Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs,Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Risa and Yasubei Hirano and their son George posed in front of an American flag. Risa is holding a photograph of her 
son Shigera in uniform. The Hiranos were held at the Colorado River camp, and this image "captures both the 
patriotism and the deep sadness these proud Japanese Americans felt," states the National Park Service caption. 
See more below. Public domain via National Archives
THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT will be overhauled and Hawaiʻi's Congressional delegation is asking for a deadline extension for public comments. Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Brian Schatz, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, and Rep. Ed Case are among more than 150 members of Congress asking for the extension.
     In calling for the White House's Council on Environmental Quality to extend the comment period, they noted that over the last five decades, NEPA has set rules for environmental impact assessments
conducted by federal government agencies regarding actions that the federal government proposes to fund, execute, or permit. "This process ensures that potential negative consequences to the environment due to proposed federal activities are considered, and that input from the affected communities are considered before final approval," says a statement from the group.
     The Trump Administration proposes significant changes like removing the requirement that cumulative impacts be assessed, which removes consideration of climate change impacts. The proposed rule makes a series of other changes that "would significantly harm the environment and open the door to corporate influence. These dramatic changes, if finalized, will result in one of the biggest overhauls of NEPA in its history, and is yet another example of the Trump Administration favoring special interests over the environment and public health," according to a statement from Hirono's office.
     In the letter, the members of congress wrote, "We urge you to extend the comment period to a duration commensurate with the scope and gravity of changes that CEQ proposes. Given that this is an unprecedented rewrite of the existing regulations and will impact proposed federal agency decisions for years to come, any public comment period less than six months would be unreasonable.
     "The sweep of changes proposed in this rulemaking necessitates a long conversation about the proposed rule and the best way forward, if there is any, given the weaknesses in the rulemaking process and policy considered to date." The letter can be downloaded here.

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Satellite imagery shows the slow reinflation of Kīlauea and
the East Rift Zone. Photo from Big Island Video News
KILAUEA'S SUMMIT AREA AND THE EAST RIFT ZONE ARE REFILLING WITH MAGMA, according to Tina Neal. The U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge gave an update on the volcano last night during After Dark in the Park.
     Neal said that an interferogram, from radar satellite imagery, showed how Kīlauea and "a broad region in the middle-east rift zone [is] inflating or reflecting this accumulation underground."
     She said gas emissions from Kīlauea are "at the lowest level they've been in a long time. Just last week, we've measured only 40 tons a day of sulfur dioxide coming out of the summit. In the lava lake time, the numbers were up around 5,000 tons per day. So, the magma is deep enough that we're not seeing a lot of sulfur dioxide at the surface."
Photo from Big Island Video News
     Neal said the green body of water and volcanic elements in Halemaʻumaʻu crater is now a football field wide (about 160 feet or 53 yards), two football fields long (about 720 feet or 240 yards), and more than 75 feet deep. She said HVO scientists think "at this point, we won't have explosions from magma/water interaction unless magma rises very rapidly into the lake. We have seen no sign of that happening and we would expect to see changes before that happens, and even then we're not sure – given the geometry and the volume – that there would actually be explosions, but it is a possibility we have to consider.
     "Especially after the New Zealand eruption a few weeks ago," said Neal, referring to the unexpected eruption of Whakaari volcano on Dec. 9 which killed more than 20 people and severely injured at least 25, "people have asked if that could happen here and our answer is that it's a very different system here. This is a much leakier volcano. There's no sign that the system is sealing and pressurizing under some sort of impermeable cap, like happened at that White Island volcano in New Zealand."
Tina Neal said the water in Halemaʻumaʻu is expected to rise to the blue circle, above. Photo from Big Island Video News
     Neal explained that the lake in Kīlauea is not at sea level, giving the possible interaction "a different composition. The rocks are of a different chemistry, so the minerals precipitating are not high in silica and they're not likely to clog up the pore spaces in the same way.
     "So the short answer is we don't think we have a White Island situation developing here, but we can't completely rule out the possibility that there will be sudden steam explosions at some point. So this is something we're considering as we go forward."
     Neal says it is "possible we'll have many years of quiet before the next eruption. Many years. A year; five years. Its hard to say. Based on past patterns, following big events like 2018 it's most likely that the next eruption would be in the summit area. That's about all we can say with certainty."
     See the presentation at Big Island Video News.

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Members of the Mochida family wait in Hayward, California, for their 
"evacuation" bus. Each wears an ID tag. The family operated 
a nursery and five greenhouses in Hayward. Photo from 
National Archives, Dorothea Lange, May 8, 1942
THE SHORT FILM MINIDOKA: AN AMERICAN CONCENTRATION CAMP will be shown at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The special After Dark in the Park program on Japanese American internment during World War II will be held at Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     "Most people are unaware that Kīlauea Military Camp in the Park was also used as a Japanese internment camp during World War II," states the announcement. The newly released 30-minute film "reveals how unconstitutional imprisonment not only turned lives upside down but continues to ripple through generations and serves as a warning today.
     "On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which led to the exclusion and unjust incarceration of 120,000 Japanese American citizens and legal residents of Japanese ancestry living in the United States during World War II. Today, the National Park Service protects and collaboratively manages some of the former internment camps including Manzanar, Tule Lake, Minidoka, and Honouliuli."
Contemporary photo of Minidoka National 
Historic Site entrance. NPS photo
     Following the movie, National Park Service Archeologist Dr. Jadelyn Moniz-Nakamura will discuss the experience and subsequent detention of Japanese Americans here following the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor.
     From the National Park Service website: "This was all the time Japanese American families had to pack all their belongings. Forced from their homes, they could only bring what they could carry. They had no idea where they were going or for how long. The National Park Service preserves the places where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. Follow the stories of their relocation, internment, and resettlement." For more information on Japanese American confinement during World War II, visit nps.gov/subjects/internment/index.htm.
     After Dark in the Park is one of many programs sponsored by the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 

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THE LAND & WATER CONSERVATION FUND is under attack, according to League of Conservation voters. The organization notes that the fund brings in $900 million annually to the federal government to support land and water conservation from revenue generated from offshore oil and gas projects. League of Conservation Voters
released a statement today saying money that's supposed to go to national and locally managed parks, "ends up being siphoned into other projects. Last year, Congress only approved using $495 million of it. It should be a scandal."
    The League announced that it is "hearing that members of the House are organizing for a floor vote to secure mandatory funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. If this passes it's huge — it's permanent funding for parks around the country."
      However, "We're not sure we have the votes. Environmental groups are organizing to push for full funding. We're mobilizing to flood House and Senate offices with letters. We're organizing activists in key states. The group suggests contacting U.S. Senators and House members immediately. See https://p2a.co/IjGRmwt?p2asource=C4GAWMNEPA

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.

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
See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule
Girls Basketball
Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball
Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe
Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer
Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu
Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF
Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling
Sat., Feb. 1 @Hilo
Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena
Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming
Fri., Jan. 31 and Sat., Feb. 1 BIIF @Kamehameha
Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING
THURSDAY, JAN. 30
Ka‘ū Food Basket, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 11a.m.-noon, Pāhala Community Center. 928-3102

The Next Mauna Loa Eruption and the 2018 Kīlauea Eruption talk, Thursday, Jan. 30, 6p.m., Ocean View Community Center, 92-8924 Leilani Circle. To close out 11th annual Volcano Awareness month, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Tina Neal and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno will talk about the current status of Mauna Loa, hazards of future eruptions, experiences from Kīlauea 2018 eruption, preparing for next Mauna Loa eruption, and how communities can stay informed. The meeting is free and open to public. More info at "HVO News" at volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo/, (808) 967-8844, or askHVO@usgs.gov.

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Thursday, Jan. 30 – last Thursday, monthly – 4-6p.m., 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, JAN. 31
Kahuku Coffee Talk – Makahiki: A Celebrated Season, Friday, Jan. 31 – last Friday, monthly – 9:30-11a.m., Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, FEB. 1
Stewardship at the Summit, Saturday, Feb. 1 and 15 and Friday, Feb. 7, 21, and 28. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center at 8:45a.m. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment or written consent is required. Free; Park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

Indigo Fundamentals Workshop, Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:30p.m. Indigo dyeing with Wai‘ala Ahn and Justin Tripp. volcanoartcenter.org

Forest Work Day and Plant Identification Training with Tim Tunison, Saturday, Feb. 1, 1-3p.m. Learn some native plants, help restore a beautiful rainforest, and get some exercise. volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, FEB. 2
Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge at Kīlauea Military Camp. Doors open at 11a.m. with kick-off at 1:30p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4
Spotlight on Artist Diana Miller, Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. This program will highlight the works of local artist and part-time park ranger, Diana Miller. From her early days as an art major, to her career with the U.S. Air Force painting nose-art on aircraft, to her works celebrating native Hawai‘i, learn what inspires this local artist. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5
OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Wednesdays beginning Feb. 5, 8a.m.-2p.m. at the future Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

ONGOING
Apply for Mosaics of Science by Monday, Feb. 3. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's 12-week paid summer internship position is designed to engage university students and recent graduates with on-the-ground work experience in the National Park Service. A $4,800 stipend, and all travel costs are covered, including a week-long career workshop in Washington, D.C. to meet with NPS managers.
     The internship is open to U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents ages 18-30, and to military veterans up to age 35. Funding is provided under a cooperative agreement for youth conservation activities as part of the Public Lands Corps program, which mandates that these age ranges are followed.
     The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

     For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at jody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or mosaicsinscience.org.

Beginning Improv for Adults, Thursday, through Feb. 13, 1-3p.m. "Learn to live more in the moment, think on your feet, let go of self-judgment, bring more joy in your life, and recapture your playful spirit in the 6-week workshop series with improv legend Keli Semelsberger." Attendance to all 6 classes is not required – classes may be attended individually. No prior experience is necessary. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Sharp Turns – The Creative Art of Woodturning, Volcano Art Center Gallery exhibit, featuring the works of Aaron Hammer and Mark and Karen Stebbins, continues daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Feb. 16. A live woodturning demonstration at VAC will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Aloha Kidney in Kaʻū, Thursday afternoons, 1-3:30p.m., through Feb 20, Kaʻū Resource Center, 96-3126 Puahala St. in Pāhala. The free class series on Chronic Kidney Disease lead by retired kidney doctor Ramona Wong. Bring a pen and whomever cares/cooks/shops for the person(s) with CKD. See alohakidney.com. Call (808) 585-8404 to enroll.


Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30a.m.-2:30p.m. or 2:45-5:45p.m. 8-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, Sunday March 8, 6:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. The concert will feature music that will celebrate native plants of the Kaʻū Dryland Forest and will raise funds for Hoʻomalu Kaʻū. Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa faculty; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based pianist from UH-Mānoa; Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Soprano with the Metropolitan Opera; Virutuoso Violinist Eric Silberger; and Carlin Ma, Pianist. Tickets will be available soon and information on tickets will soon be found on the HIMF website: himusicfestival.com.

Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment, features classes on block printing, lauhala weaving, ti leaf lei making, and more. A free guided Cultural Forest Tour, and a Mele and Hula ‘Auana performance are also slated. Visit the website events calendar for the full lineup. volcanoartcenter.org

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30-4:30pm, ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30-6p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

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 808-938-1088.

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