Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, February 3, 2018

Dissolved gasses in groundwater can sometimes precede volcanic unrest or earthquake activity. Learn about the Development of a New Geochemical
Tool to Predict Volcanic Unrest and Earthquake Activity on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Photo from nps.gov/HAVO

BRENDA FORD PULLED PAPERS ON FRIDAY TO RUN FOR STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. She campaigns as a Democrat for the District 5 seat, which covers the communities of Honu‘apo through Nā‘ālehu, Discovery Harbour, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Ocean View and Ranchos, up the coast through Miloli‘i, into Kona, to Hōlualoa.
     Primary Election is Saturday, Aug. 11. General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Ford served as a Hawai‘i County Council member for eight years. During her first three, two-year terms, she served Kona. After redistricting placed her home in Council District 6, she ran and became the Council member serving parts of Kona through Ka‘ū into Volcano. However, County Council members are allowed only four successive terms and Ford was unable to file for reelection in 2014. She was succeeded by County Council member Maile David.

Brenda Ford

     The House seat that Ford seeks is held by Dr. Richard Creagan - who announced he is running for the state Senate seat held by Dr. Josh Green, who is campaigning for Lt. Governor.
     Ford, 70, said she is eager to get back to work for Ka‘ū. As a County Councilwoman, she focused on such projects as constructing a second well for Ocean View, adding fire hydrants, upgrading water lines, the new permanent transfer-reuse-recycling-mulch center in Ocean View, the Ka‘ū interactive communication site where citizens can testify and listen to public meetings, and more.
     She said she plans to work toward "permanent low-income rental housing, maximum funding for studies of Rat Lungworm Disease, emergency housing for the homeless, faster State responses to medical emergencies like Dengue, a new South Kona Police Station, and Statewide legal reapportionment and redistricting for a fair and equal vote.
     "I believe we need funding for anti-abuse training for teen dating violence, domestic violence, and sex trafficking. More rehabilitation centers and support will help those who are caught in the cycle of drug abuse," said Ford.

     Regarding allowing houses on farm and ranch lands, Ford said she supports permitting one extra dwelling on each farm for long-term rental income, workers, or family, but opposes using farms for vacation rentals. She also advocates for truth in labeling for Ka‘ū and Kona Coffee, and other local produce, with country origin labeling.

     Ford and her husband Larry live on a small farm in South Kona, where they are retired from growing coffee but still manage their fruit trees.

     Find out more about her campaign at votebrendaford.com.

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DRU KANUHA PULLED AND FILED PAPERS ON FRIDAY TO RUN FOR STATE SENATE. He will run as a Democrat in the primary against Dr. Richard Creagan, who serves in the state House of Representatives for west Ka‘ū into Kona, and has announced his own bid for state Senate.

Dru Kanuha

     The Senate District 3 seat, sought by Kanuha, spans from Honu‘uapo through Nā‘ālehu, Discovery Harbour, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Ocean View and Ranchos, up the coast through Miloli‘i, and through all of Kona. It is now held by Dr. Josh Green, who is running for Lt. Governor.
     Kanuha has held the County Council seat representing Kona since 2012. He noted his efforts on projects related to traffic congestion in Kona, like La‘aloa Avenue, and recreation, like Ali‘i Kai.
     He is the chair of the statewide Hawai`i Association of Counties, and lobbies for its agenda before the Hawai'i Legislature. This year's initiatives include affordable housing funding through the property conveyance tax, a higher share for counties from the Transient Accommodations Tax, and additional funding for ambulance services for Hawai'i Island.
     "I believe my experience working for my constituents at the state and federal levels will make me a more effective state Senator, fighting for access to quality education and health care, building a stronger economy, and making more affordable housing available to local families," Kanuha said.
     Kanuha has worked for Kamehameha Schools Land Assets Division and as a legislative aide at the Hawai'i Legislature. He grew up in Kona, and graduated from Kealakehe High School and University of San Diego. He is a longtime member of Kai 'Opua Canoe Club.
     Find out more about his activity at Kanuha's facebook page.

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PROTECTING SEA GRANT is a continuing focus of Sen. Mazie Hirono, who has joined Democrat and one Independent Senators to write to Pres. Donald Trump. Efforts led by Hirono and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) last year helped to prevent proposed cuts to the university-based program.

     "Sea Grant is vital to local businesses and an important part of preserving coastal communities for generations to come," Senators wrote to Trump. "Sea Grant's work supporting waterfront and maritime businesses speaks for itself. The federal investment in Sea Grant centers yields $611 million in economic benefit, an 825 percent return on federal investment. We encourage you to provide robust support for the program in your final Fiscal Year 2019 budget."

      Sea Grant initiatives related to Ka‘ū  include the Coastal Storms Program to help reduce and mitigate risks from storms, weather and climate change; the Voice of the Sea television program and the study and protection of wetlands. The Sea Grant Extension Agent who serves Ka‘ū  is Pelika Andrade who can be reached at 329-2861 and at pelikaok@hawaii.edu.
     A statement from Hirono's office says: "Deep cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which administers the Sea Grant College Program, would disproportionately hurt Hawai‘i and other coastal states." University of Hawai‘i received $1 million from Sea Grant in 2017, according to an announcement made by Hirono in July of last year.

     The letter to the President also says, "We urge you to fund the National Sea Grant College Program at no less than current levels. The National Sea Grant College Program is a federal-local partnership that funds 33 university-based research, extension, and education centers. These centers are results-driven and provide vital resources to local businesses and communities in our states."

Sea Grant Extension Agent
Pelika Andrade.

     The Senators wrote that 2016 saw the program staff help "300 communities improve coastal resiliency, aided 494 communities in adopting sustainable development practices, and supported 4,600 resource managers in using ecosystem-based management strategies. They also helped preserve or protect 1,400,000 acres of wildlife habitat."

     The Senators stated that "Sea Grant is helping to educate the next generation of freshwater and marine scientists. Last year, Sea Grant programs reached 781,000 K-12 students and in 2016 Sea Grant supported over 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students.

     "Sea Grant is vital to local businesses and an important part of preserving coastal communities for generations to come."

     Twenty-one other senators also signed the letter, including former Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. Read the whole letter online (pdf download).

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VOLCANO WATCH ENTERED ITS 27th YEAR of publication in November 2017. Here is this week's Volcano Watch:

     The long history of this column is, in large part, thanks to the USGS's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates who write the weekly articles, Hawai‘i newspapers and online news outlets that print and post the column, and the dedicated readers who peruse it each week.

     Given the longevity of HVO's weekly column, two milestones are noteworthy. The first may be of interest to readers who refer to the Volcano Watch archive for information.

     This past week, more than a hundred Volcano Watch articles that were written between 1991 and 1995, but had not been available online, were posted to the HVO website. The entire catalogue of articles can now be accessed and searched at https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html.

Figure from the first Volcano Watch,  Nov. 11, 1991. From Volcano Watch archives.

     Starting in 1991, the articles were simply titled Volcano Watch, and described lava flows erupting from the Kupaianaha vent, the lava pond in Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, and earthquakes beneath the Island of Hawai‘i and the Lō‘ihi submarine volcano. As activity of Kīlauea waxed and waned in subsequent years, topics covered by the weekly column expanded.

     Through the years, articles have included insights from ongoing volcanologic research, eruption and earthquake histories of Hawaiian volcanoes, noteworthy eruptions elsewhere on Earth, tsunami that affected the Hawaiian Islands, and emerging technologies for monitoring volcanoes. HVO's Volcano Watch archive can now serve as a starting point for anyone who is interested in knowing more about how volcanoes work, especially about Hawaiian volcanism.

     The second milestone will likely be of interest to people who are interested in Yellowstone - its remarkable eruptive history, fascinating hot springs and geysers, earthquake activity - and what is being learned by scientists who monitor and study Earth's largest volcanic system.

     On January 1, 2018, a new weekly column inspired by HVO's Volcano Watch was launched by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO). This new column - the Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles - is posted each Monday on the homepage of YVO's website, https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/. Like HVO's Volcano Watch series, the YVO chronicles are peer-reviewed and edited before publication.

Halemaʻumaʻu crater on Jan. 30. Arrows indicate scarring on
 the crater rim from rockfalls. Photo from USGS.gov

     YVO's new column was launched soon after Dr. Mike Poland, a former HVO staff geophysicist (2005–2015) and author of several dozen Volcano Watch articles, was appointed YVO Scientist-in-Charge in late 2017. Poland's enthusiasm and commitment to write about the science of volcanoes, in addition to the widespread, and often intense, public interest in the geologic activity at Yellowstone, motivated him and his colleagues to start the chronicles.

     The inaugural issue of the Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles reviewed activity that occurred in Yellowstone during 2017. It was followed by an article titled, "Just what is the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory?" Topics covered by YVO's chronicles in the weeks since include Yellowstone gas emissions, a history of Yellowstone earthquakes, and what is known about the calderas in Yellowstone.

     YVO scientists are also responsible for monitoring volcanic fields in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado. So, in future editions of the Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles, you can expect to read about past volcanism in those states. Future articles will also address new efforts to learn more about volcanic centers and potential hazards in the western United States, as well as updates and geologic history related to Yellowstone Caldera.

     HVO's time-tested Volcano Watch and YVO's new Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles will challenge scientists to be creative as they select subjects for these weekly columns. Readers can look forward to updated information on continuing and new volcanic activity, reports on recent discoveries, accounts of past eruptions, and descriptions of monitoring techniques and what they reveal about volcanoes and potential hazards. Stay tuned and read on!

Early evening view of the lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano on January 30, 2018, when the lake level was 27 m (88 ft) below the crater floor. The bright yellow area of spattering marks the location where the circulating lava descends into the lake, thereby releasing gases trapped beneath the solid black crust on the lake surface. The area around Halemaʻumaʻu remains closed due to ongoing volcanic hazards associated with the lava lake, including high levels of sulfur dioxide gas and unexpected rockfalls and explosions. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

  

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TWO FREE GIRL'S DAY ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITIES have been announced by Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation - one in Pāhala and the other in Ocean View.
     A Girl's Day Paper Flower class, for keiki grades K-8, takes place Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center, with registration from Feb. 20 to 27. Call Nona Makuakane or Elijah Navarro at 928-3102.
     A Girl's Day Headbands class, for keiki ages 6 to 12 years, takes place Friday, Mar. 2, from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., at Kahuku Park in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, with registration from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1. Call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113.
     For more about these and other recreation programs, visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

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June Domondon, Masen Dacalio,
Andre Carvalho, and Kalai Namohala

‘O KA‘Ū KĀKOU'S HALF COURT SHOT WINNERS from Jan. 15 - Masen Dacalio and Andre Carvalho - are shown receiving their $250 prizes from June Domondon of OKK and Trojans Athletic Director Kalei Namohala. Like the other winners of the January shots, these young men donated their winnings to support Trojan Athletics.

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LEARN ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS THAT PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN HAWAIIAN CULTURE in a free, moderate, guided hike along the Palm Trail - approx. 2 miles - on Sunday, Feb. 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The hike, Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship, takes place in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Observe the catastrophic change and restoration of the land as it transitions from the 1868 lava flow to deeper soils with more diversity and older flora. Free. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

A SUPER BOWL EVENT, WITH QUARTERLY PRIZES, IS OFFERED AT Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Sunday, Feb. 4. Doors open at 11 a.m. and kick-off is at 1:30 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Call 967-8365 after 4:00 p.m. for more details. Open to all authorized KMC patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. Visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

SOUTH POINT AMATEUR RADIO CLUB AND AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE sponsor a Ham Radio Potluck Picnic on Sunday, Feb. 4, from noon to 2 p.m., at Manukā State Park. Anyone interested in learning about ham radio is welcome to attend. For more, call Rick Ward at 938-3058, or visit sites.google.com/site/southpointartc or
sites.google.com/view/southhawaiiares/home.

OCEAN VIEW VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS on Monday, Feb. 5, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Ocean View Community Center. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.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.

AN ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY ROAD CLEAN-UP, between mile markers 78 and 79 on Highway 11 in Ocean View, is hosted by Ocean View Community Center on Tuesday, Feb. 6. Bags, water, and vests (volunteers shirt sizes should be emailed to address below) are provided. Volunteers are asked to meet at 8:30 a.m., and are advised to wear work gloves and sun protection. Confirm meet-up location by emailing Pat at mcmathorama@gmail.com. Ocean View Community Association can be reached at 939-7033 or by visiting ovcahi.org.

REGISTER KEIKI, GRADES K-8, BY FEB. 6, FOR A "YEAR OF THE DOG" WALL HANGING arts and crafts class that takes place Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pāhala Community Center. Free. Call Nona Makuakane/Elijah Navarro at 928-3102 or visit hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation for more.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT MEETS Tuesday, Feb. 6, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., in Discovery Harbour Community Hall. For more, call 929-9576 or visit discoveryharbour.net.

A LEARNING TOGETHER WORKSHOP AT THE OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY CENTER, sponsored by Nā’ālehu School, is offered Tuesday, Feb. 6, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more, call 939-7033 or visit ovcahi.org.

KA‘Ū COFFEE GROWERS COOPERATIVE MEETS Tuesday, Feb. 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at  Pāhala Community Center.

PRESERVATION OF STONE ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPE: Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historic Park, is presented Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m., in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Archeologist MaryAnne Maigret gives an historical overview of early and mid-20th century restorations of Hōnaunau, and a behind-the-scenes look at 50-plus years of preservation at the park. Free; park entrance fees apply. Suggested donation of $2 to support park programs. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEES MEETS TUESDAY, FEB. 6, with a full Council meeting taking place the following day on Wednesday, Feb. 7. Both meetings occur in Hilo. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. The Council will meet again on Tuesday, Feb. 20 (committees), and Wednesday, Feb. 21 (Council), in Kona. Agendas can be found at hawaiicounty.gov.

ADVOCATS, INC., comes to Ocean View Community Center on Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., to perform free cat spay and neuter services. For more, call 895-9283.

KĪLAUEA MILITARY CAMP'S LAVA LOUNGE HOSTS OPEN MIC NIGHT on Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. KMC is located inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Singers, Bands, Comedians, etc. Call 967-8365 after 4 p.m. to sign up. Open to authorized patrons and sponsored guests 21 years and older. Park entrance fees apply. For more, visit kilaueamilitarycamp.com.

ABSTRACTS AND PROPOSALS ARE DUE FRIDAY, FEB. 9, for symposia, forums, workshops, trainings, and individual oral or poster presentations, for 2018 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference in July. For more, visit hawaiconservation.org.

MAKE A VALENTINE FOR YOUR VALENTINE! at Nā‘ālehu Public Library on Friday, Feb. 9, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Free. For more details, call 939-2442.

JOIN PAUL AND JANE FIELD IN VOLUNTEERING FOR STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT on Friday, Feb. 9, and remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Meet at 8:45 a.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO. This event will also be held Feb. 17 and 19.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HOSTS A VOLUNTEER WORKDAY on Friday, Feb. 9, at their Ka‘ū Preserve (located between Pāhala and Nā‘ālehu), from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Space is limited. For more details or to reserve a spot, contact Linda Schubert at 443-5401 or lschubert@tnc.org. The following Volunteer Day will take place on Friday, Mar. 23, at TNC's Kona Hema Preserve.

HEATHER METTLER'S GLASSWORK - handblown, chiseled, and etched - is showcased in a new Volcano Art Center Gallery Exhibit: Passage and Place. The display will continue to be shown until Sunday, Feb. 11, during normal gallery hours - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. 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.

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