Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023

Hibiscus, the State Flower, is under threat from new disease. See more below. Photo from University of Hawai'i

GOV. JOSH GREEN AND FIRST LADY JAIME GREEN LEFT FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. on Monday evening. The governor's trip includes attending Pres. Joseph Biden's State of the Union Address on Tuesday, which will be livestreamed and broadcast at 4 p.m. Hawai'i time. 

    The governor, a physician who first worked in Hawai'i in Kaʻū, is set to meet with members of Hawai'i's Congressional

First Lady Jaime Green heads out to
her first official trip to Washington, D.C.
Photo from Washington Place

Delegation and to participate in the National Governors Association Winter Meeting. He is set to return Sunday, Feb. 12. 

    The governor's office sent out a statement saying he is scheduled for meetings with cabinet secretaries for the U.S. Departments of Housing & Urban Development, Transportation & Health and Human Services, as well as Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Navy. A highlight of the trip will be a state dinner with President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, Ph.D.
    The governor and First Lady are traveling with Chief of Staff Brooke Wilson and her Special Assistant, Cameron Deptula.
    Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke will serve as acting governor while Green is out-of-state. 
    The journey out of state is the Hawai'i First Lady's first official trip to Washington, D.C. in her new position. Jaime Green recently posted on the governor's facebook that she will be very involved as First Lady:

    "Aloha kākou! It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as First Lady of Hawai‘i.  As First Lady, I’m excited to continue my advocacy work for Hawai‘i’s children and families. Whether it is spreading awareness, supporting food banks, or advancing childhood literacy, I am ready to serve. I am also looking forward to assisting in the development of a Native Hawaiian Cultural Center to provide a gathering space for educational opportunities and support traditional Hawaiian culture and arts. I look forward to connecting with the community of Hawai‘i both in person and through my social media accounts. Mahalo nui loa!"

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PUBLIC COMMENTING ON REVISING THE ZONING AND BUILDING CODES for Hawai'i County closes on Sunday, Feb. 12. The county Department of Planning sent out an invitation on Monday for the
public to weigh in through its Online Open house, noting that it "provides an opportunity to learn, fill our surveys, and add comments directly to the open house boards. Please know the open house will accept comments through Sunday, February 12. Use the link below to visit the Code Update project website and mahalo for your participation!" Visit the Open House at https://cohzoningupdate.konveio.com/

     The County of Hawai'i has undertaken the review to update its zoning and subdivision codes (Chapters 25 and 23 of the 1983 Hawai'i County Code). "The intent of the code updates are to increase consistency and predictability, incorporate best practices in land use and zoning, promote desirable and equitable development, and meet the needs of the Hawai'i Island community," says the statement from the Planning Department.

    Some of the suggestions and notes listed in the What We Heard presentation in the Virtual Open House include:

    Non-agriculture activities consistently encroach on agricultural activities; create a new rural residential zoning code; rezone land to residential from agriculture when there is residential use; allow 'ohana dwellings; and find a way to align Community Development Plans with the zoning and subdivision code.

    Incorporate ahupua'a concepts into zoning and subdivision code. Private subdivisions conflict with the idea of incorporating public trails. Need to address how guest homes are defined and implemented. Need more roadway creativity and less major roads for rural subdivisions. These are some of the many other ideas and comments presented.

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Ka'u Coffee has drawn much international acclaim
for its quality, including this photo shoot  and interview by 
Japan Airlines magazine at Delvin Navarro's farm.
Photo by Julia Neal

PROTECTING KAʻŪ COFFEE AND OTHER HAWAI'I COFFEE from sellers labeling with Hawaiian names but mixing in a majority of foreign coffee is the aim of state Senate Bill 746. The measure goes to public hearing on Wednesday.                Hawai'i Farmers Union United is asking for supporters of the bill to send in testimony by 1 p.m. on Tuesday. All testimony must be submitted 24 hours before the hearing.

    SB746 would require label disclosure of the percentage of foreign grown coffee in Hawai'i coffee blends. It would expand the coffee labeling and advertising requirements to include ready-to-drink coffee beverages and inner packages and inner wrapping labels. It would require disclosure on the label of coffee blends of the respective geographic and regional origins and per cent by weight of the blended coffees. The bill would prohibit use of the term "All Hawaiian" in labeling or advertising for roasted coffee or instant coffee not produced entirely from green coffee beans grown and processed in Hawaiʻi.

    Submit testimony at https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billnumber=746&billtype=SB&year=2023&mc_cid=68f2062d39&mc_eid=23faaa7019

. 

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HIBISCUS, THE STATE FLOWER, is threatened by disease, according to  University of Hawai'i, which reports: 

    Two new viruses are infecting hibiscus plants in Hawaiʻi and could pose a threat to the state flower, according to researchers in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Their findings were published in Viruses.
     "Do these viruses pose a threat to the survival of hibiscus?" asked John Hu, a plant pathologist with the UH Mānoa Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences. "That's exactly the question we want to answer. Our early findings indicate it could, however we don't know the final answer yet. We plan to do more virus surveys including testing the mother plants at the propagation (the breeding of specimens) site."

    The pair of viruses are called hibiscus betacarmovirus and hibiscus soymovirus. Infected hibiscus plants show mosaic, ringspot and chlorotic (yellowing of healthy green leaves due to lack of chlorophyll) spots on their leaves. They were discovered through analyzing 54 hibiscus samples collected in Honolulu—34 from 18 locations on the UH Mānoa campus, and the remaining 20 were collected from a variety of sites from Diamond Head to downtown.

Symptomatic hibiscus leaves (left and middle) and a healthy leaf (right) were collected by University of Hawai'i.
Photo from the Journal Viruses

    Twelve of the 54 samples (22%) were positive for at least one of the viruses. One sample tested positive for hibiscus betacarmovirus, nine samples tested positive for hibiscus soymovirus and two samples tested positive for both viruses.

    Similar viruses called hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus and hibiscus latent Hawaiʻi virus have previously been discovered infecting hibiscus plants in Hawaiʻi by the same group of CTAHR researchers. The team is led by Hu and Michael Melzer, associate researcher with the UH Mānoa Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences. Hu and Melzer have been conducting research on hibiscus viruses for more than ten years.
    "The main concern is whether these viruses infect and impact our native hibiscus, some of which are threatened and endangered," Melzer said. "Cleaning tools when pruning hedges will help to prevent the spread of the mechanically-spread viruses."

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THE POLYNESIAN VOYAGING DISPLAY at Mokupapapa Discovery Center in Hilo was a favorite stop recently for Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences Pre-k class and families. Teacher Michelle Buck said they celebrated a Pilina Day with students having "a wonderful time exploring the center, playing with the robots, and spending time together. Many thanks to all the families who joined us and to Mokupapapa Center for a wonderful day of learning and exploring together."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023

Hawaiian indigenous food systems go deeper than the lu'au depicted in the art above. Tune in and participate in University of Hawai'i's forum on Feb. 23 from 10:30 to 1 p.m. It's called Indigenous Food Systems and features experts in redeveloping sustainable Hawaiian agriculture. See more below.

A CALL FOR NEW POLICE OFFICERS is underway from Hawai‘i Police Department. HPD released a statement Sunday, saying it is looking for qualified people interested in serving the Hawai‘i Island community as part of its upcoming recruitment for entry-level police officers. Recruitment opened Sunday, and will close at 11:59 p.m., Hawai'i Standard Time, on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

    “Police work is a very dynamic profession where no two days are ever the same,” said HPD Sergeant Jason Grouns. “The challenges are real, but so are the rewards of knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life. If you feel that you’re up to the challenge and have what it takes to work in a high-paced environment, then I strongly encourage you to apply,” said the 23-year veteran.

    Starting salary for Police Officer I positions is $68,940 a year with benefits, including paid holidays, vacation, sick leave, military leave, health insurance, group life insurance, a uniforms and equipment stipend, automobile subsidy, and retirement. For the first time ever, Police Officer I positions may be eligible to receive a $1,000 recruitment incentive (conditions apply.) 

    Interested applicants must meet the following requirements:

    Graduated from high school or obtained a GED.
    Knowledge of grammar, spelling, and word usage.
    Possess a valid driver’s license.
    Be at least 20 years of age at the time of filing, and at least 21 years of age by the time of graduation from the Police Academy.

   Be qualified to carry and/or possess firearms or ammunition in accordance with state and federal laws.
    Must not have any misdemeanor or felony domestic violence convictions.
    Meet the health and physical condition standards deemed necessary and proper to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations, such as have a correct ratio of weight to height; possess good eyesight and good physical condition and agility according to standards set by the County of Hawai‘i.
    Submitting an application is the first of several steps to becoming an officer with the Hawai‘i Police Department. The HPD statement says, "The department prides itself on its rigorous screening and training program that graduates highly

qualified officers. Applicants that meet the initial minimum requirements must then pass a written test, physical agility test, stringent background check, polygraph examination, psychological test, formal interview, medical clearance, and drug screening.
    "Upon hiring, they will then undertake six months of academy training five days a week. After successful completion of academy training, new recruits will transition from an academic setting to four months of field training where they are paired with an experienced officer and gain hands-on experience, forming the foundation of their career."
    Applicants must apply using the County of Hawaiʻi Job Opportunities web page and create an account. For more information, visit the Hawaiʻi Police Department’s Police Officer Recruitment page at www.hawaiipolice.com. Hawaiʻi County is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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HOW TO HIRE EMPLOYEES, MANAGE THEM AND PAY THEM is the subject of a class announced to local farmers and ranchers by University of Hawai'i College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources. The session is online this Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The Webinar costs $15 and registration is being taken at https://clients.hisbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=5430003.

     The class is facilitated by Hawai'i Small Business Development Center, which notes in the class description: "It's a big step in the life cycle of your company's development. Join us and learn what employers need to do before hiring employees. Learn about the staffing decisions you need to make, developing policies and procedures, processing payroll, and wage and hour compliance. We will also be discussing different recruitment strategies to attract candidates and the various employment laws you need to know when hiring employees."

    The speaker is Mislyn Alensonorin, Manager & Sr. HR Consultant, Vantaggio HR Hawai'i.

DON'T BURN YOUR BRAND: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES FOR FOOD BUSINESS. Learn about branding and protecting the name of a business during a free Patsy T. Mink Center for Business & Leadership online seminar on Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The class description asks, "Are you a restauranteur? A chef? A food truck operator? Do you want to learn how intellectual property rights can help you protect your business? If so, this event is a must-attend! Join a trademark attorney from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for an overview of trademarks, patents, copyrights, and trade secrets in the food service industry. You will learn about these intellectual property rights and how to use them to protect what makes your restaurant special!"
    The speaker is Jason Lott, Managing Attorney for Trademarks Customer Outreach, U.S. Patent Trade Office.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, Feb.4, 2023

Proposed site for ten satellite dishes to study Fast Radio Bursts from deep space. The permit before the Planning Commission
 is for land next to Wood Valley and Makakupu Roads. Image from Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics

A DECISION ON PROPOSED FAST RADIO BURST SATELLITE DISHES and a dipole antenna array planned for land adjacent to Wood Valley Road near the intersection of Makakupu Road above Pāhala has been delayed again. Windward Planning Commission postponed the vote on a special permit Thursday to allow the scientific research organization from Taiwan to install the ten dishes and other equipment on two acres of a 10.7 acre parcel owned by Edmund C. Olson Trust, which would lease the site.
    Two of the planning commission members, Louis Daniele and John Cross, work for Olson Trust and recused themselves from voting on the matter. That left the commission without a quorum to take the vote, the same situation that precluded a vote during the last commission meeting. The Planning Department has endorsed the project and the commission plans to consider it at 
a future meeting.
    Tawian's Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics representatives said they chose the area due to its absence of radio waves and other electronic noise. A similar plan deeper into Wood Valley was withdrawn last year by the same organization after it drew opposition.

An example of satellite dishes planned for land
off Wood Valley Road. Photo from ASIAA

    Regarding the new proposal, the project's Chief Scientist for Hawai'i, Geoffrey Bower, wrote to the Planning Commission, lauding the location for its "natural shielding provided by the high mountains surrounding the site." He pointed out that its "isolation from population centers protects us from the effects of human- generated radio signals, also known as radio frequency interference (RFI). RFI can obscure FRBs making them undetectable, in the same way that light pollution prevents us from seeing the visible light from stars."
    Bower said that it could connect with observatories in North America and Asia, with its ability to detect Fast Radio Bursts in sections of the sky invisible to other observatories, improving the ability to make new discoveries about deep space. Fast Radio Bursts are seen as a clue to life beyond this galaxy.
    Advocates of the project have noted that the satellite dishes would be passive and would not emit  electronic waves or other signals.
    Testifying at Thursday's meeting was Michelle Wiel who said her family owns 50 acres with a view of the proposed satellite site. “We would be able to see the satellite dishes and the shipping containers from our location. Just aesthetically, it’s not aligned with the existing agricultural heritage of the area.” She also said she is "fully in support of science, but I just am opposed to having this in this area in part because 
it precludes any sort of advancement in terms of bringing cell service to the area, in the future. Currently,
there is no cell service there. Which means in an emergency, you can’t contact the outside world.”
    Stefan Taylor testified in person at the Planning Commission meeting, saying he is a resident of Wood Valley that the project "could very well open the door for similar explorations and permits on a commercial level." 

     "Imagine this area that was once occupied by historic sugar, agriculture and founding community turning into a space known for these metal structures. Instead of an organic mamaki tree farm, which is actually thriving these days,  grazing cattle and agriculture stimulation..." It could become a place for people gawking where travelers could come to see the contests, he said.  He contended it would work against preservation and encouragement of agriculture in the Ka'u Community Development Plan."

     See video of testimony on Big Island Video News at https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2023/02/04/video-ka%ca%bbu-satellite-dish-array-vote-postponed/

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.

A NATIVE HAWAIIAN SURVIVOR OF SEX TRAFFICKING WILL ATTEND THE STATE OF THE UNION address in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, guest of Sen. Mazie Hirono.
    Kalei Grant is a Native Hawaiian trafficking survivor leader who now advocates for other survivors of sex trafficking and other forms of gender-based violence. Pres. Joe Biden's State of the Union Address will be Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. Hawaiian time.
    Grant is a survivor of domestic sex trafficking. She was trafficked in Hawai'i, where she was born and raised. After nearly two years of being held against her will, she escaped from her trafficker. When she healed, she turned back to help others trapped in commercial sexual exploitation. She now works for the Department of the Attorney General in Hawai'i's Missing Child Center. In 2021, she received the National Child Protection Award from the U.S. Department of Justice in recognition of her efforts in Operation Shine the Light, a cooperative effort between Missing Child Center-Hawai'i, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and four nonprofit organizations.

See Kalei Grant's You Tube story about her victimization by a sex trafficker and her transition to working on the problem in a job with Hawai'i's Attorney General. She attends the U.S. President's State of the Union Tuesday with Hawai'i Sen. Mazie Hirono.
The YouTube video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuwR5thyLck.

    Last month, Grant participated in a roundtable discussion—convened by Hirono—with Native Hawaiian survivors of gender-based violence and organizations that support them. The roundtable followed passage of Hirono's bill to allow Native Hawaiian survivors of gender-based violence to access critical programs and resources provided by Congress through the Violence Against Women Act.
    "As a Native Hawaiian survivor of gender-based violence, Kalei Grant is working to help combat the crisis of violence against Native women and girls," said Hirono. "I admire and appreciate her commitment to raising awareness and supporting other survivors, and I'm honored to have her as my guest for President Biden's State of the Union Address. Last year, we made important progress by passing my bill to finally

Sen. Mazie Hirono hosted a Gender-Base Violence Roundtable on Jan. 19.  

enable Native Hawaiian organizations to use funds from the Violence Against Women Act to support Native Hawaiian survivors of gender-based violence. I look forward to working with the Biden Administration, my colleagues in Congress, and advocates like Kalei to build on this success and advance justice for Native Hawaiian women and girls."
    Hirono has been a vocal advocate for the Native Hawaiian community and efforts to combat violence against Native Hawaiians. In December, Biden signed into law legislation introduced by Hirono to allow Native Hawaiian survivors of gender-based violence to access critical programs and resources provided by Congress through the Violence Against Women Act. Last August, she pressed FBI Director Christopher Wray to do more to protect the Native Hawaiian community from sexual exploitation at a full Judiciary Committee hearing and emphasized the need for the FBI to include the Native Hawaiian community in its efforts to address the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis and violence against Native communities. Hirono also joined a resolution designating May 5th as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

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.

A NEW ANIMAL CONTROL & PROTECTION AGENCY is proposed by Hawai'i County and goes before the County Council this month. A statement from the mayor's office says that Hawai'i County "has faced numerous challenges in recent years. In response, the County Council and Mayor Mitch Roth's Administration are working together and taking initial steps to improve animal control services on Hawai'i Island. To help address the challenges while still fulfilling state law, the Hawai'i Police Department assumed the animal control duties through a pilot program in July 2021."

Image from Hawai'i Police Department's Animal Control Services website at 
https://www.hawaiipolice.com/services/animal-control-services

    The responsibility for county-wide animal control was historically contracted to Hawai'i Island Humane Society until a few years ago when it declined to submit a bid during contract renegotiations. "While this pilot program was in place, a multi-agency collaboration concluded that care and maintenance of impounded animals requires oversight and operation by a dedicated agency. The result, a bill crafted through cooperation between Council Chair Heather Kimball, Council member Cynthia Evans, the Roth Administration, and the Police Department, should receive its first reading on Feb. 21 before a County Council committee," says the statement.

The county recommends Petco Love Lost data base to
report and find missing animals.

    Kimball said, "We understand and appreciate the importance of animal control services within each of our communities and we are optimistic that Bill 22 will be well-received at Council. The goal is to pass this bill in time to have the newly proposed agency funded in this year's County budget so it can quickly and properly address these important animal control concerns of our community."
   The Hawai'i County Code and state law require the county to feed and shelter impounded dogs, cats, and domesticated animals. This includes dogs confiscated under the county's dangerous dog law. However, other services formerly provided by the Hawai'i Island Humane Society, such as spay and neutering programs or accepting feral animals, are not required to be performed by the County. The Hawai'i Island Humane Society and other non-profit organizations help to provide these services.
    After the new County agency is created, collaboration would continue between the administration and other partners to determine how best to address issues currently outside the purview of the county's responsibility, such as population reduction and feral animal control.
    The mayor said, "We're confident that this collaboration will lead to efficient and compassionate response to this issue, which touches so many people and communities. Let's work together toward an acceptable resolution." The statement recommends that the public testify on the Bill 22, by contacting Council Services at (808) 961-8255.

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.

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.

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.