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Saturday, July 13, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Saturday, July 13, 2019

Eucalyptus, farmed in Kaʻū, is being harvested for Hū Honua, which is seeking a permit for an 800 foot deep
 injection well for waste water for its processing plant to burn the wood to make electricity north of Hilo.
See story below. Photo by Julia Neal
PROGRESS IN ESTABLISHING CHILD CARE FOR KAʻŪ COFFEE FARM WORKERS was reported today at a meeting of farmers and other supporters of the effort. With the increasing employment of members of Kaʻū's Marshallese community to pick Kaʻū Coffee, organizers in the coffee producing community, led by Laura Diaz, have established a nonprofit organization called
the Keiki OʻPalehua ʻOhana Program.
     The group has also completed renovations of a room in the Pāhala Hongwanji Schoolhouse with educational supplies for up to 15 keiki for now, and many more in the future. Diaz said she is encouraged by Daniel Goya, Pa Kaʻalana Program Manager with Partners in Development, which also provides Tūtū & Me early education in Kaʻū. She said help is coming from Kohala Center, with its Rural and Cooperative Business Development Specialist Teresa Young, who attended the meeting. Also showing support is Glen Sako, agricultural specialist with county Office of Economic Development, and Laura Noonan, Director of First to Work at the Vocational and Rehabilitation Center in Kona, said Diaz.
Marshalese community member Alina Jerong picked coffee when
she was running for Miss Kaʻū Coffee. Her community is now
offered childcare while working in the fields.
Photo by Julia Neal
     Kaʻū coffee farmer Lorie Obra, who supports the effort, said she has been relying on Marhallese coffee workers for years. John Ah San, President of the Palehua ʻOhana Farmers Cooperative, said that more Kaʻū Coffee farmers are relying on the Marshallese now that Latin American coffee pickers have become more nervous about flying to Hawaiʻi, worried that they could be caught up in some kind of immigration sting and arrested or deported, even though they believe their papers are in order.
     Ah San also explained that the challenge for Marshallese workers is that the labor department looks down on anyone bringing their children to the workplace and that the Marshallese like to come to work as one big family. He said the childcare center will help to create more coffee jobs for the Marshallese, who would drop off their children before work. Many of the Marshallese workers live in Kaʻū and can freely travel between the U.S. and the Marshall Islands.
     Diaz said that the Keiki O Palehua ʻOhana Program is looking for an electrician to hang two ceiling fans at the childcare center, for some kind of food service for the keiki, and other donations. A grand opening is planned for Aug. 10.
     The next meeting about the project is on Sunday, July 28 at 3 p.m. at the Kaʻū District Gym Activity Room. Call Diaz at 928-8188 or 408-306-5596.

Award winning coffee farmer Lorie Obra said she supports childcare
for Marshallese coffee workers in Kaʻū. Photo from alohagrown
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TREATMENT OF MIGRANTS by the U.S. sparked comment from Sen. Brian Schatz yesterday: "Both sides did not do this. Both sides do not support this. This is happening because the President has decided to inflict pain and instill fear on a systematic basis. The foul, brutal, vicious treatment of people on the border and in American cities is not the result of instability in South and Central America. It is a conscious choice made by the ruling political party. And if you still affiliate with that party, are the tax cuts worth it?" Schatz comments come before the planned roundup of illegal immigrants in nine major cities across the country on Sunday.

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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO SENT OUT A WARNING ABOUT ICE RAIDS that the Trump administration announced for tomorrow. In her message this evening, Hirono stated: "As a Senator, as an immigrant, and as an American, I want to make it clear: what Donald Trump is doing to immigrants and their loved ones across our country right now is appalling.
     "Not only are thousands of infants, children, and families being detained and packed in uninhabitable, inhumane conditions in for-profit detention centers and camps, he is now making good on his earlier threat to begin massive ICE raids in at least 10 major cities across the country. Starting tomorrow, ICE is preparing to arrest, detain, and deport at least 2,000 immigrants, terrorizing communities everywhere."
     The senator urged immigrants to know their rights. "According to the American Civil Liberties Union, you may: ask if law enforcement personnel at your door are immigration agents, and what they are there for; ask the agent or officer to show you a badge or ID through your peephole or a window; keep your door closed unless they have certain types of warrants; and wait to speak with an attorney before signing anything. You always have the right to remain silent, even if an officer has a warrant.
     "Only together can we stop this cruelty, and we must," said Hirono.

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THE HŪ HONUA ENERGY PLANT IS ASKING TO DRILL DEEPER injection wells for its wastewater, than approved last year. The state Department of Health is asking for public comment by July 21. The original approval by DOH was for three, 24 inch wide, 400 foot injection wells. The new approval would be for three, 24 inch wide, 800 foot injection wells. The purpose of the wells is to reduce the amount of waste water that would flow into the ocean at its oceanfront plant north of Hilo. The permit is called an Underground Injection Control application.
     Over the last year, farmed eucalyptus trees near Pāhala have been harvested, in anticipation of the Hū Honua plant opening and burning electricity to sell to Hawaiʻi Electric Light Co.
     Comments may be mailed to Ms. Joanna L. Seto, P.E., Safe Drinking Water Branch UIC Program, Uluakupu Bldg. 4, 2385 Waimano Home Road, Suite 110, Pearl City, Hawai‘i 96782-1400.
     DOH is taking comments on whether it should grant a modification of the original approval, issued in 2018. Should DOH grant the modified approval, operation of the wells would be authorized only when DOH also issues a permit to operate.

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Chief of Staff appointee Linda Chu Takayama
THE GOVERNOR'S NEW CHIEF OF STAFF will be Linda Chu Takayama, beginning Aug. 1. Gov. David Ige appointed Chu Takayama, who has served his administration since 2015. She led the Hawaiʻi Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and is director of the Dept. of Taxation. Chu Takayama has overseen the modernization of the tax department and is responsible for collecting more than $7 billion in tax revenue. She is an attorney with practice areas in regulatory and governmental affairs, health, insurance, land development, and corporate business law.
     Chu Takayama was director of the Office of Economic Development for the City and County of Honolulu, deputy director of the state Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Hawai‘i Insurance Commissioner, chief of staff to the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms, and director of  State Legislative Affairs and Agricultural Issues for the Grocery Manufacturers of America, Inc.
     She also served for 25 years as chair of Hawai‘i Foodbank and is a director on the board of the Hawai‘i Health Information Corp.
     Chu Takayama was born and raised in Honolulu, where she earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from George Mason University School of Law in Virginia.
     Said Chu Takayama, "I am truly honored by this appointment and will be working hard to justify the governor's confidence in me. Although the state faces tough challenges, I believe, as LBJ did, 'There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves.'"

Chief Operating Officer appointee
Keith Yamamoto
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THE STATE'S NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER IS KEITH YAMAMOTO, appointed by Gov. David Ige. Yamamoto served as first deputy director of the state Department of Health, where he was responsible for overseeing the general administration of the department.
     Yamamoto also served as chief of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division at the Dept. of Health, program development administrator for the Office of Youth Services at the Dept. of Human Services, and has managed school-based vocational education and career development programs for at-risk youth while with the state Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations.
     He earned a B.S. in Rehabilitation Services from the University of Colorado and his master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

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CHINESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS are encouraged to apply to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, said Rep. Ed Case. Case said his office is "happy to help them apply for the medal" – see case.house.gov.
     Last year, Congress passed the Chinese American World War II Veterans Congressional Gold Medal Act "to recognize their indispensable and loyal service to our nation in part through award of a Congressional gold medal."
     Said Case, "If you know a WWII Chinese American veteran, please encourage them to apply to receive their medal through the Chinese American Citizens Alliance at caww2.org/preservation."

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Sharon Beck and Kalei Namohala.
Photo from KHPES Twitter
KHPES ATHLETIC DIRECTOR KALEI NAMOHALA was recognized last week at #ELIHI2019, the Hawaiʻi educators' conference on Oʻahu. She was nominated by Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School Principal Sharon Beck for Outstanding Performance in School Year 2017-2018. Namohala was issued a certificate by the Department of Education Reward & Recognition Program.

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HIGH SURF for south facing shores of all Hawaiian Islands. The swell is expected to peak late tonight through Sunday night at near warning levels, then slowly decrease Monday into Tuesday, states an alert from the National Weather Service. Surf will be higher than normal, and shore break and dangerous currents could cause injury or death. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break, and rip currents making swimming difficult and dangerous. Beach-goers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by ocean safety officials and exercise caution when near or entering the water. Beaches may be closed without notice; however, there are no beach closures at this time.

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Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com
2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through August
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates; Bowling TBA.

Football, Division II:
Mon., July 15, first day Conditioning, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Mon., July 22, first day Full Pads, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 24, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Mon., July 29, 3 to 5 p.m., first day practice
Tue., Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Hilo
Fri., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts St. Joseph
Wed., Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kohala

Cross Country:
Mon., Aug. 5, 2:30 to 4 p.m., first day practice
Sat., Aug. 31, 10 a.m., @Christian Liberty

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UPCOMING
SUNDAY, JULY 14
Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, July 14 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3-5p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

MONDAY, JULY 15
Monday Movie Night: Fire & Sand (Local Documentary), Monday, July 15, 7p.m., $5 donation suggested. Popcorn and snacks available for purchase. Bring cushion. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

TUESDAY, JULY 16
The Wonderful World of Wine & Watercolor, Tuesday, July 16, 4-7p.m, Volcano Art Center. 
$30/VAC member, $35/non-member, $17 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

After Dark in the Park -Texas Rancher and Painter Alice Leese, HVNP July Artist in Residence, Tuesday, July 16, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. While in the park, Leese – who works her family’s 100-year-old ranch – will feel the volcanic panoramas, plants, and animals, then share her artistic interpretations with the public. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, July 17, 12:30-1:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Learn About Water Law and how to advocate for water at a Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries meeting at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, July 17, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Ka Huli Alo will provide a brief overview of Hawaiʻi legal framework governing water resource management. It will be followed by a discussion on "how homestead communities can advocate for pono, righteous, use and protection of wai, water," says the announcement.
     The session is free and open to all DHHL beneficiaries. RSVP by Sunday, July 14 to Tereariʻi at 808-956-4025 or nhlawctr@hawaii.edu. Include community name in RSVP. Dinner and refreshments are provided for those who RSVP.

FRIDAY, JULY 19
Hawai‘i State Little League Tournament, Friday through Tuesday, July 19-23, first game at 11:30a.m., second game at 2:30p.m. Nā‘ālehu Community Center Ball Field, Hwy 11. Winners go to regionals. Concessions available. No admission charged. Josh Crook, 345-0511

Taiko Drumming Presentation by Kenny Endo, Friday, July 19, 1:30-2:15p.m, Pāhala Public & School Library. Suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by parent or adult caregiver. Free. Carol Dodd, 928-2015, librarieshawaii.org

SATURDAY, JULY 20
Free Haircuts, Saturday, July 20, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Kady and Drew Foster. Sign-up sheet on church bulletin board. stjudeshawaii.org

Giving Tree, Saturday, July 20, lower parking lot, St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Free clothing and self care items. stjudeshawaii.org

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Data Survey and Clean-up at Kamilo, Saturday, July 20. Free; donations appreciated. Full - waitlist only. RSVP required. 769-7629, kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com

Mobile Spay & Neuter Waggin', Saturday, July 20, 7:30a.m.-4p.m., St. Jude's Episcopal Church, Ocean View. Low income pet parents and those with limited transportation qualify for mobile spay/neuter service. Free. Surgery by phone appointment only. Hawai‘i Island Humane Society, 796-0107, hihs.org

3rd Annual Ka‘ū Multicultural Society Pig Hunt, Saturday, July 20, weigh-in open 10 a.m.-5p.m., parking lot adjacent to 96-3258 Maile Street, Pāhala, near old Radio Station Building. Food booths and variety of contest categories. Kalani Vierra, 938-2005, Darlyne Vierra, 6408740, or Liz Kuluwaimaka, 339-0289

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, July 20, 10a.m.-1p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Beginner & Intermediate Mixed Media Encaustic with Mary Milelzcik, Saturday, July 20, 10a.m.-2p.m., Volcano Art Center. $55/VAC member, $60/non-member, plus $25 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Hula Kahiko - Kumu Hula Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe with Hālauolaokalani, Saturday, July 20, 10:30-11:30a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula with Kumu Loke Kamanu & ‘Ohana, Saturday, July 20, 11a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, July 20, 2-3p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org
Sounds at the Summit, Desiree Moana Cruz & the Bill Nobel Quintet performance, Saturday, July 20, 5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Be-bop, swing, bosanova, salsa, and smooth-jazz-funk. $20/VAC member, $25/non-member. Tickets available for purchase online. Beer, wine, and pupu available for purchase at event. volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING
Experience Volcano Festival is still looking for vendors. Booths for the event are $25 per day for Saturday, July 27, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, July 28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is coordinated with the new ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash on the 27th. Apply at experiencevolcano.com/vendor-application.
     Experience Volcano is a group of businesses and residents helping to rebuild the economy of Volcano, following last year's volcanic disaster that shut down Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and drastically reduced the visitor county which is now recovering.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network's Summer Musical: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., through July 28 at Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. Tickets are available at Kīlauea General Store, Kea‘au Natural Foods, Basically Books, The Most Irresistible Shop, and at door. $20/general admission, $15/student or over 60, $12/age 12 and under. Park entrance fees may apply. 982-7344, kden73@aol.com, kden.org

Exhibit -The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily through Sunday, Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

Enroll in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Orientation for enrolled families begins Aug. 5 & 6, with programs continuing following week in Nā‘ālehu on Monday & Wednesday, 8:45-10:45am, and Pāhala, Tuesday & Thursday, 8:30-10:30am. Space is limited. pidfoundation.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.orgkaucoffeemill.com


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Friday, July 12, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, July 12, 2019

Hālau Hula O Leionalani with Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach. The hālau will perform 
tomorrow at the 38th Kahuku Unit Festival. See story, below. Photo by Julia Neal
THE STOP CRUELTY TO MIGRANT CHILDREN ACT was introduced into the U.S. Senate this week by Mazie Hirono and colleagues. She said it would "end the practice of separating children from their families and require swift medical care, legal assistance, and more to ensure the health and safety of children in our government's custody."
      Hirono tweeted about the detention of people coming across borders into the U.S. seeking asylum from conditions in their homelands. "It's apparent that @realDonaldTrump & @VP have very different definitions of humane and compassionate than the rest of us. Let's be clear: crowding hundreds of people in cages in sweltering heat without showers or basic necessities is neither humane nor compassionate."
     In an email, Hirono remarked on recent images of "little kids packed into detention centers and tent cities, with aluminum blankets and nothing to sleep on but concrete floors." She pointed to Oscar Alberto Martinez and his young daughter who drowned in the Rio Grande River, seeking to come to a better life in America.
Sen. Hirono, right, with Sen. Chuck Schumer, during the 
unveiling of the bill. Photo from @SenSchumer, Twitter
     Said Hirono, "If you saw these haunting photos and felt no shame or pain, if you weren't appalled by these pictures, then something is dead or dying in your hearts and in the heart of America. We have a crisis of conscience in our country. What was once a beacon of hope and freedom for families like mine has turned into a place where these tragic images exist, where far too many migrants seeking a better life are either losing their lives on their way here or they are being dehumanized and detained in horrific conditions upon arriving at our border.
     "We must pass the Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act. If we as a country want to recover from this ugly chapter in our nation's history and return to being that shining light of hope we once were, we must.
     "We demand Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans take this critical bill up for a vote and pass it as soon as possible."
     She also urged the public to donate to The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. She said RAICES is "an important organization working on the front lines of this crisis, providing much needed resources to migrant children and their families."

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Red lines enclose areas over which the LIDAR survey helicopter will fly at 396 meters (1,300 feet) above ground level. 
Green lines enclose areas over which the helicopter will fly at 151 m (500 ft) agl. USGS map
USGS HELICOPTER OVERFLIGHTS ARE EXTENDED this month. The focus is to complete a U.S. Geological Survey scan that uses LIDAR (Light, Detection, and Ranging) to document and map ground changes from last year's eruptive events at Kīlauea summit and the East Rift Zone. Originally scheduled for the second half of June, technical issues and logistical challenges made additional flights necessary.
     Flights will begin tomorrow, July 13, and take six to ten more days over the next few weeks, weather permitting. The slow and repetitive "lawnmower" grids of the bright yellow helicopter will run at about 1,300 feet above ground level (agl) to as low as 500 ft agl.
During the LIDAR survey, equipment will be mounted on a bright yellow 
Hughes 500 helicopter like the one shown here. The helicopter will fly in 
a northeast or southwest direction over the survey areas depicted 
on the map, above. Photo from Windward Aviation
     LIDAR is the best way to detect and map vertical or near-vertical features, states USGS, such as fissures, ground cracks, and caldera walls. Data acquired during this survey can be used to model likely paths that lava flows may take during future eruptions, which can help mitigate future lava flow hazards. USGS scientists will produce a digital elevation model from which the volumes of erupted lava and summit subsidence in 2018 can be calculated. Products from the survey should be publicly available by late 2019.
     Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park overflights for July include:
     Monday through Thursday, July 15-18, 9 a.m. to noon: Feral ungulate fence construction projects in the Southwest Rift Zone. 
     Tuesday, July 23, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Pepeiao Cabin maintenance from Hilina Pali Road to Pepeiao Cabin.
     Tuesday, July 30, 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.: Ungulate survey and control work within the Kahuku Unit paddock area. 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Pepeiao Cabin maintenance from Hilina Pali Road to Pepeiao Cabin.
     Wednesday, July 31, 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.: Survey invasive vegetation along Mauna Loa Road from 4,000- to 6,000-ft. elevation.
     The Park and USGS regret any noise impact to residents and Park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather. Management of the Park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities.

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Childcare for Marshallese coffee workers is a main focus 
of tomorrow's meeting on the Keiki OʻPalehua ʻOhana 
Program. Attendance will influence the amount of funds
 the program can request. Photo by Maria Miranda
FEDERAL FUNDS AND DONATIONS ARE ON THE LINE, based on the attendance at tomorrow's meeting on childcare for Kaʻū coffee farm workers. The Keiki OʻPalehua ʻOhana Program meeting happens Saturday July 13, 3 p.m., at Kaʻū District Gym's Activity Center. All Kaʻū farmers are encouraged to attend, said organizer Laura Diaz. "Attendance counts for requesting additional federal funding and monetary donations."
     Childcare with educational activities will focus in part on the Marshallese community, which provides much labor for the coffee industry and is in need of childcare. "This program benefits all of us coffee growers in the Kaʻū area," said Diaz.
    The event offers discussion on the importance of community cooperation and help. Topics include the level of commitment; progress on the planned childcare building; how to secure additional in-kind donations; organizing assistance from the County Department of Research and Development; recruiting farm worker families to participate in the program; insurance coverage; the time-table for launching and starting the program; and planning the Grand Opening Celebration.
     The program is a brainchild of Diaz and is supported by residents and community groups, including former Miss Kaʻū Coffee Maria Miranda. She said the Marshallese family is "a beautiful thing, with family members often going to work sites together." Many Marshallese find it difficult to work, particularly in the coffee industry, with prohibitions on bringing children to job sites, she explained.
Marshallese coffee pickers have traditionally been paid by the pound or bag, 
so they could take their time in the Kaʻū coffee fields, alternating 
between childcare and work. Photo by Julia Neal
      John Ah San, President of Palehua ʻOhana Farmers Cooperative, said organized childcare should also help coffee farm owners which hire Marshallese, to meet labor laws. When taking care of their keiki while picking coffee, it can take longer to pick, which can affect minimum wage requirements – even if they are being paid by the pound or bag. There is also the concern, said Ah San, of federal fines for labor law violations; and how coffee pickers must be on a coffee farm's payroll, have their own business license, or join a labor pool organization hired by coffee farmers. Many of the coffee companies buying from Kaʻū farmers want assurance that workers are being paid and treated fairly, Ah San said.
     Many Kaʻū Coffee pickers of the Marshallese community live in Ocean View.
     For more information, contact Diaz at 928-8188.

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CELEBRATE HAWAIIAN CULTURE AT KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow, Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The 38th festival's theme is E Ho‘omau: to continue. Last year's festival was canceled due to the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.
Cultural practitioners and rangers share the art of lau hala weaving and
other traditional Hawaiian crafts tomorrow at the free
38th Kahuku Unit Cultural Festival. NPS photo
     The free celebration, with no entrance or parking fees, offers hula, dance, and mele, music, for the duration of the event. Two hālau hula and three local bands from Hawai‘i Island are performing: Debbie Ryder and Hālau O Leionalani; Russell Mauga and Da Kahuku Mauka Boyz; Mamo Brown and Hālau Ulumamo O Hilo Palikū; Demetrius Oliviera and Gene Beck of Keaiwa; and Brandon Nakano and the Keawe Trio. Each performance will last about 45 minutes.
     In addition to hula and mele, the festival offers attendees – island visitors and the local community – a chance to connect to Hawaiian cultural practices through hands-on crafts and demonstrations. National Park Service and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association staff will provide ‘oli, chant; ti leaf lei making; lau hala weaving; and ‘ohe kapala, bamboo stamping. Capt. Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa will ply imaginations with his authentic Hawaiian sailing canoe. The Ka‘ū Multicultural Society will share a fascinating glimpse into Kahuku Ranch's not-so-distant past with their popular paniolo, cowboy, photography exhibit.
     To showcase how deeply Hawaiian culture is connected to the ‘āina, land, organizations like ‘Imi Pono no ka ‘Āina, Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death education and outreach, The ‘Alalā Project, and NPS Natural Resources Management will give attendees an opportunity to learn how to protect native species and about the latest conservation efforts.
Hālau Ulumamo O Hilo Palikū at the hula platform in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes 
National Park. The hālau performs with Mamo Brown during 
tomorrow's celebration at Kahuku Unit. NPS photo
     Festival-goers are welcome to bring a picnic lunch, or purchase food and drink at the event. Food will be sold by Volcano House, shave ice and soft drinks will be sold by the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and Ka‘ū coffee and bottled water will be sold by Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association.
     Saturday's weather is forecast to be mostly sunny, with temperatures in the low 80s. Sunscreen and a hat are recommended. Bring water and a ground mat or chair. This family experience is a drug- and alcohol-free event. Co-sponsored by Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Volcano House, and the Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association. Can't make it? Follow the Park's official social media for live streaming, festival photos, and more.

Russell Mauga performs with Kahuku Mountian Boyz during tomorrow's 
celebration at Kahuku Unit. Photo from Russell Mauga
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COMPARING MAUNA LOA'S ALERT LEVEL to Mauna Loa's 1975 eruption is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
     Shortly before midnight on July 5, 1975, Mauna Loa Volcano awakened with a shudder. Quickly responding to a seismic earthquake/tremor alarm at 11:18 p.m., USGS HVO staff rushed to their offices, where, at 11:42 p.m., they noted red glow above the mountain. The 1975 eruption lasted less than a day, but it ended Mauna Loa's then longest-known repose period.
     The post-World War II years had brought gradual improvements to HVO's volcano monitoring network, including a seismic station at the rim of Moku‘āweoweo, Mauna Loa's summit caldera. This station was the first to radio its signal from the summit area to HVO for review.
     For many years, HVO's seismic monitoring began with the scan of seismograms to compile daily counts of earthquakes in key regions of the volcanoes. For sufficiently well-recorded earthquakes, locations – or hypocenters – were also computed, as they are now, to help describe the earthquake and volcanic processes in greater detail.
     In April 1974, more than a year before the 1975 eruption, HVO staff noted a clear increase in the daily earthquake counts beneath Mauna Loa. An initial flurry of earthquakes extended into mid-May, when earthquake counts dropped, but still persisted above the April daily averages.
Kahuku Unit offers striking vistas and its cultural 
festival on Saturday until 3 p.m. NPS photo
     In late July 1974, Mauna Loa's earthquake activity abruptly returned, and the rate increased to hundreds of detected earthquakes per week. Then, from August 1974 to the July 5-6, 1975, eruption, counts of hundreds of earthquakes per day were consistently compiled. Geodetic measurements spanning the summit of Mauna Loa in August 1974 and June 1975 were consistent with volcanic inflation.
     Complementing the 1974 and 1975 earthquake counts, the hypocenters showed that Mauna Loa earthquakes were generally clustered beneath Moku‘āweoweo, the volcano's Southwest Rift Zone, and 5-6 kilometers (3-4 miles) west of the summit. The western group was somewhat deeper than the two other clusters.
     Though lacking in the detail and precision available to us now, HVO's observations in August 1974 would have likely resulted in an upgrade of Mauna Loa's Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code to Advisory and Yellow, respectively – had the USGS Alert-Notification System for Volcanic Activity existed at that time. The system was established in 2006; more info at volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html. Persistent, though fluctuating, rates of hundreds of earthquakes each week would arguably have sustained an upgraded classification through the fall of 1974.
     As early as 1915, HVO scientists had postulated relationships between Mauna Loa eruptions and moderately strong, possibly precursory, flank earthquakes. On November 30, 1974, such an earthquake, magnitude-5.4, occurred in the Ka‘ōiki fault system beneath Mauna Loa's southeast flank.
Kahuku Unit's logo.
     That earthquake alone might not have warranted elevating Mauna Loa's Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code from Advisory/Yellow to Watch/Orange, but, over three days in early December 1974, earthquake counts jumped from 100-200 to over 1,000 per day.
     On December 15, a shallow magnitude-4.6 earthquake occurred beneath Moku‘āweoweo and daily earthquake counts peaked at 1 per minute (1,491 per day). The size and location of the M4.6 earthquake and the extremely high counts might well have encouraged raising Mauna Loa's status to a Watch/Orange designation.
     A second shallow magnitude-4 earthquake struck beneath Mauna Loa's southeast summit region on March 26, 1975. Thereafter, an apparently accelerating rate of shallow magnitude-3+ earthquakes beneath the summit would have provided additional basis to change the Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code prior to the eventual eruption in July.
     In late spring 1975, HVO staff members Bob Koyanagi, Elliott Endo, and Jennifer Ebisu (Nakata) circulated a paper that described their observations and announced Mauna Loa's reawakening. In their world, without Internet and USGS Volcano Activity Notices, among many other differences compared to now, their paper appeared in print in September 1975, after the eruption.
     Modern monitoring strategies have improved HVO's ability to recognize and act upon clear precursors leading to Mauna Loa's next eruption. We understand, however, that while building toward its next eruption, the volcano will not necessarily follow the same patterns noted in connection with earlier eruptions.
     HVO continues to carefully track volcanic and seismic activity on Mauna Loa, Kīlauea, and other active Hawaiian volcanoes, and will issue appropriate notifications based on the best information available to us. Sign up through the USGS Volcano Notification Service, volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2, to receive these email notices.
Kahuku Unit hosts its 38th Cultural Festival tomorrow. NPS map
     Volcano Activity Updates – For definitions of USGS Volcano Alert Levels, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html.
     The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa was changed on July 2, 2019, to ADVISORY, because, for the past several months, earthquake and ground deformation rates at the volcano have exceeded long-term background levels. This increase in alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent nor that progression to an eruption is certain. A similar increase in activity occurred between 2014 and 2018 and no eruption occurred. 
     Seismicity on Mauna Loa remains elevated, with an average of at least 50 shallow small-magnitude earthquakes per week following an earthquake swarm in October 2018. This compares to a rate of fewer than 20 earthquakes per week beneath the volcano in the first half of 2018.
     Deformation measurements show continued summit inflation, suggestive of renewed recharge of the volcano's shallow magma storage system. This rate of inflation has not changed since the alert level was raised on July 2.
     No significant changes in volcanic gas release on the Southwest Rift Zone were measured, and fumarole temperatures there and at the summit remain unchanged.
     For more info on the status of Mauna Loa, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/status.html.
As the sun rose above Mauna Kea (background) on July 6, 1975, eruptive fissures along the Northeast Rift Zone of Mauna 
Loa fed voluminous ‘a‘ā lava flows that quickly moved down the north flank of the volcano. USGS photo by D. Peterson
     Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. Rates of deformation, gas release, and seismicity on Kīlauea have not changed significantly over the past week.
     Deformation at Kīlauea's summit has been consistent with slow magma accumulation within the shallow portion of the summit magma system. However, gas measurements have not indicated shallowing of large volumes of magma. 
     On Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, deformation continues to show motions consistent with slowed refilling of the deep magmatic reservoir in the broad region between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Highway 130.
     The south flank of Kīlauea continues to creep seaward at elevated rates following the May 4, 2018, M6.9 earthquake near Kalapana. Elevated rates of motion on faults after a large earthquake are common and are not cause for alarm.
     Real-time sulfur dioxide emission rates are low at the summit and are below detection limits at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the Lower East Rift Zone.  
     Three earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-2.9 quake 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Leilani Estates at -0 km (-0 mi) depth on July 6 at 8:07 a.m.; a magnitude-3.4 quake 6 km (4 mi) south of Volcano at 30 km (19 mi) depth on July 3 at 6:48 p.m.; and a magnitude-3.8 quake 5 km (3 mi) south of Volcano at 30 km (19 mi) depth on July 3 at 6:35 p.m.
     Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

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PĀHALA TRANSFER STATION UNEXPECTEDLY CLOSED today at 9 a.m. but is expected to reopen tomorrow, Saturday, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The county issued a statement today saying the reason was staff shortages. See hawaiizerowaste.org.

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Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 
throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 
stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com
2019 Kaʻū High School Athletics Schedule through August
See khpes.org/athletics-home for details and updates; Bowling TBA.

Football, Division II:
Mon., July 15, first day Conditioning, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Mon., July 22, first day Full Pads, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 24, 1 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball, Kaʻū District Gym:
Mon., July 29, 3 to 5 p.m., first day practice
Tue., Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Hilo
Fri., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts St. Joseph
Wed., Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Kaʻū hosts Kohala

Cross Country:
Mon., Aug. 5, 2:30 to 4 p.m., first day practice
Sat., Aug. 31, 10 a.m., @Christian Liberty

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UPCOMING
SATURDAY, JULY  13
Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, July 13, 8-11a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Saturday, July 13, meet 9:30a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. Bring a water bottle, lunch, closed toed shoes, long sleeved t-shirt, and pants. Tools, gloves, water, and light refreshments provided. nmok.orgfacebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Writing from the Heart with Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, Saturday, July 13, 9:30a.m.-4p.m., Volcano Art Center. $65/VAC member, $75/non-member. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.orgfranceskaihwawang.com

38th Annual Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Cultural Festival at Kahuku Unit, Saturday, July 13, 10a.m.-3p.m. Free. Live music, hula, and hands-on Hawaiian cultural activities and demonstrations. Food available for purchase. Visitors welcome to bring picnic lunch. nps.gov/havo

Meeting on Childcare for Kaʻū Coffee Farm Workers, the Keiki OʻPalehua ʻOhana Program, happens Saturday July 13, 3 p.m., at Kaʻū District Gym's Activity Center. All Kaʻū farmers encouraged to attend. Childcare with educational activities will focus in part on the Marshallese community, which provides much labor for the coffee industry and is in need of childcare.
     The meeting will discuss "how the community can help and why community cooperation is important," said childcare organizer Laura Diaz. "Are we ready and willing to commit to this project? This program benefits all of us coffee growers in the Kaʻū area. We need your support, and to do that you have to make an effort and attend this meeting. Attendance counts for requesting additional federal funding and monetary donations."
     Discussion will also include progress on the building; securing additional in-kind donations; assistance from the County Department of Research and Development; recruiting farm worker families to participate in the program; and insurance coverage. Also on the agenda are the time-table for launching and starting the program; and planning the Grand Opening Celebration.
     For more information, contact Diaz at 928-8188.

Soul Town Band performance, Saturday, July 13, 7-10p.m., Kīlauea Military Theater. $5 cover charge. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

SUNDAY, JULY 14
Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, July 14 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3-5p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

MONDAY, JULY 15
Monday Movie Night: Fire & Sand (Local Documentary), Monday, July 15, 7p.m., $5 donation suggested. Popcorn and snacks available for purchase. Bring cushion. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

TUESDAY, JULY 16
The Wonderful World of Wine & Watercolor, Tuesday, July 16, 4-7p.m, Volcano Art Center. 
$30/VAC member, $35/non-member, $17 supply fee. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

After Dark in the Park -Texas Rancher and Painter Alice Leese, HVNP July Artist in Residence, Tuesday, July 16, 7p.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. While in the park, Leese – who works her family’s 100-year-old ranch – will feel the volcanic panoramas, plants, and animals, then share her artistic interpretations with the public. Free; park entrance fees apply. 985-6011, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17
Ocean View Community Association Board of Directors Mtg., Wednesday, July 17, 12:30-1:30p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Learn About Water Law and how to advocate for water at a Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries meeting at Pāhala Community Center on Wednesday, July 17, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Ka Huli Alo will provide a brief overview of Hawaiʻi legal framework governing water resource management. It will be followed by a discussion on "how homestead communities can advocate for pono, righteous, use and protection of wai, water," says the announcement.
     The session is free and open to all DHHL beneficiaries. RSVP by Sunday, July 14 to Tereariʻi at 808-956-4025 or nhlawctr@hawaii.edu. Include community name in RSVP. Dinner and refreshments are provided for those who RSVP.

FRIDAY, JULY 19
Hawai‘i State Little League Tournament, Friday through Tuesday, July 19-23, first game at 11:30a.m., second game at 2:30p.m. Nā‘ālehu Community Center Ball Field, Hwy 11. Winners go to regionals. Concessions available. No admission charged. Josh Crook, 345-0511

Taiko Drumming Presentation by Kenny Endo, Friday, July 19, 1:30-2:15p.m, Pāhala Public & School Library. Suitable for all ages. Young children must be accompanied by parent or adult caregiver. Free. Carol Dodd, 928-2015, librarieshawaii.org


ONGOING
Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network's Summer Musical: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., through July 28 at Kīlauea Military Camp's Kīlauea Theater. Tickets are available at Kīlauea General Store, Kea‘au Natural Foods, Basically Books, The Most Irresistible Shop, and at door. $20/general admission, $15/student or over 60, $12/age 12 and under. Park entrance fees may apply. 982-7344, kden73@aol.com, kden.org

Enroll in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Orientation for enrolled families begins Aug. 5 & 6, with programs continuing following week in Nā‘ālehu on Monday & Wednesday, 8:45-10:45am, and Pāhala, Tuesday & Thursday, 8:30-10:30am. Space is limited. pidfoundation.org

Experience Volcano Festival is still looking for vendors. Booths for the event are $25 per day for Saturday, July 27, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, July 28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is coordinated with the new ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash on the 27th. Apply at experiencevolcano.com/vendor-application.
     Experience Volcano is a group of businesses and residents helping to rebuild the economy of Volcano, following last year's volcanic disaster that shut down Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and drastically reduced the visitor county which is now recovering.

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 5K, and Keiki Dash happens Saturday, July 27 in Volcano Village, It replaces the Volcano Rain Forest Runs. Register at ohialehuahalf.com.

Exhibit -The Joy of the Brush: Paintings by Linda J. Varez, daily through Sunday, Aug. 4, 9a.m.-5p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery. Free; park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

6th Annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run Registration, webscorer.com/register?raceid=166020. 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon races through mac nut and coffee fields along slopes of Ka‘ū starting at 7a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Sponsored by Ka‘ū Coffee Mill and ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou. Prices increase after July 9. okaukakou.orgkaucoffeemill.com

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