Thursday, November 26, 2015

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015

CeAndra K., Diane L., Shania Lee S., Kalia G. and Cileyna K. won the coloring contest held yesterday during Pahala Community Center's annual Rubber Band Turkey Shoot. Photos by Nona Makuakane
RESIDENTS CAN BE THANKFUL that Hawai`i Department of Health has downgraded Ka`u’s risk level of dengue fever from high to moderate. A map released yesterday also shows Ka`u’s area at risk as smaller than previously.
Na`alehu's risk for dengue fever has been downgraded and decreased in area.
Map from Hawai`i DOH
      As of yesterday, 101 cases had been confirmed on Hawai`i Island, with 78 cases being adults and 23 under 18 years of age. Onset of illness ranged from Sept. 15 to Nov. 17. A total of 190 reported potential cases have been excluded based on test results and/or not meeting case criteria.
      A Mauna Loa Estates resident reported that a state Department of Health official notified her family that a case was confirmed near Ninth and Ruby Streets. Area residents should take extra precautions, including wearing long sleeves and long pants and using insect repellent on exposed skin.
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THE 2015 HIKI NO BEST NEWS Writing Award went to Kua o ka La Public Charter School’s Miloli`i Hipu`u Virtual Academy. Hiki No is aired on PBS Hawai'i and is the first statewide news program in the country that is produced and edited by students in public and private schools.
Hoku Subiono interview several project stakeholders, including Sandra Dawson,
TMT's Hawai`i Community Affairs Manager. Image from Hiki No
      The winning feature story, Mauna Kea TMT, dealt with student Hoku Subiono’s struggle with his love of science and respect for Hawaiian culture as opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope project held vigil on Mauna Kea. Students created the story with guidance from instructors. Subiono wrote and edited the segment, and his fellow students Dazza Kuahuia, David Watai-Simeona and Quinton Kuahuia assisted.
      Hiki No Executive Producer Robert Pennybacker presented the award in Miloli`i on Nov. 9.
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KA`U RESIDENTS CAN VOTE FOR HAWAI`I Wildlife Fund through Dec. 31 during Subaru`s Share the Love event. A $5,000 donation will be given to the nonprofit with the most votes at the end of the promotional period.
Subaru's Share the Love event ends Dec. 31.
      HWF sponsors several Ka`u Coast Cleanups each year, with the next one coming up on Saturday, Dec. 5. Sign up at kahakai.cleaups@gmail.com
      The organization is coordinating the event with attendees of the 2015 Hilo Symposium on Marine Debris & Tsunami Driftage taking place on Friday, Dec. 4.
      It is also currently accepting donations to help with costs involved in hosting this event, including some travel stipends for off-island participants from the Pacific Northwest (Canada, Alaska, Oregon, Washington and California), other Hawaiian Islands and Japan.
      See subaruhawaii.com/share-the-love.
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Shania Lee Silva with her
winning prize.
SHANIA LEE SILVA WON the annual Rubberband Turkey Shoot at Pahala Community Center yesterday. Participants shot rubberbands at targets in hopes of taking home a turkey to cook today.
      The event also featured a Turkey Coloring Contest. Winners were CeAndra K., Diane L., ShaniaLee S., Kalia G., Cileyna K.
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VOLCANO SCIENTISTS FROM HAWAI`I, Chile, Indonesia, Italy and Japan participated in a workshop at the Mount Fuji Research Institute in Japan in early November. Talks and discussions focused on the best ways to protect tourists in active volcanic areas. Hawai`i Volcano Observatory scientists discuss the workshop in the current issue of Volcano Watch.
      “Japanese volcanologists have been quite concerned about the possible effects of a Mount Fuji eruption on the thousands of visitors who hike up the sacred mountain every day, the article states.” Rightfully so. “In Sept. 2014, an unexpected phreatic eruption of Mount Ontake, the second highest volcano in Japan (after Fuji), killed 57 hikers. Then, in late June 2015, a small ash eruption occurred at Mount Hakone, but potentially active areas were already closed, and there were no injuries or deaths.
Aidan Ahnes tries to shoot the turkey target at Pahala Community Center.
      “Japan has 110 active volcanoes (including submarine volcanoes), 47 of which are continuously monitored for signs of unrest. During the workshop, Japanese speakers representing volcano science and monitoring, the tourist industry, media and police described measures currently in place and those planned to protect tourists on Japan’s volcanoes, specifically, Fuji, Hakone and Unzen.
      “At Mount Fuji, in addition to tourists, approximately 560,000 residents live within its evacuation zones. During the summer, about 300,000 mountaineers visit Fuji, with up to 10,000 people climbing the volcano each day. Possible eruptive products for this volcano include lava flows, snowmelt mudflows and ashfall—a ‘kaleidoscope of eruption’ per Japanese scientists.
      “Methods to communicate hazards to and evacuate residents are similar to those in other countries. The challenge, however, is communicating with and evacuating hikers on Fuji, potentially in a short period of time.
      “Four main trails reach Fuji’s summit – Yoshida, Subashiri, Gotemba and Fujinomiya. “On Yoshida and Subashiri, the trail for ascent is completely different from the trail for descent. Mountain huts are numerous on ascending trails, but sparse on descending trails.
      “To reach and warn hikers on Mount Fuji, communication must be established to the network of mountain huts, but this does not help on trails with few huts. Therefore, alternate means of communicating with hikers are being considered.       “Japanese scientists have evaluated the specific effects of several different eruption scenarios and have devised hiker evacuation routes for each scenario. The evacuation zones are meant to minimize exposure to ashfall at varying distances from the most recent and likely future volcanic vents. Scientists have also compiled the 17 most prominent steepest-descent paths for lava flows on Fuji, and each path has its own evacuation route.
Mount Fuji is 12,389 feet tall, towering above surrounding communities.
Photo from USGS
      “Other workshop presenters also talked about recent volcanic activity in their respective countries and how hazards were communicated to visitors and residents. ...
      “A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist at the workshop summarized the recent lava flow threat to Pahoa. Impacts there were mainly to private property and not within a park, so tourist opportunities were not the top priority. However, Hawai`i County did eventually open a viewing area at the Pahoa Solid Waste Transfer Station for several months after the lava flow threat had diminished.
      “Kilauea Volcano’s ongoing eruptions attract nearly two million visitors to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park each year. If and when Mauna Loa erupts, that number is sure to increase. Workshops, like the one at Mount Fuji, are invaluable opportunities to gain and share information on how to safely manage tourism on Hawai`i’s active volcanoes.”
      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
      Shaka’s Restaurant in Na`alehu offers lunch beginning at 11 a.m. and dinner at 5 p.m. For more information or reservations, call 929-7404.
      Hana Hou Restaurant, also in Na`alehu, is open with a lunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are suggested. Call 929-9717.
      Ocean View Community Center’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner takes place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more, call 939-7033.
      Thanksgiving Buffet is available from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. No reservations required. KMC is open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8356 for more information.

Crafters at Cooper Center offer shopping alternatives tomorrow and Saturday.
Photo from Cooper Center 
COOPER CENTER HOLDS a craft sale tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with about 25 crafters selling their wares. 
      In conjunction with Halau Hula Kalehuaki`eki`eika`iu’s wreath sale, there will be a special drawing for a Takefuton comforter sewn by halau member Tom Kaua Hoots.
      Donation is $2 per drawing ticket for the item valued at $350. Drawing takes place at 4 p.m. Saturday; winner need not be present. The halau offers free USPS mailing for a non-Volcano resident winner.

VOLCANO VILLAGE ARTISTS HUI Tour & Sale starts tomorrow and continues through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Meet artists in their studios throughout the village. For a map and more information, call 987-3472 or 985-7487, or see VolcanoVillageArtistsHui.com.

VOLCANO ART CENTER IN VOLCANO VILLAGE holds its 2016 program preview exhibit tomorrow and Saturday, featuring displays of workshops, events and classes with some new and some returning favorites.
      The exhibit also features work by artists who are scheduled to show at VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park in 2016.
      VAC’s Hale Ho`omana is on Volcano Village Artists Hui Tour.
Dietrich Varez is VAC's signature artist. Photo from Varez
      Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park sell poinsettias, and VAC logo-wear and holiday treats will also be on sale.
      Call 967-8222 for more information.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY continues at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      Today and tomorrow from11 a.m. to 1 p.m., VAC features various artists who are featured in the new publication Aloha Expressionism by Contemporary Hawai`i Artists, highlighting 50 of Hawai`i’s award-winning artists.
      Tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Dietrich Varez, VAC’s signature artist, returns for the final day of Christmas in the Country for a meet-and-greet. He will be on hand to personalize books and prints he has written and/or illustrated, including his most recent Eva, as well as his 250-plus Hawaiiana prints.
      The Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park in open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily.
KRHCAI's Floating Lantern Celebration is Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal
      Events are free; park entrance fees apply.

FLOATING LANTERN CELEBRATION is Saturday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Punalu`u Beach Park. Ka`u Rural Health Community Association, Inc. sponsors the fifth annual event with taiko drummers, a qigong demonstration, hula halau, local musicians and a powerpoint presentation dedicated to loved ones, friends, family and caregivers.

DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE take place Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Mark Twain with fun, easy-to-learn movements and songs from around the world, evoking peace. Last Saturday of each month. Call 430-1356 or 939-9461.

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



See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.
See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_November2015.pdf.