Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023

The night and the light at Halema'uma'u, following the return of the eruption of Kīlauea on Thursday. NPS photo by Janice Wei

THE NEW ERUPTION AT THE SUMMIT of Kīlauea volcano is drawing thousands of visitors, notes a message from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The visitors are "eager to see new erupting lava by day and the lava glow after dark. This new eruption is viewable from almost all open areas around the caldera."
    While the park remains open 24 hours a day, Puʻupuaʻi Overlook and parking lot are closed to protect breeding and nesting nēnē. The overlook west of the Uēkahuna parking lot also remains closed to protect nēnē. The restrooms, parking lot and viewing areas to the east remain open.
    The public is reminded to stay safe and help protect park resources by following these precautions:
    - Volcanic eruptions can be hazardous and change at any time. Stay on marked trails and overlooks, and avoid earth cracks and cliff edges. Do not enter closed areas.

Images show silhouettes of visitors in front of a large bright orange

 lava lake inside a dark crater at night. NPS photo by Janice Wei

   - Hazardous volcanic gases are billowing out the crater and present a danger to everyone, especially people with heart or respiratory problems, infants, young children and pregnant women. Check the park air alert web page before and during the visit.
    - Slow down and drive safely. Expect long waits for parking spaces at popular vantage points like Uēkahuna (formerly the Jaggar Museum) and Devastation Trail parking area.
    - Help protect nēnē by keeping your distance, at least four car lengths away, and never feed nēnē or wildlife. Handouts make nēnē seek out people and cars, putting them in great danger. Drivers should be alert for nēnē along park roads, always observe the speed limit, and slow down for all nēnē crossing signs in the park and throughout the island.
    - At 1,219 meters, (4,000 feet), the summit of Kīlauea can be chilly at any time. Bring a rain jacket, wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Bring a flashlight if visiting at night.
    So what can visitors expect to see? It depends on when they arrive, and the weather.
    In the Dark: A magnificent reddish orange glow fills the dark sky. Lava flows have covered much of Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor (which is nearly 300 acres or 120 hectares), reflecting into the gas plume wafting out of the volcano, and onto any clouds above. Jagged crater walls are illuminated, showing the scars from the 2018 summit collapse.
    In Daylight. Volcanic gas and steam billow out of Halemaʻumaʻu, and the entire summit caldera, Kaluapele, is fully visible. Koaʻe kea, white-tailed tropicbirds, are often observed flying above the crater.
    The best eruption viewpoints day or night are along Crater Rim Trail, and include Uēkahuna, Kīlauea Overlook, Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff), Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron Ledge), Keanakākoʻi and other overlooks.
    Eruption status updates, live web cams, closure notifications, and planning tips are available on the park website.
    "While an eruption is an exciting experience, keep in mind you are observing a sacred event. The summit of Kīlauea volcano is a wahi kapu (sacred landscape) surrounded with storied places and a fragile ecosystem."

Panoramic view of lava lake. NPS Photo by M.Newman

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REMOTE CAMERAS PROVIDE NEW VIEWS OF NEW ERUPTIONS is the headline for the weekly Volcano Watch by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
    Real-time views of an eruption site are a vital source of information for emergency managers, so webcams are one of the most important tools in an eruption crisis. HVO maintains a network of continuously operating webcams across Mauna Loa and Kīlauea, which have provided views of recent eruptions at these volcanoes.
    Kīlauea summit began erupting again the afternoon of January 5, 2023, and webcams provided views of lava reaching the surface. You can monitor this new activity, which is confined to Halema'uma'u crater within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, through one of the many Kīlauea summit webcams available at https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit-webcams.
   The recent eruption of Mauna Loa produced spectacular lava fountains and a long, meandering lava flow that threatened a major highway on the Island of Hawai'i. Given the potential hazard to infrastructure, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists needed to keep a close eye on the eruption, around the clock.
    HVO geologists were on the ground and in the air each day, monitoring the situation at Mauna Loa closely. They couldn't be at the mountain-top eruption site all hours of the day but webcams could. The recent eruption of Mauna Loa allowed HVO scientists to test and improve some of our remote camera capabilities.

    These webcams proved invaluable during the opening hours of the Mauna Loa eruption, to be able to pinpoint which rift zone the activity was focusing on. HVO scientists used cameras on the Southwest Rift Zone to confirm that vents were not opening on that section of the volcano, which has greater proximity to residential areas.

Image of a webcam deployed to monitor the 2022 Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa. USGS image

    Image of a webcam deployed to monitor the 2022 Northeast Rift Zone eruption of Mauna Loa. USGS image

    Once an eruption starts, HVO relies on small, portable webcams to provide close-up 24/7 views of the eruptive activity. These cameras transmit images over the cellular network, and can easily fit in a backpack, so HVO staff deployed them around the new Mauna Loa eruption within hours of its start.

    Another tool HVO deployed was a live-streaming video camera, to provide continuous views of the fountaining at the vent. This is valuable to track whether eruptive activity is picking up or slowing down. The eruption site was remote and maintaining a data connection was a major challenge. But it was worth the work and proved to be popular with volcano watchers around the world. HVO learned useful lessons for live-streaming in this environment, which should help with future eruptions.

    Several time-lapse cameras were also deployed to provide detailed documentation of the lava fountain heights and lava channel activity. These time-lapse cameras didn't transmit their images in real time, but simply stored the images onto a data card for later analysis.

    Many of these camera techniques were developed and improved during the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea, and lessons learned there were directly applied to the Mauna Loa response. We also tested a new "video-lapse" camera. Unlike time-lapse cameras that take a single snapshot at intervals, the video-lapse camera periodically captures short video clips. In our test deployment, the camera captured a 20 second video clip of the lava flowing through the upper channel every 15 minutes.

This view from a sunrise overflight at 6:45 a.m. HST shows the Kilauea eruption is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater in the

 summit caldera. Mauna Loa (not erupting) is along the horizon in the background. USGS photo

These periodic video clips will be useful for measuring the eruption rate through time. Just as the flow rate is one of the most important variables to understand a river's behavior, the volumetric eruption rate (cubic meters or cubic yards per second) is a fundamental parameter for understanding, and forecasting, lava flows. The simplest way to measure the eruption rate of a lava flow is to estimate the velocity of lava in the channel and multiply that by the depth and width of the channel.

    From our video-lapse clips we can make direct measurements of the velocity of lava in the channel. This is done by using a computer to track moving features in a video. In a lava channel, these might be distinct pieces of crust carried on the surface.

    In essence, this approach is a digital cousin of "Poohsticks", whereby Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends tossed sticks into a creek and watched them flow downstream. In the video clips of the lava channel, the algorithm can track many thousands of virtual Poohsticks.

    Camera technology improves every year, and the recent Mauna Loa eruption was an opportunity for HVO to test and improve our remote camera monitoring approaches. There's still no replacement for a geologist's eyes, but our Mauna Loa response showed that remote field cameras are a valuable complement to field geologists during eruption crises.

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This image, taken early on Jan. 6, shows a lava fountain on the eastern portion of Halema‘uma‘u. Numerous areas of upwelling, like the one pictured here, are actively feeding the lava lake and re-surfacing material that was emplaced from activity in 2022. This fountain measured 16-33 feet in height (5-10 meters).  USGS photo

VOLCANO ACTIVITY UPDATES: Kīlauea is erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is at WATCH. Kīlauea updates are issued daily at https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates.

Kīlauea volcano began erupting within Halema'uma'u crater at approximately 4:34 p.m. HST on January 5, 2023. All activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Summit tilt switched from inflation to deflation around 5 p.m. HST on January 5. Following the eruption onset, summit earthquake activity greatly diminished and eruptive tremor (a signal associated with fluid movement) resumed. Volcanic gas emissions in the eruption area are elevated. For Kīlauea monitoring data, see https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/past-week-monitoring-data-kilauea.

    Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at ADVISORY. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly on Thursdays.

    Webcam imagery may show weak, residual incandescence intermittently in the inactive Northeast Rift Zone fissure 3 lava flow at night. Seismicity remains low and ground deformation rates have decreased. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates are at background levels. For Mauna Loa monitoring data, see: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/monitoring-data.

    There were six earthquakes with 3 or more felt reports in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M3.3 earthquake 4 km (2 mi) SW of Pāhala at 35 km (21 mi) depth on Jan. 03 at 9:03 p.m. HST, a M1.7 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) SW of Volcano at 0 km (0 mi) depth on Jan. 3 at 4:01 a.m. HST, a M4.0 earthquake 6 km (3 mi) NW of Volcano at 18 km (11 mi) depth on Jan. 3 at 3:31 a.m. HST, a M3.8 earthquake 46 km (28 mi) W of Hawaiian Ocean View at 38 km (23 mi) depth on Jan. 1 at 8:34 a.m. HST, a M3.0 earthquake 1 km (0 mi) SW of Pāhala at 31 km (19 mi) depth on Dec. 30 at 5:02 p.m. HST, and a M3.1 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) E of Pāhala at 32 km (20 mi) depth on Dec. 30 at 7:49 a.m. HST. HVO continues to closely monitor the ongoing eruption at Kīlauea, and Mauna Loa.

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Patricia Wong

TWO NA'ALEHU AND OCEAN VIEW RESIDENTS have been indicted for a murder dating back more than 13 years. Hawai'i County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced on Friday that Patricia Hanoa Wong, 60, of Na'alehu and Peter Fuerte, 55, of Ocean View, have been charged in the murder of Kaycee Maile Smith. The victim, also known as "Bug," was a rodeo star and former student at Kamehameha Schools in Kapalama. She was 21 at the time of her death by a single gunshot to her head at her home in Orchidland. Wong is indicted for second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and two counts of criminal solicitation. Fuerte is indicted as an
accomplice to murder and attempted murder. On Dec. 28, a grand jury in Hilo handed down the indictment with her bail set at $250,000.
    Wong is to be arraigned on Monday. She was initially indicted in 2016 for the same crime on a single count of second-degree murder and extradited from Las Vegas to Hawa'i, the trial pending for the last six years. 

Peter Fuertes

    Fuertes' court date is pending, with his bail set at $50,000. According to police Smith's father, Noel "Bear" Smith, likely killed Jeremy Napoleon on June 19, 2007 and turned up dead hours later when his car ran off the road. Police and prosecutors suspect revenge and money involved in these slayings, as well as 
the slaying of Kaycee Smith.
    The investigation was handled by Captain Rio Amon-Wilkins and Detective Derek Morimoto, Area I Criminal Investigation Section, Hawai‘i Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Annaliese Wolf.
    Waltjen noted that "The charges are merely allegations, and the Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney remains dedicated to the pursuit of justice with integrity and commitment. Anyone having information to assist local law enforcement should call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300."

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YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM sponsored by Hawai'i County Department of Parks & Recreation include: Track & Field, T-Ball, Coach Pitch baseball league, and Age Group Boys' Basketball.
    Two-track meets will be held in February for East and West Hawai'i youth. The Age Group meeting will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, and the Exponent meeting will be held on Saturday, Feb. 18. On both dates,

events will be held simultaneously at 9 a.m. at the Waiākea High School Ken Yamase Stadium and Konawaena High School Oval Track. All meets will consist of field and running events for youth 6-14 years old.
    Pre-registration by Jan. 20 is required. For a complete list of age group events and the registration packet, visit https://records.hawaiicounty.gov/weblink/DocView.aspx?dbid=1&id=120056. Please call Darrell Yamamoto at (808) 961-8735.
    In East Hawai'i, T-Ball and Coach Pitch baseball leagues will begin in February. An organizational meeting will be held for coaches and team representatives at Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium in Hilo on January 10 at 5:00 p.m. This meeting is mandatory for all teams interested in participating in the upcoming league. The Co-ed Age Group T-Ball division will accommodate participants 5-6 years old. The Coach Pitch division will accommodate participants 7-8 years old. The age cut-off date is May 1. For more information, call Darrell Yamamoto at (808) 961-8735.

FREE FOOD

St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View.  Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Masks and social distancing required.

Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day, according to OKK President Wayne Kawachi.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

'O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in the upper lot only. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.

Ocean View Swap Meet at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.

The Book Shack is open every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Kauaha'ao Congregational Church grounds at 95-1642 Pinao St. in Wai'ōhinu.

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023

Kīlauea resumed its eruption Thursday afternoon after an earthquake swarm. USGS Photo

KILAUEA IS ERUPTING, following more than 100 earthquakes on Thursday. At approximately 4:34 p.m. on Jan. 5, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory detected glow in Kīlauea summit webcam images indicating that the eruption has resumed within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
    Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park reported that fountaining lava is visible from several areas and overlooks around the caldera. Planning to visit? The Park recommends checking  out the eruption viewing web page:https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/eruption-viewing.htm.
    Ranger tips include:
- Be prepared for crowds
- Parking may be limited
- Pack layers, it can be cold and rainy
- Be respectful to this sacred cultural landscape
    USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory elevated Kīlauea’s volcano alert level from WATCH to WARNING on Thursday and its aviation color code from ORANGE to RED as this eruption and associated hazards are evaluated.  
    USGS reports: "The opening phases of eruptions are dynamic. Webcam imagery shows fissures at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater generating lava flows on the surface of the crater floor. The activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu and the hazards will be reassessed as the eruption progresses. HVO will continue to monitor this activity closely and report any significant changes in future notices. HVO is in constant communication with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park as this situation evolves. The activity is confined entirely within the park."

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HINAHINA IS THE NOVEMBER PLANT OF THE MONTH for the column Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū by Jodie Rosam with illustration by Joan Yoshioka. Hinahina's scientific name is Heliotropium anomalum var. argenteum.    

    Description: Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou! I am excited to kick off 2023 by introducing you to a sweet friend of mine, hinahina (or hinahina kū kahakai)! Hinahina is an endemic coastal shrub in the Borage or Boraginaceae family (a cousin to our friend kou). Out of the approximately 250 species of Heliotropium worldwide, only two species are native to Hawaiʻi, including the indigenous kīpūkai (H. curassavicum) and our endemic H. anomalum var. argenteum. Hinahina grows in low bunches, and its 1 to 2 inch long,

Hinahina illustration by Joan Yoshioka

narrow leaves are covered with soft silky hairs that give them a silvery appearance (also earning them the name hinahina) which help to protect them from the harsh coastal sunrays. The succulent leaves grow in rosettes towards the tips of the stems. The small, white, tubular flowers bloom year round in clusters that grow above the foliage, and produce a sweet, citrusy fragrance (my personal favorite!).

Uses: Medicinally, hinahina leaves can be used to make a tea which acts as a tonic, much like the more commonly seen koʻokoʻolau tea. However, being rare on Hawaiʻi Island, harvesting leaves for tea is not recommended without having intimate knowledge of the population’s dynamics. The hardy silver leaves and sweet smelling flower spikes make a gorgeous haku lei. In 1923, hinahina was adopted as the official flower and lei material for Kahoʻolawe. Unfortunately, due to the desecration of the island by both introduced ungulates and military occupation, hinahina is not found naturally on Kahoʻolawe today.
   Habitat: Hinahina can be found in sandy areas, and is locally common on Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Molokaʻi, and rare on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island. It grows along the coast across dry landscapes (0-50 inches of rainfall annually), though given the proper growing conditions, hinahina could grow more mauka. In Kaʻū, hinahina can be admired along the sandy coastlines of Waiʻōhinu, though it is currently being threatened by excessive off-road traffic (ATVs).

Hinahina. Photo from CTHAR

Growing and Purchasing: Hinahina will grow from its tiny seeds, but propagation from cuttings is often more successful, even without using a rooting hormone. To collect seeds, it might be helpful to place a fine mesh bag around pollinated flower clusters to catch the seeds as they ripen. Dry the seeds and then sprinkle them on top of a well-drained media (perlite and vermiculite work well) and keep the pots moist and in the shade until they germinate, which takes 2-3 months. Cuttings should be obtained from small (3-5 inches) sections of softwood, and immediately placed into the well-drained media and placed in the shade (although, again, I do not encourage collecting from our rare populations, so if you are interested in hinahina cuttings, please contact the author). Keep them moist, and they should root within a few weeks. Begin to harden your hinahina as they get about 6 inches in height. Find an area with full sun (at least 6 hours a day) and excellent drainage, and amend the soil with sand, cinder, or coral as necessary (think natural environmental conditions). Hinahina will benefit from an occasional salt water drench (but be mindful of other plants that are not salt tolerant). Resist the temptation to overwater, which will make them grow a bit more leggy and less silvery. Hinahina is drought, heat, salt, and wind tolerant, and will be a showcase  wherever it’s planted. I wish you a happy, healthy, hinahina loving 2023!

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

FREE FOOD

St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View.  Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Masks and social distancing required.

Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day, according to OKK President Wayne Kawachi.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

'O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in the upper lot only. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.

Ocean View Swap Meet at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.

The Book Shack is open every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Kauaha'ao Congregational Church grounds at 95-1642 Pinao St. in Wai'ōhinu.

    

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023

Congressman Ed Case and Congresswoman-elect Jill Tokuda expected to take their seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
 on Jan. 3. There was no swearing in without a Speaker of the House. Voting for Speaker is set to continue Thursday.
Photo from Congressman Ed Case

Jill Tokuda has an office but can't be sworn in to her new seat
 in the U.S. Congress representing Kaʻū and all of rural Hawai'i
 until a Speaker of the House is selected. Photo from Tokuda

KA'Ū'S NEW CONGRESSWOMAN JILL TOKUDA has yet to be sworn in. Without a Speaker of the House, all members of Congress are waiting to be seated in the 118th Congress. Tokuda wrote: "Yesterday, newly elected members of the 118th Congress were supposed to be officially sworn into office so we could finally get to work! Instead, we watched as embattled Republicans fought over who should lead their party. After three failed attempts yesterday and three today, they don't seem any closer to a resolution to elect a new Speaker. This is historic.     

    "The last time a Speaker election required more than one floor vote was in 1923. But worst of all, until Republicans can agree on a Speaker candidate, we cannot be sworn in or begin the critical work of the people's house. .....It's clear that no matter who is elected Speaker, the new Republican majority will continue to operate in disarray. Our country needs stable leadership to get things done, so I'm working hard to do what I can to help take back the House in 2024."

     Tokuda also invited all Second District constituents, including Ka'u citizens, to Washington. "If you’re ever in DC, come visit us in Longworth 1005."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

Ikaika Anderson, nominated by Gov. Josh Green to lead DHHL
 announced on Wednesday that a new water system in Ka'u starts
 construction on Monday. Photo from HPR

DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS and Isemoto Contracting Co., Ltd are scheduled to
begin construction on the County of Hawai'i Department of Water Supply Public Water System #108 – Waiʻōhinu-Naʻalehu.
    The improvements include the construction of a 100,000-gallon water storage tank and appurtenances. A water filling station with a spigot will also be placed in the Kamāʻoa subdivision on Hawaiian Home Lands.
    According to a DHHL statement from Ikaika Anderson, who was nominated to head the department by Gov. Josh Green, work is scheduled to begin on Monday, Jan. 9, and is anticipated to conclude at the end of the year. The public should expect construction materials and work crews along South Point Road throughout the construction period. For more information, call 808-620-9500.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

HELICOPTER OPERATIONS BY HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK will be conducted in January:
    Jan. 9 and 12 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. for survey and control of invasive Guinea grass along Keauhou Trail between sea level to 2,400-ft. elevation. Flights include transportation of natural resources crew,

Helicopter flights to Keauhou in Hawai'i Volcanoes
will deliver crew to reduce invasive fountain grass.
NPS photo

camp gear and supplies.
    Jan. 17 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for survey and control of invasive Guinea grass along Keauhou Trail from sea level to 2,400-ft. elevation.
    Jan. 19 between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. for survey and control of invasive fountain grass from park's west boundary to Keauhou, between sea level and the 4000-ft. elevation.
    In addition, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct additional flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.
    A statement from the Park says, "The park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather. Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities."

 Kaʻū took down Pahoa on Tuesday.
Photo by Deanna Navarro

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KA'Ū BEAT PAHOA IN BOYS BASKETBALL on Tuesday night, led by Coach Troy Gacayan. The score was 44-22. Pahoa hosted the game.  Kaʻū Trojans will host St. Joseph this Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Robert Herkes Kaʻū District Gym.

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FREE FOOD

St. Jude's Hot Meals are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until food runs out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 96-8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View.  Those in need can also take hot showers from 9 a.m. to noon and use the computer lab from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Masks and social distancing required.

Free Meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nā'ālehu Hongwanji. Volunteers prepare the food provided by 'O Ka'ū Kākou with fresh produce from its gardens on the farm of Eva Liu, who supports the project. Other community members also make donations and approximately 150 meals are served each day, according to OKK President Wayne Kawachi.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

Volcano Evening Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

'O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in the upper lot only. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.

Ocean View Swap Meet at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.

The Book Shack is open every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Kauaha'ao Congregational Church grounds at 95-1642 Pinao St. in Wai'ōhinu.