Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, September 14, 2020

Waikapuna is one of the Kaʻū Coastal properties supported by the 2% Land Fund, which is the subject of two Hawaiʻi County Charter Amendments in the General Election. See more below. Hawaiʻi County photo

ENTERING HAWAIʻI WITHOUT QUARANTINE WILL LIKELY be delayed past Oct. 1, said Gov. David Ige today. The program to allow entry with proof of a negative COVID test was proposed for June 1, planned for Aug. 1, delayed for Sept. 1, and again to Oct. 1, as the number of COVID cases soared on the mainland and in Hawaiʻi and availability of timely testing became a challenge. The governor said there will be a better assessment of when to launch the plan within a few days.

     In recent days, however, Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD, has proclaimed tests acceptable and the program safe enough to proceed. Even with his recent positive test for the virus, he said he hoped for the Oct. 1 opening for tourism and the economy. The Hawaiʻi Island economy is also hampered by a two-week quarantine for anyone coming here from another Hawaiian island. It was reinstated Aug. 11. See the governor discussing the situation in a Star-Advertiser interview this morning.

Kāwā, in Kaʻū, is one of the spaces preserved by the
2% Land Fund. Photo from County of Hawai`i

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TWO CHARTER AMENDMENTS SUPPORTING ACQUISITION AND STEWARDSHIP OF PUBLIC LANDS through the 2% Fund will be on the General Election ballots that arrive in the mail beginning Wednesday, Oct. 16.

     Most of the more than 7,700 acres preserved on Hawaiʻi Island with 2% Land Funds are in Kaʻū. They are Kāwā, Waikapuna, and Kahuku Coastal, along with the Makahiki Grounds at Kahu Olohu. They were purchased and are maintained, in part, through two percent of property taxes, collected each year in Hawaiʻi County.

     The Charter Amendments are proposed by Save Our Lands Citizens' Committee whose volunteers helped establish Hawaiʻi County's Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources 2% Land Fund. Save Our Lands successfully spearheaded the drive for signatures that put the Charter Amendments on the ballot.
     Save Our Lands released a statement saying one of the Charter Amendments would allow the 2% Land Fund to pay for a county staff person. A person working full time on 2% lands would serve the goals: "More properties purchased; more matching funds obtained; and more Maintenance Funds granted to the non-profits to care for lands purchased with 2%t funds."

The largest areas of land preserved by the 2% Land Fund are in Kaʻū.
Hawaiʻi County map

     The other Charter Amendment would allow nonprofits caring for 2% Land Fund acquisitions to receive stewardship grants to make improvements like paths, trails, and small structures for education or storage, and build, rent, or lease restrooms. It would allow non-profits to pay workers, including those who are board members. It would move administration of the Maintenance Fund from the Department of Parks & Recreation to the Department of Finance.  It would aim to streamline, and further define and expedite, the Stewardship Grant process, allowing more oversight by citizens.

     Lands across the island in recent years have been acquired with over $27.4 million from the 2% Land Fund, $8.8 million in grants and matching funds, and $2 million from private funds. Income from two percent of property taxes in Hawaiʻi County amounts to approximately $5 million a year.

     Debbie Hecht, Campaign Manager for the Save our Lands Citizens' Committee since 2006, says, "So far the 2% Land Fund has saved more than 7,700 acres of open space and parklands that will be enjoyed by citizens of the Big Island forever!" She urges supporters to sign up for the email list by emailing her at hecht.deb@gmail.com. See more at debbiehecht.com.

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Scientists found phosphine gas in Venus' atmosphere, which may indicate life on the planet. 
PLANET-C Project Team/JAXA photo

A HAWAIʻI TELESCOPE HAS FOUND HINTS OF LIFE IN THE SKIES OF PLANET VENUS. Discovery of the rare gaseous compound, phosphine, in the clouds of Venus is described in a paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy. An international team of scientists used the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope on Maunakea to look for extraterrestrial "aerial" life, according to the paper. On Earth, phosphine, a gas of hydrogen and phosphorus, is produced naturally only by microbes that exist in oxygen-free environments.

     The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is the largest single-dish astronomical telescope in the world designed specifically to operate in the submillimeter wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum. It was one of the observatories used to image a black hole last year.

     After finding phosphine on Venus from Hawaiʻi Island in 2017, scientists confirmed the data using the 45 telescopes of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile, in 2019. Both facilities saw faint absorption at the right wavelength to be phosphine gas, with molecules backlit by warmer clouds below.

     Jessica Dempsey, JCMT's deputy director, said, "These results are incredible. They have implications in the search for life outside our solar system."

     Speculation that high clouds on Venus might harbor microbes has been entertained by astronomers since at least 1967, when Carl Sagan and Harold Morowitz wrote in the journal Nature. When Cardiff University's Jane Greaves asked Dempsey for telescope time to search for phosphine, Dempsey said, "It was so crazy that you could only do what they wanted to do at two or three telescopes on the entire planet, and the others said no."
     However, Greaves had worked at JCMT in the 90s, so the telescope was pointed at Venus for five days in 2017. She found phosphine in Venus' midlatitude layer of clouds, about 31 to 37 miles above the planet's surface.

     The instrument used on Maunakea was recently replaced by Namakanui, a newer, more powerful device. Named by associate professor of Hawaiian language and Hawaiian studies at Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Larry Kimura, it has taken additional measurements of Venus.

     Dempsey suggested the close proximity of Venus may allow a probe to be sent to collect samples, and that the trip could take only three to four months. One author of the paper is former UH-Hilo astronomy student E'Lisa Lee.

     Read more on the discovery at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, National Geographic, and Nature Astronomy.

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THE FILIPINO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS OFFERING THE KINABUKASAN SERIES Financial Literacy Program. The next one is online this Wednesday, Sept. entitled Import 101 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Kinabukasan is a Tagalog word that means tomorrow and looking to the future. the program intends to empower individuals and small business owners to make informed choices and actions. "The good is to improve the financial well-being for their families, businesses, and communities."
     Import 101 is for anyone interested in importing goods to Hawaiʻi and will help with start-up requirements, and dealing with customs, brokers, and best practices. Facilitators will be Jeoffrey Cudiamat and Cindy Matsuki, and presenters Gary Hamakawa, founder of GHG Global LLC; Matt Leaverton, Customs Broker; and Melody Calisay, owner of East West Marketing. See more at www.filipinochamber.org.

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AN ECONOMIC PULSE INDEX has been launched by University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization to monitor Hawaiʻi's economy during the pandemic of COVID-19.

     The UHERO Pulse Index uses 18 metrics such as the number of passengers coming into the state by air, the percentage of businesses open compared to January, before the pandemic began, and the number of residents receiving unemployment insurance benefits.

UHERO reports on many metrics to help good decision-making during the pandemic. See the UHERO
Economic Pulse index here.

     Through its index, UHERO concluded that Hawaiʻi's economy started to recover following the start of the pandemic in March, the recovery statistics reflecting employment through the Paycheck Protection Program. With its expiration and more COVID in Hawaiʻi, the economy contracted.
     A statement from HERO says the index frequently updates with broad sourcing of indicators to give an idea of the impact and course of the economy through the pandemic in order to help with policy and business decisions.

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HAWAIʻI RANKS LOW IN VACCINATIONS. ITS RANKING IS 43RD in the nation, according to a WalletHub story released today. The state where the most people receive vaccinations is Massachusetts, followed by Vermont, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Rhode Island. The states with fewer people than Hawaiʻi getting vaccinations are South Carolina, Alaska, Nevada, Wyoming, Texas, New Jersey, and Georgia, and the state with the fewest residents getting vaccinations - Mississippi.
     Hawaiʻi ranks 50th in Lowest Share of Children Under Six Years Old Participating in an Immunization Information System, 39th for Children & Teenagers Immunization, 33rd in Adult & Elderly Vaccination Rate, and 43rd in Immunization Uptake Disparities & Influencing Factors.

     WalletHub released the study, noting that one in three Americans say they wouldn't get vaccinated even though multiple companies are racing to develop effective COVID-19 vaccines. It advocates for taking vaccinations, saying, "Vaccinations are some of the most valuable contributions to modern medicine. They have drastically reduced the prevalence of certain diseases, including polio, tetanus, measles, and chickenpox. One disease, smallpox, has even been eradicated completely, with no natural cases since 1977. Now, as the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the U.S., the race to develop a vaccine quickly – but with a high efficacy – is well underway. It's likely that we could have a COVID-19 vaccine available to the public by next year.
     "Unfortunately, even if we develop an effective vaccine to combat the pandemic, it will have a reduced impact if people don't choose to get it. According to Gallup, 35 percent of Americans would not get a COVID-19 vaccine, even if it were free."
      See the methodology at https://wallethub.com/edu/states-that-vaccinate-the-most/66237/.

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FREE DRIVE-THRU COVID-19 TESTING will be held in Keaʻau tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 16-725 Keaʻau Pāhoa Road. Conducted by Premier Medical Group, no insurance is necessary but attendees are asked to bring insurance cards of they have. Questions? Call 808-213-6444.

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TWO DOZEN VETERANS ADMINISTRATION experts in disease are expected to arrive this week to help stop the spread of COVID-19 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo. Mayor Harry Kim called for a change in the administration of the Veterans Home, which is a state facility managed by Avalon. Avalon's facilities have witnessed the 13 deaths at the Hilo Veterans home and eight at its two facilities on Oʻahu.

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"YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IT," says an anonymous woman in an article by West Hawaiʻi Today's Nancy Cook Lauer. She interviewed one man and one woman, both unrelated residents of Hawaiʻi Island, who recently came out of isolation for COVID-19.

     In the article, Cook Lauer records their responses. Both said contact tracing for isolating residents who test positive in Hawaiʻi isn't thorough. They both had advice for public and government agencies, and both said that free testing is a step in the right direction, reported Cook Lauer.

     The man said a self-administered rapid-response test, with a half-hour turnaround time, he told Cook Lauer, even if the test isn't as accurate, would be better than the four to five days it took his wife to get her test results. "The whole thing definitely needs some refining. People could be administering their own test and get ahead of the curve. I think basically people want to do the right thing."

     The woman said, "Government needs to start communicating about resources – here's a mental health hot-line, here's some breathing exercises, here's how you get groceries. What they're doing, they're promoting fear."

     Of her illness, the woman said, "I kept waiting for the worst day, and then it doesn't happen. For the most part, it wasn't terrible. But recovery is much longer than you think."

Mayor Harry Kim set up a new Hawaiʻi Island
Central Command Post for COVID at Aunty Sally's

     Both said isolation and quarantine periods are difficult on families, as "members of their households who tested negative couldn't end their own quarantine period until 14 days after the last positive member of the household had completed their 10-day quarantine," reported Cook Lauer. That left the woman's husband out of work for more than a month, she said.

     Cook Lauer also reported that both residents were concerned about the stigma of COVID, and that their co-workers were, too. "It's cooties times a thousand," the man told Cook Lauer, describing how friends and acquaintances reacted to him once he came out of quarantine.

     Mayor Harry Kim told Cook Lauer the new Hawaiʻi Island Central Command Post is meant to help coordinate county, state, federal, and private sectors entities coordinate COVID-19 spread mitigation efforts. Located at Aunty Sally Kaleohano's Luau Hale in Hilo, it houses staff working on contact tracing and monitoring of incoming passengers; designing education; and coordinating enforcement, quarantine and isolation facilities, hospitalizations, and care facilities. Kim said some 15 new contact tracers, to keep tabs on the increases expected should tourism reopen Oct. 1, began setting up in the Center last week. Read the story here.

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Office of Hawaiian Affairs At-Large 

candidate Keliʻi Akina

INCUMBENT KELIʻI AKINA AND KEONI SOUZA ARE RUNNING FOR THE OPEN AT-LARGE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS. People can register to vote in the General Election by Monday, Oct. 5 online, https://olvr.hawaii.gov/, or if postmarked by that date via mail. As during the Primary, all ballots will be mailed, but voters can still vote in-person at locations in Kona and Hilo, and may register the same day, starting Oct. 20. Ballots should start to arrive around Oct. 16. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

     As of Aug. 8, Akina received $120,193 in monetary and non-monetary campaign contributions. Of that, about 12 percent, $14,687, were donations of $100 or less. He began his campaign with a balance of $3,994.73. He received $6,050 in contributions from family; $1,182.55 in "other" funds, including his own money; and $3,789.35 in loans.

     As of Aug. 8, Souza received $33,274 in monetary and non-monetary campaign contributions. Of that, about 4 percent, $1,374, were donations of $100 or less. He began his campaign with a zero balance. He received $500 in funds from family.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs At-Large 

candidate Keoni Souza

     Akina is endorsed by Retired State Senator and former Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Malama Solomon. Akina is endorsed by Paul Mossman, who ran unsuccessfully against Akina in the 2016 primary, said “Under Dr. Akina’s stewardship we can expect OHA resources to be put to use promoting the best cultural and economic benefit for those of native Hawaiian ancestry, which in turn, will help promote the general peace and prosperity of all citizens of our State." He is also endorsed by Kealiʻi Makekau a well-known Hawaiian activist who also ran against Akina in the 2016 OHA Primary Election. "Akina has been able to listen to the requests and will of the Hawaiian people. I believe Keliʻi Akina is the best qualified of the two candidates. With a strong presence like Akina, the existing weaknesses we currently find with the OHA Board of Trustees will cease to exist."
     Souza is endorsed by American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organization, Hawaiʻi Teamsters and Allied Workers, and International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

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THE SIX-MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PANDEMIC on Sunday coincided with the highest one-day COVID-19 case count worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

     Hawaiʻi's statewide death toll is holding steady from yesterday's official count of 99, according to Department of Health, the first day in three weeks without a new death reported.

     Since the pandemic began, there have been 10,779 COVID cases in the state, 80 new today. Department of Health reports 3,693 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are more than 6,980 active cases in isolation. Hawaiʻi Island reports seven new cases, Maui County three, and Oʻahu 70.

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

areas have zero or few residential addresses. White is zero cases.

Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale orange is 21 to 60 cases. Medium

orange is 61 to 90 cases. Dark orange (not pictured) is 91 to 180 

cases. Bright red is 181 to 320 cases. Dark red (not pictured)

is 321 to 580 cases. Department of Health map

     Visitation at Hilo Medical Center has been paused, with the exception of one visitor for OB, pediatrics, and end-of-life patients.

    In the last 28 days, active cases have been reported in zip codes 96704 with Miloliʻi; 96737 with Ocean View; 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96777 with Pāhala, Punaluʻu, Wood Valley; and 96785 with Volcano Village. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date. Other areas shaded gray have no or very little population and no cases.

     Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 9,723 cases, Hawaiʻi Island 594, Maui County 378, and Kauaʻi 58. Twenty-six victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 638 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.

     All beach and shoreline parks on Hawaiʻi Island are closed through Sept. 19. The activities of exercising, fishing, food gathering, use of restroom, shower facilities, and access to the ocean will continue to be allowed. Use of pavilions, barbecues, tents, or other shade devices, tables, hibachis, coolers, picnicking, camping, and commercial operations are all prohibited.

     Hawaiʻi Island Police will continue their enforcement of the preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, Police Officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help."

     Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe." 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 6,550,629 – about 23 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 194,411 – about 21 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 29.14 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 925,947.

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

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Virtual Advisory Council Meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Presentations will include acoustic research, a proposal for voluntary speed regulations for ocean-going vessels in the sanctuary. Register in advance here.

ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Food Giveaway in Nāʻālehu, Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. Pick-up will be at the ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market location. Ingredients for a hamburger steak dinner for four will consist of 2 lbs. of ground beef, gravy mix (just add 1 cup of water), onion, and rice to be distributed.

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.


Submit Comments and Questions about Hawaiian Electric's Keāhole Battery Storage Project through Saturday, Sept. 26. The utility submitted an application to the Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 28 for a first-of-its-kind on-island, 12-megawatt, 12-megawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System to help stabilize the power grid for the whole island, reducing the likelihood of customer outages. Virtual public meetings on both projects were held earlier this year and video replays of the discussions, along with the PUC applications and project details, can be found at www.hawaiianelectric.com/selfbuildprojects. Comments and questions can be submitted to keaholebess@hawaiianelectric.com and will be included in the application to PUC.

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.

COVID-19 Information for Farm Workers Poster. English: https://bit.ly/2F3gJ3u;
English/Spanish: https://bit.ly/2Z0cihc; English/Marshallese: https://bit.ly/2QLbybk

ONGOING

Attend Weekly Virtual Town Meetings, hosted by Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. Discussion topics include attendance, best practices, Grab-n-Go meals, school updates, and questions and feedback, and more. Go to KHPES website for Live WebEx link.

Pre-Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach Program in Ocean View here. Completing the form does not guarantee a spot in the program. A staff member will reach out to eligible families, to complete the registration process. Questions? Contact Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (808) 961-5536 or email mobiletutoring@bgcbi.org.

Free Tutors for Keiki in Pāhala, for grades one through six, will be available from Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island soon. Subjects are Homework Help, Social Studies, Reading, Writing, Math, Spelling, Test Taking Strategies, Organizational Skills, and more. Contact Boys & Girls Club at info@bgcbi.org or 961-5536.

Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.

     In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.

     In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.

     In Ocean View, access is limited to five students at a time at Ocean View Community Center on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind and Mrs. Marcia Masters. No restrooms available at this location.

     Kaʻū Mobile Learning Hub at St. Jude's lower parking lot is available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Instruction and support are provided by Carla Lind, Mrs. VanNewkirk, Mrs. Heather Naboa, Mrs. Marcia Masters, and Mrs. Ebanez.

     All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.

Sign Up for Solid Waste Operations Alerts at https://member.everbridge.
net/index/482552460607505#/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.

Attend Sunday Drive-In Worship Service at Waiʻōhinu's Kauahaʻao Congregational Church. Parking on the lawn begins at 10 a.m., with Worship Service starting at 10:10 a.m. The only time a face covering is needed is when the usher comes to the vehicle to pass out the worship bulletin and other materials, and at the same time, collect any offering or gifts the individual(s) would like to give, or when leaving vehicles for the restroom. Church provides paper fans to stay cool. Bring water. Catch the live-streamed service at 10:10 a.m. and Praise Jam, which runs from 9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Service is emailed Sunday afternoon to anyone on the email list. Sign up by emailing atdwongyuen.kauahaaochurch@gmail.com or call 928-8039 or 937-2155.

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.

Food Basket Distribution last Tuesday of the month, Sept. 29, provides food at St. Jude's to those in need. Another distribution will be held Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Volcano Village's Cooper Center, from 10 a.m. until pau. See hawaiifoodbasket.org.

Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.

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. 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.

Choose Aloha for Home is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together at chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home, 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/.

ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides for Chromebooks and iPads given out to distance learning students enrolled in Kaʻū public schools. The website is open to the public here. ʻOhana Help Desk is also available to students and parents by phone, Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is closed on Saturdays and state holidays.

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.

Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries are open for wifi, pick-up, and other services. Nāʻālehu is open Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala is open Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Library patrons may 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, they may call their favorite library branch to place a hold with the library staff, or they may go in-person to request items, without placing a hold. After receiving a notice that item(s) are ready for pick up, patrons schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Both locations are also open for library card account help and reference assistance from the front door. Wifi is available to anyone with a library card from each library parking lot by using their library card and PIN. 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.

Sign Up for Two Women's Health Programs from Kaʻū Women's Collective. Piko focuses on reproductive health; increasing access, respect, cultural competence, education, and choice. Pilina aims to grow membership and establish a culture of collaborative decision-making. Meetings held Sundays on Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, and Dec. 13, at 2 p.m. Follow @kau_womens_health_collective. Contact rootsmedieshawaii@gmail.com. Call 808-450-0498.

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.

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

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