Kaʻū News Briefs Saturday, September 15, 2018

Poetry, acoustic performances, Hawaiian chants, and a plant-based potluck set Bee Boys Honey Shop and  breezeway of Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation's Nāʻālehu Center a-buzz Friday night. See story, below. Photo from Bee Boys

THE PROPOSED HAWAIʻI STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO RAISE MONEY FOR SCHOOLS THROUGH TAXING INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE was questioned last week at the County Council meeting. The measure, which will be on the General Election ballot on November 6, is an initiative of the Hawaiʻi public schools teachers union, the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association. It points out that Hawaiʻi is the only state where property taxes fail to directly support public education. The measure faces opposition from the statewide Hawaiʻi Chamber of Commerce.

     The hesitation by the County Council involves wording of the constitutional amendment on the ballot. Council member Maile David said, "If you just read [the bill] – and this is exactly how they're promoting it – then you have to vote for this if you support educating your kids and giving teachers more money. This is almost a great 'this isn't what it seems like.'" David said Hawaiʻi County is striving to make sure the ballot question reflects what the bill will actually do.

Watch this public school teacher speak out in favor of the 
constitutional amendment that proposes to raise investment 
property taxes to fund education. Video from HSTA Facebook

     The question on the ballot will read: "Shall the legislature be authorized to establish, as provided by law, a surcharge on investment real property to be used to support public education?" See the Hawaiʻi Senate Bill 2922 that approved it for the ballot at capitol.hawaii.gov/
measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2922&y
ear=2018.
     The County Administration told the County Council that it does not support the bill. The county's Real Property Tax Accountant Lisa Miura gave an explanation to the council Finance Committee on Sept. 4. She said the bill isn't specific enough; there is no promise the funding will end up in the schools. She said the burden of more tax on Hawaiʻi County affordable housing and agricultural lands, especially, might be too heavy. Hawaiʻi County already has the highest residential property tax rate in the state.

     Deanna Sako, Hawaiʻi County Director of Finance, said that nowhere in the bill does it say education will receive the additional money.

Watch another public school teacher speak out in favor of the
constitutional amendment that proposes to raise investment property
taxes to fund education. Video from HSTA Facebook

     Council member Dru Kanuha said people rarely want to vote for a tax increase. "We want to see the money get directly to the classrooms," he said, but that there are issues with the Department of Education, and "we don't know where all the money is going." He says an audit would be something "a normal person would want." He also said it's important the voting public is informed "especially on this one."

     The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association says on its website that the measure will "let the people of Hawaiʻi vote, for the first time in our state's history, to finally fund our public schools properly." HSTA states Hawaiʻi's schools are "chronically underfunded, with our state ranking last in the nation in the percentage of state and local revenue spent on our public schools." This underfunding, says HSTA, "has led to a chronic teacher shortage, higher class sizes, cutbacks to arts, vocational and Native Hawaiian courses, unequal access to preschool programming and more."

     HSTA also says real estate speculators "have taken advantage of our low property tax rates to use Hawaiʻi as their own private Monopoly board, driving up our cost of living by purchasing investment homes at prices residents cannot afford to pay." HSTA says the cause of this is that Hawaiʻi is "the only state that doesn't use property taxes to help pay for public education, leaving us with the lowest property tax rates in the country."
     Teachers have taken to social media in support of the bill.

     Hawaiʻi Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Sherry Menor-McNamara stated on Facebook the group "strongly" opposes the new tax and claimed it will raise the cost of living for everyone; increase the cost of doing business; impact affordable housing and increase rent; and increase taxes on all properties including residential, commercial, and agricultural. "Furthermore, the taxes do not guarantee the monies will go to public education and teachers, essentially allowing a blank check to the Legislature. Let me be clear. We wholeheartedly support public education. As a proud K-12 public school graduate, I know how much my teachers meant to me and how they’ve had a positive impact on my life. However, this amendment will have far-reaching implications that will impact everyone."

     The City and County of Honolulu are suing to block the bill from being on the ballot. In a lawsuit amendment filed Wednesday, Aug. 29, according to Hawaiʻi News Now, the city stated the bill "usurps its authority to set and collect real property taxes," and says, "the wording is so vague that it would allow state lawmakers to raise this tax as much as they want." Said Honolulu City Corporation Counsel Donna Leong, "There aren't any parameters on this constitutional amendment. So the taxation power that the Legislature hopes to give to itself, it knows no bounds. There's no dollar amount limitation. We're very concerned about the collateral affect on the county's real property taxation efforts."

Hawaiʻi Chamber of Commerce President
 & CEO Sherry Menor-McNamara

     Learn more about the ballot question at two public forums: Thursday, Sept. 27, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., at ARC in Hilo; Wednesday, Oct. 3. from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at West Hawaiʻi Civil Center. Panelists will include Lisa Miura, Administrator, County of Hawai'i Real Property Tax Division; state Sen. Gil Riviere; Corey Rosenlee, President, Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; and Deborah Zysman, Executive Director, Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network.
      Sherry Bracken, Public Affairs Director for Mahalo Broadcasting, will moderate. The event is sponsored by the Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Island REALTORS®, Hawaiʻi Island Contractors' Association, Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association, Big Island Press Club, Hawaiʻi Island Economic Development Board, and Hawaiʻi Leeward Planning Conference.

     For more information, call Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce office at (808) 935-7178.

     See the presentation from Sept. 4 at bigislandvideonews.com/2018/09/14/video-county-on-investment-property-surcharge-to-fund-public-education. 

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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO'S ATTEMPT TO SUBPOENA RECORDS OF BRETT KAVANAUGH has been rejected. Hirono said the documents show the Supreme Court Justice nominee's views on indigenous peoples, from the time he worked in the White House. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted down Hirono's request along partisan lines. The vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation, scheduled for Sept. 13, is postponed.

Sen. Hirono, at the far right of the inner table, requested documents from U.S. Supreme Court nominee
Judge Brett Kavanaugh be released. The request was voted down along partisan lines. Photo from Hirono's YouTube

     Hirono took to social media to voice her opinion of the denial: "The American people deserve to know the full extent of Brett Kavanaugh's lies regarding indigenous communities."

     Colette Machado, chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, issued this statement: "The Office of Hawaiian Affairs joins U.S Senator Mazie Hirono in calling the nation's attention to Judge Kavanaugh's extreme positions on Native peoples in general and Native Hawaiians in particular. The record now reflects that Judge Kavanaugh holds long-standing views about Native Hawaiians that mirror positions taken by organizations whose goals include stripping Native peoples and nations of their dignity as sovereign entities within the United States, contrary to settled United States policies towards Native Americans. Judge Kavanaugh has demonstrated a low level of knowledge about the history of Native Hawaiians and their pre-existing sovereignty well before western contact. His nomination is alarming to all American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians."

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Image from health.harvard.edu

QUITTING TOBACCO IN EAST HAWAIʻI JUST GOT SOME HELP in the form of $150,000 in Hawaiʻi Community Foundation Grants, says a release from Bay Clinic. The Hawaiʻi Tobacco Prevention and Control Trust Fund, administered by HCF, is meant to help East Hawaiʻi residents kick the tobacco habit.

     Bay Clinic's Tobacco Cessation Program participants receive comprehensive support through individual and group counseling sessions, pharmacotherapy options, and other support services to help those individuals succeed in their tobacco-free goals.

      "If you are ready to quit using tobacco, the Tobacco Cessation Program can help! If you are a Bay Clinic patient, please talk to your provider to see if the program is right for you. If you are not a Bay Clinic patient, please talk to your provider about referring you to the program," urges a statement from Bay Clinic.

     Call Maelani Rahmer at 313-2765 or Judith Beaver at 854-0016, Bay Clinic's Tobacco Cessation Coordinators, for more information about the program.

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Bee Boys Honey Shop offers a variety of honey, jellies, 

honey-related and bee-themed merchandise, and 

local products. Photo by Julia Neal

POETRY, ACOUSTIC MUSICIANS, BEEKEEPERS were all in the lineup at Bee Boys Honey Shop in Nāʻālehu on Friday evening. About 55 joined the hive of activity, livening up the breezeway of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation's Nāʻālehu Center. Hawaiian chanting and a plant-based potluck infused an evening of sharing original and favorite poems and songs, and visiting Bee Boys Honey Shops with its diverse honey products and other locally made items.

     Bee Boy Ryan Williamson said, "It was a great night for neighbors, friends, and visitors to share in community." He said to look for Nāʻālehu Poetry Night to continue each month, dates to be shared on social media @beeboys Instagram and Facebook, and The Kaʻū Calendar print and online media.
     The Bee Boys Honey Shop is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. See beeboys.org and on Facebook and Instagram. Contact 808-333-6895 or info@beeboys.org.

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KAʻŪ TROJANS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL had a rough night last night. Playing against Kamehameha, the JV team lost 0 to 2. Varsity also struggled, with Kaʻū scoring 11 points for each of the first two games, 7 for the third, against KS's 25 points in all three games.

     The Trojan Girls Volleyball team will host their next two games. On Monday, Sept 17, at 6 p.m., Lapahoehoe comes to Kaʻū to get served, followed by Kohala on Wednesday, Sept 19, at 6 p.m. See the Trojan's Fall schedule, below.

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See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KAʻŪ TROJANS FALL SPORTS SCHEDULE

Football:

   Sat., Sept. 22, 3:30pm, host Lanai @ Keaʻau
   Sat., Sept. 29, 11am, host Pāhoa

   Sat, Oct 6, 12pm, host Kohala

   Sat, Oct 13, BIIF Semi-Finals at Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball:

   Mon., Sept. 17, 6pm, host Lapahoehoe
   Wed., Sept. 19, 6pm, host Kohala
   Thu., Sept. 20, 6pm, @ Honokaʻa
   Tue., Sept. 25, 6pm, @ HPA
   Fri., Sept. 28, 6pm, host Kona
   Mon., Oct. 1, 6pm, host HAAS

   Tues, Oct 2, 6pm, @ Kealakehe

   Fri, Oct 5, 6pm, host Keaʻau

   Wed, Oct 10, 6pm, @ Parker

   Fri, Oct 12, 6pm, host St. Joseph

   Mon, Oct 15, BIIF DII Qtr - Higher

   Wed, Oct 17, BIIF DII Semi-Finals @ Kona

Cross Country:

   Sat., Sept. 22, 9am, @ HPA
   Fri., Sept. 28, 6pm, host Kona
   Mon., Oct. 1, 6pm, host HAAS

   Sat, Oct 6, 2pm, @ Kealakehe

   Sat, Oct 13, BYE

NEW and UPCOMING
1868: AN EVENTFUL YEAR IN KA‘Ū is the selected subject title for Friday, Sept. 28's Coffee Talk event at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Kahuku Unit, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
     The talk focuses on a Mauna Loa summit eruption that was followed by thousands of earthquakes, including a magnitude 7.9 earthquake that caused a fatal landslide and tsunami in Ka‘ū in addition to a collapse at Kīlauea caldera and a Mauna Loa lava flow that reached the ocean in a matter of hours. The course of events all transpired within a period of two weeks.
     During the Coffee talk, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists - research geophysicist Jim Kauahikaua and geologist Janet Babb - recount the unprecedented event from 150 years ago and describe its impacts, some of which can still be seen today.
     The event is free and no entrance fees are charged. Ka‘ū coffee, tea, and pastries will be available for purchase. Entrance to Kahuku Unit is located south of the 70.5 mile marker on the mauka (mountain) side of Highway 11. For more, see nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes.

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SUNDAY, SEPT. 16

Kaʻū ʻOhana Day: Picnic In The Park, Sun., Sept. 16, 12-3pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park; entrance near 70.5 mile marker on Hwy 11). Family-friendly event. Shave ice, food vendors, children's activities, hula, and music. nps.gov/HAVO

MONDAY, SEPT. 17

Discovery Harbour Neighborhood Watch Meeting, Mon., Sept. 17, 5-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

TUESDAY, SEPT. 18

Hawaiʻi County Council Meetings, Tue./Wed., Sept. 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Kaʻū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nāʻālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

Wonderful World of Wine and Watercolor, Tue., Sept. 18, 4-7pm, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Volcano Village. Artist Nancy DeLucrezia shows how to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper and introduces basic techniques in watercolor painting. Sampling of several wines from wine store "Grapes" in Hilo. $30/VAC member, $35/non-members, plus $17 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 19

Ocean View Community Association Board Meeting, Wed., Sept. 19, 12:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Arts and Crafts Activity: Friendship Bracelets, Wed., Sept. 19, 3-4pm, Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. For all ages. Register Sept. 10-14. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: Handprint Tree Art, Wed., Sept. 19, 3:30-5pm, Pāhala Community Center. For keiki in grades K-8. Register Sept. 13-18. Free. hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation, 928-3102

THURSDAY, SEPT. 20

Hawaiʻi Disability Legal Services, Thu., Sept. 20, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

SATURDAY, SEPT. 22

5th Annual Kaʻū Coffee Trail Run, Sat., Sept. 22, 7am, Kaʻū Coffee Mill, Wood Valley. Register online at webscorer.com/register?raceid=128145 until midnight, Sept. 20. Fees: 5K, $35/person; 10K, $45/person; and 1/2 Marathon, $55/person. Fees increase Sept. 10: $55/person; 10K, $65/person; and 1/2 Marathon, $75/person. Race day registration ends at 6:30am; all fees increase to $75/person. kaucoffeemill.com. Event organizers: ʻO Kaʻū Kākou, okaukakou.org.

Fountain Grass Removal - Volunteer Day, Sat., Sept. 22, 9-3pm, meet at Ocean View Community Center. Hosted and sponsored by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. No sign-up necessary. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

Stained Glass Basics II: Exterior Lamp Project w/Claudia McCall, Sat./Sun., Sept. 22, 23, 29, and 30, 9-noon, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Volcano Village. Students complete the 4-session workshop with a finished exterior lamp and basic skills to continue working with stained glass. $90/VAC member, $100/non-member, plus $30 supply fee for light fixture. Anyone with prior copper foil stained glass experience welcome. Advanced registration required. Class size limited. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Birth of Kahuku, Sat., Sept. 22, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Explore rich geologic history of Kahuku on this easy-to-moderate hike that traverses the vast 1868 lava flow, with different volcano features and formations. Learn about the Hawaiian hotspot and the creation of Kahuku. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

Reopening of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, main park, limited sections, 10am, Sat., Sept. 22. See nps.gov/havo/recovery.htm for more.

Exhibit - One Lucid Dream: A Retrospective of Art Works by Ken Charon, Mon.-Sat., Sept. 22-Oct 6, 10-4pm, Volcano Art Centers Niʻaulani Campus, Volcano Village. Original paintings, drawings, and other objects. Public invited to free opening reception Sat., Sept. 22, 5-7pm. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Saudades, The Longing: 2018 Commemoration of the 140th Anniversary of the Arrivals of Hawaiʻi's First Portuguese Immigrant Families is being celebrated by islandwide traveling presentations that are free and open to the public. Kaʻū location: Pāhala Community Center, Sept. 22, Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Flameworking - An Introductory Class w/Nash Adams-Pruitt, Sat., Sept. 22, 2-4:30pm, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Volcano Village. Students complete workshop with a finished design of their own and basic skills to continue flameworking. $155/VAC member, $160/non-member, plus $40 supply fee. Advanced registration required. Class sized limited. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund Beach Clean-up w/Anderson ʻOhana's CF Campaign, Sat., Sept. 22, contact in advance for meet up time at Waiʻōhinu Park. 4WD required; no space available in HWF vehicles. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org

ONGOING

Disaster Recovery Center Closes Sept. 29. Open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Pāhoa Neighborhood Center at 15-3022 Kauhale St. Survivors who have left the area, call 800-621-3362.

5th Annual Kaʻū Coffee Trail Run Registration Open, online at webscorer.com/register?raceid=128145. Fees through Sept. 20: 5K, $55/person; 10K, $65/person; and 1/2 Marathon, $75/person. On Race Day, $75 per person, any race. Race Day is Sat., Sept. 22, 7 a.m.; begins and ends at Kaʻū Coffee Mill, kaucoffeemill.com. Event organizers: ʻO Kaʻū Kākou, okaukakou.org.

Activities at Kahuku Park - within Hawaiian Ocean View Estates - over the next two months, include two physical activities, three arts and crafts activities, and a Park Beautification Day.
     For all ages:

     - Park Beautification Day: Fri., Sept. 28, 1:30 to 4 p.m. Registration open Sept. 19 through 26.
     Activities are free to attend. For more, call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113 or visit the park during business hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 12:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

Free Arts and Crafts Activities at Pāhala Comunity Center happen on Wednesdays in September, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., through the end of Sept., for keiki in Kindergarten through 8th grade.

     - Sept. 19: Handprint Tree Art. Register through Sept. 18.
     - Sept. 26: Beaded Wind Chime. Register Sept. 19 through 25.

     For more, call 928-3102 or visit the community center during business hours: Monday-Thursday and Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m., or Friday, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

Volunteers Needed by St. Jude's Episcopal Church for community outreach, especially soup cooks and shower organizers, towel laundry, alter guild, and for the computer lab. Volunteers do not have to be members of the church. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's. Contact Dave Breskin, 319-8333.

Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool’s Temporary Nāʻālehu Location is Kauahaʻao Church in Waiʻōhinu. Meeting days and times remain the same: Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m. Pāhala site program meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., at Pāhala Community Center.

     Tūtū and Me also offers home visits to those with keiki zero to five years old, to aid with parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Free. Visits last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, total of 12 visits. Snacks are provided.
     To enroll in either program, fill out enrollment forms found at pidf.org/programs/tutu_and_me/enrollment_forms, or call Linda Bong at 464-9634. Questions: Clark at 929-8571 or eclark@pidfountation.org.

Harmony Educational Services, Home Based Educational Programs - Open Enrollment through Oct 15; harmonyed.com/hawaii. Partnered with four local public charter schools, Harmony offers benefits of homeschooling with resources available to public schools. Interested families can also contact Rayna Williams at rwilliams@harmonyed.com or 430-9798.

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Kaʻū News Briefs Friday, September 14, 2018

The Great Crack and 1,952 acres between Pāhala and Volcano are the latest acquisition of the National Park Service
for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo

THE GREAT CRACK ALONG WITH 1,952-acres on the Ka‘ū Coast and a portion of the Ala Kahakai Trail, between Pāhala and Volcano, has been purchased by the National Park Service, as part of a court settlement, according to a story today in the Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald.
     The Great Crack rode high on the acquisition list for the National Park Service, from the days of Sen. Daniel Inouye, before the now-defunct Ka‘ū Sugar Co. sold the lands to Ken Fujiyama. The National Park Service needed a willing seller at an affordable price, which came about through the recent foreclosure settlement.
     The lands are the site of many cultural remains, including native Hawaiian house sites and fishing villages, caves where Hawaiian travelers took overnight rests, and the Ala Kahakai Trail, which is already a National Historic Trail. The Great Crack is well known among spelunkers, who explore the underground tubes and the Great Crack itself - as wide and deep as 60 feet.

     According to the Tribune Herald article by John Burnett, "The $1.95 million purchase by the park service of the 'Great Crack Property' from Joseph Gillespie III is the last piece of a settlement between First Citizens Bank of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Hilo businessman Ken Fujiyama and his Ken Direction Corp., to settle the bank's foreclosure claim concerning a defaulted mortgage on the then-Naniloa Volcanoes Resort."

The Great Crack. Photo from NASA

     Burnett writes that the settlement was finalized with a filing on Aug. 28 in Hilo Circuit Court, indicating that the sale closed last month.
     "The county agreed to accept $306,276.46 for past due real property taxes, interest and penalties."
     Earlier, Fujiyama put the Great Crack properties on the open real estate market. One 70.03-acre parcel was listed at $3.85 million. The listing stated: "This particular parcel is the favorite fishing area for many ʻulua fishermen."
     Another 27.05-acre parcel was listed at $1.755 million. The listing said, "Great fishing in a totally stress free environment that people dream about but rarely ever find." Another 272.28 acres was listed for $2.983 million. Its northern boundary "butts against the National Park wilderness area," the listing said.
     Another 1,537 acres at the Great Crack were listed for $8.45 million. The listing said, "Beautiful, barren, and totally isolated, this oceanfront property is so unique that the National Park Service has listed on their ‘to acquire’ property. Owner does not have to sell to the National Park," the listing stated. It also said, "The fishing is fantastic along this coastline. There are three small ancient Hawaiian pads, a few petroglyphs, and a few small historical sites on this property. There is a 300-foot conservation area setback and a 500-foot Special Management Area district setback from the coastline. The remaining area is zoned agriculture-20 acres. The top of the property sits at the 1,000-feet elevation and is three miles to the coastline. The oceanfront boundary is over a mile long."
     Fujiyama and his group purchased the Great Crack from Ka‘ū Sugar and its parent company C. Brewer after it became known that the National Park Service was interested in buying it to add onto Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Fujiyama was involved in several negotiations to sell the property to the federal government. Fujiyama was also the former operator of Volcano House hotel and its restaurant and store concessions.

More Kaʻū Coast preserved with National Park Service acquisition of the Great Crack lands, after they
were listed for sale by Ken Fujiyama and partners, and became part of a foreclosure settlement.
Photo from Zillow

     The Great Crack property is on the makai side of Hwy 11, close to Pāhala, encouraging the town to become more of a gateway community to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 

 

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HAWAIʻI'S  CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION URGES FUNDING FOR FARMERS hurt by recent natural disasters. The letter sent Thursday to the U.S. Department of Agriculture is signed by Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, and U.S. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard and Colleen Hanabusa.
     The Delegation outlined damage to Hawaiʻi's floriculture and nursery product, vegetable crop, coffee , and fruit and tree nut industries, following volcanic, flood, and tropical cyclone events this year.

     USDA can provide direct assistance to Hawaiʻi farmers through the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714c), Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act Amendment of 1935 (P.L. 74-320, 7 U.S.C. 612c), and through allocating a portion of the billions of dollars that USDA uses to offset impacts of tariffs to provide ad-hoc disaster assistance. USDA used these authorities to assist farmers in Puerto Rico following hurricanes in 2017.

13.7 square miles of land were lost to lava flows this year. Much of that
lands was used to grow coffee, flowers, fruit, vegetables, and other
agricultural products. USGS map

     The Delegation wrote: "The dire situation that our farmers and producers are currently experiencing as a result of recent disasters cannot be overstated. We are already hearing reports of farmers, who employed multiple families and had millions invested in their agricultural business, having to lay off all of their employees and completely walk away from the agricultural industry because they lost all of their assets and cannot qualify for new loans to start over. Agriculture in Hawaiʻi is not easy during the best of times and now during the worst of times, many of our farmers and producers are being forced to give up on agriculture.

     "Many aspects of Hawaiʻi's agricultural community have been greatly transformed by recent disasters and our producers desperately need the maximum assistance practicable to get back on their feet and continue contributing to our agricultural industry," the Delegation continued. "As such, we request that USDA utilize the existing authority provided in the [Commodity Credit Corporation Charter] Act, Section 32, and/or provide a portion of the funds set aside to offset retaliatory tariffs to our impacted farmers and producers in Hawaiʻi."

     Click here to download a copy of the letter.

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UNDERSTANDING MAGMA TRANSPORT during Kīlauea's eruption by deploying a seismic array is the subject of Volcano Watch. This week's article is by Jamie Farrell and Fan-Chi Lin, of University of Utah Department of Geology and Geophysics, an affiliate of U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:

     Kīlauea Volcano's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and summit collapse provided a rare opportunity to study dynamic eruptive processes beneath and at the surface of the volcano. 

University of Utah seismologists install a nodal geophone on 

Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone in June 2018. This instrument 

was part of a network of 82 seismometers deployed temporarily 

this summer to help scientists study the magma transport system 

beneath the volcano's eruption sites. USGS photo by B. Shiro

     In June, the University of Utah, in conjunction with USGS HVO and funding from the National Science Foundation, installed a dense array of seismometers on the summit and LERZ. These instruments, called nodal geophones, recorded three-dimensional ground motion for about one month.

     In late July, the geophones were removed and shipped back to Salt Lake City for data download and analysis. Data collected from them will help scientists study the magma transport system beneath Kīlauea's eruption sites.

     The deployed network of nodal geophones consisted of 82 stations. The instruments, which look like white coffee-can-sized cylinders, were pushed into the ground with a spike to keep them level and correctly orientated.

     Thirty stations were installed along a line perpendicular to Kīlauea's LERZ, about 4 km (2.5 mi) up-rift from fissure 8. Twenty-four stations formed a partial ring around Kīlauea's summit caldera. An additional 28 stations were scattered between the two main arrays, close to fissure 8 and on each side of the LERZ down-rift from fissure 8.

     The main goals of this project were to image subsurface pathways that supply magma from Kīlauea's summit to the LERZ, and to better constrain summit seismicity related to deflation and collapse as magma is evacuated from the summit reservoir. 

On Sept. 8, a series of small collapses occurred within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō crater 
throughout the day, with each producing a visible brown
plume. The collapses generated small tilt offsets and seismic energy
 recorded by nearby geophysical instruments, but had no discernible
 effect on other parts of the rift zone. USGS photo

     To accomplish this, scientists will examine earthquakes, tremor, and oceanic ambient noise from the temporary nodal geophone array, as well as from HVO's permanent seismic network. This may help identify areas with high melt content and track how subsurface magma transport changed throughout the recent eruption.

     Scientists will also look at how seismicity changed over time and how those changes correlate with summit collapse events and changes in the LERZ eruption. Results from the study will help characterize how magma is fed to the LERZ from the summit. 

     The long-held working hypothesis is that magma ascends from the upper mantle to a magma reservoir beneath Kīlauea's summit and is then transported through a narrow conduit system down the East Rift Zone. The exact depths and shapes of these pathways, however, have never been accurately imaged.

     In addition, the study will provide a clearer picture of the magma reservoir beneath the summit of Kīlauea and the types of structures that were activated during the recent summit collapse events.

     Gaining a better understanding of magma pathways, the current status of magma within Kīlauea, and the dynamic process associated with volcanic activity, will help USGS and other scientists improve forecasts. This, in turn, will support public safety during future eruptions.

     Data from this seismic array project will be made available through the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Data Management Center. IRIS is a university research consortium dedicated to exploring the Earth’s interior through the collection, management, and distribution of seismological data.

A small pond of lava on the floor of the crater within the 

fissure 8 cone, with some minor, low-level spattering and 

slow-moving lava just barely entering (but not 

heading down) the spillway. USGS photo

     The University of Utah and HVO thank Island of Hawaiʻi communities and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park for their support, which made the seismic array study possible. Results from the data analysis will hopefully be the topic of a future Volcano Watch article.

Volcano Activity Updates

     LERZ incandescence was intermittently visible at fissure 8 during the past week. Since the beginning of September, small lava flows have been observed within the fissure 8 cone, but none have extended outside the walls of the cone. At the summit of the volcano, seismicity and ground deformation remain low. Hazardous conditions still exist at both the LERZ and summit.

     Small collapses in the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater during the past week produced visible dusty brown plumes and generated small tilt offsets and seismic energy recorded by HVO geophysical instruments.

     The combined sulfur dioxide emission rates at Kīlauea's summit, Puʻu ʻŌʻō, and lower East Rift Zone remain at less than 1,000 tonnes per day – lower than at any time since late 2007.

     The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at normal.

     HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa and will report any significant changes on either volcano.

     One earthquake with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-3.6 earthquake 29 km (18 mi) southeast of Waikoloa at 32 km (20 mi) depth on September 11 at 08:54 a.m. HST. Aftershocks from the May 4, 2018, magnitude-6.9 earthquake are still being generated on faults located on Kīlauea's South Flank. 

     Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea daily eruption updates, Mauna Loa monthly updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Summary Kīlauea updates recorded at 808-967-8862. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

Hard play by Kaʻū Trojans at Christian Liberty on Wednesday.
Photo from Kaʻū Trojans Twitter

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KAʻŪ TROJANS GILRS VOLLEYBALL VARSITY TEAM WON three of five games when they played Christian Liberty on Wednesday, Sept. 12. Kaʻū scored 25 in each of the first two games, 12 in the third, 21 in the fourth, then 15 over CLA's 12, to finish with the overall win.

     See the Trojan's Fall schedule, below.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KAʻŪ TROJANS FALL SPORTS SCHEDULE

Football:

   Sat., Sept. 15, 1pm, @ Kohala
   Sat., Sept. 22, 3:30pm, host Lana`i @ Keaʻau
   Sat., Sept. 29, 11am, host Pāhoa

   Sat, Oct 6, 12pm, host Kohala

   Sat, Oct 13, BIIF Semi-Finals at Kamehameha

Girls Volleyball:

   Mon., Sept. 17, 6pm, host Lapahoehoe
   Wed., Sept. 19, 6pm, host Kohala
   Thu., Sept. 20, 6pm, @ Honokaʻa
   Tue., Sept. 25, 6pm, @ HPA
   Fri., Sept. 28, 6pm, host Kona
   Mon., Oct. 1, 6pm, host HAAS

   Tues, Oct 2, 6pm, @ Kealakehe

   Fri, Oct 5, 6pm, host Keaʻau

   Wed, Oct 10, 6pm, @ Parker

   Fri, Oct 12, 6pm, host St. Joseph

   Mon, Oct 15, BIIF DII Qtr - Higher

   Wed, Oct 17, BIIF DII Semi-Finals @ Kona

Cross Country:

   Sat., Sept. 15, 10am, Keaʻau
   Sat., Sept. 22, 9am, @ HPA
   Fri., Sept. 28, 6pm, host Kona
   Mon., Oct. 1, 6pm, host HAAS

   Sat, Oct 6, 2pm, @ Kealakehe

   Sat, Oct 13, BYE

NEW and UPCOMING

THE 30TH ANNUAL TRASH SHOW: HAWAIʻI ARTISTS RECYCLE is open for entries. Submissions are due at the East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center on Saturday, Sept. 29, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Each entry fee is $5, and artists may submit up to three entries. Ira Ono is juror. All entries must be original works of artists living on the Big Island, and not previously shown in a juried exhibit.
     Gala Opening night is Friday, Oct. 5, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Cultural Center, at 141 Kalakaua St., Hilo. The exhibit will be on view through Wednesday, Oct. 26. Showcasing for the gala includes the premiere performance of The Prince Dance Theatre's My Empty Body is Full of Stars. Show starts at 7:30 p.m., tickets at the door. See more info at volcanogardenarts.com and cafeono.net.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 15

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund "Get the Drift and Bag It" International Coastal Cleanup, Sat., Sept. 15, contact in advance for meet up time at Waiʻōhinu Park. 4WD needed, some space available but limited. RSVP. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org

Palm Trail, Sat., Sept. 15, 9:30-12:30pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Moderately difficult, 2.6-mile loop traverses scenic pastures along an ancient cinder cone, with some of the best panoramic views Kahuku has to offer. nps.gov/HAVO

John D. Dawson Studio Sale, Sat.-Sun., Sept. 15-16, 10-3pm, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Volcano Village. Sale includes original acrylic and watercolor paintings, rough sketches, and pen and ink drawings from decades of work as a well-known professional illustrator. Special preview to VAC members Fri., Sept. 14, 4-6pm. Contact Emily C. Weiss, 967-8222, or visit volcanoartcenter.org.

Ocean View C.E.R.T. Meeting, Sat., Sept. 15, 10-1pm, Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team Monthly meeting/training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko - Paul Neves w/ Hula Hālau Kou Lima Nani E, Sat., Sept. 15, 10:30-11:30am, hula platform near Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus, Volcano Village. Hula performance. Free. Desiree, 987-7288, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula w/ Loke Kamanu and ʻOhana, Sat., Sept. 15, 11-1pm, Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus, Volcano Village. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free. Desiree, 987-7288, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Potluck and Dance, Sat., Sept. 15, 5:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Live music by Shootz Band. BYOBeverage. $5/ticket. Register at office by Sept. 12. Discovery Harbour Community Association, 929-9576

Bunco and Potluck, Sat., Sept. 15, 6pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. Popular game played with nine dice, also known as Bonko or Bunko. Bring dish to share. Margie Hack, 541-954-8297

SUNDAY, SEPT. 16

Kaʻū ʻOhana Day: Picnic In The Park, Sun., Sept. 16, 12-3pm, Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park; entrance near 70.5 mile marker on Hwy 11). Family-friendly event. Shave ice, food vendors, children's activities, hula, and music. nps.gov/HAVO

MONDAY, SEPT. 17

Discovery Harbour Neighborhood Watch Meeting, Mon., Sept. 17, 5-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

TUESDAY, SEPT. 18

Hawaiʻi County Council Meetings, Tue./Wed., Sept. 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Kaʻū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nāʻālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

Wonderful World of Wine and Watercolor, Tue., Sept. 18, 4-7pm, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Volcano Village. Artist Nancy DeLucrezia shows how to transfer a photo onto watercolor paper and introduces basic techniques in watercolor painting. Sampling of several wines from wine store "Grapes" in Hilo. $30/VAC member, $35/non-members, plus $17 supply fee. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 19

Ocean View Community Association Board Meeting, Wed., Sept. 19, 12:30pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Arts and Crafts Activity: Friendship Bracelets, Wed., Sept. 19, 3-4pm, Kahuku Park, Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. For all ages. Register Sept. 10-14. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Arts and Crafts Activity: Handprint Tree Art, Wed., Sept. 19, 3:30-5pm, Pāhala Community Center. For keiki in grades K-8. Register Sept. 13-18. Free. hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation, 928-3102

THURSDAY, SEPT. 20

Hawaiʻi Disability Legal Services, Thu., Sept. 20, 9-noon, Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org, 939-7033, ovcahawaii@gmail.com

ONGOING

Disaster Recovery Center Closes Sept. 29. Open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Pāhoa Neighborhood Center at 15-3022 Kauhale St. Survivors who have left the area, call 800-621-3362.

5th Annual Kaʻū Coffee Trail Run Registration Open, online at webscorer.com/register?raceid=128145. Fees through Sept. 20: 5K, $55/person; 10K, $65/person; and 1/2 Marathon, $75/person. On Race Day, $75 per person, any race. Race Day is Sat., Sept. 22, 7 a.m.; begins and ends at Kaʻū Coffee Mill, kaucoffeemill.com. Event organizers: ʻO Kaʻū Kākou, okaukakou.org.

Activities at Kahuku Park - within Hawaiian Ocean View Estates - over the next two months, include two physical activities, three arts and crafts activities, and a Park Beautification Day.

     For all ages:

     - Friendship Bracelets: Wed., Sept. 19, 3 to 4 p.m. Registration open through Sept. 14.
     - Park Beautification Day: Fri., Sept. 28, 1:30 to 4 p.m. Registration open Sept. 19 through 26.
     Activities are free to attend. For more, call Teresa Anderson at 929-9113 or visit the park during business hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 12:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

Free Arts and Crafts Activities at Pāhala Comunity Center happen on Wednesdays in September, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., through the end of Sept., for keiki in Kindergarten through 8th grade.

     - Sept. 19: Handprint Tree Art. Register through Sept. 18.
     - Sept. 26: Beaded Wind Chime. Register Sept. 19 through 25.
     For more, call 928-3102 or visit the community center during business hours: Monday-Thursday and Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m., or Friday, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation.

Volunteers Needed by St. Jude's Episcopal Church for community outreach, especially soup cooks and shower organizers, towel laundry, alter guild, and for the computer lab. Volunteers do not have to be members of the church. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's. Contact Dave Breskin, 319-8333.

Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool’s Temporary Nāʻālehu Location is Kauahaʻao Church in Waiʻōhinu. Meeting days and times remain the same: Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m. Pāhala site program meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., at Pāhala Community Center.
     Tūtū and Me also offers home visits to those with keiki zero to five years old, to aid with parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Free. Visits last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, total of 12 visits. Snacks are provided.

     To enroll in either program, fill out enrollment forms found at pidf.org/programs/tutu_and_me/enrollment_forms, or call Linda Bong at 464-9634. Questions: Clark at 929-8571 or eclark@pidfountation.org.

Harmony Educational Services, Home Based Educational Programs - Open Enrollment through Oct 15; harmonyed.com/hawaii. Partnered with four local public charter schools, Harmony offers benefits of homeschooling with resources available to public schools. Interested families can also contact Rayna Williams at rwilliams@harmonyed.com or 430-9798.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.