Ka'ū News Briefs Monday, August 28, 2017

Keiki sing "Happy Birthday" while learning proper hand washing techniques demonstrated at Mālama Nā Keiki Festival. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Hula Hālau Lei o Nālani entertain attendees. Photo by Alan Moores

OVER A HUNDRED KEIKI AND THEIR 'OHANA gathered at Nā‘ālehu Park to enjoy the free first annual Mālama Nā Keiki Festival organized by Hui Mālama Ola Nā ‘Oiwi on Saturday, August 26. Debbie Ryder’s Hālau Hula Lei o Nālani performed as keiki and ‘ohana explored the many booths available.
      Upon arrival, attendees were asked to register and receive a “passport” for each person to present at each booth, a reward was offered to those who were able to verify that they had attended all 25 stations arranged under 12 main tents, with ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou offering shaved ice in the twelfth tent. An obstacle course located in the middle of the courtyard (tents were arranged along the perimeter of a large rectangle) offered keiki a fun way to release extra energy throughout the day.

Hula Hālau Lei o Nālani keiki performers. Photo by Alan Moores

     The second tent (registration and raffle tickets occupied the first tent) offered Prenatal Education, information about the importance of immunizations and sign-up opportunities for Healthy Hapai classes.
     The third tent offered information about Breast Cancer Awareness while showing both women and men how to do a self-exam and handing out necklaces made with various sized wooden beads (representing tumors) as personal reminders to get checked as well as a specially designed plastic sheet to aid self-examination. Also in the third tent was an exercise for keiki to make photo frames using markers and fruit stickers alongside a display of colorful fruits and vegetables arranged in a rainbow with information about the benefits of “eating the rainbow.”

Display at Mālama Nā Keiki Festival illustrating the benefits of "eat[ing] the rainbow." Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

Willing keiki received free hearing exams.
Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

   The fourth tent offered free hearing screenings for keiki, though no child was forced to participate, as well as a demonstration about the importance of staying active. Height and weight measurements were taken and children were challenged to jump the length of their body.
     The fifth tent demonstrated proper hand washing techniques, asking keiki to sing “Happy Birthday” while lathering their hands with soap, before offering an array of fresh fruit, vegetable and sandwiches and wraps for everyone to enjoy. A hydration station of cooled water was also available.
     The sixth tent offered a large bag of food to all attendees courtesy of Food Basket, the parent organization of Ka‘ū Food Pantry. Substance abuse information and help pamphlets were also available at the sixth tent, courtesy of Big Island Substance Abuse Council.

NIU Hawai'i LLC founde Ka'anohiokala Pe'a demonstrates
to keiki massage techniques. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

     The seventh tent offered representatives from PATCH - Hawai‘i’s only child care resource and referral agency, Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool, where keiki could practice their counting skills using dot art, and PARENTS, Inc. Also present was NIU (Nurturing is Universal) Hawai'i LLC founder Ka‘anohiokala Pe‘a, a licensed massage therapist specializing in pediatric and adult massage therapy who explained how beneficial touch therapy can be to those with autism and those in neonatal care. He taught basic lessons in massage to keiki using play dough and explained to them that when they or a family member is feeling stressed, massage is a great way to relieve that stress. He demonstrated that when massage is not an option, play dough can also offer a way to work that tension or frustration out. Pe‘a is also a certified infant massage teacher and offers classes and workshops around the island.

Keiki were welcomed to plant and take home personalized a pot
with soil and a green bean seed. Photo by Geneveve Fyvie

     The eighth tent offered keiki the opportunity to immerse their hands in soil and plant a green bean seedling to take home. Older keiki were able to test their diagnostic skills with a list of symptoms and pictures. Representatives were available from KTA Pharmacy, Family Support Hawai'i, West Hawai‘i Early Headstart.
     The ninth tent offered representatives from WIC, Bay Clinic, and Bay Clinic Dental.
     The Project Vision Hawai‘i Vision Van took place in the tenth tent position with free vision screenings available.

'O Ka'ū Kākou handed out free shaved ice to attendees.
Photo by Alan Moores

     Keiki ID’s courtesy of the Hawai'i County Police Department along with representatives of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney were available in the eleventh tent.
     To learn more about Hui Mālama, visit hmano.org.

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HELP FOR HARVEY VICTIMS: KA'Ū'S CONGRESSWOMAN Tulsi Gabbard is asking citizens here to assist those in need after category four Hurricane Harvey, followed by torrential rains and extreme flooding, destroyed and drove people from their homes across eastern Texas. Gabbard issued this statement today:
     "Our nation's eyes and prayers are with those in Texas as Hurricane Harvey continues to pour down torrential rain across the Gulf Coast. With catastrophic flooding and tens of thousands of people stranded without relief, every bit of help we offer can make a difference.

 "The people of Texas are in dire need of diapers, baby formula, hygiene and sanitary items, medical supplies, non-perishable food, clothing, clean water, shelter, and more. Corpus Christi, Beaumont, Galveston, Houston, and surrounding communities have been totally inundated, and local emergency services are operating beyond capacity. More than nine million people in the metro area are affected, many of whom have lost their homes, cars, and possessions to flooding that experts say will continue to get worse before it gets better."
     Gabbard recommends making a donation to the "Houston Food Bank, the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, the American Red Cross, or any other local disaster relief organization of your choosing.
     "A terrible, tragic event such as this offers little to be optimistic about, but especially during times like this, we find hope in our hands and spirits joining together to help one another. If we act together at this moment, we can not only help Texas heal, but begin to bring together our country. We can rise above the present adversity and prove our resolve to heal the bitter differences that have pulled us apart. We are all Americans, and what affects one of us affects us all.
     "This disaster will take years to recover from, but our collective spirit is stronger than the wind or the rain. Let us live aloha and show the people of Texas that they are not alone and not forgotten. We are here for them," said Gabbard.

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

REGISTER KEIKI, grades K-8, until tomorrow, 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.

HOVE ROAD MAINTENANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 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 tomorrow, 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'ū News Briefs Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017

Creating medical respite clinics, with services to provide housing, mental health care, showers, laundry and other
needs of the homeless, is a passion of west Ka'ū's state Senator. Photo from Sen. Josh Green

SOLUTIONS FOR THE HOMELESS are being promoted and realized by west Ka'ū's state Senator, with programs on O'ahu that could expand to this island. Sen. Josh Green, also a physician, confirmed today that the Honolulu H-4 Project urgent care facility, "a project that I have been championing for over two years, has been green-lighted to move forward in Iwilei to serve our chronically homeless and most struggling population. My team's vision and the vision of the Mayor's team for this project is not just another free clinic, but an overall health and wellness facility providing showers, laundry services, a health clinic, drug treatment, mental health services, extended stay care, and on-site case workers who will assist with efforts to help patients obtain permanent housing."

Sen. Josh Green

     Key partners in the initiative include Queen's Hospital and HMSA, Dr. Scott Miscovich, IHS, regional community health centers, EMS and police department leaders, numerous key council members and state legislators, Hawai'i Community Foundation thought leaders, Rick Blangiardi, Dr. Danny Chang, Anthony Aalto, Duane Kuriso, "and many other passionate advocates for Hawai'i's people," said Green.
     He said such a respite clinic, in addition to providing a safe, functional environment for those in need to get services and treatment, will "alleviate both the financial and medical strain on our over taxed emergency rooms. I treat homeless individuals every day that I'm in the ER who are not experiencing an actual medical emergency, and the costs are astronomical to our hospitals and society. By creating a place for homeless people to receive medical treatment when their situation is not dire, we will save millions of dollars and keep hospital beds open for those who need them.
     "While there is still so much work to be done, this is a big step in the right the direction in our on-going efforts to combat our homelessness crisis, and I am excited about moving forward on this endeavor and many others in the months and years to come," said Green.
     Green has made national news advocating for doctors to be able to prescribe, and insurance pay for, housing for the homeless. He contends that having a home cuts medical expenses, largely paid for by government.

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PLANNED PARENTHOOD received support from Sen. Mazie Hirono this week as she toured the Hawaiian Islands, visiting state agencies to receive updates on health care in Hawai'i and meeting with health care leaders and providers on strengthening the ACA and improving the health care system. Hirono released a statement saying that "Unrelenting Republican attacks on Planned Parenthood threaten to turn back the clock on decades of progress we've made on women's health care. By providing access to affordable preventative health services, like cancer screenings, Planned Parenthood has served thousands of Hawai'i residents and families. I will continue to fight to protect women's health and our right to control our bodies."

Sen. Maize Hirono visited health agencies and health leaders during the
congressional break in Hawai'i.

     Laurie Field, Hawai'i Public Affairs Manager at Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawai'i, said, "In this political climate, we are incredibly grateful for the support of our patients, supporters, donors, and elected officials, like Senator Mazie Hirono in Hawai'i. People across the country need access to affordable, high-quality health care and Hawai'i recognizes the value Planned Parenthood brings to the state. Congressional Republican leadership is determined to roll back progress, but Hawai'i remains a leader in health care and is making long-term investments in the critical services we provide."
     Hirono has led efforts to continue federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides millions of Americans with access to contraceptive services, sexually transmitted infection (STI) and cancer screenings, well-woman visits, and other health services every year. Earlier this year, Hirono opposed Republican efforts to exclude Planned Parenthood from Title X family planning service grants. "Reducing federal funding for Planned Parenthood would threaten access to critical services for hundreds of thousands of low-income women around the country who rely on Planned Parenthood health centers," said Hirono.

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

EAST HAWAI'I DEMOCRATIC PARTY invites Ka'ū and Volcano residents to a community clean-up at Coconut Island on Saturday, Sept. 2, from 10 a.m. to noon - with potluck and talk-story to follow. Shannon Matson, the recently elected Hawai'i County East Hawai'i Vice Chair said the organization wants "to work towards positive change." The event is co-sponsored by State Senator Kai Kahele, State House Representative Chris Todd, and Friends of Heather Kimball with the help of Hawai'i Wildlife Fund and donations from Sustainable Island Products.
     It is being organized as part of the National Democratic Party's Resistance Summer. "Come out to show gratitude for our beautiful island and share delicious food and revolutionary ideas," said Matson.

    Matson said, "I feel strongly about the future of our economy and environment. I am excited to serve in this position to help hold our currently elected Democratic leaders accountable to our platform as well as the opportunity to support new candidates who will bring positive change to our community. I look forward to hearing about your ideas and concerns about the future of our party and what we can do to work together to unite our party and make the changes we need for Hawai'i."
     For those unable to attend but who would like to get more involved in "making a difference," said Matson, "our County Democratic Party has created about a dozen committees to work on specific legislative efforts and more general projects including a 2018 voter guide. Our County Chair will soon be sending out an eblast to explain further and encourage your participation in these committees - so watch for that in mid September." Contact Matson at 937-3037 or hotyogahilo@gmail.com.

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

REGISTER KEIKI, grades K-8, until Tuesday, 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.

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'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.

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 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