The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Monday, April 27, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, April 27, 2020

Kaʻū Trojans Spring sports were cut short this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read below the decision to

completely cancel all four sports – Baseball, Softball, Boys Volleyball, and Track – at Kaʻū High. Above, the Trojans

Track team photo. Read messages from Kaʻū Athletics, honoring departing Seniors. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

RAPID ESCALATION OF NEED FOR EMERGENCY FOOD, during the pandemic, was the message today from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. "We also want to share what this situation is revealing to us as lessons for Hawaiʻi's future.
"Over the past several weeks, the food distribution system has had to make a radical pivot, from a system weighed heavily on supplying food to hotels and restaurants, to one that has shifted to getting food into the hands of those who are in need – and quickly.
"The crisis has sprouted new partnerships and distribution channels between the private sector food industry, the nonprofit sector, and locally grown and raised food. Across the islands, local farmers, chefs, ranchers, and fishers are being relied upon and hailed as local food heroes, nourishing our islands in ways that we haven't seen before. Investments in Hawaiʻi agriculture for local consumption is long overdue – and these promising partnerships to feed Hawaiʻi's people can serve as a foundation to build a more food secure Hawaiʻi as we emerge out of this crisis.
"COVID-19 has also shown us the critical need to establish a proactive approach to emergency food. We need better storage, food stockpiles, organizational capacity, and dedicated funding to be certain that Hawaiʻi is prepared for future disasters such as this one.

"There are also significant portions of our community who are not able to pick up food or prepare their own meals. Nonprofit organizations across the Aloha State – who have deep ties with the communities they serve – have stepped up to deliver and make food for kūpuna, disabled individuals, pregnant or new moms, and others who need this direct support.

"The relief has been swift, but we know that recovering from COVID-19 is going to take months if not years, and the challenge will be to sustain this level of effort in the time ahead," the message concluded. See more at HawaiʻiCommunityFoundation.org.

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ONE FOURTH OF BUSINESSES WILL SHUTTER PERMANENTLY IN HAWAIʻI, unless they receive additional support beyond federal Paycheck Protection loans, according to an analysis by University of Hawaiʻi Research Organization, Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi, and a dozen industry associations.
A study that sampled 623 businesses found that 31 percent of them suffered a 100 percent loss of revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly a quarter of a million part-time and full-time workers lost their jobs. Those with the lowest paying jobs were found to be the most vulnerable. Sixty percent of businesses reported being able to return to full staff almost immediately after reopening, while the remainder would return to full staff upon the return of tourism. Businesses that provide educational services, including tutoring, test-preparation, and private pre-K services, reported being down 54 percent during the crisis and are anticipating a similar drop in revenues this year.

The hardest-hit businesses are retail trade, food services, and accommodations. See the report at uhero.hawaii.edu/covid-19s-uneven-impact-on-businesses-and-workers-results-from-a-uhero-chamber-of-commerce-hawaii-survey.

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Young Brothers will land cargo one day less a week in Hilo starting May 5, should the Public
Utilities Commission approve its request. Photo from Young Brothers

YOUNG BROTHERS WILL REDUCE BARGE CARGO SERVICE TO THE PORT OF HILO to one day a week, beginning May 5. "The weekly Saturday sailing from Honolulu to Hilo, with arrival on Monday, will be temporarily suspended. The twice-weekly route to Hilo is being adjusted to a single, direct sailing, with arrival to Hilo on Thursday," says the Young Brothers statement
"There are no changes in service to Kawaihae. The current, twice-weekly routes to Kawaihae with arrivals on Tuesday and Friday are continuing as scheduled."
The company, with scheduling and pricing overseen by the state Public Utilities Commission, asked, and is expected to receive permission from the PUC to make the changes starting May 5.
The PUC filing says that volume of cargo has gone down and Hilo needs can be met with one shipment a week.

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Flower growers and florists are big contributors to the Miss Kaʻū Coffee
pageant and the Kaʻū Coffee Festival usually held this
time of year. Photo by Julia Neal

FLORISTS AND COMMERCIAL GROWERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO REOPEN THEIR BUSINESSES AND SELL TO THE PUBLIC, according to a message from Gov. David Ige late this afternoon. He said he spoke with mayors across the state and they all agreed that with COVID-19 safety practices, florists could resume their sales.
This is normally a big time of year for florists servicing Kaʻū, with the Kaʻū Coffee Festival, Mothers Day, and graduation at Kaʻū High and others schools that serve the area.

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PROVIDING SAFE AND RELIABLE WATER CONTINUES UNINTERRUPTED, says a statement from the county Department of Water Service today. "DWS is committed to providing essential, safe, and reliable water service to our customers. This water continues to undergo routine water-quality testing that shows it meets all state and federal drinking water requirements. During this unprecedented and challenging time, DWS has modified employee work schedules and increased hygiene practices to keep our staff safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please stay healthy and do your part to help prevent the spread of this virus!"
DWS also announces that suspension of in-person payments and customer service inquiries is extended through May 31. DWS will accept only telephone, online, auto-payment, mail, or payments left in a secured DWS payment drop box while the state's stay-at-home order and other emergency provisions remain in effect. To pay a bill online, visit hawaiidws.org, click either the "Pay Your Bill Online" or "Pay Online" tab, and follow the self-service portal. Customers wishing to pay by telephone should call toll free 844-216-1994, anytime. There are no fees for these services. For more information about no-charge payment options, call a customer service office during normal hours: Hilo: (808) 961-8060; Waimea: (808) 887-3030; Kona: (808) 322-0600. Email: dws@hawaiidws.org.

The county Department of Water Service operates this potable water tank above Pāhala village, its source a well.
The water flows through pipes by gravity, downhill and throughout the village. Photo by Lora Botanova

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Haukea Koprivnikar of Nāʻālehu Elementary with her
school-issued Chromebook.
Photo by her mother, Maile Wedemeyer

NĀʻĀLEHU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLANS TO SEND OUT ABOUT 90 CHROMEBOOKS on Tuesday to families with students in grade K-3. Teachers contacted families interested in borrowing school Chromebooks, families who are committed to supporting students in learning activities. All Chromebook distribution has been prearranged. A maximum of two Chromebooks will be allowed per family. Previously, Chromebooks have been rolled out to students in upper grades to assist them in distance learning opportunities.
Families are expected to support their children on selected learning programs for 60 minutes per day, four days a week, or 240 minute total per week. While families are required to monitor student use of the devices, the school will also monitor use through a program called Go Guardian. Principal Darlene Javar stated, "Inappropriate use or attempt of inappropriate use may result in return of Chromebook to Nāʻālehu Elementary School."

Nāʻālehu Elementary students are encouraged to read Daily Digital Aloha messages written by their homerooms teachers. Students and families can visit sites.google.com/k12.hi.us/naalehu-elementary-school/ to view teacher notes, the prepared meal menu, and other school resources.

Examples of books and reading resources
handed out to families who came
to pick up packets today at Nāʻālehu
Elementary. Photo by Darlene Javar

Today Nāʻālehu Elementary families picked up weeks six and seven learning packets. Each student received additional books for reading fun. Principal Darlene Javar said the "learning packet pickup was one of our best yet!" Staff started passing out packets early in the morning and ended the day passing the last of the packets out well after 5 p.m. Javar shared that it was a long, but good, day.

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TWO NEW DEATHS FROM COVID-19 were reported for the state today, bringing the state's death toll to 15. According to Department of Health, the latest victim is an Oʻahu woman, over 65 years old "with underlying health conditions who had been hospitalized since early April." DOH is investigating whether the cause of infection was travel-related or community-associated.

Last night, DOH reported that the 15th death associated with COVID-19 was an O‘ahu man over 65, with underlying medical conditions, who had been hospitalized since early March.

No COVID-19 cases so far in the zip code areas of Volcano,

Pāhala, and Ocean View. White indicates zero cases, light

yellow indicates one to five cases. The 96772 area in
Kaʻū has one case recorded. Map from DOH

Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson said, "It's hard to hear about these additional deaths as the coronavirus continues to take its toll on our community. The Dept. of Health extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the two most recent deaths reported today and last night. While the number of positive cases in the state has dramatically decreased, we can expect to continue to see deaths of those seriously impacted by the disease."

DOH reports one new positive case in the state, an adult on Maui. The patient is an employee at Maui Memorial Medical Center and the source of infection is unknown and under investigation at this time.

The case count for Hawaiʻi Island is 70. Forty-nine people are cleared as recovered; the remaining are quarantined at home and monitored by DOH. No one on Hawaiʻi Island died from the virus. The one man who was hospitalized at Kona Community Hospital was released to home quarantine after only one night in hospital in Kona.
Since the pandemic began, 607 cases have been confirmed in the state. About 493 people have recovered.

In the United States, cases have topped one million, with 113,000 having already recovered. The death toll is 56,521.

Worldwide, more than three million people have contracted COVID-19. Recovery percent, with 894,073 already having recovered. The death toll is 211,159.

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Trojans Boys Baseball Team. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

KAʻŪ TROJANS SPORTS TEAMS HOPED FOR THE SPRING, but must look to the Fall. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, all Spring interscholastic sports were cancelled this month by the Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association and its member leagues. HHSAA Executive Director Chris Chun issued a statement, saying the decision to cancel was "extremely difficult for all involved considering the impact it will have on our students, parents, coaches, and administrators throughout our state."

He said HHSAA and its member leagues prepared for a variety of emergency situations and "used that same spirit and planning by expressing a willingness to discuss and explore every scenario and option possible to save the spring season. However, because the health and safety of our student-athletes and communities are our top priorities, there is no viable option to salvage the spring season... We will continue to build upon the progress made in anticipation for the long-awaited return to sports.

Trojans Boys Volleyball Team. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

"To our seniors, we thank you for the positive contributions you made on your teams, (and to your) schools, and communities. While this worldwide event has caused you to grow up faster than planned, you all have very bright futures ahead. We hope the lessons learned while participating in education-based athletics, along with the friendships and memories made, will make a lasting impression."

HHSAA member leagues are Big Island Interscholastic Federation, Interscholastic League of Honolulu, Kauaʻi Interscholastic Federation, Maui Interscholastic League, and the Oʻahu Interscholastic Association.

Messages thanking departing Seniors in sports at Kaʻū High are posted on Twitter by @KaʻūAthletics:

Track: "Today we would have Honored Seniors Melinda Eder, Sidrielle Candaroma, Michael Rodarte & Luke Watson after their Meet! We Thank you for the Memories!"

Athletic Trainer Moses Whitcomb, pictured with Kaʻū Athletic

Director Kalei Namohala, was honored with a t-shirt in March,

National Athletic Director Month. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

Boys Volleyball: "Today we would have Honored Seniors Seth Eder & Kyson Toriano after their Senior Game! We Thank you for the Memories! #c/o2020 #Quarantine #HoomanaMau"

Baseball: "Today we would have Honored Seniors Seth Eder, Raymond Polido-Kalili, Michael Rodarte, Kainalu Satkosky & Kyson Toriano after their Senior Game! We Thank you for the Memories! #c/o2020 #Quarantine #HoomanaMau"

Softball: "Today we would have Honored Seniors Marilou Manantan & Destenie Alani-Horan after their Senior Game! We Thank you for the Memories! #c/o2020 #quarantine #HoomanaMau"

One tweet also honors Athletic Trainer Moses Whitcomb:

National AT Month was in March - "With the school closed, we could not honor KHPES AT Moses Whitcomb properly! We gave him an AcTion Shirt at today's 'Grab-N-Go' Meal Pick Up in DH! Thank you for the work you do to help our student-athletes! #staysafe."
Many public high schools will fire up their stadium lights to honor the Class of 2020 on Friday nights through May 29. Lights are planned to come on at 8:20 p.m. (2020 hours on a 24-hour clock) for 20 minutes and 20 seconds. "This is not a public event," states the tweet from Department of Education, "so #stayhomestayhealthy #HI4PublicEd #PublicSchoolProud #bealight."

Trojans Girls Softball Team. Photo from Kaʻū Athletics

Read online at kaucalendar.com. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms,
ranches, takeout. Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free, with 7,500 distributed on stands and
to all postal addresses throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano throughout the district.
Read online at kaucalendar.com and facebook.com/kaucalendar. To advertise your business or
your social cause, contact kaucalendarads@gmail.com.

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Instagram and Twitter.
See our Fresh Food on
The Kaʻū Calendar and
our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.

MOST EVENTS ARE CANCELLED for the month of April, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state is under a stay-at-home order, with l4 days of quarantine required for anyone coming into the state. Interisland travel is restricted. Those in Hawaiʻi should stay at home unless needing to obtain food or medical care.

ONGOING

Free COVID-19 Screenings are at Bay Clinic during business hours, with appointment. Call 333-3600.

The next drive-thru screening will be Wednesday, April 29 at Nāʻālehu Community Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Screening will be carried out by Aliʻi Health, with support from County of Hawai‘i COVID-19 Task Force, Premier Medical Group and Pathways Telehealth.
Beginning Wednesday, May 6, a testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday.
Wearing masks is required for everyone.

To bypass the screening queue at community test sites, patients can call ahead to Pathways Telehealth, option 5 at 808-747-8321. The free clinic will also offer on-site screening to meet testing criteria. Physicians qualify those for testing, under the guidance of Center for Disease Control and Hawaiʻi's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
Those visiting screening clinic will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pens to fill in forms.

For further information, call Civil Defense at 935-0031.

Free Breakfast and Lunch for Anyone Eighteen and Under is available at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary and at Nāʻālehu Elementary weekdays through at least the end of April. Each youth must be present to receive a meal. Service is drive-up or walk-up, and social distancing rules (at least six feet away) are observed. Breakfast is served 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Food is being delivered to Ocean View.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.

The Food Basket Food Pantries Distribution, where families can receive 14 days of food per family:

The Ocean View location for May is to be announced.

The Nāʻālehu location is Sacred Heart Church at 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy, under their Loaves and Fishes program, on Thursday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Call 928-8208.

The Pāhala location is Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street, distributed by the ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Pantry, on Thursday, April 30 at 11:30 a.m. Call 933-6030.

The Volcano location is Cooper Center at 19-4030 Wright Road Wednesday, April 29 from 11 a.m. until food runs out. Call Kehau at 443-4130.

On Call Emergency Food Pantry is open at Cooper Center Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to noon. Call 808-933-6030.

The Next Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students will be Monday, May 11. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved. Please note the grade of each child. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies will be given out simultaneously.

Everyone is asked to observe social distancing rules, staying 6 feet away from others during pick-up. See the school website, naalehuel.hidoe.us, for more information and updates.

Distribution at Nāʻālehu Elementary has pick-up from 8 a.m - 8:20 a.m. for A-H; 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Discovery Harbour Community Center has pick-up from 8 a.m - 8:20 a.m. for A-H; 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Ocean View Mālama Market has pick-up from 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Ocean View Community Center has pick-up from 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.

Those who come to campus to pick up free student breakfasts are encouraged to also pick up their packets at the same time.

Register for Volcano's ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Keiki Dash by Wednesday, July 22. The second annual event will be held on Saturday, July 25. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to University of Hawaiʻi for furthering research of Rapid ‘Ōhiʻa Death and The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences. See webscorer.com to register.

Half Marathon registration is $70 through May 24, $80 May 25 through July 22, and $90 for late registration. Registration for the 10K is $50 through May 24, $55 May 25 through Jul 22, and $60 for late registration. Registration for the 5K is $35 through May 24, $40 May 25 through July 22, and $45 for late registration. Keiki Dash registration is $10. All registrations are non-transferable and non-refundable.
Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in Hilo; Friday, July 26 in Volcano; and Saturday, July 27, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. at the race start.

Half Marathon will start at 7 a.m. Other distances follow shortly after. Keiki Dash will begin at 10 a.m. on VSAS grounds, with the option of one or two laps – about 300 meters or 600 meters. Race cut-off time for the Half Marathon is four hours. The races will begin and end in Volcano Village at VSAS.
See ohialehuahalf.com.

Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium Closed for Renovation through June 30. The Park is closed until further notice due to COVID-19 spread mitigation. A popular seven-and-a-half minute 2018 eruption video will be shown on a television in the exhibits area, once the Park and center reopen, and is available online for free download.

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Sunday, April 26, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, April 26, 2020

Commercial aquarium fish collecting has been shut down since 2017 and a new EIS concludes that limited collection
should be allowed. The sign above at Papa Bay indicates collecting is prohibited. Photo from EIS

See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar directory for farms, ranches, takeout.

AQUARIUM FISH COLLECTING MAY RESUME from South Point up the coast of Kaʻū, Kona through North Kohala. An Environmental Impact Statement, released on Thursday, proposes limits to commercial and recreational collecting in the West Hawaiʻi Fishery Management Area. The proposal would limit the number of licenses to ten, a drop from an earlier proposal of 14. It would place a bag limit of five yellow tang and five kole per day. The two species accounted for 90 percent of aquarium collectors' take along Hawaiʻi Island's west coast, until the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court shut down the aquarium industry in 2017 and ordered the EIS. The court ruled that aquarium collecting must comply with the Hawaiʻi Environmental Policy Act.

The proposed area for commercial aquarium fish
collecting is shown in the shaded area of the near
shore waters on the west side of Kaʻū.
Map from the EIS

The EIS was written by Santec Consulting Services and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, with input from the state Department of Land & Natural Resources and its Aquatic Division. National Marine Fisheries Service, Coral Reef Ecosystem Program and other agencies and non-profit groups.
The EIS estimates that the industry would infuse a direct $1.8 million to $3.7 million, and an indirect $9.1 million to $18.7 million, of socioeconomic impacts into the island's economy. The earlier draft EIS proposed more fish be taken, but drew opposition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the Humane Society of the United States and a group called For the Fishes.
The final EIS proposes to limit the take to no more than 2 percent of the islandwide population of each fish. The EIS presents research, concluding that the fish could survive with a take of between 5 percent and 25 percent per year.
The final EIS would limit recreational collectors to five fish per day and prohibit their sales. However, it would allow the use of fine mesh nets for commercial and recreational collectors.
The EIS includes photos, sketches, maps and much history of fishing and habitation of the Miloliʻi and Kaʻū Coast. It also includes a history of commercial aquarium fishing in Hawaiʻi. See the entire report on the state Office of Environmental Quality Control website at oeqc2.doh.hawaii.gov/EA_EIS _Library/2020-04-23-HA-FEIS-Hawaii-Island-Commercial-Aquarium-Permits.pdf.

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Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

NEW TIMES AND SITES for the Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students will be in effect tomorrow, Monday, April 27. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved, but the grade of each child needs to be given. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies are given out simultaneously.

Masks and gloves were worn by school officials during the last handout of Learning Packets and Student Resources.
Photo from Nāʻālehu Elementary

Distribution at Nāʻālehu Elementary has pick-up from 8 a.m - 8:20 a.m. for A-H; 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Discovery Harbour Community Center has pick-up from 8 a.m - 8:20 a.m. for A-H; 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Ocean View Mālama Market has pick-up from 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Ocean View Community Center has pick-up from 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.

Those who come to campus to pick up free student breakfasts are encouraged to also pick up their packets at the same time.
Everyone is asked to observe social distancing rules, staying 6 feet away from others during pick-up. See the school website, naalehuel.hidoe.us, for more information and updates.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THE EARLIEST TROPICAL DEPRESSION IN HAWAIʻI'S RECORDED SATELLITE WEATHER HISTORY withered to a remnant low today. Tropical Depression One-E formed Saturday morning. The National Weather Service described it as "the earliest formation of a tropical cyclone in the eastern North Pacific basin since the satellite era began in 1996." By noon today, the remnant low pressure was about 770 miles southwest of Baja California, morning northwest at nine miles an hour. It is expected to dissipate by Monday night.

Hurricane Season begins in the Central Pacific June 1. It usually comes to the East Pacific on May 15.

This year's first tropical depression is expected to dissipate by tomorrow night. Image from NWS

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THANKS FOR GROCERY STORE WORKERS was posted on social media by Sen. Mazie Hirono: "I really want to add my voice of thanks to all the people who are keeping our grocery stores open. I'm hopeful that every time you see someone working in a grocery store or delivering your food that we take the time to be grateful and thankful to them. We're in this together."

No COVID-19 cases so far in the zip code areas of Volcano,

Pāhala, and Ocean View. White indicates zero cases, light

yellow indicates one to five cases. The 96772 area in
Kaʻū has one case recorded. Map from DOH

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HAWAIʻI ISLAND HAS ONE NEW CASE OF COVID-19 reported today, bringing the state's case count for Hawaiʻi Island to 70. Forty-nine people have been cleared as recovered; the remaining are quarantined at home and monitored by DOH. No one on Hawaiʻi Island has died from the virus. The one man who was hospitalized at Kona Community Hospital with the virus has been released and is quarantined at home, "very good news," says today's message from Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Director Talmadge Magno.
Magno also thanked the long hours put in by credit union and bank employees, helping small businesses be prepared for the Small Business loan application reopening, which begins very early tomorrow.
Two new cases were reported statewide by Department of Health. Since the pandemic began, 606 cases have been confirmed in the state. The state death toll is 14. More than 482 people have recovered.
In the United States, 986,000 cases have been confirmed. About 109,000 have already recovered. The death toll is 55,417.

Civil Defense Director

Talmadge Magno.
Photo from Big Island Video News

Worldwide, more than 2.97 million have contracted COVID-19. About 29 percent, 868,806 victims have recovered. The death toll is 206,569.

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MAGMA PRESSURE IS THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE 2018 KĪLAUEA ERUPTION, states this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

Increasing magma pressure most likely culprit in triggering the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.

Understanding the immediate causes of volcanic eruptions is necessary for timely warnings. The topic, therefore, is of great interest to volcanologists, and each eruption offers an opportunity to add insight.

This week, many of us read news coverage of a recent study suggesting that unusually heavy rainfall triggered the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea. To address possible heightened concern about this correlation, this week's Volcano Watch offers comments based on HVO's collective scientific understanding of Kīlauea. Meanwhile, HVO and USGS colleagues are preparing a formal response for publication in the scientific literature.

This hypothesis about heavy rainfall is thought-provoking, but does it mean that Hawaiʻi residents need to be concerned that heavy rain might cause the next eruption?

Based on HVO's analysis of data collected in 2018, plus many studies of previous eruptions, our answer is that no, residents need not be concerned about a connection.

An aerial view of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the actively overflowing

lava lake on April 23, 2018. USGS photo

Our analysis indicates that increasing pressure in the magmatic system, which far exceeds the change in pressure modeled as due to rainwater infiltration, was the primary driver in triggering the 2018 eruption.

For HVO, the smoking gun is found in the ground deformation record across a broad region of Kīlauea Volcano leading up to the eruption.

Specifically, tiltmeter and GPS stations recorded rapid uplift of the ground surface, best explained as the result of increasing pressure within the magmatic plumbing system at Puʻu ʻŌʻō, starting in March 2018. Rapid uplift began at the summit of Kīlauea a few weeks later as the summit reservoir began inflating. This pressurization was widespread and drove lava lakes at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the summit to unusually high levels, causing the largest overflows in Halemaʻumaʻu during the entire 10-year lifespan of the lava lake.

These changes were so clear that HVO issued a Volcano Activity Notice on April 17, 2018, noting ongoing pressurization, and forecasting that a new eruptive vent could form on the East Rift Zone.

On April 30, there was a small outbreak of lava on the flank of Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Magma then drained from within the shallow Puʻu ʻŌʻō system, the summit of Puʻu ʻŌʻō collapsed, and magma moved forcefully down the core of the rift zone toward Leilani Estates. This intrusion continued for several days, driven by magmatic pressure within the rift zone, ultimately erupting on May 3.

In summary, our consensus interpretation of HVO's monitoring data is that magma pressurization was the driving force in triggering the events of late April and early May of 2018.

No external process, such as rainfall, is needed to explain this.

But what about the rainfall hypothesis? While the role of groundwater and rain infiltration impacting the behavior of the volcano remains an interesting area of research, we know that extreme rainfall events have occurred many times in the recent past when no eruptions occurred, and the spring 2018 rains were no greater than many previous rainstorms.

Science demands that one pose a question, gather observations, develop a hypothesis, and test the idea against available data and models. It is not uncommon for scientists to have conflicting ideas about the interpretation of data. In fact, vigorous debate over interpretations and the validity of conclusions is the hallmark of the scientific process, an expected part of the scientific method and search for the truth.

Plot of ground motion as recorded by a GPS station at Kīlauea's summit (red)
and the Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent (blue) for the eight months leading up to the 2018 eruption.
Note the sharp increase indicating pressurization beginning in March. USGS photo

Kīlauea's 2018 eruption was remarkable and, sadly, very destructive, but the cause seems to have followed the pattern of many previous eruptions – rising magma pressure reached a critical threshold, and magma could no longer be contained. And, while the complexity of Kīlauea's magma system makes predicting the timing and size of eruptions difficult, understanding the signs and effects of changing magmatic pressure is the most promising avenue toward forecasting future events.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL, volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html. Kīlauea updates are issued monthly. Kīlauea monitoring data over the past month showed no significant changes in seismicity, sulfur dioxide emission rates, or deformation.

The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continued to slowly expand and deepen. For the most current information regarding the depth of the lake see volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/summit_water_resources.html.

Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption from the current level of unrest is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.

During the past week, HVO seismometers recorded 78 small-magnitude earthquakes on the volcano's summit and upper-elevation flanks of Mauna Loa. Most of these earthquakes occurred at shallow depths of less than 8 kilometers (~5 miles) below ground level. The largest earthquake was a magnitude 2.3 under the south caldera. Global Positioning System measurements show continued slow summit inflation, consistent with magma supply to the volcano's shallow storage system. Gas concentrations at the Sulphur Cone monitoring site on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable. Fumarole temperatures as measured at both Sulphur Cone and the summit have not changed significantly.
For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa Volcano, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna_loa/monitoring_summary.html. HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Major scholarship sponsor Ed Olson with the 2019 Miss Kaʻū Coffee Court, with Kaʻū Coffee Growers

Cooperative Pres. Gloria Camba, far right, and former Miss Kaʻū Coffee queens

Jami Beck and Maria Miranda, to her left. Photo by Julia Neal

Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year

Last year, Helena Sesson was crowned at Kaʻū District Gym to be Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2019. A senior at Kaʻū High School, she said she planned to become a police officer "to keep my community safe." She sang in Spanish, accompanied by her own ʻukulele stylings. Lilianna Marques took the Kaʻū Peaberry title, winning the talent with an original song about coffee picking. Kysha Manini Kaupu took the Miss Coffee Flower title. The title of Junior Miss Kaʻū Coffee was retained by the 2018 winner, Cristina Kawewehi.
Pageant Director Trini Marques thanked the many sponsors that gave the seven contestants their scholarships: Edmund C. Olson, Rep. Richard Ohnishi, Kaʻū Mahi, CU Hawaiʻi Federal Credit Union, Kaʻū Valley Farms, Punaluʻu Bake Shop, Pacific Quest, and Big Island Toyota.

Miss Flower Kysha Manini Kaupu and First Princess Adilyn

Aetonu, along with sponsor Kaʻū Valley Farms

representative Lloyd Nakano. Photo by Julia Neal

Miss Popularity, across all candidates from ages 4 to 17, went to five-year old Adilyn Aetonu, of Pāhala, with a $200 scholarship and the title based on support she received from the community.

In the Miss Kaʻū Coffee category, Kaʻū High School Sophomore Bernadette Ladia won Swimsuit and Gown. Graduating Senior Helena Sesson took Interview, Career Outfit, Photogenic, and Talent to become Miss Kaʻū Coffee 2019. She took home a $1,500 scholarship from Edmund C. Olson and $400 for winning four categories in the competition, with scholarships provided by Pacific Quest, County Council member Maile David, state House of Representatives members Richard Onishi and Richard Creagan, and state Senator Russell Ruderman. First Miss Kaʻū Coffee took home a $1,000 scholarship from Kaʻū Mahi and $200 in scholarships from Rep. Richard Onishi.

In the Miss Peaberry category, Helen Miranda took the Gown and became Second Miss Peaberry, with a $350 scholarship from Pacific Quest and a $90 scholarship from Rep. Richard Creagan. Kendall Haddock took Talent and became First Miss Peaberry, with a $650 scholarship from CU Hawaiʻi Federal Credit Union and donors, and a $90 scholarship from Rep. Richard Onishi. Lilianna Marques won the Miss Peaberry title, taking Character Outfit and Photogenic. She took home an $850 scholarship from Punaluʻu Bakeshop and Rep. Richard Onishi, as well as two $90 scholarships from County Council member Maile David and Sen. Russell Ruderman and donors.
In the Miss Flower category, Kysha Manini Kaʻupu took home a $500 scholarship from Kaʻū Valley Farms, an $80 scholarship from Sen. Russell Ruderman for Miss Photogenic, plus an $80 scholarship for Character Outfit. First Miss Kaʻū Coffee Flower Adilyn Aetonu won a $350 scholarship from Big Island Toyota and an $80 scholarship for Evening Gown from Rep. Richard Onishi.

Helena Sesson, who said she wantsed to become a police officer to help keep her community safe, won the

Miss Kaʻū Coffee title in 2019. Photo by Julia Neal

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our Fresh Food on The Kaʻū Calendar and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com. However, all non-essential activities are canceled through the end of April.

MOST EVENTS ARE CANCELLED for the month of April, to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The state is under a stay-at-home order, with l4 days of quarantine required for anyone coming into the state. Interisland travel is restricted. Those in Hawaiʻi should stay at home unless needing to obtain food or medical care.

ONGOING

Free COVID-19 Screenings are at Bay Clinic during business hours, with appointment. Call 333-3600.

Beginning Wednesday, May 6, a testing team from Aloha Critical Care in Kona will provide testing at St. Jude's every other Wednesday.
Wearing masks is required for everyone.
To bypass the screening queue at community test sites, patients can call ahead to Pathways Telehealth, option 5 at 808-747-8321. The free clinic will also offer on-site screening to meet testing criteria. Physicians qualify those for testing, under the guidance of Center for Disease Control and Hawaiʻi's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
Those visiting screening clinic will be asked to show photo ID, and any health insurance cards – though health insurance is not required to be tested. They are also asked to bring their own pens to fill in forms.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen is open, with a modified menu and increased health & safety standards, every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended. Services are posted online on Sundays at stjudeshawaii.org.

The Food Basket Food Pantries Distribution, where families can receive 14 days of food per family:

The Ocean View location for May is to be announced.

The Nāʻālehu location is Sacred Heart Church at 95-558 Mamālahoa Hwy, under their Loaves and Fishes program, on Thursday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Call 928-8208.
The Pāhala location is Kaʻū District Gym at 96-1149 Kamani Street, distributed by the ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Pantry, on Thursday, April 30 at 11:30 a.m. Call 933-6030.

The Volcano location is Cooper Center at 19-4030 Wright Road Wednesday, April 29 from 11 a.m. until food runs out. Call Kehau at 443-4130.

On Call Emergency Food Pantry is open at Cooper Center Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to noon. Call 808-933-6030.

The Next Learning Packet and Student Resource Distribution for Nāʻālehu Elementary School Students will be Monday, April 27. The packets are designed for learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be picked up every two weeks. One family member may pick up for several students in the same family. Students need not be present for the learning resources to be retrieved. Please note the grade of each child. Distribution times are organized by the first letter of the student's last name at the site closest to their home. Supplies will be given out simultaneously.

Everyone is asked to observe social distancing rules, staying 6 feet away from others during pick-up. See the school website, naalehuel.hidoe.us, for more information and updates.

Distribution at Nāʻālehu Elementary has pick-up from 8 a.m - 8:20 a.m. for A-H; 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Discovery Harbour Community Center has pick-up from 8 a.m - 8:20 a.m. for A-H; 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for I-P, and 8:40 a.m. - 9 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Ocean View Mālama Market has pick-up from 9:30 a.m. - 9:50 a.m. for A-H, 9:50 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. for I-P, and 10:10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for Q-Z.

Distribution at Ocean View Community Center has pick-up from 5 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. for A-H, 5:20 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. for I-P, and 5:40 p.m. - 6 p.m. for Q-Z.

Those who come to campus to pick up free student breakfasts are encouraged to also pick up their packets at the same time.

Late registration is only available at packet pickup or race day morning. Shirts are not guaranteed for late registration. Race Shirts will be included for Half Marathon and 10K participants only. For all other participants, shirts are available to purchase online.
Packet pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in Hilo; Friday, July 26 in Volcano; and Saturday, July 27, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. at the race start.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

About The Kaʻū Calendar

Monday, April 27, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, April 27, 2020

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, April 26, 2020