Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Eucalyptus, grown on tree farms on Kamehameha Schools land around Pāhala, are stockpiled to burn at the 
Hū Honua electric plant north of Hilo. Read more on the status of the electric plant, below. Photo by Julia Neal

REINSTATE THE INTERISLAND TRAVEL BAN is Gov. David Ige's plan, should the number of COVID-19 cases rise substantially with today's lifting of quarantines for those traveling between the islands. During a press conference Monday, he said that the requirement to quarantine for 14 days for interisland travel will be reinstated if cases double statewide, each week over the next month. He said scientists recognize a doubling of cases as "a definite increase in activity that we would want to say 'let's pause and re-look at it.'"
     The governor said, however, that each increase will be evaluated by its concentration.  A hot spot with many cases would not necessarily be interpreted as an indicator of wide community spread. He pointed to a recent cluster of cases on Oʻahu, which led to many cases, as high as 17 in one day.
      He noted that airlines with interisland flights will limit the number of passengers and that trans-Pacific flights, which could begin in August, will do the same.
      For the interisland flights, all travelers are required by the state Department of Health to fill out a preflight health form and submit to a health screening, with temperature checks, before boarding. See the health form to fill out before going to the airport at health.hawaii.gov/travel.

A one-way Kīlauea Iki trail for social distancing at Hawaiʻi
Volcanoes National Park. NPS photo
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VISITATION WAS LIGHT TODAY AT HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK. A tweet from the Park said guests are, "Mostly Hawaiʻi Island residents. #DYK our island (has) extraordinarily low cases of COVID-19? Help keep it that way; adhere to all public safety signs, like this one at Kīlauea Iki. The trail is now a one-way loop for social distancing."

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EMERGENCY ORDERS SUCH AS QUARANTINE AND CLOSING OF BUSINESSES TO PROTECT HAWAIʻI'S POPULATION from the pandemic are the subject of lawsuits filed by the Freedom Law Firm and Center for American Liberty. The suits are filed in Hawaiʻi federal district court. Hawaiʻi's state Speaker of the House, Scott Saiki, said today, "Due to our population size, Hawaiʻi requires extra safeguards to protect our families and resources during this pandemic. These lawsuits were filed by mainland entities on behalf of Hawaiʻi and non-Hawaiʻi residents. People who do not want to live with aloha and respect for others risk the health and safety of everyone."

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ALL SMALL BUSINESSES IN HAWAIʻI affected economically by COVID-19 can apply for low-interest loans under the Small Business Association's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Loans to all but agricultural small businesses were closed early in the pandemic but have reopened for applicants.
     The loans will provide approved small businesses without credit available elsewhere with loans of up to $2 million at 3.75 percent Annual Percentage Rate, and non-profits with 2.75 percent APR. Terms are determined on a case by case basis, based upon borrower's ability to repay. For businesses facing short-term liquidity issues, including making certain debt payments, SBA "highly recommends" contacting the businesses' bank to see what kind of relief programs may be available.
     SBA uses a "table of size standards," which defines a small business based on the business's number of employees and average annual receipts. Using these criteria, a small business could be defined as a business with a maximum of 250 employees or a business with a maximum of 1,500 employees.
     According to an analysis by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism there are 8,302 businesses in Hawai‘i with 99 or fewer employees. Those businesses account for 96,189 jobs with a combined annual payroll of $3.16 billion.  
     The loans can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll and other bills that can't be paid because of a disaster's impact.
     Loan applicants are required to complete and file a loan application (SBA Form 5); Tax Information Authorization (IRS Form 4506-T), Personal Financial Statement (SBA Form 413); and Schedule of Liabilities listing all fixed debts (SBA Form 2202 may be used). Loan forms and additional information can be accessed online at the SBA's Disaster Assistance Loan Portal

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Coffee unsold, sold but spoiled and sold at a reduced price could be approved for reimbursement of losses to
farmers should coffee be added to the USDA as an eligible crop for assistance. Contact USDA.
Photo from Hawaiʻi Coffee Association
REIMBURSING COFFEE FARMERS FOR LOST SALES would be a possibility were coffee listed as an eligible specialty crop for the USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. It reimburses producers for lost sales, or sales made at a reduced price of at least 5 percent, due to COVID-19.
     Hawaiʻi Coffee Association President Chris Manfredi sent out a message to coffee farmers statewide today saying that HCA has already commented "and your comments are needed now."
     Comments from Kaʻū Coffee farmers can be made at regulations.gov/document?D=FSA-2020-0004-0003. Click Open Docket Folder button. Click Comment Now button and submit comments directly to USDA on how Coronavirus has impacted the Kaʻū Coffee business and ask that coffee be included on the list of eligible specialty crops.
     Manfredi noted that Hawaiʻi's coffee industry has the second-highest value crop in the state of Hawaiʻi. "A recent HCA member survey indicates that our members have been severely impacted by the pandemic. If you have experienced a price drop for your GREEN coffee, please express that in your comment in terms of percent (%)." He said that in order to gain eligibility for coffee, USDA needs to understand what were the commodity losses, market losses, and price losses during the period between January 15, 2020 and April 15, 2020. "At least one of the following criteria must be met, so please share your data in your comment and be prepared to document your individual losses in your application relating to these factors:
     "Suffered a five percent-or-greater price decline between mid-January and mid-April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; shipped but subsequently spoiled due to loss of marketing channel; or not left the farm or remained unharvested as mature crops."
     Manfredi noted that USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service had an average green price in 2019 of $20.10 per pound. "This may be higher or lower than your actual price. If possible, please offer evidence of your price, including any documented price drop through the USDA portal. The USDA staff told us that Value-Added (roasted) pricing is not eligible. Growers who submit roasted coffee valuations will be rejected so please use green pricing in your comment. It's important to comment whether or not you have documentation or if you intend to apply. The deadline for comments is June 22, 2020.
     "You may apply now for relief. Please contact your local FSA office to begin this process. FSA can receive your application but they are unable to process it until coffee is made eligible. Applications will be accepted until August 28, 2020."
     Manfredi said HCA will follow up with more information. "Feel free to reach out to local FSA with questions regarding this program by visiting their website."

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KĪLAUEA RECOVERY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATIONS are open. Hawaiʻi County Council authorized nonprofit organizations from Volcano into Puna to apply for recovery funding to address damages suffered by the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.
     Qualifying nonprofit organizations will have until 4:30 p.m. Friday, July 24 to apply. The program is supported by recovery funds provided by the State. Grants are capped at $500,000. Grants may be used for capital improvement purposes as long as the structure, property, fixture, or road was
destroyed, damaged, or shown to be at risk by the eruption. Grantees must show that the properties or improvements were properly permitted and in compliance with State and County laws prior to the eruption.
     Applications and supporting documentation can be mailed to: Kīlauea Disaster Recovery Program Communications Specialist, Dept. of Research and Development, County of Hawaiʻi25 Aupuni St., Room 1301, HiloHI 96720
     Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz introduced the bill authorizing the program, calling it part of a "roadmap to recovery. Community is still reeling from the devastation brought by the Kīlauea eruption but knows what it needs to bounce forward. I am honored to have worked with the Recovery Team to design a tool that empowers community to act. By leveraging this program, residents can implement community-based solutions that address the unique challenges they are seeing on the ground."
     For more information, and to access application documents, visit recovery.hawaiicounty.gov/resources/recovery-grants. For questions regarding the overall grant process, submittal process, and/or items on the checklist, contact Patti Pinto, Recovery Assistant, at 961-8500 or patti.pinto@hawaiicounty.gov.

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WITH EUCALYPTUS LOGS FROM KAʻŪ TREE FARMS PILING UP, the Hū Honua electric plant nears completion on the Hamakua Coast to burn biofuel for energy to sell to the utility company. Hū Honua awaits approval by the Public Utilities Commission to open the $336 million plant. A story by Megan Fernandes this week in Pacific Business News reviews the situation.
     The PUC is considering a revised Hawaiian Electric purchase agreement to buy power from the $336 million Hū Honua plant, following the state Supreme Courts' annulment of an earlier agreement last June. Hū Honua is going through the PUC's regulatory process again, "with more consideration given to reducing greenhouse gas emissions," reported Pacific Business News.
Eucalyptus trees and their logs farmed to burn for 
energy on Kamehameha School lands around Pāhala. 
Photo by Julia Neal
     The 21.5-megawatt facility is nearly complete and could operate this year, with PUC approval. Representatives for the energy company and its Honolulu-based Yamamoto Caliboso law firm, urged the PUC to hold a scheduling conference on this docket. However, the PUC said the issue is delayed by a request for proposals from Hawaiian Electric, and the "drastic reshaping of the economic landscape in the state over the past few months" during the pandemic. The PUC says it needs "necessary time to reflect on the current set of renewable energy projects under consideration in its various ongoing dockets" and will place the order on the docket "as soon as reasonably possible," writes PBN
     PBN quotes a letter from the PUC: "This is in particular recognition of the fact that any decision the commission makes on one project for Hawaiʻi Island will necessarily have effects on other, future commission decisions, and the fact that it is crucially important at this time to ensure that the commission's decisions reflect the best long-term choices for the state's recovering economy, clean energy transformation, Hawaiʻi Island's grid, and Hawaiian Electric [Companies'] ratepayers." During the pandemic, the commission has invited proposals and new programs that could support and expand clean energy job opportunities.
     On June 10, the Yamamoto Caliboso law firm shared Hū Honua's concern regarding the delay: "Hū Honua is not a replacement for variable renewables; instead, it is a firm generation replacement for existing fossil generation. Hū Honua can co-exist with other existing and future renewable energy resources... The project will have a significant role in the revitalization of Hawaiʻi Island's agricultural sector and will enable our state's renewable energy goals to be achieved in parallel with agricultural activities which utilize, process, and harvest commercially-grown local crops."

Ocean View distribution of the ʻĀina, ʻOhana, and Me packets, by
Food Corp's Katie Graham, handing out garden seeds, soil, and more for
keiki. Pāhala distribution is Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Graham called
the Ocean View distribution on Saturday "a big hit" for budding
young gardeners. Photo from PARENTS, Inc.
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‘ĀINA, ‘OHANA, & ME SUMMER CHALLENGE PACKETS will be given away to keiki in Pāhala from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17 at Pāhala Shopping Center.
     ‘Āina, ‘Ohana, and Me is a collaborative pilot project between PARENTS, Inc. and Food Corps Hawai‘i. Each packet will include seeds, soil, a notebook, colored pencils, and ‘āina-based activities for families to connect with each other and the outdoors. Putting the packets together are Ali McKeigue, of PARENTS, Inc. and Katie Graham, of Food Corps. Hawai‘i.

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Keiki all over the island receive hot food prepared by Boys & Girls Club Big Island. Photos from BGCBI
FORTY-TWO THOUSAND HOT MEALS – so far – have been cooked, transported, and delivered from Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island to residents in need during the pandemic. Chief Executive Officer Chad Cabral said this week that Boys & Girls produces over 900 individually plated "comfort food" meals each day "that go to support our Island keiki, kūpuna, homeless populations, and to family households that have experienced employment loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated business closures."
West Hawaiʻi received Pork and Peas hot food plates
yesterday. Photo from BGCBI
      Yesterday, East Hawaiʻi received Pork Adobo plates, West Hawaiʻi received Pork and Peas.
     All meals continue to be provided free-of-charge, said Cabral. "It is estimated to cost approximately $5.50 for each meal to be produced and transported by BGCBI. Forty-two thousand meals at $5.50 comes at no small cost to provide. Thank you to everyone who has joined our efforts in helping to make this much needed nutritional supplementation resource possible."
      Cabral said Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island "will continue with this critical support offering throughout Hawaiʻi Island for as long as we are able to. Keep safe everyone and let's continue to heal our Island and communities together. You are making a difference!"
     Donate at bgcbi.com. Learn how to volunteer, info@bgcbi.org or 808-961-5536.

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A VIRTUAL SUMMER READING PROGRAM FOR ALL AGES is open through the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System. Imagine Your Story, the 2020 Virtual Summer Reading Program, runs through August 31.
     The expanded online Summer Reading Program allows all readers, from keiki to kūpuna, flexibility to explore creativity and imagination using a mobile phone application, design to be easy to use. Virtual activities, programs, and crafts are available. Take the challenge to read and log 1,000 minutes. For every 100 minutes of reading logged, library patrons are rewarded with a virtual badge, a downloadable activity, and an automatic entry in the lucky prize drawing. The more one reads, the better chances are to win the grand prize drawing: four roundtrip tickets to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies, courtesy of Alaska Airlines.
     State Librarian Stacey Aldrich says, "Ignite your imagination through fairy tales, fantasy, crafts, artwork, sewing, writing, poetry, music, photography, and more! This summer is the perfect time to download ebooks, audiobooks, and emagazines.  If you don't already have a library card, no problem! Everyone can now apply for a library card online and participate in our Summer Reading Program. Read and log your minutes online, and help us reach our statewide reading goal of 10 million minutes."
     To register, visit librarieshawaii.org/SummerReading. Hawaiʻi's Summer Reading Program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Hawaiʻi and other 2020 Summer Reading Sponsors.

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FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS AND GUARDIANS of Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School Students is requested by Principal Sharon Beck: "As we plan for the opening of the 2020-21 school year, we would like to gather feedback from our parents/guardians about what that might look like for our students. The deadline to complete and return the survey is June 30, 2020. Thank you for your time in helping us better serve our students and families."

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Chef Instructor Paul Heerlein
A FREE ONLINE COOKING DEMONSTRATION by Chef Instructor Paul Heerlein, CCE, CCC is available from Hawaiʻi Community College – Pālamanui will be held Thursday, June 18 from noon to 12:30 p.m. Heerlein, coordinator of the Culinary Arts Program at Pālamanui, will give a virtual tour of the Culinary Arts program and provide a demonstration on making "Holiday Hollandaise." Cooking enthusiasts and those interested in learning about the Culinary Arts program at HCC – Pālamanui in Kona can tune in to the free Zoom workshop. The workshop is part of a series of online workshops HCC – Pālamanui is offering this summer called "Discover Pālamanui."
     For the zoom link and more information, go to hawaii.hawaii.edu/discoverpalamanui

A FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP ON DEGREES is scheduled for Thursday evening from 5:30-6:30 p.m. from Hawaiʻi Community College – Pālamanui. From "UH Online and Hybrid Degrees," students can learn about their options for accessing University of Hawaiʻi bachelor's and graduate degree programs through distance learning. 
     For the zoom link and more information, go to hawaii.hawaii.edu/discoverpalamanui

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code. White is 
zero cases. Yellow is one to five cases. Light orange (not pictured) 
is six to ten cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 11 to 20 cases. 
Red (not pictured) is 21 to 50 cases.
Hawaiʻi Department of Health map
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NO NEW COVID-19 CASES ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND, but four new cases on Oʻahu bring the state's new case total to 91 in 11 days. All but one, reported Saturday on this island, are on Oʻahu.
     Hawaiʻi Island has recorded only one new case in nearly three weeks. Hawaiʻi Department of Health says the case is "very isolated and connected to a previous travel-related case and is being monitored." The other 81 COVID-19 victims on Hawaiʻi Island recovered. No one died here. There was only one overnight hospitalization.
     Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu has reported 505 cases, Kauaʻi 21, and Maui County 120. Twelve victims are residents who were diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 740 people have been confirmed positive for the virus. Seventeen people died.
     The daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno says, " Commencing today, June 16th, inter-island travelers will not be subjected to a 14-day quarantine. Out-of-state travelers are still subjected to the 14-day quarantine policy. The State and Island of Hawaiʻi are moving forward on reopenings, but remember that the Coronavirus threat remains and we must continue to follow the preventive policies to protect our community. Please do your part to stop this virus. Thank you for listening. Have a safe day. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency."
     In the United States, more than 2,133,716 cases have been confirmed. The death toll is over 116,962. Worldwide, more than 8,162,276 have contracted COVID-19. The death toll is more than 443,685.

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.

EVENTS
Advocate for Hawaiʻi Crops to be Included in Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Listing by submitting comments by June 22. The CFAP helps agricultural producers impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. Crops not included are coffee, macadamia nuts, cacao, and more. Comments can be submitted online, or by mail by, June 22. Go to regulations.gov/document?D=FSA-2020-0004-0003 or mail to: Director, SND, FSAU.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 0522, WashingtonDC 20250-0522. Reference Docket ID: FSA-2020-0004.
     Questions? Contact William L. Beam, (202) 720-3175 or email Bill.Beam@usda.gov. Persons with disabilities or who require alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
     "One well-supported comment is often more influential than a thousand form letters," says UH-CTAHR's Andrea Kawabata. See Tips for Submitting Effective Comments.

Register for Hawaiʻi Coffee Association Webinar Series. The virtual event will be held Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25. Each session is designed to provide important updates on the effects of the pandemic on the Hawaiʻi coffee industry and on the coffee industry at large, as well as addressing other useful topics to inform coffee professionals of changing trends and regulations. Each session must be registered for individually – go to hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/page-1771697. The sessions will be recorded and later published on the HCA website. To become a sponsor for the webinar, click here.

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 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
     The next drive-thru screening at Nāʻālehu Community Center will be held Wednesday, June 24 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 was June 1; the July date will be announced later.
     Ocean View's Kahuku Park was June 9; the July date will be announced later.
     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.

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