Monday, July 23, 2018

Kaʻū News Briefs Monday, July 23, 2018

From mauka and makai, lava inches toward Pohoiki at sunrise, Sunday. Volcanic plumes from lower Puna
blew into Volcano Village, making air quality very unhealthy for part of today. See stories below.
 Photo from Extreme Exposure, courtesy of Paradise Helicopters.
SO2 LEVELS IN VOLCANO WERE AT DANGER LEVELS for part of today. Derek Wroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the combination of disrupted tradewinds and high SO2 emissions means Volcano Village, Pāhoa, and the valley between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea will see intermittent worse air quality over the next few days, while Kaʻū and up into Kona should see better air quality.
     Jessica Ferracane, of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, said the air quality inside the park today was “terrible,” in the very dangerous range, and that it was the same in Volcano Village. Janet Babb, a geologist at USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatories, today said the air issues are a direct result of emissions from the lower East Rift Zone, not the summit. Halemaʻumaʻu is now producing only around 100 pounds of SO2 a day, while LERZ has been measured at “tens of thousands of tons” a day, according to Babb, earlier this month. She also said scientists are “looking at new and different ways to get a measurement of these gasses,” as “the emissions are high enough… our instruments can basically be swamped.”
Chart from hawaiiso2network.com
     In affected areas, Civil Defense suggests limiting outdoor exposure, staying indoors with all windows closed, turning on an air filtration system, or leaving the area. The latest air quality measurements from the University of Hawaiʻi’s Vog Measurement and Prediction Project can be found at mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/vmap

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CRACKS IN HWY 11 NEAR KILAUEA CALDERA in Volcano have become a major concern to state, county and federal agencies who steward the highway that travels through Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. It is the major road around the island. The area of concern runs  between mile marker 28.5 at the main entrance to the Park and mile marker 31.7 past Namakanipaio campground.
Cones and warnings along cracked Hwy 11 near Kīlauea Caldera.
 Photo by Alan Moores
     The County of Hawaiʻi issued a statement today: Because of cracks developing on the road, all motorists should drive cautiously in this area. Do be aware that authorities are very concerned with the conditions on Highway 11, and are closely monitoring the situation."
     The cracks and sinkholes are developing in the road with the nearly constant seismic activity at the summit of Kīlauea volcano, and particularly with earthquakes at Kīlauea summit of magnitude 5.0 and larger, almost daily.
      Road and transportation officials are looking at possible emergency alternative routes, should the road become irreparable.

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 LEGACY LAND FUNDING from the state Department of Land & Natural Resources, which has preserved thousands of acres in Kaʻū, has been withdrawn from the purchase of more than 300 acres along the Waiʻopae coastline, near Vacationland and Kapoho in lower Puna.
     The land is adjacent to reefs, tidepools, and ponds, recently claimed and covered by Madame Pele. The $1.33 million in matching funding would have preserved lowland native forests, anchialine pools, and the coast next to flourishing marine life. DLNR officially cancelled the funding last Friday, noting that lava filled tidepools, reef, and ocean waters that formerly made up the Waiʻopae State Marine Life Conservation District.
Madame Pele taking anchialine pools, tidepools, land, and reefs, which led 
to the state purchasing the land for preservation. 
Photo from Department of Land & Natural Resources
     In a statement DLNR said, “The resource values outlined in the County’s grant application cited the property’s mix of rare native lowland forests, anchialine pools, and the pools and forests that filter water from agricultural areas and residential areas before it reaches the ocean and the bordering Marine Life Conservation District. These resource values are now gone.”
     Legacy Land Commission Chair Theresa Menard said, “I am saddened by the loss of this special place on the Puna coast, which was so beloved by the community. But, it no longer makes sense to move forward with the purchase given the dramatic changes in the public benefits we hoped to secure.”
     Board of Land & Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case sated, “The Legacy Land Conservation Program is an important and very popular tool to protect critical lands for their natural and cultural values. We must continue to be diligent in ensuring best use of this public money to conserve resources for everyone’s benefit.”
     More than 4,000 acres of land on Hawaiʻi Island have been protected through the Legacy Land and Hawaiʻi County partnership, beginning with the purchase of Kāwā in Kaʻū, in 2008.

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As the lava creeps along the lower Puna shore, nearing Pohoiki, dead marine
life washes ashore. Photo from Ikaika Marzo Facebook 
A NEW LAVA LOBE has broken out of the flow field slightly north of the most active ocean entry from the lava river in lower Puna. According to the flow field map from USGS, at volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories
/hvo/maps_uploads/image-522.jpg, if the lobe expands and follows the path of steepest descent, and is not diverted by an earlier flow from other fissures, it will likely approach the ocean at Pohoiki.
     The threat to Pohoiki and Isaac Hale Park from lava creeping along the shore is the same as it has been for several days. Lava is still about a quarter of a mile from the boat ramp, with the southern active ocean entry mostly going from land to ocean at Ahalanui. Shores not being overrun with molten rock are showing disturbing evidence of the eruption: the tide lines of lower Puna are littered with dead and decaying marine life.

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POLICE ARE SEEKING FOUR MORE ACCOMPLICES who may have provided assistance to fugitive Justin Waiki after he allegedly shot and killed Officer Bronson Kaliloa July 17 on Highway 11 in Mountain View.
    Police ask for assistance in finding 31-year-old Joey Ikaka Camacho of no known address, 47-year-old Shaun Candaroma of Hilo, 26-year-old Pomaikai Martin and 27-year-old Latoya Poepoe-Spalding, both of of King’s Landing in Hilo.
Image from bigislandvideonews.com

     Three other alleged accomplices, found with Waiki on Friday when he was shot and killed by police at a checkpoint at South Point, were charged over the weekend. If found guilty they could face a lifetime in prison.
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NEW and UPCOMING
Photos from volcanoartcenter.org
ERIK WOLD OFFERS TWO 8-WEEK CLAY SESSIONS, a morning and an afternoon session of Sunday Clay - High Fire!, beginning Sunday, August 5, at Volcano Art Center's Ni‘aulani Campus in Volcano Village. Both sessions end on September 30, as no class will be held on August 12, with students working stoneware clay and high-fire reduction glazes.
     Teaching artist, Wold, provides instruction, including demonstrations of wheel throwing methods and will be available for individualized assistance. Beginners will be guided step by step through the basics of using the potter’s wheel or hand building techniques. Continuing students and those with previous experience are encouraged to develop their skills and are welcome to pursue more advanced directions. “Informal discussion on topics ranging from sources of creative inspiration to various pottery styles and traditions from around the world will supplement this hands-on learning experience,” states the event description on volcanoartcenter.org.
     Seven registration slots are open to “wheel throwers”, and two additional places will be open to “hand builders.” Cost for each 8-week session is $200 per Volcano Art Center Member or $180 per non-Members, plus a $15 materials fee for 6 lbs. of clay, which includes glazes and firing for that material. Additional clay is available for purchase.
     Open studio time is available to registered ceramic students on Wednesdays, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m, $10 per day, with tickets available at the Administration Office front desk during business hours.
     Wold, a full time potter living in Volcano Village, is a member of the Volcano Village Artists Hui, and sells his wares regularly at the Saturday Hilo Farmers Market, and Sunday Cooper Center Farmers Market in Volcano. He studied Ceramics at the University of Hawaiʻi, Hilo, graduating in 1993.
     Register online, volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.

Print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano, and free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online 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.

TUESDAY, JULY 24
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, beginning at 9 a.m., Tue/Wed, July 24 (Committees)/25 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25
Kōkua Kupuna Project, Wed, July 25, 9-11am, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Seniors 60 years and older encouraged to attend, ask questions, and inquire about services offered through Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i - referral required from Hawai‘i County Office of Aging at 961-8626 for free legal services. Under 60, call 1-800-499-4302. More info: tahisha.despontes@legalaidhawaii.org, 329-3910 ext. 925. legalaidhawaii.org

Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, beginning at 9 a.m., Wed, July 25 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

Summer Fun Event, Wed, July 25, 9:30-10:30am, PARENTS, Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Parents, caregivers and keiki create fun summer art; 0-7 years old. Wear clothes that can get messy. Art supplies, healthy snacks and drinks provided. Free. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Vision Board Event, Wed, July 25, 4-6pm, PARENTS, Inc., Nā‘ālehu. 8-18 years old and parents/caregivers. Set intentions, goals and give voice to wishes and dreams by creating a vision board. Art supplies, healthy snacks and drinks provided. Free. 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

THURSDAY, JULY 26
Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thu, July 26, 12:30-1:30pm, Punalu‘u Bake Shop. Monthly meeting provides local forum for all community members to come together as equal partners to discuss and positively affect multiple systems' issues for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. Chad Domingo, text 808-381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

Volcano Bay Clinic Mobile Health Unit Visit, Thu, July 26, 1-5pm, Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Must be Bay Clinic, Inc. patient. Medical services offered last Thursday of every month. Dental to be announced. Call 333-3600 to schedule appointment. See Cooper Center June newsletter for details. thecoopercenter.org

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thu, July 26, 4-6pm, Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Free community dinner for all. Additional packaged goods to take home - for those in need. Donations and volunteers encouraged. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

FRIDAY, JULY 27
Coffee Talk, Fri, July 27, 9:30-11am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. NPS Law Enforcement Rangers talk story about Mitigating Disaster in National Parks. Ka’ū coffee, tea, and pastries available for purchase. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

SATURDAY, JULY 28
Second Annual Mālama Nā Keiki Festival, Sat, July 28, 9-1pm, Nā‘ālehu Park. Free. Health screenings: hearing, vision, height and weight, BMI. Education and activities: Prenatal Panel, breastfeeding class w/lactation specialists, grow your own plant! Also, keiki activities, food, entertainment and prizes. Host: Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Oiwi. 969-9220, HMONO.org

Paths and Trails, Sat, July 28, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Moderately-difficult, 2-mile, hike with some of the most spectacular overlooks in Kahuku. Discover the ways people, animals, and plants got to Kahuku and the paths they followed. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Department Tribute for James Masters, Sat, July 28, 4-10pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

MONDAY, JULY 30
Register to Vote in the Primary Election at an Early Walk-In Voting site from Monday, July 30, to Thursday, August 9.

ONGOING
Oliver!, a KDEN Production, through July 29; Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30pm, Sundays 2:30pm. Shows at UH-Hilo Performing Arts Center. Tickets: $20 general, $15 seniors 60+ and students, $12 keiki 12 and under. Tickets available at Kīlauea General Store, Kea‘au Natural Foods, Basically Books, and The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo. Info and reservations: 982-7344, kden73@aol.com

Exhibit, Birds of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Daily, through Aug 4, 9-5pm, Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus, Volcano Village. Free. Artists: John Dawson, Reyn Ojiri, Sarah Koh, Wendy Barske, Maria Macias, Cody Yamaguchi, Ann Guth, and John Mydoock. Art represents endemic bird species. volcanoartcenter.org

Volcano Rain 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 Sun, Aug 11: 5K, $30/person; 10K, $40/person; and 1/2 Marathon, $45/person. From Aug 13: $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.

Disaster Recovery Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Keaʻau High School Gym. Buses run to and from Keaʻau Armory every 20 minutes and Pāhoa Community Center Shelter every hour; see full bus schedule on the Civil Defense Website at HawaiiCounty.gov/Active-Alerts. For a list of the information applicants need to bring to the DRC, or to register online, go to DisasterAssistance.gov. The Salvation Army continues to operate a distribution center at the Pāhoa Community Center on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. To donate, please coordinate with the Salvation Army at (808) 756-0306.

Kona Vet Center visits to Ocean View Community Center are Suspended until further notice. Veterans may call 329-0574 for VA benefit information. ovcahi.org

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.

Find Your Park, invites Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Kamaʻaina and tourist alike are encouraged to experience authentic Hawaiian cultural programs, guided hikes, After Dark events, and more from Ka‘ū to Volcano to Hilo. “While Kīlauea continues to shake the ground and blast ash from its ever-changing summit crater – causing the partial closure of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on May 11 – park rangers continue to enlighten and engage visitors from other locations,” says a release from HVNP staff.
     Rangers offer new and familiar programs – free of charge, with no entry fees – for visitors at the park’s Kahuku Unit, Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus, and Mokupāpapa Discovery Center and Prince Kūhio Plaza in Hilo.
Kahuku Unit
     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 ʻIke Hana Noʻeau: Experience the Skillful Work Cultural Demonstrations and Activities, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.
     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.
     Guided Hikes begin at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday in June and July. Meet the ranger at the welcome tent.
     Coffee Talk, in the Visitor Contact Station is held the last Friday of the month, 9:30-11 a.m.
     Kahuku events are posted to the park website, nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/kahuku-hikes.htm.
Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus
     Find Park Rangers in Volcano at the Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus at 19-4074 Old Volcano Rd., in Volcano Village. Rangers are there most days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide talks and answer questions about the current eruption.
     The return of After Dark …near the park at the Volcano Art Center’s Ni‘aulani Campus. Each event will have a different subject matter.
Mokupāpapa Discovery Center
     Find Park Rangers in downtown Hilo, Tuesday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rangers provide daily eruption updates, and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., give a talk about all five of Hawai‘i Island’s volcanoes – including Kīlauea. Get NPS Passport Books stamped. Located at 76 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo.
Prince Kūhio Plaza
     Find Park Rangers alongside the park’s non-profit partners, Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association, at their brand new mall store.
Grand Naniloa Hotel
     Find Park Rangers 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.
     Park rangers also greet incoming arrivals at the Hilo International Airport, welcome cruise ship passengers as they disembark at the Port of Hilo, and inform visitors at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center most Sundays.

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