Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Ka‘ū News Briefs Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Join internationally renowned, award-winning local Artist Gwendolyn O'Connor on Saturday, Feb. 3, and learn how to professionally prepare artwork 
for galleries and competitions. See story below. Photo from Volcano Art Center
HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK reopened Tuesday morning, Jan. 23, following funding of the federal government on Monday, Jan. 22. A statement from the park reports, "All regularly scheduled programs and ranger-guided hikes will resume as usual, including tonight's After Dark in the Park presentation about volcanic ash from Kīlauea Volcano's summit lava lake. The program is part of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's Volcano Awareness Month outreach, and starts at 7 p.m. in the Kīlauea Visitor Center.
After Dark in the Park is on for Tuesday evening after
the reopening of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
     "We appreciate the support and patience of our community, visitors, and our partners. Our employees are happy to be back at work, serving the American people and welcoming visitors to their national parks," said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. "We are a proud member of our community, and contribute nearly $200 million to the local economy annually," she said.
     Visit nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes for additional information about the park, including the calendar of events.
     Also reopening are Volcano House, Volcano Art Center Gallery, and all Kilauea Military Camp facilities.

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IN HIS 2018 STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, Gov. David Ige presented his priorities to the Hawaiʻi Legislature on Monday, Jan. 22. They include improving education, working to reduce homelessness, and providing affordable housing.
     The Governor started the speech by proclaiming, "The State of our State is strong. We are a resilient people and the future is bright. I am struck by the beautiful and often challenging complexity that makes Hawaiʻi our home. We really are the most beautiful place on earth. We are of many cultures and faiths, and we live together in greater harmony than any place in the world. People from all over the planet come here to enjoy our environment, our host culture, and their gifts to all of us: gifts of aloha, tolerance and respect, and the celebration of each other and our differences. We often need to be reminded of what makes us so special."
Gov. David Ige presented his State of the State yesterday.
 See segments of his speech at Big Island Video News
     He listed achievements by Hawaiʻi: "We are one of the healthiest states in the nation. People here live longer than anywhere else in the country. We have led the nation in health insurance for decades, and in the current chaos, we stand firm in caring for each other.
     "We have the lowest unemployment rate in the nation. We are strong financially.
     "Our bond rating is the highest it's ever been in our history, making it possible for us to get the most bang for our buck when we borrow money. This saves the state tens of millions of dollars, allowing us to make critical investments in our schools, housing and highways."
     He also talked about Hawaiʻi fighting for its causes: "We have made our voice clear: Hawai‘i will not stand for the hateful and hurtful policies of the Trump White House. We are doing more than any other state to stand up for what is right – such as DACA and the Paris Climate Accord – and stop what is wrong, such as the travel ban and stopping transgender members of the military from defending our flag and our freedoms."
     The governor also listed Hawaiʻi's domestic challenges: "So many of us are living paycheck to paycheck, relying heavily on our extended family to make ends meet. Owning a home is out of reach for many families, with housing costs rising faster than wages. Too much of our time is spent in traffic, affecting our families and quality of life.
     "The growing gap between those doing well and those who are not should concern all of us. We depend too heavily on imported food and fuel. We must find a just place in our relationship with our own history and with the people of the first nation of Hawaiʻi. And the challenges to our island environment, such as global climate change, stare us in the face every single day."
A 7.9 earthquake Tuesday morning generated at tsunami warning for Hawaiʻi, 
which was cancelled within an hour. 
     Read more of the State of the State in Wednesday's Kaʻū News Briefs, including the Governor's message on housing and other issues.

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A 7.9 EARTHQUAKE IN THE GULF OF ALASKA GENERATED A TSUNAMI WATCH for Hawaiʻi at 12:40 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The estimated time of arrival was at 4:15 a.m. While such large earthquakes are capable of causing devastating tsunamis, the location of the the quake was south of the Aleutian Trench, where the floor of the Pacific slides under the North American Plate in Gulf of Alaska. The quake was on a smaller horizontal fault, perpendicular to the main fault line. Such quakes are called strike-slip earthquakes. See more details at The Verge.
     The Hawaiʻi watch was cancelled at 1:13 a.m. Alaskans and residents of British Columbia, however, evacuated the coast in the middle of the night. When a destructive tsunami failed to arrive, the alert was cancelled. Small waves of around a half foot were registered.

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KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS AKS FOR INPUT FROM KA‘Ū this evening, Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center. The public is invited to learn about Kamehameha School's Strategic Plan 2015-2020. Representatives will be on hand to take community input for future planning. See ksbe.edu for more information.

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Photo taken along Saddle Road. Photo from nps.gov/HAVO
VOLCANIC GEOLOGY ALONG SADDLE ROAD is the topic of an After Dark in the Park presentation announced for Tuesday, Jan. 30, starting at 7 p.m., in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     The new Daniel K. Inouye Highway, Route 200, commonly called the Saddle Road, crosses the center of the Island between its two largest volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The road takes travelers through a varied landscape of historically interesting geological features, including large and young lava flows, cinder cones, kīpuka, and ancient ice age dune fields. "This contrasting scenery shows outstanding examples of how Hawaiian volcanoes mature and age," says a press release issued by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     Join Rick Hazlett, affiliate geologist with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, as he describes this "outdoor classroom" in which visitors can learn more about how the Islands aloha ‘āina (precious land) came to be. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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A PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTATION FOR ARTISTS WORKSHOP with Artist Gwendolyn O'Connor has been announced by Volcano Art Center for Saturday, Feb. 3. The class, which is open to artists of every medium, takes place from 9 a.m. to noon.
Gwendolyn O'Connor teaches a Professional Documentation 
for Artists workshop in Volcano. Photo from Volcano Art Center
     O'Connor's art is exhibited in public and private collections in over 15 Countries, and in 33 of the United States. She is internationally renowned for her award-winning Watercolour on Silk. Raised in the Islands, Gwendolyn is a resident of the Big Island. Self-taught, she was influenced by art in the Honolulu Academy of Arts on O‘ahu, the Louvre Museum, and Musee d’Orsay in France.
     The event description says, "Are you aware of all of the proper professional documentation necessary for selling your art in Hawai‘i? Artist Gwendolyn O'Connor will show you how to professionally prepare your art for galleries and competitions. Discover how the backside of art is presented and so much more."
     The emphasis of the workshop is on learning how to prepare a Certificate of Authenticity, an Artist Biography, and an Artwork's Title & Description. Each participant will partake in hands-on, step-by-step preparation of their own individual documentation, regardless of the art medium. "In the instance of three-dimensional art, one should provide the same documentation in a folder to be given to the art patron. Next to the original artwork itself, good documentation is the best long-term investment you can make in your art practice," states the event description.
     Attendees are asked to bring a laptop or other device with a word processor or Photoshop, or a notebook for writing. Artists should also provide a photograph of themselves that they are happy with, or prepare to be photographed. Professional photographer Lester Brandt will be on hand to take photographs for artists' biographies. Class fee is $35 for Volcano Art Center members and $40 for non-members. Register online at volcanoartcenter.org.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment at 
See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, weekly events at 
kaucalendar.com/janfebmar/januarycommunity.html.
January 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.
KA‘Ū TROJANS SPORTS SCHEDULE

Boys Soccer: Thursday, Jan. 25, @ Pāhoa.

Swimming: Friday, Jan. 26, @ Kamehameha (BIIF Championships, prelims).
     Saturday, Jan. 27, @ Kamehameha (BIIF Championships, finals).

Boys Basketball: Saturday, Jan. 27, HPA @ Ka‘ū.
     Monday, Jan. 29, @ Parker.
     Wednesday, Jan. 31, Kealakehe @ Ka‘ū.
     Saturday, Feb. 3, @ Kamehameha.

Wrestling: Saturday, Jan. 27 @ HPA.
     Saturday, Feb. 3 @ Kealakehe.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

AUDITIONS CONTINUE WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24, for Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network's performance of How the Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn. There are parts for three women and three men. Auditions begin at 6:30 p.m. at Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences. The show will play Mar. 9 - 25. For more information, call 982-7344.

HAWAI‘I COUNTY COUNCIL meets Wednesday, Jan. 24, in Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov.

REGISTER KEIKI BY WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24, FOR ‘O KA‘Ū KAKOU'S 10TH ANNUAL Keiki Fishing Tournament, held on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Punalu‘u Beach Park Pavilions. The event is open to keiki from one to 14 years old, with pick-up & drop-off locations for registration forms at: Nā‘ālehu Elementary School, Nā‘ālehu Ace Hardware, Pāhala Elementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pāhala, Pāhala Gas Station, Wiki Wiki Mart in Nā‘ālehu, Ka‘ū Learning Academy, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View, and Ocean View Auto Parts. Pre-registration ends at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Jan. 24. Register at the event this coming Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., with fishing until noon, then lunch and prizes. Every participant gets a prize. Grand and mini-grand prize drawing - including personal tablets. For more, call Guy Enriques at 217-2253, Wayne Kawachi at 937-4773, or visit okaukakou.org.

STEWARDSHIP OF KĪPUKAPUAULU takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, with volunteers meeting in the Kīpukapuaulu parking lot on Mauna Loa Road off Hwy 11 in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants, like morning glory, from an area said to be home to an "astonishing diversity of native forest and understory plants." Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, contact Marilyn Nicholson at nickem@hawaii.rr.com or visit nps.gov/HAVO.

U.H. COLLEGE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN RESOURCES Kona Cooperative Extension Service will reschedule its Jan. 25 and 27 Coffee Berry Borer 101 Workshops for New and Beginning Coffee Farmers. The free two-hour class teaches the basics of coffee berry borer identification, biology, and management. Extension Service Agent Andrea Kawabata says classes will be rescheduled for February, at the Kona Cooperative Extension Service office at 79-7381 Mamalahoa Highway in Kealakekua. Kawabata will be in Honokaʻa this Sunday, Jan. 28 at the Hamakua Harvest Farmers Market with a CBB presentation. For more details, visit hawaiicoffeeed.com.

LEARN MORE ABOUT AND DISCUSS THE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM USED IN PRE-CONTACT HAWAI‘I during Coffee Talk on Friday, Jan. 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Kahuku Unit Visitor Center of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (entrance located south of the 70.5 mile marker on the mauka side of Hwy 11).
     During the January event, Farming the Rock in Ka‘ū: The Agriculture Field System of Kahuku, University of Hawai‘i Professors Seth Quintus and Noa Kekuewa Lincoln discuss their work uncovering the Ka‘ū field system at Kahuku, as well as how this knowledge might serve Hawai‘i in the future. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries will be available for purchase. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

MUSICIAN AND TEXTILE ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE GIVE A DUAL PERFORMANCE on Friday, Jan. 26, starting at 6 p.m., in the Kīlauea Visitor Center auditorium of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Will Oldham (performs as Bonnie "Prince" Billy) will sing and play music, and his wife, fiber/textile artist Elsa Hansen Oldham, stitches on stage as her handiwork is projected on a movie screen. Oldham is an acclaimed singer/songwriter whose music has been described as an alternative blend of country-folk and punk; Hansen-Oldham's quilting and cross-stitch work puts a folksy pop-art spin on history and modern culture. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

KA‘Ū RURAL HEALTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION offers a free informational and educational presentation, Crystal Meth Addiction in Communities, as part of their Call to Action Prevention Campaign. Certified Prevention Specialist Gary Shimabukuro will give the presentation on Friday, Jan. 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Ka‘ū Gym & Disaster Shelter's multi-purpose room. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call Ka‘ū Resource & Distance Learning Center at 928-0101.

STEWARDSHIP AT THE SUMMIT takes place Friday, Jan. 26, with volunteers removing invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Interested volunteers should meet Paul and Jane Filed at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply. For more, see nps.gov/HAVO.

MAKE LEI WITH KAIPO AHCHONG AT VOLCANO ART CENTER'S ALOHA FRIDAY event on January 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the VAC Gallery porch.
     Tropical Agriculture farmer AhChong shares his expert lei-making skills. As a member of Halau Na Kamalei, his unique experience marries the science of agriculture with Hawaiian lei and hula traditions.
     Aloha Friday cultural demonstrations are held each week. These free cultural events are supported in part by a grant from the County of Hawai‘i Dept. of Research and Development, and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. National Park entrance fees apply. For more, visit volcanoartcenter.org.

A BUILD YOUR OWN MINI ORCHID DISPLAY workshop is offered by Volcano Art Center on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village.
     Hilo Orchid Society's Shelby Smith and Donna Barr will be on hand to answer questions and show tips, tricks, and their orchid "know-how." Different categories of mini orchid displays will be covered, including Garden, Flower Arrangement/Cut Flowers/Ikebana, and Keiki.
     Pre-registration is required. Volcano Art Center members pay $20 and non-members pay $25.
     The event description on volcanoartcenter.org says, "Not only will you learn a thing or two, but also, thanks to the Hilo Orchid Society, you'll be able to take home an orchid."

COUNT HUMPBACK WHALES FOR THE SANCTUARY OCEAN COUNT on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., at one of four locations along the coast in/near Ka‘ū District: Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park at Ka‘ena Point - end of Chain of Craters Road; Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park; Ka Lae Park - at the end of South Point Road; and Miloli‘i Lookout - from Hwy 11, continue makai towards Miloliʻi Beach Park, 1.9 miles down, turn left on Awapuhi and continue to dead end.
     Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals' surface behavior during the survey, which provides valuable data to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Bring sun protection, water, snacks, and a cushion to sit on. Arrive 30 minutes prior to start time for orientation. Register at sanctuaryoceancount.org. Free; park entrance fees apply. Count will be held again on Feb. 24 and Mar. 31. Read more about the locations at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.

U.H.-CTAHR EXTENSION AGENT ANDREA KAWABATA offers a Coffee Berry Borer Identification and Management Presentation at the Hamakua Harvest Farmers' Market on Sunday, Jan. 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Learn about identifying CBB and how to manage this coffee pest. "This class will be fairly basic, but see me after the presentation if you have specific questions," says Kawabata. The market is located a the intersection of Mamane Street and Hwy 19. For more details, visit hawaiicoffeeed.com.

JOIN ASTRONOMER AND CO-HOST OF PBS STAR GAZERS, DEAN REGAS, as he hosts Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's first-ever Star Party at Kīlauea Overlook (on Crater Rim Drive, before Jaggar Museum) on Monday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. Explore nearby planets and deep-space celestial wonders above the glow of Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Dark Skies Rangers will answer questions. Powerful telescopes will be available at the event, Kīlauea Star Party. Free, but subject to weather conditions; park entrance fees apply. For more, visit nps.gov/HAVO.

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.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.