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Saturday, March 21, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Saturday, March 21, 2020

Kahinaliʻi Tayamen's Saving the Monk Seal is one of several works of art by Kaʻū youth displayed at the
Young At Art show in Hilo. See more of the art, and read about the inspiration for the pieces, below.
Photo by Darlene Javar




















EVERYONE COMING TO HAWAIʻI WILL BE QUARANTINED starting Thursday, March 26. Gov. David Ige made the announcement today at the state Capitol. The mandate for a 14-day quarantine is aimed at preventing the spread of novel coronavirus in the islands. Residents returning home would be asked to self-quarantine. Visitors would be quarantined in place of lodging. Neither would be allowed to leave their quarantined residence except for medical care. Fines will be $5,000 and up to a year in prison - a misdemeanor.
     Ige said, "We need to come together as a community to fight this virus. This mandate is the first of its kind in the nation. We want this action to send the message to visitors and residents alike that we appreciate their love for Hawaiʻi but we are asking them to postpone their visit."
Lifeguard at Punaluʻu directs visitors to leave the beach today.
Photo by Julia Neal
     The governor was accompanied by leaders in the visitor industry, government, and a labor union for hotel, restaurant, and bar employees,  Local 5 financial secretary Eric Gill , said thousands of workers are laid off and they are afraid of not being able to retain their health insurane orb pay their mortgages and vehicle loans. "We have to attend to the health aspects because people are scared. We have to attend to the economic aspects because people are worried." He said the union supports stringent actions to contain the spread of COVID-19 so workers can get back to work soon. "Let's cap this thing and get moving again," he said.
     Mufi Hannemann, President of the Hawaiʻi Lodging & Tourism Association, said that the longer Hawaiʻi delays to enact stringent actions, "the more we're going to pay in human suffering, possibly human lives" and the economic downturn.
     Ige said that the quarantine was delayed until next Thursday so those who may have scheduled trips to Hawaiʻi have the opportunity to cancel and those who are here have a chance to go home ahead of the quarantine.
     State Department of Health chief Bruce Anderson said that random testing shows there is little if any community spread of COVID-19 in Hawaiʻi. "We want to keep it that way." He said that at least 48 of the 49 confirmed cases are travelers. Eighty percent of them are people from Hawaiʻi who traveled outside the islands.
     The governor said that county mayors would enforce the 14 days of quarantine.
A mostly empty Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, which is usually swarmed with visitors,
who can be seen today on the point in the distance, having walked past barriers
that say the beach park is closed.  Photo by Julia Neal
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A MANDATORY SELF-QUARANTINE FOR ANYONE COMING TO HAWAIʻI was the call from Rep. Tulsi Gabbard earlier today "in response to the unprecedented global coronavirus pandemic."
     Gabbard said, "The governor of California is predicting that they'll have 25 million cases of coronavirus in the state of California alone within the next eight weeks. That's over 60 percent of California's population. As we look at how to prevent visitors from bringing the coronavirus to Hawaiʻi, it's not enough to just encourage people not to come to Hawaiʻi. It also doesn't do much good to take people's temperatures when they get here because people can be asymptomatic and be spreading the disease."
     She noted that quarantines have been established in "countries around the world — like Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and China's capital city Beijing. Visitors will be monitored to make sure that they are adhering to the quarantine. If they are residents, then they will be in house quarantine, separate from their relatives or others who are in the home. And if they are visitors, they'll be quarantined in their hotel room. This is an absolute necessity, and it will be a tremendous help in saving lives here in Hawaiʻi."

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Services at St. Jude's are available online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Images from stjudeshawaii.org
ST. JUDE'S IS HOLDING ONLINE SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE TOMORROW. Go to stjudeshawaii.org/worship.html, review the page to see where the lessons and prayers are located, then click on the arrow of the first video. A Facebook account is not required to view the service. No sound? Click on the volume icon at the bottom of the video screen and it will remove the line through it, and sound will play. Turn up the volume to high. When the first video is complete, click on the second video. The bottom of the page has some musical selections.
     St. Jude's thanks Rev. Mary, Teri and Karen (our readers), and Richard who provided technical support. Cindy Cutts said, "Tomorrow's on-line service is a rough draft, first run attempt to continue our St. Jude's worship during the COVID-19 crisis. Please be kind, if you have any issues with this broadcast. Good luck! See ya in (on-line) church!"

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KALAE COFFEE on South Point Road is open for take-out only, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily.

LINN'S THAI FOOD TRUCK will set up on the corner of Coconut and Treefern Lane in Ocean View from noon to 6 p.m., daily, until further notice. Orders must be called in  advance to 808-937-0029.

HANA HOU RESTAURANT in Nāʻālehu will be serving take-out only beginning Monday, March 23.

COSTCO will hold special hours for kūpuna over 60 and the physically disabled starting Tuesday, March 24, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The pharmacy will also open at 8 a.m.

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HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK IS CLOSED as of midnight Saturday, until further notice, in response to the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and actions outlined by Gov. David Ige. To slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Park will offer no services except those that support visitor or resource protection.
     All public areas, including trails, roads, campgrounds, the backcountry, and public restrooms are closed to visitors. All commercial tours and special use permits are suspended. The Kahuku Unit is closed. 
Lines like this won't be seen for a while: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
National Park,including the Kahuku Unit, is closed until further
notice to help stop the spread of COVID-19. NPS photo
     The announcement from the Park states: "The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is our number one priority. The National Park Service is working with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor COVID-19."
     The public will be notified when full operations resume. Updates will be placed on nps.gov/coronavirus and social media channels. NPS encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, including social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and U.S. Geological Survey webcams at nps.gov/havo/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm. The NPS education team has also created curriculum resources for families at home with children in kindergarten through high school that highlight the geology, biology and Hawaiian culture that define the park at nps.gov/havo/learn/education/curriculummaterials.htm.

Some of the only visitors allowed in the Park until
further notice. Photo by Julia Neal
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STATE-PERMITTED COMMERCIAL OCEAN TOURS ARE CANCELLED with commercial operator permits suspended until further notice. The suspension covers tour operators, surf schools, sight-seeing, whale-watching, dinner cruises, and any commercial operation in state waters.
     Board of Land & Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case made the announcement, saying, "Many people are not practicing the recommended social distancing protocols, so it's become necessary for us to take these extraordinary steps to help encourage the six-foot separation between people recommended by Gov. Ige, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and our experts at the Department of Health."
     Case said, "We are all in this together. It is an enormous inconvenience and upsetting to the kind of lifestyle we enjoy in Hawaiʻi. The faster we stop the spread of COVID-19 by everyone praciticing social distancing, the quicker we’re likely to see our lives return to normal."
     In addition to closing some state parks four days ago, the Department of Land & Natural Resources shut down all state parks today. Curt Cottrell, State Parks Administrator, said, "Many, many people are simply ignoring gates and signs and choosing to put themselves and many others close-by at risk of contracting COVID-19.
     This week, DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife closed commercial tours on state trails and in wildlife sanctuaries.

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FRIENDS AND FAMILIES OF INMATES CAN'T VISIT PRISONS AND JAILS. Only attorneys are allowed and all probation hearings have been delayed past April 3. The state Department of Corrections reports no suspicion of any COVID-19 symptoms among inmates. Work furloughs are put on hold.
     The Arizona facility under contract to care for a portion of Hawaiʻi's prison population also reports no cases and that prisoner visits are prohibited.
     State courthouses were shut down to the public late Friday by Hawaiʻi Chief Justice Mark Rectenwald, who announced, "The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, and the Judiciary is taking appropriate steps to ensure the safety of our community. We join Hawaiʻi's leaders in doing everything possible to slow the spread of this virus."
     Most proceedings, including traffic and criminal cases, are postponed. The courts will only hear
criminal arraignment, plea and extradition hearings, initial appearances for felony cases, preliminary hearings for in-custody defendants, bail hearings, and hearings deemed urgent by the presiding judge.

Vince Mina
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HAWAIʻI FARMERS UNION UNITED Pres. Vince Mina is encouraging farmers to consider applying for state Department of Agriculture help "during this period of heightened awareness and economic uncertainty." The application to the state COVID-19 Emergency Farmer Relief application is online. See Word docx download and the PDF download. Completing the application helps the Department of Agriculture to quantify the needs of the local farmers to gauge the level of funding needed and to determine where the funding will be most impactful.
     "The goal is to support local farmers by purchasing the supply of food produced until the demand resumes and/or by facilitating food distribution," said Mina. "The goal is to minimize the need to import food. Funding will depend on the availability and release of funds." He noted that applying for funding doesn't guarantee it. "Mahalo nui to the farmers, gardeners, ranchers, and food growers in Hawaiʻi. This is our time to shine."

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THE NEXT KAʻŪ CHAPTER MEETING OF HAWAIʻI FARMERS UNITED IS POSTPONED. Chapter President Matt Drayer said he and other like minded farmers "will be focusing on growing as much food as possible to at least keep the Kaʻū region fed." He said he has some housing for those who might want to stay on his farm and help to grow food. Call 808-339-8737.

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KAʻŪ STUDENT ARTISTS WERE HONORED at the 32nd Annual Young at Art Exhibition opening reception in early March. Each year, the juried art show, held at the East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center, selects works of art from students of all ages around the island attending public, charter, private, and home schools. All selected participants received a certificate and a letter from Mayor Harry Kim.
Jeysiah Camba-Penera of Pāhala, with his work Deeper
Photo by Darlene Javar
     Kamehameha Schools of Hawaiʻi senior, Jeysiah Camba-Penera of Pāhala, under the tutelage of teacher Carl Pao, won a coveted Judges' Choice Award for his art work entitled Deeper. Camba-Penera described his graphite on bristol drawing as depicting "a deep sea underwater landscape with a lot of stylized components. I wanted to do this because I was really focusing on my shading techniques at the time." He added that he spent a month planning and completing his drawing, making sure to base the parts of his drawing on real aquatic flora and fauna. Camba-Penera's prize package included a $20 gift certificate to Big Island Candies and a $40 cash prize from Puna Geothermal Venture.
Third-grader Lia Wilkey shows her Judges' Choice Award and a second art 
piece she created using the techniques she learned in ʻIke Hawaiʻi class. 
Wilkey was so inspired the day she finished her winning art piece in
 school, she went home and made the art piece shown here, left. She said 
she added olivine and bits of rubbish she found 
in her back yard. Photo by Darlene Javar
     Last year, Camba-Penera's Photoshop pop art received an honorable mention at the Young at Art exhibit. Next year, he will attend University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, studying fine arts with a focus on illustration or 2D animation. He hopes to eventually transfer to a traditional art school.
     Third-grader Lia Wilkey, of Nāʻālehu Elementary, also won a Judges' Choice Award for her mixed media piece entitled Saving the Monk Seal. Wilkey created the art piece as a culmination of her unit of study on marine debris in her ʻIke Hawaiʻi Specials class. The class is a collaborative program between Kamehameha Schools Kealapono teachers Sheilah Okimoto and Nālani Parlin, and Nāʻālehu Elmentary specials teachers Linda Morgan and John Derry. Wilkey said she hoped people would learn from her art that marine debris is "trash that is killing the animals." Wilkey won a $25 KTA gift certificate and $40 from Puna Geothermal Venture.
Koko Davis' Marine Debris Hawaiian Monk Seal. Photo by Darlene Javar
      Wilkey's classmates in Kumu Amber Keohuloa's room – Koko Davis, Lokahi Kaupu, Melissa Saldana, and Kahinaliʻi Tayamen – were also selected for display at the exhibit. After learning about the detrimental effects of marine debris, students channeled their frustrated emotions onto paper via oil pastels and frenetic lines. After applying a watercolor wash, students tore the paper into pieces, symbolizing their stance against marine debris. Students used the resulting paper shreds as a collage for the base of their art work. Choosing from among honu (sea turtle), mōlī (Lasayan albatross) and Hawaiian monk seal, students painted the face of the animal they most identified with, adding marine debris that they collected in an ʻIke Hawaiʻi science experiment. Davis' piece is entitled Marine Debris Hawaiian Monk Seal, Kaupu's work is Save the Mōlī, Saldana's art is Hawaiian Monk Seal, and Tayamen's piece is called Saving the Monk Seal.
Lokahi Kaupu's Save the Mōl. Photo by Darlene Javar
     An ʻIke Hawaiʻi Specials class second-grade group piece entitled Nā Leo O Puʻu Kaiholena (The Voices of Kaiholena), received an Award of Recognition. This art piece incorporated several individual tinfoil relief art pieces from students in Janine Kawazoe's and Janice McRoberts' homerooms at Nāʻālehu Elementary. Inspired by class field trips, led by Nohea Kaʻawa of The Nature Conservancy, to Kaiholena to learn about the ma uka environment, students used creative lines and symbols to represent plants and animals found there. They include the uluhe fern, ʻōhiʻa lehua, kōpiko plant, and iʻo, Hawaiian Hawk. The art piece won a $10 KTA gift certificate and $20 cash, which ʻIke Hawaiʻi teachers will put toward a celebration for these student artists.
Melissa Saldana's Hawaiian Monk Sea. Photo by Darlene Javar
     Other pieces created in the ʻIke Hawaiʻi Specials class selected for the Young at Art Exhibit were made by Nāʻālehu fourth graders Caton Blanco, from Kuʻulei Pablo's homeroom, and Deijah Cabanilla-Nogales, from Michelle Buck's homeroom. In this program, students used their ʻohana and cultural origins as inspiration for an artwork of their choice. Blanco's painting, Sit Back, Relax, represents the fun times he has with his family watching sunsets. Cabanilla-Nogales' tissue paper collage, Reflection of My Life, pays homage to her Filipino and Mexican heritage. Both flags are represented on her piece, but in mirror image.
     The final art piece with ties to Kaʻū selected for display is a group work created by students in Ryan Holderbaum's second-grade class at Nāʻālehu Elementary in the ʻIke Hawaiʻi Specials program. After learning about and experiencing the strong Kūehulepo, kick up the dirt, wind of Nāʻālehu, students used oil pastels and watercolor to draw their impressions of this strong force of nature.
Nā Leo O Puʻu Kaiholena, or the voices of Kaiholena, depicts second-graders' representations of plants and animals 
found at Kaiholena. After sketching out their design, the artists glued string and yarn over their drawing, and applied 
tinfoil to create a relief. Then, students boldly colored their art with permanent markers. Photo by Darlene Javar
     Principal Darlene Javar represented Nāʻālehu Elementary at the opening reception, along with Deijah and family, fourth-grade teacher Michelle Buck, third-grade teacher Amber Keohuloa, third-grader Koko Davis, and coach Nellie Davis.
Sit Back, Relax by Caton Blanco. Photo by Darlene Javar
     Young at Art coordinator, Judith Hara, wrote, "Our world needs creative, inventive minds that may foster peaceful ways to coexist with each other. We hope you will continue to support the arts in our schools and in our community and in your lives."
     Although the EHCC is closed this month due to concerns over COVID-19, the exhibit can still be viewed by visiting ehcc.org/content/young-art-2020 and scrolling down to the image gallery.

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NO IN-PERSON VOTING for the Hawaiʻi Democratic Party-run presidential primary on April 4. Over COVID-19 concerns, officials for the Party said on Friday they will add another round of mailed ballots to allow members who register to vote by April 4 to cast a ballot.
Deijah Cabanilla-Nogales and family at the Young At Art show
in early March. Photo from Michelle Buck
     Party officials are encouraging "everyone with a ballot now to mail it back as soon as possible in case there are further disruptions."
     Hawaiʻi Republicans canceled their presidential caucus because President Donald Trump is the only Republican candidate.

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HOW IMPORTANT GEOLOGICAL SAMPLES ARE to a volcanologists' work is the focus of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
     HVO's geological sample collections are an important resource.
     In the past, HVO would occasionally post images of people collecting lava samples on our website. These photos usually featured a person (with little-exposed skin) holding a rock hammer, with a metal bucket nearby. The bucket contained water to "quench" the sample, solidifying the hot lava into a cold glass. Natural-fiber or heat-resistant gloves, and sometimes a face mask, protected the sample collector from heat radiating off the 1150-degrees-Celsius (2100-degrees-Fahrenheit) lava. The hammer was used to scoop some of the molten material into the bucket, which would hiss and steam in reaction; more water would be added to cool down the sample so it could be placed in a cloth bag. 
On December 30, 2015, an HVO geologist wore protective gear during 
collection of a fresh lava sample for chemical analysis from a pāhoehoe 
breakout along scattered Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō lava flows. Inset photo caption: Metadata 
is written on a bag that holds a sample taken from pāhoehoe that was 
collected on August 18, 2006. The front of the bag notes the date and time 
the sample was collected, sample-collector initials, a description of the 
sample, and ID; the coordinates of the sample collection location 
are written on the back of the sample bag. HVO photos
     HVO carefully archives or curates these precious geological samples collected by current and past HVO geologists, collaborators, visiting scientists, and volunteers. Most of the HVO samples were collected from around the Island of Hawai‘i over the past several decades as part of HVO's mission to monitor eruptive activity (sampling active lava flows) or to characterize previous volcanic activity (sampling prehistoric lava flows on or beneath the surface). For samples collected within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, HVO works closely with National Park Service archivists to ensure appropriate record keeping and tracking.
     When a sample is collected, it's important to document the sample's "metadata." This includes the name of the sample collector, coordinates marking the sample location, and the collection date. If the sample was taken from molten lava, it's labeled as a "quenched" sample, and the time of sample collection is also noted.
     As part of metadata, geologists generally describe the sample location (such as the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea) and characterize the sample itself (a grey-colored, discontinuous, fine ash, for example). Usually, the sample is given a unique identifier, often a combination of numbers and letters, which is written on the sample bag. This ID connects the sample to its metadata, which is entered into a searchable database.
     Much preparation and forethought go into sample collection, with prior project planning, permitting, and gaining permission from landowners.  For every geologist, it's important to ask: "What question(s) will this sample help me to answer?" Samples are collected sometimes because their specific chemistry or physical characteristics can reveal important information that helps scientists to understand the past, or on-going, or potential future volcanic activity and hazards.
     For example, a sample of ash from the Ka‘ū Desert indicates that ash was deposited in that location at some point in the past and could, therefore, be deposited there in the future. Particle size and chemical analyses of the ash can provide information about the eruption magnitude (size) and character (was the eruption driven by steam or magmatic gas?).
An HVO geologist in protective gear, collecting 
of a fresh lava sample. HVO photo
     Such information improves understanding of the range of behaviors Hawaiian volcanoes exhibited in the past and could exhibit in the future. Likewise, rapid analyses of molten lava samples during the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption allowed HVO to detect changes in magma chemistry that foretold a change in eruptive behavior—the arrival of increasingly hot and fluid lava—and associated hazards.
     Several sample collections are currently being curated at HVO. The youngest consists of lava and ejecta from Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit-collapse events. Other collections include lava samples from historical eruptions of Kīlauea (including products of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō and ejecta collected downwind of Halema‘uma‘u when there was an active lava lake); geological samples that aided in creating the Geologic map of the Island of Hawaii; and ash and other ejecta collected as part of research to understand older explosive events in Kīlauea's history. The Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō collection in particular is perhaps unique in the world for its completeness and longevity covering a single eruptive event and is thus extremely valuable.
     Each sample collection and resulting analytical data informs HVO and the wider volcanological community a little more about the behavior and hazards of Hawaiian volcanoes. These collections will continue to be an important resource for researchers, especially because some samples are from areas that are no longer accessible, having been covered by more recent lava flows or within the area of Kīlauea's summit that collapsed in 2018.
     Eventually, one of Hawaiʻi's volcanoes will erupt again, and HVO will have another sample collection to curate and care for, and to help us understand Hawaiian volcanoes and their hazards a little more.
Comparison of the water pond in Halema‘uma‘u on Nov. 20 and March 1. In that time, the pond deepened 10 m (33 ft) 
and widened more than 50 m (164 ft) east-west and 30 m (98 ft) north-south. Circled clusters of rocks did not move 
between photos, evidence of slope stability. The water's color browned with time, though the photos probably exaggerate 
the color difference. The blue-green water at the far and near ends of the pond is interpreted as groundwater entering 
the pond. Camera and lens same for both photos.  USGS photos by D. Swanson
     Volcano Activity Updates
     Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. The USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL:  volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.htmlKīlauea 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. A plot of depth is visible at the bottom of this web page: volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/monitoring_data3.html
     Mauna Loa is not erupting. The 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. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
     This past week, about 87 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa; the strongest was a M3.9 event on March 19 in the Ninole Hills area. Monitoring data showed that slow summit inflation continued and fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.
     There were 3 events with 3 or more felt reports in the Hawaiian islands during the past week. A magnitude-1.7 earthquake 3 km (2 mi) WSW of Pāhala at 5 km (3 mi) depth occurred on March 19 at 06:53 a.m. A magnitude-3.2 earthquake 21 km (13 mi) SW of Leilani Estates at 6 km (4 mi) depth occurred on March 17 at 06:20 p.m. A magnitude-3.2earthquake 6 km (4 mi) W of Volcano at -1 km (-1 mi) depth occurred on March 15 at 09:16 p.m.
     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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DAILY COVID-19 UPDATE:
     Department of Health reports that there are 48 positive cases of novel coronavirus throughout the state, with three cases on Hawaiʻi Island. According to the World Health Organization, the U.S. has 15,219 cases, including 4,777 reported today, with 201 deaths, 51 reported today. Worldwide, there are more than 266,000 cases, including 32,000 reported today, and 11,184 deaths, including 1,344 reported today.

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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
Saturday, March 28, 11 a.m., host Hilo
Wednesday, April 8, 3 p.m., @Honokaʻa
Boys Baseball Cancelled
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 28, 10:30 a.m., @Waiakea
Saturday, April 4, 10:30 a.m., @Keaʻau
Track Cancelled
Saturday, March 28, 9 a.m., @Waiakea
Saturday, April 4, 9 a.m., @HPA

Spring Break for Public Schools is extended through Monday, April 6 for COVID-19 spread mitigation.

UPCOMING
MONDAY, MARCH 23
CANCELLED: 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.

CANCELLED: Hour-Long Lomilomi Massage, Monday, March 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 24
CANCELLED: Registration for Charades, open Monday-Friday, March 23-27, for program at Kahuku Park in HOVE on Tuesday, March 31, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free. Teresa Anderson, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation, 929-9113

CANCELLED: Paper Straw Tulip Craft Registration Deadline, Tuesday, March 24. Program Wednesday, March 25, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Kaʻū District Gym. Ages 5 to 12. hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation, 928-3102

CANCELLED: The Third Voyage of Captain James Cook, Tuesday, March 24 at 7 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Captain James Cook once wrote that he intended to go not only "farther than any man has been before me, but as far as I think it is possible for a man to go." Join local guide and historian Rob Kitsell as he looks closer at the man who was Captain James Cook, and the fateful third voyage when Cook was killed at Kealakekua Bay, February 14, 1779. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25
CANCELLED: 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.

CANCELLED: Pū‘ohe Demonstration, Wednesday, March 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. The pū‘ohe is a Hawaiian bamboo trumpet with a deep sound somewhat like a conch shell. Like other native instruments, it takes the spirit breath to produce the proper sound. Join rangers and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff as they share their knowledge and help you make your own pū‘ohe. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ‘Ike Hana No‘eau "Experience the Skillful Work" workshops. nps.gov/havo

CANCELLED: Gone Country Band Live Country Music, Wednesday, March 25, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp's Lava Lounge in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Line dancers will accompany the performance. $5 cover charge. KMC open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com, 967-8365

FRIDAY, MARCH 27
CANCELLED: Stewardship at the Summit, Friday, March 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.

CANCELLED: The Lake at Halemaʻumaʻu Monthly Kahuku Coffee Talk, Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., HVNP Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Free. nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, MARCH 28
CANCELLED: Final 2020 Hawaiian Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count, Saturday, March 28, 7:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., orientation included. Register at oceancount.org. Locations in Kaʻū are: Kaʻena Point in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Miloli‘i Lookout, Ka Lae Park, and Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach Park. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals' surface behavior during the survey, which provides a snapshot of humpback whale activity from the shoreline.

POSTPONED: Prince Kuhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, Saturday, March 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Nāʻālehu County Park. Event features Hawaiian music and cultural demos, hula, crafts, food, and more. Drug- and alcohol-free. 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. Organized by local non-profit Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū. Membership $10 per year. Contact Terry Shibuya at 938-3681 or terrylshibuya@gmail.com; Trini Marques at 928-0606 or trinimarques@yahoo.com; or Kupuna Ke.

CANCELLED: Ocean View Classic Car & Bike Show, Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Owners of classic cars and bikes are encouraged to register early, as space is limited. This second annual event, a fundraiser for Ocean View Community Association, will also feature food and live music, and prizes for the most impressive cars and bikes. Contact organizers Dennis Custard at 831-234-7143 or Ron Gall at 808-217-7982 to register or for more info.

CANCELLED: Forest Work Day, Saturday, March 28, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Learn some native plants, help restore a beautiful rainforest, and get some exercise. Tim Tunison leads. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222


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

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

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.

Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The visitor center is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. Park films, including Born of Fire, Born of the Sea, will not be shown. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will continue to be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the center reopens, and is available online for free download.

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