Friday, June 19, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Friday, June 19, 2020

A group of Discovery Harbour residents has submitted the Discovery Harbour Golf Cours and buffer zones for
purchase with PONC funds for golf, trails, bicycle park, tennis courts, and other options.
Photo from haleyhawaii.com
See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

DISCOVERY HARBOUR GOLF COURSE IS NOMINATED FOR ACQUISITION THROUGH PONC FUNDING. Ron Schoenherr, of Discovery Harbour, is one of the organizers of the effort. He noted that with the closure of Volcano and Sea Mountain golf courses, Discovery Harbour Golf Course is the only Kaʻū regional course that is playable and open to the public. It "has become much more important for Kaʻū area golfers. Discovery Harbour residents are pursuing a couple of options."
     One course of action is nominating the land for acquisition through Hawaiʻi County's Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. Schoenherr said the "Kaʻū community and Discovery Harbour residents need an affordable regional golf course, and space for hiking and biking trails, a little league baseball - soccer field, a dog park, a dirt track bicycle park, tennis courts, and other recreational options. The Discovery Harbour Golf Course and surrounding buffer acreage could provide the space for all these activities and more. As a regional recreation area, this space could be run as a public non-profit by volunteers coordinating with county and local entities and kept in perpetuity for this purpose. There could be 'iron rangers' and mail-in options for the collections of nominal fees."
Volunteers keep Discovery Harbour course mowed but the owner may stop
the golfing and find other uses starting in September.
Photo from haleyhawaii.com
     Monthly meetings of PONC for discussing acquisition nominees begin Monday, July 13 in the Hilo County Building's County Council Chambers. Meetings may not allow the public, depending on the course of COVID-19. However, the public can send in testimony to PONC, 25 Aupuni St., Suite 1401HiloHI 96720.
     The other option for the golf course land pursued by Discovery Harbour residents also involves a non-profit, volunteer effort. The proposal is to operate a full-time clubhouse and pro-shop with cart rentals and operation of the golf course. Proposed golf course fees would be equivalent "to low-end commercial or municipal golf operations, but would still be higher than what many Kaʻū and Discovery Harbour residents could or would pay to play golf on a regular basis," said Schoenherr. "Commercial efforts to run the Discovery Harbour golf course have repeatedly failed in the past. If priced too high, this effort will likely end with the same results."
     He cautioned that owners of Discovery Harbour Golf Course have indicated that they could lock the course in September and no longer allow volunteer mowing operations or trespassing. The alternative is a two-year leasing plan to an operator of the golf course or purchase of the land.
     Schoenherr said that the golf course owners are allowed to convert the golf course to any agriculture, including raising cattle and pigs. He said the owners have also indicated that they may create a coffee plantation in the buffer area of the course and could eventually convert the whole course to raising coffee.
Discovery Harbour Golf Course could wind up with coffee farming along its borders. Photo from haleyhawaii.com
     Local residents are currently maintaining the course in exchange for using the course. That arrangement could end in September unless the volunteer course keepers come up liability insurance and form an LLC to run the course.
     For more on the Discovery Harbour Golf Course proposal, call Ron Schoenherr at 775-846-8381 or email mtrosealoha@sbcglobal.net.
     See more on PONC properties in Kaʻū recently nominated for acquisition and opportunities to steward Kaʻū properties in upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs and the July print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper.

Discovery Harbour was built as a golf course community.
Photo from haleyhawaii.com
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MAKING JUNETEENTH A NATIONAL HOLIDAY, to commemorate the end of slavery, is the aim of a bipartisan resolution from 181 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Tulsi Gabbard and Ed Case. With Hawaiʻi, North Dakota, and South Dakota the only states that don't recognize the holiday, members of Congress suggest commemorating June 19, 1865, as the end of slavery in the United States. On that date, Union forces read orders in Texas – one of the farthest reaches of the former Confederate States – enforcing the end of slavery in America. Juneteenth has been commemorated in communities across the country for 155 years.
     Gabbard said, "Though slavery officially ended following the Civil War, its consequences are still felt to this day. This resolution celebrates the end of that evil institution. It also reminds us that those consequences are an open wound carried by the descendants of its victims. Remembering our history and acknowledging that it impacts our present is crucial in helping solve the challenges of our future."
     Case said, "Freedom Day, a day not only of celebration and commemoration but for each and all of us to look outward and inward to the still-persisting legacy of slavery and to ask what each and all of us can do to end it once and for all."
     Gabbard recently cosponsored legislation "which seeks to confront and address the continued racism and implicit bias that has undermined civil rights and equal protection under the law as was highlighted by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers in May," says a statement from her office. She has also backed a bills that would designate lynching as a federal hate crime, create a commission to explore reparations proposals to address the impacts of slavery, and more.
Juneteenth official flag, from activist Ben Haith, founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation.

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HAWAIʻI HAS THE WORST UNEMPLOYMENT RECOVERY form the pandemic in the U.S., according to a recent report from WalletHub. It compared the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Hawaiʻi has a 730.64 percent increase in unemployment between May 2020 and May 2019, with 141,832 unemployed in 2020 versus 17,075 in 2019. Between January and May 2020, there was a 629.44 percent increase in unemployment, with 19,444 unemployed in January. For May, Hawaiʻi had a 22.5 percent unemployment rate, second only to Nevada at 25.2 percent.
     Hawaiʻi is followed in slow recovery by Nevada, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The states doing the best in recovery are Nebraska, with a 5.1 percent unemployment rate, D.C., Arizona, New Mexico, and Montana.
     WalletHub reports the American economy added 2.5 million nonfarm payroll jobs in May, taking the U.S. unemployment rate to 13.3 percent, compared to the "nearly historic high" of 14.7 percent at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The drop "can be attributed to the fact that all U.S. states have begun to reopen non-essential businesses. In addition, most people who became unemployed during this crisis have only been temporarily laid off, and expect to be rehired by their former employers once companies reopen and start to make money again. However, it will take far more time for us to reduce the unemployment rate to pre-pandemic levels than it did for the virus to reverse over a decade of job growth."

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Volcano Art Center's two locations - within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
 and in Volcano Village at the Niʻaulani Campus - are open for
in-person and virtual experiences, including tours and classes.
Photo by Julia Neal
EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
ARE LIVE AT VOLCANO ART GALLERY in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The Gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. The Campus is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
     Both locations are operating under CDC guidelines and social distancing protocol; face masks are required for entry into buildings, tours, and classes.
     All quilters are invited to participate in the third semi-annual quilt show, Quilts in the Forest – Winds of Change. The show opens on July 17 and continues through Aug. 8, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entries may be submitted by full-time and part-time residents of Hawai‘i Island, whether they are amateur or professional quilters. Call 967-8222 for entry info.
     Further details for all events can be found at volcanoartcenter.org/events or by calling 967-8222:
     At Niʻaulani, guided nature walks through the Nature Trail & Sculpture Garden resume Mondays at 9:30 a.m. No reservations are required for groups of five or fewer – limited to ten people. Free, but donations are greatly appreciated. Email programs@volcanoartcenter.org. The garden is open to walk through at one's own pace during operating hours.
A one-way experience at Volcano Art Center. Photo by Julia Neal
     Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays resumes Monday, June 22.
     Join Yoga with Heather Lewis from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 22.
     Experience an Eco-Tour at Shaka Forest Farms in Volcano Village on Friday, July 3 at 10 a.m.
     An Independence Day Community Barbecue will be held at Niʻaulani on Saturday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or as long as supplies last. Free grilled hot dogs and hamburgers will be handed out, and chicken and ribs plates will be available for
purchase.
     Zentangle with Lydia Meneses is back on Saturday, July 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
     Learn how to Grow Food From Wood: Mushroom Cultivation with Zach Mermel in two separate workshops on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
     Virtual workshop via Zoom, Strategies to Jump-Start Your Writing by Jacquolyn McMurray and Kristin Wolfgang, will be held Saturday, July 25 from 9 a.m. to noon. "How long has writing been on your bucket list? Are you ready to make 2020 the year you finally get started or restarted? This class is perfect for all writers seeking new inspiration and strategies."
     At the Gallery in the Park, exhibition Mixed Flock: Prints by Margaret Barnaby and Pottery by Emily Herb has been held over. Also available to view online, view the exhibition in person from during normal gallery hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. The exhibition features two prominent female artists from Volcano Village "who find deep inspiration in Hawaiʻi's natural environment and specifically the native bird populations found within it."
Floor arrows show how to maintain social distancing
within VAC. Photo by Julia Neal
     Gallery Manager Emily C. Weiss says, "Both artists create graphic representations of species unique to Hawaiʻi. Their works expose and inform the viewer, educating people about many rare, endangered and even extinct species. VAC is honored to share their newest works which help support the Center's mission to promote, develop, and perpetuate the artistic, cultural, and environmental heritage of Hawaiʻi through arts and education."
    Both Volcano Art Center locations offer virtual shopping appointments. Via Skype or FaceTime, a VAC associate helps customers browse the selection of artwork up close, and gives personalized tips and recommendations to help customers "find that perfect piece of locally made artwork, wherever you are in the world!" Book an appointment online for $5 and VAC staff will help schedule a date and time, here. Shop the online gallery 24/7. Orders are shipped as regularly scheduled. Free local pickup is available.
     VAC also now offers a Virtual Classroom, which features over 90 videos.
     Volcano Art Center is a non-profit educational organization created in 1974 to promote, develop, and perpetuate the artistic and cultural heritage of Hawai‘i's people and environment through activities in the visual, literary, and performing arts. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for full event details and more.

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NEW COVID CASES SURGED TO 27 STATEWIDE TODAY,  with all on Oʻahu except one in Maui County and one on Kauaʻi. Gov. David Ige said the spike was expected: "Today's spike in positive cases was anticipated as we began the process to re-open our community. It is still manageable, but it serves as a reminder that we must continue to be vigilant in the battle against COVID-19, especially because of the potential harm that the virus can cause to our most vulnerable populations.
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
     "We are well-prepared to handle this level of new cases. We have good capacity for testing, contact tracing, and care within our hospitals and other healthcare facilities. In addition, the increase in cases is a clear sign that our contact tracing and testing programs are working and we're finding more COVID-19 in our communities.
     "It's critically important that we slow the spread of the disease by continuing the safe practices that have become the new norm. The reopening of our communities and our ability to remain open depends on how successful we are at preventing surges that could overwhelm our healthcare system."
     On Hawaiʻi Island, no new cases are reported today. There are two active cases here, one in Ocean View, one in Puna. Both cases are identified as travel-related and state Department of Health asks the public to "emphasize the importance of caution while traveling." Both cases are monitored by DOH.
     The 25 new cases today on Oʻahu, and one each on Kauaʻi and in Maui County, bring the state's new case total to 141 in 14 days.
     Hawaiʻi Island recorded its two new cases in the last three weeks. The other 81 COVID-19 victims on Hawaiʻi Island recovered. Since the pandemic began, no one died here. There were two hospitalizations on-island; both patients have been released.
     Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 551 cases, Kauaʻi 22, and Maui County 121. Twelve victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 789 people were confirmed positive for the virus. Seventeen people died.
     The daily message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno says, "The Island of Hawaiʻi is in a good place of minimizing the spread of the coronavirus. This is due to your efforts and work of prevention. In moving forward, know the importance of continuing to follow the preventive policies of protecting yourself and our community. Thank you for doing your part to stop this virus. Thank you for listening and a beautiful Aloha Friday to you. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency."
     In the United States, more than 2,220,961 cases have been confirmed. The death toll is over 119,112. Worldwide, more than 8,641,521 have contracted COVID-19. The death toll is more than 459,474.

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AVOCADO GROWERS are urged to take a survey to help identify opportunities for expanding the local avocado industry. Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United says the purpose of this survey is to estimate the current supply of avocados grown commercially in Hawaiʻi, including the types of cultivars (varieties) and growing elevations on each island. This information will assist local farmers, buyers, and agencies develop strategies to bolster Hawaiʻi's avocado industry, says HFUU.
     The survey is conducted by HFUU and Hawaiʻi Avocado Association as part of a Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Product Promotion Grant for fiscal year 2020. Farmers and farm names will be kept anonymous. The results will be shared publicly.
     Those who complete the survey will receive an option to register to win a $200 gift certificate to Home Depot. 
     For a hard copy of the survey, email info@growfruithawaii.com.
     Take the survey: surveymonkey.com/r/Hawaiiavosurvey2020.

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WHEN TRAVELING TO KONA OR HILO, WHERE THERE ARE TRAFFIC LIGHTS, understand traffic signal rules. That's the message from the county Department of Public works: "As motorists, we've all been there. You reach an intersection and discover the traffic light is not working due to a power outage or storm. What do you do?"
     Malfunctioning Traffic Signals – Who Has the Right of Way?  If a traffic signal is not functioning or flashing, motorists should treat the intersection as a four-way stop and yield to motorists that get to the intersection first. In the event two vehicles arrive at an intersection at the same time, yield to the vehicle on the right. Proceed with caution as other vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians may not stop.
     To report a malfunctioning traffic signal, call the Traffic Division at (808) 961-8341 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; after hours, call the Hawaiʻi Police Department at 9-1-1.
     Red Light: To Turn or Not to Turn? Right turns on red are allowed at intersections with traffic signals if not prohibited by signs. Where right turns on red are allowed, motorists are reminded that they must first come to a complete stop and proceed only when it is safe to do so. When a traffic signal shows a red arrow for a right turn, right turns on red are allowed unless prohibited by signs.
     Motorists also need to be especially aware of pedestrians who are legally crossing the street on either a white "WALK" or flashing red "DON'T WALK" signal. Pedestrians are cautioned to be aware of motorists who are making a right turn on red. It's a good practice to make eye contact with the driver whenever crossing any street to help assure a safer crossing.
     Department of Public Works Traffic Division has a free Rules of the Road brochure with traffic safety tips. The brochure is available at the DPW Administration office, 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7, in Hilo. Bulk orders of the brochure are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To request a copy of the Rules of the Road brochure, call 961-8499.

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
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.

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.

Attend a Wildfire Risk for Farms Webinar Wednesday, June 24 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Hawaiʻi Farm Fire Management Webinar, presented by University of Hawaiʻi Cooperative Extension, offers "Assessing and reducing wildfire risk on your farm! Dry season is here and wildfire risk is ramping up. Are you prepared? Join us for an online webinar about how to assess and reduce wildfire risk on your farm." Clay Trauernicht, UH Extension Specialist in Wildfire Science and Management, will speak on planning for fire preparedness, identifying fire-related hazards on the land, and methods to manage vegetation to reduce fire risk. Q&A facilitated by Josh Silva, Extension Agent in Edible Crops. RSVP at eventbrite.com/e/hawaii-farm-fire-management-webinar-tickets-109038286450.

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.

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." Deadline is June 30KHPES Parent Survey: Planning for the 2020-21 School Year.

ONGOING
Free COVID-19 Screenings are at Bay Clinic during business hours, with appointment. Call 333-3600.
     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.
     A testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday. The next date is July 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
     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 provides food to those in need. See hawaiifoodbasket.org to verify dates and times. The ʻOhana Food Drop program is being phased out. Nāʻālehu's final date is tentatively Wednesday, July 8 from 10 a.m. until pau – supplies run out – at Nāʻālehu Shopping Center. Ocean View residents can go to The Food Basket's pantry at St. Jude's the last Tuesday of the month, July 28. Go to Volcano's Cooper Center at 19-4030 Wright Road on Wednesday, June 24 or July 22, 10 a.m. until pau. Go to Pāhala's Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street on Tuesday, June 30, 10 a.m. until pau. There will be no July date.

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.

Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. 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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