Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, July 19, 2020

Read details about Blue Planet Foundation's "course for a resilient future," below.
Image from Blue Planet Foundation

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

BLUE PLANET FOUNDATION RELEASED ITS WAYPOINTS plan late last week, to chart "Hawai‘i's course for a resilient future." The organization, whose founder lives on Hawai‘i Island, defines a waypoint as "An intermediate point on a route; a point at which the course is changed." It's a term related to wayfinders, the Polynesian navigators who brought human settlement to Hawai‘i.
     The release of Waypoints during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has meaning. "This moment represents both a dark time and an unparalleled opportunity to reshape and revitalize our collective future. Blue Planet seeks to contribute to charting a course for regrowth in Hawai‘i through a climate, resilience, and equity lens," says an introduction to Waypoints.

     Waypoints outlines programs and policies to "help foster economic growth, create new jobs, grow state revenue, ensure equitable access and affordability, accelerate our transition to a 100 percent clean energy future and address climate change." Blue Planet Foundation warns that "The inertia of the incumbent fossil fuel interests and status quo institutions and the pull to return to 'business as usual' will be strong in the coming months and years. Our intention is to illuminate, explore, and create a dialogue for a fresh path forward for Hawai‘i's future.

     "With over 200,000 residents out of work and the state's main economic driver completely shut down, this disruption has also magnified underlying problems, such as disproportionate access to resources, our dependency on forces beyond our control, systemic racism, and human vulnerability. As we are confronted with tough choices about how best to proceed, we have the incredible opportunity to reimagine what is possible for our state and our collective future. How do we truly build an economy around the pillars of resiliency, equitability, and sustainability? How can we align our state fiscal policy with our other vital societal goals? How do we guide our recovery toward growth that is efficient, innovative, and creates meaningful jobs? More broadly, how can Hawai‘i use its position and image to model and leverage change needed globally?"
     A statement from Blue Planet says that "The disruption wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of our economy and in many ways, our way of life."

Henk Rogers, founder of Blue
Planet Foundation.

     Waypoints presents a portfolio of actions, saying, "These proposed initiatives, policies, and programs are targeted to help us in the near term and set us up for the long term. Our intention is to help shape the state's recovery in a way that is informed by the values of Hawai‘i while being responsive to our urgent climate challenge. We wish to present a better path forward and be propelled onto it with newfound momentum. This moment in time represents an unparalleled opportunity to reshape and revitalize our collective future. Let's use it to create lasting change jobs, grow state revenue, ensure equitable access and affordability, accelerate our transition to 100 percent clean energy, and address climate change."

     Download Waypoints here and see more coverage of Blue Planet's recommended actions in upcoming Ka‘ū Calendar News Briefs.

      Blue Planet Foundation was created by its board chair Henk Rogers, who lives on Hawai‘i Island. He is a leader in the worldwide gaming industry through Tetris. As a philanthropist, he focuses on "the mission of stewarding the environment through developing non-carbon, clean energy sources," says his bio on Blue Planet Foundation's website. See more on Rogers and learn about the other board members in Hawaiʻi.

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ABILITY TO MONITOR THOSE IN QUARANTINE AND LACK OF SURETY IN COVD-19 TESTS to be taken by incoming visitors could delay opening up Trans-Pacific travel by Sept. 1. That's the prediction of Mayor Kim during a 60-minute interview on Thursday with writer Nancy Cook Lauer of West Hawaiʻi Today. The story, published Sunday morning, quoted the mayor, also saying out-of-state college students should wait beyond Aug. 24 to come to Hawaiʻi.

Mayor Harry Kim

     The story points to Kim reminding readers of his background as the island's longtime Civil Defense chief. He told Cook Lauer that his experience in operations helps identify weak links in procedural chains that can cause the operation to fail. He said the state should be ready before opening up and should refrain from predicting a date for reaching readiness to accept trans-Pacific travel. He pointed to the explosive surge in COVID cases on the mainland as a necessary consideration.
     The story also says that Kim and Maui Mayor Mike Victorino are the two holding back on accepting return of out-of-state college students while Kauaʻi and Oahu are letting them in with quarantine. "Kim said about half of University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo students come from Texas, Nevada, and California, the states with some of the highest COVID-19 hotspots," reported West Hawaiʻi Today.

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DEMOCRATS PLAN TO RESCHEDULE THE VIRTUAL HAWAIʻI COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY GRAND RALLY, which was scheduled for Saturday. Gerri Kahili, Grand Rally Chair, and Heather Kimball, Hawaiʻi County Party Chair, of the Grand Rally Committee, sent out a message on Saturday afternoon saying technical difficulties created the delay.

     "We apologize to our amazing candidates, party leadership, and members. This is extremely disappointing -- tons of time and resources have been poured by more than a dozen party members into preparing for the Virtual Grand Rally -- we will let you know when it will be aired -- soonest -- knowing that Primary Ballots have been received by many on our island.

     "Stay safe. Please be sure to VOTE."
      The Grand Rally will be rescheduled to be on Spectrum Channel 53, and online at naleo.tv/channel-53/. Nā Leo's mobile app is available in iOS and Google Play Marketplaces, and on Hawaiʻi County Democrats' Facebook page. It will be on YouTube for on-demand replay on both naleo.tv and HawaiiCountyDemocrats.org.

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KONA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL COVID-19 TEST RESULTS came back negative on Saturday, A statement from the hospital says that on Thursday, the hospital tested 548 employees. All are negative, except for two that remain with the test lab. One test is under review. The hospital promised to release the final results when available.
     Last week, the hospital reported three employees with COVID-19. All staff, affiliated employees, physicians, and contractors were tested, along with the 43 inpatients. Premier Medical Group Hawaiʻi operated the pop-up testing clinic for staff, while the hospital nursing staff tested inpatients. All tests were negative except a previously reported case, the only person on-island hospitalized for the virus.
     A second clinic to screen hospital families, visitors, discharged patients, and those community members concerned about potential COVID-19 exposure was held Saturday, with results to be announced this week.
     Kona Community Hospital announced that all staff who conducted patient care on July 4, when the three employees came up positive, will be retested this Monday, "as they are considered high risk." On Friday, July 24, all hospital personnel, affiliated staff, providers, and contractors will be tested again. On Thursday, July 30, testing will be held based on results from the 24th.
     Interim Chief Nurse, Stephanie Irwin, said she is very pleased with test results, and "looks forward to the final tests coming back from the lab. Our staff have trained diligently in best practices for infection prevention." She said the results so far, "verify their level of commitment to providing safe care."
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JARED AUNA is running for Hawaiʻi County Prosecutor, with a plan for public safety, Big Island Focused Justice Plan. His campaign information says he is a founding member of the Beach Boys Aloha Crew, a group that picked up trash at beaches, and was a member of Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout Troop 54.

Hawaiʻi County Prosecutor candidate Jared Auna 

     A Hawaiʻi Island native, Auna's campaign information says he left the island to pursue a business and legal education. "After gaining business and legal experience in the other counties, I returned home to serve our community." He is a former deputy prosecutor for Kauaʻi County, Maui County, and Hawaiʻi County. He is currently a defense attorney in Hilo and says he has "a diverse perspective after having represented the state in the past, and now representing individuals and defending their rights."

     In a video filmed from Maunakea Access Road to the summit, he explains the reason he left the prosecutors office and became a defense attorney, and why he is running for prosecutor. He says he was taken off cases dealing with felonies, burglaries, robberies, shootings, family abuse, and more, and sent to the mayor's office to participate in handling the prosecution of the 34 kūpuna arrested on the access road while protesting the Thirty Meter Telescope. "I witnessed courage… strong, wise kūpuna who put themselves on the front line to protect what was sacred. I committed to protecting the people…" He says the TMT project should not be built, that the kūpuna should never have been arrested, and that he had to "remove my mana from that office, because instead of focusing on the protection of the people, they're focusing on corporate profit, foreign entities… I didn't want to be a part of that." See the video here.

     His campaign information says his top priorities, if elected, would be missing children and prosecuting charges of enticement of minors, kidnapping, sex trafficking, and promoting prostitution; ending negligent homicide by drunk and impaired drivers; protecting kūpuna from scams and elder abuse; domestic violence prosecutions; environmental prosecutions; community involvement in rooting out crime; justice reform to prioritize and focus on the most important and most harmful and dangerous issues, and promote effective rehabilitation and reintegration; fiscal responsibility, ensuring taxpayer money "is no longer wasted and that our government is cost-efficient;" and reorganization of the Prosecutor Office business structure "to run efficiently by employing the best practices of each of my past offices… Join me in making our island safer."

     See facebook.com/aunaforprosecutor.

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ROBERT KELLY GREENWELL is running for Mayor of Hawaiʻi County, with an eye to "convincing voters that change is essential to survival." He is a former North Kona Councilman and owner of nursery Hawaiian Gardens.

     Born in Kona in 1941, his campaign information says he is associated with Kona Young Farmers; Kona Outdoor Circle, past President; Hawaiʻi Nurseryman's Association, past Director; Na Kokua Kaloko-Honokōhau National Park, past President; Kealakehe 2020, co-founder and past President; Kauikeaouli Canoe Club (Keauhou), founding member and past President; Kona Soil and Water Conservation District, past Chair; Resource Conservation and Development, past Chair; Kealakehe Community Association, past President; Kailua Village Design Committee, past President; Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce, member; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, member; Advisory committee, HELCO Keahole; and Keahole Agricultural Park, petitioner. He remarked to The Kaʻū Calendar that he does not play golf.

Hawaiʻi County mayoral candidate
Robert Kelly Greenwell

     Greenwell's campaign information says his priorities are to have Hawaiʻi County participate in programs to qualify for federal funding, stimulus spending bills, and programs rather than increasing taxes; to "promote the concept of villages rather than houses for our disadvantaged citizens;" establish universal and complete healthcare coverage; build the Thirty Meter Telescope "in accordance with native and local custom/culture;" change the designation of marijuana from legal to decriminalized; and initiate "a national movement to stop referring to people according to the color of their skin or where they may have come from."

     His campaign information says, "Things are going downhill on the planet and the only people with the tools and the know-how to reverse that slide are us. Our evolved culture is about inclusivity, it's about acceptance, and it is founded upon that which is real. These qualities allow us to respect and honor our environment and each other, which then qualifies us as stewards of the future.

     "What is needed right now is to put in place an effort to convince the rest of the worlds cultures, which are exclusive and therefore stagnant, regressive and deadly, that our system of cooperation and reverence for the natural is undeniable if humankind is to avoid extinction.

     "Biologically, the planet has no use for us and that is the ticket to oblivion.

     "My role in this mission is to alert the voters to the imminence of the dilemma we face, restructure it as an opportunity, outlining sources of investment (federal and private sector), map out economic opportunity (tropical agriculture research, tropical disease research, technology, and communications centers, and other learning institutions) that will enable us to influence the avoidance of world hunger, pandemic disease, and generally the stupidity that dominates world thought.

     "It is a monumental task but left undone we will all disappear, yet it is a task we can both embrace and accomplish. 

     "It is not enough to secure our own future, our job now is not to become the victim of those who build walls, for they will make it impossible for anyone to have a future."

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NUISANCE COASTAL FLOODING is expected to affect shorelines of Kaʻū and all of Hawaiʻi Island through much of the week, reports National Weather Service. The Special Weather Statement explains that a combination of "seasonally high astronomical tides and abnormally high sea levels will likely produce nuisance coastal flooding through much of this week. Impacts may include flooding of beaches that are normally dry and saltwater inundation of coastal infrastructure. Flooding is expected around the times of the afternoon high tide through Thursday. Visit tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov for information about forecast astronomical tides in your area."

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TWENTY-EIGHT NEW COVID-19 CASES IN HAWAIʻI are reported today, with two new cases on Hawaiʻi Island. There are 12 active cases on-island, with one hospitalization. The patients are being monitored by Department of Health.

     Oʻahu reported 26 new cases today, and lost one due to new information. Three cases' origins are not yet released. The state's new case total has increased by 161 in seven days.

Kevin Bernard speaks about his recent 14-day quarantine.
He urges the public to keep up with preventative measures.
Watch the interview at Big Island Video News.

    One case is reported in Volcano, zip code 96785, in the last 28 days. It has been more than 28 days since a case was recorded for a Kaʻū zip code. One zip code on the west side has between six and ten active cases. This island's other 101 confirmed COVID-19 victims recovered. Since the pandemic began, no one died here. Of the five hospitalized, four have been released.

     Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported1,065 cases, Kauaʻi 43, and Maui County 135. Twenty-two victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Twenty-four people in the state died from COVID-19. The state has reported 1,381 cases since the pandemic began.

     Big Island Video News shows an interview from Hawaiʻi COVID-19 Joint Information Center with a 21-year-old arrival from California who recently completed his quarantine on Hawaiʻi Island. Kevin Barnard and his 23-year-old brother Liam were tested for COVID-19 before flying in, even though that didn't exempt them from the 14-day quarantine. They spent two weeks in a family home in Waimea. A recent college graduate who intends to spend the summer doing research work prior to entering a graduate program either in-person or virtually this fall, Barnard said his days in quarantine were "pretty boring... I wake up. I get on my laptop, start to work away, go to a couple of virtual meetings, video chat, make meals in between, and that was about it."

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 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

     On Thursday, the state reported Hawaiʻi County has had 99 quarantine violation arrests, more than any other county. Barnard said those that violate the quarantine are "not helping the situation. Particularly on the Big Island, the rules are really important to ensure we’re minimizing coronavirus cases because the hospital bandwidth on the island is not big enough to handle cases… that's when it really gets dangerous. I feel like people my age, generally, just want to enjoy themselves and selectively ignore things that allow them to enjoy themselves. But even if you don't see it firsthand, even if you don't know someone who has coronavirus, it's very real and very dangerous. So, it's important to do preventative measures."

     Barnard said that everyone he has seen on Hawai‘i island has been wearing a mask, and he believes that has a lot to do with Hawaiʻi Island's relatively low COVID-19 case count, reports Big Island Video News. Watch the video here.

     In his daily message, Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno said, "The majority of states continue to see an increase of people being infected by the Coronavirus. Be reminded, the threat remains, so we need your help to keep Hawaii Island numbers low. We are all in this together. Please do your part by following the preventive measures of face coverings, distancing, gatherings, and cleanliness. Stay at home if you do not feel well and be considerate of the people around you. As a reminder, wearing of face coverings is mandatory on Hawaiʻi Island. Thank you for listening, have a safe weekend. This is your Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency."
     In the United States, more than 3,762,081 cases have been confirmed -- an increase of over 51,000 in about 24 hours. The death toll is over 140,474.

     The worldwide COVID-19 case count is more than 14.43 million. The death toll is more than 604,725.

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Nāʻālehu hosted the Kaʻū Little League Championships last year. Photo from Elizabeth Crook

Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year

     This time last year, Nāʻālehu hosted the Little League state championships from July 19 through 23. Teams from around the Hawaiian Islands and their fans flooded Kaʻū accommodations, restaurants, and stores. Kaʻū Little League Pres. Josh Crook said the tournament drew umpires from California, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island. Among them was Jamie Perez, who served as an umpire in the Little League World Series, Aug. 15 through 25, 2019, in Pennsylvania.

     With all the action at the Nāʻālehu Ballpark, the team from Maui won, defeating the 2018 world champions from Honolulu. Maui headed to the 2019 Western Regional U.S. Championships in San Bernardino, CA, Aug. 4 through 10. Winners played Aug. 15 through 25 at Little League Headquarters Complex in South Williamsport, PA, during the 73rd Little League World Series. Eight teams from the U.S. and eight from abroad competed for the title. Eastbank Little League of River Ridge, Louisiana, took the win.

Last year's volunteer umpires for the 2019 Kaʻū Little League 

Championships. Photo from Elizabeth Crook

     Teams that played in Nāʻālehu in the state finals were Kawaihau Kauaʻi, Central Maui, Ewa Beach Oʻahu, Honolulu Oʻahu, and Westside Big Island.

     Crook said the five-day state championship brought great baseball to the downtown ballpark in Nāʻālehu. Ewa beach was eliminated first, losing to Honolulu, then to Kauaʻi. Westside Big Island was next to go, losing to Honolulu and Kauaʻi. Kauaʻi suffered elimination by Honolulu.

     Maui began the final games, after beating Kauaʻi in round one and Honolulu in round three. Honolulu came to the finals after beating Ewa Beach in round one and Westside Big Island in round two, losing to Maui in round three, and beating Kauaʻi in round four. Honolulu, with one loss, needed to beat Maui twice to take the state championship.
     The first of the final games saw Honolulu beating Maui to even it up. Maui took it to Honolulu in game two, defeating the defending world champions 8 to 5.
     Kaʻū Little League President Josh Crook said, "Congratulations to Maui 2019 state champs. It was a great turnout all five days. It brought much joy to the players and staff and benefited the community. Kaʻū Little League desires for a growing interest and resurgence into the game of baseball both for the sake of players and for families and the community."

Central Maui, the regional winning team, traveled to California for the
Western Regional U.S. Championships in 2019. Photo from Elizabeth Crook

     Kaʻū Little League sponsored fundraising concessions, partnering with Miloliʻi-Kaʻū Volleyball on Sunday.
     Crook thanked Eugene Nairmatzu, Little League District Administrator, "and all the many volunteers who made it possible and gave their time and effort," including ʻO Kaʻū Kākou, Punaluʻu Bake Shop, Wikwiki Mart, Bee Boys, Andrade Contracting, Ed's Plumbing, Pāhala Pops, Kahuku Market, Kamakani Country Store, Lance Ako, and Randy Patton. He said there are many more who contributed, and "the gratitude is endless."

     Crook said that "baseball in Kaʻū will not be possible in the future without community and family support. If we are going to revive baseball here, we need coaches and players, and family involvement. We look forward to the future of youth baseball in Kaʻū."

     Look for more on future Little League activity in future Kaʻū News Briefs.
     Contact Crook, Kaʻū Little League President, to offer contributions, donations, and league involvement, at 345-0511.

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar 

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

Attend Miloliʻi Lawaiʻa ʻOhana Camp In-Person or Virtually. The tenth annual event runs through Monday, July 20, feature in-person classes for a limited number of students, and offering classes via Zoom. Receive the knowledge of kūpuna. Sponsors include Kalanihale, Paʻa Pono Miloliʻi, Kua O Ka Lā, Conservation International, Alu Like Inc, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, and Hawaiʻi Marine Education and ResearchCenter. See facebook.com/kalanihaleMilolii for more. Register for virtual classes here. Register for in-person attendance here. Contact organizer Kaimi Kaupiko at 937-1310 or kkaupiko@gmail.com with questions.

Survey on "Shovel-Ready" Food and Ag Projects is due by Wednesday, July 22 at https://tinyurl.com/y9zm63mw. Information will be used to encourage investment in the sector and inform decision making around federal stimulus, state/county, private, philanthropic, and other funding sources. The survey should take 5-10 minutes to complete. Learn more here. See http://plantofarm.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Agriculture-Response-and-Recovery-Plan-April-2-2020.pdf. Questions or comments, contact Christine Brammer, Executive and Program Director of Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaiʻi at director@agleaderhi.org.

Free Virtual Storytime Sessions with Jeff Gere, Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday for three weeks, 9:30 a.m. to 10:10 a.m., through July 23. Partnered with UH-Mānoa's Outreach College Statewide Cultural Extension Program. To attend each show, email jeffgere1031@gmail.com and csinfo@hawaii.edu, with the subject SCEP : Jeff Gere. In the body of the email, copy & paste in the programs wanted to watch from the list below. An email confirming the reservation will confirm receipt. About 30 minutes before each show starts at 9:30 a.m., csinfo@hawaii.edu will email the Zoom link to the email provided.

     Tuesdays: Participation Tales. July 21, Teaching Tales. Wednesdays: Folktales. July 22, several Adventurous Tales. Thursdays: "Spooky Hawaiʻi" Tales. July 23, Pele Tales, true stories of meeting Pele.

     During performances, leave microphones off so everyone can enjoy the show. Share sign-up information with "as many listeners as you like" and watch "as many shows as you like." Tech questions should be directed to summer aides. All attendees will be asked to answer a host and technology questionnaire after each show. Zoom's WEBINAR format does not allow a view of the audience. "We won't be able to see your children. It is not an issue."

Strategies to Jump-Start Your Writing by Jacquolyn McMurray and Kristin Wolfgang, a virtual workshop via Zoom, 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." volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Register and Submit Advance Questions for Webinar The Coming Covid Eviction Crisis and How to Stop It, with Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist Matthew Desmond on Tuesday, July 28 at 9 a.m. Desmond will be interviewed by Colin Moore, director of University of Hawaiʻi's Public Policy Center. Special guests include Philip Garboden, HCRC Professor in Affordable Housing, and Nalani Fujimori Kaina, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i. Register and submit advance questions here.

Family Farms Can Apply for $500 One-Time Emergency Relief Payment from Farm Aid. Funds are being administered by the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union Foundation and The Kohala Center. Applications are due no later than 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28. Bonafide family farms in Hawai'i who have suffered demonstrable economic loss as a result of COVID-19 may apply. Access to other federally-funded relief efforts (i.e., PPP, EIDL) and sustainable methods practiced on the farm will be considered when awarding relief payments.
     Use of the funds is restricted to household expenses, such as groceries, home utilities, medical bills, or other household expenses not directly related to the commercial operation of the farm or ranch. Funds may not be used for any farm operations, business expenses, or investment. IRS guidelines regarding direct assistance to farm families prevents granting funds to support the farm and its business costs. Acceptance of this grant award signifies recipient's understanding and agreement to these use requirements.
     To apply, email a signed copy of the grant application to Anny Bruch, vice president of Hawaiʻi Farmers Union Foundation, at vicepresident@HFUF.org. Applicants will be contacted via email after July 31. For more information, email vicepresident@HFUF.org.

Virtual Meeting of Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, Tuesday, July 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The public is invited to attend. The council will discuss previous action items, receive sanctuary updates, and address questions from members and the public. Public comment begins about 10:30 a.m.
     To provide comment, sign up in advance, email cindy.among-serrao@noaa.gov, or type a comment into the Question box. Register in advance at attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8466893051952339472. Learn more on Facebook; Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov; NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, sanctuaries.noaa.gov; State of Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources, dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar. See hawaiihumpbackwahle.noaa.gov.

Ocean View Community Center Reopens for events Monday, Aug. 3. The library will be open Friday mornings beginning Aug. 7. AdvoCATS, an all-volunteer non-profit organization "dedicated to the well-being of Hawaiʻi Islands's homeless cat population," which often offers spay and neutering services, will be at OV Community Center all day Tuesday, Aug. 11 -- see advocatshawaii.org. To schedule an event, contact Christopher Garske at chrisgarske@gmail.com or 650-996-2790.

Apply for Grants to Start, Expand, or Improve Rural Cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses in rural America. USDA will make $5.8 million in grants available under the Rural Cooperative Development Grant program. USDA encourages applications that will help improve life in rural America. Key strategies include: Achieving e-Connectivity for Rural America, Developing the Rural Economy, Harnessing Technological Innovation, Supporting a Rural Workforce, and Improving Quality of Life. Nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply, to provide technical assistance to individuals and rural businesses. Fiscal year 2019 award recipients who received a grant period extension due to a loss of operations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic are eligible to apply for fiscal year 2020 funding. Electronic applications must be submitted to grants.gov by 6 p.m. HST Aug. 3. Additional information is available on page 39870 of the July 2 Federal Register.

Exhibition Mixed Flock: Prints by Margaret Barnaby and Pottery by Emily Herb has been held over through Aug. 8. Also available to view online, view the exhibition in person the Gallery in the Park during normal gallery hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Free. 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." volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Apply for Grants to Help Socially Disadvantaged Groups develop business and strategic plans in rural areas through USDA Rural Development through 6 p.m. HST on Aug. 10 at grants.gov. Eligible applicants include cooperatives, groups of cooperatives, and cooperative development centers. USDA defines a socially disadvantaged group as one "whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities."

     Applicants are encouraged to consider projects that provide measurable results in helping rural communities build robust and sustainable economies through strategic investments in infrastructure, partnerships, and innovation. Key strategies include e-connectivity for rural America, developing rural economies, harnessing technological innovation, supporting a rural workforce, and improving quality of life.

ONGOING
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 and worship are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org. Join the Aloha Hour via Zoom at 11 a.m. on Sundays,
us02web.zoom.us/j/6843449828?pwd=YW94djVvU0szOGNKaFZ1V0pUL1owUT09, Meeting ID: 684 344 9828, Password: Aloha.

The Food Basket provides food to those in need. See hawaiifoodbasket.org to verify dates and times. Go to Volcano's Cooper Center at 19-4030 Wright Road on Wednesday, July 22, 10 a.m. until pau. Ocean View residents can go to The Food Basket's pantry at St. Jude's the last Tuesday of the month, July 28.

Volcano Friends Feeding Friends, Cooper Center 19-4030 Wright Rd. Served by Friends Feeding Friends Thursday, July 30 – the last Thursday of the month. Call 985-7140 to verify.

On-Call Emergency Box Food Pantry is open at Cooper Center weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Eligible one time every three months. Call Kehau, 443-4130.

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.

Nursery, Greenhouse, and Cut-Flower Growers are invited to participate in COVID-19 impact survey by Cornell Cooperative Extension. The survey may help them qualify for USDA CFAP financial assistance. Complete the survey online.

Avocado Growers Survey Open: Help identify opportunities for expanding the local avocado industry, to assist local farmers, buyers, and agencies develop strategies to bolster Hawaiʻi's avocado industry, says Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United. Farmers and farm names will be kept anonymous. Results will be shared publicly. Survey completion gives 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.

Receive Help Over the Phone with Critical Financial Issues through Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund Financial Navigators from County of Hawaiʻi, in partnership with Hawaiʻi First Federal Credit Union. Access these remote services by completing the web form at hawaiifirstfcu.com/community-resource-center or by calling 808-933-6600 to sign up. The Financial Navigator will then send a short service agreement and call the client to begin their personal session. Organizations across the County can also refer clients directly to a Financial Navigator. For more information, contact Sharon Hirota at 808-961-8019.

Find Resources for LGBTQ+, Loved Ones, and Allies at Sexual and Gender Minority online resource hub. Hawaiʻi Department of Health's first website dedicated to LGBTQ+ resources. Developed by the Sexual and Gender Minoroty Workgroup in partnership with the DOH Harm Reduction Services Branch. Resources: Understanding the Pacific's alternative genders; Pronoun guide; Book lists for children and teens; ʻOhana support; and DOH data. For more information on joining the SGM Workgroup, email Thaddeus Pham at thaddeus.pham@doh.hawaii.gov. See health.hawaii.gov/harmreduction/sexual-gender-minority/sexual-and-gender-minorities-sgm-in-hawaii/.

Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through the Papakilo Database, a resource developed by The Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The Kahalo Center says database consists of "collections of data pertaining to historically and culturally significant places, events, and documents in Hawaiʻi's history. The purpose of this educational online repository is to increase the community's ability to preserve and perpetuate cultural and historical information and practices." See papakilodatabase.com.

Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers Urged to Use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. U.S. Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs is developing a list of Native Hawaiian farmers willing to sell direct to consumers through the On-Farm Market Directory. On-farm markets are managed by a single farm operator that sells products on their farm, or on a property next to their farm. Some on-farm markets may also deliver or ship their goods directly to consumers. Visit the program website for more information and to register.

Receive Free Marketing Assistance for Small Businesses affected by COVID-19 can receive free marketing assistance from Univeristy of Hawaiʻi-Hilo faculty and their senior class. Helen Tien, College of Business and Economics, and her senior retail and distribution management course is offering 1-hour sessions dedicated to helping small business marketing needs. They offer help with moving a business online, finding out more about the businesses' customers, analyzing marketing effectiveness, and providing customer service or website feedback. Visit https://bit.ly/2YvFxsl.

Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature to help find information that applies to the searcher. To search for statewide grants, hover over "Grants & Loans" and select "For Farmers & Ranchers." Set the Grant/Loan Filter to "Grant" and the Region Filter to "Statewide." Ranney notes that narrowing the search to County will display opportunities specific to that county. Selecting Nationwide or Statewide will display other opportunities searchers may be eligible for and/or want to be aware of for future reference.

Begin Learning Basics of Organic Farming from two free modules of a virtual training program. Accessible online, additional modules will be added. The course is presented by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, and California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

Apply for Internships with Sen. Brian Schatz's office. Internships for undergrad, graduate, and law students are offered in the Honolulu and Washington D.C. offices. Applications are considered on a rolling basis year-round.

     Non-office internships are open for high school students to advocate in their communities. Applications due Sunday, Sept. 13.

     Schatz may also nominate exceptional students for appointment to the U.S. Service Academies. Applications due Friday, Oct. 23.

     See schatz.senate.gov/services.

Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Saturday and Sunday. The Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. Virtual Shopping Appointments are offered at Volcano Art Center locations. 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 at volcanoartcenter.org/shop. Shop the online gallery 24/7. Orders are shipped as regularly scheduled. Free local pickup is available.VAC now offers a Virtual Classroom, which features over 90 videos. Visit volcanoartcenter.org for more.

Guided Nature Walks through Nature Trail & Sculpture Garden, Mondays, 9:30 a.m. at VolcanoArt Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. No reservations for five or fewer – limited to ten people. Free; donations appreciated. Email programs@volcanoartcenter.org. Garden is open to walk through at one's own pace, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Free. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano ArtCenter Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration required; $5 per class. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

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.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market in Nāʻālehu is open three days per week -- Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday -- 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.

     OKK's Nāʻālehu Market offers 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, on various days. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

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.

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

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