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Saturday, March 14, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Saturday, March 14, 2020

The Miranda family opened its new retail Kaʻū Coffee shop on Saturday with a ribbon cutting, blessing, and entertainment. 
It is located between South Point Road and the Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park at 
93-7136  Mamalahoa Hwy. Photo by Katie Graham
COUNTY OF HAWAIʻI CIVIL DEFENSE ANNOUNCED A SHORTAGE of sanitation and cleaning products on the island today, attributed to fear of coronavirus - with no known spread of the disease on the island. "This is partly due to hoarding and panic buying. Please continue following general hygiene practices, such as using soap and water when available, to help curb this shortage." Civil Defense also assured the public that there is no shortage of food: "Cargo shipping between the West Coast and interisland are operating as normal. All harbors will remain open to continue the movement of freight."
     While no cases of COVID-19 are confirmed on this island, two on Kauaʻi involving visitors were confirmed late Friday. Both on Kaua`i, and two on Oʻahu, are in observed isolation. Civil Defense states, "The community must come together and take action to prevent the spread of coronavirus to our island. You can make a difference right now by staying informed, following health advisories, and taking action to protect yourself and your family," including make sure information is up-to-date and comes from a credible source. Call the Hawaiʻi County call center with novel coronavirus questions at 935-0031; Department of Health at 974-6001 or after-hours at 211, or see health.hawaii.gov; or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
Hawaiʻi Island is experiencing a shortage of sanitation and cleaning products,
"partly due to hoarding and panic buying," according to Civil Defense.
     On Friday, the Pentagon announced that members of the armed services, Defense Department civilian employees, and their family members who are living on or serving at military properties, can no longer travel domestically starting Monday, through May 11.
     The U.S. has more than 2,700 confirmed cases in 49 states and D.C., with at least 54 deaths. Worldwide, there have been more than 156,000 cases, with at least 74,000 people recovered and at least 5,830 deaths.

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Tents will be set up across the street for drive-thru COVID-19 testing for those referred by a doctor. Photo from HMC
DRIVE-THROUGH TESTING AT HILO MEDICAL CENTER for COVID-19 for those with referrals from doctors, starts Tuesday, March 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An announcement on HMC's Facebook states, "This is a sample collection site. Treatment will not be offered at this site, only in our Emergency Department and hospital."
     The testing center is across from Hilo Medical Center, in the parking lot next to the Cancer Center at 1285 Waianuenue Avenue. Look for a big tent in the visitors parking lot.
     Testing Requirements: A patient must be examined by a Primary Care Providers and  evaluated for COVID-19. If needed, the provider will submit the order for the COVID-19 test to Clinical Labs and send the patient to Hilo Medical Center's testing site. Those being tested are asked to stay inside their vehicles, present the lab orders,  identification and a medical insurance cards. After the sample is taken, patients will be provided with home self-care information.
Well wishers and members of the Miranda's church family sang In Christ 
Alone during the grand opening festivities today. Photo by Katie Graham
     The sample will be transferred to Clinical Labs, which will send the sample away for testing with an estimated two to three day turn-around for results. Results will be sent to the primary care provider, who will inform the patient.
     Patients without a Primary Care Provider must go to Hilo Medical Center's Emergency Department for evaluation. If the Emergency physicians, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner deems COVID-19 testing appropriate for the patient, a test will be ordered.

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Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2015, Maria Miranda,
embraces a supporter at the grand
opening of the Miranda's new coffee
store and shop. Photo by Katie Graham
MIRANDA'S FARMS COFFEE SHOP held its celebratory opening today at its location near South Point Road on Hwy 11. The award winning farm-to-table coffee is the enterprise of Jose and Berta Miranda.
     Harry McIntosh, who gave the blessing, noted the hard work of the extended Miranda family members, who built a business, after coming to the U.S. mainland and on to Hawaiʻi with very little from their home country of El Salvador. Well wishers, including members of the family's church, sang In Christ Alone. The Mirandas provide a venue for church services on their farm.
     The Mirandas arrived decades ago as coffee pickers after working on California farms when they fled El Salvador as refugees. They picked macadamia nuts in Kaʻū and South Kona, then transferred to coffee when they founded their farm in 2006, leasing ten acres in Cloud Rest above Pāhala. As they became successful, they purchased leases for other Ka`u Coffee farms and eventually became business and farm owners.
     Their coffee is sold online at mirandasfarms.com, at their family store, and at retail locations in Hawaiʻi and internationally.
     Miranda's Farms coffee wins statewide and international awards, and was recently featured in a tour of Taiwan, led by Maria Miranda, Miss Kaʻū 2015. Her parents, Jose and Berta, grandfather, and aunties and uncles have all worked together to make their enterprise successful.

Miranda family women, in the new shop. Photo by Katie Graham
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THE FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT received full support and a vote from Kaʻū's congresswoman, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. She voted late Friday to pass H.R. 6201, to provide emergency relief to families and workers across America who are impacted by the global novel coronavirus pandemic. Pres. Donald Trump tweeted his support for the Act. It will go to the Senate Monday evening, when the session reconvenes. Sen. Brian Schatz urges Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to reconvene early, so as not to delay to benefits of the bill.
     Gabbard said, "In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, this emergency funding package will begin to provide relief to working Americans and their families across the country so they can focus on their health and well-being. This bill helps make sure testing is accessible and free for all, which is long overdue in containing the virus, funds paid sick leave, unemployment insurance, food for seniors, and more. While today's bill is an important step forward, I will continue to work toward bringing about innovative solutions like my emergency Universal Basic Payment plan which will provide immediate, direct assistance for the American people to stay focused on the health and wellbeing of themselves and their loved ones."
     The Act would provide free testing for COVID-19, two weeks of paid sick leave, up to three months paid family and medical leave, and unemployment insurance for furloughed workers, in companies with fewer than 500 employees. It includes provisions to provide food security for those who rely on food stamps, student meals, senior nutrition plans, and food banks. It also increases federal Medicaid funds for local, state, tribal and territorial governments and health systems.
The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, seen as orange blobs,
through an electron microscope. NPR image
     Gabbard also introduced H.Res. 897, which would provide an emergency non-taxable Universal Basic Payment of $1,000 per month to all adult Americans until COVID-19 no longer presents a public health emergency. The Universal Basic Payment will be "a temporary economic stimulus package to empower Americans directly and immediately."
     In order to ensure that any treatment developed for COVID-19 is accessible and affordable, Gabbard joined a letter to President Trump demanding that pharmaceutical companies are not issued exclusive licenses for the production of such treatments or capitalize on drugs that have been funded by taxpayer dollars. She also wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, calling for clear guidelines for state and local governments to receive federal reimbursement for the costs they are incurring as part of their response to this public health crisis.

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OLD BOMBS ON MAUNA LOA, PART TWO, is the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
     Old bombs found on Mauna Loa: The rest of the story (Part 2)
     Last week's Volcano Watch provided details of events leading up to the dropping of bombs on a Mauna Loa lava flow on Dec. 27, 1935. Here's the rest of the story.
     Even though the 1935 Humu‘ula flow was still miles from Hilo, Thomas A. Jaggar, Director of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and architect of the experiment, requested aerial bombing of the lava. His motivation was to prevent the flow's advance into the nearby Wailuku River, which would affect the city's water supply.
     Hours after bombs were dropped by U.S. Army Air Corps airplanes, Jaggar declared the bombing a success on a radio broadcast. "Our purpose was not to stop the lava flow, but to start it all over again at the source so that it will take a new course," he said. The bombs were successfully dropped ("direct hits on all targets"), but Jaggar waited to see any effects on the lava flow.
Aerial view of a bomb detonating on Mauna Loa near the source of the 1935 Humuʻula lava flow on the morning of
Dec. 27, 1935. This was one of 20 demolition bombs dropped on the lava flow that morning by the Army
Bombing Squadron from Luke Field, O‘ahu. Photo by Army Air Corps, 11th Photo Section
     The Humu‘ula flow slowed but continued to advance, and at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, it turned northeast into the Hilo Forest Reserve 31 km (19 mi) from Hilo Bay. Fires ignited by the lava were visible from Hilo and posed an additional threat to Hilo's water supply.
     By late Saturday afternoon, Jaggar reported on the flow's slowing, but was not yet prepared to say that it was the result of the previous day's bombing. There were no reports of a new flow issuing from the vents, "which," according to Jaggar, "was the object of the bombing."
     The flow stopped overnight but resumed its forward movement on Sunday evening and continued to advance toward the Wailuku River headwaters. By Thursday morning, Jan. 2, 1936, the Humu‘ula flow was declared dead, but gas emissions from the Northeast Rift Zone vents continued.
     Jaggar was convinced that the bombing "helped hasten end of the flow." He said that "in a natural end, the lava would not cease so abruptly." He expanded on this a few days later: "The Army in one day's work has stopped a lava flow, which might have continued indefinitely, and have caused incalculable damage to forest, water resources, and city." There was no mention of whether the diversion had been caused as originally hypothesized.
This "pointer bomb," dropped on the 1935 Mauna Loa Humuʻula lava flow, 
was found and photographed in 1939 during Thomas Jaggar's post-eruption 
inspection of the flow, and again in 1977 by now-retired USGS HVO 
geologist Jack Lockwood. This same bomb was recently rediscovered and 
featured in Hawaiʻi media reports. USGS photo by J. Lockwood, 1977
     In late summer 1939, Jaggar visited the 1935 bombing targets. "A striking feature of the bombed area was the existence upstream from some bomb-holes, of tunnel-openings where pudgy pasty stiff semi-ʻaʻa lava welled up as a heap or pudding. The smashing of the tunnel had cooled the oncoming liquid so that it dammed itself. This confirmed the theory that the bombing solidified the tunnel lava back into the heart of the mountain. With 12 hits out of 16… there can be no question whatever that the bombing stopped the flow." Jaggar confirmed his earlier post-bombing conclusion that the bombs had plugged the vent.
     A field investigation in the late 1970s reached a different conclusion: "Ground examination of the bombing site showed no evidence that the bombing had increased viscosity, and… the cessation of the 1935 flow soon after the bombing must be considered a coincidence."
     Even as it unfolded, many were skeptical. Jaggar's boss, Hawaiʻi National Park Superintendent E.G. Wingate, planned to send explosives to the target areas via land because he didn"t believe aerial bombing would be accurate. The Army pilots doubted that bombs would have much effect on an active lava channel, and after dropping them, remained unconvinced.
     Regarding the success or failure of using explosives to influence the 1935 lava flow, our view is that the bombing was carried out as the eruption was already waning. Bombing did not start a new flow at the source as Jaggar originally hoped. The Humuʻula flow did not cease abruptly after the bombing but died slowly over the following week. The 1970s investigation confirmed no thickening of vent lava by the bombs as Jaggar claimed.
An Army Air Corp biplane is prepared for a mission to drop bombs on a lava 
flow advancing toward Hilo during the 1935 Mauna Loa eruption. Below the 
plane is one of 20 demolition bombs (center) dropped in an attempt to disrupt 
and redirect the Humuʻula lava flow, and two of the 20 "pointer bombs" (left 
and right) that were used for aiming purposes. Photo by Kenichi Maehara
     Volcanologists continually improve methods to forecast lava flows and the hazards they pose. But decisions about lava diversion must be made by local emergency managers. The practicality of lava flow diversion in Hawai‘i is addressed in our Dec. 25, 2014, Volcano Watch.
    Back to the 1935 pointer bomb on Mauna Loa. Perhaps it should be left intact as a reminder that lava diversion may not be technically, economically, nor socially feasible for most future Hawaiian eruptions, but is an option that could be considered for some situations.
     Volcano Activity Updates
     Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. Kīlauea monitoring data over the past month showed no significant changes in seismicity, sulfur dioxide emission rates, or deformation. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continued to slowly expand and deepen.
     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 156 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa; the strongest was a M2.3 quake on March 8. The flurry of small earthquakes on known fault structures noted last week is tapering off. Monitoring data showed that slow summit inflation continued and fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.
     No earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands this past week. 
     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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Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 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.


All Kaʻū High School and other public school sporting events are canceled until further notice, including:
Kaʻū Spring Sports Schedule
Girls Softball Cancelled
Tuesday, March 17, 3 p.m., host Pāhoa
Saturday, March 21, 11 a.m., @Keaʻau
Saturday, March 28, 11 a.m., host Hilo
Wednesday, April 8, 3 p.m., @Honokaʻa
Boys Baseball Cancelled
Wednesday, March 18, 3 p.m., @Pāhoa
Saturday, March 21, 1 p.m., @Keaʻau
Saturday, March 28, 1 p.m., host Hilo
Tuesday. April 7, 3 p.m., @Honokaʻa
Boys Volleyball Cancelled
Tuesday, March 24, 6 p.m., host Kamehameha
Tuesday, March 31, 6 p.m., @Kohala
Thursday, April 2, 6 p.m., host Keaʻau
Tuesday, April 7, 6 p.m., @Honokaʻa
Judo Cancelled
Saturday, March 21, 10:30 a.m., @Konawaena
Saturday, March 28, 10:30 a.m., @Waiakea
Saturday, April 4, 10:30 a.m., @Keaʻau
Track Cancelled
Saturday, March 21, 2 p.m., @Konawaena
Saturday, March 28, 9 a.m., @Waiakea
Saturday, April 4, 9 a.m., @HPA

UPCOMING
MONDAY, MARCH 16
Spring Break, Monday through Friday, March 16 thorough 20.

Fix-A-Leak Week will be held March 16 through 22. Pick up free leak detection tablets, one pack per household, at the county Department of Water Supply base in Waiʻōhinu, 95-6041 Māmalahoa Hwy. Additional detection and water conservation tips are available at epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week and hawaiidws.org.

OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Mondays and Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the future Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

Hour-Long Lomilomi Massage, Mondays, March 16 and 23, 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council, 95-5635 Māmalahoa Hwy in Nāʻālehu. Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi offers sliding-fee payment scale sessions with experienced Licensed Massage Therapist and lomilomi practitioner Lehua Hobbs. "Improve circulation, alleviate muscle pain, and improve your overall well-being." Call for appointment, 808-969-9220.

TUESDAY, MARCH 17
St. Patrick's Day Buffet, Tuesday, March 17, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Crater Rim Café, located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. $24.95 Adults, $13.95 children 6 to11 years old. In-house guests & military ID holders, 20% discoun. KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com, 967-8356

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18
OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Mondays and Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the future Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

Sign Up to Be a Vendor at the Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar by Wednesday, March 18. Event is Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Individuals, schools, clubs, and sports/athletic groups are invited to be vendors at the "flea market" that will be located on the church lawn. The charge for a 10' X 10' space is $10. Vendors are responsible for bringing their own tent, table and chairs, and if power is needed, generator. Vendors can sell anything except hot foods or plate lunches. Vendors must fill out and submit a Vendor Application with the $10 fee by Wednesday, March 18. Call Debbie Wong Yuen at 928-8039 for the application.

S.T.E.M. Family Night be held at Kaʻū District Gym Multipurpose Room on Wednesday, March 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Deadline to register at bit.ly/2Trk8N8 is Wednesday, March 18. For students in Kindergarten through 6th grade and their families, this event will allow exploration of science, technology, engineering and math in an interactive and engaging environment. A light dinner and refreshments will be served. Contact Jen Makuakane at 808-313-4100 for more.

FRIDAY, MARCH 20
Stewardship at the Summit, Friday, March 20 and 27, 8:45 a.m. Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center. 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. Additional planning details at nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.

SATURDAY, MARCH 21
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund Kaʻū Clean-Up, Saturday, March 21. Volunteer spaces are limited; RSVP to kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com.

Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar, Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the corner of Mamālahoa Hwy, Kamaʻoa Road, and Pinao Street, just above the Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu. Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and smoked meat bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts. Other vendors will offer more items. For more information, call 928-8039.

CANCELLED: Sign Up for and Attend Second Annual Kaʻū Children's Business Fair, Saturday, March 21, 10 a.m. to noon at Pāhala Community Center. Young entrepreneurs ages seven and 18 share their talents by selling handmade items and services. Learn more about participating at childrensbusinessfair.org/pahala. Visit Kaʻū Children's Business Fair's Facebook event page facebook.com/KAUCBF/. RSVP to the event at facebook.com/events/925342784527676/. Text KAUKIDSFAIR to 31996 for updates and information (message and data fees may apply).

Writing for Inner Exploration and Life Reflection Workshop with Tom Peek, Saturday, March 21, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Improv Comedy Show, Saturday, March 21, 6:30 p.m. Headlined by Keli Semelsberger and Matt Kaye. A Big Island Comedy Theater showcase. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

ONGOING
Kaʻū Art Gallery is looking for local artists. Call 808-937-1840

Sign Up to Be a Vendor at the Kauahaʻao Congregational Church Fundraising Bazaar by Wednesday, March 18. The annual event will be held Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The church is located on the corner of Mamalahoa HwyKamaoa Road, and Pinao Street, just above the Wong Yuen Store in Waiʻōhinu.
     Individuals, schools, clubs, and sports/athletic groups are invited to be vendors at the "flea market" that will be located on the church lawn. The charge for a 10' X 10' space is $10. Vendors are responsible for bringing their own tent, table and chairs, and if power is needed, generator. Vendors can sell anything except hot foods or plate lunches.  
     Vendors must fill out and submit a Vendor Application with the $10 fee by Wednesday, March 18. Call Debbie Wong Yuen at 928-8039 for the application.
     The Church members will sell kalua pig and cabbage bowls, and smoked meat bowls, as well as baked goods, produce, and crafts.
     For more information, call 928-8039.

Check Out Nāʻālehu Elementary Student Artwork from the 32nd Annual Young At Art Juried Exhibit through Friday, March 27 at the East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center in downtown Hilo. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Prince Kuhio Hoʻolauleʻa will be held Saturday, March 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Nāʻālehu County Park. Reborn after a 20-year hiatus through the efforts of local non-profit Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū, the event will feature Hawaiian music and cultural demos, hula, crafts, food, and more. The drug- and alcohol-free event will offer entertainment with live entertainment from Gene Akamu and G2G, Uncle Sonny & Bro Tui, Braddah Ben, Lori Lei's Hula Studio, and more. Local personality Kurt Dela Cruz will emcee, and several lucky number prizes will be announced throughout the day.
     Hawaiian culture demos and activities, showcasing cultural knowledge of Kaʻū people and those tied to the area, include lauhala weaving, ti leaf lei making, waʻa kaulua (double-hull canoe) tours, kākau (tattoo) artistry, ʻohe kāpala (bamboo stamps), traditional Hawaiian games, and more.
     Travel through time by walking through a photo exhibit showcasing the history of Kaʻū, set-up within the Nāʻālehu Community Center. Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū representatives said they intend this to be like a visit to a mini version of their proposed Kaʻū Hawaiian Cultural Center, which has been their goal for the last 20 years. Visit Hana Laulima's booth at the hoʻolauleʻa to learn more about the revival of the Cultural Center project and membership.
     Choose from a variety of ono food including shave ice, korean chicken, roast pork plates, chili bowls, Kaʻū coffee, Big Island Candies Crunch Bars, and more. Local entrepreneurs will have pop-up shops displaying wares such as Hawaiian arts and crafts, jewelry, shirts, and hats.
     Learn more about Junior Rangers, and natural resource management, with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park rangers; ways to help free the coast of marine debris with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund; staying healthy with state Dept. of Health; native Hawaiian healthcare with Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi; ʻōpeʻapeʻa monitoring with Friends of the Kaʻū Bats; and more.
     The organization's new logo, symbolizing its rejuvenation, was created by Kaʻū High graduate and local artist Kaweni Ibarra, who is also a Hana Laulima board member. Newly elected board members also include Lisa Derasin, Kupuna Jessie Ke, president Terry-Lee Shibuya, vice-president Elizabeth Naholowaʻa Murph, secretary Nālani Parlin, and treasurer Kehaulani Ke. Membership is $10 per year. For more information about the hoʻolauleʻa, contact Terry Shibuya at 938-3681 or terrylshibuya@gmail.com; Trini Marques at 928-0606 or trinimarques@yahoo.com; or Kupuna Ke.
     Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū promises that the Prince Kuhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa will continue as an annual event.

Mixed Flock Volcano Art Center Exhibit, daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday, March 29. Features prints by Margaret Barnaby and pottery by Emily Herb. Glazing techniques demo Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

AdvoCATS, Saturday, April 25, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Ocean View Community Center. Free spay/neuter for cats. Reserve spot in advance. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

Sign Up to Vend at the New ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Nāʻālehu Farmers Market, Mondays and Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the site of the old Fruit Stand, mauka of Hwy 11 in Nāʻālehu. Vending focuses on Kaʻū products, including mushrooms from the new farm in Nāʻālehu, fresh breads, vegetables, fruits, and other products. The market may offer music in the future, and there are plans to acquire picnic tables for market goers. Call Manager Sue Barnett at 345-9374 to sign up.

Register for Volcano's ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Keiki Dash by Wednesday, July 22. The second annual event will be held on Saturday, July 25. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to University of Hawaiʻi for furthering research of Rapid ‘Ōhiʻa Death and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. See webscorer.com to register.
     Half Marathon registration is $70 through May 24, $80 May 25 through July 22, and $90 for late registration. Registration for the 10K is $50 through May 24, $55 May 25 through Jul 22, and $60 for late registration. Registration for the 5K is $35 through May 24, $40 May 25 through July 22, and $45 for late registration. Keiki Dash registration is $10. All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
     Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration.  Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
     Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in Hilo; Friday, July 26 in Volcano; and Saturday, July 27, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. at the race start.
     Half Marathon will start at 7 a.m. Other distances follow shortly after. Keiki Dash will begin at 10 a.m. on VSAS grounds, with the option of one or two laps – about 300 meters or 600 meters. Race cut-off time for the Half Marathon is four hours. The races will begin and end in Volcano Village at VSAS.
     See ohialehuahalf.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

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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