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| Slow-moving pahoehoe lava continues to make its way to the coast within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory |
THIS MORNING, SLOW-MOVING pahoehoe lava toes and lobes continued to break out from the active flow that crossed the emergency route gravel road on Kilauea Volcano’s south flank, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. HVO urges lava viewers to be prepared. Reaching the site requires a long, eight-to-10-mile round-trip hike in hot conditions. Hikers need to carry two to three quarts of drinking water per person. Sturdy shoes and sun protection (hat, sunglasses and sunscreen) are highly recommended. Early morning or late evening hikers should also carry flashlights and extra batteries.
For more safety information, see http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs152-00/ and https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/photosmultimedia/lava-safety-video.htm.
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| Amphibious exercises concluded RIMPAC yesterday. Photo from RIMPAC |
RIMPAC CONCLUDED YESTERDAY, Olson Wyatt reported in Stars & Stripes. For the finale of the biennial Rim of the Pacific naval exercises that included more than two dozen nations, participants staged amphibious assaults on O`ahu.
“This represents two years of planning, but it also represents those 26 nations coming together,” Brig. Gen. Ray Descheneaux, commander of Fleet Marine Forces for RIMPAC, told Wyatt.
referring to natural disasters that the U.S. military responds to.
“Although we’re using this amphibious forceful entry for this scenario, it will reflect itself in so many of the different things we do,” Descheneaux said,
According to Wyatt, more that 2,000 U.S. and foreign military personnel took park in the assault at Marine Corps Base Hawai`i.
“Although we’re using this amphibious forceful entry for this scenario, it will reflect itself in so many of the different things we do,” Descheneaux said,
According to Wyatt, more that 2,000 U.S. and foreign military personnel took park in the assault at Marine Corps Base Hawai`i.
IN THE WAKE OF TROPICAL Storm Darby, assistant Extension agent Andrea Kawabata urges Ka`u ranchers and farmers who have experienced crop or tree damage to document the damages with photos/videos and contact their crop insurance agent and/or local USDA Farm Service Agency County Office immediately.
Commercial agricultural producers impacted by the storm may be eligible for disaster assistance through FSA if they are signed up for the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program and file a Notice of Loss.
The Notice of Loss is used to report failed acreage and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. Filing a Notice of Loss within 72 hours for hand-harvested crops and within 15 days for all other crops including grasses is required following the occurrence of a disaster or when losses become apparent. Producers may file a Notice of Loss with the FSA County Office by email, fax or phone.
For more information or to file a Notice of Loss, call 933-8381, ext. 1.
The Notice of Loss is used to report failed acreage and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. Filing a Notice of Loss within 72 hours for hand-harvested crops and within 15 days for all other crops including grasses is required following the occurrence of a disaster or when losses become apparent. Producers may file a Notice of Loss with the FSA County Office by email, fax or phone.
For more information or to file a Notice of Loss, call 933-8381, ext. 1.
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| Volcano Rain Forest Runs T-shirts showcase art by Dietrich Varez. Image from Sharron Faff |
REGISTRATION RATES INCREASE tomorrow for Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Today, the 5K fee for ages 19 to 65 is $30; 10K, $45; and Half Marathon, $75.
Tomorrow is also the deadline to register and have your name on the 2016 towel, which will be available for $22.
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“BRIGHT MARS CONTINUES TO HIGHLIGHT the August sky when the moon is absent, and Saturn keeps it company,” astronomer Lew Cook reports in his Stars Over Ka`u column for The Ka`u Calendar’s August issue. “Mars is out of the pincers of the scorpion and has moved nearer to its color twin, Antares. Early in the month, look at Mars, then to the left is Saturn. South of Saturn is Antares. If you ever get an opportunity to look at Saturn through a telescope, take it! Be sure you notice the moons of Saturn, as they change positions with their parent planet, just as our moon does with us here on Earth. Unlike Earth, Saturn has many more natural satellites (moons) than we have. More are being discovered each year or so. If we consider the particles in its rings as ‘moons, well – Saturn has more moons than any planet.
“It is that way, anyway! Saturn has 62 named moons and countless minor moons. Here’s an interesting fact about Saturn: its density is less than water, the only planet with that distinction. All the other planets – even the other gas giants – have overall densities greater than water. I’ll leave it to your imagination about floating Saturn in an enormous bathtub!
“One of Saturn’s moons – Enceladus – is believed by gravitational experts to have liquid water under a thick shell of ice and over a solid core. This finding generated lots of excitement among those who are actively looking for possibilities of life throughout the universe.
“It is that way, anyway! Saturn has 62 named moons and countless minor moons. Here’s an interesting fact about Saturn: its density is less than water, the only planet with that distinction. All the other planets – even the other gas giants – have overall densities greater than water. I’ll leave it to your imagination about floating Saturn in an enormous bathtub!
“One of Saturn’s moons – Enceladus – is believed by gravitational experts to have liquid water under a thick shell of ice and over a solid core. This finding generated lots of excitement among those who are actively looking for possibilities of life throughout the universe.
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| Planets and constellations will be visible in Ka`u's August skies. Map from Jerome Hudson & Lew Cook |
“Regarding constellations, big birds everywhere! Well, from north to south, anyway. Starting in the north is Cygnus the swan, flying south toward another large bird, an eagle that is flying north. Will they collide? Nope, they are professional fliers and have been flying all their lives! Pavo, the Peacock, is there, crossing the meridian just above the southern horizon, resting on the ground, as peacocks do. But what has startled the crane? It is springing to fly, with its legs bent and neck extended. Presumably, it was resting on the Earth and appears to be springing into flight. There are two other birds that haven’t risen yet: the Toucan, which has the tip of its beak pointing northward. It will be visible, just on the horizon in the south, in October; also there is the Phoenix, the mythical bird that has risen from its own ashes. There are other birds represented in the constellations, but none as large as those discussed here. Those will be discussed in their season.
“Meanwhile, we have Ophiuchus, the snake handler, busily occupied with the wriggling snake, Serpens, which has two parts: the front, Serpens Caput, and the tail, Serpens Cauda. While neither of these two parts is labeled on the chart, Serpens is (SER). They ought to be easy to find. Saturn is low in Ophiuchus, and he may be standing on it! At least that’s what it looks like. Saturn at chart time (10 p.m. on Aug. 15) is only at an altitude of 34 degrees, while Mars is six degrees lower in the sky.
The moon is pointed to this night by the Summer Triangle, comprised of Vega, Deneb, the brightest star in Cygnus (also called the Northern Cross), and Altair at its base. Since the moon is nearly full, there isn’t much else to see tonight.”
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The moon is pointed to this night by the Summer Triangle, comprised of Vega, Deneb, the brightest star in Cygnus (also called the Northern Cross), and Altair at its base. Since the moon is nearly full, there isn’t much else to see tonight.”
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CELEBRATE HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK’s 100th birthday tomorrow with free entry. At Kilauea Visitor Center, enjoy cookies and music at 9 a.m., plus cultural demonstrations and turtle program information from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
While supplies last, local residents who arrive after 9 a.m. receive 100 native seedlings each of koa and mamaki trees at Kilauea Visitor Center. Sponsored by Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
While supplies last, local residents who arrive after 9 a.m. receive 100 native seedlings each of koa and mamaki trees at Kilauea Visitor Center. Sponsored by Friends of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
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| Early walk-in voting begins tomorrow. Photo by Julia Neal |
EARLY WALK-IN VOTING for the Aug. 13 primary election begins tomorrow. Weekdays between tomorrow and Thursday, Aug. 11, hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. For election information, call 961-8277.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL KICK-OFF is tomorrow at Ka`u High & Pahala Elementary School following the first day of classes. The event begins at 3 p.m. with an Informational Fair until 5 p.m. and light dinner and welcome at 5:15 p.m. Participants may visit classrooms and meet teachers from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Call 313-4100 for more information.
HAWAI`I COUNTY MAYORAL candidate Marlene Hapai meets Ka`u voters tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Call 939-7033 for more information.
KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in Hawai`i County Council meetings this week. Videoconferencing is available at Na`alehu State Office Building.
All meetings take place at Council Chambers in Hilo. Committees meeting Tuesday are Public Safety & Mass Transit at 1 p.m. and Finance at 1:30 p.m. The full council meets Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Agendas and live streaming of meetings are available at hawaiicounty.gov.
All meetings take place at Council Chambers in Hilo. Committees meeting Tuesday are Public Safety & Mass Transit at 1 p.m. and Finance at 1:30 p.m. The full council meets Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Agendas and live streaming of meetings are available at hawaiicounty.gov.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
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| Click on document to enlarge. |
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| See kaucalendar.com/news/news.html. |
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| See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf. |
