The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island: Apr 23, 2023

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, April 23, 2023

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists documented newly exposed lava flows and tephra layers in the northwest wall of Kīlauea caldera during a field visit Friday morning, April 21. HVO reports that "these new exposures will help us better understand Kīlauea's long term eruptive history, which alternates between effusive periods (producing lava flows) and explosive periods (producing tephra such as ash)" See more on Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes below. USGS Photo by K. Lynn.

IN HONOR OF EARTH DAY, THE INTEGRATED CLIMATE ACTION PLAN for Hawai'i County will be released to the public on May 1. Mayor Mitch Roth made the announcement on Saturday, noting that ICAP is "a cross-departmental effort that aims to chart the County's responsibility to reduce its contribution to global climate change and make its services and facilities resilient to the effects of a

Annually, the total Energy emissions for Hawaiʻi County is 969,900 MTCO2e while

Honolulu County’s is 6,863,485 MTCO2e. This means that per year O'ahu produces

6.9 MTCO2e per person while Hawai'i produces 4.8 MTCO2e per person from energy

use. Hawai'i County is dedicated to further reducing emissions, including transitioning

to an all-electric Hele-on public bus and van fleet. Hawai'i County image

changing climate. It will also identify actions the County can take and will be used as a tool to hold the County accountable for climate action.
"Adapting to a changing climate is an integral part of fostering a sustainable Hawaiʻi Island where our keiki can raise their keiki for generations," said the Mayor. "As an island, we are incredibly susceptible to adverse impacts on our natural environment, and as government, it is our responsibility to act accordingly to preserve and protect our natural and cultural resources. We understand that this is a critical time for our planet and our island, and we will continue to take bold action to address the impacts of climate change here in Hawaiʻi and around the world."
Roth said that ICAP will build on the County's history of commitment to climate action and includes

several initiatives, including electrifying the County's Hele-on bus and van fleet, expanding its services, and reducing the cost of energy for County facilities. Ongoing County sustainability initiatives include its Sustainability Summits, participation in the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, and establishment of research-based shoreline setbacks to reduce risk to coastal hazards for Hawaiʻi Island.
ICAP will be available in tandem with a Hawaiʻi Island Sustainability Dashboard that tracks the County's greenhouse gas emissions and can be found at rd.hawaiicounty.gov. There, viewers can also find the Energy Analysis for Hawaiʻi County Buildings.
The mayor said the report is the first example of ICAP implementation and the County's first step towards zero emissions conversion for its buildings and facilities.
"The County of Hawaiʻi encourages all residents to review the ICAP and provide feedback through Konveio, an interactive online platform," says the statement. Link to the Konveio site is coh.planning.konveio.com. The County will accept public feedback from May 1 to June 1.

T o 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 MAGNITUDE 4.4 EARTHQUAKE THAT SHOOK VOLCANO AT 2 p.m. on Saturday, apparently did little damage to the area. It was located southeast of Volcano Village and 1.2 miles north northeast of Kīlauea caldera,

DID LAVA FLOW OUT OF MAUNA LOA'S SOUTHERN CALDERA IN late November of 2022? That is the question posed by this week's Volcano Watch, written by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
Official statements from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory noted that initial vents were within the caldera; however, lava flows were reported visible from Kona. Indeed, Kona residents could see lava flows descending the western flank of the volcano and were concerned, feeling that lava was outside of the caldera. In hindsight, it seems appropriate to explain what HVO knew in the first few minutes of the eruption and why Kona residents were able to see the first lava flows.
Most people are familiar with Mokuʻāweoweo - the inner caldera at Mauna Loa. However, there's also an outer caldera, which is a geologic term indicating that less obvious mapped faults designate a much larger caldera feature than Mokuʻāweoweo.

Map of the Mauna Loa 2022 eruptive fissures, shown as red lines. Red shaded area indicates lava flows produced during the eruption, around fissure vent areas. Solid white line indicates mapped outer caldera boundary. White dotted line indicates inferred outer caldera boundaryburied by historic Mauna Loa lava flows. Fissures documented by C. Parcheta at USGS. Lava flow polygons by USGS National Civil Applications Center.

Official statements from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory noted that initial vents were within the caldera; however, lava flows were reported visible from Kona. Indeed, Kona residents could see lava flows descending the western flank of the volcano and were concerned, feeling that lava was outside of the caldera. In hindsight, it seems appropriate to explain what HVO knew in the first few minutes of the eruption and why Kona residents were able to see the first lava flows.
Most people are familiar with Mokuʻāweoweo--the inner caldera at Mauna Loa. However, there's also an outer caldera, which is a geologic term indicating that less obvious mapped faults designate a much larger caldera feature than Mokuʻāweoweo.

This is also true at Kīlauea. For example, most people think of the Kaluapele as the “giant crater” that

Lava, smoke and light seen from Kona where residents saw the flow in late November
descending the western flank of Mauna Loa. Photo from PBS

Crater Rim Drive mostly encircles, but the outer caldera boundary of Kīlauea caldera extends north to the opposite side of Highway 11. When one drives past the entrance to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, they are driving within the outer caldera of Kīlauea!
Mauna Loa’s southern outer caldera is buried under lava flows from the past centuries (see white dashed line on map). Three distinctive pit craters dominate this area from north to south: South Pit in Mokuʻāweoweo, Luahohonu, and Luahou. These pit craters are within the outer caldera, and not part of the Southwest Rift Zone.

The western rim of the outer caldera coincides with the inner caldera—we have not found circumferential faults to the west. The white line on map indicates the northern, eastern, and southeastern portions of the outer caldera. The approximate boundary between the caldera and the SWRZ is where these circumferential cracks cross the rift zone. Fissures that cross these circumferential cracks would indicate that the eruption is migrating into a rift zone. Sometimes fissures run right up to the outer caldera boundary and then head in the opposite direction (as during eruptions in 1935, 1942, and 1984).
This is an important concept because HVO stated that initial 2022 fissures were restricted to the summit area. Yet, overnight photographs from Kona showed lava flows descending the western slope—so how was this possible? Shouldn’t the lava be hidden from view by the western topographic edge of the caldera?
HVO's use of the phrase “summit region” may have caused confusion for some Kona residents who thought HVO was referring to the “inner caldera.” The flows seen from Kona were coming from 3 km (1.8 miles) of fissures in the south outer caldera. When lava is erupting from this area it is visible because there are no major caldera walls obscuring the view of the western flank.
Later mapping revealed that 2 km (1.2 mi) of fissures extended from the outer caldera into the uppermost extent of the SWRZ, with minor lava being emitted from those fissures. In total, the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa saw 8 km (5 mi) of fissures open across the central and southern outer caldera floor during the night of November 27–28.
By the first eruption overflight at dawn on November 28, all fissures in the inner caldera, southern outer caldera, and the uppermost SWRZ had stopped erupting and were incandescent glowing cracks. A new set of fissures had begun to form on the Northeast Rift Zone (NERZ). The three lowest elevation fissures were erupting during the initial overflight and named fissure 1–3. Fissure 4 opened two days later, on November 29, 2022.

In total, 17 km (11 mi.) of fissures spanned the uppermost SWRZ, the southern and central outer caldera, and the NERZ during the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa.

Geologist from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory selects a sampling site on the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater Friday morning, April 21, standing near the eastern rim of the lava lake that was active in the western portion of Halema‘uma‘u crater during the January–March, 2023 eruption. The mound next to the geologist is a spatter rampart; spatter ramparts form when bits of molten lava travel through the air and accumulate on the ground surface, forminga mound-like feature. USGS image by L. Gallant

T o 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.

TWO CREWS OF HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY GEOLOGISTS VISITED KILAUEA CALDERA on Friday morning, April 21, airlifted by helicopter to collect detailed data to assess hazards and to better understand the workings of the volcano. One crew visited the crater floor to sample cooled lava from the 2020–2023 summit eruptions. The other crew scaled part of the crater's northwest wall to sample ash beds and lava flows dating back many thousands of years in the volcano's past.
Information they gathered is shared with the National Park Service and emergency managers. Access to this hazardous area is by permission from, and in coordination with, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The volcano was not erupting.
Three of the orange-clad geologists collected tephra samples from the Uēkahuna bluff along the northern wall of Kīlauea's summit caldera. Kīlauea has a history of explosive eruptions—the evidence for these events is contained within the many layers exposed along this part of the volcano.
Although the volcano was not erupting, a wispy plume was seen rising from the crater floor. Kīlauea summit sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates remain low and were most recently measured on April 14 at 110 tonnes per day.

Sunrise from within Kilauea Crater on Friday. USGS image by M. Zoeller

The late Jeanette Howard's
legacy is enshrined in a Hawaiian
Civic Club of Kaʻū scholarship.

T o 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.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KAʻŪ IS OFFERING THE KUPUNA JEANETTE KAUALANI AKIU MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP. Hawaiian Civic Club of Kaʻū President Berkeley Yoshida and Education Committee Chair 'Aina Akamu said the scholarship is for students attending college, university or a post-high school education or training program in the 2023-2024 school year. Application deadline is Friday, April 28. See the application and more at https://www.khpes.org/news/scholarship-applications-available.

MORE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE FOR KAʻŪ. Cathy Arnold writes that Hui O Ka Leo Nahenahe has announced a scholarship that supports its promotion and perpetuation of Hawaiian culture, especially through education. The scholarship application is to be postmarked no later than June. 1.

Applicants must be Hawai'i residents, enrolled in an accredited associate, bachelors, or graduate full-time program at college or university on Hawai'i Island. They must demonstrate financial need, participate in community service projects have a cumulative GPA of 2.8or better, be of Hawaiian Ancestry and demonstrate interest and participation in Hawaiian language and culture. For the scholarship application, see https://www.khpes.org/news/scholarship-applications-available.

A SCHOLARSHIP FOR KAʻŪ STUDENTS ONLY is offered by University of Hawai'i Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resource Management.

Programs include Agriculture-Agroecology; Agriculture-Aquaculture; Agriculture-Animal Health & Management; Beekeeping; Equine Science and Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Kaʻū residents must be accepted at UHH for Fall of 2023, enrolled in College of Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resource Management and interested in financial aid. Find the Application at bit.ly/UHH_OS. Deadline to apply is May 5.

HAWAI'I COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN KONA INVITES PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. Its message says: "If finances or life events have kept you from ever attending college, then you have an opportunity to enter a unique program that will: Create a learning environment that helps you to succeed; provide scholarships and academic support; allow you to just try taking a few college courses; and open the door to additional degree opportunities." See the application form and more at https://www.khpes.org/news/scholarship-applications-available. Also call the Ēlama & Hilo One Program Coordinator at 808-969-8865, Email elamaone@hawaii.edu.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

Volcano Thursday Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See Volcano Evening Market facebook.

Volcano Swap Meet, fourth Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon. Large variety of vendors with numerous products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Also offered are cakes, coffee, and shave ice. Live music.

Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Ka'ū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

O Ka'ū Kākou Market, Nā'ālehu, Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

Ocean View Community Market, Saturdays and Wednesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., corner Kona Dr. Drive and Hwy 11, near Thai Grindz. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no rez needed. Parking in the upper lot. Vendors must provide their own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling is encouraged.

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, April 22, 2023

Hawaiian Host Group has become the largest grower, processor and seller of macadamias in Hawai'i with its purchase of MacFarms, Kapua Orchards and the Royal Hawaiian brand. Photo from Hawaiian Host Group

THE 4,000 ACRE KAPUA ORCHARDS AND MACFARMS processing plant on the border of Kaʻū and South Kona are acquired by Hawaiian Host Group, the famous confectionary company. Hawaiian Host recently held a blessing for the MacFarm employees. It is one of the largest employers of Kaʻū residents.
Hawaiian Host also owns Mauna Loa and its operating plant in Kea'au as well as another manufacturing plant on O'ahu. Its purchase of MacFarms stock for $26 million makes Hawaiian Host the largest macadamia grower and producer in the state with some 340,000 trees. Hawaiian Host made the purchase from the former Broederbond Australian company, which is now known as Health & Protein Group LTD.
Hawaiian Host President and CEO Ed Schultz issued a statement saying, "The addition of 4,000 acres of macadamia orchards in perpetuity allows us to plan for the long-term in Hawai'i. MacFarms has a long-standing history of producing some of the best macadamia nuts in the world, and we look forward to continuing that tradition. This acquisition will allow us to expand our product offerings and continue to provide our customers with the best-quality products, while retaining great jobs in the state of Hawai 'i."
Macadamia growers in Kaʻū and around the state recently submitted testimony to the Hawai'i Legislature that pointed to Mauna Loa buying nuts from abroad and selling them as a Hawaiian product, while mac nuts lay on the ground on this island unharvested, with company workers on unemployment and smaller growers without a market.

Hawaiian Host CEO and President Ed Schultz (center) after purchasing MacFarms.
Photo from Hawaiian Host Group

Many smaller growers and workers said they fear that Mauna Loa could abandon local growers and lay off many of its own Kaʻū workers as it imports more macadamia from other countries, selling them under the Mauna Loa name. They said they hope the 2024 Hawai'i Legislature will pass a truth in labeling bill as it did this year for Hawaiian coffee.
Hawaiian Host's President pointed out that Hawaiian Host Group employs some 500 people across the state and stated that MacFarms and all of its operations "will remain open due to the popular demand for its products. As demand for its products continues to grow in Hawai‘i, on the mainland, and in Asia, HHG is hiring across locations."
While Hawai'i is well known for macadamia quality and the United States is the country with the second highest consumption of macadamia nuts, U.S. Hawai'i production and exports are outstripped by other countries. In 2021, top exporters of macadamia nuts were South Africa with $277 million exported, Australia $246M, Kenya $101M, Netherlands $39.7 million grown outside of country, and Guatemala $38.2M.

In the same year, top importers of macadamia nuts were China $230M, United States $161M, Germany $85.6M, Vietnam $62.9M, and Japan $51.8M.
The Hawaiian Host President is well known nationwide among confectioners. The National

Hawaiian Host Group acquired land, trees, another operating
plant and two more brands, MacFarms and Royal Hawaiian.
Image from Hawaiian Host

Confectioners Association issued a statement on April 12 saying it named Schultz its 2023 Advocate of the Year. It says that the award "recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to ensure the confectionery industry has a seat at the table when policy discussions occur at the federal, state and local levels." The Hawaiian Host President received his award at NCA’s 2023 State of the Industry Conference in Miami.

John Downs, NCA President and CEO, said, “Ed’s leadership and dedication to the industry are exemplified by the outcomes he has achieved for the industry in Hawai'i, making him truly deserving of this recognition."
The statement from National Confectioners says, "In 2022, Schultz worked to communicate important policy positions for the confectionery industry on numerous issues facing the state legislature in Hawai'i. "His strategic engagement and strong relationships gave him a seat at the table to advocate for his company and the broader confectionery industry. His efforts stopped harmful legislation from moving forward, and he continues to educate members of the legislature on issues that impact the industry."
Schultz said, “We must be engaged when new policies are put forward by elected officials at all levels, and I look forward to continuing to share the important role that the confectionery industry plays in our communities and in our great state of Hawai'i.”
Schultz has been President of Hawaiian Host Group since 2018 and serves on boards of Hawai'i Chapter of Young Presidents Organization and the Chamber of Commerce Hawai'i.

T o 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.

HPD Officer Stephen Kishimoto, Jr. from Hawai'i met
K9 Kim from Hungary when they were both at Vohne
Liche in Indiana. K9 Kim returned to Hawai'i with
Kishimoto to serve as a police dog. Photo from HPD

K-9 KIM HAS JOINED THE HAWAI'I POLICE DEPARTMENT Area II Vice Section. The newest ilio wahine member of HPD, she is a two-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer who specializes in sniffing out narcotics.
In early March, Officer Stephen Kishimoto Jr., a K9 handler in the department’s Area II Vice Section, traveled to Vohne Liche Kennels in Denver, Indiana, to select a new canine for the department. He chose K9 Kim after looking at three different canines. Kim was born in Hungary and brought to the US by the training kennel, which specializes in training police dogs.
“Kim’s overall work drive stood out over the other canines,” said Kishimoto.
Kishimoto and his new K9 partner completed an extensive four-week training course at Vohne Liche’s 350-acre facility, during which the young canine learned search patterns and how to identify and signal for specific drug odors during searches.
“Kim’s drive to work and pleasant demeanor makes her a great canine to not only to locate illegal narcotics, but she’ll be a great canine for school and public demonstrations,” said Kishimoto. “She’ll represent HPD well.”
K9 Kim and her training were paid for by Hawai'i branch of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, a part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
K9 Kim replaces K9 Rory, a 10-year-old Springer Spaniel, who retired in August 2022.

T o 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.

POLICE ARRESTED 22 MOTORISTS FOR DUI during the week of April 10, through April 16. Hawai`i Island police made the arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Three of the drivers were involved in a traffic accident. One was under the age of 21. So far this year, there have been 301 DUI arrests compared with 321 during the same period last year, a decrease of 6.2 percent.
To date, this year, there have been six fatal crashes, resulting in seven fatalities. One fatal crash was reclassified—manner of death was due to natural causes and another fatal crash cause of death was due to a traffic collision that occurred the day prior. Another fatal crash ended up with multiple deaths. There has been a decrease of 50 percent for fatal crashes, and 50 percent for fatalities from last year. Police promise that DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.

T o 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.

ROADWORK IN THE MILOLI'I, KAʻŪ, VOLCANO AREA has been announced by County of Hawai'i.
April 24-28, weather permitting, along South Point Road, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m, from Hwy 11 to the end of the road, the schedule is for mulching of grass and tree trimmings. In Volcano area, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be grading of roadway from end of Chain of Craters Road to first gate. At both locations there will be the potential lane closures; flaggers directing traffic; large trucks and personnel on roadway. Also April 24-28 on Miloli'i Road from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be installation of pavement parkings on resurfaced roadway, with officers directing traffic and minor delays.

T o 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.

TROJANS BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEASON CAME TO A CLOSE on Saturday with a loss to Kohala on the road. Kohala Cowboys beat Kaʻū Trojans after the Trojans won the first set 25-16. Cowboys took the second, third and fourth sets 25-13, 25-19 and 25-18.

Trojans with the most scores were Tyson Junior Kuahuia-Faafia with 19 kills, 32 aces and 4 blocks; Patrick Riehle with 1 kill and 1 block. Vladimir Fedoruk with 3 kills, 2 aces and 1 block, Triton Blanco with 2 kills and 2 aces and Zayden Gallano with 1 kill and 1 block.

T o 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.