The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Saturday, April 02, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Saturday, April 2, 2022

Photo on June 24, 2018 shows lava fountains from fissure 8, vigorously supplying lava that exited the cinder cone

and dropped over a spillway to enter a well-published lava channel that extended to the sea in lower Puna. Fissure 8

was the dominant vent during Kīlauea’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption.It was officially named Ahuʻailāʻau in 2021.

USGS image

BIG ON A GLOBAL SCALE WAS THE 2018 KILAUEA VOLCANO ERUPTION. That is the subject of this week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:

The 2018 eruption of Kīlauea volcano had devastating effects on the lower Puna district, destroying hundreds of homes, burying subdivisions, and permanently affecting the lives of thousands of residents. The voluminous lava flow had a major impact on the Island of Hawaiʻi, but how does it compare to other lava flow eruptions on Earth in recent history?

Let’s start with what we know about the size of the 2018 eruption. Recent measurements by U.S. Geological Survey researcher Hannah Dietterich and collaborators using digital elevation models and unoccupied aircraft systems have produced an estimate of the volume of the 2018 lava flow. The high-end estimate is 1.4 cubic kilometers (or about 0.34 cubic miles). The estimate has a range because it is difficult to measure the volume of the lava that poured into the ocean.

Unoccupied Aircraft Systems and digital elevation models helped to determine
the volume of the 2028 eruption of Kilauea. USGS photo

To get a sense of how voluminous the 2018 lava is, imagine a giant cube of lava sitting on the ground that is 0.7 miles tall—or about three times as tall as the Empire State Building. For Island of Hawaiʻi residents, this is about 27 times as tall as Bayshore Towers in Hilo. It turns out, there are only a handful of lava flow eruptions worldwide in the past few hundred years that have produced more than a cubic kilometer (0.24 cubic miles) of lava.
The largest in Hawaiʻi in recent centuries was the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption, which produced 4.4 cubic kilometers (1.1 cubic miles) of lava. However, that eruption lasted 35 years compared to the 4 months of the 2018 LERZ eruption. The Puʻuʻōʻō eruption destroyed 215 structures, compared to over 700 destroyed in the 2018 eruption.
Other large volume lava flows occurred in Russia and Iceland. The Tolbachik eruption of 1975–76, in

The largest volume of lava in Hawaiʻi in recent centuries
came from Puʻuʻōʻō, which produced 4.4 cubic
kilometers (1.1 cubic miles) of lava. USGS photo

Kamchatka, Russia, lasted a year and a half and produced about 2 cubic kilometers (0.48 cubic miles) of lava. In 2014–15, the six-month-long eruption of Bárðarbunga in Iceland produced the Holuhraun lava flow, about 1.4 cubic kilometers (0.34 cubic miles) in volume.
In both the Tolbachik and Bárðarbunga eruptions, the lava flows issued from the flanks of the volcano and triggered subsidence at the summit as the magma chamber drained, similar to what happened in 2018 at Kīlauea. The Tolbachik and Bárðarbunga eruptions occurred in remote areas, with no significant destruction of populated areas.
An eruption in the Canary Islands, Spain, made the list as well. The Lanzarote eruption of 1730–1736 produced 2 cubic kilometers (0.48 cubic miles) of lava and destroyed numerous villages on the flank of the volcano.
The recent eruption of Cumbre Vieja, on La Palma in the Canary Islands, in 2021 was impressive in vigor but we could not yet find published volume estimates for the lava flow. Regardless of the flow volume, the destruction was immense, with about 3,000 buildings destroyed.
Another large eruption happened at Paricutin volcano, in Mexico, in 1943, when a fissure opened in a cornfield and continued erupting for 9 years, producing a lava flow with a volume of 1.6 cubic kilometers (0.38 cubic miles).
None of these eruptions, however, come close to the size and impact of the Laki eruption in Iceland in 1783. Over eight months about 14.7 cubic kilometers (3.5 cubic miles) of lava covered the landscape, destroying several dozen villages. The volcanic gases poisoned livestock and destroyed crops, leading to a major famine in Iceland that killed thousands. It also affected weather in Europe. Ben Franklin, the U.S. ambassador living in France at the time, remarked on how the strange fog that summer may have come from the Iceland volcano.
That giant cube of lava from Laki would be 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) tall.
There may be other lava flows greater than one cubic kilometer that we’ve missed in our quick compilation here, but the fact remains these are very rare events. We can see that the 2018 Kīlauea lava flow was among the top lava flow eruptions on Earth in recent centuries. The eruption was not only remarkable in scale for Hawaiʻi, but also worldwide.

What are the takeaways from a compilation like this? Like earthquakes, most lava flows are small, and only a tiny fraction are massive like the ones mentioned here. But even though these large lava flows are rare events, when they occur in populated areas, the impacts can be devastating and long lasting.

Activity continued in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea over the last week. This photo from Marcy 29 shows spattering at the margin of the active lava lake, along with lava pouring from a small cone in the northeast portion of the
crater floor. USGS image by M. Patrick

Volcano Activity Updates: Kīlauea volcano is erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is at WATCH (https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/volcano-hazards/about-alert-levels). Kīlauea updates are issued daily.
Over the past week, lava has continued to erupt from the western vent within Halemaʻumaʻu crater. All lava is confined within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain elevated and were last measured at approximately 1,400 tonnes per day (t/d) on March 23, 2022. Seismicity is elevated but stable, with few earthquakes and ongoing volcanic tremor. Summit tiltmeters show relatively little ground deformation over the past week. For more information on the current eruption of Kīlauea, see https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/recent-eruption.
Mauna Loa is not erupting and remains at Volcano Alert Level ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption from the current level of unrest is certain. Mauna Loa updates are issued weekly.
This past week, about 65 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded below the summit and upper elevation flanks of Mauna Loa—the majority of these occurred at shallow depths less than 15 kilometers (9 miles) below sea level. Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements show low rates of ground deformation over the past week. Gas concentrations and fumarole temperatures at both the summit and at Sulphur Cone on the Southwest Rift Zone have remained stable over the past week. Webcams show no changes to the landscape. For more information on current monitoring of Mauna Loa, see: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mauna-loa/monitoring.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/.See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano

DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA received two thumbs up votes from Hawai'i Congressmen Kai Kaehele and Ed Case this week. A statement from Kahele;s office said, "U.S. Rep. Kaialiʻi Kahele voted for historic criminal justice reform legislation to advance racial and economic justice. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act will expunge the records of those harmed by cannabis criminalization, create opportunities for all to participate in the legal cannabis industry and decriminalize cannabis at the federal level."

Kai Kahele visits a legal cannabis farm and votes
to federally decriminalize cannabis. Photo from Kahele

Kahele said, “I joined my colleagues in the House and voted in favor of delivering justice for those harmed by decades of unjust federal drug laws. The MORE Act means implementing smarter, fairer cannabis policies for Hawaiʻi. This landmark legislation advances racial, economic and social justice. It opens the door to prosperity for minority-owned cannabis businesses and would federally decriminalize cannabis.”
Despite reform laws passed in 47 states, the enforcement of federal cannabis criminalization continues to "disproportionately harm people of color and hold many back from the benefits of the legal cannabis marketplace," said Kahele's office statement. "People of color are four times more likely to be arrested on cannabis charges – and are often targeted for longer prison sentences. Because prior cannabis convictions bar many individuals from entering the cannabis industry, only one-fifth of cannabis businesses are minority-owned and only four percent of owners are Black."
Similar to previous legislation passed by the Democratic House in 2020, the MORE Act will help ensure that those harmed by criminalization can take full advantage of the legal and growing cannabis industry. In addition to expunging cannabis-related convictions and removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, this legislation establishes the Opportunity Trust Fund to provide loans for small disadvantaged cannabis businesses, promote equitable cannabis licensing programs and fund re-entry services for those harmed by cannabis criminalization. It also prohibits the denial of any federal benefit based on the legal use or possession of cannabis, including housing.

HAWAI'I FARMERS UNION UNITED is urging the public to support bills that go to public hearings on Monday at the Hawai'i Legislature.

SB3197 would establish a Farmer Apprenticeship Mentoring Program and make an appropriation to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to support it.

SB2989 would require Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program with a Special Fund.

SB3004 would establish and appropriate funds for a compost reimbursement program within the Department of Agriculture and one full-time permanent compost reimbursement program manager position to oversee it. It would require an annual progress report of the program to the legislature prior to each regular session.

SB2865 would authorize issuance of special purpose revenue bonds to assist DIBSHawaii LLC in the construction of a net-zero carbon capture storage utilization platform that will recover vented carbon dioxide emissions and scrub and liquify them into food grade liquid carbon dioxide.

To submit testimony, go to https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/

See The Ka'u Calendar April edition at
www.kaucalendar.com,
on newsstands and in the mail.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

Friday, April 01, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Friday, April 1, 2022

The late Edith Kanaka'ole, who will grace a quarter printed by the U.S. Mint, her husband Luka. See more below.
Image from Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation

SHANE PALACAT-NELSEN IS A CANDIDATE FOR COUNTY COUNCIL to serve Ka'ū into Kona. The 52 year-old from Napo'opo'o is President of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Hawai'i District Council. He said that for many generations, "my family has helped shape the evolution of South Kona and parts of Ka'ū stemming from historical events that led to the Kamehameha's first key victory at the Battle of Mokuʻohai in Ke'ei."
He noted that his family was involved in producing the first coffee mill in Hawaiʻi at Nāpoʻopoʻo, in reviving traditional practices at Hikiau and ʻAleʻaleʻa heiau, and in restoring Native Hawaiian concepts

Shane Palacat-Nelsen

within community development and planning. "My Gaspar and Grace 'ohana have worked resourcefully and in service to our community, and today I am excited to continue this legacy and announce my candidacy for County Council, District 6."
Palacat-Nelsen was born and raised in Napo'opo'o, graduated from Konawaena High and attended Hawai'i Pacific University. He said he grew up in South Kona "when everyone I knew picked coffee after school, and our family would go fishing and shoreline gathering on Sundays for our dinners for the coming week. This very special place has come a long way since those days, and we need to navigate the course ahead to ensure our community remains vibrant, can access opportunities for economic development, and is well-served by our county government."
For the past ten years, he has led community engagement initiatives such as directing and providing advocacy and outreach efforts to garnish support for the Miloliʻi Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area and assisted with grants for local communities for such missions as restoring, preserving, and educating ʻōpelu fishing traditions at Hoʻokena and Miloliʻi.
Palacat-Nelsen also organized economic resilience workshops for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs through its West Hawai'i office. "From leveraging financial and capacity building resources and adequately distributing them to support our community efficiently, especially during one of the most challenging times in our lives, I've facilitated Federal, State, and County agencies, and non-profit organizations including Kamehameha Schools, Liliʻuokalani Trust, local farmers, merchants and non-profit organizations." Among the tasks was "pulling our resources together to distribute food and hygiene to Hawaiʻi island residents. We extended our efforts to include temporary financial assistance for those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic."
Prior to this role, like many residents of Kona, Palacat-Nelsen said, he spent many years working in the hotel industry. "I started as a Financial Analyst in 2001 at The Fairmont Orchid, eventually taking on management roles. Over the years, my responsibilities changed, and I learned a great deal about developing processes to optimize efficiency and accountability in operations while leading a team to deliver high-quality and authentic services to all guests."

Shane Palacat-Nelsen, right, with Kahakaʻio Ravenscraft
during a reforestation project.

The candidate said his professional experiences "have parlayed into advisory roles. As chair of the Kahu Kū Mauna Advisory Council to the University of Hawaiʻi on the management of Mauna Kea, the Vice-Chair of the Kona Community Development Action Committee, a board member of the Kona Historical Society, and president of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs' Hawaiʻi District Council, I am grateful for these opportunities to offer insights into community needs and interests to inform and educate decision makers." Palacat-Nelsen said he is most proud of the "collaborative work in designing and implementing communication and consultation spaces I refer to as 'the lōkahi table' that bridges community-based knowledge to government resources especially in arenas of economic and community development. Outside the office is equally important.
"On the weekends, you will find me restoring and maintaining traditional farmland terraces and planting crops such as mamaki, kalo, ʻawa, and native plantains, to working on reforestation projects that utilize traditional concepts and protocols in the South Kona Forest Reserve, and assisting in the restoration of kiʻi images at the Hale o Keawe in Hōnaunau as a lineal descendant consultant and traditional carver.
"You will also find me assisting fishpond restoration efforts at Kaloko fishpond where my paternal grandfather grew up. Among conservation planning and activities, I am excited in my new endeavor to restore the coral and natural water passages at Kealakekua Bay. I enjoy working within the community in providing options that best suit our community, by means of collaborating with individuals and experts."
As the council member for Kona and Ka'ū, Palacat-Nelsen said, "I will bring this collection of experiences to the table and build the necessary bridges to deliver government resources to community. There are new, once-in-a-lifetime federal funding opportunities for infrastructure and jobs, and we cannot afford to standby and miss the opportunity. We must do this while holding everyone to the highest accountability and transparency standards."
Contact the candidate at shane@shaneforhawaii.com. See www.shaneforhawaii.com.

U.S. MINT WILL PRINT KANAKA'OLE QUARTERS FOR CIRCULATION. "George Washington will be sharing some space with a native Hawaian hula teacher next year." That's The New York Times lead into the story today about Edith Kanaka'ole, the native Hawaiian Kumu Hula, selected for her image to grace U.S. quarters. Other outstanding women in history with their images to be printed by the US. Mint on quarters next year will be Bessie Coleman, first black and first Native American woman airplane pilot; Mexican American journalist and activist Jvita Idár; First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, famous for human rights work, and Maria Tallchief, the first Native American prima ballerina. The flip side of all the quarters will feature George Washington.
A statement from U.S. Mint described Kanaka'ole as an "indigenous Hawaiian composer, chanter, dancer, teacher, and entertainer. Her moʻolelo, or stories, served to rescue aspects of Hawaiian history, customs, and traditions that were disappearing due to the cultural bigotry of the time."

Honorees of the 2023 American Women Quarters Program
include Edith Kanaka'ole, upper right. Image from American Mint.

She lived from 1913 - 1979.

In a statement from the Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation, its Executive Director and Kanaka‘ole’s granddaughter Huihui Kanahele-Mossman, Ph.D., said, “This is an unbelievable honor for our family, for our body of work at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation in carrying on her legacy and her teachings, for our home and for our people.”

Pualani Kanaka‘ole Kanahele, Ph.D., a daughter of the late Kanaka‘ole, a cultural resource herself, said, “my mother was a ‘pusher’ but she always did it with a smile. She pushed all six of her children, when it was not yet a natural process for Hawaiians, towards Higher Education to earn a degree. When she became an Instructor at the University of Hawaiʻi in Hilo she encouraged Hawaiian students to 1) maintain their stay and earn their degree, 2) know who they were as Hawaiians and elevate the status of the Lāhui.”

Another legacy is Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium in Hilo, the home of the Merrie Monarch, the world's most esteemed hula competition and festival.

U.S. Mint Deputy Director Ventris C. Gibson said, “The range of accomplishments and experiences of these extraordinary women speak to the contributions women have always made in the history of our country. I am proud that the Mint continues to connect America through coins by honoring these pioneering women and their groundbreaking contributions to our society.”

Three Mountain Alliance invites students grades six through 12 to sign up for outdoor adventures and mālama
ʻāina in Ka'u at Keauhou in Volcano. Photo from Three Mountain Alliance

KAHUAPONO, A FREE ʻĀINA-BASED SUMMER PROGRAM IN KAʻŪ at Keauhou will be sponsored by the Three Mountain Alliance for students in grades six through 12 who are interested in outdoor adventures and mālama ʻāina. The two-week program will run Monday to Friday from June 27 to July 8, 2022 and will take place in Kaʻū at the end of Piʻimauna Drive in Volcano i Keauhou.

According to the program website, "The program takes students to natural areas across Hawaiʻi Island to learn about Hawaiʻi's unique plants, animals, and ecosystems. Students leave with a sense of place and responsibility to care for our island home." Applications are being accepted until May 13. Students must be a resident of Hawaiʻi Island to apply. To learn more and download an application, go to www.threemountainalliance.org/kahuapono.

Melvin Burgo, of Ocean View

A BURGLARY ON NĪNOLE LOOP AT PUNALU'U LED TO

ARRESTS. Hawai‘i Island police reported on Friday, they arrested and charged a man and woman, in connection with theft of building materials at the jobsite at 95-800 Nīnole Loop. The police report said that responding to an 8:15 a.m. call, police determined that a construction employee arriving at a job site encountered two suspects inside a building under renovation. The suspects left the scene in a vehicle after being confronted, and no injuries were reported.

The employee told police that previously laid flooring material in the building had been pulled up and stacked in piles with estimated repair costs around $4,000.
At 9:15 a.m., after making a traffic stop of the suspect’s vehicle in Nā‘ālehu town, police arrested 55-year-old Melvin Burgo, of Ocean View, and 43-year-old Tisha Thompson of Mountain View, on suspicion of burglary. Both were taken to the Nā‘ālehu police station while investigators with the Ka‘ū patrol division continued the investigation.

Tisha Thompson, of Mountain View

Later that day, after consulting with the County Prosecutors Office, both Burgo and Thompson were charged with one count of second-degree burglary with bail set at $2,000 each. Thompson was also arrested and charged for an outstanding criminal contempt of court warrant, with an additional $1,000 bail being set on her warrant.
Both were taken to the Kona cellblock where they remain in custody pending their initial court appearance April 1 in Kona District Court.
Anyone who may have information of this incident is asked to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Officer Jenna Kosinski-Santos of the Ka‘ū patrol division at (808) 939-2520.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 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 does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/.See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

Upcoming Events for Kaʻū and Volcano

Aumākua, personal family Hawaiian gods that are often wildlife, are depicted in the David Maes Gallegos
show at Volcano Art Center Gallery through Sept. 18. His new art also focuses on hula.

Image from Volcano Art Center

UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES

THE JOB FAIR: PROJECT HOMEGROWN HIRES is this Friday, Aug, 26 at Nāʻālehu Elementary School Gym from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sponsored by the state Department of Education, the slogan is Growing Our School Communities. Workers are sought for Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pahala Elementary. Bring government ID, Social Security Card, COVID info and TB info.

ʻĀina Akamu, Joyce Iwasihta and Kelson Gallano at the book launch on May 5

at Kaʻū High with the image of Pu'u Makanauby Gallano gracing the cover.

Gallano and Iwashita will present the book again at Basically Books

in Hilo on Saturday, Aug. 27. Photo from Hawai'i Executive Collaborative

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW, the new book by Kaʻū High School 2022 graduate and artist Kelson Gallano and educator and Kaʻū alumna Joyce Iwashita, will be featured at a Petroglyph Press event at Basically Books in Hilo, with talk story and book signing this Saturday, Aug. 27, 1 p.m.

Subtitle of the book is A Guide for Helping Kids Make Good Choices. See the story at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022_05_05_archive.html. Proceeds of the book sales benefit art education and literacy at Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School.

HAWAI'I POLICE DEPARTMENT IS RECRUITING WITH PAY STARTING AT $65K+. Applicants must apply using the County of Hawaiʻi Job Opportunities web page and create an account. Deadline is Tuesday, Aug. 30.

Jean Pierre Thoma

JAZZ IN THE FOREST returns to Volcano Art Center Niaulani campus on Saturday, Sept. 10. The Tribute to Duke Ellington is called A Prelude to a Kiss. JP and the Jazztones will feature Jean Pierre Thoma on clarinet, and soprano, alto and tenor saxophones; Vocalist Binto Bailey, pianist Alex Czerny, bassist Brian McCree, and percussionist Noa Eads. 19-4074 Old Volcano Road in Volcano Village. Doors open at 5 p.m. The concert begins at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $30/ $25 for VAC members.

CIRCLE OF LIFE: KA PO'AI O KE OLA is the David Maes Gallegos show at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The images are of hula and 'aumākua, personal gods. The exhibition runs through Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. A reception for the artist will be Saturday, Aug. 27 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. While admission is free, park entrance fees apply.

SIGN UP FOR KAʻŪ COFFEE TRAIL RUNS with a change of date from July 3 to Sept. 17. Registration deadline for the annual event is Sept. 14. Organized by Hawaiʻi Island Racers, the 50K begins at 6 a.m., Half Marathon at 7 a.m., and 5K at 7:15 a.m., all starting from Kaʻū Coffee Mill at 96-2696 Wood Valley Road in Pāhala. Proceeds go to support ʻO Kaʻū Kakou. For more details on the event and registration fees, visit https://www.kaucoffeetrailruns.com/.

IRA ONO'S TRASH ART SHOW HAS ISSUED A CALL FOR ENTRIES. The 33rd annual event, founded by the artist who lives in Volcano at his Volcano Garden Arts compound, will be held at East Hawai'i Cultural Center in Hilo from Oct. 7 through Nov. 25. The address of the venue is 141 Kalakaua St., Hilo.

Entries are due on Oct. 1 at East Hawai'i Cultural Center for delivery between 9 a.m. and noon. Entry forms are available at https://ehcc.org/content/call-entry-trash-art-show-2022.

TREE CANOPY FELLOWSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE: Each fellow will receive a stipend of $5,000 and be supported by mentors to guide research and connect to a network of agency and industry partners. Applications due online by Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. See Tree Canopy Viewer Fellowship Application at

https://www.cognitoforms.com/HawaiiDivisionOfForestryAndWildlife/KaulunaniUrbanCommunityForestryTreeCanopyViewerFellowshipProgram2022. Contact Heather McMillen, Kaulunani Program Coordinator, at heather.l.mcmillen@hawaii.gov. Learn more about the Tree Canopy in Hawai'i at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov /forestry/lap/kaulunani/tree-canopy-viewer-hawai%ca%bbi/.

Big trees provide huge shaded areas for outdoor gatherings in Kaʻū. Tree Canopy Fellowship applications are
due Sept. 15. Photo by Julia Neal

ASSISTANCE FOR AGRICULTURE IN KA’Ū

GRANTS UP TO $5K FOR SMALL-SCALE GARDENING, HERDING AND LIVESTOCK to reduce food insecurity are available from the state Department of Agriculture. A zoom webinar is this Wednesday, Aug. 24 at noon. The link is https://zoom.us/j/93608996520; or one tap mobile : US: +12532158782,,93608996520# or +13462487799,,93608996520#.

The money is to be used for Small-Scale Gardening – purchase tools or equipment, soil, seeds, plants, canning equipment, refrigeration, composting equipment, towers, hydroponic and aeroponic farming.

It can also be used for Small-Scale Herding and Livestock Operations – purchase animals, buy, erect or repair fencing for livestock.

The Micro-Grants for Food Security Program aims to help produce food in areas that are food insecure. The program has $3 million to distribute, $2 million for this year’s grant funds plus $1 million carried over from last year when 177 grants were awarded statewide. Funding is provided through U.S. Department of Agriculture under the 2018 Farm Bill.

The online application form and program information are available at the Market Development Branch website at: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/add/md/. Deadline to apply is noon, Sept. 19.

FARMERS AND RANCHERS CAN APPLY FOR HELP WITH TRANSPORTATION COSTS, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Services Administration. Funding for the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment program has increased in Hawaiʻi and Pacific Basin to $3 million for fiscal year 2022 and enrollment is being taken through Sept. 2. Farmers and ranchers can obtain applications and other documents by calling toll-free 1-866-794-1079 or by contacting FSA at the local USDA Service Center.

FREE FOOD

ST JUDE'S HOT MEALS are free to those in need on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until they run out, no later than noon. Volunteers from the community are welcome to help and can contact Karen at pooch53@gmail.com. Location is 8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View.

Image from St. Jude's Episcopal Church.

OCEAN VIEW KA’Ū PANTRY FOOD DISTRIBUTION, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 9:30 a.m. - Pau. at St. Jude's Episcopal Church above the county Kahuku Park, Sponsored by Hawai'i Island Food Basket.

O KA’Ū KAKOU FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 10 a.m. - Pau. Ka'u District Gym in Pahala. Sponsored by Hawai'i Island Food Basket.

COOPER CENTER COMMUNITY PANTRY FOOD DISTRIBUTION, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. at 19-4030 Wright Road in Volcano. Sponsored by Hawai'i Island Food Basket.

KUPUNA FOOD BASKET, Thursday, Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Kaʻū District Gym. Sponsored by Hawai'i Island Food Basket.

OUTDOOR MARKETS

VOLCANO EVENING MARKET, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with live music, artisan crafts, ono grinds, and fresh produce. See facebook.com/Volcano-Evening-Market-105888795330870.

VOLCANO SWAP MEET on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Come check them out for a large variety of vendors with numerous different products. Tools, clothes, books, toys, local made healing extract and creams, antiques, jewelry, gemstones, crystals, food, music, plants, fruits, and vegetables. They also offer cakes, coffee, and shave ice.

VOLCANO FARMERS MARKET, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Kaʻū Coffee. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.

‘O KA’Ū KĀKOU MARKET, in Nāʻālehu, open Wednesday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Nadine Ebert at 808-938-5124 or June Domondon 808-938-4875. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.

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

OCEAN VIEW SWAP MEET 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.

ALOHA FRIDAY MARKETPLACE is hosted by Nāʻālehu Main Street on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the grounds of the Old Shirakawa Estate in Waiʻōhinu. It features Made in Hawai’i products, organic produce, creative crafts, art, flowers & plants, food, music, and more. Email AlohaFridayMarket@gmail.com.

THE BOOK SHACK is open every Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Kauahaʻao Congregational Church grounds, located at 95-1642 Pinao St. in Waiʻōhinu.

DAILY/WEEKLY/MONTHLY

PICKLEBALL at Kahuku Park in Ocean View on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. To learn more and register, contact Jaquie Woodmansee at (808) 929-7092.

YOGA at Kahuku Park in Ocean View on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 - 10 a.m. To learn more and register, contact Trisha Meyer at +1 (208) 353-3594.

NET RECOVERY PATROL on Mondays with Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund. The team and core volunteers conduct marine debris recovery efforts targeting large debris items, including derelict fishing net and line bundles, that are especially hazardous to marine wildlife. Due to Covid 19 restrictions, these events are limited to current HWF volunteers. Contact kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com for more info. Check https://www.wildhawaii.org/ with its HWF calendar for more opportunities to get involved with its bi-weekly net recovery patrols.

ST. JUDE'S SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR SHOWER MINISTRY on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. If interested in volunteering, contact Cynthia Cutts at cynthiaanncutts@gmail.com or call the Church phone number (808) 939-7000.

ST. JUDE'S SHOWER MINISTRY open to the public on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, with hot water, soap, shampoo, conditioner, and clean towels. Masks and social distancing are required before and after showering. The long standing public shower service, put on pause by Covid, is supported by the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi's Commission on Mission Beyond Church and St. Jude's own outreach fund. Location is 8606 Paradise Circle Drive in Ocean View. Members of the congregation built the facility.

ST. JUDE'S COMPUTER LAB open Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Work-Station Laptops will be provided. Printing and shredding is available. Training sessions on Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint and assistance with setting up email accounts, Facebook, Zoom, and more are provided. Assigned times are available for individual help. Game playing is limited and no streaming is allowed. Privileges can be suspended by Administrator or Lab Coordinator.

FREE HELP WITH FAMILY HISTORY in Kaʻū is available 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Wednesday. All are welcome to the Family History Center. The aim is to "Come Discover Your Past," says the statement from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which hosts the weekly sessions at 95-5682 Hawaiʻi Belt Road in Nāʻālehu. The drop-in assistance includes free Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org, and other online resources.

KAHUKU RANGER GUIDED HIKES, Saturdays and Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Join a Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park ranger to learn about the history, geology, and ecology of Kahuku while hiking through varied landscapes. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station. See www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/kahuku.htm.

About The Kaʻū Calendar

Saturday, April 02, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Saturday, April 2, 2022

Friday, April 01, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Friday, April 1, 2022

Upcoming Events for Kaʻū and Volcano