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| The Glover Trail at Kahuku reopens Thursday, May 13. NPS photo. |
TWO TRAILS IN KAHUKU UNIT that were closed to protect native ʻōhiʻa trees from a deadly fungus will reopen in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Thursday, May 13.
The park constructed a new Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) decontamination station to allow entry into the previously quarantined upper Kahuku paddocks. “We are so pleased to welcome visitors back to Kona and Glover trails and to the Visitor Contact Station where they can once again safely engage with our rangers,” said Kahuku Manager Travis Heinrich. “Many in our community have waited patiently for this and we mahalo you for your understanding. We urge everyone to comply with park policies to keep each other safe from COVID, and ʻōhiʻa trees safe from ROD,” Heinrich said.
The Kahuku Visitor Contact Station (VCS) will also reopen Thursday to visitors who recreate responsibly and follow COVID safety guidelines. Visitors are required to wear a mask in the VCS and other park service buildings. Masks are only required outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained.
Kahuku Road above Upper Palm Trail to the ROD Quarantine Gate is not recommended for low-clearance vehicles. The road past the gate is closed to vehicles.
Hikers need to account for the 1.2-mile (1.9 km) one-way walk from the ROD Quarantine Gate to the lower Glover and Kona trailheads, a lovely trek through a wooded landscape with water tanks and cattle corrals that are reminders of the paniolo days at Kahuku. A picnic area en route to the trailheads offers panoramic views of Ka Lae (South Point) and the Kaʻū coast. Native forest birds and the rare mamo lehua (yellow flowering ʻōhiʻa trees) are sure signs of spring in Kahuku.
The Kahuku Visitor Contact Station (VCS) will also reopen Thursday to visitors who recreate responsibly and follow COVID safety guidelines. Visitors are required to wear a mask in the VCS and other park service buildings. Masks are only required outdoors when social distancing cannot be maintained.
Kahuku Road above Upper Palm Trail to the ROD Quarantine Gate is not recommended for low-clearance vehicles. The road past the gate is closed to vehicles.
Hikers need to account for the 1.2-mile (1.9 km) one-way walk from the ROD Quarantine Gate to the lower Glover and Kona trailheads, a lovely trek through a wooded landscape with water tanks and cattle corrals that are reminders of the paniolo days at Kahuku. A picnic area en route to the trailheads offers panoramic views of Ka Lae (South Point) and the Kaʻū coast. Native forest birds and the rare mamo lehua (yellow flowering ʻōhiʻa trees) are sure signs of spring in Kahuku.
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| New protocol protect Ohia from ROD at Kahuku in Hawa'i Volcanoes. NPS photo |
Hikers must walk through the gate along the main road to access Kona and Glover trails, and will be required to sanitize their footwear to remove fungal spores and mud. Research by ROD scientists and park staff highlights the importance of such practices to prevent the spread of this terrible disease. The public is asked to do their part to protect native forests by checking their personal items and vehicles for invasive pests before recreating in natural areas, and by following sanitation protocols.
To learn more about ROD in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, visit https://go.nps.gov/12djlk.
Glover Trail is a 3.2-mile (5 km) loop with a 320-foot (98 m) elevation change. Add in the 2.4 miles (3.8 km) to and from the trail head for a total of 5.6 miles (8.8 km) round trip. This hike culminates on the edge of a huge iʻpit crater with a pristine Hawaiian rainforest protected within its sheer walls.
Glover Trail is a 3.2-mile (5 km) loop with a 320-foot (98 m) elevation change. Add in the 2.4 miles (3.8 km) to and from the trail head for a total of 5.6 miles (8.8 km) round trip. This hike culminates on the edge of a huge iʻpit crater with a pristine Hawaiian rainforest protected within its sheer walls.
Kona Trail is 4.6-mile (7.3 km) loop with 520-foot (158 m) elevation change. Add in the 2.4 miles (3.8 km) to and from the trail head for a total of 7 miles (11.1 km) round trip. Relics of Kahuku’s ranching era, pasture land and the 1887 lava flow define this trek.
The Kahuku Forest Trail Guide is available at the lower trailhead across from the Visitor Contact Station. Both the Kona and Glover trail hikes require an early start. The Kahuku Unit is open Thursday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and entrance is always free. Plan your Kahuku visit on the park website: https://go.nps.gov/1bicpe.www.nps.gov
The Kahuku Forest Trail Guide is available at the lower trailhead across from the Visitor Contact Station. Both the Kona and Glover trail hikes require an early start. The Kahuku Unit is open Thursday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and entrance is always free. Plan your Kahuku visit on the park website: https://go.nps.gov/1bicpe.www.nps.gov
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| Kona Trail reopens in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Kahuku Unit. NPS photo |
THE FAIR AND OPEN SKIES ACT won the support of Congressman Kai Kahele and colleagues who introduced bipartisan legislation today in seeking to preclude new foreign airlines from operating to and from the United States when they exploit “flags of convenience” to avoid the regulations of their home countries, or otherwise undermine labor standards.
“As an active commercial airline pilot, I know firsthand the rigorous training and evaluations required of every U.S. pilot, crew member and airline each year to operate within the United States,” said Kahele. “The United States prides itself on operating one of the safest aviation systems in the world. Permitting foreign airlines to ignore regulations and labor standards could erode the unprecedented level of safety that currently exists within the American airline community and risk millions of American jobs to unfair competition."
AFL-CIO; Air Line Pilots Association; Allied Pilots Association; Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association; Association of Flight Attendants-CWA; Association of Professional Flight Attendants;
Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations; Communications Workers of America;mnInternational Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; International Brotherhood of Teamsters;
International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots; NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots;
Southwest Airlines Pilots Association; Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO; Transport Workers Union; and UNITE HERE.
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I-HILO and Hawaiʻi Community College are two of the higher education institutes receiving a share of the $97.6 million appropriated by U.S. Department of Education, according to Congressman Ed Case.
“At least half of the funding each school receives will be distributed in the form of emergency cash assistance grants to students who are facing hunger, homelessness and other hardship,” said Case. “While schools of higher education are struggling to balance their budgets while also continuing to meet the needs of their students, the funding provided to these institutions from the American Rescue Plan is an investment that will help secure the future of these schools and, at the same time, provide for struggling students with urgent relief that will help them stay on track and complete their education.”
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
THE ZERO WASTE SUMMIT IS FRIDAY MAY 28. Sponsored by Zero Waste- Hawaiʻi Island and state Sen. Laura Acasio, of Hilo, the session will be on zoom from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The virtual event will feature several panel discussions focused on reducing waste, creating pathways to community composting, and building efficient reuse systems in Hawaiʻi. Zoom Registration: http://bit.ly/zwhisummit
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
THE DEATH OF COLT BRENNAN drew comments from Hawaiʻi Gov. David Ige, who said today, "Colt Brennan electrified the entire State of Hawaiʻi at the peak of his college career with the UH Rainbow Warrior Football team. He will always be remembered for his brilliance, his leadership and how he and his team brought the people of Hawaiʻi together during that exciting and memorable 2007 season. Dawn and I join our community in mourning the loss of Colt Brennan. We send our deepest condolences to Colt's family and loved ones." Brennan, who led University of Hawaiʻi to two of its most successful seasons and broke numerous records nationwide as a quarterback, died of an apparent drug overdose. According to ESPN, his father said he had been turned way from a California hospital where he sought rehab, because there were no empty beds. He was 37.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see https://www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
INNOVATION GRANTS FROM COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT are open for applications through next Tuesday, May 18. The intent is to support research, programs and projects that advance innovation in the areas of economic development, community- and place-based tourism, agriculture, creative industries, energy, and sustainable development in Hawaiʻi County. Proposals must address and support the Department’s goal related to innovation, community well-being and economic development, and program objectives for the above subject areas.
See Innovation Grant website REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (“RFP”) NO. 2021-01 and Frequently Asked Questions. Call (808) 961-8366, Email chresdev@hawaiicounty.gov
See Innovation Grant website REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (“RFP”) NO. 2021-01 and Frequently Asked Questions. Call (808) 961-8366, Email chresdev@hawaiicounty.gov
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.
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.
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.
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
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GOLF & MEMBERSHIPS for Discovery Harbour Golf Course and its Clubhouse:
O 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.
ALIʻI HAWAIʻI HULA HANDS COFFEE. Order by calling 928-0608 or emailing alihhhcoffee@yahoo.com.
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
EDUCATION
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.
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. Nāʻālehu 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.
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.
COMMUNITY
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.
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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.
See The Club at Discovery Harbour Facebook page.
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.
OUTDOOR MARKETS
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.
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.
BUY LOCAL GIFTS ONLINE, IN-PERSON
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 p.m.
PUNALUʻU BAKESHOP online at bakeshophawaii.com and in-person 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week in Nāʻālehu.
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 808-937-6355, or call the Ministry at 808-920-8137. See Facebook and at hopedia-mendministries.com.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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. Nāʻālehu 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.
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.
View the Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report at rb.gy/awu65k.
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.
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.
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.
PETS & WILDLIFE
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.
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.
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.