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Kumu Vicky Holt Takamine (left) invites artists and cultural practitioners to zoom in to learn about opportunities and applications for grants through the National Foundation for the Arts and State Foundation on Culture & the Arts. Learn more, below. Photo by Paula Kooper |
SUPPORT FOR THE BIOFUEL PLANT THAT WOULD BURN EUCALYPTUS harvested above Pāhala and beyond to make electricity for Hawaiʻi Electric, came from four former governors of Hawaiʻi today. In a public statement, former governors Neil Abercrombie, Ben Cayetano, John Waiheʻe, and George Ariyoshi – their governorships as far back as 1974 – wrote: "We believe Honua Ola Bioenergy, the green energy plant in Pepe‘ekeo designed and built following government approvals to produce renewable energy for decades to come, will reduce the state's dependence on fossil fuels, help Hawai‘i to combat climate change, and provide vitally needed jobs to support the economic recovery of the Big Island."
The statement also mentions Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park: "We applaud the fact that Honua Ola will plant more than three million trees through the National Forest Foundation during its first five years and that it will also support a significant tree-planting project with the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park."
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Hū Honua biofuel plant, awaiting delivery of eucalyptus logs from lands above Pāhala, is supported by four former governors of Hawaiʻi, after being told by the PUC it can resubmit its proposal. The company has also asked for help from Hawaiʻi Supreme Court. Photo from Hū Honua |
Also called Hū Honua Bioenergy, the $474 million plant has been constructed on the coast in Pepeʻekeo, north of Hilo, and is awaiting permits, which have been rejected by the state Public Utilities Commission. The PUC ruled that the company must resubmit its previously approved contract to sell energy to Hawaiian Electric. The proposal would be in competition with other alternative energy applicants, on price as well as attributes aimed at helping Hawaiʻi separate from using fossil fuel.
Life of the Land documents submitted to the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court and PUC state claim that Hū Honua electricity would be more expensive than wind and solar, and would damage the environment within context of climate change and the company's practices. The PUC rejected recent new proposals from Hū Honua and the company has appealed to the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court.
The former governors' letter praises "Honua Ola's dedication to plant and grow more trees than will be harvested from commercial forests of eucalyptus trees planted on former sugar lands, and their pledge that the project will be carbon negative."
Hū Honua representatives said the company will contribute to starting a forestry program at Hawaiʻi Community College and that some of its 200 employees took classes there in welding and other trades to prepare to work at the new bioenergy plant.
Life of the Land contends that harvesting and replanting trees, in itself, should be considered in proceedings at the PUC and Supreme Court.
Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who held one of his two Hawaiʻi Island inaugural celebrations in Pāhala, sent out his own statement saying, "As a result of Honua Ola replacing fossil fuel plants and growing new trees, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced, along with other pollutants released by the fossil fuel facilities."
As court cases proceed, and Hū Honua appeals go to the PUC and public, a tree harvesting company's crew in Pāhala is standing down, discontinuing its harvest until a time when the logs can be of use. The logs are stored in woodpiles on the Kamehameha Schools grounds tree farms where they were grown.
Concerning jobs at the tree farms and factory, Abercrombie wrote, "These will be good-paying jobs going to local residents who will spend their earnings on the Big Island and pay taxes to support state and county government initiatives."
The former governors' joint statement says they "strongly favor" using multiple renewable energy power sources to "work in a complementary manner with each other," and not compete, to remove fossil fuels use from Hawai‘i. "What's most important to the future of our state, to our ‘āina, and to our keiki, is reducing the effects of fossil fuels and climate change. Hawai‘i needs a variety of renewable energy resources to replace fossil fuel plants as soon as possible. Honua Ola helps achieve that goal."
The statement says Honua Ola's plant would deliver power 24/7, "unlike other alternative energy sources, even when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow," and produce "15 percent of the Big Island's electricity needs while eliminating the need for an estimated 250,000 barrels of imported oil each year." The letter also points out that stability "will support efforts to deactivate and retire existing fossil fuel generators."
See HonuaOlaBioenergy.com.
Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary requests community members take precautions by disinfecting objects frequently, washing hands frequently, and avoiding crowds and gatherings by staying home. Call KHPES main office at 313-4100 with questions, WiFi and use of computers.
AN ADJUDICATION UNIT WILL WORK ON UNPROCESSED UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS. The state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations reports it "added significant capacity to reduce the backlog of unemployment insurance claims." Over 100 trained staff will be assisting in the adjudication unit, which requires a higher level of expertise and knowledge to process claims.
DLIR contracted services with Maximus Inc., which is already operating a virtual call center for the department. DLIR Director Anne Eustaquio said, "Even during this COVID-19 pandemic most applicants received benefits or a monetary determination explaining why they were not eligible within three weeks of filing. The backlog in eligibility decisions are largely related to whether the claimant quit or was fired or whether the claimant is immediately available for work."
Adjudication is the investigation and resolution of eligibility issues raised and is a manual process that requires interested parties be provided due process to respond to the eligibility issue. Eligibility issues arise from several places including the initial claim, weekly claim, and employer contact, among others. For more information, https://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/news/adjudication-unit-for-unemployment-insurance-claims-launched/.
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.
MORE THAN 130 EARTHQUAKES ABOUT A MILE WEST OF NĀMAKANIPAIO CAMPGROUND led USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to send out a statement this afternoon regarding the cluster beneath the northeastern tip of the Ka‘ōiki fault system in an area about one mile wide, and one to three miles below the surface.
"The largest event in the sequence was a magnitude-3 earthquake, with the bulk of the events being less than magnitude-2 and not reported widely felt by residents. Reported felt events were described as weak shaking, with a maximum Intensity of III on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. "Clustering of shallow earthquakes in this region does not mean an eruption is imminent. HVO has recorded shallow earthquakes in this area for many decades across several eruptive cycles at both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. Other monitoring data streams for Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, including ground deformation, gas, and imagery, show no signs of increased activity HVO continues to closely monitor geologic changes, seismicity, deformation, and gas emissions at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. HVO will issue additional messages and alert level changes as warranted by changing activity."
For more information on earthquakes in the Kaʻōiki Pali area, read a Volcano Watch article titled, Why do swarms of earthquakes occur around the Ka‘ōiki Pali? published by HVO scientists on March 1, 2012.
A NEW ONE-DAY RECORD, THIRTY-FOUR NEW COVID-19 CASES ARE REPORTED ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND today. Today also marks the highest one-day case count in the U.S. since the pandemic began, with 73,150 new cases reported today.
New cases reported statewide today total 131, with 67 on Oʻahu, 29 in Maui County, and one resident diagnosed out-of-state.
Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 1,154 cases. There are at least 12 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
Since the pandemic began, 41 deaths have been reported by Hilo Life Center (seven), Kona Community Hospital (one), Hilo Medical Center (six), and Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home (27). Hawaiʻi Island's death toll, as reported by the county, is 40 since the pandemic began. Some Hawaiʻi Island deaths are not officially reported by the state. At least 209 people have died in the state, according to state records, three new today.
There have been 14,464 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 11,292 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,960 active cases in isolation.
Oʻahu reports 12,734 cases, Maui County 464, and Kauaʻi 60. Fifty-two victims are residents diagnosed while out-of-state. Statewide, 1,057 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
No new cases have been reported in the last 28 days for Volcano zip codes 96785 and 96718, and Kaʻū zip code 96772. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in Kaʻū zip code 96777, and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi.
In the last 28 days, 19 active cases have been reported in Kaʻū zip code 96737. In Hilo zip code 96720, 48 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 104 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Puako/Waikoloa zip code 96738, 22 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311. Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies.
COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 8,472,847 – about 20 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 223,752 – about 19.5 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 42 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,140,978.
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.
Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United Annual Meeting, Sunday, Nov. 15, 9 a.m. via Zoom, meeting code 450 691 6693. No password. Attend by phone at (669) 900-6833, code 450 691 6693#. Delegates elect HFUU president, and adopt policies and bylaw amendments. Nominations for president due by Friday, Oct. 30 or at meeting; send to Nominations Committee Chair, David S. Case, at casedavids@gmail.com. Policy proposals and bylaw amendments requested from Chapters and individual members; send by e-mail by noon, Sunday, Oct. 25 to HFUU Policy Chair, Saleh Azizi at azizi.saleh@gmail.com and Case. Review and comment on proposals from Friday, Oct. 30. Enjoy world-class educational and musical presentations Nov. 12, 13, and 14. See hfuuhi.org.
Give Input on Hawaiʻi 2050 Sustainability Plan Update by State of Hawaiʻi Office of Planning through Oct. 28. Public invited to participate in online sessions to learn about plan and contribute to the revision process. Free; advance registration required. Register online.
Free Drive-Thru Candy Giveaway at Ocean View Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 31, Halloween Day, starting at 3 p.m. Each keiki will receive a bag and kids in costume "may get a little something extra," says the announcement.
Ocean View Community Center Library New Hours as of Saturday, Oct. 31 are Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center through Oct. 31. Provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Responses confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.
Veteran Farmers can register for virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Features education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.
Hawaiian Islands Challenge Virtual Run through Dec. 31. Registration closes Nov. 30. Individuals or teams can register to traverse some or all of 808 kilometers on six different courses, one on each main island. Register here.
Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.
Virtual Workshops on Hawaiʻi's Legislative Processes through Public Access Room. Sign up by contacting (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Ask questions and discuss all things legislative in a non-partisan environment. Attend Coffee Hour with PAR: Fridays at 3 p.m. on Zoom, meeting ID 990 4865 9652 or click https://zoom.us/j/99048659652. PAR staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss the legislative process. Anyone wanting to listen in without taking part in discussions is welcome. Learn more at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.
RMAP nonprofit partners are Hawaiian Community Assets/Hawaiʻi Community Lending, www.HawaiianCommunity.net, 808-934-0801; HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, www.hopeserviceshawaii.org/rmap, 808-935-3050; Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union, www.hawaiifirstfcu.com/pathways, 808-933-6600; Neighborhood Place of Puna, www.neighborhoodplaceofpuna.org/coronavirus-rent-mortgage-relief, 808-965-5550; Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery, www.hihrecovery.org/RMAP, 808-640-4443 or 808-934-7852; Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island, www.habitathawaiiisland.org/rmap.html, 808-450-2118.
Anyone Feeling Depressed or Anxious, or who needs someone to talk to, can call Department of Health's expanded Hawai‘i C.A.R.E.S. program at 1-800-753-6879 – the same number previously used by Crisis Line of Hawai‘i. Individuals in crisis can also text ALOHA to 741741, available 24/7.
Free Monthly Online Breastfeeding Support Group MOMs to MOMs, fourth Wednesday, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Presented and facilitated by Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi's Leila Ryusaki. Open to pregnant women and new breastfeeding moms with babies from birth to one year old. Sign up at HMONO.ORG/SERVICES.
Learn How to Practice Self-Care through Big Island Substance Abuse Council's Practice Self-Care Series. For additional series that feature refreshing wellness tips, follow the Behavioral Health & Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group on Facebook.
Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach and Tutoring Programs here. Registration does not guarantee a spot in the program. A staff member will reach out to eligible families for keiki grades 1-6, 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 or info@bgcbi.org.
Nominate Businesses that Provide Excellent COVID-19 Safety Precautions for a Gold Star. Submit nominations to County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development here. Find help for small businesses here.
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. Face coverings required when usher comes to vehicle to pass out 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, here, 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 Pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.
Food Pickup through Hope DIA-mend Ministries, weekdays, 5 p.m. in the Ace parking lot in Ocean View and lunches on Mondays. In Nāʻālehu, meals distributed in front of old Nāʻālehu Theatre at 4 p.m.
Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.
Volcano Art Center Volcano Village
32nd Annual The Trash Show Hawaiʻi: Artists Recycle open through Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center, 141 Kalakaua St. in Hilo. Features The TrashFace Collection by Volcano Artist Ira Ono. To attend, all visitors are required to wear a face mask, maintain six-foot social distancing, no physical contact when greeting people, a maximum of ten people in the gallery, and encouraging anyone who feels ill to stay home. See more art from Ono at Volcano Garden Arts & Café Ono, 19-3834 Old Volcano Rd., www.volcanogardenarts.com, www.cafeono.net, 967-7261. For more information go to ehcc.org.
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.
ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo
Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries, open for wifi, pick-up, and other services. Nāʻālehu open Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala open Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m., Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Open for library card account help and reference assistance from the front door. Wifi available to anyone with a library card from each library parking lot. librarieshawaii.org
Free Job Training for workers displaced by COVID-19 is launched by the state for up to 650 workers. Programs offer on-the-job training through Dec. 15, with wages starting at $13 to $15 an hour, health care benefits, and mentoring. Two different tracks in innovation or conservation sectors. See https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/blog/20-21/.
Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. View the Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report here.
Coffee Farmers and Producers of Other Agricultural Products encouraged to apply to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program through Dec. 11. See funding updates and resources for coffee growers, hawaiicoffeeassoc.org. See complete list of eligible commodities, payment rates, and calculations at farmers.gov/cfap.
Program to Sell Produce and Meats on Hawaiʻi Island from commercial farmers and livestock producers on Hawai‘i Island for distribution to families in need. Learn more.
Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website.
Read About Seed Biodiversity for Hawaiʻi's Local Food System in It all Begins...and Ends with Seed, where Education and Outreach Coordinator Nancy Redfeather shares her insights. Read the blog.
Find Rangeland Management Resources at globalrangelands.org/state/hawaii. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive updates.
Hū Honua representatives said the company will contribute to starting a forestry program at Hawaiʻi Community College and that some of its 200 employees took classes there in welding and other trades to prepare to work at the new bioenergy plant.
Life of the Land contends that harvesting and replanting trees, in itself, should be considered in proceedings at the PUC and Supreme Court.
Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who held one of his two Hawaiʻi Island inaugural celebrations in Pāhala, sent out his own statement saying, "As a result of Honua Ola replacing fossil fuel plants and growing new trees, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced, along with other pollutants released by the fossil fuel facilities."
Concerning jobs at the tree farms and factory, Abercrombie wrote, "These will be good-paying jobs going to local residents who will spend their earnings on the Big Island and pay taxes to support state and county government initiatives."
The former governors' joint statement says they "strongly favor" using multiple renewable energy power sources to "work in a complementary manner with each other," and not compete, to remove fossil fuels use from Hawai‘i. "What's most important to the future of our state, to our ‘āina, and to our keiki, is reducing the effects of fossil fuels and climate change. Hawai‘i needs a variety of renewable energy resources to replace fossil fuel plants as soon as possible. Honua Ola helps achieve that goal."
The statement says Honua Ola's plant would deliver power 24/7, "unlike other alternative energy sources, even when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow," and produce "15 percent of the Big Island's electricity needs while eliminating the need for an estimated 250,000 barrels of imported oil each year." The letter also points out that stability "will support efforts to deactivate and retire existing fossil fuel generators."
See HonuaOlaBioenergy.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.
A ZOOM MEETING ON ARTS AND CULTURE GRANTS, WITH NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, State Foundation on Culture & the Arts, and Congressman Ed Case, will be next Monday, Oct. 26 at 10:30 a.m. Its aim is to help the arts community learn about grants and other resources available from national and state public funders. It will cover basics of applying for government support and recent changes in granting.
Executive Director of PAʻI Foundation, Vicky Holt Takamine, who has spent time in Kaʻū with her students and cultural practitioners, said, "This year will be a time of great change. Funding for the arts will help our communities survive this pandemic and the economic challenges we will be facing."
Case said, "As we support culture and the arts throughout our Hawaiʻi and country, we not only celebrate our diversity and humanity but preserve our history, bind together our community, and provide opportunity. All of this is even more important in times of national crisis as we face now to ground us in who we are and what we have achieved and can achieve.
"The National Endowment for the Arts and the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts are among our premier institutions for fostering and nurturing our collective effort, and our federal and state government have a wealth of too-often unknown and untapped resources available for the preservation and advancement of our culture and arts. I look forward to this partnership to assure that we can fully access these resources."
Executive Director of PAʻI Foundation, Vicky Holt Takamine, who has spent time in Kaʻū with her students and cultural practitioners, said, "This year will be a time of great change. Funding for the arts will help our communities survive this pandemic and the economic challenges we will be facing."
"The National Endowment for the Arts and the Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts are among our premier institutions for fostering and nurturing our collective effort, and our federal and state government have a wealth of too-often unknown and untapped resources available for the preservation and advancement of our culture and arts. I look forward to this partnership to assure that we can fully access these resources."
The information session is followed by a town-hall style meeting with a moderated question and answer session. Register in advance for this virtual meeting here. Registrants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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.
WIFI ACCESS HUBS SPONSORED BY KAʻŪ HIGH & PĀHALA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE TEMPORARILY CLOSED due to COVID-19 cases in the community. The Pāhala location for students of all grades is the old gym on campus. Nāʻālehu location for junior high and high school students is in Nāʻālehu Assembly of God. Ocean View hub at St. Jude's is for Nāʻālehu and Pāhala students of all ages. All three are closed until further notice.
Nāʻālehu Resilience Hub remains open Monday, Wednesday, Friday at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji on makai side of Hwy 11 with free computer use and WiFi from noon to four with takeout meals.
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.
FREE COVID TESTING IN OCEAN VIEW ON SATURDAY will be held at the county's Kahuku Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The park is located at 92-8607 Paradise Circle. Gift certificates are available to the first 100 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders participants. The testing is free, with participants encouraged to bring health insurance cards if they have them.
This second round of testing comes after more than 25 percent of the 74 tested last Saturday came up positive. Since the results came in, St. Jude's Church site for distance learning and food distribution has been temporarily closed, with a plan to reopen soon.
A statement from the testing sponsor Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association says, "In response to community concerns regarding Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders COVID-19 Testing, this free Covid-19 Testing Community Outreach event is funded in part by Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association, Papa Ola Lokahi, Premier Medical Group, Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim and Dr. Neal Palafox, University of Hawaiʻi/John A. Burns; and in collaboration with West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center and Dept. of Health/Hawaiʻi District Health Office, Kaʻū Critical Access Hospital & Rural Health Clinic and Bay Clinic Inc."
Face masks are required at all times at the testing site.
Face masks are required at all times at the testing site.
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.
Adjudication is the investigation and resolution of eligibility issues raised and is a manual process that requires interested parties be provided due process to respond to the eligibility issue. Eligibility issues arise from several places including the initial claim, weekly claim, and employer contact, among others. For more information, https://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/news/adjudication-unit-for-unemployment-insurance-claims-launched/.
MORE THAN 130 EARTHQUAKES ABOUT A MILE WEST OF NĀMAKANIPAIO CAMPGROUND led USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to send out a statement this afternoon regarding the cluster beneath the northeastern tip of the Ka‘ōiki fault system in an area about one mile wide, and one to three miles below the surface.
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| A cluster of over 130 quakes near Nāmakanipaio Campground on Kīlauea in the last 48 hours sparked a statement from USGS HVO today. Big Island Video News/USGS image |
"The largest event in the sequence was a magnitude-3 earthquake, with the bulk of the events being less than magnitude-2 and not reported widely felt by residents. Reported felt events were described as weak shaking, with a maximum Intensity of III on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. "Clustering of shallow earthquakes in this region does not mean an eruption is imminent. HVO has recorded shallow earthquakes in this area for many decades across several eruptive cycles at both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. Other monitoring data streams for Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, including ground deformation, gas, and imagery, show no signs of increased activity HVO continues to closely monitor geologic changes, seismicity, deformation, and gas emissions at Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. HVO will issue additional messages and alert level changes as warranted by changing activity."
For more information on earthquakes in the Kaʻōiki Pali area, read a Volcano Watch article titled, Why do swarms of earthquakes occur around the Ka‘ōiki Pali? published by HVO scientists on March 1, 2012.
A NEW ONE-DAY RECORD, THIRTY-FOUR NEW COVID-19 CASES ARE REPORTED ON HAWAIʻI ISLAND today. Today also marks the highest one-day case count in the U.S. since the pandemic began, with 73,150 new cases reported today.
New cases reported statewide today total 131, with 67 on Oʻahu, 29 in Maui County, and one resident diagnosed out-of-state.
Since the pandemic began, Hawaiʻi Island reported 1,154 cases. There are at least 12 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
 |
Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28
days, by zip code. Gray areas have populations less than 1,000. White is zero cases.
Yellow is one to 10 cases. Light
orange is 11-50 cases. Dark orange is 51-200 cases. Department of
Health map |
There have been 14,464 COVID cases in the state. Department of Health reports 11,292 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 2,960 active cases in isolation.
Oʻahu reports 12,734 cases, Maui County 464, and Kauaʻi 60. Fifty-two victims are residents diagnosed while out-of-state. Statewide, 1,057 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
No new cases have been reported in the last 28 days for Volcano zip codes 96785 and 96718, and Kaʻū zip code 96772. In the last 28 days, less than ten active cases have been reported in Kaʻū zip code 96777, and 96704, which includes Miloliʻi.
In the last 28 days, 19 active cases have been reported in Kaʻū zip code 96737. In Hilo zip code 96720, 48 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Kona zip code 96740, 104 cases have been reported in the last 28 days. In Puako/Waikoloa zip code 96738, 22 cases have been reported in the last 28 days.
See the Hawaiʻi County COVID-19 webpage. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311. Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies.
COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 8,472,847 – about 20 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 223,752 – about 19.5 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 42 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 1,140,978.
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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. |
Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.
EVENTS
Live Online Event Hōkūleʻa: The Revival Begins, 1975-1980, Friday, Oct. 23, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Free 13th annual wayfinding talk story session presented by ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center and the Ama Olukai Foundation will focus on the history of the Polynesian Voyaging Society's formative years leading up to the iconic voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa. Register for a chance to ask questions of the presenters at imiloahawaii.org.
Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United Annual Meeting, Sunday, Nov. 15, 9 a.m. via Zoom, meeting code 450 691 6693. No password. Attend by phone at (669) 900-6833, code 450 691 6693#. Delegates elect HFUU president, and adopt policies and bylaw amendments. Nominations for president due by Friday, Oct. 30 or at meeting; send to Nominations Committee Chair, David S. Case, at casedavids@gmail.com. Policy proposals and bylaw amendments requested from Chapters and individual members; send by e-mail by noon, Sunday, Oct. 25 to HFUU Policy Chair, Saleh Azizi at azizi.saleh@gmail.com and Case. Review and comment on proposals from Friday, Oct. 30. Enjoy world-class educational and musical presentations Nov. 12, 13, and 14. See hfuuhi.org.
Give Input on Hawaiʻi 2050 Sustainability Plan Update by State of Hawaiʻi Office of Planning through Oct. 28. Public invited to participate in online sessions to learn about plan and contribute to the revision process. Free; advance registration required. Register online.
Free Drive-Thru Candy Giveaway at Ocean View Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 31, Halloween Day, starting at 3 p.m. Each keiki will receive a bag and kids in costume "may get a little something extra," says the announcement.
Ocean View Community Center Library New Hours as of Saturday, Oct. 31 are Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Free Courses and Certifications for Hawaiʻi Residents through Coursera offered by state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. More than 3,000 options. Registration open until Oct. 31. Recommended courses for picking up technology skills. View more.
Give Input of Pandemic on Small Businesses to Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center through Oct. 31. Provides vital information to policymakers and lenders who are weighing decisions that affect small businesses. Ten-minute-long survey open to businesses currently in operation, recently closed, or about to launch. Responses confidential. Complete the survey. Questions? Contact SFFedSmallBusiness@sf.frb.org.
Vote and Register In-Person same day. Locations are in Hilo at 101 Pauahi Street, #1, and Kona, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy. Secure ballot dropbox located in Nāʻālehu Police Station at 95-5355 Māmalahoa Hwy 24 hours a day, until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Election Day. See other locations here. Tips on helping others to register to vote at nationalvoterregistrationday.org. Find more information at elections.hawaii.gov. Check voter registration status here.
Attend Free Virtual Hawaiʻi Book & Music Festival through Nov. 4 15th year of the festival features in-depth presentations covering a variety of topics deeply impacting the local community. Featuring Hawaiʻi Public Radio's Burt Lum, host of Bytemarks Café, on several panels. More info & schedule.
Artists and Vendors, Sign Up for the Annual Art & Craft Fair at Ocean View Community Center on Saturday, Nov. 7. The event, held outside from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., helps raise funds for OVCC and benefit local artists and crafters. Booths $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents not provided. Free admission for attendees. Face masks required for all. Contact organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.
PETFIX and Hawaiʻi Rainbow Ranger Spay and Neuter Clinic for Dogs Saturday, Nov. 7 in Ocean View. Microchips available. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund Public Cleanup Events Sunday, Nov. 15, cleanup and survey; and Saturday, Dec. 19, cleanup. Groups sizes limited due to COVID-19 precautions and government proclamations. HWF says details are forthcoming but will be a blend of hiking, BYO-4wd, and limited HWF carpool options. Contact Megan Lamson-Leatherman at (808) 280-8124 or wild@aloha.net.
Veteran Farmers can register for virtual Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference: Veterans Farming through Adversity held Nov. 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday. Features education, workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and more. $45 ($35 for coalition members). Advance registration required. Register online.
Hawaiian Islands Challenge Virtual Run through Dec. 31. Registration closes Nov. 30. Individuals or teams can register to traverse some or all of 808 kilometers on six different courses, one on each main island. Register here.
ONGOING
Presidential Debates: The first Presidential Debate was held Tuesday, Sept. 29. The single Vice Presidential Debate was held Wednesday, Oct. 7. The second Presidential Debate was canceled. The final Presidential Debate was held Thursday, Oct. 22. Each debate is carried by major news networks, YouTube, Twitter, and more. Listen to the Hawaiʻi Public Radio broadcast on the HPR mobile app or a smart speaker.
Watch the Oct. 5 Debate between Mayoral Candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth on Nā Leo TV, Spectrum Channel 54, online at naleo.tv/channel-54/, or via the free Nā Leo mobile app.
Virtual Workshops on Hawaiʻi's Legislative Processes through Public Access Room. Sign up by contacting (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Ask questions and discuss all things legislative in a non-partisan environment. Attend Coffee Hour with PAR: Fridays at 3 p.m. on Zoom, meeting ID 990 4865 9652 or click https://zoom.us/j/99048659652. PAR staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss the legislative process. Anyone wanting to listen in without taking part in discussions is welcome. Learn more at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.
Apply for Expanded Hawaiʻi County Rent and Mortgage Assistance Program. RMAP partners encourage Hawaiʻi Island residents who are at least 18 years old and lost income or work hours due to COVID-19 may be eligible for up to $2,000 per month for rent, lease, or mortgage payments. Payments made directly to landlords, property managers, or mortgage lenders. Approved applicants also have access to financial counseling services.
RMAP nonprofit partners are Hawaiian Community Assets/Hawaiʻi Community Lending, www.HawaiianCommunity.net, 808-934-0801; HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, www.hopeserviceshawaii.org/rmap, 808-935-3050; Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union, www.hawaiifirstfcu.com/pathways, 808-933-6600; Neighborhood Place of Puna, www.neighborhoodplaceofpuna.org/coronavirus-rent-mortgage-relief, 808-965-5550; Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery, www.hihrecovery.org/RMAP, 808-640-4443 or 808-934-7852; Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island, www.habitathawaiiisland.org/rmap.html, 808-450-2118.Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here.
Micronesian-Language COVID-19 Helpline offered by We Are Oceania. Receive answers to questions about COVID-19 symptoms, testing, quarantine, health insurance, housing, unemployment, and other related questions, for those Micronesians who do not speak English. (808) 913-1364. Watch the video here.
Anyone Feeling Depressed or Anxious, or who needs someone to talk to, can call Department of Health's expanded Hawai‘i C.A.R.E.S. program at 1-800-753-6879 – the same number previously used by Crisis Line of Hawai‘i. Individuals in crisis can also text ALOHA to 741741, available 24/7.
Free Monthly Online Breastfeeding Support Group MOMs to MOMs, fourth Wednesday, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Presented and facilitated by Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi's Leila Ryusaki. Open to pregnant women and new breastfeeding moms with babies from birth to one year old. Sign up at HMONO.ORG/SERVICES.
Learn How to Practice Self-Care through Big Island Substance Abuse Council's Practice Self-Care Series. For additional series that feature refreshing wellness tips, follow the Behavioral Health & Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group on Facebook.
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The State of covidexemption@hawaii.gov 5 days prior to arrival. For a sample request letter visit: https://www.rd.hawaiicounty.gov |
Student Athletes of Kaʻū High interested in participating in athletics during the 2020-2021 school year are encouraged to call Athletic Director Kalei Namohala at 313-4161 to sign up for the Student Athlete Google Classroom.
Resilience Hub at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Drop-in wifi and laptop access, free meals for participating keiki. Follows all county, state, and federal COVID-19 guidelines. Contact Michelle Galimba, 808-430-4927.
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, questions and feedback, and more. Go to KHPES website for Live WebEx link.
Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach and Tutoring Programs here. Registration does not guarantee a spot in the program. A staff member will reach out to eligible families for keiki grades 1-6, 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 or info@bgcbi.org.COVID-19 Talk Story on Nā Leo TV series aims to help deliver accurate and current information to Hawaiʻi Island residents. Airs live Thursdays at 10 a.m. on Spectrum Channel 53, online at naleo.tv/channel-53/, streaming on Nā Leo's free mobile app, and on-demand at naleo.tv/covid19.
Sign Up for Solid Waste Operations Alerts here for 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 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, here, 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 Pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.
Food Pickup through Hope DIA-mend Ministries, weekdays, 5 p.m. in the Ace parking lot in Ocean View and lunches on Mondays. In Nāʻālehu, meals distributed in front of old Nāʻālehu Theatre at 4 p.m.
Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.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
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
32nd Annual The Trash Show Hawaiʻi: Artists Recycle open through Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center, 141 Kalakaua St. in Hilo. Features The TrashFace Collection by Volcano Artist Ira Ono. To attend, all visitors are required to wear a face mask, maintain six-foot social distancing, no physical contact when greeting people, a maximum of ten people in the gallery, and encouraging anyone who feels ill to stay home. See more art from Ono at Volcano Garden Arts & Café Ono, 19-3834 Old Volcano Rd., www.volcanogardenarts.com, www.cafeono.net, 967-7261. For more information go to ehcc.org. Ocean View Community Market, open Saturdays and Wednesdays, 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 mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in upper lot only. Vendors must provide own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling encouraged.
ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market, in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon . Limit of 50 customers, 25 vendor booths, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required, social distancing 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. facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket
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.
Choose Aloha for Home is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together using neuroscience and positive psychology. Program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics." Sign up here.
ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides fo
Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. O
Apply for Holomua Hawaiʻi Relief Grants for small businesses and nonprofits of up to $10,000 to support core operations, safe on-going and reopening costs, personal protective equipment, and training and technical assistance. The business or nonprofit must employ 50 people or fewer. See the program website.
Free Book Exchanges, at laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu, provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Open to all. Keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them. Selection of books 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 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. Complete webform here or call 808-933-6600. Contact Sharon Hirota at 808-961-8019 with questions.
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. For more information on joining the SGM Workgroup, email Thaddeus Pham at thaddeus.pham@doh.hawaii.gov. See health.hawaii.gov.
Free Job Training for workers displaced by COVID-19 is launched by the state for up to 650 workers. Programs offer on-the-job training through Dec. 15, with wages starting at $13 to $15 an hour, health care benefits, and mentoring. Two different tracks in innovation or conservation sectors. See https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/blog/20-21/.
Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. View the Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report here.
Coffee Farmers and Producers of Other Agricultural Products encouraged to apply to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program through Dec. 11. See funding updates and resources for coffee growers, hawaiicoffeeassoc.org. See complete list of eligible commodities, payment rates, and calculations at farmers.gov/cfap.
Program to Sell Produce and Meats on Hawaiʻi Island from commercial farmers and livestock producers on Hawai‘i Island for distribution to families in need. Learn more.
Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website.
Read About Seed Biodiversity for Hawaiʻi's Local Food System in It all Begins...and Ends with Seed, where Education and Outreach Coordinator Nancy Redfeather shares her insights. Read the blog.
Marketing Assistance, for small businesses affected by COVID-19, from Univeristy of Hawaiʻi-Hilo faculty and their senior class at https://bit.ly/2YvFxsl.
Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature.
Find Rangeland Management Resources at globalrangelands.org/state/hawaii. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive updates.
Begin Learning Basics of Organic Farming, via free modules.
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