Kaʻū News Briefs Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016

Kīlauea has continued to erupt all month at its summit and East Rift Zone. According
to the USGS, this past week, the summit lava lake level varied between about 30–66 ft below the vent rim.
The 61g lava flow continued to enter the ocean near Kamokuna, and does not
pose an immediate threat to nearby communities, reports USGS.
Photo by Peter Anderson

KA ʻOHANA O HONUʻAPO has issued a statement opposing the Hawaiian Springs water bottling plant that is planned for Pahala. The organization, which helps steward the Honuʻapo fishponds, bay and surrounding lands, posted on its facebook, the following:

    “Join us in saying #NotoHawaiianSprings proposed water bottling facility in Pahala. Our Hawaiʻi State Constitution and public trust doctrine protects Hawaiʻi’s water for Hawaiʻi’s people. Water is Life. It is time to enforce the state law and oppose this theft of our water resources (for export and commercial gain!).”
     Ka ʻOhana O Honuʻapo states that it is, “Standing in protest with Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi and Surfrider Foundation, Big Island Hawaiʻi Chapter - Kona Kai EA!”
      The bottling plant recently gained a plan approval from the Hawaiʻi County Planning Director, and needs various state and other county approvals. The developers propose to build a retail center for tour buses, vans and cars along Maile Street in Pahala. More than 3 acres would be covered by a bottling plant and related buildings. The water would come from an old sugar plantation shaft that reaches 1500 feet under Maile Street to a source 750 feet below the surface. The company would need to apply to the state for permission to use the water.
      The water was used for mill operations and as an emergency back up source for potable water for houses in the town and firefighting during plantation days. It has not been used for over 20 years, since the sugar mill shut down in 1996.
      Kaʻū’s County Council member Maile David says she plans a public meeting. To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

NOVEMBER IS FLEDGLING SEASON FOR HAWAIIAN PETRELS HIGH ON MAUNA LOA and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists entitle this weeks Volcano Watch:  Seabirds Struggle to Survive on Mauna Loa.  They write that “High on the slopes of Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, a unique Hawaiian seabird struggles for survival. The ʻuaʻu, or Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), spends most of its life at sea, returning to Mauna Loa only to nest and rear young in high-elevation, underground burrows.

Young petrel. Photo by Michael McFarlin/
Kauaʻi Endangered Seabird Recovery Project

     “It is estimated that historic ʻuaʻu populations were likely in the hundreds of thousands to millions of birds, with nests ranging from sea level to high mountain slopes throughout the main Hawaiian Islands. Today, the ʻuaʻu still occurs on several islands, but has become one of the most endangered seabirds in Hawaiʻi. Many threats have contributed to the decline of this endemic species, including historic hunting by humans, non-native predators, and habitat loss. More recently, inflight collisions with structures and groundings caused by disorienting artificial lights have taken a toll on the species.
     “On the Island of Hawaiʻi, ʻuaʻu once nested from the lowlands to the upper slopes of the volcanoes. They are now limited to high elevation sites on Mauna Loa and, possibly, steep cliffs on Kohala. Biologists have monitored remote nesting colonies on Mauna Loa for over two decades, and now estimate the population to be only 75 breeding pairs.    
      “The somewhat mysterious life history of ʻuaʻu makes monitoring this species extremely challenging. ʻUaʻu are pelagic, spending much of their lives at sea, coming to land only for nesting. They forage in distant feeding areas – in some cases, as far north as the Aleutian Islands – and fly to and from nesting areas at night. On Mauna Loa, ʻuaʻu nest in remote underground burrows that are so deep they can’t be seen. Biologists are incorporating new technologies, including remote cameras and satellite transmitters, to better understand the species.
     “ʻUaʻu belong to the taxonomic order Procelleriformes, as do albatrosses, shearwaters, and other petrel species. Like their relatives, ʻuaʻu are long-lived (30-plus years) and do not breed until four to six years of age. Once nesting begins, both parents take turns incubating a single egg for roughly two months. After an ʻuaʻu egg hatches, the adults head out to sea to feed on squid and fish, with foraging trips lasting from several days to several weeks at a time. The chick stays in its burrow, often alone, and waits for its parents to return with food.

A young ʻuaʻu exercises its wings in preparation for its first flight directly
out to sea. The ʻuaʻu, or Hawaiian petrel, is a federally  endangered
native seabird that nests at high elevations on Mauna Loa volcano. 
NPS photo.

     “After about three months, the growing ʻuaʻu chick ventures out of the burrow to exercise its newly feathered wings. Within weeks, the ʻuaʻu face many dangers during their time on land. Because they have no natural defenses, both adults and chicks are easy prey for introduced animals like feral cats and mongooses. ʻUaʻu are also at risk when flying between nest sites and the sea. Birds have collided with unexpected structures along flyways, such as wind turbines and power lines. Artificial lights casting an upward glow can disorient ʻuaʻu, causing them to land in unsafe areas, where they are susceptible to predators and cars, and where they may not be able to launch back into flight. The impacts of additional threats to ʻuaʻu, such as climate change and marine plastics, are not yet fully understood.
     “Fortunately, government agencies, private organizations, utility companies, and landowners have joined forces to reduce threats to ʻuaʻu and other Hawaiian seabirds. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, with the help of several partners, recently completed a barrier fence to exclude cats from a key nesting area on Mauna Loa (https://youtu.be/m1MfyDbteVw). Collaborative conservation efforts, like this fence, are critical for the protection of 'ua'u and other sensitive species.
     “November is fledging season for ʻuaʻu on Mauna Loa. Island residents can play a role in helping these young birds reach the sea: Direct outdoor lights downward and shield the tops of lights to minimize disorientation of the birds as they fly between the mountain and the sea. Keep domestic cats inside or in outdoor enclosures, and avoid contributing to feral cat populations by preventing unwanted litters of kittens.”
     To report a grounded seabird in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, call park dispatch at (808) 985-6170. Outside the park, contact the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife at (808) 974-4221. For more, see Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website: https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/uau.htm.

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ULUPOLU INITIATIVE invites community members, including food producers, to listening sessions in Kamuela on Friday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kohala Center, and in Hilo at the Hawaiʻi Innovation Center, at 117 Keawe St., on Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m.  Ulupono Initiative will host the gatherings at agricultural “hot spots” within each county “to listen, learn and brainstorm solutions to Hawaiʻi’s many challenging food issues.”
     The eBay online auction site’s founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam Omidyar launched the Ulupono Initiative. The Ulupono Initiative is part of The Omidyar Group.  A portfolio statement of Ulupono Initative at ulupono.com states: “Our investment model is based on our founders’ belief that both the non-profit and for-profit sectors can be a force for good.”
     The organization describes itself as “a Hawaiʻi-focused impact investing firm that uses for-profit, non-profit and social investments to improve the quality of life for island residents in three areas: locally produced food, clean renewable energy and waste reduction.”
     The purposes behind the meetings are described as: “In an effort to improve our current local food production metrics and better understand the constraints in the system that make expansion challenging, Ulupono Initiative is inviting key stakeholders throughout the state for insights and suggestions. We hope that these sessions will contribute to the collective knowledge of both the constraints and opportunities for investment of resources that will help us move towards greater food self-sufficiency.”      
    Ulupono has faced some opposition to its proposed dairy farm planned near resorts and a popular surfing and recreational beach on Kauaʻi. Its founders have faced opposition for proposed resort development on Hanalei River, also on Kauaʻi. Anyone interested in attending the meeting in Kamuela or Hilo should RSVP to Lauren Reichelt at lreiochelt1@gmail.com. To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY is open through New Year’s Day from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at  Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  Featured is the 17th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit, with prizes awarded for the best wreaths. To participate, contact Emily Weiss at 967-8222 or gallery@volcanoartcenter.org. Free; park entrance fees apply.

HIʻIAKA & PELE, Saturday, Nov. 19, from 9:30 to 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The famous myth of the volcano goddess Pele and her companion Hiʻiaka is the focus of this free, moderate, one-mile walk. Participants discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena that reveal their story on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/havo

CENTENNIAL WALK: ‘Ōhi‘a Wing – Our New Museum, Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Following up on her After Dark in the Park talk on Tuesday, Nov. 15, Chief of Cultural Resources Laura Carter Schuster is leading an easy walk from Kīlauea Visitor Center to the park’s new museum site. She’ll reveal the history and highlights of the park’s original 1932 park Administration Building and share exhibit plans that will highlight the park’s museum collection

RAINFOREST MELE, Sat, Nov 19, 4:30 & 7:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Funk band Bump City Hawaiʻi performs in the tradition of Tower of Power, Average White Band, James Brown and more. 967-8222

MONGOLIAN BBQ, Sat, Nov 19, 5 – 8 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The cost is only $.85 per ounce for a self-cooked Mongolian BBQ plate dinner with your choice of protein, veggies, rice & beverage. Open to all authorized patrons & sponsored guests. 967-8356

PEOPLE & LANDS OF KAHUKU, Sun, Nov 20, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. This free, guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area’s human history. Learn about emerging native forests, pastures, lava fields, and other sites that today hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands – from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. nps.gov/havo


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

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Kaʻū News Briefs Friday, Nov. 18, 2016

 Protection of Hawksbill sea turtle nests, archaeological and cultural sites, caves, ponds
and other features will be planned along with providing public access to the lands
 newly acquired by HawaiʻiCounty at Kahuku makai. Photo from County of Hawaiʻi

PLANNING FOR KAHUKU MAKAI LANDS CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS begins. An onsite meeting will be held in December with representatives of new owner County of Hawaiʻi and other partners to research and discuss managing the future of the 3,128 acres with more than a mile of Kaʻū Coast. It is located along the Road to the Sea, makai of Ocean View. It includes the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail and the massive Kanohina Flow from a Mauna Loa eruption.

Planning to protect the endangered Hawksbill sea
turtle hatchlings while providing public access to
the public lands makai of Ocean View will be studied
as the county makes its plan.
Photo by Jay Robinson

       It is the County’s largest acquisition to date using its Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund - the “Two Percent” income from property taxes for conserving special properties. With cooperative funding from federal, state, county and private donors, more than 4,000 acres along the Kaʻū Coast have been purchased for preservation since 2006. 

     Trust for Public Land helped with negotiations for most of the properties and nominated the Kahuku makai lands to the county Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. The County put in $764,745 toward the purchase. The balance of the $2.6 million was funded through a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Recovery Land Acquisition Grant and state Legacy Land Conservation money.
       The County plans to work with stakeholders in the community to come up with a management plan not only for the care of the land, its shoreline with Hawksbill sea turtle nesting sites, its anchialine ponds, geologic features, cave network and archaeological and cultural sites. The management team and community will come up with a plan to locate and steward public access for fishing, hiking and other recreational uses. Access will include the unpaved, high-clearance, four-wheel drive Road to the Sea, which extends to the ocean, bordering the property.

        Comments coming into The Kaʻū Calendar Facebook page have supported the purchase: Jamie Sing Kawauchi wrote: “Mahalo nui loa to Deborah Ward, Tanya Masaniai Ibarra, many other Kaʻū communities members, islandwide supporters from beyond our boundaries, Hawaiʻi County Property Management team, Kamana Ventura and Alexandra Kelepolo and the Mayor, for all their kokua in making this happen!!!”

Wall of a lava canyon running mauka to makai on the
Kahuku property. Photo by Ann Bosted

      Some wrote with concerns about public access. Jeff Purser commented: “My point is the use of the term ‘public access’ is misleading. If it is going to be restricted access, then say so. If the state and county are going to be stewards of the land and resources then they have a responsibility to take whatever measures necessary to do that. If ‘protection’ is the top priority, then block all access without special permits or make reasonable access available to everyone, including senior citizens with passenger vehicles. I’ve seen the effects of limiting access in coastal areas to four-wheel drive vehicles and the segment of the population using those vehicles can be pretty messy and destructive, too. Public money has been used to acquire the property and the public, all of the public, have the right to enjoy the benefits of that expenditure. It won’t happen, but it should.” 

     Keoni Fox replied: “If the road is improved, how do we mitigate the impacts of increased use on cultural and natural resources? Dumping of trash and abandoned vehicles is already an issue.”
   See more at Kaʻū News Briefs Nov. 15 edition. 

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U.S. SEN. MAZIE HIRONO IS AUDITING PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S MOVES as he makes plans toward keeping his campaign promises and selecting his cabinet and advisors. Yesterday, Hirono denounced a Trump surrogate’s suggestion that Japanese American internment during World War II set a precedent for establishing a Muslim registry to help find terrorists in today’s America.

Sen. Mazie Hirono condemns Japanese American internment
in World War II and opposes the idea that it set a precedent
for keeping a watch list of American Muslims today.
Above she unveils the new museum in Honolulu honoring
Japanese American WW II veterans.
Photo from the office of Sen. Mazie Hirono

     Said Hirono, “The internment that  Japanese-Americans during World War II was a historic injustice and nothing like it should ever happen again. The protection of our Constitution is not conditional; it applies to all of us. We cannot allow hate speech, racism, and anti-immigrant sentiment to become the new norm in our country, and we must continue to speak out against hate and prejudice. An inclusive and vibrant America is worth fighting for.” The reference to Japanese internment came from Trump advisor Carl Higbie, a former Navy SEAL who was spokesman for the pro-Trump Great America PAC.

     In October, Hirono unveiled a new exhibit on Oʻahu honoring Japanese American World War II veterans, saying, “millions of people who pass through Honolulu International Airport each year will have the opportunity to learn more about the heroism and service of Japanese American World War II veterans, who bravely fought for the United States even as their loyalty was questioned at home.” In 2010, Hirono championed successful legislation to award Japanese American World War II veterans the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the country’s highest civilian honors. These men included Kaʻū 442nd veteran Iwao Yonemitsu, of Na‘alehu.

     Earlier this week, Hirono called on Trump to fire one of his chief strategists, the chair of Breitbart News, Steve Bannon. Said Hirono, “What Steve Bannon believes is not a mystery. He has demeaned women, advocated for white supremacy, and promoted anti-Semitism. In addition to saying that immigrants spread disease, (on his website Breitbart.com) he  has advocated a religious test for immigration. As an immigrant and a religious minority, this isn’t a test that I would have passed. Quite frankly, it’s sad that we are having a debate about whether a white supremacist should serve as a senior counselor to the President-elect,” stated Hirono. 

      Hirono is the only immigrant and only woman of color serving in the U.S. Senate. To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

FINAL VOTING AT THE BEAUTY OF KAʻŪ ART SHOW takes place today at Naʻalehu Hongwanji. The popular vote determines the cover for The Directory, the 2017 Kaʻū Chamber of Commerce business and community resource guide. Keiki and Youth can still enter art through this afternoon. The kids can use the coloring table here to make a picture to enter or they can bring something from home as long as it was done this year. Vote until 6 p.m.

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY begins today, Friday, Nov. 18 and runs through New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily, at  Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The holiday event kicks off with a members-only reception, 5:30 p.m., opening day. Featured at Christmas in the Country is the 17th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit, with prizes awarded for the best wreaths. To participate, contact Emily Weiss at 967-8222 or gallery@volcanoartcenter.org. Free; park entrance fees apply.

HORN OF PLENTY, today, Friday, Nov. 18, from 1 – 2 p.m., Kahuku County Park. Children ages 6 – 12 can enjoy arts & crafts at the park. Registration closes Thursday, Nov. 17. Call the Kahuku County Park at 929-9113.

THE FIRST OFFICIAL SPORTS TOURNAMENT IN THE NEW KAʻŪ GYM begins today at 5:15 p.m. and continues tomorrow is at least one can of food. The food drive is an annual event for the Kaʻū High School girls basketball team. The tournament is an invitational with visiting teams from Keaʻau, Pahoa and Kealakehe. Big Island Interscholastic Federation competition begins at the gym in December.

HIʻIAKA & PELE, Saturday, Nov. 19 from  9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The famous myth of the volcano goddess Pele and her companion Hiʻiaka is the focus of this free, moderate, one-mile walk. Participants discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena that reveal their story on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/havo

FOOTAGE OF THE ʻALALA, endangered Hawaiian crows recently release from captivity into the forest near Volcano, will be shown on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in Hilo with a celebration for the entire family from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CENTENNIAL WALK: ‘Ōhi‘a Wing – Our New Museum, Saturday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National.Following up on her After Dark in the Park talk on Tuesday, Nov. 15, Chief of Cultural Resources Laura Carter Schuster is leading an easy walk from Kīlauea Visitor Center to the park’s new museum site. She’ll reveal the history and highlights of the park’s original 1932 park Administration Building and share exhibit plans that will highlight the park’s museum collection

RAINFOREST MELE, Sat, Nov 19, 4:30 and  7:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Funk band Bump City Hawaiʻi performs in the tradition of Tower of Power, Average White Band, James Brown and more. 967-8222

MONGOLIAN BBQ, Sat, Nov 19 from 5p.m. to 8 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The cost is only $.85 per ounce for a self-cooked Mongolian BBQ plate dinner with your choice of protein, veggies, rice & beverage. Open to all authorized patrons & sponsored guests. 967-8356

PEOPLE & LANDS OF KAHUKU, Sun, Nov 20, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. This free, guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area’s human history. Learn about emerging native forests, pastures, lava fields, and other sites that today hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands – from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. nps.gov/havo


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

Kaʻū News Briefs Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016

Enjoying the lava lake? So are endangered nēnē. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park reminds drivers to slow down, and watch out
 for nēnē when traveling to and from favorite lava-viewing sites. Nēnē pairs are preparing to nest and females are frantically
 feeding, even at night. NPS Photo/Janice Wei.

KEAUHOU AND KĪLAEUA LAND GIVEN BY PRINCESS RUTH KEʻELIKŌLANI to Kamehameha Schools in 1883 is proposed for a Safe Harbor endangered species protection program. The plan was presented at a state Department of Land & Natural Resources public hearing in Volcano last night. Kamehameha Schools representatives and state Department of Land and Natural Resources officials gave the details.

Wildlife that would be supported by the Safe Harbor program on 32,800 acres on
Mauna Loa near Volcano. Photos from Kamehameha Schools

      The 32,800 acres near Volcano border Kapapala Forest Reserve, Hawaʻi Volcanoes National Park, Puʻu Makaʻala Nautral Area Reserve, Mauna Loa Forest Reserve and Kipuka Ainahou Nene Sanctuary. The land would become the largest Safe Harbor for endangered species in the United States, if approved by DLNR and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which would help Kamehameha Schools with the conservation management.
     In its proposal, Kamehameha Schools touts its conservation management and stewardship practices that “have contributed to preserving some of the last remaining intact native forests in Hawaiʻi.” Much of the Safe Harbor management style is already underway at Keauhou Forest and portions of Kīlauea Forest owned by KS. “The Kīlauea forest portion has never been logged and has retained intact high quality habitat through fencing and ungulate removal efforts implemented by KS and partners.”
     The area is already under protection and restoration through a KS Natural Resources Management Plan. KS points out that it also “continues to provide educational opportunities through interactions with healthy native ecosystems now and for future generations.”

The blue surrounds Kamehameha Schools land proposed for Safe Harbor. The green
 surrounds Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and te yellow surrounds state forest.
Map from Kamehameha Schools

    Even with the care already provided, KS reports: “Only a small portion of the original Hawaiian avifauna known before human settlement have survived, and at least 13 historically known species that could have occurred in the Keauhou-Kīlauea region are now either extinct or have been extirpated from the area. The result is that only nine forest birds—ʻIo, Hawaiʻi ʻElepaio, ʻŌmaʻo, Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi, ʻAkiapōlāʻau, Hawaiʻi Creeper, Hawaiʻi ʻĀkepa, ʻIʻiwi, and ʻApapane – persist in the Keauhou-Kīlauea region. The ʻŌpeʻapeʻa, or Hawaiian Hoary Bat, which is the only native terrestrial mammal present in the Hawaiian Islands, is also found at Keauhou from 4,000 to 6,000 feet in elevation.
      Vegetation zones with endangered species include Montane Wet at 3,000 to 6,000 feet, with more than 75 inches of rain a year, featuring ʻōhiʻa and hapuʻu forest and tall koa and ʻōhiʻa forest; Montaine Mesic, between 3,000 and 6,000 feet with 50 to 75 inches of rain a year, featuring tall koa and ʻōhiʻa forest, with separate ʻōhiʻa forest with understory native trees and other plants. It also includes a Subalpine zone, from 6,000 feet to 9,000 feet with pioneer vegetation on younger lava flows, dry native shrub with scattered ʻōhiʻa, forested kipuka and dry ʻōhiʻa forest.
     Care of the land will include forest restoration, involving out-planting of common native and rare species and improvement of exiting forested areas to increase biodiversity and native forest cover. Predator control will reduce impacts of feral cats, mongooses and rats on the endangered Hawaiian crow, if necessary. Feral dogs will be removed to protect nēnē and other species covered by the agreement.

The Safe Harbor near Volcano would include bare lava (in red), forest
with closed canopy (dark green), forest with open canopy
 (light green), scattered trees (mustard) and very scattered
 trees (yellow). Map from Kamehameha Schools

     Koa silviculture will create new forest in formerly logged areas and degraded pastures, increase soil-water retention capacity and provide nesting and foraging habitat for Hawaiian forest birds, the Hawaiian Hawk and the Hawaiian Hoary Bat.
     To keep out pigs, goats and sheep, KS will maintain fence lines in Keauhou and Kīlauea. The KS fencelines were designed for zero tolerance of feral ungulates. A weed control program will suppress faya, ginger, strawberry guava, Himalayan rasberry and other invasives. A program to prevent rapid ʻōhiʻa death from destroying trees will continue.
     See more of the plan at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/files/2013/10/ks-sha.pdf. Comments can be sent to katherine.cullison@hawaii.gov by Dec. 22.


VOTE TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR THE DIRECTORY COVER IMAGE for the 2017 business and resource guide, published by the Kaʻū Chamber of Commerce. The annual Beauty of Kaʻū Art Show is open to the public at  through this Friday, Nov. 18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Naʻalehu Hongwanji Breezeway.  A popular vote will determine the cover of The Directory. All entries are eligible to win the popular vote (the cover) including youth and keiki art, with the exception of previous cover winners for The Directory. Prizes will be given for: photography, sculpture, woodworking, quilting, jewelry, lei, graphics, painting and weaving.
    During the show, works of art for sale are priced on a list available from art show volunteers. The results of judging and the selection for The Directory cover will be announced this Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. at Naʻalehu Hongwanji, with artists invited to a reception and awards ceremony. The Directory is published in January.

Christmas in the Country begins this Friday, Nov. 18 at 

Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. 

Volcano Arts Center photo

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY begins this Friday, Nov. 18 – Jan 1 from  9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at  Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The holiday event kicks off with a members-only reception, 5:30 p.m., opening day. Featured at Christmas in the Country is the 17th Annual Invitational Wreath Exhibit, with prizes awarded for the best wreaths. To participate, contact Emily Weiss at 967-8222 or gallery@volcanoartcenter.org. Free; park entrance fees apply.

A FOOD DRIVE AND TROJAN BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT begins at 5:15 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 18. To enter the first official high school competition played at the new Kaʻū District Gym, bring canned food instead of money. At least one can of food required to enter. After three games on Friday, Trojan wahine play again on Saturday starting at 9 a.m. The tournament is expected to last all day against Keaʻau, Pahoa and Kealakehe high schools. Big Island Interscholastic competition begins at the gym in December.

HIʻIAKA & PELE, Saturday, Nov. 19, 9:30 – 11 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The famous myth of the volcano goddess Pele and her companion Hiʻiaka is the focus of this free, moderate, one-mile walk. Participants discover the Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena that reveal their story on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/havo

CENTENNIAL WALK: ‘Ōhi‘a Wing – Our New Museum, Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m., Kīlauea Visitor Center in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Following up on her After Dark in the Park talk given on Tuesday, Nov. 15, Chief of Cultural Resources Laura Carter Schuster is leading an easy walk from Kīlauea Visitor Center to the park’s new museum site. She’ll reveal the history and highlights of the park’s original 1932 park Administration Building and share exhibit plans that will highlight the park’s museum collection

RAINFOREST MELE, Sat, Nov 19, 4:30 & 7:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Funk band Bump City Hawaiʻi performs in the tradition of Tower of Power, Average White Band, James Brown and more. 967-8222

MONGOLIAN BBQ, Sat, Nov 19, 5 – 8 p.m., Kīlauea Military Camp’s Crater Rim Café in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The cost is only $.85 per ounce for a Mongolian BBQ plate dinner with your choice of protein, veggies, rice & beverage. Open to all authorized patrons & sponsored guests. 967-8356

PEOPLE & LANDS OF KAHUKU, Sun, Nov 20, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit. This free, guided, 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike over rugged terrain focuses on the area’s human history. Learn about emerging native forests, pastures, lava fields, and other sites that today hold clues about ways people have lived and worked on the vast Kahuku lands – from the earliest Hawaiians, through generations of ranching families, to the current staff and volunteers of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. nps.gov/havo


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

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