Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015

Runners head through coffee tree fields and into the forest during this morning's Ka`u Coffee Trail Run.
Image from video by Vernon Harvey at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXqHWIHqwFM.

KA`U COFFEE TRAIL RUN saw worldwide competition today with Half Marathon winner Kevin Stover finishing in 1 hour, 37 minutes and 44 seconds. Half Marathon women’s winner is Elda Carreon, who finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 41 seconds.

Miss Ka`u Coffee Maria Miranda, with former Queen Amery Silva and
current First Princess Joyce Ibasan, reigned over the Ka`u Coffee Trail Run.
Photo by Kalikoweo

      After a week of heavy rains with road closures, waterfalls pumping and streams overrunning their banks in Wood Valley and all around race headquarters at Ka`u Coffee Mill, event emcee Guy Enriques said, “We were blessed today. We had the right amount of clouds, right amount of sun, right temperature.”
      Enriques said that many of the runners in  the inaugural event last year, who returned, were very impressed with improvements, calling courses “more fun and more challenging.” He said the Ka`u Coffee Trail Run is one of the more challenging half marathons in the state. “The 5 and 10 Ks are also tough.”
      He said that despite the downpours earlier this week, “we were able to send the runners into the rainforest. The good weather yesterday, overnight and this morning dried things out. It was just a perfect day.”
      With a break in the weather, a slew of people of all ages showed up early this morning to expand the number of racers from the 137 who pre-registered. Racers came from as far away as Austria, Germany, France, Japan and Alabama.

Ed Olson

      Ka`u Coffee Mill founder Ed Olson said, “We had a very good crowd and happy everyone turned out. Mr. Weatherman cooperated with us 100 percent, A very successful day.”
     Ka`u Coffee Trail Run raises money for the community group `O Ka`u Kakou. Entertaining were local hula groups and musicians. Miss Ka`u Coffee Maria Miranda started the race and was accompanied by First Princess Joyce Ibasan and 2014 Miss Ka`u Coffee Amery Silva.
      See a Phantom Drone Helicopter video of the race by Vernon Harvey, of Ocean View, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXqHWIHqwFM.
      Here are the times for the winners in the adult divisions.
      Half Marathon winner is Kevin Stover in 1 hour 37 minutes, 44 seconds. Second is Topher Fast, 1 hour 57 minutes, 24 seconds. Third is Mike Sibalsky in 2 hours, 29 seconds.
      Winner of the Men’s 10K is Michael Webster in 52 minutes, 59 seconds. Second is John Swanson in 54 minutes, 56 seconds. Third is Kyle Sullivan in 57 minutes, 20 seconds.
      Winner of Men’s 5K is Danilo Padilla, 23 minutes 39 seconds. Second-place finisher is TJ Kuhn in 25 minutes 46 seconds. Third is Mark Wasser, 26 minutes, 45 sec.
      Winner of the Women’s Half Marathon is Elda Carreon, 2 hours, 10 minutes, 25 seconds. Second is Vicki Daniel, who won last year. She came in this year in 2 hours, 18 minutes, 38 seconds. Third is Sally Marrack in 2 hours, 21 minutes, 37 seconds.
      Winner of the Women’s 10K is Meggie Olson in 1 hour, 2 minutes, 48 seconds. Second is Abigail Rotholz, 1 hour, 4 minutes, 43 seconds. Third is Mona Lichtblau in 1 hour, 5 minutes and 2 seconds.
      The Women’s 5K winner is Hope Saxtun who finished in 26 minutes and 41 seconds. Second is Megan Denny, 27 minutes, 32 seconds. Third is Jesse Gunnels in 28 minutes, 19 seconds. There were other age divisions. See more in tomorrow’s Ka`u News Briefs.

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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL VOTED not to reprimand Mayor Billy Kenoi for inappropriate use of his county-issued purchasing card. Kenoi’s use of his pCard for personal purchase came to light through an investigation by West Hawai`i Today reporter Nancy Cook Lauer. 

      In her testimony on a resolution introduced by Kohala Council member Margaret Wille, Jesse Marques, of Pahala, said, “I understand and respect the difficult task that the County Council members have regarding Mayor Kenoi’s inappropriate use of the pCard. I also understand and respect the law and due process relative to the circumstances.

Maile David

      “What I don’t understand is that in spite of this matter being turned over to the Department of the Attorney General, which is an enforcement agency, to conduct its investigations, make a determination of any violations of the law, holding Mayor Kenoi legally and also publicly accountable for inappropriate use of the pCard, why is the County Council ignoring the law and due process and prematurely introducing this resolution? By introducing this resolution, it bypasses the due process for which the Department of the Attorney General investigation and determination has not been rendered. …
      “To me this resolution raises more questions about the council’s understanding and respect of the law and due process and the purpose of this resolution.”
      Ka`u’s County Council member Maile David agreed with testifiers who said it is not the council’s role to reprimand the mayor. “From the beginning my position has always been this is a jurisdictional matter,” David said, “and I respect the law, and I respect that our job, as legislators, is to uphold that process. … 

      “I feel (the resolution) affects the due process that the mayor - regardless if he’s the mayor or a regular citizen - he’s entitled to due process. So, just discussing all of these issues and all of these matters today, I’m really concerned about the harm to due process that he’s entitled to.
      David said the council should focus on its role of “creating laws to benefit our community.”

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KA`U HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAMS continued their winning ways yesterday in Honoka`a. Junior varsity scores were 26-24 and 25-13. Varsity won in three games, 25-22, 15-25 and 25-14.
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KA`U HIGH’S EIGHT-MAN football team hosts Kohala today at 2 p.m. The game, originally set for Na`alehu Park, has been moved to Pahala Field. It will also be the Senior Game.
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DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE about your `ohana as you were growing up in Hawai`i? Write an essay in a letter format and enter to win in the third annual Letter to My Parents Contest. 

      The contest is open to Hawai`i residents ages 15 to 22 years who would like to express their experiences and feelings towards their parents or legal guardians. Participants are encouraged to submit work illustrating examples from personal life, reflecting family relationships and interactions. Suggested topics include:

• What do my parent(s)or guardian(s) mean to me? 
• What would I like to do for my parent(s)? 
• How have my parents’ experiences and influence affected or shaped the person I am today? 
• How can I improve relationships in my `ohana? 

      Submit entries to www.LetterToMyParents.com by Oct. 23. Entries can be in any language used in the state, but an English translation is required. Contestants 17 years old and under must submit a parental/guardian consent form.
      Finalists will be selected and will be invited to present their letters during the final presentation to judges scheduled on Sunday, Nov. 22.
      For more information, contact Rose Churma or Toshiro Obara at 808-358-2868 or info@lettertomyparents.com.
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HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND HOLDS a Ka`u Coast Cleanup tomorrow. Volunteers meet HWF staff at Wai`ohinu Park at 7:45 a.m. to carpool to Kamilo for this event, part of the international Get the Drift & Bag It. 

      Register at 769-7629 or kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

JAZZ IN THE FOREST: Evening of the Jazz Divas offers two shows tomorrow at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. If not sold out, tickets will be available at the door. Tickets for the 4:30 p.m. matinee are $15 for VAC members ($20 non-members) and for the 7:30 p.m. evening show are $20 for VAC members ($25 non-members).
      For more information, see volcanoartcenter.org.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_September2015.pdf.

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

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Sept. 18, 2015

Thirty Meter Telescope opponents have agreed to remove structures erected at right, near Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station.
Image from MKVIS

THIRTY METER TELESCOPE OPPONENTS and the Department of Land and Natural Resources reached an understanding on Mauna Kea to remove a large tent across from the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station. On Wednesday, officers from DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement posted the tent as an illegal structure. In discussions yesterday with DLNR leadership, an opponent leader agreed to remove the tent and to “lighten their presence” on the mountain. According to DOCARE, officers will continue to monitor for the removal of illegal structures on the mountain.
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BIG ISLAND-BASED GVS TRANSMEDIA ACCELERATOR has won a $50,000 prize from the U.S. Small Business Administration, one of three awarded to Hawai`i organizations. Founded in 2014, GVS Transmedia Accelerator is a partnership between Global Virtual Studio, the Hawai`i Strategic Development Corp., Hawai`i County and GTA Development Fund. GVS aims to empower Hawai`i-based creative entrepreneurs and help them launch original transmedia franchises.

      “We are pleased to see the state’s investment in innovation gaining national recognition,” Gov. David Ige said. “These accelerators … demonstrate that Hawai`i’s innovation community is active throughout the state and across various industries.”
       Accelerators are components of a healthy startup environment. They help drive entrepreneurship and attract investment by assisting entrepreneurs in developing their businesses and raising venture capital through mentorship and networking.
      Luis Salaveria, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, said, “The SBA awards recognize the important role venture accelerators play in launching startups and are evidence of Hawai`i’s ability to compete as an innovation hub at a national level.”
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Dr. Kamanamaikalani Beamer

ALOHA `AINA DEBUTS on Hawai`i Public Radio this Monday, Sept. 21. Every weekday at 8:18 a.m. through Dec. 18, Aloha `Aina airs on HPR-1 during NPR’s news magazine Morning Edition. An encore broadcast is planned on HPR-2, with the second 13 weeks starting in January 2016. 

      The series, comprised of 65 approximately two-minute segments, explores the roots and historical endurance of the values of aloha `aina, commonly translated as love of the land. Commentary is provided by noted Hawaiian scholars and leaders, such as Puanani Burgess, Sam `Ohu Gon, Davianna McGregor, Jonathan Osorio and Walter Ritte. The series is researched, written and narrated by Julia Steele. The series will be archived on hawaiipublicradio.org.
       Dr. Kamanamaikalani Beamer, president and CEO of The Kohala Center, said, “When we first sat down with HPR a year ago, our goal was to help listeners — all listeners — deepen their reverence for the land and natural resources that sustain us. With the words ‘aloha `aina’ gaining heightened prominence in local, and even global, discourse and consciousness in recent months, the timing of such an exploration couldn’t be better. We’re excited and truly grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Hawai`i Public Radio to bring this series to the people of Hawai`i and the world.”
       HPR’s President and General Manager Michael Titterton said, “The Kohala Center brought all the necessary elements with their proposal. They share our commitment to community enrichment and, as a research organization, they have the credibility to shape a rigorous and thoughtful exploration of the connection between indigenous wisdom and our modern relationships with the natural environment. Aloha `Aina is the perfect complement to our earlier series Mahalo `Aina, which illustrated the importance of healthy Hawaiian forests.”
       Beamer said, “Here in Hawai`i, we are surrounded by a unique and incredible natural and cultural landscape, but what does it really mean to engage, to connect, to develop an intimate kinship with the environments and ancestral knowledge that have nourished and sustained these islands for centuries? Our hope is that this series, and the voices who contributed their mana`o to it, will invite listeners to deepen their understanding of aloha `aina and inspire them to incorporate these values into their everyday lives.”

      Ka`u residents can find HPR-1 at KAHU 97.1 FM.
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Alex Wegmann Photo from DLNR

A NON-TOXIC PREDATOR BAIT experiment on Lehua Island is considered a success 
as the initial step toward creating Hawai`i’s first predator-free island. 

      Lehua is 17 miles west of Kaua`i, just off the northern tip of Ni`ihau. State, federal and nonprofit partners conducted helicopter application of non-toxic bait that they hope will ultimately lead to use of rodent bait to eliminate Lehua’s rat population. Invasive rats are the primary predator of three federally listed and/or endangered and threatened candidate seabird species that could establish breeding colonies on Lehua. Newell’s shearwaters, Hawaiian petrel and the Band-rumped storm petrel may have been nesting there prior to the introduction of rats and rabbits. Rabbits have been eradicated from the island.
      Joshua Atwood, the invasive species coordinator with the Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources, explained, “This was a trial run; a chance to fly a helicopter over Lehua and drop non-toxic bait onto the island. This is the same formulation we’d use in a rodent-control project, except it didn’t have rodenticide in the mix at all. This will give us a better understanding of where rodents are on Lehua and now they interact with the food web and threaten the endangered birds.”
      Leading the research is Island Conservation, whose mission is to prevent extinctions by removing invasive species from islands. Alex Wegmann, the nonprofit’s Hawai`i Program manager, said, “On Lehua, we have the opportunity to create the largest predator-free habitat for threatened and endangered seabirds anywhere in Hawai`i. Lehua is roughly 360 acres and when it becomes predator-free it can serve as critical breeding and nesting habitat for the three endangered seabird species, as well as for others.”
      The results of this week’s aerial application will provide guidance for the potential development of a project to use a rodenticide to control Lehua’s invasive rat population. The project would be at least one year out.
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Kua O Ka La charter school hosted yesterday's Hiki No on PBS.
Image from PBS

MOLOLI`I’S KUA O KA LA charter school hosted Hiki No last night, the first statewide feature and news TV program in the country written, shot and edited by students. Shown on PBS, Miloli`i students introduced stories from around the state, ranging from students interacting with peace leader Desmond Tutu, of South Africa, to a girl facing her eating choices after learning she has diabetes. The show kept coming back to Miloli`i and its history with shorts on the lava flow that destroyed the old Hawaiian village, the tsunami that washed the historic church out to sea and back, the charter school location at the community pavilion with a Native Hawaiian Library and powered by solar, Pa`a Pono Miloli`i cultural and environmental projects and Elvis Presley’s filming Girls, Girls, Girls at Miloli`i. See the show at pbshawaii.org.

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Ka`u keiki can join Camp `Imi-Possible next month.

`IMILOA ASTRONOMY CENTER is seeking Ka`u junior explorers and innovators in grades K-3 for Camp ‘IMI-Possible’s Fall intersession program, slated for Oct. 5-9. Students will be immersed in a weeklong adventure of exciting science experiments, hands on activities, and art projects. 

      Throughout the five days of activities, keiki will explore Maunakea from its base on the floor of the ocean to its summit window on the farthest reaches of the Universe. The camp runs from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Drop off is available as early as 7:30 a.m. with pick up by 4:15 p.m. Lunch and snacks are not included, so participants should pack a snack and healthy lunch so they can keep up with each day of exploration.
      Enrollment for the intersession program is open, but space is limited. Tuition for the program is $225 for members and $250 for non-members. Financial aid is available.
      Applications and information can be found at www.imiloahawaii.org/183. Submit completed applications and payment to the front desk.
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RACE DAY REGISTRATION for the second annual Ka`u Coffee Trail Run is available tomorrow until 6:30 a.m. at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Race packets are available from 6 a.m. to 6:40 a.m. for entrants in the 5K, 10K and Half Marathon that start at 7 a.m.
      For more information, see race360.com/21357.

Halau I Ka Leo Ola O Na Mamo performs tomorrow.
Photo from VAC

VOLCANO ART CENTER GALLERY in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park presents hula tomorrow. Loke Kamanu and `ohana present All Things Hula from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Na kumu hula Pelehonuamea Harman and Kekoa Harman with Halau I Ka Leo Ola O Na Mamo perform from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 

      Free; park entrance fees apply.
      Call 967-8222 for more information.

HAWAI`I WILDLIFE FUND HOLDS a Ka`u Coast Cleanup on Sunday. Volunteers meet staff at Wai`ohinu Park at 7:45 a.m. to carpool to Kamilo for this event, part of the International Get the Drift & Bag It.
      Register at 769-7629 or kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE for Sunday’s Jazz in the Forest: Evening of the Jazz Divas at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village ends today. If not sold out, tickets will be available at the door.
      Tickets for the 4:30 p.m. matinee are $15 for VAC members ($20 non-members) and for the 7:30 p.m. evening show are $20 for VAC members ($25 non-members).
      See volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_September2015.pdf.

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

Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists are closely monitoring recent signs of unrest on Mauna Loa, the largest active
volcano on Earth.In this 1985 aerial photo, Mauna Loa looms above Kilauea's summit caldera at left center and nearly obscures
Hualalai in the far distant upper right. Photo from USGS

THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY ISSUED yesterday following an 8.3-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Chile that sent 3 ft. and 2.3 ft.tsunami waves into Hilo and a .9 ft. tsunami wave into Kawaehaie, before dawn this morning, has been cancelled. The earthquake prompted Hawai`i Civil Defense officials to warn people to stay out of the ocean when small tsunami waves were expected to arrive at around 3 a.m. today. Though beach parks remained officially open, small sea level changes, possible surges and unusual currents were expected to persist for several additional hours in some coastal areas.

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has cancelled the tsunami advisory issued yesterday.

      According to Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, wave heights as of 7:34 a.m. across the state were below advisory levels and continuing to diminish.

       Hawai`i County Civil Defense issued an all clear for the island effective at 8 a.m. this morning. All beach parks are open.
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FLASH FLOODING AT KAWA shut down Hwy 11 yesterday evening between Punalu`u and Honu`apo. Ka`u was under a flash flood warning for several hours
     Hwy 11 at Kawa Flats was closed, according to Hawai`i Police Department announcements, from  7:29 p.m. to 11:14 p.m.

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AN ELEVATED MAUNA LOA ERUPTION ADVISORY has been issued by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Scientists have elevated Mauna Loa’s Volcano Alert Level from NORMAL to ADVISORY. This change in status indicates that the volcano is showing signs of unrest that are above known background levels, but it does not mean that a Mauna Loa eruption is imminent or certain.
       According to HVO, its seismic stations have recorded elevated rates of shallow, small-magnitude earthquakes beneath the summit, upper Southwest Rift Zone and west flank of Mauna Loa for at least the past year. During this same time, HVO monitoring instruments have measured ground deformation (inflation) on Mauna Loa that is consistent with recharge of the volcano’s shallow magma storage system. Together, these observations indicate that Mauna Loa is no longer at a background level of activity.

       Based on these changes in activity, and in accordance with the USGS Volcanic Activity Alert-Notification System (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/activity/alertsystem/index.php), HVO raised the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa to ADVISORY and the Aviation Color Code to YELLOW. The Volcano Alert Level is a four-tiered system that uses the terms Normal (background levels), Advisory, Watch, and Warning (highest threat) to inform the public about a volcano’s status. These alert levels are issued in conjunction with Aviation Color Codes, which provide information about volcanic-ash hazards to the aviation industry. The codes are Green (background), Yellow, Orange, and Red (eruption imminent).

HVO's network of continuously recording equipment
detects changes in Mauna Loa. Map from HV

       An ADVISORY/YELLOW status is declared when one or more volcano monitoring parameters is above the background range of activity, which is the current situation on Mauna Loa. Progression toward an eruption is by no means certain, but the volcano is closely watched to track how the unrest develops.
      “It’s possible that the increased level of activity at Mauna Loa could continue for many months, or years, without leading to an eruption,” Tina Neal, HVO’s Scientist-in-Charge, said. “It is also possible that the current unrest could be a precursor to the next eruption of Mauna Loa. But at this early stage, we cannot determine precisely which possibility is more likely.”
       HVO previously maintained an ADVISORY/YELLOW status for Mauna Loa following increased rates of ground deformation during the rapid inflation of the volcano in 2004-2005. That period of inflation, similar to deformation currently observed, did not result in an eruption. When the inflation slowed to background levels in early 2010, the status of Mauna Loa was returned to NORMAL/GREEN.
       The most recent eruption of Mauna Loa, which began on March 25, 1984 and lasted just over three weeks, was preceded by up to three years of increased earthquake activity. But, in contrast to pre-1984 activity, the energy released by recent earthquakes remains comparatively low.

       HVO continues to closely monitor Mauna Loa and will notify Hawai`i County Civil Defense, the National Park Service and other emergency managers, as well as the public, if significant changes are detected.
       In response to the status change, HVO is now posting weekly Mauna Loa updates on the HVO website (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/maunaloastatus.php). It is possible to receive these updates via email by signing up for HVO notices through the free USGS Volcano Notification Service (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns/).
       “The alert level change at Mauna Loa reminds us that it is an active volcano that will erupt again someday, so we should be prepared,” said Frank Trusdell, an HVO geologist who has extensively studied and mapped Mauna Loa. To facilitate public awareness and preparedness, HVO has posted on its website “Frequently Asked Questions about Mauna Loa” (http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/maunaloa/FAQ_Maunaloa/). Current monitoring data for Mauna Loa is also posted on the HVO website at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/maunaloa/current/currentmonitoring.php.
      For more information about Mauna Loa, other active Hawaiian volcanoes and recent earthquakes in Hawai`i, see http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov or email askHVO@usgs.gov.
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THIS IS NATIONAL CHILD PASSENGER Safety Week. Ka`u parents and caregivers can learn how to correctly install child safety seats and properly buckle up their keiki, whether it’s in car seats, booster seats or when using the vehicle’s seat belts, at events in Hilo and Kona on Saturday. 

      Hawai`i’s Child Passenger Restraint Law requires children less than four years of age to ride in a child safety seat. Children four through seven years old must ride in a child passenger restraint or booster seat. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics is now advising that children ride rear-facing until at least the age of two.
      Violators are required to appear in court. If convicted, violators are required to attend a four-hour class and may be assessed a penalty of $100-$500, depending on the number of offenses.
      “We can and need to do better to protect our keiki,” HDOT Director Ford Fuchigami said. “Get your car seats checked. Even if you think your child is safe, check again. Statistics show that 59 percent of car seats are misused.”
      Inspections will be conducted by certified child passenger safety technicians who have been trained to provide instruction on how to choose the right car seats, how to install them and how to use them correctly.
      Inspections are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Target in Hilo and Lanihau Center on Palani Road in Kona.
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HAWAI`I’S SEASONALLY ADJUSTED unemployment rate for August was 3.5 percent, down from 3.7 percent in July, the state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations announced today. The last time rate was at or below 3.5 percent was in March 2008 when it was 3.4 percent. Statewide, 649,350 were employed and 23,700 unemployed in August for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 673,050. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in August, down from 5.3 percent in July.
      Both initial claims and weeks claims decreased by 266 or -18.2 percent and 2,220 or -22.9 percent respectively for unemployment benefits compared to one year ago.

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`O KA`U KAKOU’S FUNDRAISER, the second annual Ka`u Coffee Trail Run, is Saturday at Ka`u Coffee Mill above Pahala. Race packets are available on race day from 6 a.m. to 6:40 a.m. Race day registration closes at 6:30 a.m., with the 5K, 10K and Half Marathon starting at 7 a.m. Entertainment and activities are available for runners and their friends and families cheering them on.
      For more information, see race360.com/21357.

Ka`u residents are invited to Get the Drift & Bag It during a Hawai`i
Wildlife fund coast cleanup Sunday. HWF Photo by C. King

GET THE DRIFT & BAG IT by joining Hawai`i Wildlife Fund’s Ka`u Coast Cleanup on Sunday. Volunteers meet staff at Wai`ohinu Park at 7:45 a.m. to carpool to Kamilo for this International Coastal Cleanup event. 

      Register at 769-7629 or kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE for Sunday’s Jazz in the Forest: Evening of the Jazz Divas at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.
      Tickets for the 4:30 p.m. matinee are $15 for VAC members ($20 non-members) and for the 7:30 p.m. evening show are $20 for VAC members ($25 non-members).
      See volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

KA`U COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN Steering Committee meets one week from today, on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 5:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. The focus will be on the shoreline setback policy, the land use policy map and “easy fixes” to the Draft CDP. The meeting is open to the community, and public testimony is welcome.
      The meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 22 to make final recommendations for CDP revisions and adoption has been moved to Tuesday, Oct. 27.
      See kaucdp.info for more.

For tickets, call Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 315-7032 or 649-9334.

E PILI KAUA PA`INA is two weeks from today. The fundraiser is for Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawai`i, a nonprofit that works with challenged youth though agriculture and traditional Hawaiian skill building. The evening features entertainment by Mark Yamanaka and a roast pork dinner on the grounds of Pahala Plantation House on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Donation is $25.

      For tickets, call Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at 315-7032 or 649-9334.

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

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_Sept2015.pdf.

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