Ka‘ū News Briefs Monday, February 12, 2018

Learn about the human history of Kahuku on a 2.5-mile moderately-difficult hike over rugged terrain on Saturday. 
See event details below. Photo by Janice Wei of National Park Service

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON HIKING THE STATE SALES TAX TO 4.5 PERCENT WILL BE IN VOLCANO AND NĀʻĀLEHU THIS WEEK. The hearings are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. in Nāʻālehu Community Hall and Friday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. in Volcano Cooper Center. The half percent hike in general excise tax, now 4 percent, would generate funds to revamp the county's transportation system, including the Hele -On Bus fleet. The county predicts extra income of $25 million per year. The hike would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2019 and sunset Dec. 31, 2030. The additional sales tax would be collected by the State of Hawaiʻi and turned over to the County of Hawaiʻi, to be used for transportation only.

Hele On Buses would be upgraded and repaired 
through a sales tax increase to support transportation.

     The Hawaiʻi Legislature passed an act allowing the counties to add onto the sales tax for their local expenditures, but gave a deadline of March 31 to approve the measure. Mayor Harry Kim, a supporter of expanding public transportation, is campaigning for it.

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NOMINATIONS FOR COUNTY ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY through the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission, are due Wednesday, Feb. 28, no later than 4:30 p.m. Applications for suggestions for new properties to be purchased by the County of Hawaiʻi can be found online and emailed to the Commission Secretary Maxine Cutler at maxine.cutler@hawaiicounty.gov.
     Suggestions can be made for properties to be acquired for preservation. The Commission prioritizes the suggestions and those that make the list are put before the County Council. Properties must have a willing seller and price can be no higher than determined by an independent valuation.
     Money to buy PONC properties is raised through 2 percent of collected county property taxes and funding from federal and private partners. See the application here.
     Stewardship grants are also available to help the county take care of PONC properties. See the application here.
     One such stewardship grant was recently provided to Mā Mamo o Kāwā for care of Kāwā, the local surf spot with many archaeological sites, an estuary, and a pond. See the county's Kāwā Resources Management Plan here. Volunteer to help care for Kāwā the second Saturday of each month. Contact James Akau at namamookawa@gmail.com or 430-3058.
     PONC welcomes a new Chair for 2018, Kekaulike Tomich, and Vice Chair, René Siracusa. All commissioners are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the County Council. They are: Timothy DeLozier, Kaʻena Bisha II, Dr. Wayne Frank, Rick Warshauer, Cynthia Nazara, and Susan Wells Fischer. The next meeting is on Monday, March 12, at 10 a.m., at 25 Aupuni St, Hilo Council Chambers, Suite 140.

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KA‘Ū COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S COUNCIL WELCOMES ALL INTERESTED to monthly meetings. The next is at Punalu‘u Bake Shop on Thursday, Feb. 22, from noon to 1 p.m.
     The local Council serves Ka‘ū High, Pāhala Elementary, Nā‘ālehu Elementary, and Volcano School of the Arts and Sciences. The parent co-chair is currently vacant; the Professional co-chair is Zoe Shih. Staff contact Chad Domingocan be reached at 305-0697 or chad_domingo@hawaiidoe.org.
     There are 17 Community Children's Councils statewide, with a mission to "provide local forums statewide for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families and communities." Working together with the State departments and service providers, the CCCs collaborate to improve system delivery at school and complex levels.
     An informational flyer states that the CCC's duties and responsibilities include: "the identification, recruitment and retention of broad-based group of community opportunities; to link with family support groups and parent training opportunities; to inform community members and parents about State policy and support community feedback on such policy; to identify specific needs, gaps in services and barriers that have not been met through the local system of care by providing data to the State policy makers; to develop strategies to assure quality of services; and to separate and support systemic concerns from individual concerns."

     In addition, it suggests that the benefits of the CCCs provide an: "opportunity to share information and learn about community resources; opportunity to represent the family and community perspective regarding services delivered in your community; and opportunity for parents to gain support from other parents." The flyer also states that the CCC's link with: schools through their Quality Assurance Meetings; family-based organizations; private child-serving agencies; and military networks and support services.
     The Ka‘ū council meets on the fourth Thursday of each month. The following meeting will take place on Mar. 22. For more, visit ccco.k12.hi.us.

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FORMER HAWAI‘I ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK BENNETT is nominated to serve in the open Hawai‘i seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz support the nomination.

     Said Hirono, "Attorney General Bennett has extensive experience practicing law in the public and private sectors in Hawai‘i and at the federal level. Mark is a well-qualified nominee to serve on the Ninth Circuit."

Former Hawai‘i Attorney General Mark Bennett is
nominated to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

     Said Schatz, "Mark Bennett has a long and distinguished career as a lawyer and public servant in Hawaii that makes him well-qualified to serve as a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. With more than two decades of public service, Mark has a reputation as a highly competent, principled attorney – something I saw first-hand when he served as Attorney General. I am confident that he will be a fair, dispassionate jurist who will carefully follow the rule of law while reflecting Hawai‘i's values."

     Bennett has been a director at Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher, where he has specialized in civil and appellate litigation, and government relations, since 2011. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Bennett served for nearly eight years as Hawai‘i's Attorney General under Republican Gov. Linda Lingle from 2003-2011.

     Prior to his service as Attorney General, Bennett was a partner at McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon, LLP, and an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Hawai‘i.

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TUESDAY, FEB. 13

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com
/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, 
weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

REGISTER KEIKI, AGES 6-12 YEARS, BY FEB. 13, FOR A VALENTINE'S DAY CARD Arts & Crafts class Wed., Feb. 14, 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Free; Teresa Anderson at 929-9113 or hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

REGISTER KEIKI, GRADES K-8, BY FEB. 13, FOR A VALENTINE'S DAY FLOWER & BEAR CRAFT Wed., Feb. 14, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Pāhala Community Center. Free; Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE DOG on a Mandarin-language, easy, guided, two-mile round trip, Chinese New Year hike, with Volunteer Janice Wei, through Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) to the edge of Kīlauea Caldera at Akanikōlea (Steaming Bluff). The free hike is offered Tuesday, Feb. 13, Friday, Feb. 16, and Sunday, Feb. 18, from 11 a.m. to noon, starting at Kīlauea Visitor Center - nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR - NĀ‘ĀLEHU COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM Tues., Feb. 13, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Public invited to see what C.E.R.T. is about, and participate in training scenarios; Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW GEOCHEMICAL TOOL TO PREDICT VOLCANIC UNREST AND EARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY at After Dark in the Park Tues., Feb. 13, 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free, suggested donation $2; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14

AUNTY EDNA BALDAD EXPLAINS ‘AI PONO, how to eat and live healthier with native Hawaiian foods like kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potato) and ulu (breadfruit). Free program offered Wed., Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai - nps.gov/HAVO.

VALENTINE'S DAY BUFFET, Wed., Feb. 14, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Crater Rim Café. $28.00/adult and $14.50/child (6-11 years old). KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests - kilaueamilitarycamp.com or 967-8356.

DENNIS & CHRISTY SOARES AT LAVA LOUNGE Wednesday, Feb, 14, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., free. Award-winning singer-songwriters perform contemporary Hawaiian music, folk, and slack-key, on Valentine's evening - kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS' SUMMER INNOVATIONS ACADEMY Hālau Kupukupu applications due by Thursday, Feb. 15, for summer program 2018, June 14 to July 12. Students can apply and find the course catalog online at www.ksbe.edu/admissions or call 982-0033 for more info.

THURSDAY, FEB. 15

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU Thursdays, Feb. 15 and 22, at 9:30 a.m., at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11. Remove invasives; bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, water, closed-toe shoes - clothing could be permanently stained by morning glory sap. New volunteers, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com - nps.gov/HAVO for more.

STORY TIME WITH AUNTIE LINDA FROM TŪTŪ & ME Thurs., Feb. 15, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Nā‘ālehu Public Library - 929-8571.

WEST HAWAI‘I FISHERY COUNCIL PUBLIC MEETING at Puka‘ana Church, Thurs., Feb. 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Fishery Council meetings happen third Thursday of each month - West Hawai‘i Fishery Council website.

FAMILY READING is hosted at Ocean View Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. - 939-7033 or ovcahi.org.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū meets Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m., at United Methodist Church in Nā‘ālehu - Pres. Berkley Yoshida at 747-0197.

LITTLE FIRE ANT PRESENTATION WITH BIG ISLAND INVASIVE SPECIES COMMITTEE at Volcano Art Center on Thurs., Feb. 15, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free, suggested donation $5 - volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

 

FRIDAY, FEB. 16

FREE LOMILOMI DEMONSTRATION AT KAHUKU from master practitioner, Fri., Feb. 16, 10 a.m. to noon. Entrance to the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, near mile marker 70.5 on Hwy 11 - nps.gov/HAVO.

HULA & OLI WITH KAHO‘OKELE CRABBE hosted on the porch of Volcano Art Center Gallery, Fri., Feb. 16, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - volcanoartcenter.org.

MARDI GRAS AT ST. JUDE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH hosted Friday, Feb. 16; doors at 5:30 p.m., dinner 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets at the door: $8/person, $15/two, $20/family - 939-7555.

SATURDAY, FEB. 17

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, with Paul and Jane Field, Sat., Feb. 17 and Mon., Feb. 19, 8:45 a.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center. Free; park entrance fees apply - nps.gov/HAVO.

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BONSAI AND HOW TO GROW THEM, with Sensei Bill Newton, Volcano Garden Arts, Saturdays, Feb. 17 and 24. Space is limited - 985-8979 or volcanogardenarts.com.

LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, at Ka‘ū District Gym, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, Feb. 17 and 24. Free; to register or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health team - hmono.org to learn more about the organization.

TĪ AND SEAS, NEW ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, opens to the public Sat., Feb. 17 to Sun., Mar. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. Irvine shares his inspirations and techniques at an opening reception on Sat., Feb. 17, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. - volcanoartcenter.org or 967-8222.

CELEBRATIONS HONOR HENRY ‘OPUKAHA‘IA AT PUNALU‘U. Bell ringing ceremony and gathering at Hokuloa Chapel at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17.  A Remembrance Service will be Sunday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m., also at the tiny chapel above the sea. On Sunday, the service at Punalu‘u will replace the regular worship service in Wai‘ohinu. A commemoration service will be held Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9:30 a.m., at Kahikolu Congregational Church on Napo‘opo‘o Rd., where his body was reinterred in 1993.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets Sat., Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, Ocean View Community Center. Call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

PANIOLO FROM KA‘Ū HEAD TO PANA‘EWA for annual Stampede Rodeo, Feb. 17, 18 and 19. Rodeo Grounds open at noon on Saturday, 11 a.m. on Sunday and Monday. Buster Barton is the announcer and Rodeo Clown JJ Harrison will protect the paniolo and entertain - www.HawaiiRodeoStampede.com.

A MONGOLIAN BBQ at Crater Rim Café, Sat., Feb. 17, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests; park entrance fees apply - 967-8356 or kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

BUNCO & POTLUCK, Sat., Feb. 17, 6 p.m. Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Bring a dish to share - call Margie Hack at 541-954-8297.

SUNDAY, FEB. 18

PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU FREE, GUIDED HIKE, Sun., Feb. 18, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., within Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 2.5-mile, moderately difficult, hike over rugged terrain, focusing on the area's human history - nps.gov/HAVO.

UPCOMING

SUPPORT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB locations at Pāhala and Ocean View by purchasing tickets and sponsoring persons to attend the annual Youth of the Year celebration, Friday, Mar. 2, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, in the Moku Ola Ballroom. For 66 years, its outreach to the Island has provided a safe and educational place for children after school.

    To purchase tickets, contact Ka‘ū Boardmember Julia Neal at 928-9811 or mahalo@aloha.net. To purchase an ad in the Gala program, become a Gala sponsor, make a financial donation, or to donate an auction item, contact Gail Hamasu at 961-5536 or gail@bgcbi.org.

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.

Ka‘ū News Briefs Sunday, February 11, 2018

Participate in training scenarios and learn what Community Emergency Response Team is all about in Discovery Harbour 
on Tuesday. Event details below. Photo from discoveryharbour.net

TESTIMONY FOR A BILL THAT WOULD REGULATE HOME SCHOOLING is due on Wednesday, Feb. 14. The Coalition for Responsible Home Education, which supports the measure, says Bill 2323 "would create a screening process designed to ensure that children with elevated risk factors are not removed from school to be homeschooled." Sen. Kai Kahele introduced the bill in response to the 2016 starvation death of nine-year-old Shaelynn Lehano, who was homeschooled in Hilo. Kahele's aim is to protect those children with abusive parents who want to keep them home from school.

     Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaiʻi advocate Lora Burbage takes a different view. She recently told Hawaiʻi News Now, the "proposal is flawed and unfairly singles out home-schooling families without including all parents of school-age children. If you begin to allow the government to begin policing - and they're not looking at the net of the biggest group of child abusers - then we're being targeted, we're being discriminated against."
     Attorney Peter Kamakawiwoole, representing the Home School Legal Defense Association, said the bill "would radically alter Hawai‘i's homeschool statute by requiring all homeschool families to submit to an annual social services check and background check before they can receive 'approval' from their public school superintendent to homeschool." He plans to attend the joint hearing before the state Senate Education Committee and Senate Human Services Committees.
     Interested persons can send in testimony by regular mail, online, or attend the hearing on Feb. 14 at 2:55 p.m., in conference room 229, at the Capitol Building on O‘ahu. Read Senate Bill 2323.
     Kamakawiwoole said he is interested in those who want to testify. To reach him, click here. For more from HSLDA, click here. To read more from CRHE, click here. 

Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. Xochitl Amador Aznar, of San Juan, Puerto Rico,
treated dental patients in Pāhala at no charge as a team member of Tropic Care.
 Photo by Julia Neal

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

TROPIC CARE IS RETURNING TO HAWAIʻI ISLAND. Tropic Care 2018 is an 11-day event providing medical, dental, and eye care for any community member, free of charge. Held in 2013 and 2016 in Pāhala and Ocean View, this year's event lasts Mondays through Fridays, June 18 to 28, at Kea‘au High School.
     Kalei Namohala, Athletic Director for Kaʻū High School, which housed and fed Tropic Care health providers in the past, recommends that Kaʻū families make the drive this year to Keaʻau. Less than an hour from Pāhala, and half hour from Volcano, Tropic Care will offer free health care to anyone, with or without insurance.

     Army Reserve Innovative Readiness Training, in cooperation with Hawaiʻi state Dept. of Health and County of Hawai‘i, organizes Tropic Care to provide medical services to underserved communities. Health care providers - optometrists, dentists, hearing specialists, family physicians, and more - from military reserve units around the country travel to Hawaiʻi to practice field medicine with the local Army Reserve. They set up camp and hone their skills for working in remote places, not only during wartime, but also in natural disasters.   

     During Tropic Care, health experts see members of the public on a first come-first served basis. They ask that people bring with them any current prescriptions or eye glasses, and a list of any current medications being taken.
     As long waits are expected, they recommend bringing water and snacks. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided to those age 3 to 18. Food carts may be on site for purchases throughout the event.
     Adria Medeiros, Vice Principal of Kea‘au High School, asks for community members to spread the word, and offers to schedule blocks of time for larger groups coming in from communities outside Kea‘au. "For example, if your school were to arrange a bus to bring in a large group, I would assist by setting aside blocks of time for services with the medical professionals to ensure they could be seen," she stated. "It really is a great opportunity to receive free services, and I'd like to make it even more successful this year than it has been in the past."

     Questions can be directed to Medeiros at 313-3333.

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THE PENDING MERGER OF THE MONSANTO AND BAYER COMPANIES is the subject of a survey recommended for farmers by Hawai‘i Farmers Union United. Participation is available until midnight, Feb. 12. It is open to farmers of all types of crops, all sizes of operation, and all areas of the U.S.

     The survey is organized by Friends of Earth and the Organic Seed Growers Association, who say the results "will be used to inform policymakers and law enforcement officials in D.C. and in state capitols, about the impact of corporate power on farming." Changes in the farming community in the last year, specifically the merger of Dow and DuPont, and Syngenta and ChemChina, have an effect on those who depend on larger corporations for chemicals and seeds, says the message about the survey.

     Survey sponsors promise that survey participation is confidential and that results will be shared with the U.S. Department of Justice and state Attorneys General, who are reviewing the merger. Per the Hawai‘i Farmers Union United message: "The survey will take about 12 minutes to complete, and was designed to help DOJ and agriculture policy makers understand the structure of the market and how farmers make some key decisions." Link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZHXFB8B.

Take part in a lomilomi demonstration in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Kahuku Unit.
Photo from National Park Service

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LOMILOMI AT KAHUKU, a free demonstration of Hawaiian massage and discussion of the important spiritual and physical components of lomilomi, will be on Friday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon.
     The lomilomi style of massage incorporates the Hawaiian concept of aloha, which means to love, unify, and breathe; to promote personal harmony.
     The Kahuku Unit is a 50-minute drive south of the park's main entrance, near mile marker 70.5 on Highway 11. The program is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

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.

PAINTING WITH PEGGY, an acrylic painting class with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton, is offered on Monday, Feb. 12, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center. The class is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels and is offered again on Feb. 26. Class fess are $15 per VAC member and $20 per non-member per session. Email questions to peggystanton007@yahoo.com. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com
/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, 
weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

VOLUNTEER TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROTECTING vital and threatened native ecosystems by signing up by Monday, February 12, for Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Forest Restoration Project, held Friday, Feb. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Mauna Loa strip. Pre-registration required, space is limited. To volunteer, contact Linda Schubert at forest@fhvnp.org or 756-3694. Volunteers should be at least 12 years old, and be able to hike at least one mile over rough, uneven terrain - through brush - in an area with a moderate slope. www.fhvnp.org

CHINESE NEW YEAR GUIDED HIKES - IN MANDARIN - to celebrate the Year of the Dog, are offered in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The free hike is offered Tuesday, Feb. 13, Friday, Feb. 16, and Sunday, Feb. 18, from 11 a.m. to noon. Those interested should meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center. This easy, two-mile round trip hike, guided by Volunteer Janice Wei, goes through Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) to the edge of Kīlauea Caldera at Akanikōlea (Steaming Bluff). People with respiratory or heart issues, infants, young children, and pregnant women, should avoid Sulphur Banks due to high levels of naturally occurring volcanic gas. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR - NĀ‘ĀLEHU COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets Tuesday, Feb. 13, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., in Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Public is invited to come see what C.E.R.T. is about, as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

LEARN ABOUT A BRAND NEW MEANS OF SAMPLING IN THE FIELD.  Learn how dissolved gasses in groundwater can sometimes precede volcanic unrest and earthquake activity. The presentation at After Dark in the Park on Tuesday, Feb. 13 is called Development of a New Geochemical Tool to Predict Volcanic Unrest and Earthquake Activity. It begins at 7 p.m., in Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Speaker is Dr. Gary McMurtry of SOEST, University of Hawai‘i.
      Free; park entrance fees apply. Suggested donation of $2 to support park programs. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

REGISTER KEIKI, AGES 6-12, BY FEB. 13, FOR A VALENTINE'S DAY CARD Arts & Crafts class on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Free. For more, call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

REGISTER KEIKI, GRADES K-8, BY FEB. 13, FOR A VALENTINE'S DAY FLOWER & BEAR CRAFT class on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Free. For more, call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

‘AI PONO EXPLAINED BY AUNTY EDNA BALDAD; how to eat and live healthier with native Hawaiian foods like kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potato) and ulu (breadfruit). The free program is offered Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A VALENTINE'S DAY BUFFET, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., is hosted by Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café, located in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The main entrees will be Prime Rib au Jus, Lemon Butter Fish with Tropical Salsa, and Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu. $28.00/adult and $14.50/child (6-11 years old). KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com or call 967-8356.

DENNIS & CHRISTY SOARES AT LAVA LOUNGE Wednesday, Feb, 14, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Award-winning singer-songwriters will perform contemporary Hawaiian music, folk, and slack-key, on Valentine's evening, with no cover charge. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

KAMEHAMEHASCHOOLS' SUMMER INNOVATIONS ACADEMY Hālau Kupukupu in Keaʻau, for students entering grades K–12, is accepting applications until Thursday, Feb. 15, for summer 2018. The program will run from June 14 to July 12. Students can apply and find the course catalog online at www.ksbe.edu/admissions, or call 982-0033 for more information.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU, a Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park volunteer program, will be on Thursdays, Feb. 15 and 22, at 9:30 a.m., at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11. Help remove invasives from an area famous for its diversity of native forest and understory plants. Bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, and water. Wear closed-toe shoes. Note that clothing could be permanently stained by morning glory sap. Be prepared for cool and wet or hot and sunny weather. New volunteers should contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

STORY TIME WITH AUNTIE LINDA FROM TŪTŪ & ME takes place on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Nā‘ālehu Public Library. For more, call 929-8571.

Join Auntie Linda from Tūtū and Me for Story Time.

WEST HAWAI‘I FISHERY COUNCIL PUBLIC MEETING at Puka‘ana Church Hall near Capt. Cook - across from Fujihara store - on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Learn about managing the near-shore environment. Share opinions and concerns. Ask questions. New membership encouraged - especially recreational, commercial and regional fishers, who can provide feedback for the council on a regular basis. Fishery Council meetings happen on the third Thursday of each month. For more, visit West Hawai‘i Fishery Council website.

FAMILY READING is hosted at Ocean View Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū meets Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m., at United Methodist Church in Nā‘ālehu. For more, call Pres. Berkley Yoshida at 747-0197.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO CONTROL LITTLE FIRE ANT, which has recently been found in Volcano, at a free presentation at Volcano Art Center on Thursday, Feb. 15. Little Fire Ant Presentation with Big Island Invasive Species Committee takes place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free; suggested donation of $5. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

FREE LOMILOMI DEMONSTRATION AT KAHUKU is offered on Friday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon. A master practitioner demonstrates Hawaiian massage, and discusses the important spiritual and physical components of lomilomi. Entrance to the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is near mile marker 70.5 on Highway 11. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

HULA & OLI WITH KAHO‘OKELE CRABBE is hosted on the porch of Volcano Art Center Gallery, located within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, on Friday, Feb. 16. Kumu hula of Hālau Ke Ola o Ka Lani, Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe shares his extensive knowledge to teach the basics of hula, language, and chant from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

MARDI GRAS AT ST. JUDE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH is hosted Friday, Feb. 16, with dinner taking place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Doors open 5:30 p.m. Dinner includes Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, Cornbread, Drink and Dessert. Tickets are available at the door: $8/person, $15/two, $20/family. Pre-purchase during Aloha potluck after Sunday services or from Thom White, Beverly Nelson, or Cordelia Burt. For more, call 939-7555.

VOLUNTEER FOR THE STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT PROGRAM on Saturday, Feb. 17, and help native plants grow by removing non-native plant species from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  Meet Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO. This event will be offered again on Feb. 19.

WELL-KNOWN BONSAI SENSEI BILL NEWTON, with over 30 years experience, teaches a course, All You Ever Wanted to Know About Bonsai and How to Grow Them, at Volcano Garden Arts on Saturday, Feb. 17 and 24. Space is limited. For more, call 985-8979 or visit volcanogardenarts.com.

LA‘AU LAPA‘AU, A BEGINNER LEVEL CLASS, meets twice more this month in Pāhala at Ka‘ū District Gym. Class is held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 17 and 24. Po‘okela Ikaika Dombrigues of Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Ōiwi leads and shares traditional health at this free class. To register, or for more details, call 969-9220 and ask for the Traditional Health Team. Visit hmono.org to learn more about the organization.

The chapel on the hill at Punalu'u Beach where youth have volunteered
 to repair the rock walls, will be the site of two services to honor the life of
Henry 'Opukaha'ia Feb. 17 and 18. Photo by Myra Sumida

TĪ AND SEAS, A NEW ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, opens to the public on Saturday, Feb. 17. The exhibit will be available daily, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., until Sunday, Mar. 25.
     Irvine shares his inspirations and techniques at an opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

CELEBRATIONS HONOR HENRY ‘OPUKAHA‘IA AT PUNALU‘U with a bell ringing ceremony and gathering at Hokuloa Chapel at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17.  A Remembrance Service will be Sunday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m., also at the tiny chapel above the sea. On Sunday, the service at Punalu‘u will replace the regular worship service in Wai‘ohinu. A commemoration service will be held Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9:30 a.m., at Kahikolu Congregational Church on Napo‘opo‘o Rd., where his body was reinterred in 1993.

OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets Saturday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

PANIOLO FROM KA`U HEAD TO PANA'EWA for the annual Stampede Rodeo, Feb. 17, 18 and 19. Rodeo Grounds open at noon on Saturday, 11 a.m. on Sunday and Monday. Buster Barton is the announcer and Rodeo Clown JJ Harrison will protect the paniolo and entertain. See www.HawaiiRodeoStampede.com

A MONGOLIAN BBQ is offered at Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. KMC is open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more, call 967-8356 or visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

BUNCO & POTLUCK, a popular game played with nine dice, is hosted Saturday, Feb. 17, at 6 p.m., at Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Bring a dish to share. For more, call Margie Hack at 541-954-8297.

TAKE A FREE, RANGER-GUIDED HIKE, PEOPLE & LAND OF KAHUKU, on Sunday, Feb. 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., within Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain, focuses on the area's human history. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, February 10, 2018

Help remove invasive plants from native Hawaiian forest in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. See story below.
Photo from National Park Service

LOWERING HIGHER EDUCATION COST is a goal of state Sen. Kai Kahele, who represents Hilo but has family roots in Miloli‘i, where he works on education and cultural programs. Kahele is pushing for reduced financial burdens for students attending schools in the University of Hawai‘i system, where enrollment has dropped over 12 percent since 2012. University of Hawai‘i-Hilo experienced a decline of 5.8 percent between last spring and this spring.

     According to Kahele, even textbooks are a serious financial impediment for attending college. He said he spoke to hundreds of students who shared that textbooks, cost an average of $1,200, annually. His bill in the legislature calls it "a barrier to their higher education aspirations."

 

Kai Kahele encourages more affordable college  education in the University of Hawaiʻi system, for
students from  his  remote family community of Miloliʻi to urban areas of the islands. Above, he
was joined by Rep. Richard Creagan and County Council member Maile David when the
Malolo koa canoe was rededicated at Miloliʻi in 2016. Photo from Maile David

    In a statement this week, regarding SenateBill 2328, Kahele stated, "I promised students I would research the issue and as a result I am proposing the University of Hawaiʻi Open Resources Educational Task Force and a one year pilot project grant program to incentivize the faculty to convert general education 100 level course textbooks throughout the UH system to an open educational resource." In the bill's language, "Open educational resources offers learning, teaching, and research resources that are either in the public domain or have been released with an intellectual property license that permits free reuse and repurposing." The legislature has debated SB 2328, where it is in process.

     SB 2329, also making its way though the legislature, seeks to cap increases in tuition based on Hawaiʻi's median household income.  A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 13, and testimony is welcome online, through the mail, and in person.

     "Together," said Kahele, "these two senate bills are a culmination of the idea in which reasonable access to higher education is not only needed, but feasible. By easing the financial burden of receiving a higher education, one can focus on what is more important: an affordable, accessible, and quality education here in Hawai‘i."

     He invites residents to provide testimonies via the capitol site, and to contact him or his staff with any questions at 586-6760 or senkkahele@capitol.hawaii.gov.

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GRID MODERNIZATIONS FOR HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANIES that serve the counties of Hawai‘i, Maui, and O‘ahu, won approval from the Public Utilities Commission on Feb. 7. The PUC described the plan as "a holistic view of how Hawaiʻi's electric grid can evolve." According to HECO, it will improve reliability and develop island grids that are ready for more renewable energy sources, including rooftop solar adoption. 

Photo from hawaiianelectric.com

     Senior vice president for planning and technology at Hawaiian Electric, Colton Ching, called the plan "customer-focused" and said they participated, along with technical experts and other stakeholders from Hawai‘i and the mainland. The PUC called for more customer participation and HECO complied.

Photo from hawaiianelectric.com

     The cost of carrying out the first segment of the plan is $205 million over the course of the next six years.
     HECO first plans to acquire: more voltage management tools, to handle circuits with heavy solar penetration; advanced inverter technology, so more private rooftops can be integrated; enhanced outage management and notification technology; and strategic distribution of advanced meters for more accurate usage data. This will serve customers who want to participate in demand-response and variable rate plans, and those who seek usage data.

     Learn more and read the plan at hawaiianelectric.com/gridmod.

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"SOUNDS WE CAN'T HEAR TEACH US ABOUT LAVA LAKES," declare USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists in this week's Volcano Watch:

     Visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's Jaggar Museum Overlook when the wind is calm might be able to hear the sounds of gas bubbles bursting and lava splashing in the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea. What is heard is only part of a rich chorus of sounds emitted from many processes near the surface of an active lava lake.

     While some lava lake sounds are audible, most of them are at frequencies below what humans can hear, called infrasound. As with the electromagnetic spectrum, in which long-wavelength infrared is just below the visible light range, infrasound is at frequencies below 20 Hz (Hertz, a measure of audio frequency), which human ears cannot hear.

Mene Array-generated Kīlauea infrasound. Figure from isla.hawaii.edu

     It's known that many other natural processes make sounds that travel through both the ground and the air. For example, atmospheric sounds, such as thunder, can transfer into the ground and produce seismic waves. Conversely, small, shallow earthquakes can produce low-frequency booming sounds when seismic waves reach the surface and vibrate the air. In fact, P-waves, the fastest type of seismic waves, are just sound waves traveling through the solid Earth.

     Active volcanoes produce abundant sounds at or near Earth's surface. So, it can be beneficial to record those sounds using both seismometers for the seismic waves and microbarometers for the infrasound. Microbarometers are similar to sensors that measure pressure changes from passing weather fronts, but detect much smaller-scale changes in pressure.

     So, what's the connection to lava lakes? At Halemʻaumʻau, the loudest sounds are about 1 Hz and can only be captured with dedicated infrasound recording equipment. A frequency of 1 Hz is about the same as that of strong seismic tremor produced at the volcano's lava lake and within the magma plumbing system. Seismic and infrasound sensors record different versions of this tremor and can be used together to better understand it.

     One important difference between seismic and infrasound recordings is the pathway between the source and the recorder. Imagine all the layers of old lava flows off which a seismic wave echoes as it travels through the ground. Each of those echoes arrives at the seismometer at a different time and may result in a complex signal even if the source is simple.

     On the other hand, the sound wave in the air has a much simpler path, as long as it doesn't have too far to go. For a source that sends waves through both the ground and the air, this means that infrasound signals are often much easier to interpret.

A bursting bubble on the surface of a lava lake produces an impulsive signal on an infrasound recording. This photo shows a group of bubbles, about 16 ft across, bursting on the Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. The blue line is an infrasound recording of 50 seconds of similar activity. Each peak in the graph represents the sound made by such a bubble burst. USGS photo by M. Patrick; infrasound data courtesy of G. Waite

     At Kīlauea's summit lava lake, there are times when each big bubble burst can be distinguished individually on an infrasound recording, but the overlapping seismic recordings of the same processes are much too complex to interpret alone. In this way, joint recordings of waves through the air and the ground can be used in the identification of small events in the seismograms.

     Another way infrasound and seismic data can be used together is in monitoring the rise and fall of the lava lake. Since sound waves travel more slowly through the air than through the earth, the change in source location as the lake goes up or down means that the time it takes an infrasound signal to arrive at the recorders will change more than the change in time for the seismic wave. Using a little algebra, the change in the depth of the lava lake can be easily calculated. This is especially useful at volcanoes where the lava surface is not visible and cannot be measured more directly.

     Infrasound has many applications on volcanoes beyond studies of lava lakes, as described in a previous Volcano Watch (https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=128 ). In particular, infrasound can aid monitoring by continually tracking the directions from which sounds originate, potentially alerting scientists to the onset of new eruptive activity.

     It takes a wide array of sensors to monitor an active lava lake. The ability to capture sounds we can't hear provides a wealth of information we wouldn't know we were missing.

     Go to volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories for recent earthquake measurements. For more, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo, or email HOV at askHVO@usgs.gov.

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Ka Lae Quilters, with a Ka‘ū Officer.

KA LAE QUILTERS MAKE TIME TO COVER KEIKI. Meeting each Thursday at Discovery Harbour Community Hall, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the volunteers sew quilts for keiki who have suffered trauma or who have been taken from their homes. Last week, they met with the Ka‘ū Police Department to present 74 quilts, plus 60 stuffed animals - and more quilts are on their way.

     "This last year, all the quilts that were donated were given out. So sad that there were so many needed, but so glad the Ka Lae Quilters make them," said Donna Masaniai, one of the quilters.

74 quilts and 60 stuffed animals,
donated by the Ka Lae Quilters.

            Open to the public, beginner and experienced quilters are welcome. Bring supplies. For more, contact Barbara Beatty at 929-9072, Diane Farrar at 939-8720, go to discoveryharbour.net/ka-lae-quilters/, or email pahalaquilting@gmail.com.

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STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU, a Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park volunteer program, is twice more in February. Meet Thursdays, Feb. 15 and 22, at 9:30 a.m., at Kīpukapuaulu parking lot, Mauna Loa Road, off Highway 11. Help remove invasives from an area famous for its diversity of native forest and understory plants. Bring clippers or pruners, sturdy gloves, a hat, and water. Wear closed-toe shoes. Note that clothing could be permanently stained by morning glory sap. Be prepared for cool and wet or hot and sunny weather. New volunteers should contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

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.

A SLOGAN CONTEST FOR PĀHALA PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARY has been announced by Friends of the Ka‘ū Libraries. The deadline to turn in a slogan is Monday, April 2. Friends of the Ka‘ū Libraries is sponsoring the contest: to find a slogan or motto to encourage reading. Grand prize of $55 will be awarded at Pāhala Library's 55th anniversary celebration on Friday, April 13th. Everyone is encouraged to submit their ideas at either the Nā‘ālehu or Pāhala Library. For more information, contact FOKL President Sandra Demoruelle at naalehutheatre@yahoo.com or 929-9244.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at kaucalendar.com
/janfebmar/februaryevents.html. See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, 
weekly events at kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/februarycommunity.html.

February print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano. Also available free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com.

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.

MILOLI‘I-KA‘Ū VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT CONTINUES SUNDAY, Feb. 11, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Ka‘ū District Gym. The public is invited to join Miloli‘i Volleyball Team, in this second annual tournament. Teams playing are Miloli'i, Keaukaha Cuzins, KS Southside, Mauloa, Nawahi Na‘auao, Yosh, Big Island Boys, Nawahi Hanohano, and Hi-Intensity. Organizers and coaches are Yolanda Kuahuia and Kaimi Kaupiko. Food concessions support the effort.

THE MANY FORMS OF ‘ŌHI‘A LEHUA, the tree and its flower, and the vital role it plays in native Hawaiian forests, are presented on a free, easy, one-mile, guided walk on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK Sunday Walk-in-the-Park event, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., features volcanologst Cheryl Gansecki. This moderate three-mile hike explores the Mauna Ulu area. Due to the fragile nature of this significant cultural area, space is limited to 15 people, and reservations are required. The hike is free for, but restricted to, members of Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. If you are not a member, you can join at fhvnp.org/become-a-member/join-or-renew/. Call 985-7373 or visit their website to reserve a spot.

THE LAST DAY OF DISPLAY FOR HEATHER METTLER'S GLASSWORK - handblown, chiseled, and etched - is showcased at Volcano Art Center Gallery during normal gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Exhibit: Passage and Place, Mettler's unique collection of glass, explores the themes of migration, navigation, and immigration - how plants, animals, and people find their way to Hawai‘i. Free; park entrance fees apply.

ACRYLIC PAINTING CLASS, PAINTING WITH PEGGY, with Margaret "Peggy" Stanton, is offered on Monday, Feb. 12, from noon to 3 p.m., at Volcano Art Center. The class is part of an ongoing series of workshops for artists of all levels and is offered again on Feb. 26. Class fess are $15 per VAC member and $20 per non-member per session. Email questions to peggystanton007@yahoo.com. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR - NĀ‘ĀLEHU COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM meets Tuesday, Feb. 13, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., in Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Public is invited to come see what C.E.R.T. is about, as well as participate in training scenarios. For more, contact Dina Shisler at dinashisler24@yahoo.com or 410-935-8087.

CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE DOG on a Chinese-language guided Chinese New Year hike, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. On this easy, two-mile round trip hike, Volunteer Janice Wei guides Chinese-speaking visitors through Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) to the edge of Kīlauea Caldera at Akanikōlea (Steaming Bluff). The free hike is offered Tuesday, Feb. 13, Friday, Feb. 16, and Sunday, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m., starting at Kīlauea Visitor Center.
     Those with respiratory or heart issues, infants, young children, and pregnant women should avoid Sulphur Banks due to high levels of naturally occurring volcanic gas. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

AFTER DARK IN THE PARK ON TUESDAY, FEB. 13, at 7 p.m., will cover a brand new means of sampling in the field for dissolved gasses in groundwater that can sometimes precede volcanic unrest and earthquake activity. The presentation, Development of a New Geochemical Tool to Predict Volcanic Unrest and Earthquake Activity, begins at 7 p.m., in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Dr. Gary McMurtry of SOEST, University of Hawai‘i, describes its use in detecting any rapid changes, in time for effective hazard response and planning. Free; park entrance fees apply. Suggested donation of $2 to support park programs. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

‘AI PONO EXPLAINED BY AUNTY EDNA BALDAD; how to eat and live healthier with native Hawaiian foods like kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potato) and ulu (breadfruit). The free program is offered Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, on the Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

VALENTINE'S DAY CARD Arts & Crafts class held on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Register Keiki, aged 6-12, by Feb. 13. Free. For more, call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

VALENTINE'S DAY FLOWER & BEAR CRAFT class held on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. Register Keiki, grades K-8, by Feb. 13. Free. Call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation/.

Join Auntie Linda from Tūtū & Me for Story Time. 

CRATER RIM CAFÉ VALENTINE’S DAY BUFFET, Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hosted by Kīlauea Military Camp, the main entrees will be Prime Rib au Jus, Lemon Butter Fish with Tropical Salsa, and Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu. $28.00/adult and $14.50/child (6-11 years old). Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com or call 967-8356.

FAMILY READING is hosted at Ocean View Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA‘Ū meets Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m., at United Methodist Church in Nā‘ālehu. For more, call Pres. Berkley Yoshida at 747-0197.

YOO-HOO, LADY BUG! is the featured story this month at Story Time with Auntie Linda of Tūtū & Me, Thursday, Feb. 15, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, at Nā‘ālehu Public Library. For more, call 929-8571.

LITTLE FIRE ANT, NEWLY DISCOVERED IN VOLCANO, will be featured at Volcano Art Center on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Little Fire Ant Presentation with Big Island Invasive Species Committee will provide advice on controlling the pests. Free; suggested donation of $5. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

Learn more about controlling Little Fire Ants, which have recently been found in Volcano.
Event details above. Photo from biisc.org

A FREE LOMILOMI DEMONSTRATION AT KAHUKU is offered on Friday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon. A master practitioner demonstrates Hawaiian massage, and discusses the important spiritual and physical components of lomilomi. Entrance to the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is near mile marker 70.5 on Highway 11. Visit nps.gov/HAVO for more.

HULA & OLI WITH KAHO‘OKELE CRABBE is hosted on the porch of Volcano Art Center Gallery, located within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, on Friday, Feb. 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kumu hula of Hālau Ke Ola o Ka Lani, Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe shares his extensive knowledge to teach the basics of hula, language, and chant  For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

ST. JUDE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH HOSTS MARDI GRAS Friday, Feb. 16, with dinner taking place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Doors open 5:30 p.m. Dinner includes Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, Cornbread, Drink and Dessert. Tickets are available at the door: $8/person, $15/two, $20/family. Pre-purchase during Aloha potluck after Sunday services or from Thom White, Beverly Nelson or Cordelia Burt. For more, call 939-7555.

Looking Down, Steve Irvine

TĪ AND SEAS, A NEW ART EXHIBIT at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park featuring oil paintings by Pāhoa resident Steve Irvine, opens to the public on Saturday, Feb. 17. It will be available daily, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., until Sunday, Mar. 25.
     Irvine shares his inspirations and techniques at an opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

ALL INTERESTED ARE WELCOME TO KA‘Ū COMMUNITY CHILDREN’S COUNCIL meeting at Punalu‘u Bake Shop on Thursday, Feb. 22, from noon to 1 p.m. The goal of the meeting is to provide a local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. The council meets on the fourth Thursday of each month. The following meeting will take place on Mar. 22. For more, visit ccco.k12.hi.us.

BIG ISLAND SENIORS PLANNING ON SEEKING a two or four-year degree at a College, University, or Vocational-Technical school in the 2018-19 academic year are encouraged to apply for HFS Federal Credit Union Scholarship Program. Qualifications include: HFS member (in good standing), minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, full-time school schedule, and financial need. Applications due Wed., Feb. 28, available at hfsfcu.org/news/2018Scholarship or at any branch location: Kea‘au, Hilo, and Kona.

Boys & Girls Club members, with staff, at a
beach clean-up. Photo from Boys & Girls Club

KAʻŪ'S BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS NEED SUPPORT. Those who want to help can purchase tickets and sponsor persons to attend the annual Youth of the Year celebration, Friday, Mar. 2, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, in the Moku Ola Ballroom. The evening includes a banquet-style meal, youth led entertainment, silent and live auctions, guest speakers, and honors will be presented. Learn more about helping to create great futures at bgca.org.
     To purchase tickets, contact Ka‘ū Boardmember Julia Neal at 928-9811 or mahalo@aloha.net. To purchase an ad in the Gala program, become a Gala sponsor, make a financial donation, or to donate an auction item, contact Gail Hamasu at 961-5536 or gail@bgcbi.org.

FOUR DAYS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP COMING TO KA‘Ū, with Big Island Faith Crusade, starting March 8 at Ka‘ū District Gym, next to Ka‘ū High School, at 96-1219 Kamani St. in Pāhala.
     The four admission-free services for the public will be held: Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 9, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 10, at 6 p.m.; and Sunday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m. Doors open one hour beforehand. International speaker Jerry Savelle is on the agenda. Contact Thy Word Ministries Pastor Bob Tominaga at 936-9114 or Herb Schneider at 327-9739 for more information.

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.