Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, April 26, 2015

The lava lake at Halema`uma`u continues to thrill spectators watching from Jaggar Museum Overlook in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Photo by Dave Berry

KILAUEA’S SUMMIT CONTINUED TO INFLATE over the past day. This trend has been mirrored by the summit lava lake, which rose about 26 feet since yesterday morning and came within about 13 feet of spilling over the crater rim onto the floor of Halema`uma`u overnight, reported Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

      The lava level was about 20 feet below the crater rim at 7 a.m. this morning, having fallen slightly with an increase in spattering. Seismic activity beneath Kilauea’s summit and upper East and Southwest Rift Zones remains elevated. 

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Masako Sakata won first in Adult Pupu
category. Photos by Jesse Tunison

KA`U COFFEE RECIPE CONTEST, one of several events during the ten-day Ka`u Coffee Festival, was held at Ka`u Coffee Mill yesterday. Miss Holly K, of Native-FM, was DJ.

      Masako Sakata took first place in the Adult Pupu category with Ka`u Coffee Beans. Melia Taganas came in second place with Tortilla & Coffee Dip, and Peggy Kilkenny, third place with Ka`u Coffee South of the Border Enchilada Sauce.
      Adult Entrée first-, second- and third-place winners were Peggy Kilkenny with “Pig Pickin” in Paradise; Melia Taganas, Teri-Coffee; and Austin Kilkenny, Ka`u Coffee Rubbed Short Rib Spicy Noodle Trifle.
      In the Adult Dessert category, Cathy Haber won first place with her Ka`u Coffee Macnut Tart. Tianna Hauanio came in second with Ka`u French Macaroons. Sunerene Quevedo’s Ka`u Coffee Panna Cotta and Melia Taganas’ Kahlua Coffee Cheese Cake tied for third.
      Student winners were Melia Okimoto with her OMG! It’s Mocha-Tastic in the Dessert category and Lorilee Lorenzo with Ka`u Coffee Pulehu Steak in the Pupu category.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Peggy Kilkenny receives one of her two prizes
from Miss Ka`u Coffee Amery Silva.

HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH APPLAUDED Gov. Ige, members of the Legislature and partners statewide for passing and signing Act 19 (HB 940), which restricts use of electronic smoking devices, or e-cigarettes, in all locations where smoking is illegal.

      Act 19 upholds protections created by Hawai`i’s Smoke-Free Workplace and Public Places Law enacted in 2006. The signing of this legislation makes Hawai`i the fourth U.S. state to have passed such a bill, after North Dakota, New Jersey and Utah. 

      According to DOH, use of e-cigarettes in existing smoke-free locations has had the potential to expose non-smokers and vulnerable populations, such as children and pregnant women, to aerosolized nicotine and other toxic substances, which could be dangerous to one’s health. Studies have found that there is enormous variability among e-cigarette devices in terms of their design, operation, contents and emissions of carcinogens, other toxicants and nicotine.
      “These products currently are not regulated, and many of the hazardous components in cigarettes are also found in e-cigarette emissions,” said Director of Health Dr. Virginia Pressler. “Just as we found that smoking was dangerous after many years of unrestricted use, we could be unintentionally harming people as a result of not including e-cigarettes as part of our smoke-free laws.”
      In a report issued this month on workplace tobacco policies, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health warns about the secondhand exposure to nicotine from e-cigarettes. Nicotine is addictive and toxic, and harmful even at low doses. It is an acute irritant and capable of causing headache and nausea. For pregnant women, nicotine can transfer to and harm the developing fetus.
      For more information about tobacco prevention and control in Hawai`i, see http://health.hawaii.gov/tobacco/.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Miss Ka`u Coffee Amery Silva and Miss Holly K present the prize
for first place in Adult Dessert category to Cathy Haber.

AT THE INVITATION OF THE PRESIDENT and First Lady of the United States, Gov. and Mrs. Ige will represent Hawai`i at a White House State Dinner honoring the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. 

      President Obama and Prime Minister Abe will recognize the strong global partnership that the United States and Japan have developed during the 70 years since the end of World War II and underscore the common values and principles that have made the bilateral relationship so enduring.
      As the closest U.S. state to Japan, Hawai`i shares a rich history with Japan. “It is an honor for us to be invited to represent our state and reinforce Hawai`i’s strong cultural and economic ties with our Japanese neighbors,” Ige said.
      President and Mrs. Obama have hosted very few State Dinners during the President’s two terms. This event will be the eighth of the Obama Presidency.
      Lt. Governor Shan Tsutsui will be Acting Governor during Ige’s absence tomorrow through Wednesday.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I COUNTY’S PUBLIC ACCESS, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission is accepting suggestions from the public through June 30 on which properties it should include in its next report.
      The commission considers properties with the following characteristics: public outdoor recreation and education, including public access to beaches and mountains; preservation of historic and culturally important areas and sites; protection of natural resources, including buffer zones; preservation of forests, beaches, coastal areas, natural beauty and agricultural lands; and protection of watershed lands to preserve water quality and water supply.
      Suggestion forms are available at http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/Browse.aspx?startid=13770&dbid=1 or from the county Property Management Division, 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Suite 1101.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Lorilee Lorenzo won first place in the Student Pupu category
with Ka`u Coffee Pulehu Steak.

SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ HAS CO-INTRODUCED the Inspiring New STEM Professionals by Investing in Renovation of Education Spaces Act of 2015. The INSPIRES Act would provide school districts, community colleges and other education institutions funding for modernizing, renovating, or repairing STEM and career and technical education facilities. 

      “Over the past decade, we have seen STEM job growth outpace all others, but because of a lack of resources, our schools have not kept up with the demand,” Schatz said. “The federal government can do more to help states provide better learning environments to help students achieve their full potential. The INSPIRES Act would give educators more resources to modernize their facilities and expand access to STEM education so that our students have greater opportunities to succeed.”
      With the STEM job market expected to continue its rapid growth, the INSPIRES Act aims to improve the quality and availability of STEM and CTE instruction by providing grants to local educational agencies and community colleges for improvements to much-needed facilities. It would also require at least 25 percent of the funds available be directed to high-need LEAs or to community colleges that serve a significant number of rural students.
      “Our nation’s schools and community colleges must provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the 21st century. Sadly, too many of our educational facilities are inadequate for supporting effective STEM and technical learning opportunities,” said Rachel Gutter, Director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. “We applaud Sen. Schatz’s leadership to modernize school facilities so that we may best prepare our future leaders for their careers.”
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

OMG! It's Mocha-Tastic was Melia Okimoto's first-prize winning entry
in the Student Dessert category.

FOLLOWING FRIDAY’S PA`INA at Pahala Plantation House and yesterdays Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest, Ka`u Coffee Festival events continue this week. 

MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT is today at 6:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center, with four candidates vying for the honor of representing the Ka`u Coffee industry at various events during the next 12 months. Tickets are $10.
      Call Pageant Chair Gloria Camba at 928- 8558.

A SECOND KA`U MOUNTAIN WATER SYSTEM HIKE has been scheduled for next Thursday after Wednesday’s hike almost filled up. The hikes begin at 9 a.m. at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Reservations are required. See kaucoffemill.com or call 928-0550.

DURING COFFEE & CATTLE DAY Friday at 10 a.m., participants find out how descendants of Ka`u’s first coffee farmer integrate coffee with other agriculture at Aikane Plantation. $25 includes all-you-can-eat buffet. Sign up at aikaneplantation.com or 808-927-2252.

FOR KA`U STAR GAZING, also on Friday, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., participants travel to the summit of Makanau to observe the heavens  Ka`u’s dark skies. $35 includes refreshments and shuttle transportation. 

      Reserve at kaucoffeemill.com or 928-0550.

AT KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL HO`OLAULE`A on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., festival-goers enjoy a free, full day of music, hula, Ka`u Coffee Experience, educational displays and demonstrations, farm tours, vendors and meet the farmers.

KA`U COFFEE COLLEGE is a week from today at 9 a.m. at Pahala Community Center. The educational series features coffee researchers and industry professionals. Free. Call Chris Manfredi at 929-9550.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_April2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, April 25, 2015

The level of the lava lake within Halema`uma`u Crater at the summit of Kilauea continues to rise. Today, the level was as high as 46 feet below the Overlook crater rim. This photograph from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory was taken in an area closed to the public, but the lava level was high enough today that the lava lake surface could be seen from Jaggar Museum Overlook, which is open to the public. USGS Photo

THE SUMMIT OF KILAUEA VOLCANO continues to inflate, and the summit lava lake continues to rise, reaching to within 40 feet of the Overlook crater rim. Crater wall collapses triggered two explosions overnight. Also, seismicity beneath the summit and the upper East and Southwest Rift Zones is elevated, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported this morning. 

      Two collapses from the Overlook crater walls at around 2 a.m. this morning both triggered explosions that threw gobs of spatter — some about one foot across — up onto the rim of Halema`uma`u at the webcam site and dusted the Jaggar Museum area with sand-sized ash.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

State senators celebrated lei-bedecked Suzanne Case's confirmation as
head of Hawai`i's Department of Land & Natural Resources.
Photo from Sen. Russell Ruderman's Facebook page

SUZANNE CASE IN THE NEW HEAD of Hawai`i’s Department of Land & Natural Resources. The Senate confirmed Gov. David Ige’s nomination yesterday. 

      A 28-year veteran of The Nature Conservancy, Case served as its Executive Director in Hawai`i since 2001. She oversaw a program of 76 staff, 16 preserves totaling 53,000 acres and an annual operating budget of $11 million, working in native forest, coastal and marine conservation, directly and through partnerships, on six main Hawaiian Islands.
      In Ka`u, Case oversaw acquisition of the 116,000-acre Kahuku Ranch addition to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and TNC’s purchase of some of the most pristine native forests in Hawai`i. Purchasing Kamehame, the hawkbill turtle nesting site below Pahala, is another one of Case’s accomplishments. She also located TNC’s Hawai`i Island offices in Ka`u.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Charled David Keeling received a Medal of Science presented
by Pres. George Bush. Photo from wikipedia

RESEARCH AT MAUNA LOA OBSERVATORY is receiving recognition as landmark science. On April 30, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the American Chemical Society will host a public ceremony and open house at the atmospheric research facility located at 11,000 feet above sea level. The event will commemorate Earth’s pre-eminent modern atmospheric carbon dioxide record. As part of this celebration, the CO2 data set itself will become officially recognized as a National Historic Chemical Landmark. 

      Hawaiian Volcano Observatory describe MLO’s research in the current issue of Volcano Watch.
      “Continuous CO2 monitoring began on Mauna Loa in 1958, when Charles David Keeling installed state-of-the-art instrumentation high on the remote north flank of the volcano and began carefully measuring the amount of CO2 in the air. This new data became crucial to an ongoing discussion about whether the CO2 released by industrial processes, such as power generation, was building up in Earth’s atmosphere.
      “Once established, the record showed convincingly that CO2 buildup was indeed taking place. In fact, the technique worked so well that during summer months it easily detected the seasonal uptake of CO2 by increased vegetation. During winter months, when foliage in the northern hemisphere is scarcer, CO2 levels measured at the Mauna Loa location climbed. This seasonal trend superimposed on the long-term increasing background atmospheric CO2 record has since been demonstrated at a parallel measurement location in Barrow, Alaska. …

Keeling Curve record atmospheric CO2 measured at Mauna Loa Observatory.
Graph from wikipedia

      “The data set that Charles David Keeling established nearly 50 years ago at MLO, which eventually became known as the ‘Keeling Curve,’ is truly worthy of the recognition it will receive next week. Besides documenting the steady upward trend of CO2 concentration in Earth’s atmosphere, this precise and modern CO2 record has been used to reconstruct temperature and CO2 concentration records as far back as 500,000 years ago. To accomplish this, scientists combined the current record, global temperature data and studies of CO2 and deuterium isotope concentrations found in the air trapped in ice cores.
      “Keeling’s modern record, along with the ice core studies, show conclusively that CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are higher than they’ve been in at least half a million years. They also show that the sharpest and most significant CO2 increase coincided with Earth’s industrialization and that this increase is mimicked by average global temperatures.
      “The news isn’t all bad, though. As climate scientists work to understand implications of the MLO CO2 record, other data sets at the observatory, inspired partly by Keeling’s work, are documenting progress toward lowering human-generated greenhouse gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons. As HVO continues to study what goes on beneath the surface of Hawaiian volcanoes, we applaud the Mauna Loa Observatory’s efforts to better understand the workings of Earth’s atmosphere.”

      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ope`ape`a, Hawaiian hoary bat, is the official state land mammal.

THE HOARY BAT, HAWAI`I’S ONLY NATIVE land mammal, is the state’s official land mammal following Gov. David Ige signing Senate Bill 1183. 

      An adult Hawaiian hoary has an approximate twelve to fifteen inch wingspan, weighs approximately as much as a mouse, and flies at a speed of up to sixty miles per hour while pursuing mosquitoes, insects and other night-land aerial prey. A single Hawaiian hoary bat can consume forty per cent of its body weight in a single night.
      On Oct. 13, 1970, the bat, ope`ape`a, was listed as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act and the state of Hawaii's endangered species list. Population estimates for the ope`ape`a have ranged from hundreds to a few thousand. The magnitude of any current population decline is unknown; however, observation and specimen records suggest that the ope`ape`a is now absent from historically occupied ranges.
      “The Legislature finds that preserving the ope`ape`a, which is found only in Hawai`i, is important to Hawai`i’s heritage and culture,” the bill states.
      The Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i submitted testimony supporting the bill as a means to increase awareness of the state’s forests: “This often misunderstood creature inhabits Hawai`i’s forests and roosts primarily in trees. The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of our forests, the less taste we shall have for their destruction. Already, the state of Hawai`i has lost more than half of its original forest. The loss of forest habitat throughout the bat’s range continues to play a role in its endangerment.
      “The Hawaiian hoary bat is truly a wonder. It can fly. It can echolocate. It has the ability to enter torpor (a limited hibernation) to cope with periods of food (i.e., insect) shortages or inclement weather. Its ancestors arrived from continental America crossing more the 2,500 miles of the Pacific Ocean, in an amazing feat, which D. H. Johnson (the former curator of mammals for the Smithsonian Institution) identified as ‘probably the most remarkable mammalian flight of all time.’”

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Bolo and Friends performed last night at Pahala Plantation House. The Na Hoku
Hanohano nominee sang Kaiholena, about the mountain in Ka`u, a song written
by Bolo, Daniel Ho and a group of Ka`u Coffee Festival music
workshop attendees. Photo by Julia Neal

MISS KA`U COFFEE CONTENDERS whose pageant is tomorrow evening made a guest appearance at Pahala Plantation House and thanked the community for raising $7,100 in scholarship funding for their higher education. Representatives from donors Olson Trust, Ka`u Royal Hawaiian Coffee & Tea, Bio-Eco Hawai`i, CU Hawai`i Federal Credit Union, Ka`u Coffee Festival Committee, Ka`u Specialty Coffee, Rep. Richard Creagan, Ka`u Chamber of Commerce, Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative members and the public enjoyed music by Jr. Volcano Choy, Bolo, Keioki Kahumoku and South Side Serenaders. 

      See www.kaucoffeefest for more on the ten days of Ka`u Coffee Festival activities through May 2.

KA`U COFFEE RECIPE CONTEST BEGINS at 2 p.m. today. Categories are pupu, entrée and dessert in adult and student divisions with prizes as high as $300.
      Enjoy culinary treats using Ka`u Coffee as an ingredient. Free entry and tasting for the public.
      For more information, see kaucoffeefest.com or call 928-0550.

Miss Ka`u Coffee candidates take a break last night at Pahala Plantation House
at the kick-off party for ten days of Ka`u Coffee Festival events, including
Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest this afternoon at Ka`u Coffee Mill and
the pageant tomorrow evening at Pahala Community Center.
See kaucoffeefest.com for more. Photo by Jesse Tunison

MISS KA`U COFFEE PAGEANT is tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Pahala Community Center, when four candidates vie for the honor of representing the Ka`u Coffee industry at various events during the next 12 months. Tickets are $10. 

      Call Pageant Chair Gloria Camba at 928- 8558.

A SECOND KA`U MOUNTAIN WATER SYSTEM HIKE has been scheduled for next Thursday after Wednesday’s almost filled up. The hike begins at 9 a.m. at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Reservations are required. See kaucoffemill.com or call 928-0550.

COFFEE & CATTLE DAY AT AIKANE PLANTATION is Friday at 10 a.m. Participants find out how descendants of Ka`u’s first coffee farmer integrate coffee with other agriculture. $25 includes all-you-can-eat buffet. Sign up at aikaneplantation.com or 808-927-2252. 

KA`U STAR GAZING IS ALSO on Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., when participants observe the heavens from the summit of Makanau. $35 includes refreshments and shuttle transportation.
      Reserve at kaucoffeemill.com or 928-0550.

KA`U COFFEE FESTIVAL HO`OLAULE`A is a week from today on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy a free, full day of music, hula, Ka`u Coffee Experience, educational displays and demonstrations, farm tours, vendors and meet the farmers.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_April2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, April 24, 2015

Lava in Halema`uma`u Crater at the summit of Kilauea has reached its highest level since the crater opened in 2008.
Photo from USGS/HVO

THE SURFACE OF HALEMA`UMA`U’S LAVA LAKE came into view yesterday afternoon, when observed from the Jaggar Museum overlook, and remains in view this morning. The lake is the highest it has been since forming in 2008. According to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the high level triggered a small collapse from the overhanging west wall and rim of the Overlook crater at about 5:20 a.m. this morning, triggering a small explosive event that threw spatter out onto the Halema`uma`u crater floor.

Alison Yahna, who operates Artemis Smiles Honeybee Sanctuary in Ka`u, is
treasurer of Ha`ao Springs & Mountain House Ag Water Cooperative.
Photo from artemissmiles.com

      HVO also reports increased seismicity continuing beneath Kilauea’s summit and upper East Rift Zone. Seismologists recorded a 3.0-magnitude earthquake near the summit at 9:38 p.m. yesterday. 

      See daily updates at hvo.wr.usgs.gov.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HA`AO SPRINGS & MOUNTAIN HOUSE Ag Water Co-op could have memoranda of understanding and agreement completed by May or June, Pres. Jeremy Buhr announced at the organization’s meeting yesterday. The agreements would allow beginning of construction of pipes to bring overflow water from the Ha`ao Springs area to near Wai`ohinu Park for agricultural use.
      Originally, plans called for more pipes going to Green Sands subdivision, but a new idea being considered is for a tank and fill station near the park, which would allow more area residents to join the co-op and have access to the non-potable water. The possibility of having a water delivery truck to fill members’ tanks is another option on the table.
      The co-op also elected officers yesterday. Jeremy Buhr is president; Mel Davis, vice president; Bill Savage, secretary; and Alison Yahna, treasurer.
      The next meeting is Thursday, July 16 at 4 p.m. at Wai`ohinu Park.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

UH is considering early decommissioning of Caltech Submillimeter Observatory.
Photo from wikipedia

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI`I IS CONSIDERING expedited decommissioning of some telescopes on Mauna Kea in response to protests over construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, according to a Hawai`i Tribune-Herald story by Tom Callis and Chris D’Angelo. Construction at the site is currently on hold. 

      “There’s been some internal discussion of essentially putting a more definite timetable on what’s in the current decommission plan,” Bob McLaren, associate director of UH’s Institute for Astronomy, told the reporters.
      Caltech Submillimeter Observatory is scheduled for decommissioning between next year and 2018. United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, Very Long Baseline Array and another submillimeter telescope are currently to be decommissioned by 2033, McLaren said.
      Jodi Leong, speaking for Gov. David Ige, said, “Progress is being made, but it will take time to come to a comprehensive solution to this matter.”
      UH Board of Regents reconvene last week’s meeting about management of Mauna Kea Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at UH-Hilo Performing Arts Center. “This meeting is fulfilling a promise made by the board at the end of last Thursday’s meeting to give everyone who wants to testify before the board the opportunity to do so,” UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl said.

      See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

SCIENCE CAMPS OF AMERICA RETURNS to Hawai`i Island for its third summer, offering local teens entering grades eight through 12 the opportunity to take an active approach to learning about science in the outdoors. Camp founder Michael Richards said he started the camp in 2013 so teens could “do” science rather than just reading about it in a classroom.

Science campers explore the Ka`u Coast this summer.
Photo from Science Camps of America

      Pahala Plantation Cottages is home base for campers. Richards is a board member of the Ka`u Learning Academy in Na`alehu, which is set to open this fall. He worked with founder Kathryn Tydlacka and other board members to get the academy approved by the state’s Charter School Commission. It was the only applicant authorized to become a public charter school last year.
      “The Big Island is such an amazing place geographically, climatically and culturally that I knew I wanted to create a camp that encompasses what makes this place so unique,” Richards said. “Ka`u is such a beautiful and remote place where the people and their needs often get overlooked. Helping to get Ka`u Learning Academy approved by the Charter School Commission was something all of us involved put a lot of energy and effort into because we believe in its importance.”
      Campers will get the chance to explore the environmental diversity that the Big Island has to offer from beaches and rainforests to snow-covered mountains. Some of the destinations include Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Lani Sea Turtle Restoration Project, Mauna Kea Visitor Center, USGS Mauna Loa Climate Observatory, Punalu`u Black Sand Beach and many more.
      The first camp session, Land and Sea, is held June 29 to July 8 and focuses on volcanology, geology and oceanography. Campers will explore Hawai`i’s unique flora and fauna and learn how events in the natural world affect every living creature, including humans.
      The second session, Air and Space, is from July 9 to 18 and focuses on astronomy, climatology and alternative energy. Campers will gain a better understanding of climate change and the creation and use of alternative energy to help curb global warming.
      To extend this experience to more local teens, Science Camps of America, a Hawai`i-based nonprofit corporation, offers a limited amount of financial aid and also welcomes contributions from the public to the Science Camps of America Scholarship Fund.
      To help out or to learn more about and register for Science Camps of America, see ScienceCampsAmerica.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Andrea Kawabata discusses the most current techniques for managing coffee berry borers Thursday in Kona. Photos from UH-CTAHR

UH-CTAHR AND USDA’s Areawide Mitigation and Management for Coffee Berry Borer Control program hosts an informational workshop for new coffee farmers about CBB, proper CBB management and a subsidy program that can help offset CBB control costs. CTAHR’s Coffee and Orchard Crops Extension Agent, Andrea Kawabata, provides growers with the most current techniques to managing CBB with a presentation on Thursday, April 30 from 
3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 
Kona Cooperative Extension Service Conference Room
, 79-7381 Mamalahoa Highway, Kealakekua. 

       

Call Gina at 322-4892 to RSVP or by email at ginab@hawaii.edu by Tuesday, April 28.
      A farm walk to actively look for and identify CBB on cherry follows the workshop. Suzanne Shriner, of the Synergistic Hawai`i Agriculture Council, explains the SHAC subsidy program that helps offset the cost of products used to spray and kill CBB. 


      This workshop is geared toward new coffee farmers, but those wanting a refresher and to join the SHAC subsidy program are welcome to attend. New subsidy program participants are required to attend a SHAC subsidy workshop, such as this one, with Shriner.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Bolo, who performs during today's Pa`ina at Pahala Plantation House, is nominated
for a Na Hoku Hanohano Award, with winners announced Saturday, May 23.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to enter Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest. Categories are pupu, entrée and dessert in adult and student divisions with prizes as high as $300.

      The contest begins at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Enjoy culinary treats using Ka`u Coffee as an ingredient. Free entry and tasting for the public.
      For more information, see kaucoffeefest.com or call 928-0550.

NO HOKU HANOHANO 2015 AWARD NOMINEE Bolo performs at this evening’s Pa`ina at Pahala Plantation House from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The opening event for Ka`u Coffee Festival also features music by Jr. Volcano Choy, Keoki Kahumoku and the South Side Serenaders. Miss Ka`u Coffee Amery Silva will dance hula. 

      Meet Miss Ka`u Coffee contenders, and donate to the scholarship fund. Co-sponsored by Ka`u Chamber of Commerce. Call 928-6471. For a complete Ka`u Coffee Festival schedule see kaucoffeefest.com.

PARTICIPANTS DISCOVER PELE AND HI`IAKA and the natural phenomena they represent through epic stories depicted in the natural landscape tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. This easy 1.7-mile walk is on the main road in Kahuku.

Volcano Art Center presents a hula performance tomorrow.
Photo from VAC

KUMU HA`AMAULIOLA AIONA and Kumu Kawelo Kong Kee with Ke Kula o Nawahiokalani`opu`u present a hula performance tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. on the hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Na Mea Hula: All Things Hula with Loke Kamanu and `ohana takes place on the gallery’s porch from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

A WEEK FROM TODAY is Coffee & Cattle Day at Aikane Plantation Coffee farm on Friday, May 1 at 10 a.m. Participants find out how descendants of Ka`u’s first coffee farmer integrate coffee with other agriculture. $25 includes all-you-can-eat buffet. Sign up at aikaneplantation.com or 808-927-2252.

KA`U STAR GAZING IS ALSO NEXT Friday, May 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., when participants observe the heavens from the summit of Makanau. $35 includes refreshments and shuttle transportation. The old plantation water hike above Ka`u Coffee mill into the rainforest had one slot available for next Wednesday and two for Thursday, as of this morning. These events are part of ten days of Ka`u Coffee Festival events.
      Reserve at kaucoffeemill.com or 928-0550.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_April2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf and
kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf.