Ka`u News Briefs Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015

Volcano Art Center offers guided walks through Niaulani Rain Forest each Monday. Photo from VAC

A PATCHWORK SOLAR ENERGY project proposed at Hawaiian Ocean View Ranchos was the subject of much public testimony and discussion during Ka`u Community Development Plan Steering Committee’s meeting yesterday. Except for one person who said the project would provide jobs, all who testified at Ocean View Community Center opposed the project that would install arrays of solar panels on 26 mostly three-acre parcels in the ag-zoned residential subdivision. The company plans to sell electricity created by the solar arrays to Hawaiian Electric Light Co. State law permits such use on ag land as part of the state’s push for more renewable energy sources. 

      Residents expressed many concerns, including public safety issues. One resident said solar panels are fire hazards that contain lead, cadmium and chromium. Marta Randall said loose debris that could gather around the arrays could add to the fire hazard. She also questioned whether there would be a reliable means of shutting off power at the arrays in case of emergency. She said the project has the “potential of adding to large-scale fires” in the fire-prone area. Another resident suggested that the county put the project on hold and take mitigating steps regarding safety.

Ka`u CDP Steering Committee members discuss proposed options
with residents. Photo by Ron Johnson

      Phil Sharkey asked the committee to warn the state about unintended consequence created by the law. He said the law allows energy projects without oversight and that hazards to endangered species are not being addressed.
      Residents expect property values to lower if the project goes through. Linda Requinio said she “will have to endure an eyesore from her retirement home.” She asked, “Who will buy it?”
      Craig Bishop said, “I’m sure an industrial use of such a magnitude was never envisioned.”
      Another resident pointed out the lack of community input on the project. The plan “was formulated without community consent,” she said. “This committee has the power to add another layer” of oversight, she said, urging the Steering Committee to “be good stewards and do what’s right for the community.”
      One resident questioned whether the project would be successful. “The energy may not be needed,” she said. “HELCO can only use what is needed. Because it is not needed, it would not be used.” She said HELCO often turns away power produced by windmills at South Point. She also questioned what would happen if the arrays are not needed. “Will the company remove the panels?” she asked and compared the situation where unused windmills remained at South Point. 

      Increased ground, air and light pollution were more concerns brought up.
      Many residents expressed gratitude for a newly created policy in the CDP that addresses such unintended consequences. Policy 135 calls for use permits for renewable energy and other potential incompatible uses on ag land. Ka`u CDP Project Manager Ron Whitmore suggested changing zoning as an option. Changing from Ag to Rural at state and county levels would prohibit incompatible uses and eliminate danger of further subdivision of lots, Whitmore said. He also suggested adding other potentially incompatible uses to Policy 135, such as mills and major processing facilities.
      However, Whitmore said it is too late for Policy 135 to effect the Ranchos solar project because of the time required to make changes such as zoning. If adopted, the policy would put more oversight mechanisms in place for future proposed projects. He said residents could pursue a range of other options outside of county jurisdiction regarding the solar project. 

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I BOARD OF EDUCATION has launched a new initiative to allow the public to listen to live audio broadcasts of its committee and full board meetings. 

      There are three options for listening:

1. Call in using a land line or cell phone; 
2. Join the WebEx meeting on a computer (speakers required); or 
3. Listen using the WebEx app on cell phones. 

      BOE said listeners have experienced the best audio quality by calling in using a land line or listening over a computer that is connected to the Internet via a hard-wire (not wifi).
      Generally, there are two to three meetings throughout the day. There is only one WebEx meeting set up, so listeners should be able to use the call and log in information to access any meeting while meetings are in session. Agendas and meeting material can be accessed on the board’s website.
      A meeting-specific number and access code will be generated for each meeting. This information will be posted on the board’s website when meeting agendas are posted six days before the meeting date.
      This program is only for listening to the meeting; it is not being used to accept testimony.
      The next meeting is this Tuesday at 9:15 a.m.
      For more information, see http://www.hawaiiboe.net/Pages/ListenLivetoBoardMeetings.aspx, or email boe_hawaii@notes.k12.hi.us.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Online voter registration is now available. Image from Hawai`i Office of Elections

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN NOW REGISTER to vote online. The system also allows registered voters to confirm and update their records and to request to vote by mail. Users need a current Hawai`i driver’s license or state ID and Social Security number. 

      The 2012 state Legislature passed a law requiring the online system to be in place by 2016.
      See elections.hawaii.gov.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

GUIDED NATURE WALKS through the rain forest at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village are offered on Mondays at 9:30 a.m. The one-hour, free guided walks introduce individuals, families and groups to the most diverse, intact and accessible old-growth koa and `ohi`a rain forest remaining in the state.

      No reservations are required for groups of five or less. Donations are greatly appreciated. For further information, email: programs@volcanoartcenter.org

KA`U RESIDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE in Hawai`i County Council meetings held at Council Chambers in Hilo this week. Committees meet Tuesday. Governmental Relations & Economic Development Committee meets at 9 a.m.; Environmental Management, 9:30 a.m.; Public Works & Parks and Recreation, 11 a.m.; and Finance, 1 p.m. Environmental Management Committee continues its discussion of a bill that would limit county use of herbicides.
      The full council meets Wednesday at 9 a.m.
      Meetings are streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings. Agendas are available on website.
      Na`alehu State Office Building offers videoconferencing as a means to testify without traveling to Hilo.

Ka`u High Alumni & Friends return for their 14th annual Community Potluck
Reunion next Sunday. Photo by Julia Neal

KA`U HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI AND FRIENDS’ 14th annual Community Potluck is a week from today. Everyone is invited to bring a favorite dish to Pahala Community Center on Sunday, Aug. 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a day of fun, good food and live music. 

      The theme is Back to the Future. All attendees will be going back in time to their high school days to celebrate their sixteenth birthday. The Class of 1958, celebrating their 75th birthday, is donating a cake with 16 candles.
      Chase Cabudol’s group will start the entertainment, blending old melodies and more recent ones. Makanau, led by Barbara Baruz and her daughters Sophia and Denise, will follow and take the crowd back to the good old days and stir up memories. Ernest Kalani will join in and add to the nostalgia. Pahala Kupuna Halau will be performing a few hula numbers. Others are welcome to join in and share their talents.
      For more information, call Margaret Ann Cabudol at 928-8164 or James Yamaki at 969-6828.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

BUSINESS SPACE IS AVAILABLE for rent at the open location where Kama`aina Kuts and Styles by Elise are located in Na`alehu. Call Corrine at 937-1840 for more information.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015

Following Tropical Depression Hilda's drenching rains at Namakanipaio, the popular campground has reopened. Photo from NPS

PARK RANGERS HAVE RE-OPENED all previous storm-related closures within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park due to deterioration of Tropical Depression Hilda and a decrease in forecast wind speeds. 

      The backcountry areas and summit of Mauna Loa, the remote coastal sites from `Apua Point to Ka`aha, Hilina Pali Road and Kulanaokuaiki Campground, Mauna Loa Road and Namakanipaio Campground and A-frame cabins are now open.
      Heavy rain is still expected through today, and park visitors are reminded to drive with caution.
      Hilda, south of the state, has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Ka`u residents can provide information for a cultural impact assessment
regarding Ninole and Hilea Bridges. Photo by Julia Neal

CULTURAL SURVEYS HAWAI`I INC. seeks information from Ka`u residents for its cultural impact assessment regarding the Ninole Stream Bridge and Hilea Stream Bridge replacement project. The purpose of the CIA is to gather information about the project area and its surroundings through research and interviews with individuals who are knowledgeable about this area. The research and interviews help when assessing potential impacts to the cultural resources, cultural practices and beliefs identified as a result of the planned project. Aspects on which information is requested include general history and present and past land use of the project area, knowledge of cultural sites, knowledge of past and ongoing traditional gathering practices in the project area, cultural associations of the project area, referrals of kupuna or elders and kama`aina who might be willing to share their cultural knowledge of the project area and the surrounding ahupua`a lands, and any other cultural concerns the community might have related to Hawaiian cultural practices within or in the vicinity of the project area. 

      Call 808-262-9972 or e-mail mliborio@culturalsurveys.com or amitchell@culturalsurveys.com.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

HAWAI`I ISLAND POLICE URGE RESIDENTS to disregard stories posted on social media sites, such as Facebook, touting a 112 number as a means to contact police for information or help.
      That number, 112, is the number dialed in European countries for emergency services and may or may not reach your local Police/Fire/Medical services on the island in time of need.
      The only number that should be dialed for emergency assistance is 911. Any other non-emergency police assistance should be directed to the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311. 

      Anyone with questions about this may call Acting Lieutenant Travis Ing in the Police Department’s Dispatch Center at 961-8808.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

USGS HVO geophysicist Ingrid Johanson measures gravity on the slope
of Mauna Loa. Photo from USGS

MAUNA LOA IS GAINING WEIGHT, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists who explain how they know and what the implications are in the current issue of Volcano Watch. 

      “As part of our monitoring of subsurface activity at Mauna Loa, we recently conducted a series of measurements of the force of gravity at various locations near the summit caldera and rift zones of the volcano,” the article states. “Did that sentence surprise you? Most of us don’t think much about gravity, but when we do (as in, perhaps, cursing it when our cell phone drops to the ground), we don’t usually think of it as being different from place to place or from time to time.
      “Actually, the force of gravity varies along the surface of the Earth due to many factors, all stemming from the fact that the force is stronger with greater mass, and smaller with greater distance from the bulk of the mass. These changes are generally quite small. For example, you will weigh less at the top of Mauna Loa than you do at sea level in Hilo, because Mauna Loa’s summit is 4,170 meters (13,680 feet) farther from the center of the Earth. But the difference — less than half a pound — is probably not worth the trip as a weight loss measure.
      “How we use gravity to monitor volcanoes takes advantage of the knowledge that the pull of gravity is stronger when there is more mass beneath the spot where it’s measured. So when magma rises to shallower levels and accumulates in a magma reservoir (increasing mass), gravity increases at the nearby surface.
      “If there is a large enough volume of magma and/or the depth to the reservoir is shallow enough, we can measure that slight change in gravity with a specialized instrument called a gravimeter. We use these measurements to help constrain the amount of magma and possibly the depth at which it is being accumulated.
      “Usually, when magma rises beneath a volcano, the ground surface also swells (rises) in response to the increased pressure from below. Thus, when we measure changes in gravity with time, we must also measure the change in elevation to correct for its effect on gravity. Nowadays, the easiest way to do that is to measure gravity at stations in the continuously recording Global Positioning System network on Mauna Loa. Data from these stations are processed at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to track positions for each site with an accuracy of a few centimeters (about an inch).
      “The position differences over time recorded by the GPS network do more than just provide elevation changes for correcting gravity measurements. The patterns of surface motion are another window to the activity beneath.
      “For a little more than a year, GPS stations on Mauna Loa have been recording a pattern of motion that indicates influx into magma storage reservoirs beneath the volcano’s summit area. The rate of the increase has not been steady, but rather seems to be happening in pulses, with lulls of up to more than a month interspersed with periods of faster inflation.
      “Micro-seismicity beneath the summit area started picking up even before this most recent episode of inflation became apparent. As we’ve reported in recent Volcano Watch articles, the number of small earthquakes beneath the summit area has increased since at least late 2013.
      “The deformation of the surface and the increased seismicity strongly suggest that Mauna Loa is indeed gaining weight, or in other words, that magma is accumulating at fairly shallow levels. The recent gravity survey is not easily comparable to measurements made around the time of the most recent eruption in 1984, but it forms an excellent baseline for future assessments.
      “Gravity measurements complement the numerous other methods we use to track the movement of magma beneath the surface of Hawaiian volcanoes, including monitoring deformation with GPS instruments and tiltmeters, earthquakes with seismometers, volcanic gas fluxes with gas sensors, and temperature anomalies with infrared webcams and thermal sensors in fumaroles. Gravity measurements are unique in that they offer the only method of directly monitoring increases or decreases in subsurface mass.
      “Our goal is to integrate all these data for a better understanding of the processes happening below the surface that lead to eruptions, with the hope that this will ultimately lead to better forecasts of the time, place and magnitude of eruptions.”
      See hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.

      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

A guided hike tomorrow focuses on the People & Lands of Kahuku.
NPS Photo by Julia Espaniola

PEOPLE & LANDS OF KAHUKU, a guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., focuses on the area’s human history. This is one of several programs offered at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit this month. 

      Call 985-6011 for more information.

VOLCANO RAIN FOREST RUNS are a week from today. Registration continues for the sixth annual event.
      The Half Marathon begins at 7 a.m. next Saturday, followed by the 10K at 7:45 a.m. with the 5K at 8 a.m. All runs start and finish at Cooper Center on Wright Road.

Volcano Rain Forest Runs are a week from today. Photo from Sharron Faff

      Keiki can register for free 100- or 200-yard dashes on race morning until 9:30 a.m. The Keiki runs sponsored by Kilauea Lodge begin at 10 a.m.
      Volcano Rotary Club will be serving a BBQ Grill Lunch from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. for $9.
      There will be entertainment for everyone with juggling, face painting and balloon animals, plus other craft booths, food booths, music and much more.
      For more information, maps, FAQ’s and registration information, see volcanorainforestruns.com or call 967-8240.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

BUSINESS SPACE IS AVAILABLE for rent at the open location where Kama`aina Kuts and Styles by Elise are located in Na`alehu. Call Corrine at 937-1840 for more information.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August2015.pdf.

Ka`u News Briefs Friday, Aug. 14, 2015

A member of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park's trail crew repaves Thurston Lava Tube's exit trail. NPS Photo by Tom Foster

HAWAII PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION has the authority to penalize utilities if they don’t comply with the state law mandating 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. Hawai`i is the first state to declare the 100 percent goal. According to Duane Shimogawa, of Pacific Business News, Mark Glick, administrator for the state Energy Office, said, “The one thing that sets the [Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative] apart from almost every program in the world, here in Hawai`i, all the key players and stakeholders, support the clean energy agenda. The most important thing for us is believing that it can be done economically.
     "We’re going to demonstrate through our modeling and planning that we hope to work collaboratively with the utilities, and if that’s the case, it has every bit of weight as the current system.” 

      House Bill 623 sets goals of 30 percent renewable by the end of 2020, 70 percent by the end of 2040 and 100 percent by the end of 2045. Gov. David Ige signed it in May. While the bill lacks specific penalties for noncompliance, the PUC has the authority to hand them down, Glick told PBN. Glick said, however, he expects utilities to comply.

      See bizjournals.com/pacific.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Lingering rain from Hilda could bring flash floods to Ka`u.
Map from NWS

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS in effect for Ka`u and Hawai`i County until 6 a.m. tomorrow as a tropical storm south of the Big Island moves west. Abundant moisture from remnants of Hilda will linger over the Big Island today and tonight. An additional two to four inches of rain may fall in some areas. Limited clearing this morning is expected to yield to locally heavy showers and thunderstorms by this afternoon, especially over interior slopes. This additional heavy rain today and tonight could produce excessive runoff, rock and mudslides in steep terrain and overflowing streams. 

      A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. The National Weather Service reminds everyone that flash flooding is very dangerous. Never enter areas where water covers the road; the road may not be intact and you could be swept away. Remember that it does not have to be raining heavily where you are for flash flooding to occur. Do not camp or hike in low areas or near streams when there is a threat of flash flooding. Monitor the latest forecasts, and be prepared to take immediate action if a flash flood warning is issued.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Thurston Lava Tube remains open during repaving of its exit trail.
Photo by Michael Szoenyi

IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE at Thurston Lava Tube in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Originally scheduled to reopen today following replacement of an old electrical line, the exit trail leading out of Thurston Lava Tube will remain closed for another week while workers repave it. 

      The lava tube remains open, and the trail that leads into it is being used for both exit and entry. The paving project will repair the entire exit trail (about 700 feet).
      The closed area extends from the far end of the lava tube toward the restrooms, which remain open. Escape Road, from Hwy 11 to Thurston Lava Tube, continues to be closed during the project.
       Thurston Lava Tube, or Nahuku, is one of the most popular features in the park. Visitation is consistently heaviest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. To reduce congestion in the parking lot and lava tube, visitors are encouraged to enjoy it in the early morning or late afternoon.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act 80 years ago today.
Photo from wikipedia

ON THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY of Social Security, Sen. Brian Schatz introduced legislation to expand the program. The Safeguarding American Families and Expanding Social Security Act would increase benefits for families in Hawai`i and across the country. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act on Aug. 14, 1935.



      “In Hawai`i, more than 250,000 people depend on Social Security, the most successful safety net program in American history,” Schatz said. “With the number of retirees growing, we need to do everything we can to strengthen it. Our legislation would expand Social Security and put more money in the hands of seniors who rely on it, strengthen the program for the next generation of retirees and make sure everyone pays into the system equally. After a lifetime of hard work, seniors deserve to retire with the dignity and benefits they have earned.”

      The Safeguarding American Families and Expanding Social Security Act would strengthen benefits by reforming the Social Security benefit formula. The legislation changes the method used to calculates Social Security benefits. This change will boost benefits for all Social Security beneficiaries by about $65 a month but is targeted to help those in the low and middle of the income distribution, for whom Social Security has become an ever greater share of their retirement income.
      The legislation would insure that cost of living adjustments adequately reflect the living expenses of retirees by changing the way Social Security Administration calculates the Cost of Living Adjustments. To ensure that benefits better reflect cost increases facing seniors, future COLAs will be based on the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly. Making this change is expected to result in higher COLAs, ensuring that seniors are able to better keep up with the rising costs of essential items like health care.
      The legislation would also extend the life of the trust fund by phasing out the current taxable cap of $118,500 so that payroll taxes apply fairly to every dollar of wages earned.
      The legislation’s supporters include Social Security Works, the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, the Alliance for Retired Americans, AFL-CIO and the Kokua Council.
      “We applaud Sen. Brian Schatz for introducing the Safeguarding American Families and Expanding Social Security Act, which increases Social Security's modest benefits, including those of seniors, people with disabilities, children who are orphaned and others,” said Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works. “In addition, by proposing a much more accurate cost of living adjustment, the legislation ensures that Social Security’s modest benefits will not erode over time.”


      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

Na`alehu Spur Road customers will be without water Monday
morning and afternoon. Map from Google

WATER WILL BE TEMPORARILY turned off along Na`alehu Spur Road on Monday, Aug. 24 between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. for a service change-out. Upon resumption of service, water lines will be flushed and cleaned. Customers may notice turbid or discolored water and air trapped in plumbing. 

      Department of Water Supply asks customers to take any and all precautions to protect property and facilities, including disabling electrical power to pumps and other devices whose normal operation may be dependent on water pressure or supply and which might be harmed if automatically energized during the water shutoff.
      For more information, call Cyrus Sumida at 929-9111.
      To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.

KA`U CDP STEERING COMMITTEE meets tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Ocean Community Center. The meeting will focus on community feedback and potential CDP revisions related to development in Ocean View and Special Permits on agricultural lands.
      The meeting is designed to quickly bring the committee and others present up to speed and focused on the key issues and decisions. Members of the public in attendance will be able to participate in a review of the trade-offs associated with alternative CDP strategies and revisions. Public comment on agenda items is welcome.
      Background information prepared to inform and guide the meeting is available at http://www.hawaiicountycdp.info/kau-cdp/steering-committee/steering-commitee-meetings/august-15-2015-steering-committee-meeting/OVandSPinfopacket.pdf/view.

Kumu Ab Valencia

KUMU AB VALENCIA and Halau Hula Kalehuaki`eki`eika`iu present Na Mea Hula (All Things Hula) on Volcano Art Center Gallery’s front porch in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and perform on the hula platform near the gallery from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free; park entrance fees apply 

      For more information, call 967-8222.

KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park offers free programs this weekend.
      Participants learn about Pu`u o Lokuana and enjoy an expansive view of lower Ka`u on a moderately difficult 0.4-mile hike tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
      On Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., a guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area’s human history.
      Call 985-6011 for more information.

KA`U SUMMER BASKETBALL League championships are free to the public at Ka`u High School Gym on Thursday, Aug. 20. The women’s game begins at 6 p.m., and the men’s at 7 p.m. The Summer League started in July with six men’s teams and four women’s teams. Playoffs leading up to the championship game wind up Monday, Aug. 17 at Ka`u High Gym. Admission is free.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

BUSINESS SPACE IS AVAILABLE for rent at the open location where Kama`aina Kuts and Styles by Elise are located in Na`alehu. Call Corrine at 937-1840 for more information.

See kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.swf
and kaucalendar.com/Directory2015.pdf.

See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August2015.pdf.