Sunday, May 31, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, May 31, 2020

The hot pond at the bottom of the collapsed Kīlauea Caldera approaches its first anniversary. See below, in
The Way We Were Last Year, for a look back at how the pond began. USGS photo


SIGNING A PETITION TO SAVE THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE is the call from state Sen. Kai Kahele. In a message today, he said, "Our letter carriers need our help! Postal workers are our family, friends, and neighbors. They are a critical fabric of our communities, particularly our rural communities throughout Hawaiʻi Congressional District 2. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, they never stopped delivering essential products to households across the United States and Hawaiʻi.
     "USPS is in imminent danger of running out of funding in the next several weeks and needs your help now. Click here to visit the Heroes Delivering website and sign their petition now.
     "The protection of the Postal Service is not about politics, it's about ensuring that families and households across the country who rely upon delivering service should not face more hardship during this crisis. This is a moment for all of us to join forces to ensure that we all continue to move through the impacts of COVID-19 together," said Kahele.

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A MESSAGE FROM WEST KAʻŪ'S STATE REP. DRU KANUHA takes a look at how the pandemic affected the Class of 2020 graduation celebrations and looks forward to the reopening of most businesses on Monday:
Virtual graduations, like this one for Nāʻālehu Elementary 6th graders,
are praised by Sen. Dru Kanuha. Screenshot from Olivia-Ann Thomas
     "Throughout the month of May, there were many celebrations for the graduating class of 2020. While practicing the State's social distancing mandates, we saw virtual graduation ceremonies, caravans of proud family members parading the streets, commemorative banners hanging on fences, and other heartfelt, creative gestures of aloha to honor our graduates. This just goes to show that aloha has no bounds as we connect remotely and share in this special moment with the graduating Class of 2020.
     "As we continue to successfully flatten the curve of COVID-19, in conjunction with the Counties, the State of Hawaiʻi will move forward to complete Phase 1 to reopen our economy on Monday, June 1.  For the County of Hawaiʻi, places of worship, salons, barbershops, and restaurants have received the green light to reopen under the guidelines that will ensure the safety of employees and customers.
     "With the excitement surrounding the reopening of certain businesses, please be mindful of one another's health and safety. Therefore, please continue to wear a face mask when in public, wash your hands and sanitize high-touch surfaces regularly, and practice social distancing.
     "Stay safe and informed."

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See HFUU meeting with a presentation by Zach Bush, MD on Planetary Stress.
PLANETARY DOME UNDER STRESS IS A HAWAIʻI FARMERS UNION UNITED presentation online. Physician Zach Bush presents his observations of symptoms affecting all life on Earth.
     A statement from HFUU says, "As a regeneratively-minded community of farmers, ranchers, fishers, and foodies, committed to the health of the ʻāina (that which feeds us) and our bodies, we are so honored to have Dr. Bush's manaʻo and its impact on the global narrative around viruses, global toxicity, and carbon sequestration." See youtube.com/watch?v=G8W7twV8O54&feature=youtu.be.

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AN EXTENSION FOR ALL DRIVER'S LICENSES, STATE IDs, AND INSTRUCTION PERMITS through the end of September is being hashed out between the Department of Transportation and the governor's office. The goal is to reduce the need for people to gather at licensing centers. The extension would be added to a future supplementary proclamation. Gov. Ige said, "Thanks to the actions of the majority of our residents, Hawaiʻi is one of the best-performing states in the country in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. We remain grateful and cautious as we move towards recovery. Providing an additional extension of credentials will allow our county DMVs to address the backlog that developed over this emergency period, while keeping our public servants and community members safe."
     Driver's licenses or State IDs that expired on or after March 1, 2020, can be used at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints for up to one year after the card's expiration. See hidot.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/05/28/act-with-care-update-on-drivers-license-state-id/.

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Beach parks like Punaluʻu will retire their closed signs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting tomorrow. Photo by Julia Neal
WHILE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY PARKS ARE OPEN – like Punaluʻu, Whittington, Waiʻōhinu, and Kahuku Park in Ocean View – Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Community Centers, the Pāhala Pool, and Nāʻālehu and Pāhala gymnasiums remain closed, according to Mayor Harry Kim's latest declaration. These rules are effective beginning tomorrow, June 1, and run through June 30:
     Parks will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pavilions, shade structures, grills, and canopies larger than 10' x 10', are not allowed to be used. Social distancing must be observed. Gatherings must be less than ten people, and involve no organized or contact sports. No camping is allowed. All permits and reservations are canceled through June 30. However, commercial activities may resume.
     Other parks and recreational facilities to remain closed are: all community centers and senior centers; all gymnasiums and covered play court facilities; Waiākea Recreation Center; all swimming pools; Hakalau Beach Park; Hoʻolulu Complex, excluding the outdoor tennis courts; Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Park; Laurence J. Capellas Ballfield; Waiākea Waena Park; and Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens.
Panaʻewa Stadium, where events like the Stampede and gymkhana are
 held, featuring Kaʻū paniolo and paniloa, are open for horse boarders and
 those who store feed and supplies, only. Photo by Katie Graham

     Remaining closed to the general public on weekdays, for the safe operation of approved childcare programs, are Greenwell Park & Sgt. Rodney J. T. Yano Memorial Hall, Waiākea Uka Park & Stanley Costales Waiākea Uka Gym, and Waimea Community Center.
     Open for specific, limited term uses approved by the Director of Parks & Recreation are all rodeo arenas, Hilo Drag Strip, and Hilo Skeet Range.
     All County cemeteries, including veterans' cemeteries administered by the County, remain open for visitation during their standard hours of operation.
Panaʻewa Equestrian Center remains open only for those persons with valid horse stall rental agreements that are actively boarding a horse or storing authorized equipment and/or supplies at the facility.
     Hilo Municipal Golf Course remains open with modified rules for play in effect. The golf pro shop concession and restaurant concession may resume modified operations and hours subject to approval of the Director of Parks and Recreation.

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IN-PERSON SERVICES ARE SUSPENDED at all Department of Environmental Management administration offices through Tuesday, June 30. This includes the Department's administration, Solid Waste Division administration, the Abandoned/Derelict Vehicles Section (345 Kekūanāoʻa Street, Suite 41, Hilo), and the Wastewater Division administration and Engineering Section (108 Railroad Avenue, Hilo). This does not affect the transfer stations, West Hawaiʻi Sanitary Landfill (aka Puʻuanahulu), Hilo Sort Station, and wastewater treatment plants, which remain in operation as usual. 
Transfer stations remain open, while administration offices are no-contact, only. Photo by Julia Neal
     Payments for Solid Waste and Wastewater services are accepted by phone, mail, or drop box locations. Notary service and engineering services will be by appointment only. All other customer service inquiries will be handled by phone or email. Mail payments to 345 Kekūanāoʻa Street, Suite 41, Hilo, Hawaiʻi 96720 (attention: Solid Waste Division or Wastewater Division). Drop Boxes (for checks only) are available at the Department of Water Supply, 345 Kekūanāoʻa Street (in the front circular driveway), or on the exterior wall of the Motor Vehicle Registration Office at the Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 5, Hilo (by the U.S. Postal Service blue mailbox).
     For payments by phone, for questions, or to schedule an appointment, call:
     Administration: 961-8083; Solid Waste Customer Service: 961-8339; Wastewater Customer Service: 961-8338, or Wastewater Engineering: 8615.
     A message from the Department says, "These social distancing measures are intended to help protect customers, our employees, and our Island community from COVID-19 infection.  Please notify our office if you scheduled an appointment but are feeling ill, and we will gladly reschedule it. The public's understanding is very much appreciated during this challenging time."

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ʻOHANA FOOD DROP from The Food Basket is available at Nāʻālehu's Sacred Heart Church at 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy on Monday, June 1. Food can be picked up from 10 a.m. until supplies run out. People can receive a multi-day supply of shelf-stable and fresh food, depending on supply. Call The Food Basket at 322-1418 to confirm.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

There is one reported case of COVID-19 in Kaʻū. White is zero 
cases. Yellow is one to five cases. Light orange is six to ten cases.
Dark orange (not pictured) is 11 to 20 cases. Red is 21 to 50 cases.
Hawaiʻi Department of Health map
NO NEW COVID-19 CASES ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND, and all 81 cases on-island since the pandemic began are recovered. The count was reduced by one due to a false positive test in Kohala.
     One new case was reported today in the state. It was in  Maui  County, which has reported 120 cases since the pandemic began. Oʻhua has reported 421, and Kauaʻi 20.Statewide, 652 people have been confirmed positive for the virus since the pandemic began. Seventeen people have died - none on this island, where there was only one overnight hospitalization.
     The daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno says, "The Island and State have responded well in efforts to minimize the spread of the Coronavirus. This has allowed Hawaiʻi to go forward. As announced, due to the communities good work, openings of businesses, parks, beaches, and activities are occurring. Individual opening dates will be dependent on readiness to meet the requirements of safety. If assistance is needed, please call the Hawaiʻi County Task Force at 935-0031.
     "Ongoing forward, know that the virus threat remains and we need to continue to follow the preventive policies to stop the spread of the Coronavirus. A huge and grateful thank you to the community of Hawaiʻi for doing your part to keep Hawaiʻi safe. Thank you for listening. Have a beautiful Sunday. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency."
     In the United States, more than 1.82 million cases have been confirmed. The death toll is over 106,000. Worldwide, more than 6.11 million have contracted COVID-19. The death toll is over 370,000.

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SULFUR DIOXIDE LEVELS DURING THE 2018 KĪLAUEA ERUPTION are the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
     New assessment of Kīlauea's extreme SO2 emission rates in 2018.
     If you were around the Island of Hawai‘i - or even other Hawaiian Islands, or Guam! - between May and August of 2018, you likely know that Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone eruption released a lot of sulfur dioxide. But how much is a lot?
     Early in the eruption, HVO reported SO2 emission rates of 15,000 tons per day of SO2. As this was already three times the 5,000 t/d average of the past few years, it seemed very high.
A thick, dense plume of SO2 and other volcanic gases billows from the lava fountains at fissure 8 on June 19, 2018. 
SO2 emission rates during the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea were so high that they required a new data analysis technique. 
USGS photo by P. Nadeau
     Yet even then, we realized that there was so much SO2 that traditional measurement methods could not adequately quantify the emissions. To measure SO2 emission rates, volcanologists use a device called a spectrometer. The instrument is mounted to a vehicle or aircraft, which passes under the SO2 plume and measures absorption of sunlight by SO2 overhead. The more SO2, the less ultraviolet light that reaches the spectrometer. In 2018, there was so much SO2 that the spectrometer could barely detect any UV light at all, which made it difficult to determine the exact amount of gas overhead.
     Think of it this way: a thin fabric curtain over your window blocks some sunlight. Add a second layer of fabric, and more light is blocked. Add a third and fourth layer, and it gets darker still. Maybe by seven or eight layers of curtains, no sunlight comes through anymore. At that point, if you added ten more curtains, or a hundred more curtains, it wouldn't matter – after seven or eight, all the light is already blocked.
     That's the situation we encountered in 2018. We knew that more than 15,000 t/d of SO2 were being emitted, but it was hard to say just how much more.
     Luckily, the spectrometer measures UV light over a range of wavelengths. Normally, with low SO2 emissions, we examine wavelengths where SO2 absorption is significant, which allows us to detect even very small amounts of gas. But 2018 was different – essentially no light was reaching the instrument. We then examined a part of the UV spectrum where SO2 absorption is 500 times weaker, so some UV light would still be detectable. Kind of like switching to clear plastic shower curtains to block light at your window. Twenty fabric curtains would block all the light, but twenty clear plastic curtains will still let in light.
     The new results were startling! After re-processing all measurements in the new wavelength range, the data revealed that for much of June and early July of 2018, fissures in the LERZ emitted nearly 200,000 t/d of SO2.
     These are the highest SO2 emission rates measured at Kīlauea using the UV spectrometer technique, which began in the late 1970s. Early Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō high lava fountains, and perhaps Mauna Loa's 1984 eruption, may have had similar emission rates, but those measurements likely suffered from the same underestimation as our initial 2018 analyses. Unfortunately, because of older spectrometer technology, data from the 1980s cannot be reprocessed in the same way as 2018 data.
     We now estimate that the 2018 eruption emitted over 10 megatonnes, or millions of tones, of SO2 between May and early August. In those three months alone, Kīlauea emitted five times the SO2 it emitted in all of 2017. Few recent eruptions on Earth have released that much SO2, and when they do, they are generally large explosive eruptions at stratovolcanoes.
     Most similar to Kīlauea's eruption was the 2014 Holuhraun fissure eruption in Iceland, which also emitted about 10 Mt of SO2, though in six months rather than just three. For comparison, the largest volcanic eruption of the past century, Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991, only released about twice the SO2 mass of Kīlauea's 2018 eruption, albeit explosively on a single day.
SO2 issues from plumes due to lava entering the ocean. USGS photo
     Since the extremely high emissions in 2018 ended, Kīlauea has been releasing far less SO2. By late 2018, SO2 emissions were about 30 t/d at the summit and Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, and near-zero in the LERZ. By early 2019, Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō had dropped to near-zero levels as well. And though some additional SO2 is dissolving into the new lake in Halema‘uma‘u Crater, current emission rates are the lowest we have seen at Kīlauea in over 30 years of measurements.
     Volcano Activity Updates
     Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL (volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html). Kīlauea updates are issued monthly.
     Kīlauea monitoring data for the past month show variable but typical rates of seismicity and ground deformation, low rates of sulfur dioxide emissions, and only minor geologic changes since the end of eruptive activity in September 2018. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen. For the most current information on the lake, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit_water_resources.html
LERZ fissures expel SO2 along with other gases and lava. USGS photo
     Mauna Loa is not erupting and remains at Volcano Alert Level ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to eruption from current level of unrest is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
     This past week, about 120 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper-elevations of Mauna Loa; most of these occurred at shallow depths of less than 8 kilometers (~5 miles). Global Positioning System measurements show long-term slowly increasing summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system. Gas concentrations at the Sulphur Cone monitoring site on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable. Fumarole temperatures as measured at both Sulphur Cone and the summit have not changed significantly. For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/monitoring_summary.html.
     There were four events with three or more felt reports in the Hawaiian islands during the past week: a magnitude-3.7 earthquake 8 km (5 mi) ENE of Pāhala at 31 km (19 mi) depth on May 27 at 2:32 a.m., a magnitude-3.3 earthquake 10 km (6 mi) WNW of Volcano at 6 km (4 mi) depth on May 26 at 5:55 a.m., a magnitude-3.0 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) ENE of Pāhala at 32 km (20 mi) depth on May 25 at 7:16 a.m., and a magnitude-3.8 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) NE of Pāhala at 31 km (19 mi) depth on May 21 at 12:42 a.m.
     HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity.
     Visit HVO's website 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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A black streak down the side of Kīlauea Caldera was observed just a few weeks before the hot pond in the caldera
was discovered. USGS photo
Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year
Last year, in early June, the appearance of a "black streak" on the wall of Kīlauea Caldera sparked a response from U.S. Geological Survey, after the National Park Service posted to Facebook, "Something new has appeared on the southwest side of Kīlauea caldera resembling a large crack. What is going on?"
Comparison shots of the pond from July 25 and Aug. 1, 2019.
USGS photos
Comparison shots of the pond from Aug. 7 and Aug. 23, 2019.
USGS photos
     USGS Research Geologist Don Swanson replied, "What I have dubbed a 'black streak' on the caldera wall is flowing water. The water comes from a shallow perched aquifer impounded by dikes in the southwest rift zone. Water flows southward along and in the sand flat below Crater Rim Drive but is stopped by the dikes, which form a dam. For one of several reasons – increasing water pressure, failure of wet sand, small rock fall – water breaks out of the aquifer and pours into the caldera. This phenomenon was first noted on July 4, 2018, and has been observed repeatedly since then. There are at least two different sites for such water flow, both just north of the southwest rift zone. The flowing water has eroded ravines or gullies that resemble cracks. Water flow generally lasts several hours and then stops as water in the aquifer is depleted. But, days to weeks later, water reappears."
     In later July 2019, a pond began to form in the middle of the lowest part of the collapsed caldera. It began slowly but grew steadily. The water has shifted from a bright green to a rusty orange. It is now over 100 feet deep, and has an area larger than one and a half football fields.

directory for farms, ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is 
free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and to all postal addresses throughout 
Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district. Read online at 
kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your 
business or your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of May.

ONGOING
Free COVID-19 Screenings are at Bay Clinic during business hours, with appointment. Call 333-3600.
     A testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday. The next date is June 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
     The next drive-thru screening at Nāʻālehu Community Center will be held Wednesday, June 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Screening will be carried out by Aliʻi Health, with support from County of Hawai‘i COVID-19 Task Force, Premier Medical Group and Pathways Telehealth.
     Wearing masks is required for everyone. Those visiting screening clinics will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pen to fill in forms.
     To bypass the screening queue at community test sites, patients can call ahead to Pathways Telehealth, option 5 at 808-747-8321. The free clinic will also offer on-site screening to meet testing criteria. Physicians qualify those for testing, under the guidance of Center for Disease Control & Prevention and Hawaiʻi's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
     For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.

Ocean View Swap Meet is open at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks are required for all vendors and patrons.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market in Nāʻālehu is open three days per week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – from 8 a.m. to noon. The goal is no more than 50 customers on the grounds at a time. Vendor booths per day are limited to 25, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required to attend the market. Social distancing will be enforced.
     A wide selection of fresh vegetables and fruits, prepared take away foods, assorted added value foods, breads and baked goods, honey, cheese, grass-fed beef, fish, vegetable plants, masks, handmade soaps, coffee, and more are offered on various days. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374, for more and to apply to vend.

Volcano Farmers Market at Cooper Center on Wright Road, off of Old Volcano Highway, is open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and at Nāʻālehu Elementary on weekdays (no holidays) through Friday, July 17. Each youth must be present to receive a meal. Service is drive-up or walk-up, and social distancing rules (at least six feet away) are observed. Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Food is being delivered on Wednesdays to students in Green Sands, Discovery Harbour, and Ocean View.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.

The Food Basket's ʻOhana Food Drop is available once a month at four Kaʻū and Volcano locations. People can receive a multi-day supply of shelf-stable and fresh food, depending on supply. Call The Food Basket at 933-6030 for Pāhala and Volcano or at 322-1418 for Nāʻālehu or Ocean View. Food can be picked up from 10 a.m. until pau – supplies run out – at:
     Nāʻālehu's Sacred Heart Church at 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy on Monday, June 1.
     Ocean View's Kahuku Park on Tuesday, June 8.
     Volcano's Cooper Center at 19-4030 Wright Road on  Wednesday, June 24.
     Pāhala's Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street on Tuesday, June 30.

On-Call Emergency Box Food Pantry is open at Cooper Center Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to noon. Call 967-7800 to confirm.

Enroll in Kua O Ka Lā's Hīpuʻu Virtual Academy for school year 2020-2021, grades four through eight. The Hawaiian Focused Charter School teaches with an emphasis on Hawaiian language and culture. The blended curriculum is offered through online instruction and community-based projects, with opportunities for face-to-face gatherings (with precautions), in an "Education with Aloha" environment.
     Kua O Ka Lā offers a specialized program that provides students with core curriculum, content area, and electives in-keeping with State of Hawaiʻi requirements. Combined with Native Hawaiian values, culture, and a place-based approach to education, from the early morning wehena – ceremonial school opening – Kua O Ka Lā students are encouraged to walk Ke Ala Pono – the right and balanced path.
     The school's website says Kua O Ka Lā has adopted Ke Ala Pono "to describe our goal of nurturing and developing our youth. We believe that every individual has a unique potential and that it is our responsibility to help our students learn to work together within the local community to create a future that is
pono – right." The school aims to provide students with "the knowledge and skills, through Hawaiian values and place-based educational opportunities, that prepare receptive, responsive, and self-sustaining individuals that live 'ke ala pono.'"
     See kuaokala.org to apply and to learn more about the school. Call 808-981-5866 or 808-825-8811, or email info@kuaokala.org for more.

Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries are Open for Pick-Up Services Only. Nāʻālehu is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Library patrons schedule Library Take Out appointment times to pick up their hold item(s) at their favorite libraries by going to HSPLS Library Catalog and placing a hold on any item(s) they want to borrow, or they may call their favorite library branch to place a hold with the library staff. After receiving a notice that item(s) are ready for pick up, patrons schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. For patrons who placed holds during the closure, their item(s) are ready for pickup after the patron schedules a Library Take Out appointment. For more information, visit librarieshawaii.org.

 Free Book Exchanges at the laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu are provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Everyone is invited to take books they want to read. They may keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them to the Book Exchange to make them available to others in the community. The selection of books is replenished weekly at both sites.

Make Reservations for Father's Day at Crater Rim Café in Kīlauea Military Camp for Sunday, June 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Seating limited due to social distancing. Dinner also available to go. The main course is Prime Rib and Vegetable Alfredo Pasta Bake, with side dishes and dessert, for $27.95 per person. Call 967-8356 for dine-in reservations, to-go orders, and current event information. KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply.

Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.

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.



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