Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015

Santa and Frosty the Snowman greet Pahala residents and visitors as they enter the village on Kamani Street. Photo by Julia Neal

GOV. DAVID IGE SUBMITTED his supplemental budget to the state Legislature yesterday. The proposal covers the Supplemental Fiscal Year. 

      “When I ran for governor, I made a promise to the people of Hawai`i,” Ige said. “I said that we would get our government house in order, honor our obligations and commitments and act to improve the lives of Hawai`i’s people. The budget I am submitting this year keeps that promise.

      “This is a supplemental budget year, a year when we make targeted changes to the budget adopted last year. We are focused on areas where government can make a real difference in the lives of Hawai`i’s citizens.”

Gov. David Ige presented his supplemental budget yesterday.
Photo from Office of the Governor

      The budget provides additional amounts of $729 million for to improve basic infrastructure and economic development to support the keys to the economy; $161 million to support affordable housing; $247 million to address critical health care needs, particularly for those among us least able to help themselves; and $248 million for education, which Ige said remains one of his highest priorities and on which a lot more needs to be done in the years ahead. 

      In addition, substantial monies are being set aside to honor financial commitments and to keep the state’s fiscal house in order. The administration is proposing to act aggressively, while the economy is healthy, to pay down debts used to fully fund employee retirement obligations.
      “This is the part of my work that is not glamorous or exciting; it is however the only responsible act to take.
      “I look forward to working with the Legislature on this budget in the 2016 session, to a healthy exchange of views on these and other issues, and to my upcoming State of the State Address which will allow me to place this budget in the larger context of the bills we will introduce and the administrative actions we are taking,” said Ige.
      Supplemental budget highlights include $31 million in capital improvement funds to make improvements to public housing and 64 staff positions supported by $4.5 million in revolving funds, $26.5 million in operating funds for the Weighted Student Formula to allow public school principals to decide how to spend this portion of the Department of Education’s budget and how to best meet the needs of their students, $6 million in operating funds for Preschool Open Doors to help families who need it most send their children to preschool, $30 million in capital improvement funds heat abatement in public schools and $60 million in capital improvement funds for renewal and deferred maintenance at UH campuses.

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Katsu Goto Photos from Baron Sekiya

DANNY MILLER, DIRECTOR & EDITOR of Saving Ka`u’s Coast and The Punalu`u Experience, is working on a new film about Katsu Goto, an early Japanese immigrant who came to Hawai`i in 1885 aboard the City of Tokio, the first ship of the Kanyaku Imin (contract laborers), to work on sugar plantations in Hawai`i. 

      After enduring a three-year labor contract at Soper, Wright & Co. along the Hamakua Coast, Goto became a successful businessman and labor leader. He was killed via a lynching in Honoka`a in 1889 while helping Japanese sugar plantation workers.
      Bringing the Legacy of Katsu Goto to Life is the first documentary of his story presented by the Katsu Goto Memorial Committee of Honoka`a Hongwanji Mission.
      A 25-minute preview as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the documentary on features a fundraising campaign to document the story on film. The preview will run four times on Nippon Golden Network Channel 677 on Saturday, Jan. 2 at 9:35 p.m. and on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 12 a.m., 6 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
      The previews are airing during Nippon Golden Network’s Freeview period when NGN will be available for free to all Oceanic Time Warner subscribers in Hawai`i. Interviews will be captioned for Japanese and English speakers. 

      The preview features interviews with Goto’s descendants, academic and historical scholars, community members and the film’s production team.

      “As a film director, you look for those really beautiful stories that come together to make a movie, and I think we really have those powerful stories in this film,” Miller said.
      “We still have new immigrants coming to Hawai`i all the time, so it is important for us to remember our history so we do not repeat some of the mistakes we have made in the past, producer and writer Baron Sekiya said. 

Danny Miller and Patsy Iwasaki

      It was Goto’s knowledge of the English language and Western laws that thrust him into his role as a bridge between Japanese contract laborers and plantation management as he fought for workers’ rights. “I feel that my life is in danger by being here, but I am not afraid,” Goto said while meeting Japanese laborers accused by plantation management of arson of a canefield, according to court documents. Goto was ambushed then lynched from a telephone pole in Honoka`a after this late night meeting.
      KGMC is seeking individual, foundation, corporate or organizational sponsors to provide production and completion funds and welcomes public participation to bring this story to film. Executive producer and writer Patsy Iwasaki strongly believes “his story has become a legacy. It’s a Hawai`i story, it’s an immigrant story, it’s a national story, it’s a story that needs to be told,” she said.
      To make a tax-deductible contribution, make checks payable to Katsu Goto Memorial Committee, c/o Honoka`a Hongwanji Mission, PO Box 1667, Honoka`a, HI 96727 or make a contribution via Paypal at KatsuGotoMovie.org.
      For more information, email patsy@KatsuGotoMovie.org.

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HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE ARE CONDUCTING islandwide DUI checkpoints throughout the holiday season. The effort is part of a national and statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. The campaign runs through Jan. 3. 

      Sergeant Robert Pauole, head of the Hawai`i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section, points out that drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs, have been factors in nearly 65 percent of the 17 traffic fatalities so far this year. Pauole also points out that motor vehicle fatalities are among the leading causes of death in the state over the past 15 years. Other leading causes are suicide (2,330), drowning (997) and firearms (616). Traffic fatalities over the past 15 years for the state stand at 1,868, which is more than drowning and firearms deaths combined.
      Hawai`i Police Department wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday season.

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HAWAI`I DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH added four new cases of dengue fever on Hawai`i Island yesterday, bringing the total to 167. The latest onset of illness was Dec. 13. As many as three of the confirmed cases are potentially infectious to mosquitoes. All others are no longer infectious.

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POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA OFFERS several opportunities for young hunters to hone their skills over the holiday weekends. 

      Youths ages 10 to 15 are invited to participate in bird hunting or bow hunting of mammals on Dec. 26-27 and Jan. 2-3. Bird hunts will be offered in the Ahi unit (training areas 9, 12-16 and 18), and bow hunting will be open in the Humu`ula and Menehune units (training areas 1-6) for both weekends. Hunters must check in at the Army check station across from Mauna Kea State Park.
      All youth hunters must have a valid state hunting license and must be accompanied by an adult with a valid state hunting license. Adults will participate in a mentor capacity, only, and are not permitted to harvest any animals during this hunt.
      Reservations are required for bow hunting. A maximum of 15 youth bow hunters will be allowed each day. Reservations are not required for bird hunting. To make a reservation, call 315-1545. Callers should have the names and hunting license numbers for each youth hunter and adult mentor and a contact number ready when calling.
      The initiative is part of the Army’s ongoing efforts to enhance its local hunting program, according to John Polhemus, manager of the U.S. Army Garrison-Pohakuloa’s public hunting program.
      “There hasn’t been much focus on youth hunting in the past, but that’s something we want to change,” Polhemus said. “Our goal is to offer more opportunities for youths to apply safe hunting techniques and experience hunting in a low-pressure, uncrowded environment.”
      Adult hunting activity will resume on Jan. 9-10 pending availability of hunting areas.

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Artistic wreaths are on display at Volcano Art Center Gallery.
Photo from VAC

VOLCANO ART CENTER GALLERY’S annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit continues through Jan. 3 during Christmas in the Country. The exhibit presents one-of-a-kind wreaths in a variety of imaginative media, techniques and styles, from the whimsical to the traditional. 

      “You’ll be amazed at what some artists choose to include in their highly creative concepts of ‘wreath’,” Gallery Manager Emily Catey said. “Those looking for truly original wreaths will want to be among the first to see and choose from the exhibit.”

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PARTICIPANTS LEARN HOW TO TRANSFORM coconut fronds into fun items and take home creations tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. 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/KauCalendar_December2015.pdf.

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

Ka`u News Briefs Monday, Dec. 21, 2015

Participants learn `ulana nui, coconut weaving, Wednesday. See more below. Photo from NPS

“IT’S OFFICIAL – I AM RUNNING for re-election as state senator from Puna and Ka`u,” is Sen. Russell Ruderman’s message on Facebook.

Ka`u's state Sen. Russell Ruderman is running
for re-election.

      Ruderman said he spent about six months deciding whether or not to run again, especially considering a strong desire to be home. He said he is very proud of his three adopted daughters and that he and his wife Dina Mendoza Scott are expecting a baby. He also considered running for a local office, he said. 

      When word circulated that Ruderman might choose not to run for state Senate, many people urged him to keep the post, he said. Ruderman said he decided to run again because Ka`u and Puna need a senator who is “capable, independent and experienced.”
      Ruderman has been a pioneer in the natural foods industry. In 1998, he founded Island Naturals, a group of retail grocery markets on the Big Island with locations in Hilo, Pahoa, Kailua-Kona and Kainaliu. Island Naturals supports local farmers and value-added producers and has championed environmental issues such as eliminating plastic bag pollution.
      Ruderman has been named Small Businessperson of the Year for Hawai`i County by the SBA and received Hawai`i County’s first Keeping it Green award for innovations at Island Naturals.
      He most recently has been involved with the dengue fever issue, urging more outreach to remote communities for education, testing, health care and eradication of mosquito carriers.
      The other announced candidate for the position is Greggor Ilagan, who represents East Puna on Hawai`i County Council.
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During harvest, coffee pickers should protect themselves from mosquitoes.
Photo from UH-CTAHR

HAWAIICOFFEE.WEEBLY.COM, University of Hawai`i’s online outreach to local coffee farmers, is helping with dengue fever prevention by posting Tips for Warding Against Mosquitoes on Your Farm: 

      “Wear loose-fitting long sleeve shirts and pants. Mosquitoes have been known to bite people through thin and tight clothing. 

      “Use mosquito repellent. Spray your ankles and wrists and areas where clothing may not cover or ride up to expose skin. 

      “Infected workers should not be working. With the reality of the coffee season, at the minimum, workers should cover up completely and use repellent to minimize contamination of others. 

      “Clean and remove empty tires, containers, old vehicles, etc. that can hold sitting water. (By the way, this is a good agricultural practice for farm food safety.) 

      “For plants that hold water, ponds and birdbaths, flush with a hose once a week or spray with soapy water weekly to kill mosquito wigglers. 

      “Spray areas known for mosquitoes and use mosquito wiggler dunks and briskets to minimize populations.” 

      See more at hawaiicoffee.weebly.com.
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Ulalia Woodside

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, which stewards Kamehame hawksbill turtle preserve, Kaiholena and other land preserves in Ka`u and statewide, has named a new leader. Ulalia Woodside will take her position as executive director for TNC’s Hawai`i operations in mid-January. Among those working with her in Ka`u are Hawai`i Island Terrestrial Director Shalan Crysdale, of Wai`ohinu; Ka`u Field Coordinator John Replogle, of Ocean View; Program Coordinator Linda Schubert; KUPU intern Jan Patton, of Ocean View; Kona and Ka`u Field Coordinator Lester Geben, of Ocean View; and Konahema Field Coordinator Mel Johansen, of Honomalino.
The office of TNC on the Big Island is located at Honu`apo.
      Marine Director Chad Wiggens is based in Waimea.

      Woodside, 46, is a member of the state Board of Land & Natural Resources. She moves to TNC from Kamehameha Schools, where she serves as director of Natural and Cultural Resources. Woodside has worked for 14 years in Kamehameha School’s Land Assets Division, which owns and manages 200,000 acres of conservation and agricultural lands. She is a graduate of University of Hawai`i in political science and Hawaiian studies. She is also a kumu hula.
      Woodside takes the position vacated in April by Suzanne Case, the new chair and manager of the state Board and Department of Land & Natural Resources. Case and TNC were very much involved with the federal acquisition of the Kahuku section of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, which doubled the park’s size. TNC has also preserved some of the most pristine native forests in Hawai`i, which are located in Ka`u.
      Statewide, TNC manages 14 preserves on about 40,000 acres and has helped to protect more than 200,000 acres. In addition, TNC operates marine and watershed protection programs. The Hawai`i chapter of the international organization was founded in 1980 and has grown to employ 85 with an annual budget of $11 million. For more on TNC, see http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/hawaii/index.htm.
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Sen. Brian Schatz

U.S. SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ first introduced legislation to extend the Residential Energy Efficient Property Tax Credit and then worked to include the five-year tax credit extension into the omnibus spending bill that passed the Senate and President Obama signed on Friday. The tax credit helps families pay for residential clean energy equipment, such as solar photovoltaics and solar hot water heaters, for five years. 

      “At a time when more and more families in Hawai`i and across the country are cutting their utility bills by transitioning to clean energy, this bill is just commonsense,” Schatz said. “As we continue to move toward a clean energy economy, we need to continue finding sound solutions like clean energy tax credits that are both good for families in Hawai`i and across the country, and for our energy security.”
      As part of the bipartisan deal, the tax credit will remain 30 percent through 2019, and then will become 26 percent for 2020 and 22 percent for 2021.
      An estimated 97,000 Americans are now employed installing solar energy systems across our country. While the price of solar panels has decreased by more than 60 percent since 2011, the demand has soared. In 2014, more than 1,200 megawatts of residential solar were installed and 32 percent of all new electric generating capacity in the U.S. came from solar energy.
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ALL IGNITION INTERLOCK PERMIT HOLDERS must have the permit and a valid state of Hawai`i identification card in their immediate possession while operating a vehicle equipped with the ignition interlock device. The new law, Act 40, goes into effect on Jan. 1.

A new law regarding ignition interlock devices goes into effect Jan. 1.
Photo from wikipedia

      For a first-time offense, the penalty is three consecutive to 30 days imprisonment, a fine of $250-$1,000, license revocation for an additional year and loss of privilege to operate a vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device. 

      For an offense within five years of a prior conviction the penalty is thirty days imprisonment, a fine of $1,000, license revocation for an additional two years and loss of privilege to operate a vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device.
      For an offense within five years of two or more prior convictions, the penalty is one-year imprisonment, a fine of $2,000, permanent license revocation and loss of privilege to operate a vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device.
      Hawai`i Island residents may obtain identification cards at Driver License locations in Hilo and Kona. Applicants must present documentary proof of legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, legal presence and proof of principal residence address.
      In addition, Act 40 allows for a person whose license was revoked for Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant to apply for relicensing 30 days prior to the end of the revocation period, as long as the license is not issued prior to completion of the revocation period.
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KMC's Holiday Challenge continues through Dec. 31. Photo by Dave Berry

KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP’S Holiday Challenge continues as staff decorates for the season. Lights and Christmas displays are along the walkway fronting the historic stone cottages at KMC near the restaurant, bowling alley and Lava Lounge, which are open to the public. The public is asked to take a wintery evening stroll and to vote for their favorite decorated cottage. 

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK rangers share their knowledge and love of the traditional Hawaiian cultural practice of coconut weaving Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center. Participants learn how to transform coconut fronds into fun items and take home creations. 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.

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015

Players head for the ball during Ka`u High Trojan's soccer match hosting Kohala yesterday. See more below. Photo by Kyle Pitcher

THE MOST RECENT EPISODE of Insights on PBS Hawai`i held a forum about Hawai`i Island’s ongoing dengue fever outbreak. The panel included Ka`u’s state Sen. Russell Ruderman, Hawai`i County Civil Defense Chief Darryl Oliveira and state Department of Health Director Dr. Virginia Pressler.

      Ruderman expressed concern that not enough has been done. He pointed to a delayed, sluggish response from DOH when the outbreak first occurred. “Some things were done much too slowly, and some things have never been done yet that I think are crucial to reach the very rural population” in his district, Ruderman said.

      Ruderman said more education efforts are needed regarding symptoms, what to watch for and what to do about dengue. Outreach efforts to the island’s medical community and residents “have been incomplete,” he said. He said DOH’s Fight the Bite brochures, while “excellent,” have not reached most people. “Information available quickly is the way to deal with” the outbreak, he said.

Sen. Russell Ruderman discussed dengue fever
on Insights on PBS Hawai`i last week.

      Oliveira said communication is “always our Achilles heal” during emergencies. He noted that brochures are being distributed at schools, churches and other organizations.
      Pressler agreed that communication is inadequate as noted by Dr. Kyle Peterson, of U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, in his assessment after recently visiting Hawai`i Island. She said her department used to have five communication specialists on staff but now has only one. Ruderman suggested that other resources could be tapped for help, including the National Guard and declaring a state of emergency.
      “There was a full-fledged support for this effort,” Pressler replied. “We had a full-court press from the governor’s office.”
      Ruderman pointed out that “it took two months from the first (dengue case) and one month from the time the department announced it to reach all the medical providers on the Big Island.”
      Based on dates of onset of illness, DOH on Friday reported that only four individuals are potentially infectious. Those individuals became ill between Dec. 8 and Dec. 13. Of 163 past and present confirmed cases, 159 are no longer infectious. The disease is spread when mosquitoes bite an infected person and subsequently bite others.
      While the numbers of new confirmed cases has begun to slow, Pressler said the outbreak would not be considered over until a month goes by without any new cases.
      See pbshawaii.org/insights.
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Matson and Maersk are helping UH-Manoa detect tsunamis. Photo from UH

COMMERCIAL SHIPS ARE HELPING to detect tsunamis. Accurate and rapid detection and assessment of tsunamis in the open ocean is critical for predicting how they will impact distant coastlines, enabling appropriate mitigation efforts. 

      Scientists from the University of Hawai`i-Manoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, with funding from National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, are partnering with Maersk Line and Matson Navigation to equip 10 ships with real-time geodetic GPS systems and satellite communications. The pilot network of GPS-equipped ships enables each vessel to act as an open-ocean tide gauge. Data from these new tsunami sensors are streamed via satellite to a land-based data center where they are processed and analyzed for tsunami signals.
      “The 2011 Japan earthquake highlighted weaknesses in our understanding of earthquake and tsunami hazards and emphasized the need for more densely-spaced observing capabilities,” said James Foster, SOEST associate researcher and lead investigator for the project.
      Foster said that commercial vessels are the only realistic option for providing observation platforms at the scale necessary. “The World Ocean Council Smart Ocean-Smart Industries program was exactly the mechanism we needed to identify and engage a shipping company that might respond to our needs for instrument hosting and ocean data collection.” 

      Foster said Matson was an obvious partner for the project due to its long history in Hawai`i and shared interest in community safety and coastal hazards. “The World Ocean Council’s unique connection within the industry allowed us to bring Maersk Line into the collaboration,” Foster said.

Trojan Trevor Taylor goes for the goal. Photo by Dave Berry

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KA`U TROJANS SOCCER TEAM tied Kohala 1-1 yesterday. Kohala was the first to score 73 minutes into the match, then Trevor Taylor tied the game for Ka`u at the 79th minute. 

      The next Trojan soccer game is after Christmas break when Ka`u travels to Hilo on Jan. 5.
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LIMITED PURPOSE INSTRUCTION PERMITS, limited purpose provisional driver’s licenses and limited purpose driver’s licenses are available beginning on Jan. 4. A Limited Purpose credential does not require documentary proof of legal presence and/or proof of a Social Security number. The term legal presence is defined as a person who is either a U.S. citizen or is legally authorized to be in the U.S.
      The credentials are issued as licenses to operate motor vehicles on public highways.

Ka`u and Kohala's soccer teams are co-ed. Photo by Dave Berry

      Limited purpose credentials are not Real ID compliant and not exclusively accepted by the Transportation Security Administration to board a commercial aircraft or enter federal facilities. Additional screening and/or documents may be required. In addition, these credentials are not accepted for official federal purposes and do not establish eligibility for employment, voter registration or public benefits. 

      Limited purpose instruction permits are issued for one year and may be renewed for another year no more than thirty days prior to the expiration date of the limited purpose instruction permit and no later than ninety days after the expiration date.
      Limited purpose provisional driver’s licenses are issued to applicants between 16 and 17 years of age and expire on the provisional licensees’ 19th birthdays.
      Limited purpose driver’s license are issued for four years for licensees who are 24 years of age or younger, eight years for licensees who are 25 through 71 and two years for licensees who are 72 or older.

      When traveling within the U.S., individuals possessing Hawai`i limited purpose driver’s licenses should consult with that state’s driver licensing agency to confirm this type of driver’s license is valid for driving in that state.

      For information on Hawai`i County offices issuing these credentials, call 961-2222.

      Applicants must provide required documents verifying their legal names, dates of birth, and principal residences within the state. To view frequently asked questions and a list of acceptable documents, see http://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/files/2015/12/mvso-Limited-Purpose-DL-Pamphlet-Frequently-Asked-Questions-12-02-15.pdf
.

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HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY scientists present an overview of upcoming Volcano Awareness Month events in the current issue of Volcano Watch. All are free and open to the public. 

      “This time last year, Kilauea Volcano’s lava flow was threatening Pahoa,” the article states. “Today, the immediate danger to Puna communities no longer exists, but lava continues to erupt from the Pu`u `O`o vent. So, while the flow is largely out of sight, it should not be totally out of mind.

      “During the past year, Mauna Loa began stirring, a reminder that Earth’s largest active volcano is just that – an active volcano that will someday erupt again. With seismicity and deformation of the volcano above background levels, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory elevated the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa from NORMAL to ADVISORY in September 2015.

Ongoing volcanic activity near Pu`u `O`o vent gives reason for Hawai`i
Island residents to be volcano-aware. Photo from USGS/HVO

      “With this in mind, Island of Hawai`i residents are encouraged to learn more about the volcanoes on which they live, work and play. One way to do this is by attending upcoming talks offered by HVO scientists during our island’s seventh annual Volcano Awareness Month in January 2016. …
      “Weekly After Dark in the Park programs in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park begin on Jan. 5 with a look at what’s happened with Kilauea Volcano’s ongoing East Rift Zone and summit eruptions during the past year. Subsequent Tuesday evening programs on Jan. 12, 19 and 26 include an update on the current status of Mauna Loa, a discussion of lethal eruptions on Kilauea and the story of the Mauna Loa lava flow that threatened Hilo in 1880-1881, respectively. Each presentation begins at 7 p.m. in the Kilauea Visitor Center. Park entrance fees may apply. …
      “Vog (volcanic air pollution), a pervasive reminder of Kilauea Volcano’s ongoing eruptions, and the results of a recent study on vog perceptions and protection will be addressed at Ocean View Community Center on Wednesday, Jan. 27. Start time is 6:30 p.m. …
      “Volcano awareness shouldn’t be limited to a single month on Hawai`i Island, home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes. But January, officially proclaimed Volcano Awareness Month in 2010, is a good time to begin or continue your quest to better understand Hawaiian volcanoes – and to meet the HVO scientists who monitor them. We hope to see you at one or more of our talks in January 2016!”
      More events take place in Hilo and Kona. The full schedule is available at hvo.wr.usgs.gov.

      For the complete article, see hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.

      Read comments, add your own, and like The Ka`u Calendar News Briefs on Facebook.

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK rangers share their knowledge and love of the popular traditional Hawaiian cultural practice of coconut weaving Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the lanai of Kilauea Visitor Center. Participants learn how to transform coconut fronds into fun items and take home creations. 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.