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| A range fire near Kaʻalualu and Kalae shut down South Point Road, threatening livestock, structures, grazing lands, and burning more than 3,500 acres. Photo by Amy James |
A LARGE RANGE FIRE broke out Saturday after sunset, makai of the road to Kaʻalualu, and burned through the night to Kalae – South Point. County firefighters from Ocean View, Nāʻālehu, Pāhala, and a crew from Keaʻau with a brush truck responded. Also joining the fight were volunteers from 11-Delta in Pāhala, 11 Alpha in Nāʻālehu, 11 Charlie in Discovery Harbour, and 20 Alpha in Ocean View. Before midnight Friday, Wally Andrade's bulldozer was clearing the way, and working on a firebreak and more direct route to the runaway fire. No injuries were reported. Paddocks of paint horses and cattle were saved.
Mayoral candidate Ikaika Marzo who has cattle in the area, reported live from the scene, along with his crew, stomping out outbreaks with their feet. Marzo and his personal team rode quads to the fire and gave a report much like the ones he provided in 2018 during the Kīlauea volcanic eruption. On his Facebook live, he said he heard the fire was started by campers at Kaʻalualu. He said "Right now is not the time to be camping in Kaʻū. This is it." He showed the mauka edge of the fire and some aerials of the shoreline fire. See Marzo's Facebook. Whether someone threw a cigarette out the window on the way there, a campfire escaped, or another cause fueled the blaze, awaits investigation. Marzo reported the fire near lower South Point Road, moving north and west with heavy winds.
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| Ikaika Marzo and friends stomped out small fires. See Marzo's Facebook. |
South Point ranchers moved out cattle and horses in front of the fire and mourned the loss of grasslands to feed their animals. Some 3,500 acres burned, which is precious at Kalae, where dry conditions produce little feed for livestock.
Additional bulldozers arrived this morning with two helicopters that scooped up water from the ocean, ranch resources, and fire department tankers. Winds came up again today but the fire moved away from homes and Kaʻalualu, through the grassy area toward South Point. Fire crews are expected to work on finishing off their firefight on Monday morning.
Big Island Farm Sanctuary on South Point Road, which takes in farm animals, received the help of some 30 volunteers to evacuate the place as the fire approached but spared it. Around 9 p.m. Saturday, Big Island Farm Sanctuary posted a call on Facebook for help from people "anywhere near the South Point area and have room for pigs or small animals in your car." Kristie Bento posted that she was there until 1 a.m. "They had a few trucks and cars and a school bus full of goats. The fire was close but seemed to be going away and more toward the ocean." The Sanctuary posted an update in the early morning hours, saying they had enough help, and that the wind was "working in our favor. Mahalo to all who have reached out and are here." Founded by Paula Buck in 2018, Big Island Farm Sanctuary provides a "safe, loving, forever home" for animals who have been orphaned, abandoned, injured, abused, or exploited. "Once here, our residents are given all the love and care they need to become healthy, happy ambassadors, where they can show people how truly amazing and sentient they are." See bigislandfarmsanctuary.com.
The Facebook group Kiʻekiʻe Kaʻū posted on Sunday: "Fire mixed with our Kaʻū makani can be unforgiving, be safe kākou! Akua forbid, a life is taken or serious damage done cause of the lack of proper prevention. Irresponsible humans. On the other hand, the roads are closed and the coastline can rest but at what sacrifice!? Such a double edge sword #kapukau."
Hokunani Faisao posted: "This is what the Kaʻū community was warning about!! We are at red alert in that area. People need to help take care the ʻāina. This is not a place to throw your cigarette butts out. And this is absolutely not the place to set fires for camping."
Nalani Nahinu posted "Hope these people get caught and do Restoration services! Stay safe y'all. We praying and hope y'all get 'em under control, with Love and aloha."
Kaʻū Hawaiian Home Lands Association has called for the county, state, and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to control groups of campers traveling to Kaʻū while beach and shoreline parks are closed for camping and gatherings during the pandemic. Campfires are suspect in recent fires in the area.
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| Fire from afar. Photo by Bob Martin |
Big Island Farm Sanctuary on South Point Road, which takes in farm animals, received the help of some 30 volunteers to evacuate the place as the fire approached but spared it. Around 9 p.m. Saturday, Big Island Farm Sanctuary posted a call on Facebook for help from people "anywhere near the South Point area and have room for pigs or small animals in your car." Kristie Bento posted that she was there until 1 a.m. "They had a few trucks and cars and a school bus full of goats. The fire was close but seemed to be going away and more toward the ocean." The Sanctuary posted an update in the early morning hours, saying they had enough help, and that the wind was "working in our favor. Mahalo to all who have reached out and are here." Founded by Paula Buck in 2018, Big Island Farm Sanctuary provides a "safe, loving, forever home" for animals who have been orphaned, abandoned, injured, abused, or exploited. "Once here, our residents are given all the love and care they need to become healthy, happy ambassadors, where they can show people how truly amazing and sentient they are." See bigislandfarmsanctuary.com.
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| Mayoral candidate Ikaika Marzo covered the fire on Facebook Live. |
Hokunani Faisao posted: "This is what the Kaʻū community was warning about!! We are at red alert in that area. People need to help take care the ʻāina. This is not a place to throw your cigarette butts out. And this is absolutely not the place to set fires for camping."
Nalani Nahinu posted "Hope these people get caught and do Restoration services! Stay safe y'all. We praying and hope y'all get 'em under control, with Love and aloha."
Kaʻū Hawaiian Home Lands Association has called for the county, state, and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to control groups of campers traveling to Kaʻū while beach and shoreline parks are closed for camping and gatherings during the pandemic. Campfires are suspect in recent fires in the area.
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.
ATTEND A WRITE YOUR OWN WILL WEBNIAR tomorrow, Monday, Sept. 21 at 12:30 p.m. The workshop will teach the basic elements of a will; how to write a will; what "capacity" means and how it pertains to dementia; why it's critical to get all of someone's wishes in place during the early stages of dementia; how to honor and support a loved one with dementia, even if they haven't expressed their wishes; and more.
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| A lava-like glow from a range fire moving into Kalae from Kaʻalualu Road. Photo by Richard Taylor |
The other speaker for the webinar is Cole Smith, Corporate Director of Dementia Care Services at Brightview Senior Living. Smith has been a long-time advocate and educator for those living with dementia and their caregivers. He has a masters degree in Gerontology from the University of Southern California, in addition to being a trained respiratory therapist and end-of-life doula.
Life & Death Wellness Center, a 501c3 nonprofit, is an empowerment center and community resource for "education, support, and awareness for living well, no matter what stage of life you find yourself or a loved one. We all have the power within ourselves to live well, despite death or disease," says the website.
Register at charlottecharfen.com/will-webinar.
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.
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| Mauka side of fire moving east and north. Photo from Ikaika Marzo |
Lt. Gov. Josh Green, MD, said he read a preliminary report on the outbreak at the Veterans Home and expressed that heartbreak there is "monumental. This is what, sadly, we've seen all across the country. When institutions of any kind have outbreaks, they spread rapidly through an institution, because of close proximity of people. We saw that in our prison and, of course, we saw it over at the veterans nursing home. It's also happened in every other state.
"The challenge, of course, is that we see fatalities at a high rate because – and this is from the report – the age of the individuals in question that got sick, some of whom died. They're very old. Almost all of them had very severe, underlying conditions. And that is not to make excuses, in any way, whatsoever. But it is the reason that it happens."
Green said he believes many elderly veterans were set up with living wills, requiring no intervention with ventilators, breathing tubes, or other life support systems – for all diseases, including pneumonia, heart attack, and COVID. "So that's why you do see a very high mortality rate amongst kūpuna."
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| Fire burning this morning near South Point. Photo from Ikaika Marzo |
The VA noted that the Veterans Home prepared with touchless door entries to several areas within the facility; entry points with extensive active screening, and screeners using Personal Protective Equipment issuing clean masks to anyone entering the facilities; requiring hand washing at sinks at both entrances; and proper handling and sanitizing of face shields used at the care home. The VA also stated that an earlier implementation of practices to prevent COVID could have helped, as "these are things that should have been in place from the pandemic onset and a major contributing factor towards the rapid spread." The report also said that three weeks after the first case at the Veterans Home, there was still a need to understand "segregation and workflow."
The VA report recommends more hand sanitizer dispensers; removing hard-to-clean cloth chairs in common areas; covering high-touch items with laminating paper that can be changed; providing a laundry to alleviate employees from wearing and taking their work clothes – their scrubs – home to clean them; adding more effective air filters to the HVAC system; adding ultraviolet sanitation boxes for handheld items; documenting the performance of each sanitation; and hiring more housekeeping staff, relieving clinic staff from cleaning. The report recommends that staff members take breaks outdoors to decrease exposure and that gatherings do not occur in breakrooms. The VA recommends assigning housekeeping and maintenance staff to only COVID on COVID-free areas during their shifts, to avoid cross-contamination.
Among the VA's many other recommendations is finding an alternative to nebulizing treatments. Another aspect of the VA assessment points to "some residents wandering throughout unit/floor into other hallways" and not consistently wearing masks. Alavon responded, saying: "Staff have consistently tried to re-direct wandering residents and have been providing diversional activities. Several residents have PTSD and behavioral diagnoses, which make it very difficult to re-direct, and these residents are not always compliant with re-direction and mask use. Staff continues to work with residents on these issues. This is a big challenge, especially after 6+ months of residents being asked to stay in their rooms."
Allison Griffiths, spokesperson for Avalon Health Care, wrote that many VA recommendations are new, "above and beyond" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and state COVID-19 rules and guidance. She said they "are not common practice in long term care facilities, even during a COVID-19 outbreak. Likewise, some of the recommendations are hospital level (and above) interventions that a very, very small number of nursing homes nationwide would have implemented – or had the capability to implement."
She said the Veterans Home was operating with more than 60 percent of the recommendations in place when the assessment was made. "The VA team was in the Facility for four hours and did not review the Facility's Pandemic Plan or training records. Thus, while the VA may not have seen evidence of certain of their noted observations, many of them had already been operationalized."
The Tiger Team from the VA includes supervisors in housekeeping and logistics and additional food service and nursing staff, who are expected to assist for up to six weeks. They began to arrive on Thursday. VA recommends a new assessment of the facility after a week. The team that conducted the inspection included a Nurse Executive Team Leader, a Chief of Safety and Security Services, an Infectious Disease Specialist, and a Chief of Facilities Management Engineering Service.
In addition to Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, which is the only veterans care home in Hawaiʻi, Avalon Health Care manages Avalon Care Center Honolulu and Hale Nani Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, both civilian facilities on Oʻahu.
The VA report recommends more hand sanitizer dispensers; removing hard-to-clean cloth chairs in common areas; covering high-touch items with laminating paper that can be changed; providing a laundry to alleviate employees from wearing and taking their work clothes – their scrubs – home to clean them; adding more effective air filters to the HVAC system; adding ultraviolet sanitation boxes for handheld items; documenting the performance of each sanitation; and hiring more housekeeping staff, relieving clinic staff from cleaning. The report recommends that staff members take breaks outdoors to decrease exposure and that gatherings do not occur in breakrooms. The VA recommends assigning housekeeping and maintenance staff to only COVID on COVID-free areas during their shifts, to avoid cross-contamination.
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| A smoky Kalae. Photo by Bob Martin |
Allison Griffiths, spokesperson for Avalon Health Care, wrote that many VA recommendations are new, "above and beyond" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and state COVID-19 rules and guidance. She said they "are not common practice in long term care facilities, even during a COVID-19 outbreak. Likewise, some of the recommendations are hospital level (and above) interventions that a very, very small number of nursing homes nationwide would have implemented – or had the capability to implement."
She said the Veterans Home was operating with more than 60 percent of the recommendations in place when the assessment was made. "The VA team was in the Facility for four hours and did not review the Facility's Pandemic Plan or training records. Thus, while the VA may not have seen evidence of certain of their noted observations, many of them had already been operationalized."
The Tiger Team from the VA includes supervisors in housekeeping and logistics and additional food service and nursing staff, who are expected to assist for up to six weeks. They began to arrive on Thursday. VA recommends a new assessment of the facility after a week. The team that conducted the inspection included a Nurse Executive Team Leader, a Chief of Safety and Security Services, an Infectious Disease Specialist, and a Chief of Facilities Management Engineering Service.
In addition to Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, which is the only veterans care home in Hawaiʻi, Avalon Health Care manages Avalon Care Center Honolulu and Hale Nani Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, both civilian facilities on Oʻahu.
contamination; and many more.
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| The 3,500-acre fire ran through grass, spared homes. Photo by Richard Taylor |
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.
HAWAIʻI ISLAND HAS RECORDED 26 DEATHS FROM COVID-19. Of those deaths, 24 were of veterans at Yukio Okustu State Veterans Home in Hilo, two new today. At least one resident who died was from Kaʻū. The official state death toll for all of the islands is 120, and does not include all of the deaths at the Veterans Home.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 11,403 COVID cases in the state, 77 new today. Department of Health reports 4,759 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 6,500 active cases in isolation. Hawaiʻi Island reports five new cases, Maui County one, and Oʻahu 71. There are 16 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 10,289 cases, Hawaiʻi Island 644, Maui County 385, and Kauaʻi 57. Twenty-eight victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 730 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
HAWAIʻI ISLAND HAS RECORDED 26 DEATHS FROM COVID-19. Of those deaths, 24 were of veterans at Yukio Okustu State Veterans Home in Hilo, two new today. At least one resident who died was from Kaʻū. The official state death toll for all of the islands is 120, and does not include all of the deaths at the Veterans Home.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 11,403 COVID cases in the state, 77 new today. Department of Health reports 4,759 people of those infected have completed isolation. There are about 6,500 active cases in isolation. Hawaiʻi Island reports five new cases, Maui County one, and Oʻahu 71. There are 16 people hospitalized on Hawaiʻi Island with the virus.
Since the pandemic began, Oʻahu reported 10,289 cases, Hawaiʻi Island 644, Maui County 385, and Kauaʻi 57. Twenty-eight victims are residents diagnosed while visiting other places. Statewide, 730 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic began.
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Onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 28
days, by zip code. Gray areas have zero or few residential
addresses. White is zero cases. Yellow is one to 20 cases. Pale
orange is 21 to 40 cases. Medium orange is 41 to 60 cases. Dark
orange (not pictured) is 61 to 150 cases. Bright red is 151 to 310
cases. Dark red (not pictured) is 311 to 400 cases. Department of
Health map |
In the last 28 days, active cases have been reported in zip codes 96704 with Miloliʻi; 96737 with Ocean View; 96772 with Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Green Sands, Mark Twain, Discovery Harbour, and South Point; 96777 with Pāhala, Punaluʻu, and Wood Valley; and 96785 with Volcano Village. Zip code 96718, shaded gray on the map, is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which has few residents and no cases to date. Other areas shaded gray have no or very little population and no cases.
Visitation at Hilo Medical Center has been paused, with the exception of one visitor for OB, pediatrics, and end-of-life patients. The hospital's long-term care ward is closed to new patients for now.
All beach and shoreline parks on Hawaiʻi Island are closed through Sept. 30. The activities of exercising, fishing, food gathering, use of restroom, shower facilities, and access to the ocean will continue to be allowed. Use of pavilions, barbecues, tents, or other shade devices, tables, hibachis, coolers, picnicking, camping, and commercial operations are all prohibited.
Hawaiʻi Island police continue enforcement of preventative policies of face coverings, distancing, and gatherings. Civil Defense says, "Know that these policies are mandated and will be enforced. While on patrol, police officers will provide face coverings to people they encounter who do not have one. Mahalo for your help." Civil Defense says the number of new cases of coronavirus on this Island "reflects the need and importance of continuing testing throughout the Island as the virus remains a threat. With all accepting kuleana, we can stop the spread of the virus to keep your family, friends, and neighbors safe. With the community's involvement, we can keep Hawaiʻi Safe." See hawaiicounty.gov/departments/civil-defense.
See the Hawai'i County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 6,794,499 – about 22 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 199,481 – about 21 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 30.88 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 958,493.
This time last year, a Marshallese contingent welcomed The Golden Rule, a sailboat on a peace and nuclear-free educational mission from Hilo to Maui's Maʻalea Harbor. Onboard was crew member James Akau, of Pāhala, who is currently in the Marshall Islands, delivering goods to remote atolls as the engineer on the 145-foot sailing ship Kwai. This year, the new The Golden Rule crew, with Captain Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa, of Honuʻapo, also hopes to sail next year to the Marshall Islands and onto Japan, once restrictions from the pandemic are ended.
Last year, more than 20 Marshallese welcomed The Golden Rule crew on Maui with a traditional "jinlap" greeting, which includes singing and giving lei. Golden Rule Project manager Helen Jaccard described the gifts as "beautiful seashell lei." The Marshallese honored The Golden Rule for its peace mission in the 1950s to stop nuclear testing, including blowing up Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, and its continued peace voyages throughout Hawaiʻi and beyond.
Last year, The Golden Rule's plans to travel to the Marshall Islands were canceled due to a measles outbreak. Plans to travel to Guam, Okinawa, Korea, and arrive in Japan on the 75th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima were postponed due to the pandemic.
The Golden Rule Project is sponsored by Veterans for Peace. Regarding the voyage to the Marshall Islands, the organization stated that U.S. nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands from 1946 to 1958 "blew up several islands and atolls, and radiated many Marshallese, who are still suffering from the effects of the nuclear explosions. The combined explosive power of all the bombs dropped on the Marshall Islands during that 12-year period equals 1.6 Hiroshima-size explosions per day." See washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2015/11/27/a-ground-zero-forgotten/?utm_term=.e03eb948600.
The 30th Hawaiʻi state legislature issued a certificate of welcome to The Golden Rule, wishing the crew a "successful journey" of two-and-a-half years sailing the Pacific "to support the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, raise awareness about environmental and human costs of military and nuclear activities, and support efforts to stop the possibility of nuclear war." The trip is expected to resume no sooner than January 2021.
The crew on the leg of the voyage from Hilo to Maui was comprised of Akau, Keith Oney, Joe Scarola, Alex Fanceschini, and Arron Blackman, along with Jaccard.
To donate, and more, contact Jaccard at 206-992-6364 or vfpgoldenruleproject@gmail.com. Visit vfpgoldenrule.org. Also contact Ann Wright, Veterans for Peace-Hawaiʻi, 808-741-1141, annw1946@gmail.com.
See the documentary online, Making Waves: The Rebirth of the Golden Rule at vimeo.com/250517563. Read more in the Sept. 11, 2019, Kaʻū News Briefs.
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.
See the Hawai'i County COVID-19 webpage at coronavirus-response-county-of-hawaii-hawaiicountygis.hub.arcgis.com. Request travel exemptions for critical infrastructure and medical travel at survey123.arcgis.com/share/e2f4ce19aa854964a8fd60bec7fbe78c. Report violators of COVID-19 safety protocols or quarantine to non-emergency at 935-3311.
COVID-19 case count in the U.S. is more than 6,794,499 – about 22 percent of worldwide cases. The death toll is more than 199,481 – about 21 percent of worldwide deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 30.88 million COVID-19 cases. The death toll is more than 958,493.
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.
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This time last year, THE Golden Rule sailed Alenuihaha Channel between Hawaiʻi Island and Maui on its Veterans for Peace Mission, crewed by Pāhala resident James Akau, Along with Helen Jaccard, Aaron Black, Joe Scarola, Keith Oney, and Alex Franceschini. Photo from Veterans for Peace Golden Rule Project |
Kaʻū Life: The Way We Were Last Year
Last year, more than 20 Marshallese welcomed The Golden Rule crew on Maui with a traditional "jinlap" greeting, which includes singing and giving lei. Golden Rule Project manager Helen Jaccard described the gifts as "beautiful seashell lei." The Marshallese honored The Golden Rule for its peace mission in the 1950s to stop nuclear testing, including blowing up Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, and its continued peace voyages throughout Hawaiʻi and beyond.
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The Golden Rule was originally captained by a retired Navy commander who sailed for peace, opposing nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands. Photo from Veterans for Peace Golden Rule Project |
Last year, The Golden Rule's plans to travel to the Marshall Islands were canceled due to a measles outbreak. Plans to travel to Guam, Okinawa, Korea, and arrive in Japan on the 75th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima were postponed due to the pandemic.
The Golden Rule Project is sponsored by Veterans for Peace. Regarding the voyage to the Marshall Islands, the organization stated that U.S. nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands from 1946 to 1958 "blew up several islands and atolls, and radiated many Marshallese, who are still suffering from the effects of the nuclear explosions. The combined explosive power of all the bombs dropped on the Marshall Islands during that 12-year period equals 1.6 Hiroshima-size explosions per day." See washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2015/11/27/a-ground-zero-forgotten/?utm_term=.e03eb948600.
The 30th Hawaiʻi state legislature issued a certificate of welcome to The Golden Rule, wishing the crew a "successful journey" of two-and-a-half years sailing the Pacific "to support the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, raise awareness about environmental and human costs of military and nuclear activities, and support efforts to stop the possibility of nuclear war." The trip is expected to resume no sooner than January 2021.
The crew on the leg of the voyage from Hilo to Maui was comprised of Akau, Keith Oney, Joe Scarola, Alex Fanceschini, and Arron Blackman, along with Jaccard.
To donate, and more, contact Jaccard at 206-992-6364 or vfpgoldenruleproject@gmail.com. Visit vfpgoldenrule.org. Also contact Ann Wright, Veterans for Peace-Hawaiʻi, 808-741-1141, annw1946@gmail.com.
See the documentary online, Making Waves: The Rebirth of the Golden Rule at vimeo.com/250517563. Read more in the Sept. 11, 2019, Kaʻū News Briefs.
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From 1946 to 1958, the U.S. conducted nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands. The Golden Rule sailboat, sponsored by Veterans for Peace, intendeds to share concerns about this country and the threat of conventional and nuclear war. Swathmore Peace Collection photo |
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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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Daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more are listed at kaucalendar.com.
EVENTS
Submit Comments and Questions about Hawaiian Electric's KeāholeBattery Storage Project through Saturday, Sept. 26. The utility submitted an application to the Public Utilities Commission on Aug. 28 for a first-of-its-kind on-island, 12-megawatt, 12-megawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System to help stabilize the power grid for the whole island, reducing the likelihood of customer outages. Virtual public meetings on both projects were held earlier this year and video replays of the discussions, along with the PUC applications and project details, can be found at www.hawaiianelectric.com/selfbuildprojects. Comments and questions can be submitted to keaholebess@hawaiianelectric.com and will be included in the application to PUC.
ONGOING
Ocean View Community Center 8 a.m. to
1 p.m. , will help raise funds for the Center, as well as
benefit local artist and crafters. Booths are $8 for a 10' x 10' space, tents
not provided. Face masks required. Free admission for attendees. Contact
organizer Helen McCullough at 808-209-9204 or hmccullough.1@gmail.com.
Sign Up for Solid Waste Operations Alerts at https://member.everbridge.net/index/482552460607505#/signup. Receive notice via phone or email of site closures, availability of services, hours of operation, special conditions affecting solid waste service (such as road closures, flooding, fires), or special events, such as household hazardous waste collections.
Attend Sunday Drive-In Worship Service at Waiʻōhinu's Kauahaʻao Congregational Church. Parking on the lawn begins at10 a.m. , with Worship Service starting at 10:10 a.m. The only time a face covering is needed is when the usher comes to the vehicle to pass out the worship bulletin and other materials, and at the same time, collect any offering or gifts the individual(s) would like to give, or when leaving vehicles for the restroom. Church provides paper fans to stay cool. Bring water. Catch the live-streamed service at 10:10 a.m. and Praise Jam, which runs from 9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Service is emailed Sunday afternoon to anyone on the email list. Sign up by emailing atdwongyuen.kauahaaochurch@gmail.com or call 928-8039 or 937-2155.
St. Jude's Episcopal Church services and worship are posted online at stjudeshawaii.org. Join the Aloha Hour via Zoom at 11 a.m. on Sundays, us02web.zoom.us/j/6843449828?pwd=YW94djVvU0szOGNKaFZ1V0pUL1owUT09, Meeting ID: 684 344 9828, Password: Aloha. Weekly hot meals, hot showers, the computer lab, and in-person services and bible studies are suspended.
One-Time Emergency Food for people is available through Big Island Giving Tree. Emergency food for pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.
Food Basket Distribution last Tuesday of the month, Sept. 29, provides food at St. Jude's to those in need. Another distribution will be held Wednesday, Sept. 30, atVolcano Village Cooper Center 10 a.m. until pau. See hawaiifoodbasket.org.
Emergency Boxes Available at Cooper Center 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Call ahead, 967-7800.
Volcano Art Center Volcano Village 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. , closed Saturday and Sunday. The Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. , closed Monday and Tuesday. Virtual Shopping Appointments are offered at Volcano Art Center
Guided Nature Walks through Nature Trail & Sculpture Garden, Mondays, 9:30 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. No reservations for five or fewer – limited to ten people. Free; donations appreciated. Email programs@volcanoartcenter.org. Garden is open to walk through at one's own pace, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Free. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222
Health and Fitness Website for Kūpuna, 808b-fit.com, contains videos for kūpuna to play and move along with. There are videos for stretching, tai chi, yoga, dancing, dance fitness, bon dance, hula, chair dancing, and chair yoga.
Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration required; $5 per class. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222
Volcano Farmers Market, Cooper Center, Volcano Village, open on Sundays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, island beef, and prepared foods. Call 808-967-7800.
Ocean View Swap Meet reopens Sept. 5 at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks are required for all vendors and patrons.
ʻO Kaʻū Kākou Market, in Nāʻālehu, open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon . The goal is no more than 50 customers on the grounds at a time. Vendor booths per day are limited to 25, with 30 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing are required to attend the market. Social distancing will be enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.
Choose Aloha for Home is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together at chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home, using neuroscience and positive psychology, children and parents alike can learn to better understand themselves and each other. The program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics," to teach families "how to manage their emotions, communicate in healthier ways, and create a nurturing environment focused on the things that matter most." Sign up at https://chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home/.
Free Book Exchanges, at the laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu, provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Everyone is invited to take books they want to read. They may keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them to the Book Exchange to make them available to others in the community. The selection of books is replenished weekly at both sites.
Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through the Papakilo Database, a resource developed by The Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The Kahalo Center
Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. U.S. Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs is developing a list of Native Hawaiian farmers willing to sell direct to consumers through the On-Farm Market Directory. On-farm markets are managed by a single farm operator that sells products on their farm, or on a property next to their farm. Some on-farm markets may also deliver or ship their goods directly to consumers. Visit the program website for more information and to register: ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/onfarm.
Begin Learning Basics of Organic Farming, from two free modules of a virtual training program by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, andCalifornia Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. See https://kohalacenter.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=54bdd67c601f0c0d3ea430053&id=9e1691c22d&e=0e3fe20c1f
PETFIX Spay and Neuter Clinic for Dogs will be held Friday, Sept. 25 in Ocean View. For information and to register, call 808-990-3548 or email petfixbigisland@gmail.com.
Vehicle and License Registration in Kaʻū Saturday, Sept.
26 for expirations in September, from
National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 26 is celebrated at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park with free entrance to the Park. The public is urged to celebrate by doing something good for the ‘āina (land), such as: Remove an invasive plant from your property, and replace it with a native plant; Pick up ‘opala (rubbish) from a beach, park or other public land; Write a haiku about your favorite public land. Watch a new Park video. The Park encourages people to post a photo or video of themselves engaged in the activity to their personal social media account, and tag @hawaiivolcanoesnps between Sept. 26 and 30. Haiku writers are encouraged to read their haiku on video. The Park will share the most inspiring posts to its Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Submit Comments and Questions about Hawaiian Electric's Keāhole
Design the 2021 Ocean Count T-Shirt for Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary by Sept. 30. Designs highlighting humpback whales in Hawaiian waters must be entirely the artist's own creation. To ensure the design looks its best when printed, submit as a high definition PDF, AI, EPS or PNG with a quality of at least 1500 pixels by 1500 pixels and 300 DPI (dots per inch) with dimensions no greater than 11.5 inches by 14 inches. Top finalists' designs will appear on oceancount.org, the winner's design on the back of the shirt. The winner will also receive $500. Email the design and completed registration form to oceancount@marinesancutary.org.
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The State of
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Anyone Feeling Depressed or Anxious, or who needs
someone to talk to, can call Department of Health's expanded Hawai‘i C.A.R.E.S.
program at 1-800-753-6879 – the same number previously used by Crisis Line of
Hawai‘i. Individuals in crisis can also text ALOHA to 741741, available 24/7.
Nominate Businesses that Provide Excellent COVID-19 Safety Precautions for a Gold Star. Submit nominations to County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development at rd.hawaiicounty.gov/economic-development/covid-19-business-resources-and-information/gold-star-businesses. Find help for small businesses at www.hawaiicounty.gov/covidbusinesshelp.
Attend Weekly Virtual Town Meetings, hosted by Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, on Wednesdays at5:30 p.m. Discussion topics include attendance, best practices, Grab-n-Go meals, school updates, and questions and feedback, and more. Go to KHPES website for Live WebEx link.
Pre-Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach Program in Ocean View here. Completing the form does not guarantee a spot in the program. A staff member will reach out to eligible families, to complete the registration process. Questions? Contact Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (808) 961-5536 or email mobiletutoring@bgcbi.org.
Free Tutors for Keiki in Pāhala, for grades one through six, will be available from Boys & Girls Club of theBig Island Reading , Writing, Math, Spelling, Test Taking Strategies, Organizational Skills, and more. Contact Boys & Girls Club at info@bgcbi.org or 961-5536.
Attend Weekly Virtual Town Meetings, hosted by Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, on Wednesdays at
Pre-Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach Program in Ocean View here. Completing the form does not guarantee a spot in the program. A staff member will reach out to eligible families, to complete the registration process. Questions? Contact Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (808) 961-5536 or email mobiletutoring@bgcbi.org.Free Tutors for Keiki in Pāhala, for grades one through six, will be available from Boys & Girls Club of the
Free Wifi Access for Students is available in Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary.
In Pāhala, access is limited to ten students at a time at the school gym on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Support is provided by Joshua Ortega.
In Nāʻālehu, access is limited to 12 students at a time at Nāʻālehu Assembly of God on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind.
In Ocean View, access is limited to five students at a time at Ocean View Community Center on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Support is provided by Carla Lind and Mrs. Marcia Masters. No restrooms available at this location.
Kaʻū Mobile Learning Hub at St. Jude's lower parking lot is available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Instruction and support are provided by Carla Lind, Mrs. VanNewkirk, Mrs. Heather Naboa, Mrs. Marcia Masters, and Mrs. Ebanez.
All students and staff must wear a mask at all times and follow all COVID-19 guidelines. Each student must bring their device, school materials, and a water bottle. Questions? Call 313-4100.
Sign Up for Solid Waste Operations Alerts at https://member.everbridge.net/index/482552460607505#/signup. Receive notice via phone or email of site closures, availability of services, hours of operation, special conditions affecting solid waste service (such as road closures, flooding, fires), or special events, such as household hazardous waste collections.Attend Sunday Drive-In Worship Service at Waiʻōhinu's Kauahaʻao Congregational Church. Parking on the lawn begins at
One-Time Emergency Food for people is available through Big Island Giving Tree. Emergency food for pets is available through KARES. Call David or Barbara Breskin at 319-8333.
Food Basket Distribution last Tuesday of the month, Sept. 29, provides food at St. Jude's to those in need. Another distribution will be held Wednesday, Sept. 30, at
Health and Fitness Website for Kūpuna, 808b-fit.com, contains videos for kūpuna to play and move along with. There are videos for stretching, tai chi, yoga, dancing, dance fitness, bon dance, hula, chair dancing, and chair yoga.
Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration required; $5 per class. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222
Ocean View Community Market, open Saturdays and Wednesdays (starting next Wednesday, Aug. 12), 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. , on the corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Managed by Mark Cocucci. Masks are mandatory. Limit of people is 100. Social distancing is required. Gate will be unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m. Vendors can show up without a reservation for now, with $15 dollars. Parking is in the upper lot; parking on the side of the road is prohibited. All vendors must provide their own sanitizer. All food vendors must have the permits required for the items that you are selling. Vendors and attendees are encouraged to carpool.
Choose Aloha for Home is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together at chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home, using neuroscience and positive psychology, children and parents alike can learn to better understand themselves and each other. The program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics," to teach families "how to manage their emotions, communicate in healthier ways, and create a nurturing environment focused on the things that matter most." Sign up at https://chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home/.
ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides for Chromebooks and iPads given out to distance learning students enrolled in Kaʻū public schools. The website is open to the public here. ʻOhana Help Desk is also available to students and parents by phone, Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. , and on Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is closed on Saturdays and state holidays.
Ocean View Mobile Learning Lab operates weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Jude's lower parking lot. It is open to students of Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, to connect to internet for distance learning. Questions? See khpes.org or call 313-4100.
Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries are open for wifi, pick-up, and other services. Nāʻālehu is open Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala is open Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Library patrons may schedule Library Take Out appointment times to pick up their hold item(s) at their favorite libraries by going to HSPLS Library Catalog and placing a hold on any item(s) they want to borrow, they may call their favorite library branch to place a hold with the library staff, or they may go in-person to request items, without placing a hold. After receiving a notice that item(s) are ready for pick up, patrons schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Both locations are also open for library card account help and reference assistance from the front door. Wifi is available to anyone with a library card from each library parking lot by using their library card and PIN. For more information, visit librarieshawaii.org.
Sign Up for Two Women's Health Programs from Kaʻū Women's Collective. Piko focuses on reproductive health; increasing access, respect, cultural competence, education, and choice. Pilina aims to grow membership and establish a culture of collaborative decision-making. Meetings held Sundays on Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, and Dec. 13, at 2 p.m. Follow @kau_womens_health_collective. Contact rootsmedieshawaii@gmail.com. Call 808-450-0498.
Receive Help Over the Phone with Critical Financial Issues, through Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund Financial Navigators from County of Hawaiʻi
Find Resources for LGBTQ+, Loved Ones, and Allies at Sexual and Gender Minority online resource hub. Hawaiʻi Department of Health's first website dedicated to LGBTQ+ resources. Developed by the Sexual and Gender Minority Workgroup in partnership with the DOH Harm Reduction Services Branch. Resources: Understanding the Pacific's alternative genders; Pronoun guide; Book lists for children and teens; ʻOhana support; and DOH data. For more information on joining the SGM Workgroup, email Thaddeus Pham at thaddeus.pham@doh.hawaii.gov. See health.hawaii.gov/harmreduction/sexual-gender-minority/sexual-and-gender-minorities-sgm-in-hawaii/.
Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through the Papakilo Database, a resource developed by The Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The Native Hawaiian Farmers and Ranchers urged to use U.S. Dept. of Ag On-Farm Market Directory. U.S. Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs is developing a list of Native Hawaiian farmers willing to sell direct to consumers through the On-Farm Market Directory. On-farm markets are managed by a single farm operator that sells products on their farm, or on a property next to their farm. Some on-farm markets may also deliver or ship their goods directly to consumers. Visit the program website for more information and to register: ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/onfarm.
Receive Free Marketing Assistance, for small businesses affected by COVID-19. Owners can receive free marketing assistance from Univeristy of Hawaiʻi-Hilo faculty and their senior class. They offer help with moving a business online, finding out more about the businesses' customers, analyzing marketing effectiveness, and providing customer service or website feedback. Visit https://bit.ly/2YvFxsl.
Find Grants and Loans Offered to Farmers and Ranchers, at oahuaca.org. The website has a new search feature to help find information that applies to the searcher.
Begin Learning Basics of Organic Farming, from two free modules of a virtual training program by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, and
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