Ka‘ū News Briefs, Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Kai Kahele has signed up for public funding in the race for Hawaiʻi governor, which limits his
campaign spending to $11 million. See more below. Photo from Friends of Kai Kahele

A TAIL BOOM SEPARATED FROM THE HELICOPTER, CAUSING THE KAʻŪ CRASH on June 8. That is the word from the National Transportation Safety Board regarding the Paradise Helicopter that went down around 5:26 p.m. as it traveled between Ocean View Ranchos and South Point Road during a round-the-island sunset flightseeing tour that originated at the airport in Kona. The crash led to injuries among the six on board, including serious injuries to the pilot and two passengers. The preliminary report from NTSB came out on Wednesday describing the tail boom separating from the fuselage of the Bell 407,

Hawaiʻi Fire Department photo of Paradise
Helicopter fuselage after crash in Kaʻū.

causing it to shake violently and spin, according to a passenger who also reported seeing something fall from the helicopter. The copter landed hard on a remote stretch of lava, far from any road.
    The victims were air lifted to an ambulance, with one taken by air to the hospital.
    Investigators found the tail boom some 762 feet away from the fuselage, main rotor system and engine. The NTSB preliminary report noted the likelihood of fatigue of one tail boom fastener that was found with the wreckage. Another fastener is missing. The helicopter was about 25 years old. The NSTB final report is expected in about a year, after more investigation and examination of its remains at a hangar in Hilo and the completion of results of testing of its parts at laboratories specializing in this field.
    Calvin Dorn, founder and chair of Paradise Helicopters, which is owned by K&S Helicopters, said the company "is working closely with the pilot, NTSB, FAA, and Bell, to support a thorough investigation of the June 8 accident on the Island of Hawaiʻi. All Bell 407 aircraft operated by K&S Helicopters have been voluntarily grounded out of an abundance of caution until further safety determinations can be made. The company is in the process of reviewing the preliminary NTSB findings, and we will continue to work with investigators as they complete a final report.”

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

KAI KAHELE MADE THE OFFICIAL COMMITMENT TO REFRAIN FROM BIG DONOR FUNDING. In the race for the Hawaiʻi governorship, Kahele raised enough small donations, some $104,000, to qualify him for matching funding from the state. He went to the Hawaiʻi State Campaign Spending Commission this week and filed an Application for Public Funds and Statement of Qualifying Campaign Contributions. Choosing the public funding option means he is not allowed to spend more than $2.1 million on his campaign. He also vowed to refrain from receiving money from corporations, Political Action Committees, unions and other big campaign spenders, limiting contributions to $100 from each person. He said he will not hold campaign fundraising events for the 2022 election.
    In the past, Kahele did receive union and corporate money for his campaigns for state senate and the U.S. congress. In a press conference, he said, "I realize I was part of the problem. I am trying to change it."

    His chief opponent, Lt. Gov. Josh Green, started his campaign early, and has raised

On June 12, gubernatorial candidate Kai Kahele signed a
pledge to support working people and "stand against big
 money and corporate influence that has held our State
 back from progress." Photo from Kahele

more more than $1.1 million for his war chest through contributions from a wide range of individual, corporate, union and PAC supporters.
    Another Democratic contender Vicky Cayetano has received $665,000 for her campaign.
    Kahele said, "Our campaign is fueled by everyday people. It is fueled by grass roots donors from across the state who believe that it is time for change in Hawaiʻi politics, who are tired of the status quo; who are tired of the rot and the corruption in our government."
    Kahele's campaign platform at www.kaikahele.com makes a call to supercharge public campaign funding, lower contribution limits, cap campaign war chests, prohibit corporate and union contributions, and regulate bundling of contributions. It also calls for banning contributions to legislators' campaigns while the Hawaiʻi Legislature is in session.

    On June 12, Kahele signed a pledge to support working people and "stand against big money and corporate influence that has held our State back from progress."  

    A statement from Kahele's campaign says, "Nearly 1,400 individual contributions from around the state contributed to the campaignʼs initial eligibility to file for public funds."
    Kahele said, “We are honored by the tremendous show of support from working-class families across the state that has helped us achieve a remarkable feat in record time. Our campaign is powered by the number of people that support us rather than the number of dollars, and we are proud to be truly forging a movement that aims to restore trust in our government and its elected officials. We are committed to getting big money and special interests out of politics so that we can return Hawaiʻi to the people, and the groundswell of support we’ve seen thus far validates our message and gives us hope that our communities are ready for us to lead that change.”

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

MINIMUM WAGE WILL GO UP  TO $18 AN HOUR BY 2028 THROUGH A SERIES OF HIKES over the next six years, upping it from the current $10.10 per hour. Gov. David Ige signed the bill on Wednesday that passed the 2022 Hawaiʻi Legislature. The first hike is Oct. 1 when minimum wage will be $12 an hour. The measure signed by the governor also gives a one-time tax refund for the 2021 tax year.

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

See The Kaʻū Calendar June edition at www.kaucalendar.com.

VOLCANO VILLAGE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE welcomes walking and riding groups and individuals. It is sponsored by Volcano Community Association in Volcano Village from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Monday, July 4 parade starts at the Post Office at 9 a.m. and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Rd., followed by Cooper Center’s Independence Day celebration packed with live entertainment, craft and food vendors, keiki games and a large silent auction from 9 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. Parking maps can be found at www.thecoopercenter.org. (No parking at Cooper Center except handicap permitted vehicles with prior reservation.)

SPONSOR A BUCKLE, VOTE FOR RODEO QUEEN ahead of the Saturday, July 9 Rodeo organized by Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association and ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. Event to be held on the rodeo grounds behind Nāʻālehu Park. Call 808-854-7917.

BECOME A SPONSOR AT THE 3RD ANNUAL EXPERIENCE VOLCANO FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Last year, over 2,500 visitors attended and over 40 events were featured during the EVH festival. Sign up as a sponsor at experiencevolcano.com. If you have questions, contact experiencevolcano@gmail.com. All vendor locations are taken.

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/.

 EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORS OF THE KAʻŪ CALENDAR
at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/05/sponsors-of-kau-calendar.html

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Police Chief Paul Ferreira, who retires Sept. 1 after 40 years of Hawaiʻi Police Department service, swore in
 new officers during his almost six years as Chief. See more below. Photo from Big Island Video News

HELE-ON HOLA HOA VANPOOL LAUNCHES TO CARRY PEOPLE TO AND FROM WORK. County of Hawaiʻi announced its new Vanpool program on Tuesday, to subsidize 30 vans at $500 a month. The service is provided by Commute with Enterprise and Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network. Four to 15 commuters who live near one another team up to vanpool. In some cases the employer with enough workers in an area will organize and pay for the costs or share the costs with workers.

"The average driver spends about $600 a month on fuel and vehicle expenses, whereas the average vanpool rider spends about $80 to $150 a month, based on seven passengers contributing to the cost," said John Andoh, Mass Transit Administrator & General Manager of Hele-On. "By joining a vanpool, you can avoid commuting's wear and tear on your vehicle and save money on transportation by splitting the cost with fellow riders."

John Andoh, manager of Hele-on, and Mass
Transit Administrator for Hawai'i County.

     Potential destinations that Hele-On Vanpool could target are work places that have companies with large commuter populations. Such companies in Kaʻū include those in the macadamia and coffee industries.

    The statement from the county says, "The Enterprise team works with organizational leaders to create commuting solutions that improve recruiting, retention, and employee engagement, while driving productivity, lowering infrastructure costs, and reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, vanpooling further reduces annual transportation expenses through the use of volunteer drivers – which is much more cost-efficient than hiring paid drivers."

    The vanpool pricing does not include gasoline (pre-loaded fuel cards are provided for each vanpool), van washing, or taxes. Those prices vary, and the costs are shared between vanpool riders or the company sponsoring the vanpool. Companies and employees can also pursue pre-tax benefits through the IRS to subsidize a portion of the costs.

    According to Hele-On, Vanpool is meant to be a service that will help determine the implementation of future bus routes if demand is present. 

    Mayor Mitch Roth said, "Our administration is focused on creating a sustainable island community, where our keiki can thrive and succeed for generations to come. Reducing our carbon footprint, alleviating traffic congestion, and improving the commute for our working class is all part of that vision, and we applaud the work of our Mass Transit Agency for providing yet another tool for our residents to get to and fro." 

    Participants can choose a qualifying vanpool vehicle from a selection of makes and models, including crossovers, SUVs, minivans, and large passenger vans. In addition, vanpools have access to Enterprise's Guaranteed Ride Home program, ensuring they can leave work at unscheduled times worry-free. The service also provides 24-hour roadside assistance, liability insurance, and scheduled maintenance within the vanpool pricing. 

    Vanpoolers may also choose to upgrade their vehicles with such optional high-end features as wheelchair lifts, bicycle racks, satellite radio, in-vehicle Wi-Fi service, and power ports for individual seats.                          Commute with Enterprise's Jason Oka said, "Enterprise is supporting Hele-On as it brings positive change to the island. Our mission is to provide commuters with a more convenient way to get to and from work, ensuring that everyone has access to transportation choices that can take them where they need to go safely and efficiently." 

      For additional Hele-On information, call (808) 961-8744 or visit www.heleonbus.org. Hele-On is a service of the County of Hawaiʻi Mass Transit Agency and provides countywide public transit services on 25 fixed and flex routes countywide Hele-On Kakoʻo for ADA complementary paratransit service in Hilo, Kailua-Kona, and Puna, a shared ride taxi program with three taxi companies in Hilo, countywide seniors and persons with disabilities transportation service in partnership with Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunities Council and Brantley Center, the vanpool program in partnership with Commute with Enterprise and 10 HIBike bike-share stations in Hilo and Kailua-Kona in partnership with PATH. 

    Hele-On transports approximately 400,000 passenger trips annually on a fleet of more than 30 buses, vans, and a trolley. Transit services are contracted with Roberts Hawaiʻi, taxicab companies, Transdev, HCEOC, Brantley Center, Enterprise Holdings, and PATH. For additional Hele-On information,call (808) 961-8744, TDD/TTY: 711 through the relay service, email: heleonbus@hawaiicounty.gov, or visit www.heleonbus.org. 

    Commute with Enterprise, a service of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, is an alternative commuting solution founded in 1994 that has become one of the largest and most cost-effective vanpool operations in the nation. Commute with Enterprise's vanpooling services, include vRide, which was acquired in 2016. Commute with Enterprise takes several thousand cars off the road every business day, nationwide, eliminating 843 million commuter miles driven each year and eradicating the need for 35,000 parking spaces. 

    According to the Hawaiʻi County statement, 655 million pounds of carbon emissions are reduced by Commute with Enterprise customers annually nationwide. Commute with Enterprise is supported by the  Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network, "which delivers a level of fleet flexibility and local service unmatched in the vanpool industry." Commute with Enterprise manages vanpool programs that address both local and national needs by reducing carbon emissions, parking real estate and traffic congestion – including major bottlenecks and "hotspots" in metropolitan areas. "Businesses that offer Commute with Enterprise's vanpool programs as an added employee benefit not only gain a competitive differentiator for recruiting and retention, but also a way to improve their corporate sustainability profile. To start a new vanpool or register for an existing vanpool, call 1-800-VAN-4-WORK or visit www.commutewithenterprise.com. 

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

AFTER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE HAWAIʻI POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF PAUL FERREIRA RETIRES on Sept. 1. HPD made the announcement on Monday. “I informed the Hawaiʻi Police Commission and Mayor Roth on Friday that I submitted my application to the State Employee’s Retirements System to be effective Sept 1, 2022,” said Ferreira. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve as the Police Chief since December 2016 in what I know to be the finest police department in the nation, primarily because it is staffed with the finest men and women in Hawaiʻi,” said the Chief in an internal memo to staff.

Police Chief Paul Ferreira retires Sept. 1 and the county Police
 Commission will conduct the selection process for the new Chief.
Photo from HPD 

     Ferreira stated, “There are no words that can truly express how thankful I am for all of the support and hard work from each of you that make the Hawaiʻi Police Department the great organization it is today. Although not always apparent, all your endeavors in making Hawaiʻi Island a safe place to live are appreciated by the community, as not a day goes by that I do not receive a compliment from someone in the community who appreciates all that our employees do.”
     The Chief joined the department in July 1982 starting his career as a patrol officer. He became a detective. Ferreira held several positions in the Administrative Bureau, including Assistant Chief, and was named Deputy Chief by Chief Harry Kubojiri in December 2008. Ferreira served as Deputy Chief until December 2016, when he was selected by the Police Commission to serve as Police Chief.
    Ferreira explained that HPD is not involved in the process of selecting the next Chief. All questions regarding the selection process for Police Chief should be directed to the Hawaiʻi County Police Commission. Call 808-932-2950.

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

FOURTEEN MOTORISTS WERE ARRESTED FOR DUI on this island during the week of June 13, through June 19. Hawai‘i Island police arrested them for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Six were involved in a traffic accident. None w under the age of 21.
    So far this year, there have been 493 DUI arrests compared with 556 during the same period last year, a decrease of 11.3 percent. There have been 357 major accidents so far this year compared with 370 during the same period last year, a decrease of 3.5 percent.

    To date, there were 18 fatal crashes (one fatal crash reclassified on 5/30/22 due to a medical condition) resulting in 20 fatalities (one of which had multiple deaths, and one of which was reclassified due to a medical condition), compared with 12 fatal crashes, resulting in 12 fatalities for the same time last year. This represents is an increase of 50 percent for fatal crashes, and 66.7 percent for fatalities.

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

USGS RELEASED ITS ANALYSIS OF TWO EARTHQUAKES SUNDAY NEAR PĀHALA. The 3.9 quake registered at 11:15 a.m. The 3.8 registered at 11:17 a.m. and USGS attributed them to the Deep Pahala Swarm, an ongoing series of frequent quakes in the area.

     USGS came up with this explanation in a Volcano Watch column: "Previous geophysical studies have theorized that deep earthquake activity beneath the Pāhala region may be related to hot spot magma transport and/or faulting in the brittle upper mantle beneath the island. Interestingly, the area of

elevated seismicity is almost equidistant from the summits of the three most active volcanoes in Hawaiʻi: Kīlauea, Mauna Loa, and Kamaʻehuakanaloa (Lō‘ihi Seamount).
    "Whether this region has a possible connection to the shallower magma storage and transport systems of Kīlauea or Mauna Loa is unclear, but there are no obvious indicators of magma transport from this region to the surface. Previous studies relied on data collected from HVO’s widely-spaced permanent seismometers in the region, which were not configured to study this area in detail."

    During the last month, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has been setting up  seismic nodes in the the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea volcano in Pāhala.

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

VOLCANO VILLAGE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE welcomes walking and riding groups and individuals. It is sponsored by Volcano Community Association in Volcano Village from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Monday, July 4 parade starts at the Post Office at 9 a.m. and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Rd., followed by Cooper Center’s Independence Day celebration packed with live entertainment, craft and food vendors, keiki games and a large silent auction from 9 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. Parking maps can be found at www.thecoopercenter.org. (No parking at Cooper Center except handicap permitted vehicles with prior reservation.)

SPONSOR A BUCKLE, VOTE FOR RODEO QUEEN ahead of the Saturday, July 9 Rodeo organized by Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association and ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. Event to be held on the rodeo grounds behind Nāʻālehu Park. Call 808-854-7917.

BECOME A SPONSOR AT THE 3RD ANNUAL EXPERIENCE VOLCANO FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Last year, over 2,500 visitors attended and over 40 events were featured during the EVH festival. Sign up as a sponsor at experiencevolcano.com. If you have questions, contact experiencevolcano@gmail.com. All vendor locations are taken.

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/.

See The Kaʻū Calendar June edition at www.kaucalendar.com,

on newsstands and in the mail.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

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

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORS OF THE KAʻŪ CALENDAR

at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/05/sponsors-of-kau-calendar.html

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, June 20, 2022

ʻIlieʻe is the featured plant for June in The Kaʻū Calendar column Native Plants of Kaʻū. Learn about

its uses fore dye and for healing. See artist Joan Yoshika's rendition and

author Jodie Rosam's column below. Photo by J.B. Friday

NATIONALLY, THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER BEGAN ON JUNE 20 and ends on Sept. 22. In Hawaiʻi there are two seasons: summer, which is called Kau in the Hawaiian language, from May through October, and winter, which is called Hoʻoilo in the Hawaiian language, from November through April. It is wildfire season and hurricane season and summer vacation for students, with the return to the fall session in Kaʻū's public schools in August.

ʻILIE'ʻ IS FEATURED IN JUNE'S Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū. The monthly column by Jodie Rosam with art by Joan Yoshioka features native plants and their moʻolelo (stories), uses, preferred habitats, and opportunities to adopt them for stewardship. It seeks to encourage making new plant friends 
and to reunite with others:
    ʻIlieʻe, Plumbago zeylanica, Description: Did you know Hawaiʻi has a native Plumbago? Meet ʻilieʻe! ʻIlieʻe is a member of the Plumbaginaceae family, and is the only Plumbago species native to Hawaiʻi. It grows as a low sprawling herbaceous shrub and has five-petaled white flowers that emerge at the stem tips and bloom year round. Once pollinated, slightly sticky fruits develop, which can then be easily spread across the landscape by humans and animals. Because Hawaiʻi had no native land mammals, it was likely spread by large, flightless birds in the past.

 
    Uses: ʻIlieʻe sap can be used to create dyes for kākau (traditional Hawaiian tattooing). In fact, a synonym for ʻilieʻe is hileʻe, which means to stain dark brown. Medicinally, the bark, leaves, and roots can be pounded into a poultice and used to alleviate swelling and help with sprains, and the leaves and stems can be ground into a paste to help heal sores.

    Habitat: ʻIlieʻe is indigenous to Hawaiʻi, meaning that it is found elsewhere in the world, and is present on all of the main Hawaiian Islands. The shiny leaves are adapted to survive in the sunny conditions of lowland dry forests from near the coast to about 2,500 feet elevation. It can be seen crawling along barren (older) lava flows or as an understory in disturbed forests dominated by ekoa (Leucaena leucocephala). ʻIlieʻe can be spotted all throughout the dry forests of Kaʻū. Chances are you have seen it along the roadside or on a hike, so next time you notice an ʻilieʻe, please stop and introduce yourself!

    Growing and Purchasing: ʻIlieʻe is a gorgeous addition to the home landscape, and is a great alternative to the Cape Plumbago (why not plant a native instead?). They will grow in just about any soil type you offer them, and can be utilized to control erosion on steep slopes, to add some greenery in open and dry areas, or to beautify garden beds or planters. ʻIlieʻe can handle full sun or shade, just resist the desire to overwater, and remember that while plants in the shade may be prolific, they will bloom slightly less than if planted in full sun. Feel free to prune and shape them as you wish, and enjoy your new low-maintenance friend.
    About the artist: Joan Yoshioka says she is a conservationist at heart and has dedicated her life to preserving the native plants and animals of Hawaiʻi through her work with federal, state, and private organizations over the past 30+ years. She describes herself as an outdoor-lovin’ optimist, biologist/botanist, and habitual creator of art-stuff. She says the key to our most fundamental and truest part of ourselves is found in nature and she constantly draws on it for inspiration.
    About the author: Jodie Rosam says she has a deep love for native plants and a passion for exploration, with over 15 years of experience in working in the restoration of Hawaiʻi’s forests. As a mother and an educator, she says the next generation has the power to lead the world to a sustainable future, and is committed to teaching her children (and others) from a place-based perspective.

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

INTERESTED IN A GRANT TO PLANT NATIVE TREES, REMOVE INVASIVES? With the intention to help with climate resiliency, approximately $4.5 million is available from a grant from the Regional Conservation Partnership Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  The application deadline is Aug. 5. 

    The program’s focus on public-private partnerships enables private companies, landowners, local communities, and other non-government

Julia Espaniola, within the vast Kaʻū watershed.
Photo by Shaylan Crysdale/TNC

partners to keep lands resilient, water clean, and to promote economic growth in a variety of industries.
    The funding opportunity prioritizes work in upper-elevation native forests that receive the most rainfall and are critical to recharging freshwater supplies.                        Additionally, lands and projects with the highest potential for carbon sequestration (if reforested) are also targeted with this funding. The project also seeks to include sites that are part of a landscape-scale watershed management strategy to lessen the impacts from climate change, reduce flooding and erosion onto coral reefs, and protect biological diversity.
    “Thanks to State funds provided by the Legislature for watershed protection, we are eligible to receive additional federal funding that multiplies the State’s investment,” said state Department of Land & Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case. “We are grateful for the incredible partnership with NRCS that will result in landscape-scale improvements to our watershed forests. We are looking forward to making new community partners who apply for native forest protection and restoration projects.”
    J. B. Martin, Acting Director for USDA’s NRCS Pacific Islands Area, said, “We are delighted to continue our successful partnership with DLNR. With year-round warm climate and fertile soils, Hawaiʻi is one of the most efficient places to plant trees to sequester carbon. These forests also buffer against the worsening threats of climate change by absorbing cloud moisture and replenishing our freshwater supplies. When invasive species degrade these forests, we also lose our irreplaceable plants and wildlife."
    See the grant application at https://hands.ehawaii.gov/hands/opportunities/opportunity-details/21622.

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TRUST HOSTS A BACK TO SCHOOL event at the Robert E. Herkes Gym in Pāhala for all school children. It is free and includes the gift of school supplies and a free haircut. The date is Thursday, July 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's free.

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/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

VOLCANO VILLAGE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE welcomes walking and riding groups and individuals. It is sponsored by Volcano Community Association in Volcano Village from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Monday, July 4 parade starts at the Post Office at 9 a.m. and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Rd., followed by Cooper Center’s Independence Day celebration packed with live entertainment, craft and food vendors, keiki games and a large silent auction from 9 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. Parking maps can be found at www.thecoopercenter.org. (No parking at Cooper Center except handicap permitted vehicles with prior reservation.)

SPONSOR A BUCKLE, VOTE FOR RODEO QUEEN ahead of the Saturday, July 9 Rodeo sponsored by Kaʻū Roping & Riding Association and ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. Event to be held on the rodeo grounds behind Nāʻālehu Park. Call 808-854-7917.

BECOME A SPONSOR AT THE 3RD ANNUAL EXPERIENCE VOLCANO FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Last year, over 2,500 visitors attended and over 40 events were featured during the EVH festival. Sign up as a sponsor at experiencevolcano.com. If you have questions, contact experiencevolcano@gmail.com. All vendor locations are taken.

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/.

See The Kaʻū Calendar June edition at www.kaucalendar.com,

on newsstands and in the mail.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

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

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORS OF THE KAʻŪ CALENDAR

at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/05/sponsors-of-kau-calendar.html