Ka‘ū News Briefs, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021

The lonely helmet looking out to sea, with cancellation of U.H. participation in the Hawai'i Bowl, which would have
been held and broadcast on Christmas Eve. The game against Memphis Titans in cancelled.
Photo from U.H Athletics

CANCELLED IS A FAVORITE PASTIME ON CHRISTMAS EVE in Kaʻū - watching the Hawai'i Bowl, with family and friends. It would have been broadcast and livestreamed by ESPN, with University of Hawai'i playing. According to a report in the Honolulu Star Advertiser, at least 30 of the U.H. players, coaches and staff are in quarantine, following symptoms among players and extensive testing, resulting in positive cases, even though most were vaccinated. The opponents, University of Memphis Titans, showed no positive Covid cases. Without the two teams fit to play, Hawai'i Bowl on Friday will not happen, the television broadcast cancelled.

    UH Athletic Director David Matlin said via Twitter, "The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has forced us to not participate in the game. We are disappointed for our players, coaches and fans.”
     Warriors Coach Todd Graham said, “We are disappointed our season has to end this way. As competitive as we are and as much as want to play the game, we cannot put the health and safety of our student-athletes at risk.”

     Hawai'i Bowl would have been held at the Ching Complex on U.H Manoa campus where the players have been practicing all week. The decision to cancel was made after Thursday's practice.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

HAWAI'I COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE SENT OUT THIS COVID-19 MESSAGE ON THURSDAY: "For Hawaii County, the Department of Health reports 66 new cases, 295 active cases, and four persons hospitalized.The entire State of Hawai;'i is experiencing high rates of Coronavirus transmission and Hawai'i Island has cases in every community. Know that when you leave your residence you may be exposing yourself to Coronavirus. Please be reminded that the preventive measures of wearing face coverings, distancing, limiting gathering sizes, and staying home when sick are key to limiting the spread of the virus. If you feel sick or have been exposed to a positive case please get tested."

   The state Department of Health recommends getting vaccinated or getting a booster shot to protect individuals, families, and friends.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

A NEW BREAKOUT OF LAVA IN HALEMA'U'MU is reported by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. There was a short pause in lava flowing into the crater for about two days, but Tuesday

Molten lava in Halema'uma'u Wednesday Evening.
Thermal Image from HAVO

evening, new lava emerged. 

     HAVO reported: "Lava continues to erupt from a single vent in the western wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater after a two-day pause in activity. All lava is confined within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and were measured at approximately 130 tonnes per day on Dec. 21, 2021. Seismicity is elevated but stable, with few earthquakes and ongoing volcanic tremor. Summit tiltmeter data has recorded several deflation and inflation trends over the past week. For more information on the current eruption of Kīlauea, see Recent Eruption (usgs.gov).

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

THERE IS MORE THAN VOG IN VOLCANO GASES, says this week's Volcano Watch, by scientists and affiliates of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. The scientists write: Most people in Hawai'i know about sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas, the major component of vog. But, have you ever found yourself wanting to know the SO2/HCl (sulfur dioxide/hydrogen chloride) ratio in volcanic gas? Or the amount of CO2 (carbon dioxide) dissolved in volcanic glass?
    If you're not a volcanologist or geologist, probably not. But at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), we do need to know those things. Magma contains dissolved gases, or volatiles, which drive eruptions. And while gases in the air and dissolved volatiles in molten magma (preserved as glass and glass inclusions in minerals) may not seem like they'd be measured the same way, we can use the same principles and techniques to measure both and help us understand eruptive activity.
    To make each of those types of volatile measurements, we use an instrument called a Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer, or FTIR. FTIR instruments detect incoming infrared (IR) radiation—the type of radiation associated with hot/warm objects, having wavelengths slightly longer than the visible light we can see with our eyes.

Two USGS scientists measure H2O and CO2 dissolved in tiny chips of volcanic

 glass using the ‘lab FTIR’, currently housed at the University of Hawai‘i

at Hilo (UHH), until new, permanent HVO facilities can be built.

 Photo courtesy of D. Bevens (UHH)   

    For measuring gases in air, we take our 'field FTIR' and head out to where the volcanic plume is. We need a source of IR energy and, luckily, lava is a great source of IR because it's so hot! So, when we have an eruption, we can aim the FTIR at hot, glowing lava. If there's no lava around, we can still measure the gas by aiming the FTIR at a special lamp that generates IR.
    Once we have the IR source, we need to position the FTIR so the volcanic gas is between the IR source and the FTIR. The FTIR measures relative amounts of IR radiation at different wavelengths, some of which is absorbed by the volcanic gases. We then process the data and calculate important gas ratios, like CO2/SO2 and SO2/HCl, which can give us information about how magma and volatiles are transported in the volcanic plumbing system.

   However, many important volcanic volatiles don't absorb UV very well, but they do absorb strongly in the IR range. So, we turn to FTIR to measure them. Or, more precisely, one of our two FTIRs! Yes, HVO has two different types of FTIR, which we use for different applications.  
    But what about the other FTIR?

An HVO scientist aims the ‘field FTIR’ at spattering lava from the current eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea 

summit. USGS photo by P. Nadeau

 
    That would be our 'lab FTIR,' which doesn't venture out near the volcanic plume like the 'field FTIR' does. Instead, the 'lab FTIR' is used for measuring small amounts of H2O and CO2 dissolved in minerals and volcanic glass.
    The principles are the same—the lab FTIR has an IR source and a radiation detector that measures IR intensity at many different wavelengths. But instead of a volcanic plume passing between them, we insert a tiny, carefully polished chip of mineral or glass into the path between the IR source and the detector.
    Minerals and glasses—especially those that erupt out of gas-rich volcanoes—often have CO2 and H2O still dissolved in them, which will absorb IR at those characteristic wavelengths just like volcanic gases in the air. As long as we know how thick the tiny chip of glass or mineral is, the FTIR can then tell us how much of those gases are dissolved in those little solid pieces. Once we know that, we can determine things like how deep that erupted material came from and how quickly it erupted.
    Even if Santa doesn't bring you an FTIR this year, don't worry—HVO has two, and we will keep using them to learn more about the volcanoes here in Hawai'i, their eruptions, and the gases that drive them.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See the December and past issues of The Ka`u Calendar
at www.kaucalendar.com.

KAʻŪ COFFEE MILL & VISITOR CENTER. Buy online at kaucoffeemill.com and in person at 96-2694 Wood Valley Road, daily, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.


PUNALUʻU BAKESHOP online at bakeshophawaii.com and in-person 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week in x.


ALIʻI HAWAIʻI HULA HANDS COFFEE. Order by calling 928-0608 or emailing alihhhcoffee@yahoo.com.


AIKANE PLANTATION COFFEE COMPANY. Order online at aikaneplantation.com. Call 808-927-2252


MIRANDA'S FARMS KAʻŪ COFFEE. Order online at mirandafarms.com or, in person at 73-7136 Mamalahoa Hwy. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com..


KUAHIWI RANCH STORE, in person. Shop weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 11 am to 3 p.m. at 95-5520 Hwy 11. Locally processed grass-fed beef, live meat chickens, and feed for cattle, goats, sheep, chickens, horses, dogs, and pigs. Call 929-7333 of 938-1625, email kaohi@kuahiwiranch.com.


DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS, NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO? Call Department of Health's expanded Hawai‘i C.A.R.E.S. program at 1-800-753-6879 – the same number previously used by Crisis Line of Hawai‘i. Individuals in crisis can also text ALOHA to 741741, available 24/7.


LEARN SELF-CARE THROUGH Big Island Substance Abuse Council's Practice Self-Care Series. For additional series that feature refreshing wellness tips, follow the Behavioral Health & Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group at facebook.com/bhhsurg



WOMEN'S COLLECTIVE OFFERS HEALTH PROGRAMS. Piko focuses on reproductive health; increasing access, respect, cultural competence, education, and choice. Pilina aims to grow membership and establish a culture of collaborative decision-making. Follow @kau_womens_health_collective. Contact rootsmedieshawaii@gmail.com. Call 808-450-0498.


YOGA WITH EMILY Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration required; $5 per class. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222.


CHOOSE ALOHA FOR HOME is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together using neuroscience and positive psychology. Program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics." Sign up at chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home.


EDUCATION


Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach and Tutoring Programs at rb.gy/o1o2hy. For keiki grades 1-6. Contact Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (808) 961-5536 or email mobiletutoring@bgcbi.org or info@bgcbi.org.


ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides for Chromebooks and iPads at rb.gy/8er9wm. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.


Invite Park Rangers to Virtually Visit Classes, through connecting with teachers and home-schoolers with distance learning programs and virtual huakaʻi (field trips). Contact havo_education@nps.gov.


Public Libraries are open for WiFi, pick-up, and other services. Nāʻālehu open Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala open Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m., Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., limited entry into library with Wiki Visits. Schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Open for library card account help and reference assistance from the front door. WiFi available to anyone with a library card, from each library parking lot. See librarieshawaii.org.


Free Book Exchanges, at laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu, provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Open to all. Keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them. Selection of books replenished weekly at both sites.


Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.View the Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report at rb.gy/awu65k.


Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through Papakilo Database, papakilodatabase.com.


Virtual Workshops on Hawaiʻi's Legislative Processes through Public Access Room. Sign up by contacting (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Ask questions and discuss all things legislative in a non-partisan environment. Attend Coffee Hour with PAR: Fridays at 3 p.m. on Zoom, meeting ID 990 4865 9652 or click zoom.us/j/99048659652. PAR staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss the legislative process. Anyone wanting to listen in without taking part in discussions is welcome. Learn more at lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.


Online Directory at shopbigisland.com, co-sponsored by County of Hawai‘i, has a signup sheet for local businesses to fill in the blanks. The only requirement is a physical address on this island.
COMMUNITY

Food Assistance: Apply for The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences COVID-19 Family Relief Funds. Funded by Volcano Community Association, and members of the VSAS Friends and Governing Boards, who have donated, the fund supplies KTA or Dimple Cheek Gift Cards, or gift cards to other locally owned business, to VSAS families in need. Contact Kim Miller at 985-8537, kmiller@volcanoschool.net. Contributions to the fund can be sent in by check to: VSAS, PO Box 845, Volcano, HI 96785 – write Relief Fund in the memo. See volcanoschool.net


ENROLL CHILDREN, from first through eighth grade, in Kula ʻAmakihi, a program from Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences. It started Aug. 3. Call 808-985- 9800 or visit www.volcanoschool.net.


WALK THROUGH A GUIDED NATURE TRAIL & Sculpture Garden, Mondays, 9:30 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. No reservations for five or fewer – limited to ten people. Free; donations appreciated. Email programs@volcanoartcenter.org. Garden is open to walk through at one's own pace, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. www.volcanoartcenter.org. Call 967-8222.


KAʻŪ ART GALLERY is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Nāʻālehu. It features and sells works by local artists and offers other gift items. "We are always looking to collaborate with local artists in our community," said assistant Alexandra Kaupu. Artists with an interest in being featured at Kaʻū Art Gallery and Gift Shop, contact gallery owner and director Corrine Kaupu at kauartgallery@hawaiiantel.biz.


GOLF & MEMBERSHIPS for Discovery Harbour Golf Course and its Clubhouse: The Club offers Social Memberships, with future use of the clubhouse and current use of the pickleball courts as well as walking and running on specified areas of the golf course before 8 a.m. and after 3 p.m. to enjoy the panoramiocean views. Golf memberships range from unlimited play for the avid golfer to casual play options. Membership is required to play and practice golf on the course. All golf memberships include Social Membership amenities. Membership fees are designed to help underwrite programs and improvements to the facilities.Call 808-731-5122 or stop by the Clubhouse during business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 94-1581 Kaulua Circle. Email clubatdiscoveryharbour@gmail.com. See The Club at Discovery Harbour Facebook page.


ALOHA FRIDAY MARKETPLACE, hosted by Main Street, is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., grounds of The Old Shirakawa Estate in Waiʻohinu. It features: Made in Hawai'i Products, Organic Produce, Creative Crafts, ARt, Flower and Plants, Food, Ka`u Coffee, Gluen Free Low Carb Goodies, Wellness Services and Products, Clothing, Hand Crafted Treats, Music and more. Vendor and customer inquiries: AlohaFridayMarket@gmail.com.


VOLCANO FARMERS MARKET, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays. 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Hawai‘i Coffee. Cooper Center's EBT Machine, used at the Farmer's Market, is out of service until further notice. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.


OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY MARKET, open Saturdays and Thursdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Managed by Mark Council. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in upper lot only. Vendors must provide own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling encouraged.


O KAʻŪ KĀKOU MARKET, in Nāʻālehu, open Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers per hour, 20 vendor booths, with 20 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing required, social distancing enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.


OCEAN VIEW SWAP MEET is open at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.


BUY LOCAL GIFTS ONLINE, IN-PERSON


VOLCANO ART CENTER ONLINE, in person. Shop at Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Virtual Shopping Appointments offered via Skype or FaceTime. Book at volcanoartcenter.org/shop for $5. Shop online gallery 24/7. Orders shipped or free local pickup available. See the VAC Virtual Classroom, which features over 90 videos. See volcanoartcenter.org/events, call 967-8222.

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021

Boys & Girls Club CEO Chad Cabral
 (center) gave the keynote address for
graduation of new police officers.
Photo from Boys & Girls Club

The 94th graduating class for Hawai'i County Police Department recruits in mid December. Photo from Boys & Girls Club

TWENTY-ONE POLICE RECRUITS RECENTLY GRADUATED in the 94th class for the Hawai'i County Police Department. Held on Dec. 15 at Edith Kanakao'ole Stadium, the ceremony included keynote speaker Chad Cabral, Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island. Cabral focused on the importance of community leadership from the officers in building strong communities, always displaying integrity and compassion, leading from a place of aloha, and building and maintaining public trust.
    He compared police work to Boys & Girls Club work, noting that young people with challenges are very important. "Twenty-six percent of Hawai'i Island children are living in poverty. It’s the highest in the State. Many of our children are going to school not only for academics, they are going to school to eat,” said Cabral. 

   "Both our jobs in essence are to protect and to serve. At the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island we offer critical needs resources, the mentoring and nurturing that our kids need, and we provide safe spaces for our children to go when school is out."
    Cabral said, “We have youth right now in our communities that attend our programs after school to have the extra three to four hours of comfort and safety, before having to go back home into an environment that is not safe." He told the police academy graduates, "As new officers, you have a duty not only to enforce laws, you have a duty and responsibility to help strengthen and better our communities.”

Former Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher

and 94th recruit class graduating Pres.

Onan Masaoka receives his police badge,

placed onto his officer's uniform by his wife

Christy Masaoka. Boys & Girls Club photo

    Cabral passed out a marker and small blank index card to each new officer and said, "“On the top right corner of this little index card write today’s graduation date. On the top left corner write the number 94 (your recruit class number). And in the middle of the card write down the name of the person that you would never want to let down (a figure in your life that shaped you to become the person you are today).”
    He gave this advice to the officers: “When the time comes, maybe a year from now, five years from now, or 10 years from now, when you find yourself in a confrontation, moment, or situation that tests your values, character, and integrity, think of this card, the name of the person you wrote down, and how you would never want to let them down.”

    Cabral ended his talk by saying, “You might not remember what any of the speakers said here today, but you will remember the index card that you wrote on at graduation, and the name of the person on your card.” He looked directly at the graduating police recruits and said, “public trust and integrity is everything, never let this person down.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

POLICE SEEK CLUES IN THE STABBING OF A NA'ALEHU MAN, as of yet unidentified, who was in Kona at the time of the incident. According to Hawai'i Police Department, the stabbing occurred at Honl’s Beach Park in Kailua-Kona last Friday, Dec.17 at 3:57 p.m. When Kona patrol officers responded to an affray at the beach park they learned that two men, ages  42 and 47 , both of Kailua-Kona, were involved in a heated verbal argument that turned physical. As they were fighting, a 48-year-old Na‘alehu man assisted the 42-year-old man.

    During this altercation, the 48-year-old man sustained non-life threatening stab wounds to his back and thigh, as well as several cuts to his hands. He was treated and later released from Kona Community Hospital. The 47-year-old male was arrested at the scene, but later released pending further investigation.
    Anyone with information about the investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Kim Makuakane-Jarrell, of the Area II Criminal Investigations Section, at (808) 326-4646 ext. 262 or via email at kimmerlyn.makuakane-jarrell@hawaiicounty.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Sofar Ocean Spotter is a solar powered, low cost way to gather data from the ocean and will be
used in the plan for sustainable community-led leadership.  Photo from Sofar Ocean 

COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN KAʻŪ AND BEYOND WILL HAVE MORE ACCESS TO OCEAN DATA through a new project funded by the National Science Foundation. A statement from University of Hawai'i School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology says,
    "Indigenous coastal communities have depended on ocean resources over millennia, but climate change is creating a more unpredictable ocean by influencing waves, sea level, temperature and other factors, profoundly impacting remote coastal communities."
    The Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System,within U.H. Mānoa’s School of Ocean & Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), is collaborating with partners in the Pacific Islands, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska to improve access to ocean data for Indigenous coastal communities through NSF Convergence Accelerator program.
    The goal is to get oceanographic data into the hands of Indigenous communities in a way that takes advantage of existing, lower-cost wave buoy technology and enables sustained community-led stewardship of the buoys.

Fishing boat in the Marshall Islands. Photo by Phil Welch

Hurricanes bring high water and large waves to American Samoa. Photo by Anderson Tagarino

    Through co-design, the team aims to revolutionize the status quo by providing new tools and new connections that will provide critical safety information at a locally relevant scale.
     “Wave data, for example, can help a local mariner determine whether it is safe to fish that day or travel to another island to deliver goods,” said Melissa Iwamoto, director of PacIOOS and co-principal on the NSF project. “Our partners and users are asking for more ocean information to enhance safety and improve decision-making, and many also want more autonomy in maintaining the instrumentation.”
    She said that collaboration is key to developing solutions. Partners will collectively work to develop solutions to overcome existing hurdles of observing technologies that are too expensive to purchase and sustain when conducted in isolation. They include three regional systems of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS in Hawai‘i and the U.S. Pacific Islands, NANOOS in the northwest U.S. and AOOS in Alaska); Sofar Ocean, a low-cost buoy and sensor company; and Indigenous partners from the Pacific Islands (villages in the Marshall Islands and American Samoa via the Marshall Islands Conservation Society and the National Park of American Samoa), Washington coast (Quiluete Tribe and Quinault Indian Nation) and Alaska (11 whaling villages in the Arctic) .
In the initial phase of the project, partners will work to assess coastal community needs and determine how existing lower-cost Sofar Ocean Spotter wave buoy and     Smart Mooring technologies can address those needs. Working together, they will develop community-driven stewardship programs that can maintain the buoys into the future in partnership with the regional ocean observing systems, utilizing the strengths of the regional systems to serve data to remote communities in ways that work for them.
    The collaboration embraces new, lower-cost technologies and utilizes the power of local ownership for maintaining ocean observations that are critical to serve the blue economy worldwide. The Indigenous communities in turn will provide feedback on the utility of the technologies, as well as offer input on ocean conditions from centuries of local observations. The co-designed approach is in line with the focus of NSF’s Convergence Accelerator: advancing use-inspired solutions into practical applications that address large-scale societal challenges.
    “Increased access to ocean data is essential for coastal communities’ safety and livelihoods,” said Iwamoto. “We are excited by how this project will help us to quickly advance our goals to address our user needs through collaboration with new and existing partners across disciplines and geographies.”
    In addition to providing localized data for coastal communities, the data will be available for large-scale scientific research to improve understanding and prediction of coastal dynamics, especially in a changing ocean, says the UH News.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

U.H. MAUNAKEA RANGERS RESCUED A HIKER NEAR THE SUMMIT ON TUESDAY. According to a post in U.H. News, the lost hiker was rescued in in thick white-out conditions on the Humuʻula Trail at the 13,000 feet elevation on Tuesday, December 21. At around 7 p.m., the Rangers and fire and rescue personnel from the U.S. Army Pohakuloa Training Center trekked for about a mile through heavy snow and sleet to locate the 64-year-old hiker.
    The Rangers, part of UH Hilo Center for Maunakea Stewardship, were able to contact the man via cell phone and pinpoint his location. After one hour of searching, they located the hiker in a small cave in between Waiau Lake and Maunakea Access Road. He was able to walk out on his own but was transported by personnel to the hospital.
    Prior to the hike, at around 10:30 a.m., the man registered with rangers at the Visitor Information Center on Maunakea, as required. Hikers fill out information forms and are briefed on safety protocols, weather and undergo thorough assessment for proper gear. Rangers attempted to contact the man several times after it got dark but were unsuccessful. They later found out he filled out the wrong contact number on his form. The hiker’s calls to 9-1-1 enabled rangers to eventually connect with him and narrowed the search area.  

Maunakea Rangers and rescue and fire personnel assist hiker who was lost at night near the summit in the snow.

    U.H. Maunakea Rangers announced that they want to "remind visitors that dangerous wintry weather can occur with little warning at any time. The public is asked to remember that the summit of Maunakea can be one of the most dangerous places in Hawaiʻi because of the extreme altitude and weather conditions, and emergency services may be two hours away because of its remote location. Cell phone coverage is unreliable, and there is only one public emergency phone on the summit."
    The Maunakea Ranger program was established in 2000 to inform visitors about the cultural, natural and scientific significance of the mauna. They provide daily oversight of activities on UH-managed lands to protect resources and provide public safety.

   
 To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

AT LEAST FOUR CASES OF OMICRON ARE SUSPECTED ON HAWAI'I ISLAND, according to the sate Department of Health. The number of confirmed omicron cases to date statewide is 74, though health officials suspect it is much, much higher. It can take a week to confirm through genome sequencing which Covid cases are omicron. The DOH Laboratories Division also suspects that some of its Covid samples will show Omicron on Maui, according to Wednesday's DOH news release.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See the December and past issues of The Ka`u Calendar
at www.kaucalendar.com.

KAʻŪ COFFEE MILL & VISITOR CENTER. Buy online at kaucoffeemill.com and in person at 96-2694 Wood Valley Road, daily, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.


PUNALUʻU BAKESHOP online at bakeshophawaii.com and in-person 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week in x.


ALIʻI HAWAIʻI HULA HANDS COFFEE. Order by calling 928-0608 or emailing alihhhcoffee@yahoo.com.


AIKANE PLANTATION COFFEE COMPANY. Order online at aikaneplantation.com. Call 808-927-2252


MIRANDA'S FARMS KAʻŪ COFFEE. Order online at mirandafarms.com or, in person at 73-7136 Mamalahoa Hwy. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com..


KUAHIWI RANCH STORE, in person. Shop weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 11 am to 3 p.m. at 95-5520 Hwy 11. Locally processed grass-fed beef, live meat chickens, and feed for cattle, goats, sheep, chickens, horses, dogs, and pigs. Call 929-7333 of 938-1625, email kaohi@kuahiwiranch.com.


DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS, NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO? Call Department of Health's expanded Hawai‘i C.A.R.E.S. program at 1-800-753-6879 – the same number previously used by Crisis Line of Hawai‘i. Individuals in crisis can also text ALOHA to 741741, available 24/7.


LEARN SELF-CARE THROUGH Big Island Substance Abuse Council's Practice Self-Care Series. For additional series that feature refreshing wellness tips, follow the Behavioral Health & Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group at facebook.com/bhhsurg



WOMEN'S COLLECTIVE OFFERS HEALTH PROGRAMS. Piko focuses on reproductive health; increasing access, respect, cultural competence, education, and choice. Pilina aims to grow membership and establish a culture of collaborative decision-making. Follow @kau_womens_health_collective. Contact rootsmedieshawaii@gmail.com. Call 808-450-0498.


YOGA WITH EMILY Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration required; $5 per class. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222.


CHOOSE ALOHA FOR HOME is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together using neuroscience and positive psychology. Program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics." Sign up at chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home.


EDUCATION


Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach and Tutoring Programs at rb.gy/o1o2hy. For keiki grades 1-6. Contact Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (808) 961-5536 or email mobiletutoring@bgcbi.org or info@bgcbi.org.


ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides for Chromebooks and iPads at rb.gy/8er9wm. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.


Invite Park Rangers to Virtually Visit Classes, through connecting with teachers and home-schoolers with distance learning programs and virtual huakaʻi (field trips). Contact havo_education@nps.gov.


Public Libraries are open for WiFi, pick-up, and other services. Nāʻālehu open Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala open Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m., Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., limited entry into library with Wiki Visits. Schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Open for library card account help and reference assistance from the front door. WiFi available to anyone with a library card, from each library parking lot. See librarieshawaii.org.


Free Book Exchanges, at laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu, provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Open to all. Keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them. Selection of books replenished weekly at both sites.


Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.View the Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report at rb.gy/awu65k.


Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through Papakilo Database, papakilodatabase.com.


Virtual Workshops on Hawaiʻi's Legislative Processes through Public Access Room. Sign up by contacting (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Ask questions and discuss all things legislative in a non-partisan environment. Attend Coffee Hour with PAR: Fridays at 3 p.m. on Zoom, meeting ID 990 4865 9652 or click zoom.us/j/99048659652. PAR staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss the legislative process. Anyone wanting to listen in without taking part in discussions is welcome. Learn more at lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.


Online Directory at shopbigisland.com, co-sponsored by County of Hawai‘i, has a signup sheet for local businesses to fill in the blanks. The only requirement is a physical address on this island.
COMMUNITY

Food Assistance: Apply for The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences COVID-19 Family Relief Funds. Funded by Volcano Community Association, and members of the VSAS Friends and Governing Boards, who have donated, the fund supplies KTA or Dimple Cheek Gift Cards, or gift cards to other locally owned business, to VSAS families in need. Contact Kim Miller at 985-8537, kmiller@volcanoschool.net. Contributions to the fund can be sent in by check to: VSAS, PO Box 845, Volcano, HI 96785 – write Relief Fund in the memo. See volcanoschool.net


ENROLL CHILDREN, from first through eighth grade, in Kula ʻAmakihi, a program from Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences. It started Aug. 3. Call 808-985- 9800 or visit www.volcanoschool.net.


WALK THROUGH A GUIDED NATURE TRAIL & Sculpture Garden, Mondays, 9:30 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. No reservations for five or fewer – limited to ten people. Free; donations appreciated. Email programs@volcanoartcenter.org. Garden is open to walk through at one's own pace, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. www.volcanoartcenter.org. Call 967-8222.


KAʻŪ ART GALLERY is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Nāʻālehu. It features and sells works by local artists and offers other gift items. "We are always looking to collaborate with local artists in our community," said assistant Alexandra Kaupu. Artists with an interest in being featured at Kaʻū Art Gallery and Gift Shop, contact gallery owner and director Corrine Kaupu at kauartgallery@hawaiiantel.biz.


GOLF & MEMBERSHIPS for Discovery Harbour Golf Course and its Clubhouse: The Club offers Social Memberships, with future use of the clubhouse and current use of the pickleball courts as well as walking and running on specified areas of the golf course before 8 a.m. and after 3 p.m. to enjoy the panoramiocean views. Golf memberships range from unlimited play for the avid golfer to casual play options. Membership is required to play and practice golf on the course. All golf memberships include Social Membership amenities. Membership fees are designed to help underwrite programs and improvements to the facilities.Call 808-731-5122 or stop by the Clubhouse during business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 94-1581 Kaulua Circle. Email clubatdiscoveryharbour@gmail.com. See The Club at Discovery Harbour Facebook page.


ALOHA FRIDAY MARKETPLACE, hosted by Main Street, is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., grounds of The Old Shirakawa Estate in Waiʻohinu. It features: Made in Hawai'i Products, Organic Produce, Creative Crafts, ARt, Flower and Plants, Food, Ka`u Coffee, Gluen Free Low Carb Goodies, Wellness Services and Products, Clothing, Hand Crafted Treats, Music and more. Vendor and customer inquiries: AlohaFridayMarket@gmail.com.


VOLCANO FARMERS MARKET, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays. 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Hawai‘i Coffee. Cooper Center's EBT Machine, used at the Farmer's Market, is out of service until further notice. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.


OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY MARKET, open Saturdays and Thursdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Managed by Mark Council. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in upper lot only. Vendors must provide own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling encouraged.


O KAʻŪ KĀKOU MARKET, in Nāʻālehu, open Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers per hour, 20 vendor booths, with 20 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing required, social distancing enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.


OCEAN VIEW SWAP MEET is open at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.


BUY LOCAL GIFTS ONLINE, IN-PERSON


VOLCANO ART CENTER ONLINE, in person. Shop at Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Virtual Shopping Appointments offered via Skype or FaceTime. Book at volcanoartcenter.org/shop for $5. Shop online gallery 24/7. Orders shipped or free local pickup available. See the VAC Virtual Classroom, which features over 90 videos. See volcanoartcenter.org/events, call 967-8222.