Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 15, 2024

"Let Food be Thy Medicine" is one of the slogans of the  Kaʻū Wellness Festival at Ocean View Community Center
this Saturday, Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Locally grown food is on the agenda, with speakers, health providers,
chocolate tasting and keiki activities. Image from Kaʻū Wellness Festival

KAʻŪ WELLNESS FESTIVAL IN OCEAN VIEW IS THIS SATURDAY, Sept. 21 at OV Community Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Wellness Festival offers a host of health providers, speakers, healthy food,

 Cassandra Cupples of
Abundant Health

farm fresh produce, chocolate tasting and keiki activities. The event is organized by Sharma O'Shea and Alanui 'O Kaʻū.
    Among the presenters will be Cassandra Cupples, of Abundant Health Acupuncture on South Point Road. See aha808.com. "Acupuncture is a "safe, effective, chemical-free way to promote the body's self-healing abilities," said Cupples.

Dr. Doede Donaugh, longtime
practicing osteopath in Kaʻū.

    Dr. Doede Donaugh, D.O. will present Body Alignment & Posture as a Function of Wellness at 10 a.m. in the Green Room. An osteopathic family physician, she will present a segment called Optimal Structure Equals Optimal Function. She said, "Osteopathic physicians aim to help improve overall health function across all body systems by improving health structure through aligning and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework." Osteopaths focus on connection of the spine, muscles and joints to "positively affect the nervous, circulatory, endocrine and lymphatic systems," she said. Donaugh has practiced at Bay Clinic and  Kaʻū Rural Health Clinic and has had her own practice in Kaʻū for some seven years.

Rashani Réa

    Rashani Réa, who hosts retreats at her Kipukamaluhia Sanctuary off South Point Road, will be a featured speaker at 11 a.m., talking about Transmuting Pain into Aliveness and Unwanted Experiences into Awakening. 

    Réa integrates earth-based wisdom traditions, pschosynthesis, process-oriented and Buddhist psychology, deep ecology and shamanism. "She will invite participants to sit in a circle and co-create a safe container in which healing happens effortlessly," says the Kaʻū Wellness Fair announcement. See www.rashani.com.

     Hawai'i Keiki Museum will present Keiki Fun Science Activities at the lower level of Ocean View Community Center, next to the library from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

    Keiki are invited to discover, create, play and learn about Island science through hands-on exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. STEAM "is all around us using open ended play experiences," says the  Kaʻū Wellness Festival announcement. 

    Hawai'i Keiki Museum is based in Waikoloa and open 2 p.m - 8 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m -8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. It's a registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Learn more: www.hawaii-keiki-museum.com.

     See more presenters in upcoming Kaʻū News Briefs.

See Kaʻū Wellness Festival facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565029778484

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

September 2024, 5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.

Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 14, 2024

Japanese Ei Ya Sa signs say "Yes, Now," calling everyone to dance, during the O Bon dance and ceremonies at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji on Saturday evening. Photos by Julia Neal

Puna Taiko drummers came to Kaʻū on Saturday.

THIS ISLAND'S LAST OBON DANCE OF THE SEASON on Saturday happened with many people at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji on Saturday evening. Taiko drummers called out "EI Ya Sa" with signage and voice, meaning, "Yes, Now!"       Crowds circled the ceremonial tower and danced in the round wearing everything from street clothes to kimono and hapi coats. Many wore headbands saying Pahala Hongwanji or  Nāʻālehu Hongwanji. They were  cosponsors of the event.
     The celebration has been held annually in Ka'u's old sugar towns by  practicing Buddhists who invite their friends of all faiths from their community and around the island. 

Hongwanji leader Wayne Kawachi, left
with a friend at the Bon Dance.

    On Saturday the Obon festivities went from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. with temples services followed by two taiko drumming presentations from Puna and Pāhala Hongwanji drumming groups, with the public dancing in the round.

        Also offered were Okinawan donuts, sushi, ahi poke bowls, shave ice, desserts, as well as food and drink from two food trucks. On sale were head scarves with the names of Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, kimonos and kimono wraps and origami jewelry.

       This was the first bon dance at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji since before the pandemic. Next year's dance will be held at Pāhala Hongwanji.

Some colorful costumes flowed around the tower at the bon dance.

Mika Davis and Rika Davis with kimono they bring from Japan, offering them to the public, along with kimono cloth and jewelry.

      Nāʻālehu Hongwanji is the home of both the Buddhist congregation and a Protestant Christian congregation. It hosts and food hub and feeds the community hot meals and distributes food boxes. There is also a thrift shop on the property. 

People of all ages, faiths and ethnicities joined in the dance that celebrates the harvest.

A 4.2 MAGNITUDE QUAKE AND HUNDREDS OF SMALLER QUAKES continue at Kīlauea Volcano. The larger was at 4:25 p.m. on Saturday, located 4.2 miles south-southwest of Volcano village, just .2 miles below the surface. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center sent out a message of no tsunami generated.  Most of the people who reported feeling the quake to USGS were in Volcano toward Hilo.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

HAWAI'I CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTS: The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Statement due to higher tides Saturday through Monday from late mornings to early afternoons. Expect minor coastal flooding of beaches and low lying roads.
    For more information, visit County of Hawai'i Hazard Impact Map.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

September 2024, 5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.

Kaʻū News Briefs Sept. 13, 2024

Keiki to Kupuna are invited to this year's Bon Dance in Kaʻū. Following the one last year in Pāhala, shown above, the 2024 Bon Dance in Kaʻū will be Saturday at Nāʻālehu Hongwanji, its first since the pandemic. Photo by Julia Neal

THE 2024 KAʻŪ BON DANCE will sunset Obon season on the island this Saturday at Nāʻālehu

Live singing and playing traditional Japanese
instruments at the bon dances. Photo by Julia Neal

Hongwanji on Hwy 11. It is co-sponsored  by  Pāhala Hongwanji.

    People of all faiths are invited to take part in the traditional Japanese ceremonies at 4 p.m., followed by taiko drumming, music, song, dance and foods to honor those who came before.
   Bon Dance and services are traditional and nowadays rare in Japan. They ring in the harvest and ceremonially share the abundance with ancestors.             During last year's service in Pāhala the priest said, "Let us take a moment to think of our loved ones who have helped you become who you are, those who have cared about you, and those who have been loved by you." The service included Israel Kamakawiwa‘ole's song, In this Life, with the lyrics, "I've Been Loved by You." 

    The priest sometimes plays the 'ukulele.
    The service this year in Nāʻālehu will be followed by taiko and dancing outside the temple, with some public participants in kimono, others in hapi coats, others in street clothes. While the music plays and a leader calls the dances, people from diverse communities move round and round the tower, like a May pole.

    Taiko Drumming performances by Puna Taiko and Pāhala Hongwanji Taiko will be at 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Bon dancing begins at 6 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m. Some enthusiasts travel around the island to every Bon Dance throughout the summer wrapping it up in Kaʻū.

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AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THE MAIN TOPIC FOR MICHELLE GALIMBA, KAʻŪ'S COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER, in her latest newsletter. Several bills have passed and one comes before the council this coming week regarding cutting the real taxes to incentivize affordable housing. She writes:

    "Access to affordable housing continues to be a major issue for local people in Hawaiʻi. There is no single 'silver bullet' that can quickly change a situation that is largely driven by market forces. However, there are regulatory changes that can help and the Council is working on changes to our County Code to help address the lack of affordable housing in Hawaiʻi County.
    "Real property taxes are the major source of revenue for the County. This revenue pays for the many County services that will all depend upon, most notably public safety services, such as police, fire, and paramedic services, as well as other basic services such as solid waste and waste-water systems and County road maintenance. Making adjustments to the real property tax regime is one of the most important responsibilities and powers of the County Council.

Michelle Galimba

    "Our office has teamed up with the office of Councilmember Jenn Kagiwada on a pair of bills that will encourage and support our citizens to offer long-term rentals (rentals of six months or more.) This will help to make more long-term rentals available to our local people. The Council recently passed Bill 174 that will allow home-owners who rent part of their home long-term to remain in the Home-owner tax class. The Home-owner tax class provides significant tax benefits, so this bill helps to encourage much needed long-term rentals.
    "Coming before the Council this week, for its second and final reading, is Bill 104, which will create a Long-term Rental tax class. Currently market rate long-term rental units do not have a separate tax class, so there is no way for the Council to separate long-term rentals from short-term rentals to provide tax incentives. This will be a voluntary program that landlords can opt into by filling out a form and providing evidence of a long-term lease of six months or more."

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THE EAST RIFT ZONE OF KĪLAUEA VOLCAN0 is the site of more than 188 small earthquakes from Thursday into Friday morning. USGS reports that “Additional pulses of unrest in the upper to middle East Rift Zone are possible and may evolve quickly.” 

    Summit Observations showed 89 earthquakes detected beneath Kīlauea’s broader summit region over 24 hours, most below magnitude-2 and at depths between 1 km – 3 km (0.6 mi – 1.9 mi) below the surface. Rates of deformation at the summit remained relatively low, with slightly fluctuating tilt at summit tiltmeters.

     An overall inflationary trend has been measured by GPS instruments in recent months. The most recent measurement of SO2 emission rate was 75 tonnes per day on Aug. 20.

Above Top: Number of earthquakes per day during the past week (blue bars). The red line is the cumulative moment (energy) release. Bottom: Depth of earthquakes during the past week in the area shown on the map above. Depth is reported relative to sea level, which is equal to a depth of zero on the above plot. On both figures, circle-size represents magnitude, and color indicates depth. USGS graphs

     USGS Rift Zone Observations: Over 24 hours, there were 188 earthquakes recorded beneath

Kīlauea’s UERZ region and 34 earthquakes recorded within Kīlauea’s south flank. This is similar to earthquake counts from Wednesday and still below the levels of activity seen during episodes of unrest. Rates of deformation remained stable.
    Activity in other parts of the East Rift Zone remained low. There were no significant changes at tiltmeter POC, located at Puʻuʻōʻō (the site of 1983–2018 eruptive activity) during the past day. GPS instruments have recorded periods of inflation in portions of the the middle East Rift Zone (MERZ) uprift of Puʻuʻōʻō during the past month. Measurements from continuous gas monitoring stations downwind of Puʻuʻōʻō in the MERZ remain below detection limits for SO2, indicating that SO2 emissions from this area are negligible.

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KAʻŪ HIGH TROJANS FOOTBALL TRAVELED TO KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOL on Friday. The Trojans brought home 3 points. Kamehameha kept 68 during the night game under the lights. 

    Kaʻū heads to Honoka'a at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. Kaʻū travels to Pahoa on Thursday, Sept. 26. Kohala comes to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 5. Kaʻū goes to Hawai'i Preparatory Academy on Saturday, Oct. 12 and Kamehameha comes to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 19. Honoka'a travels to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 26, followed by BIIF Division Championships.

    Athletic Director is Jaime Guerpo. Head coach is Connor Norton. Assistant Coach is Mark Peters. Coaching staff includes Greg Rush, Ray Mayzack, Duane Pua, Time Drafaul, Ted Blanco and Walter Parada. Athletic Trainer is Moses Whitcomb.

KAʻŪ GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM traveled on Friday and gave up all sets in JV and Varsity play. JV scores were 11-25 and 4-25. Varsity scores were 18-25, 21-25, and 18-25.
    Trojans go on the road to Kamehameha on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Hilo comes to Kaʻū on Thursday, Sept. 19. Kea'au comes to Kaʻū on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Kaʻū travels to Christian Liberty on Saturday, Sept. 28 and again to LCPCS/SIS on Monday, Sept. 30. Ka 'Umeke comes to Kaʻū on Saturday, Oct. 5. Kaʻū travels to Hilo on Saturday, Oct. 12 and again to Pahoa on Monday, Oct. 13. Kamehameha comes to Kaʻū on Wednesday, Oct. 16, followed by Big Island Interscholastic Federation playoffs.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. Support this news service with advertising at kaunews.com. 7,500 copies in the mail and on stands.

September 2024, 5,000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.