About The Kaʻū Calendar

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023

KMLAC members Kaikea Nakachi and his father Mike Nakachi plant coral pieces for the Kahuwai Bay Coral Restoration 
 Project, assisted by The Nature Conservancy. See more below. Photo from Liquid Cosmos Divers 2

RAMONA OKUMURA IS ON THE MOVE and texted to her brother in Pāhala on Tuesday that she was being processed at the Egyptian border as one of 500 people attempting to leave Gaza during the Israel-
Ramona Okumura reported herself on the move to cross into
 Egypt after being trapped in the Gaza war for three weeks.
 Photo from Okumua family
Hamas war. The prosthetics expert, who helps to make and fit prosthetics for youth amputees, was serving in Gaza when the war broke out and was trapped there for three weeks. The U.S. Department of State said earlier on Tuesday that there were about 400 Americans seeking to leave Gaza and that it could happen very soon.
     Okumura is known to visit her family in Pāhala. Her brother Glenn, who lives here, and brother Miles of Honoka'a marched in the Honoka'a Peace Parade in October with a signing saying, "Bring Auntie Ramona Home." 
    She has gone to Gaza during the last five years to help young amputees, after retiring from University of Washington, working and teaching in that field, and specializing in making prosthetics from materials available wherever she goes.


THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, with its Hawai'i Island program headquarters in Ka'u, on Monday, launched the first Community-Led Coral Reef Restoration Project on this island. TNC Hawai'i & Palmyra is working with Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee on a project called Kanu Ko'a - Planting Corals - to integrate Hawaiian culture, local community, and the science of coral restoration to accelerate coral reef growth and recovery. A ceremony held on Monday was rooted in Hawaiian cultural practice and protocol, emphasizing 'ohana relationships with ko'a," the corals, says the TNC statement.

Close up of Porites lobata coral planted in Kahuwai Bay.
Photo by Liquid Cosmos Divers 2
    Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee member Ku'ulei Keakealani said, "In Kumulipo, our creation chant, ko'a is the first life that came from the dark, from pō. Everything else was born after that and we are all related. Whether we know it or not, we are dependent on ko'a: like trees, ko'a provides literally the breath of life. This project is a model of our interdependency with ko'a: I ola 'oe, i ola mākou nei — when you live, we live. It is a manifestation of our kuleana, of our reciprocal relationship with that which gives us life."
    At the event, project partners planted ko'a in Kahuwai Bay, within the ahupuaʻa of Kaʻūpūlehu. TNC divers and Native Hawaiian lineal descendants of Kaʻūpūlehu collected pieces of ko'a within the Bay that had broken off during recent high swells and would have otherwise died. Ko'a pieces were brought to shore on waʻa Kinikini, a double-hulled canoe. Together, the team used specialized saws to cut the collected pieces into 1-inch fragments. Scuba divers transported the pieces back into the Bay and affixed them to the reef with epoxy, while snorkelers watched from above. Ko'a pieces were planted in clusters, enabling them to grow together into a colony more quickly. All work with ko'a is being conducted under a Special Activities Permit with the State Division of Aquatic Resources.
    "We are honored to support and work with the KMLAC and other communities who embrace their
ancestral relationships to these places and perpetuate their cultural heritage along this coastline," says Rebecca Most, TNC Marine Program Director on the Island of Hawaiʻi. "Together, we are building coral reefs' ability to withstand the growing effects of the climate crisis."
    Coral reef health across the islands continues to decline, but reef restoration can build their resilience and help them recover. Scientists estimate that live coral cover on some Hawai'i reefs has declined by 60% over the past 40 years, due in part to overfishing and pollutants washing in from land. The climate crisis exacerbates this decline, with three
KMLAC members and other team members on the wa'a Kinikini in Kahuwai
 Bay Coral Restoration project. Photo by Liquid Cosmos Divers - 2

coral bleaching events in the last decade resulting in a 30% loss of live coral cover statewide. Effective local stewardship has helped some areas build resilience: human impacts have been reduced and fish populations, including grazing fish, have increased. But warming oceans, more frequent severe storms, and continuing land-based impacts will lead to future losses. Combined with community-led management, restoration can help mitigate these losses and catalyze recovery.
    Kaʻūpūlehu was prioritized for restoration through a statewide planning process because it is a healthy, well-managed area where restoration is likely to succeed. Kahuwai Bay has few land-based pollution sources and is in a sheltered location that is less likely to experience severe storm damage. The Bay is also within the Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Reserve, a 10-year rest area established in 2016 along 3.6 miles of coastline to give fish populations an opportunity to replenish. TNC surveys within the rest area showed a 612% increase in prime spawners (fish that lay the most eggs) in just four years.
    "Impacts on coral over the past decade have been devastating," says TNC Trustee and KMLAC member Vern Yamanaka. "As stewards of Kaʻūpūlehu, it is our kuleana and obligation to do what we can to protect coral, the basis of life in our nearshore waters. We need healthy coral reefs to maintain the marine life we are working to preserve, protect and sustainably manage, and this project will help us do that."
A piece of Porites lobata coral being fragmented. Photo from Ryzone Media




This event is the first step in determining the best restoration method for ko'a species that surround the Island of Hawaiʻi. Next steps include planting whole pieces of broken corals and installing an in-water nursery table to grow corals from fragments, which will then be out planted. During the next year, the KMLAC-TNC team will monitor the growth rates and health of the planted ko'a to evaluate which method of planting—whole pieces, fragments or nursery-grown fragments—helps ko'a grow best.

    "Restoration is an important tool in the fight against reef decline, but its adoption in Hawai'i and the Pacific is relatively novel," says Joe Pollock, Ph.D., TNC Senior Coral Reef Resilience Scientist. "By anchoring this project in science and culture while prioritizing learning and knowledge sharing, we can enhance local reef benefits while disseminating the insights needed to successfully scale up reef restoration throughout Hawai'i and beyond."

    The Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee (KMLAC) is a collaborative effort between the Native Hawaiian lineal descendants of Ka'ūpūlehu, representatives from Kamehameha Schools, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, lessees within the ahupuaʻa, resource managers, local non-governmental organizations, and state agency staff. The KMLAC is devoted to "perpetuating the legacy of our forebearers to protect, tend, and restore the biocultural resources of Ka'ūpūlehu."
    See https://www.facebook.com/KMLAC/ https://www.instagram.com/kaupulehu.mlac/

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

HAWAI'I ISLAND POLICE HAVE LOCATED 40-year old Shawna Tidwell of Ocean View, who was wanted for questioning regarding an ongoing criminal investigation. The Hawaii Police Department would like to thank the public’s assistance in locating Tidwell who was located in the Hawaii Ocean View Estates subdivision at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

Uēkahuna summit tiltmeter shows infaltion and defation. USGS photo M. Cappos

HERE ARE THE LATEST SUMMIT OBSERVATIONS from USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:
   Unrest to the south and southwest of the summit area of Kīlauea continued over the past day with a slight increase in seismicity. Waxing and waning of unrest may continue.
    Elevated seismicity (a seismic swarm) associated with an intrusion beneath the south-southwest region of Kīlauea’s summit began in early October. Since then, swarm activity has varied, with the greatest number of earthquakes occurring on October 4-6, 16-18, 21-23, and 26-29. Over the past 24 hours, swarm activity continued to slightly increase, with approximately 127 earthquakes recorded in Kīlauea’s summit region, an increase from 74 over the previous 24 hours. Most of the earthquakes related to this unrest have been smaller than magnitude-2 and have occurred at depths of around 1–3 km (0.6–2 mi) below the Uēkahuna summit tiltmet hours, with minor deflation that transitioned to minor inflation last night. The Sand Hill tiltmeter, located southwest of the caldera, has been mostly stable over the past 24 hours, and
continues to record gradual yet sustained uplift. Overall, inflation at the summit of Kīlauea remains high and has surpassed the level seen just before the most recent eruption on September 10. However, the current rate of inflation in the region has diminished significantly since October 4-6.
    Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates remain low and were measured at a rate of about 100 tonnes per day on October 19.
    It is unclear if unrest in Kīlauea summit region will continue and it is not possible to say with certainty if activity will lead to an eruption; activity may remain below the ground surface. However, an eruption remains possible, most likely in Kīlauea’s summit region inside of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and away from infrastructure. Similar patterns of earthquake activity and ground deformation occurred to the south of the caldera prior to the September and June 2023 eruptions in Kīlauea summit caldera (in Halemaʻumaʻu crater and on the downdropped block). Volcanic gas emissions pose the greatest hazard to areas downwind of Kīlauea’s summit.
    There is currently no sign of an imminent eruption and increasing inflation and earthquake activity (heightened unrest) are expected to precede an eruption. During periods of heightened unrest prior to recent eruptions at Kīlauea summit, signs of imminent eruption did not appear until 1-2 hours before lava reached the surface. The summit of Kīlauea remains at a high level of inflation and eruptive activity is possible in the coming weeks or months. HVO scientists will continue to monitor Kīlauea volcano closely and will issue additional messages as warranted by changing activity.

NATIVE AND NON- NATIVE TREES WILL BE GIVEN AWAY IN OCEAN VIEW THIS SATURDAY, Nov. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to noon, as long as trees last. The location is
next to Malama Market. West Hawaii Master Gardeners is hosting its third Hawaii Arbor Day event. Quantities will be limited on a per-family basis depending on species. Tree planting guides will be available. Master Gardeners will be present to answer gardening questions.
Also, free seeds are available from the WHMG Free Seed Library.

Posted by at

Monday, October 30, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs Monday, Oct. 30, 2023

Six witches showed up to dance at Ocean View swap meet last Saturday. They plan to also
dance at the Trunk or Treat event at Kahuku County Park Ocean View from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Photo by Annie Bosted

AFTER RIDING INTO OCEAN VIEW ON BROOMSTICKS, six witches cast a spell over a group of shoppers at Saturday's swap meet with a terrifying pop-up dance. The impromptu performance quickly grabbed attention as shoppers were caught in the witches' web and gathered round the Halloween spirits, snapping photos of the extraordinary sight. The self-taught dancers wore full witch costumes, warts and all - including menacing make-up, pointy hats, home-made brooms, and voluminous skirts.
    Inspired by the cauldron of international witch lore, they stole from German performers, who originally set the dance to music, unsurprisingly named The Witches Dance. Witch leader, Fawn Plummer, called Saturday's performance the Second Annual Ocean View Witches Dance. She explained that the witches saw the dance on YouTube, taught themselves the steps, rehearsed and, without announcing the event,

Hunter's Moon Precedes Halloween
A Hunter's moon over Volcano House on Sunday in Hawa'i Volcanoes National Park.
NPS Photo by Janice Wei
danced last year. It was so well received, that they decided to repeat it on Saturday.
    The performers included Plummer, Agrita Butterfoss, Sharon Cunningham, Vanessa Makaio, Kathy
Matteo, and Whitney Mock.
    They plan to dance again at the Trunk or Treat event, on Halloween at Kahuku County Park in 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Since homes in Ocean View are located far apart, traditionally trick-or-treating "door to door" is impractical for keiki. Instead, families decorate their cars and park them in the park's upper parking lot. Keiki celebrate Halloween by going "car to car" in quest of the evening's offerings.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

TRUNK OR TREAT will be Tuesday, Halloween from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ocean View Kahuku County Park. Since homes in Ocean View are located far apart, traditionally trick-or-treating "door to door" is impractical for keiki. Instead, families decorate their cars and park them in the park's upper parking lot. Keiki celebrate Halloween by going "car to car" in quest of the evening's offerings.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.


Shawna Tidwell
SHAWNA TIDWELL OF OCEAN VIEW IS SOUGHT BY HAWAI'I POLICE DEPARTMENT. Hawai‘i Island police are requesting the public’s assistance in locating the 40-year-old, who is wanted for questioning for a criminal investigation. She is known to frequent the Kona and Ka‘ū areas.
Tidwell is described as being 5 feet 1 inch tall, 118 pounds, with dyed red hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with information on Tidwell’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact Detective Donovan Kohara at (808) 960-3118; or via email at donovan.kohara@hawaiicounty.gov. They may also call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
    Citizens who wish to remain anonymous can make an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers does not record any calls or subscribe to caller ID.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

THE ONLY IMMIGRANT SERVING IN THE U.S. SENATE IS ATTEMPTING TO REFORM FEDERAL CARE AND CUSTODY OF UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN coming into the the U.S. Hawai'i Sen. Mazie Hirono, who came to Hawai'i from Japan as a child, released a statement this week, sayint,  "The Protecting Unaccompanied Children Act would address gaps in our system by improving existing safeguards for the release of Unaccompanied Children from government custody, increasing UCs' access to social services and legal protections, and creating new safeguards and services for children's safety."
    "As the only immigrant currently serving in the U.S. Senate, I am proud to join in introducing this

Unaccompanied children who came across the border, held in El Paso.
Photo from Council of Foreign Relations
legislation to establish comprehensive policies to protect the safety and well-being of unaccompanied children while they navigate our immigration system," said Hirono. "I am especially pleased that this legislation includes provisions of my bill to provide counsel for unaccompanied minors, a critical support for a uniquely vulnerable population in our immigration system."
    Unaccompanied Children arrive in the United States without immigration status and without a parent or guardian to care for them. Congress passed on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis, and President George W. Bush signed into law, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, two pieces of legislation that improved protections for these children. These laws require screening such children for human trafficking, housing children in appropriate settings in the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and family reunification whenever possible.
   Years after enactment of the HSA and TVPRA, new challenges have arisen requiring reforms to our system for caring for Unaccompanied Children. The number of Unaccompanied Children arriving at the U.S. southern border has greatly increased. Many children were separated from their parents by the Trump Administration "Zero Tolerance" policy, and continue to require

assistance.  Some states refuse to license HHS facilities, preventing children and staff in such facilities from reporting safety violations.  In light of increased child labor violations across the country, there has also been a call to improve vetting of sponsors and bolster penalties for child labor violations.  At the same time, our immigration system has grown more complex, making it difficult for UC to get the assistance they need particularly without access to representation.
    Specifically, the Protecting Unaccompanied Children Act would:
    Help Children Navigate Legal System. This bill would provide legal representation for all unaccompanied children. It would also lift numerical limitations for abused, abandoned, or neglected children granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and allow those and children granted "U" visas (victims of serious crimes who collaborate with law enforcement) access to Medicaid.
    Improve Sponsor Vetting and Placement. This bill would codify certain background checks, expand home studies to better identify safety concerns prior to release to a sponsor, and increase post-release services to ensure children's ongoing safety and stability. The bill contains several prohibitions on information-sharing for immigration enforcement purposes to ensure child and family privacy.
    Protect Exploited Children. This bill would also improve immigration protections for those who report child labor violations, including by lifting the annual cap for "U" visas.
    Protect Children in HHS Custody. This bill would create an HHS Office of the Ombudsperson for Immigrant Children in Federal Custody to allow children to report abuses in custody. It would also ensure that whistleblower reports are investigated and codify background checks for staff who interact with children. It would also establish state-level coordinators to help ensure Unaccompanied Children receive appropriate services and support from states.
    Remedy Past Abuses. This bill would make families separated under Trump's Zero Tolerance policy eligible for additional public assistance, allowing such families to get the care and support they need to recover from the trauma of separation.
    The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and endorsed by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

VENDOR APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN FOR CHRISTMAS IN KAHUKU to be held Saturday, Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Kahuku Unit Hwy 11 at mile marker 70.5.
Music will fill the air at Christmas In Kahuku.
Photo from Friends of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
    Christmas in Kahuku is free and open to the public. Music all day will feature the Hot Potaytahs band playing rock and roll, The Kipapa Sisters, and Jazz Gardeners. Crafters from Ka’u and beyond will sell their locally made items – jewelry, pottery, holiday decorations, and more. Hawai’i Pacific Park’s Association’s Book store will be open and providemany unique park associated books and items.
    Food will be available for purchase by The Hawaiian Civic Club of Kau and 4 Scoops of Aloha. Friend’s will have free shave ice minis & face painting. Santa will have gifts for the keiki. Friend of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park logo merchandise will be for sale, with proceeds supporting park projects and educational programs.
    Crafters may apply for this event ($35.00 booth fee) by visiting www.fhvnp.org, email admin@fhvnp.org, or call us at (808) 985-7373.
    Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is a non-profit 501(c) 3, operating under a formal philanthropic partnership agreement with Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.


'Ohana Food Drop is for everyone. courtesy of The Food Basket, at Na'alehu Hongwanji on Halloween day, from 10 a.m. as long
as supplies last. Photo from Hilo Food Basket

THE FOOD BASKET WILL MAKE A DROP ON HALLOWEEN AT NĀ'ĀLEHU HONGWANJI at 10 a.m. Food Basket of Hilo will be on-site distributing food with the help of local volunteers as long as food lasts. "From fresh vegetables, breads, meats and other essential food items, these ‘Ohana Drops’ offer communities the opportunity to drive through the line once, and receive food to help sustain their families to the next paycheck with no personal questions asked. Everyone is welcome," says a statement from The Food Basket.









See www.hawaiiwildfire.org/cwpp-resources and state Department of Land & Natural Resources website: dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/fire/community-risk-reduction/community-wildfire-protection-plans/.










Posted by at

Kaʻū News Briefs Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023

Ho'okupu Hula No Kaʻū Festival this Saturday
Indigenous dance from Mexico will be performed at this Saturday's Ho'okupu Hula No Kaʻū Festival
at the Ke Ola Pu'uhonua cultural grounds in Nāʻālehu. Photo from Kumu Debbie Ryder

COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT focuses on Nāʻālehu on Thursday, Nov. 16. It will host the next public community meeting for the Naalehu Large Capacity Cesspool Closure Project at 6 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Community Center.
     The large capacity gang cesspool is illegal under federal law and the county is seeking to replace it with a system approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Health. The old gang cesspool is a remnant from the old, defunct sugar company but is still in use and doesn't comply with modern laws regarding waste disposal.
    The county statement says it mailed surveys to the owners of 164 properties in Na'alehu that are connected or accessible to the gang cesspool, and the owners of 30 parcels that would become accessible. The surveys will be accepted at the public meeting. Those who own an affected lot should be receiving a survey at the address listed in real property tax records. Those who do not own an affected lot, live in the Na'alehu area, are still welcome to come as the selection of the type of wastewater disposal system to be installed will impact everyone.
    Those responding and the general public are invited to click on the recently posted Preliminary Engineering Report for Naalehu and consider attending the meeting with any questions for staff of the Department of Environmental Management. See https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/departments/environmental-management/pahala-naalehu/

AN UPDATE ON RAMONA OKUMURA, TRAPPED IN GAZA, has come from her brother Glenn Okumura who lives in Pāhala. The family statement says:
    "More than three weeks in, American aid worker Ramona Okumura continues to be trapped in Gaza along with 45 other aid workers and an estimated 500-600 other Americans as violence intensifies in the region and food, water, and fuel supplies dwindle. The Okumura family has joined their desperate pleas with that of other trapped Americans, who say they have been in regular communication with their elected officials, yet there has been no update or timeline for an evacuation of a single American citizen from war-torn Gaza.
    "The Okumura family and others continue to pressure senators and the Department of State with calls, emails, and meetings to demand a ceasefire and humanitarian corridor for safe passage out of Gaza with military support if needed. Otherwise, they say, their loved ones will continue to be hostages of the situation, held in a war zone against their will, all while hundreds of children and citizens continue to be killed a day."
Ramona Okumura and Dr. Barbara Zind were working together in Gaza
when they became trapped by the war. Photo from Okumua family
    Ramona's brother in Honoka'a said, "In addition to the 220 hostages taken during the October 7 attack by Hamas, 500 American citizens are being held hostage by the situation in Gaza due to the lack of action between the US, Egyptian, Hamas and Israel. Any day now there could be a tragic accident or intentional bombing of their present location near the border of Egypt. Jet planes fly over and bombs are heard falling in the area all night long. They can hear the missiles being launched nearby by Hamas. They can see drones flying above, surveying their locations. "
    The family statement says, "Ramona Okumura and her colleague, Dr. Barbara Zind, were on what should have been a routine medical mission to provide prosthetics to child amputees but have now been trapped in this dangerous war zone and humanitarian nightmare for nearly three weeks. The Americans are under constant bombardment and facing limited access to the most necessities, including clean water and food."
   Ramona Okumura texted, "Tens of thousands of IDPS, internationally displaced persons, are at the place we were last, without food and water and shelter. They are in dire need of massive humanitarian aid. More arrive every day as the areas around where they live get hit by missiles and bombs." Okumura,
Ramona Okumura has been locating materials, making and fitting prosthetics
for amputee Palestinian children for years. Originally from Hawai'i, with her
brother living in Pāhala, she became trapped when the war began Oct. 7 and has
 moved to a camp near the border, hoping to cross into Egypt.
Photo from Okumura family
herself, is bunkered in an UN compound. She said there have been people banging at the doors, and several members of her contingent have stomach symptoms due to the limited food available. They have begun rationing supplies as they have already been trapped for 22 days without any option to evacuate and with no news of how much longer they may remain."
   The Okumura family statement says, "Other Americans trapped in Gaza have reported that they have resorted to drinking salt water, including a young family from Medway, Massachusetts, Abood Okal, his wife Wafaa Abuzayda, and their one-year-old son Yousef Okal. They are represented by Sammy Nabulsi, who has said in several interviews with ABC News that "Everyday it's getting worse and worse for these citizens and this family.'
    The Okumura family says, "As the situation grows more and more dire with each passing hour, these families have renewed questions about why the United States has taken so long to organize a civilian evacuation of Gaza, when the U.S. government has successfully evacuated hundreds of American citizens out of Israel via chartered planes and cruise ships, with evacuation efforts from Israel ongoing.
    "Many have expressed feeling abandoned and disregarded by the Biden Administration and the State Department. While their representatives have assured them that they are tracking the situation, they have now gone weeks without any clarity on how – and when - Americans in Gaza can hope to escape."
    Nabulsi said,  "We are barreling towards a situation where American made weapons paid for American dollars may be used to either harm or kill American citizens. It's incomprehensible to me." 


VOLCANO ART CENTER HOSTS JAZZ IN THE FOREST on Saturday, Nov. 11. It is a Potpourri of Jazz and features a selection of classics from the last hundred years of America’s greatest music. The Jazztones will take listeners through the last century with the participation of JP Thoma on saxophones, Asha Azama on keyboard, Joey Carroll on bass, Owen Matsui on drums, and featuring the vocal artistry of prize winning Owana Salazar. Venue is VAC's Niaulani Campus on Saturday, Nov.11, at 5:30pm. 
JP Thoma, on sax with the Jazztones,
will perform Saturday, Nov. 11 at VAC.
     The show begins with the Louis Armstrong and King Oliver’s, New Orleans and Chicago soaring introduction to modern jazz in 1928 and the resounding introduction to West End Blues that led from Dixieland to BeBop. Miles Davis said Armstrong paved the path for all of jazz in this landmark performance. 
     New York has been home to much of American jazz influence, from the Cotton Club of Duke Ellington and his band, here performing I’m Beginning to See the Light and across the country in various styles, here highlighting The Big Noise From Winnetka featuring a whistling and swinging bass solo – here performed by Joey Carroll of the Jazztones. 
    Sliding smoothly into the swing era are romantic vocals of Body and Soul featuring the stylings of vocalist Owana Salazar, and You Stepped Out of a Dream. Then on to BeBop with the music of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, with Now’s the Time and Thelonious Monk’s Blue Monk, Miles Davis’s classic from his album Kind of Blue – All Blues, caries into more recent history, and from his historic partner John Coltrane, a moving spiritual rendition of Wise One from his Love Supreme period.       The Jazztones symbolically end the program with Duke Ellington’s wise observation – Things Ain’t What They Used To Be. 
     Tickets are $25 for VAC members ($30 non-members). Ticket holders will be able to purchase pupu, beer and wine. Tickets are available for sale online at www.volcanoartcenter.org.


VOLCANO ARTIST HUI OFFERS THANKSGIVING WEEKEND STUDIO TOUR: Volcano Village Artists Hui will host its 37th Annual Studio Tour & Sale Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 24 - 26, from
`Ōhi`a, Metrosideros polymorpha, watercolor on paper by Joan
 Yoshioka, is one of the offerings at Volcano Artist Hui Studio
 Tour & Sale on Friday - Sunday, Nov. 24-26, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day. Five studio and gallery locations will open their doors to the public for the tour with a wide range of artwork on display and available for purchase in a variety of styles and price ranges. The following studio locations and artists will be featured:
     At Studio # 1, Pam Barton Studio, will be Pam Barton (fiber work and more), Zeke Israel (raku, jewelry, affordable surprises) and Randy Sutton, guest artist (textile art, cards, wall vases).
    At Studio #2, J.M. Fusions will feature the work of guest artist Jaime Lesourd (kiln formed glass).
    At Studio Studio #3, Volcano Garden Arts, will be Ira Ono (fine art and exquisite gifts).
    At Studio #4, the Margaret Barnaby Studio, will be Margaret Barnaby (woodblock prints), Mike and Misato Mortara (hand blown glass & wood), Lisa Louise Adams (inspiring art treasures) and guest artist Nash Adams-Pruitt (functional glass art).
    At Studio #5, Niaulani Campus of Volcano Art Center, will be Charlotte Forbes Perry (ceramics and stained glass), Joan Yoshioka (original paintings, prints and bags), Ricia Shema (vintage silk clothing, bags and more) with guest artist Scott Pincus (handmade silver jewelry).
    Check the Hui website for more information and the map to the studios AT http://www.VolcanoVillageArtistsHui.com

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.








See www.hawaiiwildfire.org/cwpp-resources and state Department of Land & Natural Resources website: dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/fire/community-risk-reduction/community-wildfire-protection-plans/.
















Posted by at

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023

Award winning Kaʻū Coffee Farms shared their brew and their knowledge at the Coffee Tea & Water Expo and
concert at Nāʻālehu Park last Saturday. Among them was Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative President Gloria
 Camba, (l), joined by Taiko Drumming enthusiasts Kayo Munnerlyn and Lucy Makuakane.
Photos by Brenda Iokepa Moses
KAʻŪ COFFEE GROWERS CAME OUT TO SHOW THEIR BRANDS at the Coffee Tea & Water Essential Elements Expo last Saturday, Oct. 21 at Nāʻālehu Park. Ahead of the next Kaʻū Coffee Festival, set for June 2024 in Pāhala, the coffee displays were part of the event organized by Christine Kaehuaea and her enterprise, Stargazer Industries. In a wrapup statement she released this week Kaehuaea said, "Between the 16 coffee and tea farmers and other retailers, products were purchased, while some were connected to future sales avenues."
Navarro Coffee Farm with its Hawaiian Monarch brand of Kaʻū Coffee.
  The day of entertainment and booths brought into Kaʻū some highly sophisticated staging, sound system and tenting for attendees. Many goers said they appreciated the layout, the sound and the live music. Kaehuaea said many of the ten food vendors sold out.
    Kaehuaea, who emceed the show, said she was happy that she was able to host the event free to the public. In the press release, she said, "I feel that we could have had 10,000 more people to really bolster the entire community beyond the event itself. However, the smiles on people's faces; the dancing throughout the event by vendors and attendees; the surprise for many, even driving by seeing the Show System's 32-foot,
Will and Grace Tabios with Rising Sun Kaʻū Coffee.
fold-out semi-truck professional stage; the comments from the artists that felt the love of the crowds.... it was worth it to make this event a reality."
    She also gave a report on the fundraising for charitable causes carried in the event promotions and through her Kaʻū Wish List Fund, with its QR Code. She said, “We wanted this event overall to benefit people on multiple levels. We felt that we pretty much accomplished that goal, however, in the end, it was the fundraising side that didn’t have as much momentum as we had planned. We feel very blessed to have been able to raise $376.52 from two cash boxes at the event
Pohaku Kaʻū Estate family members and coffee.
thanks to attendees, with online donations drawing $125.00, however it does show us where to improve for the next one. Sponsors paid the for the entire event, while event and media coordinating, production and the task of emcee was on my plate. Again, it was worth it to see people enjoying themselves.”
    Kaehuaea said, "The current event funds raised will be provided to Stacy Bello, Superintendent East Hawai'i DOE at 75% and Christopher Chang, UniServ Director for the Lahaina office of the Hawai'i Teacher’s Association at 25%. It has been decided to keep the Kaʻū Wish List Fund operational until the end of 2023 to enable local schools around Hawai'i Island the ability to
purchase those items 'not in the budget' as needed
without red tape. Stargazer Industries will be working with the East and West DOE Superintendent to make 'wishes' by educators or 
Miles Mayne's Silver Cloud Farm Kaʻū Coffee crew.
schools a reality through this fund. 
    "Currently, post event, Stargazer Industries is seeking sponsors for a, 'Shared Mahalo' radio spots campaign to be airing on KWXX stations and KOA Country stations starting sometime next week. Expansion into additional media avenues to include shared digital and TV to highlight the businesses that choose to take part is under consideration."   
Ralph Gaston and Lori Obra with Rusty's Hawaiian Kaʻū Coffee.
    She thanked Waiakea Water for two pallets of water it donated; and delivery by James Hirayama, V.P and Lead Electrician of Hirayama Bros. Electric of Hilo. She noted that Event Medics Hawai'i was "on staff, alongside some of the Na’alehu Police Department’s finest special detail officers, Officer Akiu and Officer Takata."
    She said mahalo for sponsorships from KTA Superstores, Paradise Helicopters, Hawai'i MedSpa Kailua-Kona, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel’s WS Restaurant, Lion Energy, HPM Building Supply,
Ruanne Manuel, Jan Kaeza Penera and Nick
Bottomley with Kaʻū Coffee Mill.

Home Depot of Kona, and Kai Loki’s Restaurant & Bar of Oceanview. She also said mahalo to Brandon Nakano and his team of sound engineers, the group from Show Systems Stages, Sunset Tent Rentals of HPP, Big Island Portables of Honoka’a, SunBelt Kona, "with musical performers providing the icing on the cake: Maka Gallinger, Kala’e & Kalena Parish, Taulia Lave and the local Ka’u groups, Shootz and Keaiwa."
    Kaehuaea also said mahalo to "event troops on the ground, O’Ka’u Kakou, a local non-profit that kept the trash bins picked up and then was provided the ten trash cans, bags and some tarps along with a monetary donation. The 'day-of-event team' consisted of TJ James, Matt and Julie Ferguson, Gwen Lowe and Ron Chu working the event from 4:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. braving the eventual drizzle of rain. From Steve Pause, Director of Public Works, Maurice Messina, Director of Parks & Recreation, and Michael Une, Supervisor at the State Health Department Food & Sanitation Division, down the chain to County & State staff who were all extremely helpful in making sure this event took place successfully."
Coffee, Tea & Water Essential Elements Expo event producer Christine Keahuaea.
Photos by Brenda Iokepa Moses
   See more on Kaehuaea and the founding of  Stargazer Industries and its companies at   https://stargazerindustriesinc.com/about
 

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com, in the mail and on stands.

HO'OKUPU HULA NO KAʻŪ CULTURAL FESTIVAL IS NEXT SATURDAY. The annual event has transitioned from Pāhala to the Ke Ola Pu'uhonua cultural grounds in Nāʻālehu this

Hula dancers from Mexico will perform at next Saturday's Ho'okupu Hula
 No Kaʻū Cultural Fest and will also take their talents to Hilo and Auntie
 Sally's to entertain kupuna. Photo from Kumu Debbie Ryder
year. The outdoor venue, which has become a regular performance site for its sponsor Debbie Ryder and her Halau Hula O Leonalani, will welcome dancers and musicians from Japan, Mexico, Virginia, Maui, O'ahu and Hawai'i Island to perform free for the public on Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    The halau from Mexico will also perform with Halau Hula O Leonalani at Auntie Sally's Lu'au Hale in Hilo on Thursday, Nov. 2 in a special presentation, organized by the county's Elderly Division Kupuna Program.
    On Friday, the halau travel to Kīlauea Crater for a special protocol, chants and
Tahitian dancers from Mexico City will perform
at the cultural festival next Saturday. Photo by Julia Neal
Ho'okupu. On Saturday, the halau go to Punalu'u at dawn to greet the day and experience Hi'uwai, honoring Akua, 'Aumakua and Kupuna. Ho'okupu continues at Ke Ola Pu'unonua at 9 a.m. with the public with the kumu inviting any family or group to participate in the protocol.
    Emcee for the day will be Alaka'i Paleka and Kaʻū's own Makana. Hula, mele, chant with Hawaiian, Tahitian and Island Reggae music begin at 10 a.m. From Maui, The Homestead Band and Wailau Ryder and Marsjae Atisiloma Duo will perform.
    Hawaiian Practitioners will be on site with hands on demonstrations such as poi pounding, lauhala weaving, net making, traditional hale construction and more. There will be craft vendors, food booth, shave ice, Hawaiian food, prize drawings and more.


KAʻŪ LADY TROJANS FOUGHT TO THE END with close scores against Hawai'i Preparatory Academy in the Saturday BIIF island playoff for girls volleyball at Kamehameha School. Kaʻū won the second and third sets 25-18 and 25-21, but HPA came back to win the last two, 25-15 and 20-18, after winning the first with 25-12.
The 5-3 results send HPA to the state high school championships on O'ahu. The Trojans, however, still own their perfect season, winning all 12 matches in regular season play, under the first-year coaching of Kamalani Fujikawa and Marley Strand-Nicolaisen, both veterans of winning Trojans volleyball teams.










Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)