Kaʻū News Briefs April 30, 2024

Bolo, who helped compose the song Kaiholena, will be featured with The Jazz Gardeners, dancers from Halau Hula O Leonalani

and Aloha Latinos and other entertainment at the opening of Kaʻū Coffee Fest 2024 on June 1 at Pāhala Plantation House where the public is invited to meet the sponsors and farmers. Photo from Ka'u Coffee Fest

THE FIRST KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL since the pandemic kicks off in one month for eight days at the beginning of June. Presented by the Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Cooperative and its President Gloria Camba, it is “designed to celebrate Ka‘ū as a premium coffee growing origin and a unique visitor destination.” It also celebrates the success of the multicultural community of Ka‘ū Coffee growers, who were able to create a new economy to own their own farms on this Hawaiian land.

    Organizers note that many of the events are free, while others require a nominal fee and reservations:
    Saturday, June 1: Kaʻū Coffee Recipe Contest offers a free competition for adults and keiki

Kaʻū Coffee recipe contest is June 1. Call 808-928-0550 to sign
 up. Above, the late Ann Fontes, a Coffee Fest food judge,
 farmer and agricultural educator. Photo by Julia Neal

at 11 a.m. with cash prizes at the Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Entries are accepted in pupu, entree and dessert categories for adult and student divisions. All recipes are made with Kaʻū coffee and attendees enjoy free coffee, tastings and entertainment. Entry deadline is May 27. Contact 808-928-0550 for registration info.
    Saturday, June 1: Welcome Party at historic  Plantation House to meet sponsors and farmers. Learn history of Ka‘ū Coffee. Hear the music of The Jazz Gardeners and the voice of Cheryl Cuevas with some old-time lively Hapa Haole music on drums, sax, flute, clarinet, bass, and piano. Hear Bolo’s rendition of Kaiholena composed during a past Ka‘ū Coffee Festival to honor the place, included on a Grammy-winning album by Daniel Ho and Tia Carrere. Enjoy performers from Hālau Hula O Leionalani and Mexican dance from the new Aloha Latinos Hawai‘i Association.Berta, Jose and Maria Miranda and learn about the family’s escape from a civil war and their success in becoming Ka‘ū Coffee farmers. Enjoy food and house tours. The event is 6 p.m. -9:30 p.m. Co-hosted by Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative, Pāhala Plantation Cottages and The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper. Free, donations accepted.

Kaʻū Coffee Farms will be open Wednesday, June 5 to visit the farmers. Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Festival

    Wednesday, June 5: Tour Kaʻū Coffee Farms and see how this world-class coffee is grown, harvested and processed. Meet the farmers and talk story to learn their challenges and successes. Take a free, self-guided tour; participating farms will be listed on the festival website. 

Kaʻū Mountain Hike & Lunch is Thursday, June 6. Photo by Jesse Tunison

    Thursday, June 6: Kaʻū Mountain Hike & Lunch explores the historic flume systems of the sugarcane era and development of hydroelectric power in the lush Wood Valley rainforest. Limited to 30 participants, time is 9 a.m.-2 p.m., $60 per person, includes lunch. Reserve a spot at 808-928-0550.

    Friday, June 7: Coffee & Cattle Day 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at scenic Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Find out how descendants of Kaʻū’s first coffee farmer sustainably integrate coffee with pasture-raised beef. $35 fee includes a hearty, all-you-can-eat outdoor buffet featuring local specialties. Reserve spot at 808-927-2252. 

Merle Becker, adorned with maile lei, takes hayriders on a tour of Aikane Plantation's coffee and cattle fields. Photo by Jesse Tunison

    Friday, June 7: Kaʻū Stargazing enables sky seekers to view the heavens via telescopes guided by professional astronomers from the hills surrounding Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Find out how stars are instrumental in the age-old Hawaiian art of wayfinding and navigation. Time is 5:30 p.m. -10 p.m., $60 fee includes a barbecue dinner and shuttle transport from Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Reservations: 808-928-0550.
    Saturday, June 8: Fun is perking 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the free Kaʻū Coffee Festival Ho‘olaule‘a—the festival’s grand finale of live music, hula, local food and crafts, keiki activities, educational displays, guided coffee tastings and farm and mill tours headquartered inside and out of Pāhala Community Center. Entertainment includes famed vocalist Darlene Ahuna, Ku‘uipo Kumukai, Victor Chock & Friends, Halau Hula O Leionalani and Demetrius Oliveira and Gene Beck. Visit kaucoffeefestival.com and follow Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Facebook and @kaucoffeefest on Twitter and Instagram.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.

VENDORS ARE SOUGHT FOR KAʻŪ HOSPITAL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION'S KAʻŪ COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR on Saturday, Aug 31 at Pahala Community Center from 10 a.m. – 2 pm. This second annual event is hosted by Kaʻū Hospital and East Hawai'i Health Clinic Kaʻū and Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association. Prospective vendors can contact Kaʻū Hospital Secretary Marciel Graig at 808-932-4376 or mgraig@hhsc.org.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see

 facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.

Kaʻū News Briefs April 29, 2024

Kīlauea Crater seen from an overlook near Volcano House. With a rise in the number of earthquakes, Chain of Craters Road is closed from the intersection at Crater Rim Drive. NPS Photo

WITH THE INCREASE IN EARTHQUAKES, CHAIN OF CRATERS ROAD closed at 5 p.m on Monday. Other locations that "could put visitors and staff at risk if the volcano erupts," are also off limits, within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park,  following significant spike in quakes. Temporary closures involve:

    Chain of Craters Road from intersection at Crater Rim Drive;
    Hilina Pali Road, which is closed to all use. Kulanaokuaiki Campground is closed.
    Overnight camping, which is suspended for all coastal sites, Nāpau and Pepeiao Cabin.
    Kaʻū Desert Trail, which is closed from the Footprints Exhibit;
    Maunaiki Trail, which is closed.
    "Safety is our main focus, and the uncertainty of where an eruption could break out increases risk," said Chief Ranger Jack Corrao. "Elevated volcanic gases, dangerous lava activity, damaging earthquakes and lava-ignited wildfire are all potential hazards associated with an eruption."
    Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park reported: "According to USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, it is not possible at this time to know if this increase in activity will lead to an eruption in the near future or simply remain confined below ground. However, the gradual strengthening of seismic swarms suggests

Thermal Hotspot area near Puhimau Crater on Chain of Craters Road.
NPS Photo by Janice Wei

that an eruption in the summit region of Kīlauea or beneath the upper East Rift Zone in the park is one potential outcome."
    About 360 shallow earthquakes in 24 hours ping-ponged between areas south of Kīlauea caldera to the upper East Rift Zone across Chain of Craters Road near Puhimau Crater, "adding to the uncertainty of where an eruption could occur. Their magnitude has ranged from M-1 to M-3." The Park reported that "Increased seismicity has not impacted traffic safety or infrastructure projects at the summit."
  The park statement noted that "Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park encompasses two of the world's most active volcanoes, making it distinct among national parks. In 2022, the park closed the summit of Mauna Loa weeks ahead of its historic and nearly two-week eruption. As a result, no evacuations or search and rescue missions were necessary."
    Many popular areas in the park remain open, including Kīlauea Visitor Center, overlooks along Crater Rim Trail, Volcano House, and Nāhuku lava tube. Park visitors are urged to plan ahead and check the park website for any closure or hazard alerts at www.nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes.

Mufi Hanneman and Danny Eder
at Citizen-Scholar Awards.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.

DANNY EDER IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 20TH ANNUAL CITIZEN-SCHOLAR AWARD for Kaʻū High School, from Hawai'i Lodging & Tourism Association, state Department of Education and Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper. He was one in 42 high school senior students honored statewide last Friday, April 26 at ceremonies at the Prince Waikiki hotel in Honolulu.

     Mufi Hanneman, President & CEO of Hawai'i Lodging & Tourism, and founder of Punalu'u Bake Shop in Nāʻālehu, gave Eder the award. Hanneman said the students are saluted "for their academic and cocurricular accomplishments. But equally important is that we are saluting them for their civic engagement, participation in community activities and leadership in serving others."

    Eder is a National Honor Society officer, Gaming Club officer, and Church Volunteer. He will attend Hawai'i Community College. He is the son of Bert and Tina Eder of Pāhala. For becoming a Citizen-Scholar, Eder receives a roundtrip ticket to the mainland from Southwest Airlines.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.

HAWAI'I IS LISTED AS THE WORST STATE FOR NURSES in the country, according to a WalletHub

study. It ranked Hawai'i lowest in annual salary, when adjusted for cost of living. It ranked Hawai'i lowest in a metric called Opportunity & Competition Rank. It ranked Hawai'i third lowest in nursing job openings per capita, and in the fewest health care facilities per capita.

    The top two states for nursing, listed by WalletHub, are Washington, which has very high median earning for nurses in hospitals and clinics and care homes and also for licensed practical and vocational nurses. It has some of the top nursing schools in the country. Maine is second, with one of the largest number of nursing and residential care facilities per capita. A low cost Bachelor of Nursing Science online program helps to achieve nursing degrees with little debt.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AGENTS are wrapping up a series of programs to help coffee farmers and are asking for feedback to help plan for the future. Andrea Kawabata and Matthew Miyahira note that the final Coffee-related Research and Management Update presenter this season is Dr.

Dr. Tracie Matsumoto works with longan
 in photo and also with Kaʻū Coffee.

Tracie Matsumoto of USDA-ARS-PBARC, on Tuesday, April 30 at noon. She will provide an update on coffee germplasm and the cupping of rust resistant varieties.

Get link at www.coffeefeed.com.coffeewebinars. See archived webinars at https://www.hawaiicoffeeed.com/coffeewebinars.html

   The archived webinars for this season are:

    Using Priaxor for CLR Management: Chemistry Review and Best Usage Guidelines - with Mike Ravalin of BASF

    Coffee leaf rust research updates and pesticides registered in coffee w/ Julie Coughlin and Zhiqiang Cheng of CTAHR

    Progress on coffee breeding for CLR-resistance w/ Ming-Li Wang of HARC

    Coffee tissue culture work w/ Steve Starnes of UH Hilo

    Coffee Leaf Rust in Puerto Rico: Patterns and Pathogens w/ Paul Bayman of Univ. of Puerto Rico

    Black twig borer w/ Rob Curtiss of Washington State University and Bob Smith of Smith Farms; Coffee pruning w/ Andrea Kawabata of UH-CTAHR

    Management Tools for Kona Coffee Root-knot Nematode w/ Roxana Myers of USDA ARS DKI PBARC

    Field trials controlling the coffee leaf rust infection by using fungicides in commercial coffee farms in Hawai'i w/ Luis Aristizabal of SHAC

    Optimizing location-specific pesticide applications for Coffee Berry Borer on Hawaii Island w/ Melissa Johnson of USDA ARS DKI PBARC.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.

Kaʻū News Briefs April 28, 2024

Keep Kaʻū Country
Nationally published illustrator John Inserra, who lives in Kaʻū and works internationally, released this depiction of folks who
vow to Keep Ka‘ū Country. Proponents and opponents of the proposed new development at Punalu‘u claim they want to Keep
Kaʻū Country. A public hearing on the issue is set for next Monday, May 6 at County Council Chambers in Hilo, 9 a.m.
Art by John Inserra

A county helicopter drops water on a fire in Ocean
View on Sunday. Photo by Amy James

A FIRE IN HAWAI‘I OCEAN VIEW ESTATES DREW FIREFIGHTERS AND HELICOPTERS TO DOUSE IT on Sunday afternoon. A report on the Ka‘ū Bulletin Board by Serafina Deegan said the fire broke out between Aloha and Coconut, the fire department staging just off Catamaran. 

    Deegan that before the fire, a person claimed to have seen federal unmarked cars coming down King Kam with a few officers in each car. Another reported forerunners on Hawai‘i Blvd. near KaiLoki's full of "extra suited up law enforcement" this morning. Deegan theorized: "So I'm thinking a warrant search, and/or bust, or a swat on a drug, and or theft ring house. People are surmising that there was a swat on a house. And the criminals set the house on fire. They thought they had the fire put out, but looks like it reignited. Someone is helping the firefighters said there’s no fire anymore just smoke on the ground and hotspots. Someone else said they’re gonna have firefighters overnight here to make sure it doesn't flare up again."

    Other Ocean View residents near the fire reported being evacuated from their homes and 'ohia trees burning.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.

DUE TO A SHARP INCREASE IN EARTHQUAKES below the Upper East Rift Zone and Kīlauea summit, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has temporarily closed Hilina Pali Road from Chain of Craters Road. Permits for overnight use of the coastal backcountry, Nāpau campground and Pepeiao Cabin are temporarily suspended. Some 400 quakes a day have been recorded.

Many earthquakes are shown on this USGS image with the red
dots the most recent in the upper East Rift Zone and caldera.

    Kīlauea volcano is not erupting and most of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is open.

   USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory stated, "the significant increase in seismicity beneath the upper East Rift Zone and caldera south of Halemaʻumaʻu that began April 27 is continuing with little change.
    Earthquakes are occurring at rates of 10-15 per hour, compared to 2-5 per hour before April 27." During a recent 24-hour period, over 250 earthquakes occurred beneath the upper East Rift Zone and about 50 beneath the southern end of Kīlauea caldera. The largest earthquakes were between magnitudes 2 and 3, but most were smaller than magnitude-2.

   According to USGS, "It is not possible to say with certainty if this increase in activity will lead to an eruption in the near future – or simply remain confined below ground. However, an eruption in Kīlauea’s summit region or beneath the upper East Rift Zone, within the park, is one potential outcome."
    Updates are being provided daily while the heightened state of unrest continues. Park management will reassess the temporary safety closures Monday and inform the public of any changes.
Check the USGS HVO website for updates: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.

SUPPLIERS OF FRESH PRODUCE CAN SUBMIT BIDS BY MAY 4 TO VIBRANT HAWAI‘I. The food is for this summer's Kaukau 4 Keiki. Beginning Monday, June 17 and running through Friday, July 26, Vibrant Hawaiʻi will serve as Sponsor Agency for the USDA Summer Food Service Program, Kaukau 4 Keiki, for the County of Hawaiʻi. In partnership with 33 sites islandwide, including three in Kaʻū, this program aims to distribute breakfast and lunch food supplies to an estimated 5,070 keiki through the six-week program. Vendors can submit bids for the fresh produce and shelf stable food supplies. Download bid packet at

https://fb5ef8fb-5712-4a77-8357-a8b0b72da606.usrfiles.com/ugd/fb5ef8_120cd3a278cf42718b84fbff3a33914d.pdf,