 |
| Albatross nesting on Midway. See, below, story on the documentary by Chris Jordan, Albatross, depicting the effect man-made items such as plastics are having on the endangered seabirds. Photos from Jordan's Albatross The Film Facebook |
INCREASING THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX GOES TO PUBLIC HEARING MONDAY AND TUESDAY, a decision expected Tuesday by the Hawaiʻi
County Council. Bill 159, Draft 2 would increase the GE from 4.0 percent to 4.25 percent on Jan. 1, 2019. It would sunset at the end of 2020. Kaʻū residents can give live input or hand in testimony at Nāʻālehu state office building, starting at 5
p.m. Monday, or 9 a.m. on Tuesday, through teleconference to the hearings in Kona, both days. The deadline to submit via email, mail, or fax passed June 14.
Mayor Harry Kim initially proposed a 0.5 percent GE increase through 2030, with the extra income to be used for transportation. According to the mayor, the county needs 14 new buses, with 38 buses over the next seven years. It needs additional funding for reliable, on-time bus service; improved information to passengers; modernizing the transit vehicle fleet and services; being responsive to the needs of transit dependent individuals; and more park-and-ride locations for the community.
According to Kim, increasing the GE tax would lessen the likelihood of future property tax increases as visitors would help pay for it. According to the county, approximately 30 to 40 percent of the GE tax collected comes from visitors.
 |
| Income from the proposed .25 increase in the General Excise Tax would help improve transportation. Photo from Hele-On |
According to Kim, increasing the GE tax would lessen the likelihood of future property tax increases as visitors would help pay for it. According to the county, approximately 30 to 40 percent of the GE tax collected comes from visitors.
 |
| Deputy Finance Director Nancy Crawford, who says 30 to 40 percent of GET tax is paid by tourists. Photo from County of Hawaiʻi |
Deputy Finance Director Nancy Crawford said the county GE increase means
“visitors will have an opportunity to contribute to our infrastructure, as they
certainly reap the benefits of it.”
Almost all transactions in the state include the GE tax, which is collected from businesses and provided to the state for its operating budget, with part of the tax money distributed to programs back to the counties.
Under the new proposal, revenue from the .25 percent hike would go only to Hawaiʻi County, for transportation, freeing up other county money to help to take care of the shortfall created by the volcano emergency.
Almost all transactions in the state include the GE tax, which is collected from businesses and provided to the state for its operating budget, with part of the tax money distributed to programs back to the counties.
Under the new proposal, revenue from the .25 percent hike would go only to Hawaiʻi County, for transportation, freeing up other county money to help to take care of the shortfall created by the volcano emergency.
Hawaiʻi County Council
Chair Valerie Poindexter said, “Some are okay with the increase to help with
the shortfall because that’s what we do in emergency situations.” For the long term, she said, “My question to
administration is - what assurances do we have that county government will
become more efficient? Should the GET (increase) pass, we need to put some safeguards in
place, that is within our jurisdiction, to hold administration accountable.”
Puna’s two
elected council representatives, Jen Ruggles (upper) and Eileen O’Hara (lower),
are on opposite sides of the discussion. Ruggles opposes the GE Tax increase. “We just increased the
 |
| Hawaiʻi County Council Chair Valerie Poindexter, who wants safeguards put in place if the GET tax increase does pass. Photo from County of Hawaiʻi |
minimum tax, we just increased the fuel tax, we just increased
the property tax,” Ruggles said during a County Council discussion. “All of these taxes are
regressive taxes. They’re impacting the poorest of the poor the most. The GE
tax is the most regressive of these taxes. This should be the last tax that we
look at. I’m actually really surprised that the council member representing the
district of the displaced people would say that now that we’re losing that
property tax income, let’s tax them at the register,” Ruggles said. “I don’t
find that acceptable.”
O’Hara responded,
“It pains me greatly to see what’s happening in my district. It pains me to
raise taxes - but they will not receive support from us if we don’t have any
money. That’s a simple fact. You can talk about this is the most regressive tax
ever, blah blah blah. Yes, that’s textbook correct. But that doesn’t reflect
the reality of what is on the ground. I have been living this,” said O’Hara to
Ruggles. “I know you don’t live in the lower Puna district - I realize you
represent upper Puna - but I do, and every household that’s impacted; I know
almost every one of them. So this is my community and my community has talked
to me, and they said they wanted the half percent increase before all this
started. Because they wanted a bus system. They wanted to provide for the
neediest of the needy in our community. We cannot do that when our coffers are
empty.”
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.
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.
Gall, according
to his OVCA profile, was born and raised in Oregon ,
and moved to Hawaiʻi Island in 2003. He has a Bachelor of the Arts, and has
worked in Law Enforcement, Court Offices, as the Owner/Operator of Construction
and Manufacturing Company, and Co-founder of Clatsop Community Action. He
is a volunteer of Hawaiʻi International HOPE Foundation. In March of 2015, he
became an OVCA volunteer, and was elected to the position of OVCA
President in 2017. Ron is married to Karen; they have five children and six
grandchildren. His hobbies include golf, music, home renovations, playing
cards, and relaxing at the beach.
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.
THE NEW FILM ALBATROSS by Chris Jordan, is now online, streamed and shared at no cost to viewers. The documentary tells of the lives of the endangered seabirds that live in the Hawaiian Islands and feed in an ocean of plastics, which kill them.
Jordan's work is described on the film's website, saying it "explores contemporary mass culture from multiple perspectives, connecting the viewer viscerally to the enormity and power of humanity's collective unconscious. Edge-walking the lines between beauty and horror, abstraction and representation, the near and the far, the visible and the invisible, his works challenge us to look both inward and outward at the complex landscapes of our collective choices. His work reaches an increasingly broad audience through his exhibitions, books, website, interviews on radio and television, and speaking engagements and school visits all over the world."
See albatrosstheflim.com.
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High temperature
volcanic gases consist mostly of water vapor. In fact, more than 90% of the
emitted gas is just steam. And so, gas plumes are often whitish due to sunlight
being scattered on water droplets condensing within the plume as it cools. This
process is similar to condensation in meteorological clouds. Thus, volcanic
plumes are often hard to distinguish from simple water clouds. It also explains
why the temperature and humidity of the background atmosphere has significant
control over the visibility of a volcanic plume. Volcanic gases emitted into
cooler, wetter air will condense more efficiently and degassing may appear more
vigorous than during warmer, dryer conditions, even if the gas emission rate
remains constant. This makes visual assessment of degassing intensity
difficult.
The key to
this mystery again lies in the scattering of light within the plumes. Steam
plumes appear white because water droplets are highly reflective. These
droplets are also much larger than the wavelengths of visible light and
therefore scatter all visible light with approximately the same efficiency,
thus leading to a white color.
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MONDAY, JUNE 18
A NEW COMMUNITY OF HOMES FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE in Puna could
be created near Hwy 130 on state land next to Makuʻu Market, suggests state
Sen. Russel Ruderman. He represents the district most affected by the ongoing
lava disaster that claimed houses, farms, and forests in lower Puna. In a
recent Big Island Video News interview, Ruderman suggested that a
non-profit such as Habitat for Humanity lease land from the state, and oversee
providing new homes long-term. He said he talked to Mayor Harry Kim, who is open
to the idea and supportive of a new community.
Ruderman talked about a Hawaiʻi law,
HRS171.93, which helped relocate people onto state land after the 1960 tsunami
that wiped out over 500 buildings and killed 61 people in Hilo Hilo
bayfront area of Shinmachi – now Hilo
Bayfront Park
Exchanges of land also happened after the 1990s eruptions, after lava destroyed Kalapana and places nearby.
Ruderman said the land where homes were lost during this eruption could become property of the state, and the state could provide land for the victims. The Senator said that many of the places covered by lava during this eruption should no longer be home sites since there is danger of more lava flows in the future.
Ruderman said there are many who have found new places to rent, or are sleeping
on couches, staying with family or friends. They are better off than those
staying at the shelters, but that’s not a long-term solution, he said.
 |
| Watch the Big Island Video News interview with Sen. Russell Ruderman. |
Exchanges of land also happened after the 1990s eruptions, after lava destroyed Kalapana and places nearby.
Ruderman said the land where homes were lost during this eruption could become property of the state, and the state could provide land for the victims. The Senator said that many of the places covered by lava during this eruption should no longer be home sites since there is danger of more lava flows in the future.
Ruderman said he
is told that Puna “people just aren’t going to leave - and I think that’s not
true. I think it’s fundamentally changed. I’m a Puna person as much as anybody,
but something really changed in the last few weeks, and a lot of people are
looking at lower Puna, and realizing, ‘No, it’s not the place to live
anymore.’” He said many people left the eruption area also “because you
can’t count on the air being good overnight.”
 |
| Some of the acreage Sen. Ruderman suggests for replacement land for those displaced by the eruption, mauka of Hwy 130. Image from Big Island Video News |
The Senator said the state could
provide a long term lease for some 500, 1,000, or 2,000 acres to a non-profit,
which could “move much more quickly than government can.”
He suggested a group like Habitat for
Humanity, “someone that’s in the business of building houses for people.” The
non profit would lay out the community without going through a fee simple
subdivision process that takes more time.
Ruderman said areas off Hwy 130, near Maku’u Market, have the road and access to infrastructure like water and
power. He pointed to land both makai of Hwy 130 between Hawaiian
Paradise Park Hawaiian Beaches
Watch him explain the plan, and the
effect on him when he took a helicopter overflight over the disaster area.
See Big
Island Video News.
Ruderman owns food stores and said that his Pahoa location feels the effects of the volcano. Business is down by half, five employees lost their houses, a dozen had to evacuate and four are in the shelter. He said it is amazing to him that "When I come to Hilo, it's just another day."
The Senator is also a musician and said he has been volunteering by playing music for the shelter residents.
Ruderman owns food stores and said that his Pahoa location feels the effects of the volcano. Business is down by half, five employees lost their houses, a dozen had to evacuate and four are in the shelter. He said it is amazing to him that "When I come to Hilo, it's just another day."
The Senator is also a musician and said he has been volunteering by playing music for the shelter residents.
As a state Senator, Ruderman represents
Pāhoa, which is central station for relief efforts. His district covers Leilani Estates, the
lower Puna coast including Kapoho and Vacationland, to Kalapana and up through Hawai`i Volcanoes National
Park Mountain
View , Kurtistown, Glewnwood, and Kea‘au, along Hwy 11.
 |
| Ron Gall, who has passed the torch of OVCA President to Joan Guithues. Photo from OVCA |
OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION RON GALL passed the
baton to Joan Guithues on June 1. “Ron has enjoyed his tenure as
president and will continue as Board Secretary,” says an announcement from
OVCA’s new President.
 |
New OVCA President Joan
Guithues. Photo from OVCA |
Guithues,
according to her OVCA profile, moved to Ocean View from Ohio
in 2014, with her husband Greg. She has been an OVCA member since 2014, and is
a volunteer at the OVCA front desk, the monthly pancake breakfast fundraiser,
Thanksgiving Dinner, Aloha Food, and Ocean View Deep Clean. She is a registered
nurse and works with the Veterans Administration Telehealth program at the
Community Center. Previously, she worked as a hospice nurse in Dayton
Ohio
Other board members are Vice President Dave Anderson, Treasurer Paulette Frerich, and Director Barbara Lewis. Learn more about OVCA at ovcahi.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.
 |
| Endangered albatross, dead from probable ingestion of man-made items. Photos from Jordan's Albatross The Film Facebook |
 |
| Filmmaker Chris Jordan gets up close and personal with his subject. Photo from Jordan's Albatross The Film Facebook |
See albatrosstheflim.com.
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.
CAN WE SEE VOLCANIC GASSES? is the question answered by this
week’s Volcano Watch, a weekly article and
activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano
Observatory scientists and colleagues:
Colorful plumes –
can we see volcanic gases? When
volcanic gases are released into the atmosphere, resulting plumes sometimes
appear to have a faint color. Is this color indicative of a certain gas
present? Answering this question requires describing what makes a plume visible
in the first place.
 |
| The sun is behind the observer taking this photo, making the plume appear bluish due to sunlight scattering by tiny sulfate aerosols. The gas plume is against a very dark cloud background, so that no backlighting is affecting the plume view. Photo by Allan Lerner, USGS Volunteer |
On occasion,
volcanic plumes appear slightly off-white and at other times they have a faint
blue tinge. Other plumes look yellow or brown when compared to nearby water
clouds. So are these the different volcanic gases that are being observed?
The short answer
is no. All gases emitted by volcanoes are completely invisible to humans in the
concentrations at which they are present. Water is only visible once it
condenses, not in the form of water vapor. So what causes these colorful
plumes?
 |
| The sun is illuminating this volcanic gas plume from behind. The plume appears orange in color, as the blue component of the sunlight has been preferentially removed by scattering on tiny sulfate aerosols. Photo by Christoph Kern, USGS |
Besides
water vapor, some volcanic plumes also contain significant amounts of sulfur
dioxide. Exposure to these plumes is uncomfortable and can be hazardous, as
sulfur dioxide is an irritant and reacts to sulfuric acid when in contact with
water. This reaction can occur in the eyes or respiratory tract, and lead to a
burning sensation. Exposure to sulfur dioxide concentrations above 100 parts
per million would be an immediate threat to health and even life.
But sulfur
dioxide has another characteristic. Once emitted, it reacts with atmospheric
gases to form sulfate aerosols. Aerosols are tiny solid particles that are
quickly coated and then dissolved in water, since there is plenty of that
available in the plume. Compared with meteorological clouds, however, the reaction
of sulfur dioxide to sulfate creates many more, much smaller particles in
volcanic plumes. In fact, these sulfate aerosol particles are so small that
they are comparable in size to the wavelengths of visible light (about 400 to
700 nanometers).
 |
|
See the USGS Video
|
It turns out
that the scattering process is different for such small particles. These tiny
particles will scatter the short wavelengths of blue light (about 400 nm) more
efficiently than the longer wavelengths of red light (about 700 nm). If white
light enters such a plume, e.g. by pointing a flash light at it or by
standing with the sun at your back, then the returning light might have a
slight bluish color to it because of this enhanced back-scattering of blue
wavelengths.
Some volcanic
plumes appear to have an orange color to them, rather than a blue tint.
Interestingly, this is caused by the very same effect, just in different
illumination geometry. Imagine the sun is behind a volcanic plume containing
significant sulfate aerosols. Some of the light entering the plume will be
scattered, with blue light preferentially being redirected. Therefore, the blue
component will be missing if we observe the light that makes it all the way
through the plume, and the plume will appear orange, brown, or even slightly
red. This phenomenon is observed whenever the plume is back-lit, for example
when viewed against the sun or some bright white meteorological clouds in the
background.
The bottom
line is that the volcanic gases themselves can’t be seen, but the effect of
light scattering on aerosols formed by reaction of these gases with air can be.
So whenever a blue or orange plume is seen, beware that there are tiny
particles in it, and think about where these particles may be coming from. If
it’s a volcanic plume, then chances are there’s a significant amount of
invisible sulfur dioxide there as well, and people should keep clear.
Visit the HVO website, at hvo.wr.usgs.gov, for past
Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates
and other volcano status reports, current volcano photos, recent earthquakes,
and more; call (808) 967-8862 for a Kīlauea summary
update; email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
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.
Print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes
throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano, and free on
|
TUESDAY, JUNE 19
Rapid Response Workshops for Hawaiʻi Island residents whose employment status or business operations have been affected by the lava flow, held Tuesday, June 19, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. , at Cooper Center 19-4030 Wright Road , Volcano; Wednesday, June 20, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. , at Pāhoa Community Center 15-3022 Kauhale Street , Pāhoa.
Residents can receive information about programs and services regarding Unemployment Insurance, State of Hawaiʻi job vacancies, mental health services, Veterans’ Affairs, housing rental assistance, employment training, emergency food assistance, WIC and medical services. For more information, contact the American Jobs Center Hawaiʻi at 935-6527.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Tue, Jun 19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov
Ocean View Community Association Board Meeting, Wed, June 20, noon-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Rapid Response Workshops for Hawaiʻi Island residents whose employment status or business operations have been affected by the lava flow, held Wednesday, June 20, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. , at Pāhoa Community Center 15-3022 Kauhale Street , Pāhoa.
Ocean View Community Association Board Meeting, Wed, June 20, noon-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Residents can receive information about programs and services regarding Unemployment Insurance, State of Hawaiʻi job vacancies, mental health services, Veterans’ Affairs, housing rental assistance, employment training, emergency food assistance, WIC and medical services. For more information, contact the American Jobs Center Hawaiʻi at 935-6527.
THURSDAY, JUNE 21
Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Thu, Jun 21, 9-1pm , Ocean View Community Center
Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thu, Jun 21, 6:30pm , United Methodist Church
FRIDAY, JUNE 22
Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United Kaʻū Chapter community meeting Fri, June 22, 5pm, Pāhala Plantation House. “Come chat about agriculture in Kaʻū, local food production, ag related legislation, and make connections with folks in the community. All Kaʻū Farmers and Ranchers are encouraged to attend.” Light pupus available; welcome to bring something to share. Any questions call Raina Whiting, Kaʻū Chapter President, at 464-0799 or rainawhiting@gmail.com.
Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United Kaʻū Chapter community meeting Fri, June 22, 5pm, Pāhala Plantation House. “Come chat about agriculture in Kaʻū, local food production, ag related legislation, and make connections with folks in the community. All Kaʻū Farmers and Ranchers are encouraged to attend.” Light pupus available; welcome to bring something to share. Any questions call Raina Whiting, Kaʻū Chapter President, at 464-0799 or rainawhiting@gmail.com.
SATURDAY, JUNE 23
Birth of Kahuku, Sat, Jun 23, 9:30-11:30am , Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
SUNDAY, JUNE 24
SUNDAY, JUNE 24
‘Ōhi‘a Lehua, Sun, Jun 24, 9:30-11am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, and many forms of ‘ōhi‘a tree and its flower on this free, easy, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO
NEW and UPCOMING
VOLCANO ART CENTER ANNOUNCES SITE VISIT AND SERVICE PROJECT with marine experts from The Nature Conservancy at Kīholo Fishponds, in Kona, on Friday, June 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
 |
| Renewal, featuring Kīholo Fishponds, by Carol Araki Wyban. Image from Volcano Art Center |
The site features a historic estuary with abundant marine life, and two large interconnected freshwater spring-fed pools contain numerous native fish species, hapawai (mollusk) and ʻopae (shrimp). A 200-foot-long ‘auwai, or stone channel, connects the ponds to Kīholo Bay, which has a resident population of green sea turtles that use the inland ponds to feed and rest. Also frequenting the are are threatened migratory seabirds.
Kīholo is part of a larger coastal area that was “once coveted by Hawaiian chiefs for its productive nearshore reefs and offshore fisheries, its fishponds and anchialine pools. For native Hawaiians, Kīholo is a culturally important site, especially for those who continue to live in the vicinity and trace their ancestry back to the land,” states the event description.
The event includes a brief interpretation of the history of the ponds followed by a volunteer project, which includes removing invasive plant materials and clearing debris. The description advises participants to be prepared for hot, dry conditions; and to bring water, reef friendly sunscreen, closed toed shoes (water-shoes if possible) and a bag lunch. Carpooling may be arranged as transportation is not provided.
Registration is required; call Volcano Art Center at 967-8222. See volcanoartcenter.org.
Kīholo is part of a larger coastal area that was “once coveted by Hawaiian chiefs for its productive nearshore reefs and offshore fisheries, its fishponds and anchialine pools. For native Hawaiians, Kīholo is a culturally important site, especially for those who continue to live in the vicinity and trace their ancestry back to the land,” states the event description.
The event includes a brief interpretation of the history of the ponds followed by a volunteer project, which includes removing invasive plant materials and clearing debris. The description advises participants to be prepared for hot, dry conditions; and to bring water, reef friendly sunscreen, closed toed shoes (water-shoes if possible) and a bag lunch. Carpooling may be arranged as transportation is not provided.
Registration is required; call Volcano Art Center at 967-8222. See volcanoartcenter.org.
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ONGOING
Tropic Care 2018 - providing medical, dental, and eye care for any community member, free of charge, whether they have insurance or not - lasts from June 18 to 28, at Keaʻau High School. First come-first served. Bring any current prescriptions or eye glasses. Long waits are expected; bring water and snacks. Free breakfast and lunch provided to those aged 3 to 18, Monday thru Friday. Food carts may be on site for purchases throughout the event. Questions can be directed to the public health nurse at 808-974-6035, or Adria Maderios, Vice Principal of Keaʻau High School, at 313-3333.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park invites kamaʻaina and tourist alike to visit the Kahuku Unit. There are no entry fees, and all programs are free of charge. In addition to regularly scheduled Guided Hikes and the monthly Coffee Talk, Kahuku Unit has added daily Ranger Talks, and cultural demonstrations and activities on weekends.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park invites kamaʻaina and tourist alike to visit the Kahuku Unit. There are no entry fees, and all programs are free of charge. In addition to regularly scheduled Guided Hikes and the monthly Coffee Talk, Kahuku Unit has added daily Ranger Talks, and cultural demonstrations and activities on weekends.
Visitor Contact Station hosts Ike Hana Noe ʻAu, Cultural Demonstrations and Activities, at 12:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in June, made possible by Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Make an ͑Ohe Hana Ihu (Nose Flute), Sat, June 23. Make a Mini Feather Kahili, Sun, June 24.
Visitor Contact Station hosts Ranger Talks on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. ; Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Artist in Residence Talk, in the Visitor Center 10 a.m.
In the Visitor Contact Station, Coffee Talk, a monthly, casual get together, is held the last Friday of the month. On June 29 at 9:30 a.m. , Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund will present Removing Trash, Restoring Habitat.
Join in the Cultural Festival, Pu ͑uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, in Hōnaunau , Sat and Sun, June 23 and 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
See the Kahuku Unit Rangers,The Kahuku Cowgirls, in the Na ͑alehu 4th of July Parade Sat, June 30, beginning at 10 a.m.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will take sign-ups in Kaʻū, through June 29.
In Nā’ālehu, it will take place at the Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council office, back of Senior Center, Wed-Fri, 8-1pm, 929-9263.
In Ocean View, it will take place at Ocean View Community Center, Mon and Tue (except Mon, June 11), 8-4:30pm.
In Pāhala, it will take place at the Edmund Olson Trust Office, Tue and Wed, 8:30-12:30pm. See more for eligibility requirements and application.
Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program: Hawai‘i State Public Library System, through July 14, statewide and online. Register and log reading at librarieshawaii.beanstack.org or at a local library. Free. Reading rewards, activities, and programs for children, teens, and adults. 2018 participants have a chance to win a Roundtrip for four to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies.
Park Rangers invite the public to downtown Hilo to learn about the volcanic activity, to get their NPS Passport Book stamped, and to experience the Hawaiian cultural connection to volcanoes. Rangers are providing programs at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center at 76 Kamehameha Avenue, Tuesday through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Two Park Rangers are stationed at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in downtown Hilo, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., every Sunday and Monday, in the Willie K Crown Room - as long as nothing else is scheduled in the space. The rangers will be doing daily talks at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. about the eruption. They will show the park film that is normally available to visitors to see at the Kilauea Visitor’s Center at the Summit, Born of Fire, Born in the Sea, every half-hour beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Sign Up for the Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade, to be held June 30. If interested, call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872.
Tūtū and Me Offers Home Visits to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 464-9634.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church Calls For More Volunteers for the Saturday community outreach. Especially needed are cooks for the soup served to those in need, and organizers for the hot showers. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's April newsletter. Volunteer by contacting Dave Breskin at 319-8333.
Volcano Forest Runs Registration Open through Friday, August 17, at 6 p.m. Half marathon $85, 10K $45, 5K $30. Registration increases August 1: half marathon to $95, 10K to $55, and 5K to $35. Race is run from Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano Village on Saturday, August 18.
5th annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run registration open. Race day Sat, Sept 22, 7 a.m. ; begins and ends at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Register online before Mon, July 9: 5K, $25/person; 10K, $35/person; and 1/2 Marathon , $45/person. From July 9 to Aug 11: $30/person, $40/person, and $45/person, respectively. From Aug 13 to Sept 20: $35/person, $45/person, and $55/person. Race day registration ends Sat, Sept 22, at 6:30 a.m. Event organizers, ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou; start location, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill.
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