Saturday, October 19, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, October 19, 2019

Kanai Pieper, son of Bronson Pieper of Kamuela, swings his rope at Nāʻālehu Rodeo Grounds today as families come
 from around the island to support two days of rode for youth and family members of all ages. It was
 sponsored by Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association. See more below. Photo by Julia Neal
REDUCING ADDITIONAL STRESSORS ON CORAL may help corals stay more resilient to the severe coral bleaching event that is ongoing in Hawaiian waters, states a message from the Kohala Center. Coral bleaching occurs when seawater becomes too warm, causing corals to expel microscopic algae living in their tissue that are their primary food source – and give them their pigment. This is the second mass bleaching event in Hawaiʻi in four years, and the trend of increasing global temperatures is expected to continue. The Center stated that "research and qualitative observations indicate that the more we reduce additional stressors, the more resilient coral can become to the more frequent and intense thermal stress events that are expected moving forward."
     The Center has conducted research over more than 15 years at Kahaluʻu Bay and Beach Park in Kona. Through the Kahalu`u Bay Education Center, Center staff and ReefTeach community stewards engage with tens of thousands of visitors and residents each year, educating them "with aloha on how to enjoy and protect the bay's vibrant and colorful marine ecosystem by avoiding direct contact with coral reefs and wildlife. Last year we also began to promote reef-friendly sun protection in an effort to reduce the amount of sunscreen chemicals entering the bay. Yet despite our best efforts, we are witnessing coral decline in our beloved bay due to additional, increasing stressors," stated the Center. For corals to have a chance at overcoming this year's and future bleaching events, all "need to pitch in to adopt reef-friendly behaviors and encourage our friends, families, and visitors to do the same," stated the Center.
Convict tang swim by a healthy cauliflower coral head in Kahaluʻu Bay. 
Photo from the Kohala Center's newsletter, The Leaflet
     Kathleen Clark, marine stewardship and education specialist at KBEC said, "Reducing additional stressors isn't guaranteed to save our coral reef ecosystems in the long run, but it can definitely buy us more time as we and researchers continue to investigate long-term strategies and solutions. Coral reefs are the backbone of our marine ecosystems, so it's critical we do all we can to care for them."
    Cindi Punihaole, director of Kahaluʻu Bay Education Center, said, "We must all accept the kuleana (responsibility) to take care of place, our planet, and do the best we can to protect our precious natural resources. By staying the course, we can achieve positive change for Kahaluʻu Bay and for all of Hawaiʻi's coastal ecosystems and beyond. I ka lokahi kō kākou ka ola ai – the well-being of all of us is in our unity."
     Kohala Center recommends "six simple actions" that all can take to reduce stress on the marine ecosystems:
     1. Cover up: Protect yourself, protect the reef. Protecting ourselves from the sun is very important, and how we do so can have a significant impact on water quality and the health of our aquatic ecosystems. Choosing mineral-based sunscreens can help, but the best way to support coral and marine health is to keep our ocean free of any substances that wouldn't naturally be found there in the first place. The healthiest choice we can make for the environment – and ourselves – is simply to cover up. Wear hats, wraps, rash guards, board shorts – anything light that will keep you cool and shielded from prolonged UV exposure. Then apply a modest amount of mineral-based sunscreen where you need it. With mineral-based sunscreens, a little goes a long way.
     Oxybenzone, an active ingredient in many sunscreens, has been shown in laboratory tests to contribute to declines in reef health by disrupting coral growth and reproduction. Octinoxate, octocrylene, nanoparticles, and a host of other chemicals commonly found in sunscreens are known or suspected to have similar effects. Because these chemicals wash off in the shower, are absorbed into our skin, and excreted in urine, they can still find their way into the ocean, even if we're not at or near a beach.
     If you must use sunscreen, picking a reef-friendly product is easy: look on the back at the active ingredients. Sunscreens with natural bases that list zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as the only active ingredients are your best bets. Be careful, though: many sunscreens will say "reef-friendly" on the bottle but contain ingredients that aren't, so it's always best to review the active ingredients.
Left: A snorkeler at Kahaluʻu Bay stays afloat above the coral reef. Right: Snorkelers standing on rocks and rubble, 
damaging and even killing new coral growth. Photo from the Kohala Center's newsletter, The Leaflet
     2. Always avoid contact with the reef. Corals are fragile, and even the slightest touch can affect their health and well-being. When enjoying a day in the water, take care not to stand on, step on, touch, or kick corals and even rocks. Stay afloat! If you must stand, it's best to find a sandy spot. Also, please give honu (green sea turtles), fish, and other marine life plenty of space and don't touch, chase, or feed them.
     3. Reduce chemicals and pollutants that can make their way into waterways. No matter where we are in Hawai'i, we're never very far from the ocean. That means pollutants such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, untreated sewage, solvents, motor oil, gasoline, and the like can easily make their way makai (toward the sea), winding up in our marine ecosystems. Increased levels of nitrogen in ocean waters are contributing to higher rates of coral bleaching and disease worldwide. We must take great care to use, contain, and dispose of hazardous materials properly, and have our vehicles inspected for leaks to keep fluids off our roadways. If you're on Hawaiʻi Island, learn how and where to dispose of hazardous materials (including electronics, batteries, and medications), and if you've got chemical-based sunscreens you'd like to get rid of responsibly, we can help you with that.
     4. If you like to fish, spare the herbivores. Corals are dependent on fish like uhu (parrotfish), manini (convict tang), kala (unicornfish), kole (spotted surgeonfish), and other herbivorous reef fish that eat algae that can proliferate, overtake, and smother coral reefs when ocean temperatures are elevated. Uhu are also responsible for making sand, playing another crucial role in ecosystem maintenance. Whether we're fishing for supper, perusing the seafood aisle at the grocery store, or ordering at a restaurant, we can choose more sustainable alternatives to reef-dwelling herbivores, such as opah or wild salmon. It's also a good idea to avoid certain species during their spawning seasons. Check out our Spawning Guide for the Leeward Coast of Hawai`i Island, as well as websites like FishWatch.gov and EWG's Consumer Guide to Seafood.
ReefTeach community stewards educate visitors to Kahaluʻu Bay about how 
to enjoy the bay while minimizing harm to its fragile marine ecosystem. 
Photo from the Kohala Center's newsletter, The Leaflet
     5. Learn more about reef conservation, then educate others. The more we know about how marine ecosystems function and the threats they are facing, the more we can teach our families, friends, neighbors, and visitors, and inspire them to adopt positive stewardship behaviors. Through our ReefTeach program at Kahaluʻu Bay, we learn from the coral reefs themselves, as well as scientists and marine conservation experts, and share that knowledge with community members at free ReefTeach orientations and through friendly, on-site interactions with visitors to the bay each and every day. Contact us to find out about upcoming orientations or to join our team of ReefTeach community stewards.
     6. Make your voice heard. If you're concerned about the health of our oceans, coral reefs, and marine life, contact your county, state, and federal legislators and agencies and respectfully encourage them to enact policies that protect and enhance water quality and ecosystem health. From sunscreen chemicals to cesspools to overcapacity at popular ocean recreation spots, there are a host of issues on which decision makers can take action. Whether it's writing or calling our representatives, submitting testimony, or casting a ballot, we can influence public policy—the more of us, the better.
     Residents and visitors who observe coral bleaching in Hawaiʻi's ocean waters are encouraged to report their sightings on the Hawaiʻi Coral Bleaching Tracker website at hawaiicoral.org. Data are reported to the State of Hawaiʻi weekly, and will help researchers devise responses in critically impacted sites and increase understanding of coral bleaching moving forward.

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ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS HUMPBACK Whale National Marine Sanctuary are sought. The sanctuary will review applications to represent the Native Hawaiian community and Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi, Lanaʻi, and Maui. Advisers are also sought on Ocean Recreation, Tourism, Commercial Shipping, Conservation, Education, Fishing, and Research.
     The council ensures public participation in sanctuary matters and provides advice to sanctuary management. The sanctuary conducts the annual whale count in waters off Kaʻū and elsewhere along Hawaiʻi's coasts, and supports many educational, research, and protection programs.
     Allen Tom, sanctuary superintendent, said, "The members of our sanctuary advisory council represent extremely important elements of our community. We rely on their input, experience and expertise to assist us in making informed and timely decisions on how best to protect and conserve our humpback whales, and important cultural and natural resources."
     Candidates are selected based on their expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying, community and professional affiliations, and views regarding the protection and management of marine resources. Applicants who are chosen as primary or alternate members should expect to serve a three-year term.
     Applications are due by the end of Tuesday, Dec. 17. To receive an application kit, or for further information, contact Cindy Among-Serrao at Cindy.Among-Serrao@noaa.gov or 808-725-5923, or visit the sanctuary website at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/
council/council_app_accepting.html.
     The sanctuary, administered by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, protects humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaiian waters, where they migrate each winter to mate, calve, and nurse their young.
     A statement from NOAA says its mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Learn more via social media, hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov, sanctuaries.noaa.gov, and dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ship Rainier is backdropped by Mount Baker, an active
Cascade Range stratovolcano, in Washington state. In September 2019, the Rainier conducted a bathymetric survey
along  Hawaiʻi Island's Puna coast, where lava entered the ocean during Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 eruption. 
NOAA photo
A SHIP THAT STUDIED WHERE LAVA FLOWED INTO THE OCEAN during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates: What was that ship doing by the 2018 lava deltas?
     In late September 2019, East Hawaiʻi residents with ocean views may have noticed an unusual ship – too small for a cruise ship, too big for a fishing boat – sailing just offshore of the 2018 lava deltas along the Puna coast. It also entered Hilo Harbor, where it deployed several smaller boats that canvassed the bay within the breakwall.
     The ship, Rainier, is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hydrographic survey vessel based out of Oregon. It is part of a fleet that surveys the bathymetry, or underwater topography, of coastal waters around the United States. These surveys are used to update nautical charts and various digital products in support of marine commerce and transportation, as well as navigation safety. The ship also measures various properties of the ocean water column, such as salinity, and supports dive operations.
     The Rainier, with a crew of approximately 50 – a mixture of uniformed NOAA officers and civilians – works primarily in Alaska, but special circumstances this year brought it to Hawaiʻi. After spending time in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands, the Rainier arrived in waters around the Island of Hawaiʻi. Among other tasks, this leg of its journey provided a special opportunity to re-survey the lava deltas formed by Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption.
Communication devices on board ship Ranier connect
the NOAA vessel with its smaller boats that helped
 with Hawaiʻi Island nearshore surveys in September.
Photo from NOAA
     Because NOAA's core mission is to maintain up-to-date nautical charts, the Puna coast became an important objective given the changes that occurred there in 2018. However, interest in the data goes beyond hydrography. Views of the submarine slopes help USGS HVO volcanologists to better understand ongoing processes that affect stability of the newly-formed lava delta in KapohoBay, along with other hazards along the new coastline. An August 2018 survey by the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, operated by the Ocean Exploration Trust, provides a baseline to identify bathymetric changes over the past year.
     The Rainier, like the E/V Nautilus, surveys bathymetry using a multibeam echosounder (SONAR) mounted to its hull. This system transmits acoustic waves in a fan along the beam of the ship, perpendicular to the ship's length. As these waves reflect off the ocean floor and back to the ship, a highly-sensitive receiver measures the time that has passed. Longer return times indicate greater distances between the ship and the ocean floor. The fan is narrow across-beam, which allows for detailed measurements, but wide along-beam (side-to-side), enabling surveys much wider than the ship itself.
     Collecting millions of distance measurements allows for the construction of a submarine Digital Elevation Model. By comparing the new DEM from the Rainier with last year's DEM from the Nautilus, it will be possible for volcanologists to see which parts of the submarine lava delta, if any, are subsiding. Comparisons of recent satellite images with 2018 lava flow maps have suggested that some of the new coastline has already retreated by tens of meters (yards), so similar changes might be expected below the waves.
     Full processing and publication of the new dataset will take some time. However, while the Rainier was anchored offshore and the smaller boats surveyed Hilo Harbor with their own multibeam echosounders, several HVO staff were invited aboard the NOAA ship to see the preliminary Puna coast dataset. The results were exciting: a high-quality DEM allowed HVO's volcanologists to spot various submarine features along the 2018 deltas, including a possible lava channel – now inactive, of course. Discussions with the ship's crew identified several target areas for further bathymetric investigation, some of which the Rainier surveyed the next day.
     HVO sincerely thanks the crew of the NOAA Ship Rainier for their assistance in ongoing volcanic research in Hawaiʻi. We are just starting to unravel the data and interpret its implications for lava delta hazards, and this process will undoubtedly improve volcanologists' understanding of the forces at work below sea level. Exciting collaborations like this allow HVO staff to work with experts in different scientific fields using state-of-the-art tools that often fall outside the scope of routine volcano monitoring.
     Volcano Activity Updates
One of Ranier's boats that can be directed remotely from the mother ship. It's called an autonomous launch.
Photo from NOAA
     Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. Deformation and seismicity showed no notable changes over the past week. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are low at the summit and below detection limits at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the lower East Rift Zone (LERZ). The water pond at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen.
     At or near the 2018 LERZ eruptive fissures, elevated ground temperatures and minor releases of gas (steam, tiny amounts of hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide) persist. These are typical post-eruption conditions and are expected to be long-term.
     Hazards remain at the LERZ and summit of Kīlauea. Closures and warnings in these areas should be heeded. The 2018 lava flows are primarily on private property; please be respectful and do not enter or park on private property.
     Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain.
    This past week, about 85 small-magnitude earthquakes – nearly all less than M2.2 – were detected beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa. Deformation measurements show continued summit inflation. Volcanic gas emission and fumarole temperature readings at the recently updated monitoring site have stabilized and show no significant changes. For more info on the status of the volcano, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/status.html.
Bobby Boy Manuel from Pauʻilo traveled with his family to Kaʻū to
 participate in two days of rodeo and gymkhana, and to stay with tūtū,
as Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association adds on events to its schedule.
Photo by Julia Neal
     Two earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-3.2 quake 9 km (6 mi) northwest of Volcano at 2 km (1 mi) depth on Oct. 14 at 4:44 p.m., and a magnitude-3.3 quake 17 km (11 mi) south of Leilani Estates at 40 km (25 mi) depth on Oct. 11 at 4:47 a.m.
     Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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Kassidy Pieper, of Kamuela
came to Kaʻū for the rodeo.
Photo by Julia Neal
PANIOLO KEIKI AND YOUTH CAME FROM ALL OVER THE ISLAND to participate this weekend in a  rodeo on Saturday and gymkhana on Sunday. With events for all ages, families from as far away as Kamuela and Pau`ʻilo traveled with their big rigs and horses for two family rodeo days, and fellowship with the ranching and riding community. The rodeo events are sponsored by Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association and take place at Nāʻālehu Rodeo Grounds.
     Saturday's events were double mugging, kane-wahine ribbon mugging, poʻowaiu, calf roping, calf riding, goat undecorating, dummy roping, and barrels.
     The community received free admission today and will attend free tomorrow. Gymkhana participants are due at Na`alehu Rodeo Grounds on Sunday at 7 a.m.
     Organizer is Tammy Kaʻapana. To donate to Kaʻū Roping & Riding and to help expand parking for events, call Kaʻapana at 808-854-78917. See results in a future Kaʻū News Briefs.

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Underfoot, this youth rodeo competitor avoids the flying hooves of a steer that unloads him just outside the gate.
Photo by Julia Neal
A WIN FOR THE KAʻŪ TROJANS football team today against the Pāhoa Daggers places the home team in third of five teams in the Division II Big Island Interscholastic Federation.
     The Trojans started off slow, scoring 6 points in the first quarter to Pāhoa's 14. In the second quarter, Pāhoa scored 16 points, while Kaʻū added an impressive 30 points. By the third quarter, the teams seemed well matched, both scoring 14 points, and both scoring 6 points in the fourth quarter. The game ended with Kaʻū on top, 56 to 50.
     Kaʻū's #7 Izaiah "Bobby" Pilanca-Emmsley ran a total of 188 yards during the game. 

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Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com
2019 Kaʻū High School Fall Athletics Schedule
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates

Football, Division II:
Sat., Oct. 26, 1 p.m., Kohala hosts Kaʻū
Fri. and Sat., Nov. 1 and 2, Div II BIIF Championship
Fri. and Sat., Nov. 15 and 16, HHSAA Div II Semifinals
Fri., Nov. 29, HHSAA Div II Championship

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Wed.-Sat., Oct. 23-26, HHSAA DII Tournament, Oʻahu

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 monthly and weekly Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, and Meditation at kaucalendar.com.

UPCOMING
SUNDAY, OCT. 20
Pu‘u Lokuana, Sunday, Oct. 20, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, short, moderately difficult, 0.4 mile hike. nps.gov/havo/

45th Anniversary: Party Like It's 1974, Sunday, Oct. 20, 3-5p.m., Volcano Art Center. More details to be announced. Details to be announced. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

TUESDAY, OCT. 22
Birding at Kīpukapuaulu, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 8-10a.m., Kīpukapuaulu - Bird Park - Parking Lot, HVNP. Led by retired USGS Biologist Nic Sherma. 2 hour birding tour. $40/person. Register online. Organized by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 985-7373, admin@fhvnp.org, fhvnp.org

H.O.V.E. Road Maintenance Corp. Board Mtg., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 10a.m., H.O.V.E. RMC office, 92-8979 Lehua Lane, Ocean View. 929-9910, hoveroad.com

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23
Nāʻālehu School Parent Conferences, Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 23 and 24, Nāʻālehu Elementary School; Friday, Oct. 25, Ocean View Community Center. Times to be determined via letter home.

Guided Hike On A 60 Year Old Lava Lake, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 10a.m.-2p.m., Kīlauea Iki Overlook Parking Lot, HVNP. Moderate to challenging 2.4 mile hike (one way). $80/person. Register online. Park entrance fees may apply. Organized by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 985-7373, admin@fhvnp.org, fhvnp.org

Lei Kukui Demonstration, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Make hīpu‘u - a style of lei making in which the steams and leaves of the Kukui tree are tied together - with rangers and staff. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo/

THURSDAY, OCT. 24
Birding at Kīpukapuaulu, Thursday, Oct. 24, 8-10a.m., Kīpukapuaulu - Bird Park - Parking Lot, HVNP. Led by retired USGS Biologist Nic Sherma. 2 hour birding tour. $40/person. Register online. Organized by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 985-7373, admin@fhvnp.org, fhvnp.org

Ka‘ū Community Children's Council, Thursday, Oct. 24 - fourth Thursday monthly - 3-4p.m., Classroom 35, Building F, Nā‘ālehu Elementary School. 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 381-2584, domingoc1975@yahoo.com, ccco.k12.hi.us

FRIDAY, OCT. 25
Kahuku Coffee Talk: Creatures That Have Evolved in the Dark, Friday, Oct. 25, 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Join local experts to learn about lava tubes and some interesting animals that call them home. Free. nps.gov/havo

Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment: Mele & Hula ‘Auana Performances, Friday, Oct. 25 - fourth Friday monthly - 4-5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free and open to public. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Chicken Skin Stories, Friday, Oct. 25, 7-9p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Theater, in HVNP. DJ KTA. $20/person in advance, $25/person at the door. Open to eligible patrons; certain Terms of Service. Free; park entrance fees apply. Purchase online at bigisland.ticketleap.com (+$2 fee online). mariner@kimurabrands.com

Halloween Party, Friday, Oct. 25, 7p.m.-midnight, Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge, in HVNP. DJ KTA. $5 cover with costume, $7 cover without. 21+. Open to eligible patrons; certain Terms of Service. Free; park entrance fees apply. Call 967-8365 after 4p.m., kilaueamilitarycamp.com

SATURDAY, OCT. 26
Free Spay and Neuter Clinic for Dogs offered by KARES in Ocean View on Saturday, Oct. 29. For info and to register, 328-8455.

Paint Your Own Silk Scarf Workshop with Patti Pease Johnson, Saturday, Oct. 26, 9a.m.-12:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Students complete one 8"x 53" scarf. $45/VAC member, $50/non-member, plus $10 supply fee per person. All materials supplied. Beginner and intermediate artists welcome. Register - 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Nature & Culture, Saturday, Oct. 26, 9:30-11:30a.m., Kahuku Unit, HVNP. Free, moderate hike, approx. 2 miles. nps.gov/havo/

Kimchi & Kombucha/Jun, Hands-On Fermented Foods Workshop with Jasmine Silverstein of HeartBeet Foods, Saturday, Oct. 26, 10a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center. $55/VAC member, $60/non-member, plus $15/person supply fee (includes organic ingredients). Pre-registration required. No cooking skills necessary. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Chicken Skin Stories, Saturday, Oct. 26, 7-9p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Theater, in HVNP. DJ KTA. $20/person in advance, $25/person at the door. Open to eligible patrons; certain Terms of Service. Free; park entrance fees apply. Purchase online at bigisland.ticketleap.com (+$2 fee online). mariner@kimurabrands.com

ONGOING
Help Shape Hawaiʻi Island at upcoming SpeakOuts and workshops on the General Plan. The community is encouraged to "come share your manaʻo," opinion.
     The last scheduled SpeakOut meeting will be held in Waikaloa, Thursday, Oct. 24, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Waikoloa Elementary & Middle School.
     A Topic Workshop will be held in Hilo at County of Hawaiʻi Office of Aging on Saturday, Oct. 26, on Infrastructure from 9 a.m. to noon and Natural Resources from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
     Submit feedback online by Thursday, Oct. 31. See more Info on the Draft General Plan at hiplanningdept.com/general-plan/.
Trunk or Treat at Kaʻū District Gym will be held Thursday, Oct. 31, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Organized by Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary school, the free event offers a haunted house, healthy recipes, a family-friendly atmosphere, and Trunk or Treat, where keiki and youth go from parked car to car, asking for treats.
     For those interested in participating in Trunk or Treat, distributing goodies, prizes will be awarded for the best decorated car: Most Beautiful, Most Original, Spookiest, and a special awards for teachers or staff who decorate; decoration not required. Contact Nona at 928-3102 or Angie Miyashiro at 313-4100.

Nationwide 2019 Congressional App Challenge submissions from middle and high schoolers are open through Friday, Nov. 1. Submit to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, CongressionalAppChallenge.us, apps "designed to promote innovation and engagement in computer science." All skill levels, all devices and platforms, and all programming languages, accepted.

Hoʻokupu Hula No Kaʻū Cultural Festival Booths can be reserved. The free event on Saturday, Nov. 2, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., at Pāhala Community Center, will feature cultural practitioners and demonstrators; workshops; crafts; food; music and entertainment from artists such as Bali Hai from Mexico, Vero Cruz Folklore Dancers, taiko drummers, UH-Hilo Filipino/Samoan dancers; and hula from Mexico, Japan, Virginia, ʻOahu, and Hawaiʻi Island. Interested vendors can apply for food, craft, or information booths. Email leionalani47@hotmail.com or call 808-649-9334. See hookupukau.com.

Tiny Treasure Invitational Exhibit at Volcano Art Center gallery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park runs through Sunday, Nov. 3. Open to the public, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Free; Park entrance fees apply. The exhibition also celebrates VAC's 45th anniversary, Oct. 21.
     Artists include Daniel Rokovitz, Stone O'Daugherty, Kristin Mitsu Shiga, Pat Pearlman, and Amy Flanders, Karen and Mark Stebbins. Also on display, small works from the annual Volcano Art Collaboration from June, featuring Rose Adare, Nash Adams-Pruitt, Lisa Louise Adams, Ed Clapp, Amy Flanders, Bill Hamilton, Liz Miller, Joe Laceby, and Erik Wold. volcanoartcenter.org

Vendor Booth Space is Available for the Kamahalo Craft Fair. The 12th annual event will be held Thanksgiving weekend, Friday, Nov. 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cooper Center. Booths are open for crafters with quality homemade and homegrown products. Food vendors must prepare all food items in a certified kitchen and must have a Department of Health permit displayed prominently at their booth. Application online at thecoopercenter.org. Direct questions to 936-9705 or kilaueatutu@gmail.com.

King Cab 2016 Nissan Frontier for Sale by Holy Rosary Church of Pāhala and the Sacred Heart Church of Nāʻālehu. The parishes are selling the truck to raise funds to benefit both churches. The truck is a great 6 cylinder, 2WD automobile. The churches are asking for $21K or best offer. Only cash or cashier's check will be accepted. Anyone interested should contact the parish secretary Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at 928-8208.

Tūtū & Me Home Visiting Program is a free service to Pāhala families with keiki, birth to five years old. This caregiver support program offers those taking care of young keiki "a compassionate listening ear, helpful parenting tips and strategies, fun and exciting activities, and wonderful educational resources" from Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Home visits are one hour in length, two to four times per month, for 12 to 15 visits. Snacks are provided. See pidfoundation.org or call Tata Compehos and Melody Espejo at 808-938-1088.

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