Kaʻū News Briefs Aug. 9, 2024

Ballots Can be Cast 'til 7 p.m. in Nāʻālehu on Saturday

PRIMARY ELECTION BALLOTS CAN BE DROPPED OFF AT NĀ'ĀLEHU POLICE STATION

24/7 UNTIL 7 P.M. AUG. 10, which is Election Day. Nāʻālehu Police Station is at 95-5355 Māmalahoa Hwy 11. The ballot drop box is outside the police staton. See voter guides in English, 'Ōlelo Hawaiian, Ilokano, Tagalog and Chinese at https://elections.hawaii.gov/.../2024-primary-election.../

GROUND DEFORMATION SHOWS STEADY INFLATION, ever since the July 22–25 pulses of strong seismicity and deformation indicated magma intruding into the upper East Rift Zone of Kīlauea. According to a report Thursday evening from USGS, more than 1,700 earthquakes occurred during this intrusion, along with changes in ground deformation patterns—Kīlauea’s summit region deflated as magma moved underground into the UERZ, where inflation indicated magma was accumulating near Pauahi Crater.  During the intrusion, some earthquakes were located in the upper Middle East Rift Zone (MERZ) past Maunaulu to Makaopuhi Crater. Beginning on July 23, ground deformation patterns in the MERZ began to show extension and uplift. Over the past week, extension and uplift has continued but the rates have slowed over time. In total, the area across Makaopuhi Crater has extended approximately 12.5 cm (5 inches) and uplifted about 7 cm (2.8 inches) since July 23. Starting on August 8, the POC tiltmeter located on the north flank of Puʻuʻōʻō in the middle East Rift Zone also began to showed movement consistent with the ongoing MERZ inflation. Ground deformation signals recorded by POC and nearby GPS stations indicate the center of deformation remains west of Puʻuʻōʻō.

Earthquakes have also continued to occur in the UERZ and MERZ since the July 22–25 intrusion. In the UERZ, around 70 events have occurred per day on average, while in the MERZ, around 25 events have occurred per day on average. Most events have been smaller than magnitude-2 and located 2.5–3.5 km (1.5–2.2 miles) beneath the ground surface.
    At Kīlauea’s summit, earthquake activity has remained low following the UERZ intrusion, while ground deformation patterns have shown steady inflation since July 26.

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HAWAI'I COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE shared an ADVISORY message on Friday, noting USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory 's Kīlauea Volcano's alert status.
     ADVISORY means: the volcano is exhibiting signs of elevated unrest above known background level or, after a change from a higher level; or volcanic activity has decreased significantly but continues to be

closely monitored for possible renewed increase.
    Civil Defense stated that due to Kīlauea's Volcano Advisory:
Conditions indicate that magma has moved into the Middle East Rift Zone (MERZ) near Makaopuhi Crater.
    Kīlauea Volcano is NOT erupting.
    The current volcanic activity is within the National Park boundaries and does NOT pose a threat outside of the Volcanoes National Park.
    Civil Defense is coordinating with HVO who is monitoring the activity on Kīlauea Volcano around the clock.
    "You will be informed as conditions change. This is your Hawai'i County Civil Defense Agency."
For more information: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea

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PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPENED THIS WEEK in the Kaʻū-Kea'au-Pahoa Complex Area. It covers the rural

districts of Kaʻū and Puna, which is vast in geography, about 100 sq. mi. bigger than entire area of Maui and O'ahu combined. The Fall semester opened without school bus service, due to a lack of drivers, but restoration of service is promised by Monday.

     See the August Complex Area newsletter for the local schools and community at https://online.fliphtml5.com/fxutw/imzl/#p=1.

     It says that the theme for schools statewide is Ne'epapa: "To move as a whole unit, moving or working together in unison' combined, united."

     The Kaʻū-Kea'au-Pahoa area theme is Ho'okahi wa'o ka like: "We are all made of the same water."

     The area vision is Mohala i ka wai ka maka o ka pua: "Flowers thrive where there is water, as thriving people are found where living conditions are good."

    The area mission is No na keiki mau a mau: "For the children, forever and ever."               

    Listed intentions for the area schools are to: Improve educational outcomes; Create thriving learning environments; Connect school to the community and beyond." 

    Succeeding with the intentions will be done with: High Quality Classrooms, People Development and Supportive Systems & Environments, and with Effective Instructional Leadership, says the newsletter.

    The newsletter includes the following.

OVER 400 BOOKS WENT HOME WITH STUDENTS in Kaʻū and Pahoa to address summer learning loss. In Kaʻū, the local sponsor was O Kaʻū Kakou. In Pahoa it was Pahoa Promise Partnerships. More than 150 families were involved in this Summer Slide program.

KAʻŪ HIGH & PAHALA ELEMENTARY'S HAWAIIAN STUDIES SUMMER PROGRAM STUDENTS learned about and visited two culturally significant places, Kaiholena and Honu'apo. They also participated in the creation of Malama 'Aina Compostables and presented Zero Waste informaton to community members as part of their summer learning.

EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER RECEIVES A SCHOOL SUPPLIES YOOBI CLASSPACK for 30 students in a program sponsored by the Kids in Need Foundation's Rural Indigenous School Equity program, Yoobi, and Royal Hawaiian Movers. This year's outreach to Hawai'i Island is the first outside of the state of Minnesota, the home of Kids in Need Foundation.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

Kamalani Fujikawa inspires the girls during the winning 2023 season.
2024 begins Thursday, Aug. 15 with a home game. Photo by Julia Neal

KAʻŪ TROJANS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL hosts the first game of the season at home next Thursday, Aug. 15 at the Herkes Kaʻū District Gym. Kaʻū travels to Kea'au on Tuesday., Aug. 20 and hosts Christian Liberty on Thursday, Aug. 22. Kaʻū is on the road to Ka Umeke on Wednesday, Aug. 28 and again to the Kamehameha Tournament, which runs from Thursday, Aug. 29 through Saturday, Aug. 31. LCPCS/SIS comes to Kaʻū on Tuesday, Sept. 3. and Pahoa comes to Kaʻū on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Trojans go on the road to Waiakea on Friday, Sept. 13 and again to Kamehameha on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Hilo comes to Kaʻū on Thursday, Sept. 19. Kea'au comes to Kaʻū on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Kaʻū travels to Christian Liberty on Saturday, Sept. 28 and again to LCPCS/SIS on Monday, Sept. 30. Ka Umeke comes to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 5. Kaʻū travels to Hilo on Saturday, Oct. 12 and again to Pahoa on Monday, Oct. 13. Kamehameha comes to Kaʻū on Wednesday, Oct. 16, followed by Big Island Interscholastic Federation playoffs.

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Trojan football begins with a home game on Saturday, Aug 23.
Photo by Mark Peters

KAʻŪ TROJANS FOOTBALL BEGINS with Pahoa at Kaʻū on Saturday, Aug 23. The next game is Hawai'i Preparatory Academy at Kaʻū at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31, followed by   Kaʻū at Kohala on Saturday, Sept. 7, Kaʻū at Kamehameha in Kea'au on Friday, Sept. 13, and Kaʻū at Honoka'a at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. Kaʻū travels to Pahoa on Thursday, Sept. 26. Kohala comes to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 5. Kaʻū goes to Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Saturday, Oct. 12 and Kamehameha comes to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 19. Honoka'a travels to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 26, followed by BIIF Division Championships.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

Five positions are open for fencing in
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. NPS Photo

HELP REPLACE 40 MILES OF FENCING IN HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK AND GET PAID $28.97 to $33.81 per hour to work in natural resources, managing invasive species.
     The fencing is to keep ungulates out of areas in the Park. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is looking for five workers for the mission.
     Deadline to apply is Aug. 19, but the Park will stop receiving new applications after 101 come in.
The Park statement says, "If you're ready to get down and dirty for conservation, apply here: https://ow.ly/66kS50STuq8#JobOpportunity #Conservation #HAVO #JoinOurTeam #USAJOBS

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

The Reunion features the screening of a PBS film Ka'u Sugar,
A Town Remembers on the history of the sugar plantation
 and the closing of the mill in 1996. It will also feature a film 
on history of the local coffee industry.