About The Kaʻū Calendar

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015

Halema`uma`u's lava lake deposited lava, visible at bottom left, on a shelf near the top of the Overlook Crater before dropping last night.
Thermal image from USGS
THE SURFACE OF HALEMA`UMA`U’S lava lake rose high enough around 3 a.m. to place a small pad of lava on the shelf within the Overlook Crater before returning to a lower level, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. 
      The lava remains active and circulating within the crater. Seismicity is at normal, background rates, with episodes of higher amplitude tremor associated with lava spattering within the Overlook vent. Tiltmeters recorded no changes.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Abandoned tires holding water create mosquito
breeding grounds.
TIRES CAN BE DROPPED OFF at Ocean View at the Kahuku Park mobile transfer station only on Saturdays, and the county is picking them up right away. John Medeiros, deputy director of the county Department of Environmental Management, said this morning that the program is designed to help prevent the spread of dengue fever, as mosquitoes lay eggs in wet tires. He also encouraged anyone disposing of tires to dump all water and dirt out of them before hauling them to the mobile transfer station. 
      Residents of Ocean View should drop them off only on Saturdays to prevent the pile of tires from becoming a mosquito attractant and dengue site. The tires have to be picked up right away, and Saturday is the day when the county can retrieve them, he emphasized. Tires collect water where mosquitoes lay eggs, and getting rid of mosquitoes is key to ending the dengue outbreak.
      Islandwide, the county has so far collected 25 tons of tires. Leo’s Rubbish in Hilo cuts up the tires and ships them out of state for recycling, most likely to China, Medeiros said.
      Tires are also being accepted at Wai`ohinu, Pahala and Volcano transfer stations during normal operating hours.
      Regarding the planned permanent Ocean View Transfer station, Medeiros said he hopes construction will be underway next year.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

EXTENSION OF FREE TIRE DROP-OFF at county trash transfer stations was set to end on Dec. 31, but Mayor Billy Kenoi “is adamant that it continue until the dengue outbreak is over,” said John Medeiros, deputy director of the county Office of Environmental Management. Medeiros said this morning that residents can take tires to the transfer station throughout December and January.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

“THE BIG ISLAND AND THE REST of Hawai`i remain safe destinations for visitors and residents” during the current outbreak of dengue fever, Hawai`i Department of Health emphasizes at health.hawaii.gov/docd/dengue-outbreak-2015.
      As of yesterday, DOH had confirmed 139 cases. Residents accounted for 122 cases, and visitors, 17.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Alan Dush
A 31-YEAR-OLD MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED with eight offenses in connection with an armed break-in at a home in Ocean View on Sunday, Dec, 6. 
      At 4 p.m. Sunday, Ka`u District officers responded to a report of a man with a knife at a home on the 92-1600 block of Aloha Boulevard.
      Officers learned that a man had reportedly broken into the house, threatened a 73-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man with a knife and a rock, removed car keys, injured the male victim during a struggle for the keys and attempted to steal their car. He fled from the area on foot just as police were arriving. Officers followed him and arrested the man, identified as Alan J. Dush, who has no permanent address.
      Dush was taken to the Kona police cellblock while detectives from Area II Criminal Investigations Section continued the investigation.
      At 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, Dush was charged with burglary, robbery, terroristic threatening, assault, criminal property damage, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, attempted theft and attempted unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle. His bail was set at $25,500.
      He remains at the cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for today.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Corey Rosenlee
HAWAI`I STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION wants an increase in general excise tax to fund school improvement and teachers’ salary increases, Nanea Kalani reported in Honolulu Star-Advertiser. HSTA President Corey Rosenlee proposes a one-percent increase for more competitive teacher salaries, caps on class sizes, an end to certain testing, more public preschool, improved facilities, increased time spent teaching the arts and increased supports for special-education teachers. 
      “These are basic things, things people in Hawai`i have been saying we need for a very long time,” Rosenlee told Kalani. “We always talk in Hawai`i about needing to improve education, and we don’t do anything about it. It’s time we say education must be a priority. So what HSTA is doing is we are providing a solution. We’re taking the best research from across the world and across the country and, after talking to our teachers, saying, ‘Listen, these are the things we know are good for children. These are good for education. Are we willing to invest in our children?’”
      See staradvertiser.com.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

U.S. REP. TULSI GABBARD SAID on national TV on Tuesday that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who called for banning all Muslims from coming into the country, is trying to capitalize on people’s fears for his political gains. Trump’s remarks follow an act of terror in San Bernardino, CA where 14 people died. 
      Gabbard said it is important to differentiate between the Islamic religion and “radical, totalitarian Islamist ideology” bent on taking over territory to establish a totalitarian government that fuels terrorists.
      She said that understanding how this works is needed to create a successful strategy to solve the problem. She said it is important to separate terrorists from the spiritual path of most followers of Islam.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO TODAY VOTED for the Every Student Succeeds Act, the first comprehensive legislation aimed at improving elementary and secondary education to pass Congress since the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act. The act passed the Senate 85-12 and is headed to the President’s desk for his signature. 
       “Our schools should be places where students’ curiosity about the world can grow into a lifelong passion for learning,” Hirono said. “The Every Students Succeeds Act makes the one size fits all mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act a thing of the past, and Hawai`i students will benefit from this legislation that supports early education, services to military-connected children, improvements to the Native Hawaiian Education Act and many other commonsense reforms.
       “However, I am disappointed that a provision I offered to provide more accurate data on Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students was not included in the final legislation. I appreciate the work that Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Bobby Scott did to make progress to provide federal support for states who take initiative to help AANHPI students succeed, but there is still work that needs to be done to ensure that educators have insight on how to help all students.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

IN SPORTS, KA`U HIGH GIRLS basketball teams began regular season play yesterday. Both teams lost to Kohala, with JV score of 58-14 and varsity, 58-33. Analei Emmsley was varsity’s high scorer with 10 points. Alyssa Buvings and Zaylee Pascubillo each contributed four points to JV’s score. 
      Trojan boys soccer team hosted Wai`akea yesterday. Final score: Wai`akea 7, Ka`u 0.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

New venue is Pahala Plantation House.
SANTA ARRIVES AT 5 P.M. today for Hana Hou Restaurant’s annual Keiki Christmas Party. Santa will pose for photos with the keiki, who will also receive gifts. Police will offer families photo IDs for keiki. Everyone can enjoy a free meal.

VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES presents three one-act performances to celebrate the winter holiday season tomorrow at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. 
      Curtain is promptly at 6 p.m. Admission is free; park entrance fees apply.

BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE plan to attend I Ola Na `Aina Momona’s Holiday Open House on Friday, the venue has been moved to Pahala Plantation House. Hours are 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
      The nonprofit works to help Ka`u Coffee growers achieve land security. For more information, call Malian at 503-575-9098.

THE KA`U CALENDAR’S ANNOUNCEMENT of this month’s Advocats Spay and Neuter Clinic is in error. The clinic is next scheduled to take place in February at Ocean View Community Center. See the February issue for more information.

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







Tuesday, December 08, 2015

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015

In honor of the late Drake Fujimoto, who sponsored numerous community events and programs, Hana Hou Restaurant and `O Ka`u Kakou continue his Keiki Christmas event tomorrow in Na`alehu. Fujimoto enjoyed last year's keiki gift giving and feasting. See more below. Photo by Julia Neal
WHY SHOULD I TRUST YOU? Why should I trust NextEra?” Those were the first questions Hawai`i Public Utilities Chair Randy Iwase asked NextEra Energy Hawai`i President Eric Gleason yesterday. It was Gleason’s third day of answering questions during the ongoing evidentiary hearing regarding the proposed $4.3 billion merger of NextEra and Hawaiian Electric Co.
PUC Chair Randy Iwase
      “From the kingdom to the territory to the state, we have heard many promises (from) big companies coming in, taking over companies in Hawai`i,” Iwase said. “And so I have to deal with that, judge it through that prism.”
      Cory Lum, of Civil Beat, reported that Gleason replied, “We understand that if you come from outside, you have a hurdle to overcome. … We expect that we aren’t going to totally get over that hurdle before this merger closes. We hope it does close.”
      Gleason also said, “We hope we’ll get far enough over the hurdle that you’ll say, ‘We trust these guys.’”
      While NextEra and Florida Power & Light’s lack experience with rooftop solar, Gleason said that the company’s experience in installing and managing modern grids and widespread smart metering would be valuable to Hawai`i.
      When Iwase asked what guarantee Gleason could offer that NextEra would fulfill its list of 85 commitments to the state, Gleason said that “it is in your power to deliver consequences ” if that occurs.
      See civilbeat.com.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

FOOD POLICY ACTION CHOSE U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as a top advocate of improving the nation’s food system. The release of their Congressional Progress Report gave the congresswoman a perfect score on Food Policy Action’s 2015 National Food Policy Scorecard. The scorecard considers lawmakers votes on a variety of issues relevant to food policy in the U.S., including domestic and international hunger, food safety, food access, farm subsidies, animal welfare, food and farm labor, nutrition, food additives, food transparency, local and regional food production, organic farming and effects of food production on the environment.
Tom Colicchio Photo from FPA
      “Securing sensible, transparent food policy and supporting local and domestic agriculture have been among my key priorities in Congress,” Gabbard said. “I’ve continued to push for legislation that would increase food and production transparency and fight for making basic labeling available to consumers across the country. In addition, I remain committed to fighting against harmful legislation like the Deny Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act that rolls back years of progress in food labeling made in 30 states, including Hawai`i. Food security is a critical issue for the American people, and especially the people of Hawai`i, and I’m humbled to be recognized as an advocate for them and their families.”
      “Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been a strong advocate in Congress for food safety, access, production, and transparency,” said Chef Tom Colicchio, Food Policy Action Co-Founder and good food advocate. “We are grateful for her leadership and continued support of sustainable food policy in both Hawai`i and across the United States.”
      Food Policy Action was established in 2012 through a collaboration of national food policy leaders in order to hold legislators accountable on votes that have an effect on food and farming. The National Food Policy 2015 Scorecard reflects the consensus of top food policy experts who select key food policy votes each year.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

HAWAI`I POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED that, so far this year, there have been 1,007 DUI arrests compared with 1,078 during the same period last year, a decrease of 6.6 percent.
      There have been 1,425 major accidents so far this year compared with 1,451 during the same period last year, a decrease of 1.8 percent.
      There were 17 traffic fatalities on Hawai`i Island compared with 11 during the same period last year, an increase of 54.5 percent. Eleven fatalities were related to drugs (six), alcohol (zero), or a combination of both (five).
      DUI roadblocks and patrols continue islandwide as the holidays approach.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Leahi Kaupu is on her way to San Diego again.
Photo from Riena Kaupu
LEAHI KAUPU DID IT AGAIN! For the second year in a row, she advances to the next round in the NFL Punt Pass & Kick Competition at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on Sunday, Dec. 20 during the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins game. 
      Kaupu’s supporters are raising funds for the trip with a pre-sale Steak Fry plate, which includes steak, rice, corn, bread and kimchee for $10 and Vierra’s Sweetbread, regular $8 and cinnamon $8.50. Pick-up is on Friday, Dec. 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. above the gas station in Pahala.
      Call Riena at 217-5990 to place orders.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

VOLCANO IN SLO-MO: WHAT HIGH-SPEED Cameras Tell Us about Lava Lakes and Explosions is the topic at After Dark in the Park this evening. The program begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      $2 donations support park programs; park entrance fees apply.

PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT STAMPING (kapala) with plants tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo.

HANA HOU RESTAURANT IN NA`ALEHU holds its annual Keiki Christmas Party tomorrow at 5 p.m. with food, gifts, music and a visit from Santa.
      Music led by Uncle Ernie Kalani and Santa will greet the crowd. Santa will pose for photos with the keiki, who will also receive gifts. Police will offer families photo IDs for keiki. Everyone can enjoy a free meal.

A three-day stained glass workshop takes students'
skills to new levels. Image from VAC
CLAUDIA MCCALL TAKES STUDENTS’ stained glass skills to new levels in a three-day workshop beginning on Thursday. The workshop is for students with a minimum of one completed copper foil project. The emphasis is on pattern design and other practical aspects of making stained glass patterns. Along with pattern development, this workshop will also cover topics of interest to students. 
      Students need to bring one or more patterns, photos or rough sketches for class project. For novices, it is advised not to use portraits. There are many free patterns available online. Pattern making will be relatively low-tech, but students familiar with drawing programs may bring them. Glass Eye 2000 is an example. Any pattern should be no larger than 8.5×11 and no more than 20 pieces.
      Classes are from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Fees are $150/$135 VAC members.
      Call 967-8222 to register.

VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES presents three one-act theatrical performances to celebrate the winter holiday season on Thursday at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
      Eighth-grade students perform the wacky Dave Brandl play, Too Wrapped Up for Christmas, which tells of an eighth-grade holiday fundraiser. In a desolate corner of Prince Kuhio Plaza, the class is trying to raise money for the county’s homeless shelter. They have set up a gift-wrapping service to generate donations, but their worthy efforts are not fruitful. It seems that everyone is too wrapped up in the holiday hustle and bustle to remember the true meaning of the holiday. Just when it seems that little will be collected this year, a kind and understanding Mr. Nicholas pays a visit to the booth.
      Seventh-graders perform Tracy Krauss’ Ebenezer’s Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge finds himself on a journey of discovery and growth via three Spirits who have attitudes that spice things up with lots of humor. Even Ebenezer surprises us with his cryptic sense of humor, and Tiny Tim’s propensity to annoy could be a bigger problem than his crippled leg.
      Sixth-grade students present When Christmas Left Rattler Canyon, by Dean Belanger. It’s a sad day in Rattler Canyon when the mayor gambles away the town to Big Bad Ben, the meanest guy in the west. What’s worse is that Big Bad Ben hates Christmas, so he cancels it. It looks like Diamond Dan could be the town’s only hope, but he’s lost his gumption ever since a run-in with the purely evil Ringo sisters – Isabella and Rexella. When Johnny, the owner of the saloon, asks for a sign from the good Lord to show that they should fight to get Christmas back, a young couple walks in.
      Curtain is promptly at 6 p.m. Admission is free; park entrance fees apply.

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



See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.
See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_December2015.pdf.





Monday, December 07, 2015

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Monday, Dec. 7, 2015

Volcano in Slo-Mo: What High-Speed Cameras Tell Us about Lava Lakes and Explosions is the topic at After Dark in the Park tomorrow. See more below. Photo from USGS
TODAY IS THE 74TH ANNIVERSARY of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
      Gov. David Y. Ige will honor survivors and those who lost their lives at a ceremony at Pearl Harbor. As national and state flags continue to fly at half-staff at all state offices, agencies and the Hawai`i National Guard by a standing declaration effective since Dec. 3, Ige expresses his gratitude while recalling the sacrifices of those who served during World War II with a special remembrance for those who lost their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
      “We honor their dedication and the sacrifices they made for our country, and we pay tribute to the families they left behind. We stand together to pledge to uphold their legacy and honor their memory,” Ige said.
      “The attack on Pearl Harbor forever changed Hawai`i, the country and the world,” U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said. “We will never forget the thousands of men and women who lost their lives that day and the countless others who bravely stepped forward to defend our home. We honor them and all of those who continue to protect our nation today.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

NextEra Energy President Eric Gleason
NEXTERA ENERGY IS NOT INTERESTED in selling Hawai`i Electric Light Co. to Hawai`i Island Energy Cooperative, Duane Shimogawa reported in Pacific Business News. On Thursday at the ongoing evidentiary hearing regarding the proposed merger of NextEra and Hawaiian Electric Co., the co-op’s lawyer David Minkin asked NextEra President Eric Gleason if the company would consider selling HELCO to the co-op after owning it for 10 years. 
      NextEra previously stated that it would not sell HECO or its subsidiaries for at least 10 years after the merger is completed, Shimogawa reported.
      This morning at the hearing, Minkin asked Gleason if he would not willing to commit to such a sell “even it was in the best interest of the public.” Gleason said the company is not interested in making such a commitment.
      See bizjournals.com/pacific.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Sen. Brian Schatz, near flag, participated in the United Nations Climate
Change Conference. Photo from Office of Sen. Schatz
“WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN, but I for one haven’t been this encouraged in a long time,” U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said upon returning from the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris. “I think we really have a fighting chance. A year and half ago, if you had said we’d have this many nations participating, that China would be participating aggressively, that would have sounded wildly optimistic to anyone. But that’s exactly what’s happening.” 
      Schatz told Todd Simmons, of Civil Beat, that sharing Hawai`i’s recent progress in clean energy was one of his most rewarding experiences at the conference.
      “I was able to tell the story of Hawai`i’s clean energy program in every meeting – how we started with a voluntary program and targets that weren’t enough,” Schatz said. “Then we increased targets and made them mandatory. My message was it’s important for the international community to start, and once you start down that road, you won’t turn back.
      “To have such an aggressive clean energy program in the 50th state – even more aggressive than California’s cap-and-trade program — gives momentum and gives heart to some who are wondering what’s realistic and what’s not.”
      Schatz also commended Marshallese and Palau delegations for their progress in bringing attention to their vulnerability to sea level rise.
      “We in Hawai`i know all about the plight of our neighbors in the Marshalls and Palau, but that story has only recently been told to the rest of the world,” Schatz said. “They’ve been extraordinary, and I told them that. By force of will, they’ve inserted themselves into a critical conversation. … They’re a force to be reckoned with now on the international stage.”
      See civilbeat.com.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
REP. TULSI GABBARD VOTED IN FAVOR of the conference report for S.1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act that passed last week. The legislation makes significant changes to the No Child Left Behind Act and includes language Gabbard introduced earlier this year to reauthorize funding for the Native Hawaiian Education Act, which provides grants for innovative Native Hawaiian educational programs across Hawai`i. It corrects measures Gabbard opposed in the earlier House version of the bill, including codifying low sequestration-levels of education funding and Title I portability, which would have reduced the amount of funding that schools with the most need receive. 
      “I have long called for updating No Child Left Behind, and this bill helps to address many of the current challenges in our education system, including overly stringent standardized testing requirements that have put unnecessary pressure on schools, teachers and students for years without effectively improving education for our keiki,” Gabbard said. The bill gives states more flexibility to determine the best way to measure success in their schools and provides support for innovation, teacher quality, STEM education and more. The inclusion of the reauthorization for the Native Hawaiian Education Act, based on the bill I introduced, will continue critical funding for thousands of Native Hawaiian children and families.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

Filipino-American World War II veterans
SEN. MAZIE HIRONO URGED President Obama to quickly implement the Administration’s newly proposed parole program to reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their family members. In July, after years of advocacy from Hirono and others, the Obama Administration recommended that the Department of Homeland Security create a parole program to allow certain family members of Filipino World War II veterans to come to the United States to provide support and care to their aging Filipino veteran family members who are U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent Residents. However, the Administration has not yet announced important details about eligibility and the application process. 
      “President Obama’s initial announcement this summer was a relief to Filipino World War II veterans and their families who have waited decades to be reunited and to those of us who fought for years to end the visa backlog,” Hirono said. “The Administration is doing the right thing for these families. However, it is imperative that the Administration implement the parole program as quickly as possible so these veterans and their spouses, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, can finally be together with their children.”
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

MATT GERHART PROFILED KA`U HIGH Trojans’ boys basketball team in Hawai`i Tribune-Herald. Coach Daryl Shibuya told Gerhart that many of the players were also on the school’s eight-man football team and will also participate in spring sports. “For a small school, it’s always a challenge,” Shibuya said. “We’ve got a lot of young boys. We just want to have unity, bond and develop humans as players.”
      With Evan Manoha the only senior playing this season, Shibuya gave younger teammates the opportunity to play more during last week’s Wai`akea/Kea`au tournament.
      “The only way we are going to accomplish anything is as a team,” Shibuya said. “I stress that everyday. There are no superstars.”
      See hawaiitribune-herald.com.
      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

KA`U RESIDENT DICK HERSHBERGER brings Hawaiian Volcano Observatory founder Thomas Jaggar to life tomorrow and every other Tuesday. Programs begin at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

VOLCANO IN SLO-MO: WHAT HIGH-SPEED Cameras Tell Us about Lava Lakes and Explosions is the topic at After Dark in the Park tomorrow. Around the world, volcanologists are finding new ways to use technology to better understand volcanic eruptions. Jacopo Taddeucci, of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Rome, shares his expertise in volcanology and geology that has made him a pioneer in the use of high-speed cameras to capture volcanic explosions. The talk features spectacular footage from Stromboli, Etna, Yasur (New Hebrides), Sakurajima (Japan), and Fuego (Guatemala) and Batu-Tara (Indonesia) as well as Kilauea.
      The program begins at 7 p.m. at Kilauea Visitor Center in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. $2 donations support park programs; park entrance fees apply.

Participants learn stamping with plants Wednesday. Photo from NPS
STAMPING (KAPALA) WITH PLANTS is the topic Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Stamping a design on fabric using plants is a fun and easy way to express creativity and get in touch with Hawaiian culture. 
      Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo.

HANA HOU RESTAURANT IN NA`ALEHU holds its annual Keiki Christmas Party Wednesday at 5 p.m. with food, gifts, music and a visit from Santa.
      Held in honor of its founder Drake Fujimoto, the gathering is co-sponsored by Patty Fujimoto and the Hana Hou staff, as well as the community group `O Ka`u Kakou and its president Wayne Kawachi.
      Music led by Uncle Ernie Kalani and Santa will greet the crowd. Santa will pose for photos with the keiki, who will also receive gifts. Police will offer families photo IDs for keiki. Everyone can enjoy a free meal.

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