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Sunday was day three of the fire that raced through the county's Honu`apo conservation acreage. This shows the burned vegetation against the green vegetation and a view to many of the lands preserved along the Kaʻū Coast. Photo by Bob Martin |
"THE WAY TO LOSE ANY EARTHLY KINGDOM is to be inflexible, intolerant and prejudicial. Another way is to be too flexible, tolerant of too many wrongs and without judgment at all. It is a razor's edge. It is the width of a blade of pili grass." Those were the words of Queen Liliuokalani, repeated by Wesley Kaiwi Yoon, member of the state Board of Land & Natural Resource. He said them before BLNR unanimously voted on Friday to fund $1.475 million toward acquisition of 1,841.3 acres at Kiolakaʻa that run from south of Waiohinu to Kaʻaluʻalu Bay near South Point.
The words of the Queen were seen as inviting healing in the Kaʻū community with its differences in approach to saving land. Many kūpuna pointed out great success over the years in their strong opposition to many development projects. The other approach, also successful, is to buy land to remove it from speculation and put it into the hands of the county or a non-profit organization for ownership and stewardship. The funding approved on Friday would direct the title of the land to the non-profit Ala Kahakai Trail Association.
After the vote, Hui O Waikapuna, a local support group for Ala Kahakai Trail Association, released this statement: "There were a lot of heartfelt testimonies heard today, and we feel that we have all learned so much. We have grown as individuals and as a community. And we will continue to grow throughout the process."
Ala Kahakai Trail Association presented its commitment to the BLNR to include: "An inclusive community management planning process for Kiolakaʻa which will likely be facilitated and drafted by an independent planning consultant hired by the County of Hawai'i who will hold the Conservation Easement;
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| Sophia Hanoa said lands should be kept in the hands of Kaʻū people. Photo from Big Island Video News |
"Inviting Kaʻū descendants, residents, non-profits, community groups, ranchers, and anyone who has a relationship to Kiolakaʻa to participate in the community management planning process;
"Inviting Kaʻū descendants, residents, and organizations to partner on stewardship projects for Kiolakaʻa and/or participate on the Stewardship Committee; adding additional board members that are Kaʻū residents; and hosting quarterly community meetings to keep the Kaʻū community updated about its land protection efforts."
Ala Kahakai also promised, "If in the future, a Ka'ū nonprofit has the capacity to carry the kuleana of owning these lands, meets State and County requirements, and the community supports this, the Association is open to working w/ that nonprofit to request BLNR and County approval to transfer the deed."
Ala Kahakai also promised, "If in the future, a Ka'ū nonprofit has the capacity to carry the kuleana of owning these lands, meets State and County requirements, and the community supports this, the Association is open to working w/ that nonprofit to request BLNR and County approval to transfer the deed."
Sophia Hanoa was one of the testifiers against acquisition by Ala Kahakai. She said, "We were raised with the teachings of our kūpuna. What the kūpuna says goes. That is what kept the Kaʻū that we all enjoy 'til today. Our Kupuna have been preserving and perpetuating the traditional cultural lifestyle. They are the cultural specialists."
HOW MEASURING GRAVITY ON MAUNA KEA HELPS MONITOR MAUNA LOA That is the subject of the latest Volcano Watch by USGS scientists and affiliates:
Gravimeters, essentially extremely precise pendulums, can measure a change in the force of gravity to one-in-one billionth of the force you feel every day. This force varies based on the distance and the
amount of mass between the instrument (or you) and the center of the Earth.
A gravimeter measuring the force of gravity on Mauna Kea. These measurements are used to calibrate the instruments so they can precisely monitor changes in gravity from magma accumulation at Mauna Loa (background). USGS photograph taken on December 10, 2020. (Public domain.)
It’s 5 a.m. and a somewhat sleepy scientist is getting ready to leave his home in Honomū and head to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) office on Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo. Yawning—and not quite fully caffeinated—he says goodbye to the dog following him around the kitchen who’s wondering why they’re up so early. At the HVO office, he picks up two identical instruments the size of a shoebox—gravimeters—and loads them into a USGS four-wheel-drive vehicle. Today will be a long day driving from Hilo to the summit of Mauna Kea and back—twice.
But these days are necessary, and any day spent on the mountain is a good day, especially if the sky is clear and views stretch to the horizon. Between Hilo and the summit of Mauna Kea, the HVO scientist will stop approximately half a dozen times at a series of locations (benchmarks) established beginning in the 1960s. At these benchmarks, the two gravimeters will be used to measure the variation of the force in gravity.
Hanoa said, "The Kaʻū lands should be kept in the hands of the Kaʻū people. We are known to be like the ʻaʻaliʻi: Be able to bend but we can only bend so far before there's a breaking point. ... We need to find a way where the community and the people of Kaʻū are in charge of their own land."
Palikapu Dedman, of Pele Defense Fund, said he has been working on preservation for years. He asked the BLNR chair, "Does Hawaiians come with the land, and is a Hawaiian a natural resource?"
Palikapu Dedman, of Pele Defense Fund, said he has been working on preservation for years. He asked the BLNR chair, "Does Hawaiians come with the land, and is a Hawaiian a natural resource?"
He said, "We've been fighting rockets" and prisons. "We've fought hotels bringing in white sands. There's a lot of impacts of
hotels that been come into Kaʻū." He pointed out he's "been fighting this" since he was in his 30s.
Dedman said, "Always when there's free land and money, people show up, but when it was for defending Kaʻū, to 'Keep it Kaʻū,' the way people sees it today, it was our hard work and commitment. We are Hawaiians and I think we come with these lands.
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| Palikapu Dedman, of Pele Defense Fund. Photo from Big Island Video News |
Dedman said, "Always when there's free land and money, people show up, but when it was for defending Kaʻū, to 'Keep it Kaʻū,' the way people sees it today, it was our hard work and commitment. We are Hawaiians and I think we come with these lands.
"And I understand about the new Hawaiians that come out of universities that only went and learned Hawaiian from Hawaiian studies. We learn our Hawaiian from our kūpunas. You gotta respect the kūpunas and Article 12, Section 7 (of the Hawaiʻi State Constitution) says traditional practice; and the kupuna is the one left with the traditional practice. And you got to give that opportunity to teach the young, which is part of customary practices.
"So, we got state responsibility and not just go along with the whole new ideas of program in this western world. Protect Kaʻū and give the Kaʻū kūpunas an opportunity to organize. We have always taken care of our place and not from the invitation of foreigners, even though you come from Honolulu, and even though you were born in Kaʻū. We still here. We pay Kaʻū taxes. We are the people of Kaʻū. Respect that."
ʻAina Akamu, secretary of 52-year old Hawaiian Civic Club of Kaʻū, said there are members against acquisition of the land by Ala Kahakai, while others support and are willing to work with the organization. He said it is his kuleana to be the conduit for information to the community and club members, encouraging them to become involved in the issue.
He said he is personally connected to the land through his family living there for many generations and for stewarding iwi kūpuna (ancestral bones). For Akamu and family, "All we want is for this land to be preserved."
Akamu said it is concerning that Kiolakaʻa is under private ownership and that he is uncomfortable for it to be owned by a Las Vegas investment company. He said he came to support acquisition when he asked Ala Kahakai whether it would turn these lands over to the Hawaiian Kingdom when it is restored. "They assured me that if any Kaʻū non profit could take over these lands, or the Hawaiian Kingdom was returned before that, these lands would be returned to the Kaʻū representatives and the Kaʻū konohiki."
See more in the Monday Kaʻū News Briefs.
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| ʻAina Akamu, of Hawaiian Civic Club of Kaʻū. Photo from Kaʻū High |
He said he is personally connected to the land through his family living there for many generations and for stewarding iwi kūpuna (ancestral bones). For Akamu and family, "All we want is for this land to be preserved."
Akamu said it is concerning that Kiolakaʻa is under private ownership and that he is uncomfortable for it to be owned by a Las Vegas investment company. He said he came to support acquisition when he asked Ala Kahakai whether it would turn these lands over to the Hawaiian Kingdom when it is restored. "They assured me that if any Kaʻū non profit could take over these lands, or the Hawaiian Kingdom was returned before that, these lands would be returned to the Kaʻū representatives and the Kaʻū konohiki."
See more in the Monday Kaʻū News Briefs.
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| A gravimeter measuring the force of gravity on Mauna Kea. These measurements are used to calibrate the instruments so they can precisely monitor changes in gravity from magma accumulation at Mauna Loa (background). USGS photograph taken on Dec. 10, 2020 |
Gravimeters, essentially extremely precise pendulums, can measure a change in the force of gravity to one-in-one billionth of the force you feel every day. This force varies based on the distance and the
amount of mass between the instrument (or you) and the center of the Earth.
A gravimeter measuring the force of gravity on Mauna Kea. These measurements are used to calibrate the instruments so they can precisely monitor changes in gravity from magma accumulation at Mauna Loa (background). USGS photograph taken on December 10, 2020. (Public domain.)
It’s 5 a.m. and a somewhat sleepy scientist is getting ready to leave his home in Honomū and head to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) office on Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo. Yawning—and not quite fully caffeinated—he says goodbye to the dog following him around the kitchen who’s wondering why they’re up so early. At the HVO office, he picks up two identical instruments the size of a shoebox—gravimeters—and loads them into a USGS four-wheel-drive vehicle. Today will be a long day driving from Hilo to the summit of Mauna Kea and back—twice.
But these days are necessary, and any day spent on the mountain is a good day, especially if the sky is clear and views stretch to the horizon. Between Hilo and the summit of Mauna Kea, the HVO scientist will stop approximately half a dozen times at a series of locations (benchmarks) established beginning in the 1960s. At these benchmarks, the two gravimeters will be used to measure the variation of the force in gravity.
Days like this one are not particularly eventful; they consist of driving from one measurement site to another and waiting for the gravimeters to stabilize at each new site. They’re filled with audiobooks, Hawaii Public Radio, and listening to the sounds of the wind. These are not the exciting days trekking on the floor of Kīlauea caldera or flying by helicopter to the summit of Mauna Loa.
Gravimeters, essentially extremely precise pendulums, can measure a change in the force of gravity to one-in-one billionth of the force you feel every day. This force varies based on the distance and the amount of mass between the instrument (or you) and the center of the Earth.
Just like atmospheric pressure, the force of gravity changes depending on your altitude. For example, the higher in elevation you go (like driving up a mountain), the farther away you are from the center of the Earth (and its mass), and the weaker the force of gravity. This elevation effect is the primary contribution to changes in gravity measured on Mauna Kea. The changes in gravity are not as noticeable as the change in the atmosphere (it’s hard to breathe at the summit), but the average person also weighs about one-third of a pound less—equivalent to the weight of an orange—at the summit of Mauna Kea than they do in Hilo!
Since the 1970s, small changes in time-varying gravity (microgravity) have been measured on the active volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kīlauea to determine whether magma is accumulating in their magma reservoirs. This intruding magma often opens and fills cracks and/or empty spaces, causing a net increase in the volcano’s mass that can be measured with a gravimeter. Measuring the gravity is an independent way to confirm whether ongoing uplift, like that occurring at Mauna Loa since 2014, is from new magma intruding into the volcano.
The precision and sensitivity of the gravimeters make them extremely delicate, and they require regular calibration. As the dominant effect we measure is from changes in elevation, our ability to measure volcanic changes on the high elevations of Mauna Loa (13,680 ft or 4,170 m) requires us to calibrate the instruments over similar elevations on Mauna Kea where there is currently no influence from volcanic activity (the last eruption was more than 4,500 years ago). Without Mauna Kea, we would have to send the gravimeters back to California to be calibrated, making them susceptible to damage on their long journey.
The opportunity to calibrate HVO gravimeters on Mauna Kea provides the ability to design a gravity monitoring program to help understand volcanic unrest at Mauna Loa. Along with ground deformation and seismicity, future gravity surveys could help detect how much magma is slowly being supplied to Mauna Loa's shallow magma storage system. On the Island of Hawaiʻi, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa have played important roles in the past; today, they are acting together to help inform us about future volcanic activity.
KAʻŪ ART GALLERY IS OPEN TO IN-PERSON TRAFFIC, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Nāʻālehu. It features and sells works by local artists and offers other gift items.
KAILOKI'S, at the old Mehe's location in Ocean View, offers live music and karaoke on a to-be-determined schedule, along with a locally-sourced menu and bar. See facebook.com/KaiLokis.
BUY LOCAL GIFTS ONLINE, IN-PERSON
FOOD RELIEF
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.
Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.
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 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 lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.
COMMUNITY
Marketing Assistance, for small businesses affected by COVID-19, from University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo faculty and the senior class at bit.ly/2YvFxsl.
PETS & WILDLIFE
One-Time Emergency Food For Pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.
For free Veterinary Care, Spay & Neuter, visit hihs.org, Services Tab, Spay and Neuter or Community Vet Care, or email petsupport@hihs.org. Call 808-217- 0154. All appointments must be scheduled in advance and are open to healthy dogs and cats. Two pets per family will be accommodated, each pet with own appointment. Unavailable to animals other than dogs and cats. Unavailable to strays and those with contagious illnesses.
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| An HVO geophysicist takes a gravity measurement at a benchmark near a continuous gravimeter (inside hutch). USGS photo by I. Johanson |
Gravimeters, essentially extremely precise pendulums, can measure a change in the force of gravity to one-in-one billionth of the force you feel every day. This force varies based on the distance and the amount of mass between the instrument (or you) and the center of the Earth.
Just like atmospheric pressure, the force of gravity changes depending on your altitude. For example, the higher in elevation you go (like driving up a mountain), the farther away you are from the center of the Earth (and its mass), and the weaker the force of gravity. This elevation effect is the primary contribution to changes in gravity measured on Mauna Kea. The changes in gravity are not as noticeable as the change in the atmosphere (it’s hard to breathe at the summit), but the average person also weighs about one-third of a pound less—equivalent to the weight of an orange—at the summit of Mauna Kea than they do in Hilo!
Since the 1970s, small changes in time-varying gravity (microgravity) have been measured on the active volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kīlauea to determine whether magma is accumulating in their magma reservoirs. This intruding magma often opens and fills cracks and/or empty spaces, causing a net increase in the volcano’s mass that can be measured with a gravimeter. Measuring the gravity is an independent way to confirm whether ongoing uplift, like that occurring at Mauna Loa since 2014, is from new magma intruding into the volcano.
The precision and sensitivity of the gravimeters make them extremely delicate, and they require regular calibration. As the dominant effect we measure is from changes in elevation, our ability to measure volcanic changes on the high elevations of Mauna Loa (13,680 ft or 4,170 m) requires us to calibrate the instruments over similar elevations on Mauna Kea where there is currently no influence from volcanic activity (the last eruption was more than 4,500 years ago). Without Mauna Kea, we would have to send the gravimeters back to California to be calibrated, making them susceptible to damage on their long journey.
The opportunity to calibrate HVO gravimeters on Mauna Kea provides the ability to design a gravity monitoring program to help understand volcanic unrest at Mauna Loa. Along with ground deformation and seismicity, future gravity surveys could help detect how much magma is slowly being supplied to Mauna Loa's shallow magma storage system. On the Island of Hawaiʻi, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa have played important roles in the past; today, they are acting together to help inform us about future volcanic activity.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS: A KAPA JOURNEY & RITUAL DRUMS is the exhibit at Volcano Art Center through May 16, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., daily. A Kapa Journey features Dalani Tanahy. Pahūpahū: Ritual Drums features Kapua Kaʻauʻa. Volcano Art Center Gallery is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. While the exhibit is free, park entrance fees apply. During the exhibition, Dalani Tanahy will be holding a Hawaiian Kapa workshop at VACʻs Niaulani Campus in
Volcano Village on April 17th. Kapua Kaʻauʻa will also be holding a live demonstration of kaula pā hā/ pā walu at the VAC gallery on April 24th. See more at volcanoartcenter.org/events.
Volcano Village on April 17th. Kapua Kaʻauʻa will also be holding a live demonstration of kaula pā hā/ pā walu at the VAC gallery on April 24th. See more at volcanoartcenter.org/events.
Kaʻū Art Gallery's website has 24/7 access online and is frequently updated to show current inventory items. "We are always looking to collaborate with local artists in our community," said assistant Alexandra Kaupu. Should anyone have an interest in being featured at Kaʻū Art Gallery and Gift Shop, contact gallery owner and director Corrine Kaupu at kauartgallery@hawaiiantel.biz
WALK THROUGH A GUIDED 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. www.volcanoartcenter.org. Call 967-8222.
GOLF & MEMBERSHIPS for Discovery Harbour Golf Course and its Clubhouse:
The new Club offers Social Memberships, with future use of the clubhouse and current use of the pickleball courts as well as walking and running on specified areas of the golf course before 8 a.m. and after 3 p.m. to enjoy the panoramic ocean views. Golf memberships range from unlimited play for the avid golfer to casual play options. Membership is required to play and practice golf on the course. All golf memberships include Social Membership amenities. Membership fees are designed to help underwrite programs and improvements to the facilities.
Call 808-731-5122 or stop by the Clubhouse during business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 94-1581 Kaulua Circle. Email clubatdiscoveryharbour@gmail.com.
KAILOKI'S, at the old Mehe's location in Ocean View, offers live music and karaoke on a to-be-determined schedule, along with a locally-sourced menu and bar. See facebook.com/KaiLokis.FREE LIFETIME ENTRY for Veterans and Gold Star Families to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes and other national parks available at the entry gate.
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| See the newspaper at www.kaucalendar.com |
OUTDOOR MARKETS
A NEW ALOHA FRIDAY MARKETPLACE, hosted by Nāʻālehu Main Street, is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., grounds of Kauahaʻao Congregational Church in Waiʻohinu. "It's a Farmer's Market, Swap Meet, Food Court, Arts & Crafts, Health Practitioners, Entertainment and more sharing our Manao and Aloha," says a statement from Nāʻālehu Main Street. "Our intention and mission is to increase economic viability in Kaʻū by providing additional opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses to share their products and services with the community. We welcome you to participate and help create a vibrant community!" Email AlohaFridayMarket@
gmail.com for vendor inquiries, availability and application.
VOLCANO FARMERS MARKET, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays. 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Hawai‘i Coffee. Cooper Center's EBT Machine, used at the Farmer's Market, is out of service until further notice. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.
OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY MARKET, open Saturdays and Thursdays, 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 Council. 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 Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers per hour, 20 vendor booths, with 20 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing 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. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.
OCEAN VIEW SWAP MEET is open at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.
VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES CALENDARS, t-shirts, and sweatshirts sales raise money for the school. Review the calendar at rb.gy/tmxzva. Order the Calendar using this form: rb.gy/ytekoz. Send payment or donations to VSAS through PayPal, paypal.com/paypalme/VolcanoSchool. To buy t-shirts and sweatshirts, order from here: rb.gy/2a4cim. Send in order forms and payment to the main office: VSAS, PO Box 845, Volcano, HI 96785. For a printed copy of the order form to be mailed, contact Kaye at 985-9800, knagamine@volcanoschool.net. Contact Kanani at kwylie@volcanoschool.net for more information and assistance with ordering.
VOLCANO ART CENTER ONLINE, in person. Shop at Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Virtual Shopping Appointments offered via Skype or FaceTime. Book at volcanoartcenter.org/shop for $5. Shop online gallery 24/7. Orders shipped or free local pickup available. See the VAC Virtual Classroom, which features over 90 videos. See volcanoartcenter.org/events, call 967-8222.
KAʻŪ COFFEE MILL & VISITOR CENTER. Buy online at kaucoffeemill.com and in person at 96-2694 Wood Valley Road, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 pm.
PUNALUʻU BAKESHOP online at bakeshophawaii.com and in-person 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week in Nāʻālehu.
ALIʻI HAWAIʻI HULA HANDS COFFEE. Order by calling 928-0608 or emailing alihhhcoffee@yahoo.com.
AIKANE PLANTATION COFFEE COMPANY. Order online at aikaneplantation.com. Call 808-927-2252
MIRANDA'S FARMS KAʻŪ COFFEE. Order online at mirandafarms.com or, in person at 73-7136 Mamalahoa Hwy, Nāʻālehu.
KUAHIWI RANCH STORE, in person. Shop weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 11 am to 3 p.m. at 95-5520 Hwy 11. Locally processed grass-fed beef, live meat chickens, and feed for cattle, goats, sheep, chickens, horses, dogs, and pigs. Call 929-7333 of 938-1625, email kaohi@kuahiwiranch.com.
CHURCH SERVICES
OCEAN VIEW EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY CHURCH holds services on Sundays beginning with Sing-Along on the Square at 10:15 a.m., followed by Sunday Morning Service at 11 a.m. In-person services following CDC Guidelines and Hawaii mandates by using hand sanitizer, wearing face masks and practicing social distancing.
Music and Sermons are posted to FaceBook.com/OVECC. Also see FaceBook.com/OVECC for more. The church campus for Ocean View Evangelical Community Church is 92-8977 Leilani Circle. ovecchurch@gmail.com
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, at rb.gy/3jfbzd, Meeting ID: 684 344 9828, Password: Aloha. Weekly hot meals, hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Check the webpage for Christmas services.
HOPE DIA-MEND MINISTRIES holds outdoor services Sundays at 9:45 a.m. at 92-898 Ginger Blossom Lane in Ocean View. Masks and distancing required. For help and/or to donate, call or text Pam and Lance Ako at 808-937-6355, or call the Ministry at 808-920-8137. See them on Facebook and at hopedia-mendministries.com.
HELP FOR HEALTH & COVID TESTING
FREE DRIVE-THRU COVID Testing, Saturdays at Kea‘au High School in Puna, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesdays at Konawaena High School from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Civic Auditorium in Hilo from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (enter from Kuawa Street entrance). No co-pay, no insurance necessary, but bring insurance card if have. People do not have to have symptoms in order to be tested. Social distancing must be observed and face coverings must be worn at all times. For more, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.
MICRONESIAN COVID-19 Helpline is supported by We Are Oceania, weareoceania.org, to help with identifying COVID-19 symptoms, testing, quarantine, health insurance, housing, unemployment. Call (808) 913-1364. Watch the video at facebook.com/watch/?v=989579144844697.
DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS, NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO? 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.
LEARN 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 at facebook.com/bhhsurg
KAʻŪ WOMEN'S COLLECTIVE OFFERS HEALTH PROGRAMS. 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. Follow @kau_womens_health_collective. Contact rootsmedieshawaii@gmail.com. Call 808-450-0498.
RESOURCES FOR LGBTQ+, Loved Ones, and Allies at Sexual and Gender Minority online resource hub at health.hawaii.gov/camhd/lgbtq-safe-spaces.
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, streaming on Nā Leo's free mobile app, and on-demand at naleo.tv/covid19.
HEALTH AND FITNESS FOR KUPUNA at 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.
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 at chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home.
FOOD RELIEF
PICK UP FOOD WEEKDAYS n the parking lot of ACE Hardware in Ocean View from Hope DIA-mendMinistries TLC at 4:45 p.m. About 300 meals available each day, coordinated by pastors Pam and Lance Ako. For help or to donate, call or text Ako at 808-937-6355, or call 808-920-8137. See them on Facebook and at hopedia-mendministries.com.
EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES available at Cooper Center Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.
FREE FOOD FOR KEIKI offered at Resilience Hub, Nāʻālehu Hongwanji on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, noon to 4 p.m. The Hub also features drop-in WiFi and laptop access. Location is 95-5695 Hawaiʻi Belt Rd. Contact Michelle Galimba, 808-430-4927, for more.
EDUCATION
Free WiFi Access for Students is available in Kaʻū, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.
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. Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach and Tutoring Programs at rb.gy/o1o2hy. For keiki grades 1-6. 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.
ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides for Chromebooks and iPads at rb.gy/8er9wm. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Invite Park Rangers to Virtually Visit Classes, through connecting with teachers and home-schoolers with distance learning programs and virtual huakaʻi (field trips). Contact havo_education@nps.gov.
Weekly Virtual Town Meetings, hosted by Kaʻū High & Ka'ū Elementary, 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.org for Live WebEx link.
Nāʻālehu Public Libraries are 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., limited entry into library with Wiki Visits. 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. See librarieshawaii.org.
Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.
Watch Hawaiʻi's 28th Annual Filipino Fiesta and 8th Flores de Mayo virtual celebration at rb.gy/b53jgn.
Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through Papakilo Database, papakilodatabase.com.
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 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 lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.
ECONOMIC RELIEF
Online Directory at shopbigisland.com, co-sponsored by County of Hawai‘i, has a signup sheet for local businesses to fill in the blanks. The only requirement is a physical address on this island.
COMMUNITY
Food Assistance: Apply for The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences COVID-19 Family Relief Funds. Funded by Volcano Community Association, and members of the VSAS Friends and Governing Boards, who have donated, the fund supplies KTA or Dimple Cheek Gift Cards, or gift cards to other locally owned business, to VSAS families in need. Contact Kim Miller at 985-8537, kmiller@volcanoschool.net. Contributions to the fund can be sent in by check to: VSAS, PO Box 845, Volcano, HI 96785 – write Relief Fund in the memo. See volcanoschool.net.
Marketing Assistance, for small businesses affected by COVID-19, from University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo faculty and the senior class at bit.ly/2YvFxsl.
Apply for Utility Assistance to pay for electricity, non-government water, or gas. Applicants must be a Hawaiʻi Island resident, at least 18 years old, lost income or work hours due to COVID-19, and not previously received assistance from other COVID-19 federal or state-funded programs. Funded by CARES Act and distributed by Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council, required documents for application are government-issued identification, income verification documents for all household members, utility statement with address of services, lease/rental agreement or mortgage document, and proof of hardship. Hardship may include, but not limited to, pay stubs documenting pre-COVID-19 income, unemployment approval letter, or layoff letter. Apply at HCEOC.net or call 808-961-2681.
Apply for Expanded Hawaiʻi County Rent and Mortgage Assistance Program. Contact RMAP partners: Hawaiian Community Assets/Hawaiʻi Community Lending, HawaiianCommunity.net, 808-934-0801; HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, hopeserviceshawaii.org/rmap, 808-935- 3050; Hawai‘i First Federal Credit Union, hawaiifirstfcu.com/pathways, 808-933- 6600; Neighborhood Place of Puna, neighborhoodplaceofpuna.org/coronavirus-rent-mortgage-relief, 808-965-5550; Hawai‘i Island Home for Recovery, hihrecovery.org/RMAP, 808-640-4443 or 808- 934-7852; Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island, habitathawaiiisland.org/rmap.html, 808-450-2118.
Apply for Holomua Hawaiʻi Relief Grants for small businesses and nonprofits, up to $10,000, 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 rb.gy/v2x2vy.
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 at hawaiifirstfcu.com/community-resource-center or call 808-933-6600. Contact Sharon Hirota at 808-961-8019 with questions.
AGRICULTURE
QUALIFY TO BECOME A BEGINNING FARMER OR RANCHER and receive benefits from the U.S. Department of Agriculture To qualify for status as a beginning farmer or rancher: Applicants must be an individual. Business entities may receive benefits only if all of the substantial beneficial interest holders (ten percent or more) of the business entity qualify as beginning farmers or ranchers. For example, a son moves home to take over the family farm and incorporates with his spouse and neither have previous farming experience. Their corporation would qualify as a beginning farmer/rancher. However, if a son moves home and forms a corporation with his father, who has had an insurable interest in crops or livestock for more than five crop years, the corporation cannot receive beginning farmer and rancher benefits. Although the son qualifies as a beginning farmer or rancher, the father does not so the corporation cannot receive benefits; and
Applicants must not have actively operated and managed a farm or ranch anywhere, with an insurable interest in any crop or livestock for more than five crop years (ten years for Whole-Farm Revenue Protection). This includes an insurable interest as an individual or as a substantial beneficial interest holder (ten percent or more) in another person who has an insurable interest in any crop or livestock. Applicants may exclude a crop year's insurable interest if they were under the age of 18, enrolled in post-secondary studies (not to exceed five crop years) or on active duty in the U.S. military.
Women Farmers can Register with Hawaiʻi Women Farmers Directory, a statewide online directory of women-operated farms, ranches, and agribusinesses. Visit the program website to register, rb.gy/87fn9d.
Coffee Growers are urged to take a survey on how the pandemic is affecting them by Hawaiʻi Coffee Association. Take the survey here: surveymonkey.com/r/638VWS6.
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 at rb.gy/exzuk1.
Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. Visit the program website, ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/onfarm.
Read About Seed Biodiversity for Hawaiʻi's Local Food System in It all Begin and Ends with Seed, where Education by Outreach Coordinator Nancy Redfeather shares her insights. Read the blog at rb.gy/ijai3y.
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.
Learn Basics of Organic Farming, via free modules at rb.gy/4wio2y.
One-Time Emergency Food For Pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.
Report Humpback Whales in Trouble at NOAA Fisheries 24 hour hotline, 1-888- 256-984. Also report distressed sea turtles, monk seals and dolphins.
Wai‘ōhinu Transfer Station is open Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Recycling services available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. HI-5 deposit beverage container collection Saturdays only, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. "White goods" appliance collection services will accept one appliance per resident per day. Customers need to check in with the facility attendant before dropping an appliance off at the facility. No unattended drop-offs allowed. Visit hawaiizerowaste.org or call 961-8270.
Ocean View Transfer Station is open Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. HI-5 deposit beverage container collection will continue as usual on Saturdays only, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit hawaiizerowaste.org or call 961-8270.
Sign Up for Solid Waste Operations Alerts at rb.gy/iemgrc for site closures, service hours, and more.
