Ka‘ū News Briefs, Wednesday, September 2, 2020

World War II veteran Iwao Yonemitsu, of the famed 442nd Division that fought in Europe, remembers the 75th
anniversary of the end of World War II, which ended 75 years ago. Above, he and wife Alice attend the 2018
dedication of a new lectern they sponsored at Nāʻālehu School. It is made of koa and other local
woods, by local artist Thomas King. See more below. Photo by Nalani Parlin

THE ACE HARDWARE IN OCEAN VIEW IS CLOSED TODAY. A post from HouseMart Ace Hardware says, "Last night, Sept. 1, we were informed that one of our employees at our Rancho Ace Hardware location in Oceanview tested positive for COVID-19. The employee last worked in the store on Sunday, Aug. 30. The store will be closed for today and will be professionally cleaned. All of our employees at Rancho Ace Hardware are being tested for COVID-19 as a precautionary measure and will need to submit a negative test result prior to returning to work. We anticipate reopening our store tomorrow, Sept. 3. We appreciated your patience and continued support during this pandemic."
     Nāʻālehu Ace remains open and staff said that no one at Nāʻālehu also works at the Ocean View store. The COVID zip code map shows at least one case in Ocean View. See more on the COVID count below, which also shows Hilo going red with COVID-19 for the first time. See below for Miloliʻi COVID cases.

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A CLUSTER OF TEN COVID-19 CASES AT MILOLIʻI has been made public by state Sen. Kai Kahele, whose family roots are in the village known for fishing and canoe paddling. Kahele and all fellow members of Hawaiʻi Island's delegation to the state legislature wrote to Mayor Harry Kim:
     "We are requesting the immediate closure of the Miloliʻi Fishing Village in South Kona in light of the recent outbreak of COVID-19. It is our understanding there are at least 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the village and with the upcoming Labor Day weekend, we strongly believe an entry

control point be immediately established so that village access is limited to residents only.

Sen. Kai Kahele has called for isolation of the Hawaiian fishing
and canoe village of Miloliʻi, due to an outbreak of COVID-19.
Photo from Miloliʻi Canoe Club

     "The Miloliʻi Fishing Village community of approximately 300 residents has many multigenerational households and because they do not have anywhere else to go, COVID-19 has the potential to spread rapidly to other members in the home. We are also requesting the immediate testing of the entire Miloliʻi Fishing Village by the County of Hawai‘i and/or the Department of Health. In addition, we are requesting that each household be provided adequate personal protective equipment as available by the County of Hawaiʻi. Finally, we recommend educational outreach in the village so that the community realizes the seriousness of the pandemic and the importance of following social distancing and mask-wearing rules.
     "We ask that you implement the closure of Miloliʻi Fishing Village immediately. Your prompt actions will help to contain and control the spread of COVID-19 outbreak within this community, especially with the upcoming Labor Day weekend. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us." See more on the COVID-19 case count below.

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A SHUT DOWN OF ALL COUNTY AND STATE BEACH PARKS AND COASTAL PROPERTIES THROUGH SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, starts Friday, Sept. 4, as Labor Day weekend begins. Mayor Harry Kim asked the governor for permission yesterday. While the beach parks and coastal lands will be off-limits for resting and gathering, swimmers, surfers, boaters, fishers, and other food gatherers will be able to cross public property to enter the water from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Restrooms and showers will remain open, according to an announcement this morning from Civil Defense.

Yukio Okustu Veteran's Home in Hilo yesterday received drinks and
 snacks from ʻO Kaʻū Kākou and its president, Viet Nam War veteran
 Wayne Kawachi. Photo from OKK

     "Hawaiʻi County Police Department will continue its enforcement of the preventative polices. We need everybody to be responsible and follow the preventive policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. With your help, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe," said the Civil Defense message.
     In Kaʻū, locations covered by the partial closure are Punaluʻu Beach Park, Kāwā, Honuʻapo, and Whittington Beach Park. It is unclear if Green Sands beach is included in the order for no social gatherings.
     See more on the growing COVID-19 case count, below.

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ʻO KAʻŪ KĀKOU DONATED DRINKS AND SNACKS to the staff and nurses of Yukio Okustu Veteran's Home in Hilo yesterday. OKK President Wayne Kawachi, a Viet Nam War veteran, delivered the items. The first three Hawaiʻi Island deaths from COVID-19 were reported within the week as residents of the veterans home. See more on the COVID-19 count below.

Iwao Yonemitsu (left) and the late Tokuichi Nagano at a Kīlauea Military Camp event.
Photo by Julia Neal

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A KAʻŪ VET REMEMBERS THE END OF WORLD WAR II today on the 75th anniversary of the treaty signed between the United States and the Empire of Japan, Sept. 2, 1945.     Ninety-seven-year-old Iwao Yonemitsu, of Nāʻālehu, said this morning that it was a big relief for him and his friend, the late Tokuichi Nagano. "It was a relief because so many people died (75 to 85 million worldwide)."
    Yonemitsu noted that World War II also cost the United States "so much money." Both Yonemitsu and Nagano are considered members of The Greatest Generation.
     After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Yonemitsu and Nagano, as Japanese Americans, signed up for the U.S. military to show their allegiance to this country, as many other Japanese across the country were taken from their homes and jobs to detainment camps in a climate of fear of potential loyalty to Japan.
     At Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, Shigeo Kikuchi, wife of Rev. Chikyoku Kikuchi, became responsible for the Buddhist temple when he was interred. In Volcano, Kīlauea Military Camp became an internment camp for Japanese Americans.

World War II vet Iwao Yonemitsu (center) with Minako Yamazaki (left),
 of Tokyo and Pāhala, along with another attendee at Hongwanji Bon
dance last year. Photo by Julia Neal

     Yonemitsu and Nagano told The Kaʻū Calendar during the years they volunteered for this newspaper, that there was no question during WWII that they were solid American citizens. They chose to fight for the U.S. in Europe as members of the esteemed "Go for Broke" 442nd Regimental Combat Team. It was comprised of American soldiers of Japanese ancestry, the most decorated unit during the conflict when the Allies defeated the Nazis who were taking over Europe. Others from Hawaiʻi included Daniel Inouye and Dan Akaka, who later became U.S. Senators, as well as the late father of Gov. David Ige, Tokio Ige.
     The governor said today, at ceremonies held at Pearl Harbor, that veterans of WWII turned their experience into living their lives at home every day in a way that protects Democracy. "That is vigilance. That is resilience. That is courage," said the governor.
     Yonemitsu said that after serving in Europe, he returned to the U.S. on a military ship from Marseilles, France to North Carolina. On his way back to Hawaiʻi, he spent time in New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Denver, and Oakland, traveling on the railroad. He returned to Hawaiʻi after sailing across the Pacific on the Matsonia.

Carrying out his civic duties, WWII vet Iwao Yonemitsu, now 97, comments
 on the wastewater treatment plan for Nāʻālehu at a public meeting.
  Photo by Julia Neal

     On this day, 75 years ago, Yonemitsu was back in Hawaiʻi. He resumed his work with the sugar company, where he became well known for his knowledge of crop production, land use, and management.
     Yonemitsu is also known for his documentation of Kaʻū's agricultural history and has made many presentations at schools and community events, including Kaʻū Plantation Days. Yonemitsu has served as President of Nāʻālehu Hongwanji and advisor to the Young Buddhist Association.
     Yonemitsu and his wife, Alice, live in Nāʻālehu. A retired school teacher, she has served as treasurer of Nāʻālehu Hongwanji and has also been an advisor to the Young Buddhist Association.
     The Yonemitsus continue to sponsor good works in the community, including the recent creation of a lectern for Nāʻālehu Elementary School made of koa and other local woods, made by artist Thomas King, of Honuʻapo. They also participate in community meetings for planning the future of Nāʻālehu and Kaʻū.
     Yonemitsu said he is writing his memoirs.

Iwao Yonemitsu assists an attendee at an Interfaith Service at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji. Photo by Carol Tsunezumi

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THE COCKFIGHTING TRADE IS THE TARGET OF A FORMER HAWAIʻI ATTORNEY GENERAL and Animal Wellness Action, after investigating sales to Guam. Margery Bronster, the former AG, held a press conference in Honolulu on Tuesday and called for federal attorneys to use Guam research that links fighting cock sales from Hawaiʻi to Guam. Research shows that more chickens are shipped to Guam from Hawaiʻi than from any other state. Most of the chickens are roosters, even though there is no egg production, nor chicken farms to make food on Guam.  

A former Hawaiʻi Attorney General and the Animal
Wellness Action group are asking the federal government
to bring felony charges against those who sell fighting
 cocks. Photo from Animal Wellness Action

     The conclusion of Animal Welfare Action and Bronster is that with prices as much as $3,000 and few hens in the transactions, roosters sent to Guam are for cockfighting and for breeding fighting chickens.
     The group released a detailed report entitled Hawaiʻi: The Hub for Pacific Rim Cockfighting Trade. It includes names and photos of alleged fighting chicken breeders and their farms, including some on this island from Keaʻau to Pāhoa, Mountain View, Holualoa, and Kamuela.

     The researchers note that Guam, Hawaiʻi, and seven states prosecute cockfighting as a misdemeanor. In 42 states it is a felony. Cockfighting is also illegal, federally, with much heavier penalties  However, it is legal to send livestock through the U.S. Post Office, if shipped in containers that keep animals alive and healthy. Illegal is to claim they are for breeding stock for egg laying hens and chickens to be slaughtered for consumption, when they are actually to be used for cockfighting.

     A statement issued from Animal Wellness Action on Tuesday called Hawaiʻi "the center of the cockfighting trade in the Pacific Rim, with the state acting as a hub-and-spoke model for animal fighting activities in Asia, in the Pacific islands, and in the United States." Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, said, "Hawaiʻi cockfighters are breeding fighting animals to be hacked up in fighting pits within the state and throughout the world." The statement says more about the cockfighting trade in Hawaiʻi, and names alleged participants. Read the Animal Wellness press release here.

     Animal Wellness announced that it tracked down participants in the fighting cock trade through government records. "Through public records requests to the Guam Department of Agriculture, AWF and Animal Wellness Action obtained nearly 2,500 pages of avian shipping records dated November 2017 to September 2019. These 

These Live Birds containers are for fighting chicken sales,
according to Animal Wellness Action.
Photo from AWA

records detail approximately 750 shipments of birds by 71 individuals from more than a dozen states to Guam, where more than 130 individuals purchased the birds for fights in the U.S. territory. These shipping records revealed that Hawaiʻi had more shippers of fighting birds to Guam than any other state and sold, after Oklahoma and California, the third-largest volume of birds to this long-time hotbed of cockfighting."

     Drew Edmondson, four-time Oklahoma Attorney General and co-chair of National Law Enforcement Council for Animal Wellness Action and Animal Wellness Foundation, said, "Possessing and shipping birds for cockfighting have been banned under federal law since 2002 and felony offenses since 2007. Possessing and transporting birds for fighting are serious federal felonies, and the people involved are taking enormous risks to participate in this kind of cruelty to animals."

     Bronster said, "Hawaiʻi has one of the nation's weakest anti-cockfighting laws, and the presence of that anemic law has given false comfort to the people involved in the industry. The federal law, however, is as strong as it can be, and it’s my hope that the U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii takes a serious look into the evidence that’s been amassed in this investigation."

     Download the detailed report entitled Hawaiʻi: The hub for Pacific Rim Cockfighting Trade.

chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home

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CHOOSE ALOHA for Home is available to families, to provide "a healthy way to grow together," announces Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary. The site for the program, chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home, says "Using neuroscience and positive psychology, children and parents alike can learn to better understand themselves and each other."

     The program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics," to teach families "how to manage their emotions, communicate in healthier ways, and create a nurturing environment focused on the things that matter most."

     Sign up at https://chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home/.

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OCEAN VIEW MOBILE LEARNING LAB operates weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. It is open to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.

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HILO ZIP CODE 96720 HAS MORE THAN 150 NEW CASES reported in the last 28 days, the first time that any area of the island is shown red on the state COVID-19 map.

     Ocean View, zip code 96737, reported its first new case of COVID-19 yesterday. Kaʻū zip codes 96772 – Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Discovery Harbour – and 96777 – Pāhala, Punaluʻu, Wood Valley – and Volcano Village, zip code 96785, reported active cases within the last 28 days. Zip code 96718 covers Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, with a population of 129, and has no reported cases since the pandemic began.

     Today's new case count on Hawaiʻi Island is 35 and brings its total to 418 since the pandemic began. The only deaths are three people who died in the last week, all residents of Yukio Okutsu Veteran's Home in Hilo. Civil Defense reports 192 active cases for Hawaiʻi Island today, with 11 hospitalized.

     One new death is reported in the state today, on Oʻahu. The state death toll is 75.

Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28 days, by zip code.

White is zero cases. Yellow is one to 25 cases. Light orange

is 26 to 50 cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 51 to 150 

cases. Red is 151+ cases. Hawaiʻi Department of Health map

     In his daily update, Lt. Gov. Josh Green said there are 6,227 active cases statewide, 272 of them hospitalized with COVID-19. With 204,406 people tested since the pandemic began, the state positivity rate is 4.3 percent. Recent testing positivity, from the last 5,220 people to be tested, is 6.5 percent. Green asks everyone to make sure to wear a mask.

     Statewide, 339 new cases are reported today, with two in Maui County and 302 on Oʻahu. That brings the total cases since the pandemic began to 8,991. Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 8,149 cases, Hawaiʻi County 418, Maui County 342, and Kauaʻi 57. Twenty-five victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places.

     Statewide, 530 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began, and 2,689 have been released from isolation.

     Civil Defense says Premier Medical Group will provide free drive-thru COVID-19 testing from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3 at Kea‘au High School; Friday, Sept. 4 at Pāhoa Regional Park; and Saturday, Sept. 5 at Prince Kuhio Shopping Center's Ohuohu Street parking lot (across from Macy's Menswear Department) in Hilo. No copay; no insurance necessary, but bring insurance card if have; wear a face covering at all times; and observe social distancing. "Increased testing will continue throughout the island. Remember the purpose of testing is to identify positive cases as early as possible and in this way help stop the spread of the virus as well as to provide early treatment. Turn-out and the patience of the public has been very good. Thank you!" See hawaiicounty.gov/departments/civil-defense.

     See the Hawai‘i County COVID-19 webpage at
https://coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com/. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.

     COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 6,111,485 – about 24 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 185,669 – about 22 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 25.92 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 859,478.

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.

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Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.

EVENTS
Hui Mālama Free Online Home Gardening Class, Tuesdays, Sept. 8 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mala 101 is sponsored by Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The announcement says, "Learn to garden at home! Whether you have a large backyard or a few pots to grow in, anyone can learn to grow some of their own food at home! In this introductory series, learn the basics of selecting plants to grow, building healthy soil, and growing on a budget." Receive several plants and A Grow Your Own Laʻau guidebook for participation. The class will meet four times, once a month, the second Tuesday of the month, from Sept. 8 through Dec. 8. Sign up at hmono.org/services.

Give Input on Proposed Improvements to Miloliʻi Beach Park through Tuesday, Sept. 8. A draft Environmental Assessment is released by County of Hawai‘i Department of Parks and Recreation, which would update the park to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines; make improvements to the parking lot, boat ramp, walkways, playground, and basketball/volleyball courts; and replace the restrooms, water system, and hālau.

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Clinic for Cats will be held Wednesday, Sept. 9 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Introduction to Papermaking Workshop with Mary Milelzcik on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This papermaking workshop, using a household blender, will introduce papermaking using recycled papers with various additives, including cotton linters, and local plant materials. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Exhibition Hawaiʻi Nei Invitational: Nā ʻAumākua, runs through Saturday, Sept. 12. 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 is a group exhibition will present works focusing on the theme of Nā ʻAumākua, family gods. VAC will not hold an opening reception on August 8th. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

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. See schatz.senate.gov/services.

Catalyst Abstract Watercolor Workshop with Patti Pease Johnson on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Dine In or Order To Go Oktoberfest Meals from Crater Rim Café in Kīlauea Military Camp on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Menu offers Bratwurst, Knockwurst, Bockwurst, German Potato Salad, Sauerkraut, Tossed Salad, and German Chocolate Cake. $14.95 per person. Call 967-8356 to book a reservation for dine-in or place a grab-and-go order. Face coverings and 6 feet social distancing are required in common areas. KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees may apply.

Design the 2021 Ocean Count T-Shirt for Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary by Sept. 30. Designs highlighting humpback whales in Hawaiian waters must be entirely the artist's own creation. To ensure the design looks its best when printed, submit as a high definition PDF, .AI, .EPS or PNG with a quality of at least 1500px x 1500px and 300 DPI (dots per inch) with dimensions no greater than 11.5 inches by 14 inches. Top finalists' designs will appear on oceancount.org, the winner's design on the back of the shirt. The winner will also receive $500. Email the design and completed registration form to oceancount@marinesancutary.org.

ONGOING

Sign Up for Solid Waste Operations Alerts at https://member.everbridge.net/index/48255246
0607505#/signup. Receive notice via phone or email of site closures, availability of services, hours of operation, special conditions affecting solid waste service (such as road closures, flooding, fires), or special events, such as household hazardous waste collections.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church services and worship are posted online 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. Weekly hot meals, hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended.

One-Time Emergency Food for people is available through Big Island Giving Tree. Emergency food for pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.

The Food Basket, last Tuesday of the month, Sept. 29, provides food at St. Jude's to those in need. See hawaiifoodbasket.org.

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

Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries, open for pick-up services. 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, 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.

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 kept anonymous, results 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 webform 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 Minority 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: ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/onfarm.

Receive Free Marketing Assistance, for small businesses affected by COVID-19. Owners can receive free marketing assistance from Univeristy of Hawaiʻi-Hilo faculty and their senior class. 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.

Begin Learning Basics of Organic Farming, from two free modules of a virtual training program by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, and California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. See https://kohalacenter.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=54bdd67c601f0c0d3ea430053&id=9e1691c22d&e=0e3fe20c1f.

Volcano Art Center, Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village, 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 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. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222

Guided Nature Walks through Nature Trail & Sculpture Garden, Mondays, 9:30 a.m. at Volcano Art 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

Health and Fitness Website for Kūpuna, 808b-fit.com, contains videos for kūpuna to play and move along with. There are videos for stretching, tai chi, yoga, dancing, dance fitness, bon dance, hula, chair dancing, and chair yoga.

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

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.

Ocean View Swap Meet reopens Sept. 5 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.

Ocean View Community Market, open Saturdays and Wednesdays (starting next Wednesday, Aug. 12), 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. New market location for vendors of the recently closed Ocean View Swap Meet. Managed by Mark Cocucci. Masks are mandatory. Limit of people is 100. Social distancing is required. Gate will be unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m. Vendors can show up without a reservation for now, with $15 dollars. Parking is in the upper lot; parking on the side of the road is prohibited. All vendors must provide their own sanitizer. All food vendors must have the permits required for the items that you are selling. Vendors and attendees are encouraged to carpool.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market, in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 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. 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.

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

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