Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016

An unusual August into September snow blankets Mauna Loa this morning after the eye of Tropical Storm Madeline
passes to the south of Ka`u. NPS Photo by S. Geiger

“WE PRETTY MUCH DODGED a bullet,” Ka`u’s state Sen. Russell Ruderman told ABC News during a televised phone interview on Hurricane Madeline that weakened to a tropical storm before its eye passed south of Ka`u yesterday. Ruderman said people were well

Lester, a Category Three Hurricane at 5:30 p.m. today, 635 miles
east of South Point. Image from www.wunderground.com

prepared after going through Tropical Storm Darby. He also said he expects that the public will be prepared as Hurricane Lester approaches the state. “We all need to take hurricane warnings seriously,” he said. 

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A BIG ISLAND HURRICANE WATCH IS POSTED FOR LESTER, which intensified this morning and again this afternoon. At 5 p.m., Lester was 635 miles east of South Point, moving west at 14 mph, with sustained winds increasing to 125 mph, after traveling over warmer water. Lester is a Category Three Hurricane and is making a turn to the west-northwest.
    The Central Pacific Hurricane Center warned today, "It would take only asmall leftward shift in the track to directly and profoundly affect the state, and watches could be expanded to other islands later today or tonight. This possibility must be considered when making preparations over the next couple of days."
     The forecast brings Lester very close to the main Hawaiian islands Saturday and Sunday. Depending on the exact track that Lester takes, strong damaging winds and heavy rainfall are possible. Large and damaging surf is expected for east-facing shores as well. It is still too early to determine which island is at most risk from Lester. 

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A 3.7 EARTHQUAKE occurred this morning at 12.11 a.m., 4.7 miles northwest of Mauna Kea Summit at a depth of 15.3 miles. No damages reported.

ALL COUNTY AND STATE facilities, offices and services are restored, following the exit of Tropical Storm Madeline from Hawaiian waters. Solid waste transfer stations and landfills will open according to regular schedule.
      County parks will open and programs will resume on a case-by-case basis pending damage assessments that will occur this morning.
      UH Hilo and Hawai`i Community College have reopened.
      Public schools remain closed day.
      Private school families are encouraged to check with their schools for more information.
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Madeline was manageable. She knocked over this shrub and took down some
branches in yards and roadways in Pahala. Photo by Julia Neal

HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK is open this morning, as Madeline passes to the south and is downgraded to a tropical storm. Some partial closures remain as Hurricane Lester nears.

      The following are open today or will open later this morning: Crater Rim Drive and Trail, Kilauea Visitor Center, Jaggar Museum and observation deck, Steam Vents, Nahuku (Thurston Lava Tube), Kilauea Iki and Devastation Trail.
      The following closures remain in effect :
      Chain of Craters Road, Mauna Loa Road beyond Kipukapuaulu, Namakanipaio Campground and Cabins, Kulanaokuaiki Campground, all backcountry sites and the coastal lava viewing area.
      Kahuku Unit, normally open on weekends, will be closed Saturday, with Sunday to be determined.
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KILAUEA VOLCANO’S “OLD FAITHFUL” is a thing of the past, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports in Volcano Watch.

      “In 1870, while exploring the American West, Nathaniel P. Langford encountered an ‘immense volume of clear, sparkling water projected into the air to a height of 125 feet,’ the article states. “He named this volcanic feature ‘Old Faithful.’ This magnificent geyser became the signature attraction of Yellowstone National Park and remains a popular visitor stop today.
      “But another volcanic feature with the same name has been largely forgotten.

      “The Island of Hawai`i once had its own ‘Old Faithful,’ composed of lava rather than boiling water, located in Halema`uma`u Crater at the summit of Kilauea. This lava fountain was first described in 1894 by Walter F. Frear, who wrote in the Volcano House Register that the fountain had played once or twice a minute in the same location since 1892. The name was apt, because this persistent lava fountain continued to splash to heights of 9 – 15 meters (30 – 50 feet) at the same location for decades.

This hand-tinted telephoto image of Kīlauea Volcano's "Old
Faithful" was taken by Frank A. Perret on July 23, 1911.
USGS-HVO photo archives

        “At times, the fountain was the central feature in a lava lake within Halema`uma`u Crater. At other times, lava in Halema`uma`u drained away, leaving nothing but rubble on the floor of the crater. But when the lava lake returned, so did Kilauea Volcano’s Old Faithful.
      “In 1911, Frank A. Perret, a volcanologist, and E.S. Shepherd, a gas chemist, began the first extended study of Kilauea for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They were determined to measure the temperature of an active lava lake and picked Old Faithful as their target.
      “The scientists erected a cable system that was stretched across Halemaʻumaʻu Crater so that instruments to measure temperature could be lowered into the lava fountain. After several failed attempts, they succeeded in obtaining the first lava temperature ever recorded, 1010 degrees Celsius (1850 degrees Fahrenheit). Their measurement is remarkably close to temperatures recorded with modern instruments.
      “Perret was fascinated by Old Faithful, and included detailed descriptions of the persistent fountain in his professional papers. The scientist also took many photographs of the lava fountain, such as the hand-tinted lantern slide that we recently found in the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory photo archives and included here.
      “When Thomas A. Jaggar replaced Perret as the permanent volcanologist at Kīlauea in 1912, he continued the study of Old Faithful as part of a broader effort to understand surface motion in the lava lake at Halema`uma`u. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory record books show many dozens of sketches of circulation patterns in the lava lake with ‘OF’ (Old Faithful) labeled as the centerpiece.
      “Most observers have concluded that, rather than being located over the source of a volcanic vent that feeds magma into the lava lake, features such as Old Faithful are the opposite—they are located where lava drains away. Jaggar suggested that the intermittent fountain lay over a ‘sink hole,’ meaning a site of lava draining or downwelling.
      “Today, scientists studying the behavior of the Overlook crater lava lake, which has been present within Halema`uma`u Crater since 2008, have also found that sites of persistent spattering are commonly sites of lava downwelling, not upwelling.
      “On June 5, 1916, the lava column at Halema`uma`u dropped and thousands of tons of rocky debris fell from the upper walls of the crater, covering Old Faithful. When lava returned to the crater, a new vent that opened at the Old Faithful location was described by Jaggar as ‘a cone with open top glowing and splashing at intervals.’ That cone later collapsed, and it soon became apparent that the basic geometry of the lava lake had changed in a significant way.
      “While scattered references to ‘Old Faithful’ can be found after 1916, the persistent lava fountain, which played at Kilauea Volcano for a quarter of a century, was a thing of the past.”

      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.
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KA`U HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL teams hosted Kealakehe Tuesday. Junior Varsity lost with scores of 19-25 and 12-25. Varsity also lost 18-25,19-25 and 18-25.

      Big Island Interscholastic Federation has cancelled all events for the rest of the week and weekend.
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KA`U PLANTATION DAYS scheduled for this Saturday, Sept. 3 has been postponed. Organizer Darlyne Vierra said that with Hurricane Lester possibly impacting the weather, it would be best to rescheduled, with the new date on Saturday, Sept. 24
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SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

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See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016

Wind and rain associated with Hurricane Madeline have reached East Hawai`i and parts of Ka`u.
See more below. Map from University of Hawai`i

OCEAN VIEW RANCHOS RESIDENTS Peter and Ann Bosted have filed a formal complaint with Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission. According to the Bosteds’ complaint, Hawaiian Electric Co. and Hawai`i Electric Light Co. are not holding SPI Solar, developers of a proposed 6.5-megawatt solar project in Ocean View, in compliance with the companies’ feed-in-tariff program. Through the program, utilities make payments to customers who generate renewable electricity and send it into the grid. SPI plans to build solar installations on more than two dozen lots in Ranchos neighborhood and send the power onto HELCO’s grid via a proposed overhead transmission line that would cross Hwy 11.

      “The FIT program, launched in 2008, had noble goals of moving Hawai‘i toward being independent of fossil fuels for electric power,” the complaint states. “However, the FIT project intended for Ocean View has completely confounded and disrupted the good intentions of the program. Further, this project embodies everything that has gone wrong with the FIT program.”
      The Bosteds say FIT permits should not have been issued to the solar developers for several reasons. “These FIT permits are proceeding through zoning laws that do not address non-conforming residential subdivisions, the misrepresentation of facts, and various changes of ownership of the FIT permits. In addition, there has been a concerted effort to circumvent the competitive bid process while failing to be ‘shovel ready.’ This project has deprived the people of Hawai`i of early benefits of the FIT program and renewable energy that could have been provided if the projects had been timely completed in 2012, per the developers’ stated project completion date. …

Ocean View Ranchos residents fear that their neighborhood could end up
looking like this area on Kaua`i. Photo from Peter & Ann Bosted

      “The people and ratepayers of Hawai`i have not benefitted from the FIT program. If the permits had been given to a geographically diverse group of bone fide individual landowners, the installations would have been built in six to 12 months, and the island could have been enjoying eight megawatts of renewable energy since September 2012 (the project completion date according to the FIT program). If these projects had been, in fact, shovel-ready, it could have saved the consumers money, it would have reduced pollution, and it would have upheld the goals of the FIT program. On top of factoring the opportunity costs, the aggregation of these projects have caused a need for a complicated interconnection requirements study, requiring payments that were beyond the ability of the developer to make timely payments, and now the construction of a substation and transmission line, all of which demonstrate that the projects in Ocean View were not shovel-ready. Hawai`i’s ratepayers are paying for a rush job and will get very late delivery instead. 

      “We respectfully request that the Public Utilities Commission not perpetuate these ill-conceived FIT projects, which do not have any evidence of benefit to the public of Hawai`i. If this utility-scale solar project is allowed to move forward and be developed in Ocean View, it will adversely affect the value of homes and land; ruin the ocean views and ranch-like ambiance; present a severe fire hazard for which Hawai`i County is not prepared; necessitate herbicide spraying of about 60 acres that can contaminate groundwater; industrialize a residential neighborhood; produce unneeded power; qualify the developers to apply for federal tax credits (30 percent) and state tax credits (35 percent), which amounts to a subsidy by taxpayers; and give control over this project to off-shore companies and shell companies.
      “We respectfully urge the commission to conclude that the goals of 2008 Energy Agreement are now out of date and that these FIT projects should be extinguished. We also respectfully request that the commission revoke the FIT permits, as they were issued under false pretenses and are of no public benefit at this time. …”
      “We trust that this complaint will be taken seriously, as the future of a thriving town must be weighed against the quick profits for a few,” the complaint states.
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MADELINE IS VISITING KA`U. Although Central Pacific Hurricane Center has downgraded its Hurricane Warning to a Tropical Storm Warning and steading weakening is forecast over the next 48 hours, damaging winds and heavy rains are still a possibility.

GOES-West Satellite image of Madeline at 4 p.m,

      At 5 p.m., the eye of Madeline was 75 miles south-southeast of South Point and moving west-southwest at 12 miles per hour. Maximum sustained winds around the eye were near 65 mph, reducing Madeline to a Tropical Storm. However, there are higher gusts. The strongest tropical storm -force winds extend outward up to 10 miles from the center, and lighter tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.
      Tropical storm conditions could develop over portions of Hawai`i County today and continue into early Thursday.
    This afternoon, Ka`u saw bands of wind and rain and some fallen branches. In Volcano, an electrical transformer exploded and caused a fire.
      Madeline could produce total rain accumulations of five to 10 inches, with isolated maximum amounts near 15 inches across Hawai`i County.
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Grace Tabios

GRAHAM MILLDRUM, of West Hawai`i Today, spoke to Ka`u residents yesterday about their thoughts on Madeline.

      Milldrum spoke with Harry Evangelista, of Pahala, who was closing up Na`alehu Theater.
      “If it rains, it rains; if it blows, it blows,” he said. Evangelista told Milldrum about a storm in 2000, when he helped secure vehicles to trees in Wood Valley as a gulch became a 100-yard river. He said residents made sure everyone had what they needed.
      “It is the way it is,” he said.
      He said Ka`u residents are more self-reliant because of the lack of stores here.
      Milldrum also spoke with Grace Tabios at her store in Na`alehu. Tabios said her major concern is losing electricity, which occurred in 2014 with Tropical Storm Iselle.
      “We just pray,” Tabios told Milldrum. “We want to be open so people can buy food.”
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TO ENSURE THE SAFETY of visitors and employees, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will close at noon today until it is determined safe to reopen. Rangers will assess impacts from Hurricane Madeline at 8 a.m. tomorrow.

Photo shows the calm before the storm this morning
at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Photo from NPS

      Park staff and volunteers not directly involved in storm efforts were directed to stay home. Guests at Kilauea Military Camp and Volcano House will shelter in place, or, if necessary, be directed to the nearest shelter.

      “The closure will continue until we have a chance to assess the impact to the park and mitigate any damage. With Hurricane Lester right on the heels of Madeline, and still a Category IV hurricane, we could end up continuing the closure for a few days until it’s safe to reopen,” said Chief Ranger John Broward.
      Rangers will determine by Friday if the Kahuku Unit, open only on Saturdays and Sundays, will remain closed over the weekend.
      Updates will be posted at www.nps.gov/havo and ​its official social media sites.

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Ka`u High Band Room is now open as an emergency shelter.
Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL BAND ROOM is serving as a shelter during Madeline’s approach.

      Ka`u High and all other public schools on Hawai`i Island are closed. County and state facilities, offices and services are closed today including Hele-On Bus service, solid waste transfer stations and landfills. Residents are asked not to leave trash at the gates and wait until transfer stations reopen to dispose of trash and recycling.​
      All state and county park facilities including lava viewing areas are closed.
      Hawai`i County Civil Defense urges residents and visitors to stay off roads if at all possible.

      CU Hawai`i Credit Union's office in Na`alehu is closed. Manager Mako Okazaki said it is scheduled to reopen tomorrow, subject to weather conditions and damage assessments.

      Bank of Hawai`i's branch in Pahala is also closed.
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KA`U’S U.S. REP. Tulsi Gabbard listened to challenges of the coffee industry Monday at a meeting at Ka`u Coffee Mill.

Ka`u Coffee growers Ann Fontes, Miles Mayne and Trini Marques
at U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's talk story. Photo by Ron Johnson

      Researcher Dr. Nick Manukas said that while coffee berry borer is a worldwide pest, Hawai`i’s variable conditions and different practices and coffee culture necessitate study of the pest here. On six managed Ka`u Coffee farms, he is studying when, where and how much CBB affects crops, hoping to be able to predict infestations in order to help growers control CBB.

      While many people think unmanaged coffee fields are habitats for CBB, Manukas said they are not, mainly because such areas produce fewer berries. “No coffee; no CBB,” he said.
      Andrea Kawabata, extension agent at University of Hawai`i, said more farms are using methods of treating and preventing CBB. More growers are practicing field sanitation and stripping trees of berries to eliminate CBB habitat.
      Ka`u Coffee grower Miles Mayne said a lot of CBB work is done reactively. He suggested that more funding is needed for educating field workers from other countries who could bring CBB with them when coming to Hawai`i farms.
      Kawabata also expressed concern about coffee rust, which she said “is world’s worst coffee pathogen.
      One speaker compared Colombia’s CBB infestation rate of two percent with Kona’s. Figures for Ka`u were not available, but Kona had a 40 percent infestation rate in 2011. In 2015, it dropped to 13.5, then to 8.79 percent in 2016. “Lots of work to do,” he said.
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SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

Click on document to enlarge.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August_2016.pdf.

Ka`u Calendar News Briefs Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016

Ka`u Coffee growers John AhSan, Gloria Camba, Efren Abelleras and Kili Matsui met with U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
at Ka`u Coffee Mill yesterday. Photo by Ron Johnson

“INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT is a non-partisan, bipartisan issue,” U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard told her constituents yesterday at Ka`u Coffee Mill. Discussions about agriculture on Hawai`i Island included control of coffee berry borer and macadamia felted coccid. Gabbard said she has supported funding to help control such pests, pointing to the federal Coffee Plant Health Initiative that helped researchers combat the invasive pests that threaten local farmers.

      Representatives from Hawai`i Farmers Union United, Ka`u Farm Bureau, Ka`u Coffee Growers Cooperative, Palehua `Ohana Coffee Cooperative, Hawai`i Coffee Association, Hawai`i University of Hawai`i and many farmers and ranchers attended.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard responds to a question from Wood Valley
resident Miles Mayne, in back. Photo by Ron Johnson

      Ka`u Coffee Mill owner Ed Olson asked for more federal money to go directly to farmers to purchase the fungus application that fights the borer in coffee fields.
      Greg Smith, president of Ka`u’s chapter of Hawai`i Farmers Union United, asked Gabbard about removing hemp from the federal Class I category so that Hawai`i can take advantage of its potential. He said Hawai`i farmers are afraid of the U.S. government curtailing any growing of the plant, which he said has many benefits. Several people talked about its use in making fabric.

      Gabbard said there are “a lot of misinformed people” who put hemp in the same category as marijuana. “It speaks to the challenges and opportunities to educate people,” she said. She said she has co-sponsored legislation to allow hemp cultivation and declassify it and that each time the issue comes up, more legislators come on board. An Ocean View resident also mentioned Arundo donats rex, or King Cane, as an alternative to hemp.
      When a resident asked what to do about money in politics, Gabbard said people need to keep their elected officials accountable. She also expressed concern about “the revolving door,” whereby former elected officials take jobs with donors and become lobbyists for their employers’ interests. She said she supports campaign spending regulations.
      Another resident asked about the logic behind the county planning to build a wastewater treatment plant that he said would inject waste into the freshwater aquifer and ocean. Gabbard said she would look into the plan that, as described, “would violate federal laws.”
      Regarding limited funding for agricultural inspections and programs to help Ka`u become more stable, Gabbard said that funds going to military actions overseas that she doesn’t support “limits funds for use here.” She has spoken out against using the military in regime change operations overseas. “There are a lot of decisions that have been made where people are using (weapons) against us that are supplied by us,” she said.

      See more on Gabbard’s visit to Ka`u in tomorrow’s Ka`u Calendar News Briefs.

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Prepare now for Madeline's arrival in Ka`u.
Map from NOAA

A HURRICANE WARNING is in effect as Major Hurricane Madeline closes in on Ka`u. At 5 p.m., the hurricane was 350 miles east of Hilo, moving west at 10 mph, with sustained winds at 110 mph. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center stated, "This track will take the center of Madeline dangerously close to the Big Island of Hawai`i late Wednesday into Thursday," and urged, "Your preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion."  

      Madeline reached peak intensity Monday evening as a Category 4 Hurricane but assumed what is expected to be a gradual weakening. However, Central Pacific Hurricane Center keeps the system at hurricane strength as it passes just south of the Big Island.
      The chance for tropical storm conditions at South Point is almost 90 percent, hurricane conditions under 20 percent. Tropical storm force winds of 39 mph or higher are expected from Wednesday afternoon through late Thursday morning based on the latest forecast track, with hurricane force winds possible as early as Wednesday evening. Depending on the exact track of Madeline, there is the possibility of winds as high as 60 to 80 mph and significant wind damage, including downed trees and power lines, and damage to roofs and weak structures.
      A flash flood watch is in effect. Deep tropical moisture associated with Madeline will begin to impact the Big Island by tomorrow morning, bringing the threat of heavy rainfall and flooding through late Thursday. Total rain accumulations of five to 10 inches are possible, with isolated maximum amounts near 15 inches. This rainfall may lead to dangerous flash floods and mudslides.
      CPHC reminded the public to not focus too closely on the forecast track and that hazards associated with hurricanes can extend well away from the center.
      In preparation for Hurricane Madeline, Hawai`i County Civil Defense advised the public to be StormReady:
      Build or restock your emergency preparedness kit. Include a flashlight with fresh batteries, cash, first aid supplies and any medication or supplies specific to you or your family members.
     Plan how to communicate with family members. Create an evacuation plan for your household. Bring in or secure outdoor furniture and other items that could blow away. Keep vehicles fueled and cell phones charged.
      To help preserve water availability through the storm, the Department of Water Supply asks customers to minimize non-essential use of water, such as irrigation, at this time.
      Find more StormReady tips and sign up for notifications at hawaiicounty.gov. Civil Defense will maintain close communications with the National Weather Service. Continue to monitor your local radio broadcasts for up-to-date information.

NASA captured this image of Hurricanes Madeline and Lester yesterday.

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CLOSURES AT HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK have been scheduled, starting today, to ensure the safety of visitors and employees,  as hurricanes Madeline and Lester approach Hawai‘i Island. By 5 p.m.,  Kulanaokuaiki Campground and Hilina Pali Road, as well as all backcountry sites and Mauna Loa Road from Kīpukapuaulu to the overlook, will be off limits.
     Wednesday, Nāmakanipaio Campground and A-Frame Cabins will close by 9 a.m. The coastal lava viewing area and Chain of Craters Road will close by 9 a.m. Jaggar Museum & Kīlauea Visitor Center, and the entrance station will close, as determined.
     Guests staying at Kīlauea Military Camp and Volcano House may shelter in place, or be directed by employees to the nearest shelter (if necessary). In addition, the Kahuku Unit will remain closed over the weekend, but may reopen if Hurricane Lester is not a threat. “Although we don’t intend at this time to close the entire park, visitors are advised to stay off the roads and plan to visit the park once the storms pass and damage is assessed,” said Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. Hurricane-force winds, dangerous surf, and very heavy rainfall are expected.
     Closures will remain in effect until the storms have passed and conditions are safe. Additional closures may be warranted as the storm gets closer, and any damage is assessed. Updates will be posted to the park’s website www.nps.gov/havo, its official social media sites, and recorded to (808) 985-6000.
     Popular visitor areas at the summit of Kīlauea will remain open at this time, including Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube), Kīlauea Visitor Center and the Jaggar Museum and observation deck. To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Nonie Soares responded to reports of a herd of goats
roaming land between Makanau and Kawa.
Photo by Julia Neal

NONIE SOARES, OF PUNALU`U Livestock Ranch, responded to reports of a goat herd roaming between Makanau and Kawa.

      “The goats are a carefully bred and managed herd that have helped manage invasive plants and used as food by a large number of local clients for over 15 years,” Soares said. “Ranches all over the state value a well-bred goat herd as weed eaters. The alahe`e is in bloom; you can clearly see it proliferating all over the lava area, as well as other areas on the ranch. Simple observation shows that the goats clearly do not care for it. I have noticed after three years of unusually wet weather that the Christmas berry is growing very fast and is really competing with the alahe`e. The good news is my goats love Christmas berry. Unfortunately, the herd cannot begin to keep up with the rapid regrowth that happens in the lowlands of Ka`u.

      “As for water pockets (reported to be mosquito breeding grounds), not sure about that. The Hilea river ran several times this year, and the standing water creates mosquitoes by the billions. l know l live there. Overall, my husband and l try our utmost to benefit the `aina, our community and pass our knowledge on to generations of kids.”

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Ananda Chang, of Ka`u, was reported missing.

HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE ARE SEARCHING for a 42-year-old Ka`u woman who was reported missing. Ananda S. Chang was last seen in Ocean View on Thursday, Aug. 25 in a red Chevrolet Cavalier four-door sedan.

      She is described as Caucasian, 5-foot-5, 150 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.
      Police ask anyone with information on her whereabouts to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or Officer Henry Ivy at 939-2520.
      Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
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A 61-YEAR-OLD NA`ALEHU MAN died when the tractor-trailer truck he was driving crashed early Monday morning in South Kona near the 85-mile marker Hwy 11 north of Ocean View. He has been identified as Brysson Lorenzo, Sr.
      Officers responding to a 2:57 a.m. call determined Lorenzo ran off the right shoulder of the road in a northbound 1994 Kenworth tractor-trailer and collided with a rock embankment. The collision caused the tractor-trailer to overturn onto its left side and catch fire. Lorenzo was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:40 a.m.
      Police don’t believe speed was a factor in this crash, and it’s not immediately known if alcohol was a factor.
      An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.
      Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at 326-4646, ext. 229 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.

Hawai`i Ant Lab reports on little fire ants
this evening in Na`alehu.

      This is the 17th traffic fatality this year compared with 15 at this time last year.

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LEARN ABOUT HAWAI`I ANT LAB’S and partners’ efforts to control LFA in Ka`u today at 6 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The meeting will focus past and current local treatments and on the project’s next steps, including follow-up baiting treatments and surveys. 

See littlefireants.com.

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

Click on document to enlarge.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August_2016.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.html
and kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory2016.pdf.