Ka'ū News Briefs Saturday, August 26, 2017

Lowering a borehole tiltmeter into a ten-foot deep hole on Mauna Loa's Southwest Rift Zone.

See Volcano Watch below. Photo from USGS

HARVESTING THE EUCALYPTUS TREE FARM ABOVE PAHALA may experience a delay. Life of the Land has lodged an appeal to the Hawai'i Supreme Court to reverse the Public Utilities Commission ruling in favor of the HELCO-Hū Honua biomass power purchase agreement. 

       Hū-Honua which plans to generate electricity from a wood burning plant in North Hilo, plans to cut and haul eucalyptus from Pāhala and elsewhere to fuel its operation.

       According to Life of the Land, its appeal is the first challenge by a PUC docket participant regarding climate change and greenhouse gas emissions in Hawai'i. Life of the Land is represented by Maui attorney Lance D. Collins.

Eucalyptus harvests above Pāhala may be delayed with a
lawsuit over a biofuel electric plant in North Hilo.
Photo by Julia Neal

    The PUC granted Life of the Land participant status in this case, citing its extensive research and understanding of energy and environmental issues. “It is critical that state regulatory agencies consider climate change,” asserted Henry Curtis, Executive Director of Life of the Land. “And, the PUC is specifically required by law to do so.”

      Curtis asserted that since 2011, the PUC has been expressly mandated by state law (Act 109 SLH 2011) to consider greenhouse gas emissions in their decision-making but has continued to totally disregard its duties under the law.

         "Life of the Land believes that the total lack of any analysis let alone any mention of greenhouse gas emissions in the final decision of the Commission was grave error compounded by the PUC's categorical dismissal of Life of the Land's attempts to raise these issues. Life of the Land is asking that the Hawai'i Supreme Court vacate the PUC's decision and direct it to properly consider all issues required by law," said a statement released today by the organization.

       "This failure is even more troubling in light of more recent enactment of Act 32 (SLH 2017),"  Life of the Land contends. Act 32 states: “The legislature finds that not only is climate change real, but it is the overriding challenge of the 21st century and one of the priority issues of the senate.  Climate change poses immediate and long-term threats to the State's economy, sustainability, security, and way of life.”

       Life of the Land is  "Hawai'iʻs own energy and environmental group working to protect the people and the 'āina since 1970. Our mission is to preserve and protect the life of the land through research, education, advocacy, and when necessary, litigation," says the statement.

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A NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESS SUMMIT featured Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard this week during her trip back to the Island and her recess from Congress. Sponsored by the Native Hawaiian Organizations Association, the event is in its third year and focuses on legislative, legal and business issues relevant to small businesses in the federal contracting industry. It connects Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs), 8(a) certified companies, and other locally-owned businesses with Department of Defense (DoD) contracting officers and government representatives. Emphasizing the conference theme of Kākou, Gabbard reiterated support for Native Hawaiian housing, education, and healthcare programs. She said they help thousands of families in need each year, and discussed opportunities and challenges for the Native Hawaiian community under the changing political climate.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard addressed the Native Hawaiian
Business Summit this week. Photo from Office of Tulsi Gabbard

     Gabbard also met with Kamehameha Schools’ leadership and the Native Hawaiian Legislative Hui - a group of organizations that includes Department of Native Hawaiian Homelands, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Native Hawaiian Education Council, Papa Ola Lōkahi, and others. 

    Gabbard said she discussed legislative proposals to empower and support Native Hawaiian communities across the state, and opportunities to support the hui's work at the federal level. 

     The congresswoman provided updates on key agriculture initiatives in Congress, including the 2018 Farm Bill, said a statement from her office.

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TODAY IS WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY,  marking the anniversary of the certification of the 19th Amendment and securing the right to vote for women. U.S. Rep. Colleen Hamabusa issued a statement, saying: "While we honor the generations of advocates who fought tirelessly for a woman’s right to vote, we must recognize that women have a long way to go to reach full equality.

 

This year, I was honored to be a co-sponsor of the Voter Empowerment Act which would protect voting rights and preserve our electoral system ensuring equal access to the ballot box for all Americans. I know I would not be where I am if it was not for those who came before me, and I will continue to support equal pay, voting rights, and health care."

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USGS HAWAI'I VOLCANO OBSERVATORY "has a long tradition of innovation when it comes to the tools that we use to monitor the status and activity of volcanoes. Since HVO's inception in 1912, observatory staff have developed techniques and manufactured instruments that have been used worldwide for volcano monitoring," reports HVO scientists in this week's Volcano Watch:

     The tradition continues to this day, with HVO continually adapting and creating equipment and methods in response to changing conditions and to take advantage of new technologies. For example, a recent equipment installation challenge was met with enthusiasm as an opportunity to design and implement new tools.
     The challenge was presented by a malfunctioning tiltmeter in a deep borehole on the west flank of Mauna Loa Volcano. The tiltmeter, which was originally installed 17 years ago, had a long and fruitful career before giving up. But HVO scientists were not ready to let go of the data it provided, especially considering how restless Mauna Loa has been over the last few years.
     This particular installation is part of a network of several deep sites on Mauna Loa that include seismometers, tiltmeters and strainmeters. These extremely sensitive instruments are housed in boreholes more than 15 m (50 ft) deep to help isolate them from the effects of temperature, rainfall, and atmospheric pressure fluctuations, all of which can cause spurious signals.

Strainmeter installation on Mauna Kea.
Photo from USGS

     The tiltmeter itself is a metal tube, 1 m (3 ft) long and 5 cm (2 in) in diameter, which contains precision electrolytic sensors that detect tiny tilt variations in two perpendicular directions. It can measure tilts smaller than 1 microradian, which is about the same as the slope created by putting a dime under one end of a board that is 1 km (more than half a mile) long.
     Now imagine lowering that tube about 15 m (50 ft) into a 10 cm (4 in) diameter hole that also has a bunch of cables (from the strainmeter, seismometer, and old tiltmeter) snaking up through it. The scientists also have to position the tiltmeter so that it stays upright and doesn't rest on any of those cables or the sides of the hole while pouring sand to keep it in place.
     But the challenge continues. Now add the requirement to orient the tiltmeter so that its sensors are aligned to north-south and east-west directions, or at least know the exact direction to which those sensors are pointing. This calls for some rather heroic feats of engineering.
     The solution by HVO's technical crew was to use computer assisted drawing (CAD) software to design a specialized jig that sits around the tiltmeter and gently channels all the cables out of the way while the instrument is lowered into the borehole. The jig was manufactured using a 3-D printer, which put down layer after layer of thermoplastic to build a solid object with customized specifications.

Water-tube tiltmeter installed in 1956 in an
underground vault near Kilauea's summit.
Photo from USGS

  Another specially built apparatus holds the jig, the tiltmeter, a light, and a video camera that provides a real-time view of the tiltmeter's descent as it is lowered into the borehole and positioned at the bottom.
     The scientists report that the installation was successful, and the new tiltmeter is now faithfully recording ground tilt on the west flank of Mauna Loa. These data are sent back to the observatory via radio links so that HVO receives them in less than a minute.
     HVO scientists say they hope that this tiltmeter will help provide the earliest possible warning of rapid magma movement toward the surface, which would signal an impending Mauna Loa eruption.

    They also hope that these data will help them understand the processes and conditions that lead to eruptions so that we can continue to advance the field of eruption forecasting. Whatever the outcome, the innovation of HVO's technicians will continue to be valuable well into the future, both in Hawai'i and abroad.

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REGISTER KEIKI, grades K-8, until August 29, to make a beaded key chain on Wednesday, August 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center. Call 928-3102 for more.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place Sunday, August 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 29, at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church. For more details call 929-9910.

KA'Ū FOOD PANTRY, a non-profit organization that aims to provide each family in need with three days of food, will be handing out food again on Tuesday, August 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Most of the food comes from Food Basket of Hawai'i, Inc. in Kona. Ka'ū Food Basket pays them a small handling fee for the food they provide.

AN EVENING WITH JOHN DAWSON is free to attend on Thursday, August 31, at 7 p.m. in the Volcano Art Center. Donations accepted. For more details call 967-8222. 

     Live Long and Prosper Mighty 'Ōhi'a a collection of paintings and illustrations that focus on the highly variable display of ‘ōhi’a lehua trees found within the park is currently available for viewing daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October 8, at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Gallery viewings are free, though park entrance fees apply.

Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

Ka'u News Briefs Friday, August 25, 2017

The bridge entrance to Nahuku (Thurston Lava Tube) is one of the most popular, and most photographed, destinations in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  See story below. Photo by Janice Wei, National Park Service

MEDICAID-FOR-ALL is a new bill that Sen. Brian Schatz is preparing to introduce into the U.S. Senate. He trumpeted on Thursday that "Last month, we won a historic victory against the Republicans’ plan to throw millions of people off their health insurance in order to give tax breaks to the wealthiest among us." Schatz also warned, "The Republicans still have a majority in the Senate. If we’re ever going to move forward and make progress on health care, we need to go on the offensive and present ideas now on how to improve Obamacare so we’re ready when that chance comes." Schatz is asking his Hawai'i constituents to add their names to become co-sponsors of his Medicaid-For-All bill.

Sen. Brian Schatz

     His proposal has drawn coverage this week in New York Magazine and Slate. Vox wrote that "Sen. Schatz's new health care idea could be the Democratic Party's future."
     Said Shatz, the proposal "will allow millions of Americans to get the coverage they need without going broke." He explained that the Medicaid-For-All bill gives states the option to expand their Medicaid programs to uninsured Americans wishing to purchase coverage.
     "That means millions of Americans who already rely on Medicaid will get to stay on their insurance and people who are currently making too much to qualify will be able buy in and join the program for the first time. And it would make Medicaid a public option which would put private insurance companies in competition with a much cheaper and effective Medicaid system."
     Schatz conceded that "Our goals are ambitious. What we are trying to do is to come up with a plan that will get the most coverage at the lowest price for the most Americans. If we are going to be successful, we will need everyone to stay engaged and demand better health care."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter .

CLOSING PORTIONS OF THURSTON LAVA TUBE, Nahuku, and its rainforest loop trail will start Tuesday, Sept. 5, for approximately two weeks while Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park maintenance workers replace the electrical conduit and lighting system.
     During repairs, the public will be able to explore the open section of the lava tube, which is one of the most popular destinations in the park. Visitors are advised to bring their own light source (cell phone lights are adequate). The nearby restrooms will remain open.

Interior of Nahuku, Thurston Lava Tube, with the lights on.

Photo from National Park Service

     The new energy-efficient lighting system will simultaneously increase visitor safety by illuminating the interior, and protect the cultural integrity of the ‘ana (cave) by inhibiting the growth of non-native plant species, says a statement from Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
     The back portion of Nahuku will be closed first, including the stairs leading out of the lava tube and the north section of rainforest trail. Visitors will be able to access the front section of the lava tube via the bridge entrance, and return the same way. Once work is complete in the back portion, work on the front section will start and visitors can access the rear portion of Nahuku via the north trail and stairs.

     The public will be notified of any updates. The park regrets any inconvenience to the public, said the HVNP statement.
Nahuku - Thurston Lava Tube and its lush rainforest trail are popular features in the park, located near the summit of Kilauea volcano off Crater Rim Drive.
     The lava tube was formed by a vigorous stream of magma that erupted from Kilauea and crusted over about 550 years ago. When the magma source was exhausted, a long, hollow tunnel was left behind. The native rainforest surrounding Nahuku is managed by the park as a Special Ecological Area, and is home to endemic plant, bird and insect species. Visitation is heaviest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and parking is limited to 30 minutes.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I RECOMMITTED ITSELF to Mauna Kea telescope park management on Thursday, its Board of Regents directing the university administration to "build a global model of harmonious and inspirational stewardship that is befitting of Mauna Kea."
      Other support for continued use of acreage on Mauna Kea for astronomy, education and research has come from Gov. David Ige who issued a statement saying, "I am pleased that the University of Hawai‘i has affirmed its intention to take action to strengthen the collaborative stewardship of Mauna Kea and its resources. I look forward to working with the university and its partners to make meaningful changes that further contribute to the co-existence of culture and science on this special mountain."

Rendering of the Thirty Meter Telescope planned for Mauna Kea.
Image from TMT

    Mayor Harry Kim weighed in earlier and proposed "a peace park."
     The Regents' resolution comes less than a month before a Hilo public hearing, Sept. 20, before the state Board of Land & Natural Resources to consider a recommendation to provide the Thirty Meter Telescope with a land use permit to build the project.
     The resolution approved by the Regents onThursday calls for the university to retain 1,288 acres for the telescopes on the mountain and return 10,000 acres of the 11,288-acre Mauna Kea Science Reserve to the state for management. The resolution also calls for the university to "meaningfully increase the engagement" of local students in celestial navigation and astronomy.
       Opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope and other elements of the telescope campus testified against the resolution. Kamana Beamer, Univeristy of Hawai'i associate Professor of Hawaiian studies, called the resolution "ingenuous." He said one major aspect of the opposition to the Thirty Meter telescope is "scale of development" and speculated that the Thirty Meter will be the largest telescope only until the next generation telescope is developed. Opponents said that Mauna Kea is a sacred place and should not be furrther developed, even for scientific purposes.
     See more on the Thirty Meter Telescope at www.tmt.org.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter .
   
REGISTER KEIKI, grades K-8, until August 29, to make a beaded key chain on Wednesday, August 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 928-3102 for more.

DISCOVER HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI'IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomenon they represent on a guided, moderate, one-mile hike through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park tomorrow, August 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free. Visit ups.gov/havo for more.

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, a class in which Samantha DaSilva will share her unique method of painting, takes place tomorrow, August 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Volcano Art Center. $90 plus $15 supply fee per person. Call 967-8222 for more or visit volcanoartcenter.org.

Samantha DaSilva in the studio.
Photo from bellevuedanielsmithevents.blogspot.com

     Born in Brazil, DaSilva is a professional artist, living and working on the Big Island of Hawai’i, who, according to her website, was “influenced at an early age through her copiously artistic family. Her grandmother, a portrait artist, her aunt, an accomplished jewelry designer, and her mother, a watercolorist, all influenced Samantha to experiment with a variety of mediums.” Her bio reads that, “beneath her amiable personality burns a fervent fire to express life through art and dialogue… Her passion for abstract painting has manifested itself through prolific expressions of art on canvas and varying media. Since ’08, Samantha’s work has been exhibited in over 100 group and solo shows across North America. As an educator, Samantha has instructed at various public & private institutions across North America.” For more about Samantha DaSilva, visit samanthadasilva.com.

FREE FIRST ANNUAL MALAMA NA KEIKI FESTIVAL IS SATURDAY at the Na`alehu Community Center and baseball field from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is organized by Hui Malama Ola Na ‘Oiwi. It offers a wide variety of maternity and new family mini-educational classes; clinical health screening for expectant mothers, keiki, and ‘ohana; keiki fun activities; keiki performances; live music; and healthy local-sourced food.
     The festival is made possible through support of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. "Hui Malama strives to help participants develop a strong network of prenatal and postnatal support, and learn best practices to prevent potential health problems, raise healthy happy children, strengthen family, and fulfill OHA and Hui Malama's shared goal of a strong and healthy Hawaiian nation," says a statement from the organization. For more details about the event and Hui Malama, visit hmano.org.

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START VIEWING LIVE LONG AND PROSPER MIGHTY ‘OHI’A, daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from tomorrow, August 26, through October 8, at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park with paintings and illustrations by John D. Dawson. The artworks focus on the highly variable display of ‘ohi’a lehua trees found within the park. Gallery viewings are free, though park entrance fees apply.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Kahuku Unit, 1868 lava flow. Photo from nps.gov/havo

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a moderate hike approximately 2 miles takes place Sunday, August 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Free. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 29, at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church. For more details call 929-9910.

KA'U FOOD PANTRY, a non-profit organization that aims to provide each family in need with three days of food, will be handing out food again on Tuesday, August 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Ocean View. Most of the food comes from Food Basket of Hawai'i, Inc. in Kona. Ka'u Food Basket pays them a small handling fee for the food they provide.

Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017.swf

Ka'u News Briefs Thursday, August 24, 2017

The Hawaiian monk seal is at home in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. It is one of the most

critically endangered marine mammals in the United States.

Photo by James Watt/Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument

FISHING COULD BE ALLOWED IN NATIONAL MONUMENT waters off Hawai'i. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke provided a report Wednesday to Pres. Donald Trump, which, according to The Washington Post, calls for the possible overturning of fishing and hunting bans within National Monuments. It also calls for considering reduction in sizes of National Monuments. In April, Trump asked Zinke for a report reviewing the status of 27 National Monuments.

Ulua in the Marine National Monument.

Photo by James Watt/Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument

     One of them is Hawai'i’s Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which expanded during the presidency of Barack Obama to become the largest marine preserve in the world, covering 582,578 square miles.
     The Washington Post story by Juliet Eilperin and Darry Fears quotes Conservation International Center for Oceans. Its senior Vice President Aulani Wilhelm was Papahanaumokuakea's first superintendent. The Washington Post reports Wilhem saying that the 582,578 square miles of land and sea across the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are the world’s largest gathering spot for seabirds and home for a myriad of endangered species that have proven largely resilient despite climate change. "There’s a need to have areas in the ocean not only to understand the changes underway but to protect functioning systems as a hedge against those changes," Wilhelm told The Washington Post.
     The Washington Post also reports: "The Hawai'i-based long-line fishery has argued that the expansion of Papahanaumokuakea’s boundaries last year impedes its catch. But the industry has already used up 94 percent of this year’s fishing quota, prompting federal officials to temporarily close the fishery as of Sept. 1."

Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument could be opened to commercial fishing,
according to a recommendations by the Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zenke.
Map from Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument

      Referring to Obama's establishment and expansion of National Monuments, including Papahanaumokuakea, under the Antiquities Act, Zinke wrote, “No President should use the authority under the Antiquities Act to restrict public access, prevent hunting and fishing, burden private land, or eliminate traditional land uses, unless such action is needed to protect the object.” He said that the recommendations he sent to Trump will provide "a much needed change for the local communities who border and rely on these lands for hunting and fishing, economic development, traditional uses, and recreation.”
      According to The New York Times, "Robert D. Rosenbaum, who serves as counsel to the National Parks Conservation Association, said Wednesday that no president has sought to shrink a monument’s boundaries in the past four decades: 'If the president attempts unilaterally to take adverse action on any of the monuments under review, he would be on very shaky legal ground, and we expect the action would be challenged in federal court.'"
      See https://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov and visit Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument's Mokupapapa Discovery Center in Hilo.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter

Infographic from www.bikemaui.com

HUNTING  FERAL PIGS ON STATE LAND IN THE KA'U FOREST RESERVE is an issue before the Hawai'i Supreme Court, which is pondering a decision on a suit brought by the Pele Defense Fund.
     The Pele Defense Fund, Palikapu Dedman, Terri Napeahi, John Griffiths, Jr. and Tammy Ka'awa sued the state Department of Land & Natural Resources Division of Forestry & Wildlife over the state's Ka'u Forest Reserve Management Plan for 61,641 acres. The plaintiffs contend that an Environmental Impact Statement, rather than and Environmental Assessment was needed to analyze the plan, which includes fencing of areas to protect native species from feral pigs and other ungulates.
     The local circuit court sided with the DLNR and issued a summary judgment. However, Pele Defense Fund took the case to the Hawai'i Supreme Court.
     According to Big Island Video News, which reviewed tapes of arguments before the Supreme Court earlier this month, the Pele Defense Fund attorney argued against eliminating feral pigs from portions of the forest reserve. "You're eradicating a Native Hawaiian religious symbol. You're eradicating a religious ceremonial object. The eradication of pigs in Ka'u is to eradicate Article 2 Section 7. It's analogous, as a matter of fact, to desecrating Christian sacraments," said Pele Defense Fund attorney.
       Hunters testified at several meetings in Ka'u, when the plan was being developed, that they worried they would be restricted from hunting pigs to feed their families. There was also testimony regarding native gathering rights in the forest.
     The DLNR has contended that there are plenty of pigs and hunting grounds outside the areas to be fenced to protect endangered species. Pigs, goats, sheep and wild cattle damage the forest and increase the habitat of mosquitoes which carry a malaria that kills native birds.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. 

REGISTER KEIKI, grades K-8, until August 29, to make a beaded key chain on Wednesday, August 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. Call 928-3102 for more.

TALK STORY AT THE KAHUKU UNIT of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Friday, August 25, for Coffee Talk from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and join the informational conversation on the Ala Kahakai Trail with its Superintendent Aric Arakaki.  Ka’u coffee, tea and pastries will be available for purchase. Free entry.

CELEBRATE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S 101ST ANNIVERSARY Friday, August 25, and enter Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park fee-free.

PREGNANT WOMEN, YOUNG FAMILIES, THOSE CONSIDERING PREGNANCY AND SUPPORTING ‘OHANA are welcomed by members of Hui Malama Ola Na ‘Oiwi to attend their first annual kids health festival for kids in Ka‘u this weekend, formally Malama Na Keiki Festival. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, at the Na'alehu Community Center and baseball field. The festival offers a wide variety of maternity & new family mini-educational classes; clinical health screening for expectant mothers, keiki, & ‘ohana; keiki fun activities; keiki performances; live music; & healthy local-sourced food.
     The festival is free and made possible through support of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. "Hui Malama strives to help participants develop a strong network of prenatal and postnatal support, and learn best practices to prevent potential health problems, raise healthy happy children, strengthen family, and fulfill OHA and Hui Malama's shared goal of a strong and healthy Hawaiian nation," says a statement from the organization. For more about the event visit hmono.org.

John D. Dawson
Photo from constant contact.com

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER MIGHTY ‘OHI’A is the title of an art  show open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, August 26, through October 8, at Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park with paintings and illustrations by John D. Dawson. The artworks focus on the highly variable display of ‘ohi’a lehua trees found within the park. Gallery viewings are free, though park entrance fees apply.
     John D. Dawson has lived in Hilo with his wife Kathleen for the past 22 years and has been commissioned by the United States Postal Service continuously for the past 12 years. The Nature in America series is one of his most well known accomplishments along with a majority of the new art displayed in the Kilauea Visitor Center at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

DISCOVER HAWAIIAN GODDESSES HI’IAKA & PELE and the natural phenomenon they represent on a guided, moderate, free one-mile hike through the Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Saturday, August 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Visit ups.gov/havo for more.

FEARLESS ABSTRACT PAINTING, a class in which Samantha DeSilva will share her unique method of painting, takes place Saturday, August 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Volcano Art Center. The fee per person is $90 plus a $15 supply fee. Call 967-8222 for more.

NATURE & CULTURE: AN UNSEVERABLE RELATIONSHIP, a free moderate hike approximately two miles takes place Sunday, August 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Kahuku Unit of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change (hulihia) and subsequent restoration (kulia) can be observed as the land transitions from the 1868 lava flow with its pioneer plants to deeper soil with more diverse and older flora. Learn about native plants that play a vital role in Hawaiian culture. Visit nps.gov/havo for more.

Pick up the August edition of The Ka`u Calendar delivered
free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka`u, from Miloli`i 
through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout
the district. See it online at www.kaucalendar.com

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017