pu‘u Kahuku, explores the traditional Hawaiian classification system. Bring snack.

SUNDAY, JUNE 3

Stained Glass Basics II, Sat & Sun, Jun 3, 9 & 10, 9-noon, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. Prerequisite: Stained Glass Basics I. $90/VAC Member, $100/non-Member, plus $30 supply fee. Register in advance. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Palm Trail, Sun, Jun 3, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, 2.6-mile loop traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. nps.gov/HAVO

Ham Radio Potluck Picnic, Sun, Jun 3, noon-2pm, Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. Sponsored by South Point Amateur Radio Club and Amateur Radio Emergency Service. View sites.google.com/site/southpointarc or sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home. Rick Ward, 938-3058

MONDAY, JUNE 4
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Mon/Tue/Wed, Jun 4 and 5 (Committees)/6 (Council), Hilo. Mon/Tue, Jun 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Mon, Jun 4 and 18, 1pm, Ocean View Community Center. A parent-led homeschool activity/social group building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

Ocean View Volunteer Fire Dept. Meeting, Mon, Jun 4, 4-6pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

TUESDAY, JUNE 5
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Tue/Wed, Jun 5 (Committees)/6 (Council), Hilo. Mon/Tue, Jun 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Volunteer Clean-Up w/Hawai‘i Outdoor Institute, Tue, Jun 5, contact in advance for meet up time at Wai‘ōhinu Park. Space limited. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Meeting, Tue, Jun 5, 4-6pm, Jun 19, 4:30-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Meeting, Tue, Jun 5, 6-8pm, Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Wed, Jun 6 (Council), Hilo. Mon/Tue, Jun 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

AdvoCATS, Wed, Jun 6, 7-5pm, Ocean View Community Center. Free Cat Spay & Neuter Clinic. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

*Open Mic Night, Wed, Jun 6, 6-10pm, Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Singers, Bands, Comedians, etc. Call 967-8365 after 4pm to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years+. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 7
Veteran's Center, Thu, Jun 7, 8:30-12:30pm, Jun 21, 8:30-11:30am, Ocean View Community Center. VA benefits and individual counseling services. Matthew, 329-0574, ovcahi.org

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Meeting, Thu, Jun 7, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

NEW & UPCOMING

THE LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, sponsored by the Hawai`i Office of Economic Opportunity,  will be open for  June 1 through 29, except June 11 due to Kamehameha Day holiday. Ka‘ū will host three locations to sign up.

     - Nā‘ālehu: Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council office, back of Senior Center, Wednesdays - Fridays, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. 929-9263

     - Ocean View: Ocean View Community Center, Mondays and Tuesdays, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

     - Pāhala: Edmund Olson Trust Office, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

     Eligibility requirements include: household members must be U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents; all adults must sign application and provide picture ID; and household members over one year must provide social security card. Household income must be below 150% of Federal Poverty Level.

     See http://hceoc.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-LIHEAP-APPLICATION.pdf for full list of requirements, what needs to be brought to apply, and to download forms.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

ONGOING


Park Rangers invite the public to downtown Hilo to learn about the volcanic activity, to get their NPS Passport Book stamped, and to experience the Hawaiian cultural connection to volcanoes. Rangers are providing programs at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center at 76 Kamehameha Avenue, Tuesday through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

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. Half marathon $85, 10K $45, 5K $30. Registration increases August 1: half marathon to $95, 10K to $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.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.