The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island

Friday, June 07, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, June 7, 2019

Mohouli Heights is a senior housing community with a style that could be appropriate for Nāʻālehu,
says OKK President Wayne Kawachi. Photo from Big Island Video News

PROPOSED NĀʻĀLEHU SENIOR HOUSING WILL OFFER MUCH MORE than 20 apartments, each 500 square feet, says Wayne Kawachi, President of ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. The community group is raising funds and organizing financing. Kawachi told The Kaʻū Calendar this week that, in addition to the 20 housing units, there will be a community center for the seniors. The large grounds could provide room for a senior garden and other activities. To fit in with the character of Nāʻālehu, the 20 units are planned in duplexes, rather than one large building. He said there is much space on the property to add more units, if needed in the future.

Kawachi said that one proposal, presented last Sunday at a community meeting, is for Big Island Housing Foundation to manage the senior housing. Hawaiʻi Island Community Development Corp. would manage the financing and interaction with the federal Housing & Urban Development agency and investors who would receive tax credits for 15 years. After the 15 years, OKK, would remain owner of the facilities and hire management as needed.

Wayne Kawacchi works on moving senior housing forward
in Nāʻālehu. Photo from OKK

Kawachi said that OKK is spending $3,000 on a marketing study this summer to analyze the need for the senior housing, which is required to move forward with investors and government funding. Rent would be about $1,000 per unit and many of the residents are expected to receive subsidies as lower income residents.
OKK's webstie explains the spirit and intent of the senior housing proposal as having to do with "Dignity, Safety, & Community." It says, "The good news is, seniors are living longer, especially in Hawaiʻi. But many are already finding that housing is becoming unaffordable as rents rise far above their incomes. Unless their children can take them in, options are limited and involve moving away from the community they've lived in most of their lives.
"OKK seeks to stem the tide by eventually building a senior housing complex in Nāʻālehu. No such facility exists for kupuna to live on their own in their community with dignity, safety, and prevent institutionalization. Our largest fundraising goal ever is currently underway. In 2019-2021, we're fundraising $250,000 towards a mortgage of a multi-family/commercially zoned building lot in Nāʻālehu. The lot is located in downtown along highway 11 and is known to locals as the 'old fruit stand property.' And thanks to an anonymous benefactor, we closed on this a property through a private loan. We have two years to pay off the mortgage or it defaults to our benefactor in April of 2021. If we reach this goal, we would then work toward building a complex for qualified, low-income seniors.
"You may recall news reports in January of 2018 when OKK President Wayne Kawachi raised $75,000 towards this project by walking 100 miles from Paʻauilo to Nāʻālehu. He came to be known statewide as the 'Rubbah Slippah Guy.' Thirty thousand of that was spent on the demolition of multiple structures on the fruit stand property. Closing costs and property taxes were also additional expenses."

Wayne Kawachi walked 100 miles in rubber slippers as the Taikodrums beat for senior housing to be built in Nāʻālehu.
Photo from OKK

OKK reports that Kawachi toured Mohouli Heights Senior Housing in Hilo "and envisions something like this for our project."

See the donation link on the OKK website. The organization is raising $250,000 with a promise of returning money to donors should campaign fall short of its goal.

The location is on the mauka side of Hwy 11 at the old site of Nāʻālehu Fruit Stand. For more information, or to donate, call Kawachi at 808-937-4773.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY IS GETTING DRONES. This week's Volcano Watch, written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates, is New eyes in the sky for monitoring Hawaiian volcanoes:

HVO is no rookie when it comes to using flight to assist with monitoring Hawaiian volcanoes. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have transported HVO volcanologists for decades, giving them access for visual and thermal observations, equipment maintenance, and other geophysical and geochemical measurements. But the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea Volcano presented an opportunity for HVO to adopt a new airborne technology – Unmanned Aircraft Systems; UAS or 'drones' – to better monitor the eruption than with manned flight alone.

Two USGS UAS pilots perform a routine inspection of a UAS system prior to a flight at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano

in June 2018. The UAS for this particular flight was outfitted with a multi-gas sensor to identify any new degassing

sources within the collapsing summit caldera. All UAS flights inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park were conducted

with explicit permission of the National Park Service. USGS photo by P. Nadeau

Previously, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo used UAS to map the 2014 Pāhoa lava flow. Other external collaborators have also previously flown short campaigns at Kīlauea's summit and at Puʻu ʻŌʻō with permission of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. But before the 2018 eruption, the USGS itself had not employed UAS to monitor an eruption in Hawaiʻi.

In 2018, however, UAS teams from across the USGS, as well as other agencies within the U.S. Department of the Interior, were mobilized for the Kīlauea eruption response. Through most of the activity, UAS crews worked 24/7, sometimes splitting into multiple teams so that measurements could be made at both the summit and lower East Rift Zone of Kīlauea simultaneously.

The most basic capability of the UAS during the 2018 eruption was simple video imaging and streaming. This allowed for documentation of eruptive features that would not otherwise have been accessible for study due to hazardous conditions.

Images like this one of HVO and Jaggar museum, taken after
last year's eruption, are made possible by UASs. HVO photo

In a more practical sense, UAS imaging also offered enhanced situational awareness for the eruption response. UAS images helped identify where new lava breakouts were happening or were likely to occur. In one instance, a USGS UAS helped with the evacuation of a Puna resident as a lava flow quickly approached.

Some of the UAS were outfitted with thermal cameras, which provided images that were used to create detailed maps of the lava flows. Thermal imagery was also used to identify the hottest, most active portions of the flow field, which was particularly useful when visible images were not able to differentiate between slightly older and slightly newer flows.

More technical applications of UAS-based imaging included the creation of digital elevation models (DEMs) and measurements of lava flow speeds within channels. By using imagery to determine the height of newly emplaced lava, the new DEMs could be compared to pre-eruption DEMs to calculate the volume of lava erupted.

At Kīlauea's summit, DEMs helped HVO assess the new landscape of the collapsing caldera and determine just how much collapse was occurring. Along the rift zone, videos taken above fast-flowing lava channels helped with calculations of how much and how quickly lava was erupting from the fissures.

Beyond the UAS imaging opportunities, the 2018 eruption was the first time that the USGS mounted gas sensors on UAS in Hawaiʻi. The fissures were too dangerous to approach on foot to measure the gas chemistry, but a multi-gas sensor mounted on a UAS helped determine the chemistry of the eruptive plumes.

Likewise, at the summit, with collapse events and potential explosion hazards, ground-based gas measurements within Kīlauea caldera were not possible. UAS-based measurements were the only safe method for measuring the location, chemistry, and amount of volcanic gas released at the summit.

Having UAS capabilities for the 2018 eruption enabled HVO to obtain crucial data that would otherwise have been difficult or impossible to obtain. However, you may have noticed that while this article refers to UAS teams from across the USGS traveling to Hawaiʻi for the eruption response, it makes no mention of in-house HVO pilots. That's because, in 2018, HVO didn't have any certified UAS pilots with the skills required for flying in hazardous areas. But that will change in the coming months.

A USGS pilot and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas geochemist prepare to conduct a test flight of an unmanned aerial system on Kīlauea Volcano in November, 2018. The UAS was outfitted with a prototype miniaturized multi-gas sensor for the detection of volcanic gases emitted by Kīlauea, including sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. USGS photo/Patricia Nadeau

Several HVO staff members will become licensed UAS operators later this year, allowing HVO to add UAS capabilities to our monitoring repertoire. We will then be able to use UAS to aid in our mission-critical monitoring work and will be poised to deploy UAS at a moment's notice to collect important datasets the next time a Hawaiian volcano acts up.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kῑlauea Volcano is not erupting and its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. The USGS Volcano Alert level for Mauna Loa remains at NORMAL.

For definitions of USGS Volcano Alert Levels, see volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/about_alerts.html.

Rates of deformation, gas release, and seismicity on Kīlauea have not changed significantly over the past week.

Since early March, GPS stations and tiltmeters at Kīlauea's summit have recorded deformation consistent with slow magma accumulation within the shallow portion of the summit magma system. However, gas measurements have not indicated shallowing of large volumes of magma.

On Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, GPS stations and tiltmeters continue to show motions consistent with refilling of the deep magmatic reservoir in the broad region between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Highway 130. This trend has been observed since the end of the 2018 eruption, although there is an indication that this motion has been slowing down over the past couple weeks.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates on Kīlauea's ERZ and summit remain low, but HVO continues to closely monitor gas emissions in both areas for any changes.

Two earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in Hawaiʻi this past week: a magnitude-2.8 quake 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of Volcano Village at -0.2 km (-0.1 mi) depth on June 6 at 3:01 a.m., and a magnitude-2.8 quake 18 km (11.2 mi) east of Hōnaunau-Nāpōʻopoʻo at 8 km (5 mi) depth on June 2 at 11:32 p.m.

HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity.

Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Call 808-967-8862 for weekly Kīlauea updates. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

UPCOMING

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

Pancake Breakfast and Raffle, Saturday, June 8, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Stained Glass Basics II: Baubles, Bevels and other Embellishments w/Claudia McCall, Saturday and Sunday, June 8, 9, 15 and 16, 9 a.m. to noon, Volcano Art Center. $90/VAC member, $100/non-member, plus $30 supply fee. Open to those with prior copper foil stained glass experience. Advanced registration required. Limited to 6 adults. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mamo o Kāwā ʻOhana Work Day, Saturday, June 8, meet 9:30 a.m., Northern Gate, Kāwā. RSVP to James Akau, jakau@nmok.org, 561-9111. Bring a water bottle, lunch, closed toed shoes, long sleeved t-shirt, and pants. Tools, gloves, water, and light refreshments provided. nmok.org, facebook.com/NMOK.Hawaii

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, June 9 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

SUNDAY, JUNE 9
Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, June 9 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3-5p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

MONDAY, JUNE 10
Summer Algebra Camp: Grades 6-8, Monday, June 10, to Friday, June 21, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary. Supplies provided, free. Registration required, 313-4913, dexsilyn.navarro@k12.hi.us

Early College: High School Students, Monday-Thursday, June 12-July 11, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary. Registration required, 313-4100

FRIDAY, JUNE 14
Register by June 14 - Basic Hunter Education Certification Program - see separate listing, June 28 and 29, for details. Space is limited. Call 887-6050, code KAU

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Friday, June 14. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, June 14, 9a.m.-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

Arts and Crafts Activity: Father's Day Card, Friday, June 14, 1:30-2:30p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, June 10-13. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Community Dance, Friday, June 14, 7-10p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Minors allowed with supervision only. Alcohol-free event. Variety of music. Snacks provided; additional pūpū welcome. Free; donations appreciated. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

SATURDAY, JUNE 15
Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, June 15, 10a.m.-1p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko - Kumu Hula Lorna Lim w/Hālau Kawehileimamoikawekiu‘okohala, Saturday, June 15, 10:30-11:30a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula w/Kumu Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe, Saturday, June 15, 11a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Drawing Mandalas as Meditation w/Lisa Maria Martin, Saturday, June 15, 11a.m.-2p.m., Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. All supplies provided. Open to all levels. No art or meditation experience needed. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, June 15, 2-3p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

Opera Concert w/D'Andrea Pelletier, Saturday, June 15, 5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Tickets are $20/VAC member, $25/non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Community Clean-Up, Sunday, June 16. Free; donations appreciated. Space available and BYO-4WD ok. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Father's Day Buffet, Sunday, June 16, 5-8p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Main entrees: Prime Rib, Lemon Butter Fish and Vegetable Stir Fry w/Tofu. $29.95/Adults, $14.95/Child (ages 6-11). No reservations required, 967-8356. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

ONGOING

Seamless Summer Program, open to all people under age 18, no registration required, offers free breakfast at Nāʻālehu Elementary and Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School cafeterias. Meals are available weekdays, June 7 through July 11; no meals Tuesday, June 11 and Thursday, July 4. Kaʻū High serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (808) 939-2413 for Nāʻālehu Elementary mealtimes.

Summer Programs for Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary registrations are open.
Uplink All-Stars runs Friday, June 7 through Friday, June 28 for students in grades 6, 7, and 8, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Algebra camp is also open to students in grades 6, 7, and 8 from Monday, June 10 through Friday, June 21, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Early College, for high school students, runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100. No classes Tuesday, June 11 and Thursday, July 4.

Purchase Tickets for Miss Hawaiʻi Island Teen USA and Miss Hawaiʻi Island, Sunday, June 15 at The Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo, from Teen USA candidate Kailee "Kamalani" Kuhaulua-Stacy. Tickets are $25; contact Kamalani at 808-315-4252 through Saturday, June 14 to purchase. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., the pageant begins at 6:30 p.m. The evening includes both competition for Miss Hawaiʻi Island Teen USA, for contenders 14 to 18 years of age, and Miss Hawaiʻi Island, for contestants 18 to 28.

Supporters can vote for the candidate called Kamalani, contestant #7, for the People's Choice award, by liking her photos on the pageant Facebook. Deadline to vote by liking the contestant photo is this Sunday, June 9 at 7 p.m.

See misshawaiiisland.com.

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, runs through Sunday, June 16, daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou's Annual Nāʻālehu 4th of July Parade and Summer Fun Fest happens Saturday, June 29. The Nā‘ālehu Independence Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji Mission. The parade features floats, Paʻu riders, Kaʻū Coffee Court members, and more.
The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required.
To participate in the parade, volunteer, or donate, contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 by Thursday, June 20. okaukakou.org

Full-Time Teaching Assistant Sought by Tūtū & Me to implement curriculum for caregivers and keiki in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool in Kaʻū. Competitive salary and benefits package, including medical, dental, drug, and vision; flexible spending plan; 403b retirement plan; vacation, sick days, and 14 paid days off; and more.

Minimum requirement is a high school diploma. Early Childhood Education, related coursework, and/or experience working children preferred. For more, visit pidf.org/about/careers. Apply by emailing resume and cover letter to hr@pidfoundation.org or fax to 808-440-6619.

Hi-Employment Seeks Student Employees to work in a macadamia nut orchard on weekends and holidays. Duties include hand-harvesting macadamia nuts, filling and transporting nut bag and buckets, loading 25-plus pound bags into truck beds, and possible clearing of brush and branches. Applicants must be at least 15 years old, have a work permit, two forms of ID, and transportation to "Panaʻewa Stretch." Call for more details, 238-3741, hi-employment.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Thursday, June 06, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, June 6, 2019

DDay air troopers, at right, on their way to dropping into France on June 6, 1944. At left are the same men,
75 years later as WWII veterans in the same plane. DDay led the way for Japanese Americans of the 442nd from
Hawaiʻi to head for Europe on June 26, 1944, as loyal U.S citizens supporting the Allies.
Photo from Sen. Mazie Hirono's Twitter

THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF DDAY, with World War II ceremonies this week in France and Britain, drew the following from Sen. Mazie Hirono: "We remember those in our military who served and made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country on the beaches of Normandy. Today, we honor the legacy of the greatest generation and salute you."

DDay on June 6, 1944, made way for Japanese American soldiers like Iwao
Yonemitsu and Tokoichi Nakano to fight for the U.S. in Europe.
Photo by Julia Neal

Hirono shared a photo of veterans in a plane that dropped them into France on DDay, their images then - and now - in their tenth decade of life.
DDay, June 6, 1944, saw 57,500 U.S. troops land in France by sea and 15,500 from the sky. On the beaches of Normandy, it was the largest seaborne landing in military history.
The DDAY landing on June 6 led the way to the deployment June 26 of the U.S. Army's 442nd unit of Japanese Americans to fight in Europe. Some came from from Kaʻū, including Iwao Yonemitsu and the late Tokoichi Nakano.
Along with the Allied Forces, they defeated the Nazis who were taking over Europe.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

AN AMENDMENT TO THE HAWAIʻI COUNTY STYROFOAM-POLYSTYRENE BAN is before the County Council. Proposed by councilmember Tim Richards, who introduced the ban, it would allow use of containers widely considered recyclable but not currently accepted in Hawaiʻi County's recycling system. Plastic clamshell containers are examples.

Example of a recyclable plastic clamshell container, which
would be allowed with the new amendment.
Photo from webstaurant.com

A problem developed with the styrofoam-polystyrene ban that goes into effect July 1, with few alternatives for packaging. While the new law allows recyclable plastic and compostable containers, Hawaiʻi County stopped accepting "No. 5 plastic 'clamshell'" containers – the recyclable alternative many food vendors would use as a replacement for the styrofoam plate lunch container. This leaves the more expensive compostable containers as the only option.
The proposed amendment would allow use of packaging currently unacceptable for recycling by Hawaiʻi County, but potentially acceptable in the future.
The ban prohibits sale and use of any styrofoam-polystyrene containers by restaurants, food vendors, and on county property. This includes banning the public from using them at county-supervised pavilions, parks, cabins, and other facilities. The polystyrene ban doesn't affect packaging for raw meat or eggs, coolers or ice chests intended for reuse, or containers from out of state.

Local food services and restaurant association executives testified before the council on Monday, June 3.

Examples of Styrofoam containers, banned as of July 1.
Photo from homeforfoam.com

Lauren Zirbel of Hawaiʻi Food Industry Association said the amendment is needed, as "what the County is recycling or not recycling at the time could lead to an almost immediate shift in what is allowable for products." She said that would put local businesses, that employ locals and make items locally, at a disadvantage, and not affect imported goods.

Richard Kobayashi of Café 100 said "We are willing to adapt and change, and I think it is important to the community that the changes we make will have an effect on the price we charge. Our goal is always to provide value… our concern is to find a suitable alternative (to Styrofoam) that is also cost effective." He said the options for alternatives aren't "comparable" to polystyrene, and that time is needed to find the right products.

Jason Higa, CEO of Zippy's, said his company supports Bill 74. He said the legislation that was meant to ban Styrofoam ended up as a "broad mandate" for only compostable containers, which would put companies like Big Island Candies and Mauna Loa Mac Nut "out of business… It's going to be a challenge as it is. We are doing our best to adapt to, not just legislation, but the desires of our customer base, who have been telling us that they would like to see change."

Example of a compostable clamshell container, usually
made from fiber. Photo from gppro.com

Sheri Holi of Big Island Candies said that, being "in the gift giving business," appealing packaging is important. She said she doesn't think "technology is advanced enough" to provide visually appealing containment, recyclability, and food safety and freshness all in one. She said that the ban being enforced as it is now would put Big Island Candies "at a huge disadvantage" because imported items are not under the same restrictions. She said Big Island Candies does support the polystyrene ban.

Derek Kurisu, executive vice president of KTA Super Stores, said, "As we find a suitable alternative, we would definitely change, but as for now, we support only the ban on polystyrene – that's the only alternative."

Kaʻū's Councilmember, Maile David, praised Richards for responding to public concern and proposing the amendments to his own bill.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Map showing LFA treatment closure. NPS Graphic

STEAM VENTS PARKING LOT in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is closed Monday, June 10 from 8 a.m. to noon, as park staff continue efforts to eradicate little fire ants from the area.

Only the Steam Vents parking lot and the trail from the parking lot to Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) will be closed; Wahinekapu and Crater Rim Trail will remain open. Park pest control workers will treat Steam Vents every four to six weeks and will announce closures in news releases, the park website, nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes, and via social media. The goal is to completely exterminate the ants from the area.

A National Park Service ecologist applies granular bait to

treat invasive little fire ants at Steam Vents, Hawai‘i

Volcanoes National Park. NPS photo/Janice Wei

For more information on LFA, how to control them and how to prevent spreading them, visit littlefireants.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

KAʻŪ RANCHERS AND FARMERS are invited to register for the annual conference of the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaiʻi. Called AG2019, it will be on Oʻahu Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 15 and 16 at Hawaiʻi Convention Center.

Taylor Kellerman, President of Agricultural Leadership Foundation Hawaiʻi, said "AG2019 will be one of our most innovative conferences ever in terms of content and education. The theme is AGdaptation: Hawaiʻi's Growing Opportunity. In addition to keynote speakers, the conference offers networking among growers and buyers, and exhibits and presentations of businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits."

Kellerman said the intent is to "share and develop ideas and strategies to help Hawaiʻi agriculture become a viable, sustainable resource that provides rewarding careers, enriches lifestyles, and stewards our ʻāina for future generations."
Early-bird registration is through Aug. 31 at $300. It costs $350 after August. For more, and to register, visit hi iagconference.org.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

UPCOMING

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

Zentangle Ulana, Appreciations of Weaving w/Dina Wood Kageler, Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Volcano Art Center. All welcome, no prior experience necessary. Supplies provided. Students invited to bring snack to share. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. Register: volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Jazz in the Forest: Binti Bailey & Larry Seyer with the Jazztones, Saturday, June 8, 5:30 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Refreshments available for purchase. Tickets available online, $20/VAC Member, $25/non-Member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, June 9 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

SUNDAY, JUNE 9

Medicine for the Mind: Teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sunday, June 9 – 2nd Sunday, monthly – 3-5p.m., Volcano Art Center. Free; calabash donations welcome. Dress warmly. Patty Johnson, 345-1527

MONDAY, JUNE 10
Summer Algebra Camp: Grades 6-8, Monday, June 10, to Friday, June 21, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary. Supplies provided, free. Registration required, 313-4913, dexsilyn.navarro@k12.hi.us

Early College: High School Students, Monday-Thursday, June 12-July 11, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary. Registration required, 313-4100

Ka‘ū Homeschool Co–op Group, Monday, June 10, 1p.m., contact for location. Parent-led homeschool activity and social group, building community in Ka‘ū. Laura Roberts, 406-249-3351

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12
Kapa Kuiki w/Cultural Practitioner Cyndy Martinez, Wednesday, June 12, 10a.m.-noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center lānai. Hawaiian traditional quilting methods demonstration and discussion. Free; park entrance fees apply. nps.gov/havo

THURSDAY, JUNE 13
Hawaiian Civic Club of Ka‘ū, Thursday, June 13, 6:30p.m., United Methodist Church, Nā‘ālehu. Pres. Berkley Yoshida, 747-0197

FRIDAY, JUNE 14
Register by June 14 - Basic Hunter Education Certification Program - see separate listing, June 28 and 29, for details. Space is limited. Call 887-6050, code KAU

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Friday, June 14. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Hawai‘i Disability Legal Services, Friday, June 14, 9a.m.-noon, Ocean View Community Center. Free disability legal services provided by Hawai‘i Legal Aid. ovcahi.org, 939-7033

Arts and Crafts Activity: Father's Day Card, Friday, June 14, 1:30-2:30p.m., Kahuku Park, H.O.V.E. Register keiki ages 6-12, June 10-13. Free. 929-9113, hawaiicounty.gov/pr-recreation

Community Dance, Friday, June 14, 7-10p.m., Cooper Center, Volcano Village. Minors allowed with supervision only. Alcohol-free event. Variety of music. Snacks provided; additional pūpū welcome. Free; donations appreciated. 967-7800, thecoopercenter.org

SATURDAY, JUNE 15
Ocean View C.E.R.T. Mtg., Saturday, June 15, 10a.m.-1p.m., Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team monthly meeting and training. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Hula Kahiko - Kumu Hula Lorna Lim w/Hālau Kawehileimamoikawekiu‘okohala, Saturday, June 15, 10:30-11:30a.m., hula platform near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula performance. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Nā Mea Hula w/Kumu Moses Kaho‘okele Crabbe, Saturday, June 15, 11a.m.-1p.m., Volcano Art Center Gallery porch. Hands-on cultural demonstration. Free; park entrance fees apply. 967-8222, volcanohula@gmail.com, volcanoartcenter.org

Drawing Mandalas as Meditation w/Lisa Maria Martin, Saturday, June 15, 11a.m.-2p.m., Volcano Art Center. $30/VAC member, $35/non-member, plus $10 supply fee. All supplies provided. Open to all levels. No art or meditation experience needed. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Ham Radio Mtg., Saturday, June 15, 2-3p.m., Ocean View Community Center. ovcahi.org

Opera Concert w/D'Andrea Pelletier, Saturday, June 15, 5:30p.m., Volcano Art Center. Tickets are $20/VAC member, $25/non-member. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Community Clean-Up, Sunday, June 16. Free; donations appreciated. Space available and BYO-4WD ok. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Father's Day Buffet, Sunday, June 16, 5-8p.m., Crater Rim Café, Kīlauea Military Camp. Main entrees: Prime Rib, Lemon Butter Fish and Vegetable Stir Fry w/Tofu. $29.95/Adults, $14.95/Child (ages 6-11). No reservations required, 967-8356. Open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. kilaueamilitarycamp.com

ONGOING

Uplink All-Stars runs Friday, June 7 through Friday, June 28 for students in grades 6, 7, and 8, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Algebra camp is also open to students in grades 6, 7, and 8 from Monday, June 10 through Friday, June 21, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Early College, for high school students, runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100. No classes Tuesday, June 11 and Thursday, July 4.

Purchase Tickets for Miss Hawaiʻi Island Teen USA and Miss Hawaiʻi Island, Sunday, June 15 at The Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo, from Teen USA candidate Kailee "Kamalani" Kuhaulua-Stacy. Tickets are $25; contact Kamalani at 808-315-4252 through Saturday, June 14 to purchase. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., the pageant begins at 6:30 p.m. The evening includes both competition for Miss Hawaiʻi Island Teen USA, for contenders 14 to 18 years of age, and Miss Hawaiʻi Island, for contestants 18 to 28.

See misshawaiiisland.com.

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou's Annual Nāʻālehu 4th of July Parade and Summer Fun Fest happens Saturday, June 29. The Nā‘ālehu Independence Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. at Nā‘ālehu Elementary School and ends at the Nā‘ālehu Hongwanji Mission. The parade features floats, Paʻu riders, Kaʻū Coffee Court members, and more.
The Fest, which begins after the parade, features water slides and bounce castles, hot dogs, watermelon, and shave ice, plus Senior Bingo and lunch at the community center for seniors. The free event is open to the public, no registration required.
To participate in the parade, volunteer, or donate, contact Debra McIntosh at 929-9872 by Thursday, June 20. okaukakou.org
Full-Time Teaching Assistant Sought by Tūtū & Me to implement curriculum for caregivers and keiki in Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool in Kaʻū. Competitive salary and benefits package, including medical, dental, drug, and vision; flexible spending plan; 403b retirement plan; vacation, sick days, and 14 paid days off; and more.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Author and former Mauna Kea telescope visitor center guide presented his historical view of Mauna Kea
management and opposed pending rules on the operation of the campus that hosts international telescopes.
Photo from Big Island Video News. See the video.

TOM PEEK, OF VOLCANO, OPPOSED RULES FOR MAUNA KEA developed by University of Hawaiʻi. Yesterday's public hearing in Hilo was on administrative rules for leases for some of the world's best telescopes on land many Hawaiians deem sacred. Peek, the author of Daughters of Fire, a writing teacher, and former Mauna Kea visitor center astronomy guide, said management of Mauna Kea had an "unsavory history." He reviewed his experience involving the state owned top of Mauna Kea, managed by the Department of Land & Natural Resources and leased out to University of Hawaiʻi, Office of Mauna Kea Management. The land is leased by UH to telescope operators. See the proposed rules. Peek presented the following written testimony:
"I'm Tom Peek, long ago an astronomy guide for the observatories and an eyewitness to 30 years of UH and DLNR malfeasance — malfeasance driven by a combination of ethnocentric prejudice and unrelenting pressure from Hawai‘i's construction and tourism industries. Given that unsavory history, I challenge the legitimacy of these rules and the Office of Mauna Kea Management that created them.

Office of Mauna Kea Management held a hearing Tuesday in Hilo on its new rules.
See the propose rules. Photo from Office of Mauna Kea Management

"The seeds of these rules were planted in a notorious time, when a blistering 1998 legislative audit finally exposed decades of UH and DLNR malfeasance (which by then some of us insiders already knew).
"Ten years earlier (1988), when I was beefing up our fledgling Visitor Information Station program, restricting islanders' access was definitely not supported by the mountain's astronomy staff. We knew islanders had long feared that astronomy would take over the mountaintop, and we all understood that Mauna Kea belonged to them long before we showed up.

Some of the world's top scientific telescopes fall under the
Mauna Kea Management Plan. Photo from OMKM

"That understanding was upturned by UH President Kenneth Mortimer and Institute for Astronomy Acting Director Bob McLaren in their defensive — even vindictive — response to the audit.
"Mortimer and McLaren — and the Board of Land & Natural Resources Chair — denied most of the auditor's conclusions, blaming the public for whatever problems existed. And they proposed the first public access limits — similar to those in these 'administrative rules.'
"Sierra Club's Nelson Ho called that 'scapegoating the public' rather than dealing with the 'industrialization and commercialization of the summit.'
"But even more disturbing, UH proposed creating their own management agency — an entity they could control — OMKM. OMKM was never intended to restore balance on the mountain but instead to use sham planning and carefully contrived cultural consultation as political cover for building more telescopes and to begin limiting noncommercial access to the summit.
"Sierra Club, Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, the Royal Order of Kamehameha, Ka Lahui Hawai‘i, and others opposed OMKM's creation because of its obvious conflict of interest — 'a fox guarding the henhouse.' Instead, they proposed a wholly new management agency in which statutory 'rightholders' of this ceded land would manage the mountain on behalf of the public and Native Hawaiians, rather than for astronomers, tour companies, and the construction industry.

A lele, place of spiritual offerings, at the summit of
Mauna Kea. Photo from OMKM

"But 'old boy politics' prevailed.
"These rules are part of that unsavory history of malfeasance — tools to completely take over the mountaintop, as Big Islanders feared in the 1980s, and to further empower an illegitimate OMKM.
"If enacted, the rules will almost certainly end up in court — as they should. And you Regents will be tainted — as you should.
"Instead, please reject this rulemaking charade and embrace Hawaiian proposals for a new management agency that has no conflict of interest — and distance yourselves from this OMKM mess."
Read the proposed rules and see more testimony at bigislandvideonews.com. Peek's Daughters of Fire is a novel, enriched with Hawaiʻi Island history and the interaction of science and culture.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

A pair of mated ʻAlalā. Photo from San Diego Zoo Global

ʻALALĀ COMPLETED A NEST in the forest where these endangered native Hawaiian crows were released, after growing up in captivity. The ʻAlalā Project recently posted to Facebook: "This nest is a species recovery milestone and a good indicator that the birds are establishing in this forest, regardless of the outcome of this particular nesting attempt. Since this is the first breeding attempt, they are learning and trialing many behaviors: how to build the nest platform, form and line a nest, incubate, and feed themselves and one another during the tireless process of nesting."

The nest was built by Manaʻolana and Manaiakalani, two birds released in 2017. The monitoring crew noted signs that two other pairs released in 2017 – Kiaʻikūmokuhāliʻi and Ola, and Hoʻoikaika and Liliʻuwelo – are also nest building.

The ʻAlalā Project posted: "It is inspiring to see the progress these released birds have made as they navigate nesting and breeding in their new forest home. They are really beginning to thrive and we are hopeful that they will continue to progress in fulfilling their cultural and ecological roles!"

ʻAlalā, building a nest in the wild.
Photo from San Diego Zoo Global

See the May 9, Kaʻū News Briefs report on two pairs of endangered Hawaiian Crow showing mating behavior and preparing nests in the Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve. The Reserve is home to 21 ʻAlalā, who were released into the wild in several cohorts since 2017. This was the first mating and nesting behavior seen in the wild in almost 20 years.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

BECOMING AN OUTDOORS WOMAN workshop comes to Hawaiʻi Island for the first time Friday, Sept. 6 through Sunday, Sept. 8 at the Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area, formerly Mauna Kea Park. The nationally acclaimed program "teaches women a wide variety of outdoor skills," says a release from Department of Land and Natural Resources. The DLNR Hunter Education Program and the Safari Club International-Hawai‘i Chapter will host the inaugural Hawaiʻi workshop.

BOW is a non-profit, educational program offering hands-on outdoor skills workshops, which focus on introductory level hunting, fishing, and non-harvest activities for adult women. With Hawai‘i added, 39 states and six Canadian provinces offer workshops each year, attended by tens of thousands of women.

Andrew Choy, the coordinator of hunter education through the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement said, "We want to promote a supportive environment conducive to learning, making friends, and having fun. No experience is necessary, and the program is designed for women of all fitness levels. BOW is for you if you've never tried these fun and educational activities or if you want to improve some of your existing outdoor skills."

Participants can choose which activities they like for morning and afternoon sessions. This year's class options include: Firearms Safety and Handling, Fishing, Backpacking Basics and Outdoor Survival, Outdoor Photography, Archery, Knife Making, Outdoor First Aid, Kayaking, Beginning, Rifle and Handgun, Hiking in Hawaiʻi, Horseback Riding and ATV, Beginner Shotgun and Sporting Clays, and Native Plants and Lei Making.

The three-day workshop begins in the afternoon on Friday and ends early afternoon on Sunday. Many of the daytime activities will occur off-site at various locations on the island. Lodging, meals, and nighttime activities will occur within the bunkhouse, dining room, and cabins at the Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area.

The $250 registration fee includes two nights lodging, all meals, transportation to activities, equipment, and materials. Shuttle service from and to Kona International Airport is available. There are only 45 spaces available for women, 18 years or older, so early registration is encouraged.
Contact the Hunter Education Program at (808) 587-0200 or hawaiihuntered@hawaii.gov for more information and to request a registration packet.

See public Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment.

See Kaʻū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events.

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

JUST ANNOUNCED

GIVING TREE at St. Jude's happens Saturday, July 20. On Saturday, May 18, reports St. Jude's, the Giving Tree set up tents and tables in the lower parking lot and "gave out lots of clothing and various other items like toothbrushes and razors. This time they had a lot of new clothing to give away, as well as some used. They also had some shoes and coats. Many of the people visiting them came on up to the church to have a bowl of soup and some took showers." The event brought in people normally not seen at the church outreach. St. Jude's offers: "Come on by to see what they have and while you are there, come on up to the church building to share a bowl of soup, take a free hot shower, and use our community computer lab."

Free haircuts will also be on offer July 20, courtesy of Kady and Drew Foster. The service integrates with the Free Hot Shower and soup kitchen programs, offering a trim after a shower.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, JUNE 6

Keiki Jiggle Bums, Thursday, June 6 and 20 – 1st and 3rd Thursday, monthly – 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Ocean View Community Center. Discover the joy of early learning through song and musical instruments. For keiki 0-4 years. Nicola, 238-8544

Women's Expression Group, Thursday, June 6 – 1st Thursday monthly – 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., PARENTS Inc., Nā‘ālehu. Women welcome to drop in. Free. Lindsey Miller, 333-3460, lindsey@hawaiiparents.org

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Mtg., Thursday, June 6, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

‘O Ka‘ū Kākou Mtg., Thursday, June 6, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Aspen Center. okaukakou.org

FRIDAY, JUNE 7
Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Coastal Net Patrol, Friday, June 7. Free; donations appreciated. Limited seating available. RSVP in advance. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, 769-7629

Uplink All-Stars: Grades 6-8, Friday, June 7, to Friday, June 28, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary. Registration required, 313-4100

Stewardship at the Summit, Fridays, June 7, 15, 22, and 28, 8:45 a.m. to noon, Kīlauea Visitor Center. Volunteers remove invasive, non-native plants. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks, and water. Gloves/tools provided. Parental/guardian accompaniment or written consent required for those under 18. Free; park entrance fees apply. Paul and Jane Field, field@hawaii.edu, nps.gov/havo

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

MONDAY, JUNE 10
Summer Algebra Camp: Grades 6-8, Monday, June 10, to Friday, June 21, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary. Supplies provided, free. Registration required, 313-4913, dexsilyn.navarro@k12.hi.us

Early College: High School Students, Monday-Thursday, June 12-July 11, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ka‘ū High & Pāhala Elementary. Registration required, 313-4100

ONGOING

Early College, for high school students, runs from Wednesday, June 12 through Thursday, July 11, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All three programs require registration by calling 313-4100. No classes Tuesday, June 11 and Thursday, July 4.

See misshawaiiisland.com.

Exhibit – Hulihia, A Complete Change: The Hawai‘i Nei Invitational Exhibition, runs through Sunday, June 16, daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Volcano Art Center Gallery. Multi-media exhibition of seven artists. Free; National Park entrance fees may apply. 967-7565, volcanoartcenter.org

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

About The Kaʻū Calendar

Friday, June 07, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Friday, June 7, 2019

Thursday, June 06, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, June 6, 2019

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Kaʻū News Briefs, Wednesday, June 5, 2019